tropic essentials

lauhala favor box & tote

this is one for all the brides-to-be desperate to find the perfect way to present those ubiquitous jordan almonds to their wedding guests. the neverending search filling your lunch break/late night googles and commiserations on the knot ends with a quick click to honolulu's tropic essentials, a one stop online shop stocked with everything crafty brides need to create modern island style favors.

the prices are reasonable and you will find inspiration in spades on how to transform a basic lauhala box into something spectacular. now that you have found favor nirvana, get ready for endless discussions on whether to go with sleek metal window tins or ethereal sinamay pouches. decisions, decisions . . . maybe it's time to elope.

{update | jan 2010: tropic essentials shuttered its online shop a few years ago so click over to creations by you, hawaiian wedding shop, or pacific weddings magazine for island style favor supplies}

$20 getaway plan

okay, so this may not be the absolute lowest the airfare wars have gone but the extra dollar and change still makes for a fabulous deal to fly to the neighbor islands. yep, $20.07 for a o/w ticket is a sweet deal indeed.

details:

• book it: by mon, jan 8th
• fly: now to feb 28th
• cities: honolulu to hilo *or* kahalui *or* kona *or* lihue

fly, fly, fly: aloha airlines | go! | hawaiian airlines

puka shell gets crafty

fortune cookies

i am always in awe of people who are uber-crafty and these adorable crocheted fortune cookies from puka shell creative designs are too delightful for words. gather a bunch together for a sweet centerpiece for your chinese new year celebration next month or customize the fortune inside to create one-of-a-kind party & wedding favors.

sushi magnets

crafter extraordinaire april hiraki-morris (who also runs the so/cal plate lunch connection) expresses her love for all things kawaii with her whimsical "incredible inedibles" collection filled with everything from cupcakes to sushi. take a peek at the full line of goodies at the puka shell etsy shop. bon appétit!

closet fetish annual sale

after getting in shape, i bet getting organized is the second most popular new year's resolution. if you shudder every time you open your closet doors then it's definitely time to stock up at closet fetish which is doubling all shoe box orders this month!

storing shoes may be its original purpose but the boxes can also be used to stash photos, notes, keepsakes, etc. which is particularly helpful if your goal is to attain a martha-like organization around your home.

• secret code: n/a - shoe box orders will be automatically doubled
• expires: jan 31st

happy new year!

hello, hello! the holiday trip was extended for a few days after an unexpected illness on xmas evening. i have finally recovered and made my way home to send a big mahalo to all of you who made h|h their home page, subscribed to the feed/mailing list, &/or just stopped by from time to time to see what's new in the past year.

one of my resolutions this year is to find a way to get you to share your thoughts on stuff (been there/done that? love it/not so much? etc.) via the comment link at the end of each post (right down there. see it? just click on it to leave a note). hopefully, your resolution will be to participate every so often and embrace the relative anonymity of the internet to share your opinions. don't be shy!

and, one final note, mahalos to keep it off my wave for selecting h|h as their blog of the week last week!

be back soon with new stuff for the new year . . .