joie de vivre-- a cheerful enjoyment of life & an exultation of spirit.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Wish List: The Etsy Edition.

Well, the official request for this year's Christmas wish list came through earlier this week. (Pause. Rewind. Panic.) What?! I swear, I'm not sure I'll ever really get a handle on how fast these days seem to just disappear. Then again, with November gearing up to come knockin' next week & my inability to convince Father Time to slow his roll even just for a bit, I suppose I might as well admit defeat and accept the fact that, despite my persistance, the Holidays really will be here before we know it. Oi vey.

So, for those of you who seem to be suffering from a similar "sinking boat" mentality-- with crazed schedules and endless to-dos taking up your immediate attention-- here's an early Christmas gift from me to you: My Etsy Top Five. Whether you're looking for gifts to give or items for your personal wish lists, the following five stores have long been tried & true favorites of mine that I promise won't disappoint. From the actual gift down to the perfect wrapping, I've got you covered, friends.

Happy perusing!

 

Leah Duncan: One of my all time favorite shops & creative types, Leah Duncan is always my first stop when I'm in need of gift ideas (both for others and, especially, myself). From beautiful letterpress prints to gorgeous textiles, Leah's high-quality products are sure to deliver no matter the occasion. (Oh, did I mention she's a fellow Brooklynite? Yeah. Extra cool points in my book, just sayin'.) Learn more about Leah, here


CORIUMI: Lithuanian duo Inga and her husband Arvydas are the creative geniuses behind the beautiful bag brand CORIUMI. With the intent of adding a "special touch to simple looks with unique, attention-grabbing geometric patterns, interesting color schemes and the beautiful textures of leather and suede," all I can say is... mission accomplished. Read more about CORIUMI on their Etsy feature, here.

 

Evajuliet Atelier: Born from the brains of Canadian graphic designer Eva and the brawn of her beautiful, antique tabletop letterpress, Juliet, this little Etsy shop is one you're not going to want to pass by. Simply put, Evajuliet is letterpress done right. Learn more, here.

 

Knot & Bow: I'm a sucker for beautiful wrapping and craft supplies. There, I said it. And trust me when I say Knot & Bow has been a large contributing factor to my obsession-- but hey, can you blame me? From labels and stickers to tags and twine, there's about a million reasons shop owner Erin Ozer has successfully grabbed the attention of the likes of Martha Stewart, Design*Sponge and HGTV. (Oh, and she's an absolute gem to work with, too.) Learn more about Knot & Bow, here.


  
Ampersandity: For the love of stamps-- need I say more? I didn't think so. Oh Ampersandity, you're pure & solid gold. (Pssst-- now through Dec. 10th, receive 10% off all Etsy store purchases using the code HOLIDAY10. Offer is good for all thank you, address and holiday stamps-- Now go!)

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Mixtape. (No. 11)

These days, there are large, twisted gourds on the windowsill and a steady replenishment of fresh cider in the fridge. Woolen socks have once again worked their way to the front of my dresser drawer and as the air continues to grow more and more crisp, life around these parts has become wrapped in scarves and sprinkled with pumpkin spice. In more ways than one, Fall has most certainly arrived in the city and boy does it feel good. So, so good.

There's something special about these Fall months-- something so unique about the tastes and smells and traditions that accompany this season. It's a time for transition, a time to take pause, a time to cherish the small moments of change each day. And after such a long, horrendously hot & incredibly busy summer, I can't tell you how welcome these changes have been for me.

With the coming of Fall, I've found a renewed pep in my step-- a refreshingly untapped source of energy-- that has spurred an insatiable urge to soak up every bit of this season. And so with that, here's to you, sweet Fall. Here's to patches of pumpkins and orchards filled with apples, here's to cold bottles of hard cider and mugs of hot tea, here's to the click of boots on the sidewalk and the rustle of fallen leaves, and here's to a playlist that I've found to be the perfect soundtrack & companion to it all.

Happy listening, friends.
xo




On Top of the World -- Imagine Dragons
The Fear -- Ben Howard
Classy Girls -- The Lumineers
The Boxer -- Mumford & Sons (feat. Jerry Douglas & Paul Simon)
Walk It Off -- Angus & Julia Stone
Feel Again -- OneRepublic
Little Talks -- Of Monsters and Men
Lonely Boy -- The Black Keys
Icswyw -- The Hill and Wood
She Got the Honey -- Mat Kearney

Photo above via Celine Steen.