A Yummy New Web Site!

Well Good Morning, Bloggy Pals! I've got a special treat for you today. I have discovered the YUMMIEST of yummy new spots to shop here on the web and HAVE to share it with you!

THE BABY GARDNER

And on top of it, I had the privilege of interviewing the owner of this site, Deanna Gardner, and I'm thrilled to be able to introduce her to you! She's a SWEET-as-can-be mom/designer/graphic artist/entrepreneur and just the sort of gal all of you would love. Her web site is completely adorable and full of the YUMMIEST of vintage-inspired baby/kid products you could ever hope to find. And without further ado...Deanna!

ME: Tell us about you, Deanna!

DEANNA: I'm a thirty-something wife, mother-of-two, artist, designer, art director and all-around overachiever. I have a degree in fine art and graphic design from Mississippi College. I've worked as an art director for a national publishing company for eight years. I've been married for 12 years and have a darling daughter, Gracie (7) and a sweetheart son, Aidan (2). Boy, does he ever keep me on my toes!
I grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (yes, where Katrina hit -- so sad to go home and see everything gone) and have lived in Birmingham, Alabama for 11 years. I love the charm and heritage of the south and can't imagine calling any other place 'home.'

ME: How and when did you decide to start this website?

DEANNA: I have been obsessed with all things baby ever since I got pregnant with my daughter. At that time, I didn't know the first thing about sewing, but I learned! (Bad decision to avoid Home Ec courses in school.) I started making all sorts of things for her -- from clothes to birthday invitations. Word spread and eventually everything just began to unfold. My focus initially was art shows and word-of-mouth custom orders. But the idea for an online shop eventually began to consume me. And so I started designing the website (that was a major learning process as well). And the further along I progressed, the more the vision of the shop began to unfold. I also realized that all of my past experiences had led me to this -- the joy of being a mom, my love for all things vintage, my passion for art and design, and my experience as an art director working with freelance artists. All of that has led me here.

ME: What is your dream for this site?

DEANNA: The great thing about the site is the talent. 'Vintage baby' is the obvious focus, but there are many artisans who contribute their awesome work to the site. You'll find adorable items handcrafted by artists across the country (including myself). I think that's what makes the site unique. The shop has only recently opened, but it has already given me such a wonderful opportunity to form bonds with other talented artists -- many of whom I now call friends. My dream is to continue to expand the artist pool and to position the site as a respected source for handcrafted, vintage-inspired treasures for baby. Quality and impeccable taste are key.

*One of Deanna's totally adorable designs for the little ones!

ME: How do you publicize the site? What press has it gotten?

DEANNA: I also have a minor in Marketing. I can't stress enough how crucial it is to advertise and publicize. Currently I'm sending out quite a few press kits to a variety of reviewers. The site has received some tremendous feedback and press already. If you would like to take a look at some of our write-ups, we've listed those on our site. You can find them here: http://www.thebabygardner.com/linksother.html#press

ME: What "niche" do you see the site filling?

DEANNA: Vintage has really boomed in popularity in recent years. And there are very few sites that offer a diverse collection of quality, handcrafted products from a variety of artisans. Etsy is an obvious exception, but the baby gardner is different in that we have a central focus -- vintage baby.

ME: You are a designer, too. Tell us about what you create!

DEANNA: I personally create a wide variety of items. I have a hard time sticking to one thing over and over. My personal collection includes an exclusive line of stationery, vintage lamps , toddler couture, quilts, and diaper totes -- just to name a few. The site of course has many other items from different artists including wool felt shoes, signed prints, blankets, jewelry, softies, and lots more. *One of Deanna's gorgeous designs for toddlers!

ME: Are you working on any projects at present?

DEANNA: All of the above... and I have an upcoming show in November. It's tough to juggle, but it's great publicity for the site. And it gets me away from the computer for a while!

ME: Do you hope to have a physical store at some point? If so, describe it.

DEANNA: A very definite no. Physical children's boutiques tend to be volatile. They come and go so quickly. If the community doesn't support it, it's extremely hard to stay in business. An online shop is exactly who we want to be.

ME: Any other tidbits for us?

DEANNA: I invite each of you to visit the baby gardner (http://www.thebabygardner.com/) and take a look around. If you have a soft side for vintage baby, we feel pretty certain you'll fall in love.
We're continuing to add new items to the site , so check back often and join our mailing list! Be the first to know about new products and secret sales! You can join here: http://www.thebabygardner.com/maillist.html

ME: Thank you, Deanna!

DEANNA: Thanks so much, Cheryl, for giving me this opportunity. It's been a lot of fun!

*One of Deanna's card designs!

Please be sure and stop by The Baby Gardner to see what all the hub-bub is about! I know you'll find it to be a TREAT!

Monday YUMMIES...with a Halloween TWIST!

Well hello there! I see you got your "invitation" for today...and aren't you in for a treat? I'm just having so much fun hunting down "Yummies" for you with a Halloween theme! And it's not hard...I've found more than you or I have time to look at, but I've narrowed them down to the yummiest and most difficult to resist. Halloween seems to call forth something special and magical in artisans who work with their hands, don't you think?

Climb aboard, Sweets! I've got my little cyber-car, as usual, and room for you to come along on my virtual window-shopping-trip. So hop in, settle in and let's go!


Our first stop today is Earth Angels Toys. I have to say I have not taken the time to really explore this incredible store until recently....and I can honestly say I am left speechless. If you haven't had the opportunity to visit this amazing spot, you simply MUST. Jen O'Connor of Earth Angels quite simply has a gift for picking the most magical and special handmade toys. I can't tell you how many times I click on an artist page on this site and quite literally have my breath taken away. Each and every artist has that "thing" that makes their work feel like something that assembled itself and showed up one day....it's as if the artist called forth something that already WAS and just gave it life. Maybe that sounds wierd, but go take a look and perhaps you'll agree.

My first three YUMMIES today can be found at Earth Angels Toys...


YUMMY THING ONE: Lizzie by Letty Worley for Earth Angels

This lovely is quite simply, EXQUISITE.
YUMMY THINGS TWO: BooJangles & Zinnia by Pat Castka for Earth Angels
These darlings are ready for Fall and just as sweet as can be! Boo is sold but Zinnia is still available.

YUMMY THING THREE: Spooky Gal by Laurie Meseroll for Earth Angels

There is something decidedly magical about this "Spooky Gal"...

YUMMY THING FOUR: Halloween Shadowbox by Sweet Eye Candy Creations

I'm terribly sorry to tease you with something that is already sold, but I can't help myself! You have probably figured out by now that I'm hopelessly taken with anything and everything that comes out of Jenn's studio. She is a magician of the sweetest sort and a lovely friend, to boot!

YUMMY THING FIVE: Halloween Bunny Box by Sweet Eye Candy Creations

Isn't this amazing??? Little Miss Bunny is so Spooky Sweet, ready to go to a Halloween Masquerade...

This is another "just sold" item, but I still just HAD to show you!!

YUMMY THING SIX: Fall Tussie Mussie by A Bit of Heaven

Ele of A Bit of Heaven is just the sweetest of ladies, in addition to being talented! And lucky me...she's my swap partner for the Halloween Party Hat swap I'm participating in! Go check out Ele's blog when you have a moment. But first look at this darling Tussie Mussie she has for sale in her etsy shoppe...

YUMMY THING SEVEN: Vintage Halloween Lunch Pail by Summersdarling

I guess you've figured out I'm quite in love with everything Pat of Summersdarling makes! And this lunchpail is no exception. I'm picturing this filled with candy!

YUMMY THING EIGHT: Captured Witch in a Haunted Jar by Cedar828

Speaking of magical, this lovely creation has something about it....perhaps it's the tiny witch captured in it?? Oh isn't she SWEET?

YUMMY THINGs NINE AND TEN: Pumpkin Girl Lavender Hanging Sachet & Mini Treat Bag by ME :)

I'm hard at work on some Halloween Yummies of my own! These are the first two confections I've completed but I've got lots more in the works. They'll be for sale in my etsy shoppe and on eBay in the next week...


Well that's it for today, Sweet Friends! Thanks for riding along...you made the trip so much more fun. :)

Hugs to you...

Cheryl

Sleepy Sunday & Some Sweets...

Happy Grandparents' Day to all of you grandparents out there! What would we do without you? It's so wonderful to know that there are at least four other people in the world who love our children as much as we do and want them to be happy, healthy and whole. My mother-in-law has said that she was pleasantly, wonderfully surprised to find that she loves her grandchildren as much, as fiercely and as heartily as she does her children; she didn't know it would feel like that to be a grandmother. Isn't that beautiful? I think so. By the way, that's me in the "spoiled" pants! And my grandpa really DID (does??) spoil me! :)

I want to give you a little sneak peek at something I finished up last night for the Ava Grace Silent Auction, which will begin one week from today, September 16th, and run till Saturday, September 22nd. If you haven't heard about this auction, read about it here. Sweet little Ava Grace will benefit from 100% of the proceeds of this auction. My contribution is something I didn't plan...it just sort of happened. I planned to make something totally different, in fact, but it just didn't feel "right" as I was working on it. This piece, on the other hand, is RIGHT. Don't know how to explain what I mean when I say that. :) Sounds a little "hocus-pocus-heebie-jeebie," I know, but that's just how it is with us artistic folks sometimes! Can I get an "Amen, Sister!" ? So here's a little "teaser" for you!

Oh and do you remember the "My Own Sweet Doll" fabric keepsake book I made awhile ago? Well my dear friend, Jennifer, bought it and she posted some pics of how it looks in HER little doll's room (Vivian)! Talk about "Eye Candy"...this little buodoir is certainly fit for a Princess!

Hope you are having a lazy Sunday evening. We're watching this little cutie in The Little Princess. Be sure and come back tomorrow for Monday Yummies!

Pretend It's Monday, Will You?

Just for my sake, so I won't feel bad about not giving you your YUMMIES Monday?? Oh you will? Thank you!!! You ARE so sweet. :)

Well it's been a crazy couple days. My 9-month-old is officially mobile and getting into EVERYTHING! He is teething, too, and kept me awake until 2 a.m. night before last. My 6-year-old is back to school, which is a mixed bag, since that means one less little person asking for things, but now the 3-year-old now has to learn to entertain herself again. We are all just a little out of sorts, I think! But enough about me...it's time for YUMMIES!!!!

I've been scouting out some lovelies to show you and I'm really excited about them. I just KNOW you will love them, too! And not to worry, though all these treats will be sugary-sweet, they will be totally fat- and calorie-free! So you'll still be able to fit into this little number....

So hop into my little sidecar, hang on, and away we go in my little cyber-car!

YUMMY THING ONE: "Flirt" Apron by Cece Marie

Isn't it scrumptious??? I think so, too. And this is just one of many! I'm just loving all Cece Marie's sweet designs, but this is definitely my FAV! You might even get me to cook something if I had one of these to wear in the kitchen. :) And really now...would a girl really NEED to cook if she was wearing THIS??? Her big hunky husband might just order take-out if he came home to her in this little yummy! ;)
YUMMY THING TWO: Fairy Gate by Blissful Elements

Oh I just love everything sweet Kris makes! Just take a gander at her delectable etsy shoppe! But what a treat this little lovely is!

And a sweet little close-up!YUMMY THING THREE: Lollipop Shoppe Bracelet by Trendy Tatters

Now before you get all excited, I think this is sized for a LITTLE girl! ;) Oh isn't it just YUMMY? Makes a person want to make up a whole outfit based on this sweet bauble! What delicious jewelry lives in this little etsy shop...I just love so many I can't even pick my favorite! I really love her Cinderella bracelet, the birthday one AND her Halloween bracelet. Adorable!

YUMMY THING FOUR: Paper Doll Dresses by Karla Nathan

Oh I just adore vintage paper dolls but these really take the cake. So beautiful! I think I'm in love!

YUMMY THING FIVE: Too Many Things to Pink One by Little Melfred Studios!

I'm just in awe of all the pretties "Miss Melfie" creates. She is new to Glitter & Grunge but not new at all to creating beautiful treasures out of vintage lovelies! I can't even pick just one of her creations to show you. I have to show you a few...I can't have you missing even one!!

First off... her Sweet Words Here collage that is for sale in her etsy shoppe...

And look at this DEAR little nestling on Glitter & Grunge...

And I am in LOVE with her sweet little nesting sister, also on Glitter & Grunge...

Well Girls...I think that's it for today! Here we are at your door...it's been such a TREAT having you on my little window-shopping-spree this morning. Next week I have some Yummies with a special "theme" for you...Halloween! I'm working on some Halloween treats for you myself but I have been finding some ever-so-sweet treats that my friends are making, as well. And if you find yourself in the "vintage bisque doll" area of eBay, look around for me...I'm bound to be there somewhere, strolling about and peeking at the dollies!

Hope your day is lovely. Let's look for just one or two "moments" today that we can purposely store away in our treasure chests of memories so that when we're sitting in our little rockers someday, we can pull them out and hold them in our wrinkly old hands....

Some of my Flickr Favs!

"Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight, For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." — Romeo

1. Untitled, 2. Head Smooch, 3. framed, 4. breakfast at Dolly's, 5. hat of blossoms, 6. blow, 7. checking on baby, 8. her bed...unmade, 9. her dresser top, 10. Kathleen, 11. cupcake fairy from set of 3 Aug. 07, 12. fairy-goodnight, 13. Magic, 14. Altered Domino dangly/pendant, 15. Holiday 2007 Collage Sheet, 16. Lime Tussie Mussie Purse made with Paris Bebe Fabrics, 17. Home, 18. Inspiration 12, 19. Vintage Valentine, 20. Nook area of my kitchen..., 21. journals 085, 22. journals 084, 23. Untitled, 24. Untitled, 25. dream, 26. hussif, 27. Day 26 - 100 details in 100 days, 28. Shabby Cuteness, 29. Tree, 30. valentine love bouquet atc, 31. cat got your chin?, 32. Lover Lover (detail), 33. Diana Frey Bracelet, 34. Vintage pink roses, 35. Lacy Apron on Pink, 36. vintage tutu pillow

And how about this for the "random quote" that showed up with this mosaic I just made of all the "PINK" from my own Flickr photos:

"Let the beauty we love be what we do." — Rumi

Wow. That kinda gives me chills since that is, in a nutshell, what I've been trying to tell myself to use as a gauge of whether or not I should spend my time and energy on creating something or not. Dang.

And now for the PINKNESS.... :)

New Pretties on Glitter & Grunge!

Hello, Dear Bloggy Pals!

It's the first of September and Glitter & Grunge is updated! I'm so excited about a new collection I have there and just had to show it to you here, as well. I can show you more photos here. ;) It's called

"The Brush of Angels' Wings"...

This new collection includes a vintage pink satin glove box I altered with a vintage image, rhinestones, crocheted angel "wings" and luscious ivory satin ribbon, as well as 3 angel "sachet-lettes" filled with dried French lavender and a matching wooden tag. Perfect for the holiday season or anytime, this collection is pure luxuriousness with satin, vintage tatting, yummy lavender, hand-embroidery, Victorian images and more. Enjoy!

If you are interested in purchasing this collection, please hop on over to Glitter & Grunge!

See you soon, Sweets!

To My Poor Neglected Friends...

Phew! It's HOT here! But I'm taking a little breather with you and my diet coke while Baby naps and Daddy has the girlies over at his grandfather's for a couple hours. So nice to sit in the quiet...

ACK! My last post was Monday and this is FRIDAY! How did this happen? You have probably just about given up hope of seeing anything new here, haven't you? Poor dears! Well here I am, better late than never... Thank you for waiting so patiently for me, Sweets!

Today's post has a sort of theme. It's actually not one I planned, but one that basically just happened, all on its own! It does happen to be a favorite of mine, and hopefully of yours, too.
That's right: Dolls!

I have long been a lover of dolls. I had more than my share as a little girl and then having 4 younger sisters....well let's just say there were A LOT of dolls around! My mother had her dolls from when she was a little girl which she kept on a high shelf on the tippy-top of my bookshelf. I would beg her to get them down and let me just "look" at them and we even referred to them as "look-at dolls." She had one of the very first Barbie dolls, a Betsy McCall, a Ginny, a bisque baby and several baby dolls, at least one of which was composition. She also had a collection of doll clothes, many of which she had made herself as a child with the help of HER grandmother, Catherine, who worked for Singer and had quite the stash of tiny fabric scraps. Mama also had a collection of miniatures that would have been just the size for a dollhouse and were quite the tempation for little girls!
I started making my own doll clothes very early. In fact I started at about Emily's age, doing just exactly what I saw HER doing last week: cutting slits in little squares of fabric for armholes and making "dresses" for her dolls! What a delight that was to see! I got a Cabbage Patch sewing machine for my 8th birthday and I began lying awake at night, dreaming up fancy dresses I wanted to make. I remember having to FORCE myself to think about something else in order to fall asleep!
My fascination with dolls never really ended, even when I became "too old" to play with dolls. I made tiny shoebox dollhouses, as I'm sure many of you did, and fashioned furniture out of matchboxes, spools and the like. Contact paper made great wallpaper and furry fabric was the perfect carpet. I spent hours creating these little vignettes.


When I had my first daughter, Emily, I bought her a Madame Alexander baby doll for her first Christmas. As all you mamas know, this doll wasn't really for Emily; it was for ME! But she dutifully chewed on the doll's face and we named her "Anna." Anna was soon naked along with all the $10 baby dolls from Wal Mart but she was and is well-loved. Bitty Baby is now the favored baby here in our house and has almost as many pretty frocks as her mommies do! She inevitably ends up naked in the doll cradle with the rest of them but gets dressed for special occasions! All this to say, I love dolls. My current obsession is with tiny bisque dolls. The older and smaller, the better. You may remember this doll that is going to Miss Jennifer and her sweet little Vivian's house on Monday, along with this fabric heirloom book. Isn't she sweet? I spend WAY too much time these days surfing eBay with search terms like "vintage bisque baby" and "antique bisque doll." I promise I won't become one of those crazy doll ladies that sets life-size dolls up in life-like poses...yikes! But I may spend a little too much time and money on teeny tiny old dolls that could fit in the palm of your hand! This is another one I altered...her name is Rosalind and she is never without her faithful friend and guardian, Sugar...


So a few weeks ago, while searching on eBay with said search terms, I came across an auction with this photo. Now I couldn't tell exactly what these dolls looked like but I could tell they had molded hair, they were the "right size," and the price was right! So I bought them. I assumed they had dark hair, wouldn't you?


When they arrived I was so disappointed to find that they did NOT have dark hair! They had light hair that had been drawn on with a marker! Here's the "before" of the girl doll from the front... And this is the same doll from the back:

I immediately set about cleaning this marker off, which was not an easy task. But after awhile it began to come off! I was thrilled because the hair underneath was lovely! I expected a stain or something bad that had given the seller a reason to think they weren't cute or valuable but there was nothing like that. Here they are after their EXTREME MAKEOVER!

Aren't they just DEAR???? I don't care for their clothes but they are sewn on so I will have to really sure of what I want them to wear before I cut the clothes they came in off. Any ideas, Sweets??

I also wanted to draw your attention to my etsy shoppe where I have marked down the "Little Mama" Dress for Dolls down to 50% off. Yup...you guessed it...that's Bitty modeling the dress! A bit overshadowed by her beautiful "Little Mama" there, don't you think?? But then I'm biased since I'm Little Mama's Mama! ;) I also added a new item a customer of mine asked me to make for her daughter since the little girl's mama was about to have a new baby brother or sister for her. It's a little sweetly-wrapped bundle of a doll-sized receiving blanket and burp cloth in the prettiest pink flannel print! See my etsy store for both these items.

















Lastly, but definitely NOT least, I want to mention my friend, Linda, of Lola and Dahl, since she is almost done making my etsy store banner ( yippee!!!) and I want all of you to know who she is and stop by her funny-as-heck, sweet-as-can-be blog and say hello! She is also the incredibly talented graphic designer behind my hang tags and garment tags, which I just ADORE. She designed my ME page on eBay as well, which whe are currently working to get updated since it is quite dated and doesn't show any of my newer designs. And she has made loads of GORGEOUS custom eBay auction templates for me.

Look at these FAB and totally delicious tags!!! She is sooooooooo talented!













Besides being incredibly talented, Linda is a dear friend I have so enjoyed getting to know. We can hardly believe we have only been friends for a little over a year and a half! She and I are so much alike, it's uncanny, and we feel like we could have ALMOST been twins separated at birth. She is a lovely wife (our husbands even have the same name!), mom of 3 (2 girls and a boy, just like me!) and has a plane ticket in her possession to come and visit me! YIPPEE!!!!!
Well Friends...that's it for now. Missy Ballance is updating Glitter & Grunge tonight and I am SOOOOO excited about my new offerings for September! Can't wait to show you tomorrow but I don't want to spoil the surprise...so meet me back here tomorrow and I'll do Show & Tell for you!

Hubby is making peach crisp later this evenning from peaches he picked at his grandpa's......mmmmm....with ice cream on top of it....who needs dinner????

Hugs to you all....