Another Crafty Day

Simply March Feature and Giveaway on "A Little Etsy Love"

2012-02-09T08:56:00.004-05:00

Hey there. You should go to "A Little Etsy Love" and enter to win $20 of Simply March goodies. I was lucky enough to be featured by this wonderful blog and even more lucky to do a sweet giveaway for someone.

$20 to my shop could get you a sweet deal on that vintage brooch necklace you've been eyeing. Or it could get you an awesome pair of cork earrings. OR it could get you a set of sweet cards to send a special note to that special someone.

Why are you still standing there? Go! Enter! Quick!

Hugs and Kisses,

-Meghan (I'm quite tickled today)

Husband Wifey Crafting: DIY Award Trophies

2012-01-25T20:39:00.001-05:00

I love a project and I love a challenge. So when Chad, my darling husband, told me he was putting together a Chili Cook Off at work and needed to visit the craft store to buy award ribbons, I said....um, have we met? We can do WAY better than ribbons.

And that is where our DIY Award journey begins:

People LOVE awards. In fact, I think I might start just handing them out randomly....why? Because they're fun and can make someone's day. And they're an awesome excuse to get out your tasteless crafting ya-yas.

I know the spoons are very specific for the event Chad had. So, I'm going to focus on the steps that can be applied to any DIY award, including paper pinwheels, base decorating and what glues are good for what.

First, let's talk creativity. Sure, these are wooden spoons that were sawed off at different heights and mounted onto basic wooden plaques (spoons are from Bed, Bath and Beyond....$4.99 for a pack of eight and we could not find a better deal. Wall plaques are from Hobby Lobby....$.99 a piece). This basic idea would be brilliant with any of the following:

Measuring spoons for a bake off (they would already be sized!)
Game pieces for game night (Chess pieces, jenga stacks, etc)
Office Products for Office Games (a golden stapler? A silver mouse? Don't forget to recycle!)
Any kind of race (how about a baby tennis shoe?)
Tea cups on a plaque for...well, I haven't figured out what for, but it would be so CUTE!

The bases we used were made to be painted and decorated. Since the wood was already perfectly colored to match the spoons, I didn't go crazy. First Chad drilled appropriately sized holes. Then, some themed scrapbook paper was cut and edged out with a pretty punch then Modge Podged on (I heart some Modge Podge). The spoon was pushed through the paper making the edges around the hole perfect.

For the wording, I would suggest the following format:

1ST PLACE

Name of Your Event

Year

I used to work at Things Remembered, so I've gotten a lot of practice at laying out award plaques. Keep it simple. I also went simple to get the "plaque" onto the base. You of course can get a simple plate engraved at Things Remembered, or you can print it out on your computer and punch it out with an awesome punch, like this one from my DIY Business Card project.

Easy Peasy lemon squeezey. And the nail polish color is Warm & Fozzie by OPI and part of their extremely awesome Muppet line. It's the BEST.

Okay, so we've done the base, brainstormed for different events, helped with the wording and talked about my ridiculous love of Modge Podge. Up next, the place pinwheels.

Colors on awards were decided by mystical witches from another planet over five centuries ago. Really, I don't know why they are the way they are...but they are. I would suggest Wikipedia for the actual reason. In the meantime:

First - Blue
Second - Red
Third - Yellow
Fourth - White

You could of course do these with ribbon, but it was more expensive so I went with paper. And I learned the COOLEST trick. Maybe not the coolest...but definitely up there.

Cut two strips of 1" long paper. I used 12"x12" cardstock. So I had two strips of 1"x12" paper. If you want a thicker pinwheel, cut the piece thicker. I will warn you...I tried 2" strips and the final step was impossible. So I wouldn't go past 1.5". I then used a bone folder to mark each piece every .5", like so:

Now that it's scored, fold the strips back and forth like a fan:

Next, glue the ends together. I used Aileen's tacky glue because it bonds quickly, is flexible and dries relatively fast. Once both ends are glued, you'll have a crinkly circle, like so:

Next, you need a circle in the same color for the backing. This backing is what will hold the pinwheel in place. I used a 2" punch...if you use 1" strips, 2" will be about the diameter of the finished pinwheel.

Now, it's tricky time. Using more of the Aileen's Tacky Glue, put a bunch on your backing circle and have it ready. The fanned circle will now be gathered and turned into the center onto itself. It's the same motion you would use to crack something in half with both hands....thumbs on top, fingers wrapping around the fan circle. Like magic, it will turn into that adorable little pinwheel which will need to be put onto the gluey circle back immediately.

Put it under something that has a little weight to it and leave it there until the tacky glue does its magic. I think it took about 15 minutes.

Now is the fun part. You'll have a hole in the middle of your pinwheel that will need something cute. Chad decided a work logo would be best, so he printed it out on cardstock and I cut it perfectly. A little more Aileen's on top and voila....adorable place pinwheels.

So you have a fantastic base, a concept for the top....how do you join the two together? Gorilla Glue. It's amazing and will hold anything...just be careful. It will expand 3 to 4 times as it dries, which means you will end up with a foamy mess if you're not careful. Just a little dab is more than enough. I put one small drop in the drilled hole and that did the trick. As it was drying, I used a dry cloth to wipe the excess glue as it bubbled up from the hole.

TaaaDaaa! I'm rather pleased with our outcome. So be creative and use the right glue!

Adventures in Thrifting: Map Cabinet Fabulousness

2012-01-16T15:39:00.001-05:00

I have created my favorite piece of furniture ever and just had to share.....TAAADAAA!

But it didn't start out this awesome. With all the new creating, I needed a storage solution that could hide all of my supplies attractively. Cabinets are bloody expensive, so I knew I needed to thrift and find a new piece of "stray dog furniture" to upcycle. I found this little guy on Craig's List for $20.

After a good scrub down and shoo-ing Tallulah out of it, I got to work with my new favorite medium: Modge Podge! I bought 6 National Geographic maps circa the 1950s from a vintage seller on etsy and got to work.

Modge Podge works like this....smear on a coat of the glueyish substance with a foam brush and then place the decorative covering of your choice (wall paper, scrapbook paper, fabric, stamps, etc) on top. Smooth out the wrinkles and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, smear on another coat to seal. Done and done. It really is the best stuff ever and it's quite idiot proof. Check out their blog that has a TON of awesome ideas.

I would recommend using a much thicker coat....if you don't put enough down, you'll get mad bubbles all over your piece. And if you mess up, just gently pull up your covering and place it down again. What I learned is that smaller pieces of paper are MUCH easier to get smooth than the larger pieces. As a result, my awesome cabinet is not perfect. It has some wrinkles and some bubbles, but on the whole, it's pretty awesome. I did the door first and decided that the insets needed to be framed out, so I mixed it up with some strips of pretty scrapbook paper from my business card supply stash. Then, I slathered the whole piece down with a good two coats of Modge Podge. I chose traditional Modge Podge in gloss (I used one whole big bottle for this cabinet that measures 54" high and 21" wide) and I very much like the finish it gave me.

I had to replace the knob...the old one was this awful ceramic apple. Aaaahhh, that's much better.

If it looks messy when you're done, just let it dry. The wrinkles became much less pronounced and the finish is really quite impressive. I assure you, you cannot screw this up. My cost grand total?

Cabinet from Craig's List (take a buddy to pick up anything you buy from an unknown seller): $20
Maps from Etsy: $12
1 Bottle of Modge Podge: $6
Foam Brush Pack: $2
New and cute knob: $4
GRAND TOTAL: $44...not bad at all.

DIY Business Cards!

2011-12-28T21:32:00.000-05:00

I have had a few Simply March orders and with each one, I've been totally bummed to not have business cards to send them off with. I've been waiting and really focusing on having a nice, full shop and adding new and cute merchandise daily. That said, there hasn't been much time, or cash, to focus on the all important business card.

I am a HUGE fan of Moo cards. I love the quality and it is so handy to have a little something with pictures of merchandise. For now, I will focus on having something to just help get my name out there and guide people to my shop, blog and Facebook page (by the way, did you see the Facebook "like" button over on the right side? Because you should totally "like" it!).

After pricing out some other printers, I decided that was also not the way I wanted to go. The cards were inexpensive, but shipping and wait time was completely outrageous...my impatient soul could not wait 30 days plus shipping time. Being the crafty girl I am, I refused to give up and below is the totally great outcome:

Yep, for the cost of a great punch ($15), a pack of 8.5"x11" kraft paper ($4) and a pack of REALLY nice, double sided 12x12 scrapbook paper ($9 with a 50% coupon), I have 576 business cards waiting to be made.

A regular business card measures 2" x 3.5". I was being thrifty and wanted to get the most use out of this gorgeous paper, so I decided to make them 2" x 3" so I could use the entire 12x12 sheet. I chose this great pack called "Daily Junque" by Pink Paislee and I'm in love. It's nice and thick...a good weight and double sided. And the pattern....le sigh. If I was a scrapbook paper, I would look like this.

Next, I did my little design. One of the best things, I could use my fonts and design that I've been using in my Etsy shop banner. I'm a bit nuts that way....I like to keep things matching and strongly branded. Because I can get 24 cards out of a 12x12 scrapbook page, I wanted to get a number that divides evenly into that out of the 8.5x11 card stock. 12 seemed to work just fine. I measured the space the punch gave me (there are SO many punches that will give you a cool die cut....be creative) and then printed on our ink jet. I like a more distressed look, so I chose to print on fast draft. Time to punch!

Cut your scrapbook paper, give it a little brush with some rubber cement and voila. DIY business cards that are branded, super cheap and way cuter than anything you could have bought.

That one happened by accident, but I really love my little message that popped through....creating my crafty empire, one awesome card at a time.

Kiss my (etched) glass...

2011-12-21T08:38:00.006-05:00

5 days until Christmas....so, what am I doing? Why attempting a new craft, of course. I always do love a challenge, and an under pressure challenge is even better.

I have a new boss. And he's a dude. A dude who is quite high up and, of course, has everything. And he has children who get him everything else. Let's recap: boss, dude, high up with children and everything. I mean, everything. What do you give? All I could come up with is something personalized. Even better, something personalized and handmade. No one could hate that, right?

I chose a stemless wine glass because I know he likes those. He gave them out as a gift last Christmas and uses one at every event and party. Now he shall have his very own with a nice, big X etched into the side. Only problem....I've never etched anything.

Enter Armor Etch. $4.50 with a 50% off coupon and boom....etched glass. But I learned some things along the way that may help you....so read on for my etched glass tutorial.

First, you need armor etch, a piece of glassware, a design, an exacto knife and contact paper (which I couldn't find). Instead, I used a sheet of duck tape....yes, it's really called DucK tape and it was in the same aisle as the stencils.

Wash your etching surface to ensure it is clean and dry. I did not do this on glass #1 which may account for glass #1 being a total fail. But I'm thinking other factors were involved. Back to that in a minute. Print your design on regular paper. Cut out and trace onto the duck tape sheet. I'm thinking there are a ton of ways to transfer, and the transfer method I chose is probably the hardest. One might even be able to use the Citra Solv method (I like to use the Citra Solv method for everything....I'm not sure if you noticed)! I also think a fancy cricut machine would work and be a lot easier....you would get a really nice cut out of it without having to deal will all the other nonsense. But I don't have one of those. Moving on....

Next, cut a square around you design and stick it to your glass. Don't forget to smooth out the bubbles.

Then with your exacto knife, cut out the shape. This was tricky....I got better the second try. Contact paper wouldn't be as stringy and probably easier to cut. In a bind, the duct tape worked but next time, I shall search for contact paper.

Peel off the design so a stencil/negative space is left. I also went back in and made sure any stringy bits and corners were cleaned up.

Okay, now with a paint brush, slather on your Armor Etch carefully. Meaning, don't get it on the glass except for where you want it to go....sounds totally duh, but trust me, I'm kind of a moron. This is where I had to do two....the first glass didn't have enough armor etch on it. See...

Wrong:

Result:

Yeah, not so good. You can KIND OF see the X, but not really. Slather means slather.

Right:

Try to get it even. Globs will show up in the final etch almost like a watermark. Rinse after 5 to 6 minutes (the Armor Etch directions say 5 minutes...I might leave it a bit longer next time) and take off the tape.

It's a Christmas Miracle!! It's not perfect, but I figure one more go and I'll have it down. Hooray for new skills!

Simply March Open for Business!

2011-12-18T22:41:00.000-05:00

I've been so excited, I forgot to do a post!

The new shop is OPEN and I do so hope you'll stop by. Look around, find something cute, pin it, buy it, put it on your Facebook page. Lots of new and exciting things coming, as well. I love that Simply March is able to encompass all kinds of things: jewelry, paper goods, accessories, home goods. I have lots of fun things up my sleeve!

But for now: www.simplymarch.etsy.com

I'm also LOVING the dress up aspect of having an accessory store. So fun!

Movie Monday Treasury: Love Actually

2011-12-05T18:38:00.003-05:00

Getting in the holiday spirit inspired a treasury! Who doesn't love Love Actually? Check out all the movie themed goodies I found....

'Love Actually' by SimplyMarch

A little Christmas movie love....

100% Wool Classic Red P... inloveinparis $59.00	Christmas Art Print A4 ... Cymraes $10.00	Original Joni Mitchell ... brittschweiz $110.00	Baby Octopus Plush in A... cheekandstitch $20.00
Bridal hair fascinator,... treasures570 $30.00	Dainty Tiny Cute Charms... dryan327 $19.95	London, England - Heath... jetsetpaper $8.50	Personalized Drummer Ro... kindlivingdesi... $10.00
Military Portuguese Lan... VintageGenerat... $8.00	Chocolate Biscuit Neckl... Szeya $15.00	Vintage red manual typ... ArtmaVintage $125.00	BUY 2 GET 1 FREE Wisco... artandphilanth... $40.00
Catch a Falling Star Aglimpseofreal... $46.00	You Are Perfect Greetin... brokendollcoll... $1.90	Lobster silk screened p... bazordesigns $45.00	Fashion Magazine Ad, Vo... paperdollgirls $9.25

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

A Little Help from a Friend: Simply March Photo Session

2011-11-16T23:15:00.000-05:00

Ooooo, I have been working so hard on some very cool pieces. But how can you really show something off without someone to model?

Enter my buddy Deanna. She was kind enough to give up a Wednesday night to come over, have some Thai and play dress up with all of the fun items. It was so great of her and I LOVE what came out of it. Check out a few of the highlights....

Hopefully the shop will be open in a few days and these items, plus many more, will be for sale. Hooray!

Handcrafted Card Sets: Original Doodles and Sweet Paper

2011-11-06T19:43:00.001-05:00

Thinking of starting a new Etsy shop that encompasses lots of different items (should help with the burn out factor) has gotten me thinking creatively and trying things I've never done before! I spent the weekend doing a little doodling, and below is what it all turned into. I just love it and can't wait to open my new shop!

Simply March

New Jewels: Brooches and Beads

2011-10-17T20:04:00.002-04:00

On a roll. I was lucky enough to receive a fantastic package from my hubby's step momma, Diane. She loves to visit antique markets and estate sales...I want to be her when I grow up. I had asked her if she could look for some brooches and lace to assist with my recent accessory obsession. She totally delivered.

And then there's this one. It was so cool, it already found a home atop a double strand of milky glass beads.

It has an occasion and a future owner, but for now...shhhhh. It's a secret. Thanks, Diane!!

Vintage Lace Necklace

2011-10-16T19:09:00.001-04:00

Oh, I've just been so inspired lately! I don't know if it's the new job, the discovery of pinterest, or my decision to stop worrying about Sweet March. Yep...I made a decision a while ago that I can't make dolls anymore. I'm sure there are a few more in me and perhaps in a few years I'll come back to it. But for now, the dolls in the shop are it. They'll be up until Christmas, and then who knows.

Once that decision was made, I suddenly felt free to explore other crafty ventures. This weekend, while I was visiting my favorite antique shop downtown, I happened upon a collection of old lace. I was completely inspired and picked up a few little packs.

Pretty, right? It's been a while since I've made something for myself....so this, I'm thrilled with.

You can tell I like it by the silly look on my face. Trying not to grin like a muppet!!

DIY Anthropologie Style Lamp - Felted Flower Goodnes

2011-10-16T13:58:00.003-04:00

Usually, my home decor inspiration comes from Pottery Barn. But this time, it's a different favorite.

If I could live in Anthropologie, I would. But somehow, I don't see the store managers thinking that was so great. Especially considering that while I love everything they sell, I have a terrible time digesting their prices and to date have purchased nothing from their store. Take for example, my latest obsession: The Rose Landscape Shade priced at $98.

Hello, gorgeous. But at $98, I expect to get a base, a lightbulb and a small house elf to come turn it on and off for me.

Enter all that leftover felt from Rach and Kyle's wedding. I had almost the exact color scheme sitting up in my craft room. While the Anthro version is probably raw silk and tulle (by the looks of it), I thought I would make my version from this massive collection of felt. I was also thinking rather ambitiously and planned to make two. But after seeing the effect, I think it needs to be a signature piece.

I found a $15, burlap covered drum lamp shade at Target. I choose the burlap because felt will almost naturally cling to roughness of it. Because of the natural cling, arranging the leaves and flowers would be much easier. I'm also a fan of the color....while the Anthro shade is a chocolate linen, I thought this was a pretty good alternative.

For the leaves on the Anthro shade, it's all little stitches. I decided to stick with the felt, free hand cut the leaves and add little stitches to that. Same shabby effect. So much less time.

I started with the multi layer white "magnolias" on the right. Easy enough to cut free hand. Should you need a template, there's a great one here. After I cut all three layers, I stitched them together at the center knowing that I was going to put some vintage pearl buttons I have over top of the stitches. If you prefer to not stitch, glue will work just as well.

As for the little flowers, the color combo was a bit tricky. If you look close, there are yellows and oranges but also pinks and deep reds. In a pile, it looked like a big ol' mess...but I just trusted and went along and sure enough...it worked out. But before the "tab day!!", here is the baby flower construction.

The Anthro technique would not work with felt but if you want to make exact rosettes like those, go here. I stuck with a rose that I'm familiar with constructing. Cut a strip of felt no bigger than 3/4inch wide and approximately 12" long. Much thicker and the flower will be too far off the shade, much longer and it will be too wide. So cut your strip and then scallop it.

From one end, roll keeping the unscalloped edge lined up. Voila, baby rose.

Stick a straight pin through it to hold. I like to cut and roll all of them and then stitch. For some reason it makes the work go faster.

To make the multi colored ones, just do the same thing with two different colors, one on top of the other. Stitch up on the bottom side and you're set. The multi ones look like this:

If you notice, the Anthro Shade has flowers all the way around, but also, it looks kind of dark when you turn it on. Since I wanted to actually use this as a functioning light source, I opted to do just the front. Everything is glued on using Aileen's and left over night to dry. The result is sweet and I'm a little in love.

So let's add this up. I probably used about two or three 9x12 sheets of each color felt at $.70 each. The total felt cost was around $10. The pearl buttons were $2 at a flea market and the shade was $15 at Target. The lamp base was one we had handing around the house. Total cost for the project: $27.

And now it has a home.

Rachel + Kyle's Farm Fabulous Wedding - Alternative Felt Flowers

2011-10-02T20:07:00.002-04:00

My dear friends got married this weekend. It was a very special night (this is me getting all teary thinking about it). They did not hire a florist and as an alternative, the bride crocheted several "billy balls" and I made the felt ones. Put them all together with some vintage brooches, silk, velvet ribbon & twine and you have something Farm Fabulous.

Enjoy the crafty eye candy.

Groom's Boutonniere

Mother of the Groom Corsage

Ring Bearer Boutonnieres

Maid of Honor Bouquet

And finally....the Bridal Bouquet.

The Happy Couple (and the amazingly perfect dress from the 30s. She looked amazing).

Congratulations Rachel and Kyle!!

Back to Beading

2011-09-19T22:11:00.003-04:00

Beading and I broke up last spring. Why? Like all things cyclical, my crafty passions come and go. I remember the days when beading was my favorite thing to do. Then I got to a place where I realized there were a lot of people beading...and beading way better than me. Putting together colors, sizes, designs was not as interesting to me anymore. All my pieces looked generic. I didn't feel like I was bringing anything new to the table. To top it off, my supplies were a hot mess: little baggies of random things, beads that I had no plan for, a plastic hardware organizer that spilled tiny beads every time I moved it. I was a beader on the edge and one day decided to give away all my supplies save a crimping tool, needle nose pliers and bead board. It was cleansing. It was freeing. It was not permanent.

I know hardcore beading is not my thing but there is something about adornment, sparkle and jewels I love like a fat kid loves cake (I also really love cake). This love is only solidified by one of my favorite memories. Growing up near the Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, often we were set loose among the hotel shops, one of which was a very ritzy jewelry store. Much to the horror of the store clerks, I would run and press my grubby hands and face covered with child munge against the window to see their ever changing collection of jeweled animal brooches. I loved them and was never let down by the selection of gaudy critter goodness: onyx and diamond leopards, emerald turtles, opal birds, golden bees and the occasional sapphire emu. It was magic and fueled my ever growing collection of vintage pins...none of which would be appropriate for a fine jewelry display, but funky and gaze worthy nonetheless.

Recently, an occasion arose that required some thank you gifts. Channeling a little Emma Pillsbury, I came up with basic premise. Chunky, multi strand glass beads in fabulous colors, adorned with one very special and often quirky as hell brooch. I know these will not be every one's style, but as the gift giving occasion is one that requires something for the receiver to remember me by, I can't help but feel they will always look at it and smile.

A few purchases from the bead stores (Beadazzled is the BEST), I am back in beading business. And I remember why beading is so very magnetic. One can create something extraordinary in a small amount of time. And who doesn't love pretty for pretty's sake? I'm just sayin'.

I realize the last thing Etsy needs is another jewelry shop...but I'm thinking about taking this idea and running with it. Perhaps add some fabric flowers, do a couple different clasp variations, and best of all, keep looking at vintage, sparkly animals pins in shop windows. At least I know what every one is getting for Christmas!

Wedding Ring Pillows

2011-08-01T17:53:00.005-04:00

Wedding prep continues for my good friend Rachel’s Farm Fair-Tastic Wedding!

In my last wedding post, I didn’t have a chance to divulge my intense love of Rachel’s color scheme. The wedding is in fall, and I cannot say enough how much I love non traditional “fall” colors. It makes me so happy. Rach decided on the following: Copen Blue, Golden Rod, Cream, Grey with hints of green, orange and red. Yum. It just makes for such a rich and interesting palate.

With the bridal shower this past weekend, I stuck to my traditional shower gift. One item from the registry and a little something handmade. When I found out she had two ring bearers, I was pretty sure she hadn’t checked a carrying vessel off the list. That wasy my jumping off point. They just needed to be small, pretty and personal. Martha did a GREAT series of ideas to help inspire. Ah....lovely.

I used pulled raw “silk” in a light butter, textured velveteen in copen blue, red velvet ribbon (my favorite part), cream granny lace, a vintage (looking...I didn't have a lot of time to source material) button and the twine we used on her invitation. I didn't special order anything. It was all available at my local fabric store and the total bill came to around $15. Premade ring pillows sell for MUCH more...again, you say the word wedding and the price quadruples.

While playing with Citra Solv to do her wedding invites, we were discussing the endless possibilities. Aside from the series of Goonies tea towels Rach imagined, she also thought “Rachel loves Kyle” and “Kyle loves Rachel” towels would be sweet. I filed that bit of information away and brought it out for these pillows. Plus, personalization makes things special. I didn’t work at Things Remembered for 3 years to come away without being completely brainwashed into believing that anything with your name on it is way cooler than something without your name (I used to engrave Bic pens in my down time).

Citra Solve to the rescue! Because the raw “silk” had texture, I knew the transfer wasn’t going to be perfect or crisp. But that’s exactly what I wanted. I wanted a worn rustic quality...much like the rustic "lace" trim I found. I will say, the back of the pretend silk fabric was quite shiny and slippery so it made the rubbing more of a challenge. I had to practice a few times, so when you use Citra Solv, always remember to print out several copies. I used the same font as their invites...I'm a little in love.

I used 8” squares with a ¼ inch seam allowance but you can do whatever size you want. I settled on 8” mainly because when you get a ¼ yd of fabric cut, it will be 9” wide. I didn’t want to buy more fabric than that and I hate lugging a bolt of fabric to the cutting table to ask for a fourth...that may just be me.

For those of you who are not expert seamstresses, start your sewing education with pillows. You cannot screw up a pillow. With right sides together, any trim should be sandwiched in the middle with what will be the ouside edge facing the center. Stitch around, leave a hole to turn right sides out when you’re finished. Stuff and close up the hole. Sooooo simple.

I marked the center and sewed my button through the entire pillow using a long needle. I've gotten sharp things lost in way too many projects...I've learned. If I did it this project again, I would probably put a button on the back side too just to ensure the dimple stays in the middle. The ribbon was then tied around the button and knotted underneath.

Voila...cute cute cute. And Rach loved them. I’m so glad and am looking forward to my next wedding project! I didn’t make a lot of things for my wedding, so I greatly appreciate my good buddy giving me the opportunity to live vicariously.

*I have since cleaned off the big finger print on my camera lens that makes certain spots look soft filtered. I assure you, the writing isn't all blurry in certain spots!

Citra Solv Wedding Invitations

2011-08-01T17:40:00.007-04:00

There’s a new trend in weddings: NOT spending a bajillion dollars on things you can do yourself. Blame (thank!) the economy, blame (thank!) the crafty revolution or blame (thank!) the fact that every time the word “wedding” comes out of your mouth, the price quadruples.

My dear friend Rachel and her fiance Kyle are planning an ever so fabulous affair. Kyle is a WIZ at graphic design and Rachel has a very specific and very cool vision for their event. I’m calling it Farm Fair-tastic. The two shall be married this fall at Weatherlea Farm in Virginia...a spot perfect for an event infused with rustic charm and country carnival fun. It will be grand and as such, it called for grand invitations.

Kyle is the master behind the design and I knew I could help them out with the actual construction. I offered up my services and one very fun summer evening, Rach and I made it happen (partially thanks to a yummy batch of Rasberry Vodka Lemonade).

Planning out a multi piece invitiation can be overwhelming and complicated. There are so many parts to think about...it takes thoughtful planning to pull it off. What I learned with this project might be helpful, so here are some steps to guide you through the process:

Wording and design come first as they are the most important part. You don't want to cut 100 pieces of paper in 5x7 and then realize there's no way your design and all the information will fit...that would be bad.
Figure out how you’re going to get the wording and design on your desired paper. Will you use a regular printer? If a regular printer, you will need to use standard size paper. But remember, there are lots of other printing options: screen printing, collage or the technique I used below which are all possible. Using an alternative technique allows you to open up to different paper/surface choices which means you can be more creative!
Think about how it will look when a lucky guest opens up the envelope. Will everything be loose inside or do you want to have it wrapped up together? If you do want it wrapped up, will it be just a belly band? Or do you want something more elaborate? Be creative. Be resourceful. For wrappings, paper isn't your only options. Think of fabric, ribbons, buttons, vintage postcards, lace, tourism materials from your wedding locale. Google will teach you how to do anything you want. That's the magic of the interwebs!
Shop around and price out the best options for the supplies you will need. Coupons aren't just for the extreme. AC Moore has coupons on their website that you can print any day. AC Moore's competitors take their coupons. You do not have to pay full price for most things at craft stores so refuse to be bamboozled and wait for the sale or return once a day with a different coupon. If you need multiples of things (meaning 30 pieces of scrapbook paper), realize that one craft store will probably not keep it all in stock. BUT, often scrapbook paper designers have their own websites. Small business that specialize in paper could also help you order the amount you need.
Purchase everything you need for ONE invitation. Resist the temptation to get out your shopping ya yas. If you buy it all and something doesn’t turn out perfectly, you will have wasted money on supplies you won't use. Resist the urge to buy before you have your sample set.
Make a sample and consider two things: how much it was for one invite and how long it took to make one invite.
Before buying anything else, take your finished sample to the post office. Address it to yourself, have them weigh it and then mail it to yourself. You want to see what it will look like when it arrives in your mail box. There should be no suprises. Also, if you make an invite that costs $1.50 to mail, that’s important info to know before getting the bill for mailing 100 of them.

With all of the fantastic scrapbook papers out there, it seems a shame to limit yourself to what you can find in printer size. Because scrapbook paper and other interesting, textured surfaces are not printer friendly, Citra Solv is a BRILLIANT solution to getting your design onto a non traditional surface (see the tutorial here!). Rach's pick is so perfect, but also textured and sized wrong for traditional printing. I tell you, Citra Solv has changed my life. That may be a bit dramatic, but it has certainly changed my arsenal of crafty techniques. I LOVE IT. You should too.

Because of the paper's texture, the invite was a bit worn looking and totally fantastic. If you do this, don't forget to mirror your words (flip horizontally) so when you transfer the image, your guests don't have to hold it up to a mirror to read. Also, it's really important to test your surface before buying what you need to make a large number. I found that textured surfaces can be tricky, but also, anything with a sheen to it will not absorb the ink. I will say it again: do a sample first!

I am a detail person. I often miss the big picture completely, but I just love some good detail work. The To Be Weds picked up some "wood paper" which was too cool. The addition of small strips of wood (from the .99 cent bin at Michael's) finished off that invite and made it look polished. I punched two holes through both pieces and tied on with hemp twine. Darling! (And something I had laying around my house...before buying, always shop your house first)!

The Direction sheet was printed traditionally onto medium weight card stock. Rach fell in love with this little Martha Stewart Barn Punch (this punch was also from the Michael's sale rack...score!). I then used rubber cement that the groom to be had cleverly purchased to mount on textured scrapbook paper. Without the backing, the barns wouldn't have been nearly as visible or cool.

I have to say, the RSVP cards are THE finishing touch. Designed like a ticket, the only thing that required a special touch were the notched sides. I purchased a pair of “jigsaw” scissors (.99 cent rack a Michael’s....SCORE!) and found them to be completely dull when I started cutting. Luckily, I started on a scrap piece as the sides looked like they had been chewed by a teething baby zebra. I tried a trick I read in a crafty mag....when you have a blade (scissors, punch, etc) that is dull, cut some aluminium foil to sharpen. I did that and I was in business!

Finally, we needed something to tie (literally) all the pieces together. Using the CUTEST golden rod polka dot paper (so very, very Rachel), I cut strips, punched some holes and wrapped it all together with the same hemp twine I used for the invites.

The envelopes are adorable. Rach picked out a simple ferris wheel stamp to dress them up a little bit....it's just a delight to get such a fun looking package in the mail.

The result is pretty fantastic. There is no way you could get this level of customization or quality for the price when going the traditional route. I think these priced out to around $2 per invite. If this kind of work doesn’t thrill you, think about including one of your crafty friends. Most would be honored to help. More than anything, I’m really thrilled I have good friends who trust me enough with something so special. And I think I may have impressed myself with the outcome!

Farewell to Yudu, Hello Citra Solv!

2011-05-17T19:20:00.004-04:00

I've had my Yudu for a year? I think that's right....and I have had very few successful projects. Certainly not enough to keep the thing hanging around, taking up space and frustrating the bejujuice out of me every time I have a "brilliant" idea.

Thanks to a lovely reader, Missy from Chateau Chic Boutique, who left a comment on my tea towel entry, I learned about Citra Solv. It's an all-natural degreaser that has the magical powers of transferring toner ink onto surfaces. I will eventually try out every kind of toner and printer to see what exactly works and what doesn't, but in a few short minutes, I had major success. Certainly more success than I could ever DREAM of having with that bloody screen printer.

Here's the how to. Order some Citra Solv....apparently it is available at most Whole Foods, but we don't have Whole Foods. I ordered mine from the Lucky Vitamin due to the fact it ships from Pennsylvania and I would have it in just a few days. They also had a great price on 32oz....MUCH cheaper than ink, emulsion, screens, etc. The supply list for this project is beyond simple:

-Citra Solv
-Laser Jet Printed Image
-Cotton Pads
-Spoon
-Something to Print On
-Smooth Work Surface (I'll explain more about the "smooth" part in a bit)
-A well ventilated area!!

I printed out a couple of test images on different printers. The printer that worked was a HP LaserJet. I'm not quite sure why that one worked and others didn't, but I plan to head back to Kinkos with a little bit of Citra Solv so I can test out the different machines. Don't forget to reverse your image when printing as this transfer method works when the ink is pressed to the fabric.

This is TEST fabric. Don't go wasting your preferred surface on practicing and you will need to practice. Alright, flip the images so the ink is face down on the fabric and tape into place. You're going to be pressing the image and rubbing it, so you want to make sure it won't shift. Shifty paper = blurry image.

One source told me to put some of the Citra Solv into a smaller cup and then dip in your cotton pad....I feel this used way too much solution. And since I can't just run out and get more, I want to conserve. Instead, I just placed the cotton pad over the top of the bottle and gently tipped so the cotton pad was wet, but not dripping. Then just rub the Citra Solv over the image....it's kind of the coolest thing ever and leaves your paper transparent so you can see what parts you've hit and what parts you haven't.

Alright, so that's not enough to make the ink go onto the fabric. This is where your spoon comes in. Using the backside, rub rub rub all over the image and do not miss a spot. I found that doing the outline first was a good method, then you can go back over the "inners". Just make sure you get the whole thing....what ever you don't rub, won't transfer. The first few times you do this, carefully peek without shifting the image to ensure that you've got every bit. With a more detailed image, this will be harder. I recommend practicing with something less detailed just to get down your technique.

This, is why you need a SMOOTH surface, although experimenting with different textures underneath the image is totally cool. Here, I used a pizza box....and then quickly tried again just on the table. The coolest thing is that there's very little mess. And the Citra Solv is a cleaner, so no biggie if it gets everywhere. Just don't get it in your eyes. Or your mouth. I think if the Citra Solv leaks through the paper onto your surface, you're using too much...and I would imagine it would make the image run. Ahhh...that's better.

So. Cool. For extra measure, I ironed the image to "seal" it. Oh, my little brain is racing with the possibilities. But for now, I'm focused on making BamaHandmAIDE totes....100% of the proceeds from these guys are going directly to the United Way of West Alabama to help with their tornado relief efforts. So hooray! I just love the way it turned out. If you want one, visit the etsy shop!

BamaHandmAIDE.etsy.com

My Yudu is currently listed on Craig's List. I will not be fooled by ProvoCraft again!

My Heart is in Bama....

2011-05-13T21:21:00.003-04:00

So where have I been?? For the first time, it's not away being lazy. Instead, it's doing something more worthwhile than I think I've ever done.

For those of you who don't know, my sweet husband Chad is from Alabama. He graduated from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2001 and has many strong ties to the area. So a few weeks ago when the deadly and destructive tornados ripped through his alma mater, I sat in our living room watching the devastation on his face. He looked so sad and helpless, like there was nothing in the world he could do but sit and watch his memories ripped away from him.

We were very lucky. No one he knew was seriously injured but everyone he loves and the places he loves were affected. And hundreds of miles away....what were we to do?

Not one to sit, I brought up the idea of a charity etsy shop. You know, get other Etsians/family and friends who make things to donate items and then sell those items with 100% of the profits going to charity. We were very lucky to have the United Way of West Alabama offer to take any money we raised and it started there.

So dear readers, Chad and I give you BamaHandmAIDE. We're still taking donations and hoping to offer shoppers a WIDE range of items throughout the summer. You can donate or you can shop...either way, what you offer will go 100% toward helping tornado relief to our southern neighbors. I assure you, there is no such thing as better people.

We have a facebook page which will keep you up to date with new things in the shop and donation tallies: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bama-HandmAIDE/153317928067876
If nothing else, "like" it and tell your friends.

If you want to donate an item (handmade, craft supply or vintage) check out our blog for the specific directions: www.bamahandmaide.blogspot.com

Emily Post said, "if you find yourself sitting in the hedgerow with nothing but weeds, there is no reason for shutting your eyes and seeing nothing, instead of finding what beauty you may in the weeds. To put it cynically, life is too short to waste it in drawing blanks. Therefore, it is up to you to find as many pictures to put on your blank pages as possible."
so be it.

Here's one of the fun things we have for sale. Enjoy!

House Divided Alabama vs. Auburn Checkers Set

Movie Monday Treasury: Pirate Radio

2011-05-01T18:23:00.000-04:00

I'm still a bit obsessed with all things British so I thought a British Movie this week it shall be. And not just any, but my FAVORITE British movie (and possibly just favorite movie): Pirate Radio. If you haven't seen it, I have to ask, what are you doing with your life?

So while it would be easy to just fill my little Etsy treasury completely with fab, vintage 60s clothing, I decided to resist and instead try to find a collection of interesting things that capture the spirit of this hilarious and fun movie.

'Pirate Radio' by SweetMarch

Movie Monday Treasury!www.anothercraftydayblogspot.com

North Sea (silver silk ... lizfosterdesig... $50.00	Custom Recycled Vinyl L... sande74 $30.00	Vintage MENS Art DECO s... PomegranateSee... $25.00	Vintage Clock Radio and... CuriousPortrai... $20.00
vtg 60s Boho Wedding Mi... eliannabisson $450.00	Radio House SIGN old br... Assemblages $29.51	headphones 8x10 sparklepants $24.00	Radio Tower "Thank... fhpress $4.00
vintage military 60s ma... themongoosesto... $25.00	1966- Zipper Pouch Penc... MontclairMade $32.00	FLEECE CAPE- Black/Houn... CapesbyCorey $50.00	Fishing Boats, 23.6&quo... boglands $800.00
Foosball Game Buttons donnapool $2.00	LSL For Him - Men's... littlesisterlu... $25.50	Kate and Wills Tote lalunedesigns $20.00	Brunette Potty Mouth Gi... SimplyCutebyKa... $6.25

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

An if you need further persuasion to watch this movie, check out the link below.

Evolution of a Light Box, Part Three

2011-04-30T20:04:00.003-04:00

Could it be? Could I have found a solution to the Etsy picture conundrum? I think maybe so!!

This occurred to me the other day after looking at some blogs. I found a picture of someone's work space and instead of setting up a lightbox and dedicating a large space to the photo process, they simply had a wire shelf. A wire shelf against a neutral wall....now why in the world hadn't I ever thought of that? I have also come to think that natural light (not the beer) is the way to go. And the best spot in my house for natural light is the front window in our living room. A trip to Target and two $20 white shelves later, I think I have found the solution.

I am amazed at the improvement in these pictures. I mean, amazed. I think it's all starting to look front page worthy...not that I'm biased. Check out the Sweet March Shop and let me know what you think!

Tallulah thinks they're pretty cool too.

The Royal Wedding Party! A day in pictures.

2011-04-29T21:43:00.000-04:00

There was delicious food and good friends. And at the end of it all, a princess was made.

And the Fun Begins! Royal Wedding Party Favors

2011-04-28T21:47:00.002-04:00

Who needs Party Pieces?

In preparation for the royal wedding party, I wanted to do something special for the intimate group that I had assembled. First, did you know they released the Official Programme for the event? I opted for black and white, but I'm pretty excited about this cute little addition to the party.

Also, as a fun little game, I found out everyone's Royal Wedding name....hilarious! The formula is this: Lady/Lord (your grandmother/grandfather's first name or nickname) (the name of a pet) - (the street you live on or grew up on). My royal wedding name is Lady Olga Tallulah-Townes....so VERY posh. To present these names, I decided it would be a nice gesture to make a donation to the Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund. Who says you can't have fun AND help save the world?

Ooooo, tea towels. I just love them. Thank you Graphics Fairy for providing me with endless options to decorate little themed flour sack towels for my guests.

Wrap it all up, add it to some pretty serving dishes and you're ready to go. Happy Wedding watching everyone!

I'm so excited about those little tea towels I shared at the Graphics Fairy! Check out what other fabulous graphics you can get and use....it really is a fantastic resource.

http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2011/05/brag-monday-map-lampshade-creative.html

Movie Monday Treasury: Cinderelly, Cinderelly

2011-04-25T11:18:00.003-04:00

I’m not the biggest fan of Disney (I know, I can hear my mother now…”You don’t like Disney? What are you a communist?”…and no, I’m not a communist). But when thinking about the upcoming royal wedding, there may be no better movie representation than the Disney classic, Cinderella. If you haven’t seen it in YEARS, it’s worth another viewing so one can enjoy it separated from all the ridiculous and overwhelmingly annoying “Princess” merchandise Disney is crack pushing on little girls. I like to pretend the two are not at all related.

'Cinderelly, Cinderelly...' by SweetMarch

Movie Monday Treasury!

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE - Fair... PaperandPress $3.50	Handmade Pumpkin Pincu... SeaPinks $12.00	King and Queen Crown pr... vreelanddesign $4.00	Annie the Happy Birthda... TheHouseOfMous... $35.00
Aqua blue teal and yell... thepaisleymoon $14.00	Classic Cinderella'... aneliamr $150.00	Blue Bird AngelsBridalBo... $799.00	Prince Charming deconstructing... $2.50
Happily Ever After - Gr... nickagin $16.00	Ugly Step-Sister LizetteGreco $125.00	Vintage Amber Glass Hob... thevintagedoll $15.00	Fat Cat Pillow - Black DesignsByNancy... $18.00
pale lilac headband sweetT813 $20.00	Antique White Nainsook ... anothertimeant... $15.00	OOAK Necklace from Vint... BelleCoccinell... $23.00	Vintage Metal Mop Bucke... littleredshant... $9.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Through this treasury, I like to think Cinderella was Oxford educated, loved a good local brew, was a champion of recycling and all natural cleaning products while volunteering at the local SPCA in her spare time. Maybe not what Walt had in mind, but here’s looking forward to a new generation of princesses!

And I do love some crafty mice….

Adventures in Thrifting: Teacup Herb Garden

2011-04-21T20:02:00.002-04:00

It's spring and I'm tired of being fleeced by the grocery stores buying little plastic packages of herbs. Not to mention, it's not very green to keep buying something that has been packaged and shipped when I can grow my own supply in the backyard. Well, my deck...we don't have a backyard.

But you know me. I can't do anything the regular way (boooring!) and my next crafty endeavor almost ended my marriage. I'm being dramatic. Chadson is ever patient with my looney tunes ideas. I almost broke that patience as I insisted that planting herbs in tea cups (is that not the CUTEST thought?) would work. Chad, echoed by my mother, explained that plants need room to grow and that tea cups were not the most practical size for an herb garden experiment. He's right of course, but I don't have to like it. I will not be deterred!

I give you my tea cup herb garden:

So cute, right???!!

Alright, before you think I am as nutty as Peter Pan, I did not just toss my basil and mint into teacups and sit them on top of a dirt filled flower pot. No. I am cleverer than that....or just that ridiculous. It's truely anyone's guess at this point. The herbs are planted in the teacup, but the bottom of the teacup has been cut out like so:

Start at Goodwill. If you're going to plant, you might as well ensure you have a lot of good green juju going into those little plants....so don't buy new teacups. Use some you have or buy secondhand. These lovelies are from Goodwill for less than $1 per cup. At that price, if you screw one of them up, it's not utterly tragic.

There are 3 ways to achieve the above (meaning a teacup sans bottom). The first is to sweet talk the tile cutter at Lowe's to shave off the bottom for you with his fancy pants rotary saw. Our local Lowe's man did it for me because honestly, men love to cut stuff. That's where you'll get the Lowe's sales person every time, assuming you're dealing with a dude. You say, hey, how can i cut ____ in half? They'll look at you like you've sprouted a third eyebrow but then you'll notice the wheels turning behind those eyes thinking of all the manly, masculine tools that they've always dreamed of using to get the job done. So yes, I had one of my teacups severed right at the Lowe's.

But I'm a "give a man a fish" kind of girl. Meaning, I like to be independent in my crafting of ridiculous items. So out came the dremel. You need to get a diamond rotary bit and have a lot of patience. It's a tedious task, but it gets the job done (don't forget your eye protection!). I suggest having a squirt bottle of water on hand to minimize dust and cool the bit/cup. I also suggest not trying to dig all the way through the cup. Instead, if you make a good, deep scored line all the way around, you can tap that puppy with a hammer and the base of your teacup will pop right off.

That brings me to the third method. Beat it with a hammer. When I did that, the cup cracked in half the other way but the bottom also came off! I figured it was just going in the dirt so a little super glue and that one was totally useable. But as I am committed to completing this project semi correctly, I don't recommend the third method unless you're the laziest person ever. No judgement here, I promise.

I plan to cut two more cups for the cilantro tomorrow and one more for the parsley seeds on the bottom rack. The other two will get transplanted into another pot once they get a bit bigger....for now, I find them rather adorable in their new little homes.

My deck smells of delicious herbs. So keep your fingers crossed that the plants live...I find that to be a much bigger challenge than making the cutest little herb garden around.

The Pottery Barnification of Townes Place: A Three Year Wall Art Project

2011-04-20T21:40:00.002-04:00

Three years. Yep. That's how long it took us to figure out what to put on the GIANT wall in our living room. About a month and a half ago, after over 3 years of residence, we couldn't take it any more. We looked at art options, nothing inspiring. I mused on doing a strip of lovely but incredibly labor intensive painted wallpaper and Chad was not amused. Finally, we decided to take a cheapish route....covering art canvases with fabric. So I looked to my old standby Pottery Barn catalog for inspiration. Aaaaah, that's nice.

But where would I find something soft yet graphic like that? I wasn't sold on the modge podge of maps and while I liked the architectural details, I'm way to uptight for randomly placed bits of framing. So I thought maybe a toile or somethig floral would work (I was wrong).

I went to Mary Jo's armed with my $50 gift card (thank you Santa!!). Racks, upon racks, upon rolls, upon bolts, I stumbled across this: a decor fabric that presents itself as Monticello blueprints. I had an immediate reaction. I base most of my ridiculous decisions off of my "immediate reactions" (of which there have been many). But the selling point is that I know Chad loves presidents...Thomas Jefferson being one of his favs (and my favorite). And I do love anything "Virginian" becuase, well, Virginia is awesome. Don't you just love it??

So here's the down-low on the how-to. Get your art canvases (I chose four 12x36" and one 24x36"). Dick Blick has a great selection and is the cheapest around. Check Retail Me Not for coupon codes if you decide to order. Then you need to get the right amount of fabric. If you chose a cool pattern like mine, you'll want an extra 1/2 yard so you have some leeway with the placement. Otherwise they'll all look the same and there's no fun in that.

You'll need spray adhesive, a staple gun and a pencil. Place your fabric right side up on the floor and the canvas face down to get an idea of where your pattern will be placed. Once you get a happy spot and it's nice and straight, cut out the shape giving yourself room to wrap around (about 2 inches on either side). Take the cut piece and turn it over, place your canvas face down this time and mark the corners with the pencil.

Good work! The tricky part is over. You're going to use the spray adhesive now but use it LIGHTLY. You only want a little bit on the canvas so when you lay it down on the fabric and turn it over, the fabric will stick. The fabric will be kept on the canvas by the staples, not the adhesive...it just helps keep it all together while you find the best position for the staple work. Okay, so the fabric is stuck to the front of the canvas...so turn it over and smooth on the front side. If you used too much spray adhesive, this will be a ridculous annoyance. If you used it lightly, you will be able to smooth out those wrinklies without any issues. If you're really stuck, just pull up the fabric and lay it back down. Turn the whole thing over, wrap the canvas and get to staplin'! I will say, it's more important for the fabric to be straight than it is to be tight....so don't pull too hard or you'll distort your image.

Now that wasn't so tough, was it? And check out the effect of all of them together. I'm really rather in love. Take THAT giant wall!

The Pottery Barnification of Townes Place: Treasure Shelves

2011-04-19T23:05:00.006-04:00

My quest continues. The mission: my living room and its sad state. While I'm not ready to reveal the whole before and after (because I'm not even close to being finished), I thought I would share this lovely little project that I've been dying to do for quite some time.
It all started with, you guessed it, a Pottery Barn catalog. As someone with giant walls and no giant art, it spoke to me. It said, put up shelves and amass all your random stuff into a seemingly cohesive and changeable collection. Fine you weird, seductive voice coming from the glossy catalog pages of artsy, cottage goodness...you win this one.

A trip to Ikea and some Lack floating shelves ($20 a piece)....we are in business. I've spent some time rearranging and getting just the right combo. But that's the genius....it can be changed, moved, rearranged as your mood dictates. And my mood says to make it work! (Apparently my mood is Tim Gunn).

1. We like elephants...this one was a Target find (on sale!) years ago. He's been hanging out with us ever since.

2. If you haven't found a use for the Dollar Store, check out their candles. Yep...$1 a piece.

3. One of my very, very favorite art pieces done by my very talented cousin. I believe it's chalk done on newspaper. If you peer close in you'll find a charming little print of NZ in the background. I will always love it.

4. Chad's brass bear. Because who doesn't need a brass bear?

5. Our very first wedding/engagement gift. While I'm not crazy about the Willow Tree pieces, there is something so sweet about that couple. And I could not possibly adore the lady who gave it to us more.

6. The ceramic milk jug given to us by Chad's father and stepmother at our wedding. I love it so much as they threw our wedding rehearsal dinner at an old revamped dairy barn. The night was the perfect start to a weekend full of festivity and celebration. Clean House would be very disappointed in my ability to displace strong emotions on objects...but then again, I try not to hoard ridiculous kitsch from the 80s.

7. This coffee table book, "Love Letters Lost", is also our wedding guest book. People signed the pages and enjoyed looking at all the funny vintage pictures and letters included inside. I still take it down and do a little reading now and again.

8. That little bird is from Cameroon (I have a bird problem).

9. Those little birds are from Black Lion in Charlotte (a place that enables my bird problem).

10. Metal bicycle from Hobby Lobby...Chad just shook his head when he saw it, I said "Sold!"

11. Print from Etsy on an old dictionary page.

12. Extra doll chair on vacation from assisting with Etsy pictures.

13. Set of art tiles from another favorite cousin in New Zealand and also a wedding gift. I have loved them since we got them but sadly, they did not have a good home. Until now! Hooray for shopping at home first!

I do so hope you're inspired. More living room Pottery Barnification to come.

We LOVE Wednesdays: Easter (Parade), Herbs and Eastern Mediterranean Treats

2011-04-19T21:55:00.003-04:00

Another Wednesday, another round of Wednesday eye candy.

Our Etsy shop for this is full of seasonal and all year round fun (how about a honey bee cap...so cute). Just ask Petal Knits what's better than dyed Easter Eggs....why, it's eggs wrapped in sweet knitted egg covers that make any ol' egg perfectly precious. Such a creative idea for seasonal decoration and they are beyond cute. I just want to make some and hang them on a little wire tree while waiting for the Easter Bunny to find me. The best part? If you don't know how to knit (like me) you can buy them already made. Or, if you're ever so clever, Petal Knits is selling the pattern!

Chadson and I journeyed to Charlotte, NC this weekend for a little visit with my parents. I am very lucky to have a Momma who also enjoys two things that are very important to me: shopping and fabric. I can assure there is no more amazing place in the world than Mary Jo's Cloth World. It is about the size of a Walmart and filled head to toe with every kind of possible fabric you could imagine. From bridal lace selling for around $150 per yard, to rows upon rows of home decor and quilting cottons. And those are just my favorite sections. If you're ever in the area, check it out and get a kick out of their classic handmade signs. Also, Mary Jo's blog has a great blog post about the fabric my mom bought and did something very special with. LOVE it!

Mmmmmm....tabouli. This incredibly healthy and delicious Eastern Mediterranean treat happens to be a Chadson specialty. He was kind enough to share his tabouli recipe with you all:

What you need:
-3 Bushels of "Crinkly" Parsley (chopped)
-2 Cups of Bulgar Wheat
-3 Cups of Water
-Olive Oil
-Green Onions (chopped)
-Fresh Tomatoes (1 large or 2 "from the vine" size)
-Lemon Juice (around 2 lemons worth)
-Salt
-Pepper
-Garlic Salt

Place bulgar in a mixing bowl. Boil the water and pour over the bulgar. Cover immediately with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for around 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes elapses, ensure all of the water is absorbed....if not, squeeze it out. Dice your tomato over the bulgar so all of those lovely juices get added to your mixture. Add the parsley to taste...3 bundles should be more than enough and the amount needed is truly up to you. Add some chopped green onion. Then it's time for olive oil and lemon juice. Add in portions...you will need more oil than lemon juice and again, this will be up to taste. The tabouli should be moist, but not swimming in oil. Salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. But the BEST thing to do is to leave this in the fridge over night. It gives the flavors a chance to party it up with each other and get all mixed together and delish while infusing your tabouli with yummy goodness.

All of that talk of fresh goodness makes me want to share some green inspiration! Space is at a premium around here and we do not have room for a sprawling garden. So enjoy some of these stunning vertical plantings from Design Squish that take advantage of the air up there. Such a great idea for city or in our case, townhouse living....vertical herb garden in the works!

Oh that's right...it's Easter week! So we need some Judy, Fred and Ann in our lives to remind us that the world is a little bit better when you dance around and sing in lovely gowns.

Making things is a must. For a little spring color check out Tip Nut's tutorial collection for paper flowers. My favorite are the daisies...too cute!

And finally...the Annual Washington Post Peep Show. So. Awesome.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Movie Monday Treasury: Funny Face

2011-04-18T15:14:00.002-04:00

Ooooo, I just LOVE a treasury. I also happen to be a big fan of movies and thought making treasuries inspired by said films would be super fun.

I present to you my first Movie Monday Treasury. I hope with these I inspire you do a little etsy shopping and also bone up on some GREAT (or maybe not so great) films.

So our first Movie Monday Treasury is the Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astair, Kay Thompson classic, Funny Face.

So enjoy my Etsy finds that are inspired by this upbeat and utterly lovely piece of Hollywood history:

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'I Love Your Funny Face' by SweetMarch

Movie Treasury Monday!http://anothercraftyday.blogspot.com/2011/04/movie-monday-treasury-funny-face.html

Christy - Silk duchess ... AlexandraKingB... $1590.00	Vintage Argus Seventy F... ConfettiGarden $48.00	1960s DYNASTY, Vintage ... VivaLaVintageS... $120.00	2 Vespa motorcycle ( 3D... nicoledebruin $1.95
Hand Painted Necklace, ... tuckooandmooco... $29.00	Fred Astaire Pillow, On... CustomKingdom $19.95	audrey cross stitch pat... natashaearly $3.00	The Pink Jackie Pillbox... FrontDoorVinta... $25.00
Ladies turtleneck MerinoMe $86.00	Vintage Sparkle.... Vin... thefrenchmouse $35.00	Vintage Ecru Ladies Glo... twirlswithpear... $12.00	Benny, French Vintage, ... dandeliondaydr... $69.00
Tallahassee FL 1 Inch B... parsnipandpear $1.00	vintage KHAKi CARAMEL t... shopREiNViNTAG... $64.00	Shabby Chic Vintage Sma... bythewayside $30.00	Beatnick Series. hip ha... FormaNovitas $25.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Funny Face is an ugly duckling story...of course, there is no way this movie could ever convince anyone that Audrey is even a tiny bit of an ugly anything! The plot goes like this: photographer (Fred), plucks the reluctant Audrey out of quirky, bookshop obscurity to turn her into a model. And not just any model...THE NEW modern woman for Kay Thompson's movie version of Vogue. They travel to Paris, take lots of pictures of the ever so gorgeous Audrey, fall in love and sing. It's a cinematic confection perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Everything in the treasury is inspired by or referenced in the movie...if there are any you're scratching your head over, then all the more reason to see it again.

Of course, Audrey is divine, Fred is goofy but suprisingly handsome and Kay Thompson is my favorite. If you're not familiar, look no farther than the children's classic Eloise...Kay is the "writer" but really she IS Eloise. She made up the character and would perform her for lunch dates and others for a laugh until brilliantly writing it all down and inspiring little (and big) girls everywhere to love the city and get into trouble.

Sigh...I must now watch this again. As for you, rent it, Netflix it, find it. You won't be sorry!

We LOVE Wednesday: Parties, Piggies and Painted Wallpaper

2011-04-12T21:18:00.002-04:00

It's Wednesday and I'm on top of life! Meaning, I'm aware that my Wednesday posts for the last two weeks have been MIA but I think the lovely that's happening this week will make up for it. So without further ado enjoy this Wednesday love!

Our Etsy shop this week is Janet Hill Studio. Imagine the feeling you would get if you were spending the day in a cottage by the sea, curled up with a good book in a perfectly covered armchair while sipping a cup of Lady Gray and wearing your very favorite party frock because there are some pieces of clothing that you should never require an excuse to wear. That's what these paintings feel like to me. My personal favorite is pictured below and I only wish that I had a yard so I could do a life size recreation. Stop by Ms. Hill's shop and check out the other perfectly pretty pieces of art....it truely is LOVEly.

I got a new handbag for spring and I'm over the moon about it. Well at least as over the moon as you can be about a purse....perspective people.

Thank you HBO Comedy for replaying one of my favorite, favorite movies this week. Christopher Guest's A Mighty Wind is both hysterical and full of fantastic fake music. I just really wish that Mitch and Mickey were real....the scene below was cut from the movie, but come on. Katherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy make the best folk singers and if you love this, check out the movie for more fake songs that are just too good to not be real.

If you're like me and live for a theme party, then Plum Party should certainly be on your radar. Sure they do personalized gear, but they also specialize in some great themed party goodness. For example, if you're throwing a Royal Wedding Party like I am, check out these royal tea bags. So hilarious.

For your DIY fix this week, I offer the idea to do painted wall paper just like the folks over at the most loveliest of lovely blogs, Jones Design Company. While this project will take you forever, I fully believe the result is astoundingly gorgeous. But do it in a place you're going to live forever....it would be a tragedy to leave that behind for someone to paint over.

And finally, Penny Dreadful Vintage has a fabulous post on the fashion of one of my favorite icons, Miss Piggy. Enjoy and remember, the new Muppet movie will be out in November!!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!

Royal Wedding Bingo

2011-04-09T16:14:00.002-04:00

Reading article after article of speculation on the wedding guests of Kate and William's big day, I thought it might be a fun activity to play Royal Wedding Bingo while watching the coverage with my guests.

Each will receive a card that has been randomly filled out with the names of royals, dignitaries and celebrities alike....some will definitely be in attendance while some have only been rumored with a couple of no ways in between. As they show up at Westminster Abbey, do commentary, etc, their names can be checked off. I have decided that their face has to be shown on the coverage to have it count. The first to BINGO wins a prize!

I have this in PDF form (6 different, randomly filled out cards) but converted one of the cards to JPEG format so it would upload onto the blog. If you're interested in getting the 6 PDFs for your party, simply "like" the Sweet March page on Facebook and send me a message as the post requests. I'll be happy to send out the files to you!

Happy Planning!

A Royal Wedding Party: Invitation Goodness

2011-04-09T10:19:00.004-04:00

I've had the 29th of April scheduled off work for months. Why? Because I'm having a Royal Wedding Party, of course!

I don't remember when Diana got married....I was only a few months old. But I'm sure my mother watched it with me and I remember when they replayed it once when I was a kid. I just love a good wedding so when the opportunity presented itself for this latest royal wedding, I knew I wanted to do something fun. I'm having a small sleep over with a few friends and then in our PJs, we're going to wear tiaras, eat some yummy finger foods and drink Bloody Mary's and Champagne Punch while enjoying the day.

Several people I know are doing this and I thought it might be nice to share some "stealable" graphics for you to use on your own royal wedding party invitation!

Here is the actual invitation for the big day that the 1,900 lucky invitees have received:

Very pretty of course. If you would like to DIY your own royal wedding invitation for you gathering, please feel free to use the graphic I created below for the heading:

More Royal Wedding Party Ideas to come!

Pottery Barn-ification of Townes Place

2011-03-26T19:25:00.003-04:00

I heart Pottery Barn. The easy comfort and eclectic style sucks me in every time! Recently I have begun to not just wish that I had millions so I could buy everything they sell, but instead, when I get the catalog I really look at the rooms, accessories and colors and try to figure out ways to mimic the style. Meaning, I want to make my house look as Pottery Barn as possible without buying anything from Pottery Barn.

Our bedroom has not had a lot of design attention since we moved in three years ago. We recently put up our smart DIY king headboard and changed out the duvet (that I did buy from Pottery Barn, but that's it...no more). Because our walls are so high in this house, wall decor has always been a challenge. I wanted something over the bed but am uninspired by the typical wall decor at the big box stores that are within our budget. I feel as though art should be personal and while I'm very drawn to original art, the pieces I can afford tend to be small. So it was time to get creative and maybe use a lot of the random small pieces I have laying around the house.

I found this picture on the Pottery Barn website:

Notice the interesting collection of artistic odds and ends on the wall via a peg rack. Hmmm....that looks a) cute and b) cheap. Two of my favorite things!

Here's what I used:

From Left to Right:

Peg Rack: Purchased at Hobby Lobby for $6. "Washed" with paint (just acrylic paint watered down so the piece ends up having a shabbier look)
Mirror: Also purchased at Hobby Lobby for half off so $12
Gold B: (for Berney!) purchased at Hobby Lobby for $3
Small Needlepoint Piece in Frame: Inherited from my Grandmother Olga. I really love how dainty it is and I remember she was always stitching something. She actually taught me to stitch when I was young so that small framed piece is very special to me.
Print: Purchased in Savannah from the coolest art place, A. T. Hun gallery in City Market. I really loved this artist's collage style and the interesting vintage images she uses but have yet to spend more money to have it framed.
Silver Ornament: This was a gift from my niece Darcy at my bridal shower. It's really lovely and I hate to only have it out at Christmas. There is a great Audrey Hepburn quote engraved into it.

Instead of using wire, I decided on grosgrain ribbon in a shade of cream because my mother has my wire cutters. I will not be derailed!! If you do this, only tie square knots as those are the only knots that don't slip (right over left, then left over right). I feel the need to share the messages on the back of some of the pieces. While they won't be seen, I enjoy that they're there.

"The Holy Night - Made from a reproduction of the original painting by Maratta"

"The best to you in all your travels..."

Chad mounted this on the wall for me and I love it. I had previously switched out a set of heavy, dark curtains in our room for something airier making a dramatic difference. After a few tweaks with the placement of my items and the addition of an old frame from Pier One (minus the backing and glass), I think it looks pretty good. There is the opportunity to add something else on the left side....something with some size to create a better balance. If I've learned anything, it's that the items you already have will be your favorite. Shop your own home first!

Not bad for around $20!

We LOVE Wednesdays: Frills, Farms, Fond Memories and Fancy Straws

2011-03-22T22:58:00.001-04:00

Well happiest of happy Wednesdays to you all! I missed last week so this week is extra full of fun things worthy of some love. Let's begin, shall we?

First, our Etsy shop this week comes to us all the way from Thailand. I'm a big fan of the Thai shops, especially for apparel. Everything is breezy, sweet and lovely. After Shower Shop is no exception to this general rule. Also, they have a TON of positive feedback which I feel is very important when shopping for anything on Etsy. So buy that sweet little number with some confidence and then go get a big straw hat and a colorful drink. Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. I'll be wearing this.

With the nice weather comes nice produce. I'm very much looking forward to our first summer as vegans and love the idea of a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture. Lots of farms will sell off "shares" of their produce for around the same price you would normally spend in the grocery store, sometimes even less. The benefit? A grab bag of fresh produce every week and often it's delivered to your home. And for you non veggie heads, meat and dairy farmers sometimes do the same thing. So check out LocalHarvest.org to see what is available in your area and get excited about branching out with your cooking. I know we are!

Last week Chad and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary. So in celebration, I thought I'd share one of my favorite pictures. We were married at The Homestead in western Virginia near where I grew up. Family legend has it that when I was a little girl on my first visit to the resort, I peeked over the staircase (yep, the one pictured below) and told anyone within ear shot that I was going to be a bride in that room. And so I was. And on top of it, I got to marry the most patient, good, kind and fun man I could have never imagined even if I tried. So this week and every week, I love that I'm just that lucky.

Anthropologie is to die for, but what else is new? How about these cutie little elephant drawer pulls? Yeah, I thought you'd love them too.

Having majored in English, I found that my college years were filled with required reading and not so much pleasure reading. I'm now making up for those lost years and for Christmas I received the Harry Potter series! I'm so sucked in. I actually heard myself say "You know, work is really interfering with my Harry Potter". While the video below has been around the internet for a WHILE, I feel some things are worth a revisit.

Planning a party? Well this is just too adorable for words.

And finally, I subscribed to a new magazine! The English Home is heaven in glossy pages. I'm sure it will give me loads of ridiculous ideas and what's not to love about that?

I think that's enough love for one week. There is no such thing as another today, so get out there and enjoy this one!!

Evolution of a Light Box, Part Two

2011-03-21T21:51:00.000-04:00

I got my cute doll sized furniture! But I'm not quite there with the backdrop. I'm thinking I need a less is more approach....the swag curtain isn't doing it for me. But I'm closer. Oh yes, I'm closer!

Adventures in Thrifting: Twin Bed Refresh

2011-03-21T21:26:00.002-04:00

On several occasions, we've found that one guest room is not enough. So a while back when we moved around some furniture, I decided it was time to make room in the sewing room for the possibility of a visitor. I priced out some twin beds and just didn't feel that the several hundred dollars was necessary considering every time I looked at the bulletin board at work, someone was trying to unload a twin bed. Sure enough, a week or two after I had this idea, our friends who moved across the country had a twin bed in need of a home.

The bed was cute and free. Done and done. But the sewing room has become the Boca Raton for black furniture. Chad not being a fan of black MDF (one shelf in particular is from CVS circa 1999), he's been finding reasons to move these pieces into the room he visits the least....my sewing room. And I'm WAY too uptight to start mixing furniture colors so before the twin bed could retire, it would have to be black....Chadson to the rescue!

After a few coats of paint, I love the result. My mom handed over to me the white matelasse coverlet and sham and I found that fantastic Cynthia Rowley ruffle blanket at Marshall's for $15. Add on one of the Sweet March toss pillows and presto....the perfect extra bed for an extra visitor. Plus, I never considered how fantastic under bed storage could be. There is an oasis of crafty goodness hiding out!

What's missing in this room:
1. Wall Art
2. Curtain Rod and Curtain
3. Some sort of ceiling mobile over the bed. I'm working on it....

Evolution of a Light Box, Part One

2011-03-13T18:07:00.006-04:00

Every Etsyian's secret desire (despite claims of caring less) is to make it to the front page. To pull up Etsy and see something created by you, displayed for all must be an incredible feeling. But the odds of that happening are slim and quite the topic of conversation in crafter circles. Some claim only “Etsy Pets” get chosen, some claim that you have to know an Admin to have a chance, some think that it’s a select few that get chosen over and over leaving no chance for the rest of us.

I like to think it’s a bit simpler and less of a "mean girl" explanation. Etsy has a style. Etsy has a brand. So anything going on the front page needs to fit and make sense with the already strong aesthetic. You wouldn’t see an outfit from Forever XXI in the window of J. Crew....so why should Etsy be any less particular about what they choose to be a visitor’s first impression of the site? After all, it is that impression that brings back countless visitors who may end up patronizing your shop.

My mom used to own a small kitchen store and deli. She had two requirements for anything she would sell: It had to be a quality product and it had to be packaged nicely. The same goes for selling crafts online but instead of ribbons, cellophane and pretty boxes, your photos are the only packaging you've got. Taking original, beautiful photos of your items is not easy. I have, by no means mastered it. But I continue to evolve and thought I could chronicle my personal experience of endless attempts at front page worthy photos.

First, there are two things that are necessary: a camera with a macro setting and a light box. I have learned that photos with the flash on never come out well. I personally don’t have the luxury of taking photos in daylight because I have a job and I prefer not to stress myself out beyond belief on the weekends. A light box was my solution. I did a post on it a while back...there’s a You Tube link for the tutorial I used. It's an extremely inexpensive solution as regular light boxes are pricey.

I started out in the garage with some wrapping paper as a back drop. I chose the orange and white polka dot because I thought the colors of the dolls would pop against it. It worked for a while and I still smile when I see it...there was something amazing about getting my shop up and running. I couldn’t help but feel productive and accomplished even though I didn’t sell anything for months!

I wasn’t smart enough to attach the paper to the wall. So there were major wrinkles and creases that plagued every photo. It was a pain as every time I moved an item, I had to smooth and re adjust the paper.

It also got very cold in the garage so the light box migrated into the craft room onto a small ikea desk. The paper was pinned up which helped greatly with the wrinkles and instead of laying it onto the bottom surface, I covered the desk with scrapbook paper. There was something about the combination that wasn’t right and I quickly realized a picture with a bright orange backdrop would never make it to the front page treasury.

One sunny spring day, I convinced Chad it was time to paint the craft room from it’s boring eggshell to something a little bit more modern. I chose Polished Silver by Valspar and realized half way through the project my wrapping paper backdrop days were over. And finally, my pictures started looking more in line with what one might see on Etsy’s front page.

After Merry Market, I had a boat load of new dolls to list on Etsy. The lightbox had been disassembled at that point and moved to living room so I could work on market merch in front of the boob tube (QVC is the BEST background crafting distraction ever). Our living room is an olive green (Witch Hazel from Behr) and that would not do for a backdrop. So I reverted to wrapping paper....and have not been happy with the product since. Although, Taco loved it.

I have been reading about photos on Etsy. Please check below for links to some really good articles. I think I want to accessorize the shoot a little bit more. And as I’m planning to start selling my accessories on Etsy, I will need some props. So the light box is back in the garage as the craft room is being converted to both a craft room and an extra bedroom (that’s a whole other post). I have purchased a doll chair and love seat set. It shipped today and with my new camera!! I’m looking forward to my shop looking a bit more front page worthy.

For more information on taking good Etsy worthy photos, check out the sources below:

Beginners Guide for Photos from the Etsy Blog:

http://www.etsy.com/storque/seller-handbook/etsys-guide-to-photography-10979/

Trouble Shooting Tips from an Etsy Admin:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5169829

Baby Baby Baby OOOOOOO Baby Baby Baby

2011-03-13T17:52:00.001-04:00

That was me singing some of the Biebs, just for you. I just love a baby gift. Babies freak me out, but baby gifts are great.

One of my wonderful Salem “Sisters” and her husband are having a little boy and I get so excited when smart people decide to breed!! The mother and father to be are completely calm, collected and excited. The dad to be even signed up for Daddy Boot Camp to do a day of practical learning. I think someday, I will suggest Chad do the same (I already know he's going to be a brilliant father).

I am often challenged with boy gifts as my go to is a doll (to be a lovely nursery accent until baby is old enough to play with it). I decided to do onesie/burp cloth sets with cute things appliqued on. The pieces were cut, backed with interfacing and hand stitched. Unfortunately my machine is a bit too rough on fabric and ate the first onesie I attempted. But that’s why they come in packs, right? And I really don’t mind hand stitching...I find it relaxing and think it gives the finished product a nice touch.

So the five sets are as follows: Mr. Lion, Guitars, a London Bus (as the daddy is an Englishman), a Tie and a proclamation of Salem Love.

This can be done by anyone. I encourage you to try and be as creative as possible! They’re so cute all tied up with a pretty bow.

We LOVE Wednesdays: Avery, Outdoor Chess and Captain Vegetable

2011-03-08T22:46:00.004-05:00

Welcome back Wednesday....we were looking forward to seeing you again.

So what do we love this week? Well, for starters we love Avery! Avery is a sweet young lady who has been challenged in her life with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy. Her family has started an etsy shop, Avery's Gifts, to help with the costs of her therapy and other needs. Avery's Gifts sells the cutest little baby blankets with the fun taggy things that infants go nutso over. So head over, take a look at the cute stuff and throw some etsy love Avery's way. You can follow her on facebook here and keep up with new goodies, buy some sweet squeaky shoes and see what she's been up to...which is a lot. She's one busy young lady with a most infectious smile!! I'm a big fan of this blanket with the hulatastic fabric. Love it!

I really enjoy doing internet searches for cottage decor. Why? Because I dream of being this adorable at home all the time. Sadly, not so...but I'm taking it slow and now have a direction for future decor products. But this is going to happen when I have a yard. Our townhouse only has a "soul patch", so no giant yard chess for me, but please let me live vicariously. Someone needs to make this happen!

We had a delightful weekend in Maryland for my birthday and I would love to share with you something fun to do! The Patuxent Wine Trail is totally quirky and full of small town charm. So head to Maryland and spend a weekend of quiet fun on Solomon's Island and visit a few wineries. It really was a nice break from the pace of every day life.

Speaking of weekend fun....how about some throw back Sesame Street? I apparently do a dead on Captain Vegetable impression. Don't forget to eat your veggies!!

For Christmas I got myself a Murfee Scarf from the Lilly Pulitzer in Charlotte. And now that spring is on the horizon, I am not quite sure how I've lived without it. It is so light and loverly, I can't wait to pair it with a sundress or a pair of rolled up boyfriend jeans. I have a hard time not wearing it everyday with everything.

This week, instead of a tutorial, how about some crafty inspiration via Lindy at Cottage Hill. Check out this amazing quilt top she designed and created from scratch. It's amazing and so very inspired. Can you imagine these little appliqued dresses put into frames and hung in a little girl's room? Or maybe on pillows for a darling little cottage bedroom. Her process is just fascinating. And check out how the fabric dresses turn out so similar to the sketches. This is more than craft...this is art.

Process

Product

Well that about does it. But how about a little "do goodness" for the road? It's time to turn off the TV people.

New Camera!! Take two...

2011-03-08T13:52:00.002-05:00

Not only will my camera (the Canon PowerShot sx30 is) be fantastic for crafty goodness, but check out this totally awesome picture from the weekend. This is Alina and she's ready for her close up.

I've never taken good pictures, but watch out world...I'm feeling inspired!

New Camera!!

2011-03-07T21:16:00.007-05:00

Oh dear CanonPowerShot SX30 IS, how do I love thee?

Because I can't take a picture of my amazing birthday gift because it is that which takes the pictures (man, that was totally meta), I will share some practice shots I took with the Sweet March flower brooches. I didn't even have to use a lightbox...it's just photo magic I tell you!!

I'm so looking forward to improving my posts, my etsy shop and my year end photo books. And I can't thank all of my sweet family who purchased this for my birthday. You guys totally rule :) Stay tuned...

Adventures in Thrifting: Reclaimed Dresser

2011-03-07T21:04:00.002-05:00

We all know how I feel about projects. And I've gotten sucked in to a new love....reclaimed junk shop furniture. And thanks to my handy husband, these cheap finds have become some of my favorite pieces. I wasn't thinking and didn't take a picture of this guy before painting....but it was a dingy white with some serious dog teeth marks. But for $20 plus paint and new pulls (so maybe $50 total), it's a brilliant addition to our guest room. And where can you find a cute full size dresser for $50?

I'm looking forward to my latest etsy buy too....an upholstery book. Oooo, I can't wait to attempt some fabric magic on a $10 chair.