amigurumi

what's amigurumi, you ask?  [no worries, i didn't know either!]  basically, amigurumi is knitting or crocheting smaller scale stuffed animals and other creatures.  powered by cuteness, it's a Japanese art form that has taken the online handmade market by storm. 

as a fan of all sorts of oddities, it should not surprise you that i flipped after seeing a small creation that is cross between a giant eyeball and a venus fly trap [a la rocky horror picture show].  the small alien-like bundle of adorable-ness was crocheted with love in Missus D's studio in munich, germany.  amongst the many amigurumi creations in her shop, she also features fun Lego jewelry and crocheted stones [another fantastic trend on Etsy]. 

she has a printable paperie store too - visit it here.  print cards, calendars, and art on your own time!  save on shipping and customize your order with your choice of colors and fonts.  

my favorite Missus D pieces are below. 

PS:  my birthday is in march...

One Eye Alien Plant Amigurumi- Small- Crochet - $30 USD

Crochet lavender snail amigurumi - about $20 USD

Crochet Benda Robot Amigurumi - about $75 USD

3"-4" Crochet Lace Stone / Häkelstein - about $30 USD

keeping it simple

a dress is quite definitely my favorite garment to wear.  why?  because it is comfortable, sexy, and most important of all - EASY.  easy to style, dress it up, dress it down, add jewelry and accessories, or keep it simple. 

you can quickly find a dress to fit your body shape no matter the season, occasion, or personal style.  all in one step!  ...well, two if you count adding shoes and accessories. with an infinite amount of silhouettes, colors, fabrics, and unique details, the possibilities of creating a perfect look are endless. 

one company that [in my opinion] perfects the dress is Three Little Ducks.  based out of sydney, australia, katherine humphery and patrick mcdermott take classic to a whole new place.  with lovely modern shapes, high attention to detail, and fabulous prints, their pieces are built to last through the seasons and out live trends.  of course they do not only create dresses, but also separates designed to compliment a woman's shape and fashionable lifestyle.

the piece that i am fascinated with is the sexy little number, Antique.  not only is it made of a gorgeous jersey knit [black with gold "scratches"], but it has an interesting circular shape with gathering for a perfect fit that flatters many different shapes.  hot!  i only wish that they offered this dress in many different colors - it could be a favorite of many! 

below are a few choice styles from their current selection.  take a gander and find your perfect dress.

Antique - $140

Chloe Dress - $280

Multi Dress - $280

Ink Iku Dress - $110

sweet!

who can forget the classic Super Mario Bros games for the original Nintendo and Super Nintendo?  probably no one.  unless, of course, you were born after 1990.  even then, the epic-ness of the games still exist, especially nowadays when everything retro is quite hip. 

i, for one, am not an avid gamer of any sort, but give me an evening at home with a few friends, ice cold beer, and some friendly competition Mario Kart, and you'll have one happy girl.  the sights, the sound-effects, the music, the loveable [and hate-able] characters and their usual sayings - LOVE. 

i have a handful of close friends who are "gamer geeks" and they would absolutely adore Until It Ends [Studios].  i'm not a gamer and i love it!  [ok, that must be the inner geek coming out...]  the shop features fun jewelry, magnets, key chains, and other miscellaneous small items, all with character and object charms from various games [mainly Mario Bros and Zelda].  a fantastic way to show that you're a true fan!  a bonus:  everything is super affordable. 

check out a few of my faves below - maybe you'll find something for the geek in your life!  i especially like the colorful goo-filled potion necklaces. 

As Until It Ends [Studios] says...Live. Laugh. Pwn.™

Pick Your Potion - Geeky Gamer Charm Necklace - $6.50 each

Classic Super Mario Bros. Cloud Earrings - $4.95

Super Mario Star Magnet Duo - $9.75

sustainable home

artists who create beautiful and useful products from unconventional or discarded items have a special place in my heart.

as an avid up-cycler, it's always a pleasure to see others doing the same and thinking twice about throwing out something because of a chip, hole, or other imperfection.  making something totally new and unexpected from an everyday ordinary object is a wonderful feeling.  a bike wheel wall clock?  why not?  old and rusty farm tools transformed into lawn animals?  heck yes!  t-shirts cut down into throw pillows?  i approve.  one project that i am currently working on is creating tiny wall planters from the wire on top of champagne bottles.  i have been saving them for a few years now and finally putting them to good use! 

Tytie is a home decor and furniture shop that embraces the old, making it brand spanking new in a truly fantastic way.  picture this:  vintage books as small tables, tea cups and saucers hanging from the ceiling as lights, and vinyl albums stacked as a bar stool seat.  lovely, isn't it?  [you don't really have to use your imagination, just see the photos below.]  a vinyl collector myself, i am most drawn to those bar stools - so rockin! 

also check out tytie.com to see other sustainable projects. 

record bar stool - SOLD (but, maybe they would make more by special request?)

End Tables - made from books  -  $275

tea cup light - $35

i pity the fool

do you enjoy a cup of coffee or tea?
do you purchase sweet mugs to show off while you drink?
[excuse me, but your "best boss ever" mug just isn't making the cut...]

if so, then you must check out lorrie's hand painted ceramic mugs.

or you can just check out her entire ceramics shop, LennyMud.  there you can find ring holders, soap dishes, adorable miniature creations, and other miscellaneous cuteness. 

personally, i am not a coffee person, but gosh, give me some green tea any day.  and hell yes i would love to sip tea from one of lorrie's fun and witty creations.  pinky out of course.  after seeing this "Mr. Tea" cup and funky "alice in wonderland"-esque coordinating saucer, i about fell out of my chair.  not only is it hilarious, but also beautifully painted, well-made, and vibrant - just the thing to wake you up in the morning.  so ladylike, yet so manly...i pity the fool who doesn't want to rock one of those bad boys! 

i promise that browsing this lovely ceramics shop will put a smile on your face, so check it out - or else!

Mr. Tea Pink Teacup and Saucer - $20

Mustache Small Stash Jar - $10

Knitting Bowl for Yarn KNIT - $34

black or white?

 why choose when you can have both? 

black and white cookies could quite possibly be my all time favorite cookie. 

here's why:

a staple in most delis and bakeries in and around NYC, this delicious dessert features a soft and fluffy cookie base flavored with both vanilla and lemon.  [bakeries traditionally created them from leftover cake batter.]  then comes the topping:  vanilla fondant on one half and chocolate fondant on the other.  the best of both worlds!  black and whites are also usually over-sized, so they are perfect for sharing.  or hogging.  or eating the chocolate half and saving the vanilla half for later.  personally, i like to take a small bite from each side at once to get the mixture of the chocolate and vanilla.  yumm. 

one of the many specialty foods that i miss from the east coast... 

until i came across Salt City Patisserie!

located in salt lake city, utah, this bakery is bringing black and white cookies, as well as other specialty baked items, to the rest of the US, one yummy order at a time.  although their cookies look much smaller than the NYC originals [i could never take a single bite out of a manhattan giant like in the photo!], i am sure they are just as delicious.  they also use all natural ingredients and many are locally sourced and organic when possible. 

below are the beloved black and whites and a few of Salt City Patisserie's other delicious-looking treats.  the rosemary/sea salt crackers are making me crave some wine and cheese!  ::drool:: 

All Natural Black and White Cookies - Baker's Dozen - $20

All Natural Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookie - Baker's Dozen - $16

Organic Rosemary & Sea Salt Crackers - 20-30 cookies - $14

All Natural Chocolate Parisian Macaron's with Organic Strawberry Ganache - 1 Dozen - $24

hidden treasures

as i have stated before, i am a lover of all things miniature.  [alright, alright, i'm a fanatic!]  give me mini terrariums, baby elephants, bite-size cupcakes, or tiny utensils any day!  i also enjoy freakishly large things as well, but we'll keep it small for today.  

these adorable mini oil paintings are created by brooklyn artist Khara Ledonne and are just adding fuel to my obsession.  not only are they teeny-tiny works of art, but they are located INSIDE of adorable spherical brass/copper lockets!

YES, she takes special requests.

YES, the necklace is probably the most unique and perfect gift you could get for any interesting lady.  [hey, at just under $40, how can you go wrong with a customized gift?]

YES, there are even discounts for bulk orders!  think bridesmaids, friends, employees, "just in case" gifts to have on hand - many possibilities!  they come packaged in a small tin, ready to give to that special someone. 

take a looksy at a few samples of Khara's hard work - so inspiring! 

Brooklyn Water Tower, Hand-Painted Locket - $36

Oil, Hand-painted Super Yellow Airplane Locket - $36

a beautiful custom order

fun and unique packaging

closed locket