Thursday, December 31, 2009

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.
A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
~Bill Vaughn


Goodbye 2009.

You were good, but not great.

May 2010 be a year of happiness, less stress, peace, a better financial situation, good friends, happy families, laughter, fulfilling jobs, warm/cozy homes, and love. For everyone.

Welcome 2010, I am so happy you are here!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The wrapping of gifts....

I really love a beautifully wrapped gift. I think it shows effort and thought.
It's one of my personal goals to always wrap any gift that I give & try to make it lovely.
Every year for Christmas I chose a theme if you will. Basically I just wrap all the gifts alike or similarly.
Last year I used a beautiful chocolate brown and light blue wrapping paper with a lovely silk brown ribbon. I have pictures on my under the weather laptop. I will share them some other time. All the gifts looked beautiful last year, but I have to admit...the wrapping paper and ribbon cost me a near fortune.

This year I made a goal not to purchase any wrapping paper, ribbon or tags. I have such a huge stash of craft supplies that it's really silly to buy more (even though I totally wanted to).
I had a roll of kraft paper, so I decided to use that. I was going to just use ribbon from my stash, but while watching Elf one night I started making pom poms out of some yarn I had. The intention wasn't to use them for Christmas wrapping, but that's what it became.
I also had some precut white tags in my stash. I used a silver Sharpie to write on them & it looked better than any stick-on gift tag.
I think the wrapping turned out rather nice and it was a lot of fun. All my friends & family really liked it. I think because it was different than the usual commercial wrapping paper and cheap stick-on bows that it seemed extra special.
Plus, my mom likes to make stocking hats, so she saved hers to use for the hats!


My husband (who usually could care less about the wrapping of gifts) actually really liked it this year too! I had a bunch of the white pom poms hanging from a hook in my office and one day he walked in and said "Who's dog did you kill?" Funny, funny. When I told him they were the bows for my Christmas gifts he scrunched his nose and without saying it made it known he thought this was a bad idea.
BUT when the gifts were all wrapped up he mentioned several times how much he liked them this year!
It's so nice to be right. ;)

P.S. You probably all made pom poms as children, I did. If not, they are super easy! There is a great tutorial on Domestifluff's blog.

Monday, December 28, 2009

resolutions....

I've noticed a lot of people don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore.
I understand....so many of us never complete the goal/ make the change.


I, on the other hand, LOVE making New Year's Resolutions.
I love goals and lists and crossing things off and thinking of new resolutions.
I'm not saying I always accomplish my resolutions, but I seriously love the act of trying.

In fact, I love all the lists that are out there nowadays.
Things like 29 things to do before I'm 30 (or whatever your age).
Or fun things like 52 strangers or a photo a day.
I love Life Lists and Bucket Lists.


I start thinking about my New Year's Resolutions right around mid-December. I don't write anything down yet, I am just always thinking throughout the month what I would like to accomplish in the coming year.

I usually write them out right around New Year's Day.
Next, I write out how I am going to accomplish these goals. Usually it's a short paragraph with my little plan.
Last, I write out a month by month plan of how I will accomplish each goal and where I should be with the goal at the beginning of each month until the goal has been completed. If it's just a small, one time goal, then I write what month I would like to accomplish it in.


It's definitely not a fail-proof plan, but it's helpful and much better than writing out the resolutions and then never looking at them again.
I always set waaay to many goals and I probably set them too high.
BUT, it's like that cheesy saying goes...
"Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will be among the stars."
~Les Brown

Sunday, December 27, 2009

a fun diy/ how to use your christmas gift

If you were lucky and got the Fujifilm Instax Mini (that I have been dreaming of) for Christmas, here is a fabulous idea on how to display all those instax photos.
I am so in LOVE with this idea....now I just need the camera!

Find more pictures and words about it here.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Si se puede!

I think this video is so beautiful and inspiring.

Made my day after Christmas blues a little less blue. :)

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and yours
a beautiful, happy,
safe and warm
Christmas.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

My Christmas List...

Some years the husband and I exchange gifts....some years we don't. There is never a real rhyme or reason to why we do or don't, therefore I can't explain it. This year we are not giving each other gifts.
But if we were, this would be my Christmas List. (Maybe I'll show this to the husband at birthday time) :)
Here it is in no particular order...


I am seriously dying to own this Lego Architecture Series Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. I said this list was in no particular order, but this Lego Set would definitely be the #1 item on my list! One of the things I want to do before I die is visit Fallingwater. I think this Lego set is the coolest thing I've seen since my remote control Barbie car of 1990.
I currently have Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure checked out from the library. It's a fabulous book and I would really love to own it.


Have I written about the Fuji Instax camera here before? I may have. Anyway, I reeeeaaaally want one!
I'd also like a magazine rack for my dining room. A mid century modern one would be rad to go with my mid century dining room table and china cabinet.

Something like this would probably work....

And of course, I want my dental mirror!



Merry Christmas Eve! I think today is often more fun than the actual holiday tomorrow. I hope you all have a great Christmas!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Umm, hello....have you seen this?

Okay, I just saw this today in my December issue of Real Simple magazine.
The Zoku Quick Pop Maker from Williams Sonoma. How freaking cool is it? You can make popsicles in less than seven minutes!


Does anyone remember the Carmel Apple popsicles? I think Blue Bunny used to make them, but don't quote me on that. My best friend and I were insanely obsessed with them in High School and College. In fact, not too long ago I was looking at some old college photos and I swear in almost every photo she and I had a Carmel Apple Popsicle in our hand. Anyway, they don't make them anymore (I emailed the company a few years back and asked). I'm totally going to buy this Zoku Quick Pop Maker and figure out how to make Carmel Apple Popsicles.
It's sad that I am so excited about this.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A fun gift for the man in your life....

So it's totally too late now. If you don't have a gift for the man in your life by now, you probably aren't going to have one by tomorrow. Well, if you have to buy it online that is.
I originally saw them in Real Simple and have been meaning to post them earlier.



BBQ Swords from wishingfish.com. Super fun!
Thinking waaaay ahead, these would be a great Father's Day gift.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Speaking of Gingerbread Houses...

I found some super cute ones today.
This modern one is my favorite. Once I get gingerbread skills I'm totally going to make it!
This one makes me tired just looking at it. Crazy amount of work.
Cute! I love how colorful this one is.
Pretty, pretty. I love the sparkle and the pink and the ballerina in the front. So pretty...
Found on Flickr.


Sunday, December 20, 2009

Tiny Gingerbread Houses

Only 5 more days until Christmas.
That seems totally absurd to me. I still have one more gift to buy!
I do not feel quite ready.


Ready or not, the big day will soon be here.

I love these gingerbread houses that sit on the side of your mug. Seriously, how cute are they??? See more photos and get instructions here at not martha.
I really have a thing for gingerbread...extra spicy gingerbread. yum!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

It's dreamy...

I am totally swooning over this duvet cover from Anthropologie.


Isn't it dreamy?

Friday, December 18, 2009

Ornament DIY

I really enjoy the blog How About Orange.
She has the cutest tutorial on how to make these ornaments.
Had I put up a tree this year, I totally would have made them. :)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

I was naughty...

I didn't send Christmas cards this year. I always send Christmas cards. I think I even sent them when I was in college. That's how geeky I am.
Not this year though.
I'm not really feeling Christmas this year, so I decided not to fake it with the cards. It's been kind of a relief, but I've been kind of sad about it too.

Had I sent cards, I was planning on sending Plantable Holiday Cards from Botanical Paperworks. They grow into Spruce Trees when planted. It's a beautiful card AND gift!










Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I want to spend the time I have
doing things that make my heart rage.
~Buck Howard
Photo by me. Jordan Pond: Acadia National Park. Maine. 2007

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Modern Wallpaper

I have always HATED wallpaper. Absolutely HATED it.
Growing up my mom literally wallpapered EVERY room in her house! E V E R Y R O O M!
My parents built their house in the 80's. Wallpaper was very in (or at least my mom believed it was).
So she originally did grey and mauve wallpaper everywhere. (Sidenote: We couldn't call it pink, we had to call it mauve, was that classier???) I believe in the kitchen there were geese on the border. My bedroom had mint green and pink ballerina bears. It was textured...fancy. The boys rooms were all sport ball themed. Man, we were stylin'!
It was probably the mid-90's the first time that she decided to tear down the wallpaper in the entire house. It was a pain in the ass to say the least.
You would think that after all the work and mess of tearing the old wallpaper down she would never wallpaper again, right?
Wrong.
New forest green and burgundy wallpaper replaced all the grey and mauve. This time I was old enough to not only help tear off the old wallpaper, but help put up the new as well.
It sucked.
Cut to early 2000's and of course....she's at it again.
Thank the good lord though, we were able to talk her out of replacing the wallpaper with wallpaper. Instead she painted. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Well......she did put up a border in the kitchen and powder bath, but you can't expect total transformation right?
This is a long story to say that I just despise wallpaper.
Except....
I really like all the great new modern versions out there these days.
Here are a few I was checking out today...

I like this Graham & Brown- Rosewood Wallpaper from 2modern. It's trendy, but super fun!
I also really like the clock in this photo.
I think this Branch Wallpaper from ScandanavianDesignCenter is my favorite of the day. Just one wall in a Master Bedroom would be so pretty.
The Seesaw Wallpaper from Design Public is very interesting. I like the texture and I think it looks great in the photo, but it kind of reminds me of mini blinds.

As a quick aside...I have a friend who is an extremely talented and experienced interior designer. She has designed some of the best homes in the Salt Lake area. She is about my mom's age and also built her home in the 80's, recently she remodeled one of her bathrooms due to a mold problem. I say due to a mold problem because if she didn't the have mold she would never had needed to re-do that bathroom. It was still beautiful and timeless. It had three walls of beautiful Ralph Lauren wallpaper that looked just as in style today as it did when she bought it in the 1980's. Her tile, cabinet and countertop all still looked great. I mention this because we all get so caught up in trends. I think trends are great...in moderation. We shouldn't have to completely remodel and/or redecorate our homes every 10 years. Keep them simple, classic and what you love. Keep doing small updates on the moderated trendy stuff and you won't have to spend a lot of time and money re-doing it all every few years.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Best Christmas song ever...AND one of my many embarrassing stories.

Well, maybe not EVER.
But it's a good one.

I had never seen the music video before.
It's great.

So the story goes...
This song came out in '93, I was 13.
For Christmas that year Santa brought me a Karaoke Machine and the Hey Santa! cassette tape by Carnie & Wendy Wilson. I was BEYOND excited, it was JUST what I had wanted & asked for!
Later that day I took my karaoke machine and tape into another room so that I could sing alone.
I was belting out Hey Santa into my microphone. I mean I was really getting into it.
Keep in mind I was an awkward preteen.
So ya, I'm singing Hey Santa at the top of my lungs INTO A MICROPHONE.
When, in walks my aunt. She's not too much older than me....maybe seven years older. I always thought she was sooo cool and I really valued her opinion.
Anyway, she sort of laughed at me and asked if I liked that song.
I (trying to be cool) said "It's okay".

I was mortified.

I turned off my tape and made sure my door was locked the next time I pulled out my karaoke machine.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Dear Santa,

I totally want this Dental Mirror for Christmas.
The thing is I'm too embarrassed to tell anyone that I want it. It's kind of a geeky thing to want.
So Santa, I'm telling you. If I find this in my stocking on Christmas morning I will NEVER doubt your existence again. Honest.
Love,
Steph


P.S. I was ridiculously good this year.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

A few things on etsy that I love today...

This neckwarmer from Cmorgan3511's etsy shop is so pretty. I love the buttons and the color is just lovely.



I love you, friend print from sarahjanestudio's shop. This would be oh so perfect in a nursery.


I think these Mustache Pint Glasses are so funny! I think these will be a birthday gift for one of my brothers...he loves all things mustache.
Find them at BreadandBadgers etsy shop.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Might I suggest...

I highly recommend V Chocolates. I'm not a toffee fan, but I die for this toffee. With their beautiful Tiffany Blue Box it makes for a beautiful gift as well, just don't forget to get yourself a box!

Check out their website for where you can buy them.

You're welcome.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Quantum Wellness

I heard Kathy Freston on a podcast on Oprah's Spirit Channel. So I picked up the book Quantum Wellness at my local library.

I just finished it and now have it ordered from Amazon...it's a book I need to own!

It's so good!

I wouldn't consider myself a meat lover or even a big meat eater, but I do eat meat and I have never seriously thought about giving it up....until now. She makes quite the case!

All aspects of this book were so great. I love the "Eight Pillars of Wellness" that she focuses on in the book. Meditation, Conscious Eating, Exercise, Visualization, Spiritual Practice, Self-work, Service, and Fun Activities.



Purchase or pick it up from the library today.
You can thank me later. :)

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

I think these would be good Christmas gifts...

While trying to figure out what the heck I am going to get some people on my Christmas list, I found some super fun stuff that I think would be good gifts. I liked them so much I wanted to share...

This WTF Snowglobe from Urban Outfitters is only $12.00 and is funny. I like a good and funny gift.


I bought this LOL Disposable Camera from Urban Outfitters for one of my brothers. I totally think he is going to love it! Plus, it's only $12.00!

I think I will buy this Mini Branch Wall Hook from Urban Outfitters for myself, isn't it lovely? It too is only $12.00! I love UO for their great prices. :)

Okay, I think these Star Crayons from Stubby Pencil Studios are so stinking fun and they are only $8.95! The best part about them? They are made from 100% recycled crayons. These are so wonderful.

This pretty bag from Magpie Lovely would be a perfect girlfriend gift.







Tuesday, December 8, 2009

"It is neither wealth nor splendor,
but tranquility and occupation,
which give happiness."
~Thomas Jefferson
Photo by my husband. Somewhere between Utah & Washington state.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Cuckoo Clock

I am insanely in love with this cuckoo clock.


Isn't it lovely?

Friday, December 4, 2009

For the Barbie® lover in your life

I am completely smitten with the Jonathan Adler Barbie®. Part of the Barbie® loves Jonathan Adler line. I LOVE her dress, I wish Barbie's would have been this stylish back in my day. :)


The Barbie® comes with miniature versions of real Jonathan Adler pieces including a stylish Channing End Table, Bel Air Table Lamp, Three Stripes Vases, a Lacquer tray, and a Lacquer Barbie® Silhouette Mirror.

It's all so perfect it's ridiculous!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Starting to think about Christmas....

It seems that I'm a bit behind.
I swear 90% of my friends & family had their Christmas decorations up way before Thanksgiving.
I am just barely starting to think about Christmas.....let alone decorate and shop for it!
During my thinking-about-Christmas time today I found lots of cute stuff on etsy.
I'll just share a few....

I love this original encaustic painting from susannajarian's shop. It's called Reflection.

I think these stockings from rikrak's shop are soooo cute! Plus they are made with ecospun felt, which makes them even better!

Last but not least, I'm loving the colors of this cute wreath from OchristmasTree's shop.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Absolutely, positively my FAVORITE Christmas movie ever....


First we'll make snow angels for two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie-dough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle. ~Buddy the Elf




*And also one of my all-time favorite movies ever. It's so wonderful. :)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

EcoDomo Recycled Leather Tile

Stitched Recycled Leather Tiles are made with landfill-bound scraps of leather from BMW car seat manufacturers, furniture manufactureres, shoe manufacturers and other tanneries.
The materials are shredded and rebound with natural rubber and acacia tree sap.
EcoDomo's tiles would be great for flooring, a kitchen backsplash and other wall applications. I personally think it would be so beautiful in a home library.
They do not suggest using the tiles in high-moisture areas (for example, bathrooms with a frequently used shower).
It sounds so easy to install. I think most diy-ers wouldn't have any problems installing it themselves. Another HUGE plus? No grout!!!
Click here to find a retailer near you.