Jot that down

jill bliss

When it comes to lists and planners, I have a bit of an obsession. While most people have converted to the ease of online calendars, I still keep track of my schedule on paper. I am pretty picky about size and page layout and have used the same brand year after year for my personal schedule. For my work planner though, I can’t wait to start using the Jill Bliss Forest Coral Datebook I bought for 2009.

I am not a first-time buyer from Jill Bliss. I think her illustrations are simply lovely and I love that her planners are printed with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper. So, if you haven’t picked out your planner for next year, or still need to pick up some last minute Christmas gifts, head on over to Jill Bliss for some great ideas.

December 17, 2008 | Link to this post

Decade

It’s hard to believe it has been that long since I graduated from high school. My brave friend Logan decided to head up the committee for our reunion, so I volunteered to do what I do best: design and develop the web site, orchestrate the email invitation and set up the online ticket purchases.

By doing away with traditional paper invitations, not only are we going to save on costs, but we are dramatically reducing paper waste, which always makes me happy!

December 4, 2008 | Link to this post

The Windy City

cloud gate

Andy and I took a little mini vacation to Chicago this past weekend to go to a Matt Nathanson concert at the House of Blues, and to just play tourist in the big city. Unfortunately, our tendency to explore a city on foot was hindered greatly by the colder than normal temperatures that made everything bitterly cold.

Regardless, we still had a great time, and lucked out on Priceline by landing a reservation at The Palmer House. The location made trips to the nearby attractions and hot spots bearable while the sun was up, including Millenium Park (shown above) with the Cloud Gate sculpture that reflects the surrounding skyline.

November 23, 2008 | Link to this post

Pecha Kucha

Having not been to a Pecha Kucha since the first one in February, we went to the fourth volume (and last one of the year) last weekend at the IMA. The Indianapolis Pecha Kucha site describes the night as “Business presentation, meet rock show. Bullet points, meet fight club.”

The presentations always seem to cover a wide range of topics, from “Intersection of Ornamental & Utilitarian Gardens” to “Consumer Culture in Contemporary Photography”. I really enjoyed Gautam Rao’s presentation called “Everyday Oddness” which included paintings of things he purchased from Target, and other everyday items — such as his computer monitor, the firefox logo, captcha codes and this self-portrait he painted using his web cam. (I’d love to see him do the same thing, spoofing this famous Rockwell painting.)

Overall, a great event to go to if you are in the mood for something unique and light-hearted. The next one is on February 20, 2009.

November 16, 2008 | Link to this post

Checks & Balances

checkbook cover

I’ll admit that as ugly as they are, I typically just use the free plastic checkbook covers provided by the bank. But when I am in a hurry, I have trouble distinguishing my business checkbook from my personal one (not to mention my husbands that is usually nearby) so I decided it was long overdue that I invest in a checkbook cover.

I made my way over to Etsy (the best site for buying handmade items) and picked up a great cover from this shop, with items made by Carissa Black. (I love that she uses Amy Butler fabrics!)

My cover arrived in the mail soon after and I am so pleased with the quality and craftsmanship. I will definitely come back to this etsy shop in the future!

October 31, 2008 | Link to this post

Keep Calm and Carry On

A sucker for trendy posters, I have had my eye on this one for a while. People seem to have a “love it or hate it” approach to this reproduction of a WWII propaganda poster but the chocolate brown one from sfgirlbybay is a perfect piece for our guest bathroom.

October 21, 2008 | Link to this post

BrowserPack

Any designer and developer knows the headaches that IE6 can bring, but thanks to Jason Wendel (friend and former co-worker) checking for those phantom margins just got easier. Introducing the BrowserPack.

I’ve been using BrowserPack for a while, and of all the solutions I could find online, this one was by far the easiest to install and use. If you are a designer or developer who considers cross-browser compatibility an important part of any web site, I recommend that you download the BrowserPack today.

October 14, 2008 | Link to this post

Cast your Vote for Kiva

kiva

You may have heard of and/or donated to Kiva before, but now is your chance to help them earn $1.5 million. The have currently made it to the Final Five of the American Express Members Project and need your vote.

Kiva is an organization that matches lenders giving as small as $25 to entrepreneurs in countries working to pull themselves out of poverty. It’s a great organization and your vote can help them win the $1.5M prize. If you aren’t a cardmember, encourage those to who are to cast a vote.

Whether or not Kiva wins the grand prize, consider giving the gift of Kiva for birthdays and holidays, because it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

October 7, 2008 | Link to this post

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