LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY!!! {can you tell I’m a little excited?!} I ordered the little ballet slipper bag from the fabulous gals at Chria…it’s for my niece…AND, they sent me the adorable tree purse as a sweet surprise! Oh my!!

Everything about the package was cute…the illustrations on the box…the handmade cards…adorable packaging. I’m just blown away at every little detail on their items….Tiny beads, layers of fabric, embellishments galore. Their site just can’t do it all justice. And they are absolutely the sweetest gals, too! Totally made my day!

Hurrah for the internet!! I just love getting to know gals from far-flung places…like Puppy and Chris from Chria, in Brazil. They are long-time readers of my blog, and have a super cute blog of their own, as well as an online shop. Their shop oozes with cuteness…pillows, purses, scrapbooks…lots of hearts, flowers and bright colors, all handmade with incredible detailing. I asked for some photos, and they sent me the layout above! They also make custom nurse uniforms…adorable!

Everything is so festive…get me out of this freezing cold and off to Brazil!

The handbags from Denise Tjarks couldn’t be more fun! Many of them are made from repurposed mu’umu’us and vintage Hawaiian fabrics which makes them bright and cheery! Perfect for spring and summer…or if you’re lucky enough to live in paradise *sigh*

I love the name of this little London based biz: Zippy Lovelock…and I also love that she uses old leather goods to make her cute bags. Take, for example, the bowling bag {top, left}…it came from a beanbag maker, and it’s next stop was a landfill…that is, before Zippy Lovelock got a hold of it, and crafted it into a fantastic bag!! Great!

I’ve been looking for a new laptop bag or briefcase lately…and I’ve found quite a few that I love. But, it seems like the ones I like the most are in the $500 range. Apparently, making a bee line to the most expensive item in a store is a fine-tuned skill I’ve developed over the years.

I was really happy to find the messenger bags from Stash on 1000 Markets. Theirs are moderately priced – just under $100, and even that cute green clutch is about $50! I love the use of vintage plaids and pinstripe suiting…and the little leather clasps are a nice detail too!

I think Ohio based, TsuruBride is my new favorite designer. Not just because of the name, and story behind it, {read about it here…I’m a huge *Decemberists fan too} but because you just can’t go wrong with a gold lamé dog purse!! Seriously. All her items are adorable. TsuruBride will be at Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago on the 12th and 13th, so I look forward to seeing her goods in all their fabulousness in person!

*If you don’t know the Decemberists, you should give them a listen…the older their music, the better it is, in my humble opinion…

I’ve never been much of a designer handbag girl. Though, I do have a Hayden Harnett that I’ve carried for over a year now…and I occasionally lust over Chloe bags. Other than that, I tend to go for whatever happens to catch my eye.

Our booth at last week’s show was across from Brynn, handbag designer extroradinaire. Brynn offers handbags made in Chicago, and designed by herself. Brynn bags are really well made, the leather is buttery, and her style is simple and stylish. I especially love the bag on the top left.

I didn’t realize until I read her “about me” section that she’s a California girl too…I’ll have to have a little chat with her about that!

All of the cute bags and things from  Sweetgum Handbags are crafted by Kim in North Carolina. She’s an ecology grad student by day, seamstress by night. I couldn’t choose a favorite from the bags {and ipod holder} above. I love them all. She uses some nice fabrics too…even repurposed upholstery fabrics!

The handbags from Emma Gordon London are described by the owner/creator as “ladylike with a twist”. The perfect description, I think! I love the one with the little flower {above}. Plenty of color combinations are available on Emma’s site! Very sweet.

Chicago based Noon Solar designs stylish bags with solar panels built into one side. The panel charges a little battery which can charge your phone or ipod! It’s a great idea! Not only are they functional, but the material is hand dyed with natural dyes, and are crafted from biodegradable material. I adore the cream bag {above right}. Beautiful!