Minted Madness!

I've been in full blown wedding planning mode since December (give or take a few...years) and have just about all the big items in place.  We decided on the ceremony and reception venues in a snap, the heavens parted when I tried on my dress, the photographer was a no-brainer and so on and so forth…but when it comes to invitations…we're talking a whole other story.  Somehow or another I've tasked the invitations with the enormous responsibility of representing all parts of our big day…they should be classy but not boring, upscale but not stuffy, creative but not weird and a hush should fall over the room when they're opened.  As you can imagine, finding such an invitation has proved difficult.  Enter Minted.  Not only do they have some of the prettiest wedding invitations, menus and programs, I've come across, they also have birth announcements, (for a little ways down the road, don't rush me people), party decorations, business cards, art prints, journals and the list goes on!  Let's just say I've spent some time perusing the merchandise and I can say with confidence the selection is killer.  I gathered a few of their beautiful offerings below…I rest my case:

1. Ombre Menu, $1.63 each for 100  2. Wed in Type Invitations, $2.34 each for 100  3. Beautifully Penned Business Cards, $0.57 each for 100  4. Vintage Grid Birth Announcement, $1.15 each for 100 5. Wildflower Journal, $16 each  6. Miss Austen Print, $20 for 5x7
A collaboration with Minted, all opinions are my own.

Shop This Look: Cinderella

Cinderelly, Cinderelly...are you fabulous or what?  For our second official Shop This Look, I took a few cues from the queen of the Disney princesses (don't worry fellow brunettes, Belle is still my very favorite).  Truth is, I'm gonna see Ms. Cinderella on the big screen in a couple days so I keep waking up singing her songs...not that I'm complaining because, be honest, the music in that movie is too good.    Now, if you are A) a Sephora Beauty Insider, B) a Disney fan and C) free this Thursday night, then boy oh boy do I have a link you need to checkout!  Play your cards right and you may be sitting pretty at your town's special movie theater screening, too!  You'll find all the details here.  In the meantime, check out the pieces below inspired by the movie...see something you like?  Just click and buy!  So simple, right?

Long Blue Straw

You know who I haven't spent enough time bragging on?  The lovely lady who designed our new logo, Tracy Hetzel.  I was browsing her Etsy shop, Long Blue Straw, the other day and it occurred to me that I never posted any of her prints!  An 8x10 will run you less than $20 whiiiich is kind of incredible.  I rounded up a few of my personal favorites, but if I was you, I'd check them all out here.

Photos Via: Long Blue Straw Custom Illustrations

Inspiration Piece: Gorman X Rhys Lee

Within three seconds of seeing this picture I wanted to respond in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: yelling "this is awesome!", painting all over my clothes, painting all over the walls, and sharing the photo with you.  In lieu of options B & C, I rounded up a few items that capture the textures, colors and shapes found in this pretty little work of art.  FYI: this jumpsuit goes on sale this Friday as part of artist Rhys Lee's collaboration with designer Lisa Gorman.  To check out killer photos of the line and/or hear some super fun insights into the Gorman X Rhys Lee launch, check out this post on The Design Files!  

1. Vanessa Mooney The Mesa Dangle Earrings, Shopbop $50  2. Abstract Polymer Clay and Resin Ring, Etsy $20  3. House of Harlow Robyn Round Frame, The Outnet £55  4. Kevin O'Brien Fingerpaint Pillow, Joss and Main Photo Via: The Design Files

23 Madison Studio

Finding something you think is awesome is always a good time.  Finding something that combines three things you think are awesome is an unspeakably good time!  In this case, the party responsible is 23 Madison Studio and the three things in question are luxury items, adorable artwork and stationary.  Really, really cute stationary.  More incredible still, the artist behind this fabulous studio will create custom "what's in your bag" illustrations!  Is that not the neatest gift ever?  I've been brainstorming what mine would include ever since I discovered this cute little shop and so far I've got: my iPhone, Dior mascara, GaBees Lip balm, Rayban Wayfarers, Southwest peanuts, my Dad's old monogrammed business card case, a Dinner and a Suit CD and Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume.  What would you display in your "what's in your bag" illustration?

Images Via: 23 Madison Studio

Shark Week!

If you love Air Jaws and Sharkzilla as much as I do (and don't even say it if you don't or I'll be forced to pass serious judgement upon you), then you'll be thrilled to know that this year is the 25th anniversary of Shark Week!  It's gonna be awesome.  Now somebody cue the music from Jaws, stat.

1. Shark Cookie Cutter, Etsy $2.45  2. Shark Print, Happy Menocal $100  3. Edible Shark Toppers, Etsy $9.95  4. Atelier Minyon Shark Tooth Ring, Max & Chloe $1,780  5. Shark Bookends, Etsy $44.99

Caitlin McGauley, You Little Wonder You.

I know I've talked about how much I like watercolor before...how I think it's pretty and lovely and delicate and all that, but today I'm ready to take things a step further and officially declare it to be my favorite medium.  Let the record show that these Caitlin McGauley prints pretty much sealed the deal...they're so feminine and so beautiful I could hardly wait to share them with you!     

Images Via: Caitlin McGauley

10 Antermeridiem

Boy oh boy do I love a good Etsy discovery.  These treats from 10 Antermeridiem, a cute little shop out of Athens, Greece, are fun and fabulous are they not?  They had me smiling pretty big, as did the bio of the artist responsible for making them which says, "10am is my preferred wake-up time.  Here you will find handmade notebooks, prints and experiments, done after a good night sleep!"  That's just too good.

Photos via: 10antemeridiem

Impractically Perfect

I spent the majority of yesterday in New York City helping a dear friend plan her wedding and as a fun treat, her Mom made reservations at Bergdorf Goodman for lunch.  Now, I don't know if you've ever been to Bergdorf Goodman for lunch (I, of course, hadn't) but in my now expert opinion, you should go.  You should go right away.  But let this be a warning to you if you do go right away!  Should you dare to browse around after lunch like we did, chances are high that you will loose your ever loving mind.  It's just way too many beautiful, wonderful, extravagant things under one roof...things you most certainly can not have displayed in such a way that tricks you into thinking maybe you might need them.  There's some kind of dark magic at work there for sure.  After spending part of the afternoon discovering so many incredible pieces, I got to thinking about the kinds of over the top things I would buy if I was the kind of over the top person that shopped there.  These were the first items that came to mind...

1. Coloring Book, Hermes $140  2. Mini Luggage Tote, Celine $2,400  3. Windows at Bergdorf Goodman, Assouline $695  4. Creme de la Mer, La Mer $1,800  5. Crystal Embellished Sandals, Alexander McQueen $1,710

I'm The Map, I'm The Map, I'm The Map: Part 2

As promised, here's part two in my who-knows-how-long-this'll-go series on crafting with vintage maps.  I know I let the cat out of the bag yesterday in regards to what the project actually is, but here's the breakdown on how to create a cute little cake banner of your very own.

Here's what you'll need:
-Ruler
-Scissors
-Pencil
-Needle or pin
-At least one sheet of alphabet stickers (depending on what message you're writing)
-A small section of vintage map...a 5x8 piece should be more than enough
-A small piece of card stock
-Two 12" wooden shish kabob sticks
-Red and white baker's twine

Create an inverted stencil by measuring and drawing an Isosceles triangle onto your piece of card stock (and you thought you'd never use math again after high school...for the record, my measurements were 1" x 1.25" x 1.25"...also for the record, I didn't think I'd ever use math again after high school, either).  Cut out, place on your map section and trace.

Minimize the amount of cutting you'll have to do by tracing your triangles in the pattern below...see how you can use the triangles facing up and the ones facing down?

Cut out your tracings and erase any pencil marks left behind.

Add stickers to write out your message, then take your pin and pierce the top corners of each pennant.  

Cut a 16" length of bakers twine for the top portion of your text and an 18" length for the bottom.  String the pennants from left to right, starting with the first letter of your message.  Depending on the thickness of your pin, you may need to increase the size of your piercing with a shish kabob stick so the bakers twine feeds through easily.

Center your text and tie bakers twine onto the top of the shish kabob sticks, leaving an inch or two on either side.

Secure sticks in cake and serve.  And if you missed our killer cake recipe from yesterday, make sure you check it out (strawberry cake from scratch, yum)!

I'm The Map, I'm The Map, I'm The Map: Part 1

One of my other fun flea market purchases was a handful of vintage maps.  It's crazy to think that not too long ago there was no GPS, no Google maps, no one to yell "recalculating" at you...only these awkwardly large pieces of paper with shockingly small font.  Still, there's something almost romantic about maps.  I can't quite put my finger on it but I suspect it has something to do with nostalgia.  I've got a lot planned for my new map collection...in fact, I've already scheduled another map do-it-yourself craft for next Friday (how on top of things am I?).  Now...today's DIY couldn't be easier.

Here's what I used:

3 sets of hinged double picture frames

3 photos of people I love

3 maps from where said people live

Scissors

A pencil

I've lived a few different places now and had the pleasure of establishing really meaningful relationships in all of them.  Add to that the fact that my family and friends are getting older and growing up and starting new lives in different places.  So, at this point, little pieces of my heart are all over the globe!  I thought it might be fun to illustrate my loved ones' little corners of the world in a "you are here" mall map style.  I used my parents' picture in one, made one for my roommate of her adorable niece, and went ahead and made one to remind me that there's plenty of special people right here where I live (most notably, my incredible brother).  

First, I printed out a few wallet sized photos.

Then I opened the picture frames and used the pretend family photo as a template for the map portion of the project (keeping the width of the frame itself and what it's overhang would cut off in mind).    

I centered the city I wanted to use and traced around the template with my pencil...

...then simply cut out the city and put it in the frame. 

Voila!  How cute is that?  Between the frames, maps and pictures I spent about $15 total which is not too shabby if you ask me.  Can't wait to show you my next map project (it's awesome)!

Guest Post: Rin from Papered Thoughts

Greetings from the Sunshine State!  The opportunity to get away and spend some time with dear, lifelong friends has been priceless.  Just...too wonderful.  But just cause I'm off getting sun-kissed doesn't mean you should be neglected.  Which brings me to my next point...the gorgeous gals scheduled to guest post while I'm away.  First up is Rin from Papered Thoughts, who I met through the Send Something Good Project from a few weeks ago (a few weeks?  Last week?  When was that?  Golly, time flies).  I know a lot of creative people...in fact, I'd like to think of myself as a creative person, but sweet Rin puts us all to shame.  Her blog literally explodes with life and color and some of the neatest ideas I ever did see.  A few things you should know about her...1) She's from Australia (which I think we can all agree makes her cooler than us right off the bat)...2) She has an Etsy shop with killer merchandise and 3) She's a girl after my own heart, and you're about to see why....

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Hello to all you lovely people! I am Rin - the creative mind behind "Papered Thoughts" & a long time advocate for the revival of the lost art of letter writing. I was so excited when the wonderful Gabrielle contacted me & asked me if I'd be interested in Guest Blogging for her - I said "Yes!" (a little too loudly) & began working on my First Guest Post straight away.

Snail Mail is one of my Favourite things in the universe. There is nothing better than running up to your letter box & finding a letter from across the oceans written just for you. To think that someone has sat down & spent time thinking about me - just makes me all giddy & fuzzy inside! - So let's spread the love, send a letter to a grandparent, cousin, old friend or new - across the ocean or around the corner.. it doesn't matter - I guarantee that a hand written letter will bring a smile to anyones face. - okay here it is "Papered Thoughts" First Guest Post - Let's get back to basics & Re-discover how to write a kick-a letter.



Where does it all begin? - A Simple piece of paper - That's all it takes.. Lined, Unlined, Coloured, White, Card, Aerogramme, The Choices are endless - Find something that makes you smile & run with it..

(Hello My name is Rin & I am a Washi Tape Addict) - If you have not discovered this amazing tape yet, you are missing out - Blank white Paper comes alive with a little splash of colour.. Again the Possibilities are endless! Get creative - There are no rules!



Okay lets get writing - Before we begin let me suggest (strongly) that you date your letters.. Really for no other reason than this - Earlier this year I flew to New Zealand to visit my grandmother who had become very ill - We started talking about letters, I showed her my blog (at 93 she still gets it!) & Told her about all my wonderful penpals all over the world - She left the room and came back with a box.. a box absolutely stuffed full of letters! - Letters from my Grandfather, Her Parents, Her cousins & Friends all Handwritten - all from various adventures all over the globe & every single one dated - Some as early as 1927. Think about it - imagine 80 years from now your letters finding their way into the hands of a child, grandchild or even a stranger.. Amazing right. - So please if you do one thing! Date your letters!

The other thing I love to do with letters is experiment with typography - get creative, try new styles out, be bold!



Write about what makes you happy - What you did today - What you want to be when you "grow up" - Where you live - What your family is like - Where you've been - Where you're going.. It doesn't matter, as long as you put your heart behind what you're saying. <3



Another Super Spesh little thing I love to do within my letters is play "Mail Tag" A game Inspired (created) by the lovely Bianca from "goodnight little spoon" - I made up my Own Mail Tag Sheet & photocopied it to include in all my letters - It's a fantastically quirky way to get to know your penpals (& even family members!)

"Mail-tag consists of an exchange of postal
correspondence between (2) people. The first person begins the game by
requesting one or more desired things. That person then mails those requests to
the other participant - who interprets those requests, writes a list of their
own requests for the other participant and sends them back. You can take as much
or as little time to compose and send back your reply, ask for as few or as many
things in your requests and generally interpret requests in whichever way you
see fit."



Okay now for the super fun part - let's create some "Mail Art"  .. Mail Art is a big part of the Snail Mail Revival - Say No to boring white envelopes & create lovely pieces of art to travel through the postal system.



You Can use anything that will make it over the long journey (heavy items & buttons are generally a no-go, the postal machine chews them up!) but anything papery is great.. Ephemera is great for projects like this - raid your local second hand shop (& Etsy) for some great finds!  








Now for the "Good Stuff" that extra little bit of exciting pretty goodness that you can stuff into your envelope - whilst still keeping it nice and cheap to send (postage is expensive these days!) Here are a few of my favourites

- Tea - Vintage Stamps - Pretty post it notes - Postcards - Fortune telling Fish - Umbrellas - Confetti - Stickers - Notebooks - Pens - Pencils - Anything that is generally flat & safe to send via the mail! 


This little letter is off to Lyndsey from The Stationery Place - Oh & Don't forget a return Address! :) Well there you go - So what are you waiting for - Get out your supplies & write some letters - Send a bit of sushine someones way! - Thanks for having me! - Peace & Love <3 Rin from Papered Thoughts