Sick day

 

I feel yuck today :-(. I'll hopefully return tomorrow well and ready for posting.

sick mitty originally posted by tlong

Are you a color lover?

One of the first things we do when we start designing something is come up with a color scheme. This can prove to be a challenge at times because we often have to tweak the color many times before finding something that works together. That is why this website I'm going to share with you is so great.

Colour Lovers is a website where people can come up with and post palettes and patterns of colors that they feel go well together. It's a great resource when you've hit designers block (trust me, there is such a thing). Here are a few palettes and patterns I love.

Here are some examples of palettes:

So there you have it. One of our secrets is yours for the taking. Enjoy!

Get out of my way, Dude!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a pleasant weekend.

I thought today I would share something that makes me laugh (we all need a good laugh on Mondays, right?) 

I have been a fan of a group called Improv Everywhere for a while now. They are a group that bands together to create scenes in odd places such as Best Buy and Union Station. This is proof that performance art can happen anywhere! After you've watched these (I'll let the videos speak for themselves) check out the other crazy but entertaining videos by Improv Everywhere. 

What would you do if this started happening around you?

Gotta love people who think outside the box!

No Rest for the Wildwood Girls

As I mentioned yesterday, this has been a busy week for us at Wildwood Girls. We've already had five projects from various places! We feel pretty good about that considering we've only been up and running for two weeks. Here are a few of the things we've been working on this week.

The first is a business card for LadyEireland's shop on Etsy. This was actually our first official purchase on our shop (Thank you!). She wanted something that felt kind of ornate and went with the theme of her shop. We all love the way it turned out!

The next project we have been working on is a custom animated ad for Liza's Boutique. She makes adorable hair accessories for babies, clothes, jewelry, and even pre-made banners for Etsy! She wanted something that reflected her shop and complimented the images that are included.

Finally, I will leave you this week with the design for our new business cards! We finally ordered them and can't wait to see them! We wanted to stick with our look so they are basically a variation on our banner but we think they will look so cool as a printed item!

5 Things I Love

I realize I've been a little lackadaisical in posting this week. It's been a crazy one! Tune in tomorrow to find out what Jen and I have been up to in Wildwood Girls!

I thought I would make Thursdays the day I share with you 5 of my favorite finds on Etsy. It was hard to narrow it down this week. I've definitely been spending a lot of time searching for new and beautiful items!

Ok, I don't cook. I kind of hate cooking (except for cooking shows like Top Chef, which I love for some reason). My family is constantly annoyed by the diet of frozen pizza and spaghetti I serve them. If I had this apron, though, I might be inspired to get into the kitchen (don't let my mother-in-law see this post).


Spring Apron in Paisley by modernjune

I love the open, airy feel of this ring. Perfect for summer.

Bubble Lace Ring 2 by ColleenBaran

This bag would be perfect for carrying books, as a purse, or even a diaper bag! I'm loving the chunky chain attatched to it as well.

Uptown Girl Flower Tote Bag by BaroqueAndRoll


Who doesn't love a hoodie? This one looks so comfy but totally stylish at the same time.

Long Sleeve Cowl Neck Raglan Hoodie by poshpanache


Does anyone else remember making patterns out of pins and yarn in art class when they were little? This piece of art takes tht idea to a whole new level! It's hard to believe this beautiful image was created only using foam board, pins, and thread.

Black and White Thread Art Piece by labeadworks

Little Fury

My sister and I have spent a lot of time on the internet looking for inspiration. We came across a great company that has a great vision. Little Fury is a company that creates logos, packaging, promotional materials and more for many different companies. First, check out their awesome timeline that explains how they started their company and who they are (kind of).

Now, check out their great work!

Working Hard!

Wow, what a week it has been! Jen and I finally got our shop up and running and we had our first sale (which I will post more about later). We've been working out the kinks of being partners while living 45 minutes away from each other (lots and lots of phone conversations, emails, and IMing). We are having such a blast putting our creative vision out there.

One thing we wanted to do this week was create a little buzz for our shop. We ran a promotion in the forum section of Etsy for a custom banner and avatar. The winner of that promotion was tiff705 for her shop Princess Tiffany's Creations! Congratulations again Sarah!

This banner proved to be a challenge for us because she already had a very nice banner and avatar. We wanted to create something that was completely different, yet on par with what she currently had. We took the colors she suggested and her love of polka dots and created a banner that we feel reflects her shop nicely. Here it is (click on it to view it larger):

And here is her avatar:

Take a moment to check out Princess Tiffany's Creations. She has cute handmade hair ribbons and headbands as well as crocheted items and patterns. Very cute stuff!

5 Things I Love

I am definitely spending way too much time on Etsy. It never fails to amaze me how many talented and creative people are in this world. I thought I would start sharing some of the wonderful products I have come across. Now which one to buy first...

I've been looking for something fabulous to put our equally fabulous business cards in once they come. I may have just found it!
Pink Chocolate Petals - Mighty Mini Pouch by Sonya

I've always been a sucker for a cute babydoll T. This one is cute and funky all at the same time!
Skeleton Key Baby Doll Tshirt by Deadworry

I can just imagine this quilt hanging over the side of a white crib in a baby's room. How cute would that be??Sunshine Collection Patchwork Quilt by becauseimme


One of my very first forays into the world of art was my photography class in high school. It has held a special place in my heart ever since. This is one of the most beautiful photographs I have found on Etsy. I strongly urge you to check out the rest of this incredibly talented photographer's shop.
Coping by Robert Socha

I love this necklace! I had a hard time choosing my favorite design from the many in this lovely shop! This one just shouted "spring" to me. Even better, it comes with a matching tin!
Sweetest Green by littleputbooks

Amazing Installation

If you can't tell by now, I love sculpture. It is one of my favorite forms of art. Another of my favorites is installation art. I could spend hours at the MoMA or at the Art Institute in Chicago going through their rooms of bizarre and fascinating installations. One of the things I love about this form of art is it can turn up anywhere. I've seen installations on the tops of buildings, in streets and in the middle of woods.
A while back YouTube featured this video on its front page. This installation is at British Airways Heathrow Terminal #5 and was done by Troika.
I think I would be late for my flight if I came upon this!

New Product!

I'm so excited to officially introduce to you Wildwood Girl's new Etsy shop! Jen and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning this weekend creating some lovely custom business cards for purchase at Wildwood Girls: Graphic Design Studio. Check them out!

My favorite definitely has to be the black and white series. I love the crisp, clean feeling of them. We also have some affordable custom packages for purchase. Be sure to head over to Wildwood Girls and check them out!

Lego my Lego!

I have a secret. I love Legos! I pretend I don't when I'm spending hours putting together my son's newest set (he's 5 and not yet capable of following complex direction). In reality, I love creating something out of tons of tiny pieces and I feel so satisfied as I watch him play with my masterpiece. As I put together his measly little 200 piece set this weekend I got to thinking about all the amazing Lego art that is out there. I set off in search of pieces that made me go oooo. I had such a good time finding all of these and this is by no means all there is to see. The first three were created by Nathan Sawaya, genius in all things Lego. The Harpsichord was done by Henry Lim and is a full scale working model with only the strings not made of Legos. Others are fixtures at Lego establishments such as Downtown Disney in Orlando, FL and LegoLand.  Batman and the Death Star were part of Comic-Con 2007.  

Images courtesy of The Art of the Brick

Image courtesy of Henry Lim's Lego Sculptures

Images courtesy of AllEars.Net

Image Courtesy of Hellish Humor

Images courtesy of Great White Snark

Logo say what?

If you've spent any time on the internet there are certain logos that continue to pop up. Easy to recognize, right? Maybe not! While searching for interesting logos I came across a website called Guess the Logo. This is a quiz that gives you several variations on a recognizable logo and ask you to guess the right one as quickly as possible. Try it for yourself and see how you do!

(I won't tell you if these are the right ones)

Sweet Home Chicago

Wow, the time has come for my first official post. I hardly know where to start! In researching our new company and this blog I have come across so much inspiration that I am just bursting with ideas. I've decided to focus this first post on one of my great loves: Chicago! More specifically, some of the amazing sculptures in and around Chicago. There are so many to choose from I may have to make this a series.

The first sculpture is one of Chicago's newest yet it has quickly become a symbol for this beautiful city. "Cloud Gate" or "the bean" as natives have come to call it was created by artist Anish Kapoor for Chicago's Millennium Park. Made from seamless plates of polished stainless steel, it truly invokes its inspiration: liquid mercury. This work of art takes on a life of its own as it reflects everything including the sky, buildings, and anyone who happens to be standing near it. It can look completely different depending on the time of day or the weather. Definitely a site to behold.

"The Cloud Gate" originally uploaded by Intrepide98

Since this is one of the most interesting and photogenic sculptures in Chicago I couldn't resist adding another of my favorites.

"Cloud Gate 2" originally uploaded by Hoot Owl

This next sculpture is another famous Chicago landmark. I remember climbing it and sliding down it when I was a little girl (and maybe once when I wasn't so little but lets keep that between you and me).  The Picasso Sculpture, untitled so usually just called the Picasso or that big sculpture in Daly Plaza, was commissioned in 1963 and completed in 1967. 

Image by J. Crocker

I've never actually seen the next sculptures in person but every picture I've seen of these three beauties has me impressed. They look like they've been sculpted on an enormous wire system so ivy can grow up the base. This makes them look like they're flying. Three Fairies (I don't know their real name) are in Daphne Garden and were done by Dessa Kirk.

"wings over the city" originally uploaded by stacyjclinton

My last sculpture pick is also the one I know the least about. I'm a sucker for mooses so when I saw this lovely creation I couldn't resist including it. This cool guy is found outside the Tribune Building on Michigan Ave. I know there are a lot of these sculptures around because my parents have a horse and a set of deer near where they live but I haven't been able to find out the sculptor. Points to the first person who can tell me! 

"Moose Sculpture" originally uploaded by martin97uk