island crush: deja-view

the mister and i rarely find ourselves on the north shore when home, but one of my favorite island moments is when you begin to coast down the hill by the pineapple fields and are greeted by the most breathtaking panaromic view stretching from the skies to the sea.

north shore artist christie shinn captured this swoon-worthy setting exquisitely with her paintbrush, no?

$35+ online.

p.s. if you haven't met christie yet, read more about her right here.

happy hale*days 2011: mele edition

a few whimsical possibilities to dress up your december with a little island inspired holiday cheer!

1 - xmas greetings get modern with hour of nine's merry letterpress notes. {$18; enter secret code hapahale in the special instructions box at checkout & your order will arrive with preprinted return addresses on the envelopes}

2 - old school xmas lights are even more delightful when transformed into handmade felt ornaments by honolulu's danielle london. {$25}

3 - pretty up gift boxes with shop toast's happy wooden charms engraved with holiday cuties. {$6}

4 - mailbox smiles are guaranteed when heather brown's eco-friendly cards featuring the sweetest three little birds arrive with holiday wishes. {$20}

more merriment after the jump!

5 - tag presents with a personalized flourish printed by honolulu's pikake press. {$8}

6 - swap out your old cookie cutters for playful ninjabread men and gift the coolest baked goods ever. {$8.95}

7 - coral felt wool placemats by haleiwa's aestivation designs will decorate table settings with festive flair. {$85}

do you prefer to stay true to xmas traditions or do you adore mixing in newly discovered holiday delights every december?

aloha friday scoop

{first friday highlights}

• fashionista's market: enjoy 20% off storewide plus shop genuine guava's collection of upcycled clutches and handbags. {4p to 8p; 1185 bethel street}

• fighting eel: save 15% off shop purchases when you acquire adornment from the padma & pickles and [ki-ele] trunk show. {4p to 9p; 1133 bethel street}

• florencia arias: featured window looks will be 50% off for one night only, plus enjoy bonus dollars when purchasing holiday gift certificates. {1161 nu'uanu avenue}

• roberta oaks: save 20% off your wishlist. {5p to 10p; 19 north pauahi street; enter secret code friday to receive discount & free shipping online}

• super citizen: lisa from modern philosophy previews her spring 2012 collection (select styles 10-to-30% off)and says goodbye to past season styles (40% off). {5:30p to 8:30p; 22 south pauahi street}

the ali'iolani craft fair will be stocked with style flown in by maui thing, new holiday goods crafted by shop toast, and more handmade possibilities for your gift list.

• when: sat, dec 3rd - 8a to 2p
• where: ali'iolani elementary school, 1240 7th avenue, kaimuki

Click to read more ...

new peeks: kealopiko makahiki 2011

naulu

makahiki season would certainly pass most of us by if not for the kealopiko 'ohana. in ancient times, when winter solstice neared native hawaiian life slowed down to celebrate happy times with 'ohana, feast on the bounty provided by the 'aina, and revel in delightful diversions from hula to surfing.

and so, makahiki has arrived and with it a welcome reminder for modern day kama'aina to breathe in the beauty of hawai'i and embrace all you love about island life.

happy congratulations ane, hina & jamie on five years of gorgeous handprinted goods inspired by hawai'i nei!

the makahiki celebration (+ weekend market details) begins after the jump!

kahuli * naulu

kahuli * aku

ferns pareu * puka square * eke scrap

aiea * kaka

if you have your heart set on the brand new eke scrap bag (love that they are reversible and crafted from remnant fabrics - hooray for one-of-a-kind style!), just know they are selling out within moments of arriving online, but you might have better luck at this weekend's holiday markets:

{na makua xmas gift fair}

• when: fri, dec 2nd - 5p to 9p & sat, dec 3rd - 9a to 5p
• where: afook-chinen civic auditorium, 799 piilani street, hilo

{makahiki market}

• when: sun, dec 4th - 9:30a to 4:30p
• where: town, 3435 waialae avenue, kaimuki
• fyi: wear a style from kealopiko's debut collection & receive 5% off your purchase

p.s. kealopiko's makahiki lookbook was photographed through the exquisite lens of jyoti mau.

island crush: puka shell glow

there is just something about a puka shell setting that captures my fancy so it should come as no surprise that a lovely new offering by hinu jewelry instantly jumped to the top of my share list. say hello to the most becoming puka shell cuff - a pair of petite ocean treasures plucked from the shore and elegantly surrounded by the warm glow of 18k gold.

the addition of diamonds makes the design especially breathtaking.

handmade by hinu for lovelies of all ages.

price tag starts at $485 for a baby cuff and goes up to $800 if you simply must own diamonds.

p.s. email hinu to order but do inquire soon since only a limited number of cuffs are available. also, mark tue, dec 20th on your calendar as the absolute final day for expedited holiday delivery.