Older and Wiser

And now I am 32.


xoxo

Find your Prize!

The shop is now stocked with lots and lots of vintage goodies. Go get some!

xoxo

I heart....

my new cards:

This print, titled Schooner or Later, by Wolfie and the Sneak, found at Modishoppe:
(a happy birthday gift to me!)

This vintage paint by number:

and this one, too:


And this new old planter I found at the flea market this past weekend. Of course I also heart the artwork behind it, O'Hare, by Rachel Austin, found at SQFT Gallery.


What are you up to these days?
xoxo

find your prize

If you've had your eye on any handmade items in the shop, tomorrow will be the last time to purchase them until after the DIY trunk show. But don't fret, because on Thursday at noon, I will be stocking the shop chock full o' vintage goodness!


I hope to see you then!
xoxo

found (flea market friday)

This great apron (with tags still on!):




A sweet lamby planter:


a crazy ducky planter:

a sweet chick planter:


and a darling ducky planter:


My mom and my brother are both in town this weekend, so we're off for some family time. Go grab a tall soy pumpkin spice latte and have yourself a lovely fall weekend (that's what I'll be doing)!

xoxo

the big unveiling - and a prize!

I just wanted to thank you all one more time for the warm blogiversary wishes. It was so fun to read your poems, and to see so many new names in the comments! I love a good de-lurk fest! That being said, the winner is.....
Sarah and Jack! Sarah, please email me to claim your prize!

You may have noticed I took this opportunity to unveil my new logo. The very serious poll results indicated that the stitched tree would be a good look for me. I spruced it up a bit with a needle and thread, and voila - a new look for sweetjessie handmade! I ordered new cards, and I'm hoping to gocco up some goodness with the new logo in time for DIY. Has anyone ever tried printing on doilies? I'm looking for suggestions.

Also.....
I'm putting together an old-fashioned pen and paper mailing list. If you'd like to periodically receive a fun surprise in the mail (and really, who doesn't?), please send me your address. You can email it to me (I know, it kind of defeats the purpose of an old fashioned list, but whatever...) to
sweetjessie@comcast.net - and don't worry, I promise to keep your address to myself.

xoxo

a pinny for your thoughts

When I was a little girl, I wrote a fan letter to Ricky Schroeder, of Silver Spoons fame. I told him that I was very tall, and blonde, and that I shaved my legs. In reality, I was a short-ish, semi-chubby brunette with a perm, and I was, like, eight, so I'm pretty sure I wasn't shaving my legs just yet. Much to my dismay, I never got a response from Ricky Schroeder.

The people I have huge girl-crushes on today are more like the crafty goddesses featured on design blogs and in crafty magazines, the ones getting all the book deals while baking cookies and knitting booties and homeschooling. The ones perfecting the 'gentle art of domesticity'.

Thanks to all that blogville has to offer, I merely need to join a flickr group (those new-fangled fan clubs of sorts) to upload pictures right into the hands of the objects of my affections. And when I add a picture of a project I've made from a new book, and the author of that book comments on my creation, well, that's like Ricky Schroeder writing back to me and telling me I'm pretty.

Thank you for all of your blogiverser..ary wishes, for your fun and kind comments on this here blog, and for those on flickr, too. I heart all of you.

xoxo

a very merry blogiverser...ary

I think it's very sweet when people try to rhyme, but if the syllable count is off, it drives me crazy! I'm willing to make up words to fill in for missing syllables - therefore, I'm calling today my one year bloggie anniverserary!

Thank you to all of you for taking time out of your day to check in with me, for your encouraging words, your helpful advice, and for playing along in my silly contests.

A clever segue? Indeed! I wasn't planning on having another giveaway so soon, but it is my anniversary after all, and what's an anniversary without gifts?

Leave a comment (in rhyme) on this post by Wednesday the 17th at midnight and you'll be entered to win a Sweet Jessie Very Merry Bloggiversarary Bonanza.... or something like that. I hate the word Bonanza; just be assured you'll get something good.

xoxo

excuses, excuses

I wanted to thank you for all of the lovely responses about my new logo designs. You will soon be able to see the results of my in-depth analysis and serious market research, I promise!

I really wanted to show you all of my flea marketing finds from last Sunday, but between a piano lesson, a pilates class, two visits to the chiropractor, sewing whenever possible, two soccer games and two gymnastics practices, unloading the dishwasher a million times, the week totally got away from me (again)! Plus, we had grey days here all week, and as much as I love them (I swear I do!), they're not so good for the picture taking.

I know, I know.... I'm not sure where the time goes. But for now, I have one good photo of a flea market treasure (and a fabulous vintage window valance!):


and a tiny sneak peek of what I've been up to in the studio:

Who doesn't need a nice hand embroidered tissue cozy every now and again?


xoxo

ps: the cute vintage puppy design was ummmm... 'borrowed' from Floresita. She posts tons of vintage transfer patterns that you can use for personal projects. Credit where credit is due!

change

I get itchy every few months or so to overhaul all of my marketing materials, graphics, etc. I usually want to change the name of my blog (and "my line") at that same time, but upon further consideration, it always seems silly to do so. I wish I had a better story to go along with "Sweet Jessie" - but instead of changing the name of well, everything, I usually just end up changing out some graphics.

I got my little paws on the most amazing set of design books recently, and I've used one book in particular to create the three new logos I'm considering. I kind of sort of love them all!
There's been a definite consensus from everyone I've shown the mock-ups to so far - so I'm curious to see what you think:

Please let me know if you prefer A:

or B:

or C:

Thank you so much for your input! I'll be back later this week with serious, serious flea market finds (and possibly a preview of my DIY goodies).

xoxo

how I roll

I couldn't figure out why I had blisters on my hands yesterday afternoon, until I picked up my pink Fiskars cutting implement and noted how perfectly said blisters lined up with the handle of my scissors. I did some serious cutting yesterday. I'm so hard core.


I took the most raggedy quilt in the world and turned it into about 300 other things, including these little gift enclosure cards, which still need to be trimmed and sewn. I also framed a few panels:


I thought they might be cute in my daughter's room. If she allows it (she is seven going on seventeen, after all).

xoxo

part two

I wasn't finished showing you all of my treasures. But then I was so rudely interrupted by a little boy with a case of impetigo. Damn those school-house contagions! So two days home from school with a boy with red spots on his face, but who otherwise felt fine, and some antibiotic ointment ($45 even with insurance!!) later, and here we are. And now I will continue with show and tell:

Is this the sweetest little 'snack set' you've ever seen? Both of the kids have taken to having 'tea' on these plates after school. Not real tea, just an afternoon snack. The tablecloth was a weekend find, too:


This little blankie made me smile. It was in horrible condition, and quite ripped, with little X'es drawn all over it. It so reminded me of the walls in my son's bedroom - anything he doesn't like gets marked with an X when he's alone in his room. I brought it home and washed it up, and now it's all bright and clean, but still ripped:

and aahhhhh....the linens:


I'm still not finished with show and tell, so please check back for more goodness. I'm working on some new logo designs, and I want your input on those, too. I may even take a poll.

xoxo

PS: Thank you for all the birthday wishes. My birthday isn't until the 24th, but I'll take all the 'happy birthdays' I can get!

the weekend I lost all control

I knew I had a good weekend when I woke up with sore arms from lugging all of my flea marketing, garage sale-ing, re-sale shopping, goodwill hunting finds around.

I have so many things to share with you! This will probably take a few days - there really are that many lovelies to show you!

I found this canary yellow chair, one of a pair, at a resale shop. I didn't have any real need for a pair of yellow chairs, but I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn't buy them - plus, everything in the store was half off! I got the pair of chairs for $45 and popped them into my minivan (hence the sore arms). Earlier that morning, I had found the sweet little play house at a garage sale. My daughter has since absconded with the house as a dorm of sorts for her Polly Pockets. So worth the five bucks!

The yellow theme continued throughout the weekend, culminating in the purchase of a baby quilt at a flea market Sunday morning at 7 am. The lighting is bad here today (oh, but how I love a good gray day!!!), so no pictures of the quilt just yet. But I'll be back with more pictures of all my finds soon.

Until then, enjoy the first day of October - my very favorite month of the year - sweater weather.... my birthday... halloween... and this pumpkin gingerbread bundt cake from the Corner Bakery:


xoxo