stuff that stocking: city mini blocks

i love christmas, and at about this time every year i start seeing every small, cute object that i come across through the lens of "that would be perfect for a stocking!".

and so i can't resist the small-size + cuteness factor lure of these adorable city mini blocks from etsy's fidoodle. they would, of course, make a perfect stocking stuffer...

they're made of locally-sourced hardwood maple and non-toxic inks. the images - doodles of rooflines and urban icons and folks - are adorable and on the reverse side is a puzzle of the scene. they come packed in a 3 x 3 inch cube.

fidoodle is based in toronto, by the way. go canada! check out their website as well for more info.

lovely mondays: wooden toys

we've tried very hard to stick to wooden toys around here but more plastic sneaks in that i'd like to admit. i'm ok with duplo, but the rest of it can go. just leave us with our books, handmade stuffed animals, delightful wood toys and our art supplies and i'm happy. there are such fun, unique and handmade finds on etsy that it's easy to see the light!

and i must, must, must have that checker set. pirates vs ninjas? all kinds of awesome. all these delights, clockwise from top left:

pirates vs. ninja checker set from goose grease

vintage graphic choo-choo block puzzle from tiny giraffe

robot parade figure set from moo shoo pork

rainbow of mushrooms collection from wee wood

lovely mondays: for all your chalkboard needs

they're black, so they go with everything! chalkboards and chalkboard-inspired art from etsy, clockwise, from top left:

chalkboard alphabet limited edition print from the small object. and check out maker sarah neuburger's the small object site for more small, adorable and all 'round loveliness!

embroidery hoop chalkboard - cameo boy edition from the local bliss in a teacup. love! a 10" embroidery hoop with lovely cameo outline on chalkboard, it can be used as art or as a chalkboard too - it comes with chalk and a little wipe to clean up your dusty scribblings. check out the vancouver-based duo's delightful blog for more.

whale chalkboard from perennial favourite suddenly it's real!. for more on the duo behind the shop, check out their site or their etsy featured seller interview from a little ways back.

victorian-style vinyl wall decal from spell it out designs. this adhesive vinyl wall decal can take your messages and doodles in chalk and then poof - remove it from your wall when you're moving along.

lovely mondays: a yellow nursery

my lovely mondays have fallen by the wayside lately. so much so that i've not gathered up a fresh bunch in ages, despite visiting etsy all the time. and it's tuesday already by the time i got this one together! (in my defense, yesterday was a canadian holiday...) ah summer, time for daydreaming and lollygagging - plus an extended heatwave and a baby who, at fifteen months, is not a sleeper.

couldn't resist these soft yellow finds for the nursery, built around that adorable knit lamb. too cute! clockwise, from top left:

the original bubbilicious mobile in yellow from mobilosity.

five little elephants print from amandakindregan.

yellow ashleaves print pillow from appetite home.

winnie, what a lovely little lamb from kellienoelle.

lovely mondays: a vintage night in

why not invite the gang in for an old-school games night? put on your exotica music collection and enjoy. clockwise, from top left:

gidget fortune teller board game from vintage funland. seriously - gidget!

mid-century cheese board and knife set from jess james jake. anything to facilitate the eating of cheese is fine by me!

and in case you didn't get an accurate reading from gidget, there's this awesome vintage numerology-themed martini shaker from collectique. i don't know anything about numerology, but if there's any kind of mumbo jumbo and drinks involved, it's bound to be a crowd-pleaser.

the poorly named and therefore hilarious vintage game of probe! who doesn't want to come over for a game of probe? billed as "the most provocative game of words since the invention of the modern alphabet". that's gotta be good. from jolly time one.

lovely mondays: stumped

stumped... enough said - i am having one of those days. but these lovely tree stump finds from etsy show that being stumped isn't such a bad thing after all. clockwise, from top left:

pinewood stumps print from golly bard

the hiding place 8x10 print from the black apple

stump t shirt from sweet babu

relief-printed tree napkins set from sugar and fig

now put down that chainsaw and go for a hike...

lovely mondays: got craft? favourites

i fell in love with so many of the creations at yesterday's got craft? event, and i figured my four top favourites from folks who also sell on etsy would make a perfect collection for this week's lovely monday post... clockwise, from top left:

i loved the unique cards from thebeautifulproject. combining 'original illustrations, cheeky sentiments and a bit of whimsy', they're the perfect answer for anyone asking "why don't they make better cards?" you can buy them from her etsy shop (some designs are even on sale now - scoop them up while you can!) or at local shops like dandelion and paper-ya.

i'm always drawn to things made using old maps. i think it's the timelessness of travel, particularly to places with history... kohana jewellery (etsy's ktwigs81) was selling lovely handmade jewelery featuring vintage maps and glass. i especially love the londres (london) pendant. the 1" pendant comes with a 16" silverplated ball chain.

i should have bought some soap from olive, maker of delicious natural bath & body products. funny: i overheard a couple walking away from the show. the woman wanted to buy some soap and the guy was muttering "we already have lots of soap". girl, you should have bought the soap. ;-) i love this high tea soap bar - made of luscious palm, olive and coconut oil and including bergamot and spruce essential oils, a touch of sweet orange and exfoliating black tea leaves.

there's just something about the colours in this print - grayhounds by elseetee. 3 x 4 x 1.5" block featuring a print from one of her original drawings. the sides of the block are decoupaged using premium, silkscreened japanese chiyogami paper. also available in larger sizes if you're looking for something to fill a bigger space on your wall.

lovely mondays: bbq season

it's june first! the very beginning of the summer season - time to start working on your flip-flop tan lines and break out the meat. a few fresh picks from etsy that would make any bbq sizzle. clockwise, from top left.

fantasize about throwing the kind of summer shin dig that requires invitations? on paper? me too. love these customizable letterpress invitations from darlingletterpress.

make the most of your meat with this yummy hand-blended gourmet spice rub and bbq kit from montreal's purposedesign. includes eight tasty international rubs, including berbere, scandanavian and jamaican jerk flavours.

avoid bbq-related injuries with this insulated hot shot mitt - perfect for snazzing up your grilling attire and for protecting your digits. made by undoneclothing from an upcycled thick canvas lead shot bag and denim material, lined in red.

and dress your indoor or outdoor table with these swell hot dog coasters from nakeddecor. set includes six pieces (three heads, three tails).

now just add food, drinks, eco-friendly plates & cutlery, vintage "unsafe" lawn games, suntan lotion, banter, a few flies, some paper lanterns, candles, cards and a scratchy wool blanket for late nights and you're set! ;-)

lovely mondays: get gussied up

nothing like a few choice items to freshen up your wardrobe. together or separate, i love all these etsy finds - clockwise, from top left:

i adore the colour and form of this silk raspberry perfection dress from sarahseven would be oh-so-floaty on a breezy summer day. completely custom-made to your measurements! love!

too breezy out? add these pollock leggings from mashnewyork. handmade, medium size. very cool.

there's just something about the simplicity-yet-complexity of multiples - i love adenangier's second skin hammered stackable rings. they're made-to-order and just $10 each! if only i knew my finger size, i'd be ordering them as i type this...

i love a clutch, and this delightful hot stripe clutch rom redrubyrose is perfect for summer. the outer fabric is a vintage print by finnish designer tampella and inside it's lined with pink dupion silk.

and you're dressed! with the exception of shoes, i've noticed, which is nearly a crime. so you know, you could go to the beach, steer clear of establishments requiring footwear or, my favourite, go shoe shopping...

lovely mondays: anglophilia

i'm an unabashed anglophile. if i had the nerve to pretend to have a british accent, i would, but alas i'm not quite that silly. english literature & history are two of my favourite reading & viewing subjects - i can't count how many of my crafts were made while rewatching simon schama's history of britian dvd set or the only acceptable adaptation of pride & prejudice: the one starring jennifer ehle and colin firth. swoon. one of my fondest dreams is that jamie will get a gig in his company's uk head office and we can move across the pond. i would just love for cole to call me 'mummy'.

clockwise, from top left - four little tongue-in-cheek slices of england, found on etsy:

this limited edition everyday england gocco print from blue22 features some, well, everyday fixtures that you're likely to find in london. everything from "crazy pink t-shirts, to faux-hawks, to endangered red squirrels, to annoying ringtones, to killer bus rides home". i also loved his 12 months in london collection of gocco postcards featuring awesome graphics & factual tidbits.

i must have this modern british queen clock from nakeddecor. made of acrylic and ready-to-hang, this clock would make a terrific additon to the home. and there's a matching pillow available!

i loves me some full english breakfast, and i can't resist this 100% cotton, hand screen printed full english breakfast teatowel from mr.ps anymore than i can resist all that yummy bacon and tea and mmmm...... also available as a print!

celebrate the british stiff upper lip and amazing sense of composure with one of bluelima's keep calm and carry on posters! based on the vintage poster commissioned by the British Government in August 1939 to be posted in times of "crisis or invasion". this 9" x 12" hand screen printed poster would look great framed and most certainly it would help serve as a reminder to avoid panic around our house. ;-)

lovely mondays: bridal shower details

'tis the season for bridal showers and bachelorette parties! if you're scrambling looking for last-minute ways to glam up a party for your favourite bride-to-be, look no further than etsy. these four picks, clockwise from top left:

dress the scene with the fluffiest, prettiest tissue pom-poms - the afloat kit from pomlove contains five coordinated pieces and mono filament for hanging. they're handcut and come with instructions for easy unfurling. they'd make a room look divine, and hanging from the trees in some twinkle lights they'd look just magical.

print & cut your own party invitations and much more with this download from paper & cake. the kit includes graphics for the invitation, cupcake toppers, name tags, a tiara, games and more.

12 custom-made cupcake bubble bath bombs from sudsymugsy would make great little party favours for the ladies. choose from 12 mouth-watering flavours, including dreamsicle and strawberries 'n cream.

put the spotlight on the bride with this pink bachelorette party veil with rhinestones from bridalparty. the black fur comb makes this piece an easy accessory and the hot pink netting is accented with sparkles that would look great in photos.

lovely mondays: environmentally-friendly grocery totes

we have lots of environmentally-friendly tote bags around here, but of course they're nowhere near as cool as the ones i can find on etsy... several of reusable bags remain permanently doomed to life at the bottom of the heap since they're emblazoned with the logo of our favourite brand of recycled toilet paper (they were included for free!) and jamie thinks they're too embarrassing to carry. maybe i should spring for some new cool bags, just for his majesty? here are four of my favourites, all at prices that will leave you plenty of money for, you know, food:

awesome graphics and a great price - choose any three of these bags from happyfamily for only $25! hand printed on 100% cotton canvas.

the golden girls tote from earth cadets. each bag is made from 80% ecotec™ - a cotton product made from excess fabric leftover from the manufacture of clothing - and 20% bottle bag fabric, made from recycled soda bottles. and sparkly gold graphics - i love sparkly gold anything!

how awesome an idea is this t-shirt tote from philosofickle?! made from an upcycled t-shirt with reinforced handles and the unbeatable price of $6. and even more awesome - $1 of each sale goes to charity!

love the owl-yness and the generous standing size of this vintage owl classic tote from thecraftpantry. there were so many cool graphics to choose from in her shop, but i kinda thought this owl had a unibrow, which was endearing. ;-)

lovely mondays: squirrels

the woodland creature phase is showing no signs of disappearing anytime soon, although bird-fatigue may have set in. if you prefer four legs, why not pay the humble squirrel some long-overdue affection?

rock squirrel notepad from rockin' boygirlparty. the notepad is 3"x 6" and features the graphic on every page. he looks like a heartbreaker, that squirrel. it's always the guy with the guitar, no?

this fab 5x7 squirrel print from the always-hilarious berkley illustration. we have two of his prints in cole's room (it would seem that cole's room has all the best etsy finds!). love the charming little anecdotes about each character.

this adorable small zippered pouch covered with cutesy primary-coloured squirrels from simbiosisbyjulia. love this japanese heavier-weight fabric (have the blue & red bunnies version in my stash). she has so many adorable bags and pouches with the cutest fabrics.

gotta love this parachuting squirrels organic cotton t-shirt from california-based misnopalesart. the graphics are awesome and can you beat $19? crazy good deal for such a cool shirt.

lovely mondays: the colour mustard

this week's 'lovely monday' post features a much-loved and often misunderstood colour: mustard! not the bright yellow mustard of hot-dog fame, but more the murky tint of a lovely dijon or grainy english condiment.

knee-length linen tunic dress from pamelatang featuring lovely hand-stitched embroidery details. love the look of mustard, charcoal and denim together.

girl and cookie jar mixed media collage from vancouver fave, cabin+cub. original and one-of-a-kind, it's a totally unique piece: vintage book illustrations, paper ephemera and ink illustration on wood veneer. and of course, everyone loves cookies.

the crafty fox says goodbye to visitors from the fantastical matte stephens, one of my very, very favourite etsyians. we have two of his prints in cole's room (the kaliedoscopic-pipe-smoking duke of ny and no-longer-available gocco bear monster) and i adore everything he makes. have you seen his new piece, charles eames as a log? love! must have!

the fantastic truffle bag in mustard from morelle. i have been coveting her bags for an age. they're so beautifully constructed and so fashionable. large enough to carry a laptop or books, this one is made of leather and perfect for yourself or as a gift.

lovely mondays: four fresh etsy favourites

time for a regular weekly feature here - i think mondays are a great time to showcase some fresh favourites from other talented etsy sellers. i love these handmade goodies and am excited to share them with you. of course, anyone reading these posts who wants to buy me presents should take note! ;-)

i just love the muted springtime loveliness of carefree bubbles, a by tabidesigns.

the dreamy luxe etincelle necklace from seaunicorn. i love her use of soft colours and the mix of vintage and modern elements.

these beautifully-handmade boardwalk sneaker houseshoes from vancouver's own elephant & chickpea. they're made-to-order from upcycled materials and would look so cute around the house with pajamas!

and can't resist this bi-fold wallet featuring a rather stern-looking owl from cutoutandcollect. i just love that fabric (in fact i think i have some coming in the mail, if it ever gets here...).