life, love & percival road

Apologies for my brief absence but while not obsessively re-photographing the entire zuzu girl handmade etsy shop & making cute little things like this...


...I've been doing a lot of this...



But I promise to come back and visit you soon with more fabulous finds like this...

...adorable "little girl don't grow up" vintage gift tag by percival road. You can visit her etsy shop by clicking here...or her beautiful blog here.

play time

I've always adored the bedding assortment sold by local designers Serena & Lily so imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon this fabulous *play room*. Of course my kids complete most of their art projects on the cold, dirty garage floor rather than in the forest but that's the sheer beauty of this shot. Doesn't it make you want to find the most remote spot on your property, set up shop and let the kids go to town? Or is it just me?

The assortment comes complete with stylishly patterned & coordinating splash mats, square cubes, storage bins, aprons & the sweetest, simplest pencil wraps...

queen of torts

A lawyer with a soft side. Cool. Her shop is fittingly called Queen of Torts as she is a self professed attorney by trade and artist by inspiration. These winged fairies as she calls them, were given one of my latest Etsy hearts and may some day find a home on my wall. She's new to Etsy too so if you're inspired by the images above then click on over to her shop and let her know. And, as always, support handmade...

spring has sprung

The backyard is a bloom and the nose is itching. It must be Spring! I don't usually point and click and anything other than my kids or my product but today I just couldn't resist. Isn't it amazing how some wicked sunshine that hangs around just a little later in the day can just make everything brighter? It's especially welcome here in Northern California where we know we've got a good solid 7 months of sunny goodness coming. Bring it on. We're ready!!

let there be light!

I'm totally loving my new light tent for shooting zuzu girl product shots. NOT loving the fact that I'm so obsessive that I'll probably have to re-shoot all 55 items in the shop...at 5 shots and item that's...oh, no. Let's not do the math.

Take a look-see at the shop and let me know if you can identify before and after...
and happy Friday!

the twouble with twitter

Don't twitter? Anxious to see what all the commotion is about? Come tweet with me by clicking HERE. But I have to warn you...the video is pretty much dead on!

pipoca handmade

This is exactly the kind of shop that makes me wish my children had even the slightest interest in plush toys. It's also the kind of shop that makes me buy them anyway. Credit goes to Pipoca Handmade. She is a new and very welcome member of the Etsy community. Her dolls are constructed with intricate hand-embroidered detailing on wool felt over 100% cotton bodies and stuffed with Eco-friendly fiber fill. Oh, and there's a whole lotta cute in there too.

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...

canoe

Today I was reconnected with an old friend. Via a dog groomer. Isn't it lovely how those things work?

His name is Sean Igo and since we've last spoken he has become the proprietor of a lovely shop in Portland called Canoe. From their website "the CANOE concept is to offer simple, beautiful, and functional objects that can be used and enjoyed everyday. To us, modern is an approach, not a style. We seek out products with a lasting aesthetic that transcends short-lived trends." And if he is still the Sean I worked with in a past life, it's a well-oiled machine just oozing great taste.

If you're not in the Portland area then check out the website for yourself. Here are a few teasers...'cause I've been there already...


sphere vase, $10.00


plywood wall clock, $70.00


ciao pinocchio, $49.00


egg bird feeders, $135.00


teak trivet, $24.00

bumble belly

Wall Flower 2 - Berbie


Wall flower 1 - Joie

I first stumbled upon Bumble Belly Designs while spontaneously creating an EtsyMom Street Team treasury last week. I was immediately taken by the new series she has dedicated to, "mothers, grandmothers, and strong women everywhere". The series is called Wall Flower. The artist works with mixed media including vintage wall paper, encaustic wax, transfers and oil. The above works are each 8x10 and retail for $75.00 plus $13.00 shipping.

And because her work is so lovely, I couldn't limit this post to just two pieces. Here are a few of my other favorites from her shop...


Curious Duck, 12x12, $100.00


Fairy Wishes, 14x14, $125.00


Migration, 5x5x2, $50.00

This last image has particular sentimental value to the artist. Take a peek at her shop and see why...

heeellllloooo spring.

I love Anthropologie. Almost as much as I love Spring.
These things make me happy. Of course, they would make me happier in my closet. But I'll take what I can get.

zuzu says cheese. and then some...

So is it a good thing or a bad thing that our model is the cutest ever? I mean, do you actually notice the fabulous head pieces or are you just so captivated by her expressions that you overlook the incredibly well made and stunning product all together?

Yikes. Do I sound just a little too proud? Good. I am.