pint sized finds

it seems like only yesterday that our friends' baby boom of 2008 was in full swing so, to celebrate the arrival of the first year baby luau invites, enjoy a short and sweet roundup of fresh new keiki goodness.

1 - little ones can get a head start on their abc's with little sprouts' alphabet onesie plus remind their 'ohana to take care of the 'aina and "save some for me" compliments of organic keiki.

2 - she may be too tiny to go on the big kid rides but is just the right size for mini eel editions of the honolulu label's stylish jersey knits (available at cupcake).

3 - keiki and young-at-heart grownups will certainly have a crush on berrysprite's irresistibly cute crocheted bear lollipops crafted in a rainbow of colors.

4 - machine machine designer shannon hiramoto first sewed up teeny keiki tunics out of vintage fabric for her niece and now offers the sweet designs in her etsy shop.

sneak peek: made in hawaii 2009

the made in hawaii festival kicks off tomorrow so here's my annual sneak peek of fresh island goodness ready to woo you at the blaisdell this weekend!

1 - new label one hula girl transforms everyday style staples with a little razzle dazzle.

2. delight both little ones and their mod mamas & papas with personalized blankets, burp cloths and onesies handmade by it's mine baby.

3 - designer janine spalding of mahina pearls crafts lovely compositions to conjure your inner sea goddess.

4 - lather up with kona natural soap's calorie-free cocoa bars handcrafted with chocolate grown on its big island farm.

5- artist joseph dwight recreates island scenes out of stained glass which are the perfect complement for any modern surf shack.

6 - the traditional tapa aloha shirt receives a delightfully graphic update with tutuvi's handprinted textiles.

7 - hawaii island gourmet products continues to make atebara potato chips from the original 1930's recipe while sourcing 'ulu, taro, sweet potatoes and ginger from local farms for their line of salty and sweet snacks.

8 - umi blends offers up their secret island style ingredient for a perfectly seasoned teri burger.

9 - nibble your way to do-gooder status with the yummy treats (furikake lavosh, anyone?) made by rainbow falls connection since 100% of sales fund programs to lift big island kama'ainas out of poverty.

10 - the north shore's old sugar mill brand sweetens your day with chocolate confections harvested from its back yard.

11 - everything tastes better with butter especially when it's the artisanal offerings by waianae's naked cow dairy (be sure to sample the macadamia nut honey & toasted coconut).

p.s. be back later with a special mih sales scoop!

little sprouts style

hello again! i have been in between computers for the past few weeks making posting a bit of a challenge, however fedex finally knocked on my door with a long awaited package from apple yesterday so h|h can finally resume filling your lives with more fabulous island finds!

if you have little ones to dress and want to make a statement other than the ubiquitous got rice? found at every craft show, hele over to the little sprouts shop in kailua which has its own in-house line of keiki goods featuring screen printed bon mots sure to tickle islanders big and small.

little sprouts proprietor melanie decker koehl has taken everyday catchphrases and oft-heard mottos and added a charming keiki spin much to the delight of customers who have turned the homegrown line into one of the shop's biggest sellers.

the organic togs are available in infant and toddler sizes (up to 4T) and are printed in honolulu with environmentally-safe inks. word is the collection should be stocked in the online shop by year's end so until then make your way to kailua to stock up on the latest tiny eco offerings including bpa-free bottles, green toys (made from recycled milk jugs) and cloth diapering essentials.

• where: 629a kailua road, suite 111, kailua
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 6p & sun, 12p to 5p

p.s. stay posted on all the new arrivals over at the little sprouts' shop blog.

{update | feb 2010: please note little sprouts has relocated its storefront to 600 kailua road, suite 106 near lanikai juice}

sweet baby snaps

today's etsy find is the adorable snappables, a homegrown keiki line launched earlier this month by local girl sheila rich who began crafting the sweet felt snaplets as a way to add some handmade love to her baby daughter's wardrobe.

the result: a capsule collection of onesies and mini tees stylishly upgraded with a little felted flair that can be switched out with a quick snap. the genius part is that your little one's favorite snaplets can grow with her from onesie to lap tee to toddler togs. the thoughtful design deserves extra credit for both its versatility and because a set of interchangeable snappables is a winning solution for families living with limited drawer space.

each snappable includes your choice of two snaplets with additional felt delights priced just right for pinched pocketbooks. in addition to pint-sized wearables (newborn to 18 months), headbands and tote bags are also in the mix with organic onesies on the way. custom orders are also welcome if you require something extra special.

hele over to the snappables etsy shop to take a peek at the entire line!

p.s. sheila and her 'ohana are currently touring the mainland so orders will not ship out until early april.

naupaka book giveaway

big island artist caren loebel-fried kindly sent along a review copy of her new book, naupaka, penned by the late aunty nona beamer and i finally had a chance sit down and savor page after beautiful page.

it's a beautiful retelling of a hawaiian folk story describing why the naupaka flower blooms in perfect halves despite different growing conditions down by the sea and up in the mountains. the illustrations are gorgeous bringing old hawaii to life with the technicolor beauty of caren's block prints which complement the
bittersweet tale of two star-crossed lovers from opposite sides of the ahupua'a kept apart by their different ranks in life.

one lucky reader has a chance to score a copy for storytime and introduce her/his little one(s) to the world of hawaiian mythology. the book is told in both english and hawaiian and includes an audio cd narrated by aunty nona with music by her son, keola beamer.

here's the scoop on how to enter:

• email your name & current hometown to: aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com by thu, mar 26th
• please put naupaka giveaway in the subject
• one entry per person/household

click back on friday to find out if you are the lucky winner.

{update: winner list posted}

p.s. email subscribers - simply hit reply and follow the instructions above for a chance to win.