Now every now and again, a project comes along, where no matter the number of hours, amount of loot, pain, glory or bloodshed, I just know I will be signing on to the thing, no matter what. You just say, “Yes, I’m in!” and you roll the sleeves up and get down to work. This was one of those projects.

Willy Vlautin of Portland’s Richmond Fontaine got in touch with me a couple months back about his latest project. He was doing a spoken word story and needed a package design for it. Portland’s Nate Beatty was doing the illustrations, and I’d be putting the thing together for him. He asked, and I accepted. Just that quick.

And here’s why: I’ve been a big fan of all things Willy and Richmond Fontaine for over a decade. I’ve seen them here in town more times than I can count, collected every single piece of output they’ve released, talked them up on this here site a couple times, read Willy’s books, and, listened to their albums over and over and over.

So when an opportunity like this comes along, you gotta take it. And true to form, Willy was a pleasure to work with, and I am damn proud of being able to help him out on this one, and whatever other way I can.

And there you go.

So go buy his latest, A Jockey’s Christmas. A real heartwarming tale. Just i time for the upcoming holi-daze. Buy 10 and give them to yer friends.

Thanks for trusting the DDC, Willy and Lee! Much appreciated.

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A PACKAGE FROM A FAR AWAY LANDLAND: Dan Black sent me a pile of the most beautiful posters from his LandLand project. Christmas comes early. The whole DDC Factory Floor is in awe. Lovejoy had this to say, “Wow, those guys are good.” And don’t take those words lightly. Some seriously awesome stuff, Dan! Bravo.

This one will be going behind glass, and up on a wall in the ranch. A plan.

(+) Here’s what I love most about this little snippet: I’m drunk on Dan’s screenprinting!I am so proud to know so many creative warriors out there “doing it on their own terms” and making the world that much more awesome with each project. It’s the most intoxicating elixir I know of. Dan’s shop is right in between Burlesque North America and Yourworkforthem in the basement of a warehouse in North Minneapolis. Some serious energy going on there. I can’t take it. Support these guys, or else!

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SOMETHING THAT SHOWED UP IN THE MAIL TODAY, SEALED: Girls Against Boys’ Cruise Yourself.

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FASCINATING, INDEED: “10 Fascinating Last Pictures Taken” (Yanked from Coudal Partners daily list of interesting hyperlinks.)

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DAYWRECKER WARNING: Oh man. Not one of these. Hey, Vin, thanks for bringing whatever “steamroller of productivity” I was enjoying to a screeching, smoking, metal-to-rail stop. Goddammit. Here’s the link, and, well, good luck: “Life Magazine’s image archive, searchable by decade, and ready to wreck yer day.” Still mad about this one.