// More than a brief interlude

Hello blog, it’s been a while – and unfortunately my blog stats are suffering accordingly.

I was anticipating that my break from the internet would be a short one, but I hadn’t factored in the length of time it would take BT to connect the phone line in our new flat. Add to this the fact that I’ve been perusing a vast array of design blogs at my new job (which incidentally is great), and you get a very frustrated, desperate to blog, Kate. In the meantime, I leave you with this video:





I know that everyone has seen The Vendor Client relationship, but I think this video sums up life as a designer even more efficiently. Keeping a straight face is not an option, this is pure hilarity from start to finish.

I hope I’ll be back soon, I miss blogging like you wouldn’t believe.

// Calendar Design

During my final year at University (2005-6) I embarked upon a project for ISTD entitled ‘What day is it?’, which centred around calendar design.

Whilst sorting through various boxes and old folders during the epic task of packing for The London Move™ (which incidentally happens tomorrow!), I came across a lot of old projects from both high school and uni, some of which I got a bit nostalgic about.

I couldn’t find final pieces of work for some, but I had a lot of research, and scribbled notes —the majority of which I’m sad to say I threw away as I simply cannot keep hanging onto this stuff for the sake of it— but prior to this, I went through and tore out my favourites, one of which is this 1985 calendar, by Minoru Morita Graphic Design: click to enlarge. Wouldn’t it be amazing to reproduce? I’m currently almost finished my last personal project, the ampersand, which I’m hoping to complete and share once I’m settled into my new home.

It’s fair to say I’m a huge fan of ingenious ideas like the one above, but my favourite calendar to date has to be the Jumping Point calendar from the MoMA. I owned the 2007 edition of this following my visit to New York for Christmas 2006, and since then I’ve been desperate to get my hands on another.

The design was created and published by Michael Domberger in 1975, is “‘indispensable’, the most famous and successful Domberger calendar, popular with young and old”*, and it’s easy to see why as you create a colorful design when marking the passage of days or highlighting special occasions. All you need to do is punch out the days dot to expose the vivid color underneath.

I’m hoping to return to New York late 2010 / early 2011 (fingers crossed), so I’ll definitely be off to the MoMA to purchase a 2011 Jumping Point. If anyone is going to New York in the near future, I will say just this — feel free to bring me back the 2010 edition!

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*_{Quote credit}

// Book and End Bookends

White spray-painted aluminium.

I absolutely adore these bookends! As the owner of three (small) bookcases, bookends are not something I can ever recall having a need for. Until I saw these, and realised I just had to have them!

In all fairness, the aforementioned bookcases have long since started to overflow, and that’s without considering the addition of the three hardback cookery books I was given for my birthday.

Right now I can’t justify the £20 price tag, but don’t think this’ll be the last you hear about them!

// First impressions

I had planned to blog about this a while ago (when I was job hunting, specifically) as whilst trawling the internet for design companies to approach, I was completed and utterly dumbfounded at the number of horrendous websites I came across who offer design for web and print.

First impressions, anyone? For me, they are vital, yet there is a vast amount of ‘design’ companies who apparently do not think so. Unsightly websites, with no consideration having been given to space, colour or layout, and just as bad – riddled with spelling errors and poor grammar. Of course I’m not saying that I’m perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and like everyone else, I make (occasional) mistakes, but I didn’t want to work for a company that doesn’t take pride in the work they produce for themselves as well as their clients.

If I were looking for a company to create me a website, the first thing I would take note of is their own website. Surely that’s the best sales tool a web design company has? If a web company has an amazing website, prospective clients will know you can make them an amazing website. If the web company have an crap website, I hope you’re going to be clicking straight onto that little cross in the corner of your browser.

You may disagree, but in my opinion, that’s exactly what a company like that deserves. If they don’t care when it comes to presenting themselves, how much will they care when it comes to presenting you…?

// Challenge Glass Week

Following on from my post the other day about Creative Glass Packaging, I’m taking part in the Challenge Glass Week, an incentive aimed at promoting the world’s only 100% recyclable material.

I was away in London until Wednesday, so I’m currently playing catchup with the weeks challenges which are:

Monday – Use a glass bottle in a manner not initially intended by its manufacturers….
Tuesday – Share a perfect 5 track glass themed playlist on social networking or audio sharing sites
Wednesday – Create a glass inspired haiku
Thursday – Find or make a glass based video to share
Friday – Create a piece of glass-art, using only materials found in one’s bathroom
Saturday – Enjoy a ‘glass themed’ night in, or out – with pictures documenting it… Don’t forget to #tweetrecycle though!
Sunday – Take a picture of an inspiring view through a glass object (e.g. a glass bottle)



For now, you can have a picture promoting #tweetrecycle, but expect to see this post updated as I’ll be linking to each days challenge once I’ve got it on the internet. Bear with me, I’ve got a lot going on right now (I’m moving to London in two weeks and I’m nowhere near ready)!