Favorite Things Friday: The Purl Bee

I know. Sheer, unadulterated incredible.

This beautiful Liberty of London fabric sample display wall is installed at the new PurlSoho.

But why can't it magically and simultaneously be installed at my house?

{Image from the Purl Bee blog. There's so much more loveliness to explore on the blog and at the online shop of PurlSoho.}

DIY Thursday: Chiffon Flowers

What a busy week I've had! What, you ask, have I been doing with myself these past few days? Well, I've been eating what seems like truckloads of birthday desserts with ma famille, working on some new pieces soon to be introduced at August Art Trail and in my Etsy shop, and enjoying having my husband all to myself again! (Take that, TTU Graduate School!)

And I've also been inspired and excited to try out some DIY projects lately as well. The one I'm featuring today was posted on Project Wedding and created by Livy Kanaley, who I'm sure you've all noticed I have a fairly advanced and serious girl crush on. Feast your eyes on these dreamy chiffon and tulle flowers.

 

 

 

  

You'll find full instructions for the DIY here on Project Wedding.

(All photos taken by Livy Kanaley of A Field Journal.)

You Can Call Me the Cowardly Lion

I have a confession to make: I chickened out. When I realized last week how little time there is left before we leave for England, and how busy I'm going to be until that time with finishing up work things and putting the house in some kind of order, I forced myself to admit that making a travel bag of my own is probably not going to happen. So I did some searching on Etsy, and found this beauty.

Adjustable strap. Check.

Spacious inside. Check.

Custom zipper closure. Check.

No outside pockets from which things can be picked. Check.

Bright yellow color so Nathan can make sure he's holding hands with the correct American tourista. Check.

Large bow and pleats. Double check.

Being able to cross one more thing off of my to-do list. Priceless.

And thank you, Etsy. Yet again, you save the day.

DIY Thursday: Sweet Hand-sewn Ruffle Frame

I'm getting so excited about re-situating my work room, and finally having a place for my cute, newly-whitewashed vintage sewing table! In celebration of many sewing projects to come, I am particularly happy to point you toward Courtney's blog, where she shows you how she made this adorable fabric ruffle frame.

I'm definitely going to do that. Spotted via A Beautiful Mess, here.

Project

In two months and one day hub and I will be off on our brilliant English vacation! Hooray! Our new passports have arrived, all of our lodgings are booked, activities are planned, and all that remains is for me to get to work on the bag I've planned to make which shall accompany us on all outings and innings and sight-seeings and explorations. I have several larger bags which would do, but I want this one to be a little more versatile; I'd like the strap to be adjustable so that I can make it longer when I want to wear it cross-shoulder, then shorter again when I want to do the typical single-shoulder thing. It also has to go with everything, so it will most likely be a solid natural linen or something of that sort. The style is what I haven't fully decided on yet. Here are some lovely bags I've been admiring on Etsy lately, beginning with the first, Array Corrente handbag from coriehumble, which was my initial inspiration.

Next up, this great ruched leather bag by iragrant, whose large totes I've been a fan of for a long time.

This pretty pink one by ZhenUNleathers also caught my eye (obviously) and has some details that I like.

While we're on the subject of pretty pink bags, I had to include this one from CindyMars7. I love the contrasting placket on the top, accented with a doily, lace, and a button. I also really like the pleats. I think this is a shape and style I might try and replicate if only I can get those pleats right!

But if I were going to add a color accent to a neutral bag, it would be yellow. I'm currently smitten with yellow, and it probably has a lot to do with the fact that it seems to announce summer and warmth and lightness, and I don't think I could be any more tired of winter and cold and cloudiness. Ugh. So this charming bag by CalviRee is perfect, plus the fun burlap ticking straps (which I already have in my fabric stock, actually).

But even those ticking straps can be beat by a whacking great bow. If the pleats don't work out, I'm pretty sure I can manage a huge bow -- and on it goes! to mask all technical deficiencies and make the world right again! (Yellow Harris bag by breagha.)

So there you are. My bag may be a strange combination of all of the above, or it may look like none of them in particular. I make no boasts about my proficiency as a seamstress. Single stitch in straight lines is about the extent of my expertise. So wish me luck!

Oh, and send me photos or links to other bags you think I might like to see; I never get tired of bags!

Wish List Wednesday: Emersonmade

I want all of the following, from Emersonmade. These are going on all future birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day, half-birthday, Easter, and Labor Day gift lists permanently. As in, for. ever.

(All of these charming photos pulled from the emersonmade shop site. Also, you absolutely must check out the blog. It's magical and wondrous.)

Etsy Treasure Tuesday: Love Mae

I really think the idea of reusuable wall decals is cool (especially chalkboard ones for the kitchen!), but most wall decals are vinyl, solid-colored, and seem a little flat and lifeless. But these wonderful ones from Love Mae are fabric, reusable, washable, and come in charming prints, colors, and shapes. I fell in love at once.

And even better, you can get mini versions of most of these designs and others for journals, laptops, and other smaller surfaces at the sister shop, Mini Mae!

(All products and images pulled from the Love Mae and Mini Mae stores.)

Favorite Things Friday

I've been kind of sad for the past couple of days over some potentially worrisome and depressing news, and have been trying to cheer myself up with pretty things. In case you need cheering up too, I thought I'd share them with you.

spring line: emma cassi

lace lightshade: nice

lace bowls: dottie angel

studio: dottie angel's flickr

button necklace: simple tess' flickr

danni's studio: oh, hello friend

tamar's flickr favorites: nest, pretty things

Happy Friday, and happy weekend, friends. What I want for my weekend: the sun to come out, my mood to lighten, to get some new items photographed and listed in my jewelry and destash shops, and to spend some time with my sweet husband in between his lengthy sessions of militant research.

DIY Thursday: Fabric Roses

I'm sure that you've been seeing these gorgeous fabric rose bib necklaces and accessories everywhere if you visit Etsy on a regular basis, and I've been really wanting to try them for myself. I'm not really a huge, chunky necklace kind of girl, so my preferred avenue would probably be headbands and brooches. I picked up this charming little stretchy headband from the magnificent lou and lee for Cate at Christmas, and have been searching for a good fabric rose tutorial ever since. I finally found one last week at a crafty blog called Everyday Chaos, and the instructions are really clear and detailed. I bought some cute plaid and gingham fabric this past weekend, along with a pretty light blue seersucker I've already used to cover a wooden bangle, and I hope to be able to make some progress on new headbands this weekend.

(Headband by Byrdferth on Etsy; photo pulled from the item listing here.)

I'll give the abbreviated tutorial in photos, but be sure and check out the full project instructions here if you decide to try it. I'll keep you posted, and I hope to have something good to show for myself!

(tutorial photos by Bridget of Everyday Chaos, pulled from here.)