Jen Bekman


Wow just listened to Debbie Millman's Design Matters podcast with Jen Bekman - owner of 20 X 200 + Jen Bekman projects.
Very interesting to learn how Jen's varied work + life experiences (and issues with authority!) eventually led to the creation of 20 X 200. Her scrappy, slightly bad ass nature really comes through in the interview and is completely inspiring.

One gem that stuck out:
"Your list of what you need to accomplish is always longer than your list of accomplishments
... But you have to look at the latter one every night and take a sec to enjoy your achievements in order to get the energy to move forward the next day."
Amen to that.

Such a good interview. Methinks required listening for any creative entrepreneur type - and extra special for the creative woman folk! Listen to it here.

Jessica Helfand on Pinterest

Good article by Jessica Helfand in LA Times yesterday.
She asks:
"Is Pinterest a repository for aesthetic pleasure or a pop-up mall?"
ie. is it too focused on selling product rather than sharing inspiration?

These are good questions (and her Harold Pinter puns are great) but I was surprised she didn't raise the other thorny Pinterest issues: those of copyright + pinner's rampant lack of proper crediting of their sources. This is a pet peeve of mine - will write more on it this week!

Salon night


Last night was my monthly Salon evening with some of my favourite Design women.
Linda Felton - the animated woman below the light fixture! - and Editor of Covet Garden magazine played host.
Surrounding her are Janet, Jennifer, Donna and Heather.

I knew from the minute that I saw Lynda's address spelled out backwards in wooden letters that I was in for a decor treat. Her house was to die for.
(Wonder if this drives mailmen + delivery people crazy?) :-)

Lynda showing Kim one of her many Inspiration scrap books.

Deep in discussion.


I will use this caption space for a slight digression to announce... that Janet above has just been nominated for a Juno for Recording package of the year for her photo of singer Laura Repo.
Way to go Janet.

Colleen Nicholson deep in a discussion - about either Pinterest or Twitter!

Julie Jenkinson, Lynda and a howling Donna Griffith.

A wonderful night of great food, wine + company - and lots of laughing. Balm for the soul.

Ingenious New Yorker cover


Saw this cover in the subway last week. It stopped me in my tracks.

Here is a close up. Isn't it ingenious?
It's a blurred version of that fabulous dandy Eustace Tilley with a scroll wheel on top of him indicating the universal message of 'page loading'. I thought sooo clever. The cover was done by reader Brett Culbert and was his entry to the magazine’s annual Eustace Tilley competition that has readers submit their own interpretations of the publication’s original 1925 cover illustration by Rea Irvin.
You can see the rest of the entries here:
Sure is alotta clever folks out there...