Monday, February 10, 2014

Be my Valentine... Austin Flea


Happy Monday everyone! This is my first official post as a blogger for Pop Shop Houston. For those of you that don't know or that I haven't told yet..... I'm now their newest blog contributor! I'm super excited and nervous all at the same time. You'll see me on Pop Shop Houston once or twice a month blogging about local Austin vendors and venues. I wanted my first post to be about Austin Flea's very special Valentine's themed show. This last Saturday on the 8th I was in attendance at Opal Divine's Pennfield location along with a swarm of talented crafters and artists showcasing their handmade and vintage goods. It turned out to be a beautiful day... we even got to hear the sweet melodies of singer songwriter Andrew Blanton.
I tried to "make the rounds" and talk to every one I could. I met some new faces and got to chat with some of my old time favorites. It was jam packed and a super busy day.


Owners Josiah and Lauren Lowe make and sell soy candles
with unique names like "Unicorn Puke" and "Monkey Farts"... they smell good guys!
They also own and run a very cute boutique in Austin located on W. 30th St.


These cozies are hand crafted by Gina Gleason fresh from Austin!
This girl has some mad skills!!


Holli Brown of dish it out! Holli takes vintage ceramic goods breaks them, cuts and then sands the pieces into clever little necklaces and earrings. Aren't they just adorable? I love the vintage patterns and designs.... they are are unique. Take a gander of her on Facebook


Anyone having a baby or going to a babyshower? Well Baby bolt has got you covered.
Becka (owner and creator) have an array of kid and baby gear.
Check her out on Etsy.



The very stylish and sweet Sarah Ryall of Vintage Rich Girl displayed the most beautiful vintage tea cups.... swoon! Make sure to check out her Etsy store for vintage clothes, bags and more accesories.



Look at the little brass duckings..... awww!


Good friend, owner and creator of feto soap Lisa Chouinard. Lisa makes and array of soaps, lotion bars and lip balm. That's not all she makes... check out her Etsy store to see all of her handmade goodness.


Lisa also makes fun nail polish..... you can even mix and make your own! Follow along with Lisa on her Instagram adventure's.


I finally got to meet the very sweet Amy Davis of Monster Dance Designs.... after having many shows together and also being a member of Craft Riot you'd think we would have bumped into eachother before. Amy designs and sandblasts her glassware for our drinking pleasure. Check her out on Etsy



Each shirt is hand printed by this Eco conscious artisan family. To hear more about their earth friendly process take a look on their Etsy store. Follow along with them on Facebook as well.




Partners Kari Stringer and CeRee Hellums make one of a kind vintage tin jewelry.
Their work is truly unique... using found vintage tin cans and hand cutting each piece.
Make sure to follow them on Facebook or stop by their Etsy store.




Meet the very sweet  and crafty Andrea Genevieve. Andrea designs and sews handmade baby & toddler accesories. If you're in the market for baby gear... she is the woman to talk to. I just love her colorful patterns. I have two friends that are pregnant with their first child right now... both are having girls! I'm super excited to buy them things! I see a purchase in my near future! Visit Andrea's Etsy store and don't forget to follow her on Facebook.



You seriously have to have a paci clip...I'm just sayin'.


Moving along... right next door to Crafts by Casaverde. Another person that I'm amazed I haven't bumped into before is Erica Greenhouse also a Craft Riot member. Erica doesn't just make onesies. I spotted a very cute "Happy Rex Manning Day" shirt in her Etsy store. You can't go wrong with a "Heisenberg" onesie. Stay updated on Facebook as well.



Meet Jen Cunningham... one of my favorite crafty bottled redheads. I adore her fun and glittery headbands and comic inspired jewelry. Please visit her Etsy store or else you will regret it forever. Also, follow Jen on Facebook.



Pow! Bam!



 Brandy Davis owner and creator of Pigsey Art.
Brandy showcases vintage paper goods and books creating
lovely little journals and whimsical magnets. Follow along with Brandy via Instagram.
Also, stop by Brandy's Etsy store and check out what else she makes or follow her on Facebook.





Hey there Brandy!



I remember my first fashion show I saw in Austin. It was years back at Sola 
(one of my favorite boutiques) I saw all the models wearing Chia Hats... I was very intrigued. By the way... chia uses faux fur..... just in case you were wondering. If you're not local to Austin...Chia Hats are all over the place. I have yet to buy one but I have one in mind for next Winter. Welp, I finally got to meet Chia Guillory in person. She is as sweet and adorable as everyone says! 


I'm also loving her leather fring earrings and her Husband makes these sweet Nebula Hats as well! I highly recommend following Chia on Facebook. Check out her Etsy store as well.





Okay... everyone knows I have an obsession with succulents and recently just posted a diy on a card catalogue revamp involving succulents.... so it's no wonder why I'm attracted to Solid Earth Designs. 
Taking old car parts and other found items and turning them into living works of art. I can really dig these. 



Love these.....



Last but not least is All with Love. My crafty friend Tiffany Nappier and Evelina Nappier
(Mother and Daughter duo) combine their love of quilting and tote making powers to bring the fabulous people of Austin their fun and very warn designs. Tiffany is just the sweetest! check out her blog to stay updated on her handmade goodies.





Whew!
 I didn't get to make it around to chat with everyone... if you weren't featured don't fret. There are plenty of other opportunities and I fully believe in supporting local businesses. 
Check out Pop Shop Houston on Facebook and follow along. Hope you all enjoyed this crafty post!
xoxo


Friday, February 7, 2014

I hope you feel beautiful today...


Life is really sweet in my little corner of the world right now. I've haven't felt this good about myself in such a long, long time.... and for those of you that know me personally should understand why. For the past month I've been busting my butt working out and consistently watching my caloric intake with My Fitness Pal. For those of you that haven't heard of this app it's amazing! It's free to download and you can find friends through facebook and follow each other along on your weight loss journey. Everyone I know that has tried it and really "stuck to it" has had great success. So far I've shed a little over 7lbs and am still working my way to my ultimate goal. What is my ultimate goal you ask? It's essentially not about what I weigh in the end but I would really love to fit in my old clothes once more. I have sooo many beautiful clothes just sitting there waiting for me to be able to fit into them. Soon my friends... soon. My fitness goal is 115 lbs but I would be fine not losing weight but instead gaining muscle. It's not about losing weight but losing inches. Even the Mister is seeing a difference! I'm slowly learning to love myself inside and out and it feels amazing!!

xoxo

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Austin Flea!


Hey chic-a-dee's! How is everyone's week so far? Mine is going pretty swell... I'm buried in mountain's of crochet work but that's alright with me. I want to take a minute to tell you how super excited I am  about this Saturday's Austin Flea event at Opal Divine's. It's the perfect time to come and get your certain someone a special treat for Valentine's Day! I'll have plenty of Faux Taxidermy heads as well as cute little cupcakes, ice cream treats and donuts available! There's a plethora of goodness to pick from. Check out the list of very awesome vendors here. I also started making "mini faux taxidermy heads". They are essentially the same designs just smaller... cuter and more affordable. 
What says: "I love you" more than a faux taxidermy head? Beats me.....
If you wanna stay updated on Austin Flea's events check them out on Facebook.
You are always welcome to view my lovely Etsy shop to see what all the hub bub is about or follow me via Facebook and my favorite... on Instagram
I'll see you there!

xoxo

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Pepper Ink

I'm so freaking stoked that I stumbled across Pepper Ink on Etsy the other day! Tattoo's really excite me... especially really, really good ones! Really good, colorful and vibrant ones. Unfortunately tattoo's come at a cost. Literally... the cost. They are super expensive and then you have to get them touched up every now and then... and that's not to mention the HUGE decision to actually get one and then theirs the commitment. One bad decision can haunt you for the rest of your life. That's why I'm crazy hooked on temporary tattoo's. No... not the kind out of a gumball machine. There are some really beautiful temporary tattoo's out there! They are making a come back big time. Check out how seriously gorgeous these creations by Pepper Baldwin of Brisbane, Australia are. 











Don't hesitate to check out Pepper's about me page here and make sure to stop by her 
face book page as well. Oh and then there's her awesome website too at 

xoxo