...More Vintage Fabric Birdhouses....

See the previous post on my recent discovery of my vintage fabric birdhouses I made last year. This one is my favorite- the roof is covered with vintage buttons and bits, and the red crushed velvet is covered with antique lace. A miniature red chair sits outside on the porch.....

This shabby chic style house features country blue and red florals and toiles, with a vintage drawer pull perch and a lace doily.

Certainly not very practical, but I really love making these....

The yellow house is a bit more formal with a vintage pocket watch dial and antique skeleton key perch. The fabrics on this house aren't vintage- but I like the mix of old and new.

There they are- my lost birdhouses. They are back in their box awaiting spring, when they'll either make nice birthday gifts or the shelves of my Etsy shop.

As I promised my family- no more computer time this week. (just a few sneak peaks!) Lastly, I want to share a Christmas card by the Sisters of Notre Dame. It reads:

WHEN

the song of the angels is stilled,

the star in the sky is gone,

the kings and princes are home,

the shepherds are back with their flock,

THEN

The work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to heal the broken,

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among people,

to make music in the heart.

Merry Christmas my friends.

Vintage Fabric Birdhouses...

Funny thing happened today... while I was hiding Christmas presents in the attic I stumbled on this box of vintage fabric birdhouses I made last summer. I was kind-of having a bad day & when I opened this box my heart skipped a beat!

I LOVE making these- all my cherished little vintage fabric scraps & bits, tassels and birds, vintage buttons and shells....

I packed them away after a show I did last summer. It was a successful show- my bags sold well- but nobody "got" these. People asked what you do with them? what are they? Can you use them outdoors? I guess I took it all a bit too personally and packed them away.

I'll post a few more tomorrow (I promised my son I wouldn't spend too much time on my computer this week)

I'm not sure what I'll do with these- they might make it to my Etsy shop, but I might wait until spring.

Well- more tomorrow. After a CRAZY craft show month I'm enjoying doing nothing but catching up on sleep and spending time with the family.

Have a peaceful night....

Last Minute Market

This Saturday 12/18 is your last chance to come out and shop local at the Cleveland Handmade's Last Minute Market. More than 80 artists & craftspeople under one roof!

Admission is Free from 10-6- special early bird admission is $5 that benefits the Hunger Network. Forget the mall this weekend and Buy Handmade!

I'll be there with my leather wrap bracelets, vintage fabric applique pillows and bags, and the last of my little pincushion rings.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this a great craftshow season for me! I truly appreciate your support. Click here for more info on the Last Minute Market.

See you Saturday!

Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland!

No more mass produced mall stuff! Buy handmade!

I am so excited to be part of this event this year! More than 80 awesome vendors all under one roof! Next weekend- 12/11- 12/12. directions and more info here. If you can't come- visit my Etsy shop here.

xxxooo

11th Annual TerraVista Holiday Extravaganza!

THE best holiday show if the season! Join us this weekend for some shopping & cheer- directions & more info here.

Being Thankful

It's that time of year again to reflect on all I have to be thankful for. I have only one word- Family. These are the people with whom I have been blessed, and I'm thankful for them every day. I hope you all share a peaceful feast with your family tomorrow.....

As I said in my previous post, I won't be blogging much in the next few weeks. I need to focus on sewing & getting ready for upcoming holiday shows. This a new little bird design I'm using for little pillows and little bags.....

Of course I have many, many new leather wrap bracelets. Since most of these are one-of-a-kind, there's no way I can photo and list each one in my Etsy shop. I will try to list a selection of color & styles......

I dug deep in my stash of vintage fabrics and have a new little clutch style bag I'm selling this year. They are all in various stages of completion- hopefully later in the week I can photo a few....

I hope you all survive the airport scanners, Uncle You-know-who's terrible jokes, and Black Friday shopping and remember to be thankful!

Holiday Show Info...

I've been so busy "making things" lately I haven't had a chance to blog. The holiday season is a busy one for crafters that make a living (or try to) from their work. I'm doing 4 local Cleveland craft shows this holiday season. Below is a list with links to their sites for more specific info.

1. My first event is a small holiday show at Hyland Software. My sister works there and tipped me off, then Cleveland Handmade started spreading the word. It's called the Hyland Holiday Vendor Expo- Tues. 11/30 from 11am- 2pm. They are at 28500 Clemens Rd. in Westlake.

2. The 11th annual TerraVista show is nearest and dearest to my heart. This will be my 6th (or 7th?) year there and I have made many dear friends there over the years. I'm proud to be among such talent. Plan to stay awhile and mingle- there's so much to see! The show is 12/3- 12/5 at 1400 E. 30th. For more info click here.

3. Bazaar Bizarre- 12/11 & 12/12 at 1301 West 78th Street. More info here. I've never done this show but have always heard great things about it.

4. Last Minute Market sponsored by Cleveland Handmade. This show was such a success last year that even in a Cleveland snow storm people came out to SHOP!! Sat. 12/18 at the Screw Factory 13000 Athens Ave. in Lakewood. More info here.

So that's why I haven't been blogging. If you're not in the Cleveland area I will still be adding a lot of new things to my Etsy shop over the next several weeks.

Well- back to the studio!

I miss that tree.....

One week ago today we had a terrible wind storm here & it took down most of my favorite tree. Not only did it house a robin's nest this spring and my mosaic birdhouse, it shaded our deck, and was my favorite place to photo my purses.

These bags I made are long gone but I love the little glimpse of ivy on my tree. So this short post is for my old tree- we will miss you but rest assured there will be something planted near your old roots come spring.

What I've been working on.....

I guess you win some & lose some. Here's a few things I worked on last week- I was so excited with my octopus pillow when I sketched it, but somehow it lost it's cuteness in the process. It took me forever to make too. But not a total loss- my son loves it & he slept with it last night :)

I made this Good Luck pillow for a friend that's moving- but I didn't like how it turned out so I made the See Ya pillow instead.....

I like this one better- but hmmmm- I don't love it. Hopefully she will because I'm not making another one. Oh well- not a very productive week in the studio...

...you win some & lose some.

Etsy Front Page!

Whooo Hooo! It's not every day I make the front page of Etsy. Last night there was a flurry of activity in my Etsy shop & it wasn't until this morning I realized why. Thanks to HausProud for curating this great collection.

Hopefully a handful of those 140 hearts will end up as sales! You can find my Vintage Fabric Applique pillow here!

What I've been working on....

Here's a little peak of what I've been working on the past week. Some of my new vintage fabric leaf pillows are in my Etsy shop and some are getting ready for Buttermilk Hill.

The brown pillow is made from a new fabric collection- Moda I think? The other 3 are made from vintage 40's feedsack cotton and other vintage fabrics. I love making these- it satisfies the quilter in me and the recycler- no scrap goes in the trash in my studio!

More later!

A few new Leather Wrap Bracelets.....

Here's a sneak peak at a few new Leather Wrap Bracelets just listed in my Etsy shop. The new bracelets- a continuous 30" length of leather, chain, and linked beads- wrap around your wrist 4 times. Oh so trendy...

Whether you like chunky or delicate, vintage glass or semi precious stones- I have a variety to choose from in my Etsy shop.

Tomorrow I'll post my fall/holiday show schedule (just waiting to hear back from one venue)

Stay warm (I had to turn on my heat last night for the 1st time!)

Vintage Venetian Glass Birdcage Necklaces

New in my shop- the limited addition Vintage Venetian Glass Birdcage Necklaces. The little antique glass birds were made in Venice, on the island of Mirano. These same birds were used to make those really expensive Venetian necklaces.

Tucked safely inside a vintage brass "bird cage", each adorned with amazonite, quartz, peridot, and Korean jade. I'll only be making a handful of these- my little stash of birds is running low. (if anyone out there has more to sell let me know!)

More later on my upcoming holiday show schedule. Can you believe the holidays are creeping up! I've been working away trying to make sure I have enough to sell at 4 big shows this season. More later- I hope you like my little love birds!

New Pillows at Buttermilk Hill

Stephanie from Buttermilk Hill posted this picture of my new pillows on her country porch in central Ohio. I know I mentioned this in a previous blog post- you can now buy my pillows at this new site. Featuring "local, handmade, and vintage goods from the back roads of beautiful Ohio", I'm excited to be part of this new venture.

The site is new and she's still stocking the shelves- but I wanted to start spreading the word. Buttermilk Hill offers free domestic shipping, and their country market features Amish quilts and baskets, rag rugs, painted gourds, my pillows, and much more!

I hope you take the time to have a look!

I'm off to enjoy my Indian Summer day !

What I'm working on.....

I just realized tonight that it's been awhile since I blogged. My show last weekend was a success. I would have liked a little more traffic- but this is an odd selling season. The Cleveland Handmade group is a really wonderful group of people! I met some great artists and am sure I'll do this show next year. Shows take so much out of me though- not so much the actual show- smiling, talking about my work, shlepping displays, making sure my presentation looks great. It's the preparation- new ideas, new product, pricing, display- it's all so important. Am I making something people want to buy? Is this self-indulgent?

Sometimes I feel so comfortable here behind my computer that to step out and interface with clients face to face I always question myself. I don't know why....

Here are a few new pillows I made- vintage 40's quilt fabrics appliqued on linen (the 1st photo is from a new fabric collection) I really love to make these- it satisfies the quilter in me- without having to commit to months of time. (My mother is an amazing quilter with the patience to HAND quilt her pieces. HAND quilt!) These are all new in my Etsy shop.

I hope I'm not too rambling... more later about some new ventures I'm working on..

Have a wonderful weekend!

Peace.

Cleveland Handmade Market- Wooltex Gallery

Save the date! This Saturday 9/11 Cleveland Handmade vendors will be at the historic Tower Press building as part of the 8th annual Sparx City Hop. The first of 2 markets in the Wooltex Gallery, this is a great opportunity to get a head start on your holiday shopping. The Sparx City Hop offers free Lolly the Trolley to take you through all the downtown neighborhoods- Tremont, Ohio City, Waregouse District, MidTown, Asia Town, and St. Clair Superior.....

Over 70 galleries & studios are participating in the event- including ME! Here's the link with all the info you need. More tomorrow on a few new things I'll be bringing with me!

New Applique House Pillows....

I just finished these new house pillows for a new website called Buttermilk Hill. I love the look and feel of this site- but I especially love that everything they sell is made in Ohio. Amish quilts, rag rugs, painted gourds.....

Any day now they'll be selling my pillows in a few new designs. This is just a sneak peak (I haven't even stuffed them yet) As always, they're appliqued on linen using mostly vintage fabric and lace, and mostly one-of-a-kind.

More later......

Dog V Cat

This one makes me smile :) RockStarDogTreats curated this awesome Etsy Treasury list titled Dog V Cat. (Personally I like cats better but I 'd never tell my puppy that) You can see the entire list here- it's worth your time!

Thanks RockStarDogTreats for including my Applique Cat Pillow!

New Pillows!

I FINALLY finished a few new applique pillows this week. I have a sketchbook full of new designs and not enough time to sew! These are the first in a new series of animals. As always- appliqued on linen....

with touches of vintage quilt fabrics. What a purr-fect gift, or for a girl's room. Each is one-of-a-kind....

I love the little dapper black cat and big white puff kitty. I'll possibly do custom cat portrait for the holidays- wouldn't that be fun!

I know this is a short post- I didn't want to spend all morning on my computer (I always forget how long it takes to photo, edit, and upload images! Then blog, flickr, etsy, ect!). You can find these new pillows in my Etsy shop.

Up next, puppy and fox pillows. Have a great weekend!

Bird Love: Flickr Finds

Today I found one of my pillows featured in this lovely collection of bird inspired designs. Yes- I'm a bird nerd- take a look at the Flickr Bird Nerd group for more inspiration! Thanks Lark Crafts for taking the time to put this together.

(click the links below to see more work from these artists- it's worth your time!)

1. lil-sad-owl 2. Little Bird Quilt 3. spring 4. raven quilt 5. Peacock yarn art 6. Traffic Pattern 7. Vintage Fabric Applique Bird Cage Pillow 8. The Cream and Burgundy Flowers Bird on a Wire Clutch 9. black bird mini with frame

"tweet"

I couldn't resist sharing this adorable Etsy Treasury- a collection of bird themed crafts curated by myartstuduio. Titled "Tweet"- one of my Vintage Applique Bird Cage Pillows is included in this cheerful group. This is just a snapshot- you can see the entire list here.

I'm always flattered to be among such talent- thanks myartstudio!

I have some new applique pillow designs to share this week. I'm working on a cat series, some dogs, and smaller house pillows. A LOT going on & and upcoming shows- more tomorrow! Time to get ready for the first day of school. YAAAAY!

A few new Vintage Fabric Pillows...

I decided to go through my fabric stash and make pillows from some fabrics I found this summer at flea markets......This mod 60's print came from a vintage tablecloth I found last month. LOVE the colors! You can find it here in my Etsy shop.

This beautiful embroidered pillow is made from a vintage 1940's table runner I picked up last summer. The hand detail work is really incredible. Does anyone do that tatting and embroidery anymore?......You can find it here.

My last bits of this vintage barkcloth from the 40's. I always loved this print and have made a few bags & totes over the years with this awesome print. Find it here.

Well, that's all for now- I know- boring post. Not a lot happening. I'm working on new applique pillow designs & getting ready for the back-to-school frenzy!

New Bracelets...

My new leather wrap bracelets....I knew it was bound to happen. Instead of wrapping 3 times, these wrap 4 times. What's next- I'm already working on the 5 & 6 wraps!

In this series of chunky leather wrap bracelets I use handmade African glass beads. I call mine my Wilma Flintstone bracelet- is everyone old enough to know what I'm talking about!

You can find them in my Etsy shop- along with so much more!

Well- I'm off to a bonfire- more tomorrow or Monday! Have a great weekend :)

Fabric Birdhouses

Just what everyone needs- a fabric birdhouse- right? Not the most practical thing I ever made (what my husband told me). They're made entirely of fabric- linen house with fabric roofs, and dresden plate fronts.

I had intended to make a half dozen or so to hang in my booth at Summer Market, but it took me awhile to figure out the construction, and I thought I should focus my efforts on more salable items for the show. With all that behind me, I'll finish these houses before I move on.

Wouldn't they look cute hanging in a nursery? They stand about 8" tall, and each will have an invisible line for hanging. I'll photo the rest when they're done. Maybe they'll make it to my Etsy shop- I don't know yet.