savoring the details

Favorite day...

Oh, this is always my most favorite day...when the red cups arrive at Starbucks.

Just makes me smile.

Just makes me feel that the holiday season is upon us.

Just makes me feel thankful.

Just makes me feel happy.

Just makes me feel good.
 

Live inspired...

*These are some of my favorite titles from Compendium. 

After posting my first installment of {Things I Love...}, I received a wonderful email from Kristel at Compendium.  She shared a wonderful promotion they are offering throughout the month of August.  So, I'd love to share it with you:

Also, we just started our Friends & Family Summer Sale. With the discount code FRIENDS30, you can get 30% off everything and if you order $50, you can get free shipping. The special is going on through the month of August.

If you are looking for some fabulous inspiration, quotes and books filled with gorgeous typography, look no further than Compendium.  I can't wait to purchase lots of goodies with this fantastic sale!

Happy Halloween!

For us, 2008 is the year of Batman, the Dark Knight and the chicken.

Here is Batman:

And here is the chicken:

When my niece was over, I was able to take a photo of her in her ladybug costume along with the chicken.  Fortunately, Luke is always willing to wear his costume and pose for a few photos.

I always forget from year to year what I send in for the teachers, so I am including it in this blog post as a reminder for me next year. This is just a simple candy treat that Sean is giving to his teachers. 

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Sharing the love...

I was so honored and flattered to be given this blog award by three amazing women who are incredibly talented:  Jennifer,Denine, and Karla.  Thank you ladies; I am touched beyond words.  You are all so inspiring to me!

I am so addicted to the internet and finding inspiration in so many wonderful places, so I am here to share the love and this award with seven of my most favorite blogs.  For the record, there are countless blogs that I visit and my bookmarked favorites are so long, it really is out of control!  It is hard to limit it to seven, but here it goes.  

The rules for this blog award are:
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girl's you nominated.

Insert drumroll.....

Seven fabulous blogs to visit:

(1)Melanie: Mel and I met on twopeas several years ago and were fortunate to meet up in real life.  She is an amazing woman, incredible mother and fabulous friend.  And, I haven't even mentioned her talent as a scrapbooker. I adore everything she creates.  Her simple style is so classy and beautiful.  I adore her and know you will too!

(2) Moon: Talk about talent...this woman has it.  Not only is she an incredible photographer, but she also creates the most amazing scrapbook pages.  I love that her fabulous sense of humor shines through in everything she does!

(3) Margaret: Here is the blog of another amazing scrapbook artist.  Margaret is not only incredibly talented when it comes to layouts, but she makes amazing home decor projects as well.  I am always so inspired by her.  And her boys are so darn cute.  That Hoonie is a riot and reminds me a lot of Luke!

(4) Maureen: While I have never met Maureen in real life, I feel like I have known her forever.  She is truly one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I know.  She is an incredible mother and a woman whose faith always inspires me.  We met via the internet due to our mutual passion for scrapbooking.  Maureen creates such beautiful pages that capture all that is important in the lives of her children.  She makes sure they won't forget the little details of their lives.

(5) Suann: I stumbled across Suann's blog last year and have been a frequent visitor ever since.  She has an incredible sense of design and now has recently become a letterpress artist (I'm so jealous).  Suann exudes talent and once you visit her blog, you will see what I mean.  I know you will be adding it to your favorites!

(6) Becky: Not sure where to begin when it comes to this fabulous lady.  Becky is another one that oozes with talent.  She is a photographer, scrapbooker, mother, grandmother, home decorator, chef, and on and on.  I am always inspired when I visit Becky's blog.  She shares her faith in such a beautiful way and her home is to-die-for!  You will love her too!

(7) Maria Grace: I can remember the day when I first laid eyes upon Maria Grace's work on twopeas.  I was in awe and I remain so to this day.  She is truly one of my most favorite scrapbook artists.  Her style is unique and true to her.  I love visting her blog and checking out her 'love lists' and the photographs she takes are breathtaking! 

Enjoy visiting these blogs.  They are treasures! 

 

Mosaic of me...

1. melissa, iii, 2. Spaghetti in Tomato Cream Sauce, 3. Annapolis, 4. Little Bad Habit #1, 5. For Julia, 6. ° p e p s i °, 7. valentine pebble, 8. 14th August 2007 / Day 226, 9. Letterpress - EDGY Collection, 10. The Avenue in mist and sun, 11. the perfectionists, 12. IMG_0001, my first Canon 5D shot

I saw this idea on Michelle's fabulous blog and knew I had to try it too.  If you want to play along and create your own mosaic about you, here is how you do it:

Type your answer to each of the following questions into Flickr search.  Using only the images that appear on the first page, choose your favorite image then copy and paste each the URL's into the mosaic maker (3 columns, 4 rows).

Here are the questions:

1. What is your first name? (Melissa)
2. What is your favorite food? (spaghetti)
3. What high school did you attend? (Immaculata Academy)
4. What is your favorite color? (Tiffany blue)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (Jake Gyllenhaal...struggled with this one)
6. Favorite drink? (Diet Pepsi)
7. Dream vacation? (Australia)
8. Favorite dessert? (chocolate chip cookies)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? (Letterpress designer)
10. What do you love most in life? (my family)
11. One word to describe you? (perfectionist)
12. Your Flickr name? (savoring the details)

If you create one, please share a link with me.  I love making these mosaics and this one is especially cool.  Have fun!

 

Yellow = Happiness

The color yellow makes me happy, so here are some of my favorite happy images from flickr.

1. There is never enough..., 2. narcissus, 3. Shades of Yellow and Coffee, 4. Untitled, 5. My Little Cupcake, 6. Daisy, daisy, 7. Bambino, 8. Yellow, 9. Cali-flower, 10. Mustard, 11. a view from my balcony, 12. Coffee, 13. Quac! quac!, 14. And it was all yellow, 15. creamy yellow, 16. yellow

Magazine love...

I already shared with you my love for magazines, so I thought I would share a few images that really resonated with me lately. 

Look at this fabulous image from Country Living Magazine in a feature story about the amazing Amy Butler.  This is serious eye candy to me.  Those fabrics...oh my!

I love stationery.  This image is just beautiful to me.  I would love to have everything color coordinated and organized like this.  This image is from another favorite magazine, Country Home.

Another beautiful stationery image is this:

It is also from Country Home.  There is something so beautiful and endearing about a handwritten note in today's digital age.  I don't do it nearly enough. 

And lastly, this image seriously makes my heart skip a beat.  I think it must be the combination of two of my favorite things, books and tulips.

In other, non-related magazine sharing, I did want to share my photo of the day with you.  Luke's love affair with cleaning continues.  Today, he helped me dust and all by himself, he pulled over this Rubbermaid container in order to be better able to dust the shelves in his playroom.  He makes his momma proud.  Now, if only he will be so willing to help me clean when he is sixteen!

I love how he is standing on his tip toes...such a hard worker!

 

7 Random Facts...

I was tagged by the fabulous Becky to share 7 random facts about myself.  I always struggle with these, but in the end, I am always humored by myself and my indiosyncrasies, so I figure I may as well humor you too. Here it goes:

(1) I must make my bed everyday! I always make the bed before I shower; I guess I feel better when my room looks tidy with a bed that is made.  And for the record, this drives my husband crazy.

(2) My new favorite soft drink is cherry cola zero.  Normally, I am a Diet Pepsi fan, but I really like the taste of this soda.

(3) I have a serious addiction to magazines and I mean serious.  I could honestly buy a new magazine every day and justify it and be totally happy.  But, I don't.  The following are the magazines I currently subscribe to: Martha Stewart Living, Domino, Country Home, Country Living, BHG Scrapbooks, etc., Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks, Wondertime and Hallmark. I also love to go to Barnes and Noble and check out Living Etc., and Ideal Home (British publications) and I do my best to just look and not buy. 

(4) At this time of year, I love Whoppers Robin Eggs candies.  I don't like Whoppers, but I love this seasonal candy.

(5) My first job in high school was a sales associate at the GAP.  These were some of the best years of my life.  I worked with such great people and had so much fun working there.  It was a fabulous first job!

(6) I am so happy to love a new tv show, Lipstick Jungle.  I love the storyline of three highly successful women that remain great friends and I adore the clothes they wear...amazing style.

(7) When I finish a book, I go through a period of mourning in which I am really sad to have to say goodbye to the friends I have made.  It seems as though, I need to give myself a few days before I can begin a new book and embrace new characters.  Anyone else like that?

Okay, so now you know some strange facts about me.  Moving on, today was Sean's last day of school before Easter break.  I sent in goodies for the teachers similar to last year's gifts.

Happiness in photos...

   

1. What color is a heartache, 2. A warm welcome..., 3. Cotton Reels, 4. Love these books, 5. cappucino?, 6. Waiting for Spring, 7. French Macaroons, 8. Untitled, 9. First flowers of spring from the front yard, 10. Frangipanis of Summer, 11. White tulips, 12. cappucino?, 13. Roses in a can, 14. vintage, 15. nostalgia, 16. old fashioned

WIP + Photo Goodness

I started a little sewing project yesterday...a little Easter happiness.  Here are some photos of my work-in-progress.  I am hoping that all goes well so I can share her tomorrow.

In other news, we received tons of snow here over the weekend, so I am not feeling like spring is anywhere near my neck of the woods, but fortunately I received my lovely floral postcards from Jen today.  Even if spring isn't on the outside, I can have it inside by looking at these beauties. 

If you are not familiar with Jen's work, you are in for a treat as you visit her site.