sweet sentiments

I recently acquired this precious trio of miniature letterpress quotation books, brought to the world by OrangeArt. I love their intimacy and simplicity–perfect pocket-sized antidotes to soothe a bout of homesickness, heartache, or negatvitiy.


"Love the moment and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries."

–Sister Corita Kent

learning to cook

I recently discovered this absolute classic while browsing the bookshelves at work: Betty Crocker's NEW Boys and Girls Cookbook, copyright 1965 by General Mills, Inc., in Minneapolis, MN! I can never get enough of the technicolor food styling of the 60s and 70s, and who doesn't love food with a face?


"Dear Boys and Girls, Learning to cook can be an adventure–like exploring a new country, with a recipe as your map. And if you follow directions exactly, you are sure to arrive at your destination–proud and pleased to be able to cook many good things for your family and friends..."

-Betty Crocker

books & things

It's always a bit strange to see an object you've worked to produce when it comes back from the printer; weeks of work manifested in real form. Looking at things objectively is often difficult when you've been so engrossed in the behind-the-scenes!

BUT, I'm very pleased to offer a small glimpse into some of the pieces I've been working on over the past several months here. And of course, my work would not be what it is without the amazing talents of the brilliant and delightful illustrators I've had the great pleasure to work with on these–Thank you all. And, enjoy!

from the design desk

I've been busy busy back here on the West Coast, making and doing and working and playing as a children's designer at Chronicle Books. But I'm never too busy for some whimsy! Please check out my recent contribution to the Chronicle Books blog here. 

worlds beyond

"If we have no connection whatosever with the worlds beyond the ones we take for granted, than we too run the risk of drying up inside..."

Lately, more than usual, I've been buried in books, in many more ways than one. Elif Shafek reminds me of the power of storytelling, of imagining the vast potentials of our hearts, and the beyond. Please enjoy if you have the moment!

an awesome book!

An awesome book for an awesome cause by an awesome dude! Brilliant.

at the seaside

A recent afternoon was spent in the rare book room at Powell's City of Books in Portland, OR. There were many treasures to be found, including this children's classic from 1932––Katy Kruse at the Seaside, by Eleanor Farjean. I am quite enamored by these peculiar little illustrations. Are they hand-colored photographs of dolls? I couldn't find much information after some internet sleuthing––perhaps further proof of this title's rarity.

we travel

Mysterese folds a small satchel into my out- stretched palm, and says, "These reminded me of you," and as I grip the tiny tokens in my hands, they begin to cast a sort of serendipitous spell. I realize that, while it is difficult to say goodbye, much joy and hope is felt knowing that the paths we all travel will once again cross, and that new adventures are sure to bring happiness, content- ment, and unimaginable growth...

I, too, am so lucky and excited for a new adventure. Please check here in the coming months to see some glimpses of my recent work/play, along with the work of my talented colleagues/partners-in-crime.

(Maps courtesy of Hammond's Illustrated Atlas for Young America, via the MCAD library. Buttons courtesy of T.)

mastering the art

My mother's well-worn copy of Julia Child's now infamous Mastering the Art of French Cooking, plus a few other beautiful gems from her cookbook library––Julia's The French Chef, and General Foods' All About Home Baking, circa 1933. 

“When you flip anything, you just have to have the courage of your convictions,”

--Julia Child, on life and 

the art of the potato pancake

...Because in cooking, as in life, often all you can do is jump right in, try your best, and hope that the pancake comes out precisely the way it was meant to taste. 

colors & cupcakes

Miss Ella drew me a "picsha," as a thank-you exchange for my honey-banana cupcakes. Her colors remind me that print does matter, and of Printed Matter, a book that will forever inspire. 

play all day

Though it came belated, this book was a rather suitable graduation gift for myself: Play All Day, brought to you by the ever-impeccable gestalten.
Featuring a fetching little game by Miller Goodman...
Lovely programmes and posters by JUNO GmbH & Co (website?)...
...And the amazing Fuji Kindergarten design by Kashiwa Sato. Learn more here (thanks, JZK).

Today I grapple with the guilt of material production, situated in a society of consumers. I question my own place within this sphere of printed matter. That is to say, do books matter?

serendipitous scraps

These got me through this most hectic of weeks: A lovely petite book, and some lovelier scraps I happened upon in the studios one morn, turned into a 30-second collage impromptu. And, lovelier still, is...collage club! plus the rest of Jordi Ferreiro's Flickr site. Check out more of his work here. 

a through zzz

How the days have been spent recently–awake until a bit of sleep, with a mess of hazy thought clouds in between...

Marcel Marceau alphabet book, courtesy of the MCAD library, plus another spread from Keri Smith's How to Be an Explorer of the World: Einstein used thought experiments (questions that can only be solved using the imagination) on a regular basis. Learn more here.

In other fun news, I have a spasm in my piriformis muscle. Thanks, Senior Project!

cautiously optimistic

The day was filled with turquoise and red, a sure sign of the rebirth of the dead...We do not breathe in neat little rows. Rather, we gasp in the fresh air at every chance opportunity. And so I remain cautiously optimistic––at least in the interim. 

"For some minutes, before she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, she just lay quiet, smiling at the ceiling. " 

wednesday wisdom

...from How To Be an Explorer of the World, by Keri Smith, a clever playtime guide, bought as a belated birthday present to myself, upon the suggestion of this wise guy. Click on images above for a clearer view. 

"The residual purpose of art is purposeless play. This play, however, is an affirmation of life–not an attempt to bring order to chaos nor to suggest improvements in creation, but simply a way of waking up to the very life we're living, which is so excellent once one gets one's mind and one's desires out of its way and lets it act of its own accord." -John Cage

books & looks

Lately, I am filled with bliss, basking in the beauty of so many stacks of books. Check out these blissful pieces about books: A cheeky piece from Ray Fenwick's Hall of Best Knowlege, Animal indexes by Pa Design, and this installation of such lovely hues, by Mr. Jacob Dahlgren.

bedtime stories

Jag är trött. I am tired. Learning languages & alphabets, remembering red dresses, dreaming of no more snow. 

Jag förstår inte. I don't understand. Can't seem to find the Swedish term for WTF. 

God natt. Goodnight.   

in da haus

A sunny afternoon was recently spent at the downtown public library, floor-sitting in the midst of so many rows of so many pages of human connections. Stumbling upon a handwritten note within the pages of Bauhaus, I pretend to see all the fingertips of those who have come before me––equally inspired by these pages. I lean against a metal shelf, close my eyes, and listen to the communal hum of so many minds just thinking...Support your public libraries, yo. Get away for a spell, and realize the impact of so much information, accessible to all. 

the little house

"Once upon a time there was a little house way out in the country. She was a pretty little house and she was strong and well built... "

A recent find in the depths of an antique store basement: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton from 1942. Yum, so classic.