Brelli

With the down pouring of rain that has been happening here for the past few days one of these "Brelli's" definitely would have come in handy. The biodegradable Brelli is made from bamboo (a renewable resource) and features a canopy of clear biodegradable PVC. I tend to forgo an umbrella even in the most torrential downpours because I feel like I can't see and any gust of wind turns them into unusable trash pretty quickly. The Brelli has a wind vent system to allow it to withstand high wind, and I like that the top is clear so you can see when you are walking! According the manufacturer a discarded Brelli will completely biodegrade in less than 5 years, which is a fraction of the time it takes for traditional umbrellas to decompose. Check out the site here, they also make "sunBrellis" and ponchos.

Zoumou

I am loving the beautiful necklaces made by Australian artist Zoe Sernack for her accessories line, zoumou. Inspired by Art Nouveau designs, she has created a range of laser-cut products including necklaces and earrings all with a nature inspired edge. Perfect to wear dressed up or with a casual tee. Check out the Secret Garden and Gypsy Moon collection, my personal faves.

Lunchtime at Plastica

Everyone is looking for a way to save some extra change, and bringing your lunch to work is one way to do it. Check out Plastica for some stylish options that will make lunchtime more fun than just a boring brown bag!

Loving these Bento Box kits, featured above, perfect for lunch or a fashionable picnic. Made of melamine and features stacking boxes with divisions within (no touching food, please!) enclosed by a metal bracket. I love the bright colors, and they are dishwasher safe- making clean up a cinch.

Check out the OOTS! Lunchbox. This guy is great and features a lid shaped to hold a water bottle under the strap. Inside the box are 5 perfectly fitting containers that are microwave safe, so that left over pasta from dinner can be easily re heated at the office. Too cute!

Saipua Soaps

I came across the beautiful soaps by Saipua and was instantly in love. I am a sucker when it comes to clean and simple packaging and the beautifully wrapped soaps really grabbed my attention. Handmade in small batches, each bar of soap is hand cut , air dried and cured to retain a quality product. Perfect for a hostess gift, or to decorate your own vanity, you can pick up some of these little beauties here, or in select boutiques.

I am extremely partial to the whale packaging (maybe its because we have our own whale design in the works..) on the saltwater soap featured above. Made with nori seaweed and crushed sea salt.

Oh so sweet! Check out these travel soaps. Scented with essential oils and wrapped in Cavallini paper decorated with vintage maps of Paris, Rome and New york. Now wherever you go you can smell delicious!

Also available, limited edition soy candles. Available in either Cedarmoss or Wisteria/Lilac these pretty glass candles come packaged with a hand stamped label.

Gilded Birdcage Pillowcases and Thank you

Finally got to printing some of these new Gilded Birdcage Pillowcases! We created the print awhile ago from a photo of an antique birdcage that we found on one of our antiquing excursions, and I have been wanting to make some pillowcases ever since! I am very pleased with the way they came out! You can pick up a pair in our shop here.

Also wanted to give a special thank you to our newest retailer, The Purple Fern in Winchester, VA. Thanks, Sarah! Also a thank you for the continued support from Knack Studios in Greenville, SC (Thanks, Barb!) and The Red Pigeon in Australia (Thank you, Martine!) We love working with you all!

Moving, Moving....

Hi Friends! So sorry for having been away- we have been moving over the weekend and we are still knee high in boxes! Just wanted to let you know I will be posting sporadically for the rest of the week- as I try to sort out all of this madness, get the studio set up and continue to print, process and ship orders.

On a happy note- we love our new house and it is coming together swimmingly! We (and the dogs) are very excited to get everything organized and enjoy it! As soon as everything is set up, I will be sharing some pics of our new place, so stay tuned! In the meantime I can definitely use a few of these awesome burlap buckets from Three Potato Four. Made from jute (a favorite material of mine) from recycled fair trade coffee sacks, these buckets are just what I need to get my life re-organized!

Bright and White

Morning, friends! Hope everyone enjoyed a lovely, relaxed weekend... Looking outside the bright, clear white morning light is inspiring me to lean toward clean, white goodies! I am loving this sweet deer frame purse made from 100% cotton canvas with the adorable image hand embroidered. Created by Barcelona based Emedemarte.

I just discovered and fell in love with this great clothing line, Lamixx, created by designer Jacqueline Rose. With a layed back California chic vibe that is right up my alley- they create relaxed basics that are easy to wear and easy to mix in with pieces that you already have. There are so many pieces to love, but I really fell for this oversized pinstripe button down. Perfect for summer or easy to wear with tights in colder months, this piece will quicky become a wardrobe staple. Love it!

Almost time to get those plants going! I am a big lover of plants and gardens, but I have a weakness for vintage planters- they are the perfect thing to call attention to your greenery. Here is a unique a kooky moon crater planter. And $12? Can't beat it! Pick it up here.

Beachy Keen

The weather today is amazing and only supposed to get better as the weekend progresses... I just returned from my beach cruise to the post office to drop off the days orders and was inspired by the salty ocean breeze and all the local beach shops and ice cream parlors putting out their awnings and products in preparation for the nice weekend- I knew I needed a sea inspired collection to round out the week! I am so loving Marc Jacobs' new foray into swimwear, especially the cute one piece above- anything with a fish is okay with me!

Awesome vintage botany sea creatures design. This is a cool downloadable design- pay one low price and you can reuse this design over and over again for art projects, wrapping, paper, cards! I think it would look great simply framed for a low cost art piece.

Catch of the Day pendent necklace or super cute vintage octopus pendent. Both would look great with a simple white tee for the summer heat!

I love this green Fly Fisherman Vintage stationary- especially paired with the canary yellow cards. I can picture myself sitting out on the dock writing thank you notes with these cuties!

Have a fabulous weekend!~ The Lacquered Peacock xo

26 Olive Street

I recently discovered 26 Olive Street, a great online vintage housewares shop. I am a sucker for anything involving decorative vintage pieces and they are definitely a great resource for finding something unique to adorn your mantle top or bookshelf. With everything from beautifully preserved glassware to one of a kind antique signs, 26 Olive Street will have something for everybody! Along with fab products, 26 Olive Street also takes some great product shots- making it fun to peruse their constantly updated selection. Check out the website to read their

blog, find out about new additions and of course SHOP!

Although, I am not a smoker this Fly Ashtray is way too cool to pass up. Elevated brass fly features hinged wings to reveal ashtray, or use it to hide your secret treasures!

For some reason I have always loved vintage melamine dishes. I am not a fan of eating off plastic- but these dishes would be perfect for a picnic and a bottle of wine on a warm Spring day! Set includes four divided plates (no touching food, please! ) and matching cups.

Textured decanter set. I love the typography on this set. Perfect to add to your vintage glassware collection. Cute!

XO Organic Tote Bag

Happy Monday! Had a great and productive weekend! Just wanted to share a new piece that we created. We are working on rolling out a new line of 100% organic cotton tote bags. I am a big fan of tote bags- especially in the heat of the Spring and Summer. For some reason it just seems like the perfect time to ditch that heavy leather bag you have been carrying all winter and grab something casual that you can easily throw in the wash. We are working on new designs that we will be putting out this week, but for you now you can pick up this sweet XO Organic Cotton Bag right now in our shop.

Soda

Happy Monday! Hope everybody had a wonderful weekend and is looking forward to a productive week- I know I am! Starting off the week, check out the work of Chicago based designer Amy Allison and her beautiful and eclectic product line, Soda. Starting off as an interior and furniture designer, Amy has fine tuned her skills and has created everything from beautiful wallpapers and textiles to quirky and sweet clay pieces. You can take a look at her website for info on her wholesale collections of fabrics, wallpapers, clay and paper products as well as visit her etsy shop for unique one of a kind pieces. 

Pretty and simple porcelain buttons. Love the hand knit, sweater texture. 

Check out this adorable porcelain camper cup. Beautiful interior glazed with a sleek celadon color. I love the way the cup folds over itself...

I love this natural flax Belgian linen pillow. Hand screen printed in turquoise an image of building blocks- great little accent pillow! 

Design Lab Shop

I discovered this cool online vintage shop awhile ago, and I have been searching for the site again to post it here. Its taken awhile, but luckily here it is! Check out Design Lab for beautiful vintage wares for every room of your home. With tasteful photography and simple, well edited descriptions Design Lab was created by Cara Piscitello who uses her eye for architecture, interior design and graphic design to create an ever changing array of quality, vintage products. Click here for the coral and white striped bowl featured above. 

I love these cool milk glass zodiac mugs. Featuring a matte black glaze and gold graphics, these mugs make the perfect gift, just pick out the correct astrological sign!  

Sweet swedish glass ducks. Created in a stunning cobalt blue glass, these cute objects evoke a serene quality. Perfect for a sunny window sill for the sunshine to shine on! 

I have always had a thing for vintage clocks and this one is perfect! This one reminds of a 1950's newsman, can't you just imagine the impeccable top hat and skinny tie? Featuring glow in the dark hand. 

Lili and Loo

I love the website for the brick and mortar home store of Lili and Loo. They have an amazing variety of merchandise that includes furniture, home decor and lovely little accents to fill up any nook and cranny. Lili and Loo began as a couple of tables at the Green Flea in New York City, but quickly decided they needed a permanent address and opened a store in Hudson, New York. Balancing a taste for worldly delights with a sophisticated edge, Lilli and Loo has the bases covered for the home! Check them out here, or if you are in their neck of the woods stop by their store @ 259 Warren Street. Click here for the brushed steel chest of drawers featured above. 

I was immediately in love with this black terrazzo outdoor dining set. It is perfect for the english garden of my dreams! I love the simple lines, heavy look and dark color  juxtaposed with climbing roses and potted gardenias. I could definitely host some evening cocktails here! 

Beautiful matte glazed ceramic bowls. I love the organic curves and how they look rough and hand hewn. 

Elegant bird on a branch sculpture. Life sized and made out of brass. Pretty for a mantle. 

Happy 2009 and new Branch Handmade Site

Happy 2009 to everyone! Hope that everybody had a restful and fun filled holiday vacation! I had a great holiday, although it was not particularly restful... We made it a working vacation and we are very proud to announce the launch of our brand new Branch Handmade website. Click here to check it out, and learn a little bit more about us and our company. I have so many great new stores and products lined up for the new year! See you all on Monday! 

Hope you like the feather pillow cover that was inspired by The Lacquered Peacock! You can purchase it here. 

Ochre

I love the look of Ochre. Starting out as a London based line of contemporary products for the home, Ochre recently branched out opening a retail location in New York City. Mixing in their own collection with a variety of complimentary pieces from other lines, Ochre not only chooses elegant and unique pieces, but they also make an effort to sell product lines that are made under fair trade and green principles. Take a look at their well designed website or if you are in the NYC area make a stop at their brick and mortar local @ 432 Broome 10013. 

I immediately fell in love with this delicate collection of pink porcelain bowls. I love the soft, muted colors against the glazed porcelain- they look so delicate and soft. 

Amazing hand blown colored glass pots by Michael Ruh. I love the colors and they are perfect for condiments or olives...

Pretty and graphic silk lavender pouches. Perfect for enlivening a room or small space with a fresh clean scent. 

Product Spotlight: Minnie Headband

Good Monday afternoon! Hope everyone is looking forward to this abbreviated work week for some well needed rest and relaxation. My sister is arriving from the west coast today, so tomorrow will be my last day of posting until the New Year. For today and tomorrow, look forward to some great product and store postings to check out! 

In the meantime, I am so loving this adorable Minnie Headband by Yokoo. The design is cute and it has two buttons on the back to adjust for the perfect fit. Made from wool and acrylic blend and she can make it in any color you want! I think this will definitely be one of my after the holidays purchases. Check out the rest of her beautiful products at her etsy shop here. 

Verde Paperie

Oh on this dreary, rainy afternoon (well at least the Christmas tree lights up the room) Verde Paperie is the perfect bit of color to brighten up the day! If you are on the look out for any type of beautiful paper product, make sure to check out their website.  Verde Paperie not only carries chic stationary lines, but they also make an effort to carry products that are easy on the environment, everything from recycled and virgin paper to acid and chlorine free paper and soy based inks. Great products and great environmentally conscious company! Click here for the Olive Recipe cards by Pink Bathtub featured above. 

I love this cheerful card design by Tall Cow. Reminds me of the Hawaiian vacation I am on in my mind! The image is screen printed on recycled paper and comes in a recycled kraft envelope. 

I used to be addicted to planners, this one is making me want one again! Weekly planner from Little Otsu- pretty design and printed with vegetable based inks on 100% recycled paper. 

For those of you on the look out for gift wrap for your last minute holiday gift, be sure to pick up a few sheet of this funny wrap by Fish Lips Designs. The antlers on the dog are too cute!   100 % recycled paper with soy based inks, it is also processed chlorine free and manufactured using wind power!  

A&G Merch

Check out Brooklyn based brick and mortar store A&G Merch for all types of cool items for the home. Featuring styles that range from organic and natural paper products, to furniture with a more pop edge, A&G Merch has the bases covered. They have a great section on their website featuring easy gift ideas catagorized by price which is always convenient. Take a look at their site here, FYI it looks like they are still updating the site so some of the sections don't appear to be compete yet, but still lots of great stuff to peruse! You can also stop by their retail store if you are in the area @ 111 North 6th Street. Click here for the elegant Botanical Chandelier featured above. 

Loving this vintage looking Crown Hook Set. Perfect for hanging things in the entry right when you get home... 

One of my favorites when it comes to travel books, if you haven't checked out the NFT books' for the metro cities in your area, make sure you do. Here is the guide to Brooklyn. Great read and includes walking tours and insider secrets...

Adorable and bright- I love this cute side chair and ottoman- perfect for a sunny, light filled corner for reading the morning paper!