Like many of you, I have been feeling completely devastated by the recent events in Haiti. The reports and coverage of the earthquake have been so heartbreaking. It has been so inspiring, however, to hear the stories of people like you and me who rise to the occasion and do their best to help out when others need it. I was so excited to hear that the lovely Jenn over at Indie Fixx has decided to start a silent auction over on her blog.

Jenn will be auctioning off some gorgeous merchandise generously donated by indie crafters, artists, and designers. 100% of the proceeds from Indie Fixx’s silent auction will go to the Red Cross International Response Fund. It’s for a great cause so head over to Indie Fixx and bid bid BID!

One big challenge I’ve come across as an online-only shop owner is how to best display my homepage in order to give new and returning visitors the best scope of the range of products they will find on LAMA. I’ve been bouncing around some ideas in my head for months now that I’m eager to jump on and, after checking out Supermarket Sarah (via Modish), I have been inspired to move this task to the top of my “to do” list.

I absolutely adore the way UK shop owner Sarah has cleverly displayed the products she sells through her online shop. it’s simple, warm and inviting and definitely makes me want to come in and have a look around. I completely admire Sarah’s innovative way of showcasing her goods. Fantastic! Thanks for the inspiration!

Anyone who knows me knows I’ve got some serious Oakland pride. That’s why I was so excited when one of my favorite Oakland shops, Urban Indigo, introduced their iconic Oakland map earlier this week. Lucky me, I already have one hanging in my apartment! My wonderful boyfriend headed down to Urban Indigo with Miles while I was in NYC to purchase this awesome welcome home gift for me. How sweet!

If you love Oakland as much as I do, I highly recommend you head down to Urban Indigo this weekend and pick up your own. Bonus! It fits perfectly in an inexpensive Ribba frame from Ikea. To check out the map in greater detail and to find Urban Indigo’s location, check out the newsletter below. Go Oakland!

This week, Argentina celebrated Dia del Niño (children’s day). This popular holiday celebrated throughout the world is simply a day to celebrate and honor the children in our lives. In Argentina, the holiday is celebrated much like Mother’s or Father’s day is here in the states. Children receive presents from their parents just for being, well, kids! Wow, I sure could have used an extra day of presents while I was growing up. Being a Christmas baby, It was rough to have only one day of gifts all year long. Dia del Niño would have been awesome! Oh well. Poor me. Anyhow, Check out these cool, kid friendly products below created by favorite Buenos Aires shop Pesqueira for Tienda Malba. If I were in grade school, I would definitely be sporting that red bag. Happy Dia del Niño Argentina!

Lately I’ve taken a little break from home decor and started spending a lot of time scouring the internet for great fashion. After a bit of a hiatus from fashion, I would say I’ve definitely been bitten by the bug again (even though my daily wardrobe these days consists of v-neck tissue t’s from J.Crew, a pair of skinny jeans, my favorite brown cardigan and Rainbow flip flops).  I know, cutting edge.

My internet search turned up the adorable Buenos Aires based shop called Pesqueira. How I managed to miss this charming little shop when I was in Buenos Aires is beyond me. From their website, to their photography and (obviously) their clothing, Pesqueira is just spot on. In their own words, “PESQUEIRA is an argentinian fashion label which clothes, classic & modern everyday-use are sold by many respected retail outlets worldwide as Takashimaya/NY, Le Bon Marche/Paris, Ships ltd/ Tokyo. The company was founded by designer Valeria Pesqueira in 2001. Pesqueira tm develops a line of fashion clothes with a reputation for high quality materials, bright colors and exclusive kawaii print designs.” I know where I’ll be shopping next time I’m in BA! Here are some of my favorites from current and past seasons. Enjoy!

At long last, Handmade Nation is premiering in San Francisco a week from today (March 11th)! If you live in the SF Bay Area, I HIGHLY recommend checking it out. First time director Faythe Lavine gives us an in depth look into this burgeoning art community that I happen to love. 

Following the film, there will be a discussion with Lisa Congdon, Derek Fagerstrom, Natalie Zee Drieu and Stephanie Syjuco as well as an amazing line up of some of my favorite artists and vendors! For more info and to buy your tickets, please visit the San Francisco Film Society. I can’t wait to check it out myself! Hope to see you all there!

A few weeks ago I received a message from a reader in response to a post I wrote regarding the state of the nation and how it affects shop owners like myself. It was a rather personal account which I debated on putting out there for others to read. To my surprise and delight, the response ended up being so positive and encouraging! It really lifted my spirits.

I was so touched by one reader in particular (the lovely Stacy of Inkspot Workshop) who not only sent me the sweetest message, but she also sent me a pack of one of her latest card designs that was oh-so appropriate for the occasion.

It’s certainly something I have done my best to keep in mind ever since. “Life is Good: Despite What the Media Says.” Aside from the card I keep on my desk in front of me everyday, I’ve mailed out the rest to friends and family that have needed to read this simple yet affective phrase. 

To order your own set and check out the rest of Stacy’s fun and beautiful work, check out her Etsy shop Inkspot Workshop. I’m loving this gorgeous calendar!

Thanks again Stacy! It meant so much. 

This is my first day back to life and LAMA as usual after a tough week. Last Friday I lost my Aunt to complications associated with her recent breast cancer diagnosis. She was an incredibly warm and generous person who worked hard to bring her family from Ecuador to the US. In just one generation, our family has managed to accomplish some amazing things that could never have been possible had my Aunt not had so much courage, strength and wisdom. She deserves the biggest “bravo!!” you can imagine. She will be missed by so many people forever.

Coincidentally, October happens to be breast cancer awareness month so I decided to check out Etsy this morning to see how Etsy shop owners were getting involved. To my delight, there were over 140 pages worth of beautiful breast cancer products to search through and better yet, most of the sellers were donating a percentage of the proceeds from their sales to organizations like the Susan G. Komen Foundation! Here are a few of my favorite products.

This past weekend I stumbled on a sad site. Cody’s Books (a great independent book store in Berkeley) has closed it’s doors after 52 years in business! 

Since moving to Oakland, Cody’s has been a frequent weekend stop for me when I was itching for a new design magazine or wanting to take in the smell of new books at a sweet little neighborhood bookstore. Apparently they have been in trouble for some time and after an attempt to save the store by moving it from a high rent district to a lower rent area, Cody’s has had to call it quits.

Seeing this happen to a business like Cody’s really made me stop and think about the importance of supporting local independent businesses. Cody’s always gave me something larger book stores can’t compete with; the feeling that I’m a valued customer and my support is appreciated. I’m going to miss that.

Luckily my boyfriend and I were able to purchase a few last books before their doors were shut for good. I suppose the moral of the story is a plea to everyone to support their local businesses and the little guy trying to make a dream happen. The best we can do for each other in hard times is support one another. Ciao Cody’s! You will be missed!