My Best Friend's Wedding

I'm in charge of the shower favors for my best friend's wedding, so I used the lovely sunshine we're having in Chicago today as inspiration to get started on batch one of my long task ahead...

I really can't believe my best friend since 3rd grade is going to be walking down the aisle in three months, but I'm so excited to be making the event as beautiful, handmade, and heartfelt as possible!  More (about sixty more, to be exact) to come.

xoxo

Make a Little Love

 

 

Last month I posted a how-to about making your own Valentine's Day banner, so I thought today I'd share a similar project.  These little hearts look like Valentines, but you could use them as cards, notes, signs, or decorations.

I used this wallpaper from Anthropologie (wallpaper or wrapping paper works great) and cut out some variously-sized hearts, as well as some of the floral details.  I then cut book pages of near-matching sizes, and layered them on top of and beneath the wallpaper, creating these two-toned patterned hearts.  Hand stamped and massed together, they made lovely signs for my latest show- but would also make great favors, notes, wedding decorations, and more!

xoxo

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

BHLDN, Anthropologie's fresh new endeavor into the world of weddings, opened its doors right here in Chicago yesterday! How could I not share the exciting news of my favorite company with those who appreciate the fine design and attention to detail that only Anthropologie does so well.

The new Chicago store, located in the Gold Coast and the second to go up in the entire country, looks absolutely magnificent and I cannot wait to see it for myself.  And awesomely enough, my best friend is getting married in May- so I think I've found just the place to go for inspiration, since I'm in charge of lots of the decorating!

Oh Anthropologie, your wonders never cease.  I'm suddenly very unhappy that the bride's family is in charge of payment.

xoxo

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap.  -Joel, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This movie has held a special place in my heart since I first saw it with my boyfriend earlier this year.  It's one of those films that, for some reason, I continuously fell asleep during every single time I tried to watch it (weird, and terrible, I know).  Anyway, since finally making it through the whole thing, it has definitely become a favorite- so I thought an original interpretation via this watercolor painting would be the perfect Valentine's Day gift for the person I love the most!

Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxo

Urban Folk Circuit First Show of 2012!

Thanks to the Urban Folk Circuit, Chicago's only once-a-month rotating craft show, for an awesome Valentine's Day event yesterday!  As always I was in the company of lots of wonderful vendors, and this time some very interesting wall art...

And thank you to all the people who came out to see the show and support local art in Chicago.  Personally, it really meant a lot to see some familiar faces, especially this time around.  I had been considering taking a break from my shop for a while, though I don't think it would really be in the best interest of my spirit, since running A Quartzy Life really makes me happy and whole.  So the show shall go on.

xoxo

different.

I didn't know how to do anything at all. I was horrified by that. I couldn't date anybody, because I was so damaged. I have my background, my history--I could never get through the third date with that. "Tell me about your family. Tell me about your past." You know? It was like a deal-breaker by the third date, because it was just too much for one person to go through and remain sane. So I felt already ruined.  -Augusten Burroughs

The very funny thing about his memoir Running With Scissors was that the first thing I said to myself when I read it was, This person would understand me.  I also thought, what an easy person to love.

xoxo

How-To: Make a Valentine's Day Banner!

I'm making a new banner for my Valentine's Day show in February (come to it!), and I thought I'd share the easy technique I use so you can try it out at home!  It costs pretty much nothing, as long as you have an old book, some string, a glue stick, scissors, a hole puncher, a pen, and scrap paper (this could be decorative paper, doilies, wallpaper, or even paint swatches).

  

Start by choosing your text and cutting the appropriate amount of triangular-shaped flags that you will use to create every letter.  I needed 12 to spell 'A Quartzy Life,' so I stacked and folded 6 book pages and cut them together to get the same sizes.

  

After they're all cut, separate them and write letters onto each.  Use a font that's bold and simple, not scrolled or cursive. For this banner, I sort of just made a serif variation of block letters.  Coloring them in makes the type more readable when the banner is hanging.  Once you've done your letters, cover the backs in glue and glue them smoothly to your backing paper. 

 

I used wallpaper scraps for my backing paper.  Wallpaper is great because it cuts easily but is vibrant and durable.  Wrapping paper and decorative paper also work well and are inexpensive.  Once they're all glued, cut the backing paper around the edge of the paper pendants, leaving about a half inch visible. 

Next, using a hole puncher (a slightly smaller-than-normal one, if you have it), punch two holes as equidistant as possible from each of the top angles of each pendant.

If your hole puncher is regularly sized, consider using a thicker string like yarn, or two or three strands of bracelet string, so the pendants won't slide around once the banner is finished.  To decide how much string you need, lay all your pendants about two inches apart from each other and run the string along the top of them.  Leave about a foot on each end, just to be safe.

If you have a wide-eyed needle, use it to put the string through each hole you've punched.

I worked from right to left, starting with the 'e' in 'life.'  Put the needle under the right hole, pull the thread through, and then put it down through the left hole.  Pull the thread all the way through until only about a foot is left at the end of the letter you started with.

Once you've threaded all your letters, you can slide them along the string and space them out them how ever you like.

I leave the ends of my banners un-tied and then just use a loop knot to secure them where ever I need.  You can also easily secure this banner using two pieces of tape on each end.  Since the one I just made is for my next show, I used the leftover paper scraps to make more paper decorations in the Valentine's Day vein and taped them in accompanying areas around my setup.

And there you go!  It takes less than 45 minutes to complete this project from start to finish, and you have a free, handmade creation to hang in any space for any occasion.

xoxo