Announcing: The Rowan Tree!

Spring greetings & happy Friday, friends!

I'm very excited to publish this post but nervous too, I've been dawdling forever, in fact this post has been sitting in my drafts for two weeks, clogging up the works. Fear and feelings of  "am I good enough?" are powerful forces, but I won't let my silly fears keep me from pursuing what I love and share it, so here I go!

Recently couple of my girlfriends opened a new store in the downtown area of my home town, Lodi, California called The Rowan Tree, and it's a great little place you guys! The stars aligned the store came together very quickly, quicker than one might imagine! It's getting better every day as it fills with art and handmade goodness by local artists and makers and I am honored to say that they've asked me along in this journey as a contributing maker & artist!

So exciting! A rare and fabulous opportunity for someone like me. I mean real talk - I've never sold a thing, I've never tried. I don't have an Esty shop and although I take what I do seriously and always put my best effort into everything I make, it's been a passion and my need to create, but never a commercial endeavor.

So!
What to make? What's my style? What do I dooooooo?

I've given this a lot of thought, and came back to where I started - the things I've always loved. Flowers, embroidery, felt. This is my starting place and where I am most comfortable, things I never tire of, which have a lot of room for exploration, interpretation and room to make my own. I've got lots and lots of ideas in a rapidly filling notebook stuffed with little bits of this and that, doodles and drawings, lists of suppliers and bigger grander things as one idea tends to lead to another. I am excited!

I had to start somewhere, so I started with pretty things to wear, broaches in soft, springy colors! 100% Merino wool felt, embroidered touches and just a tiny bit of sparkle. Here are my first contributions to The Rowan Tree!

Hello Easter Bunny

Here is the display I made to showcase my pins in the store. I've had this mannequin for some time, but it's not usually this cute.{wink!}Normally it sits in our living room and displays one of my husbands collection of ice hockey jerseys. He's graciously let me borrow it for the time being. I gave the pedestal & top piece a coat of spray paint and covered the body in a yard of this (the only link I can find) gorgeous Pam Kitty Morning fabric I picked up on a recent trip to The Nimble Thimble. 

I also made a few little needle books, these in a wonderfully soft wool blend felt with embroidered touches.

Oh, and a big, cheery pin cushion and some hand made greeting cards embellished with fabric & small touches of embroidery. Fun little extras that I was playing with. Looking forward to expanding on the idea of embellished cards.

Looking forward to A LOT. I wish I had more time to make all the things that I'm dreaming of! I've always wanted more time (who doesn't?), but lately the urge is fierce! Now, if only I could make this into a full time job with bennies! 

Well... whew! That was a long post. I've already made several other things for the store and there's more on the way, and now that I've gotten this ball rolling, perhaps it won't be so long til we can chat again, and I can share a little more about what I've been up to and what I'm planning in the coming months. I'm pretty stoked about it!

Can't wait to chat about this with my blogging peeps, so lay it on me! Advice, pointers, critiques (but please be gentle ♥ ) I'm all ears.

Big love!

Lisa

p.s. Go check out the The Rowan Tree! Give us a "like" if you're pickin' up what we're laying down. Pretty please with sugar on top!

p.p.s. Hey look, The Rowan Tree has a write up in our local paper today! The shop is open all weekend, if you're local, pop in and say hi! Tell 'em Lisa sent you. ♥