Handmade

Asian-Inspired Fun For Back to School!

DIY thing on Aug 31, 2009 2:21 PM PDT

We've been surfing our favorite sites looking at back-to-school fashion and we keep finding ourselves drawn to fun, Asian-inspired looks. becky oh!'s Japanese Retro Wristlet will add style to your wrist for $35 and can be found at What Designers. The bright, funky print is made from Japanese linen. If you want an elegant look, check out the designer Hairpin Flowers Silk Chiffon Scarf by Yosifa Silk - get it at Smashing Darling. And for just plain fun during the school day, you will want one of these handmade Fortune Tellers from Sycamore Street Press. And there are a host of fun totes and bags at Tokyomade. Check out ColorCult's Winged Tote, or the Vintage Obi Messenger, an original, hand made bag by Japanese designer Honmonoya. And Ichigo Seijin's Bento Box bag is pure fun. See all of our picks in our slideshow!

Tags : school supplies , school bag , school , retro , handmade

Designers Love Hand-Made Textile Pieces

DIY thing on Aug 11, 2009 4:22 PM PDT

We recently fell in love with Fancy Picnic, a hot new company on the DIY scene. UK Designer Charlotte creates multi-textural pieces that will help you add those finishing touches to your favorite outfits. Charlotte loves working with gorgeous textiles, silken threads, luscious braids, vintage buttons and sparkly beads as she creates a variety of wearable jewelry. And the bright colors will spice up your late summer and fall outfits. We've also found some of our other favorite designers dishing up some tempting textile eye candy. Check out gorgeous necklaces by 7thMagpie, Shagpile, and Kirev8. And if you need an elegant neutral piece, All Things Pretty's "Once Upon A Time" necklace for $195 is a must see. This dreamy piece, made from layers of lace, vintage and antique, crocheted and tatted - it is a real work of art. Check out our slideshow for some more handmade designer textile pieces.

Tags : textiles , textile designer , textile , shagpile , handmade

Indie T-Shirts For The Guy In Your Life

DIY thing on Jun 23, 2009 10:23 AM PDT

The guy in your life-- he's pretty special, funny, sweet, always thinks of you-- okay, so we may be stretching it. But he's your man, and he just might have a birthday coming up or maybe you just want to pick him up a little something, because I'm sure he just bought you a dozen roses or took you to the ballet. Well, check out these t-shirts from indie artists. For the music lover, a "Sheet Music" t-shirt by Isotope will do the job. For the guy in your life that is going away-- the "We Should Keep In Touch" t-shirt. Got to love this one-- "The Man Behind The Belly"-- the perfect gift for the expecting father. And if your man would wear it, give him Pinkvelvetpress' "I Heart My Wife" t-shirt. If you are looking to buy for yourself, the "Ex-Girlfriend" t-shirt is sure to bring a few laughs amongst the guys. Take a look at the slideshow for more indie t-shirts!

Tags : t-shirts , t-shirt , style , indie , handmade

Shop DIYthing's Favorite Handmade Wedding Favors On Etsy!

DIY thing on Jun 21, 2009 5:27 AM PDT

Wedding planning can be super stressful, with all the lists you have to make and the shopping trips that will pile up, but that shouldn't stop you from finding special gifts and wedding favors for your wedding party and other guests. We've rounded up some of the best handmade gifts that your friends and family are sure to remember for years to come. We have luxurious edible sweets from Fat Daddy Sweets and personalized wine cork place card holders by CorkeyCreations. Toybreaker, our favorite indie tie design shop, has a special set of ties for your groomsmen. Handmade gifts are great for offering personalized, custom pieces like the handmade engraved stones by SJ Engraving. And, you will be sure to notice that wedding planning will be less stressful, as you can order these, and other handmade wedding favors, online at Etsy. Check out our slideshow to see them all.

Tags : edible , etsy , groomsmen , handmade

Hot In The Hive: Rebound Designs Book Bags

Alex Gambardella on Jun 18, 2009 6:18 AM PDT

Attention all bookworms and bag snobs! Despite the well-known cliche, we've all judged a book by its cover. We haven't all, however, ripped that cover off of its book and turned it into a super cool handmade handbag! Rebound Designs does just that, recycling old or damaged hardcover books and transforming some of your favorite new and classic titles into cute, fully-functional and collapsible totes. From Little Women to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you can browse by title or just pick your favorite color and design combo -- you can even contact the creators to donate your own used book for a fully-customized creation! It would still be super-dorky of you, but I think this is a much wiser way to wear your Twilight fandom on your arm than that tattoo you were considering...

Price: about $130 and up, depending on the design
Who Found It: xgalexy was the first to add Book Bags to the Hive.

Tags : twilight , recycled , rebound designs , purses , handmade

Artisan Hand Blown Glass Rings

Lisanne Silverman on May 21, 2009 5:13 AM PDT

I came across a jewelry designer while I was visiting my sister in Boston that makes hand blown glass cocktail rings along with other types of jewelry. Some are transparent others are cloudy and opaque. Glass rings come in a myriad of colors. The inspiration for these rings comes from the Murano glass artisans located on the Venetian island of Murano. The ring actually looks like a stone but because it's a piece of hand blown artisan designed glass, it's much more affordable than other oversized cocktail rings. What I like about blown glass is that each piece is unique. Every time I wear my glass ring, someone asks me what kind of stone it is! So it's up to you if you want to explain that it's an interesting piece of hand-blown glass... or if you want to make up a story about some sort of rare, precious gem!

From our friends at TheFind.

Tags : artisan , glass , handmade , italy