heysusy

Moving Day!

Well, the day has finally come when I can show you what I've been working on over the summer, and into the fall. My new Susy Jack* website is now live, and starting with my next post, I will have a new home for my blogging, also.

Starting on Monday, I'll be posting over here at my new blog, exclusively. I'm thrilled to finally have my blog, shop, and studio in one venue. I hope you'll come and visit me often... I'll be posting more of my own work in style, pattern design, product design, and lifestyle, and of course, waxing poetic on paper clips and top hats, now and then.

See you on the flip side...

Can't wait.  xo! S

 

Crystal Vision

I find crystals so inspiring... Don't you? Here are three images from my archives which I find particularly great. Lately I'm finding myself more and more drawn to natural geometries.

Today I hand off my final edits for the new website, and continue with some product development I have going on for launches next year.

ps. In case ypu didn't enter yesterday, don't forget the giveaway, which ends tomorrow.  Win a gorgeous new writable calendar for 2012! 

BAG HAG

 

Hi All. A short post today. But if looking at this bag makes you feel as good as it makes me feel...well, I think I've done my job.

Found here!

Something Blue

 

In bloom...

 

As a remnant of the past...

or from within...

Wood Works { parquet inspiration }

I am not really a decor hound. But there are a few things that I am absolutely firm on about where I live. Wood floors are one of them. Walking on a wood floor after being somewhere with a concrete or wall to wall floor, to me, feels almost as good as walking on the grass after spending too much time on the street. 

Add a great pair of artisan crafted boots to the equasion, and you have the satisfying, clunk, clunk, clunk sound that the cowboys made when they walked into the saloon in the old days. Now *that* is a treat to be savored!

While more appropriate for waltzing, rather than spurs a jangling, the pattern designer in me is totally in love with anything parquet at the moment. I just adore the contrast in the grain, and the lovely geometry in the motifs. It's such a great synthesis of the predictable and the natural.

More about the art of Parquetry Here

and it's sister: Marquetry, which involves curved wood Here

Enjoy!

****update**** forgot one! see below...this may be my fave!

Grubby Mitts

Happy Monday, All. Not a huge post for today...but hopefully a nice one all the same. I am going to be pretty busy this week doing follow ups from the Stationery Show and making sure all the New Product is ready to ship out on time.

But I really loved these little gems from The Lake and Stars...and consider this pattern design to be really interesting. Thumbprints -- perfect for underwear. But I can also see these as a really interesting exploration on...say...white denim jeans? I think they're at once really trend forward, quite beautiful and expressive...and yet pretty funny, without being overly ironic. What do you think?

Images found here

Mother's Day

 

Well, Mother's Day is coming up, and I just thought it might be nice to use that as an excuse to post a couple of cool mom photos. The top photo is of my mom removing a splinter from my paw in our back yard. My Dad built that picnic table. The bottom is of my mom on the back porch of our Turquoise Mansion.

I often sit around and think about my childhood. Sometimes, I stop and think, oh my gosh. I can't believe how great my mom was. She was different than all the other moms in town. She took charge. She got involved. She got her hands dirty. She was strict, yet loving, never trying to be my "best friend". Instead of buying me clothes and Barbies, she taught me how to make impressions of animal footprints with plaster. She made pinatas. She sewed our clothing. She made me a Tee-Pee. She indulged me, but taught me the meaning behind indulgence. She was down to earth and realistic. She taught me to look around and notice the world. Notice how other people feel. Include people. Be polite, but don't be shy.

She still is truly different. She goes to Socrates club and then out to gamble on the same day. She embraces life and has herself a good laugh. And with her, I have a good laugh, too. I am so lucky she is my mom!

Although I don't have kids, and don't plan to, I find that "motherhood" is really something we can all take part in in many ways; comforting, nurturing, and just being there for one another...accepting each other, and laughing together, are just a few.

Dad...you're next. So don't be jealous. I already have the photo picked out and everything.

Love, Susan

 

Photo Styling Inspiration

I fell in love with these images yesterday... They are by Roost, which is a lifestyle/home decor line with a large product span - I am pretty sure the foray into jewelry and accessories is new for them.

I always enjoy seeing thier products and the chance to pop into their showrooms. I really love the way that these simple shots use tone on tone textures and contrast to create such an eyecatching, yet simple product montage.

Image via Orange and Pear
Roost website here

Wild On

 

So, I suppose this post is my own roundabout way of letting you know I am having some fabric printed on Spoonflower. I'm excited to see how it comes out.

I found these animal fabrics while browsing the designer work on that site. While there is a lot of stuff that feels kind of derivative and not too exciting there, there are some real gems, like these prints up here. I love the use of color in each of them, and especially love the weird, informal sketchiness of the Calligram prints in the center. What fun.

Giraffes - reminds me of Scalamandre's Zebra Textiles
Calligrams - perfect for a kid's room. So fun.
Birds and Florals- love the use of color in this one.

A Dream You Dream Together

Last night, my boyfriend attended a Japan benefit concert at le Poisson Rouge here in NYC, featuring a bunch of his favorite artists. It started late, and I stayed home, and went to bed. He came in quite late and said it was great.

He slept in this morning, and I went off to the gym. When I got back, he was awake and having some coffee, and I asked him to tell me about the show. He went through the lineup, and said that Cibo Matto, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed showed up and were incredible. So was Antony of Antony and the Johnsons. Sean Lennon was there and Yoko Ono performed with the Plastic Ono Band.

It sounded pretty amazing and we talked for a while about the various artists and the mood that was created among the audience, which was of all ages.

After he was done describing the evening, he jumped up from the couch and said "Oh! I forgot! Yoko gave us a souvenir!" and went over to his bag. He brought out a little pouch containing this "piece of sky" and a message.

I thought this was pretty powerful - not just to have something from an evening of so many greats -- but the idea that the people attending were given a souvenir is quite sweet. I have always loved the idea of people dreaming togther - the idea of a double dream... I also like the message.... I love you!  at the end...it's funny how those words can be so hard to say, but once they come out, there they are. I thought you might enjoy it.

ps - a cool thing about the little puzzle pieces is that they seem to have a specially shaped notch in the top that makes them easy to hold with your fingertips.

pps. I love you!