introducing sugar fresh

the counting peacock * mister numbers

hopefully, you are all pau with the tax man and have a moment to enjoy today's etsy find - sugar fresh from the big island! one peek at the cheery prints is sure to tickle the imagination of keiki and grown-ups with the line's fresh and delightful designs. basics like the alphabet and counting numbers earn a gold star for their simply charming take on learning posters and are just a few of sugar fresh's happy offerings.

lindsay, sugar fresh's creator, moved to hilo with her husband a few years ago and dusted off her graphic design chops when she decided to stay home with her baby daughter. when decorating the nursery walls proved to be a challenge, she began designing artwork that would both brighten the walls and grow along with keiki.

anyone else think the all a flutter print (shown below) with its cascade of sweet butterflies would be just as suitable on grown-up walls?

all a flutter * now i know my abc's

sugar fresh just recently opened up shop on etsy where you can find the debut collection of 8x10 acid-free giclée prints. and, if you are hoping to coordinate with your decor, a handful of designs can also be customized in size and color.

p.s. find out what inspires lindsay over on the official sugar fresh blog.

bunny love

my favorite part of easter growing up was the little chocolate bunny tucked into my easter basket . . . although i always felt a bit guilty when it came time to say goodbye to its sweet little face. happily, no such dilemma presents itself with toast's newest creation - the delightful cotton tail which features a custom printed handkerchief that has been magically coaxed into a bunny shape with perfectly placed twists and ties.

hidden inside the bunny's belly are a mix of chocolate confections in the form of kit-kats, mini cadbury eggs and reese's pieces (yum!). as an added bonus, once your sweet tooth is satisfied the hanky remains as a cheerful reminder of your little buddy.

toast's charming cotton tails are available in three hues of bunny pink and can be ordered in the online shop or scooped up at toast's studio:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

p.s. toast recently debuted an in-store mini pop bar where you can mix and match sweet and savory bottles and scoop up preprinted labels whenever you require just a handful of favor fun.

candy land

our friends from toast have just added sweet little lollipops to their repertoire just in time for valentine's day! while many of us may have outgrown bestowing paper valentines upon our childhood chums, the charming fabric wraps are sure to brighten the day of your favorite sidekicks.

each lovely lollie is filled with a mix of fruit flavored jelly candies (strawberry, raspberry and cherry) and are priced at $4 a pop. if you really want to delight someone, be sure to take a peek at the super adorable lollie bouquet ($25) which features six candy treats wrapped in a handkerchief that doubles as a leaf.

lovely lollies are now available to order in toast's online shop or can be scooped up at their kaimuki studio:

• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• shop hours: m / w / f / sat - 12p to 6p

happy hale*days 09: gifting edition

little wonders

hopefully, everyone has been busy with their holiday preparations and failed to notice my unintended absence this week. alas, between tending to a lovely new project, nursing the mister back to health over the weekend, and hurriedly finishing up all the little holiday details, this year's gifting guide got pushed (and pushed) to the back burner.

anyhoo, please enjoy this tardy roundup of last minute stocking stuffers scouted around the islands and beyond!

for the play date: the delightfully handcrafted emma the alien. ($45 | cuddle with aloha)

for the sumo baby: a wee onesie in sizes from 3m to 18m. ($15 | sweet dumplings)

for the keiki: adorable teddies and stockings made with fabric remnants. (mu'umu'u heaven; in-store only)

for the future picasso: sketch away with mini twig pencils in a rainbow of colors. ($8/dozen | available at toast).

for the tidy tot: handmade art roll featuring a fab orla kiely pattern. ($17 | tasha bags & baby)

design geek loveliness

for the frugalista: help her save her pennies with a pretty piggy bank. ($26 | not neutral)

for the not-so-green thumb: water-sipping succulents blossom in a living vase. (1st look exteriors)

for the office mate: rock that return address with a custom peacock rubber stamp. ($21.95 | for yoo)

for the saimin connoisseur: slurping ramen is tastier in a kitschy ceramic noodle cup. ($12.99 | available at think geek)

for the coffee lover: enjoy each sip with the blue flora coffee service. ($64 | not neutral)

for the front door: modernist mainlanders will appreciate an understated remove shoes plaque. ($32 | rae dunn)

beachy goodness

for the teacher: ecolicious canvas totes featuring waves, butterflies, flowers and fishes. ($24 | ecolicious)

for the treehugger: tread lighter on the 'aina with eco-friendly slippers made from natural rubber. ($30 | organik)

for the armchair adventurer: slip under the waves with the shorebreak art of clark little coffee table book. ($100 | clark little)

for the surfing 'ohana : a custom surfboard sign for the hale. ($40 | three ladybugz)

style makeover

for the indie spirit: wearables for the entire 'ohana (w's pom circles shown above) plus new arkotyke goods for the little hipster. ($22 | arkotec)

for the beauty queen: sweet solid scents made to linger with a blend of shea butter, vanilla bean extract, and essential oils. ($22 - $9 off and free shipping with secret code birthday | maoli perfumes)

for the surfer girl: handpainted star pendants add a little whimsy to the waves. ($30 | christie shinn)

for the water warrior: paddle in style with a lovely tiare jersey. ($40 | 'oiwi ocean gear)

for the mister: represent the 808 with an embroidered tiki crew sweatshirt. ($70 | kicks hawaii)

for the ironman: triathlon and honolulu marathon-inspired charms. ($50 | fly jewelry)

for the local boy: limited edition hi life warrior cap. ($40 | available at butigroove)

p.s. be back on friday with the final sales sheet before santa lands on your rooftop!

halloween treats roundup

with halloween just nine days away, it seems like the perfect time for a sweet roundup of delightful treats (no tricks!) handpicked for your enjoyment!

1 - ravenchase returns to the streets of honolulu and is recruiting agents for its zombie elimination task force to crush the undead invasion (tix: $35) expected next weekend.

2/3 - trick out goodie bags with niko art's spooky stamp set ($18) and simply embellish's personalized halloween labels ($6).

4 - dress up your tiny hula girl in a sweet tutu ($22) handmade by hilo's palm tree princess.

5 - maui jewelry artist kira ferrer mixes black onyx and sterling silver to create her along came a spider pendant ($52).

6 - keep track of your candy stash with whimsical arach notes ($3) made by our friends at toast.

7 - glam it up all autumn long with a juicy triple stand of carnelian gemstones ($275) by stacey lee designs.

p.s. you can also order up gourmet halloween candy cheesecakes at ottocake in chinatown or stop by sweet paradise chocolatier (kailua & waikoloa) for seasonal artisanal confections like creepy chocolate fingers, pumpkin spice truffles, and green fairie absinthe chocolates.