Featured Artist: Things That Bling!!

Miss Mandy is the beauty and brains behind the Etsy shop ThingsThatBling. This spunky chick makes a multitude of awesome stuff including screen printed bath and kitchen towels, quirky potholders, silly plush monsters and some of the most gorgeous beadwork jewelry I have seen. Beyond being a DIYer, she is also a molder of young musical minds and a musician in the band Honeycreeper. Mandy was one of the first people I met when I came on to the DIY scene and she has left a lasting impression. Not only do I admire her for her amazing handmade items but also I love her sense of humor and candid honesty.
I happen to be the proud owner of ThingsThatBling kitchen towels, potholders, and a silly monster so I know first hand that Mandy is full of talent and I wanted to share some of her kickassery with you! Mandy was nice enough to chat with me for a few minutes so I could pick her brain a bit:

FF: Ok, first question is an easy one: Why home decor?

MANDY: I have always used things that made me smile to decorate my apartment, room, house, wherever. I often used old toys and random weirdness, but then I realized I could start actually making home items. Things people use daily that can give them a chuckle...hence the potholders.

FF: Do you find humor inspires a lot of your creations?

MANDY: YES! Humor inspires almost everything I do, but I also have a very dark side. I guess the bottom line to me is that life can suck pretty hard, so i want to help people to smile in any way I can...unless their douchebags...hahaha!

FF: Well, douchebags need cool home decor too! You are also a musician, does that reflect in your designs at all?

MANDY: My band merch is actually how I started making stuff...stuff being the "technical" term. haha! I had screenprinted for years before I made an etsy shop, and my first monsters were ones I sold at shows. The skull towels are actually prints I made for the band...so i guess in that way it reflects being a musician. Just for the record...I have nothing against douchebags or any other feminine products

FF: Any plans for more home goods in the future?

MANDY: YES! Because I am so anal retentive though, I haven't made any new designs I am ready to sell yet. Things I have been working on are rugs, aprons, tablecloths and tissue holders. Things that don;t take massively long because I have a short attention span!

FF: I can't wait to see them and add to my Things That Bling collection! What advice would you give to other home decor DIYers who are just starting out?

MANDY: hhhmmm, I think I would go with think out of the box. Try to take everyday items and make them more interesting. There can be awesomeness in every corner of your home if you can imagine it there, ya know? And of course...keep trying! It takes time to find your clients! You can be the most talented person in the world, but the world is full of people, so its up to you to seek out those who are like minded!

FF: Excellent advice. Thanks so much for your candidness! One last question...stolen from James Lipton who stole it from someone else - what is your favorite curse word?

MANDY: hmmmmmmmmm...gotta be cocksucker. yup hahaha

FF: lmao, thanks for your time.

MANDY: thank YOU!

Here are just a few examples of the amazing creations you can find in Mandy’s shop.

Fierce Decorating, Lesson 1: Find A Focal Point

My first decorating tip is a fairly simple one: make a theme in the space you are working with by using something you find beautiful as your focal point and working outward from there. It could be anything from a throw blanket with a design you love to a painting by your favorite artist to something as simple as a small vase. For example, I am in love with this new lamp I made using one of my all-time favorite fabrics and it would serve as an amazing inspiration piece for my bedroom.

This doesn't mean that my entire room has to feature this fabric - I can use anything with complimenting colors or patterns to accent my favorite elements of the lamp. For instance, a bed set along these lines would make an alluring backdrop for my focal point while still adding depth to the overall decor.

It’s ok to throw in little accents with the same fabric as long as it's not overwhelming - possibly a couple throw pillows, or a valance over the window. Once you have the major elements of the room in place, you can start working on those little details that really make a room stand out. I'm a huge fan of candles and knick-knack shelves or finding things that are meaningful to you and displaying them in a unique way. Splashes of your personality sprinkled around can really add a lot of beauty and emotion to a room.

That's it for this lesson, check back soon for the next one!

Here are a few handmade home decor items I found on Etsy that I think are brilliant, and maybe they'll inspire you to go home and revamp your living space!

Victorian Gothic Red and Black Teacup Candleholder by AmericanGirl51


Coffin - table shelf by HellsElves


Skeleton Key, key Holder by esix8

Why Alternative Home Decor?

I have always loved home décor. When I moved into my first apartment on my own, I was so excited to decorate and turn my space into a place where I felt comfortable and at home. I was only 20 at the time so funds were limited, but when you know where to look you can do really amazing things on a budget. Over the years as I’ve become more established, I do like to splurge here and there for really nice pieces for my home and now that I’m married it’s even more fun to merge the two styles into something that works for us as a couple.
Where am I going with all this you ask? Well, I think a lot of people don’t look at home décor the way I do, as an extension of your own personal style. It’s easy to buy clothes and jewelry to express yourself, but how many of you come home to a place that truly shows off who you are? I’ve realized that starting Fabulously Fierce was a way for me to try to pass on my love of alternative home décor and show the public that it IS easy to express your style in your home! It doesn't have to be a daunting task - it can be fun AND simple!
I have been pondering what direction to take this blog for some time now and I've decided that I want to start sharing decorating tips, advice, articles, etc. I want the public to see how much you can transform the look and feel of your home just by adding a few key pieces to it. So, stay tuned for what's to come - and tell your friends ;) Thanks for reading!

Booze Broads and Hotrods

Seriously, could it get any hotter than this!? Classic cars, great music and the Bombshells!! Come out for their 11th annual event on April 18th. Fabulously Fierce is proud to be vending there for the first time this year. Stop by and say hello!

Check out event details HERE

Back to the Working World

So finally, after sending out a ton of resumes I received one call back. I went into the interview and I guess kicked serious ass because I beat out 600 other applicants and got the job!
I'm torn by this. I'm happy to be working and making money, but saddened that I need to work a corporate office job to pay the bills. I really enjoyed having all the time in the world to spend creating cool stuff for Fabulously Fierce and I will miss that. But, the place seems to have a lot of great people - the founder even bought me flowers to welcome me (my own husband hasn't even bought me flowers in over 5 years! - love you baby!) And it also has all the aspects that I wanted out of an office job, so that's a positive.
I will still slave away in my off hours to create more product for FF, I could never give it up entirely, and like my wonderful husband has said "keep your day job until your night job pays off".....I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someday, that will happen.

In the meantime - check out my Etsy store, it's full of cool shit!
CLICK FOR KICKASS HOME DECOR

Are Times Too Hard for Success??

Times are tough right now. For everyone. I was laid off in October (no, I'm not turning this into a sob story) and still have not been able to find a job. I looked at my lay off as a great opportunity to put some real time and effort into Fabulously Fierce. I guess my pre-occupied mind did not figure in that the country was a mess and it probably wasn't the best time to try to start a business from the ground up. It has been discouraging, and it's hard to separate the fact that the economy sucks from the possibility that my stuff just sucks. I know my stuff doesn't suck, in fact, I think it's pretty damn awesome...just not everyone's cup of tea. But there are days when I just want to throw in the towel.
Luckily, I have an amazing support system of friends and family who want me to succeed and at the end of the day that makes all the difference in the world.
So I will keep plugging away and looking for new avenues for promotion and hope that soon things will start to look up.

What was the point of this post?? I have no idea, but that's what blogs are for, right?

It's Thursday Again!! TNT SALE DAY!

More amazing offers from the folks at DIYScene!
My shop has a special TNT sale section with tons of items at 50% off!!! Stop by for some smokin deals!

CLICK HERE FOR GREAT DEALS!