Julia Bristow Jewelry

Julia Bristow Jewelry features hand-crafted, nature-inspired pieces that are unique & elegant. All jewelry pieces are hand-wired or woven and meticulously pieced together by designer Julia Bristow. Her offerings include a variety of beautiful necklaces, such as the flower necklace that is made with a special Gumamela shell flower pendant, yellow jasper beads, glass beads and gold plated findings. The blue & white vintage-style necklace is another lovely design. One of my favorites is the Hippie blue cool beaded necklace that incorporates wood beads, gemstone beads, & other elements. Julia also offers a variety of bracelets, little girl jewelry, and more. Perhaps the most intriguing items she creates are the beaded guitar straps. These intricate pieces are stunning works of wearable art. Visit Julia's blog for updates, including upcoming events & specials.

ManHandled

ManHandled is run by a super cool couple, Emily & Matt Adams. I first met Emily when she was teaching a scrapbooking class I took at the Arlington Scrapbooking convention years ago. She is high energy & so creative. I was thrilled when Emily & her husband Matt started ManHandled, as well as The Bookie. The duo's latest offering are 1" buttons that can be worn in a whole new way - as earrings! There are pairs of earrings that will suit everyone from anime-niacs to proud Texans to crafty b*tches. Not only do they have over 40 sets listed on their site, you can also request your own set based on any combination of all the button designs on the site. Of course, ManHandled also offers the standard 1" pinback buttons in a variety of styles & combos. These are perfect for adding flair to your tote bag or sending to friends. And Twilight fans will love the cool buttons & earrings showcasing images from the books, as well as phrases from the stories. If you're in the Dallas area, visit ManHandled at the White Rock Local Market between 9am & noon this Saturday, July 11th.

Mention Funky Finds at checkout & receive FREE domestic shipping through July 19th! Also, sign up to receive all of Emily & Matt's indie brand newsletters to receive special discount information & announcements.

LyLou Design

Fun, funky, and thoroughly functional, LyLou Design bags are the must have accessory for the modern woman. These bags are suitable for everyone, including a mom on the go, a career woman on the rise, or simply the girl-next-door. Bags like Pink Floral are constructed of the finest, most durable fabrics in patterns ranging from country chic to retro mod and everything in between. Designer Lynn Louise Larson personally selects top-quality vintage and new upholstery fabrics with a keen eye for innovative color combinations, unique pattern, and exquisite texture, as displayed by the Golden Age bag. The Royal Blue design (pictured) is another favorite of mine. If you're looking for a bag that is hand-crafted with a passion for beauty, form, function, and durability, LyLou Designs is the place for you. Receive 20% off your order with coupon code FF2009. Good through July 2010.

Austin Fashion Week

Next week marks Austin Fashion Week, a week-long series of fashion events hosted by participating boutiques and salons. Between July 13 and 19, many Austin designers will be displaying their work in gallery formats within various boutiques and salons. This is a great opportunity to discover new, up-and-coming labels coming from Central Texas. Also, be sure you check out each participants’ work and VOTE for your favorites to win Austin Fashion Awards. And, of course, you don’t want to forget to SHOP! Buy a Passport to Fashion to receive 10% off all of your purchases and get a chance to win a $5,000 SHOPPING SPREE every time you visit a new boutique or salon!

Also, on Thursday, July 16, from 8:00-11:00pm, Austin Handmade will be celebrating the Grand Re-opening of its new store location at 2009 S. First St. The party will offer special in-store discounts, along with giveaways from participating sponsors such as the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls, select Austin based artists and a membership for a free year of classes provided by The WonderCraft. Party guests will be able try out the new Austin Handmade Do-It-Yourself Room using simple kits created by Austin artists with instructions and basic supplies available for purchase at the event. Continue with the on-site DIY fun with make n' take projects provided Austin's newest creative craft-force, The WonderCraft. There will also be entertainment provided by local band Lost Werks and DJ Beef Eigler "Hot Britches" of High Society. Enjoy drinks from Austin's favorite, Sweet Leaf Tea and Treaty Oak Platinum Rum. Rum truly made in the spirit of Texas. Texas's first & only distillery that both brews and distills locally, using only Texas ingredients.

Visit the Austin Handmade online store to find an array of Austin's talent with a wide diversity of art including screen printing, book binding, candle making, fabric art, graphic design and more, including detailed information on upcoming featured monthly artist events and the bi-weekly local Handmade Market.

Pequitobun

Pequitobun is so popular that their accessories have been featured on the popular show Gossip Girl, most recently on the season finale. Taylor Momsen, who plays Jenny Humphrey, rocked the Crown Jewels necklace in the episode titled The Goodbye. Obviously the wardrobe editors really like Pequitobun's designs & it's easy to see why. The website has recently been stocked with new items, including various pairs of Victorian rocker earrings. The Summer 2009 collection is full of glamorous & exotic designs, such as the unique rock by stitch necklace. Are you a fan of Pequitobun on Facebook? Fans receive special promo codes, announcements of specials, and more.

Artists & Fleas

Artists & Fleas creates weekly markets featuring emerging artists, designers, vintage collectors, and handmade crafters. Established in 2003 in Williamsburg Brooklyn, Artists & Fleas has created unique destinations for the community of artisans, collectors and cool-hunters to come together in a dynamic, vital retail setting where buyers and sellers can meet from around the world. The current markets include the Indoor Artists & Designer Market, The Vintage Market, and the Market in McCarren (May 2009).

Established in 2003, the Indoor Artist & Designer Market is a place where emerging and independent artists, designers, collectors and makers of everything handmade can showcase their wares. New vendors are always welcome so be sure to visit regularly to discover new items. Located at 129 N 6th St. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-8pm.

The Vintage Market, located next door to the current Artists & Fleas Indoor Market, is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-8pm. You will find collections of furniture, clothing, housewares and decor, accessories and more.

The A & F Market in McCarren is a weekly outdoor independent artist and designer market in Brooklyn's McCarren Park in partnership with the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn. The Market features independent designers of clothing, jewelry, accessories and handmade crafts and includes an array of traditional and non-traditional visual artists. The Market also includes a cafe with organic, locally produced food, highlighting community non-profit partners and provides a variety of entertainment and themed weekend activities. Open Saturdays from 10am-6pm. Located in the North end of McCarren Park, adjacent to the McCarren Field House and near the year-round Saturday Green Market. (photo from Artists & Fleas website)

From Sarah, With Love

From Sarah, With Love stocks a mix of funky, vintage, feminine and quirky items. Since so many people enjoy receiving picture frames, mirrors and jewelry boxes as gifts, Sarah Oren decided to start a business creating such items in a colorful, exciting way. The Colors Galore Mirror is a unique design featuring decoupaged photographs. The Shady Picture Frame is perfect for displaying your wild summer photos. The various decoupaged wood pieces incorporate pressed flowers, acrylic paint and magazine/photograph clippings. Receive 25% off one item when mentioning Funky Finds in the Notes to Seller at checkout.