may giveaway day :: denim lace tote

well, i was going to wait till i reached my 100th post to have my first giveaway, but sew, mama, sew organized the 'may giveaway day' [may 27], so i decided this was the perfect opportunity to jump in! welcome to everyone visiting my blog for the first time [and to you return visitors too!]. i hope you'll have a look around, and come back again some time. and so, without any further ado, i give you the first smidgebox designs giveaway.

this little tote is functional and stylish, small enough not to weigh you down with stuff, but big enough for your necessities. perfect for quick trips + lunch dates + coffee on the seawall. denim exterior with the smidgebox signature peek-a-boo applique. two sweet cotton prints. divided interior pockets and a key clip to keep you organized.

details :: if you'd like to enter, there's just one thing i ask. please visit my shop, and tell me your favourite item. easy peasy. i love getting feedback from this awesome community, and can't wait to hear from you!! make sure you leave me some way of contacting you, whether your name is linked to your shop/blog id, or if not, kindly put your email in the comment. *some of the blogger profiles i see are blocked or have no email info! don't forget i need to get in touch with you if you win!*

i will keep the comments open until sunday may 31, 5pm pacific time. this gives you a whopping five days to enter. only one entry per person, please.

i will be announcing a random winner on june 1st. stay tuned + good luck!!

local focus :: cabin + cub

this week's local focus is of an awesome vancouver company, cabin + cub. if you're looking for original, adorable, affordable works of art, look no further. i love the wood veneer collages, using vintage children's book art along with ink illustrations. these unique whimsical pieces would be perfect in a child's room, or right at home in your living space. also check out the personalized woodburnings for a special gift, so sweet! 

images via cabin + cub

cabin + cub also makes lovely greeting cards, notebooks and bookplates, all of which carry on with the jaunty nature theme. and bonus for me, i can always see cabin + cub's goodies when i visit two of my all-time fave vancouver shops, room6 and paper-ya!

you can find cabin + cub on their etsy shop and on designer/owner valerie's blog!

etsy imagery :: my weekend

today i'm starting a new monday posting series, etsy imagery. i'll post about things that inspire me, make me happy, and feed my creativity. this week's etsy imagery is filled with items that remind me of the weekend, which was chock-full of beautiful spring weather + outdoor family fun.

images by shops as listed below, top to bottom

drawstring bag, teal sand dollar :: three by sea

tall grass square pillow :: pillowhappy

printemps pendant necklace :: frost collections

micro urchin, ice blue :: element clay studio

grassy green earrings :: the intuitive garden

etsy imagery :: marigolds

i made a quick trip to the garden centre yesterday evening, and the marigolds caught my eye. they are so bright + happy, and they always remind me of my nana. i thought i'd bring that feeling over here with some marigold goodies from etsy.

images from shops as listed below, top to bottom

marigold blossom cosmetics case :: shiba ng designs

marigold feather fascinator :: kristin fountain davis

i've got sunshine, hand painted sock yarn :: see jayne knit yarns

marigold, chalcedony briolette necklace :: shiny adornments

paper pops :: some of my old faves

apologies, i'm a little slow getting started this week. i think that one holiday monday + two sick kids + a couple happy surprises threw me for a loop! back to my regular bloggy programming...

last week, i featured five new-to-me vendors from poppytalk handmade's 'paper pops' market. how it is that i managed to remain unaware of them until now, i don't know, but i'm sure glad to have added a few new paper people to my favourites! for today, i'd like to touch upon a few vendors whom i've known of + loved for a long time...

herewith, three of my very own poppytalk paper pops oldies but goodies!

:: sweetbeets ::

baby girl ballerina, image via sweetbeets

i have loved the designs coming out of sweetbeets' press for some time. i first saw them at one of my favourite local haunts, room6, and it seems that these lovely whimsical designs have been jumping out at me ever since. sweetbeets uses all eco-friendly paper goods, which i love, and is a fellow canadian to boot! keep an eye out for sweetbeets' new line of printable pdf invitations. beautiful designs with a built-in party theme, how great is that? i am happy to say that i have recently 'met' owner/designer lisa online, and she is just as sweet as the name sweetbeets implies.

find sweetbeets'  website, etsy shop, and virtual table at poppytalk handmade.

:: night owl paper goods ::

owl pitcher plant, image via night owl paper goods

unique + adorable, night owl paper goods is a fantastic stop for all your stationery needs. using sustainably harvested wood, 100% recycled paper + cotton cardstock, you can feel good about the earth while still getting gorgeous paper goods! i love the warm vintage feel of the illustrations + text. from postcards to greetings, journals + notes, you'll find nothing but lovelies over at night owl paper goods.

find night owl paper goods on their website, and their virtual table at poppytalk handmade.

:: sycamore street press ::

great job on that thing you did, image via sycamore street press

another in my long list of letterpress faves, sycamore street press [another green company!] is a collaboration of artists working together with founder eva jorgensen, creating striking + beautiful letterpressed goods. their modern number and alphabet posters have been noticed all over the web, but they're too gorgeous not to mention again. just look at those fresh colour combinations + simple eye-catching illustrations. love.

find sycamore street press on their website, and their virtual table at poppytalk handmade.

sunshine daisies tote in etsy poll!

i'm figuratively jumping for joy this morning. it's another happy day for smidgebox designs! [read about my happy sunday here!]

my sunshine daisies tote bag has been chosen for the Etsy Flowers and Gardening item poll on the Storque [etsy's blog] today!! The item that gets the most votes will be featured on the Storque very soon! the storque gets loads and loads of readers, so this could be pretty cool...

SO, if you're so inclined, head on over and cast your vote!!! 

wee chef sets

smidgebox wee chef sets are the perfect accessory for your little helper. great for cooking + baking in their own little kitchen, or for helping mom and dad with dinner! these sets come in three sizes, and are comprised of a reversible apron + potholder. [pretend of course, not for use with heat!] 

wee oven mitts are available on their own, or added onto any set. the aprons can double as cute art smocks, with bright colours to inspire any budding van gogh.

these wee chef sets can be personalized with a child's initial, or can be customized to suit your child's favourite colours. i'm happy to work with you to create a special set if you'd like! wee chef sets will be available in the shop starting today, with more new fabric combos to come in the next few weeks.

cloth blocks in etsy baby gift guide!

i had such a lovely surprise waiting for me when i woke up yesterday, it even made up for the fact that my baby woke me at 6:10 on a sunday morning...smidgebox 'choose your own' cloth blocks were chosen for the etsy baby gift guide! i'm so honoured to have my blocks included with the fantastic items in the guide. there's some pretty sweet stuff there. i have often browsed the gift guides looking for something fabulous, so i look forward to seeing how the added exposure can work for my shop!

i have to say, i'm very pleased with the way these first two-and-a-half weeks have worked out for me since i opened my etsy shop. i really want this business to blossom + thrive, and hope that this is a sign of more to come. i am working on a little shop update as we speak. cuddle blankets + another personalized tote, ripe for the picking.

a couple of commissions

i finished up these two commissions over a week ago, but life has been a little crazy around here so i haven't had the chance to post them until now. i really love making custom cloth blocks. i like the process of working with someone, offering them a couple fabric groupings to choose from, and bringing that to life. applique a baby's name or initials to top it off, and they make for a pretty sweet little gift.

lucy's blocks were commissioned by a friend for her sister, who had her third baby just a couple of weeks ago. since lucy has two older brothers, pink was definitely a must in this scheme, and i think the other colours flow pretty well. i was excited to incorporate my latest acquisition, the bird print in pale blue from michelle engel bencsko's dogwood collection. you can catch a tiny glimpse of it in the top picture. whimsical + pretty +  just right. 

another new baby girl will be receiving these cloth blocks in the mail quite soon. given the direction of 'girlish but not pink', i chose a combination of turquoise, green, yellow, and pale aqua. i felt that the yellow added some necessary pop to the more subdued palette, and i am really happy with how they turned out. upon request, her initials, f-h-r-s, were appliqued to the fronts of the blocks. 

i had a lovely phone call earlier this week from lucy's mom, telling me how much she loves her baby girl's blocks. i am so thrilled, it's really nice to hear from someone who's received one of my items as a gift. makes me feel like i'm on the right track, you know? i hope to get to make many more sets of these babies in the future...

paper pops :: inkspot workshop

friday is here and so is my last vendor feature from the poppytalk handmade 'paper pops' market. inkspot workshop is filled with delightful stationery + paper goods for every occasion. i'm not sure how i've managed to miss seeing this shop before, i must have been living under a rock. seriously great stuff.

images via inkspot workshop

did you see the coordinated envelope liners? awesome. i love all the options for personalized notes, cards + invitations. there are party packs, 

gift tags, labels, notebooks...all manner of things to keep a paper-lover happily browsing around. definitely check out inkspot workshop, i think you'll be glad you did. everything i've found here is thoughtfully designed, fresh + original. just look at that zoo crew, so sweet.

find inkspot workshop on etsy and in the virtual market at poppytalk handmade.

paper pops :: story by mia

there are so many great shops at the poppytalk handmade 'paper pops' market, i'm having a hard time picking just a few to write about. i was drawn to story by mia because of the pops of bright colour on simple cream + ivory card stock. her images feel clear, fresh, and happy.  i love the softly rounded corners + bright coordinating envelopes. and i love love love the selection of mini cards. there's just something about teeny tiny gift cards that i find really pleasing. i like the idea of quietly tucking one into someone's purse or jacket pocket for them to find later. what a sweet surprise that would be.

images via story by mia

story by mia stocks a lovely selection of cards, invitations, and notebooks. i rather like these ones, myself. 

find story by mia on etsy and in the virtual market at poppytalk handmade.

paper pops :: pip & fig

when i found this shop on poppytalk handmade, all i could think was what a fantastic idea. affordable, cute + pretty, pip & fig's diy table top decorations are the perfect touch for your next party. whether it's a mother's day brunch, afternoon shower, or dinner party with your girlfriends, do it up in high style with these great paper pieces.

images via pip & fig

choose from several designs of vase wraps + napkin rings + tent cards, or go for the whole shebang with the paper tabletop sets. a-mazing. i'm telling you, these ladies have hit the nail right on the head. and just have a look at the photography. impeccably styled and well-chosen photos show you just how good these pieces can look at your party.

the designers behind pip & fig are laurie and curlin, and these two women have talent to spare. i won't even get into their solo ventures here, but i will say that this chair fabric is definitely on my want list. 

thanks for starting pip & fig, ladies. it's sure to be a huge success. 

find pip & fig on etsy and in the virtual market at poppytalk handmade.

paper pops :: bittersugar

today's poppytalk handmade vendor is a new-to-me letterpress shop out of portland oregon, bittersugar. i was immediately drawn to these charming bicycle prints. they remind me of the architectural detail drawings i loved to do in school. i have a soft spot for intricate, labeled diagrams. they make me happy.

image via bittersugar

while you're there, check out these space needle and yes typewriter prints. there's a feeling of vintage whimsy in bittersugar's work. it creates a warm + cozy glow, like i'm gathered 'round a roaring campfire under the stars.

find bittersugar on etsy and in the virtual market at poppytalk handmade.

paper pops :: cricicis design

today marks the beginning of the 'paper pops' market over on poppytalk handmade. i am a wee bit obsessed with paper goods, so i thought i'd feature a different vendor every day this week. there are some new-to-me shops over there, as well as some old faves, so i'm excited to introduce you to a few. maybe you'll discover a new favourite for yourself...

so, without further ado, say hello to cricicis design.

images via cricicis

i'm a sucker for mid-century modern chairs, so these cards definitely caught my eye. i also like the junkyard cars + colourful stripes. owner/designer leah makes coptic notebooks and custom bookplates as well. 

cricisis [pronounced crick-a-siss] is an all around lovely stop for stationery + paper goods. find cricicis on etsy and on her website. 

birds of a feather

i know that birds are getting pretty commonplace these days as far as art, decor, fabric and such things are concerned. but i still love them. these mobiles by helen ige are so sweet. we have birds of a feather in our baby girl's room. i love that it is laser cut from walnut, giving the branches a more genuine feel. and check out the level of detail on the bird house. crazy.

image via doe

a timely reminder

a lovely little reminder from modernemotive. thanks, adele, i've been thinking about this alot lately.

this weekend i plan to spend alot of time playing with these two little sweethearts. happy mothers day, to all you mommies out there.

spirograph

these spirograph paper goods are looking good to me. i loved that toy, it provided hours + hours of entertainment.

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

mod spirograph cards, blackbird letterpress

hand-embroidered moleskine cahier, papermode

custom monogram stationery set, red red orange

sculptural stairs

i love a good set of stairs. i think stairways are often such dull + wasted space in a home, particularly a small one, and i wish that more builders could think of them as a showpiece. wouldn't you love to have an amazing set of risers like one of these? swoon.

images via shootfactory

paint-by-numbers

i put together this tote for a friend's birthday gift this past weekend. i'm hoping it works for her to carry her necessities while working on her [incredibly intense] schooling for broadcast journalism. she always needs her recording device, blackberry, notebook, pen and other such items for interviews and breaking news on-the-go.

i've been hoarding this erin michael paint-by-numbers deer fabric for months. L seemed like just the right recipient ;) now i need to get my hands on some more...

lovely inspiring studio

i am a big fan of local company lovely design. i think the idea of using found paper for new objects is fantastic, and i just love these address files. while browsing around online looking for inspiring workspaces, i came across a tour of lovely design's studio on apartment therapy. have a look at some sunny photos of sharilyn's vancouver studio.

images via apartment therapy la

i think that the combination of aqua walls with hits of gold and ivory accessories makes for a crisp, fresh space. perfect for creating lovely + inspring goodies.