Cool Combo: Prairie Hive and Owl & Drum

Owl & Drum is proud to be a new advertiser in a popular, cutting-edge Oklahoma online style magazine and blog.

Prairie Hive – which recently published its latest edition and describes itself as “collecting style for the sweet life” – seeks to share its news and views on fashion, fun and the finer things in local life.

The pioneering quarterly publication, which is a collaboration of photographers, writers, craft-makers, interior and graphic designers and creative people based in Tulsa, provides readers with insight into the homes and lifestyles of a host of iconoclasts – from entrepreneurs to artists, designers to globetrotters.

Prairie Hive’s stated aim is to share with readers a wide variety of stories about interesting people, places and products in Tulsa and surrounding areas.

“We show readers how they live, work and play, then take inspiration from what we see and demonstrate how to incorporate a bit of that style into home, entertaining, crafting endeavors and elsewhere,” the collaborators write on their website, prairiehive.com.

“We 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!”

And there’s plenty to buzz about in T-Town at the moment.

Prairie Hive’s internet issue No. 7 for Fall 2012 is cover titled “Pop Mod Partnership.”

The colorful, well-designed edition – which debuted in cyberspace on Monday, Sept. 10 – features newly-married couple Nick Rhoades and Jinger Howell, their love of distinctive designs and their stylish, eclectic midtown Tulsa home.

Dozens of photos showcase their love of modern style, classic design, sense of fun and mixing and matching furniture and décor in an open-plan living space. Quality pieces of furniture are nicely juxtaposed with pop art, family heirlooms and fabulous flea market finds.

The happy couple – Jinger is an interior designer; Nick is an intern architect  – call their unique, spacious home in the Wedgwood neighborhood “The Futurama.” Hence, the title of the story about the funky duo and their cool abode:  “A Bright Futur(ama)”  

The innovative magazine features a Q&A with the couple as they describe all the planning and work that went into revamping the rundown former rental property to turn it into their one-of-a-kind dream home.

Other stories in the bumper 56-page latest edition of Prairie Hive are called “Get the Look,” “Stargazing Supper” for a romantic picnic in the park, “Celebrate the Style,” “Fashion Favorites” and “PH Travels,” which details and photographs a road trip to Wichita, Kansas.

Members of Prairie Hive’s six-member editorial team enthusiastically inform readers of the must-have clothes, housewares, jewelry, furniture, interior items, gifts, gadgets  and products they are currently “buzzing” about. There are helpful DIY projects, party planning tips and entertainment advice, too.

And, for food lovers, there are quick and easy recipes for tasty pepper jelly pork tenderloin sandwiches,  appealing apple hand pies and sweet potato chips, a guilty pleasure to be sure. All beautifully photographed and with a clever page layout, of course.

Click here to see their latest issue.

Prairie Hive launched in June/July 2011 with its debut issue cover titled “Atomic Age Archaeology.”

Previous articles and photos can be found on do-it-yourself drip art, Tulsa’s Fashion Night Out, Tulsa Restaurant Week, Goods & Goodies, Labor Day punch, Pinterest Beauty Party, special s’mores, Tulsa’s new downtown park called Guthrie Green, and a Pantone Round-up.

Prairie Hive's issue No. 8 comes out in December and will celebrate winter, the season of sweaters,  short days, hot drinks, log fires, classic dishes and (maybe, just maybe) snowfall.

For more information about Tulsa’s online style guide, visit prairiehive.com.

For more details about Owl & Drum – which carries more than 100 fabrics made by seven designers, crafts supplies and tools – plus numerous unique gifts, jewelry and baby clothing, visit www.owlanddrum.com.

The 2810 E. 15th St. store also sells many other items made by Tulsans, Oklahomans and artisans from Portland, Oregon, plus a variety of craft, sewing and knitting books.

Owl & Drum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and from 12-4 p.m. Sundays. The store is closed on Mondays, but it's open every day online.

For more information, call Bianca at 918-742-1404, send an email to owlanddrum@gmail.com, or follow us on Facebook, Blogger.com, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Dear Stella's Sophisticated Fabrics For Modern Women

She's a girl about town, with a glamour and confidence that's all of her own making. She knows what she likes and she knows what she wants - Stella's very much a modern girl, a 21st Century woman!

• 
  That's the genesis of the Dear Stella Inc. range, which showcases unique and colorful fabrics with a sophisticated sense of style.
  
  
  

  

  Gilt Trip (Metallic)

  
  The New York company's collection evokes an edgy freshness, combining the best of old traditions with modern influences. The design house - which is based on Broadway in Manhattan - hopes its beautiful fabrics will inspire both a traditional quilter and a contemporary “sewist” to reinvent their sewing style.

The idea for the character of "Stella" is a woman with an independent spirit who is creative, adventurous and hopelessly romantic, according to the company's website, DearStellaDesigns.com.

Petal Pusher

"She loves beautiful paper and a perfectly wrapped gift, and always sends hand-written 'thank you' notes. Cookbooks sit pretty on her shelves for more than just cooking, and she always makes her dinner - even if it’s just for one. 

"You may find her spending lazy days savoring coffee while pouring over her favorite magazines and blogs, dreaming about the ultimate craft room. She has a strong work ethic, and feels so much pride in making things herself ..."

Maasai Mara

Dear Stella designs are printed on high-quality, 100 percent cotton and cotton/canvas fabrics, and some prints are available with a laminated finish.

Most designs are printed on a narrow width, 44/45 inch - with the exception of cotton canvas and laminated cottons, which are printed on wider width goods of 55/56 to 57/58 inches.

Town & Country

The Big Apple company's collections include Portico, Kallianthi, Play Date, Stella Linen Cottons, It's A Shore Thing, Town & Country, Bukhara, Maasai Mara, Gilt Trip (Metallic), Play Date Flannel and Petal Pusher.

Owl & Drum currently stocks the colorful, sophisticated cotton fabrics called Town & Country, Maasai Mara, Play Date, Gilt Trip and Petal Pusher.

Play Date

The store at 2810 E. 15th St. in Tulsa, OK, also sells about 100 other interesting, hard-to-find fabrics made by other top-quality designers and manufacturers.

Plus, Owl & Drum offers unique jewelry and other items made by Tulsans, Oklahomans and artisans from Portland, Oregon. The new shop also sells craft books, equipment and supplies.

Owl & Drum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and from 12-4 p.m. Sundays. The store is closed on Mondays, but it's open for business everyday online.

For more information, call Bianca at 918-742-1404, visit www.owlanddrum.com, send an email to owlanddrum@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Blogger.com, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Thank You For Making Our Opening A Big Success!

Wow! What a great start to our new venture in Tulsa.

"Grand Opening Weekend" at Owl & Drum - Oklahoma's new one-stop shop for fabrics, craft supplies and homemade gifts - was a real whirlwind of smiling faces and in-store excitement.

Thanks to all the many people who visited us to help celebrate our big opening at 2810 E. 15th St.

We had a lovely mix of children, parents and grandparents stroll around the store, taking in the wide variety of cotton fabrics, products and wares.

And quite a few people of all ages (but, especially, kids!) enjoyed making Kanzashi flowers out of 5-inch colorful fabric squares at our large craft table.

We are very grateful for all the kind words and support expressed by customers and visitors for our new enterprise. It's a real thrill to be in business in such a supportive environment.

"I love to see that crafting is alive and well in Tulsa," said Bianca Howell, the co-owner of Owl & Drum.

"It was great to meet so people who are enthusiastic about do-it-yourself crafts and who appreciate interesting, unique homemade gifts. We are really happy to be with so many creative, like-minded people."

Many "Craft Night" and special events will be held at Owl & Drum in the weeks and months to come.

And the first one is just around the corner!

Next Tuesday, will see Owl & Drum's first "Craft Night" staged. The debut craft will be needle felting, in which attendees will tease wool rovings with a needle-felting tool to create three-dimensional shapes.

The first project - which begins at 6.30 p.m. Sept. 18 - will see participants making needle-felted acorns to get ready for the fall season and all its wonderful colors. Anybody is welcome to join in, but please sign up in advance.

People are asked to pay $5 for the class, and all supplies are included. Interested people need to RSVP on Owl & Drum's Facebook page. Please click here to sign up.

Future "Craft Nights" at the store will focus on crewel embroidery, sewing classes and (possibly) a tatting class.

Owl & Drum carries about 100 fabrics made by seven designers and manufacturers. More fabrics are being added each week, and they can be bought in the Tulsa store or on its website at www.owlanddrum.com.

The 2810 E. 15th St. store also sells unique jewelry and other items made by Tulsans, Oklahomans and artisans from Portland, Oregon. It also sells a variety of craft books, equipment and supplies.

Owl & Drum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and from 12-4 p.m. Sundays. It is closed on Mondays.

For more information, call Bianca at 918-742-1404, visit www.owlanddrum.com, send an email to owlanddrum@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Blogger.com, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Fun Fabric Features Fairly Frightening Family

One of the many fun new fabrics for sale at Owl & Drum is "The Ghastlies," a quirky family full of eccentric characters.

The quilting cotton fabric - made by trail-blazing California textile design company Alexander Henry - features a cast of beautifully hand-painted figures each in their own picture frame.

"The Matriach" of the family is a stern-looking woman with crazy hair named Mathilde Ghastlie, and her sisters are called Mildred, Magda and Minerva Grislie, who look like a trio of very scary spinsters.
Mathilde's "Devoted Husband" is Gaspar Ghastlie, and their children are Sebastian (a mischievous cat?!?) and Garrick, a balding hen-pecked man.

Gaspar's "Beloved Mother" is a veiled and mean-looking woman known simply as "The Widow Ghastlie." Her top-hatted father, Gunnar Grislie, is pictured with an old-fashioned lantern.

Also featured are Sebastian and his "Errant Wife" Daria (a socialite who looks like a "flapper" from the 1920s) and their two precocious young children - the red-cheeked twins Cordelia and Cassius Ghastlie.
The fabric paints a scene that is a little reminiscent of The Addams Family, that much-loved old TV show.

Alexander Henry is a textile design house based in Burbank, Calif., that specializes in cutting-edge, original cotton prints. The company offers a wide-ranging collection with themes inspired by art history, runway fashion and culture at large.

Under the direction of the De Leon Design Group - namely Marc, Philip and Nicole de Leon - the company's in-house artists paint each fabric pattern by hand. And Alexander Henry, which was established more than 30 years ago, work with a diverse group of manufacturers in the accessories, garment and home furnishings industries.

Owl & Drum, a new fabric, homemade gifts and craft supplies store, stocks "The Ghastlies" and two other popular Alexander Henry fabrics - "Where Is My 'Stache" and "Spotted Owl."

Owl & Drum - which is located at 2810 E. 15th St. in Tulsa, OK - also carries about 100 other fabrics made by seven other designers and manufacturers. More fabrics are being added each week, and they can be bought in the store or on its website.

For more information, call Bianca at 918-742-1404, visit www.owlanddrum.com, send an email to owlanddrum@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Join Us For Owl & Drum's "Grand Opening Weekend"

To celebrate our new store opening, Owl & Drum is excited to host its "Grand Opening Weekend" this Saturday and Sunday in Tulsa, OK. The special event - featuring craft demonstrations, giveaways and light refreshments - runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 8 and from 12-4 p.m. Sept. 9.

Please come and join us at 2810 E. 15th St. and check out our wide variety of rich and colorful fabrics, including Moda, Dear Stella Designs, Alexander Henry, Monaluna, Birch Fabric, Kokka, and Echino.

There will be a 20 percent discount on all craft books and sewing patterns to encourage people to increase, renew or start their interest in these wonderfully therapeutic pastimes. 

Making intricate items by hand can be so very rewarding. And anyone who receives a handmade gift is sure to appreciate the time, effort and love that goes into making something unique. For many families, it's a tradition that goes from generation to generation.  

As well as numerous bolts of fabric, our store features gifts made by local and national artisans - including Yellowbrick, For Keeps Designs, Amity Treasures, and Meekly Made of Oklahoma, plus Urban Creatures, Oh, Little Rabbit, and Maple XO of Portland, OR.

We have attended trade shows in Portland, Oregon, and Kansas City, Missouri, to source the most interesting and talented artisans in the USA. This fall, we will attend the International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas, to bring the latest designs to our customers.

Owl & Drum is also very happy to announce that we will be featuring a trunk sale from top designer Anna Maria Horner, which will include her sewing patterns such as the "multi-tasker tote" and the "painted portrait blouse".

In addition, customers who spend $50 or more in the store during our "Grand Opening Weekend" will receive a free $10 iTunes gift card to spend on their favorite music and/or phone apps.

The brand-new store is located on East 15th Avenue, between Lewis and Harvard streets, close to the University of Tulsa campus.

In the not-to-distant future, Owl & Drum will begin hosting crafting classes on select evenings. Also, local quilting and sewing groups will hold weekly or monthly workshops, utilizing our large space and comfortable, modern store.

We hope to make Owl & Drum a one-stop shop for Tulsa-area craft lovers, as well as a community resource for all the talented local artisans and gift-makers.

Our up-to-date website is easy to navigate and we will speedily ship out any orders, both near and far. Since opening we have shipped dozens of yards of fabrics and other products to happy customers across the USA, Canada, Europe and Australia.

For more information, call Bianca at 918-742-1404, visit www.owlanddrum.com, send an email to owlanddrum@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

So, put our "Grand Opening Weekend" dates in your calendar. Spread the word. Tell your friends. 

Bring a family member. And we very much hope to see you this weekend at Owl & Drum.

It should be quite a hoot!

Q&A with Jackie from Amity Treasures

    Jackie Porter has been making jewelry under the name Amity Treasures since 2005. She attended the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, where she majored in art history. 

    Porter recently started teaching art at an Oklahoma City metro area public school. "I'm super stoked" to be teaching, she said. "I really love how every aspect of history can can relate with art, artists or artistic movements. My favorite period is prehistoric art. I love the uncertainty, the unknown, and the hypotheses formed around art of that time. 

    "I like fossils and dinosaurs, too. When I have free time, I really like to spend time with my wonderful boyfriend, ride bikes, discover new eateries, go on road trips, and play with my lomography cameras."  

When were you first inspired to create/develop Amity Treasures?

In early high school, I began making jewelry with seed beads and stretchy string. It was a hobby that i just picked up. I had a lot of fun. One day I realized I could incorporate old or vintage pieces into these pieces to make them super cool. Ever since then, I have been selling in stores in the USA and Australia. I've participated in shows in Oklahoma and California, and have had pieces worn by celebrities - thanks to social networks.
Oh, and the name Amity Treasures has a hidden meaning: "Amity" means friendship, according to the dictionary, and it is also the name of the town in the movie "Jaws". I chose "Treasures" because, well, I use only the finest baubles and treasures in my pieces.

What are your favorite materials to work with?

Anything old! Anything owned by grandmothers and, especially, anything super kitschy and quirky - the crazier the better. Sometimes my customers aren't always on the same page as me, so I often have to tame it down. But it's all so much fun to make.

What is your favorite craft besides jewelry-making?
I really don't think I have a favorite other craft, which I'm kind of ashamed to say. Jewelry may be my only niche, but I enjoy supporting local crafters by shopping at their booths at local events and in local boutiques.

Recommend one craft tool that you cannot live without

Pliers - any type/kind. I've used anything from fishing pliers to heavy-duty wire pliers, and they all get the job done. I actually didn't own my first pair of "jewelry" pliers until last Christmas.

What do you like best about living in Oklahoma?

Route 66! It is so close to where I live, and there are so many spectacular sights to see on the "Mother Road." I may just be a sucker for cobblestone, peeling paint, and over-proportioned whales, but the nostalgia and the history are so intriguing to me.

Come and see Amity Treasures' jewelry and other artisans at Owl & Drum, now open in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 2810 E. 15th St. For more details, visit www.owlanddrum.com or call 918-742-1404.

Owl & Drum Opens in Tulsa, Oklahoma!

Ladies and gentlemen, it has finally happened: Owl & Drum is now open for business in Tulsa, OK! 

Our soft opening was last Friday and we were pleasantly surprised at how many new faces popped in to see our new shop. It was a great start to our new venture. We are very excited.

Owl & Drum features a blend of designer sewing fabrics, craft and sewing supplies, plus handcrafted gifts. Some of the fabric designers we are currently stocking in the shop are Anna Maria Horner, Tula Pink, Kokka, Echino, and Monaluna. 

Our gift gallery has a bit everything. From baby to pets, there is bound to be something that strikes your fancy. Some of our vendors are local but we have not stopped there. We have pieces coming from as far away as Portland, OR.

So, if you are in the Tulsa area, come check us out! We are located at 15th & Delaware. Otherwise, you can find a lot of our lovely items in our online store at www.owlanddrum.com. Just click here.

We look forward to creating with all of you!

Bianca and Dani