Spingtime Shopping Festival on Etsy!

Shop Window Pioneer Square Seattle, WA by Shelley McElhiney*

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to let you know about the Springtime Shopping Festival going on through 4/15 on Etsy :) Shops from the Simple Trading Team are offering shopwide discounts from 20% to 40% off or even free worldwide shipping! It's a great time to get fun, handmade, vintage & one of a kind gifts for upcoming holidays, birthdays or even yourself :)

Here is the list of the participants & a little about what each one makes. Check them out & Happy Shopping:

FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING
1. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaperPlaza Cards, Stickers, Supplies
2. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Ye1lowSubmarine Custom Digital Stickers
3. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtisTerraBoutique Clay, Multi media Jewelry
4. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ThePillowBook Jewelry & Home Decor
5. http://www.etsy.com/shop/FripperyFrocks Vintage Clothing
6. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ZeeGlassworks Glassworks
7. http://www.etsy.com/shop/uniquemaking Jewelry & Accessories
8. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChiTreeSign Prints & Paintings
9. http://www.etsy.com/shop/BifrostShoes Hand Painted Shoes & Tees
10. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkParlorBijou Jewelry & Accessories
11. http://www.etsy.com/shop/dreamcatchermaker Dreamcatchers

20% TOTAL TICKET DISCOUNT
1. http://www.bigheartboutique.etsy.com Cards & Gifts
2. http://www.metzlislight.etsy.com "Inspiration to Your Mailbox"
3. http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/BLPhotography Photography
4. http://www.EcoFabricStore.etsy.com Fabric
5. http://www.etsy.com/shop/DodoLeather Leather Wallets & Accessories
6. http://www.etsy.com/au/shop/kreativeblossom Weddings & Special Occassions
7. http://www.etsy.com/shop/moncherilingerie Vintage Lingerie
8. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Deecreated4U Weddings & Special Occassions
9. http://www.etsy.com/shop/repurposedkate Jewelery
10. http://www.etsy.com/shop/LauriesRockPaintings Rock Paintings
11. http://www.etsy.com/shop/LFBArtandJewelry Jewelry & Art
12. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Emariecreations Polymer Clay Charms
13. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkParlorBijou Jewelry & Accessories
14. http://www.etsy.com/shop/samsstuff *** Me :) Jewelry, Accessories & Wearable Art
15. http://www.etsy.com/shop/CaseInfinity Phone Cases

30% TOTAL TICKET DISCOUNT
1. http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageVandu Vintage
2. http://www.dmrhas2.etsy.com Beads & Charms
3. http://www.SPMArt.etsy.com Jewelry & Photos
4. http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSunshineVintage Vintage Clothing
5. http://www.etsy.com/shop/videnda Bottle Cap & Scrabble Jewelry
6. http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheIndianBazaar Incense, Wallets, Jewelry
7. http://www.etsy.com/shop/petiteutile Resin Jewelry
8. http://www.etsy.com/shop/byRima  Nature inspired Jewelry

40% TOTAL TICKET DISCOUNT
1. http://www.butterstitch.etsy.com Crochet Accessories & Home Decor
2. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Ye1lowSubmarine Custom Digital Stickers
3. http://www.IndianJournals.etsy.com Journals & Paper

*Photo the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved. Please contact the blog for any desired usage.

Clutches, Scarves & Wallets...Oh, My!

New stuff I've been making lately (well, finished a couple of weeks ago, anyway):
Earth friendly spring clutches handmade from repurposed & vintage materials

Yellow Clutch made from repurposed georgette ribbon (Darn Good Yarn, Inc), vintage art deco button, vintage cotton fabric lining, hand crocheted, hand stitched Available Samsstuff Etsy

Pink Silk Clutch: Repurpose pulled silk yarn (Darn Good Yarn, Inc.), vintage cloth button, vintage cotton fabric lining, hand crocheted, hand stitched Available samsstuff Etsy

Some cute little wallets

Teal Blue Wallet: Locally sourced Alpaca yarn, repurposed silk ribbon (Darn Good Yarn, Inc), vintage flower button, cotton fabric lining, hand crocheted, hand stitched Available samsstuff Etsy

Mint, Chocolate & White Wallet: US grown cotton yarn, vintage button, cotton fabric lining, hand crocheted, hand stitched Available soon

Some fun skinny scarves

Radiant Orchid Skinny Scarf: 100% wool yarn, vintage lace, hand crocheted, hand stitched Available Samsstuff Etsy

Plus, a bracelet or two

Snake Bracelet: Repurposed silk chiffon fabric (Darn Good Yarn, Inc), metallic teal embroidery thread, snake toggle clasp, hand crocheted Available Samsstuff Etsy

Can't wait to get back to making things (My wrist is recovering from surgery)...
How about you, have you been making things lately or discovered any great vintage finds? These are great ways to get ready for Earth Day (April 22, since 1970) & celebrate every day...SAM

Challenges...

Life has been full of challenges lately, small & large. It's always great, when the challenge is over & we can feel a sense of relief or even better, accomplishment...

Handmade 'Book' Postcard made for a Swap-Bot challenge: Pieces of a vintage (1975) Algebra  textbook, cardboard re-purposed (for a second time) from an envelope, sent in a previous swap, hand stitching, velum style paper scrap & a little, hand drawn border. This had to be taped over (with clear packing tape) for mailing.

Fabric Scrap Earrings for a 'What can you make with fabric scraps' challenge on Swap-bot: Fabric re-purposed from a vintage (but un-wearable) Esprit blouse, mother of pearl chips, green glass, silver plated sun/moons, clear glass.

Custom order camera bag: Cotton yarn in a buttery yellow, hand embroidered button on vintage fabric, vintage lace, hand stitched

Lined in an organic, floral fabric. There was a custom laptop cover, as well.  Custom listings for both  available, samsstuff Etsy

Custom Laptop Cover

Sometimes, making it through the smaller challenges makes going through the larger ones a bit easier, giving us a sense of accomplishment, boosting our self esteem...The beauty is in the details & the small stuff can have as much value as the big. I hope you're enjoying the small stuff as much as I am. SAM

Winter Ice

So, yesterday, it started to snow & we woke up with a layer off snow & ice everywhere, most of which seems to have stuck around throughout the day. I didn't go outside, but I think I was a bit inspired by all the snow & ice to create something new, from something (or several somethings) old. I had some beautiful vintage crystals, like the sparkles in the snow that shine in the snow, that I picked up at Earthwise Architectural Salvage. It's a wonderful place filled with rescued remnants of old buildings of all types. You never know what you'll find there, from hardware & windows to doors & dishware, anything really that might have been left behind by previous owners, like these pretty little crystals that I started with. I also had a spool of vintage silver string that I discovered in a bag of supplies purchased at a local Goodwill. I crocheted the silver string together with some super soft, ice blue yarn that I had in my stash, for a bit of icy sparkle throughout the bracelet, in several different stitches, to create extra depth, texture & a bit of delicate laciness:

One of the crystals was from an old chandelier, I'm not sure about the round beads

It can be worn as a wrap bracelet, a lariat style necklace or a hair wrap

small round crystals & the soft yarns create a pretty contrast of textures

"Winter Ice" worn as a bracelet.

I've created several of these lately though, each one with vintage, salvaged, repurposed elements.
What have you been inspired by lately? SAM

Poulet et Poisson: an Upcycled Vintage Find

I had a lot of fun making this upcycled vintage straw tote. I picked it up once & put it back, amongst a number of finds being destashed for a move. I'm glad I went back for it though :) The lining was badly damaged, so I removed it & used it as a pattern for making a new lining out of a great French country print fabric (covered with chickens, chicks & flowers. I love chickens!), I had purchased a while back. While the lining was out, I added patches, cut from the new lining fabric, to the front & the back, some yarn stitching & a carved horn button, shaped like a fish, as well as a recycled cotton loop, for the button closure. I machine stitched the lining & the hand sewed it into the bag:

The front of the tote

The lining fabric

The back of the tote

I really love how it turned out, so cute! A great rescued vintage tote, given new life & it has chickens, yay :)

Something New: "Summertime" Cuff Bracelet

Something new: a little cuff bracelet, I like to call "Summertime," that I made for a hat themed challenge, Everything on this one is vintage, except the little birds. The hat is a pin from the 80's, the milk glass beads, that look a little like sand dollars, are rescued beads that I purchased from TUTreasures on Etsy, the waxed hemp string is hand crocheted & from the 70's. Even the snap closure is vintage, also from the 70's. This can be worn with or without the hat pin & of course, with other bracelets. This was fun to make & I think I'll make other, similar bracelets, with other beads & with or without a pin.

Summertime hat pin cuff, shown here with the hat pin

The back of the Summertime hat pin bracelet 

Summertime hat pin cuff, without the hat pin

What have you been making lately?

Please note that all designs & photos posted here are the property of Shelley McElhiney, all rights reserved. Feel free to "share with love," that is, share with full credit back to this post. Please contact the blog owner for any other usage.

My New Hat

So, lately I've had a lot of time for making things. I just had my knee operated on & can't get around. Yesterday, I decided to make a hat. I don't have a winter hat & I've seen all the cozy, fun ones about, so I thought, why not try? This one is pretty simple, just one piece, gathered at the top & a little border around the bottom.  I didn't use a pattern, just made it up as I went. This one is organic cotton in "Macadamia," kind of a warm, dark off white or very light beige.  I love the softness & it seems like it'll be plenty warm. The color is perfect for just about any outfit. I think I'll add some beads to the tie (Here it's simply tied with a bow.) If I make another (& I think I will) I'll make it just a little 'taller' & slightly bigger. It's just a little snug, though it'll probably stretch & I don't want to end up with it being too big...

What about you? Have you made anything new, recently?

 

Made by You Mondays: Cards, Yarn & Stuff

I've been working on a few things, lately: I just finished a bag, made from a vintage napkin, a fabric remnant, vintage hardware, ribbon, chain, seed beads & embroidery, photos to come...
I made this great little cuff of orange & blue & I'm working on more things (wallets, headbands & more cuff bracelets) in these colors. I'm really loving this color combination :) Are cuffs considered accessories or jewelry? Hmm...

Cotton yarn, blue button closure (the mannequin has a line across her wrist, so I covered it with a vintage scarf)  samsstuff Etsy

I've also been working on these hand embroidered photo cards, part paper, part photo print & part embroidery. I'm thinking of making them into journals, with handmade paper from zuzu2u, one of a couple of collaborations with this fun shop on Etsy. She makes great handmade paper that will go really well with many of the things I have in shellseye, I can't wait to see what she's come up with for me! Here is one of the cards that I've been working on for the journals:

Hand embroidered, "Bells" image, purple & red paper, sheer sparkle fabric

So, these are a few of the things I've been working on. How about you? Have you been working on anything, lately? Check out other great projects here, on Skip to My Lou's Made by You Mondays:

Changing Colors of the Seasons: The Oranges of Summer

To me, each season is filled with its own colorful wonders. Fall is filled with the colors of change & falling leaves. Winter is cold & filled with blues & grays, even black. Spring is soft, a different kind of change, gentle colors that transition from the cool colors of winter. Summer is sunshine & warmth, the opposite of winter. Orange is one of these summer colors. I love it's intense heat & the brightness that it brings. It's one of my favorite colors! What about you? What colors do you associate with the changing seasons?

Here are a few things, from some of my favorite shops, featuring my new favorite color of summer & beyond: orange.

Orange Crochet Fish in My Crochet Shop by AnneMariesBrieBlog
Isn't this a sweet little fish? A shop filled with bright & sunny crocheted little hearts, animals & sweet banners. Stop by & tell her I said hi :)

Spring Flowers also in My Crochet Shop

Chaco Canyon, New Mexico by Shana's Shop

A shop filled with sweet little magnets, journals & photography. I love these cactus blossoms, they remind me of summer in the dessert!

Set of 2 Matchbook Notebooks by Shana's Shop

These are adorable little notebooks, great for jotting down notes, on the go!

Handmade Paper Heart Card by zuzu2u

These are adorable little cards, in a sweet mango (mmm...mangoes) orange color, for sending a special message to someone you love!

New Bean Shoot Card by zuzu2u














I hope you enjoyed these little bits of "Wild Sweet Orange," one of summer's wonderful colors (& a delicious tea by Tazo :)

Made by You Mondays

Made by request:

Recently I had a request to make a couple of hummingbird headbands & I thought I'd share them with you. The second one was a request for a hippie style headband, in a greyish color, with a hummingbird (like the golden yellow 'hummingbird love' headband below) & an embroidered heart in pink & red (made like the one on the 'dragon love' blue headband), that was to be a bit thinner in width. Since it was hippie style I made it so that it ties in the back, rather than with the elastic that is normally used, just to add a bit of 'authenticity' to the style & since it ties, it turned out to be very adjustable in size. I edged it with more pink stitching, that goes great with the grey.

The first request was for a small headband, to match the 'hummingbird love' one, as a mother/daughter set that would be more unique than the usual infant headbands available (generally made with big bows or flowers). They're virtually identical, with the exception of wider elastic on the infant headband. Both can be sized up (or down) by removing a few stitches & refolding the elastic to the right size. This way the infant headband can be used a little longer than a single size version.

All headbands are hand crocheted, hand embroidered & the stamping is done on remnants of fabric left over from remaking a vintage shirt. It's fun creating them & I like the idea of being able to customize the designs, so much that I'll be adding a custom listing where you can request different color & design components for your very own samsstuff headband. What kind of combo would you choose (You can see more colors & style choices in samsstuff on Etsy)?

 

All the Trimmings!

Everything you need for a great holiday season:

Grandmother's Attic  Vintage wrapping paper

Barbara Schriber Vintage mercury glass garland

 

tippleandsnack Vintage snowmen

pumpkintruck vintage Hallmark card

Check out my "All the Trimmings" treasury on Etsy for more great vintage & handmade holiday ideas:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ce68ec2bb918eef5c0dc1c6/all-the-trimmings

Then search Etsy for other great ways to complete your holiday style! SAM

Back to School: Etsy Style

I know what you're thinking: handmade? vintage? style? Not exactly the first things you think of when you're putting together amazing outfits guaranteed to make you one of the cool kids (or the cool teacher or the cool mom, for that matter) that first day of school, but check out these great finds on Etsy, things that won't be the same as everyone else in school, finds that will make you stand out from the crowd, but in a totally, amazingly good way!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49992834/vtg-sailor-moon-womens-military-navy hauteonvintage
Start with great military shirt...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52536197/custom-size-gray-and-yellow-floral liesl
Add a cute little print skirt...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52708827/1948-royal-canadian-hussars-military pernillesboutique

A vintage military jacket...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/47753881/boots-french-high-heels?ref=v1_other_1 kioskofoli

Some cool handmade lace up boots...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44810423/multi-strand-chain-bracelet-recycled janedean

A chain bracelet...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49661400/vintage-50s-60s-embroidered-white-blouse studio1950

Or add a little sweetness with a vintage embroidered blouse...

Add some beatiful make up:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/54824811/slate-grey-eye-shadow-mineral-makeup purenaturalminerals


mineral shadow Slate Grey

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54234014/coral-dream-eye-shadow-mineral-makeup

mineral eye shadow Coral Dream

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/52354394/mineral-lipstick-in-cool improvised

mineral lipstick in Cool
I love these colors...

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/54080539/the-walker-suede-leather-messenger kibber

And to carry everything, a sweet messenger bag.

The possibilities are endless & amazing. This year create a vintage/handmade look that's all yours, don't be afraid :) SAM

*Click on the links to visit great shops on Etsy & find some great stuff for back to school!