Bargain Huntress Tells All

Original image from WSJ.com

This article from Saturday's WSJ is a must read for all you fellow nesters and bargain hunters out there. Ah, if only to be in NYC where flea markets seem to be everywhere. Thankfully, there are some great online resources for filling your home for less. If you haven't yet discovered online sample sales, you are out of the loop. You can find some of the greatest deals on Joss & Main, One Kings Lane and The Foundary to name a few (I'm actually surprised they were not mentioned).

Did you find a great piece of furniture online but curious if there is one out there like it for less? My all-time favorite: Copy Cat Chic will find you a deal!

Happy Hunting!

In the Lane, Snow is Glistening

Well, not really. It's actually pretty stinking hot outside. The thought of even going outside makes me sweat. But for stationery designers around the world it's pretty much Christmas! After a year long hiatus I have entered Minted's holiday challenge. If you can, please vote for Push Papers. You can vote here and here. Happy Holidays!

Custom Letterpress

Letterpress is not something I have given much promotional time to. It's not on the site to purchase yet, but I'm working on it! With the ease of the internet and relatively reasonable prices of offset and digital printing in the downturn of the economy, it's no surprise that birth announcements and now even wedding invitations are purchased through large online stationery providers that have great design and sufficient printing methods. I doubt this beautiful form of printing will go the way of the Dodo, but it might just be in hibernation for a while. Contact me if you're interested and I'm happy to get you a quote for a custom piece!

We're Hunting Rabbits!

After posting the invitations I did for my two-year-old's farm party, requests for that design or something similar came out of the woodwork. Who knew there were so many farm parties out there! Here is one I did recently for a four-year-old's awesome safari party. Enjoy!

Never Surrender

One of the things I hated about babysitting was the general state of a house with more than one kid. There was usually jelly or some other indistinguishable sticky substance covering all the wrong places; children's artwork scattered, smothered and covered all over the fridge and walls; plastic toys galore; and a general sense of total disorganization.

I swore several things after leaving their homes.

1. I would never allow construction paper artwork to take over my home.
2. I would never buy plastic toys.
3. My children would never watch Barney.

And then I had kids. And I realized that:

1. I loved to hang up their art because I am proud of it, and so are they.
2. They actually like plastic toys with tons of buttons that light up and drive you crazy. Wooden toys rarely get used.
3. Barney is crack for toddlers.

I still believe that your kids (and all their stuff!) do not need to take over your home. I took Martha's advice and now roll B's artwork in tubes and store them once they've had plenty of fridge time. And I have found great ways to store toys and art supplies so that the risk of breaking a limb while crossing the living room is minimal.

For a little inspiration, check out these kid's rooms featured on Lonny. They are simply fabulous. I do wonder how they get books off that top shelf though?

Bello

Some more fantastic prints from Etsy's shop blancucha. Beautiful prints by Blanca Gómez, illustrator and designer living and working in Madrid. It's no surprise it is mostly sold out. I'll find a blank wall somewhere to put these when more become available.

Lost & Found

If you remember my massive search for the antique airplane prints, I have news. I found them! At PB Kids of all places! That was unexpected.

Sweet Ts

This adorable shirt for B from Honey Bee Tees arrived on Saturday. I LOVE it (as does he)! Am posting a couple more sweet ones below. And if you get a chance, check out their blog...I am inspired!

Take Two

I'm back. The art store I frequent because of it's proximity to my son's preschool was offering a calligraphy class by a GREAT teacher and I couldn't pass it up. I figured if I could tough out another six weeks of learning then at last I could include my own lettering in my work and even change my design style a bit.

The last class I took (which was a packed class of 2o or so people) felt like torture at times. I think it's because I didn't have kids and didn't appreciate the peace that comes with repeating 3 letters for 3 hours. It's totally different now. I love the quiet, the sound of the pen scratching the paper, and the fluid motion of the copperplate font. I find myself looking forward to it every week, and even finding time to practice when I can (though it's not often).

I sometimes wonder if there is anything quite as beautiful as the simplicity of the line? You can draw emotion with one little stroke. Something to think about.

Hopefully I'll get some more (and more refined) samples up here soon.

Falling Short

Scrolling down briefly through my blog made me realize that I truly am a terrible blogger. How some people are able to update their blogs even every week amazes me. So here is a little taste of one of the many things that has been occupying the places that blog ideas usually reside. I'll upload the whole invitation package when it is complete late summer. This is for The Arthritis Foundation's annual gala. They have been a great organization to work with on this!

Love is in the Air!

I have seen some pretty adorable Valentine's cards out there. It has been great reflecting on elementary school days of making my own mailbox out of one of mom's shoe boxes and pink construction paper—anticipating the cards I would receive the next day. Hoping for some secret admirer.

On one Valentine's—in the third grade—I did receive a mysterious valentine as I always hoped I would. In the tiny envelope was my unsigned valentine (I can't remember what it said-but I believe it was Batman) and a metal bracelet that had been painted purple. It clearly had once belonged to an older sister as the paint was almost entirely worn off and the clasp worked like it had seen some better days.

I must admit—I was a bit disappointed to receive some old used jewelery. It felt stolen. And the whole "secret admirer" thing was not quite as exciting as I thought it would be. It only left me wondering.

He never fessed up. But perhaps my reluctance to ever wear the bracelet sent it's own message and scared him off. But let's be honest, I was dreadfully frightened that some fifth grade girl would see it on my wrist and claim it as her own.

So if you are out there—and reading this—I'm sorry.

B's class was instructed not to exchange cards this year, but I had already printed them. So I snuck them into their school bags at the end of the day. It was his first official school Valentine's—and having been utterly consumed with feeding, changing K's diapers, and not sleeping—I needed to get some creative energy out. And if you are wondering—it most definitely encapsulates his little personality.

Happy Valentine's Day!