You + Me = Three!

That's right....Nutshell Farms is growing by one this year! We have been working hard in the garden, and have a little pole bean of our own sprouting! We are super excited, and now that our families all know...we thought it was time we could announce it.

Coming in December 2012!


More posts coming soon....we are in the middle of an UBER hot summer (110 degrees?!?!), and busy with family things. Our new children's shop is up and running; plus we have many new items coming every week!

Come check us out!

Nutshell Farms

Nutshell Farms Kids

Dusty Antique Junk into Fantastic Wall Decor

So I have been spending way too much time on Pinterest and Craftgawker (and just discovered that they have a Foodgawker...swoon!)! That being said, I feel so inspired, and have stumbled upon some amazing blogs along the way.

I love digging through Antique places, and imagining what kind of treasures can be found...and then turned into something spectacular! :)  I happened to stop into one of my frequent haunts a couple weeks ago in downtown Defiance...when I came across some Victorian wood wall blocks (used in molding, door surrounds, etc). They were pretty banged up, and super dirty...but I saw some potential.

What you can not see from my photos is that there are tons of little nail holes in the flower carved piece, which I chose to not fill in. I thought it would take away from the piece to remove some of the history.

So I cleaned up the pieces, and picked up some spray paint from Menards (the Hammered finish was about $7 each, and the Painter's Touch was about $3.50). I planned on spraying the flower carved piece with the creamy white color, and then handpaint the carved flower. I still need to do this, and I think it will give it a very Dutch Hex feel to it.

Here they are on our living room wall (which the blue is much brighter than the color portrayed here), and I think looking at them I might go back before handpainting the flower one & fill in some of the nail holes & respray it. What do you think?



Projects...projects...and more projects...

I am sad to announce that Kylie decided to close down the Art Boutique portion of her shop, still keeping the space for her photography studio though. It was a fun ride, which gave me some insight into whether I would like to open my own brick & mortar shop...which I've decided that it's something that I don't feel ready to do.

I have loved getting to know Kylie, and our friendship will continue...but I'm excited to just focus on my own business at this time. Along with this, I have made the decision to go BACK to school...a decision that was pretty easy to make, but I needed that little glimpse into being a shop owner to realize.

Now that the formalities are out of the way...it's on to the "good stuff". :) 

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I have been spending WAY too much time on Pinterest lately, and there have been several projects that I have come across that I am in love with!!

I had initially seen this on Curiously Wrought on Etsy, and fell in love...hard! The only problem...the price. I thought to myself, "I can do something similar for much cheaper for my wall at home". So, I 'hearted' it on Etsy, and some time passed & I pretty much forgot about it. Then one day when I was perusing Pinterest when I came across a blog (that I can no longer find) that recreated their own rendition of Curiously Wroughts State Love series. So this spurred me into a crafting tizzy...I had to acquire all the needed supplies, and I would have to do this DIY for myself...right...now! :) 

So I painstakingly found all the required items, and then went to work. The initial project only took me a couple hours to complete, and it wasn't bad for a first try. I am thinking that I would like to make a couple (maybe on a slightly larger scale since mine was only 6" x 6") for friends and family that live on the other side of the country.

I think I will also change some things around also, using different nails (since the ones that I used had some sort of black icky coating...that then got all over my hands & I now have to do a little touch up because I got some on the plaque itself)....and next time I won't wrap the thread so many times around the nails. B-Real & myself were pretty impressed with the first round results. I still need to touch up the paint, and hang it proudly where everyone can see. :) 

Here are some of the other projects that I have come across that I REALLY want to do for our home:

Mason Jar Herb Garden : For our Kitchen

Wood Plank Wine Rack : For our Kitchen

Name Carved Tree Embroidery : For our Bedroom

Thread Holder : For my Studio

Home Sweet Home Decor : Will go right next to my Ohio Love plaque! :)

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There are many projects that I must work on for the shops, and coming this spring we will be doing some home remodels. Our downstairs bathroom...is pretty gross...and NEEDS to be done, and this summer I will be tackling the kitchen. I hope to paint all the cupboards & lower wood wall paneling a wonderfully creamy white, and the upper walls will be a green color. Something beachy, lovely, and laid back feeling. :) 

A Zombie in a Bottle can fix anything...

I received a package in the mail today (actually I received several...but none gave me more joy than this little guy)...a Zombie in a Bottle. Yes, you read me correctly. :) 

I had been admiring the Gnome Sweet Gnome (A Sparkly Pony) shop for quite some time, and after ordering...and waiting (quite impatiently...because that is how I roll when I expect packages...just not a big 'surprise' kind of gal)...the package arrived today! YAY!! Amidst the blustery snow, I plucked my package out of the mailbox, and then raced into the house...turning the package over & over in my hands.

My items had finally arrived...the anticipation was growing. I carefully opened up the package to find two neatly gift wrapped boxes (you only see one because the other box is for a friend, and I don't want to chance her seeing her package).

So I gingerly pulled off the red yarn, and tore into the brown paper wrapping. There before me sat a tiny wood crate, lovingly crafted to hold the creature that lie within.



Yes folks, I ordered a Zombie in a Bottle...just as the fancy tape states. I almost didn't open the box, just because I was so fascinated by the way the box looked closed...I understand that sounds insane.

I could no longer contain my curiosity for finding what lies within that crate, so I carefully slit the tape along the seam.

What lie within was a fluffy bed of sawdust creating a cushion around a large glass vial and a long red string.

I pulled the vial from the sawdust, and was in awe at what I found...a teeny tiny zombie! Ready to eat my brains, should I ever allow him out of his little glass prison. Not gonna happen you little brain-eating freak! :) 



He might be missing some limbs, but don't let this creepy guy fool ya! He can really move...

Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh....I'm coming to eat your brains....

I love my new Zombie in a Bottle!! :)  He will look fantastical in my new office space. My next adventure will definitely be into one of these guys!

Cheers,
Jess

P.S. And, I should probably do a quick follow up to the previous post about marriage...I am thankful for the people in my life that accept me for who I really am! I think everyone is entitled to pursue their own happiness, and it isn't that I don't believe in marriage. I wish nothing but happiness for those that are married, newly married, those that choose to not get married, and those that are going through divorce.

I'm not an angry marriage hater...I promise! :) 



For the Love of All Things Tiny...

I love disproportionally tiny things...I don't know why, but I always have. While at the same time I find things freakishly large to be a bit creepy.

So, when I received my e-mail update about How-Tuesday I was beyond excited to find that it was all about creating your very own tiny terrarium! :) :) 

Now, I love terrariums, and I hope that one day I will figure out how to take care of them. But...I will HAVE to try it again, no matter how many times I fail miserably at keeping them from molding!

That being said...why don't YOU give it a try, and then send me some photos of your completed terrariums! :) 

Check out the DIY tutorial here: How-Tuesday: Micro Planters

Cheers,
Jess

Mama's got a brand new blog!

So, I decided that if I was going to go through all the effort of having a new template, etc...that I might as well get myself a new blog too! ha! I am really going to have to buckle down on this, and hopefully over the next few weeks we can get everything in order!

Here is what is on the agenda: new items for the shop, bringing to life Nutshell Farms Kids, rearranging some stuff at The Dreaming Tree, and hopefully...some organization in my studio/office. I will be running around like a mad woman, so I will need all the good vibes I can get people! ha!


You can find our old blog here: Our Little Universe


We will be adding all sorts of wonderful things to this blog shortly! :) Stop back soon!


Cheers,
Jess, B-Real, & Chairman Meow