Franc Grom

The Olympic games are in full force and I'm having a difficult time watching all the games or keeping track of the medal count since I don't have access to a television or internet most of the day. Just to keep everyone updated, as of right now USA is tied with China with 17 metals each. But China has won more gold metals including swimming, shooting, and surprisingly weightlighting. At the beginning of the games, USA was a strong contender and was the team to beat. This has led to some suspicion of doping or use of drugs and substances. But the allegations were denied by China. This was reminiscent of the age controversy of Chinese gymnasts back in the Beijing games. Oh can't forget about Ukraine getting knocked off by Japan in Men's Gymnastics. I love these games.
Well getting back to the visual arts, I recently come upon the amazing work of Franc Grom. He's not your typical "artist." He's a Slovenian craftsman to be exact. What he does, the medium he uses, and the manner he works is inspiring and simply beautiful. He uses an electric drill to hand-drill tiny holes in an eggshell, usually 2-3500 holes. These intricate patterns he creates is lace-like and extremely delicate. Some of these are so intricate, it can take him anywhere from one week to one month to complete.

photo via Hemmy

Grom draws inspiration from Slovenian designs, more specifically drapank. This is where one scratches onto a colored boiled egg to reveal the the whites underneath creating an image or pattern.

photo via Hemmy

From what I've gathered, it seems Grom is the only craftsman working the way he does on eggshells. This delicate process required a soft grip, a ton of patience, and a creative mind. What he does is incredible. The ornate patterns he creates and the balance and dynamics of the eggshell is stunning.

photo via Design Rulz

The illumination and the way light passes through it is striking. It creates a glow that is so surreal, it's heavenly just to look at. The result of all the time and patience put into a single egg is rewarded with an exquisite piece of work.

photo via Rose Petals From Heaven

The egg itself is already fragile. Imagine drilling thousands of tiny fine holes in one. I personally would not have the patience or delicate touch to do so. It would surely crumble with just a single grip, shaky hands don't help the matter either. Grom, who I would like to say is 72 years old, is a master at what he does. Overall he has created more than 300 eggshell masterpieces. Each unique and breathtaking all on their own. The amount of work and patience he puts into a single eggshell is just mind-blowing. It's stuff like this that makes me inspired and makes me feel like I need to be more productive with my time. Anything can be accomplished. You just have to put your mind, time, and effort into everything you do and you will be rewarded for all your hard work!

Olympic Opening

It's Saturday! Did everyone watch the opening ceremony to the Summer Olympics yesterday? I did and was pleasantly surprised and entertained. For the 40.7 million viewers who did, they must have been doing something right. This was the most watched Summer opening in 50 years. The creative aspects and the visuals of the Olympics were stunning and breathtaking. The highlights for me were the Queen's entrance in the James Bond skit, the lighting of the torch and cauldron which was done in an innovative manner, and Paul McCartney closing the show. But my favorite part of the Olympics was undoubtedly Mr. Bean. If you aren't familiar with Mr. Bean, he's a British comedian character. His mannerisms make him funny. He doesn't need to say a thing but can still manage to make you laugh. I still remember watching the movie when I was in Paris. This was my first encounter with Mr. Bean and I was hooked ever since. Here is his hilarious skit at the Olympic Opening.

Like I said, the visual imagery to the opening ceremony was absolutely breathtaking. This was thanks to Danny Boyle, English producer and director. The opening was inspired by Shakespeare. That's why everything was so fluid and poetic. The joining of the Olympic rings was majestic and suspenseful. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. The thought of not knowing what was going to happen and the surprise element of the pyrotechnics surely stood out and wowed.

photo via Screen Rant

The skit  "Isles of Wonder" about children's literacy was creepy yet wonderful. Everything was so surreal. It brought books to life and challenged my imagination. It was creative and dreamlike in every way. The standout was when a group of Mary Poppins flew down into the stadium on their umbrellas. It was incredible to watch and by you can tell by the image below, every aspect of the show was directed perfected. The composition is brilliant and shows an every surreal image.

photo via Mail Online

The lighting of the cauldron was somewhat unexpected. We are all used to seeing something significant lighting the cauldron to signify the opening of the games. It was unique in that 7 young athletes each holding a torch lit a petal of the cauldron. This ignited a series of 204 lighted petals, one for each nation competing in the games. Staying modern is about being innovative and thinking about new ways to enhance and better a tradition. I commend the Olympics for breaking away from tradition. The end results holds such a significance and symbolizes much more than a recognized face lighting the cauldron.

photo via Mail Online

photo via Mail Online

 

Sir Paul McCartney closing the show brought tears to my eyes. I've been a Beatles fan for some time now and 'Hey Jude' is one of my favorite songs. The Olympic opening in London was so iconic and memorable that even Paul McCartney got choked up. This was a real moment for me and I was glad to have witness such a moving piece. All in all the opening ceremony to the Olympics was simply amazing. It doesn't matter what country you are rooting for. Watching the games and showing your spirit is what counts. My favorite part of the actual games is swimming. I've been watching it to see how much gold Michael Phelps can win. This year I wanted to watch Ryan Lochte take gold and he just did in the 400-meter. And to my surprise, Phelps came in 4th. Oh I'm excited to watch the rest of the games! Tune in and check it out!

Form and Function

So you're probably sick of hearing about my mini-room renovation, but out of this comes inspiration. You must know the principle "form follows function," where the shape of an object or building should be based on its intended purpose. But how about form in conjunction with function? How they can work together in unity and stay low-key. Furniture should look like furniture and shouldn't change its form for the sole purpose of function. When you have a small room, you have to get creative with your living space and the storage for your stuff. There are actually some pretty clever storage options out there. These witty storage ideas are incorporated into your living space and you wouldn't even know they were there as storage. This is also good to keep your stuff hidden while keeping your space clutter-free.

photo via Sophie Mensen

photo via Sophie Mensen

I actually like art history and the various styles, movements, and monuments. I've always had an interest in Classical or Greek and Roman art. The sculptures and buildings are extremely powerful and beautiful. Another thing I like are columns. So when I saw this column that doubled as storage space, I was in awe. Columns are an innovative way to add a unique touch to a room. It adds dimension, depth, and layers to a room. The best part about this column is the bottom portion which acts as a step stool. This allows you to reach the top of the storage column while still staying discreet.

photo via The Home Depot

I've always had a thing for closets or rooms built into staircases. This was such a neat idea. Then I saw this storage idea where you incorporate your entire multimedia system including your television into your staircase. I thought this was brilliant, especially for smaller spaces. T.V.s take up a lot of space and are usually just sitting around. Why not hide them away to clear space? This keeps a living room more spacious and clutter-free.

photo via Freshome

photo via Freshome

I want this desk. It's stunning, genius, and functional. On the exterior, it's a simple white desk. Then you open it up and you have storage space for all your supplies that would otherwise be sitting on top of your desk. This frees up you table for a clean, clutter-free table top. I could use this because my tabletop is always full of stuff, which makes my small room look messy and packed.

photo via Dornob

Ok so this sofa is actually based off the principle of "form follows function," but I still find it unique and prolific. And it goes well with the clever storage topic. This takes the pull-out sofa to the next level. It's basically the same concept but for actual storage and not bedding. Sofas take up quite a bit of space. Why not make this space useful for something other than sitting space? The headrest allows for extra hidden storage and makes this sofa a double-functioned piece. Furniture takes up a vast amount of space in your living area. This can cause some problems when you have a smaller living area. Why not double on the functionality of these pieces by combining them with storage space? These are clever, productive, and resourceful. Even if you don't have a small living space, these witty furniture pieces are still something to look into. They will allow for cleaner and clutter-free spaces making your living area to look brighter and bigger. This will give off a feeling of relaxation due to the sparkle and shine of a clean space!

Ombre Obsesssion

I'm not one to follow trends or know what's in at the moment. I like what looks nice, doesn't matter if was last season or last year. As a designer I love color, especially monochromatic single-colored gradients or tints and shades of a single color in a continuous gradual fade. So apparently the term for this is ombre. I always associated ombre with hair. You know, he two-toned hair color that looks as if someone didn't retouch their roots. I like how many years ago it was a crime to have your roots showing, and now it's a trend. That's the thing about trends and why I personally don't follow them. They come and go so quickly I get confused. So I just stick to what aesthetically looks good and that to me never goes out of style.

photo via Martha Stewart

This ombre-styled lampshade is surely a center piece worth hanging up. The gradual color change is absolutely stunning. It gives a sophisticated edge to an otherwise plain lampshade. The color is just enough variety to give it a slight pop of color, yet doesn't overdo itself with distracting colors and patterns. It will definitely be an attention grabber and draw ones' eyes to it. You can learn how to make your very own ombre lampshade thanks to Martha Stewart. Don't forget to change up the color of the shade to fit your living space and personality.

photo via Design Shuffle

This chevron ombre wall decor takes it a step further by giving the wall a slight pattern, but still staying soft and sophisticated. It gives your living space a relax feel by its subtle color palette and the gradual change of it. By painting the bottom the darkest shade and fading up extends your ceiling and makes it look higher. It also creates a dynamic offset when it fades to white. This creates a balance that helps portray the feeling of relaxation.


I've had the same desk for almost 10 years now. It's a plain wood 6-drawer desk that's not that exciting. After much debate, I decided to toss it. Then I saw this ombre colored desk and wanted to kick myself. My desk wasn't that damaged to trash and could have been easily fixed up and repainted. Lesson learned, never toss out anything you can fix or update. This is where hoarder problems come in but that's awholenother story. The monochromatic drawers are kept to a minimum and bring a pop of color into your living space.

photo via Rose Petal Beauty

photo via Rose Petal Beauty

Lastly I'm a sucker for nail polish and nail design. I recently organized my nail polish collection and it looks as if I have a store in my room. These ombre nails are simply gorgeous. I like that there are no limits to the term ombre. Whether you're painting one nail or the set of nails, ombre allows you to be as creative as you'd wish. Ombre is about letting your imagination play and letting you be as creative and whimsy as you can. It's about letting your personality shine. If you want to bring a sense of joy and creativity into your life, try adding some ombre into it. You'll never know what will come out of it!

DIY Stash Book

I've always been fond of secret stash books or hollow spy books. If you aren't familiar with these, they're basically books on the exterior with a hollow interior. They're made to look like actual books to blend in with other books on a shelf, but have a secret compartment on the inside. It's a pretty neat idea to hide things you don't want others to see or find. I've always wanted one but they're kind of pricey for me. I'm not big on spending money on stuff I can find or make myself. So I had to look into this and I actually found a way to make my very own secret stash book!

photo via How To Do Stuff

I found the D.I.Y. on How To Do Stuff. The steps are clear and easy to follow. Here's a list of what you'll need:

-Hardcover Book
-Elmer's White Glue
-Container to Hold Glue Solution
-X-acto Knife/Box Cutter
-Brush
-Ruler
-Pencil/Pen

The materials needed are essentials or ones you could easily find at any arts/crafts or office supply store. The hardcover book is a little harder to find, but they can be found cheaper at thrift stores or yard sales. The key is finding a book cover that attracts your eye. This is going to be sitting on your book shelf. You want it to blend in with your other books, not stick out. Make sure it goes well with other books on your shelf. You don't want it to stand out in a good way or bad. This will make the concept of the book useless. Next you want to look for book size. Depending on what you want to stash, pick a book size appropriate to what you want to use it for. After that, just follow the steps on how to cut and glue the compartment here. Have fun and hide away!

Write-On Decals

Recently I've bought a few write-on wall decals for my room. I'm in the middle of cleaning up and redecorating. It's been slow but I'm working towards a cluttered-free creative room. That's where the decals come in. They're actually pretty basic but I can cut them to shape. I didn't know exactly what I wanted so I bought the dry erase and the chalkboard decals. I found them both enjoyable and witty but leaned more towards the chalkboard decals. Both chalkboards and dry erase boards come with a certain feeling. They both personally remind me of school and the different phases of it. Chalkboards bring me back to elementary school or a simpler time. A time where I was carefree and had no responsibilities. Dry erase boards are more high school/college days and this was usually writing out math solutions. You see why I leaned towards the chalkboard. These chalkboard decals are for the young at heart. They'll bring you back to a simpler time and who wouldn't love to feel like a kid again?

photo via Company Kids

photo via Company Kids

photo via Company Kids

In deciding what shapes to cut my square decals, I started looking up other chalkboard decals. In doing so I found Company Kids. Their decals are pretty neat, clever and creative. The style is geared for younger kids, but with chalkboard decals, I think they can fit any age. I mean anyone can enjoy a cupcake chalkboard on their wall. Age is just a number! These decals are whimsical and can brighten up any room with the interactive qualities of them.

photo via Trendy Wall Designs

I found these monster decals to be absolutely adorable. I'm a huge fan of cute cartoon monsters and these were just what I needed to see. Another thing I like about shaped chalkboard decals is that they are essentially silhouette decals. They can look clean and fresh when not drawn on. Then can instantly change the mood and feel of a room when you draw on them. The interactive quality is what initially drew me to these decals.

photo via Bathroom Decorating

Who can forget about the moustache? It's still a trendy topic and I always love a good looking moustache. Place a couple of these chalkboard decals up for the sole purpose of brightening up your wall with something funny and trending. These will definitely make you feel and look younger and "hipper." Trending items are more than just what's in at a certain point in time. They are a symbol of a generation, a theme of an ageless class. They make consumers up-to-date with life and their surroundings. Once something is popular, they'll be seen everywhere. Why not add them to your walls for the simple joy of that. Celebrate life as it is. Live WITH the moment and not just in it!

LunaBlocks

If you can remember, there was a post written about Lego and interior design. Now after some research I've found something bigger and better, adult-sized Lego pieces. These aren't kid's toys. When I say adult-size, I mean life-sized building blocks that one can actually assemble into anything they can imagine. They primarily were designed for the ease of consumers. Anyone can virtually build a Lego chair or table. But imagine the amount of time and Lego pieces it would take to build furniture like these. With LunaBlocks, created by Thierry Nahon and Philippe Landecker of Lunatic Construction, you'd get the same look and feel of a Lego furniture piece but it would be to scale and size of the original. The best part is like the original Lego pieces, these LunaBlocks comes in all colors and shapes. They are fun and whimsical and bring joy to your inner child. But of course, happiness does come at a price. These will set you back $20-$55 a brick.

photo via Dornob

photo via Dornob

photo via Freshome

These bricks are no joke. Like the original, they easily stack on top of one another for simple and manageable construction. Besides the bricks, all you need is a table top, pillows and cushions to complete the look. But most importantly, you'll need a creative imagination. The whole aesthetic of these designs are more appealing than the actual look. They look as if they would be hard and plastic-like like the real Lego pieces. But thanks to modernization and the accessible materials, there are more comfortable materials for availability.
  
Material

photo via Xymara

photo via LikeCool

Unlike the original Lego pieces that come in the form of plastic, LunaBlocks comes in a various array of materials. These include LunaBlock, LunaSoft plastic, LunaGlass glass, LunaMetal steel, and LunaLight pillow-like material. The different materials are modernized and unique. They were created with the consumer in mind. These will definitely fit into your home design plan. So no matter what the look or feel of your interior, you'll have something that suits your needs. Furniture contains the word 'fun' so why not try something different. Being whimsical is not a crime. These will calm you down by making you see life in a new light. It will make you happier and stress less due to the fun aspect of them. For the child at heart, try some of these LunaBlocks out. They will surely please everyone, even if they're not a Lego fan!

Book Art

Going along with the theme of non-traditional mediums and eco-friendly art, I wanted to share with you all one of my favorite artist, Alex Queral. Queral started creating celebrity portraits after finding a stack of phone books laying around. Everyone knows the phone book is slowly fading away since most get their information from the internet. So the amount of phone books that are looked over and not taken are thrown away or just rot away. Queral took this into consideration and decided to put them to good use and have them last forever. He carves 3-dimentional celebrity portraits out of these phone books. The process is slow and tedious. He starts by cutting into the phone book with an X-ACTO knife and pulls back the layers. If he makes a wrong cut, he starts his portraits all over again. Nothing says perfection more than this. And because of this, I admire him and his work even more.

Barack Obama

photo via Metro

 Albert Einstein

photo via Oddity Central

 

photo via Oddity Central

Pee-Wee Herman

photo via 1-800-Recycling

photo via 1-800-Recycling

 
 Clint Eastwood

photo via Oddity Central

For Queral, the use of phone books is about more than just recycling. The concept and meaning behind his work is powerful. He states, ‘In carving and painting a head from a phone-book directory, I’m celebrating the individual lost in the anonymous list of thousands of names that describe the size of the community.’ I find this admirable and inspiring from its contradiction. Portraying a well-known person on a book of unknown names and numbers is clever and witty. It shows how much one person can impact thousands. That's how I see it anyways. He finishes off the pieces with a black wash to enhance details and then seals everything with a transparent acrylic layer to maintain the work. This takes the phrase book art to a new level. Check out more incredible work from Queral here.

Visual Macarons

Happy Friday the 13th! I hope everything went well today and you didn't see any black cats wandering around. That's if you're superstitious. When I was younger, Friday the 13th was a big deal. I would spend the day watching Friday the 13th movies. It was like a tradition for me. Now that I'm older, it's just another ordinary day. I still love the movies, but the date Friday the 13th doesn't mean something horrible is going to happen to me or others around me. It's just another day of mystery and fun, just like everyday should be.

Anyways, I've been a little slow to jump on the macaron bandwagon. I've seen people raving over them for a long time now, but I never understood the big deal about them. They're small in size and quite pricey. But I had my first macaron a couple months ago and finally understood the madness around them. Now I'm hooked. Macarons are not only tasty, they look adorable and perfect. Sometimes too good to eat. Some more than others.

photo via Raspberri Cupcakes

photo via Raspberri Cupcakes

No one can forget my love for the donut. They are my all-time top favorite breakfast item/dessert/anytime snack. When I saw these macarons from Raspberri Cupcakes that resembled the donut, I wanted some. They are creative and incredibly adorable. The best part is that the recipe is there for everyone to try to recreate. I'm not big on baking so I'm not even going to attempt this. But for all those adventurous bakers, give this a try. I've never seen a macaron that broke away from the norm and this one macaron initiated my search for other unique macarons out there.

photo via Not So Humble Pie

photo via Not So Humble Pie

I grew up in California and my food choices are pretty much all-American. I love burgers and fries. The cheeseburger is my go-to food choice and I even buy them from donut stores and Mexican fast food places. So I was even more ecstatic when I saw these than the donut macarons. The concept is brilliant and the ingredients are as fun and whimsy as the end result. This macaron consists of almond, chocolate, coconut flakes and real sesame seeds. It may not taste like a burger, but imagine what it would taste like. Your mind and taste buds will surely have some mixed reactions when you bite into it. If you're not brave enough to try these burger macarons, check out Not So Humble blog for more yummy recipes. I hope this made you hungry because I could go for a macaron just about now!

Seung Mo Park

I'm a huge fan of non-traditional medium utilized in art and design. It's the surprise element that really provokes a strong sense of enchantment and respect. I like to hand draw illustrations with clean lines similar to vectors and the amount of time I take to create a single image is unthinkable. The process is slow and time consuming. By the time I finish, I end up with a single sheet of paper with multiple lines on them. Sometimes I work so long on them I eventually give up because there seems like no end to it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bad-mouthing illustration of any kind. It's a traditional form of art and will always be respected. But when I see large scaled installations or sculptures, I'm truly amazed because I know how much time and effort actually went into them. I see them in a new light and with a great respect.

photo via Colossal

photo via Colossal

So what medium do you think these installations are made from? Here's a clue, think non-traditional. So pen and ink, pencil, and paint is out of the question. Okay if you aren't familiar with Seung Mo Park or his work, this would be pretty difficult to figure out. These incredible pieces are all made of wire mesh. The process of the way he works is mesmerizing. He starts by photographing his muses. Then recreates these images by hand cutting multiple wire mesh screens then layering to create depth. I've never seen or heard of anything similar to this that's strikingly detailed and meticulous.

Scale:

photo via Colossal

photo via Archdezart

photo via Colossal

You wouldn't know how massive these were if it weren't for these above images. The scale of these pieces make them even more incredible.

Close-Up:

photo via Colossal

The cross-hatch effect that is created by layering multiple wire mesh is precise and thorough. I can barely hand draw by cross-hatch so I can imagine the process of hand cutting wire mesh and then layering them. Check out the below video for the stunning process.

Modern Wedding Invites

I know I've talked about wedding dresses and wedding cakes, but not once have I mentioned invitations! As a graphic design that is the first thing I should be thinking of when I think wedding. But my female brain likes to think like a little girl when I hear the word "wedding" and start thinking about princesses and fairy tale endings. I've seen a good amount of wedding invitations and most of them are pretty much similar to one another. You wouldn't be able to tell any of them apart. They might as well be the same wedding. You know what I'm talking about...script fonts, florals, ribbons, and a clean design with a lot of white space. Everybody wants that picture perfect wedding and sometimes cliche can become the easy way out when it comes to invitation. I mean they look pretty and classic so one can't go wrong. But being in the 21st century, we have more resources to go beyond the traditional invitation and create something spectacular and inspirational.

photo via My Modern Met

photo via My Modern Met

This is by far one of my favorite wedding invites yet. Photographers Trevor and Larissa, formerly Ambient Studios has created something that's both innovative and unique to their personalities, film canister wedding invites. I would love one of these just to pull the paper "film" out. It will give a rush similar to pulling on a real film roll without messing up the film. Modern wedding photography is their niche so staying modern and unique with their wedding invites was no questions asked. These film canisters will also make great keepsakes since they're so out of the norm. You won't need to worry about people receiving your invites and then trashing them when they r.s.v.p. These are definitely keepers.

photo via JolieJolie Design

Sweet treats are always a creative way to bribe guests to attend your wedding or any occasion in that case. Italy based design agency Uncle Pear has found a way to show wedding invites whimsically in a new light. As you can see, there is still a slight script font but the layout is definitely more modern. These candy bar packaged wedding invites are surely sweet and will get guests hyped up for the upcoming event.

photo via The Art of Weddings

Wedding invites resembling lottery scratchers are cute and creative. These interactive invites will get guests involved with your wedding and make them feel like winners. They are fairly easy to recreate. For more information, check out the how to here. These invites are definitely winners. Wedding invites don't have to be traditional and stick to the norm. Personally I feel in these modern times, wedding invites just like everything else in our lives, should reflect our personalities and be unique to our style. We have an amazing amount of resources to create a more memorable invite thus more memorable wedding. Everyone wants to be different and feel special. Don't be caught handing out traditional wedding invites. Modernize and personalize your wedding invites, but don't stray too far away and make your invites complicated and unsightly. At the end of the day, it's your special day. Choose what makes you happy. But remember, there are more options out there than just classic and traditonal!