let's go under the sea

wee gallery undersea

blik (of the fabulous polynesia glass stiks) is at again with their new wee gallery line. i know it's meant for the kiddie set but the undersea design is seriously cute. the hand-drawn graphics feature turtles, seaweed, bubbles & more which you can arrange any way you please to float up, down and around your walls.

perfect for the nursery or transform your bath into a slightly irreverant ode to sea life à la the oceanarium. the stickers are repositionable and removeable so when your tot grows tired of sleeping with the fishes you can pull them off and move on to the next big thing.

volcano art center

watching her brother fish | caren loebel-fried

if you ever make a pilgrimmage to kilauea make sure you stop by the volcano art center which is located inside volcanoes national park. you can spend as much time wandering around the gallery admiring the many offerings from local artists & artisans as you will watching the lava flow.

they also have an online shop which carries a nice mix of artwork stocked at the center. my newest favorite is up & coming artist harinani orme who delves into the mythology of old hawaii. her work is currently featured in the bishop museum exhibit - pa'a ka la'a animism & totemism: contemporary expressions from an indigenous mind (whew, that's certainly a mouthful).

kahu mano | harinani orme

maui slowing the sun | dietrich varez

the volcano art center is also home to the complete collection (225 and counting) of the mesmerizing linoleum prints from dietrich varez (who is all about bringing affordable art to the people) as well as the colorful block prints by caren loebel-fried.

tropic essentials

lauhala favor box & tote

this is one for all the brides-to-be desperate to find the perfect way to present those ubiquitous jordan almonds to their wedding guests. the neverending search filling your lunch break/late night googles and commiserations on the knot ends with a quick click to honolulu's tropic essentials, a one stop online shop stocked with everything crafty brides need to create modern island style favors.

the prices are reasonable and you will find inspiration in spades on how to transform a basic lauhala box into something spectacular. now that you have found favor nirvana, get ready for endless discussions on whether to go with sleek metal window tins or ethereal sinamay pouches. decisions, decisions . . . maybe it's time to elope.

{update | jan 2010: tropic essentials shuttered its online shop a few years ago so click over to creations by you, hawaiian wedding shop, or pacific weddings magazine for island style favor supplies}

puka shell gets crafty

fortune cookies

i am always in awe of people who are uber-crafty and these adorable crocheted fortune cookies from puka shell creative designs are too delightful for words. gather a bunch together for a sweet centerpiece for your chinese new year celebration next month or customize the fortune inside to create one-of-a-kind party & wedding favors.

sushi magnets

crafter extraordinaire april hiraki-morris (who also runs the so/cal plate lunch connection) expresses her love for all things kawaii with her whimsical "incredible inedibles" collection filled with everything from cupcakes to sushi. take a peek at the full line of goodies at the puka shell etsy shop. bon appétit!

chess club

playing chess seems to be growing in popularity in the islands so if your favorite someone loves the game here's an idea for the holidays: a hawaiian chess set which replaces standard chess pieces with icons from ancient hawaii.

of course, if they prefer to whittle their own pieces à la tim robbins in the shawshank redemption, you can always upgrade their board to one made of koa. and, for the truly old school gamer, a game table made from a single koa log by maui woodworker peter naramore.

be back a little later with a few more inspirations for the holidays . . .