a shop toast holiday

ocean in my pocket calendar

before dashing off for the holidays, i wanted to share the small delights that jeremy and michelle from shop toast have been busy crafting in their handmade workshop. we all know the toast team is an essential source for whimsical gifting all year long, but this year's playful selection of elf-approved xmas goods made me smile from the wood veneer ocean in my pocket desk calendar ($8) to furoshiki-wrapped boxes filled with gourmet cookies ($5).

there's even the brand new and super cute tiny tin's grocery store where you are welcome to mix and match sweet treats and tasty snacks ($3 to $8 each) cleverly concealed in pint sized packages to create a yummy yet one-of-a-kind gift basket. even nicer is that a portion of tiny tin sales will benefit the hawaii food bank.

more peeks after the jump!

while it may be too late for mail order, oahu friends still have time to pop by and scoop up last minute gifts during the kaimuki storefront's extended holiday hours:

• when: thu, dec 23rd - 12p to 6p & fri, dec 24th - 12p to 4p
• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki

p.s. the scoop will be on hiatus this week. happy wishes for a very mele kalikimaka to you & your 'ohana!

happy hale*days 2010: mele edition

the interweb crashed on me earlier today so it's nice to finally be back online to kick off the first gifting edition! of all the guides, the mele roundup is the one i look forward to most since it gives me an excuse to wander my favorite design haunts in search of festive holiday happiness. it's also my rare fix of xmas delight until i walk into the winter wonderland that is my mom's home.

here's the scoop on my current holiday crushes:

1 - three cheers for the bold contemporary graphics of mozaic papers' charming i'iwi greeting cards! ($11/6 cards or $14/box)

2 - kinohi designs whips up playful photo cards for a modern family portrait. (fyi: i am a tinyprint affiliate so my piggy bank will be filled if you shop via this link)

3 - la belle vie's hula girl silhouette may be made in texas but it will definitely brighten up mailboxes near and far from the the islands. ($18/box)

more festive finds after the jump!

4 - tiny tags from shop toast share the sweetest sentiment with simple perfection. ($2/set)

5 - lei chartru's mele mele kalikimaka tags offers up a modern monstera pattern for a pop of xmas happiness. ($7.50/set)

6 - anthropologie's darling iced whale ornament has already sold out online, but check your neighborhood outpost for a possible xmas score. ($16)

7 - blushing pearl's pearly shell gift tags letterpressed in seaspray blue will live on in the new year as a pretty reminder/bookmark. ($10/set)

8 - treat your tree to a handmade candy cane ornament by honolulu glass artist jessica landau. ($25)

9 - only lucky readers who shop kealopiko's holiday market (details in tomorrow's scoop) will have a chance to purchase the gorgeous screenprinted wrap featuring local motifs.

10 - the ukulele monkey gift wrap from sf's hello lucky! just may be too cute for keiki to tear off their presents on xmas morning. ($5.75/roll)

11 - gussy up some kraft paper with japanese washi paper tape imported by cute tape. ($16/set)

12 - gift surprises big or small in a kealopiko pareu which doubles as lovely furoshiki wrapping cloth. ($35; akoakoa pattern shown)

did you discover anything new to love amongst these twelve things for xmas?

p.s. click back to the past for more ideas on sharing a little modern island cheer this xmas.

party saver: event essentials

bubble club sofa * wood stump cake stand * sake cups

one of the benefits of hawaii being a destination wedding hot spot are the decorating possibilities courtesy of the rental services catering to the most swoon-worthy i do's. when the future mister and i peeked into a traditional party rental supply on island way back when, the pickings were quite depressing - think standard issue china, glitzy 80's centerpieces, and a surprising lack of anything stylish to compliment our modern un-wedding. and, this was a few years in to the 21st century.

when tara from pacific bride guide mentioned the lovely goods available at event essentials, my daydreams of one day hosting a fabulous soirée became ever more delightful as i imagined mixing in whimsical bubble club sofas (compliments of tara), dreamy french beverage dispensers, and the oh-so-toasty fire pit.

if your budget allows, it's a briliant way to add a little more loveliness to the occasional celebration when more seating is required, you simply cannot justify ownership of an oversized confectionary jar in your small space, or if, like me, your borrowing circle does not share your crush for moroccan lanterns and tree stump cake stands.

more peeks of pretty party possibilities after the jump!

wooden cake stand * rattan charger * glass cookie jar

teak lounge * moroccan lantern * frenchie dispenser

rustic buri lanterns

party bonfire!

event essentials owner christina farrow (who also creates pacific aisles' lovely weddings) was kind enough to share a little cheat sheet to save you some extra clicks over the hectic holiday season:

• inventory is limited so it's best to reserve asap. especially if your event date falls on a saturday.
• no minimum quantities required so mix and match to your heart's content.
• posted rental fees are for 24 hours but extended rentals may be accommodated upon request.
• delivery is available on oahu for a fee (starting at $75; required for furniture rentals), however you can arrange to pick up smaller items at ee's aiea storage space.

a sampling of rental price tags include $2 for a ceramic sake cup, $20 for the large french beverage dispenser, and $150 for the fun bubble club sofa.

is hosting a festive fête on your holiday must do list this year?

{photo credit: 1/pacific bride guide (sofa) : punam bean (stump) : visionari (sake); 2/visionari (stand & jar) chrissy lambert (charger); 3/chrissy lambert (lounge) : visionari (lantern) : nineteen owls (dispenser); 4/frank amodo + alex rapada (buri)}

shop toast: tricks & treats

jax treat bags

does anyone else feel like 2010 is slipping away faster than you can say boo? with halloween lurking around the corner, how about we take a peek into the shop toast workshop to see the newest treats designed to add a little cuteness to next weekend's creepy costumed celebration.

if you are feeling particularly crunched on time, skip the line at longs and scoop up a few jax treat bags, wee pumpkin colored muslin delights pre-filled with an assortment of sweets for just $1.50 a pop. the halloween edition boo!zu boys have also returned (currently on clearance for $2) and have brought along a few friends to help scare away the rain on a daily basis.

toast's woodland warriors have proven to be popular and have welcomed a few new additions to its 'ohana from birch wood postcards ($4) to cotton totes ($15) with five different greetings and designs to choose from.

woodland warriors postcards & totes

and, lovebirds and holiday hostesses have a pretty new semi-custom favor option with the arrival of the diy tying the knot fabric wrap bags. the cotton hanky sets are a simple way to doll up those tokens of appreciation and can be ordered in rainbow of colors to coordinate with your bash's decor.

you can find all the new goods both in-store and stocked in the online shop. and, if you are hoping to wish away the drizzle with the latest boo!zu boys weather charm ($6; available in 7 colors), remember to mention h|h and the shop toast 'ohana will knock $2 off the going price!

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

{mahalo jeremy & michelle!}

machinemachine lab: vintage bark branches

i happened across machinemachine's vintage bark branches when shannon posted a wrap-up of her trunk show on kaua'i. instant crush! there are so many possibilities . . . from a whimsical coat rack to a charming and unexpected xmas card display. since so many readers also share my love for diy design, shannon kindly agreed to whip up a tutorial so you can make one or two of your very own.

just like small kid time, let's all give a friendly, happy aloha to shannon for stopping by!

{how to make vintage bark branches}

i dreamt up these vintage bark branches for a koke'e themed machinemachine trunk show at halele'a gallery in september. prior to the event, some friends and i booked a cabin in koke'e, located in the magical uplands of kaua'i, for a couple days. when we weren't eating, hiking, or cooking, we spent our time spread out on the lawn getting crafty.

we completed about thirty branches for the event, scattering them in clusters, along walls, under tables, and strapped to clothing racks. in the end, the vintage branches are not just a lovely visual symbol of the uplands, they also represent the act of binding and nurturing nature, like wrapping an ace bandage around an ankle.

{supplies}

• sturdy branches
• 1-inch wide strips of assorted fabric 15"-30" long (i use knit polyester, it's slightly stretchy with great geometric prints)
• thread
• scissors
• glue

{basic branch}

start at the base of the branch. lay about 2-inches of the end of one fabric strip on the branch and wrap the strip around itself and the branch, hiding the start of your fabric tail. keep wrapping your way up the branch, making sure to completely cover the bark by slightly overlapping the strip upon itself as you wrap upwards.

if you want to change colors or need to add another fabric strip make sure to begin wrapping with a new strip well over where your old one left off. if you reach a point where the branch splits into a y-shape, fret not! all you have to do is wrap about 1.5-inches up both arms of the y, then resume wrapping just one arm of the y.

to finish the tip of the branch, wrap the fabric all the way up, leaving about a 50-inch tail then tightly twist thread around the tail, cinching it into a nub. put a dab of glue on the thread, it should dry clear.

{advanced :: doily bark branch}

for this version, you will need a few doilies cut into strips wide enough to wrap around the branch (like a hot dog bun). you will need a needle and thread to stitch up the back side of the doilies, taking pains to allow for a .5-inch seam allowance, since doilies tend to unravel when cut.

{uses}

make a few and put them in a big vase in the corner of the room; hang some from the ceiling; hang a few on the wall; bind 3 to 4 together with left over fabric strips and set them on a table; hang ornaments off them during the holidays; give them away as gifts!

me again! it really is a simple project . . . especially if you have lots of scrap fabric tucked away.

many mahalos to shannon for sharing a little craft love with us! and, do click over to the machinemachine etsy shop to peek all the fresh new styles. you can also locate your neighborhood stockist over on the official website.

will you be gathering up fallen branches and vintage fabric to decorate your nest?

{photo credit: top/blenda montoro, tutorial/shannon hiramoto}