Shop Spot(light): Olive

loandbehold — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:19:16 +0000

Confession: I love pillows. Throw pillows, afghan pillows, decorative pillows, bed pillows, pillowcases… you name it. I also love sewing them. Pillowcases for the bed are so quick and easy, full customizable and really add a spark to your bedroom. I made some great little pillowcases for our bed a while back, I hand embroidered a small envelope pillowcase recently and experimented with paneling on a pillowcase, as well as several other pillow projects actually. (A new pillow design is going up in my shop this weekend!)

In any case… I spotted the plethora of totally fabulous pillows in Olive’s Etsy shop and died of envy. Take a gander at these beauties! Do you not just adore the suitcase pillow and the sweet sweet house pillow?? I totally do. And I just want to eat up this bows and stitches number.

Gentleman Art Pillow

Bows and Stitches Pillow

46 Cherry Hill Lane Pillow

Take My Anywhere Suitcase Pillow

Oh, Iris

loandbehold — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:41:45 +0000

We love dogs. We’re INSANELY in love with our first born son-dog, Clem. He has been the best thing we’ve ever done together. When we adopted our second born daughter-dog, Iris, we knew she’d be a challenge. She is, after all, a Pit Bull / Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. She is loving, sweet, comical and very intelligent.

We’ve had her for over a year, and have been steadfast in our training, discipline and love. So far, we haven’t been able to find a training method that helps her learn to greet people calmly or walk on a leash without pulling. We walk her and Clem every single day… rare is the day when they both go sans-walk. So our inability to train her correctly has nothing to do with her not getting enough exercise or walking practice. With Clem, as a Chesapeake Bay Retriever / Husky mix, it was a bit difficult walking on a leash as well for a while. The Husky breed are inherently pullers, but he finally got it and is a DOLL on walks (for the most part).

We’ve been to a training class at the Humane Society with Iris and have tried the treat-to-train method. That didn’t work. So now we’re working with a private dog trainer, using only positive reinforcement to train and shape her behavior. So far, we haven’t seen tremendous changes but we’re truckin’ along. She either wears a pack with a few canned goods in the side compartments on walks, or wears a halter, which makes it a bit easier for me to walk her. She still pulls like a mo-fo.

We’re FRUSTRATED. We love our dogs, and know that Iris is a sweet, loving, smart dog. But the way she walks on a leash and greets people, and her on-leash dog aggressiveness / reactivity is making our life very stressful. This is more of a venting post, but if anyone has any tips please feel free to leave them or contact me! I welcome ANY and ALL help.

No time!

loandbehold — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:24:04 +0000

Hi all… I have no time to post. To make a really long story short…

We were supposed to go to roller derby last weekend to cheer on our awesome neighbor Slamburger Patty, but then Brett got his finger and tendon bit off by a bulldog at the dog park trying to attack Iris. THEN I got a horrible sinus infection and STILL had to go to work, am trying to figure out how to do training with our unruly pit bull, have two important meetings to go to after work, am printing my best friend’s baby shower invites AND am trying to take care of everything involving cutting/water/walking etc. for my husband who can’t do ANYTHING because of his poor finger.

Don’t look at this picture of his finger unless you’re ready to view the gore. EEK!

I’m busy. Be back soon.

New in shop and Offbeat Bride tutorials

loandbehold — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:20:22 +0000

I’ve been working like a dog… okay not really. But I have been making lots of stuff! Here are just some new items, from my crafty hands and into my Etsy shop! I did a three part series on Offbeat Bride on “How to create a festive wedding banner”, and this amazing floral bunting was part three of that three part series. You can see the tutorials for part one and part two as well.

Spring Floral Bunting Banner

Sassy Cotton and Chenille Burp Cloths

Bold Cotton and Flannel Burp Cloths

Embroidered Vintage Linen Floral Brooch

Ear Candy

loandbehold — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:43:26 +0000

For the past several years I’ve enjoyed being a part of ThreeImaginaryGirls.com, where I’ve written everything from live show reviews to album reviews to news tidbits. I put out a lot of good content for that site, and I ADORED being part of the imaginary team. Recently, however, I was craving a fresh start and so now… (drumroll)… I write for the illustrious Travis Hay at his super awesome music blog, Ear Candy!

My first two features, an album review of CocoRosie’s first album with Sub Pop Records, Grey Oceans, and a live show review of the band Fuck Buttons and their opener White Rainbow at a club in Seattle called Chop Suey, are up for your reading pleasure!

Hot Etsy Finds: Vintage Embroidery and Needlework

loandbehold — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:59:13 +0000

A current obsession of mine has been vintage embroidery, cross-stitch and needlepoint. They’re everywhere! I happen to love the handmade quirkiness of them, and when I spy them while thrifting or shopping I snag ‘em up right away. Etsy is a great place to find affordable, unique wall hangings and I’ve gathered a few favorites.

Lately I’ve been exploring a bit of embroidery as well, with a pillow that’s listed in my shop as well as a new item that I’ll be listing soon: a vintage embroidered brooch. I hand-sewed a piece of vintage embroidered linen onto a backing material, lightly stuffed it, blanket stitched it and put a brooch back on it. I can’t wait to show you guys how it turned out!

Owls and flowers seem to be recurring themes in old 60s and 70s needlework pieces… and I’m not complaining! They’re truly two of my favorite things. I think I may have been born at the wrong time…

The Quirky Owl

Pineapple Mint

Sweet Love Vintage

Honey Brown Vintage

Messy Martha

Kitsch Cafe

Gristly Bits

loandbehold — Mon, 10 May 2010 23:20:35 +0000

I just want to take a second to mention my lovely husband, his cooking endeavors (he’s similarly obsessed with cooking as I am with crafting) and his long awaited food blog, Gristly Bits. Brett, that’s my husband, used to be married to a chef/cook lady before he met me. When we started dating I realized how fortuitous (another big word!) this was for me.

As a 20 year old college student living in an apartment with my best friend who had pink hair, my daily diet consisted of a lot of Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese with any number of fun/tasty/spicy additions and nachos. I had never eaten indian food or had filet mignon. I didn’t know what mire poix was, or what braising meant, and was that on the stove or in the oven? I was pretty much food clueless. Brett changed ALL that.

So now that I’ve pestered him to no end about chronicling his food adventures, or at least having a written record of things we want to go back and try again or change, he has his own food blog. FINALLY. Lately, he roasted some goat, made his own version of Bahn Mi in burger form and made several attempts at homemade mascarpone. With each culinary adventure, I swear he gets better. I’m lucky enough to have an extremely awesome home cook as the man of my house. And no… I don’t wanna trade. He’s all mine.

And would you just look at these dogs of ours? Holy crap they’re cute. Clem is the big brother of Iris. And the cats… well they’re old and cranky and as cute as can be!

My bunting hanging in Tavi’s room-closet

loandbehold — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:22:00 +0000

image from Offbeat Mama

I made my first ever bunting garland for Ariel, when I heard she was pregnant with little Tavi. I think they add such a fun punch of color to a room, and I’m glad to hear that she luuurvs it. Here it is, featured in an OffbeatMama.com post about Ariel’s baby closet!

I’ll be doing a DIY tutorial post on how to make this exact style of bunting in a little over a week. Look for it on OffbeatBride.com. (I’ll post a link once it goes live). Woot!

Busy as a bee!

loandbehold — Wed, 05 May 2010 23:36:39 +0000

I’ve been busy guys. I’ve been making burp rags left and right, practicing needlefelting (I took a class on it by the ever-crafty pink-haired Moxie), practicing some embroidery, doing DIY tutorials for OffbeatBride.com, doing some intense training with our unruly pit bull, writing music reviews… and in the meantime trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.

I love crafting, designing and making and I’m definitely a writer at heart. Unfortunately, as of yet, making it alone as an artist with an Etsy shop just isn’t an option. Also unfortunately, since we’re planning on moving within the year, I can’t go back to school just yet. So this leaves me in a spot. I feel stagnant and want to move ahead with my career, BUT I don’t want to be stuck in a job that leaves me unfulfilled. The hubs suggested I get my technical writing certificate, as I’m already very tech-savvy and a writer. It makes sense.. AND often you can go contract or freelance and work from home. SCORE. So I’m thinking on it.

I’m trying to be more proactive about marketing myself and what I do… soo.. I just joined the EtsyRAIN team! Woot! I’m really looking forward to spending time with other like-minded Seattleites and learning even more crafting nonsensery!

ETSY SHOP UPDATE: I just listed a couple of new items. I added some super bold and modern burp cloths for you mamas and papas out there, and also an elegant doily bunting that would be equally as cute in a nursery as at a stylish wedding! I made the bunting banner for a DIY tutorial feature for Offbeat Bride.

So that’s it in a nutshell. I’m busy / confused / inspired / beaten down ALL AT ONCE! Good thing I have two awesome doggies, two kinda awesome kitties and one SUPER DUPER awesome husband, each of which make my wittle world go ’round.

Recently thrifted and crafting!

loandbehold — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:25:45 +0000

I just love rummage sales. Fortunately, we live in a part of town that has a real sense of community, and with that comes many rummage sales and charity yard sales. This past weekend the hubs and I attended the Lakewood Seward Park Community Rummage Sale and came away with a few goodies for sure! I picked up about six wooden embroidery hoops for $.50! Hopefully, I’ll be using my new skills in needle-felting to make a mobile with the hoops.

We also nabbed a beetle box, which is so super weird and cool at the same time, and a lovely almost-all-the-way embroidered pillowcase. I think I’ll make an apron front out of it.. or maybe a summer tank top? The fate of this piece has yet to be decided. I think my love of cheap goods, and the thrill of the thrift, is rubbing off on the Mr. Man. He is eager to rummage!

I’ve also been (kinda) hard at work sewing and trying new things. I recently made a chenille and Alexander Henry cotton print baby bib, and some super cute chenille and cotton burp cloths as well. I really think they are adorable, and I plan on making many more for a certain special someone who is about to have a baby. Hopefully I can perfect the design and list some in my Etsy shop as well!

I don’t have a kid, nor am I pregnant but I’m really enjoying making this baby stuff. The fact that they’re quick projects doesn’t hurt either. I have oodles of ideas for my shop coming up, and hopefully I’ll be able to take some pictures and list some new items in the coming days! My photography skills leave a lot to be desired, so I have to step up my game. Now, if it would only stop being gray and rainy so I can practice my photo skillz….

PS – I also attended an EtsyRAIN beginner’s needle-felting class taught by the talented and lovely Moxie. It was loads of fun, and now I have a new hobby!