sew & support schools: oliver + s

Once again, Twitter has helped me to discover a simply adorable company, Oliver + S, which designs sewing patterns for children. Best part? They are doing a promotion supporting our nation's neediest schools (education is my day job and a cause near and dear to my heart). 


Purchase a pattern from Oliver + S's site and they will donate 15 percent of the sale to a school of your choosing.

{how cute are the finished pattern illustrations?}

Great idea!

lovin' lonny: hipster lifestyle & home decor online mag

I love when Twitter hits one out of the park. Thanks for suggesting Lonny! I am now following and officially addicted to Lonny, an online magazine dedicated to stylish interiors and trends that we all should be clued into.


For instance, this is lovely...

{of the moment - geometric: Lonny blog post}

The site also shares decorating inspiration by room:

{precious dining space featured in fall Lonny issue}

Also, crushing on the name inspired by LONdon and NY (New York). Well done!

Chi-town

Latest design... 

{Chicago Love onesie with "e" initial}

You can customize this onesie with any city, any state, any initial. Super sweet for a super little girl!

holy cow design

I didn't know that my hideous Western basement was housing a current design trend. Steer heads, anyone?


I came across Restoration Hardware's home accessories section and low and behold:

{Cast Resign Horns & Antlers}

I have been handed down a steer's skull from my grandfather's farm. It was partly a joke because we inherited an icky Western basement when we moved into our home four years ago. (We've yet to make a change. The clock is ticking.)

Now, I'm thinking that we need to do something with ol' Bessie--that's the cow skull I'm referring to, folks.

Not sure how it would work in our home. We sort of have a wildlife motif in our bedroom. Maybe I should take up my glossy white spray paint and try it out.


As Tim Gunn would say "Make it work!"

houndstooth

I was inspired by this past week's Project Runway episode to blog about houndstooth. If you missed it, shame on you. Check out this winning look:

Houndstooth is widely available on everything from outerwear to purses this season.


Check out Juicy Couture's handbag collection including a children's purse. Adorable!

Rain boots? Check.

Last season's PR winner Seth Aaron, really used a ton of it:

I wanted to find some to use for my British inspire onesies. Especially my phone booth version. I am going to be out on the lookout for some houndstooth material.


I can't help but love it!!

bag it

Amy Butler is out with a new sewing projects book "Amy Butler's Style Stitches." There are 12 designs that you can alter to create 26 different bags. The styles run the gamut from coin purses to hobo bags.


My faves...

{Reversible Everyday Shopper and in the "easy" category}

{Keykeeper coinpurse and "intermediate." I think I can, I think I can.}

{Blossom Handbag/Shoulder bag and "advanced." Um, not sure I could swing this one.}

boo-yah!

I've finished the final design in my Halloween collection. Three little ghosts all in a row...

{Ghosts in a row tee on Etsy}

{Extreme close-up. These are polka dotted ghosts.}

I did this particular one on a long sleeve tee--it is typically pretty chilly by the end of October here in St. Louis.


Looking forward to my little guy running around the pumpkin patch in this one!

union jack and jane

Just put the finishing touches on a special little happy camper package that is making its way to Texas--yee haw!


I originally created this design in red and white gingham and blue and white polka dot but had a special request for solid navy and red. 

{the original "Union Jane" by little happy camper}

I like how it turned out so I am adding it as an option on the site.

{Union Jack by little happy camper}

I do think that the solid version is manlier for a little mate while the polka dot and gingham is girlie.

wallflower

I've often thought about taking my Amy Butler craft paper and modge-podging it to a wall in my house. Now, I don't have to!

Introducing, Amy Butler wallpaper designed exclusively for Graham & Brown. With six different color palettes, you are sure to find one that fits your home:

{I ♥ this palette: ocean. So, calming, yet cheerful.}

i want candy

{Candy corn tee from little happy camper}

Second piece in my Halloween Etsy collection... candy corn. I'm going to be honest--candy corn has not always been a favorite of mine but it has grown on me over the years. And it's pretty stinking cute on a kiddo shirt.


Available in long sleeve, too. 

a seat for my honey bun's buns

Breaking news... Amy Butler has a new pattern out, Honey Bun Pouf, and says this about it "great for the kid's room, extra seating, meditation..."

{Honey Bun Pouf from Amy Butler}

And this thread is new, too! Look at the box it's in. See more in my next post about obsessions with pretty boxes.

{Rowan Thread from Amy Butler}

it's off to work i go

When I sit down to blog, email or post new Etsy designs (or even just shop online--I call it competitive market research), I like to do so in a cute, inspiring environment.

Here's what gets me in the mood to "work"...

 {Brada laptop support from IKEA}

I'd have no excuse not to get SOMETHING done if I was using this cool laptop table... 

{Anja pillow from IKEA}

and propping myself up against this pillow...

{Lykta table lamp from IKEA}

while typing by the light of this lamp...

{VEJMON Side table from IKEA} 

and setting my cafe mocha down on this side table.

let's get organized, organized!

My craft area is in dire need of some cleaning/organization. Since I started my Etsy shop, it has become a disaster area. A crafting twister has come through and tossed bits of fabric, thread, Steam-a-Seam and paper about everywhere.

I need some inspiration:

1) Here's what I love about Martha. Not only does she have an "Organization" section on her Web site--she has "100 Easy Organizers."

{Craft cupboard from Martha Stewart}

2) There's never a time I don't look to Target for some help. itso, a storage and organization line, has a cool "builder" on Target's Web site that allows you to plan your space with their system including colors of your room, flooring and their materials.

{itso stinking cute polka dot fabric bin from Target}

3) May I have this office please?

{Bedford Corner Desk Set by Pottery Barn}

4) Feeling ambitious? Make a project table yourself.

{Do-it-yourself plans from Knock-off Wood}

Or, make 107 storage/organization pieces yourself. Knock-off Wood is crazy cool!

You know you have too many projects on your plate when a project includes a "project table."

nawlins' y'all

Here's a sneak peek of my latest design for my Etsy shop. My dear friend is expecting her second little girl. She lives in New Orleans and I'd love to surprise her with some little tees for her little ladies.

Voila!

show me some young house love

My basement is totally hideous. In Googling a solution for wood paneling I came across, Young House Love's post on the project and a plethora of "How-To's" I could implement (in my spare time). Here's their example of the project:

{Before - How-to wood paneling on Young House Love}

{After - wood paneling from Young House Love}

I love their site. I'm having my own young love affair with it. The photography is great. The guides look easy to implement. "House Crashing," a section that explores other's fabulous homes, is fun. I especially love their Design Advice service of $250 for a "review of your photos and any parameters you’ve set (paint color can’t change, table must stay) and within one short week we'll send you a mood board chock full of simple yet stunning design solutions to get the ball rolling and help you see your room in a whole new way."

Their site has inspired me to make some changes because of the aforementioned paneling and other scary items I don't even want to mention (barrel bar, cedar shake shingles, oh my!).

mead it, just mead it

Even though it has been quite a few years since I started "back to school," I still love the idea of getting ready with a set of new school supplies. Who doesn't love a new pack of crayons or blank Mead notebook? OR, a fabulously designed padfolio like the one I got for my birthday?

{French Bull by Jackie Shapiro stationery for Mead}

Not sure if I'll be taken seriously at work with one of these but I sure will look cute!

a word about verbena

Ver-whata? Yes, verbena. The world's best scent. I bring this up because I just received the most sweet smelling birthday gifts. (Not quite my birthday yet. I like to refer to it as birthday month since my husband takes all of June between a birthday and Father's Day. Oh, wait, he claims part of August because of our anniversary. Darn him.)


Anyway, take a whiff of this: k. hall designs verbena collection. I slathered on some shower cream this morning and then set about diffusing the bathroom.

We are very lucky to have k. hall designs in Saint Louis because not only do they have wonderful fragrances for home, body and bath online but they also sell very cool house ware items in their only storefront location. 

mr. postman

I love the mailman. He brings me the best stuff. Yesterday, I received the Linnea Design 2011 catalog with loads of new products--the next year's calendar, Mail Art stickers and so on. This was the first year that Linnea's daughter Johanna designed the poster calendar. I love both of their design styles. July's image is delicious!

{little happy camper kitchen wall}

adorable woodland creature population control

For goodness sake, I just cannot escape the camping cuteness that is running rampant on the Internet. Cheerful gnomes, furry squirrels, wide-eyed owls and sweet-smelling skunks (okay, I couldn't come up with a better descriptor) are everywhere in fantastical woodland settings.

{Photo from P.S. Paper-Source Blog}

Just look at the stationery that the CEO at Paper-Source crafted for her daughter who was going off to camp... How could you even put pen to paper on such awesome note cards let along take it in to the woods where it could be snatched by a racoon or worse???

let's hear it for new york

I just placed my latest Etsy design in the mail for Christina in NYC. I am so happy with how it turned out and hope that she and the gift's recipient love it. I am inspired to extend the line and pay tribute to my home town STL and others... nola, kc, atl.

Stay tuned for more!!!