50% OFF SALE 12/27 - 12/30

check out the store for some really great end of year specials. all children's shirts and select women's shirts are 50% off through 12/30/08!! all orders placed by 12/30/08 will be shipped on new year's eve.

visit b hive designs or my etsy shop today!

what to do on a snow day

the past week has been the snowiest week in portland since i've lived here. luckily i'm not a complete stranger to snow. even though i grew up in southern california, husband and i lived in the mountains in new mexico and in colorado for a bit, so i've lived in snow and more importantly driven in snow. but when you live in a city that doesn't normally see snow, you get a little trapped. portland is just not equipped to deal with the snow. we have a lot of hills, very few snow plows, no salt trucks, freezing rain, and a lot of inexperienced drivers on the road. so to say the least we're getting a bit of the cabin fever.




so what do you do when you're not sledding in a canoe in the snow....

....you eat, cook, bake, and create indoors. here is what i decided to create today.







chocolate-pecan toffee. i have made this little treat to give as gifts to friends and family for christmas the past few years. this candy is a personal favorite of mine and my family. every year husband gives me a hard time about giving away all of the candy. i have actually made him his own special batch in years past, but it usually disappears in one evening......obviously a case of selective memory. so try a batch for yourself, and see if you can manage to keep them in the house.

chocolate-pecan toffee
2 sticks of room temperature butter (unsalted)
+ a little more to butter the pan
1/3 c. water
1 c. sugar
2 c. chopped pecans
a handful of halved pecans
8 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tbsp corn syrup

butter a 9-inch pan. line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (butter paper too). heat the butter and water until the butter is melted, then add the sugar. stir constantly on med-high heat until it turns a med-dark amber color. (you can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush away sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan). remove from heat and add the chopped pecans. pour into the 9-inch pan & spread across the bottom of the pan. let cool.

warm the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan with simmering water. you can add the corn syrup to the chocolate at this point (optional). once the chocolate has melted, spread it over the pecan toffee. arrange the halved pecans on top of the chocolate.

once the chocolate is cool, you can cut into small squares.....then eat.....enjoy!

only a few more days to shop handmade in 2008!!!!

the past couple of months have been pretty hectic for me and my family. i have been working at an event for almost every weekend since the beginning of october (except for a short reprieve in paris....oh, paris). when you have children weekends do not tend to be restful. as a matter of fact they tend to be incredibly busy, with soccer games, swim class, play dates, art classes, music classes, etc., etc. while most families are tidying up their homes from a week's worth of mess, eating lunches together, and playing in the park, i have been printing until 1am or 2am, and then setting up for a show at 8am and selling my goodies on saturday or sunday for the past few months. don't get me wrong, i absolutely love the making and selling part, but what i have not loved this year is being away from my family. so, i can honestly say that i am thrilled to announce that my last event of the year has been cancelled!!!! there will be no solstice arts & crafts market at psu on saturday.

there may be a few people in portland who were looking forward to the solstice arts & crafts market, especially after the weather made it hard for people to attend the absolutely amazing crafty wonderland show this last sunday. since i was lucky enough to be a vendor at the super colossal sale, i was also lucky enough to be a customer (see my lovely new fernworks necklace and una top!). but the great thing about all of the handmade nw events is that even though they have canceled you can still shop handmade by checking out the vendor list for the event. when i looked at the vendor list last night i was a little disappointed that i would not have an opportunity to meet e.soule, who sells her truly precious still life photos. i absolutely love her little zoo collection, and to be honest i don't think i have ever met someone other than a family member who shares my last name. i have been asked numerous times if she is my sister, so it would have been nice to put a face with a name. but alas, the show is canceled, so i will have to settle with an on-line purchase. my little miles will adore this little elephant....oh, there are just too many to choose from, so be sure to check out her etsy site.

so stay in doors this weekend and shop handmade and local on-line. here are a few of my favorite artisans to choose from....just a few, because linking is tedious.....

octavine illustration - art deco inspired artwork
plywerk - amazing photography or custom photo mounts
una - see the pretty shirt pictured above.....love, love, love it.
amy olson jewelry - very feminine jewelry
fused glass house - the perfect pendant for you or as a gift!
moss - sweet jewelry, very anthropologie!
stubborn - very modern, cool jewelry, and bags too...
hadley hutton - super sweet prints
thinking mama - most adorable baby hats
pearly grey - retro baby designs
peri ponchos - unique ponchos for your little girl
mugwump - totally hip bags & accessories
yedomi - the most beautiful glamorous jewelry
mimi muse - beautiful vintage inspired notecards
scrumptious suds - best soap ever, husband loves it too!

ok, there are just way too many to list, and some of my favorites like big woo wear (super cute hats), don't even have any product in their shops.

Happy Shopping!

did i say "snow day is over...."

i should know better....not 15 minutes after i posted about the snow melting and school being open again it starts to snow again. and, of course school is closed for the fourth day this week. thanks to very good and generous friends i do have a few hours of childcare. no matter how much we love those little guys, my husband and i definitely need a few hours without them. especially to do a little shopping. we tried shopping with them a couple of days ago....big mistake. there is nothing like chasing after a two year old in a store, who is screaming, laughing, slamming dressing room doors, and crawling under clothing racks. so we are off to shop for a couple of hours, and to have an adult conversation at lunch (in other words we won't be saying, "....please take another bite" and "....sit down in your seat"). happy snow day.....again!

snowy, snowy, snow day is over special!!!!

oh, snow....beautiful snow!!
doesn't everyone love the snow?

i can tell you that my son has been on the edge of his seat everyday with the prospect of yet another school cancellation, and we have definitely taken advantage of every last snowflake on the ground. i love nothing better than looking out my window to see happy, laughing children flinging themselves down the driveway, and then standing up with a handful of snow to be eaten...ew!

however, there is a downside to all of the fluffy white beauty....we are all starting to feel a little trapped. it's not that we are not able to leave the house, it's just that there is really no place to go. we've exhausted the sledding in the neighborhood, and our little two year old can only tolerate so much cold before he says that he is "freezy". so needless to say we have spent a lot of time in doors....drinking hot chocolate.

the problem with so much time in doors, no school and no nanny, is that it is difficult to get much work done....not to mention the freezing temperature in my studio. i have had no luck re-creating my cherry blossom screen, because i need the hose that is outside....frozen. but, all of this changed this morning when we awoke to no more snow, and the report that school is open....much to the dismay of many children.

so, in honor of our glorious snow & the melting there of, i am offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed through the end of friday (12/19). check out my etsy shop and my website for lots of new goodies including gifts for under $20.

can't everyone use a sweet little kitchen towel set for only $15, and some even sweeter little note cards with handmade envelopes made from re-purposed children's books (books that were falling apart of course!) for only $8?

so many sweet things to splurge on......

the best thing about the work that i choose to do is that i continually meet other artists and crafters who make amazing things. one of my favorite places in portland is splurge artist boutique. the owners of splurge, mugwump, oneroot, plywerk, and yedomi have created a treasure trove of local artisans. you can find jewelry, clothing, photography, books, bags, housware items, candles, artwork, and of course B Hive Designs shirts, all handmade and all local.

walking into their store is always inspiring, and all of the owners have been incredibly supportive of my own little business. so, be sure to stop by splurge before christmas to stock up on some incredibly unique gifts & to see some of my new designs!

The Elusive Cherry Blossom

Do you ever have one of those days, when you just can't seem to do anything right? Well, it seems like I have been having one of those days, every day this week. I think it is a symptom of having too much to do. Granted, it's my own fault that I have too much to do, but it is also just "that time of the year". The holiday season puts us all on edge a little, doesn't it? Or maybe it's just me. I am worried about having enough product to sell, I'm worried about selling enough product, I'm worried about spending enough time with my children & husband, I'm worried about finding the perfect gift for my children & husband, I'm worried about getting my kids to school/daycare on time with healthy lunches packed for the day, and I'm worried about not looking like a total wreck every day while I try to juggle the rest of my worries.

Maybe I'm just thinking about my worries too much, I don't know. But one thing I do know is that in the midst of my fury to print enough product to sell, I managed to completely destroy my cherry blossom screen.....and splatter white ink all over my studio at the same time! Since I started printing my cherry blossom design, I have not been able to keep this particular color combination in stock. There is something about this blue shirt with white blossoms that everyone seems to like. Every time I have printed this specific shirt, it has sold out. Which is why it has never actually been listed for sale on my website......hence, the elusive cherry blossom.

I really can't imagine having enough time to create a new cherry blossom screen prior to Christmas, so if you are lucky enough to live in Portland Oregon there is still one last chance to buy this shirt. I just delivered an order to my favorite shoe store in town, Switch Shoes in Multnomah Village. The lovely ladies of Switch just happen to be throwing a party on Thursday (12/11) from 6pm to 11pm. They have some amazing deals on shoes up to 70% off, a DJ, plus they'll be serving champagne and goodies! So check it out, and scoop up a cherry blossom shirt before they are all gone.

Thank You Seattle!!

I just need to say a very big thank you to the city of Seattle and the Urban Craft Uprising. I had the most amazing time working at the UCU show this last weekend....I actually SOLD OUT!! That has never happened before. I was so overwhelmed with all of the love from my customers, many of whom told me that they came to the show just to buy my shirts. There is no better motivation to printing into the wee hours of the night/morning....So, from me to you THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!

Stay tuned for another special sale prior to Christmas and Hanukkah!

Oh, and don't forget about the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Sale this Sunday, December 14th from 11am-7pm at The Oregon Convention Center. I will be selling women's and kid's shirts, notecards and some newly printed kitchen towels. You will love these towel sets. They are the perfect gift item for only $15, wrapped in a package of two!

Check out all of the other amazing vendors scheduled to be at the show. I was going to list some of my favorites, but there are just too many to list. I can guarantee that you will love most of them too!

SALE, SALE, SALE -- until 12/7/2008

25% OFF SALE
PLUS FREE SHIPPING
One Week Only!!
11/30 - 12/7
Receive 25% off all Women's Shirts, plus free shipping on all items. Many new items have been listed on my website and on etsy.

Check out my new Parisian Bird design soon, because it's selling fast! And don't forget about the little guys as well. I have posted more babies & kids items, including my new little piggy design.

Winter 2008 - Events

Oh, the holiday markets abound. Here is a list of my upcoming events. Be sure to visit me & receive up to 20% off retail prices! Click on the web links below to view some of the other amazing vendors that you can shop from as well. All handcrafted, all local, and all unique!!

*HAPPY HOLIDAYS*

December 2nd (Tue), 10am - 6pm
Handmade NW
Downtown Holiday Artisans Fair
World Trade Center
121 SW Salmon St
Portland, OR 97204
www.handmadenw.com

December 5th (Fri), 3pm - 6pm & December 6th (Sat), 9am - 4pm
French American International School
8500 NW Johnson Street
Portland, Oregon 97229
www.faispdx.com

December 6th (Sat) & 7th (Sun), 11am - 5pm
Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Seattle, WA
www.urbancraftuprising.com

December 7th (Sun), 11am - 6pm
Handmade NW
Formal Holiday Artisans Fair
Chelsea Ballroom
1510 SE 9th (SE Hawthorne at 9th)
Portland, OR 97214
www.handmadenw.com

December 14th (Sun), 11am - 7pm
Crafty Wonderland
Oregon Convention Center
Exhibit Hall - E
777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97232
www.craftywonderland.com

December 20th (Sat), 8am - 3pm
Handmade NW
2nd Annual Winter Solstice Sale at PSU
Smith Memorial Student Union
1825 SW Broadway
Portland, OR 97201
www.handmadenw.com

Monster Crafts

The day after Thanksgiving is such a perfect day to spend time with your family. All of the cooking is done, leftovers are at the ready and most people have the day off of work. I usually spend time working on the weekends, but with Saturday & Sunday still on the horizon I found myself relaxed and in no hurry to work today. After a morning trip to the Children's Museum to entertain my 2-year old, I took the rare opportunity to spend time with my older son during nap-time. There was some serious fun to be had in my studio making monsters. I thought it would be a good idea to start making some Christmas gifts, so we drew pictures of monsters. The pictures were sweet, but we needed more, so Jackson named his monster "Bob" and wrote a story about him.

We took our image of "Bob" and used him as a pattern to make a stuffed monster, cutting two pieces for the body (front & back). Jackson chose the fabric that he wanted "Bob" to be made of, and I sewed the eyes, mouth, and arms to the front piece. Once all of the little bits were sewn together we placed the back of his body face down on the front of the body, and sewed it all together (except for one little spot in order to turn it inside out & stuff it).

Stuffing the little guy was the most fun, because he really came to life. Once he was all stuffed I sewed the little opening shut with a few stitches & voila we had a little monster with a story. Jackson will give this little gift to his brother, but he loved the project so much that he insisted on making more for himself. We might need to make a few more for his friends as well.

p.s. If you look closely you'll notice that Jackson is wearing a B Hive Designs shirt.......and I did not even ask him to, what a good son!

I Love Paris........all the time!

I love Paris! I can't say it enough, I absolutely love Paris. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Paris for 5 days. Needless to say, it was a much needed break from reality & a wealth of inspiration for my designs.
The best part about my trip was everything! I had a great time hanging out with friends, eating great food, visiting the Musee de L'Orangerie, photographing the Notre Dame gargoyles, walking the grounds of Chateau de Versailles, stumbling upon an antique market (purchases pictured below), buying new boots, walking, walking, and more walking...........oh, I love Paris!
Many many thanks to John & Nancy, Jonathan & Andy, & Hilary for letting me crash their vacation!

Shopping in Paris is such a treat. I love everything about walking through town, peeking into shops of all kinds, and people watching. The residents of Paris are unassumingly glamorous, and there are so many rare treats to find. I was so overwhelmed with all the wonderful items to find at the antique market that it was difficult to concentrate on what I wanted.

Strolling around at my leisure afforded me ample time to think about new designs & to collect inspiration. I have already started working on my latest design, which I call "Parisian Bird". It is a two part design with scroll work from Notre Dame Cathedral and an original B Hive Designs bird. The bird is especially precious with a little piece of antique lace decorating its belly.

Come check out my new design this weekend at the Secret Society Sale this Sunday, 11/30, at the Secret Society Ballroom (116 NE Russell). All of the vendors of the Secret Society Sale will be donating 10% of their sales to the Oregon Food Bank. You can shop for the holidays, support your local economy, and feed the hungry with just one purchase!

A Bit of Nostalgia

When I was growing up my parents would take us to our family ranch during the summer months. The ranch was a magical place where we would go on hikes, play on our tree swing, read, ride motorcycles & dune buggies, watch the "cowboys" herd cattle, and just be. As kids, my sisters and I were allowed to venture out on our own. We would play house at the Indian Rock (a large rock formation on our ranch that has many caves with Chumash Indian rock paintings), we would play in the creek, and we would hike around looking for relics of our ancestors past lives. One of the places we loved to investigate was the barn at the "old" house, where we almost always came across a barn owl hiding in the rafters.

I recently visited the ranch with one of my sisters last May. It had been 12 years since I had been there, and needless to say it was a little emotional for me. It is a place that I hold dear to my heart, and a place that holds endless happy memories for me. The visit made me wish that I could live closer to such a treasure, but as life would have it I live about 900 miles away from the ranch. Needless to say, I searched for an owl in the barn. Unfortunately, we did not see one that day, but every time I look at my little owl print I am flooded with happiness.

If you like this owl design you can find it at Amalee. I just delivered a bundle of birdy shirts that includes this women's long sleeve organic cotton top. Amalee is located just off of N Missippi St. at 909 N Beech St. in Portland.

Crafty Craft Shows

This past weekend I worked at three separate events. On Friday I visited my friends at Splurge and set up a booth for 2nd Friday Art Walk & Sidewalk Sale. On Saturday I set up a tent at the Lake Oswego Farmers Market, and on Sunday I worked at my first ever Crafty Wonderland sale. It was a little tiring to say the least, but it was also really great to be working with some very talented local artists. I am always inspired when I come home from an event, so I wanted to share some of the great little items that I acquired this weekend.

The first item I acquired was from Nate Bagley of Talitha Leather. His table was set up directly across from me at the Crafty Wonderland sale, and I couldn't help looking at his bags all day long. They are beautifully handcrafted leather bags, made in a variety of colors and styles. The red triangle bag was ultimately my favorite, and it will now be seen sporting around town on my shoulder.


The second item that I acquired this weekend is this absolutely gorgeous necklace from Amy Olson. Amy was my neighbor at the Crafty Wonderland sale, so I learned a lot about her jewelry and design aesthetic. Her jewelry is very feminine, and she uses a variety of components including sterling silver, gold, vintage brass, semi-precious gemstones, and other various vintage pieces. You can find Amy's jewelry on her website or you can meet her in person at the Handmade Northwest event to be held at Montgomery Park, October 14th and 15th from 9am to 4pm.

The last item that I acquired this weekend is a gift for my girlfriends new baby boy. I just could not resist this adorable hat made by Thinking Mama. This little hat is made from a recycled sweater, and it is the softest, sweetest little baby item ever. I cannot wait to see it on my friends new little baby.




And as for new B Hive Designs shirts, I have a few new items for the fall, and a few old favorites as well. I will be listing more long sleeve shirts on my website within the week. By the way, wouldn't this top look great on a mama with her baby wearing the little Thinking Mama hat!!


Happy Happy Fall!

End of Summer

The official last day of summer is not for another couple of weeks, but it really feels like it is already over. Since school started this week our schedules have gotten busier, we need to wake up earlier, the sun is setting earlier, and there is a hint of Fall in the breeze. But those of us in Portland will have a few more precious sunshiny days this weekend with temperatures in the 80's! And I know a really great way to spend one of your last warm weekends of the year.....at the Muddy Boot Organic Festival. I will be selling some really great new organic cotton shirts, and other eco-friendly items. Plus all of my short sleeve summer shirts will be discounted for the weekend! This is a very fun festival celebrating local organic foods and sustainable living in Portland, and there is some really great music both Saturday and Sunday (check out the festival schedule).

September 6-7, 2008 at the St. Philip Neri church at 2408 SE 16th Avenue (near 18th & Division) in Portland, Oregon

Summer 2008 - Events

Come visit me this summer at the following events & save up to 15% off my retail prices!!

July 12 (Sat)
Mississippi Avenue Street Fair
Portland, OR

July 19 (Sat) 6am – 6pm
PDX Etsy Art & Craft
Portland State University
South Park Blocks, South End of The Farmers Market
SW Park Avenue between SW Market & Jackson Streets
Portland, OR

August 9 (Sat), 11am-6pm
Irvington Artisan Market
Irvington Tennis Club
2131 NE Thompson St.
Portland, OR 97212

August 16 (Sat)
Multnomah Days
Multnomah Village
Portland, OR 97219

August 19 & 20 (Tue & Wed), 8am - 3pm
Handmade NW Summer Artisans Fair
Montgomery Park
2701 NW Vaughn Street
Portland, OR 97210

New Shirts!!

Okay, so I've been a little busy lately.....kids....printing....life, and I have not posted since April.....YIKES!

But, I do have newly printed tees to share with all of you. I love these little cap sleeve baby doll tees. They are super soft 100% Pima Cotton, & they are such lovely happy colors. I am so happy it is summer time you have no idea. All I want to do is print very vibrant images to reflect my love for happy sunshiny days.

Speaking of sunshiny days, what says summer more than a bright happy sunflower. Check out www.bhivedesigns.com to buy this little item, and you will look like summer yourself!

A Fun Little Project

I found a good use for the cute little stamps I inherited.......magnets. The stamp art fits perfectly on the backs of craft glass, add a magnet, and voila a perfect little gift item. This was such a fun and easy project. And, it is definitely something you could make with your kids. Here is what I did.

1. Buy some clear craft glass (I found bags of glass at the Dollar Store).
2. Trace the shape of the glass on your picture.
3. Cut out the image a bit smaller than the tracing.
4. Glue the picture to the glass (I used a gel medium or modpodge).
5. Use a clear drying epoxy on the back to adhere a magnet
(I bought strong ceramic magnets at the hardware store).
6. Enjoy your little creation.

Happy crafting!!

Finding Inspiration

Every day is an opportunity for inspiration. The past few days I have been battling the weather in an attempt to clean up my garden & paint my porch. Not an easy task during Spring in Oregon. But while I was outside I allowed my garden to bloom in my imagination, took a few pictures of flowers in bloom, and played with the color palette of my plantings. I thought about the hummingbirds who would be visiting , and the berries we would be eating soon. I found myself day-dreaming about warmer weather, and then the clouds rolled in.

So, since I was forced inside again by the cold, I decided to look through some of my Grandparent's stamp collections. I inherited (actually my son inherited) some really old books of stamps, one of which my Grandfather dated 1915. The artwork of older stamps is very intricate and mostly printed in one color. They are very patriotic and honorable. As the years progress the stamp art changes, becoming more colorful and simplistic. It is an interesting transition. Needless to say, they are beautiful & inspiring. So, one day soon I will find some time to visit my studio, and when that day comes there are little "stampy" things to be made & new flower designs to be printed.

It's Official

It's a funny thing to see your work walking around in the world. A couple of days ago, I was taking my son to school & a fellow mom was walking in the hallway wearing one of my shirts. Yay! Even though I have personally sold many of my little lovelies, and seen friends wearing my designs, it is always gratifying to know that other people are randomly picking up my ideas and wearing them. So with that little event I am starting this blog to share, network, inspire, learn, and remind myself why I do the things that I do.