Chasing Charlie

I couldn't resist sharing this adorable new notebook line from CharlieBoy Press. Created and printed right here in Canada but full of international charm! Geri Jewitt is the talented designer behind both The Languid Lion and this boutique letterpress shop (she also produces the templates for The Kirigami Project - busy lady!)

CharlieBoy Press was inspired by a love for letterpress and love for one special dog - Charlie the Airedale! I think, whether you're a dog lover, a travel lover or a paper goods lover, you'll find these limited edition letterpressed notebooks pretty irresistible. Wouldn't they be great as stocking stuffers? Each one even comes with it's own Chasing Charlie pencil!

The Chasing Charlie series imagines Charlie jet setting around the globe to popular places like Paris, New York, Tokyo & London. Do you have a favourite? I'm pretty partial to Yorkshire!

Find the whole Chasing Charlie series here.

Eye Candy - Miyahara Hazuki

Stumbled across Japanese artist Miyahara Hazuki's work on Pinterest and simply had to share!

I love how playful and colourful this work is. The fluidity - magic!

Miyahara creates under the name hacco - see more work here, check out hacco's blog or discover other artists in the site's excellent link section.

On Pinterest? Come see what's inspiring us lately!

Send Pretty Mail #21 - Cotton & Flax

I have a pretty unabashed love for postcards - so, this month, Send Pretty Mail is putting down the envelope and embracing the simple (yet stunning) postcard!


I've actually been dreaming of a postcard art gallery for some time now. Art prints all in postcard form - perfect for framing, or for sending, or even for sending and then framing. Fun, right?


When I stumbled across these hand silkscreened postcards from Cotton & Flax, I knew I needed to include them in postcard month. The patterns are so wonderful - and the cardstock is 100% recycled. Love that!


Plus, I find it really hard not to love anything hot pink. It's a weakness!

Are you a fan of postcards too? At the end of the month, we'll be giving away a fantastic selection of postcards for your own collection. Stay tuned for that!

Want to receive some pretty mail in YOUR mailbox? Send me a note at info@omiyage.ca with your mailing address and a little something about yourself. I'll be making a list and choosing new friends to send mail to each month. And don't worry if you don't hear back from me right away - if you send your info, you should find a pretty piece of mail headed your way some time this year!

Handmade Find - Fashion. love, Africa

How fantastic are these bags from Fashion. love, Africa?

Each bag is handwoven out of used plastic bags by women who live in the Gioto Garbage Slum in Kenya. $25 from each purchase goes directly towards sending children from the slum to boarding school and helps to break the cycle of poverty.

You can read more about the story and the people behind the bags here.

Handmade Find - The Link Collective

I have a bit of an obsession with furoshiki - Japanese wrapping cloths - and The Link Collective's are particularly fantastic. Great contemporary design combined with traditional Japanese craftsmanship is never a bad thing, right? The large sized furoshikis can be used as scarves, for wrapping gifts, for carrying all manner of objects. Add one of Link's leather straps, and you can even turn one of these multi-taskers into a purse!

Check out the full collection in their etsy shop. Discover different ways to tie a furoshiki. Connect via Facebook or Twitter.

Eye Candy - Fric de Mentol

Portuguese artist Ana Raimundo creates the loveliest things for her shop Fric de Mentol. Gocco prints and paintings and gorgeous embroidery and more. Heavily influenced by nature and her own nomadic lifestyle, Ana's works are full of quirk. How can you not fall (veggie) head over heels in love with her characters? I'm particularly enamoured with her Big Headed Women!

See more of Ana's work in her Etsy shop and connect with the artist via Facebook or Flickr.

Handmade Find - Happy Piece

How gorgeous are these bracelets & baskets from Happy Piece? The colours are so joyful - and I think you'll love the story behind the brand too.

Happy Piece works with women in Rwanda to design and create bright & beautiful accessories and housewares. Each piece is handcrafted from natural & sustainable materials and each purchase helps the women involved lift themselves out of poverty. You just have to love a product which not only looks beautiful, but feels beautiful too!

As for me, I can't decide whether I need a wall full of baskets or an armload of colourful bracelets. Maybe both?

Find your happy piece in the shop. Read more of the story behind the work here.  Connect with Happy Piece via Twitter or Facebook.

Eye Candy - Natsko Seki

Illustrator Natsko Seki's Four Season series has me homesick for the Japanese seasons - the frothy pink sakura trees of early Spring, steamy Summer night skies alive with fireworks, the bright red of Autumn woods, and cold Winter days snuggled under the kotatsu. Of course, it helps that Natsko's work is so very lovely!

You can find more of Natsko's illustration work over on her website.

Handmade Find - Falconwright

Falconwright is a coveted (and covetable) line of yummy leather goods created by Toronto-based Sandi Falconer and Danielle Wright.  The screenprinted leather bags, wallets and pouches are available in limited edition colours and patterns each season - I'm loving the white watermelon print from the Spring line!

Visit Falconwright online and check out their fresh Spring 2013 lookbook. Pick up your own handcrafted piece in their online shop. Connect via Twitter or see what Sandi & Danielle are up to on the Falconwright blog.

Handmade Find - HOMAKO

Los Angeles based designer Yoko Minemura creates playful origami inspired jewelry and accessories out of felt and fabric. Her brand, HOMAKO, is designed to make you happy and I really do think sporting one of these fun pieces would make you smile!

Find HOMAKO on Etsy or connect with Yoko via Flickr.

Eye Candy - Emily Green

Emily Green's watercolour dots were popping up all over Pinterest yesterday, and I simply couldn't resist sharing them with you here!

Based in Melbourne, Emily creates lovely handmade goods and art bursting with colour and pattern. You can find out more about Emily on her site, purchase art & goods here or here, and follow along with her bloggy adventures.

Handmade Find: Mrs Eliot Books

Oh you washi tape fanatics - this handmade find is a treat for you! Francesca Iannoccone creates lovely stationery and housewares under the name Mrs Eliot Books. Her art prints are full of playful colour, patterns and shapes, but I think you'll be enamoured with her washi tape inspired housewares - like trays, cutting boards and cushions. You can even dress your iPhone in a washi tape case. So fun, right?!

You can shop Mrs Eliot Books here, via Etsy or Society6. Connect with Francesca over on her blog, Facebook page or see what she's loving lately on Pinterest.

Handmade Find - Quill & Fox

I've had a stationery crush on Yas Imamura's Quill & Fox design studio for quite awhile now. I ordered a few Hello Cards for the Send Pretty Mail project and they're even better in person than online! Don't you love when that happens?

Whether you're on the hunt for the perfect card for Valentine's Day, a birthday or everyday, I think you'll love Quill & Fox too. You can visit Quill & Fox online, shop on Etsy, check out the blog, and connect via Twitter or Facebook.

Eye Candy - Sandra Javera

Blues

Mirror / Booklet

Embroidery Studies

Don't you love it when a single pin leads you down the rabbit hole? Fantastic washi tape collages led me right to artist Sandra Javera. The Brazilian-born illustrator lives and works in New York where she creates playful and colourful work - I especially enjoyed exploring the experimental section on her site.

See more of Sandra's work here. Follow along on her blog. Connect via Facebook or Flickr.