inspiration: Jill Bliss

I was prancing around the mall this past week for another trip to the Apple Store (husband needed a replacement iPhone4 ~ eek!) and decided to drop in at Barnes + Noble and check out their stationary line. I usually find some great surface design inspiration there and this time my trip did not disappoint. I spotted these lovely notebooks by Jill Bliss for Chronicle Books!

Jill Bliss is an illustrator/artist/crafter living in Portland, Oregon and her style is meticulous, detailed and colorful. I feel so attracted to this very delicate style lately and hers is very unique and draws you in. It seems she creates these pieces with simple fine-tipped markers.

In addition to mainly focusing on natural subject matter, it would seem, she also does custom house portraits ~ what an idea!

sketchy alien forms ~ iPhone4 case

I LOVE the sketchy weird forms on this iPhone4 case from Grove out of Portland, Oregon. Random doodles that are almost a merging of ocean life and alien life. I'm inspired and will definitely have to do some doodling and sketching today of weird things.

And, I did a little more research into the artist/purpose behind this design and found out it was made for The Do Lab which hosts an event called "Lightning in a Bottle" that is a merging of music, circus performance, hoop dance, yoga and camping..!? Holy RAD, it's right up my alley! No wonder this design caught my eye!

Grove carries many different designs from several different artists. They definitely have a very Portlandia feel to them ~ close to the earth, folksy and delicate. You can also customize a phone case to your own surface designer sensibilities which I am very highly considering (esp since I now really need a case after what happened to my husband's)! Now just to decide what that art would be. Let the doodling begin!

hooping + design are my life

This has been my passion for the past 4 months, HoopPretty.

In a search to work on something I absolutely love, it has become a monster, but a soft lovable one.

I am determined to make this work. And so far it is, but I get so impatient. When that happens I have to remind myself that it's only been 4 months and I can't expect miracles. These babies, these twinkles in the eye, take time, love and patience.

HoopPretty is the first to come out with a line of goods specifically for hoop dancers, to celebrate the attitude, the fun and the freedom that is hoop dance. I'm happy to be partnering with my sister Rachel (pictured above as our model) and long-time friend Jessica Kaminski who is an amazingly prolific photographer and is well-known in her field. Such talent to be associated with! I feel blessed.

Check out HoopPretty. I created the entire branding, web presence and many of the designs for the product line. (Rachel also designs with me.)

Right now I am working on the re-branding for Miss Jessica and am excited to reveal it in the near future!