With a Flourish

Best I've Read (this week)

2010-12-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

Each week I come across so much online each week that I can't wait to to share... so I'm not! (waiting, that is...)

Picture via A Merry Mishap, via Apartment Therapy

Here are some online goodies that made me happy as I stumbled across them this week... hope they make you happy too!
* Crafty Gift Guide. 'Cause we all know you can never have enough projects going on at once
* Beautiful Gift Wrapping closet... who has room for this?! Ah, we can dream...
* Loving these holiday ideas: 2D Tree of Lights (amazing how something simple can be so pretty!) and the trend in Potted Christmas Trees (found via Little Green Notebook)
* DIY Foot Balm - great gift idea, even if just for yourself

Hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Words of Wisdom: Passing Time

2010-12-08T11:03:00.000-06:00

I've mentioned a few times before that I have a thing for quotations... just came across this one and love it... hope you do too!

Yummy Matzo

2010-12-07T12:52:00.000-06:00

Roommates over the years found it strange, but I've always liked Matzo, as far as crackers go. As a kid we'd have it in our tomato soup (instead of more 'traditional' saltines or oyster crackers) - it has the perfect light taste + crunchy texture. And that's as far as my Matzo enjoyment has ever gone... until now.

Over at The Kitchn I came across this recipe for toffee & chocolate-covered matzo. The post explains "We call it matzo crack. It's just that addictive." Um, sign me up.

Picture from The Kitchn

Its perfect timing, too... this weekend we're headed to the 'burbs to celebrate Hanukkah with aunts, uncles, and cousins. My dad's side of the family is Jewish & though its not the most traditional celebration (Christmas trees are involved), it always includes lots of yummy latkes with applesauce. (Everyone leaves their coats in the car, or else you'll smell like latkes for weeks! :) The gift exchanges are really just for the kids, but I always like to bring a little something for the adults... and this will be the perfect little treat!

Paper Gift Topper (with a side of amazing)

2010-12-06T09:41:00.000-06:00

I'm working to wrap the gifts for my young cousins & second cousins and was looking for ideas as to how to label/ decorate the boxes... and came across this project from The Crafts Department over at Martha Stewart. Seriously - how amazing is this?!

I don't know that I have the patience to do this on my own, but I love the end result. This would also be a cute way to create the labels for a buffet or appetizers for a Shower. So inspiring!

PS - In case you missed it, my jinglebell-and-holly present toppers from a few years ago!

Cranberry Holiday Decor

2010-11-22T08:00:00.004-06:00

I came across these gorgeous topiaries via Apartment Therapy - wouldn't they make great decorations for this time of year?!

I'd be curious as to how long these would last - I know you can make garlands out of cranberries, to hopefully that means that the effort to make the topiaries (it does seem a bit tedious...) would make for a long-lasting display?

I'm not normally a big fan of eating cranberries (the slimy canned cranberry sauce totally creeps me out, though I know lots of people love it!), but this recipe for Cranberry and Pumpkin muffins may just help me change my mind! Doesn't that sound yummy?

Amazing Lamp Tramsformation

2010-11-09T10:08:00.000-06:00

I came across this amazing project over on Dwellings by DeVore - she took these old lamps and some shades (both thrift finds)...

And created these!

Amazing, right?! Reminds me a little bit of these ones I was fawning over last year...

Supper Club: Game Night

2010-11-02T08:27:00.009-05:00

I can't believe I am going to admit this, but my parents were right. See, when I was a teenager and my friends and I would complain that there is nothing to do, they'd suggest we play a game. And we'd roll our eyes and laugh and them, because that was just soooo dorky. Now, as an adult (when did that happen?!), I see the error of my ways and love a good Game Night!

The food part of a Game Night can be pretty simple, or you can focus on appetizers/ small plates that can be shared during the game playing.

The favorite games among my friends?! Catch Phrase is always fun and is great for a group. I like that it is a good ice breaker if everyone doesn't know one another well. My personal favorite is Cranium Pop 5 - this game is so much fun, you must try it! In the original Cranium, you had to perform the task (hum, draw, sculpt, act) your team landed on while traveling around the board, but in this version you get to choose what to do - the creative freedom is hilarious!

PS - sorry I've been a bit MIA around here... but thanks for sticking around! I have big plans in store!!

Fall is Here

2010-10-20T10:02:00.000-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of the winter or cold weather. Which is unfortunate, given that I live in Chicago. Just this week the weather really turned and we seem to be officially in Fall. The weather isn't so bad yet, but I'm mourning the long winter ahead... but these pretty flowers spotted at Pike's Place Market this summer are helping to cheer me up for now!

The market was filled with gorgeous goodies of all kinds, but the flower vendors had me mesmerized by their buckets and buckets of gorgeous blooms. Peonies just always seem so happy and luxurious to me... all those fabulous fluffy petals!

Supper Club: Look to Restaurants for Inspiration

2010-10-18T16:51:00.001-05:00

I'm becoming a better cook with practice, but often I get stumped just trying to think of what to make. (Worrying about my ability to actually make it comes next! ;) A trick that works for me is to look to our favorite restaurants and steal ideas from their menu... and that's how we came up with one of my favorite appetizers to serve guests: bruchetta with a twist.
forgive the bad phone photo...
These are super easy to make and are really yummy. Our favorite combinations are:
Brie and Apples - slice both thinly, then put the brie down, the apples on top. Top with a little bit of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
Ricotta, Pistachios, and Honey: just like it sounds - so simple! OK, the pistachios always need to be de-shelled, so there is some work needed...

I just slice french bread, brush with olive oil, and bake at 350 for ~10 minutes so its nice and crisp (adjust time/ temp if you like your bread softer). Then add the toppings and you're done!

Supper Club: Do Brunch Instead

2010-10-12T08:39:00.001-05:00

At certain times of the year, it can be next to impossible to find a weekend night where a whole group of friends will all be in town and have no plans... this summer was like that with our Supper Club groups and I know that we'll have a similar situation as we get into the holiday season and all the guests, parties, and trips they always entail.

Photo by groovehouse (Flickr)

So what's a Supper Club to do? Meet for Brunch! We recently did this with some friends and it was great - we got to hang out and catch up, and everyone got to have a yummy breakfast to start their day - win-win!

The Menu:

Waffles: I used this Martha Stewart recipie - I used (for the second time) the waffle maker we got as a wedding gift... 5 years ago!

Waffle Toppings: Strawberries (add some sugar to the fresh berries and let sit for a few hours - this will create a natural syrup - yum!), Caramel Bananas (this was sooo good), Whipped Cream, Butter and Syrup

Scrambled Eggs

Sausage, Bacon, Turkey Bacon... how much meat and the variety will depend on your group

Toast, Bagels, etc... one of our friends contributed with some fresh bagels and cream cheese

To drink: Coffee, OJ, Mimosas

this Martha Stewart

And thats it! It was pretty easy to pull together, but was such a fun, delicious way to start the day.

Photo "Tile' Wall Art

2010-10-08T10:11:00.000-05:00

Late last week I teased with a picture, promising a reveal as to what I had done with it. I considered just blowing it up, but since that could be expensive and also just too simple, I decided to split it into individual 4x6" photos and hang a 'tile' art piece on the wall in our dining area:Curious to see the work-in-progress? I had the original photo (which I took) and then split it into 36 parts in photoshop, giving me this:I then had the 36 pictures developed at my local drug store and bought a bunch of Ikea Clips frames (at $0.99 for 4, such a steal!) - I wanted the frames to be almost invisible and visually disappear, so I knew these would perfectly do the trick. Then I sat down in front of some trashy reality tv (not required, but helps the time go by!) and put my pictures into the frames. I carefully labeled each one of the 36 pictures with the row (1-6) and column number (1-6) where it belonged - each assembled frame ended up with a post-it note labeled something like "2,3" (2nd row, 3rd column). Before I could hang the (many) frames, I had to determine where each one would go. I gathered my supplies: painters tape (I used the width to measure the gaps between frames), my laser level (invaluable for this project), a measuring tape, and a hammer and nails. I determined where the middle-top of the whole thing would go and then measured from there.I used the paper that came in the frames as a measuring guide and did a row at a time. As I comleted marking off each row, I hung the frames for each row to determine where the nail would go - the clips weren't always perfectly centered, so I could ensure that the nail was in the right spot to make it hang straight. I then took down the frames until everything was marked and all nails in the wall. Then... almost done!Take down all the tape and hang the frames, and it's complete!

Supper Club follow-up: Sushi Decor

2010-10-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we talked about making sushi, but we're not done yet... your guests need to be able to sit at the table and enjoy their creations! When serving sushi you have to make sure each person has their own dipping bowl for soy sauce- I love these ones from Crate and Barrel:

Clockwise from top: Rectangular Dish, Square Dipping Bowls, and Deep Sauce Dish

I have the small white ones, which we bought for this purpose... but I actually end up using them more than I expected whenever I need a small dish (they're great for holding olive oil you need to brush onto dough, etc). In general, I tend to buy all white so I can change my accessories and color theme easily, but love those colored ones too! I also got a couple of the longer dishes for putting out wasabi and ginger for the table to share.

Picture via Amy Atlas

Of course, no party would be complete without some craftiness! No need for fancy chopsticks, but replace the paper wrapper with something pretty... how gorgeous are these ones from Amy Atlas?! (Created by Twig and Thistle). Follow the link for instructions, or use this alternate version from Zakka Life.

For decor, I love the idea of making some paper cranes (you can find instructions here), a Japanese symbol of long life, prosperity and good health. It would be adorable to leave one at each place setting, or make a bunch, string them up, and hang from the ceiling over the table... Here are some great instructions for stringing cranes from a bride who made 1000 for her wedding(!).

Top: Cheap Wedding Planning,
Bottom: Woodward + Rick Photographers via Wedding Paper Divas and Green Wedding Shoes

Hope you're inspired to have your own sushi party... if you do, I'd love to see pictures!

Supper Club: Roll Your Own Sushi

2010-10-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

Photo from Frenkieb (Flickr)

You have our friends Chris & Maura to thank for this idea... they had a Sushi Making Party for one of our Supper Club get-togethers and it was so much fun! Rolling sushi is one of those things I had heard people do at home, but I had never tried it before... but is was so much easier than I expected and was a fun hands-on party. Everyone made rolls and then we put them on a big platter in the middle of the table and were able to enjoy one another's creations - yum!

Supplies/ Ingredients:
* Sushi Rolling Mat: we only had 2 for 6 people and were fine to share... I've seen instructions online for rolling without mats (use fabric & put saran wrap over it to prevent sticking), but the mats made it feel so much more authentic and were fun to use
* Nori: seaweed sheets
* Sushi Rice: its important that you use rice labeled to be for sushi, so that it is sticky enough for the job. Traditionally, the rice is made with vinegar (here's a recipe from Better Homes & Gardens)
* Fillings for your sushi... our friends went to a local fish market and were given advice on what seafood to use. Don't forget the veggies too! I don't eat seafood, but love avocado, cucumber, asparagus and carrots in my sushi rolls.
* A bowl of water near where you'll be making the rolls
* Soy sauce and wasabi (Japanese horseradish) for dipping
* Optional: toasted sesame seeds and fish eggs (for the outside of your inside-out rolls), tempura crispies (look at a local Asian market)

Instructions:
1. Make sure your sushi mat is clean (you'll want to rinse it off between making rolls) & then place a piece of nori on it, shiny-side down
2. Put 1/2-2/3 cup of rice on the nori and spread it around very thin. You can use your hands or a flat wooden spoon, but use the bowl of water to keep your hands wet to prevent the rice from sticking. Be sure to leave about 1/2 an inch at the top empty and free of rice

Picture from futureshape (Flickr)

3. Place your desired fillings across the mat, about 1/3 up from the bottom edge. You can even have your fillings stick out the ends for a fancy effect once cut. :)

4.Using the rolling mat, begin to tightly roll the sushi. Start at the side nearest to you, and roll away from you. Make sure you don’t roll the rolling mat into your sushi... as you get the mat to the point where it would be rolled into the rice, roll it backwards upon itself. See this video for an example, its much easier to see it done than explain it in words! The most important thing is that you roll the sushi tightly - keep a lot of pressure on your mat and sushi as you roll to ensure a tight roll that will be easier to cut and eat.

5. Before you get to the end (where you left the nori uncovered by rice), use your fingers to put some water on that exposed edge - this will help the edge of the nori to stick to itself when rolled. When the sushi is completely rolled, use the rolling mat to give the sushi a final squeeze so it does not unroll when you are trying to cut it.
6.Cut your roll into pieces, depending on how thick you like your sushi. If you're having trouble with the rice sticking to the knife, it can also help to wet your knife between cuts.
7. Enjoy your creation!

If you want an inside-out roll (where the rice is on the outside), just flip the nori over between steps 2 & 3. You can then put some sesame seeds on the rice after rolling.

Still want more instructions and examples? I liked these tutorials:

* SushiDay

* Better Homes & Gardens

* Make my Sushi

A Spark of Creativity

2010-10-01T08:51:00.002-05:00

Remember when I said that I loved the idea of an oversized focal point? Well, below is a sneak peek of a project I've been working on & will share with you next week:

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Handmade Holidays: time to start?

2010-09-30T09:08:00.003-05:00

Last night, while at screenprinting class, our teacher showed an example of some fabric she's been decorating to use in a quilt she has been working on... that will be a Christmas gift. The holidays? Already?

Her comment kinda shocked me (I'm still pretending that summer isn't over!), but she has the right idea... might as well get started now so its not a mad dash at the last second and you dont have to assemble gifts in the backseat of the car on the way to your aunt's family gathering. Not that I was doing that last year as J drove us to the suburbs... anyhoo...

So now I'm inspired to get started on my projects. Though the first step is to choose what I want to make! I came across these felted stuffed animals from Martha Stewart I bookmarked a while ago and think this little pig is too cute to pass up any longer (love that tail!).

Picture from Abbey Goes Design Scouting. Adorable.

Anyone else planning to make gifts for the holidays? Would love to hear what you're planning... I need ideas!

(PS: here are some of the projects from last year!)

Fabric Painting for Non-Painters: Freezer Paper Stencil

2010-09-29T10:36:00.001-05:00

Often feel like items I sew or buy need a little something extra... I do know how to screenprint, but often what I want to do is a one-time project, so I need a simpler approach. My favorite go-to technique is using a Freezer Paper Stencil. Ridiculously simple and inexpensive, I recently used it to decorate a canvas bag I was giving my cousin with her birthday present inside.
Supplies:
* Design you want to stencil onto the item - I chose to do her first initial, so printed out a big, fancy "R". (For this technique, pick something relatively simple in black & white)
* Freezer Paper - you can find it at your local grocery store near the plastic wrap and aluminum foil... but be sure to buy freezer paper, not waxed paper!
* Pen/ Pencil/ Marker
* Scissors or an exacto knife to cut out your design
* Fabric Paint
* Paintbrush (I like the foam brushes)

Instructions:
1. Print out your design... here you can see the "R" I used (Chopin Script, for anyone who is interested!)
2. I place the printout under the freezer paper (shiny side down!) & trace around the edges with a pen/ marker. You want to trace around the outside edges of all printed (black, in my example) areas. The freezer paper has wax on one side (the shiny side), so you want to be sure that this is the 'back' of your stencil.
3. One I have the design on the freezer paper, cut on the lines: you'll end up removing the printed/ black areas, so that all is left is everything except the design you want to paint. The really neat thing about this approach is that you can have 'floating' areas, like inside the top of the "R" - with a traditional stencil, all pieces need to be connected, so this is a great perk of the freezer paper stencil.

4. Once the design is cut out, iron the freezer paper stencil you just created onto the fabric, using the warmest setting available for your fabric. Make sure that you place it exactly where you want to apply the design, and pay special attention to the edges to make sure that there is a good bond between the fabric and stencil.
5. Paint in the design! Paint over all the open areas (where your fabric is exposed) - I like to do two coats (letting them dry completely in-between)
6. Let the paint dry completely and then peel off your freezer paper stencil

Almost done... Read the instructions on your fabric paint for how to make it permanent - normally you need to heat-set (iron) the paint after its been applied to ensure it wont wash off. Then, admire your finished product!

So cute... and so much better than the plain bag!

Beautiful Inspiration

2010-09-28T12:31:00.002-05:00

I have a soft spot for quotations and inspirational words... as a teenager I paint-penned them around my room on my inexpensive shelves (as you imagine, didn't really look quite as cool as I pretended!).

These days I fulfill the need for inspirational words and pretty things together with inspirational posters/ prints - our home office is covered in them and while my husband would argue that we have more than enough, I just don't see how that could ever be possible. To compromise, I sometimes 'window' shop online... as I'm doing over at Eva Juliet's etsy shop (which I just found via To Be Charmed). How lovely are these prints?!

Supper Club: Keep it Simple!

2010-09-27T10:42:00.000-05:00

When we first started having Supper Club get-togethers, I was stressed out about my first hosting. See, I don't really cook. I've gotten better over the years as I've had more occassions and practice (Last year I served Easter dinner for 10, with a ham & lamb! Serious progress!), but having people over makes me feel like I need to prepare a Martha Stewart-worthy spread. Which of course would be amazing, but certainly has not always been within my reach.

Image via Real Simple, picture by Petrina Tinslay

The thing is, your friends are coming over to see you, not judge your cooking! They want to chat and share a meal (with my friends, and some wine!) and hang out. So my advice to you is not to stress out too much over the food... make an old standby that you know turns out well - nobody (except your significant other!) will know that its your 'go to' dish.

My favorite meal is this Baked Ziti recipe from Real Simple, though I normally make it without the meat (I'm veggie) and prefer to use a Campanelle pasta (the ruffled edge & loose spiral are great in a baked dish). I'm a huge baked pasta fan for dinner parties - you can make it ahead of time (and it often tastes better if you do!) and then it can be baking as your guests arrive, making sure that you can hang out and mingle instead of slaving over the stove.

On that note, I think that Real Simple has great, simple (pun intended) recipes for anyone just starting to cook. Plus the reviews and comments are invaluable when choosing something worthwhile to try.

We typically have the host family provide the main course, and then others help bring sides/ appetizers/ dessert/ wine... two of my favorite appetizers are an Herbed Ricotta spread (seriously so easy - literally just ricotta and herbs)- in the summer I have fresh herbs in the backyard, so its basically the simplest, cheapest - yet super yummy! - thing to make. The other favorite (which I've mentioned before) is a cheese fondue. Get some fruit, veggies, and bread for dipping, follow this easy recipe, and you're all set!

So while I dont think you need to stress out about what exactly you're serving, I do think you need to set a nice table like grownups. Use real dishes and silverware, cloth napkins, and put out some flowers. No matter what you're serving, those small steps will really help show your guests that you care about them and want them to have a memorable evening.

New Series: Supper Club!

2010-09-24T12:02:00.003-05:00

I love a good get-together - of course special occassions, showers, and parties are super fun, but really what we do most of are smaller, casual gatherings with a group of friends. We have two sets of friends (4 couples in each) that try to get together once a month... everyone is so busy, that its nice to have a little 'club' to help make sure we get to see one another. Sometimes we meet out at a restaurant, but mostly we just rotate around hosting and have one another over for dinner... especially in these tougher economic times, its nice for everyone to get to spend time with friends but not have the night cost a fortune!

SO... whats the reason I'm telling you all this?!

Picture from vasta on flickr

One of the topics that I love in real life and have been meaning to talk about more here is entertaining. So on Monday I'll be kicking off an 8-week series called...

Every Monday for the next eight weeks (September 27 - November 16) I'll share menu and theme ideas, and hopefully will inspire you to host a Supper Club get-together of your own!

Modern Floating Frames

2010-06-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

I recently came across these Wexel Art acrylic frames on Ohdeedoh and can't get them out of my mind.

They'd be great as a way to hang a collage of items (maybe from your wedding, new baby, travels...) but seem so much more modern to me than doing a shadowbox. Since the frame almost acts like a scrapbook page there no need to worry about having things displayed at different depths... so much simpler!

I also love the idea of splitting a picture with the Rasterbator (mentioned here) and doing a grid of frames with an 8x10 portion of the photo in each one.

Natural Inspiration

2010-06-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the spotty posting lately... I'm on vacation in the beautiful west (Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks) and am trying to spend as much time outdoors as possible, soaking it all up.

Isnt it gorgeous here?! I promise to be back full-time next week!

Magnetic Art Idea

2010-06-16T07:00:00.007-05:00

While staying at the adorable Boise Guest House, I loved the artwork hanging above the couch in our apartment (Boozer is also enjoying it!):

Looking more closely, I realized that each individual square was actually a painted block (I'm pretty sure it was encaustic-style painting) with magnets on the back... what a cute idea to recreate at home! I love how the squares can easily be moved around, so your artwork can constantly be changing.

This could easily be recreated using a similar magnetic board - I am pretty sure that the metal board in the background is from Ikea, like this one. Get boards like these (I like the 4x4 size) or even some borderless frames and attache some strong magnets to the back. To decorate the squares, different patterned papers or wallpaper scraps would be great, or even just paint them different solid colors and this would also be cute with some favorite photos.

Such a simple (and inexpensive!) idea, but such a big impact... my kind of project!

Business Advice

2010-06-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

I've been talking for years (literally years... almost 10!) about wanting to start my own business... and now that I am job-free, it is time to bite the bullet and see what I can do. Its exciting but also scary and overwhelming. Part of what makes it so hard is not knowing how to go about things... so of course I am turning to blogland for some guidance and inspiration. While I dont know anyone in 'real life' that has done what I am trying to do, but it helps to know that there are so many people sharing their stories out there!

Some links I've had bookmarked for a while:

Top to Bottom:
:: Design Sponge's Biz Ladies posts
:: Modish Biz Tips (no longer being updated, but lots of good info there!)
:: Jenny Hart's posts on VenusZine (also older, but her Sublime Stitching is amazing, so have to check it out)
:: Etsy's Blog, The Storque
:: Craft Magazine's Blog

If you have any resources to share, I'd love to hear about them!

Craft Review: Memory Game

2010-06-02T09:31:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I never gave an update on the Memory Game I made a while ago (yes, as a Christmas gift!). I originally got the idea here, and as soon as I saw it knew it would be the perfect gift for my 5-year old cousin (really my cousin's child, but 'cousin' is so much easier to say! :).

Instead of different patterns, I used pictures of his family (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc) and their pets as the matching items and some patterned scrapbooking paper as the backing.

The key difference I made from the original idea was to use clear contact paper instead of mod podge. Actually, I used mod podge originally and it was horrible - everything ended up lumpy and kinda stuck together, plus it looked like a kindergarten project. (Ironically, I was making the gift for a kindergartener...) I am not an expert decoupager (is that even a word?!) by any means, so generally have trouble with the stuff (except for this project), so wasn't really surprised. I ended up tearing the paper squares off the wood and starting over and was so happy I did - the contact paper was smooth and shiny and even added a layer of kid-proofing for dirty hands.

I then made a drawstring bag (using this pattern again - always works well!) to house the game. To finish things off, I printed "The Memory Game" and the instructions used some iron-on printer fabric (like this- my local Joann's always has some by the Quilting section) and attached to each side of the bag.

Above is the recipient enjoying his new game. Turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself!

Focal Point - Oversize Art

2010-05-27T08:00:00.005-05:00

I recently came across pictures of this living room on Apartment Therapy and fell in love with the large photograph over the couch:

Pictures from "Genevieve and Maxwell's Mid Century Perch" House Tour on Apartment Therapy
I think I may steal this idea for a wall in our kitchen/ dining area... currently some artwork that I painted is hung there, but don't really love it and have been trying to decide the right replacement. I can't afford a professional piece of art like shown above (House Tour comments indicate the photo is by Kelly Barrie), but this would be great (and even more meaningful!) to implement with a personal photo.

I think what would keep the same feel is to do something abstract. It could be fun to shake up a champagne bottle and see what shots you get out of it. Last summer a friend's wedding had sparklers as the bride and groom exited and they looked great in pictures - a close-up of the sparks would also make for a really neat shot.
To really make an impact, a key factor here is size - you need the photo to be big! I have used PerfectPosters in the past and was happy with the result (glossy, photo-paper finish), but the print would also be great on a canvas like this. Or, try out The Rasterbator (more info here) for a print-at-home option - it will split your photo into 8.5x11 pieces that you just need to print separately and assemble!

Revisited: Lucite Shelves

2010-05-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

A while ago I posted about a gorgeous room I saw on decor8:

Office designed by Vanessa De Vargas
It seems as though people are stumbling upon that post when searching for 'lucite shelves' so I thought a revisit was in order... especially once I saw a recent post on Little Green Notebook about Plexi-Craft: how cute are these shelf options?!

Top to bottom: Shelf with brackets (the most like the original photo) :: U Shelf (love it!)
:: Corner Shelf :: Simple Bent Shelf

As for the wallpaper in the background, these golden styles caught my eye:

1) Divine : Purple and Gold Wallpaper
2) Desire: Teal Wallpaper
3) Pemberley : Gold Wallpaper
4) Knit: Cavern Home Knit Wallpaper

Though the original golden wallpaper was so pretty, I also love the idea of these shelves on a more colorful background like these:

Left-to-right: Julia Rothman for Hygge and West: Daydream in Blue
Paeonia Wallpaper
Dotswold Wallpaper
If you see any pictures of this implemented (or do it yourself!), please share - I'd love to see it!

DIY idea: Cupcake Toppers

2010-05-25T15:03:00.002-05:00

My sister is getting married this summer, so right now I am busy planning her Bachelorette Party in June... we'll have a hotel suite to hang out in before heading out on the town, so I'm brainstorming ideas for decorations and snacks to serve.

I came across this adorable idea over on SwissMiss - its the perfect mix of dessert and decor! She makes these personalized cupcake toppers for her daughter Ella's birthday each year - aren't these the cutest thing ever?!

Birthdays 1, 2, 3, and 4

The circles are cute, but also love the idea of a 2-layer topper, like these great examples:

On the left via Hostess with the Mostess :: On the right via The TomKat Studio

If you're not inclined to make these on your own, etsy is full of stores willing do the hard work for you!

Succulent Centerpiece

2010-05-21T14:21:00.002-05:00

While in Boise we're staying at the very cute Boise Guest House... and in the shared back courtyard I noticed these adorable potted succulents as a centerpiece on the picnic table. What a cute and low-maintenance way to spruce up an outdoor space!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Party Decor: Tissue Pom Pom

2010-05-20T12:13:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite - and easy and inexpensive! - ways to liven up a space when entertaining is using homemade tissue pom poms.

Pom decorations on my front porch for a baby shower

I use the directions on Martha Stewart... she also sells a kit at Michaels, but you really don't need it... any tissue paper will work! She recommends pointed or rounded edges but I am partail to the rounded - the pointy never seems to look quite as cute for me.

Poms decorating a Bachelorette Party Brunch

I've also found that it works best with thinner tissue - printed, waxy-ish patterned tissue just isnt as easy to work with. If you have more than one color, a great way to tie it all togethes is to make some poms with alternating tissue colors. Just be patient and work slowly when pulling apart the layers... always pull from as close to the center as possible, then work your way out.

Watch out for Gators!

2010-05-19T10:32:00.002-05:00

Today's post comes courtesy of J's cousin, who is getting married on Kiawah Island (in South Carolina) this fall... apparently there are tons of alligators on the island so she is looking for a cute way to incorporate this common island sighting into the favors.

How cute are these edible gators?!

Clockwise from top left:
:: Gator Cookies from Lori's Place on etsy ~ $32 for 15 cookies ($2.20 each). She has these listed as part of a Reptile assortment, but I'm sure would do all gators if requested!
:: Oval Gator Lollipops from Christine's Chocolate Creations on etsy ~ $20 for 20, buyer can choose the color of the gator & background, also available without the stick.
:: Choc-o-Gator from Anastasia's Confections ~ $4.50 for 6 ($0.75 each)
:: Detailed Gator Lollipops from AmySweetTreats ~ $20 for 12 ($1.66 each)

Once you have your adorable edible treats, how to display them? There are two general options: place one with each place setting, or set them all out in a central location. If putting them at each place setting, they'd be cute in a small poly bag with a ribbon that coordinates to the wedding colors (see the Oval Pops picture above)... even better, make it a personalized ribbon with the wedding details. Also be sure to tie on a tag explaining the significance of the alligator to the location. For chocolates without the stick, the bag would still be cute, or put them in these adorable party cracker-inspired tubes or a cute cylindrical container (both clear or tin with a window top would be great).

Left to right: Fancy Candy tubes from Martha Stewart :: Personalized Ribbon from Beau Coup :: Cylinder Containers from Martha Stewart

Putting all the favors in one spot, allowing guests to grab their own, would also be a great way to make a big impact. Put each favor in a clear baggy - close it off either with a ribbon (like above) or just fold it over and seal with a sticker (personalized would be so cute!) then display all of the gators on a bed of 'sand' made of turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw). If using cookies or stick-less chocolates, stand up the baggies on the sugar... if using lollipop-style chocolates, line the bottom of your container with styrofoam before adding the sugar so the sticks have something to stick into.

Favors displayed on a bed of 'sand' via Martha Stewart

Make sure to include a sign instructing guests to take one and explaining the significance of the gator to the location.

To make the event even more pulled-together, include the alligator theme elsewhere... I love the idea of including some alligator gummies (from Candy Warehouse) or an alligator-shaped soap (from Bath Time Bouquets on etsy - you pick the color and scent) in the out-of-town bags.

If alligators aren't your thing, the ideas above could all be adjusted for a different animal or motif!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2010-05-18T10:35:00.001-05:00

For anyone still out there after such a long, long time away on my part, I am so sorry for my absence! There have been quite a few changes in my life over the last couple months and time has gotten away from me.

So, what are those changes?! I finally quit my corporate job (the one I worked at for just over 4 years and have been complaining about for just under 4 years :) and am taking some time to figure out my next move professionally. I've been talking for as long as I can remember about starting my own business, so trying to figure that out a bit more. The other exciting thing is that J and I (and Frank + Boozer) decided to take advantage of my newfound freedom and are taking an extended vacation/ road trip out west. We drove out to Colorado (from Chicago) and spent some time, then traveled through Utah and now are in Boise, Idaho for a while... in a few weeks we'll make our way back to the midwest via Wyoming and South Dakota, with stops at Yellowstone and the Badlands. I know, crazy, right?!

The other thing is... I have been thinking about my little corner of the internet and what I want to do with it and am excited to make With a Flourish the best it can be. So while I've been away way too long, I am now coming back with renewed energy and bursting with ideas to share. I hope you'll stick around too!

Internal Struggle: Left vs Right Brain

2010-03-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

I came across this drawing on Artsyville a while ago and adore it... speaks so clearly to the jumbled-slash-organized mess going on in my head all the time!

Shower Decor: Felt Garlands

2010-03-11T12:12:00.001-06:00

I ended up making both the Felt Garlands and some Table Runners for the baby shower I co-hosted this past weekend and was so happy with how it turned out! You can see a table runner below and the other one in a picture from Monday's post.

The garland hung above the kitchen island, where we had the candy bar set up
The garland was super easy to make... I cut three differently sized circles out of three colors of felt and then just fed them one-by-one through the sewing machine. It was such a satisfying project to sew... very little time needed and you had a super long garland created!

The carnation balls didn't end up happening this time - I couldnt find wet foam spheres anywhere and the ones I ordered online didn't come in time. But now I have a project for my sister's bachelorette party decorations this summer! :)

Well Said: Do What You Love

2010-03-09T08:15:00.000-06:00

A quotation J recently shared with me... speaks to my heart... I hope you like it!

Baby Shower Activity: Iron-on Appliques

2010-03-08T09:50:00.008-06:00

The baby shower I co-hosted this past weekend went fabulously... we enjoyed good food (my contribution was cheese fondue- yum!), good company, and lots of oohing and aahing over the gifts, especially all those tiny clothes!

Plain onesies on a clothesline

The main activity was a big hit- decorating onesies. This seems to be a pretty common baby shower event, but I heard lots of compliments on the approach we took... Using this idea from Jordan Ferney, we had guests trace shapes onto different fabrics and iron on their creations. I was seriously amazed by the creativity levels... I had expected everyone to choose a single fabric/ shape, and one guest put her shape on the backside, which started a major trend!

I had the onesies hung up on a clothesline with clothespins, and instructions hung a few places around the room. The 'worktable' had fabric pieces with iron-on interfacing already on the back and a selection of shapes to trace, and an ironing board nearby. I used interfacing which had 2 sticky/tacky sides, and that worked well. If you try this, we quickly learned that you can't have too many pencils or scissors!
The fonts used to create the shapes all came from dafont.com- look under the 'dingbats' category. The shapes we used (pdf) and the instructions sign (ppt) can be downloaded by clicking on the associated images below.

Idea to steal: Billy Buttons

2010-03-02T13:21:00.001-06:00

I love fresh flowers in the house, but am not always so good about keeping them in fresh water... I think that I may need to steal the idea I've been seeing on blogland - dried Billy Button flowers. So pretty!

Picture from A Merry Mishap

Picture from Making it Lovely

In general I am not a fan of fake or dried flowers, but love how cute these are. In case anyone else is also interested in re-creating this idea, Nicole from Making It Lovely says she got hers here.

Party Planning: Pink and Dotty Baby Shower Decor

2010-02-26T11:18:00.001-06:00

One of my oldest and closest friends (we first met when I moved to Michigan for 7th grade!) is having a baby and a group of us are hosting a shower next weekend. We've been busy planning the soiree, so I thought I'd share our plans... then we can see how this all materializes in real life!

We're using primarily pink and green, to match the little girl's first room, and using poka dots throughout to tie everything together. Items in the works are a festive felt garland, spied on the Purl Bee (and I mentioned here) to be hung over the table and swagged across windows and I'll whip together some table runners (using fabric found at Joann's).

I'm most excited to tackle these amazing Carrnation Balls (instructions and picture by Eddie Ross)... I have been waiting for an occassion to try my hand at these ever since I saw Eddie's tutorial, so to be honest the 'dots' theme stemmed from there...

As a takeaway/ favor and to add yummy treats and color, we'll also have a Candy Bar, inspired by the one shown above by Amy Atlas. (If you have never looked at her portfolio, GO! So amazing and beautiful and creative. Seriously swoon-worthy.) And pretty, sugary treats seem just so perfect for welcoming an adorable little girl into the world!

I'm so excited and think it will be such a pretty, festive event - more to come next week with the other plans... and then of course I'll share how it all turns out!

Walk down Memory Lane...

2010-02-14T12:17:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that I started this little blog so long ago ~ my first posts were in November 2007! ~ and while posting has been sporadic at times, its amazing to look back at the different things I've written about... and see how many of the ideas still get me excited.

In case you're new here, I thought you might enjoy a little walk down memory lane to see some of my 'greatest hits'... enjoy!

"Faux Paper" - stenciled entryway

Birthday Banner :: Pugs in Coats

Fabric Flower Tutorials :: Craft Show Booth Design

Valentine Picture Cards

2010-02-11T14:32:00.000-06:00

I know that the blog world is already crammed full of valentine-themed items this week, but these photo valentine cards are too cute not to share. Seriously - isnt this adorable?! Originally made here, then also made here, I found them via Apartment Therapy.

Picture from House on Hill Road

Cute for Valentines, but would also be adorable as party favors or for wedding favors or out-of-town baskets... think of the possibilities!

Picture from 24-7-365

Craft Review: Bath Bombs

2010-02-09T07:30:00.005-06:00

Over the holidays my kitchen became a Bath Bomb factory. Seriously... after a good month, J was pretty excited when I finally ended the production line and cleaned up the kitchen.... you can't contain the chaos of creativity! Luckily, he learned long ago not to even bother trying, plus he was able to enjoy the fruits of my labor. :)

There are a ton of tutorials/ recipies out there - the ones I primarily looked at were:

Not Martha - she has great tips/ tricks

Instructables

Martha Stewart (the inspiration for my packaging)

I ended up packaging mine in Canning Jars (found at my local hardware store) - 12 bath bombs fit in each jar. I glued a pretty patterned paper to the inside of the lid, then wrapped a ribbon around the lip and attached the label. Pretty and simple - they were a huge hit!

For anyone looking to make these, my lessons learned:

- The mold I used was found in the candy aisle of my local craft store - it was labeled as meant for brownies, but worked great for this purpose. Having a pliable silicone mold where you could push in the bottoms to release the dry squares was hugely helpful
- I was able to buy Epsom Salts and Baking Soda prettty cheap at Costco, but Citric Acid was harder to find. I found it at Whole Foods (in the vitamins section), but it was pretty expensive... I ended up ordering some from Bramble Berry- now I have more than I could ever use, but I guess that just means there are more bath bombs in my future :)
- Liquid is the devil where these are concerned, so spray very, very, very, very cautiously when wetting the mixture. Many times, I only needed 1-2 light sprays from my water bottle to get the powder damp enough to mold. Once the bombs start expanding (see picture below), the batch is doomed. Sad but true.

- I tried spritzing with water, witch hazel, and/ or glycerin, all in an attempt to limit the fizzing reaction, but they all seemed to react the same for me
- If you're going to be making a lot, I recommend mixing up the dry portion in big batches: you can then just mist a bit at a time, making the molding/ drying portion go pretty quickly

Yikes - this was long! I apparently have lots to say on the subject... hope that you found this useful!

Inspiration Board

2010-02-07T13:49:00.000-06:00

For the Blogging Your Way e-course I am currently taking (lead by the fabulous Holly from decor8), I made the following inspiration board for With a Flourish - I hope you like it and would love to know your thoughts!

I love the idea of inspiration boards, putting out to the universe (and yourself!) the things that you want so that they're front-and-center in your mind. I am a habitual magazine clipper, saving ideas I like and items that inspire me, but too often these lay sitting in a box in the basement. It feels good to have these beautiful images up on the wall in front of me as I type!

Roses for Springtime

2010-01-28T12:57:00.000-06:00

I found this picture in the February issue of Martha Stewart Living. How gorgeous is this rose?! So pretty- it almost doesn't even seem like it could be real.

Last year was the first time in our new house and my first foray into the world of gardening, so I pretty much kept things as-is from the previous owners and tried to get my bearings. Maybe planting some of these gorgeous flowers needs to be on my list for this year?!

Garland Love

2010-01-06T08:20:00.000-06:00

I came across this garland on the Purl Bee and fell in love... so pretty! So festive! So perfect for any occassion!

Picture from the Purl Bee

We're in the process of planning a baby shower for one of my oldest friends and I know that these will make their way into the decor... We're looking for pretty and playful (she's having a girl), but not too pink or over-the-top baby and girlie. The garland would fit in perfectly with this modern baby shower from Blueprint, one of my favorite inspirations for the event.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-04T07:52:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and New Year's celebration - I can't believe how quickly 2009 flew by, but am very excited for a fresh, new year to get started!

I actually made many of the crafts I planned to give as gifts, so a report on how that went is up next... but just wanted to first share the munchkins' New Year's spirit:

Frank and Boozer

Frank models his New Year's crown

Boozer models his snazzy 2010 glasses

13-Year-Old Authors- Help their Bestseller Campaign!

2009-12-14T11:10:00.000-06:00

The children of J's co-worker just wrote and published their first book... how cool is that?!

A note we were forwarded by the kids is below... they're asking everyone who is interested to buy a copy (or two!) tomorrow, December 15 from Amazon, so that they can have a best seller on their hands.

Hello,
Our names are Owen and Dustin Schoenfeld, we are thirteen years old and we have written a book called It Isn't Just A Game.

It Isn't Just A Game is the story of two kids, Alex and Corey, who play a baseball video game. Whatever they do in the game actually happens to their favorite team The Chicago White Sox. Once they realize this, they plan their whole summer around the White Sox's schedule, hoping to lead them to a World Series title. As the plot thickens, Alex and Corey encounter crazy events and wonder if a game can really be more than just a game.

It took us a total of three years to complete our book and as most writers will tell you, it was "a long, yet rewarding project."

Now we hope we can achieve our ultimate dream, which is our book becoming a bestseller. Our best shot at this is if multiple books are bought all on the same day. The day we have chosen to take a shot at this dream is December 15th, the book's release date.

If you are interested in this book, we would very much appreciate if you would purchase our book at Amazon.com on December 15th. Please pass this email along to anyone on your mailing list that may be interested. This book would make a great holiday gift for any young reader or baseball fan.

Thank you so much for taking your time to read this email.

Feel free to visit us at our website: http://www.itisntjustagame.com/
or email us @ it.isnt.just.a.game@gmail.com

Here is the link to Amazon if you choose to buy it on December 15th

Thank you again,
Owen and Dustin Schoenfeld

Baked Eggs = Yummy

2009-12-11T09:44:00.003-06:00

There is this great little cafe/ coffee shop (Julius Meinl on Southport in Lakeview) in Chicago that introduced me to the most amazing breakfast food - baked eggs! They offer several options (J likes the bacon and swiss cheese), but my favorite includes yummy goat cheese. Rather than heading out whenever I have a craving for baked eggs, lately we've been eating a ton of them at home... if it sounds good, here's how you can make them too:

1. Heat the oven to 375
2. Rub some butter along the inside of an oven-safe dish (a small ramekin or bowl)
3. Crack two eggs into the dish
4. Add 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream (depending on how rich you want it!)
5. Sprinkle with goat cheese
6. Pierce the yolk of each egg 1-2 times with a fork
7. Put the dish(es) on a cookie sheet and into the oven - bake for 20-30 minutes, until the yolk is the desired level of done-ness (not sure that is a word!)

You're done - serve with some toast and enjoy!

Snow!

2009-12-10T08:08:00.000-06:00

For the first time this winter, we're getting snow here in Chicago... not that I am complaining that it has taken so long- I would much prefer if we could skip winter all together. But, you have to admit, it can be quite pretty:

Picture from Mark Cassino

Photo from charlesimages on flickr

Craftiness: Wintertime Drink Mixes

2009-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm full of ideas for what to make/ create for the ladies in my life, but the men are another story. I think guys are just harder to shop for in general, nevermind craft for!

With some family get-togethers quickly approaching, I need a plan. Quickly. I am thinking that some drink mixes to make warm drinks could hit the spot... some ideas I've found and may try to pull off:

Hot Chocolate:
- Hot Chocolate on a Stick from The Givers Log (a review from The Kitchn is here) - maybe the cutest thing I have ever seen. Seriously.
- Pepppermint Stick Cocoa from My Recipes
- Mexican Cocoa from Sunset
Cider (I looove warm cider in the fall and winter!)
Chai (my latest obsession)
- Recipes found via Thrifty Fun
- Recipe from About.com

Happy Friday... enjoy some weekend awesomeness!

2009-12-04T09:27:00.000-06:00

I recently discovered the website 1000 Awesome Things and love it. Nothing crazy like winning the lottery is listed, just those everyday little victories we've all experienced. Just read through the list... there are sure to be tons that make you say "yea!" when you come across them. Some favorites of mine:

#995 Finding money you didn’t even know you lost
#959 Planning for snoozes
#953 When cashiers open up new check-out lanes at the grocery store
#840 Popping Bubble Wrap

Picture from Elizabeth Green on flickr

Wishing you an awesome weekend!

Loving It: Snarky Wine Tags

2009-12-02T08:18:00.002-06:00

'Tis the time of year for holiday parties and wine is a common gift to bring your lovely host/ess, but you need a way to make your bottle stand out... enter these hilarious tags from PoppTags:

Originally found via swissmiss

Love the unexpected combination of snarkiness with gorgeous letterpress. Plus, its nice to have a sense of humour around the fact that, while its not the most creative gift in the world, its likely one your friends will enjoy getting!

Chandelier Love

2009-12-01T09:26:00.000-06:00

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday (love a 4-day weekend!), I met a friend for lunch at Sepia, a restaurant here in Chicago. Not only do they have yummy food, but I couldn't stop staring at these gorgeous chandeliers they had hanging in the middle of the restaurant.

If I ever have the kind of home with a Dining Room, I may have to steal this idea...!

Craftiness: Handmade Holidays

2009-11-23T07:30:00.001-06:00

Every year I intend to make homemade gifts, but rarely am organized enough to make it happen.... but I am determined to make it happen this year! Some items on my to-do list:

Friday Funny

2009-11-20T09:08:00.003-06:00

I came across this funny picture over at Wonderwall & it made me giggle... I always think its so funny when you see a big strong man walking such a fluffy little dog! Not that anyone in our house looks super intimidating walking our munchkins...!

Letterpress at Home

2009-11-19T10:23:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I received an email from PaperSource (and my lovely friend Mara- hi!) about their new QuicKutz L Letterpress Machine... it's essentially a tool that will do for Letterpress what Gocco did (sob!) for Screenprinting.

You can read some great reviews all over the web: I liked this one from One Little Spark and Craft Critique (includes a video). You can also see a promotional video of the machine in action here.

From what I am seeing the tool looks very easy to use & seems to produce a nice finished product. Negatives are that they claim you need to use their ink (though I always bought gocco ink & was ok with it...) & that the process seems a bit tedious, especially if you were trying to produce a lot of prints. Thinking of a letterpress wedding invitation, with all the different pieces... yikes!

There are a bunch of plates you can buy (some come with the kit), but because that would be way too straightforward simple for me, I'm really interested to see if the tool would support custom plates (ex: those made by boxcar press). The question seems to be getting echoed throughout blogland, so I am hoping that means we'll have some testers and answers soon! I also found this thread on the QuicKutz forums that seems to indicate that they're planning to also provide a plate-creation option-yay!

Loving It: Isa Form Prints

2009-11-17T08:14:00.001-06:00

I adore these super-cute prints from Isa Form, designed by Swedish artist Isabelle Norman Sällström- these first two would be great housewarming gifts & the final one is great for anyone who loves a little motivation. Most prints can be customized with your own text and/or colors.

No Place Like Home

Welcome

Sky's the Limit

You can find all them on her website here.

Craftiness: Holiday Stockings

2009-11-16T07:27:00.000-06:00

We moved over the winter and for the first time in years have a fireplace... so of course I now need some stockings for the upcoming holiday season! I found the following tutorials - hopefully one will inspire you too!

Stockings to Sew: (Clockwise from top left corner)

Sweater Stocking from Martha Stewart
Monogrammed Button Stocking (Originally found via Craft Magazine's Blog)
Funky Stocking (Originally found on Craft Magazine's Blog)
Expandable Stocking from Instructables
Strip Pieced Stocking from Purl Bee
Jingle Bell Stocking from Martha Stewart
Super Easy Snowflake Stocking from Purl Bee

Pug Love: Have a Snuggly Weekend!

2009-11-13T08:53:00.001-06:00

My pugs Frank + Boozer have the right idea.... lots and lots of snuggling!

my little breakfast burritos

Pug Yang

Wishing you a restful weekend!

Happiness = Group Dancing

2009-11-12T08:13:00.000-06:00

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but had to share it for those who hadn't... I've been showing it to anyone who will crowd around my laptop & just adore it - its like bottled happiness! Seriously - try to watch without smiling or bopping along.

It was filmed during Oprah's season opening episode where they blocked off several blocks of Michigan Avenue here in Chicago for the big O. A lot of people in the city were upset, and rightfully so, that a celebrity gets such special treatment... but the Wave kinda makes up for it in my book. Sorry but it does.

They apparently got people to come in to learn the dance the day before & then everyone who knew it spread out throughout the crowd & taught the people around them. Oprah didn't know it was going it happen, so I also love her reaction - pretty much the same as mine when I first saw it!

Hanging Planters - Bring my herb garden indoors!

2009-11-11T07:58:00.001-06:00

Over the summer I did a bit of gardening... we bought our first home last winter & come spring I was itching to make the most of our new (tiny) yard! First up on the garden's 'must have' list was lots of herbs: I've heard that they're super easy to grow (a must!), plus I'd love to cook more and use fresh herbs. I always hate buying fresh herbs at the grocery store - I never cook enough to use everything I buy before it goes bad & I hate feeling like I wasted it. So growing was the perfect solution: each time I needed herbs, I just ran out back to cut some. (Yes, I felt sooo very cool and often made a production of the whole thing. :)

So now that winter is coming, I'm playing with the idea of moving the herb garden indoors. Our kitchen doesn't get much natural light so I don't know how well any plants would fare, but I just adore these platers I found over on A Merry Mishap... so modern, yet functional! A grouping would look great and bring a nice shot of green come the gray, cold winter.

Gorgeous Word Art

2009-11-10T08:00:00.003-06:00

Over the summer my husband took me to the newly-opened Wit Hotel for our anniversary. The place has amazing decor, and its a Doubletree, so isn't crazy-expensive. Our room had this amazing collection of ambigrams by John Langdon up as artwork.
An ambigram - featured prominently in the novel Angels & Demons - is a word that can be read from different angles, like or MOW or NOON that can be turned through 180 degrees and still be read as the same words. I love gorgeous lettering, so of course couldn't resist these!

You can see more examples of his work on his website (he makes custom ones for couples - how cool for a wedding instead of a custom monogram!)... but for now enjoy these (super-rough, from my phone) closeup pics of some of the items in our room!

Host(ess) Idea - Dress Up your Wine

2009-11-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Its getting to be that time of year... you know what I mean - we haven't even hit Thanksgiving yet, and the stores are all brimming with visions of holiday cheer! One thing that comes up again & again this time of year is the holiday party... but what to bring the host/ hostess?!

Of course a bottle of wine (or champagne!) is always nice, but it needs a little something special to make it stand out... and so it doesn't look as though you stopped by the liquor store on your way over (even if you did). I love this idea, found last year:

Originally from 2Modern, this item is no longer available, but would be pretty easy to make either using fabric scraps or old/ secondhand items from a thrift store. How cute would it be to use an old holiday sweater?! I think I'm gonna try & whip up a few of these... I'll let you know how it goes!

Hello (again)!

2009-11-08T14:04:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it has been almost a full year since I last posted. Wow. I never intended to be away for so long... things kinda got crazy & I had a mini meltdown-slash-quarterlife crisis (though I'm a few years too old for one) and this just kinda fell to the wayside. In the meantime I have managed to not only get a grip, but also bought & decorated our first place (fun! pictures to come!), learned to garden (some) & took some crafty classes. And of course my outside blog obsession didn't stop, so I have been saving ideas and links like crazy. And now I am back & ready to share it all with you!

Craftiness: Drawstring Bag (with flower!)

2008-11-11T07:14:00.000-06:00

My (3rd grade) cousin had a cheerleading competition on Sunday (little kids cheering in their matching uniforms = adorable!) so of course I couldn't go empty handed. I thought of bringing flowers, but decided that would be too simple... so out came the sewing machine!

Her team colors are blue & gold, so I made this cute little drawstring bag following these instructions.

It needed a little *something* when I was done, so I added a flower using these instructions (which I mentioned before). I used pretty thick felt, so only ended up making 3 petals.

I then filled with Crunch bars, but used white-out to hide the 'C' and the bottom of the 'R'... so it became 'Punch' (Cheerleaders have to 'punch' their moves). Had to pass on some cheerleading tidbits from way back in my high school days!

Have a relaxing Monday...

2008-11-10T10:08:00.000-06:00

The weekend went by way too fast (as usual!) and my Monday has started off crazy (sadly, also as usual!)... I wish I could be as relaxed as the munchkins snuggled at my feet, sleeping in a sunbeam!

Frank's face is all smooshed, but he doesn't care...

Like an old married couple... Boozer throws a leg over Frank

Hope your Monday is off to a good start!

Dream Kitchen

2008-11-07T08:21:00.000-06:00

J and I are house hunting for the first time... what a crazy experience! I never realized that walking around & looking at places could be so mentally & physically draining. Even when a place isn't right for us, it's always interesting to see how other people live & how they've filled their homes. This kitchen is soooo gorgeous & is in my inspiration file for my dream kitchen one day.

The rest of the house wasn't what we're looking for, but I can't get this gorgeous combo of the light marble, white cabinets, farmhouse sink & silver accents out of my mind!

Craftiness: Fabric Flower Pillow

2008-11-06T07:48:00.000-06:00

Last year I discovered Amy Butler's free patterns, but somehow I forgot about them until coming across them on How About Orange again yesterday... what a fun treat! I am especially loving this Snow Mum Pillow - reminds me of Anna Whitford's gorgeous items*

* while so adorable, the project does look a bit tedious... so Anna's site is a good alternative to making yourself!

Classroom-Inspired Design

2008-11-04T09:10:00.000-06:00

For many years I planned to be a first grade teacher when I grew up, so maybe that is why I am so drawn to these ideas?!

Picture from Shelterriffic

Picture from Apartment Therapy Chicago

Extraordinary Papercuts

2008-11-03T10:20:00.000-06:00

I am loving this Thank You letter over on Craft Stylish... so gorgeous! The detailing is amazing, right down to the vellum envelope. Not sure I'd ever have the patience to make something like this, but I sure am jealous of the recipient!

Craftiness: Sock Monkey (and more!)

2008-10-27T07:49:00.000-05:00

I really want to make as many Christmas gifts as possible this year... partially to save money, but mainly just to force me to get crafting more! I love it so much, yet it is one of the first things to go when life gets hectic.

And for some reason, I have decided that my little cousins need Sock Monkeys. I have always wanted to make one, so now is my chance! After doing some searching, there is so much more than just Monkeys to make, so I may try three different animals...

High-level Instructions from Super Sock Monkey
Detailed Sock Monkey Instructions from Web Goddess
Instructions for a Sock Elephant (scroll down in message board for full instructions) from Craftster
Sock Dog Instructions via Tiakro.com
Use Gloves to make this adorable Dog and Bunny from Martha Stewart

I was at Target this weekend & they have some cute patterned socks, as does Gap Kids. Or, get the Original Rockford Red Heel Monkey Sock!

(picture via Craft Magazine)

Loving It: Lists!

2008-10-23T07:35:00.000-05:00

I am addicted to list making... I'm one of those people who will write down chores already completed, just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off. Crazy? Yes. Satisfying? Absolutely!

So of course love this letterpress "i heart lists" paper from simplesongdesigns on etsy. (guard your wallet when you check out her store- sooooo many adorable things!)

Everyone knows that pretty paper, a great pen, & nice handwriting can take your simple list to a lust-worthy status! Ok, maybe not everyone, just list-crazy people like me!

A stay-in-bed & snuggle day

2008-10-22T08:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posting... I seem to have caught that flu bug that is going around. Good times. I've basically been spending the last few days in the middle of this:

Snuggliness definitely is a surefire way to feeling better!

All You Need Is Love

2008-10-17T13:58:00.000-05:00

All You Need is Love (I can't even think it without singing it!) is now up on my wall, thanks to a fun new wall decal courtesy of VinylVineyard on etsy.

How cute is it?! I wanted an easy way to add a pop of color without painting... the place I put it is kind of a strange wall in a hallway & I couldn't think of a logical way to paint without looking out of place. Plus there are super high ceilings which I didn't want to deal with. I am so happy with this solution!

True (Lion) Love

2008-10-16T23:38:00.000-05:00

This video is the best thing I have seen in a long time.
So amazing & heartwarming... look how proud his 'owners' are of him at the end, so happy that he is doing well. I admit it- I even teared up a little...

Craftiness: Halloween Pails

2008-10-16T07:57:00.000-05:00

Inspired by the candy wrapper decoupaged buckets by Martha Stewart (instructions here), I made my own last year. At the Pumpkin Carving party these are placed on the table & hold the carving tools. I am no decoupage expert (I think this may have been my first time!), but it was an easy - though messy - project.

I really wanted to find Sugar Daddies to use, but of course the 10 stores my mom & drove to last year didn't have them. And then the week after completing these pails the Sugar Daddy was everywhere! Typical. Still, the Dubble Bubble turned out cute... even if the angled nature of the pail made for difficulty with the stripes!

Quotation Inspiration

2008-10-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

Homemade Caramel Apples

2008-10-13T13:03:00.000-05:00

Since kids are welcome at the Pumpkin Carving party this weekend, I feel like it is a good excuse to have a fun Halloween craft. Last year I had a bunch of stickers & they decorated gift bags (potential trick-or-treat bags)... was actually amusing because the kids were bored by the pumpkins early on & the parents were all left finishing up the carving. So the activity helped to keep everyone happy & out of trouble.

I was thinking that a fun activity this year (for kids & adults!) could be a make-your-own-Caramel Apple station. Everyone loves Caramel Apples, plus I am always looking for an excuse to use my electric fondue pot! Of course I have no idea how to make Caramel Apples, so last night I set about experimenting on my own.

After searching for a Caramel Apple recipe, it seemed like you can just melt wrapped caramels: I basically followed this recipe. (Of course, Martha had a crazy recipe for people who want to make their own caramel. Right. Needless to say, I did the simple 'melt caramels' version!)

So here you can see me all set up... I have my trusty fondue pot, a bowl full of crushed M&M's, waxed paper, and my bag of caramels. I then removed the stems from my apples & inserted wooden skewers. The recipes seem to suggest craft sticks, but I already had the skewers. Plus the pointy end made it super easy to put it into the apples.

I then added half the bag of caramels to the pot & turned on the heat... and... ew. A nasty mess.

I put the other half of the caramels in a plastic bowl & melted in the microwave, which worked must better. I then poured the melted caramel in the fondue pot.

Much better. I rolled my apple around, though the caramel wasn't very deep, so only really covered the apple halfway. I then rolled the caramel-covered apple in my bowl of crushed candy. (I also tried with some apple slices.)

And ta-da - the end result!

For anyone else wanting to try this I think that the bag of caramels (about 40 caramels) would cover up to 8 apples. Still not sure if this activity will make it to the party. I think that melting much more caramel (I'm thinking 3 bags) would certainly help. Also would suggest thinning out the caramel with some milk or water (the recipes I saw suggested 2 tablespoons of one of the other for every bag of candy).

Halloween Lollipops

2008-10-10T12:26:00.001-05:00

I'm still a disorganized mess for our pumpkin carving party in a week, but definitely have the holiday on my mind.

How cute are these lollipops from Hammond's Candies? I feel like a Halloween party needs some candy, but this is a million times cuter than a bowl full of snack-size candy (that I then need out of the house before I eat all the leftovers!).

found via Inspired Goodness

Magazine Clippings

2008-10-10T12:22:00.000-05:00

I have an (out-of-control, according to J) obsession with magazines. Mainly home, decorating, and entertaining ones... I especially can't get enough of Domino & Martha Stewart Weddings. The obsession is relatively harmless, except that I cannot throw magazines away until I've had a chance to dig through them & cut out things I like. I've been into patterns lately... here is a sampling of patterns I spied while cutting up a recent-ish (May 08?) InStyle...

Celebrate with a Sparkle

2008-10-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this idea at The Fancied & am loving it... who needs boring old candles for your cake when you can have sparklers (from Sea and Jae)?! I think I may need to order some '0' and '9' ones for this year's New Year's Celebration!

When searching for more sparklers, it appears that Europe is all over this trend. Just about every site I found had pricing in Euros... as cute as these are, I'm not ready to pay international shipping. Come to think of it, would it even be legal to order 'fireworks' from another country? I can imagine getting arrested... 'but Officer, I just wanted a super cute cake!'

"Faux"paper (aka Fun with Stencils)

2008-10-07T07:48:00.001-05:00

I'm getting excited for our (2nd) Annual Pumpkin Carving party in a couple of weeks (more on that to come!), but of course planning a party isn't quite enough work for me. I also decided that I need to make the house look better, make all those updates I have been thinking about but not made any progress on.

More to come about what I have planned, but for now a project I have been meaning to share for forever. This is the stenciling/ fake wallpaper (aka 'faux'paper!) I did in our entry just in time for the party last year! I just love how it turned out, and so many people say that they love the wallpaper. And then I tell them that I painted it. Luckily, my friends & family already knew I was crazy! :)

Weekend Eye Candy

2008-10-03T09:35:00.001-05:00

It's been a long week! Boozer & his little booty* want you to have a great weekend!

* He really looks like he is modeling here, doesn't he!? Like 'oh, gee - didn't see you there with the camera!'

Room inspiration: Purples & Grays

2008-10-02T09:54:00.001-05:00

Just some rooms that have caught my eye lately:

Cynthia Rowley's gorgeous living room... picture via Elle Decor

Sharon Montrose's adorable dog Squeak in her bedroom

Found via Another Shade of Grey, picture originally from Nuevo Estilo

Craftiness: Birthday Banner

2008-09-30T13:00:00.000-05:00

Image from Martha Stewart Crafts

I love this Martha Stewart birthday banner & often make my own version of it... It's easy to make & you likely have all the supplies on hand, plus it looks adorable & your guests will ooh & ahh!

By doing it yourself you can also modify the colors & the message - this is also great for Congrats, Engagements, We'll Miss You - the possibilities are endless!

I like to use colored paper (cardstock is best) & print on my home printer. It's easy, plus nice handwriting & fancy transfers aren't required! I start with a Word document & make a 2x2 table on each page. (You can use my starter template here.)

In this exaple, I am printing my letters on two colors... to make sure that the letters display in alternating colors, I put the 1st letter on the first page, then the 2nd letter on page 2, alternating back-and-forth as I spell my message. As you have more than 8 letters in your message, just keep adding pairs of pages.

Once you have typed out your message, it's time to print - load your paper into the printer in alternating colors (ex: I had a sheet of blue, then a sheet of yellow, then a sheet of blue...) & print your document.

1. After printing, cut out your letters. You can always cut circles and/or use fancy scissors, but I like to just cut them into 1/4 page rectangles using my paper cutter - you end up with four 4.25" wide by 5.5" tall rectangles.

2. This step is purely optional, but I think it makes a huge difference in how the end result looks - use a corner rounder to round the corners of your rectangles.

3. Punch 2 holes at the top of each letter. I like to punch one, and then lay it over my to-be-punched letters as a guide so that all the holes end up with the same placement & spacing.

4. String your letters! I typically use a craft yarn, but any ribbon, yarn, or string will work - just remember that anything that will stretch out or is too flimsy may sag or break. I also like to use a yard with a little texture to it - with a very thin or slippery string/ ribbon you run the risk of all your letters sliding towards the center of the sign. I also like to wrap a piece of tape around the end of my yarn to make a 'needle' that can be fed through the holes easier than a fraying end.

You do need to string your letters in order... if you're stringing from left-to-right, string in the order of your message. If stringing from right-to-left, add letters in backwards order.

Hang your creation & admire your handiwork!

Don't mind the beer in the picture... very classy....

Loving It: Porcelain Plants

2008-09-29T07:28:00.000-05:00

I don't exactly have a green thumb. And by exactly, I mean that I can kill even the hardiest plants... in college my mom once gave me a little ivy plant for my dorm room and was amazed that I managed to kill it... It's a skill, people. That's at least what I tell myself!

But, I also hate fake plants... SO- I am loving these porcelain succulents from Ballard Designs.

Besides, all the Design Gurus are always saying that each room needs a bit of life & nature in it... this is a great tongue-in-cheek way to honor that design 'rule'.

(found via A Merry Mishap)

Mosaic of Me (via The SCOOP)

2008-09-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Saw Emily's version over at The SCOOP & had to play along...

Picture Credits: 1. Nicole again..., 2. LOVE my Cereal!, 3. Bryan Adams High School Hallway, 4. purple haze, 5. Adam Duritz (1), 6. Vintage Mountain Dew, 7. Noosa River After the Storm, 8. pink & brown, 9. Untitled, 10. Love XOXO, 11. 700 Miles to Smiley, Saskatchewan!, 12. Boozer Loves Milk

You know you want to make one! Answer the following 12 questions about yourself (my answers are in parentheses after each question):
1. What is your first name? (nicole)
2. What is your favorite food? (cereal- there are so many kinds!)
3. What high school did you attend? (adams high school)
4. What is your favorite color? (purple)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (adam duritz. yes. I know. i'm a sucker for a beautiful voice & sadness.)
6. Favorite drink? (mountain dew... an addiction left over from my college days)
7. Dream vacation? (australia)
8. Favorite dessert? (chocolate fondue)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? (creative business owner)
10. What do you love most in life? (friends & family)
11. One word to describe you? (smiley)
12. Your Flickr name? (withflourish)

Type your answer to each of the above questions into Flickr's search. Using only the images that appear on the first page, choose your favorite and copy and paste each of the URL’s into the Mosaic Maker (3 columns, 4 rows)... Enjoy!

Craftiness: Pretty Pendants & Magnets

2008-09-24T08:22:00.000-05:00

I've never used Diamond Glaze, but I think that I need to get myself some after seeing this great craftiness!

Magents made by Angry Chicken

Scrabble Tiles to make from this Make and Takes tutorial
One of these used Scrabble Tiles as the base, while the other just bought simple wooden shapes from a craft store. Either approach could work for a pendant or magnets and would be really cute as a gift.

Backyard Trampoline

2008-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I adore this idea from SixxDesign and have to keep this in mind if I ever end up with a nice yard (and children!)...

Image found via Oh Happy Day

I always loved trampolines as a kid, but was so afraid of falling off the sides- this is the perfect solution!

Loving it: Colorful Ceramics

2008-09-22T08:17:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to think about holiday gifts (yes, I am one of those crazy people that has most of my shopping done pre-December!) & am loving these colorful pieces:

Handbuilt Candy Bowl

Purple Pomegranate from whitneysmith

Iceberg Blue Dotted Bowl from marymeestudio

Renegade Chicago Recap

2008-09-21T18:40:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned a couple times before, Mara let me help out with the Maramiki booth for Renegade Chicago a couple weekends ago.

We had fun planning out how we would display her items beforehand (though it would have been hard to make her things look bad!), taking over her living room with our mock-up displays and ensuring that her family thought that we are at least a tiny bit nutty. We were really excited by how the display turned out - lots of her printed fabric accented by repurposed wooden items, home-grown wheatgrass, plus handwritten labels. One of my favorite items was the 'swatch banner' she sewed with printed fabric scraps that we hung along the back wall of the tent- such a great way to display different colors & images since she does so many custom items.

You can see our pictures from the weekend below:

The weekend of the fair was SO. WET. It was insane- you know how normally, when it rains very hard, that just means that the storm will be over quickly? Not this time - we ended up with almost 7 inches of rain over the day on Saturday! We found out later that the day had broken the 20-year record for the most rain in Chicago on that date! And we were sitting outside in a tent. Makes sense.

We both felt like swamp people by the end of the day Saturday (my feet looked like I had taken a 12-hour bath!), but it was fun to be able to show off her items in person. We were pleasantly suprised by the number of people braving the weather to see the fair, and everyone was commenting on how gorgeous her items were. I had really wanted to wander the fair & spend some money, but just couldn't get motivated to walk around in the rain.

All-in-all, was a neat thing to be a part of, but I was disappointed for Mara that the weather was so stinky... but when chatting she has lots of great ideas for Maramiki, so excited to see what is next from her now that she doesn't have to spend time prepping for the Fair anymore!

Be Featured on Martha's Blog!

2008-09-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

I just came across this via CuteOverload (my love of this site is well documented!)... leave a post for Martha in this post on her blog, make sure your blog links to hers, & she may link to you!

Martha looking at the CO calendar, from Frank Sugino on Flickr
PS - Yay to Meg from CO for her appearance on the Martha show! It is a dream of mine to one day be on her show... but her reading something I wrote would be a close second!
PPS - Like how I like to pretend that Ms Stewart & I are on a first-name basis?!

Prints & Packaging

2008-09-16T08:03:00.000-05:00

I recently saw these Davines hair products at my hair salon & had to snap a picture. Such great colors & prints!

Handwritten Letterpress

2008-09-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Love these gorgeous Wedding Invitations from Linda & Harriett. Gorgeous handwriting. Letterpressed. What else could a girl want?!

Makes me even more excited for the Script class I am taking at Paper Source starting tonight! Hopefully I'll have some beautiful handwriting of my own to show off soon!

Renegade this weekend!

2008-09-12T13:29:00.001-05:00

If you're in Chicago & looking for something fun to do this weekend, stop by the Renegade Craft Fair! The fair is in Wicker Park & has lots of cool vendors... it's a cool, non-country-crafts type of fair that is sure to be filled with lots of great jewlery, art, stationary... perfect for gifts for yourself or others.

As I mentioned before, I'll be helping my friend Mara man the booth for her company, Maramiki & we'd love to see you! (Her booth is going to be between Damen & Wolcott.)

The fair is open Noon - 10pm Saturday & Sunday and is free to attend. Vendors will be all along Division St. between Damen & Hermitage. Hope to see you there... and please keep your fingers crossed for no rain!

Mara Gocco-ing some cards... she uses traditional screenprinting for all her textiles

To Make: Clocks

2008-09-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

	I loved those Cuckoo Clocks silhouettes that were all over the place last winter. They reminded me of my German Great-Grandma who had the most amazing Cuckoo Clock collection when I was growing up... my sister and I loved moving the hands so we could hear the :00 chimes! (Which I am sure wasn't at all annoying! :)
Somehow I never got around to buying one, but I think I have the perfect alternative... I'll make one using this tutorial from Real Living!

Your wall says... Hello!

2008-09-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

Loving this wall decal from Wonderful Graffiti:

Wouldn't this be adorable in an entryway? Though the price tag is a bit high for my taste, so I may try to paint this... except for the "O", the nice straight lines could all be outlined with painters tape!

Direct your Life!

2008-09-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

A little positive inspiration for your Monday morning...

(Quote found in an Oprah magazine.)

Loving it: Purple

2008-09-05T08:02:00.000-05:00

I have been brainstorming lately about what I want our next home to be like, once we stop renting & buy our first place. The place I will be making our more permanent home. I am so easily swayed & overwhelmed... modern! french! thrift finds! I have design ADD- I can't seem to get my head around an idea I just LOVE and can commit to.

So I was recently reading the latest Domino & J peeked over my shoulder & commented that he liked the room on the page, especially the wall color:

A light bulb went off - of course, PURPLE! I have always loved Purple... it was the color theme for our wedding & our last apartment had a bright purple accent wall. J refers to it jokingly as my 'signature color' (ala Pink was for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde).

So now I am on the lookout for great purple inspiration. A couple I came across recently:

Found on the Container Store's website

Picture from Chicago interior designer Ann Coyle, found via The SCOOP.

Craft It Roundup: Pencil Cases

2008-09-04T08:25:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to practice my sewing (so I can graduate from making dog clothes!) so in honor of Back to School, here is a roundup of Pencil Cases you can sew:

Clockwise from the top-left corner:
Linen & Green from craftlog, Binder Pencil Case from splityarn, Boxy pouch from Three Bears, Felt Pencil Pouch from Martha Stewart, Pencil & Notebook holder from One Red Robin, Pencil Couch from Cut out and Keep

I may not be starting a new school year, but I still can tote my items to work in style!

Craft Show Booth Design

2008-09-03T10:15:00.000-05:00

Mara & I are getting together tonight to talk about her booth for Renegade... I think she is partially just being nice by letting me help, but I do adore this sort of thing so am very excited. :) Neither of us has ever designed a booth, so I did what I do best... I went searching the internet for info*! Some of my finds...

An article about cluttered booths
Craft Show 101 via The Switchboards (this article has a great 'what to bring' list too!)
Pictures of Renegade Brooklyn 2008
Building a Craft Show Booth

I'm on the lookout for other great booth pictures, but for now enjoy this fabulous one from Pink Loves Brown

* is it sad that I consider this a skill?!

Clinging to summer...

2008-09-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that Summer is coming to a close... I am in denial that it is over & the warm Chicago weather is helping to feed my delusions. Came across this sign on swissmiss & it brought a smile to my face!