recent finds no. 052512

 

No. 1: So, I have sort of a "thing" with lavender flavored anything. It's good to my belly. Real good. In a tears come to my eyes when I surprisingly see lavender creme brulee on the menu at a restaurant sort of good to my belly kind of way. Which means these lavender honey drops sound sort of amazing to me. Like a spa in your mouth, no?

No. 2: I think these espadrilles are fantastic.

No. 3: And these wedges seem like the perfect summer shoe that's fancy without being too fancy and comfy.

No. 4: Have you guys ever felt these stuffed animals from heaven? They are maybe the very softest things next to the baby belly/bum combination that exists in this sweet world.

No. 5: Saw this paper cut awesome-ness by Sarah Louise Matthews on the Anthology Blog and might have choked on my carrots covered in veggie dip. Beautiful, yes? (The artwork, not the brain image of me and my carrots covered in dip. Sorry about that one.)

in other news...
-Not sure how I have missed this blog for so long! Rena Tom's blog is filled with so much general business goodness and know-how it's a must for anyone out there doing this creative, retail selling, marketing, business-ing thing. Interesting articles and awesome perspective. Plus, Rena's maybe one of the nicest people out there ever so it's fun to read through something she works on.

-Erin at Design for Mankind did a stellar job on her sunroom. Doesn't it just make you want to curl up and read a book and drink something delicious? I think it's perfection in a room.

-Have loved reading the articles on this great new-to-me mama site, mom.me. Quick and relevant articles and finally a parenting website that doesn't have so much going on that it leaves me confused and overwhelmed and wanting to curl up and hide in a corner somewhere.

recent finds no. 050412

No. 1: I just finished this James study and so purchasing this print seemed like a no-brainer.

No. 2: Gah. This book! I don't agree with every single thing the book says, but it really is a great resource in the search for the whole "how in the heck do I do this whole raising a human being and help them to be sweet and happy and pleasant to be around and wonderful and all of those good things" problem that runs around in my head quite often. No child's guide book is perfect, I know, and it's all very personal and needs to be adjusted according to your own family, but I enjoyed this read and agreed with lots.

No. 3: These flats are magical.  

No. 4: You, little striped onesie of happiness, are adorable. 

No. 5: You guys...I saw these in person last week and almost fell off the couch out of complete obsession with the cuteness. I could hardly stand it! A local C'ville mama makes these goods and sells the patterns in her Etsy shop. I'm not a knitter (like photograpy, this is one special skill I just can't master), but I know that many of you are. Check out her shop and buy a pattern or two. Because, I mean, seriously, don't you need adorable piggies surrounding your ice cream? Because I do. I know I do. One hundred and ten percent.

recent finds: 041312

No. 1: Have you guys heard about this food philosophy about eating for your blood type? My friend Brett told me about it years ago. I'm not a believer in big, fad diet things (just a believer in making as many healthy choices throughout the day as you can), but I've been considering reading up on the info behind this idea because I had to start taking iron supplements for baby girl recently and, ever since, I have never felt better. I can't really workout anymore, but I think that has more to do with the watermelon on my midsection than it does about general health. Anyway, since taking the iron, I feel clearer and more energetic and just healthier during my daily doings. Makes a gal who's been pretty sleepy her whole life take notice.

No. 2: Have you ever...I mean, seriously, have you ever seen something so cute? Ever ever? (via Marcy)

No. 3: So cool. (via Unruly Things)

No. 4: I live in fear of the mixer that I'm watching over for a friend without enough kitchen space. It's just so big...and heavy...and loud...how can it possibly not jump off the shelf when I try to use it and just gobble me right up? I never have purchased a sweet little hand mixer because who needs that when you don't, um, bake? But lately, maybe it's baby or maybe it's just the new house, I've been wanting to, like, prepare things in the kitchen! It's shocking even to me. Since I'm still afraid of the big girl mixer, I think this cute little happy handheld mixer might be a good introduction.

No. 5: I'm needing a diaper bag that isn't too girly so that Cute Husband can carry it around, too. This one from Skip Hop is close...I think. Maybe.

-eye opening images - evolution of cheerleaders (via Cup of Jo)
-cool article on the pressure of living up to it all (via lucy)
-how to soften brown sugar (this article was helpful as I took a kitchen knife to the brick that was formally known as my brown sugar this week)

sparkles

Aren't these sparkle stars just happy? Wouldn't they be perfect for gift-wrapping or stringing as garland or, I don't know, on your computer or something to just keep you full of sparkles all day? I think so.

(found via Creature Comforts, because that awesome Ez finds all beautiful things on the internet before I do)

itty bitty vases

These happy little vases make me want to speak in a baby voice and make up cute names for things. Aren't they just the sweetest little happies you've ever seen??

bagged

I saw this amazing bag from on Simple Song yesterday and might have choked on my afternoon iced coffee. Isn't it just the most deliciously simple and elegant with that mix of hippie laid back bag ever to be in the world?!

banner gone sparkly

While going through the internets this morning, trying to find a thing or two to bloggy blog about (because I couldn't not blog and dwell in slacker city for two weeks in a row), I stumbled on this lovely Etsy shop, Nice, linked from Brooklyn Bride (if you don't already, suuriously, follow that blog...Vane blows up the page with awesomeness everyday). I liked a lot in the shop, but I think these banners are my favorites. So happy and sparkly and fun and cute, right?

check in - check out

So, I have a confession. I sort of "checked out" last week. Cute Husband and I went to visit his parents (and brothers and sisters-in-love and their cute kiddie and my sister and brother-in-love and all of their cute kiddies) in nova-land and, well, I didn't really notify anyone. It was sort of bliss, to be able to just relax and workout and catch up on my hulu watching and take a mini break from my studio and, well, get refreshed for what''s going to be quite a busy summer. There was work, of course...I didn't completely neglect my inbox (oh iphone...) and I'm pretty sure there was an entire day devoted to printing the 2012 Calendar and paper sample picking-outs and pattern making and color-choosing. But, really, last week was just what the doctor ordered and now I feel excited and ready to go. Or, I mean, I'm positive I'll feel that way once this coffee sets in...

Thought these cute prints from froschkind were appropriate for my random check out.

makes me want to squeal

Maybe it's because I have the new laurel denise home-line on my brain (which, seriously, is going to be teeny tiny at its launch...just getting my toes wet here, folks) or maybe it's because this hand blown glass work is absolutely out of this world impossibly amazing, but don't you also feel that everything in this Kiva Ford Etsy shop is the coolest?? Because I do. I do a lot. It makes me want to squeal.

happy love day

Happy love day, y'all. Cute Husband might not believe this is an actual holiday, but he does play along quite nicely by going to get cheeseburgers, french fries and milkshakes with me each year on this day. I know, tough life, right? We should go here, but I think we'll go here instead because after you've eaten that much food, it's nice to just waddle home pretty quickly. Ya know? How will you be spending this evening of pink and red and flowers and general love things?

one | two | three | four

apple pie is good

So, basically, this sweet little Etsy shop, All Jarred Up, is combining two of my favorite things - mason jars and pie. And so that just about makes my day. Which is awesome because it's only 8:00am. Win!

linea carta

I've been a big fan of Linea-Carta's goodness since, oh, way back when sometime and was excited to get an email over the weekend announcing some new goods in her Esty shop. This tea towel is just perfect, isn't it?

iphone outfit

Y'all, I did something drastic over the holiday vacation. I got an iphone. I know, welcome to the world of, um, everyone else, Lol, right? Cute Husband got one for Christmas and I was absolutely green with envy. Not an emotion I'm proud of, but it happened. So I decided it was time. And, guess what! Absolutely no dropped calls yet. Only a dropped phone...in a concrete parking garage. That, my friends, is why one purchases a warranty. So, anyway, girlfriend should get a new outfit once her face is fixed up again, don't you think? And these cute numbers from Etsy (that, yes, all look a lot alike - hey, I have a style and I'm sticking to it) seem like strong contenders. Except that none of them seem to leave enough room for the rubber bumper that will now never leave the edges of any phone in my possession...but, what the hey, I'll post about them anyway:

uno | dos | tres | cuatro

and i'm back

Holy cow, I've missed you, dear blog readers. I've missed my house and my Cute Husband and my routine and my computer and my google reader and and and... I guess when I said that I might not be posting a lot while I was away, what I really meant was that I wouldn't be posting at all. Because, man, even though part of my travels was a vacation, traveling can take a lot of out a gal! Funny how that tends to happen. Things were great at my trade shows in Atlanta and Chicago - can't wait to send you all information on the fun new stores that will be receiving Laurel Denise goods in the near future. As time these shows tend to always do, I've come home full of ideas and inspiration for new designs. Between shipping to all of the new stores and trying to get samples made of new designs before I leave for New York Gift and Seattle Gift in a few weeks, things are going to be, um, busy. But good, great, fabulous busy and I'm happy to be back in my happy little c'ville life doing these busy things.

(Hello letterpress print here from Hijirik on Etsy)

red bird ink

Discovered the lovely Etsy shop Red Bird Ink yesterday when the mind behind the design emailed me for a quick introduction. Turns out she's a cville native, too. Automatic like. Clicking on her awesome shop and falling in love with those number coasters was just icing on the cake! Those are meant to be in my home. I know it.

number coasters | beer coaster

address stamps

I'd love to get a pretty address stamp made for laurel denise and for Cute Husband and I, but it seems like a waste since we're still renting at this point. These selections are so pretty though, they might need to be mine even if I have to get new ones in a year. So very pretty.

no. 1 | no. 2 | no. 3

rib & hull

Saw this Etsy shop the other day (on Creature Comforts I do believe because Ez always features the most amazing of the amazing) and I fell in love. Rib & Hull, you had me at your blue stripe bag.

vintage brass numbers

If I were planning my wedding again, I would definitely-one-thousand-percent have to use these for something. Anything, really. Because they are oh so cool. Around the napkins, maybe, tied onto the programs, perhaps, helpful hints in the table assignments? Loving their simple vintage happiness a lot. I mean, a lot.

one | two | three | four | five | six

print love

Let's see, how many posts can I write about that involve me needing to hang art in the place I live? Not quite as many as my love of cream and gray clothing, I guess, but still. Sorry, friends, but the walls are still empty (minus some cute coat hooks from Anthro) and all of our artwork is still leaning against the dining area floor. Classy. I'm thinking the reason the are all still on the floor is because the artwork we currently have isn't as cool as the artwork above. Like, not even close.

Yee Haw farmers market print (which is so much cooler in person - spotted it at my new friend's place in Richmond last weekend) | Yee Haw wood type print | Yee Haw sunny side print | farmers market bike print | freya art birdie love print | love is the new black print | think happy, be happy print