Fifty & Fabulous

My aunt, Pat, is turning 50 next month and came to me a few weeks ago requesting that I design a birthday party invitation for her. Her only requests were that I use a photo of her from when she was a little girl and to somehow tie in the fact that this year is also the Mattel Barbie doll's 50th birthday. Viola - here is what I came up with!

Happy Birthday Pat (& Barbie)!

To purchase this design on my Etsy shoppe, click here.

Spring Green…

Spring has Sprung at my house!

Now I can't wait until the flowers actually bloom!

Apparently, March is the official season of bridal showers and I'm hoping that it extends into April as well because it sure is good for business! With all the gloom of the economy lately, I find myself extremely lucky to be able to turn off the news and escape to my design world. There I can feed off the excitement of my customers who are all preparing for bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties or announcing the birth of a baby or an engagement.... in other words, I get to work with a bunch of really happy people!

This quote makes me realize how long ago it has been since I was the one planning my wedding. My hubby and I will have been married for 10 years this August and have been together for a total of 14 years now. Being a month shy of 31, that makes it almost half of my lifetime that I've been with my husband!! I don't think it's a miracle - although I DO believe in miracles - but I do know that I am still completely smitten with my honey. (smiles)

Only two more days until the weekend! I hope you're planning something fun!

"I wanna do it again!"

At this time last week, I was getting ready to go up to Lutsen, Minnesota for a weekend away with my hubby, my brother and his wife. The guys were going skiing and we, the ladies, were headed to the spa! How I wish that I could go back in time and relive last weekend!!! Not only was the spa pampering amazing and much needed, but the condo that we rented was right on the shore of Lake Superior. The water was so calm in the morning and looked beautiful with sheets of ice slowly drifting.

In the picture above, my Sis-in-law has herself perched in front of the huge windows overlooking the lake to do a bit of knitting. She didn't get much done on the scarf though since the view was sort of impossible to look away from!

May you all have a "I wanna do it again" kind of experience this weekend! 

Where did this past week go?!?! I have the fortunate "problem" lately of being very busy with my design life, but wish I had more time to do things like update my blog. I'm not feeling the mid-week blahs this week.... I'd say it's more like mid-week panic that I'm not going to get everything done. This quote has always been a favorite - it actually makes me think of my hubby who is an adventure junkie. I'm the one running after him with my camera saying, "ok, but be careful!" That's just one of the ways that I think we compliment each other. He pushes my limits of adventure - in a good way - and I keep him alive. LOL!

Only 2 more days until the weekend!

Hump Day Quote

I have so many quotes that I love. Some are thought provoking, self evaluating and sometimes just darn funny! For those of you like me that get the mid-week blahs, I've decided to start posting weekly Hump Day Quotes. Only 2 more days until the weekend!

Who doesn't love to tailgate?!

I'm extremely jealous that one of my customers thought of this idea before me, but I'm glad that she did, 'cause I love it! On my etsy shoppe, I have an invitation design that looks like a ticket to a sporting event. I was thinking they could be used for kids' birthday parties or a Super Bowl party, but that's really where my creativity ended. My brilliant customer, Amanda, is hosting a wedding shower for her brother and his fiancé that has a Tailgate-theme to it. Not only does the idea of a tailgate-themed shower sound like a blast, but the fact that she ran across my invitation design is perfect. Love it!

It's Not Pink!

This is perfect for the girl like me, who cringes at the sight of the color pink, but wants to support Breast Cancer Research...

Pictured to the right is a canvas tote available for sale on Etsy.com by DraogreerEarthWorks. Priced at $28, $10 of the proceeds will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. By purchasing this bag, you are: 1) saving the environment by using less plastic bags; 2) aiding breast cancer research; 3) supporting an Etsy artisan and - best of all - it's not pink! For more details and/or to purchase, click here.

Yes, I am one of those girls who cringes at pink, especially when it comes to clothes and accessories. I believe that anything that is Pink would look twice as good in Orange!! So, for me, this is a great, practical way to support a good cause... or 3.

A Colorful Palate...

To know me is to know how much I adore my Vizsla (hungarian pointer), "Olive." Olive was preceded by an english pointer, "Sage," who was also pampered and spoiled during her 7 years with us. My hubby and I have been married for 9.5 years, and, much to our parents' chagrin, our dogs have been our only kids so far. 

As any parents would, we put much thought into the names for our "kids." The names that we chose, Olive and Sage, reflect both my husband's and my careers - a food for him (the dietician) and a color for me (the designer). I'm hoping it's a while before we have to get another dog, because I'm drawing a blank for names that aren't awkward to yell out in back yard, "Come here, Eggplant!", "Fetch the ball, Mustard!" We might get some funny looks (more than usual that is) from the neighbors.

I lost track of Sage's breeder, but if anyone wants information about Vizslas (breed pictured here), I highly recommend our breeder Michel Berner of Mira Vizslas.

I received a forward the other day that had a list of things that we can learn from dogs. Here are just a few of my favorites:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Take naps and stretch before rising.
• Run, Romp, and Play daily.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Life is definitely better with a dog at your side!