I’ve got a new book on my nightstand that’s keeping me reading into the night, Kern and Burn: Conversations With Design Entrepreneurs.
Today the barrier to turning an idea into a viable product or company is lower than ever with tools like crowd-sourced funding and social media. And the skill sets of many designers are perfectly suited to leverage them. Kern and Burn contains 30 interviews with design entrepreneurs who had an idea that they thought could be great and took the risks to make them happen, resulting in some of today’s most interesting products and companies. Each candid conversation addresses a core tenet for success, like Make Something You Love, Learn by Doing, and Make Your Idea Real. It’s fascinating and motivating to hear about the experiences (both the triumphs and the failures) that have led to products I personally use and admire, like TeuxDeux and Warby Parker.
In addition to its interesting interviews, Kern and Burn is a beautiful print publication you can curl up with, something we clearly love! I was lucky to snag an advance copy, but the book just started shipping yesterday.
{Images via Kern and Burn}
Confession time: absolutely none of my bedding matches. My linen closet houses a mish-mash of sample sale finds, one-off designs by yours truly that never made it to production, or pieces where I couldn’t find the full set. I like to think that it’s all part of some well considered master plan, but really it’s all about comfort and juxtaposition. I tend to pair one-color printed sheets with a quirky statement pillowcase and then layer on ethnic-inspired printed quilts, ever-so-soft matelasses, and a home-made crocheted throw. It’s … eclectic.
Lately, romantic and text-heavy pillowcases have been tugging at my heartstrings. Simple, yet funny, a statement sham gives your bed a sense of humor and might just send you off to sleep with a smile on your face! These two from Elsie Green are the perfect blend of 350-threadcount organic cotton and lovey-dovey sentiment for my inner romantic spirit.
Xenotees initially captured my attention with their cat shams, but these suggestive pillowcases might be just want you need to spice things up.
Of course, leave it to Urban Outfitters to take pillowcases to a bold, typographic place. These are especially lovely as an inspirational—and aspirational—statement. I imagine waking up to these sentiments would lead to the most productive day of my life!
Lastly, Salvation Jane’s sentimental and romantic sham pair will have you engaging in some pillow talk in no time.
For the article Simply the Best in Issue No. 11, we asked several photographers to tell us about their favorite dishes. Today I’m excited to share the recipe behind the mouthwatering image above: Jessica Comingore’s mom’s granola, which was a staple in their household—and continues to provide fond memories for the two. Says Jessica: “Every time I visit, we’ll start our day with a bowl of graole on the patio, catching up on life.” Sounds like an especially nice way to mark this Mother’s Day weekend!
Ingredients
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp maple extract
Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, almonds, walnuts, milk powder, sunflower seeds, and salt in a 13x9x2-inch metal pan.
Whisk vegetable oil, water, honey, and vanilla and maple extracts in a medium bowl to blend. Add to dry ingredients in pan and stir to coat completely.
Bake until granola is golden and crunchy, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely. Granola can be prepared up to 2 weeks ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Jessica Comingore is a Los Angeles-based photographer who got her start in interior design. While managing residential and commercial projects and contributing to a textiles line, Jessica developed and honed her photography skills as well. In 2011, she launched Jessica Comingore Studio. In addition to shooting interiors, Jessica also provides branding and design services.
{Photograph by Jessica Comingore}
Despite Joanna’s post a few weeks ago on cool Mother’s Day gift-wrapping ideas, I admit: I’m still unprepared for Mother’s Day. Thankfully, San Francisco designer Cat Seto created this printable card just for us. So at least I—and you!—don’t have to make a trip to the card store between now and Sunday.
You can download a hi-res version of the card here; we recommend printing it out on cardstock. And be sure to check out Cat’s new line of stationery, Ferme à Papier, which we especially love for its painterly quality. The collection officially launches at the National Stationery Show in New York later this month. (Of course, we love that an issue of Anthology makes an appearance on Cat’s desk, shown below.)
With a hint of nostalgia and plenty of whimsy, the designs by Ben the Illustrator bring to mind happy days full of child-like glee and open-eyed wonder. The patterns achieve the perfect balance of playfulness and modernity.
Each print features a saturated color palette rooted in primaries. And that eggy yellow might just be my favorite color in the world, especially when paired with a tomato-red and stark white!
Ben’s work shows a great range of techniques: crisply drawn shapes mix with painterly brushstroked abstractions; thin linework stands in contrast against solid colored grounds. Each print creates a small world with lots to explore.
{Images via Ben the Illustrator}
