♥ And for some daily typographic inspiration, check out Friends of Type.
♥ One more design related thing before I move on: A form letter to help you politely decline spec work. Along with some solid reasoning as to why spec work can be a bad idea for everyone involved.
I came across this and absolutely had to share it with you! It is a beautiful tribute to four classic typefaces, done by a Spanish design studio, Atipo.
And if the images alone aren’t enough, the video below is sure to get your creative juices flowing:
A while back I picked up a pair of shoes from a store called Shoe Carnival. I was on a desperate search for a pair of decent boots, and had tried on every pair in town. The Shoe Carnival (located conveniently next to the Dress Barn) touts a name that makes me cringe (as does the Dress Barn)… I stayed away! But after what felt like an epic search with no end in sight, I decided that I had to exhaust every option. So to the Shoe Carnival I went.
When I stepped in, it wasn’t too bad… kind of a Payless Shoes meets Famous Footwear. Not immediately fantastic, but still boxes and boxes of inexpensive shoes. I wandered through the store and eventually ended up at a $5 rack at the back, which is where I found these beauties:
With their faded denim, gold trim, and strips of pink zebra print with (wait for it…) a snake skin texture, they were too horribly good to pass up. In fact, I even picked up a pair for a friend.
They’ve been sitting in their box in my closet since November. Until a week ago, when I had a bit of a DIY adventure.
(scans from Harper’s BAZAAR & Marie Claire)
I have been lusting after the SS11 Dior sandals (above). So many laces, feathers, and gorgeously bright colors! I was completely inspired!! I grabbed some silk-screening paint (waterproof and intended for fabric) and got to work. $2.50 in ribbon, and a few hours of painting later, and I have these beauties:
My friend caught a glimpse of them, and within a few days I received a picture:
There is hope for ugly shoes! I have already begun plotting for the next pair on my horizon.
Recently I picked up an issue of Harper’s BAZAAR. It isn’t a magazine that I generally read, although I don’t know why. As I was flipping through I came across a couple pages that I had to share with you!
These title pages beautifully embrace simple colors and plentiful white space, allowing the letters to jump off the page as art.
I can’t believe that January has completely gotten away from me! It’s already the 28th. Well, here’s to a magical February! Let me give you a rundown of the last two weeks:
Last week Jared and I flew to New York on some business.
Manhattan is my favorite place ever! So while we took care of what we needed to, we also did a little wandering through town.
It was absolutely freezing! I did have a bunch of outfit posts planned for you, but the bitter cold kept them all hidden below my coat.
This venture to New York was the first to take me to a hostel. How did I not know about these earlier?! On top of being fantastically inexpensive, there was also a cafe and a bar-style common room. One of the nights we grabbed dinner from the market across the street and listened to one of the other guests (a guy from Brazil) play the accordion.
He did a few classics and then moved into Lady Gaga, and Brittany Spears. Accordion music as I had never hear it before!! (Thanks for the video Jared!!)
Oh! And then the French Macaroons! *drool*. I had heard of these and knew that I needed to try them, but I had absolutely no idea how quickly I would fall in love with them! The French seriously know their pastries!!
And more on food:
I had heard of Momofuku Noodles, and was intrigued. But before I knew it Jared and I were hovering unknowingly in front of their door. It had to happen! So we stopped in for delicious noodles.
And then there was CBGB!! It’s only slightly before my time, and I’ve always been sad that I didn’t make it to this legendary club before it closed. But I absolutely appreciate that the designer clothing store that moved in is doing its best to keep the memory alive! If you don’t know the story of CBGB, read about it here. It’s definitely a story worth knowing.
And then it was time to fly back to Salt Lake. I’m always sad to leave New York… I have so much more to take care of there, but it was time for the Sundance Film Festival!
Sundance has been a huge chunk of my week. I will definitely give you a Sundance review like last year’s very soon. But if you’re dying to know, check out my tweets from this week.
And with that I’m off! Have a fantastic weekend lovelies!!
It has been an absolutely epic January! I really do apologize for my absence, my lovely readers. But between jumping into full-time freelance, a trip to New York, and the Sundance Film Festival, my time with the internet has been sparse. Let’s get right back into it with an outfit post! I wore this Sunday to Park City for Sundance.
After the bitter cold weather of the east coast, the temperatures in Park City hovering in the upper 30′s was absolutely pleasant. I was able to shed my coat to offer you the full effect of the outfit. What I wore:
Hat: Strawberry
Necklace: A huge chunk of Amber; Xmas present from my mom
I have had a wicked cold this week, so I don’t have too much of an update. But I do have a few things to share:
I have to say that this way one of my absolute favorite NYE parties of all time! It was complete with Chinese lanterns, Saucy Ladies Catering, champagne, some of my very favorite people, and (of course) a New Years kiss with my amazing husband! Thank you, Emily and Nate, for orchestrating such an fantastic party!
A design post for the brochures and an outfit post are on their way, until then you’ll just have to trust me when I say that they were both fabulous!!
Sundance is right around the corner!! I’m getting so excited!
Over the past few months, I have been alluding to big changes coming my way. This Monday I took the first huge step. I quit my day job! I have spent the past 2 1/2 years of my life at this desk, and in a week I’ll never sit in that chair again. My life is enveloped in the winds of change! Fabulous things are on their way!! This means that I will be open to A LOT more freelance work… If you have a project that you’ve been sitting on, now is definitely a great time to get with me.
Well, lovelies, I’m off to get an early start to my weekend!
I have so much planned for us! Let’s start things off with an adventure, one that will alter how I see things, where I go, and perpetuate change throughout the rest of the year. Don’t get overwhelmed, but I’m going to push things to the max. I’m dreaming on a whole new scale of big, and I will plan and execute with confidence.
You’re mere presence is a call to action; it’s been this way for centuries. You are here to remind me that I get a fresh start, if I choose to. You help me mark the beginning of my next great adventure: my next year. You bring with you fresh calendars with numbered blank squares just begging to be filled with the promise of adventure, progress, and oh so much more! I’ve been getting a head start with my goals and I will be in motion right out of the gate.
After the initial shock of change, I’ll take a breath and look around. Admiring what I’ve done so far, and scheming about my next step. Here, things will be different, really different, but after a moment of absorbing my new surroundings I’m confident that I’ll get my stride and be able to leap into the next step.
I know that this might sound nerve-wracking, but I’ve been preparing and I’m ready for this. It’s time for action. Your predecessors have been helpful, they have filled me with hope, determination, and the information that I’m going to need as I embark; but it is you, New Year, that will spur me on to the challenges that I face now, and will see me emerge, once again, on top of my game.
The holidays have been a whirl wind! They came and went, and have left me looking towards the New Year with overwhelming anticipation. 2011 has some great things in store for me!
Black Friday (after an obscenely long wait in below freezing weather to shop) I got to help Jared with the sound for a short that I wrote and he created. Filming is so much fun! The film turned out fantastic! Jared has such amazing talent!!
It might be time to clean out my purse… eight! EIGHT!! lipsticks, glosses, etc… My name is Constance, and yes, I might have a problem.
This year for Xmas I got a little crafty. It’s hand carved and painted acrylic on Oak veneer with a high-gloss resin coating. I have a few more of these that are on their way… I’ll give you a peek when they’re closer to done.
Oh, Saucy Ladies! I’ve been working on some final photo edits and designing for this fantastic client, and every time I do, my stomach starts to rumble. I’m telling you, if you’re in Salt Lake and need a caterer, Emily is the absolute BEST at what she does!!
Happy Holidays, lovelies!! I’ve been thinking of all of the articles that I want to get to you before the new year, and plenty are on their way. But as the holidays can lead to hectic schedules and all around craziness, here’s something to hold you over. The best of I Heart Constance 2010. I’ve hand picked each of these; if I’ve somehow left your favorite off the list, let me know in the comments below.
resolution: [rez-uh-loo-shuh n] (n) the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.
revolution: [rev-uh-loo-shuh n] (n) a sudden, complete or marked change in something
Enough resolving and determining, I am ready for action! This year I have made some New Year’s Revolutions; my plans are already in action and I will make 2010 exactly what I want it to be!
I had an amazing weekend! I took time off to intentionally relax from work… except that I didn’t. I can’t help it! I tucked my computer away (only pulling it out to read my personal version of smut… my time wasting fluff), and apparently collaborate on an exciting new project. When you work for yourself, it becomes damn near impossible to separate work from everything else.
A while back I picked up animating as a hobby… because it is not my full-time job my work still has that novice quality. But I do love it! I have spent part of my morning helping The Big Purple Tree with a new intro animation to put on finished products, so I have moving pictures on my brain. I thought that you might get a kick out of seeing my demo reel. Wanna? Here you go:
This weekend I had an amazing opportunity to attend the Olympic Qualifier event for the snowboarding super-pipe. And not just attend! My friend managed to score media passes for an up-close view of all of the snowboarding magic! (Thanks Emily!!)
I absolutely love Sundance! I’m sure that I would love any other film festival just as much, but Sundance is the one that I grew up with. I love the idea of absolutely independent films, I’m also very fond of the idea of studio’s putting out films that do not stick to their norm. I love the event of it! The excuse to wander through Park City (20 minutes away and I usually only make it there once or twice a year). I love the inspiration: finding films that have been created with no more that a fabulous idea and some rented equipment. Love! Love! Love!
Tuesday I had the opportunity to wander through an abandoned opera house. The building is beautiful and absolutely haunted. It’s apparent that it was a completely grand building in the early 1900′s, but very dilapidated now. Although many of the fixtures have been removed, much of the marble (from tile to railing) remains. I wandered from below the stage all the way up to a ladder that ran to the top of the building: in the basement there was a raffle hopper and as far up as I could get there was an ancient film projector.
Brand is how people feel about you, your company, your product, your service. If corporate identity goes in one ear, brand comes out the other. This is NOT to say that corporate identity = brand, nor is brand a logo or a product. Brand is a feeling; brand is the personality of your company.
Monday morning, bright and early, Jared and I headed out to the airport for an amazing opportunity! We were asked to fly over Salt Lake for some aerial shots of the city… Jared filmed, and I snapped nearly a thousand pictures. We arrived at a small hanger that houses several small planes; the one that we went up in (a Cessna) was just about the size of my car with wings… actually, my car may be bigger. I thought that I would be nervous of this tinsy little thing with only one propeller, but I wasn’t… not even a little.
I heard a funny fact today and when I looked it up, it’s true! This day in history (1978) Charlie Chaplin’s body was stolen by grave robbers. He died in 1977 on Christmas morning, and on March 3rd the following year grave robbers took his body in the hopes of extorting money from the Chaplin family. Eleven days later two mechanics were caught and tried for attempted extortion and (I think my very favorite charge) “disturbing the peace of the dead”. After recovered, Charlie Chaplin was reburied in a “theft-proof” grave.
“The only thing I fear more than change is no change” – Unknown
I’m getting ready to roll out a month of creativity (I am so excited for April!!) In preparation I am laying out a whole slew of inspiration and advice articles. With this consuming my brain I have had many thoughts of not just creativity, but related topics. Today: CHANGE. Change is such a difficult thing for so many; fear of the unknown can be petrifying. But initiating change (ie taking chances) is so important to growth, both creatively and as a person.
I spent the afternoon with a little online window shopping zen. My mind has been racing around where these lovely shoes could wander. So I give you my five favorites (original tidbits for each straight out of my daydreams). Oh to walk a mile in these shoes:
Over the weekend I made a fabulous impulse purchase!
One thing led to another and, well, I love that my husband is a master of video! Are you ready for this?! If you are in need of 3D glasses, remember this post for an easy fix.
I’ve had a web version of my portfolio for quite some time, but recently I decided that it needed to be in a print format. As I started (despite having all of my content already chosen) I was completely overwhelmed. I searched many topics and read a ton of articles offering recommendations and suggestions, but looking back, there are a few things that I really wish that I would have known that could have put my mind at ease and helped me on my way to creating a portfolio that I love. Here’s what I’ve learned:
The beginning of May (while in New York) I bought an amazing purse, absolutely perfect! I’ve been so excited (even still) and loving it every day.
Then something happened. I traded in my point and shoot camera for my brand new T2i… it’s HUGE! (and fabulous, and takes absolutely perfect pictures!) But with this purchase my purse situation altered: the only camera I can carry now is my phone, the Rebel just won’t fit into my fabulous bag. And then I did something that pushed my purse space to impossible: I bought an iPad. Again, fabulous and I definitely need it where I go, but how to do this?! I think it might just be time for a tote. I’ve spent plenty of time browsing, and here are my 5 favorites:
I have always been a huge fan of the Do It Yourself projects, in fact much of my life is built around what I can make. I love how, with the right tools and a little attention to detail, the finished product can look perfect enough to pass as professionally created!
Plotting and scheming has begun. Jared and I have started preparations for a huge change… The wheels are in motion and it’s coming. It will be here before I know it!! I want to tell you ALL about it, and I will, but now isn’t the time. Just know it’s on its way.
Because of all of this planning I have spent most of my days looking at the big picture: What do I need to do today to get the result that I’m looking for by the end of the year? It’s kept me busy. But there are some days when working toward the bigger picture involves being slightly passive, like today. My role today in the bigger picture is to stay routine. Wake up, go to work, come home. I don’t have any grand task today. In fact, I’ve had a few days like that lately (maybe a few weeks). Just sit back and let the plan go forward.
How frustrating! I am a woman of action. I NEED to do things. Because of this I’ve been in a funk. When you look at the bigger picture all the time there will be times when there’s nothing to look back on TODAY and see as distinguishing. I miss each day being distinguishing.
For a while now, I’ve been trying to determine exactly what the theme of I Heart Constance is. I think about all of you daily, and multiple times a week dish up information specifically for you. But what is it that binds the theme of each post together? What is the manifesto, the mission statement, the absolute essence of I Heart Constance? What is it specifically that I am trying to give to you? In delving into the answer I found 5 points, 5 reasons that I write for you. As I examined each of these, I realized that they are exactly in-line with what I want for myself. Because of that, I was compelled to finally write down my personal manifesto. Here it is:
I definitely grew up a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. At the beginning of the summer (April or May) I decided that I was absolutely sick of wearing the same old thing! But being so over that look didn’t change what I had or knew how to wear. I wanted to be fashionable but comfortable. For as long as I’d known, unless it was jeans I’d always felt overdressed.
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(scans from Harper’s BAZAAR & Marie Claire)
