oh hi.

Posted on 30. Oct, 2008 by admin.

Here is where I was all day.

(And I think that’s where Dave was all day, too. In front of the World of Warcraft machine.)

(And I just built that table I’m sitting at! We got it as a wedding present and it sat in its box in our living room for like six freaking months. After we finish cleaning our house for our Halloween party this Friday, I’ll post better pictures of all the crap I assembled in the last 3 days.)

My grandma suggested to my mom that I get some of those little hand things I’m wearing because I’ve been getting hand pain from all the needlework. They really help SO much. They’re like wrist/thumb stableizer gloves. And they only come in one color: butt.

I’m trying to wrap up all of my bridal orders for November this week so I can start building up inventory for Silver Bella.

I already have some things.

I’m making a buttload of these.

I bet they will sell well. The Silver Bella organizers are working with a pearl theme this year, so I think this will be popular. This year I will do better because I am making things for my customer instead of just bringing in whatever I like. I know I’ve matured at least a little bit since last year as a saleswoman.

You have to sell what people will buy.

Here is what people have been buying…

A new corsage and matching pin.

TONS of button flowers. What’s up with everyone wanting these lately? They always sell well, but people want billions of them lately.

Look at this priss. His hands are crossed.

I got him a catnip toy (he’s never had one before), and he was hyper and paranoid and jittery for 24 hours straight and then slept for 24 hours straight.

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
I don’t have a costume yet. I don’t have any creativity left!

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Kate and Luke’s wedding

Posted on 27. Oct, 2008 by admin.

Kate and Luke (another Aussie couple!), who got married last August, sent me a couple of photos from their wedding. I blogged about making their bouquet and boutonniere last July.

This is a drawing of the couple that was on the front of their invitation!

The photos they sent me are FABULOUS. How sexy are they!?

Her dress is from Ginger Roger’s estate.

Kate added some peacock feathers and wrapped it in some of the extra fabric from her dress.

I just had to share these. I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing the photos from after a wedding. It’s cool (and weird!) seeing something I worked on for so long, that sat on my table and got touched by me in a billion places become a keepsake for someone else.

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jessica and jenn

Posted on 26. Oct, 2008 by admin.

Last week was a whirlwind finishing the flowers for two November 1 weddings.

Jessica’s wedding is very 50′s retro in kind of an atomic age-spacey way. Their ceremony and reception will be held in a cocktail lounge/bowling alley called the Milky Way Lounge.

How freaking cool is that? I think this’ll be an Offbeat Bride.com hit…

All of these loose stems are going to be worked into centerpieces.

I’m just in love with this wedding and I can’t wait to see the pictures!

Jenn, who is also having her wedding on Saturday, was really fun to work with because I got to do black, white, and pink!

Jenn is also having her dress made by Joi Mahon, the same designer who made my dress.

How cool is that stem?

She ordered tons and tons of these loose flowers

I love making the loose flowers for brides because then it is like a surprise for me later to see how they were used in the wedding! Centerpieces, other bouquets, gifts, etc. I love the creativity.

So this Saturday is a doubly big day! And just think of the possibilities for a Halloween bachelorette party…

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autumn flower pins

Posted on 23. Oct, 2008 by admin.

I added two new pins to my store and there will be more to come.

This one I like…the polka-dot button in the center looks a lot like a soccer ball. I’m thinking about replacing it, unless someone really likes it. You can see it in the store here.

And this is my favorite one. The button is SO cool. Here it is in the store!

These are great for Halloween, but I think the colors will last you much longer into the fall season. Thanks for peeking!

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Eloise and Vendor Booths

Posted on 20. Oct, 2008 by admin.

Eloise is one of my favorite books.

If you haven’t read any of the Eloise books (written by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hillary Knight–and the illustrations are the best part), I should give you a quick synopsis:

Eloise is a six-year-old who lives at the Plaza Hotel with her nanny, her dog (who looks like a cat) named Weenie, and her turtle (who wears sneakers) Skipperdee. She does anything she wants, nothing she doesn’t, and her favorite phrase is “charge it, please.” She talks to Mars through a paper cup, roller skates through the hallways, and rides the elevator up and down all day, much to the annoyance of the attendant.

A few weeks ago I re-read this classic–one of my childhood favorites!–and found my mind going places like, “Where is her mother???” “Who is paying for all of this room service?!” “Why doesn’t she have any chores?” and “Why don’t they make her go to school with other children?”

I realized I was reading it wrong.
I was reading it as a grown-up.

When you read Eloise, you have to let yourself get lost in the fantasy. Being able to have a taste of Eloise’s carefree life in a hotel penthouse was definitely my fantasy–and lots of other children who read the books, I’m sure. Eloise isn’t about misbehaving, or disobeying your parents (or nannies). It is about the inner, personal life of a child–and I bet most of us were a lot like her at one time!

Getting bored is not allowed
Sometimes I comb my hair with a fork
Sometimes I wear my arm in a sling
Sometimes I put a rubber band on the end of my nose
Toe shoes make very good ears
Sometimes I wear them to lunch

The illustrations in this book are the inspiration for my vendor booth at Silver Bella this year (reminder: this Tuesday the 21st is the last last last day to register!). The black line drawings filled in sporadically with shades of pink. The overt femininity and girliness, but with childish messiness. My mom is doing the hard work on getting the structure of my booth designed and constructed, and I can’t wait to share the progress on that.

I’ve been moving at an absolute snail’s pace getting ready for this event…Just so much to prioritize. But let’s talk about what I have created so far.

I’m making dozens of these corsages using vintage felt and buttons and rhinestones and even that gorgeous old peach twill tape. This isn’t all you get, there are lots of different colors…some more muted ones, some more shabby ones, some bright ones. But this is my current project.

I’m also doing a buttload of those button flowers, selling felt flowers loose (wait till I show you a new photo of a big loose bouquet of them) and some new seasonal things…like felt flower-covered wreaths, etc. I want to try to make some tree ornaments, but I have a feeling that might be overdone.

Tomorrow I’m getting up early (10am….YIKES! Haven’t been up that early in MONTHS. Don’t hate, I stay up until 6-7am every night, so it’s not exactly “sleeping in.”) to go chill at my parents’ house all day. They are going to help me with a lot of projects, because I really need it. I’m so grateful that they live near me and are supportive!

Kay. Gotta go start a big huge paper for class that’s due next week. Boring, boring boring.

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