Carry Through

Tonight my brain and body felt totally overwhelmed, exhausted, and uncooperative. I literally couldn't hold a thought for more than a few seconds without losing it or jumping to something else. So (after far too long in this state) I turned off the tv, the computer and the phone, and went into my studio. I sat for a bit, walked around for a while, wrote down some thoughts and tried to shut my mind down some. This is something I struggle with a lot but need to work on more. Just taking it easy, organizing ideas, making plans, and giving myself the time to carry them through.

Maybe I have a new years resolution after all.

a little affirmation

Sometimes after a long week, not much rest, some uncertainty about the future, and not much of a break in sight- all you need is a deep breath and a little banner to tell you things are going to be alright. I'd love to do some major decluttering of my studio and hang this right in the middle of a freshly painted wall.

affirmation banner by Secret Holiday Co.

lauren moffatt spring 2012

Last year I used Lauren Moffatt's lovely spring collection to inspire my honeymoon wardrobe packing. This year I am even more excited about what she's designed. From the floral, ruffly-strapped swim suit, to peter pan collars, to the belted skirts with ankle boots, it is pretty much perfection. A bit out of my price range, I am already scheming how I can recreate some of these looks with my thrift store finds. See the entire collection here.

easiest party decor ever

When we decided last Monday night to have a small get together for the mister's birthday I thought I'd have plenty of time during the week to set up a menu and nail down some decorations. So when I woke up on Saturday from a really busy week with absolutely nothing done (read- not even thought about) I was a little panicked. After a morning of errands and a small but efficient shopping list I was ready to cook and set up the decorations. I knew the decor had to be simple so I had the idea of lining the wall behind the table with crepe paper strips and really wanted to try the wooden shapes garland that Jenny had shown here. A long strip of double-sided tape was all I needed to adhere about 60 long strips of basic streamer paper to the top of the wall. I painted thin sheets of balsa wood in matching colors with craft paint and cut into geometric shapes with an x-acto. I then used a multi-sized hole punch to (carefully) punch into those and strung them onto waxed cord left over from the Christmas bracelets I made for my girlfriends. It all came together pretty quickly, cost less than $13, and made a simple yet colorful impact. Sometimes a time crunch and last minute ideas are the best.

summer shapes

I guess I must be yearning for summer, or at least springtime, because this morning I found myself playing around with photos I took last summer at the Outer Banks. Yep, I'll take warmer weather any time.

open me

Today I wanted to share some quick invitations I put together for our little birthday shin dig this weekend, in honor of the mister. We had a snow day off from school/work on Monday so I had time to put together these invitations and figure out how to mail them with a metal brad and string around the outside. After designing, printing, cutting and assembling them I was happy to find out that with just a 20-cents extra stamp (making them non-machine-runnable) I could mail them out.

I am so looking forward to our little celebration! Now I just need to clean the house and figure out a menu...

birthday boy

Happy Birthday to my love. To a sweet, talented, humble, hilarious, hard-working, patient, and unrelentingly loving husband. I am so happy to have celebrated the last 7 of your birthdays with you, I can't wait to celebrate a year of marriage in April, and I feel honored to know I'll celebrate this day with you for all the rest of our years. I love you, mister! xo.

belated birthday dinner

This weekend we celebrated a belated birthday (mine) and an upcoming one (the misters) with a sushi dinner with my in-laws. Not only was the food absolutely delicious (I actually tried fish for the first time in over ten years), but the ambiance and styling of the restaurant were impeccable. It's amazing how the environment can really make a dinner experience. It was a great night but I am even more excited for the birthday celebrations, crafts, and sweets later on this week.

loving confetti

Jenny's amazing confetti table cloth for Oh Happy Day reminded me this afternoon of my deep love for this simple party supply. The colorful paper pieces instantly make you smile and throwing some in the air makes you feel as giddy as a kid. Really, try to frown while your tossing confetti, just try.I think when it comes to confetti, keep it simple and colorful. Circles are classic, a mix of shapes, is super fun, and metallic is glamorous. Use it to decorate a gift, to dress up a simple invite, or just to add a little fun wherever it lands.top photo from decor8, middle photo from Oh Happy Day, bottom photo by my husband.

confetti card diy and a printable

Lastly today I wanted to share a confetti valentine's day card I designed and sent to my sweet little sister. I created the banner design and simply printed onto a glassine bag. Then I cut out a simple heart-shaped card from silver card stock and added a message.

Next I filled the the bag with festive confetti,
folded down the top flap and secure with heart stickers,added a stamp and address to the back of the bag and voila- a valentine ready to mail!
Best of all, if you are in a last minute rush on this busy holiday, I created a card template of the same banner design and you can download it here. Simply download the template below, print this baby out, cut and fold and you are ready to share the love with someone in your life. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!!