Modish

Weight lifting not required

It takes a strong girl indeed to do what we indie business women do.  Work all day at day jobs (that we're at least somewhat interested in, hopefully) and then work all night on our passions be it beads, screen-printing, sorting through vintage ephemera, or what have you.  For Michelle Kendrick, of Strong Girl Inc, it's sewing.  After putting in her daytime hours at an art gallery, she comes home to her sewing machine and creates one-of-a-kind tops for her fellow strong girls that are looking for something a little different than what the local mall has to offer.  Check out one of her uber-cute latest creations, Roxie:
Made from grey t-shirt material, the white flutter sleeves are girly and sweet, and the little pink button placket adds a delicate, feminine touch.  Each one of Michelle's designs are reconstructed from vintage materials, and no two are ever alike.  As a strong, independent female, you deserve clothing that's as unique as you are.  (Sorry for the "motivational speaker" tone of the prior sentence, but it's true!)  So, take a stroll on over to Strong Girl, and treat yourself to something that'll make you feel as beautiful as you are.  (Dang, the cheesiness is just unavoidable, I'm feeling ooey gooey today...)

Full circle

After I started Modish, one of the first people that e-mailed me to see if I could check out their site was Christopher from Circle Jewelry.  Well, I didn't forget about you Chris, I've been checkin' things out, and there's lots to love on the site.  One of my favorite items is this necklace with lightweight tag pendants made from sterling silver and brass, hung from a leather cord.  It's a simple way to dress up a casual outfit, and was handcrafted with lots of love by Christopher.  He's been making jewelry for 15 years, and boy, it sure does show!  Take a gander at all the goods, which are surprisingly affordable for such high quality materials, at Circle Jewelry.

Horton hears a little who?

Another Portland find (can you tell I've got Portland on the brain?  I'ma comin', just you NWerners wait!), hurrah!  Check out this hand-sewn, super unique, devilishly clever postcard from Little Who.  Who? 
Little Who, a Buy Olympia artiste, has crafted these postcards to keep your privates private and enlist jealousy from roommates because you receive way cooler mail than they do.  They each come with paper sewn on the back that you can tell your tales of woe on, and then fold up, stamp, and send!  Now your words will remain secret for their intended viewer, no more mailman knowing your bisnatch.  Plus, they come in many more vintagey designs, all of which are available at Buy Olympia.  To the north, my friends!

SITE OF THE WEEK: Button Arcade

Another one of the first indie businesses that inspired me to go for it is Button Arcade.  Packed full of adorable, their "I heart" buttons are a throw back to my 80's childhood, and their belly buttons are an awesome way to announce a new child to be!  Based in Portland, my neighbors to the north are constantly crafting up new buttons to add some personality to your messenger bag, purse, or perhaps your luggage!  I don't think anyone would mistake their black suitcase for your black suitcase if yours had an "I <3 FEET" button on it.  Just a thought.  Check out some of my favorite goodies from the arcade-

Their alpha buttons can spell out your secret messages:

Their artsy buttons can add some personality to your gear:

Plus, they're not just buttons!  These felted mirrors are a big hit:

And, these irked pincushions (my favorite) are too adorable:

Everything you see here has a price that is right (um, very inexpensive) plus there's free shipping on all order over $5!  And, if you're feeling particularly artistic, but don't have the means to craft your own button, they'll create somethin' custom for you, they're just that good.  So, save up some quarters, raid your little brothers piggy bank if you have to, and head on over to the Button Arcade to cash in on some cute!

It's a tie!

Yet another ingenious way to shed new light on old neckties: bags!  Donda Designs makes one-of-a-kind shoulder bags, totes, messenger style bags and backpacks entirely out of old silk and polyester ties!  They're unique, totally cool, and come in a bunch of different color themes. 
I especially like the little tote style, seen here, which is the the perfect size for a day of shopping when you just need your wallet, a bottle of water (shopping requires hydration!) and a cel phone to call for back-up in case you can't make up your mind between the Sevens or the Paper Denims because they both make your butt look goooood.  So, before your next jean shopping expenditure, mosey on over to Donda Designs to check out the vast plethora of colors and styles available.

See yourself with a stache

Dreams of being a copper?  Or perhaps a 70's era porn star?  Well, now you can see yourself better in those roles with this rad "self portrait mirror" by The Design Can. 

Made in Brooklyn by Steven and Jeannie, these acrylic mirrors are laser cut with hip, funny designs so you can see yourself a little differently every day.  They'd be perfect for eyeballing yourself in that new top, because you just can't help but smile looking into one of these!  Aside from the 'stache, you can see yourself with a bird singing on your shoulder, with deer antlers, or with a hawk about to snatch you up.  Really, this is more pleasant than I'm making it sound.  Check out the other designs at Elsewares, where else? 

This one's mine!

Ooooh, I think I'm gonna be placing an order real soon here.  If you haven't yet noticed, I like clothes, a lot.  Especially green ones.  Red-head, green eyes and all, it's my favorite color to wear.  And, as soon as I saw this, I realized, it must be mine!  Hand screen-printed onto an American Apparel tank, this Wild Garden find is oh so pretty and perfect for (my) your summer wardrobe.  Hailing allllll the way from Australia, sisters Nancy and Jessica Lim create apparel and accessories inspired by the environment around them, and lucky for us, they recently set up their online shop and can now spread their wonderful wears to everyone in the world!  Plus, they're thoughtful, and are donating a portion of all their profits to UNICEF.  Annnd, they're even having a 10% off grand opening sale!  Wow, thank goodness for Aussies, eh?

Easy, breezy...

With the havoc the weather is causing across the country, you may be experiencing some breezy days ahead.  Well, don't fret, because Michelle Smith can help pin your hair back in style.  Check out these bobby pins:
Made from durable plastic, the teal and white graphic motif is flirty and cute and will go perfectly with a flouncy white skirt or a teal tunic.  There's also some cute red and white pins (I'm just partial to teal) which is a verrrry hip color combo right now.  So when the days become blustery and you're tired of your hair flying in your face, think Michelle Smith, where you'll find these and more great accessories. 

The price of femininity

Simple and sweet, cameos embody class and femininity, both of which I find myself lacking in at times.  That's why I just love these rings from Ornamental Things.  They're girly and cute, yet refined and womanly.  Plus, for only $12 a pop, you can buy yourself some class for a un-pretentious price.  

You can choose from either peach or brown, and find lots of other vintage inspired goodies made by Natalie Tischler, who's always classy.

Hot enough for ya?

Pinstripes are notoriously hot.  Black lace is, and always will be, hot.  And jade green is the hottest color of the season!  Why won't someone put all of those things together to make one, super hot something or other?  Well, now someone has!  Check out this wonderful Elaine Perlov tube top, complete with all the necessary "hot" ingredients, plus it's an essential summer must have.  The long stretch mesh bodice is super flattering and the tube top factor will highlight those pretty shoulders of yours.  Check it out, along with a matching pinstripe skirt at elianeperlov.com. 
PS: This "hot" update has been brought to you by the release of Paris Hilton's new single, "Stars are blind", the worst thing to happen to music since 1987.