Tuesday Treasury - Farmgirl Fancy

I often wish I lived on a farm.  I tried growing veggies one year with some success (although the next year was a disaster) and have even thought about chickens or angora bunnies.  MaryJane Butters has a fantastic book all about her world in Moscow, Idaho that makes farm life look incredibly romantic.  But alas, I live in the city and trade off great coffee within walking distance for rolling prairies.  Plus farming is a lot of work.  My mom has told me enough stories about waking up at 5 AM to tend animals before school to know I wouldn't last a month.

So I shall live through the eyes of other Etsyians and create treasuries in honor of my farm life fantasies.

Farmgirl Fancy by DeedsAndPetunia

Jess & Brandon's Wedding

I got the chance to work with a wonderful bride named Jess who found me through Etsy.  She was on the hunt for custom pieces to outfit the entire wedding party.  She brought me a beautiful palette along with some very creative and challenging ideas that were so much fun to work with.  Jess was working with a nature theme that had a "steampunk-lite" element.  I used vintage cogs and watch parts, copper wire elements, feathers and twigs.

The wedding looks GORGEOUS!  The bride looks so glamorous.  I love the pomander bouquets, the birds nest cake and those centerpieces!!!  This wedding is one that needs to be in every wedding blog for inspiration!  Definitely should be an Etsy featured wedding!  ;)  I'm so thrilled that I got to play a small part in helping it come together so beautifully.

Here are some photos from the wedding.  Thanks Jess for sharing - you were a joy to work with and look so beautiful in the veil!  Also a big thank you to Herman Au Photography for graciously allowing me to share your beautiful work!

I love my job!  It's so exciting to see these brides looking so amazing and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing I get to help just a little in making them feel happy on their special day.

Holly Storm Designs Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Christine Davis!  Holly will be in touch with you soon to send off your adorable red lantern wrist cuff. 

Thanks to everyone who entered the Holly Storm Designs Giveaway!  Stay tuned - there will be another great giveaway very soon!!!  :)

Sneak Preview

I promised, so here is a sneak preview of the bridal collection I'm working on.  There's just a few pieces, but I know a few of you asked to see what I've got so far, so here it is!

It's inspired by old photos of family weddings - faded, hand-painted, worn, yet still elegant.  The pieces have a natural, carefree, casual vintage feel.  My palette includes dusty pastels, white, ivory and champagne as well as a fabulous deep blue that I just couldn't turn away from.  For materials I chose vintage jewelry findings, soft feather pads and big full bloom flowers, coordinating birdcage veils for brides AND their bridesmaids, and petite bridal cocktail hats for something a little different.

I can't wait for the upcoming photo shoot with Rosemary Photography.  Rose is an amazingly talented wedding photographer from Seattle who also crafts amazing vintage portraits.  She is a dear friend and I'm over the moon, just absolutely thrilled, to be working with her on this!  I know she'll make these pieces come to life!

Large white peony fascinator with vintage jewelry finding

Hand beaded pink and ivory fascinator

Hand beaded bobby pins with crystal or pearl glass beads

Work in progress - white bridal fascinator headband with vintage jewelry finding

Some finished bridesmaids fascinator headbands with hand beaded flowers and vintage jewelry findings

Large bridesmaid fascinator and dusty blue beaded flowers (still in progress...)

Large white peony fascinator with pearl stamen and boutique accent flowers

Large pink peony fascinator with vintage jewelry finding and gold/champagne accents

Oodles of veils in many new styles and colors - cut and ready to be sewn!

Hungry hungry hungry...

I'm not much of a breakfast eater in general, mostly just toast, cereal or occasionally some oatmeal.  But this morning I woke up HUNGRY!  When I was doing the tweet/Twitter thing this morning (which I'm totally addicted to by the way, so if you have any interest in what's going on in my life every 30 minutes or so, follow me there @deedsandpetunia.  I still don't really know what I'm doing.) I came across two amazing recipes.  Yesterday I found a couple as well and thought I'd share them with y'all.  I love cooking and am very excited to try these!

Grapefruit Roasted Chicken looks mouth watering and exotic.  I've done orange roasted chicken and lemon roasted chicken, but never with grapefruit!  Head on over to the Slow Kitchen Blog and check it out...

Grapefruit Roasted Chicken at The Slow Kitchen

Oooooh yes.  I am what some might call an enchilada connoisseur.  These Sour Cream Enchiladas from The Pioneer Woman's website look incredible.  I was contemplating making them at 10 AM so I could eat them in time for lunch.  But blast it all!  No green onions, so dinner will have to do...

Sour Cream Enchiladas from The Pioneer Woman

This will also give me time to craft a sauce from scratch.  The recipe for enchilada sauce from Martha Stewart is awesome.  I use jalapenos (instead of poblanos) and Anaheim chiles (in lieu of long red chiles) because that's generally what's available around here, and it still rocks.

I found this little gem via moneysavingmom.com!  A free Betty Crocker Soups, Stews and Chiles ebook!  Full of recipes and a downloadable version for your desktop.  My crockpot is my best friend in the winter, so I have all kinds of new ideas like Slow Cooker Tuscan Bean Soup, French Onion Soup and Creamy Herbed Chicken Soup.

Free Betty Crocker Recipe ebook

Here's a little something sweet from Martha Stewart Crafts - Candy Gems shaped like jewels along with a project for creating a little jewelry box for them!  I think I'll try this with my girls for Valentine's Day.

Semiprecious Candies in their own jewelry box

Share your yummy recipes with me if you have some!  Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Wednesday Wonderful(ness)

Maybe I should permanently change this weekly feature to Wednesday Wonderfulness.  It has more of a ring to it.  Here is a round up of my favorite discoveries from the cream of the crop on Etsy!

Greater Than Gatsby Antique Silk Flapper Gown by VeraVague, $360

Jellyfish (Discomendusae 3) Vintage Book Page Art Print by DreameryStudio, $8.50

Doily Coasters by Uncommon, $20

Vintage Heliotrope 1920's necklace by JeanJeanVintage (a featured seller this week), $78

Ironstone Transferware Bowl Set by SomeOtherPrairie, $30

Vintage Lennon Sisters Paper Dolls by VintageAndSuch, $15

Mr. Darcy Proposal Mug by Brookish, Sold (I'm such a sucker for Darcy...)

Be sure to check out these shops - there is so much good stuff!  And don't forget to enter the giveaway from Holly Storm Designs!

Have a great night.  :)

Upcoming Classes

Hey all you crafty brides!!!  Two exciting events to announce!  I'll be offering two Do It Yourself Bride classes to make your own custom birdcage veil and fascinator in coming months at Pacific Fabrics in Puyallup, WA.


March 19, 2011 from 10 AM - 12 PM
April 23, 2011 from 10 AM - 12 PM

Use handsewing techniques to create a simple, yet beautiful detachable 9-inch birdcage veil and custom feather fascinator using materials like vintage brooches, Czech glass pearl beads, lace, etc.  The cost is $16 to register (visit the Pacific Fabrics website to do so), plus materials.  A list will be provided to you upon registration, and pretty much all the materials are available right there at Pacific Fabrics, with the exception of any vintage elements you choose to incorporate, to create a white and ivory fascinator/veil combo.  A fabulous deal!!!

Join me!  I'd love to see you there!  :)

Random Rant...

Have you seen Revolutionary Road?

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as the perfect couple

It was the most depressing film what I've seen in a long time.  The characters were very raw and honest, but gee whiz, what a hopeless emotional vortex.  The utter selfishness of the pair of them made me want to punch somebody. The implication that there was nothing more available to make them happy except escaping was overwhelming.


The good thing that did come out of that two hours of my life I'll never get back (thank god I didn't invest in reading the novel.  I'd never recover) was that it made me remember that life really isn't so bad after all.  All we are is what we live from day to day, who we love, the small differences we make.  Life is full of disappointments and punches.  You gotta learn how to take a punch from time to time and then have the grace to get back up and keep going.  That's what this story lacked.  Grace.  I guess that was the point, but still...


I guess that's why I generally prefer anything with Hugh Grant and star rating of 3 or less.  Yes, I keep my standards low (sorry Hugh.  It doesn't mean I think less of you!) but I don't have the emotional capacity to feel this horrible after seeing a film anymore.  I'm a lightweight, and not much of a film intellectual.  But I still love myself, and anything Jane Austen that's made for BBC television.

Etsy Artist Feature & Giveaway! Meet Holly Storm

Meet Holly from Holly Storm Designs on Etsy!  Holly is a working mother of two and hails from Jackson, TN.

Holly makes fantastic accessories like these clutch purses and wrist cuffs (LOVE):

The Swiss Army Clutch - Tiny Dots, $56

Waved Pintuck Cuff Bracelet, $24

Ruffled Cuff Bracelet, $24

The Swiss Army Clutch, Red Hawaiian, $56

These little clutch purses would be fantastic for a night on the town, don't you think?

I do believe this is my personal favorite:

The Swiss Army Clutch - Pop Art, $56

Tell us a little about yourself and your Etsy shop:
 Hello. My name is Holly Storm and I am an addict. I had always wanted to dabble a little, but never imagined that it would take over my life....

I am, professionally, in Graphic Design/Product Development. I went on maternity leave from an awful job and didn't want to go back, so I ventured off to start my own freelance business. Everything was going well until I decided that I wanted to learn to sew.

Slowly, I began to pine for my sewing machine while I was designing new logos; I began to spend every free moment daydreaming about fabrics, and all of my bedside reading became about sewing techniques. I was hooked...and quitting is for losers.

Seriously though, I feel like I should have been doing this forever. I live and dream ideas and feel so driven to create that it is not optional. My online shop is just a tiny part of that, but it's growing. I'm realizing that I can do something I love for a living without compromising either my artistic vision or my integrity. And I dig 50's and mod 60's retro.

Tell us 3 interesting things about you: 
1. I have been told that I have an odd sense of humor. Sometimes to the point of offense (sorry!)
2. I can't work without my iPod, music is key.
3. I am a Science Fiction geek, and like some Fantasy. Favorite authors: William Gibson & Neil Gaiman.

Tell us 3 uninteresting things about you:
1. I am a wife and the mother of 2 children (3 if you count the man-child.)
2. Vintage patterns make me swoon.
3. Being organized makes me happy. And you don't want to see the flip side of that.

What's on your iPod right now?
I like to have a good mix of different artists shuffling and change it up frequently. Right now I am listening to mostly Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Fatboy Slim, Chokebore, Modest Mouse, Violent Femmes, PJ Harvey, Tricky, The Killers, Pixies, Robots In Disguise, and always lots of Tori Amos.

What are your favorite materials?
Cottons of every type. They are easy to work with and come in a large variety of weaves and finishes. Favorite cotton of the moment: Sateen. It's a causal fabric, but still very chic. I love the low-key sheen.
I am also loving a super-soft brushed wool that I just got in for winter. Cozy. And have started collecting vintage Cashmeres and Silks.

What colors are you loving these days?
I am full-on into winter mode, so mostly black or browns, charcoal & winter white with some deep jewel tones thrown in.

Do you have any favorite blogs/websites?
I subscribe to so many blogs, but these are the ones I keep up with most often: Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, Elegant Musings, Already Pretty, The Blogess, Colette Patterns, Grosgrain, and just started reading Bleubird. These ladies are stylish, knowledgeable, brilliant, wise, and/or funny. Great reads.

I also subscribe to some pretty great newsletters for tips or interesting articles on sewing or fashion. My favorites are the Threads eLetter & BurdaStyle. I also can't wait for the new Colette Patterns Snippets to start.


What are your favorite Etsy shops?
As for Etsy shops...there are waaaay too many to mention! I check up on my own shop daily, then get sucked right in to checking out all of the other great shops. Etsy is a hotbed of talent right now and it is really exciting to be a part of that.

What do you like to do when you're not crafting?
Reading, playing with my kids, watching movies, fixing something on our 100 year old house, learning new techniques, getting a coffee, shopping for new inspirational materials online or in a shop. That is what I try to do when I'm not working. Usually what I have to be doing is checking emails, marketing, social networking, packing and shipping, picking up supplies, etc..

What inspires you?
Mostly the things I make are the things that I would want. Before I learned to sew, I would go shopping and think, "I would love that without those pleats, or in another color." Or I would go looking for something and not find it. Or find it, but it just doesn't work for me.

I am also inspired by materials and their patterns or drape, or by a combination of patterns. Or by a culture, or by nature, or shape. Inspiration is everywhere!

Here's where you can find Holly:
Etsy: www.HollyStormDesigns.com
Artfire: www.HollyStorm.Artfire.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HollyStormDesigns
Twitter: twitter.com/HollyStormEtsy

Holly is graciously giving away one of her wrist cuffs!  This adorable Red Lantern print cuff is up for grabs...

If you'd like to enter, first leave a comment here telling us your favorite item in the Holly Storm Etsy shop.  Here's how you can earn additional entries:

• Follow Holly Storm Designs on Facebook
• Follow Holly Storm Designs on Twitter
• Follow Deeds and Petunia on Twitter
• Heart Deeds and Petunia's shop on Etsy 
• Like Deeds and Petunia on Facebook
• Subscribe to the Deeds and Petunia blog
• Tweet about the giveaway (don't forget to give us the link!)
• Post to your Facebook about the giveaway (don't forget to give us the link!)
• Post to your blog about the giveaway (don't forget to give us the link!)

Post each entry here in a comment so I know when you're following/hearting/liking/tweeting/blogging/posting about this giveaway.  The contest ends Monday, January 24th at 9 AM PST, so get your entries in!

 

The Twitter...

I've done it - deedsandpetunia is now tweeting.  I have to say, it's better than I thought it would be!  It's more exciting than Facebook - faster, more condensed.  But, you don't get the advantage of browsing through everyone's pictures or seeing which events they're attending (so you can casually be there too...) like you do on Facebook.  I do believe it's called "Face-Stalking.  :)  But if you want to read what thought are pouring out of me at any given moment, and don't want to face-stalk me, follow me on Twitter!

A lovely day and a giveaway!

Today I woke up with the idea in my head that today would be a good day.  It's only 11 AM, and I've already faced a few challenges, but I'm determined!

One of the great parts about today is this sweet little blog feature over at Souris Mariage, a fun to read wedding blog full of great photos and ideas.

Souris Mariage

AND, they are hosting a giveaway for the veil of your choice!  So go on over and check it out, leave a comment and enter to win.  You could be wearing one of these pretty babies on your wedding day!

Wednesday Wonderful

Broken camera, day 30...or so.  Who knows exactly.   I haven't been blogging as much because I can't take pictures of what I'm working on* (boo!)  But I've been too busy working on some new goodies to keep up with the blog lately anyway (yay!)

So I think today I'll just show you some other folks' amazing work!  Here are my latest favorites:

I LOVE THIS.  I want to be a fairy and romp around in a meadow and drink dew drops from buttercups wearing this adorable shrug by TianaCHE.  It's 100% handmade and she donates a percentage of her sales to a charity for children with Leukemia.  Gorgeous!

Strawberry Fields Bolero Shrug, (Hand Felted & Beaded!) by TianaCHE, $199

 This dress makes me swoon.  I want to swoon in the dress.  I want to be wooed and swoon in this dress.  Vintage lace makes me all tingly...

Tea Dress in Vintage Lace by SohoMode, $280

 My nearly 100 year old house is very drafty.  I have lots of warm sweaters, but none of them are as pretty as this.  I think I need this.

Made to Order Handmade Aqua Cable Mohair Shrug by reflectionsbyds, $90

Letterpress Paper House Kit - Chandler Lane by 1Canoe2, $24

I'm kind of obsessed with letterpress.  This neighborhood needs to be on my mantel.  

My mantel needs to become Chandler Lane.

I love this tiny little print.  It reminds me of my little yellow haired daughter.  Tiny prints are perfect because they are interesting and beautiful and generally don't cost you an arm and a leg.  A great way to get a little piece of art that fits just about anywhere.

Doll/Tiny Canvas Print by TushTush, $20

Right now I'm working on the new Deeds & Petunia bridal hair accessory line, so I've been thinking about weddings constantly.  More so than I have thought about in oh, say 13 years or so.  (Man, that makes me feel old to type that out...)

 I came across this little number when making a treasury and just died over how cute it was.  If I were to get married again, this would be the dress.  I love the touch of blue.  So adorable.

Blue Bird Vintage Inspired Gown by YourFairytaleWedding, $699

Etsy is so full of amazing, creative, talented artists.  I think back to my pre-Etsy days and they seem so much less inspiring.  Etsy peeps are incredible!!!

*So when I get the camera situation sorted out I'll start posting pics of the new bridal line.  Lots of soft pastels, big soft flowers, feather pieces, birdcage veils, little bridal hats, and a vintage country bride kind of vibe.  The big photo shoot for the new line is the last weekend in January, and with the help of some amazing artist friends, I'm optimistic everything will come together just right!  If all goes well, you'll see the new items in my Etsy shop in early February.