Posts from December 2009

We'll be taking a short break to enjoy the holidays with our friends + families.
See you in the new year!

Ling-An White, Guinea and Red Tail feather earrings, by Haji Couture.

This past weekend proved, once again, that the best thing about doing shows is the amazing & talented people you meet.

Friday evening & all day Saturday was spent at Living Room Realty Gallery with a delightful group of vendors showing their work at the first Modus Donandi ("Gift of Giving") Show.

Silo Votives, from up in the air somewhere.

Then Sunday ended the weekend (and my run of holiday shows) quite nicely with OB and Thread And Needle's mini craft mart, Coffee. Shop. - held at our local coffee shop, The Perfect Cup (4700 N. Damen)!

Vintage Postage Stamp bracelet, by Foxglove Accessories.

It was great to see Cindy (Tomczyk, of Paper Parasol Press) and spend the day with Holly (Thread And Needle) & Betsy (Foxglove Accessories, image above).

Limited Edition Gocco prints, from Laura George.

And even though the weekend was great, I'll be the first to admit that I'm glad it's all over and I have some much-needed rest & relaxation ahead of me!

I hope everyone else has some R&R coming their way, too!

If you're feeling antsy that Christmas is just one week away and you've gotten hardly any of your holiday shopping done... well, don't fret. There are tons of local events happening this weekend, including two that OrangeBeautiful is participating in!

MODUS DONANDI (or "Gift of Giving") is a 2-day handmade goods market with local designers and makers being held at LivingRoom Realty Gallery. The event includes an evening reception Friday from 6-9pm, followed by a day of shopping on Saturday. +Plus there will be a special bake sale directly funding LivingRoom's Micro Grant Project, which funds projects (up to $1,500) in the areas of art, sustainability, and overall world betterment. The perfect way to give a little that will immediately get you in the holiday spirit!

1. Girl With A Hook // 2. Dollybird Design // 3. Pears of Danger // 4. Kiyomi Kimble // 5. Up In The Air Somewhere // 6. Jane Palmer/Noon Solar.

Then, on Sunday, at my favorite local coffee shop - The Perfect Cup - Holly, of Thread And Needle and I have organized the very first Coffee. Shop.

Stop by between 10am and 4pm, grab an Anne's Special (trust me, it's delicious!) and shop, shop, shop! (And be sure to stop in the newly-opened Ravensgoods, right across the street!)

1. Paper Parasol Press // 2. Foxglove Accessories // 3. Thread And Needle // 4. Tartella // 5. Laura George // 6. OrangeBeautiful!

Hope to see you this weekend!
& Happy Shopping!

P.S. Did you happen to see OB's mention/pic in the Reader TODAY?

I'm a little slouchy in this picture, huh?... but at least I look super-stylish wearing my new necklace and earrings from kara | daniel jewelry (found @ One of a Kind Chicago) and new skinny belt by Studio Amiel (found on Etsy)!

Lucky for me, jewelry designers, Kara Aubin and Daniel Juzwiak were just down the aisle from the OrangeBeautiful booth at One of a Kind this year. (I don't get much of a chance to walk the show, so most of my finds are from nearby booths!)

I love how bold kara | daniel pieces are (like my lovely asymmetrical chain, shown above) without being clunky or overbearing. I haven't been much of a necklace-wearer (since I'm such a fan of scarves), but lately I've been searching for just the right necklace. This one fit the bill perfectly.

And I had to get some earrings to go with it, right?...
I just love the little jolt of chartreuse with this pair!

My other recent find - this time while searching tireless for a new handmade belt on Etsy - is Chen Amiel, of Studio Amiel. Not only does Chen make gorgeous, well-crafted leather belts & wallets, she'll work with you on a made-to-order belt (or in my case, belts)! I ordered three skinny belts in orange, grey & yellow... and they are PERFECT.

I honestly don't think I'm gonna set foot in a department store ever again...

Check out more from kara | daniel jewelry HERE & Studio Amiel HERE.

photos taken by Jw

FULL necklace, $45.00 by Melanie Favreau.

The end of the year always has me feeling completely overwhelmed... both with work that's yet to be done, as well as with new projects, ventures & ideas for the upcoming year.

With everything that fills your brain this time of year, it can be extra-difficult to focus and let yourself feel creative and inspired. Here's some things that I'm hoping will help me ease into the New Year...

RELAX.

Sit Back... letterpress poster, 11.5x18", $18.00 by Nick Schmitz.

If you're a workaholic like me, you probably struggle with forcing yourself to relax. My brain is always overflowing with thoughts, worries, ideas, etc. (see first image ;) so, even when I have some actual down time, I find that my own mind is my worst enemy. It's important to remember that relaxing, feeling calm, and doing things that are completely non-work-related is just as helpful (if not more-so) to one's creativity than the actual work itself. So just learn to chill out.

SEEK GUIDANCE.

I Swear To Good You Are God At This, $25.00 (holiday price 'til Jan 4th) by Holiday Matinee.

There's a never-ending list of source material out there that can be used for daily inspiration and creative support: books, articles, websites, blogs,etc. One of my most recent finds is a new book by creative studio, Holiday Matinee, entitled I Swear To Good You Are God At This. The book was written "to inspire people who might need an extra push to invest in themselves, do what they love and motivate as many awesome people as possible" - that's what I'm talkin' about!

Along with written inspiration, don't forget about those awesome people that you probably interact with every day... think of someone who inspires you and ask them to join you for a cup of coffee, or email them a couple of questions. I find that other people's experiences are the ultimate inspiration.

REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU ROCK.

Note to Self Notebook, $12.00 by Bob's Your Uncle.

Sometimes it's easier to see the negative in a situation or in yourself than it is to see the positive. Take the time to think about what you do that's amazing... why you're good at what you do... maybe even why others would find you inspiring. Giving yourself a little pat on the back every once in a while can really help to keep you moving in the right direction.

What are some ways that you find inspiration?

My sister's adorable friend, Jenima, and her roommates created this invite for a party they hosted recently. So simple and also clever - they liked it so much they're making it into a poster for their place! Obviously the masks set the tone, but all the details, from the typography to the individual outfits, coordinate perfectly together without trying too hard.

I think this could really turn into a trend...after all, even casual events deserve invitations, no?!

Church & State has a new online shop! Do you love these Alder dresses as much as I do? Then I would click on over.

These designers do detail so very well...

Images from Church & State.

Customizable Baby Print, by hoot design co. // BOOTH #3023

We're approaching the end of Day 3 here at the One of a Kind Show... can you believe it? It always seems to go by so quickly!

I've taken a lot of pics throughout the last two days, and I'm hoping to get around and find a few more excellent booths to cover tomorrow. I'll share all of that with you on Monday, and into next week...

But for now, here are a few of my picks from the Etsy Pavilion ::
(including great cards + prints from hoot design co., shown above)

1. Natural Selection Studio // BOOTH #2024

2. Foxglove Accessories // BOOTH #2021

3. Shibang Designs // BOOTH #3007

4. rar rar press // BOOTH #2016

5. Green Trike Press // BOOTH #3013

6. Moe Sew Co. Millinery // BOOTH #2005

7. Raquel Masri // BOOTH #3019

If you haven't come by the Mart to shop yet, there's just one day left -
hope to see you tomorrow!

Today Trot Home is celebrating its Grand Opening to the public - with a special 10% discount for customers who spend $50 or more.

Read more/see more pictures of the shop here. If you're holiday shopping in Northeast Ohio today, I recommend stopping on over to Trot Home for some cookies and holiday cheer!

Images by Josh Mitchell for Trot Home.

Day one at the One of a Kind Show is over, and we're starting Day 2 today at 11AM. It's been a great show so far! Thanks to all of you who visited our booth yesterday (and bought up all sorts of stationery goods!)... we hope you had a blast walking the show and finding new artists & designers to love and support.

Speaking of which, we certainly love finding new work at the show every year... often in the booth next door! Across the aisle from us this year is Tennessee-based mixed-media artist, Michael Cole, of Redd Klay :: A Collection of Fine Southern Artists. Michael uses found objects (including lots of letterpress type!), in combination with collage painting and hand-lettering applications, to make these beautiful art constructions ::

Michael's booth is #7054... just across the aisle from OrangeBeautiful's booth - so come and visit both of us!

images c/o Redd Klay.

Catherine is getting a play kitchen for Christmas. This week she's practicing telling Santa that she would like him to bring her a "little kitchen". Imagine how thrilled I was when I found Ikea's Duktig set, which looks just like a "real" Ikea kitchen - no garish colors or "girly pink" themes happening here - and is well-priced to boot! (We also got the top section, shown here with the main unit, which is sold separately.) Since it just came out this year, I'm hoping Ikea might add a fridge to the series for next year. We're putting it together this week. I'm so excited!

Image from Ikea.

It's December now (huh?), so that means it's time for the One of a Kind Show here in Chicago... this'll be OrangeBeautiful's FIFTH year exhibiting at the show - can you believe it?

If you're in town later this week (Thursday - Sunday), be sure to stop by our booth (#7055) and say Hello!

The show is pretty huge (over 400 artists, designers + craftspeople), so it can be a bit overwhelming... this year, there's the awesome addition of the Etsy Pavilion, which features 25+ Etsy sellers all in one spot!... more on that later.

For now, here are some of my jewelry picks for the show... I kinda want something from every single vendor in this category, but - as I do each year - I'm gonna have to narrow it down to a few special pieces.

Here's the list ::

1. 314?Studio // BOOTH #3136

2. Veronica Riley Martens // BOOTH #7124

3. Erin Gallagher // BOOTH #6124

4. Stylish Girl by Laila // BOOTH #1119

5. Frucci Design // ETSY Pavilion

6. Blue Buddha Boutique // BOOTH #8097

7. Foxglove Accessories // ETSY Pavilion

And remember, get your FREE complimentary passes to the show by visiting THIS LINK and entering PROMO CODE "ECPArtist"!

See you Thursday!!!