Falling for Friday // 3-29-13

Happy Friday y'all!

Last weekend I was in lovely Ventura, Ca and I shared all my fave things to do in Ventura, check it out here! This week I am going to share my fave things from Craftcation! There are so many things I love about Craftcation, so I will be making this a series of posts through out the next couple of weeks, so I can share all of the goodness with you!



Craftcation :: Part 1
1. The location::
We were are the Crowne Plaza hotel right at the end of Ventura Pier where (1) you had a view of the ocean from any room, (2) you were able to head out for a walk along the boardwalk, which was as at our front door, and (3) it was in walking distance to everything: the beach, downtown, city hall and more. Ventura is all about the arts and was so welcoming to all of us makers...it is a real treat.

2. The community::
Markers was the word of the weekend and that is what we came away with, a community of makers. You can take a look at #makers2013 and #craftcation on Twitter or Instagram to see all the wonderful makers and creations that this community offers. This year I was much more prepared to network and make new friends because I have been longing to find my creative community close to me. Thankfully I have found them and I will be sharing most of them in my Craftcation series posts.

3. The workshops::
So many great workshops and so many ideas for new workshops next year that it is impossible to pick just one you want to go to! There were about 6-12 classes going on at the same time for four days straight! That is a lot of love and knowledge to be had and shared. So I will also be highlighting some of my favorite workshops and the craft classes I enjoyed while at Craftcation in this series.

4. Our fearless leaders::
Let me to introduce, Delilah and Nicole! There are no words to describe how awesome these two women are. They are so inspiring and without them Craftaction would not have been born and that is a sad thing to think about. Their own stories are amazing, as well as their story as a partnership in business with Craftcation and Patchwork. For sure check out their crafty businesses!

Here is a little story: I moved to Santa Ana almost three years ago and literally right around the corner from my house was this cute little store called The Road Less Traveled, this is Delilah's store. One day I had a little time to finally pop in and check it out...I was in love at the first step in. One side of the store had all these handmade goods made by local artists, and they other half was a classroom with a giant calender of workshops on the wall. Oh yeah, I liked this place. I signed up for the newsletter and low an be hold a few months later there was Craftcation in that newsletter and the rest is history. :)

5. The wealth of knowledge::
The wealth of knowledge at Craftcation about crafts, business, web, food and motivation is out of this world. With all the classes available and all of our favorite "craftelebrities" (as Nicole calls them...love it!) in one place - there is nothing you can't learn. They want to help and are so willing to share their expertise that you feel so welcomed into learning new things to make your business work. Then when you are ready to take a break from all the business classes you can pop into a craft class to just have some fun or learn a technique you have always wanted to learn! I am still processing everything I learned.

Follow along with this series under my craftcation tag in the side bar under Labels. It is going to be fun and I promise to share some of the good knowledge I learned from my fave craftelebrites!

Enjoy!
xo,

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52 Lists // Week 12 // Home

This week in the 52 List project we are thinking about what it means to be home.


"Home is where ever I'm with you."
- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes

“I live in my own little world. But its ok, they know me here.”
- Lauren Myracle

“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”
- Gary Snyder

Home is a place of comfort, a safe haven from the world happening around us. It can be a person, a place, may places, and many people. I know I have more then one home. Then there are those wonderful things that feel like home and remind us of home, that are hard to live without, especially when we are away from that place. Here is a list of all the things that are home and feel like home.

Week 12
things that feel like home.


jimi hugs.  pets.
my bed.  memories.
my sister.
my parents.
NAC.  the ocean.
road trips.  my car.
a comfy sofa.  blankets.
my bed.  my pillow.
trees.  camping.
antiques.  photos.
art.  historic paintings.
the sound of cooking.
the smell of cinnamon.
the color white.  green.
christmas.  artichokes.
the sun on my skin.
a breathe of fresh air.
maple cabinets.
my creations.
flannel. cozy fires.
red.  enamelware.
the beach.  hot chocolate.
the smell of coffee in the morning.
pride and prejudice.
mammoth in the summer.
the california coast.

The kitchen always ends up being the heart of a home...I know ours is, we spend so much time there. Growing up in my parents house...it was all about the open downstairs living space...all center around the kitchen. So a lot of things that feel like home have to do with these two places...the colors, maple cabinets, antiques, cooking, food, sofas and big blankets to snuggle up to a fire with.

Nature has always felt far more like home then any building, besides my own house, that is where I want to be.  Whether I am on the water, in my car with all the windows down and sunroof open, or in the woods exploring...these places feel like home. But really none of these place would be the same without the people I have experienced them all with.


That is when people become home...my parents house will always be home because of the memories and relationships built there with my family. My sister will forever be my soul mate, because miles can never move those feelings of home with family. But then what about the new life we make for ourselves outside of our families...those become home too and eventually another family is created. Place like NAC for the community and escape it offers and then a new house, the one I have made with Jimi. This home took a little bit getting used...possibly about 2 years, but now it is my home, not only because it holds my bed, my pets and my creations, but it also holds my heart. This is not about a place, it is about a person. Jimi...one kiss to forget the world, one hug to send it all away and one look to know that this is what home looks like.


I found this list to be comforting and one that I can see growing over my lifetime as new people, places and things become familiar and eventually home. It is an ever present reminder of what is truly important in this life. So, what feels like home to you? I am looking forward to what everyone comes up with.



Enjoy home!

 52 Lists Project with Moorea Seal


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Falling for Friday // 3-22-13


(1) Pete's // (2) Busy Bee Cafe // (3) Betty Belts // (4) The Pier // (5) City Hall


Today I am featuring my favorite things to do while I am here in Ventura, Ca.
Right now I am in Ventura at the Craftcation Conference! You can find out more here.

Ventura, California
Ventura is located about an hour north of Los Angeles, Ca and about 40 minutes south of Santa Barbara, Ca. It is a beach town known for its great surf and their wonderful downtown area with great food and shops.

Here are my favorite things to do in Ventura!

1. Pete's Breakfast House
We always leave so early to go to Ventura, so the first thing on the list is always breakfast.
And it is always Pete's!

2. Main Street - Downtown Ventura
Shopping and Dining
Antique Stores
A good lunch - Busy Bee Cafe, Nature's Grill
Craft shops - Betty Belts, Superbuzzy
Fun retail stores

3. The Pier
Paddle
Watch the surfers
Enjoy the beach

4. The Architecture
Gorgeous buildings all around town that are so hard to miss.
The Mission San Buenaventura
Ventura City Hall building

If you ever get the chance to go or enjoy it as much as I do, you will find it is a great place for some R&R. Who doesn't love some of that?

Falling For Friday


Happy Friday!
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Craftcation 2013...Here I Come

I am so excited to be off to Craftcation this morning for a weekend in Ventura with a ton of other bloggers and crafters alike !

Ventura, California

 Here is the low down...

Craftcation
Indie business and DIY Conference in Ventura, Ca
March 21st - 24th, 2013
Put on my Nicole Stevenson and Santa Ana's own Delilah Snell :)
A retreat to inspire, network and build a craft business community

Here is a little video recap from last year...


Craftcation 2012 from Letter Box Films on Vimeo.


So this weekend I will be posting all over twitter, facebook and instagram when I can! Come follow along with all the fun @maddiedierkes on twitter and instagram. You can also follow @Craftcation for more conference fun and to learn more about it all.

Tomorrow, I will be featuring Ventura, Ca on Falling for Friday featuring all the best and fun things to do while you are there. It is a great California coast town, and I have loved it ever since I was a little kid, when we would go as a family.

What will I be focusing on at Craftcation?
There are so many classes to choose from that is hard to pick one sometimes, but here are few of the workshops and classes I will be for checking out. Over the next couple of weeks I will share some of the things I have learned at Craftcation, the outfits I wore, the friends I made and so much more! I am excited to share with you all!!!

Check out the full schedule here!

Classes:
Bookkeeping for an indie business
Getting to know your digital SLR camera - I just got a Canon EOS Rebel T3 over the weekend!!
Blog Perspectives
When to hire a professional
Those who can do, Teach!

DIY Workshops:
Soy Candles 101
Needle Felting !!! Love to needle felt, so I am excited to do it again.
Traveler's Daybook with the lovely Amy Tan :)
Networking + Notebooks - networking while making a notebook for the weekend =
perfect way to start off this conference!

Stay Tuned!

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52 Lists Project // Week 11

52 Lists Project with Moorea Seal

Week 11
list your essentials.


jimi.  family.
friends.  community.
the cats.  a dog.
my bed.
love.  trust.
forgiveness.
understanding.
strength.
creativity.
sleep.  me time.
coffee.  water.
loyalty.  respect.
acceptance.
inspiration.
the ocean.  the sun.
camping.  adventure.
nature.  veggies.
a calendar.
peace.  silence.
sticking with it.
light.  soul.
knowledge.
laughter.  smile.

Challenge
Get some R&R. I need it this week.

Happy Listing!

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Falling for Friday // 3-15-13

Happy Friday!

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The jewelry finds I have been inspired by.
1. Roots Jewelry - stacking rings...yes. feather....yes.
2. So many triangles and all the different shades within them. love.
3. GiantLION - chunky distressed brass.
4. Girl on a swing around your neck...so fun and playful!
5. Simple triangles for everyday wear.
6. Shop Rare Bird - leather chevrons, please!

Falling For Friday

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

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5 Little Things

This is a fun one.

I was tagged by Emily of CoupleJones on Tuesday, where you write 5 things about yourself. If you have not been over to CoupleJones you should check out her Encourage to Inspire Project with CailaMade...it is going to be a great series on inspiration and creating!

So I got tagged, and now I am going to play!

5 things you may not know about me.

1. I love history. I always have been a bit obsessed with different eras and the pasts of different cultures. I really enjoyed my two high school history classes, and the teacher I had for those classes was really very good. At Cal State Long Beach, I found myself another great history teacher...this was not world history...this was art history. I was hooked. So I have a BA in Studio Art with an emphasis in Art History.

2. I have a huge obsession with bunnies and elephants. Bunnies - I think they are too cute for this world. I go around yelling "BUN BUNS!" when I see one...just ask Jimi. He does a great impression of me, because I am a dork. Elephants - they are such loving, gentle giants. A lot of my art is inspired by them and our house has quite a few elephant things in it.

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3. Rootbeer fanatic - Barq's rootbeer is my favorite. But I also like handcrafted rootbeer and the classic A&W (rootbeer float...yes, please). If I could only have one sweet thing for the rest of my life - RB would be it...hands down.

Photo by Maddie Dierkes

4. I have wanted an Etsy shop since 2007 when I discovered Etsy...yes I remember the year, it was kind of a big deal for me. Everyone got Etsy gifts for Christmas that year. Now in 2013, a mere 5 and half years later, I am finally going to open my own shop. Why did I wait so long? I don't know. End of March people, it is happening here!

www.etsy.com/shop/maddreamdesign

5. I paddle outrigger canoe...Hawaiian style boats surfing down waves...that kind of paddling. Through paddling I met my fiance, Jimi, who I have had a huge crush on for like ever. Yes, I still have a huge crush on him...duh! I feel so blessed that we get to share our love for the ocean, the waves and the sport with one another.

Photo c/o Alejandra Ferrise

Okay that is enough about me. Now I tag Kelly, Noni, Lish, Kat and MJ. Kelly, because I know you will love this :) and Noni, Lish, Kat and MJ, because I would love to know a little bit more about my Falling for Friday friends!

xo,


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52 Lists Project // Week 10

52 Lists Project with Moorea Seal

Week 10
the ways you can cleanse for spring.

yoga once a week.
organize my photos - redo hallway photos.
organize my external hard drive. oh boy.
paint the bathroom and the guest bedroom.
take a camp trip with Jimi and Ozzie.
take longer walks with Ozzie. (when his knee feels better)
get a little vitamin D.
mop the floors.
buy bookkeeping software!
get all of our music (CDs) on to the computer. le sigh.
hang our hammock....ahem (Jimi).
sew a few things that need mending.
breathe in the fresh air.
eat healthier.
decorate for spring.
get a pedicure.
keep running/walking.
figure out a composting bin. install it.
fountains and wood wind chimes for our yards. i need those sounds in my life...now.
polish my wood furniture.
family time.

Okay I love cleaning...it is one of my favorite things to do when I am mad or I just need to clear my head. So you are not going to see a ton of typical cleaning things on my list. The kitchen is almost always clean and so is my desk/bench. I spent a lot of time in the second half of last year organizing everything in our house. I am most did a series of posts on it...but it was just way to much to share. There are still a few spots that need help, but for the most part everything has its home and that makes me really happy...I know I am weird. :)

Not all spring cleansing has to do with cleaning. There are those good self care items that go such a long way when we do them regularly or even occasionally as a boost. Then there are always those constant reminders that go on every list - like eat healthier and take longer walks - I must sound like a broken record toward myself.

What are some of your favorite spring cleansing tasks?

The Challenge
this week I will spring cleanse by....
getting a little Vitamin D...there is suppose to be so much sun this week in SoCal.
(i feel like this may be cheating....)

Enjoy!


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Falling for Friday // 3-8-13

I love S'mores. 

We love to experiment with s'mores in this house.

Here are some of our favorites and some Pinerest finds. Yum!

The Thin Mint S'more.
*Substitute with Thin Mint for the chocolate. 



The Sugar Cookie S'more.
*Substitute with Sugar cookies for the graham cracker.



The Pinterest S'more.
*Goodness.

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Enjoy and Happy Friday!


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Sneak Peek // March Shop Opening

Psssst....Have you heard?

I am planning on opening up my shop at the end of the month (!!!!) and I want to let you in on a few things! This is what is in the works:

1. Get informed.
With all the excitement going on around here from the 52 Lists Project, Falling for Friday and an Etsy shop opening at the end of March there is a lot to keep up with on Mad Dream Design. If you would like to stay up on all the latest news, the shop grand opening, giveaways, promos and shop videos (coming soon!) you can now sign up to receive my email newsletter!

I know what you are thinking...another email? I totally hear you. I will only be sending out my email newsletter 2-3 times a month. I want to make it worth your while so they will be jammed packed with great stuff to look into, upcoming events to be excited for and a few promos that are only offered to my newsletter subscribers.

If newsletters are not your thing, don't worry, there will still be lots of fun to be had here on the blog and in my shop and you can stayed informed via Blog Lovin' or my RSS News Feed.

2. A little preview.

The bench. Filing away.
Raw earrings ready to be filed and sanded!
Who likes earrings?! I do!

Mad Dream Design's Spring/Summer line will open with 5 different designs that will be offered in silver and copper. You will also be able to chose what kind of findings you would like for your earrings to customize them. You can choose from silver, copper or gun metal traditional findings or handmade wire findings in silver and copper made be me!

I am starting with 5 earring designs, but come summer I will be introducing a few new designs to the line. For Fall/Winter 2013 I hope to expand on the line bringing you the best of the best in my earring designs along with a few pendent and cuff designs! A lot of good stuff to come in 2013.

SO stay tuned and stay informed, because I am so excited to share this with all of you!

 Subscribe to our newsletter

xo,


  
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52 Lists Project // Week 9

For more information on the 52 Lists Project, check out Moorea Seal!

Week 9
places i want to go.

Playa Negra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Photo Credit: Lily Dierkes

Netherlands >> to visit Chris.
Maldives >> to stay in an over water bure.
Mammoth >> to camp like the good ole days.
Leo Cabrillo >> to camp at the beach and explore.
Thailand >> to an elephant sanctuary.
St. Andrews, Scotland >> to visit Amanda and the Scottish Highlands.
Angeles Forest >> to get in my woods fix.
Italy >> because it would be cool.
Kauai, Maui, Lanai >> to see the rest of the Hawaiian islands.
Mexico >> it stole my heart.
Paris, France in the 1800s >> to paint with Monet.
Machu Picchu, Peru >> to see the the Inca ruins.
Costa Rica >> to visit my Aunt Mary and surf.
To Craftcation >> only 2.5 weeks to go till I am in Ventura!
To get my hair cut >> maybe even some hair chalk would be fun. ;)
To the beach >> I always want to go there.
To the Guggenheim Museum >> 
To the late 1700s >> to be friends with Jane Austen and wear a dress.
To the future >> To be apart of the revolution.
To a ranch >> to ride horses and work the land.
Ireland >> pubs and accents.
Tahiti >> to paddle and explore.
Bali >> to relax and getaway.
Africa >> for a safari.
San Fransisco, 1966 >> one: the movement. two: the last Beatles concert.
To a craft show >> to be a vendor.
To Orange County in the 50's >> Orange groves for miles.
To Hawaii under the rule of King Kamehameha >> love Hawaiian history.  
To Australia.
To zumba.
To a Black Keys concert.
To yoga.
To bed.
To the sea.
To an art museum.
To my wedding next year >> get me there!

Challenge
I will go...
to zumba this week.

Where are you going this week? Where do you want to go?

Enjoy it.

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Falling For Friday // 3-1-13

Hello March, Hello Spring. Since winter is coming to a close and we are heading into spring, longer days and lots of flowers...I thought I would share my winter favorites, what I love about the transition from winter to spring, and my excitement for spring today on Falling for Friday!

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I loved this Winter!
cinnamon pinecones.
beanies, boots and scarves.
peppermint mochas.
camping and bonfires.
home, cozy, blankets.
crisp morning walks.

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Crazy about for Spring!
roses.
maxi skirts.
iced tea.
camping and the beach.
being out in the neighborhood.
morning light through the window.

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This winter has been good to me, as it is every year. Such a busy time of year with all the festivities, but always a favorite, because I get to hibernate and get cozy with a fire.
What is not to love?

I like the changing of the seasons and even though we don't get extreme weather here in California, the one thing I love most is watching the seasons change here. The subtleties in the air, the turning leaves, new growth, and the smell...each season has that smell, when you first walk out your front door in the morning. Right now we are getting crisp nights, mellow mornings and sunny days...there is still that quietness of winter, but a new light coming through the window that only means warmer days ahead. My roses are/were trimmed back, and I am already seeing tons of new growth.

Spring means getting back into it, starting anew, and finally getting more sun in my life. I am always ready for the longer days...they are my favorite. The lighting at this time of year is amazing, as if it knows we need to be woken up, but does it ever so softly, slowly preparing us for the harsh light of summer. All the flowers and the birds start to come out, and I start to get back out on the water more. It is a good time to appreciate what I had been missing while in hibernation.

Falling For Friday


Happy Spring! 

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