Sweet Valentine Goodies

There are only a couple more weeks until Valentine’s day!  Don’t worry you still have time to get all the goodies you need to show the people you love most how much you care about them!  We have a table in the front of the store just covered in candy and fun home décor and the ladies have been busy creating samples of super cute gift ideas and decorations for the end caps.  AND if you can’t find or aren’t sure of what you’re looking for exactly our crew is always ready to assist!  They’ll help you find what you need or help you come up with the perfect project to make for that someone special.  Just one more reason to LOVE Beverly’s Santa Maria!

Things to make…

 One of the end caps in the kids crafts section of the store is devoted to Valentine’s Day felt pieces that can used to make or decorate just about anything.  On the right, a sweet Valentine (you could also glue a magnet to the back).  On the left a simple Valentine pencil is turned into a special Valentine pencil.

Valentine ribbon was used to wrap a foam wreath, a few embellishments and a beanie puppy and voila! You have a cute Valentine’s Day decoration or gift.  On the right, just a few of the Valentine fabrics available at the store.           

  

Pretty fabric was used to decorate a heart shaped paper mache box that is just aching to be filled with yummy candy for that special someone.  Fabric could also be used to create a valentine wreath.  Super simple---you don’t even have to know how to sew to play with fabric!

Maria made this really cool wall plaque using a canvas (it happens to be a great time to pick some of these up!  They’re on sale!) and a heart stencil.  I love it! 

Goodies and Bling…

Honestly, I am not quite sure what this little guy/girl is exactly but it’s super cute and made me smile so here it is!

       

Valentine BLING can be found at the front of the store.  You can also find the Valentine pencils that we used to make the cute felt topped pencils.

Paper Details…

Cute little paper and sticker embellishments help make that homemade Valentine card extra special!

Who doesn’t love sparklies and flowers?!

Thank you for checking out today’s blog post!  Check in with us next time…we’ll be catching up with Lincoln to see how his sock is coming along!

Now Go! Be Crafty!

A Baby Shower at Bev's in Santa Maria

The ladies in the Knitting & Crochet Group take center stage again on our blog.  The reason?  Well, they decided to have a baby shower for one of the members and actually had it during their weekly gathering at Beverly’s in Santa Maria!  They shopped, knitted/crocheted, ate yummy food and watched the Mama open a ton of baby gifts.

The presents!  There were a lot of them!  Some of the ladies even chipped in to buy a car seat!  

Linda made clouds with raindrops that hung over the baby "shower" area while rubber duckies swam around in the punch bowl! (BOTH really good ideas for  the next baby shower you host!)

The proud Mama takes a moment during the festivities to pose next to the presents then gets to task of actually opening them all!

Today's color theme was baby blue!

Welcome Baby!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: These ladies are just awesome!  They really help make Saturdays at Beverly's in Santa Maria extra special!

Happy Saturday and thank you for checking out today's blog post!

Now Go! Be Crafty!

Crafty Colors & Trends

Color is everywhere! Duh, right?  But did you know that the colors that you surround yourself with actually say a lot of you?  Who you are, your thoughts, your mood, your personality are affected by the colors around you.  It isn't something we really consciously think about but it is an important factor whenever a company sets out to sell you something.  For example, red is often used in restaurant decorating because red is an appetite stimulant.  It is also the most emotionally intense color.  Blue on the other hand actually releases calming chemicals within our bodies that help us be more creative and has been shown to make brainstorming more productive in company settings.  But places that want to sell you food won't use blue as readily because it is an appetite suppressant!  (I am so gonna paint my dining room blue!) The color yellow?  It is mentally stimulating (babies will cry more in yellow rooms than in rooms of other colors), activates memory and encourages communication!

What's your favorite color?  

Annually, a company named Pantone declares a particular color "Color of the Year".  Pantone Inc. is best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS) which is used in a variety of industries.  The color is selected with the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual or political climate and mood associated with an era.  This year that color is Tangerine Tango.

Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness, "notice me" warmth of yellow, forming a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and positive energy!

   

These are just a few of the orange-y fabrics available at Beverly's.  Remember, not only can you get the most awesome fabrics available at Beverly's in Santa Maria, you can also get them online at www.beverlys.com.  Only problem with that is that then we'd miss seeing you at the store. L 

Though Tangerine Tango has taken center stage there are other colors that brighten our lives.  Blue remains the most overall popular color (probably because of all of the good feelings it emits).  We have a few items that are in shades of blue that some of us at Beverly's in Santa Maria see as must-haves!

These trunks are awesome!  The larger of the three on the left would make a perfect coffee table!  Fill it with board games or warm blankets and you have a beautiful chest that's both functional and eye-catching!

I just love these boxes!  Again, a mix of functionality and beauty!

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has become a huge trendsetter.   She has had quite on impact especially on hat and hair accessories markets. Feathers, beads, bracelets, headbands...she has helped make them all intensely popular among girls and women alike.  Feathers, beads and all the fixings to make your own head-turning accessories can be found at Beverly's in Santa Maria!

So, there you have it!  More way cool stuff to factor in when you feel a crafty mood coming on!  Hope you enjoyed this very informative blog post. I know I have. I've learned some very interesting things about color, feathers and trend-setters!  But now I'm thinking that I really need to paint everything around me blue!  Watch out 2012...here comes a craftier and skinnier me! 
            

Now Go! Be Crafty!

Tea Time in Wonderland

Tea Time in Wonderland was a hit at Beverly's in Santa Maria!  Kids were coloring and making cool crafts while their parents munched on the goodies (the lemon cookies were delicious!).  The Queen of Hearts, insisted that everyone eat and have fun or "off with their heads!" 

Jenna and Nancy (i.e. the Queen of Hearts) take a moment to pose for a picture. 

Just a couple of the things that our customers created while they hung out with us!

One of our customers found a great spot to participate in the coloring contest...close to the goodies!

The Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter crafted the day away at the make-n-take table.

Thank you for checking out our 

Tea Time in Wonderland blog post.  

A special Thanks to everyone who came to spend their Saturday with us.  We hope that you all had as much fun as we did.

Now Go!  Be Crafty!

or OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!

The Knitting & Crochet Group

Every Saturday morning at Beverly's in Santa Maria crafty ladies trickle into the store to participate in the FREE Knitting and Crochet Group.  We call them a group but really the word "group" doesn't do them justice.  These ladies are friends and in some cases family that come together to share ideas, friendship and fun. They welcome new members with big smiles and warm hearts and every person there is made to feel that they belong.  They are a diverse collection of talented ladies of all ages that have found a common ground: yarn and creativity.  We look forward to seeing them on Saturdays (and Wednesdays, too!).  Their positive energy and spiritedness adds a little something special to Saturdays at Beverly's in Santa Maria.  So, as a thank you to these amazing ladies I thought we might feature them on our blog.  I figured they might like the attention...hee hee!



The ladies gather around tables near fabrics.  If anyone if having trouble with a stitch there is always someone ready and willing to help out.



Some of the ladies use looms while others use hooks. Children are encouraged to learn to create with yarn as well.

There is a lot of sharing in this group.  Everyone comes prepared to work on a project that they've already been working on.  BUT they also come prepared to learn something new.

These ladies are amazing! I don't knit or crochet but watching them on Saturdays makes me want to!  They are talented and creative but more than that they are delightful!  They are our customers but they are also our friends!

Thank you to the Knitting and Crochet Group for making

Beverly's in Santa Maria

the place to be on Saturdays!

Now Go! Be Crafty!

Get Some Duct Tape!



Seriously, you are gonna wanna get some duct tape! We aren't talking about the silver duct tape that you have hanging out in the utility drawer.  We're talking about the colorful, fun-printed duct tape that you can get at Beverly's in Santa Maria on Aisle 8! AND it's on sale all month long for $3.88 a roll!  So, what does one do with duct tape?  Well, the possibilites are ENDLESS and a pre-teen insider told me that duct tape is WAY popular among the junior high crowd!  So, I'm telling you, if you want to earn coolness points with that special 'tween in your life, get yourself some cool duct tape, make a date with said 'tween and prepare for an evening of craftiness and bonding! 

Just a sampling of all of the cool printed duct tape we have on Aisle 8 at Beverly's in Santa Maria!  We also have a variety of solid colors!

So, apparently this is what the junior highers are doing with their duct tape.  It's the "in" thing to do with strips of duct tape.  I personally don't get it----but don't tell my 'tween that I said that!

 

I made the wallet and my 10 year old made the bow.  The entire thing is made of duct tape...except for the $5 bill).

 I found a bunch of different things that can be made out of duct tape.  I made a checkbook without a pattern, using another checkbook as a reference.  (This seriously impressed the 'tweens.  Coolness points scored!)  The only parts that aren't duct tape are the clear plastic used as a window for an ID and the magnets to help hold the checkbook together when it's folded.

                                   

                        

We only made a few different things but you could also make belts, book covers, bookmarks, headbands...the possibilities are endless.

The minute I handed her the duct tape my daughter got to work on ribbons for her hair.  She designed the bow by herself and then attached it to a bobbie pin.  Hair bows are another popular trend at the moment!

Once the girls got started making stuff out of duct tape they were unstoppable!

So, I'm telling you...get some duct tape and prepare for a few hours of creative bonding!  But you don't have to be young or have a youngster in your life to thoroughly enjoy playing with duct tape.  I'm not a 'tween and I have to say I'm addicted!

Now Go! Be Crafty!