Well, I was tickled with the way the Wall Craft Show turned out for (a LaNE design). I met some very fun people, had great feedback and exceeded my sales goal! Really…could it have been any better? Not so much. I thought the turnout was great. We went home with very little of what we came with, which was much more than I could have asked for. We—my lovely assistants and I—had a wonderful day and we’re ready to do it again.
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It’s been a busy week around (a LaNE design). We’re getting ready for the Wall Craft Show this weekend. Next week, when there is a little more time, I’ll be able to show you all the new goods. I’m really excited to see a lot of pretty faces at the Craft Show. The best part is being able to do this in our home town. It’ll be friendly and comfortable. Please stop by and visit us!
For anyone that stops by and mentions that they heard about us from Facebook, you’ll be surprised with a sweet little gift. So, be sure to let us know! Can’t wait to see you there.
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I’ve penciled in the first craft show for (a LaNE design). Exciting? I think SO! Now…how to decorate? How to display? How to stand out? Oh my. My mind is hard at work and the ideas are being jotted down.
I hope those of you in the area will be able to come by the Wall Craft Show in Wall on Sunday, November 14 from 9am–4pm. Look me up!
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I hope to make this—What came in the mailbox?— a regular post on (a LaNE design) because of the all neat things that we receive in the mailbox, but more so, because of the neat things that I hope to see in our mailbox! I’m sending a continuous challenge out to all of you to send a little note in the mail and show me the stationery already in your collection. I also want to see the creative ideas that you have to send a warm hello to someone through the mail to brighten their already bright day! All of which, will be featured on (a LaNE design) to share with the growing number of readers!
One of favorite people to receive a letter from is my grandma. This recent card that she sent is of one of her favorite prints by Mary Cassatt called Child in a Straw Hat. I always feel like I’m sitting right at her kitchen table with her after reading her letter. I know where she is pulling her notepaper out of, where she keeps her stamps and addresses and even her envelopes. After reading the letter, I often know just what she’s been doing already and where her young 86 year old self is off to now. She led by example in teaching myself, and probably many others in the family, how to write a warm, friendly letter.
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A few years ago, my oldest daughter, Kamryn, made for the cutest little ladybug in all the land. I wanted to put her in a bug cage and keep her like that forever! No worries, I didn’t attempt to actually do that. Anyway, our new little girl, Olivia, is getting ready to celebrate her first spooky Halloween as a not-so-spooky strawberry. I decided to make her costume using the same idea as the ladybug. Unfortunately, it’s not quite finished yet, but I wanted to show a photo incase you’re in need of a simple and creative costume idea.
To-do
1. Use an oversized, plain sweatshirt. I couldn’t find a plain strawberry colored sweatshirt this year, so I turned a printed one inside out.
2. Cut the arms of the sweatshirt off on the outside of the hemline.
3. Next, cut a tiny slit next to the seam at the bottom of the sweatshirt in order to thread a ribbon around the hemline.
4. You’ll want to tie the ribbon at the waste in order to gather the sweatshirt a little and add some puffiness for a plump ladybug…or in this case, a plump strawberry!
5. Cut the ribbon long enough to tie a little bow.
6. For the ladybug, I cut out black felt circles about the size of a small coffee can, scattered them on the front and back of the sweatshirt and glued. For the strawberry, you can see that I cut green felt leaves. I’ll use a zig-zag stitch to sew them to the collar of the sweatshirt. I also cut small light pink felt circles for the seeds.
7. We used a black shirt and tights under the ladybug costume and glued pipe-cleaners to a black stocking-cap for antennas. Wrap the pipe-cleaner around your finger to add some curl. I’ll use a pink striped sleeper under Olivia’s strawberry costume and add a little green hat (hopefully) to top it off.
That’s it! Simple.
We had also thought of using this concept for a frog or a huckleberry and even a bunny! I’ll post a photo when our little strawberry his ripened! Maybe I can drum up a ladybug photo
Oh, look here… some photos while trick-or-treating!
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Without further ado…our shop doors are open! …Our Etsy shop, that is. You’re welcome to swing by for a visit at www.alanedesign.etsy.com. Our hours are the same as yours!
I’m really excited about the Line-Dry series. It’s simple, it’s pretty and it’s personal. Quite frankly, it puts me in a letter-writing-mood!
The First Letter Writing stationery also drives me wild. I think it’ll be fantastic to share the art of letter writing with our young ones. They’ll get so excited to do something nice for someone by sending a friendly letter in the mail. Hopefully they’ll get one in return!
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Oh, how clever of you to ask!
Yesterday, our mailbox was rubber-banded closed in order for a tube to fit. I had ordered the LOVE Candy Lemon print from Made By Girl, which I have been longing for. It’ll be perfect in Olivia’s bedroom! I’ll show you pictures when it’s framed and hung.
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We were in Missoula MT about a month ago and I picked up a neat book titled “The Art of the Handwritten Note.” Since I’ve been writing letters since I was very young, I’m a little beyond most of the book, however, I am crazy about the preface.
Here is a taste…
“In contrast to a phone call, a handwritten note doesn’t arrive demanding to be read when you’ve just sat down to dinner; it courteously lets you know who sent it even before you open it; you won’t be annoyed by the sounds coming from the pens of compulsive note-writers at the next table in your favorite restaurant. You’ll never get a busy signal from a mailbox; you won’t have to play “note tag” to get read; and your readers won’t use “note waiting” to put you on hold while they open a note that arrives while they’re opening yours. And in contrast to email, a handwritten note looks beautiful and feels personal; you won’t get an electronic virus from opening a handwritten note nor find a list of last week’s lame brained jokes. You can still write a note by candlelight when your electricity fails, and mail your note while your server is down.” (The Art of the Handwritten Note by Margaret Shepherd)
Isn’t that great? I think it makes perfect sense. This week, I’ll sit to write a letter to someone that I would normally “make a quick call” to.
Speaking of writing a note…we’re just a couple days away from revealing our new stationery! I can’t WAIT! So much to do, so little time! My mind really has not stopped spinning for a long time regarding the launch of our first stationery line. Get ready, because I do see a giveaway in the very near future! I’ll fill you in on the details later.
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“No way! How ARE you? How have you been?” …Those are often the first words out of my mouth when I run into an old friend after a long time. That’s very much what I want to say right now as I return to (a LaNE design)’s blog. How the hell are ya?!?
I just have to say that I’m pumped right now with the new stationery that I just picked up “hot off the press.” I can’t wait for you to see what I’ve been working on. The goodies will be available to you shortly!
Since I rarely leave a quick conversation with an old friend without actually setting up a date. I’ll see you on Monday….say about 11:00 a.m.? Until then, I hope you’ll have a chance to kick your feet out in front of you and enjoy time!
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My hot tea is now closer to chilled and my two early morning samples of peanut butter brownies—which really equal one good sized portion—have been devoured…gracefully, of course. I very much love these early mornings when the rest of the house still sleeps and I can press play on my “playlist of the moment” and nab some quiet time, which is exactly what I’m doing right now.
By the way…Happy Valentine’s Morning! Kamryn and I made very sweet matchbox valentines from Inchmark Journal for her friends. We filled them with chocolate M&Ms and she wrote the first letter of everyone’s name on each box. We had fun working on them and had our fill of M&Ms, as well!
A quote my mom came across, not sure of the author…
“There are many things in your life that catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart—pursue those.”
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