New products for Doxie Lovers

Hey, happy April! I have to catch you up on all the current events around here: If you follow me on social media you probably already know my pup, Baci. She'll be 2 in June and we just finished her second round of obedience training classes. About 7 months ago I noticed she had an occasional limp in her back right leg. It slowly got worse and before long she was limping on both back legs. I had the vet take a look and it was worse than I thought - severe luxating patellas in both legs. Surgery was recommended sooner than later to prevent any additional damage. And they wanted to operate on both legs at once. OMG! Everything moved super quickly and before I knew it her surgery had been scheduled for 3 days away.

So you must be wondering - what does this have to do with new doxie products? In an effort to raise money to help pay the unanticipated large vet bills I set up a donation page and designed a few new doxie-centric products for the shop! Cause, seriously, who doesn't love a wiener dog?!

First up is the Life is Better With a Dog print. It comes in 3 colors: pink, light aqua, and light gray. It would look great in kids rooms or adult spaces alike. I usually don't hang my own work but I couldn't resist framing one of the gray prints for my studio. :)

Next up: the Doxie Love Stamp Set featuring a joyful dachshund and a little heart stamp. Add a little happiness to your paper products by stamping up your own custom patterns.

There are two ways to get your hands on this fun new stuff: you can purchase from the Art or Stamp sections in the shop, or you can check out the Help Baci page and get them as a gift with donation. 100% of the proceeds from these sales and donations will go directly to help pay for Baci's medical expenses. Anything you can give, even $1, will be much appreciated. <3 Thanks so much for reading!

Finding Vivian Maier

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Well, hello! I'm back from my unplanned blog hiatus! I don't have any elaborate excuses to provide to explain my absence, other than the fact that life got busy and something had to give, at least for a while. Anyhoo, I'm hoping to get back to a more regular schedule of posting: sharing random things I like, some of my work for Vitamini, and craft projects as I come up with them. Getting back to my bloggy roots, yo.

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Speaking of random things I like - I just watched the documentary Finding Vivian Maier last night and loved it! College kid and amateur historian John Maloof buys a box of photographic negatives at an auction and discovers hundreds of beautifully shot photos of urban life in the 50's and 60's. With nothing more than a name and a Chicago suburb address, he dives into research to figure out who this mysterious photographer was. A really intriguing story - I recommend it! Find it on Netflix. Check out more of her work and learn about upcoming exhibitions on the Vivian Maier website.

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DIY Ombre Sequin Ornaments

Beaded, sequin-covered ornaments were a popular craft in the 60's and I have distinct memories of admiring them on my grandma's Christmas tree every year as a kid. If it was sparkly, I was all over it and those ornaments were the shiniest things around! I've been meaning to try making my own modern interpretation for years so I finally made the time and came up with these ombre sequined ornaments. I'm so excited with how they turned out! While the materials are really inexpensive and the technique is simple, it takes a while to do. It's not a quick craft by any means! I made mine over a couple evenings, sitting down in front of Netflix (Broadchurch, watch it!) whenever I had the time. This is the sort of craft that will become an heirloom so take your time and don't rush it. It's actually a pretty relaxing activity once you get going and the results are absolutely stunning. No one will believe you made it yourself!

Here's what you'll need:

• Sequin pins. These are shorter than regular pins and they come in silver or gold
• Sequins. You'll need at least three different shades to get an ombre affect
• Seed beads in the color of your choice. I chose clear with silver lining
• Tacky glue
• 2 1/2" Styrofoam balls
• Ribbon
• Short length of wire. Any gauge will work
• A tray or shoebox lid to work on
• Small containers

Separate the sequin colors into containers. Pour some of the beads into a shallow container. Cut a length of ribbon about 8" and tie the ends. Make a U shape with the wire, hook the end around the ribbon loop, and add some tacky glue to the ends. Push the wire into the top of a styrofoam ball until ribbon is flush with the top of the ball. Let dry. Draw a line around the center of the ball with a permanent marker, to help guide the ombre design.



Thread a bead onto a pin, followed by a sequin in your lightest color. Make sure it's right side up - u shape instead of n shape for maximum sparkle! Dip the end of the pin in some tacky glue, and push the pin into the top of the ball right next to the ribbon. Continue adding beads and sequins all the way around the ribbon, slightly overlapping each so the styrofoam doesn't show through.



Keep going!! When you get about a third of the way down, start transitioning to the middle color sequins, and then to the last color about 2/3 of the way down. I mixed in a few sequins of the next color here and there to make the color transition more gradual.



tips

• Instead of trying to thread each tiny bead onto the pin, just slide the pin through the container of beads. You'll pick one or a few up every time.
• Squirt out some glue onto a scrap of cardboard and dip the pin ends into into that. Make sure to use glue - you don't want the pins falling out when you're finished! 
• Set up all of your little containers and glue inside a tray or shoebox lid. This will help keep sequins, beads, and pins from going all over the place if it gets bumped, and makes it easier to put aside when you want to take a break.

These ornaments are so pretty - even better in person! I love the ombre look, but you can try other designs and patterns, too. Stripes, swirls, polka dots. When I bought my supplies I also got a styrofoam cone that would make the prettiest Christmas tree. We'll see if I have enough time to tackle that! I'm not even done with the aqua/teal/blue one yet! :) I hope you'll try making some yourself!


P.S. Check out lots of projects from holidays past in the DIY Gallery!

*this post contains affiliate links

Cyber Week Sale

Just popping in to let you know that my "cyber monday week" sale is still going strong! Use the code Merry15 to get 15% off your entire order through Friday, 12/4! Can't beat that! I have so many new products that have been a big hit on and offline - gift wrap, desk calendars (above), pillows, and holiday cards. Of course all the classics are there, too: fabrics, tote bags, coasters. I only have sales once or twice a year, so if there's something you've had your eye on, now's the time to pounce! :)

*I'm restocking a few items that sold out this past weekend. If you have any specific questions about lead times feel free to email me! casey(at)vitaminihandmade.com*

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm reflecting a little on all of the things I'm thankful for, and you, the readers of my blog came to mind immediately. 2015 has been quite a year for me, both professionally and personally. While the changes and adjustments haven't always been easy, I think they've prepared me for lots of awesome things to come! Thank you for stopping by to read a post, craft a new diy, or leave a comment, even when the posts have been few and far between. I'm looking forward to sharing lots of new content in the coming months.

Have a great day, eat lots of delicious food, and let your loved ones know how thankful you are to have them in your life.

*I'm also super-thankful for craft supplies. Photo above of some hand dyed crepe paper, via my Instagram