New and Exciting Horizons!

Hello again! Here I am keeping promises. I am back into the swing of things and enjoying a spot of freelance work in my life that is allowing me to persue other creative endeavors.

For one, I will be overhauling this blog! Since the new Megnificent Made store will no longer be focusing on sewn goods (I’m not saying never!) I think there is a bit of re-branding in order. Keep an eye out for a fun new look for the Megnificent Made blog AND the Megnificent Made store!

Second I’d like to cryptically tell you about some of the design work I’ve been doing. I am an experienced Graphic Designer and Illustrator and you can check out some of my work at MeganGuhl.com I’m available for design projects if you’re interested in talents like mine, I’d love to hear from you.

This year I had a stint working with Interbrand here in Sydney. A group of extremely talented and award winning designers that had a wonderful string of inspiring work I was proud to be apart of.

Since January I’ve been working freelance and have gotten a chance to focus on my first love, illustration. One such project is a series of wooden peg board puzzles with a peek-a-boo theme. They’ll be sold through a wonderful company called Bella Toys that specializes in wooden children’s toys. I will let you all know when they are available!

Most exciting and most cryptic of all is my latest project that has consumed me this week. It’s an opportunity I managed to stumble into (still figuring out how it happened!) and a chance that illustrators dream of. For the past few days I have been working with a group of very lovely, creative and driven people to develop characters for a children’s TV show. At this point I am not at liberty to divulge too much information on the program or the names attached. Hopefully, if all goes as we like, you will all be watching these adorable characters on your TV- and someday -stage!

It really has been such an exciting week. I am so thrilled to be a part of such a fun project and can’t wait to share it with the world. You’ll be the first to know!

So keep posted friends. There are lots of exciting things on the horizon!

Hello Again

Well hasn’t it been a while?!

I’ve been fairly busy over the past year and (if you hadn’t noticed) given my Etsy store and blog a break. But good news is on the horizon! I’ve been able to put some serious thought and creative time into reopening the store with a new focus.

Soon I’ll be getting back into selling hand made treats, but this time with the adults in mind. I’ve been painting, printing and sewing and all for the Etsy store. I will also be attending various Sydney markets for those in the area. Look for me in a month or so to see the new goods first hand 🙂

In the mean time I’ve been doing some work for a number of freelance clients. One of which is a friend named Francesca who is about to embark on a major journey. She will be moving to a small town in Southern India as a volunteer with Engineers Without Borders. I’ve helped her to pull together a blog where friends, families and colleagues can follow her projects, adventures and cultural experiences abroad.

Keep up with here at her new blog Francesca In India!

More to come soon 🙂

Saul Bass new release…ish

It may be an obvious or cliche choice for favorite designer…but I really do love Saul Bass. He is best known for his poster design as well as his creative approach to opening titles in film. For those of you not into old movies and poster art, you’ll know his logo for United Airlines.

I was excited to find today that his film,”Why Man Creates”, created in 1968 was for the first time uploaded to youtube in it’s entirety. The film explores and discusses the nature of creativity as it is broken down into 8 stages.

It aired for the first time, as a shortened version,  on the first broadcast of “60 Minutes” in 1968, and also won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Feast your eyes on the genius of Saul Bass!

 

 

Gangsta Ode to Craft

I’m not sure what little kid didn’t play with boxes when they were little. I can remember occasions when my nieces and nephews would toss the toy aside to play with a box, building school buses or airplanes, playing house…even in this age of technology. So if you’ve ever painted on a box, cut holes in a box, stacked boxes or sat in an empty refrigerator box, you’ll enjoy this gangsta ode to crafts.

Well Thats Just Charming

 

 

Creative marketing agency, John St. in Toronto, Canada recently added this charming case study based on pink ponies and the saturated market of children’s birthday parties. Marketing strategy has never been so cute!

Sunswift World Record

Thank you to my loyal readers that continued to stop by while I was away. I’ve been granted my Australian Residency and have moved from New York to Sydney again. Things have been busy but now that I am settled I plan to get back to writing. Unfortunately, the Megnificent Made Etsy store will be on hold for a while longer. I’ll let you know when I get back to making hand made treats for you!

In the mean time there is exciting news to report! I’d like to congratulate the Sunswift Solar Car Racing team from the University of New South Wales on their Guinness World Record for fastest solar car.

for more Megnificent design work please visit meganguhl.com

 

The car, nick named IVy, beat the 22 year old record by 10 k/hr and came in around 88.5 k/hr. Congratulations to the Sunswift team!

35mm

35mm from Pascal Monaco on Vimeo.

Can you name the 35 movies represented in this brilliant display of minimalist design and animation?

A few of my favorite things

I haven’t been blogging much lately but I assure you I have been busy crafting. I’m not going to apologize again for not turning it all into paragraphs and pictures straight away but I can promise there is plenty to be shared. In the mean time I am unapologetically enjoying that I have work to do, sun to bask in, and new crafting adventures to indulge.

While I do all this, I thought I’d share some work by Ken Baily. Someday he will line my kitchen walls with two of my favorite things…dogs and food.

I love my westies 🙂

Jasons Got A Brand New Bag

Recently my friend, and talented Graphic Designer, Jason enlisted my help stitching together a pattern he had come up with for a laptop back. He’s pretty creative and while he doesn’t sew that much, this was the fifth evolution of the laptop bag he’s created since headed off to college.

He’s just graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology by the way and is leaving New York for his new job and exciting new life in San Francisco. Yay for Jason!

Every time he constructs the bag he incorporates lessons learned from his last creation. I think this fifth round bag will last him a while. To see the history of bag designs check out his blog here.

Jasons Got a Brand New Bag

The bag has two front pockets with a handy little flap over it to keep things from falling out. Inside there are two compartments for laptop and books. On the side there is a pocket for pens. One major change to this bag was running the loops and D-rings for the strap through the interior of the bottom of the bag. That adds a lot of support and I think he’ll be able to stuff this bag and not worry about weight.

I made a minor change in the pattern to give him some sharp clean corners and sturdy pockets, but for someone that doesn’t sew he came to me with a very well thought out plan.

Jason is also a talented screen printer and plans to embellish the bag with an original design. I’ll let you all know when he does.

Good luck in San Francisco Jason! And thanks for including me in on the project!

A Two-fer Deal!

2 In 1 Zipper Shoe

I cannot get enough of these supre cute and GENIUS 2 in 1 zippered sneakers by Nat-2.

This clever hightop sneaker design zips apart to reveal a comfortable looking sandal underneath. They come in lots of great styles and even as a lowtop design.

2 in 1 Zipper Shoe

This design team from Germany has dedicated itself to innovation in style. They’ve been the recipient of multiple design awards such as the Red Dot award, the Innovation and Design award in 2007, the ISPO Brand New Award, and was named one of the 50 shoes that changed the world by the London Design Museum.

Their 4 in 1 Stack design converts a clog to a low top, high top and boot with detachable pieces.

4 in 1 Stack

How great would all of this be for travel??

I want…I want them all.