morning crush: pupu platter

look what i spied while browsing through re-nest's list o' etsy favorites this morning! how fun would these plyboo cutting boards of the hawaiian islands be at your next soirée? kaho'olawe appears to be missing, but still a darling pupu display for a luau, wedding, or weekend gathering.

made by brooklyn's aheirloom who is happy to customize the placement of a little heart to mark your hometown or favorite island spot.

$40 online.

p.s. mainland states also offered.

morning crush: shop toast kokeSHE

because girl's day is tomorrow and shop toast's delightful special edition kokeSHE is designed to charm little and grown-up lovelies.

$12 online + in-store.

a peek inside general store

it's back to the west coast for today's mainland week discovery. i first happened across a mention of san francisco's general store in sunset magazine last fall which briefly noted shop proprietor & artist serena mitnik-miller's childhood ties to kaua'i. the carefully curated shop, which serena and hubby mason st. peter opened in early 2010, sounded like a little haven for design geeks so the mister and i made our way to its outer sunset neighborhood during our holiday getaway to the bay area.

the spare design of the shop interior combined with the handmade mix of merchandise was a pleasant antidote for my lingering winter cold. within minutes of our arrival, i was delighted that we agreed on the perfect clock (made in japan!) while i happily scooped up the elusive travel size bottle of jasmine scented hair powder along with a pair of pastel washi tape. somehow my wish list had magically manifested on the shelves within the tiny storefront . . . a very rare occurance for me.

with a few crushworthy objects left behind for another trip, i was most impressed with serena and mason's cultivated eye for thoughtfully designed goods. since we are slowly dispensing of no longer loved things in our small space, general store's wares reinforced our notion to live with less and fill our surroundings with well crafted designs that bring happiness to our day.

curious to see more?

wood stamp

malibu

i have also become quite taken with serena's artwork composed of minimalist wood stamp prints and quiet photographs of the sea. low-key and graceful reminders of keiki years spent exploring the islands and her adopted hometown of san francisco. (fyi: a current inventory list is available on request.)

for those not able to pop in and say hello, an edited selection of pieces from the general store inventory can be ordered in the online shop. and, bay area friends are advised to sign-up for the mailing list to stay posted on pop-up events and art openings hosted by the shop.

• where: 4035 judah street, sf
• shop hours: mon to fri, 11a to 6p & sat/sun, 10a to 6p

hour of nine letterpress

hello, hello! mainland week is traveling across the country to nyc today where honolulu designer lehua chong recently established a small letterpresserie called hour of nine. the lovely jeweler misa hamamoto can be credited for introducing me to the eco-friendly paper goods printed on lehua's antique letterpress machine, and i found myself completely charmed by the sweet whimsy of her lovable supermonsters trio.

before hour of nine made its first impression, the former fashion publicist was sending handmade postcards to friends as an old fashioned hello. the lucky recipients were so delighted to find the unexpected notes in their mailbox that lehua became encouraged to start her own stationery line. the debut collection is filled with eclectically inked designs drawing on the twinkle of furry friends and reimagined architectural elements to the ethnic flourish of hindu weddings and makahiki celebrations.

despite being only a few months old, hour of nine has already received coverage in the ny times and made the cut at the standard hotel's gift shop.

intrigued?

brint

taliesin

makahiki

radhika

as hinted above, lehua opted for tree-free cardstock selecting 100% bamboo paper which also happens to be chlorine-free. and, custom orders are always welcome whether you require a full wedding invitation suite to social stationery and business cards.

if you call nyc home, you can find a selection of hour of nine notes at the standard, or click over to the online shop where card sets start at $17.

{mahalo misa!}

factory girl: jana lam textiles

you may know by now that i swoon for textiles so i was quite delighted when sandra from super citizen tipped me off on a new arrival to her shop. one peek at the gorgeous goods by honolulu designer jana lam, and i instantly set out to learn more about the maker of these fetching hand-done backdrops.

jana recently returned home to hawai'i after studying interior design at the academy of art in san francisco (with a career detour to nyc beforehand). after gifting her wedding party with handmade pillows and a serendipitous meeting with sandra, a plan was hatched to introduce an accessories line requiring a crash session in sewing and pattern making.

the lovely results speak for themselves. many of jana's patterns are grounded in nature, and the tropical motifs are noteworthy for their modern and organic take on traditional island florals and fauna. a hint of the approachable appeal of lotta jansdotter, one of my favorite textile designers, also carries through jana's collection. good company indeed considering the number of compliments my lotta tote receives whenever it accompanies me on jaunts back home to the islands!

join me for a peek after the jump . . .

fiesta flowers clutch

sea flowers * stream * happy snails * fishes dream

pillows!

sketches making the cut are carefully silkscreened by hand with jana and her mom sewing each and every handbag and pillow.

price tag starts at $42 for a small clutch and goes up to $125 for a roomy baby bag.

online ordering will be launching soon, but until then find selections from the debut collection at super citizen in chinatown and riches at kahala mall.

{mahalo sandra!}