milk & amber: want

Showing posts with label want. Show all posts

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

Etsy Shop You Need to See: The Sparkling Sparrow

Oh man, guys. I know as much as anybody that there is a lot of awesome stuff for sale on Etsy, but sometimes I get pretty excited about it. This is one of those times. The Sparkling Sparrow, in Appleton, Wisconsin, offers these amazing hair clips, hair combs, and more fashioned out of vintage and reclaimed jewellery. I feel like I stumbled into a diamond mine.

I always pictured I would have a hairpiece like this for my eventual wedding, made out of all the sentimental (but maybe broken or mismatched) jewellery I've been saving. Looking at these lets me know that it is very much possible, and will look stunning. Yay!

Here are some favourites, but check out the shop yourself - I'm drawn to a particular look but there are more varied, interesting pieces too.

The first one I found - stunning!

Pale blues and gold, fave combo

White & gold botanical, beautiful

A little bit mid-century, a little bit Grecian, a little Edwardian. Love it!

White, ivory, cream, blush, rose, gold. So pretty and feminine.

Something blue :)

I might just need to stop drooling and buy one of these!

Sunday, 10 March 2013

Victoria Row no. 1

Victoria Row no. 1 by milk-and-amber featuring a silk maxi skirt

Jane Norman scoop neck shirt
$12 - houseoffraser.co.uk

By Malene Birger silk maxi skirt
$585 - bymalenebirger.com

Ankle tie shoes
pixiemarket.com

Teardrop earrings
kohls.com

Aldo jewelry
aldoshoes.com

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Spoiler Alert! Gossip Girl Finale Screen Caps

Six long years of Gossip Girl, all wrapped up... Well, I guess at least I can say I loved Blair's wedding look. Just stunning!

Chuck also looked particularly dapper. Love the lapels!

Another dress close-up, love the little oyster/rosettes. I am sharing Blair's expression right now, though... There's always 90210. Sigh.

XOXO

Sunday, 16 December 2012

Twenty-Something Days of Xmas: Happy to be home

Well, it's been a long, busy week, including a whirlwind weekend trip out of province. Long, busy, but great! But now here I am, home in Charlottetown, in sweats, on the computer. No shopping, the parties are done for the night. In honour of being home, how about some house and home gift recommendations, then, shall we? Six days' worth!

This recommendation is less for a gift than it is a store. Cottage Industry is a cool modern home decor shop downtown, on Grafton near the CIBC, that carries hip Canadian furniture lines and funky odds and ends. I'd love to outfit my space in modern stuff like this Gus sectional. (Someday!)

Moving Designz, also on Grafton, is another spot to check for neat household items and furniture. They've got lots of smaller items, like coral, vases, and toiletries if you're looking for cheap but stylish home buys. Their esthetic is more fresh, cheery and feminine than Cottage Industry, which leans more to the modern-rustic-industrial.

I am also a big fan of Cattails Woodwork by Brenda Watts, out of Hermitage, PEI, where you can get a badass Burled Maple Charcuterie Board, above, famous flamed French rolling pins, and cute wooden acorn-adorned things. Brenda also has an Etsy store that you can check out if you can't pick up her wares in person!

For your nerd friends who have homes, and empty walls measuring fifteen feet or more, you can get them this Entire First Level of the original Mario Bros poster from Packmania.

My mom got a sheepskin for me as a baby, and I still have and use it. You should do the same for a baby you might have (or someone else's, that also works). Springwater Farm has great sheepskin products of all sizes, available at the Charlottetown Farmers Market on Saturdays.

And, for the last of the six days, MacAusland's classic, famous wool blankets. People debate whether or not you can be an Islander if you weren't born here; maybe you should only earn your status as a true Islander once you own one of these beauties from Bloomfield.

Whew, six more days along in the Twenty-something Days of Xmas. Stay tuned, especially if you procrastinate and still don't know what to get!

Monday, 10 December 2012

Twenty-something Days Of Xmas: So Fresh and So Clean

Ah, soap. A classic Christmas gift in the MacDonald household to our poor mother, who is up to her ears in all things lavender and triple-milled. And yet we keep giving soap, and she keeps putting it in her clothing drawers. On the bright side, those dressers are going to smell awesome for the next hundred years... but if we have to give soap, I say we start buying nicer, local stuff. Sorry, Yardley's! Meet your replacements.

From Moonsnail Soapworks, located on Water Street in Charlottetown, some Exotic Swirl Natural Soap. Listen to this doozy: "A touch of the Orient! A warm and romantic bar scented with a blissful blend of patchouli, sweet orange and ylang ylang pure essential oils. Each bar has unique swirls of spice for a fun funky effect." Yeow. All Moonsnail's soaps are made in PEI, delicious smelling and evocative. I also love Spearmint Swirl, Dad's Licorice, Chai Tea, and everything else, but this one just hits all the right notes.

Similarly, the Soap Drawer has small-batch, made-in-PEI soaps with scents that I can only describe as scrumptious. I love their spicier scents, with orange, clove, and cinnamon, but their soothing scents - oatmeal, goat's milk, et al - are equally lovely. Their wares can be purchased in Charlottetown at Emmett & Ellie's on University Avenue.

Here's some PEI soap I haven't tried, but would love to, hint hint! The Great Canadian Soap Co. is based in Brackley Beach, PEI, and its soaps look like delicious cupcakes/fudge/squares. I mean, they actually have a Cocoa & Oatmeal hand-milled soap - I would love to wash my hands with a spider cookie! Yum!

So go out and buy your moms, and other loved ones with personal hygiene, some soap - even if it does just scent their socks and t-shirts. At least they'll carry the sweet smell of Island businesses flourishing!

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Twenty-something Days of Xmas: Overman

Day Four of Twenty-something Days of Xmas brings us some of the coolest local jewellery you can buy: Overman earrings. I own a few pieces of Overman jewellery - including a fabulous pair of custom Darwin & Finch earrings - and love them all. I would love if these were my next pair! They are made with tiny bulbs and filled with miscellaneous watch parts. Get 'em for the brightest bulb in your life!

$30.00

Online or at the Overman shop on Water St., Charlottetown

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Twenty-something Days Of Xmas: Foodie Gifts

I was so tired yesterday that I forgot I was just starting a gift guide countdown, which I guess I said I would do every day. Obviously that's a lot to ask. Every few days... but an item for each day! Yes, that's what will happen.

Two more gifts for two more days! Just like finding fashionable gifts (see my first post), it is super easy to find Island gifts for your foodie friends. You can pretty much throw a red sandstone rock and hit someone carrying a bag of organic spicy alfalfa sprouts, drinking a local craft beer, or talking about one of PEI's gazillion food-related events like PEI Burger Love or the International Shellfish Festival. (Honestly, what event ISN'T food-related on PEI, really?)

So if you want to get making some awesome Island food, here's some things you'll want to try! First up, a Paderno Cast Iron Deep Fry Pan with beautiful sunny yellow enamel. It's made on PEI, has a 25-year warranty, and is likely perfect for grilled cheese.

$99.00

Next up, J.J. Stewart Chocolate Sauce with Ginger. The sauce is made with 'darkened chocolate' in small batches, each jar 'hand-poured, hand-labelled, and hand-polished.' The food and drink company - they also make kick-ass small-batch root beer - is based in Little Sands, PEI, and their products are available at the PEI Co. Store, Terre Rouge, and hopefully at some more craft fairs before the season is over!

Under $10

Check back next time, whenever that is, for more PEI gift ideas! And be sure to check out Lot 65, which inspired my list, for even more fun Island gifts. Cheers!

Monday, 3 December 2012

Twenty-something days of Xmas

Today I was touched and excited to find that fellow Island blogger and cool fashion lady Rebecca at Lot 65 included my Etsy shop in her Island Christmas Gift Guide. I agree with all her ideas - believe it or not, PEI has a lot to offer to the sartorially inclined for such a little place.

So, in the spirit of things, I'd like to try putting together my own gift guide of sorts; a little bit Island (or Canada, at least), a little bit DIY, a little bit of thrifting, and a little bit of Etsy.

First up in the Twenty-something Days of Xmas, Dreamboat Lucy sea glass jewellery. These ladies are from Kensington, PEI - one of my favourite small Island towns - and have been garnering all sorts of buzz for their cool clothing and accessories. I could go on all day about their wares but I'll stick with the sea glass jewellery because earrings and sea glass are my two favourite things to find and collect. Because the sea glass is authentic, no piece will be exactly alike. I love the saline patina, the colours, and the blend of modern, tough, and natural.

Visit their online shop to see available designs. While you're at it, check out their cool new blog, too!