Genevieve Gail

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2012-01-23T11:45:00.001-05:00

Leaving on a jetplane... I'll be back soon... Operation Dream Design Mission in full effect...will have details to share in 2013 (probably this time next year)...this is gonna be BIG!!! I'm pretty excited...

2012, we are off to an awesome start...

XO,
Genevieve

PS- not going to the Bahamas, rather I'm headed North, just using pic from this old post, and yes, still dreaming of warmer weather...

Atlanta Mart Recap

2012-01-18T19:55:00.000-05:00

I got back from Atlanta a couple days ago, it was a really quick trip. If anything, the Mart is a super inspiring show to walk. Floors and floors of new products and designs. It can actually get to be a little overwhelming- total visual overload after you've walked 18 floors of 3 different buildings full of showrooms. I barely even scratched the surface- just checked out the major players and made mental notes of what I think I could design and pitch within the upcoming months... I'm going into 2012 with specific plans in mind and am going to work like a crazy woman to make them happen!

Up there is a little snippet of Oopsy Daisy's showroom. Although all of the pieces weren't out yet, they now have my whole collection online for sale- woot!

Oh, and my girl Lauren got to see her first licensed product in "real life" at the Mart this weekend too! Yeah Gurrrl!

K, off to put some of these bazillion ideas I have swirling around my brain on paper...

XO,
Genevieve

New License with Oopsy Daisy! Sneak Peek

2012-01-09T11:57:00.001-05:00

So I just got a visit from the delivery man this morning and look what he brought! 2 canvas samples from a new line I am licensing to Oopsy Daisy!

I guess I should start by saying that Oopsy Daisy has always been on my "dream client" list. You know that whole thing about wanting to work with companies that make quality products and support their artists? Yep, that's them, all the way... I remember always walking by their showroom at the Atlanta Mart and always thinking how bright and fun their products were. How they worked with so many different artists with so many different styles but somehow it all just worked amazing together. Anyway, I'm honored to be a part of this new group and can't wait to see the entire collection in Atlanta this weekend (there are owls and butterflies too)! I'll try to see if I can take a picture there to show you guys when I get back...

Speaking of Atlanta, I still have SO much to do before Friday. Like, I had a mini panic attack last night thinking of what I have left to finish and only a few days left to get it done. But it's ok, I think I work best under pressure, and I think that package arrived this morning for a reason. That little brown box reminded me "you CAN do this!"

XO,
Genevieve

New Space for a New Year

2012-01-05T20:01:00.000-05:00

Ok, so my last post really got me thinking... I want to redo my art studio. I need to get rid of a lot of stuff I don't need. I want a space that inspires me again. I want a space where I can relax and FOCUS on my work. I've had a lot of ideas floating around my head for a while, but Pinterest has helped me put them together in a cohesive way. And then Photoshop helped me make a Mood Board (I forgot how much I like making mood boards!) So... here's what I'm thinking...

FLOORS: Oh pretty, yellow, hand-painted floors, I will miss you, but you gots to go... After a couple of years my floor looks way more than "weathered" and just plain ol' awful. I shall replace them with dark cork ("easy" to install, enviro friendly product, nice earthy/antique/warm look, etc.)

WALLS: Since the hand-painted floors are going I would like to do a hand-painted accent wall. I probably should have learned my lesson from the floor experience but I'm going attempt another large scale painting project since I don't have the budget or want to try and learn how to hang wallpaper. I think I will make a stencil though, and not to free-hand it. That might help a little bit, we'll see...

COLOR: I'm sticking to 2 main colors that inspire me most- turquoise and green

ACCENTS: Ok, so I can't believe I did this but I bought that furry desk chair you see up above. It's borderline crazy person, and my Hubs is probably going to think it's awful, but I just had to have it. I don't know why, I just did. The way I see it though I spend countless hours at my desk working everyday so I figured why not get a comfortable/fun chair right?!

So I'm not sure how long this redo will take since I've got some major deadlines I need to be focusing on right now, but my goal is to have my new space done by the end of February. I think that's pretty manageable, especially if I just to a little bit each week. I'll keep y'all posted...

XO,
Genevieve

My Word for 2012

2012-01-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

So a lot of people pick theme words for 2012 and I think that's a pretty good idea. Just one simple word to remind you of how you want to shape the year ahead. I picked "Focus" because I think it works side by side with "Simple". I want to make specific goals, focus on making them happen, and simplify my life by getting rid of all the other junk that is not important.

WORK FOCUS:
Find a couple of really great companies to add to my licensing partners list. When I got into licensing I decided early on that I would like to find a small handful of really great companies to work with instead of getting my work out to as many companies as possible. I'd like to focus on the partnerships that I feel are not only good financially, but also partnerships that really "get" me and my work. Companies that make quality products and support their artists.

Get back in to the fabric game. Man, I miss textiles. I want to create some awesome new collections and find a fabric manufacturer that thinks they are awesome too...

Surtex. This one is tricky. If I'm going to do it again I need to decide, like now... Doing that show was one of the biggest milestones of my life. Everyone says it's an investment and that you should commit to it for at least a couple of years, but man, it's expensive. So, if I'm gonna do it, I gotta go all out and make this year's show even better than the last. Any of you that have exhibited there before I would love to know your thoughts on this...

PERSONAL LIFE:

I don't really get too personal here on the blog, but let's just say last year had it's moments of good and not-so-good (as I'm sure everyone's did, right?!). I'd definitely like to simplify my life this year.

I need to cut out clutter and have a simpler, more organized space for my work.
I need to limit going out to eat so much, and have more home cooked meals (healthier and saves $$$)
I need to focus on spending more time with Family and Friends
I need to stop reading so many blogs (seriously, I waste SO much time on the computer). Does anyone have a tip for this? Should I just quit cold turkey or limit myself to reading them once or twice a week?
I need to go outside more.
I need to stop letting things bother me so much and FOCUS on the good things I have in my life...

Well, that's about it. Looking forward to 2012!!!

XO,
Genevieve

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:02:00.001-05:00

Too tired today for a proper post, but wanted to wish all of you a very Happy New Year! Hope your 2012 is full of joy and blessings.

XO,
Genevieve

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T17:35:00.000-05:00

Things here have been a little nutso here lately... I had all intentions of getting Christmas cards out this year (especially since I'm designing them now, I feel extra extra bad about it- doh!) but it was just not meant to be. Hubs has been in the hospital 3 times within the past week (super scary but all is ok now, SO grateful), my project/work/design pile is a mile high (a little stressed, but again, grateful and happy to have work on my plate!), and the overall hustle and bustle of trying to get things done for the Holidays has had me chugging Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes like they're going out of style (so much for giving up coffee again, but I guess I will just have to make that a New Year's resolution). Oh, and did I mention we didn't even put up a tree this year? And there may or may not still be a pumpkin on the front porch...

So 2012 should be here soon enough, and I am looking forward to new beginnings, new opportunities, and hopefully an even better year than last year. I'll be kicking the year off with the Atlanta Gift Show, meeting with current licensing clients and hopefully picking up some new ones while I'm there too. I'll also get to see some of the products that I designed for companies I met with at Surtex so that should be fun. It's always an awesome experience to see pieces that have been months in the making finally come to life... designing is truly what I love to do :)

And last but not least when the new year rolls around I'll have a BIG, HUGE, GIGANTOR, announcement to make! It's about a line that's been in the works for what seems like forever now and I'm dying to tell ya about it. Here's a hint: It's gonna be in one of my favorite craft stores of all time! I'm really gonna freak when I finally see it in real life as part of me still doesn't quite believe it's happening. Can't wait to share more with you guys next month!!!

So... for now, Merry Christmas, and I'll try to be back on the ol' blog for New Years!

XO,
Genevieve

Spreading the Love

2011-12-16T22:56:00.000-05:00

My friend Dana is building a bus stop! She's raising the remaining funds for her project through kickstarter (a site where creatives can trade "rewards" for "pledges" towards their goal). Anyway, Dana is super talented and her bus stop is gonna be outta-control-awesome, so if you'd like to support this soon to be Athens treasure based on one of our cities most famous songs you can find more info here.

XO,
Genevieve

P.S.- Speaking of the B52s, they will be celebrating their 35th anniversary with a concert here in February!

Genevieve Gail Products for the Holidays!

2011-11-30T18:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys! I received a really nice email today from a lady in Ohio wanting to know where she could find more of my products. I decided to put together a little "Gift Guide"since the Holidays are right around the corner. Here are some links of a couple of things I currently have out in the marketplace. Thanks for your support during my licensing journey, this really has been a dream come true to see my products out in the world!

Consumer Crafts is stocked up on my BOHO jewelry line of unfinished and finished wood pieces, beads, crystals, and antique copper findings. There are also fun jewelry displays as well as one of my favorite jewelry tools of all time, the battery operated sander (great for giving your finished pieces a nice distressed look).

Speaking of BOHO, Calypso Studios has my Shop Totes in 3 fun patterns. These totes are awesome- they are super durable and a must have for the grocery store!

Calypso also has my Inspirational jewelry line of cross necklaces and coordinating earrings. They come in 3 fun distressed colors and hang from pretty antique copper chains and earring hooks.

Coasterstone currently has 2 sets of my designs, one in medallion patterns and one in butterfly patterns. These coasters are great quality and would make a nice gift for anyone, especially for a Hostess gift!

Last but not least, don't forget about Holiday and Christmas cards from Look Love Send! My designs show up after you click "Genevieve Gail" on the left hand side under the "Designer" filter.

Happy Holidays!!!
Genevieve

Chicken Sittin' and Thanksgivin'

2011-11-24T21:01:00.000-05:00

Our neighbors went out of town for the week and asked us if we'd take care of their roost. I'd have to say that Chicken Sittin' is equal parts Kinda Country and Kinda Awesome. Hubs and I have discussed the possibility of having our own chickens one day and this pretty much seals the deal... Although I could have killed him after I found out that what I had been feeding the chicks from my hands were not "chicken french fries" like he told me they were, but were really dried meal worms. SO gross...

Anyway, today was a great day with the Fam and I am lucky to have them (even my crazy brothers). Hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too...

XO,
Genevieve

Holiday 2011 Additions for Look Love Send

2011-11-17T17:52:00.000-05:00

Hey, Y'all! Just wanted to pop in and tell you guys that I have added a couple of new Holiday/Christmas designs to the Look Love Send site... On the left hand side of the screen you can search by designer, color, size, etc. The plaid design is still in the process of uploading and should be ready for purchase in a couple days, but the others designs are up and running as of this week...

Enjoy!
Genevieve

Advanced Style

2011-11-16T09:48:00.000-05:00

I saw this video via Sometimes Sweet this morning and was blown away. I proceeded to do more research which brought me to the source, The Advanced Style Blog. These ladies give me hope that I can have a colorful, stylish future even if I live to be 101. I've officially decided I would like to be Ilona (makes her own eyelashes) or Iris (has her own lines of costume jewelry) when I grow up...

Design Sponge Book Signing

2011-11-03T21:44:00.000-04:00

Went to this event last night with my friends Lauren and Melanie. Good times, good music, good book! (Pardon Le Crappy iphone photo...)

Happy (Belated) Halloween

2011-11-01T17:55:00.000-04:00

A little of this and a little of that, and in the blink of an eye Halloween has come and gone...

Hope y'all had a fun one!
Genevieve (aka Sailor Jerry)

Happy Weekend

2011-10-28T10:44:00.000-04:00

That's a pic from last night's Band of Horses 40 Watt show- SO good... Gearing up for the weekend now, going to get some mountain air...

XO,
Genevieve

A Liter of Light

2011-10-21T10:09:00.000-04:00

Creativity at it's finest... this is amazing!

Have a great weekend,
Genevieve

Holiday 2011 for Look Love Send

2011-10-11T15:00:00.000-04:00

Introducing a sampling of my Holiday 2011 designs for Look Love Send! It's only October, but I have a feeling the Holidays will sneak up on me again like they do every year! So, if you are starting to plan early then check out Look Love Send's customizable card options- they even have filters where you can search by card size, color, and designer.

XO,
Genevieve

Attention Athens Peeps!

2011-10-06T17:46:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite design bloggers, Grace Bonney is hitting up our charming lil' town next month for her book tour! It should be a lot of fun, you can check out the details here

Wedding Damask Collection for Look Love Send!

2011-09-26T10:31:00.001-04:00

Hey there! I'm really excited to introduce my latest work for Look Love Send, the Wedding Damask Collection. This one was a doozy, with 8 customizable coordinating pieces in 7 different color schemes for a total of 56 pieces total! I think Damask is such a classic design that never goes out of style, especially for weddings. I tried to spice it up a little bit with more of a bold color palette related to colors that I see trending in the bridal market. Each piece is a little bit different and one of my favorites is the Save the Date I created to mimic a photobooth picture strip that's shown above. I just love weddings and to be designing items for brides has been so much fun!

XO,
Genevieve

Home Companion Comeback?!

2011-09-24T15:11:00.001-04:00

(Image from ME's blog post, link is below)

Eeeek! I was SO excited when I saw Mary Engelbreit's post today that they are thinking of bringing Home Companion back!!! This was one of the greatest, most inspiring magazines ever and I was terribly sad when they stopped publications 3 years ago. As a girl Mary was one of my biggest inspirations to be a professional artist and she is truly a pioneer in the field of art licensing. Her work is incredible, and her magazine was no exception. So now they are on the verge of returning the mag but need help with a "petition" of sorts. If you loved Home Companion as much as I did and want to see it back in action then please post here on Mary's blog. *Fingers crossed for you, Mary!*

XO,
Genevieve

Good Times

2011-09-23T11:58:00.001-04:00

Wednesday was a blast... Foster the People put on a great show, and it turns out these boys do good things too which makes me like 'em even more.

Hope y'all have a great weekend,
Genevieve

Foster the People

2011-09-21T16:41:00.000-04:00

SO excited for tonight! I got Brian and I tickets to see Foster the People for his birthday. Our friend Keri is coming with us too so it should be good times... Oh, and Reptar is opening for them, it should be a great show!

*Keeping my fingers crossed that is doesn't rain*

Genevieve

New License with CoasterStone!

2011-09-14T20:43:00.000-04:00

I'm super excited to announce my new licensing partnership with CoasterStone! All of their products are excellent quality and made in the U.S. which I think is really great. Not to mention being made here in the States cuts waaaay down on production time. Most gift companies manufacture their products overseas which means from the time they decide on one of my designs to the time the item is available for purchase is at least one year. I met with Emily from Coasterstone at Surtex in May and now the products are already available on their site! Super cool. Here is the artwork that they chose. The butterflies were done in colored pencil, and the medallions are mixed media illustrations comprised of decorative wood pieces, tin, buttons, and paint. Hope you like 'em :)

XO,
Genevieve

Girl Scout Locket Necklace

2011-09-12T14:47:00.000-04:00

Just checked one thing off my list! I added a triple chain to my pretty Girl Scout locket and I'm good to go!

Here's to a great week ahead...

XO,
Genevieve

Projects on My List

2011-09-06T19:01:00.001-04:00

First on my list, add a chain to this lovely vintage Girl Scout locket that I bought on Etsy. It was a win-win splurge since not only are those my initials but I actually used to be a Scout as a kid!

My next project is this vintage dress I found on Etsy for pretty cheap. All it needs is a good cleaning, hemming, and matching sailor hat so that I will have a super snazzy Halloween costume this year!

Another project I would love to tackle sometime soon are these amazing Mason Jar lights via Free People. They look really easy to make and would look fab on the porch, especially as Summer is coming to a close and Fall is in the air...

Source: blog.freepeople.com via Genevieve Gail on Pinterest

Last but not least, I really, really, really need to do something with our wedding pictures. Yep, the wedding pictures from 5 years ago. The ones that are sitting in a plastic storage bin. Part of me wants to stick with the original plan of making a really special scrapbook album, and the other part of me gets totally overwhelmed thinking about it and wants to just download the images off of the disc I have and make a Blurb book. A scrapbook/album would be great but it will just take a lot of time, while a blurb book would be nice and easy but then I'd still feel bad about the unused pictures sitting in the bin. I need to figure it out soon though because I need it completed by the first week of November. Suggestions???

XO,

Genevieve

TGIF

2011-09-02T23:01:00.000-04:00

Baby Clothesline Collection for Look Love Send!

2011-08-31T21:16:00.000-04:00

Just wrapped up another set of birth announcements for Look Love Send. I really like the way this collection turned out, so sweet :)

Little Cupcake Collection for Look Love Send!

2011-08-28T10:57:00.000-04:00

Introducing my "Little Cupcake" collection for Look Love Send! There are customizable birthday invitations, gift enclosures, and place card holders. I setup this card as a 1st birthday invite, but on the website you can customize it to any year you would like :)

I've also been steadily working on Christmas/Holiday cards as well as two new wedding sets so I hope to do a proper post on those soon when they are all uploaded and ready to view!

As always, if you guys have any feedback or are looking for particular themes/designs I would love to hear it!

XO,
Genevieve

Rock Jumping

2011-08-25T08:20:00.000-04:00

Last week I headed out with some girls that I work with to Lake Oconee. Jumping off a huge boulder seemed like a fun idea until I actually got up there and looked down! It's amazing that the little kids in the area were jumping off left and right with absolutely no fear and all of the 20 and 30 somethings were total chickens! Part of me wishes I still had that "no fear" attitude- I tried to conquer it but I was still totally scared! Sometimes you just gotta JUMP!

Just Because I Needed a Little Pick Me Up Today...

2011-08-23T07:50:00.000-04:00

Dance Trailer from Chris Poole on Vimeo.

Enjoy!
Genevieve

Wanderlust

2011-08-20T18:52:00.000-04:00

Source: everythingignited.tumblr.com via Genevieve Gail on Pinterest

This November the Hubs and I will be celebrating our 5 year wedding/10 year together anniversary! It has really flown by, lemme tell ya! We are in desperate need of a vacay and this seems like a great milestone to take advantage of and go somewhere we've never been before. Not to mention our honeymoon was a total bust considering I got the flu the ENTIRE week were in Costa Rica followed by another week of an allergic reaction due to lobster that I ate on the last day of our trip. So, we basically need a "redo" and have been pondering where to go on our next adventure...

Anyway, we don't have a lot of time off of work so it's going to be on the short side- 4 nights/5 days tops, which puts Cali/Out West off the list because of travel time (just saw Josephine's post on the Grand Canyon and it looks awesome- def. on my bucket list). Right now we are currently talking about Puerto Rico- relatively cheap flights, super cheap hotel rooms, USD currency, and you don't need a passport. We are still open to ideas though so I wanted to throw it out there and see if y'all had any suggestions! Are there any places you guys have been that you would recommend?

XO,
Genevieve

Elephant Parade Collection for Look Love Send!

2011-08-19T10:05:00.000-04:00

Good morning!

Just wanted to share a new baby collection, "Elephant Parade" that I finished up for Look Love Send. There are baby announcements, shower invites, placecard holders, gift enclosures, and thank you notes in blue, pink, and green. More designs with my fabulous licensing partner coming soon!

Have a great weekend,
Genevieve

Owl Lockets

2011-08-11T08:24:00.000-04:00

My new owl lockets are now in the shop! They feature a painting I did a few months back for Surtex and there are 3 different bead options to choose from. The locket is a real functioning piece so you can add your favorite pictures to the inside.

Speaking of painting, I have a project for a client that requires a few matching pieces to go with this owl. I love to paint but just haven't been able to make the time lately to do it. So... my goal is to make this project a top priority for next week. I've got some new tunes so that always inspires me to get the paints out too :)

Vetiver's new album is great. This song has been on repeat for the end of Summer...

And Foster the People is one of my new faves. This song has been making it's rounds on the airways but the whole album is really really good. They kinda sound like if MGMT and Reptar had a baby...

Hope you're enjoying the last few days of Summer :)

Genevieve

Harmonica Necklaces Now in My Shop!

2011-08-08T21:11:00.000-04:00

Finally! My harmonica necklaces are now posted in my Etsy shop! Get 'em while they're hot... :)

My Pal, Libby

2011-08-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

Long time, no blog post! I wanted to share some treasures that my friend Libby, aka Daisy Doodles, made out of my Gypsy Garden fabric! We did a little trade around Christmas time and in exchange for some of my fabric I received the prettiest scallop scarf. Can't wait till it starts cooling off and I can wear it again! Anyway, Libby has gottten the sewing bug (yay!) and recently sent me these pictures of what she decided to do with her fabric stash. Cute, right?

Oh, and a few of you guys have asked about the harmonica necklaces- I just made a fresh batch and will have them in my shop ASAP- my apologies for the delay, too many projects going on the past couple of weeks!

XO,
Genevieve

The Georgia Theatre is Back in Business!

2011-08-01T19:26:00.000-04:00

Photo by Ryan Myers

I'm SO freakin' excited for tonight. Brian and I are going to see The Glands play at The Georgia Theatre's grand opening! For those of you who aren't from Athens, a fire destroyed the local music venue and it has been a long road to get it back up and running. I have tons of great memories from the Theatre and seen a lot of incredible shows there... In fact, my Mom tells the story of how my Dad made her go to a Mother's Finest concert when she was pregnant with me back in 1979/80 so I guess you can say I've been rocking out there since before I was born!

The Theatre has so much history and a lot of great bands got their start there. Here are some excerpts from an article by Sam Smart (one of the partners that originally opened the Georgia Theatre as a music venue) and some of the epic events that happened back in the day...

Once we were doing a band called the Nighthawks. We generally booked them about once a quarter on a Thursday night. We'd pay them $400 for one show, sell about 400 tickets at $4 each and have a very good night. On the Wednesday afternoon before this particular Thursday concert, I was just getting ready to leave the office when the phone rang. The caller asked me if the Nighthawks were playing the next night. When I told him they were, he asked if he could come jam with them. I asked him who he was and he said, "Gregg Allman." Well, Gregg Allman was a pretty famous guy in those days, not only because of his band, The Allman Brothers, but he was also married to Cher. So I asked him how much he wanted. He said he didn't want any money and he'd bring his own equipment and crew; he'd just heard the Nighthawks were hot and he wanted to play with them. I told him I'd see him the next day. After I hung up, I grabbed a blank piece of paper and wrote:

Gregg Allman

and The Nighthawks
Tonight
The Georgia Theatre

Two Shows, tickets $8.00

Then I ran across the street to Copies Unlimited and made 2000 copies. The next morning, early, I grabbed a few guys from the Phi Delt house, headed to the parking lots on campus and put those fliers on every windshield until we ran out. We sold out both shows.

• • •

In the late '70s, the B-52s were just forming. They would come to the Theatre and say, "Smartt, you need to hire us to play here, we're going to be superstars!" I'd look at them with their crazy clothes and makeup and red and purple hair and tell them, "No way."

Finally, one day they came by and told me they had an offer I couldn't refuse. They would pay us $150 to play the theater, provide all their own sound and lights, all the crew to set up and tear down and even handle the promotional expenses. They'd take the door and we'd take the bar. We did it, it was a great show, a huge crowd, a win for the B-52s and us, and the next week they went to New York and signed their first record deal featuring a tune they had played at the theater, "Rock Lobster."

• • •

Another time, I got a call from a promoter who said he had this hot new band coming to the U.S. for the first time. They were going to be playing in Atlanta on the weekend, and he wanted them to play our place the Thursday before. I'd never heard of them, and initially the guy wanted way more than we could afford. Eventually we settled on a deal where we would pay them $400 and they would bring their own sound equipment and set it up and tear it down themselves. The afternoon of the show these three guys, all about my age, showed up in a Volkswagen bus packed with sound equipment and instruments. They were all nice guys, and I ended up spending the afternoon helping them unload and set up. When they did their sound check a few hours before the show, I was pleasantly surprised. One song in particular sounded pretty good. It was called "Roxanne." The three guys were Sting and the Police.

So let the Georgia Theatre Marathon begin! The Glands tonight, Big Boi next Thursday, and Drive-By Truckers next Friday! (and definitely a few more shows squeezed into the months ahead- woot woot!)

Shake what Yo Momma gave ya ;),
Genevieve

Extreme Makeover

2011-07-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was pretty cool. Our shift was only a couple of hours (unloading flooring and materials from the work trucks) but it was still fun to participate in the Extreme Makeover project in Madison, Ga. Understandably we were not allowed to take pictures (with the exception of the outside) since it's supposed to be a big surprise, but let's just say the final result is going to be amazing! To learn more about the incredible family that will be living in this home, check this out.

Sunrise

2011-07-13T22:38:00.000-04:00

Source: None via C on Pinterest

I'm not a morning person. At all. I kinda liked the getting up and drinking coffee part until I gave up coffee last week (what?!), so now sunrises are about the only thing I like about getting up at the crack of dawn. But when 4:30am rolls around I'm gonna suck it up, count my blessings, and lend a hand for a really great cause... I have no idea what to expect besides I need to wear a hard hat and closed toe shoes... I'll keep y'all posted on how tomorrow's adventure goes...

'Nite,
Genevieve

Giveaway Winners!!!

2011-07-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who entered my Felties giveaway! As always, I consulted my Random Brian Generator for the winners...

So there you have it! Please email me your addys so I can mail you your prize!

My New Partnership with Look Love Send!

2011-07-05T17:01:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys!

I'm busting at the seams to tell you about my newest licensing partnership! During Surtex I had the pleasure of connecting with a new online invitation company, Look Love Send. I couldn't be happier to be branching into the invitation world and I feel blessed that they picked me to be one of their new designers. A couple of wedding invites are online now and there will be many more designs on the way this Summer including baby announcements and party invites!

Have a great week,
Genevieve

Happy 4th!

2011-07-03T10:53:00.000-04:00

Just made some of these new pretties- lovely owl lockets and mini harmonica necklaces that play REAL MUSIC!!! Loves them...

Been cranking out the new goods for this...

Doors open at 1:00 this afternoon and there will be a lot of great bands playing all day. If you are in the Athens area come on by! And for those of you around the world, I'll have some of these new jewelry pieces available in my Etsy shop next week. I'll also be announcing the giveaway winners soon as well as an awesome new licensing partnership I can't wait to tell y'all about. Lots of fun new stuff coming up soon...

Hope y'all have a great holiday weekend!

XO,

Genevieve

Feltie Pillow Project and a Front Porch Redo

2011-06-28T17:02:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys! So, I've been needing to redo my front porch for a while. If there is one thing about living in the South, it's that you need a good front porch. I had some existing cushions that had been faded by the sun and needed to be recovered. Not to mention the whole area in general just needed a little somethin' somethin'... My local JoAnns had their outdoor fabrics on sale last week for 50% off so I got 2 yds of the red and white floral and 1/2 yd of the brown basket weave. I had plenty of burlap left over from my Surtex booth projects so I decided to use that up as well.

Since I already had the cushions with the exception of the round one, making the covers was a breeze and only required a few straight stitches. For the round pillow I used a large plate for a template and traced the circle onto foam cushion then made a circular cover for it. I then took burlap strips to make the rosette/flower design.

I also thought this porch redo would be a perfect opportunity to test out some of my new Boho Felties (giveaway ends this week)! I took the large owl (same shape as the small owls in the giveaway pack) and the flower stickers and added them to the plain burlap pillow. The fun thing about the Felties is that you can layer them so that's what I did by adding a couple of flowers to the owl's eyes. I finished them off with a couple of buttons and I'm really happy with how he turned out! He has all the right colors and looks great in the corner under my stained glass window.

Not bad for about $20, huh? Here's to cheap redos and fun Summer projects! What are you guys currently working on?

XO,
Genevieve

My New Fave...

2011-06-22T10:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a simple way to cool down on these hot Summer days... SO, so, SO good...

XO,
Genevieve

Weekend in Pictures...

2011-06-20T14:24:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys! Hope y'all had a great weekend. Ours started off pretty fun as over 300 kayakers from Paddle Georgia started their 106 mile/6 day journey at my Dad's place Saturday morning. It was neat to see all of the people float by while by my Sis-In-Law and I were on the bank working on my Dad's party boat. Party boat? Yep. Well, it's actually and old pontoon that we are converting into a stage for when the bands come to play. Dad is even building a deck "dock" type thing to extend the stage out a few feet. I took some before pictures, so I'll be sure to share the after pics when we are through...

After working on the boat for a few hours we met up with some friends at Terrapin, our local Athens brewery. They had brewed a few small specialty batches for a summer luau and although the weather didn't hold up we still had a lot of fun. Brian and I even took the tour and learned more about the process...

Well, here's to another week ahead... I've got a few projects on the "to do" list including a training session for a new company I'm going to be working with (woot! will share deets as soon as I can...), some paintings I need to finish, and a birthday invitation design for one of my friend's baby's first birthdays! Oh, and cleaning the art studio :(

Have a great week!
XO,
Genevieve

Introducing My Felt Boho Collection For Darice!

2011-06-15T10:38:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys!

I'm super excited to announce my latest licensing endeavor with Darice. It is a continuation of my Boho lines, except this time my shapes are in felt! There are about 60 skus in the collection including stickers, trims, and items to embellish (eyeglass cases, clutches, purses, business card holders, etc.), and they all have super cute laser cut details, etching, and layering.

It was a lot of hard work (but fun too!) and the folks at Darice have been a dream to work with. As with most product development it takes about a year (give or take) from concept to completion so it's an awesome feeling when something you've been working on for months is finally in your hands!

The line is just now finding it's way into craft stores and online, but today I am announcing a giveaway to all of my blog readers! I really appreciate those of you who stop by my blog and have been supportive of my creative endeavors along the way. To enter the giveaway just simply leave a comment below. It could be anything- just a "hello", which feltie grouping you like the best, what you want to see more of on my blog, your current favorite music (you know I'm always looking for new music!), it could be anything...

I'll also be posting examples of what you can do with the Boho pieces within the next few weeks. It was a little hard to photograph the pieces in the plastic sleeves, so I will try and share some finished pieces with you guys.

Oh, and contest is open now until June 30th to anyone in the US or abroad. There will be 4 winners (1 winner will receive the bird group, 1 winner will receive the owl group, 1 winner will receive the elephant group, and 1 winner will receive the butterfly group) so your odds are pretty good on this one! One entry per person please, and please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you win (if your comment links to your blog that has your email addy that is fine, otherwise please leave your email in the comments and you can spell out the dot and at symbols to avoid the spam-bots).

XO,
Genevieve

Out/In

2011-06-14T09:15:00.000-04:00

OUT: Stuff in my closet that should have been gone a long time ago. My previous method of decluttering was to go through and get rid of things that I hadn't worn in a year. This method was ok, but it hadn't really been getting the job done. This time around I took EVERYTHING out of my closet first and only put back what would fit in the space without looking crammed/junky. It took me all day to do it this way but in the end it was worth it. I put back my favorite clothes and shoes first, then left the "maybes" to put back last. When I was out of room in the closet then the "maybes" that were left had to go. It was a lot easier to get rid of things and pass them on knowing I already had a closet full of clothes that I loved and not hang on to stuff that I kinda/sorta liked...

IN: A big 'ole box of samples from one of my latest collections! There's some fun stuff in there and I've got plenty to go around, so stay tuned this week to see what's in the box and how you can win some of the goods... ;)

Big Dreams, Little Field

2011-06-13T10:35:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! Hope y'all had a great weekend. Those are my cute country neighbors up there that I met yesterday. They live a couple houses up the street in the prettiest field. My dream is to one day have my own farmhouse with tons of animals running around. In fact, I even started a pin board with ideas for my future farmhouse. Here are a couple of my faves...

source

source

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Here's to big dreams in a little field...

XO,
Genevieve

PS- If you could live anywhere in the whole wide world, where would you live???

Because Sometimes We Can All Use a Little Encouragement

2011-06-08T12:25:00.000-04:00

Thumbs up for Rock 'n Roll!!!

(Video via mah Boo on WWHL)

Stripe Mania

2011-06-07T10:20:00.000-04:00

Photo project by one of my fave bloggers, Holly Becker on Decor8

Join in the fun, here...

XO,
Genevieve

Upcycled

2011-06-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

Trader Joe's coffee cans make for great flower vases...❋ ❋ ❋

DIY Summer Nails

2011-06-04T12:36:00.000-04:00

Last night I decided to get a little crafty and create some pretty Summer nails. I've been pinning (thanks, M!) some style inspiration pics of fun polish ideas, so when I spotted a section of nail art pens at Target I just had to have one so I could create my own custom look. I did a base coat in NYC #109 Pink Promenade Creme, added the chevron pattern with Sally Hansen's nail art pen in Neon pink, then finished it off with a shiny topcoat. It was super easy and ended up cheaper than a salon manicure (less than $1 for the base coat, and about $7 for the pen).

Speaking of pinning, are any of you guys on Pinterest? If so please leave your link in the comments! It's a highly addictive time-suck, but I absolutely love it... I have tons of inspiration folders on my desktop where I have put images in the past, but hopefully pinterest will alleviate some of that clutter... I also like it because it usually connects the images to the original source, unlike some of the other image collection sites out there. If you are interested in seeing my inspiration boards feel free to follow me here

Have a great weekend!
Genevieve

It's River Time...

2011-05-28T12:59:00.000-04:00

My Dad's kayak company has started back up again now that the weather is nice and warm here in Athens, Ga... Looking forward to river trips, live music, and cookouts this Summer. I stopped by the cabana last week and there happened to be a really fun band playing- check out Reptar...

Hope everyone has a fabulous and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!
XO,
Genevieve

The Wendy Williams Show...

2011-05-25T10:16:00.000-04:00

So what can I say about being on the Wendy show last week? It was CRAZY! Crazy fun, that is. I've never been to a taping of any type of show before so I really didn't know what to expect. I was told to get to the studio at 8am and taping would start at 10am. So, my taxi pulled up to the studio bright and early and I got out and jumped in the line that was forming in front of the building. A guy came up with a clipboard, asked my name, and checked me off his list. Then he asked me where I was from (I got a lot of that in NYC because of my accent I guess) so I told him I was from Georgia. Right after that another girl walked up in the line behind me. He asked for her name, etc. and with a puzzled look then said "Are you from Georgia too?" She had a similar Southern accent but said she was from South Carolina. The gal and I got to talking while waiting in line and turns out we had the exact same shoes on too! How weird is that? Needless to say, in a sea of New Yorkers waiting to get into the show everyone there including the producers thought that we came together.

Fast forward an hour and the crowd was shuffled into a waiting room/holding room and asked to fill out a question for the "Ask Wendy" segment. I just wrote down something lame because I couldn't think of anything and not to mention if I did have a serious problem there is no way I would broadcast it on T.V.! Well, Miss South Carolina wrote down quite a few questions and the producers ended up calling her name along with a couple of other people to go to a different area of the studio. They were asked about their questions more in depth and seated ahead of time for the live taping. Then the producers said that everyone else could enter the taping area and they would seat us accordingly.

I walked into the taping area and Miss South Carolina was sitting in the very front row with one empty seat next to her. One of the producers saw me and said "oh, here, come sit in the front, you guys are together , right?" I blabbered something about "no, we just met in line..." but the producer said "oh no worries, just sit her anyway" and Miss South Carolina motioned me over. So there I was sitting in the front row, freaking out, super excited, but thinking "oh crap, what if I'm on TV, I should have fixed my hair better this morning, I'll have to keep my legs crossed and sit completely straight so the cameras can't see up my dress, did I shave my legs?..." (Mind you, this was the day after Surtex ended so I was definitely a little out of it...).

Sorry, I'll try to speed this post up because it's getting a little long... So this really fun guy from the show came out to hype up the crowd, there was a DJ playing music, they had a big dance party on the floor before taping started, another producer came out to make us practice jumping up and down, saying "ooooh" and "aaaaaah" and clapping, and then they gave us the countdown, Wendy entered the stage and taping started...

It was nuts. I really do watch her show almost every day so to be there in person was pretty cool. Wendy is just so much fun and I really was cracking up the whole time (no forced "oooh"s and "aaaah"s and laughs from me!). But I kind of did black out when she came over and started talking to Miss Carolina and I. Oh yes, we were on the show! Again, crazy. Wendy was talking about all the Arnold Schwarzenegger drama one minute, then she looked in the audience and told Miss Carolina that she had the same wig as her. Then Wendy asked Miss South Carolina where she was from, then something like "Oh, and you came here with your friend next to you?", then we said no that we met in line, then she asked where I was from, then I gave a shoutout to Athens, Ga (oh yes I did), then I said something about our shoes matching, then they zoomed in on our feet, then I panicked again about "did I shave my legs?", then it was over... whew... and then I had to run out and catch my plane back home...

Anyway, it was a really fun time. My friend taped it for me so I got to watch it over the weekend, but here is a picture I took of the T.V. to share with you guys, ha! (and yes my dress was the same exact color as the chairs, go figure...)

Surtex 2011 Recap

2011-05-23T12:18:00.001-04:00

Whew! What a whirlwind... after months and months of planning and preparing, Surtex has come and gone. I'm still collecting my thoughts on the whole experience, but overall I'm really glad I did it. I made some solid contacts and now I'm back home working on the most important part of cementing deals, the follow-up. So, here's a little peak into what the experience was like (photos courtesy of Lauren Harrell)...

My final booth layout...

That started out like this...

Cutting and taping and putting together...

Lauren hanging the panels (couldn't have done this without her, so grateful for her company, totally made the trip a million times more fun...)

My product shelves...

My booth sign (I forgot to make a cute one, so I just taped some leftover pom-pom trim to the bottom of the one the show provided and called it a day)...

This is my favorite picture that Lauren took. She's holding the Photoshop mockup picture I brought in front of the finished booth. The booth turned out pretty much exactly how I envisioned it which was really cool... It kind of sums up one of my favorite parts about being an artist- seeing something in my head and making it come to life...

Thanks to all of you for your support along the way. I'll be sure to keep you posted on future projects that are a result from the show!

Have a great week...
XO,
Genevieve

Made it to NYC!!!

2011-05-14T07:38:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys! I had wanted to do one last post before I left but Blogger was down for a couple days. So, just dropping in on my good ole iPhone to let you know I made it to NYC safe and sound. Well, minus my bag that the airline lost (should get it today) but plus my friend Lauren (so glad she decided to hop on the plane with me!!!) so all is good in the world today. Just woke up and L and I will be headed to the convention center soon to setup the booth! I'll be sure to take lots of pics and def blog a proper post when I get home...

Cheers!
Genevieve

I heart you, Andy Cohen...

2011-05-11T22:17:00.000-04:00

So something kinda awesome happened today. I got a tweet from Friend-in-my-Head, Andy Cohen! Since I'll be in NYC this weekend, I thought I'd just put it out there that I'd really love to attend WWHL...so I tweeted mah Boo this...

...and got back this!

So we'll see what happens... either way, I can't believe he said he would check! I mean, that would be the ULTIMATE if something worked out... *fingers are crossed*... I'll keep ya posted... Plonk!

1 week and counting...

2011-05-07T19:48:00.000-04:00

Alright folks, one week from tomorrow I will be sitting in my Surtex booth in NYC. Crazy... I still can't allow myself to get excited yet, not until everything on my checklist is checked off...but I'm getting closer... My wall panels arrived *sigh of relief* and I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Although ordering them was an experience all in itself... I had called the company's customer service number to see if I could have my panels made without the grommets. The convo went a little something like this...

Customer Service Dude: (in a just-got-up-outta-bed at 3:00 in the afternoon voice) Umm, hey, yeah, umm thanks for calling ------.com
Me: Hi, I was about to order some of your panels and wanted to see if I could get them made without the grommets
CSD: Naw, that's just how they come
Me: Ok, well it looks like on your site there is a grommet in each corner, is that right?
CSD: Naw, there are holes are all around it
Me: Ok, so why does the picture online show one in each corner?
CSD: I mean, I dunno, that's just a picture on the internet
Me: Well it's on your website describing your product
CSD: Yeah, I dunno where that picture came from
Me: Can I please speak to a manager?
CSD: Um, yeah, ok, hold on... (he puts me on hold for a couple minutes)
CSD: Umm, hey, thanks for calling ------.com
Me: I was holding for a manager

CSD: Um, yeah, ok, hold on... (he puts me on hold for a few more minutes)

CSD: Umm, hey, thanks for calling ------.com

Me: Still me, Buddy!

* and then I got so mad I hung up *

BUT, the panels were so cheap compared to everywhere else (like, a lot a lot less) so I went against my better judgement and just ordered them anyway and hoped for the best. I know, it's totally true what they say, "you get what you pay for" but my Surtex budget was dwindling fast so I just had to roll with it and pray that the dude on the phone wasn't the person making the panels in a back alley somewhere. Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess.... So, I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my package almost a week earlier than promised (what?!) and the printing quality was excellent! Whew...one thing checked off the list... now on to the last twenty...

XO,

Genevieve

P.S.- and Happy Mother's Day to all you Mommas out there ♥

Back In Stock: Gypsy Bird Necklaces

2011-05-06T09:22:00.000-04:00

Good morning and Happy Friday! Just added some Gypsy Birds to the shop...

How You Doin'?

2011-05-05T19:39:00.000-04:00

I interupt my pre-show-Surtex-craziness to bring you some very important news...

I GOT A TICKET TO THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW!!!

Y'all just don't understand, this made my life. I love Wendy, she's straight up fun and I watch her show almost everyday. It's always been a life goal of mine to be on a game show, but I think being an audience member on my favorite talk show of all time will suffice. It will also be a nice treat to relax and have some fun in NYC after Surtex is over. In case you aren't familiar with Wendy, here are just a couple of reasons why I heart her...

#1 She's Crafty! Wendy frequently talks about spending down time in her "mom cave" eating snacks and crafting it up.

#2 She coined one of my favorite sayings "Friend in My Head." In fact, she was going to be my next "Friend in My Head" post since she's the original... She's also know for her phrase "How You Doin'"

#3 She likes to have fun and doesn't take things too seriously. I mean, audience member dance-offs? If you know me, you know I love a good dance-off. I've heard they also do a lot of dancin' pre-show in the audience and that Wendy watches everyone backstage while she's getting ready to go on-air. Hope I can muster up enough energy at 8 in the morning to get my dance-on...

K, back to work for me, just wanted to drop in and tell you guys the fun news!

XO,
Genevieve

2 weeks and counting...

2011-05-01T16:28:00.000-04:00

2 weeks 'til Surtex! Booth stuff is almost complete, I have a few appointments set in stone, and I am ready to get this show on the road! Now on to important things like what to wear?! I did spy these last week and had to have 'em for my trip, although there is no way I will be sporting heels at the show since I'm pretty sure I'll be on my feet all day. They're more like sippin' a NYC cocktail post-show kinda shoe, but they are cute, aren't they?

Anyway, back to business, I was excited to see my blurb in the Art and Design Licensing Source Book today. It is a European publication (hence the lovely spellings of travelled, colours, and jewellery) and it's my understanding that it will be available at Surtex and other Licensing shows coming up this year. Thanks, Art and Design!

K, off to paint, going to try and squeeze in some last minute artwork for the show...

3 weeks and counting...

2011-04-25T07:00:00.007-04:00

3 weeks and counting, no time to talk, no time to think, and I really need to quit wasting time on the internet when there's so much work to do... but then I wouldn't have found this super cute video... ➽ ♥

Easter Cupcakes

2011-04-24T12:55:00.000-04:00

I'm out the door to a family lunch, but wanted to pop in and say Happy Easter! Also, if you waited until the last minute like me, then feel free to print out these lil' bunny heads, tape them to a toothpick, stick them in cupcakes, and voila! Instant Easter dessert!

XO,
Genevieve

Happy Friday, Happy Weekend, Happy Easter!

2011-04-22T10:38:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys! Thought I'd pop in for a quick hello and share some web goodness with ya...

Love this. Pretty much sums up life right now...

Saw this video on April Cornell's Twitter this morning- beautiful fabrics and amazing to see that they are screen printed by hand!

This "Coloring Book Dress" from ModCloth is calling my name...

This song is always on heavy rotation on Sunny Days...

Enjoy your weekend and see you next week!
XO,
Genevieve

4 weeks and counting...

2011-04-18T15:44:00.000-04:00

*Gulp*, one month to go...

I'm not gonna lie, my stomach dropped a little bit when I change the number on my studio board to "4" this morning. I feel really good about the progress I've made so far for my Surtex design prep but I still have a ways to go on the big stuff (i.e. booth items, shipping details, etc.). I hope to knock a big chunk of that off the list this week so we'll see how that goes...

Oh, and there's a peek at the postcards I'm sending out to companies before the show. You might have noticed I also changed the design on my blog header and website to mimic the same (did I mention I have a website? I made myself quit procrastinating and tackle iWeb a couple of months ago to get the basics covered- it still needs a lot of work but in the meantime please let me know if you see any glitches or have any suggestions!).

Anyway, back to the postcard... Hubs just got a new truck so I talked him into hauling our furniture and a bunch of props into a nearby hay field for the photoshoot. But first I had to talk him into calling the farmer that owns the field to see if we could get permission to go out there and photograph. The convo went a little something like this, "Um, hello Mr. L, I was wondering if it would be ok if my wife and I went into your hay field. You see, she designs stuff and she needs to photograph it and she really likes your field. We can? Oh great, thank you so much!" Yeah, I'm pretty sure he thinks we are crazy people. But it worked out and I'm super pumped about the final product. Good times...

Have a great week, Everybody... ♥

5 weeks and counting...

2011-04-11T10:38:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday, Everybody! The week ahead is jam packed full of Surtex prep and the anxiety is starting to kick in as there are only 5 weeks left until showtime. 5 weeks?! Here's some stuff I have on my "to do" list for the week ahead:

• Finish up my mailing list of companies I want to contact before the show. The promo postcards I designed last week should be arriving in the mail tomorrow, so I need to get them addressed and shipped out pretty quickly. As this is my first time exhibiting at Surtex I think it's super important to get my name out there as much as I can before showtime.

• Finalize my booth panels. I found this super helpful article on panel resources and now just need to commit to the designs that I want on the walls. I feel this is an important step as I will have 5 printed panels to summarize my entire brand.

• Organize my portfolios. I have a critique/review with a friend on Wednesday (Hi, L!) so I need to get what I have so far in a presentable format. Knowing that I will be showing my work this week has also been a great push to get things done. I feel that I work best when I have a goal or deadline, so mini deadlines along the way have been super helpful to keeping me on track.

• Design, Design, Design! I feel confident about the work I have done so far, but would still like to complete a few more collections by the time I board the plane to NYC...

Whew! Think that's all for now, off to start chipping away at that list...

XO,
Genevieve

On a Country Road...

2011-04-07T22:20:00.000-04:00

This is one of the reasons I love living in the South... while taking a back country road to get to my destination two towns away, what do I come across but a real life goat parade! I just had to pull over and watch them as the whole thing was too funny/strange. They were not in a pen and followed eachother one by one through an open field, crossed a driveway, went under a fence, and made their way up a trail in the woods like it was part of their usual routine. When I asked one of the neighbors if they had gotten out/escaped she said "Nope, that's just what they do everyday." I think goats are super cute and have thought about getting one ever since this post...hmm, might need to revisit that idea again this summer...

P.S.- Wanna know a cool trick I just learned? If you want to embed a youtube video on your blog but want to start it at a different point, then add this code to the link: start=number representing the second you want the video start playing. For example, on the video below ole James is chatting it up for a good minute and a half before the song starts, so I entered start=83 after the video code so it reads like this:

Hope you guys are having a great week ☀ ☀ ☀

Things Seen in Blogland: Pretty Patterns

2011-04-03T17:04:00.000-04:00

Hello, friends! Hope you are enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday... Thought I would share some pretty patterns I've seen out in blogland ♥

Be still my Boho heart, LOVE this runner... (originally seen on knack)

Doesn't Geninne have the cutest nails ever? It reminds me of when I was younger and had painted a large flower on my big toenail. I was outside and barefoot and a butterfly kept landing on the center of it- must have thought it was a real flower- ha!

WOW. What I wouldn't give to have this bag by Leslie Oschmann (originally seen on Papaya!Blog)

Too bad I put myself on spending restriction until after Surtex because these West Elm dishes would totally be in my kitchen! (originally seen on Caitlin Creer Interiors)

See ya soon,
Genevieve

Be Free Bird Necklaces are Back!

2011-03-28T20:24:00.001-04:00

2 posts in one day? What, what?! So when I blogged about my painting today I realized that I hadn't posted my new jewelry that I had mentioned earlier... There's more to come, but thought I would go ahead and put these little ditties back in my Etsy shop. So, without further ado, my most popular item, the "Be Free Bird Necklace" is back in stock! And even better news is that I will have them on SALE for $25 until April 1st. After that they will be $32, so snatch one up while you can!

Later taters,
Genevieve ♥

Before & After Wooden Painting

2011-03-28T10:22:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday Everybody! I finally got my new painting hung in the living room and wanted to share some pictures. This whole project started with a recent trip to Hobby Lobby. At our store here in Athens they put together a row of broken merchandise that is marked down 90% off the original retail price. When I saw the section of broken mirrors I immediately thought "JACKPOT"! The pretty carved frame you see above was originally a mirror marked $199.99. Yep, I got it for a mere $19.99! After removing the broken pieces from the frame I took it to Lowes to have a piece of plywood cut to fit (cost was around $10). I used the bare unfinished wood as my canvas and painted this Indian Princess inspired piece. I couldn't be happier with the final outcome, and don't know if I'm more excited about how the painting turned out or that I only spent about $30 for the entire project! I still have a couple of frames left (I purchased 3 total), so I will be sure to let you guys know what I end up doing with the rest...

Have a great week!
Genevieve

Birthday BBQ

2011-03-26T22:48:00.000-04:00

Last night Brian's Aunt turned the big 5-0 and she hosted a lovely BBQ to celebrate. I was in charge of painting the storage building in the back so everyone who came to the party could sign it (kind of like a really huge birthday card!). There was tons of food (homemade hushpuppies OMG), family, and friends, and it was a really fun time all around. Hope all of you guys are having a great weekend too...

♥,
Genevieve

Easy Oreo Truffles

2011-03-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

Recipe from allrecipes.com

So if you know me, you know my kind of cooking/baking involves 5 ingredients or less. This recipe only has 3 which is even better, and it is super delicious. My Sis-In-Law first introduced me to Oreo Truffles over the Holidays and I made them for the first time the other day for our friend's cookout. Easy Peazy, if you love chocolate then give these a try... and if you are trying to cut back on sweets like I am, then don't even make them because you can't have just one (or two, or three...)

Enjoy!
Genevieve

Rock Candy and Sunshine

2011-03-19T11:15:00.000-04:00

1. Geode Ring by Bezaleljewels 2. Supernova Ring by MissNovemberStudio 3. Champagne Druzy Pendant by CelesteLaurenDesigns

Happy weekend, Everybody! Currently crushing on chunky rock jewelry. Aren't those pieces so pretty? We went "gem mining" the other week in North Georgia so I've been pondering what to make with the treasures I found... Anyway, it's a beautiful weekend here in Athens, Ga so here are some things I'm looking forward to today:

• Hanging a new painting I made for the living room (will share pics soon). I really need to be focused on art strictly for Surtex, but sometimes it's nice to paint just to paint, you know?

• Sitting outside and working on wooden jewelry for my neglected little Etsy shop (plan to post new listings by Monday, maybe even a promo/intro sale???)

• Going to our friends house for a cookout (love, love, love grilling outside on days like today)

What are you guys up to this weekend? ☀ ☀ ☀

M.I.A. and Maiden Braids

2011-03-17T16:49:00.000-04:00

Hi there! Sorry for being M.I.A., things are a little topsy turvy here lately- some good, some not-so-good, and such is life... Anyway, just wanted to drop in and say a quick hello! Thought I'd share my new favorite hairstyle too that I think I'll be sporting a lot of this Spring/Summer...

...and here's a tutorial if you would like to give it a whirl...

XO,
Genevieve

Skate Time...

2011-03-05T17:11:00.000-05:00

It's my birthday so we are celebrating at the skating rink tonight! Been working on my moves...

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
XO,
Genevieve

SURTEX 2011: It's Official!

2011-02-24T16:57:00.000-05:00

Wowza. Just signed the contract for one of the biggest shows in the licensing world called Surtex. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while, and now the timing is finally right.

For those of you who haven't heard of it before, Surtex is basically a show where manufacturers come from all over the world to buy and license art for their products. I will have a booth setup with my portfolio/product mockups and hope to make some great connections while I'm there. I have a couple of licensees under my belt from straight up cold calling/emailing, so it will be nice to sit in my little 8x10 space and be able to show my designs face to face. I think it's easier to build relationships with clients that way, and I am hoping that this show will really help me step it up to the next level.

I might have mentioned this before but I actually used to go to Surtex back in the day when I was an Art Director looking for new artists to work with. This will be kind of crazy being on the other side of the table, but it's cool though, I think that this is the side I'm meant to be on ;). So now I just have to buckle down and crank out some new collections before May 15th. Um, and considering it's March next week (whaaaat?!) then that means I'm really going to have to kick it into overdrive. Oh, and did I mention the show is in one of my favorite cities in the whole world? NYC, Baby!!! "New Yooooork, concrete jungle where dreams are made of...." K, well wish me luck, the craziness starts now...

XO,
Genevieve

21

2011-02-22T19:05:00.000-05:00

Adele's new album, 21 is finally here! So, SO good... And she even does a Cure cover... Dang, really wish I would have remembered when tickets for The Tabernacle went on sale- totally forgot and now it's sold out :(. Man, she's so good live, isn't she?

Inspired By Cali...

2011-02-21T19:09:00.000-05:00

Anthro Accessories

The coolest surfboard I've ever seen, designed by Heather Ross

Currently in heavy rotation, thanks to Sunshine Girl

Before & After Dress Form

2011-02-15T11:50:00.000-05:00

I am so happy with my new dress form/jewelry display! I got it last month at the Mart in Atlanta. It's hard to tell from the before picture but it was severely damaged- no base, broken top finial, and there were chunks missing out of the fabric and foam. BUT, the sign said "$20 AS IS" so I knew I had to have it and knew exactly what I was going to do with it when I got home. This project was super easy and now I have a nice new piece to display my jewelry!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody ♥ ♥ ♥

Here's a little LOVE inspiration for ya...

This pretty photograph from MarianneLoMonaco

Anthro's new wedding shop, BHLDN

This post on how to make a heart bokeh (on my 2011 to do list...)

And a little love from Nat King Cole ♥ ♥ ♥

Weekend Recap: Sunshine and New Things on the Horizon

2011-01-31T01:12:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys!

Hope y'all had a great weekend. Things here in Athens were a sunshiney 70 degrees believe it or not. So weird considering we have had snow and ice here for most of January. I've been driving around with the windows down and I really can't complain, even though part of me was secretly wishing I was in Cali for the CHA show. A whole weekend dedicated to craftiness and companies launching their latest and greatest products. Speaking of new products, there's a sneak peek of my "Boho Collection" up there that debuted at CHA with Darice! Wood and beads and jewels oh my... coming soon to stores near you... I'm so freakin excited and can't wait to do the big reveal, but just holding tight till everything is "officially" in motion...

So, until then, thought I'd share some tracks off my "Sunny Day Drivin' Mix." Just push play and pretend it's Spring again...

Marshall Tucker Band "Can't You See"
Van Morrison "Sweet Thing"
CSNY "Southern Cross"
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros "Janglin"
Florence and The Machine "Dog Days Are Over"
The Beatles "I'll Follow The Sun"

Etsy Treasury

2011-01-18T09:17:00.000-05:00

Thanks to CeramicJen for using my bird ring in her treasury. I really like the cute mix she put together.

I've got a busy design week ahead and follow ups w/ potential clients so the ole blog might be on vacay for a couple days. My trip to Atlanta couldn't have been better- I'm so excited about the things that may be happening soon with my work. But for now, y'all have a great week and I'll catch up with everyone soon...

XO,
Genevieve

Friend in My Head, Andy Cohen

2011-01-12T10:46:00.001-05:00

Ummmm, so this is what happens when I'm snowed in my house and can't leave for days! Ha! Thought I would start a new feature on here called "Friend in My Head" (the term first heard on one of my fave guilty pleasure shows, Wendy Williams). You know, it's the people you don't know, but in your head you feel like you know them and would be friends with them in real life if you did know them....

At the top of my friend list is Andy Cohen. He is totally my favorite person on TV right now. What I wouldn't give to sip martinis in his clubhouse on his aftershow and talk about the Housewives. We'd play games like "Dwight or Dwrong" and have a dance off to "Tardy for the Party." Does anyone else love these shows as much as I do, or do you all just think I'm crazy now?! Think I need to get out of the house!

Dragonfly Quilt Talk

2011-01-11T11:22:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys! Holed up in the house again for the second day in a row because of the freakish snowstorm we had this week. I am getting random things done though, like downloading pics, organizing files, and even making some new art! Not to mention watching way too many cheesy Lifetime movies and reruns on Bravo (I heart you Andy Cohen)...

Anyway, here are some pics I took from the talk at Dragonfly Quilt Shop this weekend. A big thanks to Deborah for having us, and hope everyone enjoyed it!

(Extreme closeup of Jennifer and I, and the bags of homemade chocolates I put together for the attendees)

These were my visuals I put together showing part of my design process...

...and here is Jennifer's section with some of her super cute patterns and buttons.

Happy Snow Day (again),
Genevieve

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

Baby it's cold outside! We've been holed up in the house all day as these Georgia roads are completely iced over, but we did manage to get out for a little walk... Poor Buster was pretty tuckered out by the time we got home even though I literally had to drag him back inside...

Here's to staying warm and hopefully finishing up some new art today! The big Atlanta Gift Mart is this week so I've got lots of work to do before Friday- sometimes being stuck in your house can be a good thing ;)

Weekend Plans...

2011-01-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

This Saturday my pal Jennifer and I will be giving a talk at Dragonfly Quilt Shop about the wonderful world of fabric design! Wish me luck that I don't pass out or say anything too crazy, it's been a while since I've done any type of public speaking! Should be a fun time though and I'm looking forward to this opportunity, hope to be back next week with some pictures... :)

Hello 2011

2011-01-04T12:44:00.000-05:00

New year, new possibilities. I've got some specific resolutions and goals, but overall I am striving to use this manifesto as a guide for my upcoming year. Let's do this 2011...
✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺

P.S.- also looking forward to new music this year, including this album...

Jewelry and Totes with Calypso Studios Coming Soon!

2010-12-27T16:28:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! We actually ended up getting a good amount of snow here in Athens on Christmas night which hasn't happened since 1882!

Well, I have some exciting business ventures coming up in 2011 that I can't wait to tell you about. The first one is a new licensing deal I have with Calypso Studios. They are manufacturing reusable shopping totes with my designs on them as well as a line of jewelry. I was going to wait to share this news until I had the final samples in my hands, but when I opened up the new Gifts and Decorative Accessories today I was totally surprised to see the ad below! Calypso will have the new collection available for order (wholesale to retailers) at the Atlanta Gift Show in January, so if anyone out there will be attending the show please stop by!

Atlanta Gift and Home Market
The Southern Link Showroom 1613
230 Spring Street
Building Two
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 through Wednesday, January 19, 2011

I will share more pics soon when I have samples, and maybe even try to do a little giveaway ;). Here's to a happy and prosperous 2011! Now off to work on designs for 2012...

XO,
Genevieve

Merry Christmas

2010-12-21T19:17:00.000-05:00

Wishing all of you guys a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

XO,
Genevieve

Etsy Front Page

2010-12-15T21:46:00.000-05:00

It was a nice surprise to sell a couple of brooches today as my little Etsy shop has been very bare and neglected lately! Thanks to ElleMoss for putting together this grouping that made it to the front page! Will be working on some new pieces so stay tuned... ;)

Fancy Feet

2010-12-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

With all of the parties and gatherings coming up it definitely has me thinking of sparkly shoes and accessories! My Mother-In-Law takes my husband and I shopping before Christmas every year and then wraps up what we pick out, so I have a pair of super cute black glitter heels waiting for me under the tree! Maybe "Santa" will let me open that present early so I can wear them to a Christmas party next week ;)

1. Kate Spade, 2. Ban.do, 3. Badgley Mischka

New Momma Locket

2010-12-02T19:19:00.000-05:00

My friend Angie had a baby earlier this week, so I made her this locket to give to her in the hospital. I left a spot on the inside where she can add little Winston's picture. This project was super easy to do, so if you have any friends having babies soon and need a last minute gift, here is how I made this:

1. Find a locket with a space for a bezel. These can easily be found on craft supply sites or places like Etsy. Just do a search for "Locket and Bezel."

2. Measure the space where the bezel goes, and on the computer make 2 black circles in that size.

3. Type out in white the initial of the baby's first name on one circle, and the baby's full name and birthday on the other circle.

4. Print, cut, and glue into place.

5. Cover the inside piece with Plaid's Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (it makes the design look like it is under a piece of glass). Let dry and close the locket. Repeat coverage for the front piece and let dry.

6. Add a chain and/or beads of your choice (I used an antique gold chain approximately 35" long).

There you have it, easy peazy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Weekend

2010-11-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

Gypsy Dens

2010-11-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

Kind of makes me want to run away and go live in a tree... Images found here.

Before & After Jewelry Redo

2010-11-14T18:55:00.000-05:00

Went antiquing Friday and came home with some fun finds. Redid them into new necklaces, rings, and earrings. Now the hard part is deciding whether or not to save them for Christmas presents, list them in my shop, or keep them for myself ;)

Harvest for the Homeless

2010-11-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

For all you Athens peeps, if you don't have plans for November 18th there will be good times going down at the Rialto Room to raise $ for our local Homeless Shelter. Check out www.HelpAthensHomeless.org for more info!

4 Years and Counting...

2010-11-04T20:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Anniversary, B! I heart you ♥ ♥ ♥

Cute Treasury!

2010-11-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

Thanks so much to designbirdie for featuring my ring in her treasury!

Hope y'all had a great weekend! After a less-than-stellar-week (whew, glad it's over) I'm happy to report that my weekend was pretty friggin' fantastic- fun Halloween parties, a rockin' Band of Horses show, and I received some samples from a new crafty collection I designed that will be on the market soon (promise to share more on that when I can, but let's just say that I'm SO SO SO excited about it...). It's Monday, it's a new week ahead, it's a new month ahead (November already?!), let's do this...

XO,
Genevieve

Happy Halloween Weekend!

2010-10-29T18:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween, Home-fries! Hope y'all have a fun weekend! For me it will consist of a costume party tonight (woot woot!), Band of Horses at The Fox tomorrow night (yeah!), and freelance work on Sunday (like my new feather pattern?)... oh, and a shoutout to all my fabric peeps at Quilt Market!

XO,
Genevieve ♥

GET YOUR CRAFT ON: Double Rainbow Guy Costume

2010-10-26T14:22:00.000-04:00

I thought I would share this costume I whipped up for Hubs for a Halloween party we went to recently. The materials were super cheap and it only took me about an hour or two to throw together. I started off with one of his white undershirts and a tie-dye kit I got at Wally World for about $8-$10. The kit had a couple of pictures with instructions so I went with the "Swirl" method. You basically take the center of the shirt, pinch it, and twist the shirt into a flat spiral. Then you take 3 rubberbands and wrap them around the shirt to create 6 sections. The kit came with a few colors of dye, but I chose to stick with the yellow, red, and blue and alternate the sections of color...

Next came the double rainbow part of the costume. I found a plastic headband with springs and bats for a mere $2 (if you can't find a headband like this I'm sure you could use a plain one and just hot glue springs or wire to the top). I took off the fur and the bats, leaving the plain headband and springs. Then I cut two "U" shapes for the rainbows out of solid white stiff felt. I also cut out 4 cloud shapes. I painted bands of red, yellow, and blue onto the rainbows, and then sandwiched them in between the clouds and springs (2 clouds on the front, and 2 clouds on back to hide the springs)...

Hubs threw on his Rasta-man wig and a pair of Glow-in-the-Dark glasses (that were later hijacked by his brother) and we were off to the party! Party was amazing BTW- everything was Alice in Wonderland themed and completely over the top! I might have pictures of that later to show... So what are you guys going to be for Halloween???

...and I'm sure most of you have seen these videos floating around the internet, but just in case you haven't and have no idea who the Double Rainbow Guy is, here is what started it all (the remix is priceless)...