I have close to 10 years’ worth of magazine clippings amassed in my flat files and here’s a small sampling. Even with the abundance of reading materials online and on the iPad, I am still a diehard connoisseur of print. I do have an iPad (and subscribe to some magazines that are more interactive) but I’m still keeping my print magazine subscriptions as well. All you hear these days is, “Print is dead!” But it’s really not dead, it’s just changing. You may see less printed materials but the quality of what you do see is higher overall. I love my iPad but still equally enjoy the feeling of digging through stacks of clippings and pooling together inspiration. What about you?

I still have some of my 90s clippings too stuffed into a folder (though those mostly revolve around Kurt & Courtney, some Versace ads and a healthy dose of Marilyn Manson). My poor, poor parents had to deal with my bedroom walls covered in this stuff! And maybe that’s where my nostalgia for print and holding onto my magazine subscriptions comes from — that’s all I had before a steady internet connection and the iPad.

Readers: What iPad publications do you subscribe to? Any recommendations? My favorite so far has been Project Magazine.

After the successful outcome of my suite of rubber stamps, I decided to create some designs for Joey to brand his paintings with. We ordered four total designs including his wordmark (above), but my favorites of the bunch were these two oversized stamps measuring 4 x 4 inches each. Joey’s tagline is NEO POP ART and I came up with a stacked lockup that works well for the backs of his paintings. The circle is an ongoing element in many of his paintings and also a part of his logo and I think it would work great for marking his packages when he mails out his work.

All of these stamps were ordered through Simon’s Stamps which I cannot recommend highly enough (great quality + affordable + fast shipping). I should mention that these stamps are probably too large for a regular stamp pad; I used the Ranger Archival Jumbo Inkpad in jet black for these. Happy stamping!

I spent the weekend in Halfway, Oregon, a sleepy town with a population of less than 400. Because of the slow pace (and lack of cell phone reception and wifi), two days felt like five and it was one of the most relaxing weekends I’ve had in years. I have so much more to share about this voyage but for now, here’s what I wore during my stay at the local bed & breakfast. I spotted this ASOS dress on Gala awhile back and I knew I had to have it. It’s a soft, unstructured cotton that was comfortable enough for the six hour drive each way.

I Wore:

Skater Dress with Contrast Piping, ASOS
Patent Heels, Dries van Noten

My outfit was heavily inspired by the color combo of my new BFF, Rhubarb (below). Isn’t she adorable?! I’ll be sharing more about how I met Rhubarb and my life-altering Halfway visit this Friday.

P.S. The winner of the Motel giveaway is Ivy drawn via Random.org). Congratulations!!

Over the weekend, it was blazing hot so we took a spin around Portland to a few of our favorite places. The Woodsman Market and neighboring Stumptown were packed, naturally — so nice to get out and about and not be chained to my computer.

This is a pretty good place to sit back and relax, don’t you think? I love it when it’s this nice out — everyone is in such a good mood and you can feel a sense of optimism that just isn’t there during the endless months of doom and gloom.

We finally found Rocky the perfectly bite-sized car for when he gets his license!!! I assumed it was some obscure European model but it’s actually an old Honda.

Even if the rest of your house is a mess and your desk is piled with odds and ends (like mine is right now), set aside that once special corner. I taped up this page from an old issue of Interview — still adore that type treatment!

These are some outtakes with Rocky at Laurelhurst Park over the weekend…”Come on, give mom a hug! COME ON! You ain’t getting away from me!”

Joey and I are always pretty matchy-matchy which is a given since our wardrobes contain the same exact color schemes. Couples cliché!

I took so many stamp photos over the weekend — as you saw on Monday, I’ve gone a bit stamp crazy! This is a good overview of my brand new collection of 5 total stamps. So happy with these!

I have quite a gem from my childhood stamp collection that I haven’t shared until now; this heart-shaped stamp. I’m not even sure where it came from but I’ve had it since about 1985? Hearts everywhere!

One last thing; you guys have blown me away with the comments about your summer plans! Frankly, my last summer was a total bust (Joey broke his leg exactly a year ago) and I’ve been determined to make the most of this one with more little trips outside the city, more fun projects and simple things too like walks in the park with Rocky and more meals out with Joey (he does the cooking at our house and while he’s great at it, he deserves a break!) Over the next few weeks, I have two completely different trips planned. One is on a ranch (!!!) and the other is in a big city; I’ll share more soon. A lot can happen when we decide to take the initiative to make some changes, both small and large. So thanks for inspiring me this week.

• 100 ideas that changed graphic design.

• Promise shares some great suggestions for beginning to define your brand.

• Is Facebook making you lonely?

• The Sephora + Pantone makeup collaboration is finally available!

• When you’re starting out a blog on a free platform, which service has the best features?

• Since I’m on a total rubber stamp kick at the moment, I love the National Park Stamp Icons Valerie Jar designed.

• Bud Cadell explains why he hates advertising.

• My longtime friend, photographer Bianca Alexis is kickin’ ass as usual in New York and would love your support on her Facebook fan page. Show her some love!

• The Manhattan Bridge is not the Brooklyn Bridge.

• Elsie shares some fun and easy organizational tips.

• One writer talks about being a night owl which I’m sure many of us can relate with!

A quick reminder: I’ve joined up with Motel for a great giveaway and it’s super easy to enter. Enter here and share your summer plans with us!

I visited Laurelhurst Park over the weekend for some chill time with Joey & Rocky. These steps stretch on and on and it’s a perfect place to escape to on a sunny day. I’ve always had an infatuation with stripes and have owned a few pairs of striped pants in my time. My favorites were black and white striped but seriously, after the 10th time of someone shouting “Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!” in a day, the novelty quickly wears off. Stop it with the Beetlejuicing already!!!

My friends at Motel just sent me this more subdued charcoal and black stripe combo of their cult classic Jordan Jeans and they’re definitely more wearable than the black and white variety. I can’t wait to wear these going into Fall with fitted sweaters and blazers.

I Wore:

Paris shirt, Urban Outfitters
Jordan Jeans, Courtesy of Motel Rocks
Bracelet, H&M
Belt, H&M
Boots, AI for AI by Matiko

In case you’re wondering, our outfit posts rarely go off without a hitch. Rocky likes to walk through nearly every photo. And, just look at that face! Haha.

Dear readers, Motel has a special treat for you! They’re giving away a $100.00 voucher and I’m making it super simple to enter:

1. Like Motel’s Facebook page.

2. Tell me something rad you’re planning on doing this summer and leave a valid email address so I can contact you! Are you taking a cross-country road trip? Visiting grandma? Setting a big goal? Overcoming a fear?

3. I’ll randomly choose a winner and make an announcement on Monday, May 21st. Good luck!

After picking up the occasional issue of Interview Magazine, I finally broke down and subscribed because it’s consistently beautifully designed and the mix of content is always compelling. Part of this shift over the last few years is in no doubt due to Fabien Baron being the editorial director. I’ve been a long time admirer of his work and it’s no surprise that he’s turned Interview around considering that in the last 20 years, he’s also revamped five other magazines including Italian Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

His use of white space is one of the reasons his work stands out and probably influenced by the fact that his dad was a Parisian newspaper designer. Regarding his take on Interview, Baron says, “People buy into personality. And you need to be bolder.”

I found this graphic on the Interview site — it’s brimming with a distinctly Baron-esque look; have you checked it out?

As of late, the blogosphere seems to have gone rubber stamp crazy. Everywhere I look, I see a new rubber stamp! The uptick in custom rubber stamps makes total sense. Printing promo materials can get get really pricy and the ease of applying your logo and branding to nearly any surface is not only cost effective but adds that personal, hand-done touch.

I’ve been wanting to order rubber stamps for quite awhile but this post took awhile to put together due to some trial and error. On my first custom stamp attempt, I went the Etsy route in an effort to support small businesses but when my designs came, the wood was sub-par and there were no handles or any other way to grip the stamps. The quality just wasn’t there. So, I regrouped, did some googling and came upon Simon’s Stamps. This place is the real deal. Not only do they have super reasonable prices but they ship fast and uploading your designs is a breeze. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Because of the reasonable pricing at Simon’s, I was able to order a variety of designs and sizes to give a test run. Yeah, I went a little crazy. Most of the stamps are based on elements from my current branding.

Here are some rubber stamp thoughts and tips

1. When creating your design, print it out to scale first before ordering! I’ve ordered stickers and other stamps in the past so I already had a pretty good idea of the sizes I wanted but Simon’s offers a HUGE variety of dimensions.

2. When in doubt, keep it simple. The more clean lines and the simpler the text, the better the outcome.

3. Beyond your logo, think of quotes, shapes, letters and numbers of significance, and your favorite patterns to draw inspiration from.

4. Stamps are MUCH cheaper than business cards. Two agencies I worked for in the past switched their business cards to blanks with just logos and then provided each employee with a rubber stamp containing their personal information. That way, everyone stamps as they go and there isn’t excess, unused stock sitting around.

5. Besides stamping the expected (mailing envelopes and boxes), think of new uses. Maybe you could sign your letters and then stamp your name or logo underneath. How about stamping your logo in the corner of screen prints you make? Or, on the back of photo prints and artwork?

6. Invest in a good, basic stamp pad. Mine is jumbo-sized and features archival ink. Get one here.

Here’s a mood board of rubber stamp inspiration: 1. Olly Sorby. 2. Meanwhile. 3. Semiospectacle. 4. Bigger Than Giants. 5. Lovely Package (unknown). 6. New Amsterdam Gin. 7. Twig & Thistle.

In closing, here’s a trip down memory lane. When I first got into rubber stamps, I was around five. Just for laughs, I dug out my original collection this weekend and, as you can see, back in the 80s I thought dinosaurs, Cabbage Patch Kids and rainbow stamp pads where the ultimate! Should I put that rainbow stamp pad back into rotation?

Over the weekend, my dear friend Star stopped by Wolfgang Manor for a visit. Since she lives in San Francisco, we only get to see each other about once a year but it’s one of those friendships where we pick right back up where we left off. I met Star online close to 10 yeas ago and later, during a visit to LA in 2007, she was the one that convinced me to start this blog! We have a tradition of tracking down a photo booth whenever and wherever we meet.

The new issue of O magazine showed up in my mailbox yesterday and I thought this A was pretty rad. Here’s the truth: I’ve never even read a complete issue but the design is so good that I mostly subscribe for pure visual inspiration.

I took a midweek break with some friends at Jam on Hawthorne for an afternoon breakfast and tasty mix drink. Turquoise walls, loud music and a handful of chandeliers — what’s not to love about this place?

This week, I pulled out one of my favorite combos that I wore constantly a few years ago: Tripp NYC zipper jeans paired with Minimarket boots.

Over the weekend, I ended up at Best Buy and noticed this black wall complete with a glowing Apple. So, there you have it: my version of the super moon!

I have been going rubber stamp crazy and through some trial and error, I finally found a great, affordable source and ordered a slew of different designs and sizes. I’m sharing what I’ve learned on Monday here on the blog!

Do you ever get hit with the “I can’t keep my eyes open and I’m going to fall asleep at my desk RIGHT NOW” feeling every afternoon? It seems like between 2 and 3, I get hit all at once…and sometimes, a good cup of coffee gets me back on track. Sometimes not.

This book cover is an ongoing inspiration of mine. I’ve been really trying to back up, stand still, ignore the internet and simplify the designs I’m doing to stand the test of time. This cover reminds me of that. Sometimes the best inspiration isn’t on the internet; it’s right in front of us. We just have to be aware. Have a great weekend! I’m going to be taking some long walks (if the weather dude isn’t lying, it’s supposed to be 85 here in Portland) and playing with my new rubber stamp collection. Sounds dorky but some of the best things in life are!

• If you read just one thing this week, start with Things I’m Afraid To Tell You, bookmark it and then work through the series. Why? 50 bloggers have decided to get real and share stories or experiences that they were previously afraid to put out there. It’s a brilliant reminder that we’re all truly connected and that blogs only offer a small glimpse into our daily lives.

• 33 must read books for entrepreneurs.

• How to start your blog with a bang!

• A lot of people are getting burnt out on social media chatter. It’s relentless. I like what Jenna of Sweet Fine Day had to say: “There is so much chatter over what we’re working on, where we’ve been, where we’re going, who we’re hanging out with, what we’ve accomplished and we’re all high fiving each other every day and this is all really good stuff, but sometimes it’s really exhausting too. In the end, what does it mean anyway?”

• I love Promise’s advice on how to break up with a client lead that’s just not a good fit.

• The 2012 logo trend report is out!

• Elsie of A Beautiful Mess just write a great article about failure, success and moving forward.

• How to Be an A-List Blogger: One Simple Step is a pretty good read but equally as so are the heartfelt comments.

• Has the internet run out of ideas? “We’re now at the stage where we should be getting the next wave of disruptive surprises. But – guess what? – they’re nowhere to be seen. Instead, we’re getting an endless stream of incremental changes and me-tooism.”

• Designers, how do you go about landing interesting work?

• AIGA NY has opened a store celebrating its 30th anniversary.

• Cary Tennis always keeps us on our toes: I’m rich, privileged and drunk.