a little roundup of things that inspired me this week

1. theSkimm, Superbowl edition  I thank my sister-in-law, Colette, for alerting me to this fast, fabulous daily e-news service called theSkimm. Today’s version is a quick download of all the most interesting things about Sunday’s Superbowl. Check it out. Sports fanatic or not, it’s just fun.

2. The Stitch Block Cowl, from purl bee   I covet. Would someone make this for me? Please? (The link includes the pattern.)

photo credit: the purl bee

3.  The Gap from Ira Glass      What is the difference between a hack and an artist? According to Ira Glass, it’s volume. In a talk beautifully animated by photographer and artist Daniel Sax, Glass talks about doing the work to cross the gap between recognizing (“taste”) and creating (“skills”). And that requires some serious volume. A fascinating theory on the creative process that promises there’s hope for any of us willing to put in the time.

Maria

3.  Wordless News 1.28.14     I love every illustration the fabulous Maria Fabrizio creates for her astounding project, Wordless News. And this one from January 28th? I love love love. Take a peek and see what happens when an artist (who has clearly crossed The Gap) reports a top news story using exactly NO words. And she does it five days a week. Just wow. (Note: At the bottom of each post, Maria provides links to word-filled news stories if you want more context.)

5. The Dark ‘n Stormy      It’s the national drink of Bermuda, and it’s also the cocktail that got us through Storm Leon. The link here is to the recipe from Goslings. I must confess we added a splash of simple syrup, an option we discovered during a fun dinner with friends at Cafe Caturra last weekend. (Did you know they have feathers hanging in the restaurant?) The Dark ‘n Stormy. Mmmmm.