MAMABIRD & BABYBIRD FALL STYLE

I couldn't help myself. I love making these cute little style boards with matching Mom & Me clothes. In real life I'm lucky if I coordinate my clothes in color to Julian's.

Mama

shirt | jacket | jeans | boots 

Baby

shirt | jacket | jeans | boots

FROCK YEAH, AGAIN!

What do I love more than beautiful dresses? Ones I found tucked away in a little antique shop, on the cheap, and didn't have to bargain to get the deal. This kelly green dress with subtle turquoise flowers is just picture perfect. I can't wait for a fancy dinner party or wedding to get a chance to twirl my heart out.

LOCALLY GROWN // 01

I'm so excited to debut this blog series. Through the help of many sweet Etsy shop owners, I've been able to bring to you great selections focusing on the people selling awe-inspiring products who live in my backyard (or just a few hours from). 

First up in my series is a gal named Bess from Ruston, LA. She has a quaint, rustic shop named

Pippa Marx Studio. With photos that are simply dreamy and styled so well she could make Anthropologie blush, Bess is sure to wow any shopper searching for an eclectic, well-lived feeling for their home.

What got you started in selling vintage items on Etsy?

When I started selling repurposed and vintage décor, I was selling in local antique and vintage shops, in addition to a couple of local Facebook marketplace pages. I still do both of those, actually.  But I realized after a while that selling locally posed limits as far as style goes.  I love love love interior design and all different styles. I'm a sucker for rustic, industrial décor right now, but I also love those modern, chic, eclectically styled interiors.  In my area, rustic/shabby chic style is really popular, so that’s my focus locally. I wanted to find a place where I could reach a wider customer base, who appreciate all different styles, and Etsy has such a diverse customer base that it is the perfect spot for that!


How do you find your unique and diverse inventory?

SHOP SHOP SHOP!  I shop almost everyday.  I’m always searching for great little treasures wherever I go.  You’d be surprised what you find even on the street if you keep your eyes peeled!


What grabs your attention when your out searching for the next piece to sell?  

I really can't say that there's anything in particular that grabs my attention.  If I can picture it in my mind in an awesome environment, then I buy it!


How often do you plan on selling an item, but fall in love with it and keep it for your own?

Well that’s what is so amazing about my job!  I fall in love with everything I buy, and I get to use it in my home until it sells and then I get to replace it with something else!  I’m a creative person, so even before I started selling vintage décor I would constantly change and rearrange my home.  I love to create beautiful spaces, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to just “leave it alone.”  I always have to try something new, or I'll  get bored!


Would you ever open a storefront?  Or does having an Etsy shop make reaching a broader audience more successful?

What I love most about selling on Etsy is the freedom it allows me to have in my work day.  I had an outdoor apparel store here in Ruston a couple of years ago and I realized that I don’t enjoy sitting in one spot all day!  I like to be able to go shopping for new things at the spur of the moment or when an unexpected opportunity to buy something super cool comes up!  This lifestyle is perfect for the creative person and for those of us who hate time commitments.  Soooo, to answer your question… I would love to open a store one day!- but only when I am able to hire someone to actually be in a store when I cant be there.  But I imagine that I will always keep my Etsy shop open because of the diverse and awesome customer base!


Your item layouts in photos are so beautifully orchestrated.  Do you have any background in merchandising or marketing?

 I went to LSU and graduated with a degree in textiles/apparel/merchandising with a concentration in merchandising.   And I've worked in retail for many years so I've had a lot of practice.

TEN THINGS TO FALL FOR

Hello there, Fall! In Louisiana we're lucky to see it for about a week, so now that it's finally getting chilly I am boasting the fall spirit.

ONE 

Pumpkin Patches 

TWO

Homemade Apple Cider 

THREE

Cardigans

FOUR

Pumpkin Muffins 

FIVE 

Campfires 

SIX 

Picnics 

SEVEN 

Leaf Piles

EIGHT 

Fab Fall Boots

NINE 

Stargazing Trips

TEN

Starting Christmas Gifts 

Time to get up and enjoy the season! I'm super excited for a little extra free time in my life that's coming soon. Which means more recipes, style pics, a new blog series (stoked for this!), and much more. 

THREE YEARS OLD

 Happy Third Birthday little Juju! I can't believe in just three years he has become such a little person. He has opinions (strong ones), little jokes, and plays pretend pretty convincingly. Today we had a little family birthday party and he had a great time with his cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Here are just a few pictures. As much as I wanted to run around snapping away little moments, I had a lot of partying to do :) Can't wait for next year!

 My twin and her little girl are just the cutest together.  

LOOKING FOR ADVERTISERS

For the first time Laniebird Designs is offering advertisement space for anyone interested! For 300 pixels x 143 pixels it's is $40 a year or $5 a month. For a larger ad of 300 px x 600 px it's only $60/year or $7 a month. 

If you want to advertise but don't have a rad ad for the space? I can help you with that! For $20-40 I will design an ad for the small or large size. Want something more snazzy - like a moving ad? Can do! Just contact me for further details. 

REACH ME AT laniebirddesigns@gmail.com

Yums! Repicci's Italian Ice

Although summer was just here, I'm already starting to miss the longer daylight hours and the road trips. I definitely still crave the tastes of summer, and Repicci's Italian Ice has so many delicious, bright flavors one can slip into flip flops and feel like summer is back on. A big bonus is that it's Dairy Free (Ryan, who is allergic to dairy, is fond of this). Italian Ice, if you are not familiar, is much like a slushy or sorbet. It's very light, fruity, and a delicious drink if it happens to melt. 

If you want your own taste of sweet, sweet summer, you can find Repicci's Italian Ice at Sam's Club. Check out their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and let them know how much you like their Italian Ice!

JUST THINKING

unknown artist

Pictured above is a bit of an artistic interpretation of how I currently feel. I am working so hard at my day job, working so hard at my side business, working so hard at being a good girlfriend and mom, I just feel torn in all directions - but it only unleashes my inner amazingness that flourishes under pressure. 

I have very little time to myself, something that I need to start planning a special time for (I've come to enjoy morning coffee and cleaning the kitchen before my son wakes up). I love being so busy, I'm just trying to keep up with it all and not forget anything.

here are some lovely things I wish I had time for: 

»–1–> MUSCADINE ROSE HAND PIE RECIPE 

»–2–> TEXTURED PLANTER PROJECT

»–3–> 25 PROJECTS THAT'LL MAKE YOU SMILE

»–4–> LEARN TO MAKE A SUFFOLK PUFF QUILT LIKE NANNIE

SKETCHES

Back in '08 I took a Fashion class in California. It was a lot of fun, but also very educational since we were taught about textiles and pricing. The final for that class was to design a fashion line, and we had to have everything planned out, down to where it would be produced, for how much and how much we would sell it for. Let me tell you that if I could sew I would totally rule the fashion world ;)

The line was inspired by this swatch of vintage fabric I found in a FREE bin at a antique store. It reminded me of camouflage so I made a line I called "Love is War". It's cliché, but I was really into that military trend back then. I look at some of my designs and wonder are they dated? Do they stand up after 5 years?

On a side note - can't wait for November! A lot of plans for Laniebird Designs are in the works and I can't wait to get them out for you!