Bird's Eye View

Beak of the Week ~ Garnishing Garland

2009-10-08T16:53:00.003-04:00

I came across this shop, Lobster and Swan, the other week while searching for some dainty garland to girlie-up the new space I'm getting ready to move into. Haven't purchased anything YET, but I definitely wanted to share these darling treasures because I can't keep secrets. This Layers of Time garland is beautiful artwork all strung together for your garnishing pleasure!

Beak of the Week ~ Ruffley Cover-up

2009-09-29T15:15:00.005-04:00

I'm so in love with this sham by Simple Sage Designs, and no...it's not just because it has a ruffle on it...well maybe a little. But this pillow has a lovely contrast in texture, with a nicely-done soft color combo that is a perfect shabby accent to any chic room. Plus, this baby is on sale through September - so gather up this girlie deal before it's gone.

Beak of the Week: Sarah Jane Studios

2009-09-24T13:28:00.004-04:00

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought I'd make my blogging comeback with a themed print from Etsy's Sarah Jane, a dainty illustrator who brings me back to days of a much simpler time. Take a look around her shop, because its all adorable and its all affordable.

Beak of the Week ~ Blue Bell Blossoms

2009-07-30T13:09:00.002-04:00

More adorable than you can shake a stick at, these Blue Bell Blossom Earrings (say that three times fast) are not only adorable, but they're also on sale! Check out these and other Summer delights at Red Heart 13 on Etsy.

Beak of the Week ~ Fluttering of my Heart

2009-07-21T10:23:00.002-04:00

Folk has always been a favorite shop of mine ~ the ruffles, dainty detailing and reasonable pricing make for a lovely place for an Etsy shopping spree! Trimmed with frilly pink and cream lace, this Cotton Butterfly Apron/Corset Top would make a lovely summer picnic top. Anniversary sale going on right now!

Beek of the Week: Birdie Yarn Wreath

2009-07-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

Yarn Wreath with Bird (on sale right now), one of spools of beautiful yarn wreaths
available at The Little Prints. Adorned with the most dainty of trimmings:
Vintage lace, a button, and my favorite, a bird!

Anyone can take old junk and make it new again, but not many can revamp vintage into modern with such adorable style and adaptability as The Little Prints on Etsy. Such a fantastic variety - from pin cushions to wall art to bracelets - all sharing a common style and the common thread of sustainability. And I love anything green :)

Oh Deer!

2009-07-01T08:30:00.000-04:00

More deer than you can shake an antler at!

Jewelry and Craft Display ~ under $30!

2009-06-26T15:44:00.020-04:00

I've seriously thinking about putting some items in a local shop, so I've really been keeping my eye out for some inexpensive and creative ways to display my items. A lot of it is definitely luck, but one must always keep their eyes open and jump at any opportunity to grab the coveted. Such is my experience nearly plowing over some young children in a thrift shop the other weekend to posses a beautiful dress form for how much? $40!
So here are a few items that I've bought, and some I've not (yet), but maybe we can get the creative juices flowing and come up with an amazingly beautiful little cubby at that local artisan market you've been eyeing up.

My new favorite online shop, Elizabeth's Embellishments, carries a huge variety of
shabby chic jewelry displays, or check out this vintage ring, bracelet and earring card
catch-all from Jen's Closet on Etsy.

The perfect catch-all for rings and brooches is definitely a vintage ceramic egg tray, like this one from Cats Vintage Shoppe. Drape jewelry over opened drawers of a jewelry box, like this one from Urban Outfitters, or down a vintage pedestal dish like this one from Shabby Urban Cottage for an elegant look. Table mirrors with swirlies and sticky-outies, like this one from Elizabeth's Embellishments, kill two birds with one stone - customers can try on necklaces and check themselves out at the same time.

Items that have a little bit of height to them, like lacey cake trays or frames enclosed with mesh, can not only hold single earrings, but either purchase or make your own 'S' hooks (with heavy-guage wire) and they can easily hold your very own earring cards. Splendid!

Any other ideas that you guys have to share, I would LOVE to hear!

Pain in the Middle

2009-06-25T14:22:00.004-04:00

Feeling a little under the weather earlier this week, I had to take a few days off, which meant that I also had to miss Yoga class on Monday. Boo. That left me with one week since my last class. Class didn't nearly feel as bad as I thought it would; it actually felt pretty good. Until this morning, when I attempted to sit up in bed.
I think my instructor calls it the t-strap, that underlying muscle of the lower abdomen and lower back that you wouldn't even know you had until you pretty much did some of the core-strengthening poses like boat and locust poses. Anyway, pretty much every movement I make today is on the achy side, but for some reason, I can't wait for more! I'm imagining the end of my pot belly coming very soon.
Do you hear that? Is that a positive attitude you are hearing from me? Coming with the onslaught of pain? Change is in the air...or in the middle :)

Beak of the Week: Anything Artquirk

2009-06-25T12:00:00.001-04:00

I don't know how I missed this sale ALL MONTH ('til Tuesday), but in honor of this intricately-detailed artist's 500th sale, all of Artquirk's dainty illustration are half price! Love these line drawing because they sort of take me away into these overseas cityscapes (well for us in the US anway) where I, one day, hope to stroll through the local produce markets on the way back to my summer cottage. Hey, a gal can dream, can't she?

Flowers in Greece; Laundry Day ; Strangled Lamp Post

Beak of the Week: Mini Dreamcatchers

2009-06-19T13:44:00.005-04:00

I've had my eye on these for quite some time ~ an adorable pair of 3" Mini Dreamcatchers, by Nest Pretty Things is sure to only let the sweet dreams into your little one's slumbersome mind. Or most likely into your own slumbersome mind.

New Items!

2009-06-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

L to R: Peculiar Petals rest upon the prettiest vintage button; Queen Anne's Lace earrings add a little bit of garden to the seamstress in you; A Scoop of Strawberry earrings, actually,make it two scoops, please; Three Gals Nest Necklace warms the heart with a trio of delighful eggs!

Happy Shopping!

That's MISS Yogini to you

2009-06-17T16:16:00.003-04:00

Back on track, tonight will be my fourth class this month and I can honestly say that I don't remember being this sore in January. But I do want to remind myself (and hopefully some others) of some of the noted changes (already!) and some of the wonderful benefits of this great practice:

I'm less of a hunchback
I can feel some of my back muscles that I didn't use before. And I have that awareness, sometimes, of how I stand. Not so much of how I sit, yet, but it will come.

Increased circulation
It was so cool on Monday when I could actually feel the blood rushing into my hands while returning to Mountain from some of my other poses. I have horrible circulation and unless I'm reaching for some cookies, my hands barely reach above my head.

More Confidence
Something about yoga, particularly when I've been at constant practice for a bit, makes me feel like a strong, confident woman. I think clearer and make better decisions, too.

More Restful Sleep
My mind is calm and my muscles don't ache (I swear, the older I get the more achy I get). That equals delicious sleep and more energy in the morning. Yay!

There are so many additional benefits, but for now I'm all pumped about tonight's class. My intention every time is always for a better me. And I think I'm on my way.

Style on the Cheap

2009-06-12T12:15:00.001-04:00

Yeah yeah, I know, I'm a little old to shop here, but I just can't help myself. Forever 21 always has loads of beautiful clothes, with a tiny price tag. So I picked a few items from my wish list to share with you guys and guess what the total is? Just guess. $62. For the whole entire set. Whoa.

a. Pleated Neck Satin Top b. Jenny Sequin Ballet Flats c. Rose Petal Print Skirt
d. Simple Satin Headband e. Cordelia Flower Ring
(Keep in mind that clothing sizes run small)

Happy Shopping!

5 am

2009-06-11T08:34:00.000-04:00

The best part of every day is at 5 am, when he kisses me gently on the cheek before he leaves for work.

Image: Kissing Fish by Dreadsky (Danielle Anthony)

Beak of the Week: A Bird Birdhouse

2009-06-10T10:16:00.009-04:00

The Modern Silhouette Birdhouse, by William Dohman, will make quite a nice home for a few of your feathered friends. Available in a quad of colors and two different styles (modern & rustic), these natural beauties are truely bird-worthy.

Yogini Again

2009-06-09T14:52:00.004-04:00

Last night was my first night of my Beginner's Yoga class. I haven't done any hardcore hatha yoga since January & wow has my body gone downhill! Nancy went very, very easy on us, the room wasn't even hot and I was still sweating like crazy. My poor, scrawny little arms were shaking, too. Ugh.

I'm going to try my darnedest to use this month-long commitment as a stepping stone to live a happier, healthier life. I took my first step a little over a month ago & have only been partly successful, so this is another step in the right direction. To push that even further, I'll share my exercise goals for this month with you:

Mondays & Wednesdays ~ Hatha Yoga, 1 hr
Saturdays and/or Sundays ~ 1 hr minimum hike, fast walk for first 30 min (with exception for pee/doo breaks. No! Not me, pee breaks for my dog! gross!)
2x minimum this month ~ 90 min hatha yoga class, whichever day fits.

Doesn't sound so tough, does it? Ugh. Today my shoulders and arms have a little soreness to them, but other than that, I feel pretty good. Looking forward to my energy increasing and feeling more confident.

Birds and the Bees

2009-06-09T07:53:00.007-04:00

Picture this: a perfect Saturday afternoon & a delishiously extravagent one-year-old's birthday party (complete with a Moon Bounce, Slip-n-Slide, beanbag toss, piñata, shall I go on?) and me, attempting to make a descent first impression on my bf's cousins and in-laws, whom I am meeting for the first time. I think I do fairly well, no major issues. Until, that is, I am threads away from dropping my pants. Yea, I said it. Drop my pants.

I'm relaxing on the deck watching the cutest group of kids I've ever seen experiment on the Slip-n-Slide. Going backwards, attempting to use a boogie board, doing flips and the like. Deciding that an hour of this is quite enough, I head inside to check out the baby situation. All of a sudden, from within my pants comes a throbbing sting (just keep reading, you sick-o). Then another. I figure I'll run outside and pull up my pant leg to let the stinging culprit out. Except he gets stuck. And mad. More stinging.

By this time I'm freaking out - any sort of bug in my pants will make me cry and scream like a schoolgirl, but one that stings is another story. People are standing around watching this whole charade and I figure the only way to get the bee out is to take my pants off. You thought I did, didn't you? Naw, I ran into the bathroom and pulled my pants down the little buzzer hits the floor, all mangled from being smooshed against my leg. My leg: throbbing and stinging and spotty. I put my pants back on and, holding my tears back, I asked for a plastic bag and some ice. I'm told that meat tenderizer will work or I can go outside and rub dirt on it, but I really wanted to take my pants off because it felt like there were bees all in my pants, still stinging. So someone brings me a huge chunk of ice to put in a little sandwich bag, which didnt fit. Oh my God I just need ice in a bag! Its like I hit every red light.

Ah, finally! I took my baggie and ran upstairs and removed my pants. Insisting that my pants were infested with bees, I made Scott turn them inside out twice and hand-inspect the inside and outside for bees and stingers. Pants back on, I suffered through cake, ice cream, opening gifts from 40 people and jumping in the moon bounce myself.

Now that the swelling and itching has begun, I see that I have at least 5 stings that feel like mosquito bites. Funny, I don't recall that a bee sting itches. But I also don't remember what I had for breakfast.

Image: The Queen Beekeeper by Jennifer Trotter

Hatchlings: Keller Homemade

2009-06-08T12:46:00.013-04:00

While searching for some pretty linens for my treasury this weekend, I came upon this lovely little shop, Keller Homemade. Not only have I officially fallen in love with all of her creations, but I seriously adore her shop banner, too. Ah, it all makes sense - a Graphic Designer by trade mixed with an avid crafter generates lovely products and a lovely shop in this Etsier. I totally dig the way she always seems to incorporate a little tiny pattern and illustration, keeping everything nice and sweet and dainty. Keep up the great work!

Top to bottom: Keller's Shop banner in one word ~ adorable; This Sweet Little Flower Bag will go perfect with a flowy sundress and comfy sandals; Adding a cute little pattern to soft linen makes one's scarf uniquely adorable; Hand-stamped and hand-bound, this little Leaf sketchbook is perfect for noting which birds and flora you've seen on your nature hike.

Happy Shopping!

Things I love

2009-06-05T11:18:00.002-04:00

1. Little flowers added to anything! I just bought some adorable embroidered ones that I'm thinking of adding to my jewelry. Stay Tuned.
2. Croissants. I eat them for breakfast. Everyday.
3. Bows. Everywhere.
4. The First 48 on A&E.
5. Trader Joe's Kettle Corn. The perfect combo of salty and sweet. Exspecially at the bottom where all of the flavoring settles :)
6. Heather Ross and her delightful fabrics.
7. Wendy ~ the most adorable font ever. By Monotype imaging.
8. Laughing.
9. The word delight.
10. The Flea Market. Love it.

Happy Shopping!

Beak of the Week!

2009-06-03T14:44:00.009-04:00

Straight from Etsy's Oh So Retro, this week's Beak of the Week is Hope Springs Eternal Embroidery Picture, $16. I love anything linen or hand-stitched, and this rosey message is the best of both worlds!

This might be the cutest thing I've ever seen on etsy...

2009-06-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

Love Story Booklace, by All Those Trees. I want it. Can someone please tell Scott?

Happy Shopping!

Psst...

2009-05-31T22:28:00.002-04:00

((a little birdie told me that if you peep me on twitter, you can rake in some serious saving at spool))

New items - weekend earring attack!

2009-05-31T22:14:00.008-04:00

Weekends are way too short, aren't they? More to come this week, but here are a few of my latest additions:

L to R: Super-sweet Marshmallow Fellow earrings; Tactfully tangy Orange Blossoms; Sparkly Strawberry Dewdrops

Happy Shopping!

NEW ~ Beak of the Week

2009-05-29T13:45:00.005-04:00

With such a growing number of wonderful Etsy shops out there, run by completely unique, talented artists and collectors, I've decided that I'm going to highlight an item (preferrably on SALE) every stinkin' week! On what day of the week will the bird's feather fall? If I told you, I'd have to peck you. With that said, check back often &/or follow me on Twitter.

This week's pick is this adorable notecard set, by Memory Collector. For just a couple bird bucks, you get a set of 10. Yes, that's right, a set of 10 for $2! Also check out her delightful jewelry and ambrosial knits.

Happy Shopping!

A couple new items - get 'em whilst they're hot!

2009-05-27T08:22:00.004-04:00

(I love my use of 'em and whilst in the same sentence, back to back. Makes me snicker to myself. )

Uploaded a couple new items last nite, but was entirely too tired to blog. More coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled this week!

L: Sweeten those 'lobes, ladies with my Shortcakes earrings! R: All girled up, this Bringer of Dreams necklace is inspired by a man. What?!

Happy Shopping!

Fabulous Flea Market Finds

2009-05-26T07:01:00.019-04:00

Leila (from Red Heart 13) and I hit up the flea market again this weekend, which again was a total disaster because of the amount of money spent. Come on, did I really need two more mirrors for my apartment? Really?
Regardless of my intense shame from my flea market binge, I did get some steals! All of our favorites were there - the linen lady, bowling alley antique shop lady and the toothless fellow. What a way to spend a Saturday morning!

Happy Shopping!

An Etsy friend's giveaway - had to promote!

2009-05-19T12:18:00.004-04:00

I am all for giveaways! And Etsy anything! So if you dig what I dig, check out my Etsy friend's shop, Mad Bird, and her adorable hand-sewn items. I bought a super-cute Russian doll card holder a couple of weeks ago to hold, what else but my growing number of Etsy shop business cards. Very nice quality & I love the way she packaged it - she's very green!
After you've done a bit of shopping, check out her blog & give her a little input to be entered in her giveaway. It's win for everybody!

L to R: Let the sisters get you in order - Crochet Organizer in the underwater sisters fabric; So no one on the beach knows that you are reading the latest Fabio-covered novel - Paperback Book Cover, in Watercolor.

Happy Shopping!

More SALE than you can shake a stick at!

2009-05-04T14:25:00.009-04:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I've decided last minute to pop a super-duper sale, including FREE SHIPPING on all shop items, and sales on almost half of the merchandise! And its all because I love my mom. So you can thank her for having me.

Also, here's a few new items, one noteably dedicated to recent relationship woes. More to come on that end of the spectrum. I've already made some cold, gray, anatomical hearts from clay (which I have yet to shoot), so stay tuned for some art jewelry updates.

From L to R: Sterling Mother's Day Necklace, customizable with up to 5 eggs; Remains Necklace; Momma Bird Necklace.

Happy Shopping!

Tip-tapping into the inner-child

2009-04-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

I go through my obsessive-compulsive twitter phases, but yesterday's phase paid off by inspiring a super-fun blog on how juvenile being an adult can actually be. It started off with a tweet from one of my favorite goodie-finders, Paper Cakes, who posted a link to the Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch™ sandwich-cookie Cake Pan, below. (They also have a cupcake cake pan! Yipee!)

How cool is that?! That got me thinking…what other cool stuff is out there that revives the child-like excitement of being a kid while still keeping us grounded with our lightly-grayed stray hairs and support hose? I'll show you what…

Above L to R: These days, you couldn't pay me to chew on gumballs, but who wouldn't give their right arm for a handful of Jelly Beans? The Jelly Belly Bean Dispenser , has is classically ornate without being childish. Plus you can make a bangin' strawberry marguerita flavor that is NOT for the kids. Way to go eco! This fabulous Trike Tote from Etsy's The Crafty Pantry makes me think of rolling down the driveway on my rusty, hand-me-down trike! This version is equally as economical without the rust and shoelace eaters. Everyone had a sock monkey back in the day. Well except for me. Regardless, it's a memory-inducing toy that was so popular that people are still making them! I'd reccomend this Make-your-own Sock Monkey Kit from Etsy's Spinning Monkeys so you can say that it will be a craft project for you and your niece (or whoever you want to make up). Also check out Black Bird Fashion's Socktopus kit.

Above L to R: Nope, it's soap. NES controller vegan soap set from Dirty Ass Soaps. You think they are blocks, but they aren't - have another look. Fooled ya! These are awesome Salt and Pepper Shakers from Kim & Jason which, by the way, has to be one of the coolest online shops I've ever found.

Above L to R: Does treasuring the Radio Flyer brand make one old? If so, I know for a fact that tee shirts don't make one old, so now you are perfectly balanced! Check out this tee, available also from Kim & Jason, which for the moment is astonishingly cheap. If you don't have a kiddo to ride a real carousel with, check out this elegant little necklace from Etsy's Luxe Deluxe - it has all the whimsy of youth, with all the style of a grown-up. Toy soldiers, rubber duckies, cuckoo clocks - everything you could possibly want to make the everyday a whole lot funner. With adorable style, too. This Japanese fabric change purse, available on Etsy's PickaPetal, makes scrounging for change an utter delight!

Last but not least (above), I've found something something to glamorize the most essential of the food groups: hot dogs. The Porcelain Hot Dog Wrapper, available at Uncommon Goods, glamorizes the ballpark dogs enough to host a summer shindig on your patio. Don't forget the relish!

Thanks, everyone, for reading! Happy Shopping!

Ahoy Birdies!

2009-04-23T16:35:00.008-04:00

After a couple of weeks of hiatus, I'm trying to pull myself back together and regain a little organization. Pre- and post-vacation often becomes such a horrible burden! But all is worth it to get away for a bit. No matter how busy your vacation becomes, the battery is always recharged and the view on life, love and the latter becomes entirely new.
Before I left, I was walking my little nutcase and came across a few different varieties of moss when the stolen idea of miniature thimble gardens came to my head. I say use the word 'stolen' because I'm sure I got it from somewhere, I just can't remember where. Regardless, the moss and an unidentified weed became part of my new mini garden, which I would very much like to share:

And note my garden's keeper - my vintage EFCO Typewriter ribbon tin, which I have conveniently also photographed:

I am hoping to make some new items this weekend, for I am overwhelmingly inspired by this beautiful weather. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! And we shall catch up Monday!

Spring Weekend Delights!

2009-03-31T10:12:00.004-04:00

On this past dreary Sunday morning, I found complete happiness in snapping a few early blooms off of some trees as I walked my pooch. But the true delight came when I dust off all of my bud vases and display them in the corner of my kitchen. So mi casa es su casa. Rather, mi alféizar es su alféizar:

"Hey lady, that's a nice lookin' sill!"

And later in the afternoon the one bud that is with the mini daffies bloomed! I thought it might have been a Magnolia, but I have no idea what it is but it is truly gorgeous.
Note: None of these beauties were stolen from any hardworking neighbor's garden.

And for years, I've been wanting to steal some of these guys out of the stone wall on the other side of the block. So I finally did it. I won't tell if you won't tell... :)

Have a wonderful week, all!
I'll be uploading new earrings this week, so check back soon.

Weird.

2009-03-27T09:47:00.014-04:00

Well we have a few new things in our destash shop – Sugar Plum Tree – that are just plain weird. Stuff that you definitely will not find anywhere else. Have a looksie & heart 'em if you like 'em. Or buy them up because they are all pretty much one-of-a-kind.

L to R: A cool patch with a strange animal on it–maybe a long-tailed bunny? Super-large dreamy, creamy spaceship-shaped beads. A pretty in pink floral something or other–can maybe be made into a brooch or a fabulous barrette? Whatever the case, these are strange. No?

Thanks for reading & Happy Shopping!

Newly-found loves

2009-03-24T12:35:00.019-04:00

So was making a treasury this morning & I stumbled upon a few shops that I absolutely adore from the tippy top of my head to the bitty bottoms of my feet. On to the sharing:

Helis - the purse & bag shop
Many Etsiers know her for the silly animal head rings, but she also makes the most simple, yet delightful, purses and bags. The precious lace and bits of embroidery detail just tickle me to pieces.

Dear Golden Vintage
Pleasant collection, pleasant photography and totally stylish. Plus, they have best vintage shoes on the block.

Sea Breeze Studio
Some of the cutest pouches I've ever seen. Ever. But I suppose I have an affection for teensy animals and rick-rack. I can't decide if the hedgehog or the ducky makes it to my Birthday list.

Cassia Beck Photography
Colorful and sensationally vintage, these prints completely embody nostalgic sweetness. The flower prints bring me to my old back yard, where I used to eat strawberries out of the fiercely overflowing patch. And it's not just the ttv that brings on the old school - it's the subjects she chooses.

L to R: Mustard Lace Antler Pouch, Helis. Ivory Jackie O Dress, Dear Golden Vintage; Hedgehog Pencil Case, Sea Breeze Studio; Crop of Sitting Pretty III, Cassia Beck Photography

Hope you enjoy my new visual treats! Show these shops some good ole Etsy love by buying up all their stuff! Or at least hearting them. Because that is all poor people like me can do until payday.

Playing Catch-up with my treasures. Or junk. Or whatever.

2009-03-23T16:52:00.029-04:00

Wow, I feel like a busy bee these days! I suppose that is the way that it goes in the Spring – trying to get everything in when the weather actually becomes warm enough for outdoor activities. I really don't know how other creative people, especially ones with kiddies, get it all done!

So not this past weekend, but the weekend before (!), Red Heart 13 and I hit up the Flea Market and did some major damage.

L to R: Yeah, I made out in the chain department; frames & a fun matchbox; & my new gorgeous book of Hawthorne's Twice-Told Tales.

My mission was to find a bitty plastic baby, a few tiny picture frames and some new items to shoot my jewelry on. I came out with all three (a big surprise!) plus some other incredible finds. I loaded up on vintage chains and kept my eyes peeled for lockets, because that is my new obsession (I haven't created them in a while, but trust me, I'm collecting). So rather than write about my finds, I invite you to have a looksie:

L to R: Embroidered linens for some unknown use, misc vintage bits for my jewelry-making, 70s pillowcases in a beautiful array of patterns, floral vintage bits for jewelry-making, keys & more keys, large beadcaps, some very dirty buttons that need a good warshing, and lockets and mini frames for more jewelry-making.

Thanks for checking this out & stay tuned for some shop updates - I have all these Spring ideas swirling around.

The Coolest Custom Portrait

2009-03-16T14:54:00.005-04:00

Because of my new Twitter obsession, I have recently discovered a fun Etsy artist – Alex of Alex's Crafty Things, who does Sharpie portraits, among other craftastic and Comic-liscious things. Check it out - they're super cheap & fun & I must say that she is dead on. I sent her the first one & she returned this great portrait:

Hey and if you guys get your's done, share with me, won't you? Cool.

Sugarplum Tree: New Sweet Treats!

2009-03-13T08:45:00.010-04:00

RedHeart13 and I are so ecstatic that our destash shop, Sugarplum Tree, has been such a success so far! We've sold more individual items this week than we thought we'd sell in a month - yay! And to keep our shop full, we've uploaded a few items that I want to highlight:

From Left to Right*: Rich Chocolate Fudge Beads, $2.25; Orange you Glad Beads, $1.25; Truffle Tray, $1.50; Sweet N Petite Charm School Charms, $4.

More coming this soon, so keep your eyes peeled!
Happy Shopping!

*Prices, quantities and items subject to change at any time.

The Buzz: New Items Just in Time for Spring!

2009-03-09T11:22:00.015-04:00

I think that this fantastic Spring weather inspired a bit of jewelry mania in me this weekend. Not only did I avoid tending to my regular weekend duties, but I also avoided organizing my stinkin' tax stuff. Again. Regardless, thanks to my obsession, my customers have a whole mess of new little ditties, some of which I will share with you now:

*From left to right: Knotted Affection, $49.50; Little Buzzers, $12.50; Rose Tea, $16.50; Sweet Buttercups, $13.50; The Delicate Swallowtail Necklace, $21.50; Of Ocean and Sky Earrings, $21.50

Happy Shopping!

*Prices, names & items subject to change, 'yall.

Story of a Junk Habit: My Green State of Mind

2009-03-04T12:15:00.010-05:00

For me and my tiny Etsy shop, Green is a state of mind. Even pre-Etsy days I suppose you should say I was shamefully green. Not because of my recycling, but because of my pre-creative and creative processes, where I consciously do as much as I can to reuse everything along the way. This comes pretty easy to me because I am a collector. A junk one. Big time.

I collect and save everything from bits of used fabrics and tissue paper to rusty crap that I find on the street when I walk the dog. Tickets, tags, wrappers, stickers, twine, buttons, string – all of this would go in the trash for a normal person. But for me, it all becomes part of my tackle box. And what I do not re-use goes straight to the recycle bin.

For packaging, I use discarded bedsheets, which I rip into pieces to wrap around the jewelry. I re-use ribbon as much as I can to tie each fabric-wrapped package together, and I hand-stamp my tags to save energy (and a whole lot of moolah). When the time comes to get set for mailing, I use whatever used boxes or bubble mailers I have lying around.

As for business cards, instead of using a pre-made (and very expensive) duplex card stock, I make my own. The top sheet is a leftover French Paper stock that I had used ages ago in college, and the bottom is always recycled — whatever we have lying around the office. Be it sample paper stock, old presentations or just printed emails, it actually gives the card a really cool look. And the card's thickness seems really professional.

The future of Spool hopes to be even more green. I've created hand stamps to promote re-use of packaging products, but these are currently incomplete because of total stubbornness: I have not found the right recycled mount for them yet, which absolutely has to be made of something that is second generation. But I think that found objects could work, too, so we'll see what I come up with. To save an entire sheet of paper per sale, I'm hoping that I am able to get a new system in place soon so that I don't have to print out packing slips. Right now I'm too unorganized!

I'd love to hear what you guys do to think Green. Or any suggestions – I'd love to think Greener.

Retro Cheap

2009-02-27T17:45:00.001-05:00

The new Spring lines of many designers seem to be based heavily on retro glam style, which makes any woman feel ultra sexy. I have to admit, anytime something is ruched, accented in satin or made with feathers, I am all on board. There's something that holds on tightly to your curves and keeps everything completely in place. Add vintage rhinestones and pearls, a tiny clutch purse and satin roses and BLAM – you are transformed into a total bombshell!

I must admit that although I love the luxurious, I am a total bargain hunter. It might be because of the fact that I am desperately poor. But in all honesty, I believe that ladies on every budget should have the opportunity to look and feel sexy and completely fashionable. And now I unveil my seriously affordable finds...

A. Belted Satin Skirt, Forever 21, $15.80
B. Floral Peep Toe Pumps, Forever 21, $20.80
C. Gold Textured Vintage Mirror Compact, Violette Slippers on Etsy, $5
D. Sweetpea Comb, WhichGoose on Etsy, $25
E. Ruched One-Piece Swimsuit, Delias, $44.50
F. Vintage Rhinestone Brooch, Penorus on Etsy, $7
G. Embroidered Silk Clutch in Pale peach, Clutch That on Etsy, $70 (hey it's silk...I gotta have one splurge)
H. Women's Faux Pearl Choker, Old Navy, $9.50

Happy Shopping!

Junker's Delight!

2009-02-20T11:11:00.010-05:00

Over at our destash shop, Sugar Plum Tree, we have been stocking up like mad! I can honestly say that this is just a beginning. Much more stuff to come, we promise!

Here are some samples of what we've recently uploaded:

Clockwise from top left: Sparkling Sweet Blueberry Nest, $2.50; Grape Soda Drops, 85¢; Daisy Dollop Wafers, $1.75; Malt Shakes Beads, $1.00

Show your support – if there's something you like, heart it. You don't have to buy, you bunch of sillies! But if you do, you won't spend much dough!

Happy Shopping!

Brand-spankin' New Treasures Arrive!

2009-02-11T16:53:00.006-05:00

Inspired purely by Spring (and our 70° weather), Spool has JUST NOW uploaded two new items. Hurry, FREE SHIPPING ends on the 14th!

Left to Right: Summer Lanterns Earrings, $14.50; The Birdwatcher Necklace, $30.50

Happy Shopping!

Saint of the Month

2009-02-04T14:46:00.024-05:00

There are plenty of stories about where Valentine's Day originated, but the one I am most fond of is Saint Valentine was marrying young couples on the hush in total defiance of the Emporer's outlaw of marriage for young men. The sneaky Roman Priest must have had a soft spot in his heart for some babe to understand the detrimental longing of love for a special someone. Eventually, Poppa V was figured out and was condemned to be beheaded. His execution date happened to be February 14 ~ a day in which we all celebrate our undying love for our own special someone.

And in lieu of the upcoming day of amour, Spool is having a Saint Valentine's day sale! But we are calling it the 'Lovebirds Sale.' Yes, that's right - so get rare treat for your beloved. And don't forget that the beloved can be oneself. Starting Friday, Feb 6, you get FREE SHIPPING on all jewelry. If you have a custom order, try me. And you'll get free shipping if it's doable for me.

Clockwise from top left: Spool's Birdseeds Necklace will become special treat for both you and your feathered friends; To feel like a princess, try Rapunzel's Allure Necklace on for size; Fruit of the Divine Earrings are ripe and delicious for the picking; For the soft side of metal, don Flowers and Cages Necklace and brass up your wardrobe. Snatch these babies up from 2/6 - 2/14 with FREE SHIPPING!

* * * *

The header image is the first known documentation of Saint Valentine, aka Valentinus. After some thorough research, I finally was able to find the origin of this image, which happens to be in one of the earliest documented printed books, Nuremberg Chronicle. I'll share more about this luscious find at a later date, but I recommend checking it out.

Allow me to introduce the sweetest, rush-inducing, most sugar-coated destash shop on Etsy!

2009-01-28T10:36:00.012-05:00

Sugar Plum Tree (sugarplumtree.etsy.com) was scantily created in May '08 as a collaborative destash project by both me (spooldesign.etsy.com) and Red Heart 13 (redheart13.etsy.com). We wanted to get rid of this evermounting pile of 'junk' we've collected over the years not only as an Etsy sellers and craftspeople, but as whole-hearted junk collectors in general. I use the term 'junk' loosely because I dearly treasure the bits and pieces I have stashed about the apartment.
Up until just recently, we really haven't kept up with it, but as a new year's resolution, we are desparately trying to rid ourselves of some of our collection to make room for new mess. Well, in reality, its just 'new' old mess. Antiques are the sh*#!
Just as a little sampling, I'd like to give you a few temptations of what's in the shop at the moment, what's been there and what is up-and-coming:

Thanks everyone for your support in getting our little sweetiepie up and running!

Adventures with a Fisheye

2009-01-20T16:43:00.027-05:00

Man, I was ecstatic when Aunt B passed me one of her gifts to me. I didn't think I was going to get it. It was like when pop opened the leg lamp award in A Christmas Story. Here it was....the lomography fisheye camera! I was soo excited. Oh, now we need to get some film! Yes, I said it. Film. What's even funnier than saying it is loading it. And that I even remembered how. Thank God I got my bro-in-law to buy it, because I would have been a little embarrassed.
So I started snapping pictures. But I kept pulling the camera away from my face and looking at the back of it so I could see what I just shot. Yeah, I'm retarded. And I continued shooting just to use up the roll so I could see what I was taking. And what type of images work best. This would all probably be in the directions, but who has time to read that when you have a brand-spankin' new fisheye camera?!
So I am here to share with you the very first pictures. Well, the cool ones. Well, not really.

Above left is titled, Mold. You can bet your sweet petutie that the milk is expired, as well as over half of the contents. Above right is titled, Ominous Loo. Makes you want to hold your pee, no?

Testing out the camera after the holidays. I like how in the first picture the car is all warped and cool. The second one is just to show how intolerant Peanut can be. As I was shooting the picture, he said to me "Oh please...would you please get that dang thing out of my face?! Gosh!"

Some other suspects caught by the fisheye.

Now please remember that these are just the very first role, so be patient, they WILL get better. I promise. More to come...

A Snippet of my Recent Acquisitions

2009-01-13T16:22:00.017-05:00

I have a ton of favorite items, some that I've bought, and the rest that I plan to buy on Etsy. Just to keep the list short, I'll only share my acquisitions. Well, the ones that have nice photos. Sorry, I'm a Graphic Designer. I'm obsessed with photo touch-ups. :)

Clockwise from top left:
Tiny White Frosting Roses, by Tigerlilly Shop
Eco friendly dryer sachets, by ReFabulous
Floral Print Dress, from a shop that no longer exists :(
Owl Beads, by Jivah
Love Bird Earrings, by luxedeluxe
German Dresden Foil Wings, from Caramelos
Faceted Labradorite Studs, by phoebestreasure

Ha ha now this is just a snippet - I have 4 stinkin' pages of buys! I think I have a problem. Is it just me?

The Preface Blog

2009-01-12T17:20:00.002-05:00

I assume I shall begin my blogging with a little introduction of myself, no? I'm a Graphic Designer by trade, and a junk-collecting, mess-makin', stuff-makin', Etsy-obsessed gal the rest of the time.
My shop, Spool, on Etsy.com, has been in been in business since November of 2007 & I hope I do not jinx myself by saying this, but sales have been going up since. Thank God, because I need some other income source to support my Etsy spending. Ever since I was a fledgling, I've had a overwhelming need to create & my little shop also supports that & pays me to experiment!
Originally, my shop was going to support my new creative endeaver (back in '07) of sewing. Hence the name, Spool. Unfortunately, I hadn't sewn since Home Ec back in the day, but for some reason my mind told me that I could just jump right back into it & know what I was doing. Next thing I knew, the needle was jammed (and bent) and I was putting that bad boy away to start up an assemblage piece. And a collage. And in following in the footsteps of Red Heart 13, my pioneer shop, I began making jewelry. The rest is...well...here, I suppose.