Weekends with Verabelle

Warm weather always makes me want to hit the road. I try to plan at least one road trip a year (this spring, it was with three of my girlfriends to Lexington, Louisville, and Nashville), and when I have the time, I fill my weekends with excursions that are close to home. From antiquing to berry-picking to country fish fries to nights at the drive-in or the bingo parlor, there's always an adventure to be had!

This summer, I've been creating clothing and accessories that I think are just perfect for weekend day trips and summer vacations. Vivid colors, hand-dyed embellishments, and nostalgic trims add a little something special. Those peppy reds, merry marigolds, azalea pinks, and tart lemon yellows are as bright and warm as the summer sunshine glaring off your dash.

Verabelle on Etsy

If you want to hear from me while I'm on the road this summer, I'm looking for pen pals! You can get a handwritten postcard from me (or sent to a friend) and get the inside scoop on my weekend and week-long adventures. Next up: in July, I'll be camping out and volunteering on a sheep and cow farm in the mountains of Virginia. And later on, I have a hiking and road trip planned to Nevada and California. I love writing postcards about as much as I love the actual vacation!

Hope to hear from you soon!

xoxo,

Amanda Aileen

P.S. Get a snapshot of yourself in Verabelle while you're on a summer adventure. Upload it to the Verabelle Facebook page, and I'll send you a summery surprise!

Obsession: Three Bad Seeds

Another crafty Amanda. How perfect! I was booth neighbors with the lovely Amanda of Three Bad Seeds a year ago at Columbia's Crafty Feast and immediately fell in love with all her upcycled wares and cute display. Amanda uses thrifted wool and linen to make pillows, plushies, coasters, pennant banners, and other whimsical housewares. I recently purchased one of her beautiful pillows for a friend's birthday, but loved it so much that I kept it for myself! I kinda thought that might happen...


Amanda's hubbie and kiddo sometimes help out with crafting too (hence the name, Three Bad Seeds - ha, don't you love it!?). Like Paul and myself, they also believe in living a locally rooted, bound-to-the-earth existence, and I enjoy reading her blog posts about their backyard gardening, suburban foraging, and other adventures around town.


If you haven't checked out this "family adventure in handmade art and independent craft," as they call themselves, then it's time you do!

the pillow that my friend will never realize she's missing... ;)

a few other Three Bad Seed cuties, available on Etsy

Lucky Thursday

Last night I was having dinner outside with a few of my girlfriends and... a bird pooped on me. It was pretty gross, and I quickly went to the bathroom to give my sweater a nice scrub. But bird poop is supposed to be good luck, so I accepted the positive omen and went on with my dinner. I guess it worked because today Verabelle made it to the front page of Etsy! For those of you who don't know, this is like the Holy Grail of Etsy. If you make it to the front page, you've made it. You've been noticed. The front page changes fairly frequently, so I was on there for about an hour. In this hour, the item featured got 400 views! Whoo-hoo!!! It definitely brought a lot of new traffic to my shop, and for that I am always grateful.

The item featured on the front page,

Sonia's Come-Over-for-Tea Gloves.

Birthday $$

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I got a little birthday money from my parents to spend as I wish. My first thought... run to my computer and logon to Etsy! I have been marking my favorite items and sellers for so long, usually making purchases for friends' birthdays, but finally, a chance to buy something for my own! Here is where my birthday dollars have gone so far.

Jawbreaker Necklace by LKFarnsworth Studio

Bakelite Cocktail Ring by Petit Oiseau

Central Park Necklace by LKFarnsworth Studio

Ok, so you are going to love this story. I was writing this little blog post and went over to LKFarnsworth Studio's Etsy shop to grab the info to share with you all, and what did I find, but this brand-new and ever-so amazing necklace. How I could resist the fuzzy little acorns, the plastic leaves and the tortoiseshell beads. I couldn't. I had to have it too...

Now the only things left on my list are a harmonica, a bath for my Granola Baby (my car), and perhaps some beading lessons at Bead Lush, my neighborhood bead store. But, first, I'll have to count my change.

I am one happy little Etsian tonight.

Sweet dreams...

Amanda Aileen