Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

North Shore Girls Rock Ring

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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.

Sweetgum Dogwood Ruffle Handbags

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Sweetgum Handbags is Kim, a twenty-something grad student who works on her PhD in ecology by day, and runs her sewing machine at all hours of the night. She learned to sew from her talented mother Chris, and from the tried and true method of trial and error.

Favorite materials include denim, corduroy, canvas, woven suede, and repurposed upholstery samples. Custom orders are more than welcome. The business is based in the lovely town of Durham in the fabulous state of North Carolina, USA. All Sweetgum bags are designed to be functional, pleasant to look at, and to last you a very long time.

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What's Inside Your Beach Bag?

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Grab your beach bag. It’s time to hit the Beach!

Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer. There’s nothing like that first day, after a long winter, where you dig your chair into the sand, throw down your new beach bag crammed full of beach-day necessities, and lounge away. This nautical stripe bag from Banyan Hippo is a great summertime accessory.

Coastal Living, one of my all-time favorite magazines, has a monthly column that spotlights a celebrity’s beach bag. Recently they looked inside the bags of Tory Burch and Michael Kors. It’s not just what’s inside a bag that makes a great beach bag, but the bag itself makes a statement.

This got me thinking, about my beach bag. I grew up at the Jersey Shore, where my friends and I spent all summer on the beach. I bought beach bags like other people bought shoes. Was it a Palm Beach kind of beach day (coral and green cabana-striped bag) or did I feel more Nantucket-y (Wicker with navy blue gingham lining.) Of course, it didn’t matter what bag I used, the contents I would stuff inside all remained the same. All the things I needed to keep me blissfully beach bound for the day—a book, a magazine, a notebook (for when I felt like making lists), sunscreen, snacks, and water.

This journal from Three by Sea is the perfect size for jotting down sea side.

A food bag from Bebeloosh Mini will keep snacks sand-free.

What more could you want in a day sitting sea-side? After, I’ll shake out my towel and hang my bag up (ideally on a hook like this one from Monkey and Squirrel)

I might not lounge endlessly anymore, but I still hit the beach when I can, and all my favorite necessities come with me.

Ohioja

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It’s fabulous farmers market season and these veggies look good enough to eat, if you could eat something so cute. You could, hover cuddle up to them, though, since they’re crocheted from wool. When Ohioja‘s creator Ylenia became unemployed she filled her free time in various corners of the web and discovered amigurumi and instantly fell in love. So much so that she rushed to the nearest bookshop and picked up a crochet guide so that she could get started immediately.

With some encouragement from her friends and after the success of a DIY festival, she decided to start selling her creations. She’s still learning the ins and outs of selling online. If you happen to be in Italy, you might see Ylenia out with her wares in corner markets, festivals and punk rock gigs.

My favorite item is onion, no doubt. Why? Because, talking about amigurumi, it’s hard to see onions and it’s a pity. They are nice, polite and kinda tender-hearted. What’s more I have to say it’s always funny to create an amigurumi onion.

As you can tell, Ylenia’s biggest influence is the grocer’s, but not all of her creations are vegetable based. All of her creations begin as a simple sketch. Then she studies it for a while, imagining how it will shape up and then she jumps in with her crochet hook. The finishing touch is the expression.

Ylenia lives in Florence and works in a Tattoo studio. She likes music and animals. She’s been a vegetarian since 2004, so you can see why she loves vegetables so much!

You can check out her blog where you can find a lot of photos and some info about her upcoming markets.

VIP Handmade Valentines

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I know it’s still January, but have you put any thought into the Valentines your child will be exchanging at school this year? While it’s fun to get all glittery and gooey, it’s not technically necessary to get your hands dirty anymore. You can go the VIP route and order up some of these super cool valentines, from Peas and Thank Yous customized for your child, in time for Valentines day. Just be sure to get your order in soon!

I like that there are both boy and girl versions of these Rocker/Princess Ticket style valentines and that the design is so funky and fresh. It’s easy to go kitsch with Valentines and these are a graphic and surprising twist (but still sweet!).

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Check out all the awesome paper goodness in Peas and Thank You’s Etsy Shop.