Unconditional love - Tilda with puppy

I just love this background stamp from Magnolia-licious! It's just so much FUN! I used a total of three Magnolia stamps on this card, Tilda with puppy, fence with summer background, and the sun. I stamped Tilda with puppy out three times so I could cut the puppies out and place them around the fence. All of these stamps are available at Magnolia-licious. You should check them out! They have the largest selection of Magnolia stamps in North America. And Diana is now offering free shipping on ANY order, no matter how much you spend! How cool is that?!

The DP is by Wild Asparagus and the cardstock is Bazzill. The stamps are colored in wth my copic markers. Tilda is cut out and popped up from the card, and so are the puppies. I used a light blue chalk ink around the edges of the summer background stamp.

The cloud was cut out with my Cricut Expression machine with the Hello Kitty cartridge. That cute sun was cut out and popped up off the card. I love dimension, and this card has plenty of it!

That's it for today. We're halfway through the week and Friday is now in my sights! Thanks so much for stopping by to see me today, and I sure hope to see you back again soon! HUGS!

Justin & Jody's House

This is my beautiful friend Jody!

Yes, that's me taking lots of photos of all the pretty things!

FINALLY, here are some photos of my friend's house. Justin & Jody have just finished building this modern house which they are planning on selling very soon as they are about to embark on another project.

Jody wanted a really pretty look which is a big departure from the look she had in her previous house which was taupe and natural.

They had lots of old pieces of furniture which they had collected over the years which we painted and recovered. There are some more pictures of their bedroom which we did in navy and white which I will post sometime soon as well! Hope you like this fun, happy, bright house!!

Egyptian Influence on Western Jewelry Trends

Fashion and jewelry have always drawn influence from different cultures, both near and far. But what you might not know is that many of the top picks of beauty editor's 'must have' accessories for this season are inspired by the ancient cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Long before celebrities walked the red carpets adorned with giant gemstones and stylish statements of fashion, Egyptians were creating arm bands, bracelets, earrings and collars for royalty hierarchy, wise scholars and skilled warriors. Today, these pieces have re-emerged into the limelight, as glamorous Hollywood 'It' girls and socialites don giant oversized gold cuffs, art deco themed chokers and arm bands reminiscent of ancient Egyptian culture.

Much of Egyptian culture has roots in architecture and those influences carry over into the intricate and beautifully adorned jewelry designs of the culture. Gold was a favorite, and rare precious gems such as the olive-hued Peridot were often used as accents and symbols of power. Now, we see celebrities such as Amy Adams wearing jewelry inspired by the Egyptian culture. The stunning statement necklace she wore to the recent Academy Awards ceremony was a cascade effect of rubies, emeralds and diamonds. It was a beauty that would make even Cleopatra jealous.

Another trend we can't seem to get enough of is the golden cuff bracelet. The serpent cuff bracelet adorned with gemstones for eyes is a hot seller that has been spotted on the arm of fashion mavens Madonna and Fergie. The beaded lotus cuff bracelet, which is accented with turquoise and blue grass stones looks almost Safari-like and is similar to the designs at many major department stores and retailers. Both of these cuffs are very similar to the arm bands worn by royal Egyptians in ancient times.

As evidenced by the patterns of modern day jewelry, it's easy to see the origin of these pieces dating back to Egyptian roots. From hammered metal pendants to ornate arm cuffs, the culture is carried on and adapted in many beautiful ways.

What's YOUR indispensable baking tool?...Works For Me Wednesday

Today's Works For Me Wednesday is a backwards edition. This means I get to ask you a question!

What is your indispensable, essential, can't-do-without baking tool?

I thought about this question for quite some time. First, I thought this:

Then, my silicone spatulas...



But when it comes down to it, I would never make cookies without this:
Parchment Paper! I have gone to the grocery store at 10pm sent my husband to the grocery store at 10pm on a parchment run in a cookie making emergency.

So, go ahead and tell me...what's your can't-live-without baking tool?

Be sure to click over to We Are THAT Family for more WFMW (backwards) tips and come back later this week for a yummy giveaway!!! :) YAY!

Pretty Packages

I've mentioned before that I am a complete sucker for packaging, especially when it comes to making wine selections, but it certainly holds true for food items, ok, pretty much all items, as well. Present me with a product that has a lovely package design, and I will likely want to purchase it.

As I said yesterday, Louise Fili's website is full of beautiful work, and what follows are some of my favorite pieces from their packaging portfolio.

Irving Farm

Bella Cucina

El Paso Chile Co.

El Paso Chile Co. for Williams-Sonoma

Wedding dream team collaboration :: Photo shoot

Whew! Yesterday was fantastic! I had a great time collaborating with some of my favorites (the best!) in the Portland wedding arena for a gorgeous photo shoot.

Dress extraordinaire, Elizabeth Dye
Photographer, Lisa Warninger
Stylist, Chelsea Fuss (of frolic!)
Accessories, Twigs & Honey (yours truly)
Model, Anna Adams
Location, Ace Hotel

These are just some of my photos... but more beautiful photos by Lisa should be coming in a few weeks.

More photos to come!
Thank you Elizabeth, Chelsea, Lisa, Anna, and Jaime!! I had a wonderful time!
Visit my Flickr photosream for more photos... HERE.

snap and chat with Wendy Joblon

Trish and I headed out to South Dartmouth last week to visit the ultra fab Wendy... wedding planner, small business owner, mother of two, wife of one... and over all very cool lady. We always love to photograph a wedding when Wendy has had a hand in the planning. She has the best taste!

In addition to being a planner- Wendy opened this adorable store Folia in South Dartmouth that carries custom invitations and all things monogrammed (gifts, personalized stationary etc.)

Isn't it adorable? I want to live here.

... and the inside too...




Wendy has been in this space for a year. She's open from 10-3 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday.
In the summer she'll be open until 4pm.



Why add invitations to an already successful planning business? "Wedding invites and planning go hand in hand because there is a theme to it. Many people start with the invitation. It's nice to have that input."

Here she is! Wendy is about to be on the other side of a wedding .... her son is getting married over Labor Day weekend in Colorado. Wendy says she does not want to be in charge of anything!!! She just want to go and have a great time- oh, and wear a gorgeous dress of course...The wedding is planned for 450 guests, and there will be 28 people in the wedding party- wow!

Wendy is so respected in our business. Whenever her name comes up in conversation- it's always a compliment about her great style or just how nice of a person she is. I was curious about how she started her business...

Turns out Wendy went to BU to become a teacher-she made it through but decided it just wasn't for her. She said it was so hard that she lost 25lbs the first year! Maybe I should take up teaching?...

Next, she became the catering secretary and coordinator at the Sheraton Tara in Raynham, but left to move to Dartmouth and get married. Next for Wendy... to baby boys that kept he buys for a while until she started to get a little cabin feverish at home.

She ended up getting a job selling boxes... "I didn't know anything about boxes but boy could I sell them!" No surprises here... Wendy is a knock out, I am sure those companies she was selling boxes too would have bought anything she came in with.

One day when she was getting a manicure, her manicurist asked if she could help her plan her daughter's Batmitzvah. Wendy accepted. She also worked for several years at Hawthorne CC booking, coordinating, and overseeing all things wedding.

Then she decided, "Hey- I should start my own business, and that was 14 year ago!"

Wendy is modeling some of the adorable things she carries in the store, like this terry cloth wrap, with monogram of course. How cute would this be as gift for bridesmaids?

We are suckers for personalized stationary too.

If you need invitations or a fun gift, a trip to South Dartmouth is so worth it, it's the cutest little village with good places for lunch. Also, because Wendy is a wedding planner too she often doles out a little free advice to her customers!

Wendy, it's always so nice to see you- thanks for the snap and chat. We'll be back in for some stationary!

You can contact Wendy through her website: www.wendyjoblon.com

Folia is located at 354 Elm Street in South Dartmouth

They're Coming!!

It seems I am experiencing a few technical camera/computer problems. I know I said I would post images of my friends house tonight however, it's just not going to be possible as I am so hopeless at computer problems! Here is one more image to keep you going for the meantime! Please bear with me. I hope to have the complete set of pictures posted here tomorrow sometime. Thanks for your patience!!

Chunky chains necklaces: A Fashion 'Do'

If you feel like being a bit edgy this spring, then it's time to get on board with one of the hottest jewelry styles of the season – chain link metal. Featured on the pages of In Style and on the necks of the style-setters like Blake Lively, this is one piece of jewelry advice you simply can't ignore.

Reminiscent of 80s punk rock and 90s hip hop, gunmetal open chain link necklaces are back and they're all the rage right now. With a layered or wound together look, these pieces can be eye-catching and chic. To add interest to a single strand chain link necklace, look for a piece with texture, try wrapping a few times or combine with other more polished jewelry for a fun flirty look. Chain metal jewelry is meant to be interesting, so don't be afraid to play around by adding sterling silver or sparkly charms.

If you can't see yourself piling on chain metal link necklaces, then try an asymmetrical style, with mini chains on one side and a statement flower or rhinestone knot on the opposite side. This is a more polished, yet still unique way to wear the trend. By incorporating heavier chains with more delicate or glamorous pieces, you'll achieve a more balanced and feminine look. For a night out, try incorporating an oversized mesh chain link choker to pump up the volume of a basic black dress.

Chain link necklaces are playful and fun, so the outfits you pair them with should be too. For example, wear one casually with a simple t-shirt and cardigan. Or, play to the layered effect and try one with a t-shirt, open vest and skinny jeans. This style should look completely effortless – like you just threw on the necklace and let it speak for itself.

Typophilia

There has been a bit of buzz around the blogosphere regarding the new website for Louise Fili Ltd., a firm specializing in the design of restaurant identity and food packaging, and for very good reason-- the website is chock-full of the creative work of this talented firm.

I fell especially hard for this logo for Rusk Renovations, Inc.; the vintage-feeling ruler and typography completely did me in.


I also am head over heels for what looks to have been an amazing issue of the Italian magazine, Un Sedicesimo. The issue was devoted to the Italian and French script typefaces from Louise Fili and Steven Heller's collections, and it looks like it would provide endless inspiration.

Finally, I adore this image from Louise Fili's sneak peek on Design*Sponge. The vintage tin is gorgeous, and I love that it is used to display some of the matchbooks and business cards from restaurants for which they have designed logos.


Stay tuned for more from this accomplished firm, as tomorrow I will be sharing some of my favorite packaging work from their portfolio.

More Photos Tomorrow

I will post the photos of my friend's house, which I just finished working on, tomorrow as I didn't have time to upload the photos before I left the office this afternoon...sorry!!! However, here's one sneak peek picture to whet your appetite!!

Image - Anna Spiro

Bitten By The Bug challenge - bunny from Doodlecharms cartridge

It's Sunday night, and that means it's time to reveal this weeks challenge for Bitten By The Bug! It's Easter time, and in just a couple weeks, that cute little old Peter Cottontail is going to be hidng eggs all over the place! So Regina's challenge this week is to use the bunny cut from the Doodlecharms cartridge. I had fun with this one cause I really do love shaped cards! So I cut the basket (also from the Doodlecharms cart) out at 6" with Making Memories paper and then shadowed it wih the blue cardstock. The eggs were cut out just using some scrap paper, and the grass was cut from the ZooBalloo cartridge. The Expression and all the cartridges are available at Hallmark Scrapbook.

The chocolate bunny (with a bitten ear) and the rest of the cuts are actually glued inside the layers on the inside of the card so that no raw edges are showing anywhere, inside or out. Added a big pink gingham bow with a blue button, along with some pearls (not marked so no idea where they came from) for interest. OH! I wanted the chocolate bunny to look like he had that icing, so I drew his features with pink liquid pearls. I then added two tiny blad pearls by Kaiser to his eyes. This little cutie will be for sale in my etsy shop very soon. (link is on the top right of my blog) That does it for this card. Please be sure and visit Bitten By The Bug to see the rest of the extremely talented design teams projects with this cute bunny! Thanks for stopping by to see me today, and hope I see you back again soon! HUGS!