Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Guest Posting a DIY Valentine and Giveaway

Today, I am honored to be guest blogging over at Cupcakes for Breakfast! You'll find a DIY Valentine that is super fun and easy, plus a great vintage Valentine giveaway.
Here's a sneak peek, but you'd be missing out if you didn't check out the real deal over here!



xo,

Friday, January 20, 2012

Guest Post: Judging a Book...

Hello Suite folks – Nikki here from Cupcakes for Breakfast again! Happy New Year! Becca shared with me that she recently designed a book cover, which I just thought was a super fun project. I've loved the idea of designing book covers as a career since I saw the terribly awful/terribly awesome teen movie Down to You when I was in 7th grade. In this movie Julia Stiles leaves New York and the adorable Freddie Price Jr. behind to become a book cover illustrator in San Francisco. (He gets really sad and drinks a bottle of her shampoo – but then she comes back to him and it's all roses and rainbows.) 

On that totally random note, today I'm sharing some of my current favorite book cover designs. These would look so stylish stacked up on your coffee table or on display (and heavily bookmarked) on a kitchen shelf. Because let's be honest, we all judge a book by its cover. A great cover design draws us in and is the perfect nerdy design element for any space or surface.

1. Typography Sketchbooks – I love the juxtaposition of the two different fonts.
2. Middlemarch – This is one of the Penguin Classic books, but Becca and I have a soft spot for Victorian silhouettes.
3. The Glorious Pasta of Italy – Who wouldn't want to dive into this big bowl of spaghetti? 
4. Scarves – A mesmerizing combination of pattern and color.
5. Mark Rothko – Pops of bubblegum pink and tangerine.
6. Maps – City maps + typography = two of my favorite things in one place.
7. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty – Dark, edgy, rocker fashion.
8. Home Made – Hello juicy ripe tomatoes! 
9. Tricia Guild: Pattern – The flocked black flowers constantly inspire me to think differently about design.
10. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual – Fun illustrations on a inspiring topic by Maira Kalman.
11. Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights – A glamourous title and equally lovely intricate illustration.

To see Becca's book cover design, click here