Inaugural Entry

Hey all. Thanks as always for checking in. I feel like the last couple of months have been pretty busy and somewhat interesting. So, since this is the first post of the new SlickPixel blog, I’m going to cover a lot of ground. Let’s get to it.

Defining Moments
Amanda and I celebrated our four-year wedding anniversary May 17th. We have a little book that lists what each anniversary gift is. Last year, the book told us that the third year anniversary gift is leather. Now, I had wanted to do something special for Amanda for a long time because she is really an amazing person, exceptional friend and the perfect wife. So I decided “Hey, I’ll write and make her a book and bound it in leather.” I decided it would be a collection of memories and inside jokes that we’ve shared. I’d list words alphabetically, dictionary style, and tell how she’s changed what each word or item means to me, and call the book Defining Moments. I’ll even leave blanks so we can fill it in and it can grow along with our relationship.

That turned out to be a lot of work. I started writing the book and May 17 got nearer and nearer, until I had to cop out and get her some lame gift because the book wasn’t even written, let alone done. But I decided to stick with it. Maybe I’ll get it done by her birthday. Nope. Christmas? Nope. But progress was being made and by this year I had finished by our anniversary. I had to change my plans a little since the fourth year anniversary was linen according to our little book.

So, the finished product was roughly 200 pages, bound in a screen-printed black cover. For protection I also screen printed a book jacket. Don’t worry, I got the linen in there. The book starts and ends with black linen finished stock and the inside layer of the book jacket is a black linen stock as well.


So, I’m really happy with the finished result, and I think Amanda is too. I look forward to filling it in in the years to come. It wasn’t all sugar drops and rainbows along the way though. I chipped my tooth making it, which is a completely different story for another day. It was worth it in the end, since I was able to give Amanda a collection of our most personal memories.

Download the full PDF here.

No, not really.



HOW Design Conference
The HOW Conference in Atlanta was pretty cool to say the least. This was my first HOW Conference, but it won’t be my last. I learned a lot from some very interesting people. Here are some images of the event:


So it begins. I anxiously await to hear Chip Kidd deliver the first profanity laced words of wisdom. I later realize that I prefer the back row seating.


The Hyatt was pretty big inside. I’ll never ever ride those elevators either, by the way.


Plenty of interesting stuff in the Resource Center. This chick’s getup is completely paper (even the fruit hat in the bottom right corner of the photo). From watching Amanda make a paper men’s dress shirt first hand, I can appreciate the skill involved here.


Decender’s Ball closing party at the Georgia Aquarium.


Designers love aquatic life.


I met Chip Kidd at the end of this tunnel. He was very nice.


Decender’s Ball. Typography theme. So, of course, this guy was there. Check out those gnarly spider crabs too. Yikes.


Hey, it’s Beckie. I only made one real contact and friend at the Conference, and it was Beckie. But that’s cool cause she’s the bee’s knees. I’ve always been a quality not quantity person anyway. Also, this is the last known documentation of the nasty mop that used to reside on top of my head.






Dad Bash
Well, the Second Annual Dad Bash went off without too many hitches. This year’s Father’s Day celebration doubled in size from last year as the attendee list just kept growing. This proved interesting since this was about the third time in my life I’d grilled, and I was now grilling for about 20 folks. The more the merrier, though, as good times and edible food were had by all.


Eat and be merry!



The happy hosts. Things to notice in this photo:
1) Amanda is just so dern cute.
2) The sweet free Veer shirt I got at the HOW Conference.
3) Nobody manning the grills.



Alrighty, I’m gonna wrap this up because it’s way too long to begin with. Thanks for checking and let me know what you think of the new SlickPixel temporary setup.