thecottagecollective

The Cottage was featured over at “I’ve Got a Guy,” a wonderful blog about local places, discovered by a local guy, Jake. We love this blog. Go check it out and drool over the pictures, and sign up to win a giftcard from us!

http://www.jakeramstack.com/2012/05/shop-local-abbe-doll-of-cottage.html

The Cottage was featured over at “I’ve Got a Guy,” a wonderful blog about local places, discovered by a local guy, Jake. We love this blog. Go check it out and drool over the pictures, and sign up to win a giftcard from us!

http://www.jakeramstack.com/2012/05/shop-local-abbe-doll-of-cottage.html

The time is upon us!  It’s May… and, along with spring flowers (and showers), it’s time to celebrate our wonderful mothers and the students in our lives who are graduating from high school and college.  Come to The Cottage and let us help you find a great gift for these special people in your life!

Here are a few ideas to help get your creative gift-giving juices flowing…

{A Lady With a Baby}

Ruler Growth Chart

Perfect for the mom who not only loves her kids but also loves to have a stylish home.  The oversized ruler/growth chart hangs beautifully in your home while also capturing the growth milestones of your kiddos.  The absolute best part of this ruler is that you get to take it with you when you move, unlike the door frame inside your pantry.

Outdoor Pillows

Give mom the gift of sitting outdoors with her cup of coffee and a few peaceful moments while she lounges with these beautiful outdoor pillows.  The pillows are 18×18 inches and add a summery pop of color to your outdoor furniture.  Encourage mom to take some time for herself this Mother’s Day.

Summer Scarves

These light and airy scarves are great for your grad this spring and summer!  The infinity styling of these scarves allows for them to be worn different ways, and everyone loves a scarf.  The stripes continue to be a hot trend for the summer months.

Burlap Bags

Get your grad a great new burlap tote for all their summer adventures!  These bags are made from recycled coffee bean bags and are lined with a heavy canvas for added durability.  There are multiple sizes and styles to choose from.  So cute!

{A Prairie Market}

French Lavender

Give your mom a beautiful and sweet-smelling gift this Mother’s Day with a bundle of French lavender.  The scent of lavender is heavenly, relaxing, and therapeutic.  Lavender is also the perfect accessory for decorating in a French cottage style.  I love to place bunches of it around my house, in ironstone pitchers, galvanized buckets, and vases.  It will lend a farmhouse feel to any room, and is a great natural accessory.  Give your mom something unique this year with a French lavender bundle from A Prairie Market ($16 each).  We also have a few lavender sachets made from vintage French ticking available ($9 each).  They’re just as pretty to look at as they are to smell.  Great for Mom and Grandma!

Baskets & Boxes

One of my favorite ways to stay organized is with lots of baskets and boxes for storage.  My favorite kind are vintage locker baskets or old painted boxes where I can stash anything from tea towels to DVDs to paperwork.  These would be especially great for a recent grad headed off to college.  Storage can be an issue in a tight space, but every student wants their dorm room to be stylish.  What better way to stay beautifully organized that with unique vintage baskets and boxes?!  A Prairie Market has several wire locker baskets and painted boxes available for you to choose from!

{All Dolled Up}

Chalkboards

Chalkboards make a fantastic gift for both moms and grads! — They’ve got so many uses.  Grads can use them in their dorm rooms to leave reminders or notes for friends.  And they’re a great way for Mom to leave lists, event reminders and sweet notes to the family.

Vintage Framed Chicken Wire

Look at how fun these are!  This vintage framed chicken wire is a great way for moms and grads to organize their earrings and necklaces.  Grab some mini clothes pins and they’d also be a great place to display pictures of friends and family, or your children’s artwork!  It’ll keep your fridge clean… and you can switch things out quickly and easily.

Vanities

Does your mom or grad lack bathroom space and need a fun place to get ready in the mornings?  If so, she needs one of our small vanities… which are great for tight spaces.  And ours are finished with quality chalk-based paints and satin waxes, so they clean easily and will keep their vintage finish through the years.

{Marigold Road}

Marigold Road offers an array of gifts suitable for moms and graduates, including: wool blend felt headbands, yarn wreaths, rosette necklaces, fabric “messy” brooches, and fun, kitschy vintage items.

“Messy” Brooches

These brooches would look darling on a jean jacket, lapel, or a purse. — They’re perfect for mom!

Wool Blend Felt Headbands

These headbands are fun, versatile and colorful! — Sure to please that graduate’s unique style.

Yarn Wreaths

A wreath is perfect for a first apartment, a dorm room door, or Mom’s shaded porch!

{Poema Creations}

Give mom a gift that is as unique and one of a kind as she is. These necklaces are made from vintage watch parts creating timeless beauty. Price $23.00

Send your graduate off in style with a gift they will wear for years to come. School Spirit necklaces range in price from $23.00 with a cord to $30.00 with a sterling silver chain.

{Zerbers}

Spa Wraps/Cover-Ups

Great for after a shower or lounging around the pool, these super soft, cozy minky cover-ups can be totally personalized for your mom or graduate!  Add a name to one of the wraps already in the store, or place a special order to include bows or a graduate’s school colors.

Minky Blankets & Pillowcases

Like the spa wraps, our blankets and pillowcases are completely customizable!  Wouldn’t mom love to cozy up with a super-soft minky blanket with your family name on it?!  And no dorm room is complete without a school-inspired blanket or pillowcase?!  Come check out what we’ve got at The Cottage… and if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for, place a special order and we’ll make it just the way you’d like!

JOYN Bags, Clutches, and Wallets

JOYN is a movement to unite artisans in the developing world with global markets.  What better way to honor Mom or a recent graduate, than to give them a gift that is both fun and unique, while helping to give the people of northern India the joy of working in a great environment and providing for their families?!  Every inch of these items is made by hand; from the weaving of the fabric to the wooden block painting to the finishing.  Come check out all of the fun styles and designs from the new summer line!

And there you have it!  Just a few ideas for fun hand-made and/or hand-picked gifts!  Come find these beauties {and SO MUCH MORE} this weekend at The Cottage Collective.  We’re jam-packed full of treasures that are sure to please!!

Happy Valentines Day Friends!

Last weekend the 7 of us gathered over some Knolla’s pizza (a local favorite) and got down to business! We had so much fun sharing and discussing our plans for each of our brands. This group is not only fun, but talented! I’ve got to say that each “store” in the Collective is going to blow your socks off!

So grab you calendars, drum roll please….

The Grand Opening celebrations will start on March 30th, during the Final Friday Art Crawl, and continue on to Saturday, the 31st. We will have yummy food, awesome door prizes, and lots of fun. Rumor has it our friends over at Christiane’s Closet is planning a Grand Re-opening as well after her store remodel! YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS IT!

We have lots of work to do, turning 509 Lorraine  into our “cottage!”  Stay tuned, we will be posting pictures of our progress!

Also a HUGE thank you to those who participated in our giveaway! We so appreciate your support and loved watching numbers grow on Facebook! Keep it up! We are so thankful!

The winner of the bundle is Brooke. Congratulations Brooke! Have fun giving, (or keeping) all the goodies!

Happy Valentines Day From The Cottage!

Wouldn’t you love to be the first to get your hands on some of the wonderful vintage, antique, and hand crafted goodies we are going to be offering at The Cottage Collective?!

All of the vendors are busy getting things ready for our opening, and we just had to share a little taste of what is coming! The winner of this fabulous giveaway will receive all of the following:

A creamy tan distressed farm chair from All Dolled Up

4 handmade green striped cloth napkins from A Lady With A Baby

This darling green polymer clay square necklace, adorned with clock gears and the word “enjoy” from Poema Creations

A “Lovey Blankey” hand sewn with luscious minky dot and flannel by Zerbers

Here is how you can win! {Each action is one entry for the giveaway}

1. “Like” The Cottage Collective on Facebook

2. Subscribe/Follow  thecottagecollective.com

3.  Post the Giveaway on your Facebook Wall, and tell your friends about our new store!

{Make sure you leave a comment below and tell us what you did!}

Details and such:

Giveaway ends February 13th at 6 pm. You must be able to pick up your collection (no shipping).

This is the Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift!

Good Luck! We will see you soon!