Sprig-tacular !

A warm 'thank you' to sprig.com for the wonderful write-up about Loop Wrap posted to their homepage this weekend ! Sprig is an excellent e-repository of great green products, happenings + news. With menu tabs 'fashion', 'home', 'beauty', and 'celebrity', Sprig offers a stylish spin on the eco-lifestyle. Loop is tickled 'green' to be mentioned here !

Also featured on Sprig :

I have been wanting one of these recycled sail bags from Sea Bags all summer ! I love the story behind this Maine-based woman-owned company, and how their bags embody the graphic simplicity of their nautical origins.

As an urbanite with rustic roots, I also love this folding bike from STRiDA. Folding down to a mere 45” x 20” x 9” package, it is inspiring me to run the cross-town errands I have been putting off. Not sure how comfortable it is ... but in alluring colorways like orange, neon green and classic cream, I'm sure I could make it work !

Polliwog

Get your own - Open publication

Not only is this magazine gorgeous, but it's so well-presented with issuu. with zoomable photos, it's so easy to get lost in the pages. and with a name like 'polliwog' - well, I couldn't resist !

Damn Scientists

Every now and then I actually click on the Threadless e-mail that glumps up my Gmail account, and this morning I was delighted to see something other than t-shirts. I remembered this woeful ode from a year or so ago, and now designer John Slabyk is offering it as an 18" x 24" screen print. Yay !

Seriously, mon amis who were born in the 70's - what happened to our cartoon promises ?! Why are we not jetting around in personal electric hover krafts and being instantly dressed in the morning by a vaccuum-like whoosh of air ?

the eggs from ipanema

Supermarket is a trove of wonderful design sold straight from designers - I often meander through random categories for inspiration. I was impressed by the News post on the Supermarket blog from this particular designer declaring that she was essentially taking the month of August off, [ I am living vicariously through her starting now ! ] and immediately clicked to see her work.

The hand-painted porcelain collection from Baily Doesn't Bark is gorgeous, spare, playful and unique. The Eggs From Ipanema series caught my eye - amid the birds, ants, flies, and spiders that adorn crisp white forms, what was this odd shape ? Here is the delightful answer :

"hand painted eggs with the famous ipanema beach (brazil!!!) sidewalk pattern.
i was inspired by my constant cravings for fried egg over toast and the always present in my heart: wonderful brazil, my home. weird combination…. "

YUM !

Daydreaming about LILYPAD

Let's face it : global warming and its attendant sea level rise isn't exactly an inspiring topic. Most days, we're not forced to think about what it will really mean to millions of people around the world who will lose their homes - literally, the ground on which they live - due to the 1m water level surge.

It's projects like this one, LILYPAD by Vincent Callebaut, that remind me of the power of design. While this self-sustaining, bio-inspired floating microcosm may seem outlandish in many ways - how will it practically be engineered, who would take the risk to invest in it, and how many gazillions will it cost - it's the outlandishness that I like about it. In order to solve the intense problems facing our planet, we need to dream without constraint, to imagine without tether in order to transform our anxiety into action.


While LILYPAD is currently floating through a ton of architecure and eco blogs at the moment, here are the highlights and links to other blogs that are featuring it :

via Archinect - described as an Ecopolis for Ecological Refugees, LILYPAD is meant to be auto-sufficient, using a coctail of energy technologies to produce more energy than it uses [ solar, thermal and photovoltaic energies, wind energy, hydraulic, tidal power station, osmotic energies, phytopurification, biomass ].

via Inhabitat - with the form of an aquatic leaf, the LILYPAD can either be 'docked' near a developed coastline or be responsive to the Gulf Stream, free to travel from the equator into the northern seas. it will house up to 50,000 people and will incorporate varied terrains + venues in order to ensure bio + programatic diversity.

new doodlespark sets !

float : cultivate : explore

a spark haiku

hot-off-the-press
juicy new doodlespark sets

yummm....

shop new sets on supermarket

Loop Booth

Whewsh ! We survived the National Stationery Show ! I have to say this year at the Javits was more inspiring and exciting than I imagined it would be. I am so inspired by my peers and was especially impressed by the talent, wit, creativity, skill and hard work represented by this years' attendees. Loop was delighted with its new booth assignment, as we were in the middle of great small companies and got to meet designers we admire. A special thank you to Cathe at Feterie, Stacey Pancake at Pancake and Franks, and Jean at EIEIO for your great advice. Carrot and Stick, your Booth was stellar [ I wish I took a photo ! ]. And Craig Barbieri, husband and Loop trade show Architect extraordinaire... check out that booth, man ! You're awesome.

Check out the companies that exhibited near us :

http://www.pancakeandfranks.com/

http://www.eieiostudio.com/
http://www.feterie.com/
http://www.carrotandstickpress.com/

Loop was on cloud nine showing its new Loop Wrap and Doodlespark had 3 new series' to display. I love being in the booth with my Mom; I blush so much by her praise that I look like a six year old after playtime ! Thank you for all your hard work and savvy New York driving, Mama !

Indie Goodness Giveaway - Yay !

Indie blogger and designer Jan DiCintio [ aka Daisy Jane ] has just posted a most spectacular GIVEAWAY on her blog, Scoutie Girl. You will not believe how much talent she's jammed into this package - the $547 value doesn't begin to quantify this cool event. Thanks for including Doodlespark, Jan !

24 chances to win between now and May 14th !

Daisy Jane has a must-see shop on Etsy as well. Her custom-screened fabrics are wonderful... I love LuLu especially.

I refuse to pick favorites, but I love this tee from Delicious Tees, a contributor to the giveaway. The website describes each tee as a new part of a story, with names like Instrument [ shown below ], Resonate, Duality + Untamed Imagination. Very cool.

Eco-mmunity Widget

I periodically check in with ' The Green ' on the Sundance Channel's website. This morning I watched an incredible video about the sustainable fashion house Nau and found this great little widget ! You can download it to Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Vista, etc. in no time at all and keep up to date on all things green.

LOOP WRAP !

I love my printer ! [ Ed, if you're reading this, you're the best ! ]. Last Thursday was press day for LOOP WRAP and I spent the morning living a 'How It's Made' on printing and paper. Ed sent me home with a few hot-off-the-press sheets of wrap and some of the limited edition prints we'll be offering as well... He even had the guys in the pressroom [ craftsmen, truly ] clean up my plates for me to take home - I need more wall space !

Check back soon for more images !

Spring !

The last two weeks have been intense; days will pass and the amount of time I've spent outside can be measured in minutes... I have been working at my computer so much that I have 'mouse elbow', a dull ball of soreness from my bent arm resting on my desk for hours on end..

But ! While Spring is happening outside, a new Doodlespark collection is springing to life inside the Loop office ! The photo above is from my desk - seeing this drawing fills me with calm and happiness and I can't wait for the new cards to return from my printer in time for the National Stationery Show ...

[ Come visit ! We're Booth 1735 : May 18 - 21 : javits convention center, NYC ].

Earth Day is Everyday

I cringed as I wrote the cliched title of this post, but the root of cliche is truth, is it not...? In the spirit of getting to the heart of matters, I thought I would go back to the basics with National Geographic. Check out their 'Preserve Our Planet' video series for intelligent conservation tips, download a gorgeous wallpaper like the moving mangrove image above, or browse the stunning nature photography [ I LOVE the Patterns In Nature Series - so inspiring ! ].

[ This post is made possible by my lovely mother-in-law, who reminded me of this incredible resource - and also reminded me not to work too hard. Thanks, Mom ! ]

360 Vodka's Close the Loop Program

"Drink Responsibly, Drive Responsibly, Exist Responsibly."

As the host of an Earth Day party this weekend, I received a fabulous hostess gift of 360 Vodka. Not only is it tasty tasty!, but it also is supporting the environment. Once the bottle is empty (and that doesn't take too long!!!), you remove the top, take the 100% post-consumer waste paper envelope (pre-paid, of course) that is attached to the bottle, and return it in the mail to be recycled! What a clever program! How easy!

360 Vodka is environmentally-friendly for the full loop of its production. The vodka is distilled for "optimal eco-efficiency". Its labels are made with 100% post-consumer waste paper. The bottle consists of 85% recycled glass. AND the vodka distillery employs CO2 capturing technology. The Close the Loop program also donates $1 for every closure returned to recognized environmental causes.

Just another loop for everyone to happily join!

Hey, Lucky Ducks ! SHOP for MOM !

Loop Loves Spring !

Celebrate with our Super Sale on Supermarket...

Grab your favorite Loop or Doodlespark design and go boldly into a new season ! Our SUPER SALE on all same sets lets you stock up on your favorites without twisting your wallet in a knot.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, you know your Mom will flip when she gets a set of Doodlespark notes … [ who knows? she may even send one back to you with a care package attached … ]

We’ve also added a SECRET set of 8 Doodlespark designs… Here's the deal :

- We choose 4 designs.

- We put 2 of each together in cute little package.

- You stock up on Doodlespark on sale.

- You think to yourself "I'm a lucky duck ! "....

Get Thee to Yahoo 'Green'

How did I not know about this sooner ? I just discovered Yahoo Green and have excitedly clicked through this amazing hub of Green links, news + insights for more than an hour... [ don't I have a new stationery line to design... ?! ] I simply had to take some time out to share this with you. Menu topics abound, from the practical to the curious -

LIVING GREEN : CALCULATE YOUR IMPACT : MAKE A PLAN : GIFT GUIDE

two of my favorites are -

FREE IS GOOD : remember Freecycle? How cool is it to trade your unwanted stuff for things you need ?

18 SECONDS : see the States all flushed with green... enter your zip code to see how much your city is saving in energy, emission and dollars by using compact fluorescent bulbs !

Their TECHNOLOGY link brought me to info posted by EcoGeek, and I was captivated by this OLED light.

"Very simply, OLEDs are like LEDs in that electrons jumping across a diode emit photons. But instead of being a traditional diode, the OLEDs are actually a printed film. This means that the light comes from everywhere on the film simultaneously, and the film can take on unique properties, like being flexible, lightweight, two-dimensional, and transparent. "
[ By Hank Green Posted Mon Apr 7, 2008 1:27pm PDT ]

Osram is the leading manufacturer of this technology, and they invited world-reknowned lighting designer Ingo Maurer to design a lamp using ten small (132 x 33 millimeter) OLED panels. I think the result looks like a luminous leaf. It's titled, 'Early Future'.... C'mon everyone, rise and shine !