Is Calvin Klein having a design crisis?

It's 9 AM and I have taken a stand with Calvin Klein.

I am sending back his euphoria perfume sample.

Have you ever smelled "euphoria?"
They describe it as 'top notes' of
pomegranate, persimmon, and lush green,
'mid notes' of lotus blossom,
champaca flower and black orchid,
and, then, 'base notes' of
liquid amber, black violet,
cream and mahogany.
That's what they say.
I just know it smells good.

It's empty, of course. Otherwise I wouldn't be sending it back.

I am returning this used sample handed out at Christmas when I was purchasing fragrances as gifts for my girls.

I'm sending it back because of the design of the bottle.  When I saw it, I could not picture it sitting on my dresser alongside Chanel No. 5 and my French lavender oil.

Sorry, Calvin, but's it's ugly. Really.

So much so, in fact, that I did not buy it. And, I wanted to. I went to Macy's at Galleria Mall for that purpose.

I like the fragrance.

I like the way I smell to me.

And, I like the way others respond to my scent.

Please? It's so difficult to find a fragrance that one likes. There are so many factors involved in choosing a personal fragrance, a signature smell. There's an emotional investment in the choice.

Can't you make a Calvin Klein design that's Calvin Klein? Something I can look at, that's beautiful?

Protesting anything is work. There are activities involved in this process, much of it "creative."

Design steps in crafting this process including selection of the note card, writing the note, photographing the note.

Wrapping the sample in bubble wrap to protect it.


And, photographing it.

After all, the little spray bottle is glass. There are a few drops left in it.

I want him to see that I used it.

I want him to realize that he is losing business with  this ugly design.

Truth is, I don't think he designed it at all. I'd really like to know how that whole thing works out. Does he "subcontract" design work out to young designers? Is that why this so doesn't look like anything Calvin Klein would ever do.

I'm sending it to the "corporate office."










Maybe the advertising folks will get it and go, "Hey, we should listen to our fans. They know good stuff when they see it!"

Yeah.

Right.

{Wink.Wink.}

It's 10:10 AM.

I'm done here.

Casual Friday ~ What I wore to work ...

I admit it. I have not been blogging about my creativity like I promised myself I would. My only excuse is that I've been busy being creative!!

Begin again.
After all, it is still January of a New Year!

So, this morning I was browsing my favorite artist blogs and found inspiration by Alisa Burke's entry for today, "fashion friday what I wore."  I love her blog AND her art and photography, so I visit her often and sometimes am inspired to attempt some of the techniques she employs.

That said, I did a pencil drawing in my notebook and painted with my Talens watercolors, which I am slowly beginning to get the hang of using. Controlling the amount of color in the brush seems to be a key component, especially when working on flimsy notebook paper.

So, here's my offering to the art gods for the New Year  ...

Haircut Reminder

I have short hair. Really short hair. Which requires frequent haircuts to keep from looking too shaggy and unkempt. I sometimes forget when was the last time I got a haircut, so I attached the Supercuts' receipt to a page in my notebook so I could look back and see how long it's been. Then, there I was yesterday morning, looking at that silly receipt pasted there and realized I'd never find it again if I didn't do something to make it memorable. With pen, rubber stamp and watercolors, here's what I did. {This may be my first ever self portrait.}

Just Be Happy

Artist Unknown ...

Lisa Bebi Art Blog

Art by Lisa Bebi

I'm just being happy today. Enjoy to art!

Inspiration for a blue Monday in May

Vintage photo saved for the shade of blue in the dress.

Boat photo saved for the shade of blue of the boat, the sea and the sky.

Nature photo saved for the mix of colors (especially the blue) and the dandelions.

Photo or scan? Love the art! And, especially that shade of blue.

Well said.

Happy Creative New Year!

Here we are again! Another new year to be creative!

I visited Michael's Art Supply store here in Fort Lauderdale between Christmas and New Year's and splurged on a "real" set of watercolor paints. Talens Transparent Watercolours! They cost way more than the Crayola water colors I'd been using, but they are so worth it! The colors are wonderful! It also came with a tube of white which I assume is to mix with the colors. I guess it's clear I have a lot to learn! What fun!

I also purchased a sketch book.

It took me a few days to figure out what to do with it. I read some of my favorite art blogs and finally decided I just had to DO IT!

So, I had this old thing from my days as a typesetter. It's a Bill Cosby quote from the 1980s (when typesetters still existed) and it's on Kodak photopaper for typesetting. I had it tacked up on the wall near my desk for the longest time. Then it was relegated to one of my many notebooks where I stumbled upon it once again.

Here's the first page ... It's just stuck to the page with rubber cement.  I'll be adding something to the page, I just don't know yet what that will be. That's the "creative" part, right? 

Playing Catch Up!

I haven't been here in a while, but I've been being creative all over the place! In February and March, I organized, promoted and hosted two, count 'em! 2! art socials at a little park in my neighborhood. The artists are so wonderful and they delivered a lovely evening of art and food and friends! Maybe, with a little luck and a lot of help from neighbors, we'll do it again next year!

In April, it was the children's art exhibit, "Everglades Eyes." I started this as an annual event in celebration of Earth Day back in 2006 and it's definitely taken on a life of its own! My boss was amazed that this year was the "fifth annual" and he was impressed with the amount and quality of the art submissions! 105 students from five area schools produced some amazing images! Like, this one ...

In May, working with my Soroptimist club, we presented the "Live Your Dream" Luncheon. I posted all the collateral I worked on at my Veer page, here, if you want to see. And, now, I'm working on a Barbie doll exhibition at the Old Davie School! (http://www.olddavieschool.org/)

I'm a huge fan of Kelly Kilmer, a mixed media artist and instructor, and, while my pages look nothing like hers, she inspired me take pictures of what I've created and share it here, on my blog. So, here you are!

The left page above is my first draft of my "doll list" for the upcoming exhibit at Old Davie School. I know the school's four rooms really well, so my goal has been to link the dolls to the exhibits (however thin that link might be!) and create an experience that is entertaining AND educational.

The page on the right is my notes from a meeting on a capital project that I attended for my day job. The flower doodles didn't get colored until after the meeting, during a phone conversation that involved a good deal of time "on hold."

These pages are what's happening right now. My "to do" lists, a new vocabulary word (and, what a word it is!) and paperdolls I cut out during a brainstorming session. I think it's clear what's on my mind! Dolls and their fashions!

So, there's my creativity contribution for today! I've got to design a "tee shirt" for the special Barbie event in July, so I'm off to do that now. I'm so glad it's Friday, aren't you?

A blue Tuesday afternoon ...

Do you ever just see something and realize how random art can happen?
I do.
Like with this car, parked next to a handicap spot at the local Searstown.
All that blue drew my attention and I just had to take a picture.

What constitutes an "art journal?"

I've been pondering this subject for quite some time now.

For several months I have been visiting blogs and web sites of those gifted artists who make beautiful art journal pages and I've just been drooling all over myself. I've purchased a couple of Stampington publications devoted to art journaling and the images within those pages are a huge source of inspiration.

I've begun tinkering, so to speak, and I decided today was the day. To share, that is.

Here are a couple of my journal pages, although I'm not exactly sure you'd call them "art."

I have a cabinet full of spiral bound notebooks dating back to the 1990s. I have used them to keep up at work and in life. There are always lists. Memos to myself so I don't forget something important. Tags and scraps from throughout my day or week that I want to keep for whatever reasons. Little drawings and doodles that often appear during phone conversations. Song titles, book titles, web sites ... things I want to remember ... writing them down helps me to remember. Sometimes it helps transfer the information from short term memory to long term memory. Other times, I'll remember where on the page I wrote it down, making it easier to find later.

So, there you are. My first "public" art journal pages.

I like doing this a lot these days. It took over a week to fill these two pages, I think because summer is a slow time in my neighborhood. Other times I've filled a page in one or two days. I think as I do this more and see what other artists are doing, I'll become more adventurous. In the meantime, I'm having fun and I'm sure that's the most important thing.

Color me June!

Out and about earlier in the week, I discovered color all over the place!

Breakfast beneath a hand-painted umbrella is a great way to start the day.

Across from a park, this wall of glass changed colors, depending on where you were standing. How cool is that?

Along the roadside, these lovely little flowers bloomed in abundance!

Ode To Danita Art

I bought a necklace a couple of months ago from Danita Art on etsy ... and have since become a big fan.

Friday morning, in a quiet moment, I was looking through the artwork posted on her facebook page and found myself inspired. I used to love to draw girls when I was a girl myself, so I gave it a go and here's what happened.

I took exactly one drawing class in college and have dabbled from time to time over the years. I'm not particularly talented, but I find I'm interested in drawing again, so who knows where this might lead. Wherever it goes, it sure is fun!