{visit chronicle books here}

If you are an avid reader you probably have your favorite authors but not necessarily a favorite publishing house. Well, I love books and I love nearly anything from Chronicle Books.  Viewing their newest catalogs inevitably fills my wish list each and every time. It is easy for me to deem them my favorite publisher and rightly so. Founded in 1967, they have continuously produced award winning books and merchandise covering trends in cookbooks, fine art, children’s books and popular culture.

Chronicle Books of course has plenty of finds befitting our February theme. Their Colors Mini Journal Set contains four petite journals perfect for jotting down notes. The portable size makes them great for on the go moms or business women. In a variety of hues, the interior of these journals feature coordinating colors and lines making them a stylish option for scribbling.

Another colorful find is John Rombola: Eclectic Eccentric. As an illustrator, Rombola has produced works for Life, Town + Country and Holiday. Rombola’s art is on permanent collection in the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Eclectic Eccentric is the first ever compilation of his work which is spirited and and rambunctious. Lush gouche and ink drawings document his travels to New York and Europe in a spirited and often humorous way. Lively, whimsical and of course colorful this book is a feast for the eyes. I’d expect nothing less from Chronicle Books!

One lucky winner will receive a copy of John Rombola: Eclectic Eccentric and a Colors Mini Journal Set. To enter to win please answer the following question by February 16, 2010.

The worldwide authority on color, Pantone, has declared turquoise THE color of 2010. What is your color of the year?

Please begin checking the winners box on February 24, 2010 to see if you’ve won.  Good luck!

PSST!  Can’t wait to win? Note that all BSP readers (that would be you) always get 30% off all Chronicle Books + Free Shipping!  Your code is GETBOOKS, just click on their sponsor ad to the right!

{please visit dingbat press here}

There’s just nothing like your home team winning the Superbowl (proud Louisiana girl + Saints fan here). Except maybe beautiful, letterpressed calligraphy. Adrienne Berry of Dingbat Press understands my love for this art because she’s made it her mission to create amazing examples of such. Outside of her love for her husband and children, nothing compares to her affinity for letterpress.  It shows in her work too!

One stop by her shop and you’ll see her passion in each and every piece of her work: cupcake recipe cards pressed into crisp white paper, lovey dovey Valentine tags, notecards adorned with nature’s beauties and calligraphy calling cards. Oh, the calligraphy calling cards! So incredibly swoon-worthy!

Adrienne is partnering with Danae Blackburn-Hernandez of e.Danae calligraphy for your Bright Side Project prize. Blackburn-Hernandez has been practicing fine lettering since the ripe age of twelve! Mostly self taught, she works from home with her trusty Mac and countless bottles of inks and nibs. In addition to wedding stationery she also combines her lettering with watercolors and illustrations. For Dingbat Press she will create your name in her hand for Adrienne who will then lay it out and press them into calling cards that stand out from the crowd.

And if beauty was not enough, 10% of the profits from custom calling cards are donated to JDRF, Adrienne’s favorite non-profit organization which specializes in advocating and finding a cure for children with type 1 diabetes. Pretty with a purpose. What’s not to love?

Two lucky winners will win a set of 50 calling cards from Dingbat Press! The cards will be adorned with their name in calligraphy along with a phone number or email in one ink color. To enter to win please answer the following question by February 15, 2010.

Adrienne says she’s kind of a serious person. her hubby says she needs to lighten up a little! What are some things you do to lighten up and relax?

Please begin checking the winners box on February 17th to see if you’ve won. Good luck!

{please visit jimbot here}

I was first introduced to Jimbot on Apartment Therapy last summer. My household has a strong affinity for all things robot and monster and I fell in immediate and undying love with the mind (and subsequent artwork) of Jim Demski. Demski lives in Wisconsin with his wife and baby girl and spends his free time creating all sorts of awesome.

I wish Jimbot had a baby registry back when I was pregnant. I would have signed on for Robot Alphabet Letters in my daughter’s name, a “tweety” bird onesie and a tote bag to carry diapers in. Don’t worry if you’re not a baby-centric person. There is plenty of artwork to be had that doesn’t assume you’ll be decorating around cribs and rockers. I’m partial to anything Gocco and “The Gang’s All Here” sort of screams my name. Put your ears close, you’ll hear it, too.

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Miss Krista is a mother, a lover and a big believer in the power of a cupcake. she loves double entendres but is not a fan of the high-five. she blogs about the corners of her heart at my life as i see it.

Jimbot is so awesome that he has decided to give not one but TWO people prize packages!

First Prize will receive:
-Spell out TWO names in Robot Alphabet letters

-One Jimbot poster

-One Gocco print
-One print of “Together We Are Safe-CMYK Monsters”

Second Prize will receive:
-Spell out ONE name in Robot Alphabet letters

-One print of “Together We Are Safe-CMYK Monsters”

In order to win, please answer the following question by Sunday, February 14, 2010:

If you could have a robot take over any task for you, what would it be?

Good luck!  Start checking the winners box Wednesday, February 17, 2010 to see if the winner is you!

{please visit vol. 25 here}

I first was introduced to Jessica Rose, the beauty and brains behind vol25, last March via Indie Fixx’s Free Your Soul art project. Imagine my giddiness when I saw that she was the next contributor here at the BSP!  Jessica, a self-taught artist, was a quarter of a century old when she opened the door to her Etsy shop. This journey was likened to a new volume in her life and vol25 was born.

It is easy to see the inspiration in her work. Her art combines whimsy and beauty with color and love. Looking for a Valentine’s gift? Surprise your beloved with a customized ‘do all things with love’ print. I don’t even celebrate Valentine’s Day and I’m tempted to break my own rules with this one. While perusing her shop, I envisioned room after room in my house decorated with her prints. My daughter’s room needs ‘love who you are’ and I will hang ‘i will be grateful for this day’ next to my front door, just to remind myself. Or maybe I’ll head over to her Zazzle shop and pick up a tshirt/coffee mug/keychain trifecta. Having this much sweet art at my fingertips is promising, indeed.

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Miss Krista is a mother, a lover and a big believer in the power of a cupcake. she loves double entendres but is not a fan of the high-five. she blogs about the corners of her heart at my life as i see it.

Jessica of  vol25 will be giving away the print ‘I love shoes’ to two (!) lucky winners. Just answer the following question by February 13, 2010.

What piece of art in your house speaks to you the most and why?

Please begin checking the winner’s box on Wednesday, February 17 to see if you’ve won. Good luck1

{please visit bink & boo here}

by Miss Krista

Thrifted materials, limited edition inventory, bright and sunshiny colors, adorable and unique baby accoutrement, one of a kind pocketbooks…should I continue? Seriously, if I haven’t captured your attention, we need to talk about priorities. Take all of the above and throw in an authentic SoCal aesthetic and you’ve got Bink & Boo created by Bianca Wickers.

Let me tell you a little about Southern California. Do not be fooled by certain television shows and their high-priced myopic lifestyle tendencies. The SoCal I know (having grown up here) is laid back, relaxed, joyful, bright, colorful and warm. So often I find myself disheartened at the absence of the SoCal I know reflected in design and fashion. Bink & Boo had me at ‘handmade.’

Go peek at the g.g. booties. Now head over and check out the sunshine neckerchief. Are you starting to feel it now? Can you smell the ocean breeze? You don’t want to buy baby stuff? Okay, check out the array of pocketbooks and have your own little slice of sunshine right there at your fingertips. I’m partial to the “Peggy” myself, in case you were wondering. I’m swooning over the thrifted fabrics. Swooning.

Bink & Boo is giving away one pocketbook of the winner’s choice. Did I mention that I was partial to the “Peggy?” I did? Okay, carry on.

……….

Miss Krista is a mother, a lover and a big believer in the power of a cupcake. she loves double entendres but is not a fan of the high-five. she blogs about the corners of her heart at my life as i see it.

Please answer the following question by Friday, February 12, 2010:

There are mountain people, ocean people, forest people, city people. What environment makes you feel most alive and why?

Good luck!  Please start checking the winners box on Wednesday, February 17, 2010

{please visit hard candy here}

There’s so many ‘Where were you questions’ that can be asked to start a conversation.  Ie. ‘Where were you when Kennedy was shot?’, ‘Where were you when the Beatles broke up?’, ‘Where were you when MTV launched?’ For most of us we don’t have an answer, we weren’t even a twinkle in our parents eye, BUT you may be able to remember where you were when a certain powder blue nail polish came on the market which sported a sweet plastic ring around its neck, am I right?  The line wooed us with hue and slayed us with the most clever names possible.  The cosmetic company was called Hard Candy and everyone wanted a piece. Hard Candy single handily changed the cosmetic industry as we knew it.  No more were we relegated to wearing a palette of reds, pinks and beige’s on our nails and lips nor would we have to suffer through mundane names or descriptions, nope, we will forever be spoiled thanks to Hard Candy. Isn’t that sweet?

The company was sold and bought a couple times (being the hot commodity that it is) and is now in the capable hands of NuWorld Cosmetics which decided that Hard Candy shouldn’t just be limited to those that can dole out $20 for a bottle of polish, they wanted to bring Hard Candy to the masses which means that even us fashionista’s that are on a budget tighter than Jessica Simpson’s mom jeans can partake in the party!

Hard Candy loves hue as much as we do and to celebrate this mutual attraction they are giving away to one winner a virtual laundry list of products!  So here we go:

-(1) Just Nails in Splendid

-(1) Just Nails in Pretty in Pink

-(1)Eye Candy in Ammo

-(1) Ginormous in Purple Haze

-(1) Fortune Gloss in Destiny

-(1) Intensifique in Pixie

-(1) Glitz stick in Snake eyes

-(1) Take me out liner in Sushi

-(1)Blush Crush in Living Doll

In order to win the mother lode above, please answer the following question by Thursday, February 11, 2010:

If Hard Candy asked you to name a product what product would you choose and what would you name it?

Good luck!  Start checking the winners box on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 to see if you won.

{please visit 500 pencils here}

I don’t know if we could have found  a more perfect specimen to represent the theme ‘We Love Hue’ than the 500 Colored Pencils by Felissimo for Social Designer.  When I first saw them fluttering around the internet I became instantly smitten.  They are in my humble opinion the perfect collection-slash-‘installation art piece’ because they are as functional as they are eye catching and can assist in many, many more future creations. How can you go wrong?  What makes these colored pencils more special than their garden variety siblings?  Well first let’s discuss the magnitude-FIVE HUNDRED PENCILS people!  That’s a whole lot of hue going on.  You don’t get them all at once either which makes the acquiring of your collection a little more special.  Each month for 20 months the recipient will receive a package from Japan that will have 25 glorious colored writing utensils inside. 500 pencils is limited edition and made to order. Beats that dried fruit-of–the month club subscription your aunt Edna gave you, no?

Who are these masked marvels of design? Glad you asked! Let me give them a soap box to stand on-“Social designer curates and creates smart products that tune into the greater good. You can join the cause by submitting designs for our competitions, weighing in with your opinion, purchasing goods or just simply talking about them. After all, every good idea (and every good cause) starts with a conversation – the more, the merrier.” Hear, hear!

One lucky, lucky winner will receive one subscription for 500 pencils starting March 2010.  Oh gosh, I am so envious, please promise if you win you will at least “pen” me a colorful thank you note, k?  Felissimo would like you to answer the following question to enter to win by Wednesday, February 10, 2010:

What would you do with 500 colors?

Good luck!  Please start checking the winners box by Wednesday, February 17, 2010.

Phew!  I am so happy to announce that we FINALLY have the winners box all squared away, woo hoo!  Thank you Brooke!  I added the winners this afternoon from last week and have extended their time to check in a week from 02.02.  So that means if they haven’t checked in to claim by Wednesday 02.10.10 feel free to SWOOP between 9am-12pm Pacific time.  Since we had our Hope for Haiti messages all last week, there will be only one new winner announced for the coveted Yosi Samra flats (plural!).  For those of you not paying attention we had a FINALE this Sunday, we reserve the Launch + Finale for our greatest giveaways (not that all other days aren’t super fab as well!) So be sure to check it out the prize is excellent and the question is easy peasy.

If you have a desire to get your brand or blog some crazy great exposure please feel free to contact us about sponsorships, the prices are amazing and small business friendly.  If you would like to be considered for this months ‘We Love Hue’ project, we are looking for color, color + pattern, bright juicy hues, we have some spots left but they are moving fast.  Email us with the subject: ‘We Love Hue too” at sunshine [at] thebrightsideproject.com

As always Good Luck!!!

xo,

Miss B.

{visit depuis photography here}

Photography is an amazing tool that encapsulates a moment for eternity. It can document an instant in a very factual, documentary way or it can present an alternate reality reflecting feelings and emotions. One thing for certain a good photographer can record a rainbow of colors and use it to create a work of art.

Having taken her first photos at the young age of seven, Mina Georgescu knows a thing or two about creating photographic art. Georgescu of Depuis Photography hunts for magical places to capture with her lens and infuse with her own style. Her latest collection, “Coney Island and Other Magical Places” is a series of vivid, colorful and lighthearted pieces. Saturated hues, scratches, textures, and blurred motion combine to add a certain charm and nostalgia to each print. The Boardwalk, carnival rides, and beachy scenes comprise this grouping of lively images that are sure to add color and joy to any room they occupy.

Mina is giving away two matted prints: “Coney Island Carnivale” and “Coney Island Ferris Wheel” to one lucky winner. For your chance to win please answer the following question by February 9, 2010.

What magical place would you like to have a photograph of?

Please begin checking the winners box on February 17, 2010 to see if you’ve won. Good luck!

{ visit Le Creuset here }

Today we kick of the month of February by saying “We Love Hue.” Trust me when I say that we have some great things in store for you this month so hold on to your hats and get ready to be colorfied!  I can think of no better shade to kick things off with than the “color of the year”: turquoise, or Caribbean to be exact.

The lovely folks at Le Creuset have an entire line of enameled cast-iron cookware in the shade of the moment (they call it Caribbean) and all those of the rainbow. Not only can you spice up your kitchen with any hue you choose but once you cook with Le Creuset trust me you will be hooked! Since 1924 these famous enameled cast iron pots have been hand crafted in France to provide the ultimate cooking experience.

The benefits of Le Creuset enameled cookware are numerous:

• The perfectly fitting lids seal in moisture and flavor.
• Cast iron retains heat so that food will be kept hot for some considerable time when served at the table.
• Once the pots are heated, the heat source can be reduced or removed, while food continues to cook. This is quite energy efficient!
• Even and slow heat distribution allows for no “hot spots” where heat can be rapidly lost.
• The weighty cookware retains its shape over time and maintains a steady, flat base.
• The vitreous enamel cooking surface is completely hygienic and impervious to flavors and odors.

Just as purchasing the high quality ingredients for your recipes provides the best results, using top of the line cookware will take your dishes to the next level. And let’s be honest…even if you aren’t a whiz in the kitchen the addition of Le Creuset to your kitchen will only make things more beautiful!

Le Creuset is giving away an Oval French Oven in the color Caribbean (valued at $230) to one lucky winner. If you’d like to pretty up your kitchen answer the following question by February 8, 2010.

How do you incorporate color into your kitchen?

Please begin checking the winners box on February 17, 2010 to see if you’ve won.  Good luck!