Heartful Handmade Blog

big beautiful handmade cotton scarf

Today's fair trade deal from Novica is this beautiful cotton scarf by the San Jose Women's Artisan Association (Guatemala).  These thirteen women, working as a group, have a mission to "strike a balance between nature and productivity, between the old and the new, and between countryside dreams and urban trends."  They produce their own materials, including the all natural dyes they use.  This scarf was dyed with natural logwood, in accordance with traditional Guatemalan textile methods.

This scarf is large enough to double as a shawl.  It's 86 inches long by 27 inches wide, and has a two inch fringe.  It's a bargain at its regular price of $42.95, but if you order it before midnight tonight (PST), you can get it for $29.97.  That's a savings of 30%.

warm alpaca scarves and shawls by elvia melendez

I don't know about the weather where you are.  But here in Memphis it's been erratic, unpredictable, and all over the climate map.  It's cold one day and warm the next.  All of a sudden the trees are sprouting color, then we get a freeze and who knows what happens to the poor fragile overly optimistic blooms.  And these are not simply day to day fluctuations.  Temperatures change dramatically even within the same day.  So, if the weather in your area is also having an identity crisis, I suggest you keep a sweater or wrap handy at all times -- in your car, or in a tote bag, or wherever works for you.  Shawls and long warm scarves are nice.  Expecially if they're handmade.  And they're really special if made from warm and luxurious alpaca yarn.  Elvia Melendez is a Peruvian artisan who hand crochets and hand knits 100% alpaca scarves and shawls.  So, to get you started, I've picked a couple of her pieces that I especially like.
		100% Alpaca Shawl, $102.95
		This hand crocheted shawl is a nice roomy 38 inches long (it dips to a V in the back) and 77 inches wide.  So it can be worn draped down over the shoulders or wrapped around as shown here.  And it can be folded into a nice compact bundle that you can leave in car to be ready when the weather turns cool.  You can dress it up for a nice restaurant, down for a stroll on the beach, and the muted violet will blend (either subtly or dramatically) with anything in your closet.
		100% Alpaca Scarf, $64.95
		This elegant hand crocheted scarf is made up of rows of intricate star bursts and is 67 inches long and 8-3/4 inches wide.  So you can do a fashionable double loop as shown here, or wrap it around and ears and neck for extra warmth  And the muted neutral gray will blend well with everything.
		But Elvia Melendez has lots more to choose from.  So click on over and check them all out in Scarves & Wraps.

soft alpaca scarves and wraps for fall

After baking all summer, I was surprised to find myself a little chilly yesterday.  According to the weatherman, it's a short-term cooling, tied to the storm that blew through this weekend.  But I see it less as short-term and more as a reminder that fall is just down the street.  And it won't be long before we're bundled up against the cold, with summer heat just a pleasant memory.  So I've put a big collection of 100% alpaca ponchos, hats, and wraps on the shopping pages at Heartful Village so you can find something soft and comfy to keep you warm when the temperatures drop. 

I've added designs by Alberto Caceres, Alfredo Falcon, Felipi Berckholtz, Manuela Ramos Movement, and more.  You'll find the hats in Accessories and everything else in Scarves & Wraps.  Just click on the "alpaca" link.  I also updated my collection of alpaca warmers, so check it out too, ok?

timeless beauty in a nature-inspired silk scarf

Yuh Okano is an award-winning Japanese textile artist who I featured in my recent handbags collection.  Okano works the shibori style of fabric dying.  Shibori is an elegant Asian form of what we in the west call tye-dying.  Fabrics are skillfully twisted, folded, compressed, and otherwise contorted to allow patterns to emerge in the dyed cloth.  Okano says her handmade textiles are inspired by a deep fascination with nature and, as a fan of her work, I find that entirely believable.  Her color combinations and surface textures give her designs an organic quality with a sense of elegant timelessness.  They are thoroughly modern, but with a traditional beauty that will never go out of style.  Some of her scarves are currently featured on the Heartful News page.  You can follow this link to check out these gorgeous Yuy Okano silk scarves.

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.

cool new fashion slide show at heartful village

These very unusual gorgeous hand earrings by Thomas Mann are just one example of the cool handmade products sliding through the new Heartful Village fashion slide show.  Handmade art clothes, accessories, and jewelry are added and updated all the time, and you can also choose to view just jewelry or just clothes.  So click on over and check out the new Heartful Village fashion slide show now.

comfy casual wide legged railroad pants

I love these wide-legged railroad pants.  They have a classy classic stylish funky vibe that conjures up images of Marlene Dietrich playing a California Gold Rush saloon. These pants work well with the fitted wrap top shown, and they will work equally well with a plain cotton tank or a simple crew neck sweater.  They're versatile.  The ones shown here  are constructed of a medium weight 100% cotton Italian striped denim, but you can also get them in black.  Sharon, at Fine Threadz in Houston, makes them in small, medium, and large (sizes 6 to 16), and, for an additional charge, she'll even make a pair customized to your exact measurements.  Besides these pants and assorted leggings, Fine Threadz also has lots of comfy casual tops, dresses, jackets, and skirts.  And that's not all, Sharon also makes some really cool leather bags and belts.  So click on over to Fine Threadz and check them all out now.  These pants are $90.

a scarf that's a trip to the beach

Long, flowing scarves are a staple in any serious wardrobe.  That's because they bring a sense of high style to pretty much anything:  Jeans, dresses, coats, jackets, whatever you're wearing gets kicked up a notch or two with the addition of a nice full nicely made scarf.  Like this nice big beach of a scarf.  It's 21 x 90 inches of thin tie dyed cotton in varying shades of pale green that remind me of the colors of water and foam and sun and sand at Carmel beach at high noon in July.  And the leather lasso that comes with it adds a bit of the rocks and surrounding cypress trees.  The set is available from Scout and Catalogue in Toronto, where you'll find plenty more nice big scarves, along with some very nice bags.  So click on over and check out Scout and Catalogue now.  This scarf and leather lasso set is $118.

beautiful mysterious hand-knitted floppy brim hat

My daughter-in-law told me today that Yokoo is now making totes, so I went over to check them out.  And Yokoo's new totes are really nice and one will be featured in a separate post.  But I got sidetracked when this beautiful big brimmed floppy hat called out to me by name as soon as I hit the site.  This is a perfect hat for sunny days because it shades your face and neck nicely (while also giving you a bit of intriguing and mysterious style).  When the sun goes down, just roll the brim up along the front or sides or in back (get creative) and you're ready for a an evening on the town.  Besides this lovely spring-like oatmail, Yokoo gives you a choice of  26 other yarn colors to choose from.  So click on over and check this floppy brim weekend hat now.  $55.

big pretty lightweight paisley bag

When I came across Laura Good's shop Hier Apparel it was love at first sight, because this shop is stocked with my kind of stuff:  Comfortable tops that can be layered, big roomy  bags, unusual dresses, interesting made-to-order jewelry.  If you've got the shoes, you can find everything else here.  I love it when I find a shop where I can't decide what to feature.  I was back and forth between this jacket, this cardigan, and the pictured Obi Sling Bag.  The bag won out because it hit so many of my personal buttons:  It's big enough to carry a load (traveling, shopping), the paisley design (I love paisley), it's lightweight (no need to start with a load when you're carrying a load), and it will drape beautifully when near empty.  So click on over to Hier Apparel and check it out for yourself.  $90.