Caution: Men at Work

Arcylic and gouache painting on paper by OVELO Fine Arts

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to point out/apologize for the in-progress appearance of The Studiolo. We're working on the layout a bit (turning it into a three-column, cleaning it up, making it look much prettier), so please bear with us as we make these changes.


Isn't this cupcake topper the cutest? Find more at Designer Favors. In this case, my "party" is my "blog," but the message remains: thank you for coming.

Feel like reading more? Check out a couple of doodads I wrote on Different Reception Centerpieces and Formal Dresses in the 1940s.

Weekend Loving: New Austin Finds!

I know its Thursday, closer to this weekend than last, but I've been busy this week (yay for work!) and I didn't have a chance to write about what I did last weekend, but let me tell you, it was truly awesome. On Saturday (2/26), Oliver and I went to We Heart Hand Made Art – A Pop-Up Event featuring thirteen local artisens from Etsy, sponsored by West Elm.
It. Was. Fantastic. Everyone had great work to show (and sell).  I wanted to share with you my personal favorites. By the way, get a load of the kid doing a backbend on the sofa in the background of the photo above. I didn't notice him until I was uploading these photos–hilarious!

Vertallee Letterpress

Vertallee's reputation precedes them; we'd heard of them before moving to Austin, but a new pal/fellow designer, Daphne, reminded us about them when she recommended that Oliver check them out in his search for local letterpress studios (Daphne also told us about the Etsy event–she's quite the lady about town!). A husband-and-wife team, Vertallee is a company to watch.

Check out Vertallee's etsy store and their blog.

Kimball Prints

Kimball Prints creates dreamy watercolors and pieces of art by printmaking. We were drawn in by the beautiful paintings.

Check out Kimball Print's etsy store.

Leah Duncan

Leah Duncan is an illustrator, designer and textile designer. At the etsy event, she was selling beautiful tea towels with her own custom designs printed on them. She also sells prints, cards, scarves, calendars and pillow covers.

Check out her etsy shop and blog.

Spruce

A furniture redesign studio, Spruce is one of the very few places in Austin carrying the latest (and jazziest) textiles on the market. They sell refurbished and reupholstered finds, but will also repurpose your furniture. Want to learn to upholster? Take a class!

Spruce has a brick and mortar store, so if you're in the area, stop in. Non-Austinites can find Spruce on etsy and keep up to date via their blog.

Make ATX

Comprised of two former architects/lovers of all forms of design, Make ATX is creates laser-cut, hand-assembed note and art cards. The company is also putting together a member-based design and fabrication workshop where creatives across all fields can pursue their interests and produce their work.

To purchase Make ATX's cards, visit their etsy shop. To learn more about the workshop, check out their website.

Letterpress Delicacies

Another husband-and-wife duo, Letterpress Delicacies creates lovely (and funny) cards and prints, including business cards and ephemera. Their work has made its way around the blogosphere, and with good reason.

Visit their etsy store to browse or purchase.

But the fun didn't stop at Saturday! On Sunday afternoon I met the most wonderful person: Brooke, a fellow blogger and outstanding Austin floral designer (you MUST check out her company, Pollen Floral Art) reached out to me, welcoming me to Austin and asking if I wanted to have coffee (people in Austin are unbelievably nice). I am so excited to introduce you to her her amazing company. I can't wait to learn more about her myself. Here's a sampling of Brooke's work.



Be sure to view more on her website and check out her lovely blog.

Here's to hoping for another great weekend ahead! xoxo

A New Look for The Studiolo!

First off, let me apologize for missing a post this week. We have been busy with storing our stuff, returning our moving truck, house hunting, getting new drivers licenses and handling logistical car stuff, and updating our portfolios to make the best impression possible for potential employers/clients, all while continuing work on some projects in New York. The weather has vacillated between 50 and and a balmy 75 degrees since we got here (a little colder at night), and we have eaten lunch outside for the last two days. In the sun. Without coats. We even slept with the window OPEN on Wednesday night! WA-HOO!

Onto the explanation of my brand-spanking new header and business cards! Before we left New York, we designed and printed up some new business cards for me (back to that whole making-a-good-impression thing) for when I do some networking in Austin. We started thinking about an identity for The Studiolo and sketching ideas months ago. I've had a bit of an obsession with the whole sunburst theme lately, and I was hoping to find a way to incorporate it into a logo. Initial ideas from my sketchbook:


After looking at those, Oliver hit the ground running with his own ideas:


You can see some Frisson explorations, as well as some unrealized custom lettering for Mara's calling cards.

And then he hit the jackpot with this sketch:


He tweaked parts of it in illustrator, but retained the hand-drawn feel with the final result. Once the plates were ordered, he marched off to The Arm in Brooklyn to letterpress them (his first time doing a two-sided card).


Oliver also designed the other side of the card to reflect some new information about Frisson (note the new Austin phone number)!


The Studiolo side was printed with Rhodamine Red and the Frisson side was printed using Delft Blue, both Pantone colors. We didn't have a chance to photograph the cards before we left New York, but Oliver's parents have a yard filled with spectacular trees, stumps, pine needles, pine cones and all sorts of other whimsical specimens to use for styling. I love how the natural elements contrast with the precise craftsmanship of the cards.

I promise to share some photos of our travels soon. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek of us the morning we left town:

Interior Artistry: Jeremiah Goodman

In school I took a few classes in "rendering," which for non-designers essentially means "coloring." We learned to draw perspectives (3D images of spaces we were designing) both by hand (markers, colored pencils), then using Adobe Photoshop, and finally, we were forced to learn a heinous program called 3D Studio Max (this is my opinion; some people love that program. I wanted to cry every time I opened it up. In fact, I did cry every time I opened in up). By the end of my time in school, I had come a long way in terms of being able to effectively communicate my design ideas on paper. I feel my skills work well for what I need them to do, but nothing I have ever drawn (or will ever draw) comes close to the masterpieces created by Jeremiah Goodman.










Clearly, Mr. Goodman is a master of creating vivid interior paintings (gouache and mixed media on illustration board). At a vivacious 88, he still works, showing no sign of slowing down. His clients have included the likes of Carolina Herrera, Bill Blass, Greta Garbo, Diana Vreeland, among many other notable people, and for fifteen years he was the exclusive cover artist for Interior Design Magazine.

Thirty eight pieces of Mr. Goodman's work are currently on view at an exclusive exhibit, Inspired Impressions: Interior Paintings By Jeremiah Goodman, through December 20th at the New York School of Interior Design. I will be jealous of those of you who get to see it. I did not have time to check it out before skipping town.

The exhibition is free and open to the public at New York School of Interior Design, 170 East 70th Street. Gallery hours are 10am-5pm Monday-Friday.

Happy Chanukah 2010

Letterpressed envelope printed with antique wood type by YeeHaw in Tennessee

Yesterday at sundown kicked off the first night of Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish "festival of lights" commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, following the Macabees' successful rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, when the wicks of the menorah are said to have miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough oil for one. That is miraculous! (Note: there are lots of spelling variations of the word Chanukah.)

In the past, the holiday was downplayed by classical rabbis, as some felt the emphasis on the miracle oil was a diversion from the various struggles that lead to the downfall of Jerusalem. But, Zionism and the issues surrounding the state of Israel brought the holiday back into the limelight, especially among North American Jews in the late twentieth century (secular Jews included), who wanted an alternative to Christmas, which often coincides with Chanukah. Askenazi Jews traditionally gave "gelt" (Yiddidh for money) to children during Chanukah, but most families now give gifts, much like Christmas gift-giving.

Chanukah starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which can fall anywhere between late November and late December. This year, Chanukah really snuck up on me by starting on Dec. 1! If it snuck up on you, too, never fear: there are seven more days for holiday gift giving or card exchanging!

Most Jewish people (whether they are observant or not) have a menorah or two lying around the house, but now they come in varying shapes and sizes, many of them sculptural and unique–who couldn't use a few more?

Peacoack Menorah from decorating's Jewish darling, Jonathan Adler


Manzanita menorah from West Elm

I can't get enough of this carved walnut menorah by Niles Snyder

Via Remodelista


Years ago, when we lived in San Francisco, my mom gave me this modern and highly versatile menorah from MoMA, by father and daughter team Herbert and Jeanne Atkin


Walteria Menorah from Modern Tribe

While store-bought and/or traditional menorahs are beautiful, there's no reason you can't make your own! Check out these great handmade options:

Oh milk glass, why do I never tire of thee? Via Re-Nest

Via Martha Stewart


For all those plumbing/piping/construction enthusiasts, via Re_nest

You can never go wrong with some stylish dreidels

Another Jonathan Adler gem

Or less traditional ones that are covered in glitter! Who doesn't love a dose of glitter for the holidays?

Via Martha Stewart

These porcelain menorah earrings are perfect for a festive lady of the house, who's no doubt been slaving away to make you a meal, but won't admit it:

By Holiday Designs, in South Florida


Letterpress card by Letterpress Light, of Washington, DC


Cute letterpressed card by Fourteen Sisters, of Beverly Hills, CA

Tomorrow night, we'll head over to my parents' house for a casual celebration, where we'll likely consume copious amounts of latkes. We're all pretty busy right now, so they'll be store-bought, but Debra, over at Smitten Kitchen recently shared her delicious-looking apple latkes:


She's also whipped up more traditional potato latkes, as well as zucchini.

I think my contribution will be Sufganiyot, a jelly doughnut-like dessert.

Martha Stewart's rendition

If you're hosting your own Chanukah celebration, don't forget that blue and white and the colors du-jour!


Table styling by Carolyn Roehm