happy hale*days 2010: budget edition

because in the last minute holiday frenzy, it can be easy to forget that a good gift does not have to make your bank account shudder:

1 - big island peeps will delight in penning notes to friends and 'ohana on sig zane's hilo one greeting cards. ($15/set; shop online or in-store at the hilo boutique)

2 - joie studio's limited edition 2011 exotic calendar is letterpressed with love on bamboo paper. ($20; online only)

3 - spend $15 to gift an organik SMARTdeal and your favorite someone can scoop up $30 worth of eco-friendly style. (purchase online by fri, dec 24th, spend in-store by mar 31st)

4 - charm homesick jetsetters with a vintage hawaiian passport holder made by mu'umu'u heaven. ($12; available at the kailua flagship)

happy hale*days 2010: mele edition

the interweb crashed on me earlier today so it's nice to finally be back online to kick off the first gifting edition! of all the guides, the mele roundup is the one i look forward to most since it gives me an excuse to wander my favorite design haunts in search of festive holiday happiness. it's also my rare fix of xmas delight until i walk into the winter wonderland that is my mom's home.

here's the scoop on my current holiday crushes:

1 - three cheers for the bold contemporary graphics of mozaic papers' charming i'iwi greeting cards! ($11/6 cards or $14/box)

2 - kinohi designs whips up playful photo cards for a modern family portrait. (fyi: i am a tinyprint affiliate so my piggy bank will be filled if you shop via this link)

3 - la belle vie's hula girl silhouette may be made in texas but it will definitely brighten up mailboxes near and far from the the islands. ($18/box)

more festive finds after the jump!

4 - tiny tags from shop toast share the sweetest sentiment with simple perfection. ($2/set)

5 - lei chartru's mele mele kalikimaka tags offers up a modern monstera pattern for a pop of xmas happiness. ($7.50/set)

6 - anthropologie's darling iced whale ornament has already sold out online, but check your neighborhood outpost for a possible xmas score. ($16)

7 - blushing pearl's pearly shell gift tags letterpressed in seaspray blue will live on in the new year as a pretty reminder/bookmark. ($10/set)

8 - treat your tree to a handmade candy cane ornament by honolulu glass artist jessica landau. ($25)

9 - only lucky readers who shop kealopiko's holiday market (details in tomorrow's scoop) will have a chance to purchase the gorgeous screenprinted wrap featuring local motifs.

10 - the ukulele monkey gift wrap from sf's hello lucky! just may be too cute for keiki to tear off their presents on xmas morning. ($5.75/roll)

11 - gussy up some kraft paper with japanese washi paper tape imported by cute tape. ($16/set)

12 - gift surprises big or small in a kealopiko pareu which doubles as lovely furoshiki wrapping cloth. ($35; akoakoa pattern shown)

did you discover anything new to love amongst these twelve things for xmas?

p.s. click back to the past for more ideas on sharing a little modern island cheer this xmas.

shop toast: tricks & treats

jax treat bags

does anyone else feel like 2010 is slipping away faster than you can say boo? with halloween lurking around the corner, how about we take a peek into the shop toast workshop to see the newest treats designed to add a little cuteness to next weekend's creepy costumed celebration.

if you are feeling particularly crunched on time, skip the line at longs and scoop up a few jax treat bags, wee pumpkin colored muslin delights pre-filled with an assortment of sweets for just $1.50 a pop. the halloween edition boo!zu boys have also returned (currently on clearance for $2) and have brought along a few friends to help scare away the rain on a daily basis.

toast's woodland warriors have proven to be popular and have welcomed a few new additions to its 'ohana from birch wood postcards ($4) to cotton totes ($15) with five different greetings and designs to choose from.

woodland warriors postcards & totes

and, lovebirds and holiday hostesses have a pretty new semi-custom favor option with the arrival of the diy tying the knot fabric wrap bags. the cotton hanky sets are a simple way to doll up those tokens of appreciation and can be ordered in rainbow of colors to coordinate with your bash's decor.

you can find all the new goods both in-store and stocked in the online shop. and, if you are hoping to wish away the drizzle with the latest boo!zu boys weather charm ($6; available in 7 colors), remember to mention h|h and the shop toast 'ohana will knock $2 off the going price!

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

{mahalo jeremy & michelle!}

joie studio x shop toast

honey bunny

tina from joie studio recently sent along peeks of her recent collaboration with shop toast! the charming honey bunny first popped up at uniquela's xmas fair as a springtime preview, but just took up residence in the online shop a few weeks ago. we first met another shop toast creation splashed across their cheerful gift crates earlier in the year, and now the letterpressed emoticons double as sweetly designed shorthand to note your happy news or apologies if you have done someone wrong.

joie's antique presses, a golding pearl & vandercook, have been in constant production over the summer with many of the new designs requiring multiple passes through the machinery to print the two to four color illustrations. in addition to the shop toast cards, hawaiian style greetings inspired by tina's island home have arrived online along with a cheeky robot design destined to be pinned on the cubicle wall of your favorite geek.

cheeky cheery faces

hawaiian style

you can scoop up all of the featured designs in joie studio's etsy shop, and the shop toast note cards should be ready for your purchase at the kaimuki storefront this week.

also, cali readers up and down the coast have a few chances to meet tina over the next two weekends. (hint: word is a toast surprise is in the works for sf.):

{bizaar bizarre j-pop summit}

• when: sat, sep 18th - 11a to 6p
• where: japantown, sf
• tix: free admission to one & all!

{second annual l.a. printmakers fair}

• when: sat, sep 25th - 9a to 5p
• where: international printing museum, 315 w. torrance blvd, carson
• tix: $5 general admission / $4 students

paper chase

one of a kind

flicking through my stationery stash this morning reminded me that tina from joie studio recently introduced a few new letterpress designs in her etsy shop. good incentive to jot down a few notes to post in the mail in order to justify acquiring more pretty paper goods. especially since i am just loving the one of a kind note card and its bright combo of turquoise and orange.

the quail's little fluff of feathers perched atop its head is even more charming in a repeat, no?

and, fans of the endangered b&w bear will delight in a peekaboo panda offering which has been pressed into two styles on bamboo paper. eco-friendly and most appropriate for its panda inhabitant!

peekaboo panda

dogwood coaster

individual notes are priced at $5 while coaster sets are $10 so make your way to joie studio's etsy shop to peek all the latest offerings.

and, so/cal readers will have a chance to say hello to tina when she sets up shop during the o.c. edition of unique la's indie market next month.

• when: sat, aug 14th & sun, aug 15th - 11a to 6p
• where: the lab, 2930 bristol street, costa mesa
• tix: $10

p.s. the flat panda note (shown above) is not currently stocked online so convo tina to order.