not another tie.

Is it just me, or are Dads (or men in general) hard to shop for??

Father's Day is quickly approaching so I'm doing a roundup of some unique Father's Day gifts that are not ties. Or socks. Or boring. 

All of these gifts are from handmade shops I've come across or small businesses with great causes. Enjoy shopping!

1. For the Busy Dad:

Copper & Torch's Men's Leather Valet / Dresser Tray

Perfect for your Dad to throw his wallet, change, phone on either on his dresser or a table by the front door.

2. For the Hip Dad:

Sevenly's Never Forget V Neck

I tried copying a picture of the actual t-shirt, but it didn't work. This is the design on it. Sevenly is a great company that donates $7 of every purchase to the designated charity of the week. This week it is TAPS, an organization that supports the children of fallen service members who have given their lives. Pretty sweet shirt for a great cause!!

3. For the Gaming Dad:

Crafty Craps' Batman Arkham Origins "Hunting the Bat" gaming coasters

These were made my sister, and are sold in her Etsy shop. She makes custom coasters using reclaimed tiles and she also makes record bowls. These coasters are durable, and perfect for the Dad who likes to relax with a little video gaming, or one who just loves Batman! (Let's be honest - best super hero. Of course.)

4. For the Nerdy Dad:

GeeksandNerdsStudio's Stormtrooper Silver Cufflinks

Star Wars cufflinks. Need I say more?? These are kind of amazing. 

5. For the Rustic Dad:

Hope Collective's (that's me!) Brass Bullet Shell Keychains

I made these over the weekend, and I love them! Such a simple, and really unique gift for your Dad (or your brother / boyfriend / fiance / husband) at a really good price! I made them using reclaimed bullet shells that either me or my fiance fired. I'm selling these for just $8 + shipping. Perfect for the man who loves to hunt!

There you have it! What are you getting your Dad / loved one for Father's Day this year? Any other great sites that have unique men's gifts that you want to share?

goodwill finds + inspiration

Thanks to some fellow artists I follow on Instagram, I have been inspired lately to do a major cleaning and reorganization of my jewelry-making workspace {read that as "small folding table in the corner of my bedroom" - hey, baby steps}.

{inspiration. image source: pinterest}

I had been struggling with what to put above my jewelry table that would be inspiring + functional. At one point I had a picture frame that I had once used as a display at a craft show, and then I had makeshift miniature bulletin boards. Oh man - they were hideous. haha Let me explain: I have a soft spot in my heart for clearance items. Something about saving money makes me want to do cartwheels. I also have a soft spot for buying clearance items I don't actually need or supplies I don't end up using but look cool in the fabulous fluorescent lights of AC Moore/Michael's. So, once upon a time, I bought a roll of cork at AC Moore. I thought, I can make my own bulletin board and save money, woohoo! Well, the cork was crumbly, would not lay flat to save it's life, and just was a waste of effort. I cut it and put it in random empty frames I had, and it just looked sad. So I finally gave up that idea, got rid of the frames and the cork. My next installment was fun pictures and prints I just taped with washi tape above my table. 

I think it is so important for artists to visually see inspiration while they work, to refresh and reset your mind on your ideas, to help you focus, to get outside your own head sometimes. Jessi from naptimediaries just posted about inspiration and I loved this quote from her:

"Seek inspiration outside your field to dig deep and avoid accidental copying."

So, I knew I wanted some sort of inspiration board to put up quotes, pictures, things torn out of magazines that lit my creative spark. 

Well, I finally realized I just needed a good, old fashioned bulletin board. Already made (haha). 

Sunday afternoon I went to Goodwill with the purpose of looking for a white shirt (negative), jean shorts (negative), and a bulletin board. I was walking over to where the picture frames are, and lo and behold, out from the backroom a Goodwill employee comes carrying a bulletin board. You better believe I snatched that baby up! I think it was a small God thing, looking out for me in the littlest way. :) It was $4 and in good condition. I knew I wanted to spruce it up a little, so I just painted the wood trim with 2 coats of some yellow paint I already owned. 

Voila! Here it is, painted and hanging in my "studio". :) 

{magazine cutouts, photo of my boyfriend+i, small painting from a boy i babysit, a postcard of the amazing artist thornton dial who i met, etc.}

{my friend made the piece in the frame - it says "do what you love, love what you do"}

{see that amazing wooden type drawer on the floor filled with beads? another great $5 goodwill find!}

Want to see a few more home studios/workspaces that inspire me? Click here to go to my Pinterest board. For the day I have a whole room dedicated to my art. :)

What are some ways you gather inspiration for your hobby/artwork? Taking walks, hashing out ideas over coffee dates, using inspiration boards, Pinterest? I'd love to hear from y'all! :)

a taste of spring

Here are a few goodies I've made last week and this week for spring/summer. 

I've been playing around with the turquoise + coral/tangerine combo and I love it! I love turquoise all year around, but it especially looks great in spring and summer for that pop of color. Pair these with a striped tee or a flowy white blouse.

I've also been playing around with this design. A long chain with a simple, colorful asymmetrical focal point. This would look great layered with other simple necklaces.

The perfect statement necklace! Pair this with a plain white tee, or a coral dress to a spring/summer wedding.

I love this one! Very tribal. Pair with your favorite bohemian flowy dress, or add some sass to a plain tee + jeans outfit.

Pretty little dangles!

Interested in purchasing any of the pieces pictured? Let me know! I haven't put them up on Etsy yet, so y'all are getting sneak peeks! Just leave a comment or email me at ShopHopeCollective@gmail.com if you'd like to buy one (or all! haha). 

Which necklace is your favorite? I'd love to hear from you! :)

{Missed my first "Shops with Heart" post? Read it here.}

Thanks for reading!

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shops with heart: hope collective

Happy Friday!!!

Can I just say I am so excited it's Spring? It is so refreshing to see some green sprouting up everywhere, and to see beautiful flowers popping out. There is a purpose to every season, but I am sure glad Winter is over. Spring is by far my favorite season, plus it's the season of my birthday! :) I'll be turning 26 next Tuesday - yay! 

Today I will be starting a series called "Shops with Heart". 

Shops with Heart will be a chance for me to highlight handmade shops I admire, where the passion and creativity is evident in their products. I will also highlight small businesses that give back to others in some way.

///Shops with Heart: Hope Collective///

I'm going to start off this series with my own shop Hope Collective. This may seem a tad conceited, but I wanted to give y'all some more photos of products I've made since I haven't shown a whole lot yet. I sell "handcrafted goods for you and your home." I will do a separate post about the organization I will be donating a portion of every purchase to, but let me just go ahead and tell y'all, they are awesome! 

Since the past few posts have been so word-heavy, just enjoy this eye-candy on this beautiful Friday! :)

1. This week's creation. 

2. Milky Aqua and White Simple Beaded Necklace // Minimalist Spring Necklace 

3. Silver Drusy Hoops

4. African Dreams Earrings

5. This one sold, but I love it, so I wanted to share --- Mumford & Sons Embroidery Hoop Art
{you can find more of my hoop art here}

6. 

Beauty and the Bullet // Turquoise Arrow Bead with Brass Beads and Brass Bullet Shell Long Necklace

What are some of your favorite "Shops with Heart"? Let me know, and if it sparks my interest and lines up with my vision for this series, I may highlight it in the coming weeks!

Have a great weekend!!

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