Apartment Therapy: new book!

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When I see a great forthcoming book in the publisher catalogues, I usually preorder it, often months in advance. That way, I get copies for my shop often before the big guys! This is hot off the press: Apartment Therapy's new book profiling 50 interiors by real (ie not professional interior designers) people. Lots of inspiration! It's in the shop now and we're selling it the US cover price of $27.50.

One of my favourite bloggers, Victoria of SFgirlbybay, is featured. Check out her pages here. 

Lotta Prints

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Lotta Jansdotter is here! Well, her new book anyway.

With beautiful photographs by Lotta's childhood friend, Jenny Hallengren (you can see many of the book's photos on her site), Lotta Prints is an guide on how to print with "anything from potatoes to linoleum". Rubber stamping, iron-on transfer, leaves, stencils, and Lotta's forte: silkscreening, are all covered. Lotta's writing is conversational and to the point. The projects are easy in process, but it is her ability to create elegant organic lines and simple shapes that truly inspires. The book includes a number of tear-away stencils so that you can reproduce her patterns and there's a handy back pocket to keep the used stencils and even perhaps your rough drawings or printed experiments.

Click here to purchase the book in the UPPERCASE shop ($19.95 - we're selling it at the US cover price). We've also restocked her sticky labels, Seedlings journal, Simple Sewing book and other goodies. All this can be found in the Lotta Jansdotter category on the site.

p.s. We're having a spring sale on the website – just enter the code "spring" on checkout to save $10 on purchases over $30. Valid until the Tuesday after Easter.

Leap Year Special

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I can always use more time, so having an extra day in an already short month is most welcome. To celebrate leap year, orders of $25 or more placed in the online shop tonight until February 29 at midnight will receive a special gift — a pocket notebook by mmmg. (While supplies last. If I run out, I'll include something equally charming.)

If you're shopping in person on Friday — and we're always happy to see you — mention our blog and you'll have a choice of a mmmg notebook or an UPPERCASE greeting card. Leap on over!

Beyond Magazine, Issue 16

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This is a project I have designed for many years. It is a wonderful nonprofit, independent publication full of great visuals and interesting text. Issue 16 (the best one yet!) has cover art by Marc Johns and illustrations/art by as Katie Radke, Byron Eggenschwiler, Gordon Wiebe, Stefan Thompson and James Mejia plus photographs from 3191: a year of mornings by Stephanie Congdon Barnes and Maria (Mav) Vettese. There are articles on film, music, coffee, libraries, books and all things small. The article on “The Small Art Revolution” covers artists and projects such as Thumbtack Press, The Small Object, Little Otsu, Etsy and many more. You can see more images from the magazine here and purchase or subscribe to Beyond here.

“Beyond is the little magazine about a lot of things. We operate as a portable art gallery – not big enough to require a building but not small enough to be written on a grain of rice. We work with poets, writers, thinkers, artists, and readers to create a thought-provoking magazine containing a good dose of silliness. Or a dollop of silliness. Dose or dollop. We love the connections that develop via the Beyond community, where readers and creators from all kinds of backgrounds meet both inside and outside our pages. We’re not-for-profit, independent, and free of advertising. And we’re reader-supported through subscriptions and donations.”

SINGLE ISSUE:
$12

SUBSCRIPTIONS:
$36 for three issues if you live in Canada.
$39 for three issues if you live in the USA.

Trio Magnus Book Review

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by Frances Ewington

Oh, a peaceful Saturday afternoon with the art of Trio Magnus. The testosterone-filled Canadian artists Clayton Hanmer, Aaron Leighton, and Steve Wilson have finally published the inner workings of their warped sketchbooks.

As I flip among the bright pages of 'Equally Superior' I am forced to come face to face with the mind diarrhea of these feisty, brew-drinking Canuck boys and their collective works of sketched vomit. That introduction may sound like I don't approve of this book. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I love this book! Who wouldn't want to spend an hour exposing one's eyes to the loud chaos of fart-man scribbles, Jesus-freak pictures and ass-picking perverts. This book puts life into perspective in a totally warped way: How can you be sad when that poor alligator is trapped in a space suit, aimlessly floating in an abyss of tongue-slurping space ships? How can you be scared when Cappy Wilso isn't afraid to don a cape and brave fully exposing his Johnson to save the dehydrated grass? How can you be vain when every character in this book is uglier, more disgusting, and stupider than you in every possible way? At least you don't don the ancient symbol for retard on your head! This is the feel-good read of the year, especially because there isn't much to read but so much to read into. I hope those who find power in being offended find this book empowering. I hope those who can't draw are encouraged to try it. I hope these warped artists sell all their books. I hope little children everywhere never get their hands on this wonderful piece of filth.

And for all the rest I say: if a turd going for a jog in fubar pants doesn't make you smile then nothing will.

Books for Christmas

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Domino magazine has a list of books that make good gifts for design addicts. Of course, we'd prefer that you do your shopping here at UPPERCASE in person! We have a great selection of design inspiration books (perhaps some holiday reading?) Some of my recommendations include 100 years of Fashion Illustration, The Picture Book, Twentieth Century Pattern Design and Play Pen.

The store will be open Thursday and Friday from 10am-6pm, and Saturday from 11am - 5pm. Join us this Saturday afternoon from 2-5 for a Christmas party! Then we're closing up shop until January 3, 2008.

(Sorry, we can no longer ship online purchases in time for Christmas.)

Time to think ahead: 2008

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Russell & Hazel have come out with a new set of monthly tabs for their mini binders. You have the year-at-a-glance for both 2008 and 2009, as well as a monthly date list, the month-at-a-glance (diagram above) and a page for general notes. It's really a great addition to their line. The tab set is $18 and mini binders are $16, but you can purchase a set for $30. Just make your binder colour selection on the Monthly Tab drop-down menu.

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If you prefer a daytimer that is a little more creative, then mmmg's Draw Your Tomorrow is a good choice. There is plenty of room for daily notes, some sketches and doodles.

And if you want something REALLY creative, there's the Sukie Agenda (below). Click here to see the amazing diversity in page options and designs. We're almost out of stock on the Sukie Agenda.

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As a nod to our American friends, enter the coupon code "thankyou" to get 10% off your online purchase. Offer valid until November 25. 

mmmg

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Here are some places I'd like to visit: mmmg (millimetre milligram) stores, cafes and workspaces in Korea. These images are from the press section of their website. But you don't have to travel to Korea just yet — mmmg products are available in the store! Especially useful are their dayplanners with the whimical yet practical "Draw your tomorrow", the pocket-size metallic "Past Present Future" or journal-size "Past Present Future" in silver. These dayplanners are not year-specific, so you can start them any time that you like. Katie has done some clever and complementary customization by filling in the 2008 dates with inexpensive rubber stamps.

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