Holly Giftwrap

I always try to make sure that the gifts I pick for my family & friends are something they would like- ideally the kind of thing that they didn't even know they wanted or would never have bought for themselves! I am a big believer in the importance of making the outside of a gift look as special and unique as the gift inside... you want the first impression of your gift to hint at the fabulous-ness inside!

I came across this idea for Mistletoe Package Toppers in the December issue of Martha Stewart Living & thought it was adorable. The only thing that I didn't like is, who knows what Mistletoe looks like? I personally would never recognize a Mistletoe leaf or berry on it's own... unless it was hanging from the ceiling!

So I decided to take the idea & tweak it a bit... using Holly instead of Mistletoe. All it took was some green felt & red jingle bells.

Happy Holidays!
Nicole

Painting Project: Entry

I've been wanting to do something in our entryway for a bit, but haven't been quite sure what.

Plain painting just doesn't feel like it would be enough here... Nevermind that this area opens up to the living room just up the stairs, and I don't know what color I want there yet. Lately I've been loving graphic patterned wallpapers... but this being a rental, I don't know that I really want to mess with putting up and then tearing down wallpaper.

So I've decided to use a stencil & fake my own wallpaper. Now, if the word 'wallpaper' makes people cringe, I think 'stencil' is even worse- it makes me think of teddy bear borders. But I am inspired by the 'fauxpaper' Holly from decor8 featured here - a stencil will be the perfect way to get the repeating pattern I have in mind.

I couldn't find a stencil I liked, so just made my own (more info on how to do that later!). I started one corner & asked J what he thought- I knew it would be a lot of work, so wanted to make sure he wasn't completely opposed to the idea before I got too much done. Not that it would necessarily make me stop if he didn't like it...!

So J looked and reported back "It is so you"... I was thinking 'Perfect! That is just what I want people to think when they walk into my home!" And then he finishes: "Only you would pick something so tedious and time-consuming." Which I guess is also true- just not quite the response I was hoping for! I still think it will look cool when it's finished, so I'm soldiering on...

I'll post an update once I get it finished!
Nicole

Have a very Puggy Christmas

Every year I make my own Christmas Cards... I like making things, so even as crazy as this time of year is, I really try to make a point to get my cards done. Though some years I've sent New Year's cards instead!


Seeing as the Pugs are the big change in our lives this year, they are of course featured! (Bonus: J and I didnt have to agree on a picture of ourselves we liked.)

I decided to make it complicated by adding props- I had grand visions of the boys licking candy canes (which Boozer did, eventually), peeking their heads out of a wrapped 'gift' (Frank decided he was afraid of the box), and donning santa hats, but had to be a bit flexible.


The end product is shown here - the front of the card is above and the inside to the right. I printed all the text using my Gocco & took the pictures at home (using a hung sheet as a 'backdrop'). Deciding that using glue would be way too simple, I used my sewing machine to attach the front pictures. It ended up being a lot of work, but I think that the end result was worth it.


Hopefully our friends & family agree!
Nicole

Primary Ingredient: Smiles

I'm love beautiful packaging... I have a tendency to buy gifts (especially the small, stocking stuffer variety) at least partly because I like how they look. I'm a total sucker for Creative/ gorgeous from the outside.

So, imagine my suprise when I came across the cutest thing today while snacking on some Goldfish crackers... check out the first ingredient in the picture here. HOW ADORABLE! Love it.

Have a happy weekend! Nicole

We'll miss you, Pandora!

So sad- just went to Pandora to listen to music as I get work done this morning & found out that they're GONE! I guess they're not allowed to share music in the US anymore... so sad!

I need a new music site... Any other good suggestions out there??

Meet the Pugs!

After my last post I realized that I hadn't properly introduced Boozer & Frank... here they are:
The boys are brothers (from the same litter) and are 8 months old. I've been wanting a dog, a Pug specifically, for a loooong time, and this Spring J finally gave in (his words)/ realized what a fantastic idea it was (my words). We had heard that Pugs are very social creatures and need someone around all the time, so if you work it is good to get two to keep the other company. For some reason we bought into this logic, hence the two puppies at once. On one hand having two is great- they play with one another & cuddle together when they sleep. On the other hand it is crazy- not only twice as expensive (food, treats, vet), but everything is much more complicated... walking 2 dogs at once is not as easy as it would seem!

They tend to provide much of my entertainment on a daily basis (especially when I work from home & don't have much human contact!) so I'm sure you'll be hearing more about their antics!
Nicole

Holiday "Cheer"

As we head into Thanksgiving, that means the Holiday Season is in full swing - we've all seen the Christmas displays in stores since Halloween! Every year I make Christmas cards for us to send out to family & friends. As you can imagine, they tend to reflect my personality a bit more than J's... but this year, he has decided he wants his own cards to send to his friends. This momentous decision was primarily brought about by his love of the 16 Sparrows "F*ing" Cards we saw at the Renegade Craft Fair this summer. Not exactly what I would send out to our grandparents, but definately J's sense of humor!

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I'm going into card-making mode. J has an idea that I think will actually turn out pretty cute- it involves sarcasm, the pugs, and a Christmas Sweater. Of course, he needs a fabulous Christmas Outfit to wear- we decided that a turtleneck with an embellished sweatshirt would fit the bill perfectly... the work in progress:


I'm trying to channel something a Grandmother would make as a gift. I actually started off wanting a big iron-on transfer (perhaps a big santa head? something mary engelbreit?), but shockingly couldn't find anything like that at Joann's. I was suprised- the only super 'crafty' designs I found there were in Cross Stitch. Who knew?! Made me think of the recent "Craft" discussion that was raging over at How about Orange...

I'll post an update once we get the finished product together!
Nicole