Indie clothing, indie lifestyle and indie fashion

I was pointed to check out Beautifeel, a shoe label and it just occurred to me that there are more and more entrepreneurs in the online shopping industry today. Not sure if you notice but indie fashion and indie labels is growing in popularity towards the mainstream fashion movements too. What’s encouraging is that these indie labels have even made it to the catwalk and created a greater awareness among fashionistas and trendsetters.

Ceramic vase, ‘Ancestors of Cupara’ This vase, with its generous curves and graceful shape, comes from Shiroque. He takes his inspiration from the so-called “magic plates,” painted on ceramic and discovered in Cupara (Arequipa). No one knows the meaning of the figures, but they are believed to be a part of rituals and offerings for Pachamama, or mother earth.

Personally I do hope that online shopping for indie labels and label fashion will grow since the internet is the fastest way to reach the masses. For unique handcrafted jewelry, handmade, unique art vases, handcrafted jewelery, handcrafted beaded jewelry, unique handcrafted home products or handcrafted gifts, I like to shop at Novica, an online shop that represents artisans from all over the world. Shop Handmade Unique Art Vases by NOVICA Artist from Around the World here.

Indie fans and enthusiasts know about etsy and its big list of budding designers, artists, crafters…etc. I mean, if you adore handmade and original products, etsy is a great online shopping marketplace. Some etsy merchants price their stuff reasonably while I find others abit overpriced.

The other day, I was looking for a handmade pouch for my new headphones and I wasn’t sure if I was going to pay $50 for a little handmade pouch I do support indie works and creations but I do believe that indie designers should not overprice their creations. This way, they can encourage more people to appreciate indie works!

As much as I love shopping and looking around for the right gifts for birthday gift ideas and anniversary gift ideas, it can be a ‘stressful’ event on days where I don’t seem to feel creative.

In two weeks’ time, we have to attend an anniversary party of a dear friend and I’m been toggling between getting an eco friendly gift for the home and a fun set of home cutleries for this couple. Mom was suggesting that I should take a look at the Miele vacuums but I still want something cute and fun like those hand-painted glasses at ClearlyInspired.com. If you, like me, adore hand-painted works of art in the home and kitchen, then you ought to check out susie walker’s lovely works of glass art.

So, it’s hard to decide – a boring practical gift idea or fun one that adds a bit of jest…

While chatting with a friend who happens to be a futures broker company, she told me about IMOOI after learning that I’m a fan of indie designs and stuff.

MOOI in dutch means ‘beautiful’ so you can expect the accessories in IMOOI to appeal to the those who are particular with design and clean style. Besides the distinctive range of accessories, the bags from IMOOI stand out from the crowd in appealing ways. Not only are the forms modern and unique, they are meant for women who like to be different. They are for women who don’t seek trends but have a taste for creativity in her own personal way.

Launched in 2000 by Anna Chan, IMOOI is a contemporary accessories label consisting of designs that are sleek and unconventional appealing to the unique style of every individual. IMOOi can be found at http://imooi.com

I’ve been so tied up with work these days that I almost missed my cousin’s birthday. Now that I may not have time to make her something, I thought a cup of healthy and nice looking blooming tea should bring her a nice belated birthday surprise. Watch this cool blooming tea to see how you too can make it an unique birthday gift idea:

I thought it was a cool idea when I saw some cute coffee wedding favors on a wedding blog shop this afternoon. Though I’m not much of an avid coffee drinker, I have many friends who can’t get out of their house without their first cup of coffee every morning. Call it an addiction or a booster, all they need is to smell the sweet aroma and they are satisfied and inspired for the day!

Take a look around and you will know that the coffee drinking industry is growing by the sheer number of cafes springing up every street and corner. Most of these cafes would probably buy wholesale coffee beans or bulk coffee beans for their businesses. I suppose the coffee drinking culture has become the mainstream of today’s urbanites for all purposes, including work and play. And for those coffee drinking enthusiasts, discount bulk coffee buying may be just what they did to satisfy their daily cravings.

Creating your own personalized gifts can be simple yet meaningful. You can design a handmade card or compose a photo collage without incurring high costs or involving complex materials. If you are savvy with the sewing machine, why not sew your own outdoor furniture covers and to make it extra special, customized it with a personalized embroidery?

Do you know that you can create your embroidered design online without any design knowledge? Choose your wording, lettering, colors, and style. Preview your creation, and when you’re ready, save your final version and purchase. Threadsmith.com makes creating and buying custom-embroidered products simple and fast.

If you are an artist or a designer, chances are you tend to be more free spirited in your personality and do not welcome any restraints or control over your decisions. When I was a design student in the early years, I recalled working on my projects for 2 straight days without a wink of sleep. My mom was furious but soon realized that such lifestyle was preparing me for the artistic profession in the later years.

I used to munch on natural energy bars when project datelines were tight and when I couldn’t find time to be home for a home cooked meal. If only those high protein bars were available in those days, it would be more beneficial to my health. Looking back, those were great experiences during my design education school years and whenever I snack on small protein bars these days, I would recall those wonderful school years. Designers and artists should really learn to observe their meals and get more sleep, even when our intuition seems to hit the highest during those quiet hours of the night. Don’t you agree?

Last weekend, we visited an audio and digital fair in a mall and noticed that there was a big crowd of teenager who were raving at the new audio equipment that was launched. The audio speakers reminded me of the new Polk iSonic ES2 I read about in the web few months ago. Those who love music and entertainment are moving forward to HD radio for ultimate sound quality and the iPod Tagging has become a popular draw. What is great is that the HD Radio can tune to local radio stations and new stations for greater enjoyment of music for music lovers. Hopefully with the new movement in audio technology, more indie music can be introduced and promoted in the indie music industry

There are lots of independent bands and music talents that are searching for a voice to be heard. I personally believe that the enjoyment of good music can be beneficial not just for our minds but our health. Music is also an artistic expression of the human thoughts and minds. It can promote creativity in the hearts of the younger generation, if applied with proper guidance. Do you own an iPod?

Not too long ago, I wrote about how indie designers are spreading their creative wings in various industries including the medical clothing design and even financial peripherals. It’s good to know that people are more open to creative designs in the more serious industries.

I believe not many of us pay attention to what the medical assistants and professionals wear to work. Usually we notice a standard solid coloured top which is usually taking a mute shade. Actually, scrubs online has more to offer than those dull looking ones we often see in hospitals and such. What many medical professionals don’t know is that they can get discounted scrubs online without wasting their precious time scouting around. At the online store, they can shop for a floral print scrub top and a pair of matching pants at reasonable prices plus modern accessories for their medical practice.