Leaping Lotus

TearDropHankys

As some of you already know...I'm wild about vintage hankies...wild I tell you!  I love these little pieces of fabric art, even more when I can get my hands on one of the collectible textile designers of the day...Tammis Keefe, Faith Austin, Kati just to name a few from the 30's, 40's & 50's.  What do I do with all these hankies that are piling up ( I actually store them plain white pizza boxes that I can stack & label)...I make decorative pillows, lavender sachets...even an iPad cover.

Leaping Lotus

While I've had an online store at teardrophankys.etsy.com since 2010, I felt I needed to get these little hanky pillows out in the public eye, where they can be touched and squeezed...up close and personal.  So... I found a retail space to test the waters and see if anyone else was as crazy about hankies as me...I'm hoping they are, as I have so much fun designing and making these vintage creations.  Leaping Lotus is the place I chose and I've actually shopped there for years, it's a really unique shopping experience in the Design District of Solana Beach, California.

 This was the 3'x5' space as it was before I took it over

 We painted the walls and added a painted stencil pattern to the floor 

 Bought some old pieces of furniture to paint and use for fixtures (also for sale)

Mid-century bar for cabinet space

Added a few hanky pillows, 23 to be exact

 White Magnolia

 Gingham & Linen

 Dusty Rose & Linen

 Tammis Keefe Feathered Friends

 Swirling Roses

Small double sided yellow pillow

Hand made cards for each pillow with information about the hanky that adorns that pillow...with matching fabric and buttons on the front

And here it is...opened and ready for business...June 1, 2011

 Two chairs, a mid century bar, several picture frames, framed hankies, loose hankies in the open drawers...and 23 TearDropHanky pillows...all in 15 sq. ft. !

 Faith Austin butterfly hanky pillows with linen

 Hanging chair for extra space

 Finished chair after sanding & doing an aged finish on it

Mid Century bar...so cool...too bad it's hidden by all the pillows!  Though the drawers came in handy for hankies.

My Grandmother was the one who gave me my first small collection of hankies that I had for years, tucked away in a drawer.  One day last year I took them out to organize and clean (as I did every so often) and it hit me...these bring me joy and warm memories of my family...what can I do with them to get them out in the light for others to share...TearDropHankys was born.

I have many more pillows and pillow groups to add, though space is limiting, though I keep blissfully sewing away.  If your in the area, please stop by and shop this wonderful store...and maybe leave with a hanky pillow for yourself or a friend.

As always...I am so open to comments and ideas...I hope you'll share yours with me.  We are all here creating and doing life, and it's wonderful when we can connect and share ideas with each other.  

Enjoy