enamel necklace by makennab
turned wood flower vase by woodandglass
linocut print by thebigharumph
foot long collage block by sushipot
coasters by stirathome
cut paper art print by ruralpearl

As Europe being a multicultural place, there is not one single trend one can follow regarding European designs. For example those living in colder countries like Latvia or Norway, offer a wide variety of felted clothes and accessories. From the central part of Western Europe, like Switzerland and Belgium, simple designs come with a little, often very feminine twist. However, one thing maybe common: colors. Soft colors like pale purple and blue, ivory and beige can be found in most of the designs. Which means from a practical point of view that wherever your browser may take you in Europe, one can find a variety of products in matching colors.

karuski

faima

fleurfatale

vadjutka

iragranteco

See more colorful, warm, happy and fluffy designs from European etsy sellers on Handmade Europe!

this week’s post has been on my mind for quite some time. it’s a hard post to write and i’ve been trying to figure out just what to say and how to say it. you see, sometimes in life and/or business, you have to make hard decisions….decisions you may not want to make, but know in your heart that you should. well, that’s where i am; where i have been. i’ve mentioned in previous posts just how busy i’ve been with work and how truly unbalanced my life is. after a lot of thought, i’ve decided to end my guest posting on scoutie girl. while it’s not necessarily something i want to do, in my heart i know it’s something i have to do. this is the reason i know i have to do it:

this photo was taken just a few days ago at my mother’s day breakfast. these boys deserve better that what i’m able to give them right now. i’m stretched too thin and they’re suffering from it. they deserve to have more of my attention, more of my time, and i deserve to have time to watch them grow.

while it sounds good in theory, this is SUPER hard for me to do. i’m not someone who quits anything. i hate letting people down. if i say i’m going to do it, you better bet i’ll follow through. it’s especially hard to leave a “job” where i enjoy my “boss”. tara is, and has been, nothing but great to work with. even when i told her that i needed to step down, she was completely understanding. i admire all that she’s doing to build her dream life. i only wish i could take the ride with her, but alas, my path is in a different direction and i need to focus on that right now.

i wanted to take this opportunity to turn my final post into a little lesson for business. like i mentioned above, i’m a firm believer in following through and not quitting what you’ve started. however, there are also times that you need to look out for #1 in both personal and business life. sometimes those hard decisions need to be made….even when you don’t want to. stay on the path to your goal and you will reach it. make those hard decisions and you will be better for it.

with that, i bid you adieu! i’ve had such a great time bringing you handmade solutions. i hope that along the way i’ve convinced at least a few of you to buy handmade over big box stores when possible!

i hope that our paths cross again! and, if you’d like to follow my personal business journey as well as posts about being a mother to those two sweet boys, feel free to follow me on my blog: paisley wallpaper.

over and out.

editor’s note: it’s been such a great pleasure getting to know you, lori, over the last year or so! that you for everything that your brought to scoutie girl and that your bring on a daily basis to the creative community. your business is an inspiration to mine. and, thanks to the delightful power of social media, i’ll be sure to keep in touch, as will many other. and don’t forget, i have a fabulous dress you need to borrow sometime!

[outfitting life with nautical gear]

maybe it’s because it’s spring and all the boats are heading back out to the lake, but i’ve had nautical thought on my mind lately. check out all the great nautical goodies i’ve found!

1. sailor knot bracelet. thevamoose :: $18
2. tattoo mom sailor necklace. gypsywarriorbrand :: $12.95
3. screen printed sailboat poster. delaflamant :: $25
4. hand crank boat in a box. cartoonmonster :: $32
5. charcoal & pencil ship drawing. loveartstudios :: $49
6. anchor brooch. lululyna :: $12

i came across this shop and immediately fell in love with several pieces. i know bib necklaces are all over the internet and i’ve never been extremely partial to them but these crocheted versions really strike my fancy. while browsing, i also fell in love with the fools gold jewels!

a common thread :: $24 – $65

[outfitting your china]

when i started researching this post, my idea was very different than where i ended up! i wanted to do a post about handmade dinnerware because, some day, i’d love to buy a full set of handmade dishes. in my search however, i came across these beauties and couldn’t not share them! the only problem is that these are a for decorative purposes only. i’d love to do some china modification myself, but would need to find some food-safe paints. anyone that has any suggestions please feel free to leave a comment below!

available at cpstudio :: $8 – $9 each

[outfitting your rug options]

ok, i’ll be the first to admit that shopping for rugs may not be the most glamorous of jobs. i’ll also be the first to admit that rugs are one of those things that i probably wouldn’t have searched for handmade before shopping at my big box store. boy, was i surprised when i actually took the time to do a search! i was shocked at the amazing options out there! as you can see from the image below, i had to force myself to stop at 10! i could have added a ton more! so, there you go. lesson learned. rugs can (and should) be purchased handmade!

1. handwoven 8 ft runner. plowgirl :: $300
2. handwoven grey flannel rug. marylinjk :: $56.75
3. handwoven rag rug. shadysidefarm :: $42
4. handmade rectangle rug. gramsheart :: $46.50
5. flannel rainbow rug. thousandflower :: $75
6. handmade cotton throw rug. texturesgallery :: $125
7. hot colors woven rug. n2imaginations :: $30
8. handwoven felted recycled wool sweater rug. fiveforty :: $170
9. handwoven wool rug. highaltitudeweavers :: $185
10. handwoven rag rug. mwestdesigns :: $39

[outfitting your locket collection]

i’m loving all the amazing locket options i’m seeing lately! here are a few of my most favorite finds!

1. filigree locket. mstevensondesigns :: $68.50
2. bubble locket. jewelsvine :: $143.00
3. turkish locket. sparklepeach :: $26.00
4. mixed metal rose locket. musettemade :: $25.00
5. sleepy hollow locket. birdznbeez :: $26.00
6. wise owl locket. thegoldbug :: $30.00

[outfitting your baskets]

with easter coming up in a few weeks i’ve had horrible plastic baskets on my mind. i’d love to replace those horrible big box store baskets with something handmade and usable throughout the entire year…not something we use just one day out of every 365 and then tuck away in a closet because they’re too ugly to use for anything else. below are some options that i thought would work well for both easter and year ’round.

1. birch bark and moss basket. nhwoodscreations :: $22. 50
2. repurposed coffee bean bag. looploft :: $30
3. creative kids art bucket. (how great would this be filled with craft supplies instead of candy for your little crafter at easter?). momnmiaquilts :: $18
4. recycled fabric bins. sewingmama :: $38.99
5. linen basket. linenme :: $12.99
6. handmade rib basket. johntoftbasketry :: $49

[outfitting your st. patty's day]

happy st. patrick’s day, scouties! i thought i’d gather up some cute handmade treats for your st. patty’s day! here are some of my favorites:

1. luck. fine art print. silviareitsma :: $25
2. hand stamped lucky necklace. stephiemc :: $32
3. lucky me wall hanging. thegirlinyellow :: $10
4. green hydrangea headband. bellafiore2009 :: $28
5. wood leprechaun set. theenchantedcupboard :: $18
6. celtic linen button. juniperbykate :: $6