The countdown continues, only 3 more days!

While I can easily say that things are always crazy and busy around here, this last week has been especially so.  However, all for good reason(s).  Recently we photographed Claire and Nick's engagement session so I have been busy in the office with editing and post-processing.  (Stay tuned for a peek at the photos!)  Meanwhile, this idea that has been floating around in our local artist cooperative just sort of came to fruition rather quickly.  We have been looking for a location where we could set up shop for the summer and sell our work.  Some of us are selling online via our Etsy shops, but we also wanted an opportunity to have a local venue where we could have a more personal interaction with our customers.  Well folks, we've found our space and we're setting up shop this weekend!  We will be unofficially open for business, so stop by and say hello!

I would like to introduce you to my friends and fellow artists.  These are the members of Studio Rico Oeste (our local artist cooperative), who will be featuring their work at the shop.


Jeff Long a.k.a. "jefficus", and my husband, find his shop online at http://www.jefficus.etsy.com/.  Jeff is a photographer, artist and fabricator.  He went to the Art Institute of Seattle for Industrial Design.  Do you want to know what he is doing as I type, right this very moment?  The man is building me a gypsy cart (out of other people's discarded "junk") in which to display my wares.  Isn't that the most wildly romantic thing in the world?  (Well, if you're me, then it IS.)  I will be posting photos of the cart very soon!  Pictured, this is a new lamp that Jeff has just finished called the Tech Light.  Its made out of recycled and repurposed parts and pieces of things.  Look for Jeff's garden art, lamps, furniture and more in the shop!

Rick Weese, a.k.a. "Rico Oeste", the man behind the plan.  That's right, our artist cooperative is named after him, Studio Rico Oeste.  Artist, sculptor and lover of junk, Rick made the file-cabinet table pictured on the poster above.  Pictured below is a sculpture Rick made out of recycled junk.  (When I say "junk", that is like a term of endearment in our vocabulary, it doesn't mean garbage... but you already knew that.)  Look out for his furniture, sculptures and more in the shop!

Jenny Roth, wanderer, lover of junk, and creator of one-of-a-kind "modern tribal" jewelry as well as handmade journals, find her shop online at http://www.returnstudio.etsy.com/.  I adore her jewelry, she has creative vision that is just so unique.  You will never think of your kitchen junk drawer in the same way after you see what she can create out of old rusty stuff.  You can find out more about the fabulous neckpiece pictured below here. 

Jeff Dyke, a.k.a. "Padre", carpenter, scavenger and super-fantastic pinstriper.  Hey, if you don't want your soda or your bible pinstriped, then keep it out of Padre's way...  but if you have something that needs a little personalized va-va-va-vooom, you know who to talk to!  Bring him your guitar, your toolbox, your favorite chair, ANYTHING you can think of.

Finally, this is Jonathan Wesley White, a.k.a. "Juan Blanco", artist, photographer, etc...  Check out his shop online at http://www.artistetc.etsy.com/ or his learn more about Juan via his website http://www.artistetc.com/.  He is currently showing a series of paintings at a local coffee shop called J.P.'s.  Here is one of the paintings in the series.

Oh, wait!  I almost forgot about me.  I'm part of the group too.  I'm Jennifer Long (in case you didn't already know that), most people call me Jen.  You can find my shop online at http://www.pair.etsy.com/.  I'll be selling a wider variety of things at Redemption, so if you are local and you are a fan of my work, you'll be pleasantly surprised at all the fun things you'll find when you stop by to say hello and meet the gang.

There you have it.  Six local artists, working away this week to bring you an exciting new shopping experience in Holland, Michigan.  I'll keep you posted with any news, including the "official" opening date!

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!

banners and buntings and garlands - oh my!

Busy days are good, but they can be overwhelming.  I've made a pot of tea and I'm being calm - on purpose, you know (tea can do that for you, especially pouring it from a proper teapot).  Pour hot tea, drink, repeat.  I think I've been spending FAR too much time with my face glued to the computer these last few days.  (I'm drinking the tea in front of the computer... see?  I can't relax, it must be the tea.  Not really, I just have a really long to-do list.  :)  Anyway, I've been terribly productive, but I'm starting to feel like I'm in a photoshop trance.  Today I packaged an order for my Etsy shop and I took such great pleasure in wrapping it, writing the thank you note and making the card.  I usually include a free gift, most often its a handmade card.  It was so nice to just step away from the keyboard and the screen and make something with my hands!  I will be very happy in a week or two when things start to settle down again and I have time to make some pretty things. 

Speaking of pretty...  just look at this gorgeous, romantic treasury I found today, featuring my butterfly hair clip!  I love the curvy lines of the violin photograph with the ladies... I love the jewelry & accessories, what lovely choices!  The soft colors are so dreamy.
   


One more, this one is entitled:  Flowers All Around.  Aaahhh, I just can't wait for that time in my garden when there are indeed flowers all around.  Can you spot my headband?





I am currently enamored of buntings, garlands, banners, etc...  You can decorate your child's room (heck, why not your room too?), the fireplace mantel, a shelf or bookshelf, string across a window, or use it for a party or shower decoration or a child's photo shoot.  Planning something with a carnival theme or a circus theme?  Buntings are a natural design element.  Yesterday's shop update included 3 buntings.  This is just one of them, so if you want to see the others, you'll have to head on over to the shop.

etsy treasuries - featured!

Oh my, I have been so busy I have sadly neglected to keep you all up to date on the wonderful treasuries I have been lucky enough to be featured in lately.  I want to be sure all the curators who've taken the time to build these lovely collections and the wonderful artists who are also featured get noticed too!  So please take a moment to browse these fabulous collections and if something catches your eye, by all means, click and you'll be redirected to the treasuries or to the shop directly.

My handmade cards are here.  Don't forget about Japan, they still need our support.  Click on my cards to find out more about the organization I'm donating to. 



My leather flower pin is here.  Its made out of the most fabulous upcycled leather furniture swatches (not craft store poor quality stuff).  I just llloooove so many things in this treasury.  The soothing color palette...



Butterfly hair clip is here.  I love this one.  This collection makes me think of napping outdoors on a late summer afternoon.  Great stuff.



Butterfly hair comb is featured here.  The title says it all, 'summery blush'.  Beautiful.



Fabric flower necklace is here.  This is very cute.  I wish we had Etsy as a resource when we got married!  Oh, the brides today are so lucky!



Fabric flower headband is featured here.  Ice cream anyone?  ;)



Earrings featured here.  Okay, I love this collection soooo much!!!  I might just describe my style as 'rustic elegance'.  So good. 

In nine days something WONDERFUL is going to happen!

In nine days, something very exciting is going to happen.  I am going to park my gypsy cart and set up shop!  Wait, it gets even better...  its not just me, there are six of us (not gypsies, artists - don't be silly).  Jeff and I belong to a local artist collective called Studio Rico Oeste.  Our members have discussed the desire for a shop/space for quite some time, and the search for just the right space has brought us to this point.  Our ideas are coming together (pretty quickly, I'll say) but I think the concept is good and the location is quirky (just like us).  I would love to give you more details, but I have SO much to do!  I will update with any big news and hopefully some photos very soon! 

Stay tuned for the opportunity to meet my compadres in this endeavor!

Its Wedding Season!

I have had the pleasure of working with several brides over the past few months to create custom hair accessories and jewelry for their weddings.  This process has led me to explore new materials and themes.  I can't even tell you how much fun it is to send a few photos to a bride-to-be and then get an email back that is filled with exclamations of joy and excitement.  (They don't realize that I often have the same feelings of joy and excitement.)  So, I wanted to share a few custom orders with you today. 

This order is composed of six pairs of gray carmina pearl earrings accented with small hematite stones. I packaged them in individual tiny silver boxes, perfect for presenting these chic handmade earrings to six lovely bridesmaids.

The next custom order is one of my favorites!  I really had fun experimenting with different variations on the theme during the design process.  It was really interesting and challenging trying to find sources for the strawberries and the berry blossoms/foliage that suited the look we were going for.  In the end, I made the blossoms and leaves myself.  I LOVE the finished piece!  This is the initial design sketch (I know, its very basic).

This is the finished hair comb!  You can read all about the nitty-gritty details in the item listing here in the shop.

Wedding Inspiration

Big thank you to the frosted petticoat for featuring my handmade fabric flower necklace on the CUTEST dang inspiration board.  I don't want to spoil the fun, so you'll have to head over to the the frosted petticoat to check out the super fun theme.  Be sure to browse the blog there, be forewarned if you're already married... you'll find so many great ideas, you just might want to tie the knot again!

If you love this necklace, you can find it in the shop.

Speaking of weddings, you might want to check out the shop if you are interested in this little number.  It is one of a kind and I posted it today!

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.  :)

in which we discuss your wild and earthy nature

I know I'm not the only one.  Tell me you don't sing to yourself when you're walking alone outside.  You have a tambourine (and you love to sing and dance with it, but only when no one is looking).  Tell me you don't thrill deliciously when the sky turns black during the daytime and a ferocious rain pours from the sky (complete with lightning and thunder).  You prefer vinyl records to cds.  You may have experienced the wild abandon of riding a horse bareback, running freely in fields of green and gold.  (If you haven't, then its most definitely on your wish list.)  You are a free spirit.  You are an artist.  You have a garden, of course.  You might wear your Mother's old hippie clothes, if you are lucky enough that she saved them for all these years.  You have been described as 'sassy'.  You may have considered running away to join the circus as a viable career opportunity at some point in your life, (or maybe the gypsies would take you in?).  You wear sassy boots with skirts, people may have described you as 'colorful' - take it as a compliment, trust me.  You, my friend, are just the sassy miss (or Mrs.) who I've made these earrings for.  They are new and in today's shop update!


               

In which I confess my inability to finish one task before starting another...

I have approximately half a billion projects started right now...  uhhhmmm, and I keep getting NEW ideas and starting more!  What is wrong with me?  Sometimes the thought of finishing things just fills me with dread.  Now that I've publicly confessed that personal fault, I am going to make a concerted effort to choose some long-unfinished projects and get them wrapped up!  Maybe I'll post my progress for accountability purposes.  Ooohh, that makes me feel squeamish.  :)  I think that means its a great idea.  First 'to be completed' project will be posted this week.  There, I've made a commitment.  This is going to be good for me!  I can already envision the finished sewing projects and organizing tasks...  Aaaahhh, the wonderful feeling of a task freshly completed. 


I have 8 (yes, eight) new pairs of earrings to post in the shop!  I just need to photograph them.  So, look out for a shop update (or a couple of them) over the next few days.


My new green hair clip has been featured in two very beautiful treasuries, "Mossy Green" and "Discovering Spring"!  Green is my favorite color and these are just so springy!  Here they are, (you can click on the treasury title to browse the treasury or a specific image to view the item details):

Hurry up, Spring!

First, I want to share a little teaser with you.  I have been painting.  I'm working on a series of collages that will be featured in the shop very soon!  I am very excited about this and I look forward to sharing more!  I will be offering prints and notecards (and perhaps originals too).  More details and PHOTOS coming soon!

Check out the shop for some new items!  This cute green and yellow hair clip is the perfect accessory for your Spring wardrobe.

Perhaps this green flower says "Spring" to you.  Find them both in the shop today.  There you can find all the details regarding the measurements of each piece, as well as notes detailing the thoughtful touches that went into the creation of each item. 

Yesterday Jeff and I visited a local greenhouse in search of potted bulb gardens.  They told us we would have to come back tomorrow to find bulbs in bloom, but we HAD to look around any way.  As soon as I walked inside and that warm, humid air surrounded me and there was green EVERYWHERE, I felt like I was in paradise.  Well, maybe it was the monkey.  Yep, that's right.  They have a monkey.  (I'll take the camera when I go back today).  Jeff loves monkeys, so we had to feed her, of course.  She is so funny and cute!  She put on a little performance, smiling and 'making eyes' at us.  Its fascinating to see her little face and her hands, she's so expressive.  At times she looks funny and then very thoughtful.  So, after feeding Mingo a bit of trail mix we marveled at all the fabulous plants.  One thing that caught my eye was a large planter featuring an array of succulents.  It was too pricey for us BUT I remembered that we have a beautiful container at home, hens & chicks in the garden, a succulent in a 3" ugly plastic grower's pot on the kitchen window sill and all the necessary rocks and soil stuff.  We decided to purchase one 4" succulent to be the focal point of our planter.  As soon as we got home, I went right to work.  Here is the finished planter!  If you look closely, you can see some tiny little 'babies' I put in the soil to root.  I think its going to take a long time for the little guys to get big, we'll see...

I can't wait to plant things in the garden but for now I'll feast my eyes on this little oasis of green and try to wait patiently for the soil outside to warm up.  How about you?  Are your green thumbs itching to get to work?

So Treasured...

  Treasury is an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery comprised of lists of items. Lists contain 16 items. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or whatever they like. Any Etsy member can create a Treasury list, and there is no limit to the number of lists you can create. You can edit your lists as often as you desire, and post comments to other members' lists.


  It all began on July 22, 2010.  The first of many Etsy treasuries I was lucky to be featured in.  Do you see my fabric flower corsage in the top row?  (You can click on the treasury title or the individual items in the images below to check out the treasuries!)   
 




  Since then, I have been featured in 83 treasuries!  Can you believe it?  I can't!  Well, I would like to share a few of the most recent treasury lists with you.  It is such a fun way to shop and explore Etsy to find new artists and amazing vintage stuff.  Some of the themes and collections are so AMAZING.  You'll see.



  My friend (and a fellow artist) Jenny of ReturnStudio created the above list.  (The jewelry she makes is so cool, please take a  moment to check out her shop.)  My cards are featured in the top row of her treasury list!  Suuuuuch goooood stuff!  Clever theme and I adore the color scheme!




  I absolutely love this treasury.  Great stuff again!  Can you find my necklace?  Its in the third row, on the left.




  Two by two, oh my gosh!  Is that cute, or what?  I have a pair of sweetheart earrings featured here.




  I.  Love.  This.  Theme.  Pretty much love everything in this list.  Great collection.  They featured my sweet and sassy headband with flower and feathers (and a bunch of other neat stuff). 




  Finally, this is the most recent treasury.  Nice shopping guide for Easter or Mother's Day.  My hair clip is in the last row, on the left.


Thanks for taking some time out of your day to take a peek at the treasuries!  I would love it if you would leave a comment here or on the treasury pages! 
Thank you to everyone who has featured one of my items in their treasury lists!  It is so exciting each and every time I get a new treasury notice.