Dish...

Does this ever happen to you? I'm sitting here designing some hang tags for the show this weekend and I start typing the word dish... I'm futzing with fonts and moving around the layout and suddenly it crosses my mind that I might have spelled "dish" wrong. Now I'm not exactly how I think it should be spelled and in addition to this I have this sneaking suspicion that "dish" isn't even a word... as if some wires crossed in my brain and I have suddenly invented a new word and everyone is going to pass by the booth on Saturday trying to figure out what "Retro - Dibnerbobben - Towels" are... Anyway, sadly I could not control myself from Googling "dish" and I have been reassured that I have the right spelling and that the word does exist. Nice...

Nesting

Our neighbor rang us this afternoon to tell us about a bird's nest that had fallen into her yard. Thankfully it's feathery occupants had already moved out. Kolya and I padded over to her yard in our bare feet to inspect her find and she let us take it home! Kolya and I have plans of painting some rock "eggs" for out nest at the beach next week... In the meantime my new little embroidered bird sachet from Anthro might occupy it for a bit... (The place mat an birdie are a part of my birthday goodies from my dear friend Monica. Thank you M!)




















Another order of zippers arrived at my door today. I have bunches of zip pouches in the works for Artbeat in July and I can tell how quickly that date is going to sneak up on me. Make sure to mark July 19th in your calendars and come and pay us a visit. I will be sharing a booth with Zandra from Zeal and we both have some new goods to share! Sign up on the SimplyJune mailing list if you haven't already to make sure you receive a special postcard invite in the coming weeks...

Craft: Issue 07 Release Party - BOSTON

If you are local to the Boston area, check out this cool upcoming event hosted by Alison Gordon (The Sampler) and Simone Alpen (Greenward). Check out Craft Magazine's blog for updates and reviews of release parties in other cities. I'm planning to attend and am meeting up with Melissa from Yummy Goods. See you there!

Stitched Portfolio

I have been busy in the studio putting together my portfolio for an upcoming juried show deadline. I actually need to have it in the mail tomorrow and the show is not until November! I'm used to having to think ahead, but this one is really keeping me on my toes. I have been working on tear sheets for my portfolio that I can mix and match for different applications, but I wanted something unique to present my work in. Z came up with the idea of sewing a cover for my portfolio and then it sort of evolved from there. I love how it turned out and I think I might need to whip up a cute cover for my day planner now.

I have many other little projects in the works and I am so thankful to be back to sewing now. I also had the treat of getting to listen to an interview with my ultimate crafting icon over a Craft Sanity this week. It is so inspiring to listen to the thoughts of a like minded crafty soul...someone who really recognizes the NEED to make...to design...to create. Pop over for a listen if your so inclined...

Sampler Party at Spark Crafts

A few weeks ago my friend Zandra (of Zeal) and I headed out to Cambridge to the Sampler: Boston launch party at Spark Crafts. It was so great to meat Alison as well as a bunch of other indie crafters! I'm definitely excited to contribute to future Samplers...but in the meantime, I think she still has a few Boston Samplers left in the shop - go check them out. If you live in the Boston area, a trip to Spark is also a must. The shop was huge and had all of the best supplies from yarn to craft books and beads. The shop is also very welcoming with the sun shining in the store front windows and a little sitting area to curl up and flip through some of their books.

At the party, we each got a cool goodie bag and contributors got a cute tote bag designed by Marissa Falco over at marissaland.

Alison has now added some new bloggers to her website too...can't wait to see what she thinks up next!

Craft Fair ... Zeal

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Join SimplyJune this Saturday, February 2nd from 10:30-2pm at Newton South High School, 140 Brandeis Road; Newton Centre, MA for a craft show. We will have some of our old favorites as well as some new goodies including children's beanbag sets, new wipe-clean children's aprons and gift tags.

Also stop by to visit our friend Zandra Zuraw from Zeal: Paper Crafts for the Home and check out her colorful and eclectic boxes, frames, coasters, lampshades and more...

Keep an eye out for the upcoming City Sampler: Boston at the Sampler! SimplyJune has contributed 20 hand embroidered buttons that will be distributed in this new featured Sampler. The Sampler is a great way to check out some amazing indie artists and get some great goodies in the mail.

SimplyJune has also contributed a raffle basket valued at $200 to the Alliance For Children's 7th Annual Multicultural Fair to be held Saturday March 29th from 12-3pm at Wellesley High School. This incredible event celebrates the wonderful cultural diversity of our world and includes music and dance performances from Latin America, China, Eastern Europe and more as well as children's crafts, food, raffle and a marketplace. The annual raffle raises money for the Alliance for Children Foundation which is dedicated to improving the physical and emotional well being of abandoned children living in orphanages in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. My husband and I adopted our son Nikolai through Alliance for Children in 2006 and are honored to support this wonderful organization. If you would like more information about this wonderful event or are interested in supporting the Alliance For Children Foundation through the purchase of raffle tickets, send us an e-mail at info (at) simplyjune.com.

Karen June



















Hand Embroidered Buttons for the Sampler: Boston by SimplyJune













Lampshades by Zeal



















Boxes by Zeal



















Coasters by Zeal

Upcoming Events

Stop by and visit Simply June at some of these upcoming shows. I can't wait to see you there!

Saturday November 3rd - 10am-4pm
10th annual Arts & Artisans Craft Show - Saturday November 3, 2007 from 10 am - 4 pm at The Morse Institute Library. Proceeds to benefit Kids Connect, Inc. Call 508-652-4211 for more info.
14 East Central Street; Natick, MA


Wednesday November 7th - 5:30pm
Fork It Over for Girl Scouts - Wednesday November 7, 2007 ; Doors open at 5:30pm at the Courtyard by Marriott; 75 Felton Street; Marlborough, MA

Join some of the region's best chefs as they cook up unique appetizers and desserts using Girl Scout Cookies as an inspirational ingredient! Each chef will present their masterpiece before a panel of judges in a vest-or-the-best competition. Then it's your turn to indulge! A silent auction and live musical entertainment will round out this exciting event. Tax deductible tickets are $25 each.

Check out the Silent Auction including a Nataliya Silhouette Bag, Fleur Bobbies and Floweret Pin from Simply June.





Saturday November 10th - 9:30am-4:30pm
11th Annual Holiday Art & Craft Faire - Saturday November 10, 2007 from 9:30am - 4:30pm at the Concord Scout House; 74 Walden Street; Concord, MA - More than 30 Fine Artisians






















Sign up on our Mailing List to receive coupons to these great events! Look forward to seeing you!

Vintage Handkerchiefs

I picked up these lovelies from Nancy at the Creative Bazaar the other week. I loved each of these for their colors, designs, cute edging...all delightfully pretty. Everything is so disposable these days...we use so many paper products in our daily lives. Paper towels instead of lovingly embroidered tea towels, boxes of tissues instead of personalized handkerchiefs, vinyl tablecloths replacing table coverings handed down by generation...now of course many a day I say thanks for disposable diapers! Now off to find a cute vintage style blouse with a pocket to tuck my vintage hankies...

Endless creating is happening in the Simply June studio... I have a batch of fleur bobbies in the making, stacks of tote bags cut and ready to be sewn. We have a big lineup of shows coming up. I'll be adding an Event button on the Simply June website soon. Make sure to sign up on our Mailing List to receive special coupons that can be used at our events as well as some online deals for your holiday shopping.

** Simply June's next show will be Saturday, November 3rd in Natick, Massachusetts.

The Creative Bazaar...Four Points by Sheraton, Hyannis, MA

We are keeping busy and gearing up for a number of shows this holiday season. Check out some of our great new designs in the SimplyJune online shop and stop by for a visit at one of our shows in the coming months. Our next show is Saturday, October 13th at the Four Points by Sheraton in Hyannis, MA. For more information and directions, visit the event website at www.justbeconnected.com. Admission is free and Creative Bazaar goody bags will be given to the first 50 customers!

Sign up on our mailing list to receive a valuable SimplyJune coupon for this event!

justBe...Connected

Check out this amazing event coming up in October in Hyannis... This incredible weekend for creative bloggers offers opportunities to meet other bloggers from all over as well as an exciting selection of workshops...and a Creative Bazaar! Make sure to stop and visit Simply June at this event...we can't wait to meet you!

justBe...Connected will gather Creative Blogger

& other like-spirited souls together

for friendship, food, fun, workshops,

and a fabulous Creative Bazaar open to the public

October 12-14, 2007

at the Four Points by Sheraton Hyannis, MA

***

The Creative Bazaar is an indie craft fair

taking place during justBe...Connected

on Saturday, October 13, 2007

*vendor spaces available for The Creative Bazaar.

***

Happy 4th!

Nikolai and I set out on foot for our town's parade this morning. We stood on the train bridge at the end of our street...prime view of both the parade and the train for an almost 3 year old. Vintage cars, fire trucks, "ambutrucks" (as Nikolai would say), marching bands and my favorite...Boston's Steel Drum Orchestra. We were dancing on the sidewalks! Happy 4th Everyone!

Bloggy Hibernation

I have been happily hibernating in the SimplyJune studio and somehow a few extra stitches and just a few more beads turned into a little bit of a blogging hiatus. I'm back now with a bunch of new things to show you and an upcoming show to catch up with old friends and make new ones!

Join me this Saturday June 2nd at Wish Studio's Indie Designer Boutique Show. This is part of Redbrick Art Center's Open Studios in Beverly in conjunction with Beverly ArtsFest. If you are already on our mailing list, you will receive a coupon later this week that you can use at this event.

















This beauty will be available at our upcoming show... I re-purposed this vibrant vintage tablecloth as a baby quilt. It is completely hand quilted including a hand stitched binding and lined with 100% cotton batting. It is sure to become a family keepsake.

SimplyJune and Lisa Gaumond - One Unbelievable Night of Holiday Shopping!

Simply June is joining together with artist and jewelry designer Lisa Gaumond for an evening of holiday shopping in Andover, Connecticut. This will be the one-stop place to do all of your holiday shopping. Come, relax with friends and finish your shopping before the Christmas rush begins!

If you are interested in receiving an invitation and directions, please sign up on our Mailing List.

Open Studio - Holidays 2006

We had an incredible first Open Studio. My dear friends Karen and Monica as well as my husband Jason really helped me pull off this wonderful event off. (THANK YOU!) We had so much fun with old friends and new!

Here are a few photographs of SimplyJune Open Studio before everyone arrived!

If you missed Open Studio, don't worry! We are going to be photographing and adding many new products to the SimplyJune Online Store this week and in the coming weeks.

















Mailing List and Free Gifts for those who brought friends!
















Dishtowels, Petticoat Note cards, Antique Textile Block Note cards, Crocheted Hats and Embroidered Buttons






















Flapper Hats





















Simply June Handbags

















Please Inquire About Custom Orders for the Holidays
















Antique Textile Block Gift Cards





















Child's Oilcloth Aprons





















Glass Magnet Tins

























Glass Magnet Tins

Open Studio on Saturday!

I am so excited that Open Studio is this Saturday, November 11th. If you are reading this and haven't received an invitation or did not receive an e-mail reminder with this photograph, please sign up on our Mailing List and we will send you all the details!

This photograph is just a taste of what you will see at our Simply June Open Studio. We have over 150 items ready for your holiday shopping! Including our original Simply June handbag, Nataliya Bags, Children's Oilcloth Aprons, Dish Towels, Magnet Tins, Petticoat Note Cards, Embroidered Buttons and Antique Print Block Gift Cards! We also have some great free gifts if you bring a friend along!

Just a payment option reminder, we will be accepting cash, personal checks and Paypal account payments during our Open Studio.

So, please join us. We look forward to seeing you!

Fall Goodies / Simply June Online Store

I'm working away here like a little sewing elf - just two weeks until Open Studio! I will be sending out a newsletter and Open Studio reminder next weekend after we have transformed our Dining Room into a Studio Shop. There are tons of new products to see that won't appear in the Simply June Online Store until the following week. But, don't despair. If your are not local, there will be plenty of items available to you after the Open Studio, so keep visiting us. The Simply June Online Store will also be closed November 11th for our show.

Pumpkin bread, cooking magazine, spicy scented candles and harvest colored napkins make up a yummy bag of Fall Goodies from my dear friend Karen. I had a wonderful evening out with two of my dear friends at a favorite restaurant last week. If you live in Boston or the greater area check out the Aegean Restaurants in Watertown or Framingham. If you love traditional Greek foods as I do or just want a menu with a delicious selection and a beautiful, but relaxing atmosphere, you have to check them out. It is becoming somewhat of a tradition for our girls night out. If you go, the Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Sauce are a must. Trust me. Yum. I literally have to restrain myself from licking my plate.

Gift Packaging Has Arrived

I placed an order last week for shopping bags, tissue and my new SimplyJune stickers at Nashville Wraps. They are a great company with a huge selection whether you are ordering for your business or your own personal wrapping needs. I ordered three sizes of the Kraft Paper bags for my Open Studio and the light blue tissue to keep with my colors. Don't these bags just make you want to take a peek inside? I designed the new Simply June stickers based on an antique textile block that I have and am pleased with how they turned out. Custom printed stickers are so expensive, so I had to settle for single color ink for now. All these little details are coming together and I can't wait to see all of you in just two weeks! I'd better get back to sewing!

"Miss" Cloche

One of the many reasons that I started this blog was as a form of creative accountability for myself. It is easy to jump from one project to the next and not finish things up. Who doesn't have that secret stash of partially knit sweaters, quilt fronts waiting to be quilted, patterns cut but never sewn. Okay, maybe you don't, but I forever do. This blog not only motivates me to finish up projects I have started, but for me to document them and tell you what I have been up to creatively. So, one would naturally think, while reading my blog lately that I have been in hiding and accomplishing nothing. But, I promise you, it has been just the opposite. I have been working like mad for my Open Studio and haven't had a speck of time to photograph or write. So, here is a little taste of what I have been up to. I have been crocheting "Miss" cloches until my arm screamed mercy. This photograph shows you a sample of some of the colors and ribbons. They are so cute and cozy to wear.

I am literally eating, sleeping and dreaming Open Studio right now. I can't wait. It will be so much fun to catch up with so many of you and to meet some of your friends. Please bring them, it is going to be a really special event that you won't want to miss out on. On the topic of dreaming...I have been having the worst time falling asleep. Does this happen to you? You have so many things running through your mind - things you need to do, things you want to create, crazy people you met during the day?... whatever it is. I lie awake just thinking of all the things I could be sewing and when I finally fall asleep I have bizarre dreams such as the one I had two nights ago. In it, I am auditioning for a movie. To set the scene...I am in a dance studio with folding chairs lined up along the wall. I'm sitting next to some kid from my high school hockey team (why would I randomly think of him? - I couldn't even tell you his name?) There are a line of people behind us ranging in ages. It is his turn to audition and he does some strange modern dance in khakis and sneakers. I couldn't tell you what I'm wearing... He finishes to great applause. I then watch a number of other auditions featuring all types of talents - what kind of movie is this? There are now two of us left - me and a boy about 8 years old. We have no talents listed on our applications. Ha,ha. However, bom bom bom, we both know how to tap dance! Conveniently, I'm wearing tap shoes! What a lucky coinkidink! I Shuffle Off to Buffalo and get my Screen Actors Guild card. I seriously need to get some uninterrupted sleep...