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MY LAST BLOG POST WAS ON APRIL 10TH???
2008-05-03 00:42:00
Wow, oops. Well, it's been that busy. Sufficely to say that I am working on a few new projects and time is spread THIN. Which is FABULOUS! I will update you at a later time, and I am thinking about moving the blog onto my official site once complete...we'll see.
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The Premier Network for Designers of Color.
2008-04-10 16:57:00
Hello everyone! If you are in a fashion-related industry, it's time to join the premier network for designers of color! It's brand new and we are looking to get the showcasing, announcements and discussions going! Join Shades of Chic now!
More About: Color , Network , Designers , Premier

Question of the Week: Where's the Free Wireless?
2008-04-07 18:43:00
Visit WiFiFree Spot.com for a listing of free wi-fi spots in your area. This directory will help you find all types of Free Wi-Fi locations that are open to the general public, customers, or guests.I have found this site infinitely helpful for finding new cafes that offer the service. If you're one of the many throngs you see in local Starbucks with their laptops, this site may be your newest go-to source.Example: Companies Offering Free Wi-Fi:Apple Retail Stores nationwide have free Wi-Fi.Atlanta Bread Company has free Wi-Fi available in select locations.Beaners's Gourmet Coffee locations - AL, IN, OH, MI and others - have Free Wi-Fi.Bear Rock Cafes have free Wi-Fi in select locations. Look for the Wi-Fi notation on location details pages.Many Bruegger's Bagels locations have Free Wi-Fi. Best to check with each location.Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar offers Free Wi-Fi in all locations across the US.Caribou Coffee locations with fast internet access offer Free Wi-fi - the first ...
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A Break for Frivolity.
2008-04-07 18:27:00
This is completely frivolous and yet I would be the happiest person on the planet, at least for a few minutes, if this dress was delivered to my doorstep.This site has some frivolous things that have an actual purpose outside of vanity. They come from Think Geek, which was featured on some History Channel show over the weekend...t-storms made me absolutely too lazy to go anywhere this weekend. Not even the gym (uh-oh, this week is going to be crazy workout week!)The image is their Wi-Fi Detector Shirt - yes, it really detects available Wi-Fi!
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At the Fair.
2008-04-04 17:38:00
Read the entire article here. But here are my favorite clips from the Geneva Inventions Fair :"Some funny items at this year's show include an alarm clock on small wheels that forces sleepyheads to get out of bed because they have to chase the device around the room to turn off the annoying alarm.""Among the simplest is artificial nose hair. Two little nubs of coiled pipe cleaner connected by a U-shaped wire block pollen and dust when placed in the nostrils. The medical device reinforces natural nose hair to protect people from inhaling polluting and allergy-causing particles in the air, said Gengsheng Sun, a physician living in the United States. "Most people do not have enough nose hair," he said. Sun said he got the idea because his wife was suffering from heavy allergies and didn't want to take antihistamine. "It's comfortable to wear and cheap," he added. The artificial nose hair can also be impregnated with medicine so that it can be absorbed gradually through the mucous me...

Latest Pattern: Retro-ish.
2008-04-04 17:08:00
This is a sample of a seamless pattern (these samples aren't seamless so don't go trying to tile them - you'll be disappointed!) that I did a few weeks ago...I'm thinking about submitting it to an online community for open use...what do you think?
More About: Design , Retro , Pattern

Capturing a Feeling.
2008-03-31 16:54:00
Feelings are also known as a state of consciousness, such as that resulting from emotions, sentiments or desires. In a world that bombards us with the inner-workings of everything, it is also important to consider how you want people to feel when they view your brand - you can't just rely on a technical description.Whether they realize it or not, when a Client presents me with a project their goal is to capture a feeling and present it to their audience. This is the challenge, and without that in mind, my illustrations in particular would not have a direction!Tia Dantzler is a noted Celebrity Makeup Artist who needed an illustration as part of her MySpace profile. The colors reflect those found on her official website (redundancy/recurring theme is a valuable marketing tool in branding), and the pose of her "Likeness" conveys a stylish and expert professional.These are the initial sketches for the "Happy Woman" fashion illustration mini-series.The idea was to convey a woman in h...
More About: Design , Feeling

Fun in the Recession: Car Wash.
2008-03-30 05:29:00
After many a recession joke exchanged over email and phone conversations, I decided that I may do a post here and there titled Fun In the Recession . Whether or not the USA is actually in a recession right now is being debated but it puts me in a coupon clipping mood anyway. :-) So when it was suggested that I try a "car spa" I had to say yes. Here's how I did it - straight from a car washing newbie! (Yes, I'm sure it was a less than usual sight - someone with a camera at the car wash but I had to share this. I may be easily amused but let's just chalk it up to a few dollars saved and a few calories burned! The pictures are straight from the camera so click on any image to see the large version.)Step 1: Find your keys and walk briskly to your car between the hours of 7am-9am. There may be a wait after that, or it may be a bit too warm out depending where you live. (By the way get in the car and drive it - these instructions are for those who are "not into waking up before ...
More About: Wash , Car Wash

Question of the Week: What's the Real Value of a dot com?
2008-03-24 04:31:00
This was a question originally posed to me (and anyone else!) on LinkedIn. It's a question that others have asked since then, so here are a few answers from me and others on the network.What's the real value of *.com?We know that *.com domains are far and away the most common, and that Internet surfers are almost hard-wired to look for new sites at www.[fill in site name here].com.I think -- and I think it without the benefit of hard research -- that(1) *.com domains are overrated because so many people have them already.(2) The prefix www.* offers no extra value at all, because the whole world knows it means "World Wide Web."So my questions are related:(1) What's the real reason that, if I were registering a domain, I would choose *.com over (say) *.net or *.biz?(2) What advantage is there, if any, to the www.* prefix in your chosen domain?Geez, there is so much I could say here, but then I would take away some of my pleasure at reading YOUR answers. LOL My answer:“I've foun...
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I'm Celebrating Today!!!!
2008-03-14 17:27:00
I almost forgot!!! Yes, I looked up and realized it's March - I'm officially celebrating 2 years in business! I actually named my business "Sky Sister Studio" a year ago - before it was "Sky Sister Concepts"; all I was doing at that point was custom MySpace pages! Can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings - so far so good!!!As you may have noted, I did the blog redesign - made it simpler. I'm a minimalist at heart so the less the better for me (haha). But hopefully, you all like the new layout!The latest "longer-term" account is really exciting - a large collection of illustrations. The themes are under wraps, but a sneak peek is right there on the left. Illustrations are one of those projects that are way more fun than "work" - I love doing the sketching and turning it into a vector and coloring and adjusting like crazy...AWESOME.On another note, I was just asked to become a writer for GLOW Magazine, a part of Arden Custom Publishing. My first assignment involves...
More About: News , Web Design , Design , Today , Logo

Design Inspiration of the Moment: Pick an Object, Grab a Color!
2008-03-13 14:05:00
I plan on doing alot more of this...it's funny how you can just look around the room - and if you tilt your head just right - there it is...a perfect palette of colors!
More About: Design , Color , Inspiration , Moment , Object

Featured: Logo Design
2008-03-12 04:45:00
What do you get when you combine a serious talent in sewing, a childhood memory of sherbet, and a little business savvy? You get a handmade children's line called One Mini Maven!(Sherbert - sher·bert (-bûrt') 1. A frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice, sugar, and water, and also containing milk, egg white, or gelatin. 2. A beverage made of sweetened diluted fruit juice.)The design inspiration is fun and very whimsical - I created a color palette that looks like sherbert and added a darker green to "ground" the design - in pieces that will require text, such as the fabric tags! The colors were kept lighthearted, and the chosen type was purposely kept simple to suggest a modern approach and function of the clothing designs.Yummy design, yummy logo!
More About: Design , Logo , Featured

Give PUR Water!
2008-03-11 18:14:00
More than 1 billion people around the world do not have access to clean, safe water. Every day, more than 4,000 children die from diseases caused by drinking unsafe, dirty water. Since 2003, P&G has been committed to providing families in developing countries with access to clean drinking water through its not-for-profit Children's Safe Drinking Water program. Over 900 million liters of drinking water has been supplied to people in more than 30 countries. By 2012, P&G hopes to provide an additional two billion liters of safe drinking water, helping an estimated 10,000 lives.Using some of the same ingredients used in municipal water systems, PUR Purifier of Water is engineered to be a mini-water treatment plant in a packet. The product removes dirt, cysts, and pollutants, and kills bacteria and viruses in contaminated water. The product has been proven to purify and cleanse water in some of the harshest conditions imaginable including during the Southeast Asia tsunami, the P...
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Who Else Wants to Take the DIE out of DIET?
2008-03-09 21:24:00
Okay. Hopefully this isn't "too much information" but it does fall under "lifestyle" so hear me out :-) I've been on a mission to get to my ideal shape - it's not the super skinny look, but I would like to be "Fit." Yes, this is a vague term so give me a minute to explain. Quick history: I'm 30 pounds lighter than I was this time last year. (How I did that: Atkins for 2 weeks [lost 7 pounds during that time, after that decided to eat less carbs in general], started jogging 1/4 of a mile, 5 days per week for the 1st 2 months and slowly increased it. 60 ounces of water per day, and lots more vegetables.) I lost alot of fat - and gained a good amount of muscle. Yay.More important than the weight - the measurements:01January07 Bust: 38 Waist: 40 Hip: 4409March08 Bust: 36 Waist: 32 Hip: 38I started to "plateau" (stop losing weight) around December 07 - however I found that I was able to stay at the same weight without having to pay too much attention to each meal by staying...
More About: Lifestyle , Diet

Saturday's Stroll.
2008-03-08 21:52:00
Found out today that I won a Blog of the Day Award. Hehe.Funny: the latest gadget. Here's the thing that will go with your portable music player:Earlier this year, Heyerdahl created the world?s most expensive iPod, named ?iDiamond?. This was crafted as one unique and single piece of jewellery, not for commercial sale, and will be auctioned away for charitable cause in London 13th of March 2008.Following the overwhelming response to iDiamond from media, customers and the industry, Heyerdahl decided to go ahead with his idea for the world?s most exclusive earphones for commercial sale. This new creation is named ?iDiamond ear?.?iDiamond ear? uniquely and most innovatively combines traditional handcraft with modern technology into a high end exclusive piece of jewellery with comprehensive high-tech earphone functionality.Each carefully crafted pair is set with 204 diamonds, adding up to a total of 1,65 carats. ?iDiamond ear? will be produced in a limited edition series of 1000 number...
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Sorry About the Mini-Hiatus...But Here's What's What Right Now
2008-03-04 18:15:00
Busy, busy in a good way. The Studio is engrossed in a new book production right now (dedicated to an awesome city up North), and we're gearing up to make a few changes. Everyone is screaming about change right now...Obama is campaigning on it, the economy is demonstrating it, and no one is escaping it!Well, anyway all that got me to thinking that the Studio blog could use a makeover, which is in the works. And in the meantime I stumbled across some people who claim to have a course on blogging. And since I have Clients who keep asking why I have a blog and how they can get started without it being painful, I decided I'm going to try and evaluate it. So here's the catch: I have to post a little code they require...let's see how it goes! I'm curious...:I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.It covers:The best blogging techniques.How to get traffic t...
More About: Network , Mini , Hiatus

Social Media Fatigue.
2008-02-21 21:30:00
At least I'm not the only one thinking about this - and this blogger's "web" is way more complex than mine! Social media is very interesting, and has played an important role in my business, however I am looking forward to it getting a bit more organized and much less complicated and draining!You can read his thoughts here.
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Gadget: USB Stress Panic Button
2008-02-18 17:18:00
Hilarious.Stress !!! Stress!!! Stress!!!People suffer lot of stress from working, studying or else.....So, now you have a chance to relieve your stress. Press the big red button!!! It can help you to relax. There are 3 different screen effects which are Excel worksheet, Simulate Bomb Explosion and Boss Punch out. Get one and have fun with it!Features: A unit designed as the ultimate stress relief or panic button To be used as a stress relief Instant blackout to block important data on your screen from others viewing range Count down clock on the interface 3 different screen effects to choose from Screen 1) Excel worksheet Screen 2) Simulate Bomb Explosion Screen 3) Boss Punch out Powered by USB with 4 feet of cable It costs $17 at USB Brando. The demo is really funny, take a look at it for some comic relief - happy Monday!
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My Design Inspiration of the Moment: Buildings.
2008-02-15 16:50:00
(from: Integrated Design Team, the 36Sixty Apartments, and Alexan)
More About: Inspiration , Buildings , Moment

A Recall You can Be Happy About.
2008-02-15 16:32:00
You don't have to just regret sending the wrong message to the wrong person - you can do something about it! For those of you who use webmail from GoDaddy:You can recall unread messages you sent to other Web-Based Email users and users who set up email accounts with us. However, you can only recall unread messages. If a user has already read, previewed, or downloaded the message to a local computer, it cannot be recalled. You cannot recall a message after it is read, even if the user marks it as Unread.To Recall a Sent Message 1. From the Folders list, click Sent Items. 2. Locate and open the message you want to recall. NOTE: If you enabled Message Preview, you must double-click the message to open the full message. For more information about enabling Message Preview, see Setting Viewing Preferences. 3. If you enabled the Recall button in your Message view, click Recall. If this button is not enabled, select Recall from the More Actions menu, and then click Apply.After the ...
More About: Happy

The Latest Press for the Juice and Berries History Adventure "Peanut Butter
2008-02-11 20:28:00
Foothills author hopes latest book inspires children Colleen Sparks The Arizona Republic Feb. 8, 2008 12:31 PM Celebrating Black History Month can be as easy as opening a book.And Ahwatukee author and mother of three Tamicia Currie is helping children do just that. Currie wrote and last month published The Juice & Berries History Adventure - Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Pie through her company, Asiana Media. The colorful children's book tells the story of Black fictional characters Papa Juice and his grandchildren, Rhonda Berrie and DJ Berrie, who are based on Currie's father-in-law, her 5-year-old daughter and her 2-year-old son.In the story, Papa Juice walks through his garden with Rhonda Berrie and DJ Berrie, teaching them about George Washington Carver, a Black agricultural scientist who discovered hundreds of ways to use peanuts, soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. The story also talks about healthful eating and finances. "It'...
More About: News , Press

Links of the Week.
2008-02-08 21:53:00
It's good to know that my Martini will be safe with this new outdoorsy gadget.I may need one - after all, what better way to unwind after a busy week including e-mail storage mayhem?More Stuff:- Uh Oh Dollar: "Euros Accepted" signs pop up in New York City- Medical Tourism: the Latest Thing...- Espresso Anytime. Seriously.- Fashion Week .Design News:Look for A Letter Pink'd official site launch next week!
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Question of the Week: How far should you go to be unique?
2008-02-07 17:11:00
It's overstated in our minds - we all want to "stand out." So how far should you/your brand go to "stand out?" It's a broad topic in terms of marketing, the quality of of the product/service, etc. But of course I'm referring to one aspect here: design!We all see logos that fall toward one of the extremes - "extremely simple" and "intricate." The examples below (except where stated otherwise) are for demo purposes only and were not designed by the Studio. This logo is a modern version of a complex logo - it has a bold illustration element that makes up most of the logo.This brand has a more "classic" logo and is more on the extreme "intricate" end of the spectrum (without overdoing it). Elements are used that give it a regal, traditional, and masculine feel which makes sense since the business is hand-rolled cigars.In the past I have gone out of my way to avoid typical motifs in logo design because it really seems like everyone else is using them - cityscapes/skylines are an e...
More About: Web Design , Design , Question , Week , Unique

Email of The Week: Gas'd
2008-02-07 03:13:00
Credit: Everyone who forwards emails. ;-)"Subject: "Tricks When Buying Gasoline"... a must readTIPS ON PUMPING GAS (Good information) I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.50 per gallon. My line of work is in petroleum - for about 31 years now, so here are some tricksto get more of your money's worth for every gallon..Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline, where I work in San Jose, CA, we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel, the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the ev...
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What's Happened, What's Upcoming?
2008-02-03 04:00:00
The answer: good things and more good things! (Below are a few good things)1. Put up an under construction page for only the best interior designer in Las Vegas - Royal T. The Studio is gearing up to launch her official online presence - no simple task. We love a challenge. See some of her work and style on the temp page.2. I love a good illustration challenge! More on that later.3. Completed the design for the upcoming proofreading/editorial/content service A Letter Pink'd - the site will have a Web 2.0 vibe (meaning: very fresh, clean, simple) and have...you guessed it - lots of pink. ;-)4. Completed the initial logo sketches for the branding/identity of a new version of chess - the game is serious and so is the design. The inventor of the game sent me an awesome email when he saw the proofs - all I can say is YAY. (hehe) It's all about the Clients' kudos!
More About: News , Events , Upcoming

Music to My Ears: "We're Sold Out!"
2008-02-03 03:30:00
Read the latest press from the book here!"Tamicia Currie?s children?s book The Juice & Berries: Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Pie follows the adventures of siblings Rhonda and DJ Berrie as they visit their grandfather Papa Juice. Papa Juice is a treasure trove of knowledge, and tells his grandchildren about various historical black figures.?The Juice & Berries is a series of books that highlight African-American history,? Currie said. ?Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Pie is a tribute to Dr. George Washington Carver.?The books are far from straight-up history lessons, though. Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Pie also focuses on nutrition and finances with regards to Carver?s success. It is the first in The Juice & Berries series; the next book, V-O-T-E, comes out in March and will focus on the importance of being counted in elections.?We?re probably going to publish no less than four books this year,? Currie said. ?We?re not just going to focus on African-American his...
More About: News , Music , Events , Sold , Ears

Logo design of the Moment: Polished Affairs
2008-01-30 20:23:00
This design was completed a few days ago for an Event Planning company based in Atlanta. The Owner had specific requirements for the look - it should be based on the previous logo - the fireworks motif is used to convey the upscale/festive feeling of Polished Affairs . The Magenta color had to be present, and the text should be sleek. The logo should be easy to use in different print mediums.The Studio took the challenge of providing Polished Affairs with looks that could be used online and in print - in different mediums. There is a white based look for invoices and other collateral. And the black versions make the firework design really stand out. A text-only version adds greater flexibility.Very chic!
More About: Web Design , Design , Moment , Logo

Question of the Week: What's With Clothes These Days?
2008-01-28 17:28:00
Am I the only one...perplexed shall we say - by the clothes being sold these days? It seems that quality took a downturn since.. was it 2001 when they brought back the paper-thin 70s peasant tops? The issue transcends taste in clothes (Conservative or Trendy, Urban-Chic or Goth or Rock) as well as cost - I've seen the same issues in clothes that cost $25 and $250 and $2500! The issues: material (even without going into my dislike of certain fabrics!) and fit.I've greatly reduced the number of clothes I "collect" (face it, that's what many people do really!) and I've gladly given up my title of "clothes horse"..."Clothes Horse": someone who is overly concerned and obsessed with the number of clothes in their possession - MORE is more to a "Clothes Horse"...in exchange for something/some lifestyle/some clothes-style? more selective: wardrobe longevity and quality instead of quantity.What I go for: It's not just about the look - it's also about the feel. How many silk tops h...
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Illustrated: Glam Icons.
2008-01-28 16:26:00
These are base sketches for an illustration set I was asked to do on two well-known glam icons: Eartha Kitt and Coco Chanel. I have yet to add the "magic" the warmth that pulls them off of the paper. The most enjoyable part is bringing a sketch to life - especially a vector sketch!
More About: Icons , Glam

Anyone LinkedIn?
2008-01-23 04:19:00
This is a network I was referred to and I just decided to give it a try. Drop me a line if this one is working for you - I'm still deciding if it's worth upgrading my free account to the 20 bucks a month.I got this info directly from Guy Kawasaki's Blog:Most people use LinkedIn to ?get to someone? in order to make a sale, form a partnership, or get a job. It works well for this because it is an online network of more than 8.5 million experienced professionals from around the world representing 130 industries. However, it is a tool that is under-utilized, so I?ve compiled a top-ten list of ways to increase the value of LinkedIn. 1.Increase your visibility.By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they?re searching for someone to hire or do business with. In addition to appearing at the top of search results (which is a major plus if you?re one of the 52,000 product managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with p...
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