42 | L&A Graduates

CON-GRAD-ULATIONS!!!* (get it? it's like congratulations... but for a grad!)

It's not too often that I post anything other than paper-obsessions, but posting about graduation seemed like the appropriate deviation from the norm since it marks a very important new chapter in the LOTUS&ASH life.

*this might be my least favorite greeting card play on words.

| "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE STANFORD" MORTAR BOARDS . designed 06.2010 |

Reason #2010 I love Stanford? Graduation includes an opportunity to get creative with costumes for the Wacky Walk tradition. My friends and I dressed up like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz (complete with ruby red slippers!), because there really is no place like Stanford.

However, graduation also meant the end of the amazing design opportunities that L&A got to have on Stanford Campus. Appropriately, my last project was the poster design for the Studio Art Major / Minor show, which featured Binary Press as well as some of my linocut and collage work.

| SENIOR SHOW POSTER DESIGN . designed 05.2010 |

It's true - L&A is no longer dorm room operation... and it's time for the real world.

But! I'm happy to announce that the real world is going to include more L&A updates about paper and the L&A lifestyle. So follow along as I document life post-graduation with a new obsession... my Canon REBEL T1i.

| BEAUTIFUL MORNING BOWL . created 06.2010 |

Another new obsession? Quinoa for breakfast.

Mix Quinoa, Fage Greek Yogurt, Flax Seed, Cinnamon, Espresso Beans (yes, Espresso Beans!), Puffins, and Raspberry jam together and you have yourself a jam-packed bowl of goodness to sustain you throughout your morning.

| FATHER'S DAY 2010 |

Father's Day Card "They say a picture is worth a 1000 words..."

Beringer Alluvium Merlot, 2006 - goes perfectly with a Harris Ranch steak... or a Balsamic Quinoa Beet & Tofu Bowl.

Domo Arigato Letterpress Card from Tiselle.

~

STAY TUNED for more Paper Updates coming your way...

&&& CONGRATS to ALL THE OTHER 2010 GRADS and HAPPY SUMMER!

13 | from a bean to a bean

It was over 10 years ago that the nickname came into use -  bean, the endearing name between my best friend, erica, and I has been long lasting. and, to celebrate her graduation from college, it was only appropriate to make her a bean-specific congratulatory card. thanks to the newest version of the adobe suite, making images for my greeting cards has been made SO much easier than before. illustrator's live trace and paint functions have become a lotus & ash favorite.

there's something special about custom work - whether it be a logo, an invitation, or a greeting card. custom means thought. custom implies a relationship between a designer, her product, and it's recipient. that's why lotus & ash specializes in custom work : to preserve the idea of thought in correspondence and communication. to get chuckles, shrieks, giggles, awwws and the like > > >

12 | graduations and celebrations

for lotus&ash this year, graduation was oh-so-bittersweet. but, designing and printing invitations and greeting cards distracted from the pangs of having to say goodbye to close friends. lotus&ash's cards celebrated their four years in college and wished them the best of luck in the real world, sans problems sets and all-nighters, but reminded them that they're always encouraged to come back and visit... often... very often.

graduation party invites came in three designs this year - a simple, and classy CHEERS!, a picture card that celebrated the friendship of three best friends, and the slightly more scandalous inside-joke invite that featured fond memories of pub nights, grey's anatomy and bottles of $2 champagne.

party nametags made it known who the graduates were, and that they were, in fact, graduates with a simple check box at the bottom of the tag. and greeting cards were aplenty in the lotus&ash office, remaining blank until the actual graduation ceremony. pauses between the wacky walk, president henessy and oprah proved to be the perfect time to fill up the blank space.