shop toast: tricks & treats

jax treat bags

does anyone else feel like 2010 is slipping away faster than you can say boo? with halloween lurking around the corner, how about we take a peek into the shop toast workshop to see the newest treats designed to add a little cuteness to next weekend's creepy costumed celebration.

if you are feeling particularly crunched on time, skip the line at longs and scoop up a few jax treat bags, wee pumpkin colored muslin delights pre-filled with an assortment of sweets for just $1.50 a pop. the halloween edition boo!zu boys have also returned (currently on clearance for $2) and have brought along a few friends to help scare away the rain on a daily basis.

toast's woodland warriors have proven to be popular and have welcomed a few new additions to its 'ohana from birch wood postcards ($4) to cotton totes ($15) with five different greetings and designs to choose from.

woodland warriors postcards & totes

and, lovebirds and holiday hostesses have a pretty new semi-custom favor option with the arrival of the diy tying the knot fabric wrap bags. the cotton hanky sets are a simple way to doll up those tokens of appreciation and can be ordered in rainbow of colors to coordinate with your bash's decor.

you can find all the new goods both in-store and stocked in the online shop. and, if you are hoping to wish away the drizzle with the latest boo!zu boys weather charm ($6; available in 7 colors), remember to mention h|h and the shop toast 'ohana will knock $2 off the going price!

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

{mahalo jeremy & michelle!}

aloha friday scoop

the smart magazine 'ohana have just launched SMARTdeals, a crowdsourced bargain bonanza with a focus on local style, beauty finds, & island bites.

p.s. there's still time to scoop up the debut deal which gets you $40 to spend at the fighting eel flagship for $20.

• expires: sun, oct 17th - 12p hst
• fyi: one per person; vouchers good 'til jan 2011

if you are strolling the chinatown arts district for slow art friday, pop by fashionista's market which invites one and all to its 5.1 anniversary celebration with sips and sweets plus 20% off storewide.

• when: fri, oct 15th - 5p to 10p
• where: 1185 bethel street, chinatown

it's all about medieval times at the october edition of family sunday at the academy of arts. cheer for your favorite knight, watch yarn being spun, chain mail being made, and slip on costumes inspired by the middle ages.

• when: sun, oct 17th - 11a to 5p
• where: 900 south beretania street
• tix: free! (donations welcome)

online, liana from mixed plate is shuttering punk-n-pie, her online keiki shop which means savings up to 50% off on tiny togs and accessories.

• fyi: while supplies last

happy weekend!

project runway: we're in a new york state of mind

new york, new york! was the inspiration for the final project runway challenge. local designer andy south explored central park and sent a chic and edgy little black dress down the runway. textured panels stood in for both the park's architecture and cityscape hovering above the tree line while meandering pathways were reinterpretated into a sheer peekaboo back.

(although when gretchen described andy's dress as having a hint of madam, hotel street's disreputable past did pop into my mind briefly.)

on the upside, andy's technical talent continued to impress the judges although a few seemed to question the design connection to the great outdoors. mum's the word on the four designers who still have a chance to make it to the official fashion week roster, so hit the comments to dish on whether you agree with the judges' almost final elimination this week.

andy: make it work! | judgement day | christian siriano's take | video diary

click over to the designers dish for the inside scoop off the runway.

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

machinemachine lab: vintage bark branches

i happened across machinemachine's vintage bark branches when shannon posted a wrap-up of her trunk show on kaua'i. instant crush! there are so many possibilities . . . from a whimsical coat rack to a charming and unexpected xmas card display. since so many readers also share my love for diy design, shannon kindly agreed to whip up a tutorial so you can make one or two of your very own.

just like small kid time, let's all give a friendly, happy aloha to shannon for stopping by!

{how to make vintage bark branches}

i dreamt up these vintage bark branches for a koke'e themed machinemachine trunk show at halele'a gallery in september. prior to the event, some friends and i booked a cabin in koke'e, located in the magical uplands of kaua'i, for a couple days. when we weren't eating, hiking, or cooking, we spent our time spread out on the lawn getting crafty.

we completed about thirty branches for the event, scattering them in clusters, along walls, under tables, and strapped to clothing racks. in the end, the vintage branches are not just a lovely visual symbol of the uplands, they also represent the act of binding and nurturing nature, like wrapping an ace bandage around an ankle.

{supplies}

• sturdy branches
• 1-inch wide strips of assorted fabric 15"-30" long (i use knit polyester, it's slightly stretchy with great geometric prints)
• thread
• scissors
• glue

{basic branch}

start at the base of the branch. lay about 2-inches of the end of one fabric strip on the branch and wrap the strip around itself and the branch, hiding the start of your fabric tail. keep wrapping your way up the branch, making sure to completely cover the bark by slightly overlapping the strip upon itself as you wrap upwards.

if you want to change colors or need to add another fabric strip make sure to begin wrapping with a new strip well over where your old one left off. if you reach a point where the branch splits into a y-shape, fret not! all you have to do is wrap about 1.5-inches up both arms of the y, then resume wrapping just one arm of the y.

to finish the tip of the branch, wrap the fabric all the way up, leaving about a 50-inch tail then tightly twist thread around the tail, cinching it into a nub. put a dab of glue on the thread, it should dry clear.

{advanced :: doily bark branch}

for this version, you will need a few doilies cut into strips wide enough to wrap around the branch (like a hot dog bun). you will need a needle and thread to stitch up the back side of the doilies, taking pains to allow for a .5-inch seam allowance, since doilies tend to unravel when cut.

{uses}

make a few and put them in a big vase in the corner of the room; hang some from the ceiling; hang a few on the wall; bind 3 to 4 together with left over fabric strips and set them on a table; hang ornaments off them during the holidays; give them away as gifts!

me again! it really is a simple project . . . especially if you have lots of scrap fabric tucked away.

many mahalos to shannon for sharing a little craft love with us! and, do click over to the machinemachine etsy shop to peek all the fresh new styles. you can also locate your neighborhood stockist over on the official website.

will you be gathering up fallen branches and vintage fabric to decorate your nest?

{photo credit: top/blenda montoro, tutorial/shannon hiramoto}

introducing manaomakani

it's an unfortunate fact that styles for the lads are few and far between in h|h's dressing room, so i was quite happy to find a note from manaomakani designer jamie makani aldaya in my inbox. a precursory peek at the handful of designs in the newly launched collection was a delightful discovery since the label mixes screenprinted and embroidered native hawaiian motifs on 100% certified organic cotton tees and jackets.

the socially responsible line is made in the usa which altogether is the practically elusive, almost impossible shopping triumph in our household. a win-win-win for the hubby's 808 tee collection, i say!

the design process is a bit more intricate since jamie, who was raised in the bay area and started manaomakani after a 30 year style career, looks to his native hawaiian ancestors for both inspiration and permission. the latter entails returning to the islands to offer chants and a pule (prayer) to the gods and then waiting for a sign before proceeding with each collection. he sought out windswept ka'ena point for the 2010 collection which honors native plants like koa and ohia lehua for their cultural value to the hawaiian people.

koa embellished tee

ohia embellished tee

organic french terry jackets

designs are screenprinted with water-based inks and the embroidered details add an eloquent flourish. price tag ranges from $44 for a tee to $110 for a hoodie (organic french terry = happiness!). for those used to fast fashion prices, it may sound a bit high for basics but remember there is a hidden cost of cheap, throwaway fashion from underpaid labor to a garment's environmental footprint (especially not cool when other countries' citizens must deal with the consequences to quench america's neverending desire for a closetful of disposable bargains).

manaomakani is also committed to the 1% for the planet philosophy and donates 1% of purchases to kahea, the hawaiian-environmental alliance.

a w's line is in the works and, fyi island shopkeepers, jamie is currently on the lookout for local retailers. the full line-up can be shopped online (knock 15% off with the secret code below) while sf readers can scoop up styles at aloha warehouse in japantown.

• secret code: HAPA15
• expires: sun, oct 31st

{mahalo jamie!}