The Rainbow Dreamer

A couple nights ago I had a sudden burst of inspiration to create a dream-catcher pendant with rainbow webbing. I wasn't sure how I would create it so I started sketching out the idea in my notebook. Tonight, I've completed the whole dream-catcher. It turned out to be such a success, I had to share it.




I think it has such a psychedelic look to it, especially with the stone & chrome beads. I think I may keep this one for myself, but I'm going to use more colored strings in my dream-catchers. I think it makes it look so interesting. Once I get more string, I'm going to experiment and play with some other color combinations.

I love wearing my dream-catcher pendants, they are so unique and different. I would wear one of these everyday if I could. I also just like these dream-catchers because they're small and miniature.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to go shopping for fabric to make my dresses and clothing. I'm very excited & I'll be sure to share my favorite picks from the trip. Then, I''m going to be very, very busy for a while.

-kaylee

A Picnic On The Hill

I've been bugging Daniel to have a picnic on the top of the hill with me for almost a whole year. I finally got my wish and we packed up a little lunch, a blanket, our dogs, and headed up to the very top of the hill that we live on. It's a very steep incline, but once you're at the top, you can see the entire valley of San Jose. It's incredibly beautiful around sunset time.

(dirty hippie feet.)

This was my first real picnic, and it was absolutely perfect and lovely. I've been dying to go on another picnic since. It would be too awesome to have an actual wicker basket to carry all the goodies. But I have no idea were to get one of those.

Next time I would bring bubbles, I think that was the only thing that we were missing.

Do you love picnics? What kinds of things do you like to bring?

-kaylee

The Latest Obsession

I've always been very fond of working with old t-shirts. There was something really fun about walking through thrift shops, finding cheap shirts and cutting them and re-using them to make new clothes. My favorite fixes for t-shirts deserve a blog post all their own. There are so many fun things you can do with shirts that have nice prints/graphics or just a great fabric.

This is a tie-dye t-shirt I made at art school. It used to be a white cotton, V-neck shirt. I got bored with the plainly look of it, but I loved the dark shades of tie-dye.



I cut it into a loose tank top shape (it actually has more of a "halter top" style cut). Then, I cut the shoulder straps at the hem on the shoulder, twisted them together for a pretty effect, and sewed it in place. It was actually very simple.

I cut the bottom hemming off of the shirt, and used it to make the matching headband. It actually works out perfectly. If I have 2 bottom hems of a shirt, I can re-make the t-shirt & give it a matching headband! Fantastic, right?



By the way... I'm actually wearing this exact headband in this photograph and in the photo on the right. My favorite thing about this new idea I've discovered is that the headbands can be used in other outfits as well, not just the one it was made out of!
Is this idea really cool? Or am I just stumbling upon something that everyone's already seen before?

I'm definitely obsessed with this idea. Especially because I told myself to re-use, re-cycle, and re-purpose as much old clothing as possible before buying new fabrics. So once I actually buy some new fabric, I can cherry pick the designs that I think will look the best.

Ah, I'm in love with sewing again.

-kaylee

Daydreamer

Things have been changing rapidly around here. I've been opting to spend less time on the blog and more time hanging out with myself. It's been nice to spend some time working in my studio, dreaming up ideas, and creating things as I please.

I've also concocted a new design for the blog. I've been desiring for my pictures to be the main attraction on my blog, so I'm proceeding to make that idea a reality. I've got the design perfected and I'm going to be putting it up this evening.

I have some great things to share with you very soon. I can't wait.

-kaylee

Sew Lovely

I've finally been lucky enough to having a wonderful sewing machine lent to me. And, I could not be more excited! I've been doing the happy dance and smiling every time I stop by my studio. I spent my whole day setting it up, and getting to know my new friend. It's been so much fun playing around with a new machine. I'm expecting to go fabric shopping in the next week or two, and then I'll be able to start making some amazing handmade clothes.



The Studio move has been a much larger project than I anticipated, but it's getting better every day. This weekend, Daniel and I are going to be building a few different furniture things for my studio. I'm so excited to get these things built so I can really get some work done.

By the way, the above picture is a macro shot of my fixed up bulletin board. I re-painted the board in teal and white, and stuck these pins on the board to use as hooks. It works wonderfully. I'm swooning over my new bulletin board, it's just perfect.



Since I was tinkering around with my new machine, I decided to do a quick little project. I had some scraps of fabric lying around, red and white pieces mostly. I hardly ever wear white or red, but those are the colors of my dog's collar, leash, and everything. So, it only felt right to make a bandanna for him in those colors. Unfortunately, he's a horrible model.



Did you spot the honeybee that keeps popping up? It's a little stencil that I made in spirit of my new blog name change. Isn't it adorable?

Play Time

I got a chance to break out my paints and work in my new studio space the other night. Here are some photos from my play time.









I've been tackling some fun DIY projects to decorate and organize my lovely new studio.

Yesterday I hung up a tapestry, painted some jars to hold supplies, and added a newly planted baby cactus to my desk. And today, I'm going to be working on making some pretty bulletin boards, cutting up some stencils, and designing a new tapestry.

At the moment, I'm fighting a very strong urge to browse around the internet looking for more ideas for my projects. I don't think I can ever get enough of handmade/homemade/DIY culture. It makes everything so much more affordable and creative.

If you know of any amazing DIY tutorials or guides, I would love to see them! I'm always looking for fun projects to try.

DIY Collection: #001

I'm a huge interior design junkie. I love to curate and decorate spaces, rooms, homes, shops. So, as you can probably imagine, I'm wildly obsessed with having a lovely studio space. Since I'm all about fresh beginnings right now, I want to do some fun DIY projects to decorate and organize my brand new, lovely studio space.

For the last few days I've been combing through loads and loads of tutorials which I bookmarked years ago, and new blogs I recently discovered, to compile as many fun DIY projects as I possibly could. I've got a decent pile of fun projects I could tackle, and these 9 are definitely on my "Must-Make" list.




1. Painted Candle Votives from Once Wed.
2. Hanging Succulent Garden from Skinny Laminx.
3. Paper Bead Tassels from Design Sponge.
4. Boho Bunting from Paper N Stitch.
5. Honeycomb Storage Shelves from Design Sponge.
6. Fabric Bulletin Board from Paper N Stitch.
7. "Kokedama" String Garden from Design Sponge.
8. Tripod Stool from Design Sponge.
9. Wooden Pallete Coffee Table from Paper N Stitch.

Aren't all of these projects amazing? I can't wait to get started! By the way, the definite highlight of my project hunt, was finding the "Honeycomb Shelves" from Design Sponge. After I named my blog "Birch & Bees", I found that tutorial, and literally squealed with delight. I think it's so fitting.

If you really love these tutorials, take a quick stop at the blog/website and let them know how great they are!

(EDIT: Do I love Paper N Stitch & The Design Sponge or what? I only linked to 7 of their tutorials... Gee.)

Birch & Bees

(Psst...You can now Follow my blog with Bloglovin.)

Birch & Bees is the final name I chose for this blog. It was on my list for weeks, and I couldn't seem to cross it off. It just has such a nice ring to it.

I'm all about symbolism and the meaning behind things. So, I thought I would share the reasons why I chose this name for my blog, my studio space, and small business.



The Birch Tree is a symbol of renewals, new beginnings, & starting over. Birch Branches are said to "sweep away" negative energies. The Birch Tree is a symbol of courage, pioneering, and adaptability, because of how quickly a Birch forest may arise after a deadly forest fire or man-made clearing. The Birch is a symbol of passion, energy, and renewal, probably for the reason that Birch wood will burn even if damp.




The Honey Bee is a symbol of eternal life, and the source of creation. The Honey bee represents the material world and spiritual in perfect duality. Throughout history, many artists and poets refer to the Honey Bee as the source of all inspiration. The Honey Bee is typically though of as industrious, working to serve themselves and their community as a whole.


The end product is a swirl of new beginnings, renewal, creativity, inspiration, courage, pioneering, artistry, passion, working diligently, and adapting to change.
Birch & Bees can also be shortened to B&B, (as in Bed & Breakfast), which has a very homemade feeling to it, that I love.

In the end, I felt this name was right. I can't wait to start whipping out all my packaging, and promotional cards with this name on it. Honestly, expressing the amount of peace I feel now that I've taken care of this giant decision, is impossible.

I'm going to be spending a lot of time browsing blogs & websites for some fun DIY projects to tackle. I'm looking to add more organization and personal touch to my studio space. Some of the projects that I have my heart set on are: making painted candle votives, creating a fun bunting/garland, making a studio sign, getting an inspiration board together, and so much more.

Well, I'm off to round up a collection of projects to work on! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

In The Spirit Of Change

I've decided to move my studio.

I thought about it for a minute, and then I just did it. After I moved out the couch and window seat, and moved in my work tables, I realized that this space is huge.



So huge, that I can fit another island work-table, a small bookcase, a dress rack, and tons of storage.

Needless to say, I'm tickled pink. Even though it's empty right now, when I walk around in that room I can imagine what a wonderful studio space it will be.
I'm so excited for this change, because I can tell that I'm getting closer and closer to achieving my goals. Since I'm in a spirit of change, I've been considering changing a couple other things.

Mostly, the name of this blog. I've been entertaining the idea for a couple weeks now. It's been long days of going back and forth between this name and that name, and I think it's time to finally just do it. (I'll be sharing the name I've chosen very soon!)

Over the next few days, I'm going to be updating and changing a few things around the blog. I'm also working on some DIY projects for my new studio. I'm planning on sharing the projects I work on during the next couple months including making my own modern bookcase, two Double-Decker work tables, some small storage solutions, macrame nets for hanging plants, and more.

I'm excited to see how this room changes and grows. I just can't wait to start working in there.

Collected: Vintage Key Necklaces

I've been wearing my Vintage Key Necklace pretty much every day since I made it. It pairs so well with everything I wear. I'm so pleased with it!

I whipped up a couple other necklaces in the same style.



I just love these necklaces. They are very simple, but incredibly unique and one of a kind. I think the best part about wearing these necklaces is that they're lovely enough to be worn alone, but simple enough to be paired with other necklaces and jewelry.

Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to patina and stain some of the keys, as a test. I'm also thinking of painting some designs on a few of them. I've also considered making a couple necklaces with metal chains instead of hemp strings. I'm hoping to make each necklace as special and unique as the keys I've found.

peace & love, 

kaylee

Heart, Spine, & The Third Eye

"Heart" by Kaylee Hinrichs. July 2011. Watercolors, Pigments, Watercolor Pencils, Acrylic Paint. 5.5" x 8.5"


"Spine" by Kaylee Hinrichs. July 2011. Watercolors, Pigments, Watercolor Pencils, Acrylic Paint. 5.5" x 8.5"


"Third Eye" by Kaylee Hinrichs. June 2011. Watercolors, Pigments, Watercolor Pencils, Acrylic Paint. 5.5" x 8.5"

I got the inspiration to start this collection of paintings a couple weeks ago. I was having trouble falling asleep, and these images flooded into my mind. Colorful swirling nebulas, stars splattered into the distance, and the chakra symbols painted across the sky.
I honestly have no idea what these paintings truly mean, or what I want to say through them.

(Photograph of a star-forming region called LH 95, located in a large Magellanic Cloud that orbits the Milky Way. Photo taken by Hubble Space Telescope. Photo Via Universe Today)

There's something about imagining outer space, what it looks like, the vast expanse of emptiness, the giant planets, imploding stars, that reminds me of how impermanent my existence really is. It also reminds me that my creations will not life forever. Everything is impermanent, and will eventually change.

(Photograph of a spiral galaxy M83 by the Hubble Space Telescope. Photograph via Universe Today.)

Perhaps, I just want others to go to space too. I think we often forget that, outside of our mundane daily lives, there are thousands of galaxies, billions of other worlds and planets. We are very small in the ever-expanding amount of space. And in the grand scheme of time, our lives are so short.

(Photograph of the region around a massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Photo via Universe Today.)

I find this to be humbling, yet liberating in the most beautiful way.