The 25 Days of Free Gift Tag Printables

If you haven't been living under a rock, you probably have noticed that there are tons of ways to dress up your holiday presents. Half the fun of giving is all about the presentation. Kraft paper, designer wrapping paper, feathers, ribbons, twine, tags. They are all plastered over the 'net, in every magazine, and on TV. 

Okay, so this isn't twenty-five days of gift tags. It's more twenty-five of the cutest FREE gift tag printables available on the internet. And while the majority of them are Christmas-centric, some of them could be used for other holidays/events. Simply click on the link, print onto cardstock or sticker paper, and gift! I do apologize about the number of chalkboard tags. I'm a fan.

I found these from all corners of the internet, so please be respectful of the uber-talented artists and print/download directly from their pages using the links below the photos. Happy Wrapping!

1. Credit: Hey Look. View and print.

2. Credit: Three Little Monkeys Studio. View and Print.

3. Credit: Ellinee. View and Print.

4. Credit: Fellow Fellow. View and Download.

5. Credit: Poppytalk. View and Print.

6. Credit: The Stork is Coming. View and Print here.

7. Credit: Two Peas and their Pod. Click here to view and print.

8. Credit: Rebecca's Misc. View and Print.

9. Credit: Falala Designs. View and Print.

10. Credit: Living Locurto. View and Print.

11. Credit: Lilac & Lavender. View and Print.

12. Credit: Emmy + Gabbie. View and Print.

13. Credit: Lia Griffith. View and Print.

14. Credit: Ellinee. View and Print.

15. Credit: Love vs. Design. View and Print.

16. Credit: Packagery. View and Print.

17. Credit: Lia Griffith. View and Print.

18. Credit: Fellow Fellow. View and Print.

19. Credit: Love Vs. Design. View and Print.

20. Credit: Jones Design Company. View and Print.

21. Credit: Emily McDowell. View and Print.

22. Credit: The Handmade Home. View and Print.

23. Credit: Seventeenth And Irving. View and Print.

24. Credit: Eat Drink Chic. View and Print.

25. Credit: Love vs. Design. View and Print.

Food Network's Pumpkin Pie Adventure

Hey Everyone! I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving (and got in a bunch of holiday shopping). I took Thanksgiving as an opportunity to break the diet and indulge, and have been having a bit of a difficult time getting back on the health food wagon. Leftovers!

The Man and I decided to have a quiet Thanksgiving with just the two of us, being that our families are on what seems to be the other side of the universe. And by the two of us, I mean us as a couple, and a medium-sized feast. As there were only the two of us present, I elected to make only one dessert. Pumpkin Pie.

You may be surprised, considering my love for all things sweet, but I had never made a pumpkin pie before. Mostly because pumpkin used to be classified, to me at least, as a vegetable. And before my health kick, vegetables were dinner foods and fruit (like apple pie) makes an awesome breakfast. You can see why this health kick was needed. To me, chocolate was the only item classified as a dessert. Before this health kick, I had spent my baking endeavors mastering all variations of chocolate pie, brownies, cookies (chocolate!) and frosting, I mean, cake. This grown-up me is all about tackling the pumpkin pie.

I decided to visit my friends at foodnetwork.com and see what sort of pumpkin pie deliciousness is available to me. I found this recipe, and I was sold. It seemed like the perfect traditional pumpkin pie. I followed the recipe, mostly. I didn't make the crust from scratch as recommended. It's not that the recipe for the crust seemed difficult, The Man just isn't all that particular, and I decided to take a shortcut. I purchased a pack of six mini pre-made pie crusts, because I figured that mini is cuter and mini means if I eat a whole pie, I won't need to cry about it later.

They don't look as good as they were. I haven't mastered pretty pie yet.

You can see on the right here the mini pumpkin pies in all their adorableness. Those were for The Man. The ones on the left, while not adorable by any means, are obviously mine. I really tried to be an adult about this, but apparently I have not completely reformed my old ways after five months of healthiness. I just felt like if this was going to be my only dessert until Christmas, it needed something. So I reached into my pantry and pulled out some semi-sweet chocolate chips (how did those get there?), melted them down in the microwave, and globbed the not-totally-melted chocolate onto my already delicious pumpkin pie. Side note: I know you are not supposed to melt chocolate in the microwave. Chocolate burns. I did put it in for 45 seconds, taking it out ever 8-10 to stir it up. If the pies weren't already cooling and I had this brilliant idea a minute and a half before I was about to eat said pie, I would have followed the rules. Probably.

So there are chocolate pumpkin pies out there. It's a thing. I'm not weird. And when covered with a "healthy" serving of whipped cream and eaten with Amy Grant's Christmas collection at a high volume, you have a dynamite dessert. Another Side Note: Amy Grant's Christmas music is my favorite ever. My family listened to it every year while decorating the tree, and now the nostalgia has ruined most other Christmas music. I like a healthy mix, but if I am going to listen to just one artist's Christmas collection, Amy wins.

Back to the pie. Because the pies were mini, the cooking time was dramatically reduced. I put the mini pies on a baking sheet and they were in the oven for 30 minutes. It was the simplest (and most delicious) pumpkin pie I've ever made. So what if it is the only one?

Except it wasn't. Because the amount pie filling that the food network recipe calls for makes a hefty pumpkin pie, and my mini pies barely made a dent in my big bowl of filling. And now I have no pre-made pie crust. And it's now the day after Thanksgiving, when dessert has again become taboo. What's a girl to do?

Well, I guess I felt like wasting all this refrigerated pie filling was like littering or something. There are starving children in Africa who don't even care about Thanksgiving. I must make another pie, and then eat said pie with The Man. (All of my food-related issues are coming out in this blog post, folks.)

I didn't have the patience to make the pie filling on the Food Network. Mostly because if I didn't make the pie this second, I might have doubts and not be willing to eat said pie when my firm resolve returns. But I had a box of Bisquick. And I found a Bisquick pie crust recipe quickly (it was the first entry on Google when searching for "Bisquick pie crust"). Instead of baking the crust before putting the filling in (because my filling needs baked too), I put the pie filling on the raw dough and baked them all at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. And it turned out great. The pie filling was a little shallow on the full pie, because it is missing six mini pies-worth. But don't worry, that was supplemented by a layer of melted semi-sweet morsels. I don't have a picture of this, unfortunately, because time was of the essence. It was a pie of shame. And no one Instagrams day-after Thanksgiving meals.

The Man liked the chocolate as a thin layer, but said that a thicker layer made the pie too sweet. I could have just had a pie with a chocolate bar filling, and would have wanted more. I'll lay on the couch about this little episode later. Did you try any good recipes for Thanksgiving? What's your favorite pie recipe?

Holiday Gift Week 2013: Day 6

For the creative:

1. Wreck This Journal (paper bag) Expanded Edition - $13 2. A Compendium of Curiosities by Tim Holtz - Jo-Ann $24.99 3. Diamine Flowers Box Set of Ink - Goulet Pens $89  4. House Pencil Sharpeners- Crate & Barrel $4.95 5. Green Flower Cabochon Bracelet - Piperlime $28

The Scrapbox

I really wanted to like scrapbooking. I've attempted it more than a few times and have come away with a few finished pages, a lot of unused stickers, and pictures with no home. If you can scrapbook, I envy you and the beautiful things you make. Since I just have too many interests and not enough follow-through, an endeavor like scrapbooking just can't rope me in for the long haul. This is why I love the idea of a scrapbox.

Here are some of the supplies I used.

To make a scrapbox, all it takes is a few hours. Mementos from your trip, event, etc go into the box and voila! Okay, so there's a bit more to it, but it takes much less time and endless creativity to make, and the outcome is still beautiful to revisit. Items that wouldn't traditionally fit into a scrapbook can now be stored with the photos and other items that you choose to include. If you choose to write or label the backs of your photos, like I did in mine, both sides are easily accessible, and you can see both sides of any postcard with ease. You could also store your mini travel journal in here, to keep my memories alive. Here's how I make mine.
 
I started with a plain old cigar craft box. Mine is actually left over from a mass of jewelry boxes I made years ago, stored into a box of craft supplies with no purpose (yet), and promptly forgotten about. Oh, and I originally painted it black, which was totally awesome (sarcasm) since I now wanted it to be dove gray for this project (cue five coats of paint). But hey, it was kind of free! If you don't happen to have one on hand, here is an option from JoAnn (I think that is where I originally got mine).

Painting plus a peak at the collage.

I purchased a 2 oz. container of dove gray acrylic paint from JoAnn and used those wedge makeup sponges to apply the paint (the paint was globbed onto a paper plate first). It was the cheapest option, and they actually sell them in craft stores, so it's not weird, right? They worked great, as long as you aren't concerned with a little paint on your fingers. I really did have to use five coats on the outside, and four coats on the inside to cover up the black paint. It will likely take you less if you start with a standard wood colored box.

I started painting on the outside and left about five minutes in between each coat for drying. I used thin coats and the paint was fast-drying, so you may want to vary accordingly. Paint tip: tape off the hinges and other hardware so you don't paint them. It makes the box hard to open and close. I painted mine, but only because I painted them the first time, and they were poorly done and black. It turned out okay, as long as you don't look it it up close. Painting brass with acrylic paint isn't the prettiest thing. You can always get new hardware, or just remove the existing hardware, if you don't like it.

On my five minutes of "downtime" between each coat, I sorted through photos and items that I wanted to put in my scrapbox. This definitely took a lot longer than it should have, because I was leafing through tickets and random food labels from my trip to Europe a few years ago with nostalgia, but it still was time efficient. I also used the downtime to put my chosen photos into clear plastic photo sleeves. This was just my way of organizing, but it is not essential to the project. I found these on clearance at Target.

The collage (after lacquer).

The last thing I did while waiting for the paint to dry was create a collage of collected wrappers on the bottom of the box. I planned to use them in a scrapbooking project, but I had only created two pages of said scrapbook before fondly forgetting all about it. I pulled those pages apart to include their memories in my scrapbox, actually. The collage only took a few minutes, and I affixed them with a glue stick temporarily.

Overall, the entire paint, collage, picture organization process took an hour and a half. But we are not done yet.

I wanted my box to look a little more professional and last for years to come. So I brought in a high gloss lacquer that I sprayed on the inside to give the box a shine and to keep the collage in place. You could also use modge podge or whatever you like. On the outside, I glue-sticked a photo that reminds me which box this is, plus adds a bit of decoration to the outside. Next time, I'd probably add some craft paper as matting for the photo to make it look a bit classier. You can be as creative as you want to with the outside and labeling. I then sprayed outside of the box to seal the photo in forever.

For the lacquer, I did three light coats on  both the inside and the outside. I left an hour in between each coat, and a full 24 hours before switching from inside to outside, obediently following the instructions on the packaging. So I didn't exactly wait that long, I waited thirty minutes between each coat and about two hours before I switched over, but don't tell anyone, okay? I'm impatient, and it turned out great. The coats themselves took seconds to do, so they didn't waste a lot of time.

Outside all lacquered up.

Some spray lacquer tips: 1. Light coats are better, because then you don't end up with a pool of shiny that never dries. This also helps things look a little more even if you miss a spot on the first go. 2. Ventilation is key. This part should be done outside or in a well ventilated area. Breathing is your friend. 3. Make sure that all important objects are away from the project you are lacquering. This should be self explanatory, but my iPhone has a couple spots that are extra shiny. Oops. 4. Hold the lacquer spray 10-12 inches from the project. This will ensure those light coats. 5. For this project, in particular, I don't recommend lacquering the hinges or the ledges where the box closes. We don't want these getting stuck together. I put little wedges to hold the box open, just in case. 6. And even though mine turned out okay, I strongly recommend you follow the instructions. 7. I should probably mention that it is highly flammable.

In the meantime, I planned out how I was exactly going to place everything inside. And before I switched over to lacquer the outside, I loaded up the inside (again, impatient).

I wanted to have some organization on the inside of my box, because I was trying to load a ton of stuff into a small box. I chose a few items to display on the lid, including the charm bracelet that I purchased and added a charm from each city I visited on that particular trip. I still wear the bracelet occasionally,  so I made a loop for it. This way I can take it out and wear it at any time (and I always know where it is).

I also wanted to put all of my business card-sized items in one envelope for easy access and so they didn't get all jumbled in the bottom part of the box. There were a few different ways I could do this, but I decided to make a shirt collar envelope. This is really easy to make, I cut out a strip of paper that was twice the size of the cards that I wanted to include. I put all the ones inside the paper to measure, and then folded it in half horizontally so it covered the cards completely. I then folded the sides backwards, so they are sitting behind the cards. I cut vertically down the center front of the paper, and folded the

two pieces downward and sideways to form the collar. I trimmed the back piece of paper down so it was not visible, and trimmed the sides (that are folded backwards) so that they weren't bulky or noticeable. I then used a long strip of washi tape around the bottom of the envelope (front and back) to hold the envelope together and look kind of like a shirt. I put an extra strip of regular tape on the back top to hold the sides in. I then used double sided tape and a glue stick to attach the envelope to the lid.

Close up of the inner lid, completed

I used the glue stick/double sided tape combination (just in case) to affix all of the items that I wanted to display on the inner lid of the box. I then used washi tape to add a bit of decoration. If you really want to purchase those adorable scrapbooking stickers, the inside lid of your box is the place to put them. I would modge podge or put a clear gloss over them to keep them in place and pretty for years to come. It saves money because you only need a few of them, and still allows you to be creative. See, I put one of my many stickers on the inner lid for decoration.

Finally, it was time to load it all in. I probably needed a bigger box, but it fit, and for that, I am happy.

Inner organization

Added a few last minute maps and brochures

The entire time spent loading up the inside and lacquering (not including dry times) was a little under an hour. So, overall, this was a two and a half hour project. Take that, scrapbooking!

So, that is my scrapbox of my European adventure a few years ago. You could do one per year of your child's life, or make a newborn box per kid, complete with rattles, baby documents and that cute little hat you they wear when they come home from the hospital. This is my go-to for now on. And if I have just photos I want to through together for memories? I get a standard no-frills photo album or go to shutterfly.com for a cheap alternative to the scrapbook.

And I may have made up the majority of the words in this post. That's part of the fun, right?

My Insignificant Grammar Rant

Everyone has something they believe in strongly. For example, I've seen countless posts on Facebook and Twitter about the government, the latest awards show, or Sunday's game. Here's my declaration of belief: I believe strongly in the Oxford comma. If you aren't sure what that is, look at the second sentence of this post.

Or at this sentence: I'm obsessed with office supplies, stormy ocean colors, and nail polish (from the About Me tab at the top of my page). Somewhere in the course of my school years, the comma before the "and" in a list of 3 or more subjects became unnecessary. It upsets me, confuses me, and I reject this change completely. See what I did there?
 
Now, I'm not a grammar expert by any means. I write conversationally and speak in run-on sentences that sometimes just trail off. I rarely correct others' spelling and grammar, unless you are one of my younger siblings, in which case, it is on. Okay, and I sometimes correct celeb's tweets and then change my mind and delete, not wanting to be that girl.

This change really did confuse me. One year they taught it, the next they didn't, changing the rules of my Language Arts class forever. For a long time, and sometimes still, I used it part time, depending on which part of my brain I was channeling. Seriously grammar, you can't do this to me! It's like Ziva leaving NCIS, why???

I list things often, you may have noticed. Commas are my favorite punctuation (followed closely by the parentheses). So that's what I believe in. Pretty profound, huh? And you thought this was going to be another controversial rant. We try to avoid that here.

Note: Via Wikipedia, it's called a serial comma. Take a look here at some of their examples on ambiguity that omitting this comma can cause. Or don't. We aren't about pressure here.

Fall Recipe Friday:Chicken Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

So I'm going to try something a little different today. Fall has some of the most amazing flavors, as I am sure all you pumpkin spice latte junkies know, and I have the perfect recipe that will satisfy all your desires for fall yummies. And since I totally can't eat it right now because I am in strict pre-wedding diet mode, I'm going to share. And yes, I made up this recipe all by myself, after tweaking so many other recipes to my liking. You may be able to tell that I've never written a recipe for others to read. Shhh... It's okay.

Just a warning, you are going to want to make these in large batches (although my batch should feed six normal eaters) 1. They are that delicious, and taste just as good, if not better, reheated. 2. That's a good thing, because they take forever to make if you are starting with chicken and sweet potatoes that are uncooked.

They are flavorful, hearty, and I am sure you can see how you can cut down the cooking time by using this recipe to jazz up your post-Thanksgiving leftovers.

Ingredients:
-16 oz. mild salsa-home made or store bought, have fun with it, it can really change the flavor!
-1 15 oz. can of black beans
-6 cloves minced garlic
-1 lime or lime juice
-2 cups smashed or mashed cooked sweet potatoes
-1/2 tbsp. cumin
-1/2 tbsp. chili powder
-1 lb. chicken breast, cooked with salt, pepper, and garlic, and then shredded (or cooked turkey, yum!)
-salt and pepper (to taste)
-12 tortillas
-shredded cheese (mexican blend, cheddar, or monterey jack-your preference)
-light olive oil for pan
-1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

The filling is assembled in three separate parts.

The black bean part:
Drain black beans and mix with the lime juice and 3 tbsp of garlic in a mixing bowl.

The chicken part:
In a separate bowl, mix shredded chicken and half of your salsa.

The sweet potato part:
In a third bowl, mix sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder and chiles (if you are using them).

Pour half of the remaining salsa in the bottom of a large baking dish. Heat a large pan with some olive oil and garlic (optional), and soften each of the tortillas, one at a time, on both sides. Then dip the tortilla in the dish of salsa to make sure it is wet, this is important so you don't have any crispy bits (I'm sure that's the technical term) on your enchilada. Then layer a bit of each of the above parts equally (1/12) into the tortillas. I like layer mine with sweet potato, then black bean, then chicken, but I am sure it won't matter if you mix it up. Place them in the baking dish once finished.

I pour the rest of the salsa over top, and add a healthy layer (meaning-a whole heck of a lot) of cheese on the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly.

These really are filling, and cover such a complex variety of flavors. And yes, I have done it with leftover turkey and the Thanksgiving sweet potatoes, and it was a success.

I don't currently have pictures, because that would mean me actually eating this awesomeness, but I promise you, it requires a fork (or a shovel). I am saving my calories for this cake tasting that is coming up... Have a great weekend!

5 Tiny Notebooks-Cute and Functional

We are halfway through Notebook Week, which means it is probably time for me to share some of my favorites. Small notebooks have a ton of different uses. Not only are they portable, but they are just plain adorable. Oh, and since this is me we are talking about here, all of them are fountain pen friendly. And I might as well add that I own all of them except the Field Notes, so if you are really curious, I will share what I do with them (and if you are not curious, you will have to do some skimming). The links go to gouletpens.com, my favorite pen and notebook retailer, but they are available other places as well. Let's get down to it.

1. The Leuchtturm 1917 Jottbook. About 3.5" by almost 6". 30 sheets. So I have a bigger version of this, and the paper is infinitely better on the larger version, which almost made this little notebook a disappointment. I can only write on one side of the page with my pen, unlike the larger version, where I have no problem. However, it's bound so well and is so adorable, that I made it work. It also has a lot of the other Leuchtturm benefits, like a table of contents and page numbering. It's being used as a pattern book, which is probably better that I only use one side anyway.

2. Field Notes. 3.5" by 5.5". 24 sheets. While their standard brown package is very much in style right now, they also release limited edition colors every season. I would love to sign up for their yearly subscription service, because I am a nerd like that, but even I don't need that many little notebooks. I don't currently own one of these, but I am a fan nonetheless. They come in packs of three.

3.  Apica CD-5 Notebook. 2.8"x 4". 36 sheets. So this notebook is the tiniest of the bunch, and I love it. It comes in a variety of colors, and yes, there are bigger sizes if you want (I do! I do!). I haven't pinpointed an exact use yet, but it would be perfect as a tiny travel notebook for a week-long trip, or a quote book, or a great way to tell someone how much you care. These also would make great, inexpensive gifts. Also, there are bond offerings.

4. Clairefontaine Staplebound. 3"x 4.75". 24 sheets. So this one doesn't have the most amazing cover, but it comes in tons of colors, they have versions in cloth bound, top stapled, and wire bound, and it has the same awesome paper that's in my beloved Rhodia. This one is a crafting log, basically clocking in and out of my many projects, so I can price accordingly.

5. Midori Traveler's Notebook. 4.1" x 5.3". 40 sheets included. So I just have some of the paper inside, and it writes like a dream. If this were the only notebook I carried throughout the day, I would definitely invest in the full carrying case. It's classy, adorable, and completely customizable. It can hold up to three small notebooks inside (and yes, one of them can be a planner). There are a ton of little notebook inserts, as well as stickers, folders, etc. The one I have pictured is the Star Ferry Edition, but they also come in brown and black, as well as larger versions. Mine doesn't have lines, so it is used primarily for sketching (really horrible sketches-but at least I try!)

Any little notebooks that you are a fan of?

The Writer's Notebook

If you are a writer or any sort of creative, a notebook can certainly be a powerful tool for productivity. It's where ideas are formed, starting out as glimmers of inspiration, pieces of a dream, random thoughts that may capture your imagination. Creatives may not always be the most organized of people, but a bit of structure can be beneficial to your craft.

So I've developed my notebook system to combat "writer's block" and focus my imagination. It has been influenced by the way my brain works, as well as the writing class, Writeriffic, that I took a few months ago. I use this system for everything: the blog, my creative writing, and crafting. Here it is:

1. The Topic List. The first 10-15 pages of the notebook are for your areas of expertise. What genres do you like? What experiences did you have that could maybe one day be included in your work? Who has impacted you? This is the space for merely a list of uncensored topics that you may one day want to use. Every once in a while, rack your brain for anything you can think of that would be interesting to you, and put it here. Then, whenever you are looking for a new topic to brainstorm, you have your list ready.

2. The Inspiration Section. This can be a folder, a file on your computer, or just random things written and pasted directly into your writer's notebook. In here you will put words, quotes, pictures, newspaper articles, anything fascinating that may one day inspire you to create something. Feel free to get as crazy with this inspiration as you want. Who knows, your next murder mystery might have your protagonist reading about the effects of meditation on the brain, even if that has nothing to do with your plot.

3. The Brainstorming Section. I know what you are thinking, "You mean all of that wasn't brainstorming?" It is, but this is a designated section for you to take and idea, and make it grow. Get out all of the details. Don't censor yourself. One bad idea can lead to five good ideas. Or it can be changed slightly to make it a good idea. Make charts about the characters in your story. Write a blurb from each of their perspectives. Interview them. Bubble, chart, map your way through all possible plot points. This is where you experiment. Once you have some solid ideas, dig in deeper. By having your story all mapped out, the writing process becomes cake. If you are an artist, this is where you sketch, play with color, break the mold. Take breaks from your ideas. Let them sit and stew in your head. Come back with a fresh perspective and start the process over.

4. Drafts. This is where you take all of the information you have amassed, and write. I can't tell you how to do this. I'm not an expert on different writing styles, I just know what works for me. You don't have to use a pen and paper for this like I do, it may be on the computer. If you do, just be careful you aren't cutting out too much. You can always do that later, once you have all your thoughts down. Editing is important, but this isn't the time to do it. Just write as much as you can, and note if you want to come back to a word or phrase. And then keep going.

5. The Editing Checklist. This is the last little bit of your notebook. Or it can be a Word Document. This goes through all of the common spelling and grammar mistakes that you make that you need to look out for. Words that you use too often, punctuation that you misuse, these items go here, so you know what to look out for when you go back to edit your work. Editing isn't it a one time thing. You should edit, and then polish and then edit again. It's not easy, but it is worth it. For different mediums, the amount you edit will be different. For example, I edit my blog very little to maintain conversational style, but my creative writing is thoroughly inspected. 

And there you have it. An organized notebook and a creating process. What system do you use to create?

The Many Uses of Notebooks

So I've been putting A LOT of time and effort into coming up with products and patterns for my Etsy shop. The problem is: too many ideas, only twenty-four hours in a day. I've decided to release a limited number of products later this month (hopefully) and then a more comprehensive shop will be open in January. I'm having a little too much fun with this.

In the meantime, I have been trying desperately to keep all of my crazy thoughts organized. This inspired me to make this week all about the notebook, my organizational must-have. There are so many things you can do with a notebook, making it one of the most versatile office product available.

One of my very favorite notebooks, a Rhodia

in graph paper. I use this one as a writers notebook.

More on that later this week!

Here are just a few ideas:
1. as a journal, writing in the life stuff
2. creative writing and poetry
3. recording your dreams
4. inspirational quotes
5. words and phrases that inspire you
6. sketches
7. doodles
8. recipes
9. keeping track of your business
10. writing down things you are thankful for daily
11. logging the books you read and writing reviews
12. travel, to keep those memories forever
13. to-do lists, grocery lists, things to remember
14. finances: what you spent/where; bank ledger
15. an address book
16. creating your own planner
17. class/book/meeting notes
18. goals
19. wishes
20. project logs
21. knitting/crocheting/sewing patterns
22. brainstorming
23. a makeshift scrapbook
24. writing music
25. not so mental math/scratch paper
26. writing letters to people, even if you aren't going to send them
27. space planning
28. random, perfect thoughts
29. diet and exercise tracking
30. spiritual thoughts and notes

This is just the tip of the iceberg for a notebook's use. I personally love the tactile experience of a pen and paper, but a notebook doesn't need to be just that. You could use your computer, tablet, or smart phone, if you prefer, and create separate notes or sections for each topic that you wish. For example, I have a OneNote notebook designated for crafting inspiration, with little notes how I would do it differently (or better). Do you use your notebook for anything that I haven't covered?

The Address Box

As I was compiling the guest list for the wedding, I realized I needed an address book. I know, I could always store the addresses on my computer in Excel or Access. I actually have done that, and it is super helpful because I can keep track of who we've sent save-the-dates, invitations, and thank you notes, as well as whose response cards were returned with which menu option. However, I also wanted a paper copy, which should be obvious due to my predisposition towards old-fashioned pen and paper.

My wish-list for the address book made the search difficult. I wanted our purchase to be:
1. Cheap. Good things can be inexpensive too!
2. Fountain pen compatible.
3. Able to hold a lot of information in each entry.
4. Easily updated. Twenty somethings move around often.
5. Representative of both The Man and I. It couldn't be too girly. Pity.
6. Marginally attractive. Just because it can't be bedazzled or floral doesn't mean it is required to be ugly. It will be in our house after all!
7. Able to hold a lot of entries to fit our bazillion family members.

Long list of requirements, huh? Well, I couldn't find an address book that fit my laundry list, so I decided to make one. This was one of my weekend projects, and I just had to share.

Behold, our address box! I know this isn't an entirely new idea, but it was what worked the best for The Man and I.

We decided to go with a very cheap note card box, found on Amazon and chosen for simplicity and portability. You could get as crazy with the box as you want, such as using/making a card catalog out of wood or covering the box with floral contact paper. There are also smaller recipe boxes that would probably be a better option if you need less space. I didn't end up being thrilled with the quality of our box, but that's what you get when you ask for cheap, apparently. I will be updating the box whenever we have a more permanent residence.

Dividers. We debated about just buying cheap alphabetical note card dividers or making our own. We landed somewhere in between. I cut out scrap paper to 3x5 dimensions and added purchased tabs for convenience and durability. The tabs only came in packs of 25, so it was economical to be one short. I ended up lumping X, Y, and Z together in one lonely tab. Seriously, I need to find friends with X, Y, and Z last names, stat! The scrap book paper I already had, so that was helpful to our bottom line.

We bought a pack of 1000 3x5 note cards to use in our address box. Overkill? Yes. But, this will give us plenty of entries, as well as some back ups, and heck, we could probably use note cards as toilet paper now. These note cards support fountain pen ink and were the right price, so all in all, we were happy with the purchase. We use one card for each entry and replace it with a new one for each update. Less scratching out means less confusion (and it's prettier). We included: name, address, phone numbers, email, and household birthdays.

Here's how the price worked out: $4.77 for the note card box, $10.97 for 1000 note cards, and $2.72 for 25 tabs. That's a total of $18.46. We purchased them all on Amazon and had some other things we needed to get in the same trip, so we ended up getting free shipping. 

We think that this little project turned out great/better than we hoped. It's a convenient system for us now, and hopefully, for the years to come.

Also, I really need to learn how to take better pictures. And I need a good spot to take pictures. And I need Photoshop. So please ignore the horrible picture quality, I am a work in progress.

Please ignore my ugly counter tops. I'm renting! Otherwise, cute, right?

In other news, I found these little cuties when I was out shopping last weekend. I went in to Ross looking for cheap craft supplies and found them peaking out at me in the housewares section, begging me to take them home and display them proudly in my kitchen. Okay, so they were even named after The Man and I before I left the store. (And yes, I know that they are both roosters. Leave me my illusion! I think I am the light blue one.) Okay, so my fiance thinks I am crazy, but a fun crazy, right?

Wishful Thinking 10/25/13

I am officially obsessed with this set of Hogwarts Subject Notebooks. As a longtime HP fan, I've made many an item reflecting my love for the Potterverse (including an entire set of Gryffindor scarves). These are just amazing, and I wish I had come up with them. Better yet, I wish I could own them. I'd want the complete set of handmade journals, found on Etsy and made by TwoCritters for $99.99.

Inspiration 10/24/13

Baby B's Blanket

Details and colors, up close.

I have been spending A LOT of my time lately knitting a blanket for one of my best friends' brand-new baby girl. I don't think I have ever worked on a project this massive or time-consuming in my life. Let me preface this by saying that this little girl already has more baby blankets than most, and she was literally born yesterday. Knowing this, I felt like I wanted to create something that the little chicky can grow into and continue to use throughout her teen years, so I didn't make it all pink (gasp!).

Needless to say, the blanket is huge. It is large enough to completely cover a single bed, and can be used as a throw blanket for a family. Oh, and have I mentioned that it took 23 balls of yarn to complete? True story. But it will be warm and snuggle-ready, which is the whole point. You may or may not be able to gather the size and quality of the blanket in the pictures in this post. Was not feeling the best so photography and editing was a foggy-headed rush job. Sorry everyone, but hope you get the point.

I've learned a lot about myself during this project.

Blanket size

1. It's hard to start a giant knitting project when you are a little rusty.
2. Detachable knitting needles are not meant for large, heavy projects. They will detach, as their name suggests, at the slightest provocation, for anything over 3 pounds. Imagine many panicked moments and hours of reassembly.
3. I'm not the fastest knitter, and probably shouldn't try to make a living off of it.
4. I am so excited to play with a little baby and be a part of a tiny life. I'm pretty much dying over how cute these picture are.
5. Knitting, when it's not frustrating, can almost act as meditation. It can be done while headachey, sleepy, angry, etc. with no impact to the final product. Headachey is a word, right?
6. This one took me a while to figure out. I can watch TV and talk on the phone while knitting. Multitasking is awesome!

The detachable part of the needles.            The final package is all set to be shipped!

I finished this cuddly blanket yesterday, yes, the day the baby was born, and it feels like a poetic end. I am feeling excitement and a twinge of sadness now that the project is over. Likely, I am going to want a minor hiatus from knitting based on the amount of time/focus that this one took. What should my next project be?