Snarky Card

You know I'm lovin' my sweet but snarky cards lately and this one is awesome.  

Mason Jar Love

Etsy Find.

You all know that Hip Hostess loves a mason jar. They are for so much more than making jam. I've often used them for vases in a casual setting, but I am absolutely loving this take on a vase from Old New Again on Etsy. I can definitely imagine an arrangement of several of these sconces in a an entry way...what a lovely way to be greeted when you enter your home!

Etsy Find-Chore Board

Want to motivate your kids while teaching them responsibility plus get your chores done? If you answered yes to any of the above then check out this totally cute chore board from Etsy. Wonder if it will work on my husband?

Charming Cheese Markers

Etsy.

I love all cheese. Stinky. Sharp. Soft. Hard. Blue. Goat. They are all more than alright with me.

However, my husband has a very distinct set of criteria of cheese that he will eat. So he needs fair warning when we have a large cheese display. Which is why these charming cheese markers from Beach House Living are perfect for us.



Wouldn't you like some too?

Painted Berry Baskets

Aren’t these adorable? Check out the Olive Someday Etsy Shop for more details.

Handy Little Box

I saw this box on Etsy and thought I would share. I love the fact that it is simple yet still stylish. It’s $10.00 for the set of 12 which includes the box, parchment and baker’s twine. If you are responsible for bringing a dessert to any type of outdoor fun, this would be the perfect packaging.

You could use a slice of pie, cake or strudel. The best part is that once you set down your dessert you never have to worry about it again. You don’t have to track down your plate or cake knife (which always disappear) or worry about being available to slice. Best of all it is covered so you don’t have to worry about flies in your frosting. Everyone can easily help themselves and then everything is recyclable when finished.

My suggestion is to put an order in now so you’ll have them on hand to grab and go for your next outdoor event.

Etsy: Green Zebre Home

Etsy Home Decor.

One of my favorite things to do is search Etsy for cool vintage furniture. I stumbled upon Green Zebre Home this week and found many, many drool-worthy items to covet. Here are some of my favorite vignettes of vintage fabulousness...

Teak and golds...



Ebony and mirror...



More ebony with cream & orange...

She's So Creative

Etsy Find.

Have you ever been invited to a party and wanted to bring something a little more special than a bottle of wine or flowers. Well I have the answer for you. She’s So Creative makes clever aprons that are packaged in cute containers. A couple of my favorites are the “Salad Dressing” apron that literally sports a carrot, tomato and lettuce putting on their lingerie, pantyhose and evening wear. I also love the “Pasta Bowl” which shows Farfalle, Rigatoni and Rotini bowling. These clever aprons are sure to get a laugh from your hostess and they have matching notepads to boot.

You can check them out on etsy.

Etsy Crush

Etsy.

I believe that I've mentioned on a number of occasions my odd love of cakestands. When I had a studio apartment, I only allowed myself to indulge in 2 cakestands. Now that my square footage has increased, I've decided to collect them and keep them on display in my kitchen. And they are useful, so I don't feel like I'm being silly by taking up space for something frivolous.

So...I often find myself doing random searches to find interesting designs, and I happened to run across Whitney Smith's etsy page. Amazing!


Beyond cake and cupcake stands (how cute is that?), she also has a very cool selection of bowls, vases, cream & sugar sets, and much more. I can tell that I'll be stalking her work for awhile until I decide which of her pieces will find themselves on display with my new collection...

Hapitat

Etsy Find.

Oh how I love a fabric flower. Fabric flowers hit the wedding scene hard a few years ago and have held on strong. Whether you pinned one on your dress, put one in your hair, or carried a bundle as your bouquet...you were the height of cool for using a fabric flower.

And I think this all still applies! Which is why I was so excited when Emma of Hapitat on Etsy reached out to us to show us her work. It's a fantastic blend of vintage fabrics, seared edges, feathers, anything else unexpected. And I'm absolutely gaga for the over sized flower hair pieces...they are just so chic.

Plethora of Pretty Pillows

Etsy Find.

When I'm having a humdrum day, I often find myself wandering to Etsy to see what items are on their "Hand Picked" list. This week I was drawn to the work of Pillow Happy. I clicked on the one Hand Picked item and quickly found myself in an etsy shop filled with so many original deocorative pillow designs that I could hardly contain myself.

Every single item in this etsy shop is just so cool. I especially love the modern interpretations of natural objects - like the modern fern and willow or even the clusters of green pebbles. Amazing! Make sure to check their work out. I think you'll find it refreshing.

Wedding Cake Toppers

Etsy Find.

To be honest with you I am not really a wedding topper kinda gal. My taste usually falls towards simple and elegant. I generally prefer a wedding cake that has subtle detail which ties into the wedding.

However, I recently saw something that swayed my opinion…the fantastic, detailed work of Jenny at Lollipop workshop. Jenny customizes the bride and groom to capture every aspect of what makes the couple unique. I love the quirky little details. Visit her etsy shop to see all the amazing options.

Etsy Shopping

Gift Idea.

It's hard to believe that it's already October...but it is. And if you blink too long it will be the holidays before you know it. So this time of the year (when I have a little more time), I like to start scouting out ideas for holiday gifts. One of my favorite places to find unique and affordable ideas is of course Etsy. And I was so happy to stumble upon Prince Design UK.

The pottery by this shop is delightfully different. I can't decide what I like best. The bright poppies with glazed insides and rough natural exterior? Or the adorable bird bowls with a lacy teal pattern?

How will I ever decide? Good thing I've given myself some time to think about this...

Rubber Stamp Labels.

Etsy Find.

I am probably not alone in the fact that I find paying bills irksome. There are certain bills like cable (what is with all those taxes) that actually make me cranky for a few seconds after I hit the send key. Then there are those bills that don’t give you the option of paying online, don’t get me started.

I ran across Sweet Paperie’s Etsy shop and started perusing the address label stamps. I actually thought this could lessen the bill paying pain. Not only do the stamps offer a modern aesthetic, which is almost non-existent in the address label world, but the extensive collection makes it hard to choose from all the fun offerings. If you find yourself not being able to pick only one, the great prices allow you to buy more.

Also, personalized address labels would add a special touch to a gift for a bride and groom or to welcome someone to the neighborhood. They are good for the environment as there is no waste. Best of all, as I slam down my Sweet Paperie rubber stamp on the corner of my payment envelopes, the bill paying tension begins to disappear.

Savvy Splurge

Etsy Find.

There are few things that I love more than a spa day. I have my favorite spots in Manhattan that take me away from the rat race and allow me to escape to a soothing, lovely-scented, relaxing paradise. But because I have yet to pick those elusive Mega Millions numbers, I cannot indulge in the spa as often as I would like. So instead, I'm seeking out products that will transform my teensie bathroom into my own little getaway.

As you have probably gathered, the Hip Hostess ladies are big on packaging. I like my products to smell good, work well, and look gorgeous. Normally that comes with a hefty pricetag...but we found another Etsy gem. Sweet Petula has a wonderful assortment of bath products from soaps, to salts, to lotions...and everything is packaged just beautifully. I think they would make a lovely addition to any home spa - aka bathroom. And at very affordable prices, I won't feel the least bit guilty about my indulgence.

Top Hat.

Etsy Accessories.

Don't you just love hats? I love them all - sunhats, baseball caps, fedoras, berets and everything in between. Now that it is getting colder and colder outside and I am retreating to my custom coffee everyday, I am reminded that one of the bright sides of winter is that you can sport a cute hat everyday without anyone looking at you like you're trying too hard. (Try wearing a sunhat in the city during the summer and watch the crazy looks that everyone gives you).

So I've been in search of fun & unique winter hats and Etsy has once again solved my quandry. Tomoko Tahara has the best selection of winter hats at fantastic prices. Now my only problem is that she has so many great options that I'll never decide which one to get. --a