Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Fall Feeling Fhotos.

Ya, I spelled that wrong on purpose. You'll survive. I'm about to run out for a bit so I thought I'd leave you with a post. I've decided that in ever room there isn't giant piece of art for me that will make the room and I love photography. Etsy has great deals on photography of all sizes, so why not make a wall of it. Buy a box set of frames, or all different frames (different sizes, colors, shapes) and hang them all over a wall in different groupings, patterns, shapes, with some nice pictures. You'll have something to always look at and so will guests.

Here are some of my Etsy favorites with a bit of a fall feeling to them!

Antique Clocks Photograph by:
Price: $10
For $10 you get a 4x6 or for $15 you can get a 5x7 copy of this photograph. I like the reflections that come off the clock faces and the variety of different arms, and of course the sepia tone in the photograph. The soft browns are really a very current color to use in decorating and this picture has a nice modern/antiquey feel to it. I'd love to see this in a living room. 
Snow Flurries by:
Price: $35
Alright, I know what you're thinking. 'Snow?! That's winter not fall you nutter!' Well I'm a New England girl born and raised and it can snow in October, it can snow in April, it can even snow in August if it damn well pleases. But when you look in the background of this you see the browns and ever greens and in the foreground the faded fence post - that looks like fall to me, and this photograph is just SO beautiful with this owl. I think this picture is absolutely stunning.

Mountain Ash and Clothespins by:
Price: $25
I've always thought that the best way to know when art is really speaking to you rather than you pretending that it speaks to you is when you look at it and suddenly you're somewhere else. Looking at this I feel like I'm 5 or 6 again and at my grandmother's farm playing catch a falling leaf out by the cow fields. Sometimes its not a feeling of a time it gives me, but sometimes its a smell. If it brings back a happy memory it's a good thing. This photograph is beautiful and it reminds me of a wonderful time in my life. The colors are stunning and I'd love to have this hanging in any room of my home.

Three Amigos by:
saranorris
Price: $25
I think this is very cute and I love the vintage feel of the photo. Sort of a 'I found this in Grandma's old album.' color tone used in it. Even within the mute the vibrant reds pop and the cool blues calm. Looking at the sky you can feel how crisp of a day that is. I feel like this piece would look stunning mounted over your fireplace  or over your bed for the fall. When you're grumpy from raking all your leaves and then two hours later your yard is full of your neighbors you can look at this and remember without those leaves beauty like this wouldn't occur.

Lanterns by:
ara133photography
Price: $15
Beautiful beautiful Chinese lantern plant! Can you believe these are really real? They are so stunning and this is a perfect picture for the fall. I'm not usually a fan of the grey/orange/red combo but something about this one lures me in. It's one of those pictures that you want to stare at both up close and far away! Oooh and it would look so nice with a white or cream mat and in a black frame. Worth well more than $15!

Kelowna Orchard by:
theeye
Price: $18
One of my personal favorite fall activities is apple picking! And making apple crisp of course, because it smells so good and tastes so good too. I cannot wait for the fall and this picture makes me feel like I'm already there. Can't you feel that warm ray of sun about to poke through the cloud and warm your face even in the chilly air? Because I can. And I can smell the apples like they are right in front of me. I love it, and this picture has so many vibrant colors. It's wonderful.
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Still adding on to this post! Keep checking back

Run AWAY! From The Too Short Table Runner Blues!

I was so happy to wake up this morning (how every unrested and still exceptionally groggy) to find another email request for a blog. I know I had lots of requests yesterday but unless they are in email form I tend to forget... at least until I wake up. Let us hope I remember some. But since this one is right here I decided to start the day with it.

"I have a long dining room table and I know I've seen other girls mention their long tables on D&R on the nest, too. It is nearly impossible to find any type of selection of table runners for longer tables. I'd love to see a post on linens for the table."

I would absolutely love to find some on Etsy for you but my suggestion is that if you do happen to fall head over heels in love with one that you find is too short, buy 2! Silly, I know, but bring them together in the center of your table and find a solid color place-mat that blends with the colors of the runner but isn't the same width or shape. Sew the end of the two runners loosely together then put the placemat down over the stitched area and use that as the spot to place a nice centerpiece. No one has to know its two runners instead of a beautiful custom one!
But I can find you real table runners too. Lets begin, shall we?

Damask Table Runner by:
Price: $14.95
I picked this one because it would look so cute with my dream dining room. (If I ever have a dining room I'm getting the black and white ikea chairs I want and my black table, there will be white square plates, silver framed mirrors on the walls and oh ya, the walls will be CHARTREUSE. Sounds crazy? Well.. I'll post pics when I do it.) This table runner is listed at being 72'' long. I'm not sure how long of a table runner everyone was looking for but it doesn't matter. This seller has kindly included in their description to contact them if you need a custom one or a longer one and they would be happy to try to accommodate your needs! (And these come in other colors)

Circle Felt Table Runner by:
Price: $125
Oh my good golly gosh! This is just so rad! It looks very 70s and 80s but modern at the same time! I love the circles and this is heat resistant as well as moisture resistant. Granted this is a little more expensive than the previously listed on but it is also an item not every girl and here mother will have something similar too. For those of you that were looking for extra long table runners, this one boasts 90'' long! I'm not sure what length you were all looking for but I hope this covers. This was so cool it drew me in to look around the rest of the shop and I must tell you it is TOTALLY worth your time.

Satin Table Runners by:
Price: $5
108'' Satin table runners available in 33 colors. To be honest I'm not sure how this price is available for this or if this is just the order fee. I couldn't find it in the description so we're gonna go with we're just getting a really great deal on this. I'm not sure how satin would hold up on a table if you kept the runner on during meals and spilled food on it but if it's really $5 then you could always just order another one. I do not, however, recommend this runner if you have curious kitties that are not de-clawed. I feel like their little toesies would go right through this fabric. I've seen it happen before. But the color selection on this is AWESOME.

Alexander Henry Table Runner by:
Price: $17
Oh man! How cute is this fabric?! And the great thing about patterns on tables is they are less likely to show stains. This one is listed at 2 yards long currently but says it can be ordered in custom lengths. She also lets you pick your end shape! Squared, pointed, tassle on the end, you name it they'll do it! Which is an awesome idea for added customization (be prepared if you want tassles, I imagine they cost extra... and kitty owners is might not be worth it.) I love the pallet in this because I feel like it could be an all season runner. Oh maybe I'm going to change the colors of my dream dining room!!

 Swirl Embroidered Organza Table Runner by:
floratouch
Price: $8
For $8 you get a 72'' long table runner in your choice of colors. For $10 you get a 108'' table runner in your choice of colors. This sounds like a pretty good deal to me. The pattern of embroidery on this really adds texture without being overwhelming. The bit of whimsy of the stitch adds elegance and I'm a fan of the way they chose to display this. It always makes me feel a little more trusting in the product when I see someone was proud enough of it to stage it appropriately. Good job!
(NOTE : Her shop is absolutely FILLED with gorgeous table runners. Be sure to go and look at them all!!!)

Samantha by:
DarlingDamask
Price: $20
I know I know, more black and cream damask! But this is different because its a big bold damask instead of just a texture creating small print. This listing is up for a 72'' long runner but if you read down further it says that she makes everything to order so yes you can get a longer runner, in whatever length you need I'm assuming. This is just illustrating the other wonderful point of shopping on Etsy over retail. Humans make your products, so humans can customize your products, and humans appreciate every single purchase you make! Keep that in mind.
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Leave me some comments! What do you think of this? What colors are your dining room? Your dream dining room? Whats your decorating style?

Do you want me to start posting store ratings with every item I list? Let me know!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Purse Possibilities! $50 and under!

I got my first email request! I am so excited because this is really what I wanted this blog to do! I just want to help people find what they are looking for and navigate Etsy a little bit. So note to you all never hesitate to drop a line if you want to see something on here. Just email darling.little.bird@gmail.com. I will be happy to get a reply up as soon as I possibly can!

"I love the post you did Sunday with purses, but the one I fell in love with (the brown tweed and faux leather) is a touch outside my price range.  I'm wondering if you might do a $40 or $50 and under purse post? "

The answer is ABSOLUTELY! And I totally don't blame you for falling in love. I did too. So lets see what magic I can work tonight!

Black Canvas Pumpkin Bag by:
Price: $39
The pictures look like navy blue but the description says its black. Either way I like this bag. It's big and it looks like it has a lot of space, two different length straps for functionality, silver metal work and my personal favorite, its YELLOW inside. I love canvas bags too because you can beat them up til the cows come home and they will still last you for years. Also they are super easy to wash if you spill things in them or accidentally write on them with a pen... which I do all the time. The best thing about this bag in my estimation? When you glance at it, it doesn't look like its a canvas bag, the canvas has a bit more shine to it than usual and it looks pretty and almost like dupioni silk. Two thumbs up. This might be my new fall bag. 

Mini Carpet Bag with Adjustable Straps in Dark Teal by:
Price: $30
I featured this bag in Mustard on my first day but I decided to add the teal up in this post because this cute little bag should not be ignored! This fabric's weave looks nice and heavy, perfect for the fall, and this color is dark enough to be fall/winter without screaming 'HARVEST TIME' which is sometimes a much nicer option. Thank you to the world of fashion you could match this up with a black and white hounds tooth coat and be so cute cute cute this winter and at $30 its a deal and a half. I LOVE these bags. Once I get some money again I'm buying one and I will let you all know exactly how much I love it.

Felt Flower Clutch by:
Price: $38
I have been neglecting the small side of purses which are clutches. These are cute especially if you like your hands. They draw attention to hands and make them look dainty, they are also super elegant bags. Just if you're going to carry them please don't be as clumsy as I am. Be Audrey Hepburn like (oh I adore her) and if you go to tuck it under your arm make sure you do it right and don't drop it down behind you (yes I've done that). Clutches are cute because they can also be dropped into a big purse and used as a wallet as long as they aren't too too big. BE SURE to check out the rest of this shop as there are so many other adorable clutches (I almost put the gray and yellow and white one up here instead).

Rosettes on Slate and Ivory Purse by:
Price: $50
I like the tweed feeling of this fabric for the fall and the rosettes give it a bit of a ladylike flair. This will keep you from over stuffing because its a small bag so its going to stay ladylike and small. I can imagine this bag with a cute hat and scarf in the late fall and early winter. A Christmas bag really, with that elegant flair for the holiday season. Dressy but dress down-able and a totally worth while investment!

Patchwork in Mustard by:
Price: $42
This is a great fall bag because of the color and because of the fabric. It s made of casco suede which is seasonably appropriate for the fall. The metalworking on the end of the straps adds that finished look and makes it look classy. This bag has the feeling of a model's weekend go out and shop in the farmers market bag. I come up with the oddest descriptions of things but I know what I'm talking about. I hope you do too. Anyway this bag looks to be durable, built to last you several seasons so at $42 it's a good investment.

Soma by:
Price: $36
This cute little corduroy bag will take you through the fall and some of the winter depending on your climate, maybe even all the winter. what really caught my eye about this bag was the real slight hint of whimsy that the lace detailing adds. The lace really makes the bag. It is also available in an olive green which is equally as nice and corduroy has some durability so this one will also take you through a few seasons!

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I hope these help with your fall bag needs! I will be adding more as the season goes on! Happy hunting!

Gift For The Girl Who Has Everything!

Another request today! I'm having so much fun with these. This request was for me to find something to give as a baby gift to the for the mom who has EVERYTHING. That's a tough one. Darn that maternal overdrive that kicks in and the nesting that follows. If you have to buy yourself everything just so you know you have it then what is everyone else going to get you?

Well thanks in advance all you cute crazy Etsy-ians who came up with these adorable ideas. Gifters know they can turn to you in a pinch!

Personalized Name Blocks by:
Price: $3 per block
I think these are just adorable! Now they do come in a range of colors and patterns so be sure to browse her shop. I just happen to know that the request came in for a mommy who is having a little boy and I really liked the green. These are especially cute if you happen to know of the colors of the nursery. I mean how cute are these just sitting on a shelf all stacked up? And what better than something educational for the baby to play with as they get older. This is a great way to decorate and for the baby to learn to recognize their name, and at $3 a block it is a great deal, unless your friend is naming their baby Michelangelo, then it might get a bit pricey... and you'd probably run out of shelf space.

  Personalized Pumpkin Hat by:
Price: $3.50
Have a friend thats expecting her little pumpkin in the harvest season? September - November babies could wear this cute little personalized pumpkin at and just look oh so festive (and oh so cute) not to mention you're helping mommy out. Now all she has to do for Halloween is grab a little orange onesie and the costume is done. Personally I'd put this little hat back on my darling on a cool spring day and put them in their orange onesie again and call them my little carrot. So cute!

Personalized Terry Cloth Baby Bib by:
Price: $7
One thing my mom always told me about me as an infant was I was drooly, and no matter how many bibs she had for me it was never enough. I was also endlessly enthusiastic, especially about food, so wearing a bib 24/7 was really a good idea for me. This one is a nice gift one though because of the personalization. It seems a cut above the rest of the bibs so if it was necessary to wear it out in public it would still look a bit more dressed up. Again, you can really never have enough of these!

Anchor Onesie in Blue Stripes by:
Price: $8
I was born and raised on Cape Cod so there is something that I find cute and irresistible about anchors. Not to mention the colors used on this onesie and! As an added bonus it can be customized to add a name. No matter how many onesies a woman has for her child she can always find an excuse to add one more to the closet... especially if they are boys because honestly, there isn't enough cute boy stuff out there in the world. It's getting better but we want more! And this is a good start. So cute!

Personalized Pooh or Princess Baby Photo Albums by:
Price: $8.49
A personalized and cute baby photo album that will hold up to 50 pictures? A great gift indeed! No matter how many photo albums that mama has received you can bet shes gonna take more pictures of that little peanut than she has room for. Not to mention if she does by some stretch of the imagination collect too many she can always fill one of these up with pictures and send it to Grandma & Grandpa because they wanna see their grandbabies too! These books both come in lovely soft colors and look to me like a great idea for a baby gift. I know I would love getting one of these if I were expecting a little one.
Personalized Minky Security Blanket by:
Price: $14.99
Do you know where your blankey is? I'll admit. I'm 20, engaged, and yes... yes I do. Blankeys are the best security item in my opinion and I'm going to make sure all of my babies have their own too! This one is super cute though and looks really cuddly. Great for kids with siblings because there can be no fighting over these if they have your name stitched into it. The colors on this one are adorable and the shop had other options to check out as well!!

 Personalized Letter Book by:
newleafhandmade
Price: $20
This is just such a sweet idea that I have to quote the description the designer has in the store.
"I designed this notebook for my mom so she can write letters to her one-year-old granddaughter to read in the future."
I think this is such a great idea. You could give these to a new mommy for her and her the daddy or even give them to them for them to give to grandparents or godparents. This is a keepsake you'll want forever.

jumping into the more expensive end...

Jungle Fever Baby Book by:
CustomMemoryBooks
$47.50
So this is a bit more on the expensive end but if you're a scrap booker its a cute idea. This store has a few more designs and extra filler pages to put inside. The neat thing about this book is if you have no idea where to start it has pages to guide you like 'New Arrival' and 'Welcome Home'. This will help you figure out what to do and give you a jumping off point. This is the time you want to grab as many memories as you can and hold on tight!

Modern Baby Memory Book by:
rubylovedesigns
Price: $60
This is definitely a modern baby book without taking modern too far. It looks like a baby book with its button accent, soft font, and tranquil color, but it doesn't have a lot of the mooshie gooshie baby stuff that a lot of other products have. It's just not style to cover things with pictures of passifiers and baby bottles and diapers. I like the clean classic look of this that your kids will look back at when they are older and not be embarrassed to touch.

 Baby Scrapbook Keepsake by:
javagirls
Price: $45
This is a great middle ground for modern and cutesy. Not too modern, but you still have the stripes and the modern colors, and you get the cutesy with the monkeys without being too babyish. This is a great combination and the interior looks great too. If you like the looks of it be sure to check it out in javagirls' shop and look at all the pictures shes posted!
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More to come! Just thought I'd get these up in a hurry!

Pillow Fight! Lite!

So! I was challenged to find cute throw pillows that were under $15 or $20 which is a great add-on to my first post today. This is what I came up with!

Pink, Green, and Yellow Polka Dot Pillow by:
Nelly23
Price: $9
I like this one, it's cute and the colors are happy. It reminds me of a bedroom I would have desperately wanted when I was 5 or 6. I'm a huge fan of polka dots, in a pattern or random, polka dots of all sizes! This would be a great thing to ass if you have a gender neutral nursery and then you had a girl, or a friend had a girl. Something to put in a rocking chair or somewhere like this. The sunniness of this makes it a really good find and it looks quite comfy. $9? Sounds good

White, Beige, and Brown Floral Pillowslip by:
Price: $10
I find the colors on this pillow very appropriate. For those of you who have a little throw pillow reservation and aren't fully into the spicy, wild, out of the box decorating these pillows are mild and tranquil and a good transition into working new patterns into your room. The colors in the pattern are very current as well which is great because it increases the number of possibilities of places you could use it. I like the flowers too! They look big and poofy. Maybe they are peonies.

Modern Retro Urban Circles by:
Price: $10
Again these are the colors that I like, the blues, browns, and cremes that really help calm me down after a stressful day. What really caught me about this one is that  they are not perfect circles, they are all a little warped, slightly funky and distorted. It gives this pillow a lot of character. It's a 14''x14'' square which is a good size for something like this too. Not too big so the pattern doesn't overwhelm you. If it does start to for any reason though you can just flip it over and its solid on the back. A win win!

Lime And Black Indonesian by:
Price: $10
Next to yellow my favorite color? This chartreuse (yellowy green)! I adore it and the pattern on this pillow is so big and bold, it's wonderful. You've got black and gray and that POP of color that works so perfectly. This is a nice change from the overused red/pink pop with black and white (I'm having a hard time getting away from that myself). But I have a feeling this pillow would compliment any decor and at $10 it is absolutely a STEAL! Get it while it's hot!

Sandalwood in Ivory by:
Price: $13.95
I think what caught my eye about this pillow was the fact that it really brings a very antique pattern into a modern feel with its bold color and fabric placement. Kudos to the seamstress as this placement is not by the maker of the fabric but by her doing. The a-symmetry in this really makes the pillow, had this pattern been centered I might have passed it by. I really love the way the pinks and deep corals work together and although it would only work with limited color schemes I feel like this would be a pillow worth working into your room!

Summertime Blues Duet by:
Price: $13.95
And of course I always love a sale. Originally listed at $24 you can now get both of these pillows, together, already matched up together with their complimentary miss match-y patterns for only $14. Do I need to spell it out for you? S-T-E-A-L. Sure they look a bit more summery but inside its very simple to turn blue and white from summer to winter. This is totally a bargain.

Vintage Birdcage Embroidered Pillow by:
Price: $14
Alright, for those of you with a quirky little playful decorating style, you can't tell me you don't love this pillow. From the colors to the embroidery placement to the pictures style its ADORABLE! I love vintage birdcages and I love this shade of blue... and of course the yellow too. Besides whats better than a constant reminder of me? Get this pillow and throw it on your couch or chair and whenever anyone asks you where you got it? 'A Little Bird Told Me' ;).
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More throw pillows under $15 may be added as the day goes on so keep checking back!