Petrune’s Holiday Gift Guide: Amara Felice

Gift, Handmade, Lovely Materials

If you’re like us, when it comes to holiday shopping, you prefer the thoughtful, useful, beautiful, and, if possible, local. Not to brag, but Petrune has a pretty amazing selection of items that fulfill those requirements! For the next few weeks, we’ll be running blog posts featuring some of our most gift-worthy products. We hope you’ll be inspired, and maybe even filled with holiday cheer.

First up: Amara Felice. This versatile Brooklyn-based designer works with everything from leather to rhinestones, and we think her handmade gifts are a great fit for Petrune! Take a look at her Etsy site, or swing by the store to check out her vintage-inspired jewelry and bags—some made from vintage fabric—in an assortment of sizes, so you can stash everything from coins to your iPad in style.

Check back soon for more gift ideas from Petrune, and happy holidays!

Great Gift Ideas at Petrune: Petrune Apothecary

Gift, Handmade, Ithacans, Lovely Materials

Haven’t you ever been shopping at Petrune and thought, sure these clothes make my body look great, but why can’t they make my skin look great too?  Well, worry no more, because we now carry select skincare products!  The Petrune Apothecary line is locally made in small batches from natural ingredients, and includes an ultra-rich face cream, an exfoliating and hydrating sugar scrub, alcohol-free roll-on perfume, and a reinvigorating skin spritzer.  Each of these items comes in two scents: rosadora (a delicate rose-lavender) and pelargonium (a refreshing geranium). In addition, we have three varieties of lip balms. Our spearmint, lavender, or orange lip balms are all delicious and nourishing!

It’s hard to decide which item makes the most perfect stocking stuffer, so it’s probably best to try them all!

Great Gift Ideas at Petrune: Man Gifts!

Beautiful Things, Color, Gift, Handmade, Ithacans, Lovely Materials

Conventional wisdom says that men are harder to shop for than women.  Look around a department store at holiday time, and it seems true  — the women’s section overflows with glittery, jewel-toned, and sumptuously soft offerings, while in the men’s there’s just bathrobes, slippers, and of course, neckties.  Well, we’re pretty sure men get just as much of a thrill from receiving a thoughtful gift as women do, so it should be just as easy to find that perfect present.  We hereby offer this assortment of guaranteed-to-please gifts for the men in your life, from your stylish sweetie to your … less-fashion-conscious dad.

First, socks from B.ella.  Now, we know what you’re thinking — aren’t socks just as bad as ties when it comes to uninspired men’s gifts?  All we can say is…have you worn these socks? B.ella makes cashmere-blend socks that are reasonably priced, warm, and stylish!  Plus they’re long enough to prevent the dreaded cold strip of calf between sock and pant leg…guys know what we’re talking about.

Second, leather gloves from iLi.  These hit the sweet spot of men’s gifts, blending rugged practicality and sophistication.  We also love their wallets and passport covers, for your man-on-the-go.  And if the buttery softness of iLi’s leather tempts you to be your own Santa, we carry their women’s gloves too.

Third, every man needs at least one pair of cufflinks (if he’s an old-fashioned type or goes to lots of Great Gatsby parties, he may need more than one).  And we guarantee he won’t have cufflinks like these—our co-owner Justin makes them from old typewriter keys!  At $18 a pair, they’d make a great centerpiece for a letter-themed gift for the writer or typography nerd in your life.

Fourth, what about an album by your guy’s favorite defunct band?  We do have a healthy assortment of both classic and eccentric titles, from David Bowie to Rick James.  Old records will never break the bank , so even if he doesn’t have a record player, your guy will appreciate a beautiful album as a piece of art…or laugh so loud at a tacky one that you’ll know you won Christmas.

Fifth, bow ties! We are now carrying these whimsical  bow ties from Cotton Bow Tie Co. They are handmade locally from an array of patterned vintage cottons. With such beautiful packaging as well…. Who could say no?!

Finally, what kind of vintage store would we be if we didn’t remind you that vintage clothes make the easiest one-of-a-kind gifts of all?  We have classic menswear, from Italian loafers to cowboy boots, from Pendleton button-ups to cashmere overcoats to goofy t-shirts.  Stop by the store or check out our online store, and remember that at the holidays, it’s better to give than to receive…but it’s ok to do both.

Great Gift Ideas at Petrune : Qtoo

Beautiful Things, Gift, Handmade, Style

Q. Cassetti’s Etsy shop Qtoo promises “the pretty, the teeny, the creepy & the odd,” and we thought that sounded just right for Petrune!  We’re thrilled to be selling Q’s adorable food-themed jewelry, which includes such irresistible treats as a fruit-and-cheese-platter brooch, a chocolate-cake bracelet, and a pendant that looks so much like a dozen tiny glazed doughnuts that it’ll make your mouth water.  They’re affordably priced, too, from $16 for a bitty cupcake ring to $35 for an elaborate bracelet made of nine different plates.

Multi-talented in multi-media, Q also makes beautiful sets of holiday cards in two different designs.  Her extra-long cards feature either a doleful dachshund wrapped with a red ribbon, or three stylized arrangements of flowers.

Check out more of Q’s distinctive designs at Petrune this holiday season!

Falling in Love with Fall

1970-1980, Beautiful Things, Handmade, Lovely Materials, Style, Windows

After a warm September and October, then Sandy making a quick pit-stop in Ithaca, fall has finally fallen! Here at Petrune, we are adoring the autumnal hues and wearing all things cozy! Instead of the Love Story between Oliver and Jennifer… It is  between Petrune and Fall! Falling in love with fall never means having to say you’re sorry… For compromising on the cutest sweater of course!

Here are a few fun shots of our latest window display and some of our favorite fall pieces in the shop!

Stay warm with these beautiful hand-knit wool and alpaca snoods! On your neck or worn as a hood, they''ll keep you toasty!

B.ella Socks and Stocking have been a hit at Petrune for years! Whether as a gift or for yourself... Warm feet cannot be beat!

Always a classic! Our constantly rotating selection of vintage sweaters are sure to please all!

Holy Handmade, Batman!

Beautiful Things, Gift, Handmade, Ithacans

We try to be “Locavores” in every way possible. Keeping cultural and economic power within a community instead of frequenting the big-box stores is an amazing thing!

Lately, we’ve been searching out some of our favorite local artisans to bring you beautiful products made right here in upstate New York. One of out favorite local lines, One Swell Gal, flies off the shelves every time we put it out! Handmade products like hers have such an innate personal charm! Here are some other handmade accessories we are carrying right now in the store. Enjoy :).

These two necklaces are from Trumansburg artist Carissa Mann Parlato. Her line, C (Star) Studio, has beautiful artisan statement jewelry.

This necklace is by one of our favorite customers and artists, Cady Fontana. Each bird charm is totally handmade, unique, and adorable.

Super cute earrings made by local Girl Scout Troop 374. For the reasonable price of $4.00 you can support the Girl Scouts and accessorize!

Here are some lovely Belle Epock hairpins. Dressing up your hair can be fun and feathery!

Roots Rose Radish: Unique Handcrafted Skin care

Beautiful Things, Handmade, Publicity

Of all the amazing local artisans that Petrune has partnered with, one of our favorites is Roots Rose Radish. Established in Brooklyn but now operating in Ithaca, Roots Rose Radish produces a line of health and beauty products straight from the bosom of nature. Their products are hand grown, handpicked, and handcrafted to make the most sumptuously natural skin care experience imaginable.

Solid perfumes, infused with Ylang Ylang and Grapefruit.

Even more remarkable is the fact that Christian Toscano, the creator and mastermind behind Roots Rose Radish, will be demonstrating their products this week in-store at Petrune! Stop by on the 22nd of October from 4 pm to 6pm for a pampering with the finest all-natural Roots Rose Radish products. To sweeten the already amazing deal, we’ll have some treats to nibble , drinks to sip, and a 10% store-wide discount for participants!

We wanted to show you that sometimes, even if it’s too good it can still be true. See you on the 22nd with Roots Rose Radish!

Luscious Rose lip balm

Honey Pecan Rose daily cleanser. Sounds like it could be a pie...

This one's for the guys!

 

 

New in the store: Hand-made hand-dyed kimonos

Handmade, Lovely Materials

With every piece of thread dyed individually, then hand-woven to make intricate organic patterns, each of these kimonos and work vests is a unique work of folk-art. For an updated look more NYC than old-world Japan, pair with a skinny belt and a contrasting pattern, as in this look from the Sartorialist.

Pops of color.

Mixed patterns.

Rich, handmade indigo dyes.

Talk about dramatic silhouettes.

Character...

More beautiful detailing than you can shake a stick at.

Pop by the store at 126 East State Street on the Ithaca Commons to check them out! We also have a few listed among the treasures in our Etsy store, if you, like me, enjoy shopping for beautiful clothing while eating pecan pie on the couch on fall days.