How About Orange

Another Inkodye pouch

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:45:00 +0000

I've made another Inkodye tutorial, this time posted on the Etsy blog. Click here to read about this fancy lady pouch project!

I'm moving!

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:39:00 +0000

I have a bit of news. We'll be leaving Chicago and moving to the Cincinnati area in mid-July! Goodbye, lovely 1920s condo building.

I'm gonna miss this living room that made me feel like I lived in a treehouse.

And this office, from where I am typing right now.

Alex has gotten a new engineering job that he's very excited about, and I can't wait to get my hands on a home to spruce up. My work won't change since few of my clients are local, and even the local ones don't require in-person meetings regularly. Phone and email gets the job done.

It all feels like a fun new adventure. I'll keep you posted!

Coffee break wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:17:00 +0000

It's Friday. I think we'll all need a coffee break in a little while, don't you? And why not extend that directly into happy hour and roll on into the weekend. In fact, maybe we should tack the coffee break right onto lunch time and just quit right now.

Download this hand-drawn wallpaper for desktops and phones right here from A Pair of Pairs. Happy weekend!

Fold an origami elephant

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:07:00 +0000

I made this guy by following a video by Leyla Torres, my favorite origami demonstrator. Forget yoga— if you ever feel stressed out, just put on one of Leyla's videos, lie down on the couch, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and listen to Leyla speak gently about valley folds. Find her instructions for this origami elephant here. The design is by Fumiaki Kawahata.

Make photographic fabric prints with Inkodye

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:47:00 +0000

I played around some more with Inkodye, the permanent, water-based dye that develops its color in sunlight. After making easy shadow prints using safety pins and leaves, prints using cardboard cutouts, and a design with a freezer paper stencil, I tried working with a photo negative that I printed at home.

For this experiment, I did a Google image search and set the filters to display large black-and-white photographs. I found an image online that I liked: this desktop wallpaper with a 1962 Ford Thunderbird admired by elegant ladies. "Betty, is that your new car?" "Yes, Shirley. Isn't it mahvelous? Good thing I have a massive driveway so I'll never need to parallel pahk this boat."

I inverted the image in Photoshop to make it a negative and printed it on some old 3M CG3460 inkjet transparency film I found in my closet.

Even if you don't have Photoshop, you can turn any photo of your own into a negative. Bold photos with lots of contrast will work best.

Go to the online image editor Pixlr. Choose "Open image from computer" to upload your photo. From the top menu, choose "Adjustment">"Desaturate" to make the image black and white. Then select "Adjustment">"Invert" to create a negative image. You can also play with brightness, contrast, or levels to get dark blacks and bright whites for good printing. Finally, choose "File">"Save."

Then print the negative onto printable transparency film. Order some from Amazon or the Lumi website. Follow the directions on the package for feeding the sheets through your printer.

If you need larger negatives, try splitting your image in half, printing on two sheets, and taping them together.

Or if printing your own negatives sounds like a pain, you can download the Lumi iPhone app to order custom negatives delivered to your doorstep.

After printing out the negative, I got the fabric ready. A piece of cardboard wrapped with a plastic trash bag makes a great waterproof work surface. I taped my piece of cotton canvas to the board to hold it in place while brushing on dye.

Then I poured a little Inkodye into a cup and brushed it on with a foam brush. Doing this in a room with subdued lighting is important— you don't want the dye to start changing color before you're ready! Try to get an even layer of dye on the fabric. The cloth doesn't need to be soaking wet; just thoroughly coated.

Mix Inkodye with water in a 1:1 ratio to stretch it farther; you'll get the same vibrant color. Or add even more water to get lighter colors. Mix colors to create new hues if you want.

I used a paper towel to blot off all the excess dye I could remove. Too much moisture can cause condensation on the negative, and this can mess up your print.

Then I laid the negative on top of the fabric, printed side up so the ink wouldn't get wet and smear. In case there was a slight breeze outside, I stuck on a piece of tape to secure the negative so it wouldn't blow away. Add more tape if needed, but I wouldn't recommend taping down all the edges or you'll trap more water inside, increasing condensation.

Then I carried the board outside into direct sunshine. See the little animation I made? That's what it looks like as the dye starts to change color from nearly clear to purplish indigo, and eventually to blue. Condensation started to appear which worried me; I've had prints ruined by that before, but this one turned out okay.

After 10 minutes of exposure, I took the board back indoors to a dim room and removed the negative.

Then I immediately washed the fabric with laundry detergent in hot water. The goal is to remove the undeveloped dye from the light areas before it turns color. Scrub really thoroughly or put your print right into the washing machine. The Inkodye company recommends washing it twice. The dye is permanent, so don't worry that you'll wash off the blue areas. They're there to stay, so you can dye clothing and bags and wash them regularly going forward.

Here's the final print.

I decided these ladies needed some friends, so I chose this McCall's pattern fabric for a lining and sewed this print into a zippered pouch.

You could make prints of your kids, your house, your Prius, or your Persian kitty. Print on aprons, t-shirts, hoodies, or pillows. Good times!

Free vector frames and ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Vectorian is a great resource for graphic designers, featuring beautifully digitized vintage ornaments, illustrations, and frames. Best of all, there are some great free .eps files you can download. If you like art nouveau or calligraphic illustrations, and you've got Adobe Illustrator so you can open and use them, go check 'em out!

Quiz: What's your design alter-ego?

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:23:00 +0000

Design in a Nutshell is an entertaining series of short videos explaining design movements from the last 200 years. The animations are charming, and the narrator has a fabulous accent and says things like "al-yoo-min-ee-um." Watch the videos here to educate yourself about design history, or take a quiz to determine your design alter-ego.

Your alternate persona will be a mashup of notable names from the movement that best matches your style. I ended up a modernist, then took the quiz a few more times to see the other characters. The postmodernist dude (whose favorite color is Thursday) cracked me up.

Via Swiss Miss.

Easy origami business card stand

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:27:00 +0000

In just a couple minutes you can fold an easy double-pyramid stand for business cards or phones. Check out the video tutorial from Leyla Torres right here.

Below is a still from Leyla's video. Wouldn't it be cool to fold a whole bunch of these, hot glue them to cardboard, and hang them on the wall? The trick would be to use gorgeous colors, so you might try this origami pack of 100 different hues. I used some on this thing.

Walls with DIY metallic patterns

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Metallic accents on walls are a cool way to make plain surfaces more interesting. There are lots of methods for adding shine inexpensively— here are some DIY examples for inspiration. I might need to give these a whirl someday!

Above, stenciling with metallic paint at Memento Bracelet

Foil tape geometric pattern at Lemon Drop Life, inspired by Kara Paslay's tutorial

Gold contact paper dots in Oh Joy's studio

Dotted wall stamped in silver paint with a shoe polish brush by Alexandra Hedin

Lines drawn with a metallic Sharpie paint pen at Vintage Revivals

"Confetti" wall with gold vinyl stickers from A Place For Us

Free, printable Father's Day cards

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:17:00 +0000

To go with yesterday's bottle tags, I made matching printable Father's Day cards. Choose from three color / text combinations:

Download the blue card
Download the red card
Download the brown card

After folding, cards are 4.25" x 5.5" and fit in a standard A2 envelope.

Printable Father's Day bottle tags

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:09:00 +0000

I was admiring the patterns on Penguin Books scores from 1949 and decided to design a Father's Day printable in a similar style. Download, print, and cut out these bottle tags, then hang them on your pop's favorite pop. Or his favorite whiskey, or wine, or lemonade. Sign your name on the tag or leave it blank if your handwriting is too horrendous.

Download the PDF here.

Then get matching greeting cards right here.

June 2013 desktop wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:01:00 +0000

It's a new month! To freshen your desktop, try one of these June wallpaper downloads, with or without calendars added. They're posted around the web by generous designers:
1. Sarah Hearts
2. Grown Up Shoes
3. Marimekko
4. Design Love Fest (choose from a bunch!)
5. Free People
6. Call Me Victorian

Take a decorating style quiz

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Fri, 31 May 2013 14:52:00 +0000

Just for fun, you can take a picture quiz at KraftMaid and they'll determine your decorating style. The celebrities you'd like to dine with also help indicate your style, apparently. I picked the Michelle Obama-Morgan Freeman set (so curious why those two are paired) and was diagnosed "Contemporary and Dynamic." I liked the description. Come on over, Morgan and Michelle.

Printable gift wrap and tags

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Thu, 30 May 2013 22:51:00 +0000

Find cute, summery gift tags and matching wrapping paper to download and print from Lia Griffith. If you give presents wrapped with these designs, I bet you'll gain a reputation for being creative and thoughtful. Presentation always wins you big points! Not that gift-giving is about you, of course. It's about making someone feel special. But if they want to conclude you're amazing, let's not stop them.

DIY stitched greeting cards

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:14:00 +0000

Recently I stumbled across Stitching Cards, a site that sells downloadable e-patterns for embroidered greeting cards and bookmarks. Most patterns are a dollar or two, or you can raid the freebie section for some floral designs and an alphabet. I've seen 70s-style string art making a comeback on Pinterest— with these, you can try something similar on a small scale.

If you dig the idea of stitched cards but don't have the patience to do it yourself, check out Jeni Shirley's line of paper-and-thread creations. A source of inspiration!

Free font: Hello Denver

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:21:00 +0000

Hello Denver is an outline display typeface commissioned by Arts & Venues Denver for an event in 2012. It's also available to the public for personal and commercial work. Grab it here! To see how it's been used in a few projects, click here. It's nice for totes and t-shirts.

To wrap up the week

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:20:00 +0000

I'm happy to see my paper bow template being put to good use. Check out Jessica's nifty chevron version here.

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

Edelweiss Post vintage stamp stationery

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Want to know what my latest favorite Etsy shop is? Edelweiss Post. It's a store selling notecards and envelopes that come with postage stamps already applied— unused vintage ones, carefully selected and arranged by theme or color. Edelweiss Post is run by Patrick in Minneapolis. His grandpa collected stamps, and Patrick is carrying on the tradition by constantly adding to his own collection, and then making them available to everyone. I think it's brilliant.

Of course I bought an orange set. And sent my dad a manly-themed card and envelope for his birthday. If you're going to buy somebody a card anyhow, why not go for something totally unique with vintage appeal? These look and feel really special.

You can choose sets by color.

Or by theme. Mad Men Manly Mail?

How about guys with beards? The US postal service seems to favor facial hair.

Visit the shop to see more themes. Holidays. Owls. Nurses. Hot air balloons. There's even a Great Gatsby set.

Every pack comes tied with baker's twine and packaged so beautifully you'll hate to tear it open.

If you need a custom-themed set, Patrick will do his best to make it happen. Maybe something for wedding announcements or party invitations? One customer used an orange set to send thank you notes to the people who interviewed him for a job. He got hired. Keep that in mind, friends. You can't go wrong with orange, especially in the form of stamps.

DIY printed tote bag using the sun

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:42:00 +0000

I added a design to a blank tote bag using light-sensitive Inkodye and a stencil cut from freezer paper.

Inkodye is a water-based dye that works on natural materials like fabric and wood, and develops its color in the sun. It dyes fabrics permanently, and I like it better than fabric paint since it soaks into the fabric and keeps it soft and flexible, unlike fabric paints that can be stiff and sit on the surface of a textile. Plus, it's really fun watching the color develop!

To make a similar tote, you can create your own design or download the Big Fun stencil I made.

Print the design and trace it onto the dull side of plastic-coated freezer paper, available at grocery stores. Or, save yourself a step and print directly on freezer paper cut to fit through your printer. Tape a piece of freezer paper, shiny side down, to a sheet of copy paper and print on it. It will come out a bit curly and lightly fused to the carrier sheet if you use a laser printer like I did, but it should peel off easily.

Cut out the letters and shapes. Remember that any empty hole will get filled with color, and no dye will go where the pieces of paper sit.

With an iron set to the appropriate temperature for your fabric (likely the cotton setting), iron the paper pieces to the tote, shiny side down. The iron will very slightly melt the plastic coating, sticking the paper to the canvas. Give the pieces an initial quick, light press to make sure they're where you want them. If not, peel them up and reposition. Then press down firmly with the iron and make sure all the edges are sealed so no dye will seep under them. Once they're stuck down, the pieces are really stuck, and will probably tear if you try to peel them off.

If there are any areas you're worried about getting dye— you know, if you tend to lose your mind a little and start painting outside the lines— mask those off with painter's tape. Place a piece of freezer paper inside the tote to prevent any dye from soaking through to the back side.

Then, in a dimly lit room, brush on Inkodye with a foam brush. Or any kind of brush or roller will do the job! Try for even coverage. The fabric doesn't have to be completely saturated; you just need a nice even coat on the surface of the textile.

(You can mix Inkodye with water to make it go further, if you like. A 1:1 ratio of dye to water will still yield maximum vibrance. Add more water to make pastels, or mix colors as you would paint.)

Blot off any excess dye with a paper towel.

Place the tote in the sun. The color will start to develop instantly! Here's the tote after 30 seconds, a minute or two, and fully exposed after 10 minutes.

Peel off the paper, my favorite part.

If you like, you can wash the tote with laundry detergent to remove any excess dye. Or just let it air dry and call it a day.

Another origami fox

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:17:00 +0000

I tried folding another origami fox model. There was something about the tail I couldn't figure out between steps 22 and 23, but I like him anyhow. Find this Fox Baby diagram here, designed by Daniel Chang and diagrammed by Marc Sky.

Etsy pop-up shop at West Elm Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Announcing a fun event for Chicagoans and visitors! West Elm asked for my input as they host a pop-up shop of local Etsy sellers inside their Lincoln Park store. The event will be Saturday, June 22 from 1pm – 6pm at the North Avenue location. Come hang out with me and browse through lovely handmade jewelry, art, home decor, stationery, and more. There will be delicious refreshments, plus I've heard rumors of a DJ and a photo booth...

For a complete list of the participating Etsy sellers, visit West Elm's blog. Grab somebody and come on out!

Find the event on Facebook here to RSVP or share with a friend.

Here's sampling of the wares below. Better start planning right now where you're gonna hang that chipmunk.

A plant I can't kill

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:22:00 +0000

Check out my new house plant. It's healthy and thriving because I'm giving it the perfect amount of water and sunlight.

I made it from the cardboard kit, Port-a-Plant, sent over from Chronicle Books. It contains punch-out parts for three different paper succulents. The leaves can be a bit challenging to slip into their slots, so I think a child might have trouble with this. But a grown-up will conquer the cacti. Fun, right?

Below is the photo from the cover of the kit, which is available here.

Lots of free, printable notecards

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:09:00 +0000

Caravan is a shop full of digital downloads created by Alma and Mike Loveland and Melanie Burk. And they've just made all of their printable stationery free! Find notecards for teachers, grads, birthdays, and more right here, including a bunch of chalkboard-style designs which are super trendy right now. Save yourself a trip to the store!

Framed origami animals

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:16:00 +0000

I amused myself the other day by making some little origami foxes using this diagram by Mark Leonard, and a whale using these traditional instructions. (The website where I found the fox is apparently no longer active or I'd link to it.)

I thought maybe these animals need a place to live, so I made them each a habitat.

You can download and print these backgrounds, then glue your own origami animals onto them if you like. Framed, they'd be cute in a kid's room.

Download the woods.
Download the sea.

Print out the sheets and leave them 8 1/2" x 11" or trim them a bit to 8" x 10", a more common frame size. The animals were made from 6" standard-size origami paper. A full square for the whale and a half sheet for each fox. You could also shrink everything to mini size and make some little cards if you have nimble fingers.

Make large-format wall art from engineering prints

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Jones) — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:53:00 +0000

Engineering prints (also known as draft prints, blueprint copies or architect prints) are currently all the rage with home owners looking for cheap DIY wall art. The grainy, photocopy-quality prints have a sort of vintage-looking charm, and you can't beat the price! It appears that most folks are outputting their large-format photos, quotes, and chalkboard-inspired art at Staples for a cost of $3-$7. To make your own posters, check out these projects for tips:
Above, giant photobooth wall art at Luxe Chandelier
Below, blown-up photos of photos by Jabaay Ave
Also see how to send images to Staples for printing and make a big frame by Dear Lillie
And don't forget my favorite: Designs Editor's free camera images.