wise craft

peacock, and the spreading of feathers

The kind of thing that ABsolutely kills me when I'm shopping for my dollhouse. A tiny peacock portrait. Did you read that? A tiny peacock portrait! I think I have a thing for animal portraiture (if only this peacock were wearing pearls!).

I'm really thinking that I'm going to go a bit Hollywood Regency in my dollhouse decor. I'm so into sparkle right now.

But I have a huge aversion to the word "decor", why is that? Help me use another word.

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Its been a very out-of-sorts kind of week around here, which is why I haven't posted much. I'm very thankful for the weekend ahead and plan to regroup. I am currently working on some big blog changes, the first and most noticeable one is that I am phasing out my sponsor program (you may notice that the boxes are dwindling to the right over there). My sponsors have been so good to me, so supportive, and have allowed me to cover the various expenses that come along with having this blog and the time I spend here for the past 2 years. But the reality is, having sponsors means committing to a certain number of blog posts per week. My work on all things family-related, Story Trading-related, and wise craft-related are changing quite rapidly behind the scenes (in a good way!) and there may be weeks that posts just don't happen as timely as I'd like. My energy needs to be focused in the right way. Plus, I think you readers want to read what's really happening here, rather than me just filling space to create a blog post, am I right? Be assured the blog will not cease to exist, but it will change. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I really have to thank these folks for their support, please pay them a visit.

Pink Chalk Fabrics

Paradiso Designs

Jototes

Vista Prints

Cards Direct

Fabricworm

Cooper Sewing Machines in the UK

hugs to all,

Blair

 

 

 

 

featured sponsor cozyblue, introducing the faux folk collection

I am so happy to welcome Liz at cozyblue back on wise craft. And with a beautiful new collection. You may remember her family tree collection that I have featured here before. The newest collection of handmade pillows, appropriately named the faux folk collection, feature graphic, modern interpretations of traditional patchwork quilting designs. A saturated shades of your choice is screenprinted onto a cream base cotton fabric. I love how modern these feel, and I asked Liz to tell me a little about the inspiration behind this collection. Here's what she had to say-

The faux folk pillows are my version of  traditional folk art quilt block patterns. Each one is essentially a very basic version of a design that is conventionally very intricate and complex. I was inspired by the beautiful, but more elaborate and intricate, piecework designs of  classic quilt blocks. When you strip away the fabric patterns and the colors in a sewn quilt block, and how those elements relate to each other (and to the pattern), what remains is just a beautifully simple and bold, fun design. I really wanted to highlight those basic graphic designs of the pattern, and deconstruct it into it's essential shapes. The screens for these pillows were burned directly from my sketches, so they definitely have that great handmade, wonky quality (as did the traditional quilt blocks themselves). I love that. I've chosen four new ink colors  -- midnight blue, pumpkin, sky blue, and berry -- and i think they're just perfect for fall.

 

clockwise from top left: grandma's flower garden in midnight blue, old star in pumpkin, bear paw in berry, and cat's cradle in sky blue. Each pillow is 12" x 12" with an envelope back. Any of the designs can be done in each of the colors. Thank you Liz!

cozyblue's etsy shop

join cozyblue's facebook page

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor on wise craft, email me at wisecraftblog@gmail.com and I'll send you all the details.

featured sponsor fabric crush

I am so excited to talk up the newest featured sponsor on wise craft, Fabric Crush. A local shop here in Seattle, one of my favorite places to visit any time I have even just 5 minutes to spare. (You see, when my kids went to school nearby, sometimes all I did have was 5 minutes, and I would beeline it over for a little fabric fix.)

The first thing you should know is that the shop simply glows. No kidding! Located in the historic Wallingford Center, even on the dreariest of days, those tall windows flood the space with light. The first time I walked in this space I thought it felt practically angelic! I needed to buy something, the heavens were telling me to!

Sarah, the owner, has a knack for picking the best of the best in quilting fabric, and is very enthusiastic about carrying fabrics made locally here in the northwest. There is a nice hand-picked selection of quilting cottons, home decor weight fabrics, laminated cottons, sewing supplies, patterns, and beautiful books to get inspiration from. And they have recently updated their website with an online shop if you can't make it into the store. But if you're local, and if you've ever had even the slightest urge to sew something, anything, I really urge you to stop in. The folks there will help you find what you need, give you tips on how to get started, and advice on where to begin.

 

Or you can take a class there! My friend Katie teaches some great ongoing Improv Quilt Workshops and Half Square Triangle classes. You may recall that she was the one who got me moving on my very colorful and super warm (flannel-backed) Stash Value Quilt, which is frequently fought over and well-loved in our family room these days. You can find out the latest shop news and info on the blog.

I have been known to teach a Sewing 101 class there on occasion, just sayin...

Stop in, they are such nice folks. You can add to your fabric stash, then next door you can add to your yarn stash, and just a few steps away you can top it off with cupcakes!

Welcome Fabric Crush! And thank you to all the sponsors who support what I do here on wise craft. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor on wise craft, please email me at wisecraftblog@gmail.com for details.

tiny things are cute free shipping extended!

Just got word from sponsor Tiny Things Are Cute that the free shipping offer has been extended through the end of September! So go get those stocking stuffers!

Thanks Caryn!

featured sponsor tiny things are cute

Please welcome our newest sponsor on wise craft, Tiny Things Are Cute. Caryn, the owner and curator of TTAC has an amazing assortment teeny things, hand picked from the world of tiny. As I'm looking through her site I'm already thinking about all the different ways I can justify going nuts and buying everything. If you fill your own advent calendar for your kids as we do here, wouldn't these tiny toys be so great and unexpected? (Emma goes nuts for little bottles like this.) I was also thinking that an assortment of these little treats would be so fun in a present ball, the ones you unwrap layers and layers, revealing different little trinkets with each bit of tissue removed. Anyway, I was so happy that Caryn contacted me, her shop is wonderful. I asked her to tell me a little background about Tiny Things Are Cute, and here's what she said-

"I’ve always had a penchant for charms, miniatures, and vintage ever since I was a young girl. As I got older I began collecting, gathering what I’ve found at flea markets and antique shops and then displaying them in printing press drawers hung on my wall. So first there was love! About 4 years ago I started making jewelry and one of my favorite shops to buy kitschy supplies had closed up shop. In the meantime, I found sources for what I needed for my projects except it was in bulk. I figured maybe other folks were in the same boat as myself and I began selling the excess loot in my etsy shop which in time evolved into something large enough for to be its own website. So, in the summer of 2008, TTAC was born!"

 

Starting today until August 31, Caryn is offering wise craft readers free shipping on all Tiny Things Are Cute orders $20 and up. Just use the code wise craft at checkout (one discount per customer). Thanks Caryn!

I also want to thank all the wonderful sponsors at wise craft. Your support allows me to continue to do what I love to do, write and create, and for that I am very grateful.

Pink Chalk Studio

Paradiso Designs

Tiny Prints

Cooper Sewing Machines

featured sponsor paradisio designs and a giveaway!

Happy Monday everybody! I'd like to introduce you to a new sponsor here on wise craft, Cheryl Kuczek of Paradiso Designs. I met Cheryl a couple of years ago at a local fabric store, when Emma took one of Cheryl's kid sewing classes. I had worked with Emma on sewing just a little, and thought she might get inspired to go further in a class environment, and under Cheryl's direction Emma's imagination came to life, and she got so excited about making things! I learned about Cheryl's wonderful collection of handbag and clothing patterns, Paradiso Designs.

I asked her to share with us a little about herself.

(a sampling of her handbag designs above)

Tell us a little about how you develop your handbag designs.

CK: I have developed innovative techniques for sewing vinyl and pleather straps on my bags, which several of my bag patterns have. These are a less expensive alternative to leather or suede, yet they still look fantastic! I love to have fun with sewing…using variegated thread, using all kinds of vintage trims...buttons, ribbons, etc. My bag patterns allow you to customize them and truly make them your own style, like adding special trim.

I'd love to hear more about your newest pattern, the "Retro Granny Skirt" (pictured above).

CK: This is a design I'm really excited about, because it gives the sewer the ability to design their own skirt by recycling a pair of denim jeans. (I used a pair of 501's.) What you end up with is a really fun and flirty skirt that's as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans. (Read more about the development of this skirt on Cheryl's blog.)

 

And do you still teach sewing classes in the Seattle area?

Yes, I teach full time now! The majority of my sewing classes are now taught out of my home. The garage has been converted into what has now been dubbed "The Sewing Lounge" and we have a blast out there. I have a complete list of classes for both kids and adults ongoing, please email me at paradisodesigns@comcast.net and I will send you back an up to date, complete class list.

(I wanted to add that Cheryl is really a fantastic teacher who brings out the creativity in everyone. She's willing to let the child run with their creative ideas, and doesn't try to reign them in, a true gift!)

Currently, Cheryl's patterns are available through several retailers online, including Pink Chalk Fabrics, in her amazon shop, and etsy, just to name a few. If you are in the Seattle area, her patterns are widely available at local fabric shops.

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Cheryl is graciously giving away a Lolita Skirt Formula, a Retro Granny Skirt, and a Carry All Shoulder Bag pattern (all pictured above) to 3 lucky wise craft readers (1 pattern per winner, 3 winners). Leave a comment on this post and tell me about something you've made yourself that you *love*. It's always fun to hear what everybody's up to. (International shipping is ok on this giveaway!) Good luck everybody.

Thank you Cheryl!

Cheryl's website

Cheryl's blog

sir bob

Meet the newest member of our family, Sir Bob. Sir Bob is a fiberglass Kingfish (also known by some as the King Mackerel), a recent birthday present for me from Peter. I love mounted fish, always have (although I doubt I wanted one as a kid). This one lives in our bedroom above the windows, its about 40" across, fits really well there, I love it! What can I say? Some girls want expensive purses for their birthday. Peter? He gets the gal who wants a fiberglass fish to mount on the wall (in the right colors of blue, of course). That's the way I roll (you should see my purse, soooo not special)

We also tend to name things around here, makes it so much easier to refer to things like this in the first person.

Sir Bob has a couple of announcements to make-

*The random number generator has chosen as the winner of Bird and Little Bird's giveaway.

Elizabeth, who wrote, "Mr. Fox would be right at home here with my 3yo. she thought he was just the best. Thanks for the chance."

Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who entered, don't forget you still get 10% off anything in the store, read details here.

*Peter and I are thrilled to relaunch our company's website today. We have completely updated it with a new logo, and a new project page that shows in much more detail about the work we've been doing. This new website has been a long time coming, feels great to get it out there. We continue to work with some amazing companies and very talented people.

*Thanks for all the book recommendations, really helpful. A trip to the bookstore in on my list!

featured sponsor bird and little bird

A warm welcome to our newest featured sponsor, Bird and Little Bird. Annie is the creator and maker of Mostly Marvelous Mr. Rabbit and Semi-Fantastic Mr. Fox, and not only will she custom make them for you in the fabrics and colors of your choosing, she now offers ready to sew project kits for each of them, as well as  downloadable PDF patterns.  I asked Annie to tell me a little about herself and her shop (because I am nosy and I like to know the back story)-

"I am a part-time special education teacher and mom to a six year old girl. I originally started out making handmade toys that were just intended for her to play with.  I already had a sewing machine (my 21st birthday present, I think) and knew that I wanted my daughter to develop a concept that handmade is special, so it seemed like a natural next step.  I had given up sewing for some number of years before she was born thinking that I was really terrible at it, but when I started making things from my own patterns, I realized that I wasn't quite as bad as I thought.  I just needed the right project!

Bird and Little Bird (my husband's nicknames for my myself and our daughter) really got going about a year and a half ago when I realized that I was making way more foxes than we had space for in our house!  Etsy seemed like a perfect place to find new homes for them and I now sell the animal patterns themselves as well as project kits that include the animal pattern and all the pre-cut fabrics and notions you need to make them.  Putting the kits together is actually really, really fun and they've been a great addition to the shop, I think." 

You can read more about Annie and her beautiful family at her blog.

For the month of April, Annie is offering 10% off anything in her shop (just enter "wise craft" in the message to seller box at checkout). She will also be giving away one of her beautiful creations to one lucky reader, just leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a name on Friday. Winner has been chosen, thank you!

Thanks so much to Bird and Little Bird for offering this giveaway. If you would like to be a sponsor on wise craft, please send me an email and I will send you all the information.

featured sponsor cozy blue

 
A warm welcome to my newest sponsor, Cozy Blue. Liz, the owner of this etsy shop creates uniquely inspired handmade goods for home and family. She took some time to tell me a little about her life in North Carolina (where I am originally from, see? I knew I liked her!)

hi! i'm liz,  a self-taught crafter, DIY-er at heart, a musician's wife, and a busy mama of two amazing kiddos. We live, grow, play, and create in a cozy little blue house in the beautiful green mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. i'm always finding ways to learn new things and bring new ideas to life, trying to figure out how to make the things i want instead of buying them pre-made, and generally just approaching life in a crafty way. i love to make things, and i love to have projects to keep my hands busy.  i'm happiest when i have new ideas bubbling about, and free time to express them.

 

i'm lucky to be able to stay home with my kids all week long, working as a nurse on the weekends, and squeezing in crafting wherever i can. selling my creations helps keep this possible, and crafting keeps me (mostly) sane! recently, my husband joined my crafty team, and is now home with me many days, sewing pillows and shipping orders. it's been a little crazy, but so exciting and fun, and so perfect.

I especially love Liz's take on the traditional family tree. Its kind of perfect, don't you think?

Here's what she had to say about the inspiration for these pieces,

"The family tree was something I'd wanted to create for a while.  I wanted a different take on the idea, and from a business point of view, I wanted a design that could be easily customizable.  I'd been brainstorming about it for some time, and one day my gaze happened to fall on a tree stump image on my daughter's growth chart -- it just clicked!"

And here is a little back story on the tree print pillow pictured above (the heart is embroidered and customizable),

"The tree print idea came, like so many of my creations, when I needed a few gifts for some friends of ours. The actual design came from an embroidered patch that I had drawn and stitched several years ago for my family and I had been wanting to experiment with screenprinting for some time... it all finally clicked together one day, and came together pretty seamlessly.  (I love it when that happens!)"

These would be perfect for so many occasions, Mother's Day or Father's Day, for starters. And we are lucky, because Liz is generously offering free shipping on your order, just type in the word "wisecraft" in the message box at checkout.

Thanks so much Liz and Cozy Blue. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor on wisecraft, please email me and I will send you all the details. Sponsors help me support what I do here on the blog, help justify the time I spend here, and I am very grateful for that.

 

featured sponsor bubbachic

Please help me welcome our newest sponsor, BubbaChic. This shop is stocked with one-of-a-kind, beautifully handcrafted, Waldorf-style dolls, lovingly handmade and designed by Devida. (The one above, Little Miss Lilly, is my absolutely favorite, I'm in love with her hair.)

I asked Dee to tell me a little about herself and how she came to make these wonderful dolls-

"I am an English Girl who moved to Oklahoma 5 years ago with my hubby - and we fell in love with it and decided to stay forever! I have 2 little kiddies who are my inspiration, my joy and keep me very busy - and when I am not running around after them, I am making dolls or working on something crafty for our home. I blog about our daily life and doll making at bubbachic.  I started blogging to keep my mama up to date with what I was sewing - she is an amazing seamstress and her love of crafts inspired me to want to create things for my own children.

 I started making Waldorf-style dolls a few years ago and every doll I make takes anywhere from 7-12 hours to create. They are all filled with soft carded sheep's wool which warms to a child's touch and much of their construction is hand sewing (hence why they take so long to make). I am always happy to take on custom orders!"

 

These are exactly the kind of keepsakes I have held on to for my own children. Many toys have come and gone in our home, only the very best are saved. These dolls are on that list.

Dee is having a giveaway over at her blog on Tuesday, you will want to go over and check it out. In the meantime, a big welcome!

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If you are interested in becoming a sponsor on wise craft, please email me at wisecraftblog@gmail.com.