Hello darlings

I just wanted to say hello.



something I made for some friends on the tail end of runs this past couple of weeks.

you know those personal notecards below? I think this is going to be my next design/borrowed from my 40th bday invite.

I'm contemplating which colors would look best but this blue and mustard green combo is kinda making my heart sing. One of those happy accidents I would have never dreamt up on my own. don't you just love when that happens?

email me richele[at]richiedesigns.com if your interested on getting on the short list of personal note cards for this next project. I think I'll close this project at 5 people [unless you're willing to wait a month or so] ... man am I beat up from that last print sesh!

Glamour Shot

here is the glammed up shot - much better than my camera phone images from below

Follow your orders on Twitter

I relucantly signed up for this a few weeks ago. I say reluctantly, because I feel like I'm up to my eyeballs with social networking sites but here's the thing that I realized this week while on press with my notecard project.



It's brilliant...I can upload photos while I'm working on your projects and you can see it in action.

It's just one step away from a webcam in the studio. And trust me when I say this, you don't want to see me in my printing gear: ripped up levis, holed up tees, pigtails, singing along and freakin' to Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back. It's just one of those things better left to my private life, maybe a cocktail-infused dark evening with friends who love me, regardless if I carry a tune in a bucket or not.

So there you have it.
Placing an order? Thinking about it and want to know more? Want to see it hot on the press? sign up to follow me:
richie designs

Sneak Peek

I'm still in progress but I completed all of the first plate and part of the names for the second plate for my first stationery project.
Sorry the photos are a bit dark they were taken with my camera phone. It's kinda fun sending updates to my clients as I'm printing!


If you're sad you weren't in on this project, don't lament...I'll have another one you can jump in on shortly.



personal stationery project paisley
moss green ink and grey
letterpressed
matching moss green envelope

FPO

If you're a design-head you'll know the term FPO. If you are not let me explain that FPO means For Placement Only. It's generally used for a fill-in photo that you're using just to get your point across or maybe a block of copy that is not the real thing. Essentially it's a place holder in the world of paper.

FPO, the site, is a bit different. "For Print Only" A play on the term I mentioned with a tag line equally as charming : If print is dead what are we still doing here?
I. love. these. people.

about the site:
FPO is a blog dedicated to both the visual stimulus and the detailing of the development and production of printed matter: Annual reports, books, business cards, stationery suites, collateral materials, posters, packaging and anything else where ink meets substrate. A subject matter we know, love and understand. A process that, despite numerous eulogies, is still alive. Perhaps even more lively than ever as designers are tasked with producing their designs under tighter budgets and pressing concerns about the environment. By focusing on print work, we know that we will have an endless array of work to showcase as it rolls of the presses and by creating very detailed project overviews and sharing the production details of each project we can actually establish a source of both inspiration and education.



Pictured: a project featured today called Zync Journal that you can read all about here.

One of the unique things about this site is that it also focuses on the production side of the project. They discuss quantities produced, budget for the project and other important elements that designers are always interested in but no one talks about... essentially, it's the sex talk of the paper world.

Check in daily with these folks if it's of interest to you. They are sportin' some fine projects on display. Hopefully one day, one of mine.

>thanks to Roger for the link

Inside my head

I don't know if I'm coming or going these days. Am I looking for a job? scrounging freelance? letterpress? selling blood plasma? Rights to my first born? I dunno, maybe...I'll tell you how I'm feeling in the next five minutes if you have a question for me.

I heard the Mahna, Mahna song tonight and thought...YES! that's it that's EXACTLY HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW.

So I leave you today with Cake, as in the band - not the food, although some chocolate cake would be lovely right now don't you think?

See...this is what I'm talking about. Focus, Focus, Focus...What was I doing? Oh yes, the song...here ya go.

RIP Mrs. John L Strong

I nearly choked on my coffee reading this yesterday afternoon on my Style.com iPhone App.

If you love stationery as I do, Mrs. John L. Strong is who you aspire to be. She is the Chanel wearing Grandmother, the one with impeccable taste driving the vintage Mercedes Wagon in that pretty powder blue color down Madison Avenue. She wears pearls and diamonds on a Monday without apology. She has trousers cut for flats and for heels, that's the sort of woman Mrs. John L. Strong is. As all good things come to an end, so do the stylish I suppose. If you would like to see a lovely little video about their work. CLICK HERE



"Mrs. John L. Strong, the Madison Avenue stationer to tastemakers like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and Karl Lagerfeld, is shuttering after 80 years in business. Nannette Brown, the company’s CEO and creative director, explained in a statement that “investor’s failure to finance the business’ expansion plans combined with a challenging retail and economic environment, left the company with no alternative but to close its doors.”

Whoo Hooo....Hello darlings...So Oprah / Katie...totally over here making custom note cards just so you know. - Richie
Via Style.com

A funny to leave you with this long weekend

Via my friend and constant muse [Pam] for entertaining and funny blog postings



Phone conversation this morning as she was walking to her car to head to work:

Her: "OMG, my car is so dirty. I hate a dirty car, it's like having to put on a pair of dirty underwear everyday."

Me: Laughing hysterically - dirty underwear?

Her: "you know what I mean, you never want to but there is that rare occassion when you just gotta cringe and put em back on. That's what it feels like getting into a dirty car to me."

photo> this flickr person

Blog Out Loud Event

Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8 kindly asked me recently to sit on a creative blogging panel named Blog Out Loud. If you've been thinking about blogging, are curious or just want to hang out with some fun and creative people that night please join us!

Thursday June 4th 7:30-9pm
Patio Culture
1612 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291



Panel includes:

•Megan Arquette and co-founder Rebecca Orlov of LOVING. LIVING. SMALL.

•Audrey Wollen of Parcel Post and the store Urbanic

•Jonathan Lo of Happy Mundane fame and my former cohort in Apartment Therapy-ness

•and a nervous Richele of Richie Design. I'll be the one on the panel stumbling over her words should you be in doubt.


about the event:
>>Blog Out Loud is the result of seasoned bloggers, Megan Arquette and Rebecca Orlov’s, realization that blogging is not just a trend but a necessary aspect of networking, communication, business and community building. It’s here to stay and it’s time to share what they and other experienced bloggers, have learned along the way.

RSVP's are required because of limited space so please reserve your spot early!

We would like to thank our host and sponsor Patio Culture for letting us use her space and Flora Art for showering us in prettiness the day of

scenes from a party

still getting my shizzle together...it was a blast, I want to turn 40 again!

I"ll be back next week

I've got a bunch to do before my big 4-0 party this weekend. I'm gonna take the rest of the week off to prep and get my other work done. If the tequila doesn't do me in I'll get some photos to share next week

geek love

I was just talking about Sixteen Candles the other day with someone. I think these little geek love moves are the new Breakfast Club.

All the cutie heavy hitters seem to be in this one. I'm there.

warm skin tones

if I wasn't a "winter" I'd be all over this dress so pretty...on super sale to at BR [only if you have their CC I think]

Ever Wonder?

Ever wonder what it would be like in the bathroom of a fancy-smancy event, say like the Academy Awards? or how about the Met Ball [minus Madonna and her bunny ears thank you]

See what the girls room is like via LOVE and Carmen Kass [supermodel] ahhh...girls bathrooms in 7th grade .... it's all the same now just with more champagne, more eating disorders and more expensive clothing.

MEMORIES

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there that when you hear a song it transports you back to a time and place? Sometimes I start to yearn for songs at certain times of the year. I am one of those art-damaged people who is also sensitive to sunlight angles & memories, [and scents since we're talking about it]. Spring time makes me think of Ryan Adams' La Cienega Just Smiled. I was craving this song today must be the sunlight talking.

The perfect outfit

how much do you love the shoes? dream worthy

I had cut this out to post but thanks to citified for scanning it

Stuff that makes me do the Snoopy Dance

This makes me so excited. I can't wait to see it, I can't wait to use it on a client! No, it's not eyeliner...it's solar ink



via the LOVE BLOG:
Calvin Klein Collection have collaborated with Visionaire to create VISIONAIRE 56: SOLAR. They have used brand new printing technology to create limited edition books full of images that actually change from black and white to full colour when they are exposed to direct sunlight. According to Visionaire founder Cecilia Dean the inks were originally used in threads and fabrics- so this is a kind picture book answer to Global Hypercolor!

Contributors include Mario Sorrenti, Alex Katz, M/M Paris, Yoko Ono, Roe Ethridge, Peter Lindbergh, John Baldessari, Ugo Rondinone, Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Ryan McGinley, Olaf Breuning, Richard Phillips, Glen Luchford and David Sims. Books will be available in Calvin Klein stores from today 5/1.

WHAT IS VISIONAIRE YOU ASK?
Visionaire is a multi-format fashion and art, limited edition magazine/book that publishes 3 times a year.

working with both established and emerging artists, Visionaire's issues feature a different theme and format each issue. Collaborators are asked to work in that theme and are given carte-blanche freedom to explore and push the format.

starts at $250 for a single issue [$675 for a subscription of 4], but they also have the SUPER exclusive formats that have special bindings and or boxes/kits and creations to make them even more prized.

Essentially this would be my dream job in case any one is reading:
Create art, every three months, make it crazy cool, exclusive, use never been seen techniques and oh by the way call up your favorite artists and your favorite speciality bindery why don't you. DREAM JOB

Word of the Day: Crotchtacular

We interrupt this blog for a very important vocabulary lesson:
Crotchacular



Crotchtacular As in Crotch + Spectacular via the very hilarious Fug Girls. Pammy here, got a 'dear god', 'crotchtacular', 'and a size too small' tag for this little number.

if you are in need of great mindless entertainment visit Go Fug Yourself for more hilarious commentary

Personal Stationery

UPDATE!!!!
WE NEED TWO MORE PEOPLE AND I CAN OFFER IT TO ALL OF YOU FOR $75 PER PERSON,
50 NOTECARDS AND ENVELOPES



Are you interested in some personal stationery?

I'm going to be letterpress printing these blank note cards for another client and if you're interested we can get everyone a super swell deal by doing a bulk run. Of course they would have your name on them, not mine. I mean...you can have note cards with my name on them if you wanted to but that would be sort of weird if you asked me.

variation on the color scheme available as well.

contact me for more information:
richele[at]richiedesigns.com

New in the studio - Cristina's baby shower

A cutie pie baby shower invitation



Cristina and her husband don't know what they're having but have chosen a chocolate brown and silver sage color scheme from Restoration Hardware as the baby's room. We matched the color scheme with the invite. Her Aunt Shelly is hosting her lovely shower and asked me to do the invite.



Invite & Map card printed on white and mounted on sage green sheet
RSVP printed on sage sheet with chocolate brown envelope and ink.
Matching RSVP labels and wrap around mailing label

I also did a small registry card to match [the ones they give you at the stores - bleeck!]

digitally printed

more on friendship

via>Real Simple>my best friend April [thanks for being just this! including the meat thermometer!]