SQUIRREL & STARLING

While I was rambling around 13th Street in Sellwood on Friday, I popped into one of my favorites shops, Tilde, and discovered something surprising. There were hard-copy newspapers emblazoned with the title "Design*Sponge Summer 2011 Newspaper." This is the first hard-copy newspaper effort from the popular blog Design*Sponge and features home tours, DIY, and designer features with a "summer" theme. There's even a crossword puzzle. Fun!

My copy of the Design*Sponge Summer 2011 Newspaper!

While I'm on the subject of Tilde, I was also excited to discover that they now carry glass vases and bowls by one of my favorite Portland artists, Lynn Read! Lynn Read's work is also available at Canoe and the Museum of Contemporary Craft gift shop.

You can pick up the FREE Design*Sponge newspaper at the following locations in Portland:

Noun
Sword & Fern
Frances May
Ace Hotel
Alder & Co
Tilde
Modo Boutique
Ristretto
Ink & Peat
Mississippi Records
Ampersand
Flutter
West Elm

View all locations nation-wide here.

By the way, did you know that Design*Sponge has a book out?

-Colleen

(Photo by Squirrel and Starling of the Design*Sponge 2011 Newspaper.)

I adore both letterpress and jewelry, so I love that Egg Press put these two obsessions of mine together in a fun new card series, the Egg Press Charm Cards. The cards include punch out paper gems that you can use to make your own fun paper jewelry!

You're a Gem card, $9.

You're a Gift card, $9.

Big Huge Thanks card, $8.

Big Birthday Wishes card, $8.

Aren't these cards the cutest and most clever idea? I love that they do double duty as a card and a gift. The cards include ear wires for the recipient to make her own earrings, and a few designs come with yellow string so you can make a bracelet or necklace. Neat!

The Charm Cards (including more styles!) are available in the Egg Press online shop.

Photos courtesy of Egg Press.

-Colleen

On Saturday we attended the Etsy Pop-Up Shop at West Elm curated by Lynn Russell of Satsuma Press. It was a fabulous event featuring sixteen fantastic local Etsy sellers, as well hors d'oeuvres by Devil's Food, and a Smilebooth photo booth. It was a lot of fun! Here are a few photos from the event.

Props for the Smilebooth photo booth!

Pillows by Etsy Seller Anna Joyce Designs.

Prunella Soap's shop at West Elm.

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes by Devil's Food.

Mini Cupcakes!

 

Gift Tags by Oh My Cavalier!

Prunella Rosemary, Lavender, and Peppermint Soap.

Elizabeth Soule Print.

Pigeon Toe Ceramics Votive & Mini Creamer.

We ogled the West Elm goodies too!

West Elm Squirrel Figurine.

West Elm (Large) Owl Candles.

There was so much awesome, we didn't take photos of all of the vendors' wares. Check out the Etsy shops of the other great crafters & artists in attendance: Verabel, Satsuma Press, Zanna Textiles, Cori Kindred, Mary Kate McDevitt, Jill Bliss, Kiki + Polly, La Petite Vie, Moufelt, Pom Love, & Rachel Austin.

{All Photos by Squirrel & Starling}

-Colleen & Julia

Our gal Liz of Blue Diamond Stamp Company was also a vendor at Crafty Wonderland! We love the stamps she crafts from high quality photo-polymer. Uniquely, they are clear so that you can see exactly where your stamp is hitting the paper. Brilliant! Liz draws most of the stamp designs herself, but also utilizes vintage images. Read more about her clever and lovely stamps on the Blue Diamond Stamp Company website. Also, check out the (over 100) varied stamp designs she sells in her Etsy shop! Here are a few favorites (click on a photo to go to the Blue Diamond online shop).

I bought this Reading Owl Stamp!

The stamps are sticky and adhere to a stamp block when in use (You only need one stamp block for your entire collection of stamps). The Blue Diamond shop sells stamp blocks for $6. Each stamp costs $8-$10.

I plan to use my newly-acquired "Reading Owl" stamp stamp to stamp my own cards, or wrapping paper for friends' gifts! Or, maybe I'll use it as a bookplate for my personal library. So many options!

{Photos Courtesy of Liz from Blue Diamond Stamp Company}

-Colleen

Potter & Butler is another lovely local company that we fell in love with at Crafty Wonderland. Emily & Carrie make the most delightful cupcake toppers and other festive party decorations! Their beautiful creations are inspiring me to bake more cupcakes and, in general, find more reasons to incorporate festive food and decor into everyday life! Whose day isn't brightened by a cupcake or cheerful pom pom garland? Take a look at some of their fabulous Etsy offerings (click on the photos below to go straight to the Potter & Butler online shop)!

Peppy Toppers (Set of 12 Tissue Poms), $22. Aren't these darling?

I Belong Pom (Fabric Placecard), $4.50. Dinner party perfection!

Lotta Merry Pom (Fabric Pom), $75.

 

Cake Wreath (Fabric), $45.

Cake Garland (Fabric), $22. (Also Shown: Cupcake Flags!)

Gracious Garland Duo (Fabric), $68. I'd hang this anywhere.

Pom Push Pin Collection (Set of Six), $15. Lovely fabric push pins to brighten up your workspace!

All of Potter & Butler's designs are available in a variety of lovely colors. Which color will you choose for your next shindig?

{Photos Courtesy of Potter & Butler}

-Colleen

You learn things about yourself at Crafty Wonderland. It's really a life-changing experience. Prior to Crafty Wonderland (see yesterday's post!), for example, I had no idea that I was obsessed with little animals and Stars Wars characters made out of felted wool. Sheep Creek Needlecraft was the first booth we visited at Crafty Wonderland and one of of the most memorable for me. Andrea of Sheep Creek Needlecraft creates the cutest animals ever, all handmade by wet felting wool fibers. I now find myself wanting an entire menagerie of them. Visit the Sheep Creek Needlecraft Etsy shop & Andrea's fantastic blog (where you'll also learn how to make your own felt items!).

Andrea's booth at Crafty Wonderland!

A custom Star Wars baby mobile that Andrea made. May the felt be with you!

Small wooly lambs available from the Sheep Creek Needlecraft Etsy shop!

Felted doe and fawn, also available on Etsy!

I love this fox! Sheep Creek will make a custom animal for you by request.

Another animal you can custom order, an adorable cow!

Want a custom felt portrait of your dog? Sheep Creek is taking orders on Etsy.

Umm...that's right, Andrea does custom felt dog portraits. I may need to commission a felt mini schnauzer. Andrea is simply a felting genius! All of her work is amazing.

{Photos Courtesy of Andrea of Sheep Creek Needlecraft}

-Colleen

We're a bit tardy with our Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Spring Sale recap, but wanted to share the the awesomeness we experienced (over a week ago now). Crafty Wonderland is always on our must-do list; this time around it took place May 7th at the Oregon Convention Center. We're continuously amazed by all of the new artists we discover at Crafty Wonderland events that we weren't aware of before. Here are a few goodies Colleen couldn't resist (hey, the sale only happens twice a year!).

Ilee Papergoods Ferns Letterpress Notecard Set, $13.

Halle Cisco Designs Studies One (Set of 4 Cards), $6.

Cake Spy Bacon & Cupcake Party Mug, $12. Umm...cupcakes + bacon? Yes, please.

Lettuce Press Notecards. We heart Portland-themed letterpress cards.

 

Potter & Butler Peppy Toppers. The cutest cupcake decorations!

Seaworthy Notecards. The card at right says "There's a little crazy cat lady in all of us."

Reading Book Owl Stamp from Blue Diamond Stamp Company, $8.

Missed the sale? Crafty Wonderland has a physical shop too. It's located downtown at 802 SW 10th.

A few more Crafty Wonderland-related posts are coming your way, so stay tuned!

{Slightly blurry photos by Squirrel & Starling}

-Colleen

For those Squirrel & Starling readers who are fans of our Open Season posts, do not despair, more are on the way! We just had to take a quick break and share an exciting event that is taking place in Portland this summer. A handful of our favorite super-talented folks are teaming up to provide a series of workshops on June 18th at the Ace Hotel right here in PDX.

The event is called Summer School, and features amazing workshops from Bri Emery of Design Love Fest, Lisa Warninger of Urban Weeds, Sally Shim of Shim & Sons, Joke Vande Gaer of Tokketok, Chelsea Fuss of Frolic!, and Joy Cho from Oh Joy! So, it's basically ridiculously awesome and, of course, I have prior commitments and can't attend, but you should! (Details & Registration information available on the Summer School site.)

 Flyer designed by Bri Emery of Design Love Fest.

-Colleen

Today I attended the Oregon Potters Association's Ceramic Showcase at the Convention Center with my friend Allison. In addition to ceramics, there were also showcases for glass, textile, wood, bead, jewelry, and metal arts. This was my first time attending this event, and I highly recommend it for those with any interest in pottery and glass. Read on for a few favorite items from the show!

A sleeping fox by Michael Fromme. This piece reminds me of the way my schnauzer sleeps all curled up. Michael Fromme creates many wonderful animals likes frogs, foxes, geese, otters, and a variety of birds!

I adored all of the work by Carol Lebreton. I purchased two small porcelain bowls with fabulous patterns on the outside (bugs + screw head motif). Check out this wonderful Oregon Art Beat video on her craft. Her work will also be on display at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, June 24-26, 2011.

Erin Whitley's vases featured crystalline glazes. I chose a medium-sized yellow vase with blue crystalline design. The photos don't really do justice to the lovely yellow glaze.

I am not 100% certain who created the next piece (let me know if you know!). It was located on the back half of Beverly Curtis' display, so I'm pretty certain it's her work (but it was adjacent to wall which held a sign for Michael Metz). Whoever designed this must know of my weakness for agates (and marble). This two piece delicate white vessel has scribbled black and gray lines going across it that remind me of veins of marble. I'm told that the pattern is the result of heating horse hair on the surface of the piece. A blue agate finial is perched atop the vessel.

Mazet Studios creates gorgeous glass ornaments (among other wonderful pieces). I fell in love with this jellyfish. Heating metals like silver or gold during the making of this piece (a technique called fuming) create the beautiful pink and yellow colors.

{All Photos by Squirrel & Starling}

Check out the Oregon Potters Association's flickr stream for more images of these artists' work.

-Colleen

Do you ever have those moments when you stumble upon something so awesome, that you are in shock that you didn't already know that it existed? I had such a reaction when I came across the site spacepdx.com. The site features the beautiful work of local photographer Leah Verwey. She takes intimate photos of the workshops and boutiques of local Portland designers and craftspeople. It's like a Portland version of the recently launched The Makers Project, but spacepdx has been at it since 2009.

The current featured studios/shops include Squirrel & Starling favorites the English Dept, Pinkham Millinery, and Esque Studio (among other wonderful PDX locales). Check out a few of Leah's photos below!

Pinkham Millinery.

The English Dept.

Esque Studio.

View all of Leah's portraits of these fabulous Portland spaces on spacepdx.com. You must also check out the archive (going back to October 2009). Past months have included visits to Quince & Studio Olivine's former space, Pigeon Toe Ceramics, and Jill Bliss among many more.

{Photo Credits: All photos by Leah Verwey for Spacepdx.com. Thanks to Leah for the use of her images!}

-Colleen