yippee, wallpaper!
my design from this great book.
thanks susie for such a nice post.

a perfect birthday night, here.

i'm thinking about what i want to make in next week's carved wax jewelry class, with jennifer sarkilahti...

the heart charm in the top photo was my great grandmother's. she had a bracelet made with gold hearts for each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. the hearts were etched with our names, birthdays, and had our birth stones in the center (mine fell out), and we each got our own heart when she died. my two charm bracelets in the bottom photo came from my mom and my grandmother. the top one was my grandma's-- made with charms from my grandfather's fraternity. the bottom one is my mom's-- made with charms she collected when she was a kid. so, i'm thinking about either making a charm to add to one of my bracelets, or a simple pendant carved with initials. or maybe small shapes that can be strung on a cord. it's hard to decide!

more inspiration:
here (i love, love this jewelry!)
here
here

there are still a couple spots left in class, if you'd like to sign up!

it's hard to think about wool right now, but look at these from patterned jackets pendleton for opening ceremony....

a visit to tamar mogendorff"s studio feels very dreamlike and magical... there are piles of fish, sea horses and birds, whales hanging in antique fishing nets, a wall of bird houses, and piles of fabric... i loved visiting her workspace and photographing her project for lines & shapes, volume eight. tamar gave me such a special present-- one of her bird cages, which i've been admiring for years (bottom two photos). see more from tamar here and here.

JULY sewing class with cal patch!

this one-day workshop will take you through the steps of built by wendy pattern #3692, and you will have a completed garment by the end of the day. these classes are a lot of fun... and it's so satisfying to have a dress to wear by the end of the day. vegetarian lunch included.

the top photos is from curiousbird, and the bottom image shows the various options with this pattern.
try to email me right away if you would like to sign up— spots are limited. and feel free to write me with any questions.

lena [at] lenacorwin.com

* * *

JULY SEWING TOP/DRESS WORKSHOP WITH CAL PATCH
intermediate level, no clothing/pattern experience necessary

one 5-hour workshop
11am – 4pm
saturday, july 18th
$125 + supplies

cal patch will be in town briefly and i’m very happy that she has time to teach this class! if you know how to use a sewing machine, but following a pattern on your own is intimidating— then this class is perfect. or if you just enjoy the structure of a class and sewing with others! we will be using the simplicity 3692 built by wendy pattern. students must arrive at class with pieces already cut out and marked, as this can take up to 2 hours and it will be otherwise impossible to finish the project in the allotted time. you will need to bring your own sewing machine to class. if you can’t, you can email me and I will try to arrange to borrow one for you.

* * ALSO, spots are still available in the jewelry making and screen printing t-shirts classes!

some photos of the sale. thanks to everyone who came!

eating outside, morning (top) and night (bottom).

SALE reminder!

tomorrow, 1-5pm

more info here

new stationery from claire nereim! as always, i love, love her designs.

really stunning textiles from renilde depeuter.

i wish i could go to the mieke willems shop to see some in person.

a new book -- volume eight!

when i post about a new book i always get overwhelmed with gratitude towards the artists who collaborate with us. this volume has such a diverse group of artists! thanks to:

xavier encinas

anna hepler

thibaud herem

tamar mogendorff

laura normandin

mel prest

while working on this book, i met tamar and got to see her incredible work studio. i'll post some of those photos soon.

see more of the book & each artist here!

blues & browns from klala...

SALE * SALE * SALE

come by next saturday for reduced price goods from:

white bike ceramics

mociun

mociun + corwin

lena corwin

shabd

dear birthday

caitlin keegan

sian keegan

christopher david ryan

port2port press

alyson fox

lines & shapes

i'll be selling new pillow designs that haven't yet been added to my shop... and maria vettese + cdr will be selling a special new print. 50% off mociun spring 09 collection! my studio is a couple blocks from the brooklyn flea, so come spend an afternoon in fort greene...

* MAP *

JULY CLASSES!

one thing that's been so great about having classes in my studio is being able to meet other designer. jennifer sarkilahti took my screen printing class and i was really interested in her process of jewelry making-- she is the owner of odette new york. i'm thrilled that she'll be teaching a july class on carved wax jewelry making. i'm also offering mini screen printing class, for people who are interested specifically in printing t-shirts. more info below!

all classes are held in my fort greene, brooklyn studio.
to sign up or ask a question, email lena [at] lenacorwin.com

* * *

CARVED SHEET WAX JEWELRY MAKING WITH JENNIFER SARKILAHTI

Jennifer is the designer and owner of the beautiful jewelry line Odette New York. Her pieces are sold in stores around the world, including many of my favorites shops (like Rare Device in San Francisco, Yolk in LA, and Cog & Pearl in Brooklyn). She works using ancient and modern wax carving techniques and hand fabrication in order to create pieces that are truly unique. Each of her designs begin with a pencil sketch that is carefully translated by hand into wax, and then cast into metal (gold and silver). In this class, Jennifer will teach a simplified version of her technique, using traditional and not-so-traditional tools and methods. Students will plan a two-dimensional design for a pendant, earrings, or charm, and learn how to carve the design in a sheet of wax. The wax will then be cast in the jewelry district and students will learn to hand polish their finished piece(s). Students will have the option of having a rubber or silicone mold made from their design so that multiple pieces can be made in the future. By the last class, you’ll walk out wearing your own designs. No experience required.

Four 1-1/2 hour classes
Wednesday evenings, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29
6:00- 7:30pm
$250 + supplies (approx. $45-60)

* * *

SCREEN PRINTING T-SHIRTS, MINI CLASS

This class will be shorter than my usual screen printing class, and will focus on printing a big batch of t-shirts (for your small business, band, or gifts for friends?). Silk Screens will be ordered from Standard Screen in Manhattan with your own design(s), and class time will be spend printing your tees. Orders can be made from American Apparel using my wholesale account. No experience required.

Two 2 hour classes
Thursday evenings, 7/16, 7/23
6:00- 8:00pm
$125 + supplies (approx. $40)

the june sewing workshop with cal was on saturday. it was a great class! i remembered to snap a photos this time, but i was so absorbed with my sewing that most came out blurry. so i just have a few to show...

my dress turned out smaller than i expected (last two photos), so i'm planning on making another, one size up. amy's dress (the navy gingham) had a nice, looser fit. lunch was pasta, quinoa, and green salad, and our favorite student (ha ha!) brought a cheesecake with raspberry topping. i'm already looking forward the next class... thanks again cal!

we walked the peninsula of prospect park lake today. it's more secluded than the rest of the park. gus was able to swim off leash for a little bit. lots of inspiration in nature everywhere you look...

top: new dress... (i love the sleeve detail so much!)
bottom: new fabric

the patterned walls in our little room

* * * *

4th day in paris...
+ coffee on the tiny balcony
+ picnic breakfast in the jardin tino rossi sculpture park on the seine
+ took the metro to the top of paris and walked the canal
+ walked through marches des enfants rouge and wished we were hungry
+ tsumori chisato store!
+ tried l'as du falafel & chez hanna (we liked l'as du falafel slightly better, but LOVED both. i've been dreaming about those falafel.)
+ eiffel tower under an umbrella
+ dinner at l'ecailler du bistrot

and our last, half day...
+ pastry picnic breakfast
+ record shopping
+ pierre herme (delicious, but i much preferred laduree!)
+ back to jardin du luxembourg to photograph roses for an upcoming project
+ to the airport

my rock on everyone needs a rock.

honey jar and quiche (below) at coquelicot boulangerie

rose bakery

(the famous) laduree macarons!

our third day in paris was chilly and drizzly... but it was a good excuse to buy a sweater at the apc surplus store in montmartre! we had breakfast in the coquelicot bakery, then lunch at the rose bakery, and later macarons at laduree (heaven). i spotted the restaurant supply store that tommy mentions in her paris guide, and it was full of beautiful tart pans and wooden spoons in every size imaginable.

my camera battery ran out in the afternoon, so i don't have photos of the restaurant we went to that night, autour d'un verre. we almost didn't stay because the place seemed a little odd when we first walked in, but it was good we didn't run out... everything was delicious. and i loved that dogs are welcome to hang out in restaurants. hmmm... this post is all about food!

beautiful hand dying from shabd. via saplings.

i wish i could be here tomorrow!

- - -

san francisco design store and gallery, rare device, is proud to present
everything you need can grow: new work by christopher david ryan.

exhibition dates: june 4 – july 7, 2009
reception date: june 4, 7 - 9 pm

photo by mav

a friend's apartment in the 11th arr.

french trotters shop (above)

day two... we went to brunch at a friend's apartment. she's been living in paris for about a year, working, until recently, as a cook at the rose bakery. she left to help open a new restaurant at le 104 with another chef. i loved seeing her apartment, and she made the most delicious poached eggs over asparagus and pound cake with stewed rhubarb... such a treat. we walked around her neighborhood and part of le marais... saw isabel marant (wow), and a shop on the same street, french trotters, that had a great selection of cacharel's liberty collection (wow). merci was my favorite store-- the kind of store i would dream about opening... an art gallery, book store, clothing store, home store, cafe, and garden... sadly, really expensive or i would have bought a few things. since it was monday night it was hard to find a restaurant open for dinner, but we ended up at a sweet (and tasty) place called le gorille blanc.

a couple photos from a sunny, yellow sunday...

+ brunch at our friend's apt where they have beautiful chairs covered with beautiful maharam fabric. 

+ which matched the mango sorbet with toasted coconut from jacques torres that we got after.

rooftop gardens

looking down at the seine

ducking into a beautiful old church

jardin du luxembourg

resting in the heat

neighbor cat

evening light... around 10pm

days one and two in paris were hot, hot, hot... and i had to wear the lightest summer dresses that i packed. the first thing i noticed was the flowers, especially roses, in bloom everywhere. it's probably because i'm so interested in gardening right now... i especially loved the rooftop and balcony gardens. we spent our whole time in paris walking and wandering. we pretty much avoided the tourist sights and decided to not even go to a single museum (which josh's brother said was "shocking!")-- but we had both been to paris as teenagers and went to all the museums and sights, so this time we wanted to see the rest of the city. my photos are kind of a strange mix of snapshots this time.... i didn't document everything as well as our scandinavia trip. but sometimes it's nice to put away the camera. the sweet cat lived in the apartment next to our hotel room and ran over to say hi every time he saw me. we named him antoine after a french cat who lived below us in the west village.

we had a great time on our trip. i could be very happy living in paris!

this was the view from our room and the front of our hotel.

more soon...

we head off on our trip to paris in a couple hours. i have jen's tips, tommy's guide, molly's favorites, karin's tips, clotilde's book, refinery29's guides... and all these recommendations! whew... thanks everyone! (the map above is one i drew for elle decor magazine a while ago).

bye!

- - > >> + << < - -

one more thing!

please save the date for a SALE in my studio, saturday june 27th... 

including mociun clothing! and more, tba.

- - > >> + << < - -

a quick note...

there's a single spot left in both the sewing perfect basics & screen printing class, and a couple spots in the sewing workshop with cal. all classes are for june, in my fort greene, brooklyn studio.

if you'd like to sign up, email: lena [at] lenacorwin.com

we leave for paris tomorrow!
these new designs from lab partners made me wish that we could bring gus with us. he would love all the long walks around the city.

mina perhonen linen pouches at bird.

me too

* * *

(photo from litchi7.)

(photo from sew fussy)

another JUNE class!

cal and i have added a new class to my june schedule. this one-day workshop will take you through the steps of built by wendy pattern #3835, and you will have a completed garment by the end of the day. last month’s class was a blast, and I’m looking forward to another! yummy vegetarian lunch included (if i do say so myself!).

see the pattern here.

try to email me right away if you would like to sign up— spots are limited. and feel free to write me with any questions.

lena [at] lenacorwin.com

* * *

JUNE SEWING TOP/DRESS WORKSHOP WITH CAL PATCH
intermediate level

one 5-hour workshop
11am – 4pm
saturday, june 13th
$125 + supplies

cal patch will be in town briefly and i’m very happy that she has time to teach this class! if you’re like me, and know how to use a sewing machine, but have always been intimidated to try a pattern on your own— then this class is perfect. we will be using the simplicity 3835 built by wendy pattern. students must arrive at class with pieces already cut out and marked, as this can take up to 2 hours and it will be otherwise impossible to finish the project in the allotted time. you will need to bring your own sewing machine to class. if you can’t, you can email me and I will try to arrange to borrow one for you.

josh and i drove up to massachusetts late friday to look for a bathroom sink at new england demolition & salvage. we found one that is just right for our space, among the hundreds and hundreds of options! they didn't allow photos, so i took a few from their website. there's also a huge vintage clothing store inside the warehouse.

on our way home i searched for "heirloom plants" in google, and found that we were just a few miles away from the good earth organic gardening center. we just finished building our raised vegetable beds and filling them with soil, and we need seeds and starters. we're trying to use organic, local, and heirloom seeds... so i couldn't believe our luck of finding this place. it was a little oasis... so beautiful and inspiring.

goodies from the steven alan sample sale...

i loved seeing this video of studio violet from uppercase. hi camilla, elisabeth, & morran!

JUNE CLASSES!

last month’s classes were a lot of fun... thanks again to cal patch for teaching the tunic sewing workshop during her trip down from the farm. hopefully cal will become a regular guest teacher. we’re already discussing a build by wendy coat class (which might have to wait ‘til the fall when coat wearing is more appropriate) and a patternmaking class. my studio has been quiet for the month of may, and now i'm excited to be announcing june classes. i’ll be teaching intro to screen printing again. and i’m very excited to be offering a new sewing class taught by wendy hanson. wendy and i met in one of my screen printing class, and i was always ohhing and ahhing over her clothing and style. she is the senior patternmaker for tibi. we came up with a class that i’m thrilled to take myself. it will probably fill up quickly, so email me right away if you’d like to sign up.

below are details for the june classes, which are held in my fort greene, brooklyn studio.
to sign up, email lena [at] lenacorwin.com

* * *

SCREEN PRINTING I

this class covers my favorite methods for screen printing, starting with the basics (no experience required). learn to print on fabric and/or paper, using your own designs. if you have a particular printing project in mind (printed pillowcases, tote bags, etc), we can plan out the design, materials, and printing. the bottom two photos are projects by students from previous classes.

four 1-1/2 hour classes
tuesday evenings 6/9, 6/16, 6/23, 6/30
6:00- 7:30pm
$250 + supplies (approx. $50)

* * *

SEWING PERFECT BASICS

i always see simple styles of clothing in my favorite stores that i wish i could sew myself. this class is an introduction to sewing your own wardrobe basics! wendy hanson will be teaching the class. she is the senior patternmaker for tibi, and has also worked for daryl k, donna karan, and vivienne westwood. the first class will focus on designing your own garments, choosing two of three styles (top, dress, and skirt), and learning how to choose fabrics, add details, and make a pattern. in the subsequent classes, we will sew the two garments (basic sewing knowledge and your own machine required). the top two photos show the styles that we will be working with (created by wendy just for this class).

four 1-1/2 hour classes
thursday evenings 6/4, 6/11, 6/18, 6/25
6:00- 7:30pm
$275 + supplies (approx. $50)

oh... i love this black diamond ring from blanca monros gomez. via a cup of jo.

lilacs at the farmer's market...
sadly, my nose is so stuffed i can't smell a thing!

this will be my third summer gardening... and i still feel overwhelmed most of the time, but i have learned so much since i started. i've learned to slow down and enjoy the process.... and not expect to have a perfect, mature garden right away. i have a much better understanding of what grows well here and what plants i like. i gravitate mostly to perennials with small delicate flowers. i also love big flowering perennials like peonies, lilacs, and hydrangea... but not annuals like petunias, impatiens, and pansies. these are photos of some of the plants that are the happiest in our brooklyn garden. and this year i'll know better which plants to pass in the nursery because they won't come back, as beautiful and tempting as they are...