Till then..

Morning Noonan Night is going on vacation. Let's talk Tuesday.

Keds for Design Nerds

Did you know you could design your own Keds?

Well, you can. 

While looking for some plain black slip-ons, I stumbled upon Keds Studio.

Through a partnership with Zazzle.com, Keds allows you to either choose from designs and color options they provide, or upload your own images.

You can even post your finished shoe design for sale and turn a profit. 

I thought it might be a great opportunity to wear some of those designer wallpaper patterns I've always wanted, but will never be able to afford.  So I whipped up some possible designs.

There are for sure some copyright issues to consider here, but I think that if you just made yourself a pair of Imperial Trellis sneakers, it would be cool with Kelly.

"Elysian Fields" by Dan Funderburgh for Flavorpaper.

"Imperial Trellis II" by Kelly Wearstler for Schumacher

"Diamond Dogs" by Schumacher

Free and Amazing

"StereoLit" by Micah Taupule
Originally uploaded by Not What You Think

There are a few random endeavors for which I have become an unpaid advocate.
One is my phone company, which actually just started paying me for my passion.
Another is Wii Fit.
And a biggie is The Chicago Public Library.
I was born and raised in Chicago. So, I remember their childrens summer reading program ( I think it was called The Great Book Log?) where we got stickers on a treasure map until we read a certain amount of books, and then earned a prize from a treasure chest and our name in the paper. I think they still do an updated version of this program.
I remember going there every couple of weeks with my dad so he could stock up on documentary video rentals.
And of course there was every research project of my entire academic career.
The only thing I ever found frustrating was getting newly released or obscure books. You had to go in and request them and then get on a waiting list to finally get to read them once they arrived. And if you were at a small branch it took a while. After I finished college, the library and I sort of lost touch.
When we bought our house a few blocks away from the Humboldt Park Branch, I decided to see if they had a website, and boy do they.
Getting a new book is now easier (and cheaper) than shopping on Amazon.
Just type in your library card number, search for whatever you are looking for, and place it on hold. It will be sent usually within a week to your library of choice. And then you can either renew it online or drop it off at any library location when you are done with it.
Amazingly convenient.
Plus every branch has free wi-fi and computers (often laptops) available for checkout within the branch, workshops and lectures and discussions, and quirky perks like the fishing poles you can check out at the Humboldt Park branch for fishing in The Humboldt Park Lagoon.
So, anyway, the real reason for this post: The library has recently started rebranding itself to appeal to people like you and me. The campaign is called Not What You Think. It seems to be working, because I noticed it when I saw an ad on a bus of a hipstery-looking girl with tattoos and a library ID and, at first glance, thought it was someone I knew.
Their newest effort is a contest for artwork for this campaign, and my favorite entry just happens to be by a very talented coworker of mine, Micah Taupule and it's called StereoLit. I love the Mucha-looking girl with the headphones, and the Chicago tattoos. It's a tough competition, and the other entries are giving Micah a run for his money. So, go check them out and vote by logging into Flickr and adding your choice as a favorite. And choose Micah's!

Not What You Think Contest
Chicago Public Library

Sew Urban

So, now Urban Outfitters has sewing supplies.

I scored a couple Built By Wendy patterns from a clearance bin at Urban a year and a half ago, but it seemed like they had gone straight to clearance and I took it as a sign that it didn't work out.

Not sure how I feel about this one.

They happen to be selling the machine I've had my eye on for some time now, and I guess I do fit their demographic according to the facebook quiz I took today, so maybe they are on to something.

It seems pretty geared toward dabblers, but maybe more people will get hooked and make their own clothes instead of buying that Urban Renewal crap they peddle. More sewers is always a good thing.

But I can tell you right now that someone buying this:

wouldn't be caught dead with this:

I wouldn't mind this for storing buttons or trim:



And I do like this:

Not Wack Bric-A-Brac?

It's really not bric-a-brac. That's the point. I found this creative lady a while back in a feature for I.D. magazine about your momma's figurine companies like Lladro coming out with stuff for folks like me and probably you. This is Megan Bogonovich. She is a ceramicist from New Hampshire who has gotten a fair amount of press lately. 

Besides her high end ceramic sculptures for sale through artstream, she also has neat pieces available on Etsy (user name melabo). There are animals with extra or misplaced appendages made from combinations of different molds. There are wedding cake toppers and pretty tiles. The Etsy stuff is very reasonably priced. 

I have these two:

Here are the links:

Megan Bogonovich

Melabo on Etsy

Artstream

brides and bridesmaids

While cruising etsy for some wedding gifts for upcoming weddings, I stumbled upon this lovely designer.
I'm a pretty thrifty dresser. These dresses are not thrifty, but when you put them in the context of wedding, they are perfect. Even inexpensive. And unique.

AND a portion of every sale goes to charity.

I am not sure if the line is called Sarah Seven or Beaus And Arrows, which is the name of her blog, but here are the links:

Sarah Seven


Beaus And Arrows

hi there.

This here is a blog for posting things I make, do, and like. 

Mostly to keep track, I guess.

I'll start you off with what I do for a living. I'm a photo stylist, and most people think that means brushes and makeup and racks of clothing.

Nope. 

Mostly towels and sheets and racks of bedspreads.

And the occasional model in a bed. It's all very glamourous.

I styled these things:

So there you go.