Meet the Models

Photo shoots need friends. You get much better photos when your models have someone to play with. Here is the proof.

Meet Jess

 Jess has been my main model for quite a few years now and she chose the other models she wanted to work with. 

Classic

Dream Girl

Jess describes her personal style as country chic, unique and fun. 

















Meet ElijahMarie

Kindred spirit and gorgeous new mom. She kept the girls laughing. She is my music!

Mom's is crazy.

Fah, Mulan

ElijahMarie's personal style is flamboyant and daring while being vintage chic. 
 



 The best photos were when they were being completely silly. 

Doesn't ElijahMarie look classic here. Gorgeous ladies

But poses are good too.

Meet Chantel                                                            

Unbelievable green eyes. No photshop here.

So spunky and bold. This was my first time working with Chantel. Why did I wait so long? What a waste of time!

More Pictures....really.

Perfection

Chantel describes her personal style as sometimes basic white girl :), sometimes hipster, sometimes classy but definitely my own. 

Meet Rachel                                                                                       

Stunning! Really really stunning. It is incredible how unassuming and fun loving she is. Definitely in my group of favorite people.                                                     

Wish I had been able to use this photo on my Etsy site
but the mirror was fuzzy. Note to self. Bring glass
cleaner to photo shoot. 

Not bored really. Just trying not to laugh.

Friendship

 "I love everything. I love vintage and boho right now. Anything bright I will wear"

-Rachel

Now you have met my models. We will see them again and very soon. This was so much fun. 

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Wanderin' on a Wednesday

As most of the country is experiencing a very snowy February I decided to post a photo journal of a snowy walk I enjoyed with my brother's pup through my neighborhood. Snowy days are gorgeous days and the only reason for cold weather as far as I'm concerned.:)

First thing I see. 

Look Up

Doorway in Yellow

                                                                                              The houses in my neighborhood are so colorful and full of interest, just like the people who live in them. I could not live in a neighborhood that had rules against yellow doors. 

Another perspective

Love this view

The scenes I can see as I cross the creek in my neighborhood. The bridge, the creek bed and the view through the railings. Lovely this snowy day!

The creek bed in winter.

Look Down

The Culprit

Thank you for joining me on my walk. I will see you soon for another jaunt. 

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Treasury Trove Tuesday

Hello Everyone!!! After a very.....very.....very loooooooong absence from the blogging world I have decided to restart this conversation. I have been a part of a most excellent group on Etsy called Etsy Colorado (check us out http://teametsycolorado.com/), and I am going to reintroduce my blog by introducing you to our Member of the Month, PAGEFIFTYFIVE.

Today's anchor item is one of PAGE FIFTY FIVE's fantastic clever cards with original artwork and creative sayings.

Here is what Melissa of PAGE FIFTY FIVE has to say about herself:

Hi! I’m Melissa…the girl behind PAGEFIFTYFIVE. Ever since I can remember, I have been creating. From laying on the kitchen floor with crayons and construction paper, riding on the bus doodling with markers and loose leaf, or sitting next to my Grandpa as he taught me how to fold and design a card…it’s all molded me to be who I am today. 
From this urge to create beautiful things everyday, PAGEFIFTYFIVE was thought up, dreamed about, and finally born! PAGEFIFTYFIVE revels in the simple, delights in the quirky and combines these two ideas to create products that everyone will love! 

Where does my inspiration come from? Seriously…all over! My friends, my loved ones, conversations I overhear at coffee shops, books I read, people I observe, past experiences and the world around me. I never leave home without a notebook and a pen…and without a doubt, I always come home with a little sketch for my next card and some inspiration. I think up, design, print, score, package, paint, sew and package everything in my home studio! This is the part of owning my own handmade business that I love. My hope is that my products will make people smile, make their heart happy and encourage them to pass that good feeling along. 

When I’m not creating new ideas for the shop, I am always consumed with another creative project. I dream up new DIY projects, I research new juicing recipes, I decorate our home with repurposed finds, I embroider quirky ideas onto hoops, I take adventures through novels, I dabble in photography (okay….mostly just obsess with Instagram), and do a bit of cooking and baking.

My ultimate goal is to live a happy, creative life…I would say, so far, so good.

Here is what other's have to say about Melissa and her cards:

• The card was exactly as shown and was wrapped very nicely inside of a protected envelope. Melissa replied to my messages right away and answered any questions that I had. I will definitely be ordering from her shop again. Love the card by the way! Thanks again!
• Who doesn't like a butt joke card for valentine's day? Especially on heavy card stock with a nice envelope.
• AWESOME SAUCE!!!!! I loved it!

Check out Melissa on Etsy at PAGE FIFTY FIVE for the most clever cards online. 

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Treasury Tuesday

Here is another installment of Treasury Tuesday. As many of you know I have a Facebook giveaway going on with my treasury titles for the month of November and no one has guessed correctly yet. This week is very exciting because I am using a vintage seller for the first time. Enjoy.

Today's anchor piece is an amazing vintage dress from FabGabs vintage Etsy store and owner Julie Bergman. 

Here is what Julie has to say about herself....

"Vintage Clothing - Casual, Classic and Couture

Collecting and selling vintage clothing always comes from a place of passion, whether it is about the fashion, about the history or about expressing yourself. It's often all of the above. Fab Gabs is a business that thrives because all of us have a passion for the eras, the history, the style, and our customers.

Wearing the past does not mean you are out of style. Quality vintage clothing is always relevant and fashionable, whatever the current trends may be. We believe that you can wear vintage every day if you wish, no matter what you do. A smart vintage blouse or sportcoat can be mixed with modern accessories for the workplace. Or you can go whole-hog and pair your clothing with the period-appropriate hat and shoes. When you choose vintage, however you wear it, you will stand out as being put together, tailored and unique.

Matching the right clothes to the person is our pleasure here at Fab Gabs. Lady or gent, whoever you are and whatever era calls to you, we are delighted to serve you."

Here is what others are saying about Julie....

“This dress will be a staple in my winter wardrobe, as it is gorgeously cut and sewn and fits very well. Shopping at FabGabs is well worthwhile!”

“I am so happy with my purchase from FabGabs! This coat is even prettier in person (and I thought it was very cute online!) While it was just as described online, the colours were even more vibrant in person, and and I can't wait for spring. This shop was quick to answer my questions and very warm and friendly. It was a pleasure to purchase my coat from FabGabs and I'm looking forward to shopping with them again soon!”

“Arrived safely and both pieces are in excellent condition, just as advertised. And the sizing was accurately described, which was my biggest worry. I would buy from this seller again.”

“Darling tilt hat as described and pictured. Smooth and very speedy transaction. I appreciate how swiftly it arrived here since you mailed so quickly after my payment. From your personal collection to mine, it will occasionally appear in a museum exhibit as I am curator or our town's museum. From one good home to another. I'm happy! Thanks again.”

Until next week happy hunting.

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Treasury Tuesday

This month all of my treasuries have one thing in common. If you can guess that thing your name will be put into a drawing for a scarf from my shop, your choice. 

Today's anchor item is a fellow Colorado artist Brock and his Etsy store Wabi Sabi Wolverine. The anchor piece is a hand painted card that features a guitar in Japanese style ink art. 

What Brock has to say about himself.....

“art in collaboration with nature

W A B I • S A B I
Rooted in the Zen Buddhist principles of transience and simplicity, wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic theory that strives to mimic natural beauty by emphasizing the characteristics of imperfection and impermanence.

Sometimes the hardest part of my creative process is knowing when to stop and let the works speak for themselves. My role as an artist is to not interfere. With this work I hope to express my sincere respect for nature, and to inspire others to develop and strengthen their personal relationships with the natural world. We are all connected to the landscape in many complicated and beautiful ways. Landscapes define and sustain us.

W O L V E R I N E
An elusive animal of the boreal mountains. A symbol of wilderness and the spirit of nature.

As an ecologist, I view landscapes as processes, driven by natural forces. As an artist, they are shapes, forms and textures. As a person, I view landscapes as experiences. All of these perspectives are incorporated into my works, which explore my relationship with landscape.

My artwork relies on nature as a true collaborator. Found objects are innately embedded with meaning. For example, metal is a symbol of industry, while rust demonstrates the resilience of nature, the passage of time, and the beauty of change. Rusted metal is a point where man and nature meet.

My ink works are inspired by Zen brushwork and calligraphy. Negative space plays an important role in these works as forms are simplified, distilled and expressed as only a few practiced brushstrokes.


While I'm featuring my ink works in my shop right now, I also create sculptural works using found objects and materials like concrete. Please visit my website at wabisabiwolverine.com to view a more expanded portfolio.”

What others are saying about him.....

“Arrived promptly and perfectly protected. Looks a good as on the screen!”

“love this card, perfect, thank you!”

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Treasury Tuesday

My last Halloween Inspired treasury. I love Halloween. Enjoy

 I will be focusing on my favorite shops for the Holiday season. Today's anchor piece is from one of my favorite shops Three Trees Bindery and artist Michelle Skiba.

What Michelle has to say about herself.....

“a forest of books

Three Trees Bindery began as the marriage of two of my favorite things: trees and books. As an avid journal keeper and book collector, creating books from things found in the forest evolved slowly and naturally from my wanderings. Completely taken with the beauty of an acorn, a leaf, or a piece of bark, these small tokens I was unable to put down became the sources of inspiration for my wooden library.

Over the years as I have become more acquainted with woodworking, my appreciation for trees, and the wood they give has deepened. I am captivated by the unique and varied character of wood, the intimacy that is developed by working with your hands, and the details that are hidden behind a finished product. I love the tactile sensations through different stages of finishing and the scents of wood dust in the air.

For me, bookbinding is a meditative process. The attention and focus it requires is a beautiful practice of being in the present moment. When I sew my whole world consists of simply this thread, this knot. Any worries are easily lost in the steady rhythm of stitching. I have a great appreciation for all styles of binding, from the simple and elegant Japanese stab bindings to the intricate structures of the Gothic & Renaissance periods, but I am most taken with variations on the Coptic binding, the exposed stitching for me evokes the same feeling as trees in winter, their bare branches reaching for the sky. I love seeing the structure that lies underneath things.

My techniques have developed over years of steady practice. Most of what I know I learned by experimenting and making lots of mistakes. I am a constant student. I enjoy learning different techniques, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and exploring new ideas. I continually try to balance the unique characteristics of a handmade item and the slow progression toward mastery of my craft. I want my books to reflect the quiet beauty of the forests that inspire them.

I enjoy the community and personal connections I have found here on Etsy. It gives me great pleasure to work with clients on custom books and commissions. I love hearing how my books will be used. I am continually touched by the stories people share. It makes me sad to hear someone say my books are too pretty to write in. I want to create books that are beautiful but also functional and useful. My books are made to hold the things closest to your heart."

What others are saying about Michelle.....

“Everyone was amazed and touched by the detail and workmanship of our wedding guestbook/photo album. It was wrapped so beautifully, customized perfectly, and I cannot express how much we love this book! Thank you so much for creating what will be the major keepsake of our wedding memories! You have been fantastic!”

“Absolutely beautiful book! I really like the color combination of the peacock blue with the wood type. Very well made. Very quick shipping. Thank you.”

“I could not have been more pleased with this purchase. The personalized customer service combined with an exquisite hand-crafted product made both a birthday and a wedding very, very special.”

“Words cannot describe how beautiful this book is, and it was so charmingly packaged. It will be the perfect home for our wedding photos and other memories. Thank you so much.”

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Treasury Tuesday

As a treasury curator you tend to rely on a few shops to give you great material. Today I am featuring one of my go to shops. I have used her photography for dark Gothic treasuries, fun summer treasuries, romantic and light treasuries and wintry treasuries. So I thought I would introduce her to you.

The anchor piece for this treasury is a rich red and deep black photo of a forest called Fiery Autumn from RaceyTay

What Tracey has to say about herself.....

“A little whimsy

I started taking photographs as a way to capture the beauty I saw around me. In a blade of grass, the sun glinting off a metal fence covered in ice, a single perfect snowflake.

Much of what you'll find in my shop is nature art; birds and animal, trees and flowers. Most are as mother nature intended, cardinals are red and bluejays are blue.

And then there is the whimsy. The fantastical. The fun. My photography has allowed me to express that which is creative, often buried deep inside. I truly like to make things. To solve the problem of how to show you want I see.

I do this because I truly love it. When I am taking photos or working on a photograph I forget about everything else. I've walked into traffic. I've forgotten to eat. I've found myself sitting in the dark as the day turned into night. It is true escapism for me. And I love it.

This is something I was doing before there was a shop here at Etsy. This is something I will always be doing.”

What others are saying about RaceyTay

“Well made iphone case. Love the green leave with raindrops motif. Helps me locate my phone among my scattered papers with ease. Excellent transaction, great packaging and fast service. Price is very competitive also. Thanks!”

“LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this case! I have long been admirer of Raceytay's work and now I get to carry a piece of it wherever I go! Thank you so much :)”

“A pleasure to do business with this seller! Great communication and very speedy shipping. Would definitely recommend to others.”

“Big, gorgeous prints, packaged very well and shipped faster internationally than most domestic packages. She also tossed in a few months of photo calendars I wasn't expecting. I absolutely recommend her to anyone. THANK YOU TRACEY!”

Until next week happy browsing everyone.

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