Um...he doesn't work here anymore.
Remember the post brainstorming what to do with old business cards? As some of you know, we're wrapping up the second month of lighting month at Process 376. The inspiration for this one was a box of cards* with a fantastic orange pattern on the back, and I worked them into a temporary lampshade in time for our big design show-and-tell-and-drink last week.
Ingredients:
- Hideous pendant lampshade (thrifted cost $2, including cord kit and working CFL bulb)
- Tyvek Fed Ex envelope (used and free)
- ~100+ stale business cards (free)
I stripped the original shade down to the frame. Then I cut the cards into strips and laid them out on the Tyvek envelope. I do a lot of mosaic-ish layouts in my glass work, so it didn't take long to find a pattern I liked. Glue + patience = voila! The final texture is interesting, and I like the way it looks with light behind it. I still have some details to polish (Binder clips? No.) before it's done, but there's potential here.
The full photo session (thanks to Tricia and Alex!) is on for next week, so expect a flurry of strange and wonderful Process 376 lighting coming soon.
*Kindly left behind by one of my coworkers who has moved on tilt at other windmills.
Image from Katie Broughton
This isn't really a design post, but Real Simple has a great article on what can (and can't) be recycled, with some surprises that go way beyond the usual cans, bottles, and white office paper. They also link to some organizations who are making some very cool products from our cast-offs.
Some of the more interesting examples:
Terracycle collects used juice pouches and turns them into shopping bags, wallets, totes, etc. I have one of these pencil cases, and I love its shiny Kool-Aid exterior.
St. Jude's Ranch for Children turns old greeting & holiday cards into new ones.
GreenDisk takes CD jewel cases (and other "technotrash") for reuse or to make new cases.
Images from Real Simple and Terracycle
Allsop Home has been making solar lanterns for years, but their newest offering, Soji Modern, has been making the rounds of all the design blogs. Enjoy!
Images from Allsop Home
South African designers Animal Farm have these lovely wooden lamps shaped like lightbulbs. The red cords make all the difference. Thanks to NotCot for the tip.
Images from Animal Farm (via Dezeen)
Soo sent in this in. The Master LED by Phillips will be available in the US this summer. It uses Luxeon LEDs and is designed specifically as a retrofit. Costs are predicted to be ~$50+. Bonus style points for those lovely fins!
Thanks to Gizmodo for the details, and see the Phillips website for technical specs.
Image from Phillips
Just a little eye candy to kick off your weekend. Miwa Koizumi makes these lovely sculptures with little more than plastic bottles and her magical heat gun. Treehugger has an entire slideshow titled Amazing Art Created from Trash.
Enjoy!
Image from Miwa Koizumi (via Treehugger)
Nick at Urban Hardwoods sent us an email to let us know that they are opening a retail showroom in SF. The store opens today (March 2nd). Now we can all stop by and check out their beautiful work in person instead of just drooling over our computer screens.
553 Pacific Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
T 415.397.9663
www.urbanhardwoods.com
Nick, thanks for the tip, and best of luck with the grand opening!
Image from Urban Hardwoods
A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing, 
Marbles
Um...he doesn't work here anymore.
This isn't really a design post, but Real Simple has a great article on what can (and can't) be recycled, with some surprises that go way beyond the usual cans, bottles, and white office paper. They also link to some organizations who are making some very cool products from our cast-offs.
Images from Real Simple and Terracycle
Pretty, pretty, and made of recycled cardboard!
Thanks for Apartment Therapy for the tip. Image from Jungmo Kwon
Allsop Home has been making solar lanterns for years, but their newest offering, Soji Modern, has been making the rounds of all the design blogs. Enjoy! 
Images from Allsop Home
David Stark designed series of recycled cardboard pieces for a silent auction for the Cooper Hewitt Museum. The pieces are all made from West Elm packaging materials, and the fundraiser was held in their newest Manhattan shop.
Design*Sponge has all the details, plus the rest of the photos and links to more of David's work. Check it out!
Images from David Stark via Design*Sponge
South African designers Animal Farm have these lovely wooden lamps shaped like lightbulbs. The red cords make all the difference. Thanks to NotCot for the tip.
Images from Animal Farm (via Dezeen)
Soo sent in this in. The Master LED by Phillips will be available in the US this summer. It uses Luxeon LEDs and is designed specifically as a retrofit. Costs are predicted to be ~$50+. Bonus style points for those lovely fins!
Just got a peak at IKEA's summer catalog, which includes a whole spread on affordable solar lighting. I have no idea of the quality of the lights or the solar panels, but it might be worth heading over to E-Ville to take a look. Product details are up on the IKEA website. You can search "solig" to see the full collection.
Has anyone seen these in person?
Just a little eye candy to kick off your weekend. Miwa Koizumi makes these lovely sculptures with little more than plastic bottles and her magical heat gun. Treehugger has an entire slideshow titled Amazing Art Created from Trash.
Nick at Urban Hardwoods sent us an email to let us know that they are opening a retail showroom in SF. The store opens today (March 2nd). Now we can all stop by and check out their beautiful work in person instead of just drooling over our computer screens.
