Thanks Kate from Anothology for sharing this on their wonderful blog!! We hope it'll reach lots of their readers!!
Viewing entries in
L&G Project
I'M WRITING IN ALL CAPS, CAN YOU HEAR ME?? DOES IT SOUND LIKE I'M SCREAMING?!? BECAUSE I AM!!!
....Pleeeeease help us help Japan and reach our goal! READ DEATILS BELOW:
WHAT WE'RE DOING: L&G would like to help raise some funds by giving away up to 5 special tribute to Japan Chalk Piggy Banks. FOR EVERY $500 RAISED, ONE PIGGY BANK WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN (AT RANDOM). Our goal is to raise at least $2500!!
WHAT YOU COULD WIN: Limited edition special tribute to Japan Chalk Piggy Banks with a red cork nose. Will also include white chalk & felt wipe cloth as well as shipping.
HOW IT WORKS: ONE drawing ticket will be given with EVERY $7 donation you give to the Japanese Red Cross. (i.e. $10=1 ticket, $21=3 tickets, $70=10 tickets....MORE tickets means HIGHER chance of winning!)
Step 1: Go to Paypal's link to Japanese Red Cross and donate $$$.
Step 2: Email us your receipt from JRC with the amount you've donated to: expert@ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com .
Step 3: We'll reply with a confirmation email, the number drawing ticket(s) we'll put your name in the drawing, and an acknowledgment to your awesomeness, generosity, and in making a difference with a virtual big thumbs up!!
Step 4: Check back on April 11th, to see who the winners are on our website blog.
DATE OF ANNOUNCEMENT: Monday, April 11, 9pm (PST)
Winner(s) will receive separate emails from us asking for your shipping info. So please make sure our emails don't end up in your junk email because that would just be a real bummer...
Thank you to Seattle Met & Blue Ant Studio for sharing this on their site!!
We would be more than thrilled if anyone else can share this with your friends or your site, blog, facebook, twitter, etc.
Big big thank you all for your support & help!
WE LOVE YOU!! YES I'M SCREAMING THIS, TOO!
xoxo Jean & Dylan
Our raffle plan failed when we saw an email from Paypal today saying that it's against Paypal's policies !! :( Total raffle FAIL!!! booo.... ...BUT no fret!! We've reformatted!
Basically, go to the Japanese Red Cross site and donate directly to them (between now and April 11th).
Email us (expert@ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com) a copy of your receipt and for every $7 you donate, we'll put your name in a drawing for one of the five special edition banks. Therefore the MORE you donate, the HIGHER chance of you winning a pig! For every $500 we raise, we'll draw a pig winner at random.
If you've already donated to us, no worries, we'll still donate it directly to the red cross and you'll still be in the drawing. Just don't tell paypal it's a raffle...because it's NOT!
We apologize for the inconvenience but GREATLY appreciate your willingness to work with our set up and our goal to help the people in Japan!! We can't do this without all your help!! Please comment or email us with any questions!
xoxo Jean & Dylan
Check out this great write up on Fast Company blog about our friends from JOIN, us, the Design scene in Seattle....and Georgetown of all places... :P
I do have to admit that I did not expect them to talk so much about Georgetown since I did mention other areas when John interviewed us over the phone...I swear! But perhaps Georgetown stood out the most sounded more "unique" & "special"...with their summer art fests, drunk power tool-races, steam-punk trapeze schools, vegan bike powwows, and so on....
Ok....Seattle IS pretty darn special...sigh...
Day: 6 A day at Mami & Seiya's bike & lifestyle shop, Depot in 市川 Ichikawa.
SIGHT:
Charming handmade ceramic pieces of all sorts at the shop by their friend, Koichi-san & Waka-san.
TASTE:
World's most AMAZING ramen we've ever had...handmade noodles, softboiled eggs, and light soy sauce broth at 菜ラーメン Sai Ramen....droool....
FIND:
The mess that we saw at our friend's home just couple hours after the most devastating earthquake of all times in Japan. A 7.5+ level that shook for 2-3 minutes long. Luckily no major damage where we were...but not so much the case in Northern Japan...
Day 5: A little nostalgic
SIGHT:
This photo wouldn't be as awesome if the women sleeping wasn't sitting on the 70's upholstery on the train...
TASTE:
Freshly made rice crackers in the historic neighborhood of Tokyo in 浅草 Asakusa.
FIND:
One of my favorite item...Japanese 手ぬぐい Tenugui. They're simple cotton hand towels with a versatile purpose and can be used for wrapping, cleaning, or simply for decorating.
Day 4: Full day of visual stimulation
SIGHT:
Seiya & Mami's took us to visit their kids, Aika & Yume's, elementary school to talk about the difference of school & lifestyle between the States & Japan.
TASTE:
Dinner at the Minatos and hand 手巻き寿司 Temakizushi with super delicious & fresh fish of all sorts.
FIND:
A used restaurant supply store filled with fun things of all sorts that made us want to open a restaurant just for the fun of it.
Day 3: Roaming around
SIGHT:
Playground with a globe marry go round.
TASTE:
Mami made us a well-rounded breakfast with the best tasting egg.
FIND:
Got stuck looking at tiny microscopic miniature people of all sorts in the model making department of 東急ハンズ Tokyu Hands....a department store of 7 floors filled with materials, supplies, and everyday items of anything you'll ever need and everything you CAN'T think to need but feel compelled to get....Pretty much, it's like heaven and hell at the same time.
Day 2: Woke up and saw this...
SIGHT: 
Snow in March?!
TASTE:
Lunch & a lovely dessert set at a close by Japanese-Italian restaurant in 市川 Ichikawa where they made their own desserts.
FIND:
Got couple of vintage 暮らしの手帖 Kurashi No Techo lifestyle magazine at Seiya & Mami's friends vintage book shop, Smoke Books. They had a whole shelf of them from the 70's & 80's filled with the best photos of everyday delights!
This is start of the our trip with the series of 3 photos highlighting our daily discoveries where each photo represents an interesting sighting, some yummy food we tasted, and things we found.
DAY 1: right after we arrived...
SIGHT: 
At 林檎の木 Ringo No Ki Gallery in 千葉 Chiba checking out our friend Atsushi who makes Gunung bike & lifestyle accessories.
TASTE:
Got to taste these beautiful seasonal 桜もちSakura Mochi wrapped in shiso leaves as the first thing we ate after landing.
FIND:
Handmade steel tape dispensers by a local artisan in 市川 Ichikawa.
Ahhh.....need to get some order out before we take off to Japan....
I'm SO ready to just get on the plane for 12 hours and do NOTHING besides sitting, eating, sleeping, catching up on all the movies I've missed this past year...aaand repeat...
So we got some DOUBLE exciting news for L&G and for us!
We currently have some L&G goodies & hand selected vintage items at our friends' shop in Japan called Depot Cycle & Recycle. It's a charming family run bike & lifestyle shop in Ichikawa owned by THE MOST adorable, loving, & happy people we know!!
For the past month, We've been sending some fun things from L&G, R&L goods, and Piano Nobile goodies for their house & lifestyle area of the shop. They just sent me the photo of what it looks like and I'm already in love with all the things, the colors, and just the charming aesthetic of their shop!! I Especially love all these beautifully made ceramic ware.
Here is a photo of the lovely Minato Family. Seiya & Mami & their 3 adorable kids, Aika, Yume and Yuni!! ( I'd like to adopt all of them....yes please...) This is pretty much what they look like ALL the time....always happy and adorable....no joke.
The Minato family visited us in Seattle last summer at our duplex and between Dylan, Chika, Jared and I, we had such a blast with them hanging out around Seattle, Ballard and Guemes Island to show them the great NW.
It was especially fun experiencing everything through their eyes since pretty much wherever they go...birds would sing, people would smile, flowers would bloom, babies would laugh, and even total strangers would go up and talked to them and be compelled to be their BFFs...
It sounds like I'm making it up...but I am not exaggerating.
So in about a week, Dylan & I are actually going to Japan to visit them!!
We'll actually get to really see and experience what its really like to live like one of the happy Minatos!
We're especially excited to see Seiya & Mami shop in person and see L & G piggy banks, servers, and doily rugs!
I made couple of Mini-Mega Doilies (One 2.5 ft diameter and the other is 2ft diameter) for them since their space is limited, but I also think they might actually do well at that size in Japan since it can also be used seating pads for the floor or on a chair....I hope they do well!
At that size... it's actually pretty cute if I may say so myself! :)
I also made a little sewn look book for them of our work.
There's something so satisfying about the combination of thread & paper...
Here's what the inside looks like...
I can't explain how excited to see them & also visit Japan!! I'm getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it!
It's been a LONG time (7 years!) for me since I was last in Japan studying abroad there, and Dylan on the other hand has never been!
We've been talking about it for couple of years now, and it's also been a long time since the two of us have taken a long personal vacation that's not family or work related!
So it's about time!
....now on with planning the trip......Oh boy!! Where do we even begin or stop!?!
We were excited to see the friendly folks at the American Design Club (AmDC) and check out what new exciting works was at their booth.
Started by Kiel Mead around the same time as when Jamie started JOIN, AmDC is like the East coast version of JOIN; A grass root design collective with a common goal to promote and showcase emerging US design studios and designers. 
A wonderful collection of silver cast jewelery & accessories by Kiel Mead. I love his new "Pennant Flag" necklace where each flag is movable!
Simple & clever wooden tongs by Patrick Kim / Charming wooden "Merit Badge" necklaces by Fort Standard. Elegantly modern "Tool" pendant & rings by Silvia Bradhsaw / Faceted "Octagon Face" hanging lamp by Brendan Ravenhill.
Beautifully grotesque "Swell Vase" made with insulation foam & produce mesh by Chen Chen / Playful faceted wooden "Balancing Blocks" by Fort Standard / Flocked "Coatknob" by Brian Persico / "Tendril" lamps by Chen Chen. 
It's always so fun to connect with the delightful folks from AmDC and learning about them, what they do, and all that fun stuff. It made me realize that we actually have more in common than most people's perception about the east & the west coast...
As emerging designers, we have a lot in common in our situations, goals, values, and interest....and can totally geek out over tools, machines, materials, and other random topics like how the sound of falling wood blocks is oh so satisfying....
So really..we're not that different at all...we're all just people trying to make the best out of ourselves, pursue our creative dreams and live a fulfilling life...we're like a bunch of little fishies in the big ocean!...or in this particular case...in the big Javits convention center with way over-priced mediocre food & coffee...so at least, we can all bond over that....
Then on one of the days, we got to celebrate Chelsea from Grain's Birthday! ..or should I say...Happy Boozeday!
Hey...we all needed a little break for having to be at the Javits for 5 days straight!! This shall be a good bi-annual tradition from now on. :)
After a long day at the Javits...there's nothing like shoving good ol' greasy comfort food in our faces at the crazy Hill Country BBQ (This is as far to Texas as I'm willing to go....) along with the folks from AmDC.
and this was how it all went down.... greasy bbq ribs, cornbread, collard greens, and couple of sweet vodka with ginger ale...
....aaaaand I'm out.
Due to popular demands we decided to do a 2nd Terrarium Workshop at BRITE again! This time will be a Valentine's Day theme terrarium workshop! Let's spread the love!
Date: Feb 12th
Time: 4-7pm
Cost: $20/person
Includes: Terrarium ornament kit, tools & materials, treats & refreshments, and good times!
More details & how to sign up here!
You can see some photos from our last event here!
For our second national show, JOIN has combined forces once again along with 6 other Northwest design studios to launch a series of new products and accessories at the New York International Gift Fair January 30th - February 3rd, 2011.
JOIN will be located in booth #3916 in Accent on Design.
We're stoked to see some exciting new things from our friends!
R&L goods' new linen button scarves. (That's Dylan & I...ha ha)
Iacoli & McAllister's brass & suede adjustable necklaces,
Meet Me Here's recycled banner bag with a nice finishing touch of the leather handles.
plainMADE's perfect spring silk scarves
Grain's new hand mirror handbound with natural twine.
BLK Pine's new canvas bag line.
We know that the winter holiday has just past...but this also means its time to launch some new items for 2011 Spring/Summer! I know I'm ready for it!
here's a quick intro of our new additions:
This little piggy has a twist!: A new, limited edition (of 100) Chalk-it-to-me Piggy Bank with a knotted leather tail. 
Superior Server Blues: We added a handsome new spring color - Vintage Aqua - to the Superior Server family!
Porcelain Gem Necklaces: Hand-cast ceramic gem stone necklaces highlighted along with various type chains.
Some of these new items will be launched at this coming NYIGF with JOIN!
JOIN
has combined forces once again along with 6 other Northwest design
studios to launch a series of new products and accessories at the New York International Gift Fair January 30th - February 3rd, 2011.
Hurray for new things!
I'm still letting the new year sinking in a little....and still thinking about some plans & resolution for the new year!
My sister showed me this inspirational book "Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists' Enumerations from the Collections of the Smithsonian Museum"
The long title says it all..it's pretty much a beautiful visual documentation of all sorts of creative artists' various sketches/mind maps/lists/ideas.
It's so neat to see the various ways of how each person organizes their thoughts and ways of documenting that on paper.... all of which are works of art in itself.
I love this list by Adolf Konrad where he drew out all the things he was packing for a trip....including himself. How lovely...
My sister showed me this inspirational book "Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists' Enumerations from the Collections of the Smithsonian Museum"
The long title says it all..it's pretty much a beautiful visual documentation of all sorts of creative artists' various sketches/mind maps/lists/ideas.
It's so neat to see the various ways of how each person organizes their thoughts and ways of documenting that on paper.... all of which are works of art in itself.
I love this list by Adolf Konrad where he drew out all the things he was packing for a trip....including himself. How lovely...
By Oscar Bluemner: list of works of art.
Beautiful sketches, one of which by Alexander Calder on top left.
Some neat looking charts & visual lists
This got me looking at all the notebooks I have. And instead of keeping journals (which I'm never diligent about!), I always keep my handy dandy R&L notebook with me so I can always write down notes & sketch out ideas wherever. I've kept all my used Moleskine notebooks, and it works well for me as my journal since all the little notes, sketches, and scribbles is a direct documentation of my thought process at that moment in time.
Here are some of my lists from 2010:
Some tabs of keeping our servers
Some tabs of keeping our servers
some sketches for styling our servers/ drawings of our chalk piggy bank
Sketches of product post cards for JOIN/ some ideas for our kitchen
You can call my old-fashioned...but I believe that even with the most high-tech electronic pads out there, there are none that can ever replace the satisfying tangible quality of a real paper notebook with the warmth of hand-drawn sketches, and the richness of coffee stained pages or the softly warn covers....
...and now....I need to get started on my 2011 list (s)!!
...and now....I need to get started on my 2011 list (s)!!
This is the first time yet!
L&G's Superior Servers actually got featured by Katie Woolsey (Marketing editor for Country Living Magazine) where she presented a holiday gift guide under $50 for local news channel in Denver!
It's our first time being on TV and boy are we glad that it was just the servers that go on TV and not us! :P
L&G's Superior Servers actually got featured by Katie Woolsey (Marketing editor for Country Living Magazine) where she presented a holiday gift guide under $50 for local news channel in Denver!
It's our first time being on TV and boy are we glad that it was just the servers that go on TV and not us! :P
HAPPY 2011!!!
L&G started the year with a big bang.....through our wall between our kitchen & living room on New Year's Day!!
This is just PHASE 1 of only-god-knows-how-many-phases-we'll-take-to-do-our-kitchen-remodel project.
We decided that this year we're gonna actually devote some time/effort/$$ for our house that's been a little neglected....
But also we just got tired of the middle wall that divided our living room & kitchen, which made our kitchen feel too closed off since the living room & kitchen is where both of us hang out majority of the time.
So as the first step, we decided to tear some stuff out to start the project.... and also release all the stress built up from 2010!!
Here's what it looked like BEFORE looking from the living room.
We decided that this year we're gonna actually devote some time/effort/$$ for our house that's been a little neglected....
But also we just got tired of the middle wall that divided our living room & kitchen, which made our kitchen feel too closed off since the living room & kitchen is where both of us hang out majority of the time.
So as the first step, we decided to tear some stuff out to start the project.... and also release all the stress built up from 2010!!
Here's what it looked like BEFORE looking from the living room.
Dylan specking the wall to see what's up.
We took some time to tarp everything off...which is always surprisingly time consuming and not very exciting...
But then we started to tear out the first side of the drywall!!
And since I forgot to take photos, let's fast forward past making bunch of dusty mess, making grunting & hammering noises, taking down the upper cabinets and then tearing out the other side of the wall ....
TA-DA...we went through the wall!
TA-DA...we went through the wall!
Along the way I had to take this photo of this awesome texture, which was previously our 70's mauve colored tiled back splash wall....
Then we noticed that there's a mysterious half beam on the left side....yes, we just opened a whole can of worms.... This is gonna be an interesting challenge....
But here's what it looks like AFTER!
I know!...NOT that impressive looking at all!
Just to warn you, there's gonna be a whole lot of BEFORE/AFTER photos of stuff like this where the 'after' photos are just gonna look worse than before since it's probably just gonna be things getting torn up more and more....but hopefully that will change where the 'after' photos will get better as we get to do more exciting things.
But at least now you can see the whole kitchen from the living room!
The best part is that there's tons of light coming from the living room now, which is totally great!
I'm totally stoked about it even with just this raw-open wall. :D
Now we need to go figure out what to do with that weird half-beam....yikes...
We're REALLY getting into the last-minute holiday mood now...
I decided to put together some Cozy Peppermint Hot Coco kits with marshmallow popsicles as the holiday treats to give to people.
Here's the list of materials for each kit:
1/2 pt mason canning jar
2 Tablespoon hot coco mix
1 teaspoon ground up peppermint candy cane
1 mini peppermint candy cane
1 marshmallow
1 wooden Popsicle stick
1 plastic bag
decorative paper
twine
tag
Here's the instruction to make the ultimate cozy and foamy hot chocolate drink!
STEP 1: Add a bag of hot coco mix, add heated milk or heat milk with coco mix in microwave (without lid!!)
STEP 2: Close lid tightly and shake vigrously for 30 seconds.
STEP 3: Open lid and enjoy with treats!
