Cool places on the net - Bloganistas and Unhappy Hipsters

Happy Saturday!

Just wanted to share two new(ish) places I've found on the interwebz. First, there's a new Flickr pool just for design and lifestyle bloggers (that's me!). It's called Bloganistas and the goal is to show the world that bloggers actually do get out of their pajamas sometimes. Of course, I get out of my PJs every day since I have a Monday through Friday gig and don't blog or craft full-time (*sigh*). But, I still thought it would be fun to participate. Here's my first contribution to the group (my outfit from last night's happy hour excursion to the bar 20 feet from my apartment):


T-shirt: Target
Sweater: Spool No. 72 (indie website!)
Jeans: Gap
Boots: Ruche (indie website!)
Jewelry: random (some store, some handmade)


I also stumbled upon a highly amusing new blog called Unhappy Hipsters. This blog turns the design blog concept on its head and pokes fun at sleek, modern, hipster design by combining stunning images from Dwell with hilarious, snarky (and sometimes ironic) captions. Go check it out. I guarantee you'll want to add this one to your reader.

Relax! It's the weekend!

TGIF! The weekend is finally here. Are you as excited as I am?

What do you have planned? How will you be contributing to shopping local and the handmade movement this weekend? Are you spending time crafting or are you shopping? Maybe both?

Whatever your plans, I hope your weekend is relaxing, enjoyable and productive. Here are a few pics to help get you in weekend mode (it's a balmy 15 degrees outside right now, so these pics not only get me in weekend spirit, they have me itching for lazy summer evenings. Right now!).


AnnuskA - AnnA Theodora
AnnuskA - AnnA Theodora

SunnyMarry

Rag's Photography

Ben

Miss Chien

All photos found on flickr.

{ freshly picked } kanokwalees

Everything in kanokwalees' Etsy shop is just so cool, it was hard for me to narrow down my choices for this post. The shop's slogan is (appropriately) "Inspired by Nature." Scarves spun to look like coral, leaves, snowflakes and flowers make a cool, casual accent to nearly any outfit. Which one(s) will you buy?



1 - Gold Petite Leaves Garland Lariat
2 - Lots of Round Cup Leaflets Garland
3 - Enchanted Forest Lariat
4 - The Mermaid Queen Scarflette
5 - Let it Snow Bookoo
6 - Natural Leaves Garland
7 - Just Because I Love You Necklace

Visit kanowakwalees on Etsy for more scarf-necklace-scarflette goodness.

Happy birthday, Mom!

Today is my wonderful, super-awesome Mom's birthday. She is awesome for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because she managed to raise me and keep me from turning into a hoodlum. What better way to celebrate her day than with lots of handmade cupcake goodness?




1 - A New Day Mixed Media Collage Cupcake Print by Linda Woods
2 - Birthday Blue Cupcake Lampwork Earrings by Bead on a Stick Creations
3 - Cupcake Earrings by Insane Jellyfish Designs
4 - Birthday cupcake sugar cookies by Sugar & Flour
5 - Kawaii Cupcake Jewelry Box by Ice Cream Candy
6 - Kawaii Cupcake Bracelet by Love Your Bling
7 - Cupcake Notecards (set of 8) by Violet Cottage

Deliciously snarky notecards by Wry & Ginger

Sometimes you want a nice, pretty card that gets the waterworks going.

And sometimes you just want to get your snark on.

At Wry & Ginger, there's a card for that. In fact, there are lots of cards for that.

Want to tell a stranger he parked like a donkey? Done. Give your friends dating tips? Or tell your coworker thanks for screwing you over on last week's project? Done and done. But just a word of caution- when slipping your boss a card telling her you like her new dress, you might just want to sign "your secret admirer" and leave it at that. If, you know, you like your job and stuff.


1 - Thank you from the bottom of your hard nugget of a heart
2 - Bad Parking Notes
3 - Dating Tips - how to tell if you are having drinks with a sociopath
4 - ZING POW - beauty of the backhanded compliment

{ freshly picked } fey handmade

Since I'm off and running with my newly minted blog mission, my brain has been working overtime coming up with ideas for fresh, daily content. Today (and every Monday through Friday), I bring you {freshly picked}- my daily finds of shops, artists and designers.

My first {freshly picked} daily find is Fey Handmade. This expertly curated website is a purveyor of all things...what else? Handmade! This site takes the guesswork out of shopping handmade and streamlines selections to the cream of the crop, from housewares to jewelry to clothing to art and photography. I want everything!



1 - Small hoops dangle earrings
2 - Lilac handmade soap
3 - Mini creamer
4 - Fall painting
5 - Vintage Curtain Dress
6 - Lilak Flowers clock
7 - Plum Poppy Necklace

{ pretty little things } camera charm necklaces

Anyone who knows me knows I love jewelry. Like really, really. And I love unique handmade jewelry most of all. And I know I'm not alone with this obsession. So, allow me to introduce my newest column, "pretty little things," where I'll find a roundup of fabulous handmade or indie/emerging-designer jewelry.

So, let's get to it- up first: cute little camera charm necklaces. Perfect for the shutterbug, professional photographer or traveler (or anyone who just likes vintage-looking cameras).



1 - Traveller Necklace by Japonicas
2 - Eiffel Tower Brass Filigree Camera Necklace by For the Cross Jewelry Designs
3- Vintage Antique-style Camera Pendant Necklace by NYLightMetals
4 - Wish Necklace by Oh, Hello Friend**
5 - Camera Crystal Necklace by RetroSkor

**Check out Oh, Hello Friend's design blog. She has such a pretty aesthetic and a kind way about her. Definitely one of my daily reads.

{ good stuff } Eye on the sparrow (and finches and jays and cardinals)

Here we are again. It's Monday. I thought I'd brighten your day (and mine!) with some happy little birds (kind of like Bob Ross and his happy little trees). I just love anything with birds. Even in the dead of winter they have me singing with thoughts of spring (it will be here soon, right????). And no matter what the bird - sparrow, finch, blue jay, cardinal- they make such pretty subjects paintings, jewelry and home decor.

Here are a few recent Etsy finds:


1 - Jay Coin Purse, by Bird versus Bird Designs
2 - Vintage Yellow Songbird and Mushroom Maddux Vase
from sassboxclassics
3 - Big Bird Charm Necklace, by MaruMaru
4 - Sparrows on a Branch Notecard, by Olive and Ruby
5 - A Cardinal, Blue Jay and a Robin original mixed media encaustic, by Bright Day
6 - Feathered Friends Earrings, by Poppy Raye Studio
7 - Little Bird Near the Hollyhock Fine Silver Necklace, by Wire Girl
8 - In the Tree Print, by Hadley Hutton

{ eco find } Vers iPhone cases and docking station

I'm eligible for an iPhone upgrade this weekend. It's a good thing, too, since I've been toting around the archaic first generation phone pretty much since the day it hit the market. I'm definitely ready for my upgrade. And I think my shiny new phone deserves some eco-friendly accessories- like this bamboo iPhone case and handcrafted speaker from Vers. Not only does Vers create products that look fantastic sitting in your well-designed living room but they also made it their mission to create those products with the least environmental impact possible and to help replenish forests where they're needed most. And that's something my iPhone and I can definitely get our groove on to.

{ Color love } - Into the (turquoise) blue

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

I thought I'd kick off this week with some pretty turquoise finds inspired by Pantone's color of the year. Which by the way, is PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise.

I just love turquoise, don't you? It reminds me of the sparkling San Diego ocean (which anyone who reads my blog regularly knows is one of my favorite places ever). And I'm always saying purple is my favorite color, but judging by the amount of clothing, art, jewelry and housewares I acquire in turquoise, teal, and aqua, I'm starting to think I'm sort of confused about what my favorite color actually is.

So, here they are- a few of my favorite handmade turquoise finds:


Delicate by Photography by Lori H.


Cove necklace by Glitz Glitter


Serenity soap dish by Azulado


Reflections original water color by Karen Faulkner


Turquoise and brown lampwork earrings by Jill McCrystal Jewelry


Bright turquoise infinity scarf by Kangaroo Knits

Help Haiti

Image source: United Nations Programme on Flickr

As we all know, a devastating earthquake hit Haiti this week. If you're interested in helping, consider donating to the cause by texting the Red Cross (web donations and regular checks are also accepted).

Design blogger, sfgirlbybay also has a great list of artists, bloggers and crafters who are donating portions of their proceeds to the relief effort. Please check it out and help with however much you can- every penny counts.

Crafty calendars

Skip the mass-produced versions for these unique, designer-made 2010 calendars. Beautiful illustrations, artistic photography and typography make for pretty eye candy when you're trapped in a boring, gray cubicle (or if you happen to be one of the lucky ones, a sunny home studio).



2010 Calendar in 4 X 6 Photo Desktop Display Case, by Grace Hester Designs
Calendar - Eye Poetry (2010), by IS Photography
2010 Franklin Gothic Typography Calendar, by the Rasilisk*
2010 Calendar Pillow, by Le Papier Studio

*PS- I discovered The Rasilisk when the shop owner advertised on my blog via Project Wonderful.

Happy 2010!

Eek! I'm way late posting this, but a happy 2010 to you all, nonetheless! I hope you've had a smashing start to the new year. As for me, well...I've been busy (thus, the aforementioned lateness). We moved (finally!) into downtown Lancaster and in addition to unpacking and trying to get out lives organized - when did we accumulate all this stuff??? - we've also been enjoying all the fabulousness that comes with living in a city (walking distance to everything- YAY!).

And while I'm not really one to make resolutions, I do at least set goals. And I definitely have some goals for The Blooming Wildflowers Project. Some things I'm hoping to accomplish this year- a blog redesign, getting established as an indie shopping blog, and spreading the word about indie artists, emerging designers, independently owned brick and mortars, and the handmade world.

On the personal/professional/non-blog-related front, I'm hoping 2010 is my year to break out and walk away from some things and start blazing trails in new directions (hey, I already managed to get a good start with my apartment/location upgrade on January 2, so why not keep the momentum going?). Nothing says it better than a newly discovered (new to me, anyway) wildflower, Marie Digby and her song, "Beauty in Walking Away." Go listen to it now. And buy it on iTunes. It is officially my 2010 theme song.

Marie Digby - Beauty In Walking Away

Powered by mp3skull.com

And here are just the lyrics for those of you who would rather just read it (but I highly recommend just listening to it- it's a beautiful song):

A light shines off in the distance
A pale flickering glow
How many times do I have to dream that I could be there
The time is here and she won't be waiting for me to find the easy way out
I've lost count of the days that were wasted

There's an answer in the sound of a train
There is wisdom past the bridge on the bay
There's a lifetime through the fog, in the rain
There's a beauty in walking away

I float on the streets that are empty
Take the path that the wind only knows
Tonight is the last time that I'll ever be here

There's an answer in the sound of a train
There is wisdom past the bridge on the bay
There's a lifetime through the fog, in the rain
There's a beauty in walking away

It's never quite simple, it's never that safe
It never seems perfect until it's too late
It's never the right time to find a new way

There's an answer in the sound of a train
There is wisdom past the bridge on the bay
There's a lifetime through the fog, in the rain
There's a beauty in walking away