Julia’s Blog

I really like the idea of using infographics on packaging, as long as the graphic actually does make the information easier to understand.

“Montreal-based visualization firm FFunction has developed a concept packaging design for representing nutritional facts on consumable products. The design focuses on giving consumers at-a-glance information in a way that uncovers nutritional value (or lack of) normally obscured in text.”

Among the many instances of the Downtown Alliance using art to spruce up construction sites is artist Maya Barkai’s “Walking Men 99″. Barkai gathered 99 examples of silhouettes from “walk” signs from around the world and lined them up in one big row. The installation covers the wall surrounding a construction site in downtown manhattan, recreating each cross walk symbol in human scale. Included in the piece are icons from Tel Aviv, Vancouver, Florence, Moscow, Kyoto, Barcelona, Santiago, Beirut, Utrecht, New York and many others. The installation will stay on display till mid january 2011. I’m sure Maya has something else coming as inspiring as her current creation, and I’m trilled to see.

1. Spread some link love to blogs you read and companies with which you like to deal with.

2. Give a tour to your crib (office space, garage, etc).

3. Highlight how you’re diving back to community (any story description of other person would work).

4. Show how you prefer to spend spare time (hobbies, crafts, sports).

5. Post photos, videos you find relevant to what you propagandize.

6. Join or start an internet meme – like posting eight things people may not know about; then ask other bloggers to join in ( I’m not an exception…).

7. Simply answer questions from readers’ comments. Take any random thought and play with it.

8. Hold a contest for readers to win something, which you still haven’t used in your household by completing given tasks.

9. Write a tribute to your mentor or person you’re thrilled to meet.

10. Just write a joke or place one demotivator to break a pattern.

Since it’s getting more demand and positive feedback, creating something different is a great way to spend your spare time, change a current style and same money in some cases. This post is about very important accessories, Lamps. As you can see on the pictures below, many designers and artists fight against plastic indulgence in the world, and results are outstanding. Besides plastic as a material source, carton, pens, beer caps, cup holders, even used lamp bulbs are good to go. Imagination is unlimited, so get ready to cross the borders…

Although this year brought us many brilliant and contagious videos, such as Susan Boyle’s solo or dancing wedding ceremony, in this post I want to write about the fun project, called Fun Theory, which combines several experiments taped on video with one simple concept: Fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better (environment, human habits and people). The Piano Stairs video reached over 9 million vies for only two months. And this is impressive, because of not only their viral booming power, but also the changing effect it made on people. Most of them (66% to be precise) chose stairs instead of using escalator under the outside influence of visual, audio and kinesthetic elements. Video “The world’s deepest bin” and “Bottle bank arcade” also prove how fun, but inexpensive innovations can change human habits to act responsibly. Recycling glass when the glass recycle bin is like a slot machine or clearing litter when a trash can offers sound effects as trash is pitched in shows how easily things can be changed for better.I give tw0 thumbs up to the whole campaign and their generators. Have you noticed Volkswagen logo dropped at the end? “Fun Theory” contest also encourages visitors to upload their own applications of the theory. A prize of 2500 Euros will go to the creator of the winning experiment, decided on by a panel Swedish experts in behavioral science and environmental issues. We’ll know the winners after January 15th, 2010. I think such positive associations with VW will only bring benefits to the environmentally-friendly company image and increase brand loyalty among consumers. Congratulations VW!!!

Let’s face it Christmas is gone, all presents have been already given and most of delicious treats are gone. The only thing which keeps reminding us about Santa’s magic is wrapping paper. Usually we don’t throw away various colorful rolls, right? Usually we keep them somewhere in shelves or baskets till next year. But what if we go unusual way this time, make something unexpected but useful too. And wrapping paper can be a good sampler to start with.

Here’re some innovative methods of recycling it:

1. Run it through a paper shredder and use it to stuff gift bags or baskets. The finished result is beautiful.

2. Redecorate your walls with wrapping paper. Try abstract way of thinking using ornaments, ribbons, pieces of plastic, etc. I bet yours will be worth several hundreds of dollars.

3. When taking down your Christmas tree, use wrapping paper to wrap delicate ornaments, and to provide cushioning between ornaments wherever they are stored.

4. If you plan to remodel your house, wrapping paper is your best friend then. You can cover the floors, walls, furniture and other household items with it.

5. Wrapping paper can be shredded and used to protect items you have to ship throughout the year.

6. Instead of buying wrapping paper next year, try to collect your comics, magazines, shopping brown paper bags throughout the year to use it instead of wrapping rolls. Plus, the look adds some spice in each package.

7. You can donate wrapping paper to your local scrapbooking club. I’m sure “scissor-masters” need this kind of supply all the time.

8. Create your own way and share it with us.

Pic Source

Copying isn\’t stealing

by twitter.com/bocharik

Christmas spirit has woken me up early this year. On December fifth or six I felt a need to hand-made something beautiful. So my first step toward my hand-cravings was Michaels store. And take a look what I bought from there. Quick review: various paper pads, scissors, wrapping paper, adhesive tape and borders, colorful ribbons, foam sticky snowflakes, ruler and pencil.

I also checked the Papirus store to see what’s is on the market nowdays, because I haven’t made postcards for several years  and decided to remind few details to my imagination. As soon as something clicked in my head, I started the project.

First I started with paper and scissors. The size of a pad is 12 inch by 12 inch. So I separated it in three parts.

Then bent the slice in the middle.

So in the other side it looked like this.

After it I was done with scrutinized work and let my mind go wild. I took one see-through wrapping paper and put it on the top of a future card to draw the borders for cutting purposes. Next was (as you probably have already guessed) I cut off all unnecessary parts of a wrapping paper.

Then I bent it over too.

And to make my postcard steady and rigid, I took a self-adhesive type, which looked like plastic laces (there’s lots of variations in Michaels). I stuck to one side, flipped the card and stuck on the other, cut off the remains 

Then I took adhesive foam snowflakes and decorated the card with them.

One more ornament detail was a wide ribbon, which I wrapped around the card and stuck with a type on back side of a card.

Basically that was it. It took me about 20 minutes to make a first postcard, but next 50 pieces took much less time. I had a great time, my hands were pleased and I’ve created really beautiful small gifts ( I don’t mind if you want to call them a masterpiece). From a budget point of view, I spent around $40 in Michaels and produced 50 cards. So, let’s roughly assume it’s a $1 per one (stamps, envelopes and time aren’t included).

One more important thing is what to write inside, because after all hard work people still pay attention to what is says on the card. Here’s a great site for holidays exclamations and greetings. Good Luck.

Just watched “Julie&Julia”, a brilliant movie about passion and dedication, true relationships and human personalities. Although I consider myself being a strong and emotionally stable woman, I cried three times during a two-hour period of watching the movie. My first intention of picking this film to watch was based on a success blogger story, who managed to focus on a project for a year and stayed tuned no matter what happened “outside of a kitchen”. But now, while sitting completely amazed by the story and characters, I can 100% guarantee that it’s just a begining of “Julie&Julia”‘s description. This live-animated story, which is based on a true story by the way, consists of precise personality analyses and social historic observations. Cooking girl from a tiny Bronx kitchen, typing for blogspot, seems so real to me. And I’ve never heard about charming and confident master-chef Julia Child, but now I understand how thousands of housewives of a north america continent got mesmerized by her show performances and 700-page book recipes. I think one of a major ideas is how these two amazing ladies figured out what they really want in life and had guts to follow their dreams, being supported by their loved husbands. In this film everybody can see how truly love relationships make magic no matter what happens in life.

Here’s a cool thing: the one and only original blog, created by Julie Powell – Ta Da ( just click on it). Get ready to many recipes and hundreds of comments.

I certainly advise you to see it or choose if for a Christmas gift. It’ll bring you joy and lots of thoughts, not only about the good home-made french food.