A PEAK AT 2011...

This scarf will be part of my spring collection and will be available in some really fabulous colors!!

A LOVE AFFAIR WITH TARTAN...

This was the tartan/lace/silk velvet skirt and scarf that I made for the winter sale at Astoria Vintage Hardware (astoriavintagehardware.com).  I also made the tartan/wool/burlap slipcover on the chair.  Rebecca Johnson, the shop's owner is a pretty sweet model too!!!

THANKSGIVING DINNER TABLE

Here are a few photos of my dining room around thanksgiving and of the new linen slipcovers I made for my chairs and day bed.  Enjoy!

I'LL BE BACK SOON....!

Gypsy Poet Fashions has been out of commission for a while due to my son's health and special needs!  I will be re-designing the blog and a new blog will be posted in January!  In the meantime, you can visit my etsy account at www.gypsypoetfashions.etsy.com or astoriavintagehardware.com where my product is for sale and on display!  Thank you for your patience!

DEBUT AT THE ASTORIA ART WALK

Gypsy Poet Fashions had a wonderful reception at Vintage Hardware Saturday night.  The response and praise from artwalkers was overwhelming and humbling.  As a last minute ploy to promote Gypsy Poet Fashions, I designed and made a wrap around skirt and lace t-shirt with my logo for Becky (Co-Owner of Astoria Vintage Hardware) to wear the day of the event.  To my surprise, it was the hit of the show!  By the end of the evening, I had eight requests for the skirt and t-shirt.  Life with Gypsy Poet Fashions continues to evolve in exciting and new forms.  I love it!  Above is a slide show from the event.  The Rebecca Wrap Skirt is available for sale in my etsy shop at http://www.gypsypoetfashions.etsy.com/ .  Remember, if you become a follower of my blog, you get a onetime 10% discount on any one item in my etsy shop.  How it works--After becoming a follower, purchase someting on my etsy account and I will refund you 10% of the purchase price.  Enjoy the show!

APRIL SHOWERS GROW FLOWERS

Spring is upon us and I have been busy preparing for my debut as the featured artist for Vintage Hardware during the 2nd Saturday Astoria Art Walk in Astoria, Oregon.  The Art Walk will be held on April 10, from 5-9 PM and Galleries and Boutiques will be featuring an Artist for the evening.  Vintage Hardware has commissioned Gypsy Poet Fashions to create vintage inspired burlap bags branded with their logo and they will be available for sale at the event.  For the Coast Weekend review visit http://www.coastweekend.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=43456&TM=35347.48.

After the Art Walk, you can head over to the Commodore Hotel for a night of dancing with an 80's theme.  If you come from out of town, the Commodore is a delightful boutique hotel recently renovated in an historic building.  Astoria is a wonderful place to visit with quaint boutiques, historic museums, and amazing breweries, restaurants and coffeehouses.  The Commodore Hotel - http://www.commodoreastoria.com/  and Elliott Hotel- http://www.hotelelliott.com/  would be sublime choices for that truly cultured downtown experience!  If breathtaking views of the Columbia River are what you are looking for, the Holiday Inn Express- http://www.astoriahie.com/ .com provides full service accommodations.  It's off the beaten path from downtown but there is a river walking path, a great mexican restaurant and a fish market accross the street.  You can catch the trolley and head downtown if you don't want to drive! A truly "little San Francisco" experience!

MY STUDIO...I love to design new textile products but the redundancy of production work is grueling.  To pass the time, I listen to music or sing to myself (this also helps muffle the children screaming and running around in the other room!)  My new favorite song is Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood.  It brings a fresh reality to my life and relieves any anxiety I may have at the moment.  Faith is a big part of my life and God has blessed me this month helping me to grow my business and bringing my family closer together.   I planted the seed years ago with Gypsy Poet Fashions, but it didn't really start to grow until recently when I actually took the time to nuture and feed it and that's when God watered it and gave it sun!  (Of course, some really good friends stopped by every once and a while to help me weed.)

MY HOME... Check out the new daybed I slipcovered with burlap and new ruched faux silk and burlap pillow.  This is in my living room as a sofa bed.  My son loves it!  I slipcovered the mattress with cotton velvet damask which I can throw in the wash when my son soils it in his various daily mishaps! The ivory ruffled linen pillow and ruched faux silk pillow are available for sale in my etsy shop. 

LOOK for GYPSY POET FASHIONS at the ASTORIA SUNDAY MARKET in MAY!
Gypsy Poet Fashions will be having a weekly booth at the Astoria Sunday Market beginning May 9th in Astoria, Oregon.  I have created new product lines that will be available for purchase including laundry bags, burlap and silk ruffled pillows, market bags, tablecloths, aprons, ladies bloomers, slipcovered footstools and burlap bedcovers.  Of course, most will be available for sale in my shop on ETSY as well.  I have been very excited for this new venue because it will allow me a space to showcase Gypsy Poet Fashions' Style on it's own.   It will be undeniably incredible and beautiful for all to see so please come by if you live nearby.  I will put up pics of my booth on May's blog post. For more information about the market visit http://www.astoriasundaymarket.com/.

Thanks again for reading my news. Below are pics of my work that clients have sent me. Enjoy!

DREAMS and HATS

Most people have good dreams and bad dreams.  I have both as well.  My bad dreams are usually pretty scary.   On the contrary, my good dreams usually bring me back to a different time when life was slower, where technology was limited and people appreciated and depended on artisans, craftsmen, and skilled workers to provide them with their daily needs instead of computerized, mass produced products we have accessible today.  While they are convenient, they lack the stories, the quality, the beauty of the handmade. 

My good dreams are wonderful, colorful, images and stories in my head of silk, velvet, ruffles, ruching, petticoats, Jane Austin, and Marie Antoinette. Then, sometimes, during my dream a chicken pops in and brings me to a world of simple farm life with visions of muslin, burlap, grainsacks, peasant dresses and barnwood.  This contrast between this historic couture fashion and rustic living is what Gypsy Poet Fashions is all about!  

The other night, like many nights before, I couldn't get a certain theme out of my head.  This time it was HATS!  All night long, while my son probably had visions of lollypops, I had images of hats floating around in my brain.  Hats from all different time periods-mostly from the 20th century-edwardian, victorian, the roaring 20's, the 40's and even the dreadful 80's!

After a sleepless night, I woke determined to design a hat.  Well, at the end of the day, I didn't make a hat, but I think this slipcover elicits the feeling of one!   It's available for sale at astoriavintagehardware.com.
Thanks for reading my very first blog entry!  If you want to keep up with my creative antics, come visit again!