Gardenhouse Boutique


Gardenhouse Boutique is a great source for beautiful handbags & accessories. The blue & saffron wristlet is gorgeous! I also love the uptown handbag that has beautiful details including velvet ribbons & a vintage brooch. This shop also features creative accessories such as the fray bracelets. Have a look at all the stunning designs Gardenhouse Boutique has to offer.

Chara Michele


Chara Michele is as sweet & kind as she is talented. And that's saying a lot! I found Chara's blog through another blogger's post about the fall swap she recently hosted. I have been a loyal reader of her blog since (and I had a ball participating in her swap!). Chara's Etsy shop has a problem all designers dream of...she continually updates her stock, but her items sell quickly before anyone can report on them! Her beautiful scarves sell like hot cakes, and it's no wonder. She also creates fun tags that can be used in a variety of ways. Check back often for updates you surely do not want to miss!

Etsy For Animals


Etsy For Animals is a group of artists & crafters with Etsy shops who love & help animals. Many of them donate a portion of their sales to animal rescues & charities, something dear to my heart. EFA also sponsors a worthy Charity of the Month. I especially like that you can see how much money was raised & donated each month. There's lots of fabulous members of EFA who sell great products they have created. Check out their shop this holiday season & give something back.

annasuzanna


Melissa Newman & her mother Susan Christie are the emerging designers behind annasuzanna. Their line of sleek & sophisticated wine totes are perfect for the holidays. The totes are crafted using fine materials & select styles are adorned with Swarovski crystals. Showing up to a holiday party with a bottle of wine in one of these beautiful totes is a sure to make you a popular guest! Styles range from simple to elegant. And each bag has a convenient corkscrew pocket with an annasuzanna traveler’s corkscrew neatly tucked inside. Cheers!

Kate Black


Kate Black has a creative style that is unmatched. Her handmade journals are my favorite products, especially the domestic animals journal that incorporates a 1960's children's book as the cover. The faux alligator journals are also very cool. Kate has designed many other items, including bottle opener keychains & mirrors. The small magnets will make great stocking stuffers, too. Have a look at all the cool items Kate Black has created.

Holiday Goodies

In addition to all the fabulous cards & ornaments I've posted about, I have found lots of other wonderful items ranging from coasters to pillows. Here's some noteworthy creations.

Letteria, a small letterpress studio in Switzerland, has many beautiful coasters available. I am especially fond of the kissing reindeer & the party designs. These are perfect for any new years eve party!

The holidays aren't complete without stockings! The Moon is My Mother has a couple made using vintage materials. Adorable shop Olive also has some great stockings available. The trees & doves stocking has a great retro vibe. I also love Olive's vintage kitchen ornaments & winter pillows.

Rikrak is one of my favorite Etsy sellers found through Flickr. The felt stockings (pictured here), available in a wide array of festive colors, are fabulous. And the wrapping cloth is a wonderful environment-friendly alternative to wrapping paper, too.

AnthroPoMorphCo has great products perfect for stuffing your loved one's stockings. The holly jolly wine charms are fun & I love the hair pins. The phone charms are also cool.

I really love creating holiday items myself, but it can be hard to get projects done during the hectic season. Leah & Johanna have a great holiday paper wreath kit (pictured here) to make your holiday crafting a bit easier. Rebecca Sawyer of Scraps of Time has lots of paper kits available, as well. I love the vintage images she has compiled.

2hounds Productions


Janelle Welch is the creative spirit behind 2hounds Productions. Her whimsical portraits are nothing if not unique & entertaining. There's a wide array of styles to choose from that can be customized with a photo of your pet. I can totally picture my Abigail skiing! Customized holiday cards are available, too.

Blue Yonder


I initially got to know Stefani through the Freckled Nest design team. It has been thrilling to watch her develop her business, Blue Yonder, & take her artwork to new heights in the last couple of months. Stefani's dedication to her family & her love of nature shines through in her intricate paper cuttings & photography. I'm sure everyone's been able to relate to Homesick at one time or another. I also love the detailing in the wings in the Rocking Horsefly piece. Be sure to check out Stefani's blog, as well. Her daily adventures with her family are thoughtful, entertaining, and even educational.

TillyJane


TillyJane is a shop dedicated to supporting local women designers in Portland, OR. Their fabulous items range from handbags to children's clothing. I especially love the eco-friendly newsboy style caps made from recycled sweaters. The SnuggleBug Baby blankets made using unique designer prints & ultra-soft white fabric are also lovely. Have a look at all the wonderful handmade items TillyJane has to offer.

Need some guidance?

I don't know about you, but there's always a few people on my holiday shopping list that are just impossible to buy for (usually men). That's where gift guides come in handy. Here's a few that might help you out this season.


Low Impact Living has put together a fabulous guide of green gifts to purchase this season.

Vintage Indie is one of my favorite blogs. They have compiled a list showcasing vintage finds, handmade specialties & luxurious indie products.


The Succulent Wife is a giftware design & distribution company that promotes women artists who wish to convert their creative passions into income-producing enterprises. Their delightful gift guide is full of unique items that are sure to please.

Cool Mom Picks is a wonderful site that tracks down non-mainstream products & services, particularly those from indie designers and mom/women-run companies. Their gift guide is a great source for finding toys that are handmade & safe, amongst other terrific products.


It's no secret that I am a dog lover. Of course I was thrilled to see that Dogster had also compiled a guide featuring toys perfect for any canine. The Humunga Tongue provided me with lots of laughs! And for all the feline fans, check out Catster who also has a gift guide posted.

HGTV.com has a new take on gift guides this year. Their guide is categorized by various design styles ranging from Shabby Chic to whimsical children's style. Also, don't miss their great holiday craft ideas.

Thankful


Tomorrow marks America's Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year, not just because there's loads of delicious food - although that IS one reason! But also because people finally take a moment to reflect on all the blessings we have in our lives. I have so much to be thankful for. This year has truly been wonderful. I have met so many kind, talented & fabulous people through Funky Finds. That is a huge blessing! Wishing you all a wonderful day tomorrow, regardless of which country you live in.

Holiday Greetings & Salutations

I love sending cards out during the holidays. I may not correspond with a lot of people during the year, aside from the occasional email, but come Christmastime it's number one on my list of things to do. I have come across tons of fabulous handmade cards online. It would be impossible to feature all the wonderful designs that are available, but here are a few.


Erika Ebert has designed a beautiful letterpress set titled Peace on Earth (pictured).

Amy of Bee13 Paper Goods has several holiday designs available. I love the snowflake Happy Holidays card, as well as the red snowflakes printed on kraft card stock.

The warm wishes cards by Joie Studio are wonderful. The naughty & nice cards are great, too.

I discovered Stacey Winters's designs through an ornament swap I am participating in. The vintage images used on her cards & tags are delightful!

I love the Argyle Christmas tree cards (pictured) by Microwave Girl Handmade Goods. And the Happy No Particular Holiday greeting is perfect for anyone!

Juniper Berry Designs puts a modern twist on vintage imagery. The Baroque notecards will get you through the entire holiday season.

Swirlyarts
has a set of handmade envelopes made of wrapping paper complete with mailing labels. Don't miss the mini chicken ornaments either.

Redbean, a design firm based in San Francisco, has lots of fabulous designs to choose from. The modern graphics are very visually appealing & there's coordinating gift tags, as well.

Vanessa Cavaco's designs are lots of fun. Santa is my Homeboy is a definite winner! And the nastee notes are a riot.

Motormouthpress creates designs that are in line with what I would like my own stationery line to look similar to. If I had my own line of stationery, that is! Their holiday designs are especially wonderful, especially the vintage ornament inspired designs.

I have followed Lisa Solomon of Underdog Ink's work for some time now. I love the winter skater boy & girl designs, as well as the seasonally appropriate pine trees.

Happy Holidays!

Art Esprit


Fabulous artist Susan Schwake was one of my first blog friends made when I began Funky Finds. I love Susan's blog & her gallery's online shop, Artstream Studios. She recently opened a personal shop on Etsy which is currently holding a holiday sale with new items going in over the weekend. And her 2008 calendar will be unveiled then, too! You can see a sneak peek on her blog. Have a look at all of Susan's wonderful, unique artwork.

I Love Blocks


Irina Blok loves blocks & shrinky dinks. She decided to combine the two to create I Love Blocks, a unique line of jewelry. Irina's talents as a graphic designer shine through in her designs. I received several of her products & can assure you that they are of very high quality. The I Love pendants can be personalized to express what you truly love. I chose dogs, but I know there's lots of you who would choose the I Love Crafts pendant...or shoes! I also love the urban design of the power bracelet. Check out all the fabulous items Irina has to offer.

Trim the Tree

In addition to pledging to buy handmade gifts this holiday season, I am also incorporating more handmade decor. I especially love the idea of a tree entirely embellished with handmade ornaments. I have found tons of great creations on Etsy, Flickr & various blogs. Unfortunately, I would need at least ten large trees to hold all these fabulous finds. Until the day I have a home large enough for two trees, much less ten, I will share these with you in hopes of others enjoying them this holiday season & in years to come.

Petit Coeur has beautiful ornaments that are extravagantly embellished. The peace dove is gorgeous & I love the Scotty dog!

I would like to have one of each of the adorable ornaments by Paper Fish. The funky felt trees (pictured) & hearts are a few of my favorites.

Cookies Creations offers handmade ornaments created using polymer clay. The pink photo ornament is fun & retro and the red booty ornament is precious. Also, everything in this shop is 35% off until midnight, November 23.

I have mentioned The Small Object many times in the past. Sarah's creations are so fun & quirky; just my style! The magical elf ornaments (pictured) fit right into that delightful category. Please note that the last day to order gifts for guaranteed Christmas delivery is Friday, December 14th.

Trail Mix Designs is another Funky Finds favorite. Karyn has designed lots of fabulous cards, as well as ornaments. She recently purchased a Gocco machine, and boy has she put it to good use! She also has a great tutorial on her blog for making the stitched cards.

Tamar's Nest Pretty Things shop, another previous Funky Find, has fantastic fairytale ornaments.

The German shop Revoluzzza has adorable tree & star ornaments available.

I love vintage decor & The Hope Jar has lots of beautiful goods I want. The vintage sheet music ornaments are my favorite.

Angela of Norththreads has created lovely felt peppermint patties (pictured) & wool heart Bowlies. And I can't tell you how badly I want the vintage Rudolph!

Patchwork Pottery has lots of great ornaments that make me think of home & comfort. The pear ornament is so unique & I love the smiling gingerbread man.

I also love the bright, fun ornaments at Kaytea's Store. The felted ball ornies are just too cute!

The Cupcake Girls are some of my favorite crafters. The owls sporting Santa hats (pictured) are fabulous, as are the mushrooms!

Handmade by Lupin is another great source for felt loveliness. The polka dot bird is precious & the iced biscuits are so unique.

I know this is a long post, but honestly it only touches on all the fabulous handmade lovelies that are available online. If you'd like to make your own ornaments, check out this fantastic tutorial Elise Blaha posted. And you can see what funky handmade ornies I've been working on, if you'd like.

Stitch Swag Bag Giveaway WINNERS!


The two winners of the Stitch swag bags are:

Ricki who said...Sublime Stitching is definitely funky. They have embroidery patterns of things I never would have dreamed of.

Keely who said...I really enjoyed visiting all the sites you highlighted. I am a big fan of Dawn Houser! I have so many of her rubber stamp designs that I could open a store!!! [grin] And I lust over her urban aprons!!!

Congratulations! Please email me your mailing addresses. Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest. I truly appreciate each & every one of my Funky Finds readers!

Poppytalk Handmade


Jan from Poppytalk recently launched an online market, Poppytalk Handmade, that is full of wares from artists around the world. Many of my favorite artists are involved in this market, including Pink Bathtub, 3 P-3, Cupcake Girls, and recently featured Annie & Olive. This month's theme is a Holiday and Gift Event, just in time for all that holiday shopping you need to get done!

VLING


James DesRochers of VLING creates funky jewelry using old vinyl records. These awesome recycled accessories come in a variety of designs ranging from trees to brass knuckles. The horse & revolver are two of my favorites. And check out the fabulous earrings. The cassettes are just too much fun. Talk about channeling your inner 80s self! Have a look at all the cool designs VLING has to offer.

*Don't forget...you have until midnight tonight (Friday, November 16) to enter the Stitch Swag Bag giveaway!

Finger Magic


Cindy Ng of Finger Magic combined her passion for origami & her business background to design a line of whimsical origami kits. Her products have brought a novel twist of distinct life, character, & personality to the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. Her new line, ORIGAMI BIJOU, is a unique take on origami & jewelry making. Made from a sheet of fine silver, these beautiful pieces are folded into cranes, doodads, and other goodies that are stunning & beautiful. The origami windmill is a symbol thought to personify a wish for turning your luck around. It just might flip your luck towards good health, great wealth & a very romantic lover!

Saints and Sinners


Barbie Saint John is a San Francisco based mixed media artist. Her work consists primarily of hand-spun yarn & art jewelry with the occasional assemblage or shadowbox. She is also an animal lover, a fellow Chihuahua lover at that. Her Scrappy Cats yarn series is made from recycled yarn and wool from Rescue Sheep farms and 100% net profits are donated to Bernie Berlin's A Place to Bark (and Meow) Animal Rescue in Tennessee. Barbie's jewelry is also stunning. I especially love the Wanderlust collection. The Marie-Antoinette Petit Trianon necklace is another favorite. Have a look at all of Barbie's fabulous work. You will not be disappointed!

*Don't forget...you have until midnight CST Friday to enter the Stitch Swag Bag Giveaway!

Annie & Olive


Bethany Fields is a crafty Texan who has an adorable Etsy shop, Annie & Olive. I love her shop name & graphic! Bethany creates fun goodies for girls of all ages. The felt & fabric floral hair clips are too cute. And of course I want a field of little red mushrooms for myself! The minute I saw these goods I thought they would make perfect stocking stuffers this holiday season. Then I saw that you can actually purchase a fabulous stocking with your choice of a heart pendant! Such a great idea. Bethany is also a very talented artist with a playful style that I love. Have a look at all the darling items Annie & Olive has to offer.

Boxed Thoughts


I first discovered the work of Marissa Bowers through Journal Revolution. Talented sisters Linda Woods & Karen Dinino posted about Marissa's shadow box collage, Valor, created to raise money for The Leary Firefighters Foundation. Marissa has launched a fabulous Etsy shop called Boxed Thoughts. The cheerful Joy (of elephants) piece is so happy & fun. And the pumpkin shadow box would be lovely displayed during the fall months. Learn more about this talented & kind artist on her blog.

*Don't forget...You have until midnight Friday, November 16, to post a comment here for a chance to win one of two Stitch swag bags!

Stitch Austin - Recap


Saturday my business partner, Joe, and I traveled to Austin, Texas, to attend the fifth annual Stitch Fashion Show & Guerrilla Craft Bazaar. This yearly event showcases & celebrates the work of independent designers, artists & crafters around the country. Four Austin-based designers (Jesse Kelly-Landes, Tina Sparkles, Karly Hand & Jennifer Perkins) joined forces to create this forum as a way to share their unique designs, as well as others'. Another objective of Stitch is to provide the opportunity for participants to connect & build relationships with other members of the creative community. As an extension of the Stitch philosophy, the producers have added a new element. The Stitch Craft & Art Indie Upstart Grant is a program designed to help an independent, creative business get started or continue to grow.



I really enjoyed attending Stitch. It was a treat to meet so many Funky Finds & see everyone’s wares in person. Shopping & visiting with people face-to-face is such a different experience versus communicating online. I was thrilled to meet organizers Jennifer Perkins (pictured here with me), her sister Hope Perkins, and Tina Sparkles. Here’s a run down of many of the vendor highlights I experienced at Stitch.



*Giveaway: Leave a comment on this post noting which shop listed below you think is super funky. Two lucky winners will win Stitch swag bags full of cool items such as Plain & Thimble lip balm, a Gelly Roll Stardust pen, promotional postcards & stickers, copies of Adorn & Make It Mine magazines, and much more.

ETA: Post a comment by midnight CST Friday, November 16 to be entered.

31 Corn Lane We met one of the three creative sisters behind this lovely company. The horse designs are precious! I treated myself to a set of heart & pony earrings.

Ballistic Sweater Girl These unique handbags are created using vintage automobile textiles. I especially love the bowling bag style.

Bob & Truffle This booth was absolutely adorable! The seating area & silver Christmas trees made me want to move in. The designer was very friendly and creates the coolest crochet items, including Christmas ornaments. I had to buy one!

Bolsa Bonita Liz Potter designs handbags that are so fun & funky! This friendly designer’s sense of humor really shines through in her work. The Tom Selleck bag definitely grabbed mine & Joe’s attention.

Cahoots Handbags These gorgeous handbags are made of vintage upholstery fabrics & alternative vintage textiles. You really have to feel them in person to appreciate the quality & design. I enjoyed chatting with these vendors who are from Dallas. If you are in the area & would like to visit their studio, drop them an email and let them know when you’d like to set up an appointment. According to their website, they also have regular open houses.

Coco Couture We did not meet the owner of this lovely shop, but we did meet her adorable mother who, turns out, lives right down the road from me. According to their online bio, this husband & wife team attended the same university I did. If you are looking for unique children’s wear & accessories, this is a great resource.

Dawn Houser was another personable vendor who creates many lovely items. Some of my favorite things were her rubber stamps & beautiful craft aprons.


Felt Good Fibers Breanna Rockstad-Kincaid is a bundle of energy. She actually approached me initially because I was wearing my Gnomes Make Me Happy & So Do You tee designed by Shona Cowart of Lala Dex Press. Turns out they are very good friends & Breanna recognized the tshirt design. Felt Good Fibers is a unique shop full of wonderful one-of-a-kind works.

Fort Cloudy This creative brother & sister duo have cooked up lots of fun products. You’ve got to love anyone who names one of their characters “Sal Monella the Fried Egg.”

Harrilu is a shop that was featured on Funky Finds this time last year. I love the silk screened designs that appear on children’s, women’s & men’s clothing. There’s also very cool maternity-wear available.

Lollibomb Beauty creates vegan bath & body treats in fragrances that range from mild to wild. The products have cool packaging, are affordable, & are created by the very friendly Luca. She traveled all the way from Florida to promote her awesome products. I really believe in her products because she has beautiful skin!

Loyale Clothing was founded by Jenny when she noticed there was an inadequate supply of stylish clothing made with regard for the environment. Her beautiful, wearable clothing line is created using bamboo fiber, a sustainable & biodegradable material.


Lucky Kitty We did not meet the designer, Noelle; however, we did meet her charismatic husband who was delightful to talk to. This was another vendor with a nicely designed booth that really showcased all the cool products.

Model Citizen is a hip line of clothing run by two creative Austinites, Bonnie Rue & Maggie Allen. Their screen printed apparel is fun & edgy.

My Imaginary Boyfriend I did not get a chance to talk to this vendor because her booth was so busy (a good thing!), but I did enjoy looking at her products. The Christmas ornaments & brooches were my favorite items.

My Olivette Angela Montgomery’s designs are even more beautiful in person. The filigree earrings look delicate, but feel sturdy enough to stand the test of time.

Queen Puff Puff I enjoyed meeting Nicole & her husband, Vince. They were very outgoing & enjoyable to talk to. And she mentioned hearing about Funky Finds on The Switchboards which thrilled me! All of Nicole’s products are created using the coolest fabrics.

Round Robin Press Shannon Lowry was the first vendor we met that I have previously blogged about. Her plant-able letterpress cards are stunning. And it was fun chatting with her about her letterpress machine.

Sublime Stitching I was so disappointed that I did not have the opportunity to meet the famous Jenny Hart! She was modeling the Sock Monkey bikini in the fashion show, so she was unable to man her booth. But I was able to stock up on more cool patterns & see all her products in person. The newly released embroidered yoga journal is beautiful.

Super Maggie Maggie & Michael were another fun couple that we got to chat with. They traveled to Austin all the way from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This friendly duo works together to provide the world with wonderful apparel, accessories & more.

Tasty Jewelry Diane Petkoff had to be the most enthusiastic vendor that we had the opportunity to visit with. I featured Diane’s hip jewelry in April. I loved seeing all her designs up close & personal. The acrylic pieces are especially cool.

Victrola Studio I mentioned Austin-based Victoria Corbett in my Stitch preview post. It was a delight to meet her, but I picked on her for not having a sign indicating her business name. However, she did have a cute booth, her designs are fabulous, and she has a lovely English accent!

A few suggestions I’d make to vendors planning to attend expos in the future:
- Wear a name tag indicating that you are the designer. If you have people helping out in your booth, they should wear name tags as well.
- Be visible in your booth. No hiding! Of course your products are what you’re pushing, but customers also want to see the designer & be able to talk to you if they wish.
- Display visible signage with your business name.
- Have business cards, stickers or another form of promotional advertising that includes all your information (name, web address, store location if you have one, and what products you specialize in). Including photos of your work ensures that people will easily remember what you create once they leave the expo.

IndieSave.com


Danielle Green, who owns & operates Collective Elements, recently started a new site called IndieSave.com. This site offers coupons, deals, sales & more promotional offers from your favorite independent designers, brands & boutiques. It is similar to other coupon code sites, but specializes in indie sites only. I like that you can browse by discount amount or search by shop. The option to signing up for the newsletter, which delivers a daily email if any new promos have been added, is available. These discounts will come in extra handy this holiday season!

Old But New


Samantha is a local jewelry designer who creates fabulous jewelry using vintage & found pieces. Her Etsy shop, Old But New, showcases her terrific work. Pretty as a Present is a nice, feminine piece. And I love the Snow Angel necklace which incorporates a gorgeous vintage brass wing with a vintage aluminum rose & white enamel flower. Samantha also designs stunning earrings, such as the On Glittering Wings pair. Have a look at all the wonderful pieces Old But New has to offer.

MAUstudio


Recently I received the thrilling news that I won a prize pack from MAUstudio. The package was filled to the brim with tons of exciting goods from various indie artists & designers.

MAUstudio: Founded in 2005 by graphic/web designer Manyi Au, MAUstudio started out as a shop showcasing her products. After two years, she decided to begin showcasing other talented indie artists & designers who share the same passion as she does. I love the earrings Manyi designs, as well as her illustations. Check out her Etsy shop, too.

Chickengirl Designs: Jannie Ho's illustrations are so fun & whimsical. I love this fun notepad!

Fubabee: Lisa designs beautiful stationery, including holiday cards.

Spadazzle: Lovely hand-painted acrylic collages in bright and fun colors. Prints available in the form of notecards.

Family Rocks: Superb handmade jewelry & accessories.

Isabella Smiles: I received a beautiful pair of earrings made of sterling silver & vintage glass beads. I love the cherry blossom earrings listed on Etsy, too. Don't miss the 2 for $25 section.

GinPins: This Etsy shop features awesome ceramics, pincushions & more! The Knitty Love pin is adorable.

Ursula and Olive: This unique shop sells fun bookmarks & pins created using vintage children's books.

The Donut Lounge: A fun shop dedicated to food; however, none of the goodies are edible! I love the humorous illustrations.

Viridian: I absolutely love the tweed checkbook cover & leather flower pins by Viridian.

Paint Floats: This small workshop fashions hand-marbled papers into greeting cards, tags, book covers & other useful little things. I received an adorable little hand-bound address book.

Hamptons Photo Gallery: Husband & wife team Mark & Leslie have made their wonderful photographs available in the form of notecards. You can also purchase individual photos in various sizes.

Thank you to all the wonderful artists who contributed to MAUstudio's fourth prize package!

Renelde Napoli


Jewelry designer Renelde Napoli uses a “bead-weaving” style incorporating hundreds, sometimes thousands, of beads woven together creating intricate, beautiful designs. A self-taught artist, Renelde was recently accepted to appear at the prestigious art fair, Salon des Metiers d’art, in Montreal next month.
This intricate form of art is derived from Native American and African traditions. Working with freshwater pearls, Venetian glass, Swarovski crystal and lampwork beads, Renelde gives each piece its own unique flavor & name. I am really drawn to Renelde's combination of unique designs, vibrant colors & funky materials. Have a look at all the beautiful necklaces, bracelets, and rings Renelde has created.

Futuregirl


This year I plan to adorn my Christmas tree with as many handmade ornaments as possible. Seeing Alice's latest design makes me jump for joy! The seahorse family stuffie patterns are fabulous & will make wonderful ornies. Of course, you don't have to make Christmas ornaments out of them. They will be adorable any time of year!

1st Annual Softie Thanksgiving Day Parade


Want to participate in the 1st Annual Softie Thanksgiving Day Parade? Find out how on Q.D. Patooties' blog! All entries need to be photographed & submitted by Friday, November 16th.

Paperplanet


Paperplanet is a fabulous Etsy shop featuring many beautiful items perfect for autumn. The falling leaves earth light candle holder is designed with carefully mounted pressed oak & maple leaves on a semi transparent spun silk handmade paper in the center. The autumn maple leaf luminary & evergreen tree earth light are also alluring pieces. Paperplanet offers many other items including notecards, bookmarks, and jewelry. I love the maple leaf pendant!

Joli Paquet


Silver Bella is a big craft event happening this weekend that has been getting lots of buzz in blogland. For those of us crafty chicks unable to attend, several women have put together Joli Paquet. These exciting kits will be available starting Friday, November 9th. Thanks to Jeanne for the heads up!

Little Paper Planes


Little Paper Planes has the best 2008 calendar I've seen! The Hidden Habitats calendar, designed by Saelee Oh and Jill Bliss, is printed on recycled paper with vegetable based inks. I just adore the whimsical illustrations. Adding this to my Christmas wish list right now!

CleverGirl Industries


CleverGirl Industries is a great source for unique, affordable jewelry. I love acorn designs & would love to have the autumn earrings. The honey necklace, made using vintage lucite, is another beautiful piece. And how adorable are the peep earrings & tweet necklace? Have a look at all the fabulous items CleverGirl offers.

Arem Design


Debby Arem has been designing jewelry for over 25 years. She currently has two very distinct lines of jewelry. The first, Beadles, consists of hand-knotted and hand-crafted beaded necklaces that have been sold in the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History gift shop & museum mail order catalogs and numerous upscale department stores, such as Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. I love the beautiful Amethyst necklace.
The second line, Three Ring Circuits (3RC), is jewelry made out of recycled circuit boards. Debby layers found objects on the boards to create mini collages. This line has been sold in the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum shop, Boston computer museum shop and many galleries & boutiques. Who knew circuit boards could be so stylish!? Debby's creations are definitely a funky find & would make wonderful gifts for those who have just about everything.

Lemoncholy's


One of my favorite Funky Finds commenters, Kecia, has a wonderful Etsy shop called Lemoncholy's. She describes her creative re-use & recycling of discarded materials as "Junkology." This assemblage Frame is an interesting piece that incorporates flea market finds, including a letter written during the Vietnam War. One of my favorite items is the unique vintage collaged handbag. Other great pieces Kecia has created include the patchwork quilt frames & the game piece charms. Have a look at all the terrific creations Lemoncholy's has to offer!

ROXY Parfums


I'm typically not too fond of perfumes, as I have a very strong sense of smell. But I recently received samples of the new fragrance created by ROXY. This California-based brand launched in 1990. Commonly known for providing sporty women with fresh & inspired clothing, ROXY organizes sporting events world-wide & has largely contributed to the success of women's board sports (surfing, windsurfing, snowboarding). Their new scent is a light, floral fragrance that is beautifully packaged. ROXY is available in perfume form, as well as body lotion & shower gel. Learn more about this exciting new product on the ROXY Parfums blog.

Winemaker's Sister


I recently featured Winemaker's Sister, a fabulous new Etsy shop. Heather & I have done a private swap in the past & let me tell you - she is SO talented & crafty! Last week I spoke to her about having a hand-carved rubber stamp made for Funky Finds. She quickly got to work & whipped up the fabulous stamp pictured here. I am eager to start making Funky Finds notecards! If you would like to have your own custom stamp made, contact Heather through her Etsy shop. This would also make a great gift this holiday season.