Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

There Be Pirates!

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I was thrilled to read recently that parts of the next Pirates of the Caribbean film are being shot in Cornwall, a very beautiful county on the southwest coast of the UK. I adore the franchise and although I’m nervous about the sequel effect, I can’t wait to see the next film. Inspired by everyone’s favourite pirates coming to these shores, I’ve put together this week’s product focus, with nautical-themed jewelry and gorgeous piratical artwork!

The inspiration for finestimaginery’s adorable cutout pirate necklace came from the idea of zombies, ninjas, cowboys and pirates being the top four character trends. The design is based on a captain hook style character, with a typical pirate moustache and hat. And, according to Kim, he wouldn’t be a pirate without a patch!

I love this octopus necklace from yellowsquirrel, who is based in Manchester like me. Nicole took her inspiration from the fact that it’s a popular image and combined this with her love of vintage. Nicole says, “Raw brass and antique gold chains, they just look ‘right’ together!” – she’s certainly hit the nail on the head with this piece!

Simple but pretty, louloudo’s ‘rope’ necklace was inspired by the very charm that makes it work. Louise thought that the silver charms were so sweet that they didn’t really need anything more then a nice, lightweight candy striped string. She also thinks that they look “sort of lucky, dangling there on their string!”

Andreakett’s amazingly detailed pirate artwork (top) just had to be included! I’m always green with envy over people who can draw as I have zero talent in that area. Andrea started working on this piece just because she loves pirates, which is the best reason for creating something that I can think of! Andrea says that she tends to have characters in her head when working on a drawing and with this one, she was channeling Poison Ivy from the Cramps and Tura Satana from Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, and the character Aunt Sally from Worzel Gummidge all together!

Are you a pirate lover? To share your favorite handmade pirate-themed pieces, or to just drool over Captain Jack Sparrow, post here or send me a message on @elliethouret!

Something to Wine About

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Wine stopper from Spaeny Wood Studio

If all has gone according to plan, by the time you read this I’ll be on a mini vacation in the midst of the Columbia River Gorge’s beautiful wine country! I feel like I’ve been on vacation a lot lately – certainly more than any other recent year, but my husband insisted we go. And at some point I said ok, twist my rubber arm – and I know that getting away from work really does helps me to re-focus in the long run. Almost every year we head to Oregon, and to the Columbia River Gorge so he can go kiteboarding. It’s kind of a crazy sport – a hybrid of windsurfing, surfing, and parasailing that involves flying through the air and doing tricks with the help of generous wind gusts, a sail, and a surfboard that’s strapped to your feet. The Gorge happens to be the perfect place for it, so that’s why we go! That aside, Hood River is a really sweet little town – and more than once we’ve discussed doing a house swap with a local, as we think it’d be a fun place to spend a summer.

Wine tags from Say Anything Jewelry

We’ve never visited any of the area’s wineries, but we’ve decided we ought to this year. To be honest I’m not really a fan of wine, I prefer totally unsophisticated, girly drinks, that have more resemblance to a slurpee. But I’ve found that I really enjoy an occasional visit to a winery – they are usually so charming and there is something decadent about having a drink in the afternoon. One of my favourite winery trips was a couple years ago – we visited a friend in nearby Victoria, BC – and ended up riding bikes to several wineries near her home – I’ve got to tell you that made for a very fun trip back to her house.

Lazy Susan – perfect for a wine and cheese party, from: The Wine Crafters

So, with wine on my mind I’ve rounded up a few finds from Etsy! I hope your week has been wonderful and that you’ve got something fun planned for Labor Day long weekend.

Wine bottle holder from: Tim Sway Perspectives

Product Showcase: Coffee Date

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As I write this post, I am on a coffee date with my husband in our all-time favorite independent coffee shop. It’s a luxury that has become a frequent occurrence for us, leaving our busy work weeks behind and whiling away the day reading (him) and knitting (me). This particular coffee shop has a great, relaxed atmosphere and just happens to serve the best hazelnut lattes I’ve ever tasted!

I am a huge fan of coffee, verging on the obsessive, a la Lorelei Gilmore, so I’m salivating over the pretty handmade delights I’ve uncovered for this post. I am also an unapologetic coffee snob, turning my nose up at instant (I don’t care what you say, it doesn’t taste the same) with a definitive bean preference, cultivated during a year in France and a month in Italy (in case you were wondering, it’s Parisian blend). Thanks to living in the US for a few months, I’ve also come to expect free refills of decent filter coffee wherever I am…unfortunately, we Brits are a few years (or ten) behind and we’re still catching on to the coffee craze.

As a teenager and in my early twenties, coffee kept me going during long nights of last-minute studying and assignments. Now, that same buzz helps fuel my writing, knitting, drawing, etc. with a little help from my friend the iPod. My love of coffee makes me feel slightly disloyal…after all, I am English – aren’t I supposed to be promoting tea? But tea just doesn’t have the same effect on me, it has to be coffee.

Coffee has become so integrated into our culture, is it any wonder I’m completely hooked? We meet for coffee (not tea, even in the UK!), we have coffee with breakfast and after dinner, we are rewarded for visiting our favorite coffee shops, not to mention the number of TV characters and shows that are built around coffee (Friends, anyone?).

As I sit here and sip my delicious hazelnut latte, I know this is one love affair that’s not ending anytime soon…!

Image credits:

MrPS
MouthyMitts
Little Time Wasters
Clairepayne
Angharad

Conflict-free diamond Eternity band

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SingleB Studio: My metals are all recycled and conflict free diamonds can be had upon request. So relax and enjoy your jewelry.

I like to make beautiful things with my hands. I especially like to make beautiful things that serve a purpose. That purpose (I hope!) is to make people feel happy and beautiful. I make everything by hand, by myself (well, my pug does snore away the day in my studio, keeping me company).

I like to work with silver and gold, and precious and semi-precious gemstones. I read a lot of books about ancient jewelry and this informs my design process. I like to think that my jewelry could be worn at any time in history! I love the fact that jewelry is one of the oldest arts, and that (almost) everyone likes to participate in this art, either by making jewelery or wearing it. Dressing up is an art in my mind.

I am beginning my journey to become a real goldsmith and I am loving every minute of it. I love jewelry, especially old jewelry…really old jewelry. Egyptian and Roman especially. I eventually aim to be able to make modern jewelry with an ancient feel.

Delaware, USA

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[hTara]

I’m in the first state, for the first time, for vacation. So I thought it fitting that I should bring you the best of Delaware for this week’s shop local post!

On our first night here, we stopped in a tiny little building set just off the main boulevard of Rehoboth Beach. Heidi Lowe Gallery is an “Innovative Jewelry Studio” that houses small exhibitions of jewelry art throughout the year. I got to see a display made up exclusively of earrings!

The inside of the gallery is quite simple and the displays change with each exhibition. For the jewelry exhibition, Heidi had affixed black silhouettes to the cream colored walls. Each silhouette displayed a single earring.

Heidi Lowe Jewelry Gallery

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