Yet more time away

Once again, my world has gone crazy. I'm attempting to get as much done as possible over the next couple of weeks in preparation for Jr. to arrive, leaving me little time to post. So, I'm signing off for a couple of weeks, returning in early March for a couple of more weeks (hopefully) before Jr. makes an appearance.

Thank you everyone for checking in so often. For your blogging enjoyment while I'm away, here are a few blogs I've been enjoying lately:

• Crafting an MBA
• Shop Etsy
• Letterheady
• Paperiaarre
• Graphic-ExchanGE (okay, not really a blog, but oh so pretty)
• Crafting a Green World (it's a good blog, but gets repetitive fairly quickly)

What are some of your favorite craft and design blogs?

Happy Christmas to all

After some serious scrambling, I managed to get my holiday cards out in the mail on the 23rd of December. At this point, I think they might be New Years cards.

This was my first attempt at using my die cut machine (KNK Groove-e) I purchased way back in late June. It definitely takes some trial and error to get the hang of it. But, luckily, the software is compatible with Illustrator, so so far I’ve only had to learn the basics of the cumbersome software that comes with the cutter. I can do all my actual drawing in Illy.

I’m happy with the results, if more time consuming than I’d hoped. Everything was done with papers and coverstock I had on hand, using up extras of papers I purchased for other projects. The design was originally freehand drawn, then scanned, and finally traced in Illy. The card is two sheets – an overlay with the diecut pattern and an internal coverstock card, attached to each other via a string binding.

Enjoy! And for those of you who celebrate Christmas: have a safe and merry one! For those of you who don’t: have a lovely, quiet 25th.

Learn more about the KNK from the online expert - Sandy McCauley

Tone on tone patterns

Woven window christmas card - red. Available in my Etsy store.

One of my favorite techniques is to create a subtle pattern using weaving as a source for the pattern. By using the same paper, but weaving it together, I can create a textural effect without overwhelming a simple design with something busy. One of these days, I'll take some weaving classes to expand my pattern repertoire.

But, it's not even Thanksgiving

I know, I know, it's not even Thanksgiving, but I've begun to post some holiday cards and items in my Etsy store.

I think my favorite word used around this time of year is "Joy". Go ahead, say the word out loud. You can't help but smile a bit. It's a word that hasn't lost its meaning as a polite phrase like "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". We can say "Merry Christmas" and not really think about what we're saying, but I think it's much harder to wish someone joy without consciously thinking about what we're saying, which puts meaning behind the words.

What's your favorite holiday word?

Links to holiday items posted so far:

• Winter night holiday card (set of ten)


• Copper evergreen holiday card (set of five)


• Star field holiday card (set of ten)


• And many other boxes that would be a wonderful way to package those holiday finds.

Design isn't just for advertising

Image: Winning design by Kyle Thompson over at the Dollar ReDe$ign Project.

As a graphic designer by day, I truly appreciated this opinion article by Allison Arieff over on the NY Times web site. Imagine easy-to-follow, well-designed forms; clear and precise info boxes for your mortgage; signage designed for easy reading (see an older article from the NY Times for examples of this). The article is calling for a national design policy, and while many rebel against this siting a loss of creativity, I think at a basic level it would do much more good than harm.

I think of forms first and foremost. Often relegated to a side task or to someone with no training beyond a good grasp of Word, I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to scream and then redesign forms in doctors offices, government agencies, court offices, grocery stores, banks, etc. A well thought-out and well-designed form always immediately jumps out at me, mostly because it's so rare. I wonder how many mistakes could be avoided with better forms that flow logically, offer the right amount of space for requested information, and have common sense explanations for terms that might be industry-speak. And while a national design policy can't do anything about those horrible forms at my bank, they can remind people that good design isn't just for advertising and brochures, but applies to everything. It can save time, money, and help avoid mistakes.

The winter queen would like white ferns

I've posted a new set of cards over in my Etsy shop. I really enjoyed creating this illustration of a fern frond. The fern image comes from a fern in my backyard and I love the detailed edges combined with the flat off-white color.

And, as I've said before in this blog, I do think packaging is an important part of the whole. In keeping with the light, neutral tones of these cards, I wanted to do something simple for the packaging, so created a pocket. I added just a bit o' shiny in the tie used to close the package.

It's amazing what color and a perspective shift can do

I posted a new set of cards over in my Etsy shop. Called “Wave hello”, I think it's amazing what putting a very similar cut pattern on a different color and lying it horizontal instead of vertical does to the image. Suddenly what looked like a creature from the deep now looks like the deep (water that is).

Dare not speak its name

More fun with security envelope patterns. I just posted this new card over in my Etsy store. Done freehand, using an exacto knife, the pattern came out very cthulu-esque. Does a message written in a cthulu greeting card need to make sense?

Dragonfly fire challenge

I've been working feverishly on a couple of projects this last week and have not had time to post anything. But, happily, today after a few minor projects get done I'll be able to dig out my office and find out what color my desktop counter is.

Although I can't go into details as the project isn't done yet, a recent challenge presented itself - combine "fire" and "dragonfly" in interesting ways. Here is one illustration I came up with.

(The actual dragonfly is from Awardik, iStockphoto. The rest is me.)

Black and red all over - small boxes

I've just posted a third in my series of small boxes over in my Etsy store. This one was a lot of fun because I took a craft that to me feels very earthy and of the pioneer spirit - weaving and made a pretty gothic-feeling box. Again, it comes back to that idea of combining elements in unexpected ways.

I do love going back and forth between the darker, gothic, snarky side of my personality and the natural, earthy, save-the-environment side. Sometimes it feels like a boxing match, waiting to see who will win today.

Political papercraft

Over on BoingBoing, Cory Doctorow (brilliant author - highly recommend his books) has posted an excellent use of papercraft in politics by the Chicago Tribune. I'm having one of those, "I wish I'd thought of that" moments.

From BoingBoing, "...the Chicago Tribune has created this Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) 'Pinocchio' pdf with real Nose Grows with Lies action!"

Original post is here.

One of us

I've never been much of a joiner, but late last week I joined an Etsy team - EtsyRAIN. EtsyRAIN members are joined by location, not by product. Located in the Puget Sound area / greater Seattle area, there are well over 600 members - all selling on Etsy and all in the Seattle area. Wow!

If you're in the Seattle area and want to buy local, add "team etsyrain" to your search criteria when puttering around on Etsy. And watch for EtsyRAIN members at your local arts and crafts fairs.

EtsyRAIN blog

Plait present pockets

Who doesn't love alliteration? I've posted a new product over in my Etsy store just in time for all that grad and dad gift-giving. Upcycled and recyclable, these completely unique envelopes are perfect for small gifts. I'm thinking of posting instructions for them. Of course, I need to write the instructions first. If you're interested in instructions, email me at info [at] corbaecreative.com.

Link to store listing - plait present pockets

Packaging as part of the whole

I've been really enjoying Jackie Hernandez' posts on handmade and creative packaging over at Crafting a Green World. I'm definitely a strong believer in packaging and think it can make or break a product, and the items she's posted are absolutely beautiful. They have my head spinning with new ideas.

I am surprised at something she said though. In her post on Thursday, she said, "You do not need extravagant overdone packaging that will probably be thrown away by the recipient. Instead keep it simple, keep it easy to open, and keep it handmade." When reading that, I kept coming back to the question: why make something that will be thrown away by the recipient? If at all possible, shouldn't the packaging be something that can be reused in some way? I know it's not always possible, but when it is, it sure seems like the more ecologically-friendly option.

Two examples of this in practice come to mind. I visited Japan for the first time a few years ago. That's a country that knows how to create beautiful packaging. I still have some of the "ordinary" papers a few books I purchased were wrapped in, and have used other papers in projects since then. They were too beautiful to just recycle. Even simple wrapping was a work of art. Although I was leaning in that direction anyway, that trip really did firm up my belief that the packaging can be as important as the inside.

Secondly, I was thinking of shopping bags. Although the majority of my purchases go in cloth bags these days, I do still occasionally get store bags. Cheap plastic bags go directly into the recycling, but sturdy, well-made paper (and sometimes plastic) bags with cloth or string handles go in the drawer to be used later. And we do use them until they fall apart. What better branding for a company than to have their logo seen again and again because they've made a bag that can be reused?

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to lifecycle being as important as origin.

I began creating keepsake boxes as part of my card sets as a long-term packaging solution. The box can be reused long after the cards are gone.

Paper options limited

As much as I love paper and communication via a tangible item, people are often surprised to find that I'm also a strong believer in using technology to communicate – e-newsletters, email, web sites, electronic brochures, social networking, etc. To me, using electronic forms to communicate daily makes the occasional paper communication that much more important and meaningful. I love when I receive a well-designed, thoughtful piece in the mail or from a company – from a postcard to something more involved. More often, though, items I receive are poorly designed, cheap, and with a muddled message, if one exists at all; reminding me why I find most direct mail a waste of trees. And yes, I'm a designer and owe a portion of my income from designing direct mail.

Where does my diatribe lead? Not where you think. Although I do think electronic communications are a better use of resources in many ways, recently I've seen an unfortunate fallout from the lack of creative design and printing. More and more papers have been discontinued, leaving fewer options to choose from when we can design that creative piece. White or off-white in a dozen textures? You're set. Rich colors? Difficult. Texture in a printable stock? Probably not.

It seems like a classic catch-22. Fewer people are using printed materials for communication, so paper companies are providing fewer papers, giving fewer options for printed pieces. Of course, it does mean that when I do receive a well-designed piece, I'm that much more appreciative. And, it does force us designers to be that much more creative.

The cinnamon-colored paper used in this set is just an example of an amazing paper no longer available.

Using patterns in different ways

I just posted a new box over in my store. I've found that I love to take a pattern or item and use it in a different way than expected. In this instance, I used the same "net" pattern one would use to make a dreamcatcher and turned it into a more lacy pattern on the top of this box.

I'd love to hear about and/or see examples from others who have repurposed well-known patterns/items and used them in different ways.

Hidden beauty in security envelopes

Lately, I've been collecting security envelopes as they arrive in the mail. Although not a new idea to re-use security envelopes, there are a few projects that will incorporate the inside patterns.

It's been fascinating to me to collect and actually pay attention to these patterns. They are as varied as they are beautiful. It's a good reminder about how much of our world is purposefully designed and we never notice. So, here's a shout out to all of those designers and illustrators who have made something beautiful out of something so mundane as a security envelope.

Above are some of my favorite designs so far. Click on the photo to see a larger image.