etsy

Origami Pyramid Bag

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:11:00 +0000

It’s a hot July evening and I’m feeling like a wilted flower. Fashion has always been a great pick-me-up and I’m looking forward to sporting Silvermint’s strawberry Origami Pyramid Bag with a simple black sundress to a friend’s party.

The bag attracted me with its unique design, convenient wristlet style, and high quality, interestingly-textured fabric and materials. The vintage button accents in soft pink and grey give it a girly but sophisticated charm and the grey origami-style animal characters printed on the off-white fabric also elevate it to a conversation piece. When I mentally put together my outfit I saw the bag as an artsy, yet practical and intriguing accessory, perfect for holding onto the few essential items I’d need while at the party. Yet as I stand before the mirror the little 6.7 x 5.9 inch pyramid looks funny hanging from my wrist: like a starched handkerchief or an old-fashioned nurses hat.

While the bag didn’t make it to the party, it has occupied a prominent place on my desk, awaiting the writing of this review. Given that my home office is also the living room, I’ve been gazing upon this finely constructed bag with a mixture of delight, curiosity and appraisal daily for the past two weeks. Each time I look at it I think I really love this little pouch!

Silvermint has an interesting story on how she moved from the world of online gaming to the world of handmade crafting. She began to study how real things are actually made vs. the world of “clicking on an icon with the mouse and Poof! a mechanical chicken has been created.” She gets bonus points for her support of ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society) and a waste-free philosophy, which leads to greater creativity with materials and design. Her Etsy store is stocked with other cute and adorably unique little clutches and pouches as well as graphic-printed tote bags.

I’ve tried the Origami Pyramid Bag on a few times since the night of the party but I doubt I’ll frequently wear it as a purse. I am sure it will find a welcome home storing small treasures or perhaps protecting a snag-prone item in a drawer or suitcase. The cotton webbing strap is detachable so it can hang from a peg and it also stands on its own (especially if the packing folds are ironed out) so it would also make a cute storage container on a shelf or other visible location.

Written by: Matsya Siosal, August 18th 2010

The Stork and the Pitcher Tote Bag

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Silvermint

As a frequent book reviewer, college instructor, and all around bibliophile I have a book on my person at all times, and usually two or three. This fact has lead to the destruction of many purses not equipped for carrying novels, and often means lugging around an extra heavy bag. My friends will often extend invites to bars and clubs to me with the addendum, “Leave your giant bags at home!” Silvermint’s The Stork and the Pitcher Tote Bag solves this dilemma.

Given that the tote bag is the same width as a hardcover novel, I easily can fit three paperbacks into the bag, eliminating the need to shove them into my overflowing purse or cart around a cumbersome (and oh so unbecoming) backpack. The tote bag’s small and narrow size may not be a selling point for those expecting to carry a backpack’s worth of belongings, but it works well for people like me who are interested in bringing a few books along or the day's lunch.

The bag's very soft corduroy handles are also a plus, as it lessens strain on the shoulder. I often suffer from scratch marks and sore arms due to the stiff fabric on many bags. The sturdy corduroy also ensures that the straps will be able to handle a heavier load, another plus for me since my fondness for books has lead to strap rippage.

Aesthetically speaking, the bag’s design is bright and whimsical, yellow with a stork on one side and striped on the other. The design evokes a child’s sense of whimsy, especially since it seems to be a reference to the children’s fable of the same name.

Another key selling point concerning this bag, and perhaps most of the other bags available at Etsy, is the fact that chances are slim I will run into another girl carting around the same bag as me. As a frequent shopper of Forever 21, H & M, and Target, on several occasions I have run into women carrying bags and accessories identical to mine. With Silvermint’s The Stork and the Pitcher Bag I can rest assured that I will be toting around an original and unique piece.

Written by: Adrienne Urbanski, August 16th 2010

Marolsha Jewelry

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

By Marolsha Jewelry

When you live in a city like New York or Chicago, it's fairly easy to find your way around. For the most part, urban planners patterned these cities on a grid with numbered streets indicating one direction (East/West) and avenues or named streets indicating the perpendicular other (North/South). So if you're at my favorite Mexican restaurant in the East Village and want to get to my favorite all-veg diner in the Lower East Side, you can do so with ease simply by knowing the cross streets. Easy peasey.

Like most things in India, however, navigating the chaotic streets of Kolkata isn't so simple. There is no helpful grid to indicate the desired direction, and good luck finding anything in its proper place on Google Maps. In order to get where you're going, one must rely on the kindness of strangers who live or work locally to point you in the right direction. But sometimes that direction isn't clear. I mean, how do I know I'm still walking south when the street I'm following seems to have veered to the left?

Instead of going the route of a Boy Scout and carrying around some clunky chunk of magnetized metal, Marolsha has come up with a solution to help you find your way in style: the Vintage Compass Silver Ring. Lightweight with an adjustable band, the silver compass ring is a utilitarian's dream. I tested it out in a place where I am direction literate to be sure it works, and sure enough, it pointed north. Although the aesthetic is a little reminiscent of something you'd get out of a machine for a quarter, the construction is vastly superior and ensures a significant cost per wear lifetime of getting you where you're going.

The compass ring isn't the only offering from Marolsha that piqued my curiosity. I was also interested in two seemingly opposite feathered finds: Twin Owls Earrings and Mod White Love Birds Earrings. Owls are birds of prey, which means they are solitary by nature to facilitate their livelihood, and, based on their appearance in Hieroglyphics, that rugged individualism has kept them around a long time. Love birds, on the other hand, form long-term, monogamous bonds marked by a social demeanor and affectionate nuzzling. But you won't find their likeness in Egyptian caves. Despite their differences, both birds make regular appearances on adornments, as they captivate the human imagination.

Twin Owls Earrings are made of a sturdy antique brass and fall two inches below the earlobe on a thin kidney earwire that is easy to attach and detach. Their color is so bright it could be mistaken for a matte gold. The Mod White Love Birds Earrings are about a half-inch in length and dangle from silver plated leverback earwires. The color is painted onto the pair with a white enameled finish. Like the compass ring, both set of earrings are well-constructed.

Based in Singapore and created by Canadian fashion lover and jewelry designer Maddy, Marolsha peddles unique, vintage-style jewelry that is inspired by the natural world. Whenever possible, Maddy repurposes and recycles her findings in the process of creation. This eco-friendly sentiment is also found in the paper box in which the pieces arrive along with a handmade gift card that resembles a postcard. All of which is to say that Marolsha's jewelry reminds me of both the abundant joy of travel and the warmth of returning home.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, April 20th 2010

Designs Inc Jewelry

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

By Designs Inc

For all the traveling I’ve done in India, I haven’t yet managed to make it to Goa. The Southeast coast of the country was colonized by the Portuguese (and the Dutch and the French), and—from the architecture of massive churches to the spice blends in the cuisine—that influence is still felt in South India today. Goa is a hotspot for travelers who want a reprieve from ‘traditional India’. When brown skin, masala cha, and conservative dress begin to lose their exotic appeal, folks inevitably find their way to the tourist-laden beaches where one can strut in a bathing suit while sipping an iced latte in the familiar company of other pastey foreigners. Once the sun goes down, the debauchery goes up, as sex, drugs, dancing, and sci-trance make their way out from the sand. The blendedness of this space also makes Goa a comfortable place for entrepreneurial folks to settle and set up shop, which is what Karen-Ann Lobo has done.

Despite its location, the aesthetic of Designs Inc reminds me more of a doll collection than a bundle of incense sticks. In the States, I imagine Designs Inc’s offerings would fit in quite well at a Claire’s Boutique and make many a middle school girl giddy. The styles incorporate a sensibility akin to a little girl playing dress up with her mother’s costume jewelry; the flash and craftwork is more casual than high end.

The Tahiti Nights necklace captures this hodgepodge wonderfully; a single Tahitian grey mother of pearl flower hangs at the center of a silver toned, chunky, linked chain. Attached to the bottom of the flower are two inches of blingy mishmash (Swarovski crystal pearls, blue crystals of various shapes and sizes, and circular rhinestone rungs) that settle just above the bosoms. The necklace comes with a perfectly matching, simple set of silver-toned pearl earrings that can also be worn on their own.

Similarly chockablock is the girly Eros bracelet. The silver plated chain holds a glut of weighty feminine charms in perfectly sculpted order: roundish white quartz; teardrop-shaped, pink, Czech briolettes; fire polished, translucent, Swarovski crystal cubes; and tiny, mauve Swarovski crystals. Someone with small ankles could even wear it closer to the ground, harkening back to the company’s locale.

A hint of India can also be seen in the Summer Wine and Juno earrings. The former made of sterling silver and the latter of gold (12K plate and 14K fill), both have lovely, dangling components. Juno is a cluster of Swarovski crystal pearls that hover just above a Carnelian bead while Summer Wine has small, round pearls and blue goldstone (which give off a fascinating twinkle) hanging from two interlocking circles that also holds a medium-sized, mauve trumpet crystal. Throw on some taffeta, and you’re off to the ball.

The piece that suits this aesthetic the least, and therefore, stands out the most is the French knitted Jet bracelet. The woven wire mesh is lightly sprinkled with polished chips of Black onyx, and a half-dozen extra pieces are situated on either side of the clasp. The bracelet is unique in that it gives a sense of artistry and offsets the other designs’ kitsch appeal. It also suggests that Lobo has something more up her sleeve. I guess I’ll have to go to Goa to find out.

Juno and Eros pictured here

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, March 3rd 2010

Fashion Muse Jewelry

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0000

By Fashion Muse

I’ve never been a fan of shopping. This is somewhat because it is difficult and frustrating to find cute clothes that fit well when your body size and shape don’t match the norm (anyone out there want to design for a corpulent woman over six feet tall?), but mostly I’m just really good at talking myself out of making a purchase. Contrary to the problem many people have (that they buy too much), I am perpetually buying too little. Well, maybe not too little, per se, but I find it really hard to part with my cash for items I simply want and don’t necessarily need.

When you come from the lower classes, you spend a lot of time convincing yourself that you’re able to do without. It’s a strategy for survival. So when I see a scarf I really like I have no problem walking right by and telling myself I have plenty of scarves (plenty being two) in my closet already. If I see a pair of cute shoes, I just keep moving because I might need that $30 for something more important tomorrow. Whatever the self-provided excuse, the thought has occurred to me that perhaps my shopping habits are too reserved. After all, I have managed to become upwardly mobile (lower middle class, holla!). So I make up for my reticence by encouraging my partner to buy things for me. The logic is fuzzy, I know.

Crafted in Thailand by Tanya Boden, the Diamond Shell Necklace is made of brown cotton string, wooden beads, and a smooth, golden pendant made of shell. The length is adjustable—from cleavage to navel—and the diamond-shaped ornament is an eye-catching reminder that I want to dig my toes into the beaches of Phuket some day. The Beaded Earrings are a little different. Usually, this cute and funky pair would have been written off with ‘those really aren’t my style’, but I’ve been feeling a little out of the box these days, so I decided to give them a go. The four inches of dangling beads (brown, black, green, and gold) tickle my neck when I wear this set, which happily reminds me of my uncharacteristically spontaneous choice. Both pieces have a casual Boho air that whispers of African chic.

The overall point is this: when something comes along that holds my interest enough to fulfill a transaction, that something has to be worth it. These two pieces of handcrafted jewelry from Fashion Muse most definitely are.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, March 1st 2010

Zosterops Jewelry Shop

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:01:00 +0000

By Zosterops

Zosterops' Jessie Cheng is a doll. Not an empty-headed plaything, like Barbie or Bratz, but the kind crooner Frank Sinatra used as a term of endearment. Jessie is the kind of gal who's so lovely and sincere that you immediately want do nice things for her. Lucky for me, Jessie's long-honed raw talent make that compulsion all too easy for this so-called objective reviewess to carry out.

The beauty of Zosterops is that it's a shop that caters to a broad range of aesthetic sensibilities—so much so, in fact, that Jessie's mantra is "creation to meet anyone's content." From sunflower earrings to a heart-shaped locket and cut-out bird designs to crystal hearts, there really is something here for everyone, and Jessie is constantly adding more to the mix. She handcrafts the jewelry from items she picks up at places her journeys take her, which gives each piece a matchless quality.

The five-piece sampling Jessie sent me from Hong Kong is diversely sublime, and my two favorites are the Little Red Penguin Earrings and Turquoise Necklace. Although the latter is no longer available, the former is a pair of sterling silver hook earwires holding tiny red and silver bird charms that are absolutely adorable for children and adults alike. And speaking of adorable birds, the Gold Buddy Birdie Necklace is that as well. The gold-plated, nickle-free charm and chain add a smidgen of childhood hipster glamor to a plain tee and jeans day. Although you may get folks asking if you're simply really into Twitter now that the rapidly growing company's logo has co-opted our feathered friends. (Too bad for a company who is named after a winged species.)

The picture of the Crystal Heart Earrings doesn't do their blinding bling justice. The Swarovski crystal that comprises the heart-shaped beads is made to catch the light and reflect it in all directions, causing an über-shimmer effect I happen to be partial to. The beads hang from a sterling silver hook earwire, which makes the earrings dangly and nearly weightless.

The last item I received is the Cream White Pearl Heart Locket Love Necklace. The mouthful of name leaves something to be desired, but the piece itself is quite simple and sweet. As soon as I saw it, I knew my sister would love it. Her nine-month-old son might have given her the greatest gift ever (he said his first word—"mommy"—on Christmas Day) for 2009, but I've now got her 2010 birthday present in the bag. Pop a picture of the little one in there, and I'm golden—which is somewhat paradoxical since it's a silver locket, no?

Born in the late 1960s, Jessie started making jewelry after quitting her job and the most exciting part of her day is getting an email notification of a sale. The gist of her Zosterops' story is this: kind artisan + beautiful, well-constructed jewelry = tru luv 4eva (4now). You don't have to be a white-eyed bird to see that.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, February 1st 2010

Emerald and Pearl Earrings

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:22:00 +0000

By Patch First Shop

I just got back from Bangkok, Thailand. My partner and I spent the holidays there, as we were both in need of an escape from the chaos and grime of Kolkata. If you've been to Bangkok then you might be raising your eyebrows right about now thinking, "an escape from chaos and grime?" Yeah, it's all about perspective.

The Emerald and Pearl Earrings from Udon Thani-based Patch First Shop, well, aren't _really _made of emerald. They're made from green Swarovski crystals nestled against silver diamante rondelles and white pearls, which are held together by a tiny 18K gold-plated stud so that the earring dangles barely a half inch away from the ear lobe. The finished product is inexpensively elegant—not the cheapy hippie-cum-hipster-traveler kind of thing you'd see in the tourist ghettos of the Thai capital city. (Although mine did arrive in a very cute purple velvet bag with a pink snowflake embroidered on the side.)

I'm usually pretty averse to cookie cutter tourist spots, but a year and a half of Kolkata had me craving Mexican food and Guinness, so Khao San Road hit the spot after the two and a half hour flight to Bangkok. A few drinks into dinner, my partner and I started to ponder the success of the Thai economy, the second biggest in Southeast Asia. Tourism is an obvious, and increasing, source of upping the GDP, but Thailand's export-dependent system is at the center of automotive and electronic goods manufacturing. The Thai economic stability acts as an anchor for its developing neighbors—Laos, Burma, and Cambodia.

Patch First Shop may not be rapidly growing the Thai GDP, but it is fulfilling one woman's passion to support herself through her creative endeavors. She envisions your wearing her jewelry at your wedding, but I'm more a fan of wearing it on the day to day. Prices are low ($10) and shipping is free (!), so take advantage of global capitalism via Etsy, folks.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, January 25th 2010

Truth Belt: The Westie

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:00 +0000

By Truth

As more companies are becoming earth and animal-friendly, and the DIY movement has seen resurgence in the past few years, I have been on the lookout for a good selection of quality vegan belts. I’ve encountered a lot of hemp and vinyl belts, and even some belts made out of bicycle inner tubes, but I still haven’t found one company that offers a wide variety of both classy and funky vegan belts. Enter: Truth Belts.

Truth is an animal-friendly accessory company based in Canada. Started by Renia Pruchinicki in 2001, who originally started making belts from non-leather material, Truth began as a side project in making long-lasting belts from vegan material grew into a full-time business. Her business website also hosts an informative links page in which readers can find businesses, groups, journals, magazines, and other vegan and vegetarian-friendly information.

The belt that I was sent to review is from the hemp-woven line of belts. This particular design is called The Westie. The belt is constructed of polyurethane with a navy blue and khaki colored woven hemp outer layer. The buckle is an antique nickel color, and the whole thing looks wonderful with a pair of jeans. I’ve been wearing the belt around for the past month, and nothing about it has started to fall apart. It’s a very well designed vegan belt, and I’m excited to have another vegan clothing accessory in my life to prove to my friends that you can look good without having to wear parts of animals.

Aside from the casual woven belts, Truth also makes fake-leather looking classy belts, as well as funky elastic belts with argyle, stripes, and plaid designs. Truth also hosts a line of fashionable wrist cuffs and belts for kids.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with my vegan belt, and will probably buy some of Truth’s other belts for friends and relatives. Aside from supporting a company that promotes veganism, I’m also happy to be supporting a business started and run by one hard-working woman.

Written by: Chelsey Clammer, January 20th 2010

Red Bracelet

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:07:00 +0000

By Luckxurys

Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, Luckxurys was started by designer Tali Rosen out of a personal frustration: she was unable to find a traditionally turquoise hamsa, palm-shaped amulet used in jewelery that is thought to protect a person from the evil eye. The tradition of using a hamsa (the Arabic word for the number five, hence the symbolism of a hand) to ward off evil began in the Middle East as a practice of Islam, and is now a part of Jewish mysticism. After searching unsuccessfully for her prized stone, Rosen decided to simply make one herself. When she received positive feedback from others, she followed her desire to make "fashion that welcomes good energies," and incorporated her own good energies into a proper self-run jewelry business.

Using self-styled hand knitting, hand sculpturing, and silvercrafting techniques that Rosen gained through more than a decade of study, Luckxurys sells creative pieces (mostly bracelets and necklaces) that are stylistically unique. The Red Bracelet uses a simple wax wire knit string, handmade lucky charms, made from a mixture of calcium and polymer clay, and an easy loop clasp to fasten the string after you wrap it around your wrist a few times. The meaning of the color is taken from the Kabbalah. Red symbolizes danger, passion, and love, which makes it the strongest protector against evil. However, other colors are available.

Innovation in jewelry is difficult to come by these days, yet Luckxurys managed to develop something contemporary using an ancient concept. Made to be durable, the Red Bracelet can be worn daily without removal, which might not be such a bad thing for those plagued with bad ju-ju.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, January 9th 2010

Hamsa Clothing Yoga Pants

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:41:00 +0000

By Hamsa Clothing

Hamsa is a Sanskrit word for a meditation we all do daily without intention; it is our first, and inherent, pranayama: inhale (ham) and exhale (sa). Breathing is a natural way to steady the mind and calm the body. It provides a method to refocus one's physical and mental rhythm, and channel it in a more positive, stress-free way. Because of this, pranayama is an integral part of yoga.

As one might expect given the name, Hamsa Clothing is a woman-run company that facilitates yogic comfort through the sale of cotton pants and tees made to stretch (thanks lycra!) with the body—particularly the female body—during one's yoga practice. Its sister company, Moonseats, sells meditation cushions. Run by Sangeeta from Cape Town, South Africa, Hamsa Clothing is an alternative to the corporatism and competition that has infected the world of yoga.

Sangeeta provided me with three sample pair of pants for this review, each a different design and color. The first were rather small for my size 12 lower half, and when worn resemble a pair of calf-length leggings. (It's possible these would be ankle length on someone who isn't six feet tall, like I am.) In fact, I can easily see these having a dual use if paired with a cute top instead of a tee. The deep red material is spiced up a bit by a multi-colored floral design that I simply adore: a sort of modern, fashionable take on Hawaiian print. I also love the soft stretchiness of the fabric, and its breathability while hugging the body.

Pairs two and three appear to be made of a different material than the first, a heavier and thicker cotton—though no less soft and stretchy—that would work well for winter sessions. The medium size fit me just fine, though to be honest, a large may well have fit better. Both pair have a reinforced roll top waist, which allows you to adjust the waistline in order to achieve a more snug fit and create the most flattering and stylish look for your particular body type. The roll top also makes these pants suitable for ladies with a bun in the oven (or on a badly bloated period day) since they will expand as your belly expands.

What makes the second and third pair distinct from each other is both the color (one is periwinkle blue while the other is steel gray, both of which are very pleasing and calming) and the shape of the leg. The blue pair is a standard pant style: semi-loose yet fitted at the thigh and slightly flared (more like boot cut) at the ankle. The gray pair, however, is a bit more adventurous and reminds me of something I see the hippie tourists wearing around Kolkata: a harem-style cut that is baggy throughout the length of the leg with a tightly bunched cuff at the ankle. My recent readings of the Indian editions of both Marie Claire and Vogue have confirmed that this style is coming back into popular fashion, so perhaps this means I am now ahead of the curve. The construction on all three pair of pants is impeccable.

Hamsa does have another Sanskrit meaning, one that is no doubt the actual root of this clothing company's name. Hamsa is typically translated as swan, a term that is a slight misnomer since swans aren't indigenous to India and the creature called hamsa was probably actually a goose. Somewhere along the way the linguistic swap was made when hamsa became associated (through repetition) with the inverse of the word, soaham, meaning "that which I am." Because when asked to self-define, we'd probably all rather be swans than geese, no?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, January 6th 2010

Raven Necklace

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

By Oberon Design

Ravens have captured human imagination since the beginning of time, and it seems I am no exception. My pewter raven necklace from Oberon Design is the most unique piece of jewelry I have ever owned. The image of a raven cast in pewter and strung on a black leather cord gives this necklace a medieval feeling. I was inspired to learn more about ravens after receiving my necklace in the mail, and I discovered that when it comes to ravens, there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground: you either love them or you hate them.

The mythology surrounding ravens is rich, plentiful, fascinating, and downright unsettling at times. I discovered on Wikipedia that the legend of ravens in the tower of London is so important to the people of England that ten ravens (six on duty and four young spares) are employed by the Tower of London at the expense of the British government:

A Yeoman Warder, or Beefeater, has the specific role of Ravenmaster at the Tower and takes care of their feeding and well being…It was said that Charles II ordered their removal following complaints from John Flamsteed, the Royal Astronomer. However, they were not removed because Charles was then told of the legend that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the White Tower, the monarchy, and the entire kingdom would fall…

A wild raven can live for more than thirty years, lest it be bested by its natural enemies, the great horned owl and red tail hawk. The raven can actually be trained to speak, and often makes utterances that sound like "cras, cras." (The word cras means tomorrow in Latin.) This has fed into the legend of ravens being the ultimate oracle, and it is considered one of the most, if not the most, intelligent birds.

Oberon Design is a family owned business based in Santa Rosa, CA that makes quality tooled leather goods and hand cast pewter items that are truly works of art. The company casts their necklace medallions in small batches of six to eight using 100% lead-free Britannia pewter. You can adjust the necklace length to suit your mood and style ranging from 24” to 12” (choker style). The leather cords are made in Greece by a family-owned operation that has been making them for generations. Each of Oberon Design's medallions has a one-word inspirational message inscribed on the backside. The message on my necklace is “Raven.”

Written by: Gita Tewari, December 26th 2009

Winter Dreidle Dress

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Mata Traders

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of Western counter-cultural icons traveled to India in order to broaden their knowledge of art, music, literature, and philosophy by speaking with some the country's intellectual and religious figures. Among those world travelers were musicians (The Beatles), writers (Allen Ginsberg), and academics (Joseph Campbell), who incorporated what they learned into their respective fields of influence. One area that was indirectly affected by these now-famed travels was fashion. From the Nehru Jacket to tie die to sandals, utilitarian staples of Indian attire were brought back to the United States by pop culture heroes and quickly became en vogue.

Today, Mata Traders continues this practice of global fashion exchange. Since 2003, Michelle King and Maureen Dunn have run their women's clothing and accessories business from Chicago, IL. Instead of simply co-opting the bright, offbeat colors and floral patterns seen across the Indian landscape, this woman-owned company moves past an aesthetic focus toward one of social consciousness by employing groups of Indian women worker in a well-worn model of transcontinental economic exchange. Mata Traders is an import/export business whose foundational desire is to facilitate women's financial empowerment.

Working with fair trade women's cooperatives and artisan groups that employ individual women who work either from home or in collective spaces to create handmade clothing in safe conditions while earning a living wage, Mata Traders contributes to a growing consumer trend of fighting the worldwide feminization of poverty by "giving women economic power and viable working skills [in order to] transform a community (and so the world)." According to the Nike Foundation's "The Girl Effect," women earners reinvest 90% of their income back into their families while men earners reinvest just 35%. The idea behind Mata Traders is that bringing women into the workforce will be a catalyst for positive global change.

And that is just the groundwork. Beyond the excellent crafts(wo)manship of the hand-embroidered floral appliqué on the three-quarter length sleeves and hemline of the elastic empire waist Winter Dreidle Dress is the knowledge that the garment is made of 100% fair trade certified cotton that is "grown on small family farms that...follow environmental standards that restrict the use of agrochemicals and encourage sustainability." And the beautiful color (mauve in my case, though the dress is also available in black) is gained through the use of eco-friendly vegetable dyes. All of this enviro-feminism contributes to my feeling very good about myself while wearing this trés cute dress. How many birds can you hit with just one stone?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, December 16th 2009

Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:34:00 +0000

By Give Gift

Ten months ago, Singaporean Lilis Lim started the Give Gift etsy shop as a practical method to facilitate her passion for arts and crafts. Lilis loves the process of creation, but creating for creation's sake can get expensive unless you develop a way to subsidize your hobby, which is exactly what she did. Now a part of her everyday schedule, Lilis sews the bags, pouches, purses, and totes at home in her free time, and she drops the completed orders in the post on her way to work or school.

Only a month after she began, Lilis broke her first sewing machine, a mini-model that wasn't able to withstand the thick fabrics and zippers. Since then she has obtained a newer, better performing machine to effectively tackle her many projects. The resulting crafts(wo)manship is apparent in the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch.

Handmade from a pre-washed cotton fabric that features tiny pink and red strawberries dancing about in a sort of chorus line, the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch is a cutesy, feminine carrying case that reminds me of a certain popular red-haired, sweet-smelling doll from my youth. The fact that I never actually owned one of these dolls is neither here nor there; Strawberry Shortcake was ubiquitous in the 1980s, and the design of this pouch capitalizes on the '80s nostalgia that has infected America for the past several years.

At approximately 7 x 5 inches, the Strawberry Rectangle Zipper Pouch is big enough to hold your basic necessities—cell phone, cash, passport, iPod—unless you're the type of person who just cannot leave home without a stash of contingency items on your shoulder at all times. I used to be like that, then I developed back problems and a slight right tilt, so I decided my immediate physiological needs outweigh whatever not-really-emergency situation that might-possibly-perhaps-maybe-could strike where I need a bandaid, tissues, lip balm, and a multi-use tool.

Ranging from $3.50 to $23 (and then only $2 more for shipping), Give Gift makes is easy to, well, give gifts because their prices are so darn affordable—additional proof that this isn't a money-making venture, but is, indeed, a labor of love.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, December 14th 2009

Moonlit Necklace & Flying Home Ring

admin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:07:00 +0000

By Bohème Jewelry

Having made its premiere in the northern Italian city of Turin in 1896, La bohème is now the second most frequently performed opera in the United States—so says Wikipedia. Ordinarily, the near-winner might be a little miffed at the first place slot being granted to another, but Tuscan composer Giacomo Puccini loses to no one other than himself. The foremost operatic popularity goes to another of Puccini's masterworks: Madame Butterfly.

Using a visually aesthetic motif similar to that of the aural designs of Puccini, Bohème Jewelry crafts unique pieces that are at once forward-thinking and vintage. Sheryl Pang's handcrafted designs are thoughtful and complex, yet not overly so as to render them inaccessible to the average wearer. They have an air of nineteenth century Parisian cosmopolitanism with a smidgen of Gothic art.

Imagine yourself as a ragtag artist in the French capital under Russian occupation and during the period of Restoration. Your city is on the cusp of a wave of industrialization that will lead to a great number of transformations. With technology, trade, and tourism at your doorstep, the opera houses become a refuge for creativity.

The Moonlit Necklace and Flying Home Ring are anachronistic pieces of jewelry that hearken to the tragically romantic allure to which Puccini's compositions have given voice. Nestled in the center of an oxidized brass fern is a Swarovski crystal the color of sky. The pendant hangs from a sixteen-inch chain that matches the brass of the flora. Painted with a verdigris patina, the brass ring is twisted into a delicate pattern that features a swallow holding two pink-toned Swarovski pearls and a baby blue Czech glass bead in its beak. Both pieces have a feminine sensibility that is delightfully contrasted with the sturdiness of the design.

A chain smoker of both cigarettes and cigars (a staple of the European artistic elite), Giacomo Puccini died of throat cancer just a month prior to his sixty-sixth birthday. As the story goes, a New York orchestra played Chopin's Funeral March the moment news of Puccini's death reached the city, which was, ironically, in the midst of a performance of La bohème.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, November 30th 2009

Green Arm Cuff with Wooden Marble Buttons / Flax Farm Hoop Earrings / Face Scrubbies

admin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000

By Le Chat Crochet

I have a proud family history of hand-me-downs, secondhand stores, and thrift. My mother once had a bumper sticker: “This car stops for yard sales.” I am familiar with “rummaging” as a sanctioned, communal activity for acquiring goods; have visited flea markets in several countries; filled paper sacks at $1 “bag sales”; and as a child, I often accompanied my realtor father to tag and estate sales. For years, I have longed to visit the Highway 127 Yard Sale. My grandmothers—who stayed friends long after my parents split up—used to convene every summer in my hometown to go “saling”—that is, to buy a local Thursday/Friday/Saturday newspaper, circle the best garage sales in pen, and drive around all day looking for bargains. They didn’t need a map. Thrift is bred early.

When one of my grandmothers moved into an assisted living community several years ago, I was sent in to sort her closets jammed full of old magazines, spools of ribbon, shoe horns, and half-burned candles. At the time, I lived across the country, yet there was no one better for the job. I sat in heaps of recipes, plastic bags, and cloth scraps for days, sorting old letters, checking sell-by dates on canned food, and reclaiming a childhood record player found hidden in a large leaf bag in the pantry. In the end, we donated, sold, and shipped antiques and knick-knacks to relatives in several states.

After I’d gone back to my East Coast home, my father called from Indiana. “I’m sitting in grandma’s garage!” he announced. “Dad, I already went through that stuff,” I said, wary of his excitement. “You threw away things that could be recycled!” he hollered. He went on to explain that he had brought back all of the garbage bags from the dumpster in the alley—seven, he chided—and at that moment, sat pulling out the plastics and metal cans while listening to a sports game on the radio.

Despite the eccentricities passed down in my genes, I understand that reclaiming an old sweater to make new wearables is not only currently en vogue but also intelligent economics. It should also come as no surprise that I marvel at the exquisite and interesting ways artists and craftspeople upcycle. Le Chat Crochet, a modest Etsy shop based in Amsterdam, is one of the best examples of this modern reclamation I have found. Astrid, the shop’s mastermind, offers a simple selection of upcycled goods, from earrings and arm bands to hot pads and face scrubbies.

My awesome selection from Le Chat Crochet’s shop includes a deep green armband with marbled wooden buttons and hoop earrings with fifty-year-old reused flax yarn crocheted on the bottom edge for dainty decoration. I also received four face scrubbies that are modeled after coaster crochet patterns and are perfect for the astringent that removes dirt and oil from my slightly cranky face. If you’ve ever used a facial tonic, you know how quickly you can get to the bottom of a bag of cotton.

Astrid’s philosophy is more than eco-friendly. Her commitment to reuse is thoughtful beyond fashion, anti-consumerist, and truly without waste. My goodies came wrapped in reused packing paper and cardboard. She also keeps an inspiring blog about her trash digging, used goods swapping ways. Stories about reclaimed bathtubs housing turtles and curbside books going to a local cat spaying charity are among my favorites, though a meditation on the usefulness of a dot matrix printer is especially relevant since it prints the lovely Le Chat Crochet cards that come with every order.

With such a thrifty family, you’d think it would be hard to impress me by recycling. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. The frugal, upcycled finds from Le Chat Crochet make me feel a little closer to home.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, November 29th 2009