New product coming soon

Very excited about this new product we've decided to add to our shop. Coming soon, hand embroidered felt pennants! We love the way our kids vintage pennants look in their room and I love embroidery, so why not mix the two?

We are going to spend the next couple weeks on creating several premade options to post in the shop, and will also have the option to make them completely custom just for you! Your words, your colors, your choice!

Shown in the picture from left to right are: my own hunger games/chorus line inspired design (I'm a little obsessed, it's beginning to show in my work...), our babes in Bookland shop pennant, and a cheery yellow and peacock blue "shine" pennant (probably wont be doing one like that again...I do NOT like how it turned out!).

For updates on new items and to be notified when the pennants are in the shop for sale,like us on Facebook! Making a purchase? Convo us for a 10% off coupon!

It's the Jane Show!

PB&J

     Today is my lovely mother's birthday, although I won't be telling you which one (which birthday not which mother, I only have one mommy). That wouldn't be polite! In honor of her, I scouted Etsy for items that represent certain things I know she loves like her Hermi cat, her fancy shmancy new job, and her gosh darned favorite stinky candy.

     Always the practical influence on my life I know that she will appreciate knowing that instead of buying her a present, I've posted pictures of virtual ones. So, mom, enjoy oohing and ahhing over the awesomeness. Hope you enjoy being featured on the blog on your special day, mom! I love you!

Links to products after the JUMP!

Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

     I recently joined up with the Sac Etsy Group through Etsy. It's a team for us local Sacramento folks to support and help each other out and I love it! It's a great group of people who are all so helpful and really know their stuff.

     A group of us committed to doing a treasury every week including items from team members, so hopefully there will be a Sac Etsy Treasury everyday which is a great way for everyone to get seen. I know I get a TON of views when someone puts my items in a treasury.

     I volunteered myself for Thursdays and here is my first treasury using Sac Etsy Team members. Enjoy!

Why embroider?

Little bit of a close-up

Because I love that there are at least 20 different colors of pink thread to choose from...and twice the options for green. I've always wanted to learn how to embroider, and I decided that now is a good a time as any. Heading to a baby shower this weekend with some Babes in Bookland goodies in tow and I am so excited to embroider the babies initials on the burp cloths. Maybe soon I'll be able to offer this as an option in the shop!

Bought a book and some thread to match my burp cloth cotton last night and started practicing with different stitches. Back stitch, split stitch, cross stitch, hook stitch, sticky stitch, witch stitch...I don't know...I can't remember the names so I may be making some up. Point is, I did a lot. Oh yeah, french knots. Those are harder than they look...

I practiced a different type of stitch on each letter of the babies name. It did not turn out very well...so I've decided to stick with just doing her first initial, and doing it big. Here's what my practice looked like last night. More experimentation than practice I suppose.

"Giada"

If the picture is a little blurry...it's because I'm no photographer. And apparently...no master embroiderer! You probably can't even make out what the name is...but that G looks pretty good yeah? I'm pretty proud of it as it was my first letter ever of that stitch. I also like the way the satin stitch on the dress turned out.

I'm off to embroider now...possibly on anything and everything. I caught myself practicing on my pillowcase last night while I was laying down feeding Fletcher...you know you're some kind of crazy crafter when you have a needle and thread on your bedside table within arms reach and you pick it up and just start going at your bed linens. I need to be stopped.

UPDATE: Check out finished embroidery after the jump!

You Found Me

Today a challenge was posted in the Etsy forums, and I think I rose to meet it quite nicely. The challenge was to create a treasury based on the theme "Get Found". The parameters were to make a front page quality treasury and use as many possible items from shops that aren't usually seen in treasuries and especially not on the front page.

That was harder than I expected as when an item is photographed well and great quality, it usually gets recognized for that! So, I've got a few that I know have had their fair share of visibility, but I tried my best to choose items from shops with fewer sales than others that I saw with similar items. This treasury makes me want to have another wedding, I really was that inspired!

So here it is, a treasury all about being found and finding the one you love. Complete with up-cycled, vintage, and map themed items.

Mistress of My Domain!

We are officially the new owners (at least for this year) of our own domain name!

Unfortunately...www.babesinbookland.com was taken, so we had to get creative. Not really too creative as we didn't want to stray TOO far from the familiar, so our new domain is officially:  

www.booklandshop.com

Plus, to add excellence to awesomeness, I figured out how to add a shopping option to the blog, so now, instead of only having one shopping option, my one or two readers will have TWO! Now I'm just going to go enjoy typing my own url into the address bar and watching it go to MY page! How fun is this...

There Ain't Nothin' Like a Dame

A fellow Etsian, Levi Emerson of Shoji Shoji and Gypsum Rose, has to be my latest Etsy crush. His latest treasury, "warrants out for my head", features a selection of vintage photographs and items that I like to think tell the thrilling story of a sexy siren on the lam. I love vintage inspired treasuries, especially cheeky ones like this!

Hippest Kids in Town

Thanks to Netflix, we've been watching as much Portlandia as we can get our hands and eyes on. When I say we, I mean me, and when I say watching, I mean trying to figure out why we don't live in Portland. It's where young people go to retire! I mean, where else do a bartender and an Etsian belong? Well, besides San Diego...our one true love.

Hipster-ness is one of those things that I don't pretend to FULLY understand...especially since they are a people who, not unlike the many other subcultures of my generation, ridicule you if you do. Enter hipster kitty.

So since this is primarily an Etsy blog, meant for promoting my Etsy shop, I thought I'd give some love to fellow Etsians who represent all things hipster that I love. Here's to mustaches, old school nintendo, nerd glasses, and turning your babies into mini hipster versions of yourself. After the jump of course.