Freshie & Zero modern jewelry

I'm not a huge jewelry person, but I love the simple, modern earrings and necklaces at Freshie & Zero— they're "made with love and a hammer in Nashville, TN." Beth Lawrence, the jewelry artist behind these handmade beauties, is a How About Orange fan and wrote in to share her work. As she says, these pieces are great for accenting any orange outfit without taking away from it.

So true. Though you likely dress in orange every day of the week, I bet the designs will even work on those very few occasions in which you can't. Like funerals and family portraits where you must all wear white shirts and khakis to humor your mother-in-law. Shop here!

P.S. This is not a sponsored post. I just like these.

African/Dutch wax print fabrics

While browsing Etsy for artwork, I got distracted scrolling through African wax print fabrics. The fabric I put on the parlor lamps was a wax print. These textiles have a fascinating history; read more here. These were some of my favorite prints:
Above: Left; right.


Left; right.


Left; right.

Original linocuts for under $30

I've been thinking about what to put on our empty walls. I love original art, but it can get pricey really fast (and deservedly so). For original pieces with an affordable price tag, check out my round-up of little hand-pulled linocuts I found on Etsy. For $30 or less, they're a great way to purchase a small work of art created by a printmaker. See my Pinterest board here.

Above: Pattern by Mia The Hawk, Heads by Flat Earth Studio, Whale by We Think Small, and Bee by Art at Garden Corner.

You know you need this Bigfoot. And the award for best title goes to Donkeys Disturbed By A Meteor Shower.

Tricky trompe l'oeil pillows

These photo-realistic throw pillows are whimsical and fun. I'd be curious to see how the three dimensional illusions hold up in person, but they look very cool in photos. Maybe we should try a DIY version– take a photo, print it on transfer paper, and iron it onto fabric. Or for higher quality, print the fabric at Spoonflower and sew it into cushions.

1. Succulent by Plantillo.
2. Chesterfield sofa by Morondanga
3. Oak tree by Nicklas Gustafsson
4. Geogami by Snurk
5. Art deco detail by Tammy Winand
6. Pug by Benwinewin
7. Leaf by Plantillo

Vintage brass figurine round-up

I never thought I'd say it, but I'm kind of getting into brass. Metallic anything is in style right now, and in my cave of a house with dark woodwork, a little sheen is nice. Yesterday I amused myself poking around eBay and Etsy for brass doorstops, paperweights, and other sculptures. I'm not sure who decided that tigers, camels, deer, and elephants are the best animals to cast in brass, but there are herds of them running around resale sites. Here's the tip of the iceberg when it comes to vintage brass figurines, available at Etsy and eBay.

Above: Giraffe, dancer, parrot and deer.

Above: Deer, woman with long hair, quail, and camel. I also liked this goat but forgot to add him to the photo collage.

Consider a brass Christmas gift for the mid-century animal lover in your life!

A gift from C. Wonder

As a kid I always hoped the mailman would bring what we referred to as a Wonderful Surprise: something unexpected and delightful that comes out of nowhere. Our mailbox on the farm was at the end of a long driveway, and Mum or I would trek down and open the box. Of course it usually contained junk mail; Wonderful Surprises are rare and elusive, as everyone knows. But the other day I got one!

Now if you want to get technical, it wasn't 100% a surprise. I was aware that some unknown thing was coming, but then I forgot about it. C. Wonder, a retailer I remembered seeing on an episode of The Pitch, had emailed days before and offered to send a gift. Very mysterious. I love mysteries, and if their name is C. Wonder, it could possibly be a Wonderful Surprise.

Yes. It was a box inside a box containing a handmade paper ornament containing... cashmere penguin gloves. Hee, so cute! (Update: the colored fingertips work on touch screens; nifty!)

I looked up C. Wonder's website to find out what else they offer. Apparently they sell happy things.


A selection: Fox sweater, zebra plates, gold ikat plates, zigzag mug, dotted bowl, chevron gloves, bow buckle belt, and orange throw (didn't see that one on my quest for orange blankies). They do lots of monogramming for personalized gifts, too. Browse here!

Colorful '50s art prints

I spotted these prints at Art.com and fell in love with the colors. They're reproductions of '50s illustrations from the Saturday Evening Post.

The Marriage Wrecker by Coby Whitmore-- I adore the wacky composition that breaks the rule of thirds, has incorrect perspective, and smooshes the ladies' faces into uncomfortable corners. Plus it's orange!

Marriage Is Not For Me by Robert Meyers-- The color palette is delicious. Love the detail in some areas, balanced with flat washes in others.

Hmm, how to work them into this dignified Victorian house? Maybe I could at least tuck this lady into a bathroom somewhere?

Edelweiss Post vintage stamp stationery

Want to know what my latest favorite Etsy shop is? Edelweiss Post. It's a store selling notecards and envelopes that come with postage stamps already applied— unused vintage ones, carefully selected and arranged by theme or color. Edelweiss Post is run by Patrick in Minneapolis. His grandpa collected stamps, and Patrick is carrying on the tradition by constantly adding to his own collection, and then making them available to everyone. I think it's brilliant.

Of course I bought an orange set. And sent my dad a manly-themed card and envelope for his birthday. If you're going to buy somebody a card anyhow, why not go for something totally unique with vintage appeal? These look and feel really special.


You can choose sets by color.


Or by theme. Mad Men Manly Mail?


How about guys with beards? The US postal service seems to favor facial hair.

Visit the shop to see more themes. Holidays. Owls. Nurses. Hot air balloons. There's even a Great Gatsby set.


Every pack comes tied with baker's twine and packaged so beautifully you'll hate to tear it open.

If you need a custom-themed set, Patrick will do his best to make it happen. Maybe something for wedding announcements or party invitations? One customer used an orange set to send thank you notes to the people who interviewed him for a job. He got hired. Keep that in mind, friends. You can't go wrong with orange, especially in the form of stamps.

Etsy pop-up shop at West Elm Chicago

Announcing a fun event for Chicagoans and visitors! West Elm asked for my input as they host a pop-up shop of local Etsy sellers inside their Lincoln Park store. The event will be Saturday, June 22 from 1pm – 6pm at the North Avenue location. Come hang out with me and browse through lovely handmade jewelry, art, home decor, stationery, and more. There will be delicious refreshments, plus I've heard rumors of a DJ and a photo booth...

For a complete list of the participating Etsy sellers, visit West Elm's blog. Grab somebody and come on out!

Find the event on Facebook here to RSVP or share with a friend.

Here's sampling of the wares below. Better start planning right now where you're gonna hang that chipmunk.

Design your own stamps

A package came in the mail today.


A stamp I designed! It's from Stamptitude, a shop offering custom-made, self-inking stamps. Run by a husband and wife team, the little company just opened their doors. They agreed to make me a complimentary product sample to review, so I simplified the design I'd put on those foil cards and sent it over. Voilà! It has been magically reincarnated as a pre-inked stamp! When the ink runs out someday, I can just pour in more. No need for a stamp pad.

This thing is going to be really useful. On envelopes and packages, at the top of note paper, on post-its, gift tags, wine bottle tags, treat bags, business cards... I might go around stamping everything. I totally love it.

Some of the first impressions I made with it were pretty patchy, but I figured out I needed to press harder and leave the design depressed against the paper longer. According the website's FAQ's, you can also adjust the amount of ink flow by using the "lift & twist" mechanism at the base of the handle.


Stamptitude's custom stamps are quite affordable; prices start at $12. Just create your design, choose a shape, size and ink color, and upload your artwork. They ship globally. Order here.

iPhone and iPad cases for Uncommon

I'm delighted to announce that Uncommon, a manufacturer of protective cases for Apple devices, is now offering Jessica Jones patterns on their products! If you've seen my fabrics, you'll recognize a couple familiar prints in there. Cases are available in the Uncommon online store right here.




The coolest part is that you can customize your own device case: pick from a variety of iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch models, and then choose a design to place on the case. You can scale the print up or down, move it around, and even add text if you're feeling crazy.


One of these might make a nice Mother's Day gift or a present for somebody. I mean, can your phone really have too many outfits? It's like shoes or scarves. The more the merrier! See all six prints at Uncommon.

Must-have shirts from The Social Dept.

The other day I stumbled upon The Social Dept., a t-shirt company in Akron that's churning out all kinds of screenprinted goodness. If you're a designer, a foodie, a sports fan, or you reside in a U.S. state, they've got a shirt for you.

I was desperate for that screenprinting workhorse tee, so I wheeled and dealed. I whelt and dealt: gimme the horse, and I'll tell everyone I know about your shirts. Score! My t-shirt arrived in the mail, and I get the satisfaction of recommending this sweet little shop.


I asked Andy and Christy for more details about their business, and here's the scoop.

The Social Dept. consists of:
Andy Taray / Owner, Designer/Printer, Cat-Freak
Christy Taray / Owner, Illustrator/Shipper, Cat-Freak

"We are a t-shirt company made up of man, woman, and cats. We specialize in city and state pride with an overall love for good typography, good design, and a touch of sarcasm. We hand print all shirts one-by-one in our litter box sized workshop located in the heart of the Midwest.

Andy is a graphic designer by trade with a passion for printing shirts, cats, basketball, and eating well. Main duties around the workshop include designing, illustrating, the dirty work, and printing. He also runs a small design shop called Ohioboy Art & Design and has worked on projects for folks like Tony Hawk, JFK, Big Bird, KISS and some guy named Elvis, among others.

Christy is a fashion designer by trade with a passion for crafting, shopping, cats, and eating well. Main duties around the workshop include illustrating, shipping, crafting, the dirty work, and child negotiating. Christy has worked for several Taylors in her time... spending a good portion of her career cranking fine design for both Ann Taylor and Lord and Taylor, among others."
- - - - - - - -
See their handiwork right here!

Jonathan Adler and Pantone at JCPenney

JCPenney is getting cool. They've got Jonathan Adler! I came across this announcement and got excited, then found this bedding on the website by Googling. Google sent me to the Happy Chic Katie duvet set and I starting clicking on related items. Ironically, typing "Jonathan Adler" into the search box on JCP's home page didn't yield any product results.


I'm guessing more items from Jonathan Adler's budget-friendly Happy Chic collection will appear online soon.

JCP also has Pantone products (thanks for the tip, Courtney). As well as collections from Michael Graves and Bodum, the Danish design firm. As part of a desperately-needed effort to reinvent themselves, JCP plans to open a collection of affordable designer shops and home goods boutiques inside their stores. Has anybody spotted these collections in their local JCPenney?

I haven't been to one since Christmas, where I saw those dog collars with ribbons I designed and picked up a really cute $15 blouse.

Treat yo self to orange

Therapeutic benefits can be obtained from admiring pretty orange things. In case you need to treat yo self, to quote Tom Haverford, here are some orange ideas.

Treat Yo Self print, $24. (That episode of Parks and Rec cracked me up. Alex and I still enjoy saying this to each other.)
Dress, $74.99
Jute and leather wallet, $54
Striped sweater, $34.99
Personalized pencils, $7.50
Scalloped pencil case, $22
Paper clips, $4.50
Vintage mug, $5
Purse, $19.99
Cocktail shaker, $29.99

New embroidery floss from Sublime Stitching

Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching sent over samples of her brand new, debut line of embroidery floss. She's pretty excited. Or in her words, "giddy and thrilled and dancing around hugging herself" because this project was a year in the making.

Choose from nine different sets of floss, each with a unique, carefully selected color palette that tells a story. No need to struggle to pick colors that look good together for a project, because Jenny already did it for us.

Each paper band has a tiny message on it, just for fun.

The floss colors won't run, bleed or fade when washed. Need some? Purchase packs here for $6 each.

Free pattern alert! You can also download a complimentary mustache embroidery pattern. Or browse all the stitching patterns and supplies on the website, including tote bag kits like this mountain design, my fave.

I'm not an embroiderer, unless it's to a story I'm telling, but I feel some friendship bracelets coming on...

Update: Yup, sure enough.

Lucky Skins review: my iPad gets outfitted

Something happy came in the mail yesterday: an iPad skin from Lucky Skins. They sell decals for phones, tablets, laptops, and mp3 players, and kindly offered to send over the design of my choosing. My choosing had a tough time since there are lots of patterns to pick from, but I opted for Confection.

The skin is essentially a big vinyl sticker, and applying it was simple. I lined it up at the top—you can lift it up again to reposition if you don't press it down firmly—and the air bubbles smoothed out easily as I worked my way down. I even managed to take a one-handed photo while doing it.

My big concern was whether this thing (printed on 3M Controltac™) will come off again if I get tired of it. It's stuck on quite firmly, but peeling up a corner as a test seemed to work okay. I'm guessing the vinyl will stretch a bit as you peel it off, since you have to tug fairly hard to remove it from the back of the iPad. So it's probably not reusable.

The set also comes with a skin for the front of the device, so I threw that on, too. It's a little crazy to look at, but fun. Like my iPad is having a party. This sticker peels off easily from the glass if you want to remove it.

The corner radius isn't a perfect fit on my antique, first generation iPad, though that was the skin size. But it's quite close.

You can even go nuts and download matching wallpapers for most of the device skins on the website. Choose your device, select a design, and help yourself!

New website for The Needle Shop

This has been a fun week, work-wise—I finalized logos and business cards for a few different clients, plus two websites that I designed went live. There's nothing as satisfying as finishing things.

One of the finished things is a revamped website for The Needle Shop, Chicago's DIY sewing school and fabric store in Bucktown. While mulling over the initial design concepts, store owner Rachel Epperson had the brilliant idea of commissioning Ward Nipper to produce some custom illustrations for the site. (Ward often draws elegant, bare-chested ladies like these, but since The Needle Shop is in the business of selling fabric, we agreed it would be counterproductive and a tad too racy to start a shirtless trend.)

My favorite thing on the site? This ottoman. It's my Frond print. So meta: I sketched out that design, digitized it, had it printed on fabric, which was made into an ottoman, which was digitally photographed, sketched by Ward, then digitized again, colored, and ultimately uploaded to the internet. Next, maybe I will make a drawing of my computer monitor displaying this post, then scan that and email it back to Rachel.

Zak Hardage, coder extraordinaire, programmed the new Needle Shop site in Shopify, and Rachel spent a zillion hours loading it up with delicious fabrics, books and patterns for us. Enjoy!

Orange highlighter pencils

Some fun goodies from Stubby Pencil Studio arrived in the mail. They sent over samples of their eco highlighter pencils, along with other orange items including this sharpener and a round eraser that lives inside a shell so it won't get dirty. It reminds me of Babybel cheese.

The highlighters are essentially fat, neon colored pencils, so they don't soak through your page. Nifty! My photo doesn't do justice to the neon. I wish the pencils were just a wee bit less hard and more oily so they'd glide along the page more easily, if that makes sense. But they're fun and useful. Find them right here.

Who doesn't love globes?

Alex and I found this Replogle globe in a secondhand shop. When I discovered it had a cord and switch, I turned it on and apparently let out some sort of delighted squeak, which Alex teased me about later. We reluctantly turned it off and left the shop. Got in the car and put on our seatbelts. Took off our seatbelts and got out of the car. Marched back in and bought the thing, since as the clerk said, "Everyone loves globes."

Have you seen the excellent decoupaged versions from ImagineNations? I spotted "Adventure Awaits" in a Jonathan Adler store and fell in love. These are made by Wendy Gold; each is a vintage globe with hand-painted or decoupaged embellishments. See more on her blog.

It's vacation time

Folks, I'm going on vacation! I'll resume regular posting on August 13th. Until then, have a super week and enjoy some nostalgic summery paintings by Leah Giberson. (I own one of her camper prints.) See lots more work in Leah's Etsy shop.