I had lots of these books when I was little, I loved the characters, especially Mr. Tickle.
The books celebrate 40 years this year and are just as popular today as back when.
Charles Roger Hargreaves was born today, 76 years ago (9 May 1935 ' 11 September 1988). He was an English author and illustrator of children's books, notably the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, intended for very young readers. The books' simple and silly stories, with bright-coloured, boldly drawn illustrations, have been part of popular culture for over 25 years, with sales over 85 million worldwide in 20 languages.
Hargreaves grew up in Cleckheaton. He spent a year working in his father's laundry and dry-cleaning business before starting out in advertising.But his original ambition was to be a cartoonist; and, in 1971, while he was working as the creative director at a London firm, he wrote the first Mr. Men book, Mr. Tickle . He initially had difficulty finding a publisher; but, once he did, the books became an instant success, selling over one million copies within three years. In 1975 it spawned a BBC animated television series called Mr. Men Show, Mr Tickle being voiced by Arthur Lowe.
By 1976, Hargreaves had quit his day job. In 1981, the Little Miss series of books began to appear. It, too, was made into a television series in 1983, which was narrated by John Alderton, who, with Pauline Collins, voiced the Men and Misses, respectively. Although Hargreaves wrote many other children's stories, including the Timbuctoo series of twenty-five books, John Mouse, and the Roundy and Squary books, he is best known for his 46 Mr. Men books and 33 Little Miss books.
With his wife, Christine, Hargreaves had four children: Adam, Giles, and twins Sophie and Amelia. The first of the Mr. Men characters is reported to have been created when Adam asked his father what a tickle looked like: Hargreaves drew a figure with a round orange body and long, rubbery arms, which became Mr. Tickle.
After Hargreaves died of a sudden stroke in 1988, Adam continued writing and drawing the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters in new stories. However, in April 2004, Christine sold the rights to the Mr. Men characters to the UK entertainment group Chorion, for '28 million.
This guest blogger just so happens to be my personal favorite… I'm allowed to be a little biased because I think he has a crush on me, and I think he's kinda cute too. Make sure you leave a comment and like the post on Facebook because I need lots of positive feedback for this blogger!
This is Eric, husband of the oh-so-talented
Monica. I got word that Jess and
Monica would be having"guest bloggers" and I jokingly asked why I can't be a guest blogger. Well, she called my bluff and told me to put together a post. Now the conundrum, I am not housewife and as my WHOLE family can vouch for, I am NOT crafty. So what can I post on? Ah-ha… probably the most important thing (not living) in my whole house would be our photo books! And this is one quasi-crafty thing that I am totally in charge of. So here goes. If all of you crazy blog-stalkers with kids are anything like my wife, you take thousands (if not millions) of pictures of your kids, your house, your family and really just your whole life. These pictures sit on your camera or computer, occasionally they get dropped into a blog or facebook, but for all intents and purposes, they sit – lost and wasted. In 2007, I got tired of seeing
Monica take so many awesome pictures without ever doing anything with them. That's when we discovered Blurb. Ever heard of it? The beauty of Blurb is that they offer"book-store quality printing and binding" at incredibly reasonable prices. Everyone I've talked to seems to get overwhelmed with idea of doing a photo book. But trust me, it's not hard. The longest, hardest, most time-consuming part is just sorting through the tens of thousands of pictures stored on your camera and computer and organizing a years worth of pictures. But… and this is a big but… it's so rewarding going through a full year, seeing all that you've done, re-living all the fun events, seeing how your family has grown over the course of a year. Ok, so what I do, (and this is just preference), is I go month-by-month, sorting pictures mainly by events. I drop all pictures into folders on my desktop with a name of the even. For example, I'll have folders such as"snow fun,""baking with mommy,""bath-time,""field trip to the farm,""fun with playdough,""Kenzie's soccer," etc., and then I always have a folder for each kid with all the best pictures that we have for them. Then when it's time to actually put the book together, it really just flies! The great thing about doing a photo book like this versus just printing photos and putting them in an album is that you get to tell stories, explain the events, and actually add personality to your photos. It's a great place to remember some of the crazy things your kids have said or done. With the craziness of moving over this summer, I got way behind on putting these books together. I sat down to do a book for the 2nd half of 2009 a couple weeks ago and I was amazed at how much I forgot! I saw all these pictures and couldn't quite place where we were, or what we were doing, or some of the fun stories behind the pictures. My goal is to do 2 books per year as soon as that year is finished. There are so many types of books that you can do –
Monica scanned all of Kenzie's art work from a full year of school and made an art book, she made several small books documenting things such as birthday parties or Christmas. We've even given a book to my parents after a week on vacation with them (yes, these books make great presents for the grandparents!) Enough talk. Here is what Blurb actually looks like (screen shot from our ancient desktop). You log in and all the Blurb books you've created are listed.
Once the book is created, I import all the pictures that I have from a given folder on my desktop (i.e. beach with the Motts). There are dozens of picture/text layouts to choose from and all you have to do is drag-and-drop your pictures wherever you want them and then add the text. The view below is during the editing process.
You can also preview your book to see how it will actually look once published.
I mentioned in the beginning that it's"book-store quality printing and binding" at incredibly reasonable prices. For a 200 page book, with a hard-bound cover, it's only $48.95. A 200 page book can easily hold 600-800 pictures. I know Blurb is not the only company doing this – it just happens to be the one we use. I searched for photo-book reviews and this website seems pretty accurate. It rated Blurb as 4 starts (out of 4) for quality, but lower scores for features and ease of use. Other sites have higher scores for ease of use/features but slightly lower scores for quality. I'm not looking for anything too crazy, so I'll sacrifice a little on the crazy layouts and customizability for quality. That's it. Now if only I could find a way to do something similar to the hours upon hours of home-videos we have, I'd be all set! Any suggestions? -Eric (Monica & Jess) Linked Up to: The Stories of A2Z
I'm a mom of 4 kids… do you know what that means?? Lots and Lots and Lots of kids' artwork and school papers!
I love seeing all of their cute drawings and journal entries. I especially love seeing how much they grow and change within a school year. What I don't love… piles. I have piles of school papers everywhere! A few years ago I considered starting a little business… in my head I called it"Pint Sized Picasso" I never pursued it as a business, but I did start making books for my family. Rather than having a million boxes of papers, I make artwork photobooks!
At first it was hard to part with the piles of papers, but honestly, we adore these books! The kids love looking through their books and showing their Grandparents when they come over. Here's my method: 1. Create a massive pile for the month. As homework and papers come home they all just go into one massive mess of a pile. (My hubs loves this part!) 2. At the end of each month (approximately) I sort through the pile and toss the generic work sheets. I hide them in the garage trash can because my middle son takes personal affront to my throwing away any of his papers. 3. At the end of school year I have a massive sort party! I make a pile for each kid and then determine which items to scan and which to take pictures of (the big, bulky ones) 4. Scan and Photograph (pretty self-explanatory) I don't have a fancy scanner, but it does the trick. It's pretty time consuming, but so worth it in the end. 5. I use Blurb to make my books. They make the best books and are so reasonably priced! Remember when my handsome hubs guest posted about Blurb in this post? (There's a link on our sidebar for 20% off of a Blurb book!) Ok, so now take a look at how adorable these are… I add an"About the Artist" page with the school pic from the year and a little about what was"cool" that year.
Goodness, I could look at these over and over. They make me smile so much!
Scanning the pics preserves all the details! I love that these pictures won't be getting all crumbled and old. I have them forever!
I even put a few non-school papers in… the note on the left was one my daughter wrote when she was grounded one afternoon.
The note is too funny not to share…
One other thing I add is journal entries. I scanned lots of pages from her daily journal once it was sent home and I love reading all the cute entries. Since it's almost Halloween, I'll share a fall entry…
If you want to preview my whole book, you can check it out here. So, what do you think? Can you part from the papers and create a photo book?
**Don't forget to use the coupon on the sidebar if you make a book! ************************************************************************* Did you hear about our Design it Forward challenge? We still need donations and helpers! Check out our post HERE and be a part of this awesome project! ************************************************************************** Also, don't forget to VOTE for Crafting with the Stars! Today's the last day for Round 3! Vote HERE
Hey there! We thought it would be fun to show you the major difference that accessories can make in a room design. So many people can pull together the"big" items in a room, like a buffet and dining table, or a couch and accent chair, but then seem to have trouble getting the room to look"finished". We all look at design magazines and read home blogs and see rooms that look absolutely perfect; stylish, yet still cozy, warm and inviting. What is it about those rooms? Take a closer look, and you'll see that the room feels finished because of all the finishing touches (ie: accessories)! Well, duh.
Let's look at our guest room makeover before we added in the fun accessories:
Ok. that wall is cool, but besides that, this could be anybody's room. It lacks personality and excitement don't you think? Now look at the after picture:
Ahhh… now that's a finished room. Adding accessories to a room design is a great way to personlize your space. Find stuff that makes you smile, or that has sentimental value and bring them into your room. You'll notice that we added two vintage suitcases at the foot of the bed, put a darling little pillow on the chair, added some funky throw pillows on the bed, and put a plant by the bed (all easy things to do!) and the room immediately looks more put-together.
This cart was a great find at a store named Impact and cost us only $8. On it's own, it's fine, but it's not going to cause anyone to pass out with excitement. But once we added a globe, some books and a whole bunch of linens (remember this is a guest room?), it makes a big impression. Don't you love it when form and function meet in beautiful, accessorized harmony?: )
I have to admit that"dressing up" a room is one of my absolute favorite things to do, and while Monica is amazing at dreaming up the big projects in a room, she (admittedly) doesn't like accessorizing at all. (That's why we make a good team!) Here's what I do when I'm trying to decorate my mantel, buffet or anything else: I gather absolutely every accessory I can get my hands on that isn't nailed down and lay them all out. Then, I fiddle for about an hour trying to find the perfect layout. Bringing items you already have into the room allows you to evaluate what items you can work with, and what items you may need to purchase. Just to help you out,, here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are trying to accessorize: 1. The Rule of Three: Not sure why this is, but it's proven that groupings of odd numbers are more appealing to the eye than even-numbered pairings. It forces your eye to move from piece to piece and adds visual interest. You can group like things (for example: three identical glass bottles) or things that have the same materials (ie: three stacked books).
2. Mountains and Valleys: When you stand back and look at whatever your accessorizing, you should see varying heights and shapes. (ex: square frame beside a round bowl). Think about putting opposites next to each other. They always say opposites attract!
3. Symmetry or Asymmetry? A good rule of thumb is that symmetrical groupings creates a more formal look, whereas asymmetrical design looks casual and informal. 4. Texture and Color: You'll want to add lots of texture to make things interesting (ie: adding a woven basket next to a glass vase), and repeat your color scheme throughout the design. Doing this creates a more unified look. 5. Layer! Nothing is more boring than a row of frames on a shelf. Try leaning a framed family picture against a piece of art on your mantel, or stack a few books on a tray and add a plant on top. You want the room to appear alive and full of movement, not static!
These rules are not set in stone, they simply offer a guideline. If something in your home makes you happy, and it doesn't include anything from this list…then who cares? It's your home.: ) But hopefully you won't forget to add the finishing touches to your room design! It makes a WORLD of difference!: )
PS. Want more info about this? We got some great tips from these places: Honey & FitzThe Red PinEverything in 3'sFireplace Mall
I know, I know, you haven't even stuffed yourself with turkey and stuffing, or gone Black Friday shopping yet, and here I am talking about beginning a Christmas countdown. But let's be honest, once Thanksgiving is over, December is pretty much here and it's time to bring out the ol' Advent calendar. Our family had an advent calendar growing up, and I remember running downstairs and arguing with my sisters about whose turn it was to move the mouse from it's current pocket to the next day's pocket. Ahhh memories.
Last year was the first year I thought about doing our own Advent calendar because my daughter was at the perfect age, but I literally pulled the whole thing together at midnight on November 30th, so it wasn't perfect by any means. We ended up stringing it up on the curtain rod above our slider door, which was SO not convenient since we open those curtains every day. I did love the numbers, (which I downloaded for free but can't remember where-sorry!) and the little bags, so I wanted to reuse them this year. You can easily create your own numbered circles on Picnik using this tutorial. So here's what I came up with for this year:
It love the simplicity of this Advent calendar, and how easy it was to make! DIY Advent Calendar I started with an empty frame, some jute twine, mini-clothespins, and my trusty hot-glue gun:
I laid out the bags in five rows in the frame to figure out the placement of the jute rope.
Next, I measured the opening of the frame so that I could space the rows evenly. For this frame, I placed the jute every 4:5 inches apart.
(Ignore the pen pointing to 7 inches! I wasn't thinking when I took this pic!) As usual, I used my hot glue gun to adhere the jute rope to the frame. You could also do this with a staple gun.
I clipped my cute little bags to the rope…
And added fun activities to do as a family and leftover Halloween candy to the bags!
Finally, I hung it in our entry hallway for a touch of Christmas! It will also be the one of the first things my kids see when they come downstairs and head into the kitchen.
I love that you can see our Advent calendar as soon as you open our front door! (And no, my house is not decorated for Christmas yet, I just have a winter wreath on my door from our last Nate Show project- more on that later this week!)
My daughter can hardly wait to get started counting down the days until Christmas! I also scoured Pinterest for other fun DIY Advent ideas and found these for your viewing pleasure (click on the link to go to the tutorial):
Source: blogs.babble.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: modpodgerocksblog.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: flickr.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: budgetwisehome.com via Jessica on Pinterest I'm totally doing that last one: wrap a Christmas book to open and read each day. However, I'm doing the 12 days of Christmas books so I don't have to spend a fortune on books! (Tip: Your local thrift store probably has LOADS of Christmas books for sale) What do you do to count down the days until Christmas?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to our newest sponsors, Scout & Nimble and CJS Eco Chic! Check out these fabulous ladies and tell them we sent you!
I feel very honored to have been awarded the 'Super Comments Award' by Mona from Providence ltd Design. Mona has been with me since my first day of blogging leaving wonderful comments for me along the way ever since, for that I truly thank her.
The way this works is you answer a series of questions about yourself and then pass it along to seven others who have left wonderful comments so without farther ado'. 1) Why do you blog?? I keep wondering that myself since I work ten plus hours a day and time has always been an issue for me but I can't help myself. I only just discovered blogs last year. I mean I saw them listed but didn't know what they were so always skipped over them. Last summer I opened one and I was enchanted. I mean here were all these people opening their worlds to us, sharing their homes. That first day I spent the entire day reading and after a month I wanted to be a part of that circle, so I took the plunge and dived in for better or worse.
2) Name your three best memories: First is my Dad who's gone now'.riding around on my Dad's foot when I was little. I remember plopping on that poor guys foot the moment he walked in the house and he never minded and always gave me a ride'remember doing that? He also taught me how to tie my shoes and ride a bike, it's the little things that make me smile now that he's gone. Second was the day I moved from Phoenix, AZ to New York City, NY to be with my future husband. I loaded up a large truck and drove across country all by myself. If you've ever driven a 22-foot long truck you'll know how much work it is coupled with the fact I was changing my entire life and leaving everything I knew. It was the scariest thing I've ever done but also the best. It showed me that I was capable of doing anything and from that moment on if I wanted to try something I did! Third was the day we brought Dylan dog home four years ago. I hadn't had a dog in thirty years, dating myself here, I've had Persian cats. My husband really wanted a golden so I said lets get one and I've never regretted it. Dylan's great company, almost to smart for his own good, great to cuddle up next to and loyal beyond belief. But I think the best part about him is his eyes, you look into those golden brown eyes and you see love shining back!
?3) Name four of the best fiction books you've ever read: I don't have four favorites, I read all the time and there are to many to name. Some favorites I like revisiting are: Beauty by Susan Wilson The ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough I love mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark and Nora Roberts I read a lot of textile, art and decorating books too but what I like reading is all over the place.
4) What are the five best movies ever made? Again I don't have favorites because I watch everything under the sun but when I'm alone I like light hearted movies, nothing serious and never anything scary....hate scary movies. 5) Name five things you cannot live without: My family and friends. My best friend Deb is the sister I never had so I feel very blessed. My antique textiles, I feel like I've finally figured out what I'm supposed to be doing in my life. It gives me a great sense of peace! My computer, I have my web site/business on here and it's easier to talk to my friends overseas. My monthly facials, it's relaxing, keeps my face in place and one of the few things I actually do just for me. Auctions! I love auctions, the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush just before you bid and sometimes winning, it's very exciting! 6) If you could change your name what would it be? Chase! I saw a movie once with Rene Russo in it and her characters name was Chase, it was a really cool name. I like my name, Debra, but I introduce myself as Debra and people always say "hi Debbie", I HATE BEING CALLED DEBBIE! Not that there's anything wrong with being called Debbie....:)
7) Tell us a unique and interesting fact about yourself. I can build! I decide one day to build a garden room in our side field and the first thing I needed were raised field stone garden beds. So I went out and bought a book, read it and went to work. See up in the far left corner my pile of rubble'these poker flowers are in a perfectly round garden bed that's twelve feet wide, I built that. You'll see better pictures in the spring, promise, now I'll bore you with my ability to build!
8) What do you love best about yourself? My ability to do whatever I set my mind too. I believe everyone can do anything just stop talking about it and go do it. I've accomplished everything I've set out to do in my life so far, yes, it really is that simple. Just do it! 9) If you had a freaky Friday experience, who would you change places with? Honestly, nobody because I like who I've become as a person. I've worked dang hard to become who I am why would I want to give that up? I'd like to have past and present people to dinner to pick their minds but trade places with them'nah! 10) What is the best thing about being a woman? The ability to multi-task if I didn't I wouldn't get half the things done that needed to be done.
Now it's time to pass this gracious award on to some of the people who have brightened my days: Stacey at: Style Addicted Mom Joan at: for the love of a house Sharon at: My French Country Home Jermaine at: French Kissed Deborah at: Boxwood Terrace Vanna at: lvroftiques better known as Delusions of Grandeur Debra at: 5th and State THANK YOU!
I can't believe I actually won something but I did and it's fabulous! I want to thank Debra over at 5th and State and her nephew who chose my name, for the wonderful dessert cookbook by Chef Alain Roby. I can't wait to try out one of the recipes this weekend!
I can be honest… I want an awesome mudroom. I can also be honest that I don't need an awesome mudroom right now, but I did need to do something about the organizational mess that was our coat closet. Life has a lot of wants vs. needs, and sometimes I can get the two confused, but luckily my hubs is very good at reminding me of the difference.: ) Since the awesome mudroom is low on the budget totem pole, I had finally had enough and did an impulsive closet redo… Here's the Mess — In the kids' defense they had a hard time reaching the to hang their coats, but really they were just MESSY!
Library books, cleaning supplies, camera accessories, beach towels (for snowy boots)- seriously in need of some organization!
I pulled out all the junk… it was a whole lot of junk…
I had bought these hooks for the kids bathroom, but since I had them on hand, I just decided to use them… did I mention this was impulsive? The cute, pantsless toddler is optional, but makes the project more exciting if you're up for a challenge.
And lest you think that these DIY projects are all cute and blog-pretty… look at my hallway mid project! Cal enjoyed the umbrella for a while and it kept him from being under my feet!
Added coats and backpacks. Yes, I have 4 kids, but only 3 are in school, so we went with those for now.
Library books in basket up top, toddler jackets and extra jackets hung, baskets for hats and gloves etc. Impulsive project done, and one super-happy husband on hand (he's a big fan of organization!)
You might notice that there aren't any shoes in the closet. We have another, non-glamorous system for that…
These are just over-the-door shoe holders that we nailed onto the studs. Not pretty, not amazing, but really works for us and all of our shoes! Time for a little more honesty… I did have all these great, creative ideas for how this closet could be super-cute. Painted walls. Vinyl kids' names. Coordinated hangers. Matching Baskets. BUT, again it came down to Want vs. Need . I might be learning something here… So, I'm being patient on my pretty little mudroom, but a girl can dream… This is just a sneak peek of the Mudroom Tour we'll be going on tomorrow…
The popular statement, " From here to Timbuktu." conjures up images of remote, isolated and distant parts of this earth. Very few people are aware of this ancient city's location, and fewer still ascribe any kind of civilization to this historic area. Timbuktu is located in the western African nation of Mali at the edge of the Sahara.
Timbuktu was founded by the Tuareg Imashagan in the 11th century. Whenever it started raining in the desert, the Turareg will leave their heavy goods with an old Tuareg women called Tin Abutut who stayed at the well. In the Tuareg language, Tin Abutut means "the lady with the big naval". With the passage time, the name Tin Abutut became Timbuktu.
By the 12th century, Timbuktu became a celebrated center of Islamic learning and a commercial establishment. Timbuktu had three universities and 180 Quranic schools. These universities were the Sankore University, Jingaray Ber University and Sidi Yahya University. This was the golden age of Africa. Books were not only written in Timbuktu, but they were also imported and copied there. There was an advanced local book copying industry in the city. The universities and private libraries contained unparalleled scholarly works. The famous scholar of Timbuktu Ahmad Baba who was among those forcibly exiled in Morocco claimed that his library of 1600 books had been plundered, and that his library, according to him, was one of the smaller in the city.
The booming economy of Timbuktu attracted the attention of the Emperor of Mali, Mansa Musa (1307-1332) also known as 'Kan Kan Musa.' He captured the city in 1325. As a Muslim, Mansa Musa was impressed with the Islamic legacy of Timbuktu. On his return from Mecca, Mansa Musa brought with him an Egyptian architect by the name of Abu Es Haq Es Saheli. The architect was paid 200kg of gold to built Jingaray Ber or, the Friday Prayers Mosque. Mansa Musa also built a royal palace (or Madugu) in Timbuktu, another Mosque in Djenn' and a great mosque in Gao (1324-1325). Today only the foundation of the mosque built in Gao exists. That is why there is an urgent need to restore and protect the mosques that remain in Djenn' and Timbuktu...
In 1893, with the colonization of West Africa by France, Timbuktu was brought under the French rule until Mali received her independence in 1960. To this day, many manuscripts originating from Timbuktu can be found in French museums and universities.
The manuscripts of Timbuktu cover diverse subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, physics, optics, astronomy, medicine, Islamic sciences, history, geography, the traditions of The Prophet peace be upon him, government legislation and treaties, jurisprudence and much more.
Today, this entire African intellectual legacy is on the verge of being lost. The brittle condition of the manuscripts i.e. pages disintegrate easily like ashes, the termites, insects, weather, piracy of the manuscripts, and the selling of these treasures to tourists for food money pose a serious threat to the future of the manuscripts of Timbuktu.
You know what make us thankful? Besides our families, good friends, this blog and each other (of course!), it's Black Friday! So, while Monica is living it up in London and Paris this week, I'll be doing some die-hard shopping with my hubs. Love that man and his passion for finding good deals. (Would you believe he is MORE into Black Friday than I am?!) However, some of the best things you just can't find in brick and mortar stores, and that's what I'm bringing to you today. I've rounded up some red and green favorites from our awesome sponsors. Without them, this blog would not be, so show them some love and snag some good deals this weekend at their shops.
1. Kelly Green Crocheted Scarflette from Twysted Yarn. I am all about scarves this time of year, and this one is too cute! Order by December 6th for Christmas delivery. Use the code ECCFAN to get 10% off your order! 2. Last year, I purchased 12 Christmas books at Liberty Thrift store, and did a 12 days of Christmas countdown. Each day we read a different Christmas story. I LOVE this tradition, and Liberty Thrift makes it possible to do it inexpensively (Photo credit: Katherine Maries.com) 3. This Joy to the Lord Print from Red Letter Words is so beautiful and would make a great gift or a perfect accessory for your own walls. Plus, you just can't beat that message. Get 20% off all Black Friday weekend! (No coupon code necessary.) 4. I adore this Ikat Decorative Pillow Cover from our newest sponsor, Chic Decor Pillows. It's so stylish, but totally ties in with traditional Christmas colors. You HAVE to see the tons of pillow covers in their shop. Gorgeous stuff, folks! Beginning at midnight on 11/23, everything in the store will be 15% off!
5. You better believe that I'll be doing a few Christmas printables this year using this Gem Christmas Digital Scrapbooking Paper from Moo & Puppy. I'm telling you, the possibilities are endless! Use the code EC215 for 15% off your order. 6. I can't get enough of this Red/Orange Paisley Headband from Henle. I'll be buying a few of these for my sister and girlfriends this year (shhhhh…don't tell!) 7. Isn't this Pendant Light with Red Enamel Shade from Lucent Lampworks so much fun? Love the pop of color in this industrial style light fixture. I can't WAIT to show you what Brad designed for my dining room. Ummmm…let's just say, it completes me. Oh wait, I mean, the room. Use the code EC2tenoff for 10% off your order!
8. I know this isn't all that Christmasy, but my goodness, I adore this Herringbone Pattern Wall Stencil from Royal Design Studio. I'm running out of wall space, but I'm determined to incorporate this somewhere-anywhere- in my house. All stencils shown in black and white will be 30% off on Black Friday (gohere for the sale!) 9.Buy a few of theseQuilted Jar Candles in Spiced Pear from CJS EcoChic for a quick and easy neighbor, hostess or teacher gift. You can never go wrong with candle, especially soy ones that last forever! 10. I'm thinking another awesome gift for a teacher would be this Medium Utility Tote in Red Parisian Pop from Thirty-One Gifts filled with fun books for the classroom, survival items (chocolate and coffee, anyone?) or extra supplies. Where's your favorite place to shop on Black Friday? Do you have a plan of attack, or do you go at it all crazy-like?
This giveaway is closed. Well, you'd think that with Creating with the Stars coming right around the corner, and the loads of amazing prizes that will be awarded, we wouldn't have anything else to give away! Not so! I was browsing Etsy one night (one of my very favorite things to do if I have time) and came across the fabulous shop, Design Atelier Article.
I immediately fell in love with their quirky, fun and awesome items and emailed them to ask if they would like to give something away to our amazing readers. They were game, and so this giveaway was born! You guys seriously need to check out the entire shop, but here are a few of our ultimate favs.
Vintage Clock in Paris Blue
Mustache Candleholder
Scandinavian Dala Wooden Horse
Butting Deer Bookends
One lucky winner will win these adorableBicycle Bookends!The giveaway will be open until midnight on Wednesday, February 27th. The winner will be revealed on Thursday, February 28th. To enter: 1."Like" us on facebook! 2."Like" Design Atelier Article on Facebook 3.Leave a comment telling us what item you've fallen in love with! a Rafflecopter giveaway
I know, such cute stuff, right? If you love their shop, spread the word! Good luck.; )
I know that I'm a little behind on Fall mantle decor, but I thought I'd share what I have going on right now on my newly updated fireplace. When I stenciled the fireplace, I rearranged the mantle, as well, in a back-to-school/early Fall style.
I loved how light and airy it felt, yet still included some Autumn touches like the rust and yellow books and green apples. Works beautifully with my stencil, doesn't it?
The books are actually Monica's that she bought at the barn sale, and I know she wants them back, but I don't think she realizes how at home they look on my mantle. Maybe these pictures will convince her?!; ) The propeller thing was an item I found while on vacation at the Jersey shore and I whole-heartedly adore it. The tiles are from the historic Moravian Tile Works not far from my house. I have four of them and each represent a different season.
But then, I got itching to really fallify my house with rich, deeper colors, so today, I brought out all my junk and got to work. When I'm styling a mantle- or any space for that matter- I like to collect things from all over the house and mess around with them for a while. I should have taken a few outtake pictures, because oh boy, you would have thought I lost my head at some of the arrangements I came up with. I usually try to follow a few simple rules, like grouping in threes and mixing up patterns and textures. So, here's mantle # 2 for you:
In my opinion, you can't ever go wrong with pumpkins so I made sure to include them.
Some of the pieces were used in my fall mantle last year, like this copper-colored vase and faux grasses. The mirror was a $4 find at Liberty Thrift Store, that I've been holding on to until just the right time.
I've had the little dried gourds for years, and the over-sized acorn came from Hobby Lobby.
I always love decorating and redecorating my mantle again and again and again. It's a sickness. Do you change your mantle decor to fit the season?Which style do you prefer: Mantle #1 or #2?I'm undecided.: )
Happy Monday, guys! We've had a busy weekend filming back to back episodes for Knock It Off, but we wanted to pop in and give you a round-up of our favorite summer items from some of our favorite companies! These wonderfully talented people make this blog possible, and we've gotta say, they're stuff is stinkin' awesome! Check them out, show them some love and don't forget to look for special coupon codes just for you!
1. I am LOVING this Tangerine Braid Headband from Henle Headbands- that color just calls my name! 2. Monica is obsessed with these Slim Cool Salmon flip-flops from Havaianas that come in lots of cool colors. 3.Isn't this Flower Leather Cuff Bracelet from Belmonili super cute? You ALWAYS get free shipping within continental US. Use the code BelmoniliECC for 10% off your order!
4. Our absolute favorite thrift store is having a 50% off sale on all media items at Liberty Thrift Stores, which- need we remind you?- includes books! Thrift stores are treasure troves of books with great covers, perfect for styling your home. (Picture Source) 5. Guys, you know we love a good DIY project, but some of you complain you don't where to begin or even what to do once you start. You have no excuse anymore because Bareroot Design Studios offers Design Workshops that will teach you how to get the look you want for your home. For all you locals, Bareroot Design Studio is hosting anOPEN HOUSE on Saturday, June 15th from 1-3pm. You do not want to miss this!
6. We have shared our love for Lucent Lampworks over and over again, but this Cylinder Glass Shade with Antique Bronze Down Rod just made us fall in love all over again. Save 10% when you use the code EC2tenoff.
7. I love the simple design of this Blessings Carafe from Blessings Unlimited. What a beautiful way to dress up your summer table. 8. This Affection Small Art Print from Red Letter Words is such a thoughtful and stylish gift for all of those graduates in your life. With lots of different saying, you'll be able to find the perfect one for that baby shower, wedding or graduation gift and you know what the best part is? They're only $19 each! 9. We love our phrases from 163 Design Company (see them here and here) and now they've come out with these NEST Chalkboard painted letter s, which are awesome. So cool just as they are, but even cooler that you can doodle all over them!
10. For a non-green-person like me, this Garden Planning Kit from Clean Mama Printables is clutch. This baby will help you achieve the garden you've always wanted It includes: *Planter Planner*Garden Plan Grid*Plant Record (keep track of all your plants in one place — glue on a large envelope and keep your receipts and plant info to keep track of plants that need to be returned or relocated)*Garden Plans — This Year + Next Year*Yearly Annuals, Perennials, and Trees + Shrubs Tracker*Yearly Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs Tracker 11. I know it says"Spring" in the title, but this Riley Spring Paper Pack from Moo & Puppy screams summer to me! Are you making a summer bucket list this year? Use this paper as a background for your big list of activities for your family! Use EC215 for 15% off your order! 12. Don't forget to check out the c urrent issue of Smart, Blonde and Craft y for loads of fun and creative DIY ideas to fill your summer and it's totally FREE! Also, make sure you take a look at all the fun blogs listed- you might come across one you've never heard of before!
13. I'm sorry but these Typewriter Key Bracelet from Junxtaposition are just so dang fun. Choose your design or pick one out as a one-of-a-kind gift for a friend. 14. I love the smell of citrus in the summer, and the NEW! Wood Wick Candles from CJS EcoChic are soy so that sweet smell will last a loooooong time. 15. Remember that faux stained glass window I made two years ago? I used this Artscape Window Film. It adheres to any window, is easy to customize and is a breeze to install. This stuff makes a HUGE statement without working hard for it. Plus, it can add some privacy and style where there is none!
16. I got this XXL Utility tote from Thirty-One Gifts and it is fabulous! It can hold so much stuff, and it easily collapses when I'm ready to put it away. I'm a huge fan of the nautical look, so the navy and white just stole my heart.: ) My bag holds a lot of the typical summer items you need when you're a mom of two little ones: towels, swimmies, suntan lotion, toys, but still looks good! C heck out Mandy's guest post HERE to hear more about her story and how she was able to leave her full-time job when she joined 31! Go ahead and contact Mandy at hajelfamily@yahoo.com or check out her website for more info.
17. We've recently found the DIYers solution to dirty, nasty nails. Gel manicures at Oasis Salon. Monica has been telling the entire world that her polish is lasting over 3 weeks! I have to admit, they do look awesome even with all our DIYing. If you're local you HAVE to try out their amazing pedicures and gel manicures. We can't get enough. Visit Oasis, tell them EC2 sent you and get 10% OFF one visit!
18. Ahhhh, how amazing is this Herringbone Shuffle Stencil from Royal Design Studio? I've been wracking my brain trying to find a place for it in my house. Think the baby would like it? Use the code ECC10 for 10% off your order.
19. And last, but not least, our favorite family photographer (and the official photographer of EC2. Ha!) Stacy of Salvatori Photography. This girl is seriously talented and has a fun personality to boot! She just did our gender reveal photo shoot and a few months ago, photographed Monica's family doing their thing on a Saturday morning. Make sure you like her facebook page because she's always running fun contests. We promise that you will LOVE working with Stacy and will have fabulous photos that will last forever! Ok, folks, time to shop! Have fun.: )
C reating a healthy home has been a priority of ours since we began our renovations five years ago. Our motivation was due, in part, to the fact that this was a home in which we hoped to raise children. So naturally, creating the healthiest nursery possible was also main priority for us. It motivated all of our choices, from furniture and wall treatments, down to the rug. These are the choices we made:
The Cribs: We chose the Da Vinci Jenny Lind crib because it is made with wood harvested from sustainably-managed forests. It's also lead and phthalate free, and stained in a non-toxic finish. Also, the teething rail is BPA free. The Crib Mattresses: We chose Naturepedic organic mattresses. They offer a non-toxic waterproof surface that includes 100% food-grade polyethylene. They are also hypoallergenic, filled with organic cotton filling. The Crib Sheets: We chose 100% organic cotton crib sheets.
The Armoire: It was important to us to not purchase any furniture for the nursery that was made with manufactured wood, that may contain glues, adhesives or other compounds which may off-gas over time. Antique furniture provides this safeguard, as well as the opportunity to recycle beautifully-crafted pieces made long ago.
Mike created shelves for the armoire using solid tongue and groove pine floor planks. My Mom then covered them in 100% cotton fabric.
Nursing Chair: We selected the IKEA Jenny Lund slipcovered arm chair for nursing. I was really nervous about bringing a new chair into our nursery, as most new furniture is constructed with manufactured woods that may off-gas. So, I was happy to learn that IKEA strictly procures wood from sustainably-managed forests, and their pressed wood products comply with low formaldehyde standards. The Rug: We narrowed down our rug choices quite fast in knowing that we would only buy something that was made with natural fibers (with no rubber or plastic backing). We initially looked for 100% wool rugs, but ended up ordering a 100% jute braided rug for its style and shape. It's also reversible, so it should stand the test of time.
Wall Treatments: Like the rest of our house, the nursery was painted using Benjamin Moore's no-VOC line. Everything from the ceiling and the mouldings, to the doors and walls, were painted with the color Simply White in either flat or semi-gloss finishes. Choosing white for the plaster walls was a natural choice for me as it was the color of my childhood room, from birth until I left for college. White also has the added benefit of having less pigment added to the mix (pigments most often contain VOCs). I did just recently learn however that Benjamin Moore is one of the very few lines that uses VOC-free pigments. Thus their VOC-free line truly is VOC-free, no matter what color one chooses.
When Mike created the paneled wainscoting, he used solid wood mouldings, assembled and secured in place with a finish nail gun instead of glue.
The Closet: To create extra storage, we relocated the antique dresser from the guest house. We preferred using the dresser for the same reason that we chose the antique armoire. Also in the closet are the toys and books in waiting....until the babies are older. Purchasing two cribs, two mattresses, two car seats, clothing, diapers, etc.... added up as you can imagine. So we focused our budget on the things we knew we would need from birth through the first several months. Any toys and books we have were ours from childhood, or were given to us by family and friends. When we do start buying toys, we will focus on brands that offer phthalate-, BPA- and lead-free products.
Baby clothes: We have been very lucky in that we have received lovely hand-me downs from my friend Karen, and my brother Steven and his wife Marna, who have a son and two sweet daughters. The above knit sweater was my adorable nephew's.
This sweet outfit is a combination of a hand-me down (the white cotton onesie) from my niece and a purchase from a baby consignment store (the 100% organic cotton jumper with pink velvet piping). I've found consignment stores to be a wonderful resource for beautiful clothing, often hardly worn, at much lower prices than retail (organic knit jumper was $11). I hope that everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! I managed to stay on my feet long enough to make the pie crust... I spent the rest of the day on the couch nodding off and listening to the bustle of kitchen activity made by my mom and Mike. Happy Holiday Season to everyone! xo
I picked up an oversized cork board recently after realizing that the old one just wasn't big enough. The new one is much BIGGER. It extends about a foot past the edge of the photo. BIG.
My handy dresser is providing wonderful storage space, especially for the one billion inspiration photos that I've been tearing out of magazines for....oh, ever. But I thought a cork board would help me actually look at some of the photos I love, instead of having them sit in the drawer all the time.
The stack of antique gold frames leaning up against the wall are 'in waiting.' Waiting for me to find something perfect to put in them.
Now that I've lived with my sisal rug for awhile, I have to say that I'm quite pleased. Not only does it not show the wheel marks from the castors on my chair, but it's a tight weave so it's easy to wheel to and fro, here and there. The downside to all of these wonderful features is that it's scratchy to walk on....so slippers are recommended.
Behind the white chair is an old lawyer's bookcase. The bookcase comes from the same Great Great Grandfather that the desk belonged to (he was a doctor and both these items were in his office). The case is not big enough to hold all of our books (I'm working on Hubby to build us a big built-in for those), so I thought I'd use it for all of my home and garden design books. Look, room to spare....how convenient. The top case is reserved for my collection of birds nests. xo
Monica and I both went to the Dublin Fire Co. annual flea market last week (went the same day, but not together. Boo!) This was the first flea market I had been to where I was actually looking for items to repurpose. I had a couple of things in mind that I wanted, but also found a few other things that just begged to come home with me. I went with my mom, and she is a great person to go with because she, like me, can see potential in anything! (It's one of the perks of being an eternal optimist).
I got this awesome Pier 1 vase/urn for $5 (regularly $30) and it now graces my mantel.
One of the other things I purchased was an old workbench/sawhorse thingy. This was a little bit of a risk for me- I had an idea of where I would put it, but wasn't sure it would work out. But for $20, I knew I could use it somewhere!
That little beauty fit perfectly in my entryway! I had been wanting something to make that space a little more welcoming (and I little less"go away"-like, as Monica says), and this fit the bill. I can't get enough of the color, either.
Good, sturdy legs, huh?
This large pitcher caught my eye on the first table I went to. It was very country-looking with it's red and white checker pattern (sorry, no before pictures, but trust me, it's much better this way), but a little Rustoleum Painter's Touch spray paint in glossy white took care of that. I filled it with pussy willows from a local garden center and now it looks like it was meant to sit on that bench all along, and I just led it home.
Over on the other side I stacked a few books and an old lantern of my grandmothers. I love having a few of her things in my home as a way to remember her. That cute little plant is from Ikea and the mug was from a friend. (Thanks, Lindsey S. It's getting good use!)
(The view from the hallway upstairs.) On a side note, the pictures have made me hate the color of paint on our walls in the entry even more than I already did. When we moved into this house, the walls were peach. Like literally peach. We said goodbye to those as soon as we could, but lo and behold, the color I picked to replace it has a pink undertone, as well. Definitely the color of swine. (Melissa, at the Inspired Room, dealt with an entire house of swine, and I realized that this is the PERFECT description of my color). Blech! It will be a nice, non-swine, beige soon. Add that to the never-ending to-do list for my hubs. Poor guy.
Some of you may be wondering about the frame hanging above the new bench vignette. My hubs and I made this out of reclaimed barn wood (my father-in-law has a treasure trove of barn wood in his barn. Go figure.: ) Kevin cut the picture holes (is that the right word?) and then mounted another board to the back that I painted black, so that I could attach the pictures to it. I then painted the entire frame black, then painted it again in a brick red color with a thick bristle brush and minimal paint so that it looked a bit distressed. Finally, I added the phrase that I bought from Uppercase Living to it. I am so in love with this frame, it's not even funny.
Speaking of reclaimed barn wood, I have two big pieces ready to be made into frames (one holds four pictures, and the other holds one picture). If you're interested in purchasing one, send me an email to let me know. You can totally customize the color and phrase. This piece never fails to get lots of"wows", so if you want one in your home, give a holla!
What are some of your favorite flea market treasures? Happy Monday,
W e have a new house house plant living with us. I thought our Eastlake plant stand could use some company as I couldn't keep it appointed with fresh bouquets as often as I would like. The fact that I chose a spider plant is quite funny because as a child, I was deathly afraid of my parents' spider plant. This was because my young imagination believed that actual spiders (most likely thousands) made their home in it. This house plant acquisition (which I couldn't help but thoroughly examine for spider inhabitants) was instigated by my Mom, who sent me the following note not too long ago. It read:
Now just to give some history, my Mom and I talk on the phone often (almost daily). She lives in California. Nevertheless, I think my Mom still thinks I'm off at college and getting something in the mail makes me feel loved. Ok, it does. The things she sends in the mail vary....health tid bits like the above, articles on river and wetland restoration (for Hubby), recipes, and then there's the hard goods such as holiday decorations, clothing, books, pruning shears and twine....and most recently, lots and lots of baby clothes. My Mom is actually coming to visit next week and truth be told, I'll miss getting that little something special in the mail. Although I wouldn't put it past her to mail something on her way to the airport. Love her. xo
I can't believe Father's Day is next weekend. I have nothing planned yet (ugh! Slacker wife!) so, I thought I'd share some Father's Day Gift ideas that I found throughout blog land. Now, I have to warn you that my hubs isn't into ties, golf, or the TV remote and I found SO MANY project ideas like that, so if you want that stuff look on Pinterest. These are just ones that I thought were really cool and that I'd actually try myself. Free Printable Props from Paper Coteriefind them HEREI know my kids would have a blast taking pictures with these props! Even if we didn't print them out, we could show dad a silly slideshow!
Wall of Surprises from Oh Happy Day find the tutorial HERE This idea is my favorite and I think that we'll be trying it out next weekend. I was thinking that each of the kids could pick one activity they'd like to do with Daddy and we'll do them throughout the day. We might even include a few clues leading to our big present!
Personalized Book from Paper Coterie Use this link and the code DADSDAY to get 60% off!
I love how this book can combine pictures, printed words, and kids drawings & writing. My hubs isn't a big fan of crafts (I mean he likes the ones my kids make) but he LOVES photo books and things written from our kids. This is on my to do list tonight.
Scrabble Frame from Just Another Day in Paradise find the tutorial HERE This project has been on Pinterest since it started and I still love it just as much. I love the simplicity, but how it instantly grabs your attention.
Father's Day Photo Collage from Positively Splendidfind the tutorial and downloads HEREThis is really creative and cute. If I have time before next weekend we might give it a whirl!
The font wasn't totally my style, so I threw together another image that I'll use for the writing. Feel free to save as and use it too! Amy's tutorial uses Picasa, but I'm loving PicMonkey's collage tool and will probably use that for mine.
I hope this little Round-up got your wheels turning. What do you have planned for the fathers in your life?
Ok, Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season has officially begun in our house. One of my favorite things about the month of December is receiving loads of Christmas cards from our friends and family- some who we see weekly and some who we haven't seen in a year (or years!). There's something so special about getting real mail (vs. email, facebook messages etc.) and it's even better when it includes pictures of beautiful families or gorgeous Christmas cards. But, what do you do with all those cards? I loathe the idea of throwing them out (and no, I am not a hoarder! Not in the least, I just LOVE pictures). In years past, we've put all of our cards in a cheesy little mailbox that my hubs and I made early in our marriage.
Don't judge. We were young, dumb, and had not tapped into our creative sides yet. This year, I decided to do something different.
I am so happy that I can put these christmas card"books" out in our living room so that people can browse through them when hanging out. I originally saw this idea by Allen Designs here, but all I did was to buy binder clips or rings, and used my hole punch to punch two holes in the cards. Then, just slip the cards on the binder rings and voila! Your cards are ready to display, don't take up a lot of space, and can be kept year after year. Now that I know what I'm doing, I'm going to be sure to write the year on the back of each card so I can keep track. You just can't beat a project that is easy and cheap. I think that's going to be my tagline from now on. Just stop me if you're tired of hearing it. On second thought, there's no stopping me. Simple is my middle name. Believe it or not, I had a really hard time finding other great Christmas card display ideas, but I was able to scrounge up a few cool ideas that are not cheesy and look elegant!
Source: marthastewart.com via Jessica on Pinterest Leave it to Martha, to come up with something amazing. I couldn't stop drooling over that card tree.
Source: marthastewart.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Have an old shutter laying around? If not, you might just want to go find one, because this is a.dor.a.ble.
Source: prettyhandygirl.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Jessica on Pinterest Ooh, and I might just have found another use for my old ladder. It's your turn: Share your great Christmas card display ideas! Feel free to upload a pic to facebook and tag RHBC so we can see what you do!
Okay, so two years ago Vista Print entered my life… yes, it sounds dramatic, but man, it Rocked My World! Maybe you've heard of Vista, and maybe you know you can get FREE pens and oodles of business cards, but that really doesn't excite nor apply to you. Well, I'm hoping that some of these ideas will get you almost as sold on Vista as I am (and no, I don't get commission- lol.) Ok, so with Vista Print, you sign up for their emails (and yes, you'll get a lot, so don't use your everyday email address unless you want to. I have one email account for all my"junk" emails I subscribe to and one"real" account that I use daily) Every few days, Vista will send you FREE products you can order- you only pay shipping. There are 3 shipping options, so the price is decent and totally worth all the products you'll be getting for free!
Now onto the fun part… what you can create in Vista! The suggestions I'm giving in this post were all made without using Photoshop or any professional design programs. Vista has designs to choose from or you can create your own and upload a completed design. I do a lot of both. Idea # 1- Mommy Cards These little cards are perfect for the playdate lovin' mom. Keep them in your purse and when your child makes a friend at the local park, you can give new friend's mommy one of your super-cool cards so that you can meet up again. If you're like me, you've jotted down a mom's cell number on a scrap of paper, only to completely lose it and then feel awful that you never called. 250 Mommy Cards Printed as business cards = FREE!
Idea # 2- Shower Invitations You don't need to pay insane prices for cool, trendy invitations. Get ideas online and then design your own! Baby Lucas (after Luke Skywalker) was due to arrive last summer and of course we needed fabulous Star Wars invitations for our Star Wars themed Shower. The pictures were simply pulled from Google Images and the font was free online. 50 Invites Printed as Oversized Postcards = FREE!
(sorry for the blurry parts, but I wanted to get rid of the personal info) Have I mentioned I have the best, most super-fun friends ever?
Idea # 3- Children's Birthday Parties I haven't bought an invitation in two years. Small postcards, large postcards, notecards, or invitations can all be used to create your invites in Vista. This is Kenzie's Spa Party invite. She had so much fun helping me design it! This one was one-sided, but the back can be personalized as well. We put them in 5x 7 envelopes and voila! I only needed 10 invites, but 100 were Free, so we have lots to use as scrap cardstock. 100 Party Invitations = FREE!
Idea # 4- Christmas Cards Can you believe how much Christmas cards have changed in the last few years? Gone are the days of the painted, snowy scene cards and in are awesome photo cards and more! The only problem is that it can cost a small fortune to send the nice photo cards to everyone. These were our Christmas Cards from 2009. I used Picnik (free editing software) to edit our pics, create a collage, and add some bling; and then I uploaded it onto the oversized 5 x 7 postcards.
I think my favorite part was that I could fully customize the back and had plenty of space to say exactly what we wanted to share. Another bonus was that I could mail them as postcards and didn't need envelopes. Score! 100 Christmas Cards (2 orders of 50) = FREE!
Idea # 5- Kids Pretend Supplies Last Christmas I used Vista to put together a Vet Kit for Kenzie. She loves animals and loved playing vet, but she was getting a little"old" for typical pretend play. So, we made pretend"cool" again by giving her a present of real vet supplies. Her vet supplies included: a Pet Vet Poster, a personal stamp, business cards, a personalized pen, a tote bag, stationary and printed forms (I went online and grabbed a basic vet form.) She LOVED it and had so much fun playing vet again, since now it seemed a bit more grown up. You could do this for anything your child is into… Doctor, Builder, Photographer, Ballerina, etc. Oodles of Pretend Play Supplies = FREE! Pet Vet Poster
Personal Stamp
Idea # 6- Totes for Everything I mean everything! Every time I put in an order I add a tote (umm they're free, why not!) Here are some ideas: Library Book Tote, Sports Tote (the one below was for Kenzie's cleats, shinguards, and water bottle for soccer.) Books for the Car, Snacks for on-the-go, Sleepover Bag (sized just right for one night and you could write something cute on it), Pretend Shopping Bag. What ideas do you have? Share them and I'm sure I'll order one! Everything Tote Bag = FREE!
Idea # 7- Gift Tags These are just business cards repurposed into gift tags. I used these for Christmas presents and they matched so well. I used a hole punch in the corner and attached them with coordinating ribbon. You could also make some non-holiday tags to have on hand. You could even make a set from each child for all the class birthday parties. My kids love when I have things personalized. To: _____ From: Kaden. I haven't done that yet, but I will be soon! 250 Gift Tags printed as Business Cards = FREE!
Idea # 8- Teacher Gifts Want a great, personal gift for a teacher? How about giving them a collection of coordinating, personalized supplies? Hit up Target's dollar bin for a cute container and your gift will be the talk of the teacher's lounge! Here are some items that you could include: notepads, sticky notes, pens, postcards, notecards, and more! I plan to do this for my kids' teachers this spring, so I won't give all my ideas away, but stay tuned for some inspiration! Personal, Thoughtful Teacher Gifts = FREE Notepad with magnet on the back
Matching sticky notes
Phew… that was a long post, but hopefully at least one of these ideas made you ready to jump in and give VistaPrint a try. I promise you'll be hooked! Use this link to sign up for Vista today and be sure to share your creations with us!
