Can I confess something to you? I am studying magazine journalism at the University of Missouri, and until very recently, I was not really into magazines as art/literature. The most intelligent magazine I subscribed to was TIME, but my staple was Seventeen and then Glamour. All my life I have loved magazines for the prettily packaged beauty tips, the identity they provided and the escape. I still believe all of these things definitely have their place. We all need a little escape, a little help choosing the right shade a red lipstick or how to pull off a skinny tie, but over the past two years I’ve been learning how much more magazines can be.

Going to J school has exposed me to the literature of magazines. One of my professors sent this link out. It’s a list of the best magazine articles ever. I can say that in the last two years, I have become familiar with a few of these writers, at least recognizing their names. There are way more on the list, however, that I’ve never heard of or haven’t read at all. I’m glad, however, to see that my favorite writer, Susan Orlean, made the cut. And I have read one of the top five, “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold” by Gay Talese.

I’m looking forward to catching up on some of these recommended reading.

I’ve owned my current glasses for the past five years, and they are getting pretty banged up. Although I’ve enjoyed them, it’s time for a little bit of change!

My current frames. Photo by Liz Hood

I’ve got an eye appointment today to make sure my prescription is up-to-date, and then I’ll be ordering my Warby Parker glasses. I blogged about them a while back here, but I think I’m fancying some different options. I want to know which frames should be my new glasses!

A. Roark: A thicker square frame.

B. Langston: Awesome name, more delicate frame. I would pretty much always refer to these glasses as Langston instead of “My glasses.”

C. Morrison: These are super similar to Roark, but I think they have a more 1950s vintage-feel going on. Plus they come in two colors: sandalwood matte or summer green. My go-to dark tortoise isn’t an option. How many people think I can pull of green frames? My feelings won’t be hurt if you say no.

D. Sibley: The most similar to what I have now, just more square lines than round. I know I can’t go wrong with these.

E. Write in: I’m not super adventurous in this area, so if you think there’s a more adventurous choice that I’m not seeing feel free to write in a new choice!

Leave me some comments and let me know what you think!

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It’s a cornucopia of Flips! For those who aren’t familiar with them, these handy dandy little video cameras can have a custom front printed on them – and many of our clients have asked for custom Flips designed specifically for them. It’s one of those super fun projects that I’m always excited to work on…these little cameras are so much bigger on personality than most of the projects I get to work on. Particularly, some of these designs were a great chance for me to stretch my illustration abilities. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite creations from the last year (click each image to zoom).

(Okay, just one more ado. In case you’re curious what I did for each design, above is a little key to guide you. You’re welcome, Mom!)

Client – The Flip Studio

These Flips were part of a massive study of Academy Award themed designs to be included in the Oscar SWAG bags. The aim was to be glitzy, glamorous, and to pay homage to the movie industry as a whole. (I LOVE the camera with the picture of the old, vintage video cam on the front.)

Client – Bode Miller, The Flip Studio

All sales of the camera on the left, which bears an illustration I created, benefit Bode’s charity, the Turtle Ridge Foundation. (Definitely zoom in on it…it’s one of my favorites!) The two cameras on the right were commissioned by the Flip Studio to celebrate Bode’s gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics.

there’s more to this article. keep reading…

via august and after

There’s something so meaningful and mind blowing about big, huge, trees. Something about their permanence, their ability to stand the test of time, the fact they’ll probably be around a whole lot longer than we will be… Maybe it’s something that goes back to my childhood, when one of my favorite things in the world was climbing the trees in our yard. They were the bearers of imagination, of protection, freedom, growth, life.

via our labor of love

via carla ten eyck

via carla ten eyck

via style me pretty

What better place to take the first steps in a new journey? Under the protection of living, breathing boughs and standing on deep roots, all of which resonate this simple fact: “This too shall pass. I, too, shall remain. So breathe.”

If you look at my summer reading list for this year, I was supposed to read In the Land of Believers. Unfortunately, with my ricidulous class schedule this summer (yes, one class has become my entire life), I have had a very low tolerance for what I’m spending my precious free time reading. After one chapter, I gave up because I was bored. I’ve read The Unlikely Disciple, and this just felt like too similar of a story but from someone less open-minded about the experience. This week I’ve had a break from my class, so I’ve taken the opportunity to dive into The Shack.

I was very hesitant to read this book because “everyone was reading it.” But I took a chance because my mom gave me the book and seemed insistent. The book tells the fictional story of Mack, after suffering great tragedy and pushing away from God, and what happens when he is invited to the same shack where that tragedy took place to spend a weekend with God, face-to-face.

I loved it. I really did. If you know me well, this is pretty predictable. I love books that push—push you out of your comfort zone and stretch your mind. It’s like exercise. Despite all the controversy I heard about this book, once I read it, this book didn’t strike me as that out there. The author says in a radio interview said about trying to get published “We were stuck between Jesus and edgy.”  I see how some could be offended by the content. You can’t really write anything remotely outside the box about any religion without offending someone. I’ve been struggling a lot with God, American Christian culture and my own relationship, and I felt like this book was a safe place to explore those ideas. The Shack is a quick read but will leave you with a lot to think about.

I’m going to revise my book list. I’m moving on to either The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein or The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender.

Today, my friend Joel tweeted me the question of when should we start a design firm together? And, although I think he was mostly kidding*, the idea sparked a thought path for me that I’ve explored many times…what am I going to do when I leave my current job?

It’s definitely a “when” question, not an “if”. And at the latest, that “when” will be within the next two years. For Ace and I to meld lives together, one of us will have to give up our job. And for many good reasons, we’re planning on it being me.

So what in the world am I going to do? At this point, I’m not entirely sure if I plan to simply switch career paths (staying in graphic design, but jumping out of advertising), or if I want to make a larger leap out of the design industry entirely.

It’s a difficult question. On the one hand, I really like the computer work, I enjoy having a creative job, and it’s the field that I’m trained in (which would be a shame to throw away). And I also think it would be super sweet to have a small workspace ala swissmiss – a communal sort of office that could rent deskspace to other creative types, where everyone could be working individually, or collaborating and supporting and inspiring one another.

Or something like the Bunny Gunner gallery in Pomona, CA. The front half of their studio is a fabulous little art gallery, and the back half is their framing and design studio. The variety of work would be fascinating, and I’d get to curate as well…something I went head over heels for in college.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things about design that don’t mesh well with me, and that I’m not sure I want to spend my life doing. Not to mention, I’ve learned how all-consuming working for yourself can be through watching my current bosses run their small, but reasonably successful, business endeavor. It’s a lot man. Your work is your life, period.

What would entice me to stay in design? Having a supportive, collaborative community to work with. This is one of the best things about where I work right now — my coworkers are fabulous, and talented, and are constantly challenging me to be better at my work. I think this is very necessary for the way that I get things accomplished.

Getting to pick my clients. This is one of the worst things about the current job. I instinctively knew that two of our biggest clients were going to be trouble. And they have been…miserable, terrible, keeping our work from being as good as it could be clients. I think I have decent instincts for this, and would like to therefore have a say in choosing them.

I feel like I’m still missing some necessary puzzle pieces for making this decision — some amount of guidance, or motivation, or experience, or a spark of inspiration, or even pure desperation. Which is fine…since I don’t think it’s time to move yet. I’m making a decent income at my current job, and the work is fine. But it is nice to dream, to imagine the possibilities…

*Oh, um, just in case…were you serious, Joel??

Just had to post this…because a few weekends ago, the little bungalow I call home became a star, thanks to a spec commercial for Crystal Light! It shares the spotlight with one of my roomies, and Mr Ace makes a small cameo as well. Check it:

Yup, that’s the Speakeasy casa, my friends. Cool beans, huh?