Why not wait until THREE issues are ready to post them?
Read Boulevard February
Read February
February’s cover was the most fun to shoot – not only is it a dog, but one of my favorite dogs, Munro! He stayed in position for a good two hours, definitely earning the Woofles treats. As he posed with his bow tie (inside story), I said it looked like he was about to have a scotch. So photographer Gary McKinstry made it happen! Out came the scotch, glass and ice. Very debonaire.
Although Esi Edugyan has had plenty of local coverage lately, Azim captured her in a light that presents her in a new way. Thanks to The Superior for opening up especially for us.
I’m very excited about Sarah MacNeill’s involvement with the magazine as the writer for Design Matters. Check out the liberty print boots and birdcage umbrellas on page 54.
Everybody has time to make popcorn, right? Love the vintage/rustic feel of Justin Eckersall’s shot of our recipes.
Read Boulevard January
Read January
On the cover is the home of architect Terence Williams, a modern yet subtle retreat in Cadboro Bay, shot by Vince Klassen.
“Football” and “Victoria” aren’t generally spoken in the same sentence, but the story on Terrel and Marcus Davis, Victoria’s best in the football scene, is opened by a dramatic family portrait by Vancouver based photographer Justin Eckersall. Also in this issue by Eckersall is a shot of the new Chevy Volt in front of Dockside Green. He managed to capture the vehicle in motion while fending off commissionaires.
Emily Sawyer Smith, a “real” cowichan knitter is captured by Dean Azim in a beautifully melancholic tone.
Read Boulevard December
Read December
You’ve heard of “Christmas in July”, in this case it was “Christmas in August”. It was one of the hottest days of the summer up at Bear Mountain for the Hot Properties shoot for this issue. The team at Home Style Solutions exploded on the scene with all the trimmings for a small space Christmas. Also in this issue, Dean Azim presented me with so many outstanding images from the Stone Soup Inn, that I was unable to choose – so I didn’t! Nigel Brown, new to Boulevard, was my go-to person for shots to accompany the Travel Near Pacific Marine Circle Route story.
Read about local musician Oliver Swain, the “curse” of our capital, holiday hors d’oeuvres that won’t bust a gut or the bank, golfing in Scottsdale, winter visits to Hornby, coats for Victoria’s less than sunny winter… read online or pick up a copy.
Eco-friendly picnic boxes for urbanites with a hankering for a picnic. Fully compostable utensils, plates, cups and napkins.
“Sorry, wicker, it was fun while it lasted, but the new picnic belongs to post-consumer pulp. So pack up and park on. It’s time to escape the office for an afternoon, schedule that over-due date or just go have some fun.” – Boxal
The May issue is here! Art direction, design and ad production by yours truly. If you didn’t receive a copy at your door, pick one up at your closest drop box or retailer – or read online.
I’ve wondered before… does Madonna have a business card? John Travolta? The President? What the heck do they look like?
King Bansah is an African King. He lives in Ludwigshafen/Germany, works as a car mechanic and governs his people from there. A real King.
From the designer www.julianzimmermann.com, “The new corporate design should underline the authenticity and lordliness of the king because they are essential for him and make his activities possible. A combination of royal and exotic impressions. One example of his engagement is his own royal beer AKOSOMBO. The benefit of the beer is passed on to the aid projects of the King in Ghana.”
A business set and a beer – for a King. How’s that for a dream job?
Event organizer, having a party? Use icebreakertags.com to get the ball rolling. Attach these conversation-starters with a safety pin, and instead of red-eyeballed stares at your next 8am meeting, get off on the right foot.
Icebreakertags.com lets you generate your own icebreaktertag for your next meeting or get together. Type directly into the tag to add your name/twitter/prompt, add a question, customize it with your logo or any graphic of your choice, and hit print. It will then generate a printout with 10 tags on it. I think these would also make good placecards at a dinner party or wedding.
Back at my desk after a whirlwind of flying paper, light sabre fighting, family toasts and delightful dinners. While taking a break to eat a truffle… I came across this excellent letterpress calendar. I’m particularly fond of June.
via www.letterpress-calendar.com
New years plans? I’ll be sharing a recipe for Atholl Brose – traditionally served in Scotland on New Year’s Eve to the first guests crossing the threshold of the host’s home, hence its other name, First Footing.
Does anybody know the history of the “ugly sweater party”? At what point was “ugly” defined in the world of sweater design? Is it possible that the sweaters we are wearing now will show up 15 years later at said party? Pressing questions.
What’s better than sporting an ugly sweater this season, is having a back up ugly t-shirt underneath. And these, well I don’t think they’re ugly at all. Have a look at the Vardagen shop.
The 2011 Calendars are here! 12 months of ocean views from around the world in a modern, subtle format. Use the space below each month to add special dates. The cover sheet can be cut and used as a new year greeting postcard.
Order online or email me info@bethcampbellcreative.com.
I have 2 sets of 6 holiday cards left! Email me if you want to get your hands on a set of cards with 6 unique designs and festive phrases on the front:
“warm holiday wishes” / “catch me if you can!” / “hurray for rudolf!” / “meet me under the mistletoe” / “season’s greetings” / “ring out the old, cheers in the new”.
Reduced to $10 for a set of 6 – email me info@bethcampbellcreative.com or leave a comment here by clicking in the bubble top right, then enter your info below.
ALSO – COMING SOON! 2001 calendars! A great gift or hostess gift at $11 + tax. Stalk the online shop.
Prada AW 2010/11 look book - I love the mingling of illustration and photography - it all starts with a sketch doesn't it? | via www.wallpaper.com
This AW 2010/11 edition of Le Monde D'Hermès had a black theme, in tribute to Jean-Louise Dumas, Chairman of Hermès from 1978-2006, who died on 1 May 2010 | via www.wallpaper.com
via iPhone, inside Zambris | Distinguished Zambris business card - custom size
Zambris Restaurant opened in it’s new location in the Atrium Building at the beginning of the month. When I visited, the place was packed with young and old, creating a vibrancy on this downtown corner that I haven’t felt in Victoria. Floor to ceiling windows, chandeliers and retro glass globe fixtures are a huge improvement over their previously limiting locale.
Check out their menu, videos and details on their new private function room (booked until Jan 1st) on their much improved website. At 820 Yates Street, open 7 days a week 11:00 am to Midnight. Closed between 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm daily.
Admiring this work from www.3advertising.comfor New Day, whose mission is to “engage troubled youth and their families in charting a proactive life course that will help them become meaningful and productive members of our community.”
“Will he own a rap sheet? Or a skate shop?”
“Registered drug offender? Or registered nurse?”
“Will she struggle to feed herself? Or fight to end world hunger?”
Check out the New Day logo. Notice the ‘Y’ about to flip over? Nice.
For all those Lonny Magazine fans out there, say hello to their new competition, Rue Magazine. Launched last week, this online bi-monthly will cover home decor and lifestyle topics from a wide range of cities. This issue includes features from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, and New York.
As projects go, this one is a designer’s dream. Imagery of gorgeous home design and inspirational text are currently coming together for the first Boulevard Home and Design Annual. Boulevard Magazine has a long standing reputation for “capturing the personality, culture and vitality that is Victoria by focusing on the Arts, People, Trends, Food, Architecture and Design.”
The hard cover book is coming together as 100 pages of smart advice and exciting looks from Victoria’s top home industry experts. A unique local perspective for all things home. Equally as exciting is the Boulevard Home Contest:
WHO: A lucky Boulevard Home reader
WHAT: $20,000 spending spree at one or more Boulevard Home advertising clients, courtesy of Boulevard Lifestyles Inc.
WHEN: Draw January, 2011
HOW: Enter by purchasing your copy of Boulevard Home (one entry per book) or drop by their offices at 1845B Fort Street, Victoria to enter in person.
A website has been launched for Swell Time Charters! Located in Port Renfrew on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Swell Time offers year-round fishing and wildlife viewing excursions. The website needed to reflect Swell Time’s already established reputation of consistently “filling your freezer” through a website that stands out amongst their competitors with clean design, updated information and a little slice of humour. The fish are biting. Get out there.
Bookmark the site to check back for seasonal updates and fishing reports.
Services provided:
Creative Direction
Programming including Javascript gallery
Copywriting
www.swelltime.ca
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Getting a kick out of these entertaining cards from www.fomato.com. Check out Pessimism and Drink. Available online and at a number of retailers around the world and in our neck of the woods, Vancouver. This reminds me get back into designing some print goods…
If you haven’t checked out TED, you should. TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Their concept revolves around bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. There are two annual conferences — the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK each summer.
Back to the topic at hand. Why do I do what I do? Every day I get to think, “who is this for, what does it say, and how should this look”? As a designer, Bantjes brings up the the concern of not contributing. Typefaces, colour swatches, proofs, sketches and code. Does good design matter?
I am reminded, yes. As she puts it, it’s about reaching an audience and planting a seed of inspiration. Truly imaginative work is important to society, seeding the imagination of the populous. Who might see your work and turn it in to something else? Bantjes suggests that good design might inspire a doctor or a baby sitter, but it’s difficult to quantify, and our society tends to under value what it can’t measure. Society needs these seeds from all disciplines to keep all sectors growing and imagining.
We are confronted with design (good and bad) in the private and public realms every day. Have you ever been to an airport and can’t find your gate? Did you have one of those walls filled with magazine pages as a teenager or pick up a bottle of wine just for the label? Have you ever stood in front of a painting and felt something – anything?
Be open to new ideas, to receiving visual information and allow yourself to react. No, appearances aren’t everything. Closing yourself off to good design whether it be in your own room, a new restaurant or a magazine is doing yourself an injustice. How are you inspired and what feeds your new ideas?
My clients are usually surprised to find out you can purchase stock photography for under $20. One of the most difficult challenges can be finding imagery or video that both illustrates your business and appeals to your demographic. If you’re creative (c’mon even you can make your own invite or t-shirt design) stock sites are great for textured backgrounds and vector graphics. Here are a few of my faves:
iStockphoto: my most frequent haunt. This was one of the first stock sites I worked with, it’s affordable and easy to use. Sign up, buy stock, sell stock.
Dreamstime: lots of affordable images, I find the interface a little awkward.
Shutter Stock: “the largest subscription-based stock photo agency in the world”. Thousands of photographs, illustrations, and vectors added every day.
123 Royalty Free: credit packages or subscriptions, similar to iStock.
YouWorkForThem
YouWorkForThem: A collection of artists offer everything from stock images, fonts, videos and audio. Check out their blog for other design inspiration.
Apparently the World Cup is on. And apparently it’s a pretty big deal. Does supporting South African wineries count?
All you fans out there, keep track of what’s on using this cool online calendar (above).
There’s also an app for that. View the match schedule, save the final score, show both groups and second stage table, build statistics and update the results on-line.
Microsoft Paint not quite cutting it? Dying to cut that old boyfriend out of a fabulous photo? Picnik allows you to edit photos online, in your browser. It’s the easiest way on the Web to fix underexposed photos, remove red-eye, or apply effects to your photos. Realize your inner designer fantasies by making a custom slide show or collage.
Lori from Simple Essence Life Design came to me with an existing business card design and was looking for a slight re-work. I liked the image and thought that the sentiment could be even stronger paired down.
Simple Essence Life Design offers an opportunity for those who are “wanting to increase your joy factor in life, wanting to learn how to deal with your kids differently, looking for help finding your true passion in life, or just feel like your life could really use a boost up to the next level”, an opportunity to take confident strides in the right direction. Stay tuned for news on her website.
“Bcc:” is an extension of Beth Campbell Creative, a Victoria, BC based design studio. Updated often, Bcc: was established to catalog and share beauty and great design in the form of everyday objects, beautiful places and culinary adventures. To learn more about Beth Campbell Creative and check out the portfolio, visit the main website at [...]more →
