work work work

I had a custom order for wedding banners this fall, I love these things...I'm so glad other people do to!

I have an idea to tweak these a little...watch out for them on etsy, I'm gonna make some more up soon!

Have you seen it?

The current issue of Southern Weddings magazine featured my brother Kurt and my sister-in-law Jodi's wedding. You know them from Jodi Miller Photography! Anyway, this was the first wedding I ever worked on aside from my own, everything was handmade by myself and Jodi. We made close to a mile of garlands alone to hang in the tent, all paper doily poofs that turned out amazing! We made pie stands, napkins, table runners, signs, fabric flowers for each chair and pulled furniture from our homes. We spent close to a year compiling and planning. It takes a whole year to find the perfect mismatched china for 120 guests! Everything turned out perfectly, the rain held out(mostly) and at the very end of everything the bride and groom left under a double rainbow...God's promise times two! I love it! Pick up a copy before they are off the shelves, the whole magazine is piled full of gorgeous, Southern and handmade weddings! Oh and PS...my sweet little Keira made it into the issue, she's the little one grabbing the quilt:-)...and the amazing photography is by the very talented Stephanie and Isaac of Stephanie Williams Photography

baby Jack!

Somehow I have managed to not blog since June! I have had a tough year at blogging, so much going on. I was using this blog as sort of a way to compile the things that inspire me and as a reference to them. I feel like I've had so much happening in my life I don't manage to reference anything. Things are just flying by at an unbelievable speed. I miss having the time to wander around the internet. This is Jack, he's my boy! This is the cutest project I have produced during the last few months;). He's 2 months old now, its time for me to get back to work!

More to come...blog posts that is, not babies:-)....at least not yet!

pink flowers

I've been hard at work compiling things for my etsy shop...I know I know! There still isn't anything listed on there. Give me a couple more weeks please:-). I've been trying very hard to get caught up. My computer has some sort of virus that won't allow me to remove pics from my camera. I have to make Chris download all the pics and then send them to me. Needless to say its cramping my style. Time to move my work onto a Mac...but in the meantime I'm making lots of cute little flowers with handmade peonies in the works! I will post some pics soon, I just got the perfect fabric for them:-).

bloomers

I finally had some time to make Keira some cute little navy blue linen bloomers. They are quite an inky blue and they are thick and soft. She loves them and everyone who has seen them loves them too. I like the versatility, she can either wear them as shorts or under a dress. I made my own pattern so they are original! I might make her another pair next week:-).

published

So I am sort of disappointed, by the time I realized Bride's magazine was featuring a photo from our Valentine's shoot they had already started taking them off the stands:(. Does anyone have a copy of the June issue of Bride's, I'll buy it off you! The picture was taken by Jodi Miller Photography and its the one of the cupcakes and birds and x's and o's made by Christina Main of Sweet Lavender Bake Shoppe! Styling by me:-).

fancy flower

My brother and sister-in-law are the amazing photographers behind Jodi Miller Photography, I'm proud to say. Recently they did some major rebranding to give their packaging, as well as their website, a more hand drawn, handmade kind of feel. They love working with clients who express themselves this way. And! They asked me to create some custome handmade lace flowers to coordinate with the awesome folios my brother created. So here are my humble flowers above with their newly designed packaging! Oh, and the sweet logo and drawings were done by the talented Bill Main!

Katie + John

Recently I made some decorations for a wedding that took place in Yorktown, VA. Here are some photos from that day. I made the burlap "Just Married" banner, the chair deorations, provided the desk/alterpiece and the very hard to see runner on top of it:-). All photos are Jodi Miller Photography!

sweet details

I've been seeking out little details lately as I've been browsing blogs and such. I feel like when I am overwhelmed I look for something really big to make an impression on me and a lot of things slip by me. After this Saturday I will be done with my last major wedding for this year:-). And I am dying to get my etsy shop up and running. Here are few little items that are keeping me inspired-

This deconstructed lamp shade is by Sania Pell via decor8. I've been working on sort of similar strands of garland for this most recent wedding project. Not as random and precious as this, but similar, but what I like most is that she wrapped the wire frame with liberty fabrics.

These cool lanterns with bits of lace and such are a DIY dottie angel put together and was featured on sfgirlbybay. For some reason it reminds me of those little hats British people wear during the Christmas/New Years holidays. Such a fun way to use up scraps!

I discovered this sweet tea party set up on ohdeedoh. I guess those little placemats are hankies. I like the black lace one on the bottom right. I feel like making some table linens now...too bad I have about 50 more handmade flowers to make! Maybe next week!

true story

Last year at this time my husband got a new job, he moved about 2-3 hours away during the week and visited on the weekends. Last November we bought a foreclosure closer to his new job and moved. We never really got settled, never sold our original house and then in April we moved back! So needless to say life has been crazy! Also, I worked on a wedding, made a wedding dress, started decos for another wedding, and I am working on a pile of other projects. One of which is our bedroom. Chris and I converted our old office into our bedroom. It gives us much less space as a bedroom but our previous bedroom is giving us a whole lot more office space. Can't complain. So I've been drooling over ideas for the room. I think it looks cute as it is now(pics to come as soon as I charge my batteries), but I am missing a few pieces. Like a bed-

Love this one from Anthropologie!

Although, the hammock looks quite inviting for sleeping as well!

Ok, so maybe I am subconsciously looking for a way to relax...too much moving, I want to stay in one place!

Oh yeah, this pillow...I loathe the $198 price tag! So I think I might make my own version...right after I finish those wedding decorations!

all photos are Anthropologie

wedding decos

Forgive my awful Blackberry photo above! Here is a little glimpse of what I'm working on for this weekend...I've got about 140 more flowers to go, not including lace flowers as well, which take way longer. Today I'm working on table numbers! I have to hand draw them and then hand paint them. After a week of being unbelievably sick I am anxious to knock this stuff out! After April 2 I'm taking the rest of April off! I will have time to work on some creative projects and breathe a little! I can't wait to share what I work on for fun!

teasers

Hello all! I just wanted to share a couple of photos from the shoot we did on Tuesday. I made the dress, the hair piece and bouquet(not pictured). I look forward to getting more photos back from the amazing photographers Jodi Miller Photography and Josh Gooden Cinematography! And a big giant thanks to our gorgeous model Becca, she is stunning!

spring-time camping

I pulled all these images off of Apartment Therapy...doesnt this just make you want to relax? I have an almost 2 year old who would LOVE hanging out with me in one of these! I don't think she would ever come out:-)...I might not either!

styling

My old standby- Anthropologie...one of the many reasons I love this company is they do styling right! I am always so inspired by the stuff they put together. I have to say the objects they find, make, sell, are a little easy to style because they look great on their own. But then they take it to a whole different level! This makes me want to throw a dinner party, it makes me wish I had things growing in my garden already, and it makes me want to style more tables:-).

some things I like...

I live in Virginia and last Friday we had the warmest day of the year so far, 80 degrees! I had every window I could pry open, open. I had the back door open and I had a giant rush of spring cleaning. I finally tackled my bedroom, I hung some curtains(finally), I swept it out and dealt with the piles of junk that accumulated there all winter long. We moved into this house in November and between the holidays and all the things that went wrong things are not very organized around here. So its nice to have my bedroom cleaned. Chris came home and said, "now we need to buy some paint!" I love that man...he knows just what I need to hear after making so much progress! Haha...

Anyway, I got some mail from our other house and a brand new West Elm catalog...I love the things above. I love the neo baroque plates, the baskets for more organizing, the pillows to put out on our back porch, and little votives to light it up. I want to put a couch or love seat back there and spend the warm evenings out there with Chris or curled up with a good book! I am so excited for spring! (all items are West Elm!)

Where I've been...

So, I realize I've been gone for over a month. I took some time off. I mean I'm still working on projects, lots of them, but I needed a break from sharing all the things I've been dealing with. I think I'm ready to share a little bit. First of all, I've been working on that cute little baby! This will be my second and I'm very excited! I'm due in September and I will be looking forward to taking a little creative break as soon as the baby comes.

Anyway, I had all kinds of things I was so excited to share, like getting featured in a magazine for the very first time! But I don't even want to share it because due to an unfortunate person I was not recognized for my work! I have to say I felt really betrayed and disappointed, I can't believe there are people who want to take advantage of a person like me! I did the work for free...I do lots of work for free. Maybe you don't know that, its true! I'm not all about being rich and famous, I genuinely just like working with other creative people and if I make a couple bucks at it great, if not, oh well, I've got something extra to stuff in my portfolio.

So when I am completely lied to and then subsequently ignored and written off I tend to feel a little disappointment. I haven't wanted to work on anything. But yesterday I decided I'm not going to let the negativity get me down. I have enjoyed everything I've worked on and I would like more opportunities to get better at what I am doing. If people want to live their lives taking and never giving that's on them. I don't live that way.

So what is ahead for me? I am finishing up a dress, hair piece and bouquet for a little shoot on Tuesday! I can't wait to finish, I've been dragging my feet. I hope to be able to share it soon! I also have 3 upcoming weddings, one in 2 weeks, one in May and then one in June. In August I have a workshop to style and then a baby in September! In between all that I am gonna get my etsy store up and running and work on my house and some other little projects. I can't wait to share all that with you and not all the drama! More to come...I promise!