TINY PROMOTIONAL FOR A TINY CAN

This ad campaign packs a big punch in a tiny package! Created by Ogivly & Mather Berlin, these itty bitty news kiosks have been scaled down to match the size of Coca Cola's new mini can. I love the delight on people's faces as they encounter the person working behind this impossibly small newsstand and am not surprised to hear that these kiosks sold an average of 380 mini cans per day, or 278 percent more than a normal Coke vending machine. Who wouldn't want to buy something from such a cute set up?

The whole project is meant to be an embodiment of the campaign motto: "It's the little things that make us happy." I agree wholeheartedly!

Learn more about the project here and here.


Like advertising-related posts? Check these out.

IKEA UPGRADES

I have an Ikea couch. I am fairly certain many of you reading this right now also own Ikea furniture. Here's the thing: I love my Ikea couch but, after five years of hard use, it is starting to look a little dingy. So last night in a fit of productive procrastination from writing my dissertation, I decided to research slipcovers sold by external companies for Ikea sofas. And viola! Enter Bemz! It's a company that works with top tier fabric designers to create cool high-quality big personality slipcovers for standard Ikea furniture. Pretty cool right?

They have a ton of fabrics to choose from so you can pick the pattern and color that perfectly suits your space and style. The standard slipcover for my model of sofa costs about $190. Not bad for an easy overhaul that could potentially turn the piece from drab to fab in a matter of minutes!

After some additional web browsing I also discovered the company Pretty Pegs, which sells screw-on legs for Ikea couches, chairs and now tables and desks!

These pretty little legs also come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes allowing you to customize your couch to your heart's content. 

So, which set of legs and cushion covers should I go for? Any thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

FEDERICO BABINA ROCKS

I just stumbled across the design work and illustration of artist Federico Babina. He has created several different poster series (on sale in his shop here), but my favorites are his "Archicine" works—posters featuring bold renderings of iconic buildings from classic movies—and his "Archist" works—posters that transform buildings into stylistic embodiments of the work of famous artists.

The Warhol and Fontana posters are my favorite (so dead on!). What are yours?See more on his website here.
p.s. Like colorful minimalist posters? So do I! Exhibit A, B, C, D, E, F, G . . . the list could go on and on. Go exploring in the archives (search box at right) and I guarantee you will find something fun. :) 
(thanks to Feel Desain and Dezeen for the tips)  

DEMATERIALIZED ARCHITECTURE

You know how sometimes you find yourself drawn to something without even knowing it? Lately I realize I have been eyeing projects that tend towards dematerialization—mostly architecture that plays off the solid and the void and turns our idea of a building inside out. I know Philip Johnson did this years ago, but I thought it would be fun to share some fun new takes on it too.

Like this fabulous house (above) in Sweden designed by architect Elding Oscarson. I love that the timber second floor seems to hover over the transparent ground floor. Though it would be hard to pull off a Tom Cruise Risky Business move in that living room!

Or this crazy building, called the 'Sliding House', whose wooden exterior literally peels away to reveal a shining glass skin inside. Designed by dRMM Architecture, the double layer structure has the added bonus of regulating heating and cooling during the winter and summer. 

Or how about this cool place called the Mirror House?  The Danish-American firm MLRP  transformed a rundown park pavilion into this fabulously reflective funhouse. I love the undulating mirrors on either end of the building, turning the surrounding landscape into a twisting Van Gogh-like scene.

And it's not all about buildings. How about this incredible artist's book by Olafur Eliasson? Isn't it beautiful how it slowly reveals the empty spaces in the house, starting with the building's facade and delving into its inner sanctums? I would love to have that 908 page tome on my coffee table, wouldn't you?

And last but not least, I spotted this cool project by Alyson Shotz some time ago and have been dying to share it with you ever since. If you look very closely at the bottom photo above you can see how well the mirrored fence blends into the landscape (see it below the tree all the way on the left?). Stunning, right? Talk about dematerialization! I would love to see this in different landscapes: along a canal in Venice, on a dune in the desert, beside a mountain range. . . I bet it would have a completely different effect in each new location.

Any reflective/transparent/solid-void spaces I missed?

GOOD THINGS: WEEKEND RECAP

Hi friends! How are you? How was your weekend? I had a lovely weekend and am happy to report that this week is shaping up to be pretty good too! If it's cool with you, I would like to gush a little bit about some fun things that have happened recently.

On Saturday I found out that Refinery29—the amazing fashion and lifestyle website—did a fabulous feature on our wedding! You may remember the post Martha Stewart Weddings did about it in February; being included on Refinery29 too is a dream come true!

The hubby and I also spent the weekend in Durham, North Carolina for the wedding of two very dear friends. We spent hours and hours wandering through the lush Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the Duke University campus. It's in full spring bloom right now and was spectacularly fragrantly floral.

We also ate ourselves silly in true southern style: fried chicken and sweet potato waffles with herbed mac and cheese at Dame's, blue cheese bacon burgers at Only Burger, and strawberry rhubarb ice cream sandwiches with chocolate fudge cookies at Parlour. Needless to say we practically had to roll ourselves home! 

The wedding itself, of course, was beautiful. Set in the Duke Gardens, it was blessed with beautiful weather, great company, tasty food and gorgeous decorations. Plus an adorably happy couple! Congrats Susie and Curt! 

Thankfully we also had an incredibly easy return trip to New York that culminated in this breathtaking view of Manhattan as we began the descent into LaGuardia. It felt like we were in a helicopter filming a panoramic movie shot! Definitely the coolest airplane landing I have ever experienced!Last but not least I got a lot of great professional news this weekend too! I found out my sis-in-law just got offered an insanely prestigious position for next year. I can't tell you the details but let's just say that she is one smart cookie! Congrats Kate!Also I just found out that I have been selected to co-curate two exhibitions through this program next year (with one of my best friends!). As a budding curator-to-be I am very excited for this incredible opportunity to show off my skills and get some experience under my belt. Can't wait to get started!So, all in all, things are good on my front. I hope they are with you too. I have a major school deadline in the next two weeks—a chapter draft of my dissertation is due at the end of the month—so please bear with me if I am a little radio silent for a while. I will just be working hard and staying happy; that's all you can ask for, right?

AND THE WINNER IS . . . .

I am happy to tell you that the randomly selected winner of the $50 giveaway to my new Etsy shop 'The Wright Hand' is Mr. Kyle Alpaugh! Congrats, Kyle! And thank you to all those who entered!

If you are still interested in picking something pretty up at my shop, you can use the discount code 'GRANDOPENING' to get 30% off everything in the store from now until May 31st! Let's get our calligraphy on, shall we?

Kyle, I will be sending you an email with info about collecting your winnings on Monday; everyone else I will see you back here then! Have a fabulous weekend!

UPDATE: Kyle will drop me an email at theobsessiveimagist@gmail.com to claim your prize? Thank you!

THE GUARDIANS: PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS OF CONSUMERISM

I am intrigued by this photographic series by Canadian artist Vladimir Antaki. Entitled 'The Guardians' it features portraits of shop owners amidst—or even subsumed—by their wares. The frontally oriented shots create an honest, open look at the often overlooked, hard working, and driven salespeople behind our furiously consumerist culture. I love the diversity of products in these shots and the way the massing of these goods—whether a wall of stereos or a menagerie of taxidermic animals—can signify everything from the wealth of first world cultures to the diversity of modern interests and needs.

Read more about the series on Flavorwire here; see more of Antaki's work here.

p.s. Have you entered the $50 giveaway yet? It's closing soon, so head over here to check it out!

JAUNTFUL: CUSTOM TRAVEL MAPS

I like to travel. And as an obsessive planner, I like to head out of town with a plan about the best sights, eats and cultural spots to explore. For years I have tried to keep track of these elaborate lists through google maps, random notebooks, and convoluted email chains . . . . you name it, I've tried it.

Enter Jauntful, a new site that allows you to create, share and print personalized maps for any place in the world. It's still in preview mode so they are working out some kinks but I have been testing it out for a few weeks and I love it! I particularly like that you can search other users maps for fun insider tips to any place you can dream up. I have already used it for a brunch and bookshop recommendation and can't wait to look for more.

In between browsing sessions I have started my own maps for restaurants to remember in New York, things I want to do in North Carolina (headed there for a wedding next weekend!) and guides to my hometown of New Haven, CT and my beloved Boston (below).

Best of Boston for Design Lovers

The Best of the Elm City


Interested in seeing more? Sign up to join the preview here and check out my page here. And happy (imaginary) travels!


(images from the Jauntful Facebook page)

WORLD'S TOUGHEST JOB

I don't want to spoil the secret reveal of this video . . . let's just say that I love the Director of Operations in my life and I bet you do too. Thanks for always being 'on call' and keeping the chaos of our lives in perfect working order. You are the best!


p.s. Don't forget to enter this big giveaway! In the next few weeks I will be adding several exciting things to the Etsy shop, including vintage stamps, personalized stationery and more!

BIG NEWS! NEW ETSY SHOP AND MAJOR GIVEAWAY!

Guys, guys! Big news! I have been keeping this little side project under wraps for a while now and am delighted to finally be able to share it with you. Are you ready?

I am opening another Etsy store! Long time readers may remember my old stationery store on Etsy and I have decided to revamp my love all of things paper with a new shop focused on my handwritten typography. Namely, the shop—entitled 'The Wright Hand'—is based on my obsessive interest in hand addressing envelopes with all sorts of pretty styles and fonts. Have a wedding, party, or holiday coming up and need to send out invites or a mailing? I am your gal! Prices start at just $2.00 an envelope and I will do as many or as few as you like. Do me a favor and check out the goodness and get all the details about making a purchase here.

To celebrate the launch of this fabulously fun new venture, I am doing a big giveaway! You could win $50 of envelope addressing services (enough to do 25 envelopes!) simply by following these easy as pie steps:

one | head over to The Wright Hand shop and pick out your favorite style of envelope

two | leave a comment here with your choice

bonus | for a bonus entry (your name will be entered in the drawing twice) tweet about the giveaway with the hashtag #thewrighthand and mention my account @katiejosephson 

bonus x 2 | for a second bonus entry (your name will be entered in the drawing three times) head over to facebook and like 'The Wright Hand' post on the obsessive imagist fan page


That's it! One winner will be choosen at random next Friday, May 16! Good luck!