BEFORE

AFTER

THE BACKSTORY: This little turtle guy has been sitting around at my grandparents house for as long as I can remember. The story I’d always heard about him was that he was a project for an upholstery class that my grandparents took back in the 70s. So when I heard they were thinking of getting rid of it I decided to take him home. My husband wasn’t so happy about my decision to adopt this new member of the family, especially because I failed to realize the turtle’s leg had pretty much split at the screw. After a quick fix with some wood glue and a nut and bolt combo he was still banished by my husband to the garage cabinet for a few years until I could figure out how to make him presentable.

THE PROCESS: For some reason my grandparents thought it would be a good idea to upholster the turtle in tablecloth vinyl, which slowly deteriorated and became sticky… but I figured if my grandparents could upholster it than I could probably fix him up too. So, after looking through one of his favorite Etsy stores, my husband found a Union Jack footstool and fell in love. Just as he was about to buy it I suggested we save a little cash and try to make Mr. Turtle a new Union Jack shell. Knowing I would never find upholstery fabric with the right sized Union Jack I bought some Off White Bull Denim and fabric paint and got to work. The old fabric was only held by upholstery tacks on the front and tiny nails underneath. After removing everything I used the old stuff as a template for the new fabric. It just needed to be tacked and pleated every inch or so. Once the fabric was on I taped off the same-colored sections of the flag with painters tape and sponged on the color. After drying for about an hour I made a decorative band from extra Bull Denim and nailed it in place with the upholstery tacks! We’ve decided to name Mr. Turtle “Jack” and are looking for a suitable nametag to hang around his neck.

My Walter Bosse Stacking Hedgehog Ashtrays were featured on johnny&stacie in the post “from the favorites”. Thanks so much to them for promoting my vintage wares and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and Fox on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

My BONjour Tee was featured on Rachelle D today in the post “Sailorific Adorned!!” … a perfect little collection of sailor inspired stuff! Thanks so much to them for promoting my DIY shirtmaking abilities and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and animals on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

My Walter Bosse Brass Bunny Candle Holder was featured on Irene Design in the post “Wedding Cake Toppers” … a perfect application for the little bunny friends! Thanks so much to them for promoting my vintage wares and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and Fox on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

My Walter Bosse Brass Animal Hangers were featured on Cotton and Cloud in the post “Vintage Knitting Ideas” … a perfect application for the little animals! Thanks so much to them for promoting my vintage wares and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and animals on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

My Walter Bosse Brass Fox Figurine was featured on Tialys in the post “Wooden Letterpress Alphabet and Printers’ Tray Paraphernalia” … a perfect application for the little foxy figurine! Thanks so much to them for promoting my vintage wares and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and Fox on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

Check out a super fun two-part interview I did for PinkPopMash. Thanks for repping my Etsy store!

You can read the whole interview below or check out the original first post HERE and second post HERE.

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MASH: When did you know that you wanted to be a designer? AZ: I’ve always been drawing, sewing, painting or had my hands in some kind of creative project since I was little but I really got into designing in high school. I played around a lot with my mom’s old vintage stuff, trying to re-interpret things to be more modern.

MASH: What inspires your work? AZ: I am mostly inspired by vintage fashion, current trends and all the cool people I see on the street. I like to keep it fun and fresh.

MASH: Do you listen to a specific type of music when creating your work? AZ: As far as music goes, my current playlist has a little bit of Led Zeppelin, Kings of Convenience, Paul McCartney and Kings of Leon. My music changes with the seasons!

MASH: So, you have designed for Urban Outfitters, how did that opportunity come about? AZ: I just worked in their store in Merchandising and entered an Employee Tee Contest one day. They loved my design and wanted more… and the rest is history!

MASH: Why did you decide to sell your designs on Etsy? AZ: My friend told me about the site when it first started WAY back in 2005 but I didn’t start selling until recently. I really love the creativity of the Etsy community and the ease of use. Plus there’s no better way to test a design to see if it’s working than getting it out there on Etsy, it keeps me on my toes!

MASH: Why the name Two String Jane? AZ: Jane is what I named my guitar that I found at a garage sale for $2. It only had two strings on it at the time when I bought it and I used to learn how to play things on my guitar when I had “designers block”. Thus “two string jane”!

MASH: What advice would you give to a designer trying to make a name for themselves? AZ: Always stay true to yourself and your style and it will show in your work… and be open to the unexpected. Invest in branding for yourself and especially in good pictures! They’re the most valuable tool you have when selling your brand.

MASH: Who is your favorite designer? Why? AZ: I love Karen Walker right now, her stuff is flirty and feminine with a tomboy twist which I think is a great mix and her florals are amazing!

MASH: Finally, where do you see yourself in five years? AZ: Still working away on anything creative I can get my hands on. I’d love to have my own physical storefront someday! Curating a collection for a store of my own would be one of the most fun things ever.

Our wedding invites are finally done and up online! Wanna know how we did it? Check out the entire “revealing” post here on Josh’s site!

My BONjour Linocut Print was featured on Material Girls today. Thanks so much to them for promoting my DIY printmaking abilities and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and print on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

My Studded Loafers were featured on Holier than Now today in the “Weekend Web Crawl – beautiful things online”. Thanks so much to them for promoting my DIY studding abilities and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here and the shoes on Etsy here =)