Design Workshop Workbook Mailed!
I finally got everyone’s packets mailed out for the Paper and Digital Designer Workshop. I’ve been promising myself that I was going to get these workbooks mailed out before the end of the month and I’m patting myself on the back because I did! Whoo Hoo! I’m pretty excited about the stuff we are going [...]
I am reading…
Just My Type by Simon Garfield. It’s laugh out loud funny for those with a type-sense-of-humor!
Exciting New Upcoming Events!
There are two spectacular events that I plan on attending in the coming months. The first is Spraguefest! This is an annual event hosted by Jessica Sprague to further build (the already awesome) community. I know there are going to be a lot of awesome people at this event, and I’m pretty excited to attend! [...]
Typography
I’ve been knee-deep in writing Art of Digital Design II. That means wading through my library of typography books. Trying to pick out the essentials for a single lesson (when I usually teach an entire semester) is certainly a challenge. In the midst of writing last night, I popped over to my friend Melissa Esplin’s [...]
Jessica Sprague Highlighted on KSL’s Studio 5
I’ve been working on samples for my new ABC Class at Jessica Sprague. I sent off my ABC Books last week, and I was so happy when they arrived yesterday. The samples turned out really cute and now I’m off to see what else I can make out of these templates! I am now going [...]
Old School Fun-Paint and Play in a Cardboard Box
I bought a dresser last week and, of course, the best part is that it came in a box. After playing with it for a week inside, we dragged it outside to paint it and let the neighborhood play in it. They get to use their creativity and it’s free…man, I love a good box! [...]
Craft Project-How to Make an Easy Octopus Costume
Yes, my daughter wanted me to make her an octopus costume for her birthday. So how could I refuse? I kept it simple by buying a t-shirt (with the gems already on it) and women’s long socks. Add some filling, a t-shirt transfer kit and my sewing machine and I was set. The only problem? [...]
Easy T-shirt Project-How to go from Digital Product to Iron-On
Creating great projects from digital products is easy! For example, my daughter’s birthday party was last week and we did an underwater theme. So my gifts to all the little guests were mermaid shirts with matching hair color for each girl. My daughter wanted to be an octopus, so I simply ironed-on an octopus illustration [...]
New Year’s Resolutions-A Day Late
I’m just getting around to posting my New Year’s Resolutions. Not that they aren’t the same as most of yours…get in shape, give more time to myself, my family, document our lives (I’m hosting a 365 at DHD)…yada, yada, yada. Mostly, I just wanted to post because I am so EXCITED for 2010. It’s going [...]
There Are Going to Be Some Changes Around Here! Illustrator Class & New Digital Scrapbooking Site!
It’s a season of change around my house. Josh started work with a new law firm, Siri has lost tooth number 2, Felicity has been trying out her new potty, and I’ve got some great new projects in the works. The first is this brand new online class for Illustrator, which goes on sale TODAY [...]
The Digital Scrapbooking Experience
Finally! After a crazy two days I have a chance to write about DSE! Thursday afternoon I taught an Illustrator class at the Digital Scrapbooking Experience in Provo, Utah. Jen Allyson flew in from San Francisco to help me out. I had a WONDERFUL time with the students! After teaching 5 years of college, I [...]
Printing a Digital Book
I finally did it! I printed my very first digital scrapbook. I remember when I use to explain digital scrapbooking to people, they’d say, “Digital?…does that mean you just look at them on the computer?” And I’d have to tell them you could but the point is to have it printed and have a BOOK. [...]
Project Mania…An entire month of projects!
We’re getting started a bit early here (Project Mania officially starts on September 1st!), but I wanted to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate! I’m giving everyone a head start here so that if you have any big projects that need starting or need to clear out your schedule to make way [...]
The First Steps to Becoming a Designer
I get asked alot “how to become a designer.” There’s really no straight answer to a question like that. I think people are so interested because creativity is an essential part of all our lives. Trying to figure out ways to channel that creativy into a career seems possible by becoming a “designer.” With a [...]
Finding Design in Everything: Form and Function
I was thinking about form vs. function…the time old question of which comes first (think the chicken and the egg) and how they inform each other. Form, the shape or medium that an object or service is in, and function (how it acts or works—the purpose of the object). Designers often say “form follows function.” [...]
Interview with Designer Holly Jones & Giveaway from My Cute Stamps
I have a very special interview with designer Holly Jones today! She is the owner and creator of My Cute Stamps, an absolutely DARLING store with her beautiful clear stamps! She also has a fabulous blog Creating Cupcakes. She’s also offered a darling stamp set to be given away to someone! Let’s meet her: Carina: What [...]
Why the Empty Space?
I have been meaning to write on this topic for sometime, but have kept putting it off. So here it is, a look at empty space and why designers love it and others do not. I started thinking about this because I was doing a project for work and had created this beautiful front cover [...]
Foreground and Background: Learning to see
I think you’ll like this first lesson…it’s quick, but has lots of examples, which is always fun! The best part is once you understand background and foreground and how it works in design relationships, you will be able to see it in your scrapbook layouts, designs, or projects. It will give you a new sense [...]
How to Become a Designer
Becoming ANYTHING takes work, dedication, and passion. I know many people who really are interested in becoming designers. They want to know what they can do to become one. Many times formal training at a university is not an option, so I have a few words of advice of people who are interested in becoming [...]