Tagged: sundries

It started under the cloud-ridden April sky of yet another belayed Swedish spring in 2008. A vision to turn an everyday essential into a colourful design item and spread happiness. A rigid standard of ultimate quality, craftship and creativity. A concept brought to perfection by the Happy Socks collective of creators, most lately spotted in a 400-year-old, shrieking red cottage among cherry trees and berry bushes in a park located in the midst of Stockholm.

We've almost never had a response to a brand the way Victoria residents & tourists alike respond to Happy Socks at Still Life For Him & For Her. The final, colourful touch to an otherwise muted outfit, a perfectly suitable gift to someone near and dear to your heart or the tie that binds a team of groomsmen, coworkers or floor hockey mates together - Happy Socks are always there. We've had men & women both coming through the stores this past year to scoop up styles by the handful of this fun, colourful Swedish accessories brand, and we're happy to have received additional stock to take us into Spring 2012.

The Happy Socks collection features an almost endless variety of models and designs, crossing a wide spectrum of colour combinations, materials and textures. Simply put: a pair of high-quality socks for every occasion, mindset and style. Manufactured at a 30 year old, family-run factory in Turkey. For Spring 2012 we've switched up styles previously available For Her and made them available For Him, and vice versa. Some spring styles only just now available are debuting for the first time. And we've managed to ring out the final few sets of the elusive Leopard Print Happy Socks in all of the country and make them available at both stores. The sun is shining, but our feet our still cold, time for a new pair of Happy Socks.

Get your green thumbs ready, Score+Solder Terrariums have returned for Spring 2012 to Still Life For Her. Stocking these incredible, one-of-a-kind pieces at Still Life this past winter we were innundated with calls and requests for information on Matthew Cleland and his magical creations. We've proudly received a small batch of new, all ready planted Score+Solder Terrariums all currently available at Still Life For Her.

A traveling gypsy, Matthew Cleland makes his beautiful Score + Solder Terrariums by hand on Pender Island off the West Coast of British Columbia. With a flask in one and a soldering iron in the other, Matthew magically creates one of a kind pieces of art with skills past down through ten generations at his home on Pender Island, BC.

Handmade glass and lead free soldered terrariums. Made to order and exclusively available in Victoria at Still Life For Her. Score+Solder Terrariums comes with quartz, rocks, activated charcoal and soil and have been thoughtfully planted for Still Life by Matt & Julia with moss and succulents. Truly inspiring, magical and wonderfully unique pieces of art, Score+Solder Terrariums would make an ideal holiday gift for anyone on your list or would add magic and beauty to any sunny corner of your home.

Our most popular leather bags and accessories at Still Life For Her hit the shelves today from Erin Templeton - arriving directly from her Chinatown, Vancouver studio/storefront. We've had a really tremendous response to Erin's beautiful, functional and ethical leather bags and accessories over the past year. Focussing on pracitcality with each design she creates, Erin recycles buttery soft leathers from deadstock fabric dealers, walk-in vintage pickers and even old leather jackets. Newly available Spring 2012 styles range from the larger, drawstring bags to smaller cross-body purses for a night out.

Erin recently opened the doors of her home to 01 Magazine for a rare behind the scenes peek. See where Junior (Erin's cat) loves to lounge and where all the magic happens. Our header image has been borrowed from the shoot, and you can see the rest here.

All Erin Templeton designs are lovingly made in her Vancouver studio, in either new or recycled leathers. Erin's life-long fascination with vintage informs designs that defy trends and transcend eras. Minimal hardware and simple, strong construction allow people to adjust, change, and make pieces their own. It is her hope that each piece is able to be a life long friend, and able to mix freely with new and vintage pieces. Erin Templeton Spring 2012 styles are now available at Still Life For Her.

Gina Carney, the founder of RGB Nail Polish, says that she’s not trying to find today’s hot hues, but rather to put out tiny seasonal collections of colors she thinks will be classics five years hence. Judging by our complete sell through of her seasonal collections and our growing demand for her core collections, she'll have plenty of work to do for years to come.

Dedicated solely to nail colour and care, RGB is a product line that sees nail colour as an extension of one's wardrobe; using colour as an accessory. With a core collection of ten iconic colours with a modern edge, each shade is RGB's sharp take on a classic tone with a straightforward name to match. Offering exciting new colours seasonally, the chip-resistant and high shine formula is free of harmful chemicals (there is no formaldehyde, toluene, or dbp in any RGB colours) and all RGB products are cruelty free, and made in the USA.

Spring 2012 arrivals from RGB include the incredible popular core collection of shades (including smash hits Oxblood, Toast, Minty, Camel, Vert & Seal) as well as three new seasonal shades: RGB Fade is a soft, sunny faded ecru. RGB Dew is an opaque, pale green. And RGB Vellum is a perfectly muted, buttery yellow. A full spectrum of RGB Nail Polish shades to take our ladies into spring is now available at Still Life For Her.

This one is for the lovers! Valentines Day 2012 is coming this Tuesday, February 14th and we've air shipped stock in from either side of the continent to make sure our friends have the sweetest and most romantic time they can. With Still Life For Her rennovations completed we've got a gorgeous newly designed space at 550 Johnson for you to pick up some last minute gifts fro your Miss, and the boys across the street at Still Life For Him have some things to make your man smile ear to ear on the shelves at 551 Johnson. Flip through the images on the right and keep reading for our quick little guide to Valentines Day 2012.

• Only Hearts Lingerie: This line of Made in New York City lingerie has been a runaway hit at Still Life For Her since debuting this Fall. Sexy, romantic and feminine, these stretch lace underpinning bras, bralettes, panties & thongs are a perfect gift to buy for your lady, or For Her to buy for herself to feel sexy for someone else on the big day. We had a gorgeous batch of brand new sexy favourites overnight shipped from New York just in time for Valentines.
  
• Red Cap Valentines Day Cards: Adorable Valentines sentiments from the creative hands and mind of Francesca Montanari, these cards are simple, easy, affordable and hit the mark big time. Francesca is an artist/clothing designer/illustrator. She lives in Italy in the countryside but spends half of the year in Berlin Germany.
• D.S. & Durga Perfumes & Colognes: Beautifully handcrafted scents from Brooklyn, New York prepared to set the mood available For Him & For Her. Scents include Grapefruit & Silent Grove For Her and Boston Ivy & Italian Citrus For Him.
• Nudie Jeans Backbone Boxers: Fair trade organic cotton magnificently constructed into strong, masculine, body-defining boxer briefs ready to keep him feeling himself throughout the day. Pick up a pair or two of colours including Indigo, Grey Melange or Black available For Him.
• Land By Land Scented Candles: Perfect to set the mood in the condo, bedroom or romantic hotel suite for the evening - Land By Land Candles are made by hand in New York City. Available in three sizes we have scents ranging from Savon & Bergamot to Cassis & Leather. Light the candles, set the mood, and relax.
• BETA5 Chocolates & Confections: It really is pretty straight foward - everyone likes some sweets and chocolates for Valentines Day. Trust us even the most dedicated chocolatier will be hard pressed to down a jar of these incredibly BETA5 Chocolates. All made in Vancouver using incredible food science to bring the absolute best texture, taste and quality out of these treats. We brought a case back from Vancouver this week just for Valentines Day - this one is almost a no brainer.

A little inseason re-up from our bearded friend in Vancouver with Ken Diamond Quality Leather Goods arriving today at Still Life For Him:

• Braided Leather Wallet Chain (available in black) - Hand braided kangaroo leather finished with waxed cord and solid stainless swivel snaps on either end.
• Classic Bill Fold (available in black, chocolate and natural) - 3/4oz high quality veggie tan leather, hand stitched with 2 card slots and 1 bill slot. A taller and narrower option than the shorter and wider New Bill Fold.
• Classic Key Fob (available in black and natural) - High quality 5/6oz veggie tan leather finished with solid brass swivel snap.
• Envelope Card Wallet (available in black, chocolate and natural) - 3/4oz high quality veggie tan leather, hand stitched and finished with engraved Ken Diamond snap.
• Skinny Key Fob (available in black, natural & cognac) - 5/6oz high quality veggie tan leather, solid brass swivel snap finished with engraved Ken Diamond snap.

Ken Diamond began to work with leather in the late 90′s and established Ken Diamond in 2003. The philosophy behind the works of Ken Diamond are simple: high quality leather goods with classic designs, entirely hand made in his Vancouverstudio. As leather work is a dying art, he works at keeping the traditions alive while using modern techniques to keep the work simple and minimal.

Red Cap Cards was founded in Beverly Hills, California by Hal Mertz and illustrator Carrie Gifford. In 2007 Red Cap began collaborating with illustrators, artists and designers from around the world. The artists behind Red Cap are story tellers who have created a unique collection of cards that are truly original and one of a kind.

These have become the sweetest way to tell someone how you feel over the past months we've had the range at Still Life For Her. Today we're happy to get a beautiful new collection of cards from the Red Cap artists with sentiments expressing love, admiration and birthday well wishes as we approach Valentines Day and all those Spring Birthdays! Click through the images to see all available new cards and swing by 550 Johnson Street to pick up some treats for your sweetheart.

We've welcomed a new arrival at Still Life For Her this week that looks as if may disappear into the hands (and mouths) of our staff before any of the public even gets a chance to see it... Vancouver's BETA5 Chocolates are produced in small batches using ethically sourced estate chocolates and premium ingredients. Careful alignment of the BETA5 matrix results in their chocolates’ distinctive shine and crisp snap. The form-5 beta crystal structure is the most stable form of cocoa butter crystallization, formed through the controlled melting, and subsequent cooling (tempering) of liquid chocolate.

Our shelves have been filled this past AW2011 season with sundries of all types, and with the arrival of some locally-produced chocolates from BETA5 we're staying well fed through the winter. When creating BETA5, founders Adam & Jess wanted to create a different kind of chocolate range. One that uses the best ingredients they can find, in support of farmers and in the name of taste. One that goes against the grain, by recognizing where they stand in the global economy and by committing to making ethical choices instead of profit-driven ones. BETA5 Chocolates are stay off the beaten path, blurring the lines between customer and cook and smoothly revolves around innovation and craftsmanship.

Cherry, Almond, Bean & Hazelnut Pebbles, Solid Chocolate Bars and Salted Butter Caramels are all now available from BETA5 Chocolates at Still Life For Her.

A package journeyed across the straight from Vancouver and arrived at Still Life For Her today filled with sweet sentiments of love, longing, best wishes and the types of things you wish you could always say to those who mean the most to you. Inside were some of our favourites and some inspiring, brand new Dani Press Greeting Cards from our friend Dani Kreeft.

A long time ago Dani heard that to get the things you want in life, you have to first decide what you want. She cut out the self-doubt, let go of the word "should", drove away from the noise and eventually knew what she wanted. Her beautiful line of greeting cards comes from ten years of wanting: a card line of wayward travel photos and old typewriter text to inspire people, to give them the words they want to say but don't know how to, to give something meaningful.

Each card measures 4-3/8" x 5-3/4" and is sold tucked into something earthy: a grocery bag envelope made from 100% recycled materials. Action Envelope, the company Dani sources her envelopes from, is also 100% wind-powered and committed to greener efforts to help keep our earth beautiful.

Remind someone how much you care about them, with beautiful new cards from Dani Press.