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Archive for the ‘Crafting’ Category

Photo Booth Friday – No. 40

Posted in Crafting, Photobooth Friday, Shop Talk, tagged , , , , , , on June 8, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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Our week in snapshots:

| highlights |

It’s been almost a month since I’ve opened my Etsy shop and I am happy {and a little surprised} with the results! Before I closed, I was making far fewer sales than I am now, and I felt much less focused – it was a messy combination. Now, I feel as though I have a specific look + feel for my shop that is translating into satisfied customers. This is exactly what I was hoping for and my fingers are crossed that things continue in this direction!

We’ve been renting a lot of movies from the library lately. In Portland, it was our habit to frequent VideoPort at least once a week {sometimes more!} and each pick out one movie to watch together. They had their daily deals that would always send us home with one free movie, so we loved the ritual of our browsing there. We miss VideoPort a lot. A lot, a lot. But our humble little library does have its fair share of classics so we’re working our way through those. And, in so doing, I came to the realization that one simply cannot be in a bad mood after watching Say Anything. That Lloyd Dobler’s spirit is infectious, and this movie just works its way a little further up my favourites list every time I see it.

I’ve got a few new items in the works for my shop, too! Keep an out out for new solid colours and lacy collars! Can’t wait to share – these are some of my favourites yet!

Have  a great weekend.

xx.

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The Etsy community | Things I love

Posted in Crafting, Our personal history, Shop Talk, Things I Love, tagged , , , , , on May 23, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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I am so in love with the Etsy community.

Moreover, I’m in love with the people that are a part of it. The sellers (+ buyers!) who join Etsy are generous, thoughtful, and creative people who take pleasure in helping others succeed. I’ve never sensed a competition among sellers. In fact, there’s a common bond that seems to unite us all even if we are sharing a target audience. Everyone on Etsy knows that with the help of others, and if they help others, we will all have a chance for success.

Many of my friends and acquaintances have helped me during my recent shop opening. Dory, Ben, Laura, and plenty of other people responded kindly when I asked for advice and input on my brand and products. I’m so thankful to know them all.

Laura, for example, went out of her way to make a personalized banner for my shop, but didn’t stop there. We checked the mail yesterday and she had sent me the original hand painted couple that mascots my page, tucked inside one of her beautiful handmade cards, and along side a vintage sewing book that she had originally purchased for herself, but thought I might like – just outstanding.

I’m so happy to be a part of this community and I’m finding that I’m finally excited to wake up every day and go to work.

xx.

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WE’RE HERE!

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, Our personal history, Sewing, Vintage + Thrift, tagged , , , , on May 3, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

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WOW! So sorry for the delay in posts!

We’ve made the move, but our internet won’t be ready until the 9th – yikes! That surely will be cutting it close for the shop reopening {on Wednesday!} but I will make sure it happens no matter what. I can’t wait to share all of my new creations with you. I’ve been working so hard in my new studio space. I know, can you believe it? I finally have a room with a door that I can retreat into when I’m feeling crafty! Of course, a full tour will be posted when every last box has been unpacked and things are in their final resting places, but the photo above will have to suffice for now. It’s a tidy little corner of the sewing desk where I’ve been stitching away like mad for the past couple of days.

Can’t wait to share more! See you on Wednesday {hopefully sooner!}

xx.

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I’ve Closed Up Shop!

Posted in Crafting, Environmental Consciousness, Our personal history, Shop Talk, tagged , , , , , on April 3, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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On Saturday night, right before I went to bed, I shut down my shop.

It’s sort of a scary thing to do, when one is used to having an Etsy shop. I opened my little corner of the internet four years ago when I first graduated from college. I was a fresh face to the broad world, and I knew that no matter what I got out of life, I wanted part of it to be something that I had created for myself. However, in the years since opening, I have struggled for a unifying vision for my dream shop. I’ve made everything from sewn bags to paintings, and I’ve also sold vintage. Everything that I listed had a place in my heart, but thinking back on it I can’t believe how humble my beginnings were {not that I’m super successful now, just that I’ve honed a few of my skills since then}.

However, over the past year my inspiration has become more focused. I know my tastes better, and what I want to offer to the world. I’ve figured out what I enjoy making, and what others are interested in buying, and with all of this knowledge I aim to reopen shop in May with all of my Is dotted and my Ts crossed. I’m even going so deep as to study the details of my shop very carefully and work at pulling everything from my for-sale items to my packaging together. I’m offering freebies with each purchase that reflect my shop’s aesthetic, and I’m even soliciting help from a couple of my expert friends in the design and visual set up of the shop!

One thing that won’t change: my commitment to the environment. Nearly all of my paper products {business cards, packing materials} will be made from 100% recycled material. My fabrics are all either reclaimed or organic from WorthyGoodsTextile, and my threads for sewing and the baking twine I use for packaging, are biodegradable cotton. I also try to purchase things as locally as possible. I’ll go into more specific details just before the shop opens back up, but I couldn’t wait to share a little bit with you {-ahem- like the stamp above}!

I’m already excited for the re-opening!

xx.

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A Little Pantry Polishing

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, tagged , , , , , , , on March 27, 2012 | 4 Comments »

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There’s an opportunity for inspiration in every little corner of the world.

Yes, even in the pantry. I’ve seen so many pretty little kitchen pantries via this wonderful internet of ours, that I wanted to share some of our own containers. To me, when things are organized and decorative, they’re easier to enjoy. I’m not really one for cooking or baking, so if I’m ever going to be in the kitchen I’ve got to have something in there that makes it worthwhile before the food is ready to be eaten.

We buy in bulk to keep our grocery bills low and to minimize consumption of packaging, so these large glass jars are the perfect solution to our storage woes. It doesn’t take long to wrap a little twine or yarn around a large jar, or to put some strategically placed little dashes on it with indelible ink, yet once those little tasks are performed your sundries will have a whole new aesthetic.

Labeling jars could be quite fun, too, when using your artsy-fartsy right brain and whatever little scraps of fabric or crafty stuff you have laying around, and spring is the best time for cleaning and organizing!

Have fun with your spring cleaning!

xx.

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Chalkboard Clipboard | DIY How-To

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, My portfolio, Tuesday How-Tos, Upcycling, Vintage + Thrift, tagged , , , on March 21, 2012 | 10 Comments »

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Here’s an idea: a clipboard turned chalkboard!

Sometimes I need to jot a little note to my honey accompanying the grocery list or some similar document. I decided to paint a clipboard with chalkboard paint the other day so we can quickly and easily communicate on our busiest days. Voila! A message board complete with a clip to hold things in place!

One of my resolutions for Valentine’s Day was to write Ryan more love notes throughout the year, and this will be a fun way to do so. We both work long shifts over the weekend, and it sometimes feels like we only briefly bump into each other from Friday to Monday, so with a little clipboard like this we can remind one another to pay bills, pick something up at the market, or return our movies even if we don’t see each other! Here’s how to make one for your home:

You’ll need to fasten back the clip { or disassemble it } so the paint underneath has time to dry. I used a thick twine to keep it in place, but a lot of things could work. Just make sure that whatever you use is sturdy enough to hold for two days and you’ll be set! I purchased this twine at the hardware store, the clipboard is thrifted from Goodwill and the chalkboard paint is from The Merchant Company here in Portland.

I painted three coats on, letting each one dry for at least an hour in between. Every paint will most likely have slightly different directions, so I’d make sure to read them before starting just in case they differ from the instructions mine gave.

Waiting for it to be completely dry is definitely the hardest part. I was so eager to get this puppy up and start using it today! I can’t wait to see how we’ll use it in the future. It has so much possibility. I’d love to see what you come up with if you should decide to give the project a try yourself! There are so many different colours available in chalkboard paint these days, and there are even instructions online of how you can make it yourself!

Have so much fun!

xx.

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Clothespin Refrigerator Magnets | DIY How-To

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, My portfolio, Tuesday How-Tos, tagged , , , , , on February 8, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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There’s no rule that says your fridge face has to look messy.

I love the look of a structured aesthetic and where better to practice this than the refrigerator? It’s a focal point of every kitchen, so I thought I’d work a little at redoing mine. Today I spent some time decorating clothespins and adding a magnetic strip to the back so I could further organize my kitchen space. This was a great way to use up some of my tiny fabric scraps that are leftovers from various sewing projects, and it hardly took any time at all.

I tried a couple of different methods out. The one that worked the best was washi tape. It’s super simple to apply and sticks well without any drying time. You can get lots of different patterns and colours online, on Etsy, or in paper supply stores. I’ve had mine for about a year now and I use it all the time.

Since I really wanted to vary my clothespins and use up some of my fabric scraps, I also mixed some glue with a little bit of water to make a sort of a mod podge with which to apply some fabric. This was a little more trying since it took drying time and more attention to detail, but I’m pleased with the overall look of the clothespins.

As for the magnetic backing. I had a big sheet of it left over from when I made polaroid images into magnets, so I traced the shape of the clothespin onto that and trimmed it carefully. Some magnetic sheets are self-adhesive, but mine was not so I affixed it quickly with hot glue.

I love the versatility of these magnetic clips! So far I’ve got some photos, a post card, and a nightly checklist hanging with them, but I’m excited to do more in the future! I thought about changing out images, newspaper clippings, and lists as needed { even according to the seasons! }. I know they’re really just the same as regular old magnets, but somehow they seem like a lot more fun!

I also considered mod podge-ing magazine clippings onto the clothespins, but never got around to it. If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to see what you come up with. I bet there are plenty of amazing variations to be thought up, too! Have fun making your house a home.

Good night, all!

xx.

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Carpet Make Over

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, tagged , , , , , , , on January 30, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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Oh, what a day!

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Like, pull on my grumpy-pants, stomp around the house, be so incredibly thankful that I have a patient partner, side of the bed. But after a whole lot of whimpering + whining, and a surprise chocolate bar from a certain someone, I was able to pull myself together enough to start working on a new project.

So I threw myself into re-doing our hideous bedroom rug. You can see it poking its fringe-y fingers into the picture in my closet tour, and today it became the victim-turned-victor of my bad mood. Now I just need to figure out how to remove that blueberry smoothie stain from two years ago and I’ll be pleased as punch with it!

Do you find that when you’re feeling down, working with your hands helps you feel better? It’s hard to gain the initial motivation to pick up a task, but as soon as I do my mood improves drastically. There’s something so satisfying about seeing progress and knowing that it only came about because of the hard work that I put in. I’ll have to remember this next time I feel blue.

What do you do to cheer yourself up?

xx.

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Jar Dispenser | DIY How-To

Posted in Crafting, Environmental Consciousness, Home Decor, Tuesday How-Tos, Upcycling, tagged , , , , on January 15, 2012 | 2 Comments »

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Ryan wowed me with this honey jar turned lotion dispenser!

And I immediately knew I had to share it with you all. This is a fun way to fancy up your lotions or hand soaps, and could be made with any jar — jelly, honey, or mason! Don’t you just love the quaint look of it?

The whole process only took Ryan about 15 minutes. And most of that was measuring. Step 1 // He looked carefully at the circumference of the screw-on section of the pump { which we removed from a lotion container that we had at home }, and centered a sketch of that measurement on the lid of the jar.  Step 2 // He cut that circle out of the jar lid and inserted the plastic pump. Step 3 // He used a strong glue to keep the lid firmly attached to the pump.

After that was all set, there was but one thing to do: fill ‘er up! I decided to put lotion in because we prefer bar soap to liquid hand soap. But, it’s totally up to you. You could even use it for hand sanitizer! And decorating your jar with indelible ink or paints isn’t out of the question either! Get creative!

This is also an eco-friendly option for those who buy in bulk. Getting large containers of soap, lotion, and hand sanitizer is not only cheaper in the long run, but you’re also consuming less packaging and making a slightly smaller effect on the planet. Buy a big jug of your choice product, then stash it under the sink and fill up this tiny jar from the big one.

I love the look it adds to my boring counter top, too. I hate this whole tile/faucet combo, but since we’re renters we have little control over the appliances and counters. At least by adding little touches like this, it makes the space feel a little more like home.

Have fun crafting!

xx.

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A Bow Tie Display | DIY How-To

Posted in Crafting, Home Decor, My portfolio, Tuesday How-Tos, tagged , , , , , on January 9, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

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I’ve been making a lot of bow ties lately.

So, naturally, I had to come up with a way to display them. The modern gentleman that I envision will most like my ties probably also likes the rustic aesthetic { if he’s anything like Ryan + friends }. Thus, the twig bow tie holder is born!

It was so easy to make this — took me about 15 minutes. I stopped by the park to gather up some sticks, got my hot glue gun ready with plenty of spare glue sticks, and borrowed Ryan’s pocket knife to use the saw option. Once I was set up at the table with some newspaper under my work space, the process was easy!

I cut all of the sticks up into equal lengths with the saw, then starting with the biggest ones I hot glued them together. I added more and more to the outside until I had used up all of my sticks and was satisfied with the size. The stick bundle on its own could be a neat display piece if you wrapped a length of twine or burlap around part of it. I bet you could even fit a tea light in the top if you cut the middle sticks a half inch or so shorter than the rest!

Ties will be up in my shop this week for purchase if you have someone in mind! I’ve given them out to a few of our friends here, and the reactions have been very gratifying.

See you again tomorrow!

xx.

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