Only Monday?!

Ky and I have been working pretty solid since January without any good breaks, we love to travel and with our schedules right now it is almost impossible.  Well Friday we are going to Vegas and I cant really handle how excited I am! we are going down for this huge esthetics conference (IECSC), almost everyone from my school is going including a lot of the staff haha I guess everyone else is needing a vacation this week. 


These past couple of weeks have really been dedicated to knitting my hats for shows and for something new that I'm really excited about.  Signed & Numbered is the awesome local art store that I gab about like all of the time, well they are opening a local artisan boutique and asked if i would like to be apart of it. This is what I really love to do, I'm a huge visual person so when I can see what I am buying before I buy it I feel so much better about it.  Selling over the internet is great and has become huge with sites like etsy and such but when it comes down to it I love when people get to actually see and feel the quality of the product that I make.  Each of my hats and my booties, as well as the quilts I make are all made from the best quality of yarn and felt, I can really appreciate quality but also appreciate not over-pricing things.


I have updated my etsy page,  I love the direction my work is going in and all the new stuff that I have made is here...


http://www.etsy.com/shop/ladybugandbabybird?ref=pr_shop_more


Trust me I can pretty much make anything with felt so if there is something you are wanting and you can't see it on my etsy page please let me know and I will do what I can.  Everything is made to order so you can choose whatever colors, sizes, and anything else that you want.  We can even get as crazy as you want...

yup that would be a raccoon with a mustache :) (mustaches can be added to any characters).  I will keep updating the new items that I add to my etsy page so please keep looking back there or like Button Button on facebook and you will see the updates there :)


There will not be a post this Thursday because we will be getting ready for our trip to Vegas  so look for another post next week :)

bunny

I just had to show you my newest little creation :) This is Bunny, I just bought this cute cotton candy blue colored felt from The Handmaiden on Monday and thought it went perfectly with the coral pink colored yarn that I have from Cascade Yarns. !


Look for some new characters popping up in the next little while because ladybug&babybird will soon be sold at the signed & numbered boutique!! You know where I get all that artwork from? well they are opening a local artisan boutique and I am soooo excited about it.  I will let you know any more updates :)


Remember to become  a fan of Button Button on facebook to receive $5 off an order of $20 or more

Countdown

I realized today that I only have two months of school left and then with one rather large test I will finally be a master esthetician, I have this thing where I adopt a lot of different hobbies or passions and after awhile I don't really have the same spark for them.  This is not the case for esthetics or even the crafting that I do now because I have finally found what I love to do and what I want to do with my life.  I spent the weekend in my home town with my hubby and both of our families.  I miss it, I miss how simple it is and how the pace is so much slower, the city we live in now isn't that large compared to other cities in the U.S. but it's still a lot bigger than what I'm comfortable with.  Growing up I always wanted out of Price, I had big plans to go to California and who knows where it would go from there.  I think what makes me want to go back to Price so badly is Kyle, he reminded me of who I really am and how important family is, especially the fact that I want our little kids to grow up right by their grandparents.


I'm so excited for what the next few months hold for us, we have a few trips planned that we need really badly and I'm so excited to be done with school just to have a normal life and to really get ladybug&babybird in full swing.  My biggest goal is to start my own little spa :) but we won't get too much into that until later.


This weekend has been really crazy and while my mom helped me with reading clothes patterns and what not I haven't really done a lot of crafting, I did get back into my quilt today though :) Like I said it's totally ok to take a break from your projects just as long as you finish them eventually, there is nothing as motivational and positively boosting as finishing a project and hopefully I can have this quilt done by the time school is over.

I really wanted to reminded you all about my handmade crib blankets, they make fore the greatest gifts and they are so soft and warm but not too heavy for the summer.  I can basically make anything on them so if you have any ideas or questions please let me know :) these blankets are only $75 and will make one happy little fashionable baby.   My email is asay.stephanie@gmail.com :)

Find a Button, Pick it Up

I love finding buttons, Whether they be the extra button you get with a new shirt or one that falls off of an old one I just love finding them and putting them in the top drawer of my sewing desk.  I think that is the same little kick I get out of finding things at the antique store, I can't help myself but get excited and wonder what the item has been through or who owned it before me.  In my mind older stuff is always cooler than new stuff (well in most cases :)).  I think we live in a world today where not many people look to the past because that is kind of looked at as a negative thing, but I believe that the things we have gone through and the history we have laid down as a foundation for ourselves is what we need to cherish.  I never really had grandparents, my grandma's died before I was born, my grandpa Koss died when I was three and I was never close to my grandpa Atwood.  The only thing I had of theirs were small items they had like my grandma's hanky, or my grandpa's paint box.  Since I was little I really cherished these things as a way to connect me to them, that basic idea grew into what I love now, the idea that the antique I just bought has a history to it, even though it's not my history.


I'm really lucky that Ky has the same love for it as I do and we've started to make it a habit to go to the antique mall whenever we can, Sunday we were able to go and I found the coolest thing :) When women used to quilt they generally stitched it by hand piece by piece, when you find quilts like these they generally run $150-$200 and I really don't think I could get away with that.  Sunday I found this beauty...

This is an antique quilt that I found for only $30! I really couldn't pass this up, judging by the fabric I would say it was made in the 60's or 70's maybe earlier, it needs a little love seeing as the one thing I don't really like about it is that the back it terry cloth. Never fear I'm going to Price this weekend and my mama bear is going to help me fix it :)

 We need to fix up a few things like this, but that will be really easy.  It a little bigger than crib size so it is going to be so perfect for when we have little ones :) (boy or girl!)

Oh ya! I finally went and picked up my second piece of artwork from Signed and Numbered in Sugarhouse, It's of a whole stack of birds and I just adore it.  The framing turned out perfect and the charcoal matte board the girl working suggested made the ink work really pop, can't help but love this bad boy :)

Energies and Baby Booties

I've been learning a lot of interesting things at school and lately it has been all about the different energies we all have and auras and what not.  I thought I might share some of that with you and you can take it or leave it :)  So basically we have an inside and outside energies, our chakras are our inner energy, there are seven of them and each govern something different.  Our Auras are our outside energies radiated from the Chakras.  When you get your aura read or see pictures related to it all the colors mean something different and together make us the individuals that we are.  We were lucky to take a field trip the other day and were able to get our auras read.  I'm not going to lie I really wanted to have to step into a dark room heavily decorated with velvet and have my radiant energy read by a woman resembling a gypsy. Unfortunately this was not so, all I had to do was place my hand on a hand shaped metal disk and a computer produced this picture....

Everyone's colors were different, mine had mostly blues and yellow, she said the blues meant that I was very creative and artistic (yay!) she also thought that I had a really good connection to meditation.  The yellow means that I have good humor and somehow the combo means I'm a good writer.  Before we finished she mentioned something about my ear and asked me if there was something going on with it, after we left we figured that maybe it had picked up on the piercing that I have or the pressure my ears feel because I have gauges in them.

It was a really cool experience, given my sarcasm it was hard not throwing some jokes around but all in all I can really respect those people who can really open up and believe in this kind of stuff whole-heartedly.

So what's been going on in the crafting part of my life? Well I just registered for a craft show happening after I graduate so I will let you know if I get into that.  While knitting my little fingers off whenever I possibly can I've been working on updating my little baby booties.  I love what I make now I just need to make them just a little more efficient ...

Become of fan of Button. Button, Who's got the Button on Facebook where you can receive $5.00 off your next ladybug&babybird order of $20 or more :)

A Little Findy Find

I have no baby announcements to make at all (just to make things clear) and even though I find baby clothes to be soooo cute I have really held back and haven't purchased anything to save for later.  However, Sunday Ky and I went to the Capital City Antique Mall and there I found vintage baby clothes with the original tags still attached, really...how could I stop myself?

 This is a little nightie that I actually found the pattern for at Joannes a couple months ago, I think this simple little dress with a knitted cardigan would really be the bees knees.  I'm going to start making these sets within the next couple of months (when I have a normal life schedule)

 I can't help but love this little romper with all of my heart! The only thing that I might be worried about is that it is for a 0-3 month old and our babies might be born toddlers if they take after their father at all :)
The ruffles on the bum are really what got me I think.

Last but not least I found this knitted sweater and pixie cap! How could I not buy this? I've already starting looking at the pieces and I'm making a pattern out of them to be able to remake them :)
Antiques aren't for everyone but if you look even harder you can find amazing things like this and to top it all off they were all only $5.00-$9.00.  I love preserving the past, my kids might just hate me for it but then again maybe they will pass what I love onto their kids as well :)


Steph

yarn what?

I wanted to show you guys the coolest thing that has actually been in the news quite a lot lately...

It's this crazy thing called yarn bombing, basically taking the idea of grafitti and turning it into knitted or crocheted goods.  It's thought to have been started in Texas with a group of women just trying to brighten up the world without defacing public property.  The cool thing is that it has really caught on and is happening worldwide.  You can find these "yarn bombs" in the form of sweaters made for statues, wrapping trees or poles and I even read an article how potholes down a street in Paris were filled with yarn chains.


Check out this awesome website where it shows some great stuff http://yarnbombing.com/


Oh and International yarn bombing day is June 11th!


I also stumbled upon this little gem while meandering through the world wide web... http://thetoysociety.blogspot.com/


This is a group that you can join that leaves softies for perfect strangers, no strings attached, I love this idea and thought you might too :)


Become a fan of button button on facebook and as always...word to your mother :)

Making the New

I've started really pushing hard on making new product and coming up with new ideas for ladybug&babybird.  I really wanted to show you all and offer an awesome special.  Here is some of the new stuff...

Elephants are my favorite animals, and when their trunks are up like this it means good luck and fortune, This hat can be made for a boy or a girl in any size or color. "Baby Elephant"

"Fishy".  Who doesn't love a cute little fish? Each scale is sewn down securely but has great texture for baby and looks awesome on.  All colors can be made to order :)

"Flower Patch" I love doing flowers on hats, these are just a little out of the ordinary and make an adorable little accessory for your baby girl.  All colors are made to order.

Crazy enough this little guy started out as a bear but decided he wanted to be a monkey.  This hat can be made for a little boy or girl, a little bow is added for the girls.  All colors are made to order "Monkey".

I just love cupcakes! I've done this before but this time a swirl has been added as the cherry on top.  All colors are made to order "Cupcake".

Anything with owls on it is my favorite, this is an update on an old favorite that has been really popular in the past.  All colors are made to order and can be for a little boy or girl.  "New Owl"

Last but not least we have this little guy, fun for little boys or even girls, colors are made to order. "Alien"

I really love these great little hats and I hope you do too, if you are interested in making an order please email me at asay.stephanie@gmail.com. All of these hats are just $20.00 and come in any size, when you place your order please give me as much detail as you can :)

ALSO!!! I have a great offer for you! If you like Button, Button Who's got the button on Facebook you will receive $5.00 off your next purchase of $20.00 or more, just comment when you have liked and you will get your discount on your order. If you are already a fan don't worry! you will still get this awesome deal :)

Let the Games Begin

For the past little while I have really wanted to kick my knitting into gear and really get my inventory up to par with the amount of shows that I really want to do after I graduate from school.  Today was the day that I really started picking at the goals that I have and it feels really good.  I love making lists, to do lists, goal lists, grocery lists (even though I hate the grocery store) but the thing is that lists are not for everyone.  Find a way to make goals with whatever it is you may be doing, I adore sticky notes  and the hello kitty note lists that they have for $1.00 at target.  My goal is to have 100 hats done by August as well as a more blankets, booties, and clothing made.  It seems like alot and with school 40 hours a week it really can be but because I make my goals I feel like I'm not going crazy with what I am doing.


Kyle and I went down to Price for the weekend for a couple family events including Mother's day and just being around family made us realize even more how much we would love to move back there once I am through with school and what not.  The only option that I might really have for work down there is to open my own spa, which is my dream anyways.  The longer we were down there and talked to different family members who really encouraged me I think my new huge goal is to seriously start cracking down on getting a spa in Price.  I'll be honest I couldn't sleep last night because of all the ideas running through my head, from what services I would provide to what the logo would look like.  It gets me even more excited about what I love to do and I'm going to stop being the one that is telling myself that it is not probable.  I have the biggest capability of being my own worst enemy sometimes and I've come to realize that there is no fun in that.  I don't expect any of my goals to come easy, just like I don't expect my hats to knit themselves, but I do know that with a solid support system anything is possible.


Here are a few ideas for you to think about this week...


Would you like to know how wool is processed and made into yarn and other stuff like soap?  On may 21st there is the lamb and wool festival at Thanksgiving Point (in Utah).  It sounds like a lot of fun for little kids and adults as well and if we can make it I might just drag ky there.


http://www.thanksgivingpoint.com/calendar/events/lamb_wool/LambWool.html


You can now follow me on twitter, @Stephanieasay (it still confuses me)  here I will be "tweeting" about stuff going on with Button, Button, ladybug&babybird and whatever else.  Feel free to befriend me on facebook as well and like the button button page.


Also this weekend my mother in law made the greatest table decorations for my sister in laws bridal shower, they were pinwheels made out of 12X12 scrapbook paper and wooden dowls, they were amazing!  Here is something similar from craftgossip.com

Thank you so much for reading and look for a new addition to the button, button facebook page where I will post all available product through ladybug&babybird including pricing etc.

Steph

Busy Bee

What have I been doing this week? I've been so busy that I can't even remember.  Tuesday I babysat my little nephew A.J. who informed me you have to eat mac and cheese before you are allowed to take a nap (who knew?). I think I might have bored him a little because he sat around waiting for Kyle and made sure to let me know that I couldn't play guns with him because he was waiting for Uncle Tyo.


Wednesday was a good day, I was at school for almost 12 hours for their annual skin care event where people are able to come in a receive free mini services as well as get an awesome discount off of the product that is in the store.  That is where I was for the majority of the day and trust me it is where I needed to be.  I'm usually really shy and have a hard time talking to people I don't know add trying to sale something to them into that and there is just no hope for me.  School has really helped me with getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and now I actually really enjoy talking to people, the selling part is still a problem.  Yesterday morning I woke up a little nervous about being around people all day and constantly having to answer questions about product but then I realized that I don't have to sell them anything.  I know a lot about what the different stuff has to offer and I figure as long as they understand I'm there to get them what they need and I really want them to have the healthy, beautiful skin they deserve, then they will end up selling it to themselves.  Everything turned out great (other than more sore feet) and it really helped me to gain the confidence I needed when retailing.


If you are ever in the Salt Lake City area make sure to stop by Cameo College of Essential Beauty where I am studying to be and Esthetician (skin care).  you can check them out on their website...


http://www.cameocollege.com/


I feel a little bummed at the lack of crafting I have done this week because I have been so busy, I was able to finish two more chalkboard windows today however...

I'm really really excited about these and don't you worry you will see what they look like all done, I was also able to paint that random carrying cart thing we found in some stranger's ditch...

I think my neighbors are curious to find out what I'm doing in the backyard since I'm blasting the Beatles and abusing the spray paint can.


Did I mention the most adorable shoes I found at Capital City Antiques??

That's right our children are going to hate us, I'm pretty sure they will be the only kids that shop at the antique store for their clothes...They can dress like the other kids when they are 18 :)


Happy Cinco De Mayooo, celebrate by liking button button on facebook!

Weekend Projects

I really love Sundays Because they are the only day that Kyle and I have off together.  We try to do different things every Sunday like try a new place to eat or work on whatever projects we have to work on.  Together we basically made all of our wedding decorations including our backdrop and table decorations, let's just say that we can do a lot with spray paint and old furniture :).  We have a couple things that we have been needing to start working on so we did a little of everything.

We actually found these three chairs in a back alley one night around midnight, we find the most random things but if you keep your eyes out you can totally find stuff like this wherever you go, we started to spraypaint these black and are still working on making them look a little more worn and antique.  They are going to go perfectly with the table Ky made out of an old table.


The biggest project I started this weekend was working on some gifts that I wanted to make for a few people (seeing as the surprise still needs to remain in tact I won't mention names).  We found some old windows at a few random places and had the great idea to make them into chalkboards, you can actually buy spray paint that is made specifically for making chalkboards!

I started with the old window and placed it on an old sheet outside.  Using painter's tape I sectioned off the area that I wanted to be the actual chalkboard, I also went ahead and covered the rest of the frame with the tape so the spray paint wouldn't get anywhere it wasn't supposed to.

DANCE BREAK

After everything was covered I did a couple coats of the chalkboard paint, it dries really weird and shows imperfection really easily so try to keep it in a safe place while drying (and don't let husbands try to get a bug out of it).

I really love they way this turned out, it's not totally done just yet but you will see it when it is, I was thinking about making a few more when I can get my hands on some more antique windows (glass still in tact) and trying to sell them but we will see.  If you are interested please let me know on the button button facebook page or you can even email me at asay.stephanie@gmail.com

A Cake and a Toe

I know I know it's Thursday, let me tell you a tale about a surgery ambush.  Yesterday we went down to Price for a funeral and lately my little goblin toe has been acting up because of an ingrown toenail, I'm really big into avoiding doctors at all cost but Kyle's family isn't so we went in to the foot doctor assuming that he would just give me some antibiotics, not so! The nice man was all set up and ready to go for surgery. While I sobbed he cracked jokes that at the time were not amusing to me since he was the one sticking me with the needle.  Kyle was there to hold my hand and my mom in law looked on to make sure I didn't hate her haha.  It really was a good thing we went though so now it is taken care of and even though I almost passed out in an appointment today eventually this bad boy will heal.  I even painted my toenails a little jazzy to make the crippled one feel better.

On Tuesday I was reading though the May copy of Real Simple magazine and they had this awesome section on adorable cakes, now I'm not one for cooking (you can ask my husband) but for some reason I really wanted to make one of these cute little cakes.

I made a white cake with lemon frosting and candied lemons on top, it sounds so complicated but it was really so easy and even though it didn't turn out as pretty as the magazine I was proud of myself for trying something different.

The best part about this cake? Well first of all I love lemons and you cut them so thin and boil them in sugar water that you can just eat the whole slice yum :) Secondly the frosting is made from scratch with TONS of butter, I added a little extra lemon juice that it didn't call for because it made me feel pretty cool that I was adding something that the recipe didn't call for!


I'm really excited for this weekend because I have some foot friendly projects lined up including one for my sister-in-law's bridal shower coming up.  Make sure the like Button Button on Facebook and have a good night :)


Steph

Dirt & Bows

I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend, Kyle and I were able to go camping this weekend with my parents for a much needed mini vacation.  Sunday was so fun because we even got his parents out there for some great food and a fun fourwheeler ride that ended with a hale storm and a great fire.  While we were out there is alternated between raining and straight sunshine, I am currently going to school to become an aesthetician and I think one of the biggest things we are taught and tell our own clients is to wear sunscreen.  The sun affects a lot of stuff with our skin, one of the biggest things being pigmentation (age spots) on our skin.  The UVA and UVB rays from the sun affect the melanin in our skin which causes pigmentation as a sort of defense to protect us.  


It's really important when looking for a sunscreen to make sure it says that it is a Broad Spectrum sunscreen, meaning that it will block both the harmful UVA and UVB rays that the sun produces.  Let me guess, you use an SPF 97 or some silly number like that because the higher the number the better? Not True! You are actually just fine with using an SPF 30, anything above that and they are pretty much just pulling your leg.  Keep in mind that no matter what SPF you are wearing you still need to apply it every few hours especially if you are out in the sun constantly.  Skin cancer is a huge risk and you wouldn't even imagine the pictures I have seen of stuff that people have just let go, so also keep in mind that if you have any dark moles or any patches you might be concerned about make sure to got to your dermatologist and they can tell you if it could be cancerous.


If you would like to read up more about this I actually found an awesome article in one of my favorite magazines, Real Simple.


http://www.realsimple.com/magazine-more/index.html


This is one of my favorite magazines because it's really a DIY magazine that has great recipes, skin care tips, and fashion tips that really relate to any age.  Check out the website and check out the magazine for sure :)


I wanted to get a little more done with knitting while I was out but I was having too much fun getting dirty and sitting around a campfire (and I really didn't want my yarn smelling like that as much as I love it)  I do want to show you something else that I am working on for ladybug&babybird though.

I really love these bows and wear the ones I have made for myself at least once a week, the ones pictures are the biggest I make them but I can also make them smaller and the nice beret on the back make for a great bow to take on and off of baby.
Thanks for reading and remember to like Button, Button on Facebook :)


Steph

My Baby Porcupine

I love jumping from one sort of project to the next and to be totally honest sometimes after I finish a project I just don't want to do it again.  This was not the case when I worked on my baby monster quilt.  These quilts are seriously so easy to whip up but I am able to use my creativity by what characters I make and how I construct them out of felt and thread.  They are so easy but they also make for a quality crib blanket or even just a nice little summer blanket for baby, hey you could even use them as a wall hanging to decorate baby's room.  Because I love making these so much I am actually going to continue to make them and just make up different characters for each, the other day we were at Smith's and out of the corner of my eye I saw a picture of a PORCUPINE! who knew something would hit me that hard for an idea! I have never ventured into the world of the porcupine while working with my hats and felt but I felt like it was something that would make for a very original (not to mention adorable) baby quilt.

These two pictures above are starting out the whole project, I really wanted this quilt to be more heavy on the embroidery.  I also got some inspiration from a photo of an actual baby porcupine that I googled

I hand sewed the felt on and then got everything in order to sew the actual quilt together, half way through sewing it on my sewing machine I realized I did it wrong and had to unstitch it haha! After getting my thoughts together (and a few curse words) the quilt was sewn together! I then followed along the outside with a brown thread in a big stitch. Finally I made the actual needles out of the embroidery floss in three different colors off-white, black, and brown...

I really love this blanket and I hope that you do too! if you are interested in this or something similar you can always email me @ asay.stephanie@gmail.com or you can always talk to me on el Facebooko.


BY THE WAY...

you see that green dot?? oh ya I made something grow!!! I think it's a jalepeno...or crab grass, but let's pray for the pepper :)


Steph