enamor

The Wedding Biz

enamor — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:46:33 +0000

Hello all! Its been quite some time since I last made an entry, probably because I have been soooo busy with my new wedding line!

I opened enamor weddings back in February, and I haven’t looked back since then!

It has been refreshing to my creativity doing something different. Not to mention, its awesome getting to see the use of my finished products on one of the most important days in people’s lives.

The Cake Cuties custom toppers have been the most fun to make. I get pictures of the couple, a link to a dress, a photo of a fuzzy friend, and colors to work with. Each couple is so unique!

The most fun I have had was with a couple who wanted something non-traditional for their topper, because their cake would be covered in sunflowers, with matching teal and yellow cupcakes. They wanted the toppers to look like their engagement photo instead of wedding attire. The picture Ritasha sent me was a playful photo of her riding a bike in a colorful flower print dress and her fiance in an orange polo with tan shorts. Her dress was so fun to paint! I loved the fact that it was so colorful. They had a beautiful Indian ceremony, that I’m glad I got to be a part of (in a way!).

Besides the painting process, my favorite part is seeing the toppers in action and hearing all the wonderful comments from the couple and people who attended the wedding. Puts a big smile on my face!

Something Blue hairpins

enamor — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 01:05:02 +0000

Today’s tutorial was created when I had to come up with a crafty freebie to include with the swag bags for the upcoming Off White Indie Wedding Show. The challenge wasn’t making something cool, it was the fact that I had to make 100 items! For someone who mostly makes one of something, that number seemed overwhelming. So I puttered around my studio brainstorming what in the world I could make one hundred of. Naturally, I turned to my button and fabric collections, as I have many of these supplies on hand. So then, what to do? Well, brides don’t want a huge bag of cardboard and paper postcards (well, at least I didnt when I went to bridal shows, seemed kind of boring). My light bulb came on in my head, “oooh, something to wear!” I can say that I could have used a tiny little something in my swag bag that I could put on rather than a sticky nametag that says, “bride”. Sorry but stickers don’t make me feel special. But a pretty hairpin does!

So, I came up with Something Blue hairpins! Simple, can be dressed up or down, and adds just a little something (blue) to make a bride or any gal feel special. They are quite simple to make, so if you are looking for something new for your ‘do or need to make someone a little gift, here’s a simple and fast project!

Supplies:
Buttons (I used mostly vintage)
1 3/4 inch hair pins
Clover yo-yo maker (30mm)
White fabric, can have pattern or plain
White thread
Needle
Scissors
E-6000 glue
*Hedgehog optional for crafty support

To begin, separate the yo-yo maker.

Next, cut out a 3 inch square of fabric. (hedgehog not to scale)

Place the fabric pattern side down into the outer circle of the yo-yo maker. Center the fabric. Press the inner circle into the outer circle, taking care to line up the ‘holes’ of the maker- sometimes it helps me if I hold it up to a light. The circles should easily click into place.

Trim around the fabric leaving about a 1/2 inch border to sew on.

Thread your needle with twelve inches of thread. Double knot the end. Begin sewing by starting at the fabric border and going through the plastic (this is why its important to line up the holes- if the needle doesnt go through easy, adjust your plastic circles). Bring the next stitch back up to the border- there is a stitch guide to follow on the yo-yo maker.

Continue stitching all the way around the circle until you return back to the knot.

Push the inner circle out with the hole on the backside of the yo-yo maker. It should pop out easily.

Remove the inner circle from the fabric.

Pull the thread to gather the yo-yo. I find it easiest to insert my thumb in the middle while pulling the thread. While pulling, you can adjust the fabric until it looks even. Double knot your stitches on one of the inside folds when the yo-yo looks how you would like.

At this point, add your button. Sew through the shank or holes two to three times. Double knot your stitches on the back and in the middle of the yo-yo. Then add a small dot of glue on the flat plate of the hairpin. Place the glue on top of the stitches/knot you made on the back of the yo-yo. Lay flat to dry at least an hour before wearing.

See how easy that was? You could even try out bigger yo-yos, they come in different shapes too! Check out Clover’s website. Happy Crafting!

enamor weddings

enamor — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:22:53 +0000

Happy 2011 everyone! I’m so excited to see what this year brings!

My vision for this year is expanding my enamor wares to include exclusive wedding items. I had so much fun planning and making things for my own wedding that took place this past September, I wanted to give other couples the opportunity to experience that handmade touch for their own big day.

I’m a die-hard crafty person at heart, so my big day just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t have a big part in planning and making a lot of the details. I made my ring pillow, bouquet (plus boutonnieres and corsages for thirteen people), card box and lots of decorations at the reception. Luckily, I have a crafty mom too, which helped! My mom practiced for months with fondant, frosting and stencils to make my fabulous wedding cake.

Being able to make things for my wedding were kind of way to escape from all the stress of planning, but also inspiring. It’s almost hard to explain the feeling of seeing a vision in your head and being able to produce something with your hands which is exactly how you envisioned. I get that feeling with my regular crafts too, but there was something different with the wedding crafts- even though my wedding was over, I still had the desire to make more.

I have been painting and crafting with my original Etsy store, enamor, since 2006. The past couple years for enamor have been fantastic, despite the lull in the economy. I have met so many wonderful and talent people! I’m excited about the expansion of my business into the realm of handmade weddings and the new places and people to come in the future.

Etsy features articles on handmade weddings on their blog, the Storque , called Handmade Life. Each article features a couple who incorporated handmade elements into their wedding. Know what’s another good feeling? Finding out you’re not the only person out there doing something that’s out of the ordinary!

The enamor weddings line will feature handpainted (of course!) bridal handbags, ring pillows, card boxes and wedding cake toppers. The new Etsy shop will open at the end of January, but that doesn’t mean I’m not making things! I’ve been having a blast painting mini bride and groom cake toppers.

I am super thrilled to be traveling to St. Louis, MO in March to be part of Off White- An Indie Wedding Show. Its like an indie craft show, but for weddings! Off White was created by Brea McAnally, who is a professional photographer. Brea hosted Off White for the first time last year for the off-beat couples who wanted a more personal, creative, and handmade touch to their wedding.

This year promises to be bigger and better than last year with over fifty vendors, a fashion show, and not to mention, wedding must haves you won’t find anywhere else! I have been busy planning and crafting for this most exciting opportunity to showcase my new wedding wares. If you will be in or around the St Louis area on March 20th, and are planning a wedding, I would highly recommend planning on attending. You can even buy advance tickets online! For more information about Off White, check out the website.

While I’m busy crafting away, stay tuned- a crafty giveaway just in time for Valentine’s Day is in the works!

DIYpsi

enamor — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:01:21 +0000

I feel compelled to spread the word about DIYpsi, a handmade holiday show, which is happening this Saturday!
The event will be held at Woodruffs, in Depot Town. Not only will the show have over 30 of the best indie crafters in Michigan, there will also be a full bar, live bands, and irresistible eats available.

Vendors include:

Courtney Fischer Jewelry

Fly Childrens Art Center

Sparklepants Industries

Mark Gjukich Photography

Wholly Mammoth Designs

See? Aren’t they all awesome? If you have some holiday shopping left to do, make sure to stop by from 11am-7pm. Check out DIYpsi.com for more info. See you there!

How To: Color Swatch Board

enamor — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:41:16 +0000

I am debuting my new enamor Wedding Line this weekend and I wanted a way to easily show possible clients a list of colors available for my products. I’m one of those people who think its easier to point at something rather than describe what I want, “oooh, oooh, I like that one!”

So I came up with the idea of making a color swatch board. I got my inspiration from the 2011 Color Trends from A Wedding Sketchbook by Michelle Mospens. I liked the layout and simplicity.

If you want to make a color swatch board, here’s what you need!
- 11X14 piece of foam core board
- Paint Chips from the hardware store that match paints you already have
- Scrapbook glue runner
- Paper trimmer or scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil

First gather your paint chips and arrange them in the order you want them to appear on the board. Depending on how many colors you want on your board, you have to do a little math and measuring to figure out how to fit them on. I had 35 different colors. I divided my board into 10X14, as the extra inch wasn’t needed. Trim each paint chip to be 2 inches square with a paper trimmer or scissors, giving 5 rows of 7 chips.

Once you have all of the paint chips trimmed, arrange them on your board how you would like the colors to flow. You can go from darkest to lightest, or in color order. I went in color order, from darkest to lightest.

Next, remove the paint chips from the board, making sure to keep them in the order you want them to appear. Apply glue or double sided tape to the back of each paint chip. Then apply to your board, starting from the upper left corner. Make sure and line up both edges of your chip with the edges of the board to make it straight. Continue your rows until all chips are applied.

There will be a 1 inch strip of foam core board left at the bottom that you can trim off if you want.
If you make one, I’d love to see your results. Happy Crafting!

Psst…Special Sale!

enamor — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 03:27:14 +0000

Did you know that the entire enamor store is on sale?

Lucky for you my 10% off sale is good through Monday, November 29th at midnight! Make sure and enter coupon code TurkeyDay to get the special discount!

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Blue House Ann Arbor

enamor — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 14:50:43 +0000

Hello! Today I will be taking you on a little virtual tour of Blue House in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Blue House is a handmade consignment studio and workshop that opened in March 2010 that is located just down the street from my favorite landmark in Ann Arbor, The Big House (Michigan Stadium).

Once you step inside this two story house, you will find yourself surrounded by a creative atmosphere. Each nook and cranny is meant to inspire, even the ceiling!

Blue House not only is a unique place to do holiday shopping, you can also try your hand at sewing, knitting, photography and painting in workshops led by local artists. Siobhan Lyle, the creator of Blue House, wanted to bring the indie-craft movement to a more localized setting and provide opportunities for everyone to learn a new skill.

I am proud to have some items at Blue House and be part of the awesome showcase of local talent in the consignment shop. Right now artists are bringing in new wares just for the holiday shopping season. I would highly recommend skipping the over-produced and busy shopping mall and big-box stores on Black Friday and stopping here instead! In fact, you can find unique items from 24 Michigan indie artists. Every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm at MakersMeet, artists come together to work on projects, socialize and share a tasty treat or two.

Artists at Blue House include:

All Things Grow
Applesauce Crafts
Chicaloo Kate Photography
Courtney Fischer Jewelry
Deid Goods
Dang Argyle
Enamor
J. Adams Designs
Little Sister Designs
LJLH Designs
Mains De Fees
Miss Monet Photography
Mitten Made
Nancy Bulkey
Next Door Designs
Sloe Gin Fizz
Sparklepants Industries
Sporck Tileart
Stephen Kinnard Photography
Sweet Sugar Beet
The June Bride
Tinker Dot Designs
Virtuosew
Whitney Crutchfield Designs

For you crafty types, MakersMARK takes place every month at the studio, where a guest speaker shares knowledge and tips at surviving and thriving in the handmade community. This month features Michelle Schaefer, director of programs and outreach for the Ann Arbor Art Fair. She will be speaking about the art of selling handmade, the importance of displaying your items, and how to package and price your items. Sign-up for a spot via the Blue House Facebook group under links. A $5 donation is all that is required at the door to attend! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 7, from 6:30-8:30pm.

On Sunday, November 28 from 1-4pm, there is a special holiday workshop where you can learn to make handmade ornaments for yourself or for gifts. Supplies and help are provided for just 10 bucks! Wow! email for signup information at bluehouseannarbor@gmail.com

Looking for a one-stop event for holiday shopping? On Saturday, December 18, from 11-6, Blue House will be hosting MittenMade, a handmade craft show featuring
lots of local artists. For more information about the show, events, or classes, check out www.bluehouseannarbor.com.

Holiday Time!

enamor — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:36:47 +0000

So many good things have been happening these past couple of weeks! Must be the rush of the holidays that are now upon us.

I have been working on so many new projects, its hard to pick a starting point. My studio (and my kitchen table!) have been busy with activity. I have been working on a new art print featuring my Foxie design, but have brought her back to a time of kitsch and baked goods. She looks quite retro in her teal apron! I haven’t finished the entire drawing yet, but here’s a sneak preview:

I’m working on creating more of these squirrel frames for upcoming holiday shows. This one I made for Sarah (hiptopiecesqaures) as a thank you gift for being my maid of honor at my wedding. Luckily, i have three more frames to make.

Upcoming craft shows means I have to go out hunting at antique and thrift stores for some supplies. Anyone who thrift shows knows what a thrill it is to find something you are looking for. The planters I use for my pincushions are my favorite things to look for, and I especially get excited when I find deer and squirrels! My last trip to Ohio proved to be a good one for planters. Another fun part of this craft is picking out coordinating fabric for the planter to make the pincushion, and in turn the pins that go with them. My kitchen table quickly became an assembly line full of thread, fabric and stuffing!

I’m so pleased at how this little deer turned out! Isn’t she adorable?

Lots of painting projects have been going on too. I’ve been making stock for shows and for Blue House in Ann Arbor:
Just Resting mini painting and stand, too cute!

New Design! Tweetie coin purse. So excited to do more with this design! What do you think?

Babushka makeup bag, perfect for those holiday travel essentials.

I also helped out my dear friend Sarah of hiptopiecesqaures make a new sign for her booth for Art in the Park in Ypsilanti, which happened last Saturday. We worked out of Sarah’s studio, and amid a lot of laughter, we did manage to actually get some work done! Sarah sewed the squares and I painted the words. We joked that we have been meaning to do a collaborative piece for awhile, and well, here’s the first of many I’m sure. I think it turned out great.

At Art in the Park, I picked up some lovely new art pieces for my apartment.
The first is a darling deer photo print from Lori of baclori:

I also got this amazing print of Ann Arbor from Nicole of SloeGinFizz. My husband and I are super huge University of Michigan football fans, and I couldnt wait to put it in my living room. Once Paul got home from work, he saw it hanging above the sofa and quickly exclaimed, “That’s awesome!”

Mark your calendars for DIYpsi holiday craft market- I have said this a couple times, but I’m serious people…this show has the MVP’s of the local craft scene as vendors and a not miss opportunity to get your holiday shopping done. Check out the amazing vendor lineup on their website- I haven’t been this excited to be part of a show in a long time!

Check out my Etsy shop, newly updated with items you’ve just read about!

Enamor Studio Space

enamor — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:09:52 +0000

I have finally finished unpacking all of my boxes and organizing my workspace!
Here are some pictures from my new studio!

First, here is where all the painting magic happens. I have LOTS of paint and brushes. My craft books are always within reach. I am an avid collector of all things vintage and cute animals for inspiration. I love deer, squirrels, foxes, owls and retro designs.

Here’s a closeup of my board: Can you spot some locally made items here? BarrelofMonkeys, EKRA, alwaystheforest, Betz White (not from MI, but love her stuff), Teresa Peterson, and OutYourBackDoor.

Lastly, here’s my sewing area. I have lots of vintage fabrics! My stepdad saved this industrial Singer sewing machine from being thrown away, it works like a dream! I’m starting an art collection for my walls. So far I have a screen printed poster from the first DUCF I vended in, a locally made water color painting by Amanda Simmons, and a screen printed Andrew Bird (fave musician!) poster from Etsy artist dsudyka.

Whats your favorite thing in your workspace?

This Weekend

enamor — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:58:43 +0000

Flint City Handmade Spring Market is this weekend!

I will be vending, along with all of these lovelies:

beautiful JUNK
Made With Luv
Stick Nymph
Gizmodgery
Amanda’s Creations
Rug Wear
Always the Forest
Lunch Lady Land
Sandra Fielder
International Robot
Jewelry Storm/Radically Random
Aisle 3
Wei’s Open Secret
The Yarntoad Collective
ZAKARANAS
Becklesbobbles
The Living Thread
Ms.Christa’s Accessories
SEEDS Studio
Barrel of Monkeys
Creative Alliance
UGHB
Motown Bound
Whimsical Works by Jen Sikora
art by amandaNsimons.com
Art by Gary Sierdarski
It’s A Scream Productions
FIRED UP!
Cradle of Critters
relishdress
Alexandria’s Soap Garden
Crochet Science
Stone Sheep
fourchamberforge, LLC
CLKcreative
Empress Wears…
Wistful Fancy
Otra Vez
Tilt Creations
Chicaloo Photography & More
Runaway Fashion House
Kenny Corbin
TheHeatherMonsterCreations

Also, there is an awesome raffle table with items donated from all the vendors.

Hope you can make it!