Found Beauty Studio

Painting a Sofa

2012-02-16T22:37:00.001-05:00

I love Design Sponge. It's one of my favorite go-to blog reads. And as someone who spent the majority of undergrad in a costume and scene shop (that's right - theater majors of the world unite!!!), I'm thrilled that they covered painting a sofa in this post. The truth is that almost anything can be painted with the right kind of prep and paint, and fabric is no exception. I really just HAD to share this post! Oh, and if anyone tries this at home, I will require before and after pictures :)

http://www.designsponge.com/2012/02/before-after-painted-sofa.html

My Funny Valentine

2012-02-14T17:48:00.001-05:00

Happiest of Valentine's Days to you, friends! May your life be full of light, laughter, and love, no matter who you're spending the day with :)

When Mold and Mildew Strike

2012-01-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

Do you hear that? You're probably an hour or two late, but I thought you might be able to hear the echo of me screaming at the top of my lungs. Why? Because my post-college fine artwork that I've meticulously cared for through 9 moves in 12 years is covered in mold and mildew. When my partner and I bought our top half of a house from the 1800's, it didn't occur to me just how much of our place would be unheated, and thus a breeding ground for mold and mildew when the cold air outside mixes with the warm air inside.

I stored my artwork in the closet off our living room because it's large and accessible. Seems like a good place, right? Turns out that three of its walls, plus the floor are backed by our staircase entrance, which is unheated. Mold and mildew city. Here's what it looks like AFTER I spent a few hours scrubbing with bleach:

Did I mention I'm allergic to mold and wake up sniffly much of time here? Mystery solved. And my artwork. My beloved art work.

My heart literally hurts over this. Thankfully a friend pointed me to this link:

http://www.art-restoration.com/damage.htm

Here are the instructions for salvaging paintings:

"Paintings - make sure there is no water inside the framing - turn it upside down and all around to drain any sitting water behind the stretcher bars,etc. No need to remove the canvases from their frames. The paintings may become white and heavily discolored looking hopeless, but do NOT discard or give up on them. They're surprisingly resiliant and that white is like the ring on a coffee table - it's moisture trapped between the painting and the varnish and can be removed. Again, they're fragile so treat them gently until they can be stabilized.
To deal with the MOLD growing the on the paintings, lightly spray (do not saturate) the canvas, front and back, with Lysol spray (not the liquid). This will help arrest the mold growth, and you may need to repeat this a few times. When the mold is dry and powdery it is now dormant. You can then take the canvas outside it and the residue can be brush with a clean dry paint brush. Remember to wear a mask so as not to inhale the airborne spores, and be sure to remove all the debris from the back and not to allow it to accumulate under the stretcher bars!
Do not wipe the mold off, do not use anything stronger than Lysol, and above all do not use BLEACH or TILEX or anything with bleach in it, as this will cause more damage than the mold will cause and is not reversible.The paintings may still need professional cleaning and conservation, but this will help stop the mold from getting any worse until that time.Frames - remember that alot of them CAN be restored. Do not discard them until they have been examined by a conservator and let us make the determination. Water is the enemy of gold leaf and the plaster covering the wood, so it's important to allow them to dry as well and remember that it's in a particularly fragile state so don't be rough with it or it can completely fall apart before it's stabilized."

My next move today is to go buy out all the lysol in my local grocery store and then start the anti-mold procedures. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Super Simple Fleece Mitten Tutorial

2012-01-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

I live in northern Vermont and I don't know about where you are, but here it is C-O-L-D cold. In fact, according to the Burlington Free Press right now, it's this cold:

That's right, 1 degree outside and feels like -13. So it seemed like the perfect time to use up fleece scraps and put together a quick pair of mittens. You see, I lose things. A lot. And my major triumph of the last several years has been my ability to hang on to my super warm purple fleece mittens. But alas, this year they mysteriously vanished between May and October, and so I've been mittenless this winter. But today, it was time to fix that. 1 flippin' degree, people!

I googled the heck out of mitten patterns and finally settled on this: http://www.barlowscientific.com/technotes/home/mittens.htm. I'm afraid I don't know who Barlow Scientific is, but it does clearly state that this pattern was adapted from a free pattern for oven mitts this person found at a Hancock Fabric store. I like the mystery of it all. I also liked that these suckers would be big enough to double as oven mitts. Did I mention it's 1 degree outside?

I had approximately 1/3 yard of anti-pill fleece kicking around and it was enough fabric for two pairs, so my guess is that you could make this with 1/4 yard for a single pair. Here are the three pattern pieces. They make mittens sized for a women's large/men's medium or

Hand girth: 9"
Hand length: 8-3/4"
Thumb length: 3-1/4"

When I saved them from the Barlow Scientific site they were small jpegs, so I scaled them up to the recommended 1" x 1" per square dimensions. If you click on the images here, they should open in the correct size.

My hands are the size of a 10 year old's hands. No, seriously, they are. At the Museum of Science in Boston they have an exhibit that shows the size of human hands at different developmental ages and mine match up perfectly with the 10 year old's - stubby fingers and all. So I chopped an inch off the top of the mitt and the top of the thumb pattern pieces for mine and it worked out really well. You'll need to cut two of each pattern. Because my fleece didn't have a right and a wrong size, I folded the fabric over and laid out the pattern pieces so that I'd have two of each automatically.

For convenience's sake, I've numbered them and I'll use the numbers from here on out instead of piece-with-the-thumb-sticking-up or something to that effect. You're welcome.

Step 1: Match pieces 1 and 2 together and sew around the top using a straight stitch, stopping at the black diamond. I've highlighted the seam in yellow.

Step 2: Flatten out the sewn together pieces so that the silhouette matches up with piece 3.

Step 3: Pin together with piece 3 and sew around the outside using a straight stitch. Again, the seam is highlighted.

Step 4: Fold up the unfinished bottom cuff 1/2 inch and sew with a zig zag stitch so that it will stretch.

Step 5: Repeat with the second set of fabric cut outs to make the mitten for the other hand.

Congrats! You've made a pair of mittens! Turn those beauties right side out and enjoy warm hands all season long. Want to make them extra warm? You can make a second pair 1/4" smaller, keep it wrong side out with the seams visible, and then place it inside the slightly larger pair and sew them together along the cuff with a zig zag stitch.. The slight decrease in size will keep it from being too bulky - just make sure to trim the seam allowance down as much as possible. The second layer of fabric will also make them more wind-proof, which - trust me - is incredibly helpful!

Enjoy them! As my partner always says to get me to wear winter gear when I don't want too, frostbite is significantly less cute than wearing appropriate clothing. Words to live by, people. Words to live by.

My State of the Studio New Years Post

2012-01-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

I know that everyone and their cousin has a blog post about New Years resolutions and year-end recaps, and yes friends, I'm jumping on the band wagon. But I'm doing it because 2011 was a heck of a year. I mean, in the record books of years, 2011 was a big 'un. It started with me directing a large national service program for the federal government out of an office in a marble laden city hall, and, thanks to federal funding cuts, it ended with me working out of my living room painting and gluing and shipping like crazy. I'm one of the lucky ones. Instead of having to go on unemployment, I had a business I'd been building for years to fall back on. Plus the holiday season was coming and that's go-time for sales, so it seemed like great timing. But it was a much more challenging adjustment than I was prepared for. I used to get dressed up for meetings. Now I can work in my pjs all day if I don't have errands to run...not that I do that...seriously. I used to have a steady pay check. Now my sales are my livelihood. It's been a liberating experience, and yet has been a very rough transition for me. I've been thinking a lot lately about this transition, and here's my year end cap:

The cons:

All of my income goes right back into my business. This isn't something that's widely advertised when you think about running your own small business, but the majority of your money will get funneled right back into your business. Pretty much every cent I make goes right back into buying materials to make more. This is totally fine if you have another means of income, but when you see those sales figures and they're looking really good and you still can't find the money to pay the electric bill, it's a bit disheartening.
It's isolating. Going from working in a large office with plenty of in-person human contact and daily meetings with people I supervised to working alone in my house was rough. I'm not going to sugar coat this one - I was really lonely and depressed for the first few months I ran Found Beauty Studio full time. I missed interacting with other people. I missed having purpose. I missed being able to bounce ideas off of people who knew what I was doing and collaborate at the drop of a hat. Now socialization outside of superficial interactions with the good folks who work at my local post office takes effort. I mean, my cats are cute and my husband is awesome, but sometimes a girl just needs to talk to someone else.
The mission is money. I know this sounds obvious since it's a business and my purpose is to make money, but for most of my adult working life I've worked for nonprofits with really amazing social missions. It's what kept me going. When work was tough, I just focused on the mission and it got me through. Now I am my mission. Keeping my electric bill paid is the mission. It takes a major mind-shift to get through this one.
I don't have control. You'd think that as the sole owner and staff person of a business I'd have complete control, right? But I don't. My measures of success are all at the mercy of customers and shop owners. I can't just make something, put it up for sale, and be able to count when it will sell. That lack of control was staggeringly difficult for me.

The pros:

I work for myself! I've had some great supervisors in the past, and I've had some really crappy supervisors. Now I make all my own decisions without having to massage them in a way that makes them palatable to a higher-up. I may not have control over sales, but I have control over everything else. And that's incredibly liberating.
I make stuff and search for neat vintage items for a living. Seriously. It's kind of awesome. When I'm sick of making one kind of thing I can go make another. Or I can go thrift store and antique store hunting. And it's my job. Instead of feeling guilty that I'm wasting my time when I could be doing work for my job, now this IS my job. I mean, how many people get to say that?
No one can fire me. I'm no longer at the mercy of grant funding. No one is going to tell me that my program funding hasn't been renewed and my job will be to close down a program and lay people off. I don't have to justify my worthiness or my program outcomes to anyone to keep my job. After years of worrying about that stuff, it's amazing to have that taken off of my shoulders.
My customers are fan-flippin-tastic. I mean it. The people who are attracted to my work tend to be hilarious, quirky, fabulous people and I love when I get to meet them in person at shows or exchange emails with them when they buy online. It's like I've found this secret club of interesting individuals who all like the same aesthetic that I do. And that's amazing.
I can do this. For years I wondered if I had what it takes to run my own business successfully and, you know what? I do. Turns out that I love the business end of things. I love the financials, I love the spreadsheets, and I love the intellectual challenge of constantly looking for ways to innovate and streamline. I'm running an artisan business in one of the worst recessions in decades and I'm actually making a profit. I had record breaking sales on etsy in November and December, for crying out loud! I can totally do this.

So that's my year-end recap everyone. It's been a big year with heaps of ups and downs. It hasn't been even close to smooth sailing but I imagine that anyone who, for whatever reason, leaves full time employment to run a small business encounters much the same thing. I'm looking forward to 2012 and hope you are too. Thanks for following my blog, and may your year be full of happiness and good health, friends.

Visions of Sugar Plums

2011-12-25T09:37:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! May all of your holiday dreams come true.

Happy Hanukkah

2011-12-20T16:02:00.000-05:00

To all who will be celebrating tonight and for the next eight days, a very happy Hanukkah to you! Here's a great sufganiyot recipe for you from King Arthur Flour :)

EASY JELLY DOUGHNUT HOLES - Yield: 24 jelly doughnut holes.

Ingredients:
2 cups (King Arthur Unbleached) All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons (= 4 1/2 teaspoons) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
FILLING: your favorite jelly or jam

Directions
1) Get out a skillet that's at least 2 1/2" deep; a 10" electric frying pan is a great choice, if you have one. Fill it with about 1" of vegetable oil, peanut oil preferred for best flavor.

2) Start heating the oil to 350°F while you make the doughnut batter.

3) To make the doughnuts: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4) Whisk together the lukewarm milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla.

5) Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to make a thick batter (or soft dough).

6) When the oil has come up to temperature, use a tablespoon cookie scoop (or spoon) to drop balls of batter into the hot oil. This recipe will make 2" doughnut holes using a tablespoon cookie scoop and dropping in balls of dough about as big as an undersized ping pong ball.

7) Fry the doughnut holes for 2 minutes on the first side, or until they're a deep golden brown. Some of them may turn themselves over; that's OK, just use a pair of tongs to turn them back. After 2 minutes, turn the holes over, and fry for an additional 2 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the doughnut holes to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

8) When the doughnuts are cool, use a piping bag with a long, plain tip to fill them with as much jelly as you like. If you don't have a piping bag, try using an inexpensive plastic condiment squeeze bottle (think mustard or ketchup), with its tip cut off midway down to make it wider.

9) Shake the filled doughnuts gently in a bag of granulated sugar. Enjoy warm, or store at room temperature, loosely covered, for a day or so.

Handmade Gift Exchange Awesomeness

2011-12-02T18:14:00.001-05:00

This year, for the first time, I participated in Craftaholics Anonymous' Handmade Gift Exchange, and it was awesome! For the uninitiated, essentially you sign up to create a handmade gift for a random partner that is assigned to you, and cross-your-heart promise to mail the gift by November 30th. My partner, the mastermind behind milk in my martini glass contacted me straight off and we each researched each other through all the usual social media outlets. Luckily, she seems wonderful so I was happy to make something especially for her. She gave me a few color combos she enjoys (lime green and black among them) and mentioned she likes polka dots, and so...voila:

I really hope she likes it, especially after I received this incredibly awesome cash box she painted for me:

I LOVE it! I feel very honored that I have a sign my husband hand-painted for me and a cash box that a very thoughtful gift exchange partner painted for me too. I know my logo well and understand first hand just what a pain in the butt it is to paint. So thank you :)

Painting Changes Everything

2011-11-16T16:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just need to be more art than craft, you know? I struggle with always wanting to create functional pieces while also dying to reconnect with my fine art passion. The compromise? Little paintings on chalkboards I've created from discarded cabinet doors I snagged at a local recycled building material store. Here's my favorite so far:

It's currently part of the "Think out of the Box" show at the Block Gallery in Winooski, so if you'd like to see it up close or even, heck, buy it, head on down :)

It's Craft Show Season!

2011-10-25T18:53:00.000-04:00

It's here... Holiday Craft Show Season (a.k.a No Sleep Till January Season)! I'll be part of the Queen City Craft Bazaar and the Women's Festival of Crafts, and have my work available at the WAG Holiday Market and as part of the "Think out of the Box" show at the Block Gallery. Considering that my first show EVER was the Queen City Craft Bazaar all the way back in June, it's a little crazy how fast I've expanded. So no, I don't sleep, and yes, I really enjoy it. It's maddening and exciting and overwhelming and satisfying and terrifying all at the same time. So come out and support me!

More Skirts and a Sweet Blog Feature

2011-09-20T15:12:00.000-04:00

Before I show the fruits of my skirt to purse making labors, I need to confess that I've wanted to answer the featured seller questions etsy so badly since I first read them. AND NOW I HAVE! And it was harder than I thought. But I still enjoyed the process. So check me out on the WAG blog!

Ok, now back to bags. It's been a sew-a-thon here at Found Beauty Studio and I really dig the bags I've made lately. So for your viewing pleasure, I submit for your approval more before and afters :)

Before:

And after (for sale on etsy):

Before:

And after:

Before:

And after (for sale on etsy):

Before:

And after (for sale on etsy):

I have more coming, as well. I actually am most of the way through creating a bag from a pair of pants which has been quite the adventure!

On Opening a Gallery

2011-09-12T17:23:00.000-04:00

Wooh September, you've been a heck of a month and you're just getting started! Etsy sales are up and my studio looks like a tornado hit it while I've whipped through 10 bags, 3 frames, 8 dinosaur planters and 2 sewing machines (RIP, sewing machines). While I thought that I'd be less busy and stressed out as I transitioned from working two full time jobs to one (i.e. this studio), I was WRONG. Now that I have no boundaries for when I'm in the "office" and when I'm home, I work constantly. But it's exciting! I mean, seriously. Who gets to focus solely on doing work they're incredibly passionate about? That's right, I do. I love my studio. I love creating, especially when I have functioning sewing machines. It taps into my true self - not the persona I use in important business/government meetings when I have to be appropriate and dignified. My true self is outspoken, weird (a.k.a "interesting", "different" or "quirky" as I've been called many times), funny and creative. And I get to be that person again! It's a-maz-ing.

As I was, um, transitioning out of my federally funding job (i.e. laid off due to funding cuts), out of the blue my friend and fabulous photographer Mary Claire (www.carrollphotos.com - check her out) told me about a group of women artists in the Richmond area who were putting together a temporary gallery in Williston, VT for the holiday season. Now, I'm an idea kind of person. I love planning new opportunities and building things from scratch so this was right up my alley. They were looking for a few more artists to join the group and I was all over it. And so, after a few enthusiastic emails and a great meeting, I officially joined WAG, aka the Women Artist's Guild of Richmond. This is a pretty new concept. We'll staff the gallery, exhibit our own work, split the rent and operating costs, and keep the place in order, and in exchange we get a retail space for the holidays so we don't have to grind ourselves down by attending holiday craft show after holiday craft show. It's a great idea and I'm all in. We've been meeting constantly and I've been marketing my little social media heart out, so stay tuned. We'll be open from October 12 - December 22 at 6180 Williston Rd. in Williston, VT (the old Williston Driving Range right next to Maple Tree Place). In the mean time, feel free to follow our effort on facebook, on twitter @wagmarketvt or via our blog. You won't be sorry, because we're fantastic.

They Use to be Skirts, and Now They're Purses

2011-09-08T16:09:00.000-04:00

I've discovered a few things as I embark on week three of running Found Beauty Studio full time. I LOVE not working in an office, I LOVE not having set office hours, and most importantly, I'M SO MUCH MORE CREATIVE NOW!!! Now that I have the time and energy to create, that's exactly what I'm doing. And the first few bursts of new creativity are embellished purses made from upcycled skirts.

Before:

And after! I present my Ollie the Octopus bag :)

Before:

And after! It's my Bike on the Go bag (and as of right now is still for sale on etsy):

Before:

And after! Ribbon stripes studded with vintage buttons :)

Expect more to come. I already have three more in various stages of progress...

The March of the Toys....or Rather, Planters!

2011-08-20T19:31:00.001-04:00

After a few weeks of painting, cutting (both toys and my hands), more painting, planting, and constant mothering, I have a bunch of new planters ready for Vergennes Day on Saturday! The process is time consuming... once I finally find the toys at yard sales, thrift stores, and occasionally on ebay, they're thoroughly washed, a hole is cut in their plasticky exoskeleton, they're primed twice, given three coats of paint, sealed with mod podge, and then planted. And since spray paint does not work (it will remain sticky permanently) all this is done by hand with a good ol' brush and tube of paint. And whenever possible I grow my own plants, but I don't consider that part of this project. That's an entirely different hobby/obsession...

Oh yeah, and all of this takes place in my living room, kitchen and porch...

But it's fun! It's really just so darn much fun. Finding the toys, choosing the paint, figuring out what plant will look good and thrive in each container, I LOVE it. So here are a few of my latest creations:

If you just can't get enough of planter pictures, and I know you can't, I have more on my flickr photostream!

Upcycled Planters at Vergennes Day!

2011-08-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

I've realized I have a deep and ridiculous love of turning discarded toys, accessories and home goods into planters, and since they're so hard to ship, I'm booking as many craft shows as possible before it starts freezing outside. So mark your calendars, plant lovers, because I'll be at Vergennes Day on Saturday, August 26th! So stop by and say hello, and pick up a few of these planters so they can stop living on my porch :)

Oh yeah, and they'll be a ton more toy planters - the 7 dwarves, 18 dinosaurs, 6 jungle animals, and a few other surprises...

ONE World Market

2011-07-21T18:54:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo! Next craft show coming up next Saturday! Stop by the ONE (that stands for the Old North End) World Market at 191 North Street in Burlington on July 30th from 10 - 4 and pick up a one of a kind planter from my booth.

ONE World Market on Facebook

Besides the fun of getting to meet buyers in person, I also love that I can sell items at craft shows that I never sell on etsy because, well, I just don't want to ship them. So all the recycled bags I post on etsy will be there, but also a whole bunch of planters (with plants!) made from odd and interesting items like old plastic toys, switch plates, pots, pans, tea cups, doll heads, shoes... If it holds dirt, I've put a plant in it.

I've also taken a look at the work of some of the other vendors and it should be a really neat small show. So come and say hi!

Tweeting Myself into 2011...

2011-07-08T12:52:00.000-04:00

I've done it. I've joined twitter. I'm still figuring it out. But I think I could really like this...

FoundBeautyVT on Twitter

The Benefit of Getting Away From it All

2011-07-02T22:55:00.000-04:00

For three years I've neglected to join my partner's family Fourth of July camping trip in a field by his grandfather's house in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I've just never been a camping kind of gal, and I have a nasty health issue that makes me pass out when it gets above 85 degrees and burn to a crisp in the sun. But today we went to spend the day and I'm so sorry I ever missed it before. I was surrounded by nature, a babbling brook that I happily tromped barefoot through, a gaggle of loving and hilarious family members, and the most adorable puppy named Lucky. It's been far too long since I was away from a cell phone signal, an internet connection, the ever-present responsibility of checking my email, and the feeling of dread that I'm wasting any moment at home when I'm not working on projects for my etsy store. This, my friends, was a well needed respite. The moral of this quick blog post? Do not neglect self care. It's oh so easy to do in this world of 24-7 work and responsibility, but it's not healthy. And I say that as a life long workaholic. Did you hear me other type A workaholics? IT'S NOT HEALTHY. That constant backache, throbbing in your frontal lobe, and dry red eyes - yeah, you know what I'm talking about - that's not normal. That pit of your stomach knot that never goes away? Also not normal. Toss the phone for a weekend. Leave the house and/or studio. Put down the brush/thread/hook/needles/wax/fiber/whatever your drug of choice is/ and take a break. The guilt will pass. I promise. And you'll feel better. And you'll be happier when you get back to it. Seriously.

Why are you still reading this? Go now!

When I See a Stained White Cloth, I Make a Garden Apron. How About you?

2011-06-29T22:25:00.000-04:00

My day job is slated to end at the end of August due to government funding cuts, and as a goodbye to my fabulous coworkers, I'm making each of them a gift. When I found this old dirty chef's apron in my office (and I have NO idea how it got there...), I saw the makings of a gardening apron for my superstar gardener friend! Here was the start of things...and this was post soak in bleach:

Ok, you can't quite see the stains in this photo, but it has several yellow spots that still didn't come out after a 6 hour bleach bath. So what to do...what to do... oh yeah - dye it!

Half a bottle of kelly green RIT dye and a cup of salt boiling away on the stove for an hour and I came up with a color I quite liked.

You can barely see the stains! Next step, ironing it in half and sewing 5 pockets with straight stitches:

It was lookin' good. But I wasn't done yet. What does a gardening apron need? Screen printed flowers of course! I unearthed this screen of a doodle I'd made 3 years ago and really really loved the way it printed with a dark blue fabric ink:

With dye done, pockets sewn and pattern screen printed, I felt pretty darn good calling this one done!

I hope she likes it!

Confessions of a First Time Craft Show Vendor

2011-06-28T00:08:00.000-04:00

May was a blur. That pretty much sums it up. I exhibited at my very first craft show - the Queen City Craft Bazaar - on June 4th, so May whipped by like a hurricane. I really didn't know what to expect. I researched other bloggers' advice, I mocked up my booth, I gathered supplies, I sewed and painted until my fingers were raw and purple (from the paint...). And on June 4th, I rocked it!

Because I have a day job, I was able to push the looming deadline out of my mind for most of May and focus on supervising 14 national service members. Folks, this was a mistake. I spent the first half of May making a few items, dreaming of what my booth would look like, and heck, even relaxing a bit. But the second half of May...that was a different story. I had the misfortune of seeing a calendar which spelled out exactly how many days I had until I needed to be set up and available to the public. And I freaked out. And got depressed and overwhelmed, which is my way in the face of the unknown. But then I slapped myself around and realized this was "go time", so I buckled down and made a TON of merch in a 2 week span. It started off with a small pile of fabric and ended with my entire bedroom and living covered in bags, chalk boards, and dinosaur planters. And a cute cat:

The night before was CHAOS. May I make a suggestion to all future exhibitors? DON'T WAIT UNTIL 12 HOURS BEFORE THE SHOW TO SET UP YOUR BOOTH IN YOUR HOUSE!!!! I realized that 3 of my display pieces wouldn't fit, including a large table and a clothing rack. And I admit it, I lost it. There were tears. There was a very handsome partner trying to talk me down off a ledge. And there were SO MANY BASKETS full of stuff in my living room. Had I thought to try this ahead of time, I would have had enough time to revamp the display in a thoughtful way. Instead, I hacked together a solution by cutting out some of the items I brought to the show and grabbing a coat rack out of the bedroom. It was ok in the end, but not ideal.

And, I highly recommend getting a sign with your logo ahead of time. My dear Josh was kind enough the day before the show to take my logo and trace it onto a piece of wood using a projector propped up on a step stool, a few books and a towel, and he hand painted the design to perfection It was amazing and such a relief to have. That's right, we were DIYing it within an inch of our lives.

Saturday morning came (way too early in the morning) and we loaded up our two cars and drove down the hill to One Main Street in Burlington. After all my fussing about getting there on time, there were only a few other vendors when we arrived and I started regretting that extra 45 minutes of sleep I denied myself. Coffee only takes me so far, my friends. But with a fantastic load in, a lot of futzing on my part, and a partner who was smart enough to high tail it out of there when I started getting antsy, it came together.

It was a long day. It started at 7:30am and didn't end until 6:30pm. And I was beat. And it was hot in that building. But I did do one thing really well - I invited one of my best friends to spend the day there with me. And we had a blast! Many people shared with us that we looked like we were having a great time and that was part of the reason they stopped at my booth. And you know what, we were! I adored talking to all the quirky, wonderful people who were attracted to my work, and the other fabulous vendors, and my friend. I had a a blast. And I made 23 sales, which was pretty fantastic when I found out at the end of the day that two neighboring vendors didn't have a single sale all day. One of them actually asked me for advice. Really? Me? First time vendor? Woot!

Another major success of the day? Load out took 24 minutes. We were the champions of load out. We kicked load out's butt.

And, I came home with so much less than I brought. It was truly excellent. I forgot how much I miss interacting with the fabulous people who buy my stuff until I had an entire day to talk to them. The internet, she is wonderful, but sometimes it's just a blast telling silly stories with other eccentric artsy people.

The result? I've already applied for another show in November. I could get used to this "in person" thing :)

Vintage Frame Chalk Board Before and After

2011-05-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

There is almost no greater joy for me than finding something discarded and turning it into a new piece that can have a second, third, ok - tenth go at life. So when I saw this really sad frame at a flea market propped up next to a seller's table at the end of the day, I had to have it.

It was DIRTY. These photos were taken after I'd already washed off layers of dust and dirt so I could see the wood. There was a whole mess of peeling ancient brown paper on the back of the wood, and the nails that had once held some sort of picture in place were rusty and broken. Great image, huh?

Well, I just knew there was life in this beauty yet! I've seen the restorative powers of sand paper, wood filler, primer and a couple of coats of paint, so I got to work. 4 days later the structure was sound, and it was ready for paint. I tried out a few test strips - yellow, green, aqua and purple. I didn't like any of them. I kept dragging the frame inside to show my partner and he confirmed my suspicions: it was still ugly. But then I tried the red, and it sung.

At the same time, I found a salvaged piece of wood in my stockpile for the chalk board insert and put down 11 layers of paint. Woo boy were those fumes ever potent! If I can't remember where I live or what my name is in a couple of years, you can all bear witness to the fact that it's probably paint related...

But brain cells be damned! I love the way it looks now:

And, hey, if you're in the market for an upcycled vintage frame chalk board, it just happens to be for sale on my etsy page :)

Queen City Craft Bazaar

2011-04-26T09:59:00.000-04:00

I've been in sewing, painting and gluing overload which can only mean one thing...my first craft show is coming up!!! I literally started giggling with excitement when the online version of the poster showed up in my inbox yesterday.

So remember - June 4th - Main Street Landing - Burlington - be there!!

Purse from Ugly Wool Skirt Update

2011-04-18T19:15:00.000-04:00

It sold! In a mere few hours, the purse I made from the ugly wool skirt sold! While I'm happy (really, really happy) whenever one of my items sells, I was a little sad to see this one go. We spent a lot of time together, that skirt and me. I looked at it for weeks, futzed around with ideas, swore like a sailor while stitching down the pleats, and when it was finally finished I toyed with keeping it. But it's off to scenic Melbourne, Australia for the purse! I hope it has a long and happy life.

So to remind you, here was the skirt before:

And here it is after!

Don't worry, there are many more to come. But there probably won't be another ugly floor length black and rainbow plaid wool skirt. Unless you find one. In which case, let me know!

A Landmark and a Challenge

2011-04-15T17:20:00.000-04:00

YESSS!!!! I've done it! 100 sales on etsy! For the record, I understand how completely arbitrary a distinction this is, but it's been a goal of mine for 2 years. I passed the $1,000 in sales this year mark in March, and now in April I've passed the 100 sales. Triple digits! WOOT!!! I can't quite tell you why, but I feel like this gives me more legitimacy. They like me! They really like me! (apologies to Sally Field for borrowing her oscar moment)...

I juggle Found Beauty Studio with a lot of other obligations. I'm the director of an AmeriCorps VISTA program as my day job, a volunteer guardian ad litem in the VT family court system, a board member for a local arts organization, a mentor, a fundraising consultant, and I try to fit being a good friend, sister, daughter, aunt, and partner in there too. I also aspire to be a counselor for children and adults with complex developmental trauma, and attend a lot of workshop and read a lot of books and research in that all too elusive spare time. To sum up, I'm busy and pulled in different directions. But the studio keeps me grounded. In a fantastic workshop I attended today on Trauma Stewardship, I heard yet again - yet really heard for the first time - that when we "overdeploy" ourselves, creativity is the first thing to go. This means that all creative thinking and problem solving, in addition to any sort of art, is beyond our capacity. And hoo boy have I ever felt that lately. But I'm trying hard to make this a continued priority in my life. It keeps me sane. It exercises a part of my brain I don't use enough. And, most importantly, it makes me happy. And for some reason, surpassing these sales goals has helped keep me motivated. They may be small successes, but I'll take what I can get.

Now for the challenge... A few weeks ago I picked up this absolutely atrocious skirt at good will:

Um, yes. It is indeed a full length heavily pleated rainbow wool skirt. I was visually offended and drawn to it in the same breath. It was my civic duty to make sure no one ever wore this again so I grabbed it off the rack and took it home. And mere minutes ago I turned it into a sweet purse. Photos to come :)

If the Shoe Fits, Wear it

2011-04-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

Oh jeebus, I know. My second pun-filled blog post title. I think I'm barred from writing about shoes. But they're done! The TOMS shoes for the fundraiser (tomorrow!) are done! This was not a design that just came to me. I'm used to working on big surfaces and these were tiny. And that scared the tar out me. But on Friday I got an email asking me for my picture, my bio, and my title for the design and it occurred to me that I should really, really get moving on this whole "decorate shoes for a fundraiser" thing. That thing that I had promised to do a week earlier. That thing that kept taunting me. At least it was on the top of my pile of projects, so that was some sort of progress. Kind of.

But as a former fundraiser for a Boys & Girls Club, I get these events. I get the importance and I get the heart-stopping stomach-clenching horror of an auction item not coming through. And I couldn't be "that" person. Not this time folks. So Saturday I dreamed, and Sunday I painted, cut and glued like my life depended on it! And by Sunday afternoon I had a pair of sticky yet completely decorated pair of shoes! Have you seen enough exclamation points yet?!? Don't worry, there are more!!!

So let me refresh your memory. Here are the shoes fresh out of their box:

Cute, and surprisingly comfortable. They're TOMS shoes - a great company that donates a pair of shoes for every pair purchased. LOVE this. Lack of shoes contributes to a heck of a lot of problems, one of which is parasite infection, which I will not be posting pictures of. Feel free to watch "Monsters Inside Me" for more on parasites. But for more on the "One Day Without Shoes" event, the TOMS website is the place to go.

But back to the point, I started with a vague notion that I wanted to include flowers. It's April, it's still dark and frozen here in Vermont, and I want flowers. Badly. So why not paint them? With tubes of acrylic paint and textile medium in hand, I went to it.

I wasn't thrilled, to say the least. Part of the problem is that I'm a crappy painter. It's just not my medium. So I threw that plan out the window and decided on digging into my stash of vintage fabric I've salvaged from other re-do projects.

Yes. Much better. But far from perfect. So I tried painting on a few flowers. What, you say? Painting? I thought you just dismissed painting. And I would have, if I'd be thinking and not just doing. So here was the sad attempt a painting flowers:

Um, yeah. Not good. Oh hey, what's that? The beautiful scarlet velvet I salvaged off the sleeves of a 1960's dress I revamped? Perfect. And petals were born.

Better, but not finished. Time for buttons as flower centers and gold leaf to cover the visible white from my painting fiasco. And hey, a few gold dots for good measure! (see? I told you there'd be more exclamation points!!!)

And so here they are, in all their gold leafed, scarlet velvet, herringbone wool bark, button stamen glory. I like them. And I really hope whoever buys them tomorrow night does too!

So tomorrow, April 5th, 2011. Go to ECCO Clothes for Women and Men on Church Street in Burlington from 6-8pm and bid high and bid often. Kids need shoes.

It'll Be A Shoe In

2011-03-29T22:35:00.000-04:00

Ok, I apologize. The title is a really bad pun. I couldn't help it. It's a Tuesday night at 10:30pm and I'm sitting at my computer with a gin and tonic in hand. Full disclosure: in addition to my day job, my volunteer positions (both of them) and my studio work, I have an unrelenting love of helping with fundraisers. So when I read about a fundraiser that local Champlain College student Kayla Hedman was running for TOMS, I had to help. Did I mention I read about this on facebook? So all of y'all who think facebook does no good, I'm here to say otherwise.

So what's the fundraiser? I'm decorating a pair of TOMS shoes for an auction! Decorating + Shoes = LOVE for me. I used to have a major penchant for adorable high heeled shoes until I basically destroyed my wide feet by shoving them into narrow (but adorable) shoes. Ouch all over the place. And now I'm resolved to wearing flats for the rest of my life. So this is my contribution to the fun, funky, flat, socially responsible shoe world. Hooray!

Kayla dropped off the shoes on Sunday and here they are!

I love the box they came in:

Plus, they come with a flag that I get to decorate too!

Send you photos? Heck yes I will!!!

Take one last look folks, because in a week and a half, these shoes will be transformed.

My Cats the Studio Assistants

2011-03-24T19:34:00.001-04:00

I am an animal lover, plain and simple. When I saw this post on Design*Sponge the other day, I knew I was totally justified in posting about my furry assistants. My cats - Oscar, Stewart, and Oliver - are the heart of my house. My partner Josh and I are firmly enchanted by the three of them. I had Oscar and Stewart when Josh and I met, so I was quite relieved to see what a great cat step-dad he turned out to be. And when Oliver was dropped in to our lives (literally - our neighbor dropped him into my arms when I came home for lunch one day when his mother turned on he and his litter mates), our furry little menagerie was complete. Except that I want a dog. But not now. And not without a backyard. And not without Josh's buy in. I love my pets, but I love him more (and he reads this blog's RSS feed - Hi Honey! - so now he knows I value him over the cats :)

And since nothing beats cute pet pictures, here are my furry friends:

This is Oscar, my 7 year old grey tiger. He can't meow - only squeeks - which just makes him all the more adorable. He has an unbelievable commitment to sitting on every piece of paper or fabric that lands on floor. He's on it!

Oscar's twin brother Stewart. Very food motivated, extremely cute, and soft like a bunny. And a whopping 5 lbs lighter now than he was in this picture. Thanks Wellness cat food!

And yes, finally, our youngest cat. Oliver is weird. Really, really weird. We think he's part Maine coon mix and he is utterly incapable of sitting in a normal cat position. He sleeps on his back, belly up and legs spread. He tries to take up as much space as possible no matter where he lands. And he's unbelievably - heart meltingly - adorable.

Oliver is also my best helper when I'm working on projects:

He also helps me process online orders:

And now that I've officially entered crazy cat lady status, I'm feeling pretty good. I swear I'll go back to posting about Found Beauty Studio.... but seriously, cutetastic, right? Not that I'm biased....

Vintage Finds of Fun

2011-03-21T23:22:00.000-04:00

Five Corner Antiques had a sale this weekend. Did you see that? When you read that did you realize what an exciting and potentially costly statement that was? Dan-ger-ous. SALE! And a sale at a store where I have yearned for...lusted after...dreamed about a specific item for months! The 11" jadeite hobnail cake stand. I knew she would be mine. I just knew it. And now friends, she is!!!!

Oh so pretty. Oh so sweet. Oh so desperate for a cake! Anyone bake out there? Just kidding. I can bake. Mostly. Box mixes count, right? And, because I have the teensiest tiniest penchant for vintage kitchen items I *may* have also bought a 1950's Hamilton Beach Model H stand mixer. And it may have come with three pyrex milk glass mixing bowls and an original recipe booklet.

I know, I know. Objects don't define a happy life, blah blah blah. Have I mentioned there was a sale?? I regret nothing! :)

Small Successes

2011-03-20T21:42:00.000-04:00

I'll admit it, I have moments of extreme self-consciousness and low self-esteem when it comes to putting my creations out there into the world. I have been known to obsessively check to see how many people have viewed my items on etsy and favorited them. If no one favorites them, I second guess my work. If it doesn't sell, I second guess the entire endeavor. I've been plagued by doubt my entire life and while it's easy to be confident when all I get is positive feedback, it's unbelievable how fast that turns around when criticism comes my way. But I'm pleased to report a few successes:

First of all, I met the sales goal I set for June 1st! Granted, it was a low number when compared to what I make at my day job, but it was a huge jump over what I sold in all of 2010. And I reached it by March 18th. And I'm feeling really, really good about that :)

Second of all, I made it into the Queen City Craft Bazaar!!! I've never entered a juried show before and when I heard that it was really competitive this year, I was incredibly nervous - like checking my email constantly for news nervous. But I made it! This will be my first show having my own booth and I'm excited, terrified, doubtful, overjoyed, and a million other emotions all rolled into one. But mostly I'm just thrilled to have a way to connect to the people buying my work, since I'm pretty sure they're awesome.

So that's the update for now. I'll post tomorrow about a few truly fabulous vintage finds I scored over the weekend, but for now this is the big news. And I said I'd post about the good, the bad, and the ugly of growing a small artsy business, so here it is!

From Skirt to Purse

2011-03-13T20:09:00.003-04:00

After the previous post, I thought it might be nice to actually show a few completed projects. Lately I've been obsessed with finding unwanted or unwearable skirts and turning them into bags. It's such a satisfying process. Creative, relatively quick, practical, fun. Can't be beat. Here are a few of my latest. Some have been sold, but for those that are still available, the photo will link you to the listing on my etsy site:

This was my first creation. It sold in 3 hours! The step-by-step photos are up on my Found Beauty Studio Facebook page if you want to see the process...

This skirt was lovely, but dowdy. And it was in good will. And it had been there for months. This was a rescue mission.

I found this beauty at Joesy's Resale Shop in Colchester. Oh how I heart Joesy's! When I got it home, I realized it had been handmade. I'm not sure why I love that so much, but there's something really neat to me that at least two of us DIY ladies saw this fabric and wanted it for our own. You can't quite tell from the photos, but it's fuzzy!

This khaki number is actually a skort. Seriously. I didn't know they still made skorts.

This skirt was soooo cute in its original form, but it had a tear in the back panel that couldn't be repaired.

And with four more skirts in the workroom, more bags are on the way...

The Neverending Refinishing of a Folding Rocking Chair

2011-03-12T18:28:00.000-05:00

This is the story of a chair. Specifically, this is the story of a really cute folding rocking chair that I found on craigslist in 2009. In fact, I even posted a picture of this chair on this very blog. I'm not sure why, but this chair has been the elephant in the room for me. I pull it out and work on it every few months but it always gets folded up and put back in a corner behind a door and I completely forget about it for another 4 months. Well this is it! I am determined to finish this project before the summer. So mark my words, friends... This chair will be for sale by July! Here's the progress so far:

The chair before! It was cute, but the caning was missing from the seat and fraying around the top of the back. It was itching for a full overhaul:

The chair now! It's been painting a flat grey and the groove around the seat that the caning originally wove into has been chiseled out:

Obviously it's not finished. But it's closer. I need to cut out a wooden panel to fit in the recessed seat and FINALLY decide on a piece of fabric to upholster it in. The back is a different story. I'm considering weaving a series of pieces of cording through it, but I'm not sure how comfortable that will be so I may just upholster it with fabric as well. And then I have a couple of silver leaf embellishments in mind.

But no matter what, it will be done by July! Mark my words, world. JULY!!!!

I'm not dead, I'm just a bad blogger!

2011-03-10T12:40:00.005-05:00

Uh oh... I, well, yes it's true...I've been a bad blogger! I've been posting on the Found Beauty Studio facebook page and have totally neglected this blog. Bad blogger!!! But I've also been spending a whole lot more time on Found Beauty Studio lately and am slowly building it as a business, which means that I also have a whole lot more to say. This is a huge decision for me. I have a full-time day job which has nothing to do with art, and it's a difficult balancing act to spend all day in an office and all nights and weekends working on projects for FBS. It's been pretty clear to me lately that everything I look forward to now happens during those nights and weekends. So I'm embarking on a journey. In the next couple of months, I'm hoping to move down to working fewer days a week behind a desk and more behind a sewing machine. I'll share that journey here.

Also, I'm pretty psyched that I learned how to add a My Etsy tab to the FBS facebook page yesterday! Small victories, but important ones :)

Also (again), if you haven't looked at my etsy site in a while you're in for a surprise. I've gone from the 10 - 15 items I was listing for quite some time to 50-60 items! So what are you waiting for? Go take a look already! :)

Fashion Show!

2009-12-21T20:35:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to announce that I'll have outfits made from recycled clothing in the ONE Fashion Event at Higher Ground on January 23rd. If you're in the Burlington area, come see my creations!

Fun with Crafts!

2009-12-06T15:18:00.006-05:00

The new items in my etsy store are flying off the virtual shelves! Thanks so much to all of you who have supported Found Beauty Studio and remember that I'm always thrilled to do custom work, so if you have any materials you'd like to see reused or reworked, drop me a line!

Small Works

2009-11-28T13:56:00.006-05:00

As the cold of winter sets in, I've been in the mood for a little fine art instead of my usual craft. Note, I haven't done much in the way of fine art in a few years, so these represent a bit of a rusty hand. But regardless of my own inner critic, I'm entering them in the "Small Works" show at the S.P.A.C.E gallery tomorrow!

"Magpie's Roost"

"Tiny Dreams for Tiny People"

"No Heart is an Empty Room"

I can't wait to turn these in tomorrow so I can stop scrutinizing them...

So many projects, so little time!

2009-10-16T22:01:00.008-04:00

Well, I admit it. I've been in communication breakdown with this blog. It's not that I haven't been working, it's that between my day job as a fundraiser and event planner for nonprofits and my every other time job of creating for Found Beauty Studio, my blogging fell by the wayside. So what's been going on? Totes out of vintage tea towels, of course!

I've adored making these. And luckily, I've scored many more towels waiting for their transformation. But in the mean time, I'm now obsessed over the idea of crocheting a rug for my bedroom. The issue? I don't know how to crochet. But I'll figure it out...

DIY String Lamp Shade

2009-08-23T14:53:00.003-04:00

Ever since my boyfriend and I bought an old house with no overhead lighting, we've been desperate to install ceiling lights. This has led us on a frenzied search for the coolest fixtures we can find without costing an arm and a leg. When I first came upon the idea of making a lamp out of string, it reminded me of the old papier mache balloon projects we all did as kids, but this had so much more elegance. I think I'm going to try my hand at it. Here's a great tutorial from the Naughty Secretary Club if you want to give it a shot yourself, and here's the look I'm going for:

For the record, this stunning lamp is from Design Without Regard and costs a whopping $980. Looks like it's yarn and fabric stiffener for me!

Projects for the Day

2009-08-23T08:54:00.003-04:00

Thanks to thunderstorms and hungry cats, I've been up since the wee early hours of the morn and have started my projects for the day, which are all laid on on my rocking chair:

Yay! This is my favorite way to spend a rainy Sunday.

Too Hot to Work, so Here's a Link Instead

2009-08-18T12:53:00.002-04:00

It hit 90 degrees here in Burlington, VT yesterday which I'm sure is nothing to most of you, but I am not built to be functional in anything above 80 which is one of the reasons I live here. And our air conditioner is conveniently buried at the bottom of our big closet, which is also full of 5lb buckets of joint compound from remodeling, excess artwork of ours we haven't hung, all of my planting supplies, and most of my home brewing equipment. Needless to say, it wasn't coming out for the few hot days of the season. So too hot to work on the dress I was going to make with my new dress form Lula that I made an epic excursion across the state to retrieve (long, kind of fun story I'll post later).

Which brings me back to the point, because when it's too hot to create, I read about other people's creations and look what I found on Design Sponge! Two people decided to write letters to everyone in a small Irish village. Best Idea Ever: http://www.mysteriousletters.blogspot.com/

Blog Fame

2009-08-13T11:43:00.003-04:00

I'm psyched to have been featured in two blogs in the last two days! It's always nice (really, really nice) to get positive feedback for all my crazy creations. So check out my train case on Design*Sponge and my coffee sack tote bag on Floribelle! And for those of you who may be checking out my blog for the first time, please sign up to follow it or get the RSS feed for updates if you feel so inclined.

Yay blog fame!

Behind the Scenes of the Studio

2009-08-12T17:12:00.009-04:00

I've been full speed ahead lately and wanted to share a few of my latest acquisitions.
Exhibit A: A very old, very beat up Samsonite suitcase I found at an apartment sale:

So far it has a fresh coat of paint but still as a long way to go, poor thing:

And if you're wondering what that is next to the suitcase in the last picture, it's a trash can chair. That's right, a trash can chair (in the making). There's a great charity auction that will take place during the annual South End Art Hop in September and I'm throwing my hat in the ring. I'll post when it's finished!

The original trash can:
And here it is in progress...

I also had an obsessive creative night on Monday and you can see the wine cork coasters, mason jar pin cushion, and completed upcycled blue train case on my etsy site, as always.

First Coffee Sack Project Complete

2009-08-08T11:33:00.004-04:00

I've been playing around the bundle of coffee sacks I mentioned last post and just finished a tote with my favorite pattern from one of the bags:

I really like this project. No surprise since I'm addicted to tote bags. They're my constant companions for grocery shopping, running around town, bringing heaps of things to meetings (yep - I'm that person. The one who carries files in a tote bag. Hey, it's Vermont!)... And this particular one is fun and sturdy. You can see more pics on my etsy page. If anyone has suggestions on what to do with the others, I'd love to hear them!

Coffee Sack Grocery Bags

2009-08-02T21:55:00.003-04:00

I just received 25 coffee sacks from a local coffee company and am so excited to make all sorts of bags and other burlap treats out of them! Besides the joy my cats get out of sitting on them, they're also good for making my home smell like green coffee beans...

Train Case Completed!

2009-07-28T19:48:00.004-04:00

I finally finished refurbishing the train case today! Here's a quick view:

I absolutely love it. More views are up on my etsy page.

Off to cook dinner for friends now - tomorrow I start on a neat blue train case that a friend sent me. Yay upcycling!

Train Case Update

2009-07-24T17:09:00.002-04:00

I let my mind wander over all the possibilities for the grey train case I posted earlier this month and I finally figured out what transformation it was fated to take. I'm only part-way through the process, but it's now a lovely shade of white!

Wine Cork Trivet

2009-07-22T20:07:00.007-04:00

UPDATE: This made it into an Etsy treasury!

A fabulous wine store in town, Dedalus Wine, was kind enough to give me a ton of wine corks for my various projects. This is the first one I've used them in:

What fun! Not only do I desperately need a trivet in my kitchen since Josh and I installed a butcher block counter next to our stove, but I also love the texture and color of the corks side by side. A little more practice and I'll have this one down (and a few less burns from my glue gun).

Before & Afters

2009-07-20T14:51:00.002-04:00

As I finally went through some of my pictures stored in the recesses of my hard drive, I thought it might be fun to show some of my before and after projects from the last year. Here you go!

Tip of the Day, Month and Year!

2009-07-18T13:40:00.002-04:00

My brother is getting married in an hour and 15 minutes. I just finished getting ready, which included pulling a silver ring I made 5 years ago from my make up bag to wear with my dress. What do I find after pulling it from its hibernation? A boat load of tarnish. Poop! In a fit of desperation I tried cleaning it with everything in the hotel room. No luck. But wait, a common product I had tucked in my bag magically took the tarnish off in seconds. What cheap and extremely prevalent product made my day? TOOTHPASTE! Keep it everywhere, friends. I rubbed in on the silver and in seconds it looked like new. I've been making jewelry for years and never new this worked. Yay! Toothpaste saved the day!!!

New Project on the Horizon

2009-07-15T21:13:00.004-04:00

As I frequented my favorite thrift store on Tuesday, I was thrilled to find a vintage train case:

Since the finish is pretty rough, I'm going to paint and reface the whole thing. God I love projects like this!

New Bags on Etsy

2009-07-13T16:39:00.004-04:00

I've been gleefully sewing all weekend and have two of my bags up for sale on my etsy site:

More to come...

Studio Assistant Down!

2009-07-10T21:24:00.003-04:00

Sadly, my trusty studio assistant Oscar is under the weather after surgery last week:

The First Step To Recovery is Admitting You Have a Problem

2009-07-08T18:58:00.003-04:00

I admit it, I'm addicted to fabric. It's been a problem of mine for years that has resulted in a giant cedar chest, four large plastic bins, and 5 large cardboard boxes full of fabulous fabric backstock tucked away in my 800 square foot apartment. My boyfriend is, thankfully, very understanding. While sorting through some of the cedar chest contents, I found these old friends:

I think next week will find me making a few purses...

Coming Soon to a Store Near You... or my Etsy Store At Least

2009-07-07T21:18:00.002-04:00

One of my very favorite things is to rifle through local thrift stores and yard sales and see what overlooked gems are out there. Last Monday on just such a journey I came up with a couple fantastic copper kitchen molds and vintage wallpaper. The molds are on sale at my etsy store and this is the fabulously 60's wallpaper:

One of my other very favorite things is to refinish furniture that has seen better days. My current project is this sweet little Collignon style folding rocking chair:

I'm not going to give away my vision for her future, but I can divulge that she's already been primed and painted, and the remaining broken cane backing has been removed...

I've entered 2009!

2009-07-07T17:02:00.001-04:00

Thanks to peer encouragement and an innate desire to connect with the world while holed up in my workshop, Found Beauty Studio now has a blog! Stay tuned for more info. And if you ever want to buy what you see or read about, check out my etsy site:

http://fbstudiovt.etsy.com/