Cozy Hand To Hand Combat: Vs. Mittens From Hoopla

What happens when your left hand dons a lion and your right a gazelle? They stay cozy, that's what.



These wool and acrylic blend hand-made knitted mittens from Hoopla pit prey against predator. With six different duos to choose from:

lion vs. gazelle:

owl vs. mouse:

wolf vs. sheep:

whale vs. fish:

dog vs. cat:

and a frog vs fly:


Super cute and fun, the mittens are made from strictly regulated farm australian wool and are one size fits all (adults).


Shop for the Vs. Mittens here.

about hoopla:


hoopla is a fun and unique gift product development company based out of New York, NY. the hoopla team was created by two silly girls (Hannah and Ashley) with a passion for life, and fun. With hannah’s background as a creative director/ graphic designer, and Ashley’s background in business strategy branding, hoopla came to be! we love what we do, and we are our own customers. we hope you enjoy our stuff, and the funner things in life!

Stitchwitchery By Aubrey Longley-Cook. Sew Cool.

Talented young embroiderer Aubrey Longley-Cook ( who turns 24 tomorrow.. Happy Birthday Aubrey!!!) writes a blog from Atlanta, Georgia named Spool Spectrum on which he posts his own handiwork along with some fabulous textile work from other artists and some kitschy finds. He also sells some of his unique embroidery, each framed in a wood hoop, in a store of the same name as his blog on etsy.


above: Front and back of "Rex"

A self-proclaimed fan of cartoons, animation, cassettes and mix tapes, he is bringing embroidery a long way from its stereotype as a Granny craft.

This particular series of his fun "Stichwitchery" caught my eye:

Undead Thoroughbred:

Coop Spook:

Croaker:

Elephantom:


And more of his other wonderful pieces:

Make A Wish ( a series of embroidered Dragon balls):

Midas:

City In The Trees:

group Duel:

It's In Our Fingerprints:


Baal's Brass Band (embroidery on found fabric):


In addition to his embroidery shown above, he hand stitches cards, and creates many other interesting pieces of textile art.


above: Aubrey Longley-Cook

Check out his blog, Spool Spectrum and his etsy store. I, for one, look forward to seeing more of his work.

Meet Alyssa Ettinger & Her "Knitware" Ceramics

If you don't know her work, let me introduce you to the beautiful ceramics of Alyssa Ettinger's "Knitware" collection.

Her cups, vases, plates, bowls and coasters from her tactile and unusual "Knitware" collection are unique, elegant and a sight to behold.



Whether you want to drink hot chocolate from one of her cozy'knit' mugs or use a vase to add warmth and texture to an otherwise stark modern silhouette, she has perfected the art.

Take a look at some of her products, available in an equally tasteful palette of glazes.

above: her knitware coasters


Above: some of the different textures from the collection




Above: little knitware bowls


above: available glazes for the Knitware' collection



About Alyssa Ettinger (taken from her site)

Alyssa Ettinger threw her first pot at summer camp when she was 14-years-old. She continued working with clay while attending The Putney School, then got her BA in Ceramics (and Creative Writing) at Bennington College.

After graduating, she began a career in magazine publishing, and for nearly two decades wrote, edited, planned and styled shoots, and honed her expertise in home design, new products, décor and lifestyle — Her first book, The eBay Home Makeover, came out in October of 2005.

After 9/11, Alyssa felt something stirring inside her for a change. Between seeking a new direction, and being encouraged by a friend to try her hands at ceramics once more, Alyssa took a pottery class at the studio where this friend, Mieko, studied. That first night found Alyssa sitting at the wheel, throwing bowls nearly as easily as she had back in college. She began spending as many hours at the studio as she could, and soon felt she needed a way to spend all of her time pursuing ceramics. She found a studio space, ordered 50 pounds of porcelain, and within two months was designing dinnerware. Her first line — Mieko bowls — was named after the friend who'd started it all by inviting her for tea.

These days, Alyssa works out of a studio in Brooklyn, and has branched out to include slip-casting and hand-building in her designs. "It's a far different environment than the more corporate world where I once worked," she says. "Being a ceramic artist certainly doesn't make you wealthy, but I've reached a point in my life where being happy and content are far more valuable currency."

You can purchase some of her products here

or at her Etsy store here.