Below is a new article I wrote for BeE Woman magazine.



Before the words “organic” and “sustainable” had entered the mainstream, 32-year-old Joanna Notkin wanted to find a way to bring eco-friendly cushions to living rooms around the world. While studying textiles at the Rhode Island School of Design, Notkin noticed that natural fabrics were not really all that natural—but rather, filled with pesticides and toxic chemicals. “Isn’t there a way to design things so that when you’re done with them, they’re not necessarily garbage?” she wondered. Out of her determination to develop a product that could be both natural and 100 percent biodegradable, the idea for Looolo, a sustainable textile company, was born.

With lofty goals and some money she’d saved from a part-time job as an oyster shucker, Notkin started the company in 2004. Having made many of the products by hand, she offered a mere five pillows and two blankets as inventory in her booth at the Toronto Design Show, her first trade show.

As sustainable materials started to catch on with the public, sales began to climb. “It was not easy starting a company with a big agenda,” Notkin recalls. “My ideas limited me as far as materials, color and expense.” She searched every corner of the globe for the best organic yarns, finding sources in Switzerland, Australia and Vermont. Because Looolo’s pillows, blankets and scarves are made from natural materials and zero-impact dyes, they’re 100 percent biodegradable and can be disposed of in a composter. Even the company logo—a looping, interconnected “100%”—reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability. From the design and manufacturing to the products themselves, everything at Looolo Textiles is achieved through a sustainable process.

Determined to continue to help make the earth a better place, Notkin is now looking to expand on her vision. Recently, she received a prestigious business grant for women entrepreneurs from Eileen Fisher; this year, she plans to launch a new line of products designed from an eco-polyester, including accessories such as place mats and small zippered pouches due to hit stores this summer and double her sales revenue.

“As a designer, I was never settled with the fact that all the things I was making were one day going to end up in a landfill,” Notkin recounts. “Ten or more years ago, the seed was planted that I wanted to design something more meaningful.”

Heather Walpole, is a freelance writer based in Oceanside, Calif.

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Click here to view the entire piece.

Orla Kiely Favorites



This orange bag used to walk into my yarn store every other week or so. I was normally very skilled at remembering customers' names but for the poor woman attached to this purse, I only knew her as "That PURSE." The color is amazing bright orange, and each time the purse would come in I would immediately approach its human talk to her about it. Jennifer (I later learned after she switched handbags) opened my eyes to the wonderful and brightly patterned world of Orla Kiely accessories. Kiely has since grown in popularity, expanding her product line into clothing and luggage and by opening a flagship store in Covent Garden, that I must visit on our trip to London this summer!



orlakiely.com

Oakley Sunglasses



I hadn't seen the value to a good pair of sunglasses until I moved to Southern California. For the first few years, I had a string of cheap conquests from Target, but the sun in California is about one million times the strength it is in Pennsylvania, and I'm not exaggerating. One day after squinting my entire drive down the Coast Highway I decided I would splurge for a good pair of glasses and went on the hunt. I went in one surf shop and tried on one pair. This is them. I love them. They are my life. Thomas should give me a Mother's Day gift because of the way I baby these things.

Bird nest and handmade beads



I would never claim that my home fits into a certain decorative style. Everything that's in our we have on display has a good story behind it (like the sleeper sofa I scored for 50 bucks) or we just really like it (like all those martini glasses on every shelf, I really like those.) That includes this little bird nest. I found it nestled in a white rose bush, took it home and gave it a place right on our fireplace. It needed a little something more so, like colorful little eggs I tucked these hand-felted wool beads into their new home.

Twistori

Thomas found a cool website today that loads Twitter feeds that contain certain phrases. It's fascinating and captivating to watch, oh and it totally sucks you in for undocumented amounts of time. You can choose which keyword you watch.

love
hate
think
believe
feel
wish

From the sublime to work-related to bizarre, I watched phrases like, "I wish that today could start all over!" and "I wish adobe illustrator had a shortcut for 'Place', like InDesign or Flash have for "Import.'"

What? "Don't have to buy a new toilet. Do have to find a roofer to patch a hole.
I think this calls for ice cream to celebrate..."

Go check it out. twistori.com

Ansel Adams Interactive Feature

The New York Times produced an amazing interactive feature about Ansel Adams and the landscapes he made famous. He first went to Yosemite at 14 and knew he would be back. More fascinating than I had imagined, I learned quite a few things, here are just a few:

1. He felt black and white photographs gave his art a "departure from reality."

2. Photograph at sunrise or sunset because it gives the landscape volume and interest it wouldn't have during peak daylight.

3. If you are ever at the base of Bridal Vail Falls with a full moon overhead, you might be lucky enough to see a "moonbow" in the mist.

Go and listen to see what you discover.



feature on nytimes.com

Urban Landscapes



London-based artist Snowden Flood created these fabulous city-scene silhouettes. My favorite is this one, titled "Motorway." I love the crisp white on pink design and there's just something about straight lines that makes me swoon.



Plates available at Three Potato Four.

Vintage Plastic Cups



I love to hoard things from old people, especially old people I know. I love old tea towels and whenever I use an old purse I cautiously open it to see if something special has been left inside. This cup is part of a set with both short and tall versions. I love the loosely filled sketchy crayon lines. Grandma had some rad stuff.

Being a strong print designer requires me to be fairly, OK, completely useless at web design. My time is consumed by pouring over paper samples and printing methods rather than learning Dreamweaver and typing code. Because of this my portfolio has always been a large Spink & Gabor case that I tote from client to client. I am good at keeping my print case up to date because who doesn't love any excuse to haul out the spray mount? I wrote a tutorial about mounting portfolio boards here. Aside from that I've never had an easily viewed portfolio. I put some items up on Coroflot last summer but I've never been happy with their site. It's hard to use, the navigation is weak and it doesn't display the pieces as nicely as I would like.

Thanks to Estetica Design Forum I think I've found what I've been looking for, a website to display my work beautifully. FinalCrit.com lets you upload your images and then Presto-Change-O! they're in a fantastic Flash based website! Click here to see my new online portfolio!

Whether you're a young designer just out of college without enough experience to get things just the way you want them or a seasoned specialist like me FinalCrit can help you display your goods just the way you want. For free!

Apple filed a federal trademark infringement suit against the City of New York and their GreeNYC campaign. GreeNYC created a logo that is being used on bus shelters, hybrid gasoline-electric taxicabs and even Whole Foods shopping bags. Apple says the logo looks too much like their logo and people may confuse the two.

Apple is claiming the GreeNYC mark will "seriously injure the reputation which [Apple] has established for its goods and services."

"This well-known city is using its new design in a variety of contexts that have absolutely nothing to do with Apple Inc.," New York City claims.

What do you think? Is Apple overreacting? Or has New York City bitten off more than it can chew?

Make My Logo Bigger Cream

"You need to MAKE MY LOGO BIGGER!," clients say. Which is never something the designer wants to hear! This video shows you don't have to wait for the designer to make changes to your ad, you can do it yourself! Take away annoying "white space" or add emotion to any campaign! Just visit makemylogobiggercream.com

This is pretty cool. A portrait of Steve Jobs collaged together with Apple products.



From swissmiss blog

Trends: Green

Green is just in time for spring. It's been popping up all over the place! Everything from cute cardigans to paper goods has a flood of green to brighten the spirit.



1. Stitchy Cropped Cardi - $68 - anthropologie.com

2. Sweetheart Bow Peeptoe Flats - $24 - fredflare.com

3. Wooden Handle Canvas Clutch - $19.50 - oldnavy.com

4. We Dream in Color Nature Drops - $28 - urbanoutfitters.com

5. Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend Yarn - $12 - nobleknits.com

6. Jill Bliss Native Flowers Mix and Match Stationery - $8.95 - chroniclebooks.com

Boygirlparty To-Do List

In keeping with my "lists" I thought this octopus to-do list from local San Diego artist/illustrator Susie Ghahremani would hit the spot. It's not only cute but it's practical. The little "done" and "not yet" bubbles keep you on the path to success. Just think of the joys ...a brown Sharpie and a fresh and fabulous notepad!







Boygirlparty Etsy shop

Rehabilitated Dishware

Not much stops me in my tracks. This plate did:



Oh! Wow! So! Rad!

Then I hit this one:



Which one do I love more? It's hard to say! The orange is so fantastic, but the other is, well, pink! How are they this amazing? Sarah Cihat scours thrift and second-hand stores for old dishware then adds a modern twist, reglazes and fires them. I'm sure the "modern twist" is making my Mom's head spin. As a matter of fact, I can see fire shooting out of her ears all the way from California. Skulls have never been her favorite thing, so maybe I won't get one for myself.

But then I stumble across a white dish with a wishing well. It just screams wedding gift, Jonny and Pris style.



Click here to see Sarah Cihat's website.

Made by Tess Reuse Bags

Keeping on the green grocery theme today, I thought I'd show the fabulous Reuse tote made by my friend Tess. I have two of these gigantic reusable shopping totes and I love them. I am fully on the campaign to stop the use of plastic bags in stores, and with this I can get all my groceries in one barely liftable bag.



I've given many Reuse bags as gifts, but I'm always a little unsure of who will put them to good use. I gave one to my Mom, but I think I should have sent some the way of my sisters-in-law as well. As it turns out, Emily has decided to go green and she's taking her family with her...



Maybe Emily and I should forage our own campaign, the baby can join when she gets a bit older!

Click here to go to Made by Tess. (She doesn't post the Reuse bags on her website but if you mention "Heather's unusual Reuse bag obsession" I'm sure she'd be happy enough to take your order!)

Arbor Sports



Originally I was going to post about this cool tree mural I noticed in Marina del Rey. After a little research I found that it isn't just a mural but a logo for an eco-friendly snowboard, skate and surf company. Arbor Sport has been green since 1995. Pitching the idea of sustainability to their clientelle isn't hard stating, "The hardest kid you know might be eco-minded to his core. You don’t have to broadcast it to live it - It’s not about identity, it’s about choice."

They have cute clothes too, most of which are 100% organic cotton or fully sustainable, naturally organic, pesticide-free bamboo.



Click here to visit Arbor Sports.

Fabulous Stationery

I love the idea of "Just Moved" greeting cards, though I've never known anyone to actually send them. Who has time to send greeting cards when they just up and moved? I wouldn't even be able to find a pen to address them. (Alright, a pen wouldn't be my problem, finding a clean writing surface would be.) If someone were to send new home cards, these are the ones they should choose. At fabulousstationery.com you can choose the design and color and then personalize it with your address and name. I don't plan on moving any time soon, but I do plan on painting giant numbers just like this on my house. Those little scripty things have got to go!





Click here to go to fabulousstationery.com

Egg Press Letterpress

I love letterpress. I love the indentation it makes on the paper and I love the simplicity of the process. It has remained virtually unchanged since Gutenberg's press from the 1400s. Letterpress came back into fashion in the late 1990s and the trend is still going strong. With its bold colors and simple lines, I think it's the best printing method on the planet. If anyone would like to donate a letterpress in my general direction, thank you, that would be great. I will be at your house in the morning.

Egg Press has a letterpress of their own and the know how to use it. I love the bold circles from the first card and the delicate lines on the second one.





Egg Press Letterpress website.

Lucky Stripe Studios, Creations by Lea de Wit

I love this flower, given to me by Tess. It is a lively glass sculpture by San Diego glass artist Lea de Wit. It has beautiful red and orange swirls and a meandering vine stem.



Under the name Lucky Stripe Stuidos, Lea designs beautiful jewelry, ornaments, vases and lighting for the home. For Christmas, I gave both of my sisters a hand-blown glass ornament precious metal leaf from Lea's collection. Click here to go to the Lucky Stripe Studios homepage.

She also has an exhibition beginning next week. Go check it out!

"Impressions, Patterns, Textures"
Solo Exhibition of Lea de Wit's Hand-Blown & Kilnworked Glass Wall
Hangings, Vessels, & Sculpture

Artist Reception: March 12, 2008 from 5-7pm

Civic Center Art Gallery
505 S. Vulcan Avenue
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-633-2600

The glass wall hangings portion of the exhibit will be on display now through March 30, 2008. The vessels and sculpture portion of the exhibit will be displayed now through April 29, 2008. Gallery hours are M-F 7am-6pm (closed March 7 & 21, April 4 & 18).