Hank + Hunt: WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY

Today, as promised, I come bearing more Potter and Butler. I was so enamored with the blog Hello!Self that I begged Emily to let me cover her new shop, Potter and Butler. I had a hunch it would be something I love...and my intuition didn't prepare me for how much I would ADORE it. I could do another whole post just on me gushing, but I will bring you the goodies behind the scenes.

Introducing the incredibly talented and undeniably amazing Emily, of Potter and Butler.

See her here:

POTTER AND BUTLER

HELLO!SELF

SHOP

1. I am in love with your blog, Hello!Self, not only is it gorgeous, but it hits right at the heart of celebrations…creating memorable moments in our lives. Your shop heralds the handmade and supports heirloom celebrations, the kinds that are meaningful and personal. I am incredibly inspired by you, in awe really. What 3 things most inspire you?

Jenny, thank you! I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you connect with the spirit of celebration in my work. That’s a beautiful thing. Thank you, also, for the opportunity to come into YOUR beautiful space.

To answer your question, three major sources of inspiration for me:

Home life / connection with family. I love my home. I love being home. I love creating an environment of peace, joy, and celebration. And I love filling that environment with my family, who have been life-long catalysts of joy and laughter. Being in this place, inspires me.

Water. The ocean, lakes, ponds, pools – any body of water. It’s restorative, transformative, connective, and it allows for express-route access to my joy and creativity.

Creative women and men who consciously choose to celebrate the beauty of this life. It’s infectious. I love being in the company of, learning from, and journeying with such lovelies.

2. I’m noticing I admire a lot of women who wear many hats and have long lists of hobbies. It’s a resurgence in domesticity, but more than that, more of a growth of the love in the heart of our homes. You are one of those amazing women...what is your favorite thing to do?

I have too many to pick just one. To take advantage of the fact that you admire women with a long list of hobbies, may I list many? How about I list them in the order they come to mind, which may exposesome unconscious level of favoritism. That’s all I’ve got. ;)

I love to curl up with a great magazine with my husband by my side and my dog at my feet. I love to bake cookies. I love to decorate my home. I love to plan celebrations. I love to create. I love to journal as I sit by the water. I love to meditate. I love to laugh (if even only at myself). I love to share a great meal with my family. I love to travel. I love taking walks. I love working with inspired creatives and co-creating merriment. I love to decorate for the holidays. I love to watch reality television. (Thank god that one appeared last in this unconscious favoritism list.)

3. How/why did you start your shop?

My lifework is to support celebration and merriment in the lives of others, as well as my own. As a DIY Celebration Planning Coach, I love working with others as they explore creating celebrations.That was all fine and dandy, but I noticed there was still something creatively that wanted to surface: creating with my own two hands - and allowing that to be a means of supporting celebration in the lives of others, as well. And while it started out as a personal creative outlet, I quickly realized, along with my creative partner, Carrie, that this was something more than a hobby - This was a concept that needed to be integrated with my lifework. And then ta-da! Potter and Butler is born.

4. I LOVE your cake garlands and the peppy poms, cute décor + cake = a wonderful thing. Which of your lovelies is your favorite?

Given my absolute love of garlands, I’d have to say both the gracious garlands (in goldie and snow) and the cake garlands (in mint) are my favorites. But now I risk sounding like a parent that just picked a favorite child, don’t I? “I love them all equally.”

See the inspiration behind the cake garlands here.

5. Tell us your FAVORITES…

COLOR? Tiffany blue or Martha Stewart green

PARTY GOODIE/DECOR? Garlands. There’s something so simple about them and yet they have major pull in the merry-celebration-mood-department.

SECRET SOURCE FOR PARTY GOODIES? I have a favorite vintage goods store in my neighborhood, called Found on Fremont. The shop owner has such a way of presenting the oldies but goodies. I could spend hours in the shop, all the while capturing ideas and inspiration for future celebrations.

AAAAANNNNDDDDD... Emily has added more goodies to the giveaway from Monday. In addition to the TWO GRACIOUS GARLANDS, the winner will recieve a set of CONVEY TOPPERS!!! I told ya she's amazing!!! Leave a comment here for one additional chance to win. (these entry numbers will start in order from last comment on main post. Let me explain...if 50 comments on Monday's post, the first entry here will become 51. Winner will be announced next MONDAY, November 8.