some noteworthy things.

• My dear friend Julie and I are both having simultaneous giveaways on each others' blogs. You can win a necklace from her shop, Restless Hearts, here or an art print of your choice from me here!

• I sold this bag recently to a very lovely lady who blogged about it here, at Mango Paper Scissors. She said such sweet things! I'm sending many thanks her way! :)

I remember as a child seeing my mum with a straw handbag that had this beautiful floral designs in the front, covered with a thick plastic, and a twist clasp closure that I found myself constantly turning. I would slip on mum's fancy heels and walk up and down her room with this straw clutch underneath my little arms, recreating this image of the "Caribbean Woman" walking in town or heading to church....Recently, over a cup of tea, mum and I had conversation about that bag and just how something so economical, hand crafted, and so perfect for the rainy season with the plastic covering is now recreated for the likes of popular fashion designers and can be seen on runways. I'm sure that bag of hers is somewhere in the house in a closet or the garage but in the mean time I was able to get my hand on a beautiful woven straw purse from Etsy shop: A Wild Tonic. Thank you Lauren!

• Check out this post, Warm Days are Coming, over at Delightfully Tacky (which is a blog I love and sponsor) about spring fashion at AWT.



• Check out this giveaway over at la chapstick fanatique (I'd love to win one of those owl card sets) and this one from No Mark at All (gimme that jackalope!) if you're looking for some awesome free stuff!