COW!

I love this little cow! She's waving but you can't tell from my background... :)

Brand New Creations- Collaged Window Lockets

Months ago, I purchased some awesome handmade glass lockets from my friend Lynne who had extras, not exactly sure of what I would do with them. Well, I finally got around to seeing what would happen when I set out to try creating something with them, and here are the results! Introducing the latest line from SilentLotus Creations... Collaged Window Lockets!



On each locket, one at a time, I began gathering bits and pieces and images to create a collage. I used images and words from vintage and antique paper ephemera like books and magazine illustrations, vintage rhinestones, bits of artificial dried flowers and leaves, pieces of nature like twigs, old enamel pieces, fabric from vintage fabric sample books, and tiny jewels and ornaments from vintage millinery. As the subject emerged for each piece, so did a theme, which let me add just the right touches to create the mood of each finished locket.



I am so pleased with the results, and am super excited to unveil them at this weekend's Crafts N'At indie craft market by the Pittsburgh Craft Collective (PCC) on Sunday! I've already ordered new lockets in both this crystal shape and new shapes (diamonds, and house sort-of shapes), so look for more to come soon (like at Music in the Mountains on Labor Day Weekend- see my events list on the sidebar)! :)

Speaking of Crafts N'At, please come and support the PCC's fundraiser for Animal Friends this Friday night at 6pm at Wildcard in Lawrenceville! The Crafts N'AT Pre-Party will be serving free food, beer from East End Brewery, music, raffles of awesome local handmade goods, and a meetup with adoptable Animal Friend's animals! Please come on out!

Kitteh Silliness

The Steel Town Gets Down & Old School!

I will be vending at two fabulous upcoming car and motorcycle rallies over the next month! Woohoo! My craft business, SilentLotus Creations, is teaming up with other Pittsburgh indie crafter to vend our handmade wares alongside hot rods, pin up girls, live music, prize givaways, old school good times, and the coolest of the cool around Pittsburgh! The 1st Annual Steel City Rockers vs. Mods on August 21st (this Saturday!) and the Steeltown Shakedown on Sept. 11th are two events you definitely won't want to miss!

Mention this blog post when you visit my booth to save $2 off every $10 you spend! Hope to see you there!

1st Annual Steel City Rockers vs. Mods Vintage Motorcycle & Scooter Rally



Pittsburgh's first vintage motorcycle and scooter rally! Get out the gear, polish up the Nortons, Triumphs, and BMWs or Vespas, Lambrettas,and Allstates (depending on your allegiance) and commemorate this unique period in Motorcycle history with the First Annual Steel City Rockers vs. Mods! Join us for a one-of-a-kind rally featuring bands, DJs, a pin-up-girl contest, raffles, tattoos, entertainment, vendors, and of course, lots of bikes! Special guest judges will be on-site to distribute awards to both motorcycles and scooters. Come on out and help us make this event one to remember! A portion of our proceeds will benefit Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh's Hard Head Patrol.

Visit http://steelcityrockersvsmods.com for more info!


Steeltown Shakedown, hosted by The Drifters Car Club



On Saturday, September 11, The Drifters will be hosting the 5th annual Steeltown Shakedown at the Twin Hi Way Drive-In on Route 60 in Robinson Township. This all day car show is open to all pre-65 rat rods, hot rods, and custom cruisers. Shop the vendors and enjoy the various raffles, flamethrower contest, pin up contest, and live music. If that isn’t enough for, then prepare yourself for a one night only showing of a true vintage movie when the sun goes down. Bring your old ride and help us celebrate the 76th anniversary of the very first drive-in movie theater the only way we know how: ol’ skool.

Visit www.steeltownshakedown.com for more details.

Crafty Stache Happy Hour Was Great!

I recently met up with some of my favorite Pittsburgh indie crafters from I Made It! Market and the Pittsburgh Craft Collective. The "Crafty Stache Happy Hour" at Lawrencville's Remedy centered around chatting and laughs, yummy drinks, snacks to crunch, and making fun mustaches! Felt, pipe cleaners, glue, glitter, stickers, and other materials were used to make stylin' staches. A great, stachy time was had by all. :)




(left to right) Me (SilentLotus Creations), Vehement Romantic, Jilsy Design, Subu, Inc.

Treasuries Featuring ME! :)

My creations have been featured in five fabulous treasuries on Etsy over the past week! Thanks so much to my EtsyVeg teamies Kim of Veganessa and Yvonne of Karramandi and Kakirra, and to my Steel Town Etsy and Handmade in PA (HiP) teammates Lexi and Gemma of Lexi and Gem for including me in these wonderful collections!

My Pal Is Up for a 2010 Veggie Award! :)

My fellow EtsyVeg member Kristen of Sweet V Confections is up for a VegNews Magazine 2010 Veggie Award! Help me support her, and choose her when you pick your favorite online vegan bakery! Go vote (voting also gets you entered to win some great prizes)! :)

I have tried Kristen's vegan fudge brownies- moist, chocolatey, and so much like the kind my mom made when I was a kid (the yummy ones from the box)- and her mini chocolate chip cookies- chewy, soft, and delicious! They arrived to me beautifully packaged and smelling divine. Her brownies are on sale right now, just $5 for 8!

Good luck, Kristen! :D I am so excited for and proud of you!

Featured Artisan: Bohemian Rose

My love of handmade goods extends to natural bath and body products, especially when it's obvious that they are crafted with carefully-selected ingredients, and high quality; are body-, animal, and earth-friendly; and made with love. :) The wonderful products of my fellow EtsyVeg teammate Jenn of Bohemian Rose definitely fit the bill.



I was super lucky to win a package of handcrafted soap and skincare products for the whole body from Jenn of Bohemian Rose recently! She let me choose my favorite scent in a bar of her handmade soap and my favorite lip balm flavor, and also sent me a fabulous facial scrub and sugar scrub! I've tried both soap and lip balm from Jenn before, so I knew I was in for a special treat- I was not disappointed!

The package arrived exuding the amazing scent of the Tir Na Nog soap I chose, a unisex (a bit more on the masculine side) muskiness that is both invigorating and soothing. Jenn describes Tir Na Nog as a "sexy" scent blended from "sandalwood, musk, and spice... topped with citrus, amber, and a hint of rose," and that is right on target. I tried the soap in my very first shower after it arrived. On top of the fabulous scent, the soap creates a gentle, bubbly lather that leaves me feeling clean and soft without feeling tight or dry in any way. Just what I hope for in a soap! The size is perfect for holding and is generous enough that after a bunch of showers it is still pretty much the same size as when it arrived.



Jenn also sent me a jar of her Facial Scrubbing Mask, which I also tried right away. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous trying something new on my face, as my skin is super-sensitive and gets inflamed and irritated easily. But I had nothing to worry about! The scrub/mask, a finely milled powder mixture clay, oats, dry coconut milk and bamboo, and oils of jojoba and lavender, comes dry in the jar. The ingredients alone are enough to win me over!



Following the directions, after wetting my face I add some water to a scoop of the scrub powder in my palm and blend. Then I apply to my face and rub lightly in circles. The scrub feels oaty-floury and soft in your palm once mixed with a little water, but it actually has loads of these teeny tiny granules that exfoliate gently and effectively- you can feel them once you apply it. Love that!



After scrubbing and then leaving on my skin to dry as a mask (a suggestion in the directions) for a few minutes, I rinse well.



Afterwards, my skin feels soooo baby soft and smooth, and very clean and oil-free (my skin is super oily)! My moisturizer feels like butter when I smooth it on afterwards. :)

My package also included a Strawberry Lime Lip Balm. Jenn's lippies are creamy soft going on, very moisturizing, and last a really long time. I love the Strawberry Lime even more than the Red Currant I tried before. And when you look close at the actual balm itself, there are tiny red flecks in it. I like to imagine that the flecks are real bits of strawberries. ;) Bohemian Rose has lots of tasty flavors of lip balm to try out!

Lastly, I won a sugar scrub! I chose the Minty Lavender scent, which is awakening and energizing. The scrub is very exfoliating and smoothing, leaving skin softened and nurtured. I actually sometimes just use it on my feet (which take a beating from bare feet and flip flops) as a foot scrub to smooth everything and make my heels and toes pretty. :)



Thank you sooo much, Jenn! I love everything!