Last night as I lay falling asleep in bed, my eyes gazed upon the new iPhone commercial and noticed the Schlage LiNK app that was highlighted in this spring/family vacation commercial version.

Lo and behold, I saw it, like a miniscule beacon of light, the iPhone app icon I created for the LiNK app. It may not be much, and I can’t say I did much else to design or create the look and feel of the app, but there it was my icon.

I’m just kind of giddy that the icon was actually there for a second on the television screen and apart of a national campaign for the iPhone. Not a big win, but it makes me happy.

You can watch the entire family vacation iPhone commercial on the Apple site.

{Zombie goats on Frenchman St. during Mardi Gras}

I spent my birthday (Fat Tuesday) amongst the most unique individuals in the world while enjoying the beautiful city of New Orleans. I have a passion for the Big Easy and I didn’t mind that they won the Superbowl. I’m not a football fan, so it didn’t rock my boat.

My baby and I have been visiting New Orleans every year since Katrina, and almost five years later I can see the hope, pride and exuberance the big win has created. No more paper bags are worn at Saints games (so I hear), instead big hearts and even bigger smiles.

We have always visited for New Years, and this was our first Mardi Gras. As soon as we settled into our bed & breakfast, my hubby Ryan, had to hit one main tourist spot: Cafe Du Monde. Beignets like soft pillows of fried love…and there is so much powder sugar on these suckers, you could be mistaken for a cocaine dealer.

{There’s a kilo of powder sugar hiding beignets.}

Other than Du Monde’s we stayed close to the Fauborg Marigny and far away from Bourbon Street. Bourbon is what it is, but if you want to enjoy the history, music, art and food in New Orleans spend most of your time on the other intersecting streets of the FQ away from Bourbon.

Watching the parades were fun too, except for the lady behind me who got cut by a renegade medallion. I quickly learned how to effectively turn my face away from the flying debris thrusted off the floats and use my extended arms to reach out for beads. REMEMBER always protect your face.

{Zulu Float with an amazing entourage of feathered courtesans}

In addition to music, culture is alive in Nawlins. We took in the visually spectacular POYI exhibit at the Louisiana State Museum. As well as a wonderful tribute to the rock n’ roll legends of Louisiana. Fats Domino’s piano was represented as well as Cosimo Matassa.

{ I had never heard of Esquerita! until now, but he definitely gave Little Richard a run for his for his money in the fifties.}

The time went so fast, before I knew it we were shuttling back to Louis Armstrong Airport, returning to snowy Indy. Laissez les bon temps rouler…

I just spent three weeks teaching my Fundamentals of Imaging students how to scan in their sketched graphic novel layouts, and alter them in Photoshop.

{Too bad both the Jets and Colts lost. Congrats Saints!}

Most got the concept but a few did some outstanding work considering it was their first project in Photoshop.

{I love the Twilight Zone scene!)

I am super duper sorry for the pause in Ephemera. Cleis Design is growing (woohoo) and I have been neglecting my Ephemera/Blog posts. So like a good freelancer, I’ve started time managing the hell out of my week so that I don’t get behind here again. I hope I see y’all out and about this week.

Events
1. The Eiteljorg Museum: The Pistol packing exhibit. Dirty Harry has nothing on Annie Oakley.

2. The Dirty Dozen: IMA style. I’m bummed I didn’t get to see the Peter Bogdonovich/Touch of Evil viewing, but getting to see the Dirty Dozen on the big screen is a pretty awesome perk.

3. Do-it-Yourself Utopias by Jeff Eisenberg at the Christoper West Presents Gallery.

4. The Earth House presents: The End Of the Line. I saw the film, The Cove last year, and it convinced me to stop eating fish. The End of the Line, I’m told is an even more evocative tale about our fish-depleted seas and oceans.

5.A Squared Industries, Jookabox & more at the Vogue. There’s something local & hot cooking on Friday night.

Quick Links:

1. You have the right to remain obnoxious in some Po-Po stilettos.

2. Breaking down Color theory.

3. Some strategic food for thought on the marketing hot points for 2010.

4. It’s one part geek-design humor and one part hilaaaarious: Unhappy Hipsters.

5. These people are influencing the design around you, take note because their mark will not be fading away anytime soon.

{My back yard}

I bought the Hipstamatic app (along with several listed in an winter issue of Layers Magazine) back in December. I forgot about it until this past weekend when a friend of mine was playing with the app and it tweaked my curiosity more, so a few test shots have commenced.

For an iphone app, it rocks. It looks very similar to theHolga camera I used to play with when I still shot film. Not the most exciting content I’ve chosen to capture, but fun to play with, if you like retro film affects.

Film stock affects with the appropiate lens make it feel and look pretty damn cool.

{On the left, empty plate at the St. Al’s Sausage Feast.}