irene carole: 09/01/2008

Chris Creatures

I loved all of Chris' creatures. I just had to share them with you! My fav is the Pocky!

This is Chris. She Rocks!

I'm so excited about this week's collection. I actually had the chance to meet the beautiful minds behind Something's hiding in here, over the weekend at Crafty. Not only are they brilliantly talented and creative ... but they are such sweethearts!!!

Shauna & Stephen's kindness made my day by giving me a little unexpected freebie at the show and as soon as I had the time to, I shot them an email over at their amazing blog to let them know how much I appreciated their generosity and kindess. If you haven't seen their stuff I suggest you visit their shop and blog pronto!!

As you can see their products are too cute for words and I love their muted
color pallet as well as their Gocco printed totes, bags, and signs.

One of my favorite finds at their booth were their mustache products.
Looking for a "costume on a stick?" Grab a Mustache of your own.
What a fun idea.

Also, have you heard of the window project: Your Message Here ?
Shauna & Stephen are the genius behind this window installation at Urban.

Meet Stephen & Shauna!

They both look great in with a mustache don't you think?

Shauna & Stephen, You both rock !!!

Stay posted because Rini & Faith is taking on another of many projects
and will be starting a new mini interview series with other Etsyian &
Artists a like ... Shauna & Stephen's interview will be up in a few days.

Check out their stuff: Something's hiding in here,
Your Message Here and their Shop

PG Rated!

Ben: last night your name came up on our way home
from Rein's party... we were just talking about how your
life and spirit-filled attitude is so encouraging...
you are rated PG... PG for Praise God!!

It's been what's felt like ages since I've gotten my daily dose of the Bratchers and today I just so happen to finally meet my Bratcher quota of the day with a conversation online with Mr. Ben himself. I've missed Ben & Ruby all summer long but I know God's kept all of us busy as bees. Every time I speak with the Bratchers it never ceases to amaze me at how blessed I am by the end of every conversation and of course today was no exception. I heart the Bratchers.

At the Cross

In every season
I know You love me.

Random Acts of Art

Going to and fro the crafty fair we found random acts of art.

Bastard Bags

No cover charge, but freebies and Bastard bags!!

{I love people watching}

Lovely

My 3 scarf infatuations.

1. Pink Raccoon Chandelier scarf

2. Madewell scarf

3. Urban Outfitters Open Knit Oblong Scarf

Burnin' up

I woke up this morning with this song on repeat in my head.

The Jonas Brothers are so freaking contagious ... haha.

I'm sad I'll be missing Gabe Bondoc this friday at Mason ...

But for all you in the VA-DC-MD area

Gabe Bondoc,

LeeJay Acubcayan

and The Boogie Bots

are all performing at the A Gawad Kalinga Benefit Show
this friday at GMU. Tickets at the door are only $20 come
out and show your support and enjoy an amazing show!!!

Rini & Faith CONTEST!!!

Hello everybody! It's Fall!! And It's about that time of the year where we bring out the costumes and the candy. We at Rini & Faith have a pretty sweet idea but need your help, and if you help us out you could win two free Rini & Faith hats!!!! Now presenting the ...

Here's how it works: For only one week {Sep 29-Oct5} We need YOU to submit to us your best idea for a pair of hats. In Tagalog Halo-Halo translates into "mix-mix" so we need you to give us your best idea of a mix of two characters, or animals or something like that, so we can turn them into hats.

{For example: Cat & Mouse, Apples & Oranges, etc...}

Now it's your turn!! Get creative and share with us why your idea works. Also do keep in mind that these are ideas we want to be able to construct by hand so don't get to fancy. You're time is limited and the earlier you submit your ideas the better. We can't wait to see what creative ideas you have in mind!!

Here's how you win: Submit your ideas as a comment on the Rini & Faith blog or Convo us via our Etsy shop. And Tuesday morning {Oct7} we will announce the winner on the Rini & Faith blog.

The Winner will receive a free pair of hats constructed from their winning idea, and their hats will also be listed in the Rini & Faith Etsy shop till Oct 31 for others to purchase and wear as well. Knock us out!

Ready, Set, GO!
{enter contest here}

I Heart Craft { ...sigh }

Today was to amazing for words, and in all my exhaustion I'm going to wait to blog up
a storm about Crafty Bastards over the next few days ... but I did want to leave you with
a little preview of the day's amazingness.

{tons more to come!}

"I'd Hit that" list

Crafty Bastards tomorrow!!!

Here's the list of booths I must "hit" tomorrow!

1. Craftzine ... My go-to crafty mag. and free button making all day
2. My Paper Crane I always look at their site, and see their work in craft books.
3. MY FAVORITE MIRROR! love them, {here's my favorite mirror}
4. The Small Object ... found their stuff in SC
5.BarBar Press ... love their products and Etsy shop.
6. Art Whino had their amazing stuff up at Art-o-matic
7. Mogo ...I've been eyeing them on the vendors list, can't wait to check them out
8. Sewing stars = cuteness for days!
9. Squid Fire looks like fun ... great tees

And that's about it. It's an uneven number, I know,
but those are my must see for tomorrow.

I can't wait to be one Crafty Bastard!

Rainbows

I saw a rainbow today.
So I sang a song.

Welcome to Lady Foot Locker! How can I help you?

Look who made her first sale!!!

$298 for my first sale.

Not bad ey?

The Work Of Your Fingers

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

what is man that You are mindful of him,

and the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:3-4).

Today's devotion reminded me that of all the pretty things I can make with my little hands I am nothing compared to the "work of {His} fingers". Even the rain that is gently falling on ground outside is the work of His fingers.

Happy Friday.

And another one

A few months ago I shot this ... at my first engagement shoot.

The experience was amazing and since then I believe I've grown as a photographer, or least I've been working on it. I just went though "old film", as the saying goes, critiquing the things I did right and the things I need to work on, taking notes as I went along. Also I've been hunting down as much inspiration as possible by flipping through magazine left and right, or fiddling with actions on Photoshop to get the effects I've been admiring from other photographers, or my favorite of all ... browsing through online portfolios for hours upon hours.

How ever inspiration seems to find me, I praise God for other creative minds who stir up creative juices and who inspire. I don't know what I'd do without inspiration like that.

So why the sudden search for even more inspiration? Another shoot that is.

Next month, Engagement shoot Numero Dos!

This week's craftiness

I put away the hooks, and sewed up a storm.

{This was last week's bag .. just thought
I'd take it out for a shoot with the others}

{reversible bag}

New Mac Sacs.

Now to catch up on hat orders.

The Crafty Countdown!!!

3 days till
Crafty Bastards!!!

Goodmorning

Hello there beautiful.

21st night

This past Sunday was tons of fun. Praise band practice was more complicated than we all anticipated but worship was great. I am sooo extremely blessed to be surrounded by such talented and beautiful sisters every sunday {and ... brothers as well}.

After church sister dearest, Em-em dearest and I headed out for another surprisingly romantic sunday night, just us girls. Before heading to our fav vintage shop, The Mustard Seed, we found ourselves a flea market to enjoy.

After a bit more walking we found ourselves on Bethesda Row for some dining and desserts. We went to Cosi for the most amazing Apple pie, then headed to the bookstore for a few hours of reading fun. By the time we called it a night and walked out on the streets again ... to our surprise we found the streets alive with people eating and walking, enjoying one of the few warm nights out.

Twas the 21st night of September.

September Surprises

To say that this past Saturday was chaotic, is an understatement. Me and my entire fam bam planned the party of the year for my Aunt's 50th birthday. We had a guest list of about 80 people, a time frame of only 3 and a half hours to set up with a limited set of helping hands, and a houseful of surprise for my Aunt.

I got to do all the flower arrangements, though I doubted myself at the beginning, and I was in charge of my aunt's Birthday DVD. Everything turned out swell ... besides the surprise itself, one of my favorite moments of the night was when the sun went down and the back yard lit up with the candles and christmas lights. {Have you ever looked for christmas lights in September? Crazy!}

The night was great fun, full of friends and family,
food and desserts galor, and lots of dancing and laughter.

Ica's got ...

... a new job! YAY! Praise God!!

Need new shoes?
hehe

FOUND YOU!!!

It's been about a year since my adventure to South Carolina with my bff but I still haven't forgotten this beauty I was eyeing. We were out shopping one of those days and this girl walked in with an amazing necklace on. I've been trying to hunt it down ever since ... making do with branches and leaves ... but this necklace that started me on my infatuation with "nature" inspired necklaces. Mod Cloth carries these beauties for only $15. I this will be my treat to myself for getting a new job!! hehe.

Here's a little tune to keep your ears happy over the weekend.

{Listen: Eric . Marie . Justin}

Happiest weekend to you!!!

Morning by Morning

The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

Isaiah 50:4-6

irene carole