Fresh

do you like the new look of this little blog? thank you so very much, blogger, for creating new templates for the css challenged among us. i love it. so light and airy and open. ahhh. a breath of fresh air, a new start. here's to a renewed love for blogging.

Divine Twine

i think i HAVE to have this. have i told you about our new little project? of course not, as i haven't blogged since january, and that is when said project started it's grown-up life. we have a new business, and this twine matches my color scheme perfectly! it will be perfect to cute up mailings and such. and it will look lovely on my desk. why is it that simple pretty little things can bring us such joy?!

p.s. i want all the colors.
p.p.s. thanks to the absolutely amazingly talented carrie for the twine heads-up, more on her fabulous-ness later :)

etsy favorites: rae dunn

i am so excited. i'm starting pottery classes again this month, after about two years without any pottery making. i'm not really taking classes so much as having open studio time with my dear friend megan, a pottery guru (and fabulous fellow photographer!). i plan to learn a lot from her!

in honor of my upcoming classes, take a look at the gorgeous work of rae dunn. she makes some really amazing stuff, and sells some of it in her etsy shop. these are perfect for that upcoming holiday! also check out her inspiring blog.

etsy favorites: hello handmade paperie

for valentine's day last year i got my lovie this gorgeous card from hello handmade paperie. i told them what i wanted to note to say, and they wrote it in the most gorgeous calligraphy, addressed the letter, and popped it in the mail for me a few days before valentine's day. it came in a gorgeous navy envelope with more calligraphy in white lettering.


don't hate me, but it's not currently for sale in their etsy shop. perhaps they'll bring it back in time for the holiday? to tide you over until then, check out their amazing 2010 calendar tea towel. it would look so lovely on the wall of your craft studio!

byrd & belle

to all my snowed-in friends:

i've found a great cold weather project to occupy your snowy days. byrd & belle has a great make your own cup cozy kit. they send you all the necessary materials and step-by-step instructions. take the finished product with you to your local coffee shop, and show off how environmentally friendly you are!

ninainvrom

loving the work of ninainvorm (nina, from the netherlands), especially her redecorated, screen printed ceramics. so lovely! also, check out her pretty blog!

sale at paper cloud!

here's a heads up: ariana over at the fabulous paper cloud just sent me a note letting me know that, though december 15, they are offering 20% off ALL their products! how great is that! here's to holiday shopping!

etsy favorites: infusion

i have A LOT of etsy shops marked as favorites. 935 shops, to be precise. i thought i'd cull through them to find you some truly spectacular standouts.

your first is infusion, "a line of sustainable, natural and organic bags, shoes and clothing." i'm actually starting to feel chilly here in the desert (it's in the 40s in the morning!), so i loved the cozy look of infusion's beautifully crafted goodies. how cute are those baby shoes!?!

oh, on a side note, congratulations to the fabulous kitty and her lovely husband chris, who welcomed their third boy into the world yesterday. can't wait to meet you, little jack!

paper lovely

bet you thought i'd quit, eh? i kinda thought i had, too. then i got a note from the lovely kim, a girl i went to high school with. a DECADE ago. eee gads, i'm getting old, but looking forward to our 10-year reunion next year!

anywho, kim is a super talented designer, and has taken up a letterpress hobby, a hobby i would also like to try (if i can find an affordable press). her shop is filled with all sorts of little lovelies. please check them out! also spend some time on her charming blog and her design site.

glad to be back!!

julie friedman

i got an email from julie friedman, a graphic designer, telling me about her etsy shop. i'm so glad she contacted me!

Julie really does lovely work. you can buy some of it here, but be sure to check out her website for more of what she can do!

LOCHER'S Paris

i know, i know, i'm a bad blogger. but i'm back! (i seem to be saying that a lot lately. sorry.)

i've had a few email from readers who make lovely things. monique from LOCHER's Paris wrote to tell me about their irreverently awesome line of tops and accessories. here's what she had to say:

"We create sweet embroidered romantic tops featuring a variety of gentle shapes with wispy embellishments in dusty pastel shades like decadent French desserts. HOWEVER, our clothing is anything but sweet and naive. The embroidery is of the most delicate little florals and sweet birds that may remind you of the needlepoint designs your grandmother used to detail pillows and such, but are contradicted only by discreetly placed playful phrase using very naughty potty-mouthed words.....Its perfect for that girl who wants to say "Come here" and "Go Away" at the same time."

sounds great, no? the website is lovely, the tops sweet and naughty. perfect!

oh, and monique wanted me to let you know that they are currently having a menage a trois sale - buy any 3 items and get 1 necklace of your choice for free!

summerville

how do i love textiles? let me count the ways!

lots. i love them lots.

check out these pretties by summerville.

MIA

sorry if i've been missing in action this past month... i was a little busy getting married!

(photo by the lovely andy delisle)

i'll try to be back to regular posting soon!!

paper cloud

thanks to ariana of paper cloud for writing to tell me about their new spring line. it's adorable!! i love all their products, but these new patterns really add to their collection. so springy!

the timing is perfect for me, as spring has certainly sprung in the desert. the orange and lemon blossoms smell heavenly right now!

and as if their products weren't fabulous enough, paper cloud is eco-friendly! they only use all-natural materials, and everything is handmade. so go check them out!



find a previous post on paper cloud here.

Museum of Craft and Folk Art

a little follow up...

after posting about tomoko murayama today, i got a note from the buyer of the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, where tomoko is represented.

Did you know such a thing exists? no? neither had i, and what a shame! check out the website. i just spent a good chunk of time browsing, and i think i want to go to san francisco to pay them a visit! it just looks so amazing.

here's what kpoene', the museum's buyer, told me:

"In addition to Tomoko Murayama, we also have Yeh-Wen Chang, a jeweler who makes gorgeous reconstructed vintage pieces (she was one of Etsy's Weekend Picks last week), Katy Kristin Bowen, who makes felted necklaces, plushies, and drawings on driftwood, Mati Rose McDonaugh, a painter and printmaker of whimsical animal scenes who has been featured in numerous shows at galleries including Rare Device and who won Fred Flare's "Next Big Thing" contest for her Enormous Tiny Series in 2008. We also carry Loreto Aromatica, the delicious handmade perfumes of Loreto Remsing, a San Francisco perfumer who blends all of her scents in her kitchen from organic flowers and perfume oils.

We have a great mix of "traditional" and contemporary handmade goods and I work directly with all of our artists, many of whom have never sold before and are only carried in our store."

sounds amazing. if you're in the area, be sure to check it out!