yellow canoe

i just added this seller to my etsy favorites list. i've dabbled a bit in block printing, so i totally love the style of these handbound books and wall hangings. book binding is something else i'd like to try, but haven't bothered with yet. my list of things to try is so long...

anyway, check out yellow canoe's work. love it!

cool clay

i stumbled across some gorgeous jewelry on etsy today.

block party press makes her work with polymer clay. i love the rustic look to some of the pieces. and the colors! fabulous!

toothy goodness

i was invited to a halloween party last weekend. sadly, my date was out of town, so our britney/k-fed costume idea was a no-go.

in a pinch, i decided it would be easy to go as the tooth fairy. long story short, i made a little tulle skirt, a wand and a stuffed tooth.

the lovely hostess ellen suggested that i sew a little pocket on the tooth and sell it as a tooth fairy pillow. you know, something for a kid to put their lost teeth in until the tooth fairy pays them a visit.

i'm debating putting it up for sale on etsy. what do you think? parents, would your kiddies like to have one of these? let me know! thanks.


i'm still perfecting the wand, but i'm thinking of packaging them together. i'll post that when it's finished!

yummy yarn

it's starting to get cold here in nebraska, and as my dear friend ms. b reminded me, it's cozy hat time! (i need to make you another one ms. b, give me a week).

i've often thought it would be really cool if i knew how to spin my own yarn, but that sounds awfully complicated, so i'll just have to be satisfied by purchasing lovely handspun yarns.

some of my favorites come from natasha of luxe. gorgeous yarns! i want them all!

poppytalk handmade

poppytalk handmade is a fabulous online market that features creative designers. here's how they describe their site:

"Poppytalk Handmade is a monthly online street market to showcase, buy and sell handmade goods of emerging design talent from around the world."

each designer is featured on the front page, and has their own little online booth within the shop. i'm loving the work of annie and olive

and beehive kitchenware- cutest measuring spoons i've ever seen!

and the jewelry of megan auman. lovely!

ok, so i love it all. go browse!

bookhou designs

there are some gorgeous things over at bookhou designs. i especially love the hand printed bags.

PataPri

i am loving these tea towels by PataPri. the prints are gorgeous- so bright and colorful. wouldn't they make great aprons? hmm... i may have to purchase some...

each design is an original, and hand silkscreened by the artist. check out her blog, too!

shim & sons

shim & sons has added some things to her shop. lovely, aren't they? (i recognize some of that fabric!)

buy handmade (and not just from me)

i stumbled across this link on etsy's homepage.

the site encourages people to spend their holiday dollars on handmade items.

i think it is a fabulous idea, as a crafter myself and a lover of things handmade. here's the organization's reasoning for buying handmade:

"Buying handmade is better for people, better for the environment, and better for giving truly special and well-crafted gifts. The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us all dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. The connection between producer and consumer has been lost. Buying handmade helps them reconnect.
We encourage all consumers to be aware of the social and environmental implications of their purchases."

you can sign your name, promising to buy handmade, and read why other people have decided to join the revolution!

i signed up. did you?

(order) fulfillment

it's 9:40 and i am just about ready for bed. sad, right?

i have an excuse! i was up until two this morning finishing the order pixi chix placed with me two weeks ago. phew! glad that's done.

i had quite the stack of onesies going. i discovered that i enjoy making things more when i can do them at my leisure, in small quantities. but i REALLY enjoy making things when i'm getting paid.

pardon my late night point and shoot.

jonathan adler

i have seen jonathan adler all over the blogosphere, and, thanks to a tip from my mom, i decided it was my turn to sing his praises. he has such a great mix of products, all really unique and interesting.

i was drawn to this gorgeous rug, because i am about to paint the office in my house a lovely warm grey. it would match perfectly, and the yellow would tie the room to the living room and dining room.


sorry the picture is so small, but the larger version was a flash piece i couldn't steal off his site. i guess you'll just have to check out the website!

clutches on etsy!

check out my most recent etsy posting. need a cute clutch to hit the bars? or just a small bag to carry some essential things? then this clutch is for you!

how to use:

step 1: insert driver's license, credit card, keys and cell phone into clutch; snap shut

step 2: insert wrist through strap

step 3: head out for a night of fun! don't worry about setting down your purse and forgetting it at some dingy (or high class, whatever floats your boat) bar!

orange lola

good day to you!

if you're like me and love to entertain (or better yet, have friends who do), the holiday season just around the corner is something you look forward to each year.

now, i have always been of the mindset that showing up at someone's house with the prescribed dish and a bottle of vino is enough to fill my guestly duties. but i think there are some out there who actually bring gifts for the party hostess.

weird.

if you fall into that category (tell me, i will invite you over and make you dinner. i have something brewing in my crockpot as i type!), i have found a couple of cute hostess gifts for you.

orange lola is an adorable online shop. they have all kinds of products. browse their site. it's fun!

one of the lines they carry is modern-twist. so cute! here's what they have to say about modern-twist:

"Modern-twist is a collaboration between Kat Nouri and an extremely talented group of independent designers (mostly from the San Francisco Bay Area) who share a passion for clean, minimalist design. The products are interesting to the touch, playful to the eye, and versatile in use. Drawing on the diverse culture of the San Francisco area, some of the designs have been inspired by traditional objects. With a background in U.S. manufacturing, Nouri strives to manufacture Modern-twist products responsibly. U.S. and overseas manufacturers that produce Modern-twist products share our values in respecting the environment, workers and consumers. Modern-twist donates one percent of profits to OnePercentForThePlanet.org."

pretty cool, eh?

the cute products i found for you are new to their line. i am loving the nature trend, and i hope it is not on it's way out anytime soon. these coasters, paired with matching wine tags/napkin rings would just be the perfect hostess gift, don't you think? pair it with a bottle of wine, and you'll be a hit!

how much is that doggie (bag)...

now, i am not the hugest fan of tiny dogs (mr. m- jack russels don't qualify as tiny, don't worry), but if i had me a bitty chihuahua named spike, he might just be forced to travel around in this sweet ride.

via outblush.

cozy winter hats!

check out the crochet hats i posted in my etsy shop. not only fashionable, they'll keep your head warm when the snow starts flying!

arr wanna be a pirate!

have you ever wanted to be a pirate but didn't want the hassle of sea salt and sun damaging your skin? now you can, each time you pass by this cool pirate self portrait mirror by chloe and tomlinson. hang it in you entry way, and start each day with a hearty har har!


via designpublic.

more on etsy!

i am on a roll with the etsy listings!

ok, it's really just because i have a supply of items from recent craft shows still on hand that need sellin'.

so head on over to the shop, and buy, buy, buy (please)!

reForm school

i've heard lots about these ladies and their store, reForm school. I totally intended to stop by the last time i was in l.a., but alas, i did not (nor did i make it to the gourmet cupcake shop, which was priority number one - so sad!).


but all is not lost, as they have launched an online store! they have some great stuff in there, lots of unique, one-of-a-kind, buy-it-now-or-it-will-be-gone-forever type of items.


they recently overhauled their website, which i also love. it has a fabulous high school feel to it. which i'm sure was their intention. (reForm school. duh).


anyway, i'm especially loving this DIY felt birdie pouch. if you are not the crafty type but long to be, this might be just the thing for you! it even includes a plastic needle. safety first!

baby clothes up on etsy!

please do swing by my etsy shop and check out the adorable (if i do say so myself!) baby clothes for sale.


all the designs come from my crazy little head, and are lovingly stitched on by myself (i need something to do while watching tv- i told you i had craft ADHD!)


here's a sample for you viewing pleasure. feel free to send my blog or shop along to those you love who have cute kiddos. enjoy! oh, and there will be more posted tomorrow!

the start of something inspiring

i stated in my "about me" that i would bring you, my small band of readers, inspiring things from around the web.

so today i'll begin to introduce you to beautiful things that i love, and, if i had money in my perpetually empty bank account, would have to buy.

i'll try to show you a few things each day, culled from the long list of bookmarked shops and blogs i look at frequently.

are you ready? 'cause here we go!

let us begin in scotland, home of papa stour, a unique boutique of an online shop. i love this scarf. so cute! perfect for crisp, cool fall days. the bird pattern is also available on these lovely cushions.

another lovely shop is rock scissor paper. they recently launched their owl shoppe. that's right owl lovers! a shop full of owl stuff! (i have been telling people owls are in for months now).

go check it out!

mini monsters!

i've been making these little monsters for awhile now.

i bought some felt for onesies, a lot of felt. i had so much sitting around i thought i should do something else with it.

bored in front of the tv one night, the mini monsters were born.

once i started, i couldn't stop.

so here they are, for your viewing (and purchasing- they're on my etsy site) pleasure!

no longer empty

my etsy shop is so happy!

i just listed the iPod cozies. have a look! there are four cute styles to choose from.

thanks!

holy wholesale!

oh my gosh i am so excited!!

i finally got on the ball, made up a price list, an order form, and called a couple of local businesses to see if they wanted to sell my products in their stores.

finally.

it took me forever. i had had a lovely chat with the owner of pixi chix, a cute boutique located in the gateway mall here in lincoln, last month at the farmer's market. she said she would like to sell some of my things in her store, and i said, sure, i'll stop by soon.

a month and a half later, i stopped by.

fortunately for me shawn is a lovely lady, and was still excited to see me walk through her door.

so..... they placed my first order!!! i now have two weeks to make 18 onesies and 6 baby caps for them. hooray! can't wait to start! if those sell well, there will be more sale orders to fill in the future.

so stop by the mall, all you lincolnites, and visit pixi chix!

i thought i'd jump right in with the crafty goodness and show you what i did last night and this morning.

i was inspired yesterday by a brand new blog on my favorites list. hollabee is a blogger from australia, and her stuff is super cute, including hand screenprinted fabric you can buy in her etsy store. it's on my want list. so i saw her cute idea for a felt project, and since i love felt, and have a ton of it on hand, i thought i'd give it a try.

can you guess what might be inside?

hello mr. iPod! you know what else fits in here? a mini digital camera. hooray! a soft, cute case for your technological goods. i'll be throwing these up on my etsy site soon. check it out. don't you want one?

a new start?

so i tried to blog once. quite literally, once. i set it all up, posted one blog, and then promptly quit.

follow through is a problem for me.

but i am turning over a new leaf! i vow, with every ounce of my non-commital being, to blog, blog, blog as i've never blogged before! (which shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as i've never actually blogged before).

and what might i be blogging about? why, all things crafty!

i'll bring you regular updates on my personal projects, the trials and tribulations of making stuff (the easy and fun part) and trying to sell it (the difficult part for a non-business minded person such as myself).

i'll also post beautiful things from around the web that serve as inspiration for me (and hopefully you, too!)

so thank you for reading. i hope to keep you entertained, so check back often, and send me some love through comments!

jill