Summer Recap
Summertime in Laguna Beach.
It was a very hot and hectic summer this year! I spent lots of time with my family which was fantastic. Unfortunately, I've been battling some seriously bad migraines. But now that the heat wave seems to be over, I'm finally feeling a little better. I hate to say to goodbye to summer but I'm definitely ready for fall's cooler temperatures, and hopefully less headaches. I've been running behind on all of my blog posts so here's a compilation of everything I've been up to lately!
OliveBox - Wedding & Anniversary Box
Have you heard of Pink Olive stationery stores in New York City? I've followed them from afar on Instagram for awhile now. Grace Kang is the founder and I love her curated choices of greeting cards and paper goods. The interior decor and displays for the Pink Olive brick & mortar stores are beautiful too!
So I was thrilled when Pink Olive contacted me and asked if I would like to participate in one of their sister projects, OliveBox.
Image via Olive Box.
OliveBox is a monthly subscription service where every month you receive a box of paper goods in the mail. Each box has a different theme and features a variety of paper goods from up and coming designers. I was super honored that my "Wedding Congrats" card was chosen to be a part of their Wedding and Anniversary Box.
"Wedding Congrats" card from Fair Skies Design, available in my shop!
"Wedding & Anniversary Card Box" available from OliveBox.
The other talented makers included in this box are Violet Clair, Arthur's Plaid Pants, In the Daylight, Golden Quill Designs, and Freckles Creative Studio. Please check out their work when you have a chance! If you're a paper lover and you're interested in an OliveBox subscription, please click here! The boxes are also available to purchase individually.
Local Craft Fairs
In May, I participated in my first ever Patchwork Show in Santa Ana. It's a wonderful outdoor fair in the heart of the downtown Arts District. It was definitely one of my favorite shows! If you're a maker, I highly suggest checking out Dear Handmade Life as a resource. In addition to organizing the Patchwork fairs in several California cities, they also hold a yearly business conference specifically for makers called Craftcation.
Fortunately the weather was a bit overcast so we weren't baking in the hot sun all day. There was a pretty good crowd with an artsy, eclectic mix of people. I enjoyed talking with my table neighbor, Christine Locke, who makes the coolest paper origami necklaces. Please visit her Etsy shop Clockework and Lace to check them out! It was a lovely event and I hope to do the show again soon!
Patchwork Show, Santa Ana, CA. Love the colorful sweater on the woman in the right!
In August, I participated in an End of Summer craft pop up show at The Brewyard Beer Co. It was nice to get over to Glendale as I rarely venture out to the east side of LA. I was invited by my booth mate at last year's Jackalope Art Fair, Christal Huth. She is the owner and hand-embroiderer extraordinaire behind I Sewpose. The pop up was co-organized by Caitlin Rumph of FabriCait and Linda Mortensen of Little Red Kit.
Brewyard Beer Co. Pop Up Market with I Sewpose, FabriCait, Little Red Kit, Dirty Soap LA, Trendy Little Sweethearts, Usborne Books, and Little Red's Gifts and Bags.
I had a great time spending the day at The Brewyard. I tried out their passion fruit brew and it was delicious. The Richeeze food truck was parked right outside and they have the best grilled cheese sandwiches. I hope they come to my neighborhood sometime soon!
Most of all, I really enjoyed talking shop with my fellow makers. Not only is the handmade community in southern California really creative, but it's a very supportive group of people too. Thanks so much to Caitlin and Linda for bringing us all together for such a fun and crafty event!
SoCal Summer Fun
Like a lot of Californians, I hit the beach this summer. When I visit Orange County, I like to visit the Laguna Beach area. I took this photo near the Montage resort. If you're looking for a beachside lunch spot, I recommend their outdoor restaurant, the Mosaic Bar and Grille. The food is yummy, the oceans views are breathtaking, and it's also a great spot for celeb-spotting!
View of Laguna Beach at The Montage.
The Strand Vista Park in Dana Point is another one of my favorite spots in Orange County. It has a lovely promenade overlooking the beach and the ocean. The entire walkway is decorated with beautiful sea-colored glass. I adore the colors and details in these glass fish mosaics!
Fish mosaics at The Strand Vista Park in Dana Point.
On one of my early visits to California before I moved here, I absolutely fell in love with San Juan Capistrano. It's so beautiful, charming, and peaceful. Lately I've been exploring the cute cafes and restaurants in and around the Los Rios Historic District.
Wooden signs in San Juan Capistrano's Los Rios District with the train depot in the background.
Both the food and the atmosphere is outstanding at the Ramos House Cafe. It's based out of a small house built in 1881. The cafe's dining area is set in a rustic, semi-covered outdoor courtyard filled with sprawling plants.
Their buttermilk biscuit with fresh apple butter is to die for!
I took so many pictures in the Los Rios District that I could probably write several blog posts about it. But for now I'll end this post with some of my favorite photos showing the neighborhood in all of its natural splendor!
All images via Christina Livesey/Fair Skies Design unless otherwise noted.