11.29.2011

Snowy Winter Terrarium

Who doesn't love picking through the bins at Goodwill?  Okay, so it's not for everyone, but I LOVE when I score a vintage treasure that only costs me 99 cents.  I've been using this little deer in my craft show display and for some Etsy listing flair, but I knew he needed a permanent holiday home.

Last week I bought a few magazines and in one of them (can't remember which... Better Homes and Gardens, maybe?)  I saw a little terrarium inside a fish bowl and thought "I can make that!"  My mind immediately went to glitter and something critter-related.

And so the deer now has a frosty winter abode.



Ahhh... nice and cozy.
I gathered these items together:
  • A clean fishbowl
  • A mini bottle brush wreath
  • A couple mini bottle brush trees
  • Some twigs from the craft store
  • Fake glittery snow
  • A little vintage spray of presents
  • My precious little baby deer
The process couldn't be simpler.  Fill the fishbowl with a bit of fake snow.  Not too much, or the miniatures might be swallowed up!  I filled mine in such a way to create a slope - more snow towards the back, less in the front.


Then I gathered the presents, bottle brush trees and deer and "artfully arranged" with the help of my 5 year old (she has a great eye.) ;)  One useful tip might be to stick the deer's hooves into a tiny piece of styrofoam or glue them to a little scrap of cardboard so that he stands up a little straighter and doesn't go all wobbly.  It will save you many hissing breaths when your kids/cats/dogs/husbands bump the dresser the terrarium sits upon and the deer topples...


Lastly, I hung the wreath in the bare twig tree and placed it right near the deer.  Again, a bit of styrofoam might help things stand a little straighter in high traffic areas.


That's it!  We placed it inside a little twig basket in our Winter Woodland display for some extra woodsiness.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Some more ideas might be...
Make tiny branch "logs" out of twigs
Mushrooms
Birds in the twig tree (you can find teeny tiny little birds in the floral section of craft stores)
Find all kinds of mini critters on Etsy by searching in either the Vintage or Supplies sections
Put a little Putz style house inside
Add mini LED battery powered lights
Use a big mason jar instead of a fish bowl


Kids LOVE to help with this kind of stuff and it's a fun project they can rearrange over and over to create new scenes.  As long as you don't mind cleaning up wayward snow flurries from time to time.  ;)




UndertheTableandDreaming





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11.28.2011

The holidays are here! And, last day of free shipping!

Hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend!  Mine was great, minus the raging cold I was left with!  But there's nothing better than spending time with friends and family in these chilly wet months of November and December.  What better way to warm our hearts than the laughter and company of loved ones?

Butterball "Frankenturkey" vs. "Lean Mean" Free Ranger (who actually turned out to be quite nice.)
I have so much to share with you over the next month!  Craft show season has ended and I can finally come up for air (and get my craft on.)  Thanks again to all the folks who came out to support local handmade small businesses at these fairs.  The news from Black Friday was very sad - the state of our country is troubled indeed when people are hurt as a result of blatant greed and anger.  If any lesson is to be taken away, it should a reality check of what's really important this holiday season, and that giving your money businesses that facilitate this kind of senseless violence (it's not the first time, unfortunately) will only further excuse their greed and corruption.  Thank goodness handmade is gaining popularity!  You get to know who makes your goods and hold them personally accountable (good or bad) for what they make.  Isn't that how it should be?

(There.  I'm off my soap box!)

Indoor Snow Terrarium
I will be sharing some fairly easy and inexpensive ideas on the blog in the coming days!  Decorations for the holidays (DIY projects/tutorials), tips on how to give vintage (meaningful gifts, recycling), easy projects to make (baking, sewing, etc.) and also some pictures of Linus the cat - I am making him a bow tie because what white fluffy cat doesn't need a bow tie for Christmas???


Lastly - today is the last day to enjoy free shipping in my Etsy shop!  I will have another deal next weekend too, but the fascinators are selling fast and I wouldn't want you to miss out on the perfect gift!  ;)  So use code TURKEYFREE at checkout and I will send it your items to you directly...

Have a super duper week!  XO

11.27.2011

Blog Lovin!

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11.23.2011

New Items: Winter Woodland Accessories

Now available in the Deeds & Petunia Etsy shop!  Fancy feather and flower accessories, nature inspired jewelry and lots more starting at just $8.









Still more to come!  Be sure to order this weekend for free shipping!  See my Etsy shop for details. 

If you're local, why not come see the goods in person at Glitter Haus this Friday night?

11.18.2011

A very merry DIY vintage wreath


I kept seeing these online and thought "I can make that."  Like any craft project, this ornament wreath was a lot more work than I anticipated, but I learned how I could probably speed the process along for the next wreath.


First I started with a large wire wreath form and simply wrapped it in vintage gold tinsel garland. Then I began placing and gluing the glass ornaments with hot glue.  Some took a while to set and not every ornament stuck.  My suggestion is to move fast, use enough glue and be sure where you want to place each piece!



Next time I would start out by lining the outside and inside of the wreath with ornaments first to make it look more uniform.  You could even do a pattern with different colors or shapes.  Then I would fill in the middle and build from there, filling in the nooks and crannies last...

I see me...
It took about twice as many ornaments as I thought it would.  Thank goodness you can find these by the bag for a few dollars at the thrift store.  I'm becoming the Goodwill's best customer this holiday season!


This project is super easy and lots of fun.  Hang it over a mirror or a door.  It would be a great project to work on with an older child or a cautious and careful little one.  Happy Holidays!

11.15.2011

Glitter Haus - featured handmade artist Deeds & Petunia

I am so excited to be part of this event.  Take a peek at the website and see a preview of what will be for sale at the event.  Each of the artists participating in the event is featured in the weeks leading up to the big day, and yesterday was my lucky day.


Glitter Haus is very special since it's a grown-ups only cocktail party/trunk show/holiday event.  It's more intimate than most craft shows, so it's invite only.  But if you'd like to be invited, don't be shy!  Visit the website and RSVP.  We'd love to see you there.

11.14.2011

Upcoming Events! A craft-filled weekend...

A few exciting events this weekend!  Deeds & Petunia will be at the following events...

Queen Anne Artist Trunk Show, Seattle, WA  Saturday Nov. 19, 11 AM- 4 PM
Meeker Bazaar
Tacoma, WA (Brown's Point) Saturday, November 19, 10 AM - 4 PM (with Parisienne Girl Designs)
Tacoma Is For Lovers, Tacoma WA, Sunday Nov 20 11 AM - 4 PM
Soon I will also have limited quantity of ready made feather fascinators, jewelry pieces and hair accessories up for sale in the Etsy shop just in time for the holidays.  I'll be offering free shipping Thanksgiving Weekend and a special discount for Facebook followers on Small Business Saturday!

Hope to see you at one of these events!

11.07.2011

What to do with these...

... gorgeous crocheted bows?  They were going to be hair accessories but ended up feeling too bulky.  They're about 1.5 to 2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long.  I thought about a garland (have about 8 or 10), but could maybe adorn multiple items with the bows...  Ideas and suggestions are most appreciated!  :)

11.04.2011

Glitter Haus! Featured handmade artist La La Laurie

As you may have heard, I'm helping to organize a wonderful holiday event - Glitter Haus!  I wanted to share with you a little bit about each of our vendors in the coming weeks, and give you a peek at what they make.

Let's start with La La Laurie!  Laurie is an amazing artist who creates amazing paper crafts and the most amazingly gorgeous bouquets and boutonnieres you've ever seen.  Seriously, amazing.  Her creations were recently added to the new BHLDN wedding collection, and she is an official Crafting Expert over at Fiskars.  I met Laurie last year right before she jetted off to the Martha Stewart craft show in the Big Apple.  I feel so inspired by Laurie's talent and heart for what she creates.





Go here for more details on the event, which will take place Friday, November 25th, where you'll see Laurie's goodies for sale.  Please RSVP to the email on the event page if you'd like to be included on the guest list!

Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served while you shop a beautiful collection of handmade holiday items from our vendors.  

Our vendor line-up includes:


Parisienne Girl Designs - Elegant Vintage Rhinestone  Jewelry

Deeds & Petunia - Vintage Inspired Women's Accessories

La La Laurie - Handcrafted Holiday Fanciness

B. Children's Wear- Adorable Children's Clothing

Libertine Tacoma - Unique Home and Culinary Items

Luluz - Vintage Treasures and Handmade Objects with Old-World Charm
 
More to come on each of our vendors.  Be sure to check back!