Simply June

2008-12-31T12:27:00.003-05:00

Big Hair

This pillow was an collaborative artistic project with my 4 year old son Kolya... His drawings are so much fun and I have had the idea to embroider some of them for a while. Kolya said this character had "big hair" like me. Now, I have consulted some very reliable sources and it has been confirmed that I do NOT have big hair. (Just had to make sure...)

If you want to make a similar project, I have used a natural linen as my background fabric and a patterned cotton for the back of the pillow. I picked up the down pillow form at IKEA, but most fabric stores carry a stock of pillow forms. You can even re-purpose a pillow that no longer works with your decor. I then took a photograph of Kolya's drawing (so that I could re-size it)... reversed the image... and printed it. I used tracing paper and traced over the drawing with a heat transfer pencil. I then ironed the design onto my linen. I pulled out a nice palette of embroidery thread and went to work. I used the chain stitch in 6 strands on the hair and the stem stitch for the rest of the design. I used just 2 strands of embroidery thread for the more intricate squiggles.

This pillow was a gift, but I'm going to whip up a few more for our house...

2008-12-30T13:18:00.003-05:00

Bazaar Bizarre Boston 2008

I'm going with the better late than never philosophy on this entry... Way back in the beginning of December I was a vendor at Bazaar Bizarre Boston and had an incredible experience. This was my first year participating in the event and their first year at a new venue... The Castle on Arlington Street in Boston. It was an unbelievable event...well organized and a really cool venue. Shoppers were literally lined up for blocks and the buzz was that many waited for up to 45 minutes in falling snow to see our wares. Thank you to those who waited and shopped and all of the sweet feedback I received. I always want to tell people how much it means to hear your feedback... inspiring me to keep working in my craft and develop new ideas. Thank you!

2008-12-29T11:45:00.005-05:00

In Circles

The studio has been a flurry of activity with little time to post images of completed projects, but along the way I have snapped some shots for sharing later. These pillows were for Z's new couch in her cozy library. I am falling in love with more natural fibers including linen...perfect for applique and embroidery. The only hiccup in this project was the mysteriously disappearing circle template. I had to run out and pick up a new one because in my studio it has somehow become an indispensable tool. So, circle template #3 is tucked in safely next to my template collection and numbers 1 & 2 are playing a sneaky game of hide and seek somewhere in the house...

2008-12-28T19:50:00.003-05:00

Belated Wishes

Wishing you and yours a belated, but none-the-less wonderful holiday season! There has been marshmallow and fudge making, present wrapping and unwrapping (much more fun!), celebrating, time with family and friends, cooking and EATING and finally napping...

The marshmallows were a huge hit and the three of us enjoyed some hot chocolate with bobbing clouds of melting goodness this afternoon. They are surprisingly easy to make...check out this clever DIY video and make your own!

2008-12-02T10:52:00.003-05:00

Advent Calendar...

So, in a last minute rush I put together an advent calendar for Kolya... I've actually been tossing around ideas in my head for the last couple of weeks, but hadn't come up with an idea that I really loved. I have a clipping in one of my idea books that I love, but that involved knitting 24 little mittens with numbers on them and I've never even once knit a regular sized mitten... so that idea is put on hold for a more ambitious year. I wanted to come up with something clever that fit with our aesthetic and this is what I came up with. I put together 24 tins and used heavy duty ceramic magnets to attach them to the fridge. These tins were actually snatched from my Simply June supplies, so they already had my label affixed... no problem... I picked up some printable magnet sheets at my local office supply store and printed out the numbers and cut them out by hand. This way I can easily take them off if I need to use the tins for another purpose. (It mostly just made me happy to print my own magnets...) So, now some of the tins hold stickers, pieces of candy, a note to look somewhere for a little gift that is too big for the tin and notes with special activities listed such as going to the library to pick up Christmas books for a special story time... I spread the activities throughout the month and this way we will be sure to do all those fun little holiday activities that sometimes get lost in the frenzy of the season...

2008-12-01T09:30:00.003-05:00

Bazaar Bizarre Boston

Come visit Simply June at Bazaar Bizarre this Sunday in Boston! Check out their new venue at
The Castle on Arlington Street... This is going to be a really fun event...food, music and shopping!

If you don't live in the Boston area, make sure to check out our Etsy shop ... www.simplyjune.etsy.com this week to get your Holiday Shopping done. We are taking all of these items and more to the show, so you don't want to miss out!

2008-11-26T15:35:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have a special day that we celebrate in the Simply June household on the day before Thanksgiving. Three years ago today, we first learned the name of our son Nikolai after months and months of the adoption process. His first Thanksgiving home, I wrote a special poem to share my thoughts with him and our families. I'm sure I've shared it here before, but I'll share it again because it is good to give thanks...

It was a year from today that we first heard your name
Saw your face
Heard your laugh
Allowed ourselves to dream...

In those days and weeks before we held you in our arms
Before we saw your face
Heard your laugh
Held you close and warm

We thanked God for His children
For the son he gave to us
Born half way around the world
Clearly meant for us

We thank God for you on this THANKSGIVING DAY
And we pray for the others that are still waiting today
That their forever families will soon hear their name,
See their face, hear their laugh and allow themselves to dream.

Also keep an eye out on the Simply June Etsy shop as I will be updating it in spurts throughout the weekend... there are already some new goodies in there now.

2008-11-21T16:39:00.002-05:00

Wellesley Marketplace 2008

If it's in my studio and I made it, I'm slapping a Simply June label on it for tomorrow's show! Sorry things have been so quiet on the Simply June blog, but these little hands have been sewing and have all but forgotten how to type.

Make sure to stop by and visit me at the Wellesley Marketplace from 9am - 4pm tomorrow. If you aren't in the area, tune in here next week for updates as I will start updating my Etsy shop for the holiday shopping season...

I have all kinds of exiting new products and designs including lap/baby quilts featuring the fabrics of designer Amy Butler, Embroidered Button Zipper Pouches featuring Japanese import fabrics and my own embroidered buttons, Oilcloth Totes...Zip Pouches...Bibs...Lunch Totes, a NEW tote bag design featuring a pairing of designer Amy Butler's home decor line and 100% natural linen fabric, new Original Simply June evening bags and more!

See you soon!

2008-10-20T16:35:00.002-05:00

Holiday Bazaar - Sunday November 9th

Join Simply June for some early holiday shopping at The Goddard School in Wayland on Sunday November 9th from 11am-2pm.

2008-10-17T12:04:00.003-05:00

What Planet is Kolya from?

So, I was dropping Kolya off at school today and was chatting with one of the Moms from his class. She has a younger son "L" who is a year younger than Kolya and they are buds. The Mom shared the best story with me as we headed back to our cars... "L" has been really interested in planets lately and has been asking lots of questions about different planets and who lives on them... Here is their conversation:

"L": Who lives on Venus? "L's" Mom: Nobody honey. People only live on Earth. "L": We live on Earth? "L's" Mom: Yep.

"L" goes off to play for a while... pondering the information as little kids do. A bit later he goes back to his Mom...

"L": What planet does Kolya live on?

Yeah, Kolya's Mama wonders that sometimes too...

2008-10-16T14:32:00.005-05:00

Shop Update

Leanne won! My favorite Project Runway contestant and fellow Etsian won! Check out this great article on Leanne Marshall on Etsy's Storque. Check out some her past and current collections as well on her website.

There is just never enough time in the Simply June studio, but I finally got a few new items up in the shop. Check them out when you get a chance...

2008-10-15T13:35:00.003-05:00

Embroidery Class

I'm so excited to announce that I will be teaching an embroidery class on Sunday November 16th from 1-3:30 pm at Spark Crafts in Cambridge. Here is a class description & one of the projects we will be working on:

Basic Hand Embroidery

Learn a variety of basic embroidery stitches to complete the class project and more. We will be making embroidered buttons…perfect for updating your favorite old sweater or gifting to your favorite knitter. We will also adapt our buttons by making embroidered button rings…make one to match every outfit or to give as gifts. We will cover line stitches, chain stitches, satin stitches, couching stitches, French knots and more. We will also cover great embroidery reference books and design transfer methods.

Class Fee: $30
Supply Fee Options: $10 or $20 (to be paid to instructor the day of the class, cash or check only)
Basic Materials Fee: $10.00
In class use: Hoops, Scissors, Transfer Pens, Variety of Threads
Take Home: 10 ring bases, 10 button bases, Some thread, 1 needle
Take Home Kit: $20.00
In class use: The Kit (that you will take home)
Take Home Kit: Embroidery Scissors, Selection of Needle sizes, Embroidery Hoop, Fabric, Thread, 10 Ring Bases, 10 Button Bases, Transfer Pen

Offered: Sunday, November 16 from 1:00-3:30 (Karen)

So, if you live in the Boston area take a look and sign up! I'd love to see you!

2008-10-14T13:17:00.004-05:00

Transforming Your Experience of the World

You know those days when you leave the safety and comfort of your own home and head out to do something as simple as go grocery shopping and along the way you encounter aggressive drivers, unfriendly faces, people bored with their jobs, people caught up in their own challenges of the day?... How is it possible that I can go grocery shopping and possibly only talk to the checkout person to say "paper or plastic?" But, we all seem to have a million things going on and I have even found some people alarmed when I try to engage them in conversation at a store (granted I do live in New England). None the less, sometimes I am just as much at fault for this. However, there are those days or moments when I clear my head and live in the moment...take the opportunity to complement someone, connect with someone.

I remember one trip to the store when I was standing in front of the dairy case... looking for a certain item. A woman came up next to me and I made eye contact with her and just shared a friendly smile. I headed back to my cart to add my item to it and she hurried to catch up with me. She told me that she hoped I had a really nice day and that she wanted me to have something. She handed me a round pin with the American flag in the shape of an apple... I believe celebrating excellence in education. I took it and thanked her and wondered for a moment why on earth she had given me the pin when I realized it was because we had connected... no other reason. Giving a gift was her language...her way of telling me that and she gave me what she had. That moment was so rich that I still remember it all these years later.

Well, this leads me to this amazing excerpt from NPR that I heard Sunday night at church. The clip was from the NPR show Storycorps: Recording America... all stories recorded in a traveling sound studio visiting towns and cities throughout the country. This particular story was titled "A Victim Treats His Mugger Right"... told by Julio Diaz of New York City and his account of being mugged and the amazing story that unfolded. It is really worth the listen and really drives home the point that we can transform our own experience of the world.

2008-10-13T13:48:00.004-05:00

Blankets Cost Money

I'm looking forward to a girls night out tonight to celebrate my friend Karen's birthday! We are meeting up at our ritual hangout to eat good food and celebrate our friendships. The lap quilt is a birthday present for Karen. I love making these and combining a palette of colors. These colors speak her name and are from at least a couple of Amy Butler's lines. The quilt is machine sewn and the bias tape is half-machine and half-hand sewn. I learned a new bias tape trick recently that has really made the task much easier. Have I mentioned how much I love to hand sew? I could really sit for hours and sew on bindings... very methodical... very meditative...

On the subject of quilts... I recently had a conversation with my son Kolya about some quilts that I am making for some upcoming shows. This comes following many conversations where I am trying to teach Kolya that we can't always buy new things when we get tired of the old ones. Things cost money and we should spend our money wisely.

Kolya: What's that?

Mama: This is a lap quilt that I am making.

Kolya: Oh!... a blanket!

Mama: Yep, that's right.

Kolya: Who is it for?

Mama: I'm going to sell it... hopefully someone will love it and buy it.

Kolya: Are they cold?

Mama: (chuckle) Maybe.

Kolya: Don't they already have a blanket?

Mama: Probably, but they might want another one.

Kolya: Oh, but that's not a good idea if they already have a blanket... blankets cost money!

Yeah, I guess I got my point across...

2008-10-08T08:45:00.002-05:00

We have been making a few changes around the Simply June household lately. In an effort to get more organized and to tighten our financial belts, we have been coming up with a weekly menu and creating a grocery list based on it. We have seriously cut about $50 off of our weekly grocery bill as a result! Of course from half of you, I'm sure there is a resounding chorus of "Duh!", but we are a little slow to pick up on things around here sometimes. Maybe it is the creative spirit that we have tried to cultivate in our household, but we usually would just "wing it" while grocery shopping (or food shopping to those native to MA - still makes me giggle for some reason). Anyway, we would just sort of wander into the store and follow our cravings. Yeah, bad idea. So, now I add a cookbook to my weekly list at the local library and sit down at the end of the week to flip through the pages and see what strikes my fancy. I have found that choosing recipes from the same author helps in my quest to save money as they are partial to specific ingredients that show up in many of their recipes. How many times have you purchased a package of fresh thyme or a carton of buttermilk only to find them lingering in the back of your fridge a month later because you only needed a Tbsp. or 1/4 cup of their contents? I have also found that we are eating healthier. I know exactly what we are going to be making each night, so I'm not poking around in the kitchen...nibbling on things until I give in and come up with a plan.

So, what is this weeks cookbook you are wondering? "The Food You Crave...Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life" by Ellie Krieger. So far we have had the Stuffed Turkey Burgers (p. 218) with Garlic "Fries" (p. 265) and Macaroni and Four Cheeses (p. 168). The picture above is of the mac and cheese which is made with two packages of pureed winter squash in addition to the four cheeses. Now the author says "This creamy, crumb-topped macaroni-and-cheese gets its bright orange color and a big nutritional boost from pureed winter squash. Don't tell an no one will ever know. They'll just thank you for making their favorite cheesy comfort meal." So, I whipped up this recipe while the boys were playing astronaut in the living room and served it up without a word. Kolya later looked down at his plate and claimed to have a tummy ache. While Jason was clearly mentally going through this weeks grocery list to discover the mystery ingredient. Yeah, not fooling anyone here. The dish did however get a vote of approval. Yum.

2008-10-07T14:49:00.003-05:00

Custom Inspiration

I love having to the opportunity to do custom work when it fits into my schedule. I was given the pitcher from Anthropologie as inspiration for the color palette for one of my embroidered yo-yo dish towels. I love poring over my fabric collection to find the right colors or fabrics for a certain project. It is also nice to have the challenge to work within the constrains of the fabrics I already have. So, here they are... the finished "inspired" dish towels.

I have so many projects on my plate right now. Keep an eye out for an Etsy update soon... I promise and I'm getting ready for three upcoming shows and a few other surprises for the Bostons folks...

2008-09-23T07:49:00.002-05:00

On Waking Up...

One of my favorite parts of parenting is the amazing conversations you get to have with your child...

On a recent morning while Jason and I were still sound asleep in bed...

Kolya: (whisper) Papa...good morning... Papa...wake up... Papa... Papa

Jason: (groggy) Good morning Kolya... (groan)... (mumble)... (stretch)

Kolya: Papa...get up... lets play

Papa: Give me a minute Kolya... its hard to wake up.

Kolya: Papa, its easy! Let me show you... (lies down in the bed)... (makes LOUD snoring noises)...ZZZZZ...Choooo....ZZZZZ....Choooo... (sits straight up with a big smile)... See! Its easy!

Mama: Chuckling... half asleep...

2008-09-22T13:17:00.002-05:00

stART on the Street

stART on the Street was a huge success yesterday! We had a beautiful weather and a very friendly and fun crowd. I took a quick stroll around all of the tents, but they seemed to go on for miles so I didn't have much time to visit with the other amazing artists. It was fun to see the variety of work though and so many customers were amazed at both the size and quality of the show. The stART on the Street team really has their act together. I wish I had photos to share, but I forgot my camera and Zandra's battery was dead. If nothing else, I had wanted photo evidence that we put up our tent correctly this time! We spent our last show casually hanging in the back literally holding the posts down! Jason made us these incredible weights for our tent and Pete replaced the crucial missing screw and we are back in business.

So, now I am home recovering from the excitement, the unloading, loading, driving etc. It always takes me a few days to recover from a show and thankfully I have some time off before my next one in November. In the meantime I will be sewing, sewing, sewing, visiting "Oprah",`son. I'm so sad to see them close.

I'll hopefully be sending out an e-mail later this week with a big UPDATE to the Simply June Etsy shop. It has been all but picked clean during these last two shows and I have lots of great new designs to share with you!

2008-09-11T15:23:00.002-05:00

Renegade: Chicago

Oh, to be in Chicago this weekend... If you are lucky enough to be in that part of the world this weekend, check out Renegade Craft Fair. The list of vendors is awesome and I've already spied some of my favorites from Etsy... Coo-Koo-Ri-Koo, The Small Object & Art School Dropout.

2008-09-10T16:35:00.006-05:00

TWIST Recap

TWIST was in one word...Amazing. Lexie Barnes and her amazing team + endless volunteers put on the most amazing show/party. I felt truly honored to be among the amazing talent at that show. Word of TWIST 2.0 is already in the air...due out this Spring!

So, to tell it best...let me show you some pictures. The event was held at the beautiful Center for the Arts in Northampton and showcased in the stunning ballroom and galleries. I was in one of the two art galleries. The paintings were an amazing backdrop for all of our creations. Check out the artist... Suzanna Schlemm... her work really captivated me... in particular check out the untitled piece from 2008 featuring a woman in a green blouse...who in my opinion is carrying a decadent chocolate cake for one...

So, here are a few photos from the event...

Our gallery

The incredible ballroom ceiling...check out the disco ball that added a bit of funk to the show

Vendors set up in the main ballroom

Whistling Sparrow Designs... you have to check out Libby's work... recycled funky t-shirts made into skirts and brooches... + the most amazing dresses from vintage curtains, doilies and other vintage fabrics. Her aesthetic is impeccable and you are sure to find the most unique pieces in her shop.

Simply June table...

Zeal

Donnabelle Designs... incredible one-of-a-kind jewelry with a funky spirit to match its designer... & Robbie Heidinger...check out her beautiful organic pottery...

2008-09-03T20:57:00.001-05:00

Stop by and visit Simply June at TWIST!

September 5th & 6th, 2008
Northampton Center for the Arts
17 New South Street . Northampton . MA

Friday, September 5th (5 - 9pm)
Saturday, September 6th (10am - 8pm)

Twist is a fresh kind of fair, showcasing original handmade goods and art from over 50 of the regions most talented crafters and artists. Two days of browsing and buying starts Friday evening, with DJ beats and adult beverages. Admission $3.

www.simplyjune.etsy.com

2008-08-06T15:50:00.002-05:00

Three Little Toadstools All in a Row...

I couldn't resist making a couple of mushroom button sets right away... they make me silly happy for some reason. I need to go scour my closet for something to add some to... so if you see me walking around town with random buttons affixed to my garments...just smile and wave...there really is no therapy for this type of thing... pssst.... check them out in the shop...

The mini apron is a gift for a little "Miss C" who is celebrating her 4th birthday today! Kolya is invited to her birthday on Saturday, so I whipped up this little apron for the birthday girl... I love being the Mama to a little boy, but once in a while it is fun to make something girly... I want to go to the book shop and pick up a little children's cookbook to pair with it. When I was little, I had a Jello cookbook and my favorite "recipe" was one where you cooled your Jello in a clear glass and then stuck a straw into it a few times... then add some cream to the top of the glass and beautiful white pillars would appear in your Jello! So cool! I know you are off to try it now...

2008-08-05T15:13:00.003-05:00

Little Red Riding Hood & The Itty Bitty Embroidered Mushroom...

I did some updating in the shop today... including a couple of cute Little Red Riding Hood Zippered Pouches. They each measure 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" and are lined witha cute coordinating red polka dot cotton. The main fabric is a linen blend imported from Japan. I embroidered itty bitty red and white mushroom buttons as pulls and now I'm sure these are going to show up on button cards in the near future...

Also pop into the shop for a new Matryoshka doll zippered pouch and two new applique tanks in some new sizes in case you have had your eye on those...

2008-07-31T14:39:00.002-05:00

С днем рождения ...

Happy 4th Birthday Kolya! My little guy turned 4 today... here he is in one of the first pictures we ever saw of our son... So tiny...those same bright eyes and happy face. Because of delays in the adoption process we didn't even see these pictures until about 4 months after they were taken and we were able to travel to meet him a month after that. I always wonder what we were doing on that special day ... July 31st, 2004... the day our wonderful son was born. We are SO thankful for you! С днем рождения! (Happy Birthday!)

2008-07-31T14:25:00.002-05:00

Applique Cami...

I was inspired by my commission to alter Z's skirt and couldn't stop cutting out circles... I love working with fabrics and combining my love of embroidery. This is a very simple, clean basic design that adds a really artistic element to your wardrobe. I love wearing camis and love layering my clothing... a cami is pretty much a staple in my wardrobe as they are perfect worn alone in warmer weather...peeking through a v neck top... or layered under a short cardi...

This one is a women's size medium and is up in the shop... more sizes to come...

2008-07-29T15:52:00.002-05:00

Embroidered Buttons...

I can never seem to make enough of these to keep in the shop... acutally they don't even usually get to the shop. They are a lot of fun to make and I embroider each one by hand. I have done custom orders for these too including a really cool retro set on black wool for a customer's pea coat. The sets in the shop are on a natural linen... perfect for summer and would be great to add to a knitting project... update a plain jacket... attach to hair ties... or sew on as an adornment to just about anything... I'm partial to the red ones, but you already knew that...

2008-07-28T14:59:00.003-05:00

Japanese Matryoshka...

I bought this cute Matryoshka fabric from Japan a while back. There are always a few fabrics that I just like to look at for a while before I can bring myself to cut into them. This was one. I absolutely love it... linen fabric with the rows of little Russian dolls... So, one of these zippered pouches will stay in my personal collection, but the rest will be in the Etsy shop or at upcoming shows. I only have a tiny piece of this, so snap one up if you love it... I also added a cute hand embroidered button as a zipper pull. Cute.

I've been working on all types of projects for two shows coming up in September. Make sure to mark your calendars for Twist... September 5th & 6th in Northampton and StART on the Street September 21st in Worcester...

2008-07-25T09:54:00.007-05:00

Applique in Circles...

Zandra and I made a trade a while back... she decorated my embroidery basket with some really beautiful papers and I agreed to applique a skirt she owned that had a sad little stain on the front. Here it is... I used a variety of Amy Butler fabrics and coordinating embroidery thread. It makes me happy...hope she likes it! I'm really inspired to go into my closet now and rescue some old favorites to style a bit...

Is anyone else watching Project Runway? I have seen bits and pieces of the show before, but shamefully have never watched a season before. Now thanks to my DVR I have been watching this new season. I LOVE it! It really inspires me. Some of the personalities are a bit big for me, but I love watching each designers process... Oh, and how much do you want to just hang out at Mood with all of those bolts of fabric...yum... Now let me channel Suede for a moment... Karen June is inspired... Karen June loves to sew... Karen June can't wait until nap time to go up to the studio and create!

2008-07-24T12:05:00.006-05:00

Domestic Goddess...

I had a number of inquiries about custom orders at ArtBeat this weekend. I'm always happy to take on a challenge and combine my design ideas with those of my customers. I finished this custom order retro style apron late yesterday. She wanted an apron featuring mostly black and white fabrics and was open to a little bit of color. I combined three of my favorite Michael Miller fabrics including this little bit of his "Domestic Goddess" print that I have been hanging onto. I keep all of my fabric in a large cabinet in my studio. It is folded and stacked and this way I can pull certain fabrics and create by color. This retro green print just jumped out at me and I love the combined effect. I also added a bit of the green for the bias trim on the pockets. How could you not feel like a domestic goddess in this...

2008-07-22T17:54:00.004-05:00

ArtBeat 2008

Zandra (Zeal) & I shared at tent at ArtBeat 2008 in Somerville. It was the first outdoor show for each of us and our first time setting up our new tent on our own. (We did a little trial run earlier in the week with a little coaching from the husbands and a couple glasses of wine to reduce stress...

Anyway, we decided to caravan to the event with the little British woman in my GPS system guiding us. She did a FABULOUS job getting us there, but then the confusion set in...driving around on blocked roads...shouting out our windows to try to find out where we were supposed to be...ignoring other cars honking at us for trying to drive by road barriers...you know a regular day in Boston traffic.

Anyway, we finally found our way in and were able to drive straight up to our assigned spot. We unloaded everything and found two great spots in a nearby parking lot and headed back to set up. We decided to tackle the tent first... yeah, maybe we should have brought our husbands... or some wine... I was crouched down on the ground setting up part of it, when I looked up at Z and was like "Does our spot smell like urine?" Oh, yeah... add a little 92 degree heat and that will wake you up in the morning. So, we decided that we need to start a book of favorite craft show quotes... to which we later added something along the lines of "I'm too sticky to sit on a toilet." But, maybe we should just keep those to ourselves.

So, we got our tent up and set up and as we would later find out there was a major screw missing in the structure of our tent and something was a bit wonky about the way we set it up. Fast forward to the end of the day when Z and I are trying to catch our flying merchandise... a 20 literally flew out of our cash box and across the street and we took turns holding one of the poles of the tent to stabilize it. But... despite all of that, we had an AWESOME day. There was tons of foot traffic and we met some really awesome people... caught up with old friends... and made new ones...

2008-07-17T12:16:00.003-05:00

Swell...

I finally was able to cut into my "Swell" fabric by Urban Chicks... I love how the whole line works together and I added this cute red and white polka dot fabric as an additional accent. I'm seriously crushing over this apron and tempted to keep it for myself, but alas it will be for sale on Saturday and I will have to wait to make one for myself...

People have asked me if it is hard to not keep most of what I make... especially on pieces I invest a lot of time in. For some reason it isn't. I guess some of it comes down to the quantity of things that I make. What on earth would I do with 50 purses? Okay...bad example, but you get the point... Once in a while though I make a piece that I just can't resist... I will have to say that if this apron doesn't sell on Saturday I may just be making pancakes in it on Sunday morning...

2008-07-16T12:38:00.004-05:00

Dish...

Does this ever happen to you? I'm sitting here designing some hang tags for the show this weekend and I start typing the word dish... I'm futzing with fonts and moving around the layout and suddenly it crosses my mind that I might have spelled "dish" wrong. Now I'm not exactly how I think it should be spelled and in addition to this I have this sneaking suspicion that "dish" isn't even a word... as if some wires crossed in my brain and I have suddenly invented a new word and everyone is going to pass by the booth on Saturday trying to figure out what "Retro - Dibnerbobben - Towels" are... Anyway, sadly I could not control myself from Googling "dish" and I have been reassured that I have the right spelling and that the word does exist. Nice...

2008-07-14T19:13:00.004-05:00

ArtBeat 08 - Somerville

Our little family has been out and about this summer and things are finally settling down for a bit. We are ready to be homebodies for a while and catch up with friends and our home routine. Kolya is spending the week going to camp! He is such a little man... making new friends and hanging out with is favorite buddy "Q". As I was driving him to camp this morning, I was explaining that he would know "Q", but there would also be new kids there for him to meet. I think he confused "meet" with "meeting" and was VERY excited to be going to work like his Papa...

Well, the Simply June studio is looking a bit like a factory right now. I have piles of fabrics cut out and ready to be sewn and am going to have to put the pedal to the metal on my sewing machine for the rest of the week to get ready for this Saturday's show. Zandra (Zeal) and I will be at ArtBeat in Somerville hanging out along Elm or Holland Street along with 100 other amazing craft vendors! We can't wait to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. The day is going to be filled with amazing music, performances and food... so be sure to stop by if you are in the Boston area!

2008-07-01T12:55:00.002-05:00

Swell...

I have had my eye on this new line called Swell for a while now. It is designed by Urban Chiks for Moda fabrics. The entire line is everything I daydream of and exactly what I would design for myself. I am so completely in love with its fresh retro feel...

The mini red polka dots are from another line, but I think it will mix well and I plan to use it for some handmade bias tape. I ordered the top bundle from The Calico Cottage Quilt Shop... owner Christine wrote a sweet note on my invoice and wrapped my bundle with some beautiful green satin ribbon and even added a fabric sample from another fabric in the Swell line! So sweet... Pop over to her site when you get a chance and pick up some beautiful fabrics!

So stay tuned for some new bags, ruffled aprons and some other surprises...

2008-06-30T16:27:00.003-05:00

Lazy Days of Summer

We've just returned from two very lazy weeks at the beach (with a little visit back for the Craft Magazine release party...but more on that later). I've probably blogged about this before, but our family owns a beach cottage right on the beach along the south shore. It was built in 1940...designed by my Great Aunt Mary and built by her father. She had grown up in Kingston, MA and they owned a large amount of land including a cranberry bog (now sadly the site of a shopping mall). Her father had lumber milled from trees on their land to build the cottage. The design features an exposed roof allowing you to lay in bed at night searching for creatures and designs marked out in the grains of the wood. My all-time favorite is a pig wearing a striped bandanna and an eye patch who watches over me as I sleep.

So, a couple of weeks ago we packed up and headed for the cottage. The town conveniently now has a commuter rail that allows Jason to commute easily from the beach. It is a longer commute, but the change of scenery and pace makes it worthwhile. Each morning Kolya and I crawled out of bed half asleep and rode with Jason to the train station...giving me that extra bit of time to awaken. It was sort of comforting to have a routine even in a new setting. We would wind our way through the beautiful back roads. Each morning we would pass the same man out for his morning walk. He was an old Indian man dressed in a turban and traditional Indian Kurta Pyjama. His face was earnest and worn with age. There was something careful about his presence and each morning I wondered where his destination lay. I was so disappointed to find on one morning that he had gotten an early start and learned that when he reached the end of his 2 mile long road... he turns around. He turns around! I was convinced he was on a daily trek to an Ashram or to commune with nature at the local wildlife sanctuary. I even had visions of that beautiful scene from The Little Princess where the kind Indian neighbor transforms over night the attic room of an orphaned girl into the suite of an Indian princess. Surely, this man could not have just been taking a walk...

Well, we enjoyed many relaxing days in the sun, on the beach, in the water, taking walks, enjoying thunder storms and then beautiful rainbows, digging in the sand, sleeping to the constant lull of the waves, blowing bubbles into the wind and just enjoying life. But, we are also so happy to be home. There really is no place like home...

2008-06-13T15:08:00.004-05:00

Zeal Embroidery Basket

I have a favorite woven basket that I carry my embroidery and other small handwork around in. It is the perfect size for a small project, needle, thread and scissors... The lid was way too boring however and I knew exactly who could solve that problem ... my friend Zandra of Zeal. I knew she would know the perfect papers and colors to make it mine and was so excited when I saw the finished project. I can't wait to carry it down to the beach next week...

Zandra and I will be sharing a booth at Artbeat in July, so make sure to stop by and visit us!

2008-06-12T14:50:00.002-05:00

Girls Night Out Bag

I'm looking forward to a girls night out tonight with a bunch of the moms from Kolya's school. They are such a great eclectic group that have found a great balance between being moms and pursuing their own interests and dreams. So, I whipped up a little bag to go with my dress tonight. I wanted something fresh and summery and had this cute place mat among my fabric stash. I have really been trying to think outside the box when shopping and thrifting ... looking for items that are just begging to be re-purposed. I added some polka dotty fabric to the sides ... a bamboo handle hangs from hand-cut bias tape. I'm ready to step out tonight!

2008-06-11T13:12:00.002-05:00

Nesting

Our neighbor rang us this afternoon to tell us about a bird's nest that had fallen into her yard. Thankfully it's feathery occupants had already moved out. Kolya and I padded over to her yard in our bare feet to inspect her find and she let us take it home! Kolya and I have plans of painting some rock "eggs" for out nest at the beach next week... In the meantime my new little embroidered bird sachet from Anthro might occupy it for a bit... (The place mat an birdie are a part of my birthday goodies from my dear friend Monica. Thank you M!)

Another order of zippers arrived at my door today. I have bunches of zip pouches in the works for Artbeat in July and I can tell how quickly that date is going to sneak up on me. Make sure to mark July 19th in your calendars and come and pay us a visit. I will be sharing a booth with Zandra from Zeal and we both have some new goods to share! Sign up on the SimplyJune mailing list if you haven't already to make sure you receive a special postcard invite in the coming weeks...

2008-06-11T06:47:00.003-05:00

Craft: Issue 07 Release Party - BOSTON

If you are local to the Boston area, check out this cool upcoming event hosted by Alison Gordon (The Sampler) and Simone Alpen (Greenward). Check out Craft Magazine's blog for updates and reviews of release parties in other cities. I'm planning to attend and am meeting up with Melissa from Yummy Goods. See you there!

2008-06-10T19:08:00.003-05:00

Vinyl Wall Art

I've had my eye on this website for a while... check out Vinyl Wall Art when you get a chance. They offer an endless collection of clever decals for your walls. This is perfect if you rent or like to change up the look of your walls as often as I do! Now someone just needs to invent a paint that works like the paint bucket tool in Photoshop...

They are also offering a clever little giveaway on their blog right now, so spread the word!

2008-06-10T16:29:00.004-05:00

Posie Locket

This idea has been floating around in my mind for quite a while and I finally sat down to create it this afternoon. I used a bullion stitch to create the posie. After endless struggling with cotton embroidery floss, I decided to try cotton pearle floss. It has enough of a sheen to slide the base thread through the wrapped portion. I attached my design to a vintage brass locket and added some modern findings. I think its the perfect summer accessory...don't you?

Oh and if you haven't stumbled upon or heard about this new business... check out Spoonflower. They are a new service that allows you to print your own fabric designs! Oh the possibilities! I feel giddy just thinking about it. They are still in the beginning stages and appear to be at the "invitation only" stage right now, but you can register on their site to receive an invitation in the future. Check out their blog for some great previews of orders that have already been printed...
Brilliant idea!

2008-06-04T09:05:00.002-05:00

Polka Dotty Zip Pouches

The school year is quickly coming to an end. Kolya has one more week of school, but his teacher is having a special moving up celebration on Friday. I'm such a sucker for little kids performing songs with hand motions. Anyway, I've been whipping up some goodies for his teachers including zipper pouch sets. (I promise there will be plenty at my next show for those of you who have been inquiring.)

The rain is coming down steady today...the perfect kind of day for embroidery and yo-yo making ... Alexi Murdoch in the background... dark cashmere incense burning... slipper sock mary janes covering my toes...

2008-06-03T14:55:00.004-05:00

Polka Dotty Yo-Yo Flowers...All in a Row

I'm busy in the studio working on end-of-the-year teacher's gifts...goodies for my Etsy shop & even more goodies for an upcoming show - stay tuned for more on that!

I have been happily hand sewing fabric yo-yos with no particular project in mind. But, last night they were just begging to be flowers. This cute polka dotty garden dish cloth is in the Etsy shop!

June is definitely my month in more ways than one... Did I ever mention that my birthday falls on June 1st? It is also my middle name, but the two have nothing to do with each other. Now it is the name of my little cottage industry too and it seems to just suit me. Happy Tuesday!

2008-06-03T13:38:00.012-05:00

Bug Expedition

Kolya and I headed out on a bug expedition this morning. With magnifying glass, bug catchers and bug jar in hand, we arrived at the Garden in the Woods ready to explore! Kolya has always been a bit timid with bugs. Especially for a child who is most happy when covered from head to toe in dirt. We had a four-legged winged creature in our car the other day who we named "Fred" and that seems to have made all the difference. Especially once he learned that Fred likes to eat lettuce instead of little boys. So, we packed up our gear this morning and headed for our adventure. I happily snapped pictures while Kolya chased after all types of bugs. I am NOT by any stretch of the imagination the outdoorsy type. This is not my comfort zone. I think I have mentioned this before, but I like my climate to be happily controlled by heaters and air conditioners. I don't like to swat at bugs, have dirty feet or that prickly sweaty feel. But, for the sake of my 3.5 year old son, who is ALL boy I will do it. (I did however wear a cute dress, pink Crocs and my favorite bug themed necklace.)

Here are some snapshots of our expedition...see if you can spot the hidden bug!

2008-05-29T15:09:00.004-05:00

Unplanned Break...New Fabrics & other Goodies

I took an unplanned blogging break, but I'm still working in the studio and getting ready for some Summer and Fall shows... Stay tuned for some show updates on Simply June...

There are a lot of new fabrics and supplies arriving in the studio...a happy spool of baker's twine & scalloped fabric shears. (Can I tell you how far and wide I have searched for these? I think Fiskars must have stopped producing them and I wasn't able to find another source...with some help I finally bought a pair from a fairly obscure sewing supplier.) Check out the cute scalloped edge on the polka dotty oil cloth!

I am so charmed by fair tales right now and couldn't resist these cute Little Red Riding hood fabrics and tape... the matching designs were actually purchased from two different sources... check out Talk to the Wind on Etsy when you get a chance. She is located in Japan and a great supplier of fabrics and Japanese craft books... she even sent some cute goodies along with my order!

Oh, and how can one resist hedgehogs? This cute Matryoshka print is my favorite and I might have to squirrel a little away for myself...

Promise I'll be back soon! Happy Thursday and a Happy Birthday to Lisa over at Artsy Fartsy!

2008-04-30T17:08:00.003-05:00

3 Zip Pouches

This trio just showed up in the Simply June Etsy Shop... I recently ordered a bunch of oilcloth retro prints and couldn't wait to have some fun with them. I've made a set for myself to help organize my tote and I might whip up a few oilcloth totes for trips to the beach this summer... Keep an eye on the shop for those too!

2008-04-16T14:39:00.004-05:00

Etsy Shop & Oven Mitts

I'm working on some new projects in the studio including this cute oven mitt. I love this leaf and ladybug fabric. It is a Japanese import and has almost a twill weight to it. The mitt is lined with pre-quilted Insul-brite . I made my own 1" seam binding with some bias cut polka dotty fabric and added a little tab as well. I have a few things I would change the next time around as the mitt is a bit wonky in areas. But, I know the changes I want to make and hopefully I will add a few to the shop soon. Speaking of the shop... It is really in need of a total overhaul and I think that might be on the plate for this evening. I have recently opened an Etsy Shop and am planning on linking that to my original site. I'd like to at least see how this works for me. I also plan on redesigning the look of the site...you know - in my spare time... :)

I really think I should break this pot holder in with cookies...

2008-04-16T14:10:00.005-05:00

Anthro Tea Towel

Lookie what came in the mail for me!!!!!!!! My Oprah sent me this gorgeous tea towel from my beloved Anthropologie. I love every detail and color in it. When I opened it up, I happened to put it down on my table right next to a paint swatch I had been pondering over for the dining room and that wonderful antiqued, mustard yellow popped out at me. Check out that cute pom pom trim too! It reminds me of a little hobnail glass lamp from when I was a child. It had a white shade with pom pom trim and if I remember correctly sat in a guest room with green carpeting that reminded me of a bed of moss...

P.S. Thank you O!

2008-04-14T09:50:00.004-05:00

My Black Apple Doll

I finally got a few minutes to whip up my Black Apple Doll last week... She is looking sweet in her polka dot duds and blue crocheted scarf. Emily Martin of the Black Apple shared this cutie pattern on Martha a few weeks back.

Happy Monday everyone! I'm in the studio this afternoon needle felting some flowers for Spring and sourcing purse handles for some Summer accessories...

2008-04-09T12:32:00.005-05:00

Stitched Portfolio

I have been busy in the studio putting together my portfolio for an upcoming juried show deadline. I actually need to have it in the mail tomorrow and the show is not until November! I'm used to having to think ahead, but this one is really keeping me on my toes. I have been working on tear sheets for my portfolio that I can mix and match for different applications, but I wanted something unique to present my work in. Z came up with the idea of sewing a cover for my portfolio and then it sort of evolved from there. I love how it turned out and I think I might need to whip up a cute cover for my day planner now.

I have many other little projects in the works and I am so thankful to be back to sewing now. I also had the treat of getting to listen to an interview with my ultimate crafting icon over a Craft Sanity this week. It is so inspiring to listen to the thoughts of a like minded crafty soul...someone who really recognizes the NEED to make...to design...to create. Pop over for a listen if your so inclined...

2008-04-03T17:07:00.002-05:00

Happy Gotcha Day Kolya!

Kolya, Jason and I became a family two years ago today... Happy Gotcha Day Kolya! We are so happy that we get to experience life with you.

2008-04-01T13:22:00.005-05:00

Ahhh, Back to my Creative Life...

All of my time and creative energy has been going into the Multicultural Fair that I have been Co-Chairing this year. The event finally arrived this past Saturday! It was really a great day and we had a very nice turnout. So many of our friends came to celebrate too and that made the day even more special to me. I was able to try out a little of my gourmet creativity on Friday by baking for the fair. I made Vietnamese Almond Cookies, Chinese Egg Tarts, Russian Tea Cookies and Guatemalan Cookies featuring a creative mix of chocolate and cayenne pepper!

I have so many ideas for the coming months and hopefully some juried shows coming up this summer. I have been stockpiling new fabrics and ideas all anxiously waiting to be realized. Stay tuned for some fun needle felted flowers, appliqued dish towels and embroidered patchwork pouches!

I have have also been doing a little bit of painting to relax. I am not particularly good at it, but gosh do I really enjoy it and my little wonky "masterpieces." :)

2008-03-06T09:49:00.006-05:00

Fabric Swap?

Looking to add some fabric to your stash? As I continue to purge my studio, I have been going through hundreds of yards of fabric ... sorting and refolding. I've put together two groups of give-aways so far and thought I'd offer them up to you! So, I propose a swap. I'd love to swap for just about anything... buttons, trim, other fabric, craft books, your designs/artwork... you name it.

Upholstery Weight...

The first pile consists of all upholstery weight fabrics. These are all new fabrics. From left to right (top photo) ... Medium weight denim with an aged look and floral type design; Screen printed blue on creme toile (5th Avenue Designs for Covington); Laura Ashley English Country Print; Ralph Lauren Paisley (2 pieces); Laura Ashley English Country Print (2 pieces); "Paysannerie" by Thibault. These are all decent sized pieces...some up to 2 yards +/-. I can give exact measurements by request.

Silks, etc...

The second pile consists a variety of silks and unique fabrics. These are all new fabrics. From left to right (top photo) ... Cranberry Red Nylon Lining Fabric (4 or 5 yds.); pale icy blue silk with creme embroidered dots; Sage Green silk with embroidered flowers; Not sure what type of fabric this is...gold and black embroidered leaves (4 +/- yds. ); Gold dupioni silk with basket weave embroidery; Pleated sage silk lined with complementary colored silk with stitched folds; Variegated silk with black and light sage threads; Not sure what type this is...copper and gold sheen changes color with movement...pieced diamond patter. Amounts of fabric vary. I can give exact measurements by request.

So, leave a comment or send me an e-mail info (at) simplyjune.com and lets swap!

2008-03-05T15:31:00.002-05:00

Caps for Kids

My studio purge is continuing... Yesterday I went through my yarn stash. It is really unbelievable the amount of yarn I have for someone who only occasionally crochets and knits - maybe that is the problem! So, I sorted through a couple of bins keeping only my favorite fibers. Now what to do with all of the yarn? I got in contact with a lovely woman who makes hats, scarves and mittens for Caps For Kids via Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. These items are then distributed to children in various schools, shelters and organizations throughout the Boston area. I'm so excited that I can contribute - even in a small way!

2008-03-05T10:45:00.003-05:00

Sampler Party at Spark Crafts

A few weeks ago my friend Zandra (of Zeal) and I headed out to Cambridge to the Sampler: Boston launch party at Spark Crafts. It was so great to meat Alison as well as a bunch of other indie crafters! I'm definitely excited to contribute to future Samplers...but in the meantime, I think she still has a few Boston Samplers left in the shop - go check them out. If you live in the Boston area, a trip to Spark is also a must. The shop was huge and had all of the best supplies from yarn to craft books and beads. The shop is also very welcoming with the sun shining in the store front windows and a little sitting area to curl up and flip through some of their books.

At the party, we each got a cool goodie bag and contributors got a cute tote bag designed by Marissa Falco over at marissaland.

Alison has now added some new bloggers to her website too...can't wait to see what she thinks up next!

2008-03-04T13:56:00.004-05:00

Craft Books & Studio Purge

I have been purging my studio for the last few days. It is definitely a process of making it worse before it gets better... I literally have a mountain of stuff in one corner that I am trying to sift through and decide whether to keep, give away or throw out. We have been doing this process throughout our home in a quest for simpler living...a life of things we LOVE. I think as a visual person, I tend to keep things for sentimental reasons simply because they are visually familiar. I may have little or no real attachment to them, but I keep them for the comfort of familiarity. I have definitely grown as we have gone through the process and am actually finding it quite cathartic now. However, my studio is just a whole new prospect. I have an entire wall of shelving containing clear plastic bins. I'm not surprising a visual organizer. I like to be able to see what I have. I also like creating in the moment and being able to design based on the colors and textures around me. So, it is hard to know what items will bring such inspiration... what do I purge? On the other hand, if I have more than I can store effectively then I lose my creativity to chaos. So, I am trying to find that balance and I'm excited to get back to creating in my studio.

In the few quite moments that I have, I love to read craft books. I love getting inspiration and techniques from other crafters and designers. I am so lucky to have an amazing library system from which to borrow. I have the databases for all of the libraries in our network at my fingertips and am able to request books to be delivered to my local library...brilliant! So, here is a current stack I have been pouring over...

2008-02-28T18:22:00.002-05:00

The Bee and Her Flowers - Albina Rose

We have been having dreary rainy and snowy weather her lately... not at all good for taking photographs. A little sun peaked through my dining room window this afternoon, so I quickly took a few shots to share with you over the coming days. This one is a fabulous necklace I picked up on Etsy from Albina Rose...mixed media jewelry. I am a bit addicted to checking Etsy's hand-picked items throughout the day. I love the common threads between the pieces chosen. When I saw this piece, I fell in love with its colors, vintage textures and the overall collective feel of the piece - as if stones and charms found their way to it over time...

2008-02-14T18:06:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day + New RED Shoes

Happy Valentine's Day from the SimplyJune studio! I have been busy needle felting Valentine's and eating heart-shaped Peppermint Patties. Yum. Kolya had a Valentine's party at school yesterday and came home with the cutest little Valentine's...you know the one's with the goofy knock-knock jokes featuring your favorite super hero. Love those.

Jason and I are celebrating tonight after bed time with some Chinese takeout and a movie. Simple and romantic for the parents of a toddler. It has actually always been my kind of date anyway. For some reason, the movie theater just doesn't do it for me. I have to sit in the way back even during comedies so as not to get woozy. Forget about taking me to an action flick. I also have to pee just at the thought of not being able to. :) I'm such a girl... Anyway, so...my couch...a remote control...Chinese take-out....what more could a girl ask for?

Oh, and look what shiny, red, new goodness arrived on my doorstep today! New RED shoes! I've been searching far and wide for the perfect pair of red mary janes and here they are and so comfy too! Oh, and they came packed in the BEST foam for needle felting...I'm such a crafting geek.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

"My Oprah" is Getting Married!

Well I have shouted it to every corner of the greater Boston area...so why not blog about it too? "My Oprah" is getting married! O.k. so if you've stopped by before, you know that "Oprah" is my dearest friend Carey... my best friend... my Oprah-Gail. And, no offense to the intelligent, talented, devoted Gail, but hey...we both wanted to be Oprah. So, now we are each other's Oprah-Oprah and she has asked me to be her "Oprah of Honor" in her wedding! I am so beyond honored and excited and want to shout it out...Congrats to Carey and her "Renaissance Man" Tim! (The guy is smart, funny, artistic, handsome and built his own kayaks!)

Here is a peek at the wedding monogram I designed for them...

2008-02-11T14:25:00.001-05:00

Valentine Felted Flower Brooches

I mailed cute Valentine brooches to a few of my lovely Valentines today. I picked up a little needle felting kit at my local craft store a few weeks ago and took my first try at this craft and loved it. What is not to love about stabbing wool with a needle into foam...relieving the tensions of the day... I have tried wet felting before in the form of bead making. I love working with a beautiful palette of colors and texture, but it is so time consuming. I was talking to another crafter at a show this winter who makes the most beautiful felted wool earrings. She tends to make a whole array of beads and then selects them for size. She also mentioned that even as you get better at felting, there is no shortening the process. I have a whole new respect for felted items! Check out lusitania's shop on Etsy sometime...

Last week I placed an order for Merino roving from The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn. I'm dying to get a chance to visit the shop some day...maybe on a trip to Renegade? They carry a huge palette of the softest Merino roving and I selected about 15 colors to start my collection. I love the idea of painting with fiber. These flower pins are likely just the start of many new ideas and I can't wait to evolve in my designs. I also love the organic feel of the designs when you use natural materials.

Oh, and the darling "je t'aime" Valentines are courtesy of the Black Apple...head over and print some out for your lovelies!

2008-02-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

Poor, neglected blog...

Oh, poor neglected blog. I do still love you. I have been buried in the plans for a Multicultural Fair for our adoption agency. It is sure to be a fun event, but it is definitely consuming all of my beloved "nap time". I have been stealing a few moments for ordering supplies for some upcoming SimplyJune designs. How delightful are those little ladybugs and climbing vines? I've been craving red and white polka dots too... Check out Repro Depot if you've never stopped by before.

2008-01-31T08:42:00.000-05:00

Craft Fair ... Zeal

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Join SimplyJune this Saturday, February 2nd from 10:30-2pm at Newton South High School, 140 Brandeis Road; Newton Centre, MA for a craft show. We will have some of our old favorites as well as some new goodies including children's beanbag sets, new wipe-clean children's aprons and gift tags.

Also stop by to visit our friend Zandra Zuraw from Zeal: Paper Crafts for the Home and check out her colorful and eclectic boxes, frames, coasters, lampshades and more...

Keep an eye out for the upcoming City Sampler: Boston at the Sampler! SimplyJune has contributed 20 hand embroidered buttons that will be distributed in this new featured Sampler. The Sampler is a great way to check out some amazing indie artists and get some great goodies in the mail.

SimplyJune has also contributed a raffle basket valued at $200 to the Alliance For Children's 7th Annual Multicultural Fair to be held Saturday March 29th from 12-3pm at Wellesley High School. This incredible event celebrates the wonderful cultural diversity of our world and includes music and dance performances from Latin America, China, Eastern Europe and more as well as children's crafts, food, raffle and a marketplace. The annual raffle raises money for the Alliance for Children Foundation which is dedicated to improving the physical and emotional well being of abandoned children living in orphanages in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. My husband and I adopted our son Nikolai through Alliance for Children in 2006 and are honored to support this wonderful organization. If you would like more information about this wonderful event or are interested in supporting the Alliance For Children Foundation through the purchase of raffle tickets, send us an e-mail at info (at) simplyjune.com.

Karen June

Hand Embroidered Buttons for the Sampler: Boston by SimplyJune

Lampshades by Zeal

Boxes by Zeal

Coasters by Zeal

2008-01-22T16:10:00.000-05:00

Boston-Based Indie Designers... The Boston Sampler

Check out The Sampler...they have moved to Weymouth and are having a Local Sampler featuring items from crafters and DIYers from the Boston area! Contributions are due at the end of the month. They will also be having a release party at Spark Craft Studios in Cambridge to celebrate!

So, stay tuned for the new city Samplers in their Shop... and keep your eye out from some little embroidered goodies from Simply June.

As a little side note... look what the UPS man brought me today!

2008-01-18T16:18:00.001-05:00

Tea Flowers

I felt a little bit as if I were conducting a science experiment when making an afternoon cup of tea... My parents are in town this week and received this curious teapot and teas for Christmas this year. They brought it along to share. The tea comes in a 1" ball of tied tea leaves and herbs and blooms into a garden in the hot water. This particular tea was a blend of lavender, jasmine and green tea...

2008-01-16T17:37:00.000-05:00

200 + 30

200 posts! Hurray!

This weekend we had a little celebration for my husband Jason's 30th birthday. I centered the event around a 1930's theme with Big Band/Swing in the CD player...art deco designs...a black and white color palette for the table...chocolate dipped tuxedo strawberries...and Manhattans at the bar. I love that we have friends that enjoy those little details as much as we do.

My 30th was two years ago. 30 was a wonderful transitional year for me. I don't know quite how to explain it other than I just eased into the comfort of being me. My actual birthday on the other hand was notably one of the most weighty days in our family life. We had started the adoption process that Spring and had a referral for a little boy in Moscow. He was 2 years old...charming...beautiful...sad...soulful... He had grabbed my heart. We knew very little about him other than what we could see in the photographs and video. We thought he must be our son. Our life was in slow motion for weeks. We had chosen not to share this part of our adoption journey. There are too many hard details to share, but those long weeks culminated in a grieving process that began with very hard news on my birthday. But, with every growth in life...every transition and awakening comes some pain... some sadness. So, this year Jason and I celebrated together the transition of 30 and the joys of being a family of 3 with our son Kolya...who was so clearly meant to be ours.

2008-01-10T10:13:00.001-05:00

Wool & Water

When you have a moment, pop on over to visit artist Amy Earles in her Etsy shop Wool and Water or check out her portfolio at Pushed Under. I recently bought one of her jointed paper doll sets ... Delicate Heart. There is a certain "old sole" quality to her characters...oh and that delightful little dress and ballet laced shoes! This little gal now hangs from a vintage red button on one of my walls...

2008-01-08T11:23:00.001-05:00

Posh Peacock

I spent the last few months meeting so many new talented and delightful designers at shows and I hope to introduce a few of them to you in the coming days. I met the stylish, creative and business minded Christine Koh from Posh Peacock at The Cool and Groovy Craft Fair in Cambridge back in December. Take a peek over at her shop for her colorful crisp designs and custom lines as well. I picked up a number of her cards at the show. Her designs, presentation and quality are impeccable. I also picked up this cute set of quilted coasters. Though not typical of her line, they offer up the same beautiful colors and lines and were an offshoot of her daughters bedroom re-design. I'm personally loving her dot monogram flats...

2007-12-26T16:18:00.000-05:00

Crazy Jayne's

I hope that you all had warm and peace-filled holidays! Our family stayed home and enjoyed the special time together...exchanging presents, eating goodies and experiencing the joy of Christmas through the eyes of a 3 year old!

Simply June is already hitting the ground running. I have so many ideas for the new year and so many new friends have been knocking on our doors with opportunities. We are so thankful!

The online shop is going to be updated soon with new items and some of the "old favorites". I'm doing a little research before I pick out my new umbrella photography lights...a gift from my parents for Christmas! I'm excited to take new product photos and get the shop up stocked.

Simply June goodies are soon to be found in other shops as well...stay tuned for more news on that!

If you are in the Boston area, stop by Crazy Jayne's who is now carrying our pre-K and children's wipe-clean aprons! The proprietress, Gretchen, is absolutely delightful as is the whole atmosphere of her shop. You absolutely have to go in and take a peek.

2007-12-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

Deck the Halls

I'm still here! We recently finished up a successful holiday season of craft shows and then jumped right into our own holiday merriment...decorating our digs, baking cookies, spending time with friends, tearing open presents that have been arriving on our doorstep daily... I have so many things to share and can't wait to fill you in on all of the happenings at SimplyJune.

I decked our halls this week with some new "Merry Christmas" banners that I made and gave some to friends to spread the cheer. Can I tell you how much I love ultra fine glitter? I'm seriously going to have glittered the whole house by the end of the season.

We also priming for a VERY white Christmas here in New England... two snow storms last week and a predicted dusting turned into a day of fluffy white snow falling from above. Our first major storm of the season arrived last Thursday and workers took to the roads early for a safer commute home. Jason was on the road for 5 1/2 hours driving his regular 45 minute commute. We were very happy to welcome him to a toasty warm home.

So, visit again...we're back with lots of little goodies to share.

2007-11-29T12:47:00.000-05:00

Matryoshka Ornaments

These little gals along with some of their friends are going to my show tonight. I designed the doll in Illustrator and then my right hand man, Jason, carved it out for me from a linoleum block. Did you do this type of project in school?... I made a zebra in 7th grade. I absolutely loved my art teacher. She was young, fun, a little quirky, totally relateable to an awkward 13 year old. One day she actually brought a whole bunch of her jewelry into class that she wanted to recycle and each of the girls got to pick out something for themselves. I picked a silver ring with three small turquoise stones in it. I still have that ring. As far as I was concerned, this teacher was sharing her precious jewels with us and I felt really special. Anyway, back to the print block...I then used a brayer to spread fabric ink on the block and stamped the design onto natural linen fabric. I then embroidered freehand flowers to dress her up a bit. The back of these stuffed ornaments features a Japanese import Matryoshka fabric...very cute.

I will also be taking orders for these gals until December 16th. They retail for $10 + $2 s&h. They make a perfect hostess gift, stocking stuffer or package decoration.

2007-11-15T13:49:00.001-05:00

Embroidered Nataliyas & Wool Buttons

Some new Embroidered Wool Nataliyas will be making their debut at this weekend's show... designs are stitched free-hand, so each is one-of-a-kind. The Nataliyas are sewn from lambs wool coating fabric and would look delightful tucked under the arm of a vintage style wool pea coat...

2007-11-15T12:10:00.000-05:00

Anthropologie Wish List

I just realized the other day that there is a wish list on the Anthropologie website ... brilliant! Of course, there should be a "select all" feature as everything in that store is just more beautiful and unique than the next, but here are the highlights on my wish list...

I am reallying loving birds right now and need to add a few to the sparrows already flitting around my kitchen walls...

Bird Watcher's Pillow, Neutral
(Paired with the following pillow on a comfy chair...love the ruffle and tweed)

Bird Watcher's Pillow, Rose
(Embroidery and Patchwork...something I would make if I had the time to indulge...)

blue finches dishtowel
(Have to have... really just not an option.)

counting birds wall art
(Delightfully fun...just noticed a set framed at my friend "Z's" house too! )

Racha Trivet
(Mmm...I can smell the pie cooling on this right now...)

retro kitchen timer
(I keep adding retro splashes to our kitchen...loving this retro red.)

nestling measuring cups
(Delightful colors...seriously can you bake without a set of these?)

mistral eau de parfume

Wild Blackberry (Purple): a heady cocktail of berries and grenadine topped with a dash of vanilla
(I try this one every time I visit their store...I'm sure I'm responsible for using at least half of the tester bottle!)

2007-11-14T16:58:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Events Calendar

Finally….I have a small batch of Irene Totes, Dorothy Clutches, Nataliya Silhouettes & Child's Wipe-Clean Aprons up in the Shop…

I have a lot going on in the Simply June studio, so if you don't see something you are looking for…don't hesitate to ask. We have lots of Fleur Bobbies, Embroidered Buttons, Embroidered Hair Ties, Magnets…just no time to photograph everything with so many upcoming shows…

So, stop by at one of our shows to say hi! & check out some new goodies that you won't even see in the shop until after the holidays...

Events Calendar

Saturday, November 17th • 9-4pm • Holliston Newcomers Club Craft Fair • Holliston High School • 370 Hollis Street • Holliston, MA
Tuesday, November 27th • 6:30-9pm • Private Show • Newton
Thursday, November 29th • 5-8:30pm • Ben-Hem Holiday Boutique • Bennett-Hemenway Elementary School • 22 East Evergreen Road • Natick, MA
Sunday, December 2nd • 10-4 • Celebrate Newton! • Newton South High School • 140 Brandeis Road • Newton Centre, MA
Thursday, December 6th • 6-9pm • Shed, Inc. Holiday Shopping Night • SHED Inc • 65 Phillips Street • Andover, MA 01810
Saturday, December 8th • 11-3pm • Cool and Groovy Holiday Craft Fair II • Peabody School • 70 Rindge Avenue • Cambridge, MA
Sunday, December 9th • 11-6pm • Holiday Arts Happening • DCU Center, Worcester • 50 Foster Street • Worcester, MA

2007-11-07T16:19:00.001-05:00

Holiday Art & Craft Faire

Stop by tomorrow and visit Simply June at the following event:

Saturday November 10th - 9:30 - 4:30pm
11th Annual Holiday Art & Craft Faire - Concord Scout House; 74 Walden Street; Concord, MA - more than 30 fine Artisians

Look forward to seeing you there!

Also check out some new holiday beauties making their debut at the show...

Holiday Dorothy Clutch

2007-11-06T20:10:00.001-05:00

Fortune

I just received three acceptance letters for upcoming juried shows! Simply June will be at the Holliston Newcomer's Club Holiday Boutique on Saturday November 17th, Celebrate Newton! on Sunday December 2nd and Holiday Arts Happening at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA on Sunday December 9th. I'm so excited and also feeling a bit overwhelmed... However...

This was in my fortune cookie today..."As long as you don't sign up for anything new, you'll do fine."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually get ones that say things like "You are hungry...order Chinese food now." (Seriously, I got one once...)

Stay tuned for more details...I'll be sending out a newsletter soon. Also, pop over to our mailing list to sign up for coupons that can be used at these events.

2007-11-01T14:47:00.001-05:00

Wipe-Clean Children's Aprons

I just finished a batch of children's aprons in polka dotty pink and polka dotty blue... very cute with a front pocket and wipe-clean for that messy little kid in your life... Aprons measure 17.5" x 13". They will retail for $15.00. If you want to add one to you holiday shopping list, send me an e-mail and I will set one aside for you. I will have some at the show on Saturday, but won't have time to add them to the web shop in the meantime.

Hope to see you all at the show on Saturday! Let me just say, my sewing machine is really looking forward to having the day off. :)

Saturday November 3rd - 10am-4pm
10th annual Arts & Artisans Craft Show - Saturday November 3, 2007 from 10 am - 4 pm at The Morse Institute Library. Proceeds to benefit Kids Connect, Inc. Call 508-652-4211 for more info.
14 East Central Street; Natick, MA

2007-10-29T17:12:00.001-05:00

Halloween Fun...Station #7

Happy Halloween!...A quick post while the "boys" are out trick-or-treating. I'm currently head of candy distribution and "quality control" (a self-appointed, yet very important job). Kolya had a party at school today. Parents were invited to attend and it was fun to see him in his classroom setting. The teacher had set up 10 discovery stations throughout the room including a bat and ghost table (station 1) where you sorted through a large bin of shredded paper to collect little critters, how many pumpkins tall are you? (station 4), and pumpkin decorating (station 6). Kolya and I spent most of our time at Station 7... yes, folks...the snack table.

We stopped home for a quick nap and then were off to a party at the house of a classmate. This family really went all out with a huge buffet, pumpkin decorating, bobbing for donuts (donuts hanging from a string...brilliant), sidewalk chalk, homemade orange play dough, goodie bags etc. We had a fantastic time with friends on a perfect fall day...

Well, my little fire fighter should be back soon and ready to get into his fireman feetie pajamas. Happy Halloween!

2007-10-29T16:53:00.001-05:00

New Simply June Business Cards

These sweet cards arrived via the post the other day. I'm loving my new business cards...if I do say so myself. A little vintage...a little retro cherry... some visual texture...they suit me.

I placed my order with Visa Print. I ordered a sample packet and it came directly. They have some of the best pricing out there as well as a good quality and some extra deals if you use the links that they send you...clever. Their site was easy to navigate and they show you a digital proof online that proved to be quite accurate. They also shipped fairly quickly (though I think I paid a bit more to expedite the process because I have some shows coming up). I ordered 1000 and they came packaged up neatly in boxes of 250. There really is nothing more delightful than a freshly printed stack of business cards...

2007-10-29T09:39:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Events

Stop by and visit Simply June at some of these upcoming shows. I can't wait to see you there!

Saturday November 3rd - 10am-4pm
10th annual Arts & Artisans Craft Show - Saturday November 3, 2007 from 10 am - 4 pm at The Morse Institute Library. Proceeds to benefit Kids Connect, Inc. Call 508-652-4211 for more info.
14 East Central Street; Natick, MA

Wednesday November 7th - 5:30pm
Fork It Over for Girl Scouts - Wednesday November 7, 2007 ; Doors open at 5:30pm at the Courtyard by Marriott; 75 Felton Street; Marlborough, MA

Join some of the region's best chefs as they cook up unique appetizers and desserts using Girl Scout Cookies as an inspirational ingredient! Each chef will present their masterpiece before a panel of judges in a vest-or-the-best competition. Then it's your turn to indulge! A silent auction and live musical entertainment will round out this exciting event. Tax deductible tickets are $25 each.

Check out the Silent Auction including a Nataliya Silhouette Bag, Fleur Bobbies and Floweret Pin from Simply June.

Saturday November 10th - 9:30am-4:30pm
11th Annual Holiday Art & Craft Faire - Saturday November 10, 2007 from 9:30am - 4:30pm at the Concord Scout House; 74 Walden Street; Concord, MA - More than 30 Fine Artisians

Sign up on our Mailing List to receive coupons to these great events! Look forward to seeing you!

2007-10-26T15:22:00.001-05:00

Vintage Wallpaper

I love all the details and textures of vintage wallpapers. We live in an almost 100 year old house and as we have done various projects we have found bits of wallpaper from years past. I love how wallpaper can really tell the history of your home. We have some great toile in our stairwell that I have to believe is original to the house. Bits of 60's era kitchen wallpaper can be seen behind a drain access in our first floor bathroom. I love bits of history tucked away in old homes. The first six papers pictured, I picked up from Nancy at the Creative Bazaar. But the final two show a great roll that I discovered stashed in the back corner of an attic at a recent estate sale. The home was located in an affluent town and was owned by a watercolor artist. She seemed to have dabbled in a bit of everything (a girl after my own heart). I started on the first floor and then made my way up to the second...finding a custom vintage dress form (you can see it in yesterdays post, but more on that another day) and then a pile of old sketch books and watercolor paper. I piled all of the books and papers in my arms and somehow made my way up into the attic area where I discovered the wallpaper. I finally found a spot to stash my finds and free my hands for more discoveries. I get so excited squirreling away my finds. Jason, however, is convinced that they love seeing me arrive to purchase all of the "junk" that no one else wants. What!?! That is just not possible...

2007-10-25T14:10:00.001-05:00

Friends

I'm so thankful for my friends and had the nice treat of dining with two of my dearest at "our place" last night. We try to go out to dinner every couple of months to celebrate life, friendship, birthdays, etc. We always go to the same restaurant where they have these great circular booth areas that are almost like having your own little room within the restaurant. The colors and lighting are cozy and inviting and the food and wine is just delectable. We catch up on each other's busy lives and listen to the good and the bad. The time together is safe and rejuvenating. We have also started the tradition of bringing little goody bags for one another...some gifts funny, some symbolic, favorite new lotions or scents, magazines with recipes to try and share, books that have moved or changed us...always something to remind us and tide us over to our next dinner...

I made one of my favorite skinny scarves for the girls. I forget now where the pattern is from, but posted about it a while back. So, here they are...maybe little reminders that I'm thinking of them...

2007-10-23T15:18:00.001-05:00

Vintage Handkerchiefs

I picked up these lovelies from Nancy at the Creative Bazaar the other week. I loved each of these for their colors, designs, cute edging...all delightfully pretty. Everything is so disposable these days...we use so many paper products in our daily lives. Paper towels instead of lovingly embroidered tea towels, boxes of tissues instead of personalized handkerchiefs, vinyl tablecloths replacing table coverings handed down by generation...now of course many a day I say thanks for disposable diapers! Now off to find a cute vintage style blouse with a pocket to tuck my vintage hankies...

Endless creating is happening in the Simply June studio... I have a batch of fleur bobbies in the making, stacks of tote bags cut and ready to be sewn. We have a big lineup of shows coming up. I'll be adding an Event button on the Simply June website soon. Make sure to sign up on our Mailing List to receive special coupons that can be used at our events as well as some online deals for your holiday shopping.

** Simply June's next show will be Saturday, November 3rd in Natick, Massachusetts.

2007-10-17T16:46:00.001-05:00

Creative Bazaar

Last weekend we took a trip out to Hyannis, Massachusetts to join with some old friends and new ones for the Creative Bazaar. It was an incredible day of chatting and sharing with other crafters, designers and bloggers. I definitely want to introduce you to some really incredible women...

Simply June's table at the Creative Bazaar. I just found the great vintage coat rack while junkin'...perfect for displaying my new Irene totes and Nataliya bags.

Me with two lovelies .... Creative Bazaar hostess, Melba and Wish Studio's Mindy. It was so nice to see both of them again.

These earrings were a purchase from the delightful Sara at Irreverent Arts... These fun earrings feature vintage medical diagrams...clever! Some of Sara's other pieces are made using glass medical slides...tying here creative side with her medical background.

I treated myself to this lovely bird necklace from Irreverent Arts.

Melba created a really incredible day...bringing so many women together. Stop over are her blog to read more about what she hopes to do in the future...

I also got a chance to meet and catch up with Kari (Artsy Mama), Jes (Sweet Peas & Junque Revival), Nancy (Cedar Breeze Collectibles), Heidi (Birds of a Feather), Melissa (Yummy Goods) & Jana . Make sure to stop by the shops and blogs of these lovely ladies.

2007-10-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

Convert

It's official...after a marathon weekend of The Office, I am an official convert. I'm not sure what took us so long to jump on the bandwagon, but there is no going back now. A couple of weeks ago, we borrowed Season 1 from the library because frankly there wasn't much else available that day. We had watched bits of maybe two episodes in the past and frankly just didn't see what all the talk was about. It was sort of like watching a documentary of inside jokes and we just weren't the cool kids.

Anyway, so we popped the DVD in and committed ourselves to watching a few episodes without any judgement. We liked the first one and then the next...and then of course went into a panic when we realized there were only six episodes in Season 1. (Mad dash back to the library where I thankfully found Season 2.) I would say we were hooked at the end of the first season, but down right obsessed by the end of Season 2.

We finished Season 2 in about a week....I know what you are thinking...total lack of commitment... A few days into watching the second season, I requested Season 3 from our library....however, still no word when we were done on Friday night. So, Saturday morning I checked all of the libraries in our network and we hopped in the Jeep and headed to Sudbury first thing. We headed straight for the DVDs,.. quickly scanned the shelf...It wasn't there! Just then, Jason and I both eye a boy of about 10 or 11 with OUR DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am seriously ashamed to say that I considered bribing the boy. He could not possibly have NEEDED that DVD as much as I did. So, back to the computer...one copy left in our library network about a half an hour away in Acton.

So, back to the Jeep and back on the road...thank you GPS...We made a dash into the library and went straight for the DVD section...it wasn't there! Jason was able to compose himself enough to ask the librarian for help and she directed us to the rental section of more popular DVDs, so Jason, Nikolai and I ran back down the stairs (Nikolai was completely enjoying the hunt...even though he had no real idea what we were doing)...and there it was. I'm quite sure the box glowed as we approached and I snatched it up in my greedy, desperate little hands. We devoured Season 3 in just a weekend...I seriously need to get back to work...

2007-10-02T16:09:00.000-05:00

We Like to Draw on Our Walls...

Drawing on the walls seems to be a natural childhood instinct... So, I painted a chalk board on our kitchen wall this weekend. Nikolai, Jason and I have been having fun drawing fire trucks, police cars and more. It is such a simple project and I was inspired by Lisa's kitchen backsplash and a new friend "Z's" kitchen cupboard. I also thought it looked great with my black and white photography and vintage typewriter. I added a red chair rail for a cleaner look and another bit of color. So, stop by for a visit and color on our walls!

2007-10-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

The Creative Bazaar...Four Points by Sheraton, Hyannis, MA

We are keeping busy and gearing up for a number of shows this holiday season. Check out some of our great new designs in the SimplyJune online shop and stop by for a visit at one of our shows in the coming months. Our next show is Saturday, October 13th at the Four Points by Sheraton in Hyannis, MA. For more information and directions, visit the event website at www.justbeconnected.com. Admission is free and Creative Bazaar goody bags will be given to the first 50 customers!

2007-09-27T16:38:00.000-05:00

Soldered Glass Pendant Necklaces

These unique glass pendant necklaces are now in the shop. They each feature my photography as well as vintage paper. All of the materials I use are lead-free. Take a peek and feel free to contact me if you are interested in a custom piece.

I'm working on stocking the shop for the holiday season. I am also lining up a number of local shows happening in the next few months. I will be listing those on the Simply June website soon. I hope you will all stop by for a visit!

2007-09-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

Vintage Tablecloth Quilt

I know I've blogged about this beauty before, but this vintage tablecloth quilt if finally up in the Shop... I just love this one. The white is so crisp and the colors so vivid. I choose only tablecloths in the best vintage condition and this particular one is made from a very heavy woven cotton. I used natural 100% cotton batting and 100% cotton fabric for the backing. The entire piece is sewn by hand including the binding. I love the hand stitching as it adds a wonderful quality that just can't be replicated by machine. So, it is up in the shop now and sure to become a family keepsake.

2007-09-20T14:04:00.001-05:00

Shop Updates

Two new Nataliya-Silhouettes have made their way into the shop today. You will also find some other goodies that will be making their debut shortly including photo pocket mirrors, handmade bias tape and soldered pendant necklaces.

Check out Nataliya - Silhouette on location on the South Shore...

2007-09-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

Woven Garment Labels

Our new labels arrived from Fancy Weaver! As a small indie business you really have to pinch your pennies when it comes to custom labels, packaging, etc. On the other hand, it is so important to portray a unified look and quality in both your work and branding. I know woven garment labels are the topic of many blog posts that I read...along with many great tutorials on making your own. When I first started Simply June, I searched high and low on the internet and finally found a company in Australia that would do short runs of black labels with white text (a rarity for some reason in short run options). I was generally happy with my labels and the price, but had limited font choices. In our case, Simply June in its specific font with 'June' italicized is our logo. So, from there I decided to make my own labels and had a custom rubber stamp made. I used fabric ink on twill tape, heat set it and then treated the cut edges for fraying. I was actually really happy with the result, but the time consuming process of making them was discouraging. So, back to my search... I then stumbled upon Fancy Weaver on Ebay... 200 labels, any font, black with white text, heat cut, $35 and no shipping! What did I have to lose? They just arrived the other day and my next order is sure to be much bigger. They are high quality, nicely packaged and the company is great at communicating and sending proofs. Spread the word!

New Nataliya - Silhouettes in the shop soon!

2007-09-04T09:18:00.001-05:00

justBe...Connected

Check out this amazing event coming up in October in Hyannis... This incredible weekend for creative bloggers offers opportunities to meet other bloggers from all over as well as an exciting selection of workshops...and a Creative Bazaar! Make sure to stop and visit Simply June at this event...we can't wait to meet you!

justBe...Connected will gather Creative Blogger

& other like-spirited souls together

for friendship, food, fun, workshops,

and a fabulous Creative Bazaar open to the public

October 12-14, 2007

at the Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis, MA

***

The Creative Bazaar is an indie craft fair

taking place during justBe...Connected

on Saturday, October 13, 2007

*vendor spaces available for The Creative Bazaar.

***

2007-08-27T17:04:00.001-05:00

Long, Lazy Days of Summer

We haven't gone anywhere...just enjoying some long, lazy days at the beach... It is hard to believe that summer is quickly coming to an end. I suppose I say this at the change of each season, but there is something about summer that makes you take one more glance back...to squeeze a few more sun-drenched days with nothing to do.

Around the house, we are preparing for the first day of pre-school! Nikolai has been strutting his stuff with his new backpack and school clothes. In celebration of being such a big boy, he also moved into his new bed. It is a flashy red fire truck complete with a light! Very cool in his 3 year old world!

I'll leave you with some pictures of Lucas basking in some beach sun. This dog KNOWS how to kick back...

2007-08-16T10:09:00.001-05:00

New Reinforced Bases

The Nataliya Bag received an update this week... new reinforced bases. All future Nataliyas as well as the ones in our shop will have this added structure insert in a matching or coordinated fabric....giving the bags more structure so that you can stow more of your daily necessities.

Our new Irene tote is in the works, so keep your eye on the shop for its arrival in the next month.

2007-08-16T09:53:00.001-05:00

Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri

Last night we had the Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri...a slight variation on Susan Spungen's recipe in Recipes, a collection for the modern cook. This made Jason's top ten list and a must for the next time we have guests. It was fabulous and I prepared Spungen's Potato Tostones and an organic vegetable medley to accompany it. I loved the grilled chicken balanced with the cool chimichurri...perfect for a summer evening meal. Though, I must warn you...major "shallot breath" afterward. Jason and I decided this must be said with a Scottish accent ... picture Shawn Connery...sounds much more sophisticated that way.

Chimichurri...garlic, shallot, parsley, cilantro, oregano, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, white wine vinegar, olive oil

2007-08-15T11:30:00.001-05:00

Tea for Two

Nikolai and I are on a baking spree inspired by Jennifer Appel's Buttercup Bakes at Home. It includes over 75 recipes from Buttercup Bake Shop in Manhattan. I popped by the library the day after receiving some heavenly cookies from Levain and had to grab this book off the shelf. Below are pictured the Banana Blueberry Muffins...blueberries fresh from my parent's garden...featuring the subtle zing of lemon zest. Mmm. These are absolutely delectable served warm. (As a side note, I'm beginning to wonder if Nikolai things it is completely normal to take a picture of your food before you eat it. The little guy is always nipping at my heels waiting for a taste of something we have cooked up and I'm futzing with lighting, props, etc. I can just picture him at pre-school in the Fall waiting for his teacher to take a picture of his snack before he eats it... Oh, golly.)

We have also tried the Caramel-Topped Toffee Pecan Blondies...heavenly. With the smell emanating from the oven, these guys just didn't stand a chance of getting photographed. I'm thinking the almond extract stole the show with these.

Nikolai and I have also been working our way through Susan Spungen's Recipes, a collection for the modern cook. Tonight's dinner will be the Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and Potato Tostones. I prepared the chimichurri last night so that some could be used as a marinade. However, when I took out the steak that I purchased on Sunday it had spoiled. So, I substituted it with some chicken breasts I had on hand. I think the flavors will still work with the chicken. Earlier this week, we made the Little Black Dress Cake shown in the second photograph. This cake features ground hazelnuts and a Sour Cream Ganache as well as a combined total of 18 oz. of bittersweet chocolate. It is decadent to say the least and worth the various steps to make.

2007-08-15T09:11:00.001-05:00

Custom Monogram Onesies

These cuties were a custom order last week for a new set of twins. I love taking custom orders because I enjoy thinking of the recipients while I make something. It reminds me of the Amish custom of quilting bees when all of the women gather to sew a quilt for a soon-to-be-married couple. I like to think of all of the love and good wishes that are sewn with each stitch. Welcome to the world "N" & "K"...

2007-08-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

Glass Photo Mirrors

I made these two pocket mirrors and fabric cases as little gifts for my girls night out the other night. I made these using the same technique as the necklace. I cut the glass to match the 3 x 3 mirror tiles that I picked up at my local craft store. These two feature some of my photography...

I was surprised at how relatively easy it is to cut glass. For some reason it has been a skill that has intimidated me. The tools needed are rather inexpensive and include a cork-backed ruler, grease pencil, safety goggles ($4.39 at Dick Blick), glass cutter ($3.95 at Dick Blick) and scorer/breaker($9.56 at Dick Blick)...I prefer using a separate glass cutter. I like to work on a small carpet mat as it allows for the right amount of give for scoring the glass. For larger pieces, I just turn over my glass after scoring, fold the mat over and apply a bit of pressure to break along my score line. Sheet glass can be easily found at your local hardware store, but also look out at yard sales or in your basement for unused frame glass and recycle!

The best source I have found for soldering materials is actually Etsy. Check out Stained Glass * Mosaics * Collage Jewelry Art SUPPLIES. They also offer great instructions and will answer any questions you have once you begin working with the materials. They carry lead free solder, which is very important when making jewelry. I already owned a soldering iron, but ordered Canfield SILVERGLEEM, a burnishing tool, locking tweezers, lead-free flux paste, glass rectangles (they carry nice thick glass perfectly sized for pendants), flux and patina remover, block of Sal Ammoniac and flux brushes. I would also highly recommend a small vice that you can attach to your work surface. The glass heats quickly and it is nice to have your work held in place while you solder.

2007-08-08T17:02:00.000-05:00

Holy Cookie!

This bit of indulgent sweetness arrived in the mail today from Levain Bakery in NYC and was sent by my dearest friend "O". These are serious cookies...four cookies weighing in at 1.75 lbs. (Yes, I weighed them...) Such a delectable taste of New York. I had every intention of sharing them with "O" and Tim when they arrive on Friday, but... Seriously, could you stand the temptation? I'm lucky to have made it until Jason arrived home...

Thank you "O", you made my day as always.

2007-08-08T09:05:00.000-05:00

8 Random Things

Dear Mindy at The Wish Studio tagged me, so here is a little about me...

*We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
*Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
*People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
*At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and they should read your blog.

1. I love to travel and have had the opportunity to visit many parts of the world including Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Fiji, Mexico, Greece and Russia. I hope to add many more to that list.

2. I played the violin and cello while growing up and toured the world with a youth orchestra.

3. I love watching movies, but can almost never remember their endings.

4. My list of life goals includes having a book published. I'm a firm believer in stating your dreams so that they come true.

5. I am completely drawn to the Amish lifestyle and love to read books about it. However, it would be just about impossible for me to give up my camera...laptop...blogging...

6. My husband and I have both been interested in adoption since we were children and our dreams came true when we adopted our son Nikolai from Russia last year. We later found out that Nikolai was born the same time we made our decision to adopt.

7. I love to go to country auctions. I love the excitement of bidding...the atmosphere...chatter of the auctioneers...

8. I had to borrow this one from Mindy's list, but I really connected with this one. I love to read, but I have to own the books...there is something about the connection with the stories and the comfort of being surrounded by them...

9. I'm a pack rat. I believe it is somehow ingrained in me that I need to keep everything. I'm really fighting this now and learning to purge all but my favorite, most treasured objects.

10. I have an enormous fear of clowns, but happen to have a friend who is a professional clown.

Now I'm tagging...bfmomma, Artsy Fartsy, Patty's Design Blog, Lamplight Designs, The adventures of cassie, Designs by Jamie, Sweatpeas, Grow Wild...

2007-08-07T12:08:00.001-05:00

Photo Glass Pendant

I have been admiring these beautiful soldered glass pendants by many designers. Jewelry should be one way to express yourself artistically. I have looked at many pendants for one that speaks to me...tells a story...expresses a piece of me... and of course like any crafster I decided I needed to try this technique out myself. So, here is a self-portrait of my new pendant. The photograph was taken in my Aunts' house in Greece. I doctored it a bit in Photoshop to desaturate the colors of the chair and hat and really saturate the blue door. I then strung some turquoise beads to really draw your eye to the door. The back of my pendant reads

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God."

- Marianne Williamson

This piece will be a reminder to live those words.

Simply June

Bird Watcher's Pillow, Neutral(Paired with the following pillow on a comfy chair...love the ruffle and tweed)

Bird Watcher's Pillow, Rose(Embroidery and Patchwork...something I would make if I had the time to indulge...)

blue finches dishtowel(Have to have... really just not an option.)

counting birds wall art(Delightfully fun...just noticed a set framed at my friend "Z's" house too! )

retro kitchen timer(I keep adding retro splashes to our kitchen...loving this retro red.)

nestling measuring cups(Delightful colors...seriously can you bake without a set of these?)