product of the day: tea towels.
"don't you dare use this as an actual tea towel, either."
$12 by Teresa Green, available at luxeville.
print of the day: vacation in europe.
"vacation? eh. europe? not impressed. erik wingquist? OK!"
$206.06 available at Scandinavian Design Center.
roadmaps: creating a life plan.
Roadmaps time! Welcome to the first step in the Roadmaps series: Creating a Life Plan. This is so, so, so important, for a variety of reasons, but I want to keep this post short and sweet. So here's a bit of a breakdown surrounding the Life Plan--- what it is, why you need it, and what to do with it...
What's a Life Plan?
Chances are, unless you read business books for fun (read: ME), you're not totally familiar with what a life plan entails. So think of it, instead, as a glorified list of goals for your personal and professional life, but written down. It includes your wants/not-wants, skills, assets, preferred work environment and the lot. All in one handy paragraph (or two). Coolio, yes? :)
Why You Need It:
Ever heard of a building without the foundation? I hope not, b/c that would be total craziness. If you're serious about creating a business or breaking out of your 9-to-5, you MUST consider the lifestyle you're looking for. Entrepreneurship is hard work, and it requires a ton of planning. Writing down your desired goals in life will be super helpful in the long run, and in the next few posts, you'll see why.
What You Do With It:
Keep it. Hang it. File it. Whatever you do, make sure it's accessible, b/c you WILL want it later. Trust me. ;)
With that said, I have a present for you...
I've provided a user-friendly guide to creating your life plan. Instead of simply writing a paragraph of your loves & hates, fill out the enclosed PDF and you'll be on your way to a stellar life plan.
Click here to download the first worksheet in the Roadmaps series [for free!]. Print this one out and add it to your Roadmaps binder. Enjoy, and stay tuned for the next step in your creative pursuit: The Business Model.
Need some further direction? I took the liberty of filling out my own life plan, and have posted it here for you, just in case it helps. Click here to download. Good luck, Biz Warriors! :)
readers speak: price tag for inspiration?
The great thing about a blog rather than a website is the collaborative nature of the former. I so love reading comments and seeing readers connect with each other to form relationships that can be vital in the future. So, naturally, I'd like to open a 'reader's speak' forum, where any and ALL are welcome to comment about the subject at hand. I'll probably do this weekly, save that it doesn't get totally out of control and it becomes the land of design bashing. Because that? That is NOT ok with me.
Anyway, I've received a bit of flack lately for the content of Design for Mankind. I've added some features that I rather enjoy (i.e. 'photo of the day'), but that aren't typical of "design blogs." In other words, I'm not paying homage to the type of design that can be purchased, and I'm not listing a ton of stores/shops/online merchandise.
So my question for you is: does it matter? If you love a print, does it have to be hanging in your office to provide inspiration, or can you simply be inspired in the moment that it's found?
May's eZine (to be released the last week of April) stems from this topic, where I've contacted dozens of artists/photographers/etc to reveal inspiration in the unexpected. I'm so excited to share some of these, b/c they're very close to my heart. I'm a firm believer that Americans have a BIG problem with consumerism, so sometimes it pains me to hear that we can't be inspired without a pricetag.
Your thoughts? Can it be done? Can we teach ourselves to inspire others with our words, our actions, our photos? Our must we seek inspiration in the tangible?
[Leaving to hang out with a few lovely LA ladies, but am looking forward to hearing your thoughts when I return!]
print of the day: love grows.
"love grows, love scars, love wounds... and mars." [omg i have no idea how that song goes.]
contact henry soon for pricing and info. available for commissions-- yeah!
amy marcella.
I just received the cutest email from textile designer Amy Marcella, letting Design for Mankind readers know she's just added a new [and quite cute, if I might provide my own commentary!] pillow to her Etsy shop.
I find it so, so adorable, and her styling is just fantastic. You're on your way, Ms. Amy!
Click here to shop her Etsy line, or click here to read the latest on Amy via her blog.
rachel salomon.
After the most spectacular SoCal weather this weekend, I've got the SERIOUS Monday morning lazies, so I wanted to kick off the week with a bit of ravishing Rachel.
This gal makes me weak in the knees, and if I could pick one artist to morph into a breakfast food that I can eat, it would be Rachel Salomon, and I'd build a restaurant called the Salomon Buffet and it would just be trays after trays of her art, but food.
OMG I'm not making any sense this morning.
I'm done. Here's a link to her site and her bio, b/c she's awesome.
this week in inspiration: 4.7.08 to 4.11.08.
10. Craft Mafia is officially in item. Special thanks to Pamela, Fanie and Valerie. You are all so, so inspiring.
9. 'The Sea, The Surge, and The Seamstress,' an exhibition by the ever-talented Samantha Lamb, coming up in two weeks in NYC. Mark your calendar now; details here.
8. Lisa Solomon explores the robot as a cultural icon. Fascinating. Details here.
7. A fantastic concept from Grrrl Zines A Go-Go--- a SoCal-based workshop group dedicated to the empowerment of young women through self-published works. Ladies--- I salute you!
6. Lili Hayden lends a string for human rights--- we're listening, Lili. Play on!
5. Who says New York has the hottest art scene in the states? [Ok, maybe they do...]. The west coast play catch up with L.A. Art Weekend--- starting today!
4. Beate Gutschow: the artist's first monograph pays homage to humankind's celebration of nature and "our ceaseless desire to control it." A fantastic read, really.
3. The Construct project by Laura Kicey; a series of places that don't exist.
2. Interview with the lovely Kate James (my top pick for 'Most Likely to Succeed', Class of 2010).
1. The ever-talented Oscar Diaz has done it again--- this time with a stitch [or ink] in time. [Scroll down his site to view the loveliest calendar this side of the century.]
congrats, alyson!
I just got a note from my heroine (the superhero, not drug) Alyson Fox, and she's done it again! See her limited edition print 'Family Lace' on a vintage French tea towel (only 59 of them--- hurry!) right here over at Reform School.
Congrats, Student of the Month Alyson!
who's who: antonia low.
who: i'll say it again. antonia low.
what: air traffic--- five installations set up in different areas of the home. objects are connected with nylon strings.
when: early 2007.
where: london.
why: for air traffic-- photos of the installation were produced as one album and four single covers for the band.
who's who: judit strom.
who: duh, i just said that. judit strom.
what: Swedish artist, painter.
where: currently exhibiting at helene nyborg contemporary.
why: because she can.
when: NOW.
roadmaps: get organized.
Funny story. I used to think that Peter Gabriel song said 'Or-gan-ize' instead of 'In Your Eyes.' I'm not sure why, because now I realize that the two sound nothing like each other, but I digress.
All Genesis ex-lead vocalists aside, organization is so key when it comes to shaping a business (or not shaping one, for that matter). Cindy brought up a fantastic point in my last post that many of us created (or are creating) binders, notebooks and spreadsheets to prepare for weddings and various events--- why shouldn't we have the same resources for building a business?
SO, readers--- I'm taking action. Each Roadmaps post (if applicable) will come bearing gifts in the form of a PDF document. Feel free to apply these documents to your specific needs, and I'll do my best to make them as broad as possible. Utilize these--- how about setting aside a pretty binder (like this one!) to keep them all together?
Look for documents such as financial worksheets, how-to's, prep documents and pertinent questions you'll need to ask yourself prior to taking the plunge.
With that said, I'll keep you waiting for the next 'Roadmaps' topic: Creating a Life Plan. Stay tuned! If you're still craving some biz advice, visit Marisa's excellent podcast aptly titled, "On Money, My Story."
Until next time, love to you all.
darren booth.
How do you spell 'fabulous?' D-A-R-R-E-N. B-O-O-T-H.
Acronym soup hand-lettering by Darren Booth, right here.
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