your letterpress by joie studio

gorgeous multi-panel invite

my crush on letterpress is well established and one of my splurges for h|h's makeover was to have my lovely new logo dispatched to miemiko to be letterpressed. the design, which was already gorgeous in the digital previews sent by my designer (aloha john!), became even more charming once pressed into paper . . . the girly tagline typeface became a bit more ooh la la while all the little design details popped even more after its inky impression.

you can imagine my delight when tina from la-based joie studio recently wrote in with news of her latest project catering to diy brides and grooms as well as letterpress devotees armed with a design but lacking a printing press. the just launched your letterpress happily aims to make letterpress more accessible and puts tina's expertise and machinery at your disposal to produce already crafted designs made by you or your designer.

simply send along your print-ready specs over for review and, once approved, tina will handle all the details from ordering plates to custom mixing inks and pressing your invites. she'll even send along a video of your project in the midst of its creation and your letterpress plates as a keepsake upon completion.

invites designed by shop toast

monogram coasters

the menu includes flat and folded invites, save-the-dates, rsvp's, custom stationery and business cards. pricing is competitive with semi-custom digitally printed invitations, and tina also offers design services for an additional charge if you happen to be lacking a layout.

in other news, joie studio's etsy shop has reopened with a handful of new offerings including monogrammed coasters for your summer soirées and alphabet prints for your little ones.

were you lucky enough to send out letterpress invites for your wedding?

photo.phile: firebird photography

happy monday! i am so excited to introduce you to firebird photography today! my first glimpse of makiki photographer cheyne gallarde's work was via an editorial of 1979's collection for innov8 last year. in an instant, it took me back to flipping through family photo albums filled with faded technicolor pictures of my mom, aunties and grandmother perfectly turned out and posing in front of a brownie camera.

facebook friends who happened to catch the 1940's video of waikiki posted last month know that vintage hawaii will always make me swoon, and cheyne captures the era with the most charming compositions that are absolutely cinematic in its loveliness. one look and you will want slip into something retro, put on your face and smile for the camera.

don't you love it? although, with apologies to the cute milkman, the little design geek in me could not help but become besotted with the charming turquoise bungalow and its delightful scallop awning.

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up a camera and start clicking?
i've always been a shutterbug, but i didn't start taking photography seriously until i took a hiatus from filmmaking. during the hiatus, i realized a lot of my theatre friends didn't have current headshots, so i offered to shoot it for them. it was then i enjoyed photographing people and capturing their personality.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
i don't really follow photographers so much since most of my inspiration comes from fashion. although i will say that niche photographers like aaron ruell and creative commercial photographers like david lachapelle definitely inspire me.

favorite island moment caught on "film"?
tough call, but i'd have to say shooting my friends in on the spot improv. i've shot all their pr photos for the last two years (and recently went on a mainland tour with them) so when we work together, it's like a family reunion. their shows are also niche and creative, so i enjoy the challenge of it all. plus it helps that they're all great people that always manage to lift my spirits!

any simple tricks to share on how to capture a vintage looking photograph?
it's all done outside of the camera. hair, clothing and location are what make the perfect vintage photo. pay attention to those details and you're 75% of the way there. this is why i include styling with all my portrait packages since i study and specialize in retro fashion. in addition, i work with a talented hair & makeup artist, mish of beauty by mish, who specializes in vintage glam & pin-up hairstyles.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
the best camera really is the one you have with you, so i'd have to say my iphone! from vintage portraits using the hipstamatic app to panoramic shots using pano, everyday moments are captured on my mobile phone. for all my photoshoots, i shoot with my very basic canon rebel xti. you don't need bells & whistles when you've got imagination & creativity!

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
if you use a napkin to cover your camera flash, you'll diffuse the light. it takes some practice, but the result will be evenly-lit photos as opposed to the harsh on-camera flash.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
vitamin water, protein bars, spam musubi and cookies!

mahalo cheyne!

as i hinted earlier, oahu lovelies will have a chance to get a little flirty and embrace your inner dita von teese during next weekend's pin-up queen workshop. pair it with a burlesque lesson from the ladies of cherry blossom cabaret or, if the idea makes you blush, simply book a pin-up photo session with cheyne.

• when: sun, jun 27th - 10a to 5p
• where: mercury bar, 1154 fort street mall, suite 10, chinatown
• price tag: $200/$215 (includes burly-q basics)
• fyi: $25 non-refundable deposit to reserve a spot

p.s. enjoy first peeks of cheyne's most recent developments over on the firebird blog.

photo.phile: wag and snap photography

hawaii pet lovers now have an adorable photo service catering to their four-legged friends. wag and snap officially launched its website last week (designed by h|h friend kat uno) with a gallery filled with playful modern pet portraits taken on-location by manoa photographer steve czerniak.

get ready to ooh and aah at sweet images of pets frolicking outdoors, being pampered by their parents, or playing hide and seek from the camera.

darwin

moki

honey

kiwi

{photo.phile notes}

what inspired you to pick up a camera and start clicking?
everyday life inspires me. you just have to be more aware of your surroundings to see the interesting details.

photography muses that spark your imagination?
love these photographers: matt stuart, cow belly pet photography, serenah, shine pet photos, scruffy dog photography. there so many others that i'm inspired by.

favorite island moment caught on "film"?
my boys on kailua beach.

any simple tricks to share on how to capture a charming pet photograph?
get down on their level. and please turn off that flash. creepy green eyes does not make a cute photo.

which camera stays close by for everyday shooting?
my leica d-lux 4. oh, and my iphone.

pay it forward with the best photography advice shared with you:
be patient. the best shots come when not forced. oh, and never stop shooting.

local delights that are a must in your beach picnic basket?
fresh mango, papaya and mauna loa honey roasted macadamia nuts.

mahalo steve!

toying with the portrait possibilities for your favorite paws? wag and snap is currently offering an introductory package on bookings made through august. 

p.s. click over to the w+s blog for behind-the-scene stories from recent commissions.

etsy scout: ccdoodle

today's etsy find has been hiding in my favorites for quite some time and a peek of the latest designs from ccdoodle were just too lovely not to share with the h|h 'ohana. the indie line first caught the attention of fans for its handmade screenprints based on honolulu designer christy chung's fancifully romantic and artfully abstract sketches applied on everyday basics.

simple silhouettes from alternative apparel and american apparel become lightly refashioned with sweet screenprinted kisses of flowers, birdies and butterflies, and assorted whimsy plus the occasional handsewn embellishment. the mostly o.o.a.k. looks (one-of-a-kind in etsyspeak) mingle with vintage flair by way of budget-friendly obi belts sewn from upcycled fabric discovered at local thrift shops. simply tie one on and, voilà!, a lovely way to whittle your waist and add a pop of prettiness to your outfit. 

rounding out ccdoodle's current collection are screenprinted onesies for little ones and dreamy pillowcases which add a hint of indie charm to tired bedding. and, all of ccdoodle's printed designs are made with water-based inks which is happy news if you prefer to avoid the sticky feel of traditional screenprints.

sweet dreams

am i the only one besotted with the juxtaposition of botanical prints layered on stripey backdrops in all its girly loveliness?

custom orders are always welcome and are typically ready within a week. brides-to-be stumped on that oft-repeated wedding day custom may want to consider ordering a vintage obi which would allow you to check off either something old or something blue.

oahu readers can find ccdoodle at split obsession and ai designs in kaimuki or simply click over to the etsy shop which is in the midst of a buy one, get one half off sale in the obi department:

• expires: sun, jun 27th
• fyi: convo christy prior to checkout to reserve sale obis and receive an revised invoice

ohanapod getaway

while waiting at my acupuncturist's office yesterday, i had a moment to flip through the summer issue of readymade and chanced upon architect craig steely's latest creation - the ohanapod, a modern guest cottage getaway located a few steps away from the main residence built on the big island's lava fields (thus the name lavaflow 2).

the family splits their time between sf and hawaii so the main components were fabricated in california and shipped over for assembly. friends were wooed to the island to help complete the partial pre-fab design which was constructed in three and a half weeks with volunteer labor (my kind of peeps!). jalousies received a modern makeover and the main design element plays on the ubiquitous window treatment with galvanized steel which both shields the structure while allowing the tradewinds to circulate. a few colorful plexi panels were added for peeks outside and to bring in a little sunshine.

the space measures a mere 144 square feet which is just enough room to keep friends and family comfortable without sacrificing too much land. and, wouldn't the ohanapod make a fab office or studio in between house guests?

the ohanapod, alas, is reserved for friends of the steely 'ohana but you can spend your big island getaway at two other projects commissioned nearby - hale balleja and the monkeypod treehouse which are both located on the puna coast.

p.s. a quick tutorial on making the plexi louvers is shared online as well as a step-by-step gallery of the ohanapod's three week build.

{photo credit: john granen for readymade}