heart Archives - Try Handmade

North Shore Girls Rock Ring

August 18, 2017 by Erika Jurney Leave a Comment

For reals now, one of the reasons I started this site was so that lovely folks such as yourselves would buy these fabulous Etsy finds before I do. Trust me, that’s not a line, that the honest truth — just ask my husband who sighs every time he hears a package being delivered on our porch.

I need your help today a great deal. This ring is calling calling to me and I adore it so. Please purchase it so that I can stop sitting on my hands. I love the wild and unstructured nature of it, and the colors and materials are exquisite. It makes my heart beat a little faster. By negellatj.

Mixing Business with Leather

August 15, 2017 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

RADCOW: I got Interested in Leather craft about a decade ago, when I was a teenager hitch hiking across Canada. On my travels I met a wonderful old hippy man named Longevity John. He was nearly 7 foot tall, with hair down his back, and eyes all full of kindness. He lived in a shotgun shack with no running water, or electricity, but made incredible and inspiring leather crafts and sold them on saturdays at the farmers market in town. John showed me a few things, and got the seeds of inspiration planted in me. The thought of someone making their living with their own 2 hands from thier crafts made my heart swell. Later, I got a job at a leather craft store, and began spending most of my pay cheques on tools, and most of my time playing with leather. Since then, the seed has grown, and I too make my living this way, selling here, and at festivals and craft fairs. I feel like I am on my true path, and I am eternally grateful to etsy, and to all of you who support hand crafters. You allow the creative instinct to grow and flourish. Thank you!

Namaste

August 12, 2017 by Rebecca Hadfield 5 Comments

I’ll admit it – I have really been slacking on my workouts lately. My running log has more blank pages than I care to mention and I can’t remember the last time I saluted the sun. With the new year, though, comes a fresh start and a chance to get back on-track. Step one of my recommitment to fitness took place this morning when I signed on the dotted line, smiled for my ID photo and joined a wellness-center. After perusing their catalogue of classes and workshops, I realized just how much I miss taking Yoga and the balance that it brought to my body and mind.

If you have ever taken a Yoga class, you are most likely familiar with the salutation “Namaste”. A composite of two Sanskrit words (Nama = “bend/bow” and Te = “you”), it is commonly spoken at the end of class as a gesture of respect and honor. With the two hands pressed together and held near the heart, teacher and student gently bow to one another and say “Namaste”. When I came across this gorgeous hand-knit shrug (pictured above), I knew by it’s name, Namaste, that there was a Yoga-fanatic responsible for its creation. Manuela of Lunamuse Fibers is not only a talented fiber-artist, but also a passionate Yoga instructor and regular blogger on yogajournal.com. Check out the Lunamuse Fibers shop to see more of Manuela’s gorgeous hand-spun yarns and knits and be sure to visit her Yoga website to learn more about her teaching of the ancient practice.

Thinking back on the classes that I have taken in the past, made me reflect on the ways that practicing Yoga helped me work through some challenging times. One symbol of overcoming struggles in life and achieving enlightenment is the Lotus flower. Starting out in the mud at the bottom of a pond, the lotus grows up through murky water, optimistically reaching toward the light. When it reaches the surface of the pond, it blooms into a beautiful flower. These Samsara Lotus Flower earrings (above) handmade by Lauren of Lala Design Studio perfectly capture the essence of that symbolism with darkened, twisted stems leading to a polished, shining blossom.

The beauty of Yoga is that it one really requires little in terms of equipment to practice it. While all the fancy accessories are nice, all I require (besides something comfy to wear) is an extra-long “sticky” mat and a good bag to carry it in. I love this eco-friendly, upcycled Yoga mat bag (above) made from old sails. Anyone who has ever struggled to get their mat back into a traditional bag will appreciate the unique, easy to use design by the talented mother/daughter team behind RAGGEDedgeGear. And, as someone who practically grew up on a sailboat, I can vouch for the durability of the materials used to create the bags. If sailcloth can withstand the punishment of the seas, it can handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. I have no doubt that your one of a kind Ragged Edge bag will see you through years of downward dogs and mountain poses.

I’ve always said that I do my best thinking when I run, but it’s during Yoga that I do my best “un-thinking“. Taking an hour or so to focus on my balance and breathing gives me a chance to disconnect from the demands of the world and re-connect with my own needs. It might sound a little selfish to the uninitiated, but it has been my experience that the more I nurture my own body and mind, the better equipped I am to nurture others. I always find that my most satisfying classes are those that challenge me both physically and mentally and then conclude with a long, well-deserved Savasana, or “corpse pose”. It is during this time of total stillness that the mind is allowed to enter a higher state of awareness and is said by some to be better than sleep. Sometimes, though, even in Savasana it is hard to calm a racing mind. During those times, the remedy can be as simple as applying a soothing eye-pillow filled with organic lavender and kamut, such as the ones pictured above from Vancouver’s Stitchella. Ahhhhh….serenity now.

Namaste.

Product Showcase: Baby’s Here!

July 22, 2017 by Ellie Thouret Leave a Comment

Lately it seems like all my friends are announcing that they’re expecting! I suppose it’s inevitable at my age but since I still feel about 16 I’m surprised every time. I love to knit and crochet baby items as they’re super fast and easy to whip up. When I don’t have time to make something, I look for a unique gift that someone else has made instead.

This product showcase is a roundup of my latest favorite handmade baby items.

The gorgeous card above is from Storeyshop and was created when the designer’s friends started having babies. Helen wanted to design some cards with nontraditional messages as an alternative to the usual ‘New Baby Girl’ messages. I think it turned out wonderfully!

nellsmith’s adorable baby T-shirt would make a great gift for new parents. Nell’s work is inspired by retro design and toys, Japanese cartoons, and all things cute. She loves using bright, bold colors in her work to try to keep it as fresh and modern as possible.

This baby vest from FruteJuce is a must-have for any trendy baby. Alison designs nontraditional baby clothes inspired by the adult world. The inspiration for the cassette, record deck and headphones vests comes from her family’s strong relationship with music and will start any future musician off the right way.

Any modern baby needs a cool hat and this skull-and-crossbones beanie from MaisieLiddel fits the bill. Handknitted in a punk-inspired pink and white, this little gem is made from a luxurious blend of merino, silk and cashmere.

Keep baby warm with bettyandtodd2’s pretty stroller blanket. Debbie’s mum has always loved hedgehogs and when she and her brothers were growing up, her mum received many different types of hedgehogs as presents. Hedgehogs are a real part of English wildlife so Debbie created this colorful blanket in a small size to easily fit a stroller or car seat.

The inspiration for Quite Contrary Crafts’ card came while Mary was on her stall at Greenwich Market in London, when a customer asked whether there was a New Baby card available. She hadn’t – but she brainstormed new card ideas while her toes were getting rather chilly at the quiet market. Mary had always thought that Silver Cross Prams were very elegant and loves the curl in the handle of the pram in this design. Simple yet effective and elegant.

This gorgeous baby sweater from IrishWoolen was inspired by traditional Irish Aran knitting techniques. The sweater vest was custom-designed for a friend of the designers. The stitch in the center of the jumper is symbolic of the hard working bee and is a traditional stitch of the Aran style of knitting the Aran style. The light flecked wool used is a modern alternative to traditional Aran wool. It’s a great take on the original fisherman’s jumper which was a traditional and staple uniform for so many working men in the past.

I’m thrilled to see how much adorable and unique handmade clothing is available for babies. Despite not having children of her own (yet!), Jane of thedoghouse printed this onesie with an image of her greyhound, Max and the caption ‘doggy’ because she thought that is she did have a baby, this would look so adorable on them!

Brighten up any nursery with this hand-embroidered hanging heart from elissahill. Baby will adore the pretty colours, and even better the heart can be embroidered with any message and picture you desire.

I’d love to discover more handmade baby items, post yours below!

Discover: Bolani

May 18, 2017 by Diana Prichard 3 Comments

If there is anything that stands between me and a wholly local food existence it is undoubtedly my love of dining out — especially in small, authentic, ethnic atmospheres. That and guacamole. Unfortunately, Michigan weather is not terribly conducive to the growing of avocados.

There is something about walking into a family-run food establishment and being recognized by the person behind the counter; about them knowing your favorite dishes, your family and that you are interested not just in lunch but their life. It is something that feeds not just the body but the soul. And occasionally I find sacrificing some fossil fuel for that satisfaction is entirely worthwhile.

When I first happened across East & West Gourmet Afghan Food, a company that you can find both on Foodzie and on their personal website online, my heart skipped a little beat. Both excited to have found such an awesome product — one not available, to my knowledge, locally — and a bit saddened not to live near enough to meet the staff in person I jotted down their information to share here later. A few weeks ago, when I decided the last week of each month here should be dedicated to the discovery of one cool new producer I knew they had to be the first.

East and West Gourmet Afghan Food is the story of an Afghan woman and her family’s struggle in the search for a better life. Supported by her husband and eldest son they immigrated to the US and founded East and West Gourmet Food.

Originally the companies signature Bolani — a traditional Afghan flatbread stuffed with spinach, potato, pumpkin or lentil filling — was found only in San Francisco Bay area farm markets, but through word of mouth and excellent customer service has grown exponentially in just over five years worth of business.

Billal Sidiq is an “Ambassador of Love” in most of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Farmers’ Markets and even beyond. He represents his company with an inviting face, running mouth, and hands full of samples. Today East and West participates in up to 100 farmers’ markets every week. The product is now also found in Whole Foods markets and Andronico’s.

Relatively inexpensive, packed with nutrients, low in calories and carbohydrates, East & West’s Bolani has been getting rave reviews from foodies around the country. If you happen to try them out, let me know what you think!