BOUTIQUE @ the busy bee

No I have not fallen off the face of the earth...just been a little busy.  The weather last week was unseasonably warm so I took advantage and finished a few outdoor projects prior to the cold snap that came last Friday.   A friend asked me if I could use a couple of apple baskets.  Uh...yes!  My first thought was just to seal them for outdoor decoration.  While buying stain for another project I came across the spray stain with polyurethane. This stuff is awesome! Before and After Can't wait to put Christmas trees in these! Happy Tuesday!

A few months ago a dear friend gave birth to her fifth child, a sweet baby boy named Oren.  Oren was born with complications resulting in surgery and a stay in the NICU.  Shortly thereafter my friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is now on her third round of chemotherapy and is responding well.  This Saturday there will be a Soup Dinner and Silent Auction to help with mounting medical expenses. This is my donation for the Silent Auction: Christmas Gifts and Decor, valued at $75.00 Doll Cradle with Bedding, valued at $40.00 Happy Wednesday!

I love old wood anything really, but something about this box said "Make me pretty".   Remember this long lost box?  I've had it as long as the vintage kitchen or maybe longer.   I loved the wide boards and functionality this piece could offer. BEFORE (Funny looking at this picture as we no longer own either the bench or Jeep!) It was filthy, used in a barn to keep chicken feed and whatever else it could hold.  After spraying down with the hose, I thought it was clean.  Then it would dry and I would see more dirt.  I felt as if this box was never going to come clean! Then sanding...a lot of sanding.  Then staining and waxing.  This was a true labor of love.  I decided to remove the hinges from the lid, add handles for safety and a decorative touch, and replace the casters. AFTER It would make a fantastic blanket chest or indoor storage box for firewood.  SOLD Happy Sunday!

My new favorite color, Nocturne Blue (Behr Marquee in matte finish from Home Depot HDC-CL-28).  I cannot take all the credit for discovering this awesome shade of blue, not quite a cobalt nor a turquoise. I found a sewing desk posted on our local FB garage sale site.  I instantly knew that I could turn it into a lovely desk.  I started searching Pinterest for inspiration and came across this EXACT desk that had been refinished in this fabulous color.   And off I went to Home Depot!  The wood top is from Menard's and stained in an Early American then generously coated with paste wax for durability.   Unfortunately I did not take a before picture, oops. This is a piece you build a room around! Desk  SOLD I plan to paint the mirror in the dining room this color over the weekend.  Hubby and I updated the display wall in the dining room and the mirror will be the finishing touch! Happy Thursday!

Remember this from a looooong time ago.... BEFORE Well it's finally finished and ready for a new home.  I had a vision for this kitchen and the finished product is more than I could have hoped for! AFTER For two whole years this has sat in my garage begging me to finish it.  First I had to find just the right knobs and oven door handle, then the perfect faucet and sink. Stove and Sink The sink base is my favorite!  I love the new wood top.  The enamelware sink and vintage faucet along with the feedsack fabric curtains just make me so proud of this project.   Although I do love the stove as well with the NOS oven door handle and the vintage knobs. I will be sad to see this adorable set go, but will be so thrilled to see it loved by little ones!  SOLD Happy Tuesday!

Check out the new page of Throw Pillows ! I will be adding more in the coming weeks to the Etsy shop. This is my favorite, the Color Me Christmas Pillow Cover ! 18" Pillow Cover, $20.00 This fabric comes alive with the imagination of the artist.  Use fabric markers, paint, glitter, and more to make this pillow into a memory of Christmas 2016.  And don't forget to have the artist sign it on the back! Sign here! Example with Fabric Markers Happy Sunday!

I am officially done with craft shows.  The roller coaster ride has come to an end for me.  I enjoy meeting new people and have them fall in love with something I have created, but more and more all I hear is "Oh I can make that" or "I would never pay that for a  ________" .   My ego can no longer take the bad with the good. On the other hand, my custom quilt calendar for Christmas delivery is FULL! Six quilts in seven weeks... And I am looking into a booth at the antique mall to sell my vintage treasures! I am so excited for this adventure! Happy Thursday!

Only five days until the show and I am hustling to get everything finished... This show will be combining my handmade decor along with a few vintage and upcycled items.  Here's hoping it will be a success! Happy Sunday!

After a lot of thought I have decided to limit the focus of this business to custom t-shirt quilts, pillows, and tote bags only.  This will allow me time to adjust to our "new" family normal.  The next few weeks I will be listing fabric and supplies in attempt to downsize my stash.   If you are in search of anything in particular, please message me!

I should know better than to plan sewing from June to August.  I would rather be outside of my office!  Spending time with the kids or as the case has been this summer, rearranging the house! We decided to move my office to the basement for a couple of reasons.  First being so my mess was contained to one room.  And that one room being hidden from view of guests!  Second reason is due to the extreme heat.  There is no direct AC in the sunroom therefore I couldn't work with sweat dripping on fabric!  Now I am in the tundra of the basement.  Still working out the kinks of the layout, but it will be a much better location! During the move I realized just how much stuff I have accumulated.  The vintage part of the business has slowly taken over.  I am planning a major purge of items for the next two weeks.  Then it is back to business, the sewing business.  I have three craft shows planned for this fall and they have no choice ...

June 27th through July 4th Discount applies to current inventory,  sorry no custom orders.

b3vintage Long before I even knew how to sew I had a love affair with almost anything vintage.  I started selling my finds on Etsy several years ago, but as the sewing business grew there wasn't much time for treasure hunting.  Now that two kids are going off to college in the fall, and two more not far behind, I am looking into the future.   I don't want to have the daily upkeep of a large home.  Therefore it's time to start downsizing my collection of vintage items. **Update** I am only selling my vintage items on Instagram starting June 27th  29th.  Weekly sales will be held on Mondays  Wednesdays at 7pm CST.  Sold items will be shipped on Wednesdays.  At this time I am only accepting payment via Paypal with US addresses. Follow me on Instagram @b3vintage!

Pillow Cover, Magnolia Farms A dear friend asked me to take a tea towel from the infamous Magnolia Market and make a pillow cover.  Luckily the design was in the middle of the towel, but at the end.  I wanted the design to be centered, therefore I made the opening for the insert on the front instead of the back.   I absolutely love this pillow cover! I now know what to do with these.... Hand Embroidered Tea Towels I won these fabulous tea towels last month at a fundraiser.  Going to be a little more of a challenge due to the design being on the right hand corner of the towel. These would be so sweet in a little girl's room! Happy Thursday!

Due to my crazy mom schedule for the past month, I have not been able to keep up with my custom orders.  I started the week with 18, as of this moment I have 15 still to go!  I am thrilled for the business, but it does tie me to the office for the next two weeks.  I also have not had time to create any new items for the shop. And did I mention all four kids are home for the summer?  This makes me wish I had an office outside my home. Somewhere to go where they couldn't constantly ask me questions such as, "Mom may I eat _____?" or "Mom can we go _____?" I also realize I will be complaining in a few months how quiet my house is with two gone off to college and the other two back in school, but right now all I want is to get the remaining 15 orders done! Here are the custom orders completed this week: Medium Fabric Basket, Oklahoma State University Small Fabric Basket, Chicago Bears Name Garland The last picture is my favorite of the week!  U...

This custom order is for a sweet baby boy's baby shower.  It was so much fun playing around with fonts finding the perfect one for the garland.  Now trying to take a picture in 20 mph winds was even more fun... Small Fabric Baskets Name Garland Happy Monday!

Custom Simple T-Shirt Quilt                                                                                                                               Detail of Stitching Back of Simple T-Shirt Quilt Custom Deluxe T-Shirt Quilt

Sorry for the absence, but I am on a crazy busy schedule these days.  With only 15 days until graduation, 16 days until 8th grade promotion, and 20 days until graduation party and oldest coming home from college I don't have much time to sit.  I am frantically trying to finish two graduation t-shirt quilts, a banner, four small baskets, and a purse organizer.   I also took on a cleaning job for a dear friend which has been way more than I expected.  Oh and did I mention we are in the middle of track season! Here is a preview of the quilts I have been working on: Simple T-shirt Quilt in Progress Deluxe T-Shirt Quilt Top Remember the second one... Yes it has been sitting in my projects to finish for over a year now.  I am now on a crunch to get it done by the end of the month. I added the "Class of 2016" in silver glitter iron on vinyl and the custom t-shirt quilt block.   I am currently waiting on the John Flynn Multi Frame to finish i...

After 10 long days, I finally was able to function again.  One of the most frustrating things about being ill is know you have a craft show quickly approaching.  I am a procrastinator.  I know this about myself.  In the end I did manage to whip out a few new pillow covers and had a decent show last Saturday. Laundry/Pantry Room : With the pending graduation of my one and only daughter only 33 days away, but who's counting, it is time to get this house in order.  I spent all day Sunday painting our laundry/pantry room.  It went from a dingy yellow to a creamy crisp white.  LOVE IT!  And I hung up my vintage Joyland sign! Joyland Amusement Park Sign Now to move on to the "Cups for Days" rack project.   I purchased the rack last month at the Magnolia Silos.  At the store they had the rack displayed on a pallet of reclaimed barn wood.  I had to have it!  But they only sell the rack, sad face. Awhile back Hubby and I purch...

I have been battling the stomach flu this week...forgive me as everything has been put on hold.  Feeling better today but not 100%. Happy Easter!

Countless hours in a tiny car with three kids and Hubby, one WACO t-shirt, a Texas magnet, a mug holder, industrial cake pan, and getting to spend time with my Dad...priceless.  Wish my oldest could have been with us, but commitments kept him at school.  And our vacation wasn't complete without a kid vomiting on the side of the road...at least we were only 9 miles from home! Favorite picture of the entire trip! My babies! Happy Friday! P.S. Stay tuned for next week's post...several new items and one big project!

Now closed...Congrats to Damon Kraft! 200 Facebook Likes Giveaway First the not so fun stuff... Rules: 1. Like my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/boutiqueatthebusybee 2. Share the ACTUAL Facebook Giveaway post. 3. Comment on the ACTUAL Facebook Giveaway post. 4. Like the Instagram post for an extra entry:  @boutiqueatthebusybee 5. Entries will be accepted from March 11 to March 15, 2016. 6. Winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday March 16, 2016. 7. Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize or another winner will be chosen. 8. Facebook and/or Instagram are not sponsors or affiliates of this giveaway or Boutique @ the busy bee, LLC. 9. Prize cannot be exchanged for monetary value. Now for what is up for grabs! A custom 18" pillow!  This is a one of a kind pillow not sold in my shop.  Cotton fabric with vintage chenille bunny applique with invisible zipper closure.   Best of luck to all and Happy Friday!

That is the question I have started asking myself when I am out thrifting.  Do I love it?  Is it one of a kind?  I have I ever seen it before?  Do I already have something similar?  You get the idea.  And yes my Lent promise has been revised, to only buying what I love or need while thrifting.  After spending the last 10 days decluttering and cleaning the kitchen, living room, and dining room I will not be repeating my hoarding tendencies. So yesterday I was on a mission to find a few things for a friend and a fun present for my daughter's 18th birthday. This is what I ended up with: 5 glass jar mugs 2 mason jars 1 Pyrex small casserole dish 3 glass coasters 1 milk glass Mickey Mouse mug 1 ironstone plate 1 pair of Keds 3 t-shirts The Pyrex dish, Mickey Mouse mug, and Keds are all for my daughter.  The glass jar mugs are for daughter's graduation party.  Glass coasters and ironstone plate are for the dining room.  The t-shi...

Our kitchen is a galley kitchen, but it's divided in half by an addition I assume was added in the late 70's.  Half the kitchen is the typical stove, refrigerator, and sink.   The other half has our freezer, laundry, pantry, and another sink.  I will say I have been extremely spoiled by the houses we have lived in having large kitchens.  I can store so much...which has lead me to this post.  I am cleaning out everything!  I am tired of trying to find the one thing I need among all the other stuff I hardly ever use.  I want to keep as little as possible on the counters and not much more in the cabinets.  Yesterday I managed to clean about a third of our countertop space and only two drawers.  Yes that is how much crap I have! YIKES!  I hope to get a lot more done today! UPDATE on the pew : After brushing the dust off with a broom, I spent three hours wiping the pew down with mineral spirits.  This is what it looks like as of toda...

I have found it folks.  The church pew of my dreams is being delivered tomorrow.  It does need a lot of love, but I can't wait to have this lovely piece in my living room! Church Pew Side View Now I didn't find it at the flea market last weekend.  I found this instead! 1934 Kansas State Highway Map On our second run through the frigid flea market, I spotted this beauty.  I knew as soon as I saw it, it was coming home with me.  I posted this photo on my facebook page and received a lot of likes and comments.  A dear lady I have know for quite awhile messaged me, "I really love the map you got at the flea market.  If you ever get tired of it let me know."  I assured her she would be the first to know.  I also told her I went to the flea market in search of a church pew. And what do you know she had one!  Of course she asked if we could trade the map for the pew, to which I kindly said no.  Luckily for me we settl...

My child so graciously shared his head cold with me this week.  He is otherwise a great kid i.e. smart, funny, and kind.  I'm sure I will forgive him once this horrific headache, cough, sore throat, and stuffiness have all gone away.  His cold lasted 6 days.  I'm now at day five, unfortunately I do not see any improvement.  Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and feel normal again? I have cut out baskets and rice bags for the Super Bowl 50 Champion Denver Broncos, but that is the extent of my work this week.  I plan to finish them prior to this post going public on Friday.  (Psst. I write most posts on Thursdays.)  I also need to finish up a custom order pillow pad for a friend.  Next week is going to be all about a quilt I have been working on for nearly a year.  It's time to finished it! Also with the start of Lent I am giving up thrift stores for 40 days.  Trying to save up for the marble tabletop to complete my dream office area. ...

Do you believe in love at first sight?  I do with this fabric!  I'm usually not a fan of holiday fabric.  The traditional hearts and candy fabric is a little boring to me. But when I laid eyes on this one, I added to my cart and patiently waited for it's arrival.  I was not disappointed upon seeing it in person, bright colors and so soft. Medium Rice Bag, $8.00 Small Fabric Basket, $9.00 Happy Friday!

In order to make the process of making baskets and rice bags just a little faster and more cohesive I purchased custom acrylic pattern pieces.  In the past I have used freezer paper patterns to square up the design of the fabric.  It worked well but was time consuming and another step in the process.  During my search I came across this fabulous Etsy shop, AllThingAcrylic .  The cost was reasonable and well worth it.  I love when things make my life just a little easier! Happy Friday!

I feel as if I am constantly organizing, decluttering, and cleaning.  It is a vicious cycle.  My new vintage sewing box has allowed me to eliminate another rolling cart.   Now I can easily access sewing notions and not overbuy.  My number one goal this year is NOT to overbuy.  Create items with supplies already in my stash and to destash items I will probably never use.  I will be listing such items on Etsy in the coming weeks, priced to sell quickly.   Vintage Sewing Box I also have organized all fabric.  I have a tub full of fabric to list as well.   Fabric Wall Happy Friday!

I have already managed to break one of my New Year's resolutions...post on this blog every Friday.  And not even one month in!  To my defense it has been a chaotic week of basketball, spending time with friends, and taking my son back to college. I did manage to sew a few items this week: a set of Mickey Mouse pillowcases (which I forgot to take a photo, oops) and a St. Louis Cardinals basket. Large Fabric Basket, St. Louis Cardinals Now back to the regularly scheduled chaos... Happy Sunday!

Well it has already been an eventful 2016... January 4 :  Radiator out in one car, power steering out in another. January 5 :  Three of the four children went back to school and Hubby went back to work. My sweet boy turned 15 and ended up in the ER with an elbow injury. January 6 :  Follow-up dr. appt for one kid, another home sick with sinus infection and Hubby stayed home to help with sick kid.  AND Hubby bought me a new car! January 7 :  Day #2 for kid home sick with sinus infection and Hubby went back to work. January 8 :  Day #3 for kid home sick with sinus infection. So in light of all of this I have done absolutely NOTHING in regards to my office, business, house, laundry, etc.  Apparently I can now predict the future since I did say in my last post how plans always are interrupted by life. GRR! But today I have three and half hours before I need to pick up a kid so I am going to make the most of this time.  I already completed on...

With every new year, I make goals.  I make a list in January and pray I might get a few done prior to December!   I like lists, they keep me on track for the most part and sometimes they make me feel like a failure.  But I still make them every year. Here are the of the lists I make:  (this being one of them) Business Goals Sales  Items Organization House Goals Items I would love to have Items I want to get rid of Projects to finish You get the idea.  I also make health goals like exercising more, eating less, etc. All the while knowing that I will give it the old college try and give up by the end of January.  My main issue is balancing work, kids, house, etc.  Since my Mom passed away I am trying to live in the moment.  Putting supporting my kids over a clean house and spending time with the people I like rather than dealing with those I tolerate. I have never been one to stick to a schedule.  Something always co...