cruiser bikes in motion (or parked)

i love cruiser bikes. everything about them. their comfort, their casual appearance, and of course, their mobility from getting to point a to point b. since i started commuting to work almost a year ago, i haven't had the convenience of riding my bike as often as i used to. i miss those days dearly—when i would walk to work or ride my bike, so as a tribute to these wonderful 'machines,' i am devoting this post to cruiser bikes all around.

for now, the cruiser bikes i have snapped photos of are local—fort collins, colorado—and although there were a plethora of gorgeous cruiser bikes out there, i could only post a few (for now).

this orange beauty is mine...(i had to throw this one in, of course)

pop art blast

as some of you may know, i am a graphic designer by trade and education, but during a recent unemployment 'stint' in 2007, i was forced to try and make some money decisions while being at home collecting my temporary unemployment checks.

i had tried since 2003 to work freelance design from home, and although i enjoyed it, it wasn't as lucrative as i had hoped—or enjoyable, for that matter. with graphic design, it's about what the client wants, not what the designer wants. one of my design professors from college always used to say—"as a designer, you create for others, but as an artist, you create for yourself." this definitely holds true in the world of graphic and web design.

what else could i do that would provide me the freedom of fine art mixed with computer illustration? the answer? pop art.

it's something i have always had a passion for, but never took to another level personally. until i was laid off in january 2007 from my part time design gig, thus forcing me to take another look at how i could make money while actively looking for another job elsewhere.

from then, i started selling my pop art on ebay which quickly became a profitable—albeit temporary—solution. as i dabbled and experimented on the computer, i quickly found that creating pop art via the computer was better suited using a vector program (i.e. adobe illustrator), not a raster program such as adobe photoshop, which seemed to be the common application for such a task. not only are the lines clean and crisp, but there are no resolution issues when using a vector program, as well. it was a perfect solution for me and for my customers.

here are a few samples of my work—and if you're wanting to purchase some of my pieces, go here. but please be patient, i haven't posted all of my designs to date, but i'm working on it—slowly but surely. if there's a design you're looking for, just check out my bonanzle booth, or contact me directly, and i'm happy to work with you on a custom or already created piece.

in memory of electric guitar guru - les paul 1915–2009 (©2008)

1960s andy warhol protegé - edie sedgwick (©2008)

bob marley (©2008)

tabby cat (©2008)

1970s bmw (©2008)

1980s rubik's cube (©2009)

bohemian nights at new west fest

one of my favorite parts of summer here in fort collins is the annual local festival, new west fest. every year at the end of august, the city of fort collins hosts this magical event. in addition to the many local artisans showcasing their handmade goods, this festival wouldn't be complete without the sound of music throughout the day and into the night.

last night during bohemian nights, we had the pleasure of listening to the folk sound of musical talent, melissa etheridge. it was an amazing evening packed with many locals as well as visitors alike. all there for one reason—to enjoy the acoustic sound of melissa's solo talent while the sound of her raspy voice permeated throughout the downtown area. it was nothing short of delight and enjoyment.

although the festival was frequently interrupted with rainstorms throughout the day, it didn't stop visitors enjoying the day. while munching on the many tastes of food right there within our reach, visitors took in their surroundings at the same time. my daughter munched on a good old fashioned hot dog, while i couldn't resist my favorite indian cuisine, saag peneer and naan—and of course, homemade lemonade freshly squeezed right before our eyes. as a treat to end this traditional meal, we enjoyed a delicious funnel cake. simply divine.

after we finished with lunch, we headed over to the kids' area which was packed full with jumpy castles and obstacle courses, as my daughter enjoyed her active time inside the many air-filled arenas, i watched on with admiration and envy. wishing i could be a kid again.

since we wanted to head back on sunday for a day of clearer (and drier) weather, we continued to enjoy the busy surroundings of the downtown area as the weekend came to a close.

before we headed home for the day—and before we came back to listen to the live music in the evening—i had to break down and buy my daughter a handmade one-of-a-kind bow & arrow set. it was the cutest and most imaginative creation, that i had to give in and spend the $8 to get it for her. as often as i can, i love having the opportunity of being able to support local artisans as much as possible. seeing as i am one myself.

end of summer days

it's that time of year again. the end of summer.

in a way, i'm very sad. mostly because i have enjoyed the gorgeous weather we've had this summer and all the beautiful lush green landscape that continually surrounds us—thank you, mother nature, for bringing us a hefty supply of rain this year. then a part of me is excited for the cooler weather. don't get me wrong, i have loved walking around with my flip-flops everyday and not having to worry about wearing my winter coat, but then i do love the cold and the snow at the same time. which is why i moved to colorado in the first place—skiing. yup, i'm addicted. what can i say. but i have tennis to keep me busy during the summer months while i anxiously await opening day and the arduous annual fight of who will win the much coveted title of the first mountain to open for the year—arapahoe basin or loveland.

as usual, i'm going in a completely different direction than what i intended. to discuss our gorgeous day at our local city pool. it was glorious! not too hot, not too cool. perfect. what more can you ask from a summer's day as it comes to a close?

my daughter enjoyed splashing in the water and riding down the water slides as my husband and i looked on with admiration as we realize how fast she has grown these past short months.

for now, we'll just enjoy her as the active 9 year old girl that she is, because before long, she won't want to be seen with us.

estes park, colorado

here i go again, blogging about colorado. i never intended this to be a blog about all things colorado, but these past few weeks, we really have been taking advantage of the exciting places and majestic views rampant throughout our beautiful state, that i had to share them with you.

although we went up last weekend, i wanted to touch on it now. my husband, kirk, my daughter, emma, and myself headed up to estes park last weekend for a day in the mountains. since estes park is only a 45 minute drive from our home, it was an easy trek incorporated with a gorgeous drive. and in this day and age of higher gas prices fueled with the poor economy, we didn't feel as though we were wasting money on a days drive up the 'hill.'

upon our arrival, per usual, the summers in estes park are very crowded with tourists alike. although the majority of the tourists seem to be from outside of the colorado area, there were many—like ourselves—within a close proximity wanting to enjoy the mountain air without a few hours drive west of i-70.

in addition to majestic mountains in the background, there wasn't a short supply of rivers flowing and rock formations throughout. it was simply sublime.

many photos were snapped, while we ate lunch at a delicious local pub, and walked around and shopped like the rest of the daily crowd. it was a nice day, coupled with breathtaking views.

pawn shop find

i recently started collecting stackable anniversary/eternity rings as a way to switch up my wedding ring ensemble. after going to many brick & mortar jewelry stores, i soon realized that these rings were way out of my price range. i tried the massive jewelry section on ebay, only to be overwhelmed again at the overpriced options.

as i was driving my daughter to school one day, i always notice the same reputable pawn shop along our route (if one can call a pawn shop reputable). i figured i'd give it a shot and go in there and see what they had. you always hear how people can find really good deals at a pawn shop, so why wouldn't this hold true for jewelry?

as i walked in, i immediately walked towards the jewelry counter. unbeknownst to me, i was surprised to see the massive amounts of diamond rings looking up at me waiting to be held, tried on and loved once again. as i perused the selection, my eyes continually gravitated towards this one white gold diamond anniversary band, sitting there in the case, looking a little worn and a little dull, but i knew the potential of this "diamond in the rough."

once i tried it on, i knew this was the ring for me. this ring needed to be brought back to life. after paying a mere $175 for what i thought for a ring maybe worth $400—i headed to my trusted jeweler and had him resize it and polish it up for me. i didn't inquire about an appraisal because i honestly didn't think it would be worth the effort to submit to my insurance company.

to my pleasant surprise, my jeweler informed me of its worth—he declared its value at a little over $1,000. naturally, i was shocked by this recent development as i didn't think i had gotten that great of a deal.

who would have thought that such a gorgeous ring purchased from a pawn shop could be worth so much more than i had originally paid? i was thrilled. so much that i now wear it with my pear shaped diamond engagement ring (originally from an estate) which gives it an elegant addition to my wedding combination.

take a look...

only in colorado...

on my way home from work tonight, i noticed there were a lot of cars pulled off to the side of the road taking pictures of something. when i looked over, i immediately saw these three beautiful elk standing there as if nobody was there taking their picture. it was the most amazing sight, that i had to pull over and take their picture, as well.

i am so happy that i was lucky enough to have my camera conveniently located in my purse, so i immediately grabbed it and snapped away at these gorgeous creatures. makes me only appreciate my surroundings in colorado that much more.

what a breaktaking view...

river in lodo (lower downtown) denver

a few weekends ago, we decided to head down to denver during the most coveted art festival in the northern colorado region—the cherry creek arts festival. it's an event i have enjoyed since moving to colorado in 1990 and try to get down to every year. although i missed it last year, i couldn't wait to head down this year in hopes of some much needed inspiration.

heading down, although it started out to be a very cloudy day, i knew reminiscent of colorado weather, that ultimately the sun would shine and the heat would be blazing once again.

in preparation for this long, hot event, i suggested to my daughter that she wear her swimsuit underneath her clothes so we can head down to the river in lodo and get a quick swim.

thankfully after enjoying a delicious lunch in cherry creek, we headed west to lodo for a quick dunk. as you can see, my daughter and my husband shown in the river cooling off (as much as one can cool off without completely submerging your head under water), it was a spectacular view and an enjoying day overall. and most importantly, it ended up being a refreshing, cool day.

a recent patio table(s) transformation

i recently made a somewhat simple transformation of my two patio tables to use as one. as always, i started a search at the beginning of the summer for a large patio table, only to be disappointed (or just couldn't afford). since our dining area is relatively small, i thought why not get a larger table for our large patio, something we could use throughout the summer and warmer months. we have 6 chairs, so a large table would have fit comfortably.

unfortunately, any decent outdoor table that I wanted, cost in excess of $700+. ouch! since that's not really something we can afford right now, i took our two smaller tables that we used on our patio and moved them up together to make one, longer larger table instead. the only downside was since they're both metal tables, they were both in pretty bad shape. one of them had a large area of rust on the top surface, while the other one was peeling pretty badly, making dinners quite a challenge.

after a trip to the hardware store this weekend, i bought some all-weather paint and varnish and voila! a new transformation on our patio. i only wish I would have taken before pictures along with the after, but by the time I thought about it, it was too late. it was a much more cost effective solution for our patio, than buying brand new. and of course, it's the green way to go, as well!

mid-century modern - the incredibles style

i remember taking my daughter to see the pixar movie, the incredibles, a few short years ago, anxiously awaiting the anticipation of not just another animated movie, but a movie that focuses on the everyday lives of a superhero family known as the incredibles. the name comes from their father—a washed up, overweight superhero once known as mr. incredible (a.k.a. robert parr).

i always fantasized about living the life in a james bond-esque world. perhaps this is why i prefer the old sean connery james bond movies that started in the early 60s, than the most recent ones. there was this mod style that I always grew fond of and daydreamed about, but to see it on the big screen as a cartoon was nothing short of exhilarating.

here are a few movie stills of their mid-century modern interior. enjoy!

to keep or not to keep?

trying to figure out what to do with this old apple ibook g3 clamshell laptop, is not an easy decision. for those of you who are familiar with this iconic computer, you know that not only are they truly a classic design, but they're on the verge of being considered a collector's item. especially the unique lime green color design.

i purchased this computer a year ago used on ebay, and from that point on, i upgraded the operating system, installed extra ram, added a wireless airport card and replaced the keyboard—all myself. so not only is it special to me since i worked on it from the beginning, the classic retro design is what keeps me from coming back.

however, when i sold it on ebay a month ago, the buyer chose to look at this computer, not as a classic, if you will, but something more intricate. hairy details aside, the buyer chose to send me the computer back for a full refund. upon receiving the computer yesterday afternoon, i immediately gave her a full refund. back to my dilemma once again. i am now debating on whether or not i should choose to keep it and enjoy its whimsical style and ease of use, or try and sell it for another go. what would you do?

now keep in mind, i am not a superstitious person, nor do i believe in karma, but a huge part of me is thinking the reason it arrived back on my doorstep was that maybe, just maybe, it was a sign it came back in my life once again. then of course, the other part of me is thinking $$$. although this computer looks pretty sharp by its outer casing and carrying handle alone, we must remember, at a whopping 366 mhz processor, this computer can't go much faster than my daughter's scooter. and that's with high speed internet.

regardless, i wanted to post a picture of my lime green baby for now, at least to mull it over for a while and see what I decide. ultimately, i know my decision will be the right one for me, but for now, it's at home, safe and sound sitting on our kitchen counter.

taste of fort collins

considering the continuous rain we have been getting here in northern colorado for the past few weeks, we were all thrilled to look outside this morning and saw a beautiful sun-filled day. thankfully, with the taste of fort collins being this weekend, we were happy to take part in these annual festivities.

because we're lucky enough to live in a loft in the downtown area, this festival was just in our 'backyard' and within close walking distance. since we were all a little bit overwrought with cabin fever as a result, we were nothing short of elated to enjoy the gorgeous weather outside.

letterpress printing - it's back with a vengeance!

i recently had the pleasure of heading to the stationery show in new york city a few weeks ago,and as i strolled through the trade show, nothing pleased me more than to see an array of letterpress designs throughout. It easily mingled an eclectic style of old world printing mixed with new world modern flair.

while i was there, i had the opportunity of meeting with many letterpress printers who not only inspired me, but gave me some clear and concise insight into the world of letterpress printing.

one company that really stood out to me was Hello!Lucky letterpress printing. their work is simply elegant and timeless, but their color palette was so vivid, i had to post a few pics to give you a sampling of their gorgeous work.

no spec graphic design

okay, i start this blog out quite simply—as a graphic designer, we deal with this question all the time—"why don't you design some samples before i pay you or hire you."

no, it doesn't work this way. as a graphic designer, we are repeatedly asked to do this task. this is what we call spec work. spec work is when a potential client and/or company is possibly interested in hiring you, but they want you to design their logo, poster, ad, whatever before they pay you. if they like what they see from these specs, they will then hire/pay you.

guess what? it doesn't work like that. that's why, most designers will say no to spec work. this is why we have portfolios to peruse. so you can check out my work and see what i'm capable of. unfortunately, nothing is guaranteed. there might be a chance that the designs i come up will not suit your needs. but guess what? as a professional, i will try my hardest to get it done right for you. regardless. how could these potential clients expect us to honor such an absurd request?

for instance, would you go into a lawyer's office and expect him/her to do the legal work before you give him/her a retainer? or would you go into an architect's office and expect the architect to draft up some ideas before you give them a fee/deposit? of course not.

so why are graphic designers not held to this level? why are we constantly expected to do the work before we get paid? why are we not looked up as a professional? we're here to do a service, as well as create something for your business. it doesn't matter if i'm designing a house for you, or drafting up a will—we are still providing this service which involves our expertise. if you came to us in the first place, then i am assuming you're needing/wanting a professional to accomplish this task for you. so why would you not expect them to act as a professional in return?

obviously, i am not aiming my anger at you, per se, but to the public in general.

i wanted to write about this particular problem because unfortunately, it's just that—a problem within the design community. i hear designers in the field continuously saying that when they ask their client to give them a deposit and/or sign a contract to that effect, they complain. i don't understand this logic. maybe the client feels that because someone like myself—who is a freelance designer and technically has no overhead (i.e. employees, brick & mortar building, etc.)—is not worthy of such professionalism. i would have to disagree.

it's because that i am freelance that i would need to uphold the same requirements as an advertising agency. i am trying to make a living, therefore, i am running a business, just as much as the guy who is the principal of a large ad agency. no, my duties are nowhere near as complex as that guy, but guess what? i have to wear many hats as a freelance designer—i have to wear the hat of a marketing professional—because i need to figure out (on my own) how i am going to build my business and make it better. i wear the hat of office manager—because i am in charge of invoices, incoming and outgoing receipts, contracts, answering phones, etc.—i have to do all of this because i don't have an assistant or office manager working for me.

i wear the hat of art & creative director. because guess what? i don't have a team of creatives that i can bounce ideas off of, i have to bounce them off of myself. so when i'm having one of those days where i have no creativity flowing, i don't have anybody to collaborate with. believe me, this is a disadvantage because that's how these large agencies become so large. they have a creative team to throw ideas at one another until something is just it—it's called brainstorming, and i don't have anybody to brainstorm with.

i have to wear the hat of copywriter—because when it comes to ideas and/or taglines, i'm the one who has to come up with them. unless of course, i'm lucky enough to have a client who already knows what they want their slogan to say. but unfortunately, this doesn't happen often.

i am the IT person—because when there's a problem with my computer. i don't have an IT professional working for me. unless you count that apple care program on my new imac. otherwise, it's called troubleshooting. i have become an expert at doing this. i don't want to have to pay $45 to apple support every time i have an issue with my computer or operating system. i have to figure it out on my own.

i have to be the printer—because when it comes to proofs, i'm the one who has to be able to figure out what colors are going to work better in pms or cmyk. i can't take the chance of having my client spending hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars for printing, and having the color turn out like crap. this is my responsibility as a freelance designer. there is no production department in my business—especially since i work from home.

then there's the hat of the principal—because i am it! i am the one who runs the show. i am the one who does everything by myself. that's what freelancing is. it can get very discouraging, but it can be rewarding at the same time. nothing excites me more than when a client tells me they're so happy with my design and it's the best design they've envisioned for their business. because i came up with that design all by myself. no creative team. no brainstorming until 3 a.m. with other designers sitting around a conference table. just me.

and last, but definitely not least, i am my own salesperson—i am the one who has to convince somebody that they need my services, and not pay some putz who claims they're a graphic designer just because they know their way around photoshop. i worked my tail off in college so i can learn everything there is to know about not only graphic design, but the history of graphic design, as well. this in turn, makes me a more successful designer in the long run.

so yes, even though i am on my own, i need to be everything that everybody else is all rolled into one.

for more information on this subject, please visit www.no-spec.com. this will not only educate you as a designer, but as a client, as well.

thanks!

life as a struggling artist!

i start out my journal entry today as a frustrated one. i must say, that for the past year and a half, i have been endlessly searching for that dream job in the field of graphic design. at this point, i'd settle for a job at kinko's! as i struggled through college and art school studying my craft, i had always anticipated a decent paying job at the end of the commencement tunnel. alas, nothing!

in the meantime, however, i have been somewhat successful (and i don't mean monetarily successful) by selling my logo design packages through ebay. even though i have gained a decent following and have made some pretty good 'online' friends through my clientele, nothing is as substantial or steady as a regular paying, punch-the-clock job. now don't get me wrong here folks, nothing would please me more than to have my own successful design business, but that's much easier said than done. i started my design business, one girl creative, in july 2003, while i was still knee deep in my studies. so as you could imagine, at first, the intimidation factor of having that 'first real' client was overwhelming at best. but as i started designing posters or logos here and there, i soon found that yes, graphic design was my calling! i loved every minute of it. but could i actually get out there and receive a job offer where i would actually get paid for what i love? i guess that's the million dollar question.

as i force myself each and everyday to continue my arduous search—to no avail—i find myself falling deeper and deeper in this abyss we call unemployment. now, don't get me wrong, i am not trying to sound philosophical or bitter, but tell me, why is it i cannot find a job in my damn field? does my work suck that badly? when i walk into the interview schlepping my portfolio, do i appear to be a bitch? did I not kiss their ass to the point of wanting to immediately hire me on the spot enough? did i not tell them repeatedly how badly i loved their f-ing company and how much i would love to work for them? are my breasts too big? too small, for that matter? is my ass too big? i know it isn't too small, so tell me, what is it??? my answer is this—it's like art in general, it's all subjective. for whatever damn reason they choose to not hire me or call me back for a second interview, i guess it all boils down to one, simple thing—too much damn competition!!!

then i occasionally wonder whether or not i wasted my time graduating with this damn degree in the first place. should i have studied medicine, perhaps? hell no—i am too stupid to be accepted to medical school. what about architecture? still a creative field. wanted to, but my lack of math skills almost prevented me from graduating in the first place. so we al know that wouldn't suffice. what about computer science? it seems the field of IT (information technology) is running rampant within our vast technological driven society. but i ponder this over and over—does that mean i would have to work on a pc? oooh, bad idea. as you may have figured out from that last statement, i am a mac freak!!! yes, you got it—i am pro-apple in every way shape & form. except the iphone, which i cannot currently purchase thanks to apple's all-inclusiveness to at&t (for now, at least).

all kidding aside, i imagine the reason i chose to study and pursue graphic design as a career was because—silly me—i actually love it? i guess so. unfortunately, loving something and getting paid for it don't necessarily go hand-in-hand these days. i imagine we're all lucky to have a job period. so i end this on an interesting note. i will further continue my search for that one employer who would be more than willing to hire me as a 'paid' graphic designer, art director, whatever—but in the meantime, what doesn't define what we do, but only who we are, i will now turn in my application at starbucks (not really) in hopes to at least receive a job offer as well as a kick-ass benefits package. good luck to all of you struggling artists out there. hang in there and don't give up the fight to work in that passionate field of design, art, illustration, photography—whatever!

grad school here i come! =P