Valentine's past

 

So...I've been a bit absent lately. I had hoped to kick off the new year with great gusto on the blog but here it is almost the end of February and here I am. I thought I'd catch up with some of my recent craft/design projects that have been keeping me busy and happy in my free time.

First off, Valentine's Day! You've got to love all the great ideas being pinned lately. My little guy has been running around retelling the "Orange you glad I didn't say banana again" knock knock joke for months. So this idea seemed to fit just great.  He also woke up one Saturday morning saying he wanted to make hearts for the treat bags. About 100+ hearts later we were good to go. That coupled with orange slices and a custom label and we had our valentine's set.

Exploring Old Town

Ft. Collins, CO is one of those towns you instantly feel at home in. The historic downtown is flat and easy to walk around. People spill out from every eatery, lounging at all the outdoor patios, and popping in and out of the unique and friendly shops. Bikes are everywhere and add to the charm. You don't often see such a historic small town so vibrant at any time of day. One of my favorite things is finding all the great signage, new and old.

Vintage: Henny Penny

Henny Penny (c. 1968)
Retold and Illustrated by Paul Galdone

More illustration fun with this vintage retelling of Henny Penny. Love the colorful woodblock feel of these characters and the hand touched title lettering.

Color Palette: aristokitten

Inspired by the Aristocrats DVD looping in our house all weekend, these color palettes are taken from two of the kittens in the remastered movie. Which by the way, also has great vintage typography and animation.

Packaging: Vintage Workshop

Most of these cans have rested on this perch for nearly 30 years or more. A collection of different eras.

I always notice them each time we visit the cabin but never looked closely enough until now. Great typography. Interesting shaped metal containers.

No. 4

Working on graphic lettering (or should I say numbering) for L's birthday.

Color Palette: 80's Cool

The ultimate in 80's fan technology. This baby is a high-class addition to our little guy's summer bedroom. Keeping him cool in more ways than one. I love the shaded blue buttons. The white plastic has turned slightly beige. And the typeface has that odd Quantum Leap futuristic / Magnum, P.I. feel.

Packaging: Vintage drug store

Old-timey packaging is so great. It inspires with color, shape, typography and sustainability. Many vintage packages can be reused for modern living. I've already found uses for three of my favorites around the house. Providing sparks for future projects while doing my daily chores. Solid glass Charmis jars hold our q-tips and cotton pads. I have a set of three. My band-aid metal box with hinged lid stores all our sacred plasters. I think this might have been in our house when I was a kid. And the oldest of them all, the Squibb's cold cream milk glass container with metal screw top lid keeps me from losing my tiny earrings.

Packaging: Churchkey Pilsner

The men folk headed to Beer Junction on Easter to find some new beer to fill their baskets. But what they came back with got me excited too. The Churchkey Pilsner is canned in flat top vintage 30's cans and comes packaged with a bottle opener tucked into the side of the cardboard carrier. The packaging is heavy on typography and icons. The slate-ish blue gray green rounds it out. The cans themselves are super thick and reminiscent of old oil cans. Perfect for a sunny afternoon doing yard work and relaxing on the grass.

Book Envy, Part II

Another amazing book I've been drooling over is Frank Viva's Along a Long Road. His illustrations and hand typography are beautiful and inspiring. One very special element is the vibrant yellow spot varnish road that meanders through the book. Take a close look at the detail throughout. Enjoy!