I found the book we bound for Lisa Nakamura!

That was a nice summer rush-delivery project. :) It was a 7×7″ photo album with beautiful black photo pages with a custom spine design. Concept and design is all Rethink.

Here is the rest of the collateral that goes with the book. Very nice, fun stuff!

All photos from Lisa’s Flickr. Thanks, Rethink!

So long since we’ve written. Sorry about that. Chloe & I have been prancing about and we’ve been lucky enough to get a couple of new projects. Pardon us, as we’re still at the point where the smaller things are exciting. Such as…

…binding a mock-up book for Rethink Communications! Yes! Rethink! The firm!

It’s pretty cool having Lisa Nakamura in the studio talking to us about Neil from Centennial Bookbinding. They probably don’t even think twice about these sorts of things, but it’s quite nice to be able to welcome others into our small studio. It makes the community feel just a little bit smaller, in that despite Rethink’s size and reputation, they basically know the same people we do—and, in a sense, “We’re not so different, Rethink and I…”

Same goes for my quick chat with Jeff Harrison today, who is probably one of the most personable characters I’ve come across so far. I’m excited that Tea Party is starting to get to know other places and people, and that it is much less scary to dive right into the local design pool. I feel much less of a small-fry, trembling at the doors of established design firms, and more like the new guy at the bar that all the bros want to go fishing with. Terrible analogy, but I hope it will suffice.

I look forward to seeing how else perceptions of ourselves can change as we grow out of being students and into young professionals.

Some nice people have been over at our studio to say hello (and steal internet)!

Continue reading »

Pleasure to announce that I (the “Party” half of Tea Party) will be at the Blim Monthly Community Market, 19 July (Sunday) from 12–5pm at Main Street:

This [month's] market will include over 50 vendors, live music, hot food, beverages, and entertainment. Vendors will include food, fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records, and not be limited to crafts, and there will be a focus on nurturing and promoting creative production in our community. We want to appeal to young, old, hip, plain, babies, animals, men, women, everyone.

I will be sitting next to Jane Koo’s felt owls:

I’ve been meaning to blog about this, but the move has been distracting to say the least.

I came across David Ronnie from a 2nd year class I was fortunate enough to teach-assist (I may have made this verb up) last spring at ECU. That experience can be a post all on its own. Either way, David mysteriously disappeared after a few classes, but I stumbled upon his website a little after. It’s been a pleasant surprise to see how active he is within the design community, and am inspired by his motivation and gusto.

"Hey, ladies..."

He has just launched his new project, 365 Days to Babylon, a year-long venture into well-being and self-improvement in the most well-rounded sense of the word. On his list include goals ranging from learning more about design culture to learning how to play the guitar.

Over the last few years its become apparent to me that one year is a much longer timeframe than most people think it is. My life has changed dramatically in a week before, let alone an entire year. So that’s the whole premise of this website: dedicate one year of focused, intense effort to trying to make as many of my various personal goals and life dreams a reality and document as much of it as I can.

I think he has the sort of drive that Chloe and I have for Tea Party, not only as ones interested in contributing positively within the local Vancouver design subculture, but in the way that we approach the peripheral aspects of growth, learning and maturity. I like the idea of reaching out to peers for connections and support, and DR seems to have the right idea about it. It becomes less about working in a vaccuum and the “Ta-da!” reveal, and very much about process and letting people see your growth and learn from this as well. And not just in the sense of design learning either.