bunny Archives - Try Handmade

Behind the scenes at Authentic Arts

June 24, 2018 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

Hi! My name is Jenny Hoople and my business is Authentic Arts. I make glamorous, colorful, natural jewelry.

My workspace is… the coffee table in my living room! I sit on the beanbag chair to be at the same height as the table and there’s a huge north-facing picture window right over my shoulder. My little bunny helper (she’s under the table in the pictures) hops around trying to steal seeds and leather cord from my materials boxes and begging for attention. I keep my laptop handy on the couch next to my napping husband.

I’ve always needed to work in the same space I live in. I wouldn’t mind having a desk, but then the bunny would miss having me within arm’s reach!

Bunnies by the dozen.

June 11, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield 5 Comments

Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies! I can tell that we are getting close to Easter by the sudden explosion of the stuffed bunny population. It would seem, ahem, that they are multiplying like rabbits.

This week, I have assembled a herd (yes, a herd) of rabbits for your Easter cuddling pleasure. Some are cute, some are quirky, but all are quite clever and very eco-friendly. Enjoy!

Known for their prolific breeding and their propensity for giving birth to large (and in some cases multiple) litters in the spring, it’s no wonder that rabbits are symbols of fertility and of the season itself.

As far as its symbolic tie-in with Easter goes, mentions of the Easter Bunny begin to appear in publications from the 1600s; although it is safe to assume that the origins date back further than that – most likely to pre-Christian Pagans.

Legend has it that the Saxon goddess Oestra (from whom Easter is named) had a sacred rabbit companion and an association with another symbol of fertility, eggs. Considering that, it makes perfect sense that bunnies and eggs are so closely linked with each other at this time of year. (And now you know what to tell your children why bunnies bring Easter eggs, and not chickens. Or, perhaps it’s only my son who is bothered by this.)

Finally, if you will allow me to step up on my “Going Green” soapbox for just a moment, I do need to draw attention to the practice of giving live rabbits for Easter. Just like a dog or a cat, a rabbit is a house pet that requires plenty of care and attention over its 10+ life-span. Every year, once the post-Easter reality sets in, countless unwanted rabbits are set free or dropped at animal shelters. Unless you have given it very careful thought and are willing to make the commitment, I would strongly discourage giving a live bunny as an Easter gift. Instead, why not make someone’s day with a stuffed long-eared, puffy tailed friend from one of our featured sellers? Go on…hop to it!

Top photo: Beeper Bebe – recycled wool suiting & yarn
1. Beeper Bebe – recycled wool suiting & yarn
2. Blue Moon Rose – recycled cashmere & vintage dress
3. Buttercupbloom – cotton, velveteen & upcycled lambswool
4. Chunky Chooky – upcycled denim & batik
5. Second Seed in Stitches – upcycled sweaters & fabric
6. Freedom Rainbow – recycled merino wool
7. LuvKt – deconstructed/reconstructed merino sweater
8. Pouch – repurposed vintage fabric & chemical-free lavender
9. Sleepy King – recycled fabric
10. Woolcrazy – recycled angora wool
11. Protean’s Coffee Shop – felt & fleece
12. Sighfoo – recycled wool & bamboo fibre
Bottom photo: Canoo – recycled angora wool/cashmere

For more information on rabbits as house pets, visit The House Rabbit Society.

Easter Bunny Fever.

February 7, 2018 by Cara Quinn 4 Comments

Due to getting a bad case of the flu and having a slow recovery I totally missed getting this post of Cara’s up in time for Easter. Please read it and imagine yourself a week back in time :) -Erika

It’s Easter all over again. The one celebration I can sail through quite happily every year – although Christmas 2010 was a big one for me, being my son’s First Christmas outside of the womb.

I’m not exactly the Grinch who stole Christmas but it’s safe to say when your birthday is Christmas Eve, which mine is, you don’t enjoy Christmas so much. The fun and novelty of Christmas wears off when you’re about 9.

I get that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and I don’t take that lightly at all, I suppose, as a Christian I would prefer the focus to be on Baby Jesus rather than it being on heartburn, rubbish TV and stock piles of presents.

For Christmas we bought our son memorable and age appropriate toys. I knew he would be spoiled from a great height from all sides of our families – and he was – hence why I didn’t rush out and buy out my local mega toy super stores (plus that’s so not my style.) Everything seemed so overwhelming and once my husband and I made our decision not to splurge, we were no longer overwhelmed. Everything seemed easier.

For Easter it’s common in the UK to celebrate with a chocolate Easter Egg; usually filled with gummy sweets. With a 15 month old in tow to consider this can be tricky.

We took the route that we didn’t want to overload our son on sugary, processed chocolate and opted out of the Easter Egg thing. I’m still open to suggestion and comment on what, if anything, you would substitute for this.

Personally I’m happy to go down the route of getting him nothing, but I’m remaining open. I’m also thinking of hand-making something and once again I’m trawling through the Skip To My Lou blog for ideas.

Then I came across a treasure trove of Easter Printable’s on their website. And yes, admittedly, these Easter print-outs are for decorating a child’s table at the Easter dinner, but I thought it would be cute to make this for my son:

The beauty of this bag idea is that you can fill it with anything. You don’t have to stuff it full of treats – although treats are cool, too – but I think a bag full of jelly beans would make a little 15 month old’s tummy very sickly – especially a tummy that isn’t used to sugar. Add on top of that the fact it will probably take him about a year to eat the Easter chocolate he’s due to receive.

My ideas for the bag would be to fill it with little toys, or even pieces of dried fruit. No?

How about this:

An Egg Tree from Skip to My Lou.

I don’t have the time or sanity required for this beautiful creation, but it is an admirable homage to Easter. So, what handmade projects do you have in the pipeline for Easter?

Halloween Costumes

September 25, 2017 by Sarah Safranski Leave a Comment

Last year, I put my Halloween costume together at the very last minute. I thought I was pretty clever dressed up as Jazzerciser, complete with sweat bands, scrunch socks, tights, 80s makeup and a leotard. But, if I would have thought my costume through, I would have realized that a too short leotard can make for a very uncomfortable night on the town–yikes! This year, things are going to go a little bit differently. First of all, I’ll be planning in advance, instead of scouring the thrift store at the last minute, and secondly, I’ll be putting comfort and style before anything else.

It’s fun to play the vixen on Halloween, but I’ve always been drawn to the sweeter characters. This candy corn costume (sweet, get it?!) by I’m Your Present immediately caught my eye. You can’t get much more comfortable than a tent dress, and I love that this costume doesn’t require any heavy makeup in order to be believable.

A Halloween mask is a great way to stay comfortable and chic–think masquerade ball–during your trick-or-treating adventures. This red Rococo mask by Tom Banwell Designs is just breathtaking, and could easily be dressed up with a gown or worn with a more casual pants outfit. No matter how you style it, this mask is sure to stand out among the usual ghost, ghoul and witch costumes.

Decorative headbands are another great way to look cute and stay comfortable. I love the black bear headband by Em & Sprout, a great twist on the typical cat and bunny ears costume, but just as sweet. Similar to the mask, this headband can be worn with clothes you already own, and can be easily dressed up or down depending on your mood.

I haven’t decided what I’m going to be for Halloween yet this year, but no matter what I choose, I’ll be sure to skip the leotard!

**The witch painting featured at the top of this post was created by Wood Wings.

Easter all Grown Up

May 19, 2017 by Kristin Huston 1 Comment

[hKristin]

Easter is fast approaching, and while I am sure many of you are thinking about filling baskets for the kiddos, have you thought about what you are getting yourself for Easter? No? I’d like to encourage you to think about Easter as an invitation to bring spring into your home this year! Here are some great, grown-up options to help make your home Easter inspired and fresh as spring.

What would Easter be without the traditional bunny? Bunnies aren’t just for the kids though, you can easily incorporate a bunny or two into your home without it turning too childish. For example, try this graphic and fun bunny dish from Vessels and Wares. A clever nod to Easter, this dish will bring a smile to your face year round.

Celebrating spring has never been easier than with this gorgeous print from Ice Kubi. The spring-time colors and fluttering butterflies are sure to remind you of warm days and spring renewal even once we move into fall.

Spring often brings with it new outdoor activities and a resurgence of lunches, playdates, lessons and meetings. Keep track of all of your assorted activities using these adorable push pins from Paper Pumpkin. You will be organized in style!

At our house, spring was ushered in by the sound of birds tweeting outside our window. Bring these harbingers of breezy, sun-filled days indoors with this chickadee cup by Kristen K Swanson. Like the bunny dish, this cup takes an Easter emblem, sweet little birdies, and elevates them to adult sophistication.

Grown-ups may not get Easter baskets, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need a way to hold our stuff! These wonderful mini baskets from Cornerstone Designs would be useful and stylish on your desk, your dresser or anywhere in your home that you need to collect little odds and ends.

Another great storage option for spring is this wonderful trinket box by Fun Wall Art. This trinket box feels like a child’s box of treasures, but with a new sophistication! I love the combination of colors, flowers, and a little dash of sparkle.

Wall decals are hot, hot, hot this spring and I can’t think of any better way to bring nature into your home than with this cherry blossom decal by Off the Wall Expressions. Available in a myriad of color combos, this decal will suit any room and blows an instant breath of fresh air into your space.

Occasionally I come across something so fabulous, so fun, and so unique that I almost don’t want to share it with y’all for fear someone will buy it before I get the chance. This upcycled lamp from Bird Wing Productions is one of those items. I love the concept of creating something new out of something old and the colors and patterns feel fresh and perfect for spring. Plus, if you are a music lover, the whimsical nod to horns feels clever indeed.

This last item, a lovely bedside dresser from Semper Nova is another recycled item, and a bit of a tease since you would need to be local in order to pick it up. But I think the daring yellow color and the cool redesign is well worth showcasing, even if you don’t live close enough to buy it. Semper Nova is full of other fun redesigns and maybe this dresser will inspire you to do a little spring-time redesign of your own!

I hope that this week’s items have given you some ideas about ways to fill your own Easter basket, and your home, with spring inspired items! Next week we will be looking at special selections for Earth Day!