I love to create and I love to share so this page is dedicated to my brand Loveshine365. The posts are from oldest to the most recent, I hope you enjoy learning more about my brand and the things I consider Loveshine (Love +Sunshine)!
Check out the items I have for sale on my "Loveshine365 Items" page.
WELCOME TO THE LOVESHINE
The word "Loveshine" makes me so happy. A mesh of the words "love" and "shine." It makes me feel like smiling and dancing on a hill in the midst of flowers with a cool breeze lifting my hair and the sun as my own personal beam of light. I guess that is why I chose it.
I also chose it because my dad was the drummer for a band in the 70's with the same name. The cover of their album was a beautiful red that looked like stained glass and the words "Loveshine" in yellow. I would look at the back and feel so proud to see my dad's picture and his name under the word "drummer." I would put his record on and listen to the music letting myself float away to the 70's and sunshine, I knew the words to every song. "Loveshine/ I feel the sunshine/I feel the change brought about in me."
(Me and my brother Joseph circa 1986)
It makes me think of beauty, the outdoors, children playing and laughing, creativity, peace, music, relaxation, wonder. It is Alice in Wonderland, it is a step through the magic wardrobe and into Narnia, it is Anne of Green Gables and her precociousness, yet awe of beauty, the imagination, play, love of life and experience.
It’s steaming and I’m dreaming
And life’s a pile of sonnets
And all the makings of a flower
Are here underneath this bonnet.
And I’m a wonder
You are thunder
And we are floating on a fly
I am Alice
"Fly to my palace"
In the undulating sky.
And is this nonsense
I'm not sure
But it is in my head
And the flying, floating, fleeting
Is all that I have said.
It is a poem that has music to the words even if they are nonsensical. Rhythm, dance, beating hearts and drums. Blood coursing through you because you are alive and active. Your feet are almost not your own. And you are Maria the Nun and the hills are alive and dancing with you.
Loveshine.
ACORN NECKLACES, LEMONADE STANDS, AND TIGHTS
Although I am a different me than I was when I was a little kid, I am still very much the same me even today. And I am glad. In fact, some of what I am not any longer I wish, perhaps, I still was. But I thought I might share some of little Emily today. It is not really a story or at least it isn't the telling of an event that has a beginning, middle, and end. The common ground the pieces I tell have are only that they relate to how I began to create and share. Here I go...
Acorn necklaces- I guess I have always loved the color of nature. It is true that I was a child during the 1980's and the early 90's therefore I did have an affair with neon pink and green, but, other than that natural peaceful colors have always made me smile. I used to sit on the walkway to my house and pick up the acorns. I loved the way they were shaped and when you peeled off the shell the inside looked exactly like a little pumpkin. I decided it would be beautiful as a necklace, so I grabbed my cross-stitching needle and thread and I peeled several acorns until I had enough to thread into a beautiful orange necklace. One of my first jewelry pieces. Although I later made friendship bracelets, I still think my acorn necklace was beautiful because of the source and that it was all my own idea.
Lemonade stand- I don't know how most kids ran their lemonade stand, I just know how I did mine. It was very important to me that I didn't make my lemonade from a Kool-aid mix or from lemon juice that you buy in a bottle. I bought a huge bag of lemons and squeezed the juice out myself. I wanted to have the BEST and TASTIEST lemonade anyone had ever had. It mattered if I made money, of course, but more than that I wanted my customers to taste it and love it. And I didn't want them to love it just so they would buy more, it is just so satisfying to see someone enjoy something you made and you want it to be the best. I also loved drawing the sign and keeping the money in my empty Crayola box.
The 25 cents store- I distinctly remember telling my mom about a business idea I had. One of my first. It had come to me while grocery shopping with my mom because sometimes what you want to buy is more than what you have to spend. I told her that I wanted to make a store where everything was 25 cents but that it would be very good stuff. She told me that it was a nice idea but that I probably wouldn't make much money. I told her that I would make a lot of money if a lot of people bought stuff and a lot of people would buy stuff if it was only 25 cents. I understand a little more about how business works now, but I still retain that desire for people to get awesome stuff without breaking their bank, especially stuff they need. I wish organic food was more budget friendly.
"You have the best ideas"- I think this was probably one of the best compliments I've received in my life and one of my friends told me that when we were young. It wasn't related to business or anything, I just always had ideas about things to try. We made a bouquet of flowers for her mom, built a dam in the creek, had diving board jumping contests, and all kinds of other things during the week I spent at her family's property. I've always kept that compliment with me and pulled it out when I need a smile.
Barbie clothes- I didn't have much use for Barbies except to cut their hair off and then I was done (and I did become a hairstylist later in life if you are wondering http://hairandthereblog.blogspot.com/.) I also always used to draw outfits when I wasn't drawing cars. Fashion was interesting to me because it was like a canvas on your body. And I threw together some weird outfits in my time, but I am glad I looked different! Anyway, one day I found a pair of white tights I owned that had a hole in them. I decided instead of throwing it away I would do something with it. I don't even remember how I came upon the idea, but I decided to make a dress for my Barbie. But white was so plain. So, I tried to figure out how to make it a different color and I had an idea...mouthwash. We had green mouthwash, green was my favorite color. I dipped the white Barbie dress into the green mouthwash and it came out a beautiful mint color. I am not sure how many outfits I made out of the hose that day, but it was a lot. I added other materials to my repertoire eventually, but I loved giving life back to things instead of throwing them away. I still do.
(I am 14 in this picture. To the left is a paper I water colored and then wrote one of my poems on)
What did you make as a child?
Don't forget to check out the creations I make as an adult:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Loveshine365
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Loveshine365
BEHIND THE SCENES OF A PHOTOSHOOT
I have recently added some new items to the Etsy Loveshine 365 shop. Which you can find here http://www.etsy.com/shop/Loveshine365
I have been working on so many new items that we had to have a marathon photoshoot with my model. She just happens to be my son's best friend and her mom one of my best friends. So here is a look behind the scene.
Eva and Elijah take a well-deserved banana break. This was probably half-way through the shoot.
Eva's wardrobe. We found a clever way to display the dresses and make them ready for easy changing. Perfect for keeping them off of the grass as well.
"The model wants water! Stat!"
We turned a wagon break into the pictures for one of the dresses. We couldn't keep them out of it so we just went with it.
This was the last dress and I'm pretty sure our model was done.
ETSY HAS WEDDING REGISTRIES
May. Spring, renewal, beauty, love, and with all those things, the sacred agreement between a man and a woman. Marriage.
Each couple that comes together in marriage is unique and each person within the marriage is unique. Your wedding, which celebrates the commitment you are making to each other, should be reflected in your ceremony, pictures, and reception.
Etsy.com is a place where creative people come together to make a marketplace of one-of-a kind items. I was very excited to find an announcement in my inbox today that Etsy is starting wedding registries.
Learn more about it here: http://www.etsy.com/blog/news/2012/announcing-etsy-weddings-wedding-registry/
You want your wedding to be just as unique as you are, registering on Etsy is the perfect way to do it.
One of my most recent creations is The Sound of Music Dress. It would be a perfect pick for your little flower girl. The link to buy it on Etsy is right here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/98070367/sound-of-music-dress?ref=pr_shop.Here is to a day full of loveshine.
DIRT IS YOUR FRIEND
I have been digging in the dirt a lot lately as it is one of my favorite things to do and the weather has certainly been permitting it lately. The smell of dirt is just so earthy and good, so fresh, the smell of living and of growth.
I used to love the book "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodges Burnett. Actually I still love it I just mean when I was a little girl I used to dream about a secret garden of my own. I don't think I will ever have one, but I do have a vegetable garden that I recently planted. It is in plain sight and will be shared with others. So, I named it the "Unsecret Garden" and made a sign for it. I am so excited to see after hours of digging up tangled messes of mesh fence, weeds, and trees that had a labyrinth of roots, this fruit of my labor.
Speaking of growth and planting, I found my son sitting in a plant pot reading a book. I thought that was a wonderful picture of growth. He is like a little shoot that is going to grow into a strong tree. From playing outside, he will grow physically and from reading and listening, his mind will grow.
I have a picture below of my brother and I putting lawn clippings in a swimming pool. It was so itchy! I thought it was a good idea at the time and apparently one my parents thought it was pretty funny because they took a picture. But I love that we had such imagination and that we were outside and I love that creativity is messy. Although, oddly, I am one who also likes order. Go figure. I still like getting dirt under my nails and just getting into the process wholeheartedly and getting dirty and sweaty!
It seems like the older that girls get the more concerned they are with not getting dirty. Although people act like it is some sort of natural reaction for females, I think it is more a social norm that has been internalized. Girls grasp early on that certain things are considered feminine and other things are not and they will eventually give up those pursuits that make them happy to fit in with the expected. Hey girls, dirt is your friend, get to know one another.
 |
| The sign I made for our garden |
 |
| Our veggie and herb garden |
 |
| My dad mowed and I filled it pool up with grass. |
 |
| My son with his book in a pot. It is like he is a little flower watering his mind. |
 |
| The Loveshine365 dress I got the title for this post from. |
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE
"It gives one a sudden start in going down a barren, stony street to see upon a narrow strip of grass, just within the iron fence, the radiant dandelion, shining in the grass, like a spark dropped from the sun."
-Henry Ward Beecher 1813-1887
FOR MY LITTLE MONKEY
One of my terms of endearment for my son is "Monkey" and I think it is one of his favorites as he has started telling people that _____ is not his name. "I Monkey." He also used to sleep without a pillow but has now grown to love sleeping on one. So, I made him this pillow last night.
When he found it waiting for him he was so excited and immediately tried it out. I am glad to have spread a little loveshine into his morning.
THE HOBBIT
This blog is not only to highlight certain items in my Etsy store but also to embody exactly what Loveshine365 is all about. In my first post I said the word Loveshine "...makes me think of beauty, the outdoors, children playing and laughing, creativity, peace, music, relaxation, wonder. It is Alice in Wonderland, it is a step through the magic wardrobe and into Narnia, it is Anne of Green Gables and her precociousness, yet awe of beauty, the imagination, play, love of life and experience. " I love that I have the chance to express through this blog my passion to create. It allows for more of a relationship between the one who puts their heart into an item and those who will make a home for that item. This blog is about fancy, romance, imagination, and frolicking. It is about things I love and things I've made and why I've made them and why I love them. It is about what I imagine and what that may turn into, the things I love and why they influence what I make. The beautiful, simple things in life.
One of the books I most fancy is The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. This book inspires imagination and is full of beauty. The human struggles we all face, the realities of what it means to be human are so real and yet you see them portrayed by elves, hobbits, dwarves, and all sorts of fantastical creatures and settings. It is no wonder that this book is a classic. Anything that captures me with its beauty, whether that beauty is a feeling or visual, inspires me to create. I feel so energized, my mind becomes flooded, and my fingertips burn with desire to create. My heart beats quickly. That happened recently when I visited the Menil with my husband and we viewed a collection by Cy Twombly. His collection inspired me. Much of it was not visually beautiful but it was thoughtfully beautiful, the thoughts it inspired, the desire it created.
Speaking of the Hobbit and of beautiful things that inspire me to create...before we beheld Cy Twombly's collection we ate at the Hobbit Cafe which is a restaurant I would recommend to anyone who loves Lord of the Rings, good food, or a cute place to eat. Here is a link to their website http://www.myhobbitcafe.com/. Another of my favorite things for sure!
So, in honor of the Hobbit movie coming out in a couple of years, my visit to the Hobbit Cafe recently, and the fact that this item in my shop is the clear "favorite" of customers, I am highlighting this particular dress.
Enjoy your day and spread a little Loveshine!
LACK OF FUNDS BEGETS CREATIVITY
I have always enjoyed making things. To make something out of something else. It's cool, I can't explain it if you've never done it.
One thing I believe firmly is that not having a lot of money has forced me to be more creative. If I see something I like, I have found it is usually pricey. Mostly because I don't usually like the mainstream. But I try to copy it. It does not always turn out like I want, sometimes the turnout is better, sometimes I can't even use it and I have to change my idea.
This has lead me to amateur painting, carpentry, and sewing. I also like to transform things. I am a hairstylist as well (and that is not amateur) and creating a whole new style is exciting. One of my favorite things to do is cut a lot of hair off of someone's head.
I think transformation shows fascinate most people. Home Makeover, physical makeover, fashion makeover. Another fascinating makeover is the spiritual one but it cannot be done in an hour segment. Who would believe that transformation was true if it could? Our transformation in that area is more like a tadpole to a frog which takes awhile and goes in stages. It takes God, faith, and sacrifice. And we might still be pretty ugly when we are a frog. God has to kiss us to make us royalty, I guess.
I have also declared myself a Lifelong Learner. I love learning how to do things, I love trying new things. Which is funny because I can also be adverse to change. I cried once as a child when my parent's got rid of a couch we had owned for year.
All this to say, that I made a skirt that I am really proud of as far as cuteness and quality. I've made some cute things, but had to finagle them a little to look right when wearing. I laugh because both times I have worn this skirt I look for the tag to see which way to put it on. Then I remember, I didn't buy this, I made it! And that little bit of Loveshine makes me smile!
The fabric was to awesome to resist!
ART PIECE
Sorry, I have been so lacking in blog posts lately. I have been working on a major project that took up all of September and all of my time. I thought I would share it with all of you though because I think it really is a Loveshine worthy creation. I won’t be selling this in my shop but it is a creation that I was commissioned to do by a local church.
It is a door that has been repurposed to be an art piece and all of September it was a visual for the St. Mark’s congregation of the old being made new and the work that can be done in our lives if we allow God to do it.
LINEN BOWS
I plan for these bows to also turn into bow ties for little boys and also for guys. For right now, they make some precious hair clips and bows for a little girl. I love these colors, they remind me of nature and of Fall which brings such beautiful weather. They are handmade and even though I have a little boy they bring some Loveshine to my life just creating them. Enjoy!
VINTAGE BLOUSE
This blouse is available at my Etsy.com store. Check it out! This ruffled collared shirt, puffed sleeves! I feel like Anne Shirley...
TEXAS WAFFLES
Waffles in the shape of Texas? Yes, please. That is Loveshine for sure!
PERSONAL STYLE
Style is so much fun, I think it has always been interesting to me because it is kind of like your body is a canvas and you can create something funky, romantic, bright, subtle, and project who you are. The clothes don't make you but they are an expression of you and I find that fascinating. Like I said, it is art. I don't always put together a masterful outfit, but then every painter's painting is not of exceptional quality either.
I goal is to attain each of these things in an outfit:
1) Comfort
2) Reflection
3) Appropriate
4) Presentable
I just noticed that the acronym CRAP is spelled out. Probably because not every outfit is perfection. Like "Oh crap, these jeans are tight when I sit down, not comfortable." (Comfort) "Oh crap, this outfit makes me look like a (fill in negative blank)" (Reflection) "Oh crap, this isn't appropriate, I am way overdressed." (Appropriate) "Oh crap, this shirt is so cute but there is a stain right in the middle of it. How did I not notice that?" (Presentable)
I feel as if no one has ever been able to pinpoint my style exactly, I think the only thing they know for sure is that I am attracted by the color red. If a red item is displayed with other colors I cannot help picking it out first.
The color red attracts me the most. If I see a display with a shirt I like, but the shirt is in many colors, you can be sure I will pick up the red one if it is available. It doesn't mean I will buy it in that color, but I will admire it in that color! You should play a game of find the red item in each picture. Not every outfit has red but it has been in my wardrobe always.
I used to be a hat fanatic and I still retain a love for them, but I don't have to wear one once a week or anything.
I don't know if people think I dress weird now, but I think people did when I was younger. I probably still bust out with some odd ones sometimes, but I like to think I keep it classic with a little funkiness.
All this to say that personal style is so much fun. Life is beautiful and it is fun to express it in every way.
Sweet neon glasses!
Def 90's. Shoulder length hair, bodysuit, vest, shell necklace. Check.
Love Red!
I earned the nickname "Hat" when I was a teen.
Hanging out, down the street
Clothes to look cute and play in.
Dressing up
I loved that jacket.
Theater wear
Wore this at college one day. Felt empowering.
Haircut by Nicole Obert DeMarco
Christmas
Anniversary
Valentine's Day
Dressy Function
Fun Birthday Part for my Sis. Dress up and go to a Fast Food Restaurant
Wedding
Made it!
Night in Austin
Made the shirt!
BOY'S BOW TIE
Loveshine, of course, is my word for all that I love and is sunshine in my life. The items I create and put in my Etsy store are all a little piece of Loveshine.
A little boy with a bow tie looking so dapper make me smile, even as I create each one, I am smiling with the thought of the little boy who might wear it. My own was the model for this particular picture, what a handsome sight!
AVAILABLE IN BAYTOWN
So, I love selling on Etsy but I think the market there can sometimes be flooded. There are so many talented people selling their creations that certain individuals just starting out can be buried.
Therefore, I decided to expand and start selling my bows and bowties in a local store here in Baytown. There is a much larger selection at this local store than I have on my Etsy website. So, if you live in Baytown or work in Baytown check them out. I am so excited. They are located at Margaret's Sew Clean on 4404 North Main Street Baytown, TX 77521.
Therefore, I decided to expand and start selling my bows and bowties in a local store here in Baytown. There is a much larger selection at this local store than I have on my Etsy website. So, if you live in Baytown or work in Baytown check them out. I am so excited. They are located at Margaret's Sew Clean on 4404 North Main Street Baytown, TX 77521.
VALENTINE
" Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." -Oscar Wilde
"Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives." -C.S. Lewis
Valentine's Day is in a couple of weeks and, although the actual day seems to incite a sort of pressure to perform a grandiose show of our affection, it is cool that there is a day set aside for it. I am all about showing love. All about shining love. Loveshine.
I hope as Valentine's Day nears it reminds us to show love to our neighbor's and our sweethearts in small ways every day. Spread some Loveshine y'all.
Check out the new bow at https://www.etsy.com/listing/121924720/valentines-red-heart-bowclip
Give your sweetheart a little love.
No comments:
Post a Comment