This & That

Yeah. Classes are getting super stressful. So "This & That" is new solution for me to keep up with blogging during these hectic weeks ahead. It's simply two snapshots of my life right this minute.

This: a crochet teacup assembly line

That: reading, writing, studying and analyzing until my eyes start doing that weird involuntary twitching thing...

Time to get back to class! I hope everyone else is having a great day! If you want to give "This & That" a try, please do, and link back here. :-)

Crochet Inspiration - Helen Rodel

Am I the only yarn crafter that squeals with delight after stumbling upon crochet clothing that doesn't look like it has been collecting dust in grandma's attic? I hope not! It's so inspiring to see designers like Helen Rodel create such modern fashion statements through crochet. Check out her other creations here and watch this video that shows her intricate crochet work up close.

DallasMADE - Weekend Trip to The Dallas Flea

I had such a great time at The Dallas Flea on Saturday! I wish it was there every week! This year I discovered so many wonderful artists and became even more aware of the amazing talent in this city. 

One of my favorite finds of the day was  f. is for frank. I am in awe of all of their gorgeous and architectural pieces of jewelry. I even spoke to one of the designers and I might get to do a tour of their local studio for an upcoming DallasMADE post. Fun!

I really loved Modest Ambition's booth filled with her colorful crochet creations. Aren't her baby ponchos and rose clips completely adorable?

The coolest part about this year's Flea was the mobile shops parked right outside the event. I was really proud of Dallas for being so "with it" and keeping up with the mobile shop trend. ;-) 

I checked out the Vintage Mobile, stuffed with racks and racks of pretty vintage clothes. 

The line to grab a bite from Ruthie's Rolling Cafe was so long that I didn't even attempt to tackle it. However, I was more than happy to snap a picture of this pepto-pink food truck!

Last, but certainly not least, I was so happy to see the Dowdy Studio Wagon out in all of its glory. I really love this new trend of mobile vintage and handmade shops. Maybe one day there will be a craft show in a parking lot with all kinds of colorful trailers and trucks peddling their wares. Wait...does this already exist?! 

My only purchase of the day was this adorable birthday card from Blue Eye Brown Eye for my best friend's 21st birthday. "Happy Birthday Dear!" ;-)

I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this new series. It makes me happy to show off (and learn to appreciate) my city. Dallas has so much to offer the handmade community...and I'm just getting started! :-)

Did you go to The Dallas Flea this weekend? What are some of your favorite craft shows in your town?

The Blush List - Warmth

Dear Texas, 

It's almost October and it is going to be 94 degrees tomorrow. For your sake, I will ignore this unfortunate heat and dream of the cool, crisp days ahead. 

Not-So-Patiently Yours,

Meredith

Knitting // My friend Stefanie of A Common Thread is making beautiful progress on her Beekeeper's Quilt. I love the warm colors she chose!

Crochet // I'm amazed by crochet artist Jo Hamilton, but I'm particularly in love with her cozy and yarn-filled work place. 

Etsy // Woodgrain Sparrow Pin via Lily Ruby King

Style // My new favorite style blogger, The Velvet Bird - found via The Clothes Horse

Art // Cool Sweaters - found via Ampris Loves

Food // Tomato soup and grilled cheese in a mug!! Genius! I can't wait to eat this on the chilly evenings ahead. Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Chedder via Smitten Kitchen



I hope everyone had a great weekend! Hopefully it is a little bit cooler in your neck of the woods. What do you look forward to the most in the fall?

Illustrated by Love Elycia!!

What a wonderful thing to wake up to, my little cartoon face smiling back at me through the computer screen! Elycia from Love Elycia recently drew a few of her favorite bloggers and I was so flattered to find my picture in her post.

I just showed it to my mom and she already wants to frame it!! Thank you SO much Elycia! I'm honored that you took the time to draw my little face. :-)

Weekend Plans - 9/23 - 9/25

I look forward to the weekend at such a level that is probably unhealthy. Alas...it is here and I couldn't be happier. This week was extra crazy-town busy and I didn't get as much knitting done as I would've liked. Oh well. There's always time on the weekend to get stuff done!

Here are my plans...

1. I'm super excited to go shopping at the Dallas Flea tomorrow. I hope I find some great handmade items! I will be snapping lots of pictures for another DallasMADE post too!

2. Re-reading my favorite craft business books, The Handmade Marketplace and Crafty Superstar. They both have a lot of great tips on being a first time seller at a craft fair. My mom has already looked through them and made some notes, but I really need to sit down and do the same!

3. Add these cute little bookplates to my book collection. It's like having my own library! :)

4. Bows, bows, bows. Always making bows.

For now, I'm just going to kick back with some yarn and reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond. (Come on...I know you watch them too. They are ALWAYS on. It's very comforting. Haha!) 


What are your plans for the weekend? Are fall craft shows popping up around your town too? You should definitely go!

New Feature // DallasMADE - We Are 1976 Shop Tour

I'm excited to introduce a new feature on the blog - DallasMADE. Every week I will step outside of my box and share my discoveries as I explore the Dallas handmade community. Now, we all know I have my issues with Texas...currently the weather and I aren't on speaking terms. Sometimes I feel that life in Dallas gets me in the creative doldrums, especially when I compare it to this vibrant online community. I always forget to seek the wonderful handmade community right outside of my door. There truly is an abundance of creativity in this city. Ok, enough rambling. I'm happy to share with you one of my favorite shops in Dallas, We Are 1976. 

The shop is filled to the brim with fun, colorful, and unique design pieces. The shop owners, Vynsie, Jully, and Derek Law decided to open up shop here in Dallas after traveling around the world. Derek told me they came here so they could show people in Dallas the creative community lifestyle. All I can say is...THANK YOU.

We Are 1976 features a lot of art and handmade items by local artists, such as...

...these sculptural balloons by Jason Cohen...

...a pair of unusual "Glock" lamps by Tony Barsotti...

...and fun wooden clocks by Dowdy Studio.

The shop is also an amazing art gallery, lined with some of the most beautiful illustrations and photographs I've ever seen. They host gallery openings and artist receptions throughout the year. This Friday, Sept. 23, they are hosting the Fallout Gallery Opening, their first show of the season.

We are 1976 is definitely a colorful and somewhat cluttered little place, but that's just the way I like it. I think it makes shopping more fun when I have to search through items I may have never looked at and discover something unexpected. Let's just say I could stay in this store for hours...

Just look at that lamp?! So perfect. 

I definitely found more than a few things to put on my wish list. I love this decorative tape by the ever-so-talented, cat lady, and illustrator extraordinaire, Gemma Corell. 

As if I need another reason to sip tea, but these MyCuppa Tea mugs would help me achieve the perfect cup with its color matching guides. I'll take it Classic British, please. ;-)

Along with the rotating workshops taught by local artists, We Are 1976 is a perfect ten in my eyes. Derek also said they opened their shop because they wanted to have something that inspires people to be creative. Mission accomplished. I'll definitely be back for more.

Have any of my Dallas friends visited this shop yet? What are some of your other favorite shops in Dallas that sell unique and handmade goods? If you don't live in Texas, do you have similar places to explore in your own town? I'd love to hear all about it!

50 Crochet Bows for Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash

It's that time of year again...time to make 50 giveaway items for the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash. At each of their shows they have 50 "bash bags" filled to the brim with handmade goodies from each of the artists. They are handed out to the first 50 people in line and are always extremely popular. I decided to do something different for this show and make 50 of my crochet bows instead of the knit hearts that seemed to take me forever to finish in the Spring... ;-)

All 50 bows are due by October 31! Yikes! I need to turn into a bow making machine over here...

Last Spring, I made 50 hearts for the bash bags, but I didn't have a booth. I was just a volunteer and helped my team set up for the day. So, since this is my first craft show as a seller, I'm getting pretty nervous. Today it is officially only TWO MONTHS away. Wow. It seems so close. I've been working really hard on my inventory and researching ways to make my booth look pretty. I will definitely blog more about my progress as the Bash get closer.

*If you can't come to the Jingle Bash on Nov. 19 you can always snag one of these bows in my Etsy shop!

The Blush List - A Walk in the Garden

Dreaming of tea, cozy knits, floral prints, and sweet treats for a perfect day in the garden. 

Knitting //  Tiny pompom candy via Tiny Toadstool

Crochet // Tiny violet hand puff crochet pattern via Tiny Owl Knits

Etsy // Grey floral dishtowel via Lisa Rupp

Style // I love this floral, asymmetrical skirt, found via Bekleidet

Art //  Botanicals by Bonbi Forest

Food // Lemon yogurt anything cake via Smitten Kitchen


I love starting my week by gathering all of these pretty things. It allows me to daydream a little bit beyond my small reality.

Now I'm just finishing up a paper, packing up some orders, and doing a little reading for class. (Jane Eyre - I've never read it before and I absolutely love it!) 

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! What did you do? :-)