Window Shopping - & Print

We all know how obsessed I am with ampersands.





Check out this sweet limited-edition print a friend just alerted me to.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone! I will be enjoying a sushi date on the back porch and a game of loteria with friends. What are your weekend plans?

Hand Model

I helped a coworker shoot some wooden hands this week and now I'm kind of obsessed.



And it got me thinking...



Maybe I should line my shelves with a bunch of wooden hands. Too creepy?

This weekend I will be removing everything from my built-in shelves and starting over from scratch. I will be taking inventory, editing, and rearranging. My goal is to end up with something that is monochromatic and somewhat minimalistic with pops of interest.

Square Foot Gardening

So, we took a stab at container gardening. We spent about $200+ on containers, plants, soil and have produced 2 peppers, 3 baby strawberries and now 2 tomatoes.


Part of me wants to say "these are my babies and they're worth every penny!", part of me wants to blame myself for not doing enough research on container gardening, and part of me thinks $200 would get us a lot of produce from the farmers market.


We're NOT giving up. Not yet.

A few of our friends have been very successful with the Square Foot Gardening method. We can even get started now and prep a garden for fall plants.

In addition to a fruitful veggie garden I would still love to execute a wild flower garden and get a fire pit in our back yard.

French Paper Promo Posters

I scored four French Paper (my favorite!) Promo posters at the HOW! Design Conference this year. I can't wait to get these framed.









They'll certainly add bright pops of color around the house.

Which one is your favorite?

MadMen Yourself

AMC's MadMen is one of my favorite shows. Partially because I, myself, am a feminist in the advertising world and can relate to Joan and Peggy but mostly because the clothes! the sets! the cigarettes! Don Draper!

So when I stumbled upon MadMen Yourself I just had to do it.


Kathleen Shannon is an ambitious, yet stylish, young art director at Sterling Cooper.


Jeremy Shannon is an up-and-coming engineer turned idea man at Sterling Cooper - also married to the very talented Kathleen Shannon. They are often caught making out on the brand new xerographic copier machine.

Wizard of Oz Baby Shower

Right before Jeremy and I headed to Michigan, a friend and co-worker of mine asked if I could design a quick poster for a baby shower she was hosting.

She told me the theme: "Vintage Wizard of Oz" and gave me a color palette to work with.

I immediately thought it would be cute to highlight some vintage Wizard of Oz illustrations but found those hard to come by. So I decided to glean inspiration from the Poppy Field scene.


Here are some shots I gathered for inspiration. Top left for typography, top right for imagery, and the bottom image for general look and feel.


Then I had to figure out a way to tweak everything to fit in with the color scheme provided. My coworker gave me the paint swatches above to work with.


From there I came up with this. I recolored the poppy field photo to match the paint swatches and drew in the castle. I wanted Odelia Rose to look like the vintage movie poster typography - I used a combination of fonts to achieve this look.

I suggested to my coworker that she get a big ornate cream or white frame to frame the poster in to bring out the cream in the color palette.

P.S. Isn't Odelia Rose the sweetest name ever?

Animal Attitude

My friend, Ashley, took these photos at Arbuckle Wilderness. They crack me up - these beasts have some attitude!

Chalkboard Wine Glasses

My buddy, Mario, got us chalkboard wine glasses as a wedding gift. They're great for labelling with your name to avoid wine glass mix-ups.


Of course, we put our own spin on it.

The chalkboard wine glasses totally fit in with the theme of our guestbook wall!

Floating the River

This weekend me, Jeremy and a few of our friends floated the Illinois River and camped out.








Our dear friend, Dan, starting a fire with his knife. His enthusiasm was appreciated but we ended up using matches and lighter fluid.


Food always tastes better when you're dirty, tired and in the middle of nature.

Keeping it Clean

I had a friend of mine ask me how Jeremy and I keep our house so tidy. Three letters: OCD. Okay - maybe only a little bit of OCD. My family likes to joke that I'm a total slob but the last time they lived with me I was a teenager! I had more important things to worry about - like growing boobies. As an adult, I take more pride in my space and a clutter-free place truly makes me feel more at peace. However, it doesn't come naturally for me - and for Jeremy it's second-nature.

I'm going to break it down room by room and then by what is done Daily, Weekly and Bi-Weekly or Monthly.




KITCHEN:
Daily - wipe down counters, table and put dishes into dishwasher after eating
Weekly - swiffer the floors
Bi-Weekly or Monthly - Wet mop floors, wipe down cabinets
Yearly - wipe down fridge surfaces (need to do this soon)




LIVING AND DINING AREAS:
Daily: Pick up
Weekly: Sweep floors
Bi-weekly or Monthly: Vacuum corners and rugs, dust, lint roll cat hair off furniture (more often during shedding months)
Yearly: Dust blinds (I probably don't do this nearly enough)

These places don't gather much clutter. The big trick here is just to pick up after ourselves. Also, we have a Roomba (robot vacuum) that cleans up cat hair for us daily.




BATHROOM:
Daily: I think maybe Jeremy rinses out the sink just with water...
Weekly: Wipe down sink and toilet, brush out toilet
Bi-Weekly or Monthly: Mop, wash floor mat, scrub tub and shower walls


BEDROOM:
Daily: Put away clothes (this is an every-other day thing for me... I'm bad about letting clothes pile up but I'm working on it), make bed
Weekly: Wash sheets, vacuum up dust bunnies
Monthly: Organize jewelry, closet

LAUNDRY:
Jeremy is a SAINT when it comes to doing laundry. He usually does a couple loads a week. He'll fold my clothes or lay them out flat and from there I just have to put them away or hang them. In fact, I'll just give Jeremy huge props here for doing SO much around the house all the time.

CATS:
Catbox: Jeremy cleans out the catbox twice a day every day.
Cat Hair: This IS an issue and I'm still trying to find a solution but the biggest help is Roomba and Lint Rollers.

Jeremy's #1 tip for keeping things clean (and he is the tidier one of the two of us) is just to do it as you go. It's sometimes a pain but is worth it in the long run.

My tip for cleaning is to pretend your Jennifer Aniston in Friends With Money while doing chores. I'm only half-way kidding - if I pretend like it's my job it's much easier - which is probably why I'm a bigger fan of the weekly deeper cleans rather than the pick-up-as-I-go approach.

I've also heard that you should clean as fast as possible. Or even clean in 5 minute spurts - it's kind of amazing what you can get done in a short amount of time.

Do you have any tips? Is there anything I'm leaving off my list that's grossing you out right now?

Also, check out Chez Larsson's tips for cleaning here.

Driftwood Face

Driftwood Collection

We couldn't help but collect every interesting piece of driftwood we found on the beach of Lake Superior.

Living Room Inspiration

Between all the traveling and slip 'n' sliding and Summer-Oh-Nine shenanigans I kind of forgot that I have a house that is still in the works.

But today I got to thinking about our living room. From the get-go we knew that we wanted our living room to be an area we want to spend a lot of time - we wanted to make it just as much of a sanctuary as our bedroom and give it just as much attention as the kitchen.

So, here it is. It's getting there. Slowly but surely I'm "listening" to the room and what it needs.


Recently, my friend Jenn got a new sectional from West Elm and it is SUPER cozy.

West Elm - Walton Sectional
Something I love about it are the cushions as the back - I think this helps make it feel plush but still maintains it's modern shape. This might be something I do to our couch as the back cushions become warped and old. I'm thinking in all neutrals with a couple of accent throw pillows in the mix.

I'm also really loving this lamp from CB2.



Big Dipper Arc Lamp

Michigan, Part 4

We took a hike.

I kept on forgetting that it was a lake and kept calling it the ocean.

Rand Elliott Book

I returned from vacation to a present from Rand Elliott, an Oklahoman architect that with mad style, in my inbox at work.


Elliott + Associates: Listening to the Land


Nuh-uh! He wrote me a note!



All for blogging about his rad letterhead. So, it's probably cheesy to blog a "thank you" for a "thank you" but THANK YOU! What an unexpected surprise (that made all of my coworkers jealous).

Michigan, Part 3

I need a summer cabin.




I considered fashioning one of these into a skirt.

Window Shopping - + Pillow

Along with ampersands I kind of have a thing for a good bold +.


Nautical Signal Flag Accent Pillow

I also have a thing for unexpected color combos and throw pillows.

Thanks, Yansy of Designing Life, for linking me to this great find!

Michigan, Part 2

After a long day of travel and a good night's sleep Liz took us out to Tahquamenon Falls.











We hiked around, played in the waterfalls, took a rowboat around a lake, enjoyed some local micro brews, and soaked in the scenery.

Michigan, Part 1

Jeremy and I just got home from our vacation in Michigan - at Liz's family's cabin on Lake Superior.

We spent most of Wednesday traveling but arrived to a delicious dinner and beautiful sunset.









It was truly beautiful and relaxing - a pause from the heat and daily grind.

More later.

Mister Boots

Disclaimer: Occasionally Jeremy finds something important enough to blog about. This is one of those occasions.



Boots is always ready for a sit in the ol' panties drawer when the opportunity presents itself.



This time he got especially comfy. Own it, Scooty!

Around OKC: Boulevard Cafeteria

handsome typography and signage

My dad works just around the corner from me and I try and have lunch with him at least once a week.

We usually end up at Boulevard Cafeteria. From what I hear it might be one of the last remaining cafeterias in OKC.

Window Shopping - Running "Shoes"

Before I was obsessed with Everest I had a curiosity about marathon runners. My neighbor, an older gentleman with a cigar and chihuahua has complete 28 marathons! 28! I think there are people that have it and those that just don't. I have to pretend I'm Jaguar Paw to complete a 5k so a marathon, even a half-marathon is pretty much out of the question for me.

I recently heard a story on NPR about marathon runners that go barefoot. Dang!

So anyways, the point of this post is that I saw these rad non-shoes, Vibram FiveFingers online yesterday, and then saw a girl sporting them at the gym that very evening.

“People have been running barefoot for millions of years and it has only been since 1972 that people have been wearing shoes with thick, synthetic heels,” said Daniel Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University.

When I was a kid I would put gloves on my feet. And then when toe-socks made a comeback I invested in 10 pairs. I think I need a pair of these Vibram FiveFingers.

Graffiti

I spotted this as I was leaving work yesterday.




parking lot at Main and Oklahoma, Oklahoma City

It reminded me of this.

via desire to inspire

Mount Everest

If you know me, in real life, you are probably well aware that I am obsessed with Mount Everest.


Awwww!

Like, I cannot stop talking (or thinking) about it, obsessed. So it's kind of funny that I haven't really mentioned it here on J&K. It all started with a good friend of mine recommending I watch the documentary series, Everest: Beyond the Limit.

I'm curious about the mindset of people that reach the summit. I'm intrigued by the will power and determination. And the mountain itself... well, it's pretty damn cool too.

I have no intentions of trying to climb the mountain. I'm fairly confident that I don't have what it takes. However, I would love to go trekking around the base of it.

Do you know anyone that has been to Mt. Everest or attempted to climb it?



Photo found via Flickr Oriol_Gascon.

Photoshoot

I spent this Saturday working a photo shoot for a testimonial campaign for a credit union and Jeremy tagged along.

We are both members of this credit union and were asked to participate! I think these could double as our engagement photos (we never had taken) too. Haha!


I'm a little teapot...


It's hard to be serious. Usually I volunteer to do the light tests on shoots and always wind up with some vulgar outtakes.


Feel free to hire us as talent for your next JCPenney catalog shoot.




I saved the best for last.

Friday Evening

Seashells

I have the biggest design crush on Nicholas Felton.





I follow his Flickr photostream and he uploaded these images today. Perfection.

Wedding Invitations: Hand Drawn Lettering

Check out the gorgeous wedding invitations.




via Oh So Beautiful Paper

I love the hand drawn lettering and color combinations.

House Inspiration

I have got to get something done around the house this weekend.

A few things from my inspiration folder:

source unknown
We have leftover paper lanterns from our wedding. We could totally create something from them like the lanterns in the image above.

Or I could finally get started on a photo collage.

via SFGirlByBay

We have a TON of polaroids from our wedding as well - but I think I'd rather hang a new series. I'm just not sure of what quite yet.


via desire to inspire


via A Merry Mishap

I could rearrange the built-in shelves in the living room - which is an ongoing dilemma.

I could design something and gather materials for a plywood art hanging that I've been dreaming up for a while.


Something needs to be done. I've lost momentum.

Repeat

I've posted this photo before but I was going through a few shots (after taking a few months off from wedding hooplah) to try and find a few to actually have printed.


And I love this one. I'm in the middle of art directing the shot - transitioning from one posed shot to another - and it's completely candid and perfect.

Morning Time

Mornings before work are usually all about just trying to get out the door. I used to take my coffee in a travel mug with me to work. Sipping on it while checking emails was comforting. Like a little piece of home at work.

Lately, though, I've been enjoying my coffee in the breakfast nook. With a banana or apple and a Free People or Urban Outfitters catalog. It's a way to unwind before the day has had a chance to become stressful or hard.

This summer is proving itself to be very "work hard, play hard" and when it comes to my time I have very little of it to spend on projects around the house. Any day now I will get to completing the guest bedroom and office. For now, I'm just going to enjoy living in it for a little bit.


P.S. Jeremy eats about 12 bananas a week. 12!

Soft Paws

Are you guys familiar with Soft Paws? They're little vinyl caps that you glue to your cat's claws. They look cute too. Here Scooty Boots wears yellow - to match his sunny disposition.

Liz's First Home: All Moved In

I can't believe it's already July. Liz is all moved into her home and trying to get settled in.





The paint looks fantastic. Her furniture is fitting into the space so well. I love it.

Slip 'n' Slide at the Park

You are not going to believe this. I hardly believe it.

We got an outdoor billboard vinyl from one of our vendors (apparently one of the perks working in advertising) and decided to use it as a huge slip 'n' slide at our park.


14' x 48' - it was HUGE.


Then we doused it in baby oil and turned the sprinkler on.

Hilarity (and lots of pain) ensued.





We all kept on sliding into a mixture of mud and grass at the end of the slide.



note: the client did not endorse or condone this behavior from a bunch of hooligans like us. well, they might condone it - because they're cool like that.

Around OKC: The Memorial

I was 12 years old, in the 7th grade, and standing in line at the vending machine when I heard there was a bomb in Oklahoma City. I kid you not when I tell you that I visualized an air conditioning window unit exploding in a window. I thought "oh, that's not so bad." It wasn't until later that evening when I got home did I realize that this was in fact a really big deal. Something really bad had happened - but my 12-year old brain couldn't quite grasp the magnitude or significance of the situation.

Last night after dinner with a friend Jeremy and I were driving around and found ourselves at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. Jeremy was in California (with roots in Oklahoma) working at Carl's Jr. when he heard about the bombing and has never visited the memorial.

I drive by the memorial quite a bit and there is always somebody checking out the fence. This fence was originally used as a barrier from the devastation but when Oklahomans began to adorn it with teddy bears and t-shirts and keychains it became a temporary memorial - now a part of the permanent structure.




This is a shot from both sides of the huge reflecting pool. The large walls have the times of each blast - 9:01 and 9:03.


The field of chairs has a chair for each victim of the bombing. Including little chairs for the kids in the daycare.


The survivor tree. This tree should've died in the blast - I think most people thought it WAS dead until it started to sprout some green. It continues to grow and thrive and has become a symbol for the memorial.

To the north of the survivor tree is the south wall of the old Journal Record building.


This wall was preserved as it was after the blast. The fire escape was left all rickety and scary. The windows were bricked in with dark bricks so you could still experience the feeling of the blasted out windows.


A message left from recovery Team 5 was spray painted on the wall.


Every little bit of this memorial was so well thought-out and beautifully designed - my pictures don't even begin to do it justice.

Fireworks

Last night Jeremy was all "Let's do some speedballs!" and just as I thought he was about to bring out the cocaine and heroine he is unpacking some fireworks he had picked up earlier this week.









It was all fun and games until a neighbor (we have never met) came over and yelled at us that we were going to burn the neighborhood down.

Oops. Getting in trouble keeps us young.

HOW! Creative Suitcase

I am so crazy busy today but I want to share with you all one of my favorite design studios from Austin.

Creative Suitcase

Liz contemplates the landscaping.
They're housed in a cute old bungalow house in a residential neighborhood. Liz and I felt right at home. They even had a keg on the porch for us!

The place is run by some super friendly and energetic gals that like to travel.

Their space is branded with a suitcase theme.


Stylish and functional storage.


Conference room.


Suitcase art.

They've come up with a really cool idea called Swap Your Shop.
SwapYourShop is an exchange program for creative professionals to temporarily swap lives – home, office space, even your local pub – with one another, across the US or around the world. You'll both continue to work for your current employers, just in different time zones. It's like Wife Swap without all the bitchin'.


Thank you to the very cool ladies that opened your studio up to us!