07
Aug, 11

{studio sunday} with Kristen of Paper Crave

It’s that time again!  This week we will be peeking into Kristen Magee’s studio space.  Does that name sound familiar to you?  Of course it does!  Kristen is the creative mastermind behind Paper Crave.  The site that you visit when you crave all things paper.  I love paper, as you know, but dare I say that I’ve found someone with a greater obsession over paper than I!?!  Yes, it’s true!  Kristen fills her shop and blog with so much eye candy for the paper lover in all of us.  Now it’s time to see where all of the magic happens…

1. Who are you and what do you create/do?
I’m Kristen Magee from Paper Crave, and I’m a paper lover, crafter, home cook (gluten and sugar free), and freelance graphic designer and web developer.

2. Where is your studio located? (in your home or somewhere else?)
My studio/office is in my apartment. It’s technically the second bedroom, but when we moved in, my husband and I knew immediately that we wanted to use it as our workspace. Since we have to abide by all of the fun apartment building rules, we can’t paint (boo) or tear up the carpet (double boo), so we went for a light, modern look. Thankfully, we have a huge walk-in closet in our bedroom, and I store most of my craft supplies in there. It means that I have to shuttle things back and forth a lot (I re-purposed my husband’s old toolbox to hold the smaller supplies that I use most often, so I can just grab it and go), but this system helps me keep things more organized.

3. How long have you had your current studio space?
Just about three years.

4. What is your favorite part of your studio?
I love that my desk is right next to the window. We’re 11 floors up, so the view is pretty great. I also love the cabinet that holds the printer and my die-cutting machines, scanner, and paper cutter. Everything was scattered all over the floor until recently, so it was great to get something into the space that organizes everything and keeps it off of the floor. That drove me crazy!

5. Approximately how many hours per day do you spend in your studio?
About 10-12 hours a day. I practically live in here, but I also like to do whatever crafting I can on the couch in the living room.

6. Do you have any future plans for your studio space? (i.e. revamp, new location, etc.)
The space is still pretty blank, and I’ve been itching to get more color on the walls (I really wish we could paint). For a while, I’ve been collecting prints, posters, and other pieces that I can hang on the wall. Now, I just need to decide where I want everything to go!

7. Is there anything else that you’d like to share?
You can also find me at Invitation Crush, where I share all things invite and over at Domestifluff, where I share gluten free, sugar free recipes, as well as some of my craft projects.

Thanks so much, Kristen, for letting us peek into your creative space!  It’s nice to see where all of your creativity is bottled up and channeled out.  Keep doing what you do and thanks again!  Be sure to visit all of Kristen’s sites; she has has so much to offer!

06
Aug, 11

Saturday!

Happy Saturday!  Today is my little brother’s 18th Birthday!  I can’t believe that he is a young man now… wow, when did that happen?!  To celebrate, we will be at the lake all day tubing, kneeboarding and wakeboarding!  Mom’s bringing the food and we’re bringin the fun!  (smile)  It’s going to be a great day!  I hope you’re day is a safe and great one too. 

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for another {studio sunday} feature with Kristen of Paper Crave!  It will be fun!

03
Aug, 11

{humpday tutorial} Boot Box


Oh my goodness!  How cute is this handmade Boot Box?!  Totally cute!!  You can make this with just a few inexpensive materials and a little bit of time.  Find out how at Fresh Home Ideas.  What I love about this creation is that you can put it both indoors and out.  The rocks are a great way to keep air circulating under the boots to prevent mold and other funk from growing!  Great idea!

02
Aug, 11

Lovely Sponsors

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I wanted to take a moment from everything that I’m doing and give a big thank you to all of my lovely sponsors!  You are all so fabulous and I’m so happy to be working with each and every one of you.

Take a moment and visit each of them.  They have so much to offer.


{pinhole press} I love Pinhole Press because they can put your photos on virtually anything!  You name it, notepads, lemonade bottles, cards, etc!  I love how they strive to make your life a more beautiful and happier place by allowing you to surround yourself with your favorite images.  Love them!


{take it personally} How creative are these personalized invitations?!  I love the time and creativity that are put into each and every order.  This beats running over to Target and grabbing the same invitations that your girl friend used for her last party.  So super sweet!


{prairie hen}  Meet Sara!  She’s a young and energetic mama with lots to share on her blog.  She has so many  cute outfits, craft posts, “being a mama” posts, and so much more!  I love stopping by to read what she’s been up to, so make sure you stop by too!


{blue eyed night owl} (image source) If you love owls, this is seriously the blog for you, no joke!  You will meet a vibrant and creative owl lover who shares everything from owls to photography.  She shares so many cute images and keeps you up on her life’s adventures.


{fabric shoppe} Meet Jody, owner of the Fabric Shoppe.  This wife, mama, and crafty lady shares so many different types of fabric on her blog, as well as tutorials and all around creative inspiration!  I love to stop by and see what sweet fabric she has up this time!

Thanks for taking the time to visit all of my super sweet sponsors!  I’ll see you all tomorrow 🙂

01
Aug, 11

It’s Official!


It’s official, all!  Chickiedee | Modern Apparel for Babies has successfully transformed into Chickiedee | Handmade!  I still make the same baby items that you all love, I’ve only added more products for the ladies too.  I’ve added paintings, headbands, larger quilts, and tote bags.  This is just the beginning, because this Fall there will be even more!  I’m so excited to share what I’ve been working on and I thank you for being so supportive throughout this little change.

It’s also very important for me to stress that I’m still using as many sustainable materials and practices as possible.  Both your family and the environment are extremely important to me and how I choose to create.

Be sure to stop by the shop and check everything out.  There are new items in the Sale section and you will receive a free gift if you spend $55 or more.  Feel free to come back here and leave your feedback.

Thank you so much again and I hope you enjoy this new adventure along side me.

31
Jul, 11

{studio sunday} with Dana aka Crafty Minx

Hello and happy Sunday!  I’d like you to meet Dana from Crafty Minx.  She’s a sweet and colorful lady with lots to share on her blog.  She has great tutorials and tips, so be sure to check out her blog after this.  I have to say that I’m very impressed and inspired by Dana’s studio.  The first thing that caught my eye, obviously, was the color of the walls paired with pops of color here and there.  I could get lost in her studio for days and still not lack in things to do.  I love the “kitschy” feel of her space and she has really made it her own.  On that note, let’s get to know her a bit better and peek into her studio space.

1. Who are you and what do you create/do?
I’m Dana Beach from craftyminx.com. As my name suggests, I flirt with a lot of crafts. I knit, crochet, embroider, scrapbook, paint, spin, sew, and occasionally quilt.  I am currently working on a 365 project where I crochet a granny square a day. 

2. Where is your studio located? (in your home or somewhere else?)
My studio is in my house, it used to be the laundry room, but was converted to an art/music studio by previous owners so it just seemed logical that I use the space for a studio as well.  


3. How long have you had your current studio space?
For 5 years. It has gone through quite the transformation since I first moved in. 

 4. What is your favorite part of your studio?
My pink walls!

 5. Approximately how many hours per day do you spend in your studio?
1-3 when I’m doing work that requires a desk, but most of the time I work in the living room because it’s more comfortable for crochet and embroidery. At times like that the room is a great, inspiring storage space, which I need because many crafts requires many supplies and a place to store them.

 

6. Do you have any future plans for your studio space? (i.e. revamp, new location, etc.)
Right now I’m pretty happy with it. I just did a big revamp last year (you can see a before and after pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftyminx/4396307169/ I would like to buy a new house in the next five years or so and build a bigger detached studio. 

 

7. Is there anything else that you’d like to share?
You can see all of my work on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftyminx/ or my blog www.craftyminx.com. My granny a day project is on a different blog: http://www.craftyminx.typepad.com/a_granny_a_day/ 

I told you it was a great and vibrant place!  Thank you so much, Dana, for letting us peek into your lovely space, I loved it!  You have a great space and you should be very proud of it!  And I love the pink walls too!

28
Jul, 11

{studio sunday} sneak peek

I’m so excited to show you Dana, from Crafty Minx’s, studio on Sunday!  You will love it so much, I just know it.  Because I can hardly wait, here is a sneak peek… Eeee!!!

26
Jul, 11

Why I love Pinterest

When I first heard of this site called Pinterest a few months ago, I was like, “Oh, I have to sign up to be apart of it… hummm… I’m not so sure.”  But then I found myself coming back to it occasionally to browse the preview page and noticed that people where “Pinning” and “Re-Pinning” things from my site.  I then finally signed up to see what all of the hype was about and instantly fell in love with it as a whole!

There are so many inspirational sites out there that open you up to so many new and creative things, but none of them allows you to keep log of all of your favorites like Pinterest does.  I really love the idea of having a digital “cork board” if you will, where you keep all of your inspirations, recipes, tutorials and things that you love.  I have two large cork boards in my studio, and that is where I generally pin things that I find in magazines or that I personally take photos of to stay inspired.  The downfall to this is that, if I don’t print out what I find online, then I can’t pin it on my board.  Pinterest solved this problem for me.  I can still have my tangible cork board on my wall (because I love handling the items on it), and I can also have my digital “cork board” on my home computer, iPhone, iPod, etc. on Pinterest.  It is where ever I am and that’s okay with me.

It’s great too, because if I want to go to the store and grab ingredients for one of my favorite recipes, I can just pull it up and get what I need.  I don’t have to remember which website it was on, because Pinterest does that for me.

Tell me what you think of Pinterest and be sure to check out my boards too!

25
Jul, 11

Monday Mission/August Sponsors

Today I’m on a mission to get as much done for the new launch as possible.  I have so much to do in so little time, and I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on!  I might need to grab a Starbucks today to get me through the day, but I’ll manage (smile).

I’m also now excepting AUGUST SPONSORS for only $5/month (or $13/3months)!!!  So if you’re interested, click here.  Chickiedee has 935 Twitter Followers and the site gets about 5,000+ visitors each month.  Starting August 1st, Chickiedee is expanding from only baby products to products for women and babies.  From there, it will expand to men as well (hopefully by the Fall).  So, I’m only going to reach a larger audience by expanding.  Your sponsorship helps me to spread the word for all of us!

Have a great Monday and I’ll see you tomorrow.

24
Jul, 11

{studio sunday} with Olivia Mew

Welcome to {studio sunday}!  Today we will meet Olivia Mew, a talented and sweet creative from Montreal.  Scroll down to peek into her creative space and to read what she’s up to and what’s to come.
p.s. I love her minimalism and use of space, it would be very easy to create in this space without distraction!
1. Who are you and what do you create/do?
My name is Olivia and I draw and sew as well as sell vintage clothes. Right now I’m working on designing a line of cotton and silk scarves.
2. Where is your studio located? (in your home or somewhere else?)
My studio is located in my apartment, a 3rd floor walk up in Montreal, Canada. It’s actually attached to my bedroom – together they form a loft-like space that’s pretty great to wake up to!
3. How long have you had your current studio space?
I’ve made sure to have a studio space in every apartment I’ve lived in, but I moved into this particular one quite recently, in May. It’s definitely my favorite so far.
4. What is your favorite part of your studio?
Right now it would have to be my air conditioner – the first I’ve ever had! Heat rises something awful when you’re on the third floor with south-facing windows and it’s 37 degrees Celsius out. 
Other than that, though, I love how multifunctional it is. I have my area for packing up orders, my computer & sewing desks, a whole bare wall for shooting photos of vintage clothes and a cork board set up for photographing scarves. I love making spaces feel super useful.
5. Approximately how many hours per day do you spend in your studio?
When I’m not at my office job (which I recently quit – in a few weeks I’ll be entirely self employed!) – I’m usually here. If I have the day off I’ll spend at least 5 or 6 hours in here daily, if not more.
6. Do you have any future plans for your studio space? (i.e. revamp, new location, etc.)
Lots! Seeing as I only moved in recently, I still have lots of work to do. I’d like to install a metal bar for hanging clothes in the archway that leads to my bedroom, and I still need curtains for my front windows!
Those windows are stunning!  What a perfect place for your desk.  Thanks so much Olivia, for sharing a bit about yourself and what you do.  I’m especially grateful for you taking the time to snap a few photos of your creative studio space and I wish you the very best on your newest adventure of being self employed!!  So exciting!