Summer Sale: Spots!

Just in time for Summertime! Spotted Bow Ties only $25

Nautical Flag Bags Arriving SOON!

The nautical flags that are used on boats and ships have an important meaning behind them besides looking nautical on clothing and home decor, they are used to display "code" for other ships that may be in distress or have a scuba diver on board. They have 26+different meanings depending on the color and the way the color is displayed on the flag itself. Pretty cool, huh?

Well, I'm using them in an accessory form. They will still be represented in a way that goes back to what they were originally used for BUT having them go by your first or last name. Preps are drawn to anything nautical, especially Maryland and anyone in the south, so why not add something super unique to your wardrobe with this little over the shoulder bag.

They are hand made out of duck canvas in colors that represent each flag and letter perfectly! The measurement of the bag is 8 x 8 which is the perfect size for a little wallet, keys, and your cell phone.

The shoulder strap is hand braided out of cotton roping to give the bag an even more nautical look! 

To hold the opening together, two braided ropes are used to tie the bag together so nothing of value falls out. 

The inside lining a cotton blue and white striped fabric to give the bag, if it wasn't nautical enough, an even more nautical feel. 

Best part about this bag? It's TOTALLY custom made! Each bag will take 1-3 weeks to make and be shipped out to it's new home. I know what you're thinking, why is this awesome bag taking so long to get to me?! Well, I want to make sure it is properly made with quality care before getting to you.

Release date:  May 10th, 2014

Price: $30

BUT if you message me on Etsy and mention this post, you will receive a special "pre-order" price now until the 10th! 

Stay hooked, the best is yet to come! 

Monogram Add On

Let's face it, monograms make any piece of clothing better! Why not add a monogram to your bow tie or a special something to add to your beaus bow tie?! 

Add the monogram to either the bow of the tie or the neck strap. 

I'm so excited to bring this feature to the Chesapeake Tides bow tie! 

stay hooked, the best is yet to come! 

Brown Paper Packages Tied with String

I seem to update my packaging a lot. Why, you may ask?! Well it's because I'm always thinking of new ideas to ship out my bow ties to make them even more unique then they already are. It's the first thing the customer sees before opening their tie. It needs to be eye catching but also not distract from the tie too.

Growing up on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, steaming up crabs would be something that would happen throughout the summer. To help protect the picnic table before slamming away on the shells of the crab to get to the yummy/juicy meat, my family would always cover it with brown paper; covering the table would also come in handy through the cleaning up process.

My inspiration for my new packaging comes from my life style of being raised on steamed crabs.  Brown wrapping paper with natural bakers twine, sometimes we would use this twine to wrap chicken necks to catch crabs the old fashion way of getting them right from our piers.

I bought this adorable dachshund tape dispenser from Target and I can't get over how cute it is! Definitely reminds me of my little Pablo that my mother is taking care back home in Maryland.

Twine. 

I can't get enough of it! 

I'm really loving this packaging and the inspiration behind it too! 

Stay hooked, the best is yet to come! 

Out with Spring. In with Summer....or so it feels!

Growing up in Maryland, we had all four seasons; it would get cool in the Fall, freezing in the winter, nice in the spring, and super hot and humid in the summer. I looked forward to each season; especially when it was super hot in the summer, I just wanted winter and in the winter I just wanted summer to roll around.
Now living in Southern California, we didn't have much of a winter at all! It went straight to summer to summer basically. Truth, we did have a couple "cooler" days but they just didn't compare to he Maryland winters. In January, no lie, for a solid week it was in the 90s and 80s. As all my friends and family back home were super jealous of the sun I was getting, I was super jealous of the snow they were getting.
As we roll into April, can you believe we're half way through it already?!, and rock into May, I can't wait to see what the real Summer holds in store for me. I have yet to live in a Southern California summer so it shall be interesting! (I do predict lots and lots of trips to the beach!)

Huntington Beach, CA

With Spring rolling out and Summer rolling in, I can't wait to share something that I've been working on with everyone the past couple of months. They are still in the beginning stages, you know testing out what materials I want to use and not use, but they are looking pretty "nautical" if I do say so myself! 

Here's a little sneak peak!! 

I hope everyone is enjoying Springtime and starting to plan their Summer 2014! 

Easter sale!!

Easter is about a week away so why not run a little last minute sale to get your bow ties and hair bows just in time for the joyous day!!

Get your orders in by the 14 to guarantee delivery by Easter! 

The Bright Side

While East Coast Spring weather has taken over in Southern California, my heart is happier than ever! Weather in the 60s and 70s is how I like to live my life all year around; as hot as it was in January through February, I'm definitely happy that it's cooled off a little...making it feel like home.

good weather = good mood

good mood = happier Laura

happier Laura = creative juices flowing

"Always look on the bright side of life!" will be my new little motto this Spring/Summer.  I felt like after I graduated from art school last May, my creative juices kind of took a turn for the worst. They stopped flowing. It was tragic. Since the change in weather, my creative have made a come back. 

I can't wait to show and share with everyone what's to come with Chesapeake Tides in the next few weeks. A new product that I've been working on for a few months now is about to come alive.