Design Tag

our new project!

2010-04-30T09:34:00.006-05:00

hey there, everyone! we're excited to announce that we have started a new blog with our good friend, megan, called ampersand design studio. we will be posting from there from now on and look forward to bringing you more great inspiration. thank you to all of you for following design tag for the past year +. we hope to see you over at ampersand!

2010-04-07T20:05:00.003-05:00

hi everyone, sorry for the lack of posting the past few weeks....we have a new project in the works that we will be sharing with you all soon! stay tuned, we're almost ready to share! :)

cool poster

2010-03-24T14:11:00.002-05:00

MORGAN: from a great project called Live Now! {found on BOOOOOOOM!}

give your home a little oomph!

2010-03-17T19:49:00.004-05:00

MORGAN: Three brilliant women came up with the business concept of Oomph! They decided that three simple elements of great design can totally transform any room. Hence their three product lines: beautifully made tables, chairs and pillows--the tables are very hard to resist when they can be customized in such fun colors!

rug shopping: Madeline Weinrib Atelier

2010-03-11T17:27:00.004-06:00

MORGAN: that's it, i'm officially obsessed, i could probably do a thousand posts on rugs because it is the only thing i have been looking at online for weeks now! i promise to share, but i had to start with my favorite, all of the above beautiful designs are from Madeline Weinrib! I would LOVE to have any and all!

spring at kate spade

2010-03-03T11:07:00.001-06:00

CARRIE: These new finds at Kate Spade make me want spring to arrive even more (it that's possible).

what's your sign?

2010-03-01T20:23:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: loving these needlepoint zodiac pillows from none other than Jonathan Adler!

marc jacobs

2010-02-23T11:15:00.005-06:00

CARRIE: Love these looks from Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week.

Matt W. Moore does Paris

2010-02-22T10:23:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: "An ambitious creative spirit, MWM (Matt W. Moore) has traveled to Paris for one month to prepare, from scratch, for his first Paris Solo-Exhibition. He arrived with no art, no supplies, and no firm plan for this new series of canvas paintings. The ideas for the artworks have actualized while processing time spent absorbing French Culture, exploring the City Of Lights, the vibrant colors, the exaggerated geometry, and the diverse architecture and fashion of Paris." - mwmgraphics.com {via designworklife.com)

tv show posters

2010-02-17T16:45:00.003-06:00

MORGAN: A self-initiated project by designer, Albert Exergian, mixes his love of television and modern simplicity to come up with this conceputal and witty poster series about popular tv series! this is just a sneak preview, check out the full series here.

it's here....

2010-02-10T21:49:00.005-06:00

MORGAN: I have been patiently waiting, but it's finally here: February Lonny Mag is here! And...just to make my day even better, I had been imagining painting wide horizantal white on white stripes in my skinny little entryway, and then voila!, Lonny shows me the most perfect piece of inspiration! love it, love it, love it!

anthropologie in bloom

2010-02-03T12:14:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: Anthropologie's spring store windows are inspiring on so many levels. Gorgeous to look at, they are also eco-friendly because they are flowers made of recycled plastic bottles. I can't even imagine how long it took to make all those blooms!

tabas

2010-02-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: hand-done, yet still simple and graphic; illustration by tabas

mike perry

2010-01-31T22:01:00.003-06:00

MORGAN: colorful, alternative illustration by Mike Perry

gray morning

2010-01-27T10:02:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: It is a gray day in Kansas City, making the idea of staying in bed very appealing. These images from Provincijalka's photostream on flickr make the dreary winter days look beautiful.

Christine Celic Strohl

2010-01-27T07:00:00.004-06:00

La Condesa Restaurant

One Atlantic Event Space

Mudslingers Coffee Shop

MORGAN: Some wonderful identity designs, all by Christine Celic Strohl!

just a little brain candy

2010-01-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

{ found on this isn't happiness }

design legend...

2010-01-25T18:41:00.004-06:00

MORGAN: Bob Noorda, among many other things famous for his design of the New York subway system's environmental graphics, died at the age of 82 today. See the New York Times article here.

wishing for spring...

2010-01-21T06:57:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: ...so i would have an excuse to buy these!
{ The Betsey Johnson Lavant shoe, found at Piperlime }

saipua

2010-01-20T09:27:00.003-06:00

CARRIE: Even though we're in the dead of winter, I can't keep myself from thinking of flowers and these white and muted arrangements from Saipua seem fitting for winter.

white on white

2010-01-16T15:19:00.003-06:00

MORGAN: some homes inspired by the snow: white on white from coco + kelley's flickr set

snowy days

2010-01-13T16:01:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: winter polaroids by alicia bock

Winter cuties

2010-01-10T18:45:00.002-06:00

Keeping warm is stylish with a little help from Etsy.

keep it cool

2010-01-06T20:03:00.004-06:00

according to kate spade, it is possible to still look cool while staying warm

snow season

2010-01-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: Well, so far, 2010 has been a snowy one! Kansas City has gotten tons of snow and usually I am hating it, but this year I have really taken in how beautiful the snow is. I've even had fun driving around in it-you never know what is going to happen and you just have to roll with it, so I'm taking this as a lesson on how to approach the new year. Welcome 2010, I'm ready to roll with whatever you have in store.

(photo from http://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/5/280704134)

2009-12-22T09:29:00.004-06:00

Design Tag is on vacation until Jan. 4th. Thank you for stopping by to read our blog throughout 2009 - we've had such a great time doing this and we hope it has inspired a few of you, too! Happy Holidays!

DIY gift tags :: ink and post

2009-12-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: If you are lucky enough to live in a city with Trader Joe's, you can easily make these darling gift tags yourself from their paper holiday grocery bags! Great idea to attach to some homemade goodies, from Ink and Post!

bhg

2009-12-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: I love these pretty cookie presentation ideas from Better Homes and Gardens. So many fun ways to dress up baked goods.

"sweet treats" :: everyday food

2009-12-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: When I think of making anything in the kitchen, my first instinct is always to grab my Everyday Food! It always has great recipes and the photography and page layouts are just so pleasing to look at! I especially loved this Decemeber issue - the color palette of the "sweet treats" spread and the cover it such a fun holiday look! I read that photographer Marcus Nilsson is to thank for the wonderful images!

serious gingerbread

2009-12-16T09:07:00.004-06:00

CARRIE: If you're feeling ultra-crafty and want to go crazy on gingerbread houses, here is some great inspiration from apartment therapy.

D.I.Y.

2009-12-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: If we are going to talk about do-it-yourself, handmade gifts this week, I would be remiss to not mention the awesome 18 DAYS SERIES going on over at Creature Comforts! For 18 days, you can find fabulous holiday freebies and step-by-step tutorials for all kinds of holiday goodies from printable gift tags to easy handmade necklaces (such a cute gift!)
{Above: vintage doily mobile by sparklecandace, photo ornament tags by eva, felt gingerbread by lottakind, deer holiday template from slagt en hellig ko }

homemade gifts

2009-12-14T11:29:00.004-06:00

CARRIE: I've been thinking about making some homemade gifts for neighbors and thought it would be fun to round up some inspiration here. The images above are all from Martha Stewart.

caroline gardner

2009-12-12T13:03:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: I always love the colors and patterns by Caroline Gardner. Her Christmas offering this year doesn't disappoint.

typographic cut-outs

2009-12-11T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: nice, simple, understated holiday greetings from pocketstudio

egg press

2009-12-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: I posted about the beautiful Egg Press 2010 calendar awhile back, but I can't resist going back for more Egg Press goodness. Their holiday cards are so playful and well done. Love them!

snow & graham

2009-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: Snow & Graham's holiday shop has all kinds of great boxed cards, single cards and giftwrap. They always know how to combine the perfect mix of modern sophistication with a little whimsy!

cats and dogs

2009-12-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: Fun Andy Warhol cats and dogs holiday cards! Available at Fred Flare.

rock scissor paper

2009-12-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: always love the vintage-inspired pattern and design from rock scissor paper!

cool christmas palette

2009-12-05T07:43:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: i love everything about this photo, the palette, the white tree, and of course, the oversized poms! {found on the lovely blog: sodapoptreats, a must see}

anthropologie

2009-12-04T09:53:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: Decorating inspiration from the windows of Anthropologie. Photos from Flickr.

Alexander Girard Nativity Set

2009-12-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: Alexander Girard amassed a huge collection of nativities, most of which he spent the last years of his life curating for his wing at the International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe. House Industries decided it would be an appropriate homage to create a completely new nativity that is based on a Girard illustration that hangs in his son’s house. It's not cheap, but it sure would be worth it!

feeling merry

2009-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: Pretty inspiration at Living, Etc.

David Starck Holiday at West Elm

2009-12-01T07:54:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: I'm loving this eco-modern look for the holidays! It's a great new collection at West Elm by David Starck that mixes naturals with metallics and uses an array of recycled and repurposed materials. A great option for those of you that don't want your entire house tuurned into a red and green wonderland!

'tis the season

2009-11-30T08:42:00.001-06:00

CARRIE: I thought it might be fun to get inspired for holiday decorating with this fun tree.

seriously?

2009-11-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: Now, this is different. What is that material, you might be asking yourself. Oh, it's salami. From flickr.

punched type

2009-11-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: instead of writing, try puncturing....found at typographyserved.com

stiched type

2009-11-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

CARRIE: Cool stitched type from Smart Emma.

up, up & away

2009-11-25T07:00:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: I'm just loving the idea of creating letterforms out of non-conventional items...like balloons! { found on swiss legacy }

Yulia Brodskaya

2009-11-24T07:00:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: J. Crew's beautiful paper typography made me think of the gorgeous work of Yulia Brodskaya. Yulia was born in Russia and now lives in London. She likes to "experiment and explore ways of bringing together all the things she likes most: typography, paper, and highly detailed hand-made craft objects." The result is amazing.

j.crew, i love u

2009-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: So I'm not sure if there is a new creative director at J.Crew or if I am just taking a closer look, but they seem to be getting more and more artistic and are continuing to be a source of inspiration for me. Before it was simply their color palettes and photo styling, but now, all of their communication including their website and catalogs are so unique! I just love this type made of cut paper! Keep it up, J.Crew!

2009-11-22T23:17:00.000-06:00

sorry, no original art this week :)

four seasons

2009-11-21T10:42:00.003-06:00

MORGAN: a unique idea: a seasonal calendar with 4 months per page by elum. The pages are letterpressed in lemon, blueberry and chocolate inks.

a good egg

2009-11-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: I love the idea of this desk calendar by Egg Press. It is printed on both sides so you have room on the back for birthdays and other special occasions. The designs are all gorgeous and it's printed with soy inks on recycled content paper. Egg Press never disappoints!

perpetual calendar

2009-11-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: I was getting the urge to look for a non-paper calendar and stumbled upon this great design! A perfect calendar to use year after year, you simply move the two magnetic balls to mark the date and month. { Made for the Museum of Modeern Art using injection molded plastic and magnets, it can be wall mounted or used on a desktop. Gideon Dagan 1998.}
found at thedailyplanner.com

die-cut goodness

2009-11-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: This pretty diecut calendar is printed on recycled paper by Patricia Zapata. They are available in Patricia's shop.

eco friendly calendar

2009-11-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: loving the black and white simplicity of this eco-friendly calendar by daisyjanie! And it's BIG: 11" x 17"-finally a calendar with room to write :)

Calendars :: Round 2

2009-11-16T09:18:00.003-06:00

CARRIE: We're going to keep it going with the calendar theme this week. This one is by cityablaze at etsy.

2009-11-15T23:17:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: Well, I have to say I was not feeling inspired at all tonight. I was really fighting it. I guess sometimes it's good to push through it and see what's at the other side. I went with February because this was the first thing that came to mind.

MORGAN: I'm aware this is a bit of a pathetic attempt at an "orginal art" for this week, but I'm super tired, so i just quickly did the first thing that came into my mind for my birthday month: popsicles and snowcones.

Circular calendar

2009-11-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: Very cool calendar/ poster from Caitlin Keegan. Available here.

circle the date

2009-11-13T16:10:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: What a unique gift idea! Chakra Pennywhistle's "circle the date pillow": "Patches cut from a vintage tea towel and sewn onto a soft, natural pillow. Perfect for remembering your very special day. Vintage with a modern twist, perfect for wedding dates, birthdays, and unique announcements." pure love!

sandra juto

2009-11-12T10:59:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: Love the illustrations on these pocket calendars by Sandra Juto. It would be a handy size to keep in your purse.

Stendig Wall Calendar

2009-11-11T07:29:00.002-06:00

MORGAN: This calendar, based on a design by Massimo Vignelli in 1966, was the only calendar I knew growing up. My parents had this hanging on the wall for as long as I could remember, and the huge, bold, black and white pages were used as giftwrap by my dad for every single holiday! Things like this make it no surprise that I ended up a graphic designer! Recognized as a contemporary classic, the original is on permanent display in New York's Museum of Modern Art. You can buy this calendar at many retailers now including Crate and Barrel and Unica Home (where I found the section "What's Your Stendig?" with the above animal photos! love it!)

snow & graham

2009-11-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

CARRIE: I've had the Snow & Graham wall calendar for the past 2 years and this year's version is another visual feast. I think I will have to continue my tradition. You can pick one up at luxepaperie.com

calendar love :: orange beautiful

2009-11-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: beautiful typography on these 12 months of prints by orange beautiful!

2009-11-08T21:05:00.005-06:00

MORGAN: I've always been a big fan of elephants so without even thinking I started doing an elephant pattern--I imagined these designs as sheets for a crib, so I worked on it in two colorways for the pattern and possible ideas for painted canvases to hang on the wall.

CARRIE: I decided to make a little animal parade and threw in some stripes for good measure.

dwell studio baby

2009-11-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: Alright, I caved, I can't help it...I just can't think about modern baby or kids without thinking of one of my all time favorite design groups, Dwell Studio! And....my first place to shop for all things modern is always Design Public...so put the two together, and this is what you get!

ROMP

2009-11-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

CARRIE: ROMP has the best finds for baby and kids! So many wooden toys and an "artist made" section. I think it will be my new go-to spot for gifts! They also have a sister site with the same sensibility called Twine for adults.

ABCs & 123s

2009-11-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

MORGAN: fun, fresh ideas for nursery wall art from sparkability and olli and lime!

mini boden

2009-11-04T07:00:00.001-06:00

CARRIE: I put way too many photos on this post, but I just couldn't stop myself. The cuteness at Boden is overwhelming. The patterns and colors!!! I want them all in my size.

paper culture

2009-11-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

MORGAN: It's so great that there are modern options out there for baby & kid product these days. All of the above shower invitations, announcements and stationery were found at Paper Culture! They have a clean, fresh, modern aesthetic and their products AND their company are totally green, from their 100% Post Consumer Recycled Paper to the lightbulbs in their office-what's not to love?!

modern nursery

2009-11-02T07:00:00.002-06:00

CARRIE: Some great baby nursery products from Amenity Home. Amenity "offers a wide array of eco-friendly products for thoughtful modern living... [They] are dedicated to the never-ending process of maintaining Amenity's harmony with the environment.

2009-11-01T22:43:00.005-06:00

MORGAN: I know I worked with this same saying before, but it keeps running through my head, so i decided to work with it again...paper cutout style this time.

CARRIE: Inspired to take a leap...

just do it

2009-10-31T10:15:00.002-05:00

CARRIE: Love it! Thanks, Nike.

"make it work"

2009-10-30T07:31:00.001-05:00

MORGAN: illustration by Virginia Kraljevic {prints sold here on etsy} {originally found on papernstitch}

diane arbus

2009-10-29T09:01:00.004-05:00

CARRIE: I love this quotation by Diane Arbus and I couldn't resist adding one of her photographs here.
She certainly saw the world from a different angle. (top photo from ffffound.)

riskin' it

2009-10-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

MORGAN: ...more food for thought: from Kerry Ball's flickr photostream

success...

2009-10-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

CARRIE: Oh ya!!! (image from flickr.)

deep thoughts

2009-10-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

MORGAN: just a little something to think about for this monday morning.

2009-10-25T20:10:00.002-05:00

CARRIE: a key for every lock.

MORGAN: keys please!!!

unlocked

2009-10-24T07:00:00.001-05:00

MORGAN: To make up for my week of really crappy posts, I felt the need to post a plethora of unique key images--be it in photography form, as wall art, jewelry or poster design...I'm just loving all of these images and all the symbolism that is attached to this one little iconic shape!
{ from top: design sponge, we heart it, deviantArt, flickr, tumblr }

lock–it

2009-10-23T07:00:00.002-05:00

CARRIE: What's a key without a lock? Here's the other side of that equation...some pretty locks against vibrant pink. Photo from flickr.

porcelain keys...

2009-10-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

MORGAN: ...great to hang on the wall or to turn into a necklace!
{ from rare device }

keys at Urban Outfitters

2009-10-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

CARRIE: Here's a sampling of keys at Urban.

skeletons

2009-10-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

MORGAN: beautifully simple, vintage skeleton key stickers...each just 1" diameter...found on etsy!

unlock

2009-10-19T08:51:00.001-05:00

CARRIE: Cool collection of skeleton keys over at Three Potato Four.

2009-10-18T21:37:00.002-05:00

***Design tag is on vacation and will be back on Monday. Have a great day!***

book it

2009-10-17T07:40:00.001-05:00

CARRIE: Love this stainless steel USA bookcase which is part of an exhibition by Ron Arad at the Timothy Taylor Gallery in London. (via Booktagger blog)

isotope

2009-10-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

MORGAN: fun European Countries Colorful Geography Map T-shirt from Isotope's etsy shop

Jim Datz

2009-10-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

CARRIE: Some very cool posters by Jim Datz.

ork posters

2009-10-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

MORGAN: love, LOVE these city neighborhood maps by Ork Posters!

Famille Summerbelle

2009-10-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

CARRIE: I love these cut-out maps by Famille Summerbelle. One is in the U.S., in keeping with Morgan's theme from yesterday, but I couldn't resist showing two of my other favorite cities as well.

across the USA

2009-10-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

MORGAN: Did someone say road trip? The folks of Random Collective designed this awesome website chronicling New York based singer-songwriter Orba Squara’s journey across some of the United States to commemorate his second album. Check out Orba Squara's website to see a the rest of the amazing photos, graphics, and type treatments documenting the trip! {thanks to Grain Edit for the introduction}

2009-10-11T22:22:00.003-05:00

MORGAN: I was trying to imagine endless flag banners hanging above the street...this week was a tough one, I really wanted to have time to actually make a fun banner from scrap paper, but that just didn't happen.

CARRIE: I love the cheerfulness of balloons and flags against the blue sky.

so cute

2009-10-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

MORGAN: ... loving the idea of a home-made banner from all sorts of mix and match fabrics! {image found over at hostess with the mostess! }

holy yarn!

2009-10-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

CARRIE: These are images I've had on my computer forever and I apologize, but I don't know what the source is anymore. They are all balls of yarn strung together. So cool!

type banner

2009-10-08T07:00:00.001-05:00

MORGAN: a nice twist on the traditional flag banner....found here.

sophie cuvelier

2009-10-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

CARRIE: all of the beautiful garlands pictured above are the work of artist, Sophie Cuvelier.

i heart flag banners

2009-10-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

MORGAN: Carrie, I love it! I don't know what it is about flag banners right now, but they seem to just be popping up everywhere--they are such a fun way to decorate for a party, but how cool is this rug by Hable Construction? I'm pretty sure that would make every day a celebration! {found on flickr}

snippets of color

2009-10-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

CARRIE: Love these flags from photographer, Youngna Park. I used to have them as my screen saver and I decided I missed them, so here they are again.

2009-10-04T23:12:00.005-05:00

CARRIE: This started with a picture from my honeymoon in Hawaii. I wish I could be back there right now!

MORGAN: I knew if I attempted any actual illustration that it would turn out horrible....I'm just not feeling too artistic tonight....so I decided to have some fun doodling and added whacked out color to our existing photobooth shot!