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SOOOOOO behind on posting!  sorry sorry sorry!  its been a little hard, as the days leading up to Christmas were really busy at the store, and then well, it was christmas!  So, Merry Christmas everyone!!!  I hope your holidays are brilliant!  I shall try to resume so normal posting schedule starting…NOW!

This SNAPSHOT is of another friend of mine, SATOMI JIN.  We met a couple years ago when I was looking to hire an artist to work with me and a mutual friend sent me her contact info and a raving recommendation about how brilliant she was…and….she was/is.  

The piece above, while small here, in actuality is nearly 13 FEET WIDE!  now, its not obvious here, but these orbs or organic shapes are comprised of, likely billions of teeny timy little hand-drawn pencil circles…clrcles about the size of the dot above your hand-written “i”.  I know it can’t be as impactful as in person, but I am floored by the notion of it. 

This piece of hers, a sewn patchwork grenade made out of lovely little pastel floral fabrics sealed the deal for me! I HAD to hire her!

Nippon Japan:

We no longer work together, but she and I are still friends and are supposed to be getting together  (we did in fact get together) for an afternoon date to Loganberry books next week (thank you Stephanie for the recommendation, i still cannot believe I had not known about this Cleveland gem!).

So, I am LOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG overdue for another SNAPSHOTS installment, hope you enjoy this and look out for an upcoming post about Satomi’s equally talented husband, Matt:

SNAPSHOTS: Satomi Jin

Hometown: Kawaskaki, Japan

How did you end up in Cleveland?:  I got a job as a ceramics teacher at Ruffing Montessori School in Cleveland Heights. (this is danielle again, i just want to interject that Satomi has found herself here NOW because of this job, but originally met her husband, a native Clevelander while in college in Columbus, which initially led her from Japan to Ohio…she told me i could fill in any blanks if i wanted to)

Top things you miss about Japan?:  Food, My family, and shopping

What would you like us to know about your hometown?:  Kawasaki is located between Yokohama (Bay City) and Tokyo (Manhattan x 100).  But when I am there I usually go to Tokyo to hang out.

Take me on a tour from wake to slumber of a perfect idealized day in your hometown:  Go hiking in a mountain, got to day spa and go to a beach.  have delicious dinner and go to hot springs in the hotel

Favorite writers & artists from your country:  My favorite writer/artist is Kenji Miyaza.  He lived (to in his mid 30’s) in late 19th century - early 20th century.  He wrote very sophisticated cute short stories about animals and people and nature.  He was also a farmer, geologist, poet and painter.

Favorite shopping in and around Tokyo?:  In Tokyo, I love to go to Muji shops.  Simple, good quality, and very reasonable prices. (muji.com) I also love the biggest department store in Shinjuku called Isetan.  They are like a Barneys NY plus Nordstrom.  I don’t get to buy much, but very inspirational.  Kyoto and Takayama (it is in mountainous area, smaller version of Kyoto) are the other favorite cities to travel and shop.  They have beautiful traditional craft shops and antique shops and much more!

In general, what would you say are the biggest differences between life in USA versus life in Japan?  One of the big differences is everything you see in Japan is smaller and skinier.  Houses, highways, buses and cars and people.  It is very convenient to go anywhere, and do something. Transportation systems are super accurate and efficient. Every where you go you will get very good, detailed and thorough services (sometimes it is too much!).  Politcs, education systems, culture and history….they are all very different from US. But the climate in Japan is very similar to Cleveland!

Satomi gave me a Japanese catalog, Zappa catalog, for inspiration.  I can’t quite order out of it, i mean for one, its all in Japaneses and it happens to be an older issue that she bought at a store while living in Seattle a couple years ago…but i DO often refer back to it for inspiration.  It is so clean and simple and full of the most charming and practical items by such talented designers!  I found their website but it’s not nearly as pretty as the catalog!

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I am loving the artist Sophie Meier right now.

check out her site here for more of her whimsical collection.

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i do not typically put music videos on my site….but these are NOT your typical video but rather bands performing on the STREETS OF PARIS!!!! I have become addicted to this website I stumbled upon while searching the internet for inspiration for my upcoming trip to Paris, and had to share some of this with you now! The site is blogotheque and the series is called Les Concerts A Emporter.

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christopher bettig’s work is a waltz of color and pattern that makes me very happy!

(found at black eiffel)

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ok, so the incessantly creative and productive little artist bee, Stephanie, of even cleveland is at it again!  she has opened a HOLIDAY SHOP at etsy….and the first offering???

little elf villages…i know.  i know.  its just too much cuteness.  i mean regular sized elf villages would have stolen my heart, but miniature elf villages.  ugh. ridiculous.

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You may remember last month, my posting about the AUTUMN SWAP that I participated in.  I posted my gift, but could not give away who it was destined to as per the rules.  Well, she has since received it and I was so happy to hear that she truly loved all of her presents, which I thoroughly enjoyed assembling.  

The recipient was Shelley, the proprietor of the etsy shop, Oiseaux and blog of the same name.  I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed reading her blog to get a sense of what she was like so that I could pick appropriate gifts.  Along the way i FELL IN LOVE with her bookplates. They are so charming and sweet and I am certainly going to order some for gifts this year!  As I was checking in at her site today I discovered she is having a GIVEAWAY!  be sure to get over there and post your favorite bookplate for a chance of winning two sets!

As for posting the other half of my Autumn Swap, what i have received, I promise to do so soon, I know it is en route, and have reason to suspect it may be coming from VERY FAR AWAY!!!!!  I am so excited to receive it, if for no other reason, than this swap has been a great opportunity to make the world a little smaller to me!

anyhow, get over to Oiseaux and check it out, here is Shelley’s posting about the giveaway:

Here’s a fun little giveaway: in celebration of my One Year Anniversary of my etsy shop Oiseaux, I am going to be giving away — to one lucky person– two sets of personalized vintage bookplates: one for you, and one for a friend. 

Holidays, anyone?

All you need to do is leave a comment on this post with the desired bookplate designsfor both you and for your friend, and please let me know what name you’d like on each set. (And yes, you can have both sets for yourself!) Your last chance to comment is 12 midnight on Thanksgiving, November 27th. The lucky winner will be chosen by random by my daughter, Beau, on Friday the 28th, over a breakfast of rice crispies and fig yogurt before preschool. There will be no cheating on her end, she is very scrupulous.

I will mail out the winner’s bookplates the following Monday, with plenty of time to arrive by the holidays for presents and merry-making. I will ship anywhere in the world, so please enter, and good luck!

(Please note: my winner will be receiving two sets of bookplates with 12 bookplates apiece. Mixed Blank sets in my shop do not qualify. As I have 40 different designs, please use the bookplate titles that I use in my shop so I can be sure I know which ones you want. Thanks!)

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I am so excited about some of the stuff coming in to my store, ROOM SERVICE, for holidays!  Some items have already come in (and practically sold out: PANTONE MUGS) but most of my gift items are yet to come.  I will (hopefully) get around to putting together a holiday gift guide, with some of my favorite gift ideas (and NOT just ones bought through Room Service), but in the meantime, i have to share with you something I have ordered in specifically for the holiday shopping season.

Paige Russell…Her ceramics are incredible.  really clean.  really cool.  I for one am going to have to get the MONSTER TRUCK piece ($85)!  I think I am going to use it for makeup pencils in my bathroom!  I have limited quantities in stock, pieces can be special ordered.  From Paige’s collection RS has some of her ceramic jewelry, canisters and use-for-whatever-you-like monster truck and camper vessels. (prices ranging from $35-$85.

Paige Russell (f.k.a. Paige Stahl) was born and raised in British Columbia,Canada. She studied Fine Arts at Langara College in Vancouver and went on to earn a BFA in Product Design from Parsons School of Design in NYC.

Voted most sportsmanlike for 7th grade volleyball, Russell was also named one of the “Top 20 young designers to watch out for” in the 2001 edition of Wallpaper magazine’s Design Directory. Her work has been featured in Interior Design, City, Bucks, and Inspired House magazines as well as the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum.

check out her site here.

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Isa Marcelli, found on FLICKR.  check her photostream out here.

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MADE IN THE 216 fall 08

MADE IN THE 216 Fall 08 was awesome!  Thank you all so much for supporting ROOM SERVICE and nearly 20 different Cleveland-based designers.

It is all kind of a blur to me still.  Friday was SO crazy and fun!!!  Saturday was a bit like friday but substitute alcohol with coffee.

It was really rewarding after months of planning the event to see how lovely everything looked in the space and how well received it was by everyone.

Many Many more products, great housewares and kitchen gadgets, jewelry and more to come for holiday at ROOM SERVICE, but I was so thrilled by some of the items at this event that you may see them at ROOM SERVICE a bit longer than just this weekend!  So if you missed the event, a portion of the products from that show will still be available.

Thank you to all designers that participated and if you or anyone you know designs anything and would like to be considered for the next MADE IN THE 216 event, which will be held in spring, submissions are accepted through EMAIL only…email info@roomservicecleveland.com and in the subject, write “216″.

To continue support of all the designers who participate in my events, I would like, even though I still sell many of them at the store, to support them by giving you MORE info on them via the designer’s websites or etsy sites…if i have them:

The Bubble Process 

WRATH ARCANE

Red i jewelry

super industrial love

Oceanne

Claire Teschel

Minno

Little Korboose

Small Screen Designs

BCTZ

Studio Dog Face

Buzz Buzz Designs

Rose Marincil

Matt Burke

Anni Nanni Purses

Laura Kushnick

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