I have been having a hard time getting dressed in the morning lately. I don’t know if it’s because I am uninspired, sick of my closet, too tired to think – I’m sure it’s all of the above. This morning consisted of keeping on the shirt I slept in and sporting a pair of jean shorts with a spandex waist! haha :) I need some new staples that will keep me cool when I’m feeling lazy.
Stripe Tee Dress / Acetate Frames / Ceramic Mug / Yellow Suede Boots
Hey guys, Drum-roll for Round #02 of Top-Notch Type! Thank you SO much for all the positive feedback as we launched the series. When chatting about the theme for this week, Eva & I decided to convey the message of TAKING A BREAK & RELAXING with this simple sans serif font!!
…a little more on that theme :
After my Mexico Trip & a California beach weekend, I have chillin on the brain, ha. I am slowly realizing that stepping away from the computer is truly crucial (duh right?). The past year has been so busy ( in a good way ) that I unconsciously de-prioritized a lot of things ( what was I thinking?). So we are here to say, as if you didn’t already know, that you MUST stop and just RELAX, okay?
This week’s font : Nevis
Number of styles : 1
Classification : San-Serif — Strong, Angular Typeface
Designer : Ten By Twenty by designer Ed Merritt
Get it here —> : Ten By Twenty
Orange Image by : Jen Gotch
I’m in love with these delicate and feminine cards!
The designer made them for her sister so a lot of love was put into them.
I am always wanting to re-do my business cards.
I think I am going to invest in getting mine letter-pressed! Stoked.
Looks like GREEN is my new favorite color.
I am dying over these styling tips from Madewell’s Fall 2012 Lookbook.
It’s torture I tell you, torture.
Introducing Jessica Baker – a knitting extraordinaire! When I first opened my knit shop, I would always check up on her to see what new products she was creating – she is definitely an inspiration to me in the crafting world! I am so happy that she has stuck around and is STILL pumping out new pieces. Do you guys have any favorite knitters?
“I started my knitting business, YesJess, three years ago while I was finishing my degree in architecture. I graduated and decided to do knitwear full-time. Since then, I have moved to Brooklyn, New York. The business has evolved from small-scale accessories to clothing. I’m now in the midst of designing some Spring & Summer items using cotton yarns.”
…and now her favorite piece and why –
“The skirt is one of the most flexible pieces I own. I’ve worn it to business meetings and I’ve worn it to picnics. In a close second: I have to include the shoes. The platform makes them contemporary. The Mary-Jane strap and open toe make them historical. I wear them with jeans all the time for a ‘lil Lolita look.”
THANKS JESS!!
This weekend left me… so happy!
Good people, good conversation, spontaneous little treats**
There will be more soon – I can promise you that.
p.s. Can you tell I LOVE that Instax camera?? haha.
I am now carrying it everywhere I go.
I am so madly in love with these images taken by Feather Love – it makes me wish I was a mixologist and specialized in drink making!! One of the things that was on my 25 Things To Do Before 25 list was to learn how to do exactly this. Did I? Nope. Looks like I need to carry it over to my 30 before 30, ha! What is y’alls favorite cocktail to make – maybe I’ll get started this weekend!!
Recipe & Styling by : Valley & Co.
I am so excited to announce a new contributor & column to the blog! Eva Black and I have paired up to create TOP-NOTCH TYPE – Each week we will pick a font, show it being used, and give you guys everything you need to download it, learn about, and fall in love with type in general. It’s amazing how far a well designed font can take you. Our slogan : TYPE LOVERS UNITE!!!
This week’s font : Josefin Slab
Number of styles : 10
Classification : Slab Serif + Bold with Thick Serifs
Designer : Typemade + A digital type foundry based in Monterrey Mexico
Get it here —> : Fontsquirrel
ENJOY ’cause there is definitely more where that came from!!
If you follow me on Instagram, you have already seen a plethora of colorful & bright photos from my trip to Mexico!! I am currently writing this post on my tiny balcony at home in an attempt to feel like I am still there. It was such a needed break from my ridiculously busy life – we didn’t even have wifi at the hotel so we truly had to tune out and just relax!! This was my first time to Mexico so I had no clue what to expect – I also don’t speak a lick of Spanish so I was leaning on my travel mates to make up in that area. As soon as we stepped off the plane, it was all heat, desert, cacti, and beach!! Pretty close to Los Angeles but so much more extreme!!
STORY TIME : The picture below is of our new Mexican fabrics that we turned into make-shift beach blankets. The owner of a breakfast place we went to had table cloths and napkins made of this same fabric! Bri and I were literally drooling over them and inquired about where we could get our hands on some. He informed us that he handmade them and they weren’t for sale. Although, he did tell us where we could buy the fabric if we wanted to make our own – so of coarse we hunted it down and loaded up!! I am going to turn mine into a pillow and probably some napkins – let the sewing begin.
Have you guys ever used an Instax camera? OMG. I borrowed my roommates for this trip and had WAY too much fun with it. Don’t laugh but I packed almost 50 exposures and came home with only a handful left. The iphone camera is great & all but there is something about physically having that picture in your hands a few minutes later. Needless to say, we got some great instant pictures!! My favorites were the overexposed ones* You can see lots more of them over at Bri’s post about our trip!!
One thing that was not unexpected was the COLOR – but seriously!?? – it was sooo bright and everywhere!!! Bri kept saying, “Man!! Mexico sure does love pink!” and she was 100% correct. Every building, every home & business, the drinks, the money – all colorful. There was also tons of hand-painted type. I wanted to do a post specifically about that but I couldn’t focus enough to get some good pictures! ( next time, wink* ) Our hotel’s color palette was also awesome – yellow, pinks, oranges… SO GOOD!!
SOME FAVORITE MEMORIES :
01. Renting Scooters – this was the BEST purchase of the entire trip. We bopped around to different beaches, explored the town, found an old cemetery… This allowed us to leave the hotel to actually explore Cabo & stumble upon things we would have never seen.
02. Hammocks at Sunset – Can’t get much better than this.
03. Becoming regulars in town – You know you’re cool when restaurant owners high five you on the way in.
04. A massage right by the ocean – seriously?
05. A lightning storm right outside our balcony
06. A glass bottom boat tour
The list goes on…………. and on…….
Overall, it was an incredibly successful trip and served it’s purpose – to help me relax and spend some time with good friends. I had fun spending time with Bri outside of the office cause it’s seems like more often than not – that is our prime hang out spot. I hope you guys enjoyed this little recap. I had fun reminiscing about it all, even though I have only been back one day, ha. Bri & I shot some footage with our phones and made a little video for you guys. It’s always fun to see things in motion too!! This Brenton Wood song was stuck in our heads the whole trip so we felt it was perfect to pair with the video. Enjoy!!
Introducing this week’s Lovely Lady, Kelli Murray –
“About a month and a half ago, I left my full time job as the art director for a small clothing label to venture into the both scary AND exciting world of freelance design. Mainly to accommodate my most important responsibility of being a mom to a new baby girl. I do a gamut of things from graphic design, to illustration, to custom paintings, to invitation and paper design. While all of that used to be my side job that kept me up into the wee hours of the night, it is now turning into my career (although still keeping me up into the wee hours of the night because the rest of my day is spent changing diapers and entertaining baby!) But I would not change a thing. Art has always been my passion and I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to do what I love for a living.”
…and now her favorite piece and why :
Definitely my dress. I have been a fan of MINKPINK for a long time now and this is the latest in my collection. I instantly fell in love with the pattern and how easy it was to wear. I love that I can dress it up with a heel or down with a sandal. I have a feeling it might be a summertime staple.
…and last but not least, the WINNER of last week’s Giveaway :
Congratulations to – NADINE!!! Shoot me an email with your info girl :)
