Heartful Handmade Blog

unique and colorful handmade leather shoes

These artsy shoes are dancing on my happy button and I can't stop smiling.  Are they just too cool, or what?  But don't let their whimsical styling fool you.  These handmade shoes are high-quality and made to last.  The leather is permanently colored and highly durable, and the painted toe designs are sealed into the leather.  With sizing options for men, women, and children, Mark and Cody Carter, at KoolShoos in Prescott, Arizona, will make them to fit your artistic sense of style and your feet.  It's easy.  You select a basic style:  High-top, Low-top, or Mary Jane.  You pick one of the 27 toe designs.  There are birds and alligators and frogs and flowers and lots of other cool images.  Then you pick a main color from a nice selection of solids and fanciful prints.  You also get to select trim and shoelace colors.  So when you put it all together you have a pair of shoes that are unusual and uniquely styled.  So click on over and check out these very cool handmade KoolShoos shoes for yourself.  The high-top style shown is $135.

yesterday's charm unleashed in a bracelet for today

It took me forever to select this gorgeous bracelet to feature.  That's because the shop where I found it, Unleashed, has so many nice handmade jewelry pieces on display.  I finally settled on this one, Titanic Dreams, because aquamarine is my birthstone and it just seemed to be speaking to me.  Shop owner and jewlery artist Mollie Carey has a very distinctive way of combining silver, gemstones, and pearls. Her artistry finds expression in richly opulent pieces that combine the romance of yesteryear with a thoroughly modern, hip and funky pizzaz.  She's got a good selection of charm bracelets, earrings, and necklaces, so click on over to check the very cool handmade jewelry at Unleased for yourself.  This bracelet is $72.

heirloom quality handmade memory book

In our modern world of electronic communication, this gorgeous handmade wooden book feels especially special.  A single blue and black feather shows through the window carved on the front cover.  And the binding is designed to allow the book to lay flat when open.  This polished cherry wood book is 10" x 7^1/4", big enough to use as a journal or to store photos and cherished memories.  And, of course, it's a beautiful display piece on its own.  This is just one of a wide selection of one-of-a-kind handmade books made by Michelle Skiba at Three Trees Bindery, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Journal sizes and prices vary from small to medium to large.  And there are some beautiful wedding guest books.  Custom orders are welcomed.  So click on over now to check out the heirloom quality handmade books at Three Trees Bindery.  This large shadows journal is $170.

sweet little soft and swingy pleated blouse

Is this the sweetest looking  little pleated blouse in the world, or what?  You can wear it loose and swingy as shown here, or you can tuck it or belt it to create a soft blouson effect, or adjust the straps to raise or lower the neckline.  It's versatile.  It's one those cherished garments that stays in your wardrobe for years.  100% soft matte finish silk, it comes in coral, blush, or black, sizes 2 through 10.  Its Brooklyn, New York, based creator, Alexandra Grecco, has a totally fetching collection of softly feminine, irresistably romantic dresses, blouses, skirts, swimwear, and accessories inspired by femmes fatales from 20s and 30s era movies.  Consider this a trailer.  Now click on over and check them all out now.  The pictured size 6 pleated coral blouse is ready to ship now for $110.

P.S.  Here's an interview with Alexandra Grecco from the Etsy blog.