An Interview with the Blogger Behind Mer Mag!

One of our favorite, most recently discovered blogs is mer mag, a darling and lovely look into the life of a creative artist and mom. Full of home projects she does with her kids, examples of her own great illustration work and lots of great home and decor inspiration, we really love the simplicity and authenticity of this blog. We asked the blog's owner a few questions to get some insight in all the creative and inspiring things she does:

You describe yourself as an illustrator, painter and designer, and I see that you keep yourself quite busy outside of mer mag, with Tuesday Morning. Could talk a little bit about what you do?By day I'm a mom/crafter/creator/what have you. By nap time/bed time/down time I'm a professional illustrator specializing in children's and young adult fiction (but also enjoy working in other markets such as fashion, editorial and advertising).

You've found a lot of success in doing children's book cover art, how did you first get into that business. Did I read you have a few books in the works?
I sincerely love children/middle grade and young adult fiction and have wanted to work in this particular industry for as long as I can remember. After school I moved to NY where I met many wonderful people who helped introduce me to the world and business of illustration. I truly believe that if you "follow your bliss", things will genuinely work out for you.As for books, I'm currently in the middle of working on Princess Peepers 2 (Pam Calvert is so great! It's a darling follow up story that you'll love.). I also have a few other YA (young adult) covers/series that are in the works and should also be a lot of fun!

So when did you first start mer mag and why?

mer mag has seen quite an evolution and it's intended purpose has changed through the years along with me. I started the blog in February of 2007, when blogs were not as sophisticated or streamlined as they are today. Initially I just wanted a simple place to catalog what I was doing as well as what I was inspired by. I found that doing this really helped define my style and what I love. As my oldest, Little A, grew and after I had Baby O, I began to realize that it was time to start creating all of these things I'd been dreaming and drooling over before life passed me by. So naturally things changed a bit on my blog. I started to slow down and focus more on posting what I'm up to craft wise and mom wise. And in the future, as things change with me, I'm sure my blog will follow suit.

What has been the most surprising thing about running a blog?

I've been delighted by all the friends I've virtually met from all over the world. I have no idea how some have found mer mag but it's been a wonderful adventure and I truly appreciate all the comments and connections blogging has brought about.

Where do you find the ideas for your posts---is there anything you like posting about more than the rest?

I sort of feel like I have idea ADD at times. I have SO many ideas swarming around in my head, It's just a matter of finding time between the littles and illustration work to squeeze them in. I am of course inspired by other craft and design blogs as well as magazines, books etc. I also find that my children a huge design inspiration right now. There is so much I want to create for them that I can't find or afford elsewhere so naturally I must make it.

It seems like you have a very creative home; what are your favorite crafts and art to do with your kids?

We do indeed love to create at home. Little A see's me draw a lot as well as teach art to older kids art so he's keen to pick up a charcoal pencil and scribble away on large sketch pads. Currently he's obsessed with this book on the Getty museum (I'm totally surprised by this-I think it looks like Disneyland to him) and so I can't wait to take him there soon. The holidays of course always bring out fun little craft projects as well.

What advice do you have for parents looking to bring more creativity to their home; where do you suggest they start?

Definitely start with what you already have. Trying to reuse something is a great way to get your creative juices flowing. Anytime you think, "it would be so nice to have that", try to think..."Hmmm, what do I already have around the house that I could make/alter/re-purpose to fill that void?" I would also suggest thinking simple. You'd be surprised at how many simple creative projects/fixes there are. You really don't have to go crazy.

What's your favorite/best interior design advice?

I've read that your home should reflect who you are and then change with you. I love this and try to keep it in mind when I designing areas of my home.

And finally, what's in the future for you?

Hopefully a whole lot more crafty, creative fun! I love creating for my family and I hope to continue doing that. I also love the future, there are endless possibilities in it, and that is exciting. I can't wait to see what it holds either!

Thanks! Check out more great inspiration on the mer mag blog, her Etsy store and on her personal website.

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Design Blogger Profile: Victoria Smith of sfgirlbybay!

Sfgirlbybay is one of those blogs that has made an undeniable impact on not only the design blogging world, but the design world in general. Filled to the brim with inspiring photos and ideas, this is your first stop when you are looking for modern bohemian and San Francisco style inspiration.

Describing herself as a “San Francisco based blogger, hopeful photographer, design junkie and bonafide flea market queen” Victoria Smith is most well-known in her role as the editor and writer of the hugely popular sfgirlbybay blog, which began in 2006. The blog offers interior design tips, shopping finds; interviews, home tours, design/art event coverage, product reviews, shopping ideas, art and design resources, and lots of stories relating to creating a lovely home. Our favorite feature without doubt is Smith’s “Sunday in the City” where she just shares a few photographs she’s snapped while on a walk through San Francisco. The photographs are of a number of subjects, but always a simple and fresh view of the city---very inspiring.

Recently revamped, the blog also features one of our favorite graphic designs of a design blog. It’s wide, simple, with a large header and big photos. A white background makes everything pop and it always seems like the entire page’s color palette is soft and coordinated. You can browse by category if you’re looking for something specific, and you can even click on a number of the colorful advertisements along the right side (which we promise are subtle and not in the way).

We’re not the only fans of Smith or her blog: sfgirlbybay can claim readers like popular magazine and newspaper editors, shoppers, and industry professionals. You’ll never be bored here; Smith usually puts out about 2-4 (or more) posts a day.

If you still can’t get enough of Smith or her unique brand of design style, have no fear: she’s produced photo shoots for advertising agencies and designers for clients like Domino, Architectural Digest, Gourmet and Bon Appetít. You can also find her writing in 7×7 Magazine, Uppercase Magazine, Poppytalk, Design*sponge, Apartment Therapy and Decor8. She’s been personally featured in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Domino, Sunset, Better Homes & Gardens DIY, and even appeared on television on HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style.

All words and information were taken from the lovely and gorgeous website sfgirlbybay.com.

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Design Blogger Profile: Jonathan Lo of Happy Mundane!

In the recent past we’ve shown you blogs that showcase the fabulous and blogs that help you turn your home into the decorated space of your dreams. Today’s blogger focuses on the simple joys in life and how even the most mundane of everyday objects can brighten your interior and your day.

Jonathan Lo’s blog Happy Mundane is unique for another reason: being run by a guy in this cyber world dominated by female design bloggers. There’s no gender distinction here, though, just great design advice and ideas. With a background in art direction and editing, Lo really has an eye for design and is able to find beauty and excitement in all sorts of objects. According to the site: “Happy Mundane is a place to celebrate the ordinary and the extraordinary, happy colors, good design of any kind, and to take a moment to appreciate some things that get overlooked in the everyday.” We especially love Happy Mundane’s tag line: “There's beauty in your dishsoap.”

The site itself is a simple Blogger website with a clean, fresh layout, allowing for the many big and beautiful photos to really shine through. Just a simple collection of things Lo finds interesting, you can sift through the archives or check out his latest tweets in the side bar on the right.

While it’s always hard to pick a favorite element to the blogs we feature, definitely Lo’s assertion that anything can become art and decoration is a number one in this case. Sure, he features plenty of items that might only be on the “not until I can afford it” list but Lo also makes sure to give alternatives that anyone can afford. And while he speaks often about mundane ideas---there’s never anything boring on his site!

To check out all the great things he features, of course visit the Happy Mundane blog. If you’re interested in learning more about Jonathan Lo, you might want to check out this great interview we found at another blog, Trust Your Style. And as always, you can also check out some of the previous design bloggers we’ve profiled, like Tina Roth Eisenburg of Swiss Miss, Vanessa de Vargas of Turquoise, Erin Loechner of Design for Mankind, Anh Minh Le of anh-minh.com and Holly Becker of Decor8.

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The Colorful and Psychedelic Designs of Verner Panton!

If you love 1960’s style design and are a big fan of color, then you’ll definitely want to check out today’s designer influence: Verner Panton. Considered by many to be one of Denmark's most important interior and furniture designers of the 20th-century, Panton’s use of shape and color not only summed up an entire generation of design, it continues to wow design enthusiasts today.

You probably are familiar with Panton’s work in terms of bright colors and distinctive chairs. His most famous furniture works were the Cone Chair (1958), the Peacock Chair, The Panton Chair of 1960 and the S Chair, but you may also recognize his other popular pieces like the Bachelor Chair, Trumpet Chair, Heart Cone Chair, Relaxer Chair, and his confusing Phantom Chair/Table.

As mentioned, Panton was also a huge proponent of color, often times blending hues in dizzying palettes. While his furniture was available in an array of bright and bold colors, it was in his experimental interior environments that his talent with colors was most evident, often crafting futuristic spaces with the uses of color and undulating wall, floor and furniture elements. He was also known for his lighting pieces (which also featured bold, bright, “1960s” styled elements) and his fabric ideas. He was often lauded for his innovative use of plastic materials in his work, also adding to the futuristic-feel of his projects.

Panton started his design training in the field of architectural engineering in the city Odense, Denmark, then moved on to study architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Art Copenhagen. He worked under Arne Jacobsen right after college from 1950-1952, but quickly moved on to opening his own office soon after. Along with impressive interior, lighting, furniture and color design work, he also wowed experts and audiences alike with his incredible architectural ideas, like a collapsible house, the Cardboard House and the Plastic House. It was the year 1960 that saw Panton creating the most important design of his career, the world’s first single-form injection-molded plastic chair, The “Stacking chair” or “S chair”, which is still produced by companies like Vitra today.

The last years of his career saw his most work in interior environments, notably a German boat interior that is now a museum. Though it would be hard to imagine anyone actually living in any of his psychedelic interiors, it did pave the way for encouraging brighter and bolder ideas in home designs. Popular in the 1950s-1970s, Panton’s work had a resurgence in popularity in the early 2000s, and has taken its place alongside other design luminaries in the popular use of Mid-Century Modern style seen in homes and commercial spaces today.

Photos taken from 1stdibs.

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