double purpose

quick announcement! the oh so lovely alison from crafted love featured me as a guest blog on how to shop for a bike! check it out here! thanks alison!


this post doubles as a bike chic outfit and a crafty chic post. over the holiday break i made this skirt out of this really awesome print i got at stonemountain daughters! they were closing and i was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off and i eyed this beauty in the corner of my eye and quickly grabbed it and ran up to the counter. not exactly sure what i was going to make with it at the time of purchase but i just knew i had to make something out of this awesome fabric...i had been wanting to make a skirt and thought this would be perfect! i made a similar skirt during the summer which i have named the the little blue picnic skirt. it is so easy to make and i found the pattern on burda style which has some free downloadable patterns....very nice! with the left over fabric i will make some pillows for gladys our vw bug :) oh and i made the bike hat i featured on monday too!

i love this picture and how it is focusing on our BEAUTIFUL trash cans!

and away i go to work!!!

i wore this to work with some suede cowboy boots and my resent purchase of this navajo wool blanket jacket which i can't seem to take off....i just love it so much! if any of you make this really awesome skirt please show pictures! i would love to see your take on it!

xo,
cb

bike chick!

thanks so much for the wonderful comments on the mister's birthday, they were much appreciated :) we had a great time last night filling our bellies with ribollita and pudding pie!! in other news........bart called and they have the camera i lost!!!!!!!!!!!!! we can't pick it up so they are mailing it to our little casa...it was such a lovely surprise and i can't wait to get it<3


so i didn't have much time to write a bike chic tip today so here is another bike adventure outfit. a couple of weekends ago we got this AMAZING week of warm weather so on sunday the mister and i road around the neighborhood and park. it was so nice to be riding around in such warm weather during november.

i am sporting one of my longer skirts that i bought some time ago at a thrift store on haight street in sf along with a red crocheted cardigan and vintage blue shoes. This skirt is the perfect long length for me and for riding. it isn't long enough to get caught in anything and it covers my legs while riding. i felt so girly while riding which is always really fun!

TOMORROW IS TURKEY DAY! MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xo,
cb

just keep stitching stitching stiching

i am on a dead line people and i am going to make this work! i have a craft show at my old college, cca dec. 4th and i am determined to have an army of my crafts ready for purchase. it is the winter holiday craft fair and every year for the past 3 years i have gone and every time i have lots of fun! each time i learn more about myself and my little business. i love seeing all the creative alumni & student's work and i always walk away with some goodies. i will never regret going to this school even if it is costing me an arm and a leg, okay another leg and maybe another arm...oh who am i kidding the whole damn body..hehehe but all jokes aside i truly found who i was while going to that school and that to me is priceless. i have always been a creative person. my mother is an amazing artist who taught me everything i know and when i met the mister i knew it was a match made in heaven, he is truly one of the MOST talented people i know. i would KILL for his talent...but there is something so wonderful about being around creative people who feel sooo free expressing themselves that you can't help when some of it rubs off on you...oh alright to make a long story short...i am  busting out as many bike embroideries as i can...here is a finished one but not yet put into the dark avocado wood frame.

this one is called "a camping we shall go"

equipped with panniers, sleeping bag & pad

 and i am working on this cute little mixte and have the boy & girl bikes and two others left to do and then i think i i am set....unfortunately these won't be going up in my shop yet....if they don't sell i will for sure put them up....but don't worry i love making them so much and have tons of frames still that if you want a custom one made just shot me an email...i still have a couple more things to do like....

.....like make 7 owl earrings, a couple of my fabric necklaces and some hair clips! i was hoping to get some skirts banged out as i have 4 really cute fabrics but i can do those after..they are soo easy that i can get them all done in a day...only problem is that i like the fabrics sooo much and the skirt silhouette, that i might keep them for myself! we shall see..here is my first skirt ever! i LOVE it so so much!

skirt fabric

left over scraps for fabric neklaces

oh i LOVE being crafty...fills my heart & soul with utter happiness!!!happy crafting!

xo,
cb

bike chick tip

happy wednesday! today i am bringing you my bike chick outfit post! this outfit was from a couple of weekends ago...some of you may find my shirt very  familiar :D

 for this ride the mister and i went to the park that day and it was so so hot!! actually quite unexpected really which was nice. so for this bike outfit i am wearing a thrifted paisley skirt i hemmed...took off about10 inches of this bad boy...my owl shirt from one of my favorite online stores...modcloth and my black sandles... hair up in milkmaid braids...oh and that really awesome necklace i won!

unbeknown to you is that under this skirt i have black volleyball shorts on. i always wear these whenever i ride in a skirt or dress...that way i am not self conscience about anyone seeing my undies...all they see is black little shorts nothing more nothing less!

so that is my tip for all you skirt wearing bikers out there BUT if you are going to wear anything longer then my skirt...say if i hadn't cut the skirt and hemmed it...you would need to get a skirt guard to protect your clothes from getting caught in the chain and gears...that i will show you in another post :D  but if you are wearing that short skirt even though people might think they see your underwear...they really aren't....as long as it makes you feel comfortable to go out there and ride your bike while being a lady then that is all that matters :D happy riding!

just another little reminder to leave a comment on my blogloving giveaway to be entered for the prize ;D
xo,
cb

busy bee

we just got back from dinner and treasure hunting. our go to thrift store was having a sale and everybody and their mother was there...not the greatest time to go but we did and we still were able to get some good stuff. the mister got a really nice wool pendelton equiped with leather elbow patches and a great pair of moccasin slippers to dance around the house in...the thought of that just made me giggle...

i walked away with two great skirts and a really  awesome dress...i love the black mini cord skirt with the little red flowers on it...all they need is just a little bit of extra love and they are ready to go! i will be up sewing all night to finish up some things for my photo shoot tomorrow. i am really excited about it! my first photo shoot and new items for my shop! yahoo!!! my model...aka my cousin will be coming over tomorrow to help as i am a bit too big for some of the items... it is going to be like dress up! i am hoping to get stuff up on my store sunday but that might be a bit ambitious as i have lots of other stuff to do on sunday too! well i better get crackalackin'. hope you all have a fun weekend!

xo,
cb

untapped treasure hunting

on the drive up to camping my cousin had mentioned that one of our friends had camped here july 4th weekend and discovered this great little thrift store...which was one of the first things she mentioned when we got t out of the car...that it was imperative that we go....man was it amazing! it looked like a beat up shack from the outside but inside it was filled with amazing untouched treasures...each one of the girls walked out of that store with a box filled with amazing finds and each person spent no more then $20!!!!!!!! i couldn't believe it! here in the bay area i can easily walk away with the amount of stuff i bought and have spent around $30...truly a gold mind....no really...tuolumne used to be a place where gold was mined...how to do you like that factoid :D

anywho...i was really excited to walk in to the store and find the two owl prints staring right at me as if they new i was coming...those were clenched tightly in my arms the entire time i was in the store...i love the cute earthenware mug and the glass salt and pepper shaker...i saw the tiger cub patch at the register and new the mister would like it...he used to be in the tiger cub club when he was a tiny one...the black faux alligator purse will be put in my etsy shop and i am really happy with my denim dress and my navy polyester 70's wrap skirt and sleeveless small check button up...all that outfit needs is a pair of red cowboy boots and i am off to the rode or a dallas themed bbq...your pick

i am determined to go to smaller towns or better yet...go on ROAD TRIP and pick through these untapped treasure chests :D

xo,
cb

little blue picinic

a couple of posts ago i had mentioned that i was going to make a simple skirt from burda style and it was soo easy and super exciting to finish the skirt within a couple of hours. the the fabric is a vintage navy & white gingham i bought on etsy. my cousin, whom i have been sewing with almost every sunday for the past month or so were faced with how to construct the band on the skirt and since neither one of us have done a ton of sewing it took a couple of trial and error pinnings which if done by myself i would have needed about 3 extra arms :D once we were satisfied with our decision the rest was all down hill from there. the skirt is just one piece with 1.5" elastic for the band. instead of making a sleeve for the elastic we thought the folding of the fabric would look more natural and consistent if we stretched the elastic the entire length of the skirt and pinned it and then top stitched it twice to keep the elastic from moving. you can view the pattern here. it is a little too causal for where i work so i can't wait to way it on the weekend!

hope you have some fun plans this 4th of july weekend. friday, the mister, me and my cousins are biking to anthony chabot park in castro valley and camping that night and then fishing at lake chabot on saturday!!! i can't wait to try out our new fishing poles...i hope to catch a trout...yum! sunday we have plans to go treasure hunting at the alameda point flee market with the mister's sister and future hubby to be...i know what i will be wearing...my new little blue picnic skirt!!

xo,
cb