Unique LA Roundup

*This is Wilbur and I'm pretty sure Santa will be bringing him home this Christmas*

So...Lo and I are still coming down off our inspirational crafty cloud that is Unique LA (saw Sandra Oh-yay!...missed Ricky Gervais-boo. I'm kind of glad...I know I would have made a shear fool o' myself. I love the funny witty Brits waaaay too much). One of the things we love the most (aside from taking some orders;) is all the of creative fantastic people we get to meet.

This time around we were outside and surrounded by some very talented, fun, funny, neighbors. Even if we didn't get a chance to meet these peeps, we would still blog about their stuff...sooooo amazing...and hard not to take their stuff home...just ask Lo's M.I. L.;)

Here's one of my favs...Janie XY. Super cute gal and her side kick not only make show winning displays (they really are fantastic every show), but she hand makes the cutest plush toys you've evah seen! From gray whales to barbells...not to mention a big chicken leg (so funny). Washable, cuddle-able, and whimsy. The icing on the cake is...she and he are the sweetest-we lurve that:)

Unique LA

Just a quick little post before we head out to LA tomorrow! Remember, you can buy your tickets to the show online till Friday night for $8 (its $10 at the door)! Your ticket buys you access to the show both days, and access to all the free workshops, free drinks (beer, wine, juice and perrier!) and other awesome activities at Unique LA. AND as a super extra fun bonus, presale tickets also get you a free pass to the OC Fair!

Check out all the awesome vendors here and you can see all the extra activities and amentities here! Hope to see you this weekend! :)

Unique LA Shout Out - Glass Cathedrals

I'm really excited to check out Glass Cathedrals at Unique LA next weekend. Lisa Swerling creates tiny worlds inside shadow boxes to hang on your wall. I have an affinity for tiny things to begin with (who doesn't? everything is cuter tiny size!) and I love the juxtaposition of the tiny figures in their "big" worlds. And it looks like she does custom pieces, thinking one would be an awesome anniversary present for The Husband...(shhhh..)

Unique LA shout out-Pookaqueen

Today I'm headed to the Del Mar opening day of the races...the nags, as my fam called it growing up.

I've got my train ticket, my hat, and by the time you read this,hopefully, mint julep in hand;)

As I was looking through our Unique LA talent...I came across this Pookaqueen philly (sorry...had to), and I kicked myself for not finding her sooner...'cause I would have sported one of these beauties to the races today fo sho.

Unique LA Shout Out-Kira

I always laugh when I hear moms of girls tell me how easy it must be for me to get Boy Wonder dressed in the morning...because I can pick out what I want and he'll wear it. HA! He's turning 3 next week (gulp...did I just say next week?), and he's been telling me what he wants to wear this whole last year. I have to say, I am happy that he knows what he does and doesn't like in the style department. What I like even better right now...he is just picking from his closet that I have stocked. What I really like is being able to stock it full of cute clothes that don't entirely consist of sport propaganda &/or TV/movie characters (he does have a few...I'm not that righteous;).

Over the last few years I have found a lot of my fab finds for duders at Unique LA (come one, you knew it was coming). I stock up and buy big so they'll last...'cause I know I'll kick myself when I'm shopping at my local mall & think why didn't I get that cute T?;)

Kira-Super cute unique (not punny) kiddo line with simple fun graphics. Cute...but not cutesy...as in a 3 year old with a sense of style will love & wear, and wear, and wear...'cause all the cool kids are;)

Unique LA shout out #2-H for Hannah

*LA medium plate-sweet huh?*

I'm still getting through the humongous list of participants that will be joining us at the Unique LA summer show. The list is long and fabulous...take a look for yourself here.

H for Hannah is another vendor we're really excited to meet. Cute London gal turned west coaster byway of NY designing beautiful china plates, cups, vases, meal sets like none you've seen.

I love how she's made fine bone china not stuffy and cheesy...even though it has a little souvenir flavor...beautiful and genius!

I know I should buy the LA one...but I'm thinking of getting a mix match set...how cute and very citizen of the world would my kiddos be;)

Unique LA Shout Out #1-Hello Hanna

So we’ve found out a few of our neighbors that will join us at the Unique LA summer show. Hello Hanna is the first one I’m excited to see.

Super cute paper company (if I haven’t said this before…I love paper-stationary, real books, etc.) that makes everything from place mats to cupcake stands (check out their wishing tree…such a great idea for birthdays, showers, anniversary parties). I love how simple their designs are…but as they say…simple so you can add your own creativity to them if you want. They’ll give you a few ideas with your purchase…or you can use just on their own.

Loving these place mats above that include stickers so your kiddos can customize. Actually I can see the Hubs customizing his own to be honest;) Boy Wonder #1 loves helping me prep & set the table…he’ll be all over these place mats!

First shout out of the summer show…Hello Hanna!!

1st UNIQUE LA-Summer show!!

We're in again!!

We're so excited that Pinky Swear Designs was chosen to attend the first Unique LA summer show! This will be the first Unique LA on the west side and its sure to be a super fun weekend.

Saturday & Sunday July 30th & 31st at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica (I know...what a fantastic location!) over 250 artisans and their goods will be there offering you the best of the best in apparel, art, home decor, stationary, food, wine, spirits, jewelry (uh-that's us) and a lot more of course.

We'll highlight some of our new neighbors in the weeks to come...in the meantime...mark your calendars!!

From the Desk of A.J. - UNIQUE OC!!

What's unique about the O.C.? UNIQUE LA...Orange County style!!

You heard me. Yep...we're super excited over here at Pinky Swear Designs 'cause we were chosen to be part of the handful of vendors who will be invading The Lab in Costa Mesa Saturday August 14th and Sunday August 15th from 11 am-6pm.

Same groove as LA- DJ spinning cool jams, photo booth, free workshop, and uh...we didn't forget the free beer all set up in a garden for ya;)

Come on out and say hey...we'll be the two mamas groovin'...one with a really big pregger belly ;)

Find more information here!

Bley Art

My daughter loves pteranodons. In fact, most of her day is spent pretending to be either a pteranodon baby or mommy, depending on her mood, and I spend a lot of my time oooohhing and aaahhing over "how cute!" those little pteranodon babies are. So you can imagine how stoked I was to find these! My three year old has declared them "soooo cute" and I agree. :) How awesome is that clutch?!

Check out all of Bley Art's cheeky fun here.

Absolutely Small

I can't honestly say I've ever met a little girl who didn't love stuffed animals, so it goes without saying that my little girl is bananas about anything plush. When she came to visit me at Unique LA she just about lost her mind when she came across the Absolutely Small booth. We stood there a good half hour while she agonized over which one she wanted, and then I endured the meltdown of the century when I realized we would have to go find The Husband because he had the money. But the gal at the booth (I'm assuming it was Claire, the artist behind Absolutely Small, but I was a little distracted and never asked) was so sweet to my little one and promised to save her choice pick for her. My little one and her "Tiny Tammie" have been inseparable ever since.

*Our dog, the original Tammie

Check out more plush and artwork here!

Dan Bob Thompson

Dan Bob is another one of our Unique LA finds. An illustrator who worked for Disney, and now Cartoon Network, his prints are whimsical and vaguely retro and we love 'em! He had a series of circus prints that made me want to change my kiddo's "theme" in their room (currently the theme is "we have too many toys and not enough storage" but they have their heart set on a "Matterhorn" theme for their new room). I think his illustrations would make awesome centerpieces in any kid's room (or adult! check out that squid!)

Find more amazing prints here (and check out his children's book too! Super cute!)

Lady Chocolatier

Now that we're starting to emerge from the amazing flurry of orders for Mother's Day (and some personal emergencies involving a flooding home, hotel stays and coming up with a million ways to entertain your kids in said hotel :P) we can finally start sharing some of our favorite finds from the Unique LA show! And what better way to start then with some chocolate? We met the gals from Lady Chocolatier when they first stopped by our booth, and lured by the promise of free chocolate, later hit them up at their booth where we promptly fell deeply and madly in love. Handmade marshmallows, covered in chocolate and bits of graham cracker? Yes please. So amazingly light and fluffy, the marshmallow inside these babies are nothing like your typical bag of 'mallows. Our little group bought three bags, intending to give some as Mother's Day presents, but we later had to order some online for dear Mom, because the bags we bought at the show didn't make it that long. ;) To make it even better, when our order arrived in the mail, there was a sweet box of four chocolates just for being a new customer. *love* And the packaging is sweet and elegant, making it perfect for gift giving (and you know we're all about the packaging!).

Find Lady Chocolatier here (but don't say I didn't warn you!)