FlyChicks

a “picnik” in january…

2012-01-28T21:31:00.001-06:00

so, if you haven’t heard yet, picnik----an amazing photo editing website, is shutting it’s doors. sooooo sad.

it has been so much fun creating/editing/collaging using this wonderful program, and I just wanted to share a few collages I have come up with recently. if you go to picnik before april, you can still use their free services! do it…you know you want to. :)

I think I’m on to something here

2012-01-14T09:03:00.001-06:00

I have been busy designing and sewing up some more clutches that I think are pretty darn cute.

I am also working on getting stuff ready to pitch to some local boutiques here in st. louis. if you are local, and can think of any places around town that flychicks would be perfect for, leave me a comment and let me know!

here’s a few pics of some recent work…

what was I doing?….

2012-01-09T14:30:00.001-06:00

{image via}http://ombakblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/banksy-hope.jpg

so, when I got home from taking little man to school, I was in a go get ’em, positive, inspired, creative, get things done kind of mood. then, as I sent of the late rent check (oops), I kept getting side tracked. I have somewhat of a “list” of things that I want/need to get accomplished, but for some reason I cannot follow through with things. you see, there is this personal side of me that I’m going to share with you that I don’t share with many, but obvious to some people close to me. I’m pretty sure that I have ADD and it makes so many things difficult to do. here I am, wanting to start up this business, but how the hell am I really going to do this if I can’t get a list of things done??

if I could have filmed me this morning/afternoon, trying to accomplish my goals, I probably would have gotten a laugh watching it. I’m fully aware that I’m doing things either not in order, or not even on my list, but for some reason I can’t seem to EVER get the things done that I need to. it’s very frustrating and takes up the time in my day that could have been used more beneficially.

here’s just a little list of how today “went down”.

sent the rent check
sat down checked emails/facebook/blogs/pinterest (aka, all those things that really don’t help me pursue my business)
realized that if I don’t get my studio organized, than I can’t get my life organized
went in to studio to clean/organize/de-clutter
found fabric in studio and started a mock up of a wallet that I had been dreaming about making
got side tracked and made lunch
finished lunch walked back into studio and realized all the thread and fabric scraps all over the house
grabbed the broom and vacuum and cleaned the first living room
sat down and admired the pillow covers I had just made
got depressed/frustrated that it was already 1:30 and I hadn’t really gotten anything accomplished
checked blog again and realized that I needed to write a new post
so here I am…procrastinating again

I hope to find some sort of help in the way of getting more focused on a task and sticking to it. I really really really want FlyChicks Handmade Goods to be a priority in my life, and build it into this great business that makes me happy and makes me shine. Here’s to hoping that I can get my butt in gear and make this a great year for my business.

Pinterest Challenge ----> recycled soup cans wrapped in printed paper

2011-11-03T12:21:00.001-05:00

So, I have been following Young House Love for a while now, and recently they started a new section titled “Pinterest Challenge”. It allows viewers and followers to link to their creations from inspirations they found on Pinterest. I like to call them “Pinspirations”! If you haven’t heard of Pinterest, then I’m sorry for ya!

A few weeks ago, I found this great Pinspiration and documented my creation not even thinking about linking to YHL challenge. Well, just so turns out that I think it would work great for a challenge. So, without further ado, here is my Pinspiration turned creation.

bhg.com

Recycled soup cans modpodged with craft paper or DIY printed paper.

I started off with a ravioli can left over from my toddlers lunch. As I was starting to chuck it into the recycling, I realized I could maybe use it for something…Lightbulb! I had it! I was going to make some great pencil and marker holders. One’s that were hip and bold.

Earlier that week, I had made a chevron print stamp out of an eraser…an idea I got from You’re So Martha…( love her blog, go check it out! )

First I measured the length and the width of the can and cut my piece of paper to the appropriate size.

Then I started stamping away. The pattern wasn’t perfect, but come on…what really ever IS perfect in life.

After the ink dried, I took some Elmer’s Glue (didn’t even need ModPodge) and ran it along the inside of the paper.

After all the glue was in place, I rolled up the paper onto the can and secured it in place with some rubber bands until it was completely dry.

Once dry, I removed the rubber bands and plopped my pencils, markers and scissors in the can.

Ta-Da…My beautiful new pencil holder!

Thank You Pinterest, and Thank You YHL for your wonderful, creative blog!

DIY Chevron Eraser Stamp

2011-10-04T11:19:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across this great blog, You’re So Martha. There was this great “pin” on Pinterest going around from Justine’s blog. I did some further blog stalking, blogking, and found some great DIY and crafts ideas. I thought I would give this one a shot…And, I LOVE it! Making your own stamps is so much fun, and the possibilities are endless.

Here’s the finished product!

items needed:

an eraser (or two…just in case you cut too much off)
an Exacto knife (preferably one that you can hold like a pencil)
some kind of pattern or template (I freehanded my “m” stencil)
an ink pad (you could use acrylic paint, but I found this worked just fine)

some paper (card stock works great for homemade cards)

When preparing to print stencil, just butt the ends of the “m” next to each other. I like to leave a small space between them. It gives more of an organic look and feel to the chevron print!

Hope you have fun making your own stamps! Let your creativity run wild with this project!

-Hannah

Meet Me in St. Louis…

2011-09-06T13:28:00.001-05:00

This week, FlyChicks is being featured on a local facebook page that promotes things to do and see around around the St. Louis area. “Meet Me in St. Louis” was started by Barbara Heise , a Keller Williams real estate agent in the St. Louis area. She wanted to inform buyers and sellers of the great things that go on around town and in specific areas from week to week.

Check out their Facebook page and “like” them to keep up on the happenings! You can even write in to inform fellow followers on things to do and see.

picture courtesy of Barbara Heise

studio tour: before pics---but no judgments ,please! :)

2011-09-02T20:22:00.001-05:00

So I have been trying to get my life a little more organized, and I figured the best way to start doing so is to clean up and organize my lovely studio. You see, my first “studio”, more commonly referred to as “the dungeon”, was dark, gloomy, and pretty much the farthest thing from inspirational. It was really the only area in our old house that I could have full reign over. It was in the basement. It was dark. Scary. Cold… (note the wood paneling….uhg.)

---basement studio @ old house---

Soooo, when we moved into our current house, I kinda made it a big deal that I NEEDED to be upstairs, surrounded by bright lights and nature. No more dirty, dark, dingy basement for me!

I LOVE my studio. Most of the time. Especially when it’s nice and pretty and organized.

And now, for the unflattering promised pics of my workspace… AGAIN---NO JUDEMENT! I’m an ar-teest!

AHHHHHH….

it will be pretty, someday! check out that awesome letterpress drawer I scored at a rummage sale!

Finished studio pics coming soon! Stay tuned!

Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!

drum roll please….

2011-08-19T10:50:00.001-05:00

It is finally that time! FlyChicks has officially launched it’s website!!!! It has been a LONG wait, but we are now up and running! The “shop” button will redirect you to our Etsy page, but in the next couple of months, I will be working on getting an online shop going through the website. Thanks for your patience and tell a friend about FlyChicks Handmade Goods!

My Pinterest challenge ~ DIY simple bowtie top---->from Sweet Verbena!

2011-08-08T14:13:00.001-05:00

So, I challenged myself to make the adorable bowtie top that I posted earlier! The tutorial is from Sweet-Verbena. My sis, Emily, made one earlier this week that was pretty darn adorable, and I just had to give it a try! So, here it is. I added an extra strip of linen to the bottom to tie together the linen sash that I chose. Hope you like it!

the power of pinterest!

2011-08-08T11:38:00.001-05:00

So, I can’t get enough of pinterest! I know, I know…neither can anyone else! It is an addiction! But a good one. Well, I guess it’s good, except for the fact that I can’t seem to get anything done. There is WAY too much inspiration for one person to process. My list of DIY is getting way too long. But I guess I could have no motivation, and that, my friend, would be a horrible thing.

Here are a few things I have been drooling over lately!

What are some things you have been drooling over lately?

***all images hyperlinked to original website***

refashionista!

2011-07-26T10:45:00.001-05:00

So, Sunday morning Jack and I built a tent/reading nook in the living room using an old sheet and some fuzzy blankets and pillows. An hour and some 20 odd books later, I remembered that Jack had gotten a gift card to a local book store. We were going to go on a book hunt!

It was Sunday, so I had a feeling they were closed. They were. Then, a light bulb went off. Borders was closing and they were having a HUGE blowout sale, or so I thought. We pulled up, the parking lot was a MADHOUSE! We lucked out, found a spot and headed in. After about 30 minutes in the kids section, I slowly made a move to the arts & crafts section. I remembered that Amy Butler’s Style Stitches was out and I was all about that!

We schlepped our merchandise downstairs to the checkout and then realized that the line for the checkout wrapped around the first floor!!! REALLY? The sales weren’t even that great! Jack was ecstatic about this fire engine book he had found so I knew I had to move with the quickness. I distracted him, placed all the books on a shelf, held his hand and ran outta there. I did feel kind of bad for not putting my finds back in the appropriate places, but the place was already a wreck and it was much more important to make it out alive.

On our walk back to the car, I had to explain to Jack that the line was way too long. He just wanted some books. I felt really bad, because the whole point of our little adventure was to go buy him some new books to read in our awesome reading tent!

As we drove home, we passed a Goodwill!! Perfect. They always have children’s books. Distracted by the toy section, Jack had forgotten about our book hunt. I found about 6 paperbacks that would be perfect. At .30 and .50 cents a pop, we couldn’t beat that. And then, I found a cute little padded stool for $15 that could be cute with some tlc and new fabric.

We checked with a grand total of $27.60. That includes five pair of shorts for Jack. Style Stitches alone would have been $28 with the BIG discount at Borders. I felt pretty darn good about our finds and our savings! Not to mention, the adorable stool that now lives by our front door!

Here are a couple before and after pics:

fabric.com, I heart you!

2011-07-23T10:50:00.001-05:00

I came home yesterday afternoon to a package on my front stoop. Yes, I just said stoop! (I’m turning 30 in a month and much of my vocabulary is starting to change without my permission----porch=stoop, trashcan=wastebasket, underwear=underpants…who says “underpants”??? ). It was my fabric.com order!! My three chevron prints and one really cool Dwell Studios print! Can’t wait to make some awesome totes outta these beauties! Stay tuned and keep checking out ETSY for new items!

website…coming soon???

2011-06-27T12:00:00.001-05:00

So, many of you have been asking, “is the website up yet? When will it be up???”. Well, I’m here to tell you, whatever it takes, I’m ready to get this thing up and going. Just need to talk to my web designer and tweak some things. I have thought long and hard about my website, and changed more than enough things along the way, and I thank all of you for being so patient throughout this journey of FlyChicks.

Many thanks go out to Sam, from Bobaloo!. She has been a great support system and inspiration to me through this process. If you haven’t checked out her site yet….DO IT! She has some great stuff for babies and kiddos! Jack actually has one of her banners hanging in his room!

So, thanks again for the patience and support of FlyChicks. You can still purchase items through my ETSY shop.

Terrarium Tutorial

2011-05-16T00:27:00.002-05:00

Hannah and I had a fun little field trip to some Antique Malls here in St. Louis last Friday. Hannah ended up buying this really cool glass container thing-y, though she wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to put into it.

We decided to stop by the local farmer’s market before we picked up her little boy from pre-school. We were just going to pick out some fruits and veggies for dinner when we saw a bunch of succulents, staring at us, begging us to take them home. And they didn’t have to beg very hard- I’ve been looking to get some for a while now, and so has Hannah!

Then, the idea started brewing… we could make a succulent terrarium with the above glass thing-y! Well, it would be a terrarium sans lid, since succulents need to stay mostly dry. So we picked up some soil, some stones, and she picked out three different types of succulents (don’t ask me the names, because I have no clue!).

We lined the bottom with some medium sized stones (these can be picked up at many garden stores or Michael’s or Hobby Lobby). Then, we packed some soil onto the top of the stones. This will allow for drainage of excess water since succulents need only be watered once per week/two weeks.
Then, we took each succulent out of their respective containers, took some of the soil off of the roots (not too much, just enough so that it is easier to re-plant it into the terrarium), and placed it into the soil of the glass container.

Once we re-planted the succulents, we added some more soil and packed it loosely around the roots of each plant. Then, we added another layer of the stones to make it look pretty!

We encourage you to find a unique glass container of your own, visit your local farmer’s market, and make your own tutorial. When you do, we’d love for you to share it with us!

A Few Custom Order Items…

2011-05-03T13:00:00.001-05:00

Last weekend Emily and I participated in a Mother’s Day boutique located at a family friends beautiful historic century home in St. Louis. We both had a few sales and overall the boutique was a success! I actually got three custom orders, two from the lady who ran the boutique, and one from a woman who goes to our Church!

I wanted to give a shout out to a few special ladies that purchased some FlyChicks merchandise this week! Rasheedah, Sabrina and Rebecca!!

Thank you ladies, and don’t forget to tell a friend .Happy Tuesday

Mother’s Day Boutique!

2011-04-29T13:26:00.001-05:00

Emily and I have the pleasure of being a part of a Mother’s Day boutique that is run out of a family friend’s home four times a year. Carla Duncan of Duncan-Designs, makes beautiful jewelry and also recently took on an newer form of felting called Nuno felting. Nuno felting is created using felt and fabric, weaving the two together, as she describes “I “paint” with wool roving onto my fabric of choice – silk”. Carla is a resident artist at Soulard Art Market and runs a successful business selling her creations. This year’s Mother’s Day boutique, Carla asked Emily and I if we would want to participate as vendors. We are looking forward to this weekends events at her lovely historic century home in St. Louis! If you’re local, come by and check out what Carla and her 3 other vendors have in store at this years Annual Mother’s Day boutique!

Giveaway Week on Grace and Light Studios

2011-04-25T10:22:00.003-05:00

This week on Grace and Light Studios, Brooke has chosen a few blogs that are included in a special giveaway for her birthday week!!! She contacted us to be a part of the celebration! We have donated a super cute snap wallet for a giveaway item as well as FlyChicks on Etsy is offering a 10% discount at the checkout this week only! Check out her blog everyday this week to find out ways to enter the giveaway, and don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook!

Brooke’s website is http://www.graceandlightstudio.com/ check it out and wish her a Happy Birthday week!

1st Quarter Inventory and New Product

2011-04-05T13:12:00.009-05:00

Yesterday, Emily and I spent most the afternoon trying to figure out my 1st quarter inventory....AHHHHHHHH. It was horrific! I hate this side of the business. I just like to create stuff. Anyway, we got thorough it after an afternoon break to take my dog Stan on a short walk around the block. Then, after the LOOOONG day counting inventory, we had a meeting with our web designer to set a launch date for the new website!!! I'm telling you, this website is gonna be pretty terrific, if I may say myself! Stay tuned. But, for the meantime, I am going to leave you with some pics of my horrible mess of a studio and a few new product pics of the zipper snap wallet! ENJOY! :)

p.s.

I HATE blogger, I can never figure out how to post the pics in the order that I want them, so bare with me for the craziness of the layout

-thanks :)

WOO-HOO!!!

2011-03-22T09:21:00.002-05:00

New Labels = LOVE
I mean....how cute are these??? Thanks Sam from Bobaloo for the suggestion!

Books and Books and Books

2011-03-16T10:51:00.003-05:00

I went to Borders yesterday to use a gift card that I purchased as a Christmas present for my dad. He was in such a panic that the Borders in Springfield, IL closed, that he gave me back his giftcard and told me to use it on something for Jack. Well, I did get Jack two books: classics/childhood faves- Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. I also picked up a couple business books for myself! Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin. Great so far, and I have barely put a dent in it! And, The Idiots Guide To Selling Your Crafts. Also, very good so far. Super informative and just what I have been looking for to answer ALOT of my questions about this business. I had to throw in one "fun" book too! The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam. Lisa is the owner and founder of U-Handbag, an online supply store, bag making blog and handbag haven! She rocks!

If you or someone you know is going into business to pursue their love of crafts, BEST OF LUCK and check out these books. Also, tell us about some books you may love!

New Shop Items AND ETSY Sales!!!

2011-02-28T21:32:00.012-06:00

So, I think I might just have to give myself a high five!! I had 6 SALES on ETSY in a 24 hour period! It was a pretty big weekend for me! I think I am beginning to like how this is going. Slowly but surely, I am figuring it out. I have been doing ALOT of research and finally figured out how to use my Google Analytics on our ETSY site. I think that will help me out alot with figuring out when the best times to renew are.

Also, getting really excited about our website! Our web designer has been working hard and I think its gonna be pretty darn awesome!

And a HUGE THANK YOU to Emily for being such a great support throughout this whole journey! I Love You, Em!!

Here are a few things I just finished tonight. I'm also going to post some pics of the recent sales I had on ETSY.

----->Don't forget to come back in a few weeks to check out the website. :)

Some New Inventory

2011-02-07T14:33:00.005-06:00

So, I know, I know...we haven't had the best of starts for 2011 with our blog, but with good reasons/excuses. Sickness, tiredness, coldness, winter in general! I am soooo ready for Spring. Anywho, here are a few things I whipped up today because I haven't spent any quality time with my dear sewing machine in like a week and a half. These items are on ETSY if anyone is interested. :)

Hope you enjoy. Oh, and the website will be up and running soon! We promise. Our web designer is working hard at it, and it's gonna look GREAT!

January Projects

2011-01-21T18:55:00.000-06:00

Hannah and I have been working quietly (okay, not so quietly, really) behind the scenes since recovering from the holidays. We've been having weekly meetings and getting quite a bit accomplished, though the poor blog has suffered somewhat. We just wanted to let you all know we're still here, and are so excited about our new website launching soon.

I know we've talked about it for a while now, but we just got the "rough draft" copy sent to us and couldn't be happier. With just a few tweaks, we'll have it up and running in no time! And we will have e-commerce for those who just want to buy straight from the website (without going through etsy).

We're also close to finishing our press kit which will got out to certain blogs, boutiques, magazines, and local TV stations. Hopefully, we'll have a date soon that we can tell you all about the launch. Oh- and don't worry, we're keeping the blog (it may have a new address, but we'll tell you all), and plan on doing more tutorials soon.

Hannah started making iPad covers and after she made a laptop cover for her computer and mine, she started making more- ours are 15", but as always, we take custom orders, so just email us or convo us on etsy if you're interested in having a one-of-a-kind cover for your latest techie gadget!

Here's a little peek at some of the goodies we've been making:

we're starting to think Spring!

a little craft organizer- grommets are going in the top so you can hang it on the wall

laptop case with my most favorite fabric ever

iPad cases- these were scooped up out of our etsy shop almost as soon as they were listed! yea!

these cute dog collars almost make me wish I had a dog!

So even though we have been working on a lot of logistical things behind the scenes here at FlyChicks, we're still managing to remain crafty and productive (lots of knitting going on too!). Hope you all are enjoying the new year- we're ready for Spring! Can you tell by the purse above with the fun, bright graphics?

Homemade Gifts

2011-01-03T18:57:00.000-06:00

This year, like many in the past, I made a lot of the gifts I gave out for Christmas. I know I teased you a little with last week's post of all the wrapping I did, but I didn't want to give away any clues to my family in case they were reading! So here are some of the gifts I crafted:

I started off with this blue box that housed something in it's former life, then sanded it and painted it black

I bought some pens

a booklight

(I ~~stole~~ borrowed his a couple of years ago)

and found some great printables online including library cards

library envelope templates

bookplate templates

and some cute little list books (this gal also has some super cute books for sale in her etsy shop!)

and put it all together to make a little library kit for my son:

He and I share a love of books and feel a twinge of sadness that it all seems to be going digital, so I thought he'd appreciate this for the books he already owns.

When my son was in town for Thanksgiving, we went to a craft fair and he saw a scarf that resembled this one, but it was grey and it was crocheted. He asked me if I could make one like it in black; I told him I could try knitting one and see how it turned out. He loves it! I'm so glad- it looks great on him, too. It's an infinity scarf, so he can wear it like a chain, or double it up to keep warm.

I decided to "tea stain" some coffee filters and flour sack towels for a few projects. I live in an apartment, and it was 30 degrees out, so I opted to dry them right there in my kitchen window. Once dry, the filters flattened out nicely and held a little texture to make these snowflakes that I used for wrapping the presents.

And with the flour sacks, I ironed them and used freezer paper stencils to make these cute little kitchen towels for my sister:

Other than that, I just printed out some other "freebies" I got off the web, cut them out accordingly, and packaged them as nicely as I could so they could pass for a gift:)

We hope your holidays were filled with warmth and joy and that this new year brings everyone great happiness.

Hannah moved to a new home with her fiance and son over the New Year's weekend and her sewing studio is no longer in the dungeon (the basement)! She couldn't be more excited- so no more pictures with bad lighting- at least from her house. I'm still a night owl, so I'll have to work on that!

Cheers to a great new year!

We're Still Here, We Promise!

2010-12-24T18:04:00.000-06:00

It's just been, well... December. I'm impressed with how many bloggers have been able to post so regularly during such a hectic month. I've taken to a more reflective process and have been busy making gifts. Hannah, her husband, and her son have been passing around every flu bug known to mankind and she has still found time to make several custom orders this month!

But I thought I would show you a little bit of what we've been busy making- mostly stuff that won't give away any Christmas surprises like tags and wrapping. We'll show you more after there is no chance of spoiling any surprises.

It's going to be a very homemade Christmas this year:

I found so much wrapping inspiration on the web this year- love the yarn!

I dyed a bunch of coffee filters, cut them into snowflakes, and added them as an embellishment.

Here, I carved a stamp and used red ink and silver paint pen to spruce up a plain brown gift bag.

On this one, I just used an eraser tip and some white paint to stamp on polka-dots.

I also used an exacto knife to cut out a triangle shape from an eraser to make mini-bunting stamps.

I used all sorts of scrap paper, card stock, stamps, and my sewing machine to make my tags.

Hannah made her son, Jack, a crayon roll- so cute!

Don't worry, he's only 2, so he won't be reading this blog tonight;)

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Don't forget to look for our new website coming soon, in the new year.

New Items in Shop and "About Us"

2010-12-12T21:58:00.000-06:00

After a somewhat stressful week of photo-editing and mini-meltdowns, new items are now in our shop. Some of these items have made an appearance on the blog before, and some may be brand new to you. Also, there are three that I couldn't upload pictures for because, well, I'm really not sure why, but Hannah is going to get those three up and running in the next few days. So check now, and check back in a few days if you like.

There's a pretty big gift giving holiday coming up if you haven't noticed; we're running a FREE SHIPPING special through the end of December for all those who may need some last minute gift ideas.

Also, we had a close, long-time friend and very talented gal write our About Us page. Check that out, too, if you want to know more about FlyChicks and the girls behind it! She put that together as part of the Press Kit we will be sending out in the new year.

We're also working with an extremely talented web-designer who is crafting up a brand spankin' new website for us. We're really excited for the launch of that (look for it at the beginning of the next year) and can't wait to become a real business. Hannah has been busy catching up on custom orders and designing new laptop covers. I don't know how we're ever going to focus; there are always so many great ideas running around in our heads!

Hope your Holiday season is going well!

Winter Projects

2010-12-05T01:08:00.001-06:00

While Hannah's been busy making some pretty great winter clutches (she almost can't keep up with the orders!)...

... I've picked up my knitting again and am working on a couple of different projects:

hmmm- this one is black- any guesses on who this might be for???

(Oh yeah, and I used the self-timer thingy on my camera for the first time!)

What sort of winter projects are you guys working on?

Thanks!

2010-12-04T15:33:00.000-06:00

I totally forgot that I had promised some Thanksgiving pics of all the decorations I made (okay, so I didn't really make a lot, but I'm pretty proud of the ones I did make)! It was a great day and felt wonderful to celebrate amongst family:

The beautiful table (my momma brought dishes, napkins, and some other table decorations, too)

I made the place cards from printable tags that I printed onto adhesive paper and stuck onto folded cardstock.

We placed the tree in a few different areas before dinner so that people could just jot down things they were thankful for as they passed by. I supplied pens, pencils, and paint pens for those who wanted to get real fancy! I wrapped twine around an old container I had and used some Mod Podge to seal it. I brought everything over in a little basket and used pine cones I found in my neighborhood to fill in the blank spaces and also to use as decoration for the final centerpiece.

another view of the tree

For those of you that know our momma, you know this is one of her tags!

We put the tree as the centerpiece right before dinner; it was really funny because we decided to read, out loud, the different "tags" randomly during the dinner conversation.

This is the banner/garland I made using more printables, cardstock, mod podge, and twine.

My mom and my son:) Yes, she is wearing a moose hat- she's got a thing for crazy hats.

just a little watercolor thing I made

yet another printable- just punched some holes in it and strung it with twine

I loved this little printable when I came across it online; there's a lot of variations out there on the "Keep Calm and Carry On" and I really thought this one was cute.

I couldn't have done it without all of the printables I got online. If you are interested in where to get them, see this post. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying the season!

Rock N Roll Craft Show, Reviewed

2010-12-02T01:00:00.000-06:00

If you are local, I hope you made it to last weekend's Rock N Roll Craft Show at the Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis. Oh my goodness- there was so much great local talent- I was floored. It was a show to remember and I can't wait to go again next year; I just hope Hannah and I can get it together in time for FlyChicks to be represented!

Hannah is moving this month and was busy the day we went, so I, along with my mom, her husband, and my son Quentin (who guest posted here!) piled in the car and drove less than a mile (I guess we could have walked, but I'm still recovering from surgery) to the show. First of all, the building is amazeballs and if you all have a chance to go, the third Friday of the month is a sort of Open House and you can see all the cool people blowing glass!

The sun was inTENSE on Saturday, so please forgive some of the pics I took. But here are just some of the great finds you can come to expect at a fun, alternative event like this one:

(disclaimer: I didn't intend on doing a review, just happened to have my camera; I didn't get the names of each vendor, so please go to the RRCS website for more info OR if you know the names of the talented crafters and want them mentioned here, please email me and I will put the info up asap. I tried to link to either their etsy sites or their blogs. Thanks!)

My son loved these kitschy little necklaces!

The Red Anvil

I loved the display- especially how the prices were marked on playing cards and other repurposed cards.

These plush guys were amusing, offbeat, and just plain cool.

Cranky David

various artwork by

Hosey and Pod, Sarah Wyman, Anchovy, and more

Um... I LOVE.

Hosey and Pod

there were tons of little notebooks all around the place

mostly from All Along Press

(my new step-cousin, Serena Perrone, just did an artist in residency here in September; she is a fantastic printmaker! If interested, go to her blog, Print Me Pull You, for some serious inspiration)

Quentin and I loved these handmade journals! He's like his momma when it comes to journals, sketchbooks, school/office supplies- you can never have too many.

Janice Wallace

photo album or large, square, blank sketchbook made out of an old record album- genius!

These journals were probably my favorite- made from vintage hardback books, with blank pages inside for jotting down notes, sketches, ideas- oooo, I covet!

The Fancy Lamb

cute bibs for babies...

and crayon rolls for the older kids!

Owlette Collective

(the crayon rolls remind me of our blog friend, Sam, who makes crayon aprons- so cute!)

Quentin and I took a load off for a few minutes to watch this guy work on a glass blowing project- didn't get his name, he was workin' hard.

We also strolled around the glass blowing studio area and took a look at some of the artisans' products that were also for sale.

Quent and I got a big kick out of this "flattened" bottle!

Beautiful vase- enchanting design!

The colors in these pillows really caught my eye; they'd be great on my couch.

Bruk Longbottom

Thought these were fun!

Wonderful Handmade

Duct tape clutch

Eleven Peacocks

Clutches- I love the one with the doily.

Fancy Lamb

Little coin purses/wallets

Tyrone's Toys

I really dig the tweed and the braided leather- perfect fall/winter purse!

Daughter Designs

All sorts of fun stuff here!

Katatomic Labs, Thrift Store Junkie, Ebba Handmade, Tyrone's Toys

Those green, turquoise and blue felt brooches remind me of another blog friend of ours, Katie of Blue Eyed Freckle.

Felted bracelets

Hypercraftive

Glass blown ornaments by artisans at the Third Degree Glass Factory

Loved this display with the knobs on the frame!

Lala Lori

I also really liked the display of The Foundrie's jewelry.

Sweet roll-up tote

Squaresville

Screen printed apron

Ebba Handmade

I pretty much love this...

Par-tees

and these- anything with elephants, really.

If anyone knows who made the plethora of plaque mounted animal heads that were everywhere, please inform me- I got such a kick out of all of them!

And, there you have it- I hope a lot of you can make it to next year's show. It will be in its eighth season by then. I didn't even mention the wonderful line-up of live music, the coffee, wine, and beer that accompanied this fabulous craft show! So, now I have. Go. Eat. Drink. Listen. Buy handmade. Support your local craft community. My mom and her husband actually got a lot of their Holiday shopping done- yea!

Upcycled Clutch Tutorial

2010-11-29T23:09:00.004-06:00

We'd like to start off by apologizing for two things:

1) Hannah's manicure (or lack thereof)

and

2) The bad lighting- Hannah's studio is in the basement, so we always have to "make it work" when photographing tutorials

Having addressed that (and if you wonder about our thumbs, visit this tutorial for an explanation!), you may need some experience with sewing to understand and follow this tutorial. I tend to "over-explain" so I'm going to try not to do that and let you follow the pictures; if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

We used some brown tweed material from some old pants that Hannah's fiance donated to her stash a few weeks ago. We like to find materials that have had a former life and give them a new, more fabulous life, so we thought these would be perfect! We're also loving all of the felt we've been seeing these days, so we decided to include a little felt flower with a button as an embellishment on the flap. And we used our signature linen for the material on the flap. All parts of the clutch are lined with simple muslin, but you can trade out any materials or prints that you please.

Materials:

- upcycled tweed

- linen

- felt (2 colors)

- button

- sewing thread

- embroidery thread

- fusible fleece (interfacing)

- 2 magnetic snaps

Hannah working on the design

1) Choose fabrics, cut to size, press, iron on fusible fleece

Our measurements are as follows:

-brown tweed (for body of bag) 14" x 7" [2 pieces]

- linen (for flap) 13.5" x 5" [1 piece]; it has to be a 1/2" less so that it fits as a flap later on

-muslin (for lining) 14"x7" [2 pieces] and 13.5" x 5" [1 piece]

-fusible fleece 14" x 7" [2 pieces] and 13.5" x 5"

(when ironing on the fusible fleece, make sure the glue dots are facing the fabric, not the ironing board; Hannah has made that mistake before and doesn't recommend it!)

2) Once all fabrics are cut to size and interfaced with fusible fleece, we're going to work on the flap first. Cut out 2 circles of felt- one of them should be a little larger than the other since you are layering them.

Grab a cute button and some embroidery thread and assemble the flower; sew onto the flap piece:

3) Lay muslin (lining) on top of embellished flap, fold in half, use scissors to round the bottom corners, then unfold and pin together:

4) Sew the muslin to the RIGHT side of the linen flap (making sure not to sew the top edge), leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Cut notches around the rounded corners, then turn right side out:

5) Take to ironing board, press, then topstitch around the sewn edges:

6) Now we will add the magnetic snaps. Since the length of the flap is now 13", we are going to mark our snap placement at 3" and at 10". Use a fabric pencil to mark your snap places (yeah, I know, we used a pen). Cut 2 small holes on either side of your placement; the snap legs will go through these. Make sure to only cut through the muslin lining, not the linen front:

A trick for making sure the snaps stay sturdy throughout the life of the purse, is to fold up a square of lightweight fusible fleece, cut two notches in it and place the snap legs through those on the inside of the flap (between the muslin and the linen layers). Slip the little disc (that comes with the snaps) over the snap, and use pliers to fold the legs inward. Trim fusible fleece.

7) Once you've added the two snaps on the flap, it's time to line it up on the body of the bag. Although we haven't sewn the body yet, you can place your flap on top of one of the brown tweed pieces to see where the "receiver" snaps should be placed. Remember- your flap will be about an inch narrower than the body; also, leave some room at the top of the flap for some give (about 1-2"). We really just eyed it here:

(place "receiver" snaps in the same manner as above)

8) Make sure the snaps all line up, then remove the flap. Now we'll sew up the body of the bag. Place right sides together, pin, and sew along the two sides and the bottom. Trim any excess and the corners:

9) Now we'll sew up the body's lining, made out of the muslin. Pin right sides together (with muslin, there's not really a "right" side), and sew, making sure to leave a 4-5" hole at the bottom. Again, trim any excess and corners:

10) Turn the lining right side out and put it into the body of the bag so that RIGHT sides of the lining are facing the RIGHT sides of the body (body is inside out at this point).

Okay, here's where it can get tricky. Place the flap with the flower side facing the back of the body of the bag (where snap receivers aren't), pin around the opening, and have the flap come up about 1/2" more than the bag and lining for room to allow some give. Make sure to line up the seams, and sew around the opening where you pinned:

11) Now, turn your purse right side out through the hole in the lining and push the corners out with your fingers. Almost done...

12) Pin around the top to keep the lining in place and topstitch around the opening with matching or coordinating thread (we used gray on top and white on bottom). Sew up the hole in the lining, and you're finished!

Feel free to add your own flair or mix it up a little. Hope you enjoyed our tutorial; check out some of our other great tutorials on our Tutorial Page for more inspiration!

linking to: Todays Creative Blog

hello im emilys son quentin.

2010-11-28T00:48:00.000-06:00

hello im quentin. emilys son. im on thanksgiving break here to visit my momma and thought I might write something to post on her blog. she tells me that she uses me in a lot of examples for her projects. happy holidays.

quentin was here!:)

Retro Clutch Madness

2010-11-23T11:48:00.006-06:00

Recently I treated myself to a smart phone. I figured if Emily and I were going to try and get this FlyChicks business off the ground, we would need access to the Internet at any given moment. You see, when you own a smart phone, it's nearly impossible not to download apps. Samantha, from Bobaloo, mentioned a really cool app for Android smart phones. Retro Camera. I haven't stopped using it since I downloaded it! I LOVE IT! It takes great fun pics.

So I decided to try it out on my latest project. Hope you enjoy the pics!

Thanksgiving Teaser

2010-11-21T20:38:00.000-06:00

My whole family knows I'm not too keen on cooking; it's just a fact. I do try to help out around the holidays, but I decided this year to just take over the decorating. Well, not takeover, per se- our older sister, Carrie, is having Thanksgiving at her house this year and she is a fabulous decorator (I really think that is her calling!). But after I showed her some of the fantastic ideas I've been spotting all over the interwebs this year, she has given me free reign. And I've been having so much fun with it, I thought I'd share a little sneak peek of what I've been working on:

Oh the awesome ideas that keep swirling around in my head! I can't wait to put it all together and share so much thanks and giving with my family on Thursday. I also thought that I would post some links to a few "freebie printables" that you all might enjoy and be able to use this year. So here are some links to things that I plan on using.

-Labels from Just Something I Made
-Thanksgiving Sign from Craftily Ever After
-Medallion Clip Art from Martha Stewart
-Alphabet Garland from Martha Stewart
-Fall Themed Tags from Creature Comforts
-Vintage Labels from World Label
-also inspired by this Bookpage Wreath from Under the Table and Dreaming
More pics to come hopefully Friday or Saturday! Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!!!

Fly? Oh, we are!

2010-11-16T22:58:00.000-06:00

New website coming soon...

A Post, in Pictures

2010-11-11T19:21:00.001-06:00

(all artwork, photos, and purses made by two super-fly chicks)

A New Clutch for a New Day!

2010-11-09T14:32:00.007-06:00

Well, it's not exactly for me. A friend in California put in a special request for a missoni zigzag print clutch. I found this similar knock off fabric the other day at Hancock, and thought it just might work out.

So, Beth...without further ado, your new clutch! Hope you will enjoy :)

Calendar/Planner Makeover

2010-11-07T23:23:00.001-06:00

Each year, no matter how loved my planner has been (even if it's rarely used and is refill-able), I feel this urge to buy a new one- no matter what. Yes, it seems wasteful, especially back when I used to buy fancy leather planners, but there's just something about a brand new planner for a brand new year. Like a fresh start or something.

Well, last year I think I procrastinated well into January before I bought one. It was bright orange- see, me and color, we have an understanding. I make sure there is color in my life at all times- especially during those cold, gray, dreary winter months. So I thought bright orange was right up my alley (plus it matched my new wallet!). Well, it's a refill-able kind and I thought that in the spirit of thriftiness, the economy (and my personal financial situation!), and craftiness, that I would just do a little makeover on it so that it seemed new to me. And I'm getting a head start on it!

Of course Mod Podge is involved, and I took a lot of pictures, so it is pretty self-explanatory. I'll chime in when it's helpful, but here are the materials I used:
-Mod Podge
-Ruler
-Exacto knife
-Maps
-Kraft Paper

(I apologize in advanced for the bad light and difference- part was shot at night, and the rest was shot the next morning- oh yeah, and I painted my nails in between!)

Before:

Sorry- I took the inserts out before I decided to do a tutorial

there- I put 'em in a shot for ya'!

Cut Kraft paper to size:

Find a font you like, print out- this will become a template/stencil:

Cut out letters

(set aside for later)

I love maps, so I invested in a big road atlas a while ago-$3.99!

Choose any map you please (or other sort of decorative paper, if you like):

Cut out square or rectangle, size depending on how big your font template is:

Commence the 'Podge-ing:

(if you've never used Mod-Podge before, it's basically like glue AND sealer- it's tha' bomb- also, go see Amy for all sorts of great Mod Podge ideas!)

To figure out where I wanted my stencil placed, I scored (folded) the kraft paper around the edges of the hard plastic of the planner, then turned it over to center the stencil:

while I was at it, I went ahead and used my exacto knife to cut out little notches to make folding the corners down easier:

Loosely attach stencil with masking tape so that it won't scoot around:

Trace letters. Cut out:

'Podge up the front of the cover (I did it in 3 sections so I could work out the bubbles and wrinkles without too much stress):

Lay kraft paper on top, being careful to center the stencil where you want it

You can use a credit card or a sturdy piece of cardboard to smooth out the surface- I used a post-it stack because it was close- most of the wrinkles will come out during the sealing layers of Mod Podge anyway:

I scored the ridges of the spine with my fingernail:

Work your way around the front, then flip to the interior and glue down the side flaps, and then the top flaps:

Here's how I did the corners:

If your corners are rounded, just flip it over to make sure you've rounded it, too (this can easily be achieved with a little pinching and pushing):

Use a layer of Mod Podge to "seal" the paper (I end up doing 2-3 layers so I know it will stand up to some roughness):

Now onto making the inside of the planner look pretty- grab a larger piece of map and cut to just under the size of the open planner:

I recently got a coveted item on my craft wish list (thanks to a 40%off coupon to my fave art store)- a corner rounder! I just think it makes projects look so much neater. So- if you have one, use it now:

(if not, don't worry about it)

Brush a layer of Mod Podge all over the inside cover (after the outer cover is dry, of course):

and place map on top of the podge

then 'podge over the map (again, I did this2-3 times, letting it dry between layers):

Let dry and reattach the inserts...

And here you have it- a brand new planner!

Now all I have to do is buy new inserts and I'm good to go for 2011:

(I got a stubborn bubble at the bottom, but it's sealed really well, so I'm not too worried)

So go ahead- you know you have something that wants a new life! We'd love to see pictures of any project you come up with. Happy 'Podge-ing (yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a made up word)!

Baby Shower Invitation Bust

2010-10-29T14:15:00.016-05:00

First off, this is Hannah. The other half to Fly Chicks! Emily is the one who brings you all those wonderful posts that make up our blog. There is a reason for that! I am HORRIBLE with words. That's why I just stick to the safer side of sewing and creating.

On that note, I was kind of "nominated" to plan a family member's baby shower. I am not a planner. Never have been. I am not really the organized type. Once again, why Emily runs this blog. Soooooo, after a week or so of putting off shopping for invitations, I finally had a bright idea! I was going to find some free printable personalized invites online! I did some searching until, VOILA! I came across great website, Invitationland.com. This website has a decent amount of free templates that you can choose your own colors, fonts, etc. With one picked out, I proceeded with the editing process.

Then, after numerous proofreadings (more on that later), I moved on to the printing options!

With my printer working at best quality, printing out 25 copies, it was then that I realized...UH OH, there was an error. Somehow, when I was working on the editing process, at the bottom of the invites I added the words "RSVP to". Somewhere during that process, it added it twice without any warning. 22 copies down, I cancelled the printing process and went back to edit once more.

Round two: (ding, ding)

With problem numero uno out of the way, I went under printing options to continue with the process. Successfully printing 25 copies, I sat down at my dining room table, metal ruler and rotary cutter in hand. It took a little longer than I would have wanted, but the final product was so much better than if I were to have used scissors.

While attempting to "organize" everything from stamps to envelopes to addresses, I proudly looked at my stack of freshly cut invites and then it happened...I had added the wrong zip code for the party's location. (snap)

Using pretty much my favorite curse word ever a hundred times, I gathered my thoughts, calmed myself down, and went back to the drawing boards. (Now is when it is always great to have someone else around to proofread your proofreading...well, even better than now is before you even press the print button the first time)

Zip code changed, I printed, AGAIN, and watched as the sad invites came out of the printer, one by one.

Then, I noticed...there was no "RSVP" anywhere! With my ink cartridge running pretty darn low at this point, and it isn't more than 3 months old, I made the executive decision that I would use the newest copies, sans RSVP, and go on with my day. Really?!?! What the harm in that?

So people, bottom line of this awesome story is, proofread, proofread, proofread. Then get someone else to proofread! Overall though, my experience with Invitationland.com was a good one. I guess all that craziness was my fault, and hence the reason on why I don't pursue the planning of things!

Here's to a happy weekend!

Fun New Things

2010-10-24T12:31:00.000-05:00

In the great words of rapper, Ice Cube, "Today was a good day" (I won't go into the rest of the lyrics because despite my recent love for this, I am truly a pacifist). Hannah came over early with the sweetest surprise- my nephew (it's been a while since I had surgery and I was having withdrawals)! While he and I hung out, his momma took some great new shots of some of the things we are thinking about using for our press kit- samples, if you will.

We set up the paints for the little guy, but I have restrictions on movement and couldn't bend over to reach the paper! So I just sat there and encouraged him. (Oh yeah, and although we believe he's a genius, his mom wrote his name on the paper)

Here are some pics of what we want to send with the Press Kit to the baby boutique- fabric basket, burp cloth, and washcloth- I LOVE the fabric (it may have a little something to do with my obsession with elephants)!

And here are two clutches- the flap material is a thick, grey cotton, but it sorta' comes out looking like denim- which it's not! (no offense to denim-lovers!)

and another clutch- I just love the lines and shape of this one and it has the cutest little button!

And then... I took my walker (whom we've nicknamed "Bessie" out on the roof for a little sunshine; I've been stuck in the house too long!)

I even had enough strength to work on some creative musings of my own- this is a watercolor study of a "before" and "after" of my right hip:

What has your weekend looked like? Any fun projects? Time with family? Chillin' at home? We'd love to hear how our readers spend their weekends!

Etsy Outfit

2010-10-23T00:35:00.001-05:00

Okay, since we're in the business of handmade, after my last post I started thinking about a challenge for myself: to create a similar look all with items from Etsy! Here's what I came up with...

Info on where to get the above items (starting from upper right and going clockwise):
-Scarf by House of Mofei
-Ring by Ring Ring Ring
-Earrings by Rio Rita
-Boots (pattern) by Flower Girl Design
-Wrap Top by Studio Shihar
-Leggings with foldover skirt by Sandmaiden

Whaddya' think? You can put together your own Etsy Treasuries and make wishlists for the upcoming holidays...

Afterthought: After posting this, I decided to add up the two outfits to compare- mind you I didn't even look at prices when putting either of these two posts together (it's supposed to be a dream wishlist!) and here's the damage:
Polyvore outfit: $969
Etsy outfit: $283

Who says buying handmade has to cost more???

My Fall/Winter "Go-To" Outfit

2010-10-17T23:28:00.000-05:00

I got to go outside today with the help of Hannah and managed to look somewhat pulled together (at least more-so than I have all week!) but that doesn't stop a girl from dreamin'!

I guess you could sum up my style as "comfy-casual" most of the time and so I'm pretty low-maintenance in that sense. This is an outfit I put together on Polyvore- granted I doubt I could ever afford it, but if I could, I would so buy something like this.

for details and pricing go here

I am in love with sweater wraps and gray is so neutral that you can accessorize with color in other parts of the outfit. I'm 6' tall, so flat boots seem to work best for me. Although it's taken a while, ruffles are actually starting to grow on me- as long as they are used sparingly- so I thought this blue scarf would be a perfect accent to this particular outfit. I normally wouldn't go so dressy with the earrings, but I kinda just fell for these when I saw them.

I was so thankful a couple of years ago when leggings came back into style (I've even been known to sport some legwarmers!) because they are so comfortable and you can dress them up or down- as long as my top covers my bottom, I'm good to go. A white, fitted shirt is a basic in any wardrobe, right?

What are some of your Fall/Winter staples that you can't live without?

Autumn Inspiration

2010-10-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, I'm going to be laid up recovering from an operation during one of the prettiest times of the year. So in lieu of going outside to see all the colors changing, I've been surfing the web for some "pretty". Here are just a few images I'm using for inspiration:

source

What's inspiring you lately?

All of Our Ducks in a Row

2010-10-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

Well, really, they're chicks. Aren't they cute? Remember when I found them via Jinjerup? (you can download them for free here) I've just been waiting to get a new ink cartridge before printing them out and this weekend, I did just that!

This weekend, Hannah and I also got down to business. And I mean Business with a capital B! We spent most of Saturday not doing the fun stuff (i.e. making fun things for you all) and just decided to focus on the behind the scenes stuff. We got out our creative business books and got to work on a Business Plan, marketing strategies, long-term goals, and much more.

We also re-photographed all of our goods that are in our Etsy shop to see if that and re-newing our listings would help sales. Within twelve hours, we had ourselves a sale, so that was nice!

We've also decided to hold regularly scheduled meetings which is a must if we are to keep up with all that we want to accomplish. Keep comin' back and keep an eye on our Etsy shop for new items. We listed that orange handbag and two wallets, so if you like those, head on over and pick something up- trust me, they will brighten your day!

Oh Brother...

2010-10-08T09:36:00.000-05:00

Yep, you may have heard the hype- here's Hannah's new machine. Immediately upon purchase, she took it down to her "dungeon" (basement studio) and got right to work. Here are a few things she made before getting in a new shipment of fabric. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Photos courtesy of Hannah's new smartphone which has an app that does cool things to your pics! (sorry, just didn't know how to word that one)

A Couple of Quotes

2010-10-06T18:15:00.000-05:00

My good friend, Dara, is the "Quote Queen". She always has the most wonderful quote to share for every occasion. I'm pretty sure she's been hoarding them in her mind since childhood and I could not be more grateful (they helped me through a divorce and are now helping my mom through her cancer)! I happened upon a great quote from Kind Over Matter a couple days ago that I've heard before but seem to always need to be reminded of by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross : "People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle & shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within."

There is a new pond just outside the hospital I go to for treatment of a chronic medical condition and I didn't realize there was actually a great quote hidden in the architecture. Well, it's not exactly hidden, I've just never taken the time to stop and really look at it. I had some extra time the other day in between appointments and luckily had my camera with me to capture some of the beauty. I only got part of the quote in the pics, so I'll share the entirety of it here. "Hope is the thing with feathers—That perches in the soul—And sings the tune without the words—And never stops—at all". (It's actually from a poem that can be found here in its entirety)

I hope these photographs and words may inspire you, too, to keep holding on in times of darkness or being unsure of yourself.

On a brighter note, Hannah and I went out Monday afternoon to get her a brand spankin' new sewing machine and boy has she been busy! I know I've been promising some great new Fall merchandise, but we had a little bump in the road. Check back soon; I plan on taking pictures this week of new items! We're sew excited! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

If Only

2010-10-03T19:57:00.000-05:00

It's not often that I use a hairdryer to dry my hair, but if I did, I don't think anything could top this:

Unfortunately it was sold earlier today.

Images found at WHORANGE.

Item and other great vintage finds may be found here.

DIY Capiz Shell Chandelier

2010-10-02T14:08:00.001-05:00

Remember this post? Well it took me long enough, but I finally finished it! And Kimberly was right- it is a DIY Capiz Shell chandelier. I got the tutorial from Design Sponge, here, and I think it turned out okay! It's much better than what was there before:

I live in a rental, so that explains the ugly fixture.

And after the Shell Chandelier...

Sure, there are things I may do differently next time (use thinner ribbon, make it more symmetrical, etc), but I think it definitely makes my bedroom just a little more romantic. And though I rarely admit it, I'm a romantic at heart!

A Little More Crafty Love

2010-10-01T15:53:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Hannah's sewing machine is broken at the moment (we entered to win one on a local TV show, so our fingers are crossed!) so we're on break from producing anything at the moment. But I thought I'd show you a little project I did for my sons' new (6 month old) little brother. I was getting ready to send my son that Skull Notebook I made for him not too long ago so I thought this would also be a good time to give his baby brother a little something.

My son's father re-married a beautiful woman (inside and out!) a couple of years ago and recently had a little one. The baby came a little early and then summer was here and things were a bit crazy for a while, so I thought I'd make her a late (sorry!) baby shower gift. Remember those freezer paper stencils I did for my friends' kids a while back? Well, I thought about what I could do for a boy- I chose a rubber ducky for one, and a sock monkey for the other (his mom loves monkeys!).

I can't believe I photographed them on top of my dirty lookin' craft table, but it's all dry paint, so it didn't hurt the baby onsies:)

And then, I decided to try my own version of a burp cloth. Hannah has done a few for friends of hers using cute fabric on one side and just white terrycloth on the other. I didn't have any terrycloth, but I did have some white gauzy material that I thought might work. I just doubled it up, sewed it together and then used the blue striped fabric (all the other fabric I have is pretty girly) in a sort of cloth diaper pattern. I think it turned out pretty cute!

I just love making stuff for people! I hope the baby likes it!

Hannah is the Bomb

2010-09-29T18:22:00.001-05:00

Yep- don't know

why I didn't post these pics sooner. I was a big loser on my birthday and didn't feel like making a fuss, but my sisters came over that night to give me their presents (and their presence!). A little birdy must have told Carrie that I was wanting some paints because she gave me a gift certificate to my fave art store, Art Mart.

And Hannah decided to put her craftiness to work! She made me this cute little cloth basket and did her first ever Mod Podge project (we joked that Mod Podge Amy would be so proud!). They are both so cute and thoughtful and color coordinated...

I put the paints I bought with my gift certificate in my new basket!

I snagged this from Hannah's studio a while ago- she claimed it was a "mess up", that it was too long, and that I could have it if I wanted it. Um... Yes! Perfect for my paint brushes and the bag and basket look so cute together, don't ya' think?

She spray painted a wooden tray with gold spray paint and found some coordinating decorative paper, cut it to size, and 'podged it right on there! I love it.

And then a few days later, Hannah showed up at my house with this print she found on Etsy from LuckyBluebirdArt that she thought I'd like- she was right! We found a perfect spot in between some colored homemade poms on the wall. Most of my room is black, beige, and white, so I love looking up at these pops of color.

Thank you, sisters- this really brightened my September. I've got the best family in the world!!!

Why Hello There, Autumn

2010-09-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

Today it really feels like Fall. I know that officially, it has been for a few days now, but I've been in denial. Lack of posts may have a little something to do with me grieving the end of my favorite season. Although we had a sticky, hot summer here in St. Louis, I'll take that over cold and gray any day!

But through the miracle of technology and social networking, I could see that Hannah made her first pot of chili today. I imagined her home smelling of yummy goodness, while she put a puzzle together with her son on the floor, and then maybe making a bag or two. She just finished making her best friend a handbag with really great fall colors and wrapped it right up for the birthday party that evening. She broke ten needles making that bad boy, so I didn't want to bother her for pictures. She's also mastered a pretty cool laptop bag design which were also snapped up before we could get good photos.

Hope everyone's weekend was great and here's a tip if you, too, are grieving the end of Summer. Go out and buy yourself some nice scented candles (pumpkin spice, apple pie, and vanilla are my Fall standbys), light them, and embrace the season. Things always seem better when it smells good!

Birthday Lunch

2010-09-17T00:31:00.000-05:00

My beautiful and thoughtful mother took me out for a birthday lunch this afternoon. I couldn't think of a place I wanted to go, so she suggested an incredible place that she had been a few times (she always goes to new places and seems to know the "dish" on them- pun intended!).

This place is in the Central West End of St. Louis; if you are local, you must go. If I explained this place, it simply wouldn't do it justice. So you can go here for more info, and I've uploaded some pics I took while I was there. I'm not in much of a mood to write, so I will just leave you with this afternoon's photographs. Thank you, Mommy!!! You are the best:)

Happy Birthday to all the VIRGOs out there!!!

Skull Notebook Tutorial

2010-09-10T18:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! I have just finished up a spectacular notebook make-over. I've been wanting to do something crafty for my son for a while now to celebrate going back to school and incorporate some of the things he loves. So I put together a little care package with a variety of items that will hopefully be fun for him. He's really into skulls, so I decided to incorporate that theme into his notebook/journal.

I was inspired by a Pottery Barn knock-off skull print I saw here from a fellow crafter/blogger. So I went to the Graphics Fairy, saved this to my pics, and printed it out on some lightweight card stock that I had laying around. I then gathered up my supplies and got to work! Here's what you'll need:

- a notebook (I used a b&w composition notebook that I picked up for 25cents)
- skull print
- decorative paper
- Mod Podge
- scissors
- exacto/utility knife
- paintbrush (I used a 1" for all of it)
- waxed paper (optional)
- card (credit card-ish, optional) for smoothing out wrinkles/air bubbles

1) Start off by choosing what kinds of paper you want to use. For this particular project, I used a bunch of different kinds that I scavenged out of my art cabinet; I used card stock for the front cover base, construction paper for the back of the notebook and for the interiors, and watercolor paper for part of the front and for the inside envelope.

Cover the front of your notebook with Mod Podge:
(you can choose whether or not to go over the spine with some podge- I didn't at first, then changed my mind later)

2) Lay a piece of card stock (or whatever paper you want to use for this part) over the Mod Podged surface.

You can use an old credit card (or library card, video card, etc) to smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles. Do this carefully but firmly so you don't tear the paper. Even if you do get a couple wrinkles, it's no biggie.

*also- I forget where I saw this, but it's a lot easier to put the paper down on the MP'd surface and then cut it to size with an exacto knife after it dries- it's so much better than trying to cut the paper to the right dimensions, then gluing! *

3) I like to use waxed paper between things when using any sort of adhesive to prevent sticking, so slap a piece of it on top of your cover, weigh down with books, and let dry (I let mine dry overnight). This step also helps prevent warping of the cover.

4) Once dry, remove the heavy books, set down on a safe cutting surface, and trim off the excess card stock from the front cover.

(so as not to confuse you guys, my card stock was light grey on one side/top and dark grey on the other/bottom)

and it will look like this:

(see? I got a wrinkle at the upper right corner, but I'm not sweatin' it- I know it will all work out!)

5) Gather your decorative papers and your skull print and play around a little with the composition and how you may want your cover to look. I didn't really measure anything at this point, I just sort of "eyed it" until I saw what I liked. Then, cut your papers accordingly and start layering with Mod Podge.

Again, I put a piece of waxed paper just inside the cover because I knew this part would get messy! I started this step by podge-ing the whole cover, then placing the white paper on top. Then I podged the white paper all over and placed the black construction paper on top. Then I podged the black paper all over and placed the skull print on top. Finally, I podged on top of the skull print and left to dry! Lots of layers, people, lots of layers!

Okay- it looks all funky now, but once it's dry, trust me- it'll look great!

6) You could stop here, but why? I didn't like the look of the inside covers of these kinds of notebooks, so I decided to cover the rest (back cover and both interiors) with plain black construction paper. Now I know that isn't the best or sturdiest of paper, but I figured once it was sealed in Mod Podge, it would be just fine.

But I also wanted to add a little something to the inside front cover and thought an envelope would be perfect for my son to keep secret notes in. So I went through my stash of Thank You cards and found a cool square envelope to make a template out of. So here's an easy way to make a template:

a) find an envelope that you like the shape and size of

b) "undo" (tear carefully) the glued parts

c) place deconstructed envelope on plain white paper

d) trace around the edges

e) cut out- and voila- you have a template to use for future projects!

Okay, okay... so now that you've got an envelope template, find some paper you'd like to use and I used another skull image I printed off (from a stencil site that I can no longer find).

7) Use your template and trace onto your choice of paper (I used a stiff watercolor paper- next time I think I'll use something a little thinner and more malleable as it is kinda' difficult to tuck in the top part)

fold up the envelope, starting with the bottom flap, then the two sides

Now take some glue (I just used plain old white glue like Elmer's or something) and apply only to the sides where it touches the bottom flap

8) Next, I brushed some podge onto the back of my second skull image and centered it (more or less!) onto the envelope. I stuck a little scrap of waxed paper inside the envelope where the top of the skull image was still wet. I also later decided to podge over this skull image since everything else was sorta' sealed with it and I thought it looked better that way.

I podged all over the black construction paper that was on the inside cover and placed the envelope on top. Then I layed books on top and let it dry.

All RIGHT! Once you have everything where you want it, and everything is Mod Podged down with at least one coat (I ended up doing two on the front), you're FINISHED! Yea!

This particular project took a couple of days only because I decided to do both interior and exterior of both front and back covers (that's a lot of drying time). But if you just want to start off doing the outside front cover until you get the hang of things, then that's still cool- there's tons of great images out there for kids of all ages.

This would also be a great guest book for a Halloween party or something. The possibilities are endless- have fun!

Blog Lovin'

2010-09-05T23:33:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, I've had to lay low this weekend, and it's probably the most beautiful weather we've had here in the Midwest in months! But... I've been able to work a little more on some projects and I've also been doing some blog surfing. I can't even remember how I came across this, but I immediately knew I had to have it.

There are so many wonderful people and fellow bloggers who offer free things to download and print. This particular one is so freakin' cute and since we are Fly Chicks, well, it just fits.

I don't know about you, but when I read I always tend to "dogear" the pages when I'm trying to keep my place. Most of my books end up with many creased pages as I often take books along with me when I go places and have to stash it quickly back into my FlyChicks purse or tote. I also like to mark certain pages that have words or quotes that have inspired me in some way so that I can refer back to them in a pinch.

Jinjerup offers this printable freebie in a variety of colors; I'm downloading all of them. My printer has been slowly running out of the color ink and I've been printing things off, each time just crossing my fingers that there is enough left. I'm definitely waiting until I get a refill because the colors are so vibrant and fun. And just in time for Back to School, too!

Oh yeah, and there's a little tutorial she gives for cutting out and using these cute little chicks... Happy Reading!

Sneak Peek at Upcoming Projects

2010-09-03T09:04:00.000-05:00

I'm in the middle of a few new projects around here...

Here's a sneak peek:

any guesses? (hint: it will illuminate my life)

Have a fabulous Friday!

Crafty Chicas

2010-08-30T19:09:00.000-05:00

Hannah and I have started experimenting with the whole "paper flower" thing, so I thought I'd show you some of the results...

dyed coffee filter flowers (next to my buddha bank that my son got for me!)

these were lots of fun

tissue paper flowers- I can't wait to do more, I want a whole wall full of these!

my "jewelry wall" with some more experimental paper flowers...

bookpages

maps (I used an atlas I got on sale at Borders for 3.99)

elementary school writing paper

(this was actually the perfect texture/thickness)

coffee filter decorative ball with paper garland in background

I made this with maps (I have a thing for maps), cardstock, scrapbook paper, and my handy sewing machine

We also experimented with freezer paper stencils and we were hooked!

Hannah made some tees for her toddler using robot, a faux tux, and car designs

then I made some tees and onesies for a friend of mine who has two little girls

so cute, right?

What sorts of creative things have YOU been working on lately?

Another Shop Update

2010-08-29T23:23:00.000-05:00

Hannah is unstoppable! More goodies in the shop now; go here and find something you like.

She's mastered the "boxy" cosmetic bags and they are even lined with a clear plastic (except one) so that if your make up spills, it won't ruin the interior! Cute coordinating fabric+boxy design= SUPERFLY

Go! Shop! Now!

Facebook Fan Page coming soon...

Stella and Dot Giveaway

2010-08-27T13:14:00.000-05:00

My girl, Katie, over at Blue Eyed Freckle, is hosting a giveaway for some awesome Stella and Dot jewelry! Head over to her blog for the rules and enter for your chance to win some super fly earrings or a necklace. And check out Katie's site- it is one of my faves. This girl is so stinkin' creative and talented! AND... she's got the same nickname as I do:)

ELDENWA Designs

2010-08-25T11:55:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend, I got to reconnect with one of my old pals from Middle School, Ellen Wagner. As much as Facebook gets bad press for certain things, I have had some seriously positive experiences using the social networking website. For instance, when Ellen and I got to talking on FB, we realized that we had a similar interest of creating things. She lives in New York now and works as an art director, fashion designer, illustrator, and stylist. And she recently began creating things and selling them at the Brooklyn Craft Market, street fairs, and online as well.

She wanted a place in St. Louis to sell some of her wares and she found it at Imported Designs, a little boutique in the Central West End that features interior design services and some very talented local artists. She had a grand opening this past Sunday and I felt so honored to share in the fun and talent of a such a beautiful lady! Hannah came with me to show support and take pics; here are just a few shots from the evening:

Me and Ellen!

woven necklaces

earrings in every color to match any outfit!

fun anklets

more woven necklaces

headbands

display

Hannah and me modeling some of the necklaces

exterior of Imported Designs

It was an absolutely beautiful evening with live music, beautiful centerpieces, hors d'oeuvres, and a very talented designer. I even bought a super fly bracelet!

Thank you, Ellen, for bringing your creations to St. Louis!

for more info on Ellen and her designs:

eldenwaclothing.etsy.com

elleniscreative.tumblr.com

elleniscreative.com

elleniscreative@gmail.com