Miss Modish- Mojo Maker

Talking in circles...

I was hoping to list more items today but I'm totally zonked from lack of sleep and I think this'll be it for the day...these uber cool hoopla earrings handcrafted by Ryan Kundrat.  They come in a myriad of colors to choose from and you can also choose the width of the rubber color strip.  The cool thing is, the hoop doesn't go "through" the ear like normal, it's a circle on a post putting a spin on the whole hoop earring notion.  Get it?  Spin?  See, told ya I was tired... Purchase them right here at Stars and Infinite Darkness.

Good enough to eat

I just picked up some yummy organic strawberries this past weekend, not quite ripe yet, but they gave me the taste of the up coming season.  Com'on spring, bring on the berries, I'm ready!  In the meantime, this pretty little hand-sculpted strawberry pendant is as sweet as it looks.  It'd be the perfect companion for a picnic on a breezy spring day.  Find it at Just Katie, where the jewelry is just as sweet as can be!

Back to Nature

It's the last day of jewelry week, hope you've enjoyed the finds so far!  I'll post as many items as I have time to for a last day jewelry bonanza! ;)  Now, on with the show!

I'm head over heels for these gorgeous, nature inspired earrings by Elizabeth Scott.  From designs that mimic nature, to those that celebrate it, each piece is as precious and charming as the natural element itself.  If I weren't totally maxed out on my spending from a recent jean spree, I'd be all over that add to cart button!  So, let me live vicariously through you as you check out these earrings in her shop, as well as equally inspired necklaces and rings!

February Goodie Box Winner!

Thank you thank you to all the indie shops who donated goodies to this month's giveaway, you've made one lucky Modish reader VERY happy!  Congrats to Mary , a talented graphic designer from New Jeresy, who will soon receive all the lovely goods below! 

Here are the goods (click the pic for a larger image):
Naughty Secretary Club- pony earrings
Oblinaknit- dilly lounger pet mat
Ellen Ikemoto- hand crocheted scarf
Stunning Details- amethyst drop earrings
A Planet 4 Creation- 4 notecards
Edesse Designs- 6 photo notecards
Chic 36- red corduroy tote w/ pin
Shades of Violet- thank you card set
Gajettes- reversible headband
Renee Garner- catnip meowl
Julie*ann- polymer clay pendant
Jaime Zollars- "lift" art print
Early Jewelry- hand-carved bone necklace
Underdog Ink- vintage bell earrings
Goche Moche- kanzashi flower pin
Loula's Boutique- wavy bangle
Broken Plate Pendant Co- necklace
Mi Lado Creativo- cherry wristlet
M. Augusta Woodland- Czech glass earrings
P1UON- reversible glass drop necklace
Magickal Realism- "moon goddess" fragrance
Starving Artist Bazaar- protazoan ring
Urbanknit- zippered pouch
Zurina Ketola- crocheted silk charm necklaces
Gemdrops- brown pearl earrings
Mandrake Apothecary- 4 parfum samples

*Please take another moment to check out the sites of all the wonderful shops above to ensure that the giveaway can continue, and that you'll have another chance to win!*

Absolutely charming!

It's your life, so live it well.  That may include buying a wonderful one-of-a-kind charm necklace from It's Your Life, each made with vintage cameos, cabochons, pendants and charms to create little thematic clusters of shiny joy.  Check out a couple of my favorites below and find more wonderful creations at It's Your Life!   







   

Finger art

Take a peek at these original ring designs from Tigerlily!

Each ring is inspired by the motifs of Japanese textiles and come in a range of colors and designs.  They're made of a thin, fragile plastic so probably wouldn't be best for everyday use, but at only 6 bucks a pop you can buy a few favorites to alternate between for maximum outfit matching potential.  Find them along with lots of other jewelry goodness at Tigerlily!

Dot your i's, I mean, ears!

Take a peek at these darling new earrings at modamuse, made by Shannon McCaskill from genuine vintage kimono fabric.  I love the simplicity of the design and the idea of giving your ears just a little burst of color. 

Tuesday morning charity

Before the jewelry starts up again, I'd like to tell you about an craft auction going on to raise money for Christian Carlos- Christian is the 5 year old sole survivor of a fiery car accident that killed his mother, his grandpa and a few other family members!  So, some generous crafters have donated goods for an ebay auction to help raise money for Christian's care and his family's funeral costs.  The auction will be going on til March 4th and all monies raised will go directly to the Edith Carlos Medina Memorial Fund.  You can see all the goods up for bids on the Carlos Fund blog, and start bidding directly on ebay.

Peacocks across the pond

Here's another UK based find for you, this time from Hannah Zakari!
This gorgeous necklace is made by Rachael Lamb, the lady behind Hannah Zakari, the cool consignment boutique from across the Atlantic.  It features a wonderful, copper, silver and gold vintage pendant with a peacock design.  I LOVE the colors and art deco-ish styling.  It's strung on Swarovski crystal pearls for an added touch of class and is absolutely one-of-a-kind!  Better snatch it up fast before someone else does (perhaps me!) but if it's gone by the time you get there, never fear, Hannah Zakari has loads of other wonderful goods to adore!

The Swanky

I often get requests to feature more work from European based indie artists, so here goes!  Check out these sweet, fanciful and funky earrings from Swank!

Based out of Leeds in the UK, Becky, the creator of Swank, loves to use unusual objects such as the little lego flowers, feathers and mini light bulbs you see here.  Each jewelry creation is fun and youthful, from the lego-man necklaces to the say what you want alphabet rings, and is sure to help you reunite with that worry-free, "I don't care about matching I just wanna play with this little frog I found" kid inside of you.

Oh darling, I can't decide

Continuing on with jewelry week, I have been wanting to feature jewelry from Ach Ach Liebing for some time now, but every time I go there I just get stuck and for the life of me cannot decide what to feature!  Do I feature the adorable animal cameos?  The darling flowery hair clips?  The gorgeous golden charm earrings?  Ach Ach is right!  Well, I think I've narrowed it down to a couple of my "favorites" (a term used very loosely in this case as I'm drawn to many many pieces): these original necklaces printed with images from 19th century ornithology books and illustrations, stamps and more!  Each necklace is individually handmade, hand printed and sealed to ensure they won't bleed or fade over time.  Ach Ach I want them all!

Rollergirl

For the derby devil in your life, surprise them with this rad Shoot the Duck bracelet from Nek Jewelry! 
Features a real vintage medal from the Roller Skating Rink Operators of America Association (the preeminent association for roller skating rink operators, mind you =) and two different sizes of antique gold fill chain with freshwater pearls to accent.  A little bit tough, a little bit feminine, and very unique, this one-of-a-kind bracelet is sure to prove to all your friends that you really were a skate champ! 

I was lost and now I'm found

Not only did Betsy of Foundling help to convince me that Asheville will be a worthwhile destination for a trip this summer (and possibly residence later!) she also gave me a little glimpse into her world and her lovely lovely jewelry line, Foundling.  There are many covetable pieces, all made from vintage, recycled and found materials, helping to create beauty without creating more waste for the world.

I'm particularly fond of these winter garden earrings made from vintage lucite flower beads, and this vintage fabric necklace strung on black hemp cording.  Take a peek at more lovelies like these at Betsy's new Foundling shop and her etsy shop and find some simple beauty to integrate into your everyday. 

Keep that clavicle happy

I love the colorful delicacy of hand blown glass and have a couple pairs of earrings and pendants made of glass that are some of my most cherished.  That's why I think I was drawn to this pretty pretty drop pendant necklace from Amy Bengtson.
The gorgeous necklace on the left features handmade glass drops in any of the lovely colors you see on the right (I love that blue in the middle of the bottom row!)  I like how the drops are actually upside down, it's a cool twist on a classic jewelry shape.  Find this lovely necklace along with more glass jewelry designs and wonderful wood and silver bird pieces at Amy Bengtson jewelry!   

Site of the week: Tryst

The first jewelry find of jewelry week starts with the site of week, Tryst: by Kerry.  Visiting Tryst is like having an illicit affair with with the jewelry you've always wanted but never thought you could have: gold and feminine, dangling and sheik, vintage and modern, kitschy and charming all at the same time.  But you don't have to feel guilty about this love affair, because the best part about Tryst jewelry is that it's affordable!  Check out some of the unique vintage inspired collection:

Like lovely dangle earrings mixing vintage with contemporary:

And golden necklaces inspired by nature:

And one of a kind vintage finds:

Other favorites are these super cool rose locket rings and pretty black filigree necklace.  There's still much more to see at Tryst, combing the vintage and contemporary for a unique union- check it out for yourself!

Jewelry Week!

Since I've noticed y'all like your jewelry (it's the most clicked category) and since I have an ever growing list of jewelry designers that I'd like to share with you, I decided to dedicate a whole week just to the shiny stuff!  Starting today with the site of the week (coming up!) I'll feature all jewelry, all the time thru next Wednesday!  This will give me a chance to help me plow through some of the jewelry sites I've been meaning to feature for months and will give you more of what you're already jonesin' for!  Hurray for silver and gold and stones galore!
<3 jena

Call for Donations

Shannon of the Alabama Association for the Deaf (AAD) is seeking out donations from crafty peeps like you!  Yes, you!  They will be hosting a silent auction as a fundraiser for hearing impaired and deaf individuals, and need goods donated for the auction items!  If you have some time and goods to spare, contact Shannon directly at fitdeaf@aol.com and spread some love through crafting!

February Goodie Box Giveaway!

It's that time again, and all I know is that I was so tired of counting, after $650 I lost track.  So somewhere in and aroundst there is what all these wonderful handmade goodies are worth for the February goodie box giveaway!  And one lucky Modish newsletter subscriber will win it all!  If you're already signed up for the newsletter, you're in the running.  If not, sign up now and keep your eyes peeled for next week when the winner is announced!  Good luck!

Here are the goods (click the pic for a larger image):
Naughty Secretary Club- pony earrings
Oblinaknit- dilly lounger pet mat
Ellen Ikemoto- hand crocheted scarf
Stunning Details- amethyst drop earrings
A Planet 4 Creation- 4 notecards
Edesse Designs- 6 photo notecards
Chic 36- red corduroy tote w/ pin
Shades of Violet- thank you card set
Gajettes- reversible headband
Renee Garner- catnip meowl
Julie*ann- polymer clay pendant
Jaime Zollars- "lift" art print
Early Jewelry- hand-carved bone necklace
Underdog Ink- vintage bell earrings
Goche Moche- kanzashi flower pin
Loula's Boutique- wavy bangle
Broken Plate Pendant Co- necklace
Mi Lado Creativo- cherry wristlet
M. Augusta Woodland- Czech glass earrings
P1UON- reversible glass drop necklace
Magickal Realism- "moon goddess" fragrance
Starving Artist Bazaar- protazoan ring
Urbanknit- zippered pouch
Zurina Ketola- crocheted silk charm necklaces
Gemdrops- brown pearl earrings
Mandrake Apothecary- 4 parfum samples

Please take a moment to visit the sites of all these lovely contributors as a thank you to them.  Thank you!!!  And see ya next week when I announce the winner!  It could be yooooouuuu........

Happily Handmade Giveaway!

Tomorrow, the February Modish giveaway will be announced, but in the meantime if you're feeling the contest itch, check out the granddaddy of all indie giveaways, happily handmade!  80 indie shops have participated by donating goods to fill 51 different giftbaskets; that's a whooole lotta handmade goodness!  All you have to do to enter the contest is visit the sites of the participating sponsors!  They each have a different way to enter, from signing up for their mailing list to just emailing your name to them.  You can enter once at each site so you have 80 chances to enter and 80 chances to win!  They'll be posting pics of each of the 51 giftbaskets within the week, so check out the happily handmade site for more info and to keep up with the goods.  Entries will be accepted thru March 31st, so stop workin' and start surfin', you've got sites to see! 

Southeast discoveries

Last night in my never ending quest to find somewhere cooler to live, I was exploring the wealth of wonders that NC has to offer including Chapel Hill, the ocean, the wilderness, Carrboro, Cat's Cradle, the Handmaidens and Alena Hennessy.  Aaah, Alena Hennessy.  If you liked Alena's scarves that I posted about awhile back (which, psst...will soon be available in Modishoppe along with some other Alena goodies! quiet, don't tell...) you'll loooove her new line of textiles, all created from art looms located in the good ol' Southeast, featuring Alena's original designs.
From totes to pillows to wall hangings, everything is genuine heirloom quality and a perfect way to incorporate some beautiful craft-work into your home.  To celebrate her new designs, Alena is offering free shipping on any order now thru 2/22, so whatcha waiting for?  Start shopping!

ps: just wrote more about my seeking out NC on my personal blog- if you feel like offering me some advice, I'm in need of some, badly! =(