The Springtime Hive

3.31.15- 

Happy last day of March.  Where did it go?  Excited to welcome in April soon.  Wanted to post about another fabulous Hive that's in the books.  Thanks to everyone who was able to come.  Such a thrill to see my home filled with such amazing products, talented vendors & of coarse, friends, family & clients & many, many NEW faces.  Thanks for coming!  Hope you all had a wonderful time & took home many new treasures to decor your home or give as gifts.  

Thanks to my talented, friend Natalie, I have lots of pictures from the opening night.  Grateful for her to come, snap pics for me & get them to me quickly so I'm still "BuZZed" to want to write about The Hive.  So if you were able to come, look for yourself, if you weren't able to come this time plan on coming to The {Fall} Hive coming in the fall. Just happens to be my favorite season & favorite show of the whole year.  Plan to "Bee" there! 

- Natalie of BestImpressions Photography & @nsteed_bestimpressionsphotog-

 In case you were here & didn't hear, post a pic of anything you snapped while at The Hive or something you bought that is now up in your home & use #hive50 for a chance to WiN $50 to spend at an upcoming Hive.  Cha-CHING! 

 Love getting to decorate for The Hive to make it special. Whenever I decorate my porch, I start to get butterflies.  Looked so cute this time around.  These kites were made by a friend of mine & were used as decor for a big birthday bash from a few years ago. Glad I hung onto them because they just set the tone for the show.  Loved it!  I always try to do things a little differently that I have before, so this time around the chalkboard got an accessory of an old frame stuck onto it for me to write the welcome for everyone. Really liked how it turned out.   

{Just stuck the frame on using 3M strips- easy}

 Got a quick pic with The Hive {5} WiNNERS before I let them in to shop a little early before the rest of the swarm of shoppers.  They made good use of their time, believe me!  It pays to enter GiVEAWAYS, you might just win sometime.  Thanks Kara & Kirsche.

 Always like to get a "before" pic of my island all set up & completely stuffed with things.  It doesn't stay this way for long, trust me! Of coarse banners are hung up to celebrate the opening of a Hive.

 Arrows, arrows, arrows!  They were everywhere this show & all unique, different & so cute.  This is just one of the vendors that brought them, there were lots more.  Not many were left at the end of the show.  So awesome!

-These were created by Janet Wilkins, my friend who grew up in the same little town as I did & now my neighbor up here in the mountains-

 Really, the vendors I have are so amazing!  I'm in awe every time they walk in my door with all the creative things they have come up with.  They surprise me every time!

- String art created by Becky Blood, A Bit of Beck- 

 

 

The most darling skirts, aprons, onesies & dresses all put together & sewn by the talented & great eye of Amy Redden {aka Vintage Fern}  Her things are always so delightful to look at!  

{I spy an apron I purchased & of coarse, more arrows.  I got one of those too complete with vintage wallpaper of coarse. Love it!}

I have to just go ahead right now & apologize for not having enough of these cute little guys on hand. Boy, did they fly out of here FaST!  Don't worry, more will be here next year! I'll be better prepared, I promise.  Also, be sure to follow @shophollyhocksandhoneybees on Instagram. You never know what will pop up in the shop for sale. 

-Lots of Hollyhocks & Honeybees in this picture, makes me happy to see.  I {heart} U boards coming to the shop soon on Instagram}

Oh, My. Goodness!  Could this incredible lady be anymore amazing?  Everything she creates & makes is just a treasure. Can't get enough of the amazing, Aimee Ferre's things. Those flags, don't get me started.... you can NEVER have too many of them.  If you missed out on getting some at The Hive, don't worry she is having a one day Spring show in her home {check out @aimeeferre for all the details} & she'll be back in The Hive again.  Oh, I just love her!  She is the sweetest. 

 Another corner full of H&H things. Glad these pics were taken so I can see how full it was to start the show because at the end there wasn't much to put away.  Thanks everyone!  So glad you like what I create, it makes me happy & keeps me going.

 Magnets, signs, boards & benches. A few of my favorite things! 

- The adorable leather bunnies in the basket were made by, Dana Engemann.  Talk about talent & artistry.  I hope you snagged one of these little guys up or an adorable fabric chick, too cute!-

 A first timer to The Hive, & she's already told me she'll be back. Hooray!  So glad she had a great time in The Hive.  The awesome signs of Lynn Muir {aka. The Urban Post} I hope you got one of these!  They are the coolest things around. 

 Oh, I wish I could have kept everything on my porch!  Eye candy, galore from To Market.  They packed up a little bit of their store & brought it up to my house.  Loved everything.  Don't even get me started on those awesome vases & perfectly blooming cherry blossom branches. The quintessential sign of spring. 

Thanks for coming Melanie & Holly!  Visit their store on Main Street in Kaysville. Fabulous stuff!-

 There were lots of happy customers at The Hive. When they saw these happy socks they did a dance.  The cutest things you ever did see. I think I had the biggest teenage crowd at The Hive, ever.  Thanks, Woven Pear for bringing a hipness to The Hive & giving lots of my cute neighbors a reason to come shop. 

{I think we now own every pear ;)} 

 

 I'm glad I have all these pics of the great vendors at The Hive because while it's calm inside, outside is a different story.  I'm always so grateful for fabulous devoted shoppers who start parking along the street out front 30 minutes before we open & start lining up as soon as someone makes a move!  Love seeing a big long line out front my front door.  Makes all the hard work worth it when I see that. Love that it's moms, daughter, best friends, neighbors that all car pool together & make it a fun night at The Hive.  So glad they choose this for the way to spend time together.  

A quick "selfie" with the crowd out front, before letting them in the door. Haha, just had to. So fun!

Couldn't put something like this on by myself. So blessed to have a awesome husband, great kids, sweet neighbors, friends & siblings who are willing to help me during The Hive.  They really do save me & I'm extremely grateful for their help.  They are the best!

-The girls at the Cash/Check line, Stacey & Mace-

-2 sweet friends, Michelle & Janelle & my Sis, Manda, helped out with the Credit Card line- thank you!  They did such a great job, hardly a wait at all. They rocked it! My awesome hubby helped too this time around but wasn't in the pic. Thanks, Ty- 

 

 

 The Hive all a "BuZZ" at 6:10.  So fun seeing pics like this because I really don't get to take it all in, I'm too busy running around, greeting, answering questions & giving hugs to friends.  I love it!

- Always love the candy display set up!  Some really yummy, NEW stuff coming for The {Fall} Hive. {I've been taste testing!} Oh, I can't wait!  For the candy & the show, already planning!-

Another shot of the shoppers buzzing around.  A full house even an hour in.  

 

 

 

 

Another great show & already looking forward to the next one.  I enjoy hosting this so much in our home, I love opening the doors to all of you & working with the vendors that I do.  Such a treat, every time.  

See you all in The Fall!  

{M}

It's almost here!

3.23.15- 

I hope you will all "BuZZ" on over to The Hive this week. It's going to be a fabulous show.  The Hive {5} GiVEAWAY is going on right now & I've given you two ways to enter & win.  Go to the H&H FaceBook page & simply "like" & share the photo or go to @hollyhocksandhoneybees on Instagram & enter there.  You'll need to "like" & then leave a comment tagging who you would love to have shop The Hive early with you on opening night.  Two WiNNERS & there friends will be announced on Wednesday. GooD LuCK! 

Hope to see you there! Happy Spring everyone.

{M}

New Month so New Mantel

3.2.15- 

Well after such a strange winter around here with hardly any snow, March sure is coming in like a lion today with snow falling on the ground.  Of coarse it would, as soon as I have Spring fever & used to 50+ degree weather it winter finally decides to show up.  I'll make the most of it though & stay inside & play around by changing up our mantel.

Not sure if you do this as much as I do but I change around our decor every single month.  Whether there is a big holiday in it or not at least a few things get mixed around & shook up around here.  Just keeps things fresh & new.  I love it! 

Our mantel upstairs got a little boost of freshness & subtle nods to the month of March.  I didn't want to go all leprechauns & shamrocks up here {Saving that for the mustard mantle downstairs.. coming soon}  so I just dug into my front cupboard to see what I had that would play with the theme of Spring, green & outdoors.  

This wooly cute sheep came home with my husband from a business trip somewhere {can't quite remember from where}  but I sure do like him.  I put him on the end of the mantel as an anchor. When I decorate I like to have the focal point & highest point in the center & then something to serve as book ends on either side.  {In this case its the fuzzy, white stuff on both ends to tie it all together} Back to Mr. Sheep, he has an old bell around his neck that I got at an antique store years ago.  When I saw it & learned that it was an bell from a sheep herders camp, I had to have it.  I grew up listening to stories my Grandpa Hall would tell about the times he herded sheep & stayed out in the fields as part of a camp herding sheep.  

- I think I'll name him, Smith. It was my Grandpa's middle name & his mother's maiden name. Seems fitting. -

I really think it was some of the best times he had because of all the memories & stories he would share.  I enjoyed listening to them. Sometimes I just ring the bell & think of my Grandpa when he was younger looking after so many lambs & sheep. 

The brass deer I got from a friend's shop on Instagram.  Do you shop or follow shops on Instagram?  If not you REALLY should.  I've gotten the best stuff from there.  

{Blog post of some of my favorite shops to follow & buy from}  

Of coarse you can't go wrong using books & books when you decorate.  I've said it before & I'll say it again.  They are just the BEST! 

 I like to look for books with great color & interesting titles or subject matter. {I don't read them but look for their decor value}  The glass vase with the gold band across the top was a score from the DI last week. I was going to sell it at the upcoming Spring Hive but.... now it might stay in my stash. Topped with a moss ball is the perfect simple finishing touch. 

Still happy with the project I did at To Market last week.  The cotton branches are just the cutest thing ever.  I've always been jealous of those living in the South that can easy access to this gorgeous stuff. I saw a wreath made out of it years ago on Martha Stewart & still can't get it out of my mind.  Stacked up on some more old books,  for a decorating spin remember you can turn them around & the pages can be just as pretty.  

The wooden bird another find from the DI, years ago & the green round pedestal it's perched on was picked from the biggest & best junk yard in these parts.  They were old casters from off of old moving scales. I bought a whole bunch of them in a rainbow of colors just because....well, they were cool.  

I'm so glad I decided to hang garlands on our mantel this year from Christmas for the first time.  Because I've really enjoyed having that option.  I just put eye screws in the corners of the mantel. Easy, peasey!  I love the way the garlands drape across the fire place.  They are vintage trims that I bought from a friend of mine.  Really, the cheapest, easiest way to hang a garland.  Be on the lookout for them, rummage through your Mom or Grandmother's stash.  Vintage always comes in the best colors too. 

Thanks for reading. Hope it's inspired you to change things up a bit in your home this month.  You can see lots more ideas & inspiration by searching #newmonthnewmantel on Instagram.  Eye candy galore. You're welcome to join in too, I'd love to see your space.  

Have a great day & wishing you a LuCKY month ahead! 

{M}

The Springtime Hive- vendor lineup

2.27.15- 

  So thrilled to announce who will "bee" joining me in The Hive this time around.  Some past favorites & a few new ones to throw into the mix too. Hope you have your calendars marked, car pools organized & babysitters arranged.  It's going to be a fabulous show! 

Aimee Ferre 

Vintage Fern 

Woven Pear 

Bit Of Beck

Dana Engemann Designs 

TaDa Home Decor 

Shop To Market 

Janet Wilkins 

The Urban Post 

So much amazing stuff is going to "bee" under one roof.  Don't miss it.  As always sneak peeks, info. & updates will be shared on the hashtag #thehiveboutique so be sure to check.  GiVEAWAYS coming too........ stay tuned. 

{M}

Flight of the honeybee- Paint Workshop

2.26.15- 

Wanted to tell you about the fun day I had with a few new friends at one of my favorite local shops.  I recently teamed up with the amazing owners a fabulous shop called, To Market.  We hosted a couple of blogger events in their cute shop & they introduced & educated us on the most amazing stuff called CeCe Caldwell chalk + clay paint.  

 It comes in all sorts of yummy colors.  Not to mention that the To Market girls have it all stored in the most awesome metal mail sorting cubby bin, it's amazing!  I love how they showed off all the colors to on these wooden paint brushes, so clever. 

Here are the darling owners, Melanie & Holly giving us all the scoop on the fabulous organic, water soluble chalk + clay paint.  Because, well you know you could.  It's a fairly new company started by a darling couple & it's made right here in the good US of A.

This is my first time ever playing with or being around chalk paint of any kind.  I was a little excited & a bit nervous, not exactly sure why it has intimidates me but it has, but no more.  After they instructed us on the paint they turned us loose on creating a fun barn wood flower holder project.  They had great little vintage bottles for us to choose from, Melanie & Holly had "picked" them themselves from estate sales & such.  Here is an aerial pic of my project before I started to get busy.

 

 I stepped aside from my station just for a bit to get a pic of everyone getting elbow deep into the paint project.  It was so great to look up & down the table & see all the different color combinations, color palettes & techniques that were being put to use.

 

My project after a few things done to it.  I put on a layer or greenish/blue paint. Completely covered my board & then with a damp cloth rubbed a lot of it off.  Just leaving a little bit in the grooves of the wood.  Remember I told you this paint was water soluable so it can be rubbed, rubbed again & as much of the paint taken off as you would like.  Awesome!  Then I added some texture with a layering technique, Holly showed us, with the white chalk + clay paint.  LOVED this step.  I painted a few lines of white paint onto the wood, let it dry for a bit, then with a scrapper ran it up the wood as it pulled off patches & streaks of paint.  With the excess that had accumulated on the scrapper I just reversed the scrapper & put the paint back onto another section of the wood.  Gives the look of layering & peeling paint, so cool.

I was just about finished with my project when some inspiration hit.  1- I noticed the two old nail holes on my wood.  So I turned my project upside down so that I could string ribbon through the holes to hang it. 2- I reached into my pocket to get my lip gloss & apply some, I'm ADDICTED to this stuff, 

{please tell me you've tried it.  If not drop what you are doing & run to your local Bath & Body store & get some for yourself, life changing!!}  

& noticed that I liked the coppery color so I decided to apply some shimmery chalk paint to my board. I just added it into the corners & along the edges.  This can be applied thick too to create a layer of paint. 

 

After affixing a little eye hook, to hold the glass bottle in place & securing it with some metal tape & nails all I had to do was accessorize.  I grabbed a branch of cotton, how cute, {they are currently selling it in the store} a little yellow rose, stuck it into my glass bottle & my project was complete.  Ready to take home with me.  I loved how it turned out!

 We also learned about all the different types of wax, finishes & stains that the CeCe Caldwell line carries.  It's all amazing!  So many different ways to finish off a project.

 

  

Here are some of the finished boards.  Love how each one is different & unique.  

As fun as the paint workshop was it was just as fun to walk around To Market & look at all the fabulous things they have for sale.  Furniture, jewelry, candles, glassware, pillows, wreaths, vintage finds & cake stands.  Oh, you know I love cake stands & they have a whole bunch to choose from.  great styles & amazing product for sale. 

 

If you're interested in finding out more about the classes taught at To Market you can visit their FaceBook page or email them at shoptomarket@gmail.com.  

Stop in their shop if you're a local. Trust me I don't think you'll walk out empty handed.  

Tell them the honeybee sent you. 

{M}

Go & get it!

2.17.15- 

  With only a month away before it's St. Patricks Day it's time to get lucky!  

Head over to my online shop on Instagram @shophollyhocksandhoneybees to see the latest H&H Collection of cute green stuff perfect to welcome the leprechauns & luck into your home this year.  Hurry though..... everything, like always is unique & no two look alike so many of the items for sale are one of a kind.  To order all you need is a Paypal, just comment on the picture you like & then all the good stuff will be sent your way or ready for you to pick up. Easy as that! 

-Just a peek at a few of the things in the shop-

I enjoyed creating it all for you.  Such fabulous fun stuff.  Happy shopping!! 

{M}