Take 5: Modern Almanacs, RISOTTOPIA, + Candy-Coated Art

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1. RISOTTO Celebrates 100th Issue of Riso Club

I’m a newly minted RISOTTO fan, completely charmed by their paper goods – like their adorable Risograph calendar and their delightfully graphic prints. Their subscription, Riso Club, has been going strong since 2017, sending monthly artist-collab postcards to members. Now they’re celebrating a huge milestone: the 100th issue! To mark the moment, they’re publishing RISOTTOPIA, featuring work from Nathalie Du Pasquier, Peter Shire, and Barbara Stauffacher Solomon. A very fun celebration for a very joyful print community.

A calendar page for Saturday, July 11th, labeled "Slurpee Day," with an illustration of a green and red slush drink, placed on a red and beige striped fabric background

Photo: Courtesy of Persim Studio

2. Persim Studio 2026 Daily Calendar

I know we’re just easing into the holiday spirit, but as a recovering Type B parent trying her best to unlock Type A superpowers, I’m already thinking about next year – I even bought Valentine’s cards for my kids’ classrooms. The next thing headed for my cart? Persim Studio’s 2026 Daily Wall Calendar. Growing up, my family always had an Asian almanac-style calendar, and I took the job of tearing off each day’s page very seriously. This one feels like a modern, minimalist love letter to that ritual, and I can’t wait for my own kids to take over the daily tear.

A book titled "Shapes & Patterns" by Amanda Jane Jones lies on a woven surface, its cover featuring bold geometric shapes in blue, red, and beige—perfect for fans of Design Milk Take 5.

Photo: Vy Tran Yang

An open book, featured in Design Milk Take 5, displays abstract, multicolored geometric shapes on the left page and a red, yellow, and white checkered pattern on the right page, resting on a textured woven surface

Photo: Vy Tran Yang

3. Shapes & Patterns Wrapping Paper Book by Amanda Jane Jones

Last year I discovered wrapping paper in book form. I’m not sure which rock I was living under to have missed this trend, but I’m happy to report I’ve finally crawled out. This year, I’m thrilled to add Amanda Jane Jones’ Shapes & Patterns Wrapping Paper Book to my gift-wrap arsenal. Her signature mix of whimsical patterns, basic shapes, and pitch-perfect color palettes makes each sheet feel playful but still grown-up enough for adult tastes. I can’t wait to wrap my way through the whole book.

A person walks on sandy ground near abstract sculptures with pyramids visible in the background under a clear sky

Photo: Mahmoud Hima

4. Echoes of the Infinite by Alex Proba

Speaking of shapes, nothing is as iconic as the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, which recently became the backdrop for Alex Proba’s newest installation in collaboration with SolidNature, Echoes of the Infinite. I think Alex is one of greatest contemporary artists of our time, and to see her technicolor work set against one of the oldest wonders of the world is the ultimate “past meets present” moment. AI could never.

A grid of colorful, rectangular acrylic art arranged diagonally on a white background

Photo: Courtesy of Alexandra Squire

5. Alexandra Squire

Lastly, my latest artist crush is Alexandra Squire. Her acrylic pieces give me the same feeling I get walking into a really good candy store: total wonder, pure delight, and an immediate urge to take everything home. The glossy blocks of color, the crisp lines, the way each piece seems to glow from within – it’s visual sugar in the art form. Consider me fully, happily obsessed.

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