Country Code Map
An aesthetically pleasing visual representation of the country codes of the world, via byte level. It’d be worth buying just to have the cheat-sheet at the bottom, in my opinion. It would make it easier to track which countries those pesky appeals for hundred-thousand-dollar wire transfers come from.
Custom Type
Typography is awesome. That’s really the only thought that comes to mind when I look at this post on Letter Cult showing off the best custom type from the first half of 2009.
Whenever I begin a new project, I try like mad to incorporate new typefaces, things that are unexpected or haven’t been used to death before. I have my fallbacks (here’s lookin’ at you Helvetica Neue!) and my easy-on-the-eyes standbys, but it’s always a struggle finding that perfect fit. Sometimes I feel limited by even the thousands of fonts at my disposal, at the same time wondering whether it’s all been done before.
The folks at Letter Cult have done a superb job pulling together these custom type designs. Looking at these images makes me think that it hasn’t all been done, and the best may still be yet to come.
Twisted Intellect
Upon trying to learn a load of CSS & PHP in a short amount of time (whilst never abandoning my good design sensibilities) I’ve happened upon a number of sites that have highlighted the happy marriage of the two. Twisted Intellect is an example of just that: a combination of beautiful design & type and sleek, clean CSS. I haven’t explored beyond the front page, but that in itself is reason enough to visit.
Jewelry branch
Recently I’ve been searching for the perfect branch to create a hanger for my jewelry, similar to this one from Viva Terra. The form is gorgeous, and I hope to find a similar branch that I can hang on my wall instead of using as a standing piece. There are some cheap knockoffs from Urban Outfitters and the like, but I have yet to find anything as organic and natural-looking as the one from Viva Terra. Apparently manzanita trees are where it’s at.