introducing lovely clusters

today is usually reserved for etsy finds but instead i wanted to introduce you to lovely clusters, the recently launched, curated indie marketplace hosted by rachel of design lovely (based on maui) and vicki from simply hue. the idea for lovely clusters was the natural evolution of rachel's blog which is devoted to sharing a sweet fix of charming romantic finds (think anthropologie) discovered during her online wanderings.

as etsy and the many other online emporiums become crowded with sellers, it can be quite a time sap to click through page after page of possibilities searching for the perfect gem. luckily for those of us who swoon over pretty little things, lovely clusters edits out all the noise down to the most delightful handmade and vintage treasures. even better, you also have the option to fine tune your search by color or category which is how i found all of these lovely clusters-approved, island-inspired offerings.

designers interested in signing up will want to take a peek at the guidelines for more details. there is a limited complimentary listing plus a more expansive shop listing available for a small monthly fee. it does help to have an online shop, but if you need assistance setting one up, send a note to rachel who just happens to design websites during her day job.

p.s. be sure to click over to the design lovely etsy shop which is stocked with handmade note cards made by rachel.

show & tell: stix flix

temple of blue : mariko merritt

alas, the stix flix show hosted by chinatown boardroom last month has left the gallery walls, but i was delighted to discover prints for sale on the cb blog. the scoop behind the show is that invited local and international artists were asked to put their spin on the iconic surf movie poster and the offerings are printed perfection for any surf shack.

more peeks below . . .

on the crest of the wave : yusuke hanai

beyond beyond : rona bennett

in full trim : heather brown

price tags range from $30 to $650 with a portion of the proceeds donated to accessurf hawaii which helps kama'ainas with disabilities enjoy a fun-filled day in the ocean (btw, the honolulu non-profit needs your kokua to raise $25k by the end of august in hopes of receiving a dollar for dollar match by the pierre and pamela omidyar fund).

most of the above limited and open edition prints (exception: mariko's lovely temple of blue which has sold out) can be purchased on the chinatown boardroom blog as well as stix flix designs by christie shinn, rich richardson & manny pangilinan.

or, hele down to chinatown boardroom and say hello:

• where: 1160 nu'uanu avenue
• gallery hours: tue to sat, 11a to 4p

{mahalo jackie!}

kilauea confidential

birth of the unreckoning

since my fella is a fan of both lava and local boy slash la-based artist edwin ushiro, i suspect he will be coveting edwin's latest piece, birth of the unreckoning, which paper tiger has just released as a limited edition print.

the offering to madame pele, inspired by the whispered tales of big island sightings of the goddess of fire, sports a reasonable price tag ($100) considering its size (12x12) and that edwin has signed and numbered each print.

of course, with only 25 prints to go around you best hele over to paper tiger's online shop for a chance to add one to your personal gallery.

whale season

it's almost time for the whales to swim back north so with a little cut and paste and, voilà!, a show and tell of all the finds inspired by the planet's largest inhabitant collected over the past year. enjoy!

1 - teach your keiki all her abc's with strawberry luna's w is for whale print.

2 - the cheerful graphics of sirena con jersey's whale tote perk up a standard issue book bag.

3 - two trick pony's handscreened print takes your wall on a fanciful whale ride.

4 - elegantly designed magnetic whale tongs are a dinner party conversation starter.

5 - sterling silver is coaxed into a charming whale pendant.

6 - add a little whimsy to your entry with this playful whale tail door knocker.

7 - jot down notes on this cute whale chalkboard complete with blowhole chalk holder (also stocked at three potato four).

8 - show your gratitude with fugu fugu's 100% recycled big thanks note card.

9 - craft your own whale goodness with nikoart's handcrafted rubber stamp.

10 - announce your house number to the neighborhood with this fun-loving ode to moby.

11 - delight tiny sea explorers with eco-friendly little whales wallpaper by pottok prints.

saltwater and feathers

beach birdies

chinatown boardroom will be hosting the opening of artist heather brown's solo show, saltwater and feathers, tonight.

heather's been on quite the roll since she was first featured last year creating the official poster for the 2008 women's triple crown and putting her twist on the iconic waikiki skyline for the cover of honolulu weekly.

• when: tonight, feb 4th - 6p to 8p
• where: 1160 nu'uanu avenue
• show dates: now to sat, feb 28th