We’re launching a Pinterest contest in the next couple of days (I know, exciting, right?), and as I was working on the graphics last night, two different colour schemes emerged, and now I’m having trouble deciding between the two. So instead of continuing to go back and forth with myself, I thought it might be beneficial to put it to a vote and see which one you prefer. Same concept, different feel. And please keep in mind these are both far from finished, but more just to communicate the layout.
So let’s hear it – #1 or #2?
It’s always amazing how quickly the weeks fly by, especially with so much on the go and being on the verge of a seasonal transition. The past week or so has seen the finalization of a lot of elements of Project 12.3.12, and it’s pretty satisfying to tie up loose ends and move forward. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that we tagged along on a fabric shopping appointment, tried our hand at sketching and drafting, mixed and matched with colour swatches, spent a lot of time playing around with Photoshop, and as per usual, took part in many brainstorming sessions.
Because sometimes we just need a little reminder, especially on a Wednesday.
[all images via pinterest]
I ordered my new Moo cards last night since I’m down to my last few business cards, and now I’m counting the days down until they arrive. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews of them, and I was excited to be able to use 16 (!) different images on the front, instead of being limited to 1. They’ll be like trading cards!
On top of photo, styling and interior inspiration, I always have my eye out for graphic inspiration as well, whether it’s the simplest use of typography or a detailed layout. I really love using images and text together, allowing them to interact and tell a story, and I’m always drawn to hand-drawn elements or type. Case in point, the use of the sketched bicycle in the Bicyclette branding. When perusing Frassy, a style blog that is on my list of daily reads, I came across one post that really spoke to me, starting with the simple photos done in black-and-white with the 60s styling. What I really love though, is the way Audrey has incorporated personal quips and used simple fonts with a hand-drawn sensibility, allowing each layout to tell a story with a unique personality. Quirky at it’s finest.
[images via Frassy]
Ffffound is always a favourite source of visual inspiration, sorting through random photos, illustration, graphics, etc., and never quite knowing what you may stumble upon. Countless hours of procrastination/inspiration. This morning I came across this lovely graphic design piece, which first drew me in because of the typography, but then upon further inspection, I realized it was the F/W ’10 lookbook for local Toronto designer Breeyn McCarney. Even better!
So then of course I had to wander over to her site and take a peek at the collection itself. Entitled ‘Hard Boiled Wonderland’, the collection is a gorgeous mix of whimsy with a rougher edge. I think I may be in love.
So I don’t know if I’ve “officially” announced it here yet, but Bicyclette is going to be at The Clothing Show in Toronto this weekend. Exciting times, I tell you!
The show is at the Better Living Center (Exhibition Place) and runs Friday 3-9 pm, Saturday 11 am – 8 pm and Sunday 11 am – 6 pm. We’re booth #525. Come visit!
I spent the weekend building rolling racks out of piping and found wood, refurnishing a vintage dresser, spray painting just about everything I could get my hands on, designing hang tags, buttons, cards … and the list goes on. It’s getting a little crazy around here.
Keep checking the blog this week for more updates and sneak peeks, but here’s a little glimpse at some of the print pieces that are currently in production.
I need your help. I’m designing new button cards, and I need your opinions on my new (very rough) design. The idea is to go simple, hence the black and white, so that the buttons (which will be pinned on the card) stands out and takes precedence. The majority of the buttons are in colour, so I wanted to avoid any clashing. They’re to be printed on “mini” cards, which are the same width as a business card but half the height. Keep in mind this is rough, more just for idea and general layout. No photo editing has been done, etc.
Thoughts? Opinions? Love it? Hate it?
Yesterday I promised that I would be posting some exciting news. Then the day got away from me and I had to deal with some issues beyond my control, resulting in a necessary delay of this announcement. Here’s the thing: The new Bicyclette website and online store are incredibly close to being ready to launch. I’ve been busy uploading to and testing the site, and I think you’re going to like it. Unfortunately, there are certain factors that I can’t control, like payment processing. Ugh. So though I thought I was ready to announce a specific date, I’m now a little hesitant, since I don’t know for sure when this will go through.
But I promised some news, and so I wanted to deliver. Plus, I already had the graphics done, and I wanted to share those at least!
There it is: launching August 2010. I know that’s extremely vague, and I was initially thinking that I would try and work with the element of surprise for the grand announcement, but seeing as the whole point of this blog is to track my journey and provide a behind-the-scenes view of starting Bicyclette, from now on I’m going to share all the details with you, as I learn more and make decisions. So I can tell you that I’m hoping to launch within the week, which provides a little more clarity. And I’ll be blogging throughout the week and sharing each and every detail as I near that point.
Maybe I’ll even throw in some product shot sneak peeks. Sound good? Are we excited??
I picked up my new business cards today, which is always a somewhat daunting experience. I’ve dealt with printers enough times to know that you never really know what to expect and there are always surprises, often unwelcome. It doesn’t help that I still haven’t found a printer with whom I’m ready to enter into a monogamous relationship with. I wanted to try something new with this batch, and decided to print on vellum, which is a semi-transparent material that would allow me to play around with dimension a little by printing on both sides.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the final product. I’m really happy with the overall design, but I was expecting the vellum to be more transparent, and so the text that is printed on the back side is hard to read unless the card is held up to the light. Part of me thinks that it adds something and makes it more interesting and “interactive”, but I also know that it’s not the most legible design and will probably not go over well with everyone.
Thoughts?
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