Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Let me pencil you in.

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I woke up this morning and realized that we are now a full month since Christmas and I still have presents to ship and cards to mail. (Sorry, Mom! They’re on their way!) The holiday season was one of my busiest yet. In addition to all of the craft sales that I had to get ready for and participate in, I also had to keep up my end at home, fulfill my obligations at the store AND get settled into a brand new job, which I will go into more details about next week. Needless to say, I got so far behind on doing all of the “little things”, personally and professionally, that catching up became a daunting task, to say the least. (Regular readers of this column will have noticed a certain absence on my part and for this, I apologize profusely.)

I am determined to make a full-recovery from my 8 weeks of total disorganization, though, and it starts right here. The first item on my agenda is, well…an agenda. The key to keeping things under control is a good time-management system and it all begins with a good planner. Some people choose to go the electronic route, but I am one of those people that needs to see it in ink on paper. If you’re like me, this handmade Eco-Planner by Nature’s Cubbyhole (above) is just the thing to keep you organized; whether you are scheduling meetings, play dates, exams, or lunches with friends. The rugged cover is made of 100% recycled rubber, which has been fused to natural hemp burlap; inner pages are 100% recycled banana fibre paper, printed in what is described as a “no-nonsense” font. (This is, after all, serious business!) Keep track of all of your important dates and reminders in this functional and eco-conscious personal planner, and, when the year is up, you can return it to Elena for a refill! How’s that for planned sustainability?

One of the challenges in keeping a household organized is getting everyone on the same page. When it comes to this oversized monthly calendar (above) from Simple Shapes, the “page” is the wall. Not only is this chalkboard wall calendar a great way to keep the family informed of upcoming events and special occasions, it makes for a bold, graphic statement and will complement nearly any decor – from shabby chic to minimalist. The durable, infinitely reusable (and removable!) vinyl wall decal includes the calendar grid (pre-spaced for easy application), a memo section and “This Month” in a bold serif font. Just add chalk!

I am feeling more organized already. See you next week…I promise!

Orcas Alchemy

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OMG, raspberry sugar? I think that’s what sugar in heaven must be like.

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And lime sugar? Not sure which of these would be more incredible on the rim of my cocktail glass, so I’d probably have to try it both ways. You know, just to be thorough.

I’m all about the research.

The things I do for you people.

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Orcas Alchemy is a family-owned all natural and organic specialty food company, located in the beautiful San Juan islands of the Pacific Northwest.

Orcas Alchemy emerged from our own dinner parties, where we explored new flavor combinations with friends. Oftentimes, one special ingredient can elevate a dish or culinary experience. We seek to create conversational ingredients: flavors that are worthy of a conversation themselves, or will create conversation among you and your friends. Our mission is to encourage life’s most treasured moments spent with good friends and family by connecting you to food in a transformative way.

Far East Style, Home Town Goods

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hand printed pillows from Tulusa Home Goods

Normally my shopping instincts are sharply honed onto pretty things to wear: clothes, shoes, jewelry, anything I can sew a flower on to, that sort of thing. But every now and then my eye is caught by beautiful home accessories, and I get the itch to beautify my living space, not just my closet!

block printed place mats from Tulusa Home Goods

Sue Henry is a sculptor and ceramic artist whose work moved over to textiles when her children came along. A dusty studio filled with fragile, breakable things was no longer practical with little ones running about. She decided to take up carving linoleum blocks – the tactile experience reminded her of her first love, working in clay.

Sue has been an artist all her life, and remembers her first creative instinct being about creating comfortable places to live. As a little girl, she wanted to be an architect and an interior designer. It just seemed like a natural next step to print her designs on textiles to create beautiful, functional home goods.

chrysanthemum hand carved block printed table runner

Seeing the lovely things that Sue makes really got me thinking about how I’ve been neglecting my living spaces lately. Her designs are full of movement and energy, and I love the bold colors she uses, which really make the designs stand out.

mehndi print table linen

Every item at Tulusa Home Goods begins with a linoleum block hand carved by Sue. She is inspired by her travels to India and South East Asia, and her love of cooking, architecture, and design. The designs are printed on cotton or linen canvas with solvent-free block printing ink. The pillows are stuffed with organic kapok, a fluffy, soft, and environmentally friendly alternative to polyfill. The textiles are designed to be functional and durable, and are machine washable.

stack of handcrafted, hand printed pillows

Included in the collection at Tulusa are pillows of all sizes, including large meditation pillows, and table linens of all types. Sue’s favorite part of the creative process is carving the linoleum block, so there’s really no limit to what she can print on, once she completes a design.

close up of wave print from hand carved linoleum block

Right now, the most popular item at Tulusa Home Goods is the Ganesha pillow. Ganesha is a Hindu deity who is the remover of obstacles, and the bringer of good fortune and new beginnings. A good friend to have around as we approach the busy holiday season and the new year, wouldn’t you say?

hand printed pillow featuring Ganesha

You can find Tulusa Home Goods at Sue’s online shop, and you can also contact her for custom orders or to be invited to her December pop-up shop in Alexandria, Virginia.