inspiration: books

Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

today...9.28.11

i'm thankful for today-- another beautiful day. no, not perfect in the least, but, along with the normal things {mommy/wife stuff} and fabulous beauty-related goodness {always}, i relished the time to savor the confetti that included coffee and tea sipping, books, magazines and music...

these days this is my favorite coffee to drink with my breakfast...

stopped by the market for some new-to-me bagged tea flavors...

initially went to barnes and noble for the october issue of Harper's Bazaar UK and Jones mags. only ended up with Jones, but i did find 2 books {plus 1} that i've wanted to read on the bargain shelf {hello, huge discount!}-- love that!

last month, i signed up for a tea exchange, so today paid a visit to my favorite local tea and coffee brewery; i know the owners and they are always extremely helpful when i visit {you can sip a sample of anything before you buy}. needless to say, they had some fabulous selections of new and rare loose leaf blends that i bought for both for myself and my recipient {i'll be sharing more about the exchange after i receive my package}...

the day was also complimented with good music. i've been on an indie and jazz kick for the last couple of days, so, via Pandora radio, my ears experienced selections from Kate Nash, Foster the People, The Head and the Heart, The Weepies, Deb Talan, Zee Avi, Adele, Landon Pigg and She & Him, just to name a few...

how was your day?

all pics, except the first, taken by me :)

currently loving...

it seems my days are going by so much faster these days. i wake up, and before i know it, the day is coming to an end and it's time to sleep! it's kind of nutty when i think about it, but i definitely many things to be thankful for-- my family, my friends, my health and the fact that you are here reading this! :)

sprinkled on top of my thankfulness are some delightful things i'm currently loving in this moment...

There's Cake in My Future by Kim Gruenenfelder....a fun chick-lit read {be warned, it is a bit rated-r, due to all the f-bombs dropped}, but the story is funny and engaging. i'm about 70% through it and can't wait to see how the story of three friends, their lives and hope for the future will end up!

fresh, roasted red peppers with my egg whites at breakfast {and sometimes lunch and dinner, too, lol!}...

this image of a small laundry room space is inspiring the redecoration of my own slightly larger laundry space...

NYX Natural Look Nude on Nude Kit is the perfect little gem for travel and everyday use. every shade is wearable, giving my eyes added day-friendly glam, but i also love that the neutral tones help to enhance the shade of a bright-colored eye liner!

philosophy Falling in Love...i picked this up on a Sephora run when they were out of favorite Unconditional Love {j'adore!}; i figured, "why not try it?"...and now, well... :)

are books as a design element a thing of the past?

Source: homedit.com via refresheddesigns. on Pinterest

Last week The Economist broke the story that IKEA will be revamping its classic Billy Bookshelf by making the shelves deeper. Perfect, the article states, for "ornaments, tchotchkes and the odd coffee-table tome—anything, that is, except books that are actually read." The article goes on to explain that e-books have overtaken hardcover sales and that the Swedish furniture company is adapting to a future with fewer physical books in our homes.

Say it isn't so! OK, I can (maybe) understand why people are indeed opting for the convenience of an e-book while standing on a commuter train or crammed into a tiny airplane seat (though I still love the feel and smell of a real page), but I can not and will not accept that books will no longer serve as a prominent design element in our homes. Yes, I may be more of a bookshelf enthusiast than some, but you have to admit that books, whether stacked on the bedside table, organized masterfully in a bookcase, or piled precariously high on the floor beside a chair add a warm and interesting feel to a space. Displaying books is the easiest decoration trick in the book, and it personalizes a home. The colours and sizes and textures profuse a room with a cozy and comfy and welcoming feel.

Source: beautiful-libraries.com via refresheddesigns. on Pinterest

Source: google.ca via refresheddesigns. on Pinterest

So I was incredibly relieved to read Reluctant Habits' interview with IKEA PR gal Marty Marston, who said, "I hate to dispel those who think the bookcase is dead. We do not see it that way. We really see books as decorative. Books will still continue to be something used to adorn. They’re rich and they’re textured.”

Whew. Books in design are not a fading trend. OK, I guess I can fish my IKEA catalogue out of the recycle bin. Or I could just bookmark the online version.

cassandra mortmain

Today the wind was frosty, more leaves followed their friends in colors of red, orange, and yellow. I love seeing all the different shades beginning to appear when I ride the bus each morning and watch the sun's rising. Really autumn has barely begun, but today was one of its stronger bursts of beauty. I loved walking around outside for only a few minutes and feeling my nose turn red as the cold wind blew through my hair.

This outfit was so cozy and perfect for a day like today. It made me feel like Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle, which definitely added to my rather dreamy mood. (I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith, is, by the way, a really wonderful book. I highly recommend it!) I wore this shirt of my dad's as a dress here, and I talked about layering sweaters over it, but little did I think that the opportunity to do so would be just a week later!

Here's to fall and feeling like you jumped out of your favorite book,
xo,
Maria Elyse

dress: dad's shirt
sweater: old navy, maybe?
tights: target
loafers: vintage

i feel like a little kid again

My Peter Pan book came today! Haha, I feel like such a little kid poring over the pretty illustrations and reading my favorite parts. It's a really beautiful edition of the book, and I love it.

I was going to spend my evening/night drinking coffee and reading the Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin (which is really good so far, by the way, in case you need a good book to read), but instead I'm watching a movie with my mom, which is just as lovely, if not more so. Maybe when the movie's over I'll still get some reading done, though. :)

Maria Elyse

Sweet Summer Reads!

The Flower Power girls are now in paperback, with sparkly redesigned covers! Drawing inspiration from Christine Norrie's adorable original illustrations, I was able to channel my inner illustrator and create a new look for these middle grade tween novels. Lauren Myracle is at her best here, with four flower friends and tons of chat room fun. Get 'em while they're hot!

Under the Cover: Gay America

To mark the passage of same-sex marriage in New York, here's a look at the making of a book that honors the LGBT struggle for equality.

Book Summary

Milestones of gay and lesbian life in the United States are brought together in the first-ever nonfiction book published specifically for teens.

Profusely illustrated with archival images, the groundbreaking Gay America reveals how gay men and women have lived, worked, and loved for the past 125 years. Gays and lesbians play a very prominent role in American life today, whether grabbing headlines over political gains, starring in and being the subject of movies and television shows, or filling the streets of nearly every major city each year to celebrate Gay Pride. However, this was not always the case, and this book charts their journey along with the history of the country. Providing a sense of hope mixed with pride, author Linas Alsenas demonstrates how, within one century, gay women and men have gone from being socially invisible to becoming a political force to be reckoned with and proud members of the American public living openly and honestly.

Cover Creation

I worked a little backwards in the Gay America design process, creating the title lock-up before I solidified the design. But in this case, the typography actually inspired the overall look.

For this book, I really wanted the typography to speak to the subject. I felt it was important for "GAY" to be prominent, looking embattled but strong, while "America" was smaller and more idyllic. But most importantly, I wanted the two words to be physically entwined, to suggest that these two worlds are intrinsically united.

"GAY" is set in Eroxion Roman and "America" is set in Bickham Script.

In these initial sketches, I played with the combination of both American and Gay Rights symbols: stars and stripes of all colors.

Finally I found the best marriage of symbols: Stars on a field of rainbow stripes.

The missing element was photographic. We felt it was important to depict the many faces of Gay America in united celebration. After much deliberation, we decided on this image from Getty.com:

And the final cover and full jacket:

Reviews

From Booklist:
*Starred Review* "Alsenas’ landmark history of American gay life focuses largely on public attitudes toward homosexuality and the seemingly endless struggle for gay rights. After a brief survey covering pre–twentieth-century America, Alsenas narrows his focus to offer a closer examination of more recent events. Thus, Chapter Two deals with the period 1910–39; Chapter Three, with 1940–59; and so on until the final chapter brings the reader to the present—and beyond. In an effort to humanize his material, the author begins each chapter with an individual story told from a personalized (i.e., lightly fictionalized) point of view. While this succeeds in dramatizing factual material, the effort may be unnecessary, since the epic story the author tells of the gradual emergence of gays and lesbians from the shadows is itself a compellingly human drama. Alsenas’ often sprightly, always engaging style makes his history even more reader-friendly, as do the many archival photographs that enliven each page. This first-ever book to cover this material for young adults is essential reading for all young people—gay, lesbian, and straight. Grades 7–12." —Michael Cart

"Gay America is an amazing book: entertaining, informative, and endlessly fascinating. Thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and gloriously illustrated, the book puts the LGBT movement into its proper historical context and features many luminaries of our community. Whatever your sexuality, Gay America is YOUR America. This important and groundbreaking book should be required reading in every high school in the USA.” —Lesléa Newman, author of Heather Has Two Mommies

Under the Cover: Shine

One of the best things about being a designer is getting to work on projects that I really care about. Shine by Lauren Myracle is hands-down, without a doubt, one of those projects. The story is raw, gritty, and just plain beautiful—and I knew the cover had to do it justice.

Book Summary

From Amazon.com:
When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.
Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Design Exploration

I read an early draft of the Shine manuscript and immediately had a very vivid picture of the town and its cast of characters. I'm from southern Virginia, so the setting and the people felt very familiar. (Seriously, even things the characters would say, like, "Shit fire and save bullets!" were common expressions in my upbringing.) So I used that sense of nostalgia to compile imagery that felt appropriate for Shine.

Inspiration

I'm a fan of the HBO show, True Blood, so the opening credits instantly popped into my head as evoking that kind of gritty, southern energy.

This last image in particular was sort of a muse for the design direction. It just feels like the South—weathered and beautiful and a little unsettling. Other stock photography and the work of North Carolina photographer Sterling E. Stevens also lent inspiration:

Cover Creation

When I started designing this cover, the title of the book was Speechless. The design angle being how Cat was silenced by a terrible childhood event. A very early comp looked like this:

But (thankfully!) we didn't stay with this direction long. We decided it was more important to focus on how Cat was emerging from her fearful silence and blossoming into a strong young woman. Going back to my inspiration board and childhood memories of magnolia trees and rust covered sheds, the design went in this direction:

And got a lot of positive reaction. The strongest element was the magnolia blossom—sort of a diamond in the rough—so I continued with that imagery.

When the title of Speechless became Shine, I knew the cover needed to be less about receding and more about emerging and the struggle of becoming. There's a powerful scene at the end of the book that involves water:

And another with a mourning cloak butterfly caught in a spider's web:

But what these comps were missing was hope. The struggle was evident enough, but ultimately, Shine is a story of hope and compassion and leaping off the edge of doubt.

And blooming in the face of adversity.

As with most things, this design came full circle and ended where it began—which was with this early comp. Something about this flower blooming in spite of everything, spoke most to Cat's struggle and her cause for hope.