These hand crafted accessories by Rare Indeed are in fact, rare indeed! It’s always exciting to stumble upon one-of-a-kind pieces by artists on Etsy, and we’re feeling particularly fond of these illustrative items as they remind us of some of our favorite designs.

This striped circus tent brooch would liven up any outfit, especially if attending a circus-themed party (see our new Big Top kids birthday party invitation!)

No summer vacation is complete without a trip to the beach and these anchor stud earrings would be the ultimate accessory. Or, for all you Cape Cod brides, these studs might make the perfect gift for bridesmaids!

Our new Adventure wedding invitation has been a popular addition to our collection, so we can definitely see this hot air balloon necklace making a splash.

To view the entire Rare Indeed collection, click here!

We are so excited that one of our favorite local jewelers will be joining us in the studio this Saturday for SFMade day. Come early and snag some beautiful jewelry along with Hello!Lucky goods. We chatted with Leslie Yang, the force behind feistyelle, about sustainable design, how she got her start, and what she loves about style in San Francisco.

When did you start feistyelle and what’s different about your designs and materials?

I started making women’s accessories out of felted merino wool in 2005 but over time felt (no pun intended!) that it wasn’t scalable as a business, meaning I was working too hard for too little. I took a year off, told myself to be open to new ideas and ways of making things. Near the end of that year, I discovered how to lasercut wool felt based on my own designs. The Dahlia design was one of my first designs and it’s still our bestseller!  Feistyelle designs are different because we’re deeply committed to using eco-friendly materials like vegan suede, wool felt, and bamboo ply throughout our jewelry, accessories, and home decor lines. No one else really is making and mixing sustainable materials specifically in jewelry and accessories quite the way we are. Our jewelry is above all else: playful! All of our pieces are colorful, fun, super light, AND you can stack, swap, and flip our earrings.

 How does creating in SF impact your final product and design? 

I make a very conscious decision to make as much of my product and packaging in San Francisco. It matters to me that I can meet the vendors I work with, see their employees’ working conditions, as well as make sure that the money I put into our community stays in the community.

 Tell us about your new collection. 

We just launched our new collection: Glimmer & Cream. I’m ridiculously excited about every piece! Featured throughout the collection is the new material of our dreams: vegan suede. Our vegan suede is incredibly light, soft and, like leather and suede, thin but strong with a touch of stretch. Made from recycled polyester film and plastic bottles, this is our most eco chic material ever.  Our new Stacked Lotus earrings come in a selection of creamy pastels and coral, which we screened with gold water-based ink on one side making reversible earrings (6 earrings in 1). We also screened neon pink and yellow on light gray vegan suede for that neon pop to your color block (outfit). We also have some new long necklaces, perfect for wearing every day over tunics or shirts.

What do you love most about style in SF?

I love that everyone in SF celebrates holidays as an excuse to put on a costume. Along that same vein, there’s a lot of love for color, individuality, play, and rule-breaking. We’re not terribly snobby about our style and because of our microclimates, we’re pretty cozy chic and clever with our layers. I’d say SF has been a good influence on feistyelle!

You can meet Leslie and snag some of her beautiful goods this Saturday, May 12th from 11am – 5pm. Visit us at 977 Howard Street between 5th & 6th.

Did you know this week is SFMade Week? All week long the city will be celebrating locally made products and manufacturing with events, warehouse tours, and parties. We’re joining in on the fun this Saturday, May 12th when our studios will be open from 11am until 5pm. We’ll have the presses running, gifts and cards on sale, and local artist FeistyElle selling her beautiful jewelry in the studio. Tell us if you can make it here.

Our address is 977 Howard Street (btw 5th & 6th streets) in San Francisco.

Hope to see you all Saturday!

Mother’s Day is May 13th and although there are endless ways to say “I love you,” we chose a few of our favorite gifts and accessories that would make any mom smile.

1. Starting out with these coral Signature Ballet Flats from L.L. Bean, your mom will love a splash of color to liven up her spring wardrobe.

2. Gardening gloves can come in handy even if your mom doesn’t have a green thumb! Use them when spring cleaning or simply raking the yard. These chic Fleur de Lis gloves will get her ready for some hands-on fun!

3. You can never have enough bags. This modern lattice dopp kit from Hammocks and High Tea is the ultimate travel accessory, and can help prevent any liquid mishaps from happening on that much needed summer vacation.

4. Continuing with the bright coral color trends, Laura Mercier’s Sheer.Bold.Tres.Chic gel lipstick is a great gift for any woman – old or young!

5. Love mom’s homemade cooking? She’ll have lots more to offer after flipping through The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant. With expert guidance and brilliant flavor combinations your mom will be glued to her kitchen trying new techniques of canning and storing, and of course, eating. Just hope she’s willing to share!

6. These white ceramic candlesticks by Tourne will work wonders in her home, and you won’t have to worry about matching her color palette since these pure and simple home accessories go with everything.

7. Don’t stop there! Pair mom’s gift with a totally practical and virtually indestructible apron by Tourne as well. And while you’re at it – browse the entire Brook Farm General Store for gifts for Father’s Day too (June 17th)!

8. Personal Stationery makes the perfect gift year-round, but with so many new designs choose from [and $25 off orders of $100+] your mom won’t be able to thank you enough. Don’t forget to use the code TREATYOURSELF.

9. One of the best presents a mom could get is probably quality time with her kids. Sit down over a cup of this Bellocq breakfast tea and reminisce over good times.

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there. We love you!

We always feel honored whenever our name is featured throughout the growing realm of wedding magazines, blogs, and resource websites. We also love to cater to our community by offering one-on-one consultations with brides when making the big decision to buy wedding stationery. It truly is a joy to be listed in Brides Magazine as one of the “people and places you need to know to plan a wedding in San Francisco!”

The issue highlights all of the places throughout the city that offer helpful advice and inspiration for your wedding. Our beloved Faye even made her way into the spotlight!

The current issue of Brides Magazine is available now!

When we spotted these silk screened cotton ribbons by Pikku on Parcel Post we stopped right in our tracks. Pikku has an entire collection of pillows, office accessories, ribbons, and wrapping paper! What a perfect coincidence it is that our custom birth announcements by Pikku go hand in hand with these accessories. We personalized our Mums birth announcement to match their lemony color scheme, and it’s truly a match made from heaven.

Check out the entire Pikku shop here, and our Pikku birth announcements here!

This week we’re continuing with our vendor feature series and highlighting the lovely indie shop Modern Mouse. Opened in 2009 and tucked away in an open-air shopping center in Alameda, California, this sweet boutique offers loads of handcrafted goods. We asked owner Eleen Hsu some questions about how this unique shop got its start and what makes it so special.

What inspired you to open Modern Mouse?
In mid-2009, I heard about a business plan competition offering the grand prize of a 1-year lease on a retail space at a local shopping center. I’d grown up crafting and loved the world of DIY/handmade, was running a tiny little business on Etsy selling handmade bags and dreamed of having my own brick-and-mortar shop, so I entered! I made it to the semi-finalists with a concept pretty close to Modern Mouse’s current business model, but in the end I lost out to a learning cafe concept. A few months later, I noticed that CCA (California College of the Arts) had opened a pop-up shop in my neighborhood shopping center. Inspired, I wrote to the property manager and within 6 of the busiest weeks of my life, Modern Mouse opened its doors! We started off as a holiday pop-up shop with goods from about 50 artists, and 2 years later we’ve tripled our roster and thrive on being able to bring the amazing work of local and indie artists to our community.

What makes Modern Mouse so unique?
One of the things that we think makes us unique is that we’re such big fans of DIY that we love sharing it as much as we love selling it. Every month we host a Crafty Hour that’s led by queen of crafting Polly Conway. We choose a fun craft that teaches a different skill each month, round up supplies (and of course snacks and beverages), and invite the community to join us for an enlightening evening of crafts! We also love putting a name, face, and story to the goods that our customers purchase. We display artist profile cards alongside their work, as well as feature each one on our blog. We’ve also started a series called “Show Your Studio” to give customers behind-the-scenes looks into where all the magic happens.

How long have you been carrying H!L cards?
We started carrying Hello!Lucky cards just a few months after we opened. H!L cards are right up our alley because like most of our products, they’re also locally made just across the bay in San Francisco! Not to mention that the H!L team makes it fun and super-easy to order. :]

Do you have a favorite or best selling card from us?
Peeps is our best-selling H!L card! Unicorns and Lionheart are tied for second, and the Sock Monkey series are all around faves as well. My fave is the new Greetings from San Francisco card!

Can you tell us a little bit about your staff and what they are loving in the store right now?
Fuzzy monster gear by Ghoulie Girls is a perennial favorite, but the plush critters by Phil Barbato have also recently snatched a special place in our hearts, along with 3 Fish Studios’ “I Love California” prints. Not to mention, of course, the work of three of our very own talented staffers: Genevieve Santos of Le Petit Elefant, Polly Conway of Pollyannacowgirl and Marguerite Payne of Bella Beads!

Anything else?
We’re so grateful for the support of our customers, our artists, the handmade community and wonderful vendors like Hello!Lucky for making it a joy to do what we love!

Thanks Modern Mouse! If you live in the Bay Area, go say hello! The shop is located at 2228 S Shore Ctr, Ste A, Alameda, CA 94501.

We’re absolutely drooling over these bridal accessories by Twigs & Honey. We spotted their collection over on the lovely blog Honey Kennedy, and since then have been adoring everything they showcase. Their use of vintage laces and delicate silks provide the perfect mix of classic and feminine. Plus, their new 2012 collection includes beaded and rhinestone crowns, seriously stunning!

You can view all Twigs and Honey products here, enjoy!

We’re getting a good giggle out of Esther Aarts‘s new limited edition postcard set. The “High 5″ set comes with five printed cards on recycled Officio paper and would make for an adorable framed print or gift. Shipping is available to the US so pick up your set here!

Some of the most significant members of the Hello!Lucky family tree are our trusty wholesale carriers. Though many of these vendors live far far away, we still think of them as close friends. We’re delighted to begin a regular blog feature in which we visit the amazing spaces that carry our greeting cards and gifts. These stores make the H!L name shine and so we’re excited to give you a deeper look into their lovely boutiques and indy shops. Today we’re visiting Urbanic, a sweet paper boutique in Los Angeles started 5 years ago by adorable husband and wife team Audrey Tantaros and Joshua Woollen.

Can you tell us a little bit about the neighborhood where Urbanic is located? Urbanic is located on Abbot Kinney Blvd in the Venice area of Los Angeles. Our street is full of hip, eclectic shops and restaurants in the local neighborhood of Venice (not the touristy part). Abbot Kinney is a creative shopping strip and bursting with good food, style, and design. An absolute must see destination when visiting Los Angeles!

What inspired you to open Urbanic? I’ve had a love of all things paper for as long as I can remember. My husband and I shared a long distance relationship across the country when we first met through letter writing, so the sentiment of a written letter will always be important to us. Once engaged and on the hunt for invitations we realized how difficult it was to find options that were unique and a reflection of who we were.  All of this combined with a dream of becoming a boutique owner gave me an A-HA moment to open Urbanic.

How long have you been carrying Hello!Lucky cards? Since we opened 5 years ago! H!L was one of our very first lines at the shop and have been with us ever since.

Do you have a favorite or best selling card from us? Quite honestly, our customers love all of what we choose from Hello!Lucky. Different seasons bring on different favorites. I usually try keep “birthday girl” in stock because she is part of what drew me into the line originally, and of course the sock monkey is always a hit. Lately the seagulls and L.A postcard greetings have been some of our best sellers.

From what’s selling well  right now what do you think is the next big paper or wedding trend? Pops of interest and unexpected color (ie. edge painting, backing patterns, printed center wraps, neon). Handwriting fonts – be them casual or script, people are loving fonts that have character and they’ve never seen before. Novelty Reception Pieces – drink flags, coasters, and signage of every sort!

Anything else? We’re thrilled to be the first boutique featured on the HL blog!

Thanks Urbanic for all your beautiful work! If you live in the Los Angeles area, go say hello! The shop is located at 1644 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, California 90291