a mix of metals - inspiration

I love old things with a patina, with evidence of age and use.  So I guess its pretty natural that I'm drawn to the warm natural tones of metals.  Therefore, I give you today's color inspiration - all things metallic!


First, my new 'sweet dreams' paper and burlap bunting is featured in this pretty collection of copper items.  I painted the lettering with copper metallic paint and I chose paper colors that suggested patina.





Second, my pretty bronze and gold flower pin is featured is featured in this romantic treasury collection.






Here we have a pretty pillow I've made for my living room.  I used some scraps of fabric, a few old buttons and a handmade flower.  I love the copper and gold flower on the brown pillow with the sort of pewter-finish buttons.

This is a photograph of a sculpture that my husband (the wonderful and amazingly talented Jeff) recently finished and listed in his Etsy shop.  You may click on this link to view the sculpture directly.  Its meant to hang on the wall and it features lots of texture and different metal materials.  Its very cool and kinda spacey.

Finally, we can't really talk about metals and patina without a solid example of RUST!  I love rusty things.  A number of years ago, Jeff went to Arizona to work with his uncle in his construction business for a few months.  While he was there, he made a number of very srtiking photographs.  He loves to go adventuring with the camera in his backpack.  (So do I, but I'm a scaredy-cat... I'm always looking for rattle snakes or fretting about falling off cliffs...)  This is one if the scenes he discovered.  Talk about patina!

I've been sewing something sweet

Remember last month, when I said I was going to do some stuff?  I'm too ashamed of my bold declarations to do more than mention it here.  If you want to refresh your memory, you can read the post here.  Well, I guess I kinda forgot how busy my life gets at this time of year when I work for a flower shop!!!  Actually, I'm pretty certain it must have been denial, (not forgetfulness) because if I remembered how crazy it gets, I might not have been willing to commit my time at the flower shop.  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy being there, but after several proms (that means a couple hundred corsages and boutonnieres) immediately followed by Mother's Day (perhaps the busiest floral holiday, except maybe Valentine's Day) I am pretty glad its over.  I have jumped into sewing and I haven't done much else.  I think its been very therapeutic.  My nieces have their birthdays this month and last, so I made these:

The blue butterfly pinafore is a pattern from the One Yard Wonders book.  I embellished it with handmade flowers and a leaf.  (By the way, I made it in size 4T and it required more than 1 yard of fabric, I'm just sayin'.)  I also made a matching hair clip (which I forgot to photograph).  Its cute, you'll just have to take my word for it.

The ruffled halter is a pattern by Liesel Gibbons for Stitch magazine.  (She's the designer behind the label Oliver and S, I just love her style!)

The dolly is a pattern I drafted myself!  I made her as a companion to this little Miss.  After all, real live sisters need sister-dollies too, don't they?

I made the cards to compliment the sewing projects.  :)

Spring Fever - Shop Update

Oh.  My.  Goodness.

This is one of my favorite pieces.  Its so pretty I can't even stand it.  For the love of all things pastel, vintage-inspired and girly!  Among the fabulous details are four handmade flowers, a vintage button, czech glass beads, a budding branch, ribbons, and a pair of embroidered eco-felt leaves on an elastic headband.  If I can bear to part with it, you will be able to find it in the shop later today.

Its a wrap!

When I ship something, I love to make the packaging (you know, boxes, bubble mailers, etc...). I always try to challenge myself to see what I can come up with using recycled/repurposed materials.   I made these bubble mailers out of brown paper grocery bags, an old lighting catalog and some bits of a beautiful sheet of art paper.  I also added some ink and rubber stamping, as well as using contrasting thread to sew them up.  The bubble wrap I used for the inside was 'trash' my Mom and I saved from the landfill.  She works in industrial food services and great big pieces of it were used for lining boxes... used just once and then chucked in the trash!  Well, we fixed that!

This stack of twelve mailers was a custom order for a girl who wanted to send out her graduation announcements with a CD of pictures.  She was looking for a cool, unique way to package/present the CD and the envelope.  I chose the paper from the lighting catalog because she had a background in theater.  I provided the manila shipping tags for addressing the envelopes.

Wouldn't you just be so excited to find one of these in your mailbox?  It could happen, skip on over to the shop and pick out something pretty for yourself.  I guarantee it will arrive wrapped in eco-conscious style!  In fact, I have as much fun packaging items and I do making them!

For the love of patchwork

What does one do with a pile of teensy tiny fabric scraps?  Why, make patchwork, of course!  I LOVE working with colors...

I've decided to whip up a batch of patchwork baby bibs from sweet booties! (its actually called the 'too too fun bib' in the book).  I meant to make one for my niece, but once I started playing with the fabric scraps, I was having WAY too much fun and I couldn't decide which color combination I liked best.  So, I am making a little stash of them.  After all, you never know when you'll need to give an (adorable) baby gift.

This is one reason why I love Etsy...

There are so many people I can connect with and learn from, who have the same kind of (sometimes wacky) interests as I do!  FINALLY, I've found my peeps!  Check out this video about Mimi Kirchner, she makes dolls.   I've always wanted to learn all the 'Little House on the Prairie' home crafts.  Sewing, embroidery, knitting, weaving, etc...   Last week, my mom and I spent a few days canning green & yellow beans and salsa.  I felt very satisfied after "putting up the harvest" in my pantry and looking at all the cans.  I loved learning the whole process with my Mom.

  Anyway, back to dolls and back to Etsy.  In the spirit of doll-sharings, I'd like to share my first doll project.  This is Dolly Madison.  I made her for my neice (her name is Madison -- ha, get it?) on the occasion of her first birthday.  The basic pattern is from one of my favorite Etsians, http://www.theblackapple.etsy.com/  Find the pattern here:  go to her blog http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/
click on "Watch Emily & Martha Make Dolls" scroll down a bit its on the left.  Or just go to the Martha Stewart website and search for 'Black Apple Doll'.  I embellished the basic pattern with lots of tiny treasures from my stash (and som specially purchsed new items).  I used the lovely tan color leather (furniture swatches, originally meant to be thrown away but I rescued them), cut the edges with pinking shears, to make the scaloped collar on her dress.  I used some beautiful and soft espresso color sueded leather to make her hair.  I wanted her to look like baby Madison.  I made her little leather mary jane shoes out of more beautiful leather from my stash.  I used new materials for the body, the stuffing, the dress, the striped stockings and the glittery pink button.  This project was a such a hoot.  Dolly Madison just cracks me up!  After watching Mimi Kirchner's video, I'm feeling inspired to dig into the stash once more and see who emerges this time...

Look who's sitting on my front porch!

When Jeff & I were in Washington this last Christmas, I became interested in creating plush toys or stuffed creatures. I requested old socks and Jeff's Dad offered several pairs. Then I asked for buttons and Jeff's Mom supplied me with a lovely little pile of vintage buttons, YAY! I have just completed my first experimental version of a sock creature and he's made out of recycled materials! Thank you to Mom & Dad for the supplies, I hope the little dude makes you laugh. Every time I look at him, I just crack up! It's not his fault that his teeth are out of proportion. Don't tease him, he's very sensitive. He had a little run in his belly so I made him some pants. His waist isn't very defined so I had to add some suspenders. I turned the sock inside out to give him a stubble effect (rather than the tiny dots on the right side of the material).




I just had some lunch followed by a lovely short walk. It's 45 degrees outside! Yay!


Charlie is napping on my ironing board, how cute.