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Please Please Me { colorful craft }

In keeping with the retro theme of this morning's thermos post, I wanted to send us off into the weekend with some fun, colorful stuff that has caught my eye recently.

I can practically taste these items...the candy colors and fun shape combinations are so sweet and delicious. I am also really liking the bubbly, crafty style... When things calm down around here I'm going to get my craft on in a big, big way, I think!

Colored Pencil Photo Print
Socks
Swan and Abstract Art
Really, really lovely embroidered pieces - yeah, we've all seen so many of these I know. But I thought this new shop had some great new ideas.

DAILY CRAVE { a stiff drink }

It's a little known fact that in college, I had a collection of vintage plaid thermoses. I brought them all to the Salvation Army when I left my apartment and moved on, but it was fun to have a collection. I've never had another collection since then. In general, I am kind of anti-collecting, as I once read that it's a sign of being controlling (not sure if that is true, but somehow, it stuck with me.)

Anyway, I still love the idea of bringing a drink along, there was something so great about getting in the car with a thermos of coffee... I liked the idea of thinking ahead, but not knowing what the journey would hold.

Today, I really like the compact, graphic utility of these trusty characters.

Vintage Thermoses Here (to buy)
And some nice pics Here

And I guess I was ahead of my time... article Here (I had the big tall plaid one)

Packaging Pow { pinpals }

I am just in love with the eye-catchingly primitive packaging designs of the PinPals. They remind me a little of several of my favorite Comix and Cartoon artists... R Crumb, Harvey Pekar, Roz Chast (who made my favorite New Yorker cartoon EVER)...and my absolute fave, Lynda Barry... Personally, I think that gritty style is about to make a major foray into the pop scene and advertising (just my opinion - it's currently being adopted for use on the new Target 6 train wrap here in NYC)

I always love it when I see independent designers who go that extra mile with their product packaging. It's an element that I think can really excite an item, and make a bold statement about it's maker. The pinpals definitely take advantage of that opportunity!

More of their great (and affordable) work here.
Also loving their puppets.

DAILY CRAVE { summer sun }

This dress just made me happy. I thought you might like it too.

I've been so drawn to simple little dresses lately, and the sunny color of this one made me smile. Perfect for soaking up some badly needed vitamin D ... Just found out I am slightly deficient...as I imagine many entrepreneurs and bloggers are. I will resist the urge to nag here, but I recommend making sure you have enough D. It doesn't take much, but it's important.

Anyway, dress found here!

Along with lots of other
cute
vintage
things.

SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE { ...shape your boooooty }

Busy week.

Please pardon the HORRID title of this post, but could not resist. I am a big fan of le disco. So, here is my prediction for fall boots. It's all about the shape.

While last year, boots were all about the embellishments... equestrian buckles and straps, cut-outs, zippers and buttons, this year, thank goodness, it's time to get back to basics. Let's face it, no amount of horse-riding detail can hide it if the fit is off.

I picked out these boots (okay, and a loafer, I can't ever resist a good loafer) because I thought they showed something really interesting.. it's all about the shape and fit of the shoe, with ONE style note added in. I like this idea because it allows the wearer to really make their own style statement, in a simple and bold way. Warning...these are pricey. But they are also the best exapmles!

Shape meets...
Heavy, distressed wood Here
Buttery Brown Leather Here
Glamourous Rex Here
Jungle Cat Here - welcome back Mr. Choo.
The Glitter Bucket Here

BEDAZZLED { Charlotte Hosten }

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's Monday Morning as this posts, but I am actually writing this on Friday evening, because I am about to go down to Atlanta for a trade show.

I have so missed writing here. Anyway, I thought these necklaces were really lovely, and I like the presentation on the mannequin, too. Two things I want to point out that I particularly like are the colors of the lower necklace  - absolutely love the drab-green with a sunny, acid yellow - and grey pearl colors - it's a great, complex color combo that hearkens back to the 1900's...and struck me as moody and different.

I also love the inclusion of men's shirting fabrics in the two top styles - what a great twist.

Check out these styles here
And also worth noting are these amazing styles with the collar/ruff built right in - I love this concept.

SEMANTICS { on hats }

I hereby nominate this phrase as a replacement for Keep Calm and Carry On.

This phrase was embedded in an article I read this weekend, and I really liked it and found it interesting. I thought you might enjoy thinking about it too... "We don't buy our hats. We have our hats." is an old Boston Brahmin saying. But I thought it could be repurposed for these times.

Just my theory, but I bet you five bucks this phrase appears in some big ad campaign in the next year or so.

SWATCH WATCH { pretty fabric clutches }

Hi loves. First of all, let me just say how sorry I am to have been away for so long. I'm sure that many of you who write blogs know just how hard it can be to create content day after day... and as I have told many bloggers-to-be, it's harder than just typing in a bunch of random thoughts. I really do try and write about things I think people will be interested in, and things that I have actually found thought-provoking myself...so, sometimes, I end up taking time off here when I am focused on other things.

I've been working really, really hard to get to a major new phase with my business- it's hard to believe that 3 years ago, I began as a hand-made venture...and now, well, we've done pretty well. I've taken the past few weeks to make sure that I continue to do well. And I'll have more on that at the end of the month. I appreciate all of your support, and I am excited about the future.

Aaaaaaanyway, just a quick post about these gorgeously textural clutches by Sir Tom. They feel so right - and so right now. I love the Keith-Haring-Esque block print on the bottom, and the exuberant deco-meets-tribal look of her prints on Denim, Hemp and other rough-hewn fabrics. It makes a winning combination.

Personally, I prefer the abstract designs to the deer, birdcages, flowers, etc. You know me. forever anti-twee.

Made in Australia - and available here!