Sub-Studio SALE!

Hey, peeps! As most of you already know from previous posts, Sean and I are having a baby in February. In order to prepare for the baby's imminent arrival (we live and work out of a 400-square foot apartment), we are having a year-end sale! Most of our cards, journals and some prints are on sale for up to 50% off! Help us clear out our apartment, and get some cute, hand-printed papergoods to boot! You can find all of our goods in our online shop.

Happy holidays! Thank you for your support over the years! We're looking forward to 2011!

Sub-Studio 2010 Gift Guide: White

Ben Javens

You probably know Ben Javens mainly for his rather awesome illustration skills, but he recently came out with a new line of pillows - called Face It. Each one is screenprinted by hand and comes in blue or red. Also pretty awesome are his button sets - I love how he incorporated the illustration of the button into the packaging.

Crossbird 2010 Calendar

I want this calendar. It was designed and Gocco printed by Felix Wong aka Crossbird in a limited edition of 80 calendars. The illustrations are beautiful, and the use of the white ink on colored paper creates a very subtle graphic. Even better, all of the proceeds after the production costs go to aid World Relief.

Via Notcot.

Sub-Studio 2010 Pocket Calendar

We're excited to have designed our first-ever calendar! Our 2010 pocket calendar takes traditional fortune cookie proverbs and updates them with a modern design. There are 24 different proverbs (okay, some of them are more like random sayings) to help guide you through the next year:

Don't panic.
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
The smallest deed is better than the biggest intention.
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
The only reason you die is because you live.
Take the chance while you still have the choice.
The only thing you truly own is your time.
Be brave enough to live creatively.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools.
Keep true to the dreams of your youth.
The beginning of wisdom is to desire it.
Always begin with an end in mind.
The eyes believe themselves; the ears believe other people.
Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become.
Pick a path with heart.
Take a chance in the near future.
Change your luck today.
Rest is a good thing, but boredom is its brother.
Let the spirit of adventure set the tone.
Dare to dream, hope, believe, seek, feel, find, and love.
Be mischievous and you will not be lonesome.
Originality overcomes everything.
Good luck is the result of good planning.

If you're feeling lucky, let us pick one out of a hat for you, and see what arrives in the mail. Or, if you want to make your own luck, you can choose your own proverb. We recommend the hat, it's a lucky hat.

Each calendar is 2.25" wide and 3.75" tall, and will fit inside your wallet, moleskine, purse or pocket - making it easy to carry around for whenever you need it. The calendars have been laminated for durability. Only $4 when we choose for you, $5 when you choose your own.

Renegade Craft Fair - Nate Duval, Tugboat Printshop, Product Superior & Rubina

And last but not least, there were a lot of great prints being sold at Renegade:


Nate Duval.


Tugboat Printshop.


Rubina.


Product Superior.

Renegade Craft Fair - Miss Natalie & Sycamore Street Press

Miss Natalie was a new discovery for me. I really like their hand burned and painted eggs and apples. The eggs are more decoration, but the apples provide little storage spaces for your trinkets...Also thought the regret-filled postcards were pretty funny.

Sycamore Street Press was there, too - they always have gorgeous letterpress goods.

Renegade Craft Fair - Enormous Champion

More Enormous Champion love...Their work is so great!

Renegade Craft Fair - Chez Sucre Chez & Something's Hiding in Here

I braved the heat yesterday to go and check out Renegade Craft Fair - it was sweltering, but because it was in McCarren park this year instead of in the pool, it was so much more bearable...But, enough of my complaining...I thought that RCF was pretty decent this year. I was going to post all of my finds in this one post, but rather than make you scroll forever, I'll split it all up over the next few days.

Embroidery was definitely a predominate theme this year, and one of my favorites was Chez Sucre Chez, who had a nice range of work on display. Also - check out the little denture soaps. Funny!

Also always a pleasure - Something's Hiding in Here, who always put so much thought into their presentation. They just came out with a new chalkboard calendar, which I think is genius!

Sub-Studio 2008 Gift Guide: Gold

We're almost to the end of our gift guides - we've got two more coming - silver and clear! We're looking forward to sharing them with you!

Sub-Studio 2008 Gift Guide: Brown

As usual - please click through the images to get to the websites. Gifts over $100 are noted with an asterisk.

Pixel Wedding

Pardon me for posting about a wedding on Sub-Studio, but I couldn't help myself - the design behind Cabel and Nicole's wedding is pretty amazing. Inspired by retro 8-bit illustrations, they opted to letterpress their design of a tree with pixel flowers - including debossed pixelated self-portraits. On the backside of the invite, the letterpressed figures show through the paper to create slightly embossed figures underneath the tree.



Custom stamps from Zazzle, custom-made chocolate favors from Deco-Cho.



A pixel flower cake and pixel-like flower petals.



Cabel and Nicole custom laser-etched some Moleskines as gifts for their wedding party.

So there you have it! The coolest wedding I've seen in a while...

Via Notcot.

Sub-Studio Holiday 2008

We are excited to announce the launch of Catalog, our 2008 holiday line of notecards, mini gift cards, gift tags, and ornaments. The Catalog line features designs inspired by our favorite holiday items. All items are screen printed by us with metallic gold water-based ink and printed on 100% recycled/30% post-consumer stock from French Paper.

Our ornaments are laser-cut from Technoply Beech Plywood in a raw wood finish, with engraved details displaying a darker layer beneath. Each ornament is hung by a festive red thread.

We expanded upon our Cross card line, featuring three antique, embellished crosses screen printed in metallic gold ink on white card stock.

Also, back by popular demand are our Animal cards, which we are again selling as a fundraiser for the Shama Foundation. 100% of the proceeds from this year's sales of the four Animal designs are being donated to the foundation.

Thanks for keeping us in mind this holiday season!

Fold Over Press

Designed and hand-made by an architect, the multi-layered calendars from Ulla Warchol at Fold Over Press build a scaled and sequential method for organizing one's life. The act of opening the calendar makes it a pleasure to use. And the collage of papers and colors evokes a quilt-like appearance, drawing from the variety of experiences cataloged within.

Field Notebooks

Thanks to John for pointing out these Field Notes books, designed by Draplin Design Company of Portland, OR. Other well-designed products include calendars, pens and pencils, all looking like they are from a retro shipping warehouse or perhaps the island from LOST.


If you actually want to take some notes in the field, the old Rite-in-the-Rain company makes some nice kits for all sorts of scientific, military and hunting uses. Below is the Field Book Kit and the Upland Bird Journal Kit. Both include cordura covers and all-weather pens for serious work.

Jeeyun Chung - Notebook Series

I like Jeeyun Michaella Chung's Notebook Series - a set of notebooks designed for left-handed, right-handed and ambidextrous folks. The lined paper slopes in the direction that our handwriting typically slopes, thanks to our handed orientation. You don't have to slant your notebook anymore to write comfortably...



A set of posters designed in conjunction with the notebooks.

Letterpress Delicacies

I saw Letterpress Delicacies on Creature Comforts this morning and love their work - slightly off-beat letterpress goods that are affordable with most items priced at $3.25.

Henrietta Swift

Henrietta Swift is an illustration student at Brighton University, and is building up a nice body of work. I really like these Letter Envelopes - a playful interpretation of the traditional security envelope. Each envelope takes on a letter of the alphabet.

Via Designboom.

Renegade Craft Fair 2008

Sean and I made it to the Renegade Craft Fair this Sunday (after the crazy rain shower). We were very pleasantly surprised to almost immediately run into our friend Sumana of Imaginary Friends, who had come from California for the show. We got to meet Nick - Sumana's brother and business partner - who is obviously a silk-screen expert (check out the color gradients on their cards and shirts)!



I was also very excited to meet Amber Zezeck of Brookadelphia - I love her acrylic word necklaces (and that tie necklace - yes, please!).



We saw a lot of plush toys at the show...our favorites were from Cherry Box (above) and Longoland (below). Cherry Box makes sad little plush trophies, and Longoland makes crazy monster plushies (high quality, with really amazing detail).



Longoland plushies.



Sycamore Street Press was new to RCF this year. I loved their stationary lines! A lot of Eva's work has a vintage feel to it, although my favorite cards were her more modern illustrations. Our pictures don't really do her work justice - check out Grace's post for far superior photo coverage!



Finally, we were excited to meet Shauna and Stephen of Something's Hiding In Here. These two pay attention to the details, and the quality of their work is just so great. I loved their stamps and the "love until it hurts" hearts.

So there you have it - Sub-Studio's favorite picks from this years RCF.

Young Designers Market

We are in last minute prep for the National Stationary Show...which is right around the corner, YIKES! If you are visiting ICFF or the NSS, be sure to stop by our booth (#2246) to say hi!

Also, if you live in New York, I will be selling both Brevity jewelry and Sub-Studio cards, prints and our new Frame journals (above) at the Young Designers Market (268 Mulberry St. between Houston and Prince) tomorrow (Saturday) between 11am - 7pm.