Alphacatmom August 13, 2008

The other night I was standing on the sidelines of the soccer field waiting for my son’s practice to end.  All of the parents were chatting about summer and lamenting the fact that it seems the weather is beginning to change.  Don’t get me wrong, it is still scorching during the day but the nights are coming a little earlier and they feel a little cooler.

With the weather changing, it started me thinking about fall fashions.  There is nothing I love better on a cold winter day than to snuggle up in a big oversized sweater.  However, I am usually not one to choose the traditional fall colors in my wardrobe…. I like bold, in-your-face kind of colors.  This beautiful, vibrant yarn from Alphacatmom looks like it could become the perfect sweater for me (if only I knew how to knit!).

Alphacatmom is a mother and daughter team from New York who takes old, out of style garments and creates new yarn for all your creative needs.  The garments are de-constructed, the yarn then hanked, hand washed, hung to dry, weighted, and labeled.  They also offer already knit garments for those of us who like the idea of sweaters made from recycled yarn but have no idea how to create one for ourselves.  They even have tote bags made from old jeans.  What a great use for unwanted clothes!   Visit their etsy shop to see all they have to offer.

Love All Around August 12, 2008

This last week was an incredibly difficult week in our household.   As some readers may know, my husband and I have been struggling with our very old dog for some time now.  Maddy, our first “baby”, an adorable black lab mix with an easy-going and loving temperment has been on a slow decline for a long time.  Unfortunately in the last month, that decline has accelerated…. multiple accidents in the house a day, difficulity walking, deafness, blindness and finally, a cancer diagnosis.  It had reach the point where a VERY difficult decision needed to be made. 

My husband had tried to have this discussion multiple times but I kept trying to delay it.  Eventually, it could not be avoided any longer.  Once I was finally able to face what needed to be done, it became apparent that we had to help the kids say goodbye to Maddy.  This was a very sad, teary process that involved eulogies, chocolate (both for us and the dog), lots of petting and special doggie treats. 

As much as I knew that this needed to happen, I was not prepared for the pain of actually saying goodbye.  As my 10 year old said the night before, “I am going to have a hole in my heart.”  There definitely is a space in our life that feels very empty right now.  Even knowing that we made the right decision, has not diminished the emptiness of her absence.

As our family struggles to fill this hole, it seemed destined for me to discover this ”simple line drawing honoring friendship between all creatures” by Love All  Around on etsy.  This basic drawing  printed on recycled paper captured for me the love and memories that we shared with Maddy.  I felt like with just a few strokes this talented New York artist captured the love that humans and animals can share.  It was easy and comforting for me to see our little boys hugging Maddy in this drawing.  Visit her etsy shop to see her many beautiful drawings.

Overwhelming! August 11, 2008

I could not believe the number of comments I got as entries for my Italian Paper Domino Tile giveaway.  It was overwhelming!  I have never had so many people leave a comment…and so many nice ones!  It was humbling- yeah, I know it is because everyone loves free stuff but it was still very cool!!  I am sure you are all waiting with baited breath for me to announce the winner so here she is….. drum roll please.  The winner is Joy.  I have sent her an e-mail requesting her mailing address so I can get her swag in the mail.

If you are heartbroken that you didn’t win this pendant, you can still buy one at 2monkees  for only $11.  Also, I am planning to do more giveaways in the near future so keep checking back.  If you don’t want to wait for my giveaway, you can find me in the  September Indie Goodness Giveaway at www.scoutiegirl.com and on August 17th, I will be a feature on http://cozysister.com/blog/ and be providing the prize for a giveaway.  Check them out!

Ohhhh, Pewter Pendants August 7, 2008

I am having so much fun making these new pewter pendants for 2Monkees on etsy.  I get to feed my paper addiction by searching for beautiful and unique papers to fill the pendants and I love the look of the “frame” of the pewter.  Even more exciting, these pendants are made in cooperatives in Mexico, providing crafts people with a fair price and a sustainable business for their families.  When I work with these pendants, I can tell that they are hand crafted. Each one is just a little different, giving it personality and a one of a kind feel.  I have just started adding some new pendants.  Keep checking back to see all the new shapes and sizes.

Remix Studio August 5, 2008

I am a total orange freak.  I love  all things in the shade of pumpkins.  In fact, I even have a bright, Halloween orange fuzzy fleece for winter.  (This coat is my absolute favorite even though it inspired a dad at my son’s school to tell me, “You look like a furry, Halloween muppet”….. not the exact fashion statement I was after but oh, well.)

Given this passion and my love for all things “green”, it is not surprising that I am  lusting for this adorable handmade purse from Remix Studio on etsy.  Liz, the talented artist behind this bag crafted it using old t-shirts. 

 I know that just because I love orange doesn’t mean everyone else does but the cool thing with Remix Studio is you can send her your own old, well-loved t-shirt and Liz will turn it into a custom bag for you.   How cool is that? 

To find out more about Liz and her creative process, visit her blog at Remixed.

Fixed Gear Gal August 1, 2008

I must have kids on the brain this week because all of my features seem to be related to those little fountains of germs and honesty.  (Maybe this has to do with the fact that this is one of the first weeks both of my kids are home with no activities all summer!) 

Even though my boys are now 8 and almost 11, they are both still VERY attached to stuffed animals.  If you dare to lift up the covers of their beds, you will always find at least 30 or more animals burrowed in the sheets.  Unfortunately, many of their critters are the boring mass produced Beanie Babies but when I showed them Fixed Gear Gal’s distinctive handmade creations, they fell in love.  They especially liked the Master of Camouflage Monster seen on the left.  They liked his crazy body shape and cute little eyes.  I loved that he is constructed using recycled materials.  In fact, all of Fixed Gear Gal’s creations are made using thrift store fabric, donated scraps, sweaters and old blankets and other odd fabrics the artist discovers.  Each monster is totally unique and makes a perfect gift for the little monster in your life!

Tulip Tree Baby July 31, 2008

I just returned from our annual family trip to visit my parents in Oklahoma.  Both of my sisters show up with all of their family and I fly in to spend some days of family fun in the blazing summer heat of Oklahoma.  All 16 of us crowd together in my parent’s house- laughing, eating and running around.  Since it is so hot, most of our time is spent splashing around in the pool.

This year, both of my sisters had kids still in diapers.  One of my sisters was trying desperately to potty train my two year old niece but as is inevitable with this process, there were lots of accidents.  She had a great bribery tactic going-pee in the potty and you get a sucker- but it was slow going.  As I watched how hard she was working, I couldn’t help but thank God that I was out of the diaper stage. 

There wasn’t much that I liked about this whole phase but when I saw Tulip Tree Baby’s wool diaper covers on Etsy, I wondered if I might have found it a little more enjoyable.  These adorable hand knit diaper covers are made of wool, a naturally deodorizing and  antibacterial fabric, reducing the need for frequent washing.  Wool is also stretchy, making it span a number of sizes for less waste.  Best of all- they are totally cute!  They make great bloomers under dresses….and for all you moms  of boys, your little tikes can just wear them with a t-shirt or under their pants.  I somehow doubt that there is much to love about the diaper stage but I think Tulip Tree Baby’s wool diaper covers might have eased the pain a little bit! 

Italian Paper Domino Tile Pendant Giveaway July 30, 2008

I have decided to have a little giveaway on my blog.  I am in absolute love with this little pendant that I made from a recycled domino tile. (I can’t take much of the credit because the paper I used is sooo fabulous.)  Often times when I finish a project, I find little things I wish I had done better but I really like this one– so, I have decided to give it away. 

How do I win you ask?  Just enter a comment in the comment box by August 10th and I will draw a random winner (with the help of my boys) on the 11th.  Good luck!

If you love giveaways and are always looking for the chance to win more swag go to Bloggy Giveaways to see all the great contests that are currently available.

Mia Joie

In my younger days, I had a never ending fantasy of having a little girl.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the rough and tumble life as the mom of two boys but I always thought I would also have a girl.  (I think part of it is that I am very close with my mom and had visions of continuing this positive relationship with the next generation.)  Alas, it was not to be!  Now, I just get my girly fix by making my own jewelry and ogling little girl’s fashions. 

One shop that helps feed my need for girly is the adorable Mia Joie.   (Oh yeah, it also has booties for little boys.)  It features handmade baby shoes made from organic and repurposed fabrics.  Look at these adorable shoes pictured on the left. The artist, Jessica Haley, describes these booties as  “stylish, super soft, and ultra eco friendly. They are made from fushia organic cotton and lined with organic fleece.  In addition, this shoe has reclaimed floral insole.”  What little princess wouldn’t want to strut around in these shoes?

In addition to using organic cotton, All Mia Joie™ shoes come gift packaged in an eco-friendly and reusable fabric bag.   Mia Joie also donates 10% of all sales to Giving Children Hope, a non-profit organization that refurbishes medical equipment to assist needy children.
Jessica has a beautiful Mia Joie blog, that currently features many of her etsy favorites and also has articles talking about the importance of using organic cotton.  If you visit her blog, you can sign up for her newsletter and receive an instant $5 off coupon.   http://www.miajoie.blogspot.com/.  Check her out!

Honeysuckle Creations July 29, 2008

Checkout this VERY cool chandelier from Honeysuckle Creations.  The artist uses old slides to form her one of a kind creations.  This chandelier is fashioned from vintage slides of the 60s and 70s. The theme of this chandelier is “The Sights of the World” and it includes professional and amateur  shots from Scotland, England, Mexico, Guatemala, the Grand Canyon, ruins, Sydney Australia, the Netherlands, Seattle, India, Russia, Chile, France, Texas, Greece, Austria, Rome, Italy, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka, Budapest,  and many more.  

Each slide is painted a pink color and then bound together with slides on all four sides.  Eight beautiful crystals finish the bottom of the chandelier.  What an amazing and unique use for old slides!!

To learn more about these amazing green creations, visit her blog at http://honeysucklecreations.blogspot.com/.