I have been a fan of Alexander Henry fabric ever since I first saw them on ReproDepot a few years ago and bought the Mocca pattern, which I have yet to use for a crafty project. So I was happy to see a bunch of Etsy sellers are using these whimsical and bright fabrics for their crafty projects. Here is a little selection for you to enjoy!

Clockwise from top left: Giraffe (Starbright Baby $14), Leo Pillow (Nora Jane $18) , Lemon Bib (So Bright Designs $10), Wallet (Bliss By Heather $34), Bird Apron (Dapper Duds $28), Bird Bag (Chick Bags $35)

These Bare bucket bags are so soft and buttery they make me melt just looking at them. The $820 price tag is no jokey smokey so they will be added to my you-must-be-dreaming wish-list for now. Available online through Des Kohan.

I am so in love with these white leather, pleated handbags from White Capri. They are so feminine and sophisticated. Based in Berlin the designers named each of the 12 handbag designs “Matchpoint” as a tribute to their love for Scarlett Johansson who starred in the Woody Allen movie with the same name. Available online with payment through Paypal and with shipment to the US, I could be in trouble!

via Josh Spear

I’m loving these fun handbag shapes from Agnes & Hoss. Each pattern from the collection is printed on silk with a suede lining and Italian leather trim making them very luxurious. Check out her gorgeous silk pillows and lighting collection as well. P.S. The bags start at $185.

Spotted this clutch on Bliss and now I’m obsessed! It’s so sweet and cheerful but still sophisticated. I would love to have something like this to pass down to my daughter someday. Designer Brooke Galardi has this clutch and many other lovely designs available on her Etsy store BeeGee Bags.

Fancy schmancy metallic leather change purses from Anya Hindmarch for Mother’s Day. With sayings like “Mom’s Money” and “Mom’s Bits & Bobs” or you can create your own custom message. My Mom is one of the few people I know who still saves all of her receipts and uses them to balance her checkbook every week. She could use one of these glamorous purses to help keep her receipts from getting lost in the depths of her purse (like mother, like daughter). £78.00 lb’s = $156.

One of the things I miss the most about our years living in San Francisco was meandering home from work, up and over the hills, to our apartment below Russian Hill. I loved the discovery of a new boutique on Polk, taking a peek at the menu for the latest hipster restaurant on Hayes or stopping into a little sweet shop on Union for a before dinner treat. So last week I came up with a plan. The hubs and I commute home together, so instead of waiting around for him I decided to get a head start and walk in the general direction of the Golden Gate Bridge and he could pick me up wherever I ended up.

This plan led to the best SF discovery I’ve had in awhile, the design boutique Eden & Eden! As soon as I turned the enormous antique doorknob to enter I felt a wave of awe fill my soul. I was like a kid in a candy store, oohing and awing over the ferm Living wallpaper, the stunning Ivana Helsinki clothing and bags, colorful Antoni & Alison cashmere sweaters and my new favorite, People Will Always Need Plates witty mugs and of course plates. The shop has a real international vibe, due to owner Rachel’s British beginnings. There are items from Denmark, Finland and the UK all displayed with the sophisticated eye of a curator. On the Eden & Eden website they have made a select few goodies available for purchase which gives a sense of the diversity and the quirky personality of the shop. Rachel could not have been more kind or easy to talk to, in fact I think I talked her ear off!

If you like what you see at the shop, Rachel and Christiane from ferm Living have joined forces to offer design consulting. I would love to hire an interior designer but have often been intimidated by the thought that a designers taste might take over and my home wouldn’t feel like mine anymore. I was happy to hear Rachel talk about their low-key design services, often reusing items you already own to revise a room or an entire house. It is truly a pleasure to visit this unique boutique, if you live in San Francisco or come visit don’t miss Eden & Eden! Located at 560 Jackson Street at the base of Columbus Ave in North Beach.

Here are some snaps Rachel graciously allowed me to take on my last visit.

Love Friday’s. I am drinking the most amazing coffee from the little Italian coffee window that just opened up two doors down from my office, browsing Etsy and listening to Bon Iver’s album “For Emma, Forever Ago”. I can’t get enough of his song “Skinny Love. It’s the perfect morning album to ease into the day. Here are some pretty Etsy items to brighten your day.

Sketchbook springtime handbags, hand crafted from wool, linen, cotton and leather:

From her cottage in England Alice Apple crafts sweet treats like these stuffed dogs and pigs made with vintage fabrics:

Loveage these shrinky dink rings from Broken Fingers Art, outta Vermont:

I’m not really a leather cuff wearing kind of gal but there is something really delicate about these leather studded wristbands by Tracey Tanner that have changed my mind. Tracey started her leather accessories biz with the idea of making items she would like for herself and luckily others want them now too. Check out her line of distressed leather bags and wallets all hand made in her Los Angeles studio.

I’m back! The hubs and I were in New Paltz, NY this weekend for my crazy, but loveable, brother-in-laws wedding. It was quite the extravaganza! One of the highlights of the weekend was the late night music jams back at the Super 8 with Jacks amazing group of friends. My face still hurts from smiling. Congrat’s to Jack & Kelly for surviving wedding planning and making it off safely to Rome last night.

We had a great couple of days and I was even able to finagle a few hours of shopping in NYC before the weekend festivities. My friend Amy and I made the most of it, zeroing in on the West Village. Here are some crappy snaps I took with my iPhone.

We got lost for almost an hour in the amazing letterpress shop Greenwich Letterpress. They carry their own line of cards and custom letterpress invitations and a huge variety of cards from other small presses around the world.

Our next stop was Lori McLean (they are working on their website), where we were dazzled by jewelry and Laura Zindel’s ceramics.

We dropped in at Kid-O where I saw these marvelous pear (la pera) and apple (la mela) prints by Italian designer Enzo Mari, the picture just doesn’t do them justice. They would look great in my dream kitchen with my Smeg refrigerator, someday…

Lastly, we unexpectedly stumbled upon Castor & Pollux where Amy and I successfully peer pressured each other into buying their gorgeous leather wallet clutch. I bought it in orange, Amy bought hers in brown. We finished off our brief shopping excursion with the most insane pretzel croissant from City Bakery! I’ll have more fun stuff later but right now I’m pooped from traveling!

I think I will make this a tradition and post some of my weekly Etsy favorites every Friday. Enjoy the loveliness!!

Mirabel and her sweet prints inspired by Japanese folk art dolls (I had to post her Madonna print, it is after all Good Friday!):

Spring time wrapping paper and cards from Riff Raff:

Julie Lake stainless steel earrings, airy and light:

Handmade bags from The Wren, all the way in Cape Town South Africa!

I was recently hired as a freelance blogger for a new eco-blog called EcoSalon.com. At EcoSalon I will be covering artisan, decor and fashion items, similar to the things you find here at Little Willow but with an eco-edge. The thing that sets EcoSalon apart is its authenticity. It’s real people sharing how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle without being preachy or crunchy. For example you can find out how to properly wash a pillow (which I am doing as I write this), where to buy stunning recycled glass carafes made from broken windshields or how to get a healthy high from herbal espresso. I am really excited for this opportunity to contribute to the rainbow of “green” knowledge available to women! Feel free to send me suggestions and if my Editor approves, (yes people I have an Editor now, it’s the big time), we’ll write about it!

I am loving this scarf and handbag from the Scottish gift shop Papa Stour. All of the goodies selected by designer Rosie Brown are handmade by Scottish artists and sold in limited quantities. This is one of my favorite spots to visit for inspiration. It’s more than a gift shop, it’s really an art gallery showcasing a diverse collection of contemporary art and craftsmanship from Scotland, and it’s a great place to shop for a unique wedding present.

I own lots of bags and I really wish I was one of those people who remembered to switch their bag with every outfit. But I just know if I do that I’ll lose something in the passing of my stuff from one bag to another and I cannot be without my Rose Bud lippy, my hair elastics or my three different sets of keys! That’s why one great bag is essential and thanks to Liana who writes Mixed Plate, I think I’ve found it. Not surprisingly it is another talented Etsy seller, San Francisco based DrikaB. Each one-of-a-kind bag is made from a variety of colorful and durable fabrics with a sturdy jute handle. They are also a very nice price ($55).

Sweet find via Figments, another great online retailer. Shinzi Katoh Design is the Japanese design and manufacturing company of artist designer Shinzi Katoh. He produces his unique designs on tote bags, fabric and these aluminum bottles. If you don’t already have a Sigg bottle and are looking for an eco-friendly option for carrying your water then I would highly recommend one of these bottles. Here is what Shinzi says about his products: “We call these goods ZAKKA that make people feel happy and exist like comfortable air. This is what we always keep in our heart when we create new designs”. Beautiful.

So my sister Britt writes me and asks if I like these handbags, then tells me that my Mom got me one for Christmas. They found them at the Sugarloaf Craft Festival in Maryland. Luckily they are super cute so I will be psyched to have one! Made by Janae Michelle, she uses vintage materials and recycled goods to craft these quality patchwork handbags. Oh and no one can keep a secret in my family at Christmas time.

I don’t like to mix business with pleasure or politics with anything, unless it’s a stiff drink, but these vote totes from Freddy & Ma are worth sharing. I like anything that makes politics less serious and at $25 you can feel even better about your purchase. Also check out the rest of Freddy & Ma for their great looking custom handbag designs and custom melamine plates!

Gosh darn these are such adorable card holders from SeaBreeze Studios. I read about her etsy shop on Dooce, a great blog to wile away the hours when you should be busy working and fell in love with the cute fabrics and designs. Seabreeze is in the process of restocking her inventory so check back often.

This is the crochet bag Angelina has been sporting lately by Gerard Darel (available at shoprumor). Her style is too monochromatic for me and I am so over her nude ballet flats but I like this bag. Beware it comes with a celebrity price tag of $398!

I really need to NOT spend money right now as the hubs and I are saving for home improvements but I love these handbags at ArtStream Studios (located in Rochester, NH). I like the pleats and the pretty patchwork fabric on these flossy-p handbags. They’re cute and casual and one of a kind, that means one of each people so if you like them please buy one, so I can’t! $60 each, nice price too. The clutch and pouch are from muchachaK, she has more designs on her Etsy site.

I am so in love with these casual pleated bags by La Voleuse (french for “female thief”). I first spotted their signature Thursday Bag at the Candy Store in San Francisco and added them to my covet list. They’re the perfect weekend bag in fun colors and your choice of handle that snaps on so you can mix and match. Made in Manhattan they also come with NYC prices $210 and up!

Sweet t’s and totes by Amy Tangerine. They are a bit pricey at $70 bucks for a t, but if you’re hip to be cool then they’re worth it.

I like the name, Cahoots Handbags, and their inventive clutch bags made of vintage Boy Scout shirts with badges! Get yours for $60 buck-a-roos.

After months of seeking out a new handbag I spied it on the arm of my friend Kate Gallivan on Friday night! It’s the Matt & Nat “Suze” handbag. Matt & Nat’s claim to fame is that every bag is “vegan”; instead of leather they use high quality synthetic leather in either PVC or Polyurethane, which is less detrimental to the environment. FYI I’m not a vegetarian but its easy to get into the concept of an animal free product. Having seen the bag in person I can vouch for how great it looks, you’d think it was some sort of distressed leather but more lightweight. Check out their website for many more options in style and color.

These Holly Aiken bags in various sizes are very hip and a little bit retro. She offers a nice selection of bright colors and bold shapes to make her bags stand out. Prices range from $62-$128.