special deal & sneak peek.

Can you believe that Christmas is next week? I think I completely blacked out after Halloween & just woke up. At this point, I'm so far on the naughty list that I'm not sure last minute shopping this weekend can redeem me!

As for as the shop's concerned, I was so over all of the holiday ads before Thanksgiving rolled around. Every time a holiday deal popped in my head, I immediately felt sick. lol- well, let's just say I'm burned out. BUT. I really, really should do something. So, if you're a last minute slacker like me:

Enjoy 20% OFF & FREE PRIORITY MAIL UPGRADE* in the shop this weekend only [12/17-12/19]. 

Enter "SLACKER2010" in etsy coupon code during checkout.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ -Kat.

ps- if weather cooperates this weekend, i hope to get some of the new stuff listed [shown above].

*free priority mail upgrade - for US residents only

book nook. The Fool's Progress by Edward Abbey.

Hmm. I would start listing off all the categories of people that shouldn't read this book, but that may only leave a dozen or so total. Kidding. somewhat. Let's put it this way, Edward Abbey was very outspoken & quite the environmentalist [in his very own way]...so not liberal left, but only sprinkles of conservative right.

It's beautiful in a sometimes hilarious, lewd, melancholic & dysfunctional way. The books begins in medias res & has me cracking up with the death of the fridge [main character shoots it]. At first, all of it's hilarious. It confirms that my dysfunctional family has nada on this character, Henry Holyoak Lightcap. As you read on, the funny parts are still there, but it becomes somewhat unnerving. 

It goes between flashbacks from his past to his current journey back home to where he grew up.  So as a reader, you move in this ironic full circle of Henry's life. As someone with the fairly routine background of college/ normal work week/fam [so not Abbey's character], you start to resent Henry & feel that he deserves his downhill course. But then, I start to pity Henry & at the very end of the book just want to see him finally get home. 

Henry is apparently loosely based on Abbey & if you read any biographies of the author...the similarities are slightly unnerving.  The book is not a prettied up version of life. If you want to read about a fluffy view of life, do not read this book. If all you know is city life, you may as well read a foreign novel without a translation because that's how this would read to you. But if you have thick skin & enjoy some cynicism in your literature, take it for a whirl. I'd recommend borrowing from the library, but you can find one to purchase on Amazon* here.

>>>US Residents, follow this link to find your local public library system: http://lists.webjunction.org/libweb/Public_main.html

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Happy Reading!

♥ -Kat.

*Amazon...just sayin' that if someone were to click this & purchase, I might get a cent or two someday in the future if they don't expire & tons of imaginary people did the same thing.  

i want [to spec] that... Tucker wall panel by modulararts

I've always loved the textured wall panels by modulararts, but this one simply has me giddy. Don't you want to run your hands over it?!

♥ -Kat.

catalog inspiration: CB2 let it snow, let it faux 2010

I adore lookbooks + catalogs. I'd love to to one for cardinalhouse, but let's just say I'm not quite there yet! 

I'm going through my current stash & just HAD to share some ideas from CB2's let it snow, let it faux 2010 catalog [find it online HERE]. All images below from same catalog.

Some presentations are somewhat far fetched, like this ladder all strung up with lights, but inspiring nonetheless. It would be neat for a workshop-studio space! Don't you think?

 Okay, while this idea isn't exactly festive, it sure is pretty! See the cube shelving with the color coded trim? I love it! Now, on the other hand, that leaning wine rack scares me silly. There is no way that rack [or wine] would survive my house! 

Another idea that has me salivating is the icing on those cookies. Think of all the possibilities! Rothko and Kandinsky -themed cookies! Ooh- I'm all giddy!

It's hard to tell that this is actually a mirror, but that's not what I'm focusing on here. Look at how the Christmas cards are assembled in a tree-ish shape [err, holiday cards? if you prefer nansy-pansy PC terms]. Just keep in mind that tape may leave residue, so you might want to choose a non-permanent adhesive. You'll be happy that you did after the holidays!

And here a few of my favorite things from the catalog:

 abacus $149.

hopscotch rug $199.

grey gardens bedding $19.95 - $89.95

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♥ -Kat.

distractions. here kitty kitty.

Last week, el kiddo & I were visited by this feline cutie pie. She just jumped up on the patio & spent the afternoon sleeping on the chair. We were smitten, but I couldn't just bring kitty inside in case she actually belonged to a nearby neighbor. El kiddo kept checking the chair for days after &, yes, so did I...you know, just in case. 

Well, guess what made it on our Christmas list. Uh huh. here kitty kitty. We're not strangers to pets, but it's been a few years. 

I've been checking around with local shelters & we might be dropping in later this week or next to meet with a couple candidates. Black kitty on the left is the one I have my eye one, but we'll need to get in there with el kiddo to see how they interact together.

This time of year will definitely bring out the kitty's true character. Tree, ornaments, garland...oh my.

♥ -Kat.

studious reflection. custom order.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas -whoa, I really did just type that. Hope that you had a good Thanksgiving.  Wow. My brain has not been functioning well, can you tell!? haha.

So, I've had a lot going on & have been fairly quiet. I thought I would share one of the projects that's kept me locked away.  This custom order is now a coordinating set of necklaces & earrings. 

These are just a few of the sample pictures to nail down the particulars. Up top, the picture shows all of the samples together...didn't it make a pretty picture?! I really like it.

 

The bottom image shows what was ultimately decided upon [including the earrings to match]. And they're all turning out lovely. 

But that reminds me that I have more flowers to sew. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enjoy!

♥ -Kat.

studious reflections. sparkle sensation.

As noted before multiple times: I have serious design a.d.d. issues. 

I love it when I get in a custom request that was an idea in process. One, it means that I'm on the right track with an idea, + two, it probably means I have the supplies on hand!

I've had two of those types of requests this week. The non-flower beaded necklaces [which will also come in longer lengths, too]. And a request for some metallics. Shiny stuff, yay!

My next collection that I've been gathering is going to utilize some great metallics. I've pulled these dreamy matte silve + gold faceted beads that I've been dying to play with. But with a request, I have a bona fide reason to interrupt the previously scheduled studio program to play with something else for a bit. 

I'll follow-up with a post showing how the silver flowers turned out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a great weekend!

♥ -Kat.

new arrivals. more color box necklaces, floral earrings.

 

 

 color box collection - 300 series.

apple green, yellow, red, olive green, blue, lilac.

$18. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

floral earrings.

thistle pink.

$16. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enjoy!

♥ -Kat.

new arrivals. floral earrings by cardinalhouse.

 

floral earrings.

sage green, turquoise, cyan blue, and tan.

$16. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

My giveaway ends tomorrow [Wed @ 11:59pm], details HERE. 

 

♥ -Kat. 

GIVEAWAY fit for Thanksgiving! by cardinalhouse on Etsy.

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week?! I want you looking all pretty-fied, so my very first giveaway at cardinalhouse caters to the holiday at hand! But hurry up & help spread the word because the giveaway ends this Wednesday [11/17] at 11:59pm [US eastern].

4 lucky people will win one of the following:

clockwise, from top-left: 

no 04 hair clip/ brooch, no 10 rust necklace, 

no 06 peach necklace, no 01 hair clip/ brooch. 

[click on images for details]

my cardinal rules:

• to enter, leave a message below with your 1st + 2nd choice 

• us and canada residents only [1) canadians, consider this a belated thanksgiving; 2) international beyond the land of canadia...*i'm sorry*, but let me do some rule-checking & maybe next time]

that's it. simple. done. 

well...almost.

4 winners will be chosen at random this thursday afternoon [11/17]; if i can't contact you through a current profile link, it's up to you to contact me within 24 hours.

[ cardinal_house {?at?} comcast (%dot%) net ]

I'd love for any new followers/subscribers/fans--ever how, but it's not mandatory. Actually, *kill joy* it's against Facebook rules to use new likes as a giveaway/contest entry. But I'm including all the links because there will be more giveaways & fun stuff coming your way if you do join in! Yippee!

Shop • Newsletter • Facebook • Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good luck & help spread the word!

♥ -Kat.

ps- I knew I forgot something. 

May I advise that I don't make any promises that the items will, in fact, get there by Thanksgiving. US residents..they should BUT..no guarantees, you know. 

Canadians- hey, I'm a month behind your Thanksgiving so most definitely no guarantees there!  

 

new arrivals. rosebud earrings.

 

rosebud earrings.

orange, sky blue, red, and charcoal rosebud earrings.

$16. 

studious reflection. being green isn't easy.

It's Friday & we know what that means for my studio. Uh-huh, more books from the library that would be destined for el trash can. This is what our librarian brought to me before I left for the day: 

 

 *double sigh*

 

Really? You know "green design" is preached EVERYWHERE these days, but do you have any idea how wasteful our industry really is? I'm only one chica & can only do so much...

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Psst. Make sure you stop back by Monday [giveaway announcement]. See, I'm posting this so I can not take it back now -no way, no how.

 

 

Hope you have a great weekend. 

♥ -Kat. 

new arrival. earrings 09. lemon chiffon mini rosebuds by cardinalhouse.

rosebud earrings no 09.

reclaimed lemon chiffon yellow fabric.

$16.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

♥ -Kat.

photo eye candy. isola bella.

isola bella.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ -Kat.

[image by moi]

how cool is this?! papercuts by joe.

Guys [& dolls gals]!! LOOK AT THESE! Hand-cut...not machine. HAND CUT. wowsa.

I discovered Papercuts by Joe while over at Indie Fixx & started drooling. These are presented so professionally. Seriously. Browse through his gallery. The presentation has such a great sophisticated + museum installation vibe. 

I love that there are triptychs & multiple pieces that are focused on negative space --and I believe he's self-taught. For those of you that have never had any artsy projects requiring you to use the negative space & to forget the positive-- it's not easy. It's like trying to remember to sing harmony when you want to slip right over to melody. It's reverse of how you'd normally compute an image.

Oh, & he had me at NPR. 

[read his interview at Indie Fixx here & you'll get it!]

More of Joe:

Website • Blog • Etsy Shop • Facebook

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enjoy!

♥ -Kat.

[images linked to source]

i'm feeling random.

I'm here.
promise.
again.

*sigh*

I'm doing a LOT of planning in the background so I can do a fun magic trick for you. Well, except I don't plan on just springin' it on you. BUT no spillin' just yet.
AND don't think that I've forgotten about the necklace giveaway I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. I haven't & it's coming on a Sunday/Monday [perhaps the one coming up]...

So, meanwhile,  I'm cleaning up my email & thought I'd point you in the direction of a few good things. Such as:


The cutest DIY pilot's cap/goggle/jacket tutorial [& models] that you ever did see.

This Mark Bronson print.

My candy apple red briefcase business card holder.

Invitations by Ello There [I looove the Silhouette designs!].

Duvet cover tutorial with standard [non-wide] fabric --think calico thoughts.

Snap. crackle. pop. DIY pinecone firestarter.

Caaw. Caaw. Limited edition area rug [flock of crows- maroon/black].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enjoy!

♥ -Kat.

[image by moi]

coming soon. rosebud earrings.

 

 

coming soon.

topaz, emerald, violet, and lilac rosebud earrings.

$16.