HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : A SNUGGLY DESIGN

How loveable are theses bread boards from Etsy store Snug? and only US$27 each! the hardest part would be deciding between designs.

WORDSPIRATION : WE CAN

Seen in the Barn Owl Primitive Etsy shop for $70USD

MONDAY COLOUR

pretty packaging! via Fabulous K makes me want to wrap a present pronto

WORDSPIRATION : WE CAN DO HARD THINGS

BarnOwlPrimitives have this wordspiration beauty for sale in their etsy store for US$70. (Apparently it hangs in the NY Etsy offices - pretty cool!)

Happy Sunday and a super Happy Birthday to my lovely BFF x

WORDSPIRATION : A SHIP IS SAFE IN HARBOR

A beautiful print and quote from etsy store LittleThingsStudio. Great price too!

SUNDAY READING : SWEET PAUL

Sweet paul is an online 'homemade and handmade' foodies mag which contains beautiful food styling and photography, as well as a great mix of content (including this issue's article about using food to dye fabric) and of course delicious recipes! My fave sections for the summer 11 issue have to be the soda shop and summer cake goodies. Definitely put it on your Sunday reading list!

gorgeous cover!

DIY decoupage vase (click to enlarge)

yum!

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : ALWAYS ROOM FOR ICE CREAM

So true! (although Id like to extend that to always room for dessert) This quirky art print comes from etsy store Two for Joy, and can be hanging in your kitchen for USD$58. Visit the listing here

Happy Friday!

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : KNITTED CACTUS

Spotted in this months issue of Real Living (a mag I love) how cute are these knitted cacti! Handmade in Melbourne by the Etsy store Odds & Ends, Im loving the modern take on a 70s favourite, especially in that crisp white ceramic pot. All yours starting from $59AUD

from the May issue of Real Living

HAND MADE BUY OF THE DAY : DIY ANGRY BIRDS

First released by Rovio mobile in December 2009 for Apple, the game Angry Birds has since sold over 75 million copies worldwide and shows no signs of slowing down. The addictive puzzler is reported by wired.co.uk to be "the first waste of...time that can be accurately quantified. Every day, users spend 200 million minutes - 16 years every hour- playing the mobile game. Three trillion pigs have been popped." That's a lot of screen time! Enough for some to fall in love with the characters and want to crochet them into 3D friends? I'd say so..Check out this Etsy buy from The Itsy Bitsy Spider store; The patterns for all 6 birds are emailed to you for US$18 and you're able to start crafting within 24 hours. More smile-enducing patterns available online here.

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : YOU COMPLETE ME

You are the missing dough from my doughnut...ahhh romance personified!

Sort out your Valentines with this cute card from the PaperMichelle store on Etsy. Completely handmade, hand cut and glued and hand printed! you can get yours for US$4.00 plus shipping here.

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : CLUTCHING AT FLOWERS

When I discovered the Etsy store RedRubyRose it took a while to decide just which beautiful purse to feature as a handmade buy of the day! There is such a huge range and each clutch is beautifully made with such inspiring original prints and designs. Handmade by UK based Rowena, the store is well worth a browse!

Gold Poppy Silk lined clutch bag -US$85

BRISBANE BUZZ : FINDERS KEEPERS S/S

I only just realised Finders Keeper's is on again in Brissy. Today and tomorrow 10am-5pm

BRISBANE BUZZ : BRISSTYLE INDIE ECO MARKETS

Well crafty folks get out your crocheted purses and get excited for this weekend's BrisStyle Eco Indie Markets. On again this Saturday from 9am - 2pm they are sponsored by Peppermint Magazine and take place in Hamilton's St Augustine's Church on Racecourse Road. I'm hoping to drag some girlfriends along so might see you there! (hope todays rain clears up by then)

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : RAINY DAY MOBILE

Well once again Brisbane-nites will be shielding their GHD'd locks from the elements today and I found the perfect handmade gift for such weather! This gorgeous paper mobile is from Etsy store Gosh and Golly (a recent Etsy addition whose name I love) Forget mobiles being just for the nursery Id like to admire this in my kitchen or living room! It also comes in a wall art version and both can be custom made with colours of your choice for US$48. Very perty (also check out the hot air balloon mobile here)

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : BOHEMIAN BRACELETS

These gorgeous bracelets (12 in the set) are from Etsy store Maribelle Campa. Hand made in Puerto Rico with natural Greek leather and silver plated tubes, they'd be a beautiful addition to the hippie-chic maxi dresses emerging for this summer. Selling for US$30, check out the store for a great range of colour combos.

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : YELLOW THERE!

As a continuation of Today's Lust Have Trend, the Skinny Belt, I discovered this double wrap leather beauty in Lemon Yellow: right on trend! Handmade in Israel by Studio Amiel, this particular belt is hand cut from Vaketa leather and can be yours for $43USD. If yellow isn't your colour then check out the rest of the store for a rainbow of options. (Found on Etsy.com)

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : I LIKE IT

I like it and I know what it is!

Woodblock poster created by Anthony Burill, printed on 100% recycled paper .

Get your copy at The Lollipop Shoppe

HANDMADE BUY OF THE DAY : RED, WHITE & BLUE

Today's Handmade Buy is the Sock Monkey Soapsicle from LoveLeeSoap's Etsy store, featured on Martha Stewart, this choice is inspired by those American-based friends enjoying the fourth of July weekend. Yours for just US$5 on Etsy, check out the tonnes of other quirky and delicious-looking soaps available in LoveLeeSoap's shop and look out for my other faves, which include the fortune cookies and pancakes...now I'm hungry...

BRISBANE BUZZ : THE FINDERS KEEPERS BEEN THERE DONE THAT

So Sunday was my maiden voyage into the world of Finders Keepers and boy was it busy! The 2 studios and balcony were a constant throng of curious browsers and eager shoppers all jostling for the best spots in front of the stall tables. I did in fact lose my friends straight away but with so much to look at I didn't mind getting lost for a while! Mondocherry was one of the first sellers I gravitated towards and loved all their 3d paper-art and framed buttons. Almond Tree Frames was another great set-up with paper-art, and if you have a look at their site be sure to check out their Alice in Wonderland range. My first, of only 2 purchases, came from Bespoke Letterpress Boutique. However as it is a gift I can't share it here incase it spoils the surprise! needless to say it is a beautiful example of letterpress. Udessi's sculptures and animal prints next caught my eye before my final buy, a creamy ceramic magnet from paper boat press. Handmade right here in Brisbane it reads "follow your bliss" (buy a similar one here) My last stop was the jewellery at Pigeonhole, where I fell in love with some of the delicate silver pieces and I am looking forward to having a better look around their webstore soon!

Half way through we needed to take some time out for nourishment and the reclaiming of a little personal space. I shared some pizza and a little banana bread cross legged on a grassy patch in front of the band's stage and luckily made it back inside before the rain started. All in all it was a good day with good food, good company and plenty of creative inspiration!

BRISBANE BUZZ : THE FINDERS KEEPERS

Super excited for a Jam-pack weekend coming up! Which amongst many things will include an eagerly awaited trip to the Biannual Finders Keepers Markets in Herston. On this Sat and Sun (26th/27th) it's the place to be if you are even mildly interested in the handmade, shopping, crafts, food or music! Might see you there!

from last years markets in Brisbane