Initial Success

A friend of mine recently introduced me to local Birmingham gal Allison Banks and her beautiful calligraphy and monogram business. Allison says she's been perfecting her art since her teenage years and has always had a love for the traditional beauty of custom hand-printed lettering. Here are a few of Allison's pieces. Check out her website. Beautiful stuff...go Allison!

Love, Sweet Love

Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays because I get to go overboard with the goopy love stuff for my kids (no joke...I'm talking heart-shaped pancakes with pink strawberry syrup). I love having a holiday that I don't have to make an excuse for being sappy over. Bring on the pink and red, boxes of dainty chocolates and little "theme-y" gifts. It's also one holiday that I LOVE designing for because I am the girliest of girlie-girls, and Valentine's Day is one day that I don't have to tone it down. I know that the Christmas/Hanukkah holidays are still sort of hanging around (I think I have a holiday hangover), but I'm already lookin' out for some sweet nothings for my sweet somethings. Above are three cute little gifts I've already spied from Rhode Island manufacturer, Decor Craft (top: the very adorable "Blooming Heart", middle: heart shaped magnetic board, bottom: "Flower Pot Pens") along with some Stacy Claire Boyd Children's Petite Valentines and Valentine Photocards.

Paper Cut

I first became aware of this amazing paper artist when I received an e-mail from a friend that knew I would lose it when I saw the pictures. Peter Callesen is a Denmark born artist who has found beauty in an artists' most overlooked tool...paper. It is hard to believe that these creations are born out of the paper they seem to grow out of. Peter's work is really amazing and beautiful.
Images: petercallesen.com

Custom Kid Kitchens

My kids are too old for this now, but I LOVE these beautiful little handmade kitches for the little ones that I just saw on ohdeedoh's blog. How adorable. I wish I'd had something this cool when I was a tot! What great parents these kiddos have!

rag & bone

I've always been interested in handbound books and think that they make such a beautiful and heartfelt gift. I happened upon the rag & bone bindery boutique website the other day and became an instant fan. These talented peeps work out of Pawtucket, RI and have been creating photo albums, journals, guest books, baby books and other custom items since 1991. You can tell by their website that founders Jason Thumpson and Ilira Steinman are sincere in their efforts to create a work of art with every book created. Here are a few of their wonderful designs.

Baby Bites

I must still have a sweet tooth even after all of the holiday eating because I can not stop thinking about one of my recent obsessions at a local pastry shop here in town. I discovered the Pastry Art Bake Shop a few months ago, and let me tell you...I am in love. They make these amazing little cake bites called "Baby Bites" that come in all different cake flavors. The great thing is that you get an entire cake in one little bite (which is good because who knows how much I'd eat if there was a whole cake)! Red Velvet is my current fave, but they also have Caramel, Chocolate, Turtle, French, Vanilla, Coconut, Carrot and Strawberry. Yum!

Snow Friends

Well, we're getting geared up for a little snow down here in Alabama which everyone is excited about. Even though the weatherman predicts only around two or so inches, the schools are already closed and I am planning on sitting in the warm house with the kids and watching as the beautiful white flakes fall. My friends up North always giggle at the novelty of snow down in the South...it's all we can talk about if there's even a chance of it because it happens so rarely.

Thinking about all this snow made me remember some photographs from National Geographic photographer Norbert Rosing that I saw a while back which captured a beautiful happening.

Above: A Polar Bear approaches a team of sled dogs outside Churchill, Manitoba.

Above: Mr. Polar bear lays on his back in a submissive play position

Above: Best friends!

Above: the dog bears it's neck in play

Above: Play time!

I found this little write-up about the event on About.com's "Urban Legend" website (which confirmed that, yes...this unbelievable event actually happened this way). Here's what they said about the meeting:

"The location was a kennel outside Churchill, Manitoba owned by dog breeder Brian Ladoon, who kept some 40 Canadian Eskimo sled dogs there when Rosing visited in 1992. A large polar bear showed up one day and took an unexpected interest in one of Ladoon's tethered dogs. The other dogs went crazy as the bear approached, Rosing says, but this one, named Hudson, "calmly stood his ground and began wagging his tail." To Rosing and Ladoon's surprise, the two "put aside their ancestral animus," gently touching noses and apparently trying to make friends. Just then another large polar bear arrived and advanced toward one of Ladoon's other dogs, Barren. The latter rolled on his back, then the pair commenced playing "like two roughhousing kids," Rosing writes, tumbling around in the snow as he snapped pictures of the surreal encounter from the safety of his vehicle. The bear returned for more play sessions every afternoon for 10 days in a row."

What a strange and wonderful world! Hope this makes you smile!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe we are already nearing the end of the first week of 2010! I plan on spending much time in this new year doing one of the things I love most...shopping! I've already got my eyes on some of Anthropologie's new wares for the kitchen and home. Love these...


Above: Mountain Laurel Dishware, Garnish Cocktail Spoons

Above: assorted Dishtowels

Above: Short Cut Placemat

Above: Vintage Rotary Phone

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!