How to make your own natural floral crown

Hello and happy Saturday! I just read this beautiful how to this morning on how to make your own head wreath using natural flowers on the Etsy wedding blog. It was so lovely I just have to share it with you. Learn how to here! Enjoy! -hil

The beautiful photo above is by Brittany Watson Jepsen and Amanda Thomsen via the Etsy wedding blog.

Whimsical Wedding in Oxford, Ohio

I have the immense pleasure today of sharing with you a truly beautiful wedding. Two of our dear friends, Ellen and Luke, got hitched right here in our little town of Oxford. And while Oxford can sometimes seem small, full of jaywalkers, and home to inexplicably loud frat parties, for a wedding it is only perfect and quaint. Ellen and Luke tied the knot at the Oxford Community Arts Center, a beautiful historic building that used to be the Oxford College for Women. In addition to their lovely venue, Ellen added creative and unique DIY touches to the entire event. She crafted handmade fabric flowers for the groomsmen and centerpieces and even an adorable banner as a wedding cake topper using the fabric swatches from the custom Louise Hedley bridesmaid dresses, which were each sewn with a different patterned vintage fabric. I was honored to get to craft a bridal headpiece for Ellen, as well as a little something for each of the bridesmaids to wear in their hair. They even had a photo booth that doubled as a guest book. It was a lovely day and a gorgeous wedding, which is so fitting for this couple whose love for one another is so beautiful. Enjoy! -hil

 more from Ellen and Luke's wedding after the jump!

Bridal Shower Decoration DIY

This weekend Shannon came into town and we had a bridal shower for our lovely friend Ellen who is getting married in just three short weeks! You may recall me posting a little about Ellen's wedding, in particular her vintage floral bridesmaid dresses from Louise Hedley. The nuptials are going to have a blue/green theme along with that lovely dash of bright florals. Our challenge? How to create a beautiful shower to honor our friend on a budget. Get the scoop after the jump!

How To: plant a bulb garden

Spring will soon, well, spring, and at work we've begun to get a lot of orders in for bulb gardens. Bulb gardens are little baskets or planters featuring spring bulb plants like Hyacinth, Tulips, and Daffodils. This may just be my extreme bias towards spring flowers talking, but they're adorable. And as an added bonus, they're fun to make! That's why I put together a brief demonstration from a basket I assembled at work. View the visual how-to after the jump!

How To: golden deer antler wreath

Shannon's sweet winter wreath

A good seasonal wreath can be hard to come by. This was brought to my attention when I saw Shannon a few weeks ago. She was keeping her Christmas gifts this year imaginative, crafty, and thrifty and made wreaths for all her loved ones using rolled felt flowers and eucalyptus sprays. They were great. She taught me a lesson as she made them, saying she didn't want to gift Christmas wreaths, which could only be enjoyed for a limited time, but rather winter wreaths: something that spoke to the glittery cold, the heartiness of the season, and the simplicity of these winter months. This got me itching to try my hand at some winter decor for our front door, whose summery straw wreath desperately required hibernation. With a few simple purchases and some digging through old craft supplies, I was able to assemble a wreath to last us through winters cold stretch. Read on for the details after the jump!

The Wrapping Paper Solution: a few ideas on sustainable and creative gift wrap

As though it weren't enough to be running hither and yon through crowded shopping malls searching for the perfect present, Christmas gifts produce yet another complication: wrapping them. Sometimes this is the most stressful part for me because when I go to do it, I have no paper in which to wrap them! So instead of merely keeping wrapping paper stocked in the house, (something I have no problem with; you should buy a roll that suits your fancy when you see it for a good price, regardless of the season) I like to keep objects that help turn common items into wrapping paper. For example, a couple year ago I invested in a small stamp alphabet, a couple ink pads in metallic hues, and a stamp with a feather design that I liked. Using that small arsenal I was able to create the wrapping ensemble above with the use of the one roll of paper I had left from the year prior, an old map, and some kraft paper. Brown paper bags can be turned inside-out and gussied up with stamps and ribbon. Read on for even more wrapping ideas after the jump!

Martha, or should I say "Motha," does it again

I have a secret admission: I love Martha Stewart. I think she could make a designer wreath out of the dust bunnies behind my bedroom door and it would become the decor centerpiece of our home for years to come; frankly, I think she's brilliant! And always has such creative ideas.

Now I don't ever get too psyched about Halloween. It's just not my favorite holiday: I'm one of those mulled-cider-drinking, carol-singing, sweater-with-jingle-bells-sewn-on Christmas freaks. But when Sean and I were at Barnes and Noble this weekend and I saw the gorgeous costume Martha had come up with for the cover of her Halloween Special, I was nearly converted!

Her theme was "B-movie monsters", complete with a costume lineup of teen wolf, swamp thing, and the disappearing man. Her costume was the one to top them all, though: Motha, more than just a delightful play on words, was beautiful, particularly in the makeup department. She had these gorgeous moth wings she'd glued around her eyes and they were just stunning! If you buy the special she gives you a template to print them out and then recommends pheasant feathers to embellish the look. I am definitely going to use this concept for costumes and photo shoots in the future. It's such a great way to get some whimsical drama. You can read Motha's DIY how-to here. Thanks to Martha Stewart for yet another great idea!

Happy Halloween to you all! What was your favorite costume you've seen this year, or what do you plan on dressing up as tonight? Our favorite was a girl walking down Campus Avenue wearing a pair of underwear over her clothes with a belt around her head. We just had to stop her and ask, "are you Quail Man?"
Affirmative. She was. I love a creative costume. Please share! -hil

October To-Do list: Luxury bird houses, squirrel-proof feeders, and greenhouses from antique windows.

"her favorite flower is daffodils."

Before the month is out I have a small list of outdoor tasks I would like to accomplish:
I. Plant bulbs for spring
II. Hang bird feeders
III. Buy Mums for the porch + plant window boxes

We have a nice patch of mulch in front of our house that as of yet has no purpose. I'm going to get my guerilla gardening on and make that baby sparkle for the spring. Daffodils are my absolute favorite. I love that scene from Big Fish where he fills the yard with a sea of daffodils because all he knows is "her favorite flower is daffodils." Mmm, I could live in that every day of my life, not to mention tulip fields. Those things are wild. Imagine waking up in the Netherlands, pulling the curtains back, and this is the sight that greets you as you gaze out of your stately windmill:

Yes, your windmill is so tall you get this sweet aerial view. Tulip fields and more after the jump!

Chicago + Renegade Craft Fair

Sean at Prasino in Wicker Park

Sorry all for the unannounced days off. I was busy preparing for art classes to start and Sean and I took a whirlwind trip to Chicago this weekend, and boy do I have a treat for you. We went out to brunch with the fam on Sunday (this cute spot in Wicker Park called Prasino. I had eggs benedict on a pretzel bun with black truffle hollandaise. Truffle hollandaise! Genius!) and what do you know but the Renegade Craft Fair was going on right out front. It made parking a bear and complicated things, but I was so thrilled to see this particular arts festival going on. Renegade Handmade might be my favorite store on the planet, and every time I visit Chicago without making a stop there I weep bitterly. Well, I'm being hyperbolic, but I do love it, so imagine my glee at discovering my favorite store blown up into an entire street fair!

The Renegade Craft Fair is Chicago's largest indie and DIY craft event. Artisans from all over the place set up tents and hawk their goods. It also takes place in Austin, LA, San Francisco, London, and Brooklyn every year. We got to peruse the fair for a bit and there were so many beautiful things to look at! I probably could have blown our whole budget for the month on necklaces with mini telescopes dangling from them or handmade prints to go on the wall but I restrained myself. It was a difficult decision, of course, because sometimes no groceries for a week seems a fair tradeoff for some beautiful art. Maybe next year I'll take some treasures home with me. Read on for highlights after the jump!

making a good impression

A couple of months ago I was trying to get my foot in the door for a certain design job. I really wanted to make them a custom, handmade portfolio that was tailored visually to the position I was applying for. I knew the portfolio (which is another post for another time) would take me some time to create, probably a week or two, but I wanted to go ahead and put my name in the drawing, so to speak. This job would have been a position where I would have been making lots of handmade designs, probably using recycled, unusual, and vintage materials. What I decided to do, instead of just sending an email, was to send a letter in a custom carrying case: a little piece of art, if you will. I found an old tin up at the local antique shop and collaged the inside with some vintage fabric and a hand drawn banner with my name on it. I sealed all this into the tin using resin (I used envirotex lite, since I tend to keep it stocked in my studio) and then enclosed my cover letter with my information. I dropped it off in person in a little envelope. This could be a great idea if you have a business card and a cover letter you want to drop off. The custom box was quick to make but leaves a big impression as it is an intimate handmade object. The other great thing is that after you pass it off, even if the letter or card gets tossed, the box can be reused and has a higher chance of sticking around and being seen again. If you decide to seal your name into the resin and even your information, there's a chance you may be remembered for another position at a later date if you don't get the first one. In my opinion, it's always good to have your name on beautiful things if you're an artist. Be seen! You never know what will come your way.

Right after the resin pour. I carpeted the inside of the tin with fabric and cut out paper elements to collage on top. Be careful using paper with the resin. Thin papers will sometimes vanish completely once the resin hits them. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on what you're going for, but it's always smart (and really easy) to do a test first just to be sure. Also, the Evirotex will stick forever to almost anything once it sets, so wear gloves and pour over something it will come off of. It bonds to paper, plastic, wood, and fabric, so I always use aluminum sheeting.

The inside of the tin once I finished. To make it more professional and visually coherent I wish I would have been able to use a typewriter on the belt where I wrote my info. But the point of this object was to deliver it quickly, and sometimes that has to take precedent. Also, you can't see in the pic but my name is written on the red banner in the lid.

Final touches should never be underestimated. I made a ribbon from the fabric I used inside and tied the box shut. Then I slid it into a vintage style (but professional) envelope for delivery.

ps-Sorry for the cell phone pics. I wish they were clearer but that's all I had that day.

A long overdue post concerning Wedding Invitations

Back in March I posted the design Sean and I made for our wedding invitations, but in the hustle and bustle of everything I never got to share just how everything came together.

I mean to remedy that today.

One of the biggest components on the invitations that I didn't anticipate were the envelopes. We used vellum envelopes so our design could be seen through them on the opposite side. All the work came in for the addressed side. I bought a few stamps from a local craft store and slightly modified one to make it look like flowers were spilling out of a mason jar. The outline of the jar acted as a little address frame and I added a large "M" on each label which started the line "Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so" above each address. I am fortunate to be friends with some lovely, supportive women who came over and helped me create these designs one Thursday for about four hours. Even though I bought "quick-drying" ink made for vellum, it took about a half hour for the pigments to set enough to be stack-proof. After each envelope went through our little assembly line, we hung them up on a ramshackle drying system we rigged up around the house. The end result was exactly the look and feel we were aiming for, and I felt proud of our little pieces of art we got to send out to all our family and friends at the end of the week. Below are more pictures of the process and the final product. Enjoy!

Lindsay, Shannon, and Sam form a stamping brigade to rival the best of them. I could never have done this without their help!

Sam hangs a completed envelope on our drying line, which consisted of several lengths of yarn hung across the living room ceiling. Lewis observes from his post on the couch.

The first batch of envelopes drying on our clothing rack.

The state of the living room at the end of all the stamping madness. They actually looked sort of beautiful strung up with the light shining through them.

Signed, sealed, delivered! A shot of the inside of the invites, complete with hand-punched RSVP cards, and an addressed and sent envelope.

taking time to make stuff.

This week I was fortunate enough to be creatively employed. Well, not for money, but it was certainly pleasant having a project. My friend Hannah works at an adorable little boutique here in Oxford called Juniper and she asked me to come in and help with a new window display this week while all the students were out of town for spring break. I convinced Megan, a friend from my work, to help and we had so much fun making stuff. Mostly we just got to hang out and make paper flowers all day, which, if you ask me, is an awesome day. It reminded me of how nice it feels to make things just for the sake of making things. I've been pretty obsessed with Ashley Meaders, a DIY style event designer, and we used her ideas as inspiration. We made a bunch of different sorts of flowers before settling on what we used, and just playing around with the paper and whatever we could find around the store was a perfect exercise in creativity. It definitely got the juices flowing again, which feels great. Overall, not a life-changing mammoth project, but it felt nice to be creating in public other than murals, not to mention the chance to be around some great ladies all day.

(Above)Megan working on the finishing touches for the flowers

(Below) The finished product!

Save-the-dates: a collaboration of love.

So after plenty of brainstorming, tedious sketching, and trips to the University's media lab, Sean and I have produced a successful collaboration: our save-the-dates. I have to admit, I'm super proud of them. Sean did the initial heavy lifting after I asked him to sketch out two deer with the buck's antlers forming a heart. He took that idea and exceeded what I had imagined, once again begging the question: why wouldn't I want to marry this man? After that, it was a matter of me puttering around in the studio making tracing paper overlays, sketching banners, and gouaching hearts on the (almost) level floor at the arts center. The result, I think, is well worth the time and effort of making custom save-the-dates. Of course, since it took us longer to design them than anticipated, we may just save them and use them for our invitations instead and skip the save-the-dates altogether or do electronic ones. It would certainly help to shave down the wedding budget a bit.

I wish I had a print of it to show, rather than just the design. As a printmaker I get very excited about paper products, and we want this design to find it's home on some chipboard, so it really will look quite different once it's printed on that toned background. I also have had a recurring dream of this design being letter pressed (I am drooling right now just over the prospect of it) and thankfully one of my lovely bridesmaids did some legwork and sent me an email chock full of links to different print shops willing to letterpress your personal designs for you. The forerunner right now seems to be Cranky Pressman Printery & Bindery. They have penned all the information on their site in an affably cantankerous manner, and this actually is to their advantage; everything appears very straightforward as opposed to sites that opt for a more flowery and polite approach. It's also an Ohio based shop, which means I can check convenience and support of local vendors off my list as far as invitations. An online form makes it convenient to request a quote.

I am so excited that these are finished, not only because I have been anxiously awaiting the finished product since this ideas birth, but also because I get to check another little box off that monstrous bridal to-do list that stretches for miles, it seems. But hey, it will all get accomplished by June 11. And I get to celebrate a thousand tiny victories, such as this.