Feeling a little bit extra lucky today? You aren’t alone! Today we all get to be just a little bit Irish, so practice your brogue, put on something green, dance a jig, and (if you are so inclined) enjoy a cold, green beverage of choice. In honour of this fun-filled day, we have gathered a few handmade gems for the Irish at heart… Enjoy!
- These four hearts together form a lovely clover pendant. Beautiful any day of the year…
Why should us humans have all the fun? Let your beloved pooch get in on the St. Paddy's Day action with this cute collar!
And for those who really go green from head to toe, you’ll probably need something like these:
Warm, comfy, and festive to boot! (get it? boot... 'cause they're socks... *giggle*)
This would be perfect for those looking for an elegant and understated way to mark the day...
May the luck of the Irish be with you today and always!
~Jennifer
So, you guys know that the Make It! show was this weekend in Edmonton, right? ;)
I went to check it out on Saturday, and did some shopping and scoping out fantastic vendors to tell you about! One of the highlights for me was this scarf style from Peeko Apparel.
Brook Fung, the designer behind Peeko Apparel, explained that she uses reclaimed fabrics for many of her projects, which made them that much more interesting to me. She is very conscious of the environmental impact that our “disposable clothing” lifestyle has generated, and takes pride in giving a new life to unwanted clothing. The scarf pictured above is made from crepe suiting and can be worn a bunch of different ways, depending on whether or not y0u keep it domed up tight or loose or unbuttoned like a traditional scarf. I very nearly bought one for myself, but I kept my promise of only buying gifts for others at Make It. It was difficult, though, and I’ve already sent my husband a link to her Etsy shop :)
Brook’s esthetic is really unique and full of life – you can see from her model shots that she’s got a style all her own. I love the flirty tiered skirts she makes out of men’s dress shirts, and the fact that they can be worn with the ruffles to the front or back is genius.
This two-toned cardigan can be worn a couple of ways as well, and most of her pieces have multiple stylings to make them more versatile. There are wraps made from men’s dress pants, obi belts and “the boyfriend shirt” that has been turned into a shirt/dress combo and looks super comfortable.
Brook’s Facebook page has a great album full of photos of more of her pieces, including some pretty fantastic photo shoots that show off her style perfectly and photos of her runway collection from 2010 Alberta Fashion Week 2010. I highly suggest you check it out, if you like what you see here! Her pieces are all truly one-of-a-kind since they are made using previously-loved clothing and fabrics, so there is a ton of variety in her line. You can see her current line on Etsy, and learn a little more about Brook via her Etsy Storque Spotlight interview from earlier this year.
Cheers,
~Sarah
I have weird hair. It’s true – it’s kind of curly, but not really. Often, my solution is a really cute hat. Which is why I quickly bookmarked this shop!
Sparky Jones is more than just cute hats, though. The force (and I mean force!) behind the shop is Jemima (aka JJ), and she’s got some pretty solid ideas about what she wants from her life and her business. Her philosophy is
Reuse resources + Recycled what you have + Reduce Impact + Refuse to be disposable
All the Sparky Jones products are made using upcycled fabrics, the hangtags are printed on recycled cardstock by a local Vancouver printer and every little scrap is turned into something new and wonderful. On her Etsy site, JJ shares that she only has one small bag of waste from her workshop each month. Fantastic! You can read more about her environmentally conscious practices here, including the name of her green bicycle that she rides to the post office!
I really love the different textures and colours that are featured in the Sparky Jones collection – bright, beautiful and unique pieces. I definitely love the cute hats, but the bags are a conversation starter. Check out the Mama Jones diaper bag below – no other Mom in your playgroup is going to have a bag quite this cool!
I’m also loving her Waste Wonderful pocket wallets, using up the scraps from her days creations she ends up with a lovely little card wallet. The larger Bujetta Jones wallet is chock full of features, with zippered pockets and card slots to keep us all organized.
You can find the BC-based Sparky Jones on Etsy, but also over at Cosa Verde (a new marketplace for me, I must admit!) where the shops all have a focus on handmade + environmentally friendly products, on her personal site at SparkyJones.ca, or on her blog. If you visit her blog, you’ll see that she’s super-creative, with gorgeous flower headbands and new hats & wallets posted that don’t seem to make it to her shop before they’re snapped up!
Happy browsing,
~Sarah
