Five years ago, when pregnant with my son, I saw my first Rag & Bone baby book at a local boutique baby store. Ever since then I have hoped that one of my designs would be used in their handcrafted work...someday. I check their Facebook feed daily to see their latest items, thinking: Maybe...maybe... I can't tell you how thrilling this is for me. Their books are impeccable. I am so honored!
You'll see familiar patterns in the first column on the right-hand page. I spent last weekend reading the whole magazine cover-to-cover, as I usually do, but this particular issue is especially beautiful and jam-packed with inspiration. Single copies of the issue are available from the Uppercase website, if you're not sure about subscribing. I'll be spending my freetime this week checking out the websites of all my faves from the Guide!
I'm so thrilled to announce that my work will be featured in the UPPERCASE Magazine Surface Pattern Design Guide, which will be included in upcoming Issue #21, and also distributed at Surtex in May! Having been an UPPERCASE subscriber since Issue #3, I can't describe how awesome this feels!
If you haven't checked out UPPERCASE, it's worth a moment to visit their website to get glimpse at what the magazine is all about. Filled with design, creativity, and curiosities from around the globe, and impeccably designed by Janine Vangool, each issue is a treasure trove of inspiration. I read it from cover to cover as soon as it arrives. Janine has given me a special discount to pass on to my readers so you can receive $15 off a subscription. Just go to their subscription page and use the code USPDG2014.
Some of you may know that my obsession with collecting (hoarding) includes a passion for vintage stickers from the 1970s and '80s. For the first 10 years of the 2000s, right after I turned 30, I was consumed with finding and buying all the stickers I collected as a kid, replacing all those I had stuck to old notebooks and magnetic photo albums with pristine, unused stickers on their original backings. This included scratch and sniff stickers, which had to be unscratched and still have their smell. And I wasn't the only one--eBay was crawling with avid sticker collectors, especially those who wanted sniff stickers. It was a tense 10 years, watching hundreds if not thousands of listings and usually bidding at the last second to try to win. But my collection is nearly complete, and occasionally I am able to fill in some holes when I get the inkling to check out the eBay listings again.
During this time I was fortunate to collaborate with a fellow collector, bubbledog, writing a book dedicated to scratch and sniff stickers: The Vintage Scratch & Sniff Stickers Collector's Guide. It took us a couple years to compile all the information and images (working on opposite coasts while also having full-tme jobs didn't make it any easier!), but the labor of love has brought me full-circle to the latest issue of Uppercase, #17, in which I am thrilled to have contributed a short article about the stinky pieces of paper!
This issue is the "Special Stationery Issue", so inside you'll also find profiles of 50 stationers, stationery from around the world, a history of the envelope, and so much more--too much to list--on over 100 beautifully-designed pages. Oh, and did I mention the cherry-scented scratch and sniff cover?! If you're not familiar with the magazine, you can check out their website here, and even flip through this issue here. If you decide to subscribe, use the special code "CONTRIBUTOR17" at checkout to get $10 off your subscription!
