The Rise + Fall Cloth Napkins

by Ami Kealoha

Yesterday we raved about their new denim, last December we featured their t-shirts and now we're bringing you one of The Rise and Fall's latest offerings, a line of hand-printed cloth napkins that arrest the eye with similar original designs that adorn these printmakers' shirts. "The napkins are a new idea we're working on," one of Rise and Fall's co-founders, Joshua Cohen, told us recently. "Cloth napkins are one of those things that a lot of young people don't have but should." With sets of eight selling for just $35, there's no excuse not to add a little class.

T-Mobile HotSpot @Home Giveaway

by Josh Rubin

Bridging the gap between mobile phones and landlines, T-Mobile's new HotSpot @Home service launches today nationwide. For those of you who who don't have iPhone fever and have thought to yourself, "who wants a landline anymore, anyway?," the service enables reliable, clear reception and unlimited nationwide calling using Wi-Fi. Seamlessly switching between the mobile network and your Wi-Fi at home—as well as T-Mobile's over 7,000 other HotSpots nationwide and other open networks—makes it an effortless way to get better service in your house and cuts down on telecommunications bills. At $20 per month, the fee is probably less than most home phone bills and using the Wi-Fi will reduce mobile airtime.

The two phones T-Mobile's introducing with the plan, the Samsung t409 and Nokia 6086, also boast great pricing (each run $50 with a two-year contract). But we're hoping the future brings something a little more exciting, like the Nokia n95 that I demo'd a few weeks ago and really liked.

For one Cool Hunting reader, T-Mobile's giving away a router, a phone and a year's worth of service. To enter, follow the contact link at the bottom of the page, select "TMobile @Home" from the pull-down menu and send us an email before Friday, 29 June 2007, 11:59 p.m. EST. We'll choose a winner at random.

For another chance to win, you can also go to T-Mobile stores in 11 cities (Denver, Dallas, Atlanta Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, Phoenix and San Francisco) on 3 July 2007 in a bathrobe (a nod to the idea of never leaving the home). The first 100 who are eligible will win the same package we're offering and all visitors to the store that day can enter to win a grand prize that includes the package, a 40" Samsung Flat Panel LCD television and a Pier 1 imports gift certificate.

David Kramer

by Lost At E Minor

Of his work, sculptor David Kramer says, "I have always been interested in signs and billboards. They proclaim all you need to know to navigate through this popular culture. I love the excessiveness of cultural iconography and yet I totally mistrust it. I am easily seduced by the sexiness of the simplest marketing strategy and hate myself for being so easy."

Take-G Wooden Robot Toys

by Ami Kealoha

Craftsman Takeji Nakagawa, aka "Take-G," doesn't simply make "toys." Rather, he creates tributes to childhood, nature and the future. The artisan crafts things like animals and futuristic robots out of four types of wood: keyaki (a Japanese tree of the genus Zelkova), teak, walnut and white ash. These four types of wood are joined through a traditional handicraft process called yosegi-mokuzougan (joined wooden block construction), and the different types of woods and different textures create lively patterns. Individual parts are fitted, glued and held in place with a vice while they dry. Other parts are carefully fitted in individual slots. (Click images for detail.)

"I often get asked 'Why do you make robots with wood?,'" says Nakagawa. "I don't really have an exact answer for it but I often relate my robots with 'future.'" For Nakagawa, the future isn't a place filled with metal and skyscrapers, but with trees. "I don't think humans can live without trees no matter what advances technology makes," he adds. "When I think of 'future,' I cannot help thinking of 'past' at the same time. Trees take a long time (tens and hundreds years) to grow and show us their beauty (the product of their past). I think that I have responsibilities as a craftsman and an artist of breathing new life into these trees. I have a job to link 100 years in the past and 100 years in the future through my work. These are my values toward my work."

The workshop is run by Nakagawa and his wife. Each individual piece is created by hand. For those interested in purchasing his artistic work, Nakagawa insists that the customer see his work first hand and not just photos. Prices run from $50 to $6000. These are not sold online. He also sells straight-up toys: blocks and zoo animals. They cost from $36 to $345 and are available via the internet. He points out, "Please remember most of crafts I make are an art not actually 'toys' except a few products." They're all art, Nakagawa-san, every single one.

via JapanSugoi

by Brian Ashcraft

Fung + Blatt Lawnchair

by Ami Kealoha

More than just a clever play-on-words, LA-based architects Fung + Blatt's Lawnchair melds conceptual art with outdoor comfort for those who don't mind a few grass stains. Upholstered with rolled sod, a built-in "moisturizing" system helps irrigate while avoiding run off. When in production (prototype pictured), the literal lawn chair will be lightweight (at least under 25 pounds) and shipped ready to assemble. Fung + Blatt are currently working on a streamlined version of the chaise lounge that will be machined from aluminum and available in limited quantities this fall.

We think it's a great (and more practical) take on ReadyMade's clever sod sofa from a few years back, which you can check out in their archives. (You'll have to register, but on a side note it's well worth it for full, unrestricted access to dozens of their back issues.)