Yay! Summer is here! I love summer, and it is by far my favorite season. It means lots of sun, dresses (or rompers), beaches and more! No excuses for not going outside anymore. Anyways, here are a few of my favorite summery things. A compilation of different textures and patterns.
Cynthia Rowley New York romper, Threshold Hand-dipped stoneware, Nate Berkus beach towel, and SOLO eyewear sunglasses.
If you have time, check out SOLO eyewear! They are a very cool company that gives back by partnering up with non-profits around the world. Every pair of sunglasses sold funds eye care for people in need. There are several other stores like this one, but I guess I will save those for another post in the future. =)
Have a great day, everyone!
So last week, a casual texting with a designer friend sparked a very interesting yet profound conversation. She and I had both been working on projects that deal with issues of social justice. The amount of depressing facts and shocking statistics we are exposed to can be extremely overwhelming, especially for those of us who go in thinking we are just going to design a flyer or two. It is easy for us to be affected by all that negativity and pessimism, however, we need to learn to use it as motivation to drive our work and actions. We are not called to be ignorant of the injustices in the world. We are called to be world changers. And to start, we need to be aware of what's going on outside our comfortable bubbles. They may be statistical numbers that are hard to swallow or issues we don't want to believe are true. But we need to hear them.
Design and change. To me, those words go hand in hand. As a designer, I am fully aware of the impact great design can have and the extent of what it can do. Idealistically speaking, I believe it has the power to change the world. I have always understood the importance of art and design, but it wasn't made clear to me as to why until I took my first step into a world of charcoal dust, X-acto blades and hours of staring and drawing of naked body parts. Yup, art school.
Art has played a huge role throughout history. Propaganda posters, beautiful cathedrals, photojournalism and painted portraits, just to name a few. These were not only artistic expressions, but they were important means of communication. The one that has stood out to me is the origin of the stained glass windows. Stained glass windows were designed and used at Cathedral churches to communicate the gospel to the largely illiterate population at the time through the use of illustrated narratives of the bible. A picture is worth a thousand words? Yes, that was certainly true with this art form. The church saw a very real problem of reaching out and struggled to make the bible accessible to the common people. And the key to solving this problem was through the power of art and design! They came up with a solution with the people in mind and created something beautiful with function and purpose. Design is ultimately for the people. We designers are constantly observing the way people interact with their surroundings. The way we kern type on a newspaper based on how people read, the way we design UI/UX on devices based on how people move their fingers on a screen. We are always watching! (Haha, maybe that's why my friends always joke that I am watching them. I am either an observant designer, or your average everyday creeper. I would like to believe that I am the former...) We notice the need, and we come up with a well designed solution that is not only practical, but beautiful. We are observers, critical thinkers and creators. I believe this design thinking is crucial in making positive changes in today's world. A lot of people can say otherwise, but design matters.
Here's a great excerpt from Just Design that sums up all my rambling.
"Designers frequently describe themselves as "problem-solvers." We apply our creative talents to finding new and appropriately innovative solutions to common questions. These questions may include how to best articulate a corporate brand, how to connect with a particular audience or how to communicate across cultural boundaries. Sometimes the question may just be about how to sell the most widgets. Each of these are worthy pursuits and each involves a certain kind of problem solving – what Charles Eames described as "design addressing itself to the need." But now – just as in any age – there are problems that are larger than brands and consumers (and widgets). There are needs as fundamental as equality, water, education, community, peace, justice and hope. As designers, we work according to own interests and values (and/or those of our clients). When and where these motivations intersect with those of the broader profession and (more importantly) society as a whole, we realize the potential for our work to both be and do good."
So if you are like me who's passionate about making a difference through design, here are some great resources that have been very helpful in my quest for change. I am always on the hunt for additional materials, so feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions!
1. The Design Activist's Handbook: How to Change the World (Or at Least Your Part of It) with Socially Conscious Design by Noah Scalin and Michelle Taute (more info here)
2. Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes by Christopher Simmons (more info here)
3. Citizen Designer: Perspectives on Design Responsibility by Steven Heller and Veronique Vienne (more info here)
4. Designing For Social Change: Strategies for Community-Based Graphic Design by Andrew Shea (more info here)
5. Branding for Nonprofits by DK Holland (more info here)
6. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch (more info here)
7. Designing for the Greater Good: The Best of Non-Profit and Cause-Related Marketing and Nonprofit Design by Peleg Top and Jonathan Cleveland (more info here)
8. How to Give Half of Your Work for Free by Matthew Manos (more info here)
9. Do Good Design: How Design Can Change Our World by David Berman (more info here)
Happy reading!
Happy anniversary to me and the Mr.! Wow! I cannot believe it has been 3 years already! Time really does fly! It has been a joy being the Mrs. and James makes it so easy for me to feel that way. As I look back on our 3 years, there have definitely been times of challenge and conflict. But there's a whole lot of love and reconciliation as well. And I see God at work every single time.
In my first year of marriage, "Failure" was the thought that came up a lot. I had NO idea how to cook, clean or maintain a home. To make things harder, we had black floors and a fluffy dog whose fur fell like endless confetti (and continues to fall at this very moment!) Our home was cluttered and I was always anxious about cleaning. When it came to meal times, hello ramen noodles! I had no idea what I was doing. I felt unprepared, ashamed and that I failed as a wife. But God knew what He was doing when he paired me up with James, the most laid-back, low maintenance guy I have ever met. Not only does he love ramen noodles, he also enjoys eating my homecooked "meals" (which in reality are more like experiments...) He never complained once about my lack of apron skills and he encouraged me each time I stepped into the kitchen. With the support of hubby, easy recipes from Pinterest, and the lovely neighbors who shared with me their cooking secrets, my confidence slowly grew. I still cannot say that I cook daily... and a part of me is still sad to admit that. But I am getting there! I guess I am proud to say that we only carry small packages of ramen in our pantry, not the bulk sized boxes like before! You know, just to make sure we do not go into relapse. One baby step at a time, right?
Honestly, the years are blending together. I cannot remember the specifics that happened each year, but I remember being challenged constantly in our communications with one another. The way we show appreciation, the way we show respect, the way we deal with conflicts, even the way we parent our furry baby! I think all that refining has really grown us as a couple. As I recall the difficulties that came our way, I see even more clearly of God's grace and how He truly is the one who sustains us (especially in a marriage of 2 very flawed and broken individuals.)
I am so grateful that I get to learn and grow with my best friend. I love all the little things James does for me. Kissing me on the forehead every morning before he leaves for work, holding my hand on our family walks with Ninja, praying over me when I'm sick or scared, or jumping out of bed at 3 a.m. because his wife is terrorized by a house centipede in the living room.
So yeah, life as a wife is pretty great and I am very blessed to have James in my life. I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with my favorite guy. But for now, happy 3 years to us!
If you know me, you would know that I love having one-on-one conversations with people. The kinds that go late into the night, accompanied by a hot cup of tea. I guess that is my grown up version of the slumber party talks. I just love the fact that I get to go beyond the typical "How are you? I am fine" and dive straight into the lives of the people I care about.
Lately in my conversations with friends, I have been hearing all sorts of exciting news and travel adventures. But when asked in return, "And how are things with you?" I find myself feeling lost and uncertain. For as long as I remember, I have been replying with a nonchalant "same." But I think my apathetic attitude has slowly turned into a discontent one. Perhaps somewhere deep inside, I knew I was made for more than this.
I am a dreamer. Call me crazy, but I want to change the world. I want my life to count for something. The one thing I don't want is to waste the precious time God has given me. And sometimes I feel like I am doing exactly that. I want to do something big, but often end up feeling unmotivated and overwhelmed. Maybe my attitude needs to change, more does not mean bigger. Over the weekend, I was once again reminded that our God is extraordinary and that anything he is involved in, including our day-to-day can also be extraordinary (if we choose to see it that way). He never asked me to do anything BIG, just to be obedient and faithful over those little things. So maybe it's time for me to rethink those ordinary moments and live them out as best as I can.
"Don't underestimate the importance of the ordinary moments: The repetition of the day-to-day matters because change often happens in the places we most easily brush off. We develop eyes to see when we practice the discipline of contentment and gratitude, and we begin to find that those seemingly insignificant places are soaked with God and that this is where the simple becomes extraordinary."
You can read the full article here. It's a good read. ^_^
A reminder for myself: Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
