oh baby, baby!

I've been so eager to share this news with the world since the moment we found out. But of course, we kept it to ourselves and our loved ones for the first few months. I'm so happy that I can finally shout it out!

The first trimester wasn't fun for me. Although compared to other women it sounds like I've had an easier time, and for that I am grateful. I am now in my second trimester and things are looking up - except for the fact that I have been getting more frequent headaches lately. However, I do feel that my energy is back and I'm beginning to be myself again!

We're going to find out at our next appointment in a few weeks if it is a boy or a girl. People are asking me what I prefer. Honestly I can really go either way. I don't have a strong preference for the gender. The first baby dream I had was about a boy, the second was a girl so who knows? We don't have boy names lined up though so if we're having a boy we're definitely going to have to think on it a lot.

I've started looking through baby clothes and I'm dying over how cute they are! OMG. I'm going to have to stop myself from buying everything I can get my hands on. I am also placing baby clothes orders for doe so I'm even more exposed to this ridiculous cuteness.

Clockwise: Speesees, Polarn O. Pyret, Kate Quinn & Kate Quinn. Most of them will be available at doe in a few weeks!

busy, busy

This blog has been quiet for a long time. There's a (few) good reasons for it, I promise! I'll reveal one piece of news today and will reveal another one in a week or so.

I have been doing some work for the doe website. I've been helping out with website maintenance, blog updates and the thing I’m most excited about, picking out inventory! I've placed a bunch of orders for products that we've never carried before, they will start trickling in next week. Of course we're still going to continue to carry items that doe regulars know and love.


These days, I'll be blogging more on the doe blog than on this one but there will be some cross-blogging happening for sure. I hope you check out our store! We've been adding more stock every week so check often!

Come back to this space in about a week for my second bit of fantastic news.

Holiday Wishlist 2009

Happy Holidays everyone! I can't believe how quickly this year flew by. This year has been full of ups and downs for me, but in the end I really have a lot to be grateful for. I am also turning 30 at the end of this year so lots more to celebrate! Here's my wish list for this year.

A subscription to Uppercase Mag. This magazine is just full of visual delight and inspiration.



I really love the old world look of these brown apothecary jars from DWR.



18 Reasons is a unique combination of local art, community and food. Those are 3 things that really just ring my bell.



I still haven't seen this movie! Shame on me! The thing that kills me is that I heard that they were selling this at Renegade this past weekend but I got so wrapped up in other things, that I forgot. Good thing I can still buy it online.



I would buy this just to be a part of the dinner club, however this membership comes with so much more.


And of course, there's always room for shoes. I've been eyeing these for months and have tried them on. They are oh so comfortable and pretty at the same time. I just can't bring myself to fork up $200 for them. Sigh.

Renegade: Interview with Kitty Baby Love

Name: Sara, Ben and Baby Micah of Kitty Baby Love
Website: kittybabylove.com and kittybblove.etsy.com

The cutest crayons on the planet

Describe your products: It’s handmade toys and home décor. Most are for little kids like the crayons and the bowling set. But we also have things like cards and candles. We try to make things that have a creative function and a useful function. Like the crayons are good for development for young kids. Also the bowling kitties help with motor skills. We like to make something that has fun, educational and creative values.

What is your favorite item that you’re selling at Renegade SF: Sara: My favorite item are the bowling kitties, they’re brand new. Ben: I think the crayons just because I like to draw and paint.

Bowling kitties!

Name artists that are also here today that you admire: (Sara) I heard the black apple is pretty popular, it’s cute stuff.
Where are you based: Where are in Oakland right now but we are moving to Portland.

My loot from Renegade

I have a few more interviews to share but let's take a break from those so that I can share with you what I bought at the fair.

I have been looking forward to the day when I can finally own one of Emily's dolls. So cute!

Birdhouse Specimen Collection No. 1 by Lisa Congdon

Once Upon a Time Poster by Nora Aoyagi

Our 2 chihuahua's from kg + ab

Renegade: Interview with Jen Hewett

Name: Jen Hewett
Website: jenhewett.etsy.com

Describe your art: Print maker and crafter. It’s slightly girly without being poufy.

What is your favorite item that you’re selling at Renegade SF: That’s hard! It’s either the Michelle Obama paper dolls or the silk screen bags with the shoes on them.

Name artists that are also here today that you admire: Diana Fayt, love her stuff and also Mati Rose.

Where do you find inspiration: Pretty much everywhere. I’m out and about a lot and things catch my eye, colors catch my eye.

I was happy to see Jen's booth at Renegade. She is actually a friend of a friend, however I was not expecting to see her there. I instantly loved her stuff at first glance. Based on the note on her Etsy shop, it sounds like I wasn't the only one! She sold out of a lot of her prints during the fair. Congratulations Jen!

Renegade: Interview with kg + ab

The next few posts will be interviews from artists and crafters that I met at Renegade.

Name:
Katherine Grandey and Andy Byers of kg + ab

Website:
kgrandey.etsy.com

Describe your art:
It’s porcelain from vintage molds. Porcelain figurines and decal dinnerware.

What is your favorite item that you’re selling at Renegade SF:
I think the dinosaur nerds plate is my favorite.

Name artists that are also here today that you admire:
I love Loyalty & Blood, I also like Ryan Berkeley who does prints and our friend Jocelyn of Nous Savons who is from San Francisco.

Where are you based:
We’re from Brooklyn

I was instantly captured by kg + ab's booth when I walked by it the first time. Being the porcelain lover that I am, of course I had to stop and look around. My husband and I actually stopped by there a few times throughout the day. You know what the crazy thing is? We both bought this Porcelain Chihuahua head from them separately as a surprise to each other. So now we have 2!

Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco

We had a wonderful sun shiny weekend here in San Francisco. I however, spent my Saturday indoors. Why do you ask? Well I didn't mind it one bit because this weekend, you guessed it, the Renegade Craft Fair came to San Francisco. I have been so flippin' excited about this for months!

Setting up booths early in the morning

Last year I was merely a spectator at the fair. I walked around, took pictures and bought a few items. This year I decided to up the ante a wee bit by volunteering to help 2 of my favorite local artist's, Diana Fayt and Lisa Congdon who shared a booth at the fair.

Diana Fayt's lovely wares

So many of my favorite artists were under one roof, it was the happiest place on earth! Mati Rose, Diana Fayt, Lisa Congdon, Emily Martin, 3 Fish Studios, Sarah Paloma and Small Stump.



In addition, I also did something different for myself, I went around and interviewed a few of the artists that were present.

I discovered so many other talented artists, print makers, jewelers and toy makers like the talented Tugboat Printshop husband and wife team, Sourdough handmade, Tiny Sparks Design and a few more that I will profile in upcoming posts. I literally had to walk around at least 5 or 6 times to take it all in because every time I walked by I kept seeing something new that I missed.

I can't wait to share the interviews with you, please check back soon!

summer florals

I've always been a print kind of girl. I love prints so much that my wardrobe tends to be on the colorful side and lacking the basics. I'm quite excited about this season's floral patterns. I've been seeing it everywhere on dresses, scarves and skirts. Here's a sampling.

I am currently mostly enamored by floral patterns on a black background. I love this Silk floral dress from Built by Wendy.



How can you not love this Orangerie Dress from Mod Cloth? The cut, the colors, the pattern and the price. Just perfect.



I really love this scarf from Anthro. It comes in 3 different colors. I am usually opinionated when it comes to patterns but with this one, it's hard to choose.

A friend of mine owns a pair of Butter shoes and she says they definitely feel like Buttah. Butter shoes are designed in NYC and made in Italy.


Rompers seem to be everywhere these days. Reconstructed Romper from Reconstructed Clothing on Etsy.




Velvet Melodia Skirt from doe.

the silver (gold) lining

I just came back from the Union Design Festival (formerly Capsule) in Hayes Valley. There were lots of goods from independent artists, designers and crafters to be had. I will do a proper post for the festival but I just wanted to share the news that there is a new store opening in San Francisco in a few days.


Designers Adrienne Wiley of Frolick Jewelry and Liza Anongchanya of Ofina Jewelry have teamed up to open Covet, a boutique and design studio in the Inner Richmond. This is really great news and is a silver lining to all the not-so-great news we've been hearing lately about beloved independently owned stores and boutiques closing up shop in the city.

Today, I snapped up a necklace from Ofina. Her pieces are very simple and classic and priced very reasonably. I also own one of her lariats which I bought at last year's indie mart.

The 14k gold filled and bone necklace in the center is now mine :)

Please support local shops and designers, they play a huge part in making San Francisco the great city that it is.

Covet Grand Opening

Thursday, June 4 5-9PM

391 Arguello Blvd @ Clement St.

RSVP to covetsf@gmail.com

or call 415.751.1158

More information at covetsf.com

Our trip down undah: Sydney Markets and beaches

We spent a full week in Sydney. I really wanted to be there during the weekend so that we can experience the markets that Sydney is known for. We managed to visit 2 of them, the Glebe Markets and the sightly more posh Paddington Market.

I loved the Glebe Markets where there were a lot of independent designers and crafters. One thing that I noticed was that booth owners did not want anyone to take pictures of their wares. This was obviously a letdown for me. One person even asked us to delete any pictures we just took. Even though I was able to sneak a few pictures here and there, I don't think it's right for me to post them here so images for this post will be few and a bit generic.

I want to say though that I bought a very pretty necklace from lime lily. If you go to their site, you'll find a few images of their line.



One more thing that Sydney's not short of are beaches. I was amazed at how clean the beaches are. The water is almost always crystal clear and the sand so fine and white. We visited Bondi, Manly and Watsons Bay. It was so nice to just hang out at the beach for a few hours to relax. That's something that we rarely do here in Northern California.

Click on the image for a bigger view:

From Watsons Bay with a view of Sydney

A surfer at Manly Beach

A rock pool on the way to Manly from The Spit

Swimmers at Bondi

terrariums by kat geiger

We went to the Glen Park festival today. Honestly, I was expecting a few food related booths, maybe some community services, some jewelry and not much else. Much to my surprise, I saw this wonderful booth full of terrariums by Kat Geiger.








I fell in love with the containers that she uses. I also love the little white houses that she placed in each of these containers. Some of these terrariums don't need any care. Like Kat said, they are enclosed in their own eco-system. Some of them just need to be misted every now and then. Isn't that fantastic? We bought a hanging tear drop shaped one.

Kat was recently featured on Apartment Therapy. She also sells her terrariums in several Bay Area stores like Urban Indigo, Fleurty and Apartment 46.