Lilac Saloon

Charlotte Stringer & Wallflowers

I received a photo from a happy customer today and it totally made my week!  Charlotte ordered some pink Wallflowers from me and told me that they were for her photography studio to use as backdrop props for photos.  I was really excited to hear that because you know I'm a photography geek!!

The results took my breath away.  Look at this setup!!

That little knitted diaper is the cutest thing I've ever seen!  And don't even get me started on that PILLOW...thing.  Gorgeous!

Thanks, Charlotte, for sharing this with me!!!  Your work is inspiring and I am so honored to be a part of it!

Fahrenheit Goods

I just recieved a delicious package in the mail...

I ordered a mixed box of handmade gumdrops from fahrenheit goods on Etsy and have been so excited for them to arrive so I could try them!  

The packaging is so cute and very professional.

Inside this box there are raspberry, cranberry, lemon and green apple.  The consensus?  They are sooo good!

It reminds me why I love Etsy so much.  Since when is a simple thing like buying gumdrops such a great experience?  When I wrote to Becky at fahrenheit to ask her about ordering a mixed box (even though there were none in the shop) she said she'd have one ready in a couple of days and would let me know.  Sure enough, I got a message from her saying that my mixed box of gumdrops was ready and would arrive at my house in a couple of days.

Of course, opening it was like Christmas.  All for me, though.  Yesss.

I've been sneaking one here and there all day as I work.  It's nice to make a big deal out of little things sometimes!

Lost & Fawned Treats!

My current "Featured Blogger", Lindsey of Lost & Fawned has two great things going on at her blog that I wanted to share with you!

She's holding a giveaway of an Elsita papercut print of your choice!  Nice, right??  Head over there and leave a comment to enter to win one!

(this one is my favorite!!)

Also, Farenheit Goods is offering a 15% discount to Lost & Fawned readers.  I just purchased a box of her pretty gumdrops and can not wait to try them!  Pop in to Lost & Fawned and grab the coupon code to use during checkout.

Shop Update: New Wallflowers!

 

 

Turquoise & Gold Wallflowers

 

Red & Aqua Wallflowers

 

Mint & Grey Wallflowers

 

Periwinkle & Mustard Wallflowers

 

USA shoppers can still get them now in time for Christmas!
Head over to the Lilac Saloon shop on Etsy!

 

Wallflowers Featured on IHOD

 

Anna of In Honor of Design was kind enough to feature my Wallflowers in her "Happy Home" Handmade Holiday Gift Guide today!  

 

You've got to check out the gorgeous items featured.  

 

I'm a sucker for home decor and she has definitely won me over with her fantastic choices!  Thanks, Anna, for putting together such a great guide and for including me!

 

Holiday Shopping Guide

Lindsey of Lost & Fawned recently asked me to put together a little holiday shopping guide to share with her readers.  I dug through Etsy (especially my favorites!) to find a fun mix of great gifts for the holiday season.  I can be honest and say that I felt like I was shopping for myself because I want all 10 things!

Stop over to Lost & Fawned and check it out!!

Aqua & Red Wallflowers

I added a new set of wallflowers to the shop!

The sizes of these flowers are a step up from the normal sizes that I offer.  These are 14, 11 and 8 inches.  Peek into the shop and snag them quickly before someone else does!!

Don't forget, you can custom order these to perfectly match your home decor!

I Need These In My Life

I just can't even believe how much I need these tights.

They are made by designer Gal Stern in Tel Aviv and sold in her Etsy shop.

They are unique, beautiful and not at all shy.

I'd love to wear them this holiday season!!  They're perfection.

Wallflowers for Jennifer: Complete!

I'm really excited to finally be able to share these with you!

I've been working back and forth with Jennifer to create these custom Wallflowers for her home in the Netherlands.  She wants to fill a wall next to her piano with something that will help absorb some of the sound.  Wool felt Wallflowers are the gorgeous solution!

I had such a blast making and photographing these.  It has made my day to see them all together, finished and hanging up!!

If you're interested in a custom set of Wallflowers, send me an email!

Start of Something Big

Literally, I'm starting to make something really BIG!

You can't tell yet from the photos, but I'm working on a custom Wallflowers order for Jennifer in the Netherlands!  She contacted me about creating a large set of large wallflowers for the wall next to her piano.  They will help to absorb some of the noise in a room that would otherwise cause echoing.

We're doing a set of 7 flowers that are 10, 14 and 18 inches in three different colors.  I'm really excited about how this project is going to turn out and can not wait to share the final design with you!  It's going to be dramatic, soft and beautiful.

If you're interested in ordering your own custom Wallflowers, send me an email!  
I still have some sets left in the shop, too!

Wendy's Vows in Progress

I'm working on a custom order.  I've been putting in long 11 or 12 hour days on it actually!  A lovely girl named Wendy wanted to have her wedding vows hand embroidered to give as a gift to her parents, as a sign of promise to them.  They also have theirs hand embroidered.

Here's a sneak peek.  I'm actually MUCH farther along now.  These photos were taken three days ago.

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...

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!

    

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!!

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!!

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. :)

Metal Octopus

We've come upon an old stash of watch parts recently...

We've opened up an Etsy shop so we could share these little treasures with others!!  Check out our new shop: Metal Octopus

 

Custom Order for Beth

I had so much fun working on this custom order!!  Beth is having a baby girl in October and is working on decorating the room prior to her arrival.  

She's using this Amy Butler fabric in the room and wanted Wallflowers to go with it!

Not only that, but she asked if I could make one any bigger than the largest size that I make.  I hadn't thought about doing that before, for some reason.  I said "Yes, I'll try it!".  I wasn't sure if the large one was going to be as sturdy as the smaller sizes.  When I finished the large flower I was just in awe of how FRICKIN COOL it looked!!!  

I owe it all to Beth for her idea to try them bigger.  From now on I will be offering "Extra Large" as a flower size option.  The XL flower is about 13.5 inches wide.  It looks crazy awesome on the wall.

I dug through my stash of vintage and fabric remnants that I've gathered from sample sales at my old job and decided to put them to good use.  I made the bag for her Wallflowers out of this happy and bright Lilly Pulitzer skirt.  Cute, right?

As a "thank you", I also sent her a sample of the new Magnetic Garden flower magnets that are in the shop!

(Learn how to make this little gift bag from an envelope, here on How About Orange!!)

Email me or send me a message through Etsy to place a custom order!!

Chain Reaction

Introducing the beginning of a collection of Chain Mail accessories for Lilac Saloon!

Chain mail is extremely tedious to make.  It's basically impossible to get paid "by the hour" when selling these pieces so we promise you're getting a STEAL!  We've done testing to achieve maximum shine and softness from the metal.  We tumble the rings (which we make by hand) in walnut shells or rice.  This shines them up and also softens the point where the ring connects.  Without doing this, the metal turns your hands a bit black, and also feels scratchy!  We don't like this so we go the extra mile.

  

The zipper is carefully hand stitched onto each individual ring!

This piece is really fun to experiment with layering.  It can look totally different depending on how you outfit it.  It could create really gorgeous contrast to wear it over something really ruffly and feminine.

 

This can be custom ordered to fit you.  The one in the shop is a size small and was made to fit me (there's a little give, it's just slightly bigger than me).  If you are in love with this and are not my size, we can get your measurements and make one just for you!

This is a great option if you're looking for a unique statement piece!!

This bow inspired chain mail necklace, hanging from a delicate silk ribbon, walks the borderline of tough and girly.  This piece is a rectangle with a twist!  Literally, it's twisted.  You can wear it twisted, as a bow, or untwisted as an organically drapey rectangle.  It looks cool both ways but I just love the bow.

Super dramatic necklace, incoming!!!  This piece is just ridiculously sweet.  It's pretty weighty, but in a great way.  It feels awesome to wear.  It's substantial and bold.  Beyond that, it's smooth with such a cool texture to it.  It's definitely my favorite child.

It's super long, in a good way.  You can wear it wrapped in any formation you can dream up!  It's a matter of playing in front of the mirror until you create your favorite look.  But really, no matter how you wear it, you can not go wrong.  This one is pure awesome.

You can find these Chain Reaction accessories in the shop!!  If you've never worn chain mail before you should definitely put one of these on your wish list - it's absolutely fun to wear.

Visit Lilac Saloon on Etsy to browse the Chain Reaction collection!!