The Beehive Bazaar: Spring 2009

We went last night with Sister. We were like 3 giggling schoolgirls. It was so much fun!

Look at the goods. Oh my!! I was in heaven and, just as I thought, I wanted everything I saw. There were homemade soaps, cupcakes, cookies, salsa, handmade jewelry, art, clothing, onesies, cards, bags, magnets, belts, baby mobiles, bibs, shoes, and more.

I wanted the whole 'Mode Boutique' table, just as I thought I would. I settled for a vintage peacock ring.

I also got some cute peach flower earrings from the 'Button Boutique'. Only $3.50!

I might kinda want to go back tomorrow when Hubba's home to watch the kids. Is that weird? It's just that, now that I have a better idea of what's there, I think it's necessary that I support the crafting community a little more. If you get a chance, you really should go. It's a great thing to do with the girlfriends. Happy shopping!!

Before, After, and a little How-To

Before

After

Here's the result of my lamp makeover.


This isn't the original fabric I had chosen, but Hubba didn't like the original so I compromised. I also decided to use a different base. I'm sort of wishing I had stuck with the original fabric choice, but I do love the outcome. This was a nice facelift for the lamp. Now, I just need to find a place for it!

Supplies for the shade:

• one yard of coordinating fabric for the chosen room
• spray adhesive
• hot glue gun
• scissors

1. I started with a yard of fabric, rolled the shade on it to get an idea of how much I'd need, and trimmed the fabric modestly on the top, bottom, and seam. (When I say I 'rolled' it, I mean I grabbed an edge of the fabric, held it against the shade, and rolled the shade on it's side until the first edge meets more fabric, making sure, all along, that all sides of the shade are covered with fabric. Then I trimmed the seam vertically so there is a nice clean line going down the side of the shade in the end of step 5. My seams overlap.)
2. Then I used spray adhesive a little at a time. Line the shade up on the wrong side of the fabric and do a test roll to make sure there are no areas showing the original shade. When everything looks good, start back at the beginning (this will be the part underneath the final seam). Spray, roll, and repeat until the shade is covered, making sure to keep the fabric taut throughout to prevent bubbling.
3. Now trim about an inch away from the top and bottom edges.
4. Hot glue the edges all the way around, pushing the loose fabric to the inside of the shade.
5. I intended to cut a trim for the edges seperately and glue it on as a finishing touch but I think it looks fine without that touch. Plus it's a lot easier without one more step.
6. And for the shade I just taped off the areas where no paint was desired, went out on my porch, and used a coat of primer (I'd suggest maybe two coats) followed by as many coats of white spray paint as is necessary until you get a solid white base.

I framed some of the leftover fabric, too!

Mode Boutique -POPPY

We're SO excited to go to the Beehive Bazaar tomorrow! I've been browsing the sellers this year and, let me tell you, there are some good ones. One of my favorites would have to be Becca Neely of Mode Boutique. Those little hair pins are speaking to me. Click on the Beehive Bazaar button on the left sidebar to get a sneak peek at the goods.

And once again, here is the Beehive Bazaar info.:

Women's Council Cultural Center
310 W. 500 N.
Provo, Ut

Thu. April 30 9pm-midnight
Fri. May 1 10am-10pm
Sat. May 2 10am-8pm

::Made By Rae::

I could spend hours of my time looking at all of the cute projects at Made By Rae. It's people like Rae that make me want to become an expert seamstress. She whips all kinds of little treasures out of that sewing machine of hers. I couldn't choose just one favorite, hence the picture-heavy post. Here are just a few of her beautiful creations.

toy bag

You can find some free patterns and tutorials on her blog.

Some are also available for purchase. Like these precious toddler backpacks. My 3 year-old would love one of these. Get the pattern for just $6!

She has an adorable Etsy shop, called Happy Giraffe, where she sold these pretty Cloth Napkins among other things.

left: stroller bag

below: His and his Spring shirts

Top of page:

Buttercup bags. Find the Buttercup Sewing Pattern here.

She's featured on Sew, Mama, Sew with a tutorial for her Spring Top. It's Spring Top Week at Made By Rae until May 1st!!

And I love the wristlets, which were also for sale at HappyGiraffe.

I will definitely be tuning in to see what she makes next!

::Date Night::

This week: PIZZERIA SEVEN TWELVE, hottub, and comedy.

p712 is a small, trendy restaurant in Orem, Ut. I love the cozy setting. When you walk in, you find modern art displayed on the walls and a big open-faced oven, where you can watch the chef flip the crust. Aside from the atmosphere and decor, the food is amazing. I suggest you make reservations because I have yet to go when there's not a line out the door.

I'm a little upset that I didn't get one picture the whole night, but that's kinda what happens when you're having a good time.

We went with a group of friends. It was a farewell dinner of sorts. Some of our friends are leaving for the summer so we decided to get one last night out before they left us for too long. We've been a few times but it was a first for everyone else.

It was a HIT!

They start you out with soft pita bread and hummus. Nice and light to start your meal. Many things were ordered but the favorites of the night were the Asparagus, the Artichoke Pizza, and the Rhubarb for dessert. The crust is perfection and the toppings are the likes of which I'm sure you've never had at your local 'pizza place'. I have yet to try a dish I didn't LOVE.

Like SPARK, the menu at p712 changes regularly, allowing you to try a variety of foods with each visit, so don't be shocked if none of these things are on the menu when you go.

they have a blog, if you're interested in updates and news, and it's located at:
320 S. State St. #185
Orem, Ut 84058
801.623.6712

So take your friends and enjoy good company, great food, and a fun night out!!

We followed dinner with hours of talking in the hottub and later watching Sebastian Maniscalco on Comedy Central. It was our first time seeing him. HILLARITY!! Look him up. You won't be dissappointed. Here's a short comedy sketch for your viewing pleasure:

::Smaller::

Small Magazine has a new blog full of 'ideas and inspiration' from the editors! I checked it out and i'm already in love. I mean just LOOK at that picture! Need I say more?

[I hope to find time to do Christine Chitnis and Sarah Waldo's spring dragonfly craft project with my boys. So, so cute. And easy. I'm all about easy.]

Project 101

Every time I came across the Little Green Notebook blog today I was struck by this cute lamp by Oliveaux. Maybe it's because I've been planning on re-doing this lamp in a very similar style. There's something about the fun prints and the clean white base that just gets me. After seeing this lamp I realize mine most DEFINITELY needs a pick-me-up.
Maybe seeing that picture was the push I needed. I've already got the paint and I already know which fabric I want to use. Pictures to come!

On the road again -PETUNIA

We're about to embark on an 11 hour road trip with our littles! We've been on a road trip before, but I'm afraid I've used all the tricks up my sleeve. So I've asked for help. This time around I'm using an idea I got from my brilliant sister in law, C. She travels with 4 littles, so I know she knows what she's doing.

One idea she gave me is to pack brown bags that you give to your kids at intervals determined by you. Maybe every time you cross into a new state, or every three hours. I'll probably be handing mine out every 3 hours. I only have one little old enough to need these attention getter's, but C says that she puts the same treats in all of her children's bags, thus eliminating the battles over who got the best stuff. For my little man, I've included a coloring book and crayons, a Thomas book, stickers, strawberries and crackers, jello, and gogurt.


I also added an extra special bag just in case things get a little too long. This bag is equipped with a ball that lights up and a sucker. It doesn't sound very interesting, but J man will LOVE it!


We leave early in the morning...wish me luck! If you have any fabulous road trip ideas that work for you, we'd love to hear them!

What's New?

Check out the newest addition to the shop! Hope you like!

And please stay tuned for our line of maternity belts set to come out in June! We're really excited about them!

(update: for some reason the pictures are blurry on etsy. i'll try and fix it, but here are a couple extra pictures in the meantime)

Rain, rain, go away. . . . -POPPY

Parenthood is hard. You get used to hearing this before you've actually experienced it, but it doesn't ever really sink in. Then you HAVE kids. You realize just what everyone was talking about. There's so much stress, fear, guilt, doubt, frustration, worry, responsibility, sadness, anger, and feelings of inadaquacy that come along with the job.

Mix that with pure bliss, awareness, pride, happiness, love, laughter, satisfaction, clarity, wisdom, and peace, and you've got parenthood. How do I discipline my children? Am I doing it right? Are they learning all they need to learn from me? Do they know I love them? Will they grow up to be good, responsible human beings? parents? citizens?

One of my biggest questions at the moment is How can I make their childhood memorable? I have a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. Both boys. Crazy boys. Who love to be active. On top of that, my husband's job requires him to work 24-hour shifts. Therefore, I also work 24-hour shifts. If I'm not on top of my game, it's not a good day. One of the things I've learned is that I need to have activities lined up and ready to go on the spot. I've learned to be creative in order to keep my boys happy. And hopefully we're building family relationships and memories in the process.

(rain gear from Target)

I want my kids to remember a mom who got down on the ground and played with them, who put down what she was doing to listen to them, and who made every situation more enjoyable. I want them to remember the creativity of childhood, the excitement, the innocence, and the joy.

Today I took baby g out to the park. We sat in the warm sun and had snacks, then walked through our little old Downtown streets. I discovered a cute, little antique shop. I drive down that street EVERY OTHER DAY and have never even noticed it. It's amazing what sticks out to you when you slow down and take in your surroundings and those around you, isn't it?

Sounds Delish!

Lemonade Stand Pie

With warm weather on its way, this pie is the perfect thing to have in the freezer. Its quick, easy, and so refreshing after a hot day in the sun!


Find the recipe here. Happy Snacking!

::Date Night:: -POPPY

This week: SPARK Restaurant Lounge and a movie.

Spark is one of our favorites. We love the atmosphere. We love the food and drinks. We love it all.

[If you've never been there, let me explain the premise. It's a trendy restaurant in Downtown Provo with cool style, DE-licious gourmet food, and a fun social scene. We love how unique it is. As far as we know, there's no other place like it in the area. ]

We've been there a few times and love it every time. Smaller portions than your average restaurant but we think this is a plus. It opens up the possibility of trying everything without overindulging. We've always ordered drinks, appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts and felt satisfied, not full, at the end of the night.

Also, the menu changes regularly. They're always trying new dishes. Another plus. We can keep coming back and tasting different things each time.

This time we ordered the tandoori-crusted blue nose sea bass and the pan-seared scallops. The food was amazing, as always, but this is the first time we DID feel overindulged afterwards. Probably largely due to the pommes frites we ordered as an appetizer. Good, but a little too heavy to start with. They've also hired a different chef and the portions have increased. I believe the chef is a sushi chef so the pan-seared salmon or the thai spicy tuna rolls are bound to be divine. We also made the mistake of asking to be seated upstairs in the lounge area. The tables were a little too low for dinner.

(below) pommes frites. loved the crunch. a little heavy for an appetizer. not crazy about the sauces.

(below) left: pan-seared scallops right: tandoori-crusted blue nose sea bass

both very tasty. especially the sea bass.

(below) left: fried banana right: panna cotta assortment

the fried banana had major potential, but it tasted like they used a plantain instead of a banana. loved the crunchy shell, but the inside didn't taste as sweet or soft as it should have. the panna cotta was delicious. light and subtle.

I will say we LOVED the cilantro shrimp appetizers. We dipped our fries in the japapeno tartar (came with the shrimp) and I liked it better than either of the dips that came with the fries.

Bottom line:

• We still love SPARK but will probably order smaller next time. Maybe drinks and appetizers, or dessert only.

• This is a good restaurant for college kids to hang out. Good location, trendy, fun. They have music some nights and little parties for certain occasions (ie. New Year's Eve). They don't serve alcohol but have all kinds of fun, colorful drinks. We like to try a new one every time. below left: lycheetini right: kiwi martini below: pomegron not my favorite. i'm not a big fan of the black licorice flavor given off by the tarragon.
  

• It's also a good place for 'foodies'. We are self-proclaimed 'foodies'. We've become borderline food snobs. We love to try new types of food every time we go out. We're at the point that regular restaurants (Chili's, Applebee's, Friday's, Olive Garden) just don't cut it. If you're the type that enjoys trying new things and is passionate about food, this is the place for you.

• You probably don't want to sit in the lounge unless you're just getting drinks and visiting (this is what they intended the lounge for anyway).

• It's a fun place to go with friends to get dressed up and have a fun night out!

{We also went to see State of Play after dinner. Great movie, but it's a whole other post in and of itself. I've included a link to the trailer if you're interested, but I'll stop here.}

Don't miss this. . . .

The Beehive Bazaar.

So excited for this! PETUNIA+POPPY were too late this time but we will hopefully be selling at the next show. We're still excited to go and see our fellow crafties doing what they do best. And hopefully we'll leave with some pretty new things!

For those of you who have never been, it's a great place to get adorable handmade items: accessories, home decor, clothes, baby things, jewelry, cards, etc. Remember, Mother's Day is coming up! You're sure to find the perfect gift. Click below for more details:

The 32-minute messenger bag tutorial -POPPY

I'm all about easy sewing. I haven't been using a sewing machine for too long, so I'm trying to take it one step at a time. I think I should make this easy-to-sew messenger bag. And so should you. Amy Smart, guest mom on Design Mom and quilter extraordinaire, has a tutorial on her blog. And she even has instructions for smaller kid bags! I love the idea of getting my kids involved. I just might be making one for me and two for my little guys. Think library bag or toy bag.

Amy gives me great inspiration. She posted a picture of this hoop-framed fabric art from Purl. I die over this. So beautiful. Perfect for hanging in a craft corner. I want to make a wall like this above my sewing machine table.

inspiration is everywhere! -POPPY

welcome to PETUNIA+POPPY: [the blog].

{this is our place to sort out our thoughts, organize our inspiration,

share our ideas,show off our projects, and announce etsy updates}

we have a brand new etsy shop @ petuniaandpoppy.etsy.com.

check it out if you get the chance.

we love to create and love to share!

the shop is in the beginning stages,

so for now we've got some hair accessories for sale,

but in the future we will add to our collection:

anything from frames to vintage clothing to art.

enjoy our blog and enjoy our shop!

but most of all, enjoy the world before you.

a world of beauty. . . .

a world of opportunity. . . .

a world of creativity. . . .

a world of [inspiration].

thanks for visiting!

come back soon!

love,

petunia+poppy