Violet Purple Memories

I'm getting ready for my very first craft show (as a vendor)!   Nervous, yes.  Excited, yes.  It's just a small one at the local rec center and I go with a friend to register tomorrow.  In the spirit of getting ready, I've been making tutus to build an inventory.  There are so many questions to work through: how much inventory do I need?  Special prices or bundles?  How will I display everything - tables, hangers, headband & hair clip holders?  How much change should I have on hand?  Do I need credit card capabilities?  Should I accept checks?

Purple, lavender & white tutu with purple poppy headband.

Photographed Baby Girl in the newest tutu this morning.  Everytime I sat her up on the bed to get a nice sitting picture, she would flop backwards and throw her feet up.  So we moved it outside for a little bit.  Then she was interested in everything but the camera.  I love how the sun caught the crystal in the center of the flower on this one.



Purple, lavender & white tutu with purple poppy headband.

I decided to start with some purple tutus, since that has been the color request lately.  Will probably be sending this one out to our friends, Steph & Mike whose baby girl is due next month.  A great color to cut into all the pink stuff!

Was looking at this one last night and trying to decide what it reminds me of. The royal purple and lavender brings a flood of memories. The first thing that came to mind was my grandma's pansies. Alongside and in front of her tiny, "cracker box" house she grew little white lillies (the name is escaping me right now) and pansies. She would always pluck a pansie and pull off the petals reciting a rhyme about a little lady washing her feet. Truthfully, I think the little lady in the middle of the pansie looks more like a tiny lady in a white ball gown.



Baby Girl is looking for Daddy and Big Brother (who have left for school & work already), repeating "Eee dat daddy? Eee dat daddy?"   (Purple, lavender & white tutu with periwinkle polka-dot ruffle baby leg warmers.)

The next thing I thought of when contemplating this tutu was an old boyfriend's mom who used to grow tons of African Violets of various shades.  Noticed while I was home last weekend that my mother-in-law is also growing some on the window sill abover her kitchen sink.  I used to love checking out all of her velvety violets in all the different shades of violet, lavender, and white.

Purple, lavender & white tutu with marigold hair clip.

Lilacs.  Even though my grandma was allergic to them, I always associate them with her.  Thank you, Jenny for saying these are lilac colors!  And, of course, I've been admiring all the lavender stalks in bloom around town this summer....and if you happen to be lucky enough to be up in the high country of the Rocky Mountains, find yourself a Columbine flower. My husband's favorite purple association is the Colorado Rockies! Sure my son would agree. :D

Purple, lavender & white tutu with periwinkle polka-dot ruffle baby leg warmers and purple poppy headband.

Hubby-proof Chrysanthemums

Hubby has nearly finished our new deck (just need to stain & seal it still and I hear that's the not-so-fun part). One of these days we will have time, hands, and a dry day to get it done. I was so excited when he was finishing the planter boxes (instead of a railing on the low side) that I went out and bought some yellow and red mums. Well, back to the staining & sealing bit.... Guess my shopping was a little too early and they've been sitting in their pots in the garden until I can plant them in their boxes. Long story short, left Hubby home for a week while I took the kids to see grandparents.... and now I don't have to worry about planting the mums. It will be Hubby's job once he has the planters ready and buys some new ones.

An autumn flower, mums have many meanings and uses. Some people say that the Chrysanthemum symbolizes honesty and they are a traditional gift for Mother's Day in Australia. In Japan a Chrysanthemum sweet tea is made and used for many uses, including the flu. Other medicinal uses that have been found include being antibacterial and possibly an anti-HIV drug. On a gardening related note, pulverized flowers are used as insecticides. Will have to look into if it's safe to use in vegetable gardens - the earwigs haven't been too bad this year, but they still creep me out.

HUBBY-PROOF CHRYSANTHEMUM

Golden yellow and orange mum hair clips, 4" in diameter. Are you ready for fall?

On the Sunny Side of Helianthus Annuus (the Sunflower).

I planted sunflowers for the first time this year, a dozen of them made it from seedlings inside to transplanting outside in a corner of the yard. Now I have 3 sad looking sunflowers. In Colorado lavender and sunflower seem to be the easy-to-grow outdoor plants, much like the hosta is to Minnesota. Maybe next year I should just throw some seed out and cross my fingers - may have better luck.

So the home-roasted sunflower seeds won't be happening this year, but there are sunflowers for your hair! My MIL brought some of her NIP Home Interiors sunflowers for me to use in my creations - part of her major decluttering project. (Am going home to visit next week and can't wait to see the progress she's made on her house!) These SUNFLOWER HAIR CLIPS measure approximately 4" in diameter and will surely brighten your day. I've sewn all the petal layers together and replaced the fuzzy (and somewhat messy) brown center with a big crystal rhinestone. The entire sunflower is attached to a partially lines alligator clip. Just let me know if you'd like it on a headband instead. I'm thinking I'll make Baby Girl one on a chocolate brown headband.

On our roadtrip to North Dakota this summer, I enjoyed fields and fields of sunflowers. It's always good to be on the sunny side of a sunflower field, with all their golden heads turned up in sun worship. Did you know that it's native to North America, but was first commercialized in Russia? Researchers believe that Native Americans were growing sunflowers back in 3000 B.C. Today it's cultivated for sunflower oil (a healthy cooking oil) and the seeds. Other uses include a purple dye, decoration, and treating snakebites.

Quick & Courageous Dragonflies

I've been making so many flower hair clips (just did a pastel yellow peonie, sunflower & yellow/orange mum today) that I've been missing the dragonflies. I took a few out last week, took some new pictures, and made them into hair clips.

Decided to look up some information about dragonflies. Did you know that they can't walk well, but are one of the fastest insects in the world (with average max speeds of 22-34mph)? In Native American tribes they represent swiftness and pure water. Probably because of their speed and because they're usually found around water - where they lay their eggs. In Japan they're associated with late summer and early fall. They symbolize strength, courage and happiness.

Baby Girl's 1 Year Pics!

We got our pictures from Greg McBoat Photography and they turned out pretty darn cute! Here are a couple of my favorites - though it's hard to choose.

Busy Tutus

Baby Girl's been busy walking - ran for the first time today - and I've been busy making tutus (and a sundress, no pics yet though). Check out Ellie Grace Etsy for custom tutu listings. Currently I have 2 premade and available:  Rainbow extra-fluffy 18m ($19.99) and red / hot pink extra-fluffy 3T ($24.99).

Both have ribbon-encased waist bands, bows and are extra fluffy.

The flower hair clips make great accessories on these!



Peonie Sun Hat

Picked up a sun hat to embellish, since we're spending lots of time outside this summer and getting plenty of sun. We're all sporting a good tan already. Baby Girl reminds me of the girl figures on an embroidered quilt that my mom is currently working on.

It's working wonders for keeping the sun out of her eyes - the scrunched face is because she knows I'm keeping her away from the pool by giving her veggie fries. (Big Brother was doing swim lessons....and she's such a fish.)