DIY kids toy suitcase...

I had to share this cute idea for a vintage suitcase from Sew Can Do. Don't you love this cool toy tote for your kids! You can read the directions on how to make one here.

Here's what mine might be like....

my ABC featured on Apartment Therapy...

Hello friends!

 Sorry I've been MIA lately-I've been focusing on putting more art into my Etsy shop. I've also been painting all the trim in our house a glossy BM Atrium White-whew! I'm making progress I guess.

 I put some pretty things (just perfect for Valentine's Day) in the shop this week. I decided to offer my version of the "I love you" ABC's that you see around here and there, as well as the always popular Helvetica all caps ABC in a variety of colors. I have lots of ideas floating around-now just gotta find the time right!? Such is life.
 I was pretty excited to discover that Apartment Therapy featured one of my ABC's in a round up of cool Alphabet prints for the New Year! It was the Modern Art Deco Woodgrain ABC from my shop (as seen below)- Check out that article here...Thanks alot AT!


Here's some of the newest Additions to Area Fare Kids on Etsy...









These are not just for kids-I have one hanging in my hall!( psssst..the yellow is my fave!)

Blending your style with your kids tastes. Is it possible?

Lately I've been searching for some cool bedding for the boys. I'm finding that it's difficult to blend their tastes with something I actually like! Ezzie is 5 and keeps telling me he wants camouflage walls, orange accents and Transformers on the walls. The other one is 2 and still in a crib. I'd like to keep some of the core pieces to keep costs low but I'd love to just walk into Ikea and buy a whole ensemble and be done with it! How do you keep your child's  opinion about what they want from overshadowing what your are dreaming about for your home? I'm telling you umm I haven't exactly been dreaming about Optimus Prime.

 There are 2 schools of thought on this one I think. Those who just decorate it how they want and take comfort in knowing that the kids will eventually accept it and those who let the kids do whatever they want. I'm tending toward the middle of this debate. I really want to teach Ezzie that I value his feelings and I want him to be happy and feel like it is his space. However I don't want to look at a camouflage nightmare everyday! I'll keep you posted on our progress.

While searching for inspiration on the matter I hit a website called Rosenberry Rooms. It's a cute site for childrens decor and kind of reminds of Land of Nod.

 I loved this Double Decker bedding collection from the Designers Guild. The colors are so bright and fun-and the white room just makes my heart leap. Look closely at the pattern too-it's like a block print. Sweet and fun...

The Humble Abode-staircase update

I know it's been a year-but I'm finally posting some progress on the staircase! I really wanted to a do a runner but it was getting pricey for what I wanted and we might move next year sooooo...painting it is. But the stairs are in such bad shape as you can see in the pics-it's been an adventure-and I'm still working on it. So here's the update so far...

Thursday Art Additions...

Ok- I was having fun cataloging last years posts and seemed to have stalled out on April. Ah well, you know how it is right? I'm going to continue that over the next week or so. I just came through our family's second Christmas (my brother's family) came up last weekend and we did it all over again-it was a blast and the boys are still catching up on their zzz's- before I knew it it became Thursday-whew!

Anyways-I have been doing things in my Etsy shop. Everyone loves the "you are my sunshine" prints right now for their nurseries it seems so I thought it would be a nice addition to the AF kids Etsy shop. Actually I was spurned on by a customer that I did a custom polka dot and Damask ABC for to match her daughter's Annette Tatum bedding. She loved her prints (so happy!) and wanted me to do the sunshine prints for her in the same color palette. It was a great opportunity to work on something new- just the nudge I needed.

Here's a look at the collection including her AT ABC print...

"you are my sunshine" prints set of 4-$45 Area Fare Kids on Etsy

April 2011 Recap...

April 2011 RECAP...

Office spaces part II-from the Week 1 Tuesday post

I was going pretty strong with my weekly topic structure still. Weekly topics this month were Office spaces,  The Great Outdoors, Pretty Colors, Easter things, and A Hint of Mint.


Monday Inspiration:    (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4) (WEEK 5)
Tuesday Misc posts:    (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4) (WEEK 5)
Wednesday Etsy finds:  (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4) (WEEK 5)
Thursday Art Additions:(WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (      ) (WEEK 5)
Friday Rooms & Misc:   (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (      ) (WEEK 5)

March 2011 Recap...

MARCH 2011 RECAP...



March was white and bitter cold but I was dreaming of moss and spring! Weekly topics were: Green and Mossy, Kids and Critters, Typography and Bunnies,Birdies, Branches and Blooms.

Monday Inspirations:    (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Tuesday Misc posts:     (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Wednesday Etsy finds:   (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Thursday Art Additions: (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Friday Rooms & Misc:    (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)

Hope you are enjoying my little backtrack through 2011-it's kinda cool for me to see what I was doing around the house and stuff. Stayed tuned for more time travel...

February 2011 AF Recap

Hey back again for some more recaps of 2011.

FEBRUARY 2011:
We were still in Louisiana in February, escaping what we thought was the most bitter part of the Northern Michigan winter. Baby Roo turned one and we had a little party in our 5th wheel. I brought along a small craft box and had some limited crafting capabilities so I worked with what we had! It was the beginning of my blogging experience and I was still trying to figure out what my focus was and I'll admit I was all over the place-haha. Weekly topics were Baby boy/party stuff, LOVE, and White and Branches

Monday Inspirations for week 2  in Feb 2011

Monday Inspirations:                    (WEEK 2) (      ) (WEEK 4)
Tuesday Misc posts:            (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Wednesday Etsy finds:      (WEEK 1A)(1B)(WEEK 2) (      ) (WEEK 4)
Thursday Art Additions:        (WEEK 1) (WEEK 2) (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)
Friday Rooms & Misc:           (WEEK 1)          (WEEK 3) (WEEK 4)

Wow-I started on my staircase one year ago now! Well I'm happy to report that next week I'll show you the finished stairs! Do you believe me? It's true! As always, I had to get creative...

A new year begins....

ahhh...that felt good. I have to admit that I've enjoyed my little vacation from blogging. I even pondered whether or not I should continue to blog. When I began blogging I really came out of my creative shell so to speak. Searching for the things I like and want to feature here on AF has given me a wonderful source of inspiration but it also takes up alot of time. I've really enjoyed the past two weeks spending time doing the projects I haven't had time for and more importantly spending time with my boys. But, I've noticed I'm not as creative right now either. I guess in a way, blogging gives me the "excuse" I need to spend a little time with the things I like, the things that inspire me. When I think about quitting it makes me really sad. So, onward I march. This year I'll be looking for ways to explore the content I love but to also simplify a bit so I can get back to what matters most here in the real world-um I mean not here here but here in my chair at my desk in my house with my boys-real world. :)

That being said, I've really missed my little blog and decided that the beginning of the year was a perfect opportunity to look back at  my posts from 2011. I'll take a few days to re-aquaint you with some artists, shops, photos and blogs you may have missed! Here's a recap of January!

JANUARY 2011- First ever post for me on Jan 17th. It all began with my (mostly) regular feature Monday inspirations this one was blue. I'll admit when I look back at some of the early stuff I think "jeez, I totally didn't know what I was doing!" lol- I really have come along way. This first post came to you from our 5th wheel in Louisiana-just outside New Orleans. My husband was working down there and we decided to shut the house up north down for the winter, take the boys and go! Good times...



Monday Inspirations posts: Blue,  Industrial, Baby Boy stuff, 
Tuesday  posts Misc stuff: First, Second, 
Wednesday Etsy Artist Finds: Week 1, Week 2, 

Thursday Art Additions (my work): Week 1, Week 2, 
Friday stuff: Week 1, Week 2,

Haha It was cool going down memory lane! Catch up some more with me the rest of the week! Glad to be back!