katie kirk

illustrator, katie kirk is a master of the bézier curve. she successfully simplifies complex ideas and turns them into light-hearted vector fun. my favorites include queen pattern, head, and birds. also, be sure to check out her soon-to-be-published book, eli, no!



i chose the colors from this. not really sure why—they just seemed fun ;)

heart day

i like valentine’s day. growing up, my mom always bought me thoughtful little pink and red gifts. also—chocolate and stunning paper products! okay, so those are all consumer-based, but i think i’m okay with that. if i could only shop on one day, it would be valentine’s day. plus, the alternative is being one of those cynical anti-valentine* types, and i’m far too happy to venture down that road just yet. i hope you had a happy heart day, and if not you still have time to buy yourself a candy bar and cry yourself to sleep on the sofa.



green & black’s toffee milk chocolate | roses downtown | my pink t-shirt

*sorry anti-valentiners. i enjoy your rants on the bad days.

27th birthday

i wrote this to remember what i was thinking on my 27th birthday. since moving to san francisco (2005), my life has been filled with exciting new challenges—grad school (2006 to 2008), this color blog (2008), a return to freelance (2009), and a trip to the other side of the planet (2009). 2010 has barely begun, yet i feel aimless and uncertain. perhaps it’s because i haven’t made any specific goals, or it could be that my husband recently finished school and is looking for work. we are uniquely connected so his dismal results could definitely be contributing to my recent state of ennui. it might also be my inability to choose a vocation. i want to learn, create, and help, but i do so many different things that i am often at a loss as to where to begin and what i should really be doing.



i had to get out, so i hopped on the closest bus and took off toward golden gate park. i filled my day photographing bits of the park and the many flora at the conservatory of flowers. i finished the day with a giant burrito and a slice of vegan chocolate cake. although it didn’t cure my current state of mind, it did remind me that even though i’m not my usual happy-as-a-clam self, i still have the ability to create, and that’s something worth celebrating.

allison cole

allison cole is a fantabulous illustrator working her surface-design magic in providence, rhode island. her illustrations are very charming, and the best part is when she gives vegetables a voice. my favorites include veggie poster, what i wore today, feathers, robots, and take us home, which can be purchased on a tote—hooray! for updates, be sure to stop by allison’s blog, and if you’re a comic fan, take a look at her never ending summer.



recently i’m loving nature-inspired colors and really looking forward to spring. i love using shades of the same color and creating texture within the different values.

neely jacobson

i recently reconnected with neely jacobson, one of the kindest and funniest people i remember from high school. these days she is one talented photographer. all of her photos are gorgeous, but i keep returning to the portraits. her wonderful personality must put people at ease because she is able to capture the sincerest expressions. my faves include jillian + james, kendi, maple rings, jeramie jump, and most of all, this one of her little girl, drew.



they just look like colors that would taste good. they make sense to me. i LOVE the mustardy-olivey green colors. i never get tired of that color. and the coral pink reminds me of my daughter drew for some reason. the turquoise reminds me of california (my favorite place away from home) and the grayish color looks real, innocent, soft, old, classic, calming, and homey to me.