New piece in the Etsy shop

I just created a new piece for the etsy shop and photographed it with my camera... before shipping my camera off for repairs (I know I said I was going to do that weeks ago). So sadly... pictures may not be as *pretty* until the camera is back.
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!!

Lucky Freddie

Jeepers - Can this lady look any better? I think she may have taken the prize as cutest pegnant lady ever!!

Romantic new garter in the Etsy shop

I am waiting for some more supplies (coming from France) for the Blue Bird garter. I've received a bunch of inquiries about it... I will try to have it relisted soon! In the meantime, I created another garter for the Etsy shop and you can view it HERE.

I'm slowly taking custom garter requests if you are interested and are not seeing the perfect piece. Email or convo me for details.

Poinsettia Template

We've been getting a lot of positive feedback from our friends at CHA. One project that everyone's been wanting a template for is our poinsettia box topper. Josh found an amazing website that gives you a crazy array of paper projects. It was found on the Canon website. If you'd like to see the poinsettia template click here. We just added some of our rhinestone brads to beautify the center of the flower.

We also wanted to show off a few of Canon's other amazing paper projects. Have you ever wanted your very own Saint Peter's Basilica?
Just click and print.Or a little mouse...

There's some amazing projects if you have the time and patience. They put a whole new spin on the art of origami. Hope you enjoy this link as much as we do!

That's All Folks

Well, that's all from me this week. I am taking an early mark and heading away for a few days. I'd just like to thank the Skirted Girls again for having me over at their table this week. I really did have such a wonderful time. Thank you also for all of the beautiful comments you have left me this week too. You are all very, very kind. Looking forward to being back here next Tuesday. Have a great weekend!!

Image via Lolitas blog

Blue & White Lamp Heaven

I am so excited to say that we finally have some beautiful blue and white lamps available at Black & Spiro. As you can see above the girls have just unpacked them this morning and they are about to be put into the shop. We have some white crackle lamps and some really great orange lamps available too. Oh, and we also have some more new blue and white ginger jars which just came in this morning as well...just in case anyone is interested!!

Hot!

I've been working a bit more slowly since it's been so hot in Oregon (107 degrees!). I know Chelsea has similar sentiments. Wah-wah-wah.. right? It's okay if you have AC... but it is really hard to work in a boiling hot house if you don't have AC. I would stand there in my studio, not moving, and the sweat was dripping down my face. Well, like many Oregonians, Matt and I waited until too late to go AC shopping. Sold out just about at every store from Portland-Salem (I called everywhere). Anyhow, we just got a used one that is big enough for my studio room in the house and it is heaven. To celebrate the simple things in life, I created a simple, yet gorgeous handmade silk rose. It's in my Etsy shop HERE.

Talking Around The Skirted Round Table

A huge thank you to Linda, Megan & Joni for inviting me to their Skirted Round Table for a chat. I had a fantastic time talking with you all yesterday. If anyone is interested in hearing our discussion click HERE to be directed over to The Skirted Round Table.

Who loves a deal? We do!

Afternoon everyone! Thanks so much for all the CHA feedback-and keep it coming! We love hearing from you.

We search the internet, a lot. Can't help it! There are too many interesting things out there. The other day we came across something we thought every one of you should know about! Maybe you guys are ahead of us, but it's peachycheap.com. If you've heard of steep and cheap, it's the same idea, only for scrapbooking! Each day they feature a product at HUGE discount! How cool is that? No SEI sightings yet, but our fingers are crossed for you! So go check it out and grab a bargain. And don't forget about our website, with savings across the board.

Vintage Chairs

Sorry about the terrible photos however, I just had to snap a few shots of these pretty chairs I recently had recovered for one of my clients. They were her mother's chairs which we have worked into her lounge room scheme. We covered them in a black and white ticking and had box pleated skirts put around the base of them. I wanted to keep the timber frame in it's original condition so as to show the age of the chairs.

CHA- cha cha cha!

We're kicking off CHA this week. It's being held in Orlando, Florida this year! Lucky ducks... So while half the building is gone, enjoying beautiful Florida, we will be your informants and keep you posted on what's going on. CHA doesn't actually begin until tomorrow but SEI is having their preview party tonight, which I always hear is a highlight. There will be new projects and layouts on display that we've been slaving away on the past couple of weeks. We didn't get to photograph all the projects or layouts but we'll show you a few. Hope you like them... they're pretty amazing (I can only say that because Josh made the most amazing Christmas Mint project)

Winter Song

Moravia

Christmas Mint
Amazing, huh?

If you're lucky enough to be at CHA, let us know how you're liking it. If you're enjoying CHA from home this year, let us know what you think about these projects!

Makes me want to go on a picnic...

Along with all the amazing weddings they've photographed this season, I love this photo by Paul Rich and Holly Andres. It really makes me want to grab my picnic basket and go to the park with my hubby.

For Mix Magazine
Found HERE.

Really?!

I just succumbed and took the quiz - Who's Your Hollywood Hunk?

Apparently it's James Franco!

Here's what they said -
Laid back and totally easy going. Easy to joke with and fun to be around, James Franco will compliment your funny persona. He won't be afraid to mess with you and be the kind of lover who you want. Easy to be around but willing to please you in any way possible.

I have to say I'm happy with that... especially when he looks like this...

Maybe she should ditch the heels?

Has Tom's head shrunk?

Chalk has a Little Lamb!

Those of you who have visited CHALK this week may have noticed our fabulous new product - Little Lamb Jewellery.

We are thrilled to be the FIRST EVER stockist of Caitlin's new jewellery.

Caitlin Boyce has developed a wonderful and whimsical range of bangles, bracelets and necklaces specially for the young jewellery lover. Those of us who are lucky enough to own Caitlin's
pieces ourselves can now buy a mini version for someone special in our lives.
The bangles and bracelets come in two sizes, infant (0-2) and child (2 up). You can choose
from five gorgeous charms - fawn, lamb, rabbit, elephant, or bird, and these can be made in sterling silver or if you are feeling like a little extra glamour, 9ct gold.

Each piece is beautifully packaged and comes complete with it's own crocheted Little Lamb, and information about Little Lamb's support of orphaned children in rural Bangladesh.
They really are divine - I even have the elephant necklace myself and believe me, I would have the bracelet if I could convince her to make one to fit me!

17 of 17

It was a hard night at our place tonight - Both the kids barrack for the Doggies and I have been a Sainta since the womb. As a family we tend to support the Bulldogs as we live and work in the midst of them and quite frankly it can be bad for your health not to barrack for the Dogs when you live in the West.

But when push comes to shove it is always the red, white and black that steals my allegiance.

My dad was heavily involved in the club when I was growing up and we spent every home game watching from the members dining room with the footballers wives. It was the glamour era of Trevor Barker, Michael Roberts etc and I loved every moment - although how much actual footy I watched is debatable.

I am by no means an avid supporter but it amazes me the feelings that stir when I do watch the boys in action. I love the Doggies, but the Saints are in my blood, a part of my history and I was so proud to be a St Kilda supporter when I watched tonight's game.

A couple new pieces :: Etsy shop update

It's about time I listed a couple new pieces in my shop, yes? I LOVE this new "Twirl" bridal hair piece. It is so floaty, lightweight, yet completely glamorous:

And a petite and delightful addition...

Both in my Etsy shop right now. Happy Friday!

Thank you Pioneers!

Here in Utah, we have a special holiday today, Pioneer Day. It's something I never knew existed but without question pioneers definitely deserve to have their own special day. Just look at the picture above, none of that looks like fun: long dresses, tumbleweeds, dry skin, hot weather and kissing that beard? Well thanks to the many sacrifices of these trailblazers we have scrapbooking. How, you might ask? Well through many difficulties these pioneers settled much of the west, including the great state of Utah.

I'm not sure if you know, but Utah is the unofficial scrapbooking capital of America. Although first signs of scrapbooking have been around since the time of Aristotle, it took the World Conference of Records to make it what it is today. In 1980, Marielen Christensen shared 50 volumes of her family history at this conference that was held in Utah, and modern scrapbooking was born. Afterwards, the Christensens opened the first retail scrapbooking store here in Utah and called it Keeping Memories Alive. So in this long round about way, we have much to thank the pioneers for. If they wouldn't have settled Utah, the World Conference of Records may have never taken place and we would still have shoe boxes filled with photos. Ok, even if it the chances of that happening are slim, scrapbooking can still be one of the reasons we say, Thank You Pioneers!

Sienna

I'm not a fan of Sienna Miller in theory but I have to admit she is my secret style idol. There is something very natural about her style and it always seems to look effortless.

Wish I looked like that when I got petrol!!

Friday Flowers

Here are some beautiful tulips which I just arranged in a vintage jug for the shop. I love this little corner in the shop at the moment and these fresh tulips fit right in. I hope you have a great weekend. See you next time!

xx

Anna

Pretty pictures :: Stephanie Williams Photography

I just received a few gorgeous photos from the talented Stephanie Williams of Stephanie Williams Photography. She recently photographed the fashion spread in the lovely e-zine, Utterly Engaged. Here are a few photos and one from the e-zine:

Photo credits: Stephanie Williams Photography

I MUST HAVE ONE!!!

Cupboard Makeover

I have an old cupboard at home just like this one however, at the moment mine certainly isn't looking as chic as this one.

At the shop I have lots of bits of left over wallpaper from displays we have done. I'm thinking I might use some of these bits to paper the back of my cupboard door.

My little cupboard is in a hallway near our kitchen and currently it is bursting at the seams with sheets and towels. I think I should move the sheets and towels into my larger laundry cupboard and fill this little one with some of my special pieces of china.

This pretty image has inspired me.

Image - Vogue Living

New Paper Pads

We are excited to tell you about two brand new paper pads we are releasing at Michael’s. They will be available mid-August 2009. You will only be able to get these designs in a paper pad and they can only purchased at a Michael’s store.

The first paper pad is called Zoo Pals. There are so many adorable animals on these papers. They would be great to scrapbook kids, toddlers, babies, a trip to the zoo or Yellowstone. Besides your usual zoo animals (elephants, alligators, giraffes, monkeys, lions…) some of my favorite animals in this paper pad are the buffalo, penguins, sheep, owls and panda bears.

Not only can you scrapbook with these papers, you can teach with them too. In the past I have colored, cut and glued plenty of time-consuming projects together to teach my 2-year old but this paper pad makes it easy to whip together tons of fun teaching tools.

The project above was done using the Zoo Pals paper pad, Bridgeport ribbon, a 4"x6" black preservation album, and Poppy monograms. I cut out some of my favorite animal papers down to 4 x 6 added a little square of the solid paper and a monogram. For the cover I cut a piece of paper that had all the animals together and added a ribbon. This picture book is good to teach animals and letter recognition. It could be embellished more but the nice part is it took me less than an hour to put it all together.

One of the papers included in the Zoo Pals paper pad looks like a zoo map and includes all the animals and signs. It would be fun to make into a game board. Another paper in this paper pad is perfect for counting. It has different numbers of animals in numerical order with the numbers by them. This could be used to teach animal names, counting, or number recognition.

Do you have any other ideas of how to use these papers? Do you love it? Check back later for a project using our other new paper pad, NutMeg.

Maria

Oregon Bride Magazine :: fall/winter 2009

Aw~ just lovely:

This amazing photo shoot was taken in May on Mt. Hood in Oregon. Elianna Bar-El did the amazing styling and the spread was for the lovely Oregon Bride Magazine. I see several tops from the English Dept., including that amazing shrug that Elizabeth Dye made for me! There are a couple twigs & honey pieces in the shoot:

Just stunning. How funny that a few years ago, my MA thesis was on Mt. Hood, glaciers and environmental change. When I chose Mt. Hood as my region of study, I never thought that years later, I would have designed a couple pieces for a fashion shoot on the dormant volcano. Full circle. :)
Photo credits: Oregon Bride Magazine
Video by Kevin Focht

From the Files

This image {above} is one I've kept on file since mid last year. It's from an article Inside Out magazine did {May/June 2008 issue} on former Vogue Entertaining & Travel & Vogue Living Editor, Sharyn Storrier Lyneham's home.

After spotting this image in my files earlier this week I remembered that Vogue Living had done a story on Sharyn's home too {January/February 2008 issue}. I found a copy of the story and thought I would post the image Vogue Living published of this very same room.

I just adore the look of this sunroom - it's so fresh and pretty, inviting and mismatched and how divine are the fresh Hydrangeas?! Apparently those to die for cushions on the cane chairs are vintage.

These days Sharyn is in partnership with Australian Fashion Queen Belinda Seper in their unique concept store, Edit.

Image 1 - Inside Out Magazine, Image 2 - Vogue Living via Edit

Looking Forward To This...

Michelle Adams is at it again with her business partner, photographer Patrick Cline. Here's what they are about to launch into;

{Excerpt taken from M.A. Belle}

In a time when shelter publications are turning their last pages...

OUR MISSION is to reopen the doors of accessible design. By embracing an online platform we provide inspiration at the click of a finger, directly connecting our readers to their favorite products and resources. Our freedom from page limits means that we can share more content in each issue, delivering an intimate look into the way people really live. At Lonny, we value independent thinking and believe not in following trends but rather in making choices that lead to happiness. We believe that good design and affordable design can coexist and that true inspiration can be found in the teeniest of homes or in the grandest of spaces.

Coming Fall 2009 ;)

I will definitely be checking back for updates on their new venture!