Printable bookmarks

Sharon Rowan sent over a link to some bold, graphic bookmarks she designed and offers for download. Help yourself right here. I printed out my faves, above. And you've heard of the popular new book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, right? Next up is Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. I'm still waiting for Jane Eyre Plus Werewolves.

Printable lists

To help you get yourself together, designer Erin Vale has created some stylish lists you can print and fill out. Download the to do list, blog topics list, or grocery list. And then if you're really ambitious, you could get some padding compound and make notepads out of the sheets you print. Write that on the Freakin Never Ending To Do List.

Awesome optical illusions

Optical illusions are completely intriguing. In my next career I shall become a neuroscientist so I can understand exactly how eyes and brains work. In the meantime, I'll just appreciate the amazing illusions from Akiyoshi Kitaoka (via Coudal) and the award-winning entries posted by the American Institute of Physics (thanks, Andrew). I apologize to anyone who feels nauseated by staring at this post. Quick, look away.

(Image from Akiyoshi Kitaoka)

Any Twitter stories?

I've joined the tweeting throng. How About Orange is now on Twitter. I'm filing this post in the Time-Wasters category, unless someone can tell me a story about new business or deep personal fulfillment they've found through Twitter. Anyone?

I want a tangerine chair

I'm captivated by these orange chairs. Sigh. Unfortunately I can't think of how to work one into our mustard / moss green living room. A pity. Somebody else, go get one and I will come to visit you often.

Boden Chair from Room and Board in Tangerine

Parlour Chair from CB2 in Tangerine

Our living room, with no room for an orange chair

Papercraft creatures

Lonely at work? Print, cut, and fold some friends for your desk. These wacky papercraft figures were created by Marshall Alexander, paper engineer. Download these and others free, right here.

Small cute thing

I made this tiny mushroom pincushion from a bottle cap, following Jen Segrest's step-by-step photos on Flickr. I had to add a step that wasn't part of the directions, which was to open up a living room pillow and steal some of the batting to put in this. As a pincushion, I know it's not the most useful ever, but who can resist a teeny little stuffed mushroom made of felt?

Decent-looking free fonts

For free fonts that don't make you cringe, check out Font Squirrel. Their goal is to be the best resource for high-quality, commercial-use, free fonts. I'm imagining some guy over there sitting in front of his computer sifting through submissions to find the ones that make the cut. "Barf." "Eeew." "Nasty." "Respectable!" "Barf." If you've seen something lovely somewhere, submit it for the good of humanity.

Fabric on Demand

Has anyone tried out Fabric on Demand yet? I'm curious. It's a digital textile printing company catering to "do-it-yourselfers." Upload your design and choose from 8 different fabrics to print on. They'll email you a proof, and once you approve it, you'll get your order in a week. I was pretty underwhelmed when I tested Spoonflower a year ago, but maybe I'll give this one a try someday.

Quiz: What's your interior style?

The International School of Color and Design offers this quiz to help you find your interior decorating style. Good luck... mine was way off, but hey, it was fun.

Fill-in-the-blank printable invitation

Download a free petal invitation from Melissa Esplin for your next event. Just print, trim, fill in the blanks, fold, and seal with a sticker.

Pretty summer projects

A few craft projects to try from the magazines...
PVC pipe frame at Do It Yourself
Raffia-embellished tote and hat at Martha Stewart
Beach garden in a pot from Sunset
Fabric roses and peonies from Martha Stewart Weddings
Festive drink umbrellas from Martha Stewart
Chevron pattern painted tabletop from Sunset

(Images from Do It Yourself magazine and Martha Stewart)

Another Craft Social

Back by popular demand, it's another Chicago Craft Social! Join us on Friday, August 14 from 7-10 PM for an evening of desserts and creative projects you can learn to make. New this time: Men are invited. (And hey, we'd love to have a guy project leader or two, so if you know someone, send him our way.) And for those of you who have crafty shops and businesses you'd like to promote, we'll have a table where you can leave your business cards or other goodies to get the word out. To get more details and sign up, go to the Craft Social site.

The Needle Shop

I finally visited The Needle Shop, here in Chicago. And fell in love! It's three walls of floor-to-ceiling fabrics in all those prints you drool over on the internet, but can't find in person. Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Kokka! Where was this store when I first started sewing a few years ago? You'll love it, I promise.

There's stuff for screenprinting, lots of modern sewing patterns for clothes you'd actually wear and bags you'd actually carry, and plenty of sewn samples to admire. The Needle Shop offers classes, too: learn to upholster, make clothing and totes, screen print, you name it. Say hi to Rachel Epperson, the super nice owner, while you're there. And if you live outside of Chicago, visit the online shop. Every fabric in the store is available on the web.

A little press

This blog and my fabric received a mention in the July/August issue of Chicago Home and Garden magazine. And speaking of my fabric, I was delighted to see this chair in the Amusement Park Flickr pool. Fun!

Quiz: Guess the movie

Do you love the cinema? Do you love typography? A Friday time-waster for you: guess the movie based on a letter from its poster. (And I think from now on I shall use words like "film" and "cinema" when chatting about movies I've seen. It will make me sound much smarter. For example, "After viewing the film Zoolander at the cinema, I purchased it for our motion picture collection." Sounds smart, right? Except for the Zoolander part.)

Printable cards

Cameron Blazer offers you a free printable thank you card and envelope. Or download these boldly patterned flat cards, customize your message, and print away. Hmm, now I just need to engineer some kind of color printer giveaway on this blog; wouldn't that be something?

Let's all redo some furniture

Poking around in the Furniture Redo Flickr pool made me want to drop everything and run to the nearest Goodwill. Folks have uploaded photos of furniture they've rescued and revived, and it's guaranteed to inspire you to paint something. I especially enjoyed this, this, this, this, and of course, this.

Images above by All Things Artsy.

Brown Links vase set giveaway

Yesterday Fed Ex delivered to my doorstep these porcelain vases. Love 'em. Modern and cool, and dishwasher safe! The design is Brown Links by notNeutral. And good news for you: two lucky readers can win their own vase set, compliments of Accent Furniture Direct! Just leave a comment here before Friday (7/10/09) at midnight CDT with a way of contacting you, and two random winners will be drawn. Winners will be announced on Saturday in this post and emailed.

Accent Furniture Direct offers furniture and home decor pieces in a huge range of styles. Some of my faves:

UPDATE: Giveaway is now closed. The lucky random winners were commenters #530, Katie, and #538, Desi of Forth. Congrats!

Fallen Princesses series

In the Fallen Princesses project, photographer Dina Goldstein explores alternate outcomes for Disney's princesses. What if "happily ever after" didn't pan out? JPG Magazine publishes more of her thoughts and a preview of the series here. Poor Rapunzel.

Mini jello watermelon slices

Happy Independence Day weekend, people of the United States. I leave you with this idea for petite watermelons made from jello and limes, by Chocolate on My Cranium. You can make some for your picnic tomorrow. Have a good weekend!

(Image from Chocolate on My Cranium)

Origami lotus

I made little origami lotus flowers the other day. They're quick and cute! Here's a good video with instructions.

This is all you need to make them. Have fun.