Shabby Chic Studio Makeover

 So...we moved to Eastern MA in June and my craft room/studio became my "crap room" for awhile.  I am sure some of you can relate.   It was filled with thread, fabric, boxes and trash.  It was quite embarrassing when my Mother In Law came out to visit and she commented on the room and said "Let's go clean it up."  God love her!  She was so sweet to walk into the abyss of my room and start cleaning it.  That led to me wanting to make my new studio as cute and functional, if not cuter, than my one in Savannah.  It is a work in progress.  I will share with you some of the things I have added to it thus far.  I would love for your suggestions or pictures on your studio that you may want to share in regards to style, or organization or any other tips you have that you have used on your craft room/studio.  You can email me at lillollipops@gmail.com and send me photos of your spaces and I will share them here on the blog.  Let's help each other out!  Also, if your studio is a crap room...send your picture and I can maybe give you some advice as well as our readers here on the blog!  Here are some of my room additions that I love and it adds to my shabby chic vibe.  I will update you more later as the room comes along.

This is a shabby chic mirror I found at Hobby Lobby and a key with a Paris sign I also found there.  I put a picture of me and my husband...for inspiration :)  and a dress that inspires me.  It is important to have inspiration you can see in your studio.











This is a great shabby chic clock I found on Etsy.  This seller makes great clocks out of vintage plates.  VERY shabby chic!  http://www.etsy.com/shop/makingtimetc

 This is a great vintage stained glass window that I have on the wall, but am going to move it to hang in my window.

These are two cute lil doors I found in a vintage shop.  They were painted black on one side and white on the other.  On the black side I painted them light pink and sanded them down to look shabby.  I had my husband attach two hinges to them. I hammered some nails into them and hung these cute lil knobs and hooks to hang things from.  I found the knobs at Hobby Lobby and the cute hooks from this great shabby chic Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShabbieChicHome.   This is a great element in the room and I can take it to any shows I do and they display my work great.



This is also a find from Etsy.  The lady I bought them from made them custom for me.  She shabbied the edges, but you can't see it much in the photo. Check out her shop...she does cute things! http://www.etsy.com/shop/MemoryBeanDesigns  If her shop is vacation, which I think it is at this moment, click on the shop and then on sales to see other things she has made and sold.

This is the cutest worn down table I found at a flea market.  I sanded it, painted it pink, sanded it again to shabby it up and then the front flower is a furniture applique I found from a shop on Ebay for a few bucks.  I just hot glued it on.  I know, it is a small computer table, but it is really cute.  Maybe if I find a bigger shabby desk, this will be used for something else in my space.

SOPA & PIPA...should you be concerned?

I am joining sites like Etsy, Google, wikapedia and more to protest PIPA and SOPA that is trying to pass through congress. contacting my local Representative and Senator and anyone else I can to protest SOPA and PIPA. I just contacted my senators, representatives etc. to tell them how I felt on this. If we don't speak out...others will make decisions, we may not like, for us. Go to http://www.house.gov/ to find your local rep.  and go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm  to find your local Senators.  

 Here is a list of great, unique items from etsy you can get to help support the cause and get the word out:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/Nzc4NTcyNHwxODU1MTE1OTUz/sopa-and-pipa-take-a-stand

You can read about Etsy's stance on this here: http://www.etsy.com/protect-innovation  

You can read firefox's stance on it here:  https://donate.mozilla.org/page/s/SOPA?source=snippet

You can read google's stance on it here: https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

 Wikapedia's stance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act  More of an explanation of SOPA.

 

According to google:

More about SOPA and PIPA

Members of Congress are trying to do the right thing by going after pirates and counterfeiters but SOPA and PIPA are the wrong way to do it.

1. SOPA and PIPA would censor the Web

The U.S. government could order the blocking of sites using methods similar to those employed by China. Among other things, search engines could be forced to delete entire websites from their search results. That’s why 41 human rights organizations and 110 prominent law professors have expressed grave concerns about the bills.

2. SOPA and PIPA would be job-killers because they would create a new era of uncertainty for American business

Law-abiding U.S. internet companies would have to monitor everything users link to or upload or face the risk of time-consuming litigation. That’s why AOL, EBay, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Twitter, Yahoo and Zynga wrote a letter to Congress saying these bills “pose a serious risk to our industry’s continued track record of innovation and job-creation.” It’s also why 55 of America’s most successful venture capitalists expressed concern that PIPA “would stifle investment in Internet services, throttle innovation, and hurt American competitiveness”. More than 204 entrepreneurs told Congress that PIPA and SOPA would “hurt economic growth and chill innovation”.

3. SOPA and PIPA wouldn’t stop piracy

To make matters worse, SOPA and PIPA won’t even work. The censorship regulations written into these bills won’t shut down pirate sites. These sites will just change their addresses and continue their criminal activities, while law-abiding companies will suffer high penalties for breaches they can’t possibly control.
There are effective ways to combat foreign “rogue” websites dedicated to copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting, while preserving the innovation and dynamism that have made the Internet such an important driver of American economic growth and job creation. Congress should consider alternatives like the OPEN Act, which takes targeted and focused steps to cut off the money supply from foreign pirate sites without making US companies censor the Web.

 

A Gallery for your Children's Art

I just came across this awesome site thanks to Etsy Kids who shared it on their Facebook page.  Wanted to share this with you.  I just uploaded my daugther's recent painting of Paris done with acrylic paint.  Not bad for 6!  :)  Anyways...post your child's art on this amazing site and see other children's art from around the world.  It makes your realize how similar we all are....especially when it comes to the arts.  It brings us together.
http://www.childrensgallery.org/

First Dress from my new Retro line debuts on TV

So excited!  The first dress from my new Retro Line debuted on a TV show called Mass Appeal.  It is the second outfit on the runway.

Girll scout fashion: wwlp.com

Subterranean Hipster Dress

Just listed it in my shop!  Cape is also available in my shop.

New items in the boutique!

Wow!  I have so many things I am working on right now!  Here are a few things I just listed in the shop and some I will be listing soon.  I wanted to give my blog followers a sneak peak!  :)  Also, this week I will be posting a new tutorial of a simple skirt you can make at home for your lil ones!  You could even sew it by hand if you are not sure of the machine, or don't have one.  You can also use fusible sewing tape!


 THE JULIANA

 Here are two flower dresses I made for my girls to be in a wedding.  They are made with the best materials...satin taffeta on top and the skirt is layered with taffeta, two layers of tulle and mirrored organza on the top.    The buttons in the back are vintage reproductions and very high end.  The front of the dresses have been accented with three flowers...one satin purple, one white, and one white feather with netting.  All three have a rhinestone brooch like center.
This dress can be done in any color on top and bottom. 

 The Ice Princess
 Another version of the Juliana, but the back is corseted and the skirt a shimmery organza with the bodice made out of a sparkley corduroy.

 Bumblebee Fairy
I only made one of these, OOAK.  It should fit 18m - 2T.  I am thinking about adding wings and a hair fascinator, but for now, it is being sold as it is shown here.  Probably should have listed it for Halloween, but what lil girl doesn't like to dress up ALL the time???

Here is something I am just about finished making, so here is a sneak peak into a soon to be listed item....it may just be the only one I make. Is will be listed in my new Retro Line.

Winner of the SHABBY SCRAP GIVEAWAY!

If you have not seen Marleen's amazing shop you must... http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShabbyScrap
Here is the interview we did with her with pictures of items from her shop, if you want to check it out: http://lillollipopsdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/12/this-is-no-shabbby-scrap-giveaway.html

I apologize for this delay....travel, the holidays, and illness prevented me from doing this sooner.  Each person who entered the Shabby Scrap giveaway was assigned a number.  There were 9 entries.  Random.org listed the numbers in sequence randomly.
These are the people who entered and their numbers assigned to them based on when they posted their comment:

1. Morphine
2. Bohemiansin
3. Armywife 101
4. Lloralye
5. SerenaP95
6. Szappanbubi 
7. Jennifer M Maxwell
8. Bee W. Bedard
9. Sabrina

Here is the way Random.org chose the winner:

Random Sequence Generator

Here is your sequence:

2
5
8
3
6
9
7
4
1

Timestamp: 2012-01-07 18:49:31 UTC

THE WINNER IS

BOHEMIANSIN!!!!!!

Claim your prize by convoing Marleen at her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShabbyScrap 

Thank you so much to Marleen and her generous giveaway and patience with me being so delayed.  Thank you to all of you who entered.