It’s back! The second installment of Iterative Inspiration: a collaboration between myself and Rashi of Bucket of Squash. This week we chose this photo of a deconstructed salad to inspire our outcome, found via Oh Joy!, in this issue of Sweet Paul.

What struck me first about this photo was both the transparency of the items in the photo as well as the spectacular light. I knew that I wanted to experiment with these two aspects for this project. Instead of working through with a mind map this time around, I did the first thing that came to my mind. I grabbed all the transparent items I could find around my apartment, held them up to a lit window and started snapping away in hopes of something striking. Annnnd, that totally happened.

At first I thought I was going to grab sections from the different colored transparent areas and make some kind of abstract collage. As I got to my sixth or so item, something pretty neat happened. In the hand-soap bottle I was photographing, suddenly there was the view from my window, abstracted and colorful and turned upside down. I know we’ve all done this with our spoons, but it was really neat to see this new view from my apartment window.

I started to look at what else I could photograph through this soap bottle. After a few rounds,  nothing seemed to match the quality of the photograph from out of my window. I realized that having the light from the window was necessary to get that crisp and beautiful upside-down reflection. So I went to the different doors and windows in my apartment and started to capture those different views. I ended up with three photographs that I thought captured the bright and beautiful essence of that first shot.

A couple of months ago I won this giveaway on Design Improvised, and I still had a couple frames left over that I was waiting to fill. This project was the perfect chance for me to use the frames—and if I got bored of them, I could simply change out the photos with new ones easily due to the awesome design of these frames. I’m pretty obsessed with how I’ve been able to use these all over my apartment and not have that fear that I’m permanently committing to something I might not like on my walls in a couple weeks. So, I went ahead and cropped the photos to a composition I was happy with, printed them, cut them out, and filled the frames. Easy peasy.

With crazy high ceilings here, I’ve been so weird with how to decorate. Now that I’m graduating in less than a month it’s a little too late to really figure out what to do about this, but it hasn’t stopped me from hanging art and trying to make it as cozy as possible for the rest of my time here. These photos made the perfect addition to the space above my desk. Best of all, wherever I’m off to next, I’ll be able to take little pieces of my experience here with me. I’m not the most sentimental person, but when I do take the time to make note of particular experiences, I’m always glad I did. I love that these bring in some bright color to my space, and will remind me to keep thinking and experimenting in different ways to keep those creative juices flowing.

Head on over to Bucket of Squash to see how Rashi was inspired and to see her project.

I guess it’s just launch season! Introducing the new blog design and logo for finance blog, Money Matters. Blogger Emily contacted me a while back to give a fresh new look to this finance blog run through Mid American Credit Union. They have Emily writing about her life as a recent graduate and twenty-something navigating the new waters of personal finance. With a fun and modern vibe, and a little vintage aesthetic thrown in there with the color palette, we created a design scheme that nods towards the physical elements you might use to manage your own personal finances. The logo actually draws elements from the dollar bill with the decorated border—this is why I love design research!

I hope you can head over to Money Matters, take a look, and leave Emily some love! She is a terrific girl, and she brings a really great light to this sector of our lives that many of us could probably use a bit of a freshening up with.

On a side note, I am taking on new clients starting around June for blog designs, logo designs, look books, whatever! If you have a fun new design project and you think we might be a match, contact me and we can work together now to hit the ground running come June.

Have an excellent Thursday everyone!

You know I love circles and script *cough cough, my logo, cough* so when I was approached by two lovely blogger friends of mine to help brand a meet-up with these specs, I was all in! While it’s still in the works, Whitney and Katy are hoping to get a little shindig set up in the next couple months to start building a stronger blogging community in the Atlanta area, and they needed some branding to help spread the word. I’m so grateful for all the positive experiences that blogging has brought my way, and I love the idea of bringing this online environment to the tactile world. Now, where are you local Savannah bloggers!?

Wishing you all a happy Friday, and my thoughts go out to Boston today. xoxo

Next week I’m excited to announce that Rashi from Bucket of Squash and I will be launching a new collaboration. It’s still a little bit in the works, but I wanted to mention it just to build up some suspense in your lives. Kidding, hah. These photos are extras pulled from the pinterest board we have been working on. I just wanted to stop and take notice of how inspiration clicks for me sometimes.

Pinterest is a wild beast and can lead you down the road of trends and imitation sooo quickly, but I also think that as creatives we have been given such a tool with this media if used in certain ways. When we enter into this world of infinite inspiration we have access to a blindly curated group of images that are put together by people of our choosing. The rate and availability of these images is a little overwhelming, but simultaneously astounding. Never before have we had access to so much curated content at the rate that we can experience it now. Whether we’re looking at our own boards or at others, the connections we can make while accessing this information is something I’m so curious about. So that’s why I had to let you in to one of my little moments today. I hope you’ll indulge with me a little.

In this board of about twelve images, these four immediately stood out to me. While pinned separately without realization and by two different people, the combination of the images really had me thinking about how artists and designers can create meaning by leaving out certain aspects of the body. In isolation, or exclusion, each body part can highlight certain aspects and create meaning in it’s placement, what surrounds it, and even in it’s pose. Would that arm holding the wine glass exemplify a fun time being had as much if the whole person were being shown? I think not. The playful nature of hiding and showing a common action happening at a party in such a peculiar way really enhances the mood and spirit here. Each of these starts to create their own story, but when combined, start to create a whole other one entirely. These combined show the power of body parts in imagery, to me. Looking beyond individual aesthetics this group of images can start to create meaning beyond what they individually could. I love that through using pinterest we have the availability to make these kinds of connections in our thoughts and practices in such a new way than has been available, and also at an accelerated rate due to the digital medium.

It’s also interesting to note that these thoughts started to come to me as Rashi and I have been working under the lens of a specific collaboration dealing with inspiration finding. As part of my thesis research I’m starting to realize how inspirations seem to reveal themselves when we work under certain contexts, and it’s my belief that having this project helped these images stand out so that I could subconsciously make this meaning. There’s a lot to working under specific processes, projects, or goals that can really enhance how you start to experience the world and how you’re inspired. This is something I think pinterest and other digital self-curative media has an excellent role in. Just my theories though.

Do you find this happening to you when using Pinterest? Have you had any experience where meaning just started to click for you? I’d love to hear!

SOURCES: HAND WITH PHOTO // HAND WITH WINE // FEET // PORTRAIT

To wrap up this week, the lovely Emily of the object enthusiast is here sharing a special time in her life—and she has a special treat as well! You all know what a fan I am of Emily’s work, and I’m so so excited that I was not only able to purchase one of her gorgeous new copper pieces, but that Emily was so nice to give one away to one of you! Read her post, oogle over her moodboard, and then skip on down to have your chance at wining some lovely. I styled the vases and took some photographs to show you just how lovely these pieces really are. Thank you, thank you Emily!

FROM EMILY—The best 6 days of my life were spent in Paris in the Spring of 2008. It rained the entire time I was there, and since then I’ve always had a thing for gray rainy days. Rainy days take me back to the time I spent in Paris, even when I’m stuck in Kansas. On rainy days I like to treat myself to my favorite tea, a flaky croissant, and I grab my boots and an umbrella and I walk around pretending I’m still on those cobble stone streets in the heart of the most amazing city on Earth. My heart swells when I think of Paris – the late night walks, the love that might have been. Words cannot describe the feeling I had when I emerged from the Metro that first day. I dream about wandering those puddled streets again someday.

Rainy mornings are my weakness. Nothing feels better than savoring the grayness of a rainy morning. I often skip out on my responsibilities on rainy mornings so that I can sit and pretend to be in Paris.

One of my girly guilty pleasures is having a vanity—it was my mission to find the perfect one when moving here to Savannah. I was so scared to barter for this one at the flea market that I had a friend take my money and do it for me! hah. Since then, I have accumulated some pretty things to decorate the top with. Antique mirrored trays? You bet! I knew when I saw Emily’s copper vase that it would be the perfect addition to my vanity. I love that I can bring some nature into my beauty routine each morning, and taking this time to relax and be surrounded by beautiful things really makes a great start to the morning.

Now that you have your chance to win your own, where would you put your copper vase? Do you have a vanity to place it on, or are you going to use it on your desk to hold some art supplies? I think it’s the perfect little pick-me-up to pretty much any surface!

There are several ways to enter and you have until next Friday, March 29th at midnight to do so. If you’re in a reader please click through to the post to enter the giveaway—I’m using rafflecopter. You also can stop by to tweet throughout the week for extra entries. For US residents only, excluding Hawaii and Alaksa. Good luck!

Be sure to check out Emily’s shop for more goodies!

All giveaway photos taken by Kelsey Cronkhite for Pinegate Road

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Starting off this Thursday morning we have the lovely Sarah of Sarah Hearts with us today! I had the amazing chance to meet her at Alt Summit in January, and I have been captivated by her DIY projects and her fun spirit ever since. If you don’t know Sarah, I suggest you get your butt over to Sarah Hearts to check her out, please and thank you.

Spring is starting to show around my neighborhood and I’m feeling inspired by all the hues of the season. I especially am loving coral and mint. I think it’s a refreshing take on traditional spring colors. It seems the colors are spilling into my closet too! I now own a pair of mint and coral jeans.

Dots both scattered like confetti and ordered in row never will get old to me. I love how playful yet chic they can be. I love mixing them with other patterns like stripes and florals and even other textures like leather and linen. My dot craze is spilling into my DIY life too! I’ve been making pom poms like crazy to use as garlands, and to adorn gifts.

I just discovered dark chocolate peanut butter. I really don’t know how I didn’t try this sooner. It’s been my go to snack with honey crisp apple slices. It’s heavenly.

As a designer, it’s easy to get into a rut and compare yourself to others. There are so many wonderfully gifted people in our field that it can be overwhelming. To help keep me focused, I’ve printed this verse and displayed it above my desk as a reminder to do my own creative best.

POLKA DOT SHIRT // QUOTE // POM POMS // GOLD POLKA DOTS // CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER

Guest posting with Natalie of The Soho is always such a treat—she is a former Savannian, and I love following along her adventures in New York on her blog. She has put together a lovely board for you all today. Can we all agree that those doughnuts are looking especially spectacular? Yum. Big thank you’s to Natalie for sharing her moment!

FROM NATALIE—I never feel motivated when it comes time to make New Year’s resolutions, but the start of spring is another story. There’s something much more natural about goal-setting and feeling hopeful and inspired when the flowers are starting to spring up, the birds aren’t hiding away somewhere, and it isn’t dark out at four in the afternoon. Spring is when I really get excited about making plans, trying new things and exploring my city. These images and colors bring to mind new beginnings, what the world looks like when the snow has melted and signs of life are beginning to peak through.

SOURCES

Let’s welcome Jordan of Create like Crazy back to the blog today! Pinegate Road was lucky to have her last year when we got a sneak peek behind her blog and her work space. She has become such an awesome resource to myself and so many other creatives who are looking for tips and insights into the creative process. She collaborates on her blog, Create like Crazy, with a handful of other talented ladies and it’s been amazing to watch Create like Crazy grow over the past year the way it has. Keep up the great work Jordan, and so excited to have you sharing with us today!

FROM JORDAN—Artists seem to always be swinging on a pendulum. We swing back and forth between self-doubt and confidence, no clients and a never ending inbox, creatives ruts and overflowing inspiration. In the midst of having a long list of ideas and not enough time, I’m finding myself drawn to simplistic, organized and minimal even more than usual. I’m painting everything white, organizing my files and clearing off my walls. But if I’m being honest, I love living the crazy, ever changing life of a creative! So, I’ll just keep rearranging my office to go along with it. ;)

CLOCK // WEB DESIGN // MONDAY // GOALS // GRID // BRANDING // OFFICE

I think there is something so intriguing about being able to express moments and stories through visual forms—exercises like creating moodboards can open you up to new connections and thought processes while training your eye for creative detail and inspiration. With the feedback that I’ve been getting from the inspiration versus imitation post, I thought it would be a great exercise to start to visualize particular moments or moods in a new way and see where this practice might lead. I’ve asked five of my blogger friends to participate in this adventure this week, and I hope you’re as excited as I am to start to see a little snippet into the creative mindset and process of some very talented folks. Starting off this week of guest posts will be the lovely and incredibly talented Jo from Hey Jo! I’m always inspired by her aesthetic and eye for design detials, and you can clearly see what I mean with her moodboard picks.

FROM JO—As I write this I feel terribly jet lagged.  I’ve been in Mexico and while only there for a very short time I managed to get quite ill (understatement) and spent a day or so in bed.  Aside from feeling sorry for myself I did manage to lie on the sand and feel my hair blow in the salty breeze while the warm sunshine formed a freckle bridge over my nose and onto my cheeks.  Oh and I read.  A lot.  I believe I could do that for a living.  I also believe I am the boss of shade-bathing (like sun bathing but minus the burn which is all that ever happens to my pale English skin).  Anyway, it was beyond therapeutic and I now find myself longing for Spring & Summer to hurry up and stay a while.  Seriously, where is it?  (Snow, I’m looking at you).  This all got me to thinking about how much the seasons affect my style, both personally and professionally.  All I want to see now I am officially done with Winter are images flooded with sunlight, drenched with floral blooms and filled with open-toed sandals & brightly coloured nails: perfect for dipping into the sparkling azure waters of somewhere offensively hot.  Yes, I am a glutton for such things and I’m not in the least bit sorry.  Sunshine and salt water revive me which is the perfect solution for getting ‘it’ done.  And by ‘it’ I mean work.  And by work I mean the thing I do for a living which I happen to be in love with.  And for that I am very lucky and even more grateful.  And, well, that’s that.  These images represent all that I am looking forward to in the coming months and make me feel happy just by looking at them.  I suppose that in the end, that’s why I chose them; because they make me smile and excited for a summer season which I hope will be the best yet.  I am nothing if not completely and totally optimistic.  (I do live in England, after all).

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Thank you thank you Jo! Be sure to stop by her blog for more of this lovely on the reg.

You’ve heard it before, the alt summit business card exchange is just one of the special things that happens when you head out west. Along with the recent redesign I designed my very first professional business cards just in time. Previously I was using thin rolodex paper and a truly homemade stamp — I was ready for the upgrade! Once the design was complete, I sent my cards off to Cotton Paperie to get letterpressed. They definitely didn’t disappoint. The quality was superb, and the price was much lower than other places I received quotes from. I really loved that they had an instant quote available too — on my tight timeline, that set them apart from the rest! Last-minute I also decided to create some hand lettered postcards to give as another takeaway at the conference. Along with some velum envelopes and custom stickers, I was all set.

I’m seriously in love with my cards — is that weird to say? I just really enjoy letterpress, and I’ve been having so much fun playing with my new branding and spreading it across all aspects of Pinegate Road. I think I’m just proud to have pulled this off honestly. A year ago I would have never imagined to be at the place I am now with this blog and my career—I don’t think we give ourselves enough credit sometimes for those little accomplishments. I think it’s in good practice to sit back and be proud of them. I’m going to relish for a while, excuse me.

Alright, that’s enough of that! On to my favorite alt summit business cards. I had a very hard time narrowing my favorites, so I decided to categorize them into three groups. I hope you get the chance to take a look through all the wonderful ladies behind the cards!

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE (this card was made of velvet, what!)

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE // SIX

Last but not least, after all this Alt exchange excitement, I wanted to bring a little Alt to those of who you didn’t have the chance to make it out to Salt Lake this year. I’m going to send out five hand lettered postcards to you! The first five readers that email me their address with the subject line ‘postcard’ will get a special note from me in the mail sometime soon. So, email away and I hope you enjoyed all the lovely business cards I landed at Alt Summit!