Loving LuLu's

Even though I've had to cut back on my Couture du Jour posts this year, my love of fashion will never falter and it continues to be a big part of this blog. That being said, I'm super excited to share a special discount to one of my favorite apparel and accessory websites with you today!

Have you shopped LuLu's before? If so, then you know there's a lot to love. If not, then it's a perfect time to start, because I have a coupon code for 15% off your order! Who wouldn't love that? They also offer free shipping on U.S. orders over $75 so it's basically a win-win :)

To take advantage of this discount, simply enter the code LILLYELLA at checkout. The offer is valid through this Thursday, March 3, so check out my Top 25 Spring Wardrobe Wishlist below and then hop on over to LuLu's to shop for yourself!

Make You Notice Blush Pink Top $40

Chanson d'Hiver Teal Top $23

Tulle Out of the Road Tank Top $41

Lakeside Love Green Top $31

Knitted Dove Bowline Brown Top $53

Caramel Corn Ruffle Lace Top $42

Vanilla Bean Cream Sweater $40

Tulle Arberwell Lace Crop Top $47

Bran Muffin Taupe Sweater Tunic $46

London Lace Black Cardigan $50

Aryn K Full Spectrum Silk Dress $91

Sweetwater Beige Maxi Dress $77

Pas de Bourrée navy Blue Skirt $34.50

BB Dakota Meson Olive Green Skirt $61

Obey Pool Hall Nylon Jacket $85

BB Dakota Beige Jacket $77

Dotty's Day Out Brown Scarf $29

Movie Night Two Tone Braided Belt $18

Navy Peep Toe Canvas Deck Shoe $31

Bamboo Dexter 73 Black Gilly Tie Up $25

Chelsea Crew Tracer Gray Laced Bootie $77

Chelsea Cfew Nico Green Dancer's Heels $64

Chelsea Crew Susan Navy Tie Up Oxfords $61

Restricted Brown Peep Toe Lace Up Wedges $65

Speed Limit 98 Miranda Strappy Heels $26

p.s. I also really love these booties, these wedges and this sweater!

Oh yeah, I found it.

You all know a lot about me, but one thing you probably don't know is that I'm an avid cross stitcher, always have been. I pick it up and put it down every now and then, as with most hobbies, but it's something I've always enjoyed. As my Dad's illness progressed, my interest increased again and I've been stitching like crazy.

{Prepare for sudden subject change}

Any Mad Men fans out there? I know, I know, I'm waaaaay behind on this one. Everyone's told me how much I'd love the show, but I just never never had the time to watch it, until recently. I finally picked up season one from the library and, of course, was instantly hooked. I spent 11 years in advertising and design, and have always felt like I should have been spending my prime in the late 50s/early 60s, so aside from all the smoking (sheesh!), that totally could have been my life.

I plowed through seasons one and two in less than a week's time, but it was during the finale of season 2 that my little heart skipped a beat. Anyone remember this opening shot of the scene with Betty at the doctor's office?

It was much clearer on the TV but that's a cross stitch. A mighty big one, too. And really, could it be any darn cuter?

From that moment on it became my goal to find that pattern! With the beauty of the internet these days, I figured I could do it with no problem. My hunt proved to be a little more difficult than I first anticipated but after three weeks of super sleuthing, I had that little number in my crafty little hands!

When you think about, three weeks to find a pattern from the 40s is pretty darn amazing. But we're so used to instant results that it felt like an eternity. It did take quite a bit of detective work, but it was really fun. All that matters now is that I'm ready to start stitching!

The original piece was 2 feet wide, but was stitched on 7 count fabric! I generally use 16 or 18 count fabric, so my finished piece will be quite smaller, but still big enough to really be a stunner. Best part is, this pattern has a partner, a matching buck! You bet I'm making both.

They will definitely take me some time to complete, but I'll be sure to share some progress photos and, of course, the finished pieces!

So aside from my Mother and Fawn obsession, I stitched up many cute pieces for holiday gifts using patterns I found on Etsy and am also currently working on a few for myself, with a long wishlist to follow.

I purchased this fox pattern from andwabasabi on Etsy and stitched it up for my cousins out in Seattle.

I stitched this home sweet home up from a ChezSucreChez pattern I also found on Etsy.

I'm a big fan of single color work and silhouettes, and these entomology patterns by What Delilah Did are just too cool! I purchased the bee pattern but haven't tackled it yet.

She has some fabulous photos on her flickr page here of her pieces on display. Definitely inspiring!

I also purchased these patterns a little while back from kattuna on Etsy. I've been working on them to hang in my workspace, but I've only finished the bird so far. In mustard yellow, of course :)

I stitched a couple initials from patterns from andwabisabi for holiday gifts as well. You really can't go wrong with simplicity! The one shown above is a photo from her shop and you can find patterns for almost the entire alphabet there.

These flower patterns from Artecy are on a whole different level, but something I can't wait to take on. Aren't they beautiful?

A few of my other favorite pattern sites outside of Etsy are:

Cross Stitch Art — I absolutely love their art nouveau patterns. I have four in my to-do pile.

Stitch Alley — They have a fabulous collection of letter monograms.

Pinoy Stitch — They have a huge selection of anything under the sun! This pattern is also in my to-do pile. Crazy? Just a little.

And last but not least, I have two favorite books I have to recommend for nature lovers. The first is Roses and Flowering Branches in Counted Cross Stitch. Amazing! It's on the pricier side because it's hard to find, but totally worth it. I want to stitch every pattern in the book. (I have some photos if anyone wants to see more before purchasing it!)

The second is a book I picked up from the library yesterday, Four Seasons in Cross Stitch. I don't love every pattern in the book but the four images on the cover plus some adorable mushrooms inside make it worth the $4 for a used copy.

So, who else shares my passion? And, more importantly, did anyone else out there have the same reaction when seeing that piece on Mad Men?!

happy weekend, everyone ~ xo

nine days without dad

It's been nine days since I watched my father take his last breath. The one thing I've heard almost as much as I'm sorry is that it will get easier with time. But that's not the case, at least not yet. It's just been getting harder.

It's 4:03 a.m. as I lay in bed typing this. I haven't slept in over a week and don't feel it coming anytime soon. Maybe this is normal. Maybe this is processing. Whatever it is, it just sucks. What are those five stages of grief? I can never remember how they go, but I'm pretty sure I have them out of order. I started with acceptance. I had so long to consider the possibility that my Dad would lose his battle, that finally accepting it felt so easy. Though I'm realizing now that once I accepted it, everything happened so fast and I never really processed it. Looks like acceptance will be coming back around again.

Denial and Isolation. This is the first stage, and I'm guessing a lot of family and friends may think I've been at this stage for some time, but I haven't and probably never will be. I'm just not a public crier, I prefer to cry alone, on my time, when I can truly process the feelings weeping from my eyes and get through them in my own way, rather than because someone in front of me is telling me how.

I'm starting to feel anger creep in for the first time. I've done pretty good focusing on all the amazing years we had as a family, feeling lucky for having 32 good years with my dad rather than 75 mediocre ones, but now I'm angry that he is gone.

I don't think I ever did any bargaining, though I have found myself looking up and asking my Dad to take the pain away.

4:12 a.m.

I need a kleenex. I had so much more to say but lost it somewhere on the way to the bathroom. It makes me sad to think that so many of you reading this right now can relate. It's not fair. Which may be the single most popular phrase in the world, but it's true.

I've been internally debating about taking this into religion, but that and politics are two things I purposely try to avoid here, and I just don't have the strength right now to delve that deep.

Am I going somewhere with all of this? No. We all work through things in our own way. I type, and it helps. I also buy shoes and eat peanut butter, but we won't go there.

I promise my blog won't be this depressing forever. I have this huge void in my soul but I have so much to fill it with. I will be back again, back to the person who smiles as much as my Dad did, the person he raised and the person he loved with all his heart and soul. Without even knowing it, he gave me the strength to get through this, so I damn well better.

4:30 a.m.

Couture du Jour

Jersey Sundress Old Navy $19.50

Hand Dyed Upcycled Denim Jacket Davidson Studio $35

Paisley Pattern Glass Pendant Briar Rose Designs $40

Paisley Yippy Boots Shoes.com $55

Today's ensemble was created by Lynn of the blog, Turtlehead ~

Fredbean's Nook Giveaway Winner!

A big thanks to Emma for being in the Spotlight this month and to all who stopped by to check out her interview!

The winner of the giveaway is TRISH, congrats! As a self-proclaimed bangle freak, she loves the Rustic Copper Peyote Stitched Bangle and would like to see more of them in Emma's shop.

You can keep up with Emma and her work by visiting her blog or following her on Facebook.

saying goodbye

It was almost two years ago exactly that my Dad discovered what he thought was a bug bite on his leg. He was diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma just shy of two months later. I officially gave up my hope that he would win the fight this past December 23 and he finally lost his battle today at 7:20 am. He was 59.

The house was quiet and dark. My mom and husband were sleeping, I was at his bed side holding his hand as he took his last breath. The last two years have been hard. The last eight months have been harder. The last two weeks have been the hardest and there just aren't words to describe the last few days. But it's over, and that's what we've been hoping for. Once you know you're out of options, you just want the pain to end.

I've had a long time to prepare for this moment, and I know it's helped immensely, but it's still harder than anything really should be. I know there will be times I forget that he is gone. I'm sure to hit speedial 6 on my cell phone at least half a dozen times before it really sinks in. This has been the focus of my life for so long now, I know I'll feel some confusion in the weeks ahead. It will take some time to get into a new routine, but I have lots to keep me busy and so much to look forward to.

I have nothing but good memories though. My Dad was a super cool guy and no one would protest that. It's been really nice to get messages from school day friends remembering how cool he always was to them. I've always been thankful to my parents for helping to mold me into the person I am. They set a perfect example for me to learn the important things like a strong work ethic, how to be a good person, how to cook and how to love. Most importantly they let me figure out who I was going to be, and then let me be that person.

The services are Thursday and Friday at a beautiful memorial park near my house. Dad said he wanted it to be a party, so I hope we can make it one. I'm wearing a yellow dress, figured that was a good place to start.

I honestly would have fallen apart through all of this without the amazing support from all of you. You saved me, and I think about that every day.

I'll be back in action full steam ahead once the dust settles. Soon though. I'm ready.

xox ~ nicole

My Dad and I, 1980

Spotlight: Fredbean's Nook

Even though I'm blogging less right now due to my current family situation, I really wanted to keep my Spotlight series alive. So instead of featuring a new every artist week, I'll have a new one every month for you. My goal is to post it on the first Monday, but I should always have it up sometime during the first full week and the giveaway will run for two weeks before I draw the winner. Alright, enough details, let's get to the first Spotlight of this new year!

She's a wife and mother of two, a student, a runner, a volunteer, a traveler and very proud to be a jewelry designer. Her name is Emma and her shop is Fredbean's Nook. I have a great admiration for her work because even though I'm a jewelry designer myself, I rarely have the patience to work with those beautiful little seed beads (even though I think they are so gorgeous!). Emma did such a fantastic job of describing herself that I'll let her take it from here…

Tell us a bit about you and what you create
Stepping into a local bead store many years ago, I found rows of seedbeads housed in their little tubes... such a collection of stunning color all in one spot. My creative spirit was captivated and I knew I wanted to be a part of this world. So, I attended classes, I read stacks of bead books and spent many an evening, after the kiddies had drifted off to sleep, perfecting my beading techniques. I fell completely in love with jewelry making. And with that, Fredbean's Nook was born.

Much of my inspiration comes from the home I make here on picturesque Aquidneck Island with my husband and children. Surrounded by the sea and nature, I find myself drawn to colors that remind me of where the ocean meets the land. I create all my designs from a little nook in my home, a quaint and quiet space that's filled with art, light and family photos.

I work hard to create jewelry that truly feels like a reflection of myself. Each bead and component has been carefully hand-selected before finding its place in one of my designs. Combining my love of wire and seedbeads, I feel that I've been able to create wearable pieces of art. And every time I send a piece out into the world, I get giddy, elated by the fact that there are others out there who treasure what I create.

Where are you from originally and where do you currently call home?
Born and raised in a quaint English seaside town called Budleigh Salterton, my childhood was perfect in every way. Surrounded by fields, country lanes and a hop, skip and a jump from the ocean, just magical. Even now, as an adult, I’m never far from putting on my wellies and trudging through the countryside for a brisk walk. I now call Portsmouth, RI my home with my husband, two children, 1 dog, 2 cats and a hamster named Poppy.

How long have you been selling your creations?
My husband is in the military and our recent move brought us to RI just over 18 months ago. Before RI, we lived in Sicily for 3 years, which is where Fredbean’s Nook really started. I gradually started selling my pieces to other military wives and before I knew it, people were placing custom orders.

Do you sell on your work full time or do you have a day job?
After being a “stay at home mum” for the last 13 years, I find I’m able to spend more and more time on Fredbean’s Nook these days and hope this little business of mine will eventually grow into a full time occupation.

What, if any, formal training have you had in the arts?
No formal training, just many years of being involved with different crafts, although once I found beading, I’ve never looked back. My bead stitching and wirework skills are a combination of being self taught, bead classes and lots of trial and error.

Do you sell anywhere besides Etsy?
Although Etsy is my only online shop, I do attend a variety of local shows throughout the year and still organize “Open House” parties occasionally.

How did you come up with your shop name?
Fredbean is the childhood nickname given to me by my father. He is deceased, and I chose this name because it gives me the strength, courage and determination to succeed. He gave me this name, this foundation, and Fredbean’s Nook is the culmination of my dreams.

What inspires you?
Much of my inspiration comes from the home I make here on picuresque Aquidneck Islandwith my husband and children. I am surrounded by the sea and nature. I create jewelry that I like to wear, so looking at my own style of clothes is another source of inspiration.

What do you like least about your craft?
Without a doubt, it has to be the paperwork. Nothing more needs to be said on the matter :0)

Do you have any advice for other artists who are thinking about pursuing their craft as a career?
Make a plan, take courage, believe in yourself and go for it. There may be times when sales are slow, or you lack confidence, but take these times to work on your craft, perfect those naughty little techniques that have been giving you trouble and push for an even higher standard... your hard work and persistance WILL pay off :0)

Five Etsy Shops you love
Good heavens, this one is a toughy...
TheNebulousKingdom
thelittlereddoor
LittlePinkHouse
humblebea
lorelei1141

Where is the coolest place you have ever been?
Green Island, a national park located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia. In my early twenties, I had the opportunity to spend an entire year in Australia and I remember sitting in the sand, on this beautiful island, looking out to sea and feeling complete peace with my “adult” self... serenity

Share some of your guilty pleasures
Chocolate and staying in my pyjamas all day

Favorite junk food
Five Guys Burgers and Cadbury’s Cream Eggs... just can’t resist them

If you could trade places with any other person for a week with whom would it be?
Elaine Benes... could you imagine spending time with Seinfeld, George and Cosmo Kramer

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the
lead role as you?
Without hesitation, it would have to be Cate Blanchett... love her

What would you like to learn?
Sign language.

What does the future hold for you and your creative endeavors?
Fredbean’s Nook has come along way in the past year and I will continue to be true to myself and design creations that are a reflection of me. My dream is for people to be able to spot, and recognize a Fredbean’s Nook creation from across the room. Basically, I hope to still be found in my little nook, doing what I love to do... makin’ jewelry because this IS “where seedbeads bloom” :0)

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Emma is offering one winner a pair of classic hoop earrings in their choice of color.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post with your favorite item from Fredbean's Nook along with what you'd like to see more of in the shop.

You may enter once per day and YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name -AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. (If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.)

Receive additional entries (one each) if you:

Follow or subscribe to this blog, my Twitter or my Facebook

Follow or subscribe to Emma's blog or Facebook

(You DO NOT need to leave separate comments for additional entries, just list which apply)

You have until Sunday, February 20 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner Monday morning, February 21.

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SPECIAL DISCOUNT!

Looking for a sweet Valentines gift for someone special or maybe yourself? :)

Emma is offering 15% OFF all orders in her shop through next Sunday, February 13, when you enter coupon code SPOTLIGHT at checkout!

If you're wondering what to send me, I'd like this necklace, please and thank you.

(mini) shop update!

So it's a very mini shop update, but hey, I'm just taking life one day at a time! I do have many more awesome pieces to share very soon, but for now I was able to get three new necklaces in the shop last night.

Simple Love Necklace in Longing

I sold one of these last night and have one left for now!

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Simple Love Necklace in Short & Sweet

Same deal, sold one and have one left for now!

If I get enough request, I'll make a couple more of both the heart necklaces in a couple weeks, so if they sell but you're interested in one, please leave a comment on this post or send me a message.

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Simple Geometry Necklace in Cube

Last but not least, a definite staple piece. You choose the chain finish from gold, gunmetal gray or antiqued brass, and you choose the length. You know I love choices. Looks really cute layered.

I have a nice little stash of these and will also be making some matching earrings soon, so stay tuned!

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I also listed a few old favorites in the shop this week including my Infinite Garden Necklace, Drop of Sunshine Earrings and a few others.

Click any photo in this post or here to visit my shop.

Have a fabulous weekend, all!