Colorbök

March Designer Spotlight - Dee

This segment of our blog has been sadly neglected over the winter, but today we're back with a profile of one of our kids team members, Deanna, AKA Dee!  Let's see what she has to say...

 

Mild manner graphic designer by day, super hermit by night! I like to hide myself away in a dark hole where I watch cartoons, read comic books, and attempt to draw pretty pictures! When I occasionally do emerge from my cave I prefer to be out scampering in nature. When outdoors, I often like following any cute little critter that crosses my path (some of my coworkers can attest to how excited I get when I chase after a grasshopper). Speaking of cute little critters, I'm also the proud aunt of a very adorable 3 year old and a pair of the cutest little twins ya'll could ever lay your eyes upon.
 
Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
Inspiration is anywhere and everywhere. It’s always a good idea to carry a sketchbook or notepad so you’re prepared when a good idea hits you.  It's actually much easier to ask what ISN'T my inspiration.  The answer to that is, of course, sea cucumbers.
 
What five things can't you live without?

 
#1 Family! Can't live with 'em can't live without 'em!
#2 Making art
#3 Music
#4 Cartoons and Comic Books (and all other assorted forms of nerdery)
#5 Fruit…nature's candy
 
What is one of your favorite products you have worked on, or designed, here at Colorbök?
I really enjoyed designing the needlepoint kids craft kits.  Working in medium I’m not used to and thinking about art in a grid pattern was a little different. It's always fun for an artist to create something that's outside their comfort zone challenging them to explore the boundaries of their artistic abilities.

Learn more about Dee in our Designers Gallery!

October Designer Spotlight

A little about Jody, the Designer Spotlight for October:

I LOVE to talk (especially in abbrevs, a.k.a. abbreviations), but oddly enough I don’t love talking about myself. But, here goes nothing...

I’ve had a super busy year, as both my sister and I were married one month apart! Two weddings at one time never makes for a dull moment. Both weddings were beautiful and went off without a hitch. As a newlywed, my husband (still trying to get used to that word) and I, have just returned from our honeymoon in Hawaii. What an awesome color palette and visual explosion to the senses! Don’t be surprised if a tropical, tranquil art look is in my near future.

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
My inspiration is normally determined by two things, my mood and color...both are ever changing!

My top five “must haves” are:







My fav thing I’ve recently designed for Colorbök is my English Moss boutique, coming to a JoAnn Fabric and Craft Larger Superstores store near you early in 2011.

Read more about Jody and her pastimes in the Designers Gallery!

August Designer Spotlight. . . KRISTINA!

3 things you should know about me. . .

I am competitive in most things and I really enjoy boardgames: Yatzee, Scrabble and Monopoly excluded. Sorry Scrabble Lovers! In fact, I am even leading Colorbök’s first ever Olympics this month!

I absolutely love to read. I’m being forced to include that one of the genres I read A LOT is historical romance. You know. . . regency ballrooms, poor dukes and beautiful heiresses, and of course the burning passions of everyone involved. Just to be clear, I read many other types of books too.

I also get easily consumed by different forms of artistic expression but rarely perfect any of them. Thus far, I’ve begun a cake decorating business, dreamed of a letterpress company, can practically call myself an interior decorator, actually went to school for web-design, and even plotted a small felt food operation based out of my kitchen. None have come to fruition but I’m still looking for my perfect niche. It’s just so much fun to try new things and I’ll probably never be able to settle on one.

 


A few things I am completely obsessed with right now. . .

1. The Combination of Gray and Yellow

2. Birds, Birds and more Birds!

3. Trees and Leaves (Especially in Appliqué)

4. Babies!

My favorite product I‘ve designed for Colorbök. . .

I really love my Just Sayin’ product that was done for Target because it screams ME! It was fun and a little outrageous and maybe just a little too sassy for some of you. ;)

Links:  Felt Food  Bird Dishes  Pillows  Charm  Elephant  Baby Shoes

June Designer Spotlight: Jake

 

Tell us a little about yourself...

By day I work as a designer for the Kids team at Colorbök. By night I pursue my labor of love(illustration) and work on a number of popular entertainment licenses. I’m burning the candle at both ends pretty good but, it’s okay because it’s all stuff that keeps me young at heart. I feel really fortunate to explore and pursue my creative inclinations for a living.

 

 
Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

I draw inspiration from a great number of things. Most notably my 3 year old daughter. She is simply my muse.

 
What five things can't you live without?

• Family/Friends
• Laughter
• My Iphone
• Caffeine
• Pencil & Sketchpad

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

The product that I undoubtedly enjoyed working on the most while at Colorbök has been the Jumbo Crayola Dollhouse. Yup, I’m a guy...and that dollhouse was a lot of fun to design.

 

 

May Designer Spotlight: Laura

Resident coffee virtuoso, Laura, shares a bit about herself for May's Designer Spotlight!

 

Tell us a little about yourself...

I love to laugh, sing in my car and wear high heels. At more than 3 Starbucks the baristas know me by name. In the past two years I have played volleyball, dodgeball, kickball and football all of which have caused me physical and mental pain. I’m a hobby dabbler so I’m never bored. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

 

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

My inspiration does not come from a single source. I’ve been influenced and inspired by Pixar, Lane Smith, Tim Burton J. Otto Siebold, Tim Biskup, Melinda Beck, Helen Dardik, Calef Brown and long list of other illustrators. However, I also am heavily influenced and inspired by the creativity of my friends and co-workers, different cultures and things I don’t understand but want to.

What five things can't you live without? 

# 1 Laughter

# 2 Starbucks

# 3 Sisters

# 4 I Pod (and my cute headphones)

# 5 Hobbies

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

My favorite project is one that I'm currently working on called Halloweenies. Originally I designed the icons for a set of list pads sold at Meijers. I'm process of concepting and developing them into a paper pad and stickers. 

 

April Designer Spotlight: Carrie our Karaoke Celebrity

Carrie, our prototype designer featured for April, never fails to wow us with her sewing skills.  Read a bit about Carrie's interests and inspiration below then check out her profile in the Designers section.

Tell us a little about yourself...

I'm an animal lover, an artist, a vegetarian and a famous karaoke singer (you haven't heard of me??).  I enjoy running, reading, and for me nothing beats a black bean burger with a beer and some sweet potato fries on the side.  My horoscope says that I'm generous to those I love, and I agree just don't ask for a bite of my ice cream.

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

I look to many things and people to guide me throughout my day, but I'd say timeless inspirations are my mom, nature, animals, and artists like Klimt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Egon Schiele and David Bowie.  My of-the-moment inspirations are Gaga, Peaches, Kiki Smith and Hannah Teter who donates her olympic winnings to fund schools in Africa (not to mention her DELICIOUS Ben and Jerry's flavor).

What five things can't you live without?

1. Painting
2. Good food
3. Friends and family
4. Fresh air
5. Kitty cats!!

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

Although he was never produced, I loved the fox in socks prototype I got to make for the kids department!  I adored Dr. Seuss as a child (and still do!) and it was so fun to translate one of his characters into a cuddly toy, complete with little socks.

March Designer Spotlight: Sharon

Who more fitting to feature as we enter into spring than the person we all go to for gardening advice when the blooms start to appear!  Our master gardener, and valued Kids Team designer, Sharon, is the designer featured for the month of March.

Tell us a little about yourself...

I like to stay in touch with my inner child, working on the Kids Team helps!

I am very inspired and motivated especially by color, whether it is in the garden, in fashion, design or anywhere.

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

My mother who died last year, She was a painter and a teacher. She encouraged me to pursue my love of art. I was fortunate to travel with her and my father to Paris for her last journey.

What five things can't you live without?

1. Nature, the outdoors and of course my garden
2. My family & friends
3. Chocolate
4. Yoga and my running shoes
5. My dog, Willow 

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

I worked on many fun products on the kid's team but I think my favorite is still Friendly Forest coming to a Walmart near you this Summer.

 {See more about Sharon in the Designers Gallery!}

February Designer Spotlight: Betty

 

Tell us a little about yourself... I have a dirty mind, a sarcastic sense of humor, and a creative spirit. I have a keen appreciation for good grammar, wit, beauty and big vocabularies. Always striving to learn more, I love trying new things and visiting new places. I enjoy discovering the beauty in something old and discarded, trying to see the hidden potential in everything. Next up on my "to do" list are a pottery class, a trip to Vegas and refinishing & reupholstering a set of old chairs that I got for free! One of my favorite non-design activities at work is brainstorming names for themes or products. I like to think I'd be an awesome copywriter, though I'm not entirely sure everyone else would agree...

What are you inspired by? Retro signage, architecture, fresh cut flowers, vintage fashion, buttons, flea market finds, wooden printing blocks, old letters and ephemera, family photos, fabric, lace, crochet and knitting.

What five things can't you live without? Cherry Chapstick, Mt. Dew, avocados, facebook, and a nice white wine

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök? My favorite recent product was the "Island Oasis" Perfect Pages Kit available in Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Larger Superstores. It is a sophisticated tropical theme and the color palette makes it perfect for scrapping my recent vacation in Puerto Rico. 

 
 {See more about Betty in the Designers Gallery!}

January Designer Spotlight

*A quick interlude from all of us at Colorbök:  We are extremely busy here in Dexter as we are moving our corporate offices over the next two weeks.  We apologize in advance for any neglect of the blog or responses to questions.  Please peruse our archives and prepare for an amazing 2010.  Watch for an extensive amount of new product to hit the shelves in the next month!!

And now, for the designer of the month - Maria!

Most of my life revolves around trying new recipes, designing/ illustrating, or drinking gallons of coffee. I am always freezing cold, even in the summer. I am slightly….really obsessed with someday owning a pug or boston terrier.

What is your greatest inspiration?

I am inspired by so many artists, but some of my all-time favorite illustrators working in the field today are Jillian Tamaki, Marcos Chin, and Sterling Hundley. I also have an obsession with art and fashion from the 1960s- Mary Blair’s work is one of my biggest inspirations from that time.

Five things you cannot live without:

-Coffee. With a capital C.

-the internet (I can look at art and design blogs all day long!)

-my cat Zoey (although she is a devil child, she’s my baby!)

-surrounding myself with creative people

-my best friends  

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

The Perfect Pages Princess Page Kit. I started working on this the first month I started here at Colorbök and it is exciting to see my first project ready to be sold in Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Larger Superstores across the country! 

See more about Maria and all of our other amazing designers here at Colorbök in the Designers Gallery!

Designer Spotlight: Mack

For December, a month that for many of us proves to be hectic yet contemplative, we feature one member of our design team that always seems to maintain a centered and kind demeanor.  A little about Mack:

When I was a child I wanted to be either a stuntman or cartoonist. Since my Hollywood connections fell through, I went to art school. There I fell in love with Illustration and graphic communications. After college I realized that I love creativity in many different forms (art, music, building, problem solving, and so on). Therefore, much to my wife's dismay, I am never without a new hobby of some sort. The most recent is fencing...and piano...oh, and knot tying...I think that's it.

What is your greatest inspiration?

My greatest inspiration is my family. The innocent take on life that children have is often awe inspiring, and I don't think I'd be where I am today if it wasn't for the help and encouragement of my wife.

Five things you cannot live without:

• My family
• Pepsi
• A goal of some kind to work toward
• Something new to learn or try
• A guitar, saxophone or a musical instrument of some kind.

What is one of your favorite products you have designed here at Colorbök?

My favorite was origami finger puppets...I love a challenge.

Designer Spotlight: Alisa

Featured for November is Senior Designer Alisa!  Here is a little bit about yet another one of our accomplished designers:

 

"I love learning new things, which makes me a chronic dabbler. Its not unusual for me to be fixated on learning how to make sushi one day, and the next day, completely obsessed with figuring out the buttonholer on my sewing machine. I think this is part of the reason I love being a designer - with each new inspiration comes a new investigation. I am fascinated by other cultures, especially those in most mysterious pockets of the world; Turkey, Iceland, the Balkans and Eastern Europe top my list of places I most want to travel."

My current obsessions include:

1. bavarian kitsch (lederhosen, funny hats, cuckoo clocks, etc.)

[source]

2. accordions

[source]

3. this candle, and my husband Aaron who was a super good sport during my 2-week quest to find the perfect holiday scent

4. learning to knit,  so I will be able to make pretty things like this:

[source]

and a new sweater for this guy:

5. Michael Jackson's This Is It, it makes you feel like laughing, crying and dancing like a maniac all at the same time

Favorite recent product I've designed:

Perfect Pages Nature Lover Page Kit  (Coming soon to your local Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Larger Superstore.)

 

To learn more about this creative designer check out the Designers gallery.  Thanks for revealing so much about your inspirations, Alisa!

Designer Spotlight: Rebecca Bischoff

Featured for October is Design Manager Rebecca Bischoff.  Tell us more about yourself, Rebecca!

"I think I was born a little graphic designer... some of my earliest creative memories are of drawing check design options for my family members. (You know, like the ads that come in the mail where you can select which check design you want?) I also used to really enjoy sculpting things out of tin foil. I could go through rolls in a sitting. Luckily, now I have better supplies! Other than graphic design, I love illustration, printmaking, clay, animation, oil painting, and sewing."

What do you love right now?

• designing while listening to my two favorite podcasts: This American Life and Mars Hill Seattle
• grey skies and chilly weather
• reading Harry Potter again
• watching the squirrels in my yard get ready for winter
• paint chips from the hardware store
• Greek yogurt
• living across the street from a cider mill
• brush & ink drawings
• the baby fox I saw on the way to work last week

What is one of your favorite products you have designed?

I had so much fun making this Creepy Creatures page kit. I really enjoyed coming up with a new color palette and art style for Halloween. Years later, I still think the puns on this sticker sheet are hilarious! Bone Appetit!

To learn more about this creative designer check out the Designers gallery.  Thanks for letting us get to know you and your style a little better, Rebecca!

Designer Spotlight: Jodi Berlin

Yet another monthly feature here on the Colorbök Studio Blog highlights one of our incredibly talented designers.  In the limelight for September is Senior Designer Ms. Jodi Berlin.  Tell us a little about yourself, Jodi!

"I love spending time outdoors in beautiful places.  I try to take vacations in adventurous places where my physical ability is challenged.  Sitting on the beach is great, but I would rather fly fish in the surf, take kite boarding lessons, or go water skiing.  Finishing a half iron man competition is on my "Things do do before I die" list."

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?

"My grandmother was a painter. I would go to her house every day after school and sit next to her as she was painting. She would mix colors on her palette and explain how "new" colors were made. She was my greatest inspiration!"

What five things can't you live without?

   1. Coffee

   2. Exercise

   3. My iPhone

   4. Chocolate  

   5. Friends, and of course my fiancé Peter

What is one of your favorite products you have designed?

   The EcoBright Scrapbooking Kit for mass market superstores nationwide.

 

To learn more about this dazzling designer check out the Designers gallery.  Thanks for letting us get to know you and your style a little better, Jodi!