"made you shine like a new pin."

i just got back to boston for a six week stay.  it's so nice to be home.  coming home i am always flooded w/ memories of growing up.  i am staying w/ my sister who now lives in the house we grew up in w/ my nieces.  new england seems synonymous w/ nostalgia for some reason to me. 

because i'm from new england craft is in my blood. quilting, sewing, applique, embroidery all remind me of new england and growing up.  i have never thought of arts and crafts as a derogatory term.  which as of late it seems that there are two schools of thoughts around this, some artists revel in being crafters, others try and distance themselves.  take for instance a few years ago california college of arts changing their name from california college of arts and crafts.  that upset me greatly, but i am getting way off topic.

the term arts and crafts has always represented a culture, a part of my roots.  there has always been a great passion for craft in my family.  my gram had an entire room of fabric growing up (i think that may have a great deal to do w/ my obsession w/ all things calico) and at the other end of the spectrum my great aunt was an antique dealer who's quilt collection and embroidered samplers i inherited when she passed.  this love has not diminished over the generations.  i have always had a predilection for hand made goods. 

the revival of craft over the past 7 or 8 years has been so wonderful and delightful.  sites like etsy encouraging anyone who has a knack for craft to get in and share their wares is truly a small phenomenon.  it's an exciting time for crafty ladies ( and the boys as well!) everywhere.  there seems to be an an almost electric current in the air around crafts. i find it so amazing.

(the heat is quite intense and i am very hot at the moment...so i am digressing way more than i wanted to.  ha!  sorry.)

i recently found this pair of crafty girls on flicker through someone's favorites.  i love their use of color.  i am a big fan of brooches and pins.  i think again, it goes back to my roots of my gram and my great aunts.  but nothing says fall to me like putting some huge brooch on a tweed blazer.  a couple of nicely placed brooches can really spice up a little blazer, so effin cute.

pin pals makes hand crafted items from mainly second hand items...so often their pieces are one of a kind.  they draw inspiration from vintage children's books, life in montreal, riding the bus and public radio amongst other things.  i mean, come on...how frickin lovely is that?

sara and sam's products range from dancing paper dolls, t-shirts, gift cards, brooches and more.  i love all of their products, but i was especially taken w/ their pins and brooches.  i think they are all very special.  be sure to check out their flickr site, where all of these photos were gleaned w/ the 'pals permission, www.flickr.com and their etsy shop where you can purchase their wares, www.etsy.com

Comments

[christina]

love all these! thanks for links!