Tuesday is CHA yay!

11 of us are gonna put our walking boots on and caravan to Anaheim. Just across the street from Disneyland...is the grown up version of the happiest place on earth....CHA!....this is where you find all the GOOD STUFF! as in paper, glitter, rhinestones, birds, baubles, crowns (and so much more)!
 I don't know what will happen when we all get together in this heavenly place for artistic souls.....Melissa, Lisa, Deb, Sandra, Rachel, Linda, Rita, Christie, Dyanna, Pam and I! I can tell you this much it's gonna be good! There are 6 birthday girls in this group of creative women and we plan to celebrate......and I am bringing my camera ....to document all the pretty goodness!  Look out Anaheim we are coming your way!

Tomorrow is my Birthday!

And I have so much to be thankful for! 2010 started with a big bang and seems to be getting better everyday.

So many exciting possibilities ahead.

The Mermaids Mercantile has been a wonderful blessing and a great success!

 The new classroom/classes is something that I have wanted to see come to life for a very long time.

It seems that Porch magazine http://porch-magazine.blogspot.com/  will be featuring my shop in an upcoming issue along with Deb Hodge of http://breathingbesideus.blogspot.com/ Deb the angel that she is submitted me... Thanks Deb!

 And we are all very excited (myself and The Mermaids Mercantile girls) about the possibility of being published in Altered Couture this fall!

Today I sent in my audition video and potfolio  for the 5th season of HGTV's Design Star.

I am really happy with my audition tape, I think that it is the best ever! ( I have tried every year so this is my 5th submission. The deadline is tomorrow AKA my B-day... so I am thinking it's a sign! Say prayers, think good thoughts, it would be so fun to get on that show (and win of course)!

I will keep you all posted!

Pictured above are vintage shoes that I altered with seashells rhinestones and beading from a vintage handbag. The flowers on the toes are also made from shells. The vintage dress was dreamy to begin with, I added twisted roses and tulle to the bodice using fabric taken from the under skirt. The sholder strap is a vintage pearl necklace wrapped in tulle and the leather belt and buckle was added to give it a little gypsy flair!

 I made these pieces along with many others for the new Altered Couture boutique in my shop, A beautiful little room filled with vintage and upcycled dresses, shoes, handbags, jewelry and so much more! 10 boxes went home with Beth Livesay from Stampington to be considered for publication! I can hardly wait to create more, the last week has been dedicated to my HGTV audition, I m ready to get back to work! Maybe I will make some birthday shoes to wear on design star!

thanks for stopping by!

Sincerely,

Debi

Beth Livesay from Stampington publications came to visit my Shop!

I would have to say that I am in love with the beautiful magazines that are published through Stampington.

it is hard to choose a favorite, here is my typical routine... go to Starbucks and get a vanilla Latte, head over to Barnes and Noble and grab one of every isuue that Stampington has on the shelf, find a comfy chair and start flipping through the books. Then the process of elimination begins, They are all so good! Altered Couture, Where Women Create, Somereset life, Somerset Home, Apronolgy... I want all of them and there are so many more! I take home a few and practically memorize each page! I make notes, I get inspired, I call up my girlfriends.... 'did you see...? ' 'how beautiful was that?'....

When I met Deb Hodge (cover artist for the last issue of Haute Handbags) she told me to send photos of my shop to Beth Livesay  the editor for Altered Couture and 5 other magazines, I was excited and hopeful, Deb so kindly sent a personal note to Beth along with my photos, when I found out Beth was coming to visit, I was over the top beyond words excited x's 10!

In my 20 years in business I have created and tried my hand at just about, everything, except altered couture. I love fashion and have faithfully watched project runway, all the time saying to myself, 'oh if I could only sew..... I could rock the runway! Some of my ultra talentd friends and artist had been asking me to change one of the rooms in my shop into a boutique, so they could sell their wonderful handmade clothing and accessories. With the new year coming I agreed that this was a time for a change, and time to try something new, so I set to work, with the help of my Dad, building new fixutures (all from recycled materials) and my Mom helping me sew(with a broken arm) I made skirts, shoes, dresses and scarves for my new alterd couture boutique. Lisa Loria, Deb Hodge, Rachel Luna, Linda Wattles Rita Reade, Laina Schectman Claire Comensky and Erin Barr all created and brought wonderful jewelry, clothing handbags, jeans, gloves and shoes too!This is Beth! What a Darling girl! Can you imagine the work involved in editing six magazines.. I should say Super Girl! Beth took home several boxes of clothes and shoes to be considered for publication! All of us at Out of the blue and The Mermaids Mercantile are very very excited and thankful and now we are all addicted to altering clothes! You can find out more about Beth and Atered Couture on her blog http://coutureovercoffee.blogspot.com/

While I was changing up my shop, I also finally took action on somthing that my customers have been requesting for a long time! Craft/creative classes! This is our new classroom! My Dad built the table and the light fixtures! Lisa Loria decorated it! Our 1st class will be taught by Rita Reade, soldered jewelry making! http://mammabellearte.blogspot.com/ We have lots of classes coming up, to name a few... seashell covered letters, needle felting, altered shoes, fingerless gloves, jewelry making, paper crafts and so so so much more. Watch for our email announcement. If you are not on our email list you can sign up at http://www.seasellsseashells.com/ Thanks for stopping by and happy 2010! sincerely,

Debi