Friday, January 29, 2010
Modern Day Doilies
I am not a huge fan of the paper doilies that we see everywhere around valentines day. I think the only thing they are good for is to make a super-cute valentine card! I do love these new modern doilies from IKEA though! They are a steal at $1.49 and the best part about them is that they can be washed and reused! They are stylish and will add pizazz to any dessert. They are especially helpful for people like me who are not exactly artists in the icing department! Run to the IKEA in Frisco to get yours today!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Stay in the Loop!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Not Your Grandmother's Quilts
I confess that I adore quilts. My Grandma Horst makes one every year and donates it to her Church auction and my Grandma Schlegel had such an amazing collection of them that her local newspaper dubbed her the "Queen Bee of Quilts." I have a few really lovely quilts that my grandmother made for me and truly treasure them. You can not imagine my excitement when I heard that the classic quilt has been given a makeover! I adore the quilts that Shari Lidji or Red Llama Studio is making. These quilts are truly one of a kind! Her quilts look like a work of contemporary art and the fabrics she uses are modern and chic. She even uses baby blankets and old tee shirts to complete her masterpieces. She recently made a beautiful prayer shawl for a special bat matzvah and posted a video about it. Check it out here! Amazing!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I Love Popcorn
There are so many times when I am at a loss for what to send to people as a gift. Flowers are not always right. Gift cards can be impersonal. Popcorn might just be the perfect new thing! Right here in our neck of the woods we have a fantastic "Popcorn Person," Sarah Conrow. I have known Sarah since we were little girls and I can tell you that she does everything in the cutest way possible. Like all of the girls in her family, she is hard working and has great style. I am so excited about the gift items she offers at I Love Popcorn! There are tons of flavors and she has really cute options for Valentine's Day. I think I will order some for JR's teachers so that they know how much Justin, JR and I appreciate them. Gift bags start at $7 and go up to about $70 but I know Sarah well enough to know that if you call her and need something extraordinary, she will deliver!!! Sending gifts is a hard task but who doesn't love popcorn!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Art Gallery Hopping
- Timing is everything. Many galleries are closed on Mondays so that they can stay open on the weekend. They are typically busier on the weekends than the weekdays so if you really want to avoid the crowds, go during the week.
- Sign up for the mailing list to receive invitations to the gallery openings and events. It is a fun way to meet new people and mix and mingle in the art world.
- Take your time to make a judgement. Walk around and just look. After you have spent some time browsing on your own, ask the gallery staff questions. I always like to ask where the artist is from, how they grew up and where they live now. I often find that it influences the way I see their work.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Paperless Postcard
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Avoiding a Bald Spot on your Lash Line
I worry about a lot of stuff but the thought of having a bald spot on my lash line had not ever crossed my mind until this morning when my BeautySnob friend, Tina Craig, told me a nightmare story about a friend of hers who had a bald spot there for months after curling her lashes. Her mascara was sticky and clumpy and it stuck to the curler! The bald spot lasted for months! Great...now I have something else to worry about! Julie and I were talking lash talk last week too. We were talking about all of these crazy new mascara trends. There are round wands and vibrating wands. The options are a bit overwhelming. I decided that it was time to do some research! I have always loved two mascaras: Yves Saint Laurent's Volume Effet and Loreal's Lash Out. I try new brands every once in a while but I always go back to these two products.
- I never buy waterproof mascara (clumps up on me) and I always use Black.
- One trick to avoid clumping is to be sure to take all of last nights mascara off first by using an eye makeup remover.
- If you are still not satisfied, consider eyelash extensions! Makeup artist Nikki Wynn does the best job at them! When you have them, you don't even need mascara!
Monday, January 18, 2010
RSVP
Friday, January 15, 2010
Your Doggie Valentine can win a trip to New York!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Paperless Post
I am often asked how I feel about email invitations, notes, etc. I wish I had a clear answer! I still have a great passion for paper and love snail mail but I also understand that, in today's world, email rules! I do insist that Thank You Notes should be written by hand on pretty stationery or cards but I often send out invitations via email.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What I learned from Hutton Wilkenson
Our first Feather Your Nest event was so much fun! Thank you to everyone who attended and to the Ritz Carlton. For one reason, our speaker, Hutton Wilkenson, was fascinating and for another reason, Steve Kembel was sitting at my table! Hutton taught us a great deal about what it was like to work with the late, great Tony Duquette, the only American to have a one man design show at the Louvre! His books about Tony are amazing and he truly demonstrated Tony's style and flair through old photographs and comical stories. Here are few of the great things that I learned:
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Yes...my iced tea was dribbeling out the sides of my mouth!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Other things you can do with Wine!
- Use a pair of empty bottles as bookends. I love this idea! We often use our wine bottle as a "guest book" of sorts at special occasion dinners. We pass around the bottle and a gold or silver marker and everyone will write a message. We always put the date and occasion at the top and then keep the bottle in a wine closet. Now we can put those mementos of special occasions out on a shelf to hold up books.
- An empty wine bottle is a perfect rolling pin!
- A pair of empty bottles is a great way to keep your boots up when you are not wearing them!
- Use the cork to cap the end of a knife before you put it away. Not only will it keep the knife from getting dull but it will also keep things safe!
- Poke your small stud earrings into a cork and throw it in your travel bag. No worries about loosing those itty bitty accessories any more!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Photo Perfect!
- Julie told me that she uploads all of her images to Kodak Gallery on the first of every month. I love that idea! That way they are organized chronologically and you can always find what you are looking for! She also makes a book for each month it is mailed to in an organized and memorable fashion. Shutterfly offers a similar product as does iPhoto. It is instant scrapbooking!
- I have an addiction to printing photos out. I know it sounds a bit old fashioned but I like to send them out to friends and frame the really good ones. I store my prints in boxes like this one. I just make a tab every time I add in a new event. It works really well as long as I don't let a big pile back up! My mom uses boxes too but instead of putting them in by event or date, she devotes a box to each member of the family and has others for group shots. It is a matter of preference. I also love the organizing tools from Exposures.com
- If you have old family photos or photographs that are very special, you might consider investing in some materials to help you keep them safe. There are so many special products designed to prevent discoloration and deterioration. Check some out here.
- I like to leave out a basket of bowl of photographs on my coffee table for people to peek through when they are over. I typically fill it with duplicates so that they can feel free to take the image home if they like it.
- If you are looking for a way to give your holiday snapshots a new look, upload them to Rollip. You have options for a dozen different effects that are so cool! They can give your photo beautiful textures and faded colors that old photographs used to have. You will love it!
- Another cool website that you can give your images a new look is All Pop Art. Send them your photograph and they can turn it into a Warhol-esque masterpiece or print it on canvas.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
3-3-3 of Thank You Notes
- Always write and print clearly
- Always hand write addresses (no labels)
- Fill in notes are only appropriate if you are under age 6.
- Use a stamp (not metered postage)
- You may use a label, seal or stamp for your return address.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Put a Lid on It! New Years Organizing Tips from All In A Row!
Top 10 Organizing Tips for the New Year
1. Keep it simple – Pick one small area and decide to get it purged, sorted, and organized and then maintain that area during the year.
2. Less is more – If you want to take control of your space you have to eliminate clutter. Donate unused or excessive items (do you really need 10 different coats or 20 dish towels?) to your favorite charity and get a tax write off.
3. Find a purpose – Designate a shelf for a particular purpose “yoga accessories” or “guest bedroom sheets” and only put items pertaining to that purpose on that shelf.
4. Your labeler is your best friend – Mark what each shelf is used for with the help of a label it will take the stress off of you and other people in your house because everyone will know where to put things away.
5. Ask for help – If you’re really stuck in one project, call an organized friend and talk your concerns over with her, take your issue to the container store, their staff is very friendly and willing to brainstorm a solution with you, or call all in a row!
6. Put a lid on it – Contain your projects or like items together so they’re easy to keep up with – keep all your knitting needles, yarn, etc. in one bag and make it your knitting bag.
7. Save time – Locate an area closest to the door you use most in your home and create a space to keep your purse, keys, and sunglasses. Practice consistently putting your things in this area and you’ll always know where they are when it’s times to head out.
8. Lighten your load – Open your mail close to the trash and recycling and immediately let go of credit card offers, catalogues you don’t read, and any other items that might pile up forgotten in a corner.
9. Make a list – Before heading out to run all those errands, take a few minutes to plan your route. This will save you time and gas when you’re out on the town.
10. Practice the attitude of gratitude – Remember to take time to be grateful and have fun while you organize. This will change the work from a task to a positive experience.