Happy Birthday Cardboard!

Porcelain & Cardboard

Happy Birthday my dear friend! Hope you bowl a perfect game this year!!!

XOXO
Love, Porcelain

New Year's Renovations

Happy New Year to all of you! We hope all of you find success, love, fulfillment, and comfortable socks in this new and sci-fizzle sounding decade. 2010 may sound like the future but the future is now.

Speaking of now, Porcelain and I are going to take a little blogging break. We've been Painting Walls Orange... for nearly four years and we are now - finally!- a little burnt out. We wish there was some kind of device that could put it all into perfect order but we think it's time for some major renovations.

But please don't worry that Design Boner will never get (it) up again. We're not worried! We will continue to post just not as often. This next month will find us powering brunching and, over Bloody Mary flights and rose petal butter, we will scale back, seek out the creative, and focus on what sets Design Boner apart.

If you have any thoughts on what direction this blog should take - what do you love? what do you love (not so much) - we're completely open to the feedback. We hope to have more figured out by the end of January. Until then, please feed yourself on our RSS so you don't starve yourself of wit and...

!...STAY TUNED...!

Warm for Porcelain

USB Heating Gloves, at USB Geek

Happy birthday, Porcelain!

I regret I did not buy the shown-above BEST BLOGGER GIFT EVER for your special day. I suggest you sit on your hands, for the time being, and just wait and hope for Christmas...or next year...or (best yet) a warmer, mo' better work environment.

I love you, my blogger buddy, and I hope 2010 brings you success and warm fingers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We took a break this week. We hope you did too! Just know that we're always thankful for you, your readin' eyeballs, mouse-clickin' hands, and genuinely smart-ass comments.

Teco Art Pottery Collection™ Workshop at Room & Board

Prairie Mod will be giving a workshop about the Teco Art Pottery this Saturday at Room & Board in Oak Brook. Space is limited, so RSVP HERE.

Open Book: Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse!

Since it's Banned Books Week, it's fitting that we post a new Open Book. It's not that this children's tale is controversial or taboo, it's just a good excuse to finally post this.

Frog

I grew up with Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! written by George Mendoza. Published in 1981, this book chronicles the work of Henrietta, a FEMALE mouse architect and designer.

Rabbit

As a child, I remember finding something new each time I examined an animal abode. I loved peeking through a jagged slice of earth into the secret animal lives and I delighted in the working relationship between beasts (a mouse is helping a cat?!).

Looking back through the book now, I realize how each home fits the purpose of each animal. Not one home is sloppy or cluttered or excessive. Every modest room, each basic accessory has its reason for being there. Well, except for Pig...she's, by nature, decadent.

Brown Trout

The drawings/paintings by Doris Susan Smith are enchanting and vibrant. Some of my favorites are Brown Trout (above) and Worm (below).

Worm

Yet one of the best parts of the book is - and I'm not ruining it for you - THE END. Henrietta is shown camping out, grilling mushrooms and hot dogs over an open fire, and the introspective text reads: "As for Henrietta, she cares only for the simple life! What about you?"

Henrietta Camps Out

To bring it full circle, there might be one reason this book might be banned...or at least re-drawn: check out the inside/back cover image of the furry and cig-smokin' contractor!

Cigs!

Surprisingly, finding your own Ms. Mouse might be tricky and/or expensive. The book is listed on Amazon but sold only through used book vendors, the low price of $124. As tempting as it is, I cannot possibly part with mine.

6 & 7 Appreciation

Our show was a success! Check out some of our photography (above, border) that got us PAID.

With reflective hearts and sore fingers, Porcelain & I had to un-install the 6 & 7 show this past Sunday. We worked hard on this project and we're taking a bit of a blog rest (if you call going through a million photos of photos "rest"). We'll be back to the blog soon, with our usual wit and phallicism.

In the meantime, know that we very much appreciate you...appreciating us. We need to specifically thank Debbie, Pup, Formica, Michael, Amy, Domino, The Hi-Rises, Leanne, Mike, Patti, Ania, Reinessa for laughing in the face of economics and buying some of our artwork. We are also completely in love with and touched by everyone who showed up, helped out, or lifted a glass of Pinot (above, center) in DB's arty honor.

Bonus Bone: Indoor/Outdoor Houndstooth Rug & Love

Houndstooth Polypropylene Rug, at Overstock

I like this indoor/outdoor rug for a few reasons. Number one, houndstooth is a classic, a pattern that can mix with most others or stand proudly alone. Secondly, this design reminds me of my sister, Alison Rose, who is...

...finally engaged to her beloved Mr. Sketch! May love and houndstooth decorate the rest of your lives together!

For this reason, I, Cardboard, declare all this a Design Boner.

6 & 7 : The Gallery Show reminder

Cardboard, 1-10-2009

Porcelain, 4-28-2007

These two will be there on Saturday. Will you?!

Event Details:
6 & 7 Photographs by Design Boner
Saturday, July 18, 2009
6-10 pm
Chicago Art Department
1837 S. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60608

For full details on how the gallery show got off the ground, go HERE.

6 & 7 : The Gallery Show

Cardboard and I have been committed to our 6 & 7 project for the past 2.5 years. We decided, for our 3rd blog birthday, that we'd like to do something really special and put together a gallery show...

[...blowing out those birthday candles...]

Our wish came true! For the past few months, we've been planning, editing, printing, list-making, top model photo shooting - all this while consistently excited and nervous - and, in less than two weeks, it's showtime!

We'd love to meet our readers (IRL) and show off the BIG BIG ENLARGEMENTS of our little ol' weekend photos. We hope many ALL of you can attend. If you are a design boner fan on Facebook, please RSVP on our event page.

Event Details:
6 & 7 Photographs by Design Boner
Saturday, July 18, 2009
6-10 pm
Chicago Art Department
1837 S. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60608

Special thanks to CAD resident artist Seth Gershberg for putting such a fancy orange bow on our birthday gift!

Eye Candy: Chicago Botanic Gardens

Water Lilies

Since our computer system at work was being upgraded (and, therefore, unusable), Porcelain and I, along with the rest of our department, took a field trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. It wasn't the springiest day to visit but there was no down of the pouring and the inspiration (color, shape, texture) was completely user-friendly.

Fireworks

Feel it along with us and help will summer to get here already by checking out the rest of our beauteous botanicals.

Porcelain in the Gardens

Sweepstakes Reminder

Some REALLY old art!

It's not everyday we're giving away some of our OLD ART! Remember to enter our 3rd annual birthday sweepstakes to win a Porcelain Original or a Cardboard One-of-a-kind!

SORRY - the sweepstakes is over!
Deadline: Friday, June 12th @ noon CST

Photo credit: Conquina Daily

Third Annual Birthday Sweepstakes

So all you fabulous DB fans out there know that we just turned three years old. It appears that you guys love to read us...at least 75-80 percent of the time.

If you've been with us from the beginning, you might recall that we like to give back on our birthday. Since we can't afford to fly to your house just to give you a hug, we're going to go ahead with our traditional birthday sweepstakes. [Cue game show music]


On our first birthday, we gave away items from our homes. For our second birthday, we classed it up with a waspy weekend getaway and some reader-focused shopping. We started to edge toward artsy by also gifting the winners with souvenir design boner rocks paperweights but, this year, we're getting even more personal.

Porcelain and I have recently gotten all wrapped up in art: lookin' at it, making it, even forming a club about it (details to follow). In fact, we just nabbed ourselves a gallery show to display our 6/7's (details definitely to follow). So this year, in a hastily drawn swirl of creative spirit and nostalgia, we are each giving away a piece of...

...OLD ART!

That's right! We've spent the past week going back through old sketchbooks (high school, college, commune - oh my!) and have selected two incredible (but small) pieces from our artistic pasts. We're not going to post photos of them them yet (surprise, duh) but how can you resist a Porcelain Original or a Cardboard One-of-a-Kind?

The rules are basic: leave us a comment below (and a way to contact you, should your name get pulled from the beret). We'll choose two winners to have a happy design boner birthday on us.

SORRY - the sweepstakes is over!
Deadline: Friday, June 12th @ noon CST

Lead photo credit: i can read

Three Years!

Celebratory birthday drinks and ice cream cake

Three years ago today, design boner was born! We decided to celebrate the occasion by spending a fun-filled day together, along with one of our dearest friends (material name yet to be determined). Brunching, dancing, and drinks. The perfect trifecta!

At Fiddlehead Cafe, Porcelain inhaled her plate of Chilaquiles and washed it all down with a Spicy Bloody Mary. Cardboard chose the deliciously flavorful Truffled Eggs and a cup of coffee with a hint of cream.

With full tummies and just a tiny bit sleepy, we headed over to the Athenaeum Theatre to see Little Dead Riding Hood performed by Chicago Tap Theatre. Cardboard had seen two members of this dance company perform earlier this year and we were all so glad she told us about this production. Completely wowed and inspired, we all knew we'd be googling Chicago tap dance classes as soon as we returned home.

Porcelain & Cardboard celebrate turning 3 by feeding each other cake!

To close up the day, we went for a birthday drink at the sophisticated but not snotty In Fine Spirits. Cardboard chose the elegantly named Bonaventure (12 Bridges Gin, Junmai Ginjo sake, cucumber, lemon, mint) and Porcelain went with the summer classic, Pimm's Cup (Pimm's No. 1 Cup, fever-Tree bitter lemon soda, cucumber, strawberry, lemon, mint). A nearby table was also celebrating a birthday. They were sweet enough to offer us a slice of their ice cream cake, which we happily fed to one another (see photo above).

It was a perfect day with a perfect friend!!

A BIG Birthday for Mr. Sketch

Turning 30 ain't for sissies.  Happily, Mr. Sketch can grow this fine goatee to help him MAN UP.  

If you don't know and are curious as to the role Mr. Sketch plays in my life, he is my sister's boyfriend ("luvah") - an artist, musician, AND teacher.  He's also co-owner of the hippest online shop, Alison Rose.

Happy BIG BOY birthday, Mr. S!  Please have and eat your cake.

Wish List : Eames Rocker

Fiberglass shell rocker, at Modernica

Earlier this month Hardwood and I celebrated our 4th Wedding anniversary! We celebrated by enjoying a leisurely morning and a late brunch. We then spent the afternoon browsing around a couple of antique stores in our neighborhood and later treated ourselves to an amazing meal at Green Zebra.

At one antique store, Hardwood spotted an Eames Rocker and proclaimed his love. I knew we were meant to be together!! We checked out the price tag and were stunned to see $1600!!! WTF?! Seriously?! We grumbled, but then I remembered that Modernica allows you to build your own chair. So when we got home from our walk we started messing around with the shell, runner, and leg colors. Our favorite combination is the moss shell, zinc legs and walnut runners. Maybe on our next anniversary we'll get this!

Bonus Bone: Summer Vacation reading

Porcelain's reading vacation reading list

Hardwood and I are jetting off tomorrow for a week of chillaxing around Lake Michigan (on the Michigan side). I love laid-back vacations cause I can spend of a good chunk of my time with my nose stuck in a book and not feel one ounce of guilt.

For these reasons, I, Porcelain, declare this a Design Boner.

Day of Gracious Living

Today is Day of Gracious Living. If you attended (or are attending) Kalamazoo College, you know what I'm talking about. SOUTH HAVEN! If you're in the dark, it's a day when classes are canceled and most students head to Lake Michigan for some sun-filled fun.

If you can't skip classes or work today (like me and Cardboard), at least treat yourself to a nice gin & tonic! Drinks on design boner!

Photo credit: Stephanie Foley

And the Winners Are...!

Presents!

We wanted to hear back from our two winners of Domino: The Book of Decorating before making the big announcement. If you didn't an email...sorry! But go ahead and congratulate these two:

liane66 and ArchitectDesign!

We're eager to check out Liane66's recommendation of Living a Beautiful Life. ArchitectDesign simply loved Domino yet he also happens to have his own designerly blog, which we've already bookmarked. We're happy these prize books are going to such deserving designers!

Again, thanks to Nina Schwartz for allowing us to delight our readers with gifts. We hope they keep the Domino dream alive by writing in with their future projects (wink wink).

This is My Love on Steroids

Triple Chocolate Caramel Apple, at Mrs. Prindable's

Dang it. I just found the perfect Mother's Day present and it's one day late.

These decadent apple orbs serve 8-10 people. 8-10! I do believe that, had I planned ahead and actually bought her one, this is what Mama Cardboard would have called an "apple huge."

Hope all you foxy mothers had a great holiday weekend!