These are bread spoons: “a set of containers made specifically for measuring bread ingredients. the size of each the vessel is precisely large enough to hold the ideal amount of water, flour, oil, sugar and yeast needed for a loaf. The white ceramic bowls have labeled wooden handles, making it easy for users to bake home-made bread.”

Oh, major want. Our tiny kitchen barely has the space for the basics, much less single purpose tools, but these are so beautiful it would be worth it. And no grocery store loaf can compare to the real deal! Still in prototype by design student Niels Datema, I hope these go into US production pronto. Via White Wood Grey.

Well, this week flew by in a breathless woosh. How is it Friday already? Not that I’m complaining, mind. Five deadlines this week ate all my blogging time and I’m cutting out early today to head to Purdue University to see Studio Visit, Chad’s show with Cody Hudson & Stephen Eichhorn.

Here’s some fodder to make up for the lull this week though:

+ I wrote about Post 27′s awesome new line of handmade jewelry by Portland artist, Emily Counts.

+ Major, major office supply lust courtesy of HAY, a little design boutique in Copenhagen. Itching to get on a plane just to visit this shop alone.

+ Okay Type releases their newest font, Harriet, to rave reviews including an award from the Type Directors Club. I can certainly see why, Harriet is no joke. Expertly executed with careful finesse, she’s smart and friendly, modern and classic, which means infinite uses. Hope to find an excuse to buy soon!

I’m not much for making holiday gift guides (there’s a billion great ones already, I’m fine with leaving them to the pros) but I thought I’d share my reading wishlist anyway. After the holiday glitter bomb dust has settled, there’s few things I like more than practicing my introverted skills with a book and the Christmas tree at my side. And perhaps there’s an uninspired Santa reading this looking for last minute gifts ideas too, who knows. For wry wit and cunning insight on several of these novels, I direct you to the brilliant Life in Reviews. Ellen’s been making our high school English teachers very proud with her reviews since 2009.

1. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Musings on art, culture, and life as told by a very quirky sounding main character. It’s also short which is helpful.

2. Content Strategy for the Web. I’ve seen this referenced in many-a-spot online and it’s got winning reviews. Useful for anyone who publishes any kind of anything on the web.

3. The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. I’ve never even been to San Francisco (yet!) but the café’s reputation, and recipes, precede it everywhere. Just google “Zuni Cafe Roast Chicken” without mouthwatering results, it’s not possible.

4. Indie Brands: 30 Independent Brands that Inspire & Tell a Story. I imagine this book paired with Debbie Millman’s newest book, Brand Thinking & Other Noble Pursuits (not pictured) would paint an excellent picture of the state of branding today. Heaps of inspiration for my small business clients.

5. It Chooses You by Miranda July features interviews and the process behind her projects. I love her style and her way of storytelling so I have no doubt this book will be all that and more.

6. Endurance, Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. Gripping Antarctic action & adventure on the high seas, ’nuff said.

7. Blood, Bones, & Butter. Another foodie memoir by Gabrielle Hamilton who owns Prune in NYC. Spicy, scrappy, and delicious.

8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? At first glance this may look like fluffy chick lit, but Mindy Kaling manages to turn pink into smart with her usual funny self. This is probably an excellent book for an airplane trip.

What else? Am I missing anything?
 

BACK! Did you miss me? I missed you terribly, but I have to say I am glad for the break. Never before have I had such little interest in committing content to the web. I just couldn’t seem to find a way through all my crap and stress to contribute something useful to the fray, something that didn’t seem like thought shrapnel. And apparently an absence for the better part of two weeks makes it feel like I have to start all over again too. That’s okay though. Starting comes easily to me.

In the meantime, between working 12-14 hours a day at an agency, managing my own clients, dealing with a dead (if only temporarily) computer, I also had a show at Post 27! I barely talked about this event, my biggest regret of this whole holidaze-craze season. I was so wrapped up in making the work that I just didn’t have it in me. I needn’t have worried though, to my shock and awe, because it was a success! We sold over half the work, which has never happened to me before!

Heaps of gratitude to Veronica Corzo-Duchardt & Post 27, the other two-thirds of this show. Without Veronica’s Neche Collection test prints, screenprinted notepads & tags, or Angela’s usual furniture & display skills this would not have come together. Together we all got to craft office of our dreams, even if it just existed for one night.

No Black Friday shopping for me! Instead I’m cooking and eating like it’s still a holiday while catching up on the interwebs and my heaping pile of work. Here’s this week’s dispatch of linky goodness.

+ My friend Brandon from FRANK emailed me their latest & greatest: a video of Little Scream’s newest single, The Lamb. What’s interesting is how low-fi the production is, it’s all lit with flashlights which is the perfect accompaniment to Laura’s delicate and expansive sound. Fans of Bat for Lashes, First Aid Kit and/or St. Vincent will dig this as well.

+ New to me Favorite blog: Plenty of Colour.

+ Officey goodness at Muhs Home. I’ll take one of everything please!

+ Holly Wales on keeping your employees happy.

+ I’m excited that my friend Jana’s quirky happy illustrations have a new internet home! Congrats on the new site, lady!
 

Here’s basically everything I meant to post about this week in one dispatch.

+ Beginners is the sweetest movie I’ve seen in a long time. By artist/designer/director Mike Mills, who’s work I adore, it’s based on his own life. Mostly about the complexities of family love & relationships, the film has a non-linear, collage-like narrative that’s especially memorable.

+ Ellie’s on a Howdy Do It roll this week, with posts on SEO and tips for starting a new business.

+ Bet you’ve never seen a water filter as purty as these ones before!

+ On setting the scene for a productive day.

+ I just discovered Doodle! A handy tool for scheduling events w/ groups of people that will eliminate the email back-and-forth. Free.

I’m working on a contract at an agency for the next week or so, that plus my own clients = 14-hour days so…that’s pretty much ALL I’m doing at the moment. HOWEVER. It is Friday and that is enough said, amiright!? I know it’s lame to talk about how busy one is offline, but at least you know that it’s not for lack of trying! A for effort. And with that, enter, the weekend.