typecast: jeff canham designs

more design goodness for you! with the exception of the official hapa | hale facebook page, i remain a steadfastly intermittent and somewhat reluctant fb-er when left to my own devices yet must follow a dizzying number of designers and shops to scout local possibilities to share with the h|h 'ohana. i can only suspect that my google reader shudders every time i log on with all the unread posts vying for my attention.

while catching up with greenroom (the petite surf gallery in waikiki), a passing reference to one of their featured back in town artists being a local boy made my day. earlier in the year, i serendipitously stumbled upon sf-based designer jeff canham's website and was delighted to browse his collection of creations which range from old timey signage to handpainted wooden collages (scallop-y waves . . . be still my heart!). at the time i did not realize that he grew up in the islands, but once this little tidbit hit my radar i did the happy dance for the chance to share a peek inside the portfolio of one of my favorite designers.

shall we scroll through a few selections which make me smile?

are you swooning over the jack johnson album billboard too?

a seattle baby by birth, jeff spent most of his childhood on oahu surfing waikiki before studying art at the university of oregon upon graduation from punahou. bfa in hand, he soon became art director at surfer magazine and, upon saying aloha to pursue freelance life, eventually found his way up the coast where he settled in san francisco.

after accompanying a friend who was having a sign made for a new surf shop (the now iconic mollusk), jeff immediately began an apprenticeship with the sign writers at new bohemia where he practiced his lettering and discovered a natural knack for hand painted signage.

the signs are what first caught my eye and i love how they playfully capture a bygone era when mom & pops outnumbered chain stores. isn't it especially nice to see a long lost craft from the past enjoying a small renaissance?

jeff's limited edition honolulu and waikiki prints (only 100 of each) were made especially for the greenroom show so hele over if you hope to make one (or both) yours:

• where: 2350 kalakaua avenue, waikiki
• shop hours: daily, 9a to 11p

raise your hand if you are crushing over jeff's designs too!

new peeks: east maui love

summertime has been quite the design whirlwind over at everything is jake! which recently released a new island to its delightfully retro travel poster series. this time around maui's made by mother nature landmarks have been recreated to remind locals and visitors alike of chilly treks up to haleakala to greet the sunrise, rambling along the oh-so-curvy road to hana, and wandering through the whispering bamboo forests of kipahulu.

$18 online.

p.s. click over to the EIJ! design blog where nick is giving away a set of prints to two lucky winners.

island crush: pua pillowcases

look what i happily happened across last night while catching up on facebook . . . the dreamiest pillowcases featuring pua's lovely pareu designs which debuted this past spring.

if you covet a pair, the wana and limu prints will be produced in a very limited number of handmade cases (standard size) so do hele and send lauren a note to order.

$50/set.

shop peek: hound & quail

sometime in the spring, happy news arrived that mark and travis from [area], which shuttered in 2009, had rebooted their mini design mart as hound & quail, a curated shopette stocked with vintage furnishings, whimsical curiosities, and elusive goodness not typically found in hawaii.

while i have yet to step inside, a few clicks around the website uncovered the most fabulous fare from card catalogs rescued from the library and old timey typewriters to touristy shell trophies and decorative letters. it's like the vintage section of etsy without the worry of shipping!

more lovely discoveries after the jump.

the proprietors' day jobs limit in-store browsing time so do preview the current inventory online and contact h&q to inquire about purchasing your favorite find.

• where: 1400 kapiolani blvd, suite a21
• shop hours: mon, 5p to 8p & by appointment

p.s. mark your calendar for h&q's next monthly market on sun, sep 18th!

sombrilla lovin'

while sizzling under the sun at makaha one day, i began daydreaming about rigging together some bamboo poles and outdoor fabric to create a pretty beach shelter. stumped by the logistics, it was quickly filed away in my "one day . . ." file up in the clouds.

fast forward a year+ later when i spied hollie & harrie's sombrilla in my email. the aussie design instantly charmed me with its trio of gorgeous patterns (moroccan blue makes me sigh with happiness) and 95% uv protection. even more clever: the canopy can be adjusted to provide just the right amount of shade as the sun skips across the sky (or when a surprise shower passes by).

plus, it all breaks down to fit in a matching yoga-style sling tote . . . hello wishlist!

$150 + $30 s/h to the states.

{via dailycandy}