christmas packaging...

Christmas is in 8 days! CRAZY! I am ALMOST done with everything that needs to be finished prior to the holidays...I delivered GOODIES to the office, exchanged gifts with Megan & Rebecca, had my annual Christmas Party, wrapped my family's gifts, created my Christmas cards and am past the half-way point in writing in them - they WILL get mailed this weekend...i hope, put Sara's gift in the mail, and decorated the house! WOOT! Tomorrow I'm celebrating with Shalina - then it's home to finish up a few more gifts and package them - and make one more goodie - and I'm SET TO CELEBRATE! I am hand-making most of my Christmas gifts this year - so I decided some custom packaging would really finish them off well.  I can't show you the WHOLE package yet...but here is the tag and corresponding seal...after delivery I'll be sure to update you with a FULL view! Hope your Christmas celebrations are coming along!!

Clark Family Christmas Card...

i am truly SO thankful to work with amazing people...and my boss and his family are some of the best.  Jim asked me to design their family christmas card this year and it was my HONOR to put this together for them!My Christmas card(s) will be uploaded SOON...but they need to be mailed out to loved ones first...I want them to all be surprised!! :) (especially considering my card is HYSTERICAL this year! love it!) YAY! ps. can you tell Sandy (Jim's wife) liked the Ev. Free Staff Christmas Party invite? She totally asked me to use the same font package!!!

taste the holidays...

after hosting wine nite at my house several months ago now (crazy how quickly time goes. freaks me out!) i decided that hosting parties is REALLY easy if people bring all the food/beverages and all i have to provide is the house - in a somewhat clean but definitely organized fashion.  wine nite was fun...so after much discussion, it was decided that i would host a winter holiday party. i'm crazy. i know.  so...behold the holiday invitation.  i have invited more people to this shin-dig than i did to wine nite...and merged the friend groups a bit...so we'll see who ends up coming and what kind of a time will be had. hopefully we'll be merry and the evening will be bright...

staff christmas invitation...

after finishing the Volunteer Christmas Luncheon invitation, i immediately started working on the staff christmas party invitation.  the last 2 years the staff invitation has involved all kinds of crazy things - from gromets and bows to glitter.  this year i decided to make it simple - no frills - a print, cut, and deliver job.  this fit those requirements PERFECTLY and i think the staff will still be impressed...we'll see...

volunteer christmas invitation

we are in FULL SWING CHRISTMAS MODE here at Ev. Free Fullerton.  we're kicking off the season RIGHT with a luncheon to honor the many {hundreds} volunteers that serve our congregation.  i was in charge of invitation design yet again this year and decided and invitation style postcard would be perfect.  so here they are for your viewing pleasure! i hope the many volunteers think they're cute and feel APPRECIATED by this lunch!

2011 {wall calendar}

well, it is officially 2 months from the new year.  yes, that's right, 2 months from today we will be living in 2011.  this year has been CRAZY fast! 2011 calendar images appear to be popping up on design blogs all over the web today, so i thought i would join the craze and post the one i created for my house.  it matches our living room color scheme and i think it will be yet one more fun touch added to my home.   

House Decor UPDATE...

I have spent quite a bit of time (in the last few weeks) re-deocorating my house.  my roommate Lindsey moved out a few weeks ago, and along with her went quite a bit of the furniture and almost everything on the walls.  so much disappeared, in fact, that we were echoing when speaking downstairs (obviously the sound absorbing ceiling is ineffective).  anyway, my brother sister and sweet niece came to visit last weekend and i really wanted things to be cute for them...so i GOT GOING.  most of my ideas are from other blogs - but obviously they are re-worked and re-vamped to meet my specific needs...SO FUN dreaming...can't wait to have my own home someday where i can paint walls and really go to town with wall decor!!!

the three frames concept turned out even cuter than i imagined it would.  it was SO easy and thanks to IKEA so cheap too!!  these are on the wall opposite the front door - so it is a great place to add a pop of colour (and yes, color looks better with the "u" in there - ask my stylist friend Amber - she knows!)

here is a close-up of the "I SPY"/eye chart i created that is in the center frame... I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE A PLACE I CAN CALL HOME

the trio of LOVE prints may be one of my favoite decor additions thus far.  i LOVE how bright the yellow is against the beige walls and since I'm a total sucker for anything TENDER, it fits my personality perfectly!

the aqua typewriter doesn't belong to me - but i'm in LOVE with it! I actually asked my good friend Gan to hung a black one down for me...i want a typewriter in my house FOREVER. and the apothecary filled with buttons and the miniature shopping cart are in a close second and i imagine will be making appearances in numerous places throughout my houses for years to come!

and we CANNOT forget to include a sweet place for Ina to reside...and her cookbooks look FABULOUS sitting next to the yellow pitcher.

yes...i think the house looks better already! can't wait to keep dreaming and adding more...tomorrow maybe i'll include close ups of the prints themselves...you know, they deserve a little highlight :)

fruity fabric...

i have had this fabric in my "craft box" for months and months and months.  i LOVED it at first sight and just knew it would look PERFECT in my kitchen - but it's a little too cutesy to be curtains, etc. SO finally, i've found a use for it! i live with 3 other girls so there is often a necessity to post various items (bills, notes about things that are broken, miscellaneous updates, etc.) and the kitchen is really the most realistic place for such things given that we all visit there on a daily basis. SO...this weekend i busted out a very old (but still totally functional) bulletin board and covered it up with this DARLING fabric.  then i tied some bows on the hooks and hung it up in the kitchen. it is DEFINITELY cuter and will serve as a FABULOUS message board for me and the girls! SUCCESS! 

"M" is for McGaughey

it is OFFICIAL! one of my designs has now been printed, framed, and properly placed in the guest bedroom of my dear friends Amber McGaughey.  i knew that i liked the print before i sent it over to her for final approval and then publishing; BUT now that i've seen it in an frame and on the wall, i must admit it is LOVE! SO FUN having a piece in someone's home!! prayerfully it is the FIRST of MANY!

{and thanks for the photo amber - can't wait to come STAY in that guest bedroom sometime soon!}

all it takes is a quote...

i am officially bored with my wall decor - so i've decided it is time to change it up a bit {i think college  RUINED me...i got in the habit of moving at least once a year thus having numerous opportunities to rearrange furniture and change decor items without seeming like a crazy person who is never content. now that i've been living in the condo for almost a year, i'm starting to go STIR CRAZY with everything looking the same - NOT NORMAL after only a year!}.  however, i'm not interested {nor would be a wise decision in any way, shape, or form} in spending a lot of money, so i'm trying to get creative.  i found an awesome frame that will soon be receiving a complimentary coat of spray paint and will then be filled with a DARLING "s" print and hung as the primary focal point on my soon to be "gallery wall". i am getting excited!

today i whipped up a print for a black 5x7 frame - just a candid shot of my and one of my besties laughing while dancing to "you make my dreams come true".  i added a simple quote by E. E. Cummings and have fallen completely in love with it.  who would have known that all it takes is a quote to spice up an already fabulous photograph and give it a whole new feel. SO EXCITED to add it to the gallery wall...

ps don't we look like we belong in a magazine!

beach birthday bash

on Friday afternoon I got an email from my boss' wife asking if I would please help her create a birthday invitation for her youngest daughter Courtney who just turned 15.  Of course when your boss' wife asks, you gladly provide all resources at your disposal!!  I was told that it is a beach party, that Courtney wanted colorful, and LOVES yellow.  So I let my creative juices flow and THIS is what I came up with.  It isn't something I would typically design, but I think it is FUN for  a teenage birthday party - and NO ONE will complain that it isn't colorful enough!

Hope you have a wonderful birthday celebration Court!!

"s"

for almost a year now, I have had this AMAZING wooden frame just begging to be painted and longing desperately for something amazing to hold.  well, i'm not at the stage of life where i'm going to frame a huge picture of myself (the frame is 11x14) {given that i'm not married, don't have a family, etc.} and even though Madeline is cute enough to warrant a photograph of that magnitude, it is a little creepy to have her as the centerpiece of my wall when she isn't even my child. so i came up with an alternative - since prints are "all the rage" these days, and i'm absolutely OBSESSED with initials, i made my very own print.  i have yet to paint the frame or hang in my bedroom, but i'm pretty sure i'm in love. AND...i've already had a request or two {for a different initial, OF CORUSE!} - which means it must be cute! maybe NOW i'll grow the motivation necessary to finish the project...i'll keep you posted!    

CHEERS to the FABULOUS birthday girl!

this weekend we celebrated my sister-in-law Jamie's 28th birthday with a "wine and dine" party in her backyard.  we chose classy with a taste of rustic as our theme for the evening and let the ideas grow from there.  we put several tables together to create the "family style" effect and then crisp white table cloths with burlap runners to combine our two design concepts. black, white, and red were our color selections for the event, so amber arranged some red roses and white hydrangeas in square glass vases with ribbon embellishments.  the stark contrast between the crisp lines of the vases and the soft feel of the flowers was perfect.  we used as many candles as possible to give the whole backyard more of a romantic feel and created a playlist including lots of jazz and cool tunes.  it was a wonderful evening that was enjoyed by all! 

and in case you wondered, it was a cocktail party - so although you can't see my outfit at all - i was dressed for the occassion!

stamp club {september '10}

I am a part of a little stamp club {i know it makes me sound ridiculously old and lame, but i choose to think i'm AWESOME}.  It is comprised predominantly of dear ladies I work with - and is a great creative outlet for all of us.  We meet every other month and exchange cards as well as making two additional cards while we're there.  I think I usually come home with approximately 10 new cards from each meeting. It is fabulous.  This month's set was "perfect punches" (stampin up) and we each built a card based off that set.  I made a birthday card because I tend to use those more than the others - but I think it turned out really well.  I would be THRILLED to receive that card in the mail - so I'm sure I have a sweet friend who is going to LOVE IT when it arrives in her mailbox sometime next year!

wine nite

friday night i had some of my best girls over to enjoy a little reprieve from the rigors of the week.  it was a very casual affair - everyone brought a bottle and something to snack on - and the night was over before we knew it.  fridays are hard because everyone is EXHAUSTED but it was a lovely way to end the week and i have no doubt we'll be putting another "gathering" on the calendar soon. 

is there anything better than chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling wine?? especially when they are served on a SUPER CUTE white cake plate! that cake plate was a bridesmaid gift from my friend Krista's wedding - what a FAB idea - functional and still super cute!





simple little wine tags i made to keep the glasses straight.  they matched the color scheme of the invitation- and i think added just a touch of "special" to the otherwise fairly ordinary occassion.



wine nite invite

some of my best girls are coming over on friday night after the LONG work week...there will be wine (of all varieties) and lots of tasty treats to coordinate...i'm working on wine tags to differentiate our glasses but keeping it simple - this is an easy deal with an easy invite!

my treasure...

each summer for as long as i can remember {my parents took us for the first time when I was 1} my family has spent a week at Carlsbad State Beach soaking up the sun and enjoying the waves.  my sweet niece M came this summer for the 3rd time {she is only 2...so yes, that means she came when she was only weeks old!} she had quite a tumble with one of the waves and wasn't too fond of "going down" after that, but amber mcgaughey {a dear family friend} was able to capture THIS amazing photograph; which, when coupled with a quote like that from Pirates of the Caribbean just could not get any cuter!
this is ALREADY framed at my house but will be framed for my sweet brother and sister in law's house soon {and ambs has also requested a copy} oh for the love of inDesign!

"Cheers" to a FAB S.I.L.!

my sweet sister-in-law jamie is turning 28 in just a few weeks and i have been enlisted by big brother kevin to help throw her soiree along with my good friend amber of LovelySundayEvents.  we have planned a lovely wine and dine evening with some of jamie's closest friends and family members and hope to spend the evening hob-nobbing over italian food and tasty beverages.  we decided the invites should be simple, understated, with just a touch of class and elegance. CHEERS!

"L" is for lou!

my darling friend lauren {aka. lou} just had a birthday...and we celebrated big time...with appetizers and drinks and BOWLING.  however, on celebration day, the gift was still just a glimmer of hope and imagination.  well, i FINALLY finished it up {and packaged it up} and it will SOON {i hope - i am missing my dear friend} be delivered! 

the final product - just a little something