Vintage Autumn

Mine too. I hope the weather stays like this for a while.

A love letter to Atlanta

Sometimes you have one of those perfect days that you didn’t know were going to happen, the temperature is just right, you put on an outfit that makes you feel awesome, or you find something that’s been missing for a long time.

Well yesterday all of those things happened to me and more. I grew up in northern England, so Atlanta was a huge culture shock for me when I first got here. My new years resolution for 2010 was to try and get to know my city better. I feel like we've been flirting for the past 5 years, but only recently we've began to date and really get to know each other.

I started my afternoon by driving down to the Virginia Highlands and set up shop to do some work at Aurora. It was my first time at that location; I enjoyed my vanilla latte and the strange art work on the walls.

I then had a wander around the area, checking out the shops. Urban Cottage for it’s beautiful home wears, especially the quilts, Dakota J’s for cool photo frames, Mitzi's Shoebox to check out the jewelry (as I love Mickey Lynn’s work, she lives in my building coincidentally), Paper Source for inspiration and my new favorite shop Mooncake.

Mooncake has been around for a while; I’ve just never been in it. It is a store that is nothing short of magical. There is so much to look at and take pleasure in. Walking through their flowered arch and admiring their impeccable merchandising I gasped out loud a couple of times, their treasures actually took my breath away. The most amazing part was reading a sign that said “Celebrate Individual Style”. The ladies working there were also lovely. I can’t wait to go back again and actually make a purchase.

I then drove a little way down the road to Young Blood Gallery and Boutique because Creative Loafing raved about it in their “Best of ATL 2010” issue.

I must admit I wasn’t expecting much, but pulling up I was impressed with their inviting window display. Inside was just as lovely.

I spent an hour in there, just me, the person working there and a sweet kitten named Jolene. There was so much to look at, so much I wanted to take home, and so much to love. Everyone is getting Christmas gifts from here.

I feel so inspired whenever I am surrounded by hand made lovelies. I will have to wander into that place at least once a week from now on.I feel like I need to write Creative Loafing a thank you note...

I guess the South is rubbing off on me!

Cute Jolene

This week is gonna be a hoot!

Hope yours will be too!

Sketchbook Fun.

I decided to take up the Sketchbook Project 2011.

"Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view."

It seemed like a really great way to keep my fingers sharp. I'm excited about it, I just hope I have enough time to make something I'm proud of.

I thought I'd live dangerously and click the "Choose a random theme for me" button; I was given "Boys and Girls".

Wish me luck!

New painting.

Hey y'all, I'll be putting up art work in the shop, but I still wanted to share new paintings on the blog too.
This was inspired by some good advice :)




Hope you like it.
Check out my other paintings at
www.lgtanzer.blogspot.com

Have a great weekend everyone. Krystle and Ashley are visiting family in different States; so I'm going on an adventure.
Me, my music, my cameras and maybe $50.
Should be fun.

Never a step back, just a step up

So we got some not so great news this afternoon as it pertains to the funding of our brainchild.

I wasn't nearly as upset as I thought I would be. In fact, I think somewhere in the back of my head I expected it. I mean really, how could things go as smoothly as they've been going? Starting a new business is a horribly serious, tedious, exhausting process, and, although we've had days where we have all dispersed, brains completely fried, we've had a great time, and this has really been our first major set back. (Go ahead and check, every one of those commas is grammatically correct.)

It's like raising a child. God, you have to feed them, and change them, and bathe them, and love them. EXHAUSTING. But if you can keep them alive, you have amazing moments like this:

(Lilaboo mesmerized by Auntie Lynne's Bling.)



And, anyway, I already have it in my mind that we're opening mid-October. So we're just going to.

It's really that simple.

Could we possibly be opening with a half-finished kitchen and three tables for our customers to fight over? Sure. But will we also have the best coffee and cupcakes in the city? Absolutely.

And that's what people want and that's what will keep them coming back until we have the ability to finish the other half and spring for extravagant things, such as lighting.

So we may start off smaller than we expected, and I may have to keep baking in my non air conditioned kitchen, but, hell, it's fall and won't be nearly as sweltering.

We went over our weaknesses in a meeting one day and mine was that I sometimes have a tendency to be lazy and I sometimes have a tendency to not care. So maybe what I should have said instead of "nonchalance" is "I adapt easily to situations and do not allow them to phase me". I'm like the straight black female version of Tim Gunn.

"Hmm... I'm sorry to say it but that extra chiffon dropping from the waste makes your dress look like a french maid costume from a low budget porn circa 1987. Make it work."

But the lazy thing is completely accurate.

~ Krystle

Happy Anniversary Ashley and Ben (for yesterday)

This was made for me!

4 Inspirational Women

I thought I'd share a few women who inspire my creativity;

1- Elsie Flannigan.

I check Elsie's blog every day. She is an artist, a business owner and has super cool style. The photographs that she shares on her blog are beyond inspiring to me. I really do wonder when she sleeps? One day I'm going to take a trip to Springfield, MO to check out her shop. I have to save my pennies first though, I have a feeling I'll come back with a car full. Click on the pictures to go to her web pages.

2-Sabrina Ward Harrison.
When I was in college, my art teacher gave me "Spilling Open" by Sabrina Ward Harrison because she said that I reminded her of Sabrina....Best Compliment Ever!


Sabrina's book is beautiful and awkward and soulful. I admire her so much for her honesty.
This book was such a big part of my life at 19 and it continues to be a comfort to this day. When I feel useless and down I thumb the pages of my dog eared, over-loved book and I remember that the feeling will pass, it's just a bad day, and there is grandness to look forward to. Click on the book cover to buy it yourself.

3- JenyfferMaria
I was introduced to Jen by my friend Tori and I instantly fell in love. Her "doodles" are so striking and interesting and they range from the gorgeous to the bizarre. I love that she clearly does not know how talented she is; selling her work for super affordable prices on etsy.com. She also loves to collaborate on hitrecord.org and is always down for an art exchange.
I have 5 of her pieces, but my collection will not stop there I'm sure.
I own that. It was made specially for me:D Eeeek! It depicts one of my favorite lyrics from my favorite song by my favorite band. Click the pictures to be taken to see more of this talented lady.

4- Jill Burrows Jones

Despite being one of my best friends moms, and the lady who makes my Thanksgiving meal every year (thanks Amerimom xoxo) Jill is an independent business owner.
She started Bidwell Botanicals in 2002 and turned her passion of making bath and body products into a successful full time job. She works all hours of the day to ensure her clients feel happy and pampered, but still always has time to share a pot of tea, or lend a shoulder to cry on. I want to be just like her when I grow up.
We're going to be selling her products in Hodgepodge, so make your list of what you want to buy now!
My personal favorites from the Bidwell Botanical line areThe Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub- It leaves you feeling clean and moisturized and good enough to nibble on.
Any of the Lush Lip Care, but in particular the Spun Sugar flavor.
This Spiced pumpkin set is the perfect to get excited about the Fall season.
Click on any of the pictures to buy the products!

Well, I have to go to bed now, but I'm excited about creating some art tomorrow.
I really hope these ladies inspire you half as much as they do me :)

My new-old favorite thing

Whilst shopping for awesome stuff to furnish Hodgepodge with I came across this sweet little shelf. My guest bathroom is quite possibly the girliest room in the world; but the warm wood didn't really fit in with my french shabby chic vibe. So I painted the wood white, then green, then white again. I sanded down the paint with a fine sandpaper until some of the green and original wood came through.
I'm pretty proud of my nifty new corner shelf (even though it took me forever to actually get it on the wall).
I also love my original doodle by JenyfferMaria , you should check out her work, it's awesome. She'll hopefully be one of our artists when we get the doors open.

Every time I think about screaming at our bank representative I have to remember this sign.

Polaroid Pictures.

I wanted to share a few photographs that I took in our building this week. We're a little behind, but things are moving along.

This is Jeremy.

He was sweet enough to pose for a couple of pictures.

He kept us entertained with stories and is putting in our garage door. Thanks Jeremy!

This pretty flutterby was a sweet, welcome guest.

We're keeping the exposed brick because it's gorgeous.