DIANA BELTRAN HERRERA: BIRDS OF A (PAPER) FEATHER

How gorgeous are these sculptures by Colombian artist Diana Beltran Herrera?!! I have regularly been accused by my friends of being 'obsessive' (a descriptor I have eponymously embraced!) with a crazy dedication to all things paper. But Beltran Herrera takes this to a whole new level. She uses countless tiny, intricately cut pieces of paper to craft impressively lifelike and expressive sculptures of flora and fauna. She is a particular master of birds, pursuing a series of sculptures on British birds, hummingbirds, birds of paradise and more. And how cool are those 3D stamp scenes? I want to own one sooooo bad . . . . Check out more of her truly breathtaking work on her (beautiful!) website here.Thanks to Miss Moss for the tip. 
p.s. Beltran Herrera's work totally reminds me of this!

WARBY PARKER ANNUAL REPORT

I got a really nice email from A.C. at Warby Parker this week giving me a little tip: WP just came out with this year's Annual Report. You may remember my excitement last year about this yearly report because Warby Parker has a way of making utilitarian things incredibly cool and fun (as I recount in this post!). 

Well this year's may be a new high. Instead of a static document recounting facts about the company the 2014 Annual Report is all about you! Yes, you!

When you head to view the report (here), you are (brilliantly!) prompted to created a retelling of your year.

Just answer some fun questions and before you know it you are presented with . . . 

  

 . . . . a chart that records your chuckling percentage for the last twelve months . . .   

. . . . your 2014 spirit animal and an accounting of the dance moves you learned . . . 

. . .  and, of course, a take on what you have to look forward to for 2015. :) 

This is King's Random signing off . . . 

Try out your own report here and check out all the other cool stuff Warby Parker is doing here.

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy (almost) Easter! Do you have any fun plans this weekend, whether you celebrate Easter or not? I am heading home to hang out with my family, eat way too much delicious food, and generally enjoy some nice spring weather.But you know what else I will be up to this weekend? Crafting, of course! Here are a couple of fun Easter-themed projects you might like to do too . . . 
Bunny ears headband for kids

Polka dot easter eggs

Felt bunny finger puppets

Spring centerpiece of paper flowers

Conversation bunny centerpiece

Bunny dinner rolls

Paper cup Easter baskets

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

"CHART ART" BY WEAVERSOFSOUTHSEA

I have long been a fan of what I colloquially call "chart art"—a poster or print laid out in a simple geometric grid featuring bold, graphic illustrations (see here, here, here, here or here as proof). So, needless to say, I instantly fell in love with the works on offer at the Etsy shop WeaversofSouthSea. It doesn't hurt that their designs on based on some of my favorite things like dogs (exhibit a) and Eames designs (exhibit b). Plus they have several gorgeous illustrations of city landscapes, including beautiful renditions of my own New York City at night and during the day. The icing on the cake? All of the prints are priced insanely reasonably at $19. Good design + great prices = a win win!

Check out all the graphic goodies on sale at WeaversofSouthSea here.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Since I already gave you a rundown of all my favorite crafts for Halloween, I thought I would get you in the holiday spirit today by sharing the truly weird, wacky world we live in via these crazy photographs of unusual species. Taken as part of the new book Animal Earth, these beautiful/bizarre organisms hail from the deep ocean and other adverse climates to represent real life creepy crawlies. Perfect for a holiday devoted to all things odd and slimy, right?

Find out more about the project and see more photos here.

p.s. The images are gorgeous, no? Shows that even the strangest things in this world can be beautiful . . . 

HAVE A LOVELY LATE SUMMER WEEKEND!

What are you guys up to this weekend? I am taking off for Connecticut tomorrow to help out with my Dad's 70th birthday party (recap and DIYs next week!). So I am leaving you with some links to distract you on Friday and tide you through the weekend.

Photo above is from this (mouth watering) article!

I have been in an old school music mode this week, rewatching some 90s music videos. Check out these blasts from the past (cartoon cat, teleportation, bagpipes)!

Secret book paintings (so cool!!).

Everything you need to know about the latest Apple announcements.

Why your mind . . . wanders.

New (cabin) on the block.

Turning back the (cellular) clock.

Can you imagine being stuck in traffic for nine days?!!

An invisible skyscraper (what about the birds?).

Mmmm, tastes . . . fuzzy.

Letters to Ms Magazine.

Best birthday present for this polar bear EVER.

Whoa! Your touch tone could have looked like this.

Wouldn't want to meet this guy on a leisurely afternoon swim.

Step away from the computer and s-t-r-e-t-c-h....

Ready for wedding season to be over? This may make you smile.

As a Patriots fan and wife of an HLS alum, I find this pretty darn funny.


Have a great weekend, everyone! See you back here next week.

PATRIOTIC PASTA

What a cool idea! The Australian advertising agency WHYBIN\TBWA created this smart campaign to promote the Sydney International Food Festival. It consists of popular foods from 17 different countries  laid out to resemble their nation's flags. France is made with bleu cheese, brie and grapes; Greece consists of feta and olives; Japan has tuna sashimi and rice. The whole idea is simple yet well-executed—just as smart graphic design should be!

Check out more great examples here.

Still hankering for something to do over this long and potentially-rainy weekend? Here are some links to tide you over.

Four Steps to Better Photos.

I think these tips will prove useful for my trip next month.

Anthony Weiner needs more friends.

Thinking about heading up here this weekend.

This would be a lovely anniversary present.

Ununpentium—there's got to be a better name than that.

I am planning my Dad's 70th birthday party and these would be fun to have on hand!

What a useful (if nerdy) list.

I wish I had been able to see this.

Maybe this guy isn't such a dumbbell after all.

These are perfect for dinner parties, water cooler talk and networking.

This is one sophisticated first birthday party.

R.I.P. Gus.

"Trying to lift things" is this little man's only worry at college. No frat parties for him!

A cuter (but perhaps no less slobbery?) pope, ha!

I feel queasy just looking at this monstrosity.

In keeping with my post earlier this week, only clear skies from here on out.

Thanks, Miley, for degrading the foam finger. 

Have a great weekend!

PILED HIGH

How are you? It's been a while, right? Turns out that working full time and studying for the biggest graduate exam of my life at the same time is a little stressful. Who knew, ha ha?!

My apartment is literally overflowing with books (I have roughly 160 checked out from different libraries, plus all the ones I own!) and it's all I can do to keep myself from getting crushed under an avalanche of art history tomes.

Anyway, despite my hectic schedule and lengthy to do list, I do still manage to come across some cool things that I want to share with you every once in a while. So, to tide you over, here are some fun links to peek into while I fall into a black of hole of working/studying again . . . 

I just want to snuggle this guy, is that so wrong?

Free cash from an ATM? Who cares if it is a gimmick!

These are combining my love of maps and tv, perfectly.

Wild modern art meets NYC mansion-cum-art museum. 

This will without a doubt make you cry, but what a story! Someone call Hollywood!

New office supplies to make me drool.

I am kinda in love with this print even though it looks very retro, you?

Slap my initials on this and I would be a happy girl.

I want to go to there.

I wish my school looked like these! I think I would be a lot happier to go there!

A cauliflower cap? Hilarious!

Sigh, if I had more free time, I would be doing this in a heartbeat.

Great party-planning advice, but no space to enact it in my tiny apartment!

Can I move in here or here? Pretty please?

And last, but not least, I think this sums up my life pretty well right now.

Have an amazing weekend! Hope to see you back here next week.

(photo from here)

KENTUCKY DERBY

Did you watch the Kentucky Derby on Saturday? It was a big day for daytime fun (and big hats!) since it was also Cinco de Mayo. I decided to watch the derby and, as always, was struck but the colorfulness of the celebration.





Not only do people go all out with their fashion—wearing big hats and beautiful dresses (or suits!) in bright hues—but they also go all out with the jockey silks, too!




These were the silks worn by the jockeys yesterday. Aren't they amazing? Apparently the colors and patterns are registered by the horse's owner and this tradition may date back to medieval times where knights jousted. Cool, right? I bet you can pick out my two favorites (the polka dot obsession continues!).

Read more about the derby and the amazing come-from-behind win of 'I'll Have Another' here.


(top photos from the New York Times, bottom photos from the Associated Press; jersey icons from Kentucky Derby website)

PUT ON A HAPPY FACE

I am putting this wonderful, heart-warming documentary at the top of my Netflix queue. It would be the perfect thing to watch on a rainy day when you have the blahs.


Could this kid be any more creative, clever or straight up adorable? I don't think so. So glad to see his college fund is overflowing with admiring donations!


This guy, journalist Charlie Bird, definitely has the coolest job ever. I think the seal agrees!



Just three amazing videos (recently posted by swiss miss here, here and here) to put a smile on your face this Monday. I am headed to a conference today and tomorrow, so I will see you here again on Wednesday. Until then, don't forget to smile!

GOING ROUND IN CIRCLES

How was your weekend? I literally spent all of mine working on a 20-page paper I have due later this week. The research and writing process is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly exhausting. I feel like I am going round in circles (if only the circle from my bed to my kitchen to my couch) trying to get this done!


With that in mind I thought I would share this beautiful print which has a similarly circular quality, featuring a wonderful pattern of marching animals that combine to make up the rings of a tree trunk. The work was designed to promote awareness about the devastation of habitats in the rainforest and to "highlight the responsibility we have in letting animal species thrive in their natural environment." Designed by Aaron, Gary and Khairul the poster is on sale at Degree for $45. Check it out here.


Okay, back to work!


(thanks to Design Mom for the tip)

WEATHERED BUT RESILIENT

My apologies for not posting yesterday. After the devastating result of the Super Bowl, I decided to take some time off from social media and the news. I am rejoining you today to share some stunning photographs of the weathered, the tested, the resilient and yet the strong.  Appropriate, right? :)


The black and white photos, taken by artist Traer Scott, are of shelter dogs. A little about the series, which will soon be turned into a book: 

"The portraits reveal the strikingly intense emotion, dignity and, sometimes, humour and whimsy that Scott saw in each face despite the dog's circumstances. By documenting the undeniable expressions of emotion in the dogs encountered in her volunteer work, Scott raises awareness of animal rescue causes, and especially the need for more adoptive homes for abandoned dogs. This book of true portraits of fifty beautiful shelter dogs is a poignant and loving tribute to all dogs." 

Learn more here.


The color photographs, taken by Anchorage-based artist Tim Remick, are of mountain climbers who have recently finished their climbs. As Remick said, 

“I wanted to document that point where the human body goes past exhaustion, where people hit that wall and push beyond it. There were all sorts of responses based on the environment, the weather, whether their experience was positive or negative. It was all reflected in their faces.” 

Learn more here.


I hope you all have a great day; I will see you back here tomorrow. Until then, stay strong!