Key West & Embroidery Frame Idea

So, Ethan really wants to go to Key West when we go to Miami this summer. I've never really heard much about it, but I would love your input if you have been there! I can think of a million and one things to do in Miami so I'm having a hard time stealing some of that time away for a couple days in another place. ;-) So please tell me it would be worth it! :-) I realize that it's more of a let's-relax-beach-type-place, which I'm fine with. I just want to make sure it's, ya know, special. (and of course easy on the eyes!) I'm such a go-go-go type person when on vacation, that is why i love big cities, taking in the architecture and shopping.

Again, win me over on Key West!

 (source for vintage postcards)

Also, would love to hear about Ft. Lauderdale because the book I purchased also says this city has FABULOUS mid-century architecture. That is only an hour or so drive from Miami I think.

Ok, back to spray painting that DIY out in the frigid cold. (seriously, what's wrong with the weather this year?)

I'll leave you with a SUPER-CUTE project that new Kitschy Digitals Creative Team Member Amy , from Early Bird Special, came up with using my Woodgrain Frames Digital kit. I *love* this idea because as we all know, getting a project professionally framed can be costly.

She transformed this (which is already pretty stunning by itself! she's giving me the itch to cross-stitch! isn't her work flawless? i also love it on the patterned fabric.. really beautiful)...

... into this...

 

She just resized the frame in Photoshop (measure the inside diameter of your finished piece making sure to allow room to cover up the embroidery frame), for her's she changed the color of the frame (you could leave it as is). You can change the color by going to the "Image" drop down menu at the top of Photoshop, then "Adjustments", then "Hue/Saturation". Move the slider for "Hue" to change the color.

Then Amy printed out the frame onto cardstock (which you can buy at any craft store), then she carefully cut out the frame and then glued it to the embroidery frame. So easy and such an inexpensive way to frame your embroidery!

Oh! and i finally updated my blog banner. Lol. "Better late than never" is what I said last month, too. I've worked up a few banners in advance so hopefully they won't be out of date in the future. (What was I thinking creating month-specific blog banners?!) This design will be staying through April by the way (minus the "March".. lol) I will be making this into a digital kit when I'm tired of it being on my blog! ;-)

(click to see larger)

 

P.S. I've reduced prices on all of the items in my Closet Cleanout over at Plastic Paradise! My post is under "sundries" under the post authored by "kitschydigitals". :-) You have to be a registered member to see the forums/posts.

Comments

[Amber Zimmerman]

What a neat idea! So creative.

[Sunshinekeywest.wordpress.com]

I think you would be TOTALLY pleased with the laid-back vibe AND all of the things to do and see. There are lots of water sports for the adventurous members of the family. There are also tons of galleries and museums. Key west has an interesting and wildly varied history. I think you would enjoy the time away from Miami.

[cait]

Hi Danielle :)
I bought your new vintage camera kit and I loooove it! I'm planning on using the polaroid frame in my new blog banner. I'll leave a link when it's done! Thanks for offering such awesomely cute kits! Keep it up :)
cait
xoxo

[Mama Urchin]

I think it would be a really fun place to be without children. We went for a wedding a few years ago (with our kids) and were amazed how child non-friendly the town is. As in, hotels, restaurants, attractions having a no children policy. We wouldn't normally have brought the kids but the bride/groom wanted them to be part of the wedding.

[Piper]

I've been to Key West a few times...my lucky dog of an Aunt actually lives in one of the Keys (are ya kidding me?!) But key west can be really fun...the sunset of course is amazing to watch but there's also beautiful houses to look at(hemingway's house is there - you have to check out all the cats that roam around there!), old graveyards, cool galleries, fun restaurants...and of course a bit of cheesy touristy shops! Also lots of water sports!
Oh and the trip to get there is amazing...7 mile bridge is just stunning! We're actually hoping to make a trip to the Keys to visit my aunt in June :)!

[Barbara]

We live in Ft. Lauderdale, and went down to Key West last Labor Day weekend. You can check out my post and slide show here http://smith411.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/key-west.html . I would suggest going on the conch train and checking out Mallory square to see some amazing sunsets. You can take a boat out and do snorkeling, visit the Hemmingway house, hit the southernmost point, and you've gotta hit Keno for some sandals. If you are heading back to Miami on a Sunday, be prepared for traffic. As far as Ft. Lauderdale, I like it much better than Miami. Not so crazy and less traffic. I live way west (almost to the Everglades). Most of the older architecture will be east. I really enjoy Hollywood beach with the boardwalk and more relaxed vibe. You will see some older homes and hotels in this area. Las Olas is a nice area with little shops and outside dining. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or need suggestions, but I can't tell you much about any nightlife since we haven't hit the bars and clubs in years.

[Michelle Clement]

Oooh...what a cool use for that digi frame!! And gorgeous embroidery. :) I might just have to steal that idea for a piece for my living room - a much prettier pop of color, that way!

[jessie b]

i love the keys. ive spent a few vaca's on marathon. its pretty laid back, but that's what i love about it. key west has margarita ville, an eclectic bunch of folks, beaches, bars, architecture, it is the southern most point which is cool for a second,... there is a sunset festival of sorts with vendors, contortionists, flame eaters, etc who live off tips. it's definitely a unique experience

[courtney]

as a Floridian, I highly recommend Key West, it is laid back and a really authentic slice of old Florida, the rooster and chickens are everywhere! The little White house is awesome too...I love the sunset gatherings at Mallory Square as well for some local flavor! Keno sandals are the best too, and they're cheap!

[Kristina]

I, too, live in Fort Lauderdale. I've lived in South Florida all my life! I definitely think Miami is more beautiful and fun than Fort Lauderdale. There is much more history in Miami. South Beach (around Lincoln Road) is really trendy and has great shopping and restaurants. If you are looking for a relaxing day on the beach, though, I would go to Fort Lauderdale Beach as it is generally less crowded than the beaches around Miami.

I think Ethan would be pretty upset at my opinion on Key West... I think Key West is REALLY touristy and tacky. Yes, it has a beachy vibe, but there are no beaches. It is surrounded by rocks. I'm a city girl, and Key West just doesn't impress me. Don't get me wrong, Key West does have some interesting things like the Hemingway House (I love all of the 6-toed cats!) and the trolley tour. The bars are definitely fun there, too ;). But if you don't have much time, I say skip it and spend as much time as you can in Miami, there is so much to do and so many places to see. Miami also has GREAT restaurants. For great Cuban food, I would recommend Gloria Estefan's restaurant Lario's. Excellent!

[lili est folle]

love the embroidery projet!! Just brillant!! :)

[elliemoon]

you would probably love key west. i used to go and there as a kid and toast the sunset on mallory dock (sp?). it is a definite tourist spot but shouldn't go without experiencing. hemmingways house is pretty cool too! and good shopping. if you do go, be sure to toast the sunset.

[cynthia]

Oh growing up in northern florida. we never got down that far. Friends of mine that have gone either loved or wasn't too impressed. I heard very touristy on both sides. But, hey that can be fun sometimes:) There is one thing near Miami that I always thought would be cool to check out The venetian pool in coral gables. Just a bit south of Miami I think:) It is on the historical register. It is supposed to amazing:)

[chinamommy]

we went on a cruise last year and stopped in key west for a few hours. i didn't release a sea turtle, or buy a giant shell like your vintage images suggest... but i liked it! We signed up for a Pub crawl, but missed it because we went bk to the boat for lunch. i was mad at the time, but thinking back it was probably a blessing for this light-weight!! Lots of cute shops, Hemmingway's house, the giant sponge man... yeah, it's touristy!
~misschell

[Karli Plant]

so glad that Amy is on the team now!
eekkk!
what a lovely project idea ;)
love.

oh, and. . . i know NOTHING about Florida. . . besides D-World that is! ha!
so, unless you are going to be seeing the "mouse". . . i can't help. . . but it all looks lovely to me! ;)

[aimee]

I want to go back to Key West as an adult bc as a child I hated it :( It was just bridge after bridge & I was so bored. Now of course, I'd have a totally different appreciation for the scenery.

[Jennifer]

I went to Key West many years ago and remember liking it. We did a motor boat tour to see alligators.
Now, Ft. Lauderdale I've been recently and although it's nice, it's nothing too special. Miami is much more beautiful.

[abbie]

i love the vintage key west vibe....love the style. i stayed at the eden house and loved it..

[Penny]

Key West has it's good points and bad points....Duval street has gotten really touristy with tons of cheesy t-shirt shops. Plus....as far as the beach, the ONLY place you'd want to go is at the State Park....the water (although pretty to look at!) is gross everywhere else. Plus it takes almost 4 hours to get there from Miami.

On the good side...there is so much history. Like a lot of people said, the Hemmingway house is a must see, and there are lots of amazing houses and museums. My husband I and like it there, and on our last trip down we were lucky enough to catch a live production of Rocky Horror at the Red Barn theatre. That was the best! I also recommend a sunset snorkeling trip. Yeah you can snorkel at Pennekamp in Key Largo, but having been on both, the Key West one was better!

Oh, and another vote for Keno sandals.

[VioletteCrumble]

Psst! The "Hey Cupcake" cupcakes are not so great. If you want really tasty ones, head a couple of blocks over to South First to Sugar Mama's Bakeshop. Also, there is a silver Airstream food trailer called Gordoughs that makes made-to-order giant hot donuts. Yes, each one is made when you order it. So it's hot. One of the best things ever to eat. It's right next to a trailer called Odd Duck that makes different dinners each night, based on whatever fresh, local, farm ingredients the owner picked up. Also really tasty.

[Laura]

I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale- there are a lot of cool vintage shops and *some* mid-century architecture around if you know where to look. Much of it has been redone, though.

If you have time, I think the best thing in Miami is Vizcaya- www.vizcayamuseum.org - it's so awesome and right on the water :)

[Sue]

I've lived in Miami almost all my life and I agree with Laura, Vizcaya is a must. Another beautiful place to visit is the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens. If you're a lover of horticulture, gardening, and art then this is for you: http://www.fairchildgarden.org/. Besides going to South Beach, you may want to visit Coral Gable's Venetian pool: http://www.coralgablesvenetianpool.com/VenetianPoolHome.html
You can also go to Coconut Grove which has lots of restaurants, cafes, and shops - http://coconutgrovechamber.com/index.php?src=
If you're daring and want to try some Cuban cuisine visit 8th street and go either to Versailles restaurant or La Carreta.
Luv that you're coming down here, I know you'll have a blast!

[Kitten Kaboom]

My dad owns a condo in key west that we go and stay in on occasion. I used go when I was a teenager. Back then, about 10 years ago it was awesome. It had character. A lot of local flare. A lot has changed since then. My favorite store (The Environmental Circus) closed. It was this cute rock n roll hippie store that smelled like nag champa and sold everything you could imagine. It was replaced with a nine west shoe store. When I saw that I cried. BUT even though Key West has become more yuppie through the years, there are still some awesome things that you should go and to there.
1. Blue Heaven resturant for brunch with the roosters- 729 Thomas Street. Key West is known for their roosters and 6 fingered cats. The roosters at Blue Heaven walk around out on the patio as you eat. it's fun.
2. The Haunted Tour- (located inside the La Concha Hotel 430 Duval Street) They say that Key West is one of teh most haunted places in America. They have a fun little tour that recounts the local folklore. I had a blast doing this two years ago.
3. Hemingway House- (907 Whitehead st)This is a really fun tour I've done it a bunch of times.
4. Mallory Square- (Whithead St)A great place to see a sunset and local street performers perform on the pier before hand. acrobats, contortionists, magicians, fire eaters, sword swallowers you name it.
5. Fort Zachary- (Southard St.) There is a tour of a Civil War Fort and it is inside a lovely, yet slightly rocky, beach. The big beach is Smathers... Fort Zach is like the Indie beach :) I prefer going there.
6. Truman's "Little White House"- 111 Front Street President Truman used to vacation in Key Westt and there is a tour of the "little white house"

[michelle]

I went to Ft Lauderdale two years ago... don't remember any striking buildings. Best stop was the Bonnet House Museum, a little lovely forest in the midst of the city, a bequeathed artist's retreat. Lots of history, and some lovely paintings. Still needs a lot of work but someday will be an even greater gem.