what I do

what I do

Thursday, December 22, 2011

My pink and tangerine Christmas


I am really enjoying my-pink-themed-Christmas this year ...


Bringing in next year's color (tangerine) has made me like it even more ...


I added tangerines to the candy gifts I usually give out and they are perfect for a boost of color (and health!)


I made tags to help explain my reason behind the tangerines ... and I am ignoring that they aren't really the exact color.



Everything is done and waiting for delivery!



I love the combination of the blanket throw, the tangerines and the candy ... it feels like a good mix. 



The house feels festive with the bright and pretty colors ...


And I can't wait for Christmas morning!!!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Gift tags

I just got back from a fast and intense trip up to Berkeley to pick up my youngest daughter for Christmas and help her move out of her apartment. On the way I stopped by to visit my oldest daughter and her husband and play with this little girl ...

{Adi - 13 weeks}

I spent the day with with them and in the evening we drove around looking at Christmas lights and stopped by a Christmas tree lot. The lot was really disappointing and way overpriced for what they had left so we gathered up some branches and made our own little tree.


Did you see these ornaments at Target this year? I love the bright colors and cute little animals & they were only $1.00 each! Next year when Adi is older she will be able to touch them without breaking them and they would even make a cute little crib mobile after Christmas.

I left their house early the next morning, drove four hours to Berkeley, helped my youngest pack up her stuff, made four trips to storage, one trip to her new apartment, one trip to the Goodwill, had dinner at the best Mexican restaurant in town (best Sangria ever), loaded up the car with what was coming home, did a quick room clean-up and drove four hours back to spend the night with my other daughter again. It was the fastest trip I have ever taken! But oh, so productive!!!

Speaking of productive, before I left I had played around with some gift tags for for a little project I am working on. I like to make my own tags for my "neighbor gifts" (candy, cookies, spiced nuts or cheese balls usually) but by the time I am at that point to make tags, I am usually behind schedule and quickly put something together.

{Last year's  New Year's gifts - I gave out pink champagne in honor of the new color of the new year ... Honeysuckle.} 

But this year, I am ahead of schedule and wanted to play around with some nicer tags. It all started when I found these beautiful white soft fleece blankets at Ikea for $3.49 each ...


I couldn't resist them.


I thought I would use them as neighbor gifts this year ... and so I started thinking about ways to present them.



First I found an image of a chevron fabric on the computer, dragged the image into Microsoft Word and tweaked the color. Next I added a text box and came up with this:


I printed up a few to test them out and then realized I was out of ink and had to stop. But I am liking the direction they are going. 




Off to get more ink ...

Sunday, December 18, 2011

The joy of Christmas

I love this quote that I found in my daughter's apartment last year and recently came across ... it kind of sums up what Christmas is really about for me; the story of baby Jesus being born to save us ... and is also a promise I am claiming for myself ...


And speaking of the Christmas story ...
This is possibly the cutest video ever and I had to share! Hope you are having a blessed Sunday!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

What are you working on?

Do you remember seeing Eddie Ross's beautiful ornament wreath a few years ago?


Well, three years later one of his reader's made her own out of collected vintage ornaments. You can see hers here and how to make your own here!


And check out this fabulous chevron rug made with an inexpensive ($40) Ikea rug ...


Hint ... it's painted! Isn't it great?!!! You can find the directions here!

Happy productive weekend everyone!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Progress

I took the day off yesterday and did a little shopping and wrapping. It feels so good to have most of it done!


The house is starting to shape up ... ornaments are back on the tree (thankfully I am not not as indecisive with my client's houses!) ... 


Tags are made ...


Without really meaning to (just grabbed what I had in my ribbon drawer) I added a little 'tangerine' to my pink - I love how that worked out!


Presents wrapped ...


A gift project underway (I'll share more about that next week) ...


And while I was shopping at Anthropologie I saw this:


It felt so wintery so I had to steal the idea. I temporarily took out my oatmeal ... 


S'mores anyone?


Are you making any progress?

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Two great wrapping ideas



I love anything initials and really like using them as tags on packages. It looks like so does Martha! (So cute!)


And what about this clever idea ...

{found it here}

What a great way to store wrapping paper!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Crafty intentions

I always have great plans to craft over the holidays ...
One year I made these and gave them as gifts - they were amazing!

Directions here

Last year I thought I would make these ... 
But never got around to it - aren't they beautiful?


Directions here!

But this year I think I am going to make my daughter sit around and watch sappy Christmas movies and make these with me! 

Directions here

They would look cute on my tree. 
Because I took all the ornaments off again. 
My husband thinks I am crazy (yes, there is probably some truth to that). 
Poor guy ... he came in today and said, "You took all the ornaments off!" 
Yep. That is what I do.