Courtney Talbot Design

Logo for Parkside Paws

2011-12-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

So, I have these adorable tweens in my neighborhood that started a dog walking business last summer. They are the most professional little girls I know! They take their business strategy very seriously. So, I created them this logo for their business cards and signage.

New Look

2011-03-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

Hi friends, I am playing around with a new look for my site, so please be patient while I figure things out!

Thanks!!!

Courtney

Custom Wedding Monogram for Rebecca

2011-03-18T12:38:00.001-07:00

a magically delicous start to the week!

2011-03-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is going to be such a good week!!!!! First of all, I just found out that John and I are finalists for a photography contest I entered, see it here:

http://kellydillonphoto.com/myblog/2011/03/13/photography-giveaway-finalists-vote-for-your-favorite/

Tell me that is not the best way to start a Monday!

Then..... I decided in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I should do what's right and treat myself to a bowl of Lucky Charms, mmmm........

And, on St. Patrick's Day I'll be headed DT Cleveland for the Parade, one of the biggest in the country, watch out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I am just so excited that John and I have a chance to win a vintage/ new england photography session with Kelly Dillon, an amazing photographer!!!!!

2 of my cards in stores now!!! (at Target or American Greetings)

2011-01-13T11:05:00.001-08:00

©American Greetings

oh man!

2010-12-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

how pretty are these BLUE CHOCOLATE CHIPS! I must find them!

image courtesy of blushmelove.

honeycomb brittle

2010-12-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

Today's recipe is soooooo easy you're going to laugh.

Okay, I first saw this recipe fro "honeycomb brittle" in my Hoiliday issue of Martha Stewart Living and I knew I had to make it. It reminds me of Crunchie Bars... if you've never had a Crunchie Bar, I highly recommend you locate some!

RECIPE for honeycomb brittle:

Makes 1 sheet (about 9 by 11 inches)

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon baking soda

Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or butter. Bring sugar, honey, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove from heat, and whisk in baking soda until combined and mixture bubbles. Gently pour mixture onto baking sheet without spreading. Let cool. Break into pieces.

Baking soda is the secret to achieving an airy texture. Whisking it in at the last minute gives the brittle its namesake appearance (you're going to feel like Willy Wonka here!).

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

I ended up making 2 batches because it was so easy and fun!

PS. Here's a Crunchie Bar (so so good!)

I think next time I make these I am going to lay down melted chocolate on the sheet pan before I pour the honeycomb brittle on, it'll be a DIY Crunchie Bar---- YUM!!!!!!

fluffy marshmallows!

2010-12-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

I have been loving this cold weather so far! I absolutely love to bake and trying new recipes. I've always had a wierd obsession with marshmallows, so I thought, why not MAKE them?????? I did just that this past weekend and can I tell you how much fun it was?! I felt like Willy Wonka. We roasted them and made s'mores. And the rest of them (yes! there were some leftover!) I packaged in cute little boxes for my coworkers along with the honeycomb brittle I made as well (recipe later this week).

This recipe is from Gourmet Magazine circa 1998 so you know it's a good one!

FLUFFY MARSHMALLOWS

Makes about 96 1-inch cubed marshmallows
About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla (alternately: 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean, 2 teaspoons almond or mint extract or maybe even some food coloring for tinting)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (Some reviewers felt this took even longer with a hand mixer, but still eventually whipped up nicely.)

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Do ahead: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

PS. I haven't done this yet, but I am dying to make homemade graham crackers, I know, woah!

Vintage Over-Dyed carpets

2010-11-19T06:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am kinda, actually no, not kinda, TOTALLY obsessed with this new trend!

I instantly fell in love with these Turkish inspired vintage, rad rugs! The brilliant pop of color contrasted with the vintage pattern faded back is just STUNNING! I first read about these on Decor 8's blog.

ABC Carpet & Home in NYC is carrying them already in their "Color Reform" project. You can buy them here.

Yeeeeeeahhh..... so they're kind of expensive.... BUT you can always DIY!!! Instructions here.

I have a vintage rug that belonged to my grama...hmm....

Now that's a "welcome home" I want!

ULTIMATE cookies! The Way to a Man's Heart...

2010-10-15T06:27:00.000-07:00

I made a batch of these last night for Bosses Day... they are probably the best cookies I've ever made. See the recipe below:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups oats (old fashioned or instant, I used old fashioned)
1 bag Heath toffee chips
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 bag butterscotch chips
sea salt

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, in four batches.
3. In another bowl combine oats, Heath chips, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Add to dough and combine.
4. Drop dough on greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes. Sprinkle warm cookies with sea salt.

*This makes ALOT of dough so you can just make half if you want and freeze the rest in smaller portions for those nights when you just want 1 or 2.

Recipe credit to Iowa Girl Eats.

I've been tagged!

2010-10-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

My cousin Jacin has blog tagged me with a few questions that I have to answer for her. This should be fun! See below:

Jacins questions:

1. what was the last movie you watched? I'm really bad at watching movies, ummm..... does the Teen Mom marathon count?

2. what's your favorite food? Lobster with drawn butter, french fries, wontons, chicken pot pie, or original goldfish. I love food. And cheese.

3. what is your happiest memory (not wedding-related) :) Hmm... the first thing that popped into my head was playing "Memory" on the floor with my grama in Vermont.

4. what is your favorite song? Dixieland Delight by Alabama!!!

5. if you could move anywhere in the world where would it be? New Hampshire, in the mountains.

6. what is the last book you read? No One You know, by Michelle Richmond & I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love right now.... love it.

7. what's on the wallpaper on your computer desktop? A photo of fall leaves taken with my holga camera

8. what is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Cooking & Baking with a glass of wine in hand! And curling up on the couch, watching TV with my husband and dogs! I love rainy days.

Time to get crackin!

2010-10-12T05:12:00.000-07:00

Well since my cousin Jacin tagged me in her blog today, I thought I should update my blog. Yeah, it's been since July. I know having a busy summer is hardly an excuse since Jacin found time to plan a Wedding, come back East half a dozen times and still have a new blog post every day!

So, I thought, what am I going to write about?

MY BIRTHDAY!

I just turned 29 and my husband surprised me with a day of fun...we started off with mimosas (because that's a rule) and then we got in the car. I had no idea where we were going.... An hour later we reached a Safari (yes, I live in Ohio). This place was so cool!!! It is called the African Wildlife Safari and you drive your own car through an actual safari full of giraffe, zebra, moose, elk, alpaca, deer, those cows with the really long horns (what are they called??). So, you drive your car through, carrots in hand and the animals actually stick their heads inside your car. They are VERY curious. It was hillarious, John and I were belly laughing the entire time.

Check out my pictures...

This is the giraffe responsible for breaking my sunroof!!! But, it was soooo worth it! :)

10 things that make me HAPPY :)

2010-07-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

My cousin Jacin inspired me to do this blog entry. She did one herself yesterday and it made me smile...so I hope that this will in turn make someone else smile as well as me. :)

So, here it is, my list of happiness:

1. MY HUSBAND, who is truly by my side everyday making me smile and laugh. I cannot think of anyone else I'd rather spend my life with, that's because there is no one else. I am so happy.

2. MY DOGS, because they make me laugh hysterically everyday!

3. FAMILY & FRIENDS, because they are, no matter how many miles away, the people that are always there for me and have defined who I am today! The memories we share are perfect and knowing there are many many more memories to be made is awesome!

4. PRETTY THINGS IN NATURE (but not bugs!)

5. FOOD! I absolutely love to cook homemade, heartwarming meals....I love ordering pizza too. :) PS. This was the best bacon I've ever had in my LIFE, the butcher cut it for us. OH man....

6. Getting fun things in the mail from far away friends!

7. MILK, some say this could fall under the FOOD section, but it honestly cannot. I love milk so much, I drink a gallon almost every other day. I love milk. Someday I want a cow, hehe.

8. WINE TIME, time to relax and enjoy life, one of the many reasons wine is sooo good... The picture below is my cousin and I touring Napa Valley. Beautiful.

9. RANDOM PRETTINESS on the internet blogs. Blogs rule these days, there is so much prettiness I don't know what to do with it all except smile. :)

10. PICTURES THAT REMIND ME OF HOME. Home. Sweet. Home.... Living far away is hard. No question, but I've filled my home and cubicle at work with pictures and things that remind me of where I am from.

Thanks Jacin for inspiring me to do this... is was a great trip down memory lane. :)

my little man...

2010-07-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Bored at home with stickers on a Sunday, this is what hysterically cracked John and I up for an hour....

the little things...

Paper Memories {honeymoon in belize}

2010-07-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

My team at American Greetings recently exhibited a show at the AG Gallery. The theme was "LIFE TRAVELS". I knew right away I wanted to focus on Belize where my husband and I traveled on our honeymoon (because it was so awesome in so many ways). But how can I use my pictures in a creative way?? That was the question! I decided to get messy and tear up my pictures and journal entries (copies of course!) to create something abstract. It was such a fun project, since I am used to working mainly on a computer. To complete my pieces, John, my husband, stained and sawed each frame for me.

LIFE TRAVELS: American Greetings Gallery

March 15- April 2

Manatee Road

This piece consists of layered photographs and journal entries all from my Belize honeymoon. By cutting, arranging, shaping, and placing each piece thoughtfully, I have created a new whole worth a thousand memories.

Local Celebrity

This piece is a collection of lens filtered photographs shaped into circles and assembled to a piece of canvas. Again, photos are from my honeymooon. :)

Coco Plum

This piece conveys my irresistible desire to travel and all things beautiful in nature. The background photo was taken from Coco Plum Caye in Belize, one of the best places on Earth!

Typographic Mustaches... too cute, had to share!

2010-06-15T12:33:00.001-07:00

My edits....

2010-06-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

I've been having so much fun with this new editing skill Brion Hopkins taught me....don't be too harsh I'm just learning!

Some more Wedding photos from an AWESOME photographer

2010-06-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I still haven't received my Wedding pictures from the photographer... I do however have a few from her that were unedited. So, I contacted Brion Hopkins, who is the nicest person in the world. His style of editing is to resemble the effects of the "holga" camera, which you know I love. He edited a few for me and here they are:

thank you Brion!!!

BeneFit "high brow"

2010-06-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

I am devoted.

I am a blush girl....I mean when it comes to makeup, if there is one thing I would choose over anything, it would be blush, I could (usually) go without anything else....but now that's changed. BeneFit makes this product called "high brow". It is a soft linen pink colored highlighting pencil you apply under the arch of your brow. It is such a simple and easy to use product that really gives your eyes pop and a instant lift. It takes 5 seconds to use and makes such a big difference. Seriously, why WOULDN'T you use this?!

Back and READY TO RUN!

2010-06-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

(Jacin & I in Napa Valley, woot woot!)

I had an amazing weekend in San Francisco, visiting my cousin Jacin and her fiance, Pat. Jacin, as you know is the one who inspired me to run the Marathon. After my half marathon in Cleveland a few weeks ago, I took some time off, too much time, but now.... I'm back! While in SF, we did an amazing run. 10 miles. We ran along the Bay beach and across the Golden Gate Bridge, it was nuts. The bridge is so much longer than you would think, 1.75 miles. One of the coolest things I've ever done though.

I am getting so excited to run the NYC Marathon, 26.2 miles in 5 months!!!!

But, running aside, I have also been trying to eat better and loose some weight (I know, aren't we all?). Needless to say my trip to San Fran wasn't the healthiest of weekends. I don't regret it though. We indulged. We went to Napa for a day (gorgeous!!) so that included wine obviously, cheese, sausage, more cheese, croissants, spinach dip, and to top it off pizza, yeah this is in one day. We had to go to In & Out Burger of course after our very large brunch at my cousin, which was amazing by the way...omelets, muffins, and chococalte chip banana bread! And last but not least, Pat's homemade Chicken Parm, oh it was SO good!

Indulging is definitely okay once in a while, but now it is back to reality and eating healthy and getting back on track.

Any words of wisdom out there???

:)

See you soon. promise.

Half Marathon.....CHECK!

2010-05-18T05:21:00.000-07:00

So, I did it. I ran my first half marathon in Cleveland this past Sunday. That's 13.1 miles. I feel really great about it too. I paced myself at a 10:00 minute mile and was feeling so good at the end I was able to sprint past the finish line. The weather could not have been more perfect, cool and sunny. The fans were amazing and gave me great motivation to run strong. They held signs that made me laugh, and signs that made me cry. I felt a new surge of inspiration as I ran through the streets of Cleveland, along the lake shore. Don't get me wrong, it was mentally and physically difficult. But, that's what it's all about, the challenge.

Two weeks I'll be in sunny San Francisco with my cousin, Jacin (whom I am running the NY marathon with). I am so excited to see her and run over the Golden Gate Bridge!!! And of course have some play time too in Wine Country Babyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!

See you soon.

remember these?

2010-05-06T13:08:00.001-07:00

They will always have a special place in my heart! Ludlow, Vermont. M301

the race is on!

2010-04-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

As I've been mentioning my cousin Jacin and I are running the New York Marathon on November 7th. We are running with the charity: Fred's team. Fred's team has a mission: "to support crucial research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, bringing us closer to a world without cancer — one mile at a time."

Together, Jacin and I have hopes to raise $6,000 to donate towards the charity. It is going to be a lot of work for a wonderful cause. If you would like to support us with a tax deductable donation, feel free to help us out! http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/courtneyandjacinrun

Thanks!

:-)

LaBella Cupcakes Logo

2010-04-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

A while ago I told you I was getting paid in cupcakes to design a logo for a new cupcake business. Well, the logo is designed and here it is! Even more exciting is that Laura, the owner, has plans to open a retail shop....which meaaaaannnnnssss... my logo could become a sign! I am very excited and have truly enjoyed working with Laura...and her cupcakes are to die for. If you live in the Cleveland area, you must order from her, she even delivers the cupcakes right to your door!!! Check her site here: www.labellacupcakes.com. She also has a twitter account and lets her followers create their own flavors. Laura then makes those flavors and adds them to her site. It's pretty exciting because each Monday there is a new flavored cupcake!

PS. Pretty soon the website will be updated with the new logo.

Saturday...the need for speed!

2010-04-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

So, it's been about a week since my last post, and guess what? I still want to run a marathon...more than ever!

This week has been productive, I got some cool new sneaks and the Nike Sports Plus watch/pedometer. ....and they match ;-) It's so cool because the watch face actually detaches and is a USB to plug into your computer.

So, sorry if you came here for cute ideas today, you can check out my cousin Jacin's blog for that! :-) My blog started as a Wedding planning blog...but now I'm married, so it's basically an, "About my Life" blog, and since the marathon is a pretty big deal, that's what I'll be posting about... among many other things I'm sure.

soooooo........I'm running the New York Marathon!!!

2010-04-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

You are either very impressed right now or laughing your butt off if you know me. Where did this come from you may ask? Well, basically since my honeymoon in November, I stopped working out...I ran the occasional mile, went to the gym here and there, but nothing to keep me in shape. My excuse was that it was my winter weight. Well, all that changed when I went bridesmaid dress shopping with my cousin Jacin, who's getting married September 25th this year. "Um yikes!" was my facial expression when I took a look at myself in the mirror. I NEED TO GET IN SHAPE....soooon, so.....

"Why don't you run the NY Marathon with me cous?" My cousin Jacin ran the NY Marathon 2 years ago...but still the thought of running a Marathon had NEVER crossed my mind. But she said, "If I can do it, you can do it!" ...we are the same age, both like to be healthy but have a good time still, so yeah, maybe she was right... Anyways, after some convincing I said "Okay" and applied immediately online before I could talk myself out of it. Wow.

So, long story short, we both didn't get accepted. I started to cry and Jacin started to laugh (at me). We are still running the race, but even better because we are running for Fred's Team Charity, Sloan Kettering Hospital and are both fundraising $3,000.

This was 3 weeks ago, I am now up to 5 miles at one time, today I am running 7. My midpoint goal is the Cleveland half Marathon May 16th. And the New York Marathon is 7 months away, November 7th. Anyways, my life is obviously changing significantly, but in so many good ways. I plan to blog about my progress here, or in a new blog, so check back for updates....now it's time for my Sunday breakfast of pancakes, bacon & eggs....well, whole wheat pancakes & turkey bacon... There are some things I will not give up! :-D

Bean the Pug pillows

2010-03-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Lara, you did it again!! Click here to check out Lara's shop and buy one of these fine pug pillows.

Lara Brehm rocks!!!

2010-03-30T11:06:00.001-07:00

So, I have been working with an Illustrator, Lara Brehm from Germany...but living in Paris now..sounds fabulous right?? Recently she designed some patterns with my two dogs, Bean & Wally. They turned out insane!!! She even decided to turn Bean into a pillow! That's right, Bean is famous, once again! Can't wait to get one of these....

Check out Lara's blog:

http://larabrehm.blogspot.com/

I love you Gramma!

2010-03-29T13:04:00.001-07:00

To believe in life is to believe there will always be someone who will water the flowers. ~ Flavia

Om....

2010-03-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say I have started to get back into working out...yoga style that is. I found an amazing studio... Inner Bliss... and it helps that they have a beautiful logo and papery to match. The studio is an old renovated brick building and the room always is filled with insense, nag champa (a blast from the past!), the lights turned down low....wonderful inspiring music and the teachers rock. They read positive messages as we warp our bodies into strange positions that open our minds and hearts....

I am a high anxiety type of girl, I like to pretend that I'm "so chill and layed back" but in reality I need some coaching and this is the perfect solution for me to get me where I need to be. The instructors really teach you to leave your worries and focus on "the now moment", not what you're going to fix for dinner or about tomorrow's meeting. Now. It makes me realize the important things of life and that freaking out over such silly things is a waste of energy. I could go on and on, but I will leave it at that and it just makes me feel awesome!

Happy Weekend!!

PS. Inner Bliss is located in Rocky River, OHIO

What I've been up to...

2010-02-15T06:23:00.000-08:00

As I told you I've been super busy with various projects, I totally love it though! Here is my latest... I made these place cards for an Etsy customer who is getting married this March. There is a blank spot below the bike for the bride (or her bridesmaids) to write in the persons name and table number! I included a brown pen for her to use, so it would all match perfectly!

Love from the WWW

2010-02-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

images from devientart.com

WANTED: The LOMO Holga Camera

2010-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Look how cool the pictures are that you take with it. Wouldn't it be perfect for a bachelorette party or a nite on the town? I must find! It's called the LOMO Holga.

random beautifulness

2010-02-09T06:12:00.001-08:00

I am sorry to all you guys that read my blog! I have been very busy lately with a number of projects...SAVE the DATES for my cousin Jacin, figure skating thank you cards for a friend, wedding place cards, a website design for my dad, and a cupcake logo...did I mention I was getting payed in cupcakes? Sweet deal! Oh yeah and an upcoming gallery show with my team at American Greetings! I will keep you all posted and update pictures of all my new stuff!

So, I thought I would post some inspirational pictures that I find inspiring...hope you enjoy.

courtney

Happy Birthday Bean Pot Pie!!!

2010-02-05T10:30:00.001-08:00

Library of Love... Pug Love

2010-01-26T06:31:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I mainly like this picture because there is a pug in it, but how fascinating are the rainbow of library books in the background??

Image via Chotda on flickr.

Mr. Narwhal, the enchanting Unicorn of the Sea

2010-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

I didn't know what a narwhal was until the 15th billion time I was watching Elf. You see Mr. Narwhal when Buddy is leaving the North Pole and beginning his adventure to New York City.

Mr. Narwhal is the one who says, "Bye, Buddy. Hope you find your dad."

I was struck by this enchanting unicorn of the sea and didn't know if it was a real creature or make believe, so I googled it!

This is what I found on wikipedia:

The narwhal is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the Beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their upper left jaw. Found primarily in Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic waters rarely south of 65°N latitude, the narwhal is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In the winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, at depths of up to 1500 m under dense pack ice.[3] Narwhal have been harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in Northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory and a regulated subsistence hunt continues to this day. While populations appear stable, the narwhal has been deemed particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a narrow geographical range and specialized diet.[4]

Stunning.

image from studiolyon's etsy shop.

Click here to see the scene from Elf (you will be redirected to YouTube)

Canning Label Stickers!

2010-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

As you all know I've been really working on my Etsy shop and I just added these new customizable stickers today! If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

It's back! Ice Blue Shampoo + many more originals from The Body Shop

2010-01-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it, Ice Blue Shampoo, Fuzzy Peach, Dewberry, Banana Shampoo, Passion Fruit Cleansing Gel! I can small them now as my eyes roll back. These were some of my faves from about 10 years ago that The Body Shop had discontinued a long time ago until now! I cannot even tell you how excited I am to run out and get one of each. I used to buy these products when I was in 5th grade and I wouldn't ant to use them because I was so afraid of running out, a little weird I know... this time I will be sure to take advantage and stock up because who knows how long these beauties will be around for!

You can find them here at The Body Shop's website.

My Etsy Shop is slowly growing...

2010-01-11T06:26:00.001-08:00

Check out my little shop, still a work in progress. Let me know what you think! The stationery featured here is for a "Great Gatsby" themed Wedding. The photos were supplied to me from my client.

watery worlds...

2009-12-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a pattern with snow globes and founds some pretty neat images I thought I would share. The pop-up paper globe is from Up With Paper (where I actually used to work, the ring is from the moma store and the others I found on blogs or Print and Pattern.

I'm not a cat person, but...

2009-12-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

I saw this and almost fell off my chairs, precious!!!

more snow globe - mason jar ideas!

2009-12-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

How incredible is this idea from Anthropologie? You can give gifts this year submerged in a snowglobe or just make a pretty snowglobe for fun. My fave is the teal mason jar. Here's how you can do it yourself:
You will need:
All can be found at a craft or haberdashery store.
*A jar of your choice (with a lid)
*Figurines or jewellery
*Anti-rust sealant for metal pieces
*Clear-drying epoxy
*Distilled water
*Dash of glycerin
*Large silver or white glitter (smaller versions will float at the top)

Steps:
1. Use clear-drying epoxy to adhere your piece to the inside of the lid. Let dry per instructions.
2. After the epoxy dries completely, fill your jar with distilled or boiled water (at room temperature, of course).
3. Add just a dash of glycerin so the "snow" falls slowly.
4. Add as much glitter as you like. If you don't like the look of glitter, you can usually find faux snow at craft and haberdashery stores.
5. Screw your lid on tightly and enjoy your snow globe!

PS. This idea came from well worn blog, check it out!!!

My design featured in Rachel Ray magazine!!!

2009-12-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

so exciting!!! PS. Here's the link to view or customize & purchase the card: http://www1.photoworks.com/shop/products/3163489?path=cards/holidays/poster-card

Back from Belize...

2009-12-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I appoligize for the delay in posts, I just returned from my wild honeymoon in Belize. I am working on the photos now and I will be posting them soon... and I will tell you about our wonderful adventure and all the friends we made!

an INSANE giveaway!!!!

2009-11-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

okay, so scouting out the blogs this lovely friday am and what do i see on www.i-do-it-yourself.com ?!!! The L Letterpress giveaway, yup, you can do your own letterpress, insane!!!! Needless to day I entered four times (the limit). Check this out!!! click here!!!!

I am probably crazy, but....

2009-11-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

I am going to try making donuts this weekend. My parents are coming into town and my dad LOVES donuts! So I came across this blog: bakerella. It is an awesome blog for anyone who likes to test themselves in the kitchen with creative baked goods. I still cannot believe that I chose an apartment with a kitchen the size of my cubicle at work and no dishwasher. Well, anyways, I do not let it stop me!

Wish me luck.

PS. These are not the photos of my product, they are from bakerella, I will post my pics which assumingly will not be thhis wonderous!

happy fri!

2009-11-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T11:33:00.001-07:00

Here's my lil' halloween mummy dogs I made for my work party. I wrapped stretched crescent rolls around the mini dog and used mustard for the face details! Yum!

PURPLE mason jars...

2009-10-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Why they ever decided to make them in this color is still a question to me...but I do know they are very rare and about $50 each or more on ebay... to me that's to much so I am hoping one day I will cross paths with one at perhaps a garage sale?! Aren't they just so pretty?

okay... this just in!

fyi.... purple mason jar history.... told you I was obsessed

When manufacturers produce glass, chemicals (clarifying agents) must be added to clarify the batch in order to turn it from its original color of aqua-blue or green to clear. Prior to the start of the First World War, manufacturers used Manganese Dioxide as their chemical agent of choice to clarify glass. When a jar or bottle turns purple from sunlight, manganese dioxide is the substance in the glass that reacts with sunlight to cause the color change. Russia was the primary source of this chemical.

When the First World War broke out, our source of manganese dioxide was cut off by German blockades. This sudden loss left glass manufacturers in a quandary and forced them to use another chemical, selenium, to clarify glass. After the close of the war, manufacturers did not return to the use of manganese dioxide. Selenium does not cause glass to react to sunlight like manganese does, thus glass clarified with selenium does not turn purple. Knowing this fact and the history above, collectors have another way to date their glass collectibles. If your jar is purple, it is a pretty good bet it was made before W.W.I.

Did I mention my fascination with mason jars?

2009-10-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

What is it about these glass jars that mesmoerize me? Maybe it's the way light reflects of the glass? is what people find so mesmerizing. They are usually found in the clear, but harder to find are colors like turquoise blue, rose, green, and the rarest of all purple. If I only had a house I would have all the mason jars I could find! Next post: Fun things to do with mason jars.

PS. Check out this blogger: http://momwaldsplace.blogspot.com for even more mason jar fun-ness!

my new cards on Photoworks.com

2009-10-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

These are some of the cards I designed for photoworks.com a company owned by America Greetings. Check them out!

love!

2009-10-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Acorns!

2009-10-09T09:41:00.001-07:00

Tis the Season for those cute little acorns, love them! Click here for the free template to make your own acorn garland by Amy Atlas, how festive!

Pictures from http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/

More yellow and orange...

2009-10-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

images courtesy of www.oncewed.com

orange & yellow

2009-10-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

For a color project at work, I am focusing on the colors yellow and orange, so I thought this would be a good place to post my findings. I am researching for the corporate color palette so I am looking for trendy shades of these colors. This picture is from snippet & ink.

cousin-todd-grapher

2009-10-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

My cousin Todd came to my rescue the day of My Wedding. It was 2:00 and my photographer was stuck in traffic. My awesome cousin Todd who is also a photographer dressed up in his wedding attire, grabbed his cameras and rushed over to my house. He saved the day and was able to snap some pics of My Bridesmaids and I getting ready. This is one photo he sent me yesterday...I cannot wait to see more. Thanks Todd!!!

Todd is an amazing photographer, I love the unique lighting he captures in his work. He also has been working on a really cool project... the "365 Project", in this project he took a self portrait of himself in a different setting everyday in either digital or film. He is now into his second year. You can see his work here: http://toddhpage.com/

I miss New England....

2009-10-01T05:15:00.001-07:00

and yummy hot buttered lobster rolls... but it's okay because it's clambake season in Ohio (don't ask but I've fallen for it!). Any excuse to eat clams and all the fixin's is alright with me! I am already looking forward to the weekend's festivities of going to local farm markets and maybe even grabbing a pumpkin or squash to make some hearty soup. Last time I was at the farmers market the Amish were selling purple potatoes...and let me tell you... THEY WERE PURPLE!

Although I miss Connecticut dearly, Ohio has become my home at the moment and I am happy here. Here is my family, here is my amazing job, and here are purple potatos and clambakes! YUM!

Howdy Partner!

2009-09-30T09:54:00.001-07:00

Okay, I grabbed this inspiration board from one of my favorite blogs: The Perfect Palette. I love this blog because it's all about color inspiration, providing wedding color combinations with collage's to match. This one I just love...I hope one of my friends decided to have a HoDown Wedding! Check out the site here.

Yay! Another Wedding!

2009-09-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just when I started feeling a little sad that all my Wedding festivities were over...my cousin Jacin got engaged!!! And she asked me to be in her Wedding.. I am so excited to do it all over again with her in the spotlight! Her Wedding will be next September or October in Guilford, Connecticut. She started a blog so all her friends and family can watch her through the planning process, check it out here: http://jacinandpat.blogspot.com/

fun times

2009-09-29T06:06:00.001-07:00

My flower girl and ringbears...

Some Balloon History!

2009-09-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Balloons—in one form or another—have been around for centuries. But the modern latex balloon—the kind you can blow up yourself—was invented in New England during the Great Depression.

A chemical engineer, frustrated in his attempts to make inner tubes from this new product—liquid latex—scrawled a cat’s head on a piece of cardboard and dipped it in the latex. When it dried, Neil Tillotson had a “cat balloon,” complete with ears. He made about 2,000 balloons and sold them on the street during Boston’s annual Patriot Day parade.

In the late 1970s, silver metalized balloons were developed for the New York City Ballet. These balloons are commonly called Mylar, but they are actually made from a metalized nylon and are more expensive than latex balloons.

Now you know!

It's My Birthday!

2009-09-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

thank you all for your wishes!!!

the party people...pictures of the wedding party...

2009-09-27T20:41:00.001-07:00

My pretty girls in their Coren Moore dresses! Breanne Page, Jacin Page, and Caitlin Beattie!The best Maid of Honor ever! And my beautiful flower girl in her Alice + Olivia ruffled dress!
My darling cousins/ringbearers from England. Does it get cuter?

The dudes! Can you believe my hubby picked out these awesome tuxes?!

I have an Etsy Shop!

2009-09-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, first of all don't get too excited...it's still in the making, but YES I just opened an Etsy shop. I received such nice feedback when I posted my save-the-date and people seemed really interested. On the listing I have the image of my save-the-date but this will be a custom product tailored to each buyer. Each piece of stationery will have special and unique pictures that are close to them, make them laugh, or even photographs. No two pieces will look alike... this is going to be fun, check out my (tiny) Etsy shop here: MY SHOP!!! And I will keep you posted when I add more items. ;-) Happy Friday!

custom work for my big day!

2009-09-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

I hired Lara Brehm, a freelance artist to illustrate a picture of my family (my then husband-to-be, Bean, our pug, and Wally, our bug!) I worked with Lara through emails and I sent her pictures and told her all about us. She looked at my blog and got to know me better... with that information she custom designed a very special piece for me. It was also my Wedding Day gift to John, my husband! Check out Lara's awesome work on her blog: http://larabrehm.blogspot.com/

Vintage Sodas

2009-09-11T12:56:00.001-07:00

I just looove the vintage sodas (see below) we had at Our Wedding...and the cool staws...where you can buy here.

some of the detail!

2009-09-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

From vintage sodas to handmade pinwheels and tissue paper pom poms the details of the Wedding were just some of the finishing touches that made my day me. :-)

some pics of my rehersal and the perfect day! ;-)

2009-09-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

more...much more to come

3 weeks!!

2009-08-11T11:01:00.001-07:00

WOW! Where is this summer going? I am so excited to get married! Things are really getting taken care of now: I have my shoes, I am making my earring and bracelet, we are designing all the flowers, and my flower girl has the most gorgeous dress in the world!! OH! And we decided to get a videographer! The Wedding has a consistent theme of paper products which is cool because I have a slight obsession with it...and I have amazing friends that are helping me handmake some beatifully delicate paper decor pieces.

I am so happy!

ahhh!!!!!!!!!! :-)

2009-08-03T11:39:00.001-07:00

So this is it! For real this is when i get seriously serious about:
-working out
-eating healthy
-keep skin in great condition, get facial
-get as tan as naturally possible without tanlines!!
-stop biting my nails
-be careful not to get any bruises
-doing all I can to relax and SMILE because in 33 days I will married to the one I love!

:-D

I wanted REAL swans swimming in the pond....

2009-07-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

but maybe this would work to.... just an option... haha

photo from here!

more colors...

2009-07-23T08:54:00.001-07:00

gorgeous color......

2009-07-23T08:52:00.001-07:00

Mexico.

image from: josevillablog.com

hehehe

2009-07-15T07:00:00.001-07:00

I've fallen in love...

2009-07-13T10:29:00.001-07:00

I literally fell in love with this scent the moment I sniffed it! I am wearing a grapefruit-mango body lotion for a little kick! here's the desciption for Philosophy, Falling in Love...

falling in love fragrance was created for one reason and one reason only... to make a woman feel and smell absolutely, positively, romantic. falling in love is a romantic fragrance that is worn by women, but loved by men and was created to give women a tool for helping balance their femininity with their sensuality.

you need this product if...
- you like lacy lingerie but don't wear it- now you can!
- you want to add a sensual evening scent to your fragrance collection
- you want to feel and smell sensual
- you are a hopeless romantic

mmm.... I'm going to smell good!!!

more sea inspired...

2009-07-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

I just love these sparkly sea images from Wave and Light.

By the Sea....

2009-07-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

THESE are the shoes I WANT!

2009-07-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

but...I found them on a blog with no information...And trust me I am a great googler, but these Cinderella shoes just seem impossible to find. I will not give up yet. I haven't mentioned my shoe quest yet... I have bought and returned 3 pairs, 1 pair I cannot return... I have probably spent about $55 on shipping both ways. It will be worth it. I posted a while ago whether to get funky shoes or pretty + simple. I cannot wear pretty + simple shoes, I thought I could but 4 pairs later I realize I cannot. They have to be awesome, almost daunting. That's just me I think.

...i'm a little lightheaded...

2009-07-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

work work work!!!

day out with my loves!

2009-07-01T09:37:00.001-07:00

Spent the day at the park, hiking and swimming with the dogs...Bean loves the water...she also loves to roll down grassy hills! Wally is still a bit timid of water...soon enough!

The search for the perfect fragrance

2009-06-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

I am becoming obsessed with the most interesting things lately... from postage stamps to string and purple mason jars to perfume... I spent 2 hours in a local stamp shop yesterday with a bunch of old guys digging through books upon books of unused mint stamps to use for my Wedding invitations...some of you will know what I'm talking about when you get the invitation so just sit tight... It was a trip though and it was so fun, I bought a stamp of the moon walk, mission to Mercury, Live Free or Die New Hampshire stamps... which is where I went to school. It was really neat.

NOW... my weekend mission is to try out some more scents. I have a quest. To find the perfect perfume that my lovely and I both agree will make our hearts swoon... it must be memorable, fresh, zippy, etc. etc... I have tried many so far but still have not found the one. I will though.

How cute is this?

2009-06-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

So, I'm trying to pick out some cool stamps for my invites and just look at this cute little disruption? How can I resist?

new blog...my famous PUG, BEAN!

2009-06-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

check it out! here, here, or here!

2009-06-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

mom and dad are here! happy friday!

Best place to get married.... Guilford, Connecticut

2009-06-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

Guilford is a quintessential New England town nestled along the lower Connecticut shoreline. Its location on the Long Island Sound, a strong sense of community, and healthy balance between economic development and historic and cultural preservation, make it an ideal day trip or vacation spot.

Among other things, Guilford boasts the largest, and what we consider to be the best town green in New England. It serves as the hub of activity and is truly the town's heart and soul. Along its perimeter are some of the town's most beautiful historic homes, churches, quaint shopping, fine restaurants and art galleries. Within a short distance, along Route 1, a wonderful variety of similar shopping and dining experiences can be found.

We have five historic house museums, all outstanding examples of our large selection of 17th, 18th and 19th century historic homes - most identified with plaques. The Henry Whitfield State Museum remains the oldest stone house in New England and contains many artifacts of 17th century Guilford and Puritan life of the period.

Our central location along Connecticut's shoreline and two scenic highways makes us a popular destination for bicyclists, runners, birdwatchers and others who love the outdoors. Our network of expansive trails makes Guilford a daytrip for hikers as well.

And for those more inclined to browse handmade beauty, the Guilford Handcrafts Center has made the community a destination for skilled jewelers, potters, weavers and others interested in the art of fine crafts.

information and image via http://www.guilfordct.com/index.cfm?pg=hme

my other true love

2009-06-09T07:39:00.001-07:00

...my Bean Pot Pie....

calligraphy...

2009-06-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have been so inspired by calligraphy lately and I don't mean the traditional calligraphy. These artists, such ask "Betsey Dunlap" "Love, Jenna" have such a unique style, I love it! And I'm going to take a stab....at hand lettering my own envelopes with the help of my fiance... wish me luck because I've never done it before. never. ever.

Image courtesy of Style Me Pretty

say cheese!

2009-06-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

Stacy Librandi, our photographer is spunky and fun, John and I liked her immediately! We had such a fun time doing our photo shoot... in New York at this beach that had a fort and docks and some geese too, here are a few, more to come when I get them.

it's been a while...

2009-05-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been super busy and will be even busier this weekend! Going to CT for a day for a makeup and hair trial, dinner with gramma, afternoon with friends, off to NYC to see my sister graduate, off to someplace fabulous (has to be if my sister was in charge) for dinner in the city with the family, National Stationery Show Monday, engagement photos in Long Island City Monday evening, 8 hour drive back to Cleveland at 5 am! Can't wait! So... after a major freak out due to the wedding invitations yesterday, I am going to try as hard as possible to not even think about them this weekend... but i probably will. Cheers, happy Friday... enjoy some pics of my kids whom I will miss so much this weekend!

pure gorgeous-ness

2009-05-08T06:54:00.001-07:00

I think I'll have a cupcake for lunch today!

Found: one of the coolest websites ever!

2009-05-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

Multicolour Search Lab! What this site does is allow you to choose up to 10 colors by clicking on the color palette they have provided. Once you select a color your search will happen automatically. Add more colors to your results or remove them. The "Lab" searches through 3 million stock images to provide the results using the colors you've chosen. If you like one of the images that pops up you can click on it and it will bring you to the stock site where you will have the option to purchase. I just like mixing new colors together for interesting and inspiring combos...here's mine..navy and orange...first I chose navy and then added orange...see the results...

Love Rocks... with POP ROCKS CANDY!

2009-04-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

Pop-rock rimmed cocktails, pop-rock sprinkled wedding cakes and cookies? Who doesn't think that's cool?

2009-04-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't had a post in a while... the weather has just been to nice and I have been in full force invitation mode... I promise I will post something fun this afternoon for you guys! :-) Happy Monday!

The Wedding Ring!

2009-04-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

We decided to go look at wedding rings the other day... and came home with two rings! ;-) I love mine, it is a pave setting, vintage detail, and just really really sparkly! I am a happy girl.

Wedding Bloggers

2009-04-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

When I first became engaged I immediately became addicted to ever Bridal magazine out there, Brides, TheKnot, Martha, Elegant Weddings, InStyle Weddings, just to name a few. I just love all the inspiration I can get! But, magazines are expensive! (hint: join your local free library!) Soon I started listening to Wedding podcasts at work... a great way to get work done and think Wedding without getting in trouble... then the Wedding Podcast Network (the BEST! podcast out there) introduced me to Wedding Blogs and I soon had about 40 different Wedding Blog sites bookmarked as my favorites that I would, and still do, tear through during my lunch break... trying to pick up as much information as my brain could possibly hold... I have so many favorite bloggers... the first is Jaime, from "It's a Jaime Thing", she was a huge inspiration to me... I also love "Wedding Chicks" for their unique vintage approach to Weddings. A couple more "She Walks in Beauty" and "The Bridal Bar"... seriously I could go on but I know I would bore the heck out of you... just start with these and you will soon find yourself lost in the Wedding Blog World...the inspiration from them is unbelieveable!

Rock On! 80's I Do's!

2009-04-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

The 80's made everybody smile... the loud music, poufy spiked hair in a rainbow of colors, loud music; Gun's and Roses, Cindy Lauper, to Run DMC...just to name a few. The dress code was pretty diverse, stone washed jeans, jean jackets, leggings, in any color...well as long as it was bright... flourescent? Even better!! Before the girls would go out at night, they'd crimp their hair into a side pony tail, smother on the silver and purple eyeshadow (remember that Jazz makeup kit?) and hot pink lipstick. Oh, wouldn't it be so fun to have an 80's themed Wedding?! Just think, you could have blue crimped hair, wear your jellies, and give away slap bracelets as your favor!

Toasted Peeps Tuesday...yeah!

2009-04-14T13:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, Easter's over... have you had your fill of chocolate and candy? All that's left is a few straggling marshmallow peeps? DO NOT THROW THEM AWAY! I was informed today of a tasty new treat... TOASTED PEEPS! How to do it:

1. Stick the little guy on a skewer stick
2. Roast it like a campfire marshmallow
3. (Optional) Make a s'more out of it!

images courtesy of: curiousdomestic.wordpress.com

Funny Tuesday

2009-04-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

Not my dog guys, but just look at this priceless expresion, made me laugh...

Beauty in the form of Sugar

2009-04-14T06:18:00.000-07:00

I may just have to have a cupcake for lunch!

Images from cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com