Modish Guest Blog

a super handmade collection - portland's edith and edna

i'm wrapping my guest blogging stint up today with a final post about one of my favorite places in portland to find handmade goodies.

edith and edna on exchange street in the old port is a bright and cheerful space full of local and web-favorite handmade items.

local favorites include bobbin bags and clothing by betsy scheintaub, milo in maine adult + kids shirts, lulubeans yarns, buttons by pixiegenne, handmade baby clothes + bags by soulemama, pinecone + chickadee shirts and papergoods, sewn goodies and mixed media collage by betsy thompson, and much more.

they also carry  dovetail ceramics (a personal favorite of mine - i love the square mugs,) collages and owls by leya at curious bird, nikki mcclure prints and calendars, walter and veronica scarves (i got one for christmas and haven't taken it off since. really) and cd cases, lovely stuff from alena hennessy, wonderful books from if'n books + marks, a wide selection of craft books, and tons more.

my pictures are a bit dark because it was a rainy day when i visited, but i bet you can get a sense of how wonderful the shop is. most definitely worth a visit next time you're in portland!  thanks to shop owners brandie and julie for letting me come by and snap some pictures.

i've had a great time guest blogging this week, and i hope i've given you all a good sense of what a great town the east coast portland is. i didn't come close to covering everything here, but i've tried to show you a good smattering!
thanks so much to jena for inviting me to make these posts this week.
cheers, jen

Ahpeele

For the guys: Ahpeele's origami lightning tshirt is a navy blue Alternative Apparel tee screenprinted four times in a semi-transparent ink. The result is subtle, stunning, yet very wearable. The design wraps around to the backside as well, a cool feature, one that we don't see often on guys' gear.

Timber!

Timber's old man maze shirt combines an illustration of a grizzled old timer with a maze! Yes, hidden in the beard and hat of the old man illustration is a secret maze. The solution appears printed on the tag of the shirt. It's an article of clothing and a game, all in one! The shirt is available in several sizes so you can pick up one for yourself and your own old man.

I'm also a fan of the village v-neck tshirt, also by Timber. I love how intricate the asymmetrical design is and how the neckline cuts into it, ever so slightly. It really is like wearing a work of art but the black ink on gray shirt keeps it from feeling too busy, even though the print is quite detailed.

Let's hear it for the boys!

Okay, I know Jena got to it first, but I think it's a little harder to shop for guys out in indie world, so I put together a little something for the fellas.   But really, let's  face it, all of these things are rad enough to please anyone on your list, no matter their chromosomes.

For the Engineer: A Waterproof Paper Maché Water Tower by upintheairsomewhere begs to have a new home this holiday season. . . for a mere $12!! (found via decor8)

For the Sophisticate: 6 Pack Wine Rack by Etcetera Media is stylish and sophisticated and earth friendly! $40 available through Vitamin D(esign) Shop.

 

The Closet Geek:
I think my Mr. would be supremely disappointed if I don't get him another Superfantastico Tee ($25). In our house their t-shirts are a holiday tradition, and since you're checking them out, also check out the Lucha Libre Notecards ($9) which are getting wrapped up for one of my big bros.

For Dreamers and stargazers alike: I can never get over the beauty that comes out of Sub-Studio.  I have the Abyssal screen print on my studio wall, and I'm not embarrassed to window shop their wares regularly.  The Celestial Extinction Series is amazing as a print, or can be cut and folded into a beautiful paper box worthy of being called sculpture.  $25.      

And for the commitmentphobe:  Keri Smith's books and journals are inspirational, funny,  and thick with intelligence.   If you have a  guy hanging around who can't seem to stick to his guns, well, there couldn't be a more subtly humorous gift out there!    Perhaps it will encourage a little super glue resolve, too! $15 through One Good Bumblebee.