Eats: A Thanksgiving Meal

We had a lovely Thanksgiving. One that left us all full - full of laughter and smiles - full of delicious fare that warmed our bellies - full of love that left us with gracious hearts.

Handmade: Give Thanks Card

With Thanksgiving upon us, I thought I should share the invitation I sent to my parents to join us on Thanksgiving day. N and I are hosting them at our home - our first time hosting and doing most of the cooking. Preparing the table and the menu has been fun; photos of the feast are sure to come!

Handmade: CELEBRATE Birthday Card

[Via Text Msg]

My Big Bro: Thanks for the cool card

Me: Oh I'm glad you liked it. It's my new thing, watercoloring personalized cards.

My Big Bro: Yes its really nice and better on my eyes. You should make your cards and sell them!


Me: :)

Weekend Snapshots

I spent another weekend in full craft mode, this time working on some Thanksgiving projects. It's funny, these past few weekends I've been in this manic state of DIY, jumping from one project to another in excited anticipation, barely finishing one before I start another. I suppose it could be my way of escaping reality somewhat, but hey, whatever gets me by, right?

Farm fresh eggs; look at those colors!

A delicious lunch made with said farm fresh eggs

Beautiful Monarch 

Nature walk loot for Thanksgiving table

Glitter paint to sparkle things up

Pop of color

It's been wonderful to feel motivated again to work on projects outside of work. I have a feeling good things are going to happen, especially because I have some wonderful people encouraging me to pursue them.

Of the Moment: Wall Galleries

Gertrude Stein's Paris Apartment, The Grand Palais via HiP Paris Blog

I've long been a lover of art; something about the history surrounding a piece and the aesthetic beauty of it just draws me in. Colors, lines, shapes and abstractions: my sense of being gets swept away in them, only to return stuck in a state of awe. I could spend hours in museums -- I'm sure I spent at least a quarter of my whole time living in Manhattan taking in every inch of every museum gallery that exists there.

Gertrude Stein's Paris Apartment, The Grand Palais via HiP Paris Blog

Obviously, I will never have an art collection even close to the caliber of a museum or Gertrude Stein, but I can recreate the gallery feel for my own home's walls. And that's just what N and I have done with one wall in our living room. It's a continual work in progress, as I know we'll keep adding new art to the wall or change things out (or *gasp* even expand it to more walls!). I love the "lived-in" feel it adds to our home and that it reflects both mine and N's aesthetics, each personally and together collectively.

via The Style Files

via Brabourne Farm

via The Selby

I think they're like a huge collage of beautiful things you love! What do you think of wall galleries? Do you have one in your home?

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend was bustling and full - abounding with wonderful smells from the oven that filled the house with an autumn warmth - brimming with inspiration and energy from recent artistic endeavors. The kitchen served as my base camp; if I wasn't mixing something up or preparing a meal, I was hunched over the kitchen table (my makeshift craft area) working in watercolors or pasting envelopes together. It proved to be a productive weekend, most worthy of the extra hour we received on Sunday. I collapsed into bed Sunday night, exhausted yet satisfyingly fulfilled.

Brown Sugar Bacon Biscuits via Joy the Baker

Backyard Blooms

Bittersweet Chocolate

Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread via 101 Cookbooks

A little peak at some cards in the works

Runaway glitter 

Beef Bourguignon, similar recipe here

Oh, and I also finished redesigning the blog - it's simpler and cleaner and I love that the layout allows for pictures to be a bit bigger. What do you think? Do you like it?

My DIY: As Seen on Knit Darling

via Knit Darling

Here is a little peak at some of my DIY projects as of late. I've been making a lot of friendship bracelets; if you haven't heard, they're all the craze right now! I've enjoyed making them for friends, family and co-workers over the past few months - there's something therapeutic in the repetition of tying knots over and over. I sent the one pictured to my lovely and talented sister-in-law, Alexis. She's an artist, a seamstress, a printed textile designer and a knitter extraordinaire! There's not much this girl can't do so check out her websites, Alexis Winslow (for art related work) and Knit Darling (for knit related work). She gave me the loveliest shout out on her blog; it made me smile from ear to ear! Thanks, Alexis!

via Knit Darling

I've also been making a lot of cards recently. My mother-in-law bought me some washi tape (pictured above) when we were visiting them (she knew I would dig it) and I seriously can't get enough of it! I've even decided to take the plunge and make our Christmas cards this year (call me crazy!). Stay tuned: now that it's November, I'm sure I'll be posting about that nutty endeavor before too long.