How About Orange

April 10, 2013

Free watercolor desktop wallpapers


If your desktop needs a little cheering up, try one of the watercolor backgrounds posted at Design Love Fest. They come in pink and blue and remind me of spring— unlike the weather right now, which is depressing. I'll take whatever bright things I can find!

April 09, 2013

Vespa made from recycled packaging


Look what just came in the mail from South Africa: a little Vespa, crafted by hand from recycled tin. I looove it! The seat feels like textured leather, the wheels have tire treads and actually turn, and the kickstand folds up and down.

A few weeks ago, Tyrone Rubin emailed me to introduce a new web shop called Stribal, a site offering handmade things from artisans in Africa. I gave it a couple mentions here and there, and as a surprise, he sent me this Vespa, one of the products from the site!

Find the little tin models right here. You can get Beetles, motorbikes, pickups, Jeeps, and more. Pretty amazing. Maybe you need a really unique gift for someone, or a model for your desk or bookshelf?


April 08, 2013

Tutorials for jewelry, bags and more


Take a gander at these pretty DIY accessories, posted with tutorials by kind people around the internet. Try making something here if you're feeling crafty:
Neon inside out tote bag tutorial at the Purl Bee
Fabric envelope how-to by Fabric Paper Glue
Chevron earring instructions by Michelle Bingham
J. Crew-inspired choker directions at Delightfully DIY
Felt flower sachet project, also from the Purl Bee
DIY thread-wrapped earrings at Creature Comforts. Love these!

April 05, 2013

Printable Mad Men paper dolls


Ready for Sunday's Mad Men premiere? I'm looking forward to it, even though Alex and I turn to each other after every episode and say, "Why do we watch this show?" It's miserable. But so well done we can't tear our eyes away. And the decor! The clothes! Speaking of which, Dyna Moe has illustrated Joan and Megan paper dolls with outfits from last season. Download Joan here and Megan here. Print and cut! Or post an entire sheet on your bulletin board just because they look fun.

April 04, 2013

DIY posters with cut-out lettering


I'm thinking of making a poster series of ridiculous song lyrics. The first one goes to you, Ke$ha. Next up, Katy Perry. "Baby, you're a firework." What, just one firework? "Boom, boom boom. Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon." A brilliant use of rhyme. Wouldn't a whole wall of these be comical? At least in my mind. And perhaps in the minds of some friends; you know who you are.

But really I just wanted to try cutting out some lettering like I saw in the branding for the Kröller-Müller Museum. Apparently theirs was rendered digitally using Cinema4D software. I went old school and busted out an X-acto knife.


In Illustrator I typed out text using a bold font. (Novecento Wide, bold —free!) Then I outlined the text with a thin stroke and flipped it backwards. This way the printed outlines won't show on the front of the piece. I printed it on cardstock and cut along the outlines, avoiding the highlighted areas above. The left edge of each character isn't cut and acts like a hinge.


I flipped the paper over and bent the letters up, like opening little doors.


I liked it layered on top of a sheet of neon red paper.


And of course orange is always an excellent choice. You could make a series of cut-out posters and group them as wall art. Or make greeting cards with short phrases on them. To make the letters show up, fold a piece of colored paper in half, the same size as your outer white folded card, and insert it inside. Keep it in place inside the white card with a line of glue along the fold.

You could also try cutting shapes out of colored paper and layering white behind it. I opted for cutting into the white, since cast shadows show up best on light colors.

Any suggestions for more silly pop song lyrics?

April 03, 2013

Free font: Corki v.2


If you compulsively collect fonts, you might want to grab Corki v.2 from Type Depot. It's a condensed slab serif that comes in four styles. Download the family for free right here!

April 02, 2013

New site: The Beauty of Letterpress


Today marks the launch of a new website, The Beauty of Letterpress, from Neenah Paper. If you're a letterpress fan (and who isn't?), you might enjoy this online gallery of modern letterpress prints and resources. The site posts selections from a new curator each month.

Everyone is welcome to submit their own work, and printers can add themselves to the list of letterpress vendors sorted by location.

The website is also trying to raise funds to help preserve the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum in Two Rivers, WI. If you donate just $5, you'll receive this Beauty of Letterpress print, and Neenah Paper will match your donation. Terrific! See more photos of the letterpress print here in designer Jennifer James's portfolio.

April 01, 2013

Leather backgrounds for desktops and devices


Hermès is offering a collection of free "screen leather" backgrounds. Grab some calfskin, alligator, or buffalo for your phone, tablet or desktop. The orange calfskin I downloaded is 2560x1600 px, so these are big files. Choose your favorite here.