"Every child begins the world again..."

It's been a busy summer here at MAKE.GOOD. Lots of new projects (which I'm dying to tell you all about) and many hours of work still ahead.
But the past couple of weekends have been all about relaxation and family. One of my favorite moments was the morning Penny and I picked up my niece and nephew at 7:00 am on a Saturday and headed to the beach!
After a slightly bleary eyed start, the kids were ready for anything! They loved watching Penny swim surprised that it came so naturally to her. We searched for sticks to throw in the water and spent the better part of the morning enjoying the lovely breeze, the sunshine and just the sound of each other's laughter!

I'm always so inspired by children. My niece has taken to designing clothes and bags! She even designed a special MAKE.GOOD bag! It blew me away that a 7 year old already has so much talent. My nephew has started racing bicycles. My brother's son, he wants to follow in his father's footsteps and if it means riding a bicycle for hours then that's what he will do.
I returned feeling inspired and energetic about my work. That's the thing about being around children, they help you see the world again. It brings to mind a favorite quote of mine by Henry David Thoreau, "Every child begins the world again..."

Bench-Calling all Corrugated Cardboard

It's hard to say where an idea comes from. Pinpointing the exact moment the little seed is planted in one's brain is nearly impossible. In my experience, it's never just one thing that inspires, but a perfect storm of little things converging over time.

I've had this image of what I think is an Indonesian bench around for some time. I had saved it because, if I can remember back that far, I likes the form of the curving seat. It struck me as elegant. I also seem to recall loving that the seat was make up of a few large pieces of vertical standing wood sandwiched together.
More recently, I began thinking about designing a my own bench. As I talked with my Landscape and Site Planning students during the summer semester I was struck by all the beautiful topography models they create using such a pedestrian material as corrugated cardboard.
I suddenly remembered that Indonesian bench.

What does this all have to do with corrugated cardboard? Let's just say the details are not quite all worked out yet. As always with any design, it takes time, patience and a lot of testing. You can't rush an idea and it must come in it's own time. So, for now, I'll leave you with the sketches above and your imagination.

On the horizon...

I took this photo a few weeks ago at Jamaica Pond by where I live. The scene struck me as odd. There it was a disembodied branch hanging from fishing line. I pulled out my iPhone and snapped this photo not wanting to forget the strangeness of the encounter.
Today, resolved to sit and write, and not having a clue what to write about, (I haven't written a word here for months) that strange image popped into my mind.
So, today I'm writing about the future, or better yet, what is on the horizon for me and MAKE.GOOD studio. I like to think of myself as that branch hanging in mid air waiting to plunge into the pool of water below me. It's a half-frightening, half-invigorating thought. Like when you were a kid and you wanted to jump in the pool but the knowledge of how cold that water would feel on your skin upon impact kept you at bay for what seemed like a lifetime. Until, that is, you went for it. It was just a moment of pain, the rest was all bliss!
I'm not entirely sure what the horizon holds just yet, but I'm ready to take the plunge!
I want to know, what one thing have you been waiting to take the plunge on...?