This week I’m remembering those by-gone days when I had a salary, and only the boss got stressed out during holidays. Me, I’d look at my workload, wonder if it would be done before my vacation started, and then give a smirk and a shrug. Now that I’m No.1 in the business of Me, the holidays come with a little bit ‘o stress. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t have a Howdy Do It post today. But, I think it’s OK because Margot’s outdone herself by inviting the awesome and hilarious Steve Heisler over to my blog (lucky me). Happy Thanksgiving you guys! Off to pull my hair out wondering why I still don’t have a printer in my house and if the now-imaginary holiday cards will make themselves.

Image credit: Bold Again by abbytrysagain

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Ellie’s not the only one with Holiday-itis this year, so we’re taking a Howdy Do It break but we’ll be back in January. I’ve got loads to say on Resolutions and I’ve also got an interview & studio tour that I’ll be putting together. So take note and best of luck everybody getting all your work done so you can enjoy yourself this season! – Margot

Howdy Do It came from “how do you do It,” the question Ellie & Margot found themselves asking about their freelance lifestyles, and so Howdy Do It was born, a weekly column about the things we do to keep ourselves organized, inspired and on track. Ellie will be here each Monday, and Margot will be over on Mint at the same time.

This one’s a beauty! Graphic is a super rad independent magazine out of Korea which focuses its attention on “the other trends of graphic design”. The newest issue is a collaboration with Manystuff.

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It’s Guest Post time again! This time around is Chad Kouri, member of The Post Family and personally one of my most favorite-est people. We decided to do a little swap this week and we actually traded some items on our to-do lists. So Chad’s putting together some posts for me this week and I’m helping him do some layout for the next issue of Proximity Magazine. It’s even a Howdy Do It experiment of sorts, and it’s been a nice change of pace to help him out instead of getting bogged down with my own work. Enjoy!

I love the scratchy lo-fi feeling of Bibio. Super relaxing chill out electronic music, but it has a sense of wonder to it, like listening to records in grandparents’ basement when you were a kid. This video is exactly what I picture when I listen to them. This is song, Bewley in White, off their 2004 album, Fi is one of my favorites.

Beautiful, lulling sounds by Blue Birds & Bright Lights. It’s “perfect music for falling asleep to,” but it’s also great for working, or if you want something soothing & contemplative. Click to listen.

Awesome! Bike porn blog!! Man I wish I looked this put together when I ride my bike. Also really makes me envy the cycling culture of Europe that just does not exist here. So much safer over there too, and look, not-a-one is wearing a helmet. Via.

Here’s some of my favorite finds from this weekend’s Renegade Craft Fair.

I’m really excited to be reminded of Bucktown’s (Chicago’s?) one and only sewing & fabric boutique, The Needle Shop. Offering cotton prints & upholstery fabrics from some of my favorite fabric designers so now I can actually pop in and peruse textiles in person. It makes such a difference when comparing pattern scale & tactility than trying to buy online. Not to mention the craft & sewing classes they offer, so I will eventually stop collecting the fabric & actually DO something with it.

As an aspiring painter of glass/porcelain I was drawn to 2 other artists who work with glass & ceramic. Sabrina Dechert of Fox & Clover creates really pretty modern glassware & jewelery. She uses enamel based paints which are then fired. The glassware paired with the organic & earthy illustrations makes for an interesting juxtaposition.

Also there’s Meredith Host. Her process is particularly unique. She salvages used hotel & restaurant dishes and then applies a transfer illustration which is then fired off in the kiln, leaving behind an indelible image. Witty, unconventional imagery is what makes her work memorable indeed.