Sha~ na na na: Time to Change

Dearest Gypsies,

The road we've wandered down has changed for the better.

image courtesy of annacupcakes19

We started as a jury based team, to build our core principles. Now that we have our standards in place, we are ready to welcome more open minds who want to play with us.

Invite your creative friends and family! We want YOU to share in this journey.

Just remember, we gypsies are fiercely loyal to one another and have a close relationship with the truth.

image courtesy of alexandra valenti

Not sure this is the place for you? Decide for yourself.

Our Mission:::: commitment to the creative community, ethical business practices, and mentorship.

COMMON GOALS

• Earth Centered Hearts with use of eco friendly or recycled materials
• Low impact packaging & lifestyle
• Community of makers dedicated to quality handmade goods
• Respect of creative Integrity of ALL other makers
• Room for everyone at the table of glad tidings and self-expression
• Assistance in growth, wisdom, and methodology

MEMBER PARTICIPATION::

• One blog post per year and/or quarter via blogger (More details to come )
• Tag Esty listings with team name "gypsydreamteam"
• Promote each other via Facebook, personal blog, twitter, ect.
• Presence in our Etsy Forum

*Current members can invite new members via the Etsy forum page on the bottom left hand corner.*

Let's party!

~brenna

Dress Conversion

I hadn't realized how much a wardrobe would change after having a baby until I had one myself. First off it was finding clothes that would fit my new body. But then it seemed that after my life had changed, so had my clothing preference. I looked at some of my clothes that I had pre-baby and thought, I'm supposed to wear that??

I did look into some nursing shirts, but so many of them are just SO ugly! They look matronly and simply, NOT CUTE! Dresses?! Who can wear those when nursing?? Wrap dresses might work, if you feel like undressing halfway while nursing your baby.

Recently a friend asked me to alter a dress that she'd bought from me while pregnant. It was this one:

She needed the bodice taken in and nursing access added, somehow. Since she is a smaller-framed girl, I had extra room in the bodice to work with. First I trimmed the top part of the bodice, leaving the straps connected. I re-stitched the bodice, making a new seam-line at the top and used the same gathers in the bust as before.

I serged the lower part so it wouldn't fray inside. This became the framework inside the bodice for the nursing panel. After I added snaps (this took about an hour because I didn't know how to use my snap pliers and I ruined lots of snaps on a scrap piece!), I realized that the center portion would droop if nothing was supporting it.

I needed to anchor it, but it still needed freedom when each side was released for nursing. A short piece of elastic gave the structure some support while still leaving room for ease.

I reconnected the new bodice, added the skirt and it was done!

the neverending question...

Two weeks from now, I am packing up all of my gear and heading out to vend my very first away-from-home shows. Aside from the flurry of last minute production and detail patrol, there is one major question keeping me awake at night:

What on earth should I wear?

Inspired by Gypsy Moon Julie's recent post, I decided to dig into Etsy and put together a few dream outfits. Here's the first in the series:


What do you think, Gypsy mamas?

dress: greatestfriend.etsy.com
shoes: blusher2.etsy.com
belt: AudraJean.etsy.com
necklace: indigorhinodesigns.etsy.com
petticoat: TheMeasure.etsy.com
ring: SweetPCrafters.etsy.com
money clip: donnaOdesigns.etsy.com
sock garters: SWANclothing.etsy.com

If you happen to be in Montana, come on by my booth and see what I actually adorn myself with at the Montana Herb Gathering and the MissoulaMADE fair, both on the weekend of June 25-27.

Stroll Down Gypsy Road

Let me offer you a cup of hot spearmint and green tea while we take a stroll through some of the Gypsy Road Team shops on Etsy.


The Peaceful Peacock created this yummy signature blend tea.



With warming weather comes the opportunity to shed those sweaters for lighter wear. Originality is guaranteed with hand made clothing designed with hemp jersey, re purposed fabric, organic cotton, and bamboo blend fabrics.



Goddess skirts and dresses make a gypsy feel so free. Throw on your boots and you're ready for a hike or just run barefoot across your own back yard in any of these artisan designed pieces. You can find batik, applique, hand dyed to patchwork in one of our Gypsy Road shops.



Bohemian jewelry is a must! It can express how you feel, what you desire to project to the world or just be a special sentimental piece that you want close to you that day. A goddess never needs an excuse to wear her baubles either, be it a long lunch at her favorite cafe or a trip to the market.




Looking for a showy head piece for that much anticipated festival? A pair of wild panties or a colorful dreadband? One of our gypsies is sure to have designed something just for you.



Now I shall leave you be, to stroll on your own. Hope you enjoyed your tea!

Rejoice the Hands Handmade Jewelry Inspired by Nature and Man
Nature Gear Hand dyed organic clothing
A Green Banana Eco friendly handmade clothing
The Leather Flower Leather crowns and fascinating fascinators
Sweetgrass for SandieClothing created with our earth in mind
Green Cocoon Eco-friendly , wearable art
Tangled Hangers Hemp Organic Eco Fibers Original Designs
Camille Wanders Hand Batiked goods created out of eco-friendly fabrics
Magnolia Skies Ecofriendly & wearable art clothing & much more
Savoy Truffles Fascinators Electroformed jewelry from New Orleans with love
Barefoot Stitches Handmade wearables
Eleven Stones Healing stones and macrame jewelry
Scarlette Rose Fairy Hand dyed clothing, dreadbands, baby clothing
Spirit River Studio Minnesota Fine Art
Potomac River Goods EcoFriendly Handmade Batik Clothing and Jewels
Starlily Creations Crochet Scarflettes and Unique Accessories
Artistically Stitched Organic Hemp handmade & recycled clothing
Raimbow Tree Headbands Yo!
Sun Loving Baby Healing Salves, Baby wraps and more
Lazy Mare rustic threads~ Original Clothing
Beautiful Chaos One of a kind art wear for one of a kind people
Gypsy Moon Designs Handmade boho chic jewelry created in beautiful Montana
The Peaceful Peacock The tiny empire of tea
Perpetual Sunshine Creations Bohemian Hemp Jewelry
Carmenas Earthly Delights Crocheted & Vintage Collectables

Visual Inspiration: Gypsy Meet Up

While visiting one of my favourite cities, New Orleans, I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow member of our beloved Gypsy Road.

The wonders of technology enable us to connect with so many resources, with the best being one an other. I can't tell you all how surreal it was to meet someone, you already knew, in person.

Generally, I am not the type of person who is ever at a loss for words. In this case, when I met Miss Theo of Savoy Truffle, I was over whelmed by all of the creative love she had to share.

We talked about her methods, materials, and what inspires her. It was incredibly exhilarating and encouraging to visit with Theo about all of her artistic endeavours.

I look up to Theo, now more than ever. She said, "you have to believe in what you are doing as an artist. All the other details will work themselves out, if you put yourself out there. "

On to the visual inspiration..........


Click the links below for further explanation of each image.

1. Lotus zoomer, 2. Lotus Love, 3. Pretties from the Earth, 4. Second Skin, 5. Supplies of Glory, 6. Personal Challenge Head dress, 7. Handbeaded head dress, 8. Mood Board, 9. Mood Board zoomer

hugs!

all of the images used in this post were taken by Brenna of *agreenbanana*

Top Model?

One of the pitfalls of modeling all of your own creations, is that they don't always fit you.

I can't help but giggle, while taking pictures of my comfy wrap pants. I wrote a little haiku about my experiences.

::::::

Silly girl am I!
Too short to model the pants
Wears ugly high heels

::::::

~hugs~
Banana

turquoise

1. Rainy Season in Thailand, 2. My first weaving project..., 3.gypsymoondesigns.etsy.com , 4. Macho de Saí-azul, Saí, Saí-bico-fino ou Saí-bicudo (Dacnis cayana) - Male of a Blue Dacnis or Turquoise Honeycreeper - 01-04-2009 - IMG_7725, 5. Turquoise Cuff1, 6. Neck Rag, 7. mylittlewings.etsy.com, 8. 1609, 9. Turquoise Pyrex

gypsy road team listings are written in red.

mosaic created by julie from ~ the peaceful peacock ~