gnomes in the trees...

For some reason I have always liked gnomes. I think it is because there is something magical about them. And this outfit sort of reminds me of them! dress :: anthropologie earrings :: fred flare shoes: :: amazon mary jane hat :: dahlia soleil bangle:: Guess! Clue: you might be able to find out if you go to this collection in my Flickr account. "Comment" your answer, and winner will be mentioned on my next post.

my secret crush....modern front

as an architectural designer & having worked as an interior designer, i am easily turned on by unique application, quality design, and color. there are other various things that play into the "senses peeked" calculation but those mentioned above are the front runners. a while back i was finger strolling through etsy and came across modern front, i instantly fell in love, pretty hard. i stalk their store, daily (most of the time) just to make me smile and it acts as a reminder, that yes, there still are a million amazing things to discover in the world of design. modern front is taking the art of re-purposed goods to a height that i dream of. taking vintage goods, repairing them, and then coating them with soft skinned rubber which can be used indoors as well as outdoors. how sensational is that? so, my crush for the everlasting moment has got to be modern front, thank you for the multi-use, re-purposed goods.

ravishing retro

danish mid-century modern furniture, gable roofs & picture windows, sleek cut lawns, and a changing society. women were to be taken seriously, by themselves and by men. hemlines shortened, colors magnified, and lifestyles changed. yasmin has captured one of my favorite era's in a stunning collection, suitably entitled, ravishing retro. included in this collection: shoes: http://irregularchoicestore.co.uk sunglasses case: http://aandvdesigns.etsy.com earrings: http://scorpienna.etsy.com bracelet: http://divinerose.etsy.com dress: http://Smitherman.etsy.com bag: http://Blackseapearl.etsy.com

Shoutout - Pamela Tang

The other day I found the most gorgeous designer on Etsy! Her name is Pamela Tang, she is an interior designer in Singapore. She makes the most gorgeous quilt covers, cushions, and book/journal covers, that will make any book look beautiful! They are handcrafted from exquisite dupion silk, and she also works with other natural materials. You can tell just by the photos that they have been made with wonderful craftsmanship. Check out her Etsy shop, her website, and if you're a bit of a blog addict like I am, perhaps you would like to check out her blog! :D

a rose garden...

as winter gives way to spring, we begin to see & smell the re-awakening earth, the sweetness of the breeze, and the sky takes on a shade of blue that only seems to happen in spring. everything is new & fresh. people begin to migrate outdoors, basking in the delight of spring & the possibilities a new season has to offer. dreams and hopes are renewed & rekindled... all of these emotions, these desires, can be captured in a simple, elegant, and delicate flower...the rose. take a walk through the garden of new beginnings....and don't forget to smell the roses. paper flower girl created this beautiful collection for us, we love it & i hope all of you will too! included in this collection: shoes from river island flower pin by foundling dress from jane's closet necklace by bombalurina earrings by neawear bag from hardtroze

brunch with Amy E.

Time to bring out our fancy China wear, because we're going to have brunch with Amy E., who is a designer in Alberta, Canada, and she goes by the name Code Lime (but you may know her as Sweet Loveable Goods!). Do you remember your Grandma, or perhaps mum wearing knitted or crocheted Mary Janes? She sells many gorgeous things, but one of my favorites would have to be her Mary Jane slippers. They have a real vintage appeal, but they are also really modern and rocky. Our feet shall be pleased, because they are super comfy and warm. So let us sip our tea, and learn more about Amy... 1. Tell us a little about yourself I am 24 years old. 2. What is your craft? My craft is a little bit of everything. I thrive on learning new things and am constantly at the library or buying new books to teach myself whatever I can get my hands on. I am currently taking a dress makers course as well. I want to try it all just to say I tried. I've learned that I am not a jewelry maker, painter or Martha Stewart. I am however a crocheter, book binder, printer (gocco and silkscreen) button maker and mess maker! 3. What inspires you? Many things inspire me, but I've found I am more inspired when I am at peace. When Im not concentrating on what to make next or thinking about the things I want to make is usually when an idea pops into my head. I love the patterns of scrapbook paper and fabrics. I could stare at paper and fabric for days. I am a visual person I have to sketch things out before I can really see it. 4. Do you have any advice to give to other indie designers? My only advice is to make what you love if it feels like a job or a chore you may as well get a job working for someone else. When you are happy it shows in your work, a person in love can create such romantic things and you can feel the love. If you are having a bad day, take the day off. Don't let it out in your creations or you will see that piece and forever remember that bad day. How can you sell something to a person when you yourself don't enjoy the item. 5. What is your favorite thing that you have created recently? A princess skirt for my daughter. Its so far from perfect, but its 4 layers of fabric and tulle and she loves it. I made it in about 20 minutes just so she could wear it before bedtime and she wouldn't take it off. She doesn't care if the layers are even or if the waist is a little bulky she just feels like a princess in it and that's all that matters. 6. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? I remember digging toilet paper rolls out of the garbage because you could make telescopes and megaphones with them. In kindergarten I was a painter, I still have some of the paintings and I can still tell you what they are supposed to be! 7. Where do you sell and when did you decide to start selling you work? Right now I sell mainly on Etsy. I have some mirrors at Bella in Alaska and some on their way to Six One Six in Australia. I hope to have my site Code Lime up and running by mid April at the latest. I started selling my work when I started making my Mary Jane slippers. It took me 3 weeks and about 6 no good slippers to come up with a pattern that I was happy with and my sister immediately wanted a pair. The first pair went to my mom. People started seeing the slippers and wanted some of their own, that was almost 2 years ago. 8. Apart from creating things, what else do you enjoy? Playing with my 2 year old and my husband, spring and fall, trees and snack food! 9. What three words would describe you the best? Mother, wife, maid... haha, they really do, but for real I'd say Happy, jumpy, and loud! 10. What/Who is your latest indie crush/designer? I'm currently coveting Tree house 28

autumn in china

Earrings from Rhondra, pouch by Hip To Piece Squares, bag by Plumm, and a shirt by Free People, shoes by Anthropolegie. Wear these with your favorite jeans or skirt, and your set!

out for a cup of joe

this is one of my favorite get-ups of all time. enough said. included in this collection: violette jacket by ten little fingers wallet by bellaroo jeans by 7 for all mankind blue prince tshirt by look for fiddleheads half-spat boot by anthropologie happy friday *janaina

for the boys.

nothing builds up lover nostalgia better than shopping for that particularly special guy. And, better yet, nothing beats having a bit of control over what he wears. though most of the time, i am personally beat by my guy's style. he tends to get things right, i on the other have had some dips in road. but i think with women's styles that may be a common hazard b/c our clothing tends to be a roller coaster ride. styles change as often as my elementary school boyfriends did and that leads to some pretty poor decision making. men's clothing on the other hand tends to glide by pretty smoothly (as we celebrate the 12th birthday of the cargo short), like going around in circles at the local roller skating rink, as old 80's tunes run on loop. it gets a bit boring sometimes. luckily things are changing. men are starting to take risks in their monotonous wardrobe, adding flashes of color and bold design. men's fashion is attempting to catch up and i have decided to pay tribute to all the men in our lives. embrace the change. included in this collection: a. vintage corduroy blazer at madorange b. ashton sunglasses at fossil c. old style engraving flowers tshirt by ahpeele d. jeans by true religion e. wood fused glass belt buckle by kikuhandmade f. havaianas at urban outfitters g. leather wrist cuff wallet by sewlutions by amo h. three sexy masculine soaps by soap much love * janaina

dusk...

as the birds return to their nests, crying out the last farewell's and see you soon's, as the neighborhood children's laughter settles indoors, and the dewy breeze sweeps over you, you find your breath catch as you watch the sun make its slow decent and the moon flaunt its strengthening glow. you are still, you are quiet, attempting to capture this fleeting moment that is too short to fully understand but just long enough to feel some internal hunger for memory, for longing, for touch... dusk...be enraptured. included in this collection: 1. when wishes explode photograph by art and ghost 2. yellow flats by anthropologie 3.vintage suburbanite channels mata hari by lori marsha 4. mediterranean widow necklace by opulent oddities 5. solid cypress hand turned ring by rob and lean 6. thinking of you letterpress card by starparticle much love *janaina

bird watching collection

the perfect outfit for going bird watching! A cool cotton dress, comfy flat shoes, a note book for your notes and sketchs, and to put all your bird watching things into, a nice sized bag. Wait!! Don't go yet! You can't go without a bird's nest ring by Starry Designs, and an inspiring necklace, by Photo Glass Works. Get some binoculars, and you're ready! *By Renee

st. patrick's day...revisited

yes, yes, just when you thought that mingling hangover had finally disappeared and those irritating flickers of words or actions you may or may not have said or done have finally settled semi-quietly into a murmur of "oh, that probably didn't happen" i haven't come to ruffle & fluff those feathers of embarrassing memories or rekindle the grueling morning after visits to the porcelain god. i have come with an offering of the most fashionable kind. the kind of offering that whisks away any remaining sensitivities to light, quiets that constant companion, thumper the rabbit, thumping away in your head, and settles that slight nausea that occasionally sweeps over your recovering body every time you see the pointer finger and thumb closing in on each other, you automatically scream inside, "no, no i have on green, see right here," as you search your being for something that resembles green. you find something, yes, you have found green, but it isn't your traditional st. patty's day green, it's a bruise. a bruise that proves you were not prepared for last saturday's festivities, a bruise that has turned a very uninteresting shade of greenish-yellow. a bruise that can be easily covered up by this fantastic collection created by bonnie of katsai. not only will you redeem yourself but you will look HAWT doing so! the collection includes: a fantastic irish t-shirt by circular accessories the ring is from tiger lilly shop four leaf clover earring by scorpienna jeans from mango jacket from zara bag from linda's fiber arts flats by marc jacobs ------------------------------------------------- much love * janaina