Here are some things I've been working on...

So, I have been super busy creating new things for my shop, "Peppermint Pink" on Etsy. New hats out of re-claimed fabrics.....

New dresses and slip dresses out of vintage slips....

and hair accessories too!

Stop by and take a peek....

More Holiday Boutique Photos

Here is another table at my boutique - this one was the "Vintage & Tattered Romance" table....though I think I took this pic after it had been picked over quite a bit...

My friend Karen showing off her wares: burnt orange vintage slip-dress, vintage pearls and hand painted cross.

I absolutely had to show off my "candy-bar". I saw this in a magazine and had to do it! I loved it and kept it up (in fact all the decor - even including the pom-poms) the whole holiday season. The framed "Noel" was supposed to be my wreath this year for the front door, but was too light and kept sticking out from the wreath hook. Oh well, live and learn..

another one of the "candy-bar"..

Where have I been, you ask?

So, I spent allot to time during October/November trying to get ready for my Dec. 4th "Shop in my Closet" Boutique. It turned out to be so much fun and I ended up having way more things to sell than I thought! Well, I would rather have had that, then not enough. (I think I spent half a day just turning out various necklaces and earrings...manic).

My friends Suzie and George posing with their wares: my up-cycled heart scarf, prayer box and Bliss tiny picture.

Decisions, decisions...


My sweet friend Amanda, in from Vegas, posing with the painting she just bought "Asian Scene". Loved seeing her and boy, did she walk away with a lot of goodies!


Just one of my displays...I really loved how it all turned out! From decorating with pom-pom's, to how every corner had a different kind of theme. This table was sort of a cute-kitschy, colorful one. Will post more pic's in next post....

Grinch me

I almost forgot this one in my below gift ideas.....you really can't go wrong with this, right? By amazing artist Jason Edmiston

Some of my favorites for the Holidays

1. Violet Pie

2. Imagine Studio


3. Ditzy Redhead

4. Babes in Vintageland


And, for more fantastic finds for the holidays you can check out the rest of the Etsy Treasury here...

Scrap Materials: Project 4: Floral appliques (puffy heart leftovers)

Ok, so once you have completed your puffy hearts you will have something that looks like the above left over from your scraps. I wanted to somehow re-use this also (always thinkin'), so the below is what I came up with. It is almost a pin-wheel looking thing.


You just overlap and pin as you go to get a sort of flower look and then sew. The leopard-style one I sewed a heart cut-out on for the center. I also started fooling around putting flower on top of flower to see what kind of effect I might get and that also looked cute (not pictured). This idea makes a cute, unique brooch pin, add to a hat, sew onto clothes...whatever!

Scrap Materials: Project 3: Puffy hearts

Pretty cute, huh? I am a sucker for recycling, upcycling - whatever you want to call it. Anything that I can make from scraps, or something left over, I will do it!! I hate to see anything go to waste. These little cuties have been made from some material scraps, stuffed with more material scraps!





Now actually, some of these are not stuffed too. You can do either way, but I just like to use my scraps somehow. It is the most fun to be able to use two different, but similar - or, if you are bold, two totally conflicting fabrics. It just adds some pizazz to your design. Be sure to check this blog for my next post to see how I use the scraps from the left over fabric from the heart cut-outs..


***Box or hearts can be purchased here and here...

How to: Slipper Stool - Hot Glue

So, here is a project I took on a few years ago for a contest I entered...this is the finished slipper stool that I up-cycled, using - wait for it - a hot glue gun! I saw this home design show several years ago with Todd Oldham using a hot glue gun to re-upholster a couch and I ran wild with the idea.

Above are the supplies I used: fabric scraps, scissors, glue, gun and Popsicle stick. This is for pressing down the fabric on top of the glue so as not to burn your little fingers. The larger sticks work well too.


This is the horrible shape this piece was in prior to my working my magic. Ripped, stained. etc.


Up close pic of the results. Really, just lay out your fabric how you think you might like it to look, this may change, and start gluing away. (See in-process photos below).


A good part of it is knowing where to bend the fabric together so that it appears to look like a seam. Tuck over in areas that cover other fabric and press until the glue seams set (see edges framing the top).



I can't say that all areas are completely "clean" from the glue, but this was my first try at this! Give me a break! All things considered, it turned out pretty good. Oh, and the hottest setting worked the best. I actually did a whole chair like this, but it got a little "sticky" when I was tucking and gluing in the seat of the chair...

Ok - another b&w...

Another photog of my pretty friend...

Now, I'm not a photographer or anything, but.....

I think this turned out pretty good. My friend posed for my vintage clothing store and I started fooling around with the black and white. (BTW - hair/make-up done by meeee...).

Seriously, ridiculous

These are just some of the things that I have been working on for the last month - for a local boutique: 10 gypsy scarves, 6 boxes, a few pieces of jewelry and tiny canvases. Very thankful for the business. This is what has kept me away from blogging lately, but I will be resuming my more regular posts next week and my BlogFrog connections too!

A Peek at Something New

I have been working away on some of my inspiration boxes for a client that is going to put them in her boutique near where I live. I have such a love for vintagy-style boxes, flowers and birds and love to paint them in a lot of my art work. I may do a line of these for my ditzyredhead shop on Etsy also. Enjoy!

What do you think?

Whew! Been away from my blog for awhile....well here is a section of my office/studio/closet/exercise room. I am trying to make it a nice little work space, with what little space there is. This is an area above my sewing area (did I forget to mention that one?) that I was able to atleast make cute. Hubby promises my sun/art room after September...we'll see.

Nest

So recently, hubby went out to his truck in the morning only to find this itty bitty birds nest. I had to keep it! Last year at Spring time, I found two blue empty robins' eggs. It would make a nice arrangement of some kind. Of course hubby says to Lysol it or something because he thinks there will be all kinds of disease, etc. in it. Hmmmm...

Beauty: Nail Polish

Ok, so here is a little bling added to my already funky purple nails below. I loved this glittery purple by L.A. Colors Color Craze. If you can't read the name, it's Glistening Purple. Have some fun with some shocking glam color!