A bright and airy collection of handmade and vintage items that will send your hear aflutter.
Enjoy and happy Valentine’s Day!
Tag: modern
Re-Decorating
The weather is officially dreary in Chi-town and the post-holiday slump is coming. The decorations have come down and the new budget is in full-effect, which means one thing: It’s time to re-decorate!
Now, when I use the term I’m not talking about going out, buying lots of new accessories and paint, and cluttering my home with more ‘stuff.’ To me, re-decorate (see the clever use of the hyphen?!) means to take what you already have in your home and re-arrange it for a new look. Continue reading
An Indie Biz: Sign Me Up
Every year I promise myself I’ll stick to last year’s show display plans – but then I start dreaming and become distracted by possibility. So I have once again undertaken the creation of new signs for my fair booth.
Last season I painted horizontal and vertical displays on balsa wood. The finished product was nice – but not large enough to catch someone’s eye from a distance.
So this year I’ve gone back to working in the medium I know best: fabric. Continue reading
Item of the Week: Flirty Flounce
I’m really looking to infuse more prints and patterns into my handmade garments. Not only does it require me to develop this portion of my skills as a designer, it’s also a real challenge as it stretches the aesthetic combinations of my pieces. By adding these re-occurring elements I’m hoping to bring more of a folksy look to my otherwise retro and urban inspired style. The Flirty Flounce is my first in many upcoming ventures to combine a feminine shape, casual cotton and whimsical pattern into one piece.
What I love about this design in particular is the soft peplum flare along the bottom and how it combines with the look of the assymetrical print. The image along the top is hand-stenciled using two different shapes – one which I created myself. I alternated the colors to enhance the ‘textural’ appeal of the garment.
The clothing sample in the photograph above also brings together some of my favorite colors for the upcoming season: teal, silver and grey. Seeing that this piece hits on all my interests and goals for upcoming looks – how could I not have chosen it as the “Item of the Week?”
Meet the Models: Caitlin
Whether it’s posting incredible finds on her blog, Wanderlustings, or creating effortlessly elegant and retro-inspired jewelry for her Etsy shop, Caitlin’s a force to be reckoned with! So how could I not invite her to pose for me in a Pierogi Picnic photo shoot?!
To get into her lovely brain further, I asked her what inspired her. Here’s Caitlin’s response:
“Possibly anything. But constants seem to be: being different, creative and driven people, cinematography, music designed to tell a story, architecture, anything experimental, Paul Pope, comic books in general, decades past, Klaus Nomi, playing pretend, Ray and Charles Eames, self-awareness and letting your imagination run wild.”
Beautiful inside and out – isn’t she?!
In With the Old, Out With the New
We all know the meaning of the word ‘adopt.’ Many of us think about orphaned children or homeless animals when hearing the verb, but what about object adoptions? Rather than purchasing mass-produced, manufactured goods new, consider changing the look of your home with pre-loved objects instead. You’ll find that you’ll create a captivating ambiance while giving an otherwise landfill-destined item a new chance for use.
People often come over and note our unique decor style and don’t realize our aesthetic was never intentional. Our mantra, for many years, has been to avoid purchasing furniture and other housewares new whenever possible. And while the DIY spirit can be felt as well – it’s really our commitment to re-using as much as possible that brings the look of our place together.
Our home is filled with tiny upcycled treasures in each nook and cranny. The majority of items came from antique markets, garage sales, dumpster dives, thrift stores or hand-me-downs. Whether it’s our couch frame that we bought from a gal in Andersonville, or the many glass bottles we’ve collected over the years, each piece has a history that gives a room it’s own character.
So next time you’re itching for a splash of color, or a new side table, consider hunting down items that are ready for re-homing. Not only will you achieve a one-of-a-kind interior design, you’ll also be lightening your footprint too.
DIY: Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Bargain hunting, thrifting, flea hopping, dumpster diving – however you do it and whatever you call it – there’s something to be said for salvaging used goods and bringing them home. Rather than purchasing a newly manufactured item, scooping up a vintage or pre-loved piece is a sure-fire way to give your home character while keeping your wallet feeling thick. But the key to re-using any kind of item is giving it a new spin. Which is where a little paint and elbow grease come in! Continue reading
Shiny Happy*People 
