It’s been awhile since this blog has gotten a good scrubbing and spring cleaning. I’ve updated a few things here and there, but there’s still a lot hanging around gathering cobwebs.

So, it was more than time for a redesign.

This design is based on a couple of things:

Firstly: Mathew Buchanan’s genius Esquire tumblr theme. I was exploring tumblr (more on that in a minute) and came across his designs, and was more than impressed. He’s managed to explode my notions of what a blog (or tumblr) can look like. His designs are very magazine like, and driven more by classic modern graphic design than web-design – hence the drop caps (although they’re not quite working perfectly yet), and the floating elements.

Secondly: Paris (I’ve been there, you know!) by way of French Children’s books. I was thinking specifically of the colour schemes of something like Babar. Soft, friendly, sophisticated primary colours in particular: coral red, emerald green (sometimes called French green!), and French racing blue.

But more than just a pretty new design, I realized my blogging has been sorely lacking. I know, and I’m sorry. Twitter updates do not constitute a blog.

So I’ve done two things: I’ve moved twitter updates to be once weekly instead of daily (and even that, I might get rid of) so they don’t get in the way as much and I’ve signed up for a tumblr. You can find it under my name (bethmaher) if you have one too, but it’s not necessary as I will be syndicating my efforts here in an attempt to rev up my blogging.

I will always love WordPress because it makes blogging so infinitely customizable, but I will concede that tumblr is way, way easier. So combining the two is ideal: I can post big long rambling posts like this one from the admin of WP every once in a while, and the rest of the time I can be sending little brilliant little tidbits of found images, video and links from my tumblr.

As always with a redesign, I will be tweaking things for the next little while, and if you find anything that’s not working, please do give me a shout in the comments!

Productivity has become a bit of a hot topic in my life for some reason this week, so I’m going to share something with you all that has changed my life.

No, really.

It probably has something to do with the onslaught of wedding planning, as well as the capabilities of my iPhone, as well as the inability of my brain to hold on to pertinent information, but I am becoming a sucker for any and all automated ways to keep my life organized.

The number one way I do that these days, is with iGoogle.

Some of you more tech savvy kids out there are going to be nodding with me and going: yeah, duh, Google is the greatest thing in the universe.

But I also know, quite personally, that some of you are going: Waaaaaah? Eye-whatsa-oogle?

iGoogle, is kinda like MyYahoo used to be (if you ever used it). Except for it works.

It’s a customized Google landing page, where you can add little boxes (or widgets) that gather feeds or information from all the various internet sites you may use from day to day. Twitter, Facebook, GMail, Flickr, RSS feeds for your favourite blogs via Google Reader (which you should also be using!), Google Docs, Last FM, MySpace, BBC news – there is a widget for pretty much everything you could come up with.

No more wasting your time, clicking through all your bookmarks, no more missing out on pertinent information. Every update, for everything, on one page, topped off by one of a large number of adorable themes that change based on the time of day (the one I use is called Teahouse, and there’s a matching GMail theme to go with it!).

So, now you know. Use this knowledge, and thank me later.

So, yesterday, as we were sitting at the dentist, word started spreading on Twitter that LeVar Burton was hosting a tweetup at a bar in Yorkville.

Since Liam had the afternoon off due to dentistry, we started talking about it – how it might be interesting to go.

Liam was a huge Trekkie as a kid, as were most of his friends growing up in Thunder Bay, so he was all for going. I on the other hand waffled for little while. While I was certainly familiar with Star Trek (though never self identified as a fan) I was definitely a Reading Rainbow fangirl:

If you knew me as a child you know one thing for certain: My nose was in a a book 90 percent of the time. Watching Reading Rainbow made me feel a little more normal about my love of literature.

Suddenly, I realized that the little kindergartner inside of me would pretty much black out at the opportunity to meet one of her heroes. I had to do it.

So we went.

And it was amazing.

LeVar is pretty much one of the kindest, most genuine, most attentive celebrities I’ve ever met. He made time for everyone in the room. I was able to tell him how much I appreciated what he’d created in Reading Rainbow, and he really seemed pleased to hear it.

This all probably sounds silly to most of you, but he pretty much fulfilled a childhood fantasy for me, and I’m still floating around today, on a little bit of a high.

So here’s my advice to you: if you ever get the opportunity to do something you wanted to do as a child, but may have thought you outgrown: don’t think twice, do it! Your inner child will be eternally grateful.

I got a a twitter.

It’s against all my better judgment, and I’ll probably never use it, but there it is.

Although if I ever get a phone that is capable of proper texting and internet usage, I guess it could come in handy.

As it stands though, it’s just one more password to remember.

I’ve made a few gentle upgrades to the blog – it should look a lot better in Firefox (3.0!) now. Plus I upgraded to WordPress 2.5 – and it’s pretty awesome too. Much more fun to use (of course much of the upgradiness is relegated to the back-end that I see – not the front-end that you see – so you’re just going to have to take my word on this).

I am actually up-to-date for once! We’ll see how long this lasts (likely, not very long – I am lazy when it comes to these things).

So upgrading = picture of cat. I think this is part of the ritual at this point, right? Or they kick you out of the blogosphere? Or something?

Also gentle: Piglet’s eyes. They make me cry, they are so sweet. Look at them! Weep tears of cuteness!

Our cat has been cheezburgered!

…

Without our permission…

Or credit…

Which is kinda less cool…

Still pretty cool though!

Great minds think alike.

Or something.

Now if only the cats hadn’t already started to claw the irreplaceble vintage fabric.

Just because I am, like, the best girlfriend ever, I just re-designed Liam’s website for him. Check it out, it’s extra pretty.

Yeah, you wish I were your girlfriend right now.

Here are my inspirations this time around:

1. the colour of a manilla envelope
2. vintage office supplies
3. Paul Smith‘s stripes
4. Get Smart
5. the Game of Life‘s logo

I was tagged (quite a while ago) by Travis:

1) Find the nearest book
2) Open to page 123
3) Type lines 6-8 of said book
4) Tag three others

Nearest book:
Don Quixote by that Cervantes guy

(The very long sentance that overwhelms)Lines 6-8:

True it is, at the second application Sancho fell to the earth: a misfortune that also happened to his master; who, in spite of all his own address, together with the assistance of his good friend, soon found himself stretched at the feet of Rozinante, who had not as yet been able to rise: from whence we may learn, what furious execution is often done by pack staves when managed by the hands of such enraged clowns.

I was actually hoping something less pretentious that I actually had intention of reading was sitting by me. But no such luck.
I’m just tagging Liam for this one. He needs to blog more. This will encourage him to do so.

Back when I actually had the time to be bored this summer, I went on a hunt for new blogs to read.
I love my new finds so much, I sharing them, because they are becoming a major source of inspiration for me (when I can find the time to actually be on my computer doing something other than schoolwork).

These blogs are pure escapism. I could never hope to live the halcyon life these girls manage to create around them. I am astounded by the depth of thought that goes into the aesthetic beauty of every little domestic moment captured in images. These blogs have become my muses, inspiring me to create art from the life I live, by seeing EVERYTHING I create (from the way I make a bed – or don’t – to how I make dinner) as creative in nature.

little birds
Domestic bliss in Portland (my dream town) in saturated colours, glimpses of nature and carefully chosen vintage prints.

a bird in the hand
The literal sister site to little birds (no really, it’s her sister). Just as much about vintage finds, but more about pastel colours and collaged art pieces, and life in San Francisco (a very nice city indeed).

oh joy
How this blogger finds all these beautiful things everyday, I’ll never know. But there’s a wealth of links here to all things design and feminine (especially cute jewellery, fashion, home decor, stationary, party planning and weddings). And it’s all sooooo delightfully girly.

everybody likes sandwiches
I love cooking, and I love food, but I’ve had a hard time finding a food blog that actually offers me something new, and captures my attention.
This one does.
The food is simple, but beautifully captured, and imaginative – and the blog is well written to boot. It’s like an elegant cookbook in blog form! I especially like the focus on fresh in season ingrediants, and things that are relatively healthy.

Or at least, on McSweeney’s website, anyway.
Super-cool Travis!

So I’ve officially been spammed.
Not just a little spam here and there, more like a sudden spam bomb that exploded in my comments.
It’s really not too big a deal. They spam didn’t even make it onto my web-site, because they were pretty obviously not actual human interaction. But, being previously spam free, I had my system set to moderate questionable content, so there was a moment there when my inbox was flooded with e-mails from my admin system. I implemented a handy spam blaster plug-in, and things seem to be going slightly smoother.
But I’m still not pleased.
There’s something about my own private corner of the internet being so fully assaulted that gets me all twitchy.
It doesn’t help matters that this spam was annoyingly un-generic. Every single message came from a different IP, and each message had a unique variety of links. Commercial, non-spammer links too. Telling me to visit sites I normally visit, that everybody normally visits. News sites, movie sites, just generic popular sites.
No poker, bingo, porn or Viagra.
That worries me.
I can’t figure out the purpose of it. According to Google, it doesn’t exist.
It is completely purposeless. It doesn’t sell anything.
It is spam, for spam’s sake.
What’s up with that?
It does occasionally make me pine for the days of ink ribbons.

I hope this helps to heal the scourge that has befallen our once great cyberland.
(via wee me)

I have returned from a pleasant long weekend at the cottage, and I have spent the last few hours perfecting the site. I now have it about where I want it, content wise, but I might spice up the layout a little yet. I think I finally have the hang of this whole wordpress/themes/php thing. It’s tricky, but it makes sense once you get used to it. The default kubrick template that comes with this thing bugs me a little – it is far from perfect. In fact, it’s pretty messy in places. I don’t understand why you would include a button to validate XHTML when your coding is far from valid, but that’s just me.
Also the wordpress nerds who code Plugins and write in the support forums refuse to speak in simple terms and constantly assume you’ve done things that it is far from intuitive to do. Their tutorials are not very informative.
Basically, these people need to learn how to write in English. I will excuse the ones who don’t actually speak English as their first language from this, of course. But still.
Anyway, after much flailing and tweaking everything should be valid, easy to access and delightfully in it’s place. Hopefully.

I have switched from bland old blogger to exciting and new WordPress.
When I started out blogging (a few short months ago) I tried to set this thing up with movable type to no avail. Apparently my cheapo hosting couldn’t deal with it. WordPress had yet to make the move to 1.5, so I stuck with blogger.
When I saw what thimble and robot johnny were doing with the platform (specifically the way you can easily separate everything into convenient little categories/tags) I was very excited. But I decided to let things settle down a bit before I made the jump.
Being sick this week forced me to do non-active things (like sit alone in a dark room lit by the glow of my laptop meticulously coding) so I decided to move on up.
So here it is, in all it’s glory!
I think it’s an improvement on vector bunny 1.0, don’t you?
If you don’t, or have found any spot that needs a bit of tweaking ( I’m still unsure about this whole PHP thing) please inform me.

My Mom and Dad have returned from their excellently timed trip to London (at least they’ll have a story to tell someday). My dad enjoys taking pictures of architecture. He just sent me this picture:

I took this picture just for you . I Guess this is where Mac Heads hang out and do artsy things, sip latte’s and do Mac things. Disgusting.
Dad

An (admittedly selfish) note to bloggers: If you are a 32 year old housewife with angst: please refrain from telling the world about it. I only read about your cute little lives to entertain myself, and occasionally steal ideas on how to make stuffed animals or block prints, not because I want to see what teenage live journals would be like if they all aged 10 years, got a domain and knowledge of Typepad (but retained their need to have random strangers validate their lives).
Seriously. We all need a lot more Travis Nicholson in our lives. Now that’s how you blog.
Also note how I did not bracket that opening paragraph with <selfish> blah blah </selfish>. That’s tired.
Enough of my self indulgent telling other people how to live their internet lives though.
I am actually pretty happy with the way things are going (disappointing daily blog reads notwithstanding).
The VBP is going very well, despite yet another slight hiatus due to finishing off my work at the Press.
It’s coming to a close. The last issue of the academic year is hitting stands, and all that’s left is for me to train the incoming protege, and hope he or she doesn’t outshine me too horrifically.

Watching The Incredibles DVD is a great way to ignite some more complex thinking about art, illustration and creativity. Especially when it’s needed personally (what with huge projects looming and all). The way those wacky Pixar people take every small detail into consideration is, well, incredible.
I have just begun to really want to take things like lighting and characterization into consideration, even just in my small illustrations, and to see an entire team of people work on those things on something as huge as an entire movie is kinda breathtaking for someone as creatively inclined as me.
It makes me feel inadequate in the most childlike, wondrous kinda way. Simply watching these people work away at these impossible things so casually and elegantly makes it seem feasible for me to achieve personally.
I love playing around with Photoshop to see what will happen, so I kinda drool when I see that they have their own software department that exists simply to solve problems and build tools for them. If software is needed, they can build it. “You need more fluid 3D rendering? Sure, I’m on that. The ability to light a animated scene as if it were a soundstage? You got it. Long, realistic looking, flowing hair? As of today it’s the computer animation holy grail, but if I can get my guys on it we should have something by tomorrow.”
If only.
It makes me very, very, jealous of people like Mr. Tirade himself. Lucky freakin duck.

I’m officially starting work on a very big project. It’s kind of daunting and all encompassing, I’m not always sure where to start.
I was playing around with the concept of coming up with my own typefaces for though, and drew up this:

It’s sort of a roughly inspired by the work of Hoefler and Frere-Jones (who most Mac users will be familiar with from their beautiful Hoefler typeface). It’s an attempt at a retro, vernacular, titling, sans-serif. I’ve thrown it in some graphic mockups for the project, and I think it looks pretty hot. I just need to figure out how the heck to turn it into a real-live, honest to goodness font. There are very few font editors out there, and all of them cost money. I would love to ownFontlab, as it seems to be the best program out there, and it would work on my Mac – but I think I’m gonna have to settle for Font Creator which does not work on Macs but costs 400 dollars less as it has a free 30 day trial.
I know I’m no Jonathan Hoefler, but I just want the text in my art to be as personal as the art itself, but be a little cleaner and more consistent than my normal scrawl.
Is that really too much to ask? It seems for less than 500 dollars it might be.
Also, I’ve got the cat addicted to smoked turkey. Is that weird? She won’t touch canned salmon, or cheese, or cat snax, or wet cat food… but she tries to eat our sandwiches when they have smoked turkey in them. She’ll occasionally eat ground beef and fresh salmon, but she freaks out for smoked turkey. She’s not your average picky eater, she’s practically human in her choices. I’m gonna use it against her though, and train her to actually come when I call her with little meaty bribes.

Aaaaand done. Finally. Bethmaher.com is up and running. I am realising I am a perfectionist. I have redesigned and re-done everything here, and I’ve only owned the domain for a couple weeks. I even tested it in 4 separate browsers, on 2 different operating systems (explorer for Mac still has some kinks, but I don’t feel like fixing them yet, because who in their right mind would be running explorer on a Mac anyways). I coded and re-coded until I couldn’t stand to see another line of code. If some nerd comes to tell me that my site is not up to snuff, or web standards or some kind of nonsense, I will have to remind them that Enterprise has been cancelled. No more sexy Vulcans for them (note to self: still need to make favicon and 404 page – damnit, like I’m not going to miss the sexy Vulcan myself).
I am super happy with the little me you see in the header up there though.
Bunny hat! Super cute!