Category Archives: Posts

love this

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So I’m not really into celebrating Valentine’s day but there are two kawaii things that I want to share that are sort of related. First are the Rilakkuma notes that I purchased the last time that I went to Kinokuniya Books. They have a really wonderful collection of San X things there and Rilakkuma is my favorite. These particular notes were surely designed for Valentine’s day but the signature red and adorable nature is not unlike their usual style. Do you remember celebrating Valentine’s Day in elementary school? It was my favorite school holiday for sure because I loved finding the perfect cards, writing + drawing all over them, stuffing them with candy hearts and the stickering them shut. When I was younger (and to this day) I loved paper, handwriting and candy so it was the perfect day for me.

On Saturday, the actual day I ended up traveling to San Jose with my special someone on the train. We were there for the bicycling festivities, to take pictures for SVBC. In the afternoon we vistited Penguin Froyo and I got the yummiest treat ever: peanut butter cup gelato with heath bar crumble. Wow. I have had gelato once before and it wasn’t anything too great, but I will make sure that I return to Penguin Froyo for a visit when ever I am in the area.

journals

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For my online photo class we are supposed to start a journal. I chuckled a bit because I had already bought one specifically for the class from Kinokuniya. It has zoo animals on it and I thought that it would inspire me to go adventuring with the camera—and back to the SF Zoo. I actually have lots and lots of notebooks, journals, moleskines, etc and between maiki and myself we buy one every time we come across them (he may be worse than me at resisting them ^_^).  I started to realize a while back that I never quite get the opportunity to fill the pages of the journals that I buy before I excitedly purchase another one so I’ve tried to hold back. Also lately I’ve been going back and using them for drawing and doodles that are not project related so they are not going out of sequence.  Anyways when school started I released the ban on notebook shopping and picked out some super cute ones. Here they are: a green Moleskine, a Nantaka Joy scalloped beauty by Joy Cho, and zoo notebook with illustrations by Michiyo Tokuda.

While reading Design Observer I noticed a post from Michael Beirut about his own journaling habits entitled “26 Years, 85 Notebooks.” He likes to use the plain old school composition books, and he completely fills them up before moving onto the next, in a perfect timeline. He carries his notebook with him everywhere and it to jot down ideas, notes to himself, sketches of possible designs, contact information of clients, everything. In the post he also shows pages from his notebooks and discusses how they relate to real work that he has produced. All really interesting stuff!  It is clear how integral these books are to his creative process— and that all these damn thumbnails that I have been forced to draw are really laying the ground work for good design practices. I wish that I had a quarter for every time one of my professors said that “the designer should begin with a pencil and paper and not with a computer and a mouse.” I have the supplies but it can be hard to fight that urge. I guess the reward to myself is shopping for stationary—and becoming a good designer.

vintage random butter vox post 05.11.07

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I made this post to my Vox blog one morning when I was a nanny on the UCSC campus. It was cold and foggy and the baby that I was taking care of was asleep. This little bit of information probably says a lot about how I was feeling at that time. I really enjoyed using Vox primarily for its “Questions of the Day” and “Vox Hunt” because it generated ideas for content.

cuckoo clocks and other objects of my affection

cuckoo clocks
lockets
bunny rabbits
hello kitty
pancakes
toggle buttons
argyle
cable knit
the muppets
scones
autumn leaves
cinnamon
norah jones
tea cups
music boxes
charm bracelets
dark chocolate
woodland animals
stacking dolls
paisley
button collections
snoopy movies
toast
rain
tabby cats
woolen plaid
melon bread
kogepan
kinokuniya
cobblestone roads
children’s books
nutella
cameras
viewmasters
ferris wheels
gnomes
amelie
stationary
stamps
cupcakes
sigur ros
polka dots
my bicycle
public transportation
gingerbread
neuschwanstein castle
traveling
soup
scarves
maiki

25 random things

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Tagged on Facebook and published on WordPress.

25 Random Things:

1. I am the youngest of six children. My parents had five HS aged and up kids when they became pregnant with me. I became an aunt at 3.

2. My first love has always been photography. In HS I learned darkroom techniques. I also worked as a photographer for the local city newspaper for 3 yrs.

3. My first job was as a waitress and I loved it dearly. I was even given an award of excellence from the Tourist Board of California for customer service.

4. I went to a community college with no idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I eventually got an AA in Child Development.

5. I am divorced but still friends with my ex. He was a part of my life for a long time and I appreciate that.

6. Even though I had a shared computer I never really used one until my friend maiki introduced me to flickr and 43 things in Jan 06. I bought my first computer later that year, a 20 in. iMac.

7. I went to Germany when I was in the third grade for a month with my parents, aunt&uncle and two cousins. I brought my school work with me and we traveled all over the country and to London for a few days. I went to the Oktoberfest and drank orange Fanta.

8. maiki introduced me to anime and it changed my life. I joke that the reason I chose to go to art school was because of Honey & Clover. I still watch Bleach and Naruto every week after its released in Japan.

9. I am an aunt of nineteen children and I have worked with about a hundred different children. They are all very special to me however I still doubt that I will ever have any children of my own.

10. I love to cook and eat but I have a bit of a limited diet. I am lactose intolerant and chose to not eat meat. It makes it hard sometimes to order food in many restaurants.

11. In HS I learned some Spanish and used it more while working in the restaurant. I want to learn Japanese next and think that through reading subtitles and hearing it spoken in anime helps a lot!

12. I finally decided what I really want to be when I grow up and that is a Graphic Designer. I hope to someday work and get paid instead of just going to school!

13. I am a character in a web comic called one more robot. My housemates have created something amazing and its based on the five of us all living together.

14. I have a tattoo of a butterfly on my stomach that I got when I was 18. I really want more of them, but I am scared of the pain.

15. I think that the funnest job that I have ever had was to plan my wedding. People were surprised at how mellow of a bride I was. It was just like a big party for 150.

16. I began blogging on Vox in Oct. of 2006 and loved it. I still have a blog but its on my own domain.

17. I think that Facebook is lame sauce but I like it for networking. It has been a great resource in getting in touch with really old friends and peers.

18. Since I worked in a bar when I turned 21 I have pretty much tried all the alcohol that I want to. I really enjoy certain drinks every now and then but not in as often. I loves me some dark beer or red wine. New fave is sake/ginger ale!

19. My sister Barbara has always been one of my best friends. She is like 16 yrs older than me but we are still very close.

20. I love all kinds of different music. My obsession for the last couple yrs has been the soundtrack to Samurai Champloo with hip hop by Nujabes, Fat Jon & Tsutchie. It dominates my last.fm.

21. I am a big fan of Ray Manzarek and the Doors. I have seen him live twice in very small venues where he played liked twenty feet away. My parents are only two years older than Ray Manzarek. It doesn’t seem possible.

22. I have become quite geeky as of late. I have been indoctrinated by my housemates into a culture that has inspired and invigorated me creatively.

23. I love the taste of coffee and been drinking it daily on and off since high school. It is not good for me but I am addicted. I stop for a week, a month, or a year and go right back to it. Its the only substance that I have gotten hooked on.

24. When I was 19, I decided that I would stop paying for cable because it was just too expensive and I haven’t had TV since. Nowadays I pay for an internet connection and download the shows that I like to watch (on a computer monitor or with the projector).

25. In two weeks I am changing my name for the second time in my adult life. I will legally known as Susan Magnolia.