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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black
@nicolablack.bsky.social
530 followers 370 following 1.9K posts
Design, history, knitting, genealogy, gardening, hiking, self-employment, cooking, baking, outdoors. 👩🏻‍💻Ethical Creative Director & Design Strategist: https://nicolablack.com 🚀Community: https://joinwip.com
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · Feb 18
Work in Progress applications are OPEN! 🥳 If you're running a one-person business and are looking for your people, this is for you! Apply today at www.joinwip.com
Advertisement for Work in Progress, Community Support for Freelancers & Creative Solo-Practitioners. Yellow checkmark logo is on graph paper background. Below that is a box that says, "Apply today for: support & camaraderie, virtual coworking, accountability check-ins, members-only Discord, member-led office hours, community roundtables, roundtable repository, work sprints & more!" At the bottom it says, "Learn more at JoinWIP(dot)com"
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 1d
😂 I miss you, friend.
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 1d
Matt.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 1d
Tried acryla gouache for the first time today. It’s gonna take some getting used to, but it’s fun! I’m enjoying it so far.
A leaf on a page with two in-progress acryla gouache painted versions.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 1d
Dinner tonight was a delicious squash curry w/chickpeas, mushrooms, and kale. Topped with roasted butternut squash seeds. So good! 😊
Closeup of squash curry in a white bowl.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 2d
It's so decadent. 😋
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 2d
Frosty morning! ❄️
Frost on a windshield.
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d
What a cool project! Looks like they've been providing free, non-commercial maps made by locals for European travelers since 2005. use-it.travel
USE-IT Europe | Free maps, made by locals
USE-IT provides maps made by young locals, not commercial, free and up-to-date. We are a European network of young map-makers sharing the best of tips to help you act like a local in our cities.
use-it.travel
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d
Woke up this morning and put all but two of these into the freezer to stash. They're incredible! But there's no way I'm keeping them in my fridge to taunt me. A good dessert (or sweet breakfast if that's your thing) to have on hand.

...having one w/my coffee this chilly morning. It's so f'n good.
nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d
This should be illegal. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls. 🥹🎃🍞
A pumpkin cinnamon roll dripping with icing on a white plate.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d
Super happy with how these turned out! A few pics of the process. First time making them. They’re probably a once a year thing cause… these are LOADED! 😄
Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, before baking, getting ready for their 2nd proof. Baked pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Walnuts were added to top during the bake. Homemade vanilla icing in a plastic container on the kitchen counter.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d
This should be illegal. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls. 🥹🎃🍞
A pumpkin cinnamon roll dripping with icing on a white plate.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
Pita bread baked! For the first four, I thought I'd go faster w/two sheets (of two) in the oven. Big mistake. I know better! 😅 Air circulation is a MUST for the puff! Luckily, they still separate with a little help. The last batch, however, puffed up perfectly using one baking sheet at a time. 👍
a batch of pita pockets lined up side by side in a plastic container.
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
Same! I'm thankful for the case study and process that Gretel provided. Seems like they had a lot of fun with it.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
Of course! I had to go digging after seeing it. 🙂 It's always interesting reviewing process behind a refresh. I do enjoy the nod to the 1938 logo. Always a fan of incorporating a bit of history/roots if and when it makes sense.
Screenshot from Gretel's website showcasing the brand refresh for the Philadelphia Art Museum. "An icon revived and redrawn — The Philadelphia Art Museum’s primary logo builds on seven decades of brand equity. It features the newly revived griffin—an iconic and mythical protector of the arts. Several different griffins grace the cornices of the museum, and merchandise bearing ‘Griffy’ were consistently among the museum’s most popular pieces. To mark this moment, the badge was redrawn based on the original 1938 version. Historical details discovered in the museum’s archives and architecture were infused, alongside cues from our custom typography. Through a meticulous process of exploration and refinement, we modernized the badge while preserving its heritage—ensuring it reads clearly from large-scale signage on building facades down to a thumbnail-sized social icon. The logo system contains a primary badge and a secondary wordmark. These allow us to adapt to different uses and formats while maintaining consistency."
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
It's always interesting to see the process behind brand refreshes. I'm enjoying the nod to the 1938 version. The Philadelphia Art Museum brand refresh designed by Brooklyn-based design firm Gretel: gretelny.com/philadelphia...
Screenshot from Gretel's website showcasing the brand refresh for the Philadelphia Art Museum. "An icon revived and redrawn — The Philadelphia Art Museum’s primary logo builds on seven decades of brand equity. It features the newly revived griffin—an iconic and mythical protector of the arts. Several different griffins grace the cornices of the museum, and merchandise bearing ‘Griffy’ were consistently among the museum’s most popular pieces. To mark this moment, the badge was redrawn based on the original 1938 version. Historical details discovered in the museum’s archives and architecture were infused, alongside cues from our custom typography. Through a meticulous process of exploration and refinement, we modernized the badge while preserving its heritage—ensuring it reads clearly from large-scale signage on building facades down to a thumbnail-sized social icon. The logo system contains a primary badge and a secondary wordmark. These allow us to adapt to different uses and formats while maintaining consistency."
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
I was curious as well. Designed by Brooklyn-based design firm Gretel: gretelny.com
Gretel
Gretel is an independent branding, strategy and design studio based in Brooklyn, NY.
gretelny.com
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 4d
Homemade falafel and tahini sauce was put together for last night's dinner. Baked vs. fried which is why it's not darker on the outside. But it's still delicious! The tahini sauce is soooooo good. 🍽️😋
Two pieces of falafel on a bed of cucumber salad (w/tomatoes and onions) drizzled with tahini sauce in a shallow, white bowl.
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d
Just realized I reposted the last post from the original thread that didn't include alt text. So, adding it here:

Two hands holding a book called "Primarium: Handwriting education across cultures and continents." The cover has colorful blobs in blue, red, and purlple on a grey/silver background.
nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d
A fantastic reference to handwriting models taught across the world. I believe I was taught the Getty-Dubay Italic model. Our teachers always referred to it as "practicing our italics." This book looks like quite a treasure! 😍 primarium.info
typetogether.bsky.social
TypeTogether @typetogether.bsky.social · 5d
You can also visit the award–winning Primarium website at www.primarium.info.

4/4
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d
Thanks. 😊 It'll definitely be appreciated. I'm still shocked they were just letting it go!
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d
Quick update on this table since it's making the rounds. It's an Ethan Allen piece. With the info on the underside, I've found that it's (I believe) from their Heirloom Collection. It's solid maple (nutmeg), round, drop leaf table. So glad I spotted it when I did!
The wood from the underside of the table I picked up off the side of the road yesterday that our neighbor put out. It has a stamp that says, "10 60 14P" and "Ethan Allen American Tradition."
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d
What a fun and visual way to explore history! www.oldmapsonline.org
OldMapsOnline
The easy-to-use getaway to historical maps in libraries around the world.
www.oldmapsonline.org
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 6d
Give me ALL the OLD pieces with some history!
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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 6d
It's our neighborhood's quarterly large items pickup day. I saw one of our immediate neighbors put out a beautiful, old, wooden table. We got to talking. It was his grandmothers. It's solid. Nothing wrong with it. So, we grabbed it! 😍 He was happy to hear it would be close by.
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Reposted by Nicola Black
publicdomainrev.bsky.social
The Public Domain Review @publicdomainrev.bsky.social · 6d
“Laughter in the Time of Cholera” — Political instability, popular unrest, and an impending pandemic? Welcome to 1830s France. Vlad Solomon explores what made Parisiens laugh in a moment of crisis through the prism of a vaudeville play: publicdomainreview.org/essay/l...
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nicolablack.bsky.social
Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 6d
Here's one of a buggy moved to a roof... That's some effort! www.newspapers.com/article/wate...
Halloween prank. Buggy moved to the rooftop.
Clipping found in Waterloo Region Record published in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada on 11/1/1961. Halloween prank. Buggy moved to the rooftop.
www.newspapers.com