Wonderful Day

Just a quick suggestion, friends: Mother's Day, as you know, is next Sunday the 9th, and I'm running a MD Sale in my shop so that you can pick up something lovely for your very special mum without spending a ton. Also, domestic shipping is free as part of the sale, and if you order before Wednesday, I can still get your package to you by the weekend!

And now, I shall tell you why today is a fantastic day. First, I get a free lunch. Second, my free lunch will occur at one of my very favorite weekly events: Honors Lunch Discussion, where our students meet every Friday to discuss a topic presented by a faculty member. Third, I have the afternoon off! Fourth, I have the afternoon off because my brilliant husband is being presented with an award for being the Best Graduate Student Document Instructor for the Freshman Composition Program, and I was invited to his award ceremony! Fifth, after that, we go home from school early, and we're going to order pizza and have a Wes Anderson movie marathon! Rushmore, Darjeeling Limited, and Fantastic Mr. Fox are all on the line-up. (I'm counting this as a date night, because I don't have to cook and I get to spend the whole evening cuddled up with my handsome husband, but technically, it counts as work for him, because he'll be "researching" for a paper he's writing about Wes Anderson films in one of his classes.)

Here's a preview in photos of all the glory that lies before us:

How could this day possibly be better!?

New Pink Street Cards

I have to be honest. I'm really proud of myself. I don't have any sort of graphic design background, and though my husband is a whiz at Photoshop, I wasn't able to have his assistance with this project because it's the end of the semester and right about now he does nothing but write, eat, sleep, and grade freshman essays. So I had to figure everything out on my own, and I had to do some pretty tricky things (tricky, at least, for a person who before this project only knew how to crop and edit color) to come up with what I did. So without further ado, here are my new business cards! I should be getting the real life ones back next week, so you'll get to see them in person at Art Trail if you come next Friday.

Front:

And back:

Actually, the colors are a little truer than they seem to show up here, but you get the general idea. So what do you think? Suggestions for any changes?

They're not quite as pretty as these gorgeous letterpress cards, but I think they'll do for me.

Coming Soon!

I'm so excited, I just had to tell you: my business cards and overall graphic branding have needed an update for a while now, so a few nights ago, I embarked on the very long and arduous task of redesigning my business cards and Etsy Banner.  I finished the cards and my new Banner last night (my Banner's up, but still needs some tweaking), and I plan to have a preview of my cards for you tomorrow, but for now, here are some of the pieces that went into their making and which served as inspiration:

I know it doesn't look like anything yet, but you'll see. I'm really pleased with how the cards turned out. Preview coming tomorrow!

Etsy Treasure Tuesday: Nerdnest (And Word Association)

I had a former student in my office recently, who now lives in San Francisco. Talking to him about what he loves about the city made me think of one of the greatest comedic movies of all time, What's Up Doc?. Thinking of What's Up Doc?, naturally made me think of a red plaid overnight bag, much like the one I found this morning on Etsy at nerdnest. As the shop holds a wealth of various vintage wonders, I thought that it would be kindly of me to introduce the two of you via Etsy Treasure Tuesday today.

And can someone please pick this up for me as a Happy Tuesday gift?

It is a happy Tuesday indeed. What would be on your Happy Tuesday gift list?

You Can Call Me the Cowardly Lion

I have a confession to make: I chickened out. When I realized last week how little time there is left before we leave for England, and how busy I'm going to be until that time with finishing up work things and putting the house in some kind of order, I forced myself to admit that making a travel bag of my own is probably not going to happen. So I did some searching on Etsy, and found this beauty.

Adjustable strap. Check.

Spacious inside. Check.

Custom zipper closure. Check.

No outside pockets from which things can be picked. Check.

Bright yellow color so Nathan can make sure he's holding hands with the correct American tourista. Check.

Large bow and pleats. Double check.

Being able to cross one more thing off of my to-do list. Priceless.

And thank you, Etsy. Yet again, you save the day.

By the way, this is what I was listening to (and giggling, though I've heard it at least eight hundred times) while writing the post below.



Just thought you might like to share the joy.

DIY Thursday: More Fabric Roses

Hey friends, remember this post where we learned together how to make sweet folded fabric roses? Well this past weekend, I finally had time to try my hand at it, and I'm pretty pleased with some of my results! Unfortunately, I'm the worst DIY blogger ever, because I always forget to take before or during pics, and all I have to show you is after shots. But I followed the instructions in my previous DIY post closely, making only minor alterations like cutting my fabric strips a little thinner because I discovered after making my first rose that I wanted mine to be not quite so tall.

I used several different types of fabric I already had on hand, and will describe each above the photos. My first try was some blue-striped cotton seersucker which I cut into strips on the bias. Here's my first little rose:

Not bad, but not great. "I got better!" (--Dennis,  Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

Then, I tried some light blue dupioni silk which produced a cool effect because I roughed up the raw edges a bit. The littlest two are really half strips which are only about 1/2" in width. They turned out smaller altogether, of course, but I like their shape better than the larger ones, actually. (Photographed on my lovely new Liberty of London platter from Target.)

Then I used some brightly-colored fun paisley printed rayon. I had a bit left over and made a bow which shows off the pattern better.

I think the roses that turned out best, though, were some I made with an old tank top I cut up. Just plain old cotton jersey -- t-shirt fabric -- and I really like how flat they lay and the shape of roses. Plus, the colors -- magenta, aqua, goldenrod, dark chocolate and caramel, are my favorites. Made a couple of bows to go along with these too.

So I had time last night to put glue these pretties onto a base with a brooch pin so that I can add them to bags and plain t-shirts.

Some of the other roses may be used in a similar way, although I know that I want to put some of them on headbands, and maybe even a larger bib necklace, although I'm not sure I'd have the moxie to wear it.

Please send me photos if you decide to try it! I intended just to do the seersucker ones, then got carried away (I tend to do that) and started cutting up all kinds of other things. I had a lot of fun: I spent about three hours making fabric roses last weekend altogether. But all you need's a hot glue gun and some scissors -- super easy!

May I Introduce To You

Today, my friends, I'm proud to present to you ....

Claire: sweet, simple, super-long and lean. Favorite color, pale yellow. Favorite word, "reticent."

Jane: old-fashioned, demure, and unfailingly polite. Favorite author, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Favorite pasttime, exploring the climbing rose hedge with the butterflies.

Bridget: confident, intelligent, unafraid to take risks. Favorite dessert, raspberry cheesecake. Favorite food, dessert, naturally.

Next, Persephone: free-spirited, outspoken, and kind. Favorite possession, handmade journal. Favorite spot, the mossy journaling rock.

Also, Henrietta: bookish, inquisitive, a bit of a pack-rat. Favorite singer, Frank Sinatra. Favorite childhood occupation, playing dress-up in her mother's high heels.

And lastly, Tara: bright, easygoing, and appreciative of simple pleasures. Favorite view, the sky on a sunny day from a picnic blanket. Favorite smell, freshly-mown grass.

I hope you've enjoyed today's introductions. The last piece, Tara, is actually sold to someone named Tara. The others will be shown at the May Art Trail, or feel free contact me for pricing and purchasing info.

I Need A Vacation Really Really Badly

Exactly one month from today, I'll be getting off of an English bus and heading straight to the nearest street stall to buy postcards of this beautiful city. I'm so jealous of one-month-from-now me.

 

DIY Thursday: Sweet Hand-sewn Ruffle Frame

I'm getting so excited about re-situating my work room, and finally having a place for my cute, newly-whitewashed vintage sewing table! In celebration of many sewing projects to come, I am particularly happy to point you toward Courtney's blog, where she shows you how she made this adorable fabric ruffle frame.

I'm definitely going to do that. Spotted via A Beautiful Mess, here.

Great News

I'm on a roll, people! Two posts in one day!

I just wanted to stop in and tell you all to check out the Etsy Treasury I've been featured in today! So exciting! That's my Wedgwood Love necklace at the far left of the third row. Hooray for some extra Etsy exposure, amen?

Hello Again, Friends!

It's so lovely to be back. I did enjoy my short blogging break, and was able to work on some craftiness which I intend to show you very soon, but today, I have pretty weddings in mind for my Triumphant Return post.

After seeing the beautiful wedding-related posts recently featured on Elizabeth's and Danni's blogs, I am so excited to be able to share a great wedding resource with you: FREE downloadable, customizable, and printable invitations, which are stylish and pretty and easy! Visit DownloadandPrint.com, and have a look at all of the gorgeous options -- there's one to fit anyone's style and taste, and they all fit everyone's budget, no matter how small. Here are some of my favorites:

Free printable invitation templates found via iDiY.

Happy Day

Today deserves a special post: it was on April 7th, Easter weekend, three years ago that my sweet husband and I were married. I was happy then, but I had no idea how much happier he'd make me. He makes me laugh, he makes me giddy, and he makes me better.

I'm so glad you asked, my love, and I'm so thankful for you.

(All images by our wonderful wedding photographer, Brenda Williams.)

ReallyFastUpdate

(the My Lady necklace, image by me, available for sale in the Etsy shop.)

Just popped in to remind everyone that tonight is Art Trail! I hope that we'll have a good crowd -- I know that it's a holiday and all, but it's supposed to be nice this evening, and I'd love to see all of you there! (Alderson Mercedes, 17th & Texas, 6:00-9:00pm.) I made six! new headbands which I'll bring to show off tonight, plus four others which I had available last month. Plus, I'm trying out some new fun things with my display table. I'm going to try with all my might to remember to bring my camera, so that I can show it off to you next week upon my Glorious and Triumphant Return.

I should take breaks more often, just so that I can say Glorious and Triumphant Return every month or so. Many Happy Glorious and Triumphant Returns to You All, on this Splendid Friday Afternoon!