how ink is made. / awesome.

camera stills by printing ink co.

a blog reader sent this amazing mini documentary about how ink is made my way. wow. cheers to the printing ink company. the printed page is so simple and yet so sublime. the youtube vid made me smile. and the huge warehouse shots remind me of the equally huge california printing company i worked at for a year as a graphic artist. i learned so much there. i highly recommend landing (or miraculously falling into) a job wherein you feel like you're swimming with sharks and doggie paddling your way through. you'll come out a lot stronger. and maybe learn a thing or two. at the time, i had no idea how that job (and my clients there) would steer me into what i do everyday. isn't it awesome to look back on an experience that was extremely tough and finally get why it was essential to go through it?!

I believe that we are here to work, and I believe there is no escape from it. I think that we cannot get that thought into our souls and into our beings too soon. Work we must, if we shall succeed or if we shall advance. There is no other way.  - J. Reuben Clark Jr.

recently / getting into the spirit of things

+ enjoying cupcakes from hilary. thank you.
+ the mummy wrap contest at oma's spooky spectacular.
(luckily no one had a camera out when we were doing our version of thriller.)
+ making new friends at daddy's haunted office party.

wishing you and your goblins a happy holiday.
candy frenzy, here we go.
can you believe it is almost november?!

happy weekend and a small smattering.

incredible calligraphy by ornamelle

wishing you a wonderful weekend.
happy haunting!

we'll be tromping our little cowboy around to as many places willing to give out candy as possible. including daddy's new office. humorous that i swore never to refer to dan as 'daddy' but it's how things roll when you're a parent. and i'll be burning discs of 2006 - 2010 digital photos for the archives. surely wondering which ones to delete and which should make the cut. not a fun job, but a necessary one. whittling away at little tasks and making 'humongous' (benji's new favorite word) piles of leaves for jumping. last night i went through journals / notebooks / scrapbooks of my high school era. highly amusing / entertaining and a teensy bit inspiring. i wrote down everything. what i wore, what my crush said over the phone, who i was annoyed with, who i was in love with, gory gory teenage details that gave me a belly ache with laughter. it is so good to slip into the olden days. i slipped them onto my bookshelves so i won't forget to look back / scan them in someday again soon. happy weekend. here's to continued wordy documentation.

labels & clear storage containers. / latest excitement.

labeled cords hung inside a closet door.  / clear storage is the name of the game in my studio.

thank you for the nice comments. you guys rock. and i love answering your questions. especially when i think i have the answer! a reader asked to know a few things about home organization. i will be divulging any tips i think are worthwhile and making organization a whole new category here on my blog. yay. i'm all about discreet storage when it comes to boring gizmos, jumbles of toys, personal items or creating a streamlined space, but i must say, clear storage (especially for colorful craft supplies!) is my new favorite thing in the world. four basics to remember...

+ SORT / by size, by type, by color, whatever. sort it the way that makes the most sense to you.

+ GIVE IT A HOME / decide how often you use the item (or hope to use the item) and give it room at the inn. a crowded space is an unhappy space. sometimes dividing your collection is nice too. i have cleaning supplies upstairs and downstairs and in bathrooms, i need all the motivation i can get.

+ LABELS / i used to make fun of my mom for labeling everything. (sorry mom.) now i totally get it. no wonder she ran a tight household of seven children. mother knows best. i like making my labels basic, easy to re-create in a pinch if i switch contents from containers.

+ LOOKS COUNT / i've been trying to choose pretty containers (on a budget) and since i'm so visually inclined (or forgetful), it works for me if the containers are clear. glass is especially nice. a lid is also awesome. but un-lidded is also essential for the must-haves like favorite pens, scissors, rubberbands, thumbtacks, etc.

// resources
corkboard tiles at Target
6-up hanging pouch system at Ikea
binder clips in junk drawer
glass jars inherited from grandmother's basement
small craft containers at Wal-Mart
lidded cookie jars at Wal-Mart or Target 

Pin It

the go-to cupboard / grand central station

when i saw this deep nook of spectacular shelvery, located in the very center of our house, i knew i'd enjoy it. but i had no idea i'd be in love. it has two doors (interior painted peach!) and four deep shelves. first i wondered if we'd use it as a food pantry or linen closet or perhaps a place to house shoes (as this closet seems more well-endowed than any others). but on moving day–as we kept stashing our v.i.p. items inside it (as not to lose them amidst cardboard boxes and donuts and tools and warm bodies)–i realized its grand potential. it would be my cupboard of everything; the great go-to. playing the part of great houdini, as it would hide all my clutter–organized or not–inside its doors.

i've been frustrated in the past as everything usually lands on the kitchen counter and remains there until well buried. my goal is to keep the shelves neat, cleaned out and organized. a happy working place rather than a stressful chaotic cupboard. possibly the best thing about it (not pictured) is the 6-disc cd player that rocks our house on a daily basis. a detail that was a surprise to us, but likely would have sold us on the spot. below i've listed some of the essentials for my go-to cupboard. my main tip for creating your own go-to spot is to pick a central location (think outside the box; utilize an over-the-door shoe hanger for pocket storage in that closet you keep the vacuum in), divide your items, label them and have totes easily accessible or you might forget that something cool was way behind the cd player (or is that just me?). do you have a go-to spot? any tips or must-haves? here are mine.

the basics
+ corkboard tiles (at target) for the inside of the doors to tack up notes, quotes, boden pages, good scripture verses, favorite found snapshots, kid charts and i love you's.
+ a small cooler for quick picnics; having it at the ready is the only way to go.
+ a gallon of paint (waiting for me) and small toolbox (for little tasks).
+ ikea magazine boxes to divide and conquer (mostly mail and coupons).
+ i have one dedicated to magazines and catalogues ('tis the season).
+ a mail caddy loaded with pens, sharpies, stamps, packaging tape, note cards and address book.
+ a mini piggy bank for loose change.
+ a family calendar (hung on corkboard) for quick glances.
+ caddy for a few essential cleaning supplies (kids love dusting with microfiber dust mitts).
+ hand sanitizer ('tis the season).

also a shelf with simple table top activities for kids 
to entertain him while mama cooks or to do side-by-side in the morning hours.
+ a tote of quiet learning activities: abc magnets w/ small lightweight magnet board, string beads, foam alphabet letters (they aren't just for the tub anymore!), mad-libs (i love mad-libs).
+ an art tote for crayons, coloring books, stickers and a play-doh set too.
+ a small crate of homemade instruments. these get lost in his other toys; so i like to keep them separate. now they are at the ready when a jam session hits.





in other news // i thought this may be the last week of Home Is Where the Art Is posts, but to my luck, there are a few more small business owners that i have the honor of featuring. thank you for supporting handmade! psst... i can't wait to show you how the moving announcements turned out; i handed the responsibility over to another graphic designer and really loved what she came up with.

on the docket // yesterday i made something (with fabric!) and documented it. it wasn't pretty but it did the trick beautifully. along with that silly tutorial, i plan on giving out one of my simplest, yet bestest parenting tips ever. also i'll be interviewing my favorite new author and finally unveiling our blue lily photo shoot. oh and more organizing tips too. thanks for indulging me.

hoarding, fan mail, bloggerdom and hot chocolate

after rummaging through old letters, an array of business cards, postage stamps, note cards from afar, magazines i think i should keep saving (from 1994!) and more (bookbinder boards should i get back into the sport, fabric for when i finally take up sewing, pretty bits and bobbles i may someday use), i find myself deep in memorabilia and memories. such the internal struggle; the sentimental fool in me is dueling my better half. part of me wonders if i should sign up for that hoarders show. however i take relief in knowing that at least i'm an organized hoarder. which means i am not boxed up (entirely) in towers of college notebooks and wrinkly letters from locker partners (just a few of those left). i can easily leave my house for a wal-mart run for more rubbermaid bins to divide and conquer. i'm kidding. kind of.

anyway, what i'm getting at is how many of the letters (and emails) i've saved that i cherish have been from YOU. readers. readers of this blog. readers i've gotten to know on a new level. how lucky am i?! i've made real friends–penpals even–through this blogging experience. some even sent me edible goodies and a few, blankets for my boy's birth. i feel spoiled with awesome people saying hello every now and again. when talking to dan i often include you as my friend. as strange as she's my blogging friend... sounds, it's not so strange to me. i'm suddenly realizing (once again) how huge blogging is. not literally how gigantic bloggerdom is, but how huge it is to me. little ol' me. how huge it is to connect with real people in a virtual space. to email back and forth and get to know people and listen to their tales. (i say listen because i love knowing a blogger's voice through their written word!) it pretty much knocks my socks off. thank you for being you. even those of you who never ever speak up, it's totally fine. admittedly i read blogs all the time without commenting, but since i know how much it means to hear a hello from the other side, i'm making a goal to once in awhile tell bloggers how rad they are; what specifically makes their blog a bright spot in my day and what i've gained from their writing. i assume most bloggers put in more effort than they gain. i just had to say thanks for reading and being so great. you are a bright spot in life. i get to tell you whatever i think about and show you the cupboards in my house (tune in tomorrow!) and the dreams in my heart and the little ideas that come into my mind. and for the record, i am a big fan of yours. even if you and i have never corresponded, i appreciate you. and perhaps (i hope) we will in the future. (we can all teach someone something, and i have a lot to learn.)

case in point // my favorite chocolatier, amberlee of the ticket kitchen, kindly sent me a (darling) care package of her incredibly tasty hot chocolate sticks. i am savoring them, sharing them and admiring them (two thumbs way up on packaging cuteness! see the aqua!?) a mug of melted chocolate at midnight is divine.


visit the ticket kitchen to send someone a happy hot chocolate care package.

monogram artwork (for kiddos!) / one little dicky bird

i think my mouth literally fell open when i bounced into paul atkins' etsy shop full of charming custom monogram prints. he designs items to sell in his shop, one little dicky bird, all the way over in manchester, england. (can't you just see the mossy ledges? the rows of bending daffodils?!) admittedly, when goods are shipped from another country–with awesome postage markings–i always deem them extra special. i've never seen any monograms quite like this; nor done this right. especially for children! i love how the prints are appealing to all ages; they are completely customizable (you choose the darling icons). the options available are colorful and classic. my little boy loves the big B (just for him!) and playing i-spy for those cheery tiny icons (also picked just for him!). the artist, paul, was more than willing to work with our color scheme of gray, red and blues for the transportation images we chose for benji (pictured above). paul also sent me a digital proof to ensure we loved it before going to print. (done and done.) hooray for thorough designers!

i can imagine two or three of these lovely monogram prints hung in a sibling-shared bedroom; customized to individual interests, yet all similarly framed to create a cohesive theme. they would also make a treasured baby gift, as every parent loves the name they give their brand new babe! we are delighted with our new artwork, all the way from england. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
Despite being up to date with technology I still feel like I always need a pot of pens and pencils, and some paper on my desk. No matter how efficient, streamlined and organised apple macs can make my life I still like to be able to scribble my ideas down.


paul's workspace. (love that desk and cushion and all those pens!)

what inspired you to do your custom monogram work? (the concept is so original!) The inspiration for the monograms actually comes from my niece. I originally created a monogram for her first christmas. In order to be sure there wouldn't be any duplicates on presents, I wanted to give her something completely custom made. I designed the icons based on her favourite toys and other likes (as you know babies start to show their personalities almost immediately). I then decided to create a catalogue of icons for people to choose from. That way everyone can design their own custom-made presents.


our framed print in benji's room. the icons suit his personality perfectly.

dig in: paul's etsy shop / facebook / twitter

p.s. if i knew someone pregnant across the pond, i would be giving her this one (that double decker bus is too cute!).

recently / the studio. in pieces.

been busy. the best kind of busy.
(it's coming together, slow but sure.)

weekending.

leavery image

friday is tomorrow. the laundry is folded. we are ready to party.

the other evening my boys brought me leaves. they were gorgeous and reminded me of my good fortune of living somewhere with seasons and living with two handsome fellas! okay onto the weekend plans. tomorrow night we have a date to get pumpkins, and equally exciting, acquiring a television. hooray. i've officially lived a month without the wonders of time-sucking tv (i wonder how tim gunn and andy cohen are coping). i must admit, it's been a good excuse for productivity and an inventive way to create toddler fun from scratch (like making pet hospitals out of unpacked boxes). still, i love cuddling up after a long day and unwinding in front of the tv. i was raised staying up late watching cheers and seinfeld and letterman (sometimes all three in one night!) with my parents, so i think it's something ingrained. like the tv version of comfort food. the best news for me is that we haven't any room in the budget for the enormous sectional (the one you feel like you need once you have a real basement), so we'll be unwinding on our leather love seat. which will make me feel like we're dating again. its leather is so old and cushy, like soaked french toast.

in other news, i painted my nails at the park the other day (love that it's warm enough for a park day. like we're stealing the sunshine this late in october!) and made sloppy joes for supper. the studio is slowly starting to look like a real office. despite the mounds of random papers / cds / wires / plastic bowls / windex spray / labels littering the top of my desk. but i must say the most exciting thing is my latest business expense: the belkin 7-port ultra-slim desktop hub. seriously. i am over the moon to have seven additional usb ports available to me. oh the possibilities! can you even imagine?! (there is no fun in unplugging mouse and / or keyboard everytime you want to charge ipod / plug in camera / get the scanner hooked up / print something / etc.) i can hardly wait. however, i am taking it slow with our relationship; it's still in its plastic encasing. i'm waiting for the studio to be ready and then i'll slip that bad boy out. (it will be like one of those un-caloric rewards those fitness magazines are always harping on. am sure i'll undo it by eating fistfuls of buttery popcorn / halloween candy with newfound tv habits.) anyway, it reminds me of my sister-in-law who just remodeled her basement. she bought a special pair of slippers and decided to save them for the first time she could enjoy her perfect, finished basement. it's just like that. but with usb ports.

now back to work; getting this place ship shape. tomorrow night i'm sure i'll be busy watching harry met sally and then dan in real life and then devil wears prada and then felicity reruns and then fall asleep to darcy saying, you have bewitched me, body and soul...

happy weekending. xo.

p.s. next week will feature my last posts for the Home is Where the Art Is series. i can't wait to unveil these beauties. also something unexpected (and delicious) arrived in the mail. a warm welcome home. and one more thing worth mentioning; kelly's calendar swap. hooray.

hip throw pillows & discount code / moxie mandie

mandie of moxie mandie has been a regular stop to find fresh fabrics whipped into shape. her shop just turned one year too! happy birthday. am still a fan of chevron zigzags (especially colorful and in small doses); her shop is booming with options. a perfect, inexpensive way to pep up your sofa with the latest chevy trend. she kindly sent me this cheerful yellow one; every room seems to be begging for it. the construction is wonderful, great sturdy fabric and a tidy envelope closure. am thinking it'll end up on our bed and then get tossed into the family room, come spring. (yes, i'm seeing the beauty of the throw pillow!) i like the cute elephants (would like to plan a whole nursery around it!), the ever popular ikat prints and other fun graphic patterns. an unexpected throw pillow is like seeing fresh flowers on the windowsill (but they last a lot longer!). wouldn't you agree? this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

any advice for mixing / matching fabrics and / or pillows? my advice about mixing fabrics/pillows- DO IT. I am such a fan of not only non-matching pillows, but textures & patterns too. i really love an eclectic feel to any room, & mixing patterns - whether by pillows, throws, rugs, even a quilt on the wall - is my preferred method of achieving this. :)

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
my workspace must-have is netflix! it keeps me company (& is sometimes distracting, too) during my long hours of cutting, pressing, & sewing.

dig in: moxie mandie etsy shop / blog / facebook
bonus: martawrites readers can save 10% on their order with the code: marta10. thank you!

entryway inspiration

am loving this whole collection (fifty-five pics!) of entryway storage ideas on shelterness.

what is your entryway must-have? our backdoor leads right into the kitchen, so it's a little tricky playing double duty of mudroom and dining area. so far we have a sturdy basket for shoes, a bench (mini picnic table) for putting on benji's shoes (and eating around when little friends come play) and a coatrack we picked up from a garage sale this summer. am still hunting for awesome hooks and / or artwork. with winter right around the corner, i want to be plenty prepared for coats and wet boots galore.

wooden decor letters / edie's lab

i immediately liked the fonts, vintage feel and fantastic colors of edie's lab wooden typography. i fell into their etsy shop, studied every photo and contacted them saying how stoked i am about their products (you customize the color with your order!). the artsy pair (josh and audrey) are located in houston, texas and are a husband + wife creative team. (talk about a dream team.) their wooden letters are sturdy, solid and come packaged just right. i imagine it would make a super cool gift for the new hipster parent to hang in the nursery. i am especially giddy about the at symbol. as the web is such a big part of my work. i imagine any twitter obsessive would love it too. this post is part of my home is where the ART is series. the artwork is theirs, but these opinions are all mine; learn more about my handpicked sponsored series here.

what are your go-to colors for painting woodwork?
If given the choice, we would love to paint everything white!

what is an essential must-have for your creative workspace?
This is Texas, so a must have would be a LARGE fan.

dig in: edie's lab etsy shop / edie's lab website

a list / sunday evening smatterings.

image by rachel whiting photography.

+ i still feel all over the place; but the house is coming together. i'm sure you're sick of my house ramblings, but that is all i can think of. like i was telling dan; my life is being a housewife, a stay-at-home mom and a freelance designer from home (ala aqua studio!). and a bit of an OCD nutcase. thus, the making of the house is of utmost importance to me.

+ i did manage to scrub the border of a hand-me-down woven rug (yay oxyclean!) and put out some halloween decorations in the front room. i even glittered a pumpkin with some newfound friends for the porch. it catches the moonlight (and spreads glitter all over too). we have some of our favorite fall books out; including this thanksgiving storybook.

+ am already thinking about christmas cards. what about you? do you do christmas cards? are you so over christmas cards? am leaning towards tinyprints, minted or moo. do you have a favorite resource? this holiday kermit made me smile.

+ there was much dreamy talk about quilts and bedding (ala my quilting cousin) over soups and cider and curry rice (not all in one sitting) this weekend. am officially switching over from a puffy duvet to layers of quilts. i know this isn't groundbreaking news. but i have a happy memory of staying in a bed & breakfast in delft, holland when i was thirteen. my brother and i had the attic room with a skylight and two charming twin beds piled high with dozens of mismatched warm quilts.

+ am itching to blog another am a fan post. there is a lot of cool stuff out there. as you know.

+ the husband assembled this and this over the weekend, while cooking curry and playing trains. he also watched two boys and mowed the lawn, criss cross applesauce style. he was mister productive. he is such a hero to me. i am so grateful to have him in my life. i don't brag about him enough on the blog.

+ i have a few more incredible handpicked home sponsors to plug this week. i'm excited. these are all companies / products i truly like and feel they deserve a spot in the sunshine. i hope you'll click in and check them out. most of them have killer packaging too, which always helps.

+ anyone interested in mini diaries for christmas / festivus?

the return of the ghosts. / nutter butter style.

on my to-make list this weekend: nutter butter ghost cookies (and maybe a batch of these too, since they are unbelievably easy). what about you?


p.s. the aqua room looks awesome (thanks for the encouragement).
now to organizing all my stuff.

feeling particularly painterly again. / think aqua.

my pinspiration board for the new art studio.

at first i thought i'd play it safe with soft grays, but with a little push from the husband and a bit of consulting with my personal gurus–and pinterest of course–i'm so ready to go big for my little creative haven. i've always loved the bright aqua blues that cover the oceans in vintage maps. it's exciting to do something completely out of my box. wish me luck.

p.s. are you feeling painterly? check out alisa burke's darling paintbrush wreath!

recently / including a peek of our house