Nature's Eloquence Necklace


Nothing is more wondrous than the beauty of nature. Everywhere you look you can find inspiration to create art, soothe the spirit, and ease the body and mind. Nature is calling us to listen to the stillness for in the stillness we can find all of what we seek. She is asking us to open our eyes to the wonder of life and the need for us to protect and preserve nature.
This lovely necklace is made from a recycled vintage button and a Picasso stone to create a beautiful pendant. It is a wonderful reminder for us to appreciate nature and all that we receive for her. You can purchase this necklace from out Etsy shop, chicdecru.etsy.com

Orgainzing Ideas from Southern Living

Spring is just around the corner and as I was sitting outside in the warmth of the sun taking some photos for our products I found myself yearning for more of these spring like days, cloudless, gently breeze blowing. A far cry from the bitter temperatures that have dipt down into the 20's in the past week leaving us with some mild snow. Since spring is in the air I find myself braving myself up to prepare for some much needed spring cleaning.

This months Southern Living magazine boasts some great ideas for inexpensive make-overs that are sure to create a feeling of freshness and new birth to your home, just in time for those spring cleaning make-overs we all have in store. Enjoy these helpful tips. Happy Spring Cleaning!

You can find all 95 instant make-over tips at www.southernliving.com/home-garden/

Dress up your laundry area to where you might actually enjoy laundry day. Had a countertop by securing it to the wall ontop of your front loading washer and dryer for an easy access area to fold cloths as they come out of the dryer. Find a favorite fabric print for beautiful curtians that can hide appliances and string across a curtain rod below the countertops. For an added taste of elegance and class install a pair of sconces and a beautiful mirror or piece of art work. Who says laundry day can't be glamorous, now it can be with these easy and simple steps.

We already know that new hardware on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets is an easy and quick way to update, but if it isn't in your budget another easy and inexpensive way to update is to paint or glaze your exsisting hardware. Now you can create a new and clean fresh look for your kitchen, with a fraction of the cost of new hardware. Recycle, Reuse, Redo.

Frame old artwork into museum worthy collection. Lay out all the pieces of your framed art on big sheets of kraft paper, and trace around them. Label each piece. Cut out the Shapes, and arrange them on the wall. Group small, similar pieces together to make a greater impact.

Create a collection of items you have around your home. Whether it be a series of pichers, vases, frames, or old mirrors, just make sure they all share a common element. Group them together on a table top or dress up a wall in your room with an assorated arrangement. Remember odd number groupings are always best.

Priscilla

Balancing Angel

of

Pride and Humility

This angel came to me as a reminder that the masculine and feminine energies that are inside each one of us create the inner voices of pride and humility. When they are balanced we create and manifest feelings of peace and harmony. Both poles are needed to create the balance in the circle of life for neither is good or bad when they are joined together. With the balance of pride and humility we find inspiration and creativity.

Learning to balance,

Charlotte Phillips

Artful Tuesday's for Chic de Cru

Artful Tuesdays Underway!

Since today is Artful Tuesday's I thought I would share a little bit of my love of photography. We have been blessed with no short supply of inspiration these past couple of days, with snow, which of course is rarely seen in Alabama, let alone two times in a month, and the ever prominent season of love, Valentine's Day. My love of photography began when I recieved a bouquet of roses from my then fiance and since then evertime I come across flowers I am compelled to grab the camera and challenge myself to come up with artistic ways of showcasing the gorgeous arrangements. I enjoy capturing emotions through my lens, and presenting the feeling that comes when you are given such a gorgeous arrangement as these red roses. I hope you all enjoy these artistic shots, and be sure to check out our shop on etsy we will be showcases our newest venture, greeting cards. You can find our shop at chicdecru.etsy.com and follow us on twitter at twitter.com/chicdecru. Grace & Love, Natalie

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Valentine's Day- A Day of Love

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, how will you celebrate it? Will you celebrate it with your sweetheart, your family, or your friends. Will you dine in a 5-star restaurant or a private intimate meal in the comfort of your home? However you choose to celebrate it, I hope you choose to express the love you have for all those who are close to you. It is a wonderful day to look back and reflect on all the people who mean so much to you, who have helped you achieve victories or supported you through tribulations. To count your blessings and to show your love and gratitude for them. So even if you are someone who is anti-valentine or does not have a special someone to celebrate it with flowers and candy remember to not pout but to feel the warm embrace of wonderful memories you have shared with all those who are significant in your life.

Valentine Favorites from Etsy!

Here are a few of our favorite items perfect for Valentine's day from Etsy. Valentine's Day is such a wonderful chance to express your love for those close to you. Why not give the gift of a handcrafted necklace made from vintage buttons or a custom created valentine card. What ever type of gift you want to give to express your love, try etsy.com this year and support the small business owners who but so much of their time and talents into making gifts that are truly from the heart.

Belle Mariee Vintage Necklace by: Chicdecru.etsy.com

Aqua Rain Drop Earrings with Oxidized Sterling Silver by: ShySiren.etsy.com

Boho Chic Teal Jade Copper Necklace by: sarahndippity.etsy.com

Kiss Ceramic Coasters by riricreations.etsy.com

Marketable Mondays 'Party Time' Mother -Daughter Apron Set

We are excited to highlight this beautiful

mother-daughter apron set called "Party Time". The lucky mother and daughter who get this sweet apron set will have so much fun making memeories in the kitchen. Everyone remembers the fun they had learning to bake with their mom. Decorative and festive, these three tier faille aprons are prefect for celebrating with a tea party after baking.

Find this sweet Mother-Daughter Apron set on our Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34790135

Marketable Mondays: 'Sunshine Daisy Earrings'

We are starting off a new trend of having themes for each day of the week. Monday's are now Marketable Monday's, where we will showcase some of our current items that are for sale at chicdecru.etsy.com.

Sunshine Daisy Earrings

Fresh as a daisy, is the creative inspiration behind this sweet pair of one-of-a-kind earrings. Nothing celebrates the freshness of springtime more than the first sight of daisies. Four thousands years old daisies are thought to symbolize innocence, purity, beauty, and simplicity and there is no better was than to describe these dainty earrings. During these darker winter months, after a spring shower and these sweet dainty earrings are just the right symbol to bring the sunshine back into your life. Made with love, the center focus of these earrings is the delicate vintage glass buttons. Hanging from the dewdrop silver-plated base are many small glass beads and a silver dewdrop accent.

Ispired by a spring bouquet of fresh daisies and made with love to showcase the beauty within the vintage glass buttons, these earrings will surely brighten anyones day.

Sapphire Angel

I am working on this new angel painting I named, Sapphire Angel. Her blue energy and spirit helps you to remember to speak your truth in a gentle and loving way. She guides you to think about what your intentions are and to speak with truth yet also remember the delicateness of the listener.

I still have a few finishing touches before she will be complete but I am having so much fun with her. I placed a real jeweled pin below her throat to accent her loving message.

I will be making cards to sell on chicdecru.etsy.com in the near future.

Charlotte

Photography My Love

"You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it."
-Unknown Author

I think this quote sums up my feelings on photography. I love capturing those special moments that always seem to find their way through my camera lens. This particular series I discovered while taking pictures of roses my husband gave to me for my 24th birthday, as I looked through my lens and this magical moment happened and I somehow amazingly enough was able to capture it in all its beauty. I also love making cards, so I have come up with a series of cards with some of my favorite photos. You soon will be able to find them on our etsy shop at chicdecru.etsy.com. I am so excited to have this opportunity to see some of my work come to life. I often come across amazing photographers and photo editors and hope to one day aspire to be a good as they are. This particular of the ring in a white rose needed no photo editing. I encourage myself to get out into the world as often as I can and discover new techniques and ideas through my lens. Here are some more of the moments that I was able to capture. Enjoy!

Grace & Love (Always), Natalie
~ Please never copy, save, or use any pictures on this site without permission. All original photos here are owned by Chic de Cru. Email me at ChicdeCru@live.com if you are interested in any photos. Thanks

My Daughter My Inspiration

The journey in creating this painting and wearable art necklace began with this photograph of my youngest daughter, Mary Kathryn. She continously inspires me to let my creative voice come out and be heard. Throughout my life, I always wanted to draw and paint but was much too frightened to even try. I was so afraid of failing that just the thought of picking up a pencil and paper was much too intimadating. But watching my two daughters use their artistic voices to create, inspired me to start allowing my creative spirit to shine. So at 48 years of age I took my first drawing class at a community class. I was very intimated but I stuck with it. Now I get to play everyday. I feel so lucky!!!

Thank you Natalie and Mary Kathryn, my two angels.

-Charlotte

Featured Etsy Seller

Introducing our Featured Etsy Seller! We are going to start a new series of hosting a fellow Etsy Seller in our blog to showcase what inspires us about their work.



I love this wall art work, by PopWall. The vinyl cherry blossom wall sticker is so unique and adds a beautiful graphic look to any room. I love the contrast of the wall art with the modern furniture. This is a husband and wife team, both with backgrounds in graphic art. I think that is so cute and wonderful to be able to create a business together.



I am all for family business. Having a family business myself with my mother and grandmother, I find is the most rewarding career path I could have chosen for myself. It is such a joy to work with the women who I admire and look so often to for support and help. It has been a blessing for our entire family and has given a new chapter and meaning into each one of our lives.



Enjoy some more of my favorite vinyl stickers from PopWall and if you like what you see check out their shop at Popwall.etsy.com



Check back for more featured Etsy sellers and go out there and support those family businesses.

Grace & Love,
Natalie

Our inspiration

We are so excited to be finally opening up our very own blog. We feel like we are finally putting the finishing touches to our company like you would feel when you put the finishing touches on your hearts work of art. We are excited to share with you are creative process, what drives this three generation company, and where we find our next design idea. We are also excited to share with you some of our favorite etsy sellers, designers, and artists. So please keep reading and sharing along with your friends or post comments to us, we would love to hear from you.

And as always to you...

Grace & Love (Daily)

-Natalie

Welcome Note

Bonjour!

We are a three generation company brought together by a grandmother, mother, and daughter's love of vintage and antique pieces. Started in September 2009 as an idea to create unique jewelry pieces for holiday gifts, soon became a growing company, extending into hand-crocheted tea towels, hand embroidered pillow cases, mother-daughter aprons, and more. Our philosophy is to fuse the past with the present to create handcrafted one-of-a-kind jewelry and gifts with grace and love from vintage and antique bits and pieces.

We give a special and loving touch throughout the entire process from creating to packaging. Our gifts are delicately packaged in a luxurious purple vintage bag and then we wrap it in tissue paper with a gift sticker. We also include the story and a picture of the item in the package.

To see more of our products and to shop with us please visit our shop on Etsy at www.chicdecru.etsy.com and be sure to stop by our home site at www.ChicdeCru.com

Grace & Love,
Natalie (Daughter) & Charlotte (Mother)
-Owner of Chic de Cru