Favorite Projects of 2013

It's been a great crafty year! I wanted to highlight some of my favorites from 2013, in no particular order :)

Bringing back the Felt Brooches, in all seasons. They were a huge hit with the customers this year and I have so much fun making them!

Norfolk's first Better Block, held in April. I met my good friend John Wharton and his wife Patricia - along with tons of other amazing people in the arts community. We opened our first Pop Up Shop and had a fantastic weekend running the show.

Thomas' Smash the Cake session in June. It really tested me as a(n amateur) photographer, working with babies isn't easy...but it's fun!

A year of felt food, which included nachos, donuts, salads, pita sandwiches, caramel apples, mini cupcakes, cheese wheels, blueberries and a custom-made horse food set. The horse set was my favorite, by far!

Another successful 92 Days of Summer...is it bad I'm already planning for 2014?

My felt flowers have been a long time coming and while they are still taking a while to become a big seller, I think 2014 has much more in store. 

Custom-designed wedding invitations a very awesome couple.

Refinished China hutch, a nice thrifty before and after. 

A second opportunity with Better Block, this time strictly on the design and marketing side of things. 

Better Block: Round 2

Better Block is happening again! This time on 35th Street and Newport Avenue, and it's the biggest event to date with 12 pop-up shops, seven food vendors, three parklets, food trucks, outdoor (and indoor) stages and so much more. Fairview Place isn't popping up this time, but my partner-in-crime Glass Gardens is, along with Intelligent Lushes and By TAlyse. I was super excited to have the chance to design another map for the event. Colley Avenue Printers donated the printing and they look fabulous! All the festivities begin tonight at 5 p.m., better see you there!

#42: Alchemy NFK

There is so much happening in the Arts District right now. Alchemy NFK is coming right along and is scheduled to open in September. They are asking for volunteers to come out and help do anything from painting to sweeping, so see what their needs are here. The home of Fairview Place and Glass Gardens has been rumored to be part of The Beauty Parlor's expansion, as a coffee shop (I noticed it got new windows in the second level)! The Zedd's building is set to be torn down any day, with hopes to relocate The Plot there. The Texaco Building has been purchased by The Hurrah Players for their new set- and prop-building location. A skate ramp is being added on Wilson Avenue and according to Norfolk Live, Magazine Lane Properties, LLC has purchased three properties on Magazine Street.

I took myself on a date this morning to the Arts District. With my Yorgo's coffee and camera in hand I spent about an hour and a half, walking around taking pictures. A lot of people just see buildings that haven't changed much. But if you take a closer look, there is change happening in every form - from entire buildings to rust on a lock. From lightbulbs to blooming flowers, it's all taking shape.

So, the big question is, how well do you know the Arts District? Can you easily identify the pictures below? Most of them are probably pretty easy, but go ahead, test your knowledge of the District.

top (1), left (2), right (3)

left top (4), left bottom (5), right top (6), bottom (7)

top (8), bottom left (9), bottom right (10)

top left (11), top right (12), bottom (13)

top left (14), top right (15), middle (16), bottom left (17), bottom right (18)

top (19), bottom (20)

top left (21), top right (22), bottom (23)

left top (24), left bottom (25), right (26)

left (27), right top (28), right bottom (29)

30 :)

Go ahead, take a minute to record your answers. We'll have a word from our sponsors...

#14: Take Myself on a Date, #42: Alchemy NFK, and #52: Photo Story, are off the list!
I'm participating in my third annual 92 Days of Summer challenge. Read about the project here.

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Alright here are the answers!

1) the garage

2) acclaimed events

3) 734 granby st. (next to zed's)

4) oj wholesale

5) new skate ramp

6) texaco building (with the moon!)

7 the beauty parlour by q

8) 112 wilson lane (the old horse stables?)

9) 142 west olney (next to the virginia ballet)

10) bob's gun shop

11) back of studio co-lab

12) norfolk printing company

13) virginia furniture company

14) studio co-lab

15) 801 granby, residences

16) top of zedd's (from wilson ave.)

17) parking lot behind the texaco building

18) parking lot next to alchemy nfk

19) the garage

20) alchemy nfk

21) 763 granby st.

22) virginia furniture company

23) exotic home

24) texaco building

25) stark and legum

26) daevid's floral

27) wilson avenue

28) hayne photography

29) zedd's (olney side)

30) 765 granby street or glass gardens/fairview place

Talley up your score and see where you rank!

0-6: Vacant Retail

Have you been to Norfolk before? Heard of the Arts District? Appears not, but if the dilapidated buildings down here have potential, then so do you! Come out and spend a few hours perusing the neighborhood, you'll be happy you did.

7-13: Starving Artist

We understand, life is hard for you. But you owe it to the Arts District, after all, walking is FREE! Better hit the streets and get a little more familiar with a place that is being created for you!

14-20: Better Blocker

You helped build some pallet furniture, you even told all your friends about 'this art thing happening in Norfolk.' Good job! Now, go to the next level and write your city council, contact Alchemy NFK to volunteer, or get a group of your friends to donate to The Norfolk Arts District today!

21-29: Alchemist

You are a forerunner of transforming dust and dirt into murals and skate ramps. Your attempt to convert medieval city laws into a universal zoning permit elixir is almost complete. Keep up the good work!

All 30: Mayor of Arts Districtville

Really? All 30? You deserve free rent for a year, a coffee shop named after you, and a bicycle lane with your face on it. Norfolkians should aspire to be just like you, an Arts District Rockstar!

#9 Estate Sales

I have become an Estate Sale junkie. Since Better Block and my hunt for all things vintage craft related I still scour Craigslist and PilotOnline for weekend sales. I patiently await my Monday morning emails informing me of the upcoming weekend's sale and half the time I don't even end up going! Mike and I checked out one in Norfolk recently because of the "yard tools" listed. The house had a garage full of tools, which we didn't need, but we were able to pick up two shovels and small small gardening tools for less than $6.

The house was completely full of other nice finds - especially since everything was half off that day. Not to mention the sweet tiled patio above? I'm just pondering the places we could do that at our new place. Probably need to make several dozen cookies for our downstairs neighbor before bringing this one up :)

Stay tuned for more photos from sales throughout the Summer...

I'm participating in my third 92 Days of Summer challenge. Read about the project here.

Momentarily Obsessed With...

1) salad spinner.  I have wanted one of these ever since I lived with Emily and she found one at P*Town Thrift for $3. Since my kitchen is a quarter of the size now it was then, a collapsible version is exactly what I need!

2) wall art calendar.  Do you know how many times I've set out to make myself a cute calendar, planner or journal? I've lost count. Next time around, I'm just ordering something adorable like this.

3) letter sparklers.  My sister and cousins probably went through 28 pounds of sparklers growing up. Every family event we were always lighting them (then anything else that would take a flame), but perhaps these would have kept us occupied longer. They would also be an adorable way to showcase an address of a new home...

4) pillow.  Maple and Belmont started making these pillows around the time of Better Block. I absolutely love the look and was just telling Mike we need some new pillows for our couch. What about an Alliance, Ohio version?? Yes, Please!

Recipe Cards Made into Gift Tags

I picked up a box of these 1970s recipe cards at an estate sale a month back. I sold a few of them as the plain recipe cards at Better Block, but knew that wasn't going to cut it going forward. The photos are great and the recipes themselves are hilarious, so I wanted to save as much of the card as I could. 

After many attempts I decided to add a little "to" and "from" tag, along with another contrasting tag for a little note (and of course my logo). They will be selling for $1 each and you'll find them online and at next month's Town Fair.

May Town Fair

Saturday is this month's Town Fair at Town Center. This month will feature 30 local merchants with everything from fair trade to handmade, upcycled and home-baked goods (we were only at 15 vendors last month - what a great turnout for us!). The weather will definitely be warmer than last month's fair, we're just hoping the rain stays away. I'm also looking forward to this weekend's event because my Better Block partner John will be selling right next to me (just like the old days ;). The event begins at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m., come out and support the local, handmade marketplace!

Self Portrait: April

April, did you have to leave so soon? I was just getting used to all the wonderful things you were showering me with. Many of you already know of the love affair I'm having with the Norfolk Arts District/Better Block (sorry, Mike you were bound to find out). April was the month that brought this relationship about, then exploded with exciting news. I met so many wonderful people through this process, my favorite being my pop-up partner, John Wharton (pictured in the background, see his website here!). In the short 30 days we knew each other before the pop-up event we tested our sprouting friendship by building a shop via emails, texts, Facebook messages and a brief coffee meeting. We exchanged a lot of goals, ambitions, personal stories and probably way too much Ashley bossy time (sorry, sometimes I still think I'm five bossing my family members around). John and I created a little place to call our craft and plant home for a few short days and it was magical.

The allure continued with the success of the first Town Fair in Town Center, which my friend Allison and I created. The announcement that The Norfolk Planning Commission voted unanimously in the support of the ordinance that would create the Arts District was a huge sigh of relief. Kitsch's news of their planned expansion (happening right now) and the AlchemyNFK buildout underway were welcomed signs of growing culture. And Sunday's news of the Hurrah Player's purchase of the Texaco Building made me jump 10 feet into the air with joy.

We. Are. Making. A. Difference. Change is happening.

We are making Norfolk our craft/plant/art/music/locally-grown and locally-owned home and it will be magical.

Color Therapy: Window Displays

This isn't actually "color therapy" but I thought it would be cool to share where my inspiration came from for our window displays at our pop-up shop. Plus, it's still all pretty to look at. Enjoy!

here

Cali also tackled this project for me and shoppers just loved it! I have a few people who even inquired about some custom-made versions!

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 There would have been great for our back partition wall. Although, I didn't have 40 pounds of tissue paper on hand....

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Recycle old beer bottles by hanging them with handmade fabric flowers! Yes!

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 Might be a little dainty for John (he is a dude afterall), but it's pretty!

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How cute and easy would these be to make? Boy do I have the paper for it!

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This is a great idea for a Christmas window display... John, let's keep this in mind for December ;)

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Accomplished this with John's air plants and some of my vintage packaging.

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Adorable...next shop?

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My friend Cali was able to paint these adorable curtains (minus the face) along with our business names. I think those small touches made huge leaps for the window display.

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 In the background you'll see a retro bike covered with airplants and moss... This would be an awesome window display idea for us because we could hang things from everywhere on the bike.

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John and I wanted to have some sort of guest book or giveaway in hopes to collect emails and contact information. That definitely didn't happen - and with the volume of traffic we had, it just wouldn't have worked. Although, the idea of hanging business cards on a tree would have been super cute.

Monday Musebles/Better Block Wrapup

 

I don't think anything could have prepared me for what happened in the 11 magical hours of the Better Block. The crowds began to funnel into the shop at 4:45 on Friday night and didn't stop until after 9 o'clock. John and I met so many lovely people, got loads of compliments on our pop-up shop layout and decor and made some money in the process!

 Every person that came in the shop loved our atmosphere and the overall point of the the Better Block. We had a few people ask if this would be a weekly or monthly fest, and while we wished it would be, we had to explain that wasn't the case just yet. John had one property owner approach him about moving our pop-up (as is) to his retail location in Oceanview. The offer was kind, but the $1,600/month rent option really isn't up our alley. I was offered to set up our pop-up shop in some other places along the proposed Arts & Design District for a weekend a month and that seems a little more feasible at the moment.

Ideally, the Better Block wants the building owners to do some repair work and get more permanent retail, restaurants, etc. into the spots even if they aren't 100% of what they could be. Just make the immediate repairs and get some positive attention to the area. Mary Jo, who was the co-pop-up partner of Mary Cup of Jo was asked by one of the district's current business owners what it would take...$20,000? She said sure, that'll buy a kitchen. Obviously nothing happens over night, but if ideas are planted, hopefully they'll eventually sprout.

I feel like Saturday was more of the shopping day. Families came out in the masses, we were making sales left and right, people were giving the shop so much love John and I were beaming. I hate to sound conceited, but our shop was pretty amazing. John and Patricia's items meshed so well with mine, it just seemed like a real cohesive store.

We were luckily enough to not have to tare everything down on Saturday and were (kinda) given permission to stay a few days. We're waiting to hear what "a few days" actually turns into, but in the mean time, our pretty storefront stays as is and we're getting some free advertisement! I am still feeling exhausted from the whirlwind of the weekend. I have a stack of business cards, emails, notes and scribbles I need to respond to, a website and wedding invitations to finish up, and God, do I need to get to a gym! However, there's not one ounce of me that would have changed a thing.

Favorite quote of the weekend "It looks like my grandma's house in here."

Along with "This shop is the place to be!"

And "So you'll be here every weekend, right?"

From the cutest little old lady "I have so much of this stuff around my house...would you want some if I could gather it up?"

Many thanks to: Susie Sanderson, Cali Carpenter, Chris Holder, Melissa Taylor, Mike Mars, Ryan O'Grady, Allison Wermers, Bob and Kristy Pursell, Ari Durrell, Terri Boone, Tina, Barkley Brown, Pam Morrow,  Barney Mars & Deb Janezeck for use of their driveway and paint supplies, Victoria Farr for the beautiful lights, Michelle Odom for the pillows, Norfolk Printing for the awesome job on the maps, Andrew Howard from the Better Block, Ron Williams and Lori Crouch from the City of Norfolk and my awesome pop-up partners John and Patricia Wharton.

Also, to Jesse Scaccia & Hannah Serrano for being such an inspiration in Norfolk.