Tuesday, March 27, 2012

A little Inspiration From the Lovely Britt + Whit


Last month my friend and rock star photog Sarah Deragon of Portraits To The People had a shoot with none other than San Francisco's most adored fashion bloggers Britt + Whit.


Portraits To The People 2012
I'm a big fan of Britt + Whit and love that their style is all about pulling it together, instead of relying on big names and price tags.  I'm always so inspired by their looks!  Sarah took some great shots, of course and when giving the pics a second look, I noticed that the featured looks had a similar color palette to the Zelma Rose Spring/Summer 2012 Collection.  I thought why not have a little fun of my own!  What follows are some ZR pieces I paired up with the lovely looks from Brit + Whit.  All photos of Brit + Whit are taken by Sarah Deragon.





















Thursday, March 22, 2012

Luke Haynes Makes Me Salivate

Early this morning I was up to my usual 4am business.  Reading through my emails and catching up on Etsy.  There is so much talent on Etsy, I wish I had more time to explore.  I'm always so appreciative when another shop owner favorites one of my designs and I use this as a way to connect and see what is going on in the wide world of Etsy.  Following the thread of one of my designs, I happened upon Luke Haynes. Uh, how I was unaware of Luke I have no idea. That rock I've been living under is bigger than I thought!  Luke is a quilter, and a very skilled one at that and I have the feeling he is also kind of a genius.

Quilt Art: (Iconography 7) Rags to Riches


I have a super primitive reaction when something creative hits me aesthetically in a way that I cannot deny. I literally drool.   Yeah, Luke Haynes, you make me salivate! I am so floored by Luke's work that I do not even really know what to say.  Perhaps there is nothing to say.  Let's just look and salivate.

[Man Stuff #1] Hammer


[The-American-Context-#5]-American-Gothic



[The-American-Context-#5]- Detail American-Gothic



For more about Luke Haynes be sure to check out his website, Facebook page and Etsy Shop.  He's kind of a big deal.  Thanks Luke, for getting my morning started off right.  

xo

Lisa


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Wonderful Wonderful Weddings


There is something about a wedding.  When I think of my own wedding, now nearly 9 years ago, it seems like yesterday.  I remember so many things from my wedding day, but the two that stand out the most are, when my Grammy & Papa Joe stopped the music to sing a specially prepared version of It Had to Be You to Matt and I and when we looked out at the gathering of our friends and family after we said our vows.  Love was in the air!

Zelma Rose Handmade Goods Pocket Squares

A few months ago I was contacted by a customer requesting an order of Zelma Rose Pocket Squares for their wedding party.  I blogged about creating this particular order, because the bunny rabbit fabric is one of my all time favorites!  Here is the link to the post.  Tara & Brett, the bride and groom were nice enough to send me a few photos from their special day.  I'm so honored!  As a follow up, I thought you might all like to see the ZR Pocket Squares in action at this very lovely Edmonton wedding.  What to say, except perfect!!  Well done you two!

Diamond Cake Photography


Diamond Cake Photography

Diamond Cake Photography
I'm always curious to see how my unbelievably fashionable customers make Zelma Rose designs their own.  I am loving the fold on the Pocket Square!! So crisp and clean!  And let's just say a few words about the pictures.  Great, right?!  I went on over to the Diamond Cake Photography website and wow.  Beautiful work ladies!!

Thanks again to Tara & Brett for letting us take a peek at their beautiful celebration!

Happy Tuesday Love Birds,

xo

Lisa

Friday, March 16, 2012

Feature Friday: Wed & Roses Launch

I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new shop Wed & Roses.  



 Wed & Roses specializes in personalized hand embroidered wedding cake toppers!

 
For all you brides out there looking for a beautiful way to add a personalized indie-craft touch to your wedding, I've got you covered!  I created a special selection of customizable choices based on the most popular wedding color combinations of the season.  Not only do Wed & Roses cake toppers make a beautiful addition to your special day, they serve as an heirloom that can be framed or shadow boxed. Cake toppers can also be used during your wedding as a photo prop, I include and extra stick for that ;)



I'm so very excited to say that I have received my very first order!  A custom heart in grey & orange for an upcoming spring wedding.   I just love making these toppers!  Here are some pics of the topper in process.



    Almost ready for the finishing touches. 

Wishing you all a happy Friday!  What are your plans this weekend?  Anything crafty?

xo
Lisa

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Zelma Rose Look Book 2012

Okay, so I've been talking about this for weeks!  The Zelma Rose 2012 Look Book has arrived!

Here's the backstory...

The process of creating a look book was completely new to me.  I'm used to creating visual displays on a much smaller scale, mostly in my product photography and craft show displays for Zelma Rose.
To be honest I was a bit stumped when it came to telling a STORY about my designs through photography.  I had a few very clear ideas, using some really cool vintage pieces of furniture and some great props like an old fabric tape measure and the like.  When my photographer Sarah, of Portraits To The People arrived for the shoot, the weather was so nice and warm, that she suggested we shoot outside.  Perfect, except I had not given thought to setting up outdoors without any props!!



What happened next was pretty darn cool.  I ignored every single urge within me to move the shoot back inside.  I totally put myself in Sarah's hands, after all she is a professional and I chose her to shoot the Look Book, so why don't I just step back and let her do her job.   Success! Sarah's vision guided the shoot and the Look Book is AWESOME!  I'm so very happy with the finished result and I hope that you all are too.

Without further due, here is a selection of the lovely photos taken by Sarah Deragon of Portraits to the People.  Take a look at my official website for the entire Look Book.

Portraits To The People
Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People

Portraits To The People


Portraits To The People


What's your favorite?

xo

Lisa

Monday, March 12, 2012

Try and Catch the Wind: Finding the Feeling Behind Your Business.

Happy Monday!  Today I borrowed from my Blog Post over at Awfully Grand. 
I wanted to share with all of you the creative process behind the new Zelma Rose website, Etsy Shop, and well, everything!  

This weekend, I spent a good amount of time knee deep in my website. Truth be told, Zelma Rose Handmade Goods, is looking pretty! I have a brand new Look Book shot by the super talented Sarah Deragon of Portraits To The People, a new logo, new designs and I'm loving this pink thing going on (Thanks Molly of Rabbit Foot Fern)!


In re-branding and working towards a more modern feel, I also wanted to say something new to my customers. Hiring people I trust to help guide my vision was invaluable. When we spend so much time, love and energy invested in our work, I think we can lose perspective of the bigger picture. I had been having a difficult time stepping back, looking at my designs and hearing what they had to say. Both Sarah & Molly were able to reflect my vision back to me, in ways that I didn't even know were there. They simply saw things that I couldn't. The photos in the Look Book have such a fresh and romantic look. The pictures, paired with Molly's beautiful and feminine pink logo, really solidified for me the message behind my designs and it is far different than the one I started with nearly 2 years ago.

www.elsiejoy.etsy.com

I'm a big fan of Lightbox SF and had worked with Genevieve on finding the story of Zelma Rose. I worked through many exercises, made inspiration boards and was, with Genevieve's help, nearly there, but something was still missing. I couldn't quite grasp the FEELING of my designs. What does someone who wears them feel? What do they dream about? What are they saying to the world? I was stuck.

It turns out, what I needed were fresh eyes. Sarah and Molly were looking at Zelma Rose from just enough of a distance to take in the the full picture. I gave both artists guidance, but they each followed their own thread to come to conclusions about who and what Zelma Rose is. A total game changer for me! With their images in front of me, full of feeling, I just needed to write!

Over viewing the Look Book photos and glowing about my new logo and branding goodies, a Bob Dylan song verse came to mind.

When sundown pales the sky,
I want to hide a while behind your smile,
And everywhere I look your eyes I find.
For me to love you now, would be the sweetest thing,
T'would make me sing,
Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind.
~Bob Dylan Catch the Wind

I love this song. The lyrics, the music, it could very well be the perfect song, but why? I needed to connect with how I feel when I hear this song. Was it weird to create a company mission statement based upon a song? Probably. I fought it for a while, but the song persisted, so I made a list, a long list of words that come to mind when I hear Dylan's song. The over all result were words that describe the feeling of being in love. Fresh, breezy, carefree, romantic, fun, hopeful, love. The Zelma Rose feeling is a kin to swinging on a swing and leaning far back to feel the wind in your hair. Who doesn't love that!?

The rest happened rather quickly and creating a statement around this feeling kind of happened out of it's own momentum.

Here's the result:

Romantic. Refined. Modern & always illuminating. At Zelma Rose Handmade Goods we believe in beautiful design, fine hand craftsmanship, LOVE & going barefoot.

I'm still working on all of this. Everything is a process, it seems, but I am a lot closer that I was a few months ago. I'm a big believer of letting things breathe, especially when it comes to creativity. Seek out help with your business. Hire people you trust and LET THEM DO THEIR JOB! That's key.

What are you working toward this week? How did you find the feeling behind your own work?

Happy Monday!

xo

Lisa

Friday, March 9, 2012

Feature Friday: The Button Necklace

Happy Friday!  I hope you are all excited for a lovely weekend.  This has been a busy week and I am certainly ready for some rest and relaxation! For Feature Friday, I thought I would talk about the Zelma Rose Button Necklace.
Portraits To The People 2012

I re-worked this design for Spring/Summer 2012 and I'm oh so happy with the results.  New fabrics, and all charms are now in a beautiful antique brass setting with a convertible chain. 




I have been wearing these a lot and the convertible chain has been amazing!  I love the detail of the lobster clasps on either side when worn long and the chunkiness of the chain worn doubled up.  This necklace is just so much fun to create!  I love picking out the different fabrics.   I'm like a kid in a candy store!  






 This necklace is proving to be my go to spring accessory. What's your favorite springtime accessory?

Happy Weekend!

XO

Lisa

Thursday, March 8, 2012

A Little Thursday Love

This week has just flown by.  I have been having so much fun over at the Awfully Grand Blog, posting about essential tips for your small business.  Etsy has been a flurry of activity and I was surprised with an order by a most lovely friend from SoCal!  She picked the Grey & Yellow Geo, one of my favorite button necklaces.  Here's a pic:


Speaking of Geo, I was featured in an Etsy Treasury this week, that I just love!! I'm really liking the soft blues and oranges.  Reminds me of summers at the beach.


Also, so very excited about the Zelma Rose & Taylor Made giveaway! Have you heard?  Taylor has a great blog about fashion, crafting and the wonderful ups and downs of her daily life.  There is a Zelma Rose Journal up for grabs, so go check it out! 



I'm still busy putting together my Look Book, editing my website, FB page and Blog design!  It has been so much fun.  I'll keep you posted on the process :)

Happy Thursday!

xo

Lisa