happy cinco de mayo!

hell hound vintage

sand fibers

u lucky girl

wink artisans

Wishing you a fun-filled cinco de mayo from zuzu girl... and sharing some of our favorite Mexican inspired Etsy finds!

Share

it's the little things...

 It took a year but I finally did it.  Two weeks ago I entered our garage on a mission.  I stood tall on a ladder and located the sewing machine that I purchased on sale at Target in April. Of 2009.  I removed it from its now dusty, and still unopened box on the top shelf.  

And I haven't slept since (slight exaggeration).  

Really I've just been playing around a bit, getting to know my new friend and her 100 or so stitches.  I've definitely got some grand ideas. But the hard reality is that I may never accomplish most of them due to lack of time, skill or a combination of both.  But for now I'm proud to share my first two simple projects.  

Meet the dainty bloom coffee cozy.  Go green. Stay cute.  

 And some lovely fabric bracelets for my most stylish & crafty friends.  

I do have to say, I think my glue gun is getting quite jealous.

Share

it's the little things...

Give me a pair of well worn jeans and a slinky black tank any day.
It's the little things that excite me. 
 1.via spiga clogs 2.cara accessories bangles 3.rainbow haze bag

Share

la native

I'm loving these handmade friendship charm bracelets from LA NATIVE.  First seen on the Cupcake Mag blog,  LA NATIVE is "a collaborative effort between two California girls. Inspired by the beaches, canyons, and city streets we grew up on...and the desire to make something old new again..."

They appeal to me because they are whimsical and young, yet sophisticated at the same time.  Plus, I'm really into statement bracelets these days... and the more of the wrist they cover the better!

LA NATIVE has a blog and a facebook fan page as well.

Share

les pompoms de violette

So pretty you can pack them in a paper bag and they still look cute.  We adore les pompoms de violette.  Available in both blue and pink online at Sweet William.

Share

for the girl who has {almost} everything...

Still shopping for the girl that has almost everything? And no, despite rumors amongst family members, I am not that girl. See, I do not have any of these lovely things so it just couldn't possibly be....
1.flower lidded vessel 2.vintage necklace 3.snuggle up top 4.stack of rings

shiny little things

Not mine. Fabulous, but not mine. Remember the talented Lori Marie from *pretty little things* that I talk about over and over again? Well, she's done it again. This time it's called *shiny little things* and it just opened today. I'm loving her new products as well as the beautiful way she photographs them. I mean really, is that an upside down cupcake wrapper? Told you. Fabulous. You can be sure you'll find a steady stream of these lovely little shiny things in my favorites on Etsy...

paper cakes & pretty things...

Have I really not blogged here in five days? Yikes! Apparently I've been far too busy with the darn parenting part of my life. Luckily, I've got a few things up my sleeve, so I'll do my best to make up for it tonight...

Have you met Paper*Cakes? I'm not sure where I first stumbled upon her. Whether it was on flickr, or twitter, or etsy, or blogger but she's everywhere and her style is super cute. Her assortment runs the gamut from cards, to stickers, to crafting kits & supplies. Take a peek. Here are some of my favorites...

polka dot vintage deer card...


beautiful spring deer sticker...


pretty paper posies...


and pretty ribbon & trims...


She's even started a new blog called Paper*Cakes Finds where she profiles other cute, kitchy shops, blogs, crafts and more.

One of the artists that Paper*Cakes featured on her new blog is Lori Marie and her shop is called Pretty Little Things. Lori's jewelry collection is called Happily Ever After and it is not only happy...it's pretty too. Please enjoy a few of my favorites...

I heart elephants bracelet...

lotus sparkler...

porcelain owl sparkler...

off to see the wizard...

All images are courtesy of a darling jewelry shop on Etsy called Mootsie's. From her bio, she is "a mixed media artist that loves to create with a variety of materials, including vintage and found objects." Her assortment is whimsical, unique and her prices are right. Zuzu would simply fall in love if I gave her access! I'm thinking I may have to grab a few while I can and store them for birthdays to come...

Support Mootsie's and the thousands of other artisans creating new handmade wonders every day on Etsy.

meet julia emily

Julia Emily is a lovely little Etsy shop with a small selection of handmade jewelry and accessories. In addition to her dainty charm necklaces like the one shown above, Julia Emily offers some incredibly unique crocheted copper jewels and accessories. You must see it for yourself. Visit her charming shop and her delightful blog to learn more.

i love you more!

"I love you more!" is a phrase you will hear my children and I chant quite frequently. That and, "I love you THIS much!" (You have to open your arms real wide to get the full effect.)

This image comes to you courtesy of Kristen's Custom Creations. Kristen is a fellow EtsyMom, MomDot(dot com) mom AND lucky enough to be featured on MomDot(dot com) right now! Check out MomDot(dot com) to learn more about Kristen's Custom Creations or to participate in the giveaway. If you are into free stuff, that is.

missing in action...

...but profiled none the less!

Apologies for my prolonged absence from blogging and crafting this week. We had a surprise blip in our lives that needed immediate and diligent attention but we seem to be finally moving forward. Hallelujah for that!

In the meantime, Brenda's Jewelry Box ran a lovely profile of zuzu girl handmade on her blog. Click on over and take a look at the article and while you're there check out her eclectic assortment of jewelry. Here's one of my favorites...

etsymom supergiveaway

Don't forget the etsymom supergiveaway is today! Checkout these darling necklaces from maybeads that are being given away today. (or on second thought, maybe you shouldn't...cause I really want one!)

sweet treat

Want to satisfy a sweet tooth without all the calories? Take a peek at these darling new bracelets from Butterfly Gem. She used up-cycled, re-purposed candy wrappers to make these darling bracelets.
Sweet indeed!




And while we're at it...
here are a few of my older favorites from her shop...

giggling goldfish

These are just a few of my favorites from a lovely little etsymom shop called giggling goldfish (how cute is that name?). I was so overwhelmed that I actually didn't buy anything because I couldn't make up my mind - yup, me, can you believe it? But you can bet I'll be visiting again soon...