Take A Walk to Forestbound

I'm absolutely in love with these Forestbound bags...what a wonderful mix of beautiful leather, linen, and canvas, which are all from salvaged materials!

Print Magazine Shall Not Die

This is another exciting project by Meg Mateo Ilasco. Meg & Anh-Minh Le recently launched their quarterly print magazine, Anthology Magazine . It's just loveliness all around! They're only doing a small run of them now, and the last I've heard, they're about to sell out!!

I'm so glad to see actual print magazines coming out versus more web magazines. There's just nothing that compares to actually having the magazines in the hands to flip through the pages.
They even went all out and created this lovely stop motion video making a statement that print is not dead!! I love the cardboard typewriter, which Meg made herself!


I really don't know how she manages to do all this and come out with 2 books (Crafting a Meaningful Home & Creative Inc.) at the same time!!
Gawwwd....can anyone be any more productive??

I'd like to Tap That: Office made with Pallets

Check out this post via Design Boom about this cleverly designed office space by A Dutch design firm, most architecture.
They designed the spacing using a bunch of handsome-looking pallets piled up in compelling ways while turning them into functional working spaces, seating, and even a staircase!We've been collecting pallets & wooden crates to fill up our Brite Social Studio space for the fact that they're so readily available and free ...but of course the pallets aren't nearly as nice as the ones you see here.
Pretty ridiculous how even Dutch PALLETS are better and cooler than ours!....sheesh!!
I can only imagine even living like a homeless person there would be pretty amazing...I'd go for that.

BRITE Space in Progress

Brite crew: Dylan, Jean, Christa, Nin

Here's what we've done to the Brite space so far....Just so you know...it's a work in progress...and also our budget is limited (i.e. no budget)
But between finding materials from Dylan's work, collecting crates from the ID, and bringing random things we have around our house, we're pretty happy with what we've been able to do so far for the space!
A coffee table made with stacked pallets.
the wall of crates are all scavenged from the ID since there's such an abundance of Asian produce shops! Nin impressively put that up in mere couple of hours!

We even got a coffee & tea station! Thanks to Caffé Vita for always supporting our endeavor!
Nothing like some take out Chinese food after working some late hours at Brite...That's one thing that we don't have to worry about...that there's always food available in the International District!
Curious people passer bysBrite's theme for this month, to explore the concept of "space Available" and what it means to use space in a creative way.

Boom. Done. Artist Helped Artisans.

So excited to see that Tanya Aguiniga was able to raise $8000+ to accomplish her Artist Helping Artisan (AHA) project over the summer!! I mentioned her project and donated some back in early spring, and it's just amazing that she was able to achieve her goal and make it all happen...just like that!!

I was stoked to receive a lovely package from Tanya with an original print and a charming handmade doll for help fund the project with a little bit that I had to contribute. I'm just inspired to see that all this can happen when someone has a mission, to get support, and then actually making it happen. I really I hope to do something as amazing as that someday.
Pompom hat, and a little baby on her back! It's simply too cute!
I'd love to see these wonderful handmade animals, too!

Also there's a great article about Tanya and her trip to Chiapas on Sight Unseen sharing some photos taken from her trip and even her LA studio!
Ahhh. My favorite pieces of jewelry that I own are those dipped dyed rope bracelets & necklaces!

I'd like to Tap that: Roof Top Pyrmid on top of a building

Ok. Never would I even think to consider the top of an office building as a possible place to live and raise kids....let alone the pyramid that's on top of Seattle's Smith Tower building that's been recently shown in the New York Times!!! Screw looking at houses that's meant for living....that's just way too lame and predictable!
I want a house where I get to take elevators that goes up 40+ floors that probably goes straight to the place, have all walls coming in at an angle versus just boring straight walls, and a view that's even better than what the public civilians gets to see from the observation deck only at the 35th floor. But the reality is that I should just give up and accept the fact that I will not end up living anywhere close to a place like this in my life time or next...especially I'm pretty sure that my next life I'm probably just gonna be a fruit fly...And I won't even be able to fly that high to sneak in there and pretend...
Yeah, you know something is not right, when the thought of your entire life doesn't even compare to these kids' life in the first 3 years of after being born....and the best part is...they won't even remember a darn thing in those years.....Man...what a realization....
But on a brighter note...I'm lucky enough to say that I live in the same city as these people! Just awesome.

Crafting A Meaninful Home Book Par-tay! Oct 21st

I'm totally stoked about the opening book launch party this Thursday, Oct, 21st at Rare Device! And I was more than surprised to see the Mega Doily on their flyer!! Woo Hoo!!
I'll be there to show the projects that Chika & I did...the Mega Doily Rug for Ladies & Gentlemen and our Dupe Coat of Arms by R&L.

Bunch of other talanted contributers will be there in person and showing some of their projects! I'm super excited that I'll actually be there to meet everyone and also help Meg and Kate Pruitt (DIY editor at Design*Sponge) do some of the installation for this event! All I know is that we're doing something with cardboard....which I can only imagine between the Meg & Kate, the place is gonna look totally amazing!

Come check out the projects and see the book in person, and of course..come say hello!

Rare Device
1845 Market Street ( at Guererro)
San Francisco, CA, 94103
October 21st, 7-9 pm

SOIL Art Auction this FRIDAY 10/15

Dylan & I have been volunteering for this event every year for the past 5 years now, and it's always an awesome event that we look forward in being be part of. This year is no exception!

All SOILS Day | 2010 Art Auction

Top ten reasons you'll should attend:

1. Fabulous art
2. Delicious food
3. Devilish drinks
4.Try your luck at our La Loteria stand to win one-of-a-kind prizes from Soil Members
5. Support SOIL and it's mission to bring experimental art and media to Seattle
6. Choose from a stellar lineup of auctioned pieces: Whiting Tennis, Gala Bent, Jeffry Mitchell, Kristen Ramirez, yours truly, and so many more.
7. Dress in your best Calaveras (skeleton) makeup and rub elbow bones with some of Seattle's best artists.
8. Free parking
9. I will love you for it (and I will too)
10. All for $10!!!
If you buy your ticket at Brown Paper Tickets before 6 pm Thursday!

Tickets: $10 presale, $20 door

Click here to see a preview of the works in the auction.

Auction Date:
Friday, October 15 | 6-10 pm
Seattle Design Center
5701 6th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98108
Enter on Orcas between 5th and 6th

Oh! You Silly (stupid) Bird you...

Found this amazing but pretty hilarious photo taken by the cool peeps of Pacific Standard. They saw this crazy bird's impression left on their window pane which they assume that the bird (hawk?) was trying to attack their cat not realizing there was a window in front of it...and then ended up flying straight into the window dead on...If only someone had actually witnessed the bird flying into the window and caught the facial impression on the birds face when it realized what they just did...as the bird peels itself off from it. That would have been priceless...
Apparently the bird was fine (besides losing it's dignity) since they didn't find the bird dead outside their window...so it's ok to laugh out loud. :)

Via Pacific Standard

A BRITE Opportunity...

So we all know that summer is officially over, and that this year has definitely gone by WAY too fast. But we're happy to share a great exciting news for BRITE Collective where we have been given a store front spaces for the next 3 months as a temporary residency in the Seattle International District!

What does this mean?
This means that we get to use this space to host creative events and activities as a platform that can foster individuals to create, connect and leave inspired. Also this will give us an opportunity to connect with local groups/designers/artists/businesses and collaborate to do something fun and out of the ordinary!

Here's a preview of our space and the rough set up. ...
How did this happen?
well...really...it's because of our current unfortunate state of the economy.... But all this is a total blessing in disguise! I see it as a new Renaissance way of living where people, whether they like it or not, have to keep an open mind for things that more temporary, flexible, and unpredictable....and I think all of us are learning to adjust to this new way and trying to embrace the concept of "living in the moment" by taking advantage of the resources & opportunities that are all around us. Just within the past year I've seen so many interesting new food cart/truck business popping up, met new people doing super interesting projects, or new groups coming together to gain forces to do something great...I think we all are looking to make the best out of the worst.

And his is exactly what the Seattle Store Front project is all about. The idea formed when all these vacant/for lease spaces are popping up and dramatically changing the dynamic & the feel of the area. It's never appealing to see or walk through places where you see that every turn you take. So various local Seattle organizations formed this project to encourage creative individuals/groups of all realm to utilize existing vacant store fronts as an opportunity to experiment and bring something positive to the neighborhood as well as help building a stronger sense of community and arts in the area. So despite the unfortunate existence of these vacant spaces around town, this is totally a perfect creative way to put a positive spin on it all.

Brite is really looking forward to take full advantage of such opportunity and is planning on teaming up with local groups, artists, designers, musicians, you name it!
We got a ton of ideas to host variety of workshops, installations, music and film related events, holiday parties and more!!
For the first small event, we invited couple of guys who organizes the annual PARK(ing) Day for Seattle, where they get people to set up parks in what would normally be parking spots or vacant gravel lots for one day simply for the goal to get people to see & use existing spaces differently.
We participated in last year's PARK(ing) day, and this year the timing worked out that we got the space around they same time that PARK(ing) day was happening. So we decided to set up temporary park-like elements in our vacant space as a way to get some fun activities happeing there to start!
Our set up of an indoor picnic with some ARCADE magazines....
Four Square = four times the fun! So much space (1300 sq/ft much of it!), so many ideas, and so little time!....It's going to be an action packed winter because we got LOADS of ideas/plans which will be taking place really soon!
Stay tuned!