Want It: Wooden Letterpress Alphabet

Vintage Wooden Letterpress Letters

I don't know if you have noticed but I have been posting a lot of design related stuff lately. I promise it is not on purpose. I still love florals, owls, and lace dresses. I guess I have subconsciously been exploring another facet of my interests. Which brings me to a major want of mine lately... A vintage wooden letterpress alphabet set! Being a graphic designer I have a great appreciation and love for where our trade has come from. Wooden type, for those of you who don't know was used in early printing (as well as today) to create posters, pamphlets, and pretty much anything that needed type printed on it. Not only are these type letters historical, but they are just so pretty!! Right now I own only three pieces of wooden type. All letter "N" and I love them to pieces but I would truly love a whole set! Too bad most alphabet sets are around $100. I guess I will just have to keep up the yard sale hunt till I find a deal on my very own wooden alphabet.

P.S. Here is an awesome video about type you may want to check out, I guess this could have almost been a "Design It" post, oh well...

Nowhere Boy

Let me start off by saying the second I saw this trailer I could not WAIT to see this movie. Unfortunately it took forever to release in the US so I had to wait patiently. My love for The Beatles started in 8th grade when my Mom popped in a mix CD on a long car ride. By the chorus of "We Can Work it Out" I was hooked. Whichever friend of hers made that CD really deserves a gigantic hug. Not only were the Fab Four on there but I was also introduced to The Monkees, The Kinks, The Who, The Doors... and so many more. That first CD was really all I needed to jump start my love for The Beatles and classic rock in general. I ran with it. I read every article I could find on The Beatles, watched every bit of YouTube footage, rented every movie they were in, and read every biography written (I highly recommend Hunter Davies). I even did a cause effect paper on them in high school. It was entitled "The Beatles effect on America" In case you were curious I got an A! I seriously became obsessed. While I still love my Beatles I have packed up all of my peace sign jewelry, and put away my woodstock posters. I am no longer in my "hippie phase" as my Mom so annoyingly used to call it. But my love for the Beatles will never go away.

Warby Parker

Today I want to tell you guys about this awesome company call Warby Parker. A girl at work told me about them after coming in sporting some awesome new glasses and I knew I had to give them a try. Their business is simple, pick five of your favorite frames from their website, try them on at home (all free of charge), send them back (free of charge) and order your favorite for the low low cost of $95. You read right, $95 for frames and lenses PLUS free shipping. Sounds too good to be true, I know! But it really is that simple. My five frame choices were, The Huxley, The Winston, The Crosby, The Filmore, and The Webb. Below are pictures of my three favorites, and my final choice which I will be ordering as soon as I get my updated prescription. I am in LOVE with the pair I picked and really do recommend this to anyone who is due for a new pair of specs! Oh! and sorry for the ridiculous faces, while I love being behind the camera, I tend to dislike being in front of it...

Aren't they so fun!! I wore them around the house for the past three days asking my family over and over which ones they liked most. They voted unanimously and thankfully for the pair I like best! And while I love all three, my absolute favorite is the...

I can't wait to get to the eye doctor and get my new prescription! Oh, and by the way this was not at all a sponsored post, mainly because I don't do sponsored posts. I just wanted to share this awesome new company with you all!

Design It: Pantone

Another "Design It" post! I just couldn't help myself I am in love with everything Pantone! For those of you who are not giant nerds; Pantone books are the universal color books used by designers everywhere. Say I wanted to print a giant poster for a new super cool band and I found just the perfect shade of yellow for the sunrise vector I created for the background. Well imagine my excitement when the poster arrives, I unroll it and ECK! it is not the beautiful burnt yellow I picked but more like a neon yellow that belongs only on 80's related memorabilia. The problem was I saw a much different color on my computer screen (because of the light being projected behind it/ my personal brightness settings/ the light in the room I was working on it in ect.) then the actual color being printed. In order to avoid this color catastrophe Pantone books were created so that no matter where you are in the world the color you want will be the color you get. Each color is assigned a number which can be plugged into the design you are working on to ensure color perfection. Not only are Pantone books a great way to keep designers and printers from going insane, but the books themselves are designed pretty darn well. They are simple, sleek and straight to the point. My kind of design! I am honestly in love with all of the Pantone items below but I have been super duper wanting the iPhone case!! If only I could find a place in the US that doesn't charge $30 shipping...

1. Pantone Postcards

2. Pantone iPhone Cover (i want soooo bad!)

3. Pantone Mug

4. Pantone Tote

5. Pantone Colored Pencils