Pattern Swatches

In my portfolio prep class, we are doing a project that I am loving! One of the grad students here at USU has a ton of experience in product design, and so she was asked to teach a section of our class. Yesterday we went on a field trip to where she works right now, as a designer for s.e.i scrapbooking. We got to look at the trend/inspiration boards and the resulting line of scrapbooking paper that was designed, see their studio, and visit with their design team.

Also, I learned a new illustrator trick that I am loving called making pattern swatches.

I played around with it today for a little bit when I got antsy at work and I can't wait to go home and try it out even more!

Here is my quick, ten minute pattern. It, of course, needs a lot of perfecting but i am so stoked that it was so fast. Before, something like this would have taken forever and not matched up at all!




ps. JB and I got engaged yesterday. Just thought I should mention that, too. :)

Blogs I heart.

You may or may not have noticed that I am not very good at posting on my blog. I will explain why.

I am addicted to google reader. Reading other peoples blogs is much more satisfying than posting myself. I get really caught up reading blogs and looking for new blogs to read.

Today, though, I have decided to share the love by highlighting some of my faves and why I love them.

http://www.designmom.com/
Who knew that so many motherly things could be so cool?
Example: these blocks that are featured on her blog.


http://lovelypackage.com
This is a recent find that I heart. I am really interested in packaging and product design, and on Thursday I am doing a product design assignment in my portfolio class! I am stoked.

Lovely bottles:


http://www.iamagreedygirl.com/
Greedy Girl. She has great taste AND ambition. She organized a calendar swap between all of her readers, where they gave her their addresses and she coordinated who would send a calendar to who. Wow, who has time for that? I love the calendars she posted on her site as inspiration for her readers.


http://canlasphotography.blogspot.com/
Too bad I am a poor college student and could never afford to hire this photographer! Instead, I can just ready his blog and lust after his photographic skills and ability to capture "that moment..."


These are a few blogs that have random/cool design things they find and post:
http://simplelovely.blogspot.com/


http://www.stephmodo.com/


http://www.ambrosiagirl.com/blog/


http://randominspiration.blogspot.com/


Of course, all these blogs are people that I don't know. But, I do also love my friend Adrienne's blog. She is cool.
http://adrienneisfullsized.blogspot.com/