I am here!

I took a bit of a break from my business adventure to adjust to being mom to 3! It has been a great year off and now we are ready to get back into this full swing, and full swing it is!
I was very blessed to be a part of The Olde Vintage Farmhouse Market a few weekends ago. It was a fabulous day of meeting new people and catching up with old friends! 
Here are a few pictures of my space, which initially was supposed to be outside under a tent, it all worked out that I was able to get a space inside  close to a heater! These were pre-rush pictures, as I got settled in things were moved around and re arranged...though I wasn't prepared for such a large space by the time the doors opened I think I had it filled out.

Now it's time to prepare for The Urban Market put on by Spruce Collective at Highstreet in Abbotsford October 25th & 26th.

Done!

Well I am officially NOT good at blogging.....I had a great time this spring/summer working with Birch & Bird doing the Scout Market and with Barb and Leah from The Olde Farmhouse but I have decided to stop making things to sell for a while. I am selling all my stock off, it is slowly getting posted here on my FB page. You can email me at sarah@autumndaisydotca if there is something that interests you.

May.....(I guess I missed April)

Well May is well underway, and things around here are too.... the reason I have been so busy is that I've been preparing for The Scout Handmade + Vintage Market.... starting TONIGHT! There are so many great vendors involved that I can't wait to get there are start setting up and meeting them!!! Friday night from 6-9pm is a closed evening to ticket holders only.... but don't worry tomorrow it all starts up again at 10am-4pm with a 2$ admission with 1$ going to a local charity. I hope to see you there.

March

I was going to put off posting until Birch + Bird announced their vendors (there are so many applicants it's nail biting waiting to hear who's be chosen)...but I am so excited about the latest project we (my husband and I)  have completed that I couldn't wait.

We have moved our TV around a lot in the last 2 years since we moved here, it was upstairs above the fireplace, then it went downstairs, and then it came back upstairs and has been sitting on top of the kids' toy box (an Ikea Expedit shelving unit). It has served it's purpose but was not anything eye catching (at least not in a good way). With our living room serving as a toy room too it gets cluttered often so when I read a blog post here about toy rotating, I thought I had to at least try...and it worked. I have wanted to move it all to what is now our office for quite some time now, but with so many toys I couldn't imagine it all staying in the room, now that there are fewer out it is becoming possible. There are still a few things that need to be moved around but 1 step at a time. I needed to find something for the TV to sit on. I was able to get into a thrift store that has a lot of furniture (that is usually over priced), and low and behold I find something that is perfect...and overpriced. I am Mennonite through and through so I will always try and get a great deal! Sadly they knew how badly I wanted it and wouldn't budge much on the price, but it is perfect so I'd say it was worth it.

At Fieldstone Vintage Market last September I was beside a booth for The Passionate Home (who have a beautiful shop in Old Langley). They had a display for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint....I didn't have a use for it until now. So I ran in there one day in a rush and picked out some colours. I painted a dresser for my daughters room in Old White and had bought this colour - Graphite, to paint our dining chairs (may or may not happen). The paint goes a long ways and so I decided to use it for this dresser as well. To be honest I wasn't a fan of this "Amazing" paint at all when I was doing my daughters dresser.  I just jumped right in thinking it was going to be simple...well not so much. It is great that you don't have to sand or prime, you just paint. And it is very thick so one coat is often enough. For me it was too thick, when it comes to most things I am a perfectionist and like to take my time. This is a process that needs to be done quickly. So when I went back to The Passionate Home to pick up my dark wax I chatted with Carrie a bit and got a few tips.


By the time I went in there I had already painted this dresser, I thinned the paint out until it was the consistency of a latex that I was familiar working with. It went on thin so I did have to do a second coat but it turned out great, NO streaking or smudging. It dries so fast I was able to start a second coat right away. The wax is what you put on over the paint to seal it. You can get a clear or a dark, for this dresser I used the dark so that the colour would darken and look "dirty". I am so glad I used it on a dark colour before trying to antique a light colour. It was very forgiving, but I still had to work fast with this and that was a challenge. The longer you let it sit on your paint the darker it gets (the more absorbs into the paint) the process is smear it on, wipe it off and buff. I did all the drawers first hoping it would give me some practice before attempting the top which is a very large area. By the time I got to the top I thought I had it figured out....again not so much. I started and then realized I was in trouble. I made a few calls and sent a few emails and got it figured out. At the end of it I am happy to say that for my first time using it I couldn't be happier. Oh, and we spray painted the handles with Rust-Oleum's all surface metallic in Oil rubbed bronze. Here are a few more detailed photos.

Now I just need to find a few things to clutter decorate the top with. Maybe I will find something at the Scout Vintage Market??? I can't wait to see what treasures I can find (all I have right now is an XBOX and a lamp).

February

Blogging is really not my thing (mostly because writing isn't) so I have set a goal to do it once a month...it may seem seldom to a lot of you but for me that is going to be challenge enough....So here's to February

I was really busy around Christmas and so decided that I would finish off the custom orders I had and then really take time for my family. It has been GREAT! We really enjoyed our holidays and the last 2 months of just being together. I have been supplying one shop, The Mom Spa in White Rock, which has been going well, most of it ended up being things I had in stock so it didn't take a lot of time to get ready.
It was posted earlier this week that Birch + Bird Vintage Home Interiors are hosting another Vintage Market here in the Fraser Valley!!!!! I was really unsure about whether or not I should apply to be a part of it this time for a number of different reasons, but have decided to go ahead and take the plunge again!

One of the reasons I hesitated about the market was that my one BIG goal for the year is to create an ORGANIZED home (on a tight budget). It was all I wanted for Christmas but no one could give it to me so it will be a gift to myself and my family. I was able to get going just after Christmas on my laundry room. We live in a new home so the room was nice but the use of space was not so great. I put up more shelving (hidden by a pretty curtain) and a counter top on top of my washer and dryer. It has already made a huge difference.... no more socks falling behind the dryer!!!!! and no more kids, somehow, reaching and playing with laundry detergent. Of course I didn't take a before picture but I will be posting some pictures of all the projects I take on this year around the house. I love re-purposing things and making old things new again, I love thrifting (is that a word) and sometimes it can be a problem...a lot of things and not enough time!

The next room I'm working on is our little girls, she is over 2 and should be moving into a bed, but I'm not quite ready, and she seems fine to be in her crib still. I've been collecting things and ideas for her room and am VERY excited about what it will (hopefully) look like. I found the perfect dresser at a Vancouver thrift shop, but seriously who is going to pay $215 for a second hand dresser???? we'll I sure wasn't going to. I just happened to stumble across the only piece of furniture at a local thrift shop and it was an almost identical dresser (less the mirror which I don't need anyway) for $14.99, I was beside myself!!!!! I went and picked up some Annie Sloan paint from The Passionate Home in Langley and I have a "new" dresser. It isn't quite done but when her room is I will be sure to post pictures.

I have many more ideas for things I can do around here and I hope I can prioritize my time now that I'm taking more on.... so please bear with me if I don't get to post as much as I would like.

Market Day!

It is apparent that I have been EXTREMELY busy just by how little I get to post. I spent the day today as a vendor at the Fieldstone Vintage "Christmas" Market, with about 20 other vendors, hosted again by the Eco Dairy and Birch and Bird at the Eco Dairy on Sumas Way in Abbotsford.  I have been preparing for this market for about a month now and was very excited that the day was finally here... it was VERY cold but the company was GREAT! I wish I had pictures...maybe the ones I took on my iPhone will be on here soon... but they are only so good, they don't do the displays any justice.

I want to thank all the guests that came, I was so excited to meet those of you that follow me here or on FB (if you'd like to stay in closer contact with me FB is the place to do it). I am excited now to be able to put the preparations for the market behind me and start preparing myself, my home and my family for this Christmas season. It is my favorite time of year, being able to spend time with family and friends relaxing and remembering the amazing gift of Hope that we have because of the birth of Christ! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas season (I know it's early but... it may not be until next year that I get on here).

Also special mention and thanks to my husband again for helping get ready and to my dad who helped me build my focal display.. the hat tree! Thanks

Orders

Just a note to those of you that inquired about custom orders....please send them in as soon as possible just in case I have time to squeeze them in sooner then expected! Thanks

Fieldstone Vintage Market!

Wow....what a day we had yesterday! There was so much work that went into prepping for the market yesterday, I as completely exhausted when the time came. That said it was an amazing experience, I met so many people and had the opportunity to find homes for a great number of my projects.

a few displays.. floral arrangements made my a great friend... if you are looking for a floral designer let me know!

this picture was taken at the end of the day so if there is something you see and you'd like to know size and price please message me at sawarkentin at gmail dot com

I have a number of items left (some items pictured above), which I will try and take pictures of and post on here and maybe we'll try Etsy out again, so that those of you who didn't have quite enough cash or weren't sure of sizes can still have the opportunity to grab something. Like I said to most of you I won't be doing anything these next 2 weeks as my brother is getting married and I still have to start and finish my daughters flower girl dress.. which I will post pictures of after the wedding... it's not a typical simple dress... it is going to match the brides dress! My plate was full thise last month and it is still full, and will remain full! As soon as I recoup from the wedding I will be pumping out the orders from the market.

Christmas is coming up pretty quick and I would love to create as many things for you as possible, so if you are interested in something get your orders in ASAP, I will be taking a very limited number of them! I have committed myself to making every one of the gifts we will be giving this year (and haven't started yet) so I will already be very busy.

Thank you to Birch and Bird and the Eco Diary for putting together the market, I hope it is something that will be put on again and that I can be a part of it! And also thank you to all of you that stopped by my booth, chatted and took a few moments to browse I truly enjoyed every moment of the day.
Also thanks goes to my husband for putting up with me... or rather putting up with not seeing me as I prepared for the day, and for all the work he put into helping me create my displays, to my mom and mother in law (and father in law) for taking care of our kids while I prepared for and spent the day at the market, and last but not least to the friend that spent her WHOLE day with me (and taking all these pictures)! Thank you all for supporting me in doing something I love!

 
One blanket I made.. which sadly hasn't sold yet is a breast cancer ribbon rag quilt in a throw size (50"x50) I would love to be able to make a donation to breast cancer research with the proceeds from this sale. $250

Hats, Hats, Hats

I just completed a custom order for 3 hats...they are made out of the girls' old jeans! The sisters are very excited about their hats and being able to give one to their friend for her birthday. I loved working together with them and their mom to make the perfect hats for them all, I hope they love them!

These hats are lined with the fabric that the flower is made with and have a bit of elastic at the back for a longer wear time!

Vintage Market

It has been a busy summer and things only seem to be getting busier! I have been selected to be a vendor and the Fieldstone Vintage Market taking place and the Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford on September 24th. It is going to be an amazing market! Right now there are 44 local vendors of all kinds, I can't wait to see what everyone is going to bring.

I have been trying out a few new things this past while....hats..I love them...I wish I could wear them...but since I can't I make them for my kids, and what kid doesn't look super cute in a hat???

 

I am also going to be trying to put together a few toddler bedding sets...blanket covers, sheets & pillow cases! I am constantly planning our baby's room out (she's not a baby really), she could be in a bed soon but she's my baby, and I like her contained, so we will wait, and I will plan until I have a room design I love!  I really have to stop looking around and getting ideas because the more you look the more you find and the more you have to make... and then it becomes to much and you have to decide which ideas you REALLY love because really I am not superwomen, (though sometimes I feel I should be) I cannot do it all! 

I have been trying to find a bedding set I like and their is nothing I love for a price I will pay so I will make it and design the rest of the room around that!

Pillows!

About a month ago I was asked to make some curtins. Of course I jumped on the opportunity, the customer picked out the fabric and I was left to design them, YEAH! We had bought extra fabric as we weren't sure yet how we were going to lay out the 2 prints, in the end I was able to create some super fun pillows. I don't have a picture of the curtins hung yet, as they don't fit any of my windows, but I was able to snap a shot of the pillows. 

My lens did distort the picture a bit (my head board is not actually curved) so the pillows in the front have also be stretched out a bit. I love the way they turned out especially as it was my first time! I think I will be making some of these for my own bed.... and if only I could figure out how to turn my window seat into a storage box so I could have somewhere to store them......

If you are interested in ordering something I have in my shop or need something custom email me here.

Little girl skirts

I loved my skirt and it was so fun to make that I thought I'd make one for my little girl too! I love the fabric collection by Sandi Henderson (for Micheal Miller) called Meadowsweet. The skirt is so easy to wear with a t-shirt and tights for cooler days or a tank on a hot summer day (hopefully they will be coming soon). The smocked waistband is so nice for allowing them to dress themselves, easy on and off for potty training, and it means nothing constricting on their little bellies (or in A's case bulging belly). I have a posting in my etsy shop here for a daisy print but I also have available for them the strawberry fields print (shown here as a dress) with a pink trim. If you'd like it in a different colour or print let me know I would love to make a custom skirt for you (I have alot of fabric on hand in lots of different colours - if your interested I could sent pictures)

 

I am trying to get things going with my etsy shop so spread the word, share with friends, I can't wait to make something for you!

Prego or Not Skirt

I made this skirt for myself for Easter, not because I prego, but rather because I HATE sewing with zippers. I thought it would be a quick and easy alternative.... and it was. The only problem I had was that it didn't shrink up as much as I had hoped. It was my first time doing anything with smocking, and with that in mind, I think it turned out great!

This skirt is ideal for the growing belly as the waist band is stretchy without being tight. I would love to make one for you (I would need your waist measurement and how long you'd like it). The waist will stretch at least 10" so no need to add inches if your belly is growing :)

If you are interested it doesn't have to be this print, I have a number on hand or if you have something you'd like I would love to work with you to create the perfect one for you!

Cost will be $35 for orders emailed to sawarkentin@gmail.com and $40 for orders through my etsy shop. (shipping not included).

Etsy Shop - OPEN!

I see it's been some time since I've posted..... I have had other pressing matters! I have opened up shop on Etsy. It has been a fair bit of work figuring things out. Now we wait and pray it goes well. I will still be taking custom orders at sawarkentin@gmail.com if there is something that interests you. Etsy and Paypal take a portion of the sales so the prices I have listed in my shop "Autumndaisysshoppe" are higher than if you were to order privately. I will try and juggle both ways for now.... if it gets to be to much..... (we'll decide when the time comes). For now I just wanted to share with you how excited I am about this and how thankful I am for all of you that support me in this.

Turquoise Purse

Someone at Christmas mentioned they LOVED this colour (it is pretty nice), I was browsing the store one time and found it! I thought of S right away and this purse is what came to be of it. It has a delicate turquoise and green floral print for the detail and lining, with a double layered flower on the front.

If S isn't interested it is up for grabs. $50

Orders, orders, orders!

I haven't been all that good at updating here, but if you want frequent updates "like" me on facebook here and stay informed. I have had a number of custom orders to push through these last few weeks. The first order was received today and here are the pictures. 

 

Both hats were made to order, custom colours and sizes (the gray one is for C's mom, how cool is that?). If you are interested send me an email, I would love to make one for you and your kids.  Sizes are 0-3m all the way up to adult! Prices starting at $15 up to $30, and shipping is only $2.50 each (within Canada).

I did complete another order today for 2 little girl purses, they are heading to England, I hope to see pictures of them soon too! (hint hint **).

I have also started to make neck ties for little boys, I don't have a picture yet (I should say a good picture, my son in his PJ's with a tie taken on my phone is not great, cute, but not great) as soon as I do I will be posting them.

And dresses, I love the prints I have right now for spring (Easter is coming, every little girl needs an Easter dress!) I will have a bunch sewn up for the kids swap on April 9th at the Cloverdale Fair grounds, but if you'd like to order a specific size please do so soon, as I will be cutting them all out very shortly. I don't want you to miss out on a fabric you love, I only have so much of each, I may be able to get more but no guarantees.

Here are some pictures of the fabrics I have available right now. Dress prices are available here.

I almost forgot.... my labels are here! I bought them from and Etsy store called mommiemadeit, she did a great job, they are just the way I wanted.....That said I don't think I will order fabric labels again. I didn't realize they have a sort of vinyl/plastic coating over the print so when you sew them the holes are very obvious (you couldn't resew them if you make a mistake,as the holes wouldn't blend back into the fabric). I had to start somewhere and for now they will be great. I just can't make any mistakes when stitching them on, no problem right? :)

On the market

The newest items to be added to my regular line are...... peasant style dresses (short or mid length sleeves) available in sizes 6m to size 8, and crochet hats also available in any size from infant to adult. I know I have some crochet hats already, these are similar, but with a vintage flare. The colours and accessories will be what makes them stand out from the rest! I am excited about these, if you are interested you can message me here or comment on my facebook page here.

Peasant dress, mid length sleeves

Crochet hat with double flower and button accent

Trying New Things Again

I have a LARGE stock pile of fabric and wasn't sure what to do with it until I saw a (what I thought would be) simple quilt pattern. Turns out the quilt is easy to put together until you have to do the free motion quilting. I have never done it before and thought I could just throw the quilt on the machine and go. Much to my surprise it is a lot harder then it looks. I started out with a large random squiggle and couldn't handle the imperfection of it so I picked it ALL out (2/3rds of the quilt) and then started doing wavy lines. It was easier but still not good enough so I cheated and put my walking foot back on and continued with the lines the hard but more even way. I am very happy with the results and now just have to put the binding on. Maybe I can quickly sew it on tonight and then do all the hand stitching while I spend Valentines evening with my husband... maybe that's bad? I find it really hard to just sit and watch TV or a movie without my hands doing something, for me it's time that needs to be used. Maybe because I have so little of it during the day??? Either way I hope to have it finished very soon, I have plenty more fabric to make these with so I need to get going! 

                                     

I am also in the process of getting labels made to sew into my projects.... I am very excited about this!!!!

New Projects

     A few new projects I have been waiting to try out!  An infant carrier (car seat) cover, canopy, tent....what ever you'd like to call it, which is also very useful for the stroller. It has the velcro loops that attach to the carrier handle or the buckle of the stroller. NO more wind/sun in baby's face or loosing the blanket under the front tires of the stroller! $30

     Another is the snuggler, the pattern is from "Simple Sewing for Baby" by Lotta Jansdotter. Not the greatest pattern/instructions, but with adaptions I got it the way I wanted. It is a cotton print called "Ginger Bliss" by Amy Butler on the outside and lined with a super soft minkee. Perfect for a new baby to be swaddled up tight in! $30

     And last I put together, also with the Amy Butler print, a reversible pinafore. I made it for my daughter but I don't know what I was thinking when I cut out a 12 month size. She is only 1 but is wearing 18/24 clothes. So this one is up for grabs. It is a shirt NOT a dress, though it is very cute with bloomers (which I can make in either print to match if you are interested). This is a pattern I have (from http://www.facebook.com/AliyahsHopeChest)
in sizes 6 months up to 6 years) if you are interested in one message me. $20+ (depending on size)

also check us out on facebook

Up to date finally

I finally had a few minutes to update what is posted here. Not all that I have available is posted yet but soon hopefully soon. My facebook page has a few more items if you are interested in taking a peek.
I am taking part in the Pay It Forward 2011, and am looking for some new ideas for gifts. Let me know if you have a site you like to use, or one that has stuff you like!