Ashley + Ben save the dates

It's a nice break for me when a client comes in with their own design. This way, I get to sit back a bit and focus on the printing. Ben is an architecture student and was planning on laser cutting their save-the-dates himself on a piece of wood. Super cool. I love mixing wood with paper...

They just needed me to letterpress the enclosure and envelopes and to consult with them on production. It was very thoughtful of them to send me a complete set, I love how it all came together. Great job!

Off the Press: Feldman identity

The production on this was a doozy--letterpress front on white cardstock, white foil on grey chipboard on back, duplexed together! Also came with a matching notecard with the same specs. Definitely proud of how they turned out :) Designed by my pal Anjel.

Interesting shop tidbit: this was the job I was trimming that got me sent to the ER.

Inspiration: Portland Livin'

Just got back from visiting my sister in Portland for Thanksgiving last week and didn't need to go very far for some design inspiration. Actually didn't even need to step foot outside! Besides the freezing temps we experienced, her house was just way too cozy and warm that I ended up spending most of the time indoors.

Thought it would be a great post to share some pics of how she decorated her home. I feel like it could easily fit into a cool design/shelter magazine--clean lines, pops of bold color, and just the right amount of knick-nacks to personalize a space.

Hello Lauren

Just wanted to write a post formally introducing Ms. Lauren Aczon. She's been an intern at my shop since the beginning of summer and came to my rescue during peak wedding season when I was in over my head with production work. She started out doing some assembly work and was up for some non-glamorous tasks at the shop--organizing samples, trimming paper, archiving, and even spray painting!

But since then, her internship evolved into something closer to an artist in residence so-to-speak but without the living in my shop part :) Lauren expressed interest in letterpress from the get go, and had some previous Vandercook experience in college which always helps. She's also a fantastic artist and after perusing through her sketchbook, I could easily see how her style of linework would translate well into letterpress. I harnessed my inner mother-hen and encouraged her to print her own work and see where it takes her...

Inspiration: The Dub C on design

This architecture-related post is brought to you by my hometown of Walnut Creek! I know most people think I live in Berkeley since I spend most of my time there. But everyday, I go home to this amazing place just east of Berkeley, through a tunnel and down one of the most beautiful stretches of freeway scenery in the Bay Area. The majestic view of Mt. Diablo serves as my compass where home sits, nestled in the foothills--sunshine always beaming. Sounds fantastic, right? Yep, that's why I live there.

Walnut Creek isn't really known for cutting edge design, although I don't fault it for that. I typically go downtown for a relaxing stroll, stop off for a gelato somewhere not really expecting to see the latest trends. Although one day, I did! On my way to our neighborhood bar, I saw this sleek wood-paneled building (where an old piano store used to be) and was quietly surprised and impressed. I've since checked out Vesu and enjoyed the interior and some of the artwork that was displayed (although not so into the $12 cocktails).

When I was perusing through my daily design blog reads today, again, I was pleasantly surprised to see this same exact restaurant featured on one of my favorite architecture websites! Very surreal to see Walnut Creek on the design map, but there it is.

For more photos, check out The Contemporist.

Inspiration: Amazing house for two, please?

I haven't had an architecture-related post in a while, and it's about that time to do a little daydreaming...After the week I've been having, how I would love to come home to something like this! All the day's hard work, gone in about 10 seconds of stepping foot into this Sebastopol home surrounded by Redwoods...Designed by SF-based firm, Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects for two graphic designers who seem to really know how to get their "zen" on :)

In a galaxy far, far away.

In between clothes and space, there is this amazing piece of architecture by Japanese architects Keiichiro Sako and Takeshi Ishizaka of SAKO Architects. It's a retail space for a women's clothing store called Romanticism based in China that looks anything but.

Rustic-Modern

Happy 60th to the Eames House

“Their house has become a beacon for the American way of poetic pragmatism,” said Ms. Antonelli. “Chez Eames, art is not intimidating, great design really is for everybody, and high taste means being able to enjoy the occasional tchotchke in a modernist masterpiece.” That’s why we love it.
For the rest of the article, check out NY Times here.