flower themed product round up

flower power is on its way, but hasn’t arrived quite yet. here are a few selections to whet your whistle before the genuine articles arrive…

sweet little ceramic dishes from leesa brinkley

poppies on blue painting by rachel austin

sterling and vintage glass pendant from anne holman

the hint of light and mystic river by blue citrus art

enamel flower rings from sarah hood

calla chair from william sawaya

sunflowers pendant lamp from paper cloud

these are for you and white love birds prints from yumi yumi

flowered chair painting by mercers daughter

cherry blossoms crochet cuff from irregular expressions

flower blend oval rug by emma gardner

red mum and in the orange blossoms 2 prints by hadley hutton

letterpress correspondence cards by pressure

felted messenger bag from daisynyc

bloom one and two encaustic paintings from angie burr for her effie girly finery

butterfly garden and hummingbird garden goccos from treetop studio

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artghost prints

seattle artists (and husband and wife team) eric adler and liz wong make prints and paintings, personal accessories and greetings with retro style and a wicked sense of humor for their artghost studio.

purchase these pieces at the artghost website, see what liz and eric are doing at their blog and be sure to check out liz’s website too!

via indie shopping

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rebecca cornish handbags: miniview

i enjoy looking at vintage goodness especially when it is upcycled into something different so i am pleased to show you the lovely handmade purses and bags by local artist becca cornish, aka etsy seller rebeccabags. becca uses all kinds of different fabrics, and lots of vintage fabric to create her collection, which has thoughtful details like embroidery and contrasty linings. i also appreciate the fact that her change purses are roomy enough to substitute as a bag if circumstances call for something cute and little. ever curious to know just a little bit more about the brains behind the operation, i asked three quick questions…

q: where do you create your collection?
a: i create my collection in a smoke free, pet free home, in a dining room/workroom nestled in the fabulous logan square neighborhood in chicago. (ed.note: with a fabulous fabric wall!)

q: how did you get into designing handbags?
a: i have always enjoyed sewing and crafting. i started making bags about six years ago. i was embroidering a skirt pocket and realized what a cool bag it would make. i created my first tote and the rest is history. friends and family wanted bags for themselves which led to their friends and family and so on. it has now evolved from hobby to business and love. even my four year old gets into it by “helping” mommy sew. although not very helpful, it’s really cute.

q: what is your inspiration?
a: i am a textile junkie. i can’t go anywhere without looking for fabric options. i have to touch and visualize what i can do with it. i have even smelled fabric… you heard me. my inspiration for my creations comes from the world around me — flora and fauna, my kid, food, fabric patterns, colors, word associations, the need for certain containers, and of course special requests. there isn’t a day that goes by without me sketching something out. the world is a beautiful place, might as well have accessories to match.

see becca’s current collection at her etsy shop. you can also see more samplings on her website. contact her in either place to collaborate on custom work too - her specialty!

thank you becca!

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bicycle tire bags by balkan tango

more recycling and upcycling for you today: loverly rubber bags made of used bicycle inner tubes from balkan tango of hungary.

purchase them at the supermarket and be sure to check out balkan tango’s website for more good looking, earth friendly stuff.

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cool laptop bag by nanda home

how great would it be to have one of these when traveling with your computer is needed? it’s the stylish persida lapsac from nanda home. it’s made of sturdy cotton canvas, has a padded pouch to accommodate a laptop and is roomy enough so that you don’t have to carry a purse too.

purchase it at delight.com.

via design crush

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summer salt design

i like these sweet little one of a kind birdie arches from california crafter nicole peterson for her summer salt design company. they measure about 5″h x 7″w and include embellishments like vintage millinery flowers and glass beads. i think they’d be cute in a child’s room.

hold on - nicole makes cute reuseable shopping bags and purses too!

i like nicole’s eye for fabrics, finishing and color combinations. these are bound to bring the spring on just a little bit earlier!

check out nicole’s blog here and purchase these and other cute items over at her shop.

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twins and doubles art round up

so i’m minding my own business driving in the car and then a song comes on the radio that rattles around in my head for hours. does this ever happen to you?

today’s song was a tasty treat by beloved 70’s rock band foreigner. and it stuck around in my dome and that’s when i got this idea (perhaps a way to exorcise that demon song out of my brain?)

fill my eyes with that double vision…

the double-sided vivienne print from matte stephens

hand hammered sterling double bubble earrings from brooke medlin

double lolly tote bag from charlie and sarah

handprinted double bunny card (with carrot heart) from floating palace

double mint lip balm from cavendish soap works

the unappreciated gift print from sunny buick

two peas in a pod crocheted plushie from the yummy pancake

vintage lovely ladies figurines from racheltrouble

twin chairs pincushion from rabbits moon

twin pop print from anna tillett designs

ahhhh… it’s out of my head now. thanks for the help, etsy!

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recycled pop top handbags

when jimmy buffett blew out his flip flop and stepped on a pop top, i bet it never dawned on him to make a purse out of it.

look at these lacy modern handbags made of recycled aluminum soda can tabs. lined with nylon, they are painstakingly pieced together with crochet techniques by cia do lacre and as panteras do lacre, two brazilian craft cooperatives, which are located in economically depressed areas near brasilia. they are distributed by san francisco’s escama studio.

they remind me of those bendy pop top necklaces and bracelets i made a million years ago, back when the tabs came off the cans completely. except these are much more sophisticated.

the cooperatives help each female artist on staff build business knowledge, self esteem and craftmaking skills. each bag is signed by the artist.

see their website for more info and a nifty tutorial. belts and jewelry coming soon!

you can also purchase the bags at zanadia.

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reusable produce bags

i loathe the idea of having to use those plastic bags for all your different fruits and vegetables, and whenever possible, just place these items loose in my shopping cart. sometimes you just can’t do that though, especially during the bounty of the summer eating season! now is the precise time to use these earth-friendly produce bags.

they’re made of durable, washable organic cotton and are generously sized (the top photo shows ten bags of apples!), and are priced at $14 for a set of 4 pieces — two large bags and two smaller perforated ones.

purchase them at delight.

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recycled sailcloth totes from red flag

avast ye, mateys, and be chic and earth-friendly while you’re at it.

these durable aum (alternative use material) totes are made from reclaimed sails, from canadian designers stuart sproule and barnaby killam for red flag design. the totes may have marks from previous journeys asea, so no two are alike.

cut from cruising sailcloth that would otherwise be discarded, each bag features a beautiful sennet-knotted nylon handle, enameled metal grommets and reinforcements made from marine-grade rubber. each tote also contains a zippered pouch for additional storage of your flotsam and jetsam.

these pieces are handmade and in limited edition. duffels and wristlets are also available.

more abut red flag here.

purchase their line at branch.

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en gry and sif wool accessories

okay, cuckoo crazy for these pieces from danish sisters en gry and sif. they’ve got knitted, felted and even some hemp personal and home items. they feature high quality materials, including 100% pure new zealand wool.

after taking a trip around the world together, the two women decided to quit their respective jobs and create their company, which produces many of their fresh and modern accessories in nepal.

i love how soft and squeezy it all is.

see their website here, find it at danish bohemia or loop.

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make like a tree and leaf…with lotta jansdotter

so i was staring at my feet today at the strange tan lines i got after playing golf. they look like little oval leaves, which made me think of the fabulous scandinavian designer lotta jansdotter.

i love everything she makes. her organic designs are simple and clean, and she uses high quality textiles and other materials to craft her products. it’s the next best thing to being amongst the flora, if you have to stay inside.

she has a pretty broad line which includes some tee shirts and stationery, so you can show the world how hip you are if you don’t want to keep it to yourself.

you can shop on her website , or buy it in chicago at the sweden shop on foster.

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