Treasury Time: I feel blue...

So one of the things I would like to try and do more of this year, is create more treasuries on Etsy. Here is my latest....

Be sure to head on over to Etsy and check it out! There are alot of good items in this one, most of which have made my wish list!

Where did everything go? Bright & Cloudy Shop Update

Where did everything go? As of today, the Bright & Cloudy shop will be closed. I am in the process of revamping the shop to include better products and a slightly new look. I do not have an estimated time frame for this change, but I am working to make this transition quick. Check back here for more information and updates.

In the meantime, I am happy to announce that the new COZYmade shop is alive and thriving. While Bright & Cloudy is under construction, please visit COZYmade and check out all the amazing wreaths and cozy felt flower accessories. Also, because I am so generous... take 10% off your next COZYmade purchase with coupon code CLOUDY. This coupon won't last for long, so take advantage of the savings now. New wreaths will be listed over the next few weeks for spring.

Hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day.

-Stephanie

Saw It, Pinned It, Made It: 6-layer Rich Chocolate Malted and Toasted-Marshmallow Cake

In 2012, it is one of my goals to start making things I see on Pinterest. If you aren't on Pinterest yet, I highly suggest. But beware, it is rather addicting, so don't say I didn't warn you.

A 6 layer malted chocolate and toasted marshmallow cake. Can we say YUM? I saw this cake on Pinterest back in December, and thought to myself "I must have that for my 30th birthday."

It seemed complicated, but luckily my mother loves to bake and was completely up for the challenge.

The original recipe came from Rosie over at sweetapolita.com. She did a fantastic job explaining the cake and mom followed the recipe perfectly.



The night of my birthday I came home delighted to see this cake waiting for me. I was so excited, I almost didn't want to eat dinner!

It may have not looked completely like the picture, but it didn't matter. It tasted fantastic! You can get the recipe here.

So I can't take any credit for ACTUALLY making this cake.... but it was my idea to attempt it :) and I highly recommend it.

Happy Birthday to Me! COZYmade Sale!

Well, I am officially old today. I turn 30. Although I am not quite sure how I feel about it yet, let's see how the day goes.


But my birthday means savings for you... help me celebrate and save 30% off your next COZYmade purchase! Visit cozymade.etsy.com and use coupon code BDAY30 at checkout.


Ok Ok.... you want to save at brightandcloudy.com too? Why not.... use the same code in the Bright & Cloudy shop to save 30% off any order there too!


Sale is good now through Sunday 1/8/2012 so hurry along and go shopping :)

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL & New Etsy Shop

I am excited to announce COZYmade is now open on Etsy. Check out the new wreaths, and ornaments. With more felt-ness coming soon, be sure to keep checking back.

Looking for a deal? Take 20% off all purchases for Black Friday in both the COZYmade shop and Bright & Cloudy shop! Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY!

Another exciting deal coming for cyber Monday. Stay tuned.

Filters for the Filterless

So... like many these days, I am starting to have a little obsession with Pinterest. When I saw the coffee filter wreaths, I knew I had to make one for a girl who boasts about having no filter (check out her blog here). Of course, I needed to wait for her birthday- so I sat on this project for a few months. I must say I think it turned out quite nice.

This project was super easy. Basic instructions are as follows:

Supplies:

• Styrofoam Wreath
• Standard Coffee Filters (white or unbleached)
• Hot Glue
• Felt (optional)

Steps:

1. Fold a filter in half, then in half again.
2. Put a small amount of glue on the pointed end of the folded coffee filter.
3. Press to styrofoam wreath.
4. Repeat until entire wreath is covered.
5. Cover the back of the wreath with felt if desired.

Here are a few pics of my progress:

Tips:

• The amount of filters you will need will depend on the size of your styrofoam wreath. I used just under 100 filters for this 12" wreath.
• I tried to glue the filters as close together as possible, fluffing them up as I went. This made it easy to spot and fill holes.
• Other tutorials mention that you may need to trim the filters that stick out a little too much, but I didn't do this.
• Although I kept mine white, you can also dye or color the coffee filters before attaching them to the wreath.
• The plain wreath is great for embellishing for different seasons. I ended up attaching a birthday banner to it, but it can easily be decorated for christmas, fall, summer etc.

Fall Sale- Save 15% at brightandcloudy.com

Fall Sale!


Now through 10/31 you can save 15% off purchases in the shop! With lots of new product on the way, it's time to thin out inventory! Head over today and use coupon code FALL15 at checkout!


Stay up to date with shop happenings, coupons and sales by following me on Twitter. Not a fan of tweeting? Like me on Facebook!

Googley eyes put a smile on my face...

Completely submerged in Halloween at work, Nicole and I seemed to have a bit of fun carving a few pumpkins the other day in my cube. Surrounding cube dwellers claimed we were slightly funny to listen to... probably due to the fact that neither of us had ever carved a pumpkin. Nevertheless, it was fun and easy (what we were doing anyway)... and I decided to make a few of my own for home.

Of course, the googley eyes made my project so much better... check out my new clan.

Ahhh! Attack of Vampire Pumpkins...

These two are my favorite. The little one especially. I think his little brown bruise gives him character.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Giveaway over at Dramatic Elegance Blog

I am excited to announce that Rachel over at Dramatic Elegance is doing a great giveaway! I am excited to be a part of this giveaway, so head on over and enter.

Check out the Bright & Cloudy goodness you could win:

Terry- It is Sad to See You Go...

Although I am not an avid sports fan... I often find myself in front of a TV with a game on. As a Boston fan it is sad to see Terry Francona leave the Boston Red Sox. Whats next for the Red Sox... I have no idea. Clearly, I am not writing this post to talk about sports, it's just not my thing... but instead using this as a gateway to introduce to you all a friend of mine with amazing talent.

If you have not seen the work of Kevin Barry before, I strongly urge you to head over to his blog and check it out. His latest piece of Francona going down with his ship is amazing- although I am not surprised because I often find myself jealous of his talent :)

Made of Lines- The Art of Kevin M. Barry - you won't be disappointed.

I have been very busy with new projects, so stay tuned for some Halloween fun along with fun new flowers for the shop. That's all for now.

BIllerica Yankee Doodle Weekend

The Yankee Doodle weekend was a huge success. Although my space was larger than any space I had ever had, I seemed to make it work.

The weekend began with a parade that headed straight down the street in front of my space. It was fun, loud and most definitely colorful. As the parade dwindled down, the people began filtering in.

I sold many brooches, in fact sold almost everything I had made of felt. You can expect these cozy felt brooches to appear in the shop over the next few weeks (stock needs to be replenished).

We had a few close calls because of the crazy wind on day two, but no catastrophes and most of the display remained in tac.

The wreaths were a huge hit. Everyone stopped by and gawked at them, telling me how lovely they were. I am planning on having the remainder of them in the shop by the end of the week, so if you are extremely excited (like I am) then hold on to your hats for a few more days...

All in all, it was a good weekend. I have to take one moment again to thank D for helping me and everything he has done for Bright & Cloudy over the past couple of weeks. From creating my headband displayer from pool noodles, to figuring out how to weight down my tent so it wouldn't blow away- and everything in between. I thank you again.

To see more pictures please visit my photostream here.

One more chance for Bright & Cloudy Goodness!

Didn't get a chance to attend the MWHS craft fair last weekend? We'll good news because there is another fair just days away.


Bright & Cloudy will be at the Yankee Doodle Days in Billerica, MA this weekend! The fair will be both Saturday and Sunday and will be full of fun events (including a parade), yummy food and booths of all kinds.


You can find me directly in front of the town hall (literally my booth is located in front of the front door). Full details below:

• DATE: Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 9am to 2pm
• LOCATION: 365 Boston Road, Billerica MA
• EVENT HOMEPAGE: www.yankeedoodlehomecoming.org 

Check out the Facebook page here. And if you haven't already, be sure to "Like" Bright & Cloudy on Facebook. 


Hope to see you all there!

MWHS CRAFT FAIR 2011

This year's craft fair for the Metro West Humane Society went well. There certainly was alot of people. Here is how the booth came out...

The day was hot, but really a perfect day for a fair. It was nice and sunny. I finally had a chance to debut my new wreaths, which received a lot of compliments. They will soon be available in the shop.... so check them out soon.

And of course I had a fantastic neighbor, Remixed by Jacki had the booth next to mine. Her booth came out great as well...

For full display pictures, visit my newly made flickr page here.

If you happened to miss this fair, don't worry. Bright & Cloudy will be at the Yankee Doodle Fair in Billerica, MA next weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. Check out my Fairs & Events link at the top of the page for full details.

RENOVATION PREVIEW

Well, I already told you I've been working hard on new products... but I thought I would give you a little sneak preview. Below are a few of my new flower brooches.

Lots more to come. Hope you can contain your excitement a little longer.... And there is still time to save 20%... hop on over to the shop and check out the goods. Happy 4th!

Polka Dot Socks...

Yes, that's right. You read the headline of this blog correctly. I love socks with stuff on them, especially polka dots. In fact... my college roommate use to make fun of me all the time because I did not own a single pair of plain white socks (a plain solid color was even hard to come by).


Why is this relevant? Polka Dots. Have you noticed the blogs subtle updated look? It is the start of a Bright & Cloudy update in its entirety. The new packaging was shown off at the last craft fair, new products are in the works, and a shop update is soon to come (keep an eye out). For now, if you haven't already taken advantage of the renovation sale (coupon code RENO2011)... I suggest you head over to the shop now and start browsing...


As for now.... here are a few pictures from the last fair, I know you all have been waiting patiently to see how everything came out.

So now is your chance... Is there anything you would like to see in the shop? Or anything you would like to see more or less of?

PS: Check out my fancy new links at the top of the page. All worth clicking :)

SHOP RENOVATION 2011

Hey All-

I am getting ready to make a huge shop renovation. Awesome new stuff is coming soon. Brooches, headbands, more bobby pins, earrings and more! The shop has been open for a little over a year now. I have learned so much. I am ready to share all the new stuff with you. The shop renovation will also include a new SALE section.

To make room for new inventory, I am offering 20% off all purchases from now until June 30th! Enter coupon code RENO2011 at checkout to receive 20% off instantly.

So head over to brightandcloudy.com today!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Happy Shopping!


Stef

CRAFT FAIR: Cumberland Drama Club Vendor & Craft Fair

This coming Saturday, May 21st, I will be participating in the Cumberland Drama Club Vendor & Craft Fair. This is a fundraising event that will help fund the clubs trip to the International Thespian Society Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Cumberland Drama club will proudly represent the state of Rhode Island in this festival.

Remixed by Jacki and Bright & Cloudy will be sharing a booth at this event. Come check out the local crafters and vendors and support the talented students of the Drama club.

I will have fun new products that will make it to the shop soon after the fair, so if you can not attend, keep a look out for them.

Full Details:
Saturday May 21, 2011 from 10am-4pm
Diamond Hill Park Ski Lodge
Diamond Hill Road (route 114)Cumberland, RI

Yarn Wreath with Felt Flowers: Happy Mothers Day

Yarn wreaths. They all look so simple and cute. I thought to myself "what a quick and easy mothers day present".

Flowers- I got down. Any shape, kind, variety. I am always experimenting with new ones. I love felt, and although I haven't ventured too far into the flet flower world, I took the plunge willingly. And I can assure you, you will be seeing many more felt flowers in my future :)

From the research I had done online looking at tutorials, and pictures of other peoples wreaths, the directions were easy:

1. Wrap styrofoam ring with yarn.
2. Make different shapes and sizes of fabric flowers.
3. Glue, pin or sew flowers directly to wreath.
4. Add ribbon at top for hanging (optional).

It was the actual wrapping of the yarn that got to me.  Seemingly simple, yet I had the hardest time efficiently wrapping them. First, I kept dropping the wreath. Then, I kept getting the biggest tangled messes from my yarn. Then, as impatient as I am, I would cut it... and try again. I never understood why people unraveled all of their yarn just to re-wrap it into a ball. I'm not a knitter, nor do I dabble in any craft that requires yarn (until now).

I understand the ball now. It makes so much sense. Yarn is a little bit evil. And who knew there were machines to "ball" it for you... check this out.

Anyway, despite my aggravation, they came out great! Take a look.

They made great Mother's Day presents. The first one was for my mom, the second one for D's mom. (sorry about the crappy picture, I of course had forgotten to take a picture of it before I gave it as a present)

What I learned:

• The thicker yarn worked out better for covering the ring.
• A yarn ball would have helped greatly.
• I really like felt.

I did enjoy how these wreaths came out, and have so many ideas for flowers that would look adorable on wreaths, but I am not quite ready to jump back into wreath making quite yet. Anyone have any tips or tricks for easier yarn wrapping? Or any other cute ideas for wreaths?

Crafty Explosion, Organization and a Happy Exchange.

I am one of those people who works in organized chaos. Especially with my crafting and art. I know where everything is when I am working on it... but to everyone else, I am sitting in complete chaos. But I have my limits, and while cleaning up my work area I came across an envelope that I almost forgot about.

About a month ago- I was wandering around Etsy and came across this cute little shop. It made me smile. So after visiting it a few days in a row, I decided to "purchase" a few of her prints. I use quotes because the Happy Exchange prints are not technically for sale.

A Happy Exchange was born out of a desire to share my art with whoever may connect with it. The joy I feel when doing so is payment enough for me.

When they came in the mail, with a hand written note from Jillian, I was truly happy. I thought to myself "these will be the first thing I hang in my new house." The house of course I am in no position to buy, but am working my darnedest to achieve in the near future. As I continue to save money this year I will remember these prints and think about them hanging :) For now, I will keep them at my work area so they make me smile as I am crafting.

As for you all. I strongly urge you to check out A Happy Exchange on Etsy. If you would like to know more about Jillian and her art, you can check out her blog Happily Simple.

 Enjoy!

New Flowers!

I am so excited about the new flower accessories I am working on. It started with rings... and has bloomed into many other accessories. Check out the rings below, then head over to my shop for other new stuff!

 

And this isn't it... I have many more projects in the works. I will try to add more stuff each week, so stay tuned.