This mood board shows my color scheme and served as inspiration for our living room.

Having all hardwood floors I wanted an area rug for our living room. When I came across the Coqo floral rug at Anthropologie I fell head over heals! It was the perfect color and the pattern was bold with a vintage look. My only hesitation was the price. I’m pretty frugal, and while I love to go into Anthropologie to look at their window displays, beautiful packaging and clothing with frills, I rarely buy anything believing they are way overpriced. Immediately I started scouring the net looking for something similar. I was disappointed every time. I could find rugs with big, bold patterns but never in saffron. I could find yellow-gold rugs but never with a bold pattern. I stopped at a couple local rug stores and while the sales staff tried to find something similar they never found anything remotely resembling the rug. To make matters worse the prices at these stores were as much as 8 times higher than Anthropologie! I had no idea that nice area rugs were so costly, being that any rugs I’ve priced out came from Target (I love Target) but they did not have what I wanted either.

After doing all this research I realized the rug at Anthropologie was priced quite exceptionally for a super thick, cushy, 100% wool rug with a hand-tufted design. I placed my order and to my dismay a couple days later received an email that the yellow rug was no longer in stock. I was crushed but figured it wasn’t meant to be. I checked back often with no luck, but one day they had the yellow rug back in stock and only in the exact size I needed (coincidence? I think not). Tingly with excitement, I once again placed my order. And once again received an email a few days later. This time the rug was on back order. It would be available in 3 months. I waited and waited. I kept expecting an email that they could not fulfill my order but it never came. Three months later, I was notified that my order had shipped. This brought excitement, I couldn’t wait! It also brought fear. After wanting this rug for so long would I be disappointed? Would I have buyer’s remorse? Would the color be right? Did I order the right size? Would it be all that I had hoped it would be for the past 5 months? Well, the rug arrived a few days ago, and I’m still head over heals about it! No buyer’s remorse. No regrets. It’s perfect. It brings the room together just as I had planned before we even moved into our home.

Now to keep it clean, a no shoes policy may be in order, as well as, one guest dog at a time.

Getting the Coqo floral rug in place

Coqo floral rug with furniture

Below is the final product I created with those linocuts! Introducing the 2010 Beak and Botany calendar. As the name suggests, it features a variety of birds and plant life, and one tree (which I know is not botanical, but give me a break).

While it may be a little late to post a calendar for sale after the new year has started, here I am doing just that. This isn’t your normal desk calendar, this 2010 desk calendar is miniature, meaning it only measures 3 in. x 3 in. when folded to show one month at a time. Or set it up accordian style to show 6 months at a time, when unfolded it measures a total length of 18 inches. Beak and Botany is the perfect companion to set on your desk without taking up much space. It is created with my originally designed linocuts, a total of 15 featured throughout the twelve months. Each calendar varies slightly due to being hand stamped, folded and trimmed. These calendars are carefully hand-printed on lovely Mohawk Via Felt 80 lb. cover paper using both pigment and dye based inks. Included with the calendar is one cork stand. Each cork stand will vary slightly due to being hand cut. Each calendar arrives neatly packaged in a semi-transparent glassine envelope ready for gift-giving or for your own pleasure.

To get one for yourself  visit my sister’s Etsy shop DelightfulFig.etsy.com. She’s selling them for me while I get my own shop set up at RaynaNoelle.etsy.com.

We endured the line to be pleasantly surprised that we were among the first 200 – which meant that we left with a bag of lovely swag!

Good times were had browsing among the 200+ artists and crafters’ goodies. Some Christmas shopping was done and I couldn’t help but treat myself as well. I hope you enjoy the pics of some of the things I found endearing.

Waiting in line. If you look closely the line goes all the way up the stairs, around the corner and out of view.

Beards! Made out of felt and yarn. Find the beard of your dreams at imadeyouabeard.com

Felted pickles in a jar, and other cute stuff from Shamui. View her work at flickr.com/photos/shamui

Beautiful letterpress art from Lulu Dee. Visit their shop at luludee.etsy.com

The art of the letterpress inspires me. The tactile feel of the indent in the paper from the press along with the quality cotton paper make me swoon. Egg Press also has some beautiful, simple designs that can’t help but make you smile. One of my favorites is the paper doll valentine’s day card pictured below. It makes me happy that once punched out they are held together by a heart.

Paper dolls held together by heartstrings

Pure cuteness