i can’t believe christmas is just a few days away… it always sneaks up on me! for today’s DIY i thought i’d give you guys a roundup of some last minute crafts. i wish i had time to do all of these!
in november we opened our 39th store in nashville, TN in the mall at green hills. we’ve begun to create stores that are as unique as our product and one of the aspects of this store that has us very excited is the art finish on the storefront.
we were inspired by the idea of hammered nail heads and patterns found in nature – based on fibonacci patterns like the golden spiral found in sunflowers.
the geometric pattern was carefully created in graphic format and then printed full scale on the substrate. over 9,000 brass discs were then individually attached and sent out to be installed in the field. once the panels were installed an artist applied a rich layer of plaster and wax to finish the walls.
the walls subtly glimmer and catch your eye from across the atrium. this finish took a lot of work and collaboration but we think it feels just right for our first nashville store! next time you are in nashville be sure to check it out!
time for the last part of our holiday gift guide… it’s cold here in philly but we can’t forget about the sandys out there in warm climates, or who are just beach girls at heart. i’m one of them :)
sandy spends her holiday at – where else? – the beach! she loves going in winter because its quiet and peaceful. she can take a walk on the beach at sunrise and be completely alone with her thoughts, only the sound of crashing waves interrupting her. she lights candles, drinks tea and catches up on her reading, and at night she grabs a blanket and heads to the beach for a bonfire with friends.
one of the coolest things about my job as free people blogger is that i get to interact with so many of our customers and fans. whether it’s through the emails i get every day from blog readers, the comments people leave on blog posts, or photos and artwork people upload to facebook, i am constantly inspired by our fans.
but i want to get to know you even better, and share your stories on the blog so everyone can see them. tell me your story about free people – how you first discovered us, why you love free people, where you like to wear your free people, artwork and photography inspired by free people – you name it, i want to see it and hear it.
you can send your stories, photos, drawings, paintings, DIY projects, and more to blog@freepeople.com
i want to compile as many as possible for a little project we’d like to do as an ongoing tribute to you, our readers and fans.
tonight is not only the longest night of the year, but also for the first time since 1638 there will be a total lunar eclipse coinciding with the winter solstice! starting at about 1:15 a.m. (e.s.t.) the moon will start to darken as the earth’s shadow moves across it, with the deepest shadow occurring at approximately 3:15 a.m. (e.s.t.), when the moon will take on a reddish orange glow. yeah, it’s the middle of the night, but this won’t occur on the winter solstice again until 2094!
i went to our sister store terrain for the first time this weekend, and i must say… it really lived up to my expectations. i’ve heard so much about it, especially how lovely it is this time of year – with christmas trees, lights, a bonfire and more. but what really got me was the smell. after browsing the outdoor stuff, we walked through a velvet curtain to check out the inside and were greeted with the aroma of what i can only describe as christmas. fresh pine, logs burning on a fireplace, hints of cinnamon and spice…i want to bottle up that smell and keep it.
marissa from georgia, elena from new york, jill from washington & taryn from california!
just one more dress to go…
if you have already entered, you do not need to enter again. if not, you still have a chance to win – click on the link below to enter! good luck! xoxo
in the spirit of the holidays and giving, we’re doing ANOTHER giveaway!
a lot of you have been asking about the beautiful display dresses in our new holiday displays. well guess what? starting this week, you can enter by clicking right hereand filling out the simple form for your chance to win one!
each week on friday, we will pick a winner. we have four dresses to give away and one mini display, which consists of two of the felt snowflake panels and two sheer glittery booti print panels – inspired by actual indian booti prints. we’ll pick the winner of the mini display this friday, and then each friday after that we’ll pick a winner who will receive one of the dresses. the final winner will be announced monday december 27th, as we are not in the office friday december 24th.
you only need to enter the giveaway once, and each week a name will be selected at random from the entire list of entries.
PLEASE NOTE: the dresses are NOT meant to be worn. they are for display purposes only.
some of the dresses are embellished with pieces of glass and we would not want you to hurt yourselves :)
**finally, for those of you who do not win- you still have a chance to own one of the lovely dresses! they will be sold in our stores starting the day after christmas for $40 each, so stop by your local FP store to snap one up.**
last weekend i made the trip out to longwood gardens for the first time in years… i can remember going there as a kid and not really appreciating the carefully manicured gardens that my parents would admire for hours. but this year i went to see the “holiday magic” display and even though i’m not the type that gets really into christmas it was hard to not get into the spirit when surrounded by lush greens, the aroma of roses and lilies, fountains, twinkling lights and massive, dazzling christmas trees around every corner.
these works by anna emilia are so sweet and appropriate for winter! and while i love the subject matter alone, what makes them even sweeter are the little stories she writes to accompany each work. the descriptions give the images a context that makes them seem even more special.
“winter is ending”
a bear cub has been awake for a while because something is tickling him. maybe it is the spring.
“snow house”
igloos can be built when the snow particulars look like stars. then they hold each others and form firm cubes.
“cone and bud dance for rain”
maybe the rain comes quicker to water bud and cone’s forest plants.
“rain fresh tea”
a rainy day to be spent indoors, making tea from fresh rain water sitting on warm carpets.
“brewing tent”
making tea is a delicate process. it needs warmth, fresh water and the right timing. today it is jasmine tea.
“forest tearoom”
a small tearoom is hiding in a corner of a forest. have a walk watching tall trees and get inside to have a cup of warmth.
“forest studio”
home to paint, write, drink tea, listen to music, read and sew. but mostly a home to paint.
check out her website here and her adorable blog here!
