Yellow Flower Rainbow Purse

Wow, that name is a mouthful.

Yesterday I finished one of my colorful satchel purses, complete with a rainbow scrappy flower pin!

What do you guys think? Would you like a tutorial for how I create this particular bag?

Stay tuned next week, I'm going to be doing a week of 5 frugal date ideas for the budge minded couple!

How To: Jewelry Hanger!

You will need:

• One wooden pole 25.5 inches long, and 1 inch in diameter 
• 1 pack adhesive wall hooks (like these but buy them from your local store, not online)
• One ribbon, 50 inches long

Step One

Mount your wall hooks 19 inches apart. 

*if using a smaller pole, just estimate, making sure to leave about 2 inches of wood on either side

Step Two

Cut your ribbon in half, and tie both in double knots around the two ends of your pole. 

Make a small loop (using a pen to secure) then make two more double knots on top, finishing off with a bow

Step Three

Hang your new jewelry hanger by the ribbons on your wall! Cute and efficient! 

Step Four

Use and admire!

I'd love to see a picture of your finished product! How do you arrange your jewelry?

Tribal Cuff

I made this awesome geometric "tribal" cuff the other day.

Another feat: I made my first buttonhole! I started out really scared of making a buttonhole...but it was a lot easier then I thought it would be! I don't have an automatic buttonhole setting on my 1970's machine, so I was really nervous going into it. I was wrong! Don't be afraid to try it, no matter what machine you have!

 I love the shapes and colors. Tribal Button Cuff is in the shop, of course!

Rainbow Cuffs

Welcome to sunshine cuffs! I tried to mix and meld a lot of bright colors into these handmade beauties.

 This one is reversible!

Cuffs are really, really easy to make. And you can design them almost any way possible!

Pants

I made some amazing colorful pants today :) I just let my emotions and thoughts flow when coloring and shaping the swirls.

To make these, I used a mixture of prismacolor markers, hilighters, and sharpies! Super fun. Anyone can do it. Really!

For the next pair, I tried a less abstract, more fantasy method. What do you think?

 I have some ideas for stripes on the next pair!! Can't wait to try it out.

Amazing pants and crazy pants now in the shop!

Toms Shoe Giveaway

This month I am giving away a free pair of TOM shoes! GIVEAWAY CLOSED

The giveaway will include one pair of shoes in any of the classic prints! (male or female)

To enter, you must be a follower of this blog. This entitles you to ONE comment below!

Want extra comments? Complete any of the following to receive an extra comment for the drawing!

1) Friend my Facebook page.

2) Put one of my items on etsy in a treasury! Make sure to put the link to that treasury in your comment!

3) Write a blog post on your blog with a link to mine! Make sure to put this link next to your comment.


*this post is not endorsed by TOMs shoes
Giveaway closes February 10th.

Bohemian Jacket

I really enjoy wearing this bohemian jacket EVERYWHERE.

 I love this green wool dress even more.

 Happy January!

Joyful Rainbow Cuff

Flower cuff, with leaf trim.

 And yes, I had to painstakingly sew that trim on, backtracking over every leaf.

I loovvvve this cuff.

New Room!

I love my new room.

I got rid of A TON of things when I was moving. Everything in my room has a place: If I didn't use it, I threw it out or sold it.

I'll do a tutorial on how I made this jewelry hanger! I love it.

My favorite thing in the room is this old beauty area desk thing. My parents bought it originally for my sister, but she didn't like it so I am now using it! It really is beautiful.

I have this tiny nook space for my computer, as well as a small table for letter writing, painting, or other crafts.

That's my room!

I have a separate space for my sewing things, I'll show you that in another post!

Joyful Purse

Whenever I look at this purse, I can't help but smile! I love the bright colors, the contrasting stripes and of course, the umbrella print fabric.

 Two pockets on the inside.

I've made so many things, but every time I try to go out and take pictures--its either raining, or freezing! I'll hopefully get everything posted and caught up with soon!

Odd Jobs

So, I've been "jobless" for about a month now.

Strangely I've never felt less stressed about money.

I've been doing odd jobs here and there, and selling off a few many of the things I own but never use.

Also, my little shop has picked up business, and I've been sewing like crazy! I can't wait to show you some of the new things I have made. I've really improved on sewing, and have been making less and less mistakes in thread, composition and spacing.

But I did get hired to create a web site for a new bridal shop that is opening in lynchburg. The "Bridal and Formal Warehouse" opens next week, and is offering gently used special occasion dressware, shoes, veils, and other accessories at affordable prices.

Check it out! (all my work!)

The Bridal and Formal Warehouse 

This is my first try at creating a webspace other then my own--so if it is terrible, please let me know! I took many of the pictures but a few are stock pictures from deviant art used with permission.

The Dragonflies Daughter

When I was a little girl, my mother said she saw a dragonfly at my birth. Since that day it seems they follow me everywhere. When I was younger I used to shirk my chores and take my favorite book to the elm behind our house. Safely tucked somewhere beneath the boughs and limbs I could read for hours and the dragonflies would nest my hair and flutter around my floral print dress.

When I was fifteen I once stuck into town and spied on a gentleman who was staying at the pastors parish. He had a dragonfly pin on his lapel. Oh, how I longed run my hands over that gemlike surface!

The next time he caught me watching him, he offered me some of the orange he was eating. I remember that his eyes shone like opals as my bare feet soaked up the juices that dripped from my chin.

That night I had a dream--a dream of dragonflies. I rose from my bed, nightgown clad and dewy eyed from slumber, and ambled outside, down the small path that led behind our little home to the well. Inside its deep surface I saw a face--the most beautiful face I have ever seen. She was pale, and dark haired, with little rosy cheeks and a purple gown that shimmered like the sunset on a rainy day.

"I am the dragonfly pin" She said. "Please help me, for I am a captive! Natine is my father, and my mother was a dragonfly, as was your father. My mother loved Natine, but he wanted only her beauty and her wings."

When I awoke in my bed the next morning, I walked down to town and peeked into the traveler's room. There was the dragonfly pin, on the table! I scrambled through the window, and snatched the pin from his bed side, my feet already turning to dash back from where I came.

But when I turned, I found only fog, and Natine.

"Dear heart," He said, "Thank you for freeing my daughter"

And that is when I understood that I had been deceived.

For only a dragonflies daughter can take the place of a true dragonfly in Otherwhere.

And the only reason a dragonfly man would love a human women is to create such a child.

Now I am here, in this world of fog and mist and mirrors.

All the while, dragonflies still follow me.

These small fable stories were written by me, inspired by pieces I curated from a vintage online shop I used to run. You can read more here.

Meandering Thoughts for You

Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 

I had this idea for a photo shoot after buying this lovely heart from Etsy seller Iro Iro crafts.

Many people think of love as a day to day thing--here one moment, gone the next. God's love is forever. We humans must love as He. Thats what this heart reminds me of. God's great love for me!