This week's links. Enjoy.
50 of the World's Best Design Blogs
In case you missed it yesterday, I've made The Times top 50 design blogs list! So thrilled — and I'm in some amazing company, too. The list was compiled by London-based design blogger Lynne of the lovely Tea For Joy — go visit!
Hand Drawn Marriage Proposal
Awww! Illustrator Guy Shield wanted to propose to his girlfriend Liz, but didn't know how — until one night, when he thought of drawing a comic strip with an unusual twist. Follow the link to see the amazing (and happy) result. Via A Cup of Jo.
English Country Houses
Amy Azzarito has a great post on Design*Sponge about life in the grand English country houses throughout history — and a fun DIY project, too.
St. Augustine School Chicken Project
A South Bronx school is running an innovative sustainability program. “If we can do it,” says Michael Brady, the school’s director of development, referring to St. Augustine’s sustainability efforts, “anyone can.” Via Design Observer.
E-Cards from the British Library
A nice little selection of Christmas e-cards using images from the collection of the British Library, with both sacred and secular themes.
Soup With Love
Abbey of the wonderful Aesthetic Outburst blog has a wonderful Christmas gift for her and her husband's grandmas this Christmas — a week of home cooked soup lunches. Both of their grandmas live alone and don't cook much anymore, so Abbey has been making one or two soups per day, packaging them in microwavable containers and freezing them. At Christmas, all the soups will be tucked into a basket with a few cloth napkins. Isn't that a great (and sweet) idea?
The Fun Theory
An initiative of Volkswagen, The Fun Theory site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. How do you persuade people to take the stairs? Turn the steps into a Piano Staircase. How do you encourage people to throw their trash in the can? Create the World's Deepest Bin, with sound effects. Via Design Observer.
The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2009
In my family there's always books for Christmas, to curl up with after all the holiday excitement — just add a cup of something hot and a plate of holiday nibbles on the side for a blissfully relaxed Boxing Day afternoon.
(photo via my archive of Domino Deco Files)