14 pieces we are coveting from Buy Olympia.

I stumbled across Buy Olympia in an totally random way.  I had a lyric stuck in my head for a week, from a song that an ex-boyfriend used to play all the time. While using my google-fu to figure out the song was “Olympia, WA” by Rancid, I found the awesome site, Buy Olympia.

Buy Olympia was started by four friends in 1999, as a vehicle to help their artist friends sell their handmade items online. It has grown to become a go-to site for quality indie products and music, carrying wares from people like David Eggers, Nikki McClure and Emily Winfield Martin and from record labels like Kill Rock Stars, Black Yo-Yo Records and Anonymous Monk.

No matter what you are shopping for, from books to belt buckles, be sure to swing by Buy Olympia. You will be glad you did.  They have a ton of diverse products lines from some really amazing artists.

I did a little browsing last night and found 14 great items I am adding to my “need to buy list.”

1. Sexy Librarian Pattern by Sublime Stitching - $5; 2. Kill Rock Stars Tee - $15; 3. Cassette Tape Pint Glass by Bread and Badger - $12; 4. The Wife of Bath Soap - Arcana Soaps - $7; 5. Floating Shift Necklace by The Weekend Store - $36; 6. Otter Print (5*7) by Ryan Berkley - $10; 7. Bring a Snack postcard by Trish Grantham - $1.20; 8. Teach by Heidi Hopfer - $18; 9. Periscope Notebook by Tenth and Grant - $9.50; 10. Vintage Camera Photo Album by Galison - $10; 11. Handbag by Puckish - $68; 12. Crafty Lady by Sarah Utter - $14.95; 13. Peahoodie by Abigail Adams - $60 (on sale); 14. This is Venice (illustrated children's travel book from the 60's) by M. Sasek - $16.95



All images courtesy of their respective owners.



Etsy Friday Five - 5/13

Hello and Happy Friday to you all.  I am SO happy that it is Friday and that Blogger is finally up and running.  That was scary, huh?

Well - off to this week's Friday Five.

I am seriously in love with the raw beauty of this ring by Laura Treloar  Her store is full of lovely jewelry -  all with an original, organic feel.  She uses unusual materials for her work and it really makes it stand out from the millions of listings on Etsy.

Sky Blue Apatite Crystal Ring by Laura Treloar - $55

How beautiful is this print by Cori Dantini?  I am so happy to have found this artist.  I have really fallen in love with her work, which is whimsical and so imaginative.  Luckily, she is also a  prolific artist, so buyers have a lot of pieces to chose from.  

She flies with her own wings by Corid - $20

A deep rooted love of Ironstone has left me with beautiful, but mainly white, serving pieces. I am determined to inject some color into my kitchen, and these cracker bowls from Atelier BB would be a great start. They are made from white stoneware clay and are dishwasher and microwave safe.

4 Cracker Bowls by Atelier BB - $54

 

I follow a lot of blogs and recently one* did a great post on Cathrineholm Enamelware and I am so hooked now.  I love the bright colors and clean, graphic style; it is like eye candy for your kitchen.  I have started scouring the estate sales and vintage stores in my area for it, but I haven’t found a piece.  But, I can still bring some Scandinavian style to my kitchen with this print from Jan Skácelík. 

Cathrineholm - From Norway with Love by Handz  - $19

I remember having so much fun making Ojo De Dios (Spanish for Eye of God) in my 3^rd grade art class, and I was so excited to find Jay Mohler's shop.  He creates oversized, intricate Ojos De Dios, paying special attention to the cultural traditions of the pieces.  Originally, the Ojos were made by the Huichol people of Mexico.  The piece would start when a child was born, and new pieces would be added every year until they turned five. 



Gray Fox, and 18 inch, 12-sided, Ojo de Dios by Jay Froggy - $90



All images courtesy of their respective owners

* If this was your blog, please let me know.  I can't find the link and I would love to give you credit.

Art Star Craft Bazaar - You can't miss this!

If you are within a 3 hour drive, train trip or camel ride to Philadelphia, I highly recommend you leave the weekend of  May 14^th open and plan a trip to the City of Brotherly Love.   For that is the weekend of the Art Star Craft Bazaar. **

Art Star is an outdoor Art/Craft market run by by Philadelphia’s Art Star Gallery & Boutique.  Over 100 local and national artists take over the Waterfront at Penn’s Landing for this two day event.   This is not your typical stuffy craft fair – these artists have a decidedly Indie bent and the crowd is a happy blend of tattooed hipsters, crunchy granola moms and people who know that supporting local Artisans is a great thing to do.

Live music and great food (including Vegan options) round out the day's offerings. 

Below is just a small sampling from a few of the talented artists scheduled to participate in the show.  Hope to see you there!

 1. Blue Superstar Necklace by Jen Roder -$65; 2. Hipster Bingo Cards by Hipster Bingo -$8; 3.Elephant by John Murphy - $35 ; 4. Baby ball with linen and cotton by Namoo - $24.50; 5. Small Deer Trivet by Peppersprouts- $32; 6. Sour Cherry Soup by Claudia G Pearson - $20

1. Whale Pillow by Kate Durkin- $26; 2. Wine Cork Necklace by Olive Bites - $18; 3. Broken Plate Necklace by The Broken Plate - $50; 4. Rosemary Mint Goat's Milk Glycerin Soap by Liliths Apothecary - $4.50; 5. Set of 4 flower dippers by pinkkiss - $30; 6.Philadelphia Map Print by Peaceful Traveler  - $24; 7.Nap Pillow Cases by Shopdirtsa - $55; 8 (and 9). Nighttime in the city 2 by Nate Duval - $50; 10. Butcher's diagram floursack towel by Girls can Tell - $12; 11.Reel around the fountain sampler by Chez Sucre Chez - $72; 12. Circle Fawn Necklace by Figs and Ginger - $45

All images courtesy of their respective owners

** If you can’t make it over to the actual event, still head over to the Art Star website.  They have many of the vendors listed with direct links to their online stores – so everyone can shop!

Vintage Diner Melamine Tableware by Bob's Your Uncle

There was a diner about an hour from me that I absolutely loved. Not that the food was really that great (I learned the hard way to avoid the Tuna Melt at all cost), but because it hadn't been touched since 1958. It had the same red vinyl booths, the same chipped Formica tables, and the same beat up sign hanging out front with missing bulbs. I think even the same bleach blond waitress was still there from opening day (she was straight out of central casting). It was a left over from a different era and I loved it. So you can imagine my dismay when the last time I took the drive out, and saw it was completely demolished and that a fast food joint was being built on the site. 

Martin and Michele Yeeles over at Bob’s Your Uncle, seem love vintage diners as much as I do.  Through Martin's photography, they have captured some iconic diner images on great line of melamine tableware.



Diner Plate Set (4) - $40

 




Signs Plate Set (4) - $40







In and Out Tray Set - $20



Wash soap dish - $10



There is also a kid's matching game, kitchen towels and letter press coasters featuring  Martin's photographic homage to diners.

Bob's your Uncle also carries a great line of journals, stationary and day planners. 

All images courtesy of Bob's Your Uncle

Fringe Studio Spring/Summer 2011 Preview

I love this time of year. Not the weather, or the endless grey skies, but the fact that my favorite brands are starting to preview their Spring/Summer ’11 lines at tradeshows all over the country. I was so excited to get to see some of the wonderful things Fringe Studios will be introducing soon.

Fringe Studios has always been a favorite of mine – they transfer vintage and botanical images onto glass to create uniquely beautiful vases, candles, trays and coasters. The resulting pieces are both sumptuous and yet surprisingly affordable.

The Spring/Summer products will be available in a few weeks, but for now – you can head over to  Bloomingdales.com and browse a wide selection of great items currently in stock.



All images courtesy of Fringe Studios



Owl always love a good design.

Reader Jessica suggested an owl-themed post and we were all too happy to help her track down some great finds. Owls are the hottest bird on the block right now – their feathery faces showing up on everything from tea towels to greeting cards and laptop skins.

Check out some of our favorites.

                                                                        1. Owl bowl by Jennifer Falter - $36

2. Modern Owl Stone Coasters by Paizley Polka Dot - $15

3. Roddy Cushion by Roddy and Ginger - $38

4. Two Screen Printed Flour Sack Towels by Bark Décor - $15

                                                                              1. Owl Handbag - $62 at Patina

2. Owls Wearing Outfits by Lota Illustration -$18

3. Petunia’s Owl Pillow - $14

4. Needle Felted Blue Owl by Asher Jasper - $14

                                                                             1. Chalkboard by Oh Clemetine - $35

2. Duff-owl Bag at Modcloth - $49.99

3. Field Bag at Rainbow Swirlz - $25

4. Evelyn print (8*10) by Marisol Spoon - $32

                                                                         1. Bookend by Graphic Space Wood - $80

2. Leather Iphone/Itouch Case by Tovi Corrie - $39

3. Owl Earrings by Lulu Bug Jewelry - $36

4. Owl Necklace by Vintage Aesthetic - $15



 

All images courtesy of their respective owners.            

Live Wire Farms

There is “handmade” and than there is handmade. As in, each piece is individually crafted and no two pieces are the same. The wooden products at Live Wire Farm definitely fall into the latter category. Owner, John Robohm, creates these home accessories from maple, beech, cherry and other hardwoods grown locally near his 100-acre Vermont property.

 

Simple yet amazingly versatile, this selection of hooks, candle holders, napkin rings and spoons can add a touch of rustic elegance to even the most modern home.

Hooks range from $40-50, napkin rings $20 and spoons $10-50.  Each order is unique, so contact the farm directly for pricing and shipping information.



                                                                                all photography by Ewan Burns and is courtsey of Live Wire Farms 

Papaya!

Hi, I am Lulu and I have a serious weakness for three things: vintage photography, flowers and all things pretty.  So, the first time I stumbled upon PAPAYA!, my heart skipped a beat. 

Mother and daughter design team Gina and Anahata Katkin founded a company that holds Creative Abandon as the company credo, and you only have to look at their design offerings to see that they most definitely hold true to it.

Their prints are lush blends of vintage ephemera, quotes and graphic elements that together create their uniquely beautiful designs.

PAPAYA! has applied these iconic images to wide range of lifestyle and stationary products. While their small Giclee prints are currently a very affordable $48,  I am personally in love with their postcard collections - which allows me to brighten the mailboxes of friends and keep on budget as well.  Their greeting cards are also great for framing.

all images courtesy of PAPAYA!