merry christmas!!

here's an early merry christmas to you!!

i'm headed to santa fe in a couple of days. a much

needed break to relax and visit family. husband and i haven't been to santa fe for christmas since 2005....4 years, yikes! it is truly one of the most spectacular places to be during the holidays. the buildings are lined with lighted farolitos, often times there is snow, and the air is always cool and crisp with a hint of burning cedar. so wonderful! the best part about christmas in santa fe is strolling along canyon road on christmas eve. many of the art galleries are open, serving hot cider and cookies. carolers gather in the street around bonfires, and there are farolitos (luminarias) to light your way down the street. it is incredibly festive. i feel so lucky that my parents moved from one paradise to another. with any luck i will also get to see my oldest sister and her family.....it's been 3 years since i've seen my sister, and that was only briefly for a family emergency. needless to say this is a much needed visit, and i cannot wait to be surrounded by the love and comfort of my own people....and the amazing breakfast at Tia Sofias in downtown santa fe (seriously, cannot wait!).

before i am able to relax in the comfort of my parent's home, i have just one more little bit of b hive business to attend to. if you know of any last minute shoppers, be sure to send them my way. i'll be here on sunday, 12/20/09 from 3:00pm - 9:00pm. this is a 21+ event....even better!

Heart of Craft Holiday Fair

3:00pm - 9:00pm

The Woods

6637 Milwaukie Ave

Portland, OR 97202

**all b hive designs items are on sale. kids items are 50% off, skirts are 50% off, women's shirts are $10 off through 12/31/09. check out the shop or come see me on sunday**

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

since i was the 4th child in my family, my parents were not very good at documenting my life. this is one of about 3 christmas photos from my entire childhood. i have no idea how old i was in this photo, 6 maybe......santa looks like he might be a little hungover :)......BTW i wish my hair was still that tame, minus the bangs.

a perfect day

when i was

a little girl

i would pray

for rain on christmas

the sun was

always shining

where i played

everything perfect

all the time

it seemed

only fair to have

a cold day

here and there

a day to cozy up

with family,

good food, gifts,

and a fire

now that i am

old(er)

i wish for those

perfect days

days of eternal

sunshine and

perfection

oh, please

just one more

perfect day

crafty, crafty, crafty - 12/13/09 @ 11AM

this is it people.

the mega sale of the year.....crafty wonderland's super colossal holiday sale!
i am not kidding when i tell you that this sale will be awesome. i am so excited....bouncing over here :)

last year i had the privelege of selling my goodies at this sale. if any of you were in p-town last year at this time you might remember that there was a very serious snow storm (serious for us anyway). that snow storm began on the morning of the super colossal sale. i remember waking up early in the morning to get my things together, and when i walked out to my studio there was no snow on the ground. by the time i stepped out of the studio to pack up my car it looked like a blizzard. me and my crafty friends bared the elements to get to the convention center that morning not knowing what to expect. some things that i saw on my way there....semi-trucks jacknifed on the highway, cars abandoned on the street, and no sign of life on the sidewalks. as you can imagine all of this made me very nervous. i mean who would want to leave their house on a day like that to buy handmade goods? regardless of the weather the spirit of the sale was not dampened, in fact as i was setting up there were reports of a line forming outside the convention center hall. a line? are you kidding me? i honestly couldn't believe that any one would be crazy enough to drive to the sale at all, not to mention early enough to wait in a line. but when i checked for myself, lo and behold there was indeed a line of anxious shoppers. to my surprise it was a very good day after all. the snow kept falling, the shoppers kept coming, and i went home happy.

needless to say, i have been checking the weather updates religiously this week. even though the snow did not stop the show last year, it made for a very fightful car ride & bone chilling preparation in the studio. temperatures have been in the 20's this week, my fingers are freezing, the ink is harder to pull through the screen, but i am hopeful that it will not snow. so far the weather reports are calling for light rain on sunday. we can deal with that, right? i mean it wouldn't be a propper portland winter without rain. so keep your fingers crossed for me......no snow until december 14th!

can't wait to see you at crafty!!!!!!!!!!!!

OREGON CONVENTION CENTER

HALL D

p.s. crafty wonderland has decided to take a break after this holiday sale. they will no longer be holding their monthly events at the doug fir. while this is very sad for those of us who love this sale, it will make the events that they do hold that much more special. so be sure to come out this sunday to support your favorite local artists. you might not see them again for a while!

two great sales this weekend!!

First up.....Sunday Best Holiday Sale. Saturday 11.28 & Sunday 11.29

visit sundaybestholidaysale.blogspot.com for more info

Second....Secret Society Sale. Sunday 11.29

visit www.secretsocietysale.com for more info

hope to see you at one of these really great sales. you really must check out the list of vendors......some super great artists!!

sunday best holiday sale - 11/28 & 11/29

i know you're tired of my event postings.....to be truthful, i am too. but i really need to share some info about this sale with you, because i am just so honored to be a part of it.

the sunday best holiday sale is the brainchild of julie dutton (studio olivine) & tay macintyre (honey & milk). i remember seeing an ad for this event last year, and wishing that i could be a part of it. the list of artists were among my favorites with a heavy emphasis on print design, which of course is what i love. a couple of months ago i recieved an email from julie inviting me to participate in the sale. i think i recieved her invite at 11:58pm, and my very excited "yes" reply was sent at 11:59pm. so needless to say, i am extremely excited to share this news with you. i just know that anyone who attends this sale will be impressed with the collection of artists in attendance, and will walk away with some very special treasures.

please visit the sunday best holiday sale website for more info, and a full list of vendors. i've listed a few of my favorites below:

elisabethbentz

hadley hutton

jill bliss

studio olivine

honey & milk

old school stationers

pigeon toe ceramics

b hive designs

special sale - today 11/22/09!!!!!

if you're in portland, come visit us!

(click on the image for a closer look)

bhivedesigns.etsy.com

amyolsonjewelry.etsy.com

octavineillustration.etsy.com

here's a little secret......all b hive designs shirts will be on super discount. oh, who am i kidding, go ahead and spread the word :)

oh, and one more little treat....there will be a small handful of big woo wear hats (see my post from 11/18 for more info), so get here early!

1-4pm

0404 SW Dakota St

Portland, OR

countdown to cute :o

oh.....how cute are these!

just a few of my prints that i turned into little zippered pouches. i really just want to keep them all for myself, but i guess i'll share. you can scoop one up at the irvington artisan market this saturday, oooh & i'll have some skirts too. be sure to get there early. those skirts seem to vanish every time i hang them up to sell.

just a little bit of awesome for your weekend.....cheers :)

Irvington Artisan Market

November 21, 2009

10am-6pm

@The Irvington Tennis Club

In the Historic Ballroom

NE 21st & Thompson

Portland, OR

Irvington Artisan Winter Market - November 21, 2009

hooray!

i love this market for so many reasons. the main reason is the organizer, becka extraordinaire. becka is a good friend of mine who recently gave birth to her second child. how she is managing to pull off this event, i do not know. she has gathered a collection of talented artists, including herself (Sheila Marie Jewelry Designs) that you really should know about. if you visit the market's website you will find a list of all the vendors, and a few artisan profiles as well (that's still a work in progress).

one of my favorite artists that will be in attendance is geralyn simpson of big woo wear. she literally makes the cutest hats ever! i already own three of my own, and i am still tempted to buy more. every time i wear one of her hats i receive many compliments on her behalf, and people want to know where i bought it. well this is your opportunity people. geralyn has removed all of her items from her website, because she simply cannot meet the demand for her hats. each hat takes a considerable amount of time to create, all crocheted by hand, and let me tell you they are definitely worth more than the piddly $18 that she sells them for. so be sure to visit us at the irvington artisan market on saturday so that you can scoop one up for yourself.

Irvington Artisan Market

November 21, 2009

10am-6pm

@The Irvington Tennis Club

In the Historic Ballroom

NE 21st & Thompson

Portland, OR

oh, the list.....

i have a few different to-do lists that are each a few miles long......ever feel that way? one of the items on my list is to list all of my upcoming events so that the holiday shopping can commence. but thruthfully, the events list is just too daunting at the moment. every time i look at it i think about all of the other items on my to-do list, which then makes me very sleepy. so i will settle with listing just two upcoming events, and try to only worry about my to-do's for today. come see me!!


november 13th (fri), 2:15-6:00pm &
november 14th (sat), 10:00 am-4:00pm
llewellyn holiday market
llewellyn elementary school
6301 SE 14th Avenue
portland, or
** 10% of sales will go to llewellyn elementary school **


november 15th (sun), 11am - 4pm
abernathy craft fair
abernethy elementary school
2421 se orange avenue
portland, or
** 20% of sales will go to abernathy elementary school **


here's hoping the sun will shine on us this weekend :)

p.s. working at these school fairs kind of make me miss grandma!

$10 & $20 SALE....ends saturday, 11/7, at midnight!

hello peeps!
here's a good one to pass on to your friends. i really need to clear out my studio to make room for the enormous amount of goods that i am making for the holiday season. this will be my last sale until after christmas....so stock up! everything in the shop is either $10 or $20....woohoo!
here's the breakdown:
women's Long Sleeve = $20
women's Short Sleeve = $10
kid's Short Sleeve = $10
BUY 2 shirts & i'll reimburse your shipping fees!
SALE ENDS SATURDAY, 11/7 at Midnight!!

buy here....www.bhivedesigns.etsy.com or at www.bhivedesigns.com

happy fall!!!!

crafting for a cause

yikes!!.....i meant to post about this earlier, but as usual life sucked me into its vortex or busy-ness. anyway, please check out this website to learn more about wheels for henry. there are a number of vendors who are participating in fundraising for some new wheels for henry, including b hive designs. i will be donating 20% of my sales through Octber 31st. a feel good purchase!

Wheels for Henry is an online Benefit Bazaar to help raise funds for a converted (wheelchair) van for a hardworking single mom in Portland, Oregon. Chloe Eudaly is the proprietress of Reading Frenzy, a disability advocate, and the proud mom of an amazing kid who happens to get around in a wheelchair. They’re more than halfway to funding a used converted van (The van is approx. $45,000) and are now turning to family, friends and the broader community to help raise the rest (We have about $19,500 to go.).

sewing & decorating

i may have said this before, but i am a terrible procrastinator. i always seem to get things done on time (for the most part), but i am always so stressed getting them done. take for instance last night, when i sat sewing in my studio until midnight because i had to finish my girlfriends gift for the shower i was hosting for her today. needless to say the gift is beautiful (at least i think so), but i wish i could figure out how to be more "martha" like. or at least how "martha" appears to be stress free when creating her lovelies. anyway, here is the finished product, and i had to add the pom pom photo because they are just so cute. i think i'll give a little tutorial on this decoration in the near future........but for now i must sleep!

after sewing this super girly cover for the moses basket, i stuffed it full of the sweetest gifts......if you look closely you'll even see one of my cherry blossom newborn gowns. i couldn't give a gift without including a little b hive designs :)

fall, fall, fall

i have a love hate relationship with this season. it has been so beautiful here in portland for the past couple of weeks. the chill in the air feels refreshing, and the sun is still shining. but, i can't help anticipating the rain that is looming in my future, instead of just enjoying the dry beauty of fall. guess i'm in a mood.....

on that note i obviously need a pick me up, and maybe you do too. so i've got one for you.....a sale. i am offering free shipping on all orders placed through Friday, 10/16. i have also listed a few new items for fall, and moved a few new items into the sale section from summer.

take a look......(one for yourself, and one for your little)

B Hive Designs
Etsy

stray birds of summer come to my window

to sing and fly away.

and yellow leaves of autumn,

which have no songs,

flutter and fall there with a sigh.

~ Tagore

getting crafty again

i am getting crafty again.....crafty wonderland that is.

come see me tomorrow at the doug fir. a number of my favorites will be there selling with me!!

Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E. Burnside, Portland, OR
11am-4pm * All Ages * Free Admission

Top: Michelle Summers, Fernworks, Moontea Artwork

Middle: Scrumptious Suds, Misha Ashton, Snarky Cards

Bottom: Mimi Muse, B Hive Designs, Dolcetti

p.s. i already have 4 fernworks pieces. it might seem a little excessive, but once you see them in person you will understand why!.....hoping i will be able to resist buying another :)

finally a break & some crafts

you have no idea how relieved i was to finish working on saturday. the alberta street fair was, as usual, a very spirited event.....with a punk rock marching band to boot. i was not very optimistic when i arrived at the event on saturday morning. it was raining and miserable. but, just like the weather man reported the sun came out just in time for the parade. i sold most of my items, which was a pleasant surprise, and I happily packed up my tent for the last time this year....hooray!

so, what does a girl do when she finally has a day off? why make stuff of course! i was so excited to finally have a day off on sunday, that i immediately went to work on some invitations for a baby shower that i am hosting in october. a good friend of mine is going to have her first child, and it's going to be a girl. i am so excited for her and her husband, and i am also thrilled to have a reason to buy girly things.

this project also gave me a reason to use my gocco. if you don't know what a gocco is, it is one of the best small inventions ever. i love this little thing so much, and it's days are almost numbered (checkout save gocco and read all about it). anyway, this is a little screen-printer that was made in japan up until a few years ago. the company that made the supplies for the little gocco has stopped production of supplies and has shipped its last amount of inventory as of last december. so, much like the polaroid (although that is coming back now), it will soon be a thing of the past. needless to say, i am only using my supplies for special occasions, and this baby shower is definitely just that, very special.

the thing that i love the most about the gocco, is that it is so easy to use. i can make a screen and start printing in under 4 minutes, and it is child friendly! last year a number of neighborhood children used my gocco to make a bundle of christmas gifts :) for this project i printed invitations, thank you notes for the the mom-to-be, and with the extra ink and scraps of paper left over from cutting i printed some gift tags......all of it, just too cute for words......not to mention the lovely pink and chocolate brown color scheme. i can't wait for my friend to receive her little package of goodies. there will be a few more posts about this event, because i have some super craftiness planned that you just might want to read about.

p.s. WWNRD?...she would use recycled card stock, water based ink, re-purposed ribbon...oh, and she would call it card camp!

goodbye sun....hello rain

the end of summer is almost official. only 3 days left! i always dread this time of year. even though i love the fall...for the most part, and love the holiday season it just seems to be so super busy. summertime is so much more relaxing. woe is me.

the only good thing is that the summer weather seems to be sticking around in the northwest just long enough for one more outdoor event....the alberta street fair. i am really excited to set up my tent one last time this year, and mingle with the people. i always meet some very interesting folks at my events, and i know that albert street will not fail me. this event showcases a very interesting parade....enough said :0

anyway, just a little update....the lovely skirt on the right is one of the "comfy" skirts i posted about last week. i sold out of all of the skirts, purple, black & burgundy, except for one of these lovelies. if you are interested, you should stop by for a visit this weekend. i'll be on alberta near 24th.

alberta street fair

september 19, 2009

11am-6pm

muddy boot organic festival

muddy boot organic festival

Saturday, 9/12, 12:00pm - 9:00pm (vendors until 6:00pm)

Sunday, 9/13, 12:00pm - 6:00pm

location:

st phillip neri

2408 se 16th ave.

portland, or 97214

this will be the third consecutive year that i have participated in the muddy boot organic festival. this is a really great event with really great music, organic foods beer and wine, workshops and exhibits on sustainable living, kids activities and entertainment, and of course some really great organic cotton shirts printed with environmentally friendly water based inks by yours truly. one addition to the organic cotton shirts are some super awesome skirts that are made by texture clothing in bellingham. the amazing owner of texture , teresa, sews them up for me & i print them with my own lovely designs. they are truly the most comfortable skirt you will own. as a matter of fact they are called the "comfy" skirt. the skirts consist of hemp, organic cotton, and a tiny bit of lycra to make them super comfy. i am always pleasantly surprised by how well these skirts sell, as a matter of fact it is almost impossible to keep a current picture of my inventory because they tend to sell out quickly. these two photos will give you an idea of how cute the skirts are, but you really just need to stop by the muddy boot organic festival to really appreciate them.

don't get too excited about the mustard skirt on the right.....it is actually sold out, but you get the idea....super comfy waist band (there is actually a little pocket hiding in the waistband), nice a-line & drape. i currently have a pretty purple colored skirt, black, and burgundy for fall.

just in case you're interested in these skirts you can also buy them from teresa directly at www.textureclothing.com , or if you are in portland you can buy them at the master peace on hawthorne.

have a wonderfully sunny weekend!!

bargain hunting 101

everyone should stop by the crystal ballroom today, you won't be disappointed. there is actually a line outside waiting to get in because the shopping is gonna be sooooo good....i gotta go buy something before the rush!

TODAY

12 - 5pm

Crystal Ballroom

1332 W Burnside

P-Town!!
www.bargainhuntingpdx.com

busy b weekend

summer is almost over.....yes it is true! but, in the spirit of true summer fun you can still enjoy yourself at one of the last portland street fairs of the season.....and in my humble opinion the sweetest street fair of them all, multnomah days. the fair begins with a quaint little parade that starts at 10:00am this saturday, 8/15. after the parade you can stroll through the little shops on capitol hwy & visit all of the unique vendors that will be lining the streets. you won't be able to miss my booth. it will undoubtedly be the cutest out of the bunch :)

and on sunday....bargain hunting 101!!!!
i am so excited to be a part of this event. i missed their winter sale, and i personally cannot wait to shop for myself this sunday. you will be happy to know that all of the vendors will be selling their goodies at bargain sale prices, including myself. you really must check out the list of vendors that will be at the event.....oh, i can't wait!




For more info about the events please visit
www.multnomahvillage.org
www.bargainhuntingpdx.com

b on the road again......next stop seattle!

ONLY 3 MORE DAYS!!!!.......or 2 if you read this on thursday.

i can't wait for the urban craft uprising show in seattle. i had such a great time at their christmas show that i am really looking forward to the summer sale. you really must check out the vendor list to see why i am so excited.....crystalyn kae handbags, texture skirts, fernworks jewelry, estrella soap, mugwump accessories, rachel austin paintings, and of course b hive designs shirts! the list could go on and on, but you can just check it out for yourself either on-line or if you're in seattle this weekend at the seattle center exhibition hall. you'll find me conveniently located by the front entrance.....woo hoo!

if you just can't make it to the super duper UCU sale, then be sure to check out my teeny little etsy sale which ends thursday, 7/30!!

mini sale

as promised.....a mini sale!

check it out at www.bhivedesigns.etsy.com & save until thursday, 7/30.

all orders placed during the mini sale will be shipped on friday, 7/31........then i'm off to seattle for the super deluxe urban craft uprising event on 8/1 & 8/2.

ooooh, and i have a new design too, look how cute..........there are a few women's shirts with this design that are on sale, but you need to click on the link above to find it :)

worker "b" all over p-town

i have certainly been a busy "b" this summer. yesterday i had two booths set up in portland, one on mississippi ave. & the other in the pearl at the bastille day festival. the weather was beautiful and i had so many wonderful customers. i even received an email from someone last night who informed me that they had accidentally taken home one extra shirt. can you believe that! how sweet and true can one person be?

the funny thing about setting up for two shows, is how different the shoppers can be just a few short miles away from each other. for example i sold out of this lovely green shirt on mississippi, but my little worker "b" in the pearl only sold a couple. what is that all about? not to mention the difference in sizes that were left over at the end of the day. after going through what was left of my big day yesterday, i am inclined to have a little sale. there are quite a few random sizes of each shirt/design left over, and it would be nice to start with a fresh batch of prints for the super deluxe urban craft uprising sale in seattle on august 1st & 2nd. so, i will be listing some new sale items within the next couple of days & i'll keep you posted when all of my goodies are ready for purchase...............happy, happy summer!

happy summer solstice

happy happy summer solstice!!
when i was a kid my mother took me to the summer solstice parade each summer in santa barbara, a crazy parade of hippies & happies, non-motorized floats, rainbows & streamers. it was always a lovely parade. but now that i have been working at the fremont fair in seattle the past couple of years that little parade of my memory seems so tame in comparison. the fremont fair is a two day festival in celebration of summer and the solstice. it is honestly one of my favorite events. the people are so colorful (literally), and friendly. everyone is just so happy to see the sun in the northwest. even though i don't get to see the parade from where i work, i get to see the parade people walking through the streets all day long, and let me tell you it must be a very entertaining parade......lots of painted naked people on bikes.

so, if you are in seattle this weekend be sure to stop by the fremont fair. i have lots of little lovelies for you, and you will definitely be entertained :)

p.s. happy father's day!!

hooray for summer......

there is nothing better than summer. i can't think of anything better than a carefree summer day....really. the family and i kicked things off right with a camping trip near mt. hood this last weekend. it was such a beautiful location, filled with our friends, their children, and simple pleasures. my boys were busy the entire weekend exploring the woods, balancing on log bridges, making boats to float down a small stream, hiking, laughing, and roasting marshmallows.

the best part about camping is that very little parenting is required. my children rarely asked for anything, including food. they were very content to play, and explore the freedom of the outdoors. they made boats and played on a small bridge for hours at a time. the bridge was just far enough away from camp for the boys to feel a bit of independence, and it was just near enough to camp to keep an eye on them. of course this did not prevent the little one from falling head first into the stream.

this small business of mine keeps my weekends very busy. as you can see from my list of events in a previous post, i am working most weekends during the summer. family time on the weekends is a luxury for me during the warm months. but this year you might find someone else working for me at some of these events, so that i can cherish a few more moments like this with my family.

ready for summer!!

you have no idea how happy i am that may is officially over. that was literally the longest, and the busiest month that i can remember. so now that the air has cleared, the sun is out (mostly), and school is almost over for the year, i am getting really excited about all of my summer activities. here are a few of the things that i am looking forward to, bike riding, swimming with my boys, art projects, camping, gardening, bbq's, running in the sunshine with husband, and super fun street fairs!

take a look at the list below. i hope to see you at some of my summer events!! be sure to check my events list periodically for updates and changes.

summer events

COME SEE ME!!
** up to 20% off at all events **


June 13 (Sat) 8am - 3pm
Portland Farmers Market
Saturday Farmers Market at PSU
SW Park Ave. & SW Montgomery St.
Portland, OR 97201

June 20 & 21 (Sat & Sun)
Fremont Fair
3400 Fremont Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
www.fremontfair.org

June 27 (Sat) 8am - 3pm
Portland Farmers Market
Saturday Farmers Market at PSU
SW Park Ave. & SW Montgomery St.
Portland, OR 97201

July 11 (Sat)
Mississippi Avenue Street Fair
Portland, OR

July 25 (Sat) 8am - 3pm
Portland Farmers Market
Saturday Farmers Market at PSU
SW Park Ave. & SW Montgomery St.
Portland, OR 97201

August 1 & 2 (Sat & Sun)
Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
www.urbancraftuprising.com

August 15 (Sat)
Multnomah Days
Multnomah Village
Portland, OR 97219
www.multnomahvillage.org

August 22 (Sat) 8am - 3pm
Portland Farmers Market
Saturday Farmers Market at PSU
SW Park Ave. & SW Montgomery St.
Portland, OR 97201

exhausted

i feel like i have had the longest three weeks of my entire life.  last night when i started typing this post i did not even get past typing the title of the post before i felt the need to go to bed.  i spent this last weekend driving and flying back and forth between portland and seattle.  i had an event planned in seattle for the past few months, then my son's first communion was scheduled for the same weekend, and our friends suffered the loss of their sweet little daughter.  so i spent the weekend grieving, printing, working, attending a funeral (or rather a celebration of life), working an event, flying home for first communion and back to work again, and then driving home late on sunday........i am totally exhausted & missing my family like crazy.  oh, did i mention i am training for a marathon too..............need sleep!

i think that's enough feeling sorry for myself.  the one thing that i have learned these past few weeks is that most of the worries and problems that i have on a day to day basis are really kind of trivial in the grand scheme of things.  it is easy to get worked up over the little things in life when you are a busy parent, wife, and small business owner.  i had an order for a store that was overdue this last week, and i just honestly could not bring myself to drive across town to deliver it.  i could not worry about delivering this order when my friends, family, community, and myself were consumed with grief.  all i wanted to do was to help my friends in some way to get through their daughter's funeral, even if it was just making sandwiches & filling cups with candy, or finding the perfect yellow flower to wear to her celebration.  so the order was delivered late, and life goes on.  

be sure to check out PedX shoe shangri-la for their new shipment of b hive shirts and hoodies!

pedX shoe shangrila
2230 ne alberta street
portland, OR 97211

p.s. thanks pedX for being so patient!!

a bit of yellow for mk

the past few days have been extremely worrisome for many of my friends and family. a very sweet little friend of ours has suffered liver failure and is in very critical condition. this tragedy was completely unexpected and occurred virtually over-night. i had a very difficult time concentrating on my work this last weekend, because i was so worried about our friend MK. the truth is that when you have children of your own, you can't help thinking that this could be happening to your own child, and all you want to do is find a way to help. yesterday when i arrived home my husband was cooking dinner for MK's family, and my son had a little yellow ribbon pinned to his shirt in support of his friend. so, even though this post has nothing to do with b hive designs, i just feel like i need to send a little yellow ribbon out into the virtual world for MK. she needs all of the prayers and good intentions that she can get right now!..............we love you MK

missing the sunshine

i'm in LA, but i am missing out on all of the sunshine!  at least i am surrounded by a number of really cool artists here at UNIQUE.  

it's funny, when i am in portland i often daydream about california and the sunshine that i left behind when i moved up north, but now that i am here i am feeling a little homesick and wishing there was a little more green on the horizon.  i can honestly say that i also miss the people of the northwest.  the shoppers have been great here, but i still miss my peeps.  i will definitely give props to the amazing sonja, who organizes the UNIQUE event.  she managed to arrange a truly unique showing of arts and crafts, and in an amazing loft-like location that overlooks downtown LA.  

now that the show is coming to a close, new shirts, skirts, and other goodness will be listed in my shops.  be sure to check out my website and my etsy shop shop.

unique los angeles

unique, unique......gosh i hope my tees, blouses and crafts are unique enough!  i am headed to LA to sell my goodies at the UNIQUE Los Angeles show.  i am really excited to take this trip.  not only will i see my sister, her family, and my best friend, but i will be selling amongst some really talented artists.  a number of whom will be traveling, just like me, from p-town.  you should definitely check out the vendor list on their website, pretty impressive!

i am also very excited to sell a few new designs.  my "not blossoms" design, modeled here by the lovely miss rachel, is such a delicate print.  i have it printed in a number of variations, in multiple colors, on tees, blouses, skirts, and kitchen linens.  i can't wait to showcase this design and a number of others this weekend.

with that said, many of you may have noticed that my website is empty.  well, the truth is i just can't keep up with the picture taking, listing, etc., that is required of an on-line store.  plus, most of my pieces are one of a kind & i don't have very much backstock.  so i've decided to leave my website and my etsy shop empty through the weekend.  i promise to load the shops up with lots more goodies when i return to portland next week.  

until then, shop handmade at a local craft show...........see my list below.

irvington artisan market - april 25, 2009

i am so excited to be working at the irvington artisan market this coming saturday. not only is it the official start of my work year, but i will be introducing my new line of eco-friendly shirts. my little workshop is now officially lead & phthalate free!

as i mentioned in a few of my previous posts i was encouraged to change all of my inks in order to comply with the cpsia, and as a result i think that i have an even better product to offer you. in addition to changing the inks that i am using, all of my children's shirts are organic cotton, made in the usa, and certified lead & phthalate free by the manufacturer.

i will also be introducing a few new designs and great colors for summer. so be sure to stop by the irvington artisan market this saturday to pick up a cool tee for yourself, or as a gift for your mom.

happy spring!

springtime events

HERE IT IS

chances to buy b hive designs

** COME SEE ME & RECEIVE UP TO 20% OFF **

April 25th (Sat), 10am - 4pm

Irvington Artisan Market

In the Historic Ballroom at the Irvington Tennis Club

2131 NE Thompson

Portland, OR

www.irvingtonartisanmarket.blogspot.com

May 2nd (Sat), 11am - 7pm

May 3rd (Sun), 11am - 5pm

UNIQUE Los Angeles

California Market Center

110 East Ninth St

Los Angeles, CA 

www.uniquelosangeles.com

May 9th (Sat), 10am - 5pm

En Plein Air - French Market

Portland French School

6318 SW Corbett Ave,

Portland, OR 97239

www.portlandfrenchschool.org

May 10th (Sun), 11am - 4pm

Crafty Wonderland

Doug Fir Lounge

830 E. Burnside

Portland, OR 

www.craftywonderland.com

May 16th (Sat), 10am - 6pm

May 17th (Sun), 10am - 7pm

University District Street Fairl

Exit 169 (the 45th/50th Street Exit)

when traveling north or south on Interstate 5

Seattle, WA

www.udistrictstreetfair.org

in reverse

the past few weeks i have been trying to reorganize my business.  the catalyst for this change was the cpsia, but it is something that i have wanted to do for the past couple of years.  i have invested in an entirely new eco-friendly lot of inks.  i am really excited about using my new ink, but of course in order to do so i will need to destroy all of my screens and recreate new ones that can withstand the water used in the clean up process.  in other words, it might be a while before i get some new designs printed with my new ink.  i'm not even entirely sure how the inks will print on my different colored shirts, so it is sort of like starting my business all over again.  in the meantime, you can still buy the remainder of my inventory on my website or on etsy.  all of the children's shirts will be half off until i print new shirts, and all women's short sleeved shirts are on special too.  ooh, and i have a new design....just a little something to remind you that spring is almost here!.....(click on the picture to get a better look)

back in business

so, I took a little break after the holiday season.......but, now i'm back!

come visit me today, sunday 3/8/09, at the crafty wonderland sale.  i have some super deals to kick start your spring/summer wardrobe.  all children's shirts are $10 off, all women's short sleeve and long sleeve crew necks are $10 off, and everything else is $5 off!!

doug fir lounge

830 e. burnside

portland, or

11am - 4pm

blowout sale.....onesies & kids tees

so, enough doom & gloom over the cpsia......let's embrace the positive.  buy B HIVE DESIGNS onesies and kids tees for 50% off until 2/9/09.  hip hip hooray!

i'll even throw in a little bonus.  the first person to buy the super cute little newborn gown pictured here (only $10), will receive a blanket to match!  it's the perfect baby gift.

only 11 days left!!!!

Where to buy my kids tees.....
www.bhivedesigns.com
www.bhivedesigns.etsy.com

p.s.  all women's short sleeved shirts are also on sale, so be sure to check those out too!

CPSIA Blog Day

oh, the cpsia.  have you heard about this new law that will take effect on february 10?  well, this law will definitely put producers of handmade children's items out of business, and many small firms that make toys and children's products.  this act will have far reaching ramifications beyond my little one person business.  think about a small business that produces children's clothing, or toys, or cloth diapers, or baby slings, baby quilts, etc., etc.  this small business can have anywhere from 1 to 50 employees.  for example a locally owned children's clothing business probably employs a pattern maker, more than one seamstress, a graphic designer, not to mention the owner/visionary of the business....all jobless on February 10, because they can't afford the lead/phthalate testing and certification.  not to mention the price you will be paying as a result of the testing costs.  it is too much to detail what is required of the testing, but let's just say that for most of us it is redundant testing.  most crafters and handmade artisans can buy components that have already been tested and certified from large companies (i.e.  i can purchase lead/phthalate free shirts & ink, but i would still need to test these components again).  

as a fellow "handmade artisan", i am joining the many bloggers today who are voicing their concerns over the cpsia's new set of laws. please read this statement at www.boulieblog.com

i also think that it is worth it to read this article by Paul H. Rubin.  

and last but not least, i just want to say that i am not entirely opposed to this act.  i completely believe that lead/phthalate levels need to be regulated in children's products.  i just think that the cpsia needs some revisions.  i mean what's next, is grandma going to be jailed for making her grandchild a quilt?......you know what i mean:)