create

Christmas Wreath Workshop

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There is nothing I love more than arranging flowers and being creative — so when I found a workshop on Christmas Wreath making, I knew I needed to sign up for it. It was SOOOOO much fun and I highly suggest doing something fun and creative like this in the Holiday Time. I loved every minute of it. This workshop was put on by Pop-Up Florist, a beautiful floral delivery service in NYC, at their new space, House of Three.

 

I didn’t take pictures of the actual physical space of the class — and I should have because it was gorgeous. Big, spacious, beautiful, welcoming. Then there were tables set up with all the items that we could use to make our wreath. All the different types of ribbons, ornaments, any kind of greens, etc…It was weaving AND creating at the same time.

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No Cap Candles Co.

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Super cool, my bestie’s daughter created a candle company as a class project for her school, Girls Middle School (in California). The assignment was in her entrepreneurial class, in order to teach the students how to create a business from start to end.  Rosie, along with three other friends, started No Cap Candles. This company is a brand of candles with trendy names, designed for teens.

 

As a supporter of Rosie, I of course, was going to buy at least one candle. But because the candles are SO creative, zesty, full of fun and spark, I had to buy one of each! How could I not! I am so so so impressed by Rosie, her dedication to this company, and how the end result is so great.

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Glass Blowing

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Over Thanksgiving break, we went on our annual trip to Northern California (well, we go to Northern California a lot more than once a year, but we have done it the past three Thanksgivings…). It was a nonstop fun filled weekend, not just with food, but with tons of activities. Hands down, one of the highlights was glass blowing. I mean, what is more fun than creating a holiday ornament! A BIG shout out to our hosts (sister from another mister) for organizing every single activity and finding all these fun experiences for us to do together — love doing life (and / or glass blowing) together.

 

It was a drive from where we were staying — but well worth it. Located on Mare Island, it is a random studio, but has everything you need to blow glass!

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Needlepoint Canvases

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Holiday season is upon us, which means more traveling and time to needlepoint! I love getting lots of canvases to work on during my travels (and down time), and here are some websites that I have recently loved purchasing my different canvases.

 

1. The Red Thread Atelier

 

I bought several canvases from this new website, and I love them all. Especially love this future pouch for all my emergency candy!

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Lavender Sachets

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Yesterday, after my long run, we had a lull in what activity we were going to do. I was not highly motivated to get the kids on a bike or take a hike (and they surely didn’t want to do it unless I encouraged them to do so), so my mom asked if we could drive out to the McKenzie River Highway and pick up some lavender buds to make some lavender sachets. So although I hate to drive, we have been LOVING listening to Taylor Swift in the car, so we jumped in to the car and went on our adventure. We went to get the lavender buds in order to make homemade lavender sachets (thank you, Mama for the great idea for the afternoon!).

 

Gorgeous fields of lavender.

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Taylor Swift Crafts

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As I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to attend the Taylor Swift concert in late July in Seattle — and ever since then, I have become totally and utterly obsessed. Dare I say it, I am on the road to become a die hard Swiftie. Everything targeted at me on my instagram reels is Taylor, I have read every article about her, etc….I am (gasp) obsessed. And that means I have listened to hours upon hours of her songs — I can NOT stop. All that said, my biffle from undergrad is at a whole OTHER level of Swiftie-hood. She knows every word to every song, has gone to one show in North America and already has tickets for Europe, etc…She lives and breathes Taylor Swift. She is *also* an incredible artist — INCREDIBLE — unbelievable. If you ever give her an art assignment, she rocks it and blows it out of the park (like my 25th birthday party invitation, my Master’s Thesis cover –yes, very true, the alley mural). She is THE person you call when you need anything (art related or not) and is the most loyal and unbelievable friend. Lucky to have her in my corner and have the opportunity to see all her beautiful artwork. All that to say — she created the most unbelievable unique pieces for her Taylor Swift concert that I have to show you all! Talk about inspiration!!!! It is insanely beautiful.

 

This is Bridget on the left and her daughter Olive. Bridget embroidered the jean jacket with all Taylor’s albums and then made shoes with all the flowers that Taylor mentions in songs. Yes, Bridget went DEEP.

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Jordan Nassar Exhibit

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If you happen to be in NYC any time between now and May 7th, I highly suggest that you visit the artist Jordan Nassar‘s work shown at the James Cohan Gallery. And even if you DON’T make it to the gallery, I recommend becoming familiar with Jordan Nassar! Jordan Nassar is a 37 year old native New Yorker (The Collegiate School graduate) and his artwork is mainly hand embroidery.

 

I did a solo trek down to James Cohan’s gallery on Walker street in TriBeCa. As someone who needlepoints and has a mother AND a daughter that both love to embroider, I appreciate looking at other people’s creation. And Jordan Nassar is unbelievable — his creativity and colors blew me away.

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Needlepoint Chair

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As you all know, in the past two years (thank you, pandemic hobby), I have become an avid needlepointer. I have made hundreds of coasters, pillows, sunglasses holders, and ornaments. I keep them or give them to friends and family. But this past week, I finally *SOLD* one of my creations and I am so happy. Yes, I  made about $2 per hour, but I love the process and the creation, so the money in the end isn’t the important part. I collaborated with upholster, Chairloom, to make a beautiful chair and I am so proud of the final creation that I had to share with you all — thank you for letting me share! We worked together to find the right vintage chair, perfect fabric to match, and then Chairloom put it all together. Take a look!

 

The chair! I did the BIG needlepoint and then teamed up with Chairloom. The chair is actually a tiny small chair — which we loved — BIGGIE SMALLS in a tiny kings chair.

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Needlepoint Pointers

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If you are a needlepointer (or interested in needlepointing), then this post is for YOU! In the past 16 months of my new found hobby, I have done a lot of research (and trial and error) on what works and doesn’t work. And because I am a sharer, here are various tips / pointers on websites, threads, anything and everything needlepoint that has worked for ME! (And if you have any favorites, please share with me, too!)

 

My most recent project!

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Custom Needlepoint Canvas DNS by Design

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As many of you know, since April 2020, I have become an avid needlepointer. I spend a lot of time planning a project, working on it, and finishing it. I love (and hate!) the process of it, but I absolutely love having a final product — especially when I am proud of the work. I have spent hours upon hours searching for canvases that strike a chord with me, but more often than not, I am left uninspired and wanting more. I absolutely loved making my Notorious BIG footstool, as well as my Tupac pillow, and I wanted to find something in the same genre — cool, hip, unique, exotic, and colorful. Unfortunately, after my own search,  I never found anything. Thankfully, a friend told me to contact Denise, of DNS by Design, who can custom paint any canvases, any size, any photo. And boy, did I luck out in finding her! What a gem!!!!

 

The final product of my Biggie stool.

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Homemade Coasters

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Recently, I have been on a needlepoint kick. I can’t stop! I can sit there for hours, just needlepointing. It is relaxing, at the same time as being stressful. But in the end, I love the enjoyment of creating something from scratch. In the past two months, I have thoroughly enjoyed making a series of “duds” and “dudes,” and then making them in to coasters. I made each bit of them by hand — they look it, too — but I secretly love the organic, roughness of it. You can tell that someone made them, and I love that part of it. So now, we have fun and wacky new coasters for our home — I just need to have a party (thanks, COVID!)

 

This is my little nook, where I spent a big portion of the day…..

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Pip and Roo Needlework

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My COVID hobby of needlepoint is back in to my life again, thanks to the coolest and hippest needlepoint company, Pip and Roo. After my first two designs, I started googling “hip needlepoint” and sure enough after many duds, I found Pip and Roo. Unfortunately, as everyone and their mother started needlepointing during COVID (along with baking banana bread and bike riding), it was impossible to find one of their designs as they were sold out everywhere. Thanks to a notification, I finally was informed when they were back in stock so I jumped on it. I made the Rose (Whispering Angel, but of course) over the past three days and I just ordered the Aperol Spritz and I can’t wait to start on that. They are funny, cheeky, cute, and well designed. So many other companies make cheesy and flat out lame and uninspiring drawings….so if you are on the lookout for cool and hip needlepointing, take a look at Pip and Roo!

 

Night one. I love it — and hate it at the same time — I can’t put it down which is good and bad.

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Evolve Fit Wear

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First of all, thank you so much to your comments, emails, texts, and love for the 5th year of the JGB. I am blushing and so appreciate it all– thank you so much, and most of all, thank you for reading and letting me be in your life!  On to today’s post…

 

I spend half my life in fitness clothes — or at least, a big chunk of my morning — and therefore, like to be dressed in high performance (makes you run faster, right?) and cute (makes you hotter, right?) gear. So when I came across the fitness clothing site, Evolve Fit Wear, I was incredibly happy. AND THEN WHEN I FOUND OUT that the owner and creator of Evolve, Kyla Smith, is a blog follower (#humbled), I jumped at the opportunity to interview her. I love digging into people’s business and seeing what makes them tick and operate. Kyla is a strong entrepreneur who created an e-commerce fitness website from scratch. Take a look — what an inspiration!

 

Kyla -- can you handle the cutness? I want her whole look. Puppy included.

Kyla — can you handle the cuteness? I want her whole look. Puppy included.

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