homemade glitter?!

I CAN MAKE MY OWN GLITTER?!?! i would never have thought that day would come!  i have not done this tutorial yet, but you better believe my happy butt will be in the kitchen within the next few days whipping up some awesomeness.  check back soon!  here is the linky link if you want to try. post your pics in my comments if you do!

http://downlo.tumblr.com/post/5773164930/sprinklesandsequins-d-i-y-homemade-glitter

late summer treasury

in helping to promote my latest treasury, i have listed it here!  please take a sec and shop around and even re-post if you can!  thanks so much for your support. :)

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTU1NzU4Mnw0NzE3OTYwMjY/how-you-can-own-a-little-piece-of-late

new items

i have added a few of the items i was working on for my last show.  i have several things i have not posted, but hopefully will get around to soon.  please look around and help promote my shop!  any way that you can get the word out for me would be greatly appreciated!!!

www.etsy.com/shop/echolyric

monday funday? sure, i'll take that.

seriously... where does time go?  i don't even want to think about all the time i have wasted this summer.  i don't want to think about all the vacations i didn't get to take or the drinks i didn't get to have or the friends i didn't get to see. *sigh* so it goes... am i right?

the craft show was meh. super meh.  i am hoping future shows are better. i made more money at the yard sale i sold stuff at, but i'm hoping this will become more of a regular thing and that would be very helpful and awesome.  i felt like i made some really good birmingham connections.

i feel like i am constantly cleaning my house.  nothing ever feels completely finished, cleaned, or put away.  is it because i have so much stuff? i have so much space? or lack of help? either way, my goodness it's annoying.

i want to have a "casey has tenure party!" at some point right after school starts. ideas and a head count would be much appreciated. :)

i could ramble more, but either my laziness or the heat is making me sleepy...

mamiya

meet my new friend, mamiya...  i have been looking for this type of camera for years and years and today i lucked up and got this one in mint condition for a steal.  i can't wait to get started...

bottletree craft show

tomorrow i will be selling my crafts and some vintage things at the bottletree craft show.  it is from 11-4 and is totally free.  and BONUS! you get to drink while you shop. :)

for some reason i can't seem to link it on here, but if you are interested in more info, you can find it on their facebook page.

tuesday tuesday tuesday

the apartment i live in is wonderful.  well, except for a few minor inconveniences like horrible neighbors and leaky ceilings, but all in all this place is CHEAP and in my favorite area in birmingham, highland park.  i was super excited when i moved in last summer and had this great ledge to put plants on.  a couple months ago or so i posted about some plants i put out.  so like my fave neighbor joe said, "this porch is an oven," and he was right.  both flowers died, but the cactus is growing slowly!  i obviously knew i needed more heat loving plants.  i recently bought a voucher from living social from the garden shop in homewood.  i have passed by it a million times and have yet to go in.  so i went today and was very impressed by the plants they have.

i have to tell you, i am very impressed by anyone with a green thumb.  my thumb is one shade lighter than black.  i can't keep flowers alive to save my life, but the green leafy kind and succulents seem to love me.  i will admit, i don't know the names of these plants right off hand, but the guy assured me they love heat and i don't have to water them constantly.  the flower that looks like it's closed actually closes at night and is a bright pink in color.

here are my new little friends...

this guy has been out front for a few months now and is slowly getting bigger!

here is another necklace i have made with my geodes.  the second one has a hint of pink.  they are so elegant and simple.  i almost hate to get rid of them!

oh and just a little tip... if you are into making ANY kind of projects, the habitat for humanity store in irondale is like a thrift store for supplies.  anything from doors to windows (mostly way pricier than i wanted to pay, though), cheap spray paint, and drill bits.  they seriously have tons of stuff you would go to home depot for, but in some cases cheaper.  you should check it out!

preparing

i am making a feeble attempt at crafting.  it's something i love SO much, but i have a serious procrastination problem.  when i'm not procrastinating and actually working, something almost always happens which prevents the completion, which ends up in frustration.  bah!  however, we shall see on saturday at 10 am how much i will have accomplished, but for now here are a few finished pieces i have been working on.  let me know what you think!

oh and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come out to the bottletree craft/art/vintage sale this saturday from 11-4!  last time, the crowd wasn't very big, so please spread the word!  the venue is in birmingham and if you are in the area, stop by!

i have really gotten into this style of necklace lately.  it's a little challenging to create it from scratch, but hey, that's what i love about it.  this was made from vintage iridescent  pearls.

owl necklace

this is the first geode necklace i have been working on.  i actually shaped this into it's form.  it looks stunning on this chain AND sadly the photos DO NOT do the sparkles justice!  this thing sparkles like there is no tomorrow.

i am also obsessed with sweater guards.  i am still playing around with different ways to attach them to your sweater, but here are some i have made.  the ones without chains are next in line.  if you are wondering why these vintage earrings have hair bands attached to them, well... i had previously made them into simple rings, but they were a bit heavy and cumbersome for that. 

should i leave this like it is or do something else with it?  what to do...

so here is a little experimental photo i took.  i really like the texture and how you feel as if you are moving through it...

can i just tell you how happy it makes me that this is my view from my living room?  i love my sunroom like you would not believe.  sorry this is a terrible photo of it...

now it's back to craftin' time... (wine is NOT from today, thank you very much)

need inspiration? look no further...

i thought i would write a little blurb about a friend's blog that i find interesting...

i love finding blogs that cover a variety of topics.  i love finding blogs that have wonderful pictures, diy tutorials, recipes, funny stories, whatever.  i really love finding blogs that make me want to read every entry they have ever written.  i have found that in my friend lindsay's blog.

i met lindsay at uab when we were going through the 5th year program in art education.  i admired her sense of style and the way she was never afraid to speak up and say how she feels.  she had a solo show at the board of education which was sensational.  i regretted not buying one of her paintings.  after reading her blog today, i realize i adore her even more.  it's funny.  it's endearing.  it's informative.  it's quirky.  it's addictive.  no matter what you are into, i bet you can find something on her blog that interests you.

i mean, i would never have heard about this little gem without reading her blog!  it's an open bag that keeps your drinks cold so you don't have to stand around looking like a tool while your 6 pack gets hot.  love this.  wonder if it works?

oh and she is obsessed with owls too!  i bought several from her a while back.  you can seem them in my april journal entries, i believe.  

one more thing, her house is TO DIE FOR!  love her kitchen...

so stop what you are doing and head over and check out lindsay lou's happenings!  i am sure she would love for you to visit and see what she's all about.  i am sure you will be just as impressed as i am.

http://lindsayloushappenings.blogspot.com

in love with fabric

i admit it.  i fell in love with this vintage sheet the moment i saw it.  i wasn't sure what to do with it.  i thought i would use it on my tables on craft shows, but no.  this sheet was special.  so today i made curtains for my craft room and a pillow.  i thought i had enough fabric for two (both to cover ikea pillows i have), but alas only enough for one big one.  a smaller one could be made with the excess.  i digress... here is what i have been doing today.  tonight is jewelry making!

it's been a while. hello? hello?

it's obviously been a while since my last post.  what have i been doing?  BEING SOOOO LAZY!  i feel badly daily that i am not using this much deserved vacation time on anything other than napping, watching tv, and reading. even my crafting has been put to the side in favor of, well... nothing.  however, i have a craft show coming up in a little over a week so i better get on the ball!  i have been working on a few personal projects lately, but need to get more into things i can sell.

i have been obsessing about changing up my bathroom for about a month now.  i have been diligently scouring over pages of shower curtains online and stopping at any store i think would carry anything relatively "me" for weeks.  here's the story... i have had the same shower curtain since at LEAST 2004.  i can't seem to get rid of it.  it has andy warhol prints all over it.  i mean, who doesn't love that?!  so i finally found one from urban outfitters that was perfect.  i had a hard time making a decision, but voila! here it is! (sorry for the terrible photo quality. don't have time for edits)

next, i bought a metal stand for the bathroom i wanted to transform.  $5 at a yard sale.  the exact style i have been drooling over for years and years.  i had not come across one i really wanted that was reasonable.  long story short, i found one and it was metal.  i knew i would have to spray paint it, so i went out in search of paint and primer.  painting on black paint would only make the color i want look dark and dreary so i opted for white primer.  here are a couple of before and during photos (again, photo quality is definitely lacking today...)

the color really does not translate online very well, but just know it adds a fabulous pop of color to the room!  my already small bathroom feels a little smaller, but at least i have a great window that lets in lots of light!  

next i decided i needed a summery wreath for the front door.  nothing elaborate.  something simple and fun.  inspired by my friend irasema, i went to town making another yarn wreath.  i wanted to add some more decorations, but thought it's simplicity works just fine.  what do you think?

here is a photo of my curio cabinet i bought a few weeks ago.  i decided not to paint it, not just yet anyway, so i can decide if i enjoy it's vintage color.  i thought my owls could help spruce up the kitchen a bit.  it's not a finished product, but definitely better than sitting there empty on the wall!

i am making pillows for my futon.  if enough material is leftover, then there shall be curtains!  i am loving my sewing machine, finally.

last but not least i commissioned my friend melissa to make a portrait of uncle jessie from full house for me.  why you ask?  WHY NOT?! anyway, so not only does she make one, but she makes two and one of them is left partially blank for me to fill in with glitter.  woohoo!  i haven't had a chance to do that just yet, but it is on the to do list.  please comment and let melissa know how awesome her work is.  she is available for hire, by the way. 

rummage sale today!

i will be peddling my vintage/personal wares today at bottletree in birmingham for their rummage sale! i have a little bit of everything, so come out and see me! i have tons more for sale, but knew i wouldn't be able to handle bringing all of it.

dance party tonight. you in?

ladyfest

ladyfest was today in tuscaloosa.  there wasn't a very big crowd at all, but i had fun and am hoping next year is even better!  i sold a couple things, but ended up selling all of my bubble magnets, fortune cookies, and felt keychains to jamie at grace aberdean!  i will be making more stuff in the next couple weeks to sell in her shop.

go by and see her store.  it's called grace aberdean habitat alchemy and it's on 9th street in tuscaloosa. it is by far the most interesting, well designed, reasonable store i have seen in years.  it truly is a diamond in the rough.  i can't say enough good things.  jamie, the store owner, is such a wonderful person and has an eye for unique and beautiful things.

 earrings and fortune cookies

 i'm glad i used this tablecloth!  PERFECT for spring!

 magnets, crayons, flower pens

 suitcase full of handmade envelopes and gift tags

 this is a jar of phenomenal mixed matched jewelry.  you have no idea i happy i am about this.  i have been dancing since i got home! you know that means i'm excited about something...

 swoon. 

bottletree yard sale

saturday april 23rd there will be a fabulous yard sale at bottletree, here in birmingham.  i hear there will be at least 15 vendors!  this means i have to stay away from other folk's tables or i will end up taking home more than i am selling.

i will have several vintage items.  i would add photos, but the whole fun of a yard sale is not knowing what you will find!  i won't have tons of stuff, of course, because there is limited space, but this is really the only place i can sell some of my better stuff.  if there is anything specific you are looking for, leave a comment, maybe i have a similar item and we can work something out!

also, there is a solid gold dance party there that night!  i have been to the last 3 and let me tell you, if you like a good dance party that isn't over crowded, then this is for you.  i need to find a sparkly outfit...

here is the flyer for the sale!

today's finds...

so i didn't find as many good yard sales today.  if i drive by and you only have a couple tables out, i'm going to keep going. yes, i'm a snob. i can't help it.  it comes after years of experience, i assure you. :)  i  happened to find two really fabulous sales. here are a few things i found.  if you are interested, some of them may be for sale at my table at the bottletree yard sale, april 23rd!

 i have been desperately needing an earring stand...

 finally a laptop bag that is durable, well made, and cute!

 mappity maps. i can't wait to turn these into awesome things. 

 and my collection grows...

owl. 

dcaf

druid city arts festival last weekend was a major success.  did i sell as much as i wanted to?  no, of course not, but i did sell a lot and gave out tons of business cards.  i have been so exhausted and burn out after the show i haven't done any crafting since.  i have been trying to focus on my neglected housework, but my attention span is extremely small... so here are a few photos from the sale.  enjoy!

 barrettes!

 my booth changed looks often throughout the day.

 envelopes and post cards (all handmade by me)

 giant crayons!

  more giant crayons

 earrings and necklaces

 felty things

 what will your fortune say?

 magnets!

 more magnets....

 everyone needs a mustache

 pins

 a few of my scarves. you can't really see the paper garlands very well. note: do not display paper garlands outdoors. 

 more stuff...

 homemade gift tags