toast halloween giveaway

to celebrate the return of the boo!zu boys, the toast team are sharing an early halloween treat with h|h readers! one lucky reader will win a set of four spooky limited edition boo!zu boy favors (retail: $20) filled with sweet surprises.

the recent giveaways have proved to be popular so please read the newly revised rules before entering:

• email your name & current hometown by thu, oct 9th
• one entry per person/household
• previous h|h winners are not eligible

p.s. email/blog reader subscribers - simply hit reply or send your entry to aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com. please add toast halloween giveaway in the subject.

{update: winner list posted}

niko art studio

max the alien *pepper

way back when, big island artist nicole holi was one of the very first etsy finds shared with h|h readers, and i am happy to report that, after taking a breather from crafting, niko art studio has made its long awaited return to everyone's favorite indie emporium.

in addition to a fresh batch of handmade toys and figurines, nicole recently introduced her very own rubber stamp line featuring simple but adorable line drawings that crafters and scrapbookers have found irresistible (her sweetie even makes the woodblocks for each stamp).

hobo cat & the tuna sandwich

niko art studio is also stocked with more traditional forms of art making from original artwork to archival prints of nicole's fanciful if idiosyncratic illustrations.

click over to the etsy shop to take a peek at all of nicole's creations.

p.s. welcome back nicole!

what a wonderful whittle world

shave ice

oh my, how adorable are these wee handmade creations from whittle world? these are such a cute alternative to the plastic little people sets found in many childhood playrooms and you have to love the local twist of shave ice stands and surfers.

a host of whittles are ready to populate your little one's playtime compliments of nikole, the sahm who crafts each and every whittle, who started making the miniatures for her son and, with encouragement from friends and family, began selling them at island craft shows. the sets are made to order (with each painted detail done by hand) and have a sweet homespun charm missing from most mass manufactured toys.

 leilani's lei stand

little surfer

as someone who has blown out a few candles atop a star wars birthday cake (or two) back in the day, the mini r2-d2 and friends (crafted by special request for her son's sw collection and, alas, not for sale) definitely bring back memories of princess leia halloween costumes and standing in the endless queue winding around the cinerama waiting to behold the empire strikes back.

you can take a peek at all the wooden wonders inside the whittle world etsy shop, and, if you have a sweet spot for sesame street, be sure to click over to puppets and pals, nikole's other etsy outpost which is devoted to the world of puppetry.

p.s. there's also a whittle world blog to keep fans updated on all the latest (and one of a kind) creations.

sister act II - space moderne

money tree * monstera * danish flowers

space moderne is the etsy outpost of designer momi antonio-barnes who opened up shop on the indie emporium to offer her small but stunning collection of handmade accessories online. like her sister, momi left the islands to attend college on the mainland where she launched a well received jewelry line while still in art school. after graduation, she made a stopover in miami before landing in baltimore which is the home base for space moderne, the little design house where momi continues the family tradition of making beautiful objects.

like the mid-century designers who inspire her, momi follows the philosophy of form follows function with a focus on construction and design details. simple objects like wine pockets and luggage tags have a minimalist aesthetic and pops of color allow the pared down designs to really shine. everything in the shop is perfect for gifting although i must confess that i am completely besotted with space moderne's entire collection and find myself coveting one of everything.

blue bird ipod case

sea kelp pillow cover

vine linen tea napkins

hibiscus clutch * monstera ipod case

and, island design fans will be pleased to know that many of space moderne's accessories are available in a modern remix of hawaiian style. if something catches your fancy but has already been sold, simply convo momi with a request and she will be happy to make one just for you (custom orders are also welcome).

click over to charm city craft mafia for a behind-the-scenes peek into space moderne's world.

sister act - kapuanani designs

ipu heke + mahalo

as you know, it's etsy day but today i decided a double feature was in order after discovering two very talented sisters who shared a crafty childhood in hawaii and who both continue to create lovely handmade goods on opposite sides of the mainland.

first up, kapuanani designs, the etsy showcase of graphic designer amy antonio who whips up everything from hand printed stationery to sweet accents to pretty up your space. the portland based designer honed her design chops while working at the legendary powell's book shop and now splits her time doing freelance work and serving as the pr director for the ke kukui foundation, a cultural/arts non-profit for the pacific nw's hawaiian community.

amy's work seamlessly blends her two worlds from the note card series that gives a little love to the culture
of the islands via the age old art form of block printing to the playful magnet board that promises to tidy up a messy desk with a little lighthearted flair.

woodgrain magnet board

custom design work is welcome (contact amy for details) so click over to kapuanani's etsy shop for a peek at the in stock designs for a little inspiration!