Noteworthy sites very definitely worth a visit!! Support creativity, handcrafted arts, women-run businesses and general good karma and check these great sites out. Don't be afraid to tell them The Walrus & The Carpenter helped show you the way. =)
Martha Stewart - the original maven of making. She may be a little nuts, but the stuff her staff creates--good things.
Paper Source Ideas - elegant and lovely paper-based crafts. I made my wedding invites and thank you notes with paper from here (other parts came from other places...).
ThriftDeluxe - a "non-commercial DIY zine." Very cool project ideas and instructos.
LJC - fun to read for all the pics of projects one Jenny makes.
djangos - I love recycling (i.e., used) music. It's cheap, good, and nice for the environment. Grow your tunes library (I craft blasting some CD at all times) from here!
oriental trading company - Good source for bulk fun & party items. Fast delivery, very professional service. Fantastic!
Fun places for various info and good reads.
Digs Magazine - Good advice, recipes, home how-to's, and even movie reviews! I go here at least twice a week for "fresh content."
Hoa's Custom Tailoring - My mom is the most excellent tailor I know. I have much to learn, but everything I know about being resourceful and creative, I learned from her and my dad.
See my favorite people's (friends & family) good stuff.
Judy Donash - If you or your mom like Mary Kay, order from my friend Judy. She is so not-pushy and very giving. She loves to pass out free gifts & samples, which I find is a nice bonus.
Sterling Speakers - My next-door neighbors run this business and can hook you up with an engaging speaker for your next event.
Pai & Koen - Pai is a friend from Notre Dame. She paints and writes and dabbles in various other things. She now lives in Belgium!
Isirap - Web home for my friends Janene & Tom Parisi and the cutest Claudia I know...
Mai & Chinh - My cousin Mai's wedding. Lots of fun pictures by my uncle Ngai Chu, who also took digipics of my wedding!
Tone Stockenstrom - We met Tone when we were looking for photogs for our wedding. Tone is an awesome person with a warm, fuzzy aura that helped keep me calm throughout most of the big day. See her wedding photography as well as her photos in art.
Rajagopalan - My pal Ravi has some great travel photos to check out here.
Rather Good - this site is an absolute hoot. Who doesn't love cute and cuddly kitties rocking on out like sick rock stars?
Grumpy Martha's Guide to Grammar - poor grammar often makes me peevish too. I like this article for pointing out some major grammar poos in popular rotation these days.
Other bits and bobs I like.
The Art of the Mix - this site is great for getting compilation ideas or showing off your own mix CD's/tapes.
My folks are awesome cooks, but they don't use recipes (they store it all in their heads! nuts!). I go to these sites for guides to making edibles.
Epicurious - Fancy schmancy gourmet, but there is some damn fine food I've made time and again from recipes here.
All Recipes - Not so fancy schmancy, but there are good search tools and recipes run the gamut from basic to elaborate. Beware the pop-ups. They roam free here.
Food Network - I don't actually look for recipes all that often here, but oh, how I love to watch foodies cook.
Nigella Bites - The Brits really know how to make cooking look fun, delightful, and delicious (how lucky am I to marry one who kicks bootay in the kitchen?). I drool every time I watch Nigella make a dish.
Jamie Oliver - Ditto on the Nigella comment. Plus, he reminds me of my husband's nephew Charlie, who is a fab cook and taught me how to make a nice summer salad with true panache last summer.
Trunk Monkey - my Monkey introduced me to this really funny mpeg.
Happy Lucky Me - Asian flavored style for your life. Featuring Totes, Tees, Undies and More.
Happy Home Designs- "handmade home accessories and vintage decor" based in Santa Monica, CA and run by Allison Keech
Star Serge - Stichin' up unique one of a kind goodies. Handbags, Totes, Neckies, Bridal, Diy, and Don't Forget to Enter The Free Handbag Give A Way Contest!
Udandi - Personalized and crystal embellished tees, tanks and undies.
Fashion Compassion - Compassion never Goes out of Fashion...* i pour a whole lotta love in my handmade creations.. ie totebags, jewelry, buttons, art 'n more.
Easy Entertaining - Ok, this is a little self-promotion: I used to write a little column at Suite 101 about easy entertaining (since I am a lazy arse but like to do the get-together thing). Unfortunately, things got a bit busy, and I didn't contribute much while we were planning our wedding last year. That automatically cut me off from being able to contribute any further...so I am working on getting my archives and new (!) articles up here.
2 by 2 Creations - Handmade Paper Vases, Frames Mirrors and Mailboxes
crafts etc. - Great source for all sorts of craft supplies. I just recently got my first shipment from them (reasonable shipping, prompt delivery, and my favorite part: a personal slip sighned by the lady who packed my order for me.
Driving Blind Distro - Driving Blind distro distributes zines and crafts that are created by people with physical, learning, emotional, and medical disabilities. It is run by Erin in hopes to create awareness within the disabled and non-disabled communities. I think this is truly a *GREAT CAUSE.*
Touch - a small collection of the various charities that hold a special place in my heart. I contribute monthly to the Anti-Cruelty Society, The Chicago Food Bank, and America's Second Harvest via a great direct debit program at my company.
Fishcakes Design - Fishcakes Designs is the at-home business and creative distraction of one Voz Perkins, self-proclaimed champion of the underdog animal, and lifetime fan of all kinds of cakes. Find great cards, magnets, blank books, bags, and aprons. Fun stuff.
Groovy-Mom - For mothers who are out of the ordinary. Forums, links, crafts... handmade soap and candle shop, too!!
Sharma Designs Necklaces - Necklaces that demand to be noticed. One-of-a-kind handcrafted necklaces using glass and vintage beads, shells, semi-precious and other natural materials.
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TrashyMagazine - "One girl's trashy is another one's treasure." Lots of really great reconstructed and revised goodies.
Amet & Sasha - "Simple clothes for complicated girls." Handmade beauties in skirts and tops and accessories.
Colleen McCahill - One of my pals from high school (where we endured the ennui of high school wearing lots of thriftshop wares and hanging out with rude and nasty skater arty boys) is quite a fantastic photog.
FreckleWonder - Handcrafted lovelies. Truly great stuff. So many things I covet.
Beqi - "Bad girls of the world, we adorn you." Sparkly Trinkets, Sexy Tees, Retro Dresses, and more!
BussBuss - "The soapbox for all things twentysomething--until we turn 30." Oh dearie me, just a couple years to go!!
Infinite Loop by Amy - One of the most fabu gals I know, Amy will always be my Kramer, sharp wit, quick lines, keen observations, and ever-rotating hairstyles and colors (I love the fearlessness). We met while interviewing at Hewitt Associates, we bonded over Tai Chi and my rollercoaster boy situations, and we have a love/hate relationship with Martha. Anyway, follow the pursuits of her mavens in corporate America here.
Rainy Sunday - Another sharpie blog of much wit and astute observation, I came to "know" Jessica through Amy. Fun to read for digests on Queer Eye, road manners, goodies, general pop culture gems, and the most gorgeous handmade books around. I'm so excited to be participating in a goodies swap organized by this talented lady.
In Passing - really great snippets of overheard convos. Super entertaining.
Listology - I am a listmaker. I make lists. This quality helped me snag my first job out of school. This quality helps keep me keepin on.
I Buy DIY - Promoting independent craftspersons since 2003.
Plain Mabel - home of one-of-a-kind and retro-inspired items to wear, write on, have around the house, or otherwise enjoy. Plain Mabel features unusual products by "Mabel" herself along with great items from other artists.
MadgeWorld - creating fine handbags from album covers, pet pictures, and old calendars since 2002.
Uptown Trends - featuring daiZy™ Cosmetics ~ custom product formulations are created using the latest cutting-edge ingredients
Sweet Thunder - Rest your weary head. Jewelry, art, and other dandies straight from Chicago.
Knot By Gran'ma - 100% cotton knit and crocheted apparel and home goods!
Teen Girl Clothing - A site for teen girls and young women interested in Fashion. Great DIY instructions, goods by multiple artists, and loads of other fun-to-reads. Very fabu site, worth a good gander (even though I'm nearly a decade out of my teen girl years).
Crafty Ass Chick - around here, you'll find a lot of crafty things for you, your friends, and even your homes.
LH Style - handmade, fabric covered, photo albums have been created to fit your lifestyle and give your memories a more stylish place to live.
Paper People Clothing - fantastic handmade bags and accessories of all sorts from great vintage, recycled, and new materials.
Tranquility - Specializing in high quality spa and beauty products.
PartyBots - "Just awesome shirts!" The t-shirts at this shop are fun (must check out the Hairshirts) and well-priced!!
MissyBlue - handmade gifts for moms and kids. Simply DIVINE.
Rhine-Stone - Custom buttons made for your band, diy project, company, school organization, etc.
Sew Pretty! - Hand Crafted Funky Handbags and Unique Goodies!
The Smiling Frog - Fun one-of-a-kind wearables from another mother-daughter shop.
Funky Utopia - A magical place to scoop up jewelry and vintage wears (and wares), and design your own skirt!!
Susan Stars - Lush jewelry, skirts, handbags, and other trinkety goodness, handmade in Portland, OR.
Poise - fabu handmade handbags and knitted goodies.
Smashing Mirrors - an online boutique & inspiration resource for independent artists of all kinds: musicians, product designers, etc! We are dedicated to bringing together cool products and ideas for motivating one another.
Murmur-Joy - based in Ireland, it's a one-human business making gorgeous papercrafts.
Allison Rose Design - very cool tees, handbags, journals, and other artwork.
Sparkle and Shine Design - beaded jewelry; bead-embellished knitwear & crocheted items and other mysteriously beautiful little accessories
Country Frames - Charming hand crafted country frames made for every season and special event in your life.
My Retro Baby - coolest baby stuff on the planet. And that is not a hyperbole! Very, very cool baby bits.
craftastic.com - fun handmade trinkets, handbags, soaps, hair accessories, craft supplies and many other items chockfull of kitschy-goodness. It's craftastic!
Purple Peach - Great gifts, cutting edge fashions, the latest in bath and beauty, and awesome acessories. You can find some of our very own The Walrus & The Carpenter goodies there!
Truly Ace Store - offers you the unique opportunity to shop for print ready vector graphics and own the full copyright to your purchased design.
Juicy Cosmetics - "the ultimate juicy online experience." Fab and fresh cosmetics to enhance the already lovely you.
FashionHag - Fabu site for articles, scoops on the best sales, and talk of style, style, style, darling. Find features such as city shopping guides, coupon codes for popular retailers, and soon to come, a store, where visitors can purchase FashionHag merchandise.
All Dressed Up & Shy - handmade with love. Tops, skirts, and handbags of much deliciousness.
2enyc - Gorgeous handcrafted jewelry and gifts from a young New York City designer.
Toasty - Fabu handmade tops, skirts, bags, scarves, and various accessories from New Zealand.
Voda Handmade Soaps - quite possibly some of the most beautiful handmade soaps on earth. You must have a look. So lush!
Bunni*Goods - Lovely, handcrafted yummies for your pooch, fun cards, kiddie goods, and miscellaneous fundies.
Lekkner - handmade purses, handmade clothing, and other things to look at. Fun accessories, mad libs, DIY!
Atomic Mama - Custom cool for kids! Baby bedding, clothing, blankets, and bibs!
Dead Batteries - Funky fresh batteries to pop into your most favored battery-powered gadgets.
Better Through Daisy - handcrafted, wearable art ~ original boutique for handcrafted jewelry, artistic creations, and unique accessories!
MommyTags - wonderful necklaces crafted from recycled silver for mommies and their little ones.
m o m - unique, handmade aprons. Fabulous for moms and their little people kitchen helpers!
Byrdy's Beads - fun, easy to wear, easy to enjoy handmade beaded jewelry.
T-Shirt Town - your source for all things t-shirt. Super affordable, and the retro t's are fun!
Baby in a Blanket - endless possibilities for moms who seek a unique, but fun loving blanket for their baby.
Soleil Noir - lovely handcrafted jewelry for any possible occasion.
Wild About Shopping - Fun and funky must-haves for the gal who loves to shop!
Noodoll - strikingly fun and fresh graphic tees, accessories, purses, and wallets. Fun!!
Naughty Secretary Club - so many fun goodies from one talented craft mobster. This shop is legendary fabulosity. Go! Now!!
Made Unique - t-shirts for all the people. Fabuloso graphic tees on American Apparel bases. Go now!
Evil Kitty - Absofabu tops, skirts, undies, paper goodies, and arm warmers from a fellow Chicago crafter. Seriously cute stuff!
Amy Rue - a one girl operation of a stay-at-home-mom that churns out the most divine Lumpling dolls. Must see!!
Buttercup Papers - delightful handmade greeting cards only your most favorite people deserve!
Purldrop - Divine handknit and crocheted lovelies for you lovelies. I drool over the crocheted tops.
Plaidish Radish - Fabuloso handmade and vintage clothing, and how can you not love the name?
Arika's Jewelry - can a girl ever have too many sparklies? Unheard of. Bejewel yourself with loveliness from Arika's.
Nunzi and Ezi - handmade apparel that will give you that warm, happy feeling!
Church of Girl - showcasing indie female artists and musicians and entrepreneurs with roots in DIY girl culture. Rock on!
Constant Craving - fun and funky-fresh handmade or modified Japanese Streetwear, Lolita, Kinderwhore, Gothic, Rave and Vintage fashion. Everything is $25 or less!
AndiAnn Handbags - handmade, life-inspired items (and some of the cutest line drawings around!)
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If you've contacted us to trade links and you're still waiting for
Gracie Tom - An everchanging variety of handbags + accessories made to fit your lifestyle as well as your budget!
Never Twice - a sampling of the best Do-It-Yourself crafts that Portland has to offer.
E.T.C. Creations - exquistite custom designed handcrafted jewelry. Fablulous Gifts!
Pio - Divine silver jewelry metalsmithed by Rachel Lavin.
Tig's Closet - unique, trendy, and hand-crafted accessories.
Bohemian Closet - Add a little Eastern flavour to your Fall outfit with accents from India.
Luka - feminine, pretty jewelry about having fun and not compromising quality. Luka jewelry is all handmade with the finest materials.
Deal GirlsNews & Shopping - a one stop source for information on latest trends in clothing, jewelry, makeup and fashion.
Jolie's Boutique - Fabulous fashion-forward clothing, accessories and gifts for women, babies, and children.
Body Jewelry Fun - Feel attractive and safe with quality body jewelry from Body Jewelry Fun. Body piercing aftercare, supplies, info, news, faq, pictures and body piercing ezine.
Lucinda Designs - One of a kind handmade handbags, purses and totes. No two ever the same - guaranteed! A Lucinda is always original.
Malakhim - The lore of Malakhim is not so much derived from the legends of mankind as it is touched by them all. Interesting images + their accompanying story.
