all stretched out

inside outside comfort zones Happy Friday, guys! I was flipping through my sketchbook and I came across several 'inside outside' doodles that I made around the time of this post. In that post I said

"I’ve been stretched so far out of my comfort zone that it’s hard to imagine going back to my original shape. I like the new irregular shape that’s been molded by everything I’ve seen and experienced, both the good and the not-so-great."

I really like the whole "irregular" shape idea of constantly morphing into a new form. A form that kinda resembles the original, familiar, and safe one but knows that it will never be as confined again.

I have so many sketches in my notebook that I want to play further with and this is my first step in doing so.

It felt like the right week for it too - I had two great online features for things that have taken me out of my comfort zones both personally and professionally:

Sharing my experience of living in Malaysia + traveling with the amazing Project Bly

A funny hate-love take on Ring Cozy on xoJane

It was a good week!

Now cheers to the weekend - go have an adventure and get all stretched out and irregular.

blame it on the weather

moody mint pins Yesterday was the first rain we've experienced since moving back to LA and I'm sure that the grey morning skies and cool mornings of late have everything to do with my draw to these images.

It was just a light drizzle where we are but when I woke up there were already reports of two car accidents on the freeway that resulted in loss of lives. It's sad and crazy that even the smallest raindrops can throw LA into such havoc. Especially considering the types of torrential downpours we experienced in Malaysia where drivers still do 60+mph with no trouble at all. We're just not used to rain here...be safe out there, kids.

Now, before this post turns darker than the greys above (it is a Friday, after all) let's talk about why it looks different from my usuals. I rarely share things that are not my own photographs or designs but with so much work going on, I felt like mixing things up a bit and playing with a few of my favorite recent Pins. Call it a Friday Freebie if you will ... sometimes you just gotta go with whatever creative itch you've got, big or small.

Go have a great weekend and let yourself do things a little different. It's more fun that way.

(images clockwise from top left: 1, 2, 3)

introducing the love malaysia collection

Gin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia CollectionGin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia Collection Gin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia Collection Gin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia Collection Gin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia Collection Gin & Jacqie // Love Malaysia Collection

Hi guys, I hope you had a great weekend! Today is Malaysia Day so what better day to share the launch of my collaboration with Kuala Lumpur based bag company Gin & Jacqie: the Love Malaysia Collection! It's been nearly one year in the making and we are SO excited to see it come to life.

I met owner Jacqie soon after moving to KL and we were instant friends. We share a love of travel, design, and entrepreneurship so when she found out about my graphic design and growing love for my new home, she asked if I'd like to create a few prints that represent Malaysia...something that could pique the interest of tourists, expats, and locals alike. I jumped at the opportunity as I've always wanted to do product prints and I loved the idea of playing with images that were recognizable and unique to the country.

Not only did I get to design the prints but I also got to help design the bags that would be created for the collection! Since Gin & Jacqie is focused on making life a bit easier and more organized while on-the-go, it was easy to decide on the final products. We went with multipurpose pieces like zip pouches that can store anything from makeup to electronic choards, and a handy wrist pouch that can be kept in a larger bag and used separately when you only need to carry a few essentials. As you can see by the photos above, I took a few pieces on a trial run during our holiday last week and they were great! They kept everything tidy and easily accessible at all times...just right for making traveling easier.

Now, about the prints! The prints symbolize three main things that are standouts in Malaysia: food, heritage, and landscape.

For food I designed a pattern of the ubiquitous pyramid-shaped packaging of Nasi Lemak - Malaysia's unofficial national breakfast consisting of coconut rice, dried anchovies, hard boiled egg, rendang or curry chicken or beef, roasted peanuts, and cucumber slices. I'm obsessed with it now and crave it more than I crave tacos (!!! I know). But even better than the taste is the little pyramid shape created when all of the contents are folded into a large banana leaf - a true on-the-go meal!

For heritage I went with the iconic Wau kites. The origin of the name - pronounced 'wow' - is Arabic, the kite tradition is Chinese, and each Malaysian state has their own unique design. It seemed the perfect representation of Malaysia's diverse cultures.

And for landscape I created a tropical leaf pattern that represents the jungle greenery that is everywhere in Malaysia. Even in the city, it's never really a concrete jungle. It's the real deal here and it's awesome.

It's been a great experience to work with the Gin & Jacqie team and I'm beyond thankful for the opportunity to create something that represents a country that I've grown to love so much.

Now it's time to share the goods with you! We're giving away the product of your choice to one lucky Anamu reader. All you have to do is "like" or comment on your favorite product photo in the Love Malaysia Facebook photo album + leave a comment here to let me know that you've done so. We'll pick a name next week, Thursday, and announce the winner on Friday the 27th.

Even if you don't enter to win, I'd love to hear what you think!

mirrors mirrors on the wall

Untitled Every time I leave Malaysia for a while I return with a renewed ambition to see and do everything on our "hit list". It's embarrassing that our list is as long as it is (since we've been here for a year and a half) but the good thing is that with time comes more understanding and appreciation of the things around you.

Friends of ours recently went to the Islamic Arts Museum and highly recommended it for peeks at mosque architecture around the world and of course, artifacts with designs and patterns that are uniquely Islamic. We didn't hesitate in making a date to go the next day.

I was in awe of a miniature model of the national mosque I visited in Abu Dhabi (how do they make it so small?!) and was fixated on a section where the mosaic designs were broken down to basic geometric sketches of shapes from beginning to end. It made me think that had I learned geometry through the art of pattern making I would have enjoyed my math classes much much more!

The main stand out for me was this impressive razzle-dazzle wall of mosaic mirrors. Though situated in the restaurant, it's definitely a piece deserving of its own "Modern Islamic Art" section. I don't know if mosaic mirrors are a new thing in Islamic design but it sure feels fresh and I love love love the looks of it for a modern interior. Future home DIY project perhaps?

all framed out

framedframed framed framed framed

Happy Friday, guys! Wow am I excited for the weekend. Even though I'm planning on getting some work done, I just love the fact that we'll be home. For all of the traveling we do I'm really quite the homebody. That's why I'm so excited to finally have framed all of the photo prints from my shop so we can enjoy them in our living room! I also had a little graphic fun with a photo I took of the Sydney Opera House. Looks kinda like a fan, doesn't it? The color is just the pop that we needed in here.

All perfect timing too since I just received a copy of our home feature in IKEA Malaysia's Live magazine (!!!). We had practically just moved in so it's nice to see what we've done to make it even more homey since then.

Enjoy your weekend!

5x7 frames by IKEA / large frame by Habitat / cushions by {me}longings

 

crazy for kayu

Kayu handbagsKayu handbagsKayu handbags Kayu handbagsKayu handbags

I'm so excited to finally share some photos of my shoot for KAYU - gorgeous bags with a mission.

I met KAYU's founder, Jamie Lim, via Twitter and as luck would have it she's originally from Malaysia. She was in town over the holidays to visit family and take care of business (her clutches are hand made in South East Asia) so we were able to meet in person and collaborate for her Spring look book photos and graphic design. We hit it off immediately and I was in total awe of her designs. She has somehow accomplished making the traditional artistry of weaving look completely modern and sexy. And as if good looks weren't enough, a portion of sales is donated to perform sight-restoring surgeries in India and to purchase backpacks and school supplies for children in Cambodia. Win-win.

I had a blast walking around KL together with only a bag full of clutches and a determination to "get the shot" despite the hot day and hungry mosquitoes. Felt like quite the urban-jungle warriors at the end of the day!

I can't finish writing this post without mentioning the stall owners at Chow Kit Market. They thought we were nuts every time we asked "can I put this bag here and take a photo?". Sure, crazy ladies...go right ahead. The strange looks were totally worth it as my fave shot is the trio of clutches on the Durian scale. It doesn't get any more Malaysian than that.

Shop KAYU at kayudesign.com and Shopbop.com

tastefully done

tea box designtea box design tea box design

Delicious Sri Lankan tea, crafted re-usable wood boxes, and right-on-point graphics - it's no wonder that I've built up a collection! I was so happy when I discovered them at our favorite grocery store so that I could add a little design-love while making my cuppa. I already can't wait to run out of the Tropical Fruit flavor so that I can buy/try another one.

Do you ever buy food and drink products because of the packaging?

pop displays

neon tags One of the first things I noticed when we moved to Malaysia was the way that some small independent shops display product prices and information. These neon tags are everywhere and they literally make me smile every time I see them. How could they not?! They're bright, playful, and with great geometric shapes and cartoon-ish hands they're hard to miss and not appreciate. When I started seeing packs of them for sale at stationary shops I got really excited because I knew that I had to have them. I have no idea what I'm actually going to do with them but I'm quite happy with the collection that has developed. Do you have any ideas for putting these awesome tags to use, functional or as art?