Birthday Wish for Marta

This is whit here. Don't you love this picture of Marta and her little boy. Marta's eyes always had that pop of color and beauty. She is one of a kind little lady who turns 30 today!

So I'm hacking into her blog today because:

A. at this very moment she is moving into her cute, awesome, totally Marta house. I can just see her making list (on the fridge) of things to do first, and what to buy or she is putting her cute anthro bowls or collection of pitchers in her hutch

B. she doesn't have her internet hooked up at the moment, I can't wait to see her office all put together but as of last night her desk was surround by boxes

C. It's her 30th birthday and she is being spoiled and pampered by that hubby of hers and playing with that adorable little Benj

So at the moment you are stuck with me, her cousin who completely adores Marta. Those of you who know this little lady loves everything about her, she is one talented little writer and one creative little mama. She has always been artistic with that handwriting of hers, that drawing class that she rocked at and her letter pressing skills. She has always had the ability to brighten up the room and your day with her sense of humor and dancing skills. Marta is the girl to go to when you're having one of those days because she always looks for the best in any situation and gives the best advice in the world. She is a great listener, never complains or is negative. She's awesome at card games, story telling and can make you laugh at any moment. Marta truly is one of a kind, a breath of fresh air and blue skies.

Yesterday we packed and unloaded all of her boxes, cute furniture, toys and dishes into her home. Marta was there with doughnuts, juice, made sure we had water, turned up some music and was always thanking her helpers. She doesn't take anything for granted and appreciates her family, her friends, her new home, her blog, her readers and everything in her life. She truly is one of a kind.

Happy Happy Birthday to my favorite girl!

Now it's your turn to wish Marta a happy birthday.

on the move

image source

wishing you a gorgeous weekend.
am loving the crisp september air and all this family togetherness.

“life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein
thank you for emailing this quote suz. i needed that.

chalkboard tags / kate's paper goods

images via kate's shop.

browsing etsy one night, i fell into kate's paper goods and swooned for several minutes over her work. those chalkboard tags are equal parts fabulous and functional. charming yet utilitarian. you can even order them plain for your manly little men. (i'd love to segregate legos, blocks and trains with them!) everything i love. they are perfect for a pretty labeling system. i can't wait to find the perfect place for these babies. i imagine them hanging on baskets of soaps, office supplies or shelves of linens. maybe i'd be more inclined to iron tablecloths with pretty tags like these.

kate's cards are special pieces too; handpainted & handlettered. this set is my fave. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. kate has generously sent me the fantastic floral tags for our new place. the work is hers, but these opinions are all mine. learn more about my handpicked sponsored series. kate tells me a little bit more about setting up shop.

tell me a little about your business..
My long time love for stationery and paper led me to open my little etsy shop. Although I studied Interior Design, I realized that I was also really passionate about painting and illustration. I started by selling only original hand painted cards, but have now branched out and have prints available as well as some fun chalkboard items. I love the look of chalkboards and thought it'd be fun to create chalkboard clipboards and tags. I believe that even the simplest things can make life fun-- so I hope that one of my little chalkboard tags or hand painted cards puts a smile on someone's face!

dig in: kate's blog (love all the foodie snapshots!) and etsy shop.

recently. / LOTOJA bike race.

from dawn to dusk. 206 miles in one day.
thousands of racers. (and lots of powerade.)
with a big celebration in jackson, wyoming.

pillow talk / nena von designer pillows & drapes

i'm not sure exactly how, but one day i followed a few links and landed (softly) into nena von's pillow etsy shop. isn't it filled with such cheery pillows?! with so many options, there are countless ways to mix and match them. in fact it was hard to choose which to highlight in this post. i especially love the bold graphic patterns and most of them are tough enough for the outdoors too! hurrah for pillows that can be thrown just about anywhere.

in all of my house decorating homework, i've read about the power of the throw pillow. did you know they can drastically change your whole room?! switch them up to give your room a makeover.. and save on the headache of re-painting the walls. graphic prints are hot right now and go nicely with a color coordinating floral rug or fun drapery (she offers those too). i don't think i've ever said 'drapery' in my life. lookie, i'm becoming a grown-up.

this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. nena von has kindly sent us this one (i can't stop staring at it) to add some pow to our basement family room. it'll definitely pep up our hand-me-down leather loveseat. the artwork is hers, but these opinions are all mine. learn more about my handpicked sponsored series. she tells us a bit more about her work...

Any tips on mixing & matching graphic pillows?
I have an Interior Design Background and prior to launching my own business, I worked for a ID firm in Orange County, we specialized in Model Homes. There was a lot of "formality" in that industry and boundaries that you had to abide by. It was really all about being "safe" and staging homes for potential buyers.

It is so refreshing now to be able to have my own business and be playful with our fabric selection that we provide to customers. We are constantly on the "hunt" for fresh, fun, bold and affordable fabrics. I have never been much of a "matchy, match" gal. I really like "eclectic" spaces and unpredictable settings. You would be amazed at how much online consulting I do with customers on a day to day basis. I think what it comes down to with pillows and drapes, is that it simply transforms a room when you add big bold fabrics. Keep your furniture simple and the keys elements in your space simple (such as solid color fabric for accent chairs and sofas, even area rugs) This way you can mix and match really graphic pillows and change them seasonally. Drapes are more of an investment then pillows obviously so choose something that you will love for at least a few years and a pattern that works with everything. I always say it's okay to use several geometric prints together as long as it is not interfering with the key elements of the actual space.


What's the best thing about your workspace?
I would have to say the best part of our workspace is, well, many things, but for starters that it is an official space out of our home, finally. I ran this growing business out of our home for about three years. My Seamstress Susie made the drive everyday to come work in the home office, she traveled about 45 minutes each way everyday. 

In June we found the perfect spot for our small but growing business, located in the quaint district of Little Italy, San Diego. We are located in a historical building that is almost 100 years old. The building has so much character with beautiful original but restored hard wood floors and exposed brick walls. Its so inspiring to work in this building along with 50 other artists/designers. It's a really great community and we are so happy that we have a space for our business to really start growing. 

dig in: nena von's (stuffed) etsy shop. 

creative business owners & shoppers. / watch this.

oh goodness me. this is perhaps the best thing i've seen in a very long time. it makes me excited to support handmade. it makes me want to get back in the driver's seat and play with indesign. it makes me wanna whip up some invitations again. it makes me want to be creative and support those in the creative industry. (i count watching project runway too.)

read more about designer julie's amazing offer.
name your price custom wedding invitations. awesome.

thanks for the link, suzanne of she paperie! it made my day.

p.s. thank you for all the well wishes about LOTOJA (he killed it) and our big move. i may get my act together and upload photos someday soon. otherwise be prepared for sporadic acts of blogging. xo.

no simple feat. / gearing up for the move.

image source unknown.

this weekend benj and i are the official support crew for dan's big bike ride. he has been riding 100 miles every saturday to gear up for LOTOJA again this year. major training going on despite our messy living out of suitcase lifestyle. we'll be cheering for you, babe. dan is the man when it comes to setting a goal and accomplishing it. the big thing for dan and co. is to eat small salted red potatoes, cooked of course, during the ride for refueling on carbs and sodium. we're also toting ham & cheese sammys and tiny jugs of chocolate milk too. wholesome and simple. what will they think up next?

next week (and the week after that) will be a little nuts. but thus is our life right now. i can already feel it, my shoulders are tensing up. it's exciting and exhausting, kind of like the summer we just had. and my logical mind knows that no matter how many lists i write, moving is moving is moving. it's chaotic and crazy. no matter how you crack it. there is no systematic way to move. and we're not even officially moving until the 24th. til then we're bombarding my sisters' homes with our wild ways and fickle schedules and diagonal cut sandwiches and stuffed suitcases; what good husbands they have. (sisters will do anything for each other, husbands have a bit more sense.) as we have house hopped from one to another, am feeling so grateful for family. they know us entirely and yet, still love us anyway.

now have a good weekend and ride strong and hold on.

p.s. am not sure when i'll get around to my big blog-a-versary post.. but i must put this in writing: martawrites is FIVE years old. shout hooray! more celebrating to come.

simplicity bike print / thumbtack press

after spying this awesome bike print circling on pinterest, i started unconsciously building benji's room around its color scheme and theme (wheels!). however the pairing of nick dewar's retro bike rendering and simplicity statement (one i need to be reminded of often) will be suitable parked on any wall in our new digs.

the good news is, this print and many others are readily available at thumbtack press. this newly re-imagined online shop features a curated site with real artists and offers authentic, affordable art. what i love most about thumbtack press is the ease in viewing your favorite print matted and framed (with plenty of color options accessible too) before purchasing it. you can even upload a photo of a room in your home and 'virtually' hang it anywhere you please. talk about picture perfect. 

this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the folks at thumbtack press have generously offered me a framed print. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine. learn more about my handpicked sponsored series. barry friedland, owner of thumbtack press, tells me about setting up shop:

tell me a little about your business..
Thumbtack Press is a company I purchased from someone about a year ago. We think we have a great story to tell and are hell bent on sharing it - that incredible, high quality art, offered from some of today’s most cutting edge and relevant artists from around the world, can be accessible to everyone. Affordable art is a common buzzword these days, and like Thumbtack Press, many other websites offer low priced art prints, but we are a different for so many reasons, most significantly that our site, which I curate very selectively, is comprised of about 100 of the very best illustration, lowbrow and character artists working today. But it’s important to point out that equal to our mission of introducing our customers to great art is the support and exposure we give to our artists, many of whom are simply more focused on making beautiful art than they are about marketing themselves. So it’s really a great space to be in and a win-win for everyone.

dig in: thumbtack press website / blog / facebook

night games / toddler style

eva juliet / illustrated (gorgeous) art prints

when i landed in evajuliet, the etsy shop, i was all wrapped up in the simple charms of her beautiful prints, happy hues and effortless handwritten touches. eva mingles illustration, calligraphy and graphic design in what she has termed wall poetry (i love that!). her pieces make me want to stop, lean in, and look closer. this is the first post for home is where the ART is. eva has generously sent me her lovely fruit collection for my new kitchen (the prints are even prettier in person!). the work is hers, but these opinions are all mine. learn more about my handpicked sponsored series.

eva is located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and her first language is french. she tells me she struggles with english, but so far i am thoroughly impressed! in my opinion, her artwork speaks for itself. her passion comes through loud and clear. she answered a couple questions for me...

tell me about something that inspires you:
There is plenty of things that inspire me, but I think my mother is my biggest inspiration. She is such a creative person. She is unique and she is willing to assume her uniqueness, which I think it’s not so easy. It’s easier to follow the trend, to decorate our home with the “colors of the year”, to wear the latest fashion clothes because it's trendy, etc. But my mother follows her own trends, her environment is the reflect of what her heart dictates. That is why she is so unique. And I try to achieve the same way of living.  

what’s your ideal working day:
I like to start the day early, when the morning light fill my little white studio. I listen the quiet daybreak or I put some smooth music, I make some tea or coffee, then I am like a kid in a big sand box. There is so many possibilities. I can do painting, photography or working on the computer. The ideal working day ends with a creative result that I am satisfied with which is not always the case but the journey is always fun. 

dig in: eva's fabulous blog / etsy shop / website / facebook 

preschool project / a treasure hunt for rocks

most mornings are all about getting somewhere, making a plan, packing up, meeting up, and making the most of the morning sun. we've had all kinds of adventures this summer. but yesterday we decided to stick around home all day (me in my flannels). i forgot how easy it can be to entertain (and educate) a child with the simplest of materials. our favorite activities come to us by almost accident.

benj (and his bear) took a ride in the wagon and i noticed all the pretty gray hues of the rocks as we went by. (who needs paint swatches with pretty pebbles nearby!?) we decided to collect them. benji loved picking them up and putting them in his wagon. we sat right down and talked about their surface texture, colors and sizes. he lined them up all the way around the interior edges of the wagon. (i love watching him make his own decisions like that.) my favorite rocks are the smooth gray kind that have 'stripes' through them. i always consider them lucky. benji particularly liked the clunky, speckly granite rocks which we think resembles oreo ice cream.

we drove them up to the front porch and washed them all clean in grandma's galvanized bucket. benji washed them one by one. i tried to let him lead the activity, taking all the time in the world. we then sorted them by color, lining them up, counting them and admiring our work. then leaving them out as a rock installation for daddy (and passerbys) to enjoy.

p.s. do your children have end-of-summer sandal tans like mine does? oh and what about temporary dino tats?! benji is pretty stoked about the one on his arm.

a harry potter game night with my nieces.

image sources 1 / 2 / 3

if you are hanging out with a six year old and almost-ten year old this weekend, i highly recommend busting out the Harry Potter Hogwarts game by Lego. it's a board game that is actually really fun. does your family have a favorite game? wishing you a great weekend. and thank you for the super nice (and enthusiastic) comments yesterday. i feel the love.

a new show n' tell series. / oh how i love september.

launching a new series for the new season...

the first day of september is loaded with potential. it always is. possibility is perched in those trees, she's waiting to tumble down with the leaves. the beginning of a new season, a birthday just twenty-four days away, the start of projects and crisp notebooks to fill, ladling steamy soup into big bowls with crusty bread for dipping, cozy sweaters back in rotation; september sets the mood up for me. and this one shall be no different. am praying hard for productivity and inspiration. there are still lots of unknowns ahead (am learning to accept unknowns as they are a way of life). but i do know one thing: there will be painting! we'll be house hopping a bit this month, so blogging we'll be very sporadic (i hope you'll be patient!). still, i've got a couple things on the horizon.

the big one // the house hunt is finally over. hip hip hooray! it's true, we are in the process of buying our first home. we are relieved and excited. indeed it has been a process, emphasis added. of course, i'm learning, most worthwhile things in life come with a few hoops to jump through. our home is cozy and suitable and just feels right as so many of you told me it would. dan's sweet grandma bernice would pat me on the hand (seeing how frustrated i was) and tell me that i would know when we found the right house. i trusted her, but doubted my instincts would kick in. she was right. someone told me when you find the right house (or husband!), you love it so much you don't mind compromising on its minor flaws. they become endearing. isn't that so true?! this home was built in the 1940s; and what it lacks in closet space it makes up for in charm! we feel so blessed. God always knows and always carves out a path.

a new blog series // i continue to look for fresh content to blog about and am especially thrilled when i can introduce an etsy shop, designer, or artisan to (you!) my readers. being a small business owner myself, i know how much word of mouth can boost sales! this upcoming new series, HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS, will be dedicated to unique and awesome artwork (including but not limited to the kind you frame and hang on the walls) which will be going up in our new home. the posts will be scheduled here and there while we're on-the-move. i've handpicked a few fabulous sponsors (from all over the globe) whom i'll be featuring right here on martawrites, and, obviously, in our home! which means these talented folks create pieces that i really, truly love. we are big believers in the william morris quote, have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. 

cheers to september and all the good we shall scoop out of it, jack-o-lantern style. p.s. that darling floral print (pictured) is actually the wallpaper in my mother-in-law's laundry room!!

interested in having your work featured in our home? please email me directly.