Mood & Music Mosaic #20

Christmas Waltz - Mindy Gledhill

cardigan - brooch - wax seal - christmas card - earrings

I'm finishing up my holiday shopping and gift wrapping everything. I actually haven't listened to any Christmas songs yet, but I think it's time to whip out my seasonal CDs too. Can't celebrate the holidays long enough, can you?

How is your holiday planning coming along? Almost done or are you a last-minute shopper?

Review: Uncommon Goods

When Uncommon Goods asked me to collaborate with them I was instantly excited! I already knew a little about their mission statement and products, but still found some pleasant surprises as I learned some more about their company.

They seem to run an honest and inspiring business, and they offer a very large variety of fun items; which makes Uncommon Goods a wonderful place to shop for yourself or for pretty much anyone you could possibly know. You can browse by category, do a keyword search or use their handy pages for gift ideas. Check out this page for lots of birthday gifts. It includes items to brighten up a home or wardrobe, and nifty things for people into science, sports, music or cooking. There's also a huge section for personalized gifts, which you can find here. Or -and this is very helpful as it's often the trickiest!- you could look here to find something nice for the men in your life. Handy, right?!

Since you're following my blog, odds are you're a fellow owl-loving lady with a fondness for jewelry and a knack for crafts. If so, I think you'll love the three items I'm reviewing today as much as I do... So let's get started!

I knit a lot, so it's quite surprising I did not yet own a yarn bowl. They have always intrigued me, so I was very excited to try this owly one. It is beautifully crafted, and nice and heavy so that it doesn't slide as you pull yarn from it.

It was very safely packaged and came with business cards and information on the artist who made and designed it.

Next up is this fun necklace. It's beautiful, quirky in a mature way, and even gilt/dipped in 18 and 22k gold. I find the color wheel matches basically anything I throw at it, and it makes even the most basic outfit instantly look creative.

I am equally smitten with the clever packaging!  It scores 10 out of 10 for sure! I loved the glass jar and the way the necklace was presented inside. Even the illustrated tag is cute. Yellow Owl Workshop definitely knows their stuff!

Lastly, this felt succulent garden seemed like a great substitute for the real succulents that didn't survive their stay with me... I don't exactly have a green thumb. I am, however, good with crafts, so I was excited for this DIY kit!

It's a fun concept and the instruction booklet was wonderfully clear. It's mostly a matter of assembling things, but you can still make a bunch of creative decisions with the chalk details and final placement of the succulents.

The one issue I had was that it didn't stick together very well. Double-sided tape just wasn't strong enough to hold the foldable box together (hence the gold washi tape you see in my picture), nor keep the succulents stuck to the bottom securely. But it's nothing a little glue couldn't fix. Despite that minor issue, I actually enjoyed it a lot. The rolling of the succulents, the coloring with the chalk, and finally figuring out what composition looked best. It was fun and I like the result!

A Few Notes on Sustainability:

Now, I'm very passionate about going "green", love to support independent artists, but also really like the service and security of established companies. Uncommon Goods incorporates all three into their business! They value sustainability, in every sense of the word. They work with artists and small manufacturers, use recycled and organic products whenever they can, support non-profit organizations and are all about fair and long-lasting relationships. They even give back to the community by inspiring and helping their customers donate some old things to Goodwill.

Final Verdict:

I loved collaborating with Uncommon Goods! I found them to be a very transparent and warm company. There is a personal touch to everything they do, and a definite sense of community. They even have a blog where they feature their artists and lots of different kinds of employees in interviews with pictures. It's a business I feel very good about working with. And, as you can see, the products I received were absolutely wonderful too!

P.S. I received these items for review, but was encouraged to share my own opinions and experience.

Owl Things Considered

I tend to love bird statement necklaces that show off a lot of wing. I think it looks cool and makes for an interesting shape that is incredibly eye catching. Especially so, of course, when they are owls carrying Hogwarts letters...

These cool laser cut necklaces can be found at RichardsonRichardson on Etsy. They have a few owls; one with letter, and a couple without. Some are made from plastic, and others from actual wood. And a few different sizes too.

There are plenty more witty items in the shop, as well as some Halloween designs. So follow this link to see more.

In the Mail: alleluja

It has been a rough and uncertain time. So much so that, despite previously having been so excited about my new layout, blogging never even crossed my mind. Anyway, to cheer myself up I ordered something adorable from alleluja that was bound to make me smile. Which it did! And now that I'm back, I thought I'd show you what I picked out.

It's a porcelain kitten brooch inspired by the shape of old-fashioned cookie molds. And it has such a sweet face!

I was so excited to receive this little creature! And I hope to be wearing the brooch a lot. I also loved the colorful and careful wrapping, the cute postcard, and even the tiny business card (which I'll keep and use as a bookmark).

I've blogged about alleluja twice before. And though it had been 5 years since I last treated myself to one of Sawako's creatures, the shop is thankfully still up and running; sending out gorgeous creatures to brighten people's days.

Mood & Music Mosaic #12

Never Be That Tough - Simone White

organic cotton dress - fox necklace - handmade mug - art print

It's a pretty crazy time here and I'm doing my best not to get too overwhelmed, so I very intentionally try to relax whenever I can. And I thought these soothing items fit that very well. I love the serene colors and subtle patterns.

What do you do to keep your cool during stressful times?

Bristorium

I am absolutely smitten with the jewelry from Bristorium! I love the style, design and finish of pretty much all the pieces in this shop. What caught my eye initially was the beautiful collection of framed woodland creatures.

The animal designs are made into necklaces, rings and/or brooches. The latter being adorned with different types of ribbons depending on the design. Anyway, I love them! They look like something the protagonist from a really amazing book might wear. Perhaps an heirloom straight out of a beautiful middlegrade mystery novel...

What I really love about this shop is the attention to detail. It's not all polished down to perfectly straight lines and a factory-like finish, but it has character and balance and super nifty details. Like this reversible moth necklace.

Most designs definitely have natural elements. Some more flora than fauna. Like many of the earrings... Those are often made to resemble flowers or seedpods. And they also tend to have very intricate settings for the gem stones.

If you also adore the pieces I featured and would like to see more, I suggest you pay a visit to Bristorium on Etsy.

Lullaby for Fox

Sonia from Lullaby for Fox is a very creative lady that works in lots of different mediums. Her shop is filled to the brim with a big range of items. She has a very unique style though, which is easy to recognize no matter the format.

It's easy to see that Sonia has a great love for animals. Most of her work features some sort of creature. They are usually very magical and often anthropomorphized, yet still very much in touch with nature and the seasons.

I am always blown away by the new brooches that hit the shop. They have such stunning details (sometimes even real pearls!) and the ones with faces always look so cute and friendly. Just looking at their pictures tends to make me smile!

One design has even been made into a sterling silver pendant. Because of the silver, it's one of the pricier items in the shop, but it's so beautiful and, I imagine, well worth the money as it'll be a very durable and timeless piece.

Like I said, the shop is pretty packed, so there is lots more to be seen than I managed to share in this blogpost. Definitely take a look, and maybe give the facebook page a like to receive updates and the occasional giveaway.

In the Mail: Secreta Shop

I've been admiring this artist for a while and recently fell in love with a particular piece. Lucky for me I was at the computer right after it got listed on Etsy. A little while later it showed up at my door, in the most magical packaging!

Now I've seen Etsy sellers with very cute packaging, but I've never felt like I'd become part of a magical society before. One usually only dreams of wax seals and parchment notes. But it's a fantasy that comes to life with Secreta Shop!

Here is a glimpse of what Secreta Shop has to offer at the moment. There is art for your walls, hangings to put wherever you like, and tiny art work you can order either as a pendant or a brooch. Check out the shop for more!

Mood & Music Mosaic #9

Traffic in the Sky - Jack Johnson

shirt - bowl - shoes - earrings

Wearing dark blue tends to make me feel very productive, calm and focused. And that's exactly what I've been trying to be lately. Although writing this, I realize I don't wear it often… But perhaps I should! It might just help, haha!

Do dark blues have the same effect on you? Or does another color perhaps?

Owl Things Considered

Owls generally get me pretty excited, but especially so when they're incorporated into very clever designs! And DAINTYmeBOUTIQUE has a very clever product indeed: stacking rings that make a whole animal hug your finger!

And they have a bunch of different animals too! From pets to woodland to very exotic. All enamel and all beautiful.

The "hugging" ones are extremely clever, but this squirrel definitely is too! I love how he's kind of stuck between your fingers as he reaches for the acorn. And his tail is such a nice finishing touch, isn't it?! I love it!

I also had to show you this hedgehog. It's "just" one ring, but it is adorable enough to melt your heart.

Lastly, I'm also very smitten with these bunny earrings! They're cute as well as elegant. And I love their golden noses.


There's plenty more in the shop to marvel at. I'm definitely going to check in every now and then... I have a feeling this shop might release many other interesting things in the future. Whoever's behind it clearly has great ideas!

Owl Things Considered

VaniLlamaArt makes breathtakingly beautiful and very original statement necklaces. They look so detailed and well made, and the idea of the feather-beads is very clever. I also love the way the maker plays with the colors.

I think the barn owls are absolutely adorable. I'm sure I'm not alone in that, because they have sold out. However, there is still another gorgeous owl in the shop at this very moment. One with some amazing color changes.

Anyway, if you like what you see here, you'd better keep an eye on the VaniLlamaArt shop. The artist shows some amazing skills with her polymer clay. She also has this incredibly intriguing insect set for instance… So check it out.

P.S. I just found out she has a blog as well! You can find it here.

Wishlist

Oh my goodness! I just found the cutest Etsy shop! If you know me at all, you have figured out that I adore fairy tales and have a real weakness for cute jewelry. Well… LaliBlue combined the two in such a gorgeous and unique way!

Not only are the illustrations amazing to begin with, but the way they are incorporated into the (already adorable) wooden necklaces, leads to absolute perfection! There's so much attention to detail, depth and great color palettes.

There are a lot of interesting ones to choose from, but it would be hard to name a favorite! Little Red Riding Hood is incredibly cute, I always adore Alice in Wonderland, but I just love the waves and shape of the Pinocchio necklace...

And if you were to check out the actual LaliBlue website, you'd find even more jewelry! This brooch stood out to me, for instance, because: a) fellow braided brunette b) fellow ukelele/guitar player and c) the most adorable little owl!

But there's lots more, including the pieces below. And that's only from the jewelry part of the shop!

Yes, there are even other items as well! So you should really just check this shop out for yourself. Enjoy!