Amenity has stolen my heart!

So, as some of you know, I am about 5 months pregnant...this is Kelly writing by the way...I don't want to get Joelle in trouble! I am very much into design (duh) and I have been searching for the right combo of baby colours...well let me tell you...it ain't easy. The mainstream resources out there offer a plethora of 'way too cutsie' for me patterns that really DO NOT reflect my style at all. I don't want to have to decorate the room in either blue for boys or pink for girls...it just ain't me. So recently I discovered this adorable pattern with everything I truly wanted in a room! I have an old rocking chair painted green and some orange spliced into the mix which is a great mixture but VERY hard to match up to. This blanket encompassed everything I wanted in the design - a cute bunny - but not too cute, and splashes of citrus hues that are bright, cheery and gender neutral. The designer is called Amenity, and I wanted to thank them for saving me from baby nightmares! The only hard part will be letting the new bebe cuddle up and possibly poop on this blanket...that is hurdle number two, but I'll deal with that later...

gettin' figgy with it

We just finished a website for an up-and-coming jewelry design company called "Frankly Fig." And I won't be modest here, but the owner of the company is my extremely wonderful and talented cousin Julia!

Julia is seriously fashionable...and when this chick {Joelle} has days of not-so-wicked style {an occurrence happening more and more I'm afraid}, I look to Julia to see what trends are in, and for inspiration in her wonderfully funky outfits. So it is no surprise that her resin jewelry collection is equally fashionable and creative.

Check out the entire collection at her freshly launched website - www.franklyfig.com - and get Figged!

paper pop-ups

Kelly and I have travelled to the National Stationery Show in NYC a few times, and it has made us long to visit New York every Spring. Ah the blossoms in Central Park, the cupcakes from Magnolia bakery. Unfortunately we couldn't make it this year, so I had to get my stationery fix online. Publique Living, an exhibitor at this year's Show caught my eye. Check out their beautiful 'Pop Mats' - paper placemats and pop-up name cards in one, made of 100% recycled paper. The cleverness!

going to the zoo zoo zoo

I have always been obsessed with pattern - on fabrics, gift wrap, paper, wallpaper. And more recently the use of patterns in design work. How I love the look of a muted damask wallpaper behind a cute website! But perhaps it's the patterns that exist in nature that intrigue me the most. In fact, for one of my school projects I illustrated a children's book about patterns in nature, trying to get children to 'look closer' at our environment and develop an appreciation for it.

This past weekend was shiny and bright so Pete and I decided to head down the road to the Toronto Zoo. Again, I found myself drawn to, and fascinated with the patterns on these strange and wonderful creatures. And with my camera and trusty jumbo lens, I was able to get up close and personal. Take a look at these gorgeous colours and very graphic patterns...

These guys below don't have any special graphic pattern...but were just too darn cute to leave out!

the chicks are on etsy!

Finally, the chicks have made the leap to join the Etsy phenomenon! For those of you who have never heard of Etsy, it's a glorious online 'craft show' filled with art, handmade items, and vintage finds...it's also a real time burglar so make sure you have a few hours to spare as you start perusing all of the eye candy.

Be sure to check out our line of imprintable invitations and we will soon be adding our mommy card collection. Stay tuned!

Hair today, gone tomorrow

So, as many of you know already I used to be a hair stylist before I became a Kanvas Ink. chick. Those might have been the best hair years of my life and I'll tell you why...I wasn't afraid of cutting my hair. Simple really..but true. Now, I can't say they were the most attractive hair styles I have sported, but at least no one ever called me boring and I was always trying something new and exciting. It has been oh, about 8 years since I was standing behind that booster chair and so much has changed.

The reason I write this is that I have been struggling with the decision to chop my locks off once again and I have no idea why this is a difficult decision for me. There was a time that I was able to sit in that chair, cut my hair to about a 2 inch length and colour it bright red without blinking an eyelash. Now that was NOT my most flattering moment by any stretch, but at least I was fearless. My hair is now the longest it has ever been, and I am just considering a short bob a la katie holmes, which isn't that short and in my experience with hair design, it would actually be very flattering to my face shape...so why the panic now?

I know that if I was still doing hair and someone like me came into my chair I know exactly what I would say to them...it's only hair and it will grow back, have some fun with it! I have seen too many make over shows of women who are petrified to cut their hair and for what reason? Judging from their current look it can ONLY look better. So my question is this: why, as women are we so scared to chop the locks? Is it because we are afraid we won't be sexy with short hair, is it because we won't be able to try different looks by wearing it in 'up' styles, or is it because of some deep seated emotional issue that we are clinging to those straggly locks? I remember one client who stared at me in the mirror with her boob length hair and said: 'I never let a woman cut my hair normally as they will always try to make me look ugly so they look better then me'...what the?

Whatever your reasons for not taking a chance on your hair...I say baloney! Why would I sport a hairstyle that looks good only on the days I have to spend an hour working on it...why look good for only 10% of your life? I have become one of THOSE people, someone I would have tried desperately to guide into good hair-dom...a ponytail toting, headband wearing, hair catastrophe! My husband keeps telling me (as I ask him 100 times a day) not to cut my hair as he is afraid I won't like it...well all I can say to him is: it is ONLY hair, and it will ALWAYS grow back, now excuse me while I dial my hair salon and get back into style...

PS. Whatever you do, be brave, be daring..but NEVER do this...especially to your kid...

a fan of the cuppy

Cupcakes...they are one of my favourite things, perhaps because they are the perfect combination of pretty and yummy. I saw some of these clever cuppy ideas that were finalists in a Martha Stewart cupcake competition, and I just had to share. I am dying to try the flower pot idea but am wondering what type of plant could be stuck in there without making the cupcake taste all...planty. A sprig of mint? I think that is what they used here. Am loving the sushi cuppies too. And, of course, the birdie ones. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

j

Obsessive Compulsive Mover-Arounder

Hi, I'm Kelly...an Obsessive Compulsive Mover-Arounder... my problem is that I have a strange compulsion to always re-arrange knick knacks. I think this has been brought on by my years as a starving artist with no cash to buy new home furnishings...so I take what I have and continually move it around the house. My husband will come home at night searching for the bowl that once held his keys, to find it housing a nice batch of fresh fruit, or the remote controls for the TV. He shakes his head and places the keys in a new basket that once held toilet paper in the bathroom but is now situated in a handy keys dropping location by the back door.

Each week when I clean up the house, I grab all the items around the house and assemble them on my counter tops like a mini bus stop of vases and ceramic birdies. I almost race through the cleaning as I know I will be getting to the good part...the rearranging of the knick knacks! I am strange I know but every time some one visits me they tour around with fresh eyes to see what I have done to make the room look different...without spending a dime.

I guess I should be grateful of this disorder...in a way I guess I am saving the environment by recycling all my stuff, and I really do think we consume way too much as a culture...so one less person battling the crowds at homesense is probably a good thing. I also think that when you can learn to live with what you have and be creative in ways to transform your house...you save money, and you really do become more creative and innovative. I guess what I am saying is that you don't need money to love your home, you just need to think outside of the box and and then move that box into a different room and put some flowers on top.

people talking

Thanks to everyone for their great feedback on our e-newsletter and our brand new website! If you missed the newsletter, be sure to add your email address to our list - there is a link at the bottom of our site!

We are trying to cut down on the amount of 'stuff' on our website to make sure it stays clean, simple and uncluttered. Which means that we don't actually have room to feature all of the designs we create, even though there are other projects we really love! So I thought I would share this recent work with you here. A logo, biz card, and stationery design we recently created for a market research company in Toronto. Am really loving the burnt orange colour on the back of the card...in fact I've been staring at it fondly all day! Design nerd? Yep...

life is a bowl of berries

My hubby and I have a friend in the restaurant biz who lives down the street, and he was generous enough to drop off some gorgeous fruits and veggies. I just wanted to share with you the mouth-watering colours of the raspberries and blackberries before they were gobbled up! The equally lovely screen printed tea towel is by our talented neighbour at the One of a Kind Show this past Christmas - Arounna of Bookhou Designs.

In other news...Loobylu is back! This illustrator/artist/crafter/writer has inspired Kelly and I for the past few years, and after a year-long hiatus, she is blogging again! Looking forward to reading about her crafty adventures and her adorable girls.

Happy Tuesday! It seems like Spring has finally arrived in Toronto.

Aliens have invaded Paris....

I recently had the pleasure to jet set to Paris for a few days in February, oui oui I did! We played the tourist part pretty well and went to see all the important landmarks: the louvre, eiffel tower, notre dame, oh and of corse the great canadian pub (one not to be missed in case you can't live without tim hortons :)


I do have to say that one of my most favorite discoveries occurred on the final day while we were touring the Bastille arrondisement (sort of the Queen st west of Paris). We happened upon this amazing store called The Lazy Dog which was chock full of cool art books, graphic design texts, and a very eclectic mix of wicked reads. We happened upon this book which I now regret NOT buying but it was from some interesting arty dude from the UK who late at night plasters small sections of buildings & other interesting nooks with mosaic space invaders. The book listed all the places they were located as well as what they look like after the wear and tear of a few years...and surprisingly they were well in tack! Really cool imagery and stories to go along with each 'post'.

We left the store and meandered along some alleys, exploring this amazing city and low and behold, what did we spy...you guessed it - space invaders!! We were so excited that we snapped these shots and I now am searching for this book furiously. I thought it was a very inspiring message to all us designers out there, that it just takes an idea...any old idea...even mosaic space invaders on sides of worn down buildings to inspire others and create a really cool phenomenon. Wouldn't it be cool to continue this quest in Canada...hmmm....the wheels are turning aren't they?

Time for a Picnic

I just wanted to pass along this little gem of a restaurant in Toronto, near Yonge and Eglinton. Simple and sweet, it's called Picnic. And the concept is based on comfort food, and sharing food with friends. The bright red walls, red-and-white gingham touches, and padded picnic benches actually fool you into thinking you are having a picnic - even on a snow-up-to-your-armpits, blustery, February day.

And the food! It was so difficult to choose from all of the fabulous plates. My sisters and I decided on sharing a pickle platter (!), grilled peanut butter sandwiches (with Nutella and grape jelly served on the cutest of cute little buns), incredible chicken fingers with panko crumbs, and of course a bowl of the perfect frites! We devoured it. And I want to go back. I hear the Mac and Cheese Du Jour is incredible, and apparently they serve a "baked potato sundae" for dessert - vanilla ice cream going incognito as a potato, sporting cocoa for a jacket and topped with whipped cream instead of sour.

After many oohs and aahs and exclamations that this restaurant was made for our family - it is everything we love to eat - I picked up Picnic's cute business card on the way out (great design, by the way) and couldn't believe it when I realized the restaurant was in fact owned by a distant member of my family, a "third" cousin. How odd! The food was made for our family...by our family!

Well my sisters and I continued our tastebud adventure a few doors down to The Cupcake Shoppe to top off our delicious meal with yet another delicious treat. It may not have been the healthiest of food days, but it certainly was a yummy one!

loco for logos - part deux

Joelle here, with my selection of great logo designs for the chicks' January design challenge! Yes, February is only hours away, I procrastinated a wee bit. But not because I didn't love the task! It is interesting to peek into the minds of other designers, and see what's going on out there in terms of images, colours, fonts. Because logos and graphic design are very much tied into the world of fashion - there are trends that come and go, and some classic designs that never go out of style! But then of course there are the logos that are still wearing shoulder pads...and we want to steer clear of those at Kanvas Ink. So to research what is being designed around the globe, to get a sense of what is "in", and to just plain get inspiration is something I will definitely continue to do! Enough blathering...
great logo #1: How cute is this? It is a logo for a high-end maternity clothing store near my old stomping ground of Davisville and Mount Pleasant in Toronto. It is a belly - see the belly button! This logo just makes me smile.


great logo #2: I have actually admired this logo for a long time, as it is just so clean and simple. I love the cleverness of how the "b" and "g" are stuck together as one within the circle. Good on ya, Bottlegreen! I like your drinks too...
great logo #3: This is so lovely...very simple and elegant and delicate. It nicely portrays the style of the company's illustrations. Do you think I like circles? Hmmmm...



great logo #4: Now this is clever! The Human Society's new logo with animals forming the shape of the U.S. It isn't necessarily a "pretty" logo but I am impressed with the brain behind it.


great logo #5: Another cutie! Not much to comment on here except that I like the colours, the simplicity, the font, the lightheartedness.

Lastly, Kelly and I agreed to choose one of the logos created by Kanvas Ink. that we each like, and I have chosen a fairly new addition, a logo for a company in B.C. called Pollination.
Kelly was the brainwave behind this one and it so accurately illustrates what the company does (they are 'executive relocation experts') but in a clean, cool as a cucumber way.

Bravo to the designers who created these logos! You have provided much inspiration! And bravo to the crowd still tuned into this riveting blog entry. I blame it on the winter blah's!

We go Loco for Logos!

So here we are sticking to our new years resolutions and continuing our ‘design’ and ‘inspiration’ journey! This is chick number two, Kelly, with my picks for some really cool and interesting logo designs. It was funny to start this as when I found a company I liked, they were usually a design firm and I actually chose some of their logo creations for other clients to make my list. This is by no means my fav list of logos of all time...oh man that would take me about a lifetime to construct...this is more of way to force myself to take a few hours and just have fun surfing the web and finding some cool companies along the way to push and inspire me in my everyday life and work.

This first on my list was ‘Five Chairs’...


To be honest I have no idea what they do, I didn’t get past that point...I know it was a ‘business-y’ business, corporate and the what not...but I loved how the little chairs line up in a row with the clean and crisp font below it. I think what makes this great is the versatility on what you could do with other print materials, and the combo of colors is fun but has a professional appeal...What I also got from it was the whole ‘different hat’ idea, that just by looking at the logo I feel like they are capable of handling all kinds of business-y facets - marketing, finance, organization etc...5 chairs...I mean stars for this one!

Next was ‘Sam the cooking guy’...



Firstly these first two logos are done by a long time fav design firm of mine called Cabedge...They are from the states and have such a great website that I feel really inspired our site...the frank dialog that the text has with the audience is great - funny and down to earth..and their designs really speak for themselves...ok enough about them cause then you will go and hire them, not us fabulous chicks at Kanvas Ink. :)

I like the colors of this logo and the whole - ’hello my name is’ tag idea is great. I love how a simple change in color going up the middle gives the logo a whole new dimension. It really pops out at you...It also doesn’t hurt that the dude sam is quite cute:)

Third on my list was Swiss Maid...



Such a cleaver use of little irons in the shape of the swiss red cross. The mixture of the two fonts works so well together..it makes me want to clean! Er, no I mean hire a cleaning lady! This was my fav in this list...it really is a perfect use of imagery/color and font.

Next is ‘we bleed design’...



This dude designed the swiss maid logo, and I thought his use of imagery on his own logo was really great as well. Kinda sadistic but in a cool groovy way which is right in line with my tastes. I love the simple use of bright colors on a black background and the ‘dripping’ of colors down the stairs...pretty wicked work...

Finally I chose Oak Hills Periodontics...



This one was particularly interesting to me as I really looked twice at this one before I ‘got it’..ok before you say how slow I am...did you really get it? The Oak trees are actually forming the teeth! Ok, perhaps I am the only one to not ‘get it’ at first...but the bottom line is, I did in the end! I went to their website as I was thinking - this is going to be so awesome and I was so disappointed...but man, they did a great job on the cards...they get 4 teeth out of 5...

Ok, so I think you thought this was finally over, but alas I have one more! I didn’t want to showcase all these other dudes logos and say how awesome they were without taking a peek at the ones WE have done in the past and choosing one of my fav designs a la Kanvas Ink. So here goes...the winner of 5 chicks out of 5 is....drum roll please....



Ta-da! I have always really enjoyed this logo from the get go...I like the fact that the little tennis racket was worked into the design and isn’t out of place..and I LOVE the little tennis ball in place of the ‘c’...genius if I must say so myself...and I really can say that without looking obnoxious cause it wasn’t me who designed it! My lovely partner in crime Joelle worked on this design and I say kudos to her!

ok that is about all I can say in a blog without going overboard...well I think I went a little overboard, but if you are still reading this...you get 5 chicks out of 5...peace out...

Dino-mite!

I know what you are thinking - two blogs in one week - what tha?! Well Joelle and I have turned over a new leaf here at Kanvas Ink. and we have decided that life gets so busy with clients and home that we never really take the time to get creative and do fun things for us. I mean, we are a design firm and we really should be out there, taking in the culture and the what not - so we have decided to start the exciting KANVAS INK. DESIGN CHALLENGE for 2008 - yee haw! We have decided to venture out into this crazy world the first Tuesday of each month and go somewhere inspiring & amazing...not just to go out and shop for clothes...although it did cross our minds...

We also are going to present to you - our loyal readers or reader (not sure if anyone other then my mom is reading this) - a series of challenges that we will undertake each month. January is loco-logo month...we are going to get crazy and find logos that are awesome and present them to you with a fine critical analysis, so you can delve deep into the twisted minds of us two chicks...or we might just say they are pretty...stay tuned for more!

So back to the expedition from this past Tuesday, we decided to...drum roll please...go to the Royal Ontario Museum! We wanted to check out the newly crafted wing that was graciously donated by Michael Lee-Chin. What an amazingly crafted spectacle it was. It was designed by Daniel Libeskined who actually scribbled the design on a cocktail napkin when he was visiting the ROM for a wedding. It was later coined the crystal because of its shape. It was awesome to say the least.

We traveled through time to see Greece, Asia, some really awesome dude making glass paperweights (sounds lame - but it was so cool!), some great art deco furniture and umm some old typewriters...ok we did find that section a little boring, but it was the dinosaurs that really got us going. Discussing evolution, dinos in Ontario, and the scariness of what these creatures really would look like standing in front of you, ready for lunch...terrifying! We took some cool shots of Joelle imitating the gi-normous turtle (an all time fav for me), and we tried to get a few head shots of us to prove we were really there..but of corse - who ever invented the old arm reach around to take a shot of oneself, really didn’t think about a nice flattering shot...we really don’t look that odd in real life...well not always.

So all in all, we have to rate the ROM 7 out of 10 chicks...10 chicks for the dinosaurs minus 3 for the old typewriters and hefty ticket price - 20 bucks! So until the next adventure - keep fit and have fun! Oh and we did end up at Teatro Verde after all...you can lead a chick to a museum, but you can’t tear them away from expensive soaps.

A taste of summer in this dirt hole called Canadian winter

This is a blog I meant to write oh about 6 months ago...and now that Joelle and I are becoming uber organized in 2008 I actually found the images from this idea I had way back when. It seemed fitting as the snow is rapidly melting this week at a freakish rate and it is leaving behind a wake of filth and muck that is just horribly depressing to look at. These shots were taken back in the spring - my first spring in A-town and I was so inspired by the way the towns-folk manicured their yards and gardens. I took my camera gat-abouting one fine morning through my neighborhood and came home with lots of inspiration of how to build my garden. Unfortunately I realized I have not one green thumb in my body...but I can truly appreciate them nonetheless. So for all you depressed and soggy canadians out there...remember how life used to be and will be again in 4 long hard and cold months...viva spring!