wishing you the luck of the irish!

"Saint Patrick's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It  commemorates Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.[2] ...the day was made an official feast day in the early 17th century, and has gradually become a celebration of Irish culture in general.[4].
Originally, the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew.^[18] Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century.^[19] He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day." - courtesy of good ol' wikipedia.

enjoy that green beer kids, especially tomorrow morning...

a new shipment of 'native' for kids - just in time for spring break!

i have to tell you, they are great for kids. here are just a few scenarios:

rainy day boots? tuck these light weight shoes into their packs so they can take off their boots and slip into these for indoor play!
going on a road trip? what better than to wear them on those long car rides, easy to slip on and off - especially if your final destination is a warm one.
going on an airplane?  why put them through the misery of having to lace up their shoes when they have to take them off in security?  we already have our hands full with other things, with natives - they can do it themselves.
going to the pool? perfect!
to the beach? even better. they'll protect those cute little toes better than the open toed/sandal option.

really, the scenarios are almost endless.  come in and try a pair on for yourself, i know you wanna match your little one....  ; )

"the feisty, freedom loving spirit of JanSport is a direct byproduct of...

the Wild West" really.  in his book, 'The Hippie Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder & Other Mountains' , Skip Yowell, one of the 3 founders, tells a pretty great story.

we're proud to be stocking their heritage collection:

 the 'off-trail': water resistant nylon, antique brass metal zippers, adjustable seat belt straps, abrasion resistant base

the 'wayback' offer the same great features as the 'off-trail', but with a different silouhette

the 'heads up': cordura fabric, leather grab handle, converts 3 ways to carry

the 'hoss': cordura fabric, leather bottom, top-loading

these styles, colours and more are now found in shop and start at $52. 

fun facts:

• JanSport was founded in the 60's in Washington State, by cousins Skip and Murray, and Murray's girlfriend at the time, Jan
• Murray won an award for creating the first adjustable aluminum frame for a backpack
• JanSport were the first to design the infamous dome tent
• they bought the first bolt of fabric DuPont created called Cordura, to use for their prototype daypacks - their biggest breakthrough in raw material (i'd say so!)

honestly i could go on and on with fun facts, the more i learn about JanSport the more i love what they've created.  and this heritage collection is handsome, yet playful and functional.  

"just remember, for the pioneer, life is an adventure and the path is unknown.  but for those with a passion for their dreams, no mountain is too high" - skip yowell

are you drinking your 8 glasses of water a day?

call me crazy, but water out of a nice vessel makes drinking 8 glasses that much more appealing when on the go.
plastic water bottles? we all know that's not an option. and while i appreciate stainless steel, i like being able to see what i'm drinking and that 'tin-y' taste?  no thanks.
so began the hunt for a good lookin' glass water bottle.  here's what we found:

not only is it good looking, but it  will greatly reduce the accumulation of plastic water bottles in landfills and are free of any toxic chemicals.

• No more plastic or metal taste
• Keeps water pure & fresh
• Silicone jacket provides soft grip & protects the glass bottle
• Airtight leakproof twist cap
• Bottle & silicone are dishwasher safe
• BPA free

here's to being more hydrated!

a huge and humble thank you.

now this was a pleasant surprise.

for all of you who thought of us and think of us, we can't thank you enough.

xo caroline and daniel

'naturally' beautiful jewellery...

one of the things that stands out about these pieces is the use of natural materials.  take these 'cement pearls':

"...modeled on classic pearl studs, each concrete sphere is cast by hand and set onto a sterling silver post. with wear, the colour of the earrings will deepen as the concrete is exposed to the air and the oils from your skin." beautiful.

"the name Metsa comes from the Estonian phrase “minu väike metsa maja”, which means “my little house in the forest.”

when I was young my grandfather and I built a tree fort on a small property they owned north of toronto. when I started this company, I decided on the name Metsa not only because it reminds me of my grandfather but becasue it is the only word in the phrase that is pronounced virtually the same in Estonian and English. every item represents our belief that a piece’s value comes from its narrative; how it was made, who created it, why, and how it is worn."

made of red clay, these pieces are so lovely...and have been recently featured in this month's vancouver magazine.  designed and handmade right here in our neighbourhood. 

again, made here in vancouver these resin pieces are punchy and heaps of fun. 

available in store in celery, ivory and smoke; we have earrings and necklaces too.

a stockholm story.

"Founded by Anders Färdig, Design House Stockholm have distinguished ourselves as a publisher of design rather than a conventional producer, working in the same way with designers that publishing houses work with authors. We look for products that add something new to their genre, products with personality and character. The ambition is to be a mirror of the very best Scandinavian design today - the term ‘Scandinavian’ referring to a philosophic and aesthetic perspective, rather than geography and nationality. To gather a collection of design classics with timeless appeal and qualities that outlives temporary trends. These are the foundations of Design House Stockholm."

 i'd say those are excellent foundations on which to build a company, no? 

this sexy stepladder was awarded 'furniture piece of the year' by Elle Interiör.  the jury noted that Step is “a talented design of an often neglected piece of furniture”.

Read more at www.elleinterior.se