From the Desk Fridays: Colors of Sorbet

I'm re-working the colors on this invitation for a new project and am inspired by this Citrus Sorbet board by Kathryn at Snippet & Ink. I cannot get enough of the summery hues - especially on a day like today when I can finally feel a hint of spring coming.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

New Images

I'm slowly updating our website photos. The colors in this one make it one of my favorites.

WSJ: Small Business

Great article on becoming an entrepreneur in Monday's WSJ. Thinking about doing something on your own? You may want to read this.

Inspiration: Partners & Spade

On the way to brunch this weekend in Soho, we passed this place called Partners & Spade. I racked my brain all during our meal trying to remember where I had heard of it - having a hunch it included Andy Spade. So we go check it out, and the first thing I ask when we sheepishly walk in, is "is this a store?" I just didn't know. It looked like it could have been an office or a gallery or a really spare boutique. And it's all three. Funny side note - I immediately recognized the guy there, who turned out to be an owner, from when he did some freelance work at the ad agency I worked for. Small world here in NYC. Anyway - turns out Partners & Spade are the creative minds behind the J.Crew men's shop in Tribeca:


That's how I knew the name! Anyway - the offerings inside inspired me & made me smile more than any shop or art exhibit I've seen in a long time. I could have stayed for hours going through the drawers of antique stamps and old photos and scorpion paper weights. The 'backdated confidence trophies' were my favorite. Want to make like you won that karate championship back in 1985? No problem. (The well-written plaque beside them said something about how you will actually start to believe you won the trophy and give you the confidence of victory. So great.) I love when you see something or experience something with new eyes, like you're seeing it or experiencing it for the first time - like a really clever ad or a brilliant movie or a work of art that makes you stop dead in your tracks. Walking into this space full of little collections of things was unlike walking into a gallery or a boutique in the traditional sense at all - and that felt new and fresh and really interesting. Both John & I left there like little kids leaving a candy store. We didn't buy anything but were so happy that a place like that exists at all. That there are people who think like that. And in turn, make us think differently because of being there. And to be able to stumble upon that made me feel very -- well, lucky.

Click here to read a short interview with Andy Spade regarding the Partners & Spade space.

Oscar Fashion Favorites

Some of my favorite fashions from last night's Oscars. While I don't entirely 'get' her, Angelina Jolie's choice of (huge) emerald jewelry was what stood out the most for me. I could not stop staring at those green earrings - I loved them.


And how could I not include these cuties in there?! Adorable.

[images courtesy of nymag.com and usmagazine.com]

L&H Newsletter

ooh ooh - and sign up over there for our brand new monthly newsletter! Starting on March 1st, we'll be sending out monthly announcements on happenings here at L&H: new work, sales, press clippings, and anything else to help keep you in the loop.

From the Desk Fridays: NSS & my friend

I'll be working on the National Stationery Show (NSS) a bit today. I don't really know what to expect from buyers going into the show this year, so I'll be doing a little thinking about how we can put our best foot forward there and really make the most of it. I'll be doing this with my trusty little office-mate at my heels - when she's not begging for attention.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Handwriting & Handwritten Notes

There's a great excerpt from Kitty Burns Florey's new book Script & Scribble, The Rise and Fall of Handwriting right here in the WSJ. While it's not the same thing exactly, I was recently interviewed about the resurgence of letter writing in an email age. I love this topic and could talk about it til the cows come home. I have a friend who is the queen of letter-writing - thank you notes for everything from gifts to the casual hosting of a home-cooked meal. And I have to say, there is nothing nicer, and perhaps more pleasantly surprising these days, than a sincere handwritten note. A simple thank you, a hello, an I miss you. I love them all - personalized stationery or a greeting card - it doesn't matter as long as it's you.

Novelization Covers

A friend recently sent over a link to these fantastic movie novelization covers - or what they would be in the eyes of spacesick. My friend was saying how he hates when books have the actors on the cover. I could not agree more - The Atonement cover ruined it for me. These though - I love.

I'd love to give a movie-poster size of the Caddyshack one to my brother and I'd take the Killer Tomatoes one for me - mostly because of the colors, the eyelashes and those pink heels!

With Thanks: Vogue

Pinch me. L&H in Vogue?! Who would have thought. But there we are on p. 501 - in their 100 things under $100. We're waaay under $100, at $6 for our Redesigned tags. Many thanks to Vogue for such a truly honorable mention.

New Blog Love: Eating is Art

I found Eating is Art from Katy Elliott & frolic! and I am hooked. Designer/blogger Tricia has opened my eyes to a new way to look at food. She has an 'eating design' studio called Taste Matters. (Tricia describes eating design as using food to communicate stories, ideas, or messages.) One of my favorite projects was her recent Favorite series, where she chooses a person (living, not-living, fictional, real, present or not present) and creates a full sensory experience relating that person and food. She chose her brother for this one. It's very touching. I highly recommend reading more here.


[all photos courtesy of Eating is Art]

Weekend Walks

Feeling refreshed (and a bit less sick) after a nice low-key weekend walking around, going to the movies, and spending lots of time at the dog park with Kingsley and her friends.

From the Desk Fridays

A little note for you, on top of my sketchbook - part of a regular piece I'm calling From the Desk Fridays - a week in review of sorts - from my desk. Might be interesting.

Have a great weekend.

Artist: Nava Lubelski

And too good not to post is the amazing work of Nava Lubelski, found via katy elliott. Above is crush, measuring over three feet in diameter of listed materials "crushed love letters and glue." Brilliant.

[images courtesy of Nava Lubelski]

Vintage Valentines

I never tire of good vintage paper goods. (Thank youuu, ebay!) Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

WSJ: Fashion Label

Interesting article in today's WSJ about fashion label Five Four reworking their business when retailers shrink (or don't place) orders: from changing up their fabric choices ($17/yard vs $2/yard), to decreasing their ad spending (none), to changing up their offerings ($500 coats vs a line of socks). Read full article here.

Inspiration: Coraline

Last night, we went to see easily the most clever & truly unique film I've ever seen. Coraline (trailer above) is a must-see for anyone who can appreciate the work involved in stop-motion animation where every single thing has been created by hand. See more behind the scenes narrative & description from the creators here and here:

MoMA in the Subway

MoMA has come to our subway stop at Atlantic Ave/Pacific St in Brooklyn. Famous works by Pablo Picasso, Cindy Sherman, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keefe, and others have replaced the usual ad space all over the vast subway underground. When I studied art & philosophy of art in college, we talked often about the context in which art is viewed - the typical gallery/museum space with white walls, quiet as a mouse interior, slow moving people - and then what it means when that context is altered or when you view something outside of that context. This subway stage does a little bit of that, but acts more as an effective ad campaign, reminding people like me that these works I once studied in books, in a classroom, in Lewiston Maine exist just a subway ride away.

The site for this marketing campaign goes live later today, but you can read more about the campaign, spearheaded by MoMA's new marketing advisory committee, in the Times here.

Inspiration: color

Inspiration can come from anywhere, as proved by my color palette inspiration this weekend from Page Six Magazine, my usual Sunday guilty pleasure read. We're in the process of selecting new colors for our current best selling designs, and I'm loving this mix.

Sale!

We're in the editing phase of our 2009 offerings and have just posted a bunch of things on sale - including our 2009 calendar. Happy Friday!

Valentines Day: Old School Style

Speaking of Valentines, I'm really tempted to post up little "mailboxes" like these now that there are three of us in here. Lame? Cute? John might kill me. But I'd love it! To make it more fun (and to get more loot) I think we'd need to tack up a couple for each of us.

[via Black Eiffel]

Valentine Gift Pack

We're offering a little wrapped up paper love package this Valentine's Day: a notepad, a pack of note cards, a pink L&H pencil and the Pig Love greeting card - which we can hand write for you:) with hearts, xoxo and all.

Sweet Tooth: Milk Bar

Calling all sweet tooths (or is it teeth?) in the New York City area - head to Milk Bar stat. My sisters and I went here on Sunday, and I found myself in my own little Willy Wonka factory - but circa 2009 and way better. I will let some of the menu items speak for themselves - and then you can walk yourself over there and waddle yourself home: blondie pumpkin pie, candy bar pie, crack pie, cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate chip cookie, compost cookie, corn cookie, cereal milk. Need I say more.

[photos courtesy of seriouseats.com]

With Thanks!

Thanks to nymag.com for featuring our Redesigned Flower Pin on its Valentine's Day gift round up. How great is that pink espresso cup & saucer?

New: Dakota Martin, Spring '09

It's not quite spring yet, but the 40s sure feel like it after the frigid temps we've had and have hopefully said goodbye to. Above are some cheery colors for Dakota Martin's 2009 Spring collection that have me pining for short sleeves and sandals. I'll take the waterfront, too:)