paint party monday.

print & production print via inksie

can't blog now, a painting party is about to begin. i am about to cover everything in plastic and head to home depot. (and no worries, we are using baby safe latex paint.) we are saying goodbye to our purple bathroom at last (the lavender shade has actually started growing on me in a strange way). we're painting it a smooth classic cream which i hope will open it up and feel a lot lighter. i couldn't sleep, i'm so excited about it; the bathroom was the first room we wanted to paint but has ended up being the last. all that cutting in has me shaking in my shoes. but i think we can tackle it. we meaning, me and whit. she is my painting partner professional. hope you have a happy monday. and i hope we get further than just the frog tape stage. wish us luck.

p.s. we did another crazy thing this weekend; we went target shooting on a double date. it was a birthday gift to dan for me to tag along (first time in ten years!) and i've never seen him so elated. pretty fun to shock your man once in awhile.

one very big boy and his big boy room

you and me spend wild amounts of time together. i love our sun filled afternoons and the mornings full of chores together; you zooming around me with toy in hand. (usually you'll stop to carefully place the soap packet into the nook of the dishwasher and close it with a bang.) i wonder about the future years which will undoubtedly be full of busy schedules, packed full of activities. i will likely look back on these simple days and long for them in part of my heart. i remind myself how glorious these short years are; wherein i have your full attention and that you want mine. we go on spontaneous outings to the library, to my favorite soup and sandwich shop, to the train table at barnes & noble, to the toy section at tj maxx. just to look. sometimes we'll go get a jamba juice to share before naps. and somedays we stay in our jammies all day; shuffling around the house discussing alphabet sounds or imagining what lightning mcqueen might be up to.

you are my little pal; so helpful and willing and curious. you love listening to stories and singing songs. and watching out for road signs when we drive. you want to know what they all say. you also like me to interpret what was said over the PA system at the grocery store. you remind me how lively life is. it's more colorful than just a grocery list and a bunch of bananas in my cart. as if a parade / a circus is happening all around us; no matter where we are. the other day you spied a car parked inside the mall. it was shiny and red and likely a prize from a contest. i never would've thought twice about it; but you loved it and spent a few minutes dazzled by the thought of a real car parked inside a building! you astound us with your language. the other day you said, yeah, okay mom, that makes sense. and you're using words like unfortunately.. and actually... in correct context. and the other night you reported, mom i'm not playing with my food. i'm doing science. and sometimes you call us by our names rather than mom and dad which cracks us up. your limbs are lengthening and your torso is tight; every minute it seems like another pair of pants are too short. you are growing as fast as a speedy race car.

// a few things i want to remember.
you prefer your waffles plain. no butter, syrup, or jam.
you do love sweets though and love that mom keeps a few in her purse.
you love using your flashlight every chance you get.
you recognize sweeper trucks, garbage trucks, excavators and more.
you still love curious george and have added berenstain bears to the storybook routine.
you love splashing in the tub and playing sink or float.
(a dollop of shaving cream adds another half hour of fun.)
suddenly you have started grimacing dramatically at foods that look gross.
(usually the attempted healthy meals i've slaved over.)
you like reporting which numbers the little hand and big hand are pointing to.
you have learned how to negotiate. very well. (just like your dad.)
you'd be happy to watch cars 2 every single day.
you know all the characters' names by heart.
your energy is unstoppable and you love piggy back rides
and hearing about when you were a baby.
we play make believe a lot, you like to pretend you're huckle.
you memorize words and phrases and songs quickly
and you'll repeat them back to me at random times,
(and shock me with such a good memory).
we read little bear stories over our lunch plates sometimes.
i like that they're about a little bear and his mother bear.
you line your cars up precisely (and then crash them with pleasure).
i love when something reminds you of something else and you recall a happy occasion;
hey, remember my birthday party? remember taking the train to oma's house?
you love blueberries, yogurt raisins, fruit snacks (!) and string cheese.
whenever you and dad go out, you'll come home with chocolate milk.
your favorite bear recently got stitched up, thanks to opa.
you've taken a liking to markers and crayons. which makes mom super happy.
rough housing is your favorite thing to look forward to. which makes dad glad.
dinosaurs and action heroes have entered your interest.
but vehicles still trump any other toy.
(other moms seem to lament their boys' thomas days. maybe i will too.
admittedly, thomas the engine is cuter than nerf guns. )
you love going to primary at church and being three is still a pretty big deal.
drinking anything through a straw is like a little luxury.
and taylor swift is on our favorites playlist.
recently you told me daddy was your best friend.
i tuck you in and give you sloppy kisses.
(and eskimo kisses. and butterfly kisses.)
your voice makes me happy.
your little steps give me purpose.
your morning climb-into-our-bed makes me warm inside and out.


// the bedroom details 
the bike print came (framed!) from thumbtack press.
he also has another unique print of his monogram from etsy.
his quilt came from amazon, a duvet from ikea and train sheets from tj maxx.
the walls are painted benjamin moore, boothbay gray.
his (favorite) choo choo shirt from old navy.
the transportation mobile was a fantastic find at a local toy store.
(i love laying on his bed reading stories and chatting about it!)
ikea expedit shelving holds his toys, pictured here.
the red chair (a sweet baby gift from my sis!) has been around forever.

my home office & craft studio tour / oh so aqua

this is my new home office / craft studio. am a happy girl that i have my very own space to create, work, blog, make stuff and more. (if you don't have a whole room to spread out in, see how i stuffed all my stuff within a craft studio in a corner of our apartment!)

with my new place, the first thing we did was remove the door. now it has an airy, friendly feeling; i don't feel trapped in a dungeon. the space is open to all and luckily my three year old knows what is off limits and what is not (my printer–perched on a shelf attached underneath my desk– is his favorite place to park cars). dan pumped me up for painting the walls something bright–and with only one window–i'm so glad i did. (thanks to my sidekick, miss painterly herself; whitney.) it looks seafoam green in the mornings, tiffany blue at nights. i work late, so this room feels cheerful no matter what the hour. dan also opened up my eyes to all the different ways to position the furniture too; he helped me with the layout of the space (and built all the ikea expedit shelves too). this room is finally functioning quite nicely, so allow me to give you a little tour.

most of the items shown have been around for a long time or have been gifted to me as hand-me-downs (such as that amazing lamp. thanks dad!). the rest of the resources are listed below (if i missed something, i'll be glad to answer questions in the comment section).

my main goals //
have a functioning space with clear access for creative work (including floorspace!)
to keep my computer desk clear of unessentials
plenty of visual inspiration
have a 'home' for all my supplies for quick clean-up (labels help!)
to feature artwork i love and be flexible to switching it up
make double stick tape, pens, ribbon and washi tape close at hand


this is my mailing center / inspiration board. i was happy to discover rubbermaid bins fit brilliantly in the expedit shelves for storing kraft mailers, ribbon, mini diaries and other goodies from my shop, cellophane bags and more to make my shipping and handling process go oh so smoothly.


literally pinning a few things i love // concert tickets, christmas fabrics, gorgeous lady hue art print by my friend, caitlin of hue and hum, home is where your heart is print by sugar fresh, mini clipboards for ever-changing to do lists, snapshots and note cards i can't possibly tuck away (one in which i'm wearing a crazy yellow wig in my high school musical, pippin). remember how this bulletin board used to look?


my favorite yellow chairs came from my grandma, the awesome drop-leaf table from my sister-in-law amy, the letterpress prints by tag team tompkins. (i'll have you know, hanging those pretties was no easy feat for an un-math wiz like me. but so worthwhile. i used this method.) other necessities: three hole punch, two types of tape, washable markers for benji projects (and sometimes mine), usps postage scale. and tucked back there awaiting addressing; our christmas cards printed at moo! i created a mini over-the-closet collage of favorite design work i've done for clients; a mini montage to celebrate my ideas in print.


left: here's a peek inside the closet; bursting with paper (remind me never to buy stationery. my obsession is overwhelming.), punches, notebooks, supplies and a little nook devoted to vintage postage stamps.
right: another expedit ikea shelf to hold inspiration binders, baskets (from target) to house cds, digital custom design work, family home evening ideas, photographs and love letters (and letters i love). i spray painted a wooden teacup holder and like to hang spools of twine and washi tape on it. a touch of dazzle.


these are four favorite items in the office. i purchased these shadowboxes on clearance from the martha crafts line at michaels a hundred years ago and just barely created collages within them. why it took me so long, i'll never know. one is dedicated to lovely penmanship from a few beloved ladies in my life, the other to my dad's european adventures, another to new york city, van gogh (and general passion for following your dreams) and finally, one to my lover and best friend.


the jutted beam seemed a perfect place to perch these babies, all in a row. they are the first thing i see when i walk in. they make me happy to be home. as do the aqua walls; i love the color, but i love the happy memories of painting them ourselves even more.

resources 
wall color / jamaican aqua by benjamin moore
wooden @ sign / edies lab
desk and slim alex drawer unit (perfect for oversized papers) / ikea
paper cutter / rototrim brand
b&w portrait of mom & me / justin hackworth
manhattan unfurled book / by matteo percoli

crafty books on my shelves (highly recommended!)
craft inc. by mateo ilasco
if you want to write by brenda ueland
writer mama by christina katz
illustrator 101 by alma loveland
photoshop 101 by mike loveland
crane's blue book of stationery
the handmade marketplace by kari chapin

on a side note // lots of things are coming down the pipe, as they always do mid-november. it's a graphic designer's version of tax season. i'm working on a book layout project; scanning vintage seventies photos makes me smile. blogging may come to a slow pedaling action. am gearing up to host family pie night this weekend. i hope my family fits in our house! i'm especially excited to make my family (and dan's too, eventually) play my holiday edition of $25,000 pyramid. it's a little known fact that i really love to make up games (and make my family play along. they are good sports). tune in tomorrow, i'll be featuring my mom's amazing recipe for apple cake (because you need it this thanksgiving / you won't be sorry). wishing you all a productive and happy week. anyone have their christmas binder out yet? mine is laying across the couch at the moment; bursting with ideas. ready or not, the holidays are a-coming.

gallery wall layout ideas

i've always loved a jumble of images on my walls (see glorious pinspiration here). my mom will never let me forget the collection of abercrombie catalogues torn out and taped to my bedroom door as a teen. for the new house–left to my own devices–i would opt for every wall to be a gallery wall. but that is why i have a studio of my very own. (can't wait to show you what's become of those walls.) however for the living room, i hope to honor the husband's taste for clean lines and self-control while utilizing (and customizing!) the giant blank area above the couch. i've teamed up with easy canvas prints who specialize in photos on canvas to help create what we're seeking. to give you a good perception of scale, they have this neat graphic to check out what a certain sized canvas would look like hanging above a 7 ft. sofa. (genuis!)

i took it one step further, with all my nerdy gumption, and took their dimensions and graphic into photoshop to create a few gallery layout options with a variety of canvas sizes. with the company's permission, here are a few of my favorites for a neat and streamlined gallery wall. give the room a punch without too much pow. balanced and beautiful. am excited to see how it all comes together in real life.







dimensions by easy canvas prints / my own wall layout ideas.

labels & clear storage containers. / latest excitement.

labeled cords hung inside a closet door.  / clear storage is the name of the game in my studio.

thank you for the nice comments. you guys rock. and i love answering your questions. especially when i think i have the answer! a reader asked to know a few things about home organization. i will be divulging any tips i think are worthwhile and making organization a whole new category here on my blog. yay. i'm all about discreet storage when it comes to boring gizmos, jumbles of toys, personal items or creating a streamlined space, but i must say, clear storage (especially for colorful craft supplies!) is my new favorite thing in the world. four basics to remember...

+ SORT / by size, by type, by color, whatever. sort it the way that makes the most sense to you.

+ GIVE IT A HOME / decide how often you use the item (or hope to use the item) and give it room at the inn. a crowded space is an unhappy space. sometimes dividing your collection is nice too. i have cleaning supplies upstairs and downstairs and in bathrooms, i need all the motivation i can get.

+ LABELS / i used to make fun of my mom for labeling everything. (sorry mom.) now i totally get it. no wonder she ran a tight household of seven children. mother knows best. i like making my labels basic, easy to re-create in a pinch if i switch contents from containers.

+ LOOKS COUNT / i've been trying to choose pretty containers (on a budget) and since i'm so visually inclined (or forgetful), it works for me if the containers are clear. glass is especially nice. a lid is also awesome. but un-lidded is also essential for the must-haves like favorite pens, scissors, rubberbands, thumbtacks, etc.

// resources
corkboard tiles at Target
6-up hanging pouch system at Ikea
binder clips in junk drawer
glass jars inherited from grandmother's basement
small craft containers at Wal-Mart
lidded cookie jars at Wal-Mart or Target 

Pin It

the go-to cupboard / grand central station

when i saw this deep nook of spectacular shelvery, located in the very center of our house, i knew i'd enjoy it. but i had no idea i'd be in love. it has two doors (interior painted peach!) and four deep shelves. first i wondered if we'd use it as a food pantry or linen closet or perhaps a place to house shoes (as this closet seems more well-endowed than any others). but on moving day–as we kept stashing our v.i.p. items inside it (as not to lose them amidst cardboard boxes and donuts and tools and warm bodies)–i realized its grand potential. it would be my cupboard of everything; the great go-to. playing the part of great houdini, as it would hide all my clutter–organized or not–inside its doors.

i've been frustrated in the past as everything usually lands on the kitchen counter and remains there until well buried. my goal is to keep the shelves neat, cleaned out and organized. a happy working place rather than a stressful chaotic cupboard. possibly the best thing about it (not pictured) is the 6-disc cd player that rocks our house on a daily basis. a detail that was a surprise to us, but likely would have sold us on the spot. below i've listed some of the essentials for my go-to cupboard. my main tip for creating your own go-to spot is to pick a central location (think outside the box; utilize an over-the-door shoe hanger for pocket storage in that closet you keep the vacuum in), divide your items, label them and have totes easily accessible or you might forget that something cool was way behind the cd player (or is that just me?). do you have a go-to spot? any tips or must-haves? here are mine.

the basics
+ corkboard tiles (at target) for the inside of the doors to tack up notes, quotes, boden pages, good scripture verses, favorite found snapshots, kid charts and i love you's.
+ a small cooler for quick picnics; having it at the ready is the only way to go.
+ a gallon of paint (waiting for me) and small toolbox (for little tasks).
+ ikea magazine boxes to divide and conquer (mostly mail and coupons).
+ i have one dedicated to magazines and catalogues ('tis the season).
+ a mail caddy loaded with pens, sharpies, stamps, packaging tape, note cards and address book.
+ a mini piggy bank for loose change.
+ a family calendar (hung on corkboard) for quick glances.
+ caddy for a few essential cleaning supplies (kids love dusting with microfiber dust mitts).
+ hand sanitizer ('tis the season).

also a shelf with simple table top activities for kids 
to entertain him while mama cooks or to do side-by-side in the morning hours.
+ a tote of quiet learning activities: abc magnets w/ small lightweight magnet board, string beads, foam alphabet letters (they aren't just for the tub anymore!), mad-libs (i love mad-libs).
+ an art tote for crayons, coloring books, stickers and a play-doh set too.
+ a small crate of homemade instruments. these get lost in his other toys; so i like to keep them separate. now they are at the ready when a jam session hits.





in other news // i thought this may be the last week of Home Is Where the Art Is posts, but to my luck, there are a few more small business owners that i have the honor of featuring. thank you for supporting handmade! psst... i can't wait to show you how the moving announcements turned out; i handed the responsibility over to another graphic designer and really loved what she came up with.

on the docket // yesterday i made something (with fabric!) and documented it. it wasn't pretty but it did the trick beautifully. along with that silly tutorial, i plan on giving out one of my simplest, yet bestest parenting tips ever. also i'll be interviewing my favorite new author and finally unveiling our blue lily photo shoot. oh and more organizing tips too. thanks for indulging me.

monogram artwork (for kiddos!) / one little dicky bird

i think my mouth literally fell open when i bounced into paul atkins' etsy shop full of charming custom monogram prints. he designs items to sell in his shop, one little dicky bird, all the way over in manchester, england. (can't you just see the mossy ledges? the rows of bending daffodils?!) admittedly, when goods are shipped from another country–with awesome postage markings–i always deem them extra special. i've never seen any monograms quite like this; nor done this right. especially for children! i love how the prints are appealing to all ages; they are completely customizable (you choose the darling icons). the options available are colorful and classic. my little boy loves the big B (just for him!) and playing i-spy for those cheery tiny icons (also picked just for him!). the artist, paul, was more than willing to work with our color scheme of gray, red and blues for the transportation images we chose for benji (pictured above). paul also sent me a digital proof to ensure we loved it before going to print. (done and done.) hooray for thorough designers!

i can imagine two or three of these lovely monogram prints hung in a sibling-shared bedroom; customized to individual interests, yet all similarly framed to create a cohesive theme. they would also make a treasured baby gift, as every parent loves the name they give their brand new babe! we are delighted with our new artwork, all the way from england. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
Despite being up to date with technology I still feel like I always need a pot of pens and pencils, and some paper on my desk. No matter how efficient, streamlined and organised apple macs can make my life I still like to be able to scribble my ideas down.


paul's workspace. (love that desk and cushion and all those pens!)

what inspired you to do your custom monogram work? (the concept is so original!) The inspiration for the monograms actually comes from my niece. I originally created a monogram for her first christmas. In order to be sure there wouldn't be any duplicates on presents, I wanted to give her something completely custom made. I designed the icons based on her favourite toys and other likes (as you know babies start to show their personalities almost immediately). I then decided to create a catalogue of icons for people to choose from. That way everyone can design their own custom-made presents.


our framed print in benji's room. the icons suit his personality perfectly.

dig in: paul's etsy shop / facebook / twitter

p.s. if i knew someone pregnant across the pond, i would be giving her this one (that double decker bus is too cute!).

recently / the studio. in pieces.

been busy. the best kind of busy.
(it's coming together, slow but sure.)

recently / including a peek of our house