Hot off the press: The ATC Food Planner

We recently started working with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's publishing department to design new covers for new editions of some of their older books. This is our first one which was just delivered yesterday. I wish I had a before image to show, but let me just say the design is drastically different. The book itself is pretty cool—it was written by Lou Adsmond who planned, prepared and sent food drops to her husband and son while they hiked 2,160 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The book includes recipes and menus that work just as well for a day hike or weekend camping trip. Click here to check out the ATC bookstore.

Another Reason Our Clients Rock

It was so cold last night I had to cover my precious flowers to keep the frost from killing them. It breaks my heart when I wake up to a beautiful crisp morning and realize the flowers and vegetables are covered in death. This morning as I was uncovering things I was thinking how thankful I am for our wonderful clients—in general because they are fun to work with and allow me to do what I love and pay the bills—but, in particular because they are so nice and giving.

Last year, one of our clients and dear friends Steve Kemp brought over lovely water irises from his pond along with a few fish which the Shunney boys quickly named Big Papi, Manni, and some other Red Sox player I can't remember. The irises have been blooming for a week now and really cheer me up each morning with their yellow goodness.

This year, another client/neighbor/dear friend Jane Tabb (Fresh Feasts on the Farm) kept telling me she would bring over some top soil to fill in the small flower bed in front of our office. As promised, I came home one day after being out to a bed full of freshly spread topsoil. A few days later, Jane came by with some daylilies thinned from her own garden. They are now planted and I have vowed not to kill them. They look a little sad now but later this summer they are sure to be blooming with beauty. Stay tuned . . .

HarneBowen Architects

Today I am happy to announce the launching of a new website for one of our clients: HarneBowen Architects and Planners. I'm really pleased with the final result—short, sweet and to the point and Scott was great to work with. Thanks, Scott!

Puttin' Instead of Workin'

On Thursday, April 30th, Eden Design took the afternoon off to join the Platinum PR Miniature Golf Team in support of Panhandle Home Health's "Puttin' for the Panhandle." The tournament was a huge success but I learned how much I truly lack in putting skills. Despite my hole-in-one and what I thought were good scores on multiple holes, I still came in last place—out of about 140 players. How horrible is that? A friend commented, "So, not only are you really bad, but you don't even know when you're really bad." Needless to say, my ego was more than a bit bruised. On the up side—I was tied with someone else for the worst of the worst but then won the tiebreaker. I did win a bottle of Christian Caine perfume which I'm sure is fabulous but since I suffer from fragrance allergies I had to pass it on to one of my teammates. Regardless, we had a great time and got to eat delicious food and hang out with the wonderful ladies from Platinum PR.

Pictured above, l to r: Jennifer Jensen, me (loser), Mary Dubay, and Jessica Radlich

Good Luck Abbey 2!

Saturday evening, May 5th, we went to an art opening of Senior Graphic Design work from Shepherd University Students. Our own Abbey Kurtz (aka Abbey 2, Eden Design Intern, Summer 08) is graduating and showcased some of her work. I really enjoy working with the Shepherd Interns and it is very rewarding to see them take flight. Here's a pic of Abbey with her poster design 'Fresh'. It was a finalist in a poster design contest. Good luck Abbey 2—you're number 1 with us!

Costume Mania

A few weeks ago we accompanied a good friend of my husband (Patrick) to a show at the Arlington Arts Center in Arlington, VA. The friend, Jason Lee, is a sculptor and was showing his work about consumption: bright orange, mass-produced-looking lightboxes, mounted either on the floor or on the wall, offering glimpses of the sky, and of a creek or stream. These Euthenics studies pose questions about planned communities, public spaces, sprawl, and the triumph of universal technology. (I took that bit from their website).

Anyway, we loved Jason's work, of course, but I was also really impressed with a young DC artist named Steven Frost, known for using needlework and fabric in pieces focusing on sexual identity, presents a project made in collaboration with his mother. Steven and his mother, Barbara, deconstruct the artist’s childhood Halloween costumes, suggesting new meanings and motivations for the wearer of each elaborate outfit, and presenting their efforts as a sort of haute couture Halloween brand.

The reason I was taken with Steven's work is that I have a similar costume relationship with my son, Sam. Each halloween since he was born, I have helped him make his costume. And, ditto, for each school performance, etc. I have a lot of fun stepping up to the challenge of what he can come up with. Costumes have included a truck, Max from Where the Wild Things Are, a spider, General Grievous (damn you George Lucas!!), Anikan Skywalker, and most recently a jester and gnome.

What I find most challenging and am most proud of is that we often wait until the last minute to put these costumes together and I try to assemble them with fabric and accessories that I have on hand. Maybe someday Sam will have his own art show in collaboration with me.