This is where I share my LOVE for the people, places, products that are part of my world. I’m extremely fortunate to be surrounded by creative, inspiring and talented friends; work with some truly top-notch industry professionals; and use some fantastic materials in my creations. I’m also a bit of a foodie and am happiest “breaking bread” (with lots of butter and a sprinkle of fleur de sel) with my family and friends. The adage “we don’t eat to live, we live to eat” applies here. So, from time to time, there’ll be a post about a gastronomic experience. And of course, I love to share snippets of life with my awesome family. I absolutely adore creating art with my children, so when we do something crafty, you’ll see it showcased here.
It’s about showing some LOVE:
- a “shout-out” to my fave peeps
- featuring businesses and resources that I wholeheartedly recommend
- a peek of what’s in my design “toolbox”
- some fun and easy DIY craft tutorials, freebies and downloads
- sharing any awesomeness that makes me happy
Mother’s Day DIY – Cameo Pillows
For Nana’s Mother’s Day gift, I thought it would be fun to make something with the boys’ silhouettes. Nana adores her grandsons, so I knew she wouldn’t mind having a little reminder of their cute faces. The cameo is such a classic and timeless motif, and works with all styles of décor from traditional to modern. I’ve incorporated silhouettes into invitation designs and decorative painting for years. Last year, my boys’ silhouettes were the main design element for their Vintage Carnival party invitations…and I recently helped my son’s kindergarten teacher...
Instagram Photo A Day – April
When I finished my Sketch Every Day 365 project in 2011, I knew I wanted to remain in the habit of being creative on a daily basis, which is what I loved most about the challenge of making or doing something every day for a year. I saw that a few of my IGer friends were participating in a daily photo challenge and I thought it would be fun to get on board and try it out. After all, I’m on Instagram constantly each day…I’m sure I could find a minute or...
Ribbon Bow Ties for My Superstar
Last night (April 18, 2012) our five year-old, Isaac, performed at the San Elijo Elementary School Talent Show. It was his very first time EVER being on stage in front of so many people and I am extremely proud of him! It takes a lot of courage and confidence to speak, sing, dance, perform in public. Most people (including myself) would have been nervous wrecks. So it was incredibly awesome to see my little dude up there, under the bright lights, in front of a packed house, doing his...
Fabu-LACE
I’ve been on a LACE kick lately…especially since finishing up two wedding invitation ensembles incorporating lace ribbon, and after a recent tableau shoot for Exquisite Weddings Magazine, where tea-stained lace ribbon was used as the table runner and as votive wraps. The recent Free People catalog features lace-trimmed and worn-out/distressed, cut-off denim shorts ranging from $68 – $258. The most expensive pair (called “Made to Last”) has “raw hems and extra destroyed holes and patches on front and back.” All I can think of when I see these is:...
A Lovely Tableau…
The Spring 2012 issue of Exquisite Weddings Magazine just hit the stores and I eagerly picked up a copy to see the gorgeous photos by Studio Carré of the table-top shoot I worked on with two amazingly fabulous gals, Jessica Gillon (Events by Design) and Annette Gomez (Flowers by Annette Gomez). Love Paper Paint created all the paper elements, as well as some painted items. Thanks to Jessica, this will be the fourth time my work has been published in this magazine as part of her tableaux features. Jessica usually...
Instagram Photo A Day – March
When I finished my Sketch Every Day 365 project in 2011, I knew I wanted to remain in the habit of being creative on a daily basis, which is what I loved most about the Sketch Every Day project. I saw that a few of my IGer friends were participating in a daily photo challenge and I thought it would be fun to get on board and try it out. After all, I’m on Instagram constantly each day…I’m sure I could find a minute or two to post a daily picture. I...
Happy Birthday, Jeff!
Happy Birthday to our dear friend, Jeff – a.k.a Jeffé, Chef Jeff, Brutha-From-Anutha-Mutha! We’ve known Jeff since high school (which is a long time considering that I had my 20 year high school reunion not too long ago) . He’s been a great friend and a part of our family ever since he started dating our “fourth sister” Allison (which has also been a very long time, hint-hint Jeffé). Allison, Jeff, and his daughter, Makala, have always been…and always will be, considered family to our tight-knit group. They have...
Master Bedroom – $30 Paint Makeover
Our master bedroom has looked the same for over ten years. With so many other more pressing and visible projects going on (and yet, still unfinished) around the house, it seems like our bedroom always has, and will, be last on the priority list. Some time ago, during one of our “one of these days when we have some extra time and money” home improvement/decorating project “wish list” discussions, my husband and I threw around some ideas for our bedroom makeover. Dark gray has always been one of his...
Instagram Photo A Day – February
When I finished my Sketch Every Day 365 project in 2011, I wondered…”NOW what am I going to do with all this ‘time’?” Haha, I’m being sarcastic, of course. With my work schedule, running two facets of my business full time and being a mom/wife…I barely have any time for anything. But I knew I wanted to remain in the habit of being creative on a daily basis, which is what I loved most about the Sketch Every Day project. I saw that a few of my IGer friends were participating in...
Instagram Photo A Day – January
When my photog sister introduced me to Instagram, she warned me, “It’s addictive”…and indeed it is! I’m completely obsessed with snapping photos with my iphone and sharing them on Instagram. I’m no photographer, by any means, so I need A LOT of help from filters and photo apps…but it’s been really fun for me to try being creative with my photos and I’m really impressed with the quality of the iphone pics. As far as the social media aspect of Instagram, I love the format and the ease...
Sketch Every Day: 12.31.11
Wow. I mean, WOW!!! I did it!!! Today completes my 365 Project. I have successfully sketched something EVERY.SINGLE.DAY for an ENTIRE year…and documented the journey here on this blog. This challenge taught me so much about myself, and the sketchbooks themselves have become special keepsakes…as they’ve captured my thoughts, feelings, memories, interests and ideas over this past year. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure how I was going to find time to do this every day. But once I got into the habit of taking a few minutes to...
Sketch Every Day: 12.30.11
12.30.11: A day with trains. Trains are a big deal in this family. Thanks to my father-in-law, my boys LOVE trains – watching them, riding them, running them, playing with them. And I have to say, I’m fascinated by them too…especially old steam locomotives, I find them to be beautiful and magnificent, marvelous machines from a by-gone era of transportation that most of us will never experience in this day and age of air travel, bullet trains and well, the automobile. Saying that Papa is a train aficionado, is...
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