Beach House. Le Mer. Packaging. Book Binding. :sigh:

Four things I have been doing non stop this past week.

And I wouldn't want to spend my time any other way.

I just love....

Fall. I love this weather. I love the changing of the trees. I love pumpkin spice lattes. I love all the love in the air. I love the sweet music thats seems to fit the changing of the season so perfectly.

BUT most of all I LOVE THE FASHION.

I'd die if I was in New York right now. I think the best assesories a girl can have are:

1. a pair of KILLER boots. (heels, flats, studs, knee high, short....they are ALL fabulous)
2. a cozy scarf (I wear these year round...my friends make fun of me.)
3. and a bomb diggity watch. ( I totally believe in spending a lil dough in this department)

When I'm not doing my usual design or music stuff, Im surfing the web, finding fabulous deals at boutiques all over.

I discovered the Le Mer Collections this summer and fell in watch HEAVEN.
Im hoping to get my hands on one soon.

If I had a boyfriend, Id MAKE him buy this for me. How gorgeous is it.

They give you the option of customizing your own watch if you'd like so I went ahead and did!

Its very similar to the other two chain watches except the brass knuckles are gold, not silver.

I think I like this better.

This week has also been filled with LOTS of design work.

School is the craziest its EVER been but Im enjoying myself.

I always thought I knew exaclty what I wanted to do in life but the more time I spend in my corporate identity class, the more I fall.

I sought out some local letter press artists (? is that what you call them??) and bought myself an Embossing Tool and plan on purchasing some screens for printmaking so I can start producing all my packaging work!

Im just so excited!

The paper source had a really great selection of Kits and Tools as well as DIY videos!

Check them out HERE.

I also ran across some DIY for plate engraving so I can do my own letterpressing!

I will post soon all my sources and videos soon!

Till we talk again.

Happy Fall AND

Happy treats, no tricks!

Le Vie Est Belle.

Monyka <3

Image of the week:

My new identity.

What do we think???

Mmmm packaging...

I am just IN love with you.

Its true, Im completely obsessed with brand identity/packaging right now.

A normal person would go out to eat and marvel over their tasty delights and drinks but ME... I study the menu, the napkins, the architecture of the place, the interior design, their business cards, the music playing... everything.

I just LOVE it all.

I find it funny because I've always been a visual person but just a few years ago I wasn't familiar with the term "packaging".
I knew I liked it but didn't really understand the depths of corporate identity or how thought out it really is.

The idea of branding something from ground up is so exciting and FUN but a TON of work.
When rebranding or creating an identity a serious amount of research is required.
Demographics are studied, as well as boring annual report stuff BUT its important to understand your consumer and the best ways to reach them.
Plus, whether designers like to hear it or not, design = business.

I hope that I can retire young, open a cute boutique type of place (with my hopefully awesome husband) and brand the HELL out of it.

I can't wait:)

Thanks to the dieline.com and lovelypackaging.com I've had some really good source images to refer back to when I'm in deep brainstorm mode and thought I would share some of my favorite discoveries.

Enjoy!

Till we talk again.

Le Vie Est Belle.

<3>

In 7 week, 2 days and a few hours

I will be setting up for my Senior Exit Review Show and THUS have neglected by blogging duties....

(BUT who am I kidding, I suck at blogging anyhow, Im trying to do better though I swear..)

Since we last talked...

1. I turned 23

2. Scored a new internship as a Creative and got my first idea/concept picked up (ayiayaiayi)

3. Went to ACL

BE jealous. I saw....

- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

- Beach House

- The Morning Benders

- The Black Keys

- Spoon

- Phish

- Temper Trap

-Vampire Weekend

- Local Natives

- M.I.A

- Deadmau5

- LCD Soundsystem

- Muse

-Yeasayer

- The Flaming Lips

- Cage the Elephant { my friends choice but they were good }

AND - The Eagles

4. Fallen in love with identity even more thanks to this little sweet discovery <www.thedieline.com >

5. Took Bella to reunite with her papa (made me happy, happy)

6. Started the GRAD school hunt (VRC is numba one)

7. Ordered sweet sweet paperrr from Clamppit! (so excited, order here...www.clampitt.com)

8. Got in shape, got out of shape, got in shape, then out and finally decided to get on it and stay on it by registering for the LIVESTRONG challenge (what, what...:))

9. hmmmm....not sure what else

10. Oh and what I havent done...SLEPT.

Thats all for now.

A real blog post with actual interesting and inspiration stuff will come soon, I promise.

Till we talk again,

La Vie Est Belle.

Monica

(one of the reasons I love my field of work - Fashion freedom)