HI + LOW has been a collection of interesting things I've come across or made. Now that that particular focus has shifted, you can find me over on Instagram @abbyclawsonlow. Think of it as HI + LOW 2.0 -- the same, but different. Feel free to continue to use this blog as an archive and resource for inspiration, ideas, and to just pass the time. I still do! *[Take care and enjoy! All the best, Abby]
Over the summer, we bought an old house. Since then we've been in a renovation marathon working out the details of the many repairs and improvements in order to make the home safe and habitable for our small family. It has been crazy, but so nice to finally own a home and be able to make it our own after living in rentals for a LONG time. Wish us luck. *[Drawing below by my 2-year-old son perfectly captures the essence of our summer.]
TOP: "Airbrush Floral Colored Origami Paper II - 5 Colors 80 Sheets - great for crane, flower folding." Beautiful. Along the same lines are: MIDDLE + BOTTOM: Circle Paintings by Kenneth Noland. *[I'm loving the soundtrack on his website -- unexpected and nice.]
I happened on this blog late last night: Mini-Eco by Kate Lilley, also a mother of two little boys. Her approach to crafts and kid friendly projects is fresh and clean and unlike any other I've seen. The design appeals to me on so many levels. A great site to visit for out-of-the-box thinking. And, c'mon, she likes Moomin, too. *[Check out her new book: Eco-Friendly Crafting with Kids. It looks good.]
Sometimes I am surprised where I find design inspiration. These happen to be packages of gum from the supermarket. Although these are not the best example of gum packaging, the color pairings and the minimal presenence of copy on each package is quite extraordinary for a mainstream brand. *[Have a favorite gum? Remember Razzles, Blammo, Fruit Stripe? Visit the Gum Archive here for more.]
These packages of Caramel Corn came from that big, awesome, Japanese grocery store in Edgewater, NJ. I couldn't pass these up. The stencil typeface, the happy/cute/goofy faces, and the glossy packaging kills me. So good, right? *[This makes me want my mom's caramel corn. Hear that, Mom? Since we're talking about my mom, she also makes really good sugar cookies. She sends them to all of her kids for every major holiday -- all 8 kids. Top that.]
I visited the Marimekko NYC flagship store on Fifth Avenue last week. In the store windows was this Easter inspired textile (approx. 5 feet wide) Designed by Maija Louekari for Marimekko, it is 100% cotton. Full color and giant graphics. How nice. *[How many of you had these sheets when you were a kid? I did. I know my son would love this.]
A.P.C. Children is now available in "unisex clothes, from 2 to 12 years, 100% cotton, featuring stripes and a parrot." You can outfit your petit enfant in a "blouse, t-shirt, jeans, bermuda shorts and a bag inspired by the A.P.C. summer '12 collection fabrics." The parrot denim bag is sweet. *[FYI: "Jean Touitou (owner and designer of A.P.C.) didn't like the options for his daughter's preschool — so he started his own." Nice.]
The Uline catalog is bananas. And, it's HUGE. There are hundreds of pages of office supplies: Custom tape, kraft stay flats, colored plastic bags, tape dispensers. I've been ordering from them since 1998 (starting at my first studio job). It is a family-owned business and the leading distributor of shipping, industrial and packaging materials to businesses throughout North America. *[I ordered this tape dispenser there when I started my own design studio, back in 2007.]
Amazing. These two sisters, for a fee, will custom embroider your own initials. They call themselves "makers of things assorted" and have "an unusual obsession with paper and patterns, like geeking out with gashapon toys and enjoy getting crafty with embroidery and fimo. *[Check them out here and commission your own embroidered initials here.]
Bradford Shellhammer, the cofounder of FAB, made these collages when his "obsession and collection of design objects deepened and expanded, into the world of art." So he took the logical next step and began painting. "And paint (and cut and tape) he did—for hours at a time, for several weeks... playing with various media and finding his niche in collage." *[These remind me of the importance of creating with your hands, taking a break from technological tools, and not taking oneself too seriously. All good things.]
This was a fun wedding project. I was fortunate to work with Alix, who is so lovely and nice. She was familiar with my handwriting/doodling (from our days working together on Madewell Musings) which turned out to be a perfect fit for her wedding invitations. Silkscreened in white on duplexed kraft cardstock and tied with string. Click on image for detail. *[From the pictures (here, here, and here), it looks like it was a very memorable day. Thanks Alix!]
This partial sheet of dog stickers was tucked between the pages of my 2-year-old's sketch book. He had stuck some transparent, color-coding, circle labels over the heads of the dogs. Not unlike John Baldessari whose artwork involved "placing colorful dots over faces, obscuring portions of scenes, or juxtaposing stock photographs with quixotic phrases, injecting humor and dissonance into vernacular imagery." *[I've found Avery stickers/labels quite useful for kids -- they love the various shapes and colors, and they leave so much to the imagination.]
This striped quilt was inspired by Mary & Matt's post on John Nixon's stripe paintings. I based the design on one of his Polychrome Paintings from a series he did in 2007. Machine pieced and quilted stripes, I chose yellow thread for the stitching. The back is a solid cotton in chocolate brown. *[Hey: I'm in the market for a new sewing machine. Any recommendations for a brand with a great backstitch?]
Following tradition, I made a quilt in anticipation of the birth of my second son (now 6 months old). As the tradition goes, my kind mother finished the binding while I was in Manhattan recovering in the hospital. Each square is a JACK SPADE Days of the Week Handkerchief (Thanks Mary!) plus extra gingham yardage. The first 7 squares have song titles containing a day of the week embroidered in their lower right hand corner. *[It's similar to the map quilt I made for my first son. Check out this *copy* I found for sale.]
Last week, I visited the Japanese superstore Mitsuwa in Edgewater, NJ (a graphic designer's heaven with Japanese candy, books, and sundries). Most of my time there was spent scanning the interesting and graphic packaging in the candy aisle. *[Example: below are some boxes of caramels I picked up which come in multiple colorways. Good stuff!]
In 2007, Brooklyn artist Iviva Olenick (who started sewing around the same time she learned to make sock puppets in kindergarten) began embroidering anecdotes from her dating escapades, juxtaposing images and text on pieces of fabric approximately 5" x 8". Each "narrative embroidery" tells a complete story. *[Read more here. Happy Valentine's Day!]
Mary & Matt are creative geniuses. Their "freshly made Valentine Editions are now available, featuring the popular Salted Dark Bar. Each bar is wrapped in its own handmade marbleized paper wrapper – this time in shades of pink’s & red’s." *[This chocolate is some of the best I've tasted. And, I've had a lot of it. Right, Mary?]
Studio Lin teamed up with their favorite newspaper printers to create a 2012 calendar made up of 12 poster sized months featuring a different spot color and paper and doubling as a great kit for designers looking to see actual samples. Typeface: AG book Qty: 1000. *[An example of exceptional utilitarian design. Thanks Alex -- I love it.]
"We love good books and everything that goes with them. We hope you do, too." BOOK/SHOP is a new online stop for those who love books. My good friend Erik has amassed some wonderful books, art, furnishings, and small goods that would all make stellar gifts -- take a look. *[And peruse his blog here for more book related inspiration.]
It has almost been two months since we welcomed our newest son home. His older brother (our 2 year old) has adjusted nicely to his new little brother. I can already imagine how they will be close friends when our youngest is a little bigger and older. I can't wait. Until then, I'll keep our oldest busy with trains, trucks, animals, and books. *[This and this are the latest favorite reads.]
A.P.C. has a new website which is quite straightforward and nice. The color-coded products page plays out like one long gradient of hues. There's also a "Special Projects" section that is worth a look showing brand collaborations with Vans, Porselli, etc.. *[Reminds me a bit of this.]
All from MUJI Online: [1] Cardboard Binoculars: Great for little ones or travel; [2] Wooden Solar System: Colourful solar system on rotating arms. Jupiter ("Kanji" meaning 'wooden star') is left unpainted; [3] Human Puzzle: Play Doctor and pop the organs and bones back into the body shape to complete the puzzle. *[In stores in September.]
It has been said that I'm a total nerd when it comes to office supplies. The office labels and vinyl decals below were purchased at Home Depot and the office supply section of Target. Since we've been experiencing a heatwave here on the East Coast (and I'm 50 weeks pregnant), we stayed inside today and kept busy with stickers. *[Here are some gold ones I used ages ago.]
I found this little packet of wildflower seeds in my mailbox this morning. Although I know nothing about this political race, this is my kind of propaganda: thoughtful, simple, and unexpected -- a useful leave behind that's good for the environment. Genius. *[Unrelated side note: Four more weeks until the arrival of our baby boy!]
My 1.5 year old (with some help) decorated these aprons for his three grandfathers as father's day gifts. And, here at home, we had dad's choice of waffles, whip cream, syrup and fresh berries for supper (and then a nap). Now, that's my kind of meal! *[Happy Father's Day guys!]
Mary Matson is a genius. She painted these “portraits” of striped shirts owned and loved by six creative women. She also illustrated the words below out of twisted and crumpled Chance striped shirts. Awesome. *[The Chance pop-up store is open for two more weeks. Go! It's stripe heaven.]
We're just getting back into the swing of things after a 10-day trip to Quebec. First stop: Montreal and then a 3-hour train ride north to the old walled city of Quebec (stayed here) for the last leg. Both were incredibly beautiful cities with lots to see and do. *[Grid Tote Bag shown below. Too bad it's sold out.]
"Acne JR is a Swedish toy company based in Stockholm with an ambition to make traditional, iconic, toys in a modern way." I saw Andy's post about this a few months ago and have been waiting for their online shop to pop-up. Well, it is here! *[Take a peek at the black & white packaging -- so good.]
My friend Mary has painted a portrait series displaying six creative women through the striped shirts they wear: Maira Kalman, Lynn Wagenknecht, Julie Gilhart, Zoe Cassavetes, Alexandra Richards and Selima Salaun. Prints and originals for sale at the new Chance store. *[Proceeds go to the Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.]
My 1.5 year old and I decorated these tote bags as gifts for his Grandmas. He did the drawings with some fabric markers and I helped with the rest. A scanned page from his sticker & coloring book became the card. Man, little kids are fun. *[Find these great muslin bags here.]
Recently, I came across these little works of art based on Holton Rower's tall paintings. A mother put this art session together for her child's "unschoolers co-op" group. I think this is wonderful. Below: Child's version of a poured painting. *[More picts of the kids work here.]
The vintage embroidered hankie below (bottom) was intended as a "something old" gift for a good friend on her wedding day. But, in the excitement of things, I forgot to give it to her (I finally gave the gift this past week -- almost a year later). Since then, I stencilled my own modern-day version of the handkerchief, shown top. *[Both remind me of this Martha Stewart idea.]
I was invited by The Type Directors Club to participate in POSTERS OF FORTUNE: 21 Fortune cookies, with 21 fortunes, mailed to 21 internationally renowned designers. Each of the designers turned their fortunes into typographical posters. See them, bid on them, come hear the designers discuss them. On display from April 5 – May 12. Mine is below *[Proceeds go to the TDC Student Scholarship fund.]
"Neon Starbursts for home, school, office. 30 count. 5 assorted sizes and colors" Only $1 at the local Dollar Tree store. I find the low-fi packaging presentation quite striking: bright colored bursts against black board with nylon cord holding them in place. *[I could see these used in one of these.]
Last Thursday, I found out I'm having a baby B-O-Y (due in August). We are very happy and excited to meet this new little one. Speaking of boys, below are some pages from my 1-year-old son's sticker book. *[This takes me back to my childhood obsession with Mrs. Grossman's stickers.]
Tomorrows Reference is a goldmine of visual finds. I found the site via a link by my lovely friend Johanna. Take a break from what you're doing and get lost in the archive. It's just pictures and it's pretty great. *[Below are a few of the selections I stumbled upon. Knock yourself out.]
Elad Lassry (Israeli, born 1977) "defines his practice as consumed with “pictures”—generic images culled from vintage picture magazines and film archives. Lassry studied film at the California Institute of the Arts then earned an MFA from the University of Southern California." *[Here's a selection of red, white, and pink works.]
This is what I've been dreaming about for the past week. If you haven't tried a Chocolate Editions Strawberry flavored chocolate bar (with natural strawberries), you haven't lived. And now that I'm over the stomach flu, I may have to order a few. *[Happy Valentine's Day!]
Bobbi Lin is very talented. She is a prop stylist, set designer, photographer, and an old friend. She is the kind of person who attracts amazing people. I was invited to attend one of her "amazing women" dinners a few years back and it was exactly that. *[One of her many Valentine's Day creations is below -- Enjoy! Thanks Bobbi.]
Photographer Uta Eisenreich "sets up conceptual situations often based on meticulously contrived (though loosely executed) human interaction, and then photographs the results." Below she created "physical sociograms and mapped them in the first image by asking kids: (Red) Which 3 kids would you invite to your birthday? (Blue) Who's house have you already been to? (White) Who do you know least well in your class?" Amazing. *[Her new book: A NOT B -- brilliant.]
"A Month of...Sunday Walks" by LEANNE SHAPTON is the first chapter in an illustrated series that captures the quiet ritual of a weekly ramble. Shapton is a former art director for the Times, an illustrator, an author, and the co-founder of J&L Books. *[The series, which illustrates life’s minor notes and quotidian details, will appear in the New York Times the last week of every month.]
A few years ago my mother-in-law showed me to some boxes of my husband's childhood art projects. Stuff my husband didn't want. I went through each piece and picked out what I thought we should hold onto. My husband, an attorney, doesn't show much of his creative side, so seeing his drawings and stories he created was wonderful. *[Artwork from NY Times article: "Mom, You're One Tough Art Critic."]
I look forward to the arrival of Christmas and holiday cards from friends and family. Here's an old one that I have saved: Linoleum cut, inked, printed, and typeset. Inspired by this children's book. Beautiful. Thanks Erik & Jess. *[Here's another that I have held onto.]
My mother-in-law and I bought some boxes of Sevigny's Thin Ribbon Candy yesterday. "No Fat. No Cholesterol. No Salt. No Preservatives." I'm not sure if I want to eat it or keep it -- the thin ribbony waves are quite striking. *[Watch a clip on the process here and another here.]
I took these photos on Saturday at The Model Railroad Club in Union, NJ. Founded on February 17, 1949 by four men who shared a common interest in model railroading, the club building has been around since 1971. I met and talked with the President and Secretary of the club who were working on trains and talking-up new memberships. Take your kids! *[Places like these make me happy to be in NJ.]
Drop in at Partners & Spade this Sunday for Eggnog and Secret Shopping. They'll have their own pre-wrapped gifts, hand painted canvas ties, Best Made Co. Axes & Equipment, Wes Lang Editions, Mary & Matt Chocolates and other works, Fredericks & Mae Arrows, W.M. Brown Lard, and JP Williams Objects. *[Pick-up Mary & Matt's book at the event.]
ALL Knitwear is an American clothing label for women offering made-to-order knit creations exclusively through the Internet. It is designed and produced by Annie Larson who hand-crafts each garment on a Brother Electroknit Knitting Machine. ALL sweaters are unique, produced in small quantities with high-energy patterns that are forever changing. *[Check out their blog.]