Today’s installment in our awesome people series are Andie and Emily from Assemble Shop, friends and fellow crafters from Seattle.

I met Andie through our mutual friend Maggie at a Christmas party a couple years ago, and we met Emily shortly thereafter when we took our scrappy quilts class at their former brick + mortar location. Since then, they’ve transitioned to online only in order to open up opportunities to bigger and better things. They still teach workshops around Seattle (they taught me how to crochet just a couple weeks ago!), but now they also get to teach online classes, develop custom crafting kits, and expand the reach of their awesome inventory. They also wrote an article for this month’s Uppercase magazine, lending their insights to

The development of their custom kits has really been fabulous to watch. They have developed detailed instructions and video tutorials for each project, and the branding/packaging is spot on! But, do you want to know the MOST awesome thing of all? Right now Andie and Emily have a Kickstarter campaign going to turn some of their fun symbols of craft into new rubber stamp kits. Fun, right?

Over the last couple of years, Andie and Emily have turned into our friends, so we share their story with the utmost support. They are SO CLOSE to funding their kickstarter project - just a couple more backers will do it! Could that be you? (you’d be helping me out, too, since I’m a backer and I already can’t wait to receive my stamps

Their story is so inspiring to me: knowing when was the right moment to take a step back from the status quo and go in the direction that would truly be valuable for their business. Its a lesson I can really take to heart when I’m making decisions about whats next in my creative pursuits. These ladies are amazing, visit their shop, blog, and the kickstarter page and say a little hello.

Alright, now that everyone should have received my Valentines from the 2013 Handmade Valentine Swap hosted by our friend Lyndsey at The Stationery Place, I can share them with you! Didn’t want to ruin the surprise for my valentines. I can’t WAIT to share the creativity that came from my swap partners early next week

My initial inspiration came from these two rolls of wrapping paper I found in the dollar section at Target just after the new year (is there any better shopping place anywhere than the Target dollar section?!). I had also recently stocked up on some fun scrapbooking papers and also had this heart globe stamp from Banana Fish Studio that I’d been dying to use! So, with a little collage action, I made up these globetrotting valentines:

But I knew I also wanted to tuck a little thing or two inside the card (and I was glad I did, my swap partners sent some serious swag!). I remembered I had these awesome brightly colored toothpicks leftover from the engagement party, so I made little heart bouquets.

Which I tucked into some glassine bags from Daiso (our local Japanese dollar store). I love the sayings on the packaging from Daiso!

(Here’s a secret: Those “Love” stickers were page markers from the Boden catalog that arrived the day I was assembling these. Work with whatcha got). The scrapbooking paper I used was double sided, so the inside had this jaunty pattern which happily matched the little bouquets perfectly. A few conversation stickers and a friendly “Hello from Seattle” to match the globetrotting theme.

Tucked happily in their envelopes with a little heart adornment and they were off to places near and far (my partners were in Seattle, San Diego, North Dakota, and the Philippines!

Every year this is SUCH a fun project and I love seeing what I get from around the world. I highly encourage everyone to participate next year and send a little love

With the month of love upon us we thought we’d share some projects from the archives to get your crafty juices flowing this weekend.

[Conversation Heart Door Hangers]

[Lil Love Monsters]

[Glittered Blocks]

[Special Memory Coloring Book Pages]

[Vintage Fabric Bookmarks]

[Security Envelope Valentines]

This weekend I’ll be working on my contribution for Lyndsey’s Handmade Valentine Swap. What projects are you up to?

Well, sometimes time just gets away from us, doesn’t it? I had meant to get this little project up in time for all of you making festive new year party plans, but the holidays are just such  a whirlwind that the photos were taken but they didn’t quite make it up here to share with all of you.

In any case, what better way to start the new year than with some simple glitter decor. Perhaps for a late winter brunch, or to make those football afternoons a little prettier.

This project really is Easy with a capital A once you get all the supplies. In fact, you probably have most of it around the house:

- Cardboard or Paper Flags. I bought these but you could just as easily cut out your own, the inside of a cereal box would be perfect!

- Double Sided Tape

- Glitter.

Just rip off strips of tape and lay on the flags in varying patterns. Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal: Get Crazy!

Cover in glitter, shake off, and reveal your designs!

Punch holes at the corners using a small nail or a very sturdy paper punch. String up with your favorite twine, or keep solitary for a cupcake topper (just glue to a skewer), or use as gift tags. Skys the limit (and they’re pretty addictive so watch out!)

For the past couple of years we’ve used the same wreath on our front door – a deep green felt ruffle wreath I made once upon a time and have loved the simplicity of ever since. This year, though, I was ready for a change. I fell in love with this wreath and knew I had to try and recreate it.  My original plan was to use hemlock or fir as they did in the inspiration but then I found these gorgeous boxwood wreaths at Trader Joes for $10 and loved how rich and full they looked. Here is what else you will need:

Gold Sparkle Star Wreath:

- Green wreath (you could use preserved if you wanted to save this for multiple years)

- Kraft stars. The key is to buy a variety of sizes and shapes (I used some 5 pointed stars, some 6 pointed stars, and some flat stars)

- Elmers Glue/Modge Podge

- Martha Stewart Glitter – I used “Smokey Quartz”

- Metal Wire – I used a dark bronze to hide with the brown branches

The first step is to glitter your stars. I didn’t include that step here because I used these for another event earlier in the week. But, the main tip I have for you is to spray paint these underneath the glitter in a similar color. That way when the glitter isn’t even or perfect, you can’t really tell. After they are spray painted, cover in glue or modge podge and then a consistent layer of glitter. Let dry: dunzo!

I first tried to just attach these to the wreath by the hanging cords they came with, but they were really floppy once upright. So instead, I attached wire to two ends through the star itself by inserting a straight pin to create a hole and then stringing the wire through. Do this on opposite ends of each star to secure them snug to the wreath. I think these are small enough holes that they are concealed within the glitter if you want to reuse.

Wrap the wire to the back of the wreath and twist to secure. This will leave you enough room to wiggle the star into place once you flip it back over.

The thing I liked the most about the inspiration wreath was the placement of the stars in a spray – almost looking like they were spinning around the greenery. The best way I found to accomplish this was to place them unevenly around the circle and to tuck them into the greenery as if they were coming out from the inside. Does that make sense? Its sort of a place one then try another and play as you go.

See how nice the variety in star/shapes is? Gives it more movement, I think. This was about a 30″ wreath and I used 7 stars. You could change the number depending on the size of your stars and the size of your greenery. And thats it, voila! Hang on your door and stand back to admire.

I think it looks PARTICULARLY festive on our Peppery door, and I actually like the boxwood a lot. Its  a different texture than much of the Evergreen you see around the Pacific Northwest this time of year. I’m planning to transition this well into the New Year as long as the boxwood stays looking nice.

Time to relax and admire your festive house. And worry about cleaning up later. . .

Other wreaths I am loving this holiday: Origami, More origami, Vintage Bulbs, Simple Candelit,  Flocked Pinecone,