 Oh my goodness gracious...it has been a few weeks since I last posted! I think this semester of school is going to kill me. :( I recently joined the Creative Arts & Design Organization committee and it requires quite a bit of time. Great experience (looks great on a resume) but A LOT of work...and good time management skills which I often lack. So to get away from the stress, I'm showcasing some lovely Etsy items inspired by my favorite colors: teal, aztec red & mustard yellow. Take the time to go through this lovely compilation and choose your favorites! View the Etsy Treasury Primary Reason.
| Lately, I have been a big fan of chevron prints. What is chevron? It is basically a zig zag pattern in a variety of colors (usually white and another solid color).
As someone who loves baroque, renaissance-inspired design, chevron is a tad beyond my comfort level. It's modern & simple, but truly bold. While I like ornate & floral designs, I think I'm falling in love with the V. Take a look at some lovely chevron-inspired items straight from Etsy sellers like me. | |
| Product Review for Angelorian Tradition: A Bit of Whimsy
Okay, this entire package is adorable. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when my “whimsy bag” arrived. But it exceeded my expectations. Even the outer packaging (you know, the stuff that is normally just plain brown cardboard) was teal blue with a personalized to and from address. It even included a quote by Victor Hugo!
Everything inside the package was neatly wrapped in tissue with a personalized sticker. The first thing I pulled out was an awesome handwritten thank-you note with a lucky penny (stamped by the way) attached to the outside. Included inside the thank-you note was also a lovely save 10% coupon for a next purchase. Crystal’s business cards are quite unique and immediately drew my eye. Very professional and inspiring.
Little findings
Business cards & Coupon
The unopened set-- and extra candy!
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The Complete Package
 And then I found candy—that’s right! An old-fashioned blueberry stick candy that I instantly began munching on while writing this review. Got to love that. A very nice natural wood pencil was attached to the outside of the blue whimsy bag. This pencil now has pride of place in my pencil box. When I finally got to the actual product I didn’t even want to open it! It was so beautifully tied and so neatly packaged…like a little Christmas present. Plus, don’t let the size of the bag fool you. There were so many cool things, do-dads & watchamacallits inside: • Ribbons
• Crochet hair scrunchie
• Floral craft accessories
• Buttons
• Black velvet butterflies
• Molded clay piece with a stamped bumblebee
• Vintage stamp from France
• French coin magnet (tres chic!)
• And MOREBy the time I opened the sweet little bag, I was like a little girl in a jewelry store rummaging through each piece like it was a treasure hunt. Separately, these pieces are great, but together, they make a beautiful and cohesive collection. These are ideal for crafters and a great way to engage younger children in the act of imagination & creation. I loved that this kit included premade items as well such as the French coin magnet that I am seriously in love with. You can tell Crystal puts a lot of time, thought & personality into her packaging and product. I love the fact that you can put all the pieces back in the bag when you are done playing (no junk drawers here!) and keep everything organized. This is just the set of whimsy I’ve needed and just the sort of thing to cheer me up on a rainy day. As a courteous gesture, Crystal has offered 15% off your entire order from her store! Coupon code: BON15 Please check out Crystal’s products at the Angelorian Tradition on Etsy.com.
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Me geeking out over the French coin magnet
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Look at all these fun things!
| *All products were provided gratuitously for the review. All product reviews are provided free of charge to the store. If you are interested in your own product review, please go to our advertising page.
| My best friend finally had her first baby this morning & I can't be more excited for her! We've known each other since 3rd grade and seeing her with her new baby boy Noah is so surreal and beautiful. I can't wait to see her & Noah this weekend!
In celebration and honor of this momentous occasion, I have created a treasury of unique, classy & adorable baby items and new mom gifts. Enjoy & blessed be all moms! |  Little Noah just after he was born August 24th, 2012 |
 Plaid 1960s coat dress size XL by Bonfire Vintage I know the end of summer comes at different times for everyone, but the end of my summer is just around the corner. I start my last year of college August 27th and by May 2013 I will have graduated with a bachelors in art education. It seems like it has been a long time coming, but I think I'm ready!
So what have I been up to? I recently gave the website a new mod background I found as an open source graphic. I also revamped the links & fonts as they were getting hard to read-- my apologies!
I have also been fall shopping for myself (a rare occasion actually) and also picking out my fall/winter inventory. Expect more sweaters, coats and cold weather accessories.
With school, a full work schedule & preparing myself for a little thing called student teaching, I know I've been slacking in the listing department. I've actually considered hiring someone to take photos and/or take the time to list items while I'm busy or off gallivanting the thrift stores. Honestly, probably my favorite part of this job is just shopping for inventory. I have an inventory list of approximately 60 items to be listed (consisting of many vintage pieces I would like to keep for myself). BUT you can't have your cake and eat it too, so I have to work on my listing motivation in the next couple of weeks.
While neon colors might be taking over part of the fashion world, florals & frilly lace still dominate the chic & feminine world. Grab your cup of tea and check out the vintage alternative below. Also find matching vintage and handmade accessories from other sellers! Like This? 
ERDEMVeronica floral-print stretch-jersey dress $795 | ...Try This! 
| & Accessorize 
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 The Bonfire Vintage online store has officially been open for three months on the dot today! May 10, 2012 we created the shop on Etsy and purchased the domain name here. So far, there have been 23 sales, 38 admirers, 16 likes on facebook and 8 followers on Twitter. Not too bad for a Fresh Etsy shop I should say!
I'm in a very organized mood lately (probably because my apartment is so cluttered!), and since it's the DIY friday blog post, I've decided to incorporate the spirit of doing it yourself with an organizational need.
The Jar Shelf I love the simple and oh-so-cute look to this DIY jar shelf. The shelf above is shown to hold spices, but you could hold beads, buttons, feathers, charms, do-dads, fabric scraps and more...the perfect craft or studio room organization for all your teeny tiny treasures. MATERIALS:- One shelf with hanging hardware $10
- Screws $3
- Six mason jars with lids $6
- Awl $3
- Hammer $5
- Epoxy glue $4
- Pencil
TOTAL project cost=$31DIRECTIONS:- You can easily build your own shelf with a simple handsaw, some scrap wood, a level and some paint. Screw the shelf together and don't forget to add hanging hardware! Otherwise you can always use a regular old shelf from around the house or find one at a local thrift store for cheap.
- Turn the shelf upside down and set up your lids along the underside of the shelf. Mark with pencil or an awl where each center of the lid should be placed on the shelf.
- Using an awl, punch a small hole in the center of each lid. Add a second screw or epoxy glue to the lid and secure to the underside of the shelf.
- Once the glue is dry or the lids are secure, fill your jars with the supplies and screw the jar onto the lid!
TIPS:- Instead of mason jars, you can save baby food jars or regular glass food jars. Make sure to clean them well and remove the labels. This is a fun idea if you want an eclectic mix of jars.
- If you use a lot of jars or put heavy items into them, make sure to use drywall screws to secure the shelf onto a stud. Nothing would be more horrible if your lovely creation & supplies crashed to the ground!
 Lot of paintbrushes by TheRustyHingeNH I was recently going through some of my old sketchbooks-- admiring and wincing at some of my earlier stuff. Then it hit me...I have barely done any drawings (and no paintings) this entire summer! What's wrong with me!? I am a soon-to-graduate art ed teacher who hasn't been artsy fartsy for the last two months?
I have decided I had become burnt out. You see, taking college art courses is fun, but challenging. You have to meet major deadlines (on occasion 6-8 hours a day) and really work your creativity muscles. By the time I finished last semester's senior show, I really needed a break. Really really. But I think it's time to jump back into the swing of things. And what better motivation than to spruce up the studio/workspace? I give you vintage and handmade sellers who can help do just that. This seller showcase is all about sparking inspiration, getting organized and reinvigorating creativity!
Inspiration  Think outside the box with this illusionary bookshelf painting by ContemporaryEarthArt.  Andy Warhol 11x14 print-- perfect to keep your motivated! By Tara Nearents. |  Keep the spirit of the renaissance alive in your studio with this small statue of David. By LeBoutiqueCake. |  Stash your ideas or bursts of inspiration in this handmade "idea book" by sugarbsupplies. Organization  Vintage wooden artist box-- find a place to store all of your paint tubes, paintbrushes, pencils & other materials! By CarnivaloftheManiac  "Idea" wooden clips are perfect for hanging up your ideas or finished projects! Just hang up some string and clip your projects along the string. By papercatz. |  Free standing magnetic board for posting inspirational ideas. By Southernflairstore |  Painted mason jars to hold all your pencils, brushes, scissors and more. By BeachBlues Creativity  Set of black frame wall decals to creatively show off your masterpieces! By Bengalworks.  A box of whimsy-- full of little do-dads to inspire creativity! By AngelorianTradition. |  Upcycled handpainted rainbow artists stool. By BellBeCreations. |  A4 Creativity knows no bound quote print by Nikolas Tjhin
| | Size: X-Small/Small
Color: Midnight Blue
Era: 1960s
Style: Maxi/Regency gownMaterial: VelvetThis is a drop dead gorgeous 1960s midnight blue velvet gown. Zips up the back. No marked maker (possibly handmade). Maxi dress with a 1930s style. Features long sleeves with buttons, modest neckline and form fitted empire waist. The velvet is such a beautiful jewel tone blue and very soft. In excellent vintage condition with minimal wear.This dress would make an excellent Jane Austen costume or Regency gown. Or just wear this 1960s dress to a cocktail party or night out on the town. Check it out here. | | | Size: Medium
Color: Snow gray w/ burgundy & gray scarf
Era: 1960s
Style: Princess coatMaterial: Wool1960s snow gray princess coat. Fully lined in a light gray lining. This military style peacoat is made by Pebble Beach of California. Marked 80% wool and 20% nylon. Two large pockets at the front. The coat has a flared shape to it at the bottom...very flattering! In good vintage condition minus a few very tiny marks near the bottom of the coat (not even noticeable unless looking very up close). Comes with a bonus matching wool scarf to complete the look! Check it out here. | | | Size: Medium/LargeColor: Black w/ navy & white polka dot accentsEra: Late 1950sStyle: Peplum/MaternityMaterial: Rayon/Synthetic
Awesome vintage 1950s maternity dress in a black peplum style. Very rare piece (maternity store-bought clothing was not very common in the 50s) and in excellent vintage condition with minimal wear from age. Features very cute navy blue polka dot collar, covered buttons and peplum at the waist. The material is lightweight as well-- hence the brand name "heir conditioned". I believe it may be rayon or some other synthetic blend. Check it out here. |
 Summer is drawing ever nearer to a close-- I'm back to college classes August 27th. One more year left until I graduate with my Art Education degree! It seems like forever (like when I had braces...) My student teaching begins next semester. I am so excited, and yet quite nervous! The student teaching program is extremely rigorous (as it should be) and takes up a vast amount of time. They even tell you to not have a job during this time...though to avoid living in a box, I will be keeping mine and my Bonfire Vintage store open. :)
On happier notes, my best friend Kim and her husband Eric are having a baby in like...days! Can't wait to meet their new little Noah. I know I'm biased, but that baby is going to be the cutest baby in the world. Just sayin'.
My mom has asked me to help her with a garage sale she's planned for next Saturday. I remember when every summer in my early teens I hosted a garage sale (one time a craft sale!) and was so stoked to make $20 over the three days I sat in the boiling sun. We're looking to make enough money for my younger brothers' back-to-school clothes and supplies (maybe $200 or $300?). Money has been tight for all of us and it is one more step to make some extra spending money.
I feel like I need a vacation. I'm the kind of person that would just love to jump up one morning, toss the cat some food and scurry off to an uncharted destination. My boyfriend is not so spontaneous, but I am hoping we can make a weekend trip somewhere in the next couple of months. We need it!
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