New items in the shop

Despite being felled by the plague (throat + sinus infection, ouch!) this week, I managed to get some new items up in the shop.

There are a couple of clip and barrette sets in springy pastels.

Plus three combs and one barrette in my favorite granny chic style.

Head on over to the Bookworm Eats Flower shop for individual pictures and more information.

I Spy Friday

Since I Spy was on the road last week, there was no etsy pick of the week. I realized that after the fact and felt terrible about it, so I decided to make this week all about etsy.

Usually in these selections, I like to showcase things that I have recently discovered. But today I'd like to share some folks who I've loved for a while now, plus one recent love.

First up is this silk plaid ruffle dress by Amanda Archer. Amanda Archer has been a darling of the blog world (and elsewhere) for a while now, particularly for her pleated collar dress. But I think I prefer the combination of the staid plaid and girly ruffles of this dress.

Since moving to London, I've started a little collection of vintage apothecary paraphernalia. (The pride of my collection is a sweet inhaler that looks like a coffee pot gone wrong somewhere.) Add that interest to my black thumb, and Blithe Gardens' terraria seem to fit the bill.

Love the mushrooms. And the wallpaper.

The purse I carried on my wedding day was from Red Ruby Rose, and it was perhaps my favorite part of my wedding day ensemble. It cost almost as much as my dress, and made me feel very fabulous and a bit frivolous. (I mean, a white, silk-lined clutch--that's pretty frivolous.)

This teal feather clutch is just as gorgeous as my wedding day purse, but maybe a bit more practical. It could definitely go casual, dressy, or even with a work outfit.

Over our recent trip home, my husband and I checked out the Museum of Arts and Design's exhibit Slash: Paper Under the Knife, and we both fell in love with the work of Rob Ryan. His pieces are all intricately designed and cut, but that's )

In addition to his etsy shop, Rob has a real shop in East London called Ryantown. It's on my places to visit really, really soon list.

I Spy on the Road

Today's I Spy is all about Edinburgh. We visited earlier this week, and I fell in love. Not only is it a lovely city, there is a great crafting scene going on there.

On the cab ride to our hotel, I spotted this shop:

Of course, I immediately saw Donna Wilson's work in the window. It's even cuter in person. And she has new tea towels out. I am now the proud owner of this lovely:

Just Scottish, as you might imagine, features work from makers and artists based in Scotland. Our two favorites were artists Catherine Rayner and Kelly Stewart.

Caterine Rayner is a children's book author and illustrator. Her prints all feature animals, each one charming, expressive, and winsome. Just check out this little dude:

But Kelly Stewart's work was my favorite. Her drawings all seemed to be of Edinburgh, and often incorporate text or swirling designs. Take a look at this one:

The National Museum of Scotland has an exhibit called Meet Your Maker (January 29-March 14), featuring the work of nine Scottish craft artists. The exhibit provides the opportunity not only to buy works by each maker, but also to meet them and see how they work. Each artist has regularly scheduled in-house hours, where you can chat with them about their work or even be a part of it. Sadly, there are no paper crafters featured, but it's worth a visit anyway.

These ceramic pieces are from Frances Priest:

And, finally, the Grassmarket is undoubtedly the place to be in Edinburgh.

Aside from the many restaurants, pubs, and coffeeshops, there are a ton of cool little shops. Like Joyce Forsyth's shop featuring her designer knitwear. Or Totty Rocks, a clothing store whose collection is designed right abve the shop. Or Demijohn, a "liquid deli." I also spotted a knitting shop and about half a dozen antique and secondhand bookstores.

Two days was not enough to explore this city, and I'll be back for more. And maybe another I Spy.

I'd just like to add that the train to Edinburgh is called the Flying Scotsman. Yeah. That's awesome.

New items in the shop!

I have a whole slew of new products up in the shop this week. Keep your eyes out for another batch next week...

First up are a few headbands with very different personalities. The Hot Stuff Headband (above) is enough to brighten any mood. And the Bright and Preppy Headband is, well, it's kinda bright but it's mostly preppy. Gotta love those stripes.

We've also got two pieces featuring rubber and pages of Austen: the Sensible Bobby Pin (above) and Jane hair ties. These are very Austen: sweet, a little conservative, definitely bookish, but with a sly wit.

And finally, there are two slightly more colorful items. The Red Starflower Clip (above) is a little elegant and a lot cute. The Cute As a Button Clip is, well, yeah, it's cute. But it's also rich, whimsical, and full of layers of beautiful paper.

So, keep an eye out for more new stuff next week. And get ready for tomorrow's very special edition of I Spy. 

I Spy Friday

This week's I Spy is all about luuuurve. Like how much I love this hoodie I just got:

I got this hoodie from The Gap in purple. It is wonderful. And if Adam Sandler can declare his love for a hooded sweatshirt on Valentine's Day, so can I. Seriously, though, it's comfy, it's warm,  it's cute, it's on sale. What more do you want?

The folks at Ork Posters are famous for doing typographic neighborhood maps of major cities. But I prefer their word maps of the brain and the heart. The brain is supposed to be the sexiest organ, no?

This shirt from Porridge is one of my favorite tops. The drape is lovely and it makes a great layering piece. It's available from anthropologie and other stores around the US.

This week's etsy pick is from jane bonbon, the lovely lady who made my wedding dress. Her dupioni formal dress is almost as pretty as my dress.

I can't get more lovey than my wedding dress, so that's where I'll leave it for this week. Byeee!