Furniture Friday (2nd Edition)

Last week me and my two younger girls swung by Pastiche at Main to drop off some inventory. While were there we decided to take some pictures for this month's Furniture Friday.

The first piece we liked was this drop-side table by Pastiche at Main. Growing up we had a drop sided table in the kitchen some of my favorite memories took place around that table. I think this table would be perfect in an eat in kitchen, an entry way, or behind a sofa. The splash of color on the legs is Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint. (Side note, did you know you can take a workshop to learn how to use this paint at home?) The painted legs just add such a fun pop to any room. What do you think?

This gorgeous dinning room table by Colony Furniture Co. is made from reclaimed lath wood. Normally the idea of wood tables make me nervous. With so many kids running around I am worried about them nicking and dinging anything wood. The great thing about reclaimed wood is that it already has natural grooves and dings so I don't have to worry about what my kids may do to it. Right now we have a folding table for a dinning room table but, when we are ready for a "real" table this is high on my list of styles! 

If you are out this weekend looking for something unique for the home be sure to swing by and take a look.

Happy weekend!

Happy Spring!

Spring has sprung and our creatives have been busy filling the shop with beautiful items perfect for your Easter baskets and Spring celebrations.

I have a baby shower tomorrow and I am seriously considering one of these adorable pillow covers by Chic Renovations as a gift. Perfectly cute with out screaming "baby".

4th Generation Designs has a whole a whole lot of new pieces perfect for adding a pop to your Easter outfit. I recently had a custom piece made and I can't wait to show you all pictures!

I know I have shared these finger puppets by Little Paper Crane before, but I just can't get over them. How cute would they look in a basket? 

Twenty23 even has the guys covered! Why not make a statement at Prom, or even just for a night out on the town, with one of these bold ties?

This weekend is supposed to be beautiful and full on sunshine so get down town and come see us.... but first.... coffee!

Meet the Creative: Anita of Little Paper Crane

Welcome to our second installment of the Meet the Creative series. We hope these short question/answer posts help you get to know each of are talented contributors on a more personal level. 

Name: Anita Fontaine
Brand/Company: Little Paper Crane

How did you end up doing what you do now?
When I was in high school I took a jewelry making class, on a whim. I had no prior interest in it, but I needed to fill my schedule and it sounded intriguing! I loved it, so I took a second class. For years I never revisited jewelry making. When I moved to Virginia in 2007 my husband was roofing and tearing copper roofs off of historic homes in downtown. I had been making beaded earrings to sell to friends and thought it would be fun to invest in tools to try cutting metal and use some of the roofing scraps from my husband. I started selling really rustic pieces at a local boutique called Folk (it used to be open where Bittersweet is now). That began the baby steps of my career in jewelry making.

What is your favorite thing you have ever created?
Can I be really cheesy and say my favorite things I have created are my two girls? Besides that I think my favorite jewelry design to date is my Dreamcatcher necklaces. They are a labor of love but I really enjoy playing with the composition of each one, choosing charms that compliment and balance one another.

Photo Credit: Little Paper Crane

Are you working on any new projects or learning any new techniques?
I'm really hoping to branch out into working with some sterling silver this year. I'm also dying to learn some new skills including soldering and casting. It will really broaden my horizons!

Photo Credit: Little Paper Crane

Where is your favorite place to create? 
I love sitting on my porch in the spring and summer. Most of my work is really mobile; I can carry it to various places in my house and set up a little studio of sorts. Though I do have a home studio...I like my porch better!

Photo Credit: Little Paper Crane

What inspires you most?
Other artists inspire me more than anything! I love seeing what other people are working on which is part of the reason Pastiche is such a lovely store to be a part of...so many creative people to bounce ideas off of.

What is your creative soundtrack? 
I am usually so in the zone that I don't even hear the music I put on!

What do you love most about what you do?
So many things! I'm bad at choosing favorites but I'll say I love that I can draw an idea on paper then cut that idea out of copper!?!! That's why I love custom work! I can cut your ideas out of copper too!!

Photo Credit: Little Paper Crane

Where to find Anita online.
Blog: http://littlepapercrane.wordpress.com/
Instgram: http://instagram.com/littlepapercraneshop#
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlepapercranejewelry

And of course you can always find Anita's pieces in the shop! 

Furniture Feature Friday (1st Edition)

One of the things I love about walking into Pastiche is how inspired I feel. The first time I walked in I hadn't created anything in about six months and  walked out ready to sit down at my sewing machine. Now I find myself popping in whenever I am in need of a quick creative boost. From new color combinations, to a new home decor piece, to a fun way to style something, I always come away with fresh ideas to try at home. 

One of my favorite things about Haley is her ability to take pieces from a variety of creatives and stage something beautiful and cohesive. The best part is that almost every piece you see is something you can take home! I love Pastiche for gift items, but did you know that most of the furniture pieces there aren't just for display but for sale? 

To help bring a little extra home decor inspiration to your life we will be doing a Furniture Feature Friday here on the blog! And, unlike a picture in a magazine, these pieces are easy to track down. See something you like? Stop by the shop and take a look in person. 

This little white table makes my heart skip a beat. I can see it by my bed, or writing chair, or see it in a bathroom even. So many uses! 

I love a good hutch, and this blue is a popular color right now. I can see this in an entry way as a very contained mud room.

How would YOU use these pieces? We would love to hear your thoughts and see pictures of pieces from Pastiche you have styled in your home!

First Fridays at Pastiche at Main

Looking for something a little different to do this weekend? Tomorrow is March 7^th, which means… First Fridays! 

What is First Fridays?

Once a month over 20 different art organizations and galleries stay open late making it a little easier for the public to enjoy them. In case you have never attended a First Fridays Event you can find out more about them over HERE.

First Fridays at Pastiche at Main.

This month we are featuring a local artist as well as holding a Meet the Creative at Pastiche.

Emily Flint:

Emily earned a BFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a BFA in Art Education from the Virginia Commonwealth University. After a brief career teaching art in Richmond Public Schools, she decided to pursue painting. Emily recently returned to the Lynchburg area to live and work in a little cabin on the James River with her bluetick hound, Simon. She began showing her work in the spring of 2013, and was the recipient of the Best in Show Award at the 2013 Lynchburg Art Festival. Emily recently received Second Place in the 5th Annual Riverviews Juried Art Show. See more of Emily’s work at www.emilyflint.com

Mikael Blido:

Mikael Blido is the creative behind Blido Pottery. You will have the chance to browse his amazing work and have a chance to meet him and get to know more about his inspiration and creative process.  

So brush of the winter blahs and head down town for an evening of creative insight and inspiration. We can’t wait to see you there!

Instgram Inspiration Roundup

There are a lot of perks to frequenting locally owned businesses. One of my favorite things about stopping by a local business is getting to know the owner. I love knowing that the person behind the counter has a real stake in the establishment as well as the local economy. 

Places like Pastiche take this a step further. Not only is the owner a local, but so are all the artists. There is something about knowing the person who created an item that is truly unique. Even if you can’t actually meet each artist face to face, many of them have an online presence that makes it easy to see behind the scenes of their creative processes.  

Here are a few pictures of some of our creatives at work. Hopefully it will kick start some of your inspiration this week. 

Photo Credit: Blido Pottery Instagram

Photo Credit: Rengeration Instgram

Photo Credit: Leah Peeks Instagram

Photo Credit: Otis and June Instagram

Girly Weekend Tutorial Round Up

It seems like the warm weather makes every one want to get out and DO something. Our weekend plans are intensely girly and include a princess party tomorrow afternoon and a sleep over tomorrow night. Warm weather also stirs up my creative juices so, I decided to test drive a couple DIYs for you all to try out.

I swung by the shop on Thursday for some last minute inspiration. I only had a few minutes but I found exactly what I needed up by the counter.

1

These super sweet and bright hair ties by the Otis and June line proved to be a great starting point. They are perfect as a birthday gift. Even if a little girl has short hair they can be worn as funky bracelets.  They can also be used at the sleep over when we do make overs making them all around perfect.

2

These bobby pins were inspired by this cute dress up ring tutorial. My favorite kind of craft is one that requires minimal shopping. I didn't have rings on hand so I decided to decorate bobby pins instead. I made some to coordinate with the hair ties to give the birthday girl. If the kids feel creative we can use this activity at the sleep over as well. The girls can pick out buttons from my stash and then play dress up while I do the gluing.

3

I wanted to add one more piece to the gift so I turned to Pinterest for inspiration. I spent a lot of time at work with my husband yesterday so I was looking for a portable project. This braided fabric jewelry tutorial was perfect. This is such a simple but stylish idea. It reminds me of a grown up friendship bracelet.  I contemplated making a necklace (and still might) but decided to cut the braid down into bangle bracelet sizes. I sewed the ends together to make a circle and viola a really easy gift. It's pretty enough for adults but I can use to keep little hands busy and teach the girls how to braid.

Hopefully the weather will hold and we can all get out and enjoy some sunshine this weekend. But, if the rain comes back at least you have a few ideas on how to pass the time.