yes, yes, yes- yesterday afternoon my tiny shop quietly passed the 1000 sales mark as a repeat (and awesome) client in Seattle placed his order. I love my job- not only because my boss (uh, that’s me) let’s me go running during work or because thrifting is PART OF MY JOB, but also because I truly love making bow ties and am still excited (4 years later) about new patterns that I find and totally rad where-did-that-come-from ideas that I can make happen (seriously- this summer- the bow tie world is about to be rocked!). And weddings! I get to be a part of that infectious excitement and pure happiness on a weekly basis and it’s invigorating! So thank you bow-tie-wearers and bow-tie-wearing-supporters of the world- you’re making my year.

And, in other news, it’s cinco de mayo tomorrow and there are new Mexico-inspired bow ties in the shop.  I want to make these cookies and sip virgin margaritas on our not-yet-built deck.

Which reminds me- Garth and I have been using the word “overwhelming” way too much lately in reference to our life/projects/house. Our list of to-do’s has not gotten any shorter and the evidence of half-finished projects is in every corner of this house. We hope to pop away from the craziness that is working/building/cleaning/planning and just chill for a while with the kids. The park maybe- or the beach- of golly just laying in the sun in the backyard on the trampoline. And ice cream. There should be ice cream in there somewhere.

ecks oh internet world,
elle

I’m sort of in love with the mini little collection of batwing bow ties. I use a more voluptuous thistle shape for the everyday bow ties in the shop- so these are so refreshing and fun for me to make. Happy. Slim. Radical.

They are in the shop now. Enjoy!

We’ve had big plans for the house. They included a mud porch breezeway with a pocket door leading to a sunroom studio for me. With a loft and giant bookcases. And a deck with huge bed-sized porch swings, and a workshop for Garth. And a guest sleeping cottage. And built-ins and re-tiling, and adding appliances, and re-flooring. We’re 6 months in we’ve painted one room and installed a dishwasher and an attic door. And we live in Hawaii and we haven’t really done much in the way of beaches, luaus, and sunsets. The plans needed to change.

And it was a simple text message from my sister, Julia, that made it happen. She asked if she could come visit in the spring and I replied, “YES! Please!” and then I started thinking about what she and her husband would see when they walked in my door. And I started to dream. Within the hour I had a plan to just throw myself (and consequently my husband) into a crazy scheme to build a studio in the backyard within the month of February. 120 square feet in 29 days. Today, my inspiration.

We’re planning on building it almost entirely out of salvaged materials: tongue and groove siding, windows, doors, and flooring. I want at least one wall to be all windows- the front- and the other three with perhaps a window or two for airflow. The wall o’ windows will be in front and will be lined with one long skinny table to house my sewing machines and other work centers. The back wall will be floor to ceiling shelving with a rolling ladder. It is going to rule.

Those shelves are going to house all of the craftiness I own, some of it in milk crates, others in nice little displays. I will no longer have to balance myself one one leg while digging through something in the closet because the tool that I’m looking for might be behind a certain box way in the back. My current studio is a disaster. It’s the biggest bedroom in our house and it looks like an episode of Hoarders. For real.

Oh I am so ready for this- and in two weeks it’ll hopefully be a reality. We’ve already made the plans, been shopping, poured the foundation, and realized that we only have about 6 non-working non-child-tending days left together this month. We are all over this. Right honey? All. over. it.

Updates to follow. And lots of other good things.
eckses and ohs.

elle

I’ve been squirreling away these fuschia and awesome ties waiting for the big love holiday. And these are HOT! Each is made from a necktie, so there’s only one available in the shop. And, in case you didn’t know, bow ties make ladies’ knees weak. It’s totally true.

wow you guys. Ya’ll kept me working during this last weekend. THANK YOU. It took me two and a half days to pack up all the orders- and I listened to Christmas music the whole time. So big hugs and high fives to everyone who acquired some new xoelle bow ties- they are happily making their way to you- watch your maily boxes!

xoxoxo
elle

I made up a big ol’ batch of recycled journals to ship out to the ICE Pop-Up shop and just couldn’t stop making them so I’ve put them in the shop. Most of them are made from used gameboards, but there are also art journals and adorable pocket notebooks made from playing cards and garth’s old baseball card collection. There are dozens of bow ties coming into the shop later this week too to stock up for the big sale (yay! And if ya’ll want an invite to shop the sale a day or two early sign up to be on the mailing list over at the botton of the right sidebar there where it says, “get quarterly updates” ——->)

The days are squished full for us here at the Hawker/Plouzek household. We’re preparing for the holidays and getting as many hugs from each other as we can.

Lots o’ love,
Laura. =)

happyiest etsyversary to my little shop! Three years ago this very day I finally settled on a name and opened an etsy shop where I planned to sell lots of different things, bow ties among them. The bow tie pictured above is the very first bow tie I sold. This little shop has been an amazing blessing in my life, allowing us wiggle room in our budget (and extra travel plans!) and giving me an outlet for a little of my creativity and drive. It has been awesome and I owe you, my dear sweet bow-tie-wearers and bow-tie-wearing-supporters, for it’s success. So friends- let’s take 30% off of everything in the shop on this lovely etsyversary- you totally deserve it. Just use “happy3” in the coupon code box for your discount. The code is only going to be good as long as it is today in Hawaii.

Thanks a million my lovies! Rock those bow ties!

ps. isn’t my model adorable? Mr Garth used to try on every single bow tie that I sold to help me photograph them. It got harder and harder to do with more and more bow ties and two children, so we gave it up- but I kinda miss that goofy grin in my shop pictures!

pps. it’s amazing how far I’ve come as a business and a craftsperson- I am embarrassed by the wonkiness of this bow tie- if you are out there listening Mr. first-sale-ever shoot me an e-mail and I’ll send you an xoelle bow tie with 3 years of experience and skill built in.

xooooOOOOOxxo

elle

The work that has been going on behind the scenes here in xoelleland is out of this world. I was pretty much starting from scratch with the business again as all of my inventory, equipment, supplies, and even business cards and scissors were packed in giant crates back in Florida and I haven’t seen ‘em since. So I’ve been gathering everything that I need to run this little business (which is harder to do in a brand new place that also happens to be an island- I still haven’t been able to find the right kind of interfacing that I need on island) and hitting thrift stores like crazy plucking up awesome prints for bow ties. I’ve also been cutting and sewing like crazy and have quite a few dozen bow ties lined up in the sewing queue. I mean, there are bow tie parts all over this house. Under the sink, in boxes in the living room, hanging off of the curtain rods, and piled on my sewing desk. We are swimming in bow ties over here. It’s time for them to go out in to the world and onto awesome necks everywhere.

So this is your official notice that xoelle is back in business. Bow ties will be flying into the shop in lightening speed later this evening and there’s no telling when they’ll stop.

happy almost-friday my friends,

elle

It’s here! I only discount my items once a year and this is the weekend! Ya’ll have until late Monday night to snag all the bow ties you can handle from the shop at just $25 each. Awesome.

And, if you’re in the Atlanta area the Indie Craft Experience is having a pop-up shop for the holidays that opens today. You can find my bow ties and game board journals there. Yippee!