Packaging Design for Food, Japan

the container inside holds the form of package and Pockys is a cutout for witch hat, below

It is the most-loved holiday here, in LA.  I wonder if candies or dress-up makes everyone crazy or something else.  I decide to pay a visit to Little Tokyo, and old town Pasadena, to see how far this holiday can be extended, and am surprised to spot not only kids but adults putting on different costumes walking around like the street as their own fashion show.  I feel I were in the Comic Con. 

And suddenly I fall into the memory of the park in Tokyo where youngsters dressing up as Lolita to show their rebellion of the pressing society.  

2 different cities, 2 different reflection of life.  Trick or treat.

love+S

Beverly Hills

Product Design for Beverage, Japan

This is a sake product, Japanese rice wine, designed for the entrance level customers to approach their 1st trial of sake.  The idea is inspired by the traditional sake bottle, and open it, there is a surprise!  A sake bottle transforms to a beautiful shape of traditional sake cup.  Both conceptual and educational, it is definitely a brilliant design.

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Books We Flip-Dogs from Tim Flach

as usual, we randomly walks in one of the fashion/interior design store, different minds running on both hearts.  Mine: don't really like to hang with hubby or any kind of men in this kind of stores which pretty much nothing enjoyable, and pretty much, 1 min in 1 min out....  Just then, my dearly hubby points out this book, Dogs, probably because I have been struggling with my recent pet product project.  We start to flip through[mostly standing there, and page by page glance through...] and we totally love the angles Tim Flach took, and laugh thru most till the salesladies come by checking on this dark corner.

Books, like the magical wand... I think I'd love to design a package design for pet product, high end, focus on specific breed, eg, Welsh Corgi(because I have one and I know what owners think of...  Now I think I have something more important to do ...

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Graphic Design for Stationery

I know it's an information age now.  Everything's e-something, i-something... But I just can't cut the bond of the touch of fine cards, papers...etc, which makes me feel special just writing on it and hope the other person has the same feeling as well. 

Lately, one of acquaintances of mine has a lot of major things going on in her life.  I feel heavy for her but in the mean time, I know it just happens in life.  I've been there but it's difficult for me to say it lightly.  In the strange mood, I walk to Papyrus without notice, and wonder what to get for this kind of situation.  Sympathy?  too much for now.  Get well?  it sounds just right.  Getting well, not only physically but in heart.  Especially the opening ceremony of the envelop itself, the dark chocolate brown provides the feeling of soothing, and comforting.

Do you have a situation like this?  You don't know what to say or sometimes lending an ear is better than saying anything.  Have you stood in front of the card section, and everything's too loud to pick one up?

love+S
info: 'Get Well' from Papyrus

Beverly Hills Art Walk

Give Me Some Honey

I found these beautiful honey cone shapes mirrors at Ikea where uses as a headboard type of decor.  Instead, I take them as dressing mirrors by placing the way I'd like compared with straight up same old, same old dressing mirrors which, personally I think, is so hard to move around with if you have a 'not-sure-where-to-go-next' habitat' like I do.

Either it's zigzag or S shape, it looks better than those $19.99 mirrors.  Or you can use them as candle stand as well which shines more than just put a tea candle on the surface.  Most importantly, if you move, you can detach them and bring along.  No more throwing the money to trash can~
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Hang Over from Design

Feeling my head's exploded from my latest design class, I'm stumbling stepping into my house.  Have you feel like that ever?  In a short of time, too many information fits in your tiny little SD card in your head.

Then I see him.  It takes my mind out of..., just for a click of the time.

love+S

p.s. our house has been flooded with stink bugs since late summer

which rather, havea very distinct pattern on its body.

Official Beautiful Business

It's love at the first sight.

I found this 'make me laugh' note pad at a local gift shop where sells lots of amazing design product, called Lula Mae.  Not only women but men love to shop there for a surprise. 

These dirty little words, we[girls] probably will only use among good friends, and reminds me of the conversation I had with one of my girlfriends and I believe when she sees this post, she probably will laugh as well. 

The font is so elegant that makes me think of something beautiful instead @#$%*& [cough, cough.]  It's a serious business, I mean.  The more I'm close to design, the more I understand how much details are put in.   I can't just stand far away to look but get closer, and closer to see the real story behind.

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Back to the Start

My hubby showed me this ad several days ago, and keeps humming in my ears lately. So I can't wait to share with you. I love how harmony this whole ad  is. From the music to animation, not only it expresses the goal of this commercial  but also reflects the progress of the society, and the struggle and conflicts behind the technology in order to give audience a connection.  It's a great commercial which puts a lot of mind in it.


But, I can't help wonder, why McDonald corp. chooses Chipotle[one of its many brands] to clear all the 'big corporate' operation.   It doesn't fit to its target market!

Senora, Deluca's!

Recap '1984' Apple's Macintosh in the Memory of Steve Jobs

Visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at 56

Visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at 56

Packaging Design-Daily

One of my acquaintances has raised up to a higher position somewhere else from his current work place.  I'm sad to know the news [because he's really pro of what he's doing] but in the mean time, I feel truly happy for his decision.  Now he can have free time do what he loves to do, design, as a freelancer. 

So I put together a little treat bag for him, and didn't realize that the grey ribbon really works well with blue waxy paper bag.  Simple tie-up knot brings the simplicity, and elegance of the design, and neutralize the whole look without trying too hard.   Meanwhile, whole packaging works pretty well with the beautiful shapes of bakery inside.

which picture do you like the most?

love+S

Packaging Design for Books, Japan

Starting another project lately, making packaging design for Welsh Corgi product which is very excited for me because I just happen to have one who always makes me laugh out of blue.  cough, cough*.   Meanwhile, sourcing for the material is a new challenge for me.  I mean, I can tell you what I'm looking for and what I'd like material wides in mandarin but not in English.  Tricky, isn't it. 

I have all my source back in Taiwan but that doesn't work here, in US, so I'm back from the beginning, again; which is, I don't mind at all [sort of like my life circle nowadays], but that means I need to do sourcing again, and also means I need to invest more books!!  Money, money, money.  Life is all around it, isn't it.  Good thing is that I found some good ones to charge up my ability instantly.  In the mean time, the books themselves have some fun design as well.  One is Package Form and Design from PIE which is a prestige publisher from Japan.  I love, absolutely love, Japanese packaging, which can be loud, and everywhere and in the mean time, is carried out so elegantly.  It makes me want to buy everything while my several trips to Japan, and I did, and those packaging still sit nicely in my sourcing books.  I never regret it [maybe, the money part....]  If you've been to Japan, you know what I'm talking about.  If not, don't go there! 

Back to the topic...the design that I really like is that it uses very simple design, which is usually seen in F&B packaging, to enclose its sample CD.

How come I haven't thought about it?!!  I'm pretty open-minded myself when come to design. I'd like to take some ideas from different industries to the other.  I mean, why not?!  The only concern will be for food that the material is definitely needed to pay more attention when crossing the industry.  Otherwise, why not share the same interests!  At the end, a brand will always desire to cover everything for the greater profit [cough* cough*], eventually, from fashion to food.  Down to the bone, money!

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sad?  hell no! I got to look at beautiful design every day^D^

Relationship

The past month I have my mom coming to visit, who has never been taking a 12-hrs flight, and to a foreign country.  It's a double culture shocks but she manages to do it all.  In the mean time, we explore some places that I didn't feel comfortable to visit and/or I tell her all the stories lay beneath.  Certainly, she opens my eyes to see a whole new level which I may loose along the way.  Still, I'm finding my way in LA.  The path is rough but it's getting better.

love+S