The Ara Chest

Winner of the 1st prize at the Elle Decoration competition. The simplicity of this chest and its wood melange gives the interior an extravagant yet minimalistis look.

I totally dig this!

More info at IQ Matics

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HMK

Thanks to the kids at Design Milk

Balloon Bling!

Lights for your balloons … Lights for your Party

Now you can light up your nightime parties with Balloon Brites. No assembly needed, just inflate with helium. Balloon Brites is perfect for any party decorations.

And they're totally affordable: Balloon Brites

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HMK

Thanks to: Brain Fuel

Merci! Danka! Grazi!

Behold - the most important part of anyones identity system or personal stationery.

The only thing better than recieving one is sending one.

The Thank You card. Not an email.

The above is a working sketch of the first in a series of six cards I'm getting ready to print to aknowledge everyone I can think of for helping me get to where I am today and to those for just simply believing in me.

There's no substitute for what's sadly becoming a rarity:
A heartfelt, simple, real deal handwritten thank you note of sincere appreciation, acknowledgement or just some good old fashioned, humble Gratitude.

Thanks to Robert Fulgham's "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned..

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life.

Thanks for reading!

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HMK

Poor Bird!

I was sitting with my coffee this morning and looking out the window and a huge flock of these little birds, I'd guess a few hundred of them, loudly swooped down in the yard and then suddenly off and on their way.

A few seconds later, smack! This little thing hit one of our windows and faceplanted right on the bench.

What really made this kind of weird was the fact that just moments earlier we were listening to a piece on NPR about Bernard Herrmann's work as the sound designer on Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds - which we had just watched a few nights before.

According to eHow, it's estimated that more than 90 million birds are killed each year as a result of hitting windows.

Damn.

I waited a bit to see if our little guy was just stunned but I'm sorry to say that this one didn't make it.

That's a bummer,

HMK

Pimp My Bus!

The Volkswagen bus: 1960s beach bums dug it, brah.

And no wonder. It was cheap, had plenty of room for surfboards, and was about as complicated as a lawn mower. That’s why, when Volkswagen of America’s Electronics Research Lab in Palo Alto wanted an unassuming vehicle to house some of its undercover tech, it settled on a roomy, 21-window Deluxe Microbus from 1964.

Dubbed Chameleon by the ERL team, the van — purchased on eBay for $20,000 — has been completely restored, converted to electric drive, and stocked with the lab’s souped-up automotive electronics.

But the best part?

It still looks boss on the beach.

Read the rest of Mike Spinelli's cool article over at WIRED.

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HMK


Thanks to: Wired Magazine

Cool Room Divider

Check out the custom room divider solutions over at: dVider.

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HMK

Teaching The Machine

So. Just exactly how did we get from handwritten text to Web 2.0?

Here's a super nice short attention span theatre version: 101 To 2.0

Thanks to: Reaction

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HMK

The envelope above is courtesy of Eunice and Ron Shanahan

Are You Experienced?

Experience is everywhere from cave paintings to broadband websites but what exactly is it?

Read psychologist Tom Guarriello’s primer on defining and designing experience. I know it might sound sort of boring and it's a 3 page article but it really gets great by the end of page one.

If you have anything to do with advertising, design or the web, you'll dig it, I swear.

And as Tom Guarriello put it (as a comment to the original article) "I like the way you describe the designer’s challenge: mix, shake, color, pre-vision, re-vision, en-vision, and let it go. The new emerging from the re-conceptualization of the existing."

Go read: Are You Experienced?

Thanks to: UX Magazine and Jeff Simpson for the inspirational Hendrix photo.

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HMK

Steve Wacksman

Check out the super tiki bongo illustrations of Steve Wacksman.

Thanks to the awesome folks over at: Drawn, an excellent cartoon and illustration blog.

And while we're on the subject of illustration, check out some of the rock stars of contemporary drawning at Picture Mechanics.

And then there's the awesome Ray Fenwick!

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HMK

Audio Wall Paper For A Nice Day

The HMK Mysterey Stream is the perfect stuff to get you into the groove before and during long pixle pushing sessions....

Make It Louder: HMK Mysterey Stream Number Five

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HMK

Nice Font: Las Perdidas

Las Perdidas is a super cool new gritty font by Rian Hughes inspired by a stenciled sign on a South American bus.

With seemingly mismatched characters, it rumbles out of the station, fueled by pure urban grit.

A Veer Exclusive: Las Perdidas.

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HMK

Vote For Jackie Earle Haley!

Hey all you JEH fans!

Vanity Fair has an Oscar poll that takes less than 30 seconds.

Vote for Jackie Here! Vanity Fare.

Thanks!

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HMK

Jackie Earle Haley: It's On!

As Jackie Earle Haley put's it in tomorrow nights Nightline interview answering the question: "What's is like having Oscar and your name mentioned in the same sentence?"

"It's like, super cool, throw in some steriods and Bloof!"

Mr. Haley will be on both The View tomorrow morning and Nightline the same evening, so tune in y'all!

Vote for Jackie Here! Vanity Fare.

UPDATE: If you go to your iTunes podcasts you can watch the Jackie Earle Haley Nightline segment for free! Thanks Steve!

Go Jackie!

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HMK

Mmmm. Grilled Cheese...

This and a bowl of Campbell's tomato soup (made with milk not water) out by the Tiki Room is my favorite lunch to accompany this awesome weather we're getting in San Antonio today!

Dig these tasty recipies from Laura Werlin’s Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stovetop, Grill, and Sandwich Maker.

Grilled Cheese

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HMK

For Sale

Found this over at We Make Money Not Art

Perfect.

Genius.

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HMK

Ace Jet 170

Just like it says...

If you're in any way interested in design, then this is a resource that you really shouldn't miss.

Step into Ace Jet 70

Brilliant stuff.

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HMK

Here There and Everywhere

Paul Frank Red Eye Express

Perhaps I'll consider one of these when they drop below 150US - they're pretty sweet though!

As of today there right at 200US:

Shop: Paul Frank Red Eye Express

Dynomite!

Dang! Check out this killer Quicksilver spot - it's totally Tiki Bongo!

Is it real?

And after all that just went down in Boston this week regarding Turner Broadcasting System and the panic caused by thier recent idiotic marketing stunt, I seriously doubt anyone could pull this off agian without risking some serious time in the pokey if not being KIA.

Watch now: Quicksilver

And speaking of Quick Silver... Meet Norin Radd!

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HMK

Pantone Color Report

Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, unveiled the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Fall 2007, available free-of-charge from Pantone.

The report features the top 10 colors for women's fashion for fall '07 along with designer sketches, quotes and head shots. The availability of the report coincides with the beginning of New York Fashion Week.

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HMK

Nice Letter Press Film

Man, I love ink on paper. Nice paper with a super crisp monogram letterpress imprint...

If you dig old school type, paper or both do yourself a favor and check out this informative short promo waxing the benefits and aesthetics of the all mighty letterpress, The Gentle Mad and The Eternal Passion for Books.

Watch the movie from: Firefly Press.

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HMK

And as far as I can determine, (OK, Tish?) - the word "letterpress" can be one word or two, both are groovy. Or is that groovey?

Ikea Hacker

WANTED: your ikea hacks

The fine folks over at Ikea Hacker have a groovy litle site with a smart concept - they put it this way:

They like tinkering with ikea stuff and they know many other people who do too. whatever they may be - a funked up karlanda sofa, an ingenious idea for your pax wardrobe, a creative twist on your kitchen countertop, or even advice on how to finally stop flimsy forby stools from wobbling.

They''d love to hear from you. Email them at ikeahacker [at] gmail [dot] com.

Ikea Hacker

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HMK

Wicked Smart!

This totally gets my vote for best use of a usb powered device!


USB Cell

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HMK

Talkin' Trash

Forget what Kermit says, it is easy being green!

Visit: Sprout Design.

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HMK

Joel Holland

One of my favorite illustrators, Joel Holland!, has created the cool illustrations + type for Stowe Ski Resorts latest ad campaign.

It's so refreshing to see some nice energetic hand draw stuff in print.

Great stuff Jole!

I want more: Joel Holland!

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HMK

Web 2.0 Is A Hit

Web 2.0 is a mass phenomenon, concludes a survey conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton.

The survey reveals that 41% of internet users in the UK already use Web 2.0 sites, to interact and participate with others in a massive worldwide community of users. Web 2.0 sites such as YouTube, Flickr and MySpace allow the direct exchange of ideas and information between individuals.

Booz Allen Hamilton interviewed several thousand consumers in the UK, Germany and the USA between August and October 2006 (n=2400) about their attitude to Web 2.0, what it offers in the broad sense, and about their actual user behaviour.

Read the Whole Survey

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HMK

Thanks to the folks at : Putting People First