bento... it's what's for lunch

"A bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box. Historically, it’s a Japanese box lunch, similar in concept to the Indian tiffin, the Korean dosirak, or the Filipino baon lunch. In Japanese, “bento” or “obento” refers to the packed meal, and “bento-bako” refers to the bento box itself. See the Wikipedia entry on bento for more details."

Ummmmm, does it make me sound shallow to say that we love 'em cuz they're "wicked cute"? at the risk of sounding shallow, I will say it certainly encourages healthy eating, portion control, and an eco-friendly way of toting your lunch around. We think it ties in great with the whole "handmade" thing because it's a great way to "handmake" a lunch for yourself and the kiddos. It encourages creativity and family time





And they're WICKED CUTE.

somewhere over the rainbow...

A little love to our new t-shirt company! okay, a lotta love. Rainbow Swirlz has come on board in recent months and really outdone themselves with the latest shipment.octopus field bags? robot tees in 3 different colors for the wee ones? gauzy baby doll tanks for the ladies? seriously... yum. and we did'nt forget the menfolk either. feats your eyes on a lil' selection and order up... they're gonna go fast!

more colors and styles in the shop and coming soon to the site!

very curious, indeed.

Welcome to Sojourn Curiosities! An Etsy hit and now available in our humble, little shop. Sarah Gorden's whimsical creations combine found objects, beauty, whimsy and elegance to create one-of-a-kind pieces. What a great gift to yourself or that special someone! Thanks for your support, Sarah!

Come down and browse our selection of new arrivals! We have cool tees, tanks and totes, accessories for warmer weather, great jewelry, and funky sprons for gardening or skipping around town.

Wer'e Baaaaack...

O.M.G, guys. It's been a loooong time since we've posted... sorry! There's been a lot going on behind the scenes here. Much re-vamping in the shop, uproar on the homefront, stuff with the kiddos, and oh yeah, the dog ate our homework. Sorry.

Seriously, though. We wanted to give you a brief glimpse of some of the new crafty goodness that has been trickling (and some days funneling) into our humble little shop. Eye candy for the craftilly inclined, if you will. Without further ado, we give you...

recycled record bowls, journals, and gift cards from "The Giggling Gnome"

eyeglass cases, crochet and knitting organizers, potholders and coasters by "madbird"

extremely cool tees and totes from "Rainbow Swirlz"

...and so much more! With any amount of luck (and certainly not because of any laziness on our part) they will all be listed on the shop site within the week.

Thanks to all the great lil' companies for your continued support and quality goods!

Calling All Crafters!

Calling all crafters! Do you have a unique craft? Are you God's gift to knitted cat sweaters? Perhaps nobody can make wrist warmers from the skin of a boa constrictor quite like you can? Looking to showcase your talents to the retail world and make it big time?

In all seriousness, we are looking to add crafters from near and far who feel they have a craft that is unique, eco-friendly, whimsical, practical, beautiful, or any combination of those. Due to overwhelming response and request, we need to add more merchandise to the shop and feel that it is in our best interest to branch out and invite not just Maine crafters (although we love you guys dearly, ayuh) to join our growing shop.

Think spring, think bright colors and practical items. We have a lot of browsers looking for "gifts", so smaller goodies are great! We are also looking to expand our kids section. Both Kim and I have girls and boys in the age 6-12 range and totally feel there's not a lot of craftiness going on for that age range... some cool shirts? journals? bags? games? pants or pj's? hats?

Email us for policies, etc. We have designed the shop around what we felt was lacking in the retail market: advertising, appreciation for handmade, huge markup keeping handmade from being accessible to our target market (the average Jill or Joe), freedom to "create" and not "mass produce". All the things that apply to you apply to us, too. That and a whole lotta sweat equity! This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to bust out onto the retail scene, the secret to success is simple: if you want to succeed you have to keep at it. Be willing to add to your display continually and change things and keep them fresh.

Happy crafting! We can't wait to hear from you.

one small step for your wardrobe...

one giant leap into a new eco-friendly way of thinking!

for those of you thinking "being green" means wearing patchouli and birkenstocks (which is certainly the stereotype, but not bad at all) think again. there are so many new and hip ways to bring a bit of "green" to your everyday life.

maybe an organic or sustainable fabric tee? sooo soft.

fact: over 25% of pesticides used to treat crops anually... are used on cotton. yick.

organic onesie by pinecone and chickadee $18


maybe an item from repuposed materials? felted wool= oh-so-cozy!

sweet leaf felted wool elf hat 22$





"toasties" mittens from felted wool sweaters 40$

"tree"-cycled felted wool sweater (sz sm/med) 18$

fact: 4.5% or 4 million tons of landfill waste each year is comprised of textiles, clothing, and fabric. wowee.

or, try being clean and green! a "homegrown" and good-enough-to-eat bar of soap will wash your troubles away!

fact:parabens have been linked to cancer and high estrogen levels. um, ew.



yummy homegrown soap in tons 'o flavors by long winter farm $5.50






small steps, people. but trust me, you'll feel soooo good you did it. and, you'll be inspired to do more!

d-day for v-day...

some last-minute suggestions for that "special someone"... bath and massage oils from longwinterfarm 8$ each

purple raindrops tee by pinecone and chickadee 32$

felt crown and handmade tutu set by liziedoo's( for size 2-6) 32$

2" felt merino cuff w/ heart by on the round 28$

felted elf hat from recycled wool with sweet leaf design by kindred kids 22$

last but not least, a pic of the shop window, overflowing with red and pink mushy, lovey-dovey goodness!

take that special someone and love them all up!