Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Leopard Print

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The new fall trends have been announced, and animal print is in this season with leopard print leading the pack. Living in Hawaii, I typically miss out on the fall and winter fashion trends, but this one may be a little easier to incorporate into my wardrobe. Adding a small touch of animal print with the right accessories will instantly make a simple outfit chic and exotic.

A leopard print purse is a quick way to add a little sass to your little black dress, or any dress for that matter. This envelope style option from Hmmm…by Melanie includes a black chain strap, magnetic closure and is lined in black sequined fabric.

A leopard print hat may be a bit fashion forward for most, but this vintage-style cloche hat by The Millinery Shop is just too good to pass up. It is hand blocked, made from long haired felt leopard print fabric, and completed with a Bakelite buckle and hat pin. This would look amazing with a fall cape or winter coat.

Using black, brown, tan, creme and white yarn, this scarf is hand-knit by Crickets Creations to create the look of leopard print. Paired with a fall blazer or winter coat, it is sure to keep you warm and make a statement well beyond this fall’s animal print trend.

This turban-style headband from ChiChi is the perfect get-your-attention accessory for girls who love to be glamorous. Perfect for a night on the town or just pulling your hair back while running errands.

As the weather becomes cooler, embrace this year’s fall trend and incorporate a little bit of leopard print into your wardrobe! I’ll have my eye out for a leopard print bikini!

**The Leopard Shoes fine art print featured at the top of this post was created by Karcharz Photography.

Halfpenny London

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I have resisted until now writing about what I think is the most exciting purchase in planning your wedding. The Dress. This is the one day you get the chance to wear something truly magnificent that makes you feel like a million dollars. In this month’s Cosmopolitan Bride there are some fabulous dresses featured from the catwalks in New York for the 2011 bridal shows earlier this year. Whilst there are some aspects of the dresses available off the rails of bridal shops that you may like, there are probably some that you really dislike. Another option is to have a dress designed and made just for you, either by a family friend or a member of your family or you can seek out a designer to work with to produce ‘your dress’.

Kate Halfpenny is a wedding dress designer based in London. Also with many years experience as a celebrity stylist and an impressive academic portfolio in textiles and design, including a BA Honours in Fashion Marketing and Manufacturing and holds a prestigious MA in Design for Textiles Futures from Central St. Martins College, London.

As a child Kate Halfpenny grew up in a creative environment, her mother was a talented knitwear designer and her father was qualified graphics and craft designer. This led her to try many arts and craft mediums including pottery, printing, jewellery design and fine art before following her passion in textiles.

By 2000 Kate Halfpenny’s knowledge and passion for the history of fashion and her ability to turn an idea into reality meant she was in demand as a costume designer for many brands, including Pepsi, Honda, Ghost and Hugo Boss among others. Kate has also styled many celebrities including Twiggy, Shirley Bassey, Daisy Lowe and Pixie Lott and Emilia Fox has even modeled dresses on Kate’s website. Kate Halfpenny has also made a dress for Kate Moss to wear for her 35th birthday celebrations.

Yet even with celebrity credentials Kate Halfpenny can design and create a beautiful dress for you. From her London studio Kate offers a bespoke dress making service so that you really can have the dress that your heart desires.

All images are taken from Kate Halfpennys website www.halfpennylondon.com with her full permission.

Cocktail Party

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I’ve been daydreaming lately about throwing a lovely cocktail party, full of fancy dresses, music, laughter and great conversation. Unfortunately, my apartment is barely big enough for my craft supplies, let alone guests. I am undeterred, however; a cocktail party will come my way sooner or later, and when it does, I’ll be ready with the perfect handmade outfit.

Fashion in Hawaii is pretty casual, which means I’ll be extra excited to slip into this gorgeous 1950’s style silk dress by Fiori di Arancio. The high neckline, full skirt, and short sleeves are chic and elegant, while the organza bow adds the perfect touch of sweet. The dress can be made in any color silk, but I love the patterned fabric shown on the model–it’s classic, subtle and sure to turn heads among the little black dresses.

What’s a cocktail dress without the perfect statement-making ring? This bezel set option by Blue Wave Jewelry will add just a little bit of sparkle and modern flair to my vintage-style dress–a fashion juxtaposition, if you will. The different dimensions of this druzy quartz stone will catch the light perfectly, and set it apart from your typical cocktail ring. The oval shape and wide sterling silver bezel setting are classic.

A great clutch is always a must when you’re dressing up for a night out. This simple black option by Designs By Ambiana is made of vegan leather, lined, and includes a small pocket. It’s large enough to hold all of your things, but small enough that it won’t compete with the cocktail dress. The silver purse frame and chain will coordinate perfectly with the silver jewelry, and the pattern on the vegan leather is just the perfect amount of texture.

Now that I have my perfect cocktail party outfit, all I need is an invitation, and a drink!

**The image featured at the top of this article is a photograph by The Bunny Cage.

Winter Trend: Bright Knits

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From scarves to gloves to sweaters, knits are an obvious choice during the winter months. The cold weather may be dreary, but resist the urge to dress in blacks and grays. After all, this fashion season, brighter is better when it comes to everything knit. Bold colors and neon hues quickly transform knit winter staples into bold and modern statement pieces that are sure to add some new life to your wardrobe and perhaps even brighten up your day.

This red bolero knit jacket from Amy and Pia is the perfect way to add a punch of color to your current winter wardrobe. The 1950s-style jacket features three-quarter length sleeves, a wooden button closure and a universally flattering v-neck cut. Hand knit with chunky yarn, this beautiful piece would be perfect in an office setting, stunning over a formal dress, and could also be worn during the early fall and spring months.

Not for the faint of heart, this bright orange loop scarf by Moonsun is a bold fashion statement made for those who aren’t afraid of color. Hand knit, the length and width of the scarf lends itself to its flexibility, allowing it to be worn many different ways, including as a cowl and hood. Providing layers of warmth, this scarf is sure to keep you cozy and warm, and to brighten your spirits during the coldest winter weather.

This matching bright blue hat and cowl set by Alisa Design is the perfect way to add a dash of color to a neutral-colored winter coat. Beautifully made, this set features an open knit design that is both breathable and stylish. Falling above the shoulders in a lacy pattern, the cowl has a vintage feel to it, while still being functional.

*The heart and knitting needle print featured at the top of this post was created by Block Party Prints.

Your Handmade Wedding…

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I had a very memorable time this weekend, a few of us bridesmaids were lucky enough to be able to join my cousin as she chose her wedding dress! We drove over the border, a popular pastime for us Canadians when the dollar is high, and were rewarded for our efforts. Of course, even after trying on 20 dresses – the first dress was “the one”. It’s so often that that is the way, huh? We also chose our bridesmaid dresses too – so that was pretty exciting. I’m looking forward to dressing up and celebrating, big time! On the way back we were treated to an unusual snowstorm (we usually never get snow this late in the year) which made for some very interesting driving! We laughed it off and enjoyed the occasional treacherous patch, with the car sliding just slightly out of control. Because driving conditions weren’t ideal a few of us found ourselves on public transit for part of the trip, but that just added to the fun. All in all it was nice to get home, and to have a nice cup of tea as you can imagine.

Without further ado I’d like to share a wonderful – new to me – site with you, Wedzu. I figure this is the time of year that brides are starting to get more serious about planning for their upcoming summer nuptials – so the timing is perfect. This online marketplace for indie and handmade sellers is dedicated to weddings exclusively, making browsing a real treat. Shop from invitations, jewelry, accessories, and much more!

For brides wanting a more casual look I found the above sweet, short wedding dress style from: KT Jean.

I couldn’t pass up sharing these fun and sweet decorations with you from Party Poms!

Andrea Bonelli’s creations are nothing short of stunning, and I think you’ll want to drop a hint or two about this shop to your fiance to be before he starts ring shopping.

I’ve seen so many brides in beautiful veils and gorgeous floral hair accessories these last couple of years, I love this one from Chinny Lulu!

For all those brides to be out there – I hope your planning is going smoothly! Would love to hear about your fun handmade bridal finds in the comments section.