I love the Ginger Apron, this oilcloth apron came about after an order went bad, I had cut something wrong or something. I had to do a redesign with very little fabric. It was a very happy accident! The person that received that first Ginger was an Etsy shop owner that uses the name Gingincal. Her shop is Sister Whimsy, the shelves are bare for now but hopefully soon she will be back with her lovely soap.
Martha is having having cupcake week! OH MY! How yummy, check out this photo slideshow that she has featuring the wonderful cupcake shops around the country. The photos of the shops and the cupcakes are equally wonderful!
When I was a girl my birthday cake was always Strawberry with Pink Fluffy Icing. I have to say I really want to make these Strawberry cupcakes from Sprinkles! Strawberry puree has got to be much tastier than the red dye my mom used!
Great news for my cupcake aprons I found some wonderful green and blue polka dot fabric so the Cupcake Collection will soon be back in production next week! I miss my Cupcake Aprons a lot! In the mean time if you are in need of a cute present for a little girl don't forget Tutti Fruity Designs has an Exclusive Pink Cupcake Apron from Modern June
As you all might have noticed I have given up my quest to blog 365 days this year! Life got the better of me! We are having some hard times with Aidan, he is needing a lot of extra care of late. Blogging was the first thing to go. I have rearranged my schedule so I can sew early in the morning instead of typing. I miss chatting with you all. I won't go away for long but I won't be able to blog daily for now.
Now go make some cupcakes, I know I am!!!! Problem is not eating them all ; ) If the cupcakes you make are extra pretty take a chance at Martha's cupcake contest!
Then check out this sale! Modern June items for the younger set will be included. 75 items in all! This is the largest selection of kids products that I have ever had at one time. It is a great array of pieces. Loads of Splat Mats, Baby Bibs, Art Smocks and Aprons. Even a few Mommy and Me aprons are included.
Kids Layne Friday, March 28th from 9AM – 3PM. Saturday are 8 AM – 12 NOON.
On Saturday some items will be marked 50% off. FYI... Modern June will not be included in the last day sale.
2700 Cherrytree Lane Bon Air, Virginia 23235
Kids Layne is a semi-annual children's clothing consignment sale featuring top of the line labels from exclusive boutiques. We offer only the finest clothing and have created a unique event for shoppers and sellers in the Richmond, Virginia area. This is your chance to buy the finest labels for your child at a fraction of the retail cost.
Exclusive Shopping at the Presale on Thursday, March 27th from 5-7PM Not only will our consignors and volunteers get a chance to shop our great consigned merchandise before the general public. They will also be able to place orders for new clothing from Kelly’s Kids. Allison Padow, a Kelly’s Kids Rep will be on hand to share fabric samples and place orders for new spring and summer merchandise. You can then consign your Kelly’s Kids clothing at the next Kids Layne sale and recoup your investment.
Featured Label We will also have items from Modern June available during the sale. Modern June is a fun little company that sells handmade housewares for the hip home. Specializing in retro-inspired Aprons and other goodies for the cool "housewife" and her hip babies! All goods are designed by Kelly McCants and handmade by herself and other Richmond Mommies.
Featured Items include the Baby Bibs, Art Smocks and Splat Mats all made with good old fashion Oilcloth. And of course fun retro aprons for the little cook! www.modernjune.com
Look what I found at Feathernesters on Saturday! A chocolate mold of an easter bunny riding a chicken, OMG how cute!!!! I gave it to my buddy Erica who owns and operates Bees Knees Studio. She and her boyfriend, Ryan, (The otter partner of "The Otter and the Bee") just got engaged and bought a house on Friday! They are so cute and silly I knew that this was the perfect gift for them! Erica said that the bunny was deranged, yeah, I knew she would love it! I love it so much I have to go back and get it for myself too!
Need a little 411 about chocolate molds? Well here ya go, Country Home has all ya need to know. What's that you ask? Kelly how in the world do I use such a thing?SugarCraft.com has the hook up on that! Crafting with chocolate does it get better than that? No way!
I hope you all had a lovely weekend and a wonderful holiday!
So what is on my desk? Tissue box with a Lotta Jandotter cover, an old trophy turned pencil cup, the kids history book, a pile of magazine pages that I just has to keep around and a pile of notes, photos and business cards.
What is inspiring me lately? I love all these color combos. while I was sick this last week I got through a pile a magazines I love to rip out the pages that make me happy and tape them up on the wall and just stare at them until I am sick of them. Each photo has a wonderful color story that I would love to incorporate in my work.
I have an aqua thing going here, don't I?
What's on your desk?
Friday, March 21, 2008
It's all about the cheeky chicken around here this week! The other day Maddie and I made our cute little chickens while Aidan was playing a computer game in which chickens were falling from the sky! We were all giggles. You have to understand that when Aidan plays video games he is not sitting calmly in a chair with quite focus. NO, he is out of the chair and bouncing and yelping along with the game. It is a form of exercise that I didn't know existed until his gaming days came along.
I have to say that my decorative paper selections is shameful, that must be remedied---asap! What I did have was some Anna Griffin Paper, I thought that was fitting since we were doing a Heather Bailey project, I see them similarly, Crafty Fabric Goddesses! I am hoping to find Heather Bailey papers when I go shopping, but I am not sure they are out yet. They are based on her fabric line, Freshcut by Free Spirit. Pretty stuff! I have noticed there are a lot of apron makers out there using her line, the line makes a beautiful apron.
Since we were low on paper we opted for the suit case fabric. I love my suitcase that I got at Miss Rancke's estate sale. It hold all my fabric that has the heat bond backing. It is my cupcake fabric stash. Along with the fabric we also used the paper from the instructions that we had printed out. The PDF is bordered with lovely floral designs. They went along beautifully with the color scheme.
Another thing we did not have were fabulous vintage baby blocks so some quick thinking we used the glass jars that were holding the craft supplies that were laying out in front of us. Use what you have, right?
Design wise I love the one is facing the opposite direction, a happy accident that was also a lesson for Maddie. She is not a spatially gifted as Aidan so this was a great learning moment for her.
So I get these damn emails from The Apple Store. How I got on this list I don't know, (husband) but I wish they would just send me one of these MacBookPros instead. I mean, if I had this beauty, then I could send them emails! I need one it cuz it has multi-touch and it is THE mobile creative powerhouse. It needs me as much as I need it. Santa can come early this year -- all I want is what is in the pretty little black box!
A girl with a stomach virus needs some toast. URG, my toaster is broken and I need a new one. Good time for some cute-retro-toaster-action to come into our toast forsaken lives. Do you have any idea how expensive a toaster can be? OMG this fab pink one is 300.00, so I won't be having that one shipped out to me today.
This one it really fun!
I like the four slice option and the blue it fun...
But what we really need is a toaster oven so we don't heat up the kitchen in the summer time with the gas oven. Do you know how ugly toaster ovens are? Let me tell you they are not retro chic! This is the best looking one I can find, and in red it will match my mixer! Don, time to get technical and analytical, cuz this momma needs a toaster stat!
I have been really sick the last few days and I have been avoiding all life forms so that I don't pass my yuck to the family. In my internet travels I have found the following cool site. Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion
I found the site via Heather Bailey's blog, HELLO My name is Heather. I have to say I really want to grow up and be as cool as she is. She has a lovely layout in the upcoming issue. Here is a sneak peak!
There are also two fun looking "how to" projects, one is a party chick place card holder and a paper topiary, both of which I really would like to do for the Easter Bunch. The one that I don't think will be happening if the kids get my tummy thing.
But to my delighted surprise they also are featuring a pair of local artisans, Ignatius and Rod, from Ignatius Hats. I have always wanted to own one of their hats and I love visiting the old shop in Cary Town.
I have always love this magazine, it is just so pretty. I just want my entire life to be this darn pretty! Forget all the modern stuff that I love... I want fluffy! FYI, hubby this magazine subscription would be a great mothers day present from the kids!
Has anyone watched the Discovery/Science channel show How It's Made? The kids and I are totally addicted to the show. Check out how they make dress forms. After watching this video you can see why they cost so much!
...that you can find my stuff in the super cute shop called Nicola Floral? It is located in my wonderful little neighborhood, Bellevue. Stop buy and pick up some flowers and say hi to Nicole! I am dropping off some pretty new goodies there later today! They already have the Modern June Baby line, Check book covers, coin purses and some pretty little aprons!
Check out this bag she has! OMG I want this bad! I feel like a traitor not carrying something that is mine or hand-made but OMG it is too kitsch for words.
OH and I found a sweet slightly used bernina 950 industrial machine that will be all mine next weekend! I will rock the stitching scene with that bad ass machine! It was all I could do not to carry it home myself!
This is what a "Oops I forgot to blog" blog post looks like! It is also a "I am am going to bed instead of really blogging" blog post. good night! I will make it though this silly 365 challenge!
Check it out you can now but Modern June at Tutti Fruity Designs. How cool is that. I love it! But what I really love is all the other cute stuff, man the ric rac collection is so cute and the matching bottoms, fancy pants, too much.
But wait before you go off shopping here is the really cool thing! Do you all remember the pink cupcake aprons I told you about last week, well they are to be sold EXCLUSIVELY through Tutti Fruity Designs. Yep you can ONLY get that particular cupcake apron from TFD! Fun funky and fabulous!
Like my new word? Oh this image just makes a girl smile! I luv me some repro depot! I say shop till you drop, and after you check out the new stuff tell me what your favorite fabric is! Then tell me what fabric you think I should make an aprons out of.
Image brazenly lifted out of the repro depot newsletter. Click here if you want to get their emails too!
Check out this link for getting those pesky cords under control! You will find that Life Hacker has come up with 10 solutions for getting cords under control. I want to do number 6 or 7 and make a tidy recharge station. But number 5 if brilliant! We are so doing that here!
This linky luv comes from my DH, Don, that is always looking at cool sites that I would never look at!
If you are a crafter and would like to apply don't forget to do that soon!! We are now accepting applications for vendors. Please check the FAQ page for event information. Detailed event information including vendor agreement terms are outlined at the bottom of the online application. There is a non-refundable, non-transferable $5.00 application fee due when you submit your application. Our application deadline is midnight March 19th. Click below to apply online.
Is coming to Richmond VA out of the question? Are you too far away for you to apply for our little indie craft show? No worries there are plenty of other ways to be a part of this awesome show. Check the site for info on sponsorship and/or zine advertising opportunities or to contribute to our swag bags!
Contact: For Sponsorship/Advertising - crystal@richmondcraftmafia.com Zine contributions / ads - deanna@richmondcraftmafia.com For Swag Bags email - nicole@richmondcraftmafia.com
If you are a local craft supporter and like free stuff consider being a volunteer! All volunteers get a sweet Swag Bag! And they get to hang out at the coolest show in Richmond!
I am trying to come up with a fresh topic something other than I made this I made that. But that is all I do lately. What a boring little life I have! I am not complaining about the orders, no way! Busy is good, I love how much Modern June is growing, but I could use a little balance. Last week I took a day off, first one is weeks. What did I do with it? a massive spring cleaning. Wahoo! On Sunday Don took the kids to an awesome kite festival and I made cupcake aprons. Wahoo!
Yes, this is becoming a mini-pity party. I miss my kids and my husband! On days when we don't do homeschool I really miss the kids. Thank goodness I do teach them or I would be totally disconnected from them.
If someone were to ask me where I would like to see my business in 5 years I would have to say, "strong enough to take most weekends off"! That would mean having a staff. I like that idea! Working alone can be a drag. I have been having a few friends do some cutting and stitching for me! They are building up a tiny bit of stock while I get the orders out. Slowly this will build and become something really special.
What I would really like is a studio away from home. Some place that I go to just to work. No kids, no husband needing to know where the soap is, or if they should do this or that. A place where I could really book it, sew like the wind and then go home. Home to a house with out oilcloth bolts in my kitchen and patterns on ever door knob.
When I go running errands I am constantly noticing for lease signs. I even emailed a company last week about a space. But I don't have money for rent. But someday I will and when I do I know what I want and where I want it. But for today I will try to take the kids for a walk, actually eat dinner with my husband and work no later than 11:00.
Dreams of balance are good! I was raised my small business owners I know what it is like to get a business off the ground I know how hard my parents had to work. I am no dummy, this is how it is. But I also know what it is like to be a child of a small business owner. That breaks my heart. Aidan no longer wishes that Modern June never existed. Well at least he is not saying out loud like he did at Christmas time, that's a plus. And my sweet Maddie told me the other day that I was her hero. That she was so proud that I could do everything that needed to be done. WOW! ok I can go on another day! Things are growing, I guess these are growing pains!
Two new lovelies! I walked by this fabric over and over again at my local Joanne's, it just kept catching my eye. I finally gave in and bought it. I really love the colors! Do you like?
June has been wearing them in the dining room for two weeks now. They have literally be all done and ready to wear, it has been hard to put one of them one myself. I finally had some time to take photos and get them listed, a great accomplishment!
Yesterdays Big-ass book signing was some big-ass fun. Here is Mark with his Big-Ass Cab. I highly recommend drinking your Big-Ass Cab with while doing a project from your Big-Ass Book of Craft. Yes I am trying to say Big-Ass as many times as possible. : ) The book is great, buy it!
I love these! My hand has been giving out on me so I have given up my highly regarded Gingers for the Fiskar's springy scissors! I've been using the large ones for cutting out patterns for months now but I just picked these up at Joanne's I consider them highly coupon worthy! It takes a lot of me to give up a good 40% off coupon on anything but a great piece of fabric.
Mark "is an energetic, young and undeniably cool designer. His creative musings have manifested successfully in the worlds of fashion, interior design and writing, making him a refreshing example of innovation and a beacon of creativity." Want a sneak peak at the crafty goodness check out Mark on i Village! We all know Mark as the top designer for TLC's While You Were Out, host of TLC's 10 Years Younger, and co-host of the Style Network's My Celebrity Home and We's She's Moving In.
Here is what the Books My Space page has this to say about The BIG-ASS BOOK OF CRAFT...
The Big-Ass Book of Crafts is packed with ideas for sprucing up your living space; concocting fabulous, all-natural body products; designing your own unique stationery; and creating countless other crafts that will convince your friends and loved ones that you're the secret love child of Tony Duquette.
It's as entertaining to read as it is endlessly inspiring. With more than one hundred and fifty inventive and fun projects, (200 to be exact!) The Big-Ass Book of Crafts is the perfect activity book for readers of every mood, budget, and skill level. Go grab it for your siss, your miss, or your brother. Trust us, they'll love it! ...
Live in the Virginia Beach area? Norfolk gets to have him next! See the Norfolk Craft Mafia for details!
Back by popular demand! The Modern June Cupcake Apron will soon be available again in sweet yummy pink! The fabric is the exact same pink but has tiny little squares. Like sprinkles! I have tons in the works and I can't wait to show you the new and improved apron for the little girls. The new pattern covers more of the wee little lasses and is more like the Jane Apron Pattern Style that the Mommy version is made from. OH I love these! I am still working in just the right blue and green fabric hopefully I can get those back in production too!
So yesterday, I let the kids have the day off! Woohoo for my house! This home-schooling-work-at home-momma needed a long day off, with the windows open, and the iTunes cranking! One would think is was "all U2, all day," but no -- I went for girl rocker music of the mid 90's" Letters to Cleo, The Jody Grind (the one with Kelly Hogan) and Garbage. You know the neighbors and the kids loved it! Aidan just asked me to turn it down... yeah right! Some day this will be the other way around.
My house has been a pit for more than a month. YUCK! I can't take it ANYMORE! How did this happen and when? One day you wake up, and it has all just gone to hell in a hand-basket.
I started in the living room. My technique was to turn on Clean House and get inspired, nothing like seeing a really "messy" mess to get you motivated not to end up on intervention TV -- right?
Check this out. I made this while watching Candice from Divine Design. From start to finish I was done before she was. My inspiration has been these wonderful votive candles my girlfriend Suzanne gave me for my B-Day. They are oh so VERY HollywoodRegency! They reminded me of the Black Paradise Lace Oilcloth. I have been wanting to do a wall art project but I have been swamped with the kids and June.
So yesterday I just did it, after weeks wanting to. I went out in the shed and found a leftover piece of plywood and covered it with oilcloth and plopped it up on the mantle. Easy, peasy! You can follow the "how to" over at How About Orange's wall art tutorial. What I am not saying is when I did it, I was in "wing it mode".
I love it, I hope Don does. It was so cheap it was free. The great thing is when I tire of it I can turn it into a table top with some saw horses for a back yard BBQ. Fun, fun!
After dressing the mantle and giving the room a good dusting and vacuuming, I moved on the Dining Room -- I mean the pit of clutter hell. As of today, I can now see the corners of the room again.
This room has been a dumping ground for Modern June. (working at home sucks) All the stuff that did not have a home in the newly cleaned studio ended up in overflowing bins piled up in a corner. Also, cluttering up the room were the new lamps I bought for taking better pictures. Well, that is all gone now, Yoohoo. I dressed the mantles here too, same junk different lay out. I love my trays! Don, Janet and My MIL have been adding to the collection of years. They are a happy bunch-o-trays. Look what I have done with my paper piles. Last spring I cut out some mini totes but never finished them, so yesterday I finished them off. But instead of making one tote with a lining I made two with out a lining, then I finished them off with left over webbing for handles. I have turned a messy pile to a cute take-along-tote-of-stuff. This one is for my current pile of papers, receipts, and Order Clip Board that need my immediate attention. I always have a pile on this spot now it looks nice and tidy. The other is my 2007 paperwork that I still have to tend to -- all of this was sitting in a corner of my dining room to now look how cute it is even if it is still on the dining room floor. (mental note: find that bag a real home!)
Well, I have done it. I have wasted a whole lot of time talking about housework. I am such a housewife, like my silly apron I wore, yes that is yellow polyester lace! LOVE it! I found it in a pile in the dining-room, of course. I really want to wax the wood floors -- now that would be the real spring cleaning! We shall see if that really happens -- I have my doubts. But for now, I can live a saner life with less mess!
The best thing about yesterday was no sewing! Not one little bit. I can't tell you the last day I went with out sewing, no matter how hard I try I just can't remember that far back. I just sent out a large wholesale order to a new boutique in Maryland last Friday and this Friday I have to send out another one to a funky consignment sale in Northern Virginia. (more info later this week) I am no way near ready to send that out. OMG! It will be a long week of late night sewing so a day off today will replenish a tired soul. It's kind-a sad when cleaning for hours and hours is replenishing.
Have a good one peeps! I must go work and teach! Peace out!
OH what fun it was! Thanks to Deanna and Mary Ellen for their efforts in getting this thing off the ground... our first CRAFT LOUNGE was a huge success. Everyone was doodling, and shrinking, and dinking -- it was crazy I tell ya. A big shout out to The Camel for allowing us the space to be crafty! Craft, good food, and beer -- does it get better than that? Also, a big "thank you" to those who came out to join us! Mark you calendar for the first Monday of next month for more crafty lounging!
