Hidden Memories

Have you seen the unbelievably gorgeous jewelry collection, Puur Andres, from Dutch designer Miranda van Dijk?

Vintage photographs are printed onto cotton fabric, which van Dijk then turns into breathtaking leaves and flowers. These leaves and flowers become the base for her beautiful and unique collection of brooches and necklaces, called Hidden Memories. You can find these lovely pieces available for sale here and in Miranda's Etsy shop.

{All images Puur Anders by Miranda van Dijk}

Hope you're have a memorable day, Dear Readers.

xo

Little Piggies

Dear Readers! How are you all finding yourselves, here at the end of summer? I have been greatly enjoying my bonding time with Nephews 1 and 2. We've got ourselves into quite a nice little groove, and things will be back to normal next week. Which means an abundance of fabulous and amazing posts are soon to be coming your way :)

But before that avalanche of awesome starts a-flowin', I've got a two-parter to close out this final week of summer (unofficially). And I feel the need, here at the beginning of part one, to let you in on a little something: I am a vegetarian. Have been for nearly twenty years. And I eat bacon (it's a gateway meat!). And, on the Sunday of the three-day Labor Day weekend, I eat not only bacon, but pork in all of its yummy forms. For this Most Special of Sundays is Pork Fest Sunday. What is Pork Fest, you ask? Well, you'll just have to tune in here tomorrow to find out.

To whet your appetites (pun intended), I thought we'd take a gander at all of the parts that make piggies so delicious. Feast your eyes, Dear Readers (pun, again, intended), on a few fun porcine finds.



1. Girls Can Tell  2.&3. Drywell  4.Cynthia Treen Studio

See you tomorrow.

xo

Grown Oceans

Lately, I have been absolutely head over heels for aquatic shades of blues and greens looped through and around brilliant golds and shipwreck-hued antiqued brass. Perhaps it is a sign that I am overdue for a beach vacation (which is still weeks away).

1.Deuce   2.A Merry Mishap  3.Fortune  4.Balanced

Or perhaps it is because these color combinations are just plain gorgeous.

Happy Handmade Thursday, Lovelies!

xo

Anatomy of a Shirt

It was love at first sight, that afternoon one of LeBestiaire's beautiful, delicately embellished tops first appeared on my computer monitor. And with each click of the mouse through this gorgeous shop, the love affair grew and grew. From the beautifully imagined shop announcement, full of fables and flowers and cabinets of natural curiosities; to the simple, elegant photographs, with the details of each piece romantically outlined en français.

Just a little something to make you swoon on a Tuesday.

xo

Philly Love

Happy Thursday, Dear Readers!

I hope this week has been treating you well.

Me, I've been a busy busy Bee, getting things all lovelied up and ready for a weekend craft show.

This particular show has me rather excited, because it's right smack in the heart of South Philly. I've done plenty of shows that dance around the edges of the city, but this will be the first in the city proper.

I can't wait to set up shop alongside and meet a bunch of talented Philly folk!

So in honor of the weekend's festivites, I thought it's be a swell time to celebrate this fine city, Etsy style.

1&4 Standard Tap and Johnny Brendas prints by Michele Melcher
2 Love (Philadelphia) by Kathryn Whyte
3 Embroidered Pennsylvania Necklace by Il Gatto Selvatico
5 Philadelphia Button Set by B. Radley
6 Philadelphia Skyline Necklace by Crossed Out Creations

Hope your day is both bangin' and boomin', Dear Readers!

xo

Sweet Thing

I am all about lovely edibles this week.

Like, elegant, gorgeously decorated cookies, and finely detailed floral candy necklaces.

Cookies from Sweet Ambs Cookies
Candy necklace from Andie's Specialty Sweets

And I am smitten with these fabulous Pantone-inspired cookies from Namayumi!

Wishing you a day filled with sweet treats, Dear Readers!
xo

Postcards

In continuing on with the travel theme from earlier in the week, I thought it would be a fine time to look at some lovely postcards and sweet notes, written from days gone by and worlds away.







1.Bailey Doesn't Bark 2.&3. Rosie's Armoire

Lily Moon

Wishing you a day filled with sweet wishes sent from afar.

xo

Rock Art

My nephew is obsessed with rocks and stones. Wherever we go, if we pass a good pile of rocks, he needs to stop and fill his pockets with them to the point where they're weighing his tiny pants down. Every time he visits, a new collection appears in a spot he thinks is secret enough to keep his collection safe.

Through him, I've gained a new appreciation for rocks and stones. Shape, color, texture, and sometimes even weight vary so much from pebble to pebble that it's almost impossible not to appreciate their natural beauty. It seems an almost impossible task to improve upon Mother Nature's beauty, but somehow,through paint, crochet, and whimsically named collections,

 these talented folks have.

1. The Blackbird Sings  2.&3. Stitch Happens

4. Cori Kindred

Wishing you a day filled with beautiful surprises.
xo

Twisting By The Pool

Hello, lovelies!

With the big holiday weekend coming up (at least for those of us in the states!), and so many of us heading pool- and ocean-side, I thought it was a fine time to look at some of the gorgeous swimwear making waves on Etsy.



1.PLHI  2.Alexandra Grecco   3.This Vintage Thing

1.Kai Ulu Swimwear  2. Molly B Bikinis  3.Ani Bikinis

Aren't they all so lovely?

Now go forth, grab your sunscreen, and make a splash this weekend!

xo









Rock On

You all know of my love of music. And you all know of my love of Etsy. When the two combine, magic happens. See for yourselves:

1.Notable Haircuts In Popular Music by Pop Chart Lab

2.Rolling Stones Bowl Set by Trixie Delicious

3.Kate Bush Tote by Fieldguided

4.Stevie Nicks Cassette Clutch by Sugar Shox Crafts

And all of this fabulousness so nicely fits into my everyday. I mean, I could hang the hair chart over my vanity for inspiration. I could put my iPod in the Stevie Nicks (!) clutch and toss it into the Kate Bush (!!) tote. And, seriously, who doesn't want to eat soup with Mick and Keith?

I need it all.

Rock on, Sweet Readers.

xo

Knock On Wood

Lately, I have been really loving wooden jewelry.



Local Library

It's quite versatile, really. You can make it any shape you want.



Snug Studio



You can make it any color, or any style you want.



Madz Has Runaway

You can add to and enhance its natural woodiness.



So Little Time Co.



You can even build things, wonderful, movable things, with it.

Wooden jewelry is nothing short of fabulous.
How about you? What trends are you currently loving?



Measuring Up

I do not now, nor have I ever had, any sort of head for math. So when it comes to measuring out ingredients for baking, I'm often at a loss. Quarts? Pints? Cups? Spoonfuls?

Perhaps a pretty kitchen conversion chart from one of these lovely Etsy shops should take up residence in the kitchen.

1.Knife In The Water  2.Eythink  3.Sweet Fine Day

Wishing you a day full of good measures, dears!

xo

Turkish Delights

I am so loving these Turkish bath towels and robes I found on Etsy. Wouldn't they be magnificent to wrap up in after your morning shower?

Robe from Eco-Friendly Beauty; Towels from Bath Style

Of course, wrapping yourself in some luxurious soap suds beforehand wouldn't be so bad, either.



Delicious soap from Sweet Petula

Have a luxuriously delightful day, Dear Readers!
xo



Dress You Up

When I was a little girl, I loved playing with paper dolls. I would get them all dressed up and then...undress them and dress them up again. Much like my Barbies, my paper dolls didn't do very much or go anywhere in particular. It was all about the outfits, which they were perfectly content to just stand around and pose in for hours on end.

My love of paper dolls hasn't really waned in my adult years. I am still delighted by them, and not above buying them if they are particularly fabulous (like the Drag Queen and Martha Stewart sets I've acquired in recent years). I am currently being wooed by these brilliant little numbers from Claudia Varosio:

These are seriously awesome. You've got Margot Tennenbaum with her fur coat and cigarette! David Bowie with his eye patch and platform boots! Squeal! An Edie Beale! And of course, Clint Eastwood makes my day.

Hoping something delightful comes along to make your day, Dear Readers.

xo

{Be sure to check out Claudia's shop. It is just filled with delights!}

Doily Love

I have a major thing for doilies. In fact, I have more doilies than I have surface spaces on which to put them.

They are the perfect furniture accessory: they fill in blank spaces, they soften hard edges, they make otherwise boring things look pretty.

I have a particular fondness for the unexpected doily. The doily made from non-traditional materials. The oversized doily. The wearable doily. So join me today, Dear Readers, in celebrating this thing of beauty, The Unexpected Doily:

1.&2.uncommon 3.and furthermore 4.sandmaiden 
5.Ladies & Gentlemen

Viva la doily!

xo

Going To The Chapel

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably noticed a whiff of Royal Wedding Fever in the air. Perhaps you've even got a touch of it. I know I have- Sister has already set the DVR, and I will be joining her on the couch tomorrow, beer in hand, tiara on my head, to "ooh" and "ahh" and point and laugh at all of the festivities.

It seems it's far-reaching fingers have even gotten a grip on Etsy, because, while doing my daily perusal of all things fabulous and crafty this morning, I couldn't help but notice a sharp rise in the number of Union Jacks and screenprinted Westminster Abbeys cropping up in shops. There were so many delightful finds, that I just had to pop in with a bonus post (!) to share them all with you.

 

Tote, plate, and mugs all from The House That Lars Built



Tea towel from Claudia G. Pearson



Cupcake Toppers from Selina Lake
Apron from Vintage Stitch



Cake stand from Esther Coombs

What about you? Have you set the alarm, or the DVR? Will you be there, or will you be in bed, covers over head, lamenting that you will not be princess, after all? Or perhaps you will just be going merrily about your day, all "Royal what? Wedding who?". Regardless, a pip pip and a cheerio to you, Dear Readers.

xo










You Can Leave Your Hat On

You know my favorite thing about a Royal Wedding? The hats. Most definitely the hats.





Hats by yellowfield7



Hat by  Arturo Rios

Sigh. I wish my head were more suited to actually wearing hats, and not just admiring them.

Wishing you a well-topped day, sweeties!

xo

Duck, Duck, GOOSE

Look who recently flew into my mailbox, all the way from Portugal (and the loving hands of the very talented Virginia Otten, who has the most adorable little Etsy shop!):

Isn't he just so sweet, with his stripes and his little goose feet? He had only a brief stay with me, while we waited for his rightful owner to be born. I'm sure the two of them will have many big adventures.

Wishing you a delightfully adventurous day, sweeties!

xo
{ps- a very big and heartfelt thank you for all of your sweet comments about the New Boy. I promise to read each and every lovely word aloud to him!}

A Very Very Very Fine House



I love these wearable little houses:



Home Necklace by Emma Shirley




Cinque Terre Necklace and French Maison Necklace by ARTISANE Europe



Wherever you wear them, you're never too far from home.

xo

Baby Blue



Baby Boy Blue by Kiki and Polly


In a few short weeks (and the sure money's on it being a few weeks shorter than the doctor's suggesting ;), I will have a brand new, bouncing baby nephew. A tiny baby brother for The Boy. Exciting, no? The Bee family certainly thinks so.

This weekend we will be feting my sister and this little boy to be. And while this little shower is certainly no surprise (very pregnant ladies are apparently not very fond of being surprised), all of the ingredients that are going into making it lovely are. So you'll have to wait until after the weekend for me to share the goods.

But what I can share, between cutting out...something, and baking....something else, are a few of the things the Bee sisters have spotted on Etsy. Sweet things, for sweet boys.

I Love You Teether  by Little Sappling Toys

Handmade Doll  by Timo Handmade



Organic Hemp Shoes  by Bobka Baby



Dinosaur Onesies  by Pawling

Mister Numbers  by Sugar Fresh

Vintage Rocking Horse  by ethanollie

Wishing you a lovely weekend, my dears. And should you encounter any showers, I hope they're happy ones ;)

xo