With the demise of Google reader it has had the blogosphere up in arms on how one would get their blog fix on. I have to be honest, I hadn’t looked at my reader in ages, it overwhelmed me, as it should have, I was following almost a thousand blogs (most in foreign languages)!  I did get sucked into the hype though and started researching some alternate avenues and found Feedly. Mere words can not express how happy I am with it! It has won my little organized heart, each blog can be put into it’s own custom category (ie. foodie, style, d.i.y.) and when I log-in I can see the blogs I love in multiple views at a glance (the above image is a screen shot of my Feedly feed from two of my fave blogs). I can also mark each post as read or save them if they really tickle my fancy. Being able to put the blogs into categories has helped me not be inundated with randomness and keep my blog procrastination to a minimum (sort of).  It was high time I organized my reader and also clean out my inbox as I was still receiving a dozen updates from blogs via email, which is so old school and also stressful. I have to say taking the time to unsubscribe to the blogs and add them to my Feedly was well worth the little effort I made. Now, I need to update my blog roll, it has been terribly neglected and I do have so many blogs that I would love to give some attention to and even favorites that I haven’t added to it yet, for shame!

In other news, I have been working like a madwoman behind the scenes to try to organize this here blog. I so want a visual ‘at a glance’ search for things like lettering supplies or the oft asked questions about my camera equipment and set-up, just an easy ‘hey there it is’, instead of having to search futilely through blog post after blog post. I have started to work with a gallery plug-in, which I am on the fence about and am not even sure if it will work for what I am trying to accomplish–technology!  I am also considering this plug-in for comments, I love the idea that I can easily see your latest posts or tweets (if you don’t have a blog), but I don’t know how it will mesh with my simple design. I do urge you, if you leave a comment here and have a site to make sure you put in your URL so people can click over and visit. I know I personally love visiting your sites and I am sure others like that option as well.

If any of you are on WordPress do you have gallery plug-in options you think I should consider? Or requests for making this spot an even better place?

I am getting really excited as I have a laundry load of upcoming lettering artist interviews lined up and I think you will love all of them!  In the interim I spotted this charming design, the lettering was done by brush by designer Christine Wisnieski.  I love how effortless brush lettering looks and I have tried on many occasions without success to try to re-create.  I am sure there is a trick that I just don’t know about (yet), but I will find out and you better believe the minute I do I will share my finds with you! I found this tutorial (please note the quality in the beginning is suspect), I haven’t tried the Pentel Brush Fountain Pen (which is what I believe she may be using) but you can find them at most art stores and John Neal Bookseller carries them as well. Illustrator Ryan Hamrick has this video using a Pentel color brush which looks a lot neater than paint + brush! This video explains how to use the Pentel brush, which can be a little tricky. I also sourced some fonts that will give a similar look, not a perfect match but something you can play with until you (like me) get better at the brush lettering (or iF you have no desire to break out the brushes). Here are some of the brush lettering type fonts to consider: Tip put the word you want in the ‘sample text’ below each font and you can you see a live preview of the word you want to try your new font in, in this case I wrote out ‘caramel corn’–Bello, Milk Cursive, Enamel Brush, Roadstar, Filmtype Keynote, HT Trattoria, and Confetti. Here’s a good free one!

If you have any experience with brush lettering and feel like divulging any tips and tricks please leave your valuable info in the comments along with links to your work and I can guarantee that we will be forever grateful!

I think most people from time to time dream of selling all their worldly possessions and just taking off for an adventure of a lifetime. To most it’s a passing fancy, a wistful daydream but for photographer Joy it has become a reality. I think I would have been impressed if I just read that a young woman did this on her lonesome, but to read that she convinced her husband (and business partner) to come along and has brought her 4 children (one an infant) seems wildly crazy and fantastic to me. Joy and her family sold their California home and have traded it in for a 1950’s Spartanette trailer to travel the country. They have only recently left so the updates are forthcoming, but the beautiful photos thus far (like the one above) make me believe that this is a story that their children will one day be telling their children–the world is their classroom and life is a grand adventure! I love to find people in the world that are following their dreams no matter how outlandish they may seem to others. I think it is so easy to fall into a rut and forget that we only have this one life (that we know of) and not to squander it. To the Wildflower bunch I am wishing them safe travels and continued delight, you can visit their blog here and catch up on all their adventures and visit their galleries to be inspired by their visual storytelling.

I always like to remind you to get to work on your own dreams, as Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu so wisely stated, “the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” What step can you make today to get closer to the life you dream of? Just take one little step towards it and tomorrow do the same, it doesn’t have to be grand but just do something. I am speaking from experience, I worked in basically a windowless broom closet for 3 long years with a tyrant of a boss, my spirit crushed and my will to do anything about it nearly gone. I made it out the other side, it was terrifying to lose my income and my ‘security’, but what I gained in return is priceless. Your situation may not even be as dire as mine was, so I challenge you to take a step a day towards accomplishing one of your goals; I think you will be surprised at how quickly your tiny steps accumulate and that you have finally arrived at your ‘destination’. Good luck my friends, I believe in you!

photo by wildflowers photo

P.S. I got a bajillion emails today asking about the lettering–it’s a font! You can get a copy here!