awesome or an outrage / lululemon vs. target

lately i've been noticing the clever way designers are copying (so closely!) the trends selling in big brand name shops. (yes, i realize this is not a new phenom).

therefore, i give you: AWESOME OR AN OUTRAGE?!

i have recently been introduced (and therefore a bit converted) to the awesomeness of Lululemon attire. however i had mixed feelings when i saw almost exact designs at Target for way less than offered at Lulu. what do you think? i do love finding a bargain but do you think Target is missing on quality in construction? (i did note that there a few minor differences in design.) is Lulu just out to get us!? are you stoked that Target is up on what's hip?! do you feel in some way unethical buying the cheaper version!? or do you love that you scored a knock-off design!? (no judgements here. in nyc, i've been known to go crazy for $5 pashminas and faux kate spade bags!) for the record, these pants are completely comfortable and cozy. do you know which one's which?! will you be getting a pair?

click to see the sources of the capri on the left and the capri on the right.

i am a sucker for the oscars.

image source.

a flawless speech, daniel is such a charmer. my favorite part was the peck of lipstick on his cheek during his speech. (did you notice?!) yay, daniel day. other faves; jennifer lawrence as shocked as the rest of us (!!!), amazing adele, charlize's pixie cut!, anne's perfect poise, and my little boy sitting next to me with popcorn and a capri sun in lap. when is the james bond part!?

what was your favorite part?

twig marketplace / sell your awesome equipment

i am excited about the new launch of twig's marketplace. it will be the perfect go-to when i decide i can let go of some of my beloved crafting supplies. it'll be a bit easier knowing they will land in happy homes (and fellow artists)! read the details about becoming a seller...

Think of The Starving Artists Marketplace as an online shop where established artists like yourself can sell your used equipment and supplies (cameras, sewing machines, etc.) to up and coming artists trying to get their start. We all know buying new equipment can be expensive, and may have even caused you to miss a meal or two. This is a wonderful opportunity to sale the equipment you're not using anymore, make a little money, and help young artists get to where you are now. If you're interested, please email us and we'll give you the details. We hope you'll be a part of The Starving Artists Marketplace. - Steve & Michelle | twig website + blog


images by twig creative

// have a fab weekend. any big plans? am hoping to see The Help soon. anyone seen it yet? we saw Jane Eyre finally and loved it. will be whipping penne pasta & sausage up again. it's my latest family fave. tune in next week. exciting things are on the horizon.

mini diary giveaway / hip hip.

suzanne of SHE PAPERIE is hosting a birthday week of giveaways and is featuring my mini diaries along with her designer personalized stationery today. hop over to her blog to enter to win and don't forget to wish her a happy birthday. act now, this is the only mini diary that isn't buried under a bunch of boxes in the basement. happy thursday.

moving sale for locals

if you're interested in coming to our moving sale this saturday, i would love to see you there! we are located in idaho falls. please email me for the address and directions.

and i thought these strawberries were big.

all i have to say is big things are in the works.
i can't wait to spill all the juicy details. 
stay tuned.

help my friends grab the rolling stone magazine cover shot.

Fictionist, the band.

first let me introduce you to a cute couple and blog, Hue and Hum. i had the great fortune of hanging out with this her and him for fireworks one fourth of july in salt lake city. they are the kind of artsy couple you dream about becoming.

Hue is an artist. she paints, sews, and loves all things creative. she is downright adorable. Hum is a musician, he plays the lead guitar in the band Fictionist. does that name ring any bells? it might, because they are currently in a huge competition to get on the cover Rolling Stone Magazine! believe it or not, they just might win. it started with 16 bands, and they've already made it all the way to the final 4 bands. they have fantastic tunes, they are pretty nice guys, and they need your help to get on the cover! go vote for fictionist. help make their dreams come true.

it's easy. go here. click 5 stars, like them, and download 4 free songs!

Fictionist and i thank you.

p.s. good news! Fictionist is playing tonight in provo, utah. wish i were there. follow Hue and Hum along their artistic adventures and see if Fictionist makes it on the cover!

giveaway winner.

thanks to everyone who played along with the letterpress giveaway. i wish i could give away a hundred of these machines! thanks to random.org, the lucky winner is leah from doublyblessed. congratulations!!

a big thanks to lifestyle crafts.

something for everyone / enter the code MARTAWRITES to receive a 20% discount off your lifestyle crafts purchase. this code will be valid through monday, april 25th.

making the cut.

i landed upon this top 150 makers blog list yesterday. it was created (with painstaking efforts, i'm sure) by the wonderfully talented evie. after fighting the feeling that blogging is just a popularity contest, i got over myself and perused the list nodding my head in agreement to so many of my longtime favorites. when a blogger puts Effort (with a capital E) into her blog, you can tell. it's original, it's fresh and completely riveting. she becomes a friend that you want to know more about. you trust her judgement and enjoy her advice. you clap at her accomplishments and you start to care about her. i've come to realize a popular blogger really earns her readers by the heart she puts into her posting. this list is a great resource for some amazing sites, i hope you'll check it out. many blogs i am already smitten with and others i am excited to dive into. am absolutely thrilled (and shocked) to see marta writes listed, number 126. thanks to all of you who tune in every day to see what i'm up to. i hope you know, you are more than stats to me.

wishing you a fabulous weekend. i'm going to take your advice and throw my windows wide open. am going to be wildly binding mini diaries (while watching my-so called life dvds) and trying hard not to eat my hidden stash of easter candy. am also planning to make thinnies (aka crepes) rolled up with lemon juice, sugar and melted butter for sunday supper. xo.

p.s. just so you know, there have been more lists in my life that i haven't made than i have. hello, grease of '99. am i the only one with high hopes to play sandy someday? reading down the list of names printed on a white sheet of paper, taped to a classroom door is among my best and most terrifying moments in life. everyone should know how it feels to make the cut and not make the cut. both experiences are good for character building. at least that is what my mom used to say when i would sulk back into the passenger side door. then we'd go get a treat from a drive-thru window. we are good at sharing a tall coke and fries. (some may say i was learning to soothe problems with fried food or drive-thru's are the end of the universe or obesity starts at may i take your order. i say, life is short. eat smart most of the time, so you can treat yourself some of the time.) i'm totally okay with having happy memories over a happy meal.

the sun will come out tomorrow.

so.

i have a very good excuse for abandoning the blog this week. we've been on a bit of a roller coaster ride. am so grateful things are currently on the up and up and almost back-to-the-normal phase of life. cross your fingers for me. in other news, i saw the sun rise this morning. it was just what i needed; a mini miracle. a lot of those happened this week. will be back soon to explain.

love that some of you knew something had to be up. thanks for checking in. xo.

farewell for now / enter the guest bloggers

this weekend we're having a mini jaunt and a few days after that, my little sidekick and i are jetting into the sunshine for an extended spring break vacation. i am feeling like one lucky lady. while i play, my blog will still be hard at work. i do hope you'll enjoy the upcoming guest posts i have planned. i've asked thirteen different bloggers the same fifteen questions. are you intrigued? starts tomorrow with one of my favorites. to be clear, though, they are all my favorites. bon voyage.

fyi. even though i'm away from my desk, the march dollar downloads are still available. thank you!

30 Strangers Project / Justin Hackworth does it again

you are not going to want to miss your chance to enter justin's call for participants. read his guidelines and sign up for a chance to be part of his annual 30 Strangers Project by leaving a comment on his blog. bring your mom, your grandmother, your daughter and have an unforgettable experience having your portrait taken by the one and only justin hackworth. create a happy memory with your loved ones and take away a gorgeous 8x10 fine art print too. i can't say enough good about the experience i had with it last year. (i really wish i could sign up again!) the best part about it is no longer being a stranger to such a rad person. justin is now a friend of mine, and his wife too! she is absolutely adorable, genuine and kind. together they came to our panel at ALT, totally calmed my nerves and even sat by my dad. am so glad to know them.

sign up and then read all the details about my experience with the 30 Strangers Project right here.

virtual book club meeting / my life in france

you're invited to join my friend, jana, and me for an upcoming event, a virtual book club! the next meeting is monday, march 7th on jana's blog. (we have two weeks!) i do hope you'll come.

i love something new and exciting! especially when it has to do with reading + blogging. a new blog friend, jana laurene (have you seen her lovely website yet? it's a keeper / she is mighty talented!) has opened up her virtual book club to everyone. i plan to read (or, lets be real, skim through) the great books she chooses every month. i have high hopes to clean up my reputation for being a lazy book club member. still, when it's online, you can peek in on all the fun without any pressure.

i'm thrilled to be playing guest host for jana's virtual club meeting in march. awesome idea, right!? we are reading (or, gladly re-reading) one of my favorites, my life in france by julia child. more details right here. we'll lead a discussion about france, food and our la la la love for julia.

see you there. (take notes in the margins.)

p.s. a week before the virtual book club meeting, jana will post a recipe for you to whip up. that way, we'll all be snacking on the same treat while discussing the same book. how fab is that?! email jana directly if you'd like to be included on her book club list to receive updates about the monthly blog meetings, janalaurene@gmail.com.

image courtesy of jana laurene.

listen up / twitter co-founder on npr

if i twittered, i would have sent out a tweet inbetween dropping off whitney's birthday package at the post office and picking up stir fry ingredients at the store. listen up to npr.

biz stone, co-founder of twitter was featured on fresh air this morning. i found the interview interesting (and i don't even twitter). he put the rumor to bed about google buying twitter and seems like a very laid back cool guy / billionaire. yay for the entrepreneurs among us. i especially enjoyed hearing his answer about his favorite tweet yet...

"Obama tweeted that he had won the presidency. And that was just a mind-blowing thing because it was this historic presidential election, and here we had the man himself tweeting and acknowledging it. And for us, that was just a big acknowledgment of our work." - Biz Stone

listen to it here and take note of what he says about bird formations (now i get the whole bird/tweet thing) and his thoughts on information overload (i liked the idea of dumping unread emails).

image via fortheloveofgeeks.com

cute calendars for the new year

so happy to find out today is the last day of free shipping from kate spade. hurrah. i just ordered my 2011 planner refills. i splurged on the canvas anne pocket organizer years ago and am still so enchanted with it. my deadlines and playdates and must-do's and address list all in one place! i highly recommend gifting yourself something that will make you glad day after day. my mom taught me a valuable lesson; make sure the daily stuff you deal with is cute! it makes the nitty gritty details of life so much more pleasant.

check out their stocking stuffers and the fun things we love page too.

custom business card design for charity.

mark your calendars for a worthy cause.
saturday, december 11th through the 13th.

a wonderful online auction is being held for jenny, a woman who is fighting breast cancer. i went to high school with her daughter, melissa, who has put her whole heart into making this happen. i am grateful to be involved. i will be offering a custom business card design, created to suit the needs of your business. for those of you who run a household instead of a business, we can create a cool calling card with your contact information and blog url. those are always awesome to have on hand too. saturday, you can place your bids right here. thank you.

stay tuned next week for my version of a gift guide, stocking ideas, and a super simple craft.

currently playing in my house: Christmas is All Around / Billy Mack

now for my big news

i'm going to ALT! are you?

alt design summit is a social media design conference held in salt lake city, utah. truth be told, this incredible conference event has been on my wish list since i missed the opportunity last january! from the reviews and recaps from bloggers far and wide, it was the conference to attend. fantastic advice and more from respectable blogging business entrepreneurs. all of my blogging idols were there (design mom, jordan ferney, grace bonney from design sponge, kelly from design crush and joy, just to name a few). i am delighted these ladies will each be returning to ALT in 2011, and then some! it will be so awesome to meet these bloggers live in person.

the current superstar speaker list is being updated daily and i am honored (and thrilled) to be among them. it gets even better. i am speaking on a panel with the darling karey mackin from mackin ink and blogspot's sweetheart, stephanie nielson, also known as nie nie! our topic of discussion will be: blogging personal stories. perfect, right?! i can hardly wait.

you're invited to join the party too! sign up now.
ALT design summit. january 19 - 22.
who, when, where and why.

thankful jar.

i spied this real life project thankful jar on the mama's who know blog.
pretty cool to see my handiwork in action (in real life)!

i am thankful to you for submitting your constant comments of gratitude.
here are just a few of my favorite entries for this year's project thankful.

thankful for sunshine /  thankful for a home where I can raise my little munchkins / thankful for yoga / thankful for cherry twizzlers / thankful to stay at home with my kids / thankful to have health and energy this holiday season / thankful for all the growth of this past year/ thankful for skirts/ thankful for color / thankful for my cozy bed / thankful for family  - anna

am thankful the homecoming countdown is almost over. am thankful that skype works even in afghanistan. thankful for my two amazing kids. thankful that i get to stay home with them every day. thankful for fresh clean water with icecubs from the fridge door. thankful for a sewing machine keeping me busy through my can't-wait-for-homecoming insomnia. thankful for a family who is always always there for us. and thankful for this blog that always brings me joy and inspiration! 
- tales of a hummingbird

I am thankful my daughter's snow suit still fits after being in the closet for a year. And I'm thankful for a husband who loves playing in the snow with his daughter. - Miranda

I am grateful that my son loves kindergarten! - Cat

I'm thankful for a surprise warm spell this week and sunny mornings. And that I have a job where I can wear jeans, tennis shoes, and a cozy sweater on days when I wake up feeling a little under the weather (like today). And for starting my morning at work with a big mug of hot chai tea while checking google reader!  - eileen

thank you for reminding me to be thankful for the good things in life.

leaves on my wall and something awesome this way comes.

i pressed these leaves in a book and taped them to my wall for a cheap fall display. nothing says november more than giant crinkly leaves and striped masking tape.

wishing you all a very happy thanksgiving preparedness weekend. we're gearing up for one of our favorite road trips of the year. (if you'll be traveling this holiday, brush up on my tried and true road trip tips!) i'll be hunting down a good book on tape, packing craisins and pretzels into little baggies with a cooler full of clementines and peppermint crunch jr. mints (i am a sucker for holidayish candy). i am hoping to grab a fun glossy magazine, a cozy sweatshirt, and a nap on the drive. i also intend to bring along the official christmas cards, postage stamps and address list. we'll see if i get to them.

i've scheduled posts throughout next week (including hostess gift ideas and a super simple sweet recipe to whip up while the bird is cooking), so be sure to pop in if you're interested.

most importantly, i have some super exciting news to share. i am thrilled about an explosively awesome opportunity coming up. i was going to announce it after thanksgiving, but i simply can't keep hush hush about this. stay tuned. my not-so-secret secret will be revealed next week!

give oh give.

hop over to miranda's blog and enter to win a giveaway from the mini mart shop. (i'm giving a set of happy homemade holiday cards and the ever popular jolly old st. nick stickers.) stop and stay awhile; miranda is featuring loads of great handmade holiday gift ideas. she not only talks the talk, but walks the walk too! i love these adorable embroidery hoops and these simple and sweet magnetic pin plates. even i could attempt those! makes me want to get out my hot glue gun.