fresh picked whimsy

Under the Sea Valentines to You, Love Me

Hi Friends! I appreciate all of you so much. Please enjoy and share these FREE printable Valentines and know that they came straight from my heart! xo 

Christmas Pop Up Wrap Up!

 

I know, I know...it's January and I'm just now posting pics from our Christmas Pop Up.  I'm trying to play catch up.  There's so much going on in the studio right now, but I don't want to bypass all of the great stuff that happened over the holidays.  So, I'm going to show you all of the fun things I made for Christmas and how amazing our pop up was!

I had never had my pop up over the Thanksgiving weekend, but I decided to give it a go this year.  I kicked it off with a midnight madness opening on Thanksgiving night.  It was insane! There were people waiting at the door when we opened and then in a matter of minutes, we were wall to wall customers.  Truly, the line to check out was to the door!  I couldn't believe it!

I asked Katie to decorate my front door.  I gave her the words I wanted it to say and just gave her free reign to do it up.  Seriously, she's amazing.  My niece Megan helped her fill in some little snowflakes.  How cute are they?

Then, I asked her to create something on my chalkboard wall in the kitchen.  I wanted it to say 'have a holly jolly Christmas', but again, told her she could do anything she wanted for the design. My jaw hit the floor when she was done. 

I loved it so much that I asked her to make it into a print. 

We gave the prints away to everyone who came for the midnight madness and then sold them for the remainder of the weekend.  They're also available in my etsy shop.  They are my favorite!!!!

I was incredibly inspired this holiday and incredibly busy! It was kind of nuts. These are a few of the fun wood signs I made.  They were all different sizes and shapes...

These were 2.5 feet long!...

and these were my favorite...made to lean on your front porch or entryway.

I found that yummy plaid fleece and it inspired me to make these...which I've made a few more of for Valentine's...again, in the shop!

I thought these were kind of fun...

We had a yummy hot cocoa bar set up for the weekend...

I invited my friend Jenny Elkins to join me for this sale.  We love working together.  I think our work complements each other.  We're both on the whimsical side, but definitely each have a unique style.  We had to capture this moment when we realized that Katie, Jenny and I were all wearing black and white stripes...

These were my new ornaments this year.  The wine glasses were a big hit!

Santa was a jolly addition to the collection this year...

and who doesn't love a giant candy cane?

I added a few new designs to my prayer candles this season.  Ones for your loved ones and ones for world peace...

I created a few new magnets/pin back buttons, too...

This guy came about because I had a piece of scrap wood sitting on my table and I sketched it out while I was on the phone one day.  He just makes me smile...

Phew! Last picture, I promise.  Thanks for hanging in there with me.  I told you I was inspired this year! :)  I'm already busy working on fun things for spring and summer.  This was the last sign I made before Christmas, but I think it works year-round.  Everyone needs a little sparkle in their everyday life!  Don't you think?

 

 

 

2015 Yummy October Pop-Up Shop was magical!

Dreamy, Lovely, Cozy, Octobery

Yes, yes, I just made up that word.  But, it describes our weekend sale perfectly! The weather on Friday was grey and chilly, which made our pop up shop so inviting! But then on Saturday, the weather was crisp and bright and the sky was a vivid blue...which also felt like autumn perfection!  Everyone who came seemed to be ready for the change of season.  We're definitely feelin' all the good feels after a very successful and fun Yummy October Pop Up Shop!

My parents lovingly made all of the paper chains we had hung up on the studio ceiling! Definitely added to the festivity of the room! I had a lot of fun making the glittered magic wands...they came from a magical place...the back yard! They were a fun addition to our tablescape!

Had so much fun doing this with my friends Jenny and Stacey.  Our artsy stuff seems to really complement one another...my art, Jenny's art and Stacey's antiques, furniture and upcycled home goods.  We work really well together.

Come in, grab a hot cup of coffee or some cider and a few sweet nibbles and take your time browsing...oh how I wish all of my sweet friends from the blogosphere could have come...

Stacey made fun Halloween garlands from vintage bingo cards, I sold quite a few of those dotty horseshoe door hangers and how cute is that skull canvas from Jenny?

Stacey found me some really great old books and I hand painted over the covers and spines to turn them into spooky spell books...

I kept Mark busy once again, in the workshop making these fun hats...

 

and these sweet ghosts... {that's a brand new print, too! You can find it in our shop}

Jenny made these amazing witches' brooms...so creative!

 

and some really fun hand painted pillows, too.  I had to add this one to the McDonough family Halloween décor collection...

Just like last year, I painted tons and tons of these striped monogram pumpkins, too.  This year I had more orders for the faux pumpkins than real ones!

 
these tall signs were a hit, too.  I should have taken a pic of them before the sale day...there were lots of them in lots of colors.  This is all I had left at the end of the day!

and finally, probably my favorite new item from the Pop Up Shop is our Family Rules sign.  This is something that I've had many requests for over the years.  I've seen them all over the place, but I wanted to make it my own in my own style.  It's also available in our etsy shop and I'm taking orders for them until Dec. 1st for Christmas delivery.  It's totally personalized and I will help you compose your family rules...

and, I had to do it, friends...a Halloween version of our Daydreaming Yard Signs!

 I am jumping right into Christmas making this week.  I'm not ready to transform the studio into a winter wonderland yet, but I do have the Christmas music playing! I'll be announcing the date for my Christmas Open Studio very soon.  In the meantime, thank you to everyone who stopped by this weekend and for all of the supportive messages and comments from those who couldn't!  I got to meet so many new friends and some who have been long time facebook and instagram followers! That was awesome! Thanks to Stacey and Jenny, too...same time next year?! xo  

Enjoy this beautiful season, friends!

{Stacey supplied the bushel baskets and I painted them!  Mums by Costco!}

Let's just pretend

hello, friends

Let's pretend that it hasn't been months since I last blogged.  ok? I promise that everything is ok.  I've sincerely just been crazy busy.  And as always, when I've lagged in my blogging...I've missed it.  So, I'm back.  And, I don't even know where to begin! I have so much to share with you, but I don't want to overblog it all, so i'll just catch you up in bits.  If you follow me on instagram  {@lorimcdonough} then maybe you're not as behind as I think!

The holidays were a blur.  It's always busy in retail, but on top of that...my family was sick.  So was I. That was a bummer.  When I last blogged, I was getting ready for my big Christmas open studio.  It did not disappoint.  Just a few pics from the event...

Ornaments were a new item for us this year.  They were a BIG hit!  My hubby cut each one out for me and I hand painted each one. 

another big hot item this year...

that's an abbreviated recap of Christmas in whimsy studios.  I will be back tomorrow with more (non-holidays)! 

xo

 

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Gosh, i hope you can come! I promise to put you in the holiday spirit with all kinds of holiday goodness and cheer! xo

 

seeing stripes

Wow

These striped pumpkins were "the" item to buy at the pop up shop.  Who knew?

I've painted them for my friends in years past...just a silly little gift that i left on their doorstep each October. 

For the sale, i only made 7 ahead of time and left the black monogram oval blank.  My intention was to take orders for them and then they could be picked up next day.

and then i sold 37 of them.  what? 37?!

Some of those sales came from the instagram pic i posted (above).  I posted the pic, and then went into the middle school for an event for Griffin.  They have no signal in that school.  One hour later, when i came out...my phone was overflowing with messages and comments requesting pumpkins.  It was nuts.

The trickiest part was finding enough of the right sized pumpkins locally.  SO many places had pumpkins that were damaged, too small or had no stems.  Shout out to my sweet husband who went to a pumpkin patch on his lunch hour, in the rain, his work clothes and brought home a trunk full of wonderful pumpkins!  Whatta guy.  One night we were heading into Lowe's and i spied a few good ones at the bottom of a deep bin at the entrance of the store.  Again, still in work clothes, he reached in to lift the chubby pumpkins out and accidentally fell in, head first!!!!  My only regret is that i didn't get a photo of his feet flailing out of the bin.  We had a good chuckle after that.  So did the Lowe's guys who saw the whole thing go down.  ♥

It took me a week to paint them all.  Meanwhile our house looked like a pumpkin patch.  A very cute and preppy pumpkin patch.

Once again, thank you friends!  Happy Halloween!

the yummiest

Finally getting around to blogging about our first ever fall open studio... the Whimsy Studios Yummy October Pop Up Shop!  It was amazing!!!

As i told you before, i had some special guests join me for this sale.  We had originally planned to hold this event under white tents in my front yard and then spill into the studio.  Mother Nature had other plans and gave us a rainy, blustery, cold weekend.  So, plan B...we squeezed it all into the studio.  When we first brought it all in to begin staging, we were overwhelmed, but somehow, it just fell into place perfectly and the studio was transformed into this cozy, magical shop. 

Let me show you around...

My friend and neighbor Stacey, of The Rusty Toolbox brought all of the fun vintage stuff and my sister Susan, of The Gingham Chair brought the re-loved painted furniture.  We had so much fun doing this   sale together.  It was sweet having co-workers for a change!

My sweet Katie and her adorable roommates surprised me and drove down from school just for a few hours.  Those crazy kids made my day!

Susan and I really missed our sister Kim, who lives in Georgia.  Couldn't resist taking a family selfie "with her" when my parents stopped by...

These striped monogram pumpkins were the surprise hit of the day for me.  More on those tomorrow...

Thank you, so much to everyone who came out to support us!  I loved meeting so many new people.  It really was a blast! It was a huge success and we will do it again!  Next up for me is my Holiday Open Studio, the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Susan and Stacey will be participating in the Holiday Market on Cherry Tree in Noblesville on November 8th. 

It will be November at the end of this week, so it's time to get crack-a-lackin'!

Thank You, friends!!!!

cozy it up

 Been working on new whimsy studios things for the upcoming holidays.  Playing with ideas that have been rolling around in my noodle.  These newbies are straight out of my sketchbook...

and even a little Christmas in July!...

I've got so much more to share with you.  Stay tuned! 

 

it's all about mom

 i had a lovely Mother's Day, how about you?  i spent the weekend planting flowers and getting our yard all prettied up. 

Everyone pitches in and helps Mom...spreading mulch, cutting in flower beds and power washing the deck and nobody complains...happy Mom's Day to me!  i look forward to this weekend all winter long! 

Katie came home from school.  She's out for summer!  The boys only have 3 weeks of school left and we are gearing up for a graduation party, too.  Lots going on around here!

Aside from the yard work help, my kiddos know the way to my heart is something handmade...

Riley made this sign and set his alarm for super early Sunday morning so he could hang it up on the front porch.  He was so bummed to discover it had rained overnight and everything was wet.  So, he hung it over the fireplace, instead.  ♥

Katie made these cuties...

I made something homemade for my Mama, too.  I was inspired by this on Pinterest. 

Those are all of her grandbabies...

Katie, Riley & Luke

Griffin & Ben

Sam, Megan & Cole

It was a pretty simple DIY

• I searched high and low for flower pots that were smooth without a lip and finally settled on these simple paint cans from Lowe's. I think they were $2.99 each. 
• They were silver metal and i simply spray primed and painted each one. 
• My hubs drilled 3 smallish holes in the bottom of each one for drainage.
• I asked my sisters to send me face pics of the kids and asked them to fill the frame with their faces.  I had the pics printed at CVS and cut them out. 
• I trimmed the top of their heads off below their hairline
• I applied mod podge to the surface to adhere the picture to the pot and allowed it to dry. 
• Then, i covered the picture and entire pot with mod podge, using horizontal strokes around the pot.  Again, allow to dry thoroughly. 
• I sprayed them with an acrylic clear coat.  Dry.
• I filled them with potting soil and succulents. 

My Mom has a VERY green thumb and loved these little additions to her porch and gardens.

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful mom... (i have always loved this picture of her!)

and to Mark's Mom in heaven...we sure missed celebrating you yesterday.

to mommies everywhere...you are awesome!

My friend shared this with me yesterday.  So cute...and true.

 

they make me happy

these are my people.  they bring sunshine to my every day.

Easter hams...

photo bomb...

my parents have really learned to embrace the selfie.  they are so cool...

cousins...

always missing our family in georgia...

so thankful for face time, snapchats and instagram...and for big family vacations planned for this summer, where we will all be together! 

SO blessed!

♥