Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Jealousy Designs

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I run my own company as a interior/exterior house painter I paint, repaper, and things like that. It is not easy for a female to run a business in a man’s world but I love my job and I hope I will keep going.

My interest in beads started with a gift from my lovely boyfriend. He bought a box with beads, wire and some other things to me. Just because he thought I would like it. And I loved it! At the start I didn’t have any plans at all to sell my items but people around me started to ask if they could buy some of it and after that it came more people and more….

After a while I felt that I wanted a development from the beads and the material I had been working in. So I started studying various metalsmith techniques. The material I most liked to use became sterling silver and a little more expensive gems. And there is where I am today.

I am a person who takes my inspirations from my own impressions, things in life and nature. I always have a goal to make my jewelry and findings original. My style is very variable but often pretty clean design. I do my jewelry and findings with the word: everything has his own time. I want my work to be as perfect as it possible can.

Moku Pe Pe

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The story behind Moku Pe Pe is an interesting one. The shop owner, Kellie Crowe, spent eleven years on small sailing vessels, traveling from Europe to South East Asia. She was so deeply affected by the beauty of the islands she experienced, that she wanted to keep those memories alive in her home. What started as a mom making unique clothes and blankets for her own baby, has developed into a full collection of lovely baby blankets and yoga pants. All are hand-sewn by Kellie in her home, when she’s not working her full-time job.

I was immediately attracted to the vibrant colors and patterns. These blankets and yoga pants for babies offer a refreshing breath of island air. Perfect for those looking for a not-so-usual shower gift, or to preserve island memories of your own. And the blankets are made from pre-washed fabric and lined, either with fleece or batting, to be snuggly, warm and cozy.

I love that Moku Pe Pe’s designs are bold (definitely not your run of the mill infant gear), and unisex. With pattern names like Beach Baby, Puff The Magic Dragon, and Summer Flower Power, the infant yoga pants are lightweight and made for ease of movement and comfort, just the thing for an active crawler or toddler. The cuffs are lined with a contrasting fabric and can be cuffed at first, then let down as baby grows.

Kellie doesn’t shy away from sophisticated fabrics depicting dragons and pirate insignia, giving her work just a touch of edginess. Another nice thing is that the patterns mix well, so you needn’t worry if baby is wearing her Batik Baby pants with her Shanghai Blanket, she’ll still look like a little island princess. Stop by the Moku Pe Pe shop and have a look at all of her cute designs.

Interview with Jessica Lyons, Ragamuffin Design

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RM5

Meet Jessica Lyons, designer behind Ragamuffin Designs. She splits her time between Troy, NY (where she is working on her PhD) and Clifton Park, NY (her hometown). Jessica says, “I’m a big fan of Upstate New York between the months of April and December. The rest of the time I would much rather been in a less muddy/cold/gray environment!”

Jessica loves spending time with her Sphynx cat, Lux. She describes herself as a Quirky Indiana Jones wannabe, and a hippie without the drugs or patchouli. When she’s not creating, Jessica can be found working on her PhD and perfecting her ‘ass kicking’ techniques with karate and judo.

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Shop Spotlight – Oryx + Crake

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Every once in a while I come upon a shop that I know I’ve got to post about. How happy was I to stumble upon Oryx + Crake’s online shop on Supermarket tonight? Very happy! Featuring a minimal sensibility with unique design details, the work of Oryx + Crake is pure genius as far as I’m concerned. Jee Bundy, the designer at Oryx + Crake, has used bamboo throughout her collection, and offers all kinds of items for the home and garden – from coasters to cake stands and bird feeders too. I’m particularly enamoured with the clocks from her shop and I’ve included one of my favorites for you to see above.

Jee Bundy lives in Rochester, New York and freelances as a consumer product designer, one of her recent clients- Sony, she designed a custom line of bags for them. Maybe you’re wondering where the name Oryx + Crake came from like I was? It’s the title of one of Jee’s favorite books by Margaret Atwood, and while there is no symbolism or overt connection to the book to be found in her line, I agree it sure does make a great name!

A birdfeeder like this makes me wish I had a backyard so I could put it up, kick back and watch the birds every morning from my porch.

Got a friend or family member who adores poker? I think these coasters would make a wonderful gift.

This handmade clock was made from laser cut bamboo and finds it’s inspiration in nature.

I’d love to hear about your favorite handmade shops, designers and artists! Leave me a note in the comments so I can check out their shops – and yours too, if you have one.

Me&Yu

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This week I’m profiling Me&Yu, a small fashion label specialising in hand-made and hand-printed clothing for men and women.

I first encountered the label in offbeat shopping mecca Affleck’s Palace in Manchester, UK. There I had the fortune of meeting Angie, one of the label’s co-founders. Angie has wanted to be a fashion designer since she was a child and luckily she has turned that dream into a reality – albeit with a lot of hard graft along the way!

“We had the idea for creating clothes together back in 2003 whilst we were living in Sydney,” Angie explained. “We just wanted to create clothes that were a bit different, that had a bit more personality than what was available on the high street.”

Me&Yu’s designs are cool and unique, appealing to a wide audience. I particularly adore their quirky, hand-drawn prints and stylish handmade dresses! Unlike many smaller labels, Me&Yu offers both girl and guy garments and many of the designs are unisex, allowing the wearer to put their own slant on things.

Me&Yu started in 2003, with stalls at weekend markets and events in Sydney, Australia then in Manchester and Liverpool, UK during 2004-2006. The designers had to balance developing the label with working full-time – what a challenge! Finally in 2006, Me&Yu moved permanently to a shop in Affleck’s Palace, complemented by its online store and presence in a handful of boutiques in the UK.

“Affleck’s Palace is a great place to be as it houses lots of small independent businesses together – you have the support of other people around you, and that’s the best thing. When we first started we got loads of helpful advice from other small businesses, obviously every business is different but you can get some great tips!”

Designs are made up at the label’s studio in an old cotton mill in Manchester, and it is important to the company to keep the city’s heritage alive. The mill houses a number of other artists and fosters a creative and collaborative atmosphere.

Me&Yu is a great example of excellent self-promotion – the label blogs at www.wearemeandyu.blogspot.com, uses Facebook and Twitter, distributes flyers and has even secured features in magazines. In addition, Me&Yu gets involved in charity fashion shows and fundraisers – contributing to important causes as well as raising awareness of the brand.

“There is something special about selling something that you made yourself, its very personal,” finishes Angie. “However, it’s hard work. Handmade = labour intensive and not everybody understands quite how much work goes into each item.”

What’s your favourite Me&Yu design? Post your link below!