She's Here! She's Here!

Little Miss Corrie Ruth Alvaro (Ruthie) was born on 10-15-10...a whopping 8lbs 14oz!
She's lovely and feisty and girly and quirky and spunky...just altogether perfect. She loves her brother - especially when he sings to her. And she's already a total daddy's girl (I can't blame her though!). She is quite fond of her mobile, and loves to twirl her hair - no lie! (see bottom right picture below)
I can't believe she's already 6 weeks old today! So I put together a little collage of her first month and a half.
(Click the image to make it larger)



I'll slowly be getting back to the blogging world one project at a time. Sorry for the delay...I've been a bit distracted! :)

Stolen...

Look at this!!! One of the photos we took for Xenotees was (unknowingly) snatched off her website and used as the stock photo for picture frames! A friend of mine sent me the image and asked why my boys were in her brand new frame (from a well-known nation-wide bookstore chain). We couldn't believe it!!! Isn't that bizarre? So we went to the store and bought a frame of our very own to put up in the house. Kind of ridiculous that we paid for something that was ours to begin with, but it was too good of a story to pass up.
And to the sneaks who stole our photo: Well, I would like some of those royalties, but I can't blame you for the theft. Look at those handsome guys, I'd steal their picture too if they weren't already mine to look at everyday. :)











This was the original image.

It's (Almost) Goodbye!

What better time to turn over a new leaf than the first official day of Fall? Too bad our forecast says it'll be a searing 94˚ today!!! Boo. Can't the weather hop on board for my plans?

Anyhow, after a wonderful, fun, busy almost two year stint on Etsy, I will be closing The Shop at the end of the day today. I've had such a great time with it all, but I am so looking forward to this next phase!
❤ Countdown for Little Miss Ruthie: 14ish days ❤

Sleeping Baby, Sleeping Shop...

I painted this sign the other day for the front of our house. It's not the doorbell I'm worried about so much as the crazy barking dog that can't help himself every time he hears that "ding dong!"
*recognize those strawberries?
This is also one of the last reminders to the blogging world that The Shop is closing at the end of the day Wednesday, September 22nd. After that, all those little gems will be mine! (I've already removed a few favorites and shifted them over to my own personal collection). :)

And the Little Miss Ruthie Countdown continues...(16ish days to go!)

It's almost time!

Hi friends!
Just a reminder that there is only TWO WEEKS left to help me clear out The Shop before I say goodbye to Etsy for an unknown amount time... lovey, sickeningly sweet, mommy-and-me, maternity leave time. Gosh, I can't wait.


(Some new friends waiting to meet Ruthie's acquaintance.) Judah picked out the one-eyed monster just for her. :)

The Super Storewide SALE just got upgraded...

Go.
Shop.
Feel Snazzy.

Burp!

I hope this girl can burp like her Mama, because I kind of went a little crazy with the burp cloths. I just had too much cute fabric, and they are so easy to make!
I used a burp cloth/bib set from Judah's baby days as inspiration. The long narrow shape (approx. 19" x 7"ish) keeps them up on your shoulder so easily.
These are all backed with terry cloth. Some came from the fabric store, others were just cheapo towels. My favorite is the blue/lavender number with the little vintage applique and heart! So sweet!...perfect for spit up. ;)





















✭REMINDER✭ the Super Storewide Sale is still going on!!!

Mama Tees!

Noelle of Xenotees has been keeping my family clothed for a while now with our little exchange of goods and services: we model our free awesome shirts, she gets photos for her shop.
Fortunately for my flourishing stupendous belly, she decided to carry Maternity shirts! They are actually super soft organic A-line tees, but fit a pregnant belly perfectly. I can't wait to wear them once this big belly is gone too! :)
She has 6 styles available right now:
• Eat Right Mama Tee (in Mulberry)
• Eat Right Mama Tee (in Ocean Blue)
• Animal Group Tee (in Moss Green)
• Animal Group Tee (in Earth Bark)
• Animal Group Tee (in Pumpkin)
• French Pet Lobster Tee (in Natural)




















Thanks Noelle!!!

With my nesting instincts in full swing, even The Shop is being cleaned out in preparation for Ruthie's arrival.
EVERYTHING is on SALE! If you've had your eye on some favorites, now's the time to get them! Once this SALE is over, I will be closing the shop for Maternity Leave...so get it while the gettin's good!
✭ CLICK HERE TO GO SHOPPING! ✭

Budding Little Artist

For my husband's birthday last month, Judah made him a giant masterpiece of a painting. I supplied the background wash, and he did the rest.


































While he was working I couldn't resist painting a little something myself. So we did a flower for Ruthie's room. Yep, that's her name! Offically "Corrie Ruth Alvaro." But Judah is quick to correct you if you call her anything other than "Ruthie".
Judah helped me with the flower - splatting some red on there that I then arranged to somewhat resemble a bloom. He is already such a sweet big brother. I'm not sure who's more anxious for her arrival, us or him! Let's hope the excitement doesn't fade once we bring her home and he realizes she can't go back. :)

Shop News & A DIY Project...

Wow. Long time, no post, huh? Over a month! I think this is the longest I've been blog-free, and I've got to admit, I didn't miss it. It's nice to take a break every now and again. I'm about to do the same in the shop, but not with out a HUGE STORE-WIDE SALE first! More details to follow, but just know that I will be putting everything on sale in the next few weeks before I switch the shop to "Maternity Leave Mode". So be on the lookout for that.
Also, remember this fabric wrapping project? In my leave of absence I completely forgot that there was another little side project that went along with it. I made a few bracelets that day too (using the same process). These took maybe 3 minutes each, tops. So easy, and I'm pretty sure the bangles themselves were originally those scarf-holder-ring-thingies that you get when you buy a new scarf. So there you go. Essentially a free project, or a reason to go out and buy few new scarves.

A New Sundry Necklace

...perhaps my favorite yet. This one is made from a mix of vintage gold metal and pearl chains. They are grouped together and secured to soft ties of reclaimed polka dotted fabric.
(CLICK HERE to see the Sundry Necklace)
P.S. Just a heads up for those of you who have some favorites in The Shop: things will be changing around here soon. So if you like what you see, now is the time to go get it! More info forthcoming...

Summer Cottage Charm Necklace

Whew! It's been a while!
We went on a super relaxing fun awesome sunny trip to the beach with some friends for a whole week...kid free! It was great. I'm a little too tan for my taste, but just couldn't keep out of that sun for too long. The weather was perfect and we stayed at our family's sweet little beach cottage, also known as the Honeymoon Cottage. Three generations have gone there for honeymoons and family vacations...so many memories!
So while trying to settle back into to normal life, my first new listing after being home is a little tribute to our trip and to The Cottage.




(CLICK HERE for the Summer Cottage Charm Necklace)

A Horse, A Key, & Some Crazy Jumble Earrings, OH MY!

The latest additions to the shop:


























• Derby Horse Necklace
• Simple Secret Necklace
• Earth Day Earrings

Come check them out!!! ♡

Lady Jane Unicorn Neckalce

Meet Lady Jane, the newest addition to the shop. She is a sparkly, magic, enchanting, lucky unicorn. She likes ice cream and long walks on the beach. She is awesome.

My New Model...

As some of you may have noticed, I usually photograph images for the shop wearing a simple white sundress. My dad said it looks like an old nightshirt...haha! I however, like the consistency and the simplicity that allows you to focus on just the product. Well, since I'm getting bigger by the minute, I needed to come up with a plan for my "model" photos. That sweet little dress won't even go over my head in a few more weeks! I thought about just finding new clothes that fit as I got bigger, but let's be honest, how I look is not top on the list of my thoughts these days. It's hard enough to find comfy clothes just to go to the grocery store! If I have to do this every time I want to list a new product, the shop will dwindle down to nothingness.
Soooooo, that led me to these charming fabric hangers. I was so excited about this project. Blame those yo-yo hormones for my enthusiasm if you want, but these have solved my dilemma! Not to mention they were a breeze to make. I've included the DIY instructions because they would make such sweet bridal, birthday or Mother's Day gifts!
*The sweet pink hanger (above) is wearing my new Blue Sky Necklace, just listed today!
What you will need:
• a pack of plastic hangers without hooks - my photo has hooks, so ignore that
• a stack of fun fabrics
• masking tape (not pictured)


















What you will do:• Cut your fabric into long 1"-1.5" strips. Leave the edges raw and a little frayed. Don't worry about being perfectly straight with these - it won't matter.
• Start anywhere on the hanger and tape the piece down to get yourself started.
• Continue wrapping tightly until you run out of fabric. Tape it down and start up again, always disguising the tape from the previous strip.
• When you get back around to where you started, tie your fabric off in a knot or bow and trim to desired length. You can add a little lace or ribbon to this spot for a little shabby knot/bow if you wish.























♥ THE END ♥
Stay tuned for another fabric wrapped project in the near future. I may have gotten a little carried away. :)

Love Notes For Life

My husband is a night owl. I myself love love love the early morning hours. This works out swimmingly for our computer work. He tucks me in for the night at a grandmotherly hour of 9:30 or 10:00...and then starts his papers, studying, reading, etc. He also started a lovely habit of leaving me a little post-it note under the keyboard. It's the first thing I see in the morning when I stumble in here with my coffee to start the day. I stick them to my planner, and when the pile gets too big, I bundle them up and stash them in an *old cigar box.
Last week, we ran out of post-its. So he wrote on my Facebook wall something like, "In lieu of the post-it note shortage, I'm writing your note here..."
My sweet Aunt Becky saw it and came to the rescue. Because her basement is full of anything you can imagine, and also because Aunt Becky has always done anything to make her kids/nieces/nephews happy, she shipped me a lifetime supply of post-its! I'm not sure how committed John Jay was to this little love note ritual of ours, but our new stockpile pretty much locks him in for the next decade or so! :)
*also given to me by Aunt Becky!

Teddy Bear Necklace

Just look at this sweet little guy! I am so tempted to keep him for myself. Isn't he adorable?!
Fuzzy, cuddly, chubby...just waiting to be named and loved.











Teddy Bear Necklace

Odd Little Toy

It doesn't really have a name. I suppose that will be Judah's job once he wakes to discover this magical literary wonder I created this afternoon.
A friend of mine gave me a huge box of vintage fabrics and notions a while back and this rainbow treasure was in the mix. I've made headbands out of the flower section, but there's so much going on here: paintbrushes, balloons, ABC's, hearts, crayons, more flowers...
Since Judah loves his letters and sounds, I've been meaning to do something with that portion. Please don't ask me why a padded stick with streamers came to mind - I have no clue. It just seamed like a good idea. And more than that, it seemed like something Judah would like. Why padding? I assumed it would hurt less when he beat up the dog with it (by accident, of course).
Here's the "How to" (because I know so many of you want to make a cushy stick for your kids)
I used:
1. dowel rod, which I sawed to length with a bread knife
2. a tangle of ribbons, various lengths
3. fun fabric
4. buttons, I used green ones from my Grandmommy's button jar
5. batting (not pictured)











I cut my fabric into two long strips and sewed a sleeve, with the ribbons streaming from one end. Then I wrapped the dowel rod with two strips of batting, taping around it in a few select spots. After turning the sleeve right side out and fitting the now padded dowel inside the sleeve, I sewed up the edge using a zipper foot so I could get closer to the dowel rod. I then added the buttons to cover up my dirty sewing job. And...there you have it! A weird alphabet ribbon wand stick toy thingy. Better than these though.

Hot Dogs & Boiled Eggs...

Since I'm little more than an incubator right now, my life has revolved around eating, sleeping, and eating some more. I promise you, food takes up about 85-90% of my thoughts these days! There's no escape even during my sleep...I dream about food, making food, searching for food, etc.
All that to say, this blog and my shop have been struggling to hang on these last few weeks. Sorry about that. I am a few weeks away from rounding that first trimester corner, and hoping that the surge of energy I keep hearing about will follow. You'd think I would remember it from my last pregnancy, but my vision is too blurry right now, clouded with images of sauerkraut hot dogs and boiled eggs (yep, those are my cravings).
And all of that to say, I'm still here, and I have a whole collection of new items just waiting to be listed. So stay tuned!
(Image courtesy of The Charleston Gazette)

Smoothie Animals

A few days ago I went to clean Judah (my 2.5 year old) up and get him down from his chair when he said, "Ooh! Look!" and pointed to the smoothie smears left on the tray. He said, "That's a dinosaur!...and that's a whale!"

This is so normal for Judah. He sees stuff in everything...letters in building structures, animals in the clouds, his popcorn pieces look like tractors, and spilled juice this morning looked like a lion, apparently.

A beautiful mind indeed.

I've Been Busy...

I've had a tiny lull in the shop these last few weeks - I've been using all my creative energy on creating a human.
(Yup...we're pregnant!)
But I finally got some fun new things up and wanted to give a quick summary post of the latest goods. Here they are:
1. Petaline Earrings
2. Truth or Dare Necklace
3. Vintage Chaos Necklace
4. Atlantis Earrings

Good News!

Bonjour! Hola! Ni Hao! Hallo! Merhaba! Hei!
I'm happy to announce that I now ship EVERYWHERE!
So, near or far, come browse through the shop!

High Society Necklace

Fur, pearls, a curious little key...what more could a fancy lady ask for?
*made with all vintage components, excluding only the clasp

















•Click Here for the High Society Necklace•

Just Listed...

The Petaline Necklace
Irresistibly feminine...
Perfect for the Big Day, or to spruce up your favorite jeans and tee.



Featuring:
❧ vintage costume pearls
❧ vintage gold chain
❧ vintage antique finish metal flower charms
❧ secured to pastel sage green velvet ribbon ties, hemmed at the ends

My Dad's Banana Bread

It's been quite some time since I've posted a recipe, so here it goes.
This is my Dad's banana bread recipe, and by "my Dad" I actually mean "Betty Crocker." He got it from her and made it for us when we were little. I make it now for my boys and highly recommend it served warm with peanut butter...mmmmm. It's super easy, plus it's nice to have something to do with those rotten bananas that are always lying around my kitchen.
Make some! You won't be disappointed!

2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons oil
3/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 cup(ish) mashed banana
*you can always add pecans, just so long as it doesn't kill your husband like it does mine.

• Preheat oven to 350˚ and grease loaf pan
• Beat all ingredients 30 seconds on med. speed (mixer) only until moistened, scraping bowl constantly
• Pour into pan and bake about an hour. I usually start checking mine after 48 minutes with a toothpick test

Happy Key Necklace

Take a look at this cheeky little fellow:...the newest addition to the shop.
Pop in and say "ello!"

New Goodies from Xenotees!

Sweet Noelle (of Xenotees) sent me a package full of fun new stuff from her shop a few weeks ago. Here are some of the latest in our little trade:











No.1 - French Pet Lobster Tote
No.2 - Japanese Star Moss Scarf
No.3 - Collective Names of Animals Shirt

New Design...

Aren't these so dreamy?! I wanted to keep these vintage lace pretties for myself. But alas, I listed them today. You can find them HERE.

Love Transforms

The new Poppytalk Market is lovelier than ever, filled with sweet Valentine themed goods!
A few of my favorites:

















1. Teal & Gold
2. Bellalulu
3. Art Mind
4. La Pomme
5. Little Black Rabbit
6. IS Photography
*Click Here for my table

HAITI Relief Efforts

For the remainder of January, 50% of ALL SALES in the shop will go directly to World Relief as they respond to Haiti’s catastrophic quake.
Words cannot describe this tragedy.
Thanks for helping me help out.
♡,
Corrieberry Pie

Hugs & Kisses

I'm getting ready for Valentines Day!
Heart-themed shop product is about all the celebrating we'll do around here. We decided long ago to pass on the holiday...crowds, icky cards, waxy chocolate. But all cynicism aside, I do secretly love seeing all that pink, red, lacy, cheery, lovey-dovey stuff everywhere.
These may not be red and lacy, but they are the sweetest little Valentine greeting you ever did see! Clever vintage wood block beads subtly - and asymmetrically - greet all your admirers with a hug and a kiss.
Hug & Kiss Earrings

I'm Giving In...

After many jokes, much resistance, hesitation, and stalling...I'm finally going to read them.
A sizable apology to those of you who were heckled during my anti-Twilight days.
Also, I made a small nod to the notorious series today in the shop with the Heart & Dagger Necklace.

NEW for 2010...

No. 1 - Devotion Award
No. 2 - Flower Child Necklace
No. 3 - Simple Secret Necklace