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!!

Fresh

do you like the new look of this little blog? thank you so very much, blogger, for creating new templates for the css challenged among us. i love it. so light and airy and open. ahhh. a breath of fresh air, a new start. here's to a renewed love for blogging.

Divine Twine

i think i HAVE to have this. have i told you about our new little project? of course not, as i haven't blogged since january, and that is when said project started it's grown-up life. we have a new business, and this twine matches my color scheme perfectly! it will be perfect to cute up mailings and such. and it will look lovely on my desk. why is it that simple pretty little things can bring us such joy?!

p.s. i want all the colors.
p.p.s. thanks to the absolutely amazingly talented carrie for the twine heads-up, more on her fabulous-ness later :)

etsy favorites: rae dunn

i am so excited. i'm starting pottery classes again this month, after about two years without any pottery making. i'm not really taking classes so much as having open studio time with my dear friend megan, a pottery guru (and fabulous fellow photographer!). i plan to learn a lot from her!

in honor of my upcoming classes, take a look at the gorgeous work of rae dunn. she makes some really amazing stuff, and sells some of it in her etsy shop. these are perfect for that upcoming holiday! also check out her inspiring blog.

etsy favorites: hello handmade paperie

for valentine's day last year i got my lovie this gorgeous card from hello handmade paperie. i told them what i wanted to note to say, and they wrote it in the most gorgeous calligraphy, addressed the letter, and popped it in the mail for me a few days before valentine's day. it came in a gorgeous navy envelope with more calligraphy in white lettering.


don't hate me, but it's not currently for sale in their etsy shop. perhaps they'll bring it back in time for the holiday? to tide you over until then, check out their amazing 2010 calendar tea towel. it would look so lovely on the wall of your craft studio!

byrd & belle

to all my snowed-in friends:

i've found a great cold weather project to occupy your snowy days. byrd & belle has a great make your own cup cozy kit. they send you all the necessary materials and step-by-step instructions. take the finished product with you to your local coffee shop, and show off how environmentally friendly you are!