lu lu belle

New Blog Space.

2010-03-30T10:52:00.002-04:00

Hello all.

I have finally made the jump to a new blog space. I do hope you will all follow me over here where I will begin posting today! This is something I have been meaning to do for some time and I finally found the time this week.

I have lots of new post in store and of course lots of adventures with my new husband and our menagerie of pets so please take a second to add my new blog to your feed or blog roll so you can see what I have in store.

Thanks as always,
Lindsey
http://lostandfawned.wordpress.com/

I can't get enough of: Vintage Cocktail Rings

2010-03-25T12:21:00.003-04:00

Lately on my weekend treasure hunts I have been completely drawn to vintage cocktail rings. Rhinestone cluster rings are my favorite. The Sarah Coventry Aurora Borealis ring on the right is such a treasure. They are so sparkly and make me want to go on the town Madmen style.

Here are a couple more. Anything big, sparkely and/or colorful and I have to bring it home.

Also, I love this necklace. Enamel, forest lichen and white? Ag! It's so beautiful! Check out my other vintage accessories. More are listed at the beginning of each week.

New Spring Polish Color

2010-03-24T16:33:00.003-04:00

I've been looking for a new color for my nails. I've never been one for super bright nails or classic red. I usually stick to neutrals and light pinks. For spring and summer I have been craving something different though. Putty seems to be the new "it" color for polish so I went on a hunt for the right shade for me. After perusing a lot of silvers and greys at Target I finally found "Steel Grey" by Rimmel London. It's really not so much a steel or grey, it's more of a warm putty or mushroom and even looks a little dusty lilac in some light.

Since I'm kind of pale right now but it is still pretty flattering and doesn't wash me out. I think it will look even better when I get some color on my feet. What I really love about the color though is that it is interesting but not over powering and will look with just about any outfit. I can't wait to wear it on my toes with some peep toes or sandals.

Estate Sale Treasures - Part Five

2010-03-18T16:27:00.003-04:00

Well, this isn't an estate sale find this time, we actually found this on our local craig's list. I was perusing the antiques section and as soon as I laid eyes on this vintage filing cabinet I knew we had to make it ours. It was a little on the pricier side for our purchases, but it's a huge piece (over 6' tall!) and is in really lovely condition.

Some of the drawers need to be forced open and I still need to clean it all out. I put new cardstock in the labels though I think we might tea stain the paper or somehow make it a little softer and then once it finds a permanent home and use I will use my typewriter to label the drawers.

Also, note the lamp on top. That was also an estate sale find I'm still debating on what to do with. I wish it were white (anyone know how to paint glazed ceramic?) and I need to find a nice shade for it.

My newest venture - Outrageous Dog

2010-03-01T11:05:00.002-05:00

Some of you have been wondering where I have been lately and this mysterious new venture I keep mentioning. As the official website launch is less than a month out now I feel like it's time to give you a sneak peek. My aunt and a good friend of hers have started a new business specializing in wearable art for dogs that are so pretty, you'll want to borrow them. They invited me on board and for over a month now we have been busy bees working on prototypes, nailing our market down and starting to establish our web presence. Tomorrow I will be off to Michigan for 5 days of sewing, brain storming and on Saturday to network at a dog show.

Along with a ready-made line of bridal, puppy and other specialty collars we will be holding Signature Sunday sales that feature one of a kind luxury collars like the one pictured here (featuring high quality hand-cut and sculpted flowers, guinea fowl feathers, mustard deer skin leather and velvet ribbon).

I'll have more photos and links to the official website when it launches at the beginning of April. Check back for more updates and pretty collars!

Desk Chair Project - Part Two

2010-02-20T16:08:00.003-05:00

Remember that chair I got at the estate sale for $2 I was working on re-upholstering? Well I have the bottom cushion finished after I took it apart and re-padded it (which was messier than I ever expected since the original cushion had completely disintegrated). I just pinned some fabric to the seat back for the photos, so I plan on centering that pattern better when I finished it.

I love the way it's looking! The wood on the base might need a little bit of attention, but once the back is finished I think it will be gorgeous!

PS: Still loving my Sea Pinks pumpkin pincushion. Thanks Jenny!

"Greetings" from lace-land!

2010-02-16T16:45:00.002-05:00

I've been busy busy busy with a new project I will be happy to announce once things are a bit more ironed out. I will tell you I find myself swimming in a sea of lace, pearls and fabric these days. Today I set out to make a mountain for lace rosettes and spread out in the kitchen. It all looked so pretty I had to stop and take some photos.

Don't mind my Sweethearts (they were on sale yesterday), palm and laptop. A girl has got to stay in touch and have something sweet to snack on while she works, right? Here are a couple more...

Time to make something for myself.

2010-02-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

I snagged a yard of this Joel Dewberry wood grain fabric in chartreuse when I saw it on sale. I have had my eye on it for awhile and was picking up a few things for work so I threw it in the basket (not on the company's tab of course). Not sure what I'm going to make with it yet. Any ideas?

Look what I got for Valentines Day...

2010-02-14T22:15:00.003-05:00

My wonderful, one-of-a-kind husband outdid himself this year. After we discovered this squirrel pair in Sleepy King's shop awhile back he came back to my favorites and snapped up a pair before they were gone. Their names are Bon-Bon and Belchick and they now live on our bed when we're not in it. I love them.

Vintage Brass Letterpress Necklace by GwenDelicious

2010-02-12T16:17:00.003-05:00

Just got my vintage letterpress necklace in brass from GwenDelicious after seeing them in the voter. Not only did it get here in no time at all, but it is so gorgeous! It's the first thing I own with my new initials (not to mention LF can ALSO stand for Lost & Fawned).

Check out the rest of the beautiful pieces over at her shop.

Hearts for Haiti Picks

2010-02-12T11:13:00.004-05:00

Map to my Heart Paper Garland by paperacorn for $10.

About once a day I like to go through the new handmade items listed on Hearts for Haiti. There are SO many gorgeous pieces and SO many new items listed everyday it's hard to not give. All proceeds from donated items go to Doctors Without Borders and the shop has raised $29,237.80 (after fees) as of yesterday!

They still have plenty of amazing items left and are still taking donations. So if you have some time or need to pick up a gift for someone, go on over to HeartsforHaiti and peruse the items. Bonus: all the artists have donated free shipping as well!

Here are my top picks from the current listings:

Strands of Rouge by poppyswickedgarden for $10.

Zinnia Necklace by kriya for $30.

Sterling Silver Heart Earrings by brightsmith for $16.

New Shoe Love.

2010-02-08T17:21:00.004-05:00

After the tip off from the ever fashionable Myra Callan of Twigs & Honey that Swank Boutique had marked all their Seychelles 50% off I quickly ran over and treated myself to a gorgeous pair of teal "Tippy Toes". They just got here today (SUPER FAST and free shipping!) and they are so beautiful and fit like a glove (or a sock I guess).

Seychelles are totally my go to shoe these days. I know they will fit, they look great and are withing my price range (especially on sale). I have been walking past the Target shoe section and saving my dough for pairs of these instead. I wore a pair of their seafoam green "Thank You Notes" for our wedding reception last summer.

Photos by Christina Gilchrist.

Old Standbys - Bar Keepers Friend

2010-02-01T16:49:00.004-05:00

Jared and I received a set of beautiful stainless pots and pans a year or so ago for Christmas from his parents. We were living with a roommate at the time so until recently they have been packed up in a box. I love cooking with them and they are so nice to look at. When I had trouble getting them clean and shiny I asked my Grandmother about it and she went to the cupboard and pulled out a gold can of Bar Keepers Friend.

I must have been living under a rock for my 22 years since I had never heard of it. Now I can't live without it. It's been keeping my Grandma's stainless steels pots and pans shiny and beautiful for about 40 years now and has been a staple in kitchen cupboards since 1882. If you don't have a can under your sink right now you ought to go out and grab one as it cleans just about anything (and I do mean CLEAN).

No. 4711

2010-01-29T14:27:00.005-05:00

After reminiscing with my mom about my Granny's (Great Grandma who immigrated from Germany when she was a teenager) perfume my mom surprised me by sending a bottle of it to me for valentines day. I always remember her glass bottle of No. 4711 being so pretty. It's a very light scent and has clean citrus notes to it. As soon as I got the beautiful bottle in the mail I opened it and took a big whiff. Not only does it bring back so many memories but I love it! It's not overwhelmingly floral or too strong. It's a little fruity (Jared likes fruit smells). And it just smells clean and fresh.

I think I have a new signature scent borrowed from my Granny's good taste. Thanks mom!

Valentines Day is on it's way.

2010-01-29T13:56:00.003-05:00

(Looking for Love by Irene Suchocki)

Valentines day is quickly approaching and I know it's pretty cool these days to have a cynical view of the commercial greeting card holiday, but I don't care. I love valentines day. Our 6 month anniversary since the wedding is the day after Valentines this year and we plan on going out that night to celebrate in order to avoid the crowd. I think it's fun to pick out a valentine and I got something small, cute and cheesy for Jared this year (I don't even know if he's going to like it but I think it's fun).

What are you doing to celebrate?

New Skirt Love.

2010-01-28T16:52:00.002-05:00

Bought a new skirt (and gold belt) with my 30% clearance items coupon from JCrew.com and it just got here today. I loooooove my new tortoise shell watercolor silk/wool pencil skirt with it's beautiful pleated front. I wish I had a reason to wear it all the time. I can't wait to have an office job so I can. I also picked up a denim pencil skirt and crisp white button down (since I didn't have one).

Red Raven Studios - Jewelry for Haiti Relief

2010-01-28T09:33:00.003-05:00

After seeing them in an etsy feature about shops selling for Haiti relief I fell in love with Red Raven Studio's porcelain earrings. Amy selects the most gorgeous vintage ceramic decals and artfully fires time to crisp white porcelain to create beautiful earrings, brooches, pendants and buttons. Every piece is a little different and until the 31st 100% (that's right! ONE HUNDRED PERCENT) of the proceeds from her etsy shop will go directly to UNICEF's Haiti Relief Fund.

This morning I picked up the In Flight earrings pictured above for myself. She has so many gorgeous sets though it was hard to choose. Here are some others I was considering (and may have to go back for eventually).

Stop by her etsy shop before the 31st and help her raise money for Haiti relief (and treat yourself to something pretty at the same time).

Rune Guneriussen

2010-01-27T12:16:00.002-05:00

Just a quick artist feature today. I happened upon the work of the Norwegian photographer Rune Guneriussen today and had to share. I love his photographs of telephones, chairs and especially lamps out in natural settings. There is a certain stillness to them that really speaks to me. Check out his website for more photos.

Estate Sale Treasures - Part Four

2010-01-14T09:47:00.002-05:00

Forgot one last thing I picked up last weekend at the estate sale. I had my first successful try at haggling and landed this pair of brass deer for under $10. They are pretty big, about 11 inches to their ears. The doe is a little wonky since one leg is a little shorter than the rest, but a little ball of epoxy under one foot should fix that. I haven't found a good spot for them yet. I wish I had a fireplace. The would be lovely on the hearth.

Finally got the pictures up in my studio.

2010-01-13T14:11:00.002-05:00

Took an hour or so getting the pictures up on the wall above my desk. Got the two paintings and baroque mirror at estate sales. Also snagged that vintage photo at a thrift store and put up a photo from our wedding reception my brother in law took during the beach bonfire (my dress smells a little smokey to this day). Also put up my linen calender after I threw a hem around the edges. Didn't take a lot of time but it really goes a long way in making the room feel more like a room.

Currently I'm working on a pillow sham for our sofa made of felt and one of my granny's vintage doilies. It's nice to take a day getting all the projects done I have been meaning to do for ages. More progress photos tomorrow.

DIY - Vintage Plate Wall Clock

2010-01-13T11:45:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to finishing some projects up today that I've been wanting to do for awhile. A couple years ago I got this vintage plate at a thrift store for 30 cents. I loved the folk inspired farm scene and lovely yellow color. I used it to hold keys in my dorm and decided I wanted to find a more useful purpose for it.

I got out my handy Dremmel and bought a ceramic and glass drill bit for it at Lowes for a couple dollars. Picked up a clock motion at Walmart for $6 and once I found the center of the plate it just took a few minutes of drilling and screwing the motion into place and voila! I have a wall clock! Here are a couple more photos:

If you have any questions regarding this project, feel free to post them and I would be happy to update with the answers.

Desk Chair Project - Part One

2010-01-12T11:10:00.003-05:00

So I'm starting my journey on my first real upholstery project. In the past I have recovered chair cushions, simple new padding, cover and staple projects. This time I decided to try something a little more advance. I'm getting a pile of books out of the library and I think the office chair I got from the estate sale will be the perfect simple job to practice on.

This morning I bought yardage of Amy Bulter's Primrose in grey from her Nigella line (which is a medium weight decor fabric) and I'm waiting for a good sale to buy padding from Joanne's. I think the fabric will look really beautiful with the wood base and seat back.

I'm pretty excited. I hope it works out and I have a feeling it will take awhile to finish (I'll wait weeks for the right price on the padding) but I'll keep you posted on the progress. Anyone out there do any upholstering? Share you tips and projects!

Estate Sale Treasures - Part Three

2010-01-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

This next treasure I almost missed! It was in the garage and had a pile of tins stacked on top of it. The stencil on the inside is dated 1943 and it's a military (most likely Ammo) trunk. There are a couple partitions on the inside and at only $7 it's been added to our vintage trunk collection. I don't know where we are going to put it yet, but for now it's in the dining room corner.

One more set this afternoon! I told you we found a lot of stuff.

Estate Sale Treasures - Part Two

2010-01-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

The next piece we found was Jared's discovery. Within the year he will hopefully be working from home and we're slowly buying pieces to build him an amazing home office. We found this fire-proof vintage filing cabinet for $35 and though it took a couple minutes to figure out how to open in (I wish I could show you the mechanics of how the drawers work) it's a pretty amazing piece. Plus, you can't get a new filing cabinet for under $50 these days and this one is built to last. I love the Telefacts emblem on the front as well.

We also got that drawer organizer on the coffee table in the foreground at the sale this weekend for a $1! It holds our remote control, coasters (from Peppersprouts) and library books and DVD's.

PS: Remember the lamps I got at an estate sale last fall? One is on top of the filing cabinet in the first photo. For now it just has a linen drum shade from walmart on it and it looks infinitely better.

Estate Sale Treasures - Part One

2010-01-11T11:07:00.003-05:00

This weekend Jared and I hit up another estate sale on Saturday and got some fantastic deals. I figured I would share them today in a series of posts.

The first one is this amazing office chair. I am currently using a $12 Ikea desk chair that I got in college and is just about on it's last leg. We found Jared's amazing mid-century chrome and orange velor desk chair at an estate sale and have been on the hunt for one for me. We found this one this weekend for (wait for it....) $2! I love the chunky solid wood base and giant screw. It needs to be reupholstered and new padding (which I plan on doing myself) but it's in great condition otherwise. It looks to have been owned by someone named Alice at some point. I think I'll leave the label right where it is.

More estate sale finds coming throughout the day! We really made out well this weekend.

Pomlimoss Treasury

2010-01-07T21:45:00.003-05:00

I was honored to discover I'm a part of this gorgeous treasury by Xenotees! I love everything in it and the combo of colors and shapes is so beautifully balanced. If you have a second drop in and give the curator some love!

Featured:

Treasury Feature - Fit for a Princess

2010-01-07T14:10:00.002-05:00

I am fortunate enough to be included in this gorgeous treasury this week. I love these icy shades of princess pink. If you have a second head over to the treasury and leave some love for the artists and wonderful curator TheVintagePatisserie who also has a beautiful shop.

Featured:

I'm going to try and feature more beautiful treasuries from now on. I've fallen in love with the whole idea and process and I think there are so many gorgeous and inspiring collections.

I'm living in this henley.

2010-01-07T14:00:00.001-05:00

I ordered one of these henleys for a friend this Christmas and loved it so much I got one for myself in Asphalt. I'm practically living in it this January. I have my eye on some of the Blonde Peacock's cami and panty sets well. They came beautifully packaged and the print is so pretty. It's the perfect "cozy in the house" shirt with a pair of jeans or even just some yoga pants.

My new Rosetung Cowl

2010-01-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

Today is the last day of the winter break sale at Rosetung's beautiful shop. I bought this gorgeous virgin wool cowl in pebble and I am in love. It is the warmest, most gorgeous cowl I've ever seen. I wear it around the house when I want to feel cozy and in the middle of this miserable Ohio winter it has kept my neck toasty warm when I run to the post office.

Additionally, she is so sweet and helpful. Help her clear out her stash before she has to travel back to school and buy one of her beautiful cowls! Check out her etsy store for all the amazing deals.

My Oh My Cavalier Fox

2010-01-05T15:13:00.002-05:00

Ordered two prints from Julianna Swaney of Oh My Cavalier! and I could not be more pleased. I got the Fox Tea print and as soon as I got it in the mail I knew it needed and oval frame. I found this one at Big Lots (who surprisingly has great frames for CHEAP) and have it in the entrance right now. It is so charming and makes me smile every time I see him.

Check out Julianna's shop for more beautiful prints and brooches (which I have my eye on) or her blog for more of her drawings.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-04T08:59:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010 everyone! I hope you all had a lovely holiday and weekend! Jared and I spent the weekend at home on the sofa playing Monsters, eating sweet mints (on Christmas sale) and filling frames with art.

I wanted to share our first wedding photos to go into a frame. Our photographer, Christina Gilchrist took some Polaroids as props for photos and after the wedding she was sweet enough to send them my way. I couldn't resist hanging one up. I found this shadow box at Big Lots of all places for $7 and cut a map out of a vintage atlas and put it in instead of the mat it came with. I'm quite smitten with it and I'm now in search of the right place to put it.

Anyways, thank you for your continued support and comments! I hope the next year is filled with exciting adventures for our little family. Have a wonderful new year!

Christmas at the Fowler House 2009.

2009-12-28T16:05:00.004-05:00

Jared and I had a quiet Christmas together for our very first Christmas as a married couple. We woke up a little late, let Logan open up his gift first (the biggest rawhide we could find) and then exchanged gifts and stockings full of toothbrushes and deodorant. The big surprise of the year was a sleeping bear bean bag for our living room from Jared that he got from Chic in Design Dot Com! It's super comfortable and so cute in the corner of our living room.

Logan's eyes were so big when he figured out that it was in fact a real rawhide and nomed on it the rest of the morning while we got ready to go to my Grandparent's house for Christmas dinner.

Other etsy gifts this year was:

I am a Ninja hoodie from Steppie for Jared from me.
Handstitched Leather Wallet by Office of Minor Details for Jared from me.
Snow Owl Print by Sharon Montrose for me from Jared.
Happy Sloth Necklace by Mary Mary Handmade for me from my sister in law.
Frames with wedding photos from DA Custom Frames for all our parent's and grandparent.
Oriel Earrings in Mint by Lost & Fawned for Jared's mom from us.
Bird Henley by Blonde Peacock for our sister in law's girlfriend from us.

It was a very etsy Christmas around here. :) Hope you all had a lovely holiday!

Holiday Decor - Our Apartment

2009-12-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

Jared and I bought our first tree last weekend. Everyone was sold out of lights so we finally got some the other night and decorated. I made some little acorn ornaments from acorn tops outside our apartment. I think they turned out pretty cute. Jared loves them.

Our stockings came out pretty well. I used the left over Skinny Laminx fabric from our telephone table and backed them with linen. I also made some felt garland for the kithen window (see it in the background of the photo below?).

I also finally got around to hanging our letterpress type drawer and start filling it with my little knick knack collection. I need to find the rest. They seem to have gotten misplaced in the move.

I'm pretty happy with our quiet christmas decorations. Our new furniture should be here this week! Then it will really feel like a home. I'm having new danish modern legs made for the sofa in January. I'm really excited about it.

Christmas came early this year.

2009-12-16T11:59:00.002-05:00

Jared decided there were a couple gifts I would want to use as we got ready for Christmas this year. He was right! He game me my new limited edition plaid Gingher fabric sheers first. I LOVE them and they are so much better than the crappy ones I've been using forever. I used them to make our new stockings first. I'll have photos of those later.

Next he gave me a large box wrapped in these adorable Zakka Japanese linens. He picked out a bunch of adorable fat quarters I can't wait to use on some little projects for the kitchen and maybe a little coin purse for me.

In the box was a special something I'll post later. It's AMAZING and I never expected I would have one so soon! I'm so excited. I'll give you a clue... it's pistachio green.

Setting up my new space.

2009-12-08T13:37:00.002-05:00

I've been busy busy busy moving into our new apartment and today I am nearly finished setting up my new work space. I need to sew a new cover for Logan's "den" as well as a new cover for the birdies but generally it's coming along quite well. I think I have set up a nice spot to photograph pieces and it's pretty well organized (with the exception of the closet which I'm setting aside for another day).

Meet my shipping and handling "department". A pear crate I found at an estate sale fits shipping envelopes and jewelry boxes quite snugly.

My cheering squad has been moved to the office from the bedroom and they seem to be pretty happy with their new home. Logan is learning to leave them alone and loves watching them (sometimes he gets a tad too excited and needs to walk away for awhile).

Meet our flock of finches, 3 of which we hatched ourselves). Pictured are Fred and Ron (the boys with the red cheeks) and Jane and Lydia (the two light colored girls in the left photo). I believe that is Olive's tail that is poking into the frame. They were very curious about camera.

My fabric collection needs to be organized as well. Right now it is on my cart in the corner covered with a sheet of linen I use to photograph. I haven't decided how to organize it yet. Perhaps I need another shelf. Any ideas?

So that's about it. My desk is a mess so it was omitted from this photo drop. Back to work for me! Have a lovely afternoon everyone!

Moving is time consuming.

2009-12-07T17:03:00.003-05:00

(Vintage Book Bundle No. 2 from Lost & Fawned HOME.)

Sorry I've been so MIA lately. Moving is taking it's toll and between unpacking and the holiday rush I've hardly had time to get anything done. I will try to get better about it. I'm off to start cooking dinner and going to finally do some grocery shopping tonight (we're having Jared's parents over for dinner Wednesday and we're planning on serving Pesto Salmon). A few orders are also going out tonight.

Exciting things...

2009-12-04T11:10:00.005-05:00

So we are nearly officially moved into our new apartment. We started sleeping here a couple nights ago and tomorrow we will move the rest of our stuff out of storage and 100% be out of the old place. We are waiting for our sofa and living room furniture to be delivered but it SHOULD be here before Christmas at least. The kitchen is about the only room that looks like a real home so I spend most of my day in there working. I'll post more photos when it's looking less sparse and more home-like.

Also, Jared and I frequent a local pet store to get all Logan's food and such and for 3 months now they have had this one bunny. Every time we would go in we would visit him and marvel that no one have taken him home yet. Last night we went in to get Logan a new collar and walked out with a rabbit. Meet Col. Brandon, our new bun.

Successful Ikea Trip

2009-11-30T09:45:00.005-05:00

Jared and I trekked down to Ikea in Pittsburgh this weekend after we picked up our new keys! We got there before they opened on Sunday morning and they were serving free breakfast for black friday weekend. We knew we wanted the Nordmyra chairs and were unsure how many they had left so as soon as they opened we raced through the marketplace and into the warehouse. We grabbed out chairs packed them in the car and then made our way through the store more leisurely.

We managed to also get the Bjorkudden table as well and got the "seize the deal" for the day grabbing up a gorgeous kitchen caddy that was originally $60 for $20!
To set our table we picked up the Dinera set in gray-blue as well as the cups and saucers to match. We also grabbed the Fornuft flatware set and some glasses. We have all the basics now and I can't wait to pair them with my new mid century place mats and trivets I treated myself to.
My fabric should arrive this week from South Africa for my telephone table. I'll be sure to post before and after photos as soon as it's finished. I'm so excited to get it finished. We are trying to decide what to do about a sofa. Our living room may be a little empty for awhile. We'll see.

I'll be sure to post pictures when everything is moved in and ready!

Pumpkin Pie by Amber Alexander

2009-11-25T16:43:00.002-05:00

One last post before I sign off until Monday! I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Thanksgiving (even those of you outside the US). Relax, eat lots of turkey and spend some time with your loved ones. Remember my sales and free shipping while you start your holiday shopping this weekend.

I love this print by Amber Alexander. It totally reminds me of my husband. Pumpkin pie is his favorite and he gets the same look of quiet contentment when he gets a slice of his mom's pumpkin pie. Find more of her prints in her etsy store.

Holiday Kick-Off Sale Begins!

2009-11-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

That's right everyone! Last night I sat in bed and knocked the shipping off all jewelry in my shop and tagged them all. I also added a bunch of items to the Holiday Sale section and will continue to add new pieces in there over the course of the sale.

I'm also still running my free pair of Margaux studs offer throughout the sale for orders over $25! Get your holiday gifts and a little something for yourself!

Things are starting to fly off the virtual shelves so make sure you stop in and order by Monday so you get free shipping! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

"Black Friday" FREE SHIPPING

2009-11-20T13:15:00.004-05:00

To kick off the official start of holiday shopping I'll be offering free shipping to US customers on all jewelry orders from my shop from Wednesday the 25th through Monday the 30th (at midnight)! Shipping will be refunded after purchase in full.

I will also be continuing to offer my free pair of Margaux Studs with all purchases over $25 as well. So shop with me and get a little something extra for you or a lucky giftee!

Also be sure to check out my limited edition deluxe holiday gift bags that can be added to your order for it to be wrapped in a beautiful handmade gift bag! Make things a little easier for yourself and have your gifts arrive at your door wrapped and ready to go! (All purchases do come in a box as well)

Happy Holidays shoppers!

Animals by Sharon Montrose

2009-11-20T11:14:00.003-05:00

I love my husband. And I love when our styles come together and meet in the middle. The other day he sent me a link to Sharon Montronse's shop, which I had been eyeing for months. He loved the idea of her reindeer photo as a holiday decoration (I was naturally so proud of his good taste). Yesterday he picked up there two prints for our new place. The reindeer we'll put up for the holidays and we plan on expanding our creature collection ever season with a new animal. I haven't decided if I want to group them year round or if I want to switch the creature with the season.

Regardless I am SO excited to be the proud owners of some of her beautiful prints. Make sure you check out her etsy shop and beautiful website for more of her critters.

Mellow Working Wednesday Playlist

2009-11-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

Just put together a few songs to play while you work this Wednesday. It's pretty mellow but it's a nice list to craft to or drain out the chaos of a desk job. I have a long day ahead of me and I'll be needing music to get me though the day. Hope you enjoy it!

New Pin Cushion Caddy from "Seams to Me"

2009-11-17T13:51:00.002-05:00

In order to play with all the new beautiful fabric I bought I got a WHOLE bunch of books out from our local library. Poor Jared had to pick them all up and carry them home for me. He's such a champ. I'm having so much fun making little projects for myself to practice and HAD to share this project with your from the book Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing by Anna Maria Horner. The whole book is full of beautiful projects and helpful tips. This was my first project out of the book and while it gave me a little trouble (I'm about an intermediate sewer) I love the way it turned out.

It's a little pin cushion caddy for all your sewing goods and lots of room for your pins. I've found it's perfect to keep next to your machine with your threaded bobbins and thread snips. Make sure if you try this project to get really stiff interfacing for the inside of the tube or use a piece of stif board (I used a piece of a cereal box) before you stuff it. I used scraps of fabric for the outer ball and some of my new Amy Butler Love fabric for the rest.

Currently in the works is a fabric basket for our mail. I've done a few practice drafts and have some linen on order for the real one. I'll make sure to post photos of it when it's finished done. In the mean time, go pick up Seams to Me from the library or order it. Happy sewing.

Numbers.

2009-11-16T12:55:00.003-05:00

(Oriel Earrings in Rosy Pink from Lost & Fawned.)

Just wanted to do a quick little number post as things have been going well and and I have some milestones on the horizon...

101 Blog Followers: Thank you!
399 Twitter Followers: One more until 400!
179 Sales: 21 until 200 sales!
939 Shop Hearts: 61 until 1000!

Thanks to everyone who has supported me and Lost & Fawned. Lots of exciting things on the way! I love you all!

Lindsey

New Lamps & a New Apartment

2009-11-16T10:38:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to share a recent estate sale find that is one of my new favorites. We found these lamp bases at an estate sale for $4.50 a piece! I love the buttery yellow (they will go with my new felt pillow!) and the shape. I'm trying to decide if I want to put a crisp white shade on them or something with a bold contemporary pattern. I think they will probably go in my office or maybe in our bedroom. We'll see.

Also, Jared and I got approved to move into a new apartment! We went looking this weekend and found a little place that takes dogs and is in our price range so for the time being we will be there until I find a job. We are pretty excited. We'll be moving in the first weekend in December and will be driving to ikea to furnish a couple rooms the weekend after. I am so antsy and would move in tomorrow if we could! I'll be sure to post photos when we're all settled in.

I want to learn to crochet for two reasons.

2009-11-13T10:09:00.004-05:00

(Photos from Yvestown Blog.)

First I'm tempted by those adorable amigurumi animals I'm seeing everywhere right now. We just bought a giraffe for our niece. I was looking at amigurumi books last night on amazon and when I wake up this morning and check my feed I find this tutorial from Yvestown. It's a sign. I hear if you are bad a knitting, crocheting comes easier. Any personal experiences? Tips?

DIY Results - Felt Rosette Pillow

2009-11-11T11:07:00.002-05:00

So I finished my felt rosette pillow I mentioned yesterday. It was very time consuming, and I ended up making the rosettes a bit more dense (probably used more like 80 circles instead of 60) but I love how it turned out. It was a nice project to do in front of the TV since it was so repetitive. I also added a pillow sham overlapped back instead of a zipper. I can't wait to put it on the lounge chair in my new studio. I may save this idea for a gift this Christmas for someone.

It probably took about 5 hours total and I worked at a leisure pace. I used vintage felt from an estate sale so the whole project cost me maybe $2.50 (including the DIY pillow form).

The tutorial can be found here and check out Kathleen from Twig's & Thistle's version here. If you give it a try I would LOVE to see how yours turn out!

I also didn't have a pillow form this size handy so I made one out of an old sheet and some stuffing. It turned out just as cute! Since the felt is so thick you can use a pattern underneath and it doesn't show through.

Lost & Fawned Bridal Party

2009-11-10T14:16:00.003-05:00

Earlier this summer I worked with a bride named Jessica to create some custom Jill Earrings for her bridesmaids. I loved the marbleized pink Czech glass beads we used and I was SO excited when she sent me some photos this morning! Jessica looks just gorgeous and the earrings looked perfect with her bridesmaid gowns and the pink roses. Congratulations to Jessica and her husband!

Her photographer was Mike Sidney out of Maui. Check out his website for more beautiful Hawaiian weddings.

Today's Project: Felt Rosette Pillow

2009-11-10T10:10:00.004-05:00

I saw this tutorial from Anne Kyrrö Quinn on Etsy's Storque awhile ago. It's a project featured in her fabulous book Felt Furnishings. I thought it was so beautiful and this morning when I woke up and check my feed I saw Kathleen of Twigs & Thistle's version and was inspired to give it a go myself. I happened to pick up a box of vintage felt at an estate sale a few weeks ago and just pulled out a lovely buttery yellow that will go beautifully with my new lamps I picked up this weekend. I think I'll modify it to be a sham rather than a zippered cover and I'm considering backing it with a pretty print.

I'll make sure to post photos when I finish! I've already got half of the rosettes cut out and hope to have those sewn on by the end of the day. I'll need to pick up a pillow form next weekend.

Good Morning Monday.

2009-11-09T09:21:00.003-05:00

I'm having a hard time getting going this Monday so I figured I would share this adorable new etsy shop. You won't be able to help smiling when you see Christine Weed's Dogs in Ties collection. These two are some of my personal favorites but there are so many more that are just as sweet. Check out her shop for more.

Hope this brings a little sunshine to your Monday morning!

Christmas Time in Stow Craft Show

2009-11-04T16:52:00.002-05:00

Want to see me in person? I'll be selling at the annual Christmas Time in Stow Craft Show in Stow, Ohio this weekend! I've been busy preparing all week and I'm so excited to do my first craft show since I graduated!

There is no entrance fee and it's on Saturday, November 7th from 9am to 4pm at the United Methodist Church. There will be a variety of Christmas crafts and gifts and food of course. Stop by and say 'hi' if you are in the northern Ohio area!

Now on Flickr!

2009-11-04T12:58:00.002-05:00

I've been taking pretty pictures since I was in high school but lately I've been really playing around with my camera. So I've finally started up a proper flickr account! Check out my photostream and add me as a contact! I would love to know what you think and see your lovely photos as well! There are so many super talented photographers on the site. I've really been enjoying browsing galleries and admiring other people's work.

Also, new pieces come to my etsy shop! Lots more early next week after the craft show!

Coming to Lost & Fawned this winter - Clutches

2009-11-04T10:35:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to you give you all a heads up! Coming this winter I will be adding framed clutches and other bags and sewn goods to the Lost & Fawned line! I'm so excited to finally put my love of fabric to good use! I've been stocking up on beautiful Heather Ross, Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry and vintage fabrics and perfecting my technique.

Ideally I would like to have them out by Christmas, but I think it's more likely you will start seeing them around the new year. I am so very excited to share this news with you all!

What do you do to get in a creative mood?

2009-11-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

"My Muse" Photo by The Blue Balloon (aka winter_mitts on Twitter).

Last week I had one day where I was just struggling to get in a creative and productive mood. To remedy it I went and took a shower and put on some clean clothes. For some reason I just can't get down to business and really work if I feel gross or really frumpy. I started thinking about how funny it was that we all seem to have our quirks.

I tweeted about it and asked my followers to tell me what they do to get in a creative or productive mood. It was really interesting to see the responses roll in.

heartsabustin2
Get off the computer. ROFLOL

thriftonista
Taking a walk and just being in nature tends to be very inspiring. Or going to a museum or art gallery.

winter_mitts
Tea and music!

EdinaVintage
-I find watching TV really unproductive, so if it's on I always try to have something else to do with my itchy fingers!
-also, I never fail to be inspired by the awesome stuff other people create! Etsy is a mine of ideas and inspiration!

missHinterland
Definitely coffee and reading a few passages of poetry. Words always make me feel creative.

yourluckyduck
I look at color schemes, I browse brand name websites (gap, anthropologie, etc) for trendy items, I browse Etsy stores...

TheMissinThread
What helps me get in a creative mood is having my house all clean, then I can relax with a nice cup of coffee and create!

gogovivi
I turn on This American Life. Always works for me.

So what gets your creative juices flowing? Post it here in the response or tweet me about it! Next time I'm feeling like I'm in a creative slump I'll probably take a look at this list again and try some of these out.

Oh My Cavalier - By Julianna Swaney

2009-11-02T14:04:00.004-05:00

I have a new favorite artist. For some reason her Victorian ladies and little creatures really speak to me. I love the subdued colors and the way she seems to combine simple almost child-like forms with really ornate costumes and floral motifs. PLUS she doesn't just turn her pieces into prints but also beautiful brooches and her little mechanical animals. Check out her beautiful etsy shop for more. I'm dying for one of her beautiful prints for my studio for Christmas.

Sweet Stocking Stuffers: Nostalgia Organics

2009-10-27T10:56:00.004-04:00

A few days ago I stumbled on the sweetest little gift while browsing soaps on etsy. These adorable little bundles from Nostalgia are made with the end in mind. Not only is the packaging so cute and the soap scrumptious, but the label unfolds into a pattern for, in this case, the sweetest little strawberry pincushion that you make from the limited edition patterned bag! The pattern and fabric changes seasonally including a little chicken egg cozy and soft doggie.

The whole product is so thoughtful and well executed. The patterns seem simple enough I could give them to my non-crafty friends and family and they would still be able to create them. I know what I'll be giving as hostess gifts this year.

I may order some of these soaps just for the packaging and custom printed fabric. The lovely smelling soap is like icing on the cake! Just flawless. Did I mention they have beautiful tins of perfume balms and other soaps? Visit their shop, website or lovely blog for more information and pretty things!

New Treasury - Autumn Rose

2009-10-22T14:45:00.003-04:00

Spent a little time this afternoon putting together a lovely autumn treasury featuring shades of rosy pink and ivory. I quite like this one though it was surprisingly difficult to find items in these colors that felt autumnal. I quite like the way it turned out though. If you have a second head on over here and give the artists some love.

Featured Artists:
1. Oh My Cavalier 2. Sea Pinks 3. Three Fish Shop 4. Emma Lynne 5. Sweet Petula 6. New Fashioned Whispers 7. Lunar Belle 8. Angelic Folk 9. Washimatta 10. Lynda Naranjo 11. Karlita 12. Imagine Art 7

Holiday Wishes 2009: Chunky Handknit Accessories

2009-10-22T10:00:00.001-04:00

Another thing I'm loving this year are really chunky hand knit hats, gloves, arm warmers and scarves, especially in beautiful colors. I've had my eye on this gorgeous yellow hat by iLE AiYE for months! The color is just divine and at only $25 how can you go wrong? Here are some more chunky knits for the looming winter chill...

(Cream Bobbly Arm Warmers with Bow by Dolly Knits.)

(Large Bubble Cowl in Rust by Oh Ashley Love.)

Spice Cupcakes.

2009-10-21T15:53:00.004-04:00

Spent the afternoon baking some spice cupcakes and playing with our new mechanical pastry bag from William Sonoma. Added some store bought cream cheese frosting on top and sprinkled a little cinnamon on top for added spice. The sweet plaid pink liners are from Hey Yo Yo on etsy. They turned out so delicious and so pretty! I think I'll make them again for a christmas party of thanksgiving.

Holiday Wishes 2009: Desk Critters

2009-10-21T10:31:00.003-04:00

At the top of my holiday list this year is some little critters to hide behind my supplies on my desk. I've been seeing them all over the place on etsy and elsewhere and love the idea of hiding them around my studio to cheer me up this winter. I can pretend they've come inside to escape the cold. There little squirrels from BROOKLYNrehab are my favorites. Here are a few more that are adorable.

(3 Miniature Forest Animals from k g a b b y.)

(Tiny Hamster Vase from Pretty Random Objects.)

I want everything from Pretty Random Objects! I've been lusting after their bird and bear vases all year. I just want to plop a daisy or wild flower from the yard in the top of the bear's head. I know I would smile every time I looked at it.

Stay tuned for more items and trends off my own holiday wish list.

New Lost & Fawned Pieces

2009-10-19T17:05:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to let you all know I'm in the process of revamping the shop and I'll be including lots of new pieces over the course of the next couple weeks. I just finished these today and I just love them. Meet my Darling Marie earrings, which feature a vintage hand painted glass cameo with a portrait of Marie Antoinette.

Don't forget the free gift for the holidays! Make sure to check back for more new goodies at Lost & Fawned.

Lost & Fawned Holiday Gift

2009-10-19T10:05:00.003-04:00

As a thank you to all my Lost & Fawned shoppers, I'm offering a gift to you when you do your holiday shopping with me! I'll be giving away a free pair of vintage Margaux Studs with every purchase over $25 from now until December 26th, 2009. That's right! Get your holiday shopping done and get a little something for yourself!

My Margaux studs have been so popular and I personally wear my pair almost every other day (they are truly my "go to" earring when I have nothing to wear) that I just HAVE to share them with all of you!

I'll be stocking my store daily with new goodies (including some GORGEOUS new topaz pieces I can't WAIT to share) so make sure you check back in to see what's new! I've also been lowering prices for the holidays on almost all of my pieces! I do offer gift wrapping options and combined shipping with our home division so make sure you pop in!

I hope you all have a happy and merry holiday season!
Lindsey Lu

Treasury Sunday - Cream, Gold & Gray

2009-10-18T13:32:00.003-04:00

I think I'll be making this a new segment every week (if I can time it right!). I was fortunate enough to be featured in this gem of a treasury this weekend by Stylinstuff. I just love the soft, neutral palette and how it makes you feel cozy and warm. Head on over to the treasury and give the artists some love! This would make a beautiful front page!

Featured:
1. Planetfur 2. Cottagefarm 3. Pilosale 4. Lostandfawned 5. Subrosa123 6. Forstrangewomen 7. Halpal28 8. Vart 9. Elisabethbentz 10. Acpetrille 11. FreshlySkweezed 12. Staroftheeast

Early Winter in Red & Blue - A Treasury/Front Page

2009-10-17T10:20:00.003-04:00

Yesterday at 2PM my treasury was featured on the front page. The inspiration came from the two red doors included, but morphed into an interpretation of late fall/early winter in the nontraditional combination of red and blue. I love how it turned out! It's fun and bright but also warm and cozy. I've been lusting over that rug for ages now. *Sigh*

Featured:
1. Yeoldestuff 2. Thelittlereddoor 3. Highstreetmarket 4. Sweetlovevintage 5. Mickieandbetty 6. Crankheartpony 7. Kittynel 8. Snowfish 9. Snappyfishvintage 10. sushpie 11. Roxycreations 12. ThatSomething

Stockings by Plum Cushion

2009-10-16T12:35:00.002-04:00

I just saw one of Plum Cushion's beautiful stockings on the front page of etsy just now. Upon further investigation I had to share her beautiful shop. He fabric choices and combination are so creative, tasteful and classy. I'm so into non-traditional colors and patterns for the holidays. I'm so inspired by her beautiful shop I think it's time I get back behind my sewing machine.

Here are some of my favorites! Any of these would be so fun to mix and match though! Now only to find where to hang some stockings this year since we have no fireplace!

Star Garland by Paloma's Nest

2009-10-15T17:28:00.004-04:00

I just discovered Paloma's Nest's new Star of Wonder Garland for the holidays this year! I can't even tell you how much love it! The the naked wood is perfectly subtle. It's not over the top or too "christmasy".

Check our their shop for more beautiful Christmas ornaments, gift bags, gift tags and other holiday goodies. I know we'll be hanging our beautiful ring bowl from the wedding on our first Christmas tree. Much love to everyone at Paloma's Nest for making more beautiful things for me to lust after this holiday!

Trick-or-Treat Alternatives

2009-10-15T11:00:00.001-04:00

(Tops and photo by Goose Grease)

Halloween is fast approaching and we'll soon be gearing up to hand out treats to the neighborhood kids. Tired of giving candy? There are some great candy alternatives out there to consider.

I love these handmade tops from Goose Grease! They are so reminiscent of vintage toys and will certainly stand out in the neighborhood! At $20 for 20, they are pretty competitive with premium candy bar pricing!
Back in the day my grandparents used to open their garage, put some decorations up and serve warm cider and cake donuts to the kids. They also had hot coffee for the parents and often times parents would stay warm in the garage while their kids hit a couple houses near by. It was a great way to get to know the neighbors and throw a mini halloween party.
Host a halloween craft in the front yard! Set up a picnic table with all the materials to make halloween colored friendship bracelets, masks, treat bags, something that doesn't take too long to put together. Put on a costume and help the kids make something themselves!

Any other ideas? Post them here and help some other people out! Have a happy and safe halloween!

Things I'm Loving - Vintage Brass Cuffs

2009-10-14T12:56:00.004-04:00

I'm recently fallen in love with vintage brass cuffs and have started stocking them in Lost & Fawned to share the love. I've never really been able to wear cuffs since I have petite wrists and most in stores are too big for me. But I am finding that the vintage cuffs come in slightly smaller sizes so I can wear them without worrying that the overwhelm my hand.

I currently have two styles in stock, the Ines and Aimee. I'm on the hunt for more but I just wanted to share these beauties with all of you. My new favorite accessory for this autumn and winter for sure. Happy shopping everyone!

Handmade Budget Living

2009-10-14T10:48:00.004-04:00

(Photo and towels by Athena Creates)

Jared and I have decided to start a new budget lifestyle. We have some new goals (including owning our own home) that require us to start saving some money (and in this economy who couldn't use a little extra money?). I've been scowering etsy for handmade ideas to save money and save the environment. Here are some things I have found and we will be putting into practice:

Skip the paper towels and start using washable rags (think old t-shirts, vintage wash rags from the thrift store, etc.) or re-usuable towels like the ones in the photo above by Athena Creates to clean your kitchens, bathrooms and messes. Families spend hundreds of dollars on paper towels every year. Spend $10-$30 on a set for your family and keep them for years to come.
Same with napkins at the dinner table. Invest in some pretty cloth napkins like these by olofsdaughters or make them yourself with this tutorial from Design*Sponge (it's easy! I made over 150 for our wedding this summer!).
Pet owners, make you're own dog toys! Get creative and make it out of clothes you're going to donate anyways. One of Logan's favorite toys was a tug toy we made out of Jared's old jeans. Or if you're not crafty buy a quality handmade toy for a fraction of the price you find them for at chain pet stores like these tugs from Rescue Me Tugz. Bonus points since a portion of the proceeds go to Great Dane Rescue!
Prevent heat from escaping your home this winter under drafty doors and windows. Pick up some draft stoppers like the ones by Ogsplosh or make your own with this tutorial.
Save more on heat by turning the thermostat down at night and curling up under a nice heavy quilt. Quilts like this one make great gifts too. This one by SFO Quilter would be a great heirloom piece.
This holiday season give vintage or handmade! Support other etsians and make their holiday's a little cheerier. Make sure when people open the gifts you inform them where it came from and spread the handmade word!

What are you doing this fall to save money? I want to hear your tips and tricks.

Giveaway @ Stuff Under Twenty

2009-10-07T15:22:00.002-04:00

Just in time for fall! Head on over to Stuff Under Twenty to win a bin of your choice from Nestings on etsy! I've been a fan of Nestings for awhile now and love their functionality and tasteful design. Great prize! Check out this post for contest details and entry.

Easiest Slow Cooker Chili

2009-10-07T12:06:00.003-04:00

I love chili and have been dying to make it in our new slow cooker all summer. Now that the weather is colder I can make it without feeling silly. I love simple recipes for weekdays.

Easiest Slow Cooker Chili
Adapted by myself from McCormick's Recipe

You will need:
2 lbs. Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Onion (more if you like onion)
1 Green Pepper
2 Cans Hunts Fire Roasted Tomatos (don't drain them)
2 Cans Kidney Beans (drained)
1 or 2 Cans of Tomato Sauce (15 oz.)
1 pkg. McCormick Slow Cooker Chili Seasoning
Shredded Cheese

1. In the morning chop the onion and brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet until pink disappears. Drain off fat.

2. Combine browned ground beef, onion, chopped green pepper, kidney beans, tomatos, tomato sauce and seasoning in slow cooker. Stir until mixed and cover.

3. Set cooker to low and let simmer 8-9 hours (4 hours on high).

4. Stir again before serving and top with shredded cheese. I like to serve it with corn muffins as well to dip or crumble on top.

What is your favorite thing about autumn?

2009-10-07T11:45:00.003-04:00

(Photo by Lindsey Fowler, aka. Me.)

Autumn is in full swing here in Ohio and I am ready for pumpkin patches, hot cider with cream cheese cake donuts, mittens, snuggling under quilts and fall colors. What are your favorite things about autumn? Favorite fall recipes, crafts, activities, etc?

Leave a message and let me know! I'm ready for a fall adventure!

Lost & Fawned Giveaway @ Anything Indie

2009-10-05T15:24:00.001-04:00

That's right! Lost & Fawned is sponsoring a giveaway at Anythingindie.com to celebrate my recent 100th sale! Head over to this post for entry details. I can't wait to hear from everyone! You can win either my Sophie Earrings or my lovely little Margaux Earrings just by posting your favorite item from my shop over at Anything Indie! Simple, easy and you might just win!

Giveaway Link: Step right up.

My Business Partner - Logan

2009-10-01T16:04:00.002-04:00

During they day, while everyone is at work Logan keeps me company. He totally thinks he is the boss and enjoys taking naps right under my chair so I can't leave my desk. He accompanies me on walks to the post office. Today while I was photographing new jewelry pieces for Lost & Fawned he decided to distract me by stealing my fuzzy hat. At night he lounges in the bed with us and watches X-Files.

PS: Today I'm an aunt! Congrats to Shawn and Melissa and welcome to the world Sophie! We can't wait to meet you!

Happy October - Pumpkins by Sea Pinks

2009-10-01T09:58:00.001-04:00

Happy October Everyone!

I love October. It means to me that autumn is really here. We woke up to frost warnings today and I'm making a huge pot of chili to celebrate. Logan is love thing cooler weather because he gets to spend more time in my office with me. The leaves are changing and pumpkins are outside the grocery store. Also, by the end of the day we should have a new niece! How exciting!

This year I'm decorating with a couple of my new Sea Pinks pumpkins. I think they are so cute and I love that they don't rot after halloween is over. I ordered an extra to give to my Aunt as a hostess gift when we go up to visit in a few weeks. They come in so many gorgeous colors and patterns. Check out her etsy shop for the full collection.

Product Recommendation: Shinzi Katoh Trekking Bottle

2009-09-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

I've had a number of stainless steel water bottles, including the Klean Kanteen (which was great until a cafeteria worker threw it out, yes threw it away, when I left it in the cafeteria). I've had my Shinzi Katoh 500 mL trekking bottle now for over 6 months and it is by far my favorite bottle yet. It is double insulated so it keeps water (or whatever) cold for hours without getting condensation all over the inside of your purse. I haven't tested it on hot drinks yet, but I will soon. The opening at the top is the perfect size. The only thing you need to watch is making sure you clean the rubber ring on the lid frequently.

Like all Shinzi Katoh products they are super cute too. I have the "In The Ground" 500 mL bottle and I love the colors and woodland creatures. We keep it on our night stand and I love rolling over to find cool, fresh water in the middle of the night. I'm looking to get the "Many Apples" 300 mL bottle next for my handbag.

You can find Shinzi Katoh trekking bottles here, here and here. You can also check out the official website here. They also carry adorable bento boxes, tea sets, trays and linens.

Holiday Decor: An Open Book

2009-09-30T09:12:00.002-04:00

Looking for recession friendly holiday decor this year? One of my favorite cheap and easy ways to decorate for halloween, thanksgiving, christmas or the seasons is with vintage books. Open or closed vintage books are inexpensive and a subtle way to show some holiday spirit. For halloween I love this copy of Eight Treasured Stories opened to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This book also does double duty for Christmas too since it also has gorgeous illustrations for A Christmas Carol in it. For halloween you can also try and over sized anatomy book opened to diagrams of skulls on your coffee table. When the holidays are over, tuck it onto a shelf until next year and it still looks chic.

Find your own in thrift stores or garage sales OR skip the digging and head on over to the vintage book section of etsy.

Color Inspiration: Vintage Blue & Pink

2009-09-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

Since autumn arrived this week, I have been obsessed with all things fall. I love the idea of this scheme for fall. I found this tablecloth and I love the combination of the faded vintage blue with the soft pinks and yellows. At the same sale I found these notebooks from a dental student in 1949 and 1950 and love how he used blue and pink ink to highlight his notes. The pages are so beautiful for pretty envelope liners or ephemera projects.

The colors are kind of a fun play on a faded primary scheme. I think it would be a fun unconventional scheme for a thanksgiving get together or early fall picnic. With the warm browns, reds and oranges of changing leaves as the backdrop these colors would really pop.

Find these and more in my new Lost & Fawned HOME shop. More coming soon.

Welcome to my new studio.

2009-09-29T09:36:00.003-04:00

I finally moved all my stuff up into the back bedroom. With Jared's help and a visit to a killer estate sale I've made myself a little space to run my etsy business and hunt for jobs. I'm happy to have more space to spread my stuff out and feel much more inspired to work in there. I also set up that killer antique green shelf by the window to photograph pieces in the winter. Those suitcases house all my random crafting bits, my grandma's old trunk is hoping to my shipping department and a vintage pear crate holds my over-sized books, silk screens and thread.

Sampson (our roommates cat) or Logan are frequently my assistants in there while I'm working. Hopefully the new space helps me produce lots of new pieces this fall.

Wedding Photo Update.

2009-09-28T14:00:00.000-04:00

Hi again!

Just wanted to update you guys on photos from the wedding! I'm waiting to post photos since we want to submit them to Portland Bride & Groom Magazine. I don't want to jeopardize our chances of getting them published by posting them here, so I hope you don't mind waiting A LITTLE bit longer. I promise eventually I will totally spam the blog with lots of beautiful photos.

For now, here is my favorite photo from the reception of me and my new husband. Photos again by Christina Gilchrist who did a fabulous job. I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks,
Lindsey

Annoucement: Lost & Fawned HOME

2009-09-28T11:10:00.004-04:00

New and exciting things happening in the Lost & Fawned universe! This weekend we opened out new branch, Lost & Fawned HOME. Sprouted from our love of all things vintage and hunting for vintage treasures, we wanted to share some of our treasures with the rest of the world! Please head on over for a visit and send some love my way! I'll be listing some vintage linens, books and kitchenware later today, so stay tuned! You never know what's going to end up in there, so keep an eye out. You might find something perfect for you or a loved one (Christmas is coming up soon!).

Here are a few of the treasures you can currently find in our little slice of vintage heaven. More coming later today and of course coming next week!

Where to go from here.

2009-09-19T10:49:00.002-04:00

Lately I've been wondering where to go from here with my beloved blog. The professional pictures will be in soon and the second reception will be over so my adventure in wedding planning will be officially over once I get the finished wedding album. I think I will always love weddings and perhaps even someday peruse it as a career path if design doesn't work out. But for now I will be trying to distance myself from the wedding world as my priorities shift.

I will still be posting my professional photos soon. I will still be doing vendor reviews for our amazing vendors in Portland and elsewhere. I will still be posting pictures of our second picnic reception next month. And I will be sure to do a review of our wedding album once we finish that. I will also still be posting my favorite etsy finds, some wedding related, some not. But I also will be starting to write more and more about our adventures as a young, creative married couple, including my adventures in crafting, our attempts and failures in cooking, daily life as a young couple and I'd like to start doing some DIY tutorials as well and sharing my favorite recipes.

Somethings will change, but the flavor, style and handmade-ness of this blog will stay the same. Please share your thoughts on the changes and additions so I know what I can do to make our little slice of the blogdom more interesting. Comments help me evaluate what to post. So keep them coming.

Also a new layout is in order. So stay tuned for that.

Lots of Love,
Lindsey Lu

Guestbook by Celestefrittata

2009-09-15T10:51:00.002-04:00

How much do I LOVE this guestbook by Chiara of Celestefrittata? I'm really into kraft paper right now and this adorable illustration is printed beautifully on the kraft paper cover of this 6"x6" 50 page journal. Even better? It's on sale for $12! You can't beat that.

Check out Chiara's etsy shop, blog and flickr photostream for more lovely goodies (check out her owl post bags! They are so sweet and tickle my nerd bone).

Wedding Attire Etsy Gift Guide.

2009-09-13T11:46:00.002-04:00

I LOVE etsy's wedding gift guides., especially the attire gift guide. I opened the page this weekend to take a peek around and what did I find? First item... look familiar? It should! It's my Vintage Margaux Studs! I feel so honored to be a part of the gift guide! I've been hoping I would for ages and now it's finally happened! Yay! I'm actually planning on wearing a pair of them to our second reception.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I will have updates this weekend and hopefully my professional photos soon!

On to the next event.

2009-09-04T09:08:00.007-04:00

(Photo courtesy of Kevin Payravi.)

The wedding may be over (and I KNOW you are still waiting on a post-wedding photo post, but I really want to wait for professional photos) but the planning is not! We are planning a second "reception" of sorts here in Ohio to celebrate with our extended family who could not make it to Oregon. It will be very casual, potluck style and on October 3rd. It will be at Hudson Springs Park (see photo) where we had our first date and I'm hoping to have lovely fall weather and colors. I've already begun working on the details and can't wait to share them with you!

I'll be back with details soon! Happy September everyone!

Another Lovely Treasury.

2009-08-31T11:00:00.000-04:00

Here is another gorgeous vintage treasury, this time featuring my new Amelie Bridal Earring. My Amelies are packed with vintage charm and are so lovely in person. I love the colors and textures the curator combined with them in the treasury. I could see this translated into a wedding with a bride a dupioni silk gown, faded red cardigan and my Amelie Earrings with a groom in fitted navy suit with a vintage scarf and some great vintage dress shoes. Maybe the bridesmaids would wear vintage dresses in shades of faded yellow and bouquets of queen anne's lace. Of course their getaway car would be that killer green classic in the second row of the treasury.

If you have a second make sure you stop by the treasury and show some love. It would be a lovely front page.

Some Gorgeous Teasuries Today

2009-08-31T08:34:00.004-04:00

My new Vintage Margeux Studs were featured in this treasury over the weekend and and I just love the muted tones, vintage details and slight provocativeness of it. My Margaux Studs are from vintage stock and feature the most delicate little marquise cut cubic zirconia. I think they would be so lovely as a bridesmaid gift or even a simple understated (and inexpensive) bridal earring. And the elements of this treasury could be so easiy translated into a wedding, the white vintage dress, the headband, bridesmaids in linen skirts, vintage centerpieces incorporating vintage drawing hands and vases and the vintage silk ring pillow.

One more gorgeous treasury later this morning. If you have a second head over and send the curator and talented artists some love with clicks and comments. Visit {Beckon} before it expires.

New Bold Necklaces from Urban Rose

2009-08-27T13:00:00.000-04:00

My favorite new bridal look (especially with a killer strapless dress) is big, bold, statement jewelry. Urban Rose (or Rebecca3030) is one of my favorite etsy designers. Her work has such personality and she does such fun things with color. Naturally, I'm always a sucker for repurposed and vintage jewelry and her work has such a unique point of view. So many of her pieces have so much potential as bridal pieces too. They are all one of a kinds and are really a steal for the piece of art you'll be getting.

Check out her etsy shop for more beautiful pieces and information.

Harvest Ring Pillow - By Cricketapollo

2009-08-27T10:05:00.003-04:00

Ok, so it's not REALLY a "ring pillow" but I think this little stack of lavender sachets tied with the moss green ribbon would be so cute as a ring pillow for a handmade fall wedding. You can find the in cricketapollo shop for an unbelievable $10 for the pair! Added bonus that they probably smell amazing and are reusable as sachets in your lingerie drawer after the wedding.

More harvest goodies coming soon. I'm in a fall mood now that the kids are going back to school and the weather is cooling down. Can't wait to wear my new mittens!

Lindsey's Tips. Coming Soon.

2009-08-27T08:49:00.002-04:00

(Photo courtesy of Jon Moser.)

I'm starting to get my thoughts together from the day of. Looking back there are so many things I'd like to share, things I wish I would have told myself before the wedding. I'm still waiting on professional photos from Christina before I share the details, but I do want to recognize all my amazing vendors and do a recap soon.

I've been super busy with the name change, working on real life (insurance, etc.) and getting my fall line at Lost & Fawned up and ready. I'm working on some new wedding posts to get up soon. I feel so awful I've been so MIA lately, but I'm sure you understand. ^_-

So getting back to business, I'm going to get back to work on posts for you guys. See you soon!

Coming Soon. New Fall Collection.

2009-08-21T14:49:00.003-04:00

I'm currently working on my new fall jewelry collection for Lost & Fawned. It's kind of back to basics a little for me. My pieces for the fall and stripped down to delicate antique chains, lockets and faceted glass. I listed a few preview pieces including my lovely little Florence Locket. I have one myself and just love wearing it. It's so simple and delicate but has it's own charm and personality.

I ended up giving both of my bridesmaid lockets as a gift for being in the wedding. They loved them and I can't wait to find a lovely photo from the wedding to put inside them. Lockets have such a lovely sentiment to them. I love gifting them to cherished friends.

Married.

2009-08-20T09:27:00.002-04:00

(Photo courtesy of Jon Moser.)

We are back and married! The weather was amazing, everything came together, everyone had a great time and best of all we are husband and wife. I'm holding off posting too many photos here until I get our professional photos and the official go ahead from our photographer as we are submitting them to some magazines (just local ones like Oregon Bride and Groom and Portland Bride).

I will be resuming regular programming for now (lots of wedding goodies) but stick around for my post wedding photos.

Thanks for the well wishes!

Right now...

2009-08-15T21:00:00.001-04:00

At this very moment we are getting married. Woot! All the planning has come together and Jared and I are standing in this spot saying our vows with our families and friends. Thanks for all you good thoughts and help as we've planed our wedding. See you again soon!

(Previously written and scheduled post.)

Signing Out: To Get Married

2009-08-11T18:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been so flaky about posting lately! It's just been a whirlwind since I got here and my mom and I have been super busy finishing up everything.

There is not much left to do! We stuffed out guest gift bags today an I am throwing the finish touches on things for kids to do, linens and welcome notes for the guests. Tonight we pack the car up for the coast and head out tomorrow morning after we pick up the hydrangea from a friend. Once we're at the coast we'll be setting up the tent and greeting guests!

Send good thoughts our way for good weather and no more shark sightings (that's right! They caught a great white yesterday in seaside. Only at our wedding...)! I'll be back online early next week! I'm not sure when we'll have photo teasers. I'll be sure to let you know how everything goes!

Welcome Buckets for Kids

2009-08-11T16:00:00.000-04:00

My mom and I had fun filling buckets from ikea with goodies for my little cousins who are coming in from out of state. We filled the buckets with beach towels (ikea, only $2), ocean life finger puppets, books of animals from the pacific ocean, sand toys, beach hats, little bags for shells and more! They turned out so cute and I think they will really love them.

I also decorated some little containers of bubbles to give them at the wedding. They are super cute. I wrapped them in some extra fabric and added a ribbon (super quick and easy) and it instantly made the dollar store bubbles look a whole lot cuter.

Chalk Board Menu

2009-08-11T15:48:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Now reporting from Portland, Oregon! Thanks for all the well wishes on my trip. Yesterday was the longest day ever (due partially to the time change of course).

Just wanted to share the BEAUTIFUL chalk board my mom scored off craig's list for our menu at the reception. I love the animal illustrations. It couldn't be more perfect. I'll be testing some different chalks on it this week to find one that works well on the old surface.

Leaving on a Jet Plane.

2009-07-31T13:34:00.005-04:00

(Photo by Moonpies for Misfits.)

I'm getting on a plane to Oregon at 6:45 tomorrow morning! Only 15 days to go and time to finalize all the details! I'm going to miss my Jared and Logan terribly, but in 15 days, not only will we be together, but we'll be married! I just have to keep remembering that. As soon as I get off the plane I'm going almost straight into a fitting. Wish I could post pictures, but Jared still hasn't seen the gown. I've done a pretty good job keeping it a secret. I'm pretty proud of myself.

I'll still be updating from Oregon. So stay tuned for more!

DIY Update: Lounge Pillows

2009-07-30T12:20:00.003-04:00

Just another DIY project update. I had extra fabric from the photobooth backdrop so I threw together a few pillow shams (one embroidered and one with the green fabric on the front). There are going to be some adirondack chairs in the yard in front of the beach so I think these pillow will be really cute on the chairs and make it feel a little loungier.

I did in fact finish the napkins (throwing my back out in the process from hunching over a sewing machine all weekend) and they turned out really cute. I'm working on finishing the bunting this afternoon as well as some shoe bags for my girls and some table runners with the rest of my extra fabric.

My dress fitting is saturday, make-up and hair trial on Thursday and other finalization meetings next week. I also found out my SUPER talented step-brother and his girlfriend will be doing the music for our ceremony. It will be acoustic guitar and harmonica. I'm so excited. More updates coming soon.

Pretty Shoes on Sale at Nordstrom

2009-07-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

Jeffrey Campbell 'Trudy' Pump on sale for $64.90 (40% off)

I would just LOVE to see a bride in these beautiful shoes, which alone could inspire the entire wedding scheme. Nordstrom has some great shoes on sale that would be fun for a bride or bridesmaid. Here are some of my favorites.

Jeffrey Campbell 'Lady 2' Pump on sale for $85.90 (40% off) - Plus your 'something blue'

And the big splurge (though it's 50% off) a beautiful pair of Stuart Weitzman's:

Stuart Weitzman 'Pomp' Pump on sale for $426.90 (originally $855)