Tasty Bling

Did your parents ever tell you that your teeth will rot out from eating too many sweets? If you're not careful with this adorable jewelry from Miam Paris you just might chip one. Don't they just look good enough to eat?

Pinwheels

I think this craft project from the StyleMePretty blog is just the cutest. They'd be great as decorations or party take-alongs.
Images: Kari Herer and Christina Wnek

Sora Designs

Over the long holiday weekend I had lots of time to blog/website roam. I fell in love with this wonderful etsy company named Sora Designs ("sora" is Japanese for "sky") owned and run by Wen Chang in San Francisco. Apparently Wen recently traded in her day job as a researcher at a government agency to run her etsy business full time. I can see why...her jewelry designs are so beautiful and unique...they must be getting snatched as soon as she posts them up for sale. Gorgeous stuff!

Happy Holidays!

Well, I'll be gone for a few days as Stacy Claire Boyd is closing today for Christmas holiday...but I wanted to leave you all with just the cutest little video that a friend sent me the other day. Click here to check it out. I hope you all have a lovely and peaceful Christmas, and I'll see you back here next week!

I just checked in on Amy Atlas' blog Sweet Designs and was so impressed with a recent dessert table her team put together for a holiday party for "O" Magazine. They used a beautiful and nostalgic color palette of red, lavender and white and had this to say about the her design...

"We created a modern snowflake pattern that we used to tie into the decor through custom vessel liners, popcorn boxes, straw flags, candy wrappers, goody bags, and much more!"

I am just so impressed with the perfection that Amy achieved for this, and how great that it was for Ms. O herself! Go, Amy!

Hotchocspoons from the Chocolate Company

Lovin' these yummy European hot chocolate-making spoons from the Chocolate Company. Available in over 50 varieties, including ones that include a whiskey or amaretto shot as well as a "G" rated M&M version for the kiddies. You can order them online here. Mmmmmmm....

Repurpose your Sweaters

Here are some very cute wine bottle wraps that are made from old sweaters. I've also seen these sweater cuffs used to hold decorative candles that are in glass jars. They make such cozy gifts!

Here are the directions from the greylikesweddings blog...

Wine Bottle Gift Wrap:

Materials:

1 old sweater (I scour the thrift stores!)
2″-3″ of Fabric
Sewing Machine, or needle and thread!
Fabric scissors
Ribbon, yarn, gift tags etc… for embellishment

1. Once sweater is washed, start by inserting the wine bottle into the sleeve of the sweater. The sleeve should start just below the top of your wine bottle. Mark the sweater with length of your bottle, pull out the wine and cut the sweater sleeve off.
2. Place your bottle on the small square of fabric and trace a faint circle around the bottle. Give yourself an extra 1/4″-1/2″ outside of the bottle. Cut out this circle.
3. Turn the sleeve inside out and pin your fabric to the cut end of the sleeve. Sew together. Turn right side out and voila!
4. To complete, thread yarn through the sweater, or affix ribbon.

Images: greylikesweddings

Tree Trim Trail Mix

This looks like a fun holiday snack...a nice mix of salty popcorn and sweet tangy dried cranberries. Yum!

Image: Family Fun magazine (Dec/Jan '10)

Ukelele Boy

This little boy just cracks me up. I hope that this puts a smile on your face. Have a great day!

These Cookies Make the Cut!

My friend Jennifer sent me this DIY project and I just love the presentation of these adorable little cookies. The project comes from designer Shana Faust for Hello Lucky. She suggests making your own cookie cutter font by using alluminum siding. I can promise you that I would not have the patience for that...but I do love the idea. I believe that I would purchase nice store-bought alphabet cookie cutters and spell out my cookie message that way and still do the cute packaging that she shows using gum paste to attach the letters to the cardstock. Clever little cookie wishes...what a sweet idea!

The Bow on Top!

I have had issues with the "generic" gift bow ever since my years of hand-cranking them out on a machine for my father at his jewelry store when I was young. I would have been happy to never see one again until I spied a couple of Kate Spade's newest intros. These "Fiona" slipper shoes ($95) and "Bourgeois Bow" keyring ($50) are so cute and sassy in such bold colors. I love them. What a great way to have fun with such an everyday item, and a great gift for the holidays. I think Kate just helped me get over my bow issue!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a simple recipe that I received from my friend Dolly King. It's one of those dishes that I make often and don't know what I would do without the recipe. I love the fact that you can throw it in the crock pot and go, too. It's really delicious and my children love it. I've made it countless times using a rotisserie chicken and skipping the crock pot altogether...just making it on the stovetop. It's still good...but it is really much better done in the crock pot. With the cold weather we've been having, it is the perfect feel-good comfort food. Simple & yummy. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breast halves
2 15-oz. cans black beans, undrained
1 15-oz. cans Mexican stewed tomatoes, or Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot)
4-oz. can chopped green chilies
14 1/2-oz. can tomato sauce
tortilla chips
2 cups grated cheese

Directions:
1 Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in large slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
3. Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice into bite-sized pieces. Stir into soup.
4. To serve, put a handful of chips in each individual soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips. Top with cheese.

Furry Friend Fashion

I just love this book, "Pet Projects: The Animal Knits Bible" by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne. It includes adorable photos and instructions for making fashionable pet accessories for your furry friends.

Firefly Lane

Just passing along the name of a good book that I read lately, "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah. You'll love it!

Wall Canvas Art from Amy Butler

Most of you know that I am SUCH a huge Amy Butler fan, because every time I see something new from her I want to tell the world. Well, I just saw on the decor8 blog that she has now partnered with Artaissance to offer wall canvas art. The designs don't disappoint, and have Amy's trademark look of traditional motifs in quirky and modern color combinations. I love, love, love it all!

A little birdie told me...

Etsy seller and crafter Ashley Anna Brown recently won the Etsy/Martha Stewart DIY Wedding Crafts Contest for her beautiful hand-crafted, made-to-order birds. How lovely are these!

Congrats to Ashley for her win! You deserve it, girl.

HO HO H2O!

My friend and co-worker introduced me to these beautiful holiday Evian bottles. Aren't they festive? My understanding is that Evian has a bottle designed every year by a well-known artist. This particular one is designed by Christian LaCroix. I can just imagine them in rows placed in a gorgeous glass front & stainless steel Traulsen refridgerator- beautifully lit and ready to be sipped. Clean, simple and refreshing...and I'm positive that it tastes better than regular Evian water...it just has to!

The Cutest Kitty on Earth

So I'm not sure if any of you can tell, but I am definitely a dog person. I've never really been that into kitty cats, but this little guy may have won my heart over to the other side. Just don't tell my sweet puppy, Addie!

Homemade Gifts from the Heart

This cute cookie mix gift was taken from an idea I got from Bakerella's blog. Mine was adapted from her precious pink and brown "Cowgirl Cookies"...instead, I went with an aqua, red and brown color story for my "Reindeer Mix". The little felt reindeer ornaments that I attached to the jar are from Hancock Fabrics. I made 20 cookie jars...I'm so happy that I have these gifts to give to friends, family and teachers. They're a little time consuming because of all the steps, but what a "sweet" presentation.

Helena Schaeder Soderberg

I found this fabulously creative Swedish woman through decor8blog.com. Her name is Helena Schaeder Soderberg. She adds terrific style to all that she touches. I find myself getting lost in her photographs, which she uploads on Flickr.

Sweet Ideas

Here are a couple of sweet ideas. Lollipop cookies and chocolate covered pretzel sticks, compliments of Sweet Paul.

Snow People

I may be jumpin' the gun a little here...is it even snowing anywhere yet? It's definitely getting colder here in Alabama, but nowhere near snow weather!
Well, I'm giving you plenty of time to plan ahead and know exactly what you need to do when you do get some good snowman-makin' snow. Aren't these awesome?
Images: from the dearly departed Hallmark Magazine (Feb/Mar 2009) - RIP

Kitschy Cute Favor

This placecard/favor idea is absolutely precious. I fell in love with it last year, (from Design Sponge reader Erin, 2008). I printed it out and never did the project. I'm thinking i could even make some cute little girly ones for my daughter's upcoming birthday party...she could help make them & they'd be the perfect little favor/placecard for her friends. Love it!
Here are Erin's directions:

Winter Scene Favor / Placecard by Erin Godbey

This DIY miniature winter scene is sure to delight! It serves as a placecard, and doubles as a favor when you tuck a sweet Christmas treat inside.

Materials: Miniature trees and deer, artificial snow (these three items came from local five and dime), favor box (party supply store), ribbon style paper tag (Martha Stewart).

Instructions: Attach trees to box top with hot glue. Attach snow to surrounding box top with spray fixative. Attach deer with hot glue. Fold tag in half, attach to sides of box top with white glue or hot glue. Place Christmas candy inside box. Let the guests enjoy!

DIY Scarves

This may sound cliché...but it is so, so true...making your own gifts really does beat anything that you can buy. These are the gifts that touch the heart and are not soon-forgotten. I love this video from Chris at Curbly via the Design Sponge archives 2008. It is a DIY project that looks completely do-able. Check out this video and see if you think it's as cute as I do. My teenage daughter would probably love to make these for her friends.