Being from Hawaii, I am always looking for ways to bring the islands into my home without going overboard.  I don’t want a house that looks like a hotel room with a ton of floral prints.  Just little things like these cool petroglyph concrete pavers by Da Kine Concrete.

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Honu Design

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Native Design

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Native with Paddle Design

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I adore Chronicle Books and their selection of inspiring books.  The collection that they offer isn’t random and there aren’t pages upon pages of books to sift through.  Each book seems to be hand selected just for viewers who appreciate everything visual.  I love everything they have from picture books to cookbooks.  Use the following promo codes for your discount:

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• CRAFT30 - 30% Off Craft Books
• ART30 - 30% Off Art and Photo Books
  
• KIDS30- 30% Off Children’s Books
• COOKS30- 30% Off Cookbooks

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Around The World With Mouk

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The Life & Love of Trees

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Lotta Jansdotter Stencils: Decorate Your Walls, Furniture, Fabric and More

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Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey – Treats For Kids

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Elsewares offers an awesome assortment of goods created by a network of independent designers across the globe.  I especially love these eco-friendly wallets to hold all that money you are about to spend on their website!

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I heart The Bright Side Project, a website dedicated to daily giveaways.  Each day they feature a brand or product that will add a little sunshine in your life.  I know that this Stop Smile Breathe Life Is Beautiful Postcard brings sunshine to my life.  I have already inquired about posters and am told that it is already in the works.  I can’t wait!  Until then, you can download the pdf postcard here.

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Brooklyn, NY—Spring is in the air, and plans are already under way for the second-annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade. On Saturday April 24th, this handmade shopping event will set up for the day in the beautiful new Williamsburg bar, Berry Park.

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“With its high ceilings, roof garden with views of the city, and beers from around the world, it’s the perfect place to spend a spring afternoon,” said Karin Persan, lead coordinator of the event.

The Spring Handmade Cavalcade is hosted by The {NewNew}, a collaborative group of independent designers in the New York metro area. With its Handmade Cavalcade series, The {NewNew} seeks to present shoppers with a carefully curated selection of goods made by local artists. “We’re featuring some of our best and brightest craftspeople in this event,” Persan said. “We are excited to make the Spring Handmade Cavalcade a notable shopping event in Brooklyn once again this year.”

In honor of its proximity to Earth Day, this year’s Spring Handmade Cavalcade will focus on sustainably-made products. “Many of our members produce goods which have a minimal ecological impact, and we’re highlighting them in this Cavalcade,” Persan said. “The Handmade Cavalcade will showcase sustainably- and locally- made housewares, paper goods, and apparel and accessories for any occasion.”

Free, limited-edition goody bags will be available to the first 100 visitors who arrive at the Spring Handmade Cavalcade. Shoppers will also be eligible to enter to win one of six custom-embellished goody bags filled with handmade products from featured Cavalcade vendors.

The Spring Handmade Cavalcade is sponsored in part by Swap-bot.com and Etsy.

For more information on the event, visit www.handmadecavalcade.com.

What: The Spring Handmade Cavalcade
Event Date: Saturday, April 24, 2010
Event Hours: 10am – 5pm
Website: www.handmadecavalcade.com
Location: Berry Park, 4 Berry Street, Brooklyn
Admission: free

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Contact Karin Persan
Email :  handmadecavalcade@gmail.com
Phone 631-377-2500

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Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn— April 3rd and 4^th, Saturday 11-7 and Sunday 11-6, will mark the 4th grand reopening of Brooklyn Indie Market (BIM), a weekly weekend market showcasing some of the freshest names in jewelry, clothing, handbags, kidswear, bath, silk screened men’s t-shirts and product design. Located on Smith and Union Streets in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens, indie designers of all stripes and inspirations will once again be found under the red and white striped tent, which has become a weekly gathering spot for in-the-know Big Apple shoppers. The gutsy little marketplace which places an emphasis on showcasing limited-edition, emerging designers has been touted by media like Time Out New York, New York Magazine, Italian Marie Claire and a bevy of fashion blogs as a beloved neighborhood style dealer for your fashion and design fix.  BIM is conveniently located steps from the Carroll Street Station of the F/G trains.
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After a wintery, three-month hiatus, Brooklyn Indie Market designers re-emerge with a new bag of design tricks, some of which actually are handbags Fofolle’s new line of gallery bags are perfect for hobnobbing while balancing a flute of champagne. Kimmchi launches her new line of silkscreened lingerie, Rebecca Shepherd, known for her gorgeous adornments of precious and semi precious jewelry has expanded her repertoire to include a line of equally delicious floral design.
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April 3rd and 4th you can peruse your favorite indie designers of seasons’ past and get to meet some new-on-the-scene faces as well, offering the public a first glimpse of the many new names in fashion and product design.

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Kicking off the roster of re-emerged designers:

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• Kimmchi- Silkscreened women’s clothing and lingerie www.kimmchi.com
• Rebecca Shepherd- Romantic adornments and floral design www.rebeccashepherd.com
• Elements For Inspired Living-Handcrafted decorative items for the home  www.elementsforinspiredliving.com
• Fofolle- Skirt fairy and inventor of the “reinvention” www.fofolle.com

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For more info on the market, directions, and offerings visit www.brooklynindiemarket.com or call 718-753-2180, take the F/G train to the Carroll station stop.

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Contact:
Kathy Malone
Tel – 718.753.2180
Email – kathymalone@gmail.com

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Starbright Girl Jewellery Design is the creation of Megan-Jayne McFall based in Durban, South Africa.  What I love about her pieces is that it’s very nostalgic, to me anyway.  I can’t remember the last time I saw Little Twin Stars.  I grew up around everything Sanrio and had a ton of Hello Kitty stationary.  Natsukashii-na!

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Little Twin Stars Kiki and Lala Earrings

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Kitty Brooch

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Smurfy Brooch

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What Would Buffy Do?  Sterling Silver and Resin Ring

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I am truly amazed by these prints.  I could never have the patience to hand cut these fabulous maps.  The detail and thought that went into them is incredible.  What happens if you make a mistake?  Do you start over?  I think I will leave the intricate paper cutting to the experts.  Visit Famille Summerbelle for your favorite map print.

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London Map

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London Map Detail

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New York Map

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Paris Map

We took our son to the Touch-A-Truck event where all proceeds support Family-to-Family in Las Vegas.  The kids were having a great time laying in on the horns and sitting in the backhoe, ambulance, police cars and fire trucks.  My son’s favorite wasn’t even a truck.  It was playing inside the hot air balloon.  I thought I’d share these photos with you.  Happy Monday!

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Freshie and Zero is welcoming Spring with a SALE!  Buy any piece on www.freshieandzero.com and get a second for half off!  Discount applies to lowest priced item, but there is no limit to how much jewelry you can stock up on! And shipping is still free for orders over $70!
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If you live in or near Nashville, TN – Freshie and Zero will be having a trunk show at the Tomorrow Fund ArtisTree Fundraiser for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, April 3rd during the First Saturday Gallery Crawl. During this special event, 40% of all Freshie & Zero sales go directly towards The Community Foundation, so please tell (or bring) all of your friends!
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Freshie & Zero will be taking a break from approximately 4/20 – 5/20 for a big exciting event, so please plan accordingly as we will be unable to process online orders during this time.

Easter is almost here and there is still time to get some Easter treats for your favorite friends and family members.  Or if you are selfish like me, you can get those treats for yourself.  Here are a few Easter gift ideas for you.

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Easter Egg Fizzles by Bath By Riley and if you order before April 1st for these Easter Savings.

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Set of 4 Knitted Easter Chickens at Aunt Zarina’s.

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Pink and White Easter Bunny Necklace by Simply Raevyn.

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Easter Doxie and Owls Sweet Card by Persnickety Pelican.

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Gorjuss is a collection of artwork created by Suzanne Woolcott.  Her paintings are so cute and whimsical.  I especially love the bookmarks that you can take with you wherever you go.  You can find Suzanne’s portfolio here and you can also find her on Etsy.

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As a mother, I am always on the lookout for cute and inventive “Mommy” items to make even the most mundane event not-so-mundane.  What’s that mean?  For instance, I love those moms who pack their kids lunches and somehow make them special by adding a toy or a handmade note in each lunch bag.  Or make the lunch bag themselves!  Here are a few items I feel mom’s around the world need to keep for such events.

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Instead of just cramming a dollar bill under your child’s pillow, make it special with this Tooth Fairy Kit at Papermash.

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Setting up a play date for the kids?  These Customized Play Date Cards by Secret Agent Jo will make life easier and definitely more memorable.  Customized cards are great so you don’t have to call another mom and introduce yourself as Jane’s Mom or John’s Mom.

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A great playtime activity instead of that Wii or Nintendo DS is this cute Indian Camp at Sweet William. Get your child’s creative juices flowing and reenact a scene from history.  Fun and educational.  Have fun everyday!

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Sophie and Toffee is a company that strives to provide its customers with supplies inspired by the Japanese craft movement.  They have an array of beads, clays, molds and my favorite, the  miniatures.  All of these tiny food and furniture replicas makes me want to build a doll house.

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Homemade Happiness offers an array of adorable printable party products.  You can find cake toppers to pirate hats or crowns.  If you aren’t Dutch, they also offer their wares on Etsy (in English).  Since most of these products or maybe all are printable, they are also extremely affordable (up to $3.50).

And for the fantastic price of FREE, you can get this cute To Wish List PDF download here.

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Daily Candy is one of my favorite sites and daily newsletters.  It features EVERYTHING hip and trendy from places to visit, where to buy the cutest and yummiest cupcakes and where the best deals are.  Daily Candy has created a new site called Swirl where you can purchase samples from well known AND up and coming designers at great low prices at up to 80% off.  Love it!

Lisa Jones Studio offers an array of wonderful illustrated cards and prints.  What I love most about their products is the ethical sourcing of materials.

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The Monjack monsters are the coolest wallet/coin purse/carrying cases.  They are available in mini monster or mega monster sizes.  You can find these funky dudes at Tokyo Made.

I Just love this Robot Onesie by Hardboiled because the story continues from front to back.  You can get this onesie at Eslewares.

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Art Wall is a virtual gallery that displays artwork by independent designers.  Art Wall is not a store but a gallery that can navigate you to the artist’s personal website for further information on how to view or purchase their work.  It’s a wonderful site that provides the viewer with a collection of varying styles for your enjoyment.

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So I decided that my Flora design needed a little something…like a background.  There was just too much white space.  I am not trained in any type of art unless you count architecture which I don’t think falls in the same category.  What I am saying is that I need feedback and a little encouragement.  Okay.  A lot of encouragement. In any case, here is my revised Flora design (with background).  I am going to do a few test prints so I can sell a few 10 x 10’s and have revised my Hound + Hydrant store that sells t-shirts and tote bags.

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Three Brooklyn Labels Launch their Spring Designs at Better Than Jam Handmade Co-op

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Brooklyn, NY – On Friday March 26, Brooklyn indie designers Rocks and Salt, Kimmchi, and Wabisabi Brooklyn will debut their 2010 Spring designs at Better Than Jam Handmade Co-op (BTJ), a new addition to the Bushwick shopping scene.
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From 7 to 10pm, the group will kick off the Spring season with a fun-filled trunk show at BTJ. “I’m delighted to be celebrating Spring at the shop with these designers,”  said Karin Persan, owner of BTJ. “Phil Miner and Sara Hull of Rocks and Salt are best known for their stylish caps, and their newest accessory designs really evoke fun-filled days in the sun.”
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Rounding out the event will be: Kimm Alfonso of Kimmchi, who silkscreens t-shirts, lingerie, and dresses with her bold, abstract designs; and MaryAnne LoVerme of Wabisabi Brooklyn, best known for her unique decoupage jewelry.
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“The designers have some surprises planned for shoppers, especially those on their respective mailing lists,” Persan continued. “For those who haven’t made it out to BTJ yet, it will be a chance to sip some wine, chat with designers, and be the first to see their new Spring creations.”

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For more information on the event, visit www.betterthanjamnyc.com.

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What: Better Than Jam Spring Trunk Show
Event Date: Friday, March 26, 2010
Event Hours: 7-10pm
Website: www.betterthanjamnyc.com
Location: Better Than Jam Handmade Co-op, 1095 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn
Admission: free

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I have been reading this book Design Your Self: Rethinking the Way You Live, Love, Work, and Play and on some level I find Karim Rashid’s perspective on design and life in general interesting.  Much of the book is actually common sense and yet it’s a great reminder of how design in any shape and form can make your life more meaningful and definitely more exciting.  Of course, there is a chapter on fashion and in bold lettering he writes “Dump the brands” so people can express their individuality.  Sound familiar?  He also writes “to be individual and creative is far more important than being hip”.  Smart man.  If his ideas aren’t inspiring then the book layout itself might be.  I do love the bold colors used to reinforce his written words.

I thought I’d share this with you.  It’s my son’s favorite thing to watch while in the car (after he steals my phone).  It’s called Food Fight and he will replay it over and over.  Yes, and over again.  It’s pretty cool … the first time you see it!

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Visit Red Velvet Art, an online boutique full of handmade goodies.  If you are fortunate enough to live in the Springfield, MO vicinity, visit the brick and mortar boutique at 200 East Commercial.  You might find wonderful items such as these  coffee cozy’s by Twinkie Dink.  I say might because they MIGHT be sold out!

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Never fear, there is more to see and buy.  Such as these cute Space Girl Mini Prints, Pink Mustache and Navy Blue Mini Dress. There is just so much to see and choose from.  Shop until you drop!

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