gathering spriggs

A Rosy Outlook

 

Is it Friday already? Another week past! Wow. This one has been a whirlwind for me. Some ups and downs but ending on a rosy note. :) 

Thank you for your amazing love and support with me and for me on this road toward physical healing. Your warm embrace this week has buoyed my spirits , uplifted my heart and brought new hope for tomorrow. ... 

(was that a tear?.... i am so moved by our fellowship here) 

So speaking of tomorrow, you will find me in the GS booth at the Antique and Artisan Market here in Nashville where a local antique store has invited artists into their space for a new kind of collaboration. Hopefully I will take plenty of pics of my booth... im mostly excited to be styling my little corner. You can see a sneak peak above.. 

Inspired by a British Country Living spread from my magazine collection. 

How is your weekend looking?? 

Here is to a Rosy Outlook this weekend and the abundance of Spring! 

Hugs,

h

images: heather spriggs thompson 

Shopping Local - The Iron Gate

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Saturday! Are you feeling rested and ready to enjoy your weekend? I know I am. Its a beautiful sunshiney morning here (after a week of rain and clouds). And I am ready to get out of the house and explore my city. My husband and I are planning a day out to do some antiquing. He really loves shopping (probably more than I do!) So I wanted to share with you a local favorite shop of mine. The Iron Gate is located in a small suburb of Nashville, called Franklin. Its an historic small town with main street which oozes charm mixed with the history of the Civil War era.  The Iron Gate has long been a favorite shop of mine to visit because it stands out with its beachy cottage vibe featuring a light airy neutral palette and offerings from Rachel Ashwell, etc...  Some of these images are actually homes in the area which they have decorated but I believe they showcase the essence of the store too. 

I wish you could come with me today. It would be fun to tool around the city together enjoying the sun and shops ! (the next best thing is the shopping you can do online at The Iron Gate.) Have fun today. You will be missed!!

     

Online Marketplaces

 

 

 

 

 
 

Who knew several years ago, what Etsy would do to the global craft market? I really believe they have single handedly rescued starving artists! But since the Etsy explosion, many other online marketplaces have opened their doors. Today, I have found two new to me Marketplaces from abroad. The first, Papastour is the uber cool Scottish only online store where they have sourced handmades and art from local artisans. Second (today) is Australia's Made It: The Handmade Market Open All Day Everyday, with so many sellers, I can barely keep up! Both are fantastic sources for even more regional artisans sprouting daily. Enjoy! 

Shop Around the Corner: Parcel

 

 

 

 

Happy Friday!! The end of a very large project is in sight for me. And my mom and sister are arriving in town this evening for their holiday stay. To be quite honest with you, I have yet to do my shopping but hope to get that started this weekend. I love creative wrapping options and try to reuse materials for my Christmas gift wrapping but if I lived in New Jersey I would hop on over to Parcel for all of my festive needs! It's chock full of creative ideas for the gift giving season. Thankfully they do have an online shop too. So what are your holiday plans looking like?? Anything exciting planned this week?

 

Shop Around the Corner: Brook Farm General Store

 

 

 

Can you smell the freshly polished glass cases and hear the sound of of oak floors creaking beneath foot?  Growing up in a small main street town with a local dime store I knew this experience well. And now, living in an urban area I crave it again. Obviously I am not the only one who longs for a nostalgic place to conjure up memories and peruse shelves carefully lined with simplicities for home and body. Thanks to the guys at Brook Farm General Store who have created this experience for the modernista in Brooklyn. But wait you can find simple useful items for your home too at the Brook Farm General Store online shop.

So let me know your thoughts. Are you hankering for a trip to a general store or do you know any great ones near you? I would love to hear about it!

Happy Weekend!

Renegade Handmade Fun in Chicago

Here are just a few images from my day yesterday in Wicker Park. Renegade was amazing! It was buzzing with creative energy and I feel inspired. I met many etsy artists that I have grown to know virtually. It was especially fun to meet Caitlin of Nice! I have admired her work for many years and so good to put a face with her lovely artwork. She was incredibly kind and I just wanted to give her a big hug. THere were many new artists too and my purse is practically exploding with business cards of new etsy shops which I will be sharing with you over the next few weeks. Im excited but have more to do today, including going to the U2 concert tonight !! More soon. Have a beautiful Sunday!

Blogging On The Road: First stop, Louisville! (The Makery)

If you have not already heard of this famed handmade goods shop (via Domino magazine)in the heart of Louisville, KY, then allow me to introduce you.  Meet The Makery! -the creative brainchild of Melissa Liptrap. 

Melissa has nurtured this two and half year old store from its meager beginnings of only 30 artists represented to its now 120+ . I had the pleasure of meeting Melissa this week on our sojourn from Nashville to Chicago and she is passionate about her work at the Makery.  An artist herself, Melissa is the sole force working endlessly to maintain, promote and merchandise her indie handgoods store. (She creates her own line of products under the name Dearest Inez)

The artists represented range from famed Kathleen Lolley and Pinecone+Chickadee to up and coming artists from the surrounding area.  The Makery features a broad spectrum of handmade products including stationary, body care, t shirts, a children's section, jewelry, original art, and altered vintage clothing. And Melissa can tell you something about everyone of them! 

So if you are ever in Louisville,KY , I highly recommend a stop in to say hi to Melissa at the Makery. But even if you can't see her in person, check The Makery website which will also take you to the represented artists etsy shops or homepage.

Next stop, Chi-town!

This Little Piggy Went to Market

It was a busy weekend in Nashville with art fairs, the Country Music marathon, great music and more. For us at the Walden Artisan Market it was a beautiful event. The over 80 degree weather brought out shoppers looking for Mother's Day gifts and a shady spot to view local art. Thanks to our supportive community of friends who drove near and far to pay us a visit at our first official event.  Here's a glimpse into the Gathering Spriggs booth.  The other half of Gathering Spriggs, Eve Peach is responsible for the fiber, printmaking and book arts, and I provided paintings, stenciling and vintage housewares.  If you see anything here you like, check our Etsy shop this week as we will be adding our booth inventory. We have some fabulous Mother's Day gift ideas!

Sneak Peak

Here is your sneak peak of the work Eve and I have been preparing for the Walden Artisan Market. Even if you are not able to come, we'd love to hear your thoughts, so we can better serve you in the future. Eve, my business partner and college friend is a tremendous fiber artist and printmaker.  She has created aprons, hand printed notecards with matching envelopes, silkscreened T-shirts,purses and more. My work is two dimensional : paintings, printed textiles, and includes a potpourri of vintage of housewares from my collection. Thanks for stopping by!

Getting Ready...

...for next weekend's Artisan Market. If in Nashville, please come out and visit our booth. Eve and I have been crafting up a storm the past few weeks.  We are featuring silkscreened t shirts, aprons , notecards, original artwork, vintage housewares and much more.