SCARF Insung Choi hand-knits all her scarves and hats for her online shop Ichoiknitz out of pure enjoyment. A light wool infinity scarf takes you from parkas to jean jackets. Tri-colour scarf ($40) is available at etsy.com/shop/ichoiknitz.
Fellow Earthlings are a Haligonian husband and PEI wife creating custom made-to-order sunglasses, designed and handmade in Guernsey Cove, PEI. Choose from four frame styles, 12 acetate colours and 14 lens colours to create your own signature shade. Snag a pair for $250 at fellowearthlings.com.
Katie Gillis’ Keith’s Red Stag embroidered pendant shows who your real sweetheart is. Just $19, the pendant is available on Etsy (etsy.com/ca/shop/Katiebette), at Halifax Crafters or Dartmouth Makers on May 2 and 3.
Ashley Forshner started making her East of Ordinary custom bowties for her own wedding and it blossomed from there. Playful patterns and bright colours are so much more fun than your typical tie. Get fancy for $25-$30 at etsy.com/ca/shop/EastofOrdinary.
Made in Halifax, A Thousand Ships Cosmetics eyeshadow pots are a pop of colour for the sensitive-skinned—and those fond of critters. Not tested on animals and available in 31 colours, it’s hard to go wrong at $6 for one pot or $25 for five at 1000ships.ca .
Danika Vandersteen provides for all your custom leather needs: Shoes, boots, bags, wallets—with fun additions as you require. Even better are her pattern names—Boob, Sister Cassie and Silly Crowd. Prices vary. Send a note to [email protected] for info.
NEW SPRING ARRIVAL: Rabble Rousers underwear Bathroom graffiti is an unusual source of inspiration. But recent NSCAD alum Becky Gartner and Stephanie Rybczyn are creating a line of natural fibre undies, inspired by an “F U Capitalism” scrawl. The line will include Angry Pooper, inspired by angry stall scribblings and Punderwear, with fun prints like ants on the inside (get it?) and thongs with sticks on the back (for those with a stick up their butt), all printed with natural dyes. They’ll be coming to craft fairs and festivals later this summer.
Stacks of wax
The Halifax Record Fair is this Saturday, but if you can’t get enough of the waxy stuff, here are three smooth products to keep the good times rollin’.
Handmade from start to finish, these wax totes from the Antigonish Bag Company are dyed, painted with wax, heated to absorb colour and finished with leather handles. Ranges from $20 for small totes to large totes with liners at $105. Pick up at the Antigonish Farmers Market, Luvly in Lunenburg and at antigonishbag.com.
Foxhound Collections’ Ben Brush and Kelsey Wier hand-pour pure soy wax candles in small batches right in their Truro home. Scents like Lavender + Linen and Patchouli + Mint are delicately fragrant, so you can let them burn, baby, burn. Find them at Makenew Thrift, The Flower Shop or at etsy.com/shop/foxhoundcollection.
Better Beard Co.’s wax beard balm is made with 100 percent natural ingredients so you can tame your beard with a clean conscience. Shea butter and beeswax give the hair hold and moisture. Available in manly scents like Anarchy, Lumberjack and Renaissance for $20 a pop at Kept Gifts in Dartmouth, The Independent Mercantile and Saint Lou’s Barbershop. http://www.betterbeardcompany.ca/
