1. DIY Chalkboard Cakes. I am kicking myself for selling off all of my 5 tier papier mache cakes. My distributor went out of business (damn economy!) and now I cannot order any more. My girls would just die if they could decorate the same cake over and over (and over!) again. I'm going to have to dig through my craft storage area to see if I can find any more cakes. How cute is this?
2. Retro Sailor Bathing Suits. I LOVE the look of these suits by Etsy Seller TheRedDolly. So cheery & perfect for summer. They make me think that I need to buy a new treadmill.... (while you're drooling over the sailor suit, check out her Paris Maillot... PARIS... it was meant to be!).
Two fantastic new things to check out (with videos!!):
1. My Favorite Things Berry Box Die: My daughters had so much fun during our Spring Tea last year that I think I'm going to do it again. Once I laid eyes on this cute die, I knew what my theme was going to be -- strawberry lemonade. Think giant red and yellow tissue paper pom poms... Think red and white striped paper straws... Think chocolate covered strawberries on tiered plates... Think little strawberry boxes filled with tasty treats!!!
This will die cut a little treat box that folds into a strawberry. IT EVEN EMBOSSES ADORABLE LITTLE SEEDS FOR YOU! For an amazing example, check out Karen Giron's sample here.
2. "Learn With Jenny" blog: I love reading blogs for inspiration. I find great cupcake recipes (which I never use), card ideas (which I never make) and great ideas for my kids' playdates (I actually do use these!). Every once in a long while, I stumble upon a blog that knocks my socks off. If you haven't seen "Learn With Jenny"'s blog, you must. Absolutely must.
My friend Suni uses a number of shocking phrases that always make me laugh. For example, her computer never crashes. It goes "tits up". Nobody ever has an unpleasant look to them. They "have a face like a cat's ass". One of my favorite Suni gems is "balls outside the pants". She uses it when she's done something completely over the top, without regard for what others might think. I love it.
I love Jenny's blog because she completely lives with her"balls outside of her pants." Diagnosed with cancer 6 years ago, Jenny sat down and wrote a "life list" of things that she wanted to do with her life. She battled and won her cancer battle, and then set about living her life -- work, kids, everything else that comes with it. Several years later, she realized that she hadn't accomplished much on her "life list" and changed her way of thinking. There was an amazing life to be lived! There's so much to learn!
I love watching Jenny cross items off of her "life list". Some are small (hold a bake sale with her kids) and some are really "reach for the stars" dreams (dance with Ellen DeGeneres on her show).
One of my favorite Jenny list items was to dance in front of all of the Washington Monuments. Watch this and tell me that you don't love Jenny too:
Now, that's living with your balls outside of your pants...
2. i-magicut Ribbon Cutter. I've been using a ton of ribbon (may God bless you Offray Ribbon Factory Outlet) on my projects lately and I hate sealing the ends of my ribbons so they don't fray. I tend to be a little heavy handed with the flame and end up with wonky ends. The other day I discovered a new tool to help me solve this problem! It cuts the ends perfectly (in various styles) AND SEALS THE ENDS FOR ME!
I'm still receiving requests for additional Nancy Drew Date Books for 2012, so I've added a few new kits to the store. For those of you that are (ahem...) running late in getting organized, you'll be thrilled to know that these Date Books include pages through January 2013, so you'll still get to enjoy Nancy for a year!
The Secret Of The Wooden Lady kit includes beautiful green and dusty mauve papers & embellishments. I love the ominous water on the front cover -- great for the boating enthusiast or anyone who loves the water! You'll find it here.
The Invisible Intruder kit offers up sky blue and espresso brown papers & embellishments. The cover is classic Nancy Drew... perplexed Nancy and creepy background. Fantastic! You'll find it here.
I had a few others prepared, but they sold before I could even get them to Etsy. These are probably the last that I will put together before this Fall. Grab them while they last!
Happy New Year! I've just poured myself a fresh cup of coffee and I'm sitting down to share two things I think you just can't miss this week:
1. Season Two of Downton Abbey. Season One left us heartbroken over the Matthew/Lady Mary split and hopeful for Anna/Mr. Bates. Now we'll be able to watch the entire family (both upstairs and down) deal with war, death and love. Season Two premieres January 8th on PBS Masterpiece (check your local listings). If it is not playing near you (it doesn't appear in my local listings), you may be able to watch via your computer or iPad. If you haven't seen the first season, you will definitely want to catch up. All four episodes from Season One are available online (for free) until January 17, 2012 or via NetFlix streaming.
2. Whimsical Snow Gauge. Now that the Christmas decorations are down, things are looking a little sparse around here. I'm looking forward to a blanket of white snow to freshen things up. How cute would this be right behind my living room windows? We've had a few flurries and may get some scattered snow showers. Mama needs this beautiful wrought iron stake to pretty things up around here! Only $69 through Amazon!
Hope you have a wonderful week! The kids are finally back in school and I'm looking forward to getting some crafting done...
New Years Eve is around the corner and I'm working to fill custom Nancy Drew Date Book orders. I have only been able to add one more kit to my store this week, but it's a classic!:
#15 in the series, The Haunted Bridge is full of everything we love about Nancy Drew -- jewel thieves, ghosts and her best pals Bess & George. The papers & embellishments in this kit are a wonderful blend of greens and browns -- perfect for every day in 2012.
As a reminder, time is running out to order your refill kits for your previous years' Date Books. Be sure to order yours today!
I love making Nancy Drew Date Book kits because I know that they will make someone happy for a whole year! It is fun to mix & match paper/ribbons to each cover, and coming up with something that will make the owner smile. I just added three new kits (and more refill kits) to my Etsy store. Check out these beautiful covers:
Looking for a last minute Christmas gift for a teacher, co-worker or friend (or even yourself)? My Christmas Scrabble Tile Bracelet kits are now in my Etsy store at a reduced rate of $20/kit. That's half off! I'm desperate to clean out my storage area to make room for new kits in the new year, so these kits are priced to sell!
My poor 2 year-old is sick (again) this week, so I'm falling farther and farther behind in getting my Nancy Drew Date Books out this year. I was able to whip this one up this week and it is a fantastic cover! I love the old school feel of the linen cover.
For those of you who have purchased the Nancy Drew Date Books in the past and are looking to refill your book for 2012, refills are now available as well. If you've made the book for a friend, the instructions are easy enough to follow along that they should be able to refill their own book -- easy peasy!
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