Hey – I see that a lot of you guys are still popping over here to check out the blog, so I’ve made it where the site will automatically redirect to PencilShavingsBlog.com. Please don’t forget to adjust your blog readers and links. Merci!
Archive for Uncategorized
Moving Announcement!
Well, I couldn’t help myself. I got to playing around with WordPress and decided to go ahead and make the move. After a few weeks of work, I’m proud to send you guys over there. So would you please readjust your browsers to PencilShavingsBlog.com? I would be ever-so-thankful. I’m really proud of the redesign and I think you’ll like it too. I’m also welcoming any and all feedback over there. Just leave a comment or fill out the contact form.
Also, look for posts on my 21st 29th birthday as well as the winner of my birthday giveaway.
Thanks, you guys!
GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!
In case you didn’t notice on my last post, my 29th birthday is this upcoming Sunday, so in honor of the last few days of 28, I’m doing a giveaway! One of my favorite movies of all time is My Fair Lady. Gorgeous music, gorgeous scenery, gorgeous Audrey.
So I’m giving away a DVD of this fab classic!
.jpg)
What do you have to do to enter?
Just leave a comment on this post on your favorite movie. All I *must* have is your email address. I’m accepting entries until April 30th at midnight central time.
Winner will be chosen by random.org!
Good luck, chickadees!
“I want a pink candy party”
When Madeline Grace’s mom Rachelle contacted me about doing birthday party invitations, she said that Madeline specifically wanted to have a pink candy party. We used pictures from the Birthday Girl blog as inspiration, such as this one:
Rachelle also wanted to keep it really young and pretty – nothing too grownup. Madeline, after all, only three. 🙂
So for the invitations, we did a double-sided print. The design was based on classic candy wrappers and turned out really … well, sweet. We also did a blossom-colored envelope to match the pink stripes and polka dots.
Then, to add to the fun, we did labels for the drinks – pink lemonade, strawberry milk, chocolate milk, and regular milk, as well as tags for the favor bags that say “Pure Sweetness.” Rachelle is also doing a candy bar of just pink candy, so we made labels for all of her different jars. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
And while I didn’t photograph it, we also made individual nametags for each party-goer that are going on the milk jugs that Rachelle has (recycled Starbucks Frappuccino bottles!). All in all, too cute and I cannot WAIT to see her pictures from the party!
Thank you, Rachelle, for letting me be a part of Madeline’s big day! You are a sweet friend!
Anthro Lovelies
Some pretties from Anthropologie lately…
Maybe I’ll just hop down to the store and try ’em on…
Oh wait.
I forgot.
They’re not opening in Oklahoma City, they’re opening in TULSA.
Hmmph. Whatev.
Back to your regularly-scheduled programming, friends.
Hunting for Planters
Since Spring is in full swing here, both Simon and I have had the itch to get out in the yard and pretty things up a bit. At our first house, we were actively involved in the complete makeover of our front yard, and it was a lot of fun. A lot of work. But a lot of fun. Now, at our current house, it was nice to come into a yard that was already well-maintained. We just get to put our own personal stamp onto it, like adding some of our favorite plants and flowers.
I’ve been on the hunt for some eye-catching planters for the front porch. I feel like the front porch is an extension of our entryway. I want it to be a little bit dramatic, a little bit whimsical, and just the right amount of color. It ought to be inviting. And it ought to speak of your personality. Hence, the great hunt for planters. Â I had kinda pre-shopped around to see what was available, checking out prices. I knew that I would fall madly in love with whatever they have at TLC here in Oklahoma City. They have the prettiest selection of all things landscaping, right down to their old-fashioned brightly-colored watering cans. And of course, planters are no exception. They’re all arranged according to color, and they are absolutely stunning.
Jude likes the giant “feet” planters. And yes, they come in every color!
The glossy black is so dramatic. I love it.
But it’s the blues that really catch my eye.
OHHHH YES. The tiffany blue is IT! These are the ones I originally brought Simon to see. I love them. I love their color, their glossiness, and I just knew that they’d pop against our red brick. Gorgeous.
Alas. They were not meant to be. Un petit peu too expensive, and maybe a hair too short.
But oh my. Look at that ombre above. Gorgeous. And the green section?! HELLO.
Hydrangeas are my favorite, and they are in full bloom right now @ TLC.
A sandbox to pass the time in …
Finally, we headed over to Home Depot, where I had seen some planters I really liked. Silly me – I should’ve shot some photos of them. They were really cool and in some amazingly bright colors. Simon didn’t feel they were 100% right for the style of our house, and in the end, I agreed. But they were definitely fab. However, Home Depot came out the clear winner among the (relatively) inexpensive big box-type retailers (i.e., Lowe’s, WalMart, Target, etc.). Target came in a close 2nd with some nice Smith & Hawken offerings, but everything else was a total bust (cheap-looking or ugly). I was pleasantly surprised at the selection @ Home Depot. Check these little dimpled orange cuties out –
But it was this collection that gave us a second look. Nearly identical in color, style, and texture to the ones we saw at TLC, but half the price!
We ended up not getting the tallish green ones, although I really like them. A lot. As in, now that I think about it, maybe we should’ve gotten a couple for the back patio. But the blue pots are so striking on our front porch. I’m just pleased as punch. No great reveal just yet – we still need to get the plants to put in them, but I feel like we are taking the right step. Thank you thank you thank you to my sweet hubs for indulging me! I love this man!
How about you? Are you into gardening? I feel like I know absolutely nothing. Have any good references?
A Great Insight into OKC Shoppers
This will probably only be of interest to you Oklahomans, but did you hear the news that Tulsa is getting an Anthropologie? This isn’t making many people in Oklahoma City too happy. Seems like we get passed over too many times in favor of Tulsa. Saks Fifth Avenue is there, as well as Restoration Hardware, and now Anthropologie. BUMMER.
So what’s the problem? This article in the Daily Oklahoman on Sunday answered these questions and more very effectively interestingly. The bottom line according to those interviewed in this article? That we need to spend more of our money here in the state to lure prospective retailers. But this seems to be a catch 22 – why would I want to spend my money on the stuff here if I know I could get what I really wanted elsewhere? Is it not enough to think that there are enough people in Oklahoma who travel out of state to shop? One interviewee says, “Shame on you” for this practice. Um, I beg to differ – shame on you retailers for missing out on an excellent opportunity.
If Oklahoman shoppers are willing to travel over 3 hours to shop, just think about what we’d actually be spending if we had the opportunity here locally.
Anyway. Hop on over, read the article, and let me know what your thoughts are. I’m interested to hear what other OKC shoppers have to say and think on the matter.
edited to add a few more thoughts Monday, April 12, 2009.
Font Lovin’
Some new-to-me fonts that caught my eye
Dessau Pro (it’s that outlined one. I DIE!)
Brownstone Sans. Not available just yet. As seen on the Veer blog here.
Lately someone asked me about doing a font swap w/ the Narziss Swirls. If that was you, I’ve got it now, so drop me a line or comment here and I’m more than happy to do a swap!
Getting Organized: the Office
As I find myself surfacing after a crazy couple of weeks of design project deadlines along with just trying to tread water here at home, I feel royally discouraged at the extreme disorganization of my office. It is pitiful. Awful. I need to lug a huge black trash bag up there and clean house. So I thought I’d do a post on some of my faves when it comes to office organization.
While I don’t use these boxes exactly, I have nearly-identical ones from the Martha Stewart line at Michael’s. I use them to store all my miscellaneous blank paper: copy paper, white paper, scrapbook paper, photo paper, and cream-colored paper. I keep it next to my printer and pop it open when needed. The scrapbook paper one is overflowing; I don’t scrapbook, but I love the variety of papers for various projects. These boxes by See Jane Work come in some fun colors.
These wall-mounted magnetic magazine holders are so fab. You could use several of them on a wall to make a fab graphic statement. They’d also be great for (blah) organizing bills. But who’d want to do that? (My husband is shaking his head at me right this second.)
Moleskines are my favorite sketchbooks and journals for note-taking at meetings and Bible study. I can’t resist them when I drop into Barnes & Noble. They come in a dizzying array of sizes and useful formats for every possible use.
The coolest large-scale calendar ever: Pentagram, the legendary design firm, puts out this awesome typography-centric calendar each year.
These letter trays are inspired by vintage locker baskets. I love the look of these. I can’t stop buying vintage metal baskets.
Of course you need adorable notepaper in equally fab lucite boxes. From Iomoi.
And, if you’re still not done organizing those bills or wayward invoices, a classic collator will do the trick. I really want one of these. I think they are the coolest.
DIY Tufted Headboard
Caught this one over at Apartment Therapy the other day. I love this image – the colors are gorgeous, and the design is just whimsical enough to suit my taste. And I wish I could get my hands on one of those bamboo side tables. Love.
Side note: I really like Apartment Therapy and all its various entities, but does anybody else notice how snarky people get in the comments? It seems to be worse than ever lately.
pencil shavings 