Fashion & Furnishings

Happy Monday and Happy Halloween! Today's Fashions and Furnishings post is all about sequins. If you love this sparkly Countdown Dress by J. Crew then decorate with this Deco Sequin Pillow from West Elm.  These sparkly beauties are the perfect way to add a festive flair to your wardrobe and home for the upcoming holiday season.  Have a wonderful day. -blessings, Brittany

Wallpaper Round Up

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, it is no secret that I love wallpaper.  I always try to sneak in at least one wallpaper design per week.  Today I am showcasing some of my favorite wallpaper patterns.  Many people are worried about using wallpaper in their homes because it is so permanent. If you fall into this category, start small by putting decorative wallpaper picture frames or only wallpaper a small niche instead of a whole wall.  I hope you enjoy today's picks.  -blessings, Brittany

1. Forest Leaves Black by Pattern People for Hygee & West 2. Bows-Gray by Emily Isabella for Hygee & West 3. Petal Pusher Wallpaper by Oh Joy!  for Hygee & West 4. Lace by Jocelyn Warner 5. Dandy by Jocelyn Warner  6. Paeonia Wallpaper by Anthropologie

Color from A-Z: Jade

Today I'm featuring the color Jade as part of our "Decorating with Color from A-Z" series. Because Jade is a natural stone there are varying shades and tones that are all considered part of the Jade color family. I tried to highlight some of the cooler tones and warmer tones to give you a variety of color inspiration.  I hope you enjoy these Jade picks and through these weekly posts you'll be encouraged to incorporate color into your home. Have a wonderful day! -blessings,   Brittany  

1. Display a collection of vintage jade dishware in your home. 2. Lady of the Manor Wallpaper from Anthropologie 3.  Bright Green Danish Chairs by Sherbieherbie on Etsy 4. Coming & Going Coat Rack by Urban Outfitters

Photo Courtesies: 

1. Piano Room photo by: Paul Raeside featured in Living Etc.

Pumkin Carving Ideas from Pinterest

We're carving pumpkins this weekend and I've been searching Pinterest for some creative ideas and here are some of my favorites.  In the image above fabric was decoupaged on the green pumpkin and the design on the white pumpkin was masked off before the entire pumpkin was painted white.

I really like this idea of carving patterns into the pumpkins.  In this case the wood grain and the chevron stripes give the pumpkins a more modern look.

I also love the idea of carving out the inside of the pumpkin and using it to keep drinks cool. Carving it to look like a pantone chip is also a very creative idea.  I hope these ideas inspire you to get creative with your pumpkins this year.  Have a great day! -blessings, Brittany

Photo Courtesies:

1. Decoupaged Pumpkin via Cindy McKenna

2. Wood grain Pumpkin from Martha Stewart via Kellie Stapleton
3. Chevron Pumpkin via Matchbook Magazine

4. Ice bucket pumpkin via Jessie Miller

5. Pantone Pumpkin via Matchbook Magazine

Fashion & Furnishings

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  My weekend was great.  On Saturday I had the privilege of participating in The Threadery, a handmade and vintage market in Brea and it was amazing.  I got to meet so many wonderful people and showcase some of my products.  Kristen from Rock-A-Bow and Nicole from Olive Blue did a great job putting together the event. 

Today's Fashion & Furnishings post is this lovely Outlined Celadine Cardigan from Anthropologie and this Sketchy Floral Duvet from Target.  I hope you enjoy today's match up.  Have a great day! -blessings, Brittany

Before & After: Lamps

Today's Before & After are some old brass lamps I collected from various thrift stores and yard sales.  I then refinished them with a few coats of spray paint to make them more appealing for any home.  I hope you enjoy these simple transformations. For some spray painting tips read a previous post here.

If you would like one of these lovely lamps for your home I will have them available for purchase at The Threadery Market this Saturday in Brea.  Be sure to stop by booth, I look forward to meeting you.

 

Color from A-Z: Indigo

Today's color choice is the color Indigo.  This shade of blue is a very deep rich tone that can add a lot of warmth to your home.  Indigo has recently increased in popularity making it easy to find items in this color.  here are some of my favorite Indigo finds for your home.  Enjoy! -blessings, Brittany 

1. Camden Striped Rug by West Elm 2. Sasha Side Chair  by Crate and Barrel  3. Calais Cabinet  by Crate and Barrel  4. Navy Dwell Studio Lamp Shade  by Skoope on Etsy 5. Delilah Dessert Plates by Crate and Barrel  6. Skye Indigo Coffee Table by Crate and Barrel

Featured Designer: Claire-anne O'Brien

I discovered the work of Claire-anne O'Brien a couple of months ago and completely fell in love with these knit stools.  They are made of wool and constructed using an exaggerated versions of traditional stitches. Claire-anne O'Brien was born in Ireland and graduated in 2010 with a Master's Degree  in Textiles from the Royal College of Art.  This year she was awarded the Future Makers Award by the Crafts Council of Ireland and was also showcased at the London Designer's Block Festival last month.  I hope you love her work as much as I do and I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Claire-anne O'Brien in the future.  For more info you can visit her website here.  Have a great day! -blessings, Brittany

Fashion & Furnishings

Happy Monday everyone!  I am really excited about today's Fashion & Furnishings post.  In case you haven't visited us before, the purpose of this weekly series is to encourage you to infuse your own personal style into your home.  Today's match up is the lovely yellow horizontal striped chiffon dress by BHLDN and this striped duvet cover by West Elm.  I chose these items because I love the shade of yellow and the wide stripes.   I hope you enjoy today's finds!  Have a great day.  -blessings, Brittany

The Threadery This Weekend

The Threadery Market is quickly approaching! It's one week from tomorrow and I have a lot to do.  I have been trying to relax this week to recover from the Sew Funky Market last weekend while still preparing forThe Threadery, which is why I'm taking today off from the normal "Friday Finds" post.

The Threadery will showcase several handmade and vintage vendors and the best part is that this event is FREE for you to attend.  For more information about other vendors watch the video below or visit Kristen's blog, one of the lovely ladies hosting the event.  You can also visit The Threadery's Facebook page. Happy Friday! -blessings, Brittany

Color from A-Z: Honeydew

I chose to highlight the color Honeydew for today's "Decorating with Color" feature because it is a very calming color.  It is also a great place to start if you are timid about adding color to your home.  I hope you enjoy these finds for your home. -blessings, Brittany   

1. Peony Wallpaper by Farrow & Ball 2. Saarinen Side Chair by Design Within Reach 3. Navette Lamp Ensemble by Anthropologie 4. Custom Upholstered Chair by Serena & Lily 5. Lulu Rug  by Chiasso 6. Distressed Wood Frames by Art City Frames on Etsy 7.Throw Pillow Cover by CreativeChicsHome on Etsy

Photo Courtesies:

1. Title Photo from Better Homes & Gardens

Sew Funky- Recap

Well, I can't believe the Sew Funky Market has come and gone.  After weeks of preparation, anticipation and a little anxiety, my first craft show is finally over.  As I said before, I had no idea what to expect at this event, but it was really fun.  It was great to meet so many people and see them truly appreciate my work.  I could not have done this event without my wonderful husband who built my display and supported me throughout the whole process.  I am also so thankful for all of my friends who helped and visited me at this event.  Overall, Sew Funky was successful and a great learning experience.  I can't wait for the next market in two weeks!

If you were not able to make it to Sew Funky, mark your calendars for Saturday, October 22 we'll be at the Threadery in Brea.  It would be great to see you there.  Have a wonderful day! -blessings, Brittany

Fashion & Furnishings

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope your weekend was wonderful.  My weekend was really busy. I had the Sew Funky Market on Saturday, which was amazing. I will have the follow up post tomorrow to tell you more about it.  I also got to see Tyrone Wells in concert last night which was incredible.  He is an excellent musician and songwriter.  Anyway, today's Fashion & Furnishing match up is this Pop Goes the Easel Dress from Modcloth and these Verdant Acres Dinner Plates  from Anthropologie.  I hope you have a wonderful day. -blessings, Brittany

Sew Funky Market-Behind the Scenes

I can't believe the Sew Funky Market is already this weekend!  It was seven weeks ago that I first announced here on the blog that I would be participating in the market and now it is only two days away.   This is my first craft fair and I am definitely a little nervous because I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I am excited to meet other local crafters and showcase some of my new products.  I've put together some behind the scenes photos of some of the things I've been working on to get ready for Saturday. 

As a reminder the cost to get in is $3.00 per person and the fair starts at 9:30am.  I can't wait to see you there!

 

The image above left is a picture of some of my handmade ceramic flowers as they were drying.  The image above left is the finished product of one of my tiered servers with the flowers attached.  These tiered servers will be available for sale on Saturday in my booth.  They are perfect for serving mini desserts,fruit and other petite treats. 

The image above is one of the felt pillows I designed and will be selling this Saturday.  I have a few color combinations to choose from.  The image below is a picture of me helping my husband build the display for my booth.

 The image below  is a picture of the new Design Sponge at Home book.  I will be giving away a copy in my booth.  To enter, stop by my booth #1 and sign up for my email list to receive shop updates and coupons.  I will choose the winner at 2pm on Saturday. 

I am also excited to announce that I will be able to process credit card payments at the Sew Funky Market on Saturday thanks to my new friend the Square.  It allows me the ability to process credit card payments right on my phone.  Watch the video below for more info.

Lastly, If you didn't get to print your coupon to use in my booth this Saturday, you can print the image below or click here to download it.  I look forward to seeing you there!  Have a great day!  

Color from A-Z: Gray

As today's "Decorating with Color from A-Z" post was drawing nearer I knew I wanted to showcase the color gray.  It is such a versatile color and using gray allows you to incorporate other colors through accessories.  For example, if you have a gray sofa or gray walls, you can decorate  seasonally with throw pillows and wall art.  Gray is also very calming which is why it is a good color choice for a bedroom, image above. I hope you enjoy these picks for your home.  Have a great day! -blessings, Brittany



1. Rocker Boca Desk by Room Service 2. Ellery Chair by West Elm 3. Mademoiselle Sofa  by Room Service 4. A Stone's Throw Away Wallpaper by Oh Joy! for Hygge & West 5. Alto Table Lamp by Crate & Barrel 6.Essex Printed Bench by West Elm 7. Sculpted Origami Pillow Cover by West Elm

Photo Courtesy: bedroom photo by Raeanne Giovanni-Inoue for The New York Times

Featured Designer: Hannah Reed

Today I am featuring one of my favorite Etsy artists, Hannah Reed.  Her work is absolutely amazing as you can see in the images above.  She decoupages animal busts to give a funky, artistic flair to your home.  I love her fabric choices and the way she lays the fabric so symmetrically. Her work is definitely tedious, but the results are beautiful.  I contacted Hannah a couple weeks ago to see if I could feature her work here on A Handcrafted Home and to my delight she said yes!  You can read the interview below and see more of the behind the scenes work that goes into creating these artistic pieces.  Be sure to check out her website: http://www.hannahreeddesigns.com/ and her Etsy shop.

A Handcrafted Home: Tell me about yourself:

Hannah: My name is Hannah. I was born and raised in Louisiana but have relocated to Austin, TX in the last year. I have always been inspired and surrounded by art my entire life-  my mother and Grandfather were/are amazing painters, so fine art is kind of my roots. I graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from LSU and am currently working as an in-house designer for a medium-sized international company. When I’m not working I try to squeeze in some exercise, cooking, reading, cleaning, conversations with my cats and a nice refreshing beer or two.

AHH: When and how did you start your shop?

Hannah: I started my shop in March 2010 right before graduating from college. That year I got completely addicted to Etsy and knew I wanted a shop, I just didn’t know what I would sell. The deer head idea kind of took off on its own. I made one to go in my apartment with a fabric that I liked. I then submitted it in a school art show and it won a prize. People really seemed to like it and I managed to sell it pretty easily. Banana Tree Studios was born shortly after.

  

AHH: How would you describe the items you make?

Hannah: I like to use the term “decoupaged art”, which is just the process of covering an object in a material. It can be applied to anything, but I like that animal busts are kind of an unusual medium. Don’t be alarmed though, the busts I use are not from real animals!

AHH: What techniques do you use to make your items?

Hannah: Every swatch of fabric is carefully placed on the heads, I try to make each side look symmetrical, like the pattern was meant to be there. My favorite request I’ve gotten was from my first customer. She ordered two deer heads and asked if there was a way for me to make them “girly.” It was a challenge, but I found a way to make eyelashes out of the fabric she chose. She was so happy with the outcome and I have to say, they were some of my favorite to work on. I love when people share their creative ideas, my aim is for the busts to be customized to every customer as much as possible.

AHH:Where do you find creative inspiration?

Hannah: Honestly the inspiration comes straight from the fabric I use. That’s why I love to let people pick out their own because you never know what a pattern will give you to work with.

AHH:What is the most rewarding part about having your own shop?

Hannah: I really enjoy having a job that doesn’t feel like a job. I’m a full-time graphic designer, so I work on the computer all day. I’ve always loved art and crafting, so it’s nice to be able to come home and get my hands dirty. I love hearing good feedback as well. One of my customers even told me she named her deer head Hannah! I can’t tell you how flattered I was to hear that.

AHH: What is the most challenging part of having of running your own small business?

Hannah: Finding time! Each deer head takes quite a bit of time and as I said, I’m still working a full time job. I give myself a specific time frame as far as getting the product to the customer and I refuse to go over that, so sometimes it can get stressful, especially when you have a number of orders to fulfill at once. I love doing design, but those Etsy “Quit your Day Job” blog entries sure are inspiring ;)

AHH: Do you have anything exciting coming up for readers to look forward to?

Hannah: Indeed. I’ve got some crazy ideas going on as far as how I can make the deer heads even more creative and unique by using different media or add-ons. Stay tuned!

AHH: What are your goals for the future?

Hannah: Just building my shop for the most part right now. I’d like to start showcasing at art fairs here in Austin.  My dream would be to open up a home decorating shop and sell my busts, along with other creative items from local Etsians. I love looking at pictures of uniquely decorated homes with vibrant colors and designs, and I think it’d be great if there was a store to go to where you could get everything you need, not to mention handmade.

AHH: What advice would you give to other people hoping to start their own online shop?

Hannah: Be patient. It takes a while for people to catch on to new stores (unless you’re really lucky I suppose?), then again I didn’t really promote mine much in the beginning. Take good pictures, a nice picture makes a huge difference (I like using natural light in mine). Try to relist often and promote any way you can: facebook, twitter, blogs etc. Also – it pays to be prompt when responding to customers and potential customers. I always try to be accommodating as much as possible.

AHH: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Hannah:  Thank you for this opportunity! It touches me to know that people appreciate the work I do and find it cool enough to write about!

Sew Funky-Coupon Download

This Saturday, October 8th I will be participating in my very first craft fair as a vendor.  I am really excited.  I can't wait to showcase the new products I've been working on over the past seven weeks.  As a special gift to you, my readers, I am offering this printable coupon for you to use in my booth at the Sew Funky Market.  Simply print the coupon and bring it with you. Remember this coupon is only valid in my booth  and it is only good at this particular market. I look forward to seeing you there.  For more information about the Sew Funky Market, read my previous post with all of the details here.

Click here to download a copy of the Sew Funky Market coupon

Fashion & Furnishings

If you like these bow-topped slingbacks from BHLDN, infuse your style into your home with this mustard bow pillow by IveMade on Etsy.  Have a great day! -blessings, Brittany