happy halloween!

xoxo, lion, dragon, nerd & monkey.

wish list wednesdays: introducing Tiffany from MomNom

Hi! I'm Tiffany, from Mom-Nom.Com!

I'm honored that Jess allowed me to post here today! What an incredible idea and a great way to feature the many adorable, unique and talented creators in the handmade market. Coming up with my Handmade Christmas List was overwhelmingly easy, I'll take one of everything. Please&Thank you.
But, if forced to narrow it down, here is what's on my short list - I think these shops are the bee's knees and I hope you do too!

1.) Yahee's Place - Words cannot explain the love affair I have going with Melissa of Yahee's Place. If you're in the market for something vintage, handmade and unique - this is the shop for you! Not only are her bags stylish, but they are comfortable, sizeable and perfect for the mom-on-the-go! Oh, and Melissa, is even more adorable than her bags. It's a win-win.
2.) Allora Handmade - I'm pretty sure we're all familiar of these SWOON-worthy necklaces. Jessica is incredibly talented and every last thing in her shop makes me want to blow the budget and surround my family and friends with one-of-a-kind Allora goodness.
3.) Flawed Perfection - Megan's cluster pearl earrings are the perfect combination of classic and unique. I can picture these with jeans and a cardigan, just as easily as a cocktail dress for the perfect summer soiree. And, that doesn't just apply for these earrings - all of Megan's collection can be paired with anything in your wardrobe - which gaurantee's you'll get your money's worth.
4.) Gussy Sews - EVERYBODY wants a Gussy ruffle. Including me. While I have my pouch, I LONG for one of these adorable travel bags in a unique pattern with a classic Gussy ruffle. Maggie, the face of Gussy, is a staple in the handmade community - reaching out to shops that need guidance and using her blog as an outlet to promote all things handmade.

5.) Twenty Five Designs - That adorable bracelet up there? It's just one of many. The color combinations are endless and the adorable rosette's are in full bloom. I can think of about 10 people on my shopping list that would LOVE their very own Twenty Five Designs creation - and I bet you can too!
6.) Little Alouette - I've been eye-balling these wooden teething toys since I was pregnant. Not only is this mustache adorable - but oh-so-trendy. And, there's more where that came from, with everything from Giraffe and Hippo to state's and shapes. These wooden toys are perfect for kids of all ages and gaurantee'd to be a hit with the expecting/new moms in our lives.
7.) Jessa ZG - Who wouldn't want a classic silhouette of their child up in their home? Or, what grandparent wouldn't just SWOON as they unwrapped the profile of their adorable grandbaby? These custom creations are priceless and gauranteed to become family heirlooms. Handmade & timeless? The perfect combination. Jessa, the adorable face behind the creations has more than silhouette's to offer - check out her site for pet illustrations, custom height charts and a special surprise - coming soon!
8.) Much Ado About You - I've been wanting a planner for EVER. And, not just any run-of-the-mill planner. I've had my eye on a Much Ado About You personalized planner. With adorable tabs, custom covers and trendy backs - these planners make keeping your life organized stylish AND fun.

9.) Sandy A La Mode - One of my more recent finds is the adorable Sandy of Sandy A La Mode. Her adorable pins are perfect for my hair style, and the fall colors would go with just about everything in my wardrobe. Nothing dresses up a ponytail faster than an adorable A La Mode hairpin. I have a trendy 19 year old cousin that will just DIE when she finds these goodies under her tree.
10.) Sheyb - Every mom with a camera should have one of Shey's stylish and comfortable straps. Not only are the designs unique and fun, but the comfort of the strap makes it nearly irresistable. These straps are sure to make every photographer, regardless of experience, feel inspired and loved.

THANK YOU, Jess, for letting me take over your beautiful space! Happy Shopping!

this just in:

all orders purchased through the 22nd are shipped! yay! progress...

this kid makes me laugh

in a bit of a funk today. maybe because it is threatening to snow, and the day it starts to snow here is the day i  start my winter mourning. this san diego girl is not cut out for the winter. no snow on the ground so far, but i can feel it in the air..

moving on.

you know what's making me happy today?

this kid:

sometimes i feel bad that henry hasn't gotten the same blog-time and documentation as his older brother did. but let's be honest, my life was a heck-of-a-lot less complicated when it was just me and owen.

no allora. no school for dad. no queen bee. no siblings. just me and o.

and poor henry may have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to journaling about his firsts, etc. but the kid is pretty dang happy anyways.

love him.

a total bulldozer, complete disregard for personal safety, and will do anything to get people to laugh at him.

when he turned 1 in march i *may* have been concerned he wasn't the smartest kid on the block (don't tell him that!) he only said one word regularly at that time: dad. (he is a total daddy's boy.)

now, at a year and a half, the kid is blowing me away. 

knows animals, animal sounds, abc's, numbers, recognizes some of his letters and numbers, and repeats just about anything.

besides that, henry's got a mean booty shake going on.

(it's to die for.)

his hugs and kisses make me melt, and his laugh is absolutely 100% contagious. 

and i'm so happy he's mine.

christmas in october?

via martha

thinking of christmas in october makes my brain hurt. 
i am not the shop way ahead of time type.
i plan to get 90% of my christmas shopping done all in one place.
but if you are the list making, sale shopping, get it done before thanksgiving type, I'm talking to you.
actually, if you have any allora handmade items on your wish list or on your gift list, i'm talking to you.
i know, i'm asking a lot of you to think about all this, but just call it fair warning.
because of the turn around time for my shop, i can only guarantee delivery in time for christmas for orders made before december 1st.
i'll say it again.
if you want to gift allora handmade this year, order before december 1st!
{ducks and hides.} {dodges tomatoes being thrown.}
having said that, you may notice that there are a few colors already sold out in my shop. i am busy as a bee trying to stay on top of all of the orders coming in (thank you!) AND prepare for november.
november is already my busiest month of the year, and with the market as well as the opportunity to participate in one of my favorite local boutiques, bijou, the next 6 weeks are going to be IN.SANE.
so, be patient with me (please!). if you don't see a color you want, shoot me an email and i'll let you know what the turn around time will be.
i'm not saying you have to shop NOW. just be warned about december. and if you would be so kind to put a little note in at checkout (in paypal) letting me know something is for christmas, that would help me not feel so anxious since that is still 8 weeks away.
holy moly. 8 weeks!!?!?

i better get shopping.

wish list wednesdays: introducing Kirra Sue from Lovies

Hi there!  Kirra Sue from Lovies here!

I'm so excited to be able to share my Wish List with you all!  

I love Jess's idea of passing these little gems around, because half the time things that end up on my wish list are from a friend's wish list!  

So let's spread the love!

I tried to pick things for this wish list that are either homemade, or semi-affordable.  

So you won't see the food processor, Jadite mixing cups, trip to Italy, or Canon 5D on here...but just know it's on my *big* wish list.  The one that will probably remain a wish list only!  :)

So save up some pretty pennies, and start thinking of those Christmas presents ladies!

KIRRA SUE'S WISH LIST 

Knock Knocking's Mint and Mustard Deer Yarn Wreath Have you guys SEEN this shop?!  Oh my.  I go nuts every time I check it out.  I know this one is not the traditional Christmas colors- but I am a sucker for teal anything, so a teal Christmas sounds just fine to me!  

TOMS Granted, these shoes are super trendy now, but the mission of the company is still awesome.  "With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.  One for One." After my mother-in-law got these sparklie ones for her birthday, they've been at the top of my wish list. Oh glitter- you just make life a little brighter.

Foster Kade Designs' Emery Lin Clutch  I learned about Angie & her families desire to adopt a little girl a bit ago from Ashley Ann.   Angie opened up a shop on Etsy where she sells her custom designed headbands, and clutches & the proceeds go towards bringing home her little girl.  Angie has been hit was so many orders that her shop is temporarily closed for now so she can get caught up & still love on her hubby & two little boys.  I recently purchased this headband- SO comfy & SO cute.  As soon as her shop re-opens I am running for that cutie pie clutch!

White Latte Bowls from Anthro We have almost every single color of these latte bowls, and for the last 4 years I've loved it that way, but lately I've been on this kick of toning things down & letting just a few colors do the "talking."  So we're tucking the old ones away for movie nights or summer picnics & slowly just collecting whites, creams, and teals for everyday use.

Allora Handmade's Modern Pearl Rosette Statement Necklace Ever since my friend Sara won a Allora Handmade giveaway I haven't been able to stop looking at these beauties.  They're just so big & chunky- which is just the best quality you can have when it comes to jewelry!  

The Pleated Poppy's Petal Pusher in Blush That Pleated Poppy Lady.  She is just all kinds of fun!  I love her petal pushers the most & I'd like to cover every purse & scarf with them.  Anyone else love her What I Wore Wednesday series?!  I've learned from her that Target actually has cute jeans!  Go Target!

Modcloth's Prima Ballerina Coat  This coat has the word "ballerina" in it, so I'm all in.  No but really, look at that creamy beauty!  I love the color, the length, the ruffles, and the belt.  It's about to get real cold here in Chicago so I wouldn't mind having this to help me out!

iviemade's Mustard Bow Pillow Cover This pillow just speaks for itself.  It needs to find a home on my dark brown couch.  Enough said.  Check out all her other styles.  Go ahead.  There's ruffles.  I know, I know.

Taylor's Swift's Speak Now Ok, you guys are totally welcome to laugh at me.  But truth be told, I'm a big T. Swift fan.  I'm looking forward to her album coming out in just a few short days!  My poor hubby.  He shouldn't have to know the words to a song titled, "Fifteen," or, "You Belong With Me," and yet he does.  I love it.  

Thanks for having me Jess!  

Happy Wish List Wednesday ladies,

Kirra Sue

more fall yumminess

i have a recent weakness for all things pumpkin.
well, i suppose not ALL things, but pumpkin bars, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins... mmmmmm.
so, i felt a little bad not sharing my favorite easy fall treat last week in my fall post.
are you ready?
it's really complicated.

image here

pumpkin bread/muffins:
1 box spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix, just pumpkin)

period. end.
mix 'em together, throw it in a bread pan or muffin tin, bake according to the cake mix directions, and voila. yummy, yummy pumpkin-y goodness that will satisfy your fall cravings.
if you want to get fancy, add a crumble top - butter, oats, brown sugar all mixed together and crumbled on top... to die for. oh these are so easy and so, so good.
you're welcome.
and for another fall treat, the limited edition fall goodies are officially stocked in the shop.

pumpkin, spice, cinnamon, october

I've said it before, but these are very limited in quantity. i bought enough fabric to make a *few* items (necklaces, bracelets, headbands) in each fall shade, and once it's gone, it's gone! so, hop on the fall rosie train while you can!

hello fall...

the line up at our house

finally it is starting to feel like fall around here!
sun is shining, but the breeze is crisp, as are the leaves.
and we finally harvested our pumpkins! one tiny little starter plant gave us 10 pumpkins! don't you think we should go into the pumpkin business? just kidding. i think 2 businesses is enough for one chickety-chick.

i know, SUPER overexposed pic,
but i loooove that little face!

the boys are in heaven. henry runs around saying "pup-kin! pup-kin! pup-kin!" and wants to sit surrounded by all 10 of them.

again, over-exposed, but come on. cute kid? yes siree.

AND since i am in a fall-kind-of-mood, here is a sneak peek at my new fall limited edition rosies... coming soon!!

cinnamon, pumpkin, spice, and october...

i'm so in love with the yummy colors, they just make me want to go bake some pumpkin bread and stomp through the leaves... happy fall!

introducing: wish list wednesdays!!!

i am so happy to introduce a new series to you today!

every wednesday from now until christmas some sweet readers will be sharing their lovely lists with you.

sound fun?!i think so!

but don't think i'm letting myself off the hook so easily.

since i have the queen bee market on the brain, can i share with you a few things i may just have to break into the cash register to buy while i'm there?! (i kid. i would never EVER do that. rob a bank, maybe. steal candy from a baby? probably (shouldn't be eating candy anyway, right?) but from my lovely little bees? NEVER.)

ahem.

on to the list:

left to right, top to bottom:

little shredder tees: my boys already have short sleeves and hoodies, but i wish i had one for every day of the week. i think i hope that just by wearing them they will remember that they are california boys even though we are (temporarily) far from home.

crystal b's "collier nie nie": as seen on miss nie nie herself, i fell in love with this necklace forever ago, and it may just have to be mine! "all is well" - such a good thing to remember on the day to day.

emily sparks' blooming slouchy beret: be still my flower-loving heart! and since the snow is just around the corner, i'm pretty sure this is a "NEED."

heidi devlin's "&" pillow: the hubs just threw away our pillows because he officially classified them as "biohazardous." let's just say babies and throw pillows aren't a match made in heaven. would love to stock up on some pretty ones (that will stay far away from the children...)

i heart baby's beanies: (see aforementioned snow...) again, my boys "NEED" these. i die.

mommy holly's bee tags: a bee! a tag! could it beeee (hee hee) any cuter?

natty bratty's tweed bow: i must say, next to rosettes, bows have my heart. ugh. i love a good bow. not a frilly, girly, prissy bow, but a classic, sort of preppy, sort of edgy bow? yes, please!

the pleated poppy's petal pusher in gray: (are you sensing i have a thing for gray?!) love these. have tried to make them before, but i think i'll leave that to the master. if they came in yellow, i might buy a million. (hint, hint linds...)

stacey winter's paper glitter garland: my boys would trash this in one fell swoop, but a girl can dream, can't she!? it is so pretty and simple, but glittery!! oooh... shiny!

seriously, i could go on, and on. but i won't. 

i hope you'll have fun looking at all the yummy eye candy in the next several weeks! 

tell your wallet (or your husband) that i can't be responsible for any wreckless spending, mmmkay?

xo. jess

ONE MONTH!!

holy moly, i can't believe it.
do you know what is going on ONE MONTH FROM TODAY?
you don't?
where on earth have you been?
i'll give you a few hints:

can you imagine this much awesomeness all under one roof?! and then some?!?! for 2 days!?!?!

if you are within 1,000 miles, get yourself to the Queen Bee Market for heaven's sake!!

make it a girls weekend. 

leave your kids with the hubs.

meet some of the most amazing women and hear their handmade stories.

get all of your christmas shopping done in ONE stop. and know that you are supporting some fabulous handmade artists in the process. 

mique and i have been working so hard to go bigger and better, and i am CERTAIN that the holiday market will not disappoint. 

honest.

can't wait to meet you there.

(you're coming right?)

(DO IT!!)

deets:

the queen bee market

november 12th (4-9 pm) and 13th (9-4 pm)

the del mar hilton grand ballroom

15575 jimmy durante blvd. del mar, ca 92014

thequeenbeemarket.com

ok, I know I'm lame, don't tell me...

but I just barely (and FINALLY) figured out how to put a button and a grab code on my sidebar!
please don't lecture me about tech-savvy-ness. i know. i know. but html? may as well be mumbo-jumbo.
do me a favor, would ya? link a sister up! because that was a huge (lame) hurdle right there. let's not let it be all for naught, eh?
look, i'll even put it right here for you:


<center><a href="http://www.allorahandmade.bigcartel.com/"><img src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/jessicamerickson/allorabutton1.jpg" border="0" alt="allora button" /></a>"/></center>

i'm exhausted now.
peace.

customer updates

hi sweet customers!
this month has been a crazy one, and I just wanted to thank you! we are so excited about the growth of allora handmade and thank you for your patience as we learn to accommodate our increasing customer base. if you have placed an order recently, thank you! the current turn around time is about 2 weeks. all orders placed before 9/30 have been shipped... hooray! this weekend i will be diligently working on orders from 9/30 to 10/3. if you have any questions about shipping or my policies, please visit my policy page here.

THANK YOU! HAPPY FRIDAY!!

fall?

it feels like we skipped fall and went straight to winter over here. we went so quickly from the 90's to rain every day and have been adjusting to life INSIDE. oh winter, please be nice to us this year.

please, do tell. how are you planning to keep your kids sane for the next 6-8 months? (just typing that freaks me out!!)

while you're thinking about wish lists...

can i suggest you add one thing?

i was lucky enough to get my hands on the most amazing  much ado about you calendar while i was at TCC.

uh. i die. lit-rally.

(channeling my inner rachel zoe)

i don't know how i ever lived without this beauty. keeps me sane. (you know my love for lists...)

you had me at leopard print tabs... yeeeoow!!

my favorite thing (besides the adorable cover with my adorable kids) is the layout. i so neeeeeed a calendar that has a weekly calendar as well as a monthly. and week days with hours from 6am to 10pm - because really, 9 to 5? i wish i kept those hours!

i have relied on this baby to help keep all of my many projects organized and to plan out my week in advance to minimize the crazy. AND it's cute. 

the best part? emmy is having a huge sale right now! AND today is the last day to apply to become an official calendar ambassador. (check it out)

have you added a new calendar to your list yet? DO IT. (and thank me later.)

was that forceful? sorry 'bout that. ahem.

p.s. thanks to those of you who have emailed me about guest posting! i am excited for all of you to share your wish lists with us. i'll be getting more information out to you soon!

wish list?

found here

lately i've been hearing this a lot:
"your necklaces are AMAZING! on my wish list!"
"everything in your shop is so pretty! adding to my christmas list right now!"

and after a few comments/tweets/emails about these "lists" i started thinking...
lists?
hmmm...
i mean, don't get me wrong. i'm flattered.
AND  i'm a sucker for lists.
i can't function without a to-do list.
in fact, i'm the type that is crazy enough about lists that when i do something that wasn't on my list, i add it just so i can cross it off.
annoying, i know. (can we still be friends?)
but, wish lists?
nope. not really.
i mean, if i can afford to get something, i get it.
if i can't, i don't.
sort of boring right?
i know!!!
so, help me out girls. (guys? yeah, didn't think so.)
what is on your wish list?
i mean, my birthday is only a month away... and christmas? will be here in the blink of an eye!
what's a girl to do?
but wait! don't give it all way!
how about a chance to post your wish list right here?
november is going to be a crazy month around here, and I would love to share my modest little platform with some of you while i run around like a chicken with my head cut off. sounds fun, right? (the guest-posting part, not the chicken part.) want to share your list with the rest of us?
if you're interested, shoot me an email (allorahandmade@gmail.com) and we'll try and work something out!
ready, set, BREAK.

p.s. did i say thanks for the sweet comments from fridays post? i didn't? well, THANK YOU. thanks for the encouragement and the amen's and the go-get-em's. i so appreciate your kindness!

as i sit here...

here i am sitting in a local coffee shop (probably THE ONLY local coffee shop - I live in UT, you know...) waiting for yet another (surely) darling girl to come meet me here, and I have a moment to reflect.
is this my life?
here i am, about to hire an assistant.
someone employed by me.
little old me.
for my business.
that i started all on my own with a hope and a prayer.
because we were so broke i didn't know what else to do.
and as i sit here, i wonder... whose life is this?
did you know that most of my life i thought i was going to be a teacher?
did you know that i was so passionate about teaching and was certain there was nothing else that could make me feel so fulfilled?
did you know that when i was first married i wanted nothing more in the world than to be a mom and nothing else? i longed for babies, babies, and more babies. and when babies didn't come, i had to make new plans.
did you know that when babies finally came, i wanted nothing more than to be able to stay at home with my babies and not worry about a single thing other than whether to play with blocks or cars?
did you know that life NEVER goes according to plan? (at least not MY life.)
as i look back on that windy, turbulent, beautiful road i have walked down, i don't regret a single step.
sure, my life is crazy busy. sure, there are days when i want to give up and crawl into a hole. or at least crawl back into bed and lock the door and hope that someone else will show up to change the diapers and referee the boys and answer emails and clean the house. but right now, in this local coffee shop with free wifi (thank you!), i feel so blessed.
i strongly believe that God knows what He is doing with me.
He created the world. and He is creating me.
as stubborn as i am, and as much as i think my way is best, He knows better, and shows me.
i never would have planned to be supporting my husband through school at age 30.
i never would have planned to have my own business and make a living out of silly fabric flowers.
i never would have planned to be here at a local coffee shop in search of a mini-me to help tackle the ever increasing business that is growing before me.
but God has wanted to teach me humilty.
He has wanted to teach me perseverance and determination.
He has wanted me to learn to be a mother with a kind and appreciative heart.
He has wanted me to learn to be a wife that is supportive of her husband even when the road seems long and dark.
He has wanted me to find out more about ME. to give more of ME. to be who HE knows i am.

and I thank Him for that.

what does He want for you?

Winner! Winner! Winner!

Thanks for participating in the Knitty Bitties Giveaway! Hope you love her as much as I do...

Congratulations to:

Yay, Jackie! We'll get you in touch with Andrea!

Thanks to Andrea for the chance to win.

Now, those of you who didn't win, don't forget about the Knitty Bitties handmade holiday promotions!

And, what do you think? Would you like to see more giveaways?