Wreaths!

You may remember this wreath from this post.

Since then I've gone a little wreath crazy.  I've got wreaths and ideas for wreaths coming out my ears!

Here are a few I just finished (and will be up for sale at market this weekend!)

This one features folded book pages, coiled paper roses with faux pearls, and a pennant sign that means "welcome" in french.  I used the CTMH alphabet stamp set "Party Pennants" that you can order here from my friend and consultant Christine.  The base for this wreath is 8".

This wreath is also an 8" one, and I just used crumpled and twisted book pages.

This one is probably my favorite - and Samantha insists that I can't possibly sell it (so I think it is her favorite too).  It is over 18" across and is made from rolled book pages.  The stamp is from the You and Me collection and can be found here.  I also used burlap and vintage ruffle for the center, and finished it with faux pearls.

Betcha can't guess what this wreath is made out of!  Would you believe Coffee Filters!?!?!  I can see you all running to costco now for the industrial sized pack.  Hehe.  Yes indeed.  I used almost 200 filters for this 12" wreath base.  It measures closer to 15" now.  I used the pennant alphabet again, and some chipboard letters drowned in black glitter.  The birds are punched from the SU! bird punch.

I hope you enjoyed seeing all my wreaths!  Back to work I go...

Market Week

I'll be doing my best to update daily this week, but I'm just days away from my first market of the season, and I've got more things to do than time to do it in!  Yahoo!  It's crunch time baby.

Wendi came over yesterday and we did a mock-booth set up.  We each rent a 10x10 space at the market for the weeks we both plan to be there.  Then we set up a "double wide" shop and co-mingle all of our creations throughout.  Last year we set up the booth differently every time, and while it created a fun new look, it really drove me crazy.  Packing and unpacking everything was an adventure, and it was hard to keep track of what props we needed from week to week.  I'm very "type A" and I'm totally anxiety ridden without a plan, so this year, Wendi and I decided to set up early, take photos, and then pack each table's props and linens in their own separate bins.  (FYI - I'm also very much in love with bins).

We obviously don't have our products out, but here's an idea of what our space will look like come Saturday!  EEEEEK!  I'm so excited.  I think it looks so cute, even without our creations.  Additionally, we've decided to sell some of our display pieces from week to week so we can keep buying new ones (without making our husbands crazy).

I'll post new pictures next week so you can see the totally finished (and totally cute) results.  :)

More Freya Gauntlets

Another new product for market this year are my Freya Gauntlets.  I've shown them a few times, but these are new colors.  I also have a beautiful royal blue pair and an olive green pair just about done.  The gauntlets are like fingerless gloves in that they come to the first knuckle on the hand, but there isn't any thumb - so in that way they are more like long, fitted sleeves.  They fit to just below the elbow.

These are knit up in Andean Silk, an amazing blend of 55% super fine alpaca, 23% silk, and 22% merino wool by Knit Picks.  They are so incredibly soft, but also warm and luxurious feeling.

Altered Clothespins

Here is a quick look at a new offering for this year's market.  Altered Clothespins!

One of my newest hat and glove displays is a really cool window frame (I'm holding it) and lattice screen (seen behind me).  I got these from the Painted Lady in Centralia.

I plan to run clothes line on these and use decorated clothespins to hang my accessories.  I thought that if people saw the clothespins, they might want sets for themselves!  So I have been making extra and then packaging the up with some vintage lace and burlap.

The pictures are a bit glaring from the cellophane, but I think you can get the idea.  I was even able to use antique lace on some of the clothespins!  They turned out really neat.  :)

Ollie Owl Hats

Market is less than 2 weeks away!  This week I'm going to take a break from the vintage stuff, and show you some of my new items that I'll be selling!

First up is a whole new slew of Ollie Owl hats.  I'll have them in many other colors, but as I work on knitting through my yarn stash, I happened upon lots of shades of brown yarn in balls just the right size for a baby or toddler sized hat.

Ollie is knit in a super soft 100% merino wool, and his eyes and beak are cut from high quality wool felt and are hand stitched to the hat.  Sizes include infant (approx 0-2 years), toddler (2-4 years), and child (4-6 years), although every child's head is different so the age ranges are estimations.  All of my baby hats are $36 (plus shipping).

If you are a knitter, and would like to purchase the pattern to make your own flock of Ollie Owl hats, check it out here (if you are a Ravelry member) or in my Etsy shop.  Patterns are for personal use only.

New Paint? New Bed? New Room?

In the past few weeks, I've gone antiquing, scoured tons of blogs, and poured through magazines galore.  I'm so smitten with the "flea market chic" look.  It's terrible (in a really wonderful and exciting way) because I have so many ideas just spinning around in my head, and not enough time to make them a reality.

For instance, Dave and I have been living in our new home for a year now, and our bedroom is still plain, boring, and has nothing going for it - except this truly fabulous sofa that I got at an estate sale (along with a truly horrendous bedroom set).

Well, then Mrs. Emily Jones had to go inspire me with this incredible bedroom make over.  I had originally thought of doing a dark purple accent wall in my bedroom - but after seeing her post, I'm all over a dark navy blue wall instead.  (Click on the photo to be taken to her post).

Then Janee had to go and post a montage of awesome beds on her blog... so of course I'm now on the lookout for new linens, pillows, end tables, and of course a bed frame.   (Click the photo to be taken to her post - she has even more photos there).

Yes... so now I've now begun scouring the interwebs and local shops for a rustic, vintage-esque, french-ish, cool, bed frame   Because in the almost 11 years that we've been married (anniversary = July 8th) Dave and I have never bought a bed frame.  There was always something else out there that we thought we "needed" or wanted more.  Oooh - and I think I need a chandelier too.   I had one in our old house in Ruby's room, but Dave made me leave it when we moved.  (He said it was because we had to leave the fixture in place since the new owners had seen it in the walk through.  I think it really was because it was a bugger to install and he didn't want to have to re-install a new fixture.)  But I digress...

Here are some of the images I've fallen in love with... and who knows... maybe the navy wall will stay a white wall.  Hmmm... so many possibilities!

Just look at those birdcages... and the night stand... and the wall paper... and the dress form!  Swoon.

Yes please.  I'll take it.

WOW!  Could that brick wall be any more fabulous?

Smitten...

I'll be sure to post before and after pictures if I can get my act together.