Here’s more info on the talented Honor Bowman:

Honor Bowman started Wing Nut Brooklyn Hair Accessories on Etsy.com in June of 2008 as a way to support her habit of buying all the beautiful fabric, costume jewelry, and trimmings she could get her hands on. Since then, Wing Nut Brooklyn has grown from a collection of experiments made at her kitchen table in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, into a fully-realized line of gorgeous, hand-crafted accessories constructed with vintage jewels, hand-dyed silks, rare millinery feathers, Swarovski crystals, and other fine materials.

Honor is originally from the rolling hills of Roanoke, Virginia (the Star City of the South). She completed her BA in Studio Art and English Literature at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va in 2006. After college, she relocated to New York City, which is her favorite place on earth. While in New York, Honor worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and at a music publishing firm. She recently picked up and moved to Savannah to attend SCAD, where she is currently seeking an MFA in Painting. Honor is a classically trained cello player, a potentially avid tennis player, an obsessive headband-maker, and a collector of all things that sparkle.

As September approaches, I know the holidays are just around the corner.  And with them, the holiday parties.  But have no fear.  French Knot is your hostess gift headquarters.  I’ve received some wonderful cocktail napkins and charming tea towels.  Your hostess will feel so lucky.

But maybe you’re this season’s hostess with the mostest.  Then you’ll have to have a festive apron to protect your party frock, with the coordinating towel of course.

This items are in limited quantities so hurry in for the best selection!  See you soon.

This picture shows the fabulous collection she’s collecting, and frankly I’m jealous.  So I thought we could create our own Hoop Swap.  (Free $25 French Knot gift certificate to the first person to come up with a better name).

Here’s how it will work:

- Email me (info@french-knot.com) if you are interested in participating.  Send me your name, email, shipping address, a list of at least 5 inspiration likes or dislikes (i.e. like flowers, dislike blue would be one), and how many swaps you are interested in participating in.

- Then I’ll randomly pair people together.  I’ll send you the shipping info and one inspiration line from an interested participant.

- You’ll have 3 weeks to complete the hoop and ship it out.  If would like another hoop to complete, let me know, and I’ll send out another request.

- When you receive your hoop, please email me a picture to add to the blog to see how the collection is growing.

- For every hoop you complete, you will receive one.

Rules:

- Each hoop needs to have at least 2 hours worth of work in it.

- Hoops can be any size and explore any technique. (Embroidery, needlepoint, cross stitch, etc.)

- Be sure you can finish your hoop in three weeks before taking on the task, we don’t want to keep the recipient waiting.

- You cannot request a particular artist to do your hoop.  The point is to get lots of different styles and interpretations.

Doesn’t this sound like fun?

Please post a comment if you have any questions.

Andrea Gray is a surface designer who incorporates embroidery, screen-printing, and digital techniques into her repeat pattern works.  A native of the Southeastern United States, Gray’s exposure to tropical plants and a lack of winter season garnished her love for the outdoors, plants, and bright colors.  In 2007, Gray received a BFA degree from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in Textiles and Fashion.  Since then she has received her MFA in Fibers at SCAD, participated in various solo and group exhibitions and trade shows, won several awards, and received the Ben C. Morris travel scholarship to study abroad in Cambodia.  Gray has now used her talents to create kits, canvases, and patterns of her designs for others to enjoy.

Photos by Jade McCully.

Raymond Crawford’s bio was taken from his website.  It’s a great way to preview the charming things that will be in the store.

“The Young and Dumb” Period Armed with an art teaching degree in 1978, I thought I was ready to take on any challenge that presented itself. Why not? I was always drawing and painting from an early age. I knew the students would be anxious to sit at my feet and absorb my teachings. Well, that didn’t work, so to make ends meet I part-timed in retail sales trying my best to put housewares in every home. I was also broke. After deciding that pushing La Creuset cookware didn’t ring my bell, I thought about going into the Visual Merchandising end of the retail world.

“Retail is My Life” Period Now this was a much better fit to feed my creativity needs! After working with Federated Department Stores, Neiman Marcus and Barneys New York, 25 years of retail sales, creating fabulous displays and window designs I had enough! It was a choice between “bitter-yet-creative” or “gloriously happy and creative”. Hmmmm… what’s the answer?

” Down the Yellow Brick Road” Period So in 1996, I started my own line of needlepoint designs. Leaving my bitter friends in retail, I embarked on my own yellow brick road. Now that I have come full circle back to drawing and painting, I still dabble in doing window displays for a small group of clients. I also design some large projects for a Chicago event production company. But for the most part, designing unique needlepoint is my full-time job. So I think I have found what I was looking for. As Dorothy learned, it was here all the time.

” Deep in the Heart of Where!?!” October 2006 brought the awful truth of being an adult when I lost my Dad without warning. This occurred after losing my Mother in 2004. After lots of angst and thought, I decided to buy the family home. In the next few months, Dan and I will be living in Dallas but still traveling back to Chicago frequently to see family and friends. So the roller-coaster of life continues!

Ornament photo by Jade McCully.

Photo by Jade McCully.

As a special offer, get all four canvases, threads, beads, sequins, and stitch guides in a kit for only $150.  Canvases retail for $140 without the threads and other necessities to stitch them.  As an added bonus, pre-order yours by April 9 and receive an additional 15% off.  Call, 912.349.6450 or email, info@french-knot.com to order yours today.  These coasters would also make an adorable wall hanging.  Kits will be available April 9, and quantities are limited to 4 kits.

This necklace is made from silk, printed cotton and chandelier crystals.

Photo by Jade McCully.

For this project, you’ll need 5-7 small needlepoint canvases (3-4″ wide is best).  They can be any theme: farm animals, safari, butterflies, letters, numbers, the child’s name, use your imagination.  In addition to the canvases and thread for them, you’ll also need some illustration board, fabric to back the canvases (unless you’re really ambitious and want to needlepoint both sides), ribbon, trim (I love chi-chi balls), and a 12″ embroidery hoop (you may want to spray paint this before you assemble the mobile).

Step 1: Stitch your needlepoint canvases.

Step 2: Cut out your canvases leaving about 1/2″ to 1″ allowance.  Cut out your fabric with an allowance too.  Cut out the illustration board the finished size of the canvas.  For example, if your stitched area is a 3″ circle, the needlepoint canvas and fabric will be at least a 4″ circle, but the illustration board will be a 3″ circle.  HINT:  get a circle cutter from your local art supply store.  Best investment ever!

Step 3: Fold the edges of your needlepoint canvas over and glue (you may need to notch corners for a clean edge).  Use a double-sided sheet adhesive to attach the illustration board to the fabric, wrap the excess fabric over the edge of the board.  Attach the fabric backing to the needlepoint.  Add trim.

Step 4: Attach hanging ribbons to the embroidery hoop.  Try to space them out as equally as possible so the hoop will hang level. 

You’re done.  What a lucky baby!  When the child has outgrown the mobile, simply remove the needlepoint elements, and turn the ribbons into ornament loops.  Or treasure the heirloom for the next generation to enjoy.

 Photos by Jade McCully.