I am getting my copy of this today and I’m very excited about it -From Stanford University’s D-School this book is a tool for helping people intentionally manipulate space to ignite creativity. I will update this post when I have read it. It sounds like it’s just my kind of book:
“Appropriate for designers charged with creating new spaces or anyone interested in revamping an existing space, this guide offers novel and non-obvious strategies for changing surroundings specifically to enhance the ways in which teams and individuals communicate, work, play—and innovate. This work is based on years of classes and programs at the d.school including countless prototypes and iterations with d.school students and spaces.”
by aileen on February 15, 2012
This would make me smile whenever I used it. I love most of the stuff produced by Fred – it’s simple with a sense of humor (hmm that could probably be a description of me too)
buy it here*.
by aileen on February 9, 2012
There is sooo much right with this sign. I love the mind of Richard Tipping. I already have his ‘Thank you for Noticing Sign’ Available from The Tate Modern Store
by aileen on January 11, 2012
Let me introduce Coink*, our piggy bank. We’ve had one in our house for years – he’s almost like a family member. We say things like “I’ll go and look in Coink” or “I’m feeding Coink” – He’s not cheap at $32.00, but he is beautifully designed and very easy to put your change into. sporting a funnel rather than a little coin slot. If you use him as much as we do, he will save you money.
He sit’s on a shelf and collects our change until we are ready to take it to the local coinstar machine and swap it for amazon or itunes vouchers. You will love him (I do)
by aileen on November 22, 2011
I have been asked many times over the last few weeks how I make my personalized books for my Etsy store. I’m always willing to share my ideas and I thought it would be easier to show you then tell you…
(further instructions are at the bottom of the post)
For the chance to win your own book click here.
1. Design the cover. I use InDesign but you could use word. Design or print in reverse.
2. Print it out onto tracing paper.We find that black doesn't print well, but other colors are fine!
3. We then run it through a Xyron Sticker Maker - this coats the underside completely with sticky stuff (see info below)
4. Now it will stick to any material you want to use as your book cover. The printing is protected because it's on the reverse side
5. Roughly trim. You will cut it to size once it is stuck down. (Make sure you have included cut marks in your original print)
6. Peel off the page and stick it down onto your cover stock. Carefully. Smooth it out as you stick it down. You don't want any air bubbles.
7. Now trim it to the finished size. We use a craft knife (or scapel) and a rule. Much better than scissors.
8. Using a binding machine, punch the holes in the cover, back cover and other pages. Don't try to punch everything at once.
9. Line it all up and prepare to bind. Cut the binding wire to the right length. (Follow the instructions on the binding machine)
10. And you are done! Enjoy the book. It took us a while to work out this system. Don't worry if your first book isn't perfect.
I hope this explains the steps well enough. Please ask any questions you have, they will help everyone. You will obviously need: Card for the cover and back cover. Tracing paper. A printer. A Xyron Sticker Maker* 
(we use a 9″ one, but they also make a smaller one. You can use glue but it doesn’t stick the tracing paper down in the same smooth way), a binding machine – maybe they will let you borrow the one from work? I got mine for Christmas last year.
Don’t forget to enter to win one of your own!
by aileen on November 17, 2011
The first promotional piece for this site is done and it’s a match made in heaven (well not quite heaven, but you get the point).
When you need a spark.
(and for those of you who keep asking to peek inside my notebooks, click on the image to see the idea forming)
by aileen on November 15, 2011
This is my vanity table where I get ready every morning. The message helps me remember not to say mean things to myself about the way I look. It sets me up for a good day of meeting beautiful people.
Yes, I do stick letters on anything – most of them peel-off well and you can change them (with a bit of help from goo-gone or something similar). I like to be reminded of things for the days I don’t feel that way naturally.
by aileen on November 14, 2011
A few months ago a local store was closing and selling off things cheaply. Of course I visited and grabbed a very new looking OPEN sign (the kind they sell at SamsClub. (I have a thing for neon signs).
I brought it home and with the help of a dremel and some black paint I managed to change it’s meaning.
It’s not perfectly done by any means, but it gets the idea across – and more importantly, it makes me smile.
by aileen on November 11, 2011
Yesterday on Facebook a couple of people commented on the School of Visual Arts post and said they would need something to write ideas down in the shower… I promised to share what I used (yes, I really do have a notepad and pencil in the shower)…
I have used Aqua Notes since they first arrived on the scene (or in the shower). They are simple, can get soaking wet without it affecting the writing on the paper (you can even write underwater if you must) and are easy to rip off and take with you. They are also recyclable, environmentally friendly, and printed with soy-based ink (and no, they don’t pay me to say any of this) Bath time is now the best thinking time!
by aileen on November 9, 2011
I am really enjoying showing you around my home and studio. You’ve seen the idea table and the blackboard table so I thought it was time to introduce you to a wall.
It may be the simplest idea I have ever had, and although we did a whole wall (I wanted to be able to see my whole book at once) , it’s very easy to just do a strip anywhere in the house. My friends favorite places to put this are in the kitchen for notes, and in their children’s bedrooms to hold artwork. You only need some metal thumbtacks (drawing pins for people who come from the same part of the world as I do) and little magnets (available in most office supply stores). They make metal thumbtacks in lots of different colors which just adds to the fun. I used white on the wall because, well, most things in our home are white. (It’s a minimalist thing)
by aileen on November 7, 2011
The thing that people ask the most questions about in my studio is The Idea Table, so I thought it was time to share.
It started off as a cheap Ikea table (you know the one), we added some paper cut to fit the top… and The Idea Table was born (or at least created). Luckily my husband works at a printer and he cut and glued the paper there, but if you can get someone to cut it, it’s fairly easy to use white school glue and tissue paper to create the stuck edge. We used strong double sided tape to stick it down. It’s great for kids and adults alike, no one can resist writing on it. With this and our blackboard table we have writing surfaces everywhere. Many fun ideas started at this table…
UPDATE: Thank you to Alan Henry over at Lifehacker.com for blowing my blog up by posting this! – you rock!
UPDATE 2: Thank you to the Real Simple blog for featuring the idea table, and welcome to all of you who have come from there, stay awhile, leave a comment, sign up for the rss feed, have a cup of tea…
by aileen on November 3, 2011
It’s not a secret but it may be news to you – I live in a white house – not all white, of course – some of the floors are wood, and we have an orange chair, Ok so it’s mostly white. A few years ago we were looking for our ideal dining room table (large, white) and just couldn’t find what we wanted. We ended up using 3 cheap Ikea tables (just for now) and found we loved the flexibility they gave us. We could move around the arrangement and seat 2 – 14 people easily. As we have used them they have gotten a little scratched and worse for wear (they were very inexpensive) so a couple of weeks ago we painted them – with blackboard paint. They look great, have already provided endless hours of fun, and seem to be wearing well. I can’t wait till Christmas!
UPDATE: Here is a link to an article on 25 ways to use chalkboard paint – should kickstart some ideas
