Speaking of which, I am so so happy and proud to announce the Grand Opening of our brick and mortar boutique and gallery, Hello Bluebird!  We have spent the entire summer working on our space (you can see photos of our journey here)and gathering artists and a million other little things--it has been an incredible journey, and I have never been so scared, exhausted, exhilerated, proud and humbled all at the same time.  It is a strangely satisfying blend of extreme emotions, not unlike giving birth to my two beautiful children, which I think may be a clue that we are finally on the right track here!

We had our "soft opening" a week ago, so I have been at the shop everyday since, with Finigan as my best helper (did I mention no more daycare, either? no more dayjob...we're in this for REAL now!).  Is it easy to have him in the shop all day? Heck, no!  But he is a very good boy, and, in the end, I am truly enjoying getting to see so much more of him than when he was in daycare.  This just seems so much more "real"(again, notice how I didn't say easy...!).

The customer response has been so wonderful.  Since we aren't "officially" open until Thursday, we didn't do any advertising or even hang a sign until a few days ago, but the people who have wandered in from their lunch dates or the Sunday morning farmers' market  have been SO complimentary, and the best and most amazing thing is that they have actually bought a fair amount of stuff!  We are off to a GREAT start.  I am so blessed.

The best customer comment I could have asked for came on Sunday, a day that we weren't even going to be open: (this girl lives in Philadelphia, a great indie city!): Oh my gosh, I love this store so much.  I wish we had a shop like this in Philly!

:)

June 2009 Crafty By Nature/ Blossom Boutique

It was the most gorgeous, perfect day, spent sitting in a wooded antique market surrounded by wonderfully talented vendors and kindred spirits.  Who could ask for more?  Well, ok, maybe more sales would have been nice...But, all in all, I think the traffic was decent for the first time out, and we are already working on ideas for how to make the second event even better!  I was a bit of a nervous nellie most of the day, obsessively abandoning my booth mates to check on the other vendors.  I wanted to be sure they weren't feeling too discouraged or secretly packing up to sneak away (or worse!), but I think most of the artists understood that this was the first of many attempts, and that the market will grow over time.  Honestly, I feared that the most difficult hurdle would be gathering talented makers and good products, but we were blessed with 15 booths full of great things for all ages and tastes!  I am looking forward to a season of sweet memories and many new friends.

And maybe a few good sales, too--just for good measure. ;)

Blue Bird by cottonbirddesigns.etsy.com

The mythology of the bluebird of happiness has deep roots that go back thousands of years. Indigenous cultures across the globe hold similar myths and beliefs about the bluebird. It is a widely accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, hearth and home, good health, new births, the renewal of springtime, etc. Virtually any positive sentiments may be attached to the bluebird.

source: good old wikipedia

Future Home of Hello Bluebird!

Let the Sun Shine poster on etsy

So, our exciting first weekend of Crafty By Nature was canceled until next month.  Boo hoo!  I feel so bad for all of the artists who were planning to attend.  Many were traveling, and I'm sure all of them were up late packing their cars and getting last minute details together.  I know I was--too late!!  Corey managed to snag a few shots of me painting the sign for the location entrance Sunday afternoon.  It's sad that Saturday's hard work didn't get to pay off with a fun show on Sunday, but at least I'm ahead of the game for the next one!

painting the sign for Shupp's Grove

i heart brooch found on etsy

Downstairs will, of course, be a beacon of loveliness, bright colors, and fun, upbeat designs (guess where I'll be).  The overall "feel"of the shop will be mid-century modern meets farmhouse chic meets japanese zakka meets vintage charm...so far!  Stay tuned as we make progress into this new venture--I will be posting lots of photos as we transform the space over the summer. 

Of course, if you are an artist and want to apply to be featured in our shop or gallery, I would love to hear from you.  And if you are a shop-owner, I wecome any words of wisdom or encouragement!!

Primrose Design Vintage Feedsack Lavender Sachets

Lavender is used for beauty products and is an ideal ingredient for bath sachets and essences - it has both a relaxing aroma and soothing effect on aches and pains.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp lavender flowers
• 2 tbsp dried rosemary
• Spoonful Epsom salts
• Fragrant oil or perfume

Steps

1. Place two tablespoons of lavender flowers and rosemary into a muslin bag.
2. Add a spoonful of Epsom salts. Mix together.
3. Add a drop of fragrance oil for longer lasting fragrance.
4. Seal the bag with a rubberband or ribbon.
5. Decorate with ornament.
6. Hang the bag under the hot water tap. It helps if you loop it on a long string first, or place it directly in the water instead.
7. Dry the sachet between use and discard it when the scents fade away. It will last for approximately 3 - 5 baths.

Tips

• These make excellent gifts also.
• Use to freshen closets, drawers, workout bags or hang from car mirror.

Things You'll Need

• Muslin bag (small) - stitch your own if you cannot find pre-made bags in craft or dollar stores
• Decorative charm, heart ornament of flower

Primrose Tropical Bluebird

I have been so caught up in the recent bout of craft show crazies, that I have gotten away from the reason I began this new journal in the first place. 

My real inspiration comes from the simple act of making something beautiful.  It took an overcommitment (well, time will tell!) to get me back to my crafting table--or, should I say, the dining room table.  In truth, my real crafting table is buried in files and catalogs for my "day job"--a bit too symbolic, really.  So, I'm back at my old haunt, the dining room table, pretty papers and embroidery thread scattered down its length.  Dinner this week has been interesting--the kids have loved every minute of it.  Who doesn't like a Chinese food "picnic" on the floor?

I think I have resisted my return to crafting for so long because I have a fear of failure, and a fear of facing my weaknesses.  I don't like to do things half-way.  When I love something, I want to immerse myself in it.  I want to be great at it, to make an impact, to really create something amazing.  I make really good starts--but if I get tripped up along the way, if I don't live up to the crazy ambitions I have set for myself, I crumble.  And hide.  I know I am not alone in this.

Being a grown up is hard work.  I think the lesson of my life is to face my weaknesses head on, own them, and confess, often.  Confessing imperfection is particularly difficult, especially if there is another person involved.  Sometimes I dream up the most perfect "I'm sorry" I can think of (like Anne of Green Gables!), but they don't always work the way they're supposed to.  The important thing is to get it over with, to do the best you can, to make a new start.  You can only control so much.

Tonight I pulled out my box of feedsack scraps.  I bought them a few years ago, inspired by the amazing work of one of my very first Blossom consigners, Janet of Primrose Design.  I am completely in love with her embroidered feedsack pillows, like the one above.  I do not in any way possess her skill--I am so intimidated by my new sewing machine that I have only tried to use it ONCE since I bought it over a year ago (read: hiding again).  I love to pick through the crazy colors and patterns, and I like to think that I am connected to a great tradition of women (re)creating new and wonderful things from the bits and pieces of their everyday lives.  Again, it is intimidating.  Someday all of these lovely little remnants will be used up.  Who am I to risk an ill-placed stitch?

But this is the beauty of crafting.  When my kids pull out a paper and crayons to draw mommy or a tree or the cat, their joy is not dimished just because it doesn't look exactly like their subject.  It is the simple act of creating that is the thing. Dining Room Table "Studio"

The perfection of craft lies in its imperfection.  These are not the products of machines, but people.  In each crafted piece might live a dozen pulled stitches, false starts, a hidden knot underneath, a clumsy circle, a thread color that (luckily) worked out in the end, a pin-pricked finger tip.  In every piece there is the story of what it means to be a woman, a mother, a wife, a human. 

Lots of restarts and an unsightly underside at times, but, in the end, worth all the trouble.

"Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it."  Anne, with an "e"