handmade block party

love

one of the best things about etsy is how it has made art more accessible. caren loebel-fried, the big island artist who creates some of the most spectacular lino block prints (and who happens to be one of my favorite island artists), has joined the etsy ranks to showcase her beautiful interpretations of hawaiian legends and culture.

my fella and i both agree that the storyteller deserves a spot in our living room's little gallery of block prints. and for those romantic souls who keep the lost art of written correspondence alive, i must insist you take a peek at caren's lovely notecard sets.

the storyteller

the romance of lauka'ie'ie

artwork is archival quality and has been individually printed by hand on handmade paper from japan. both color and b&w prints are available and prices are quite reasonable ($15-$260).

when on the big island, you can admire (and purchase) caren's work at the volcano art center. you can learn more about about the artist and how her journey to this age old art form came to be on her website.

fyi - nyc readers who wish to learn the art of block printing can attend a one day workshop with caren & her mom scheduled to take place on oct 27th. more details can be found here.

winter warm up

with cooler days ahead for both mainland dwellers and islanders living in higher elevations, i thought i would post an update about this sweater which was featured as a holiday gift idea last year. it has sold out most everywhere else, however neve's tropical merino wool sweater recently popped up in a very cheery kiwi colorway at sierra trading post sporting a 36% markdown.

alas, it's a nickle shy of scoring free shipping via this link on orders over $75 (offer expires wed, oct 3rd), but you just may uncover a few more sweet deals so here you go!

i heart sawyer

if anyone else is experiencing withdrawal tonight in the midst of a lost-less premiere week, console yourself with this clever notecard set spotted on etsy which captures fans' angst at waiting until 2008 to find out what the heck happened to locke and charlie (said with claire's australian accent).

reincarnation island style

dragonfly * tsuru * oxford

my friend recently reminded me of the work of local girl/designer, allison izu nagato, who recently returned to the islands to launch her collection(s). yep, it seems that the talented mind behind the popular reincarnation hawaii line has more than a few collections up her sleeve.

under reincarnation, allison works her magic by reworking fabric from vintage alohawear and kimono obi into distinctive patterns with a playful, art school vibe. additional details include embellishments like swarovski crystals and hand painted flourishes topping off hand dyed pieces from american apparel.

buddha as duke

fellas can snap up something for themselves via sacred surf company which is bringing a little zen to menswear. the fashion institute of technology grad also has a highly anticipated petite denim line making its debut next month.

if you like what you see, there are a few days left to score 10% off your online order via the designer's eponymous izushop.

• secret code: AN22YS54
• expires: sun, sep 30th

on a kokka island

teal orchid + orange fern

spent today hopping around my favorite online craft shops for my latest decor project and discovered this lovely pattern while browsing the virtual fabric stacks at purl. it's imported from japan's kokka fabrics and the breezy cotton/linen mix is appropriately named island.

i am loving the modern pop of color on the hawaiian quilt motif. both designs are stocked in neutral and contemporary colorways and are worthy contenders for upcoming crafty projects.

happy crafting!