“A pop of color never hurt anyone! ” That’s Guin’s rule of thumb. Bubbly, bright and a ringer at Johnny Cash karaoke, Guin brings more than just a pop of color to our Women’s Design Team. She’s worked her way through the ranks at Toad for the last 3 years (she started as an intern!) and has certainly earned her latest title as the Print Master. She’s the brains behind our seasonal prints and accessories, so we caught up with Guin to get the lowdown on what makes a great summer print, where she finds inspiration and how to amp up your margarita. What sorts of things inspire your summer designs? I’m originally from the Minnesota, so I’ve spent a lot of time on the lakes. I have great memories from summers at White Iron Lake – sitting around fishing, tubing, jumping off the docks, canoeing around the islands. That’s what summer feels like to me. It’s bright, light and airy, and there’s this seamless movement between land and water. Anything inspire you for this season’s summer prints? I was really into the idea of the lake when I was designing these prints. You’d be surprised how many colors are in water - it’s way more than just blues and greens. Little neon fish dart around, mountains and trees leave pretty stunning reflections, and the lake glows pink and orange when the sun sets. I started playing around with different colors and textures, seeing what vibed together and felt natural. The Ripple Print was actually something I sketched while sitting on the lake at sunset. The sun really glitters on the water and gives the impression of these soft shards of gold and fuchsia. It’s just a really gorgeous time of day so I thought it would make a great print for a top or our pareo. Another water inspired print is the Talus Print. You know how water looks when the moon shines on it? It’s mysterious and sort of irregular, so I wanted to make a print that was linear but not super symmetrical. The navy print really captures the romance of the moonlight and the agave print reminds me of sunlight peeking through the trees. It’s just fun. And I think my favorite print of the season is our Dusty Olive Print – it’s a floral version of camo! I really like the different green colors in camo and adapting it to a blooming, floral pattern just felt like a great extension of spring. Makes me want to wonder through the woods or stroll the farmers market, so we made a pair of water-friendly crop pants and a big tote bag in this print. I think that’s the epitome of summer. Ok, aside from a fun print, what are your other summer essentials? My two favorite hiking buddies (Lana and Roo, my dogs!), fresh flower arrangements, my dad’s old forester’s map and an ice-cold Beerita. A Beerita? Yep – Flip a Corona into your margarita and let it stick out like a straw. Refreshing and bubbly. Isn’t that just what you want when it’s hot out? Uno mas, por favor.