Monday, January 31, 2011

Braided Rugs

Our roommate moved out today and we are taking the space and turning it into a real, functional studio. It is very echo-ey right now with the hard wood floors we have through the whole house, so I am going to make a big braided rug from recycled clothes. Here are some inspirations for my project.
Cactus Creek Style Folk Art Rug
This wool braided rug by mrsginther for $225.
via Tumblr
A Rug sold on ebay for $25.
I like folk art, I like the rustic feel of braided rugs, and I used to make these out of old teeshirts when I was a kid. We are getting rid of a lot of old clothes, so I think this is the perfect project. I also think it's really wonderful to take clothing that we have worn, some of it for years, and weave it together into an heirloom (just in case I ever have those kiddos to pass it on to) or at least something really neat to have in our home.

Here's to making something new out of something old. I'll take photos when I am done!
Have a great night. I hope I can talk Dougie into walking to the coffee shop with me to get a cupcake. I have a sweet tooth tonight.
***EDIT*** Since, while I am making this rug, Ollie has fallen in love with it, I think I'm going to make him a dog bed instead. He won't stop laying on the small center I have sewn together. SO CUTE!

xo,
Beca

Featured!

This morning, we were featured in an etsy newsletter, that led to over 2000 visits to our shop! I check my analytics every day and keep track of our views and where they come from. I was definitely shocked to see the jump in numbers (yesterday, we had 364 unique visits to our shop, as opposed to the 2632 visits today.)

Thanks Christine for featuring us and helping a handful of our items, including the vintage pencil sharpener that was included in the newsletter, find new homes.

Well, that was exciting. We had a really awesome night tonight at our friends house, watching movies and eating lettuce wraps and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I'm exhausted and have a lot to do tomorrow on my day off, including shipping, laundry, and listing in the shop! Have a lovely night!!

xo,
Bec

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bird Rock Beach Adventure

I THANKFULLY got off work super early today and someone offered to cover my night shift to give me an extra evening off, and we packed up the big dog and drove to bird rock beach, just south of La Jolla. It's about 15 minutes from our house and since it was pretty cold and cloudy today, the beach was pretty desolate. Just some tourists and some street kids.

I brought Ollie's mallard toy to distract him in case there were any other dogs around (he is a little touchy when it comes to stranger-dogs, but he actually did really really great, even when a street kid's pit bull came running up. He got a little nervous when the other dog started rough-housing, but Doug was holding his leash, and he never acts up when Doug is on the other end of the leash. Just me...hmm...I'm proud of him.)
This day couldn't get any better. We went to Tioli's Crazee Burger for lunch. We got a gift certificate from Greg and Paula and it was good. I haven't had a good burger in a while, and this place has a pretty diverse menu. Including Bison, Alligator and Ostrich burgers...I've made all of those at home before (except the Alligator,) but never at a restaurant. Maybe we'll try those next time.

We're going over to Paula's to watch The Town and have dinner and cookies!

xo,
Beca

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Shop Update



Found a new flea market in National City.
I. AM. IN. LOVE.

Lots of new treasures for the shop.

Working another double tomorrow. I am spending more time at the Delicatessen than I am at home with my boyfriend and babies.

I. MISS. MY. LIFE.

It will all be worth it in the end. Say, believe, repeat.

xoxoxoxo,
Bec

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Holly Buffalo

So, I'm going to start listing some of our art in the shop.
We were going to unveil a new shop to list only print art, but it's pointless to me to have multiple shops, since Tumbleweeds is the real definition of who we are as a couple and as a store, I'm not going to break that up by opening a new shop.

Anyways, here are a few paintings I have listed in Tumbleweeds Odd Shop this afternoon.
The 24 hour 20% off sale is still going on until 11:59 tonight! We did make our 200th sale today, thanks to my friend Dizzle, and she will be receiving lots of special prizes in her package!!! (didn't mention that, did I?)

Anyways, have a good Thursday!

xo,
Bec

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

C E L E B R A T E !!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
TUMBLEWEEDS!
Tomorrow is our 5 month anniversary with our Tumbleweeds Odd Shop. I know 5 months isn't really THAT big of a deal, BUT, we are at 199 sales.

So in grand Tumbleweeds style, we are going to having a HUGE SALE!!!!! I want to get to over 200 sales by 11:59 tomorrow night! OVER TWO HUNDRED!

I am posting a coupon code for you to use to receive 20% off your ENTIRE purchase!!!!
That's a pretty killer deal, if I do say so myself.

The code is "ANNIVERSARY"

It is only good until tomorrow, January 27th, at 11:59pm California Time, so that gives you east coasters a few extra hours, or something like that, this is my first year with daylight savings time, and I still don't get it.

SO happy anniversary, Tumbleweeds.

(PS, if you think this is good, wait until we reach 1 year, it's going to be off the hook!)

xo,
Beca

(Photo Source: Confetti System)

What I Wore and Doug's New Work Space

We have a pretty tiny house. Honestly, I think half of our rent is paying just for the yard, which is worth it's weight in gold. For having 3 dogs, the fenced private yard with grass and plenty of room to play is worth it, to me, BUT, we don't have a lot of room to work inside, so it usually just happens on the living room floor, or the kitchen counter, or wherever we can find the space. (But, I'm sure if the weather keeps up, I will be spending a lot of time working in the yard, and on the yard...garden season is quickly approaching.)

Doug helped me last week put everything for the shop into the laundry room (since the washing machine and dryer were both broken when we moved in, we opted for the space rather than try to fix them.) That means I have a space to take photos for the shop, a space to keep my stuff (albeit not organized, yet...still working on that.) I told you it was tiny!
So today, I started putting together a place for Doug to work on his leather projects, like bike seats and rings. It is still a work in progress, as our roommate brought home this leather armchair that doesn't really fit anywhere, so it's kind of in the way, and we need to put in some shelves or something for the rest of his tools that are stored in random places.
I won't leave the candles there, I just forgot that I took photos with candles on his table. I was also cleaning on top of the entertainment center (which is where I keep all my candles...mmm...I love apple cinnamon candles so MUCH!)

Oh, and I guess I'll do a What I Wore post today too, since I LOVE my new blouse. It makes me super happy. I got it at the African League Thrift Store on Monday for $1.50. Stooooooked! If you know me, you know I HATE spending money on clothes, so I wear the same few things until they disintegrate and then I buy something else, very similar. But if I find a deal like this, i can't pass it us. (And yes, it is so beautiful outside I can keep the door open all day loooong!!)
Doug made me this skull necklace. He carved it from a damaged deer antler. I haven't taken it off in years. My buddy Alita gave me the peacock necklace for my 25th birthday and then she and the twins took me to eat french toast and go dress shopping. I miss them, a lot.
My hair is fading into a really pretty reddish color, I like it.
And my favorite thing that I did today, painted my nails, a very festive red and gold flake. I LOVE gold nail polish, and I always have, and I am totally going to claim stake on that, even though everyone in the blog world is stoked on gold polish right now. Girls, welcome to my world.
Back to cleaning this house. It is pretty overwhelming, but it was refreshing to read Rubyellen's blog post about her messy house. I don't feel all alone. I also don't have three young children, but I do have two grown men and four dogs to clean up after, and that is pretty much the same?!?? I'm going to go ahead and say that it is! Two more hours until I need to be at work, two more hours of cleaning. Maybe some hummus and garlic toast and some reading in the middle.

xo,
Bec

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Clapping Monkey Video

We have a very special little guy in the Tumbleweeds shop right now and I wanted to post a video of him in action for interested parties and just for smiles!
video

Please contact us with questions about this little guy.
(Also, the history about him is pretty cool, if you want to check it out.)

xo,
Beca

Lately (Photo Dump)

The zoo. The beach. The shop. That's my life outside of work. Life is good.
Lots of work to do in the shop.

xo,
Bec

Monday, January 24, 2011

Saturday Night Fake French

Doug just uploaded some photos from Saturday night party, it was a lot of fun, but I was beat by 3am. I wore this black and white sweater that makes me feel fake French. Turtlenecks are fun sometimes, especially when it was really cold outside and my face needed to be warm.
Have a good Monday!
xo,
Beca

SORRY!!!

I have been a bit lax in the blogging world, not that I don't spend my good hour reading all my favorite blogs every day, I just haven't had the energy to write anything. I have been working, alot. Like crazy. And, honestly, it sucks. But, it will all be worth it in the end. I just keep telling that to myself when the table of 20 middle schoolers and parents all need specialty drinks, at the same time (just as one of the tangled hair 14 year old knocks over his coke for the second time) and there is a line of people at the register, the busser went home for the night and the server just asked for three Strawberry Malts. It is ALL WORTH IT. I just have to stick with it and get through it.

On the plus side, I have ridden my bike 8 miles every day this week. Doesn't seem like much, but I am feeling it and I have lost 6 pounds already. That feels good. I am less hungry, and feel better while I'm at work. I hope to keep up with it. Please send happy thoughts my way to keep me motivated. I guess having my license suspended wasn't that bad of a thing at all.

We finally went to the flea market this morning. Found LOTS of treasures. All of which are available in our shop.
Sorry for the massive photo dump but I am pretty proud of my new studio space to take photos and of all the pretty things we got today.

I finally have tomorrow off, I am going to clean the house and we're going to the zoo.

XO,
Bec

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Charlie

Just some old photos of Charlie that make me smile.
Hope ya'll have a good weekend!

xo,
Bec

Friday, January 21, 2011

Project Restyle - Camera Planter

Took this old Minolta 35mm camera, turned it into a miniature yard - portable grass planter.
(Available in our shop)

xo,
Beca