Pssssst. I Have A Secret To Share!

I have my special day coming up soon, and I will be offering free shipping (US and Canada) for all sosorosey purchases made June 5-7. Half price international shipping, too!

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The secret? As a treasured blog reader, YOU can enjoy this shipping steal on all purchases from my shop starting right now!! Simply write "blog sale" in the note to seller upon checkout, and I will either send you a revised invoice or refund your shipping charges. Easy peasy!

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This is the perfect chance to snap up that item you've had your eye on! Offer good for all custom orders placed between now and June 7th as well. Let's celebrate!

Yabba Dabba Doo

What a treat to come home from a birthday party today to find several nice messages waiting for me in my Etsy shop! This beautiful collection made it to the front page of etsy today, and my bowls are right there in the middle!

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Thank you salalknits for including my work in your treasury. Thank you Etsy admin for choosing this one to grace your front page. And last, but not least, thank you Karen (misseskwittys), Rebecca (bananasaurusrex), and Angela (aandboriginals) for your sweet congrats messages. I will go to sleep feeling very hearted tonight. Hope your Saturdays were great too!

What Have We Here?

Here's a sneak peek at my new project! I have been having such fun making these, and as soon as I get my *description* down pat, I'll be listing them in the shop.

Can you guess what they are?

Blast From My Past

As a military brat, I didn't have much room to indulge my inner pack rat...we got transferred every year or two, and cleared out all of my *stuff* with every move.

I managed to keep a few treasures, though, and this is one that never fails to make me smile. Meet my childhood sleeping bag!

I realize that this totally dates me as a 70's gal, but it's worth it. Guess what color is on the inside? You got it- bubble gum pink! Do you have many remnants of your past? Please share your favorites!

Antique Allure: The Old Lucketts Store

I went on a small road trip last weekend to Frederick, MD to meet an old friend for an overnight gab-fest. On my way, I passed the cutest store ever and vowed to make time to stop and shop on my way home. What a TREAT!!
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The Old Lucketts Store, in Lucketts Corner, VA is a must-see for anyone who loves vintage, unique, shabby wonderful finds. I was in HEAVEN and could have easily spent the entire day there!

Customers are greeted indoors and out with the quirkiest blend of old and new-old around; rusted iron bird cages with sweet porcelain chickadees inside, multicolored pastel, chippy fence posts jutting out of a weathered barrel, stark white down comforters covering the oldest of wrought iron sleigh beds...I could go on and on!!



The inside of this treasure trove is at least three stories tall, with several rooms on each level. Each room is decorated beautifully, with bits and baubles perched just fetchingly so. Super high ceilings, festive music, and so much to see...I felt like my head was on a swivel as I oohed and ahhed through the store.

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Pictured in this post are some of the items I couldn't resist; the pink and lavender pickets, the sweet cotton ball bunny, and more huck towels to add to my collection. The rose colored ones still have their original Filene's price tags: 39 cents!

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I already have my next trip to Lucketts planned!

(Click on the picture of their website at the beginning of this post for more shop info and photos)

Do you have a favorite antique haunt? Do tell!!

Adventures in Bulk

I recently decided to place my second bulk supply order. I was running out of boxes, and was also looking for some specific colors and products to help me further brand my "rosey" shop.

One of the things (besides packing tape), that I know I spend way too much money on when buying at craft stores is paper shred. I use it for lots of my wrapping, and it seems like I always need another package. I can get the kraft kind at the dollar store, but, as you may have guessed, I am a sucker for pink. The pink shred at Michael's is $2-$3 a package!


So, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to purchase some with my order. Why it did not occur to me that over 11 pounds of shred might be too much is beyond me. I mean, I did wonder why of all of the things I ordered, that one had a big, red *oversized item* next to it on the invoice...but I let that go in the name of penny-pinching.


My giant box of shred arrived last week. I have to laugh out loud at this. For whatever reason I thought I would be getting bags of shred inside of a box. Hahahahahahahahaha. No. I literally have a giant sized box of pink shred!


I love it, but I am starting to believe there may be a Murphy's Law related to buying lots of packaging supplies. I am dying to use my new goodies, but I haven't sold anything since I got my order. O_O. I'm looking on the bright side, though. If Etsy would like to choose me as a featured seller, I am READY, man. Soooo ready!!

Have you purchased supplies in bulk? Was anything different than you expected?

Makeover Monday 5/25

I started with this amazing vintage sheet; can you get over the colors in this one?? I can't!!

I made a coaster...

and a bowl...

AND a pencil pot!

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Voila!...Introducing the upcycled desk set. This one will be available in my shop this week for just $25.

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What a fun gift for a graduate, or a co-worker, or your friend who has just opened their own Etsy shop! Super special hostess, housewarming, or birthday gift, too. The coaster is for the big cup of coffee, the bowl is for sticky note pads and paperclips, and the pencil pot- well, that's for pencils, pens, and even scissors.

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What do you think of my new idea? What color set should I make next? Have you had any brainstorms of your own lately?

Friday's Favorite: Terraworks

I have a special fondness for pottery, and a very high respect for the artists who can take a lump of clay and create something beautiful. It may look easy, but I have taken a class, and believe me- it wasn't easy and I didn't create anything that anyone would call beautiful!

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Teri of Terraworks not only creates gorgeous items, she defies the norm and handbuilds all of her pieces. Each and every item in her shop is unique and special; she has the kind of corner on Etsy that makes you want to pull up a chair and look at each and every listing.

Teri lives with her husband, sons, and crazy pups near the Rogue River in southern Oregon. They live on a little mountain called Tin Pan Peak, and Teri has a cozy studio situated on a knoll. This is where the magic happens! You can see her love of whimsy and romance in pieces like the mermaid wall pocket or the rustic luna moth tumbler.

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Not only is Teri's style and texture all her own, she adds further interest to her work by choosing such unexpected and fanciful colors!

My favorite items are the ones that can be personalized. For $27 you can purchase a set of 4 coasters customized with your own words, and they even come in a beautiful holder handmade by Teri's husband!! For a less spendy but equally cool choice, you can get a set of three shot glasses for only $9- personalized just for you!

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One peek at Teri’s excellent feedback will let you know that if you decide to make a purchase, you will NOT be disappointed. Her customers simply rave about her workmanship, quick shipping, great communication and follow through.

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Please click on any of the links or pictures to go straight to Terraworks... give Teri your *heart* while you are there, and enjoy poking around in her treasures! I know you will be there awhile, but if you have time, come back here and let me (and her!) know how much you love this shop!

Expanding My Horizons

You already know I am a vintage pink towel junkie, but look what I have recently added to my collection!

Maybe it is the fresh spring air... I have been feeling such a renewed sense of creativity lately! I am bursting with new ideas and can't wait to make and share all of my exciting goodies :)

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Have you had any new product brainstorms? Gotten crafty? Please share!

**Don't forget to come back and visit tomorrow- I have a new Friday Favorite that you won't want to miss!!**

Going Organic

I'm pretty sure that when yarn store owners see me coming, they start rubbing their hands together and emitting an evil mwuahahahaha as dollar signs light up their eyes. I am unable to control myself around beautiful yarn!!

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I have been toying around with a new napkin cuff design- something extra ruffly and girly- and when I saw this new color in my favorite organic yarn, that was all she wrote. I justified the purchase with the fact that I've been wanting to add more organic products to my shop. The yarn is pricey, though, and that will have to carry over to the item cost. I hope they are popular because I LOVE working with this cotton- it is just so soft to the touch and to the eye.

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I finished these cuffs off with some vintage repro etched shell buttons that I have been saving for just the right project. This set of 4 will be listed in my shop ($20) as soon as I get fabulous pictures that showcase their beauty.

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What supply is your major weakness? Or should I say supplies, teehee?

Good Morning, Sunshine

You may remember this bundle of fabrics that I posted awhile ago...I was going to make a rug. Well, I changed my mind!

Ever since making those jersey knit nursery baskets, I've wanted to see what would happen if I used my large rug hook to make a basket out of regular cotton and cotton blend sheets. Since I had this fabric bundle all set aside, I went for it.

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The result is awesome!! Not only is this basket pretty to look at, it is sturdy yet flexible and very functional. All the ideas that you all came up with for my rainbow bucket will work for this one, too. She even has small slot handles on each side- it would be fantastic to use to carry veggies in from the garden!

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This one measures 11" wide and 7" high. She will be listed in my shop ($40) later in the week! Have you tried anything new lately? What was the result?

Makeover Monday 5/18

I've been in such a *bright* mood lately; this jersey knit cotton pillowcase was just the thing I felt like working with last night.

Check out the cool, patchworky result! This cutie is super colorful and quirky, and would be such a treat to use as a special coffee coaster each morning. It measures over 6" wide, but it doesn't seem to want to lay totally flat...I guess it would curl up like a little hug for your mug :)

Hey! You Crochet! Do You Think...

...you could fix this for me??

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My sister-in-law found a gorgeous poncho for her 2 year old at a consignment store. The only trouble was that once she got it home, she realized it was unraveling at the neck!! When we went to MA for Easter, she asked me if I could mend it. I have heard that jewelry peeps get asked to fix things all the time, but no one had ever asked this of me before. I said I would do my best.

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Here's what I came up with! I found the origin of the unravelling, restitched what I could, and knotted off securely. It looked OK, but it didn't look great, so I decided to make and add a beaded rosette corsage. I'm pretty sure it looks better now than it ever did before (sorry Gap).

But really, what can't be fixed with a flower?

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Have you ever been asked to use your craft skills to mend someone else's work? What did you say and do? Please share your story!!

Oh Baby!

Introducing the upcycled snuggle nest™!!

I've had this baby under wraps (pun intended, hehe) for quite awhile, and thanks to Nicole at Nicole Everson Photography I have finally gotten to see it in action.

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I worked up the idea and design for this photography prop on my own, and I'd love to see it take the newborn photo world by storm! It is super soft, sturdy, and versatile; it stretches to fit larger babies, and *scrunches* for the smaller peanuts. It can be used inside out for a different look, and the ends can easily be smoothed in for a more rounded look.

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I have a stash of fabric ready to crochet- beautiful greens, and pinks, and blues, and neutrals... This made to order item will be available in my shop soon ($75)! In the meantime, if you are a photographer looking to be one of the first to own one of these one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly props, contact me here, and I'll be happy to help you be on the cutting edge of baby photo fashion!

Milestone Watch

I am soooooo close to a couple of big milestones in my Etsy shop! Actually, I just passed 400 sales this week, and that was such a thrill. I am 2 feedbacks away from having 500 glorious postive remarks about my work (or my buying habits!), and as of this morning, I am 11 *hearts* away from 2000. That simply blows me away- almost 2000 people in this world like my shop enough to have added it to their favorite shops on Etsy. With so many talented artists and beautiful shops to love, I am truly honored and awestruck by this.

I joked with some of my friends the other day that I'm one great treasury away from hitting my milestones. Then I got a message from Jackie at MonarchDancer this morning that she had chosen my tutti frutti bowlee to appear in her latest collection! Could this be the treasury that goes to the FP and pushes me over the edge with my numbers? I don't know, but it sure is a beauty isn't it? If you have a moment, please click on the photo...it will take you directly to the treasury page where you can click on the items and/or leave a nice comment for the curator. The more attention the treasury receives, the more likely it will be to get noticed by admin!



Have you been included in any great looking treasuries lately? And how about milestones- got any big ones coming up? Do leave a comment and share!!

Custom Boy Basket: Check!

So, here is the rug in Will's bedroom. His mom asked that I also incorporate navy blue to match his window shades. Here's what I came up with...

Not bad, right? Hey, I can toot my own horn on my own blog, lol!!

You can view more pictures HERE if you'd like.

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I look forward to having these big old baskets as a custom item in my shop soon...thanks for that suggestion, Angela!

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I'm fresh out of large custom orders as of last night! Whatever will I do with myself? Not to worry, I have a few things up my sleeve.

Nice People Rock

Not only is the Etsy community ultra-talented, many of the members that I have gotten to know are amazingly kind and generous as well. It never fails to give me extra warm fuzzies when I receive a pair of beautiful earrings in my package *just because*, or when I get a box of fabric or yarn in the mail from someone who "thought I'd be able to use it". Or when a customer who has become a friend thinks of me when she is out treasure hunting, and sends me treats that she knows are just so ME. These are the kind of people the world needs more of, don't you think?

My good Etsy friend Karen, from RunsWithScissors4 is one of these people. Karen has a unique talent and passion for making paper beads, and she makes them from all sorts of things- even leftover Easter grass!! One of her signature products is the map bracelet...an item that you can customize with your choice of 6 or 7 US cities, towns or landmarks. These make such wonderful personalized gifts!

Recently Karen took the time to read back through blog posts and conversations we have had, find locations that she knew were meaningful to me, and made me my very own map bracelet! Can you believe how thoughtful that was? For no occasion? Just because she is really sweet like that? What a wonderful, inspiring, and humbling surprise. Thank you, Karen, and all of you other really nice people out there who do such great things for others out of the goodness of your hearts. Nice people rock!!

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Do you have a shout out for a nice person in your life?

Leave a comment and tell us all about them!!

Makeover Monday 5/11

I love, love, love the unique and beautiful texture created by, and embodied in, fabric crochet. Take a relatively "plain" pink cotton sheet, for example...

...cut it up, and voila!, a shabby chic pencil pot for your cottage office! The dimension and interest of the pink sheet is FAR from plain now, isn't it??

A tip about fabric crochet: to get a better feel for how a fabric will look once worked up, be sure to look at the front AND back of the fabric. This pink sheet, for example, is much lighter on the back, making the overall effect even more mottled and heavily textured.

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On a different note, I have been out of the blog loop for a few days...lots going on around here for the Mother's Day weekend. So, how are you? What's new, and what have I missed? Fill me in by leaving a comment, please!

Super Size

Welcome to the super size cotton bowl! My usual nest bowl sizes are 3", 4" and 5" wide and 2" high. This one measures 6" wide and stands 3" high.

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This was made for a customer who is decorating her powder room in shabby chic style...with pale lilacs and oh-so-subtle greens. She requested some larger sized bowls, and this is one of the ones I have finished. This color is so BEAUTIFUL!!

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This took quite awhile to make, and was tough on the fingers with those bitty stitches, but the result is worth it. You can see more photos HERE. Can't you imagine a whole bunch of these in varying heights containing all manner of lotions and soaps? I think I need a trip to the spa now!

A Brand New Look

This gorgeous vintage rose fabric was the inspiration for the final version of my fabulous new Etsy shop banner! Jessi of jessijewels.etsy.com worked tirelessly and SO patiently to get it just right, and I can't thank her enough. Look for the trivet made from the same fabric in my shop soon!

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Have you changed your shop look lately?

Custom Nursery Basket: Check!

Last week, a new customer wrote to me asking if I could make a handled basket for her daughter's nursery. She wanted it to match this rug, and to measure 18" wide by 8" deep.

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I finished this item last night, and I am SOOOOO proud of it! I love it when I feel like I got something just right, don't you?! Mmm, just look at those handles!

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This nursery basket is so soft, sturdy, and versatile- what a great gift it would make for a new parent! It could fit a newborn baby at first, then be used as a diaper/wipes container, then a toy basket, then...who knows?

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Even more exciting? I get to make one for the brother's bedroom next. Stay tuned for that one next week :)

Makeover Monday: 5/4

This bright, bold sheet became...

This bright, bold lidded clutter keeper! Look for it in my shop this week!

It reminds me of Trix cereal...what do the colors make YOU think of?

And Then There Were Blue

Happy weekend! I am knee deep in several large projects, and tag making is a great break from the fabric crochet. It is so relaxing, and I'm still loving the result. These sweet blues will be listed in my shop today or tomorrow.

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Stay tuned for photos of my latest big nursery basket coming soon! It is being made to match this rug: click HERE to view.

What do you have on tap for the next couple of days?

Friday's Favorite: Maple Hill Farm

OK. So, I've heard people say "Oh, that looks good enough to eat" before. And I kind of rolled my eyes, thinking, "Um, 'scuse me- you're talking about SOAP!" I take back all of my eye rolling right now. In fact, I took it all back as soon as I first stepped foot into Maple Hill Farm's Etsy shop!! Prepare to want to eat soap. Or at least bathe decadently for hours on end.

Lynn, the shopowner and soapmaker extraordinaire, shares interesting tidbits about herself and her history in her shop announcement and profile. For instance, her "fascination with creating soap and body care products began fifteen years ago when [her] family moved into a little stone cottage with many heirloom flowers and herbs...What began as a hobby evolved into a passion and has now become a cottage industry."

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Maple Hill Farm's soaps feature Grade A olive oil and exotic butters like shea, mango, and cocoa butter. To make her soap extra special, Lynn often adds her own farm-grown or wild-crafted herbs. Each batch is hand-stirred in her historic farmhouse; I can only imagine how yummy that smells- I'd love a tour, wouldn't you?




I have personally had the immense pleasure of receiving a batch of soap from this wonderful shop. It not only smells as good as it looks, it leaves the skin super soft and gently scented.

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From the moment I placed my order, I knew my business was important and appreciated. Lynn is not only a talented artisan, she has top-notch customer relations skills. Her communication is amazing, and she had my order out in record time. Each bar was even bubble wrapped lovingly- final evidence of this seller's care of her product and pride in her work.

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In the mood to spoil yourself? Look no further than Maple Hill Farms! Please stop on by the farm by clicking on any of the photos, and come back here to leave a comment...which bar would you be most likely to take a bite out of? Not sure which one to choose? I highly recommend the "get the skinny" selection...6 slightly thinner bars of this phenomenal soap for the STEAL of $18. A shower will never be just a shower again!