neuralbrand.

I wasn't able to find out much about this company, but I really like their fun, clean, colorful design style. Check out their sight here...

happy friday.

Sorry I couldn't find an actual video to this song, but I think the song is enough in itself. Just listen and try to sit still.

rami niemi.

I'm starting to get into digital illustration and let me be the first to say it's not as easy as it might look. I can definitely appreciate digital art more now that I'm trying it out for myself. Take Rami Niemi for example. He illustrates only using black and white, but he makes it look so good.

denis darzacq.

Denis Darzacq shoots people falling. Literally. His photos are not manipulated to make it look like people are falling, he actually spent several hours with each model to capture the perfect fall. Luckily most of his models are break dancers so they know how to make it look easy. He was able to create some pretty cool images though. Check out more of his work here...

mickey factz.

If you are wondering where hip hop might be headed in the next couple of years, you should check out Mickey Factz. His electro/hip hop style uses mash up beats to accompany fluid rhymes. He samples anything from Fall Out Boy, to Bjork, to Daft Punk to create a unique, catchy sound. Be sure to download his Heaven's Fallout mixtape for free on his sight!

that time of year.

I love this time of year. Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is quickly approaching. Holiday decorations are up everywhere and most people seem to be in good spirits. It's also a good time to do some last minute Christmas shopping. NOTCOT's gift guide gives a new list of cool, trendy gifts everyday from now until Christmas. So if your still shopping or just curious what cool gifts are out there, check out this guide everyday for a nice collection of gadgets, art, fashion, and food.

online mags?

I've come across a lot of online magazines in the last few years, and I think I've finally found one I can enjoy. Nothing Fancy is an online magazine who showcases submissions from artists, designers, and photographers around the world. They don't try and write articles or fill up pages with advertisements. They just fill up their virtual pages with art. They also have links to each of the artists websites so if you like what you see you can check out more work from the artist. I'm hoping this format catches on with other magazines.

jim denevan.

If you ever find yourself on a beach that looks like it's covered in "crop circle" like patterns, its probably just the work of Jim Denevan. Jim finds wide beaches with wet sand during low tide and spends up to seven hours creating massive images in the sand, using only a piece of driftwood and his eye. Amazingly he is able to create these shapes without using any measuring devices or instruments. Check out more of his work here...

bat for lashes.

I was introduced to Bat for Lashes a few month ago, and have been loving what I've heard from them since. This UK based band's first album Fur And Gold is full of melodic, eerie songs with beautiful vocals. And what about this video for the song "What's A Girl To Do?" A nice long continuous shot with masked men on BMX bikes? Interesting, but fun. Also check out the song Horse and I, one of my favorites.

watch out IKEA.

That's right IKEA there's a new store in town and it is looking pretty cool. MUJI just opened it's first flagship store in the U.S. a few days ago in Manhattan. MUJI is a Japenese retail company that is distinguished by it's design minimalism, emphasis on recycling, avoiding waste in production and packaging, and no logo policy. They sell items ranging from men's and women's clothing, to writing pens, to kitchen utensils, to bedroom furniture. The retail chain has around 285 stores in Japan and many more in Europe, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. Welcome to the states MUJI.

emil kozak.

Emil Kozak is from Barcelona, Spain and loves skateboarding. He is also an amazing designer. He has such a unique style filled with clean lines and an attention to detail. He's worked with plenty of clients who appreciate his youthful designs and well thought out images. I would love to be half as good as this guy someday.

recycling Goodwill.

Did you know that Goodwill discards clothes that have been on the floor for 30 days and have not sold? Well, Nick Graham, founder and designer of Joe Boxer, found this out and is going to be putting those discarded clothes to good use. Graham has teamed up with Goodwill to start a boutique style clothing line called William Good. Designers use whole pieces or scraps of clothes from the discard bins to turn waste into hipster treasure. The first store will be opening up inside a Goodwill in San Fransisco, but items can also be bought on shopwilliamgood.com. To read more about the story go here.

another collabo.

Here is another street wear brand and snowboard company teaming up for Winter 2008. Rogue Status, a respectable California street wear label, and Arbor Snowboards, a company who has been turning heads the last couple of seasons, have done a pretty cool collaboration, which is set to release Dec. 17th.

happy friday.

It's true Michael may have fallen on some hard times, but just look how happy he was back in the day. I love the start of this video, he loves his life. Check out this video too for some of some of his amazing live footage here. This dude can jam.

mmmm.

As it gets colder outside, I usually think of a nice mug of hot cocoa or maybe some hot cider to warm my insides. Apparently back in the 1960's Dr. Pepper wanted customers to warm up with a big hot mug of hot cola. This was an actual ad from around 1968. Funny what companies will do to sell their product sometimes.

chuck anderson.

It's no wonder that Chuck Anderson has an impressive list of clients that most ad agencies would be jealous of. His work is beautiful, creative, and pretty genius. Lucky for me he's having a show at the Threadless store down the street from my work. I can stop by any time this month and check out his work in person!

the cool kids.

Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish are two Chicago natives who have been keeping heads bouncing in clubs all over the country recently. The duo is known as The Cool Kids and they have been getting a lot of attention for their unique beats and fun rhymes. I have seen these guys live three times and it gets better every time. Their live shows are full of energy and enthusiasm. Their much anticipated LP "The Bake Sale" has been continually pushed back, and there is still no set date for its release. I'm looking forward to it whenever it comes out cause these guys know how to make some good hip hop.

a true success story.

Who would have ever thought that the kid selling candy to you during high school would now be running a super successful and recognizable street wear brand? Well, that's what happened with Johnny Cupcakes. This super cool and creative entrepreneur started out by selling candy, then started selling his custom designed shirts. People liked his shirts, so he started making more. Now he owns his own company. Keep an eye out for him, he's going to get big.

branislav kropilak.

Bransliv Kropilak is a Belgian photographer and designer who has a pretty impressive resume. He's done work for Audi, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Heineken, Leo Burnett, Microsoft, Volkswagen, and Sony. He's won numerous awards for his design and photography. His portfolio includes simple subjects like parking garages, trains, and airplane landings, but somehow he makes all of these subjects look dreamlike. Check out some of his work here...

advertising done right.

This is a advertisement for Havaianas Sandals found in Manhattan, and it is way cool. First, check out Havaianas website, because it is beautifully designed. Next, check out McFaul, who is the a west coast design firm commissioned to design this ad. Their work is amazing. Finally, check out BBDO, who is the super creative advertising agency which commissioned McFaul to do the ad.

austria anyone?

If you ever find yourself in Langenfeld, Austria, you should probably stop by the Aqua Dome. This resort is set right in the Austrian Alps with easy access to beautiful views and nearby ski resorts. The spas and saunus not only look amazing, but are also heated by natural springs. Sounds like a good vacation to me.

happy friday.

I know this video is a little old, but it just puts me in a good mood whenever I see it. I love the mix of colorful animation and black and white photography. Kanye is a little too cocky for my liking sometimes, but he does put out good music. Happy Friday everyone.

moleskin project.

I recently got my first Moleskin and so far I love it. I doodle in it, make "to do" lists, and journal in it. And now, thanks to the Moleskin Project you can see what everyone else does in their own Moleskin. I'm amazed by what some people are capable of with a writing utensil and a piece of paper.

facehunter.

If you're ever bored and you are wondering what the next fashion trends might be you should check out Facehunter. Facehunter finds trendsetters from all over the world and puts them on one nice and neat webpage. You can decide for yourself what you think is fashionable and what's not.

for the ladies.

Hellz Bellz and Married to the Mob are two street wear brands run by ladies for ladies. Hellz Bellz started in 2005 as a tribute to the non-conforming female youth of today. They wanted to give females a brand that could stand out in a male dominated industry. These ladies are in charge of the designing, branding, marketing and all other aspects of the business. I'm impressed.
Married to the Mob began in 2004 as a result of a NYC designer's frustration for the lack of womens options for street wear. Inspiration for the brand came from NYC streets, clubs, parties, secret hang-outs and a tight knit crew of ladies. The Mob crew is also in charge of all aspects of the business and they are definitely making a name for themselves. I'm pretty sure if a was a female, I would be rocking this stuff.

si scott.

Thanks to Behance I can get consumed for hours finding new designers, illustrators, and photographers. Today I found Si Scott who is a UK based designer, creating beautiful digital illustrations and hand drawings.

good looking desktops.

I love finding new desktops online, and I recently stumbled across this website so I wanted to share a few good looking wallpapers with you!

does it ever end?

This website lured me in with it's creative, fun design. Come to find out it's just a marketing tool. A pretty cool marketing tool at that. Why can't all marketing pieces be this fun and enjoyable?

new lupe fiasco.

Lupe Fiasco feat. Matthew Santos - Superstar
Uploaded by kevinb1984

Lupe has a new album coming soon. Here's one of his new tracks featuring Matthew Santos, a fellow Chicagoin. This video is pretty cool, thanks to the direction of Hype Williams.

what!!??

Burton X Kidrobot Custom 158. This is so sick! Burton and Kidrobot are two of my favorite brands and this collaboration is so cool. I only wish I had enough money to afford one of these limited addition boards.

rocksmith lookbook.

I love style and these guys got style. Rocksmith is a company that is leading the way in street fashion. They're getting inspiration from the 80's and mixing it up with fresh designs. I like the video too. The song is by Million $ Mano, a Chicago DJ who puts on a sick live show.

Denmark high school.

Check out this high school in central Copenhagen. Some kids just have all the luck.

some street art for you all.

I love checking out Wooster Collective and seeing what street artists are coming up with.

winter is almost here.

I love snowboarding, but I love watching good snowboarding almost as much. Guys are doing some amazing things on snowboards these days, and what's just as impressive is the creative camera work production companies are coming up with. I can't wait to see this full length Mack Dawg production. Judging by the trailer it's going to be a great film.