#umami design studio

[kamydrawstuffs]

Khonsu- Gold Dust

He can turn sand into gold, but only asks for one thing:

You have to win his game,

If you can only be so bold.

[diankatsiganka]

Here is a link to the InDesign template I used to make my zine. You can also make a one page zine using Photoshop, however, I found InDesign to be much better to use because it already had the correct spacing for content.

[mauricecherry]

Kevin White calls himself a "UX strategist", but that title barely scratches the surface of what he does. Aside from his work as a senior experience designer, he's also a talented illustrator, a design educator, and a devoted family man. But according to Kevin, his origin story as a design professional is an example of what not to do. (Naturally, I had to know more about this.)

We started off talking about the ubiquity of UX in today's modern design industry, and from there Kevin goes into the early days of his career, and we take a slight detour to discuss social media, sound design, branding, and even the historical archives of the Internet! We touched on a lot of topics in our conversation, but I think what stands out the most is that there is no one true path to becoming a designer. Learn more about Kevin in this week's interview!

Help support Revision Path by becoming a monthly patron on Patreon! Join today for just $5/month at patreon.com/revisionpath!

Revision Path is sponsored by Facebook Design, Glitch, Google Design, and Mailchimp!

SUBSCRIBE, RATE, AND REVIEW: Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud | Spotify | Stitcher Radio

[love-and-monsters]

Harpy Model

M harpy X GN human, 6,762 words.

This story is based on this post that I was tagged in by the lovely and talented @p-gretz. Thanks for the inspiration!

You fumbled with the camera equipment in your hands. The tripod kept trying to escape under your elbow, but shifting to secure it would mean losing the lens cap, and grabbing for that jeopardized the magnifier you had balanced against your collarbone. If people stopped dumping things on you at every given opportunity, you probably would have been alright, but being the lowest member on the totem pole meant your status was barely better than a self-propelled table.

The tripod slipped another inch down and you automatically grabbed at it. The sudden movement unbalanced the camera in the center of the pile. With a clatter of plastic, it slipped free, tumbling toward the ground.

A feathered hand snagged the camera strap, jerking it to a halt seconds before it struck the ground. “Need some help?” a slightly accented male voice asked.

“Thanks, but I got it,” you said. A total lie. You could not have had it less if you’d tried.

“Nonsense. At least let me take something so you can get better situated.” Before you could protest again, he had removed several of the objects, tucking them into his feathered arms.

Without the constant danger of dropping something if you so much as twitched, you were able to shift the pile in your arms into a better position. “Thank you. I’m sorry, I-”

You froze. It felt embarrassingly out of character for you to look at someone and freeze, but his face made something in your chest do backflips.

He was elegantly made up, with touches lengthening his lashes and emphasizing his cheekbones. His hair was pale and curling in little waves around his ears. Delicate feathers sprouted around his neck, trailing down toward his arms. They were pale white, with touches of pink. His tail was easily the most striking part of him. Long, green feathers made a train behind him that brushed the floor and gave him the impression of a trailing cloak. He stood delicately on bird-like talons, poised like a dancer.

Fortunately, your freeze only lasted a couple of seconds, and you disguised it by pretending to drop and recover one of your many items. “Sorry. I’m trying to go to studio, um. A12, so I’ll just be heading over there-”

The man laughed. It was more gentle than mocking, but you felt your stomach shrivel in embarrassment regardless. “Really? Then you’re heading in the wrong direction. I’m headed in the same direction. I can walk you there.”

“I wouldn’t want to bother you,” you said.

“It’s not a bother. You seem like you could use the help.” You blushed furiously, but the man didn’t seem to notice. He shifted the camera he’d taken from you into a more comfortable position in his arm. “Are you new here? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

“Yeah. I’m, um. The new intern, basically. You’ve been here for a while?”

“I work with a few different photography places as a model. But I’ve had a contract here for some time.” He flicked his tail casually. “If you need help, I can show you around a little bit when we’re done. This place can be a real maze until you get used to it.”

“Oh, I couldn’t impose on you like that. I mean, you’re probably really busy and I don’t want to take up any of your valuable time-”

The harpy laughed. “My time is hardly the most valuable time here. And, if we’re being really honest…” He leaned in close to your ear. His feathers tickled as he put a hand up to his mouth. “I don’t mind making some of the people around here wait. They’re all really stuck up.” He leaned back and dropped you a glittery wink before strolling on ahead. “Come with me! It’s this way.”

You hurried after him. He had a particularly flowing, graceful way of moving. It wasn’t hard to believe he was a model- even if you hadn’t met him in the studio, you would have guessed it. He moved like he was always on a catwalk.

The studio was particularly maze-like. There were multiple winding halls with several doors each. Only a few small signs gave any sign of where anything was, and casual racks of clothes strewn around the hallway blocked more than half of them. The harpy, however, strode through the halls with a practiced ease.

After several turns, you finally came across a door marked Studio A12. The harpy pushed the door open and paused to let you through before stepping in himself.

“Revali! You’re late!” An impatient-looking woman glared across the room at him. You froze automatically, but he just put down the equipment he’d been carrying on a nearby table and gave you a wink.

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” he said. You turned away from him as your supervisor approached you.

“You’re late too,” he said.

“Sorry. I kind of got lost.”

“I know it’s your first week here, so I’m not going to scold you for this, but being on time is important here. At least for the photographers.” He cast a disparaging look at Revali who was chatting cheerfully with the stern-looking woman. “Models get more leeway.”

“He doesn’t seem so bad,” you said. “I thought a lot of models here were kind of stuck up.”

“He’s not stuck up,” your supervisor agreed. “He’s got the opposite problem. He doesn’t take anything seriously. One of those types who float through life on nothing but their good looks.”

The photoshoot started right after he spoke and you were immediately swept up in the business of it all. Your job was essentially doing whatever anyone needed of you, and they needed a lot. You spent most of the time scrambling around, fixing lights, grabbing accessories, fetching camera equipment, and being a general gopher. The photoshoot lasted only an hour and a half, but you were exhausted by the time it was over.

You sagged by the door, waiting for your next task to be assigned. Revali was having some sort of conversation with his manager that seemed to be verging on an argument, at least on her end. Revali looked as casual as ever.

His manager said something stabbing a finger in his face. He didn’t even flinch. He just lifted one of his shoulders in a slight shrug and, with a flick of his tail, strolled away.

“Ready for the tour?” he asked as he walked over to you. He had a particular way of walking, like he was constantly on a catwalk. It really was more of a strut than a casual walk.

“I already said you don’t have to. And, um, I don’t want to get you in trouble.” You made a subtle head motion toward his managers, who was alternating between looking at her phone screen and glaring at him.

Revali tossed his head. “She’s not my mother. She doesn’t control me. I do what I like. And right now, I’d like to take you on a tour of the studio. Why don’t you come with me?”

You glanced back at his manager. Revali shifted in front of you, blocking her from your sight. “All right,” you said. “But it can’t take too long. I’ve still got other responsibilities to take care of.”

Revali nodded and gestured for you to follow him out the door. “Like I said, this whole place is kind of a maze. I swear, they designed every section to look as similar as possible. But, you can figure out where all the studios are because it’s broken into sections. The stairwells are always marked with the sections. Even numbers are always to the right when you get off the stairwells and odd numbers to the left. Here, I’ll show you how to get to a couple of the bigger studios-”

Revali was right- the entire place seemed to have been designed like a weird, spiraling maze. You ended up needing to take notes on everything he told you. When you finally came to a stop, you were almost dizzy from all the turns you’d needed to make.

“Where are we?” you asked, looking around. “I haven’t been in this part of the building before.” It was almost indistinguishable from the other parts of the building, with eh same florescent lights and powder blue walls, but there were larger signs next to every door and they were spaced closer together.

“Yes, you probably haven’t needed to come down here yet.” Revali opened one of the doors and stepped inside. It was a small room with a large mirror taking up most of one wall, a couch, a minifridge, and a few racks of fancy-looking clothes. “They’re the model rooms. Those of us who have long-term contracts here get our own little spaces when we’re not working.” He strode across the room and sprawled on his couch.

You stood in the doorway. One of the models taking an interest in you and then inviting you back to his personal room? It was hard to keep your imagination from going places. “Hey, uh. I don’t want to be rude, but if you invited me back here for some, uh, fun, I’m not really into casual flings, so-”

Revali shrugged. “Whether or not we have sex is entirely up to you. I’ve had a couple flings in here. Honestly, they didn’t do much for me.”

If he had been attempting to make you more comfortable, it had backfired. Great. Now you didn’t want to sit down anywhere. You remained in the doorway. “Why did you bring me here, then?”

Revali shrugged. “You seemed overwhelmed,” he said. “And it’s much quieter down here.” There was a series of thumps and cursing on the other side of the wall. Revali glared at it. “Mostly, anyway.”

You plucked up your courage and settled on the couch next to him. He grinned. “Also, it’s lunch time and I like eating with other people. I make way too much food all the time.”

Revali grabbed a few Tupperware containers out of his minifridge and lay them out on the table next to you. Most of them appeared to be some sort of meat covered in a thick sauce. Revali was looking at you eagerly, so you took the fork he was offering and took a bite.

“Oh!” you said. “It’s good!”

“Yeah?” Revali said. “I cook when I’m stressed, so I always have more food than I need.” You took a few more bites, enjoying the richness and spiciness of the sauce over the umami of the meat. Revali leaned back, watching you eat with a strange amount of intensity.

“Um. Are you going to have some?” you asked, gesturing to the food. Revali made a face.

“Can’t. I have my own lunch here.” He pulled out an uninspired-looking salad with a few strips of grilled chicken on top.

“You make food, but then you don’t eat it?” you asked. Revali shrugged.

“The life of a model. I do need to keep in shape,” he said. “But I’m always cooking, so you can come over any time you want. I’ll give you a free lunch.”

“You could try at least one bite,” you said. You lifted a piece of meat on your fork and held it out to him. Revali lifted a brow. “Come on. You made all this. I’ll feel bad if I’m the only one who gets to eat it.”

Revali’s brow lifted a little higher. “Well, if you’ll feel bad, I suppose I have no choice but to spare your feelings.” You had intended for him to take the fork from you, but instead, he leaned forward and picked the chunk of meat off the fork with his teeth. He sprawled back and chewed, eyes closing. “Mm. It is good.”

You glanced around the room. It was slightly messy, with clothes and makeup strewn all over the place. Nothing was dirty, but it was a little cluttered. “How did you get into modeling, anyway?”

Revali opened his eyes and pushed himself more upright. “It was a few years ago. Just started doing a few local things, then I got scouted by my current agency. It’s not the most fun, really, but it’s pretty good money. Better than flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant, at least.” He shrugged. “Never finished college, so my job prospects are pretty limited.” He eyed you. “What about you?”

“I finished college a month or so ago. Studied photography. I’m hoping that this internship will lead to an actual job in the future, because right now I’m kind of living off my savings.” You gave a weak chuckle. “I kind of wanted to do my own photography thing, but, you know. Better to have a stable job.”

“Don’t I know it. I’d love to do some more interesting projects, but these ones pay well, which is what my manager likes.” Revali checked his phone and grimaced. “I’m going to have to head to my next shoot in a few minutes. You can hang out here if you like. Just put stuff back when you’re done with it.”

“I should probably be getting back now anyway,” you said, standing up. “Thank you for the lunch, though. You’re a good cook.”

“Thank you. Come back any time. Like I said, I’ve always got food. Actually, let me walk you back to the photo area. Just to make sure you get there all right.” Revali held the door open for you as you stepped into the hall.

“I’m not that hopeless,” you said, starting to head down the hallway. Revali snickered and you stopped. “What?”

“You sure?” he said. “Because, uh, you are going the complete wrong direction.”

“Oh,” you said. “I. Um. That’s embarrassing.”

“You’ll get used to it. Eventually. Here, I’ll show you the way.” Revali linked his arm through yours. “This all right?”

“Sure,” you said. “Thank you. Again.”

“No problem at all! Now, we should probably hurry, so I don’t get yelled at twice in one day. My manager would blow a blood vessel.” Revali headed off at a rapid trot, forcing you to jog to keep up.

Meeting him for lunch became a regular practice after that. He usually had something new and interesting for you to try, and he seemed to enjoy your company. Every day, you would slip out of work and head down to his dressing room for at least half an hour. A few times, you lost track of the time and had to sprint to make it back to your next shoot.

“They’re really putting you through the ringer, huh?” Revali said as you collapsed on his couch. He was wearing the sparkliest blue jacket you’d ever seen. Whether it was actually for a shoot or not was up in the air- Revali was the sort of person who would wear it out and about.

“It’s all right. I wish I was allowed to do more than just menial labor, though. I knew I was going to get the tasks people didn’t like when I started, but I wish I had more learning experiences. I feel like I’ve barely held a camera for something other than handing it to someone.”

Revali stretched his arms over his head, wings twitching. It was always interesting to watch the way they moved. They were a combination of wings and arms, with feathers sprouting all along his arms and the wing tip and hands separating at the wrists. Whenever he wore long sleeves, he needed to cut slits for the feathers and tied the ends closed around his wrists. They were usually tied closed with some sort of bangle, so he nearly always jingled when he moved his arms. “That’s a bummer. Have you been able to take any photos at all recently?”

“Nah. I’ve been too busy. When I get home from work, all I want to do is collapse. And I’ve been having trouble getting inspiration. I’ve been trying to get out more and do some shoots in nature, because it’s a lot nicer than the manufactured settings we have here, but I’ve been having trouble finding a model.”

Revali sat up straighter. “Having trouble finding a model, hm? Well, isn’t is just so fortunate that I happen to have some skills in that particular department?”

“Are you sure? I can’t really pay you much. That’s part of the reason I’ve been having trouble getting some models. When your job isn’t paying you anything, you can’t afford to hire someone for an afternoon. And I’m just not connected enough to find someone willing to do it for free.”

“I think we can help each other out,” Revali said. “I do actually need some new photos for my portfolio, and I think it would be nice to have a more natural setting. Let me use the photos and I’ll do it for free.”

“You’d be willing to do that? And you’re not too busy? I know you’ve kind of been running ragged for the past few days,” you said.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. Like I said, it gives us both something we want.” He whipped a phone out of his pocket and started tapping on the screen. “Let’s see. I’m free Saturday afternoon, if that works for you?” You nodded. “Wonderful. Text me your address, I’ll stop by and you can take me wherever you want.”

Your phone timer dinged and you jumped to your feet. “Oh, shoot, I need to get going. Um, I guess I’ll see you then? And thank you!”

“Don’t worry about it, cutie. Just go.” He waved a hand at you. “I’d hate to see you get yelled at on my behalf.”

You scrambled out the door, waving goodbye to him once more before heading down the hall.

Waiting for Saturday became the highlight of your week. You deliberated over the best location, eventually picking a slightly secluded, riverside area. Revali had agreed to bring some of his own outfits, which he had allowed you to approve. They were simpler than the outfits he usually wore to work, with more natural colors, but he still looked good in them.

You spent a lot of time fussing with your cameras on the day of the shoot. It would be terribly embarrassing for Revali to show up and see you unprepared.

The knock on your door was startling. You carefully placed your camera on your table and hurried to answer it.

Revali was leaning against the doorway. “Hello, darling. Ready to go?”

He was wearing some fancy-looking gold and silver makeup and he’d done something to plump up his tail. It was long and fancy typically, but he’d added long lines of beads and fluff to his tail, making it look even more striking than usual.

“Wow,” you said. You were suddenly overly conscious about how messy your hair was and the fact that you’d just kind of thrown on the first clothes you’d laid your eyes on in the morning. Would it be weird if you made an excuse to go change? “Uh. Do you want to come in for a minute? I just, uh, need to finish something up.”

Revali stepped into your house. “Nice place,” he said, glancing around. You snorted.

“Please. I’m renting a house in the middle of nowhere that has, like, three rooms. Uh, make yourself comfortable. I just need to, um. Grab a jacket.”

“It’s nicely decorated, though. You have a good aesthetic sense.” Most of the stuff you had was from second-hand stores, but it did all sort of go together in a sort of farmhouse-chic way.

You hurried into your room and swapped your old sweatshirt out for a nicer shirt and one of your nicer jackets. The pants were staying, they were good enough. You hurried back out into the kitchen. Revali was examining a few of the photos that adorned your walls.

“You take these?” he asked. They were mostly nature shots, images of animals or flowers up close or landscape shots of rolling fields or mountains.

“Yeah. Most of them were for class. I just hung up the best ones,” you said.

“They’re nice. I like them. Do you like taking picture of nature better? Than of people, I mean.”

“Um. I mean. They’re both nice, just in different ways. There’s something really meditative about taking pictures of nature. It’s peaceful. Working with people can be harder, but it’s also kind of rewarding? Like, taking photos for a wedding is really nice. You get to capture a really great moment in someone’s life and then, when they look back at it, you help them remember the good moments. I like being able to do that for people.”

Revali looked at you. His eyes were bright, assessing. “Why do you work for the studio? It’s not any of those things you said, peaceful or rewarding. It’s mostly just stressful.”

“It makes money,” you said as you headed for the door. “Why do you work for the agency?”

There was a pause, long enough for you to get in the car. “Because it makes good money,” Revali finally said. “And it also means I get my face out there. I like being well known, you know.”

“I can’t imagine wanting that. I like being behind the scenes way more.”

Revali settled back in the seat and watched the fields roll by. “Where are we headed?”

“Um, there’s this nice little riverside area in a stand of trees. I thought it might make for some pretty photos.” You glanced at him uncertainly. “I hope that’s okay with you. I know you said you’d be okay with a nature shoot, but hope you’re not going to be too upset with a little dirt. I’ll try to keep you out of it, but-”

Revali burst into peals of laughter. You twisted your head to stare at him before realizing that you should probably keep your eyes on the road. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Oh, I shouldn’t laugh! It just struck me as very funny, but you had no way of knowing, of course.” Revali wiped a stray tear away. “Do you know where I grew up?”

“No,” you said. He hadn’t told you, had he? Revali seemed unoffended. He ran a hand through his hair, which somehow still looked artfully tousled. You were temporarily distracted by the way little tufts curled loosely around his ears. Hurriedly, you turned your gaze back to the road.

“I grew up on a farm,” he said. He fluttered his feathers. “I’m a cockerel harpy- I’ve got my fancy show feathers, but I’m not exactly a bird of paradise. It’s a family thing. I grew up working in the dirt and mud, and whenever I go home, I’m expected to do it again.”

“I never would have guessed,” you said honestly. He had the soft looks of someone who had never worked hard labor, but when you looked him over again, you could see how his smooth muscles might have come from farm work. “Your family didn’t mind, then, you going to be a model?”

“You think I have some sob story about running away from my strict farm father to pursue my dreams of being in the spotlight?” Revali smirked at you. “No. My father was disappointed, I think. He did want me to carry on the tradition. But I’ve got two younger sister who are much more invested in the farm life, so he didn’t have any fears about passing everything on and both my parents are the ‘follow your dreams’ sort, so they probably would have let me go anyway. I’m not sure they understand what I see in modeling, but they support me nonetheless.”

It was a short drive to the little grove. You parked out of the way and gathered your camera equipment while Revali looked around the area. “It’s pretty,” he said, inspecting a spray of yellow flowers. “You have a good eye.”

“Thanks.” You carefully placed the tripod. “Okay, first things first. I want to get some full-body portraits first, then we can move on to the up-close stuff.”

Revali was easy to work with, easier than you would have guessed from the number of arguments he got into with his manager. He posed gracefully, responded to your every critique thoughtfully and carefully, and even put up with your artistic considerations with far more patience than you would have expected. Even when you spent several minutes forcing him to hold a pose while you got the angle just right, he didn’t complain.

About two hours after you had started, you called a break. Revali shrugged his artfully-held jacket back on and lounged against a tree. “Can I see some of the photos?” he asked.

You considered for a moment, then handed the camera over with the same care you would with a baby. Probably more, really. “Just don’t break anything, all right?”

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Revali said. “I’ve only ever dropped two cameras. And one of them survived with only minimal damage!” You stared at him in wide-eyed horror. “I’m kidding! I’ll be very careful.”

He clicked through the camera’s photo roll. You sat nearby, leg jittering nervously. His expression was inscrutable.

“These are nice,” he said after a few moments. “I mean, they’re quite good. Better than a lot of the shoots I’ve been to recently. I like the shadow and light here.” He tapped at the photo on screen. You leaned over to see which one he was talking about. It was one of the close-ups, where Revali was staring up through the trees. The sunlight dappled leaf shadows across his face and picked up the flecks of gold in his dark eyes.

“It’s just a photo of your face,” you said, a little embarrassed by the praise. “I mean, it’s hard to make you look bad.”

“Oh, you’re being too modest. A poor picture can make anyone look bad and my lovely face can only do so much. You’re the one who set up the shot and was all clever with the lighting and whatnot.” Revali gave a little wave of his hand. “Honestly, it’s better than a few of my modeling pictures. And you’re much better at giving direction than most of the people at the studio. I swear, the number of times I just get told to look pouty at the camera is ridiculous. Or ridiculously esoteric shit. ‘Think about your best friend returning after a long time away’ my ass. Just tell me exactly what to do with my face and I’ll do it.” He stopped and gave you a slightly embarrassed look. “Not to make this about me, of course. But yes, you are quite good. It’s a shame you don’t get more projects.”

You shrugged. “I’d like to do more independent stuff. But I just don’t have any connections and I’ve been having a hard time getting gigs and, well, it’s just hard when you’re getting started.”

Revali tilted his head to one side. “Things will get better,” he said. You huffed out a sigh.

“I hope so. I’m gonna go crazy if I don’t get to do something interesting in my actual job soon.” You fiddled with a few of the camera settings again. “Ready?”

“Certainly.” The photoshoot commenced once more. Revali seemed to be putting his all into the shoot, which you appreciated. He probably could have slipped by with just posing halfheartedly, but he was really putting effort forward.

You spent longer on a photoshoot than you had expected. Revali was nice to work with, cracking little jokes at every opportunity and being patient with any technical mishaps. The sun had started to sink toward the horizon by the time you were done.

“Sorry that took so long,” you said. “I didn’t mean to take up your weekend.”

“I’m really fine.” Revali flicked his tail, combing his fingers through the long feathers. “You apologize a lot, don’t you?”

“I just don’t want to come across as rude,” you said. Revali laughed.

“That’s one thing you certainly don’t do,” he said. “I enjoyed myself.”

“Still,” you said as the pair of you headed back toward his car, “why don’t I buy you dinner? It’s the least I can do.”

Revali looked down at you. His dark eyes glittered with interest. “If you’re offering, then I’ll certainly take you up on it.”

It took some driving around, but you eventually settled on a small café fairly close to Revali’s townhouse. He selected some sort of salad and you picked out a sandwich. Revali was right, the place was quite good. “I’ve never been here before,” you said. “I guess I haven’t been eating out for lunch as much, though.”

“I’m pleased my cooking is so good to you,” Revali said. He picked at his salad, moving the leaves around more than he was eating them. A knot started to form in your stomach.

“Hey.” Revali looked up. Your tone must have been strange because his expression became serious. “Um. You don’t, um. Eat much.”

Revali lowered his fork. “Ah. I did notice you staring during meals, but I suppose I was trying to flatter myself, thinking it was entirely my good looks.”

You felt hot. “I’m sorry, I know it might be rude to bring it up. But I’m just a little worried. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Hm,” Revali muttered. He put down his fork and shifted in his seat. His feathers rustled and ruffled. “I did have some trouble with eating well when I was younger. It never developed into a full-blown disorder, but I have always had a bit of an issue with maintaining my looks. I suppose my current representation isn’t helping with this issue.”

“Your manager?” you guessed. Revali gave a tight-lipped smile.

“Yes. I gained a pound the other week and got a bit of a lecture for it. Apparently, thin men are in right now. Harpies are usually fine boned and slender and all that, but I suppose it’s not quite enough for her.” A swell of anxiety crested behind his words.

You fiddled with a toothpick. “Can you get new representation?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. She is the only available representative for the company I have a contract with right now. And even if I could switch, I don’t have any guarantee that the next manager would be any better. Extreme dieting is not exactly uncommon in the modeling industry.” He sighed, picking up his fork and poking at the salad a few times before spearing a large bite and shoving it into his mouth. “The contract actually expires in a couple weeks,” he said, swallowing the bite. “She’s not happy about it. She really wants me to sign on again, but I haven’t done it yet.”

“What’ll you do if you don’t sign on again? Try to go somewhere else?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been modeling for a few years now. I’m not sure what else to do. But I’ll admit, I don’t love the culture. It’s not great for my mental health, in all honesty. I just don’t know what else to do.”

He looked so despondent that you couldn’t help but reach across the table and take his hand. He stared at your fingers for a moment before lifting his gaze to yours. “I’m sure whatever you chose will be the right thing,” you said. “I think, if your modeling career is bad for your mental health, then you can quit. You’re more than just a pretty face, you know? You know more about photoshoots than you think you do. You’ve got a good sense for lighting and you’ve even got a better idea of colors than I do. And you’ve got a really great fashion sense. I think there’s a lot you could do.”

Revali blinked at you for a moment, then his face broke into a breathtaking smile. A blush stole across your face, blazing in your cheeks. He looked unbearably beautiful. It wasn’t just the features of his face, though they were all very good. It was the clear and genuine delight that the smile conveyed. “I don’t think I’ve had someone compliment me so sweetly in a long time! At least, not on something other than my looks.”

“Not to mention, you’re a kick-ass cook,” you added. Revali laughed and took a sip of his water. You weren’t sure, because he had quite a bit of makeup on, but you though you could see a hint of pink tinging his cheeks.

“If I’m looking for a less stressful job than modeling, I don’t think being a chef is a good choice. And I’m not quite good enough to be in the industry. But it is nice to have my skills complimented.” He took another sip. “But thank you. Being a model can make it so your looks are the most important part of your life. It’s good to be reminded they’re not the most important thing about me.”

You shrugged. “Hey, I’m not much in the looks department, so I’m pretty good at looking past that.”

“Now, now, don’t be modest. You’re quite cute yourself,” Revali said, dropping a glittery wink. You felt yourself flushing again.

After dinner, you returned home and bid Revali a farewell. You spent the evening examining the photos you’d taken. Most of them were quite good. At the very least, they would make good photos for your portfolio. You considered them for a few moments, then pulled up the bare bones of your website and started uploading the photos.

The next day, you joined Revali for lunch again. He was wearing more than his usual makeup, but even so, you could see the slight puffiness around his eyes. “Tired?” you asked.

“Ughh. My manager and I got into a fight last night, after I got home. Things were said.” He massaged his forehead. “Tell me something good, darling, I need it.”

“Um,” you said. “I set up my website last night? Or I started setting it up, at least.”

Revali focused fully on you. “Your website?”

“Yeah. Um, I hope you don’t mind, I put some of the pictures we took up there. I want to see if I can start freelancing, at least in my free time.” Revali perked up. The tired look slid off his face.

“I don’t mind. I’m used to having my pictures all over the place. So, you’ve decided to start doing your own thing, now?” He leaned toward you.

“At least a little bit. The hardest part will be getting clients. Once I build up a little bit of a base, I can start getting people by word of mouth and stuff. But it’s difficult now.”

“I’d expect so,” Revali said, but he appeared to only be half paying attention. His gaze had become a little unfocused, like he was thinking about something else. “You know what, my next shoot’s in a few minutes. You can hang out here if you want. I’ll see you later.”

You met for lunch a few times in the next couple of weeks. Revali’s mood seemed to have improved. He was much more cheerful and, to your great relief, he seemed to be eating more.

It was almost exactly two weeks after you’d had your photoshoot when Revali sought you out at work. “I was going to come by for lunch,” you said. “Is something wrong?”

Revali seized your hands. “No. Things are great! I just told my manager to fuck off!” He proclaimed it loudly enough that several people in the vicinity turned toward him. You ignored them.

“That is great! I’m so glad for you,” you said.

“That’s not everything,” Revali said. “I have a surprise for you.” His tail twitched and flicked with excitement. “Follow me!”

Revali tugged you through the building, down to his dressing room. “Okay. Remember how you were talking about having trouble getting clientele?”

“Yeah,” you said cautiously.

“Well, I’ve been a model for a while. Which means I have some connections and some favors.” Revali opened the door and tugged you inside. “So, I thought I’d call some in!”

The room did not look different. You looked cautiously at Revali. “Uh. What am I supposed to be looking at?”

“This!” Revali snatched a stack of papers off a table and thrust them at you. You flipped through them. “It’s the information of people who want to have photoshoots! There’s a couple of weddings, one person wants a pet thing, a couple of people want you to take photos for cosplays- I told them all that you were really good and you’re easy to work with and a bunch of people were willing to give it a shot.”

“You got me gigs?” There was a note of incredulity in your voice. “Like, paying gigs?”

“Yes! I told you, I have some contacts and some favors. I pulled a few strings.” Revali fluttered his wings.

“Thank you,” you said. “I don’t know what to say.”

“All the information you need is there. You can contact them all for more information, but it should have the basics.” Revali sprawled across his couch. “I figured that if I was going out, I might as well use my connections for good.”

“Going out?” you said, perching on the couch next to him.

“Yeah.” Revali rubbed at the back of his neck. “I told my manager to fuck off, remember? There’s a solid chance I’ll get blackballed for it, and even if I don’t, I don’t think I want to do this modeling thing anymore. It hasn’t been great for my mental health. And I’d like to be seen as more than just a pretty face.”

“You have plans?” you asked.

“No. I’ve got some money saved up. I figure I can afford to coast for a little bit. And if it really gets bad, I’m sure my dad would be happy to have me back on the farm.” He laughed, but you caught the slight downturn of his mouth. You ran your finger along the edge of the paper stack.

“If you’re interested, these are a lot of jobs. I think I could use a little bit of help,” you said. Revali blinked at you. “I can’t pay much, but it’ll be a little bit of money and if I start getting really good, I can hire you on full time. You’ve already shown you’ve got an eye for this stuff.”

“Really?” Revali said. He stared at you disbelievingly. “You’re willing to do that for me?”

“It would help me as much as it would help you. I mean, you’ve already been a huge help and you’re not even working for me yet. I think we’d make a good team.”

Revali looked enormously delighted. “Oh, thank you! You’re incredible!” With no warning, he ducked forward, his hands came up to the sides of your face, and he pressed his mouth to yours.

Your brain short-circuited temporarily. There wasn’t a single coherent thought in your mind. Just a bunch of sensations. Mouth. On your mouth. Kissing. Revali was kissing you. Passionately. His hands were on your face. His feathers were tickling you. His breath was warm on your face.

He broke away from you before you could gain enough sense to kiss back. Revali grinned sheepishly. “Oh. That was sort of supposed to be the grand finale. We were supposed to go out for dinner first. I just got excited.”

You pulled your thoughts together. “You were going to ask me out?”

“I thought you deserved something for taking me out a while ago. And I’ve been thinking about asking you out for a while. But you looked so cute there and I was very grateful, and I just couldn’t help myself,” he said. “I hope you didn’t mind too much?”

“No,” you said. “I didn’t mind. At all.” Revali smiled. You were drawn to the curve of his mouth, the fullness of his upper lip. “But, maybe just to make sure, we should do it again?”

Revali’s smile got bigger. “You know, I was thinking that I’m not going to have this dressing room much longer. There are a lot of things we could do in here. Celebrate our moving on and all that.”

“Let’s start with kissing,” you said, “and we can see where it goes.”

Revali leaned closer to you. “Start with kissing. I can do that.”

[pintclub]

Photographer | Xiao Chao

Kicking off our Pint Club & Friends series with Xiao Chao, who helped us with our product photography. Young talented photographer hungry for new ways of creations, let’s get to know him more.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Hello, my name is Feng Chaowei. Everyone calls me Xiao Chao. I have been a photographer for two years, I have worked in a coffee company and an advertising photography studio, and I am currently setting up my own studio.

How did you get into photography? I was doing graphic design before and knew some basics of photography. It started about 18 years ago, when the leader asked me if I was interested in photography, from there I started to learn about the lightings and photography equipments. I’m still learning, this is a very interesting journey.

Did you always want to be a photographer?  Yes, but there are also many new creative methods I would like to try in the future, such as animation, design, 3D, etc. I believe it will add to the photography creation.

How do you get inspired?  I get inspiration from things around me. I like to encounter unexpected things when I wander around in the laneways.

What is you dream project? Something I have never done before. A breakthrough project that helps to define my style.

What are you passionate about besides photography? Skateboarding, I have a sense of freedom, and gaming – League of Legends. I also read books. I’m reading Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, which is a book about art that is easier to read and understand.

Can you share with us a corner of your home where you feel relaxed? Maybe the messy desk is the most relaxing place for me.

What is your go to gelato flavor? Pistachio.

What gelato flavor would you invent? Tomato, an umami flavor.

[thedsgnblog]

Brand Identity for Umami Ramen House by Dum Dum

“UMAMI is a conceptual Japanese Ramen House restaurant, located in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon. The Visual Identity try to incorporate a contemporary outlook, but still have the traditional Japan look and feel.”

Dum Dum is a design studio focused on pushing brands further through bespoke concepts and strategies. It is a group of constantly changing creative minds that work on the contemporary design services through a strong base on concepts and strategies. Established in 2015 by Sergio Martínez and Mario Julián, DD is a flexible team that collaborates closely with professionals in multidisciplinary projects across the fields.

T D B:  instagram  •  twitter  •  facebook  •  newsletter  •   pinterest

[escapekit]

Umami Ramen House

Mexico-based design studio Dum Dum has created an identity for Umami Ramen House, located in San Pedro Garza García

[rosiebeeart]

Instructions on how to fold a classic zine.

-Umami Design Studio

[protoslacker]

Cracker Jack Books

Everyone knows what zines are. A few are old enough to remember boxes of Cracker Jacks with a little prize inside. When I was a kid little books were a favorite prize. One on my most favorite parts of the Internet are blogs. I like how ordinary people write about their lives and interests. The read-write Web is extraordinary. Here's an old blog post I wrote about little books, Cracker Jack Books.

The post below this one is a link to Caitlin Johnstone wherein she provides links to download three of her blog posts as mini-zines. She also provides a link to a wonderful blog post from Umami Design Studio. That posts has directions for an 8-page zine printed on regular size paper. This 8-page format is one of my favorites.

I use open source software. Umami design provides free CC templates for the book in popular proprietary page layout software. So far as I know there is not an online site that offers a way to layout books like this. I always want free. There used to be a Flickr Toy to make books of photos, but I can't find it anymore.

In any case this format for 8-page zines is a very useful way for people to share ideas. It's amazing how many useful things and ideas can be explained in a small book. I'm delighted to see Catlin Johnstone experimenting with the format. It's a cracker jack idea to print some up and leave them around. Even better, make zines!  

[diabetesinsider]

Umami Avocado Toast

Umami...oh, mama.  This seasoning is so good - savory - enhances flavors all this and no added sugar.  Try it on avocado toast just sprinkled over the top or in scrambled eggs or sprinkled over cottage cheese served on a bed of greens as a fast lunch.  I ordered this through Amazon but it may be in Trader Joe’s stores, too.  Give this a whirl...see what you think.

When I’m not busily mashing avocados, I’m sewing cotton pocket aprons in my basement sewing studio for my online shops - www.etsy.com/shop/topdrawerthreads and www.amazon.com/handmade/topdrawerthreads .  

Or I’m putting the finishing touches on knit stocking caps and slouch style hats worked by me from upcycled recycled yarns for my other shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdraweryarns .  

My daughter’s have an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/yesdesigns - where they design and sew cotton pocket knickers so comfortable...so fun.

My older daughter has an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/wildwovenwomen - where she works upcycled recycled yarns into brightly striped scarves and throws.

My younger daughter has an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/shroombloombags - where she crochets upcycled recycled yarns into funky mushroom inspired shoulder bags.  

[cooldididesign]

can mushroom join the future of design industry?

designing in the future may bring an abundance of potential materials. many vegan alternatives that are  environmentally friendly to use are highly attractive to designers and researchers. these includes cellulose, algae, sunflower, leaf leather, and mushroom...... ?

yes, mushroom! the fungus kingdom.

do you know that aside from being the best umami-rich alternative to meat, the plant has been blooming for over a billion years, making it possibly join the evolution of the design industry in the future.

say.... home appliances, wallpaper and flooring materials, or even a facade made of mushroom material.. who knows if hundreds of years from now, our future generation will have a mushroom-based house, or a similar to the mushroom head-shaped roof made of the material itself, where they live underneath. 

just.... maybe?

 but the possibility is here since mushrooms already have their moment over the past decade.

mycelium, which refers to the white threads or the vegetative part of a fungus, has attracted designers in many ways to create a variant of home products such as mushroom-leather wallet and other sustainable packaging.

the keen interest amongst the architects and designers has also led to the introduction of organic bricks made of mycelium, which could be used to construct buildings eventually.

mushroom over the past decade

maybe the attempt is still a long way to go. creating home appliances or daily wearable products of mushroom or mycelium are a good start before jumped into something bigger like building constructions. 

take clue to the fungus and yeast-based headphones, which was developed by finnish studio, aivan, in collaboration with scientists on mid of summer 2019.

named the koorva headphones, the product were designed to showcase the potential of the technology known as synthetic "synbio" biology.

hence the name, koorva headphones featured six different microbially grown substances - as explained by the designer who worked with vtt technical research center of finland and aalto university prior to the experiment—aiming to demonstrate the fabrication side of science in the form of a three dimensional object.

also read:

if mask becomes daily essentials, would you add one of these weird masks to your hangout outfits?

empowering women, danish designer created bright and bold space for young girls to be experts in tech

the earth is taking a break: coronavirus, and the bright side

adding more benefit is the fact that this natural discipline also fuses engineering with biology into multifunctional value such as the fabricating materials, produce energy, and even treating illness.

what more can we expect?

koorva is not the headset you will find in stores today. since it is (still) purely a concept that embrace the future of product design, especially in gadget and tech industry.

however, should you know the sneak peak of this potentially become your wearable object when listening to mp3 songs. will it be released in 2020? we can't tell. but one thing you need to know is how completely vegan-friendly the materials are. including the headphone's rigid plastic that are framed by a petroleum-free bioplasyic. the kind of material grown by using the lactic acid in baker's yeast, as the designer explained.

the polymer is biodegradable, and can also be used for 3d painting. while the padding that sits over the ears of korvaa headphone is produced by the nature's strongest bubble-maker, or known as trichorderma reesei. the texture allows growing cells into the air. making a foaming protein as well as keeping the structure stable and soft when mixed with plant cellulose.

while covering the foam is mycelium— in this case study, the fungus which has been used is phanerochaete chrysosporium, which has a leathery texture meant to sit comfortably on both of our ears.

the big question, is it truly design-able?

another example we can go to is a san-fransisco based artist, phil ross. he is often credited with leading in the mushroom renaissance for incorporating fungi in every of his art for decades.

in 2011, he filed a patent for his "method for producing fungus spores," and cofounded mycoworks, a sustainable start-up company, only two years after he patented the method. 

his company has also recently debuted much-anticipated reishi leather alternative, aimed to reduce a severe source of greenhouse gas emissions by cuts down on water consumption, land use, and cow burps. 

while eben bayer and gavin mcintyre, founder of ecovative and best known for mushroom-based packaging in 2007, in architecture, an italian design company, mogu, has hoped to work its way from existing products like mycelium-derived acoustic panels and composite floor tiles, to be something bigger such as the structure of the whole building. 

so when are we going to have mushroom to officially joins design and architecture industry? let's not get too excited first....

there are homeworks that researchers should develop to consider fungi, especially for building materials. is mycelium durable enough? what are the precise opportunity in the material aside from being environmentally friendly? can it meet existing and upcoming demand for eco-friendly products - the kind of biodegradable material?

let's see how long it will take. maybe two or three decades...  the idea is just so close-but far away from the time being.

source: dezeen | unsplash 

[juniorformulamotorsport]

Monday, 19th August 2019 – Sauce Supper Club at House Restaurant, The National Theatre, London

This had been hovering on our radar for some time, after a number of events elsewhere in the country on dates we couldn’t do, but finally we managed to find a date we could do, and we duly booked in along with our friend A. Why were we so excited? Well, we’re keen watchers of MasterChef: The Professionals and at the end of the 2018 version we’d been heard muttering about being happy to eat whatever any of the final three chefs wanted to cook, anywhere, anytime. And now we could, because this event had been set up. That meant we would be fed by 2018 winner Laurence Henry, and finalists Oli Martin and Matthew Ryle. We arrived a bit too early to be let in, so we sidled out to the riverside and drank a glass of Three Choirs sparkling white wine from the Wine Box while we waited for the clock to tick round to 18:30.

We headed back indoors just before the appointed time and were shown to a table in the corner near the kitchen, with a view out over the Thames. A quick consultation with the staff led us to conclude that we’d go with the matching wine flight because if they’d gone to the trouble of figuring out what would go with the food, we could save ourselves the effort and go with the flow. We were consequently handed almost immediately a glass of Schloss Vaux Cuvee Vaux NV Sekt, a lively shade and with a punchy, citrussy fruitiness. It went very well with the amuse bouches that appeared before us. We had a pulled ham hock croquette with a pea puree and some arancini with a mayonnaise blob holding it on the board and providing some extra creaminess. We all three figured we could have happily eaten a bowl full or one or other of them (or even both).

The delicious morsels destroyed, next up was the bread. There was a brief horror-stricken moment when it looked like it was going to be one roll between three of us, but it turned out the waitress had got it wrong and it was one each. To say A was relieved is understating it! What we had was a cheesy, almost scone-like outer crust and a soft, yielding inside that lent itself beautifully to being slathered in butter, especially butter as good as the one we’d been supplied. It melted into the bread and was superb. We were in food heaven before we’d even got started on the first of the six-courses.

The first course, created by Oli, when it arrived, was described as chalk stream trout, buckthorn, elderflower and had a whole series of fresh elements from the sea buckthorn berries to the fish itself, and the creamy, elderflower-inflected creamy topping. It was sharp and refreshing, the fish just the right side of oiliness, which was offset by the berries, and that went very well with the lovely, crunchy crumb scattered across the bottom of the bowl.

The second course, by Laurence Henry, contained one of my favourite ingredients, smoked eel, alongside one of my least favourite ones, chicken, the two combined in a very light terrine. Much as I mostly find chicken dry and dull, this was a triumph, the meat soft, moist and tender, with herbs running through it. It was served with tiny, pickled Scottish girolles, another of my favourite things. It was served alongside a delicate but intensely umami jalapeno miso, which we’d expected to be fierce. It wasn’t; it was warming, but without the ferociously unpleasant heat you can end up with when you use jalapenos. It was accompanied by a rather fine Croatian wine, a Riesling, Bolfan 2017, a biodynamic offering that was probably our favourite of the white wines, and that would have gone very well with the next course as well.

I now have to confess that I was so distracted by how good the food was that I completely failed to take a photo of the first of Matthew Ryke’s dishes, a perfectly executed piece of wild sea bass, with an accompaniment of oysters and apple, a glorious dish that I thoroughly enjoyed. The wine was not as interesting as I expected, given it was a natural wine, and should perhaps have been far more characterful than it was. It was a rather underpowered Rontonio Microcosmico Macabeo, Valdejalon, Spain 2017. Maybe it was just too young. Maybe it was too cold. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a thrilling wine, which was a shame because it was meant to go with what was a thrilling dish.

We moved from fish to the second of Oli Martin’s dishes, a fabulous Cumbrian lamb dish, with a black garlic puree, and grilled courgettes. The lamb came as a piece of pan-fried or roasted rump, and as a cooked till it was falling apart piece of shoulder that was so tender as to be unbelievably gorgeous in the mouth. I don’t know if it’s the effect of three of them being together that spurs them on to greatness, or not, but this was turning into a seriously good and seriously memorable meal. There was nothing wrong with the red wine either, a biodynamic Rutherford Ranch Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2015, that was smooth and plummy and really rather fabulous.

The shoulder was served in a separate bowl, with green beans sliced thinly across the meat. It was amazing.

The desserts started with a pineapple, citrus, basil dish fro Matthew, this a series of thin slices of fruit, with a basil and lime sorbet, basil oil and a gorgeous juice that combined all the flavours and meant I had to drink what was left from the bowl, table manners be damned. I wasn’t sending any back. A reckons she never wants to eat pineapple without basil every again, it was that good. The white port served with it was lovely too and went very well, having that fruit forward note you find in young white ports. If anyone wants to find it, you’re looking for Vieira de Sousa Fine White Port and seems to be available, in the UK at least, at a very sensible price.

The final course was from Laurence, and again was a triumph. It was described very simply as strawberry, clotted cream parfait, pollen, and it was brilliant, packed with strawberry flavours and with a fabulously rich, creamy parfait that coated the inside of your mouth and gummed up your teeth in the best possible way. It was a great finishing touch. The 2014 Chateau Simon Sauternes didn’t hurt either!

We were done, but not before we had quite a long rambling conversation with the representative of Studio William Cutlery. They gave us a spork each, to my considerable amusement, as well a pleasure; it’s a beautiful and practical thing, and a lot of the other cutlery they have is also stunningly attractive as well as clearly useful too. There was a suggestion that you could win a set, and you could certainly buy a set should you have a need.  I was particularly taken with the sensory textured spoons as well as the leaf spoons which come in four designs including the gingko leaf version.

Events 2019 – Sauce Supper Club at House Restaurant, London Monday, 19th August 2019 - Sauce Supper Club at House Restaurant, The National Theatre, London This had been hovering on our radar for some time, after a number of events elsewhere in the country on dates we couldn't do, but finally we managed to find a date we could do, and we duly booked in along with our friend A.

[digitaldrawingsca]

Indesign single A4 layout

[keksu86]

New mid sized urns. Not sure how I feel about the praying mantis ... I wish I had put her on a larger pot. I really like what the praying mantis represents... stillness and patience. This insect took just that! Had to hold my breath as I attached the legs. Balance plays a huge part when creating these miniature, high detail, sculptures. More insects to come and of course lidded containers. Wild blueberries, oak leaves and acorns adorn the other pots. My studio shelves are packed but not quite ready to fire. More glaze testing to do first. - - #prayingmantis #insect #entomology #wildblueberries #oakleaf #acorn #sculptures #urns #containers #treebark #lichen #nature #clay #wood #dendrology #alongthetrail #patience #calm #umami #ceramics #pottery #sodafire #texture #unconventional #fineart #realistic #design #handicraft #miniture #wip (at Northern Clay Center)

[savetopnow]

2018-03-22 02 HOME now

HOME

Amber Interior Design

Just the AFTER // Client Black Houses are the Best Houses

SHOPPE 2.0 // Exterior Paint

It’s Me… on the Chris Loves Julia Podcast!!

+ WHITE PAINT DIGEST 2018 +

:: CLIENT WELCOME TO LA WE HOPE YOU STAY ::

Apt. 34

The Perfect Spring Cocktail Recipe

9 Refined Style Ideas for Spring

The New Must-See Furniture Collection & Other Friday Finds

Delicious Space: Bar Crenn

How to Make Classic Mexican Recipes at Home

Coco Kelly

A Mini Office Design Tour & Our Future Studio Plans

Design Destination :: La Serena Villas Boutique Hotel in Palm Springs

House Tour :: A Classic Home With Touches of Modern Romance

Our Living Room Gallery Wall & Art Source Guide

February Moodboard :: Verve

Coco Lapine Design

Soft beige setting

Peak into my office

Soft beige look

Limited edition wishbone Chair in Ancient Oak

Elin Kickén’s home

Design Sponge

Before & After: A Bedroom Dormer Becomes An Extraordinary Nursery

Before & After: A Childhood Home Reimagined

A Respectfully Restored Fisherman’s Shack on the Australian Coast

Ruben Guadalupe Marquez + What To Read This Weekend

Umami-Rich Scallion Oil Lapcheong Noodles

Emily Henderson

Etsy Finds: Volume I

10 Dinnerware Combos For Every Style

Our Updated Living Room

Let’s Rummage for Good Thank you

Our Play Room – An Update + A TV Choice

EyeSwoon

A Place to Dream | Allswell

Mixed Metal Lust

Cherry Bombe: Issue Nº 10

Elle Magazine: September Issue

Vogue: Cook Beautiful Townhouse Dinner

Lark and Linen

DIY Bunny Ears Ice Cream Cones

Behind The Scenes with Jane Denton

Sacramento Street Office

Scenes from my Week

Get The Look: Bright Living Room

Miss Moss

Gala & Dalí

Hand Embroidered shirts by Kilometre Paris

Levi Mandel

Dreamy Mountainscapes by Chih-Hung Kuo

A florist’s bohemian home in Cape Town

My Domaine

Everyone Wants to Work at These 10 Companies, According to LinkedIn Users

Amy Poehler Is Making a Movie About Wine Country (and the Cast Is Perfection)

Scandinavian Interior Design Will Always Be in—Here's How to Get the Look

People Who Are Happy at Work Asked These 6 Questions in Their Interview

Don't Stress—This Is Exactly How to Do Your Own Taxes

Reddit Interior Design

Help with long, narrow Den and steampunk/industrial remodel.

A room with a view. The penthouse bedroom.

Don't be scared of a little colour. (I work at the company that designed this, we love it when clients are bold!)

Entertainment Center for TWO 60" TVs

Crown molding vs. cove ceiling

Savvy Home

This One Small Change Transformed my Morning Routine

Inside My First (280 Sq. Ft.) New York Apartment

Gab Loves: Black and White

The Weekender: Back at it Again

Gab Loves: Spring Greens

Wit + Delight

Zero Fuss Entertaining: Hosting Easter Brunch with Two Under Two

How I Learned to Love Myself

All Day, Every Day: Say Hello to Nike Air Max 270

25 Unconventional Headboards to Wake Your Room Up

A Letter To My 30-Something-Year-Old Self