forms and models

i have been photographing my lamps on an aqua table, so i figured that this vintage dress form was the perfect compliment to showcase my aprons on etsy. my friend, joy, graciously loaned her to me and she is such a lovely color and shape all around. plus, she is totally "linwood avenue" in style. i have 29 more aprons to photograph, then i will be grabbing some turkey leftovers!

love and log cabins

i received this in the mail the other day from my "great big stitched postcard swap" partner, debbie. i think it is so lovely, especially the log cabin block stitching. when i visited her blog, i realized how much this card reflects the artist as well, which i love as well!

i hope everyone out there has a wonderful thanksgiving filled with love and quilts!

make-up and oilcloth

for months now i have wanted to sew a make-up case. the problem was i needed to find a pattern first. i finally found time to wander into that section of jo-anns and found a simplicity pattern that was perfect.

i promptly stitched up this make-up case and a large bag to go along with it. they were both made from my new oilcloth that i purchased from a vendor at the recent country living fair.

it makes me happy that i have graduated to an intermediate sewer with the ability to change patterns to my liking. i made the straps a bit thicker and more sturdy and i added lining to the outside pockets and interior pouch. it seems really strange to me that the pattern did not include lining, but i have learned never to question pattern makers because you will be questioning forever, but that's a whole 'nother post :)

 

the craziest part was what i found when picking out the lining. i have an old sheet salvaged from an estate sale and it was the perfect compliment to the oilcloth. so perfect that i think the oilcloth was patterned after the sheet print. such a happy coincidence that it all goes so well together!

luck and art

in the past 2 weeks, i have won 2 online giveaways! seriously, i can't believe my luck. 

today, i received my first package and i was instantly in love. beth, from the great big stitched postcard swap, sent these 3 postcards/art to me and i think they are beautiful - the fabric, the colors, the trim, all beautiful.

as the photo illustrates, thank you, thank you, thank you!

postcards and new friends

the great big stitched postcard swap is over. i sent my postcard off to travel half way across the world to christchurch, new zealand. the theme was "home" and after much thought, i decided to base my postcard around the tulip magnolia. this tree is very prevalent where i live in georgia and is absolutely beautiful during it's blooming period. such beautiful white flowers with pale pink and orange accents. 

i iron transferred a photo i took of the blooms during a walk last spring onto plain canvas. then i roughed up the image so it would look a bit weathered. next, i went about embroidering - and of course i had to add in a ton of french knots which are my favorite.

 

for the back, i did the same iron transfer process of an image i created with our addresses and a faux post office stamp. then i embroidered a little message to my postcard pal. finally, i sandwiched a piece of mat board between the two layers for added stability and the postcard was finished.

i think i am officially hooked on blog swaps. they are such a great way to meet new internet friends and be exposed to different creative techniques. sign me up for the next one!

notebooks and scribbles

are you a scribbler? a note taker? a list maker? these mini notebooks are the perfect stocking stuffer to brighten up a purse or book bag. hopefully these will fly off the shelves at my holiday show this saturday, but in case they don't, they will promptly be placed on esty the following week.

trees and more trimmings

i've had some inquiries into the other color of trees i have made this season, so i thought i would post another style. this tree is painted using an antique brass color, embellished with gold baubles,

then topped with a glittered gold star.

finally, the base is trimmed with vintage sheet music and a ruffled green ribbon.

if you are in the atlanta area, swing by the st. pius x marketplace on saturday, nov. 20th from 9-3 to see all my glittery creations.

trees and trimmings

is it close enough to christmas that i can start bombarding you with holiday decorations? i say yes! i'm prepping for a show the saturday before thankgiving and i want to have many different holiday options. these trees are so joyful and festive. they are small enough to place on a bookshelf or sparkly enough to use as a table centerpiece.

the base is an old tin jello mold and adds the perfect vintage touch. each tree varies in color, glitter word and trim. i love them so much!

everyone needs a bit of pink sparkle in their lives, don't they?

postcards and progress

remember when i talked about entering my first online swap a few weeks ago? well, my postcard is finished and about to be shipped off to the other side of the world. it was really fun to make and i am actually a little sad to see it go. hopefully the person who receives it will love it as much as i do :)

once i get word that the package has arrived, i will post full front and back photos. for now this little section is all i can show you :)

friends and parties

i love having people over, but sadly don't do it as often as i would like. between the munchkins sports and household chores, it is usually 8:00 on a weekend night before i realized that i should have made some phone calls.

my friend joy had a birthday recently, so i jumped at the chance to have the girls over and was able to gussie up the place for a night.

a few weeks ago, ruffled blog posted this amazing fantasy dessert table. i fell in love with the pink ruffle cake immediately - it was the perfect centerpiece. after a little Internet searching, i found that it is actually a martha stewart design. since, i have never met a cake i didn't want to tackle, i promptly went to the store and bought the appropriate frosting tip (#103, for anyone interested.) in the end, i think it turned out pretty well, and the lemon cake made from scratch on the inside was as delicious as the outside looks.

the main reason i love having people over is it's an excuse to get out all the little goodies i buy at estate sales throughout the year. i can use the meticulously hand embroidered napkins, the crystal fostoria glasses, and the silverware from the 40s with a beautiful lily of the valley pattern. i love it all and don't believe about hiding treasures in a drawer!

decisions and realizations

through the years, i have pretty much attempted every art/craft/style/medium. flip through the pages of martha stewart's crafting encyclopedia and i can probably weigh in on most entries with personal experience. i love trying new things and mastering new disciplines. but lately, i have been making a conscious effort to stop and say "just because i can, doesn't mean i have to". this really pertains to my business both at festivals and on etsy. i get so wrapped up in making things that are cute and desirable that i lose track of my overall brand. and when i say brand, i mean the words that describe my style and what i want people to see when they view my art. some of these words are - flowers, bright, saturated colors, eclectic, fabric, vintage and crystal. so there you have it. moving forward, before i begin a new product, i will run them through the brand list and make sure they meet every criteria.

if anyone else has the "i can do this, and this, and this..." mentality, i have added a little freebie to the side bar on the right. it is a 5x7 illustration that you can print and frame or tack on your wall for the constant reminder that we do not need to do it all. in fact, i think our lives are brighter when we do less.


this new found soapbox will however be put on hold until after the holidays because i am in the process of making the sweetest mini christmas trees. you will love them!!! baby steps people, baby steps :)