It's Okay, Be A Yo-Yo

We spent the majority of our weekend house-shopping, which is both fun and exhausting. I must say, someone like Holly from decor8 would be beyond horrified (as I was) at the decorating - well, lack thereof - in many of these homes. I haven't seen this much dark wood paneling and bad laminate cabinets since Napoleon Dynamite. (Of course, wood paneling tends to mean plaster damage, not just a lack of style sense.)

Furthermore, if you want to know where all of the ugly silk flowers in the world are going...I think this region is the universe's black hole for lilac, pink, and purple silk flowers. To say the least. Wow. I could start a business doing my own "Designed To Sell" - or at least, "Please Move This Horrible Stuff Out of Your House Because I Can't See The Floor and No One in the WORLD Will Buy This House As Long As The Sink Is Still Harvest Gold And You Have Stained Shag Carpeting In the Dining Room".

(We have seen one sweet Cape Cod bungalow - I adore bungalows, especially Craftsman and prairie style - with the most fabulous, swank 50s bathroom you've ever seen. Picture doesn't begin to do justice to its cuteness. It's almost entirely original, in pale aqua tile with black tile accents. It is DARLING. But obviously, I love retro.)


At any rate, I desperately need to Listerine my eyeballs and brain after some of that, er, excitement, and thought these darling yo-yo brooches from Boqinana are a good way to start, don't you? Handmade with darling print cotton, felt, and topped off with a vintage button, each $5 pin (yup, just $5 for this handmade goodness) is a fabric confection suitable for your jackets, sweaters, handbag, maybe even that laptop case or a cloth headband. I can even see them decking out the hem of a swishy skirt...oh, the cute! At this price, you can buy a handful for yourself or friends, and it's a great way to freshen up your summer wardrobe. The chic colours are bright, cheery, and will really pop.

These little yo-yos have taken the indie craft world by storm, showing up as they are as pins, hair accessories, and even making up entire handbags. That means Madison Avenue will pick up on them in a month or so, but why not be ahead of the game?

Featured here are some of my favourites - the somewhat patriotically coloured No. 14, plum-and-teal No. 13, featuring Japanese windmill cotton, and No. 17, which has a fabulous button and is the sunniest green - if there is such a thing - I've seen in a long time. They all have a brooch pin sewn securely to the back and are 2.7" across - just the right splash of style and colour for anything hanging about in your wardrobe.

Boqinana has quite a fun selection of accessories, from handbags to cushion covers and scarves, as well as some fun and funky felt brooches and cloth-covered button hair ties. Her sense of whimsy is terrific, and I think you'll have as much fun looking at her great things as I did!