Stitched Up Details

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Invites & Save the Dates, Wedding Decor Ideas

Tags

bride, ceremony, crafts, decor, embroidery, engagement, events, favors, groom, handmade, invites, place settings, save the dates, seating cards, sewing, table numbers, wedding favors, wedding invites, wedding programs, weddings

I came across these items on one of my favorite blogs, Oh So Beautiful Paper, and had to share it. My love for sewn pieces and embroidery has grown so much throughout the years – from the time when I was looking for the multi-needle embroidery machine reviews myself to buy one, so when I see it used in a unique way, it truly makes me smile.

These next few examples really used this handmade accent in a beautiful way and truly were a success. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

And here are some more really cute things I found among my searches.

Raw Materials Design

22 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Awesome Shops

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america, aprons, better homes and gardens, blue, cotton, crafts, gift bags, Janna Lufkin, linens, made in america, napkins, placemats, raw materials, raw materials design, red, sewing, today show, towels, whole living magazine

I came across Raw Materials Design and fell in love. Here are a few reasons why.

1. All their products are made and sourced in the United States.
2. The shop is descended from four generations.
3. Everything is handmade by skilled craftsmen.
4. All items are made from 100% cotton.
5. It’s said their products will last a lifetime.
6. All the products have a unique raw style suitable for every home.

This shop is awesome. Plain and simple. They offer aprons, linens, and a few home good items that are all made extremely well as well as look beautiful. I happen to love the handmade feel so I can appreciate the design element the stitching brings to the pieces. Because its blue and red, each item carries that Americana feel from the old days. Just enough detail to add style without being over the top.

The shop has been mentioned in a variety of media from Better Homes and Gardens and Whole Living Magazine to the Today Show and deserves every bit of it. A company that stands on value, tradition, and supporting hardworking men and women, is a company I like to give business to. And the fact that everything is sourced and made in America is a huge bonus.

So here is a little introduction to their items. Hope you all love them as much as I do.

Signature Aprons

Linens

Home Goods

{All images are from rawmaterialsdesign.com}

Art Inspired Palette – Norma Andreu

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art Inspired Palette, Awesome Shops, Color Inspiration

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cara carmina, collage, neutrals, norma andreu, painting, photography, sewing, textiles

Canadian artist, Norma Andreu, has a unique sensibility towards her work. Originally from Mexico City, you can clearly see the influence of her birthplace. She paints, illustrates and creates most of her work by hand. I originally fell in love with her dolls and then came to really appreciate her collage work as well.

Norma’s little cloth dolls are made with a combination of hand stitching and her sewing machine. They are all unique in that there is no pattern or stencil she works from. It’s all free motion stitching and the end result is a truly special gift. These little characters she creates take you away to a world where free spirit rules and distant music is always heard. It’s surely a place I’d like to be!

Check out her website as well as her Etsy shop, Cara Carmina, and see for yourself how talented this girl is. Her color schemes revolve around neutrals and play on the pale hues of nature but it’s interesting to see them shown in different forms. From her illustration work to her textiles, the design and palette come together in true harmony.

Art Inspired Palette – Miniature Rhino

29 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art Inspired Palette, Color Inspiration

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colors, etsy, heart, jessica marquez, miniature rhino, sewing

Miniature Rhino is the shop of Jessica Marquez, an artist who lives and works in Brooklyn. Originally from California, she grew up around creative and inspiring women who taught her the basics of crafting and the proper tools to use. She took this knowledge, her love for science and one of a kind ideas and created Miniature Rhino.

I personally love her work because it showcases true handmade craftsmanship with a modern twist on classic methods of art. Her pieces are whimsy, amazingly detailed and are created with so much love. Her palette varies but her colors are always cheerful and somewhat reminiscent of the good old days. Look to her work to find inspiration for events such as vintage style parties, children’s birthdays and indie weddings that are unique and crafty as well as in the home for a cooler, natural feel.