I feel like 2010 has been on fast forward. Lists are getting longer, promises are getting bigger, deadlines are becoming tighter and I haven’t had a real day off in over a month. And naturally, spending most of my waking hours in front of a computer each day doesn’t make for a very compelling Week in Pictures. In lieu of showing you photos of me totally glazed over, sitting in front of a screen, I thought I’d share my just cleaned office. On Monday, I’d had enough of clutter, piles and dust and went on a mad cleaning and organizing spree. It was worth it. Already, I feel much more focused. And, it had been beautiful and sunny nearly every day. Hello, Spring!

The larger painting is by my brother and the smaller one is by Joey. The oversized A is from a vintage Honda sign. My brother bought it from a a crazy hoarder who lives with his mother. I was more than happy to inherit it. Most of my furniture is from IKEA and Target. Some people organize their books by color…I do the same but instead with my shoes. Eventually, I would like to refinish my floors and make them black and distressed. My bedroom is across the hall and done in the opposite color scheme; all black with white trim. Yin and yang?

The always inspiring Kristin Cofer sent me a stack of the business cards that I designed for her earlier this year. They are mini squares and so cute! The backs are reversed – white with black type.

I love getting surprises in the mail! Swatch sent my brother and I some watches as a thank you for taking part in their Colour Codes campaign. There’s something so timeless about their style. I promised to share mine with Joey since he’s totally Swatch-obsessed.

I ran into fellow design acquaintance Jason Miranda on Monday and he gave me one of these super cool screen printed invites for the launch of his agency, Overhaul. Stop by on First Thursday and check it out!

Until next week,

• Find out how to effectively combine fonts from different families.

• Model Kim Noorda opens up about her struggles with body image via a very revealing journal in Vogue.

• Ad agency Wieden + Kennedy has a blog and I love the design. Beautiful type in the header!

• Beautiful food-related imagery is overflowing over at oh joy! eats blog.

• Design inspiration pops up in the oddest places. Behold vintage beer cans.

• How a web design goes straight to hell. (thanks, Star!)

• It seems rare that this topic gets brought up: When should you quit a blog and move on?

• Stop making excuses. Become your dream.

• Elizabeth of Enjoy Your Style just interviewed me.

• Will the price of clothes at the mall increase?

• The hidden meaning behind Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ video. Really? Someone has A LOT of free time on their hands.

I just designed the logo, flyer and catalog for the upcoming event Semiospectacle: A Literary Review, which will be held this Monday, March 22nd in New York City at Performance Space 122.

The curator of the event, Mashinka Firunts had prepped me by gathering inspiration beforehand. She’d defined a very clear visual direction that she wanted to take the branding and for as much work that had to be done, we moved through the process quite quickly. There were two strong runners-up for logo options but in the end, we felt that a more literal interpretation of the literary aspect of the event was needed.

Because the top hat / book logo is very bold and detailed, we agreed that the Semiospectacle type should be more clean and subtle. Since it’s not a word that registers immediately with viewers, legibility was very important – I ended up setting it in Gotham.

Once the logo was complete, the next step was to design an oversized, double-sided show card. Mashinka wanted an old-timey feel but didn’t want it to venture too far into a loud, vaudeville-style cliché. The biggest obstacle was trying to fit the abundance of type on the back while sectioning it off so that the viewer could see that there were multiple performers. While I used some decorative type, it is balanced out overall by the crisp, black and white palette.

Here are some of the type details from the back. For much of the tiny, descriptive text including the address, I used a combination of Trade Gothic and Mrs. Eaves.

The show card features a matte finish on both sides and measures 6 x 6 inches.

Once the show card was completed, I moved onto creating two standardized InDesign templates for Mashinka so she could create a catalog featuring all of the Semiospectacle information and performers.

We went through many rounds to get the layout just right. The Curatorial Statement and Artist Pages ended up looking very similar to these template options (the photos above are just placeholders).

These are the template details. All of the body text is done in Trade Gothic.

Of course, if there was an unlimited budget, there could be endless branding possibilities for Semiospectacle. I ran with a few concepts that I thought would be fun to use around New York City.

In Manhattan, there’s so much advertising space along buildings. I would enlarge the show card for mounted signs and brand doorways with the Semiospectacle type.

I really like the idea of blowing up the Semiospectacle type to grab viewers’ attention. The show cards would be placed by the doorway if they sought further information.

Extra, Extra! I also think it would be cool to make Semiospectacle newspapers featuring the show information on the front with artist details printed inside.

Ticket reservations for Semiospectacle have already reached maximum capacity but a 10 PM performance has now been added.

Here is the full show description and details if you are interested in attending:

SEMIOSPECTACLE: A LITERARY REVUE

SEMIOSPECTACLE.COM
 PS122

This verbal varieté strategizes the explicitly semiotic spectacle in a multimedia showcase of live art representing an encounter between  academic lecture hall,  poet’s theater, and  house. Its players cut across the disciplinary boundaries of scholarship, pedagogy, cabaret, poetics, and performance in an investigation of linguistic mechanisms of spectacular identity formation. Linguistic illusionists expose the parlor trick of transparent speech, conjuring floating signifiers that levitate forty-four feet above the floor. Costumes sewn from three million majuscules burst at the semes. The auditorium oscillates between reading room and performatorium. The linguistic turn transmogrifies into a shimmy. Curated by Mashinka Firunts.

PERFORMANCES BY: Vaginal Davis | Lord Whimsy | Dr. Lucky | Jeremy J F Thompson | Paolo Javier | Daniel Scott Snelson | Shonni Enelow

STENO POOL - AN INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE: Leesa Abahuni | Nicole Abahuni | Jen Zak | Matt Jones | Kristen Rhea van Liew | Fyodor Pavlov | Lawrence Gullo | Kyle Hittmeier | Lindsay Comstock

CODEXKAMMER: A FUNCTIONAL LENDING LIBRARY 
MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT BY: Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators 


INTERTITULAR TAP BY: The Minsky Sisters 


ONE-MINUTE CURATORIAL MICRO-LECTURES BY Mashinka  Firunts 



MARCH 22ND, FREE 

Performance Space 122 
150 First Avenue (at 9th Street) 

Doors Open at 7:30, Staged Performance Commences at 8PM 

Reception To Follow

A huge thank you goes out to Semiospectacle and Mashinka Firunts. This has been one of the most fun jobs I’ve ever done – black, white & type-based; a total dream come true. If you attend the event, let me know what you think!

Auntie Nubs stopped by Wolfgang Manor to visit me last week and I sweet talked her into taking some photos for me. I feel like I have a pile of very similar little black dresses but this one caught my eye in particular because instead of buttoning, it zips up the front. Oh, and the jeweled shoulders remind me of Michael Jackson. Can’t go wrong there. This is going to be another super busy week but I am hoping to do a big design post on Wednesday of a project that I just wrapped up.

P.S. Yes, that is an animal head on our kitchen table. Inviting, huh? Thank my brother for that one.

I wore:

Glamorous Epaulet Accent Dress, Forever 21
Belt, vintage
Tights, DKNY
Necklace, headband & bracelet, Forever 21
Atacoma wedges, Acne

Hello, lover. I’ve wanted these Chloes since I first saw them on the runway but they were totally out of reach. I finally tracked down a pair that had been a store display in my size last week on Ebay and they make me feel totally Barbarella-esque. Perfect gear to wear in the white room at Wolfgang Manor. And, the socks I am wearing do have blue toes. H&M is so crafty.

This is a view of my desktop this week: Nixon Time Teller P watch, Luke Copping business cards, black key, Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake lip gloss, Moleskine Colour a Month planner and an Avant Garde necklace.

For two entire days this week, my world was consumed with pink, gray and black as I designed the first round of a media kit for a burlesque star. I can’t wait to show you the final outcome!

This has basically been my view for the last week. I am so inundated with freelance work that it seems like I live in my office…except when it’s time to go to the grocery store. I did leave the house to critique senior thesis projects at PNCA on Tuesday night which was super fun. I love seeing how other people’s minds work and how a concept grows and comes to life over a few months.

Yes, it’s that cross necklace again. I can’t stop wearing it! Forever 21’s accessories get me every time.

Yesterday, Auntie Nubs zoomed by Wolfgang Manor in her fancy new wheels and whisked me away to lunch. Mexican food. We had a meeting planned for Monday, but unfortunately our plans were hexed.

The meeting was very important – we had agreed to exchange black keys. And at that very moment, the Unholy Trinity™ (comprised of me, Joey & Auntie Nubs) was completed.

Until next week,

• Legendary art director George Lois shares the stories behind 12 of his favorite Esquire covers.

• Zoetica Ebb has mastered the art of making black lipstick look amazing. She has it down to a fine science!

• Smashing Magazine has just penned an entire article about toy cameras and vintage photo effects that teach you how to fake the look of these famous cameras.

• You know those annoying little stickers that are always on your fruit? Well, thanks to Chiquita bananas, they just got about 1,000 times cooler:

• Freelance Switch shares 5 ways to regain your creative joy.

• Eavesdropping in Paris. Pretty funny if you ask me.

• How to blog: choosing a niche for your blog.

• I absolutely love Once Upon a Time…The Alchemist, a post in which Krissy takes us through a visual journey of what she imagines key moments in The Alchemist resembling. I think she did a great job capturing the magic, mystery and spirituality that weaves throughout the pages.

• LVMH x Parsons = My First foray as a Designer into New York Fashion Week is a real life, behind-the-scenes account of my friend Gilda’s painstaking journey over many months to create an outfit with her team. The best part is that she explains the process, shows the samples and talks about the fittings so you can better understand what goes into a project on this scale.

• A total godsend if you’re a semi-new homeowner (like me): DIY Painting Tips, Tricks, and a Step-By-Step Guide courtesy of Making it Lovely!

Last week, I designed these double-sided business cards for Molly Crabapple. Molly is an award-winning artist, author, and the founder of Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School that learned to draw in a Parisian bookstore. And, The New York Times once labeled her a ‘Downtown Phenomenon.’ We’ve met on many occasions and I can vouch for this claim! I thought the quote was so awesome that I had to include it on her cards.

The cards are meant to match Molly’s fresh new visual identity which was formed late last year when web developer Star St. Germain and I paired up to design her new site. And, it just went live!

I will share more site details soon. In the meantime, Molly and I have another project in the works. Her style and vision just keep getting bigger and better and I love the visual direction her identity has taken. It still has her trademark Victorian edge but a with a slightly more mature flair. 2010 is definitely Molly’s year! She is at SXSW this week and you can see her schedule here.

Taken from a Lady Gaga feature a few months back, I never tire of Elle’s design aesthetic and art direction. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

My new favorite piece of jewelry is this multi-chain cross by Forever 21. It’s a total urbanized version of what my childhood idol, Mr. T would wear and maybe that’s why I love it so much!

Over the last few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Buffalo, New York based photographer Luke Copping. His images are sharp, engaging and stylish and he needed an identity to match.

Of his work, Luke says:

My images are all about style, creating it and changing it. I make beauty and fashion images that are elegant, unique, and sensorial. I love to apply the aesthetics of beauty and fashion to create quirky offbeat portraits of artists and musicians too. I work with clients ranging from the corporate to the counterculture who appreciate the high energy, humor, artful simplicity, and subtle alternative twist I bring to their projects.

When we started the process, Luke provided me with an outline of dream clients, magazines he’d like to work with and various interests to give me a better idea of the direction we should go in. Luke also likes medical imagery so in the end, we went with a red cross symbol made of L’s that could stand in as a watermark on his photographs. We did his name in varying weights of Avant Garde since it is clean and legible at fairly small sizes.

Once the logo was completed, I designed three introduction sheets for each of Luke’s portfolios for music, beauty and style. Each of these were printed on legal-sized white sheets with the logo centered.

Every month, Luke sends out emails with images of his work and a link to his site so we worked to design a template in both horizontal and vertical formats that could be easily switched out every month. These are actually digital but would look great eventually printed as oversized promo cards.

Moving forward, we just finished double-sided business cards. Luke just sent me a stack and I love how he used a gloss finish on the photo side and a matte finish on the information side which is helpful when you need to jot down additional information for a client.

Since the logo has been completed, Luke has pulled the branding through the rest of his business including his website and blog.

It’s been a pleasure working with Luke over the last few months and in closing, the above images are some of his favorites of 2009. Thanks, Luke!

Always and forever and ever. Another week, more of the same. Busy, work-packed, everything hitting all at once, multitasking to the max. April equals a vacation for sure. Vegas?

Issue #22 of POP Magazine is now out and the one page ad my brother and I collaborated on for the Swatch Colour Codes collection is featured. Thanks, Pop and Swatch!

Last Friday, my dad took me out to the famous Dan & Louis Oyster Bar which was literally like stepping 100 years back in time. I was in awe of the walls covered in collector plates. A definite must-visit if you’re ever in Portland!

In Portland, it really is true that anything goes. Having goats roaming through your front yard in the middle of the city? Totally cool. I’d prefer a llama, but that’s another topic for another time.

I am finally getting around to posting the painting that Joey surprised me with for Valentine’s Day. I definitely wasn’t expecting a portrait of myself and the fact that it’s composed of five separate pieces forming a red cross made it that much more special.

Until next week,

Modcloth sent me these Flipside Tights months ago and I kept forgetting to wear them. And, now that I have, I want to wear them with everything.

I am wearing Tiara loose eyeshadow by Sugarpill above. The photo does it no justice; it’s a super sparkly, intense Barabrella-esque silver that goes on with major impact. I’ve been wearing it as a base on my lids instead of white or a neutral. In the next few weeks I’ll be doing a full Sugarpill review and showing off some other goodies.

Flower headband, shirt and wool jumper, Forever 21
Belt, vintage
Flipside tights, Modcloth
Zipper boots, Minimarket
Key necklace, Star
Watch, Nixon

I am on a bit of a black and white kick at the moment and I blame it on the influence of this brigade of cool girls:

In an issue of Print, I found an interesting article about the evolving script logo of iconic department store Lord & Taylor, which has been hand-rendered for decades.

Also, a snippet from avant garde Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto’s storefront and branding was tucked away in the same issue.

You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

Yellow and I normally don’t get along. I don’t think I’ve owned anything yellow until a week ago when these shoes showed up. When I want to wear something bright and cheery, I stick to white. But, I am all about embracing change. When I first spotted these heels, I had the typical reaction that I normally have with anything Margiela-related. At first I thought they were weird, then intriguingly architectural…and finally totally unique and amazing! When you’re scrolling through Yoox and there’s one pair left in your size for a total steal, it’s meant to be. I plan on wearing these with everything (as long as it is head-to-toe black).

It’s been two weeks since I’ve had a chance to do a Week in Pictures update but a lot has happened in that time and I promise it’s worth the wait! The weather in Portland has been remarkably good. And, I’ve taken an absurd amount of photo booth pictures.

Over the weekend, Joey and I stopped by the Ace Hotel for some photo booth fun. The whole day was pretty over the top and at one point, we even ended up out in some far-flung suburbs.

These signs are posted over some building windows a few blocks from The Ace. Totes obsessed with that type.

Since a lot has happened in the last two weeks, some of these occurrences aren’t quite linear. I have to backtrack a bit and show off the most amazing valentine EVER that I received from Miss Mary Bee. Even better, she texts me when she’s listening to Tupac (we bonded over him while she fake tattooed my arm during our road trip). I love her.

I quickly snapped these during my last day at Nike two weeks ago. I worked with the Global Communications Team which was super awesome and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thanks, Nike!

My favorite color scheme always. Thanks to photographer Kristin Cofer for sending me a cute mix CD and letter. And, she just forwarded me this photo of the business cards I designed for her! The Avant Garde necklace is by Plastique.

Over the weekend, Joey and I did a bit of shopping (well, I did). I am a bit obsessed with this white leather skirt that I found for $14.00 at an antique mall in Seattle. When the weather warms up, I want to do a more nurse-inspired look with it. Anyway, we were dead tired and the reason why is perhaps the best ever:

On my way downtown…too many times to count lately.

These are some out-takes of snapshots I took for a cute little online magazine project. The Proenzas usually reside in the corner of my office on a stack of NEST mags with bright yellow spines.

Since I’ve been working so much, it’s been harder to meet up with friends. I finally caught up with Tyler over the weekend (who just got back from a month in Germany…jealous) and walked to the 7-Eleven with him and some buddies. When in Rome, do as the Romans do?

On Monday, I played more catch up with my friend Jason. We met at the Doug Fir for breakfast (which was mighty tasty, I might add). The atmosphere during the morning hours is markedly different than the late nights sitting by the outside fire with a pile of mashed potatoes and a stiff drink listening to the drunken patrons’ hilarious conversations.

Jason and I also ended up at the Ace photo booth trying to re-enact the infamous Murder at the Mountain. Actually, we’re constantly trying to relive the week-long bender of Christmas 2009 but have yet to succeed.

This is the Ace Hotel lobby. Tres chic.

After The Ace, we stopped by Clyde Common for mimosas. I adore the impeccably designed menus and minimal atmosphere.

On a closing note, if you leave my brother and I alone for too long, this is the type of stuff that transpires. But, if you leave my brother and dad alone for too long…you end up with an eight-foot tall bear in the corner of your living room. I am truly speechless. Maybe I’ll show you sometime.

P.S For all of next week, I am going to be working with Nike again and I have a ton of freelance projects due. So if posting is late or slows down, that is why. I am thankful for all of the work but also very, very busy.

• In A Model’s Prospects: Slim and None, model Coco Rocha boldly asserts “I don’t do nudes, I don’t do semi-nudes, I don’t do cigarette shots.” And she says, “Everybody knows that, in general, a basketball player needs to be tall and a fashion model needs to be skinny, but how skinny is too skinny?” She has a point.

• In this recession, it takes a little more work to sell someone a $35,000.00 watch.

• The definitive guide to choosing a topic for your new blog.

• Art manifestos and their applications in contemporary design.

• The new issue of Lula magazine makes great use of white space on the cover. Instead of cramming a million headlines and a massive photo onto the front like many others do, its quiet simplicity speaks volumes.

• A brief history of Photoshop which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary (thanks, star).

• Steve Pavlina delivers another thought provoking post in How to Order. In the article, he says “The universe you live in works very much like a popular restaurant. You go in, you decide what you want, you order it, you receive it, and you digest it. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t seem to know how to order. Some are downright inept at it. They walk into this restaurant, behave like complete idiots, and they end up hungry and disappointed. Then they complain about the restaurant and post negative reviews online, despite the fact that the restaurant has received rave reviews from the most experienced food critics.”

• Looking into the Past is a fascinating Flickr group that compares before and after images of places. “Images are made by finding old photographs of places, printing them out, and then holding the print up in the modern day location that the original photograph was taken.”

• Freelancers, are your working hours jeapordizing your productivity?

• Lady Gaga’s rapid ascent to stardom has no doubt been helped by her penchant for using social media to her advantage. According to Why Lady Gaga is the Ultimate Social Climber, “Lady Gaga, with her army of nearly 2.8 million Twitter followers and more than 5.2 million Facebook fans, can move product. Since fall 2008, her digital-single sales have exceeded 20 million and her album sales hit 8 million, all at a time when no one under the age of 60 buys CDs anymore.”

It must be Watch Week around here. On Monday, I was waxing poetic about Swatch and today, it’s Nixon!

Last month, I was standing around at Nemo when I looked down at one of the producer’s arms (Hi, Megan!) and noticed this watch. Quite dramatically, I reached for it and demanded to know where she got it. I was immediately drawn to the solid white exterior and frankly, the shape (which to me resembles a Swatch on steroids). The Time Teller P comes in a whopping 19 colors. I’ve been wearing the Nixon Chalet in black for the last two years and figured this stark white watch would be perfect for Spring. So far, so good.

Readers: Do you wear a watch? If so, what kind?

I just dug up an old Veer catalog with some delectable type options and thought I’d share. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

A few months ago, I was contacted by POP Magazine and asked to participate in a special contest. Swatch, the iconic brand of watches that originally launched in 1983 (and have gone on to become the most successful wristwatch of all time) is going back to its roots by launching a series of monochromatic plastic watches called Colour Codes.

I immediately agreed to take part on POP’s behalf because I’ve been a huge Swatch fan since middle school (I think I still have the neon splashed version my mom bought me in the 7th grade around here somewhere). When Swatch came out with the Typically Square model featuring the Swiss flag, I wore it for three years straight.

But, back to the brief. We were asked to create images of Swatch watches that focused on color co-ordination with clothes and surroundings and were given complete creative freedom.

For the advertisement design, my brother and I each decided that since we each had drastically different styles, it would be fun to each take a shot at one. For mine (above), I went with a clean and classic Swiss-inspired poster feel since Swatch is Swiss-based and the Colour Codes collection is meant to go back to their roots.

In contrast, my brother referenced 80’s Swatch ads with his design which tend to be very bold with contrasting themes and multi-angled designs. In the end, our submissions were tied amongst the POP art directors so they made a hybrid of the two which can be seen below. This is the version that went to print:

Thanks to POP for inviting me to participate as well as Swatch for providing the watches and brief. I’d also like to thank my brother for art directing, styling and taking all of the photos. Oh…..and to our beloved bear rug for so kindly assisting!

The POP issue featuring our ads should be arriving at newsstands worldwide right about now. You can view all of the Swatch Colour Codes entries on the Swatch website. Please vote for us under POP!

It’s been another one of those crazy busy deadline-inducing weeks but I managed to sneak away to the white room for five minutes to get some photos of my new Jeffrey Campbell Mary Roks wedges. Thanks to Joey for taking the photos. I am looking away in a few because in the middle of photo snapping, my brother surprised me by returning home from a trip to LA. He was touring stores and sitting in meetings for a reality show pitch and of course driving me insane by texting me things like “On the beach in Malibu” and “Sitting in the Standard Hotel lobby” all week. Whatevs. And with that, I am taking a mini blogging break for the rest of the week to get caught up on client work.

Headband, shirt and jacket, Forever 21
Knit vest, thrifted
Jeans, Kill City
Wedges, Jeffrey Campbell
Watch, Nixon

Today I am bypassing The Typofiles for a new Fashion Notebook entry. The full Fashion Notebook set can be perused on Flickr.

I hope all of you are having a great Valentine’s Day! I celebrated early last night since I have a full plate of freelance to get through today and this is what I wore out. It’s a vintage wool dress that I found on Ebay years ago and I wore the same thing last year paired with my red Chloe boots. And, here’s what I wore for Valentine’s Day back in 2008!

For Valentine’s Day, my beloved surprised me with a portrait he’d painted of me and best of all, it’s composed of five pieces that form a red cross! I’ll post photos soon. Oh, and the Michael Jackson ‘This is It’ DVD…because the fastest way to my heart is anything MJ-related! I was short on time this week so I wrote a personalized letter and pulled together a few trinkets. After all, it’s the thought that counts, right?

What I Wore:

Dress, vintage
patent belt, borrowed form another dress
Headband, F21
Polkadot tights, Nordstrom
Tie-front wedges, Corso Como

Currently, I’m loving: 1. Nixon Time Teller P Watch, 2. Rick Owens Wings Vest, 3. White Headphones, 4. the gray version of my Camilla Skovgaard Lug Sole Boots, 5. YSL Y-Mail Clutch , 6. Paloma Picasso for Tiffany Double Modern Heart Ring, 7. Jeffrey Campbell Clinic Wedges and 8. Panasonic Lunix Mini SLR.

Readers: What’s on your current must-have list?

Nike Adventures with Auntie Nubs. On Monday, Auntie Nubs made the voyage out to the Nike Campus to join me for lunch. She always brings out the worst in me (probably because she isn’t my mom, so she thinks everything is funny). We had a total blast as always. Can I just say that Nike has the best cafeteria EVER?

The Doug Fir. This is the one hangout in Portland that never gets old. I met my friend Jason for drinks mind-week and by that point, I was a walking zombie. It’s pretty bad when you’re scheming how to stay awake…and decide that an Irish coffee might help. That’s the Jupiter Hotel above, which I am still dying to stay at!

Old School. I’ve been revisiting the classics lately including my Field Flowers cardigan, Dries Van Noten red boots and Tribute’s The Sidewalk Never Ends shirt. I just got a new white watch as well that you can sort of see in the photos. I’ll share the details in an upcoming post.

I apologize for the brief Week in Pictures and a slowdown in posting here on the blog. The last few weeks of corporate gigs combined with personal freelance clients has taken importance and as some big deadlines creep up over the next two weeks, blogging will continue to be on the slow side. I still love all of you! xoxo

Until Next Week,

• There really are no words. Fashion designer Alexander McQueen has committed suicide.

• Jason Santa Maria shares his list of recommended design books. I love how he set up the post, actually showing the stack of books versus just making a list.

• Heidi Montag is plastic surgery obsessed and Newsweek’s Eleven things that deeply disturb us about the reality star’s surgical transformation digs down to the root of the problem. Is it just me or does it seem odd that someone would pay big money to voluntarily get poked with needles and sliced open?

• In a similar vein, Newsweek’s Unattainable Beauty gallery is stuffed full of the decade’s most notable Photoshop disasters.

• And, Say ‘Cheese!’ And Now Say ‘Airbrush!’ focuses on the trend of retouching kid’s school photos. “It surprises me so much when a mom comes in and asks for retouching on a second-grader,” says Danielle Stephens, a production manager for Prestige Portraits, which has studios in nearly every state and starts its service at $6.

• I wish my closet looked like one of these. Le sigh.

• The 300&65 Ampersands is a blog celebrating the beauty of the ampersand and a new one is posted each day. Click the ampersand to go to the foundry’s page for the font or simply mouse-over to view the name. (thanks, brittany!)

• Fashionista discusses the state of New York Fashion Week: what’s the same, what’s different and what’s next.

• Yes, people really are snapping up Alexander McQueen’s infamous Armadillo boots. Okay, by ‘people,’ I mean Lady Gaga and Daphne Guinness, but still. At upwards of $10,000.00 a pop and with a heel I even find completely unwalkable, they probably belong in a museum somewhere.

My graphic design portfolio for 2010 has finally been updated! It can be downloaded by clicking on the above image. There are a few projects that I had to leave out of the online version since they are client sensitive but I should be able to add them in over the next few months.

Most notably, I updated the branding throughout, trading in Helvetica and Bodoni for DIN and softening the black and white color scheme with a trio of grays.

The introduction page is solid type and lists some of my favorite things about design. It was included last year as well but was much more bold, with two darker grays.

I added in a page this year that lists some of my clients so that people can get a quick idea of who I’ve collaborated with.

I always start my book out with a page of logos. It’s a nice demonstration of the variety of companies I’ve paired up with since they cover photographers, record labels, bands and more.

The descriptions on each page are all done in DIN and correspond with the three color swatches listed above. I am still deciding whether to add in a serif typeface for the body text later on.

The biggest challenge when faced with creating a layout with multiple images is still making sure that there’s ample white space so that the work can breathe. And, if there’s only one or two images, it can also be difficult to create a layout that’s compelling. This year, I worked a lot more on creating visual interest throughout the pages.

I usually try to do a big portfolio update every six months and will have much more to add and change out at that point. Happy 2010!

I just received House Industries’ latest catalog in the mail and it was too good not to share with you. Get your very own copy here. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

Just Do It. I had a super awesome week working with a design team out at Nike. By day four, I was itching to get my security badge and made the trek to the other side of the campus in the rain. I arrived only to be told that the badge making machine was broken. Major fail! The visitor passes continue pile up…

The campus. Totally amazing. Like a corporate version of Disneyland? Glass buildings, bridges, lakes, two gyms….speaking of the gyms, I visited both. People take their physical fitness really seriously. I admire them. After watching some intense workouts, I went and bought myself a latte.

The only way I can stay organized. Multiple Moleskines keep my life in check. Yes, it’s February already.

Welcome to my nightmare. My brother is always out of control. It’s all or nothing around here. His newest ‘project’ is driving me crazy.

Rain. It hasn’t seemed to stop all week. Hurry up, Summer!

Best hot chocolate ever. Albina Press never disappoints. I met my friend Leticia this weekend for talks of design and makeup. In that order.

Tunnel vision. Rush hour. Nightly drive home for the last week.

Life really does just keep getting better. I never could have imagined that everything I considered to be trying and difficult last year would work out in my favor this year.

Until Next Week,

To be honest, there is no easy way to manage multiple projects that are overlapping. It doesn’t matter who you are; keeping up with four to six projects at a time is a challenge.

During a normal week, I may be working on up to six different jobs with my personal clients and they can range from logo design and corporate identities to blog layouts. At the same time, I am often booked at an agency and may working on catalog layouts, ad concepts or trend forecasting. On top of that, I try to stay current with emails and send out quotes for upwards of ten freelance inquiries. Besides these tasks, there’s always blog updates and of course, invoicing clients for work that’s been completed.

Days seem to fly by faster every year now that I’ve finished school. Enjoy the time that you have left. In a way, it’s carefree in comparison with the real world of tight deadlines and long days at agencies. As a student, you still have the chance to experiment and to try out new ideas with very little backlash. Use these moments to your advantage. There’s something to be learned from each project, even through the mistakes that you make. The mistakes are especially good in a way because chances are that you won’t make the same one twice.

With regards to your question above, there are a few tricks that I use to stay organized when managing multiple projects:

Keep a planner or schedule in front of you. This is super basic, but if you don’t have a visual reminder of what needs to be done, it’s easy to ignore or even forget about it (and waste your time surfing the web). I make daily to-do lists in my Moleskine planner and if something doesn’t get done, I carry it over to the next until it’s completed. I also keep a big list pinned above my desk with all of my current clients. As a freelancer, you are 100% accountable for getting client work completed on time. We all run into delays and it’s always a good idea to fire off a quick email to clients if you’re running behind to let them know.

Collect research & store it in a centralized location. When a project pops up, it’s best to be prepared to quickly gather inspiration.

For years, I’ve collected and uploaded every single image that I find inspiring into a private folder on Flickr that now boasts over 4,000 items. Whether I am at home, traveling or sitting at an agency, the second I get briefed, I can easily log in and start pulling together visuals. Because everything I find inspiring is stored online, I never have to lug around an external hard drive.

Always do a round of research. You can save yourself a lot of time and energy upfront if you engage in some initial research and pinpoint the direction your client would like to take. Even if they’ve described what they think they are looking for, visuals can help to solidify that direction.

I always build out a presentation deck of research images before moving into the design process to make sure that my client and I are on the same page. Breaking up pages by category is extremely helpful. For instance, if I’m working on a logo design, I might include pages with titles such as Serif, Sans Serif, Script (above), etc.

Use cover pages. Whenever an agency I’ve worked at sends out a fresh round of work, they usually use a cover page and I do so with my clients as well. Why is this important? When you’re doing multiple rounds of work, sometimes at a very rapid pace, it’s easy for both you and the client to forget what’s being referenced.

They may say they like ‘logo #1’ but if you’re on your third round of work, which are they referring to? If a specific date is being referenced, how do you know when the work was completed? If you include a cover sheet with the client’s name, the date, the round of work and a brief job description attached to the work you send out, it will make your life so much easier when you have to quickly dig back through your archives.

Working on multiple projects has an upside. Having multiple projects going at once is potentially good; it has the ability to greatly diversify your portfolio. At one point, I was doing a logo for a metal band, another for an agriculture company, a full identity for a photographer and working on a 100+ page catalog at an agency. I learned something valuable from each of these jobs, often concurrently. Project diversity not only keeps you from getting bored but also helps you push your boundaries as a designer and makes you more rounded.

Stagger projects whenever possible. Juggling four to six projects at once can be stressful. So, if the opportunity arises, be upfront with clients or even your school about taking on more work. Ask for a few extra days off before beginning. Negotiate a start date that allows you enough time to do research and begin a new project without compromising other clients’ work. Of course, this is what would happen in a perfect scenario. But, it never hurts to ask!

In Closing. Practice makes perfect. As your skill set and experience improve, so will your turnaround times. Once you have basic templates, invoices, email form letters, pricing and other necessities all in place, taking on more work becomes much, much easier. This all takes time and patience to set up and there is no rush. Becoming a designer isn’t an overnight progression and we are each on our own paths. Though basic planning helps, we each have to develop our own systems of organization that best work for us.

Designers, do you have any tips and tricks that help you stay organized?

The Strange New World Of Bernard Fevre by Black Devil Disco Club is quite possibly my favorite album packaging of all time. Non-Format is based in Oslo, Norway and Minneapolis, USA and I love pretty much everything they put out. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

I first found out about A.F. Vandevorst back in 2000 when I bought a book featuring Belgian fashion designers. I was immediately captivated by his constant use of red cross imagery as a signature throughout his fashion line. When I came across these silver beauties on the sale rack at Halo, I knew they had to come home with me. And, any shoe box emblazoned with F E T I S H completely seals the deal.

Regarding the back story of how A.F. Vandevorst got its start, Interview Magazine says:

A.F. Vandevorst is really among the last of the Mohicans when it comes to independent European design. An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx were on their first day as fashion students at Antwerp’s Royal Academy when they met in 1987, fell in love, and eventually became husband and wife. 10 years later they opened their own company and have been showing seasonally in Paris ever since. Their style is sleek but somehow countrified, with lots of silk, fur and vintage lingerie bits. The shoes under the Fetish label are particularly great; An Vandevorst cut her creative teeth early on as shoe and accessories designer for fellow Antwerpian Dries Van Noten.

I’ll never tire of the architectural details or medical references ingrained into the A.F. Vandevorst aesthetic.

Details make a house a home. I am totally loving these serigraphs from House Industries which I finally got around to slipping into IKEA frames and setting against my matte black walls. All I can say is…I want more, more, more.

More jewels. I am still on a bit of a jewelry kick and Forever 21 always delivers. For maybe fifteen dollars total, I scored these studded bracelets and the LOVE ring. I used to hate gold with a passion but don’t mind it any longer as long as it’s faux and over-the-top.

The Boiler Room. Portlanders, you HAVE to check out the Boiler Room at the Kennedy School! My photos do it no justice. The site accurately describes it as, “Behind an unassuming, seemingly ordinary hallway door hides a wonderful space, a huge, multi-level spot (formerly the school’s boiler room) that has been turned into Kennedy School’s latest bar!” Winding railings, vintage signs and tons of dangling lights all mesh perfectly.

You know your life is good when….everything is perfectly color coordinated without any effort.

Handwritten. There’s still something very magical about receiving tiny, typed letters in your mailbox. I totally adore Miss Mary Bee and can’t wait for our next multi-state adventure.

Until Next Week,

Sequins at 9 AM? Yes, please! I am in love with these new A.F. Vandevorst shoes. Details Monday!

Sequin shirt, Forever 21
Zipper cardigan, By Corpus
Studded belt, Forever 21
Zipper jeans, TRIPP NYC
Helvetica necklace, Star
Bag, Miu Miu
Heels, A.F. Vandevorst
Watch, Nixon

• I could definitely use some Helvetica cookie cutters, how about you? (thanks, kirsten!)

• 7 tips for negotiating a freelance contract.

• Have I mentioned how much I love Smashing Magazine? Color Theory For Designers, Part 1: The Meaning of Color is another must-read article.

• The best revenge…is massive success. I couldn’t agree more.

• Old school meets new school with these hardcover book Macbook laptop covers.

• The often proclaimed best restaurant in the entire world is closing for two years (by choice).

• Apparently, I am not the only one who has a major love for photobooths.

• Grain Edit has pulled together an amazing collection of vintage calendars.

• At least someone in the audience is willing to take chances at the couture shows. Tavi’s hat apparently caused an uproar. People need to lighten up…it’s fashion! If I was 13, I would totally wear a monster bow hat!

• Photographer Lina Scheynius gives us a magical and alluring peek inside of Chanel in Paris.

• What, exactly is couture? Here’s a quick lesson.

• My brother craftily created a D.I.Y. Jeremy Scott-inspired Mickey Mouse army helmet in his bedroom one night and it just popped up in this photo shoot. We did some lighting tests last week and I’ll be wearing it very soon as well.

One of my agency friends recently contacted me and asked if I would design a ‘257’ for his five year old son who races go-karts. Last week, I posted the first round but still had many more ideas to explore. In the end, I felt that a simpler option was better for legibility and created a design that had a more racing-inspired feel. I decided to create a design with multiple lines so that they could easily be extended down the side of the car and/or color blocked. This final version will be die-cut from vinyl. Ready, set, go!

I am a big fan of vintage typography books and one of my favorites is Lettering for Reproduction by David Gates which was originally published in 1969. The basics of type are always important to learn and this has many visuals. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

Jacket, Wilson’s (circa 2002)
Bow headband, scarf, jeans, studded bracelelets, ring, Forever 21
Boots, Sam Edelman

Welcome to another installment of The Week in Pictures! I started off another week with no solid plans and in the end, it turned out completely magical. Weekend breakfasts, morning coffee in new neighborhoods, a surprise call from a makeup artist, a nonstop rotation of Kanye tunes, evenings in dive bars with red walls, new shoes (wait till Monday!), getting called in to work at my favorite agency, matching key necklaces, sequins during the day, special deliveries of vegan delicacies and long walks through town in massive platforms. I am happier and more content than I’ve been in ages and it feels great. 2010 continues to impress and inspire me to the max.

Wake-up, Make-up: I got the best wake-up call on Tuesday morning from M•A•C make-up artist Amy Callahan. She needed a model to demonstrate some new products on for Spring 2010 on and I gladly agreed. The location on N.W. 23rd has state-of-the-art lighting and I love the black walls. She taught me a ton of tips and tricks and I finally realized that it’s time to invest in some new brushes. Amy works at the Lloyd Center Nordstrom M•A•C counter here in Portland and you can reach her at 503.287.2444, ext. 1066 for consultations. Isn’t she adorable?

Type Obsessed: A never-ending battle. I just got these vintage numbers and a roll of tape at an art store called Collage in N.E. Portland. The Helvetica necklace is of course by Star.

Chipped Walls & Cheap Drinks: There’s nothing like a good ol’ dive bar. Multiple nights this week were spent at The Know which is the best bar around because they have a painting of N.W.A. on the wall. For the record, that isn’t my PBR. After being surrounded by the stuff for six weeks on the road in late 2004, I’ve never been able to finish another can.

Thrifting Magic: What can I say? My brother always returns from epic thrifting voyages with the best gifts ever.

Trending: One of my favorite things of all time is to track down images based on themes and compile them for trend forecasting. I could do it all day, every day. Also, the Moleskine Colour a Month notebooks are working out quite nicely.

Drunken Dance-Off. On Wednesday night, I was laying in my black room, feeling sick and miserable while a full-on Mexican fiesta complete with burritos and Tecate ensued downstairs. At some point, tequila and bear claw slippers entered the mix and the rest is history. My brother and his friends continue to party like it’s 1999. I’m not worthy!

Until Next Week,

• Brand New has added a fantastic new selection of design-related books to their recommended list of reading.

• Pretty Much Amazing shares its favorite covers of 2009.

• I wholeheartedly agree with the list of the Top 7 Fonts of 2009. So glad that DIN was included!

• Way too funny not to share: Regretsy is where ‘DIY meets WTF.’ I think my favorite so far is the collection of NWA tennis ball sculptures. (thanks bianca)

• From kottke: “Call it overrated if you’d like, but Ssam Bar is still the only place in NYC (or perhaps the world) where you can eat, using chopsticks, German-inspired cuisine served to you by a native Spanish speaker while drinking a glass of sparkling red wine and listening to 90s hip-hop in a restaurant conceived by an American junior golf champion from Virginia whose parents were from Korea.”

• A list of the best East Village restaurants. Agree?

• The Cocktail Calculator shows you how much a drink really costs.

• Makeup guru Bobbi Brown just launched a new campaign featuring her real life friends instead of models and they look great! (via already pretty)

• 25 new high quality free fonts. Jackpot!!!

• 8 tips for rocking a crowded blogging niche.

• Jane of Sea of Shoes shares the amazing collection of Hanna Bernhard jewelry she and her mom just acquired. Imagine a jumbo jewel-encrusted squid, octopus and shrimp.

You’re in luck because I covered the blogging basics back in 2008 in an article called 13 Steps to a Successful Blog-Based Business. I’d recommend starting out with a customized theme installed on a domain that you own and with your own server space so that you have full control over your image and personal files. But, if this isn’t an option, there are many free services like Blogger. To get started:

Pick a domain name: It seems like all of the good dot-coms are taken, but if you can avoid a name that is super long and full of dashes, all the better (use whois.net to see if yours is still available). If all else fails, you can make up something nonsensical (like Nubbytwiglet.com)! I’ve registered all of my domain names through GoDaddy.com. Besides being reputable, their 24 hour customer service is super knowledgeable.

Invest in server space: Once your domain name is registered, you’ll need a safe place on the internet to store your site files and images (mine is also through GoDaddy.com). It’s always a bonus if the domain name and the server space are through the same company so that the changes you make can be as seamless as possible.

Templates, templates, templates: Since I originally wrote this article, free themes have improved dramatically. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Wordpress because there are thousands of free blog templates that are easily modifiable and Wordpress.org gives you instructions on how to install its software directly onto your domain.

To get you started, some great themes can be found here, here and here.

When it comes to fine art, I feel that the more low-tech, the better (probably because I sit behind a computer all day). Don’t laugh but the only two tools I use are kid-sized scissors and washable glue sticks. I like glue sticks because you can get a smooth finish and there is very little seeping from the edges once a piece is affixed. Also, it dries really fast and if you get it somewhere it doesn’t belong, it wipes off really easily. Once an art piece is finished, I do 2 to 3 layers of Krylon Crystal Clear to seal it and finally, pour a layer of epoxy resin over the top. The resin is the hard part because if you do it wrong, air bubbles could result or worse yet, if the mixture is off, it may never dry properly. Practice makes perfect!

I regularly rotate between two Nikon cameras: The Coolpix P80 is fancier point-and-shoot and has some SLR-like qualities while the Coolpix S560 is super light, compact and perfect for throwing in my purse for everyday use. The higher end studio shots that have been recently been popping up on my blog are by my brother and he uses the Canon EOS 5D Mark II along with professional lighting.

I wish I could say that I have a regular routine and I admire those who do. I am totally guilty of passing out in my makeup all the time and don’t recommend it! Right now, I am using Lancomé Renergie Microlift R.A.R.E. moisturizer (thanks mom!) and swear by Comodynes Convenient Cosmetics Makeup Remover for Dry Skin with Oats towelettes which can be found at Trader Joe’s. In December, I had my first ever facial and it was amazing. I am a total convert!

Beyond that, almost all of the makeup I use is by MAC and I’ve been a diehard Studio Fix fan for the last ten years.

I wash my hair every other day and stick with drugstore shampoo and conditioner since I go through it ridiculously fast. For the last year, I’ve had great luck with Garnier Fructis products including Moisture Works shampoo and conditioner. I let my hair mostly air dry and then straighten the ends with the Misikko Hana Elite which works faster than any other iron I’ve tried.

As for diet and exercise, I try to eat eat fairly healthy and I am a vegetarian. Beyond that, I never exercise except for some occasional walking. Working out is pretty much my least favorite thing to do in the entire universe (and I am sure that sitting on my ass all day will eventually catch up with me)! David Barton, please open a gym in Portland and I promise to change my ways.

My silver nail polish is by Hot Topic and there isn’t a name on the bottle. The matte black (seen here) is by L.A. Girl and called…Matte Black! The white (seen here) is by Sally Hansen Hard As Nails ‘Xtreme Wear’ and called White On.

I am going to try to answer a new question a week as often as possible. Do you have anything that you’re dying to ask? Need some advice? Ask Nubby!

When I woke up yesterday morning, I thought I had my day all planned out….until I got a 9 AM call from a M•A•C makeup artist who needed a model. Who can turn down trying out a new look?! Thanks to Amy Callahan at the Lloyd Center Nordstrom M•A•C counter in Portland. You can reach her at 503.287.2444, ext. 1066 for makeup consultations. I’ll be posting behind-the-scenes photos of the experience this Friday.

Style-wise, I’ve been feeling very utilitarian and post-apocalyptic. Though, I am all about adding in feminine touches like sequins and bows to balance things out. A big thanks goes out to my man friend for taking the photos.

Zipper jacket, Halogen
Cardigan, thrifted
Necklace, Miss X Jewellery
Tanks, Forever 21
Bow headband, Forever 21
Sequin leggings, H&M
Bag, Miu Miu
Lug sole boots, Camilla Skovgaard

I am so into the way Elle designed the monthly calendar for their February issue. You can never include too many hearts, that’s for sure. I am always in awe of how they break up the standard grid we’ve come to expect for a calendar. You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

One of my agency friends contacted me last week, wondering if I would design a ‘257’ for his five year old son who races go-karts. I stayed up past my bedtime to do an experimental first round. Though his dad is the coolest ever, I’m not sure if the weapons will make the cut in the end. Just say no to hand guns and brass knuckles, kids! Stay tuned for the outcome.

Wow, what a week! I finally got to see Cool as Ice again which is truly my favorite movie ever. One of my 2010 resolutions was to watch more movies because I’ve barely seen any in my lifetime and I’m trying to make up for lost time. Though Cool as Ice was the highlight, I also saw The Germs biographical film What We Do Is Secret and Mary Poppins back-to-back. Not bad at all.

Trips to Stumptown, design collaborations, grilled cheese sandwiches, deep discussions about Def Leppard, soldering, Smirnoff Ice, photo booths, homemade enchiladas, emails from all of my best friends in New York in one day and inspirational meetings rounded out the mix. 2010 is turning out to be the best, most fulfilling year ever. Onwards and upwards!

White Noise. The white room at Wolfgang Manor needs a few finishing touches….but it’s almost there. Almost.

It’s Not What You Think. On Tuesday, I went out to breakfast with two of my longtime friends, Brent and Katie. I was trying to explain to Brent why I was wearing a promise ring (because let’s face it, at 28 I am not making any promises of the sort!) and realized that with the way I was showing it off, the restaurant patrons might think he’d given it to me. At that point, we played it up for the cameras. Thanks to Brent for always being a good sport!

POP. Words cannot describe how excited I was when a package of watches showed up for a collaboration between POP magazine and Swatch. My brother shot some amazing photos and I can’t wait to show you the results!

Fashion Notebook Returns. For the last 10+ years, I’ve kept an oversized sketchbook and filled the pages with fashion-related images that are mostly arranged by color. Over the last few weeks I’ve finished a few new pages and will be posting them sporadically. You can see all of the past Fashion Notebook scans here.

Fight! On Wednesday, I had lunch with one of my long time mentors, Dave Allen of Portland Agency Fight. He’s always been a big fan of social media and really supported my blogging vision in the early days. He also used to be in a post-punk band that you might recognize which only adds to his coolness.

Stumptown. Though I don’t enjoy strong coffee, I love the downtown location of Stumptown Coffee. It has that perfect Portland-esque feel and the people watching is beyond good.

Ring Finger. When Jewelry Art Designs offered to send me a piece of jewelry of my choice, I couldn’t resist. I am a total minimalist at heart but am trying to step it up in the new year. Usually though, I can never find anything that’s simple enough to not be clunky when I am spending 10+ hours a day on the computer. Rings tend to get in the way of my work and become more of an annoyance than a fashion statement. Luckily, I was able to find this cute yet very low profile ring engraved with LOVE and haven’t taken it off since. Maybe, just maybe this is my turning point towards wearing more jewelry in general. Plus, it’s a great reminder to always spread the love, love, love.

Until Next Week,

• Are you in need of some super hot & glam vintage gear? Look no further than Glam on Rye Vintage, a cute Etsy shoppe ran by my brother’s best pal, Amy. Anyone that has models wearing masks is good in my book.

• Logo Design Love shares a link to a collection of the best vintage logos ever.

• Online PR Do’s and Dont’s: Lindsay Robertson’s list of guidelines for how PR people should interact with bloggers is spot on according to kottke.

• Minimalist Sites is full of inspiration for minimalist design lovers (via swissmiss).

• The City’s End chronicles imagery showing the demise of New York City in literary works, graphic media and moving pictures appropriately tagged ‘disaster porn.’

• Smashing Magazine shares 45 Comprehensive CSS/JavaScript Techniques.

• My friend, New York photographer Bianca Alexis has a new site up and it’s looking good. This girl works some serious magic behind the camera; she was responsible for the Michael Jackson tribute shoot last year.

• Use it or lose it! 5 tips on how to keep your blogging more regular.

• Brand New shares the most relevant identity work of the decade.

• See Dick and Jane Streets is an article about a new web app that can tell you where streets featuring your name are located across the U.S.

• My brother just designed an exclusive new shirt release for Urban Outfitters called F*ck Forever. Always a class act!

I must have originally posted this book on my blog nearly two years ago but it’s still one of my favorites. I found this at a thrift store for a dollar and never even attempted to read it. How could the story lurking inside be as good as the cover anyway? You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

I am one of those people with fairly straight hair, but sometimes, fairly straight just won’t cut it. There are times where I want my hair to look perfectly sleek and in those moments, I reach for my flat iron.

Unfortunately, while I was vacationing in Florida back in November, my flat iron died quite suddenly. It’s not something that I would call an absolute necessity so I put off purchasing a new one when I returned home. But, the universe has an odd way of coming through when we are in need.

After being home for about a week, my phone rang one morning and since it wasn’t a number that I recognized, I almost didn’t answer. But, I am so glad I did. Turns out that it was one of my long-time advertisers, Misikko. The owner had just checked out my blog and noticed that I had really long hair. He wondered if I would be interested in trying out one of their professional flat irons and I immediately obliged.

I was super excited at the prospect because I had already tried out one of the Misikko flat irons over the summer while staying with Gala in New York. I already knew that they were compact, of nice quality and worked well so I was glad to finally have one of my own.

Misikko sent me the Hana model, which is 1 inch, black and works super fast. It literally takes a minute or less to heat up and is the best straightening iron I’ve tried to date, due in part to the high quality ceramic plates. One of the best features on this model are the 8 foot long cord (!!) and the accompanying heat proof silicone mat. The mat is nice, especially if you set your iron on a counter or floor to heat up. The heat on the iron is adjustable from 140 – 450° F and I usually keep it pretty high since I have fairly healthy hair.

Though I don’t use an iron every day, it’s a great tool to have around when you want that extra polished edge. I am by no means a flat iron expert, but I’ve tried quite a few and I prefer the compact size, looks and power of the Hana over other models I’ve tried. Thanks, Misikko!

All photos by Carey Haider.

I am getting back into collaging with a vengeance and would like to reintroduce the Fashion Notebook column which has been on a year-long hiatus. Sometimes it’s nice to step away from the computer and work with your hands for a change. The full Fashion Notebook set can be perused on Flickr.

Welcome to Wolfgang. Our house finally has a name: Wolfgang Manor. Honestly, my brother and I usually aren’t posed on the couch like this when people stop by to visit. We just did a shoot for a Swatch / POP Magazine collaboration and took a few extra photos with one of the setups.

Passports. My brother decided that he wanted to go to the Olympics (long story) so we showed up at the post office Tuesday morning for passports. My photos look like mug shots. His make him look like a 70s era Journey roadie.

Mall Food. We then stopped at the mall food court because he was hungry. He is always hungry. Always. Then we bought matching gray jeans at Forever 21 (as seen on our motorcycle shot below). Finally, we forgot which parking garage we were at. Four hours of my life I’ll never get back….but it was worth it.

Fool’s Gold. I have the best aunts ever. For Christmas, one gave me a huge gift basket full of candy and miscellaneous treats. The other delivered cashmere socks and gold coins. Wait….are those chocolate inside?!! Short-changed again, Auntie Nubs!

Space Room. Earlier in the week, I joined a pack of snowboarders at the Space Room for good conversations, cheese fries and drinks (be careful, they are strong). Don’t you love the ambience? They decorate it for every holiday.

Jam Time. Afterwards, I kept them company in the basement while they had a jam session. We then watched a documentary on Aliester Crowley. Black magic is always a great way to end the night!

Like Brother, Like Sister. My brother and I went jeans shopping at Forever 21 and came out with the same skinny, shredded gray jeans. We thought it was so funny that we hopped on the back of his motorcycle for photos and threw on our white leather jackets to complete the look.

Paperdolls. I just completed a piece for the upcoming M.I.S.S. Paperdolls show at FIFTY24 Gallery in L.A. The ‘dress’ is affixed with gold nails and lifts to reveal the body underneath.

Until Next Week,

• Michael Musto’s Year (and Decade) in Review appropriately starts out with, “The Naughty Aughties are over, and I’m LMFAO. It will be remembered, if at all, as the decade of the TMI generation. The 15-second fame gang. The micromanaging maniacs. The attention-whoring-for-lunch bunch. The iPhone, iPod, iMac, IMAX, and eye-lift folks. The people who have already forgotten this paragraph.” (thanks, bianca!)

• A totally awesome time waster: The Vintage Ad Browser has over 100,000 vintage ads just waiting to be explored. (via draplin)

• Check out the 25 year evolution of the Apple mouse.

• Find out what the most anticipated books of 2010 are.

• BibliOdyssey shares Victorian era infographics.

• SiteInspire is pretty amazing… it allows you to browse 1,414 websites by style, theme, and type, or view a random selection. (via swissmiss)

• Start off the year with an Ideal Project Profile. Mary Shaw explains, “As I plan my business activities for 2010, I’ve decided to create an ideal project profile. You may have heard of an ideal client profile – it helps you visualize the exact type of client you’d like to work with. The ideal project profile describes in detail the exact kind of work you’d like to do for your ideal client. This post will show you how to create an ideal project profile for next year and beyond.”

• Always of use: quick and handy Photoshop shortcuts.

• Problogger lists 30 bloggers to watch in 2010.

• Website performance: what to know and what you can do.

• The 100 best links of 2009.

• Luxirare turns her otherworldly talents to making crayons but of course, there’s a twist.

• I really, really want to get a copy of Designers Don’t Read. Have you had a chance to read it? What do you think?

I’d like to thank Forever 21 for advertising on my blog this month. As I was scanning their site today, I pulled together a few of my current favorite items that I thought I’d share with you: circle accented mesh necklace, abstract art dress, sequin suspender skirt, metallic trim military jacket, lacquered pyramid bangle, belted petal skirt, disco sequin front top, side bow headband, mickey glitter tee, crackle metallic boot and love sculpture ring. Happy shopping!

I just rediscovered this mailer I received from House Industries commemorating the launch of Alexander Girard items and typefaces. Of Girard, House says, “Whatever the medium, Girard’s love for typography was the common thread that wove his work together. A master at combining personal interests with commercial viability, Girard once wrote, “I find that those of my designs that satisfy me personally are the only ones worth producing.” You can view all of The Typofiles on Flickr here.

My brother Carey and I have always been close. Growing up, we took swimming lessons and Taekwondo together. We started our own businesses when we were teenagers and helped each other along the way. We both went to school for graphic design. And last year, we bought a house together. Friends may come and go but you always have family. He just started a blog that features his photography, graphic design and apparel and I decided to do a quick Q&A so that you can get to know him (for better or worse).

Nubby Twiglet: Why did you decide to start blogging?

Carey Haider: I decided to start blogging because too much crazy sh*t happens to me on a daily basis. And, one man’s pain is another man’s pleasure.

NT: What’s your profession?

CH: Man of many jobs, master of nothing. Freelance is a tough game so I do photography, graphic design, run a t-shirt company and am working on a high end menswear cut-and-sew line.

NT: What do you want to be when you grow up?

CH: I’d like to tour full time with bands, doing live photography.

NT: Any hobbies?

CH: Collecting taxidermy, fishing, riding motorcycles, shooting guns, thrift shopping / estate sales. Really, I am doing exactly what I want to do, just always going bigger and better.

NT: Who are your idols?

CH: I don’t have idols but I respect the following: Tim Armstrong for his work ethic and Kings of Leon. I think of them as a modern Led Zeppelin because they never sound the same. Each album they put out is an exploration of something new.

NT: Tell us about your clothing line, Blacktooth.

CH: It’s always guaranteed to be lewd. I get letters from kids saying they’re bummed because their mom took away their favorite t-shirt.

NT: What’s the most private thing you’re willing to admit on the internet?

CH: I once shot a lady in the neck while she was driving a car. Everything is a lesson in life and I’ve learned that you’re not supposed to shoot people.

NT: What do you think about mom’s ongoing obsession with Steve Perry?

CH: It really sucks that I never got child support from my true father or the gold records on the wall.

NT: Do you remember what your first words were?

CH: Titty out! (note: he was hungry).

NT: What’s been your favorite celebrity run-in to date?

CH: Suge Knight. That fool is huge! We ran into him at Pinkberry in LA on our way to a Courtney Love show.

NT: Your blog features a ton of your photography. Any tips or tricks you’re willing to share?

CH: You can follow a trend or you can create a style.

NT: What’s your advice to kids that want to be like you when they grow up?

CH: Don’t do what I do, but definitely take your own path in life.

There you go. Visit often and do so at your own risk.

Thank god for cloning. Two nubs equal twice the productivity! All photos by Carey Haider. Retrofuturist lipstick by Lime Crime. Still scrubbin’ on these fake tattoos. They come off eventually, right?!

Jacket, Forever 21
Shirt, H&M
Helvetica necklace, Star
Bow headband, Forever 21
Leather skirt, vintage
Watch, Nixon
Tights, Nordstrom
Atacoma wedges, Acne

If I could sum up 2009 in one word, it would be: insane. I’ve never experienced anything close to the extreme highs and lows the last year threw at me. It’s like my Saturn Return hit all at once. But, one thing I’ve realized this year is that life is too short to dwell on the bad. I’ve made peace with all of the negatives and done my best to turn them into positives. Instead of rehashing everything bad in a total ‘woe is me’ post, I’d much rather focus on all of the amazing things that happened in 2009. There’s so much to be thankful for as this new year begins.

Designing the Forever 21 blog. It’s no secret that I’ve been frequenting Forever 21 stores for years so when they called me and asked if I would design their blog, I was in heaven. Seriously, a dream come true. And, what I loved most is that they weren’t afraid to pick the edgiest designs in every round of work that was presented. Sweet.

Getting my design work featured in a book. One of my favorite moments this year by far was when my corporate identity was featured in Super Identity by All Rights Reserved out of Hong Kong. At that moment, I realized that all of the long hours I’d put into design projects leading up to that point were completely worth it.

Traveling. This year, I visited Los Angeles, Honolulu, Reno, New York, Orlando, Phoenix and Seattle. I met up with so many friends and family along the way and had some of the best experiences of my life.

In February, I visited Disneyland with Gala and Jazzi and got cornered by faux serial killers on the Walk of Fame. Early March was spent meeting up with the sweetest Aussies in Hawaii, discovering the most beautiful temple built into the side of a mountain and eating the best Mexican food ever. In July, I hit Reno with the family for my Grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary and they all ran circles around me. Part of August and September were spent in New York at Gala’s apartment in the East Village, doing nonstop photo shoots with Bianca and getting my first ever motorcycle ride through the city at night. I worked for a few days at a massive marketing firm in Midtown, spent time with Seze, Molly, Jazzi and got recognized in the street more times than I can recall. In November, I spent a week in Florida with my dad and his girlfriend and soaked up the amazingness of Disney World with my magician friend, Antwan. Sun, fun, drunk bartenders, platforms on the sand and shopping! In December, I flew to Phoenix for a week to visit my mom and stepdad. Two of my aunts came along and we did mini hikes through the desert mountainsides, stampeded Barneys and made each other laugh until we cried. Also in December, Mary Bee and Kai came to town and a meeting over a cup of coffee turned into a two day long rampage through two states with a sparkly pink gnome in tow. I fell in love with Seattle all over again when a fish got thrown over my head.

Going Freelance. Working for yourself is both exhilarating and fear inducing. The first six months were a battle. But, I put myself out there for better or worse and so far, so good. I want to thank everyone who has worked with me this year. And, thank you to the agencies that gave me a chance; I’ve learned so much.

New Beginnings, New Friends. I’ve had so many chance meetings this year and the friends that I reconnected with and / or made in the process really lit up my life. Sometimes, you wonder if the universe is conspiring to bring certain people into your life at precisely the right moment.

New House. Many months, emails, meetings, interrogations, faxes and tears later, my brother and I got the keys to our Bavarian-themed dream cottage. It’s everything I could have hoped for and totally meant to be. Last December, I was taken down a side street in the middle of a snow storm in Portland and spotted the house. In my heart, I knew it was the one. And, two months later, my brother by chance ended up taking the same side road and stumbling upon the same house. It’s so awesome living with him; we have the same taste in decor and both love doing design and photo shoots. More fun always!

Re-Reading The Alchemist. I am not a big fan of fiction, but a few months of nonstop turmoil made me reconsider and re-read The Alchemist. It was just what I needed during some very dark days. Sometimes, signs are everywhere and we need to find the inner strength to throw caution to the wind and follow them.

Getting an article featured in the Forever 21 Magazine. When Forever 21 called and asked me to write an article for the premier issue of their magazine, I was beyond flattered since I first and foremost consider myself a designer. Chances are that I was probably wearing head-to-toe Forever 21 when they called!

Doing my first speaking engagement. I wasn’t expecting to meet a college instructor while I was standing in my living room, helping my dad hang curtains. That meeting turned into regular correspondence which turned into an invitation to visit PNCA and speak to students about my portfolio and freelancing career. It was everything I could have hoped for and thanks to Kelly Coller’s prepping, completely smooth sailing.

Having a dress named after me. The Nubby Twiglet Dress. Enough said.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to read the blog, kept me company, joined in on the many ridiculous adventures, sent me sweet emails and texts, hired me, laughed with me, cried with me and hugged me at the end of the day. Without you, none of this would have been possible. Cheers to a happy, productive 2010!

Happy New Year! I rang in 2010 very quietly but that’s okay because I had one of the best weeks ever leading up to it. When the week started, I had no idea what I was in for. I was still recovering from an epic Christmas Eve spent out on the town and Christmas day trapped in my gradparents’ cabin while a murderer was on the loose.

On Sunday, I got a call from two of Star’s friends, Mary Bee and Kai. They were roadtrippin’ through Portland and asked me to join them for coffee. Innocent enough, I thought. Little did I know that a cup of coffee would turn into a two-day voyage across two states. Longest cup of coffee EVER, I tell you.

After a brief meeting at Floyd’s, I directed them on an impromptu tour of Portland’s best spots. First, we hit the Doug Fir. I’d just been there twelve hours before for dinner and a metal show and showed up in the same exact outfit. They had a sparkly pink West German gnome in tow, but I didn’t ask questions. Best not to rock the boat, I thought.

I kindly offered to smuggle the gnome into the Doug Fir tucked inside of a designer body bag.

The gnome thoroughly enjoyed the Doug Fir’s trippy disco mirrored bathroom.

Myrrh tried on the accompanying bear hat for size.

Next up, we tried to find Sock Dreams to no avail. A 45 minute drive through the outskirts of Portland led us to the Burgerville Parking lot. Local fast food? Perfect. The gnome loved our chocolate hazelnut milkshakes. As we were pulling out of the parking lot, we almost wiped out. Were the milkshakes spiked?

Onward we marched to the Clinton Street Theater, thinking we were going to catch a showing of The Big Lebowski. DUDE. Problem was, the theatre was dark. The doors were locked. The crowd was swelling. Seems that someone didn’t show up for work. A guy finally came up, unlocked the door and let us in. The gnome hammed it up on the front of the stage. The movie turned out to be something completely different. Called Sita Sings The Blues, it was the weirdest movie I have ever seen. A ton of arguing cartoons with Indian accents hijacked the screen for the next hour.

To get the full Portland effect, I hauled the out-of-towners, bear hat and all, out to Sassy’s. It turned out to be a good move. My friend showed up and we looked on completely dumbfounded as Kai and Mary Bee took the gnome up to the rack and a stripper picked him up and cradled him in her arms. They explained that he needed a name and she looked longingly into his eyes and named him Rodney. RODNEY!!!

The next morning, the roadtrippers were heading up Seattle and invited me along for the ride. We weren’t very far along when Mary shouted, “STOP! WE HAVE TO SEE THE GOLDEN JESUS.” And, so we did. Along the side of the highway, there was a memorial commemorating the Holocaust, Native Americans and Mother Theresa in a large field. The whole contraption was pretty amazing.

This issue of The Mercury was lying on the floor of the car. Merry Christmas!

Onward we moved towards Seattle and Liz’s house. When we arrived, we realized that Rodney had a long lost wife; a pink velvet Virgin Mary statue.

Liz gifted Mary Bee with a 3-D wooden lobster puzzle. It’s a long story.

We made a pit stop at Gasworks Park which was pretty awesome. We immediately climbed to the top of the hill to check out the view.

Afterwards, we dined at El Chupacabra, which was a mexican restaurant full of skulls and a multitude of miscellaneous oddities too numerous to mention. We left in a hurry when Mary Bee blurted out a saying having to do with toes that we’d much prefer to keep private.

Onto Bleu we marched after many laughing attacks. It was a perfect way to end the night. A guy in the booth next to us kept resting his arm on our ledge so we placed Rodney the gnome in his hand. He got totally freaked out, of course. The waitress called Rodney “psycho” to his face. I have no idea why….

The next morning, I woke up on a collapsed red velvet couch in Liz’s living room and Mary Bee cornered me with a stack of temporary tattoos and Tupac tunes. Of the tattoos, Mary Bee said, “We straight thuggin’, ballin’, gonna cost her some G’s. She got the car, the keys, the house in da hillz, –Nubbenstein Manor 4 lyfe.” You get the idea.

By the time we left the house, we had basically 2.5 hours to see the rest of Seattle. Thank god we were up for the challenge. On the way through town, we passed a clown limo service.

First up: the infamous Fremont Troll. Rodney loved visiting his relatives.

Of course no trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to Pike Place Market.

We posed for the requisite ‘emo band’ photo.

Kai and I kicked all the kids off the golden pig and took over. I’m not sure if the crowd was more scared or impressed with our enthusiasm.

We basically had 45 minutes left….and ran through Pike Place Market.

Everyone enjoyed Rodney’s presence. That pink glittery little body is pretty seductive.

Oh, and I got a fish tossed over my head. Perfect Seattle moment!

After a few last minute stops, we were on the road again.

The Lust Lady sign always has the best sayings…

I kept Rodney company in the back seat.

On the freeway back to Portland:

Kai to Mary Bee: Is it okay if I speed? I want to know my options.
Mary Bee: Sure.
Me: If we get pulled over, Kai is wearing a bear hat and I have on Girl Scout gear. We have a sparkly pink gnome in the back seat. Speeding is the least of our problems.

My phone was ringing off the hook the entire way back to Portland. Seems that the city was hit with sudden, blizzard-like conditions. We were oblivious since the first two hours of our drive were perfectly normal (weather-wise, that is). When we arrived back in Portland in the dark and frozen tundra, we decided to have one last supper together.

Thanks to Kai, Mark Bee, Rodney and Liz for the fun times and hospitality. Best road trip EVER.

Even though I had some major action crammed into the first three days, the week was still young. On Wednesday night, I went to my first Blazers game in fifteen years. Talked through most of it. At least they won. As Jason said, “Sequins and secret shots!” We were sipping whiskey that my dad smuggled in. So ridiculous.

And, now it’s 2010. I couldn’t muster the strength to go out and celebrate last night; I was too partied out from the previous days. I am thankful that you and I survived another year and am excited for new goals, new beginnings and making dreams a reality.

Love always,

Last week the new identity of Pittsburgh-based photographer Kristin Cofer debuted and since then, we’ve worked on some more pieces of the collateral that she may want to use when running her business.

Kristin has already begun the process of incorporating the new identity into the header of her blog and is working on postcards as well. Thanks to Kristin for letting me share!

I have a special announcement to make….ModCloth just named a dress after me! What an epic way to end 2009! Of the dress, ModCloth says:

Named after one of our favorite fashion blogs, this little black dress will help you market yourself as a master of entrepreneurial style. Crisp, curving seams contour the bust and the subtly zipped back, giving this sleeveless number innovative detailing and a form-flattering shape, while the dazzling black sequins that adorn both the shoulders and the bow add sartorial splendour that even the late, great Michael Jackson would approve of. A full, black satiny lining and a ruched, patent-tipped belt keep you feeling free and footloose as you glide into a gallery, sway into a swanky soiree, or shop for shoes. Wear this dress with statement-making striped stockings, towering stiletto heels, ruby red lipstick, and white nail polish for a look that will brand you as a pioneer of edgy, yet elegant, fashion.

I have also been named a Blogger of the Moment and the accompanying interview is here.

To showcase the Nubby Twiglet dress, my brother and I collaborated on a photo shoot yesterday.

Perhaps funniest of all, I took a quick trip to Seattle earlier this week and Miss Mary Bee decided to give me a full sleeve of temporary tattoos (mostly consisting of flowers and skulls). No tattoos to straight thuggin’ in 15 minutes flat? You bet! When I arrived home, the Nubby Twiglet dress was waiting for me in its sleeveless glory and I had no time for serious scrubbing action. My favorite tattoo of all? ‘Fresh Diva.’

But now, back to your regularly scheduled programming…

When you’re chosen as a Blogger of the Moment, ModCloth asks you to pick twenty items that showcase your style. Here are my top picks:

Thanks so much to the ModCloth team for your continuous support!

Over the last month, I’ve been working closely with Pittsburgh-based photographer Kristin Cofer to create an updated identity for her business. Well-versed in fashion photography, Kristin and I share a similar design aesthetic with a preference for a black and white palette, edgy type and crisp lines.

For her identity, I purposely kept the type minimal but added a twist with lines that can be extended, depending on the use. From the basic logo, visual interest can be created through scale, rotation and the line extensions.

We are still in the early stages of developing corporate collateral, but I gave her some ideas of how her logo can be played up on a variety of products and surfaces. More coming soon!

Thank you to Kristin Cofer for allowing me to share her new identity! And, now you know where to go for your photography needs!

White Room. My favorite room in our house is the ‘white room.’ My brother and I have been working on it for the last few months and it finally came together this week. We refinished the hardwoods, painted out the walls and woodwork matte white, bought a mod 60s couch and had it recovered in white vinyl, hung all white IKEA curtains and are determined to avoid color at all costs. It’s so otherworldly and bright and I absolutely love it.

Speakeasy. On Monday, I had my first ever speaking engagement. Kelly Coller from Office PDX and I discussed how to build a killer portfolio with students at PNCA and it was so much fun that we’re already in talks to collaborate on future events.

Disco Crepes. After the speaking engagement, a group of us went out for crepes at Le Happy. The crepes were awesome and so was the disco ball, complete with Christmas-y decorations thrown in for good measure. But, the night didn’t end there – we got invited out to Dean’s Scene, a full-blown pub built into a guy’s basement. We must’ve spent three hours chilling with Dean and the regulars. So good!

Twenty Four Seven. Earlier in the week, I stopped by Twenty Four Seven, a firm that specializes in branding, retail and graphic design and was taken on an impromptu tour. I have no words to do this place justice. Taxidermy, modern decor and a full fabrication studio in the back of this building that takes up a full city block are just the beginning. Expect a behind-the-scenes post in the new year!

Thrift Magic. To be honest, I’m not big on thrifting but my brother is obsessed and sometimes drags me along. Thank god, because I hit the jackpot with this oversized three dollar hand–knit sweater from New Zealand. It is so fluffy and cozy that I feel like I am being hugged by a llama. In these photos, I am wearing Retrofuturist lipstick by Lime Crime makeup.

IKEA Food. I guess I am a bit late to the game, but I just discovered the frozen yogurt at IKEA and it’s pure deliciousness. Seriously, the best dollar I’ve ever spent.

Pre-Christmas Warm-up. I never knew that I could have so much fun on Christmas Eve. My friend invited me to a holiday cocktail party complete with a cute but grouchy wiener dog, then we met up with my brother and friends for grilled cheese sandwiches at C Bar. We made a pit stop for some dancing girl action and the place was packed (season’s greetings!) and finally, ended the night at the worst karaoke bar in town, where he was talked up by an old man dressed as an elf (complete with pointy ears) in the bathroom who said, “I bet you’ve never pissed next to an elf before.” Hey, there’s a first time for everything.

Murder at the Mountain. I hope that all of you had a great holiday and enjoyed a relaxing day off with family and friends. My brother and I took our friend Jason up to my grandma and grandpa’s cabin in the forest near Mt. Hood and of course, they are always in high spirits. My grandma makes her own secret berry home brew, tried on these ridiculous glasses, was telling Jason about the time she tried to beat up a guy at the bar (she’s 80!) and the look on Jason’s face was priceless when my cousin showed him his ‘survival kit.’ After many hours of fun, we decided to call it a night and leave but the highway was blocked off because a murderer was on the loose with a semi-automatic rifle. Seriously. We had to turn around, go back to the cabin and kill another five hours laying on the couch, downing mixed nuts and Fritos with mix drinks while my grandpa sang along to the tunes playing on his 8-track player. I love my family!

Honorable mentions: A special delivery of the world famous Sexy Beast Treats (the best vegan peanut butter cups in the entire universe), an outing to Stumptown that included conversations about chickens, strippers and movies with Russian subtitles, pomegranate mimosas, sitting on the couch at 1 AM watching badly dubbed Journey videos, talking nonstop about Nigel (my dream llama), trying to explain away the fact that I bought shoes that I can barely walk in, late nights by the fire at Doug Fir eating massive amounts of garlic mashed potatoes, repeated visits to RonTom’s to admire their huge Christmas tree, finding handwritten notes inside of Think And Grow Rich by people I admire, and finally deciding that I am going to start watching movies instead of sleeping through them and / or pretending that they don’t exist.

Quote of the week: Infinite patience produces immediate results. –Buddha