wimini hawaii: tee-lightful!

the other day i was delighted to discover that one of the cutest indie tee makers had reemerged with a fresh collection of cheery island inspired designs. the playful line by wimini hawaii, the label formerly known as lunchbox clothing, is filled with organic tops for the entire 'ohana and is guaranteed to share a twinkle of happiness wherever you go.

from its early beginnings, designer yutaka chino has harnessed the power of hawaii's tropical sunshine to burn each and every screenprint responsible for making the tees in the collection. the line originally started out when the 'aina haina fishing guide began offering souvenir t-shirts so faraway friends could take home a sweet reminder of their island holiday.

since we last checked in, the collection has welcomed tiny tees for keiki. if only we could issue the adorable monk seal tee to visitors at every shore break where the endangered cuties like to nap.

peek more designs that charmed my heart after the jump!

do the happy graphics make you smile too? even more delightful, all the tees are made in the usa of organic cotton and handprinted with water-based inks. hooray for me!

alas, most of the designs are offered in mini sizes only so grownups must be content with a smaller selection for now.

p.s. an online shop is in the works so do say hello to your neighborhood stockist to stock up on your favorite design.

cute commuter: maui rose

get ready to say hello to holiday mode while still packing the lucky belongings accompanying you on your journey! the arrival of summer heralds getaway season and the darling new accessories offered by maui rose will make you daydream of a seaside vacation. if the label sounds familiar, you may recall the keiki collection with its sweet prints and adorable appliqués featured a few years back. after a brief hiatus, designer marion girardin decided to say aloha to the teeny bikinis to concentrate on introducing some much needed joie de vivre to modern day travels.

the lineup of hawaii-inspired bags are designed for both keiki and grownups, and are perfectly portioned whether an island hop is calling your name or new stowaway space is needed for a summer sleepover. my first glimpse of the old timey canvas carryalls was one of absolute delight with its mix of cheery coral, embroidered plumerias, and stenciled beach spots. imagine a classic road movie like it happened one night finding its way across the pacific to share the vintage charm of a zip-up malette crafted with aloha spirit.

have your ticket ready for a peek after the jump!

weekend bag * mahalo pocket * keiki tote

cabas * malette * beaches pocket

the mahalo nui loa pocket would be a fine way to "wrap" a thank you gift, no? teachers, bridesmaids, babysitters . . . why the list of possible recipients is endless! and, did i mention the keiki and cabas totes are lined in a rotating selection of hawaiian prints and can be reversed in a pinch? and that the entire collection is made in hawaii?

yes, indeedy!

alas, no online shop yet but maui readers can find maui rose bags at bikini market in kihei, collections in makawao, and imrie in paia.

p.s. faraway friends are invited to email marion directly to purchase.

morning crush: bookplate stamp

while the grown-up me would be hesitant to mark up a page, the little me who daydreamed about the coveted sixth grade assignment checking out books at the school library would have made fast friends with this sweet owl & branch bookplate stamp from hilo's niko art.

$12 online.

and the winners are . . .

kara from ka'a'awa and marisa from fountain valley who will be the happy recipients of shop toast's cheery fabric koi wraps!

although there were only two koi to share with everyone, mahalo to all my lovely readers who tried their luck this time around. if you wish to surprise your favorite girls and boys next week, shop toast's 2011 children's day lineup is priced from $8 to $12 and be found online and at their kaimuki storefront:

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

happy congratulations to kara & marisa!

{warm mahalos to jeremy and michelle, the delightful designers behind shop toast!}

shop toast koi giveaway

monday skipped by before i had a chance to post the shop toast surprise which will be treating two readers to the darling handkerchief koi just released for children's day celebrations! this year's edition is made to cheer in bright new colors (loving the turquoise!) which can be reused after the wrap is unbundled and the tomoe ame rice candy tucked inside has been enjoyed.

happily, one koi has been set aside for an oahu reader willing to pencil in a pickup at toast's kaimuki studio while a second koi is destined to be with a reader with a mainland mailbox.

feeling lucky? carefully read and heed all the fine print posted after the jump.

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