Wedding Party Celestes Featuring Orange Pleats

Our customer is a bride who loves orange (a girl after my own heart). She brought some bright orange dupioni silk with her when she came in to design clutches for her bridesmaids.

She came up with two totally different designs, one for each attendant. Both are pretty, fun, and unique, just like the women who will receive them as thank you gifts.

Memento: Share Stories with this Book

We're carrying this special journal-book in advance of Mother's Day, graduation, and summer vacation. Watch the short video above to hear from the author and to watch the book in action.

Filled with prompts for you (or your grandmother) to write life's stories, Memento is a great gift for you and your loved ones.

$19.95

Floral Hair Clips by Deborah Funches

Handmade in Camas, Washington, these sweet hair clips with add a hint of spring to your tresses. $16 each.

New Rings by Local Designer Krissy Maier

Each of these adjustable rings is one-of-a-kind. Krissy Maier uses vintage jewelry components to craft these fun pieces. $21 each.

A Very Special Lola Clutch

Our customer came to use with this rose gold brooch tucked into a little box. She told us that is was a gift from her father to her mother years ago, and held great sentimental value.

She chose glossy merlot faux leather for the body of the bag and dusty brown ruffle ribbon as an embellishment. The simple design showcases the vintage piece perfectly.

Restocking Our Vintage Button Collection

I went to a button sale last week and found some treasures to incorporate into future bags. I was drawn to this batch of gold buttons because they have open areas that will allow the fabric behind them to show through.

9 Different Silk Scarf Ideas

Japan Fundraiser: We're Off to a Great Start

Cell phone snapshot of our buttons for sale along with the Buttons for Japan tag

Our Buttons for Japan fundraiser is a moving example of the magic of the internet. I posted the buttons on our website here at around 10 pm last night. Then I posted a link on our Facebook page. Orders came in almost immediately.

I shot over an email to the fine folks at our neighborhood blog, MyBallard.com. By the time I checked my email the next morning, the article had been posted. More orders came in through our website.

Meanwhile, Debbie opened our shop at 10 am and people who had seen our online announcement stopped by right away in search of the buttons. Some bought big batches of 40 or more to give to clients. Others bought 4 for $8 and talked with us about watching the news crying for the suffering in Japan.

The good news is we raised over $600 on day one of our fundraiser. The bad news is the situation continues and seems to be getting worse. I urge you to visit the excellent Mercy Corps website to read about the crisis and the work being done there. 

One blog entry talks about the charity bringing satellite phones for the displaced to call their loved ones to tell them they are alive. How simple; how huge.

Thank you for your support thus far. Whether you choose to buy buttons from us, or donate directly, your support, however large or small, is part of a greater good that will help many.

Fundraiser: Buttons for Japan

The earthquake in Japan has us heartbroken, and we turn to you to help us raise funds for disaster relief. We are making these pin-back buttons with one of our favorite Japanese craft supplies - origami paper.

Order these 1.25" pins in sets of 4 assorted patterns for $8 and we'll donate $7 to Mercy Corps, a Northwest-based disaster relief not-for-profit. Learn about their Japan aid here.

These pins are available in our Seattle store, or online here. Shipping is free for this fundraiser, so send these little pins to your friends and family. Wear them as a show of support for the people of Japan.

We were overwhelmed by your help with our Dahlias for Haiti project  just over a year ago (you helped us raise $6800!). We thank you in advance for helping us this time.

Our goal is to raise $1500 by April 15th, when we will end the Buttons for Japan fundraiser. Please spread the word!

$8 buys a set for four assorted origami pin-back buttons. Each pin will ship with a small tag explaining the fundraiser, making it perfect for sharing with friends and loved ones.

Please help us by sharing this idea with your friends - both online and on Facebook!

San Diego Wedding: Avocado, Mandarin, Sunflower

Our customer is a former neighborhood regular who now lives in San Diego. She emailed to ask us to create a custom wristlet collection featuring her wedding colors.

She asked us to choose the avocado, mandarin and sunflower embellishments for her eleven wristlets.

I love the cheerful colors and think they will look amazing when carried at a Southern California wedding later this year.

Embroidered Drop Scarves

Round embroidered droplets cascade from crinkled cotton on these new scarves. The tonal textures are perfect for spring.

$22 each, available in cream, gray, brown and black.

Peacock-inspired Bronze Collection

The bride who designed these clutches was inspired by a natural color palette: a peacock feather.

Her attendants will wear rich navy blue dresses, and they will carry these bronze Luxe Clutches.

This design features faux sequins, pleated ribbon, and a vintage rhinestone button.

 

The ruching on this bag is topped by two vintage glass buttons with woven detail.

Green brocade accents the unifying bronze tone on this bisected clutch.

Tones of bronze and copper make this design a study in monochromatic texture.

Gold hardware and removable wrist straps complete this collection.

Ombre Scarves

Kaleigh braved wind and rain to model our latest scarf arrival. The gauzy ombre fabric is featherweight and super soft.

We received gorgeous shades of violet, lime, indigo, tangerine, and butter. I think these look especially lovely twisted in pairs and layered around the neckline.

Ombre cotton scarves, $16 each.

Vintage Resurrection by Krissy Maier

Local artist Krissy Maier makes one-of-a-kind jewelry. She takes broken earrings, discarded necklaces, and other vintage components and refashions them into wearable art. (Necklace above $32)

Rings, hair clips, earrings and necklaces are all part of Maier's special line. I love the nostalgia in mystery in each piece.

Wedding Collection: Accenting Summer Navy

Our customer is a bride who wanted to design a unique bag for each of her bridesmaids, who will be wearing navy blue at her upcoming summer nuptials.

For a bridesmaid with classic style, the bride chose glossy navy blue topped by a multicolored floral ribbon and simple red button.

She created a frothy confection for another attendant. The pink and taupe brocade is embellished by cream-colored braid layered over a lovely ruffled ribbon.

A vintage floral fabric in navy and rose inspired this design. Our customer found the print and large button to be the perfect look for a willowy bridesmaid.

The ten-year-old junior bridesmaid will feel like one of the big girls with a purse of her own. I wonder what treasures she'll carry in her new Bette bag.

Favorite Things: Revlon Nail Polish

Revlon Crushed Crimson, originally uploaded by PuckLizardRN.

Crushed crimson is a complex chocolate plum shade that I've enjoyed lately.

Until the last year, I haven't worn nail polish in almost a decade. It's completely impractical with my job. However, recently I've enjoyed playing painting my nails again, sending practicality out the window.

My favorite nail polish is probably Gray Suede by Revlon, above. It's a rich nude that makes my fingers look long and tapered. Better yet, chips don't show very much on the nude polish so it always looks great.

What is your favorite nail polish?

March Jewelry Sale Starts Tomorrow

Every piece of jewelry in our shop is eligible for our BOGO sale starting tomorrow. Take a look at our March newsletter here to get all of the details, as well as other news.

Pleated Ribbon in Strawberry Satin

Our latest ribbon is this pleated satin that is a mysterious shade of red that encompasses pink, wine, and earthy red.

I layered the pleated ribbon under a textured braid on this glossy merlot Eve shoulder bag. The dove gray at the top adds a light touch to the purse.

Exploring Navy Blue: Monochromatic Olivia Clutch

Navy blue has been making a comeback the last few years. In the 1980s navy was the color of power suits and preppy sport coats. Now navy can be a fashion-forward alternative to black. Our navy microsuede is soft and luxe, making it perfect for the ruching on this Olivia clutch.

I topped off this bag with a sky blue and rhinestone button to add some sparkle. The lining of the purse is the same light blue. While we love patterned fabric on the Olivia clutch, this monochromatic look is a clean, versatile alternative.

Olivia clutch with vintage button embellishment, $63.