Good Eggs

We've been mad busy over here lately, kids! I don't even know the day of the week. Between getting the parents--and their 450 moving boxes--settled into their new house and working up a sweat building up stock for Crafty Wonderland, we managed to carve out some time to enjoy the rare PDX sunshine (via the Japanese Gardens, oh my!), have a preliminary meeting with the architects who will likely be designing our 350 sq ft dwelling, and even found time for a conference call tonight with a lovely woman from CCI Exchange who will be assisting us in our upcoming role of local coordinators for the international student exchange program! The future is packed full of brilliant potential, and I think we may just pull it all off! Is it time to wish everyone a happy weekend yet? Oh, it's only Tuesday?
Yes, Frank Black, where IS my mind?
I leave you with an awesome picture I took at the Portland Nursery a few days ago. It's a octopus-like air fern that has grown attached to this lovely antique birdcage. Cool, no?

Favorite Find of the Day

Best discovery today is a tumblr account called "Dads: The Original Hipsters."

Genius.

"Your dad went to dance parties before you did."

'every bit' pendant for Japan: v.2 is here!

It's easy to get caught up in the trending of global issues, and we've had awesome success raising money for the recovery of Japan through sales of our 'every bit' pendant, but after the media turns it eye to other issues, it's important to remember that Japan is still in dire need of help!! We've just released a second version of our 'every bit' pendant, this one with a beautiful pop of color. 100% of proceeds go to GlobalGiving for the Japan relief funds. Check it out!

'every bit' helps!

Bright Light Tuesday

OMG. The sun is shining in Portland. And its been happening all day. How fantastic! Things are moving and shaking around the studio, with the arrival of the terHorst elders (aka the rightful owners of ISWAS+WILLBE studio and dwelling), bringing in tow an additional doggie and two curious cats. The house is brimming with life. And fur, pleh!
With many promising opportunities on the horizon and long days via sunsets around 8:00pm, things are looking positive over here. The future is looking frenzied and full of balls-to-the-wall moments. And we wouldn't have it any other way!
Check out this awesome beetle diorama I discovered from Bug Under Glass! How perfectly odd and adorable all at once!

Weevil Kenevil

Party Friday

Well, it was kinda like a party. Today was the overdue culmination of a readying of sources, so to speak. We finally got the new photo staging studio set-up (it sounds fancy but it's not; just some smoke and mirrors), and got to play with the new camera. It was fun and inspiring and I don't know why we've been dragging our feet to get this business off the ground. Today was fabulous. Check out a sampling of our new creative directing.

trio of faceted jasper necklace

science fiction pendant in brass

trio of turquoise necklace

Adventure Thursday

Today we awoke with the full-hearted intention of getting an earnest day of work in the studio. In reality, our day came to include inventing a new kind of breakfast, walking through a rainy afternoon, snagging a vintage table I have been eyeing since I moved here in January, and collecting a sampling of the beautiful flora that Portland is brimming with (because, Spring is here, I guess.) As far as that workday...well, there's always tomorrow!

Pancake Frenchtoast

A coveted find from Red Fox Vintage

I △ MY JOB

'every bit' pendant

A dear customer of mine from sent me this photo of her adopted Japanese daughter wearing one of our 'every bit' pendants! Isn't she freakin' adorable?? We are still trying to raise another $250 for the Japanese relief funds, so if you haven't checked out our 'every bit' pendant yet, click on our adorable model above and you will end up right where you need to be! 100% of proceeds go to GlobalGiving. If you have already purchased one, thank you x1000 for supporting the handmade revolution and humanitarian needs; rock on!

Etsy Discovery

Avant Garde Cream Felt Hat

Cream Loop Headband 

Grey Felt and Chain Epaulette

I came across these visually stunning accessories on Etsy today, from Pooka Queen's shop. They have the intrigue of sci-fiction costuming with a grace and beauty calling to mind the era of Art Nouveau. I love the vapid stare of the model, the intentional disconnect she has with the camera. It gives the pieces a rightly futuristic feel, while upholding a decidedly feminine vibe. How lovely!

Spring Shopping

   I've been on the hunt for a springtime shoe. I have a hard time with shoes, I own 5-6 pairs of boots and I can't seem to find a shoe style that satisfies me the way a boot does. I feel invincible in my boots; they are a fail-proof aesthetic when pairing with skirts, dresses, leggings, and skinny jeans, all of which I prefer to wear over pants. I can't stand the casual look of a tennis shoe. My entire life I have existed somewhere between tomboys and frilly girls. I am in no way athletically gifted, but I also can't rationalize the upkeep of a 'girly' lifestyle. I seek out an existence of simplistic beauty, one of a universal nature. I found these Frye oxfords and I am smitten. They look both powerful and agile, a harmony of rugged grace, an aesthetic that speaks to me!

Film Talk

               Yesterday we watched a movie called "Hanna." I had never heard of it before, and after watching about half of the preview--those things tend to spoil all the surprise these days--I was convinced to go see it. Hanna is an intense character study in the skin of an action movie. The opening sequences involve dreamy scenes of Hanna, a young girl, wrapped in hides and toting bows+arrows, navigating her snowy world of wilderness. The costumes in this film are phenomenal, down to the very tiniest detail of little knots and tangles in Hanna's endless bundle of white-blonde curls. The imagery from this movie is so beautifully romantic; living in the wintery woods of Finland, wrapped in animals hides and being a general badass while doing things like killing my own supper. Sign me up!
The film has momentum and a good build of suspense. I am a sucker for movies with female protagonists, and I think there need to be more of them. (While loads of girls squeal at Hannah Montana, woefully wishing their lives were as glamourous as hers, I offer you a different role model. This Hanna travels 'round the world unchaperoned and can kick bad guy ass!)
             Along with the brilliant acting job done by Saoirse Ronan (Hanna), the film is complimented by a fantastic score by the Chemical Brothers, oodles of delightful side characters, a badass Cate Blanchett (of course) and a convincingly German Eric Bana. If you like a good action movie with beautiful imagery, stunning costumes, and an excellent cast go see Hanna. You won't be disappointed!

Freeday Friday!

Today we stepped out of the office and took a trip down to Eugene to visit our friend Patrick, take advantage of the STUNNING weather, relax and socialize. We got to check out the campus down there, which is full of beautiful old trees, kicked around the college town for awhile, shared some drinks and a card game, and then headed back! We brought our pup Magnolia with us and I caught a sweet little glimpse of her nestling (here at Patrick's pad), as she is want to do.

Etsy Discovery

My favorite Etsy discovery of the day:
These charming circle photos from Marco Suarez. He's based out of Greenville, SC and the picture above is taken from the Blue Ridge Parkway, a piece of road that will forever have my heart. Love the effects he uses on the image; it makes me feel like I am in a dream!
△△△

Etsy Discovery

source: a world of beautiful things on etsy

Check out these INCREDIBLE shoes spotted on Etsy. A beautifully cosmic scene handpainted on black velvet platforms. WOW.

A BENEFIT FOR JAPAN

Wednesday night at the Mississippi Pizza Pub there's a fantastic benefit for Japan going on! We will be donating one of our 'every bit' pendants and hanging out for the fundraiser with other crafties; should be a good time! Come say hello!

Click for details...

SPRING 2011 COLLECTION COMING SOON

Inspired by geometry, bold colors, brass, and those cool people in Scandinavia. You're going to love it. STAY TUNED.