delphine in the press

We are thrilled to be featured in the July 2008 issue of Coastal Living and in the June 2008 issue of Gifts & Decorative Accessories. Thanks very much to the editors at both magazines: we truly appreciate your support! Also an update: our interview in the July 2008 issue of HOW magazine can now be read online at HOW's website here. Thanks again to the editors of HOW for including us in such an incredible issue.

Hotlanta Gift Show

The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market at AmericasMart

We are headed to the July 2008 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (known here in the studio as the Hotlanta Gift Show). We will not be exhibiting this year, but will be attending as buyers to help out a friend who is opening a gift store. I'll also be covering the show for this blog. As you can see from the map above, it's a HUGE show, so please drop me an email: (erika at delphinepress dot com) if you'd like me stop by your booth. I can't promise that I'll get to everyone, but I will pack my tennies and try my best to make it.

sneak peek: "ava" and "robin" invitations

photos: delphine

Top: "ava" design is a 2-color version of our signature "amelie" design. Bottom: "robin" design was inspired by a client's love for tapestry. These designs will be available only through select dealers who carry our "charleston collection" (and directly through us, of course).

Type at the Fair

photos: delphine

Went to the San Diego County Fair yesterday (yes, again). Love the typography on the signs!

naked tricycle ride

photo: delphine

A quick reminder to stop and enjoy the summer ...

Trend: grey is the new brown

rug and photo: West Elm

At the National Stationery Show last month, Joan and Vanessa from Green Paper Company declared: Grey is the New Brown. Agreed.

photo: delphine

When I started this blog I swore to myself that I would not be one of those bloggers who posts random photos of their pets all the time. But seriously, how cute is Titus? Was shooting more pics for the website yesterday and, like usual, he hopped into the set.

dahlias

photo: delphine

These prize-winning dahlias are so gorgeous in person that they looked positively edible. Thinking a dahlia series of cards is in delphine's future ... wonder how we can reproduce the ombré look ...

bouganvellia orange

bouganvellia photo: delphine Casbah print Jessie blouse: J.Crew

The orange color of the bouganvellia in the studio courtyard is going to drive our pressman nuts. We're determined to capture this color in an ink! I love the same color applied to this J.Crew shirt, too.

behind the scenes

photos: delphine

Behind the scenes at our latest photoshoot, and a sneak peek at a new design!

tangled in green

photo: carrie gugger kelley

C took this photo on the 66th anniversary of D Day at Omaha Beach in Normandy.

purple

photos: delphine

Purple used to be my least favorite color, so I used my sketchbook to "work through it" and learn to like it. One purple thing I do love: Jacaranda trees.

delphine in the press: HOW magazine

from HOW magazine

Many thanks to the editors of HOW for including delphine in their story "The Paper Market" in their special Handmade Design issue (July/August 2008). We are huge fans of HOW magazine and can't wait for their new book: HOW Designer's Good Business Guide. I just ordered my copy.

fair type

photos of San Diego County Fair by delphine

I went to the San Diego County Fair yesterday in Del Mar, California, and was inspired by the kooky typography and could not stop taking photos. I also could not stop eating cotton candy. Or funnel cakes. Or candy apples ... ugh.

fun ride

photo: delphine

Does your life feel like one of these twisty corkscrew slides, too?

More posts tomorrow with photos of fair TYPE. I am SUCH a font geek it's a little frightening.

cotton candy pink

tilt-a-whirl at san diego county fair • photo by delphine

Today I took the morning off and went to the San Diego County Fair with our 4 1/2 year old. This cotton candy pink Tilt-A-Whirl was too scary for us to ride, but I love the way it is decorated.

lighting

One of these lights is $24.99 at Ikea; the other is $375 at The Conran Shop.

motif we love: sea urchins

ring: Emily Amey

photo and card: delphine

wedding day

photo: Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Congratulations to Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 84, who were married yesterday in San Francisco by Mayor Gavin Newsom. "Ms. Martin and Ms. Lyon, who have been together for more than 50 years, seemed touched, if a little amazed by all the attention." Read more about them here (New York Times).

derby critters

photo & derby critters: wisteria

These cute little Derby Critters from Wisteria that remind me of one of my favorite childhood cartoons: the Laff-A-Lympics.

big brand marketing

photo: screenshot of a Hollister movie

I've noticed a fantastic trend on "big brand" websites: inspiration galleries, sneak peeks, and club rooms. These sections of a website (like Kate Spade's "behind the curtain") go behind the scenes, inside studios, and into sketchbooks to show customers what inspires the brand. Some sites, like Hollister and Kate Spade, have sound tracks, so you can listen to music that further deepens your brand experience. I also like the Dwell Studio website, where the visitor gets a peek onto the work tables in the studio. And the Jonathan Adler Manifesto cracks me up. Here are a few of their beliefs:

"We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.
Unless the husband is gay.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe colors can't clash."

Our delphine site has a little inspiration section with photos from our travels (and our backyard). Eventually I'd like to add a little sneak peek into the studio, and maybe add some tunes, too. Any other suggestions?

art friday: cuca

art: katherine brannock

Just added to the delphine website: Original artwork by Katherine Brannock. It's difficult to see in the photo, but the background of these images is hand scored with a bone, creating a gorgeous ripple effect around the image. This piece is called "Beyond the Peak of Mourning 2."

perspective cont.

www.thingsihavelearnedinmylife.com

Focus on the good stuff.

perspective

art friday

photo: SoLo

Original art (collage on wood) by Lorena Siminovich. Available at SoLo.

special thanks

photo: delphine

I wanted to give a special "THANK YOU" shout out to Noodle for helping with my guest posts over at design*sponge this past week. Without Noodle's insightful answers to my exceedingly intrusive questionnaire, the posts would have been dull. Thanks, also, to all the humans who participated. Love y'all!

ink colors

photo: delphine

Just a few of the inks we use in the pressroom. Every color is mixed by hand, so we can match just about anything. Once a bride asked us to match her favorite toothpaste!

see jane travel

photo & bags: jane marvel

I ordered some fun travel bags from the lovely Jane Marvel at NYIGF in January and they arrived yesterday. I had forgotten that every bag comes with a free gift! The white "overhead bag" comes with a matching sleep mask. Love it!

dwell studio at target

photo: Dwell Studio for Target

I spotted these Dwell Studio pillows at ICFF last month ... and I was at Target yesterday and spotted them again. I am loving the grey/yellow combo (and the Target price).

sweet dreams

bed frame: brocade home

I'd love this Brocade bed frame for our guest room/boudoir/closet room. After living in our house for 4 years it is finally time to start "decorating." Our bedroom doesn't have a closet (long story), so we converted the guest room into a "closet room." It works for us, but when guests come they have to sleep amidst clothes racks on my childhood twin bed. First, we need to build armoires to hide all our clothes ... but next step will be a darling bed like this.

guest blog on design*sponge

design*sponge

I'm honored to be guest blogging on design*sponge this week!

back yard wonders

It's amazing what you can find in your own backyard!

sunday afternoon

photo: delphine

Yesterday B and I played croquet for the first time ever. Two stubbed toes later we decided the game was best left to professionals.

deep in the green

art: alena hennessy

"Deep in the Green Lilac Park," by Alena Hennessy. J & I met Alena last summer at the Atlanta Gift Mart, where we were both exhibiting. It was like a refreshing cool breeze to walk into her gorgeous, peaceful booth. We won't be exhibiting this year, but will be walking the show as buyers for some friends, and one of our first stops will be to visit Alena!

serenity now ...

photo: salvatore ardillo

I'm having one of those days (already). Too much to do. Not enough time.