Based in Berkley, CA, Claflin Thayer &Co., is a unique leather goods and accessories line created by leather goddess Liz Thayer. This all American family business was inspired by Liz’s father, Edward Claflin Thayer, who opened a leather shoe shop around 1820.Some of the most popular items the line carries are the adorable baby booties and “JoJo Lips” bags. Each leather hide has a history based on the animal it was taken from, no leather will be identical. Claflin Thayer &Co.’s website states that blemishes, scars and marks on the leather will only add to the uniqueness of the item.

Perfect for a night out, the “JoJo” lips are made in different colors and are also offered in metallic or suede. We definitely see these bags being used for carrying ID’s, phones and make-up on a night about the town!

Although the website only lists the “JoJo Lips” and baby booties for sale, Liz Thayer has made some other really cool items listed on her blog. In the past she has designed studded leather bags and jackets, this woman has an eye for fashion!

All items are designed, cut, and constructed on a made-to-order basis; make sure to check out some of Liz’s work.

Photo Credit

This year was the 25th festival of classical music held at the Saint-Riquier in Northern France. For this special occasion Peter Gentenaar, a paper sculptor, created an exhibition of more than 100 empyrean paper sculptures that were on display inside the abbey of the church. The beautiful paper sculptures resembled multi-colored jellyfish as they suspended from the Gothic arches of the ancient abbey built in 638.

Peter Gentenaar’s work was born from the limitations of what he was unable to create with regular store-bought paper. He developed his own paper factory, with the help of the Royal Dutch Paper Factory, which processes and mills long-fiber paper pulp into the material you see in his artwork. It was from this that his masterpieces were formed as he learned how to use wet paper and bamboo ribs to create anything imaginable.

We love the creative and innovative story behind these paper formations and hear that they are even more beautiful in the dark!

Summer seems to go on pause around this time every year. Why does this happen you might ask? It’s Shark Week, of course! If you don’t know what Shark Week is, turn on The Discovery Channel and take a seat, it’s a week-long series of feature television programs dedicated solely to sharks. Originally created to raise awareness and respect for sharks, the show is now broadcasted in over 72 countries and has become an international habit.

Even if you aren’t a shark fan or if they scare you to pieces, like many of us, Shark Week seems to be something you just have to watch. The mysterious and frightening creatures are on display and fully documented for us to watch as we learn about the rulers of the ocean.

In honor of Shark Week, we are slipping on our new Alice Skinny in Nostalgia – just the thing to help you feel even more a part of the ever growing phenomenon by adding a splash of ocean to your own life.

Our Surrealist-inspired pieces that have somewhat of a hidden and symbolic meaning continue, as our newest Acacia Skinny Herringbone Tuxedo Pant was inspired by the idea of having very complicated treatments – one that you might see on silk tops or runway collections. Designer Jennifer Wojinski says, “I wanted details that were somewhat hidden and make you look twice because you are wondering how the treatment was done.”

Although the Acacia Skinny Herringbone Tuxedo Pant is a take on the traditional tuxedo pant, the treatment, folds and pleats on our pants are very hyper-feminine with it fitting perfectly around the leg and extreme detail. This pant is surely a fun pair to dress up with a delicate blouse and nice pair of heels or dress it down with a vintage tee and boots this fall (think concerts, nights out and for a bit of fun at work!).

Where to find your own pair: ShopBop.com

Emily Alston, better known as Emily Forgot, might not be a familiar name to you yet but trust us, it will be soon. This talented London based Graphic Artist has been working in the design world since she graduated from Liverpool school of Art & Design in 2004. She has a broad client base ranging from retail, cultural institutions, advertising and publishing. Her work has become famous in both London and abroad, most notably due to the “Fragiles” show at the Miami Art Basel in 2007. Emily designs with a very playful and whimsical eye and her work always has a splash of fun. Her art inspires with its innovative and surreal style. Her work has been applauded all over the world as it shows up on Japanese chocolate wrappers, and quilts for the new W Paris Opera hotel. Although she designs on many different mediums, 3D is what she loves most of all. She draws inspiration from 60s psychedelia, folklore and knitting patterns to name a few. We love her work, and think that you will too. Check out her blog to learn more about this ‘ahead of the times’ artist, and keep your eyes peeled for her work!

Do you remember the Shel Silverstein’s story that taught us how to give, sacrifice, and be selfless through the loving relationship between the giving tree and young boy? We just reread the childhood classic, The Giving Tree, and it brought us right back to our childhood memories. And now as we have “grown up” and taken on more responsibility, we might feel more like the giving tree than the young boy, at least it did for us. Pick up The Giving Tree for a walk down memory lane, and if you feel like learning a new language while you’re at it, the book comes in 30 different languages!

Out on the town in our Alice Skinny coated jeans in Dark Feather, Emily VanCamp was spotted wearing HABITUAL with boyfriend and Revenge co-star, Joshua Bowman, at the Playhouse Club in Los Angeles. Emily paired her Alice Skinny coated jeans with a black blouse and stylish boots. The Dark Feather denim is the perfect fit with her ‘revenge’ driven character as the stunning lead in Revenge. We love to see that this young star is starting a new habit.

What color is sure to always make a statement? Red. From our earliest Alice in Vermillion that got us hooked on how the color pops on denim to one of our new fall favorites Amalia in Vermillion, we think that the brilliant red orange color vermillion denim is the perfect combination of statement and class. In its naturally occurring form, vermilion is actually mercuric sulfide, a toxic compound also known as “cinnabar,” luckily for us the dyes and paints of today are non-toxic. Take a look back and read about the origins of the eye catching color.

As our design team continued to experiment with and discover new shades of red, it resulted in one of our summer favorites Almas Hi Rise Skinny in Acid Red and this fall’s stunning Alice Skinny in Devil Red. We continue to create and come up with new combinations of red denim; ever wonder where our design team finds inspiration for all of these different shades of red? Take a look at our Pinterest page for an in-depth look at our design team’s “Color Inspiration: Red” board.

Nothing makes a room feel more lively and home-y quicker than adding fresh flowers, especially during the summer months, when bright colors are everywhere. We love filling our office with new blooms to add instant color, and over time we have picked up a few tips to make them last longer.

Our office favorite is our white phalaenopsis orchids (from Trader Joe’s) and they have lasted for months because we haven’t over watered them. The trick is to leave them alone and just make sure the soil is not too dry. We have also heard that putting an ice cube in the pot once a week can also do the job.

Our second tip is to cut flowers. Try selecting same color flowers and cut them really short, cleaning off excess leaves. Not only does it look chic, the flowers will last longer!