Kicking off the Holiday Season....

It always feels to me that prepping for Halloween kicks off my favorite time of the year...the Holiday Season.  I begin to take out the fall foliage, the pumpkins the dried corn ears. As I  start contemplating crafting projects - making goodie bags is a good way to start getting the creative juices flowing.  I had bought these cute stamps from Stamp N Up a while back when my husband's cousin had a little workshop and showed us a very cute project with this stamp set. I've been wanting to use them for a while now, but I finally did and was pleased with the end result. This is what I mean by simple graphics-you can dress them up, color them up or mix them up and they really make a nice impact.  This year for sure I look forward to making some gifts from the kitchen...stay tuned as the cold days start rolling in and I take in the entire experience of prepping and sharing with family and friends this Holiday Season.

A Labor of love...

 

My sis is getting married and we are having a small champagne reception for the final dress fitting. I made these with some card stock and the Sizzix machine shown here - very simple manual machine that embosses textures and patterns, I really enjoyed the process of putting the pieces together.  I used a different embossing technique with the dress detail with embossing powder and a heating machine from Stamp N Up... I love the effect it gives....besides enjoying the creative process what really made my day today was when I was describing these to my coworkers and one of them said - it's all about the details with you uh Monica...? and I said in my mind, with a happy heart- YES!!!

It's all in the details can have a much deeper meaning...

I decided to start this blog page to kind of highlight and remind myself that there are so many beautiful things in this world that can enhance one's life, surroundings, everyday life... and not to loose sight of the  little things that add up to a whole lot.  Perhaps material things or mundane things, places and traditions, but I just want to say it is much deeper than that....I do realize and acknowledge that.  This was particularly apparent to me yesterday as I heard Sean Stephenson speak at a staff assembly form work.. have you heard of the 3feet Giant?  you can look him up on YouTube or online,  he is truly a giant, not in stature but in wisdom..   - one simple sentence that clicked - that changed his life forever came from his own mother...not the Dali lama or Tony Robbins his mentor.
"Is your condition/disability going to be a gift or a burden?"  Wow! that was so deep and wise from a mother that was basically trying to comfort his distraught and aching son.

The words that come out of our mouths can have a lasting impact.  You never know what comes out of your mouth in words can do to your child of someone you cross paths with...   Its all in the details... of our words, the everyday conversations we hold, with others and with ourselves that can have a lasting impact for the good or for the bad... so we have to be aware of what we say.  Just as we are aware of our surroundings and appreciate every little detail that enriches our lives...

I fell in love with the latest illustrations http://www.izakzenou.com from Henri Bendel - they are using these limited edition images in some over sized bags, products and their stationery.  I love stationery!  I think it is so sophisticated and elegant to send and receive a piece of beautiful correspondence. It's all in the details!!!!
This image in particular is of great inspiration... it touches all of my favorite elements, gorgeous pink high heels, over sized sunglasses, a piece of one of my favorite modern furniture pieces- Eames Egg chair, and a girl doing her research (blogging perhaps?) on her laptop... Oh yeah! this made me smile today... enjoy!

Every shoe crazy girl's dream...

Today I find inspiration in this gorgeous storage solution from Ballard Designs- I love this way of displaying a girls most priced posession.  Shoes!  It's all about taking something that makes you happy and elevating it to the next level- making it extra special and enjoyable.  The shoes don't even have to be expensive but you feel luxurious and pampered as you display your collection.

When it comes to birthday parties, I find inspiration from everyday images and also from fancy stationery websites.  Then I try to recreate my own interpretation with simple word processing programs and adobe acrobat.  Sure you can use photo shop and illustrator or even publisher but you can also use a simple program such as word and free clip art to create invites, save the date notices and calendars - I was playing around yesterday and did this one for my daughter's upcoming b-day... Did I mention we are thinking Candy Shop Theme...?  Granted it's in a few months from now but I love thinking ahead - Yes! think color color color, clear apothecary containers filled with colorful candy and a flowing chocolate fountain and colorful parisian-macaroons  ...all these in the works.  I will test the Martha Stewart recipe I found on her website and post my progress and final product.  And of course as the months get closer the update on the progress of the party preparations and outcome.

marthastewart.com I have been eyeing these beautiful paper pom poms for a while now, and can't wait to use them at the next girly party I plan - perhaps my daughter's candy shop theme 11th birthday party?  I think they provide a beautiful backdrop for pictures.  I initially got inspired by a picture a friend posted on FB it was a baby's christening.  It is a chandelier made up of colorful topiary balls with draping crystal beads and butterflies... the pictures came out beautiful and once again, I've filed the images on my memory bank for future use.  I will probably end up combining varying sizes and add the crystal beads and butterflies as well, of course in my own interpretation... until that day comes, these pictures will be here to remind me and keep me inspired hope they make you smile too!