Easter Preparation, 1960s Style

Click on the image to enlarge all of the great detail.

I've been sorting through my collection of vintage photos looking for images to use on some new custom photo product samples in preparation for the Mother's Day rush.

The other day I found this classic Easter shot. Details I love include: the pack of cigs on the table, the mom's apron, the dinette set, and the dad shooting the dyed eggs.

I love these square format photos with their creamy borders. This picture reminds me that I think of dying Easter eggs pretty much any time I smell vinegar.

Don't Forget to Wear Flowers in your Hair

I recently stumbled into a stash of these lovely lucite flowers that make perfect hair accessories. I added them to some antique gold bobbies and now they are ready to wear in your spring 'do.

Because I wanted you to see the sculptural detail, this macro picture makes the flowers look much bigger than they are in person. In real life the blooms are smaller than a quarter and larger than a nickel. We have them in pretty colors like the lemon and buttercup above, as well as red, pink, purple and more.

$10 each.

Goodbye for Now, Boots

I think it's time to put away the winter boots and get the sandals out of storage. (I need to give myself a pedicure too before those toes make a public appearance.)

I'm wearing the pair above today and I just wanted to sing their praises before putting them away. Made by Diba, these babies are leather-free, amazingly comfortable and have a nice tall heel. These requirements are tough to meet, and this faux suede pair, came through for me ever since I bought them for myself for Christmas.

I purchased them here. Goodbye for now, boots. You're a tough act to follow.

Soda Pop Dahlias 2.0

We were crazy-busy in the store today, but I snuck outside and took this snapshot in the bright sun. It's not the best picture, but it does show our newest Soda Pop Dahlia colors: Golden Yellow, Lime Green, and Ocean Blue. Superior pictures to follow soon when I have more time.

Per customer request, I'm relaunching these fun flower pins. I made a batch over the weekend with some newly acquired vintage buttons. I thought they'd be fun in Easter Baskets and for Mother's Day. You can order them on our website here, or check out our ever-changing stock at the store.

Incidentally, we're running a Free Shipping offer on all of the items in the new Gifts & Goodies section of our website. Enter the coupon code GIFTSTOSHP when you check out, and we'll ship for free in the USA until April 10.

You might remember these flowers from our winter 2010 Dahlias for Haiti project, which ended on February 14th.

Bag Sale Starts Tomorrow!

Spring is officially here and that means it's time to clear some space for new bags. Learn more by checking out our newsletter here.

Spring Trees Part III

Scrabble Tile necklace by Home Studio Arts. $14 each.

Spring Trees Part II

Pierced metal tree earrings by Portland-based Joseph Brinton. $19 pair. Available in green, shown, plus bronze and soft gold.

Spring Trees Part I

 

Enamel earrings by Baked Beads, $16. Available in a variety of colors.

Glossy Navy Clutch

It's taken me a while to warm up to Navy Blue. I associated it with 1980s power suits and conservative fashion. However, recently, I've grown to appreciate the color as a wardrobe neutral which makes a less severe alternative to black.

Our newest faux leather is this glossy navy, which is quite dark and rich.

I love this color with orange, as shown above, but also with shades of purple and blue. Just like a pair of dark wash jeans, this blue goes with nearly everything.

Lola clutch, shown above. $52. One of a kind ribbon trim.

Scrabble Charm Bookmarks

I'm one of those people who prefers the scent, look and feel of text on paper over digital books. Used books are even better to me than brand new for their history and wear.

I love the ritual of sitting down to read a novel with a cup of tea. When I'm done, I like to use a special bookmark to hold my place.

If you're a word nerd like me, you'll probably love these bookmarks by Home Studio Arts as much as I do. Crafted with wood scrabble tiles, they nestle perfectly in the spine of your latest read.

Available in several styles including the bike, tree, and lucky cat shown above. Silver plated metal hook. $12 each.

Bronze Ring Dish

Our shiny chrome sculptural ring dishes sold out quickly and Christmas, and we have them back in stock now. We now have these lovely matte bronze versions for those who might prefer soft and romantic over crisp and modern.

$8.50. Available in our store and on our website.

French Enamel Lockets

Our new gorgeous gold lockets. $58 each available in our store and online here.

Tiny and Cute: Japanese Erasers

Ever since we ordered the Japanese erasers in January I've been obsessed with them. What is it about miniatures that makes them so cute?

Finally, they arrived and I've been acting like a kid playing with them ever since. We have pancakes, cupcakes, donuts, ice cream, and more yumminess.

Each eraser component is injection-molded separately, and then put together like a puzzle in the factory. Because they aren't glued together, they can be taken apart over and over again.

There's something magical about these babies. $1.50 each in the store. Available in sets of 6 on the website here.

Spring Flowers - Part III

Tiny enamel stud earrings by Baked Beads. $10 a pair.

Spring Flowers - Part II

Scrabble tile necklace by Home Studio Arts. Available in various images. $14 each.

Spring Flowers - Part I

Snap coin purse in mandarin and turquoise with orange garden party trim. $18. Available in our store, or online here.

Catholic School Zipper Cases

One of our clever customers ordered yardage from a uniform manufacturer. It's the same plaid her daughter now wears to St. Benedict's in Wallingford. It's also the fabric our customer once wore when she attended the school.

As a fundraiser, our customer ordered bunch of our Charlotte zipper cases to offer at a school event.They would be perfect pencil bags for children, or excellent everything pouches for grownups.

One Line a Day Journal: Twitter the Old-Fashioned Way

These wonderful journals sold out quickly at Christmas, but we've just received a fresh batch and I've added them to our website this time around.

This hardbound blue book is a wonderful way to record your daily adventures. Each of the 365 pages has space for to write one line over the course of five years.

As you fill the pages and reflect on earlier entries, you'll celebrate anniversaries of great memories - the delicious cinnamon cupcake from your birthday last year, the day Sara said her first words, or the time you visited that little shop in Rome.

Beautifully bound with gold leaf page edges and a silky bookmark, this book makes a wonderful gift for a new mother, bride, or anyone beginning an adventure, large or small. 

Origami Inspired Envirosax

We've sold these handy shopping bags for a couple of years now, and they continue to be popular with our customers.

The new Origami line is perfect for our store and website, don't you think? I love the modern Asian-inspired patterns and colors.

  

I just can't get enough of cherry blossoms in candy colors! At only $8.50, there are perfect for useful little gifts for the girl who has everything.

We're now offering these roomy, durable totes on our website as well as in our store. Learn more here.

Photos courtesy of Envirosax.