Bolder Boulder Style

Boulder isn’t a fashion hotspot by any means, but CarolAnn Wachter is a local with real design talent (that’s maybe why you can find her pieces in Manhattan boutiques, and not in local shops). Her aesthetic is wearable elegance with classic forms. Wachter focuses on beautiful fabrics and craftsmanship with vintage and feminine touches.

CarolAnn Wachter: carolannwachter.com

Where to buy: New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago…Soon, Colorado. For now, give her a call—646.244.6463—or visit the é bella pop-up store, 2304 Pine St., Boulder, Nov. 23–Dec. 23.

On the Cuff

The term “statement piece” can mean different things to different women, but these cuff bracelets balance trendiness with classic chicness to create an item that every woman—young or old or somewhere in the middle—would kill for. The bracelets are gold platted with semi precious stones and pair well with just about anything. $160

Frisk Jewelry: girlsforfrisk.com

Where to buy: Frisk, 1144 13th St., Boulder

Key Fobs

Even in the bleakness of winter, of mud and muck, of oatmeal-like sludge, you gotta love pretty fabric. Miss Magoo brings sunshine and daisies to a winter day with skirts and accessories for little girls and lovely ladies. Fun, funky and casual, Miss Magoo’s style is all about bold prints and interesting details. We love the covered button bookmarks and the wristlet key fobs (above). Perfect for the girl who wants to be a little different from the rest.

Miss Magoo: missmagoo.com

Where to buy: Purple Poppy, Arapahoe Road and 95th Street, Lafayette

YSL at DAM

Give haute couture for the holidays. Denver Art Museum announced in spring it’d be the only American venue to host Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective. The show includes 200 haute couture outfits that trace the full arc of Saint Laurent’s designs; it arrives in Denver in March. This gift package includes VIP tickets and the exhibition catalogue, chronicling Saint Laurent’s 40-year career. Available through Dec. 24. $130

DAM: denverartmuseum.org

Where to buy: Visit denverartmuseum.org/YSLgift, the Museum Shop or Welcome Desk

Nature-Inspired Bling

The jewelry from Blue Hour Designs has a delicate organic nature—but it still feels modern and styled. The long sterling silver earrings show a freefall of four leaves, oxidized to create the image of depth and dimension. They can be a simple addition to a casual or day-to-day look or an earthy, elegant piece for any occasion.

Blue Hour Designs: bluehourdesigns.com

Where to buy: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St.; prAna, 1147 Pearl St.; and Hip Consignment, 1468 Pearl St.; all in Boulder

Crafts Gone Wild

This two-tier mobile is handcrafted using poly-stuffed fabric birds, which perch on two curly branches. These beautiful, delicate pieces are inspired by the concept of handmade, an ode to crafts and fabrics, and they will certainly bring a DIY feel to any room. $85

Elevated Scraps: elevatedscraps.com

Where to Buy: Sugar Plum Bazaar, Nov. 19–20, and Firefly Handmade Holiday Market, Dec. 9–11

The post Gifts that Celebrate the Artist appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Colorado Casual Hoody

Based in Louisville, Pearl Izumi makes clothes for the Colorado lifestyle. From cycling shorts to speed suits, the company caters to runners, cyclists and triathletes, but they also have a stellar line of fashionable lifestyle jackets and vests for both men and women. With wool on the outside and fleece on the inside, the Pearl Thermal Hoody is a luxury for those below-zero winter days.

Pearl Izumi: pearlizumi.com

Where to buy: Louisville Cyclery, 1032 S. Boulder Rd., Louisville; University Bicycles, 839 Pearl St., Boulder

Phone Cases With Muscle

When you give your hubby a new iPhone 4S for the holidays, make sure there’s an Otterbox case in his or her stocking. The Fort Collins-based company makes the toughest, most rugged cases—protecting phones against drops, scratches and your two-year-old’s grubby clutches. We like the stylishness of the Commuter Series Case, but those in need of heavy-duty protection should stick with the Defender Series. $34.95, $49.95

Otterbox: otterbox.com

Where to buy: Cell phone provider stores

Cell Phone Savior

It’s newfangled and shiny but not totally out of this world. The Steelie is a high-powered, magnetic system that reduces the chances of loosing your cell phone in your car. The basic Steelie—unveiled in mid November—attaches your cell phone to a shiny ball fastened securely to your dash. It’s handy and stylish, and perfect for the person who has every thing—but still can’t find their phone.

Steelie: steelie.com

Where to buy: McGuckin Hardware, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder

Handmade Gift Tags

Impress your family and friends with these adorable handmade gift tags, made by crafty lady and Louisville resident Nicole Stibrany. Using modern design, reused, upcycled materials and a delicate touch, Stibrany creates little pieces of art for all seasons. Tags come in all shapes and sizes, price vary.

Concepture Papery: concepturepapery.etsy.com

Travel Gadget

A Tugo is a funny, little item that you’d expect to see in a Sky Mall catalogue. In truth, it was the brain child of a Denver couple who had taken one too many trips juggling luggage, boarding passes and coffee cups. The tugo is a flexible cup holder that secures to the space in between the upright handles on your rolling suitcase. And it’s a brilliant present for the traveler in your life.

Tugo: tugo.com

Where to buy: Airport Baggage Center and First Class Baggage at DIA; Send’em Packing, 283 Columbine St., Denver

Smart Socks

Broomfield Based Save Our Soles specializes in protecting feet from the damaging effects of the Colorado lifestyle. The company’s sock technology is unsurpassed: fabrics with moisture management and control near the foot, and three-ply nylon on the outside to boost durability and strength. Plus, SOS socks come in nifty designs that make your Nike socks look like grandma’s.

Save Our Soles: sossocks.com

Where to buy: Trek Bicycle Store, 1817 Colorado 42, Louisville; Full Cycle, 1795 Pearl St. and 1211 13th St., Boulder.

The post Get Practical appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

You say you want a revolution?

Forget occupying Wall Street. Occupy the stores, shops and sites that support local craftspeople, artists, makers and creatives.

There already seems to be an artistic uprising, ready to take down “the man” and the man’s crappy taste in décor, jewelry, fashion and furnishings. But it’s happening as silently as a knitter.

I like to think of it as “The Etsy Revolution.”

Etsy.com was started in 2005 by a carpenter and artist who wanted to create a marketplace for his and others’ handmade wares. Six years later, Etsy has become more than just an Amazon-like website for discounted stuff. It’s a world of inspiration and creativity, an unending stream of new ideas and vintage collections, and a gathering place for artists and artisans and those who love them. It supports the people whose skills are not supported by chain stores and big boxes, by the over-crowded Internet and by our societal affliction for things that are mass-produced and machine-made.

Etsy has more than 1 million members, 25 million unique views per month and done more than $224 million in sales so far this year.

I find lovely things on Etsy, gifts especially, and it’s a remarkable place to go when you have question marks on your shopping list. Then you realize when you get the box in the mail—usually beautifully wrapped by the creator’s gorgeous detailing and a hand-written note—that you are dealing with real people.

You can even search geographically and purchase items from friends, neighbors and locals.

The one downfall is that you miss out on buying from local shops and ensuring that your sales tax dollars make their way into your city’s coffers, thusly supporting city services that you use and need. You also miss out on the human contact and the oh-so important customer experience that comes with shopping in person.

Of course, there are stores that sell products and crafts from local companies and artists (You’ll see many of them in our Locavore’s Gift Guide).

You can also visit artisan markets, such as the Firefly Handmade Holiday Market Dec. 9–11 at Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art or the Fancy Tiger Crafts Holiday Fair at Sherman Events Center, 1770 Sherman St. in Denver Dec. 2–3. Both of these exhibit and market the work of
Colorado’s artisans, crafters and very, very small-business owners. These events are so special and rare. It’s such a delicate way to revolt against the rut of blind buying and wanton consumerism.

What’s happening across the country is an important and viable reaction to our current economic and political situation. I like people who take advantage of the First Amendment. But I also like the idea of having the 99 percent impact the 1 percent by shopping at locally owned shops and buying locally made products, buoying our creative class and finding value in human-made products.

It’s time for a retail revolution.

The post A Handmade Holiday appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.