INSPIRATION FILE // COLOR BOARD

I can't get over these colors. Unique beyond words, so luscious. Not at all "cookie cutter". The girls over at 100 Layer Cake are color geniuses, that has been clear to me for a long time, but this color board is just... Oh. My. God. So inspiring.

IN THE KNOW // GUTENBURG MEETS GOOGLE

This may be a little type-nerdy but you shouldn't trust a designer if he or she isn't a type nerd. That's just a little advice from me to you.

Anyway, Open Book's Family Days event series presents Gutenburg meets Google: the future of the book in a digital age. This will be an afternoon filled with poetry, speakers, activities, and film. There will be hands-on family-friendly bookmaking/printmaking workshops in the Minnesota Center for Book Arts studios, readings by local poets in the Target Performance Hall, presentations by Paper Darts Literary Magazine and MCBA staff, panel discussions with editors from Lowbrow Press and Milkweed Editions, and a screening of Typeface with a Q&A session afterwards with Director and Producer Justine Nagan. The event will run from 11:30 to 4:30 pm. It is free and open to the public. The finalized event schedule can be found at Open Book's website.

For me the most notable event for this series is the presentation of the documentary Typeface. It is about the Hamilton Woodtype Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. From the film's web site:

Typeface focuses on a rural Midwestern museum and print shop where international artists meet retired craftsmen and together navigate the convergence of modern design and traditional technique.

It is on my graphic design "bucket list" to visit the Hamilton. Until then I have a good feeling that this film will inspire me.

IN THE STUDIO // MADDIEBIRD BAKERY

It was so great working with Michele McAtee to come up with a logo for her new business. One that describes the nature of her work and one that will grow with her as her business expands. Michele describes her work this way: "Maddiebird Bakery... [bakes] cakes from scratch and custom-decorates each cake to be an original work of art...delicious, delicious art." Michele wanted something that was both folksy and young looking. I think she got it and I can't wait to see what she does with it. More to come...