Today is New Year’s Eve Karin’s birthday. And even though she’s on a plane coming back from Mexico – which, frankly, is no way to spend a birthday – she should know that I’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes trying to come up with just the right words to explain why she’s so special to me, and why there’s no one whose smile lights up a room the way hers does. We should all be so lucky as to have a Karin in our lives.
Happy Birthday, Karin.
Hey, Karin: here’s a sewing project for you (if you get that new sewing machine you’re hoping for). I found this reversible tote bag tutorial from Vively via (what else?) the One Pretty Thing blog, and I looked at it once or twice, memorized the easy steps, and then cranked out a bag very easily. And I’m pretty pleased with myself for it, too!
Fabric look familiar?
I always buy my holiday cards on sale right after Christmas, usually from Luxe Paperie. I know that it’s the best deal I’m going to get all year on Hello!Lucky letterpress cards (which are, by far, my favorite letterpress cards) and Snow & Graham. So, ahem, yes I have all my cards for 2009. And I have to admit that I went to Crate and Barrel to get stocked up on their nice Marimekko holiday wrapping paper too.
But in the middle of this stationery/wrapping paper buying frenzy, I discovered these Valentines from tiny*prints (which can be personalized), and I just love them (and darn near almost bought them already). Valentines Day cards? Really? Only a true stationery junkie would be contemplating Valentine’s Day cards already.
Had to post this, because it reminds me so much of the outrageously cute calendar Karin brought back from Tokyo a couple of years ago (which I can’t bear to throw away). I fully intend to print out this calendar, from Canon’s “Creative Park”, which are free print templates for all kinds of crafty fun. Click around the website; they have some pretty spectacular projects, like constructing famous works of architecture out of paper. All the design templates are free.
I keep hearing echoes of Karin’s funny comment about going down the rabbit hole of “favorites” on Etsy. I’ve killed quite a few hours this weekend looking at my favorite sellers’ favorites, trying to find interesting prints for my new office, and I found a few other fun things I thought I would share too.
1. This is my favorite set of prints, Monsieur (set of four), I found, by Blancucha
2. A handpainted Birdiebird Breakfast Set from dolamakes
3. I also really like this set of three bowl prints (click on the link to see the other two) by Mrs. Eliot Books, whose blog I’m adding to our blogroll.
4. And this one is for Karin (really, it’s for Mike, the engineer), because I just thought this was so darn clever. It’s a PDF of how to make this fun washer/dryer out of corrugated cardboard, by forty-two roads (who also has a play cardboard kitchen how-to, as well).
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Now that I’ve moved to a new office building, with a whole new office space (and a ridiculous amount of work surface), I’ve got some decoratin’ to do. Is it too late to ask for a medium Meridian Table Lamp from Design Public with a Red/Orange Mumm lampshade, and a plant or two for Christmas?
Be good to me, Santa.
Some cute etsy finds on a lazy late Saturday afternoon.
Darling Starling Pillow from robinseggpink.
“Deer Friends” print from petitcollage.
Tree print from Syko.
Cute kitty pincushion from handmadepretties.
Looking for something to do? You could try this nice little paper flower ornament craft from How About Orange
You could get this free downloadable PDF calendar by going here
Finally, you could check out this adorable Etsy find and then jump down the rabbit hole of “my favorites”
I promise I am not on the payroll of the One Pretty Thing blog, but I love it, because she manages to find and post lots of really neat and sweet things and ideas, including this tutorial for felt Christmas trees, which I just love. The project comes from the Thompson Family-Life blog.
I think Vilac toys are exquisite. This particular toy, however, would drive me absolutely bonkers.
