Easter Egg-stravaganza!

How are you going to dye your eggs this Easter??? Are you going to add glitter to them? Are you going to draw on them with crayons first (this is my husband's favorite thing to do) before you put them in your store bought dye? Or are you someone who just puts stickers on some eggs or dips them in some dye and calls it good.  No matter what your normal egg dying method is check out these cute ideas to spice up your hunting this year:

Fall Decorating

I love fall. I love the colors, the crunchy leaves, the cool chill in the air.  I also love the fact I live in Colorado and get to watch the leaves on the aspen trees change from my house.  I love sweaters and boots and I live for the day that Starbucks brings back the pumpkin spice latte.  My days are filled with football and hot cocoa, playing in fallen leaves and taking pictures of all the colors. 

In honor of my love of fall and all things fall decor, I have created a treasury of Etsy items for fall time home decorating.  The treasury can be found here and here are some of the highlights from it. And everything is from Etsy because I have decided I am supporting local and independent businesses this holiday season

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A Fall Wreath

Forgive me in advance - I had a camera "mishap" - just prior to starting this project. So, unfortunately all I have right now are cell phone pictures, edited as best as I can get them, but I will try to get a pic of the finished wreath with the hubs' camera tonight to get up for you.

And now, on with the show....

Back School Cool

While browsing the internet yesterday I found some adorable craft ideas that are so cute and sweet and back-to-school perfect that I just had to share with all of you!

Sewing Room

I really need an extra 5 hours in a day.  I have so many fun projects that I want to do and normal, every day chores keep getting in the way.  Tonight I am tackling the jungle, aka. my front lawn, before my HOA has a fit because it looks something like this:

And no, that isn't my actual lawn, even though I feel like it is.  I also want to get my sewing/craft room (or the garage, as The Man prefers to call it) functional so I can make all my cute projects sometime this century.  Until I can do any of this - here's a sneak peak at my first up project, once everything else is done of course...

New Items in the Shop

Ok so I have more to get up tonight (hopefully), but for right now there are a couple of new pendants hanging around in my Etsy Shop. 

The Our House Pendant is bright and vibrant.  Pendant comes as shown (without the flower it's sitting on of course, the flower is now dead) without a chain, but can be shipped with a chain for a minimal additional fee.

The Pink Posies Pendant is also available as is, with no chain, or with a chain added for a minimal additional  fee 

Valentine's Day crafts for the home

I'm crafty. I like to make stuff. So here's a bunch of stuff you can make for Valentine's Day (most with instructions or at least lots of pictures). I fully intend to make at least one thing off this list (if someone could figure out how to put more hours in a day and more $$$ in my bank account I'd make them all). 

Love Blocks on Hoo's Crafty. Wouldn't these just make an adorable center piece? Or you could drill out holes in the top to make them candle holders too!

Valentine Frame at I'm A Mom Not A Professional. I want to put a black & white picture of my babies in this frame, I think it would be so amazingly precious.

Valentine's Day Canvas Art at Crap I've Made. I'm in love with all the subway art that is coming out right now. Unfortunately I have nothing cool to use to make subway art.  This is as close as I think I can get to making something that cool, plus I adore the bright colors!

Fabric Flower Valentine Wreath at Sew Much Ado. Such a warm, welcoming wreath, I want it on my door.

A Heart Garland at Lemon Squeezy Home which would match Squeaky's room perfectly

So I think this Bow and Arrow Wreath is my favorite one.  It's very much my style, the colors would go great in my house, and I only wish I had a Silhouette to make the pretty letters with.  There isn't a "real" tutorial in the sense we are all used to, but some decent instructions can be found on The Diary of Dave's Wife (plus I love the name of her blog and especially the story behind the name, you have to go read it).

Pay it forward

So I already did this on my facebook, but have decided to extend it to my blog as well.  Thank you to Craft My Soul for reminding me that every craft blog should be paying it forward in the new year.

I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave me a comment. They must in turn post this and send something they made (make) to the first 5 people who comment on their status. It must be handmade by you and must be sent sometime (anytime) in 2011. A great way to start 2011!

And this is the latest fabric I just bought, so there's a chance that whatever I make will have this incorporated somehow!

Here's the dirty details for anyone who wants to get in on this:
     1. You must post this on your blog also before I will approve you.
     2. When you comment you need to leave me a way to get ahold of you (like your email address). All of my comments are private and I must approved them before they are posted, so if you don't want your email address visible to the world, just let me know by sending it as a seperate comment.
     3. I will try my best to get these out in a timely manner. That being said, if it's October and you still haven't gotten anything from me don't be shocked, I didn't forget, I have two little kiddos and they take a lot of time, I promise you will get your item before the end of 2011!

Valentine's Day Apparel

So yesterday we had some awesome domestic goods to display for Valentine's Day. Today we are going to delve into the world of fashion.  Here are some goodies for you to ogle over (or give hints to your husband/ boyfriend/ significant other/ bestie/ or anyone else you think may need to buy you something this holiday season).

First up:

The Sterling Love Bubbles Pendant is just so amazingly dainty and adorable it would look beautiful with casual or dress wear.

This 4RetroSisters Happy Valentine Apron would be perfect for any woman in your life who likes to bake or cook, with it's simple lines and splashes of color.

This Parisian Valentine Multi Layered Scarf would look elegant paired with a multitude of clothing options.

For example this lovely little V Neck Black Dress.



And wouldn't these Grey Drawstring pumps look fabulous with the outfit!

And finally, I love the Love is in the Air charm bracelet at Corby Lee Design.

I could probably add a million more things to this list, I found so many amazing items.  View, enjoy, and go shopping!

Valentine's Day Decor

In honor of my upcoming FAVORITE holiday (either because I'm a sap for those silly candy hearts, or because it's just days before my birthday) I am putting together a series of Valentine's Day stuff.  Today we are starting with some super cute decorations!

The lovely girls over at eighteen25 found a super cute tutorial on how to make this lovely heart photo chain.

I love the ways this looks like a heart chain, but when you get up close or on the side it is actually made from photos.

The tutorial can be found at Scrapper Girl along with some awesome embellishments where they have added pom-pom trim (I love pom-poms!)

I adore the way the All My Love Pillows would brighten up a room and add a splash of color. The pillows and other adorable stuff can be found on Summer Rocks etsy site.

These adorable kitchen towels can be found at tinypeeper's etsy shop and would be a lovely accent in any one's kitchen or even as bathroom hand towels.

Over at Whimsy Love there is this adorable felt hoop artwork tutorial that I think could be easily adapted for Valentine's Day. Add some hearts to your felt backing piece or some love birds and it would be the cutest thing ever!

And Anna from Noodlehead has a great tutorial to make these oh-so-gorgeous pillow covers at Elsie Marley.

That's enough projects for you today, isn't it? Get to work so tomorrow we can check out some beautiful clothing and accessories. I can't wait!

New Shop(s)

After much thought and some work the Man and I have decided to start by putting his photography on Etsy.  We spent some time coming up with a name, he wanted to use his family name, but the original version, Zolle, not the made-for-america version, Zell. So we searched google, there's already someone using Zolle Photography, now what. I suggested using Zolle Imaging, because although what he does is photography, quite often it is edited and sometimes beyond the recognition that it was ever a photograph in the beginning.  In the end we settled on B.Zolle Photography.

     I also stumbled upon the tidbit of info that Cafe Press, where you can find some awesome tee's and other items, allows you to open a shop with some of your own designs.  Although the commission you make from each sale is on the low side, I thought it would be a fun way to put up some cute stuff and have to do a lot less of the work.  I make the design, they do the order taking-printing-shipping-customer service, I think it's a win for all involved.

     Cafe press allows for you to "design" your own shirt by picking style, color, etc.  They have a wide variety of options both in color and style, from your basic white tee to a bright orange baby onesie.  So I have started with just some basic designs for today and will probably update every week or so, depending on my free time.  In keeping with the theme of my Etsy shop I have named my cafe press shop Diva Chic. Go and check it out and leave me some feedback, I'd love to hear what you would like to see (or see me get rid of). Here's some shots to get you interested:

First Friday!!!

So I'm a little excited and a LOT more nervouse because the Man and I will be showing in First Friday tonight at Studio One Arts, 802 Santa Fe Dr. #1.  If you have never been to First Friday in Denver it is something you should experience.  All the galleries in the art district on Santa Fe, just south of downtown, open on the first friday night of every month and have showings. It's nothing short of an amazing experience to just go see and we are showing in it!  Here's a little preview of some of our art that will be showing tonight, stop by and take a look if you're free!

I am in LOVE!!!

My friend Eric is living in Japan for a few years and I thought it would be cool if I could send him to find me some craft stuff from there.  In my mind I was picturing something exciting and unique that I would not be able to find or be able to order in the states (like cool tapes or ribbons or fabric).  So I got on facebook and I sent him a message...Hey Eric, since you are in Japan, can you trying finding me washi tape... just to give him a specific thing to look for because after all he is a guy and I'm asking him to look for crafting supplies.  I even sent him a link to the Etsy site for Pretty Tape so he would know what he was looking for.  I was a little excited that he might find me something really cool, so you can imagine my disappointment yesterday when I got a message back from him stating he didn't even know the symbol for craft store or where to begin looking. 

I decided that if I want to have him go to the craft store for me, then I better find one so I can tell him how to get there. I got online today and began searching Google for something, anything about craft stores in Japan and I ran across a great blog called Okinawa hai! which has a craft section.  After looking through the blog a bit I thought it might be a good idea to see if I could find any cool fabric so I could give him an idea of what kind of stuff I was looking for.  And while searching for Japanese fabric I fell in love.  I found surfing ninjas! 



 This beautiful number can be found at Quilt Taffy's Etsy shop here. I think this is the most amazingly awesome fabric I have ever found. I want to get some and making something amazing for Peanut out of it, although I don't know what I could make him that he'd wear besides pajamas. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Tweet, tweet

This little birdie has troubled me for some time. I kept seeing it's image in my head, but couldn't get it right on paper.  Today I decided to try to extract the little bird again... and it worked! I really think my new drawing medium is those really big Sharpie markers.  For some reason I just love to draw with them and I seem to be better able to get my brain images onto paper. Too bad they can't make them in those love scents that the markers I had as a little kid came in...  the blueberry one was always my favorite! So, now that's the bird's out of my head, I think I am going to put him on a shirt tonight.

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My!!!

So I haven't had much time to work on anything for my shop because I have been adopted as the set/decoration designer for the Halloween party (Hallapalooza) at our church.  All of my free time has been taken up by lions and tigers and bears, oh my! But now that I am past the planning stage and I just have to paint I think I should have some time to do my own work this week.  Here are some of the drawings we are using (it's a circus theme):

Hobo Clown

It's a monkey riding a horse!

Tiger on a ball

Also, if you are in the South Denver area and are interested in joining us on Halloween the party will be at Jubilee Fellowship Church Highlands Ranch campus - 8200 Southpark Circle - October 31st - I think it starts at 6pm =)

Oh Madame Medusa

Yesterday I was struck with inspiration at work of all places. I saw this vision of a masked woman with crazy hair sticking out all over. I picked up a pen and piece of paper and started drawing. My coworkers thought I was nuts. But that's ok because for the first time ever I actually got the image in my head out on paper just the way it was supposed to look. And so, my dear readers, I present to you Madame Medusa.

Craft Fair

Saturday I was asked to show my shirts at a local craft fair. It's  super small fair at a local community, but it's a way to get my name out.  I was very hesitant about agreeing to this and am still wondering if this is something I should be doing.  I need to figure out what kind of inventory I need since right now all my shirts are made to order. Hopefully I can figure this out soon. 


 Until then here's the shirt that started the craze: