Handmade Wooden Watch, $75

I love the growing trend of using wood in unexpected ways. It’s so earthy and manly.

from UnCommonGoods.com

New wonderful fingerless gloves from Nancy of SecondSeed. Get them now, before it’s super cold. They’re nice in the fall walking around outdoors.

$38 each

This is what I bought from the Renegade Craft Fair:

A small bundle of soap odd ends from Biggs & Featherbelle. They create huge rectangle logs of soap and then cut them into individual bars to sell. There is always an odd end left which they cut in half, bundle with other odd half ends, and sell for $1. Much better than going to waste. Brilliant! (first photo from their website, second photo by me)

A blondie from the Treats Truck. (I nomed it before I got a photo)  They’ve named their truck Sugar.  (photo from their website)

Some much-needed body lotion from Bunny Butt Apothecary. (photo from their website)

A mish-mash of “seconds” coasters from Sesame Letterpress that I might not let you use if you come over; they’re really pretty. (Listen to me and Breck from Sesame Letterpress having a great interview here).
(photo by me)

One pin for my purse from Miniature Rhino. It took mere hours of wearing it for someone to ask me if I gave blood. I’m going to have to make up a meaning for it so I don’t have to explain it doesn’t “symbolize anything, I just thought it… looked… cool” which makes me sound like a total poseur (sidenote: do people say “poseur” anymore?) Any suggestions?
(photo by me)

A stone magnet from by Cary. I saw it and liked it, but wasn’t going to spring for it (it was only $5, but still). Rob, in a fit of brilliance, sneaky-bought it by sending me to “check out that stuff over there” while he slid Cary his money. He gave it to me later at lunch, which was so sweet. When we went back on Sunday she beamed at us both and asked if I was surprised and happy (and did Rob have a brother?) Her website is coming soon, and I suggest you keep checking back. I really liked her coasters, too, which are slightly bigger versions of the magnet.  (photo by me)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dog Hats from Bean Town Handmade, $15 – $25

*update* – my custom shoulder bag is being made! woo!

“Hello, lover.”

From Etsy user and mom of twin girls Bayan Hippo. She designs and hand-makes all her bags and sells them at fantastic, recession-friendly prices. ($27 – $35)

I actually could really use a shoulder bag, like the one below, more than a double strap bag that you carry on your arm like the one above. I have a double-strap one already (from the Gap) that’s nice for shopping, but I’m forever trying to hoist it onto my shoulder when I’m running around the city, and it’s annoying because it just. Doesn’t. Work. Stubbornly, I don’t want to let go of the possibility of it suddenly, magically staying put, so I keep hoisting, it keeps falling, and I wind up grumpy.

I don’t see this style in yellow, but she welcomes custom orders. She also offers purses in velvet, and has a huge variety of different fabrics and patterns.

Mom-run business FTW!

Kimberly Pye, who is super awesome, sent me some homemade dishtowels that arrived today, and I’m jealous of her “mad skillz”. I’m tempted to let Rob’s mom teach me, but “learning how to knit in the Blatt family” comes with lots of scary yelling. Rob’s mom, her sister-in-law and Rob’s grandma all sit together at family gatherings with their different projects so they can “help” each other, but in the end, it winds up with a bunch of “What the heck are you doing?!” and “Give me that! You’re ruining it!” and “Oy! You’re making me meshuggah!”

I don’t think I’m ready for all that.

Thank God for friends that knit. I like using dishcloths instead of sponges because they hold soap better, last longer, and I don’t have to throw them away after a month or so like I would with a sponge. They’re cute AND eco-friendly! Plus I love the cheerful colors.

According to the note she included with them, the red one is crocheted and the rest are knitted. Buy yours here, in her Etsy shop: Nifty Homemade Thingies.

Last year I wanted to buy one of these for Jen, but they kept selling out.  They would add more to their Etsy shop and they would instantly get all sold out again.  I finally got my hands on one after four rounds of trying.  They are THAT beautiful, and every year the demand for these things keeps growing.

No wonder.

They are printed using a combination of silkscreening and letterpress, and the results are so, so beautiful.

They are also donating part of the sale to SODAmoon, an organization that enhances the lives of disabled adults.  There is also mention on the website of donating some of the profits to orphans in Thailand.

Click here to buy them, if and when more become available.