41 | TIME FLIES...

... when L&A is having fun.

I cannot believe it has been 2 months since the last L&A update.

If anything, the silence has been an indication that the L&A office has been flooded with fun projects, as I've been trying to soak up every last bit of Stanford that I possibly can.

a glimpse at the past 2 months

[slideshow]

up next?

my printer will continue to bleed cardinal red until graduation.

which, I'm half dreading, and half looking forward to, for the reasons explained in Kim Anderson's College Candy post.

&&& thanks to Kim for recommending L&A for custom calling cards for graduating seniors!

40 | PAPER PROCRASTINATION

LOTUS&ASH here, coming to you live (and a-live), from DEADweekendFINALS 2010, perhaps the most exhausting weekend in the life of a Stanford student. The end of Winter Quarter always proves to be the most brutal... which provides even more cause for paper happiness (read: paper procrastination)

So, for all you fellow procrastinators, good luck with your finals, and I now pass on the torch of distraction to you:

| FRATERNITY FORMAL ... 03.2010 |

(special shout out to SAE for their support of chivalry & handwritten, paper invitations)

| THREE little SKULLS ... 02.2010 |

&&&

you know it's dead week when...

you design greeting cards inspired by your classes:

or use your presentations as an opportunity for good design:

| slides from LINX DATING PRESENTATION ... 03.2010 |

lotusandash(dot)com

39 | LOVE LOVE LOVE

| L&A love packaging . designed 2010 |

I knew there had to be something different about me when I spent an entire weekend hand-making valentines in 2nd grade, rather than buying the boxed set at the market. Don't get me wrong, I love mini M&Ms and My Little Ponies as much as the next, but I somehow got greater pleasure out of cutting and folding red pieces of paper for everyone in my class.

The tradition continues today with the 2010 Collection of Valentines.... hand-designed and handmade for those L&A cares about most.

| L&A Valentines 2010 |

| I like you (lots) |

| you make me feel all floaty |

| permanent valentines | << this one goes to my father

| love you more than ... |

| you complete me. |

may your valentine's day be filled with lots of love & paper.

www.lotusandash.com

38 | L&A SURPRISES

when it comes to design, LOTUS&ASH loves surprises.

(correction: when it comes to life, ashling loves surprises)

Nevertheless, every design opportunity is an opportunity for a surprise. And, LOTUS&ASH enjoys finding ways to manipulate any medium, whether shirt or paper, to make that surprise happen.

:::: RECENT SURPRISES ::::

| 2009/2010 STANFORD BASKETBALL 6th MAN SHIRT designed 11.2009 |

surprise: when sleeves are raised during free throws, the surprise S on the elbow is revealed

* PHOTO CREDIT: Stanford Photo Archives *

* * *

|  CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION INVITE designed 01.2010 |

surprise: an invitation lies hidden in a petal envelope, within another ornate lined envelope

*  *  *

| MOMMY-TO-BE BABY SHOWER INVITE designed 01.2010 |

surprise: invitation unfolds to reveal a detachable "advice" card for the perfect(ish) MOMMY-TO-BE

| BABY SHOWER ADVICE&GIFTS FILING SYSTEM |

37 | Goodbye TwoThousandNine, Hello TwentyTen!

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : happy new year! : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

| L&A 2010 TUCK ANYWHERE CALENDARS |

wishing you the happiest & cheers-iest 2010...

may it bring splendid things for you,

the ones you love

&

LOTUS&ASH.

(crazy to think i'm graduating university this year!!)

before L&A welcomes in the new year, some recognition has to be given to the holiday paper season and the culinary event of the year : christmas brunch.

this year, the increasingly edible affair featured a prosciutto and caramelized onion frittata, rocket salad with honeycrisp apples, and a lemon vinaigrette... and...

mcdonald's french fries for my father & mcdonald's ketchup for my mother.

| BE MERRY BRUNCH . christmas 2009 |

and here are some more highlights from the L&A holiday season.

| STONE'S THROW . designed december 2009 |

| DADDY - DAUGHTER VICE VERSA NOTES in L&A linen box |

And, a special thanks to everyone who ordered L&A:HOLIDAY gifts... because of their orders, LOTUS&ASH is able to make a considerable donation to READING PARTNERS, so that in 2010,  every california kid has the opportunity to learn how to read and write.

and, last but not least, happy 2nd birthday to the L&A UPDATE blog.

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