A little bird…

A couple of days ago, Grace and I sat down at our craft table and started some collages. Using some inspiration from Kelly Rae Roberts’ book : “Taking Flight” we made patchwork backgrounds and added figures on top. It was so wonderful to sit, listen to soft music and quietly paste squares of color onto our cardboard canvases.

Long after Grace went to bed, I continued to work…

the end result…

A little bird..." 8.5" x 11" acylic paint, distress ink, pencil, glue, magazine pages, vintage paper, stencil, lace

I love how, for me, collages evolve. I don’t always have a clear direction. I try and get my head out of the way and go with my intuition…slowly, a story emerges and the piece takes on it’s own meaning.

Love that feeling!

Got any creative projects underway? I’d love to hear about them…

Have a lovely Wednesday.

xo,

p.s. if and when, Grace finishes her collage I will share it with you. It’s looking really cute…

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Cabin Couture

I’ve always been a sucker for a cozy cabin in the winter…but this home takes it to a whole new level and I’m all for it!

Check out this sumptuous space – a lovely balance between rustic and elegant.

Don’t you love those shots of royal purple? I do.

Bundle me up…I don’t care how cold it is, I’m going to sit out here and drink wine!

I want that bed and that chaise…

Pure brilliance here – these bunk beds are perfect for the kids.

And of course after being a snow bunny all day, you’ll need to defrost in this stunning tub.

Don’t you wish you could spend your winter days in this space? Yum.

Okay…well, I have a sick husband and a hungry daughter so I best get back to my day job. Hope you enjoyed this beautiful home.

xo,

All images by Miguel Flores-Vianna via Elle Decor

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello friends,

Tonight my brother came over to make pumpkin pie with Grace.

It was so sweet. He patiently measured out each ingredient and then allowed her to add it to the bowl. With her tiny hands, she carefully emptied each cup or spoonful, making sure she didn’t spill a drop. I stood back to observe the magic and take pictures…

Grace didn’t like the sound of the mixer but managed a smile for me.

The pumpkin pies won’t win any prizes for beauty but they tasted delicious and my brother and Grace got to bond.  I’m so thankful to have him living here in Portland! It means so much to me that Grace will grow up knowing her Aunt and Uncle.

I hope tomorrow, your family and friends will experience the delight of preparing delicious food together! Being surrounded by those we love is something I will always be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xo,

My first show…

My feet were very mad at me today. Wearing 3-inch heels for 7 hours straight is not on my list of skills anymore…however all the aches and pains of today were worth it! The trunk show was so lovely and so rewarding! This was my first big event for Grace & Ivy and having it at my home made me all the more nervous. Thank goodness for my wonderful new friends, who encouraged me and supported me all the way through!

The day was very chilly, with some rain but inside it was nice and cozy. We had a fire burning, mulled cider on the stove, elegant holiday music playing and plenty of decadent sweets to share with our guests! Our little shop was open for business and it wasn’t long before we got quite busy. At first, I felt quite hesitant but the butterflies left my stomach as I began to chat with our shoppers. I found a wonderful feeling of connection with them. I got to answer questions, share my story and assist my customers with their selections. It was quite a high! The best compliment was to observe our guests making themselves at home by the fire and chatting with new people. Everyone felt comfortable – they wanted to hang out! I loved it!

So you know me…I had to take several pics…some are blurry…forgive me…but I had to share with you.

Don’t you love the snowflakes? We all made a bunch and then incorporated them into the decorations. Great idea Amy!

Jen brought these beautiful turquoise, vintage bottles for the mantel. Love them!

Setting up… Up front you can see Barbara’s gorgeous t-shirts and baby wear!

My little table! I had samples out of my brown sugar scrub and the body butters. My new vanilla-ginger body butter was a sure favorite and sold out fast!

(It’s so new that it’s not even on my Etsy site yet. So if you want one just shoot me an email!)

I got a little obsessed dressing the table. My husband cut me off after I hand drew the tiny stars on the paper trees…

I tried to make the best of my poor old brass chandelier by adorning it with a wreath of greens and our delicate little snowflakes.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. Thank you so much to everyone who came and supported us. We so appreciate it!!

Have a lovely Monday. I’m hoping for a snow day!

xo,

p.s. Also sending out a big thank you to Matt, Jen’s husband, who provided us with lovely jazz music into the evening hours!

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I need a zen moment.

Okay…look I’m all for multi-tasking but I really don’t advise trying to make lip balm, cutting out paper snowflakes, printing flyers, doing laundry and blogging at the same time! A blend of afternoon coffee and my nerves about the gift show have got me into quite a tizzy.

I really need a zen moment.

Breathe deeply and enjoy a quiet moment admiring the beautiful work of cheshire smile from Flickr….

The softness of her work makes you feel better doesn’t it? Soothing and so lovely.

I needed that. Badly.

Hope it encouraged you to relax…

Okay! Back to work!

xo,

Handmade Trunk Show: La Fete de Noel

Hello Friends,

I’m sorry I haven’t posted today but I am super busy ramping up for the trunk show I’m having at my place on Nov. 20th! I’m so excited for it but wow…my studio is becoming a little nutty! My floor is lined with Grace and Ivy products, the kitchen smells like vanilla and ginger from cooking up sugar scrubs and my cat has deemed the empty boxes from my ingredient shipments her new hang out. She keeps popping her head out every time I enter the room. Too cute.

The mess means I’m busy…right?…so I really can’t complain.

If you are a local Portlander, please do join us for some champagne, yummy holiday treats and of course, beautiful, handmade goods!

I’m thrilled to be co-hosting this show with my amazing friends and fellow artists, Amy, Barbara & Jen.  Amy creates stunning jewelry with a vintage touch, Barbara screen prints her amazing artwork onto sinfully soft clothing and Jen delivers stunning handcrafted collage greeting cards! Add my organic skin and body care and you’ve got a plethora of fabulous gift options for all the special people in your life! Giving handmade not only supports the artists in your community but makes you an incredibly generous and creative gift giver! It’s a win – win!

Hope to see you there! Ok…back to work.

xo,