My boyfriend tipped me off to this awesome duo. Super dreamy music and this video is truly a heaven-sent, enchanting present to your eyes and ears…do yourself a favor and give them a listen.

Wish I coulda seen them at Coachella this year!

YAY! I can finally share! Today, a label suite I’ve been working on at my 9-5 finally hit the beer section at Whole Foods!!! It’s beyond gratifying to have been involved with this project…and I feel so humbled, fulfilled and ecstatic to see my work out and about in the world. My co-pilot on these, David, was awesome to work with (thank you, David!) — I feel like our styles meshed so nicely for a final result (above) that just kicks ass (if I do say so).

The best part? It’s not just some mediocre beer –it’s AMAZING. The Imperial Rye IPA is the most gloriously hoppy delight. It makes me feel sorry for other IPA’s; we are truly spoiled here in the Northwest. Thank you, Reuben’s, for letting us clothe your fantastic beer in a wardrobe that is just as special! :)

Just to show a bit of the process, below are the mockups from the first round that I did (initially, die-cuts were cool, but mid-process, that changed and we had to adjust the design)…from there, David and I tag-teamed the rest of it until we ended up with what you see above! It was one of the most fun things I’ve gotten to work on to date…packaging design is my jam. I just love the way the “R” is so recognizable and really pops out off on the shelf.  If you’re local (Seattle area), get on down to a Whole Foods and pick some brews up for yourself. You won’t be sorry!

And the flat final (below) for good measure so  you can see the detail…

HOORAY FOR BEER AND DESIGN!!!

Read more about Reuben’s here, here, and visit their website here.

How stunning would a giant version of these look on a wall? Aerial photography always gets me, and these beauties from Steve Back are fantastic whether they are bright or subdued. In fact, I can’t decide if I like the punch of color in the pink lagoons (top) or the neutral tones of the salt flats better. Hmm… maybe I just need them all.

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Hey there!  I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already…seems like this week has flown by.  I’ve gotten to work on some pretty cool new projects at the ol’ day job; things have been moving along swimmingly, and I feel grateful for that. Here are a few other things I’ve been up to this week:

+ One of my pals, Jenn from Scout, started a wonderful new collaborative local food feature (Seattleites unite!) with Seth and Monica Hines (a hubby and wife duo — he cooks, she takes the photos).  Jenn is an incredibly talented stylist, which is evident in the photos.  Oh, and she asked me to help out with some custom graphics for “Fortunate Feast” too!

+ I made these (Paleo) donuts. They are actually really delicious and I feel satisfied after one. Okay, two.

+ I’ve been enjoying pinning more than blogging lately. Sometimes you just need that instant visual gratification. Hell, I need it every day, which was originally why I started a blog…but then Pinterest made it that much easier for me. I know people have mixed feelings about that.  I like the simplicity and ease. A lot of times there isn’t much to say, ya know?  Pool pictures have been my jam lately, like the one above. I am so looking forward to Spring and  Summer!

+ Thinking about how ready I am for a vacation. Planning to take a week off in May to visit my family. I CANNOT WAIT!  It’s been a year since I’ve taken a vacation or have seen them. Sometimes it sucks to live on the opposite coast as your folks.  Which leads me to the next thing…

+ I’ve been seriously entertaining the idea of moving back East.  It’s been about 3 years that I’ve lived on the West Coast.  I absolutely love it here…but it’s tough getting home as often as I’d like (especially when it’s 3,000 miles away). Politically and socially speaking, I identify so much more with the mentality out West. But, there’s something kind of refreshing about the small town warmth and kindness of the South. The easy-going pace…the SUN.  I do miss those things quite a bit.  I moved out here initially to seek out better job opportunities in the design industry (bigger city = more design firms).  Thankfully, that worked out really well for me!  But now, I’m seeing more and more boutique agencies springing up all over the place, not to mention the possibility of still going 100% freelance, so living in a big (expensive) city doesn’t seem like such a deciding factor anymore. And I’m babbling.  Agh, it’s so hard to know what to do. Obviously, it wouldn’t be an immediate decision. The logistics are insane and I do love the job I’m at.  That’s just what’s been bouncing around in my brain lately.

How is your week going so far?

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Loved the mysterious vibe and beauty of the stillness in this series by Elizabeth Moran.

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There’s no hiding the fact that I have a thing for astrology and all things cosmic.  This has been a crazy month of events in that arena already: Mercury retrograde, a new moon on the 11th…the impending MONSTER MOON — which admittedly has me a bit nervous. I know, I know…that makes me sound like a nutcase. But I feel like I’m really tuned into the universe (digging a deeper hole here).

I love this photo. When I look up at the night sky, it really captures the essence of what life means to me: endless possibility, wonderment, mortality, fate AND free will (yes, these two things exist harmoniously for me, despite the antinomy).  It also reminds me of my dad, who used to point out the constellations to me and taught me a good balance between science and spirituality.

Space is a beautiful, fascinating thing.  

Weekends are wonderful too.  I’m looking forward to mine…cheers!

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Well, it’s been a month since I wrote this post on my social media sabbatical — I thought I should give an update as to how that’s been going…

In a word: freeing. I have felt so much happier and more tuned in to my real life.  My relationships, hobbies and my work have gotten much more attention since I haven’t been spending time on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. So, have I missed those platforms or felt the urge to jump back into my old ways?  Surprisingly, not really at all!  I’ve truly enjoyed the time away.

Last night I posted on Instagram for the first time since my self-imposed break.  And it was because I genuinely wanted to share a picture, not because I felt compelled to. I also noticed that I didn’t feel the urge to scroll indefinitely or pay attention to likes/comments.  I think I may stop back by IG occasionally, but I’ll be continuing my Twitter break for a while longer.  I definitely don’t plan on ever getting back on Facebook (ha!)

+ the photo above was an accidental one I took (no editing)…I thought it was kind of cool! :)

Some fresh music for the work week! This mix should put you in a nice lucid, relaxed state to tackle whatever you’ve got on your to-do list. Rumor has it that I get to work on a fresh new beer bottle label later this week…my favorite. :) Can’t wait to share the previous one I’ve been blathering on about for ages. It will finally go to print in early April and you’ll be able to pick up a 22 for yourself at Whole Foods. Hooray!

Enjoy the tunes…

( listen on 8tracks )

01. “French Kiss” – Still Corners

02. “Genesis” – Grimes

03. “Real Is a Feeling” – Pictureplane

04. “Campus Martius” – Keep Shelly In Athens

05. “England Just Will Not Let You Recover” – The French Kicks

06. “Lions and Tigers” – Asobi Seksu

07. “Dream World” – Majical Cloudz

08. “Nevermind the Phonecalls’” – Earlimart

09. “Money In the Afterlife” – Saturday Looks Good to Me

10. “On a Letter” – The Sea and Cake

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Last week, after I posted some of my abstract photos, I thought it fitting to share this series by Taisuke Koyama that I love so much.  It’s amazing how fragments of surfaces and their textures can make for such intriguing and artistic subjects.  I’d highly recommend buying his book, which showcases the whole series. Truly stunning.

Here is what Taisuke says about his work:

“Life and matter, the city and the nature, micro and macro, moment and trace, I sense equal things which is in a process of a change and the circulation. And I shoot superficial phenomenon.”

I’m hoping to take and share more photos soon :)

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Yep, I’ve been awesome at keeping up with this column, per usual. Consistent at being inconsistent? Hi there, party of one.

This picture is super Seattle-y. It’s been a bit rainy and a lot windy here lately. Actually finding the rain to be quite peaceful, but the wind blows. I know you guys keep coming back for my goofy humor…derp. ;)

Also, you may be thinking, “DAMN, this girl LOVES her ocean pictures.” And you’d be right, because I do. I’m actually thinking of making a water wall in my home…as in, an entire wall covered in framed pictures of bodies of water.

If you’re an H20 fanatic, this pin board of mine is chock full of sea photos.

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