We've Moved!

Cut to the Paste has relocated to cuttothepaste.jbchicago.com - please follow us there for all future posts. While you're at it, feel free to click around our redesigned website and get comfortable with the new look of JB Chicago!

Designer Spotlight - Alexander Girard

From time to time, the designers at JB Chicago want to give a shout out to a graphic artist that inspires us. Many people don't know the name Alexander Girard, but he was widely considered the greatest colorist and textile designer of modern time.

Girard used traditional folk art to infuse color, whimsy, and humor into vibrant modern design. He was able to capture the essence of Latin America while still creating designs that were fresh and contemporary, finding the perfect balance of high and low art forms. Girard managed to inject an uninhibited use of color and a clever playfulness into the industry. He turned to countries like Mexico and India where a handicraft, or folk art, tradition still thrived, their processes, motifs and colors not yet threatened by an industrial culture. These pieces inspired Girard to develop a new method of coloring and patterning that proved to be a vibrant counterpoint to American modernist furniture.

To get started let's check out this quick retrospective from House Industries http://girard.houseind.com/

Nativity poster by Alexander Girard. The poster is for an Exhibition at the Gallery of Art in Kansas City in 1962.

Girard pillows - an affordable way to get a legendary designer's accents into your home.

Designer dolls - Girard remarked that "toys represent a microcosm of man’s world and dreams; they exhibit fantasy, imagination, humour and love."

Many Girard designs were well suited for natural textures.

Check out this Girard inspired nativity scene - can they make one lawn size?

Web Trends - 2010

Wondering what the next year holds for web design? Our crystal ball is predicting a refining and expansion of some of the major looks of 2009. As designers we are excited to contribute to this design revolution that is putting the viewer first - why make a boring site that doesn't captivate your audience? So lets get started - here are the design styles we think will dominate in 2010!

Sketch - Hand-Drawing
Creating your own design elements is a great way to add a personal touch to any site. Don't worry if your drawing skills are rusty, this isn't going in a museum.




The Huge Header
Takes up a lot of room and can be risky as you’re taking up valuable space, but done right it looks great and makes an impact.





Slab Typefaces
Like old Wild West "Wanted Posters", these bold typefaces can really get attention.



Retro
What's old is new with these sites!

A Hipster Christmas

Forget the days of Christmas sweaters and stale fruitcakes, it's time to add a little flair to the holidays. We found this selection of stylish decor to give your holidays a modern touch. Check out this "Wall Tree" - all you need is a little brick-a-brack and some imagination and you got yourself one cooool Christmas tree.




Why not serve up a little sophistication at your next holiday gathering? Check out these chic party favors - better than a double shot of egg nog!



Time to re-think that boring gift wrap - try a simple retro print like below and top it off with some holly and pine cones.





We're so cool we don't need color! Check out these urbane mantel pieces, your grandma may not even see them.




Don't forget the kids. With this gear, your wee-ones will think they're in Whoville!



Last but not least, is this fuzzy wreath. I can't decide if this is genius or tacky. I'm leaning towards genius, but I'd love to hear from our readers.

Giving Thanks!

Thanksgiving is just two days away and us designers here at JB Chicago have a lot to be thankful for this year. We wanted to take the time today to share with you all of the wonderful things that have brought joy to our lives this year.

We are thankful for:

• Our fabulous and devoted followers of "Cut to the Paste"
  
• Our amazing coworkers at JB Chicago who put up with us each and every day : )
  
• Our families and friends who support us each step of the way
  
• Awesome designers who inspire us to do great things
  
• Other design blogs that keep us entertained and distracted from the work we should be doing
  
• The best company in the world, Apple, who willingly make our wallets thinner each year with every new product they put on the market
  
• iTunes, who supply us with killer music all day long (half the reason why we are so damn talented)
• Our place we call home, Chicago, the greatest city in the world
• The clients that approve our stellar designs without revisions : )
• The empty seat on the train/bus for that long commute home
• Weekends!
• Delicious food, that makes our mouths water and our bellies full
• And much much more... 

In all seriousness... we are very thankful to be able to do what we love most and on top of that, get paid for it! We hope that each one of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends, and great food! Don't forget to show your support for all those people that help make Thanksgiving possible... our farmers! It's the farmers who work hard each day to provide us with an abundance of great produce, dairy, meat, vegetables, and other nutritious foods. 

Help us show our thanks by sending out a tweet on Wednesday, November 25 at 10am CST with #thankafarmer. 

Gobble Gobble!!

Designer Apparel

OK - it's not quite Christmas yet, but if you have a designer on your list we have some great gift ideas. Everyone loves an inside joke and the art department is no exception. The following post is devoted to the graphically inclined who would love a witty new shirt or bag. I'm not sure why the word "KERN" on a zip-up makes me smile but remember designers are a strange breed. All entries are courtesy of behance.net (DADAD studio) and our friends at veer.com. Let us know if you have a favorite - my vote goes to the "Lorem Ipsum" t-shirt.

With a Little Help from Our Friends

JB Chicago had a busy October... mainly because we launched the greatest Halloween promotion in SoNet history!

Through the creation of applications for Facebook, Twitter and the Web, we reached thousands and informed them of the benefits of Tetrapak cartons - "milk boxes" that are good for you and better for the environment. Moms loved the idea of passing out a healthy alternative this Halloween. And with each click within the apps, participants were donating to World Wildlife Foundation, making this a win-win across the board.

We have to give special thanks to all the bloggers who supported us during this campaign. With their help, we were are able to spread our message to a much wider audience. Please show some love and visit the following:

http://www.artfulcreativemama.blogspot.com/
http://www.centsible-sawyer.com
http://monaevedesignfarm.com
http://www.opentalkmom.com
http://www.savingdollarsandsense.com/
http://www.easyecotogo.com
http://www.mashupmom.com
http://www.greenlivingguy.com
http://www.got2begreen.com
http://www.nourishinteractive.com
http://www.greenscroll.org/blog/869