Places I Have Never Been

Living as the Brooklynites do

2010-09-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

Such an interesting stat - if the entire US population lived as densely as the residents of Brooklyn, New York do, we could all fit in the state of New Hampshire! For real? Well, the final message is touching: "We'd all be neighbors." Love that! via: Cartophilia

Like her thinkin'

2010-09-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

See ohsweetnuthin's photostream here!

Open Book: China!

2010-09-14T10:45:00.002-04:00

Old red and yellow propaganda posters like below (these taken with Jen's phone) inspired our Beijing pattern:

See our new China pattern here!

Le tour du monde: 80 seconds!

2010-09-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

New Map Print Sizes!

2010-09-08T10:05:00.000-04:00

13x19 - lookin' snazzy!

Available as personalized momentos too (click here):

See our Map Print collection here!

China from above!

2010-09-08T10:00:00.002-04:00

Drum rollll... A new JHill pattern, dedicated to someplace special in China (eep! specifics remain top secret!), is set to debut tomorrow. We're buzzing - excited to release it and keep momentum going thus, thought we'd share these gorgeous photos of China from Above:

We encourage you to see the video here. Photographer George Steinmetz took many of these photos from a motorized paraglider!

Etsy Portland Love!

2010-09-06T10:00:00.002-04:00

We love this adorable pop-up card from Etsy seller Man vs. Ink. Hand crafted and silk-screened, it's a beaut!

Our beloved Portland rendition:

(see the collection here!)

Fly to Australia!

2010-08-20T10:00:00.002-04:00

Another "to-do" added on our Australia list. Check out the stunning decor of this restaurant (Singapore House) located in Adelaide, South Australia:

The food looks intriguing too! Sure to be delicious after a 22 hour plane ride.

Click to visit the Singapore Houses' website!

and click here to see JHill's Australia collection!

Trees Please!

2010-08-19T10:00:00.004-04:00

All of the Family Tree photographs were taken at one of our favorite Boston hideaways. Secluded in Jamaica Plain, the Arnold Arboretum is a 265-acre tree sanctuary that whisks visitors away from city hustle and bustle.

photo credit: Philip Greenspun

Open Book: Family Tree!

2010-08-18T10:00:00.012-04:00

Here's a look at Jen Hill's inspiration and a glimpse inside her Family Tree sketch book:

Finally deciding on Andalucia for the leaves and Kilauea for the trunk:

The finished design comes in two color palettes, warm and cool:

Click here to see more of our Family Tree! Our DIY (fill it in yourself option) is a great opportunity to share cherished family stories, four generations back, with your nearest and dearest.

ps. Watch out for the sleeping cat and chirping birds illustrated by JHill's dearest friend Marisa Green!

Interview with Family Tree Illustrator Marisa Green

2010-08-17T10:05:00.010-04:00

Illustrator Marisa Green, of Studio Danae, and pattern master Jen Hill have been great friends since their freshman year at MassArt, where they attended college together. A few months ago, they decided to combine their genius and after diligent sketching and late nights with the Pantone bible, they are at last, elated to introduce their Family Tree.

We wanted to share a few more details about the artist who created these lovely drawings, bringing charm and "oh la la" to the family tree. See the interview with Marisa Green below.

1. Tell us about Studio Danae.

I started Studio Danae. back in 2005. After the sudden loss of my father to cancer, I quit my job at a renowned stationery store in Boston, designing wedding invitations, and decided to pursue freelance full time. I wanted to be able to continue my graphic design work while having an outlet to illustrate as well. Since then I've worked on everything from 3D paper craft projects and photo greeting cards to book illustrations and identity design. Eventually I would love to write and illustrate my own coffee table books. I find that writing is an integral part of my creative process.

2. Are there any Places You Have Been or Places You Have Never Been which particularly inspire you and why?

I love to travel whenever possible. Some of the Places I Have Been that remain an inspiration to me are Italy and Costa Rica.

The art, architecture, landscape, FOOD, and general way of life in Italy, for me are unrivaled. However, you can't beat the slow and breezy drives on the dirt roads of Costa Rica.
The colorful patterns, wild life, and beaches will forever hold a place in my heart.

One of the Places I Have Never Been and would love to go to is Sardinia. My grandfather was born there and I've always wanted to see where he grew up. I think JHill would really make a spectacular print about Sardinia (hint hint).

3. What's the best part of being an artist in Portland, OR?

The best part of being an artist in Portland is the constant flow of inspiration. Whether it's hiking Mt. Hood, camping at the coast, eating amazing food, going to a plethora of local art events, or gardening in my own back yard, I find myself hard pressed to lose the urge to create. If anything, I have a hard time deciding what project to start next.

4. How did you and JHill meet?

Jen and I met when we were freshman in art school at Mass Art in Boston. We were at an orientation in the courtyard hanging out on the grass and we started talking. After that we ran into each other in the dorms a few times and the rest is pretty much history. When we were sophomores we moved in together and enjoyed an amazing and hilarious three years as roommates. She is my closest and dearest friend and I love her like mad!

5. How did the Family Tree materialize? What was your design process?

Jen approached me about creating some illustrations for the family tree project. The process was pretty organic. She sent me a few inspirational images and told me what her vision was. From there I sketched out a bunch of different ideas, we narrowed them down and then I vectorized the drawings. After that we sent files back and forth until we were both happy with how our styles worked together. The last piece of the puzzle was deciding on a few different color pallets, which I found to be a really fun process. I'd love to collaborate again with Jen in the future.

6. Just for kicks - what's your favorite kind of tree?

I LOVE weeping willows because they are elegant and enchanting. They remind me of southern belles and classic novels.

To view Marisa Green's blog click here! Visit her site here!

Click here to see more images or purchase the final Family Tree.

Hello, Family Tree!

2010-08-17T10:00:00.008-04:00

Happy "back to school" season is upon us - time for new pencils and shiny lunch boxes. JHillDesign also feels it is the perfect time to debut an additional something special for the youngsters in your life. Say hello to the Family Tree!

A modern twist on a family classic, JHill’s Family Tree, was designed in collaboration with illustrator Marisa Green of Studio Danae, and is sure to be a treasured keepsake for years to come. Printed with archival inks on our soft velvet paper, it can be customized in our studio or sent to you blank for DIY fill-in-the-blank action.

Click here to see more!

A Collection a Day

2010-08-16T10:00:00.004-04:00

We keep excited eyes on this blog, eager to see what San Fran artist Lisa Congdon assembles next. There are so many goodies on A Collection a Day our Jen Hill would go crazy for! She too is a self-confessed hoarder of inspiring artifacts.

Here are some of our favorite collections from Lisa's blog:

We are so happy!!!

2010-08-02T10:00:00.002-04:00

Dear Boston,

We love you too.

Sincerely yours,

JHill Design

(Congratulations to everyone included, we are so honored! Time to celebrate!)

HAPPY 4th!

2010-07-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

Enjoy your long weekend, BBQ, watermelon and fireworks - we sure will!

(Love this old postcard found at an antique store in Maine.)

"Photo of the Day" á la National Geographic

2010-07-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

We love looking at this gallery (National Geographic's Photo of the Day).

Below are some of our favorites!

Terraced Rice Field Photo, China, by Thierry Bomier

(would really love to travel there)

Samburu Wedding, Kenya, by Michael Nichols

Farmers, France, by Kiritin Beyer

Homemade Swing, Nevada by Stephanie Sinclair

Tuareg Tribesman, Libya by Bobby Model

Manatee and Fish, by Yusuke Okada

Train Station, India by Erin Smith

Summer Cruise, Paris by David Alvin Harvey

Mahout Bathing an Elephant, by Mohit Midha

Animals Spotted!

2010-06-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all JHill's friends who pointed it out or we may have missed our own little debut in Better Homes and Garden, July 2010 issue. We snapped these quick photos in the Prudental Barnes and Noble (sorry for the poor quality camera phone shots), but look! J & M in BH&G.

Click here to see our Animal Alphabet!

Introducing our Working Proof!

2010-06-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

We gave Manhattan some love with this new Manhattan Map print for the Working Proof Gallery. Each neighborhood is accented with a pattern that was inspired by neighborhood-centric details, such as the water towers in Tribeca, the ornament on the Dakota (where Lennon was shot) for the UWS, and the seating of the Apollo Theater for Harlem.

If you look at the print closely, you can see teeny tiny yellow cabs in the streets of the neighborhood borders.

This print is an open edition, and each print was signed by Jennifer. It is an archival giclee print on Fabriano watercolor paper and only available on The Working Proof’s website.

15% of each print sold will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières, for their efforts in Haiti.

Buy the print here and read Working Proof’s interview with Jennifer here.

"switzerland, get natural"

2010-06-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

Tis the SOWA season

2010-06-25T11:11:00.004-04:00

JHill's been doing SOWA for 3 years or so, and every season we look forward to seeing the returning and new booths, meeting shoppers, smelling fresh produce and most likely basking in the hot sun.

Made these JHill patterned flags last week, just for the occasion:

Our lovely animal alphabet spending some quality time up on the tent wall:

Austin, Hamptons and Hamilton, oh my!

Last Sunday (Father's Day) it was blazing hot and sticky outside. Nobody made more money than this man with his delicious, frozen treats (wish I had snapped a photograph of the huge line from earlier in the day):

Click here to read more about SOWA!

We'll be there this Sunday (June 27th) too! Stop by, see all of our patterns together and say hello.

glowing need to see the world

2010-06-23T10:00:00.001-04:00

Always wanted one of these growing up (of course, to compliment the glow-in-the-dark plastic stars on my ceiling). Now, I have a slight inkling one of these beauties would look even better with my current home-decor!

Antique light-up globes available from Sam and Jared, approx. $160 via Topsy Design (Los Angeles). Stumbled on via NotCot.

CitID

2010-06-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

"CitID is an ambitious project aiming to gain global consciousness by giving a (type) face to every city worldwide; big or small, rich or poor, famous or infamous, well-known or unheard-of." Via notcot.

Thought we'd share this stellar concept and great art with you:

Here's JHill's rendition of Kiev, Ukraine:

A Toast to NYC's Grid!

2010-06-18T10:00:00.002-04:00

We’re in the New York State of Mind, that’s for sure. Look - a NYC tribute!

This Map print, filled with our Hamptons, New York pattern, joins the Map Print Collection in celebration of the year 1811. The year NYC’s famed grid plan was adopted. Boy, we love the geometric pattern created by 1st to 271st St!

We are thrilled to add New York to our print repertoire and encourage you to check out the preppy pattern created especially for the Hamptons here!

Oh, Hamptons inspiration! {part 2}

2010-06-16T12:30:00.001-04:00

Our newest addition to the Places I Have Never Been collection is situated 170 miles South of Boston, on Long Island. Inspiration for the Hamptons - (East, South, Bridge, Bays... all of them) print was not hard to come by. Loved these movies:

Have you ever experienced a sunny day in the Hamptons? We'd love to hear your first hand account!

Open Book: Oh, Hamptons!

2010-06-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

We're kicking off a new series of posts on Places I Have Never Been, titled "Open Book." Owner, Jennifer Hill finds inspiration everywhere! And she does such a great job compiling her finds - we thought it would be an extra treat to share the beauty of her stunning pages with you. So every time we debut a print - you'll get a look into her thought process.

In a previous post, we mentioned some more specific imagery (nautical stripes, sand dunes, natural shingled houses framed with bright white trim, farm stands) used to create this bold, geometric and preppy pattern dedicated to the Hamptons. See JHill's sketch book:

Hello Hamptons!

2010-06-16T10:00:00.005-04:00

Hello Hamptons! And thank you for giving us the opportunity to daydream... a hot day, under our beach umbrella, dressed in our best boat shoes and nautical navy and white stripes and a bushel of clams waiting to be steamed up with an ear of farm stand-fresh corn-on-the-cob. From what we hear, all this is customary when visiting your sandy shores.

Inspired by this daydream, beautiful beaches, white sand dunes, and natural shingled houses framed with bright white trim, hidden behind miles of impenetrable privet hedges (how lovely!) - welcome our new pattern.

Hamptons, you’ve always been famous for well-to-do residents and with Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren, and Carrie Bradshaw as regulars, it is certainly safe to say we’d enjoy the landscape and lifestyle on Long Island’s South Shore.

So, although you are a Place I Have Never Been, Hamptons, we do love your chic Americana décor and picturesque landscape (perfect for a city-escape vacation), and appreciate you from 170 miles away.

Click here to see our preppy Hamptons pattern! Stay tuned for more inspiration behind the NY collection.

images via: maryclarknyc, nocaptionneeded, tipnut, nycitylights

Splendid Cartography

2010-06-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a guy (based in Montreal, Canada) revitalizing the art of Cartography. From what we understand, he creates his own world - only roughly based on true-to-life topology. How magical.

Shane via Not Cot.

Target Pattern Shopping

2010-06-11T10:00:00.004-04:00

Browsing (well, smelling) the candle section of Target the other day... just had to take a photo of these beautiful candles (Bella by illume). Not only did they smell delicious, but the patterns are so great!

P.S. In my search to find a company to link to (no success), stumbled on some text which mentioned Anthropologie's stock of Illume candles (thought these smelled familiar!) So hot tip: same lovely smell and saucy packaging, but much cheaper at Tar-jay.

UPDATE:

Thanks for the comment Leslie @ illume! VISIT HERE FOR THEIR SITE: www.illumecandles.com

Tote-love: "State by Food"

2010-06-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

How sweet! This "State by Food" tote bag by Melangerienyc pictures food from each great United State - from a New York bagel, to a Maine lobster and Hawaiian pineapple. Organic cotton and silk-screened, oh man, we want one (or two, or three).

Melangerienyc via Design*Sponge.

NYC in new dimension

2010-06-07T10:00:00.002-04:00

We are absolutely floored by the images below. Nastya Tumash designed the following information boards for NYC.

She says, "I designed graphic prints about Manhattan. I chose features that characterize Manhattan - skyscrapers, taxis, etc. and made graphics. I designed logos for each feature. Then I used these graphics in information boards design, using maps, photos and text."

Nastya Tumash via Notcot. looove it!

Made By Wanderlust

2010-06-04T10:00:00.002-04:00

Super cool print of Antarctica (made in celebration of Earth Day 2010) by I Have Wanderlust via Notcot. Yup, we have wanderlust too!

Welcome "Oh, the Places We Are Going!"

2010-06-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

Oh, the Places We Are Going, JHill's premier wedding stationery line has launched - it's official! Visit here to check it out and place an order for your happy occasion.

Unique invitation, save the date and rsvp designs marry simplified Places I Have Never Been patterns and are enlivened with cheery, elegant color combos.

Comprised of two styles (Topsfield and Grafton), in three patterns (Andalucía, Pondicherry and Champagne) and four color palettes (canary, blueberry, moss and orchid), JHill Weddings offers sweetheart couples over 100 components to mix and mingle.

We’ve taken extra care to ensure our wedding line and production methods are environmentally responsible. We use 100% recycled, 60% post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free matte paper, 13pt (whoa – that’s a mouth full of awesome!). And our stationery is printed with soy and vegetable inks. To feel the silky paper and check out the colors, order a swatch!

Oh, the Places We Are Going: Jen's Favorite Dress!

2010-05-31T18:28:00.001-04:00

When my bff was engaged we went to Vera Wang to look at dresses and of course I found one that I just LOVED. It was a lacey, Mexican-inspired dream. But it was $20,000.
I ended up getting this dress at a David's Bridal in a wee strip-mall outside of Boston for maybe 2% of the Wang cost and I loved it. It was the perfect dress to wear in our Costa Rican beach wedding.

Oh, the Places We Are Going: Lizzie's Dream Dress!

2010-05-31T10:00:00.004-04:00

Thought it would be fun to share our wedding dress favs. Here's mine! Stay tuned for Jen's.

Simple and elegant:

Dreamy dress by Maggie Sottero. Click here for more of her gorgeous gowns.

Oh, the Places We Are Going: Behind the Scenes

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

We really truly did have a lot of fun creating JHill Weddings: Oh, the Places We Are Going! Here's a behind the scenes look at our product photo shoot:

Oh, the Places We Are Going: Wedding Invitations from JHill's Past

2010-05-29T10:00:00.004-04:00

We've done them before! Check out these wedding invitations JHill has created over the years:

While we have many pre-designed invitations in our new stationery collection, we would be thrilled to assist with custom designed goods. Our current line includes Invitations, Save the Dates, RSVP cards and menus. Want something original and created special, just for your big day? Click here for JHill Wedding FAQ's.

OH, THE PLACES WE ARE GOING! SNEAK PEAK: GRAFTON COLLECTION

2010-05-28T14:00:00.001-04:00

We wanted to create a sophisticated and elegant wedding stationery line to correspond with Topsfield. Thus, our collection Grafton! For classic, gorgeous wedding inspiration we loved looking at the one-and-only stunning Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco's marriage celebration (April, 1956).

Here's a sneak peak of our Grafton wedding stationery line:

Oh, the Places We Are Going! Sneak Peak: Topsfield Collection

2010-05-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

Inspired by old country fair posters:

And vintage "greetings from" postcards:

Here's a sneak peak of JHill's Topsfield Wedding collection:

Click here to see more!

Oh, the Places We Are Going

2010-05-27T16:58:00.004-04:00

JHill Weddings: Oh, the Places We Are Going will debut on June 1, 2010! OooO!

For the next few days we will be sharing our inspiration and process on the blog.

"Why weddings, " you ask?? We too are in love: the flowers, dress, decorations and yes, of course, the stationery – the whole shebang. However, our wedding infatuation was not the only thing coercing us to start this line. We’ve received many requests from lovely customers like you!

A core desire of JHill Design has always been to guide others in daydreams of possibility - where could I travel? What would I experience there? What would I eat? What colors would I see? We feel weddings themselves exists with a similar optimism for the future. So with that, let us announce (with thrill): we will join the happy couple market in 5 days!

We'll take it!

2010-05-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

This is just too much - really! JHill recently came across....

Castle Real Estate. Yes, that's right. With the correct figure, any one of these castles can be yours. We have our heart set on "Count of Carbonana" for a mere $6,500,000 in the "magnificent Medieval town of Gubbio."

See more here!

Brimfield Revisted

2010-05-24T10:00:00.003-04:00

A long overdue post, but we still wanted to share some of the inspiration we found strolling around Brimfield two weeks ago! Cool type, fun patterns, random knickknacks - there was a lot to see.

Jen found old documents (early 1900's) from a funeral home written in beeeeautiful calligraphy, while Lizzie took home funky old photos and a ring (fake diamonds, thick gold rim and adorned with the initial "E". OK - it's almost tacky!) for $2 .

And We're Off!

2010-05-10T10:00:00.002-04:00

JHill is off to the infamous Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, Mass!

In search of some vintage travel inspiration, we plan to conquer all 23-fields-of-goodies. Stay tuned because we'll be sharing our finds in the next couple of days.

Vintage JET-SETTING

2010-05-07T21:27:00.000-04:00

stumbled on this cute photo via travel highlights!

JHill Weddings

2010-05-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Crazy House

2010-05-04T10:00:00.003-04:00

Strrange, but one-of-a-kind buildings located throughout the world!

Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)

Hang Nga Guesthouse (Vietnam)

The UFO House (Sanjhih, Taiwan)

Nakagin Capsule Tower (Tokyo, Japan)

Erwin Wurm: House Attack (Vienna, Austria)

Wooden Gagster House (Archangelsk, Russia)

Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, USA)

Wonderworks (Orlando, Florida, USA)

Forest Spiral - Hundertwasser Building (Darmstadt, Germany)

Jazzing up snail mail

2010-04-30T10:00:00.001-04:00

Potential come back: stamps and envelopes! After all, if Google is involved anything is possible, right?

However, the genius's behind this concept do not actually work at Google. Designers Rahul Mantani and Yofred Manik are from the Industrial Design Program at Syracuse University. And it seems, sadly, their idea is just that - an idea. Read more about it here. Would you print one of these?

Inspiration : Matchbox Labels

2010-04-29T10:09:00.011-04:00

So much of my work is inspired by vintage goods, especially paper items. I'm always scouring through eBay and Etsy for something new (well, old). Last night I found these matchbox labels. Please someone buy them before I do and I listen to my husband say... "what are these for?".

um, ok I already bought these. aren't they so great?

Or how about these vintage costume matchbox labels. I didn't buy these... yet.

Or these very graphic ones. I find that the ones I am really drawn to are mostly Russian and Eastern European. Though there are some really beautiful Japanese ones on eBay too.

You should check out ebay's list of vintage matchbox labels. So much goodness to look at.

Great Bearded Adventure!

2010-04-28T10:00:00.005-04:00

What a cool concept and wow - a remarkable journey through China! Take a look:

Nope, it's not the facial hair that impressed us! :)

More great illustration!

2010-04-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

Check out these very pretty prints from the print shop @ urban outfitters.

From 3LambsStudio:

More JHill Louisiana Inspiration!

2010-04-23T10:00:00.005-04:00

We are in such awe of this Fat Tuesday tradition - the Mardi Gras Indians! Their decadent costumes can weigh up to 150 pounds and cost $5,000. Families and friends help each performer create their elaborate get-up with intricate bead and feather work. The costumes are a huge status symbol and it is not uncommon to create a new one each year.

Puts Lady GaGa to shame eh?

These costumes were a huge inspiration for the Louisiana pattern!

all these beautiful photos come via: CosmicRay's flickr

Ohhh yum Louisiana!

2010-04-21T10:00:00.002-04:00

How could we not get "inspired" (or hungry) after learning about New Orleans's special treat. A beignet is a deep fried dough pastry - they are the official state donut of Louisiana!

They seem appropriate for breakfast, lunch and dinner right? See how they are made at the famous Cafe Du Monde, in Louisanna:

Click here to see our Toast to New Orleans!

Who dat? New Orleans!

2010-04-19T10:00:00.005-04:00

Jhill is thrilled to introduce our new print New Orleans (the first pattern of 2010!)! This week we will blog to you bits and pieces of the inspiration: the ornate balconies, yummy beignet's, and the Mardis Gras Indians!

Here's a sneak into the photographs which made us want to illustrate the balconies of the French district - framed by swirling iron bars.

Click here to see the newest addition to our collection!

We'll cross that bridge when we get there!

2010-04-16T10:00:00.005-04:00

Recently, we stumbled on this great article about the most popular bridges in the world! Boy, would we love to take a stroll/drive (or in one case swim) on each of these beauties:

Ponte Vecchio (Florence, Italy)

Nanpu Bridge (Shanghai, China)..."It is made to minimize the amount of land used by the bridge approach."

Gateshead Millenium Bridge (Gateshead, England)

Magdeburg Water Bridge (Magdeburg, Germany)

Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, US)... JHill's got love for San Fran!

Oresund Bridge (Oresund Strait, Denmark and Sweden)... where are you taking us?

Millau Bridge (Tarn Valley, France)... phew... scared of heights?!

Zakim Bridge, (Boston, US)... didn't make it in the article, but we sure think it's grand!

And here's JHill's bridge:

Have any of you voyaged across a bridge above?

Oy, the Boston Subway

2010-04-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

The image below was made by Netta Kies and can be found by clicking here! She illustrates the love/hate relationship with Boston public transportation very well. Sometimes it is smooth and beautiful other times it's just a big chaotic mess.

A Toast to Argentina's Passion

2010-04-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

OoOo the tango. Sign us up!

We learned a lot while researching this Argentina print. For example, an excellent tango dancer must keep his or her feet close to the floor and never distribute weight evenly! Plus, a successful Tango requires a great deal of improvisation - there is no basic step!

How we would love to be on lookers, enjoying the afternoon in this plaza, and tapping our feet on the sidelines. See video below:

The original Argentine tango differs from the modern American version. The Argentinians keep their chests close together, more like an embrace, whereas in the adapted Ballroom Tango, couples connect at the hips.

Tango lessons? Or a new print? "Come What May!"

See our print inspired by this story - JHill's "A Toast to Argentina Print" here!

Another Way to Travel

2010-04-09T09:00:00.006-04:00

images via Bansky, Le Ballon Rouge, dior, ffffound, unknown & boutwell studio

Blog Love!

2010-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

My oh my, how we love Modish and Indiefixx!

Get sucked into the beauty here: modishblog.com

and here: indiefixx.com

And check out these recent articles about JHill - click the image:

Thanks for the nice posts!

The Art of Travel

2010-04-05T09:00:00.004-04:00

After watching this one, you will seriously teeter between going back to work (Happy Monday!) and packing your socks and toothbrush and hitting the road, sea, sky - ANYWHERE with a bit of adventure. We love this feeling of possibility!

Don't miss The Art of Travel with Christopher Masterson, Brooke Burns and Johnny Messner (tip: available on Netflix instant view)!

Introducing "Pattern Squared"

2010-04-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

We've been working on a lot of new JHill merch - woo! Here's another: "Pattern Squared," 4.5" x 4.5" print remnants upcycled and matted into beautiful 9" x 9" squares of colorful pattern. Always one-of-a-kind, there will be fresh and frequent product updates to this line!

See more pattern "Squared Prints" here!

A Toast to Bermuda's Pickled George

2010-03-31T09:00:00.006-04:00

Mmm... Bermuda's beach... we'd love to burry our feet in that pink sand.

Bermuda's founder Sir George Somers, met an odd demise (worth some daydreaming). He set sail in 1609 to colonize the New World for Britain. At sea however, he and his crew were caught in a storm and carried several days, hundreds of miles off course. Thus, arriving in sunny Bermuda. Sir Somer's was the first to explore and map the land and though he did later make it to Virginia, his heart remained in Bermuda. Literally. When he died a year later, from an overdose of pork (yes, you read that correctly), his nephew preserved his body (less his heart) in a barrel. As Sir Somer's wished, this organ was buried in Bermuda.

A marker in Somers' Gardens in St. George's notes the approximate location of his heart.

See our print inspired by this story - JHill's "A Toast to Bermuda Print" here!

JHill's all packed

2010-03-29T09:00:00.005-04:00

See it here - Some Jhill pattern design on packaging!

The lovely JHill designed this cooool pattern for the packaging for B. Toys' Fun Keys, which is being sold at Target, a toy for children ages 6 months and up! The fun quirk about the package? The box cover is reversible for easy gift wrapping (no gift tag, tape or paper needed!) oh, so clever!

See it here at Target.

A Toast to CA's great inventor

2010-03-26T09:00:00.004-04:00

Oh, Golden State how we love thee! Not only for your varied landscapes and ridiculously cool vip-list (*ahem Lauren Conrad), but we must also pay ode to the esteemed population of techies within your border. One man in particular, Professor Leonard Kleinrock, who is chiefly responsible for giving us beloved internet.

While in graduate school in the 1960's he developed a mathematical theory of packet networks, which would later allow for world wide connectivity. In 2007, the President awarded him the "The National Medal of Science." Thank YOU Mr. Kleinrock.

More technology born in CA? Apple (1976), Adobe (1982), Google (1998), Ebay (1995), Netflix (1997) etc, etc. All hail Silicon Valley!

See our print inspired by this story - JHill's "A Toast to California Print" here!

Give a DIY Gift

2010-03-24T09:00:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to announce JHill's new little goodie: gift certificates. Give one to your mom, dad, brother, best friend, neighbor, neighbor's-uncle's-co-worker right here! Available as a beautifully printed hard-copy or quickly delivered email attachment.

The Heads of State

2010-03-22T09:00:00.006-04:00

Stumbled on these groovy city posters made by The Heads of State!

JHill at the Boston Design Salon

2010-03-08T12:56:00.016-05:00

On February 16, Jennifer Hill participated in the Boston Design Salon's meet and greet + q&a session hosted by the World Affairs Council. With the help of WorldBoston, women from 22 countries mingled and discussed entrepreneurship and the best practices for innovation and development.

To join-in events like this, check out The Design Salon!

VINTAGE JET-SETTING

2010-03-05T09:00:00.005-05:00

JHill's office manager Lizzie, recently found these old family photos of her grandmother traveling somewhere in the UK. How fabulous do they look, huh?

SPRING STUDIO SALE!

2010-03-03T10:00:00.005-05:00

It's almost Spring... right? Thought we'd get a head start on our organizing and cleaning. So, yup! We + Jill Rosenwald are having a studio sale on Friday and Saturday. There's lots to see. Hope you can make it (otherwise visit online for deals. CLICK here)!

AFRICA AND PARIS BY ICOEYE

2010-02-26T10:00:00.003-05:00

Love this clever design! Spotted on Design*Sponge, made by icoeye.

A toast to Colorado's Crystal Palace

2010-02-24T10:00:00.015-05:00

We've heard Colorado is one of those places you visit and never come back from. It could be the breathtaking landscapes, but it sounds like Coloradans have their own intrigue. Take this story for example, used in our "A Toast to Colorado" print.

In 1895, the town of Leadville was struggling financially and in order to attract more tourists, townspeople proposed this:

The Crystal Palace, only took thirty-six days to build. Made solely of ice and housing a skating rink, restaurant, ball room, theater, carousel, gaming rooms and toboggan, Leadville's Crystal Palace brought in 250,000 visitors in the sole winter it lived.

It must have taken some very cool people to follow through with that idea, right? (pun definitely intended).

See our print inspired by this story - JHill's "A Toast to Colorado" here!

JHILL BLAST FROM THE PAST: VANCOUVER

2010-02-22T10:00:00.004-05:00

In honor of the 2010 Olympics, we thought we would share this oldie but goodie, circa 2007, from deep inside the JHill vault:

Sorry guys, this print has been retired and is no longer available.

Happy Winter Games!

A Toast to Thailand's golden treasure

2010-02-10T09:00:00.008-05:00

Since we researched Thailand's history for our new "A Toast to... Thailand" print, we have not been able to get this story out of our daydreaming heads... In the temple of Wat Traimit sits a 13th century golden Buddha. The icon weighs over 5 tons, is 10 feet tall and worth somewhere around $13 million dollars. Disguised for centuries, its solid gold body was wrapped in plaster to keep its value a mystery to enemies and invaders. The true wonderment was not revealed until until 1957, when the Buddha was cracked during transport to a temple in Bangkok. Read more here!

Can you imagine discovering something so grand? And how ironic, when covered in painted plaster, it was deemed an "unattractive" artifact.

See our print inspired by the world's largest gold statue - JHill's "A Toast to Thailand Print" here!

Studio K Maps!

2010-02-08T09:00:00.004-05:00

Making them, hanging them, reading them... we love maps! Check out the beautiful art from Karen O'Leary of Studio K:

Of course, the hand cut (holy smokes, what patience!) Boston map really caught our eye:

Based in Charlotte, NC Studio K also turned out this incredible pen and paper series (beloved Boston, shown again!):

AND! Studio K takes custom orders. Find more right here!

Oh, the Places We Might Never Go

2010-02-05T09:00:00.003-05:00

Our search for Utopian vacations sometimes leads us to discover a marvelous destination, interesting, beautiful, original, but OFF-LIMITS. You literally can not enter some of these places without a VIP pass or years of patience (waiting to be bumped up on a mile-long-list). Generally optimistic about future JHill plane rides, there are some unlikelihoods we must surrender to. Like the Cave of Altamira, highlighted in our new "A Toast to Spain" print.

Found by an amateur archaeologist and his nine-year-old daughter in 1879 in Cantabria, Spain, the Cave of Altamira was created sometime around 30,000 years ago. Inside are twisting passages and chambers and famed paintings of horses, goats and handprints.

In the 60's the paintings were damaged by the carbon dioxide brought in with the large number of visitors and the site was closed to the public in 1977. Limited access is now granted, but there is a three year wait list.

Picasso said of the experience, "After Altamira, all is decadence."

See the top 10 "Do Not Enter" locations, according to Listverse right here!

A TOAST TO...

2010-02-03T09:00:00.021-05:00

We are happy to introduce JHill's new "A Toast To..." series. Each print shows the silhouette of a country, filled with a "Places I Have Never Been" pattern and it tells a tale of a historical event that took place there (riddle, date and longitude/latitude, also included).

The series was inspired by these vintage flash cards, which JHill collected on a etsy-escapade.

Now pour the champagne, raise a glass and well, toast to your "place."

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAKE UP TOMORROW?

2010-02-01T09:00:00.011-05:00

We are excited to say, "2011 Places I Have Never Been" brainstorming has commenced. JHill will be researching (and daydreaming) those perfect vacations and life changing excursions for the next few months. Any suggestions?? We'd love to hear your fondest travel memory, it just might find its way into our 2011 calendar! In the mean time, how about "in a pink bubble floating above the clouds, filled with ping pong balls?" Sounds good to us.

This film series (50 people, One Question) is incredible. See what other cities had to say right here.

Desk Calendar Sales for Haiti

2010-01-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

As we have mentioned before, we became extremely attached to the people and country of Haiti when we worked there in September for a few weeks for Aid to Artisans. The terrible earthquake has left me heartbroken, and JHill Design wants to do as much as we can for for Haiti. Until they are sold out all proceeds from the sale of our 2010 Places I Have Never Been desk calendar ($15) will be donated to Partners in Health. PIH is a fantastic organization that has been working in Haiti for over 20 years, which means they are on the ground and the money will get to the Haitian people quickly. PIH was started by Paul Farmer, whom the book "Mountains beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder is about. A fantastic read that will enlighten and endear you to Haiti.

Haiti's Hotel Montana - A Love Letter

2010-01-14T18:27:00.004-05:00

Well... I can't quite tell you how heartbroken the devastation of the country of Haiti has left me. So sad. I was there in September for 2 weeks working for Aid to Artisans, and I remember every moment of it like it was yesterday... which is really making this all so difficult.

While there I stayed at the Hotel Montana, and it became my home away from home. The hotel was unlike any other I'd ever stayed in. I felt totally at home, always comfortable, the staff became friends and it was so beautiful - inside and out. It had this way of transporting me and making me feel like I was playing "the foreigner" in some 1940s Haitian film. And let's not forget the art there! Well.... after the earthquake it is now a pile of rubble. So sad.

I just want to share it's beauty. If I close my eyes I see myself waking up in room 113, getting a tropical fruit smoothie from Jennifer, eating avocado salad in the sun, saying hello to the small Haitian man who sold newspapers every morning by the pool, and my favorite waiter with the BIGGEST smile who never laughed when I asked for club soda with my omelete. The staff there was so amazing. They always listened patiently to my rambling high school french. They were always lovely when bringing me a room service order of piping hot pumpkin soup and grilled cheese (a plus to staying over the kitchen). A favorite memory was when one waiter brought me my dinner towards the end of my trip and exclaimed... "Miss! (first off - I love that he called me Miss and not Ma'm) You have been here for SO LONG!!"

I am so sad that my husband will never be able to meet those people or have an experience there. I will miss if when I get to go back to Haiti... someday.

RIP Montana, I pray for all the people that were in the hotel, all those that work there and anyone who has called it their Home Away From Home.

If you can, please make a donation to help the reflief and rebuilding of Haiti. There are many great organziations out there, my personal choice is Paul Farmer's Partner's in Health.

You can click here to see more Haiti pre-earthquake photos.

Tie it with a Bow

2009-11-20T12:00:00.004-05:00

It's sad but true... the holiday season ("Santa Baby" on the radio included) begins November 1. It feels like just yesterday I was plotting my Halloween costume and now we are talking turkey, cranberry sauce, balsam fur and winter coats here at JHill. With everything to remember, we thought we'd save you a step (plus we love to make things look extra pretty)... don't forget to add the gift wrapping on your calendar, animal print and city print order.

Reindeer

2009-11-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

I remember when I was young and found out that reindeer were real...

I.
Was.

Shocked.

I don't believe that I've ever seen reindeer in person, well a wild one at that. But here are a few little interesting facts about our holiday friends the reindeer.
1. Reindeer have large hooves that spread apart as they walk on the snow.
2. They act like snowshoes and prevent the reindeer from sinking in the snow!
3. Both male and female reindeer have antlers.
4. Calves are born with teeth so they can start eating right away.
5. How do they keep warm you ask? Well they have thick wooly fur. Their hair is hollow inside. This provides them with a form or insulation. It also allows them to lay in the snow without emitting heat and melting the snow.

See the reindeer of Fairbanks, Alaska right here!

Some Hot Grog

2009-11-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

My in-laws live up in Vermont, and at Christmas time it is generally quite cold up there. One year they treated us to a horse-drawn sleigh ride and it is one of my favorite memories. Gliding through the snow under the moonlight, I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel. I can't believe that is how my Grandma actually got to school when she was growing up in New Hampshire. Anyways... on this sleigh ride we drank my father-in-laws concoction which is very similar to Grog. Basically steaming hot liquor.

Scary... this post makes me realize winter is a close reality.

SO, more about grog. Originally, it was a term given to the watered down beer sailors in the Navy drank in the 1700's. It's gotten a bit more appealing over the years... like thisrecipe from globalgourmet.com:

1 shot rum

1 teaspoon sugar

squeeze of lime juice

cinnamon stick

boiling water

stir all ingredients, adding enough boiling water to fill mug or glass. ... maybe not my first choice for a cocktail party, but it would definitely be memorable.

The Aurora Borealis

2009-11-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

This is one of those natural phenomenanas that has always fascinated me. All that color dancing around in the sky... wowzah!

I can imagine being wrapped up all warm in a sleeping bag, surrounded by fluffy snow drinking something pipping hot and staring at the dancing lights in the sky. Right here... that's where'd I'd be:

"Aurora Borealis" (such a pretty name) comes from the Roman Goddess of dawn, Aurora and the Greek name for north wind, Boreas. They have also been referred to as the "dance of the spirits," which I like because it seems to capture the magical and Godly essence of the whole thing.

In 1859 there was a white light solar flare so intense Aurora made an appearance in Boston. As noted by the New York Times "the Aurora was so brilliant that at about 1:00 ordinary print could be ready by light." Holy smokes, I hope she comes back to our neighborhood soon.

Ooooooh... Fairbanks, Alaska

2009-11-16T12:00:00.007-05:00

Alaska has always intrigued me. Cold, far away... Northern Exposure. When first met my friend Faith I think I asked her a gazillion questions about living in Alaska, like she was from Mars or something. The things that inspired this print were reindeers, the aurora borealis, sleigh rides, drinking some hot grog, and snowflakes.

see more of this print right here!

Opal Dream

2009-11-13T12:00:00.011-05:00

This movie is set in the opal mines of Coober Pedy. It tells the story of a girl, her father's quest for opals and her two imaginary friends Dingan and Pobby. It is really good, and Coober Pedy seems to be a 5th character in the film. Worth a watch... you can see it in parts on youtube. Hello, part 1:

Coober Pedy + Opals.

2009-11-12T12:00:00.015-05:00

It's not hard to go "down-unda" in Coober Pedy, Australia. The old mining settlement gets so sweltering hot in the summer most homes are in fact, underground. "Kupa piti," the original name, is roughly translated to "white man's hole in the ground."

I would love to see these burrows in person, which are not dark and cramped, like I first imagined. Instead they are said to have rose-colored walls from the sand-stone and most include a lounge.

The Coober Pedy geography is very different from what we New Englander's know. It is a treeless desert, with little plant life and hardly any rain, thus making the cost of water high. Check out that landscape:

So while it may not be raining water in Coober Pedy, it is raining opals. OK, that's an exaggeration, but the area does produce the most white opal in the world (95% of Opals come from Australia).

And did you know Opals, when wrapped in a fresh bay leaf, were once believed to bestow the power of invisibility? Maybe we'll give it a whirl.

Vegemite.

2009-11-11T12:00:00.008-05:00

I know what Vegemite is because of the previous blog post but, I have yet to try it. You can place an order on Amazon, but I haven't seen it in any stores around Boston (always keeping my eyes open). So what is Vegemite? Well... Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from used brewers' yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufactuering.

Vegemite is one of the world’s richest known sources of B vitamins, specifically thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid, but unlike Marmite (it's arch nemisis from the UK, which is sweeter) and some other yeast extracts, Vegemite contains no vitamin B12.

In October 2006 there was a rumoured ban of Vegemite by the US. The urban legend went so far as to say that US customs was searching Australians for their contraband.

Here is how you eat Vegemite (done by an australian):

and here is where you can buy Vegemite. Yum!

An intro to Oz... by Men Down Under

2009-11-10T12:00:00.012-05:00

I was about 4 when this song came out and it must have been my first introduction to things Australian. Well, that and Crocodile Dundee. The thing that always stood out... Vegemite sandwich. Also, this video is crazy. Note the stuffed koala in the tree and what is up with the man from Brussels?

oh and because I know most people need them, here are the lyrics so you can sing along:

Traveling in a fried-out combie

On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said,

"Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six foot four and full of muscles
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich
And he said,

"I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."

Lying in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said,

"Oh! Do you come from a land down under? (oh yeah yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."

Oooooh... Coober Pedy Australia!

2009-11-09T12:00:00.010-05:00

Over a year ago I held a giveaway on our site. To enter people had to send in ideas of places and what they'd do there. Emily Van O sent in a bunch of inspiration about Australia, and her description for Coober Pedy was particularly interesting:

"Coober Pedy: dig for opals. visit a home in the underground. Play golf in the dark. Drive on desolate roads. "

I love this print now, a new favorite... dingo fences, opals, hills and pastel colors. Of course there is also the Vegemite Sandwich, Men at Work and the movie Opal Dream. See more of the JHill Coober Pedy print here!

Oooooh... Austin Cake!

2009-11-05T13:09:00.005-05:00

We are lucky that Sweet Bea Cakes is one of our design clients, because we get to look at alllll those beautiful cake photos when we put them on their site. Recently, Sharon of Sweet Bea Cakes made a cake inspired by our Austin, Texas print. How cool (and delicious I'm sure) is this. Sharon is a very, very talented lady. Check out her site here.

Ooooh... Kiev!

2009-04-02T14:14:00.002-04:00

Well I have returned from a few voyages, our marriage in Costa Rica and then a week in Oregon. Now back to business as they say. Since Easter is approaching I thought we'd chat about the inspiration for the Kiev print! Pysanky eggs, the symbolism behind them, Ukrainian dishes and more. Also a note... through the weekend all our medium prints are 20% off. Woo Hoo! More to come!

Mmmmm... Salsa.

2009-02-11T22:55:00.005-05:00

I love salsa, I eat it every other day if not every day, (I have quite the Mexican food/chili habit). When Andy from Traverse Bay Farms sent over some of their salsas for me to try I was delighted. (Thanks Andy!) Dave and I broke out the tortilla chips (see above) and threw our points to the wind (we've been doing weight watchers for our upcoming nuptials... you wouldn't believe the points in tortilla chips).
Their salsas have won all sorts of awards and rightfully so, they are very good. I'm not generally a big fan of cooked salsas, but these are some of the best I've had.
The Pineapple Salsa was my favorite and I think it would be great on shredded pork tacos. Actually, I really want to try that now that I've thought of it. That is going to be so tasty.

Dave's favorite was the Peach Salsa. It was little too sweet for me, but that worked out perfectly because Dave quickly claimed the jar for himself.
Both the Cherry and the Raspberry were very unusual but very tasty - you can really taste the fruit. I think the cherry would be great on a big pile of steak nachos. Seems I'm ready for dinner round deux...
Check out the salsas here at www.traversebayfarms.com

ps the cookies i made with the Traverse City cherries from The Cherry Stop came out De-Lic-Ious and are packed up for tonight's Cookie Swap!

Fortune Teller

2009-02-04T15:20:00.003-05:00

So we might totally be psychic cause in our 2008 calendar, November was Chicago (Hello, President Obama) and in our 2009 calendar, February was Pittsburgh (Hello, Steelers - Superbowl champions). Just remember that these calendars are done a year ahead of time (crazy - i know). I just might start placing bets in Vegas.

Congrats Pittsburgh!

2009-02-01T23:40:00.005-05:00

So the Steelers won! Woo Hoo! We were really excited for our dear friend JJ, he's a die hard Steelers fan. In fact he was an inspiration to do the print in the first place. To celebrate our Pittsburgh print, all 3 sizes, will be 20% until Wednesday. Check it out here.

French Country Fabrics

2009-01-30T11:17:00.002-05:00

When I designed the Traverse City print I was looking at a lot of French Country patterns. I love that type of design and I hadn't looked into it too much. Infact, it ended up influencing the Portland pattern as well. Check out these examples of French Country pattern from French-Treasures.com

and Green House Design.

The Cherry Snow

2009-01-29T10:00:00.002-05:00

I've heard that people talk about walking in the Cherry Snow when all the Cherry Trees shed their blossoms. I saw this old photo on flickr and thought that it portrayed that perfectly. Turns out that the keeper of the photo, UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison, has a wonderful ebay store chock full of vintage postcards from not just Traverse City but all over Michigan. Check it out here.

Mmmmm... Cherries!

2009-01-28T21:42:00.006-05:00

The weather here is mucho icky... so I thought we talk about a cheerful little fruit: the cherry. When my dear friend Chad mentioned that Michigan was quite the cherry producer, I was surprised. I never knew. In 1852 a Presbyterian missionary planted a cherry tree near Traverse City, Michigan and they have been flourishing ever since.
Now there are different types of Cherries.

Photo by Wildcat Dunny.

The sweet one. It's the kind you steal from the bin at whole foods, the one that are almost blood red and dark. I love those ones. When I was in Portland I ate an entire bag (in fact I'm going back to Portland in March for a long weekend and I plan to do the same thing). This includes the Bing, the Lambert and the Rainer.

Photo by frankfarm

The Maraschino is like a sub group of the above cause it is made from the sweet cherries. These are the ones that top your sundaes and float around in your Manhattans.

Photo by mstephens7

But it is the Tart One that is grown out in Michigan. These are used in pies, juices and preserves and the primary type is Montmorency, and there is also the Balaton.

Now I'm not all that familiar with this tart cherry. So I'm ordering a few things from The Cherry Stop. Like these dried ones, so I can make this cookie for an upcoming cookie swap, and these Chocolate Covered Cherries. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Oooooh....Traverse City, Michigan

2009-01-21T13:45:00.006-05:00

Thanks to Emily of Traverse City magazine for writing such a nice piece about our Traverse City pattern.The print was inspired by our Michigan friends stories of tart cherries in the summertime. It looks like we even may be making a trip out that way this summer! Coming up... tart cherries, french patterns, cherry snow and more... see all things Traverse City here.

Block Island Scones

2008-11-24T22:53:00.005-05:00

When researching Block Island I read about a mystical scone woman who sold her baked goods out and about. According to a post on Chowhound: "The "Scone lady's" real name is Pat Doyle. She and her husband Tom bought a used Blodgett oven years ago that they keep in their backyard. Each Wednesday and Saturday (the days of the BI Farmer's Market) they get up at 5 am and bake about 60 loaves of bread and 300 to 400 scones. They usually sell out by 10 am. I haven't actually tried them but I hear they are very good.".
I'm a scone addict. The bakery down the street from us makes different scones everyday, they are such a treat (and healthy i feel since they have fruit in them - forget the stick of butter).
Well, Pam and Tom now sell their scone mix online. You can get a package here that makes 12-18 scones. The mixes come in Plain, Raisin, Orange Pecan, Lemon Poppy, Apricot Ginger and Cranberry Walnut. So do i order or do i wait til i get to block island for one made by Pam? Decisions, decisions... Scone goodness available here.

The Block Island Print

2008-10-24T08:05:00.002-04:00

As mentioned, we are donating a portion of the proceeds of our Block Island print to the Alzheimer's Association. I thought of doing this a while ago; a special print that would always be the month of November in our calendar, (National Alzheimer's Awareness month) with a portion of the proceeds ($5-$15 depending on the size of the print) going to the Alzheimer's Association.

My dad traveled a lot when I was growing up. A lot = constantly. When I think of my dad back then I think of the navy blue garment bag hanging on the bedroom door. The places weren't all that exotic; San Diego, San Antoino, Sacramento... he did take a trip to Europe once. Regardless, he loved it and in turn we traveled a ton as a family (I have to use 2 hands to count how many times I've been to Disney World). One place he went that I have yet to go to was to Block Island, Rhode Island and that is why I picked it for the first print.

My dad was 49 when he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. We kind of knew what to expect because my grandfather had died with Alzheimers when I was in high school (I know... having alz on both sides of the family... not such a good thing). My dad died 3 years ago from the Alz at the age of 54. Those five years were pretty horrible, but one great thing was that my dad stopped traveling. I started my business so I could have a super flexible schedule and help take care of him. We hung out A LOT and it was great, I loved it.

By having a yearly print dedicated to my dad and Alzheimer's I'm hoping to help raise awareness of the disease, especially the early-onset part. There are very limited social services for those families with early-onset alzheimer's and their troubles are different than those of eldery people. Children are generally in school and college, people are under the age limit or make too much money to qualify for government help, spouses need to work and care is so expensive... to learn more about early onset alzheimers click here and here are some great links:
- News Hour
- NPR
- Mayo Clinic

Austin City Limits

2008-10-23T08:15:00.002-04:00

Austin is so well known for its music scene, and that worked its way into the Austin pattern through the use of guitar tableture (see all those dots on the boots?).

I love Austin City Limits on PBS, a wonderful program showcasing various bands in a great studio setting. Right now on their site you can watch Lyle Lovett and My Morning Jacket. My favorite show was when Arcade Fire performed, I think I've seen it like 5 times (you can watch it here). See a full list of performances here (I wish the Modest Mouse one was online!)

There is also the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Sasso and I are always talking about going to this. It takes place in Austin (duh) and is 3 days at the end of September.

alison kraus by dave mead

If I was there this year I would have been watching
1. Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiely fame)
2. Robert Plant & Alison Kraus
3. The Black Keys
4. Beck
5. Patty Griffin (my favorite)
6. Foo Fighters (I used to have a huge dave grohl obsession)
7. Teagan and Sarah
and soooooo many more, the best thing about going to a festival like this is getting to hear new acts!

beck by matt ellis

I wish we had gone last year so we could have seen Bjork and Arcade Fire or in 2006 to see the Flaming Lips (they put on a crazy show).

bjork by Cambria Harkey

Get on their mailing list here to find out the line up for '09. And if you go, don't forget to hit us all the great clubs in Austin to catch even more talent.

the arcade fire by dave mead

Mmmmmm.... Queso!

2008-10-22T11:55:00.005-04:00

This post is dedicated to Alston, without whom I'd never had known the joys of queso. When I told her I was doing an Austin Print she told me all sorts of stories about her time spent there, but the one thing that stuck out was this thing called queso. I mean I knew that meant cheese in Spanish so I thought, oh it must be like that cheese dip you get in the jar at store-24. Oh no my northern friends... that is a cheap imitation.

Alston said that outside of Texas they couldn't find any good queso. I started looking around at the Mexican restaurants in Boston and didn't see any. I started researching this dish and found that there were sites reviewing just the queso in Austin!

Well, since I couldn't get to Austin I decided to make the queso myself and see what this is all about. I learned that a lot of Texan queso is made with velveetta. To be honest, I don't even know where you buy that, (and it kind of scares me), so ours was made with straight up Monterary Jack.

I found this recipe in Savuer (a little pretensious for queso perhaps... but just make it and you'll rethink that). I combined Chorzio, Onion, Tomato, spooned that on top of the cheese and put it all in the oven to bake. I topped it off with cilantro and we dug in with tortilla chips. I wish I had the alcohol to make it light a fire, I'm sure that would have added a delicious brown crust. But regardless, it was SO GOOD. And since I'm not a dairy girl Sasso was both surprised and thrilled to be eating a pot of cheese for dinner (we had fajitas too... not just cheese).

I've been craving it ever sense and can only imagine how good it is in Austin.