Happy New Year!!

Well helloooo 2013! We are well into this next century now and still no flying cars, widespread AI personal assistants or popular vacation destinations in outer space. We have all of 2013 to progress as a civilization, haha!

2012 was an awesome year for us at Art & Soul. We just finished our first full year of making women's clothes and are delighted at what has been created. Our personal wardrobes are more awesome and we hope yours are too. It has been a pleasure to make clothes for all sizes and shapes of women so that everyone can feel great in boutique clothes.

As we look back over the year we can't help but feel an overwhelming thankfulness for all of the new and return customers who support our small made in the US company. We hear from you weekly about the compliments you are getting and how good our clothes make you feel and LOVE that feedback.

A major aspect of our business and selling online is having awesome images to show YOU so you know which lovely items to choose. We want to give a big THANK YOU to all of the 2012 photographers who made this year a success. Here is a "quick" recap of the photographers we have worked with this year as well as glimpse at some of the pieces from 2012.

Andrea Crabb Photography
http://www.andreacrabbphotography.com


Ashley Glasco Photography
www.ashleyglasco.com

Christina Anglum Photography

Land O Jake Photography

Jessica Edwards Photography


Loving Life Visions Photography

Nicole Benitez Photography

Olivia Hooper Photography

 Salome Photography
http://www.salomephotography.com/

Elizabeth Hawkins Photography

Filigree Fotography


Fly Away Home Photography

Kimberly V Photography

Sarah Beth Photography

Della Terra Photography

Clik Chick Photography

W. June Photography

Running With Glitter

Axle Contemporary

Lisa Reinke

Shadow Land Photography

Ivy Fay Photography

Sweet Child of Mine Photography

Forty Toes Photography

{JK photography}

Max & Mimi Photography

NKS Photography

{Cre-8-ive} Bee Photography

mi*lolli Photography
Amy Childers Photography


 Just Shoot Me Photography

Rebecca Porter Photography
http://www.rebeccaporterphotography.com

Melissa Dewitt Photography

Galpin Studios

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"Tricky" People are the New Strangers

In one of my many 4:30am Pinterest sessions I found this awesome article that after I read it I couldn't believe how true it is! I have talked to my 9 year old about strangers and really there always does seem to be a gray area. Is that person you introduced to your family at the company picnic a "stranger"? Maybe not to your child because they know mommy or daddy. "What if that person needs my help, you always tell me I'm such a good helper"...I could hear my daughter saying.

“Stop telling your kids not to talk to strangers. They might need to talk to a stranger one day. Instead, teach them which sorts of strangers are safe. You know who’s safe? A mom with kids. Period. Your kid gets separated from you at the mall? Tell her to flag down the first mom with kids she sees.”

Please go and read the article for yourself:

Tricky People Are the New Strangers

Happy Holidays!
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Day 4: Scrap Fabric Shoe Spice

DYI Day 4: Scrap fabric shoe spice? Well it was my way of saying that the scrap fabric was the spice to a bland shoe! This blog series has had me constantly on the look out for awesome DYI projects. It's the holidays though so it serves a double service.While I would probably not make this tutorial for anyone for Christmas it would be a fun activity to do with my daughter...because if I just made them for her she would never wear them.



When I see this picture...I immediately think it will be too hard, BUT after reading the awesome tutorial that Naughty Secretary Club has outlined it actually seems really easy. Here are the supplies you will need:

1. Plain Shoes
2. Quilting Yo-Yo's
3. Fabric Scraps
4. Fabric Fusion Glue
5. Paint Brush
6. Scissors
7. Water

No sewing involved...just cut and glue! Be sure to head over to check out the complete tutorial here and all the other awesome tutorials she is creating! 

If you decide to do this tutorial, let me know! I would love to see pictures of it. The more I think of it I really do think I should do this with my daughter! Happy Crafting!
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Day 3: Fabric Flower Tutorial


Day 3 of our DYI series!! Today we explored the many types of flowers you can make from fabric and decided we liked this one the best. The neat thing about fabric flowers is that you can make them into so many things...you can glue them onto a headband or other types of clips, make a broach, sew it onto a pillow for a little pizazz and so much more! What are some ways you have used fabric flowers? Please share so we all have better ideas of what we can do now that we are getting ready to master this tutorial!

Since we love giving things away...we will be giving this Fabric Flower DYI project away to 2 people! We will randomly choose a comment from this post as well as a customer who orders today through Friday while we're offering Free Shipping. 

Okay, lets get started!

Gathering Supplies:

1. 6 coordinating fabrics (we used 3 different fabrics and 2 of each)
2. A circle of your desired size to make a pattern with (cardboard if you want to be fancy and make the pattern!)
3. Fabric Scissors
4. Needle & Thread (we used white thread)
5. Fancy Button
6. A thicker fabric for the backing to support the flower

Lets get started!! 


Step 1:

Find a circle to trace that is the same size that you would like your flower to be. You could use a can of soup and either put it right on the fabric and trace or make a pattern with cardboard. The heavier fabric is going to be the base of your flower. This one should be smaller than the other circles. We waited until our flower was complete though and then cut it down to the size we wanted it.



Step 2:

You are going to fold each circle (excluding the heavier fabric) into half and then fold it again to about 3/4. It should look like this:


Step 3:

We're already working on finishing this bad boy up at this point! Next we are going to tack all 6 of the folded circles to the heavy fabric circle. When I say tack...just sew the very tip (in the middle) to the heavier fabric until you are confident it won't fall off. 


Repeat say ohh 6 times being sure to overlap the layers a little bit.




Step 4:
Sew your button in the middle and you're done!! This is the point when we decided to cut our heavier fabric to be a bit smaller.






Step 5:

If you would like to add something to the back of your flower...you can! We decided to add both a pin so this can be a broach as well as a hair clip. You can either sew or hot glue the clips to the back of the flower.



Happy Crafting!!
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Holiday Happening Dress Launch!


We said we weren't going to launch anything else...but this fabric was just crying out to be made into something fabulous for the holidays. What started as bolts of fabric has become a beautiful holiday dress for your little one and a coordinating 18" doll dress for her favorite doll. Today through Friday enjoy this set for only $50 PLUS Free Shipping in the US & Canada when you use voucher code: Holiday.

In the spirit of Christmas and giving when you order this dress through Friday we will be donating a dress to a little girl in need of a special holiday dress this season.

Filigree Flower was on a roll so she also created some beautiful matching hair clips for your little one and her doll! Be sure to check out her accessories under our "Extra" tab of the website.


Happy Shopping!
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Winner's Post

Every once in a while you just need to give something away...especially during the holidays :) Over the last few days we have had two giveaways going and NOW is the time to announce those lucky winners!

Last Friday we started a push to add subscribers to our mailing list. Nothing too hard, just join and be entered. We announce such great things via e-mail all the time...like SALES...and since FB doesn't really show posts it's important to get notified some how. Of course we couldn't leave out our previously subscribed individuals either because I never like those "only for new people" giveaways. Random.org and I worked really hard and had lots of fun seeing names we recognize and finally coming up with the 1 winner for our $50 Gift Certificate: Jennifer Ferrante!!

Our next giveaway was blog related from our December 3rd post. This one was even easier...just comment and be entered to win a $50 Gift Certificate to treat yourself during this holiday season. The winner of this $50 GC is: Roberta Dandrea!! 

Whew...another hard day at the office giving stuff away :) haha. Happy Holidays!!
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Day 2: Dresser Revamp


Day 2 of our DYI series has brought me to this gorgeous creation, pictured above. I did not have time, space in my house or energy to go out and find a dresser that needed a makeover BUT I didn't want to over look this for those of you who have the dresser stored in your basement and have been wondering how to fit it into your home decor.

Come Together Kids first of all has an awesome blog with tons of great ideas for activities & crafts that you to do with your kids as well recipes and everyday solutions to life's problems...see bean bag tutorial (looks like a bean bag but it's full of stuffed animals!). While searching for ways to use fabric in a crafty way I came across this tutorial she has, Dresser Revamp, and had to share.

If you need a little more push before you go and check it out, here are the supplies for this project:

1. Dresser
2. Primer
3. Paint
4. Paint Brush & drop cloth
5. Liquid Starch
6. Pretty fabric
7. Measuring tape...only if your picky about it fitting perfectly :)
8. Spray paint for the hardware

Here is her blink by blink view of the project...go check it out! If not for this project than for the others that she has so awesomely crafted.

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