Whether in spicy mulled cider, cakes and pies, or covered in caramel, Autumn is certainly the best time to enjoy apples. Herb + Ginger, my favorite online indie tea shop, offers three different varieties of apple tea that bring together two lovely Autumn traditions, enjoying crisp apples fresh from the orchard and curling up on a cold afternoon with a book and a cup of tea.

Herb + Ginger is owned and operated by Andrea, who opened her shop as a tribute to her grandmother, known for her herbal remedies and delicious tea. Andrea’s teas are as lovely to look at as they are tasty. Plus, all Herb + Ginger teas are naturally caffeine-free and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.

Herb + Ginger’s Apple Happiness Tea (pictured above) is a simple mixture of apple pieces and pineapple cubes, while their spicier Baby Apple Spice Tea contains apple and cinnamon pieces, hibiscus, almond pieces, rose hip peels, elderberries, currants, and black currants. If you want to try something sweeter and more like caramel apples, Herb + Ginger offers a tasty tea called Candytopia (below), made with apple pieces, hibiscus, rose hip peels, cream-caramel pieces, cornflower petals, and chamomile.

To enjoy your Autumn tea experience even more, Herb + Ginger also offers a variety of beautiful teaware, accessories, and tea-enhancing treats. I love the delicate, minimalist design of the teacups they carry in the shop, such as the Tisane Cup and Saucer, with its pretty floral details. They also offer a selection of adorable tea infusers, including the Bee Infused
Tea Infuser (just looking at it makes me want to put honey in my tea!) and the Frutilla Strawberry Tea Infuser. And to make your apple tea even yummier, try Herb + Ginger’s You Are My Sugar, a pack of four handmade sugar sticks.

By: Ann Tabor of Sleepy Records and Little Mouse Vintage

It’s that time of year again to send your family and friends holiday wishes in the form of greeting cards. This year instead of the boring traditional designs, try something from one of these fab cards creators!

Andy Pratt Design - Holiday cards available in three different designs. You can purchase single cards for $3 and single packs for $15. If you would prefer getting two different designs though I would highly suggest the Holiday Split Packs.

Pink Loves Brown - Creator Nicole Balch’s cards are each lovingly handmade and unique. The three holiday designs she has available right now are sooo adorable. I can’t get enough of the Rudolph!

Dear Monday - Each Dear Monday card is individually decorated and special care is taken in embellishing each card by hand. My picks are the Ice Cascade and Holiday Cheer designs.

No matter which design you choose, these cards are sure to bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones this year.

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief

It can be difficult to find something special to give your guy around the holidays. I’ve found a few sites that carry items geared towards the men in your life. First up is Cyberoptix, a tie lovers dream! Each necktie is hand-silkscreened onto a quality, 100% charmeuse silk or poly-blend base. They come in so many different colors and designs and are reasonable priced at $30-$40.

Snowcone Collective designs limited edition graphic tees. They have some great picks for men but my favorite is the Keep It Together tee.

If your guy isn’t scared to wear jewelry Down To The Wire Designs has a ring that is ultra masculine. Made of sterling silver with dark gray titanium panels riveted in place for a nice contrast. The titanium panels are scored to give them a rough industrial look.

Finally, if he has a collection of belt buckles, give him something unique this year to add to the pile. Cassette Tape Belt Buckles from Honorable Mention can easily be attached to belts that accept interchangeble buckles. The buckles are packaged just like cassette tapes and come with your own complimentary lyrics!!

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief

Juniper Designs is the home of the original keyhole necklace collection. Launched in April of 2006, each piece in the collection is handcrafted of the finest elements - antique finds and natural gemstones and pearls. Juniper scours the globe to bring you this one-of-a-kind collection. My personal favorites are the Darkness and Allure necklaces.

The Curiosity Series is another great collection which also features antique keyholes but in a more dainty and petite way. This collection is perfect for everyday wear. In fact I cannot wait to get some Christmas money to snatch one up!

Site: www.shopjuniper.com

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief

Shop and Save 20% at Femminastyle.com

Shop in your pjs and save 20% off everything in the store using promo code vintage20 at checkout. Now through Sunday. Hurry, quantities are limited.

Remember that all orders of $50.00 or more will receive free shipping and you can now use your credit card instead of Paypal to make your purchases.

www.femminastyle.com

This week our interview is with clothing designer Gina Michele. She believes that fashion should be fun and unique as well as wearable. Her collection is now in its third season and can be found in over 22 stores in the US.

How did you get your start as a designer?

I’ve been sewing since I was little, but I didn’t start designing clothes until my freshman year in college. My friends and I all shopped in the same few stores and eventually ended up having identical wardrobes. I got tired of looking like everyone else and decided to start designing my own clothes.

What was the first item you ever made?

Clothes for my Barbie doll. I use to take scraps of my mom’s fabric and sew little dresses for her.

Do you have any formal training?

No, I actually have a degree in English Literature. A friend taught me how to drape and make patterns and I learned a lot from simple trial and error.

When and why did you create your clothing line?

I created my line about a year ago. Before that I worked as a buyer/store manager for a clothing boutique and as a assistant to NYC handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff. These two jobs gave me great insight on the workings of small, indie businesses and gave me the confidence to start my own line.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the variety- it’s never boring. I do everything… design samples, construct garments for orders, website design, PR, sales, etc. It’s countless hours of hard work, but it’s also very rewarding.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Everywhere…my collection of vintage clothing, pop culture, fabric stores, people watching in NYC. I’m constantly being inspired by new sources!

Who is your favourite designer?

I’m a big fan of Marc Jacobs. I think his collections for Spring 07 (both his lines and LV) were feminine yet innovative. I love how he’s not afraid to switch things up and deliver the unexpected. I also adore John Galliano (SO creative), Matthew Williamson (beautiful clothes with great use of color) and Catherine Malandrino (feminine shapes with lovely details)

What one thing couldn’t you live without?

My family! As far as material things go…I couldn’t live without with my sewing machine. I spend countless hours on it!

What will you be wearing this autumn/winter?

Definitely layers- NY is cold! One of my favorite fall outfits is my Pinecone silk dress worn with tights, knee high boots and a vintage sweater coat.

You’ve been very successful at selling your designs online, what advice would you give to other designers trying to sell online?

Instead of selling directly from my website, I choose to wholesale with a few great online boutiques like Girlshop and Unsung Designers. I found that it offers greater exposure and frees up more time for me to focus on other aspects of my business. I don’t have to spend time answer customer’s questions or shipping individual orders.

My advice for finding a online store to wholsale with would be… Be choosy about which stores you do business with. I always contact a designer that is currently being sold at the store and ask them what their experience has been with that retailer. Also, do your research and make sure your items are a good fit for the store.

Where do you hope your business will be in 5 years?

I would love to have a store in Soho. It would be great to get to interact with my customers. Plus, I could get a lot of helpful feedback.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was from my mother. She told me that in order to have a successful, fulfilling career I should do what I love. I think too many people just fall into careers and don’t even try to pursue their passions.

Site: www.ginamichele.com

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief

Cutie Cooties was created by two craft loving sisters and natives of Chicago, Lauren and Brianne Liss. They carry everything from jewelry to home goods and I love it all!

Not only are the products adorable but the prices are super affordable too. The pillow covers are just $10 and the lovely switchplates just $8.

Who knew cooties were so cute!

Site: www.cutiecooties.com

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief

VODA’s natural artisanal soaps are beautiful little works of art that are truly a feast for your senses. Through the melding of the seamless worlds of nature, art and healing, Debbie McCormack, the soapmaker and herbalist behind VODA, has created a line of natural artisanal soaps that are deeply scented, visually stunning and nourishing on many levels. Debbie has been making these soap lovelies for more than ten years since she began a simple gift giving project that quickly became an enduring passion and an outlet for her creativity. A love of soapmaking, art, herbalism and aromatherapy as well as a desire to create more natural and earth-friendly products for herself and her friends led her to the creation of Voda’s line of artisanal soaps.

When you visit vodasoap.com you will find a gorgeous collection of natural soaps that are loaded with nourishing organic oils such as extra virgin olive, coconut, avocado, sunflower and fair trade shea butter. Only the highest quality organic botanicals and nutrients are added as exfoliants and are used to create the herbal infused oils which lend healing properties to the soaps. What could possibly make Voda Aritisanal Soaps any better? The absolutely heavenly blends of pure essential oils that are guaranteed to take their user to another world.

Suds up with a bar of the ever popular Moroccan Love. It owes it’s beautiful floral scent the to the essential oils of geranium, palmarosa and bergamot amongst others. Rose clay adds color and a creamy lather while the rose petals on top make this one absolutely stunning. Looking for a pick-me up? Try the simple yet always lovely Lavender. And then there’s Anise….. so adorable with it’s perfect little star perched ever so delicately on top. There’s just a dash of nutmeg in it’s aroma to spice things up.

Want to try more than one? Looking for the perfect gift? Then treat yourself (or your friends) to one of the Voda Box Sets. From the lovely Laksmi with her floral bouquet to the eastern inspired Tara, these box sets are a fun and economical way to experiment with the assortment of soaps available. Each combination has been carefully chosen to create a specific mood by combining scent, texture and color for a truly beautiful assortment.

Yummy and intoxicating bath products are in the works and will make a preview soon. Don’t forget to check back at the site as these products are guaranteed to make a splash! Some of the tantalizing scents to come include chocolate, frankincense and kaffir lime. Adorable little soap dishes handmade by potter Jane Novick will be available as well. Shipping is always free on orders of $50 or more!

From now until December 15th, enter code INDIESHOPPING in comments section at checkout and receive 10% off your order of $25 or more.

Shop Voda Soap Now at www.vodasoap.com

Sometimes I try to imagine what I’ll be like when I’m a little old lady. I always like to imagine myself as the quirky grandma type. Maybe I would live in an old haunted Victorian home with a tangled herb garden. In the afternoons, I would invite my neighbors over to sip jasmine tea from antique porcelain teacups and tell ghost stories.I would hope that I’d be a cool little lady with style and grace, wearing fashion that is a combination of cool and elegant and, of course, lots of cozy knits and crochets to invite warm hugs. No giant sweatpants or holiday-themed sweaters for me! Who says getting older has to mean losing your sense of style?

With the recent revolution in knit and crochet crafts, I don’t have to wait that long to wear quirky grandma-inspired fashion. There is an abundance of what I like to call “granny chic” clothing and accessories available now in the indie fashion world, and it’s all handmade, so it really has that “made with love” feeling that Grandma would most certainly approve of. Purldrop, a line of handknit and crochet items by designer Erin Weckerle, offers lovely crochet doily collars (pictured above) in various colors (Purldrop does not currently offer online shopping, but check their list of retail stores). Peep: Accessories For Chicks also has a lovely crochet collar (below), aptly described as “a modern collar with a touch of the Victorian to keep you feeling warm and elegant.” Even the item’s name, “Sleigh Ride”, is perfect- the fuzzy, snowy trim makes me think of winter walks and hot chocolate.

Peep also offers a vintage-inspired handbag called “At The Spring Dance” (below), which looks like something you might find in your grandmother’s attic, perhaps an accessory that she took to a dance long ago (although if you ask her who the lucky boy was, she’ll just smile with a twinkle in her eye). The handbag has a definite 1920s feel and features an old-fashioned-looking basketweave stitch, handmade flowers and satin lining. Every time I look at this bag, I imagine that it has a musty attic smell, or maybe that it would smell like lavender or dried flowers.

The Raynelda accessories line at PLC Designs is also full of granny chic charm. The Crochet Envelope Clutch, woven with pretty grosgrain ribbons, would look darling paired with their matching Crochet Ribbon Hat. I love the earthy colors (brown and grass green) but you could also be a funky grandma in tulip, light blue, or cherry.

Finally, if you are the DIY type, you could make your own cuddly crochet capelet using a pattern from Alicia Paulson of Posy: Rosy Little Things.

All of these fashions and accessories are just in time for the cold winter months and would make perfect holiday gifts for any tea-sipping, soft-hearted classic beauty on your list (but hurry, because some of these items are one-of-a-kind and they’re on my Christmas list too!)

By: Ann Tabor of Sleepy Records and Little Mouse Vintage

The Stanley Family Lodge is the creation of husband and wife team Jeremie & Melissa. They are former Detroiters who relocated to Carrboro, North Carolina where they fell hard for the abundance of wilderness. It was there that they decided to practice healthy and ethical habits through vegetarianism and veganism. They began The Stanley Family Lodge when they came to the realization that it is difficult for folks like them to accumulate goods that meet their standards They often had to search far and wide to find items that were vegan, animal friendly, sweatshop-free, recycleable, make use of sustainable materials, safe for the environment, and affordable.

With their brand new shop they are committed to carrying items that are useful, of high quality, and indisposable. Plus with products from popular indie designers like Dear Birthday, Honorable Mention, Art School Dropout, and Amy Burhoe we think they are going to be a HUGE success!

Site: www.thestanleyfamilylodge.com

By: Anissa Mook, Editor in Chief