i scintill8 for decor8.

there's no denying the pleasure in a handcrafted object.

when mass-manufactured goods start blurring into watery homogeny, you crave the creativity and humanization that emerges from an individual's work. despite my pecuniary state of a graduate student, i do what i can within my constraints to support the work of independent artists. you can meet and greet the DIY community at a bizarre bizaar near you (take note of the maker faire upcoming in april in san francisco!), learn from fellow artists on the craftster forums, or seek websites which feature handcrafted pieces such as shannon okey's anezka handmade.

that said, i'm always eager to discover a new crafter's work, especially if they're well-designed, useful, and (for lack of a better term) cute! i discovered *nordic section* from a post on fellow knitter keohinani's blog. there's a conflation of nationalities, as the artist chikako watanuki is japanese, though the brand is named *nordic*, while featuring an english website. however, once you peruse the online catalog you'll soon forgot all your confusion, cooing over the adorable bags sized to hold everything from your pocket 'zines to your mobile phone.

the whimsy of her fabrics (i'm fancying the owl and crocodile prints) and tiny pom-pom trims transform an everyday pouch from utilitarian to precious. there's a variety of sizes and closures, including charmed zippers, button + loops, and drawstrings.



with the vintage prints and limited editions, how much of a steal are these for $8-16 each?

there are also a small selection of tote bags, jewelry, and accessories, of which i'm terribly fond of the gadget cozies, eclectic phone charms, and the bobble-happy poodle scarf:



she even covers the buttons by hand! no detail goes without care.

the designer also features a page with photos of her sold out items, giving us a subtle wink that her items are one-of-a-kind originals, while adding new items regularly.

the works of *nordic section* are beautiful, unique, and downright affordable. what's not to love?