Welcome! I am Kathy McGraw of KMG, a graphic designer, east coast gal transplanted to beautiful southern California/ San Diego. This is some of what inspires me. I like to think of it as a mix of west coast bohemian and east coast folk meets Mumbai meets Paris. I'm drawn to eclectic hand done looks with lots of prints and texture, particularly Indian prints and French style. I love branding, packaging, hand lettering, hand printed designs, block printing, screen printing, letterpress and illustration...
Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 12:25PM 
Loving the vintage inspired Pleasant River Soap Packaging for hand crafted soap, as seen on the Dieline. Designed by Art Director: Taja Dockendorf, and Senior Designer: Sara Rosario at Pulp + Wire were vintage inspired in their designs. Packaging was printed with recycled papers and soy inks.
Monday, April 11, 2011 at 03:09PM If you don't have a big budget for offset printing your identity, consider using stamps as a do-it-yourself alternative. They can give a fun, rustic and hand done feeling to your envelopes, business cards, stationery and even packaging …I have been seeing a lot of this lately and found some nice examples: 1) The Vic stationery design as seen on Lovely Stationery by Australia's Seesaw Design. 2) Brown identity as seen on Communication Arts Exhibit by Colombia's Lip Ltda Lucho Correa. 3) Art & Graft stationery design from London's Collective Approach as seen on Lovely Stationery. 4) Designer James Kape's own identity and stationery design.
Identity, Stamping, Stationery in Budget Design Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 07:17PM Here is some more delicious patterns and color design at Target. This is from the English brand Liberty of London. Images are from the Real Simple blog.
Packaging, Patterns in Pattern Love Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 07:02PM Loving the packaging with the ethnic paisley like design accent. A "Scent for Living" collection from Okra. Reminds me a little of a scent and candle design collection in Target that I liked and took pictures of a while back… Okra is an interiors mail order catalogue for the home in the United Kingdom. 
Some pictures of the Target packaging with paisley that I took a while back for comparison (sorry the pictures aren't so great, but you get the idea)...
Beauty Products, Candles, Packaging, Paisley in Packaging Love Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 08:31PM I am really loving the work done by Leah Duncan of Austin Texas. You can find some of her prints here in her Etsy stop. Leah worked as a graphic designer for advertising firms and silk-printing companies. She is inspired by her native american roots, and creates a world where folk meets modern. A woman after my own heart!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 06:31PM I've only gotten to go to a couple in Le Marais but it seems Papiers are alive, well and plentiful in Paris, especially in Le Marais. It's probably a good thing that I've only gone to a few, as I always seem to spend so much money in them… What can I say? I love paper, bookbinding and stationery… I mentioned in my previous post that I went to Book Binder's Design in Le Marias. I regret that I didn't take pictures but I have a few images courtesy of Do it In Paris and Criando Moda a Francesinha.
On another trip to Paris and Le Marias, I found a lovely hand bound linen portfolio box at Papier+ (9 rue du Pont Louis Philippe). It's only a five minute walk from Notre Dame and the Paris City Hall. The street that it is on runs from the Marais to the the Ile Saint-Louis is filled with great little boutiques including a few other boutiques dedicated to paper. This street is definitely worth checking out! I wish I had of taken a picture, but here is one from the Steph Modo Blog and The Fab Day.
I've missed seeing this Papier called Marie-Papier on rue Vavin. I will have to look for it, if and when I get to go back to Paris and Le Marias. Image courtesy of Paris Breakfasts and Madesomiseel a Paris.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 03:53PM Sorry, I have been missing in action for a little while... I want to get back to posting regularly. I met my husband in Paris for a few days (what can I say, a girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do...). My husband was in London with his job and he took the Chunnel over and met me at the Charles de Gaulle Airport. We stayed on the left bank in St. Germain in the 6th Arrondissement. I got to see the Musée Rodin the Musee de l'Orangerie, and the Musée des Arts décoratifs which was pretty amazing and went shopping in the Le Marais, which I loved, loved, loved... Went to Book Binders Design and I found a lovely hand bound portfolio book in Chartreuse. My color/colour!!! Anyway I could go on and on... I have found several very nice Paperiers in Le Marais, which I will talk about more later. Anyway here are a few photos that I took, while I was there...
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 02:38PM J.R. Watkins is an original natural apothecary manufacturer that has been around for over 140 years. I recently saw the J.R. Watkins products in a beauty supply the other day and was reminded of how much I liked the old-time feeling of the label designs. The packaging designs were also shown on the blog the Dieline awhile back.
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 01:38PM Really cute and fun branding by the incredible Mattson Creative/ Ty Mattson for Curly Girl Design/ Leigh Standley.
Branding, Packaging, Vintage Inspired in Brand Love Monday, February 21, 2011 at 08:17PM Really beautiful branding as see on designworklife by London’s Socio Design for Truth. Using exciting colors, Socio Design developed the branding elements and branding guidelines.
Branding, design, print in Brand Love Friday, February 18, 2011 at 01:46PM Lollia, fragrances, lotions, bath and body products, candles etc… is another amazing brand by Margot Elena. Lollia has a broad range of beautiful mix and match pattern designs that were inspired by warm, soft, and sophisticated textiles. 
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 12:57PM Absolutely gorgeous vintage inspired packaging from Sohum Cosmetics as seen on NabeFabric and the Dieline.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 05:13PM One of the all time greats of packaging design and one of my great design loves is award winning designer Louise Fili, president and founder of Louise Fili Limited. I don't even feel worthy enough to post about her. I wanted to show some of the work from her studio and why she is so inspirational. Louise has designed over 200 book covers and received has received awards from every major design competition. She taught graphic design and typography and her work is in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, and the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. 
Branding, Louise Fili, Packaging, design in Designer Love Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 08:42PM You may have seen this packaging design posted on various blogs but I really like the warm and friendly work by English illustrator/cartoonist Stuart Kolakovic for Marks & Spencer’s new caffeine-free teas. I originally saw these designs posted on the Dieline.
Illustration, Packaging in Packaging Love Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 08:21PM Lovely screen prints by Sally Elford a Brighton (UK) based illustrator/ designer/ printmaker .
Illustration, Prints, Sally Elford, silkscreen in Print Love Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 02:56PM I know the India Collection from Paper Source: stationery, paper, gift bags, rubber stamps and now home goods, has been around for a little while but I hadn't blogged about it yet. I definitely gravitate towards the Indian textiles, block prints and Mehndi designs. Their richness has a strong influence on the Paper Source's collection as well as my own work.
India, Paper Source, design, paper, pattern, print in Design Love Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 03:31PM Tracy Walker happens to be one of my most favorite illustrators. I first discovered her work in the Yoga Journal. She has illustrated for the New York times and her work appears in newspapers, advertising, package design and books worldwide. She has prints available on Etsy.
Illustration, Tracy Waker in Illustrator Love Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 01:20PM Handcrafted loveliness from Katharine Watson as originally seen on the "Oh so Beautiful Paper" Blog. Bright colors and folk art-inspired patterns on hand printed linoleum block note cards, tote bags, tea towels, and journals. I am really getting into the block printing lately.... Love the way it looks...
Monday, February 7, 2011 at 02:31PM Amazing work by a duo/team, an illustrator Anna Johnson and Maree Oaten a designer from Australia called Little Branch. Little Branch is an Australian made artisan paper line of gift cards, wrapping paper and limited edition art prints based on the original art of Anna Johnson and the design of Maree Oaten.
Illustration, Little Branch, design, gift cards in Illustrator Love Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 02:43PM I originally saw this packaging for Love & Toast on the blog the Dieline. Love & Toast is a brand by Margot Elena who has been praised by her detailed approach to the creative process, and her amazing ability to develop beautifully designed and commercially successful brands. Margot Elena also developed the very successful brands Lollia and TokyoMilk. Love & Toast is Margot Elenas' natural line. She refers to it as “Brit Pop Folk Art" from which she drew from Japanese design and also has a feel of Swedish iconography…
