tagged 
Jewelry
Jewelry Agate & Mineral Jewelry
Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:08PM Recently I posted about Stone & Honey's lovely agate, amethyst, and crystal jewelry. Here's an example to refresh your memory:
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| Stone and Honey "Domingo" Necklace, $91 (photo from www.stoneandhoney.com) |
In today's post I'm offering up other examples of agate and mineral jewelry that I love. Dara Ettinger, in particular, crafts a multitude of lovely pieces:
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| Dara Ettinger Geode Slice Ring, $85 (photo from www.daraettinger.com) |
I love her druzy geode rings:
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| Dara Ettinger Pink Large Crystal druzy Geode Ring, $85 (photo from www.daraettinger.com) |
This Dara Ettinger amethyst necklace is fabulous:
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| Dara Ettinger Isabella Long Amethyst Cluster Necklace, $276 (photo from www.daraettinger.com) |
Nordstrom sells an attractive and well-priced agate cuff:
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| Nordstrom "Rock Solid" Agate Cuff Bracelet, $68 (photo from www.nordstrom.com) |
These azurite earrings by Pade Vavra are luxe and stunningly gorgeous:
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| Pade Vavra Blue Azurite Drop Earrings at Charm and Chain, $212 (photo from www.charmandchain.com) |
Their drusy quartz earrings are equally beautiful:
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| Pade Vavra Drusy Stud Earrings, Silver, $200 at Charm and Chain (photo from www.charmandchain.com) |
-Colleen
Je t'aime, Aigle
Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 8:00PM Clothes horse that I am, I've been dreaming about the ideal pair of equestrian boots for quite some time, and I've finally found them. Amazingly, they are also just under $200. J.Crew now carries a few boot styles from Aigle (a company started in France by an American in 1853, according to the J.Crew website). Aigle's two-tone black bordeaux jumping boots are perfectly wonderful:
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| Aigle Jumping Boots, $199, photo from J.Crew. |
If I had the funds, I'd wear them with the beautiful and thoroughly English clothes from the Paul Smith Women Autumn/Winter 2010 Pre Collection:
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| That's right; It's a horse-print dress!!! Paul Smith Women A/W 2010 Pre Collection ensemble, photo from www.paulsmith.co.uk. |
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| Paul Smith Women A/W 2010 Pre Collection look, photo from www.paulsmith.co.uk |
I also love this stylish equestrian jacket by Smythe (It comes in blue too!):
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| Smythe Equestrian Puff-Sleeve Jacket, $630 from www.net-a-porter.com |
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| Gorjana small horseshoe necklace from Shop Bop, $54. Photo from www.shopbop.com |
Finally, I'd round out the look with this hobo bag from J.Crew:
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| J.Crew Hockney Hobo, $258 (photo from www.jcrew.com) |
Happy Hunting (er, shopping)!
-Colleen
Anorak Prints
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 8:00PM I love cute prints, and I can't stop thinking about the Anorak "kissing animals" and "ropes and boats" print collections. Anorak is a UK company (and the products are UK made), but you can order their goods online and they'll ship to the United States.
I've never been camping, but I'd go if I had this pretty sleeping bag:
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| Anorak Seagulls Adult Sleeping Bag, 55 GBP (photo from www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
A picnic must be in my future:
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| Top: Anorak Anchors Picnic Blanket (rolled up), Bottom: Anorak Boats Picnic Blanket spread out, 36 GBP (photos: www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
They also make a great cooler, and an oilcloth tablecloth to complete your picnic decor this summer:
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| Anorak Kissing Rabbits Coolbag, 55 GBP (photo: www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
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| Anorak Kissing Stags Oilcloth, 27 GBP (photo: www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
Pack everything up in these bags:
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| Anorak Kissing Robins Shopper, 22 GBP (photo: www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
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| Anorak Kissing Stags Weekend Holdall, 185 GBP (photo: www.anorakonline.co.uk) |
-Colleen
If You Like Kate Spade, You'll Love Kirribilla
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 8:00PM On June 24th (6pm-9pm) Bubble Boutique at 1100 NW Glisan will be hosting a trunk show featuring Kirribilla. I first heard about this event from the Neatsheet, and immediately looked over the entire Spring/Summer 2010 Kirribilla collection online. Their frocks are early 60s-inspired and simply gorgeous.
I'm now officially obsessed with this designer. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
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| Kirribilla "Alex" (photo from www.kirribilla.com) |
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| Kirribilla "Abby" (photo from www.kirribilla.com) |
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| Kirribilla "Vivian" (photo from www.kirribilla.com) |
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| Kirribilla "Tinsley" (photo from: www.kirribilla.com) |
According to Bubble Boutique's Facebook page, you will receive a 15% discount on Kirribilla dresses you purchase during the trunk show on June 24th.
-Colleen
Marbleize Me
Monday, June 21, 2010 at 8:00PM  |
| Angela Wehrle Marbled in Teal Coptic Stitched Sketchbook/Journal, $24 |
I've always enjoyed a nice marbled paper, especially marble front boards on antiquarian books. Thus, I was instantly enraptured by the Rodarte for Repetto marbled ballet flats at Opening Ceremony:
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| The lovely Rodarte for Repetto marbled ballet flats, $425 (Photo: www.openingceremony.us). |
Opening Ceremony also features a different brown marbled Repetto ballet flat on its site here. If you don't have $425 to shell out for ballet flats, I've found some other ways to help you marbleize your wardrobe.
There are a multitude of beautifully-executed marbled scarves out there. Here are two of my favorites:
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| This is a handmade and hand-painted scarf from Van Sant Designs, $40. |
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| And Gretel vintage scarf, $10. |
Check out all of And Gretel's vintage scarves; they're gorgeous. You can also seek out some vintage clothing with a marbled print. I found more examples than I'd thought I would on Etsy. I love this great vintage blouse from The Nine Stories:
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| Vintage Blouse from The Nine Stories, for only $15. |
This vintage dress is super-fabulous, and also marble-printed:
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| Vintage dress from Capricous Traveler, $65. |
French Connection has a very chic "marble" bangle for $20:
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| French Connection Marble Bangle, $20 (Photo: www.frenchconnection.com). |
Add marble detail with these vintage buttons from Recycled Wares:
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| Marbled Celluloid and Bakelite buttons (10 for $6) from Recycled Wares. |
-Colleen
Show of Awesome Craft Sale!
Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 1:50AM Today (or rather, yesterday!) Squirrel and Starling attended the Show of Awesome (you can see a full list of vendors by following this link) craft sale at the Doug Fir Lounge. This event was part of the Summit of Awesome, three days of craft workshops and seminars put on by Hello Craft, Crafty Wonderland, and DIY Lounge. As always with Crafty Wonderland shows, there were so many great booths with lots of lovely things to purchase. We wish we had time to peruse each and every booth, but it ended up being a case of the classic "too much awesome, not enough time!" Today's post features a few artists that caught our eye(s).
The basement of the Doug Fir Lounge was very crowded with eager shoppers!
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| Lots of Cool Crafters = Crowded Basement! |
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| Even more craftiness |
Unfortunately, Colleen had forgotten to obtain some cash before arriving (way to be prepared, Colleen!). Julia, however, purchased these cute cards from Portland artists Two Guitars (top) and A Tea Leaf (bottom):
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| Anchors Aweigh! From Two Guitars |
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| Design from A Tea Leaf, just in time for Father's Day! |
A few of the vendors graciously posed for photos of their booths and wonderful creations for our nascent blog. We met Christy Petterson of abardis of Atlanta, Georgia who sells handmade jewelry, accessories, and stationery.
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| Hi Christy! |
We stopped by the Portland-based Man vs. Ink booth. We love the "Handmade in Oregon" print. Nice work Fred!
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| Man vs. Ink doing his thing! |
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| Prints Galore |
We also enjoyed the wares of Portland's own Bossa Nova Baby. They sell a cute scissors cozy:
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| Screen Printed Small Scissors Cozy by Bossa Nova Baby, $8. |
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| Slide Sideways Overgrowth Sketchbook, $8. |
All of the artists we admired have an online presence (on Etsy, of course!), so luckily Colleen will have a chance to order some things online with her trusty credit card. Furthermore, this means that you, our darling readers, have a chance to check these fab folks out for yourselves. They are truly 'Awesome'!
Lost and Found in Portland
Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 8:00PM Today's show-and-tell features Portland-themed online finds. Most of these can be viewed/purchased at the most wonderful virtual craft show and shop, Etsy. One of Etsy's search options or "Ways to Shop" is to "Shop Local" so you can just enter "Portland, Oregon" and see what reveals itself. Not all of the following artists are Portland or Oregon-based, but they all feature beautiful Portland, Oregon among their designs. Enjoy!
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| Delaflamant Portland, OR- Hand Printed Graphic Map; 16x20; $40 |
These Oregon-themed map magnets by Parsnip and Pear are also entirely adorable:
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| Parsnip and Pear 1-inch Oregon Map magnets; $4.25 |
Bishop Art sells a Portland Bingo card print, featuring things that Portland is famous for (or maybe should be famous for, like Subarus and rain boots):
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| Bishop Art Portland Bingo Print 11x14; $20 |
Lastly, I'd like to mention the Portland Mapnote Note Card by MAPTOTE. So cute:
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| MAPTOTE Mapnote Note Card; $4.00 |
Polli Jewelry
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 8:00PM I'm still on a jewelry kick, so I thought I'd share my current favorite jewelry designer in today's post. I initially discovered Polli jewelry (an Australian company) through a visit to the online store of the Tilde boutique in Portland. Polli has a wide array of well-priced, delicately-etched stainless steel and gold pendants, earrings, brooches, and housewares. They also have a "woven" category which features hand-stitched colored threads on metal. Their Australian site even ships to the United States, with affordable shipping prices!
The "Tandem" bicycle necklace is very Portland!
I also love Polli's great jewelry stands. They are modern, sculptural, and pretty:
Polli JewelleryStand, 82 AUD
Polli JewelleryStand Coral, 127 AUD
Polli Coral Branch Jewelry Stand Black - Relish Design
Polli JewelleryStand Coral, 127 AUD
Polli Coral Branch Jewelry Stand Black - Relish Design
-Colleen
Color Focus: Coral Escape
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 5:27PM Since weather in our fair city has been unseasonably dark and gloomy these past few weeks, (Summer, where are you?) my reaction has been to crave all things bright and sunny. Coral has always been one of my go-to colors for a bright punctuation against neutrals such as white, khaki, black, and navy. Often an integral shade used in resort collections, coral seems to make me feel more relaxed and optimistic when I wear it.
Here are some of my recent coral discoveries, both items I am currently wearing and enjoying, as well as things I am lusting after:
Kate Spade - Folley Beach Makenzi (Natural/Coral) - Bags and Luggage
$295 - zappos.com
More Kate Spade shoulder bags »
$295 - zappos.com
More Kate Spade shoulder bags »
So, put away that AmEx and forget about expensive airfare. If you’re craving a tropical escape, all you need is a mojito in one hand and one of these juicy items in your fashion and beauty wardrobes.
- Julia
The Great Kate Spade
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 8:00PM I was inspired by Saturday's Breath of Portland fashion show to post some of my favorite Kate Spade items of the season. Kate Spade is one of Squirrel and Starling's most-loved labels, because of the classic, wearable beauty of the garments, and the sense of whimsy of the brand.
The Kate Spade Carly shoes were prominently featured in the fashion show on Saturday. They're fabulous and bedecked with bows; the bee motif that prevails this season is also completely adorable. I want all of Kate Spade's yellow, gold, or green-colored clothes and accessories, especially the Garden Grove Marguerite handbag.
All of Kate Spade's dresses are ultra-feminine and elegant. These are the dresses I most want in my closet:
-Colleen