Fun Friday: Anemone Wear

Well, all, I've no idea what to say about tonight's featured goodies from artist Keri Rounding than "Squeee!" and "How charmingly brilliant and delightful!" Her shop overfloweth with anemone-reminiscent rings, hairpins, brooches, and even necklaces. Everything is made from 100% merino wool which has been carefully felted into shapes similar to what you see here. Fun, quirky, unique, and sure to please, her items range from $5 - $20, an excellent price for marvellous work far different from other stuff out there.


Any of these pieces would make a wonderful gift for someone you love or yourself. I think the brooches and hairpins are my favourite, but I look forward to seeing a lot more terrific work from Keri!




Custom orders are more than welcome, and you can see if she'll be live and in-person at a show near you here (Keri, come to Pittsburgh!). She has some art pieces available as well.

Flowers in your hand

Well, we're back from our wedding anniversary trip. It was so beautiful and relaxing...and in a place to which we're already planning a return visit. Amazingly, the infection I've been battling for the past 2 months finally cleared up, a combination of the nuclear-grade antibiotics, the somewhat devilish concoction of hot V8 juice, Sriracha sauce, garlic, sea salt, and lemon juice, and the clear, fresh air where we vacationed. I breathed through my nose for the first time since late February; have you any idea how wondrous that feels? ;)

We had a marvellous time, including Benedict. It was his first vacation with us, and he clearly enjoyed being out in the woods. What he clearly did not enjoy was the car ride. This seems to be a collie thing; he drooled almost non-stop during the trip, meaning he got to drink out of his own cup of water in the car. Next time we'll try some Dramamine, because yours truly doesn't really enjoy getting a shower while fully clothed and in the Chevy. We do think he'll outgrow this; he's only 4 months old, and our neighbor down the street who owns three collies said the breed usually does get over the dislike of car trips. At any rate, Ben liked the destination very much, and it was fun to have him with us.

There's also a change here at Pretty/Modest...for the time present, I'm only going to post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We have a lot going on at home, with the family in general, and with my business, so this being a hobby, it's going to take a slight back seat. Additionally, I really want to focus on clothing, but that's rather difficult as I also want to feature mostly indie designers and artists. There just aren't that many making clothing, and even fewer fitting into the criteria here.

So, on to the cuteness! This bright and cheery wristlet caught my eye while I skimmed through Etsy (about which I told several very interested folks while on vacation; funny how it comes up!). The colours are perfectly springy and happy, the design delightful and light. It's quite large for a wristlet, at 7 inches tall and 11.5 inches wide, but that makes it perfect for longer days when a full-sized handbag is just too much. Handmade by Joyce of JPs Accessories, it's $25. This red and white hibiscus-decked wristlet is equally pretty, and her orange suede-trimmed butterflies hobo bag is just adorable. Everything at JP's looks to be very well-constructed and crisply done. Perfectly finished, just in time for summer!

Grape-a-licious Vintage Apron

Check out this cheerful and sweet vintage apron
at Joyful Abode. I'm in one of those odd stages, one in which things lilac and violet hold a strong attraction over me...much like last year's turquoise and red phase. (Consider yourself warned.) Let's put it this way: of the three unpainted rooms in the home, the smallest one is in danger of being forever hated by my husband because someone is thinking it might look really nice in a pale, neutral shade of lilac. My girlfriends should love it, though...

Regardless, I think lilac and its sister shades make us think happy, vibrant, springy thoughts. If I recall, Mozart or Bach felt the colour was conducive to clear thinking and worked in a lilac-painted room. It's hard to deny the sprightly, airy nature of lilac; why wouldn't we want it in our kitchens? This pretty apron is perfect for serving up Easter brunch, baking cupcakes, or whipping up the first lemonade of the season (it can never be too soon for that). It would also make a wonderful Mother's Day gift. $26.

There are roughly a dozen other vintage aprons at Joyful Abode, as well as darling handsewn and hand-embroidered baby blankets (so cute!), zipper pouches, and a few other surprises. Enjoy your shopping!

Retro Style from Jimmy Pickles

There's something about snap-top bags. Part of it has to be their sort of formal, retro look, but for me at least, much of it is simply nothing more than they remind me of my grandmothers. When I was a little girl, they both carried snap-top handbags, often with snap-top coin purses inside. The crisp sound of their closing is wonderful as well, isn't it?

Doubtless it's the combination of warm memories and the style factor that has attracted me to these darling cosmetic bags from Jimmy Pickles. Artist Cherie utilizes not just the fabulousness of snap-tops, she's paired them with terrific fabrics in a variety of bright colours and super-swell fabrics, including cute coordinating lining. These handmade $18 bags are a healthy size, too: 10 inches long at the bottom, 6 inches wide at the opening, and 7 inches tall. That's room enough for your makeup emergency kit, and perhaps even enough to serve as your clutch for an evening out.

If you like these cosmetics bags, be sure to check out her similarly-shaped and equally sweet coin purses (just like Grandma used to have!). This is my favourite, though it's another hard call.

Cherie also offers wristlet keychains - she's the original! - bibs, checkbook covers, and cute button-style ponytail holders. Everything looks extremely well-made, and frankly, the prices are more than competitive with big-box places like Target. Even better, though, they're all made here in the States by an independent artist. Shop away!

Sherbet in Winter?

You're being asked about sherbet because that's what this luscious-looking wool scarf reminds me of: orange sherbet. Or perhaps a Creamsicle. Of course, the idea of downing ice cream when it's below 30 degrees, flurrying, and windy outside isn't on most people's minds; nor does it sound like something we want to do this time of year. Snuggling up with a hot cocoa or some fondue sounds much better, doesn't it?

Still, there's something special about that soft orange and creamy white combination I find pretty irresistible, and this girl can't be the only one. Orange is a very cheerful, enlivening colour anyhow, and during the next few grey, morose winter months, wouldn't it be fabulous to have a soft, cuddly-feeling scarf like this one to perk up your mood and your coats? Hand stitched, not only is this woolen beauty going to keep you toasty warm, it's a nice long, wide scarf — all the better for wrapping around your neck and snuggling into. This is cute enough to keep wrapped about you even after you remove your coat (hey, where I grew up in Detroit, this is pretty common; it's COLD!), and the joyous colours are probably going to encourage you to do so. $35 and handmade by TJT Design.

A Little Flash for Your Cash

My old wallet is looking pretty beaten and aged, understandably so after several years of use. That means it's time to hunt for a new pocketbook, and entering the running is this one, with room for my checkbook as well as cash, business cards, change, and maybe a picture or two. There's also a change pocket so you don't have to dig to the bottom of your purse for quarters at the toll booth.

Isn't the pattern delightful? It's so vibrant and cheerful, particularly with the pretty lime and blue vinyl lining. The exterior of this pretty thing has been coated with clear vinyl to protect the print from the other chaos occuring in your handbag. Handmade and $42 from Quiet Doing.

Pretty Rich - For Just $10

Oh, this is beautiful, isn't it? Little Red Birdie offers this lovely and sophisticated zipper pouch, made from a re-purposed skirt. At 7.25 x 4, it's perfect for storing your makeup kit, your cash & driver's license as a wallet, to hold business cards or special jewelry on a trip, and of course - the first thing I thought of when I spied it - a clutch for a formal gathering. The colours are rich and the embroidery makes it so feminine and sweet - and for just $10, what's not to love?

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may...

I don't really wear a watch anymore, because if I need to know the time I've usually got my cellphone or car radio to tell me what time it is. The other reason I don't wear a watch is that they tend to be utiltarianly ugly, too nice, or perhaps worst of all, a bit juvenile.

All of that said, though, who would mind wearing a watch like this one from Moxie and Oliver? The brightly coloured hand-cut leather poppies (no roses, sorry for the misleading tease) riveted onto the dyed leather band turn what would otherwise be a very simple watch into something sweetly feminine. Despite my lack of attachment to wristworn timepieces, I have always liked square-faced watches, too.

Moxie and Oliver will size the band to fit your wrist, and they offer a snap or the traditional watch closure. $75.

I'm heading over to our house to paint my studio tonight (I decided on the pale lime green, if you remember the pictures stuck on the wall). We're actually moving in next weekend, and it's high time - all of my baking dishes are over there already, which mean I had to use my ingenuity to cook dinner tonight. ;)

Have a wonderful evening!

Oh My Gosh.

I have to tell you that my girlfriend Danielle would LOVE this, because she just loves Maneki Neko cats - not just because they're cute, but because she (a self-proclaimed Army brat) lived in Japan for some time and undoubtedly picked up on its influence.

This apron isn't exactly something you're likely to be wearing to the office or a dinner date, but it was too cute and fun to pass up. For the paltry pittance of $15, you can whip up supper, snacks or smoothies with kitties beckoning good fortune to you and your kitchen experiments. The apron has 4 pockets - trust me, when you are cooking in the apron, you'll appreciate them - and should fit just about everybody with its two 40" ties (an apron just isn't right when the back doesn't include a big, darling bow).

From Terryann Irasshaimase's shop, where you'll find equally dear aprons and other treats (from someone who, like my friend, also appears to be a military brat, based on her profile!). She makes not just aprons, but totes of all sizes, caps, and other household goodies.

Have a great night!

Fun Friday: A Guard Dog For Your Sweater

Hooray, Friday is here! I have a whole weekend of pulling carpet staples from our wood floors to look forward to. ;) Thank goodness for radio and iPods, right? Of course, the Travers Stakes is tomorrow, and Street Sense is looking good, so I'll definitely be watching that no matter what happens. I hope you all have wonderful weekend plans, too.

Now, I know we've been doing Bakelite all week, but this is not Bakelite. However, it is a pretty fabulous piece and reminiscent of Bakelite, and it is a vintage piece from the 50s or 60s made of celluloid.

I've seen a lot of cute sweater guards in my day, but this greyhound and heart one has to be the best I've ever seen. A dark brown greyhound stands at attention at one end, and at the other end of his brass chain is a red and black heart bearing a rhinestone (the heart almost has a Valentine-y look, doesn't it?). In addition to holding your sweater onto you should you decide you want to wear your sweater sans arms, it would make a pretty brooch - and as you know, I'm a big fan of using brooches in places other than on sweaters! Just imagine the possibilities with this one... $15. If you work with any of the greyhound rescue groups (my favourite is ReGAP), this would be great to give as a gift to a fellow volunteer or to wear to group events, wouldn't it?

Seller Curvy Broad is happy to lengthen the hain for you if you think you'll need the extra length - right now, it's 3". Her shop is yet another full of vintage wonderfulness, and I'm sure you'll love it.

Have a great weekend!

Fun Friday: Green Eggs & Bird

Finally, Friday! If you work at an ad agency like I did, it means you get to leave at 8 instead of 9. ;)

Tonight we've got two cute wallets from Rosybird. One features and egg and ham on a green field. IT's made of felt with a velcro closure and has two inner pockets. It's a fun one for a very compact wallet during nights out when you just feel a little too silly for your own good - and guys might actually like this one, too. $17.

There's also the luxurious canary wallet, also made of felt and hand embroidered with pearlized thread. A cute yellow canary sits atop a velvet ribbon, his button eye watchful for your hand reaching in to grab some necessity or other, or maybe even to show him off to friends (because he is just that cute, you know). He's $20, and from what I've read in the Rosybird shop, each design is available on different sized carriers...I'll bet she'd do passport wallets and the like for you as well, actually.

Both available from Milwaukee's own Rosybird, where you'll find all kinds of fun, whimsical, and very pretty things (check this beautiful purse out). If you're near Milwaukee, Rosybird is at the East Side Open Market on Saturdays from 10-2 until October, and she'll be at Chicago's Renegade Craft Fair coming this September.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fun Friday: Cute For Your Coin

Happy Friday! I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned. The new Harry Potter movie is out, of course (with the final book in the series due next week already - and we thought it wouldn't get here fast enough...), and Pixar's Ratatouille is garnering rave reviews (we've yet to see either film but definitely plan on it). There are several festivals and fairs going on here in Pittsburgh and around the country, and farmer's markets are in full swing too. It's the height of summer, so be sure to enjoy it!


As for your hyper-cute Friday indie, I saw these great handmade coin purses the other night while looking for something else and have been excited about featuring them. They're all from Christine of Studio X-Tine, who isn't just wonderfully creative but generous as well - she'll donate half the price of our two animal-bearing coin purses to Etsy For Animal's Charity of the month (this month, it's the British Columbia's Nelson Branch BCSPCA).


First we have the sweetly funky and retro Bird Watching In Space coin purse. The bird image is from a vintage repro cotton print, protected by clear vinyl and surrounded by red vinyl. The little bird with the jet-age space helmet is just so cute, isn't it? The back of the coin purse is all red vinyl with a black zipper, and the purse is 4.5" in diameter - this is also one of the Etsy for Animals charity pieces. Of the $14.50 price tag, half goes to an animal charity.

The other charity piece is obviously the little happy black cat coin purse, and this is one black cat who won't mean bad luck! Another piece made of vinyl, he features cute little pink ears and nose with button eyes and machine-embroidered whiskers. Obviously, he holds your parking and laundry coinage safely and securely in his little kitty mouth. $15.00, and again, a full 50% goes to an animal-supporting charity. Happy kitty is a little more than 4" x 4".

Finally, the $14.50 atomic atom coin purse is another little round coin purse, featuring a vintage reproduction cotton barkcloth again protected with glossy clear vinyl and set off by black vinyl front and back. The inside has been tautly lined black taffeta, too.


All of Studio X-Tina's good ship USPS first class, and I should note than in addition to several other for-charity items, she sells handbags, tees, skirts, and other items that all have a clean yet fun flair to them - so well done it's almost sneaky but clearly retro. It's a very fun shop.

Have a great weekend!

Decidedly Pretty

As you know, there are some nights when I just can't restrain myself, and thus force upon you more than one item.

Shameful? You know it.

Yet still, you visit....



Tonight is such a night, as I'm featuring lovely things from Deciduous Soul. I just couldn't help it!

First up is a charming little piece of wearable art in the form of the Little House on the French Countryside pendant necklace. A magical scene collaged and glazed onto a Scrabble tile, this one features a red-doored home (all who love red doors, say "Aye!") peacefully enjoying the shade of a pink polka-dotted and flowery tree. The aqua and green countryside is a cheerful background that highlights the other colours, and no, I won't tell if you secretly imagine yourself enjoying a lemonade in front of said little house during really rotten days. The pendant is strung from a sheer cream ribbon via a handmade silver clasp. For $15.99, you get a lovingly created piece of handmade art you can wear all you want!

The other irresistibly cute item is this handmade Madeline summer hat, perfect for prettily protecting your beautiful skin from the evil rays of the sun (no, really) while keeping the sun out of your eyes so you can enjoy the beach, ball game, barbeque, or Buick show (hey, I was on a roll with the B's) in style. The cotton print is what really caught my eye, but check out the sunny, adorable rickrack trim and smattering of colourful buttons on the brim! How cute is that?

Designer Ellene came up with her design for this darling hat after 2 hours of squinting through her daughter's softball games. She made sure the crown wasn't Honest Abe tall, as she tells it, and made sure the rim has a lot of winsome floppiness - which also means your face & much of your hair will be safe. The hat is only $24.50, and in such a timeless style and print, it's sure to provide you with many seasons of fashion, fun, and protection.

Finally, look at this elegant but approachable cotton wrap skirt in a creamy tan and white print. Isn't it beautiful? Great for church, work, or just casual running around, it's sure to serve you well for years to come. It's knee-length and adjustable for waists from 27.5 - 33 inches and hips from 36-44 inches, all for $48. This skirt is summer's casual elegance at its best, don't you think?


In addition to wonderful pieces like these, Deciduous Soul offers handbags, jewelry, and mixed media art. I clearly liked many of her things, not all of which I could feature here, so be sure to pop on over!

More Hana Tsumami

I'm so excited about tonight's little goodie because it truly is a very beautiful piece of wearable art. Really, that's one of the things I most enjoy about this blog, because "wearable art" is the best way to define a lot of the things I feature here, particularly when it comes to the jewelry and accessories like this one.

You're gazing at a lovely hana tsumami hair comb featuring three lovely cherry blossoms made of habutae woven silk. Habutae is smooth, soft, and shiny, and is traditionally used as kimono lining in Japan as well as for hair treats like this and kanzashi. Tsumami is the art of pinching silk in order to create a thee-dimensional object; maru-tsumami is round-pinching and ken-tsumami is sword-pinching. In this comb, the artist has made the blossoms with maru-tsumami and the petals with ken-tsumami.

According to Atelier Kanawa,

Since the middle of Edo period(1603-1867), this handcraft technique has been traditionally utilized by maidservants in the imperial court as their hobby. Eventually, this beautiful technique was recognized by the Japanese society, then it began to be used to produce KANZASHI hairpins, sticks, combs and so on. . .

Today, not only MAIKO wear them, but they are worn by Japanese women for new year celebration, celebration for children called "shichi go san", a coming-of-age ceremony, wedding, and those people who perform traditional Japanese dance.

TSUMAMI KANZASHI are made to show the beauty of four seasons. For example, MAIKO wear plum flower in February, cherry blossom in April, and chrysanthemum in October.

Apparently - this is something I didn't know - there are only 15 acknowledged tsumami kanzashi artists worldwide, and it's a piece of Japanese heritage that could easily be lost - wouldn't that be a shame? There are few who can or will take on the continuance of this unique and singularly beautiful art form, so Atelier Kanawa is planning to take a class from one of these amazing artisans this year! Obviously, that means your purchase of her artwork will go toward her being able to do this, not only so Atelier Kanawa can take the class but also pass this art form on to future generations.

In addition to the blossoms themselves, this $35 comb also has detachable hanging petals. The detachable petals fasten onto the comb via a circular spring ring (like the ones you'll find on many necklaces and bracelets) so you can place the petals wherever you like or just wear the comb by itself. There are two teeny, tiny bells in the petals that create a really sweet, lovely, quiet sound as you move about, something I'm pretty sure is a traditional touch as well. This is a perfect touch for your next celebration or as a gift to a bride-to-be, or maybe to someone who is going through a lot right now and would be really blessed and encouraged by such a beautiful gift.

Everything from Atelier Kanawa is shipped secured in bubble wrap in a box, and free gift-wrap is available. You'll also find fused glass and Japanese paper pendants as well as hairpins, combs, and handbags made from kimono fabric at her store. All of the things you'll find at Atelier Kanawa are beautiful and stylish, and items you'll probably treasure forever or be thrilled to give as a gift (for instance, check out this amazing bamboo basket purse crowned with vintage kimono fabric - wow!). Definitely one to watch!

Convenience Made Pretty

Remember back in the good old days, when we were told cellphones would make our lives easier and less complicated? Right. No, it now means your boss feels it's perfectly all right to call you back into the office during dinner or phone in a request for a report due at 9AM just as you and your dearest are settling in to enjoy a good book or movie. Isn't it wonderful?

Joking aside, cellphones are almost a must-have these days; in fact, Hubby and I only use our cell phones, eschewing land lines in favor of the less expensive and obviously more mobile cells. They have their drawbacks, but it's also really nice to be able to call our favourite sushi place to make reservations for that evening while we're out running around, and personally, I feel an additional sense of security having my cellphone in my purse while I'm out and about. Still, it can be irritating when someone calls and I have to hurriedly rummage through my handbag (because I only put my phone in its pocket about half the time, of course) for my cellphone.

Thankfully, super-famous Rina of Three Green Apples has solved the problem of losing one's cellphone to the darkest, more fearsome regions of our purses by creating a bunch of terrific little zPouches, like this one, the Mon Amour. Made of a swanky-sweet brushed cotton Australian fabric, the pouch is 5 X 3.5 x 1.75, perfect for holding your cellphone and probably even a lipstick or lipbalm or a few mints. It attaches to your keychain (yay!) or even the tooling on your purse via a little silver key fob. Rina sews everything to be durable as well as chic, and all the zPouches zip shut to keep your valuable phone - because you know as well as I do that you barely remember anyone's phone number anymore, just like me - safely tucked away.

This fully lined zPouch is just $18, and worth every penny; Three Green Apples is well known among the crafting community and it's because Rina is serious about producing well-made things. In addition to these handy little treats, you'll find lovely handbags, wristlets and pouches of all sorts at her shop. She uses some of the prettiest and most whimsical fabrics one can imagine, so pop on over and enjoy your shopping!

Fun Fridays: A Fortunately Stylish Girl

It's your good fortune (har, har) that I couldn't decide between the two items featured here today. One's just good plain fun, the other stylish and fun, but it's my hope you enjoy both of them equally. Befitting the 'fun' theme, you can snap up both goodies for yourself or a friend for under $15. It's almost like being a little kid sometimes, here in my head...

*ahem*

First up are these terrific fortune cookie earrings from Juanita Tortilla. Yup, fortune cookies. Everyone seems to love cracking these cookies open, nibbling on a few pieces, and reading their fortune; lately, I've been seen them pop up covered in chocolate with sprinkles or chocolate chips on them. Made of felt, these $6 earrings are available in clip-on as well as for pierced ears, and can be made for you in just about any colour you like, from the classic cookie colour to red, purple, yellow, green... I can't imagine putting these on and being bummed out for long. What a fun thing to wear!

Fortune cookies are an icon in Amrican culture, but I never really knew the history about these fun treats until I tried finding out this afternoon. The giving of moon cakes, made of lotus nut paste, are used to celebrate the New Year, harvest, and other special occasions. In the 13th and 14th century, when China found itself occupied by the Mongols - Mongols who didn't like lotus nut paste, as it turns out. When the Chinese patriots started planning a revolution, they decided the best way to transmit messages to fellow revolutionaries was to replace the yolk of the popular Moon cakes with secret messages instead! As the Mongols didn't like the lotus nut paste included in the cakes, there was no fear of the message falling into the wrong hands. As a result, the uprising successfully ran the Mongols out of China and paved the way for the forming of the Ming Dynasty, and the tradition of using cakes to pass messages along was born. Tasty and useful - what could be wrong with that?

Today's fortune cookies may have first appeared when Chinese '49ers exchanged biscuits containing cheerful messages with one another instead of the traditional Moon cakes, which were obviously much harder to create during the conditions of the gold rush. The biscuits became popular, and as the Chinese settled into the San Francisco area 'fortune cookies' became nearly ubiquitous. There's a lot of debate about the true origins of the fortune cookie, to tell the truth, and they may have actually been invented by a Japanese American in San Fran, but none of this changes the fact that to most people, fortune cookies signal Chinese food and good times.

(Interestingly, fortune cookies were mostly unheard of in China until 1993, when Wonton Food Company started making the cookies in China - but sales didn't do well at all, and the factory was shut down. The Chinese don't really like sugar, feeling that too much of it dulls the palate.)


Now, these aren't even a wearable item, but they're so fun I decided to feature it anyhow. It's difficult to find a keyfob that's not tacky, cheesy, or boring - but Leslie Ann Black of Black Bags has solved that problem for us by offering these sophisticated key fobs featuring old Vogue pattern fabric! Definitely an improvement upon the stuff you'll find at the drug store (or wherever one buys key fobs these days), these $7 fobs are 4.5" x 1.25" wide sewn fabric firmly attached to a silver ring for your keys. (She has several styles, including fairy tales, graphic designs, and this sweet bluebird fob, which I think is going to be my favourite.) Having one of these hanging from my keychain instead of a boring plastic fob with a snarky remark on it is far more my style!

Finally, yesterday I gave you a heads-up on crafters doing some wonderful charitable things for the families of the VT victims and a fellow crafter, Alison Gordon, and forgot that one of my favourites, The Pebble Collection, has a whole set of designated items from which the proceeds will go directly to Alison of The Sampler. Sorry about that, and do check out her beautiful work.

Have a great weekend!

Uptown, Everything Is All Right...

This Uptown tote is perfect for carrying all of your necessaries and accoutrements around in style all spring and summer long, isn't it? (No, I couldn't resist toying with a favourite Stevie Wonder song.) Made with a beautiful scotchgarded Erin Michael fabric, this colourful bag has been quilted for extra softness and texture, and looks like it has a very durable but nice lining, too. The bag has also been given a heavier interface on the bottom for stability and will thus stand upright even when empty (I did this with my first tote and am quite glad I did).

The bag is a pretty good size - twelve inches long, five inches wide, and eleven inches tall, with thirteen-inch straps. You could fill it up with good reads at the library, goodies at an art or crafts fair, business cards with samples and brochures for a business conference, or throw in bottled water, sunblock (thou shalt NOT forget they sunblock, dear ladies!), a mind-candy book, your shades and flip-flops for an afternoon at the beach. I'll bet some of you can actually fit your primary purse into this bag as well as your needs for the day, but...well, at the moment I am not that girl. At just $24, this big carry-all tote is not just a good deal, it's a chic good deal, and therefore one to be snatched up quickly.

I have to say, I really like how the artist started making purses. She's a wife and mom of two teenage daughters who said "No!" when they wanted an expensive designer purse - and made one purse for each daughter instead. So pleased were the girls and anyone who saw them with their mom-made goods that Mrs. Mom decided she had a fine business on her hands. I love it. :) All of her products - including some really neat garbage totes for your car - are made in a smoke-free home with loving care. J.Pat Purses also has a spotless feedback rating, so you know you're in good hands. She uses some really fun fabrics on all of her goods, and by looking at the extra-large picture of the Uptown tote, I think it's safe to say she does a fine job (having semi-butchered my first tote, trust me, I'd know; it's amazing what one learns when they begin sewing for themselves...). Everything in her shop is stylish and there's something for nearly every taste, so enjoy!

Beautiful Button Rings

Aren't these button rings beautiful and wonderfully unique? Made of beaded memory wire set with petite, elegant vintage buttons, I'd think this is a piece of jewelry one would treasure - just great vintage style, no doubt about it. My favourite is definitely a, with the lovely flower button, although b makes it a tough decision. The memory wire fits (roughly) a 6.5 and there isn't much give, but if that's your size, this might be a really wonderful addition to your accessories!

There's something wonderful about vintage things, especially little things like these buttons, isn't there? It's like holding a small piece of history, and I know that I'd often catch myself looking down at the ring, wondering who bought, what dress or blouse it was for, or if perhaps it was meant for something she was making for someone else. I'd muse about where the button went - a wedding? A museum? A child's birthday party? A funeral? It could have been worn anywhere, by anyone, and to me, that's one of the beautiful things about vintage treats such as these. They give me an excuse to exercise my overactive imagination. ;)

(Additionally, if you sew or craft at all, you know how insanely expensive buttons - even plain, boring sensibly utiltarian ones - are.)

$20 from Mood Swing, a shop full of whimsical, beautiful things. It was quite difficult to choose just one goodie, so I think we'll be visiting them again! I really think you'll enjoy her shop - it's shabby chic less the shabby, if that makes any sense at all (I see you shaking your head, "Um, no." But you can trust me). Enjoy!

Where flowers bloom, so does hope.

Tonight, Hubby and I meandered around our local hardware place so I could purchase some new flowerpots and soil for our little balcony garden. Some flowers, some herbs (actually, quite a few herbs), and happily, my beloved lilies are alread peeking above the soil. As we rode home from the store, I shook the little seed packets close to my ear, inciting a laugh from my husband. My response was that the sound of seeds rattling away in their little envelopes is the sound of promise, promise in a packet. And they say money can't buy happiness...

Since childhood, I've adored flowers, particularly lilies - especially lilies of the valley, my favourite flower. (It was kind of cool that I played the character of Lily in the musical The Secret Garden, a role I'd love to play again...) Flowers are so wonderful because they really do inspire hope - hope in a new beginning, new chances and opportunities. In their gentle, lovely way, they are capable of reminding us that no matter what is going on in our lives and the world around us, life goes on as before, full of beauty and struggle, death and glorious life alike. Indeed, it is in the death of the blooms we find so lovely that new life is able to begin, and, in the wild at least, the following year's seeds gain richer life from the remains of their parent flower as the roots take nourisment from the fallen leaves, petals and stems that returned to the earth. It isn't that we think about these things so literally when we see a flower, but I think that they're in the back of our mind as part of our human consciousness.

Of course, a lot of us love flowers based on their beauty alone, and there's nothing wrong with that, right? (Every good and perfect thing comes from God, and I suspect flowers are at the top of His list of favourite things too.) So it's no surprise that flowers are such a common subject of and on our clothing, jewelry, handbags, hats, and other accessories.

This beautiful, springy yarrow flower brooch from eye felt is a way to have the beauty and meaning of flowers with you every day. Made of 100% wool felt and accented with a pretty wooden button (I should start a whole new category for wooden accessories, shouldn't I?) and simply perfect contrasting stitches. The 6.5" wide flower pin has been hand dyed with yarrow and indigo - producing the gorgeous colours you see here.

Pins like this are great not just for your favourite cardigan and blouse, but will look briliant placed on your handbag, scarf, the edge or hip of a favourite skirt, a light spring jacket...anywhere! I really think the colours are perfect for spring, but this classic celadon and dusky blue is good for just about any season. This one is only $12.50 from the charming little shoppe of eye felt of New Mexico. Enjoy!

(If you're curious, the title of this post is actually an Eleanor Roosevelt quote.)

Keep 'Em Close

This keychain mini photo album is too cute - cheery colours (the rest are below), always-chic polka dots - and it's useful cuteness at that. Inside are two spots for photographs of the ones you love - significant other, family, best friends, your pets, or maybe even inspirational photographs that take you on a mini-vacation. You could even insert prettily printed or written quotes or Bible verses that soothe or bring joy to your heart for those moments you need an extra pick-me-up. Since it's attached right to your keychain, odds are good that the faces of your loved ones or some inspiration will always be nearby.

I'd say it might be good for holding a quarter in case your car breaks down or you need a ride, but that just obviously shows my age (hey it wasn't that long ago this was a viable option because cellphones were the size of a large toolbox, nor were they as ubiquitous as they are now).

Your perky keychian mini-album snaps shut and has a split silver ring for easy addition to your keys. According to inspire, it's also scrapbook friendly - this would make a great surprise addition to a scrapbook or maybe even a handmade card, and at $6.50, it's inexpensive enough that business owners, especially artists, could give these away to clients - and you can give them as gifts to anyone! From the magical land of inspire company. Enjoy!