Monkey & Squirrel shop revamp!

as i said in this previous post, a Monkey & Squirrel shop overhaul was in the works. well finally, after a number of late nights, and long kiddo naps, i've got the ball rolling. i've done away with all the refinished iron pieces, and am now focusing solely on one of a kind embroideries.

this change has been some time in the making. embroidering is where my heart is these days. i can't even say how special it feels to create something for one person to give to another, usually on the most momentous of occasions. anniversaries, weddings, birthdays... these tend to be the days when the most thoughtful gifts are given, and i'm honored beyond words when my creations are purchased as such gifts.

who knows where this change will lead me, but at this moment it just feels right. 

a lil' something new...

i've recently added a new little goodie to the ol' shop and i'm pretty darn happy about it. these custom initial embroideries make me happy as a clam while stitching, and even happier when they're off to their new homes. sweet little flowers, and dainty little leaves... not to toot my own horn, but i love 'em!

you can get a closer look HERE...

shop update

finally! i've been able to bust my buns and get some brand new stitched goodies up in the shop...

*tough love* 

*home is wherever i'm with you*

*a taste of home*

*custom bride & groom initials*

and here's a little something i'm really excited to be offering up these days. custom hand stitched table numbers for weddings, or any other special day really. these can be done in any color palette to match your occasion...

and here they are in action! photos from a wedding featured on Ruffled blog...

it really feels so good to be able to get those creative juices flowing again recently. since having penny it's been really tough to find time to feel inspired. ya know, sleep deprivation, dirty diapers, and a lack of regular showers tend to not make a gal feel her most artistic. but look at me, getting back in the swing of things. i didn't realize just how much i missed being productive until i actually was. i NEED to create things to really feel like myself, and being a fulfilled mama makes me a better mama! so these days i look forward to every single nap, when i can bust out some hoops, needle, and thread, and get on down to work! so sleep well little girl, and if all goes as planned, these shop updates will be a more regular occurrence!

if at first you don't succeed...

yesterday i spent the entire day redoing a job that was already done. ever since i first posted my new autumn goodies on etsy i've been somewhat unhappy with how the photos came out. they just didn't scream festive fall goodness to me at all. so finally i bit the bullet and reshot them. 

take a peek at the before and after, and let me know what ya think!

"feast" before & after...

 "gather" before & after...

"happy harvest" before & after...

"give thanks" before & after...

with holiday items you really only have a small time frame to make an impact and get your items sold. also, with selling on etsy it's really important to have your photos be as "treasury friendly" as they possibly can be, so as to get the most views. i'm feeling a whole lot better now about the autumn vibe going on in my photos. that's not to say that they'll be flying off the shelves now, but at least i know i've corrected something that was bothering me.

i was actually so pleased with how the white on white set up looked that i started reshooting all of the embroidered items in my shop. i finished a little more then half of them yesterday and i'll be working on cleaning up the rest in the coming days. i'm also toying with the idea of reshooting EVERYTHING on an off white background in the coming weeks. i get bored easily with my shops appearance and i'm always looking for ways to better it. that's what being your own boss is all about i guess. never settling for what you've got, when you think there are improvements you can make. i also know that if i don't do this now, in about 2.5 months we'll have a new little addition in our home that will probably keep me from getting much of anything done at all. it's crunch time!

trampoline vintage

i'm absolutely in love with this etsy shop...

trampoline has so many amazing vintage finds and each items photographs are like a work of art in and of themselves. i love the minimal feel of her whole shop and how she kind of breaks the typical rules of etsy by having a short profile page, shop announcement and descriptions. just goes to show you, that if you're products and photos are amazing, you don't need all the other fluff to sell it. kudos to you kim... keep on hunting down these treasures!

ps... don't forget to enter yesterdays nautical giveaway!

aging tastes...

lately i believe there is an old lady in me just dying to get out! take note of some of my recent etsy favorites and see what i mean...

*dottie angel*

*emma lamb*

*folly and glee*

*namolio*

if becoming an old lady is wrong... i don't wanna be right!

happy friday friends!!!

etsy love...

aren't these little rooster tea towels just too darn cute! i think they need to end up in my kitchen... i'm just sayin'

shop update...

just wanted to quickly share some of the things i've been working on lately. i kind of enjoy the slowness that january brings because it allows me time to create new stuffs! here are my most recent handmade goodies for your home...

and for yourself...

all available in my shop :)

vintage decor...

oh how i long for an all vintage home! one where every nook and cranny is stuffed with adorable old timey goodness. this is why when i stumbled upon vintage by alex keller today, and saw the incredible sale going on, my heart went all a flutter!

seriously, with these prices it would be a shame for me to not stock up... right???

:)

yes jess!

kinda totally in love with everything in this shop!

me head would be so very happy with any of these goodies wrapping it up :)

ships ahoy!

i have a love for these fellows that words just cannot express...

look at that seagull!!!

etsy in the charlotte observer!

how exciting it is to live in a city that fully appreciates the wonder that is etsy! in this sundays charlotte observer a lovely article was written about a few ladies in the area who sell on etsy. it's all about folks who lost a job when the economy took a turn for the worse, and used it as an opportunity to follow an artistic dream. what's even more exciting about this article is that i was one of the ladies interviewed! if you have a spare minute you can check out the full story HERE and the second part HERE. happy reading :)

for some reason they used my maiden name and i'm not really sure as to why... oh well, it's still pretty darn cool seeing yourself in the paper. thanks again charlotte observer, and especially jessica, for this great little article!

ya gotta have friends...

just taking a moment to give a little head nod to some fairly amazing friends, who do some fairly amazing things. i'm pretty darn lucky to have these inspiring folks in my life...

jose decena- mad scientist, artist, jewelry designer, all around amazing guy!- mathmatiks

lydia krupinski- eco friendly clothing designer, saver of our planet, all around adorable gal!- pierogi picnic

matt miller- photographer, vegan enthusiast, miniature pit bull owner, dude who fantastically captured our wedding- our labor of love

maria santiago- adorable coat and dress designer, sassy smart talkin' gal, not the best pictionary player :) - a forgotten art

stephanie genter- hair stylist, dress and jewelry designer, gym buddy- darling clementine

chris stuart- artist, lover of vietnamese food, guy who just caused me extreme foot pain- ace custom tattoo

renee garner- new mom, amazing gardening wiz, fabulous artist/textile designer- wolfie and the sneak

rich courage- painter, musician, ridiculous bundle of energy- defpotec

james wrona- artist, zombie advocate, entertaining fellow to have on a road trip- wrona

life is just much more interesting with friends like these...