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The moment we’ve all been waiting for – the 2013 Pierogi Picnic swim line is here!
Building from classics like the Green Girl, Blossom and Beach Bum designs, these new vintage-inspired suits are made custom for the buyer out of repurposed t-shirt cotton, making them as eco-friendly as they are chic and comfy! Each suit is hand-cut for the unique shape of the customer and also includes a stretchy swim lining, which helps dry time as well as shaping.
The Sunny Day suit is like a reincarnation of Green Girl with added embellishments at the hips and bust. Using fun striped fabrics, this is the perfect suit to pair with a bold in your face hue. And instead of the braided adjustable strap, this design has a halter tie that allows the wearer to shift the tension as needed.
The Sun-Kissed bikini is my personal favorite as it combines an art deco design with the casual look and feel of cotton. The geometric appliques on both the top and bottom of the bikini are made with a chevron meets stripe pattern that draws the eyes in ways that flatter a curvey figure.
The Stripes & Sun design brings together a bold color with a striped print for a swimsuit with a pop of whimsy. With a strapless bandeau top and high-waisted bottom, it combines a 1920s sentiment with a 21st century shape – making it both flattering and eye-catching.
Handmade cotton-based swimsuits are revolutionizing the way we hit the waves! Combining these cutting edge shapes with the casual feel of t-shirt fabric makes them truly one-of-a-kind.
No matter what you’ll be gifting to your mum this Mother’s Day, there’s one thing that’s certain: you’ll need gift wrap. Whether it’s a unique one-of-a-kind creation or a store bought token of affection, we’ll all be scurrying to package up our presents before handing them off to our moms. So rather than purchase yet another roll of paper from the store – why not make your very own!
That’s exactly what Martha Stewart’s team did in a recent tutorial they featured on her website. But as is true to the name of our series, Greening Martha, we wanted to take this fun how-to one eco step further. The easiest way to do that was give the supplies a sustainable spin.
Rather than purchase virgin paper for the shabby chic printing, we reached for some recently read newspaper. Not only is it a more earth-friendly way to DIY, it’s also a great way to save a few bucks! Beyond the papery base, there was also the question of buying stencils for the project. Rather than purchase an item for the one time craft, we decided to get creative by digging through the fridge to find some just-past-fresh produce to use for stamping. We grabbed a shady looking celery stalk and decided to give that a go for the print-making. And boy were we pleasantly surprised! The simple geometric shape of the stalk, combined with a vivid set of hues, made for the sweetest set of wrapping papers that we’ll use to get our presents ready for mom.
And you can give it a try too! Below are our step-by-step pictorial instructions on how to make a simple and eco-chic set of wrapping papers using everyday items. Give it a whirl and be sure to experiment with different shapes, sizes and colors to add even more personal touch to your presents.
Tis the season for wearing lots of layers as each hour of the day brings a new temperature. That’s where the new “Layers Away” design comes to the rescue!
Created using a home-made silkscreen and pre-loved tees, these uber soft, comfy and chic tanks are great for wearing on their own or under cardigans, chunky sweaters or dresses. With the cutesy peter pan collar print and neutral colors – they’re a great basic to add to your wardrobe!
You know that the season’s-a-changing when people starting peeling back layers of black and grey to reveal bright and bold hues underneath!
Pining for pops of color after a long and dreary Chicago winter, it seems my palette is also bursting with pinks, yellow and saturated blues. From neon blouses graced with prints to colorful vintage finds that have been altered for a contemporary fit – there’s a definite theme to the Spring Pierogi Picnic collection! Take a peek at all of this season’s creations in our color-lovin’ Facebook album.
Here’s to a season of rainbow hues!
It doesn’t feel like spring in Chicago quite yet – but despite what my weather app may say – the season is officially here! So to celebrate the beginning of longer days and soon-to-be warmer temps, I’m having a one-day-only Spring Cleaning Bonanza sale!
From now until midnight you can take 40% off any ready-made or vintage items in my Etsy shop by using the following coupon code during checkout: springbonanza03
Sound crazy? It is!
Whether you’ve had your heart set on a new design or a vintage find - now’s the perfect time to scoop things up! There won’t be another sale like this one for months and months to come – so go ahead – and take advantage of this great deal.
As I sit at my computer late on a Monday night I realize that I am way way way overdue. Not for returning my library books – but for writing a post on running an indie biz! So here’s my much belated installment – and it’s all about photo editing.
Let’s say you’ve developed a beautiful new line of products and are ready to introduce your creations to the world. You’ve painstakingly planned the shoot, took the time to set up quality lighting and have captured a great set of photos to show the masses.
Now what?
Don’t even think for a second that once your photos are logged and stored on your SD drive that you’re free to frolic about. Your next task as a handmade business owner is to make those pics magical. And I’m not talking pseudo-well-done they get a passing grade magical. I mean stop-em-in-their-tracks, make-heads-turn, kind of attention. Sure – paying a pro to do the dirty digital work can seem promising – but there’s nothing more fulfilling than empowering yourself to take that DIY step to enhance pictures on your own.
So before I sit back to tackle the 300+ photos I snapped of new Pierogi Picnic gear recently, I’d like to share with you some of my favorite tricks and short cuts for photo editing on the fly. Read the rest of this entry »
I had quite the night Wednesday as I hosted a Pierogi Picnic photo shoot for the Spring + Summer 2013 collection!
Somewhat overdue, three beautiful ladies braved the cold to come out and dress up in my latest creations. With a click here and a pop there – we flew through over 30 outfits in just over an hour!
As I sit later in the night reviewing the 300+ photos we had snapped – I noticed a theme: aqua. Lots and lots of aqua! It’s funny how certain colors become prevalent with or without intention. I had planned to focus the next few month’s worth of pieces on blacks, whites, mints and pops of red. That was the idea at least! So it’s fun to see where my sub-conscious creativity really leads – and in this case – it’s to the most wonderful of bluish-green hues.
For a sneak peek at our shoot – check out the Facebook album here.
