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Since it's Friday, I thought you might enjoy some photos of my new office (aka: the bedroom) and my assistants (aka: the cats) Hopefully it'll cool down around here so I can leave the sanctity of this air-conditioned room soon. Until then, hope you have a wonderful weekend. And stay cool out there! ;)
<3 jena
Tis the season for grilling and entertaining, but as night comes and all that pretty gardening you've been doing seeps into the dark, you're left with the urge to blast spotlights on all your hard work. These solutions might not be nearly so strong, but they'll add an element of ambiance and subtlety, while keeping your guests from tripping over your zinnias.
Soymade's citronella soy candle in a jar (a) is really all you need to get the party started. Fire power and candle holder all in one! Soy is a renewable resource (whereas paraffin candles are petroleum based) and are are much cleaner burn. Rechargeable LED votives (b) are {obviously} water and wind resistant, keeping the soft mood of evening entertaining uninterrupted. Mariposa Avenue's lanterns truly shine (c) when the sun goes down and are made of reused soup cans! Plus, look at that pretty pattern they'll project on your great outdoors!
Looking for something more festive? Why not look to wedding blogs for adorable and easy DIY projects? Right now we're in outdoor wedding season, and the creativity is in flowing. My favorite? These string light covers via Once Wed (d). Pretty and cheap, you just have to find the time and clear out a space to make 'em!
Miss Modish mentioned Pigeon Toe Ceramics' slip cast jars (e) earlier this week, but they're so pretty they need another mention, and you can buy one or get a price break on two. Reminiscent of Alyssa Ettinger's gorgeous milk bottles, which I bet would be equally beautiful lighting your patio table. If you're in the mood to make something similar, Crafty Nest has directions for making lanterns out of glass jars.
Also on the topic of jars, Not Martha has a much cheaper DIY version of the popular sun jars (f), but if you're in the buy rather than make it camp, Uncommon Goods has the sun and moon versions for $40 each.
Or for something plug-in, Kate on Design*Sponge recently posted a tutorial for repurposing wire planters into a modern pendant light.
Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish
thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu,
you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.
The Summer Social was a fantastic little gathering of artists, crafters & soda last weekend here in Portland. I was lucky enough to attend for a bit and had lots of fun meeting and chatting and laughing it up there. Put together by miss Abby the great of Abby Try Again, she's been hard at work all week long to make an online version of all the goodness that was up for grabs, and it's now up for your viewing (and purchasing) pleasure!
Featuring an awesome selection of goods by some fantastic Portland based artists, you're sure to find some must haves in the mix! It looks awesome Abby, thanks for all your hard work!
As this Pacific NW heatwave drags on and on, I find myself holed up in the bedroom (it's the one room where we have an air-conditioner- the ghetto window kind, yes.) blogging away in a tank and pair of boxer shorts. That's about all the clothing I can stand to wear in such heat (at home, of course!) Yet I wish I had some pretty little something to wear, like this gorgeous Japanese style lingerie from Naomi. Perhaps then I'd feel more like a hot little lady and not as much like a hot, sweaty schlub.
I love how delicate and sweet the designs are, sexy but not scandalous. And perfect for a hot hot (hot) summer day at home. See more lovelies over at naomilingerie.
It's been almost 2 years since I last wrote about Portland artist Michelle Ramin, and my oh my how her work has progressed since then. I still look at the piece I bought from her everyday as it sits on my desk, but if I had the cash, I'd get one of these amazing, aMAYzing figurative portraits to accompany it on a nearby wall:
Or one of these architectural snapshots from around our fair city, and beautiful Oregon:
See more works over in Michelle's shop. And Portlanders, catch her tonight from 6-10pm at the opening of her solo show, Need it/Got it, at the Falsefront Studio on NE Prescott & 32nd.
We're back with another great, eco-friendly collaboration today! Kendra from Green Post creates beautiful recycled pulp papers and has paired up with Marnie of Crafterall to use the paper scraps left over from her art projects to create brand new, useful papers! It's a match made in eco-friendly art heaven. Read about Crafterall's experience with the collabo here, and then check out Scoutie Girl to read Green Post's side of the story!
Which came first: the idea or the partnership? Who approached whom?
Kendra and I have had a great camaraderie via Etsy for almost a year giving each other advice, feedback and support, but it was the idea that ignited the official collaboration. I was running out of “thank you” notes to send with orders from my shop, and wanted to do something “green” like plantable cards. I asked on Twitter if anyone had heard of or had a recommendation for plantable business cards. As I was typing, I thought of Kendra’s recent work with paper pulp and wondered if she’d be interested in making some for me. We started talking and the planning went quickly and easily. For me, this was instant verification of a diehard idea.
I'm feeling bright wildflowers this morning. The only thing that can make this heat and constant sun of summer a little more bearable...
July Wildflowers original by Jamie Shelman :: Recycled Tin necklace by Little Black Rabbit :: Dark Roses Tank Dress at Ruche
There's something about the end of July into August that always gives me a brief annual weakness for nautical-inspired goods. It's that time of year—I should be at the beach, or on the coast of Maine, where we'd vacation when I was a kid. Good to know that there's no shortage of eco-friendly nautically themed items out there to get me through the rest of the summer.
Clockwise from top left: Red star garland from elizabethwren; 100% organic knit necklace from Sloanester; 100% recycled flat cards from Earmark; upcycled ship's wheel bobby pins from Cassowary Jewelry; upcycled fabric wallet from picklehead.
I adore this latest design from Pigeon Toe Ceramics! We have a collection of kerr jars on the shelves, perfect to use for summer icy drinks or a quick vase choice for wildflowers plucked from the yard. This ceramic version tho, that comes complete with a hanger, is an adorable votive lantern that looks cute whether it's lit or not.
Maybe I should get one for our soon-to-be new patio, hmm?
I haven't featured a handmade space in awhile but it's not because great new ones aren't popping up all the time in the group flickr pool, it's just because I'm a slacker and I phased it and I've been really busy lately, oi! So, I thought I better make up for it with this really cute little pottery studio of Tasha McKelvey. Here, she creates her precious and unique pottery and ceramic jewelry. Let's see where it all happens!
Take a peek at all the gorgeous creations that Tasha makes here on her website. And see more studio spaces where work gets done in the Modish Handmade Spaces pool. Feel free to join and add pics of your studio/workspace!
