casapinka

Summer Rains

It's absolutely dumping buckets of rain here in New England this morning. The windows are open, Sophie Milman is singing while my kids play launch themselves onto each other's heads from the bedside table Parcheesi. Yes, it's 11am and we're all still in bed in our pjs. Don't you love a rainy day? Here are a few images to catch the summer rain spirit.

Anna Russell's Flickr

Scarlett Beautiful

Kate Merritt Davis

Groundwork

No Carnations

Mintage

Raspberry coffee gelato capelet

My latest little project, done in wonderful yarns: The top is a hand dyed, locally spun, incredibly soft merino that is light raspberry with small bits of light coffee mixed in. The bottom is a 50/50 alpaca and merino wool mix in the most gorgeous cafe au lait color. Closed with a vintage rhinestone brooch. All I could think of while making this was raspberry coffee gelato!

Pink can opener

Husband: You're doing WHAT?

Pink: Well YEAH. Why wouldn't I? It's begging to be polka dotted.

Husband: Sometimes you're just strange.

Pink: And you're clearly jealous of a can opener.

Pink playdough

School is out, the day is rainy...what better reason is there to make pink playdough? It's so easy even I couldn't mess it up.

And I've continued to try and have fresh flowers regularly, which I started while doing the Apartment Therapy home cure. I'll admit, some stems were cut up and shoved into the above pink playdough before I was able to intervene but most were rescued.

Yesterday, we made pink cupcakes for Father's Day. We also made some manlier banana toffee cupcakes since it was Father's Day, after all. 

And finally, the pink playdough looks so innocent and pretty on its own but reality is that Junior rapidly climbed onto the dining room table and stomped in it in the 2 minutes it took me to wash the dishes. Band-aid courtesy of his sister, a fort-making injury sustained while emptying the entire linen closet at 7:10 this morning while I was still on my first cup of coffee. : )

Purple capelet

I finally succeeded in designing a little capelet. My little girl graduates from Kindergarten tomorrow and this is a present I made for her. She was so happy when she woke up and found it, it almost makes me feel like I'm having a good week. Of course, then I made the mistake of calling the school superintendent to tell him Juniorette really, really should be able to go to public school here (not 25 minutes away) since we pay taxes (she's on a freaking waiting list) and her current school is closing. All I heard was overcrowdingproblembudgetcutsblahblahblah.  " But you haven't seen her in her purple capelet!" I implored, to what, I'm sorry to say, was a most unimpressed secretary. 

Cashmere therapy

Dear God/Universe/Whomever you are:

It's me, Pink. I've had a terrible week. I'm going to be specific in what might help me. How about a 2 ply cashmere sweater (a nice one, not an Old Navy one that rips under the armpit after two wearings) in a color to match the new issue of UK Country Living. Nothing in nasty burgundy or beige, please. Preferably found at a thrift store for under 5 bucks (I know it might be asking too much but I'll put it out there.)  Thanks, Pink

Dear Pink:

Drive to the Woonsocket, RI Salvation Army (Mapquest it) and look among all the Wal-Mart castoff sweaters and you shall find what you are after. It will be brand new and $4.99. I think it matches the new Country Living issue just how you would want it to and it's not from Old Navy, although you have to admit that they do have some cute clothes on occasion.   Peace out, God

Another flea market Monday

I can't help it - there is something about a happy yellow bowl that is just...perfection. It can't irritate you (like a toaster whose toast gets stuck), it doesn't make you sad (like the color of catfood does to me - who invented that color, anyway?!) and it just makes me want to make batch after batch of cupcakes.

When I'm writing entries into my Etsy Store  sometimes I want to say, "Please, just don't buy this because then I can keep it." Such is the case with this scarf. 

And this tray. I really love this tray! I am just about ready to hang it on the wall in my bedroom. 

Ditto with these blocks - aren't the graphics wonderful? Then I got a warning from a friend that they could contain lead paint, so I'm selling them as a decoration rather than a children's toy. Junior tried them out tonight (no, not eating them, dumping them into the suitcase below which I also bought.) He usually confines his eating to baby lotion, Elmer's glue and Butt Paste, which today he brushed all over his leg with his new toothbrush. I think he finds the consumption of lead a bit pedestrian.

I totally expected a bus to stop for me when I was taking this picture.

Pink kitchen

Hi honey, I doubt you will see this while at work but I've found the perfect kitchen for when we buy a house. Really, it's everything we're looking for: Sturdy, fun, Junior resistant and lots of storage. Where did I put it? Well, it sort of fits in the apartment's dining room, you know between on the dining room table and the big bookshelf. Wow, isn't the universe sending great things our way?! Via Retro renovation.

Flea market Monday

I only put things in my Etsy store that I  want in Casapinka, which makes selling them difficult, an exercise in self discipline. Yesterday was a very fun day at the flea, the only eye rolling I can't believe you did that moment that Husband received was when he bought a Destiny's Child doll for Juniorette, complete with blue sequined boob tube and hot pants. With all the fab clothes Beyoncé wears, couldn't they have put her doll in this and given her a few curves?! What is it with skinny dolls dressed like strippers?! Now, in my day...

Pink macaroons

My plans for the weekend include trying to make these. I'm sure most will end up on Junior and subsequently the cat but I can't be faulted for trying. Have a great one! (Picture from Pamela Clarke's book, Cookies.)

Turquoise and pink chair

It's impossible for me not to anthropomophize this sweet chair (she's clearly a girl.) All she needed was a bit of love and attention and now look at her! I think this Sis Boom fabric is everything good in the world: Fuchsia flowers, turquoise and aqua stripes, birds...all against the imperfect chipped up white of my $4.99 adopted chair. I know she wants to thank me.

Flea market scores

"Yeah, it's ok. Sometimes you can find good stuff," said this friend about a flea market I'd never attended. Many items for sale now in my Etsy store.

I don't know what it is about these vintage pins...they're just so pearly, it's like sewing with pearls and platinum.

And regarding this vintage, hand silk screened Vera scarf...it's just very clear to me that everyone should be wearing my kids' dresser around her neck.

Crocheted turquoise bag

This was a project I did yesterday. I thought it was going to be a larger shopping bag but instead it's a slightly smaller pretty bag that I probably won't use for shopping. I was so pleased at the way it turned out and there is not even ONE chocolate stain on it from Junior (big pat on mommy's back.)

And here it is empty on the left and filled with yarn on the right. Perhaps I should make some for my Etsy store. 

Jennifer Paganelli

Jennifer Paganelli is the designer of Sis Boom (produced by Freestyle Fabrics)  with such happy, colorful fabrics I could buy them all. I've seen a few of them around but I hadn't really heard of her  until I bought the fabric from my last post off of Etsy, which is chock full of her fabrics. She has a vibrant blog full of photographs of clothes, cushions and home goods made from the gorgeous Sis Boom cloth. Visit it here. 

Sis Boom fabric

Remember how I was going to recover the seat of my chair this weekend? I didn't actually do it but I did order this - a bit for the chair and the rest to make a quilt.  I just thought it was very beautiful and happy. I think I'll use the fabric on the bottom for the chair seat.

This has absolutely nothing to do with recovering chairs but I would love to have this shirt from Etsy seller Azmara. 

Happy Weekend!

My bathroom with the pink bathtub has been incomplete for a while, mostly because I couldn't find the perfect towels and bath mat for it. Well, I found them and they are so fantastic I almost fainted on the spot (that, and the larger towel was on clearance for $6.99.)  

Other things I hope to enjoy working on this holiday weekend include: Making this hat. I'm a big believer in sunscreen and hats and I love working with beautiful yarn. Doesn't a new project hold so much potential and excitement? Even looking at this yarn makes me want to drop everything and sit in a rocker (I actually typed "rocket" first by mistake...which is truly more apropos) with a cup of tea and just go to work.

 Finish this cushion so it doesn't look like a granny in a mauve polyester pantsuit is the owner.

Get started on this book. Admittedly, I bought it because I thought it was sooo cute it had to be good. I am guilty of judging books by their covers (and it was $2.99 which probably means it's entirely lame.) But reading this in my pink bathtub should be fun, some night this weekend when the kids have drifted off to sleep...

Give this $4.99 chair a seat with a pretty fabric cover. I guess that's enough for the long weekend. I'm looking forward to my little projects and having time with my family, playing in the grass, going to the beach, flying a kite if it's windy. I hope you enjoy your long weekend, too!

Vintage fashion illustrations

A friend asked my advice on some of these vintage fashion illustrations that she found on Ebay. I think they are a steal (many are $40) and are all original paint or pen and ink. Go have a browse and see if you find a little treasure for yourself or someone special. Find more here.

My friend bought this one for her little girl's room. I think it is very sweet and will be a very special present for her.

Embroidered dress

I've been a bit laid up here with a subluxation of my sacroiliac joint (sounds fancy, huh?) so little projects have been happening here and there while I sit on my tush or waddle around. My daughter requested a dress with her favorite foods on it: Cake and peas. So, in an oh so imperfect but full of love way, I made her this Cake and Pea Dress. Note: Dress is from Old Navy, embroidery by me.

I know, I know, I misspelled "heart" in French...that's what happens when you do things freehand while watching little chaps at the park. I kind of like that effect, though...it reminds me of Japanese translations. "She ate her donkey gracefully while bowing." I'm really into studied imperfection right now; it takes away so much pressure and has such a raw beauty to it.

Purple house

Why hello, pretty purple house in Providence. I'm so glad I saw you while driving around Friday.

I wonder why more people don't paint their houses this color...I suppose it wouldn't be so special if they did.

It seems criminal that someone should live in such an adorable house AND drive such a cute car. This house really made my day and I hope it brings cheer to yours!

Pink armoire

I love the magazine Marie Claire Idées but it is hard to find in these parts. Look at this pink armoire: What a fun project!

I would love to sew the pink school bag for my daughter. The directions are in French and it isn't like I find it easy to follow a sewing pattern in English. Sigh. I can crochet flowers, however, and I just might.

Another fun idea. It reminds me of the John Derian couch in the NY Times that caused such an uproar because the owners let children take markers to the lovely sofa: 

You just have to do what you like and what makes you happy, especially in your home. Critics be damned!

Jane Foster

I discovered Jane Foster in my Etsy travels yesterday and am in love with her work. I left a completely dorky comment on her blog: "You should be making fabric." and (duh) I looked through her website more and found that she is. The colors and clear Scandinavian influences are pure inspiration to me. She mostly does screen prints but have a look at her home design and the vintage fabrics that she collects! I know you'll enjoy her work as much as I do and I feel sure we'll be seeing a lot more of her. Find her on Etsy here.

Today I made...

A little milk bottle cushion out of an upcycled white felted sweater. Thinking it would be a nice accessory for a nursery but it could go anywhere, really. Stuffed with bamboo and edged with cotton. I like that these don't have to be perfect and they just sort of make themselves while I listen to music.

Rag and Bone open studio

Last Friday, Husband watched Junior and I went to the Rag and Bone open studio in Pawtucket, RI, which I found out about from a Decor8 tweet. It was fantastic! Ilira and Jason were there to show us how to make some books and do some other paper  crafts.  It was funny because Ilira recognized me from the park and I recognized her little boy; RI is soooo small. I took a class and  managed to make the two little accordian albums, above left. It's not that easy!

Paper and fabric display in the studio.

That's me  in the foreground and Alison (whose necklace I will blog about soon) who taught the class with Ilira. They were all so friendly and helpful, I can't rave enough. 

The  sweet couple who, I might note, have a two year old who is fairly calm. He didn't appear to be a Playdough eater or the type to stuff pins in the sewing machine (unlike Junior.) Perhaps next time they're at the park together, Junior can receive a few tips on Being Civilized from the Rag and Bone toddler.

Cashmere to felt

So much cashmere loveliness waiting to be felted this weekend. I'll be putting up my heart pillows (and some stuffed birds for little chaps) bit by bit in my Etsy store. 

This has given me so much respect for all the Etsy artisans. It takes a lot of work to make a product, photograph it, upload and describe it, ship it and then worry that the customer won't love it. I know my pillows are a labor of love and I imagine many other Etsyians feel the same way.

 I hope everyone has a great weekend. Husband is on call so I'm looking forward to keeping Junior in line (meant with sarcasm) without husband bellowing "OI!" when Junior does something mundane like hurl our Lalique collection down the back stairs. 

If...

If...I could spend the day barefoot in any kitchen.

If...I were going to buy an 8X10 original painting today

 

If...I could choose what type of farm to own.

If...I had a motto for the week.

Felted heart pillows

Here are some felted sweater cushions I've been working on lately. Each sweater is felted - washed in hot water with soap - and then repurposed into a cushion and edged with cotton or merino wool.

Bold florals

Livingetc. has declared this the season of the "Bold Florals."  I think my whole life would be a bold floral (if certain influences, namely one to whom I'm married) would allow it.  Now honey, this would look FAB in our bedroom and YOU KNOW IT.

Original painting for from Karen Field's Etsy Store.

Felted sweater cushions

A couple more cushions made from wool sweaters which were felted. It's fun to felt wool: hot water, soap and agitation will shrink and entwine the wool fibers to make a very soft, dense fabric. Alternatively, give a sweater to your husband or S.O. (of male persuasion) if he does the laundry... guaranteed to return to you felted! They are in my Etsy shop which is now open - and the Etsy mini to the right now displays items in my store. I hope you like what you see!

Vintage fabric skirts

A couple of skirts I made for my daughter from vintage sheets. I'm such a neophyte and they are far from perfect, but she loves them! 

Beautiful color for your morning (via Designsponge.) Today I am trying to figure out how to take better photos for my Etsy store and blog. I can't even figure out how to disable the flash, the scourge of good photographs, apparently. I bet if I handed it to Junior he could disable it.