souvenirs on a dime

I remember being small and at the sea shore with my family. There would always be that part of the day left-over for wandering in and out of souvenir shops. I vividly recall having very little money to spend on trinkets. My family still teases me that I once entered a gift shop with only ten cents and still exited with a bag! (it was a scrap of fabric!) I just returned from a day trip to Cape Cod where I still love to search for the junkiest of souvenir shacks, and I offer to you some easy-to-make souvenirs on a dime.

One empty taffy box from Cape Cod Salt Water Taffy gets snipped into book marks

and post cards.

Collected sand fills a honey bottle and is labeled with an office tag

Fill a jam jar with beach glass or paint and hang a small shell from a bottle. Not near the sea? Fill a canning jar with Epsom salt and enjoy its prismatic effect in a window.

Use colorful containers to corral supplies ...

If you like these ideas, you're really going to swoon over my second book, coming Spring 2014. Speaking of which, I have been writing so much that when my family and I went to a lobster-themed gift shop (The Lobster Claw), I actually said out-loud, "What a lovely curated collection of crustacean." {Yikes!}

happy summer wishes

xo
elyse

book 2 news and a project!

Hello little neglected blog! It's me, your author. I feel like I'm walking into a closed room full of dusty furnishings and wilted plants but I'm here to draw the curtains, open the windows and let some light shine in! Like many, blogging lead to the reawakening of many interests of which in pursuit has kept me too busy to blog. {Did that make sense? I need lunch ...}

Book 1 -- Buy it today!

Long-story short, in February my first book, Tinkered Treasures was released by CICO Books. Just weeks after submitting all of the text and projects, I began working out ideas for a second book. All through the year I experimented with ideas, developed a proposal and got the green-light. The span between this contact signing and deadline was relatively brief so I've been tinkering and writing like crazy and just moments ago, sent the final piece off to my editor. Exhale. Sure, there will still be lots of proofing ahead but the big bulk of the work is done.

I've got lots of summer fun to catch-up on but first I want to share a project for Book 2 that just couldn't make the trip in one piece. You see, I'm in Rhode Island and my publisher is in London. The way our process works is that I make all of the projects and ship them in batches to their offices across the sea to be styled and photographed. I also email step-by-step photographs to be illustrated and all of the text. Despite careful packaging, both times this project split into four pieces. It just wasn't meant to be included, I suppose. So here it is, the Pasta Shell Wreath.

Using craft or school glue, affix small shell pasta to a Styrofoam wreath form. Work in sections that you allow to dry or noodles are likely to go rogue!

Spray-paint the entire wreath white (may need a few coats). Note the partially snow-covered ground.

Allow to dry and hang from a strip of fabric to welcome summer! Looks like actual sea shells, don't you think?

happy july!
xo
elyse

novica giveaway winner announced

Another pretty example!

Hello and thank you to everyone who took a moment to enter the NOVICA giveaway. Using random.org the lucky winner of a $50 electronic gift certificate is BethElderton!

Thanks again and happy July wishes!

xo
elyse

Suggested links from NOVICA:

Women's Clothing from Central America

Blue Dresses

Short Skirts

Balinese Dangle Earrings

Peruvian Silver 950 Jewelry

Cotton Dress

$50 giveaway to novica

Hello and happy summer!

Things for me have been crazy-busy but I will save the reason why for another post (followers of my Tinkered Treasures page on Facebook know ...). Tonight, I'm hosting a giveaway!

I politely decline to most companies that solicit giveaway requests but a couple of years ago, I was approached by NOVICA, like their products and philosophy and have said yes to hosting ever since. NOVICA is one of the leading fair trade artisan websites. They work with National Geographic to give talented artisans around the world a place to express their artistic talents and provide access to the world market. NOVICA has thousands of top fair trade corporate gifts and home decor items on their website.

Chalcedony dangle earrings, 'Eternally Blue'

One winner will receive an electronic gift certificate for $50.00 to spend at NOVICA.com. The site is packed with unique and beautiful jewelry, decor, apparel and much more. I am easily overwhelmed by choices so I tend to stick to the earring section of the site (like the pretty example above). Anyway ...

To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post
For additional entries, share the news of this giveaway via blogging, Facebook, Twitter, etc. and then leave 1 comment for each share.

A winner will be chosen using Random.org on Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

Thanks and happy browsing!

Suggested links from NOVICA:

Women's Clothing from Central America

Blue Dresses

Short Skirts

Balinese Dangle Earrings

Peruvian Silver 950 Jewelry

Cotton Dress

xo
elyse

summer newsstand 2013

Back when it was still cold and snowy, I was busy writing articles due for publication in summer. Assignments that I am always thrilled to get and excitedly anticipate seeing laid-out in glossy print months later.

This article in the summer issue of Romantic Country was so interesting to write. A husband and wife built this sun-filled cottage from hay bales to be an outdoor retreat and studio!

This article in the same issue, was also filled with inspired and beautiful ideas. It's always such a pleasure to review photograph after stunning photograph and then interview the homeowners (who are always so kind and sweet). From their answers to my many (many, many) questions it's wonderful to have the story begin to develop in my mind and almost write itself.

This article appears in the premiere issue of French Country Style and an added bonus was that the story connected me to Courtney Milton of French Country Cottage. Writing about the homes of bloggers is especially rewarding to me and of course the homeowner's blog offers so much rich content and detail.

Which brings me back to spring and the talented Stacey Flesch of A Sort of Fairytale and Cottage Industry. Stacey and I became fast-friends here in bloglandia and I pitched a story about her cheerful home to the lovely editors at Romantic Homes who said yes! The piece ended up in Flea Market Decor: a perfect fit. I have such a strong sense and admiration of Stacey's "beautility" style that the article was a breeze to write (and might be an all-time fave of my writing portfolio).

Well, back to what's currently on the newsstand: you can find a tutorial from my book Tinkered Treasures in Cottage Style. Beautiful issue.

And thanks to my publisher, book excerpts are on the shelves in the UK, too in magazines like Essentials and (GASP!) Prima among many others. I've also been awaiting the delivery of the July issue of Romantic Homes where I will be featured in the we love / artisan section (so I'll be running to the door like a puppy whenever I hear the mail truck).

Summer fun is in the bag (and bookstore)!

xo
elyse

winner announced!

Peek at Tinkered Treasures

Thank you to everyone who participated in my signed copy giveaway! Using random.org the selected winner is: Paula Collins! Congrats to Paula!

Paula: Please contact me (my email address is located at the bottom of the about tab) and I will be happy to send you a signed copy of Tinkered Treasures!

xo
elyse

signed copy giveaway!

I was just thinking it's time for another giveaway of my book, Tinkered Treasures! So, let's see ... here are the deets!

- To enter simply leave a comment on THIS POST.
- For any additional entries please share this link (U.S.) or this link (UK) to where my book can be purchased on Amazon, or this link to Barnes & Noble. You can share the link on Facebook, your blog, Twitter, Instagram, etc. but please return to leave a comment on THIS POST for each share to confirm.

A winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

Please be sure that I will be able to contact you by your comment if you are the winner or be sure to visit the announcement post and contact me if you are the winner.

Thank you so much for all the support!

xo
elyse

tinkered treasures fun facts

I thought it would be fun to share a few fun facts about my book Tinkered Treasures ...

LIGHTS OUT This toggle switch plate-turned-frame project was styled and photographed but ended up being cut from the book. The reason? This type of switch plate while very common in the U.S. is not readily available in the U.K. and my publisher Cico Books is in London so this was a valid concern.

LIGHTS ON However, I liked the project so much that I pitched it to Romantic Homes as a Make It feature and created a French-Nordic version which ran in the magazine's October 2012 issue.

FABULOUS FOREWORD As soon as I told my treasured Fairy Godmother Fifi O'Neill, that the book was indeed happening, she offered to write its foreword. As you probably are well aware, Fifi is a conduit of beauty: she is a brilliant editor, stylist, author and generous heart. Even after many readings, her eloquent words about me and our friendship still amaze and astound me.

THIS AND THAT

• I probably made double the amount of projects that actually ended up in the book
• I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to the projects but I am regarding the text
• Most projects were created while sipping flavored seltzer or Starbucks coffee and listening to the band Luna's Lunapark and Bewitched CDs which I find energizing without being distracting

ROYAL TREATMENT I shipped all projects to London in 3 or 4 batches where they were styled  beautifully by Sophie Martell and brilliantly photographed by Holly Jolliffe.

Dressed to match my book alongside the adorable Marisa

MARVELOUS MARISA My author photo was taken by my sweet new friend, the super-talented and adorable Marisa Bettencourt, who really came through in a pinch and showed up at my door with her camera just days after my plea. I gave her one of my first of two advance copies and her's was the first book that I signed!

TREASURE MAP Currently, Barnes & Noble does not carry my book in their stores but hopefully someday. For now, I hope you will request it from your favorite local bookseller or buy it online at Amazon.

Amazon or Amazon UK

THANK YOU

Hope you enjoyed this little making of post! Find more details about my first book at the book tab on this blog and view a peek here!

xo

elyse