Mudpuppy featured in LMNOP!!

 


This morning as I was clicking through the latest issue of LMNOP magazine, I was SO excited to see the Painter's Palette Constructibles Building Set that I designed in a full-page feature!! (page 10)

If you're not familiar, LMNOP is an Australian-based digital magazine that features beautiful/high design children's products. I have admired them since their inception for their gorgeous photography and great product finds. It is so thrilling to be included! Thanks, LMNOP!

(Above: LMNOP cover, product packaging)

The Construcibles Building Sets were one of my first big projects when I started working at Mudpuppy (gasp--3 years ago!).  I remember sitting at my desk experimenting with paint textures (yes, with a physical paint brush) and thinking my new job was pretty rad...I have 2 new "Painter's Palette" products coming in Spring 2011--stay tuned!!

You can purchase the Constructibles and lots of other great children's products online at Mudpuppy and you can download the complete (free) issue of LMNOP here!

Karen Kimmel - Art of Exchange

Artist Karen Kimmel's stencil workshops, the "Art of Exchange," inspire kids to literally make their mark. The nature-inspired shapes encourage kids to explore abstraction and flex their creative muscles. Want to get in on the fun? Kimmel has launched a line of crafty tool sets, Kimmel Kids, available for purchase at MoMA, A+R, and other specialty retailers.

For more info on previous and upcoming "Art of Exchange" workshops, follow Karen's blog here.

Play Me, I'm Yours

 

There are currently 60 pianos in public spaces across the 5 boroughs of New York City! 'Play Me, I'm Yours' is an interactive art happening/social experiment conceived by British artist, Luke Jerram, and produced by Sing for Hope. The pianos are available for the public's use from 9am-10pm daily until July 5th!

While I admit I am mostly musically challenged, I happen to be dating a professional pianist! (check out his brand-new website here!) ... Oh, AND the pianos are painted! (!!! Lots of exclaiming going on)! Over the course of an afternoon we checked out 4 pianos... Astor Place, St. Marks Church plaza, Tompkins Square Park, and Little Red Square (6th Ave & Bleecker).



(In Astor Place: original song, "Won't Go Away")

While we did encounter a few bad-mannered folks (piano hogger at St. Mark's Church and some rude street punks at Tompkins Square Park), in general it was a very positive experience that had us interacting with "neighbors" in a whole new way.



(In Little Red Square: "All The Songs On My ipod Make Me Think of You..." from original musical, Camp Rolling Hills)

All in all, a unique and lovely day. Check here for the full listing of piano sites. Even if you can't play yourself, go give someone a clap and make their day. Who knows who you'll see giving an impromptu concert!  

P.S.- Featured boyfriend recently left his 9-5 to focus on his music and is available for any and every music/composing/acting-related opportunity... click here to check out all his musical talents!

(all photos & video by me--apologies for the less than professional sound quality!)

Figment Arts Festival

 

Two Sundays ago was the Figment Arts Festival on Governor's Island, so we took the ferry over to check it out. In general, the festival was a bit too hippy/dippy, artsy/fartsy for our taste, but it did lend itself to some interesting photo ops.

But really the main purpose of this post is to share (as requested--I'm looking at you, Ann Hirsch) a pic of me with my new Feisty Elle earrings (picked up at Renegade).

Also, I am a hula hooping master. Seriously, I challenge anyone to a duel. I promise I'll win.

(second row-left: The Push Pop Collective "Bagel Buns" performance, second row-right: blowing cinnamon into the air)

Ode to the subway map...

 
If you live in New York, you're probably starting to see signs of the soon-to-be defunct V and W subway lines, and a new subway map to go with it (no, it's NOT the gorgeous one pictured above). Have you seen it yet? What do you think of the changes? The parks got yellower, and Manhattan got a lot chunkier!

Being a mostly 6 train girl, these changes won't have much personal effect... though I'll have to train (no pun intended) myself from referring to the BDFV and NQRW lines. Occasionally I'll still hear someone refer to the 1/9 line. I always chuckle considering there hasn't been a 9 train in over 5 years (i.e. not since I've been living here).

Anyway, I thought it'd be a good time for a little ode to the visual wonder that is the subway map...

The above images are Massimo Vignelli's classic 1972 map design--highly stylized, highly controversial. Whatever it lacked in usability, it gained tenfold in aesthetics. That color palette!!

The Future Perfect's One Color Subway Map poster.

ZERO PER ZERO's subway map interpretation, inspired by Milton Glaser's ubiquitous I HEART NY.

How are the new subway changes effecting you?

Happy Father's Day!

 

xoxoxo, your baby girl.

Snazzy Soccer Balls

Sporty is probably the last adjective you would ever use to describe me. Sports are just not my thing. I don't play 'em, and I don't watch 'em...well, not on my own volition anyway. However, last weekend I watched not only a World Cup game (USA vs. England) but also 1.5 Mets games. I am seriously the best girlfriend ever (winks).

But despite my lack of enthusiasm, in honor of World Cup season, check out these stylish soccer balls by Japanese design company, IDEA. Pretty snazzy, eh? Though I wouldn't really want to kick these beauties around, just sayin'.

Land Carpets

 

Florian Pucher's Land Carpets are a series of area rugs inspired by aerial views of landscapes from around the world. How clever and obvious at the same time--not to mention beautifully executed. I only wish I had thought of this first. Brilliant! (Above-The Netherlands)

Europe

Africa

USA

(via freshly blended)

Miranda July-Eleven Heavy Things

 
On Saturday my friends and I headed over to Union Square to check out Miranda July's interactive sculpture installation, Eleven Heavy Things. I've proclaimed my love for Miranda before, so I won't get into that. But I'll just say if you're not familiar with her brilliant/quirky/thought provoking work, do some exploring here.

Anyway, Miranda says this installation is "recreational posing," maybe I'd called it "assisted posing"? We had a great time doing our own acts of performance art and snapped many a photo as proof. Only problem was... I'm not sure Miranda had us shorties in mind while designing these props, and well... we had to get creative...  (see above)

Apologies for the sun glare... the left one reads "We don't know eachother. We're just hugging for the picture. When we're done I'll walk away quickly. It's almost over."

Yep, still too short....

I'm obviously the guiltiest one...

So awesome work, Miranda. We had a lot of fun! But perhaps adjustable heights next time? Or an optional step stool nearby? Just a suggestion. xoxo, Emily

In Memoriam: Doris Eaton Travis

While watching the Tony's last night, I was surprised to see Doris Eaton Travis--last living star of the Ziegfeld follies--during the memoriam segment. I mean, I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised considering she was 106 years old! seriously. How amazing is that? But I was still saddened to learn of the news, which happened just last month.

Most of my knowledge of Doris has come from this amazing book, Century Girl, by Lauren Redniss (you know, because she lived over 100 years!). I bought this book in my senior year of college, and I think it might be the most inspiring book I own. It tells the story of Doris's amazing life through a gorgeous mingling of collage, drawing, and hand-lettering.

At the time of purchase, it really opened my eyes to a way of presenting information in the most engaging way I had ever seen. This book single-handedly influenced two of my most major pieces of work in art school: two visual books, one was a biography of Coco Chanel and the other, my senior thesis, was a history of hairstyles from the 1950s and 60s (entitled Hairquakes!).

So here's to Doris! A woman who beat all the odds.

More Renegade Standouts

 

Cursive Design's jewelry is a great mix of geometric and organic, hard and soft edges, and very lovely palettes.

Up in The Air Somewhere takes the cake for most gorgeous booth at the fair. All their papier-mache bowls together were deliciously delicate. Hither and Thither snapped a great photo of their booth, which displayed rows of their vessels with saturated colors on the inside.

Thief & Bandit's collection is too cool for school. Really. I could probably rock those tassel earrings though.

Big Bambu

I have hereby proclaimed this summer my official 'summer of fun.' It's the first summer in 3 years that hasn't been largely consumed by a rotating living situation, and I plan to live it up. With that said, I hope to spend more time out and about, and in addition to my usual finds, I plan to share some of my summer outings with you here as well. My focus will still be visual in nature, but with some personal musing mixed in. Sound good? Well let's get started....

Last night was the Museum Mile Festival, an event that closes 5th avenue between 82nd and 104th street off from traffic, and nine of NYC's most notable museums keep their doors open for free until 9pm (oh you know, just the MET, Guggenheim, Cooper Hewitt, etc....). So it was the perfect evening to check out the roof deck of the MET. On view now is an enormous bamboo sculpture that looks like a massive tree house!

Twin brothers Doug and Mike Starn created this unreal piece of art out of 5,000 interlocking bamboo poles, held together with nylon rope! There's even a foot path to walk UP and THROUGH it... but only through special guided tours and the timing wasn't right for us. I think another visit may be in order!

It looked just crazy cool overlooking the City and Central Park, just as the sun was starting to set...

Renegade Brooklyn

 

On Saturday I headed over to a steamy Williamsburg for the annual Renegade Craft Fair. The last time I made it to the fair was two or three summers ago, but this year was WAY bigger than I remembered. Just booth after booth after booth of any and every handmade product you could imagine. It was as if the indie design blogosphere exploded out of the internet and landed in McCarren Park.

So with so much to take in and so much choice, how to possibly decide what to purchase?? Here was my strategy: I rarely buy jewelry for myself, so I decided I could treat myself to one piece of jewelry that I thought was special and under $50....

I left with the above cream colored feather earrings from Feisty Elle, who has a bold collection of laser cut merino wool felt jewelry (affordable, too). I thought these earrings were a unique take on the feather trend, statement making, but not too loud. I was also able to meet Leslie--owner/designer pictured above. It always feels great to buy something straight out of the maker's hand! Did anyone else make it to the fair? If so, any great finds?

Yay Summer!

 

Apologies for being a blogging-slacker lately. My free time has been consumed with some extracurricular design projects and well, summer. Did you all have a fabulous Memorial Day weekend? Mine was seriously stellar--full of delicious food, sunshine, and relaxation. Highlights include dinner at Otto Enoteca (Mario Batali's pizza + olive oil gelato), brunch at Clinton Street Baking Co. (yes, the wait really was 2 hours), a pistachio/chocolate/hazelnut Pop Bar, a walk to the South St. Seaport, seeing my boyfriend's college buddy get naked on stage in Hair! on Broadway (SUCH a fun show!), cooling off in Washington Square Park's fountain, and quite a few hours at the Astoria Beer Garden. PHEW.

Summer in NYC is just the best.

Above photo of my most adorable friend, Julia, photographed by Chien Yuan.