Lilac Saloon

Blog Design: Sara Doud

Aside from keeping up with Lilac Saloon and Metal Octopus, I've been working on some Alchemy projects.  I bid on a few requests and am juggling multiple jobs!  I am one of those people that works best when I've got a lot to do, apparently.

I recently worked on a blog re-design for Sara Doud's blog that she so cleverly named, Doudsville.  It's nice and clean and open so the focus can be on her gorgeous, bright photography!

Thanks Sara - it was fun working with you!!

Dark & Pretty

Just a sneak peek at an embroidery that I'm working on for the shop!  I am doing a series of "Home Sweet Home" embroideries.  This was my most ambitious one so far - very detailed and taking forever!  Usually the most ambitious projects are worth it in the end...

4 Stories: Vintage

...

Little White Dress

I was sent on a shopping trip to Brimfield in my last job.  Although shopping for work, it's not hard to get swept away in finding a thing or two for yourself!  I came across a gorgeous little white dress covered in tiny polka dots, backed with a big bow.  

The lady selling it said that she could never find anyone to fit into it and she thought I should try.  I pulled it on right over my clothes in the middle of the field, and she pulled out a big mirror.  It FIT.  It was the most perfect dress for engagement photos too, don't you think?  And you can not find any dress better than this for $25!!  This had to be one of my best vintage finds, ever. 

...

The Frame

When we moved to Estherville, we almost immediately explored the one thrift store in town.  Appropriately, it's called Thrifty's.  Upon entering the store, Evan and I both instantly gravitated to the one most amazing thing in the store - a large ornate mirror.  It was plastic...and gold.  Technically it was not attractive but we saw the possibility!  

A few fresh coats of glossy red spray paint took it to a whole new place.  The place of awesome.  Can you believe we have a mirror this cool for $4?

...

Photography

I am really inspired by photography and love discovering fresh new ideas from current photographers.  But even better is admiring how interesting vintage photos can be.  They are imperfect, usually, and it makes them so much more attractive.  I really think that imperfection in things is what brings the most interest and authenticity.

...

Vintage Roadtrip

One of my absolute favorite things to do is to go hunting for vintage treasures.  One winter, my amazing mother-in-law decided to take me and sister-in-law on a vintage hunting roadtrip!!!  (queue excitement!...)

We drove all across northern Michigan, from one antique store to the next, looking for treasures.  It was really one of THE coolest and most fun things that anyone has ever done for me!!  

I will never forget that day and all of the amazing treasures we found.  There's no better way to bond with someone than over bad sequins dresses and good deals :)

.......

Read more "4 Stories" over at Freckled Nest!!

    

Surface Texture

How amazing are these textures??  I'm so in love with repeating patterns, especially if they're textural like these are.  Aren't they inspiring?

(Scan from Surface Magazine, Design issue, 2005}

Digital Portraits

I've been experimenting with creating digital portraits.  They are really fun (but not so easy!) to do if you've got the time and patience.  I did one really funny and cute one a long time ago...and rediscovering it on my hard drive inspired me to try a new one.

Here's the old one:

(original photo)

(digital portrait)

Hahaha.  That's Evan, my husband.  Isn't he cute - with bubbles!!?  :D

So anyway, here's my most recent attempt at creating one of my little sister.    

(original photo)

(digital portrait)

What do you think?  Keep trying or stop wasting time?  hehe.
    

Free: Pink Photo Overlays

This set of 5 photo overlays is a fun and easy way to add a little something to your photos.  Use them for blogging, digital scrapbooking or just editing your photos for yourself or friends.

I'm offering them for the first time here - and for free!  In return, I'd love feedback so that I can make lots more of these - and make them better.  Deal??

Download Lilac Saloon Pink Overlay

Please let me know if you use these on your blog, website or flickr.  I'd love a link to see how you've used them!

Enjoy!

Olsen Love

Thought I'd share some scans I have of the ever beloved Olsens.

{scans are from W Magazine and Marie Claire}

4 Stories: Swimming

I'm going to give a try at participating in the "4 Stories" series over at Freckled Nest.  Each weekend she'll share four stories on a single topic and readers will do the same, linking their posts in her comments.  Enjoy my stories, hop on over to see hers, and even write your own and share yours with me!

 

The Teacher

I was turning 8 years old in June, at my Dad's apartment with a POOL.  All 8 year olds knew how to swim, right?  Not this 8 year old.  I longed to know how but I battled fear of the unknown!  What if I just sank to the bottom?  What happens when I let go of the side?  When I don't wear my obnoxious plastic floaties I look cooler but I may just drown.  One day at the pool, clinging to the side with both joy and fear, I met a woman who swam right up to me and began teaching me how to swim!  We met at the pool day after day for our unofficial swimming lesson.  I was doggie paddling out to the middle, jumping in and even going all the way under water!  She was gone just as mysteriously as she'd come into my life because I don't remember a thing about her except that we never got to say goodbye and I never got to thank her!  I swam and swam proudly for the rest of the summer and every summer after that thanks to the amazingly mysterious swimming lady in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

 

Hot Water

Going to the pool at the Holiday Inn in my hometown was always a treat.  It's a small town and little things like that can be an event.  Birthday parties would often be held there where kids would run wild in the arcade game and pool area.  I remember being 7 years old and not knowing how to swim (yet! see story above!).  I had one of those little innertubes around my waist and was floating around in the hot tub by myself.  Being 7, I was flopping and leaning all over the place with that tube on, thinking it made me invincible.  Suddenly I flipped and was literally upside down - bottom up - with that tube holding me this way.  I felt the hot tub jets blowing their powerful bubbles on my face and neck and thinking that this was it for me.  7 years of life flashed before me because I honestly thought I could not escape!  The next thing I knew I was up and gasping for air and no one had even seen a thing.  I never even said anything to my parents about it!  I decided to play it cool but just quit using that darn innertube in a hot tub.

Teenage Ridiculousness

I was pretty self conscious in High School due to my inability to, like, ever hit puberty.  A friend of mine was "sitting out" during swim day in gym because she didn't want to go into the pool during her "time of the month".  I really didn't want to get into a bathing suit in front of the whole class and decided that I, too, was not able to swim due to "that".  I timidly approached the teacher and told her that it was really important that I sit out (along with my friend, as if that's not obvious).  She looked at me as if she just KNEW I was lying, and in pity said, fine.  I felt really proud to be sitting out due to something so important as having a period.  It's so weird how a teenage brain works, isn't it?

Jaws

My first time going to the ocean, I was 9 years old and my little brother was 5.  My dad thought, in the spirit of the ocean, that we'd watch JAWS the week before making the trip to spend a week at the sea.  In his defense, I was not easily scared by movies.  He had shown me movies much "scarier" than Jaws at younger ages and the movie itself intrigued me, not scared me.  What scared me was much more real.  We get to the ocean and I am so excited!  I was not, at all, thinking about getting eaten alive by a shark.  My brother and I get on our sunscreen and he puts on his little life vest and we dash for the waves!  Fearless!!  We swim for a little bit and then we hear loud and urgent sounding lifeguard whistles.  We look up and our parents are motioning their arms to us to come up out of the water toward them.  Not knowing what the big deal is, we go up onto the sand and then I turn around.  SHARK FINS, multiple shark fins, were coming close to shore.  Eyes bulging in fear of how real the moment was, we booked it up to the beach blanket and sat there the rest of the day!  It took a few more times of going back to the beach before we were convinced to get into the water again.

Head over to Freckled Nest and read her stores!  Check her comments section for links to other stores too!  Writing your own?  Share a link!!

Scalloped

What are your thoughts on this pillow?

I didn't take a good enough photo of the back, but there are 2 panels of black and white prints, separated by a strip of turquoise binding.

I made it a few days ago.  Should I keep going and make more options like this for the shop?  Or are there enough pillow covers out there in the world?

I'm listening and would love to hear any thoughts on this design direction and if it's worth investing more time and materials to make a little collection of these!

    

La Châtelaine

A caged and sheltered bird will always long to fly free.

La Châtelaine
{Numéro, June/July 2005}

Time & Type

We've fallen into a new business, it seems!

We are helping our landlord sort through some of the things he has acquired over the years and deciding what is of value to the community we are connected to (Etsy!).  He doesn't use a computer so his way of selling things is word of mouth!  He's had this stuff for so many years.

Being in the creative community, it is easy to look at things and see new purpose.  He's got boxes of watches and clocks, which I shared a bit of before.  He also has some old typewriters and little boxes and drawers of parts, belonging to the local repairman who died years ago.

We've been spending the weekend over in our landlords empty store that we've turned into a workshop/sorting facility of sorts!  Slowly but surely, you'll start to see the results of all this sorting.  New products will be trickling in within the coming weeks.

If you know anyone who has interest in old (1920-1940's) typewriters and their parts (including the ever coveted, typewriter keys!), send them on over to Metal Octopus!!

Lucky DKNY

DKNY has recently become very lucky.
One of my dear friends is now designing their prints - and I couldn't be more proud of this.  I've worked with this darling girl at my last job and she was always someone I looked up to and respected.  We both left that job and headed in opposite directions.  Estherville, Iowa can not get more opposite from NYC.  Am I right?

Here are the results of all her hard work:

style.com reviewed the collection and gave mention to the amazing scarves:

"Donna Karan called the silken square the DKNY Heritage scarf and showed it as a dress, a top, and naturally, as a scarf knotted into a neat band around the neck, its ends trailing down the back."

style.com ends the review, approvingly:

"There may be no sure things in retail anymore, but these smart khaki pieces, pretty yet simple blouses, and bang-on-trend midi-length dresses should be a commercial hit on any continent."

I completely agree...these are gorgeous and wearable in the best way.  

{photo via nylonmag.com} 

Congratulations Cindy, I'm proud of you!!! xoxoxoxoxoxo

Double Vision

(thanks to pugly pixel for the fun tape and medallions!)
 

Typeface

We are getting into yet another project!! We're sorting through an old stash of boxes and drawers full of envelopes. They came from the attic of a warehouse that used to be owned by the guy who ran the typewriter shop in Estherville. The little envelopes full of parts are all marked with date stamps between 1939 and 1946. Amazing. We will have some cool things in the shop soon!!

Midnight Oil

I've been working like crazy today!!

Finishing a custom apron order and inventing new products!!  I have been working for about 16 hours now and almost non-stop for 12 hours except to eat some leftovers for dinner!  Phew.  Braids, bows, knots, folding, cutting, ripping, drawing.

I've been mostly experimenting and making prototypes, so all that work and not much to show for it - but it's important to get through the brainstorming before production can begin!  I just have to keep reminding myself of that.

I hope to share soon what I have been working on.  It's been a while since I've shared some pics with you!

Sorting Into The Night

Evan and I are working late tonight after being gone all weekend with family. We are sorting through our watch and clock supply, for Metal Octopus!! I thought I'd give you a little peek into that part of our life. :)

British Vogue: Desert Rose

I'm frickin obsessed with this photo shoot.

• sock with heels
• amazing model
• gorgeous color palette
• Joshua Tree location
• cacti and mountains
• odd uniqueness

Once again, British Vogue proves to be the best of the best.

Surface: Striped Tights

{Surface, Design Issue, 2005}

I've been wanting thick striped tights forever now and can never find them.  They just appear places to taunt me.  I tried to order some from American Apparel and they were back-ordered for MONTHS and then they finally emailed me saying "Oh, sorry, we ran out.  Here's your money back."  Psht!

I tried to paint my own with fabric paint the other day.  I didn't have any white or cream opaque tights so I tested it on a weird sheer champagne colored pair that I was going to throw out.  The paint seemed to stay so I should try it on a pair of opaque.  The thing is...I went to the only place in town that I could think of that might sell them and they OF COURSE don't have tights, only weird control top panty hose in "nude".  Um.  Help.  Me.

Estherville, Iowa is not the shopping mecca it claimed to be when it begged me to move here.  Haha ok I kid, I kid.  But seriously.

Etsy Favorite: Camp Smartypants

This week's featured Etsy Favorite is Rachel who is the genius behind the nostalgia driven brand, Camp Smartypants!  You can not help but be drawn to her products and the whole idea behind them.  I didn't even GO to summer camp and it STILL gives me that nostalgic feeling of running through the grass in my bare feet and making lemonade and feeling free.  

Campfires, crafts and claiming the top bunk!

Rachel lives in Portland, Oregon (it seems all great designers are from Portland these days... I must get over there!!).  She has a beautiful blog, which you should definitely start reading.  She also has a great website, showcasing her business.

Thanks for inspiring us, Rachel, and taking us back to the good old days of summer camp and youthful discovery!

Bohème D'Été

Bohemian Summer, featuring my all time favorite model (Natalia), according to Vogue Paris circa July 2005...

 

(And for those ANTM fans out there - spot Anchal from Cycle 7!)

Wasn't that just gorgeous and dreamy?  More like, Forever Summer...  

It really makes me think of one of my favorite bloggers and Etsy sellers, Rachel of Camp Smartypants!  I'm featuring her tomorrow for my Etsy Favorite series so be sure to check back and see my favorite products from her beautiful Summer Camp inspired shop!