Ringing in the New Year!

We are
Ringing
in the New Year with Bells
And a SALE!

I'm so excited to announce that all Regal Baby Balls now come with jingle bells sewn securely inside to add even more fun!

Use coupon code REGALFRIEND at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your entire purchase in my Etsy shop.

Happy 2011! Let the new year ring!

Look What's Prowling my Neighborhood

I love it when nature comes knocking on my back door. This bobcat was standing in my driveway as I returned home from taking the kids to school this morning. I snapped this picture on my phone as he was headed back down to the creek. He is hard to see, but if you squint your eyes and look right in the middle behind the two trees, you can make out his pointy ears and front legs.

Wish he would of stayed around for awhile.

IndieGenius: The Bazaar This Weekend!

It's like the Urban Street Bazaar, but indoors, with music, hot chocolate, wine, and lots of handmade goodness!!!  See you this weekend!

 

via beindiegenius.typepad.com

Oh, Good Golly, it's that time of the year!

Be sure to get your orders in soon to get it there in time for the holidays.

Last day to get it there in time for Christmas: December 10th for standard shipping and December 17th with expedited shipping. And well, it's already too late to get it there in time for Hanukah (sorry). Did Hanukah really have to come so early this year? The 25th of Kislev sure did sneak up on us this time.

And as always, Regal Cottage Gift Cerfificates make gift giving easy: http://tinyurl.com/2958vyy. Gift Certificates are emailed immediately upon purchase.

Another Great E-zine: Kireei

I have found yet another e-zine to fall in love with, Kireei: cosas bellas. It is written in Spanish, and has inspired me to work on my Spanish again. The pictures are gorgeous and the handmade lovelies are wonderful in any language.

Big Week

Wow, what a week my Matryoshka dolls had! On Thursday, my little sweeties were a top pick in the Storque: Etsy's Handmade Blog. Joel Henriques, an artist and toy designer, wrote a fun tutorial on how to make your own Nesting Dolls. I was thrilled to have my dolls featured there.

And then, yesterday there they were in the Dallas Morning News. I discovered this as I was enjoying my annual Birthday Breakfast in Bed. What a fun birthday treat!

Pictures from the Funky Finds

My Mom came to help me with this show.

She was so very helpful, and what a good time we had together.

Several new items made their debut at the Funky Finds.

These are Circus Softies made from all vintage fabric. The prints on these are so colorful and fun. They are also cuddly soft and weighted on the bottom gusset so they don't topple over.

Here is the Circus Clown, Elephant, and Giraffe.

The Dutchie Girls were also introduced at the Funky Finds.

These are made from imported Japanese fabric and vintage chenille.

Matryoshka Ornaments were very popular for holiday gifts.

And of course, we brought lots of Regal Baby Balls and Flower Clips.

We had Vespas and VW Buses for the boys,

And more Regal balls.

This sweetie and his "Craft Girls Get Me Hot" shirt was definitely the highlight of our day!

Lots of funky fun was had by all at the Funky Finds 2010.

IndieGenius: Grand Opening Party!

You are invited to join me tonight at the Grand (Soft) Opening Party at IndieGenius, a handmade micro-marketplace. This is a private opening event, just for those in the know.

Now you know, so come see me.

You will get a chance to meet lots of fabulous indie designers and learn more about what this new concept is all about.

Be independent, shop local, support handmade, and more wonderfulness.

6-9 PM

409 N. Zang (entrance on 7th)

Dallas, TX 75208

Here's a peek at my Indie Genius booth:

Hope to see you there!

XOXO,

Regina

Good Reading: Modern Handmade Child

Here's a little something I look forward to every season.

Modern Handmade Child is an "online magazine helping families embrace the handmade way of life." It is packed full of crafts to do with kids, fashion, and recipes.

I hope you enjoy this crafty, parenting e-zine as much as I do.

Gift Certificates are Now Available

Need a baby gift speedy quick?

Regal Cottage gift certificates are now available, and can be emailed directly or printed out for hand delivery.

Gift certificates are always the right size, color, and can be used for custom orders too.

Buy your Regal Cottage Gift Certificates here.

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

We took a little visit to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden to find the perfect pumpkin.

(Well, four perfect pumpkins actually, but who's counting).

Gotta be a good one here somewhere!

Decisions, decisions...

This one is pretty great, but does it have to be so heavy?

This one is just right.

How often do you get to do your pumpkin hunting with a view like this?

This is White Rock Lake. It sits just behind the Dallas Arboretum. You can see just a bit of the Dallas skyline on the upper left hand corner above the trees. And that big white house in the background, well, that's where the infamous Lady of the Lake lives (from a scary ghost story about a high school girl, her prom night, and a ride in your car). Whooooooo!

Happy Halloween!

Take a Peek

I have been working with Abby from Mavora Art & Design on some awesome new advertising graphics for my Etsy shop. Abby is so very talented and she was endlessly patient with me.

Just take a peek at these beauties:

What do you think?

I know you might be a smidgin curious what I am planning to do with these lovelies, but you'll just have to patient. I do have some big plans, yes indeedy, but I'll be keepin' it under my hat {just for a wee bit longer}.

**Don't forget I'm having a Giveway! Entry deadline October 31, 2010.**

When Reality Bites...

When reality really does bite, it is so good to have one of these little guys on your side. The Venus Flytrap is one amazing creature. It sits so patiently awaiting its next meal. And when an unsuspecting visitor drops by, it silently clamps its soft leafy jaws, and devours it. Endlessly fascinating.

**Don't forget to enter my Giveway. Entry deadline October 31, 2010.**

Inspiration: Little Lamb

Isn't this one of the sweetest things you've ever seen?

I found this little guy at an estate sale this past weekend. One shot with the hipstamatic camera, and boy, am I in love!

I estimate that he is a teether, baby rattle from the 1950's.

It's Giveaway Time!

And the winner is....lucky number 7: Laura of Cubits Organic Living! Congratulations, Laura.

Thanks to Random.org for selecting our lucky winner.

You could win your choice of one of these sweet Matryoshka Dolls from my Etsy shop. These darling little dolls are made from imported Japanese fabric and fluffy, vintage chenille to add extra softness and color. Each one is the perfect size for little hands to hold, and has a bell inside for a quiet rattle sound.

Entry Requirements:

*Follow this blog (3 entries)

*Tweet this Giveaway with this premade tweet:

RT this to WIN a sweet Matryoshka Doll from @RegalCottage http://tinyurl.com/22napcn

*View my shop and leave a comment on this post. Tell me your favorite item in my shop. (1 entry)

Contest lasts until October 31st. Winner will be drawn at random and announced November 1st.

Easy and (Sorta) Healthy Frito Chili Pie

When I was a little girl, Frito Pie was one of my favorite items on the school cafeteria menu. I'm pretty sure, it is no longer on any school menus. I bet it was one of the first to go in the push for better nutrition on school menus.

Well, I have come up with a healthier version of this classic dish. The sweet potatoes give the chili a bit of a sweet flavor and thicken the base while adding vitamin A and fiber. I hope it's a favorite at your house, and maybe one day it will make it's way back on the school menu.

1 lb. ground beef

2 cans Rotel, tomatoes and green chilies (You may want to use the mild Rotel if you are serving this to kids)

2 cans Ranch Style beans

1 can tomato sauce

McCormick's chili seasoning packet

1 cup canned sweet potatoes (or fresh steamed)

1/2 onion

Grated cheddar cheese

Fritos

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Return meat to pot. Add Rotel, Ranch Style Beans, Chili seasoning, tomato sauce. Drain and mash sweet potatoes. Add mashed sweet potatoes to pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Chop onions. Put a handful of Fritos in the bottom of each bowl. Top with chili. Add more Fritos. Top with Cheese and onions.

I Love this Little Creek

This is a picture of the creek behind my house. It's a small creek that winds through the neighborhoods of Far North Dallas. It is officially named White Rock Creek because it runs into White Rock Lake. This creek is where I go when I need to rejuvenate. My kids love to get really dirty here. They often try to "catch" fish with things like string, bread, and buckets. I love this little creek.

Press Update!

I recently had the opportunity to contribute to an online magazine, Suite101. The article is on upcycling vintage fabric and is titled From Thrifty to Hip - Repurposing Vintage Fabrics. What fun it was to work on this with contributing writer, Jane Larkin.

Training to be a Barista

What a way to start the day!

The Perfect Frozen Margarita

Growing up in Dallas, I always heard that the Frozen Margarita was first invented in Dallas. It had something to do with a Slurpee Machine (also invented in Dallas by 7-Eleven) and El Fenix Restaurant. I don't know if any of this is true, but I do know my husband's margaritas are the absolute best. Here is his recipe.

The Perfect Frozen Margarita

1 Can Bacardi Frozen Margarita Mix

2/3 Can Tequilla (Use a very good quality Tequilla. Patron Silver is our favorite)

2/3 Can Cointreau liquer

Lime wedges

Add frozen margarita mix, tequilla, and Cointreau to blender. Fill blender to the top with ice. Mix throughly until all ice is chopped to a very fine consistency. Garnish with 1 lime wedge per glass.

Inspiration: Wild Wishing Flowers

Hard to believe these gorgeous purple flowers grow wild. They are from a kudzu vine. This pesky vine grows invasively over everything, but when these little purple star like flowers bloom, it's hard to mind. Their gorgeous shade of purple is the source of inspiration behind my Wishing Flowers Regal Play Balls.

Big News in the Micro-Boutique Marketplace, IndieGenius

I have got some really big news to share with you! I have been invited to participate in the newest venture in the handmade revolution, the micro-boutique marketplace, IndieGenius. This is such an exciting opportunity, and I am thrilled to share this news with you.

IndieGenius is slated to open in October in the Bishop Arts District in Dallas. It will be a collection of independently owned micro-boutiques all under one roof in one of the hippest areas in town. It will be open six days a week so shoppers can have the freedom to shop when they like {not just on craft fair days} in a climate controlled environment.

Translation: Handmade Indie Designer Mall.

Dallas has always been on the forefront of shopping innovation, {This is the city where Neiman Marcus got it's start, you know} and I am so proud to be a part of this one!

Pictures from the Cowtown Indie Bazaar