Recipe Cards

f course, I'm distracting myself while I'm supposed to be researching cases. Of course. But I wanted to post about something I'm very excited about and wish I owned a quality color printer so that I could print for myself! I found these beautiful free recipe cards on How About Orange. I am a bridesmaid for one of my dearest friends who is getting married in October, and one of the bridesmaids' gifts for her bridal shower was a recipe box with each guest's favorite recipe written down. We used a different template, but I love this one and wish we found it in time for her shower! Please click here for the download at Tie that Binds blog.

Hello 2010, I hope we get along this year...

ello all and a Happy New Year to you! I can't believe how quickly this year has passed by but I suppose that's what everyone says at the end of the year. I remember time moving much more slowly back in high school...when you're just waiting for the clock to hit 2:30 so you can get out of class. Now I can barely catch my breath!

The Boyfriend and I have been away for the last 1.5 weeks on a whirlwind of family visits. We spent Christmas in Vancouver, his hometown (and my home away from home) and enjoyed really good quality time with his family. Sometimes I feel like traveling to Vancouver is like a breath of fresh air and we both leave feeling so renewed and re-energized, ready to take on the world. Then we spent 3 days in San Francisco, my hometown, where we had so many dates scheduled in that I left feeling a bit frazzled and a bit wishing that we had spent more time with the people we love (mainly her and him and my middle school buddies). Currently, I am posting from LaLa Land where I rung in the New Year's with the grandparents. My grandpa and I insisted on staying up until midnight while my grandma went to bed. We watched the ball drop together and jumped up and down, whispering "Happy New Year!" and hugging and kissing. It was fun and memorable and I'm glad I have that moment for keeps.

I have a bunch of resolutions that I'd like to post about but I still haven't had time to myself to think about them and commit them to....commitment. One of them is definitely to center my life around my health (spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally). I've been living my entire life putting my health last and believing that my body was invincible. These last 5 months have shown me that it is in fact, not. My 5 month long headache (and still going) is evidence that my body is angry with me. A deeply rooted anger. So I will make an attempt to exercise more, eat better, take time to de-stress and relax.

Anywhoo this year is a year of change and I don't know about you but I'm excited! I'll post more about the holiday treats I made but I wanted to leave you with some eye candy. Mainly, cake stands. Beautiful ones that I have been looking around for forever! I will definitely be making some of these sometime soon.


{Photo courtesy of Style Me Pretty}

It's a pretty simple DIY and doesn't cost much money at all. I already have a plate in mind and some bottom stands picked out! I'm thinking these:

If Only...

f I could do December all over again I'd make one of these:


{Courtesy of Sweet Paul. Instructions here}

Brooklyn Craft Fairs!

ello all! This weekend is going to be an exciting weekend because a friend of mine, Pink Mist Industry, will be tabling at a local brooklyn craft fair this weekend! She makes beautiful, handcrafted and hand embroidered cards for every occasion. I'm so so envious of her skill. I've tried this craft many times and have failed miserably. Perhaps Pink Mist will tutor me if I stalk her enough...

The fair is the 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair held from noon to 6pm on December 12. Stop by and make a purchase for a loved (or not so loved) one from Pink Mist Industry!
{Goodies from Pink Mist}

In other fair news, below are a list of fairs happening this weekend and next. I'm a fair lover, ESPECIALLY an arts and crafts fair!

December 12 & 13
Task Trunk Holiday Sale, 100 N. 3rd St., December 12 and 13, noon to 7
-Collaborative trunk show
-Cupcakes from Kumquat Cupcakery

3rd Ward’s Handmade Holiday Craft Fair, 195 Morgan Ave., December 12, noon to 6
-Live music from Raya Brass Band and free coffee from Gimme!
-First 300 guests to arrive will receive free tote bags by local artist Fernanda Cohen full of vendor swag
-Free demos and workshops including Making Old Jewelry New and How to Make Your Own Textiles

Brooklyn Indie Market, Smith & Union St., December 12 and 13, 11-7
-Designers donate 10-15% of sales to benefit Brooklyn Community Housing and service

Bull and Bear Market, Invisible Dog, 51 Bergen St., December 13th, starts at noon
-2 people dressed as the stock market’s Bull and Bear will compete in games
-Check out the Recession Art Benefit dinner at 6 PM: $28 in advance, $30 at door covers dinner, booze, and the Bull and Bear games

NY Creates Craft Fair, Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont St., at Clinton, December 11 to 16, weekdays 11 to 7, weekends 12 to 5
-ceramics, jewelry, apparel, plush toys, organic cosmetics, glass works, photo art to home goods – all at affordable prices

December 19 & 20
Brooklyn Lyceum Holiday Craft Market, 227 4th Ave., December 19 and 20, 11-7
- 60 + local vendors including food by Luscious Brooklyn, Mogador Falafels, and Brooklyn Brine

Shiny Squirrel and It’s Ok my Dear Shopping Event, 246 Grand St., December 19 and 20
-Cupcakes, drinks, music

Perpetual Paris

tsy update. I couldn't help but post about this beautiful and creative calendar created by one of my favorite bloggers, Little Brown Pen. This calendar is made up of photos taken by LBP herself during her stay in Paris. You can switch around the photos to match any month and post it on your wall for a beautiful collage! Find it here.

Oh How I Love You Martha

hristmas is near and my bank account and wallet are shaking in fear of what is to come. I love buying gifts but this year I'm going to have to budget wiser and keep the purse strings drawn just a bit tighter. In lieu of purchasing gifts, this was sent to me from Tasha over at New Beautiful. We've decided to handmake each other gifts for Christmas this year and seriously, those people over at Martha's workshop are geniuses. Here are a few of my favorites:

{Hard Flower Barrettes}













{Leather Planner}













{Felt Slippers}













{Button Necklace}














And my absolute favorite: The No Sew Tote. Watch the video here and you will be just as amazed as I am!

Lovely Labels

One of my favorite sites and daily reads often posts free pdfs of gorgeous stationary with unique patterns. Believe you me, I take full advantage of this and have a file stored away for days when I feel like dressing up a boring ole package or envelope. This freebie is a goodie! Visit Love.Obsess.Inspire. to download your own! And if you haven't got one already, start a crafts file for occasions such as these because I'll be sending a lot more your way!

And...I just love these labels. I just do. They're simple, clean and beautiful.