Everyday Beauty

Daily Candy

 

Pretty exciting stuff! The Everywhere edition of Daily Candy is all about One Hundred Wishes today! It seems they found the prize ribbons I had custom made for the shop, and wanted to feature them!

This is pretty cool. I've been a Daily Candy subscriber since I lived in NYC {way back when}, but never thought I would have a shop that would actually be featured! Didn't even cross my mind. You just never know.

Click here to read what they had to say {in their always-humorous Daily Candy way}.

If you'd like to subscribe and get a piece of Daily Candy in your Inbox every morning, click here to see all of the fun options. {I subscribe to the Kids edition,  Daily Candy Deals, the Everywhere edition and also the Washington D.C. edition.}

I was trying to downsize and simplify and slow down....really, I was. And still am. But apparently there is a greater plan out there that we can't always control. I'll just roll with it, taking each day....

Today I feel lucky, grateful and happy.

A Sweet Surprise

Something exciting is happening tomorrow! I just got the news and I'm giddy!

Treats for Tresses

I never really set out to start a collection of things. But before I know it, I have. Case in point: vintage hair accessories. Having no daughters, you would have to wonder why I have all of these barrettes. I'm with ya...but I just love them, and they usually only require a little pocket change at flea markets, so it's hard to resist.

When we were "home" at Christmas time, I was chatting with my teenage and 21-year old cousins {did I ever tell you I have 37 first cousins....my grandma had 12 kids}. Well, anyway, we were chatting, and apparently wearing bobbie pins and little barrettes is "in" right now. My cousins had their bangs swept over to the side, secured with a bobbie pin, and I loved the look. So, I came home and sorted through the collection I never meant to collect....and look at all of these pretty little things I can wear!

These rhinestone ones {above} are the ones I'm wearing most often.

Oh, and this Mother of Pearl one, too. Love the shape.

I think the plastic pieces are sweet but maybe a little too precious.....not quite the look I'm going for. But how cute would these be for a little girl?

Cute.

Cuter.

Even cuter! Love this cowboy boot too.

 

I had them all clipped onto these velvet ribbons, hanging on my inspiration board, but I decided to put the ones I wear in a little dish on my dresser. Makes more sense than having to go to my craft room to get a barrette for my hair!

 

I've been organizing {does it ever end?} and have come across some other "unintentional" collections. I'll gather them up and take some pictures soon.

 

Here's to a good hair day!

Sewing Pattern Twinkle Lights

Here's the other paper-flower project I was telling you about. It's the same idea as the Fiesta Flowers in the previous post, except this time I used old sewing patterns.

{a quick note about sewing patterns: I heard someone say that cutting up and using sewing patterns for other things made seamstresses cringe. I understood the point, but there are thousands of old sewing patterns for about 25 cents a piece at thrift shops from shore to shore. So, I'd like to think of this as recycling and repurposing patterns that would otherwise eventually get thrown in the trash.}

I already had this strand of Candylights that I had gotten last year. See the pink silicone tips? I thought they would make nice little centers for the flowers. They come in several different colors too.

So, for each light, you need to cut a strip of paper 40" long and 2" wide. I used a scalloped scissors for the top edge {you can see it there in the picture} and a straight scissors for the base of the flower that will be covered with floral tape. Fiskars makes metal scalloped scissors, and they are awesome! Once you use them, you will throw away the plastic decorative scissors that cut through 5 sheets of paper before they lose their edge. If you like scallops, these are worth buying. {Sorry, I can't find them on the Fiskars website for some reason. I hope they still make them!}

Anyhoo, so you just gather and wrap the paper around the base of the light bulb until there's no more paper left to wrap. Then secure it all together with white floral tape. So easy!

I have them strung around a mirror at the moment, but they'll probably move into my craft room eventually.  I really really really love these lights. Beige is one of my favorite colors {does that mean I'm boring?} and sewing pattern paper is such the perfect shade.

 

This photo is awfully dark, but the sun was so intense, it was like my camera was wearing it's sunglasses to block out the light. It wouldn't capture a bright picture. I'm sure there's a technical photography term for this, but in any case, it was frustrating. You get the idea though. :)

 

I told George I loved these so much I wanted to wear them like a big ridiculous necklace. He just looked at me. He's used to it.

Fiesta Flowers

Lately I've been planning my evenings around which new movies are premiering on the Hallmark Channel. Well, not exactly, but pretty close. A couple weeks ago the new one Expecting a Miracle was on. {loved it...tear jerker}. The movie takes place in a village in Mexico, and the plot sort of centers around an upcoming festival.

Anyway, long story short, they had the traditional Mexican decorations and garlands of crepe paper flowers hanging about in some of the scenes and it inspired me. I've always loved those flowers and the whole handmade nature of Mexican paper decorations. I figured they couldn't be too difficult to make, and I ran and grabbed my stash of folded crepe paper sheets, some scissors and white floral tape. I sat on the couch, ate a bowl of ice cream, and then made some flowers.

I didn't end up stringing them into a garland and I don't think I will, but maybe a bouquet would be nice. I'll wire them to stems and wrap the handle in some pretty ribbon. Just to have it sitting around in my craft room, just for decoration.

It turns out, they're pretty simple to make. Just cut a 4 inch {or whatever size you like, really} band of folded crepe paper from a new pack. Unroll it all and, starting at one end, use your thumb and finger to gently roll one of the long edges of the paper {roll the entire length of the paper}. Then, once you have your rolled edge, you can begin wrapping the crepe around a little bundle of stamens, with the unrolled edge at the base of your flower. Here are some new and old stamens I have gathered from various places....craft stores, flea markets, ebay.

Stamens really bring a flower to life. Otherwise, it's just kind of a pretty gathered paper thing. {I'm so descriptive today.....laughing}

So, anyway, keep wrapping and gathering and pleating the paper as you go around and around the stamens. Then secure it all together at the base with floral tape.

It's a good couch project, at the end of the day when you don't have a lot of energy.

And I think a wrapped cluster of these would make a beautiful gift topper!

After I was done with these, I made another variation of this same idea, but with different paper. I'll photograph and post them soon.

Ok, off to make some dinner!

I Just Want to Say....

 

Thanks for understanding.

Thanks for your sweet comments of support.

I already knew that I had made the right decision, but it's still nice to be reassured by so many of you mothers who know exactly what I'm feeling. I wish I could have you all over my house for coffee and pie. I really do. Bring the kids. They can trash the house right along with my kids!

Anyway, thank you.

And thank you for your orders. I'm packing them as fast as I can, and the plan is to get them shipped within a week of the order date. I'll do my very best.

Also, some of you mentioned that you will miss my blog. Well, thank you....but it's not going anywhere! I am most definitely continuing this blog! In fact, I may even get the chance to blog more often. We'll see. The shop is the time-consuming part, not the blog so much.

And now.....The lucky winner of the handmade velvet strawberry is Brandee! Congratulations! I'll be in touch to get your address and mail your berry. Hope you love it!

Diary of a Shop Owner

If you've stopped by the shop since I reopened on Wednesday, you've probably noticed some sales. There have been quite a few emails from inquiring customers, so I guess it's time to talk. I've always been an open book.....why stop now?  Here's the honest-to-goodness truth.

When I laid the plans for One Hundred Wishes, 2 years ago, I envisioned a shop with unique and beautiful items for creative customers. In my mind, I saw myself puttering around in my studio making pretty things and once or twice a week sitting down to pack a few orders. I thought it would give me the best of both worlds, getting to stay home with my children while still having my own little "thing". I never did it for money. I did it purely for pleasure and the pursuit of a long-time dream.

Well, the truth is, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would grow to become what it has. And quite simply, as grateful as I am, it's become more than I ever wanted it to be. Keeping the shop fresh and interesting consumes an incredible amount of time, and I'm just not willing to give up precious minutes with my family any longer. So, it's time to slow down this ride (where are the brakes?) and scale back considerably. I am not closing up shop, just downsizing and keeping the best of the best. My very favorite things.

I will continue making jewelry, and there are some other creative plans swirling in my head and written in my journal as well. All in time. There is no rush, no time line. It's all about doing what feels right. And right now, I gotta tell ya, this feels very right. It's been a long time coming.

I want to play more with my boys. And sit on the couch watching movies with my husband after we put the kids to bed. I want to bake more. And create more. And relax more. And clean my house better. And do more yoga. And I can't wait to work in the garden and have Mario there digging by my side. And I want to have free time to meet friends for lunch and catch up. I want to enjoy these days, because I know how quickly they will fly right by me if I don't make the conscious decision to savor every moment. Sam is so big. When did he get so big?? Was I packing orders while he was growing? Was I too stressed out to notice that Mario doesn't want to play trains alone. He wants to play with me. And I want to play with him. Because someday he won't want to play with me. Right now, I'm his best friend. He told me so. And I want to bake {not buy} every birthday cake for George, Mario and Sam from now until forever. Not because I have to, but because I want to.

So, there you have it. The raw truth. I hope I don't come across as sad in this post, because I am as happy as can be! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It feels like everything has come into a very clear focus for me. Those of you who are close to me know this has been on my mind for such a long time. It's so good to set it free. Simplify.

I have also decided {after much consideration} that I will no longer be shipping orders internationally. For domestic orders, I ship everything through USPS Click N Ship, right from my front porch. But, international orders require additional paperwork and trips to the post office with the kids in tow, several times a week. I have greatly appreciated every international order I've ever received and want to say a big thank you to each one of my faraway customers and friends. Orders have been shipped to South Africa, Italy, Malaysia, England, Peru, Canada, France and everywhere in between. How amazing the Internet is. Thank you for your support and your loyalty. It truly means so much to me.

Whew. I'm long-winded today! Glad I got all of those thoughts out though.

So, what does all of this have to do with these pictures of pretty velvet strawberries? A fair question, I would say! I purchased these handmade berries for my shop late last year, and they arrived in the mail this week. One last shop update for a while....and a very pretty one I think! These strawberries were handmade by one of my customers, Kimber Van Heukelom. Each one is topped with hand-dyed wool and dotted with seed beads. Kimber also made the adorable tuffet with the tiny berry emery. As you can see, she does beautiful work. I love them and I love that they are handmade.

There are a limited number of these strawberries in the shop now, and I also put one aside to do a fun little giveaway. If you'd like the chance to win a velvet strawberry, leave your name and email address and I'll draw a name on Monday!

You can also contact Kimber directly for special orders. (515) 993-4005 or tkhook@msn.com

Happy Weekend everyone! Don't forget to make it count. Thanks for reading this far....lol....

xoxoxoxoxoxo Andrea

Bookmark Bijoux

I'm always playing around and thinking of new uses for my old jewelry. Here's an easy little project that uses nothing more than velvet ribbons, vintage jewelry bits and some findings. I love the easy ones....instant gratification!

 

It occurred to me that I needed some pretty bookmarks one evening when I reached for a used dryer sheet in the nearby laundry basket to stick between the pages of my book. How sad is that? Usually I stick an old receipt or some other ugly scrap of paper in my books when I need a bookmark. No more!

In a matter of minutes (if that) you can make these pretty bejeweled bookmarks. The ribbon clamps can be purchased here, and are available in several different widths.

Simply cut the ribbon to the desired length and squeeze a clamp onto each end using jewelry pliers. Then attach a jump ring and your chosen bauble to the loop on each clamp. That's it.

I also made some clips while I was at it. I had gotten the clips a few years ago at a scrapbook store, but I'm sure they're still available. Just a dab of hot glue {I should have a holster for my glue gun since I use it so much} or E6000 and you've got a pretty little clip.

Just thought I'd share with you, in case your books have dryer sheets stuck in them too. :)

Angelina

 

I finished a few more of my Silver Bella projects. Yay! It's not too late to share another one, is it? This was Teresa's Christmas Pageant class (which I loved), and I decided to change it up a bit and do a non-Christmas theme so I could enjoy it all year long. It's an old book whose pages were carved out to create an area perfect for showcasing a special photo.

This is a picture of my mother-in-law, Angelina Carmella Guglielmino Singarella (just a little Italian), taken when she was a baby in Sicily. Doesn't she look like a little porcelain doll in this photograph? When I was trying to decide which picture to use in this class, this was the very first one that popped into my mind.

Angelina passed away 9 years ago, when George and I had just recently started dating, and sadly I never got to know her very well. In the few days I spent with her, she taught me how she made her homemade meatballs and sauce, and she told me she knew I was "the one" for George - a man no one ever thought would settle down and start a family. She was a teeny tiny thing at just 4' 11", and I had to literally bend down and fold my 5' 10" self in half to give her a hug. She was quiet and selfless and as just sweet as can be. She never had anything mean to say about anyone and never judged a soul. She was an incredible seamstress and cook. She told me she wanted to make my wedding dress, and I'm sad she wasn't around to do it. She would have been a wonderful grandmother to our boys. This is my little tribute to her.

 I thought this little Bakelite statuette of Mother Mary was appropriate.

 

Old velvety flowers and crepe ruffles.

 

Words that reminded me of her.

 

I used the rosette from one of my vintage prize ribbons and added some sparkle and lace and new velvet streamers.

I have this sitting on a table in our hallway upstairs, and we walk past it everyday. A pretty little reminder of her.

 

T-Shirt Pom Poms

  

Well, I guess I spoke too soon. The sun was shining like crazy yesterday. So, I snapped some pictures for the next several posts, just in case it decides to hide again.

I made these pom pom flowers out of some old t-shirts. It's the coolest thing. You just cut 'em all up and stitch 'em back together in a new way. I used a couple of George's old undershirts and a few of my old maternity t-shirts. I love the idea of recycling them into something fresh and new. {I mean, how many dust cloths do I need, right?}

The idea and instructions came out of the wonderful Alabama Stitch Book. I love it! It's full of ideas, inspiration and plenty of sewing instruction. The book's focus is on transforming cotton jersey t-shirts into all sorts of other apparel and decorative projects including a good deal of applique and reverse applique.

   

I've long been intrigued and fascinated with the culture of the Deep South, and bought this book not only for the sewing aspect but because I had heard that, throughout the book, Natalie Chanin shares tales and stories of her life in the South and the generations of stitchers she comes from.

  

So, anyway, the pom poms were the first thing I made. When I saw the photos in the book I gasped. And I even used a mason jar to hold the flowers, just as they do in the book. Love the simplicity of that. I filled my jar with baby Lima beans to support the flowers because these are some heavy pom poms!

I took a trip to the grocery store with the sole mission of finding something off-white to fill the jar. At only $1 a bag, the beans are an inexpensive and pretty option. I look at beans a whole new way now! The color, the textures, the possibilities...

The brown stems are bark-covered wire from the floral department of Michael's. You can buy them as long straight stems or as a coiled spool of wire.

I still have to add some felt or jersey leaves (completely forgot!) to each stem, but that should be quick. You know I would normally share a little tutorial with you, but since this project and instructions are published, it's not right (or legal) to post it on the Internet. So, if you like to sew, go grab a copy of the book from the library or hop over to Amazon. So many great projects inside!