Paper he(art)

Paper art by Aoyama Hina, a Japanese artist who lives in France.

Blue Pool Road

Peggy Wong runs bluepoolroad, creating "eco-chic" stationary out of Los Angeles. Much of her work follows the sweet simplicity of these alphabet greeting cards.

The former deputy art director for Martha Stewart, Wong combines recycled papers, soy-based inks and her eye for clean typography to create environmentally conscious paper goods. She also does branding, retail packaging, photography art direction and custom work.

Nom, nom, nom

Paper tableware by Wasara could redefine my definition of a picnic. This Tokyo-based company creates eco-friendly goods, made with reed pulp, bamboo and sugarcane waste. Each dish is designed to be held while a person eats. But more than anything, I admire the simplicity. Considering that cooking can be such a blissful experience, shouldn't consuming the end result be that way too?

Wasara dishes are sold in stores throughout Japan, and are also available on the company's Web site.

Soaked

Speaking of rain, here are some other goodies for wet weather.

Wear: United Bamboo, run by Miho Aoki and Thuy Pham have quite a few cute rain coat candidates. I like the slimming lines of the classic black trench coat and the big 'ole buttons.

Give: The "thank you umbrella card" from the goofy online store, The Curiosity Shoppe.

Eat: Monsoon restaurant in Seattle "marries traditional Vietnamese cuisine with Pacific Northwest innovation" according to its Web site. Two locations, called Monsoon and Monsoon East, are run by brother and sister chefs Eric and Sophie Banh.

So noted

Joy Deangdeelert Cho is a Philadelphia-based graphic designer who runs Oh Joy! Studio and OhJoy.com. She transfers her love of color and pattern into products for the likes of Swell by Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig, Target, Mattel, QVC, Charlotte Ronson, Michele Varian Home, Otis & Claude, Pfiff Lingerie, Mari's New York, Joya Candle and Urban Outfitters.

Current offerings include a winsome set of notebooks available via her Web site. I am especially fond of the “Noted” Olive Ombre Notebook, pictured above. So pretty! File folders, available through Chronicle Books, are also tempting. Why waste precious desk space on boring manila?