studio choo diy holiday project

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More or Less: 21st-century fainting couches L3 By Chantal Lamers SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE If you find yourself losing your appetite for mass consumption during a typically commercial holiday season, you may be in need of a little DIY therapy. We asked the duo behind South San Francisco floral design company Studio Choo to devise three festive projects that echo their signature for pulling together thought- ful, wild and fresh arrangements. They say that the best thing about making your own holiday decor is that you get to start creative traditions with friends and family. And to suit your level of do-it-your- self confidence, these whimsical endeavors range from simple to difficult. (Items re- quired for assembly can all be purchased at craft, hardware and floral shops.) What’s more, some of the objects can either be consumed or planted once celebra- tions are over. Whimsical projects are festive and rewarding DECORATING Happy DIY holiday Dress up your holiday gifts with frosted succulent “bows” that can be replanted in dirt or sand after the presents are opened. Photos by Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle CITRUS GARLAND, GIFT TOPPERS AND A WINTER WONDERLAND TERRARIUM ON L4 Jill Pilotte (left) and Alethea Harampolis, owners of Studio Choo, work on a winter wonderland terrarium, pictured finished, above. Home & Garden San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com | Sunday, December 6, 2009 | Section L Golden Gate Gardener: Uncurling peach leaves L2 The Bay Area’s interior designers are an artistic bunch, with talents that ex- tend far beyond the realm of furnishings and fabrics — as demonstrated in a new exhi- bition at ArtHaus in San Francisco. “The Fine Art of Design- ers’’ features works in a range of media through Dec. 23. Intricate ink-on-vellum draw- ings by Kevin Hackett (Siol Studios); a mixed-media War- holesque “Glitterati Series,’’ by Samuel Fleming Lewis (INSTUDIO); photography by Frank Van Duerm (Van Duerm Design Associates); computer-generated painting by Chicago Art Institute alum Ken Leto (Ken Leto Designs); and impressionistic paintings by Gioi Tran (Applegate Tran Interiors) are among those on display. Gallerist James Bacchi says he discovered the cache of designer/artists while partici- pating in last month’s “Icons of Design” event at Millenni- um Tower. “We knew some designers did art, but when we started doing the show, we began hearing about more.’’ The exhibition, he says, is all about bridging art and design. In a salute to film noir, art and mid-century style, de- signer Lawanna Cathleen Endonino created a plush Collector’s Salon, with acces- sories from the San Francisco Design Center and works from ArtHaus’ own collec- tion. During the exhibition, Bacchi says, 10 percent of sales will go to Philanthropy by Design, an organization that provides design services and recycled and new fur- nishings for nonprofits. ArtHaus is at 411 Brannan St. (at Third) in San Francisco. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday; (415) 977-0223. arthaus-sf.com. — Deb Wandell; [email protected]. Untitled chromeogenic print by Frank Van Duerm. Show bridges art and design HOT STUFF Frank Van Duerm By Chantal Lamers SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE For the two women be- hind the affectionately un- tamed arrangements at Stu- dio Choo, the whole point of pulling together stems, flow- ers and foliage is to create something that looks natural and just a little bit wild. When Alethea Harampo- lis, 36, and Jill Pilotte, 29, opened the studio in March, they were determined to part from the mainstream neat, tight and structured floral cluster. At Choo (named for Pilotte’s delicate sneeze), bunches reflect their fondness for using locally grown blooms, arti- san and vintage vessels with a nod to the do-it-yourself movement. Weekday mornings start at the San Francisco Flower Mart, where they spend about an hour shopping for orders as they simulta- neously contemplate that day’s floral inspiration. “We shop specifically for each one and keep in mind who it’s coming from and who it’s going to,” Pilotte says. For weekend orders, they opt for offerings at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. In the winter, they’ll pick from Creating organized wildness Choo continues on L4

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Studio Choo DIY Holiday Project for the San Francisco Chronicle's Home & Garden section.

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Page 1: Studio Choo DIY Holiday Project

More or Less: 21st-centuryfainting couches L3

By Chantal LamersSPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

If you find yourself losing your appetite for mass consumption during a typicallycommercial holiday season, you may be in need of a little DIY therapy.

We asked the duo behind South San Francisco floral design company Studio Chooto devise three festive projects that echo their signature for pulling together thought-ful, wild and fresh arrangements.

They say that the best thing about making your own holiday decor is that you get tostart creative traditions with friends and family. And to suit your level of do-it-your-self confidence, these whimsical endeavors range from simple to difficult. (Items re-quired for assembly can all be purchased at craft, hardware and floral shops.)

What’s more, some of the objects can either be consumed or planted once celebra-tions are over.

Whimsical projects are festive and rewarding

DECORATING

Happy DIY holidayDress up your holiday gifts with frosted succulent “bows” that can be replanted in dirt or sand after the presents are opened.

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CITRUS GARLAND, GIFT TOPPERS AND A WINTER WONDERLAND TERRARIUM ON L4

Jill Pilotte (left) and AletheaHarampolis, owners of StudioChoo, work on a winterwonderland terrarium,pictured finished, above.

Home&GardenSan Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com | Sunday, December 6, 2009 | Section L

Golden GateGardener:Uncurlingpeach leaves L2

The Bay Area’s interiordesigners are an artisticbunch, with talents that ex-tend far beyond the realm offurnishings and fabrics — asdemonstrated in a new exhi-bition at ArtHaus in SanFrancisco.

“The Fine Art of Design-ers’’ features works in a rangeof media through Dec. 23.Intricate ink-on-vellum draw-ings by Kevin Hackett (SiolStudios); a mixed-media War-holesque “Glitterati Series,’’by Samuel Fleming Lewis(INSTUDIO); photographyby Frank Van Duerm (VanDuerm Design Associates);computer-generated paintingby Chicago Art Institute alumKen Leto (Ken Leto Designs);and impressionistic paintingsby Gioi Tran (Applegate TranInteriors) are among those ondisplay.

Gallerist James Bacchi sayshe discovered the cache ofdesigner/artists while partici-pating in last month’s “Iconsof Design” event at Millenni-

um Tower. “We knew somedesigners did art, but whenwe started doing the show, webegan hearing about more.’’The exhibition, he says, is allabout bridging art and design.

In a salute to film noir, artand mid-century style, de-signer Lawanna CathleenEndonino created a plushCollector’s Salon, with acces-sories from the San FranciscoDesign Center and worksfrom ArtHaus’ own collec-tion.

During the exhibition,Bacchi says, 10 percent ofsales will go to Philanthropyby Design, an organizationthat provides design servicesand recycled and new fur-nishings for nonprofits.

ArtHaus is at 411 BrannanSt. (at Third) in San Francisco.Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Tuesday-Friday, noon to 5p.m. Saturday; (415) 977-0223.arthaus-sf.com.

— Deb Wandell;[email protected].

Untitled chromeogenicprint by Frank Van Duerm.

Showbridgesart anddesign

HOT STUFF

Frank Van Duerm

By Chantal LamersSPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

For the two women be-hind the affectionately un-tamed arrangements at Stu-dio Choo, the whole point ofpulling together stems, flow-ers and foliage is to createsomething that looks naturaland just a little bit wild.

When Alethea Harampo-lis, 36, and Jill Pilotte, 29,opened the studio in March,they were determined topart from the mainstreamneat, tight and structuredfloral cluster. At Choo(named for Pilotte’s delicatesneeze), bunches reflecttheir fondness for usinglocally grown blooms, arti-san and vintage vessels witha nod to the do-it-yourselfmovement.

Weekday mornings startat the San Francisco FlowerMart, where they spendabout an hour shopping fororders as they simulta-neously contemplate thatday’s floral inspiration. “Weshop specifically for eachone and keep in mind whoit’s coming from and who it’sgoing to,” Pilotte says.

For weekend orders, theyopt for offerings at the FerryPlaza Farmers Market. Inthe winter, they’ll pick from

Creatingorganizedwildness

Choo continues on L4

Page 2: Studio Choo DIY Holiday Project

L4 | Sunday, December 6, 2009 | San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com

peonies, anemones and ra-nunculus. They might chooseto incorporate bay leaf branch-es, herbs, grapes or stemmedpersimmons and pomegran-ates. “We like to use things asthey come naturally, withouttoo much manipulation,” Ha-rampolis says.

Along with floral designexperience from shops in-cluding San Francisco’s Roseand Radish (where they be-come fast friends in 2005), thetwo bring complementarybackgrounds and histories tothe mix. Pilotte has a degree inillustration and comes from afamily of florists. Harampolisgrew up in a family of ardentgardeners and has a richknowledge of botany and hor-ticulture.

They arrange the day’s picksside by side at their studio, a

converted 1920s wood garagewith exposed rustic beams, inthe Sunnyside neighborhoodof South San Francisco. Con-tainers have either beenplucked from thrift stores orpurchased from artists, in-cluding slender white trophyvases and rustic-lookingbirch bark tubes. Harampolismakes the hand-knittedsleeves that wrap one selec-tion of vessels.

The result might be whim-sical and carefree, but pullingoff organized wildness takespatience. Adds Harampolis,“It takes a little bit of time forus to do each arrangement,even though they lookstraight from the garden.”

Studio Choo, (415) 624-5981.studiochoo.com.

E-mail comments to Chantal Lamers [email protected].

Organized wildnessoften takes patienceChoo from page L1

Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle

Jill Pilotte (left) and Alethea Harampolis are the owners ofStudio Choo, a studio that opened in March.

Intermediate: frosted succulent gifttopper

Once the gift is unwrapped, the recipient can rinse off the hobbysnow, sugar or salt and replant the succulent in dirt or sand. (Evenindividual leaves can be replanted.) Slice it from its wood or corkbase, and it will reroot, even if it’s a tad wilted.

SHOPPING LIST:1 Floral snips or small

craft scissors.

1 Small or miniaturesucculents, de-pending on the sizeof the present.

1 Drill.

1Wood slices or corkcoasters.

1 Clear floral glue.

1 Small paintbrush.

1One egg white in asmall bowl.

1 Hobby snow, su-perfine sugar orsuperfine salt.

1 Double-sided tape.

INSTRUCTIONS1. Using your hands and floral snips, re-move dirt and roots from the succulent,leaving a small stem. Rinse and let dry.

2. Drill a small hole through the woodthat the stem of the succulent will fit into.

3. Use the floral glue to attach the succu-lent to wood or cork pieces, and let dry.

4. Use the paintbrush to apply a thin layerof egg white to the succulent. (Egg whiteallows the succulent to be rinsed andreplanted.)

5. Holding onto the wood base, sprinkleon a fine dusting of snow, sugar or salt.Let dry.

6. Use double-sided tape to attach thetopper to gift.

7. Extra credit: Attach a note with in-structions for replanting.

Advanced: winter wonderland terrariumScout your neighborhood or local park for fallen branches that can be incorporated into this festive

terrarium. Place the terrarium in indirect sunlight and spot water around trees. For a kitschy twist, addfigurines such as birds, reindeer or snowmen. (If you want to replant the trees outside later, sprinkle themwith hobby snow rather than sticky canned snow.)

SHOPPING LIST:1Mini cypress trees in varying

heights, 2 to 3 inches, avail-able at gardening centers.

1 Sheet moss, available atcraft stores.

1 Holiday snow in a can orhobby snow.

1 Large cylindrical vase.

1 Decorative gravel.

1 Planting charcoal.

1 Slightly moist potting soil.

1 Gardening shears.

1 Thin branches, sticks fromtrees to make a tiny wood-pile.

1 Twine.

INSTRUCTIONS1. Start by lightly spraying themini cypress trees and aboutone-third of the moss withholiday snow. Let dry for 30minutes.

2. In the meantime, line thesides of the container withsome sheet moss.

3. To allow for drainage, placea !-inch layer of gravel at thebottom of the vase, followedby a thin layer of plantingcharcoal and a few handfulsof dirt.

4. Remove trees from con-tainers; loosen up the roots.

5. Plant the trees. Surroundeach with additional dirt,pressing firmly as you go tocreate a hilly landscape.

6. Break snowy moss apart,and place over hills. Cutbranches to look like dormanttrees and a small stump.Place among planted cypress.

7. To create mini wood bun-dles, cut about a half dozeninch-long pieces of wood andtie with twine.

DECORATING

Beginner: citrus garlandInspired by colorful holiday paper chains, thisinexpensive project is great for children andcan be displayed along a table or a mantel.

SHOPPING LIST1 A dozen or more thick-skinned pieces of

fruit, uniform in size. Think lemons, limesand tangerines.

1 About a half yard of ribbon for every dozenpieces of fruit. We selected three to fourtypes of ribbon in two sizes ("-inch and3⁄8-inch) to wrap the fruit, plus about a halfyard of green ribbon (#-inch) to create the“leaves.”

1 Lei needle or embroidery needle.

1 Thin-gauge, coated wire or fishing twine.

1 Size 17 straight pins with green plasticheads.

1 Fabric or white glue.

1 Pinking or fabric shears.

INSTRUCTIONS1. Wash and dry fruit, then set each piece out,as it sits naturally.

2. Measure, cut and glue ribbon to each pieceof fruit, alternating between horizontal andvertical patterns. (On the two end pieces offruit, leave about a half inch of space un-glued to loop an end ribbon through.) Let dry.

3. Once the ribbons are attached, thread theneedle with the wire or twine. Push the nee-dle through the middle of each piece of fruitfrom one end to the other. Make a knot ateach end.

4. Cut 2-inch strips of green ribbon for theleaves; not every piece needs a leaf. Fold theribbon, and pin to the top or to the side.

5. Cut two 12-inch pieces of ribbon, and loopthem through the openings you left on eachend. Tie in a knot.

Happy DIY holiday

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