7D7K BLOG KNIFE

Brewing up a Cookbook

2009-01-24T13:22:00.008-05:00

We're working on a cookbook. Yup, that's correct. Dylan is a fierce recipe-er and I like to eat. I thought it might be interesting to document the trials and tribulations that this thing is going to cause us. Join us as we document the process, from suck to sweet. Here's a very, very preliminary peek.
This would actually be one of the first pages, talking about how we came to be so crazy as to make a cookbook. We hope to sell to dirty hippies and rich ladies at the farmer's markets. I'm hoping to call it, oh, I don't know. Bite Me?

TOP 5 DESIGN TRENDS GONNA GET IT IN 09

2009-01-06T20:29:00.007-05:00

2009: Fierce, unrelenting, merciless. That's our take on it. So here are the top 5 design related issues that must be dealt with (we will expand on in later posts). No more pussy footing around crap.

1. SAD GIRL ART
-Most often found on Etsy.

2. BURSTS
-Add some grunge to it and I will stab you.

3. SARAH MCGLAHIGLIN (or however you spell that shit)
-If you show me one more sad puppy with that beotch's sad ass white woman voice over it, I will find the Price is Right dude and stab him. This has little to do with design but needs to be dealt with regardless.

4. SWISS MODERN, SORT OF
-Dude, your brain is so minimalist.

5. JAPANESE HIP HOP
-One more kidrobotjapanamation character in your logo spray painting your name and ya done kid.

EVERYTHINGVILLE says Hello

2008-12-21T14:08:00.007-05:00

Look! A new blog! This one is called Everythingville and it's about me and Dylan. WEIRD. I know. That will be the place to go if you are a creepy stalker, or just think we're cool. Obviously I would share your opinion since we've made a blog about it. So what does that mean for 7D7K? Well, this is the place where we will be posting very serious art and design and culturally related content. Still cool, still us. Just filtered a bit. Go for it, it's right there on our blog roll!!!

GET YOUR ASS TO LUMP GALLERY

2008-12-21T11:10:00.006-05:00

Lump Gallery is on Blount Street in Raleigh. Right now, until the 27th Cannonball Press is there (serious print makers from Brooklyn) and we bought this sick print by John Bartlett for $20.

We spoke to Bill, Lump's fine curator for a while and he was ever so generous in helping us Yankees find a good Ethiopian restaurant. It was a fantastic day!

FLYWHEEL WINO

2008-12-21T10:58:00.005-05:00

Happy Holidays! Here is a shot from Flywheel's wine promotion - copy from my sweet brain and lovely packaging designed by the incredible Ellie Snow, see her work here.

YOU'RE THE ONE

2008-12-12T22:14:00.005-05:00

Well, the people have spoken. Fighting fist, you're the one. Thank you to everyone who took the time to help us out, vote and share your opinions! We had a hunch to go for this - so, who doesn't like a little validation now and then, eh? With a little tweaking I think this little sucker can spread the word for us. Check in regularly - 7D7K is in effect.

7D7K Getting Legit

2008-12-05T09:45:00.002-05:00

Keep in mind, our mantra: 7D7K Design, Louder than Words. Some words to think about in making your choice: bold, ballsy, direct. These are the first round tryouts and we'd love to have your feedback througout the process! So, take the poll to the right...thanks!!

Don't Say I Never Asked

2008-11-11T13:04:00.002-05:00

I understand John McCain’s bitter frustration. I’ve asked for many things in my life that just never transpired. A second puppy after my parents euthanized the first one. That gorgeous brown Miu Miu bag from the ‘06 fall runway. World Peace. An iPhone. You know, all the little things you can barely live without. Most of all, I understand John’s nagging disappointment after Mr. Obama denied him a town hall debate in the beginning of their bloody campaign. I too asked time after time after time for an informal debate, with Jesus Christ. Unfortunately Mr. Christ was apparently limiting pre-adolescents access at that time. I felt he was being smug. He probably thought I was overreacting. Prayers for late night talks mixed with prayers for fluorescent roller-skates probably sent mixed signals. Still, I had questions and several people at my church said he had answers.

So Jesus, if you’re out there, things would have been a lot different if you would have just agreed to one teeny weenie debate.

IGNORE THE MUSIC, BE IN AWE OF MUAY THAI

2008-11-10T20:56:00.003-05:00

Watch the entire video. Six minutes out of your life.

Reduce, Repent, Recycle!

2008-11-09T22:26:00.006-05:00

We came across this gem stone leaving a thrift store parking lot in downtown Greensboro, NC and BAM! Caught the eye immediately. Jesus Christ: marketing genius.

You know, when the BP went from being British Petroleum to Beyond Petroleum, you could say I was annoyed. At that point I had already become pretty wary of green-washing. Environmentally friendly Exxon Mobil commercials? Word?

I realize now that green washing is an essential evil. What is the average Joe the Fucking Whatever going to listen to, the commercial during "How I Met Your Mother" (awful) or the threatening Crass fan hooting and hollering on the sidewalk (equally awful)? Shit sucks but it a) reaches a mass audience and b) makes $$$.

I suppose it's time that Jesus cashes in on the success of environmentally friendly advertising. No one was expecting that route from an infallible trio like the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Very clever, Jesus of Nazareth. Very fuckin' clever indeed.

But! But! All of that burning in eternal hellfire business can't be any good for an already depleted ozone layer, right? I guess you could pin that one on the bad guy. You know, Satan.

It's surprising that the Obama camp didn't focus more of their environmental platform on "Clean Hellfire Technology". Could've won over that impossibly Republican evangelical vote.

PAPER SANDWICH

2008-10-10T16:51:00.004-04:00

When i was a little kid, I wanted to be a genius when I grew up. Luckily, I met Dylan Haigh and he filled in my genius blanks. This is our paper sandwich, hope you like it.

Plug your nose and your ears

2008-10-01T21:54:00.010-04:00

I love swimming. I'm just so damn bad at swimming. I have to plug my nose, which, no matter how dope I look in my Leopard print bikini, big ass shades and shit--man, that looks totally lame. My point is that I have come to believe that my nose has a certain interior disfigurement. It's a sort of subtle, irregular defect. If my nose was for sale, it would be at TJMAXX. The water does not obey the correct tube paths. Shit is broke. So, maybe that's why I will never be a good Christian.
My fucking soul tubes are broke.

Barack out with your Barack out!

2008-09-28T20:03:00.007-04:00

Go here--> Obama Now for more information on the Obama party we're throwing and here for free wallpaper!

Carrboro Music Festival-turn down the suck.

2008-09-28T19:53:00.012-04:00

While reading the Indy at breakfast yesterday...afternoon, Kristy and I stumbled upon (old) news of the Carrboro Music Festival. A full day of bands at 23 individual venues all over the "city" (bustling metropolis that it is). A little excited, a little apprehensive from past disappointments, we decided to check it out today. Even though every band has an off-putting and 99% of the time, fucking STUPID name, maybe we just don't know. There are so many local bands here and being new to the area there's really no way for us to know if "Johnny and the Bent Weiners" are any good. Whoops.

Parking wasn't terrible which was surprising since they'd closed down some major intersections. Okay. Fine. We parked at our bank downtown and decided to walk the length of the festival to get a feel for what was going on. Ten blocks or so...no music. Really? With venues both indoors and outdoors all over town, there wasn't a single band playing. We walked for close to a half an hour without hearing any music, save some bad european sounding electronica pumping through a restaurants sound system. Awesome scheduling, guys. Every festival I've ever been to employs a rotation of music. I guess no one else noticed though, because hippies everywhere were hoola-hooping to a silent soundtrack and rando hipsters were smiling into the oppressive sun in painted on jeans and Ray Bans.

We heard two bands play during our two hour stay in Carborro. The first was a group of 30-somethings playing competent but boring funk on a porch. Decent amount of people crowded around. Funk..right. Unless Parliament or the Meters are on stage, you can save it. Please. The second was a 3rd wave ska band covering The Violent Femmes. I've heard the Violent Femmes cover the Violent Femmes for the last ten years so this seemed especially unnecessary and redundant. I only hope they were teenagers. Bad ska bands are only acceptable if the mistake to be in one is made in your youth (testify).

You'd think in a town that collectively forcefully and constantly perpetuates the notion that it's still a bastion for good, homegrown music things could be run better or at least there'd be something beyond "Americana" everywhere you turned (a genre that people down here associate with almost anyone who doesn't step on a Big Muff. I guess if you have a southern accent and don't listen to At The Gates, you can play Americana). The more time I've spent in this area the more I'm really starting to believe that it only sustains itself through it's kinda storied past. The history of the now-defunct bands that made Chapel Hill an Athens, Portland, Seattle, Boston, one of these supplemental culture-capitals is all that drives bands to tour here, kids to show up at venues in big numbers. It feels like a duty, both for the residents and for those visiting. And the problem, I think, is this: Chapel Hill and Carrboro have no balls. Really. That's it.

Anyhow, this has turned into a rant and really, I just wanted to seperate the next post from the previous one. I still love you, North Carolina.

Word?

2008-09-13T20:23:00.007-04:00

I don't even know where we were as this sign came upon us. All I know is that we were listening to DMX's opus called "Demian." A conversation between he and the Devil. Seriously. That's what we were listening to. The moment we saw this sign. So I'm writing a letter.

Dear DMX,
Remember that time you scared the shit out of us? You're a real funny guy.
Thanks,
Kristy and Dylan

Now, on Ebay...

2008-09-13T20:11:00.003-04:00

In my entire life so far, I'm pretty sure I've only gone after a short list of celebrities' signature. There was Mickey Mouse when I was 8, and really, I hate to say this Mickey, but it was only out of guilt and obligation (the kind that is special to young catholic girls that pray for puppies and tape cassettes) that I came over to you and stuck my napkin under your big stupid felt face. I figured out Mickey is a fake, and I'm pretty sure this dude taking all the credit for "Creation"... well, I haven't prayed for a puppy in a long time.

Southern Church Marquees and Mind Explosions.

2008-08-24T18:02:00.005-04:00

So, we still don't know a whole lot about the South, I think that's fair to say. This may be a regional phenomenon or this may be a County phenomenon, or maybe it's all over the South, I don't know. Regardless, the church marquees down these parts are fantastic.
Borderline offensive? Without a doubt. Remarkably clever? Absolutely. Unintentionally hilarious to us atheists? FUCK YES.
We got together today in our brainstorming fortress of solitude and decided to post a weekly photo of one of these amazing marquees. Eventually, we hope to publish a collection as the greatest coffee table book ever. Here's your first taste of blood:

Now, technically that's not a church marquee, as it's outside of our favorite thrift store (Good Samaritan Super Thrift in Burlington, NC). But the store itself is probably closer to being a church than most churches back up north. See: free bibles, "This Property Protected by Jesus Christ" sign out front, free preacher's cassettes, crazy old southern ladies who say "Have a Blessed Day" when you finish buying a shiny green chair or $2 dollar martial arts stomach pad.

So that's the first...keep an eye out next weekend for a new picture.

This North Carolina Sky business...

2008-08-24T14:07:00.012-04:00

Alls we know is, we don't get sky like this back home. This is from a recent trip to Burlington, a rather haggard area full of thrift stores and gas stations with ashtray internet casinos--our strong preference over the rampant presence of counter-culture coffee and hybrid cars with tame political bumper stickers of Chapel Hill or Carrboro. I'm pretty sure there are no hippies wearing crocs and pushing $1500 strollers in Burlington. Just big ass skies and big ass steaks. In the battle for our souls, out of business gas stations with ten foot piles of used tires will always triumph over khaki pants and an ironic like of hip hop.

WHERE IS PALESTINE...

2008-08-23T20:25:00.007-04:00

Israel lobby or over-worked asian textile designer mistake? I have my theories, but I've worked with many a talented Korean in the shower curtain world, and they seem to have a good idea of what border separation means. For now, we're left to face an ambiguous agenda every morning as we lather our armpits with dial, scratching our heads. At least we know where Svalbard is.

Biggie Smalls Vs. Gentrification, Round 34589735.

2008-08-18T22:24:00.001-04:00

BUY THIS POSTER

2008-07-20T12:36:00.013-04:00

PLACE AN ORDER

Dear Baby Jesus,

2008-07-20T12:24:00.005-04:00

I love you. Please be my valentine. Here's a picture: