Designer vs DIYer

I was perusing through a copy of one of my favorite fashion mags looking for a little inspiration the other day and spotted a super rad bag via Kate Spade! 

I love the witty design paired with Ms. Spade's ever sleek aesthetic. 

But I thought to myself. This isn't the first time I'd seen a sketch type hand bag. A few months back, I remembered a similar accessory caught my eye in a DIY post on refinery 29.








So I begin to wonder. Which came first the designer or the DIYer? 

Don't be Deceived by the Name!!

New Yorkers Shira Entis and Alex Bell are the creative master minds behind the eco-friendly tote line Fleabags, founded in 2009. According to their site the duo were, "Frustrated by the inconvenience and environmental hazard of accumulating several plastic bags while marketing, they craved a convenient and fashion-hot tote that could fit all of their wares." 

Thus the creation of the beautifully crafted American-made totes.

The Original Flea: Nantucket; Salt Bag: Aquarium; The Original Flea: Pebble

Reasons to LOVE Fleabags!! via fleabg.com

Fleabags are ideal Flea market totes
Friends and family have used them for weekends away, trips to the beach, to the grocery store and to carry anything numerous or unwieldy.
They are sturdy and made of eco-friendly materials.
Organic Cotton / Hemp Canvas Vegetable-Tanned,
American and Italian Leathers
Water-Based Ink
Locally Made in New York By Hand In Limited Edition

Check out this wonderful story via The New York Times in which the pair offers great flea market shopping advice!!  

Hello Lovely

We live in a world that is measured by quick turn around and instant, but not always fulfilling gratification. There are countless emails and online messages exchanged at such a rapid rate that we have all but lost the art of hand written well constructed correspondence. 


Thankfully there are artists/craftsmen who have clung to and given rebirth to the long ago tradition of well made paper goods. Blue Eye Brown Eye is a Fort Worth based letterpress and design company owned/operated by the lovely Ms. Lauren.  I met the creative calligraphy goddess while taking one of her private how to letterpress classes. I highly recommend this for a fun date night or just a way to build your knowledge of hand crafted goods. 


I am proud to share with you the success of one of her newest ventures, pretty little monogramed cards.

Available now at Anthropologie

I cherish my delightful little hand made stationary crafted by individually placed vintage type blocks and hand mixed ink. Each time I draft a letter to a loved one, I know my message is wonderfully complimented by the unique beauty of the stationary. 

Check out the full product line of Blue Eye Brown Eye here!

Flowers and Fairies

This Mother's Day I treated my mom and our family to a day out at the faire, Scarborough Faire to be exact! If you have never enjoyed the merriment of this wonderful festival you are missing out. It truly is like stepping in a time machine for an afternoon.

This renaissance wonderland has been a favorite of my family for years. We love watching the magical performers who seem to be on a stage in every direction you turn. The smell of honey roasted almonds and turkey legs fill the air! It is the perfect way to step out of the norm and have a day trip adventure.

At the faire everyone has their desired delight that they waited a long year for. The mister loves the steak on a stake. (I have to hear about that perfectly seasoned slab of meat for 364 days!) I adore all of the handmade products. This year I took home the sweetest smelling handmade lavender soap. Even my precious little nephew seemed to find his niche in the charming little petting zoo with baby pigs and chicks.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out and find your own delight, you still have a few weeks until the final day. You can even get discount tickets here!

Sip and Sew: 1949 Halter

I had one of the best times in a long time this past weekend with just four girls and our sewing machines!

We had our first official Sip and Sew during which we did a little bit of sewing and a whole lot of gossiping. The circle is comprised of vintage loving girls, like yours truly, who are all set to build our own wardrobe!

Our inaugural meeting was lead by my amazing friend Vanessa who greeted us in style with yummy treats, the cutest 50's glasses for our Arbor Mist (V's favorite) and pre-cut patterns in name labeled envelopes! She is too stinking cute for her own good!

The project was for each gal to create a 1949 halter from a great vintage pattern that our lovely hostess provided. We each customized the pattern to fit our measurements, did a little cutting and then the sewing commenced. Between all of the chatting and re-dos, I am not sure how long it actually took to complete, but I did it!

Finished product. Not too bad if I say so myself. And the best part is that I went home afterwards and knocked another one out in less than an hour and a half!!

As for next month, the date is already selected and so is the pattern. I can't wait for another day with the gals!

A day in the sun

We made our first official visit to the Round Up and let me say it was everything we thought it would be!! There were some amazing vendors, great bands and a seemingly endless amount of hot rods! I was lucky enough to score a few amazing vintage finds, which I will post a few pics of later, and spend a couple fantastic days with friends.

The mister and I shot mostly with the polaroid land camera and a bronica so those pics will be delayed for a few weeks until we can get them developed and scanned. But we did snap a few with our phone. So here is one for now!!

Handmade Dress by: Dancing Doll Clothing

A few bands I just have to share are:

The Royal Rhythmaires

Lloyd Tripp

The Jungle Rockers

Heulyn Duvall

Pretty Little Things

In my eyes, pretty little things are only made more sweet by adding personalized details. This past weekend I had the pleasure of creating a few fun gifts for my sweet friend Ivy to decorate her engagement party.

I wanted to make special decoratives to not only brighten the scene, but to add a sense of intimacy for the guests. Using the color pallet of Ivy's choosing, I constructed table runners for each of the three tables and pillows to blanket the seats. To give the items the personal flare, I screen printed the fabric with the couples initials and names. The end product was a simple, yet sophisticated gift that the couple can enjoy beyond the party.

Look here to enjoy a few of my favorite personalized gifts!!

I love these cards for every occasion!

Amazing way to keep your favorite photos alive

A gift I would love to receive

Sew Lovely......

Many people are quick to say that the long held traditions of handmade craftsmanship is only a thing of past, but I say it just isn't so! There has been a new, almost rebirth of people uncovering and reinventing the daily duties of our grand parents generation and making them their own.

These artists are not only creating beautiful masterpieces, they are sharing their craft with an eager public. I myself have discovered a tiny little jewel that lies right in the heart of the Bishop Arts District. This fun and funky studio/boutique houses goodies made by locals including one of a kind metal jewelry, bags and screen printed pillows bearing some of the most classic lyrics of all time. In addition to selling the awesome creations, Make Studio hosts numerous classes each week for enthusiastic patrons that want to take the creation into their own hands.

Sewing has been a skill that I have wanted to learn for sometime now and thanks to the studio, I am well on my way. Check back for my progress as the journey continues.

Having said that, I encourage you to seek out a place like this in your neighborhood, go learn something new and share it!