Friday, April 27, 2007

Junkin'

Yard sales, thrift stores, swap meets, dumpster diving...whatever your pleasure. There is just nothing more satisfying than finding that gem among the rubble. My friend Monica and I meet almost every Tuesday for junkin' at the local thrift store. I really can't remember a time that I have left empty handed. There is always some treasure to be had and for a few bucks I scratch that modern day shopping itch. I am also convinced that God leaves a few little gifts there for me along the way... These metal kitchen canisters were this weeks find. I love their pink candy striped goodness and that classic 50's/60's font.

Monica was the first to introduce me to the term " Junkin' " and seemed right in keeping with what I lovingly refer to as her "Ohioisms". Everything sounds so much more quaint with an Ohioism ... I am in a terribly irritable mood ... Monica has a "burr in her bonnet". I need to get out of somewhere fast...Monica needs to "blow this popsicle stand." I need to approach a situation with my fists ready to battle it out...Monica just slips on her "Teflon dress", which of course looks very cute and classy on her. I think Ohio must just be a happy, sunny place to be.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Shop Update...Embroidered Buttons

I will be slowly adding new items to the shop over the coming weeks in preparation for an upcoming show. New embroidered buttons have just been added to the shop. I take custom button orders as well. Each button is individually hand embroidered... perfect for adding a unique touch to your knitting projects, updating your favorite garment, or tied to elastic ties for a fun hair adornment.




















Newsworthy Matryoshka

Simply June has been receiving some press lately... I was contacted a little while ago by Virginia M. Citrano of adoptionblogs.com 's Russian Adoption Blog. Citrano is also a Russian adoptive parent and wrote a really nice piece on us entitled "Russian Adoption Inspires A Business." Check it out to find out a little more about how Simply June came to be... Also, take a look at her follow up article "Russian Culture: Matryoshka Dolls" to learn some more about the history behind the Russian Matryoshka.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Vintage Button Swap Deux

My sweet swap partner Lori sent me all of these wonderful goodies. They arrived yesterday and I waited until nap time to be able to leisurely open my package and dote on each yummy item. Check out Lori's blog...she is quite the knitter. I am loving the buttons, the fun bits of funky yarn and some hand knit washcloths! Nikolai even got a little goodie and Jason and I had fun looking at the Milwaukee postcards...swiping the Calatrava designed art museum for himself...

Big thanks to Sally over at Shim+Sons for setting up this second wonderful button swap.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Flourish

I definitely flourish better in the sun...my creative energy is just totally zapped by rain and fog. We have been having our fair share of April showers here in Boston and the last two days of sunshine have ignited a frenzy of creativity and allowed for some product photography and shop updates as well. In addition to the new Matryoshka Onesies and Bibs, check out some new Magnet Tins...grab them now...these always go fast.


















And a little hit of what is to come for the Spring/Summer season...



















Matryoshka Onesies and Bibs

3 Little Matryoshka Dolls all in a row...these cuties are now up in the Simply June Shop. The onesies are available in sizes 0-3 months, 3-9 mo., 12 mo., 18 mo. and 24 mo. The bibs feature a wipe-clean surface and the pair would make the perfect gift for a "little" in your life...





































Spell with Flickr

SI M table assignment 030604 PL Y J U N E


I stumbled upon this website through another blog and it is just incredibly addictive. You can type in anything and it generates those words using Flickr images...then simply cut and paste the code onto your website...can you spell o-b-s-e-s-s-e-d?

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Chandelier...Silhouette

Some wonderful being left me a note...they found that gorgeous silhouette chandelier that was shown on Thom Filicia's new show "Dress My Nest" on the Style Network. It can be found at Urban Outfitters for just $36 + $10 for the cord kit. Now for the big decision...ivory or black. I'm thinking of hanging it in my studio and the ivory is just calling to me for that space.







































Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Best Decision I Ever Made

I made the best decision of my life 8 years ago today...

I sometimes wonder how we knew at such a young age that our life could be this wonderful together. Though we all change over the years, I think there is that core part of us that doesn't...that grows yet somehow remains the same.

I love experiencing life with you... Happy Anniversary Jason!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Velvet Settees, Tufted Ottomans, Silhouette End Tables...These are a Few of My Favorite Things...

When my "lease" runs out for my little corner of Anthropology, I plan on moving into the Brocade Home catalog... Their catalog is so serene and their style captures my love of silhouettes. The wallpaper behind the settee is channeling the new fabric I just ordered from Reprodepot. I want to curl up on that tufted ottoman and read the stack of books on my end table in one sitting...

I recently watched an episode of Dress My Nest... Thom Filicia's new show on the Style Network. The basic format of the show is that he teams together with a fashion stylist to design a living space for someone based on their one perfect outfit that really speaks of their style. The episode I watched featured a soon-to-be 30 year old whose house just screamed Hello Kitty and a major pink overdose. Thom found a way to interpret her vintage, cute, eclectic outfit in a unique, stylish, more mature yet still eclectic way. I personally drooled over the wooden silhouette style chandelier which I am wearing out my fingers trying to Google....I very well might need that chandelier...






























































































Friday, April 06, 2007

Hop on Over

We are hosting an Easter dinner party for a bunch of our friends this year and as usual, I am happily obsessing over the details. Cheers to Carey and Tim for the Baileys Bunnies idea. These little darlings have lost their ears and are now lined up in the freezer awaiting their Baileys on Sunday...Yum. (They look a little terrified eyeing the bowl of ears.) Happy Easter!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

I want to LIVE in an Anthropologie store.

I've opened my mailbox twice within the last week to find an Anthropologie catalog and please tell me that I'm not the only one who wants to live in those pages or better yet the store! I only allow myself to visit my local Anthropologie a couple of times a year...major reason being a cash flow problem...the other being that they don't actually like when you show up with a Starbucks and curl up on one of their couches to read a book. I love every inch of their stores from the home decor to the clothing to all the kitchy details in between. I literally take notes in the store I am so filled with inspiration. I think I need to take a week off soon to sew just for myself and my home. I'm currently dying to paint my kitchen door red and refashioning my Roman shades with fabric from a vintage tablecloth...might have to talk Jason into this idea.





Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Gotcha Day

Today is Nikolai's first Gotcha Day...One year since the day we picked Nikolai up from the orphanage in Moscow. Can you see that little eye peeking out from my coat? Jason and I had flown in from Boston the night before. Our driver and translator drove us around in the early morning to take care of some more paperwork and to start getting Nikolai's Russian Passport in motion. Around 11am, we were brought to his Baby Home with our trunk full of gifts for his caretakers and orphanage staff. I had made a purse for each of his 17 caretakers as well as the doctors. I wanted to give something of meaning, but how on earth do you thank the women who cared for your son? Many of the caretakers have little to nothing...they work double shifts to provide for their families. However, you can see clearly in their eyes that this is much more than a job to them. They love the children...they hug them...they kiss them...they do their best to meet their needs with very limited resources and not enough time to comfort these children who have already had such great loss in their lives. I had a small bag packed with Nikolai's clothes and two diapers. The bag was whisked away as we waited in a small room to see him again. It had been about two weeks since our last trip and we could barely wait to hold him in our arms again. Three caretakers brought him out...dressed in his new clothes...tears in their eyes as they handed him to us. It was such a solemn moment. The caretakers ducted back into the room to care for the many other children who weren't going home with families that day and many that likely never would. The second diaper was saved for another child. We met next with the orphanage director to thank her and say our goodbyes. Nikolai saw her in her white doctors coat...he cried and clung to me. We walked outside into the crisp Russian air and climbed into the car. Our translator ran back in to get one more piece of paperwork. Jason took this photo of Nikolai and me. We held each other tight. We were both scared...the most incredible day...the most life changing...new parents in a foreign country to a child that was 20 months old and was about to experience so many new things! Happy Gotcha Day Nikolai...we are so blessed to have you as our son!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Simply Newsworthy

I'm finally posting a photograph from my recent show at Alliance for Children's Multicultural Fair. This event is run annually by Nikolai's adoption agency. I was involved in the planning both last year and this, but this was my first year attending. During last year's fair, Jason and I were in a plane on our way to Russia to bring our Nikolai home. It was so wonderful to be able to go to this year's fair with our son! The fair features all types of multicultural performances...music...dancing, etc. as well as foods, crafts and a vendor area. Fox 25 news even came to film a segment and Nikolai and I were on the 10 o'clock news!