Thursday, May 28, 2009

i'm very happy







these came in last night, and it was a nice surprise. i've been waiting for this item to be produced for so long, and i'm sooo glad that they turns out so well. these notecards has the color and paper quality exactly how i imagined it should be. they're up on etsy and you can get it in a pack of 4 of only popsicle or breeze or mixed colors.

Friday, May 15, 2009

happy friday!


top: preview of my illustrations for summer cards. 
bottom: grandma's apple tartelettes photo taken from  tartelette.

happy friday! i'm taking a week off this coming week for 2 reasons, national stationery show in new york to hopefully find items to round up my collections, and separate myself from the day to day grind. hopefully this trip can refresh me so i can come back charged! with that i leave you with the preview of my work. it's the sketch illustrations for social cards inspired by summer. also, a great apple tartelette recipe from this blog that i look at not only for the recipes but also the beautifully taken photos.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

communicate slowly

image: GARDEN personalized flat note card via 175designstudio's shop

the act of writing down on a note card and then sending it out via traditional mail is the type of ritual with a certain emotional satisfaction and joy.

i grew up with pen pals, sending out letter to people, and then receiving replies. these days what i see in my post box usually are bills, dvds, and/or promotional coupons. even with bills there just have been less of it since mostly i use electronic bills. but once in a blue moon, i would receive a paper invitation. mostly for weddings, but sometimes there are for birthdays or other parties. for me, opening that envelope is a joy... it's a tactile thing that i can see and touch. like opening a gift. and what i love most about it is that when the time comes for the party, i can grab it and then head out and have the address and information in my hand. of course, during holiday time, to my delight, i sometime see greeting cards filled with the notes from my friends, whom usually i have scarce contact with. 

the advantage of using electronic as the means to communicate is it's cheap, fast, and convenient. but that's what it is, it's cheap fast and convenient, with less emotional rewards. it's like eating a frozen dinner as opposed to cooking dinner. it may be not from scratch, help may be used using everyday conveniences, however, for people who are dear to you, seeing you taking a bit of time to prepare a meal is surely a joy to see. this for me describe my feeling receiving a nice card to text messages or emails. it's more intimate, more involved, and more effort appreciated.

this GARDEN personalized note card with envelope surely bring that taking the step to send out someone a note, to say thank you or just because, an easy thing to do. this card comes with a kraft envelope is sold in a set of 25 for $35. buy it online in my  etsy store. it's personalized with your name on it and it's also a great gift item. the paper is using 100% recycled with 30% post consumer. 

let's slowly communicate with people who are dear to us!

++sharon++

Thursday, May 7, 2009

touch of [white]

the reason i love print is because i'm able to touch it. while gadgets interest me, i think i'll have a hard time replacing books with a reader. i will miss things like the way paper make a sound when flipped, or the look of ink on paper, or the weight of a book. and these senses for me is heightened when things are done by white on white.

it's been quite sometime that i'm obsessed with white on white. always love it. this combination intrigues me. the 'void' of color (white is a color, but for print, white is not color since it's usually meant the paper's color unless it's a reverse color or print on a color paper using white ink... but i digress) can be replaced with texture. it's interactive, because the void of color creating a prominent texture.  

wall pop by Genevieve Bennett

image taken via The Urban Lifestyle blog

there might be not too many things that are done this way, and i had a hard time finding it today. however, these 2 examples above express what i love about this combination. the way it plays with light (for wall pop) and the use of different 'white' creating a very warm feeling (the room). i'd love to have rooms like that at home, but being accident prone, i don't think it's a good idea. ^^

++sharon++

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

kimchee and the likes


image is taken from Cultured.

i was going through my email, and saw one from Daily Candy.  Usually I just read the article a bit then move on. However, this morning, when I saw this picture, it took my attention because I was surprised by the packaging. It's unusual to see such packaging for a kimchee product. It's nice to see something that's unusually nice packaged in the realm of grocery items. I love the straight black lid with the clean bottle look. The label is simple, but it has the feeling of high end without trying too hard. What intrique me is the juxtaposition of old world food (kimchee) and modern packaging. It's not easy to find this type of packaging in the US grocery. So I'm really hoping that there will be more and more interesting packaging to come! ^^

++Sharon++


Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Nice review...

175DesignStudio's etsy store was mentioned by WHATdesigners.com blog. Thanks Lesley for such nice review! ^^ Click here to view the video.

++Sharon++

Friday, May 1, 2009

i can't help it


image courtesy of joya shop. fragrance diffuser set.

i wasn't supposed to post anything today, but i can't help it after seeing this candle. it's from Joya. I love love love the wonderful ceramic packaging. A cool japanese origami feeling with a flair of drama. ^^

++sharon++

Thursday, April 30, 2009

things i found this morning

i have time this morning to browse through different sites that i usually go to. sometime, it can get a little isolated working on the business side of the studio. so i'd like to peek around with what's going on outside my lil studio. usually, the things that attracted me are the ones that come from designers that i admired. however, i've been looking into things that are sustainable as well. 






pangea's products are actually really great. their packaging are all plantable and biodegradable. not to mention they are well designed! i love things that are all around good like that, from the outer package to the actual product. lotta and publique living are the sites that i usually go to when i just want a bit of pick me up. publique living's mat is one of those things that everytime i see it, it just makes me smile. lotta's pattern does the same to me. dwell is the place to satisfy my need of looking at things for home. atsuyo et akiko is the site i stumble into when i was looking at spoon and tamago blog. 

that's enough design exposure for me this morning. i'm trying to produce more products for my etsy store. so be sure to look for it! ^^

++sharon++

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Damask Wedding invitation set


I usually work on my design in a chunk of time, for a whole month, instead of spread it around (hours each day), because I'm still trying to get a hang of my schedules etc. Between talking to vendors, making marketing decisions, and thinking about production, it's hard to switch between the business brain and creative brain. In order to get me in the mood to (or more being inspired to) design, I usually look at different things, from other design sites to domino magazine (oh ... so sad when they stopped their publication).

So I have been so inspired by wallpapers when I did the series. However, I do want it to be modern, thus the colors, the type mixed in with a more traditional layout giving it just the right twist. The notecards is just the texture and blank inside. The series can be expanded more than these items.

The invitation and rsvps need to be personalized. As usual, these items can be purchased as a set or individually. Contact me for questions: info@175designstudio.com. 

++sharon++ 

GARDEN Wedding Invitation Series


This geometric organic design is consists of front and back invitation, rsvp and thank you card. The flat note card can be used for escort card or for a social card. This set is perfect for a modern bride with just the right amount of tradition. The set is flexible enough to be expanded should you need more items (such as itinerary, programs, etc).

Invitation and rsvp need to be personalized. All items can be purchased both as a set or individually. For more information, contact me at info@175designstudio.com.

++sharon++

SPRING Wedding invitation series


Inspired by indian henna art as well as the sunny california, these items were hand drawn before being processed digitally. Originally, the illustrations were designed for the studio's creed (do good, be creative, grow), however, I was happy with the end result that I ended up using it here. This series can be expanded to more items (such as itinerary, programs, and menu).

This invitation set is perfect for garden party and other outdoor wedding parties. Invitation and rsvp need to be personalized. This series is sold as a set and certain items can be purchased individually. 

For purchase or other info, contact me at info@175designstudio.com

++Sharon++


Facebook pages

Become fans of the company and get updates on the products etc! View sneak peak items, and other news.
++sharon++

Etsy shop is now open!

Hello all!
Now my etsy store is officially open! Yay! This is a very exciting time for me. I will post sneak peak of the products that are not yet available to the public! 

++sharon++

Saturday, April 25, 2009

my studio


Philippe Stark once said in TED Design conference, "Nobody is obliged to be genius, but everyone is obliged to participate." (*this may not be the exact quote, but he said something to this effect*)

With that quote, I started my studio. The photo above is the corner where everything happens for the studio. I have plenty of hopes and dreams on this corner, not only for my studio, but also for my craft. While everyone is doing their best to participate in their world, I'm hoping from this humble beginning to be able to participate fully in the world of design.

++sharon++

Thursday, April 23, 2009

hello!

first thank you for taking your time to read up on this blog.  i'd like to use this blog as a tool for me to tell you all about 175designstudio, not only the products that we're launching, or what event we're attending, or what inspire us, but also the insights of the journey of starting a design studio and then, hopefully, the journey of growing the studio. 

what my hope to get out of this is not only as a tool for me to share my experiences with you but also some how this blog can be helpful for you. i'll do my best to blog every week, or more, depending on what's going on. 

so, don't hesitate to tell your friends, and hopefully you'll follow me through this blog.

thank you!
**sharon**