The time has come for me to take a bit of a “blogging break”! I’ve been working on a new project for months now, and as it’s getting closer and closer to launching, I’ve had less time to write here. So, in the meantime I’m going to have to take a break from posting – I do hope you’ll check back in a few months, I’ll resume blogging and will be announcing my new project here too!

Image above is from Irene Suchocki – Click here to visit her shop

~Posted by: Amy

PS I’ve temporarily turned off comments as too much spam was coming through – I’ll turn these back on when I return! To reach me in the meantime, please do feel free to email me here: amy@handmadeevolution.com

More gorgeous handmade jewellery to share with you today! Pittsburgh based designer, Amy, creates delicate porcelain jewelry with vintage ceramic decals. Her online store – Red Raven Shop, is stocked to the brim with pretty necklaces, earrings, belt buckles, and more.

Click here to visit her shop.

On a side note – this will probably be my last post for this week – was under the weather earlier in the week and now staring down lots of deadlines. Back to the regular schedule next week!

Spotlight – Handmade in Vancouver

It’s always so fun to find a new shop from a local seller whose work you love! Last night I came across this gorgeous handmade jewellery from Sadie Designs and I’m very glad I did. I know it’s still 2 months away, but I’m already starting to add items like this to my Christmas wish list! You can purchase Sarah and Jennifer’s work online here, or in Vancouver at Dream and Little Dream.

~Posted by: Amy

I’ve had my eyes on some wonderful etsy shops stocking airplants and succulents for quite some time now – and before too long I think I need to make a few of these gorgeous pieces my own. Above I’ve shown just a few of my favorites, I know it’ll be tough to decide which ones to get!

Featured shops:
1). Tortoise Loves Donkey 2). Mudpuppy 3). To Hold

The weekend is almost here – and I’m pretty excited to go shopping for Hallowe’en costumes and for some r&r. Hope yours is great!

~Posted by: Amy

I came across this gorgeous shop from Toronto tonight and knew right away I wanted to share it here. I’ve got it marked down as one to visit the next time I’m in the city. Coriander Girl is one part floral boutique, one part gift shop – and all parts pretty. I love the laid back vibe of the shop and Alison Westlake is clearly a skilled floral designer. The gift shop carries a great selection of handmade items from Toronto and all around North America. Fingers crossed Alison opens an online store one day too!

~Posted by: Amy

Fun news! Forsya is inviting shoppers down for a special night of VIP shopping this Thursday, October 14th – you’ll get 20% off all designs and the opportunity to celebrate the launch of Forsya’s Fall Collection while sipping wine and enjoying appies. If you haven’t stopped by Forsya before, it’s a great boutique featuring Canadian and local talent – clothing, jewelry and more. The event starts at 7:30 at 2206 Main St. in Vancouver this Thursday.

They carry Montreal indie fashion designer, Eve Gravel’s line (pictured above), whose fall collection looks just gorgeous!

To the Canadians – hope you had a great long weekend.

~Posted by: Amy

Thanksgiving Table Settings

It’s just about that time in these parts – yes, Thanksgiving! I know my American friends and family don’t celebrate for another month or so. But here in Canada we like to celebrate a little bit early. So, this Monday, many a Canadian will be enjoying turkey with all the fixings. As someone who doesn’t find my way into the kitchen to cook as often as I should, mainly due to my crazy work schedule (10:30am-12am most days) I can’t wait for our family dinner, for both the great company and the food!

I thought it was a good time to get festive here on the blog too so I found some fun Thanksgiving table settings from this gallery on Martha Stewart, and this one on Country Living.

And if leading into the weekend you’d like a giggle or two – check out this Martha Stewart blooper reel. So funny!

Hope your weekend is great!

~Posted by: Amy

If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile you’ll know my taste is all over the place, especially when it comes to home decor! As I collect inspiration here – with hopes of some day having a home that we know we’ll be settling in long term – I’m finding my tastes are becoming even more varied. One thing I do know – I like white, and great color combinations, often with some bright colors thrown in. I’m even starting to wonder – is it weird to have each room of your home in a totally different style? I would love a kitchen inspired by Johnny Vintage, or even by the paintings of Janet Hill – and then a living room that is much more understated and modern. One thing I know is that I don’t love the process of narrowing it down, and I’m glad that for now I can keep daydreaming!

All pictures above are from Johnny Vintage – click here to visit Johnny Vintage’s shop.

~Posted by: Amy

I’d never heard of it referred to as “The Golden Hour” until I stumbled upon this treasury… And with dusk being my favorite time of day, and these pictures representing it so beautifully – I thought I’d post them here today.

~Posted by: Amy

Thanks to my friend Hilary I’ve got another wonderful indie fashion line from New Zealand to share with you today! It’s fun to hear about the goings on in other countries, and the success of their indie designers. This particular line, Starfish – from what I hear – is the talk of the town there. Not only do they manufacture all of their pieces in New Zealand, they won the sustainable business award in 2007. Their collections are so wearable, and I’m a huge fan of not only their current collection, but their last collection was gorgeous too.

~Posted by: Amy