put your best flair forward

To follow up with the picture accompanying yesterday's post...I have a confession. I was a brownie-drop-out. Yep, it's true. While I adored the uniform, I stunk at peddling cookies [my parents ended up buying my entire share] and preferred not to sing songs in unison. So, after a year in brownies, I called it quits and ended my career in girl-scouting.

As a result, I hardly earned a single badge...by far, the COOLEST part of being a brownie. But, luckily today, I can create my own.

I'm still working on this one:

Please feel free to accept any and all of these special badges as my treat. You can take a screen shot and use them on your own blogs and websites [in posts or on your sidebar]...all I ask is that you kindly link back here for credit. Cheers!

please help!!!!!!!

You caught me...without my bob!

Ok, please forgive me...I'm totally late to the party. But I JUST realized today that the Go Triad Reader's Choice Awards has a category for Best Local Blogger. You all know I'm not a big self-promoter: I simply draw what I like and hope others like it too. But, being featured here could provide me with even more drawing opportunities as I expand my illustration and design business...something I really want to do.

So, with this said, I hope you'll help me with this dream by voting SUZANNE CABRERA!

Remember I said I was late to the party? Well that's because voting ends TONIGHT [Wednesday the 15th at midnight]! So, I kindly ask you to do me a favor and vote here...now...RIGHT NOW!!!! THIS VERY MINUTE!

Let's band together and see how many votes we can get in the span of 10 hours!!!!!!!

And as always, THANK YOU for helping me live my passion!!!!!

P.S. There is also a category for Best Visual Artist. I can't tell you how to vote on this one, but if you feel so inclined....I'd sure appreciate it. Thanks friends!

P.S.S. From out of town and don't know Greensboro? See my local sketches here.

happy 4th, with love

Wishing you the best of weekends!

[photo by Matt Jones]

books to crave

Very excited about these new titles!

Creative Grab Bag: Inspiring Challenges for Designers, Illustrators and Artists

by Ethan Bodnar

Design School Confidential: Extraordinary Class Projects from Int'l Design Schools

by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico

Freelance Design in Practice

by Cathy Fischel

101 Things I Learned in Fashion School

by Alfredo Cabrera and Matthew Frederick

[one of several in an outstanding series of books!]

The Art of Non-Conformity

by Chris Guillebeau

[this one isn't set to release until September 7, but it looks like a goodie]

Have you read any of these books? If so, let us know what you think!

come fly with us

With each balloon, a wish floats into the sky.
[all photos by Tim Robison]

close to home and far away

Luckily for Edgar and me, one balloon made it no further than our own backyard.

I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit like Charlie Bucket today, all warm and fuzzy inside as golden tickets that have fallen from the sky begin to make their appearances.

We had a third balloon find today [if you count Edgar and I as the second and 'The Brits' as the first]. This balloon made it all the way to Cary [a little over an hour east of Greensboro!] where Chip Miller was running near his house. Chip writes:

"When I found the balloon off the road approx. 15 ft. I knew right away there was a message to be found. I was right.

This is the second such balloon in 2 years I have found with the first being sent from a church in Charlotte. The first wish I made upon finding this balloon was for both of my deceased grandparents, Joe and Flo Wilms… for them to have found peace and the hope they know I am thinking about them and hoping they are watching over me. They were fantastic grandparents and were very active and supportive for both myself and my sister growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of them electronically to share.

The second wish I made was for the person that signed it and his baby he mentioned, “A HUGE smile on my baby’s face”…Matt J., that they both have a wonderful happy long life together.

Thank you so much for sending this message (to me). There is a reason I found it and I hope to make the most of it by sharing your meaningful message. Thanks."

And thank you Chip, for sharing this with us.

30 wishes | 30 balloons

As a child I once found a balloon with a note attached. It was a letter from another little girl seeking a pen pal. At the time, I thought it was truly magical to find a message by way of a balloon and have thought about the experience off and on in the years since.

Fast-forward two decades. This week I turned 30. My life has been filled with countless blessings. So, in celebration, I wanted to follow the lead of my pen pal from years ago, spreading happiness and connecting with others with the help of a little helium. Last night a group of good friends joined me in releasing 30 balloons out into the world. On each card was a hand-written message from one of my guests to the balloon's finder.

[sketches by my sweet husband]

I'll be sharing photos soon...but in the meantime, if you found a balloon, I hope you'll share a bit with me. What wish did you receive? Where did you find it (street address is great...photos are even better!)? And what is your new wish? You can leave a comment here or you can send me a message via email at cabrera.suzanne [at] gmail.com

Thank you for helping make my wish come true. I look forward to hearing from you!

getting up and going

Pardon the late post. I was feeling a little less than creative when I woke up this morning. However, after taking the time to do some of the things that inspire me the most : lunching with my gal pals, visiting Anthropologie, thrifting and a little plein air sketching I'm feeling much, much better.

I'm lucky right now to have the freedom to take off and do these things. Hopefully you are in an even better place, but if you're not...and are chained to a desk...allow me to share some of this inspiration with you.

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First up, I'm Loving with a capital 'L' the new colors of latte bowls at Anthro. I'm especially drawn to the combination of gray, seafoam and yellow. Feels like a winning paint combo if I do say so myself!

Ditto for this nail polish:

and these hair thingamajigs:

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While making the rounds at one of my favorite thrift stores, I was very tempted to start an awkward cross stitch collection. I already have two [see here and here] and according to my mom, all it takes is three of something to have a collection. Sadly, however, this awkward cross stitch is too true to life right now to be funny. Oh well, another day.

I also found this ahhhhhmazingly huge map of Paris which I would love to have in our bedroom if it wasn't 429-. Since I can't have it, you need it, don't you? I'll come visit and be cool by virtue of association.

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Finally, I visited Addam's Art Loft for a new sketchbook and pens. It never fails that my inspiration and pens run dry at the same time....so here's to keeping plenty of fresh pens! With new supplies in hand, I copped a squat and drew the store.

I'll share that drawing and the ones from my vacay soon! Until then, wishing you the best...and a steady supply of ink-filled pens!

the writing on the inspiration wall

Over the last few days, I've been hearing one question quite often:

"So...uh...what's next?"

While I have no definitive answer [if there is one thing that the last few months have taught me its that long-term plans, even the best laid ones, rarely work out the way you expect], I do have a general direction! I want to take time to follow the advice that's been hidden [in plain sight] on my inspiration wall for quite some time:

via Sotheby's Institute of Art promotional mailer

by the lovely + smart Aimee Dolich : buy yours here.

courtesy of my past-student Lauren Foster

and, of course, this.

How's that for starters? Care to join me? You don't have to lose your current job to begin the one you love! And, if you've already made the switch from the life you liked to a life you adore, please share. If this is your dream, share that too. Let's stay inspired together!

without the fear of failure

This quote hangs prominently in my office. I pass by it everyday. I love the thought and often find myself referring to it when speaking with my students. But, for some reason, I've never 'taken the time' to answer this question for myself.

Why not? I think...I think...it is a combination of a few things. I'm lazy. I lack confidence [as much as I hate to admit it]. I don't want to set myself up for, well, failure.

However, today I find myself at a threshold---the first Monday--the first full week---of the New Year. If you're rolling your eyes now, please note that I didn't make any resolutions January 1. Good thing too, as I would have broken them by now...most with the New Year's Day pizza and the 20 degree weather I don't have the will-power to face for a morning jog, and the...

This may be the reason I feel comfortable starting fresh today. Also, this is different...it isn't a resolution, just a question. So, 'What would you do [in 2010] if you knew you couldn't fail?' This is what I'll be thinking about today...this year. I encourage you to do the same. I'll try to be courageous enough to get back to you with my thoughts and, as always, I'd be truly honored for you to share yours.

other books that would be great under a tree

And yes, I've totally judged them by their covers.

The Graphic Eye : Photographs by Graphic Designers Around the Globe

by Stefan Bucher

Very Small Shops...by John Stones

Drawing for Interior Design ... by Drew Plunkett

Graphic Design for Non-Designers...by Tony Seddon + Jane Waterhouse

illustration by Rick Landers

Wallpaper Projects :

More than 50 Craft and Design Ideas for Your Home, from Accents to Art

by Derek Fagerstrom + Lauren Smith

Cheers to Chronicle Books!

beauty in the ordinary

Sooooo excited about Uppercase's newest book release --- The Suitcase Series : Camilla Engman.  If you haven't visited Camilla's blog before, it's a must see!  I like to think of it as beauty in blog form. Serenity captured.  I'm certain the book is beauty in book form.

Santa Claus, please add this to my list.

labor was a breeze

Woowhoo! The stork just delivered the first of my babies!!!!!!
And she's perfect!!!!

Wynonna will be an only child until late June when her sisters (and brother?!?) arrive. Hope we don't spoil her too much in the meantime.

i think i'm in love

"If we record the contents of the world, we will know the world."
- Clair Linneaker Spivet


Another Eeeeeeeeeek! for the week. I haven't even read the book yet, but I already love it. I'm pretty sure you will too. Hear what I heard here and see what I saw here.

I'm off to Barnes and Noble!

eeeeeeeeekk!

After lots and lots and lots of wishing we're finally getting the chairs!!! I'm way more excited than a person should ever be over furniture. But look at them...they're like pieces of candy!

retroactive wishes

I love it!----Modern Retro : Living with Mid-Century Modern Style
by Neil Bingham and Andrew Weaving, photography by Andrew Wood


Everything you ever wanted to know about mid-century interiors...
Be prepared to drool from beginning to end. You can find it here.

This is not helping curb my desire for a set of six multi-colored Eames Molded Plastic Side Chairs in the least. Come on Gods of Mid-Century Goodness...make my dreams become reality! Please?

a belated merry christmas

May you find a year's worth of happiness under your tree this season!

coloring in the rain!

A rainy day like today deserves a second post and some newly-colored galoshes. I'm adding a pair of these to my wish list. They're just too fun not to have.

my best friend's wedding

Ok...so I haven't been completely forthcoming with you.

Yes, I have been on vacation...but not just any vacation...a honeymoon! I married my best friend August 9 and I couldn't be happier. Really, it's not possible.

photo by addie brown

wishful thinking

Today I had an epiphany. Taking a cue from the classic line in Field of Dreams... "If you build it, he will come"... I've developed my own "mantra": "If you draw it, it will come." In this case "it" is an Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair...a chair I loooooove. Ahhh...

If this type of wishful thinking works for Kevin Costner, surely it should work for me. Shouldn't it?!?