I spent part of the week in Reno and I’m so glad that I did! Previously, I’d only been to Reno for layovers on my way to Vegas but after staying there for four days and soaking up more of the atmosphere, I love it! We stayed at the Peppermill which is the coolest hotel that I’ve ever been to; the casino looks like it’s a disco out of 2050. It is completely surreal and disorienting since almost all of the surfaces are mirrored or covered in neon lights. And, the room I stayed in was fit for Liberace. Gilted surfaces, mirrors, metallic curtains, stacks of pillows on the bed…I’ve never seen anything like it.

I was in was in town for my grandpa & grandma’s 60th wedding anniversary and by the end of the trip, I’d mastered video poker! We also visited Virginia City, which is a super steep drive up a mountainside but totally worth it. It’s an authentic mining town frozen in the 1800s complete with saloons that still have massive chandeliers dripping in crystals. The typography on the vintage signs was cool as well.

I spent some time in downtown Reno at a dive casino watching an Elvis impersonator, ate tons of fried food and spent my nights going to bed while my grandma & grandpa stayed up gambling!

I never knew how awesome Reno was. Most of my dad’s side of the family has gotten married there over the years and now I can see why. It’s more charming and inviting than the over-glammed alternative of Vegas.

Glitzed out to the max! How was your week?

I normally don’t share fashion spreads (there are plenty of other blogs that cover that niche) but when V Magazine sent me a preview of one of their spreads from an upcoming issue, I just had to share. I discovered V back at issue #3 and an entire shelf in my closet is dedicated to past issues. They used to be even more oversized than they currently are and I have about 40 of them so you can imagine the pain it takes to move them! Anyway, V never disappoints, as you can see below:

Credits: photographed by Willy Vanderperre / Styling by Olivier Rizzo / Model is Iris Strubegger

• I absolutely love Gotham Chopra’s article Writing Songs With My Good Friend Mike where he recalls their decades of friendship with many funny moments including this: “He’d visit our house in Massachusetts where he’d sleep in the guest room. My mom got a great kick out of the fact that every morning Michael stayed, he’d try to make the bed (very badly) and offer to cook breakfast (very badly).”

• Lisa Marie Presley writes candidly about her time with Michael Jackson and his unsettling prediction about how his life would end.

• Betesy Johnson talks about her upcoming retirement.

• More brands than ever are fighting against counterfeit versions of their products because not only are they becoming better made and fetching higher prices, they’re also cutting into profit margins.

• The bar code turns 35.

• When I’m visiting New York, you can bet that Gala and I will stop by Coney Island just to take a spin on this ride from Neverland Ranch. Soooo awesome! (thanks, bianca)

• Believe it or not, there are certain high-skilled workers that are insulated from the recession.

• Freelance Switch has some great advice on how to survive any economic downturn.

• I really hope Pepsi sees this Michael Jackson tribute design and puts it into production. It’s a simple and classy way to commemorate him.

• Ahhh, Jane of Sea of Shoes has totally outdone herself again with more stunning photos from Tokyo. My favorite post of the week documented her hilarious adventures with a toy cat named Nao. For real.

• 6 steps to get your company to pay you to blog.

P.S. My posting is still a bit slow due to moving but things are coming together amazingly well and I can’t wait to show you my finished office (hint: I’ve organized my shoes on a bookcase by color!) next Friday. There are so many good things in the works including cool freelance projects so stay tuned!

How does someone that sells out 50 upcoming concerts in an matter of minutes, who is still very much on the pulse of what’s current in fashion ( rocking THE Balmain jacket just a few weeks ago) and who is prepping for a massive comeback suddenly die? When someone on the level of Michael Jackson dies, it feels like a cruel joke. To many, Michael Jackson appeared larger than life and completely untouchable. To me, he seemed vulnerable and sensitive, someone I could see myself befriending. He had eternal Peter Pan syndrome and never seemed 50 years old, let alone 40 or 30.

Michael had a gift of injecting optimism into even the most mundane situations. During my early college years, I worked at a shoe store at the mall. Late at night, my manager and I would blast Thriller. We were next door to Zumiez and they would do the same. And then, I’d walk down to the ice skating rink and the deejay would also be playing Michael Jackson. It put a smile on everyone’s faces and best of all, made them want to dance.

I took a tai chi class for gym credits in college. I couldn’t remember the moves so I would pretend to do the moonwalk instead and the teacher would shoot me dirty looks. I secretly imagined that if Michael was there, he’d be cracking up at the absurdity of it all. He had that childlike sense of humor that’s best represented in this home video.

Channeling Michael Jackson, 2003

As weird as this sounds, I sort of felt like the female version of Michael Jackson. Looks-wise, I identified with him in his later years, being a Virgo with black hair and pale skin. Certain outfits I wore would evoke a near-immediate response of “you look like Michael Jackson.” It always made me smile when people would say that; his style was my absolute favorite. I loved the sequins, military embellishments, the skinny black pants. Though I wasn’t into everything he did stylistically including the surgical masks and frequent outings in pajamas, I didn’t judge him for it. Nobody has walked in his shoes. They haven’t lived his life. It’s not fair to judge someone unless you’ve lived through the same exact experiences that they have.

When Michael Jackson was accused of child molestation, I remember Elizabeth Taylor telling all the naysayers to “go eat crow.” She always stuck up for him. I remember seeing Liz in a tabloid years ago with a huge smile on her face. She was wearing a gold monkey necklace encrusted with diamonds that Michael had just bought her for an estimated $100,000.00. It definitely wasn’t her normal style but she was beaming with pride.

My middle name is Marie and I used to always joke with Lee that I would one day be plastered across the tabloids as “The new Lisa Marie.” And, he’d give me a look, knowing that nothing got between me and my love for Michael.

To be honest, I haven’t been that upset because it doesn’t seem real that he’s gone. I’ve been walking through dark casinos for days, avoiding the news reports flashing across the big screen TVs. I always believed in him, even when things got bad and had such high hopes for his comeback. Though life has to go on, the world won’t be the same without him.

My friends have been texting and emailing me constantly, sending their condolences. It’s been really awesome to realize that people know how much I adored him. My favorite text thus far has been “I know you are probably holding a candlelight vigil with your Michael Jackson jacket on. I’m so sorry for your loss.” It’s not just my loss though…it is everyones’ loss, whether they realize it or not. It’s not every day that an original, off-the-charts talented, ground breaking, eccentric visionary comes along. And now that the man Gala and I dubbed our favorite Virgo is gone, it truly is the end of an era. Thanks for listening.

I am very saddened by the death of MJ. A commenter on my blog said “I am in utter disbelief that this is happening. It doesn’t even seem real, but more surreal and not true. I am hoping it’s some promo stunt to promote some secret new album but realistically, he’s gone.” That’s exactly how I’m feeling. I’ll have more to say on Monday. Until then, here’s The Week in Pictures.

…

This week has definitely kept me on my toes. I spent the first half putting in 12 hour days moving and painting and the second half going to meetings, designing more blogs and catching up on client work. And now, I am sitting in Reno!

New Office. The first room in the house that I’ve been working on is my office. It’s the one area that I need to be completely functional by July 1st so I can carry on with business! I did the walls all matte white and there’s a thin strip of black trim along the upper half that I’ll photograph soon. The room is very empty at the moment, but the second I am able to lug in the rest of the furniture up the stairs, you’ll get a tour of the outcome!

Albina Press. One of my favorite places to have meetings is at is Albina Press and surely, you can see why. Isn’t this the most beautiful cup of hot cocoa that you’ve ever seen?! I was in awe watching them painstakingly craft this masterpiece on Wednesday.

Black Walls. I’m completely consumed with finishing the bedroom for Lee & I which is going to be matte black with white trim. Auntie Nubs spent an entire day helping me get the first two coats finished and soon we’ll be moving onto the all white trim. I’ve never had a black room before, but this was all the inspiration that I needed.

Friendly Skies. I found out about MJ passing right as I was finishing up packing for Reno. I didn’t have time to grasp that he was really, truly gone. Being on the plane up in the clouds gave me a chance to think about him. How can someone that always seemed so much bigger than life die so suddenly?

Hello, Reno. This is my reality for the next four days. It feels good to get away. I am here for my Grandma & Grandpa’s 60th wedding anniversary!!! Pretty amazing, huh? I love them to death. They don’t age. Both are 80+ years old, neither use a walker and they have more energy than us! I’ll take the secret elixir that they must be drinking and bottle it for us mere mortals.

I apologize for the lack of updates this week. It’s bound to be a bit quiet around here next week as well while I continue traveling and then finish my move. Thanks for understanding.

How was your week?

There really isn’t anything else to say. I’ll always adore him and he will be missed.

• Thanks to M.I.S.S. for interviewing me for their Women Making History series! Included is a handwritten survey that I filled out and an amazingly crafted introduction that the girls came up with.

• In New York Treaures, Gala Darling lists a few of her newest favorite places to frequent.

• According to the NY Times, male models also have to diet.

• I rarely drink coffee, but this packaging for Rewind Coffee is making me reconsider.

• Doe Deere shares her experiences on running her own makeup business.

• Freelance Switch wants to teach you how to find your perfect client!

• A Typical Atypical tries to figure out why we’re so obsessed with shoes.

• Texture Lovers is a new site that is filled with free textures, inspiration and tutorials.

• Jane from Sea of Shoes has been kindly sharing her snapshots of street style, visits to hair salons and more during her extended stay in Tokyo. Pretty amazing stuff!

• Coach is designing a new line of luxury purses and accessories called Poppy with the recession in mind. Personally, I’m not a fan of Coach but what do you think?

What are your favorite links of the week?

I have a small collection of old paper sample books and the Mohawk line of Via paper is by far my favorite with its retro pop stylings.

You can view all of The Typofiles scans on Flickr here.

Keys. On Monday, I finally got the keys to the house that my brother and I just bought! Okay, so the key hanging from the knob is actually from Star but you get the point. The house is in S.E. Portland and is from the 1920s with a Bavarian vibe. We’ve been painting nonstop and I can’t wait to show you the results! By early next week, I’ll have an all black bedroom and an all white office.

Favorite Room. My favorite room in the house is this little area off the kitchen that has a mirrored wall (!!!) and a vintage chandelier.

Tribute. I’m still loving my The Sidewalk Never Ends tee from Tribute. So much so that I have a white version also.

Packing. I’ve been carefully packing my stash of Chloe and Dries shoes in their cute little dust bags. I leave all the moving of the heavy furniture and un-fun stuff to Lee and the boys. Heehee.

New Jeans. I never thought I’d say this, but I finally caved and bought a pair of high waisted jeans. I normally stick with the lowest of the low rises, but this 40s era blouse from Monster Vintage wouldn’t allow for anything else. I love the rows of tiny brass buttons and the exaggerated back. It’s one of those perfect pieces of clothing that can never be duplicated. It made sense to pair the blouse with my 40s style Miu Miu heels.

How was your week?

Art by Stina Persson

• I really like the limited edition retro packaging of Ritz and Oreo products that will be featured in Target locations this summer. What do you think?

• Could you wear the same style of dress for an entire year? The Uniform Project is one girl’s exercise in sustainability. She has seven identical dresses, one for each day of the week and takes photos of how she styles them (thanks kirsten).

• Motel America: A collection of vintage motel signs.

• The Fallen Princesses Project shows us what would happen if the characters from Disney fairy tales didn’t end up living happily ever after (via swiss miss).

• The Alexander Girard Collection for Urban Outfitters has a lot of well designed household items and textiles but my favorite is the heart pillow.

• Plastic Flashback: A visual history of the credit card.

• SHOELUST is a blog all about….shoes. Really really good shoes.

• Escape From Cubicle Nation has penned an open letter to recent college graduates.

• In his new book, Alain de Botton wonders why are you working so hard?

• Book Covers Anonymous is worth a look for great type and image inspiration.

What are your favorite links of the week?

I was super excited today when I clicked into the Forever 21 site and noticed that their new blog, The Skinny is live! Earlier this year I worked with them to design the blog along with the custom type. One of my favorite elements of the design are the rollover categories in the header. The really cool part is that they change from black and white to color.

I want to say thank you to the crew at Forever 21 for being so open minded and an absolute dream to work with. I’d estimate that about half of my wardrobe is comprised of items from their stores and it’s been an amazing experience working with a company whose products I regularly purchase. What are you waiting for? Visit The Skinny and show F21 some love!

I have always wanted to be a graphic designer and everyone tells me that I would be good at it but I live in a smallish town and wouldn’t know where to get started. Any advice?

If you’re passionate about design and are determined to be a graphic designer, you’ll find a way to carve out a path and to make it happen. There’s always a way to overcome the obstacles that you may have; sometimes it just takes a little bit of planning coupled with a creative strategy.

If you live in a small town, you might have to work harder to find the resources, but I can assure you that they are there if you’re willing to dig. I was once in the same position as you. I grew up in the suburbs outside of Portland and my high school was surrounded by farms and nurseries. Inside, the sixties-era library was literally frozen in time. I was lucky because we had a great art program but beyond that, in 1999 graphic design wasn’t nearly as digitized as it is today. The graphic design class (which is ironically the only art class I never took) was still using rub-on letters for layouts and little time was spent on the two Macs in the back of the classroom.

I didn’t have any mentors and the only bits of design-related knowledge I could find were hidden in dusty library books. I had to dig to find these small glimmers of design, but once I did, they inspired new visions of what was possible outside of my small town.

If you plan on attending school for design, keep your options open. Design is very subjective and the programs vary widely. It’s possible to go to school for two, four and even six years on the subject and your needs and goals will help you determine what is right for you.

After some research, I chose a two year, limited-entry program at a local community college. Though big schools are great and can offer you a totally different experience, I chose this option because it met my specific needs in a number of areas:

The expense. Community college is so much more affordable. My brother went to the premier art school in Portland and my entire two years of schooling cost less than half of one year of his.

Previous experience. I didn’t want (or need) another four year degree. I already had a degree in business and didn’t find it necessary to have two. I was determined to get the skills that I needed in the least amount of time possible and in my experience so far, most design jobs judge you on the quality of your portfolio anyway.

Scheduling. What I like about community colleges is that they’re set up for the real world. I had to work full time during my schooling and the university schedules that I looked at weren’t geared for that mentality.

Small class size. The program I attended had less than 25 students. We spent both years together and developed really strong bonds while receiving a lot of one-on-one attention that I don’t think would be as easy to gain in a larger program.

A community college turned out to be the right decision for me but your needs might warrant a different option. To find a school that is right for you, make a list of your top choices. It’s okay to dream big since this is still the research stage. Think about how much debt you’re realistically willing to incur, if you’re okay with relocation, if you’re going to need a schedule that is flexible for working and if the curriculum of the program fits your focus (print, web design, video, etc.)

Once you’ve developed a list of desirable schools, visit their websites and request program information. If it interests you, set up a meeting with an advisor or the head of the program. I strongly feel that this initial interaction will give you valuable insight if the school is right for you.

To avoid wasting time and money on a program that might not be a good fit, ask yourself some key questions. Are you being treated respectfully by the school’s staff? Are they open and willing to answer your questions? Are there examples of student work from the program that you can view? Do you feel comfortable with the time commitment that the program requires?

One fateful day in 2006, I met with the head of a design program at a well-known university and was scolded for showing up early(!) and told that many of my credits wouldn’t fully transfer, even though they were for very basic courses. It was obvious by his demeanor that he felt that he had better things to do with his time than to meet with a potential student. I left feeling that I wouldn’t be comfortable handing over a huge sum of money to spend up to four years in this guy’s presence and immediately contacted the head of the community college program that I later attended. The interaction was the exact opposite; informative, warm and encouraging. I was so impressed with the conversation that I immediately applied.

Once you’ve been accepted into a school, there are some key things that you can do to prepare yourself before the first day arrives.

Subscribe to some design blogs. Design is becoming more democratic every day thanks to blogs. Some of my personal favorites include Design Observer, the archives of Speak Up, Brand New, Swiss Miss, I Love Typography and Grain Edit.

Budget for a few key design books. The assortment of books that you choose will depend on your focus but some of the titles that I have found to be the most valuable include The Elements of Typographic Style, Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface and Graphic Idea Notebook: A Treasury of Solutions to Visual Problems. When crunch time for a school or work project hits, it’s always nice to have your own trusted little library of design books tucked away!

Subscribe to Lynda.com or try new tutorials. Lynda.com is an affordable online library of thousands of video tutorials that can assist you with keeping your skills current. I’ve subscribed in the past and have had fantastic results.

Online tutorials are a dime a dozen and it’s going to be a process of trial and error to find the really good ones. If you have the time though, it’s worth the search to pick up new skills for free.

If your dreams of school are still in the distant future, it’s never too early to get started on your career path. To learn more about design and to decide if it’s right for you, find a mentor or a club. Part of the reason it took me so long to finally go to school for design is that I didn’t have anyone to look up to or to encourage me to do so. If I’d had a mentor, I feel that I would have been on the path much earlier. If you have an art teacher, friend or maybe a contact at a local agency that can answer your questions and help you navigate the profession, it will make a world of difference. If that’s not an option, make AIGA your new best friend. It has an overwhelming amount of useful information related to design and is constantly being updated with fresh content.

With a little bit of research, a dash of talent and a lot of hard work, you’ll be well on your way to a hugely rewarding career in design.

I found this page in this month’s Marie Claire and I like the simple and effective combination of the cross on the fence paired with the chunky type. You can view all of The Typofiles scans on Flickr here.

As I’ve been doing a major office cleaning, I discovered that I have a small crate of Bodoni shirts in both black and white left. And, the less I have to move, the better! So, this week I will be running a special with all Bodoni shirts marked down from $22.00 to $16.00. SHOP HERE!

Happy Friday! I decided to have some fun and dress up even though my night consists of nothing more than listening to Journey while I continue packing up my office. I still remember when I bought these Michael Kors Firebird wedges back in 2004. They were my first pair ‘designer shoes’ and I remember taking a deep breath as I handed over my credit card, thinking that $180.00 was a lot of money for a pair of shoes. It was a lot to spend for a full time college student, but I had to have them! They turned out to be a sound investment. Since then, they’ve graced my business cards, blog header and more art pieces than I can recall.

Mouse ears, Disneyland
Glasses, Oscar + Fitch
Zipper dress and tee, H&M
Leggings and bow belt, Forever 21
Helvetica necklace, Star
Wedges, Michael Kors
Bag, Miu Miu

Packing Up. My office is looking more empty by the day. I’ve been slowly but surely packing it up because I am moving very, very soon! My brother, Lee and I will soon all be under one roof. I’ve lived with all guys for the last 15 years so I think I can handle it!

Those Glasses. They’re just so good. Basic, solid and stylish. Oscar + Fitch really delivered!

Shoes. I never realized how many light colored shoes I own. Grays, whites and silvers are a great way to lighten up for summer.

To Do. It’s the obsessive Virgo in me that makes a to-do list every day and crosses off each task as it gets finished. It’s the only way I can keep track of what to blog and where to be at any given time.

Inspiring Meetings. Earlier today I had a meeting at Stumptown (on Belmont) about the possibility of doing my own workshop around the topics of marketing yourself as a designer and the role of blogging & social networking in a designer’s life. I’ve been wanting to do this for so long and now that the opportunity is presenting itself, I’m so excited!

How was your week?

Perhaps the cutest tattoos ever.

• A vintage collection of Coke cans with pop-inspired designs. Why oh why don’t they still look like this?!

• As a freelancer, you often have to figure out what a client’s feedback really means and Five Common Client Phrases Decoded can be a tremendous help.

• The 3/50 Project: Pick three local businesses that you’d hate to see close and spend $50.00 at each.

• The Old Coupons Set on Flickr is a trip down memory lane!

• Dieter Rams’ 80s-era a list of Good Design in 10 Commandments still holds true.

• A look back at some of the classic covers of THE FACE magazine.

• How to make the web work for your business in 5 steps.

• I adore these Lolita-esque photos.

• Alphabet Keychains…I’ll take one of each, please.

• Find out who’s responsible for the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history.

• Checking out the Guardian’s Changing Face of Everyday Design chart is an absolute must. It covers everything from changes in telephone designs to The Queen’s hat choices!

What are your favorite links of the week?

Over the last few weeks, one of the self-initiated projects that I have been working on is a 2009 media kit for my freelance design business and blog, Nubbytwiglet.com. Today I want to address why I decided to make a media kit and how it can be beneficial for promoting yourself and your ventures but I’ll start first by showing you the work in progress. My goal is to have the remaining pages finished and ready for download by next Friday:

Media kits are are often used by magazines and other similar businesses because they contain the information that’s necessary for advertisers and sponsors including a quick introduction to the company, stats, frequently asked questions, ad rates and more.

It’s not very common for an individual to make a media kit, but I decided to do so as a marketing experiment. I wanted to create a media kit to give prospective clients and advertisers some insight into what Nubbytwiglet.com is and to explain the ways that they can benefit from my services.

As a designer, you are in charge of not only design-related tasks but also marketing yourself. How are you going to convince potential clients that you are up for the challenge and can assist them with their needs?

I’ve met many amazing designers with work that was totally mind-blowing. But more times than I can remember when I’ve asked those same designers where I could get more information about their work and if they had a website, I’d be met with a vacant look. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter how brilliant your work is, how great your client list is or how polished your portfolio is if people don’t know how to find you!

As a designer that mainly works with clients remotely via email and phone contact, it is important to build a personal connection, to show them that there is a face and soul behind the facade of a website. By providing them with details about your background including a client list and a brief overview of your history as a designer, you’re giving them that human link that reaches beyond the cold confines of a digital existence.

Though my media kit is still a work in progress, here are some of the things that I’ve decided to include:

Introduction
Blog-related information including stats
Advertising rates
Design services, client list and FAQ
A few examples of my designs
Contact information

Though a media kit isn’t for everyone and a resumé along with a peek at your portfolio will usually suffice, sometimes it’s fun to step outside of the box and to experiment with different formats. It’s exciting to develop new ideas of reaching out to potential clients. It’s okay to be bold, bright and original. Show the world that you’re willing to take a unique approach as a designer.

The U.S. edition of Elle never disappoints. Their art direction is probably the best that I’ve ever seen in a mainstream fashion magazine and this month’s Megan Fox spread was perfectly executed. The opening page with the stark and repetitive type treatment is downright amazing.

As always, you can view all of The Typofiles scans on Flickr here.