PER YOUR SUGGESTION: NEW NORWEGIAN PASSPORTS

Hold the phone, guys. My dear friend Susie just sent me a link to an article about the coolest design project: Norway's new passports! Apparently in February the Norwegian National Police issued a call for submissions to redesign the country's identification cards and passports. This week they announced the winning proposal was submitted by Neue, a design studio based in Oslo. Their design plan is pretty ingenious (reminds me of these, actually), featuring a spot on color palette (that blue and red, yum!) and beautifully simple renderings of fjords and mountains that, wait for it, light up to reveal the Northern Lights when placed under a UV lamp. Security meets design. Brilliant. Now, where do I sign up for Norwegian citizenship? :)

Learn more about the project here and, if you speak Norwegian, the Neue design group here.

LOW BATTERY: BIG HERO SIX

Geez, this month has been crazy! This week is literally the first week since the beginning of October that I don't have two to three deadlines on the imminent horizon. I am beat!

As a little treat—and to help recharge my low battery—I went to see Big Hero Six yesterday with my hubby and some friends. It was great! Very well done all around, even though it is typical Disney with some very teary parts thrown in for good measure. I highly recommend you see it; it's fun for all ages. (This scene, for instance, had the adults in the theater absolutely dying with laughter.)

Meanwhile, if you need me I will be lazing about in my pajamas today, taking a break from the real world for a little while longer. :)

IMPROV EVERYWHERE: THE PIRATES OF CENTRAL PARK

I haven't posted an Improv Everywhere stunt in a while, but went I saw this latest mission I thought 'arrrrrr-ight' (this poor pun brought to you by Puns R Us! Puns R Us, we'll make you laugh whether you like it or not!). I love the idea of marauders in an ersatz row boat in the middle of Central Park, though I think the addition of a canon ball fight with other boats, perhaps foam canon balls?, would have put it over the top!

The video is lots of fun anyway. Check out the details of the mission here and lots more funny projects here (details on my favorite past project here, past close second and third here and here).

KATE SPADE, JAKE SPADE AND GAP: TOO CUTE!

Okay, I know I am super behind the 8 ball on posting this, but how gosh darn cute is the collaboration between Kate Spade, Jack Spade and Gap?! It came out at the end of last month and tons of things are already sold out, but I am still trying to convince myself that I can squeeze my 5'7" frame into a girls extra large (haha, in my dreams) or find a way to use too cool for school pencil case.

Of course, the promotional styling was on point too. Those cut out stars and rocket ships? I am pretty sure they would make the perfect kid birthday photo booth backdrop or, you know, decoration for my living room. Just sayin'. 

I would pretty much buy any of the items above if they came in big people sizes. I am seriously swooning over those bow tie pants and I love the playfulness of the boys sneakers with tiny cartoon eyes on them. I can totally see millions of little boys stomping around delightedly in their 'eyeball' shoes.

If you have a little person in your life—or are lucky enough to be tiny enough to squeeze into these things . . . Mom, I'm looking at you!—check out the selection here before these (very) limited edition goodies are all gone.

(all photos from the Gap website except for the lookbook shots, which were borrowed from Brit+Co)

LICHTGRENZE: 25 YEARS AFTER THE WALL FELL

This project has gotten a ton of press over the past several days but it was simply too beautiful not to share here. Featuring 8000 LED filled balloons, Lichtgrenze (literally: 'border of light') is an art installation-cum-historical awareness piece that stretches 10 miles over the path of the Berlin Wall—even blocking streets and cutting through parks as the wall once did—to commemorate its destruction 25 years ago.

These perfect glowing globes were installed for two days this weekend and were released last night as part of Berlin's anniversary celebration. Each balloon was funded by a specific individual or group and each balloon was released last night by a person holding a unique key; once freed the balloons floated away into the night air, carrying personal messages and symbolizing humanity's struggle to continue to rise above oppression and violence.

There are lots of great articles about this, but I recommend the writing published here and here. See footage of the balloon release and celebration here. More information about the promotional video (warning: it's mostly in German!) here.

EXPAND//FOLD//COLLAPSE//SCULPTURES BY MARTA CHILINDRON

Big news, folks! I have spent the last several months working like crazy with my dear friend Susanna on an exhibition of work by Marta Chilindron and it opens TONIGHT! Her colorful, geometric, manipulable sculptures are seriously amazing and we are so excited to showcase them in the gorgeous Great Hall space at the Institute of Fine Arts.

If you are in New York City tonight the opening starts at 6pm, but the show runs until December 5th. If you can't make it in person, you can always check out the interactive e-catalogue we published (embedded above, also available here), co-written by Susanna and I and designed by yours truly. And check out the super cool preview video our webmaster and social media guru Jason Varone put together for us below. Hope to see you tonight!




Already in love with Marta's work? Me too! Find out more about her (and see more video demonstrations) on her artist's gallery page here.


(All images courtesy of Cecilia de Torres, Ltd. Top to bottom: Artist with Hexagon Spiral, 2013; Convertible Circle, 2009-2014; Ring, 2013)