Fabric flowers

1. I am in love with your blog, Hello!Self, not only is it gorgeous, but it hits right at the heart of celebrations…creating memorable moments in our lives. Your shop heralds the handmade and supports heirloom celebrations, the kinds that are meaningful and personal. I am incredibly inspired by you, in awe really. What 3 things most inspire you?


Jenny, thank you! I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you connect with the spirit of celebration in my work. That’s a beautiful thing. Thank you, also, for the opportunity to come into YOUR beautiful space.

To answer your question, three major sources of inspiration for me:

Home life / connection with family. I love my home. I love being home. I love creating an environment of peace, joy, and celebration. And I love filling that environment with my family, who have been life-long catalysts of joy and laughter. Being in this place, inspires me.

Water. The ocean, lakes, ponds, pools – any body of water. It’s restorative, transformative, connective, and it allows for express-route access to my joy and creativity.

Creative women and men who consciously choose to celebrate the beauty of this life. It’s infectious. I love being in the company of, learning from, and journeying with such lovelies.

2. I’m noticing I admire a lot of women who wear many hats and have long lists of hobbies. It’s a resurgence in domesticity, but more than that, more of a growth of the love in the heart of our homes. You are one of those amazing women...what is your favorite thing to do?

I have too many to pick just one. To take advantage of the fact that you admire women with a long list of hobbies, may I list many? How about I list them in the order they come to mind, which may exposesome unconscious level of favoritism. That’s all I’ve got. ;)

I love to curl up with a great magazine with my husband by my side and my dog at my feet. I love to bake cookies. I love to decorate my home. I love to plan celebrations. I love to create. I love to journal as I sit by the water. I love to meditate. I love to laugh (if even only at myself). I love to share a great meal with my family. I love to travel. I love taking walks. I love working with inspired creatives and co-creating merriment. I love to decorate for the holidays. I love to watch reality television. (Thank god that one appeared last in this unconscious favoritism list.)

3. How/why did you start your shop?

My lifework is to support celebration and merriment in the lives of others, as well as my own. As a DIY Celebration Planning Coach, I love working with others as they explore creating celebrations.That was all fine and dandy, but I noticed there was still something creatively that wanted to surface: creating with my own two hands - and allowing that to be a means of supporting celebration in the lives of others, as well. And while it started out as a personal creative outlet, I quickly realized, along with my creative partner, Carrie, that this was something more than a hobby - This was a concept that needed to be integrated with my lifework. And then ta-da! Potter and Butler is born.

4. I LOVE your cake garlands and the peppy poms, cute décor + cake = a wonderful thing. Which of your lovelies is your favorite?

Given my absolute love of garlands, I’d have to say both the gracious garlands (in goldie and snow) and the cake garlands (in mint) are my favorites. But now I risk sounding like a parent that just picked a favorite child, don’t I? “I love them all equally.”

See the inspiration behind the cake garlands here.

5. Tell us your FAVORITES…

COLOR? Tiffany blue or Martha Stewart green

PARTY GOODIE/DECOR? Garlands. There’s something so simple about them and yet they have major pull in the merry-celebration-mood-department.

SECRET SOURCE FOR PARTY GOODIES? I have a favorite vintage goods store in my neighborhood, called Found on Fremont. The shop owner has such a way of presenting the oldies but goodies. I could spend hours in the shop, all the while capturing ideas and inspiration for future celebrations.

First, I must share her lovely blog. At Hello!Self, Emily brings her incredibly contagious merry outlook to her readers. She seeks all the wonderful things related to create meaningful and lovely moments. She is friendly, kind and fabulous! Emily offers guidance that goes well beyond the reaches of traditional party planning. She is a CELEBRATION COACH, which is a combination of “event planner + life coach + creative merriment pusher,” and I just think that HAS to be the coolest job ever. Her blog makes me smile and is genuine, which is rare these days. For me, Hello!Self is a beautiful reminder that everyday moments are celebration worthy.

Emily and her dear friend Carrie Flynn have opened up Potter and Butler to share their love of merriment and crafting with all. Two friends, who met in the design field, have been creating pretty fetes (one of their favorite pastimes) and created these lovelies for their clientele’s parties. The overwhelming love they received for the designs and requests for personalized, meaningful décor, prompted the two to open Potter and Butler: handmade goods for merry celebrations. Currently in their pretty little shop are: (I HAVE to quote Emily on her descriptions…too perfect)

Gracious Garlands: sweet and airy fabric pom garlands that sway to the beat of your fete or to the flow of your home

Cake garlands: a petite version of the gracious garlands – perfectly sized to adorn the celebration cake.

Morsel Adornments: Includes monogram toppers in vintage fonts, classic silhouette toppers, convey toppers (allowing you to customize a message for each topper), and Peppy Toppers, which are the food pick manifestation of our poms.

The Embellish: a modern twist on the days when grandma wore a corsage on special occasions. It’s a lush fabric corsage that says, “For me, there is significance to this moment.”

Merry Poms: The centerpiece for merriment. Reminiscent of a lush cluster bouquet, made with over two yards of fabric.

I Belong Pom: Let guests know they belong – and exactly where at the dinner table – with our take on the place card

Gift Wrap Embellishment: Our modern version of the traditional gift bow. Made of fabric, it can be part of the joy of gift giving time after time.

For Him Pom: something for the fellas - fabric boutonnieres

Sweet Notes and Good Fortune Poms- It’s a good life. And there’s lots to celebrate. Our sweet notes and good fortune poms send guests off with a sweet sentiment or fortuitous good will . Perfect as celebration favors or small gifts.

Emily and Carrie were so excited about their new shop they opened early, TODAY was to be their official grand opening. So, in GRAND Potter and Butler style…we shall CELEBRATE! Potter and Butler is holding its FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY here. Yep...I am incredibly excited, (beyond excited, really) to announce that you can win TWO GRACIOUS GARLANDS of your very own.

Winning is EASY!!! Enter FIVE times!!!