Since so many of us are Twitter junkies, I thought this poster from How To Project would be a great addition to your workspace. Besides, the thing is super cool. Be sure to use code LABLOVE to get free shipping.
The LAB Pop Up Shop is Open!
It’s open! Head on over and support these fine handmakers. So many goodies!
[Sponsored Post] In the Domestica Shop: Take Pie Anywhere by Piebox
Here is a great way to travel with pie. Piebox makes handcrafted pie boxes, designed to transports your browned and warmed disks of culinary wonder to the next location. The boxes are made in Chicago from chemical-free, raw pine. What a great idea. You can pick up you pie protector now in the Domestica shop today.
Wonderful Art by Rachel Ann Austin
Peaceful and sublime are the two words that come to mind every time I see Rachel Austin’s work. Her combination of colors and her use of maps is amazing. It seems to gives these pieces a sense of open-eyed wonder. I always want to take a road trip when I see them. Can someone tell me where my Airstream is? Oh, I have one. It just hasn’t arrived (or been purchased) yet.
Rachel also makes notecards from her art that are perfect to share or frame. Be sure to check out the rest of her collection. You can find & follow Rachel here:
Refreshing Art from Minty Prints
Ahhh! What a delightful print. I’m thrilled to introduce to you another brand new shop. Casey and Amy are working ever-so-talently behind the scenes at Minty Prints to bring you a fab collection of positive art prints. If these lovely works of art don’t cheer you up and brighten your mood, check your pulse.
Nothing makes me happier to feature artists just as they get started. I can’t wait to see what else lands in the Minty Prints shop. Keep in touch with Minty Prints:
Travel the World with Prints by Inglea P Arrhenius
I still dream of traveling the globe and visiting some of my favorite handmakers. Doesn’t a LAB Handmade World Tour sound like fun? Until then, here are some great travel posts, designed by the very talented Ingela P. Arrhenius. These 4 prints are found exclusively over at the Lagom Design Shop.
Free Shipping on Prints from the LAB @ Society6
I’ve add a few new designs to the LAB shop over on Society6. You can get your hands on my prints and photography with free worldwide shipping until Sunday, November 25, 2012. All proceeds from my art helps me support the handmade community here on IAMTHELAB.
My newest work, The Creative Mind @ Work poster, comes in 5 colors. It’s the perfect way to get everyone in your world to give you a few moments of much-needed silence. Just hang and point.
I’ve already had some very happy customers with this We Are Artists print. Grab one for the artist in your life, or for yourself. Or both.
The Colors series features original photography and pithy poetic notes by yours truly.
You can also find more of my original photography, including these images from the Looking Up series.
Haute Handmade – Four Fantastic Fall Finds
Looking for some haute handmade couture? Try these 4 fab finds from some of the hottest names in handmade fashion.
- How this for handmade: bamboo glasses from California-based Weekend. I love that these handmade sunglasses are both sustainable and affordable. It’s unisex, so yes, you can get a matching pair for the handmade gent in your life.
- Made from 100% silk, this Feathers scarf by Nanukk is sure to turn heads. This fantastic creation features a bird of prey feather print in wondrous shades teal, gold and grey. It’s the perfect accessory for fall and winter.
- I’m always enthralled with Khoi Le’s creativity. Blending waxed and distressed leather, the Verseau tote is tall and ready for whatever you put into it. You could easily transition from day to night with this bag at your side.
- What a gorgeous flat from Dot & Pete! How can you resist this handmade shoe? You feet will feel absolutely royal in these suede and gold beauties.
Creative Gents – Dave Hakkens & His Memo-blocks
Dave Hakkens has been working on a fun new project that I think you folks will like. He was recently asked by Süddeutsche Zeitung magazine to design a product that people can make for themselves at home. David never ceases to amaze me with his creativity, so it’s little wonder that he came up with these ingenious do-it-yourself Memo-blocks.
His Memo-blocks use old cardboard to build the shape. Either plastic bags, sheet protectors or foil can be used as a whiteboard-like surface. Add some glue and tape to hold it all together and you have a cool way to stay organized. Oh, and don’t forget the whiteboard pen.
David had made the whole project available in 3 sizes on his website. What a great little project this will make on those chilly winter evenings to come.
A Little Type Goodness from MASH
The four women behind MASH (Mary Faber, Alice Lo, Saranna Drury, Haylie Gray) want you to celebrate the joys of type with their fresh & fun collection of prints. If you are a font fanatic, this will feed your fire fabulously.
MASH by MASH from Haylie Gray on Vimeo.
You could get all your font goodness in one poster by grabbing one of these limited edition Specimen prints. It’s signed by the women of MASH and will fan the flames of your font appetite in one sitting.
Or you could go for an individual fix with these fantastic single-letter prints.
Stay tuned because it appears that MASH will be producing a deck of cards. That ought to be pretty amazing, don’t you think?
Ampersand Alert: Handmade & Fun Finds From Alana Riley
I wonder what it is about the ampersand that so many of us find alluring? Is it the promise of togetherness that it implies? Who knows. All I know is that I’ve been intrigued by it for most of my life. So, how could I resist featuring these fun and full-fleshed ampersands handmade finds from Alana Riley? I couldn’t.
Alana’s fun collection includes a wee-lovely pocket notebook, muslin bags, a very simple print on kraft paper and wallpaper for your smartphone. That’s a lot of ampersand love, just for you.
LAB ASSIGNMENT 002 – BRAND: YOU. PART 5: GET INSPIRED
For our last LAB Assignment, we talked about remembering our mentors. Personally, I think it’s one of the most important things a creative person can do. We look to our mentors for guidance and direction. They can also serve as guideposts. Where they are now, is where we want to be in the future.
OK, so et’s say that you are moving and shaking. Your creative endeavor is starting to take off like that crazy arugula plant in my garden, which is now trying to take complete control of the area. However, just like that arugula, sometimes your ideas need to be pruned and cut back so that new life can grow. I find that moments like that, when I need to pause and reflect, are the moments when I need reliable outside sources of inspiration. You know, those places you go and people you speak to that help you to refocus, refresh and rethink. I have a few. It should be no surprise that some of my mentors are also some of my favorite sources of inspiration.
One such source is Design Seeds. I can never say enough about how much I’ve come to rely on Jessica Colaluca’s masterful collection of colorful collages. I’m putting the finishing touches on LAB MAISON and the branding for my new site started with some inspiration via Jessica’s handy Palette Search. This was the Seed that sent me on my way:
I know, it’s kind of like cheating, since there’s 8 colors, but sometimes it’s the palette that Jessica isolates and the image itself that just get’s my imagination going. You really need to give that Palette search a try. You’ll be there for hours, trust me.
I should also share one of my secret sources of inspiration. I get asked all the time, not only by readers of the LAB but also by many of the artist that I feature: “Where did you find me?” 4 years ago I discovered a resource so good, that I’m scared to share it. Here it goes: it’s the Big Cartel Directory. Unlike searching on Etsy, which I find to be so frustrating that I actually try to avoid it, the Big Cartel Directory is so well designed and easy to use. I can’t tell you how many artists I’ve found there. But basically, I owe my blogs’ success to that directory. Do you know how many times I’ve featured someone here and then see that same artist featured for the first time on a much bigger blog? Oh yes, I do pay attention FYI. Nothing makes me happier to have featured some pretty amazing artists first, thanks to that Big Cartel directory.
Another place that I can’t do without is Designspiration. When I’m trying to get my brain into ‘logo mode’, Designspiration really helps me to see where branding design is going these days. Always fresh, it’s a must have for the designer in you. Now, it’s your turn. Here’s the assignment: Where do you go for inspiration? Feel free to share a link or two in the comments below.