Handmade Pasta

Have I mentioned yet that I have the best husband on the planet? Not only is he a fabulous food photographer, he's also an amazing cook. Tonight I sent asked him to bring home some ingredients for dinner. Whatever he wanted. His solution? Handmade pasta and sauce from scratch.






And for dessert? I had the urge to make cookies. I only had so many ingredients on hand, so peanut butter it was! The jam is blueberry from Trader Joe's. Yum!

Paint Pens

I wish I could doodle like this. Pick up a paint pen, and voila! A work of art. I fear I would be entirely less successful. That's why I love the entire mer mag blog. Everything is lovely!

Stitching Sampler

I want this! Lord knows I need the practice...

via Pam Garrison

Blue Moss

I'm loving this little necklace by Blue Moss. So summery! I think it would match just about everything! Visit her blog to see all her latest creations!

Carrie the artist

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Carrie a couple of weeks ago. She's working on a little project I'm involved with.

Can I tell you a secret? She's amazing. She's also the reason I started blogging again, and have felt the need to be crafty recently. She's that cool and creative! She's an artist by trade (check out her website for the great wall paintings she does), and a crafter. She also has a great blog where she documents her craft adventures. Check it out!

DIY Patio Table

Sorry if I seem a bit heavy on the DIY right now, but I think summer is the perfect time for a few good projects! The hubs and I are in desperate need of some patio furniture. Right now, the two chairs we have outside have been long occupied by the dog (read ruined by the dog). I think it would help to have a table and dining chairs we could push into the table. That way, he wouldn't be tempted :) The only thing standing in the way is our budget.

Voila, I have found a solution! It's rustic, kitschy and elegant all at the same time. A table made from palettes! The folks over at ReadyMade have done it again. Hubs, are you ready for (another) project?? Follow this simple (for anyone buy me) tutorial, and you'll be dining al fresco in no time.

(via Poppytalk Handmade)

Smile and Wave

I just spent a lovely half hour on Smile and Wave's Flickr photostream. Her home is gorgeously decorated, with so many great details! I've compiled some of my favorites :) Also, she has an amazing blog (it's where I got the pom tutorial). One of my new favorite discoveries!

Found - front yard

I found a pretty feather while I was doing some work in my front yard today. Then, after a trip to the in-law's for a swim, I noticed this little seed pod on the roof of my car. I decided I had to do something nice with them, so I made a little embroidered collection. In the process, I broke off one of the pod's branches (so sad!). I also wish I had used white linen rather than blue. But I still think it's a bit lovely!

Pom Poms!

I have made many a pom pom from the Martha Stewart kits. They're pretty, and I love me some Martha. But why buy a kit that costs three times as much as the sum of the raw materials in it? Thanks to the lovely blog Smile and Wave, I can buy inexpensive tissue paper and make them all on my own! And it seems a lot less complicated than the kits. Thanks!

Ideas, ideas, ideas!

I've long loved the Creature Comforts blog. So cute and smart. I was exploring it today and came across the Projects & Freebies section. Oh glorious repository of ideas!

First, I want to print out the stationary. Then the recipe note cards (and stickers!). Then the mini notebooks! And there are free fonts. Free Fonts! And tutorials for ruffly headbands and fabric flowers!

Whew. I'm pooped just thinking about all the fun things I now want to make. Craft on!

Lou Lou Belle

Lou Lou Belle Handmade makes some of my very favorite bags. (You can see another post about her here.) They are perfect gifts for bridesmaids, and they'll want to use them again and again! She will even create custom collections to match your colors. Check out this black, gold and cream themed wedding. Sooo gorgeous!

Great summer bag

I really need to start sewing again. Of course, now that I have the urge, I lack the time needed for a project. Sigh.

Jaime over at Prudent Baby has posted a pattern for a fabulous summer bag, and she says it only takes an hour to make! Of course, that's after you make your own bias tape... and I'm sure she didn't include cushion time for the pattern-challenged! But the step-by-step pictures really do make it look simple. Perhaps I'll try it, as soon as I have a free hour. Well, after I clean the house, get my financials in order, catch up on some business paper work...

A Header Dilemma

Help! I can't decide on a header! Let me know which of these you like best. Also please tell me if you hate all of them! Maybe I should hold a contest for a new logo design...

Fabulous Fonts - Mary Read

Can I tell you something? I harbor secret dreams of one day becoming a graphic designer. So I am a little font obsessed. And I LOVE this font! Now, to find a way to justify spending $150 to buy it... Don't you think it would look fabulous in this blog's logo?!

Office Details

I work from home, so I spend a lot of time in my office. I stole the comfy chair from the hub's office (sorry sweetie!), but I'm a girl, and I need more than a comfy chair. So my office is filled with lots of fun decor. Actually, it may be too full. I keep finding things I like, but I don't have wall space or room to add anything else!

Here's a sneak peek into the room where I spend far too much of my time.


These maps are amazing. They are just four in a series of 15 maps of the Mississppi River. You can download the hi-res zip files for free here.


New plant! And a lamp from Ikea.


This last one is in the hallway outside my office. I saw this frame at Ikea months ago and fell in love. I made it mine this week! The fabric is Belle by Amy Butler.

Thanks for stopping by!

Famille Summerbelle

I love maps. I could spend hours on a long road trip studying an atlas, the colors, the city names, the mountains and valleys and plateaus. I would love to someday have a huge world map on a wall that my (future) kids could stare at and learn from.

They might not learn city names from this map by Famille Summerbelle, but they sure would let their imaginations fly! And guess what. It's a paper-cut. A paper-cut! Amazing! (via Design*Sponge)


Check out their website for more amazing products. They make kid's rooms beautiful!

Etsy Shop - JoyFolie

Loving all the little girl pretties over at JoyFolie's shop. I love tiny shoes, and these are the sweetest! Of course, it also helps that the product photography is gorgeous!

Maro Designs

I made a great etsy find today. I'm not the biggest fan of props in a photo booth. Feather boas kinda make me cringe. But when I saw these, I just knew I had to have them. So I bought a few. Ok, more than a few. I'll let you know when they arrive, because I'm thinking I'll make Michael try them all on :)






Oh, and I got a couple of these, too. They shipped today, and should be here in time for my clients this weekend to use them if they so desire!!