island crush: hawai'i calls

ku'uipos * waikiki surf girl * pupukea

heather brown's california debut wooed me and the mister to abbot kinney last week, and what should i find but the official launch of pretty iphone cases featuring the happy surf art that makes so many of us smile. even nicer, they are made in the usa of post-consumer recycled plastics.

sweet + sustainable = (sigh)

there are three delightful designs to crush over with 15% of the price tag benefitting kokua hawaii foundation, surfrider, and living beyond breast cancer.

now if i only had an iphone.

$55 online.

shop toast: custom heart stumps

jeremy and michelle from shop toast unveiled a shiny new website last month, and i am happy to report that one of their sweetest favors can now be custom ordered. the petite heart stumps are even cuter when personalized and i can already imagine all the party possibilities (and delighted smiles) from happy birthdays to anniversary celebrations.

definitely something to remember when you have 25 peeps on your guest list and a 4 week turnaround time.

online orders welcome or stop by the studio for more details:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

p.s. meet the makers with a charming peek behind-the-scenes filled with all the little things which make them smile.

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!

long distance love

while savoring my occasional dose of paper goodness the other day, i tardily discovered the visit hawaii invitation suite by sf's hello!lucky. with so many destination i do's being exchanged in the islands, the retro fabulous design by lab partners captures a hint of aloha with swaying palm trees, surfer sweeties, and a backdrop reminiscent of diamond head to woo family and friends across the pacific.

even nicer, the collection is offered in three tropical inks (papaya, pool or tangerine with additional hues available upon request), and cards can be digitally printed or letterpressed depending on your budget.

be sure to peek the coordinating paper pretties from the vintage postcard inspired save the date to the message in a bottle motif for your rsvp's.

{photo credit: hello!lucky}

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.