AUG 2010 NYIGF Wrap Up

Alright, this is totally late...and we apologize, but here's a quick little photo montage of JOIN's premiere New York Gift Fair two weeks ago. We had a great time, the booth looked cowabunga, and there was great interest in JOIN and L&G's goods, so high five for all!

We're toting up to head on back to Seattle at last... Bye bye NY...for now. Before we jet-set, here's the brief run down of the show:

The good-looking JOIN crew in front of the booth, followed by some action shots throughout the fair:

 

The collage below is from the breakdown of the show, which was an amazing sight. Thousands of elaborate booths being broken down in 4-6 hours... complete pandemonium yet an amazing orchestration at the same time...just like the Big Apple itself! We'll miss it for sure as we settle back into sleepy little Ballard tonight.

L&G on Desire to Inspire

We're TOTALLY stoked that L&G got a couple of mentions on Desire to Inspire's recent "Wink" (Weekend Links) Posts!
Its quite exciting to find that blogs we find inspiring are actually finding our designs to be inspring in return! That's totally exciting enough to make us raise our fists and go "hurray!"

Our first mention on their Winks (weekend links) post!

Our second Winks mention in the same month! Ok...now we're jumping up and down and running around in circles like maniacs. :)

I'd LIke to Tap That: Eclectically Modern Living Space

Amazing space via Office for Word and Image (OWI)....oh so wonderfully eclectic, airy and dynamic. I love the visual impact of the dark & minimal one-walled-kitchen.... The mix dining chairs collection reminds us a little like ours... looks like we're off to a good start....

Money Shots

Did you guys know our little piggy is a high roller? That's right, our chalk it to me piggy bank loves to take baths in money and generally flaunt his cash every which way possible. Here are a few new shots of him and his dolla billz. (note: in lieu of actual US currency, we used chocolate coins...time for this little piggy to start earning his keep...)

Getting Dizzy...

With all that needs to happen for the NYIGF, I'm doing a lot of this...

 and it's making me feel like this....

But mostly I just like to get lost watching ALL of these great gif animations, here!

Via Boooooom

L&G Printe Materials for NYIGF

Finally got to whip out my original Gocco printer since when I first got it at the age of 8! It was one of things where I lugged all the way from Taiwan and to all the places I ever lived but can only remember using it a handful of times....if that many.

But I wanted to make original L&G cards made out of vintage fliers, and what better way to do this than with the Gocco printer!!I want my future family to look like this....
And here's our product line sheet packet to hand out at the gift fair.
I even bribed some friends with food & wine to help with the assembling them....thanks Lauren, Nathan, Christine & Nick!! I'm lucky to have friends who are always game for all the "work" parties that I host! :D


The Launch!

Those who have visited our site in the last day (you know you look like everyday...) may have noticed a much needed update has been executed to celebrate the release of our new products in time for the NYIGF this Aug 15-19th: Chalk it to me Piggy (v2.0) and Superior Servers.

We're very excited about these two labors of love.

You may have followed Jean's multi-part mini-series on the birth of our Chalk it to me Piggy...well he's finally almost all grown up and ready to take on the world. This proud parent has to say he's looking pretty handsome eh?

Superior servers is another vintage inspired line of brightly color coated serving ware. These dandy serving pieces will class up your dinner service than most parties at your grandma's. Each piece is available in 3 lovely colors that can be mixed and matched to your fancy.
You can go to our website to see it all!



Who's the (em)BOSS...er?!

Ok....I've been pretty brain dead lately so forgive me on that title.

Yup still frantic getting ready for NYIGF but just had to share this little excitement that we'll be bringing with us!!
It's our own special L&G embosser!

We've always been wanting to use one of these babies whenever we find old notary embossers....so this was a perfect frivolous to get, and we're already getting a good use out of it!!

I used it on envelops
vintage postcards...why gold stickers of course!
napkins... I mean..why not, right?! I can spend all day embossing a pile of these.
I might as will emboss a whole roll of toilet paper!
Yeah.... I'm all about doing things in the least time efficient & least economical way. Dylan asks why I do the things I do...like spending too much time writing a blog posts, why we're spending more for vintage postcards and still have to print them and now...embossing several hundred individual business cards & stickers. He tries to suggest that we should focus more on bigger priority things and manage our time better, but I just ignore him when he says stuff like that and pretend that I didn't hear it. I'm sure he does the same thing sometimes, too.
So it's mutually acceptable. :) 

JOIN at the NYIGF

Ladies & Gentlemen Studio  (yup! that's us!) 

L&G is frantically gearing up to head over to NY for the upcoming New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) this August 15-19th. Part of the main reason we're even able to do this is because JOIN:Design Seattle!
We'll be debuting our original items for the first time along with 9 other wonderful studios from the Northwest and represent! Woot! Woot!

Everyone's products will be in booth #3912 in Accent on Design section, and we'll be there looking pretty and excited to share our new stuff!

On top of all this, we were able to get our amazingly talented photographer friend Kyle Johnson to do wonderful portrait shots of each studio for the press release & JOIN catalogue. Check them out! I just love seeing everyone's spaces and how Kyle really captured every personalities. Pat on the back for Kyle!

Iacoli & McAllister (and Mies!...that white furry ball of cuteness on Jamie's lap!)

Grain ( we're still jealous of their studio/home on Bainbridge!)

R&L Goods (aka randL/Chikabird....yay! no more name confusion! Chika & a clone of myself.)

 

BlkPine Workshop (also owners of Maiden Noir, Cafe Weekend, and too many other things)

Erich Ginder (and his new adorable little baby girl!)

 plainMADE (excited that I just ordered one her amazing silk scarves!)

Urbancase (Just look at them amazing wood he uses for his furniture...)

 

Free Time Industries (I just love the colors of this entire photo and their outfits!)

Can this get any more exciting?? Actually I think exciting doesn't quite cut it.....this is gonna be EPIC!



Slip Casting Fun: 4 Realz

So as you know we've been bustling our little piggy behinds on bringing these little piggy to the market. The NY market at the NYIGF to be exact!!
Based on what we learned from our slip casting class....we realized there's a reason why humans make machines like 3D printers so we don't ever have to make imperfect models from scratch! Thanks to our duplex mate/friend & confidant/pro Solidworks user, Jared of General Assembly was able to help us draw up a perfect Chalk-it-to-me Piggy Bank model!! But also his office just invested in a new 3D printer and so we got to try it out and also see the magic birth-giving/clone-making of our version 2.0 piggy bank!

Here's the version 1.0 piggy accompanying Jared while he drew it up on Solidworks. I'm still proud of us for making the first piggy from scratch, but there's just still too many imperfections of uneven bumps and surfaces that we didn't feel okay taking it to the market with it... :(
Here's a rendering of version 2.0 piggy on the screen....ahh....so perfect and smooth looking....
After much tweaking and refining of version 2.0 piggy. Jared sent it to their magical robot 3D printer...where it literally spews out a liquid resin material and prints it layer by layer in .00000000001 mm (a little exaggerated, yes, but you get the idea ) layers and builds it from bottom to the top like a topographical map.
Here's the cloning of the pig in the machine. (play some sort of sci-fi soundtrack)
After almost 24 hour of straight printing we got the first half of version 2.0 cloned piggy! I could have stood there watching it the whole time if I could since it was so mesmerizing to look at....
We even got our logo integrated on its belly! It just totally blows my mind what computers & machines can do!! I freaking love machines!!
Here's Dylan with second new born!! ...just the first half of it.
Here' are the two halves getting primed and wet sanded so they'll have even more perfectly smooth surfaces...like a baby's tush. :)
Here's a comparison photo of the first piggy. Granted the first version has its own personality and charm, I think the second version's refined contours and proportions is bringing it to a higher level of awesomeness! But we still love version 1.0 piggy just as much as despite its slight flaws!
...and here it is!!!  Version 2.0 piggy master model! We're so thankful of all the hard work and the hours that Jared has put in to help us making all this happen!! We wouldn't have been able to take the pig to market if it weren't for all Jared's awesomeness!!
Now we just have to see how the real slip cast ones will turn out!!
Can this get any more exciting....and the answer is....YES of course!

Magical Sommer

I've been a fan of Meghann Sommer's work ( of Etcetera Jewelry ) since I first saw her work from last winter's Design Shoppe event. I totally kicked myself for not getting anything from her!
So it's about damn time that I get some of her wonderfully, well-composed, one-of-a-kind pieces!
Luckily we live in the same city where we can run into each other and then arrange a meet up for me to check out all her stuff in person. I'd like to think that it was a sign from some higher being telling me that I MUST get something from her by making me run into her...

I love how Meghann's sensibility and aesthetic where uses such a wonderful mix of semi-precious stones, crystals, geometric metal parts, and vintage finds such as old watch bands, monocles, and even a bird's leg! (hands down my all time favorite!!)She puts everything together in such an expected way turning everything into such unique, mystical & magical jewelry pieces.If I can have it my way, I'd take all and everything that she makes......
But I decided to get this lovely necklace composed of mix matched chains, hex stone, vintage rings, & links...
....and this awesome crystal bracelet with old metal watch bands. Check out her shop, here!

Slip Casting Fun: Part III

Here's our third update on our slip casting process!!
Last post was all about making the master form and the mold. I know....totally boring....but now the really fun part where we actually get to make real things!!

Here's how it goes:
The 2 part plaster molds are held together by couple of thick rubber bands. Once assembled, pour pre-mixed, pre-configured clay slip into the mold. Start timing! It's pretty amazing how primitive this whole process is, but it totally works!

So here's Heath pouring slip into one of his molds.
Here's my little gem shaped mold with slip poured in.
The slip sits in the mold and the plaster in the mold eventually absorbs the water from the clay. This will harden the clay body and create a wall thickness all around the shape inside. Once it achieves the ideal wall thickness, we pour out the rest of the slip and just let it sit for a bit!
Here we have Dylan trying to blow in the mold thinking it would speed up the drying process....but that's not proven to be very time efficient.... So do not follow his technique. :P
My slip cast gem taken out of the mold after the clay had hardened. You can see where the pour spout and the parting line is where the molds met. All that has to be trimmed and cleaned up afterward. This is the fun part for someone who's a little OCD like me....it's a totally gratifying step to just use some tools to trim and clean everything up so it looks all nice and neat!
And here are some finished trimmed gems & critter paws!
.....and here's our first trimmed piggy!! YAY!!
OUR FIRST BABY!!I've never had a baby...but considering how much I had to go through to get this baby out, I'd imagine the feeling of accomplishment and love is similar to delivering an actual one.....I'm 95% positive...
Except this baby saves money....unlike a real human baby which in contrast would COST a lot of money...I hope this baby pig will be a good investment. :)

So here's our first batch of some fired pieces!! I can't explain how awesome it is to be able to start with some liquid clay and end up with finished products that we designed! It just totally makes me really appreciate the art of slip casting. Even though it's more of a production process, it still required so much time & care in every step of the process to make it nice. And finally....a finished & glazed piggy! WOO HOO!!
We didn't have the right type of black glaze for this first one....so just glazed it white. So this one still isn't the real deal (Sorry for all the build up)
But I just feel the need to share this one because it is our first child!!  Yes..we'll totally be the type of parents to take a BUNCH of photos of their first child and then don't bother with the second child...

We designed it with simplicity of form and function in mind...we want as much smooth surfaces to maximize the chalkable surface, also designed it so the pour spout (where we pour the slip) is actually the piggy's snout! Eh? You like that??
But really...we just wanted to make a simple mold that we can easily do ourselves. :DGranted this little piggy have cost us more than we want to think about...we still believe that it'll all be worth it in the end. We really hope we'll get our return when we launch the real thing at the NYIGF!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!


L&G Vintage Postcards

Despite the fact that the products we're planning on showing at the NYIGF aren't even fully flushed out yet, I've decided to jump ahead anyways designing our handouts & postcards. Even though there are other WAY more higher priority things that I should be doing...But I just can't help it...plus I need my instant gratification with small projects like this to feel more accomplished....

These are just some iterations....I'd like to silkscreen or Gocoo print over all these one of a kind vintage postcards.  I just love the quality of how they feel, look, and....oh how I even love the slight dusty old basement smell!  I know spending time to print them individually for these postcards isn't the best solution in terms of saving time or money. But it's more satisfying this way to make something fun (at least for now!), plus it's all the small details that counts, right?

It's especially funny since I recently read this post from Chelsea of plainMADE doing the same thing where she's also printing her own postcards (they're beautiful though!)....and the idea of "impractical" labor.

I like that I'm not the only one being "impractical" and "ineffecient" :D

But really, there's no right or wrong about how to go about things like this. I think if ultimately someone grabs one of our postcards and feel the NEED to keep it because it feels more special, then all the work & time is well worth it!

I like the idea that whoever takes it will want to keep it for whatever reason and put our card on their fridge or inspirations board...or even if someone is moving and is going through their things that they'll look at our card and decides to put it in the keep pile amongst other valuable & inspirational photos/cards/letters and takes it with them.

Wouldn't that be nice?....I think so.

Piggies Going to Toronto!

We're sending out a small batch of Chalk Piggies to this adorable-looking kid design store in Toronto called KolKid. We wish that we're the ones going there since we've always heard great things about the city, the people...and the country in general.

I'm sure the piggies will be well taken care for once they're there and will most likely even get wonderful health care benefits.....I'm just happy to know that they'll have a wonderful life there.

Designing kiddy things has always been on our things-we-like-to-do-list....but that's opening another can of worms...but they'd at least be very cute worms.
Looking at the Kolkid webshop just make me want to start doing that! I just can't stand it!! It's all too freakin' cute!!
Perhaps someday more baby slippers...



L&G Heading to the Mondo Apple City...

We've been a little too occupied and had totally forgot to mention that Dylan & I will be going to the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) this August 15th-19th to launch a few L&G original & Chikabird products!!

It's exactly a month from now...yikes!

Not only are we're excited that we'll be there showcasing our products in NY, we're also super fortunate to be in a booth amongst great talented friends of JOIN in the Accent on Design section!
All thanks to Jamie (co-owner of I&M and head organizer of JOIN) who got us involved in all this!!

Woot Woot!! 

Mirror Mirror

Really incredible outdoor installations & photos from Francisco Infante-Arana & Nonna Gorunova created in the 70's.
Such simple concept for such amazingly striking results. Can't stop looking at all of them....
Via The Look See


Trailer Trash Revival

With Seattle's moody PMS weather these days, it's making me wanna take off on a road trip and go somewhere where you see bright blue skies and the sun...even if I have to go Texas for it....
Now that we're on the topic of Texas (which never happens)..... I'd just have to share this great-looking trailer camp site in Marfa, TX, called El Cosmico. The owners refurbished all these vintage trailers to its original condition with few updated details.
Staying in a mobile home has never looked this good.
Great mid-century style interiors where it still seems authentic to what it used to be.
I'd love to stay in these adorable tepee as well!That bed is calling for me....
I'd love to stay in every one of them if I could...

But apparently there IS something similar in Washington!
Our friend told us about a similar place called Sou'Wester Lodge in Seaview, WA (I've never heard of this place!) ..although not nearly as polished or glamorous as El Cosmico, this place seems to have more of a charming-quirky-bohemian-hippy-vibe to it.
The owners started collecting vintage mobile homes and decided to turn it into a lodge (read their story)....or as they like to call it a B&(MYOD)B as in ‘Bed and Make Your Own Damn Breakfast!!’
Ho ho ho..you gotta love them hippies and their tirades! 
What a great mash of all the awesomeness from all the different eras...you got the 50s wood paneled walls, 60's floral curtains, 70's landscape curtain, 80's pastel couch & chair, and 90's paisley patterned carpet....all harmoniously integrated into one room...just incredible.
Besides collecting mobile homes, they also collects these creepy Cabbage Patch Dolls.....Luckily this collection isn't in any of the trailers or rooms...but you might want to check under the bed...

Photos by Lyndsay Taryn

Ultimate 4th oF July Weekend

I'm totally looking forward to our action packed 4th of July weekend!!

On Saturday the 3rd, We're planning to go on a bike ride from Ballard-Woodinville and back for the first time....it'll be a total of 48 mi. We've made couple of attempts before but always start too late and have yet made it all the way to the wineries. So this time we're gonna give a full day and actually accomplish our goal!!

It's should be a great bike ride since the Burke-Gillman trail follows Lake Washington for the most part with fantastic scenery of the lake, trees, and mountains.
I'm hoping we can see something like this along the way and have a picnic...
Then go do some wine tasting at this modern winery designed by Mithun...
This shall be the first & longest ride we'll do...so let's hope we make it there and back and still be able to get off our bike and walk!!


On Sunday on the 4th...

Our friend is hosting this fun hand-built go-kart race event on Vashon Island for the first time:
It's a car race, potluck, bbq, and a nice excuse to hang out on a island farm. If anything it'll be pure entertainment to see all the cars people built and watch how they run!

Time: 1pm
Location: Pacific Crest Farm, 23720 Dockton Rd, Vashon, WA, 98070
It's open and free to everyone & anyone!

Then we'll end the day with some great fireworks in Fremont....that never gets old...Not a bad of an itinerary for the weekend, eh?

Happy Fourth Everyone!!

L&G on Country Living!

L&G's Mega Doily rug is featured on this month's Country Living Magazine! Woot woot!
We're offering a 10% discount for the month! Just enter the discount code when checking out!
A nice spread of rope themed goods. I love those magnifying glass wrapped with jute!


I'd like to Tap That...White Cottage

Juli & John, a Toronto based design couple from Kitka Design blog (also runs an incredible design shop, Mjölk) made an 180 degree transformation of a family cottage from a drab and cluttered place and turned it into an incredible open modern and charming cottage with fantastic vintage finds through out.
Looking at this place made me decide that the next house we live in shall be painted all white, open spaced with high ceilings...and right next to the water!
Wait...let me rephrase. The next house we live in shall be THIS place!  Sorry to break the news to you guys, Juli & John, we're gonna have to evict you both.... 
But seriously though...I love everything about this adorable cabin.  I just like how they stayed true to the concept of having a vacation cabin where its a place to getaway from the usual clutter, chaos, and distractions. It's about just having the basics...read old books, listen to old records, play board games, watch the sea, wander around, and not think about anything besides figuring out what to cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I much rather think about that kind of things than about all the errands I need to do, when I should avoid traffic, or wondering why the person driving in front has their signal light on when they're not actually turning!
It seem so rare to find ourselves doing actual relaxing activities with all the distractions in the city and our daily routine...and then there's always the need to do computer work at night, too. How did we ever convince ourselves that emailing or blogging in the middle of the night is relaxing?!?  The curse of the interweb!
OOH! OOH! My favorite game! I spy...Kaj Frank enamel bowls, Copco pans and fondue pot, Dansk Jens Quistgaard pepper mill and bowl, Erik Magnussens's red pitcher, Jasper Morrison's coffee maker...oh my!! Ahh..what lovely minimal rooms with just the right amount of simplicity and coziness.
Another reason to have a cabin like this is so I can have cute shoes and take pictures like this.....
Doesn't this make you want to just go and get a cabin somewhere?