patterns galore

Hello all. I hope you're having a good week. I've been busy, busy like a bee (unfortunately not anything fun I can share with you, but mostly web CODE) but I couldn't keep away for long.

Perusing through my favorite blogs I came across this simple yet sophisticated pattern which I couldn't keep my eyes off of. It's geometric form with very thin lines has a fresh simplicity, but it looks like a very elegant lace. It made me go back again and again to view it so I thought I would share. Inspired by this I went in search of other great patterns, mostly wallpaper, which made me feel as enthralled by their design and lusciousness, and this is what I found:

I saw these beauties via Wiley Valentine and I fell in love with the organic shapes and colorfulness of everything. They're from Flavor Paper.

And these, well, what can I say!! They're just Oh so Joy-ful. I'm loving the cozy puffyness of the shapes, yet so chic. And the styling is so sophisticated and on the dot.

These two I'm just sharing for the beautiful styling and imagery, but they're both from Oh Joy for H & W. Would totally have in my {dream} home!

This one was a total surprise. I'd seen this gorgeous feather pattern before but never knew where it came from. Ferm Living of course.

I promise I won't leave you for long. Just getting into the groove of a new routine and new projects and I'll be back with more visual + sparkle. Ta, ta.

{ Images Via :: Bella Figura :: Flavor Paper Kabloom :: Flavor Paper Fruits of Design :: Flavor Paper Kasmiri :: Oh Joy for Hygge & West - Petal Pusher in White/Gold :: Petal Pusher in Cream & Blue :: A Stone's Throw Away in Gold & Cream :: Ferm Living for Hygge & West - Feather Wallpaper }

christmas is just around the corner

It's that time of the year when kiddies are going back to school, summer is winding down (although you can't tell due to the tremendous heat now-a-days), and, most importantly, Fall Holiday decorations are slowly creeping into the local stores.

Every time I start seeing Halloween or Thanksgiving Day decorations in the store in early September I begin feeling nostalgic. It's a sense of having another year come to an end and knowing that you better cross off the items on your yearly to-do list if you want to complete them by New Years. Well, aside from having seen bulk packages of Christmas ribbon in my local big-box store the other day (in August!!!!), this arrived in my in-box today. A 2011 Calendar!!

Linda & Harriett has released their monthly project and it's a beautifully illustrated 2011 calendar. Just another hint that Christmas and all the great Fall/Winter holidays are just around the corner.

Happy Weekend. Oh, and just to keep you in the loop, I made it through my first couple of days of singing class. Haven't learned if I'll be thrown out due to my horrendous voice as we're just doing group voice warm-ups, but hopefully by Christmas I'll be singing like the birds!! :)

{ Images Via :: Linda & Harriet }

it's back to school

Hello Hello. I couldn't leave you for long. It's been a week since I've shared some cool stuff with you and I've missed you...not even work can keep me away.

Well, yesterday was the start of another stage of my life. I've been out of school for a few years now and when I graduated I said enough is enough, after 20 years of school I deserve a break. Well, three years is enough of a break. Yesterday I went back to school, not for another degree, but to take a few art classes (Printmaking and History of Women in Art) and, get ready for this, Singing Lessons. Ha, I can't believe it...and I'm so nervous, my class is later this morning. I've always enjoyed singing so I thought I would get out of my comfort-zone and go for it; It's now or never!!

In keeping with back-to-school season I've gathered a few school supply goodies totally tricked out by fabulous designers. Buying supplies was always my favorite part of going back to school; I wish I had these when I was shopping around. Isn't this the coolest pen, especially for me since I love to cook (and eat!!).

Russell & Hazel stationery goods are always the coolest. They never seize to amaze me with their sophisticated pieces.

And of course a messenger bag is a must and these by Poketo for Target are lovely.

Wish me luck...do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do!!!

{ Images Via :: Seltzer Goods :: Russell & Hazel :: Russell & Hazel : Russell & Hazel :: Poketo }

my mind wanders to...

This is how my mind works (I think it's the times):

• I'm working on a project after having told you I won't be blogging as frequently becasue I have soooo much to do
• I need a font for a website I'm working on so I search for it online
• I come across a link that takes me to Veer's twitter page (fabulous bg btw)
• I follow a link from there which takes me to a very cool Activity Book created by Veer for Creatives
• I start playing and waste many minutes going from page to page discovering the fun (and cool fonts they've used)

Is there such a thing as Adult-Onset ADD? Maybe I've carried it through from childhood because although I wasn't diagnosed with it as a child I do remember my grandmother having to sit with me in class to help me finish my math assignments (counting 'one penny, two pennies, three pennies') and my mind would wander with even the passing of a fly. Anyway, this is my life, but hey, I discovered something fun for you to play with (and waste precious design time on) so enjoy the activity book, it has very cool features if you play with it online.

See you later.

{ Image Via :: Veer }

i'm here and there

Hi there, just checking in this mid-week while I take a short break from a long list of LizzyB things I have to do.

As I get closer to hitting the seven month mark of having started this blog I've come to realize how great it makes me feel to have a space where I share with everyone my inspirations on design, but one doesn't always feel as inspired to share as other days.

I'm trying to move forward as well as have this blog evolve to include more of my own work, so from now on I'll be popping in less frequently while I work on LizzyB projects which I'll share with you as I have available. I'm planning many projects for the upcoming Fall and Holiday Season, both through LizzyB and with EndorfinaEstética, a design company Gabriel and I have been trying to develop, so look forward to those.

If I do find something which really keeps me in awe and I just have to share, I'll pop in and tell you all about it. For now, enjoy this great image of Audrey Hepburn as she sits pretty and pensive. I'll be back soon with a break down of my projects and some visual + sparkle of them as well.

Have a great day!

{ Image Via :: FFFFound }

coralie strikes again

Coralie Bickford-Smith has done it again! She's created the most gorgeous book covers, now for the F. Scott Fitzgerald series, which I found via 100 Layer Cake.

These totally have an Art Deco feel, and in metallic, now that's something I LOVE!! Take a look and enjoy.

This is my favorite. I'm loving the contrast between gold and black, and the fan motif really helps that contrast pop.

Visit Coralie's site for more great samples of this F. Scott Fitzgerald line.

{ Images Via :: Coralie Bickford-Smith }

happy weekend + inspirational art

Hello, hello. This week has been a long one, TGIF!

The other day I was doing some image research and finding inspiration for the current Minted Design Challenge, and in looking for something in particular (of which I hardly found anything) I came across precisely what I was in need of seeing.

Don't you sometimes feel that things happen for a reason? That you come across certain objects, people, or sayings just at the precise moment when you need them? Well, that's what happened to me when I came across the beautiful work of Venezuelan artist Valentina Ramos.

I had been feeling a bit un-inspired lately, just moving with the motions, but when I saw these hand-drawn swirly creations by Valentina something triggered in me and made me realize exactly what the message said.

I'm loving her hand-drawn circles and swirls which create the larger design elements, and also how every detail is created with texture not just a solid shape. These certainly put a different spin on those cheesy inspirational posters you find in corporate offices, no?!

This is just small sample of Valentina's work, I'll share more with you next week because there's sooo much more to see; some great 3-D creations...can you imagine?!

Happy weekend.

{ Images Via :: Valentina Ramos :: Etsy }

a perfect summer lunch

Today I'm craving fresh, summer-y foods. How's this for visual + sparkle...Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille never seizes to amaze me with her delicious and beautifully shot food.

This is pure simplicity...I'm loving the red and turquoise, and just a hint of contrast given by the patterned cup.

Now this is what drew me into this delicious post...a freshly baked, heirloom tomato tart.

A perfect summer lunch; fresh and simple.

And for dessert, how's this flower-y apricot, pistachio and lemon shortbread tart? Lemon? Did someone say lemon? I'll have anything lemon, please!!

I'll bet the whet your appetite. Make sure to visit Aran's blog for complete recipes, and let me know how they turn out if you try them. :)

{ Images Via :: Cannelle et Vanille }

an album cover invite

I've shared examples in the past of invite designs I really liked, something I rarely do because hey, I design invites my self. But every now and then something really cool calls my attention, be it for the design/illustrative quality or the construction itself, and this example I found via FPO (UnderConsideration) is no exception.

I'm quite familiar with album cover-type invites being that Gabriel and I created one for my mom's 60th Birthday Party, but this one really went all the way. I'm loving how the name of the 'band' is the soon-to-be family name.

As an invitation designer, and due to the saturated market already, I'm always on the look-out for creative ways of interpreting an event on paper. How cool is the copy? 'Married at the Museum'...album title or venue?! :)

This totally looks like an album...as I skim through it, I don't see it as an invitation, and that's a cool thing.

This album cover idea is a great way to include all the pertinent information...plenty of room.

It's great how they included the schedule as the song tracks on the back! For more images and to see the entire Wedding Invite check out For Print Only. Love it!!

{ Images Via :: UnderConsideration }

a {dream} workspace

I'm having a hard time getting the day started today. I've shared with you my current work-space situation, so these various work spaces surely get me pepped up and dreaming of one day having the perfect studio to spread out and be inspired.

These large, open spaces would surely come in handy as I'm building invitations for clients. I love a large, clean table where I can spread all the materials out and have them at hand while I design.

{ Images Via :: Houzz }

visual + sparkle = quinceañera invitations

On Friday I shared with you three gorgeous visual + sparkles for a Fall Quinceañera I am creating an invitation for, so today I have a visual + sparkle = paper inspirations for the actual invite.

These were all selected for various reasons: on some I like the orientation of the text, others I like the elongated format (with the #10 Open End envelope), and others I like the treatment of the graphics. Since I'm going with a Hollywood Chic Glamour feel I thought bold, Art Deco patterns would be the perfect accent. I can't wait to start the actual design process...I'll keep you posted. { Click on the image to view the complete visual + sparkle. }

{ Images Via :: My Fonts :: Minted :: Flights of Fancy :: Style Me Pretty :: Minted :: Minted :: Minted :: My Fonts :: 100 Layer Cake :: Oh So Beautiful Paper :: Flamboyant Designs }