Olive Annie Frocks & Findings

2010-04-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

2010-04-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

bonjour!

ok boys and girls...so much for blogging during my hiatus right?!

my last little note/post had me promising to attempt to become a contender in blogland...

i was filled with aspirations of starting to share my little tale with all of you through posts twice a week

in my head i told you all about olive's gypsy-girl ways...

answered all those swirling questions about why olive closed (the big "divorce" word goes right here)

shared with you all my personal sorted little adventures of what it's like to be divorced at 41 (ugh)

and suddenly single after 20 plus years of wedded bliss (ugh again)

trust me...there's lots to tell and i've become a one woman comedy act (just try installing your own toilet seat without swearing)

instead...

olive decided it was time to gypsy around again

the little girl that runs around the shop at night and gets into trouble is gonna give it another whirl...

olive has gone to paris!

shopgirls lani griffin & laurie lavy, together with master craftsman extraordinaire jason moore have teamed up to bring you....

Olive in Paris

oui! we are s000 excited and just about ready to flip our open sign

officially opening
Saturday, May 1st (may day)at 10:30 AM
shop with us at the top of the stairs inside Paris Envy
4624 N 7th Ave

it's a home-coming of sorts...
(i'll tell you someday all about how olive was originally supposed to open in this exact spot!)

we've been finding prizes to fill our shop (a few olive favs & a few new favorite finds!)

absolutely cannot wait to play dress-up with you...
see you May 1st!

PeaCe, AmOur & OliVes

2010-03-17T13:02:00.001-07:00

hello lovely friends

most of you have certainly heard about the sad news at sirens...

from my heart to yours thank you for posting sweet messages to shelly and i on the sirens blog

(www.sirensandsaints.blogspot.com)

bIg-0L-tHAnKs to all of you who have reached out personally with emails & phone calls

you keep reminding me daily of exactly what it is i love about being a shopgirl

no word yet from the powers that be on just how long it is going to be before sirens gets "humpty-dumpty-ied" back together again...

sooo...meanwhile

whilst i personally seem to have an out-of-my-hands, un-expected, un-determined amount off time off...

along with all sorts of crazy things to tackle on the "if only i had time" list...

i'm gonna devote some time to blog-land and give this blogging thing a whirl

i'm not a professional (this IS my first rodeo)

i can't promise great pics and wUn-der-fUll backdrops (not at first anyhoo)

i AM, however, going to see what olive's been up to and add a few sprink-lins' in about my personal "life-in-a-snow-globe" moments

so pop in for a read every now and again

maybe this time-off will be the perfect opportunity to catch y'all up on olive's antics

olive's been quite the gypsy girl...she's run around a few places with her missing boot!

who knows where and what she'll be up to next...

as for the shopgirl...well, i've had a few shakes of the snowglobe myself

so if you feel like giving us a read...

until the next post...

peAcE, loVe & olives

2010-03-05T08:25:00.001-08:00

vagabond days...

what are you doing THIS SATURDAY? join us for some shopping fun...the 2010 m7 Street Fair in the Melrose District will be just the way to spend your day!

In celebration the shop girls at Sirens and Saints are hosting vagabond days! the third thurday gypsys will be here with all their prizes (Dos Fannies, Paris Montana, Blissfully Traveled and a few other of your favorite gypsy girls)...inside Sirens the sale rack is dipin' down a little lower... for saturday only everything will be 50% off... so come down for some good old "fashion" fun and join the girls (and 7th Ave) in celebration.

2010-02-17T14:15:00.001-08:00

girlsies...it's Vagabond Nites in gypsyville!!

you and yours are invited to a special evening of shopping fun in the Melrose District...

Rust and Roses along with Sirens and Saints

will be staying open late from 6-9pm

so toss your cares into the perfect spring night air & play gypsy with us

the shopgirls will be speading local love by featuring a few of our favorite lovely local artists and their prizes

joining us for this months 3rd Thursday fun:

traveling vintage jewelry artisans dos fannies

www.dosfannies.com

Paris Montana and her blacktop jewelbox boudoir

www.parismontana.blogspot.com

paper artisan extraordinaire Trish Evans will be showcasing her finery

vintagebliss.typepad.com

one never knows who else the gypsy air might blow our way...

what we do know is that you don't want to miss out on any of the amazing-ness

see you for shopping fun!

2009-12-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

hello friends

Merry! Merry! to you all...

it's that "most wUn-der-fUll" time of the year again

hope you all are enjoying the arizona version of "a chill in the air" & the hustle and bustle that is the season

couple fun things to share that will surely make your holly-days merry & bright...

the Siren's (and sometimes Saint) girls are blogging.... 0 ya! we blog!

read along with us (you can become a blog follower)

weekly we'll share our favorite finds, buying adventures, shop event news and (when we can catch him) our favorite "crooky" the cat pics

http://www.sirensandsaints.blogspot.com/

also (this very thursday) all your stocking stuffers, and perfect one-of-a-kind gifts (you still haven't found) for all your one-of-a-kind peeps

found.done.

all on one quaint little street!

the 3rd thursday melrose crawl & vagabond nites at Siren's & Saints...west side of 7th ave just N of indian school rd (from 6-9pm)

joining us at S & S (along with yUm-0 treats, hot cider & umbrella heaters) will be...

house featured vintage jewelry artists Dos Fannies http://www.dosfannies.com/

from the Phx DIY

Space Cadet Jewelry
Kenzie Noelle

and of course, our ms heidi and her traveling airstream blacktop jewelbox boudior

http://parismontana.blogspot.com/

we mUst see you there...the night is way t000 much of a large time...trust!

wishing you & yours

PeAce, LoVe & all kinDs-O-mErRiMeNT

lani

2009-11-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

it's that time again...
can it be the third thursday of November already? yikes!
we had such a large time last month...you must join!
the artists that joined us did not disappoint...all brought along such great prizes & i'm sorry but there's just something magical that happens to a street when it's dripped in cafe' lights & luminaries...
so grab a latte' or hot cocoa at Copper Star and then meander along 7th ave enjoying the November crisp air...magic!
see you thursday...look for the airstream! (yes, Paris Montana will be back!!!)(s0 will the Dos Fannies gals, Flipp'd bird & the darling ms melissa with her one-of-a-kind stationary creations...can you say stocking stuffers?!)
x0x0
lani

2009-10-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

you all simply must come....

how fun is this?

join us for a new tradition...Vagabond Nites...happening every 3rd Thursday during the Melrose Crawl...

this Thursday October 15th (and every 3rd Thursday) from 6-9pm along 7th Avevue

Vagabond Nites will feature amazing artists showcased at Sirens & Saints along with Rust and Roses...

our first featured artist is Paris Montana...you can't even imagine her vintage Airsteam trailer "turned black top

jewlery box boudoir boutique" ...yes, you read right! An airstream trailer that she rolls up in complete with hardwood floors and chandeliers (not to mention the baubles!)

SIGN ME UP!! (how did she get my life?!)

www.parismontana.blogspot.com

trust...meeting the inspiring Heidi of Paris Montana literally has me starring at my closet every morning asking WWPMW? (what would paris montana wear)

Ms Heidi is not traveling alone...

also joining our Vagabond Nites fun is Trish from Blissfully Traveled

www.vintagebliss.typepad.com

S & S featured house artists the Dos Fannies gals

www.DosFannies.com

and several other local artists traveling with their one-of-a-kind prizes...

all s000 very terribly tempting don't you think?

So...save-the-date for a date with us and make your 3rd Thursday a large time...

see y'all for the Melrose Crawl

PeaCe, LoVe & all kinds 0 fun for you this week!

2009-10-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

hello dears

i hope this note finds all of you well, happy and living life with a huge appetite for more

personally, i have been living life these days with a perfect absense of balance...

for a feet-on-the-ground-girl like me, life has forced me to peel my hands from the roller-coaster bar and throw em on up in the air! woo-hoo!

so here we go...(again)

exciting news to share from shop-land...

there's a new shop in town & i must say it's a large time!

ms shelly (chief junkster) of the wUn-der-fUll rust and roses has opened a new clothing/bauble boutique...

Sirens & Saints

and guess what?! she's letting me play shopgirl!!! the closest thing to heaven for a girl like me

i think i'm back to where i was when i got lost...nothing like a perfect skipabeat moment!

shelly has filled her shop with some curl-your-toes prizes (you might even find a few of oLiVes old favs!)

please come round to say hi...

i've missed you all so...

oLiVes spirit is very much with me still...
sometimes in the morning when i turn the key i see that one-booted girl running around! (i swear!)
a few of you have found your way to the shop already & trust...seeing you has curled my toes
so from my heart to yours...thanks for all the LoVe this last year

look for "Sirens & Saints" right next to "Rust and Roses"

(west side of 7th ave just north of indian school rd...along the Melrose Curve)

come shop the curve Tuesday-Saturday from 10-5

i'll be the girl waiting for you behind the counter...waiting to play dress-up

PeAcE, LoVe & SiReNs

lani

lani griffin

shopgirl

ring 602.296.4349

2009-06-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

it is with a heavy heart

and a BiG 'oL SiGh...

life has once again been like a snow-globe and has shape shifted quite suddenly (i must say)

sadly...breaks the last of my little heart...i've had to close olive

i find it difficult to even type those words...

olive, for me has been one of those "dream BiG" things they talk & write songs about

olive was created out of inspiration gleaned from admired designers & fellow shop girls...

she came about on a wing and a prayer (as they say) and lots of "pretty pleasing" to my family...i s0000 wanted my own shop and my family (often at great sacrifices to them) lifted me up in full support so the dream could be reached.

i have to say with her and all of you i have been blessed

she was a dream that actually came to be...how lucky!

so thank you dear friends

i have loved all your sweet faces

shake! shake! shake! goes the snow-globe

what's next for olive and i? hmmmmm

we'll stay in touch...and who knows...maybe olive will shape shift again...

trunk shows anyone? have amazing finds...will travel!

our moving was a sudden decision...certain to have caused a bit of confusion and swirl...

we have been trying to get the word out to our email subscribers that shopping is still available...

all prizes are available thru either trunk shows, purchasing prizes shown on web

AND

we've gone back home (to where we started)...

through the month of july we have a selection of Olive prizes (most 25-50% off!) available for sale at Sage Antiques (located at 335 w McDowell rd in phoenix)
http://phoenix.citysearch.com/profile/41066571/phoenix_az/sage_antiques.html wed-sat 10-5 sun 12-4

hope to see y'all soon...missing you already!
PeaCe, LoVe & oLiVes (forever)
lani
(& olive...of course!)

dresses

2009-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

Ladies - this is the perfect dress. I've tried it on, and truly there is not one better. Flattering ruffle bust with a high denim waist (vertical pinstripe - we love that). Ties into a bow in the back. There are only three dresses left - get one and you will be one of the three happiest women on the planet right now. I promise, just try it on.

This dress is so stunning it's hard to believe it sells for less than $100! This reminds me of something I'd wear to an amazing summer brunch or a book signing or tea at the Phoenician!
I *heart* this next dress because even though the color suggests fall, the print is so summery that it actually works for right now - day or night! It's modest enough for any event, but hugs you enough that's it's even great for a date!
I love it paired with this "glass slipper" rhinestone necklace for evening - now all we need is prince charming!

-pEaCe, LoVe AnD oLiVes!

Chic equivalent of sunshine

2009-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Let some sunshine in your closet this week with olive's new contemporary collection of chic dresses from another Australian-born designer. (what do they feed those Australians?!) This designer started her own line after working with the impressive labels Jill Stuart, Helmut Lang and Donna Karen. Her clean and beautifully-tailored silhouettes are effortless and wearable all the while making the wearer look and feel chic and stunning.

She brings together the best of downtown edge, surfer chic, and vintage nuances.

If we had an audience, we'd applaud her.

good fashion, good karma

2009-05-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Our dream clothing line would:

1. one that feels great on our bodies while complimenting them.

2. have a price tag that wouldn't force us to eat spaghetti for the rest of the month.

3. do good for others. after all, what goes around comes around.

Lucky for us, we found all this when we purchased these vibrant (they acheived this color with vegetable dye - a great environment saver!) garments handwoven in India.

Not only are the clothes absolutely darling and oh-so-flattering, everything you see is under $100!

What's best, they are made by women's cooperatives that pay employees a living wage while provide a safe and fair working environment. This in turn allows women to empower themselves and their children by providing them with an education instead of forcing them into child labor. Yay!

Feel good cause the dress looks great on you. Feel even better knowing you helped a family in India do better for themselves.

You should know that none of these prints are done by machine - this line preserves the art of hand block print methods done by hand. They are proud that their clothes contain a history and a level of artisanship that is being lost in today's world of mass production.

We think that is just lovely - just like the dress.

-pEaCe, LoVe, KaRmA aNd OlIvEs!

tread softly

2009-05-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

Our hard-working olivette and dear, dear friend Krista turned another year older last week, and we threw a surprise party complete with a homemade umbrella, hand-numbered linens tied with picture tags (a collage of family photos), and a even a paper-flower garland (made by her daughter).

The dinner was set in Bev's backyard, and with all her flowers in bloom and the candles lit, we felt inspired to wear light, flowy dresses for the warm evenings to come.

We adore this new line we found - we think you will too! The dress on the left is from an LA designer. She makes all her tops and dresses with feminine cuts and flowing materials. Inspired by French imagery, romantic writings and 16th century Goth designs, this line is classically feminine with a hint of rock-n-roll.

The dress on the right is reconstructed from vintage found fabrics - each dress is unique!

The next two dresses are from a line that was born when the designer began sewing dresses in her sister's garage. The dresses she began selling in her backyard and out of a suitcase have now evolved into a nationwide craze for all who follow her line. The dresses are all simple. classic. feminine while leaving something to the imagination. perfect.

a little wild child

2009-05-07T21:30:00.001-07:00

We always say it's better to have more than one opinion in life. With shopgirl's daughter on board in the buying process now, we have a fun, young take on what we already love. It's so nice when you're under 20 and a t-shirt can still be paired with a pleated skirt and a flower in your hair.

Those of us over 20 (or over 40 shhhh) can still enjoy these cheeky shirts paired with jeans, flats, and a great beach tote for summer.

Kiss me...you'll love it top paired with a 100% silk print skirt.

After all, girls really do just wanna have fun - no matter what age!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

"Sweet Kara-Line"

2009-05-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

We definitely agree with this statement, which is why we ordered this celebrated line of individually handcrafted trays and platters that are prized by collectors around the world.

Oprah's O-List, Instyle and House & Garden are just a few of the publications these designs have been featured in. Brought all the way from Oyster Bay, New York right into our happy shop.

Moms love a great saying for Mother's Day!

Waves on the ocean, a summer breeze, and fresh laundry hanging out to dry are just a few things we think of when wearing this gorgeous top from a line that is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow.

She picked this jumpsuit as a 2009 must-have for your wardrobe.

Also in, the long-awaited Kara-line collection! For those of you who have waited months for this collection, it is finally here! For those of you who don't know the line, you will fall in love.

This line truly embodies "handmade" with vintage found fabrics that change every month. Each dress is handsketched and brought to life with the different fabrics - no designs or fabrics are ever repeated! As a retailer, we never even know what is coming! It's like opening presents each time we receive a package from her! The dresses are named after Kara's girlfriends - each dress comes with a name but not a size. Come find your one-of-a-kind frock today!

After you twirled around in your special flowy frock, take comfort in soft cotton tees with the motto "live with no regrets".

Fun designs include peace signs, crosses, even longhorns!

Also grab her satchel and get to where you need to go! Great diaper bag, mom bag, school bag or everyday bag!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD eXtRa OlIvEs!

cheers to mum!

2009-04-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

olive's top fav five for mum

*give flowers that last & last...

*give mum a belly laugh with erin smith's musings

*make mum sigh out loud with a sweet sentiment hand decopaged on french paper

*sweet sensations...scents that will make her swoon with bottles that will curl her toes

*an OA gift certificate...take the guess work out of picking a prize

olive (of course) wants to say thanks to all the lovely mum's, sister's, bff's of the world by offering a special shopping day...

Wednesday, may 6th all of olive's top five picks will be 20% off

and 0 yes, there's more...

a jewelry trunk show (woo-hoo again!)

dos fannies will be here showcasing in person their one-of-a-kind goodness...

vintage rosaries, look-at-me-now cuffs & bracelets, necklaces and earrings all made from discarded treasures (sure to get an oooo awwwww out of her)

we have many other jewelry lines too that we know you will enjoy!

what better way to say you're one-of-a-kind than with a one-of-a-kind bauble (like a vintage address book - great for busy that busy mom who needs names and #'s on the fly!)

(of course the olivette's will wrap your findings...she'll think the package is simply too pretty to open) another ooooo awwwww for sure!

peace, love, olives & cheers to mums

We've Grown!

2009-04-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

Olive Annie has really taken shape in the last couple of months, and we have you to thank! We so appreciate all of our new friends, and all of your great feedback! Our lines have expanded, and as of last week, so has the store! Come check out our newly expanded space! We now have even more room for delightful frocks and findings for spring! Don't miss what's coming for Mother's Day! Remember - our big event day is Wednesday, May 6!

Moms love flattering tops - especially when they are constructed from vintage bed linens and other yummy fabrics - so soft!

Olive says give mom a sassy hand-tooled leather purse in fire engine red or midnight black to make her feel fierce on Mother's Day!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Life in a Bubble

2009-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

ever feel like this?

olive says no more boring wardrobes! these fun resin-filled bubble necklaces with silver casing hold vintage prints inside hand-selected by the artist to be hand-selected by you!
add some choice phrases to your wardrobe this summer, and have fun playing dress up!

add to your necklace with black and white initial letters or buy a few and spell your word to describe you!

olive suggests:
"love"
"play"
"xoxo"
"free"
"peace"
and of course
"olive"

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Love your Mother...Earth!

2009-04-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

olive loves earth day...it makes her feel all warm inside (not the global warming kind of warm mind you!) knowing that she can do her part for mother earth - and you can too! With more and more green options becoming available, there's never been a better time to give the planet a little extra love. Thinking green isn't just for hippies and tree-huggers anymore
proactive planet dwellers are doing what we can by recyclin', reusin', and redoin' ...

olive isn't the only shade of green we love...
Olive Annie chooses 100% natural and sustainable fabrics whenever possible...olive also loves frocks that have been reworked from vintage bed linens and other scraps to make sweet little summer frocks like these below!

olive's locally designed canvas "flipp'd" bags are sure to make mama earth smile...
stock up on these bad boys (or pretty girls)...carry 'em into the grocery store, and keePthose plastic bags from filling up our landfillsand the bellies of our water-dwelling friends!
in fact, we want to help get you started on being the most earth friendly yet fashionable
shopper in the grocery...
through saturday

While you're at it, olive says why not get the matching hat? After all, stylish accessories don't mix well with sunburned faces!

our favorite bauble designers subscribe to the
"it's all better the second time around" way of thinkin' by re-working discarded vintage treasures and using recycled metals in their prizes

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,nothing is going to get better. it's not."The LoRAX~dr. seuss

for EarTH day tips onreducing your footprint...go HeRE! www.earthday.net

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

(psssst! mum's day is may 10th!)

2009-04-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Give her flowers that will last and last! These baubles set to arrive next week!Don't forget those sisters and bffs who are incredible mums! Of course, olive highly recommends you ever so gently hint to the boys you'd like wearable prizes this year!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Jewelry by Jewel Ya!

2009-04-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

If you saw our last post regarding our upcoming trunkshow collaboration with The Willows and Jewel Ya, you may be thinking, "How will I stand the suspense for another month"? "How many items can I possibly squeeze in my trunk so my husband doesn't see?" and, for a few of you, "Who is Jewel Ya?"

Well, prepare to be amazed - Jewel Ya is the local jewelry designer who reigns in the area of hammered hearts, tiny sparkling baubles, and o-so-versatile (and durable) chains! She is the queen of pearls, charms, and all things custom. She is pretty much a celebrity in Phoenix. And you - yes you! You are invited into her home to experience the wonder that is her jewelry. Olive Annie is pleased to now be carrying her line, and we'd like to present a few select pieces to you. Enjoy.

Stunning baubles add glamour to a sweet top. Forget diamonds - anything that sparkles is a girl's best friend!

These fun bracelets are only $9 each! How about gifts for your girlfriends?

Or keep them all for yourself and wear a whole collection! Either way, buy 4 and get the 5th one free!

So come to the trunkshow wearing our amazing new men's inspired button-down shirt or something else that you can dress up, and see what stunning jewelry combinations you can come up with!

Trunkshow May 15!

2009-04-16T11:33:00.001-07:00

Come play dress up with us!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

proudly Australian

2009-04-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

We owe a lot to Australia - they have given us kangaroos, boomerangs, guys with really great accents...

The country's latest, and arguably greatest, contribution, however, has to be Maja Rose and Tess Lloyd's new design-based business featuring stunning necklaces that focus on designs playing with form, pattern, light and colour. All necklaces are created environmentally friendly with stainless steel pendants and sterling silver chains (nickle and lead free - yay!). The designers also pride themselves with providing a supportive work place for young families.

When we bought these, the designers filled us in on all the amazing stories behind each piece they make. Each necklace is carefully designed from memories of people, places and sentiments that have personal meaning to them. You can be assured that each piece is made with love!

Give a "Hoot"! $49

How does your garden grow? Beautifully, we hope, with this "Love Garden" necklace. $49

Introducing "Fin" and "Feather" - named after the designer's darling pets. $49

Two lovebirds perched by "Magnolia" - $79

One of our personal favorites is "Tandem" - she designed this bike with love, sticking her puppy Polli, a bottle of wine and a baguette in her bike basket. Perfect necklace for a little mental daytrip! $79 Shown with a glam screenprinted rose tank in metallic; preshrunk - $49

Shopgirl chose this "Babushka" necklace for her own personal reasons. She was reminded of her grandpa "Captain" who sailed around the world with the Navy bringing back special prizes for his beloved children. One of the most memorable gifts shopgirl remembers is the Russian Babushka dolls he gave her mother after a long trip at sea. She always loved the surprise of "just one more doll hidden inside". This memory priceless - this necklace $79.

We will be closed Sunday, April 12 for Easter (don't be sad), but we can't wait to see you in the shop on Monday bright and early!

Dreams really do come true

2009-04-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were a little girl and you played with paperdolls? I don't believe any little girl really created elaborate stories from playtime with paperdolls - it was all about the clothes! I remember picking out paper doll books and looking at some of the most outstanding clothing for dolls - I was so jealous! If only, I thought, I could just send these drawings off somewhere and they would be made in my size - I'd be the happiest girl in the world. Take one look at this new clothing line, and you would think a little girl's dream came true!

Allison-Taylor, the extraordinary designer and owner of this amazing new line, has a keen eye for color and layers, and how the two work together. This season she juxtaposed a summer palatte with gunmetal grey, white, khaki and marine blue. Her 2009 collection presents a collection of wearable silks with 1930's bohemia and post-war glamour influences.

This racerback blouse below, named Megan, has wide straps and is hand-detailed with a false button and a contrast trim. We layered it over her "Bridie" dress, but you could pair with wide-leg or skinny jeans or pinstripe crop pants for some fun and different looks!

The "Bridie" dress - an empire line strappy dress with kick pleats and bows. Darling!

We wanted to save the brightest for last. Introducing "Dahlia" - our gorgeous orange silk smocked band dress/skirt with hand-detailed pink straps! It feels as great as it looks!

We can't wait for you to take one (or several!) of our dream girls home!

Frock Hunting

2009-04-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

For our dream Easter, there would be plastic eggs big enough to hide prizes like these for us to find! Who needs candy when there are such fabulous accessories in the world? We think there is something so intriguing about vintage keys and locks reworked onto newsboy caps.

Or how about pulling out layers and layers of the most fabulous frock you've ever put against your skin?! This 3-piece ensemble is actually comprised of a gauze slip, a voile slip and a layer tunic on top. Come try these pieces separately or together (as shown on mannequin) to create your own unique looks!

Gust in stock - please call to special order different colors.

Ok, moving on! For all you equestrians and horse-lovers, try this lovable tee showing your favorite animal in a screen-printed metallic. Pair with a skirt for a sweet, casual look or go riding in jeans and boots!

Horses a little too much to handle? How about pairing that little black dress you've been coveting with our bunny shirt for a more playful daytime look. Take the shirt off at night and add the necklace to go out for dinner and drinks!

We love to give this as a gift when friends invite us out for mimosas. A great gift for girlfriends who don't mind raising a few eyebrows now and again.

Now that you've seen all our fun new frocks and findings - please make note! We will be closing at 2pm on Friday, April 10 to observe Good Friday! We will be back open our normal hours on Saturday!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Delightful Dresses!

2009-04-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

With all the beautiful things in the world, we are proud to fit such a large number of them in one shop. We are honored that so many amazing artists have debuted and featured product at Olive Annie.

Olive Annie is proud to represent many talented artists that reconstruct and renew vintage finds to make some of our most lovely frocks and findings. True value is never lost in quality pieces! After all, this is a time to make what's old new again, get crafty, and have fun with vintage pieces!

Also, if you're going to be shopping wisely, why not buy pieces that are good for your body and the environment? Olive Annie chooses 100% natural and sustainable fabrics whenever possible.

Here are some beautiful organic options that would make the Easter bunny proud!

Olive Annie is going to rework the store this week for a new and exciting look! Don't worry though, the only mess you many encounter is our desk!

Our clothing is pressed and ready for you to come play dress up in! Also, for Easter gifts - ask to see our collection of fun gift tags!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

these are a few of my favorite things

2009-04-02T17:20:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe, truly, that we can be this in love with our new line of luxury combed cotton and linen frocks we found in New York. However, these clothes hug you back when you want to be hugged, breathe when you need it, and, what's best, they're flattering too! These clothes are meant to be worn all day, all night and even to bed if you like!

"Olivia" combed cotton love sleeve wrap $199

Layered and left open - finished off with stunning leather belt.

Think Diane Keaton - we love you!

What else can you expect from a line that started out make bedding? By the way, The Willows happens to carry the complimenting bedding line to our apparel! It is also proudly placed in the rooms of some of the most visited resorts around the world (think W, Trump, MGM and Sonesta resorts)

The baby-doll top below is called the "Clara". It has the feel of a vintage frock made in 100% white combed cotton with hand-sewn buttons and a lovely tie-front. $149. Remember those amazing reversible hats and bags we were showing you last week? These creative bags were hatched in Phoenix but were made to travel! Beach anyone?

We know Easter is right around the corner (next weekend are you kidding us???), but we have you covered in beautiful frocks and baubles sure to make you the hit of any Sunday brunch!

How beautiful is the "Clara" tank ($149) in washed linen paired with the "Bernadette" linen skirt ($199)?

We love neutral frocks because they allow your jewelry to make a statement if you choose!

Don't forget Mother's Day is right around the corner as well! We have plenty of surprises in store for mom (think big event - think special gifts!), but we already have great little goodies for mom if you want to be an early bird and snatch up the first of the them!

Canvas Art $69

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Stop in for a Peep!

2009-03-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

A Little Reminder for a Very Big Event!

Olive Annie is hosting a First Friday Flea Market with The Willows this Friday, April 3 from 10-2! This time we are only holding the sale on Friday so make sure you show up!

Stop by the store anytime to enter our "how many peeps" contest!

How many peeps do you think are in this jar? Stop by the shop to submit your answer - the winner gets a very special prize handpicked by Olive herself!

Also stop in for a special Easter egg with a surprise discount up to 20% off your entire purchase!

You could use that 20% to buy lovely spring frocks such as these new handmade tops (or dresses depending on how you want to wear them!) that are waiting for you!

Also soft accessories like a knit kitten bag are sure to make even the gloomiest of days a little brighter!
We want to thank everyone that came to see us at the garden sale last weekend - and we can't wait to see everyone at the flea market. A little birdie told us The Willows has great garden sale leftovers as well as lots of new merchandise for the home marked 50% off! We also have some surprise vendors at the sale again! Bring extra cash as some vendors don't take cards!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Posing for Spring

2009-03-28T16:28:00.001-07:00

Mark it in your calendars! Friday, April 3 from 10-2, we will be hosting our second flea market sale! Be there or go bare!

Thank you to all that showed up to the garden sale! It was a huge success! We enjoyed celebrating spring with an outside event!

Those of us who stayed at the shop today were having some fun as well!

Beautiful Maddie was shy to pose in our new reversible, floppy summer hats. We decided to paint a fresco of her in one instead! All hats made with heavy-weight decorator fabric and many colors available $49

How about a fun and funky reversible bag to go with your hat? Great for holding wild flowers, beach towels, or baby bottles! $49

We can't forget to show you these beautiful necklaces inspired by the artist's neighborhood walks at twilight. She feels a strong connection to the natural world during these walks which make her feel adventurous...mischievous even. We simply love this. From these walks, her stories and paintings are born - capturing the woman who could be...

if she dared. $69

Something special at Olive

2009-03-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

We were all settled in this morning, cozied in our nook at The Willows, when we signed on to write to you today! We started looking through past posts and we realized....something was missing, even though we couldn't quite put our finger on it. We thought...great new spring frocks - check! Fun and funky new bags - check! Stylish belts and baubles - check! Then, as we sat and pondered, little Olive - the mischievious one that she can be - knocked over an entire display of original jewelry treasures...and aha! We had figured it out. So ladies and gents...

Introducing....

Our first little gem was created by two local artists and best friends who pop in to the shop from time to time. They use discarded treasures along with fine metals and leathers to create one-of-a-kind prizes that everyone will ask you about.

This piece was created using vintage leather - $110

The next designer uses whatever inspires her at the moment, usually things in nature, to create brass, vintage and recycled pieces that are both stunning and playful. She calls her pieces her loves and her gifts to her clients, and it clearly shows in her work.

This dragonfly necklace is handmade from high-quality brass with lead-free solder and a gold-filled chain. $189
The nature of this brass is to oxidize (patina) with the elements and your skin. You can enjoy the rustic feel of the aged brass by do nothing to it and letting it develop a natural beauty.
Or, occasionally if the brass begins to patina and you prefer it shiny you can buff it back to brightness with a very fine nail file, or wipe it with a brass polishing "rag" available in any grocery, hardware or drug store! Just keep your jewelry in a clean, dry place and it will age slowly, naturally and beautifully .

This next designer calls herself "an elf of the arts and crafts variety".
Her favorite philosophies:

- one person can make a difference

- we all have souls, we just come in different packages (ie: animals)

- those without compassion aren’t worth knowing

- there’s no such thing as a bad cookie

Her compassionate nature definitely shows through in her work as she carefully and meticulously handcrafts these beautiful prizes using even an old wax casting process for some of her details.

This french cross uses that wax casting process to create a beautiful silver cuff. $209

We have saved the best for last. Lani swears there was a cosmic connection when she met this designer in New York - you see these two together, and you just know they were meant to work together! Have you ever seen a chipmunk store acorns in his cheeks when he finds a good batch far from home? That's a pretty accurate description of how the jewelry was hoarded at this designer's showroom when Lani showed up. We have some amazing prizes to show you to say the least.

This sculptor and painter turned jewelry designer has an obvious love for nature and time-worn objects with antique sentiment. The earrings are handcrafted with painted botanical engraving ($279) which is used as well in the cross in the ring.

These necklaces have unexpected twists - a sterling silver shield with engraved stag and heavy 14k gold fob for $379 and a cameo paired with a tiny skull. Symbolic? Maybe. Conversation piece? Definitely! She's a beauty. Silver cameo ring w/ 14k ball accents - $246"A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages" What's your interpretation? Bird under crystal silver necklace - $279Hieroglyphic-style engraved "peace" paired with angel wings and a 14k gold fob - $259
Call or email for more details and availability!

Garden Party!

2009-03-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings Friends! We are bubbling over with excitement to inform you that we have just been invited to The Willows garden sale! When the girls saw our sweet and simple lace-detailed dresses and tops we got in for spring, along with all of our other amazing new collections - they told us we simply must be there to sell our prizes to all of you!

So, let it be known - Olive Annie will be showing and selling our spring collections:

Where? Bev's House at N 21st st and Camelback

When? Friday and Saturday March 27-28 from 10am - 2pm

How do I get there? Call us or stop by for directions!

And don't worry - we will leave an olivette at the store during those hours if you wish to shop there as well!

One of the fun new items we are excited to show you proves that amazing prizes can come in very tiny packages. Introducing "Tiny Baubles" at Olive Annie.

We found this line when a magnetic and wonderful lady, Tina, entered the store - we fell in love with her, and then fell in love with her lovely collection of one-size-fits all sterling silver rings that come in two collections "the waiting band" and "letters to a friend".

We are proud to announce these will soon be on Oprah's favorites!

What are these lovely little rings you ask? Well, my dears, while your usual rings are decorated on the outside, Tina brilliantly has engraved her message on the inside which creates a special message for the wearer. With her "waiting bands" meant for expectant mothers, the ring not only expands to accommodate expanding pregnant fingers, but also has adorable messages such as "always" and "miracle" to mark the special coming occasion. Want to make the ring even more special? Get the baby's (or babies') name or birthday engraved on the outside!

For those of you who have a hard time telling your friend how much she means to you, look no more. Tina just introduced her new collection of rings she termed "letters to a friend". She engraved a letter on the outside of the ring, and the corresponding word inside that you feel represents your friend best. For example, the "c" ring has "courageous" engraved inside - great for a friend that has weathered the storm and come out shining!

Tina was also kind enough to invite Olive Annie to her home this past Thursday so we could showcase our new prizes! We must add that her home is just as lovely as she is!

Stephanie and Maddie -two of our stellar olivettes - running the show on Thursday

Tiny hairclip and hairband bugs make their way into the leaves.

Even tiny mushroom ornaments find their way to the branches!

This little chick hopes to see you at Olive Annie and at the Garden Party!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Suprising Textures for Spring!

2009-03-20T16:04:00.001-07:00

Didn't know if you knew this or not but....

Spring is here!!! haha, ready or not! Don't worry though - the rules that you used to know about certain colors and fabrics for certain seasons are changing!

How about plaid for spring? Don't you just love how plaid has made a comeback but in a feminine way? It's so refreshing to wear a great plaid and pair it with pink instead of black! Plaid is no longer just for fall when it's done in breathable linen!

How will you react to a wool-felted purse for spring?! How about if it's a handmade purse with a playful puffy caterpillar on it? We thought you might consider it! We also love this elephant bag! He'll never let you forget your lipgloss or grocery list again!

The best part about these bags is that they are made under the World Fair Trade Organization IFAT whose mission is to improve the lives of disadvantaged working women in places such as Nepal and Sri Lanka where these bags are made, as well as helping these womens' families and communities.

Ok, ok so you've seen this shirt before - but how great is it paired with this cropped jacket? Throw on some dark jeans or a pencil skirt and you're out the door! How great are those whimsical necklaces by the way?
Here's a sweet story...this line began when a sweet guy made his darling girlfriend a handbag out of leather for Valentine's Day. There were so many people amazed by the level of craftsmanship and handiwork that went into the girl's bag that the couple started a business purely off of special requests! You too will love beauty and detail that goes into every single one of these bags and belts! Go ahead and pack away your old leather for the year, and come enjoy this leather!
Love a skinny belt around a shirt dress!

Come pick some flowers (hairclips that is) at Olive Annie and enjoy the day!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Showstopper

2009-03-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Warning: these clothes are not for the faint of heart. Garment-dyed and made from linen, cotton, silk and wool, each piece of clothing from this designer's collection are meant to tell a story about the person who wears them. Her women are not "trendy" but rather collectors of treasures - treasures like this gorgeous black and white linen dress coat - a one-of-a-kind right now at Olive Annie. We have it on display outside for now but it's causing quite a bit of mess with traffic.

Try it in the panel skirt version for a more casual flair. These pieces are meant to embrace versatility while still being graceful on all who wear them!
Lastly, love this shirred tunic in black shown below on the model with the double stitched pants (which we have!). Dare to go bare? This tunic is long enough to be worn alone as a dress if you dare!

Here we show the pants more whimsically paired with our cotton "bear-on-a-bicycle" tee. Indulge in mixing and layering these pieces for a dressed-up, or playful spring look.

Of course we doubly love her pieces because they are all hand or machine washable! This means we can have a little more fun with a little more lingering contentment.

A Crowning Moment

2009-03-17T18:25:00.001-07:00

Our camera was a little moody today, hence no pictures of all the amazing new product at Olive Annie - we will show tomorrow! So here is a big thanks to Emily for letting us "borrow" these pictures off her blog - she has the best camera!!! Here are some fun pictures taken the day of the flea market sale! Emily's beautiful daughter Lucy was having fun playing dress up in a brilliant star crown from the shop! Emily is still offering silhouettes for the kiddies - we will let you know when she will be at the shop again!

Also, Lani got creative taking garden pictures in our little "garden retreat" outside of the store. See if you can find the garden gnome when you arrive at The Willows!
Magical butterflies land in flowerbeds....

Cherubs watch over The Willows and Olive Annie. Look for more of these at our Garden Sale coming up soon! Check out The Willows blog for more updates!!!

We look forward to seeing all your shining faces at the store tomorrow. Hopefully you will not consume massive amounts of Guinness for St. Patty's and sleep a beautiful Wednesday away! If you do, we will be happy to see you Thursday.

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS

Curiouser and Curiouser!

2009-03-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

Curiouser and curiouser things become at Olive and Annie! Come peruse bottled scents self-described as "objects of desire" delightfully decorated with names like "dead sexy" and "Poe's tobacco". Come enjoy and you'll see why these scents were Oprah's favorites.

Nothing creates more curiosity than when you're out in the city with a "drink me" button pinned to your bag or your blouse. Pair it with our Alice pin to conjure up your own little wonderland. Don't forget our "be a good egg" pin for Easter gifts! Let us add these to your complimentary giftwrap for a special touch!

"Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words `EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants. `Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, `and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door; so either way I'll get into the garden, and I don't care which happens!'" -Alice in Wonderland

These lipglosses come in boxes so coveted you'll want to savor them just as long as you savor your brilliant gloss in flavors like "let them eat cake" and "cherry bomb".

Also try our new collection of rings straight from San Francisco. So delightfully pop, they look almost good enough to eat...almost. Better to show off. Want to really grab attention? Pair these rings with her matching necklaces!

Truly there is no better dress to go chasing rabbits down rabbit holes than in this pleated organic frock. We love this paired with skinny jeans and flats for a more casual Alice.

We are doing cartwheels over these quirky new cotton tanks and tees screened with rabbits, moustaches, scarabs and other fun circus themes.

So cute the queen of hearts would surely shout, "off with her head!!"

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS

Birds of a Feather

2009-03-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

Feel a little cooped up lately?

Let your hair down in this uber soft embroidered tunic. If owls happen to land there, don't fret, they just enjoy your organic shampoo!

Want to see a beautiful flock? Check out our collection of dazzling baubles and bracelets in our newly acquired vintage display cabinet! We love the owl and antler necklaces! Did you know that our some of our display pieces are also available for purchase? Ask and you may receive!

In need of a pop of color for spring? This purse is big enough to let you be active all day, and pretty enough to attract a crowd all night!

Really feel like stretching your wings? How about picking up a belt that was handmade in Peru? These belts are so colorful you could wear them with a white tee and jeans! They look amazing paired with black accessories like a leather clutch and a doll head necklace like you see on our mannequin. Tres chic! Only 4 left!

Gather your brood and head on over to Olive Annie on Indian School! We have bottled water, candy for the kids and complimentary gift wrap as always!

(bird stand with bird in cage for sale - have the pet without the mess!)

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

Pretty Things

2009-03-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

Like the little swans hanging from our fixtures, our store has transformed into something more beautiful than we could have imagined.What's even better - we have brought in beautiful, amazing new frocks to fill it to the brim! Just look at our before and after mannequin! Oh, how we love to play dress up - especially in this "look at me" empire waist shirtdress! What is on the back of this lovely frock is even more amazing but Olive says you must come in to see that!
Want to be queen for a day? Feel like royalty in a swiss dot blouse that is 100% organic! Made in NYC - how lovely!

Smile back at the sun in this marigold top. Smile even more because it's 100% organic and made in NYC! Hooray!

Mirror, mirror on the wall - whose the fairest? You are of course, you pretty thing! Baubles that beg to be worn in layers! Smokey quartz w/ hand-knotted pearls layered with dangly heart medallions - devine!
We Olivettes love when something old can become something new (except those laugh lines on your face - leave those be!), which is why we love the two women that rework these vintage finds into new and remarkable baubles and accessories.We hope to see you this merry week while the kiddies are out of school! The weather is lovely!

pEaCe, LoVe, AnD, oLiVeS!

Flea Market Frenzy!

2009-03-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, are we sleepy little olives! We have had two fun and frenzied days full of sun and selling for our First Weekend Flea Market Sale, and they were a huge success! We loved seeing all your smiling faces, and meeting new ones as well! We sold through some great frocks, and now have room to bring in some amazing new ones!

This may look like an ordinary flea market sale, but no ordinary flea market sale has Olive Annie party frocks and city clothes for 75% off! If you didn't make it out, you missed out! Be watching your emails for the next sale! We expect that a garden party is certain to pop up in your inbox before too long!

Thank you to everyone that paid a little visit to Emily for silhouette pictures today! We will continue taking pictures for these - we will let you know when! Again, just watch the blog and your emails!

For all of you who made it out yesterday and today, we hope you enjoy your prizes!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS!

You Can Call Me Flower If You Want To!

2009-03-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

Tick, tock, tick, tock...we are all impatiently counting down the hours until the big First Weekend Flea Market Sale!! We have lots and lots of prizes vintage, new, from here and the old store too! We have great markdowns and things you have never seen - especially come by if you haven't been in the new shop yet - it's two stores in one! Just don't lose your head over all this excitement - we want you to get here safely!

Doll heads post-war from Germany - true story!

Since the parking lot at The Willows is tiny, you may have to find room in a neighboring lot. There is plenty of room in the neighborhood for all!

Also, you don't want to miss Emily taking silhouette pictures of the kiddies for only $10! Look at how www.apartmenttherapy.com changes a silhouette into a piece of art!

Speaking of art, we are so amazed with our new jewelry artist who hand-makes jewelry out of bronze while mixing in vintage pieces. The bronze naturally patinas with wear - gorgeous! We especially love her floral collection...so romantic!

Another floral design we just love are these beaded hairpin treasures we have been waiting for ! We picture them in tousled hair for a garden party or one of each color in bridesmaids' hair at a spring wedding. If you want to wear one everyday, that is ok too!

And now for the city girls...

...rock and roll princess floral embossed leather clutches.

You've got nothing on us Carrie Bradshaw!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD oLiVeS

2009-03-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

Hello dear friends! What a lovely week this is turning out to be! Just in time for our blossoming spring arrivals! We are so excited by our fun and colorful frocks this season!
A few of you have been asking why (with all these new prizes) we haven't been sending out emails! Well, my dears, as much as we would like to pretend we're perfect and can solve all of the worlds' problems, we unfortunately can only solve most of them (over a few glasses of wine of course). We have been having some technical difficulties that we have been promised will be resolved by the end of the week!
For those of you regularly checking the website - thank you! We want to thank everyone for their patience as we dive into our new location! Ok, now that we've said all that...let's play dress-up shall we?!

This cotton picnic blouse looks refreshingly different paired with a plaid linen skirt and pearls then tucked into pinstripe bell shorts!

We're channeling Mary Tyler Moore in this mandarin knit dress - and we love it! We love that a woman can be so chic without having it all together all the time. You can at least look like you do with this lemon pop cropped cardigan layered on top!

This hot little number has an especially suprising twist with a fun sort of train that drapes down the back! Ooh la la!

And now (trumpets sound) the most important news of the week!!! Olive Annie is teaming up with The Willows this Friday and Saturday from 10am-2pm for our first ever "First Weekend Flea Market"! We have goosebumps we're so excited! Not only will there be great prizes from our two stores but we will have lots of surprise vendors as well! (Please Note: All vendors other than The Willows and Olive Annie will be accepting CASH ONLY). Come steal a deal or two (or ten)!

Also bring the little ones for an early Mother's Day gift idea! Emily of Happy Jack Photography will be snapping photographs for only $10 that she will transform into silhouettes that you can have framed for mom on Mother's Day - or any day!

We hope to see everyone at the store and at the flea market!
-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD, oLiVeS!

A New Day, A New Site!

2009-03-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

Hi all! We are undergoing some construction right now because soon Olive Annie will have a whole new WEBSITE!!! Yippee!!!

Many thanks for your patience!

-pEaCe, LoVe, AnD, oLiVeS!