MINT DESIGN BLOG
Hello, Bright Side! My name is Ellie, and I’m the blogger behind Mint. I started Mint a couple of years ago, because I was spending an insane amount of time on the internet gathering inspiration/research/education for my then newish career as a graphic designer. Storing all those beautiful images on my desktop was getting out of hand, so I started a blog. Little did I know it would come with a great community of other bloggers and designers. Within a year or so, the failing economy meant I was in need of a new job, but I had unwittingly set myself up for self employment. Today I’m learning the ropes of being a freelance designer with a focus on invitations at Hello Tenfold , and blogging inspiration images all the while. I define the term “design” pretty loosely, and on Mint you’ll see some fashion, recipes, photography, art, books, and the occasional DIY project or interview. Hope you’ll stop in and say hi!
But on to what you really want to know, which is “what about the goods?” I have a penchant for vintage goods (I even have a little vintage shop, called west + plum)so the first place I stopped to find some favorites is 1. SeeSaw Vintage. There isn’t a thing in that shop I wouldn’t like to own! I adore vintage glassware, so the stripe and cane patterned glasses were an obvious choice. Then I hopped over to another favorite etsy shop, 2. Laura Lombardi. Laura has a clean, modern aesthetic with a bit of edge, and I really admire her work. I’m socking away some pennies and plan to do some damage there soon. 3. Tortoise Loves Donkey, since I have a vision of a house filled with sunlight and thriving plants, but have a black thumb, I’d like to give these air plants a try. No soil, and they like periods of drought? Check. 5. Erin Zamrzla is a great bookmaker from Santa Monica. She’s recently added some mini recycled books to her shop, and the prices can’t be beat. Lastly, I found the shop 6. Down Home Amy today, and fell in love with these screen printed “grandpa hankies.” I’m so into anchors.
Les Mis was truly GREAT!
I ado Alan de Botton. When I found an old fiction piece of his at a used bookstore I was over the moon! I spent my whole day off last week reading “The Romantic Movement”. Deeply satisfying. Then you can go off and read everything else he wrote!!
The Wild Things by Dave Eggers
“Changed Behind Bars-The History of My Redemption” by Chandler Fozard
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
“In a Sunburned Country” by Bill Bryson – moving to Australia next year and this book was crucial to getting a grasp on the culture. Plus it’s hilarious.
My book club read Let the Great World Spin, and I felt like I had time-traveled when I finished it.
The Book Thief
The Writing on my Forehead by Nafisa Haji
I really enjoyed Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger, but I’m currently reading A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers, and it may trump the former in terms of greatness.
Just reread Middle Sex by Jeffrey Eugenides… he also wrote the Virgin Suicides, both are painful but beautiful tales
The last really great book I read was Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. I’m about to start Corelli’s Mandolin. And I love anything by Alice Hoffman.
Grapes of Wrath.
The Glass Castle
Thirteen Reasons Why
A teen novel, not just for teens!
The last great book I read was actually the His Dark Materials series, starting with the Golden Compass. I never got the chance to read it as a kid, and getting the chance now was like stepping back in time. I even drank some chocolate milk while I read each night!
the glass castle.
loved it! loved it!
I don’t really do well with large books. I honestly can’t remember any large books I’ve read..that is so lame. My favorite book ever is the time traveler’s wife.
The House on Mango Street — a cheerful collection of vignettes about a little girl growing up in Chicago.
From Bahaus to Our House and The Painted Word both by Tom Wolfe. He is so fabulously witty.
Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
[...] for an entry by the blogger Ellie (of the Mint Design Blog) (this entry was written early May), the question was, “What is the last great book you [...]