ripped from the pages

Well so far in the past year we have lost, Blueprint, Domino, ME's Home Companion, Country Home, Home, O at Home and who knows what other magazines I have missed.
I am afraid to ask which one is next.

At least BHG is still around (knock on wood.) While never my favorite (mostly b/c of too thin pages and lots of stuff in the back half that I never read) I can always count on BHG to come through with some great houses to share.

This kitchen in the latest edition is no exception. I just adore it! I love the wall color, the punches of pink , the glass door fronts, the subway tile back splash behind the stove,...

I really love this end piece of cabinetry that they built here to look more like furniture with the turned wooden legs and beadboard back.
I would say that this is exactly how I want my kitchen to look but it isn't. As much as I love, love full white cabinetry kitchens in magazines, it is not where my kitchen is headed.
For one thing, I could never keep them clean enough, and that is OK, I am not beating myself up about it. It is just a fact.
And for another thing, I just love color to darn much. Light green cabinets are my favorite in person, and that is just how it is.

This is another picture I pulled out of a recent BHG magazine, but I can't remember which issue. I just ripped it and stuck in my idea folder.

Sometimes when I rip a page out of a magazine I will go back and take more close up pictures of the page myself, so that I can focus in on a certain detail. Blow it up on my computer monitor and dissect what I love about it even more.


Like this lampshade...

Or these rolls of ribbon and little shell covered box.

So cute.

What we will do if all the magazines die? I love the internet, I do, but it is not the same has having a magazine in your hand, to wear out, flip through and rip from time and time again.

another one of those

Yes, this is a book post... because that is all I have in me these days. Since Saturday I have been in a technology limbo, my computer was crashing all the time, we ordered parts, had to wait for said parts to come in, plus one printer was out of black ink, the other printer is messing up when printing in black in, there has been ice, and canceled school, and rain, and blah blah blah.

So you can see who, given the state of the past 4 or 5 days cutting and pasting pictures from Amazon is way easier than finding the time (or mental energy) to take my own...

Maybe tomorrow? Now that the computer is on the mend let's hope so!
If I can't take any of my own tomorrow, I promise to at least show some things that are inspiring me right now that are not books.

But for now, another book post.

The Baby in the Hat
I came across this book while shelving the other day. I absolutely adore the story and the illustrations. Will probably have to order one for myself, even though the kids are pretty much past this stage of book. Alabama Stitch Book

This book finally came in at the library this week and I snatched it up. I am anxious to really look through it, and pleased to see that it is not all knitting and hardcore applique. I think there are some non-clothing projects that even I may be able to delve into!

The Gentle Art of Domesticity

This also came in at the library, and again, I couldn't resist, if for no other reason than I love the cover. Initially I was a little weary because there is more text than I generally like in a craft/decor book, but Jane Brocket is such a great writer that I have become and instant convert to the book and it's format.

Thanks for indulging me in another book post.... I know they are not the most exciting!

Frothy

Oh, awards season, how I love thee!

I love the all the frothiness...

I love all the glitz...

I love all the ruching ...

And I love having a picture of a hairstyle that I can finally take to a hairstylist and say
"Can you please show me how to get this look at 8 in the morning???"

Happy Monday everyone!

awe shucks...

I am so flattered and feel so loved!

A big thanks to super lovely gals, Linda and Deborah who both linked to me today on their blogs...

Linda (who is a style maven and always has great inspiration pics) named me in her post all about GLITTER today... Not only am I super flattered to be mentioned, but I am over the moon to be named in the same blogging breath as some of my all time glitter & crafting
heroes. If you love Glitter as much as me you MUST check out her post for more great links.

and then...

the fab Deborah bestowed on me this lovely award (along with 7 other fab bloggers) which seeks to celebrate blogs that
"...invests in the PROXIMITY in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that even more friendships are propagated."

Isn't that sweet?

So here are my 8 picks (though I think I could give about 80 out) to pass this award on to - blogs and blog friends who are always there to lend support and encouragement along the blogging way, and who absolutely fit the description above...

Berit
Sarah & Jack
Laura
Relyn
Jenny
Gina
Lidy

Rachel

in honor of Linda I am off to spread some more glitter around the globe...see ya soon friends!

Ladybugs and Such

this week it was inventory week at the library. every book had to be found, checked off a list, and then the shelf under it had to be cleaned. this meant for a long, long week. a week full of 8 hr days at the library, while still maintaining a busy banner order week and church stuff.
needless to say, I lost my marbles a few times.

like forgetting my wallet twice in 24 hrs and not realizing it till I reached the check-out portion of my trip to the store & restaurant. thank goodness for the kindness & understanding of friends.

also,i have gone to bed fully clothed one more than one occasion this week.

and i forgot to call my sister on her birthday (though i did send her some flair on facebook - does that count?) did i mention that she lives in germany and i only see her twice a year if I am lucky? (happy birthday jemimah!)
plus i am pretty certain I have forgotten to make some phone calls, return some emails and do some other important stuff that will come to me in the middle of the night i am sure...

but this afternoon, while sitting on the porch, enjoying a brief glimpse at pretty weather and watching Miles run to meet Wylie, and feeling slightly guilty that I wasn't glittering something, or calling someone, or cleaning everything, a ladybug flew in from the south and landed on my lap. and i was very, very glad to be sitting still in that moment, sun on my face, hands idle.

All you need is love, love

Here are some of the new fun goodies I have been working on...

My Big Love Banner, with XL sized hearts... I think the oversized hearts make the big impact that this little word deserves!

(FYI - You can pick this ditty up at Storia HOME any time you feel like it!)

Also coming along on my new little adjustable crowns. I think I am going to both sell these pre-made and also sell some DIY kits for birthday parties and so forth.

Don't you think little girls would have so much fun making their own crowns? I think a lot of big girls would have a lot of fun too!!

This lovely girl who is getting all the love is Mabel. Jeanetta is the one who painted her. I just got a couple of manni heads from Sally's Beauty Supply and showed her a similar idea on another blog

(All Sorts? Turkey Feathers? I can't remember!!! If you can remember let me know!)
Anyway, if any of you want to contact Jeanetta about her whipping up a special gal like this for your just pop on over to her site and contact her - I wish I could take credit for Mabel, but really, I just know talented folk who are sweet to me.

(ps- if you want a discount on any of my Etsy goodies, visit NewYorkMemos for a special code good through the end of the month!)

On Safari

In the living room.

How precious is this little boy and his lion?
Yesterday he showed us exactly how he bends and rubs his fingers between Lion's curls, and declared our fingers too big to do it properly.
Lion has been his constant companion since he was 6 months old, they are the best of buds.

Trunk Show Love

My first little trunk show went well. It was a cold dark night, so not too too many people came through The Shoppes where it was held, but it was met with enthusiasm by those who did, and I was able to visit with each customer, answer questions about custom orders, pass out yummy cookies and so forth. Also I made some good sales, which I was pleased with.

On Monday, I will be listing many of my leftovers at Storia HOME, so be on the watch. Some of my favorites going up are the Valentine Day Gift Pouches that are hanging on the pink tree in this picture... They were last minute additions but I love how they turned out.

Also, I was able to debut my Eiffel Towers AND my new crowns, which are completely adjustable. I still have some tweaking to do on the crowns, but I am loving them so far...I am also going to be making some cake-topper crowns out of this same pattern, and I am REALLY excited about those!

The trunk show was a new experiment for me and even though it was small, it was fun, and I am looking forward to doing it again. It was nice to be able to visit face to face with the customers, and I think if I ever have my own brick-and-mortar shoppe (way down the road) that would be one aspect about it I would really enjoy.

Benefits of Working in a Library

You get to discover books you never knew existed but are so glad once you pick it up...



Books you have been dying to read and find even better than you'd dared to hope...



Books that you are waiting (not so patiently) to be returned so you can check them out...




And books that you know you HAVE to take home to your kids even though you know it will put all sorts of movie making ideas into their heads, which will lead (as it always does) to lots of grand plans, most of which have to do with you making costumes for 50 storm troopers....


(as always, here are shamelessplugging.com if you are interested in any of these books just click on their pics!)

It Only Took A Year

From the moment I dreamed these up, until I found a way to share them with you...






Now for sale at Storia HOME -


the Eiffel Collection
for all your petite Parisian dreams

Parlez Vous Francais?

Moi? Un peu. Petite un peu. *Soupir*.

This time of year has become my "French Season." I think it mostly has to do with the quick turnaround from making Christmas Items to making Valentines Day ones. As soon as the New Year is rung in, I am off and running in the Valentines Department, but because I am not quite recovered from Christmas yet, I need some help. Using France and Paris as my inspiration always seems to help. First I gather all my "french" movies. I can't watch real french movies, because I can't read subtitles and cut circles at the same time. I am pretty sure I would lose a finger nail at the very least. So I make do with these English speaking, France-set movies instead.

Also, I pull out my little Eiffel tower collection, which is ever growing. The latest addition to the collecting includes a new paper & cardboard version that I made... Can you spot it in back?


Some Eiffel Tower Dangles and Free Standing Cutouts are some of my newest WIP's. I can't wait to play with these some more, embellishing and experimenting...


Tres bien? Qu'en pensez-vous?

Another fun project I have been working on is an Amazon Associates shop I am calling
Storia MARKET.
I have divided it up into fun categories like "Crafty Things" and "All Things English" where I have gathered up and offer my favorite selection of Books, Movies, Home Items, Craft Supplies, Beauty Items and much more in each category. The above picture shows just the first page of my "All Things French" category. If you have ever wanted to "play shop keeper" this is a really fun (and potentially profitable way) to start!

I am still playing around with the store and adding new products and categories daily, so make sure to check back regularly whenever you need something from Amazon!!

au revoir mes amis!

mon amis!

Some New Additions

to my online Shoppe Storia HOME...




this is just a sampling of what is there,

more to trickle in all week...

Let's Organize!

All week my good pal Gabrieal has been posting "Vintage Organization" ideas from readers and contributors at Vintage Indie Mag. Today was my day to be featured and I love what she did with my photo's...


go on over and take a look at a few of my favorite vintage "storage" pieces that help keep my little studio humming along...

(also here is a fun little article about me that was published in a local free paper right before Christmas. It was very last minute - they called on a Wednesday, and came to my house to interview me on Thursday. It was a lot of fun, but a little funny talking about my work and life that way. Also, there were a bunch more pictures in the print version that help it all make more sense...)

I am just not ready

to take down my Christmas. I know I should be, but I am not.

the moment will come will I will HAVE to have it all come down. I will not find it pretty or charming, only messy and bothersome.

But that moment has not come yet, and if there is one thing I hope to have learned in 2008 is that you should let things unfold at their own pace.

Sometimes that pace is a fast, energetic flurry, and sometimes that pace is slow and steady.

So for now it all stays up and I will linger in the twinkle lights just a little longer...

Movin on out...

Of the Shoppes.
Sorda.



Saturday was a bittersweet day. It was the day that Jeanetta and I moved out of our lovely striped parlor at The Shoppes on Woodlawn.
(All these pics are from our time there)



We have been in the Shoppes for over 2 years (can't hardly believe it) and we had been in the parlor for about 16 months of that.
The parlor was pretty good to us and we loved it dearly
We filled it with all sorts of treats and treasures, folly and fancy, bits and baubles.


But in the end the economy and our ever shifting lives did us in, and we knew that 2009 would see us changing things up a bit.



For now, I have moved out of the Shoppes as a resident. Hopefully I will be holding bi-monthly trunk shows (as well as showing at the monthly 1st Thursday Shop-N-Sip night) to showcase my holiday banners, new products and to give my regulars the chance to place special orders and do a bit of shopping. At least that is the plan. We shall see how things proceed from here - this is all still new territory, and I am not above changing my mind or adjusting things as needed.



Jeanetta is staying in residence at the Shoppes and has moved back upstairs to little space where she will be displaying and selling her very popular aprons and re-claimed door signs.



This move has been bittersweet for sure, and has been the subject of much thought and discussion for months. But it was made for all the right reasons, and is not a sign of things going downhill, as much as it is a sign of other things increasing in responsibility & excitement - including my wholesale business and my role at our church, which are 2 areas that I feel very strongly about right now and want to be able to focus more of my attention.


So what little was left (and there wasn't much since we hadn't really put anything in since the last of November) in our room I packed up and moved out, and now a new shoppe gal will move in and make it her own. (The upside for some of you will be that everything I emptied out of my local Shoppe has to go somewhere, so I will be adding some one-of-a-kind finds & creations to Storia HOME and Storia VINTAGE in a huge ATTIC SALE in the coming week. )

Before I close the door on this chapter I have to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has supported me through your encouragement and enthusiasm for what we did in our room. Also a HUGE thank you to everyone who shopped in our room or stopped in to say hello during an Open House or 1st Thursday. Our time in the parlor was extremely special, and having you to share it with was half the fun!



Even though I am sad to see our lovely room go to someone else, I have a great peace that this was the right thing to do, and I am excited about all the other NEW things that 2009 holds and that I get to share with you!