surprise the designer

Just put the first finishing touches on my new portfolio. You can see it here . As always, I would appreciate feedback. Be critical- this is important! Also, here is my partially updated teaser. I am still going to redo a few of those sketches...

A new concept this time around with the job hunt... portfolio teaser... a one-page pdf meant to draw in potential employers. I cannot begin to explain how intimidating it is to try to represent myself and my design capabilities in one page. I decided to showcase my mini mix project because it is really different. Feedback MUCH appreciated here- thanks!

portfolio teaser made with animoto.com... i would love to hear your comments, i am not sure i will stick with this corny website slideshow

Squishy Pillow 5/08 Originally uploaded by p_vaccaro While I was in high school a good friend gave me a micro-bead pillow...one of those super-squishy things that were all the rage for awhile. It is one of the best pillows I have ever had, and insures a great sleep every time. Maybe micro-beads are an opportunity, or at least an option, for the chair project...?

a nice collaboration between MOMA and some Italians: too2late

- get a press pass >This sounds like a joke, but I'm not kidding. I really enjoying writing about design and life and how the two correlate. Not only that, but being a member of the press has great perks at all sorts of events. I am going to strive to write engaging and pertinent blog entries and explore some avenues for becoming a 'member of the press' (core 77 contributer maybe?) - stay balanced >In high school I went to leadership camp where they taught about the 4-fold way of life, balancing physical, mental, social, and religious aspects at all times. I still try to balance things out... that doesn't have to mean that everything gets an equal amount of time, but maybe they get an equal amount of attention. My 4 folds, at least for now, are more like family, academics, work (waitressing), and social stuff. - get a job >Getting a co-op job might sound like something to be taken for granted, but every time I have had to look for one it has been a diffic...

By and large, designers like to see the process behind products. Designers are the ones who want to see ideation sketches and photos of models-in-process in your portfolio. It's just so... cool... When we were in Italy we had the good fortune (and good timing, and good connections) to tour the Piaggio design center and assembly line. It was interesting to see the workstations where men (it's definitely a boys club there) sketch out little Vespas that later become reality, but it was AWESOME to see the assembly line, with hundreds of in-process scooters lined up. Then, in Vienna, we wiggled our way to the front row at a Bishop Allen concert. Bishop Allen has been one of my favorite bands for the past two years. I have listened to their music over and over and over again. Somehow, though, seeing them play their instruments right in front of me changed everything. I understood what they were playing when, what was easier to play and what was more of a challenge. Now t...

If you are looking for some chair inspiration, check out magis and magis me too (their children's collection.) I know it is not always the best idea to look at chairs when you are trying to make one, but they have some very interesting pieces. I think that the me too collection is really a really successful extension of their brand into products that are more suitable for children but still appeal to adults (and especially the young at heart.)

coolest-dad Originally uploaded by farm pig People walk more in Europe. The cities are laid-out differently, and peoples' mindsets are different. So, when people have babies they walk with their babies, and they often drop a lot of cash on the most deluxe strollers possible. It is an entirely different market than the U.S. Pictured here is the Stokke Xplory, an awesome stroller in looks and function. Also noteworthy is the immensely popular bugaboo line of strollers.

I Adore Alessi Originally uploaded by denimay It took everything I had not to yell at people when they went up to the (obviously) closed Alessi store at the Milan furniture fair and took pictures. They pointed their cameras into the darkened room and took pictures of the products they (and their cameras) couldn't actually see. They smiled in front of the closed doors while their friends took the photos. They smashed their noses up against the glass doors to try to catch a glimpse of... nothing new. There was nothing new in that store, nothing worth oogling over, just overpriced plastic. That being said, I understand some of Alessi's draw. They are an established company with excellent craft. I even appreciate the humor in a lot of their products. But, in the long run, I think it is mostly about little trinkets splashed with color, a dash of cuteness, and a huge price tag. And even though that toothpick holder that looks like a bunny in a magic hat looks sooooo cute on t...

Waitresses ahead Originally uploaded by Papa Razzi1 Here is a question... In a restaurant, would you rather pay less for your food and decide how much to tip your server, or pay more for your food and not be obligated to tip? In much of Europe there is absolutely no obligation to tip. I got a haircut in Croatia and the woman practically kissed me when I gave her the equivalent of a $4 tip (I wanted to thank her for cutting my hair even though we did not share a common language.) For me, this is a pretty difficult question. On the one hand, it is really nice to know that the price on the menu will be the full price you pay at the end of the meal. On the other hand, I do believe in rewarding particularly good service with a better tip, and particularly poor service with a smaller tip. Add to the situation that I am a waitress, and the whole thing gets even more complicated. The one thing I know for sure, though, is that someone should standardize the whole thing. It is really har...

Hi all, In case you wanted to see what our compatriots in the other section have been up to this quarter, check out Kyle Lewis' flickr page. It shows a lot of the chairs in all their glory, plus a number of shots of Tony with a walking boot on. I wander what happened...? Get ready for a good quarter! **update: It seems that Tony slipped while mowing his particularly steep lawn. Some say he chopped his toe off, but I don't buy it...

I have been lucky enough to sit in on some of the graduating id senior's final crits , and the work is amazing. They have put a lot of time and effort into their projects, and I would encourage everyone who is in town to visit daapworks , which opens today at 5:00. I am really happy for everyone, especially because it seems like a lot of people have good (exciting) plans for after graduation. I don't know what I can and cannot share (offers haven't been accepted yet, etc.), except that I would encourage you to check out http://atomic10.com . Katie Garber is opening a used and vintage clothing store in downtown Cincinnati as her thesis. The store won't be open until the end of July, but you can check out the website now.

I only brought a few things with me when I went to Europe (although people who saw me try to lift my backpack onto the luggage rack in a train may disagree.) Of what I brought with me, some things weren't really necessary (sleeping bag, water bottle, etc.) and one thing was unexpectedly useful. A good friend gave me a packable shopping tote for my birthday- one of those bags that scrunches down into a little pocket. It was great for traveling... I used it at grocery stores, when in transit (it was a much bigger, better carry-on than my smaller purse), and for going to the beach. When I didn't need it, I just smashed it into my backpack. So, next time you go on a trip consider bringing one of these simple bags along with you.

(an American in Cinque Terre, Italy) After running around Europe for a full ten weeks, Megan and I have made it safely back to sunny Cincinnati. Now that we are back, this blog will be active again- probably mostly with insights and photos from our trip, at least for awhile. To start things off, here is a patriotic American in a small town in Italy. It really doesn't get any better than Birkenstocks and USA socks (with cargo shorts, nonetheless...)

Madrid book fair backstage Originally uploaded by Redder Zooming A really quick update...still do not have the luxury of my own computer with no line of people waiting... We are in Madrid, our last city, and have fully resorted to wandering around the city for amusement and entertainment. Yesterday we stumbled upon a huge outdoor literary fair- with loads of people walking amongst 100s of stalls of books, choosing a few to buy, and then wandering over to the park to have a good read. Not something you would see in Cincinnati, I dont think... Also, sort of hard to deal with because there was only one stall with English books, and it was childrens books. Almost home...