The Handmade's Tale: Gock's Frocks

The Handmade's Tale introduces you to independent, self-taught artists who toil away creating beautiful and inspiring pieces. Please welcome the lovely indie artist and blogger Kristen Gocker Hallagan.

Who: Kristen Gocker Hallagan

What: Clothing Designer
Where: Gock's Frocks

When: Kristen's been sewing since high high school but has been selling her designs on Etsy about three-and-a-half years now.

Why: "I was sewing for my own kids when a few moms complemented me on their outfits and mentioned they would love to be able to buy something similar so I decided to give it a try," she says. "Then recently a few women had asked if I could make them skirts like my kids skirts thus my yoga line for women was born!"
Her Philosophy: "I get bored making the same thing over & over hence my tag line.... 'Individually Inspired Design.' I love to play with fabrics, colors, patterns and textures to create unique, often one-of-a-kind designs."
Her Inspirations: "My kids, nature, a glimpse of ruffle, funky hem lines, the fall leaves.... everything around me."

Justine Handmade Girl's Peasant Top, $35
This bubble-style peasant top in a gorgeous blue damask has an elastic at the waist, 3/4 length sleeves, button closure at the neck. Also available in pink, sizes 12 months to 12 years.

Hazel Handmade Girl's Three-way Peasant Dress, $65
A side-tie closure at the neck and a reversible, removable apron makes for three unique looks! Available in sizes 12 months to 12 years.

Pink Stained Glass Handmade Girl's Skirts, $30 each
Gorgeous pink stained-glass print A-line skirts accented with a lime green ruffle. Features elastic waist, flirty ruffle and professionally finished seams. Comes in a variety of styles, coordinating applique tees available upon request.

Grape Damask Girl's Ruffle Hem Pants, $32
Handmade ruffle hem pants in a sweet grape damask print from Michael Miller. Can be made full length, capri or Bermuda shorts. Available in sizes 12 months to 10 years.

Custom Applique Tee, You Design It!, $25
Thanks to many requests for coordinating shirts that match her skirts, Kristen creates custom designs in both long or short sleeves. May include but are not limited to: heart, flower, bird, initial, guitar (pictured), star, peace sign, or any shape taken from pattern in the fabric. All appliques are heat bonded and zig-zag stitched for a slightly frayed effect.

Where to Buy: Check out Kristen's blog where she features the latest designs, offers yummy recipes and displays some fantastic photography. Then head on over to her Etsy shop where you can browse through her adorable collection of handmade children's tees, pants, skirts, dresses and more! You can even purchase the fabrics Kristen uses at her other shop, Betty's Closet. I love the idea of wearing one-of-a-kind designs... and there's so many cute things here to choose from!

Want to be featured in Cinnamon and Honey's Handmade's Tale? Please leave a message here or send me an email by clicking on "Contact Me" at the top of this page.

Monday's Muse: Sweet November

Welcome to Monday's Muse!

It's Cinnamon & Honey's new blog meme about all things inspirational. Here's your chance to share something that's currently meaningful to you... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, I want to know all about it!

Can you believe it's already November? Soon enough the holidays will be here and then we'll be celebrating the new year. Something happens to time once summer ends... it's like someone hits a giant fast-forward button and the days fly by. So for today's Muse, I'm sharing a song that echoes some of the sentimentality that can come around this time of year.

Early November, Miranda Lee Richards

Doesn't her voice remind you a little of Sarah McLachlan? Which is probably why I like this slow, melancholy song. While the video paints Miranda a little model-glam with the faux fur, short skirts and mile-high boots, her rootsy singer-songwriter feel still comes right through. And I can imagine her playing to a small club in ripped jeans with an acoustic perched on a stool. One of my favorite type of shows.

So what's inspiring you lately?

Join Monday's Muse by signing up with Mr. Linky and visiting the other Muses. Oh, and don't forget to grab my new blog button below!

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The Handmade's Tale: Faerie Moon Creations

The Handmade's Tale introduces you to independent, self-taught artists who toil away creating beautiful and inspiring pieces. Please welcome the lovely indie artist and blogger Theresa MacNaughton.

Who: Theresa MacNaughton

What: Jewelry maker

Where: Faerie Moon Creations

When: Theresa's been creating art since she was a little girl, dabbling in everything from painting, knitting to photography and paper crafting. Family and friends have been urging her to sell her handiwork for years, so she finally opened her Etsy shop this past summer.

Why: "Lately, I've been yearning for something more in my life that I could be wholeheartedly proud of," she says. "I knew in my heart that I wanted to make art a primary force in my life and not something that I had to make time for. I decided to step down from my supervisory position at a retail establishment and only work part-time so that I could focus on Faerie Moon Creations. I truly wish to make others happy through my art and my creations. If something I've created makes just one person smile, then I know I've done something right!"
Her Philosophy: "My primary goal is to make functional art that is affordable, has a broad appeal and stays aligned with my theme of nature, whimsy and fantasy... colorful worlds filled with butterflies, faeries, flowers and woodland creatures."

Her Inspirations: "I am inspired by nature and whimsy, by faerie tales and folk lore, by magic and childlike wonder. I'm also inspired every day by the amazing talents of all the artists, writers, jewelry and knit wear designers of the online handmade community. Their talent is awe-inspiring! I've learned so much from all of them."

Glass Faerie Pendant, $7
This delightful, pretty glass faerie pendant measures just under 1 inch in diameter and features a digital image printed on HP Premium Plus Paper protected with archival glaze and affixed with a silver aanraku bail. Bright silver ball chain measures just under 12 inches, length can be adjusted. From the I Do Believe Collection.

Butterfly Bottlecap Necklace, $10
This beautiful bottle cap necklace measures 1 1/4 inches and features an antiqued butterfly image protected under a 1 inch round glass cab. A cute little dangling silver flower charm adds to this pretty necklace's appeal! Length of bright silver ball chain measures 12 inches, length can be adjusted. From Nature's Fragile Beauties Collection.

Wooden Tile Bird Pendant, $6
This delightful lightweight wooden tile pendant measures 1 inch in diameter and features a pretty digital image of chickadees printed on HP Premium Plus paper protected with archival glaze and affixed with a gold aanraku bail. Bright gold ball chain length measures just under 12 inches, length can be adjusted. From Sing a Happy Tune Collection.

Glass Owl Pendant, $7
This adorable little glass owl pendant should appeal to both animal lovers and wee young folk! The cute image was cut from Japanese fabric and cropped to fit under the 7/8 inch glass pendant. Adorned with a pretty chocolate-colored bow on dark brown cord measuring 18 inches long. From Forest Friends Collection.

Beautiful Floral Bottle Cap Earrings, $9
This precious set of 1 1/4” brushed bottle cap earrings features gorgeous Victorian-inspired floral images under a clear 1” glass circle. For pierced ears only. From the Victorian Elegance Collection.

Where to Buy: Check out Theresa's blog where she writes all about her crafty endeavors and her latest creations, and sometimes features fun giveaways! Then head on over to her Etsy shop to browse through her wonderful collection of pendents, necklaces, earrings and more. You can also find Faerie Moon on Facebook and follow Theresa on Twitter. Theresa welcomes inquiries about custom pieces and is offering Cinnamon & Honey readers 20% off your entire purchase at her Etsy shop. Just reference "cinnamonhoney" in the notes to seller. How cool is that? So many pretty things to choose from, why not get a head-start on your holiday shopping?

Want to be featured in Cinnamon and Honey's Handmade's Tale? Please leave a message here or send me an email by clicking on "Contact Me" at the top of this page.

Wordful Wednesday: Mum's the Word

Yes, I realize that I've been going a little overboard with the whole I'm-loving-fall thing here on C&H. But since we got cheated out of summer in the Northeast, it feels really good to enjoy the beauty of the changing season. Besides, winter will be coming around soon enough and I hear it's going to be a brutal one. (Sigh...) So bear with me as I post more pictures from weekend trips to local country farms. (Now if only I had a garden to plant these pretties!)

This week Angie is featuring Halloween Wordfuls, so be sure to stop by and say hi.

Monday's Muse: Hurricane David

Welcome to Monday's Muse!

It's Cinnamon & Honey's new blog meme about all things inspirational. Here's your chance to share something that's currently meaningful to you... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, I want to know all about it!

Many years ago in college, a friend introduced me to a singer-songwriter who quickly became one of my favorite musicians. I've written a lot about the unsung talents of David Wilcox, his poetic lyrics and beautifully intricate guitar work. A gifted musician with a long career minus the top-40 recognition, David is kind of like a great secret you just can't wait to share with everyone you know. And now that he's finally uploaded a ton of performances on YouTube, I can finally do just that.

Eye of the Hurricane, David Wilcox

This tale about a lonely, self-destructive woman searching for the ultimate escape is easily one of David's best.... Hope is gone and she confessed/That when you lay your dreams to rest/You can get what's second best/But it's hard to get enough... I love the way his effortless guitar picking wraps its way around a smooth, easy melody. Just a really gorgeous song. Check out David, who released a live album earlier this year, here.

So what's inspiring you lately?

Join Monday's Muse by signing up with Mr. Linky and visiting the other Muses. Oh, and don't forget to grab my new blog button below!

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The Handmade's Tale: Paper Pumpkin

The Handmade's Tale introduces you to independent, self-taught artists who toil away creating beautiful and inspiring pieces. Please welcome the lovely indie artists and bloggers Kathy and Mia.

Who: Kathy and Mia

What: Paper-and-fabric crafters

Where: Paper Pumpkin

When: This mother-daughter team has been selling their crafty goods for a little more than a year now.

Why: "As a mom who is incredibly excited about my daughter Mia's jewelry shop, I would make tags, thank yous, business card envelopes, and other paper goodies. Last year, Mia encouraged me to create for others as well. It's been an amazing year," says Kathy.

Their Philosophy: "We both have always been crafty and creative, with a need to make things, to express ourselves. Combine this with loving beautiful papers and the new designer fabrics always coming out... and well, it starts there! I'll never stop being amazed that something I made and held in my hands, will be adored all the way across the globe!"

Their Inspiration: "Nature themes run through many of Paper Pumpkin's creations. We have a lot of deer where we live in Western New York, so we celebrate them in our handmade goodies. The bluebird flies through our etsy shop and we love flowers and earth tones with bright sunny colors. With the beauty of the seasons here in New York, we never run out of inspiration. We also inspire one another."

Oh Deer Me, Set of Eight Cardstock Stickers, $5

This sweet set of handmade stickers includes two big sheets of deer, ranging in size from 2" to 3" with a loveable red and white polka-dot heart.

Heidi Gift Set, $17.50

This 15-piece set includes six designer fabric covered button push pins, six fabric magnets, and three coordinating mini notebooks. All are created to organize you in style!

Writing With Sunflowers, $7.75

This notecard set is perfect for personal thank yous or just for letting someone know you are thinking of them! Set includes six 3x3" cards with white envelopes and matching handmade stickers to make sealing them extra special!

je t'aime, $6.75

This six-piece set of glass bubble magnets is the perfect wedding favor or gift set for those in love. French for "I love you," what could say it better?

Blueberry Birdie Set of Four Jumbo Fabric Magnets, $7.50
A tweet collection of four magnets made from hand-covered fabric buttons. Perfect for bird-lovers, teacher thank-you's, party and shower favors, house-warming gifts, cubicle and office organizers, and of course, fabric, button or sewing lovers!

Where to Buy: Check out Kathy's blog where she writes all about her inspirations and crafty endeavors and features her great photography. Then head on over to Kathy and Mia's Etsy shop to browse through their adorable collection of magnets, push pins, clips, stickers, note cards and much more! Paper Pumpkin goodies are the perfect way to spice up your office space or turn a craft project into a one-of-a-kind design. I am a total paper junkie so I absolutely love this kind of stuff! So creative and fun.

Want to be featured in Cinnamon and Honey's Handmade's Tale? Please leave a message here or send me an email by clicking on "Contact Me" at the top of this page.

Monday's Muse: Petty Things

Welcome to Monday's Muse!

It's Cinnamon & Honey's new blog meme about all things inspirational. Here's your chance to share something that's currently meaningful to you... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, I want to know all about it!

If you've hung around here for more than a minute, you know that I am a huuuuuge Tom Petty fan. Love him, love him, love him! And in honor of his birthday tomorrow, I'm choosing what's probably one of my all-time favorite TP songs. (So hard to settle on just one!)

American Girl (Live, 1978), Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

When you release a first single this fantastically raucous, it's hard to imagine scoring any better. But somehow Tom and the boys have been managing for more than 30 years! "American Girl" is just one of those perfect rock and roll songs that begs to be played out on the open road, the top rolled down, radio blasting. More than three decades after its release, it sounds like it could top the charts tomorrow. The mark of a true classic. (Happy Birthday, Tom!)

So what's inspiring you lately?

Join Monday's Muse by signing up with Mr. Linky and visiting the other Muses. Oh, and don't forget to grab my new blog button below!

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The Handmade's Tale: Noble Studios

The Handmade's Tale introduces you to independent, self-taught artists who toil away creating beautiful and inspiring pieces. Please welcome the lovely indie artist and blogger Violette Noble.

Who: Violette Noble

What: Steampunk jewelry-maker

Where: Noble Studios

When: "I've been selling online for a few years but I was making steampunk jewelry years ago before I even knew it had a name," Violette says. "I've always loved working with antique jewelry, vintage clock and watch parts, gears, wheels and cogs, metal fragments from vintage time pieces, or anything antique, odd, unusual or rare."

Why: "I don't remember a time when I was not working with my hands so I don't even remember getting started. Even as a child I always saw 'what could be' when I looked at something old, discarded, dusty, dirty or broken. I have ALWAYS loved art and remember as a child picking up rusty bottle caps or little broken tidbits from the street. I was excited to find "treasures" that others had thrown away that could serve as one of my little props for the imaginary worlds I created."
Her Philosophy: "Taking things that others have discarded and trying to make something beautiful or useful. It encourages me on so many levels to think of things that are 'not quite perfect' being redeemed in some way."
Her Inspirations: "Everything! I can be inspired by brightly colored gum balls in a vending machine or the way the petals curl on exotic flowers making them look like something from a dream. A tiny treasure rescued from the street, a broken piece of antique jewelry or an earring that's lost its mate. More than anything though nature and God's creations are a constant source of inspiration to me."

Aviator Brooch, $69

One-of-a-kind brooch created from a rare ladies' antique pocket watch movement. All the gears wheels and parts are visible for that true steampunk feeling! Even the little lever on the tiny timing mechanism still works and can be moved from side to side. Antiqued brass wings are oxidized and hand rubbed for that perfect vintage patina.

Butterfly Earrings, $49

The gears from an antique pocket embellish these gorgeous antiqued brass butterfly earrings with French wire hooks.

Copper Antique Pocket Watch Necklace, $62

An authentic antique Elgin pocket watch movement mounted into a vintage copper setting with a tiny porcelain second hand piece and tiny gear. Attached to a gorgeous brass connector and then to 100 year old cuckoo clock chain.

Filigree Brooch, $64

This steampunk brooch was created using a rare antique rhinestone piece, antiqued brass filigree, vintage glass beads, pearls, gears and chains. The floral spray features antique rhinestone "fruit" and enameled leaves. The large pearl adds a finishing touch this unique piece.

Propeller Ring, $49

The brass propeller on this steampunk ring spins freely! Gun metal finish, attached to an ornate brass filigree with glass beads and antique pocket watch gears. The ring base is adjustable.

Where to Buy: Check out Violette's incredible collection of earrings, necklaces, pendents, brooches, bracelets, rings and more at her Etsy shop. Every piece is one-of-a-kind and designed from vintage and antique treasures. Violette is happy to create custom pieces, so if you have something special in mind, be sure to ask. Steampunk jewelry is just so cool, I love how it's edgy but classic-looking all at the same time.

Want to be featured in Cinnamon and Honey's Handmade's Tale? Please leave a message here or send me an email by clicking on "Contact Me" at the top of this page.

Monday's Muse: A-maize-ing!

Welcome to Monday's Muse!

It's Cinnamon & Honey's new blog meme about all things inspirational. Here's your chance to share something that's currently meaningful to you... a song, a video, a poem, a book, a movie, a person... or anything that's gotten into your head and you can't get rid of. If it's important, I want to know all about it!

So for today's Muse, I'm breaking away from my usual music selection. (Shocking, right?) Last week I wrote about how I'm inspired by the beauty of the changing season. Today I'm posting a nice example of it.

This photo was taken this past weekend at a farm and country store in Northern New Jersey. (Yes, they do have those here.) There's pumpkin and apple picking, wandering through corn mazes then scarfing down cider donuts afterwards. Lots of fall fun! I always take pictures at these farms, mostly because I love the richness of autumn colors. Especially these ears of maize. Just gorgeous!

So what's inspiring you lately?

Join Monday's Muse by signing up with Mr. Linky and visiting the other Muses. Oh, and don't forget to grab my new blog button below!

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The Handmade's Tale: Wild Magnolia Studio

The Handmade's Tale introduces you to independent, self-taught artists who toil away creating beautiful and inspiring pieces. Please welcome the lovely blogger and indie artists Mary Alice and Sally Franklin.

Who: Mary Alice and Sally Franklin

What: Jewelry makers

Where Wild Magnolia Studio

When: While this mother/daughter team has been pursuing artistic projects for many years, they finally decided to open their Etsy shop in June.

Why: "We’re both creative people and wanted to branch out artistically," says Mary Alice. "One with a fashion illustration background and the other with an art history degree, we decided to meld our strengths and come up with a design style that is unique to us — Wild Magnolia Studio!"

Their Philosophy: "This business was formed under the philosophy that the creation of art can be made accessible by beautifying things in our every day lives."
Their Inspirations: "We both have eclectic senses of style and we simply try to infuse these ideas into our work. In particular, you’ll notice a lot of vintage images like pin-up girls and old poster advertisements as well as designs from India, France and other culturally-inspired designs."

Vintage Poster Magnet Set, $10
This unique set of four vintage style magnets (2”x 2”) is the perfect combination of good taste and practicality. Packaged in a free organza gift bag. The perfect little gift for anyone with a great sense of style!

India Sunrise Scrabble Pendant, $6.95
Made from a Scrabble tile, this piece is reminiscent of the patterns and culture of India. The pendant is finished with a glossy coat and is accented with a free 18” silver chain. Delivered in a free hand-stamped gift box.

Cowgirl Pinup Domino Pendant, $18
Inspired by the 1930’s and 40’s pinups, this domino piece was altered to showcase the glamour of its time. The beautiful vintage design has an antiqued edge and matte finish to enhance this vintage feel. Comes with a free 24” black cord and organza gift bag.

Windswept Girl Domino Pendant, $18
Mary Alice and Sally found this beautiful painting and fell in love with the free-flowing strokes and lovely colors. They then gave it an antiqued edge and matte finish to display the charm of the painting. Comes with a free 24” black cord and organza gift bag.

“Lotion de Medicus” Vintage Poster Frame Pendant, $7.95
The striking colors in this picture caught Mary Alice and Sally's eye the first time they saw it. They knew the silver frame would accent it perfectly! Includes a free hand-stamped gift box and a complimentary 18” black cord.

Where To Buy: Stop by Mary Alice and Sally's Etsy shop where you can browse through their fabulous collection of game piece pendants, frame pendants and magnets. You can also follow Wild Magnolia on Twitter, join their Facebook page or read Mary Alice's art blog. Have something special in mind? They are happy to complete custom orders for any items in any quantity. I just love their eclectic, breezy style... there's something for everyone. And talk about multi-talented: Be sure to check out Mary Alice's incredible photography and Sally's stunning fine artwork. Is there anything these ladies can't do?

Want to be featured in Cinnamon and Honey's Handmade's Tale? Please leave a message here or send me an email by clicking on "Contact Me" at the top of this page.