All about CRAFT

Hello, It's me, (oh wait I'm not Adele!) but it has been a long time since I've written a blog so I might be a bit rusty! Well in all honesty, I was always a bit rusty with my blog writing. Never did plan on writing a daily or even a weekly blog, just wanted to write now and then. So here I am a few years later with a new adventure to talk about. After finally admitting to myself (and others) that I was really retired from my design business of 25+ years, I wasn't sure what the future held for me, creatively speaking. 

And, then it happened. Something new, fun, and creative sprung-up out of nowhere one night when I gathered with some friends to craft. Well, "nowhere" was years in the making. Here is the back story.

At Home on Main Street was my retail home/gift store on Main in downtown Fallbrook (in business from 2003-2009.) I loved the shop and the years I was on Main Street.  If it looks slightly familiar it is now the Fallbrook Brewery!

The storefront  

I was very interested in showcasing the work of local artisans in the shop. I wanted handcrafted and beautiful things. Two local artisans, Karen Walkup and Denise Haynes-Port, had their items in my shop - and they also became my friends.

One day Karen came into the shop to show me her original photographs of Italy (Picture Italy) and explained to me how she was printing them on thick foam core - and on big canvas pieces. I fell in love with her work immediately and wanted a collection in the shop.  She's talented in so many ways and soon went on to create a watercolor/mixed-media card group called Ransom Notes by Karen Walkup. I also carried her card creations in the shop.

One of Karen's many Ransom Notes cards

In her newest line (below) you can select hand-drawn cards with original art to color with pencils, markers or watercolor. Karen spent much of her time working with alzheimer's patients who loved having a creative outlet for a few hours in their day. After years of helping others, Karen is ready to have some fun with her art and engage with friends more often.

Denise with her hand-twisted bubble wand!

At the same time Denise Haynes-Port was a duo with her sister (Lori) and together their line of LilyGirl Jewelry was a hit all over San Diego and beyond. It was a popular item in my shop as well. In fact, when I started At Home on Main Street my focus was on home accessories, furniture, and art. By the time I had closed the best selling items were clothing and jewelry! Denise went on to create her own line, selling at craft fairs, and hosting workshops in her VintageSister Studio. She can twist and wrap wire like no other!

Bloom Vases by Vintage Sister Studio

After I closed the shop . . . when the three of us would get together, the conversation always came around to crafting and art and "How could we do something together?" We were all making stuff (I had kept working on SewEcoChic, a line I started in the shop.)  Lots of ideas were discussed. Should we sell our wares together? Perhaps in a booth at a traveling craft show, or by starting a hometown craft fair (all three of us helped start the Village Artisan Faire here in town) and even "What about opening a co-op place so others could craft together?" You get the idea. 

Lulu (below) wearing a Sew Eco Chic hair accessory

Olive (above) is wearing a Sew Eco Chic crown

Back to the craft night I mentioned in the beginning . . . the three of us were in Denise's studio because she'd invited friends over to make Valentine's! We decided then and there to work spend time together and share our talents with others in an environment meant to be relaxing, stress-free, and above all FUN! 

CRAFT-pop-up-Workshops unique approach is to create workshops showcasing our talents in art, jewelry, sewing - and in many other crafts we'll develop. We will typically show three projects that are easily doable in one 3-hour session. Each of us creates something to go with the theme of that workshop. Our ideas are endless and we hope to be doing this for years and years to come!

The "pop up" in our name is because we do not have just one place we will be crafting. Our goal is to partner with others to bring these workshops to you in very affordable ways. We each have home studios and will host workshops now and then, but we like getting out in the community to meet and mingle the most. 

Marie, Denise, Karen at The Vineyard 1924

You'll find us coming up at Ranch Of The Rhinestone Gypsies and Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens and Nursery in April  . . . and in true fashion, you will see us popping-up all over town for complimentary coloring sessions (like we did a few Saturday's ago at Button and Burlap (below) and last Saturday at The Vineyard 1924 (above).

Check our Facebook EVENTS page CRAFT pop up Workshops Events to see when our workshops are scheduled and what we'll be creating. And you can follow us on Instagram too!

Mimi & Moo

With the headbands I showed in the last post and these new skirts, sundresses, and bandanas, I think we may be ready to open our Etsy shop. Just waiting to do a logo now - and take the time to actually work on creating the shop. Have already had several inquiries about the items. Everything is made mainly from recycled materials, vintage items, and handmade crochet.

Here's Olive in the orange grove and around the property modeling some of the items:

Our version of a cute toddler bandana - 

there is only one like this.

 Skirts with their coordinating headbands - 

each is unique and one-of-a-kind.

A toddler skirt with an elastic waistband, 

eyelet trim, and flounce.

 The coordinating headband.

 Olive on the move - 

the backside!

Sundress & Headband created from a "found" piece of clothing - 

with vintage lace, trim, and details.

 Olive in the new sundress.

Coming Soon . . .

For years now my cousin Joanne and I have wanted to do something together. We've both owned retail stores, love to thrift shop, and we both sew and craft - and now we find ourselves with time on our hands to devote to doing something we love (besides being with our granddaughters!)

We've been busy making items - and like the name "Mimi and Moo" for our ventures. I'm Mimi (my little granddaughter Olive recently out-of-the-blue decided that is what she would call me) and Joanne is Moo (a name her kids have called her for years.) And now that she is a grandmother, it fits perfectly. We'll combine our talents for sewing and crocheting (along with our love of thrift shopping and hunting through vintage markets) to make adorable wearables for infants and toddlers. 

Moo's granddaughter Lily is wearing one of our first combined efforts. A flower made from ribbon (that we made out of a pair of capri pants)  and a crocheted flower. Lily's mommy, Lindsey,  made it into a headband and took this adorable photo.  We also embellished her overalls with vintage lace.

Headbands made with a collection of ribbon flowers, vintage pearl beads and other adornments.
Lily (now older) models several of these headbands in the photos below.
These photos of Lily were taken by her talented mother, Lindsey - an artist and photographer.

 Here's Lily looking adorable in a soft headband made with a ribbon flower and embellished with vintage pearl beads.

A pretty multi-colored ribbon rose on a cream headband.

An over-the-top ribbon rose with vintage beads looks so pretty on Lily!

 A coordinating denim skirt with vintage lace - and a headband that is embellished with a
vintage earring flower in the center that belonged to Lily's great-grandmother.

Another find we discovered when going through a box of treasures that belonged to 

Moo's mother (Lily's great-grandmother) was this red knit flower adorned with sequins. 

It was a pin and now it is part of a very chic red, white, and blue headband.

Lily is so cute in this big floral headband made with a flower (from our hand-crafted ribbon,)

 vintage lace, a crocheted flower  -  and topped off with a vintage button.

The two headbands above are made from vintage yo-yo's and other embellishments.

A fun headband made from reconstructing silk gerbera daisy's and adding a vintage fabric yo-yo.

One of the skirt / headband combos. Skirt has eyelet trim and headband is big and fun. 

She's ready for the 4th of July in this outfit.

 This combination includes a crocheted flower and another vintage find (a button) from great-grandma's treasure box.

My granddaughter Lulu in a cute crocheted hat made by Moo. I love the colors.

These two outfits for toddlers (above and below) are skirt / headband combos made with
up-cycled clothing items from thrift stores, combined with vintage lace, buttons, and crocheted flowers.

Lulu wearing an upcycled skirt made from a ladies shirt and vintage lace

And since I have not been able to take any photos of my granddaughter Olive wearing our new fashions yet, here is one (above) I'll share that shows her wearing a circle scarf crocheted by her mommy (my daughter, Tracy.) Tracy already has her own Etsy shop set up and you can visit her facebook page (Ollie g) to see more of what she is up to.

Mimi and Moo can stay very busy with this and there is no telling where it may lead. We both have a lot of talent in our families - artists, photographers, and architects.  Perhaps there is no limit to our creative dreams. Starting with an Etsy shop (once we have enough inventory) - we'll go from there - perhaps doing a pop-up shop or two during the next holiday season. 

                                            Stay tuned!!

Wood Burned Table Numbers

For the woodsy winter wedding we used wood slabs in many ways

Here is the bride-to-be wood burning table numbers into the pieces of wood I cut

Using my husband's power tools, I cut wood discs from pieces in our wood pile

I cut thin slabs and taller pieces for many uses including the table numbers,
the little table-scapes, and to hold a cupcake

 My husband cut holes into some of the thin slabs so we could put string through to hang

Half of the tables had hanging table numbers that were attached to a tall flower holder

 The other half of the tables had the taller piece of wood that sat next to the floral centerpiece

The bride and groom's table had a tall piece of wood with their initials carved into a heart

 Two more photos (above and below) showing our other uses of the little wood slabs