Alliday ALLSTAR: Bluebird Lane

How many of you out there have dreamt of running away for the weekend, wished you had time to complete your stack of unfinished projects or pined for a few days away with your friends?  I think it's safe to say, we all have.  Luckily for us, Bluebird Lane has made those dreams much easier to achieve with their beautiful, functional and modern craft retreat just outside of Tulsa!  Set on five acres of land, the 3,000 sq ft retreat sleeps 15, hosts all modern conveniences and, of course, boasts some very desirable and personal crafting spaces!  You better believe I'll be there and in fact, I'm already examining my calendar to see when I can book my weekend!  Want to know more?  Bluebird Lane will be spending the day with us THIS SATURDAY and is ready to help your crafting weekend dreams come true!

-Briana

Who are you? 

Jen Junkermeier and Megan Neal, Lifelong sisters and recent business partners! We are the dreamers and creators of Bluebird Lane, Scrapbooking and Craft retreat.

Megan Neal (the little sister) is the creative energy and vision behind Bluebird Lane. She is an Oklahoma Certified Florist and works full time as a floral designer at a local Tulsa flower shop. She enjoys spending time with her handy husband Edward and yorkie Mabel. A cute pair of shoes, a blooming garden, and a bargain shopping trip keeps this girl going. She has been scrapping since college and loves to find inspiration through other crafters projects. 

Jen Junkermeier (the big sister) is the centering force of Bluebird Lane. She is happily married to husband John and a proud mommy to son Jack. While working full time she is a family focused woman who knows how to get things done. She thrives on laughter, good music, and chocolate. Although new to scrapping, she has developed a great passion for perfecting the craft. 

Tell us a little about your business/service. 
Bluebird Lane is a Labor of Love created my sister’s Megan Neal and Jen Junkermeier. Our primary goal is to spread a passion for creative crafting. We offer a comfy, cozy weekend retreat experience for people looking to escape and create. We strive to give you a laid-back atmosphere in a beautiful country setting. We have sleeping and work-table accommodations for up to fifteen guests and you can book as a single reservation or a group. 

Where are you located?
Our facility is a 3,000 square foot hideaway located just south of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

We Love to give tours at: 

Bluebird Lane
20539 S Yale Ave.
Mounds, OK 74047
(918)633-6628  

How does being involved in the creative handmade community affect you?
Creators and scrappers at heart, we are constantly amazed at all the innovative and fresh ideas that flow from friends who have a crafting passion. There is always something new to learn! Being surrounded by creative people creates inspiration in our own lives and for us that is what living is all about! 

What are your favorite handmade items to shop for? 
You cannot beat a great pair of Handmade Earrings that you know no one else has a replica of! It’s the interesting and one of a kind piece that normally catches our eye. Although, handmade soap, scarves knitted by friends, and personal artwork adorn both of our homes! 

What are you most looking forward to at Alliday? 
We are so excited to meet all the wonderful and talented Vendors that will be a part of Alliday. Having sold handmade goods in the past, we have a true understanding of the love and dedication that goes into running a business of handmade good.  

What is your favorite holiday tradition? 
Every year we (the sisters) along with our parents and spouses gather on a Sunday morning in the beginning of December, eat a hearty brunch, and travel to a local tree farm to cut down the perfect fresh Christmas trees. Bundling up in our winter best, snapping a few pictures to place in our scrapbooks, and spending the evening adorning our tree has become our favorite family time of the season! 

What holiday do you wish was everyday and why? 
This year for Thanksgiving our family all gathered at Bluebird Lane for an old fashion sleepover! What a blast! The joy of Thanksgiving is in family, food, and fun. It must be our favorite! There is no pressure to chose the perfect gift, or have the prefect table setting. As long as there is Turkey, Mashed Potato’s, and family it’s perfect. 

If you could create a new holiday, what would it be and why? 
We think a simple Family day is in order. This would not be like Valentines when one looks for NEW Love, or any government holiday where one celebrates a long lost memory of a person. This would be a day to simply celebrate the family we have, cherish the time we all get to spend together and focus on what is important. 

(And then the next day we would all go back to work! ; ) 
All the important stuff is at : www.bluebirdretreat.com
And the fun “get to know us stuff” happens here: https://www.facebook.com/BluebirdLane 

Alliday ALLSTAR: This Land Press

In case you weren't aware, Oklahoma is unbelievably amazing.  Our history, our people, our land, our culture, our EVERYTHING constantly amazes.  Every day I fall deeper in love with this great state and the people that share it with me.  

This Land Press loves Oklahoma too.  It's more than puppy love, it's more than a fleeting crush, it's L.O.V.E.  And they're not shy about it.  Their publication encompasses the history of the state, what to do locally, the magic of our small towns, controversies, hidden treasures and so much more; it's a list that could go on for days.  When I read one of their issues I feel more Oklahoman which I didn't think was possible.  And it's a proud, powerful feeling that only they can create.  With some of the best writers in the state under one (cute) roof, it's no surprise that This Land churns out some killer work.  Find an issue THIS SATURDAY at Alliday and witness the love affair between our land and This Land.  

Oklahoma+This Land 4EVER

-Briana

Who are you? 
This Land Press - Oklahoma's First New Media Company. Our mission is to chronicle life in Oklahoma through courageous, compelling stories- and to tell those stories in the most suitable medium: print, video and audio.

Tell us a little about your business.

We are mainly a subscription based paper, but also distribute at 40+ local businesses around Tulsa- http://thislandpress.com/find/

Where are you located?
12th and Peoria in Tulsa, OK

How does being involved in the creative handmade community affect you? 

We are proud supporters of local art. We understand the importance of fostering new talent and bringing original work to Oklahoma.

Where can we find you? 
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Alliday Artist: Meet Figments of Imagination!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.
I’m Claire and Figments of Imagination is my business. I have been working with jewelry since I was a teen and with glass for over 15 years. You might call it my addiction! I live and work in Stillwater, OK and grew up in Tulsa.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?
I create jewelry from fused glass, from sterling silver, and from copper. I also fuse/slump glass into plates and bowls. I just love glass in all forms. I especially like the dichroic glass – love the sparkle and shine!

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in the glass itself – it is almost like it tells me what to do. Okay, I know that sounds kooky but I am too!

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?
I love Christmas – the decorations and lights, the spirit of giving, the time with friends and family.

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?
It would be International Glass Appreciation Day. I would honor the use of glass in all forms from utilitarian to artistic and introduce people to creating with glass.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Reading “The Night Before Christmas” – my 29 year old son now reads it to my 15 year old daughter – it is very the same book I read him and his grandmother and I read to him. It is a bit tattered from almost 50 years of wear but very special to us.

How would you describe your work in three words?
Unique, beautiful, fun

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Alliday Artist: Meet Garden Finds!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.
I am a retired creative spirit, gardener, woodworker, seamstress, bird lover, wife and grandmother to 12. I started an etsy shop after seeing gardening items on ebay for a number of years and showcased my feeders and houses there.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?
I create recycled items with nature in mind. I build bird feeders, birdhouses, planters, etc. from salvaged, reclaimed, vintage materials. I love creating something new and original from something old.

Where do you find inspiration?
From nature and from many years of watching the birds in my own wildlife habitat.

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

Earth Day. Everyday is Earth Day for me. I believe in the good of our environment and the importance of reusing things that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?
Love Day. So we can have a chance and reminder to tell the ones we love how important they are to us and to spread the love to others.

What is your favorite holiday tradition? 
Decorating the Christmas tree with my grandchildren.

How would you describe your work in three words?
Practical, easy and attractive

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Alliday Artist: Meet Okie Dirt!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.
We are a husband and wife team who has a simplistic craving for life. We love to stay busy going, doing, making and creating. We are both native Oklahomans, love the outdoors and have been best friends for 16 years. Teamwork, creativity, Oklahoma and Red Dirt pride is what Okie Dirt is all about.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?
We create unique crafts made from natural products. The natural and organic-ness of our products is our favorite aspect of our creations. Our Okie Dirt Shirt is usually a customer favorite but the tree mobiles and wind chimes also gain a lot of attention. Contrasting to this, we also carry handmade jewelry made by my lovely mother, a great-grandmother of, soon to be, 9 children.

Where do you find inspiration?
We find our inspiration from the outdoors. We spend a lot of weekends at our microcabin. We built the 350 sq ft. cabin ourselves, tucked back in the trees where nature is alive and well. Most of our time there is spent outdoors relaxing and talking about dreams, and ideas. The talk of Okie Dirt began this way.

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

We love the summer and the outdoors and all the activities that that means. The 4th of July has always been our family favorite. There is nothing like a 4th of July fireworks show while sitting on a boat in the middle of an Oklahoma Lake.

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?
Oh boy! Well, Spring Awakening Day would be the holiday we would create! It would be an outdoor festivity of fun, family, friends and food! The holiday would include live music, dance and merriment. The fun would continue into the evening with string lights hanging from the trees and dancing in the wind. We would conclude with a ring of chairs around a bonfire, laughter and marshmallows. Gosh! With that kind of fun, let’s make it a holiweekend!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We are new empty nesters so our holiday traditions are quickly taking new forms. But I will share a silly little tradition I created for my kids when they were little. It’s called…the “Oliday Spritza”. (And to get it right, you must say that in an English accent. It started because I didn’t want to adorn the Christmas table with boring, colorless glasses of water and tea; thus, the cranberry juice,7-up, served in a beautiful wine glass, kid friendly beverage was created. Though maybe not the exciting tradition you might have expected, the fun part comes when we all sip our juice, pinkies up and talk in our best English, Christmas Carol accents. I’m not sure how the English accent started its roll but it’s become our cheesy tradition to sip our “spritza” and make fun of each other’s poor attempt at an English accent. We do it still, every year. We once even named a new Christmas puppy “Oli Day” in honor of our tradition.


How would you describe your work in three words?

Natural, organic, unique

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Additional Important Information:
Veterans Day was the kick-off of our Okie Shirt for Okie Soldiers Campaign. From Veteran’s Day to the end of December, for every Adult Tee purchased, Okie Dirt will donate a Dirt Shirt to Blue Star Mother’s to be delivered to an active duty, Oklahoma soldier. We know, first hand, how much our military personnel sacrifice to serve our country. This is just one way that Oklahoman’s can help us show them that Oklahoma misses them as much as they miss home.

Alliday Artist: Meet King's Rock Candles!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

We are a family business; my husband, his mother, and myself make our rock candles by hand.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?

We make rock candles. These can be a great mood-setter for those romantic times. They are just lovely and peaceful to watch the flame dance and glimmer off the gloss surface of the rock. In a power outage this could light up areas very well and without the waxy mess.

Where do you find inspiration?

Nature! God's creation is so beautiful and being able to use it in decoration is wonderful.

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

Christmas because it's the season of giving!

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?

I wouldn't want anymore really, we have enough trouble getting mail on time the way it is.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Putting up and decorating the Christmas tree. Putting up with family and working to get the ornaments balanced just right. It just sets the mood for Christmas, and watching the lights in different patterns if fun too.

How would you describe your work in three words?

Unique, relaxing, and peaceful

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Alliday Artist: Meet AW Jewelry!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

I am a self taught jewelry artist and love to make new and different things for my customers.  My designs use many different techniques so the finished jewelry is always unique.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?

I make jewelry using bead weaving, stringing, wire wrapping, and silver smith.  I like the challenge of making something that is different from the things that you see in the malls, my customers seem to really enjoy having that “one of a kind” piece of jewelry to wear.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am inspired by almost everything around me, I look at every day items and say “I can make something out of that?”

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

I love all holidays, but I guess that Christmas is my favorite.  It is a special time of the year and is the time that most families can spend a little extra quality time together.

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?

Sparkle day!  I think everyone needs a little sparkle in their lives and I would like to help them to decorate themselves for “Sparkle Day!”

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Holidays with the family, even if we don’t do a big thing, just spending time as a family and sharing our lives together.

How would you describe your work in three words?

Pretty, unusual, quality

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Alliday ALLSTAR: Prairie Hive!

An Alliday Allstar is an organization or business that has gone above and beyond to aid in making our event a success!  Without them, we would not be able to do what we do!  In addition to artist spotlights, we've been showcasing our wonderful Allstars which you can catch up on here!

There are a million reasons why I love Prairie Hive.  I could tell you all about their daily blog filled with recipes, DIYs, local happenings, giveaways and more.  Or I could tell you all about how they are showing the world that Oklahoma really is hip, progressive and awe-inspiring.  Or that they support local artists and will be joining us at Alliday.  Or I could tell you how each and every one of them is a talented, humble, unbelievably amazing woman that I am honored to know.  But I won't.  Today I will tell you about their online magazine which has their fans counting down the days for.  I truly love soaking up every photo, every word and every page because these ladies know how to create a periodical to be admired and loved.  And lucky for all of us, their most recent issue launched TODAY!  Enjoy the read and enjoy the girls that make up the best hive in town.

-Briana

Tell us a little about yourselves.

Prairie Hive is a collaboration of designers, photographers, writers, and crafty creative types based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We want to share with you interesting people, places and things in our part of the world – and hope you find some inspiration along the way! Each of us has a unique perspective on design, lifestyle, travel and entertaining and we want to collectively give you something to buzz about!

Our bimonthly online publication gives you a peek into the homes and lifestyles of some of our favorite people and how they live, work and play – then takes inspiration from what we see there to show you how to incorporate a bit of their style into your own home, entertaining endeavors or elsewhere.

We also hope you will visit our blog, a great place to find extended coverage of our magazine content, our “of the moment” inspirations, additional DIY projects, field trips to local places and events and a spotlight on great things we find around our little part of the prairie.


How does being involved in the creative handmade community affect you?
One of our goals is to feature local and/or small businesses as much as possible. We love meeting others in the creative community, both online and at shows like Alliday, where we have the opportunity to see their work in person and get new ideas for blogs, spot trends, or find products to showcase in our photo shoots!

What are your favorite handmade items to shop for?
Since there are 6 of us, you would probably get 6 different answers to this question. But as a general rule, I think all of us love unique items for the home and/or garden and fun fashion finds! 

 

What are you most looking forward to at Alliday?
Meeting all new vendors and seeing old friends! 

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Again, probably 6 different answers, but considering we all work in design - decorating the tree and the home is a big part of the holidays for all of us. Personally, decorating the Christmas tree is a really important ritual to me. All our ornaments have sentimental meaning and we relive the memories behind them as we hang them. 

What holiday do you wish was everyday and why?
I'm glad there are lots...I always get tired of them by the time they are over! Changing decor, theme, traditions every month or so is part of what keeps holidays fun! 

If you could create a new holiday, what would it be and why?
I think we have plenty. :)

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Alliday Artist: Meet Heart Strings by Lauren!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business:
I am a stay at home mom and road manager for a singing group. I spend a lot of time at home with my little on which is perfect for me to be able to create. I make art out of guitar strings that were once played. I specialize in baskets. I learned to weave baskets in high school using traditional materials such as reed but quickly found out that I could use materials a little less traditional. I started collecting guitar strings from friends that played guitar and also from my own stash. Soon I was able to make arrangements with local music stores that changed guitar strings for their customers and instead of throwing them away they would keep them aside for me. I clean each string thoroughly before putting them into a creation.

What do you create and what do you love about your products? 
I have made over 100 products with guitar strings. My designs include baskets of different shapes and sizes, some with lids, vases, bowls, pendants, Celtic knots, rings and earrings. What I love most about my products is that they are from recycled materials that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill. Each piece can now be shown in a beautiful new light because of what my hands have done with it. 

Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of my inspirations comes from nature. Most of the shapes and names that pieces are given you can find in nature; acorn, flower, sun, bird nest etc. Other inspiration comes from my family. They are always filling my head with ideas to try next and are always keeping me on my toes. 

Which holiday do you wish was everyday and why?
I wish Thanksgiving was everyday because it is my favorite holiday. I love that the family gets together and gets to eat some amazing food and just enjoy each others company. I believe that in everything we should give thanks and if everyday were Thanksgiving it would be much easier to remember to do so. 

If you could create you own holiday what would it be and why?
If I could create my own holiday it would be one where the family would get together and create things. Create new songs, art, poetry whatever medium was that persons that something would be created by each person on that day because I think it is important to create. It unlocks places in your brain that can not be opened without creating something. I think it would be a healthy holiday for everyone. 

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is one that has been done most Christmas Eves for the last few years in my family. The family gets together and plays a game or just hangs out in the living room with no TV or media except old Christmas records. And as the night goes on we usually end up singing and dancing with the records. I love it. 

How would you describe your work in three words?
If I had to describe my work in three words they would be: Unique Guitarstring Art

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Alliday Artist: Meet Red Clay!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

Red Clay produces home decor pieces that are designed through quarterly online design competitions and manufactured with sustainable materials here in the United States. Most believe that if you want responsible home decor, you either have to sacrifice your pocketbook or good design, or both. Not good enough, we say. Our ambition is to bring vibrant, not beige, responsible design to the masses. We want our designs to be the splash of color in the room.

Our unique design development process, which sources product designs on a quarterly basis from the online community of artists, interior and graphic designers, then lets consumers be the judge to vote on what they want to see produced and ultimately sold. By putting the power of design back in the hands of the people most passionate about design, Red Clay makes the choice to conscientiously promote products that are distinguishable, affordable and unapologetically gorgeous.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?
Red Clay was launched in April 2010 with our first design competition which focused on organic cotton as the muse. The premier design competition garnered nearly 100 designs and registered over 2,500 votes on the submitted designs. Our vibrant summer textile line, consisting of table linens and pillows was produced in New York, NY and Tulsa, OK with organic cotton grown from Texas. The line was launched via our website in June 2010.

The second design competition, our Clay Collection, afforded us the opportunity to work with Mudshark Studios of Portland, OR.  This competition received nearly 150 designs and over 5,000 votes. The winning designs were transformed into four beautiful and innovative ceramic bowls, plates, and vases in three vibrant colors. This timeless line was made available for purchase online in October 2010.

Our most recent competition: “Art Prints” is currently underway. For this decorative challenge we have partnered with Solstice Press of Oakland, CA to produce archival quality, but affordable pieces for the wall. We anticipate having approximately six different prints in two sizes to round out this line, which will be available for the holiday season via our website and other online retail outlets. Sustainably harvested wood frames from DA Frames in Denver, CO. will also be available to complement the prints.

Where do you find inspiration?
Our inspiration comes completely from the artists and artesian manufacturers that we work with on a daily basis.  We are so lucky to be surrounded by such talent and passion!

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

Do “snow days” count as a holiday?  If not, it would have to be Christmas…cliché, perhaps, we adore sitting around a fire with those we love, a glass of wine in hand, and catching up on the past year’s amazing-ness! 

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?
See above…”Snow Day.”  We would happily shut down all offices/schools anytime there is fresh snow to play in!  We’re partial to playing in it (either skiing or simply romping around the yard!) or admiring it from a warm seat in front of a fire!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
We love picking out our Christmas tree!  It’s a tradition that has followed me since childhood.  We get all bundled up and hike through acres and acres (for what seems like hours) till we find the absolutely perfect tree (and perfect to us is typically the least “perfect” looking tree)!  It’s a daylong event that helps round out our holiday season and home!

How would you describe your work in three words?

Sustainable and Bold!

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Alliday Artist: Meet Art by Bethany!

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

Art by Bethany was started in 2008 after I started doing freelance design work from home. I live in Broken Arrow with my husband and new baby girl. I previously worked for a jewelry design company for over 4 1/2 years designing costume jewelry, packaging, and marketing materials. I have a graphic design degree from The University of Tulsa. I do freelance painting, illustrations, jewelry design, plush design, fabric art, and graphic design. I also enjoy using my artwork for scrapbooking.

What do you create and what do YOU love about your products?

I love painting bright, fun stuff. I’m sort of stuck on a bird/owl/nature theme. I am moving towards doing a lot of plush items. My main items are the Sock Buddies, but I’m branching out to include felt owls and birds, and some other woodland creatures in addition to my Softbots felt robots.

Where do you find inspiration?

I would say from nature, craft blogs, and color.

The Alliday Show believes that everyday should be celebrated as a holiday! That being said, which holiday do you wish were everyday and why?

Although it’s not my favorite holiday, I would say Thanksgiving because we all have things we should be thankful for each day!

If you could create your own holiday, what would it be and why?

Craft Day! Everyone needs to get in the crafty spirit sometimes. ;)

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Baking for Christmas, all kinds of cookies and pies.

How would you describe your work in three words?

Bright, fun, happy

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