by MissMalaprop on March 3, 2010
Picked By You! is back! Below you’ll find some great handmade goods recommended by you, the readers!
This handmade Extra Slouchy Beret in Lemon was crocheted by Softspoken and recommended by MariaHug (who I recently featured here). She says, “Yay for yellow and the coming spring!” I agree! Love the bright color and the way this beret is styled in the photos.
Carol Bradley suggested the soy candles by Kenny CoOp. She told me, “I’ve used 8 of their candles… The scents are original, crisp and clean. By “clean” I mean that it’s just right. One small candle fills a small room well without being cloying or overpowering. My favorite is Frog!”
zJayne said this about this handmade stuffed blue gorilla toy made from recycled wool sweaters by sighfoo: “I melt when I click on this listing. The face, I tell you, it speaks to me. Adorable as all get out. (What does that even mean?) In fact, I bought his buddy, spumoni gorilla. May have to have this one too.” I agree, this gorilla is pretty cute, but it’s hard to choose which animal is the cutest out of all the adorable stuffed creatures in sighfoo’s shop!
Got your own amazing handmade or eco-friendly shopping find? Send it my way! You can email me a link to the item, one or two sentences about why you think it is so special, plus your name and a website/blog link so I can credit you to mallory [AT] missmalaprop.com and let me know it’s for Picked By You!, or you can post your picks in this thread in the Etsy forums or at my Facebook fan page. Designers, while I definitely encourage you to let me know about your own work as well, please note that Picked By You! is to showcase the work of other artists, so show some love for your favorite fellow artisans!
by MissMalaprop on January 18, 2010
I love these upcycled cashmere and wool fingerless gloves, made by Peg Mayor of Raging Wool. Peg scours thrift stores for unwanted cashmere and wool sweaters that she then turns into brand new winter accessories like these.
She also recycles these unwanted sweaters into scarves, handbags and cashmere heart pillows. (Wouldn’t these make a cute Valentine’s gift??) On her blog, Peg explains what goes into these upcycled creations and shares the steps she takes to make these pieces.
Rumor has it, Fair Isle is back in fashion, and Peg’s fingerless gloves are a great way to incorporate it into your wardrobe. Get them at her Raging Wool Etsy shop.
by MissMalaprop on January 13, 2010
The lovely Deirdre of BossyBoots Design has offered up another one of her beautiful handmade knit scarves for a giveaway. Long time readers might remember a giveaway we did last year of one of her handknit scarves, and she has generously offered to give away this cozy orange scarf from her chunky Dick & Jane scarf collection.
This chunky scarf is perfect for both guys and girls and it’s knit by hand from thick and soft 100% Merino wool. An $80 retail value, this scarf could be yours!
This particular giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. To enter, all you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post by midnight on Friday, January 29, 2010 (Central Standard Time – go here to figure out what time that is where you are).
Find more of Deirdre’s handmade scarves, or order one just like this in any color you’d like at her Etsy shop. She’s also currently running a 15% discount on all scarves and offering free shipping for US domestic orders.
Plus, don’t forget about the other giveaway I’ve still got going on… there’s still time to enter to win the Memoirs Of A Geisha Bracelet – Corsage Cuff!
by MissMalaprop on December 30, 2009
Ever since spending Thanksgiving Day at the horse races, I’ve been wanting a fancy hat for all occasions. It doesn’t help that my head keeps getting cold in this chilly damp weather we’ve had here all December. Ever since I recently discovered the millinery work of Terry Graziano I’ve been coveting her lovely hats! The Acappella in grey wool is my absolute favorite.
I also love that Terry uses cast-off surplus fabrics that have been discarded by other manufacturers. She prevents these materials from going into the trash and turns them into gorgeous hats instead! Each hat is made to order just for you, so you can be sure it will fit you perfectly! (Which is great, since I once had a vintage cloche that I loved, except it was slightly too small and gave me headaches whenever I wore it!)
Find more lovely handcrafted vintage style hats at Terry Graziano’s Etsy shop.
by MissMalaprop on December 14, 2009
When Stacy Gallace emailed me last week to introduce herself and her new online shop, Play It Fair, I must admit, it felt a little like she was reading my mind. I’ve got an e-commerce project currently in the works myself, hopefully to be unveiled in Spring 2010, and her new shop is such an inspiration.
Play It Fair is filled with great handmade, ethically made & fair trade gift ideas, including jewelry and accessories, stuff for home and kids. There’s an emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable materials, and a big dose of humor. There’s so much here to love!
by MissMalaprop on December 1, 2009
Today’s Picked By You! item comes from Valerie Arena of Arena Creative. She’s a big fan of the retro rockabilly inspired designs of DnA Creations.
“I love this seller, this was something I purchased recently and I just love it. I bought the coin purse and a lighter and they gave me a bonus pocket mirror in the same theme (Frida Kahlo) as the two purchases… LOVE the items, fun, unique and artistic!”
Send your own amazing eco-friendly and handmade finds my way, and I’ll feature my favorites here as part of Picked By You! Just send me a link to the item you’ve picked, one or two sentences about why you think this piece is so special, plus your name and a website/blog link to credit you. You can email your submissions to mallory[AT]missmalaprop.com and let me know it’s for Picked By You! Designers, while I definitely encourage you to let me know about your own work as well, please note that Picked By You! is to showcase the work of other artists, so show some love for your favorite fellow artisans!
