Martens Violins New Identity

Martens Violins, run by violin-maker Paul Martens in Madison, Wisconsin, needed a logo to match the high-quality craftsmanship that goes into building each of his violins. P + S created an identity with a handwritten calligraphic feel to parallel the violin-building process: careful, planned, and exquisitly beautiful.

This is the finalized logo that will be imprinted within each violin.

This image was created for use in advertisements and marketing materials.

Check out Martens Violins for any violin repairing or restoring needs, as well as if you are looking for a high-quality maker of violins.

New Poster Designs for Yo' Wall!

These lovely poster designs are available for purchase on the Pop + Shorty website. Each poster comes printed on bright white 9 mil matte paper and packaged in a clear sleeve.

Recent Type Purchases

Fonts. Types. Typefaces. Whatever you choose to call them...I just can't get enough! This is just a quick post of the latest I've purchased. I wrote them out in their characters and added some of my favorite glyphs. You can purchase all of these at MyFonts.com.

Wish List for a Perfect Afternoon

1. 1968 Ford Bronco - no top

2. American Cocker Spaniel

3. Diana + Snap Pack camera from Veer

3. Crate & Barrel Montego red throw blanket

4. Sheer Elegance Floral dress from Modcloth

5. Ray-Ban aviators

6. Matthew, my husband

7. A Scrabble board

8. Knee-high Frye Shirley riding boots from Urban Oufitters

9. Beachfront Carnigan from Anthropologie

The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, California

A friend recently commissioned me to design a set of invitations for her friends bachelorette party taking place at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, California. All I gotta say about this place is - WOW! It's like the Ace Hotel took everything I loved and rolled it up into one dreamland only a few hours from where I live! The inspiration for the invites came from the decor and feel of the hotel. Here are some of my favorite photos from the Ace Hotel.

Isn't it remarkable? I've already hinted to my hubby that I'd die to take a relaxing weekend vacation with him to this place. There are record players in the rooms and a pool / spa / dining area / bar. What else do you need? This girl relaxing in the hammock above was what sealed the deal. This bachelorette sure is lucky to have friends with good tastes in vacation spots!

So on to the invite. I'm posting some pics I took with my iPhone (some day I will have a nice camera and not have to persuade friends to take pics of my work). They were so much fun to make! I used Paper-Source envelopes in Lake. The bachelorette, intitals R.K., has her own special monogram, which is on each card and also placed on the envelope as a small sticker. I love details like that. :) Right now are only a couple pics of the outside. I'll take some of the actual invite tomorrow.

One of my Favorite Places...

One of my favorite places in Los Angeles is the Paper-Source located on Brighton in Beverly Hills. I could spend hours upon hours in there, soaking up the bright colors, gift wrap designs, the quirky gifts, and rows + rows of rainbow colored paper in all different shapes, sizes, and weights! This morning I arrived 40 minutes before opening and sat impatiently for 40 minutes staring into the window at all the bookbinding materials. I only need three packs of Lake envelopes for a bachelorette party invitation I am finishing up today, and I tell myself to get in and get out! Well, I did only manage to spend 30 minutes in there and discovered they carry my Xyron 2.5 in. sticker roll refill (which saved me a trip to Michael's). Fortuntately, and unfortunately, I did leave with one item I really didn't need. A 50% off address book bookbinding kit. I've been wanting to bookbind for years now, so this was the perfect opportunity. It is just a beginners kit, and eventually I'd like to bind my own - not even using the premade blocks that Paper-Source offers. Plus, I have so much paper at home that can be recycled, I'd like to make my own journal with all my old scrap paper from old sketchbooks from art class in college to old recipe and grocery lists.

Needless to say, I had a fun trip! I took a couple pictures if a few things I want to get the next time I have some extra cash (being a starving artist sucks) - so here they are to share with you!

P.S. I highly recommend a trip into the store - if only to just get ideas and get your creative juices flowing!

Pretty paper

These aprons pop with color! I especially love the owl design - detail below. However, I know I can find a pretty handmade apron from Etsy, but I can always admire, right?

I love these numbered stamps. The designs inside are so intricate! It would be perfect for making table markers at a garden wedding or even to make a cute numbered poster for a child.

A Closet Full of Type : A Girls Obsession

My closet is not full of heels and sneakers and flats like most girls. I don't swoon over the latest Jimmy Choo, and my husband had to teach me how to pronounce Louboutin. No, I am not a fashionista for shoes. However, I do have an obsession. One I believe truly parallels the shoe-obsessed women lining up at the local sample sale. What is it?

I am a fontaholic.

I melt over the perfect typeface. I notice the quality and lines and craftsmanship that goes into each character. When I get new emails from Veer or MyFonts on the newest typefaces, I just have to buy them. I tell myself I'll use it someday, for that special project that someone asks me to create. Just one more addition to the Font Book couldn't hurt anyone, right? See, my perfect font is always exactly what I need for my current project because it matches the design so perfectly. I use it, flaunt it, talk about how great it is (mostly to people have no idea what I'm talking about), and sometimes I even write my name in it over and over again during days when I can't stay on track - just to stare at its beauty. Then one day, it is forgotten.

It becomes lost in the long list of fonts that scroll down though my Illustrator drop down menu. They get stuck between the default fonts that I dare never touch but have to keep because they seem to be trusty and one day might be valuable for a project I thought I'd never venture into. They get pushed to the back of my memory because I found another brand new shiny foundry that satisfies my newest project. And I never even say goodbye.

Then one day, I'm given a task to create something magnificent, something unique! I dive into my Font Book, trying out one type after another until ALAS! I rediscover the greatness of my long lost typeface. I again notice the ligatures and how elegant they are and melt at how beautiful the ampersands is as it scrolls across the artboard. Then, the true test begins. I try it on the page with all the other details and designs and colors, and VOILA! - it fits! The look is complete. I smile and pat myself on the back for making that purchase some time ago.

See, typefaces - just like shoes - can make or break the perfect outfit. That is why my typography closet it so big. I never want my designs to be any less than perfectly put together.

Martha Stewart DIY Wedding Crafts Contest

Martha Stewart has teamed up with Etsy to host a DIY Wedding Crafts Contest. Insterested in sending in that favor box you made for your own wedding last year, or entering a unique save-the-date you designed earlier this year? You may upload it from June 28th, 2009 until September 1st, 2009. Lucky winners will have the opportunity to showcase their work on the Martha Stewart Show - what a dream for many of crafters! For more information, visit the DIY Wedding Crafts Contest page.

Los Angeles Renegade Craft Fair Recap

Hello! It's been four days since the big Renegade Craft Show downtown, and I thought I would share some photos and show you what I purchased! We had so much fun hanging out with all the other crafters from all over the country. A lot of people drove in from New York, New Jersey, Tennesee, and even Canada. My husband, Matthew, worked so hard, as you can see in the pictures below. What a great salesman!

An awesome band marched through the vendor booths playing their drums and trombones and trumpets. What a hoot!

One of my purchases was this Squirrel print by Berkley Illustration. This is the text that came with this little guy which made me fall in love with him "Tragically this squirrel has a vicious peanut allergy. Luckily he lives in an area that has an abundance of berries."

He even has a Squirrel girlfriend that I have already asked for for Christmas! This is her story: "Betty the squirrel is still occasionally recognized on the street from her days as a folk musician. Many years ago she played guitar and tambourine for a fairly successful folk trio. She is still playing music but now her main audience are her five grandchildren. She loves writing a new song for each one on their birthday."

After two days of fun, crafts, and hard work, we packed it all up. Can you believe we got all four tables, two chairs, and other supplies and goodies on one dolly! Whew, that was a relief.

Suite Stuff for the Home

I came across these pillows quite awhile ago and was recently reminded of them. I would love to have all of these on my couch. If you would like to learn more or purchase these pillows, visit My Suite Stuff.

Seven Inch Record Wedding Invitations

I finally had a friend take photos of our wedding invitations from last year. We had a music theme, primarily involving records. Our centerpieces were actual seven inch records with our favorite bands as the table name. Here are some photos of the invite. The front photo was from our engagement photo session with Our Labor of Love in Atlanta. Each invitation was shrink-wrapped to mimic a store-bought record and mailed in a large white envelope. The records used were recycled from our own collection and others were purchased from a vintage record shop, so they were all playable. Each guest received a different record, so it was a musical surprise when it was played on a record player! The information cards inside were stacked and made from 100# white heavy cardstock. The information included a custom-designed map, an itinerary of the weekend, and an RSVP card with envelope. The monogram was also custom-designed and used not only on the record for in the invitation, but also on the table settings, on a large banner within one bar tent, and on custom napkins.

If you are interested in this design for your own wedding, please contact us at popandshorty@me.com. We can fully customize your invitation with you and would be so happy to do so! We can also help with custom favors, such as our fold-your-own-fortune tellers.

Fabulous Font Finds

I am a font snob.

I've spent many a night placing hundreds of dollars worth of fonts into my shopping cart and then clicking away without spending a cent (it's my guilty pleasure). Lately, I've been discovering some pretty cool fonts that are relatively cheap or even free. Here is my list of recent fun fonts that you might like to add to your font collection. Granted, they aren't for everyone, but perfect for the scrapbooker or blog poster wanting to spruce up their pages.

Headline Helpers SB Two - $39 at MyFonts.com

DB Journaling Boxes - $3 at MyFonts.com

Knitting and Sewing Doodles - $29 at MyFonts.com

Astronaut Jones - $14 at MyFonts.com

De Louisville Small Caps - FREE at MyFonts.com

Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles

Only three more days until the Renegade Craft Fair! The first ever Renegade Craft Fair in Los Angeles takes place JULY 11 + 12 from 11am – 7pm, at the California Market Center. It is on the entire 13th floor penthouse of the Center, with gorgeous 360-degree views of downtown LA. And it's free to the public!

Over 200 artists are traveling from all over the country and abroad to participate and sell their handmade goods at Renegade Craft Fair – Los Angeles. From clothing and accessories, to stationary and concert posters, with everything from bath products and ceramics in between

– there’s surely something for everyone!

Pop + Shorty has been hard at work getting everything printed and packaged for the weekend. This is our very first fair, and we are so excited to meet all of the other artists and crafters that have traveled from all over the U.S. to be in good old Los Angeles. Below are pictures of some of Pop + Shorty's favorite crafters that will be showcasing their work.

Seattle Show Posters

Seibei

Paper Pastries

Golden Garden Wedding Inspiration

I found this dress on Something Old, Something New and it was my inspiration for this post. I absolutely adore this dress from Nordstrom's. To me, it looks a little like the scales on a beautiful koi fish. Being a Pisces, I am attracted to it immediately. I've seen quite a few gorgeous things that would accompany a golden themed garden wedding lately, and I thought I would share them with you.

Moderno gold letterpressed wedding invitations from Bella Figura in Upstate New York.

I also love these two ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings. First, these cascading phalaenopsis orchids are such a beautiful way to add a bit of gold to the ceremony.

These lacy luminaries would light up the night sky and create such a romantic ambiance in any garden.

For more Gold ideas, visit Martha Stewart's slideshow of all things beautifully gold.