knit wit

baby luau * ripe pineapple * maui sunset

while i am finally off on my xmas new year's winter road trip to visit family and friends (compliments of the ongoing writers strike), i must admit to not achieving my 2007 resolution of learning how to knit. the plan was to rock a sweet scarf of my own making to ward off the chilly no/cal days and nights . . . alas, the smattering of wee swatches knitted so far are not up to the task, and the thought of a six feet under-like demise prevented me from bringing along the potential sticks of death to knit with during the drive.

however, with it being etsy day and all, here are a few knitting resources from the islands for all the mad crafters out there.

first up, just try to resist the candy colored fibers created by maui yarns. the super soft merino wool yarn (perfect for handmade socks) is hand dyed in a pretty palette inspired by maui's brilliant sunsets, stunning shorelines and lush valleys.

anne lace scarf * matilda & tillie cloche * mug jacket

for the more advanced, the loveliest of patterns created by knitter extraordinaire mk carroll. i am loving the mug cozy and retro cloche. hopefully, someone out there is up to the task of whipping one up to enjoy while winter is still with us. take a peek at mk's blog for even more inspiration.

be back next week!

block printing 101

tree of life

frustrated artistes take note: renowned big island illustrator/artist caren loebel-fried will be holding a workshop to help you become a block printing whiz. the class will cover all the steps required to turn the doodles in your mind into printed paper goods and textiles of your own design.

space is limited so hele over to volcano garden arts for registration details.

• when: sat, feb 9th - 10:30a to 3:30p
• where: volcano garden arts
• cost: $80

call for volunteers

yoo hoo! if your new year's resolution was to do some good in the world, cool kailua nights needs volunteers (and vendors too) to help out behind the scenes. the feb 2nd block party is filled with food, shopping, entertainment, carnival rides, and a wellness center to bring the windward side together to raise funds for local cancer organizations.

volunteers are needed to assist with set-up, manning booths, auction help, etc. plus, there are still a few booths left if you are a vendor and would like to participate in the event.

email danielle [at] socialwahines [dot] com for details.

farmstand fusion

this last trip home gave me the opportunity to do almost all of my xmas shopping in the islands (no packing up and hauling boxes to the post office or a hefty postage bill - yay for me!). on the flip side, the refrain made most often by my peeps is how difficult it can be to find anything good to gift in hawaii so i was on a mission to prove them wrong and hit the local shopping scene for a little indie gifting in 2007.

one of my favorite things to gift are gourmet treats which are in abundant supply in the islands yet something many folks never splurge on for themselves. the first booth that caught my eye at the honolulu gift fair was maui upcountry jams & jellies with their exotic mix of sweet and savory concoctions that proved hard to resist. the company originally started out as a way to make use of all the fruits growing on their family farm, and, after receiving raves from their 'ohana, other local farmers began approaching the family to turn their harvest into a bounty of breakfast spreads.

the farm fresh offerings have expanded over the years beyond jams and jellies to include syrups, mustards, and chutneys featuring island standards like mango and lilikoi to intriguing nectars made from kula black raspberries, loquats (japanese plums), and poha berries. there's even a li hing mango jam to give your morning toast an old school wake up call (sans the cock-a-doodle-doo of country roosters).

the online shop is stocked with their entire maui made product line, or click over to ali'i kula lavender who partnered with maui upcountry to whip up some of the culinary goodies infused with lavender grown on akl's farm.

outdoor makeover

the eco-chic showroom of 1st look exteriors was one of my favorite discoveries on this last trip home. the design center is devoted to all things green and when my fella and i finally stepped through the doors, well, it was a bit like getting a golden ticket to wonkaland if you love modern style that also happens to be good for the earth.

owners greg & terri lee opened their waipio showroom to offer more environmentally friendly furniture options to their landscaping clientele, and, after chatting with greg about everything from green roofs and solar/led lighting to la's ca boom design show, it was apparent they know their stuff. even better, greg & terri are making a concerted effort to bring in lines previously unavailable in the islands with an emphasis on green materials like sustainable woods and recycled plastic to transform hawaii's outdoor spaces.

soda pop bottle transformed

if flipping through design glossies is one of your hobbies du jour, all you need to know is that this is the place to go for in person peeks at the collections of modern outdoor, pie, and loll designs (picket chair shown above). in addition to furniture, the showroom offers accessories like this spectacular pendant lamp cobbled together from empty silk cocoon pods (an innovative use of "trash" and, more importantly, the light filters through the pods with a gorgeous, ethereal glow).

get your eco design fix every tue to sat (mon by appointment only).