Seeing Stars

Nope, not a Brangelina sighting. The stars I'm seeing are the more magical, 5 pointed variety!

I was recently asked to make organic star appliques for a boy snuggle set. Upon investigating and trying out different patterns, I hit on one that I really liked. After I finished the ones for the photographer, I got out some of my favorite shabby chic roses fabric and proceeded to whip up an upcycled star!

Now, I know I have a special attraction for the star shape. I have collected them for a few years (I know, me with a collection? Shocker!!), and have my favorites hung as the border around my upstairs powder room. It is so whimsical and fun, it nevers fails to delight!

My question, though, is this...Might other people like stars as much as I do? Should I add these to my shop? As singles, or sets of 3? They are large, about 8" in diameter, but very lightweight. The cost would be $8 for one. Your thoughts are VERY welcome...please consider leaving a comment with your opinion :)

One Fine Photographer

My sincere thanks goes out to Angela Griffith at kmkphotography.com for sharing these photos with me! These shots were recently taken of baby Titus in my organic boy snuggle set, and I am so thrilled to see my work in action. These were shared for my use here and in my Etsy shop, out of the goodness and generosity which abound in her heart. What a gifted photographer and a kind soul she is!

Creature Comforts

It's the little things that make me happy. Literally and figuratively! When I need a boost, I look no further than my sunroom. So many little treasures beckon from special nooks, you'd have to try really hard not to smile!

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I found this little vintage rooster dish on a thrift outing this week. It is perched on top of an old Cherrystone Farms candy tin. The colors here make me want to make something...now!!

This little vintage fairy bunny pin is one of my all time favorite possessions. She was a mere $1.50 at the local secondhand shop. Is she magical or what?




This is the back of a vintage deck of playing cards that I found new in their package at the Goodwill. I WILL do something with these one day. Any ideas?

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These are my creature comforts; want to share yours? Please post a comment!

Award Winning!

I am honored and pleased to have been the recipient of 2 blog awards in the last couple of weeks.
I apologize for my delay in accepting them! This first one came to me from Claudia at Cloud 9 Creations. She works magic with buttons- you must take a peek. This award makes me feel so ooh la la! The story behind the award, taken directly from Claudia's blog, is as follows: The authors say that blogs who receive this award are exceedingly charming. This blog invests in the PROXIMITY in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that even more friendships are propagated.

What an honor! Thank you, Claudia!

This second "sweet" award came to sosorosey via Michele at Sweet Irie. I met Michele through Etsy when she contacted me to see if I would like to do a trade. As soon as I feasted my eyes on her shop, my answer to that query was a resounding "YES!" I have my keys on one of her fabulous key fobs, and it never fails to make me smile. A more beautiful blog you will never see, either. Please do visit her shop and blog today!

A Friend In Deed

My dear friend, Jessi, from jessijewels.etsy.com created this lovely treasury the other day and dedicated it to me! I'll take two of everything, please. What a super nice, *just because* gift, don't you think?

What was the last kind thing that you did for someone? Or that someone did for you? Please post a comment and share the love!

A Rug is Born!

Date: January 21, 2009

Time: 2:09 pm

Height: 54"

Width: 30"

Weight: 5 lbs., 6.5 oz.

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After an arduous yet pleasant multi-week labor, all 1, 620 square inches of "Sunshine" has arrived!

She embodies 16 different fabrics in all...4 modern cotton sheets, 3 vintage sheets, 3 men's shirts, 1 baby blanket, and 5 pairs of PJ bottoms.

She can't wait to go to her new home, though I am still contemplating the safest and most economical way to get her there. She will be met with a lot of love, that's for sure!!

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Farewell, sweet Sunshine! May you bring and enjoy comfort and peace for many years to come.

For more photos, look HERE!

You Saw It Here First, Folks!

This idea is so happy to get out of my head! For many months I have been mulling over a way to bring my upcycling to a personal accessory level. With the holidays and a flood of custom orders, this concept had to take a back seat. Here is a sneak peek at an item soon to hit my Etsy shop...can you guess what I have cooked up? Leave a comment with your best guess as to what this used to be, and what it will soon become!

Woot!

Big thanks to Barbara at southernladysvintage for letting me know that my coconut blues napkin cuffs were on the front page today! At 6 something pm eastern time, this gorgeous treasury (curated by the talented monarchdancer) was chosen by Etsy admin to grace the front page of their website.

The feeling of seeing something you made looking back at you from this special spot is indescribable. For me it is like a combination of standing on the top of Mt. Everest and being handed a winning lottery ticket.

I stare and stare, thinking "Wow, that's me right there! Right there! I MADE that!" Then *poof* the front page changes, and your 30 minutes of fame is over. But thankfully that warm, fuzzy feeling stays and stays. And if it happened once, it can happen again! Woot!

Guilty Pleasures

I admit it. I have a problem. I am unable to NOT purchase vintage pink bath towels. I don't seek them out, mind you. I'm not scouring eBay or rushing out maniacally to every thrift store in town. I just can't leave them behind if I happen upon them.

Their sweet floral patterns and old-fashioned feel remind me of treasured times at Grandma's house. They speak to my oh-so-feminine side, and make me smile from the inside out.

Whatever will I do with them? In my mind, I imagine them brimming from a guest bath closet in a little mountain or beach getaway cottage. For now, they grace a shelf in my home and wink at me with the glint of possibility, spurring me on in my daily endeavors.

I will be featuring more of my own collections, and those of others in the coming weeks. Have a guilty pleasure of your own? Would you like to have one of your collections featured? Please post a comment!

What a Precious Baby!

Many, many thanks to professional photographer Angela Griffith at http://www.kmkphotography.com/ for sharing these photos with me! This is the first time I've had a chance to see this snuggle set on a baby, and I think she looks just like a little flower fairy :)

Baby Maggie is only 3 weeks old here, so if this set were her very own, she'd be able to use it all winter long! Isn't she gorgeous?

Please Take A Moment to Vote: Save Handmade

Save the Snuggle Sacque! Save the WombEE!

At the top left, you will see my new widget. Please, please, please use it to post your quick vote to let the incoming administration know the importance of this topic. For more information about the new law threatening all handmade children's items, from toys to apparel, you can visit this link: http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Voting ends January 15th- don't delay!!

Drum Roll, Please!

I am pleased to introduce the first quarter of my big ole custom rag rug! Making this has been such a pleasure. It is kind of intense to switch fabrics so often and still maintain the balance of color, shading, and texture. When I am working on this, I am in a "zone"; hubby knows that when he enters the room and sees me surrounded by my mountain of fabrics he should just back slowly away.

Adding to the excitement of this project is the enjoyment my customer gets from seeing her rug evolve. Each time I post photos to the listing in my shop (you can see the current ones HERE), I get a sweet message from her oohing and ahhing over the work I have done. For a crochet artist, it does not get any better than that!