We had the pleasure of working on a number of User Profile and Achievement illustrations for the brand-spankin' new Xbox One, which happens to be out today. IC was commissioned by Xbox to create 30 gamerpics for users to choose from on the new system. Monsters, space scenes, animals, objects and more. We were also asked to create 5 achievement illustrations that would be displayed once a user accomplishes a specific challenge. 10 Hours Of TV, 25 Hours Of Movies, etc.

This project was a blast, and it's exciting to see some of our gamerpics end up in the Xbox One: Invitation spot (see below). Big thanks to our A.D.'s Ramiro Torres and Michael Guss for the opportunity. Now I just to need to get my hands on one ...

Spring has sprung! Well, maybe not quite yet ... but the 2012 Lawn & Patio seasonal display at Target has. These ginormous faux birch trees were a blast to create  -- and definitely worth checking out in person. As usual, this project wouldn't have been possible without the amazing design team at Target, lead by our talented (and hilarious) A.D., Jon Erickson. Oh, and please don't attempt to climb the trees, unless you plan on feeding the squirrels. Typefaces used: Giza and Neutraface.

Well, the second annual Lil' Happy Club was another fun success. Over 130 envelopes were sent in and we had a blast checking out each original creation. Thanks to all of you who spent the time to craft your envelope and send it off to our hood. We're a bit busy with a few projects right now, but we promise to return the favor soon. Oh, and check out our favorites here.

Tommy Perez (see last post) blogged about his ultra cool Leroy C. Lil' Happy submission. Downloadable PDF (courtesy of Tommy) coming soon as well.

It's that time of year again. What time is that you ask? Lil' Happy time. Last year was heaps of fun - we had a few hundred envelope submissions in a little over a month. We promised ourselves that if it was a success, we'd make it an annual thing. Well, here we are.

As Lil' Happy's new outfit may suggest, this year is a bit different. We've got a few tricks up our sleeve that may need to be 'decoded', but unfortunately you won't know what that is until you get your envelopes back. Cool, right?

For those of you that did not participate last year -- or are just now joining us ... here is why we created the Lil' Happy Club and what it is exactly:

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Do you remember real mailboxes? How about real mail? What about that feeling of excitement as you opened up that rusty old mailbox in hopes that something would be addressed to YOU?

It seems like much of that is lost nowadays. A letter addressed to us now means we probably owe someone money.

Well, we miss that feeling. So, we decided to start The Lil' Happy Invisible Creature S.A.S.E. Club. Inspired by our youth - when the simple task of addressing an envelope to ourselves, licking a few stamps and patiently waiting a few weeks could mean receiving anything from a signed baseball card from spring training to various stickers from our favorite skateboard company.

It's real simple. Send us a self-addressed stamped envelope and we'll fill it with goodies.

However, we thought we'd make it a bit more fun and interactive. Regardless of your artistic ability, your envelope addressed to us MUST be creatively designed or illustrated. No rules, anything goes - and we'll post the 'Envelope of the Day' (our daily favorite) on the Lil' Happy Twitter and Flickr pages.

So, that's it! Oh, and we figured we should set some ground rules and answer a few questions. Just in case.

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DEADLINE: October 15th, 2011 Please send us your S.A.S.E. by that date.

Please send your envelopes to: The Lil' Happy Invisible Creature S.A.S.E. Club, P.O. Box 375, Seahurst, WA 98062

Q: How many stamps should I put on the envelope that will be returned to me? A: Great question. Please slap TWO stamps on the return envelope.

Q: I can't draw to save my life. What should I do? A: Like we mentioned, it's regardless of your ability. C'mon, it'll be fun!

Q: What are you going to send us? A: We're not telling. It'll be fun though. We promise.

Q: When should we expect our envelope back? A: In the fall. It could take us awhile as we also run a full-time studio over here. If you send it, it will come. A little patience.

Q: I don't live in the U.S., can I still participate? A: Probably not, due to customs. However, we aren't international mail professionals, if you can find a way that works via USPS, we'll definitely send it back! If it involves anything more than dropping it in a mailbox, we won't be able to pull it off. Sorry.

Q: Can I send you more than one envelope? A: No, sorry.

Q: Can I send a poster tube? How about a large document envelope or soft pack? A: Sorry, no. Let's keep this old school. Legal sized envelopes would be the biggest/best option. Be sure to slap 2 stamps on that return envelope though!

Any more questions? Feel free to email us at lilhappy@invisiblecreature.com

Can you tell we love our new printer? Two new prints added to the shop today. Isle Of This Town & The Lonely King are available for your Aunt Nadine's living room, right above the '76 Magnavox.

'Time Will Tell' and 'Prized Possessions' are now (finally) available exclusively through Velocity! Each print is a whopping 17" x 22" (with a 1" border for framing) and is printed on beautiful German Etching Hahnenmühle Fine Art paper. Hand signed, limited edition run of 50.

Apartment Therapy just posted an article about an antique store called Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis, MN. I'm currently searching for airfare as we speak.

Not really, but this looks like some sort of paradise.

These images of the Ijburg house by Dutch architect Marc Koehler is making my Monday morning a bit better.

Via Contemporist

Bookmark time! Apartment Therapy just posted an article featuring the 'Top Ten' online shops for vintage furniture and accessories. Now you know what to do this weekend.

Anna-Maria Sviatko from Canberra, Australia may have created a dollhouse or two that my daughter and I would actually have to arm wrestle over. And yes, dollhouses are METAL!

Urban Outfitters is now selling Nate Williams pillows. Sleeping never looked so good.

Love the environment and have heaps of cash (doesn't that go hand in hand)? Well, if you do, you can now strive for a LEED platinum rating (which is actually a really cool thing). The Margarido House is the first home in Northern California to do so, and it's obviously breathtaking.

Loving Anna Weiss' home AND blog!

The 2nd season of Top Design starts tonight on Bravo. Todd + company are back for more interior design mayhem. I'm hoping it's better than the current season of Project Runway, which is (without a doubt) the worst season yet. OK, OK ... Suede is kinda cool, although I think Joe is going to take it.

Richard Neutra's Maxwell house (built in 1941 for $6,750) recently moved from Brentwood to Angelino Heights.

LA Times: "Saving the house has become a labor of love -- some say obsession -- of the owner, developer Barbara Behm, who does business under the name Princess Bovlana. She plans to restore the house "from top to bottom, and everything in between," before selling it."

See the amazing pictures here. Many thanks to Barbara for realizing this home was worth saving - can't wait to see it finished.

If Bruce Wayne owned a garbage truck, it would look like this.

In another chapter of my "House Industries Continues To Do No Wrong" book, Andy Cruz (who is currently guest-blogging over at Dwell) just unleashed this ridiculously cool dollhouse, promoting their new typeface, Studio Swing. Just stupid awesome.

DWR House Numbers are 50% off at the moment, which means you can have the coolest door in your apartment complex or dorm for only $40.

The House Industries collaborative effort with the Eames Office (2007) is something I just stumbled upon. Does anyone out there own one of these 10 limited solid maple / walnut pieces? Epic.