Urban Comfort

A Giveaway from Smile Brilliant

It's December, my favorite holiday season of all!  And In this season of giving, I thought it only appropriate to start the month with a giveaway, made possible through the generosity of Smile Brilliant. 

When Smile Brilliant approached me and asked if I wanted to try out their custom-fitted teeth whitening trays and gels, it was a no-brainer.  I'd had great results with the single professional whitening I'd tried in the past, before my wedding, but it was pricey (to the tune of $600+)!  Since then I've relied on whitening toothpastes and the occasional whitening strips, but there's nothing better than having a tray that fits your teeth perfectly and allows the gel to penetrate fully and evenly.

That's where Smile Brilliant comes in. They've taken the middleman out of the experience, an economical approach that allows you the convenience of customized service right from your own home, without the hefty price tag. It's easy - the Tray Creation Kit contains impression material for you to make your own dental impressions along with postage paid envelopes for you to mail your impressions back to the lab. In 2-5 days, your custom trays are created and shipped back to you. Just like that. 

It might sound complicated to make dental impressions, but don't let your fears get the best of you. The company includes detailed directions and the process was really quite simple. Make a mistake?  No worries. You have an extra pack of impression material should you need it. Turnaround was really quick and the resulting trays fit like a glove. Then it was on to the fun part, the whitening!

I've had problems with tooth sensitivity in the past, so I used the Desensitizing Gel before the Whitening Gel. I didn't have any issues with sensitivity and found it quite easy to keep the trays in for an hour at a time. You can keep them in for up to 3 hours, but I found an hour to be a more practical chunk of time (since it's nearly impossible for me to go more than an hour without talking). And after a week of use, I can definitely see the difference!   

But what I really love about this service is that it's not a one-time deal.  My trays can be stored in their case, ready for the next time I want to whiten.  I can also order refills of the whitening gel when I need it. It's a great deal, bringing professional whitening back into the realm of possibility for the average consumer. Because honestly, your smile is out there all the time (at least I hope it is). Why not give it a little TLC?

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

So here's where you come in - Smile Brilliant will send a Tray Creation Kit (complete with Desensitizing and Whitening Gel) to one lucky reader. 

Click through the Rafflecopter link below to enter.  The giveaway is open for 2 weeks, after which the winner will be posted here and notified by email. Good luck!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway from Smile Brilliant

 Don't forget to check out Smile Brilliant on their website for detailed information on their products.

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I received a complimentary Tray Creation Kit from Smile Brilliant. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

What's your personality type?

My childhood best friend's father died recently, unexpectedly.  I was caught off guard when I heard, the way you are when someone seems too young to have died or you're suddenly aware of the passage of time. It had been many years since I'd last seen him, at the funeral of his daughter, where I was rendered mute with grief. It had been a number of years since I'd seen him before that as well. 

But I should have told him what a simple and profound gift he'd given me back when I was just a teenager, fighting to figure out who I was and what place I held in the world. It was the time of giant, boxy computers, when technology wasn't yet part of the consumer's world. I couldn't Google questions and get a plethora of answers, those I had to muddle through on my own.

I suspect when he offered to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to my friend and I, that he was trying to make sense of us, what was intrinsic to us and what was sheerly teenage madness. It was one of the tools he used to place candidates in the right positions at Exxon.  Surely he'd had success with seeing how personality typing fit into the workplace, why not use that magic power to understand two impetuous, semi-hostile, risk-taking teenagers.  Why not?

We each plowed through the computerized test. There were no obviously right or wrong answers, just preferences. If you took it instinctively, going with your gut instead of pondering the answers, supposedly you would gain insight into how you viewed the world, which generally informed how you behaved in the world - the people, the experiences, the careers you'd be drawn to, the risks you were or weren't likely to take.

My friend was an ENFP.  Straight up, no ambiguity, and heavy on the feeling side. Sounded right.  Then it was my turn, and my friend's father looked excited as he headed toward me, a sheaf of papers in hand.  I was an ENXP - a rarity, he said. I'd scored almost exactly the same in the Feeling and Thinking categories (with an extra point, I think, in the direction of feeling). It was a bridge, a natural checks and balances that would allow me to see both sides of an issue, to empathize with two different viewpoints, and more importantly, to find balance within myself.

It may sound a bit simplistic, but knowing my personality type gave me the confidence I needed to trust myself, to know that I wouldn't veer too far off in the wrong direction. But it also gave me the insight to understand how those around me view the world, how to bridge the gap between our perspectives instead of stubbornly insisting on my own viewpoint. Magic, hoodoo, who cares? It's worked for me, and I'll take all the tools I can get in this life. 

I use it to relate to my husband, who is almost exactly the opposite of me. I use it when considering how to raise my son, integrating his view of the world and how he relates to it, trying to offer him the perspective that will seem most natural to him. And I've used it in my career, knowing that certain opportunities wouldn't be good choices for my long term, despite the pretty packaging (also known as simply trusting your gut). 

At any rate, I share this personal story because I think that personality typing is a great tool, at any age. I Googled Myers-Briggs a few days ago and it's much easier to take now than it used to be (yay, technology). It's about $50 to take the original test, though you will get detailed analysis when you go that route. I did find a couple of other sites that offer similar versions of personality tests.  I took both and actually got just about the same score, with a very slight preference for Feeling over Thinking, which almost aligns with my original results (and underscores the fact that personalities don't change much). I've linked to those sites below, along with a few other resources.  

I hope you'll see for yourself, because honestly, a little insight can go a really long way.  Thank you, Larry, even though I never told you.

 

Click through links:

Background on Myers-Briggs Type Indicator from Wikipedia

The Myers & Briggs Foundation

Take the Myers-Briggs test

Take a free, mini test at 16 Personalities (offers a sliding scale for answers, which may be preferable for many people).

Take a free Jung Typology Test at Human Metrics

25 Struggles Only ENFPs will Understand from Thought Catalog  (Additional lists for other types are available here as well)

Nurture by Nature: Understand Your Child's Personality Type - And Become a Better Parent  by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger

 

It's been a great tool in my life and subsequent testing has been consistent, but not everyone agrees --

A contrary viewpoint, to round things out, from Vox 

Does It Pay to Know Your Type? from The Washington Post

 

 

 

Hanx Writer App

I learned to type at the age of 14, and yes, I learned to type on an actual typewriter, the IBM Selectric. I kind of loved it, the clicking and carriage return. There was something soothing about it and electrifying at the same time.  Just how fast could I go?  

I had no problem switching over to a computer keyboard. Let's face it, that was magic of a different sort. But the typewriter still lingers as a form of romance. The clicking of a computer keyboard will never match the satisfying sound of typewriter keys striking an impression into paper. Until now, anyway.

Enter Tom Hanks (the actor), who's been collecting typewriters over the last thirty years. Working with a developer, he's created an app for the iPad that combines the ease and speed of your tablet with the sound and pacing of a manual typewriter. You can retain that original typewriter speed for deleting, by using the DELETE key for erasing, one character at a time. Or you can turn it off and use a modern delete speed. 

I have to say, it's really fun!  It's also free, with additional purchase options through the app. Even better, you can save your typed documents as they appear on your screen, print them out, and email them. I'm in love! Now, off to write the great American novel...

 

Back to Reading

As a child, much of my world revolved around reading. I moved through books at a clip, never enough hours in the day. But over the last few years there's been very little reading. In my undiagnosed state, I attributed my sieve like brain and inability to concentrate to an overbooked life, not a thyroid condition. I traded reading for television, entertaining, but not always the most satisfying.

At any rate, as I'm getting back on track and find that my brain is working again, I've managed to read a book in 3 days, rediscovering how much I love to read. I picked an especially good book to start with, Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, which has been on my nightstand forever. 

I knew just a few pages in that I was on to something good. There are just stories and styles of writing that fill me with a little ache while I'm reading, a sense of longing that I can't quite articulate. That feeling almost gives me goose bumps, an awareness of being in the presence of quiet greatness. That's what I felt during the entire length of this book. 

Unlike a typical novel, Olive Kitteridge is a collection of 13 interconnected stories that shed light on small town life and its inhabitants, their tragedies, disappointments and failures, their expectations and quiet joys. I've read reviews that declared it "depressing," but I am of an age where I don't require the feel good endings. Yes, I appreciate happiness, but I also appreciate the complexities, the hard fought, honest and mature perspective of human beings who've fully engaged in life. It's a wonderful, thoughtful read. I highly recommend it.

As for myself, it's great to be back in action! I'm so excited I can't even decide what to read next.  Too many books, never enough time. There are worse dilemmas to have. 

 

P.S. HBO has turned this book into a four-part miniseries starring Frances McDormand as Olive Kitteridge. It's set to air in November.

In Pursuit of Beauty (Part IV)

It's my birthday today, which is pretty much the only day I address beauty issues here (you can see previous years here, here, and here), but this year is a bit different for me -

Last month I took my son out to dinner. As the waitress brought our check, she said that my skin looked amazing and asked what I used. I gave her a brief rundown (Retin-A and a new CC cream) and encouraged her to try it out for herself. As she left, my son looked at me from across the table and said, "Your skin may look amazing because of that stuff you're putting on it, but you're still going to die one day."  (He can't help himself - He lives in New Orleans, surrounded by cemeteries.) After making a mental note to work on his conversational skills before he's old enough to date, I made a decision to finally see my doctor for a much overdue checkup.

I hate going to the doctor. I don't know why I hate it so much, but I do. Because I don't get sick that often, I find it's easy to let checkups slip by. But I knew that I needed help, had known it for at least a year. There was the sudden onset of anxiety, the lack of mental acuity and the inability to focus, the general exhaustion and fatigue, the irritability, the constant feeling of being overwhelmed, a creeping sense of depression, the needle on the scale that didn't move backwards no matter how little I ate, the pain I was starting to feel in my bones and joints...I thought that I was experiencing perimenopausal symptoms, something a girlfriend's doctor had said could start as early as your mid-thirties. That thought was depressing, too. My skin might be in good shape, but it didn't feel like anything else was. 

I finally went, and after a battery of tests I got an early birthday present - a prescription of Synthroid and Vitamin D. A low thyroid and a Vitamin D deficiency (clearly I've been too good about using sunscreen) could be responsible for my entire litany of complaints. The rest of me was just fine, with menopause out in the distant future. 

It will take a little while for me to start feeling better, but I feel hopeful, something I haven't felt in awhile. I've also started taking my health more seriously, partnering with a friend for regular exercise and taking advantage of the umpteen green smoothie recipes on the web to get more fruits and vegetables into my diet. Because really, what good is younger looking skin if you feel like crap?

 

PRODUCT NOTES FOR THE YEAR:

SKIN:  Overall, I find I'm using less makeup than ever before and I've stopped using foundation altogether, a big money saver.  

I've been an ardent fan of Smashbox BB Cream (in the new shade, Light/Neutral, which is perfect for me).  But it was sold out when I needed it and the saleswoman suggested It Cosmetics' CC+ Cream, a full coverage CC Cream that I can wear without moisturizer underneath (impossible for me with the BB Cream). I apply it with a damp BeautyBlender sponge for sheer coverage, but it's buildable to almost a full coverage foundation. With a light hand, I think it's absolutely gorgeous on skin.  To set it, I use a dusting of Smashbox Halo Powder. 

BROWS:  Thinning brows are definitely an issue, but I'd rather have thinning brows than see any sort of pencil line. I think the Smartbrow set is absolutely worth the money if the color match is good. I found the Brunette to be slightly too light for my natural brow color and Brown/Black to be slightly too dark. But the effect of it is really nice and natural looking. A better color fit for me (and less expensive) is Gimme Brow from Benefit Cosmetics.

 

 

Mother's Day Gifts from Uncommon Goods

Whenever I ask any of my mom friends what they want for Mother's Day, they usually tell me they want a day off, an opportunity to sleep in, or a massage (which also, conveniently, gives them an hour to themselves). While all of that sounds good in theory, when it comes right down to it, it's the sentimental gifts that move me the most, reminders of this particular journey I've been lucky enough to embark upon.

It also helps if those sentimental gifts are unique, which is where a company like Uncommon Goods comes in. As a maker, I can't help but appreciate the wide range of artisan made products. Add an underlying message or a compelling bit of symbolism and you have a meaningful gift that transcends the ordinary (and lasts a whole lot longer than that massage).

Here are some of my sentimental favorites from Uncommon Goods' Mother's Day Collection, found here:

The necklaces have it this year, with lots of options to choose from, at all different price points (Clockwise from top left). Click on image to enlarge.

1. The Mother and Child Necklace - I have moments when my son surprises me by slipping his hand in mine. I dare not call attention to it because I know the moment is fleeting, less certain as he gets older. This necklace is a nice reminder of those times, linked together, whether it's just the two of you or a whole brood of three.

2. Nest Egg Necklace - This is one of those under-the-radar sentimental gifts, since birds are a classic theme. But I love the surprise of the Peruvian opal "eggs" hiding inside. You can get it with up to 4 eggs.

3.  Latitude Longitude Pendant - This is another one of those secret gifts that look cool, but are privately meaningful. Choose the place of conception or birth, a favorite spot you share with your children, or just to commemorate a single, meaningful day out of many. The options are endless.

4. Motherhood Necklace - Maybe once upon a time you wished upon a star, for a baby of your very own. Commemorate that wish come true with a necklace that depicts the Big and Little Dippers, the story of a mother and child whose love was so strong that it was written in the stars. 

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For other gift ideas (Mother's Day or any other upcoming occasion), also check out this page for their large collection of handmade gifts.  I don't know if this A Tree Grows necklace could be considered a sentimental gift, but give me some time and I'll come up with the symbolism to make it work. Lovely!

 *This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods, but all product selections and opinions are my own. 

 

Tim's Real Easter Basket Grass

Aesthetically, I've never been a big fan of colored plastic Easter grass. Even as a child it was simply at odds with my personality (and I may have wondered why the Easter bunny couldn't just tone it down a bit). As I've gotten older and more interested in eco-friendly solutions, I've turned to natural shredded wood as filler.  But this year I have a new option, one that feels more organic to the Easter season and works both environmentally and aesthetically.

Consisting of organic, field grown Timothy grass, Tim's Real Easter Basket Grass is grown and harvested on 124 acres of hay fields along the Connecticut River in Canaan, Vermont. Naturally fragrant, this is a filler that will remind you of being on a farm, not inside a chemical plant. (I suspect the Easter bunny will like it a lot better, too.)

There's a generous amount in every box, enough to fill several baskets. What you don't use can be added to your compost or used to line animal cages. It's not necessarily meant to be kept - it's generally harvested and boxed just before shipping out to customers - but if you're feeling thrifty, you can save leftovers until next year. Just make sure you store it in a cool, dry place. 

Have a very happy Easter!  (And don't forget, the giveaway for Livia Cetti's The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers ends at midnight tonight.)

**Tim's Real Easter Basket Grass is sold at Whole Foods in 31 states. For other vendors, check here.

 

 

Waterlogue

After a busy weekend of too many parties, I found I wasn't quite up to creating Easter projects yesterday, so I settled for the bi-annual purging and organizing of my son's room. Something mindless but productive. It's all good in theory, but about halfway through. the tedium starts to burrow a little hole in my brain and I look for the nearest escape hatch - you know, just a 15-minute break. Well, that 15 minutes turned into more like 2 hours once I settled in with Waterlogue, a fairly new app that I've been meaning to play with since it was introduced.

I did eventually finish my son's room, but only so I could get back to playing with Waterlogue. I love this app so much I had to share! I've been looking for a great watercolor app for awhile now, and while I found some decent ones, this is the app I really wanted. It's quick and easy. In fact, it feels like magic. My only regret is not having more photos to experiment with.

It doesn't work with every photo. If you're like me and you like shooting with a very shallow depth of field, the app won't always make the details clear enough (like the water glass that nearly disappears in the image above). On the flip side, if you have a photo that's so-so in it's current state, but lacks a little something to make it a truly great photo (such as flat lighting), the Waterlogue app might just give you something worthy of framing.  I's not going to make up for poor composition, however. Fortunately, that's a skill everyone can achieve with practice.

To use Waterlogue, start with photos that lend themselves well to the watercolor effect. Scenes from nature and travel, portraits, still life. There are 12 different watercolor filters you can use to further customize your work, though I was drawn to the default Natural filter every time. If I were running photos of buildings through the app, I might be more inclined to use some of the others. But the filters are easy to use and you can compare them with your original as you work (something I wish you could do in Instagram). I'm not going to do an entire rundown of the app because I'd rather use this space showing off some of my photos, but you can get an overview from this post at Design Work Life. You can get tips on saving and printing your images here.

Try it out. I think you will absolutely fall in love! You can also post your completed images to your Instagram account or Facebook or just save them to your camera roll. For a limited time, it's available for .99, but I would have gladly paid a lot more. (One note - it requires iOS 7.0 or later and it's compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.) 

Before I forget, for those of you on Instagram, I have finally started using my long dormant account (all that peer pressure from photographer friends marveling at my Neanderthal ways). If you wish to follow along, you can find me here. I'm just getting started with it  - and realizing how dark and murky everything looks. Spring is a great time to lighten things up, but I'm going to have to explore some new filters and apps. (Anyone have a good recommendation beyond Afterlight, or is that all I need?)  At any rate, I'm finding that I like seeing in "squares." Just another way to be creative.

Happy Monday!

 

Still Life ---

Coral Honeysuckle

 

Butterflies and Ferns

 

Still Life with Citrus

 

Grandfather's Blueberries

 

Travel --- 
(Okay, I didn't leave my home state, but it's a place worthy of travel!)

Rural Barn

 

On the Porch

 

French Quarter Courtyard

 

Swamp at Sunset

 

 

The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers Giveaway

"Who needs another book of paper flowers?" you may ask. You do, because Livia Cetti's gorgeous interpretation of this timeless craft is not to be missed! The materials are humble - mostly tissue paper, bleach, and green paper, but the results are anything but. 

I've followed Livia's work for years, in numerous publications, poring over the photos, wondering at the realism of her craft. Then I saw her flowers in person at John Derian's shop in New York and I fell in love all over again. So when her publishing company sent me a pdf of The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers last year, I was doing a happy dance while struggling not to tell any of you the good news. 

But the secret's out! The book was released today, just in time for spring, and I've already dipped into it with the fritillarias pictured above. They're so sweet and dainty, and they make me just as happy as real ones. I can't wait to tackle the other projects.

One of the materials that Livia uses to create realistic specimens is bleach. I had no idea it would be so much fun, but It's a simple and effective technique that contributes greatly to the finished flower. The fritillarias required hand painting with bleach and a Q-tip, mimicking the faint checkerboard pattern of the real flower. It's that attention to detail that will bring your flower making up a notch.

But enough of my blathering. The best news is that I have a copy to give to one lucky reader! Just comment below and tell me what you think of paper flowers. I'll keep the giveaway open through next Friday, April 18 (11:59 PM PST). The winner will be selected in a random drawing.

Good luck!

More projects from the book:  All photos by Addie Juell

A gorgeous spring centerpiece

 

Not your average wreath (This reminds me of a fabulous Dutch masters painting!)

 

Camellia blossoms - As a Southern girl, I simply can't resist these (or the jasmine vine in the book, either).

 

For more information on Melanie Falick craft books, visit their blog.

Trimming the Tree Part I - Why I Went Artificial

I'm finally getting around to trimming the tree, two weeks before Christmas. After last year's performance, things are looking up! But this year has been a first. It's the first time in my entire life that I haven't even stopped at a tree lot. This year, I went artificial (and pre-lit to preserve my husband's sanity). It wasn't planned, but I'm so happy with my experience that I thought I'd share.

A couple of years ago my son picked out a kitten to join our family. We love Miss Lucy, but she's an absolute nightmare around the Christmas tree. She shares the same level of persistence that my son has and after endless weeks of her trying to climb the trunk of the tree, I'm usually at my wit's end. I try locking her out of the living room, but since that's her domain, she's not at all happy about that solution. Then of course there's trying to eat the pine needles, also a big problem. I hadn't quite figured out what to do this year, but I admit that the thought of her was dampening my enthusiasm. 

At any rate, I had the good fortune to try out a tree from Tree Classics. In my head, I sort of thought it would be a second tree, to dress up my dining room, not to replace the primary tree. I was also a little nervous about whether it would look fake, but hey, I had nothing to lose. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much artificial trees have changed, the better ones anyway. Specially molded branch tips look just like the real thing (and the branches that don't look real, but add fullness, are concentrated in the interior where they aren't obvious). My tree came in three parts, the branches released from hinges, and I was able to put the entire thing together without one bit of help from my husband. After the basic construction, I spent about an hour fluffing and shaping the wired branches to get the form and spacing I wanted (a perfectionist's dream!). 

Miss Lucy immediately set out to investigate and spent a couple of days thinking about whether she could climb it, but she quickly became bored and has stayed safely below the branches in the weeks since. Yes, I notice there are a few loose pieces of yarn on pom-pom ornaments she's clearly been playing with, but that I can live with. Anyway, my husband and I agreed that it was perfect for our living room (I chose a narrow style so that I wouldn't have to move furniture around, which is also problematic for us each year) and we opted to forego the real tree. 

So what about the smell of fresh pine that you inevitably miss with an articifial tree? I invested in fresh greenery for other parts of my house, along mantels, in vases, hanging on walls, and in bowls. I also purchased some essential oils in fir and holiday blends to put in my diffuser. 

One other thing to mention, whether you go artificial or not, is a nifty little tool called the Light Keeper Pro. lt fixes most broken light sets, finding the damaged bulb for you and repairing it. I tried it on a string of broken lights I had from last year and it worked like a charm. It's the perfect tool to have around for a pre-lit tree that would be difficult to replace the light strands on. 

Next up - handmade ornaments to make for any tree.

 

The slim silhouette of this tree is perfect for city apartments and smaller rooms, like I have. I wish I'd had this for my New York apartment!

 

See how realistic the branches look up close? I also decided to give my tree a dusting of snow. I love this artificial snow.  You mist the tree with water, sprinkle on a little bit, and then it dries. What does eventually fall off is natural and non-toxic.

Around the Web

This week has just flown by.  Seriously, where are the elves when you need them?!  

I spent most of my week prepping for the holiday workshop at Anthropologie last night, which was a lot of fun. I had all kinds of wonderful greenery flown in from the Pacific Northwest, decidedly better than what I can get here in New Orleans, and everyone made a wreath to take home.  

It's a simple idea, but I think one of my favorite parts about doing these workshops, aside from meeting new people, is seeing what creative interpretations emerge from the same basic supplies. I always end up learning something or walking away with a fresh perspective, or just feeling creatively recharged. Holiday spirit + creative energy = 4 cups of coffee.

But today, it's back to the real world where dozens of eggs await transformation for Easter, it being spring in the magazine world. I need to finish decorating my Christmas tree and utilize the bounty of greenery I have left over, start working out my Christmas baking, make liqueurs...hey, none of that sounds bad! It's going to be a good weekend after all. Who needs elves anyway?

But before I get started, here are a few things from around the web that have inspired me this week.

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I think we can all agree that Nelson Mandela's passing leaves a hole in this world, but his words and deeds stay with us. 

It's been a blue Christmas so far with 100 Christmas Blues.

Why didn't I think of this?! A DIY for an etched snow globe.

More antlers!

Bacon jam. This just needs to be made, right?

I love the presentation on these little orange cakes.

I really need to make some of these origami stars that look like this.

 

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll see you here next week.

 

 

 

Weekend Round-up

 

Is it really Friday already?! This week flew for me - my in-laws were visiting, my son's football team played (and won) their championship game, and I've been restoring my computer ever so slowly back to its previous state. But it's the end of the week and all I want to do this weekend is make stuff! I can't wait.

Hopefully I'll have some new things to share with you next week. But in the meantime, here's a little round-up of my wanderings over the last week.

 

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These beautiful red Bartlett pears sat on my counter all week. I keep planning to eat them, but I've been enjoying the color instead. This weekend, they may finally make their way into a pear salad.

I've started testing recipes for holiday gifts and I made my second batch of caramels this week (the first batch tasted great, but there must have been a typo in the recipe because my cooking temp was way too high and I ended up with a hard brick of candy that had to be tossed). But I found this recipe and it's a keeper!  There are a lot of notes on technique and cooking temperatures, which I found very helpful. There are also some seasonal variations included, such as gingerbread flavored caramels.

I received a pre-lit tree this week from Tree Classics.  I never thought I'd say this about any artificial tree, but I love it! I'll post about it more later, but if you've decided to go the artificial route, this is the week to do it. Tree Classics is having a huge sale through November 18, with up to 50% off and free shipping.  I have the 7 1/2 foot Kennedy Fir with 600 clear lights. It's slim, incredibly realistic, and proportioned for showing off ornaments.  I'm a convert! 

Do you have two decorating personalities?  I certainly do, especially at Christmas time. My computer woes haven't kept me from being a pinning fiend this week. You can see lots of holiday ideas at my two Pinterest boards, Winter Holiday and Colorful Christmas.

But before I get too far ahead of myself, I love these wishbones from Lucky Break. Perfect for the Thanksgiving table (or anytime you want to indulge in wish making). 

I'm sort of the unofficial birthday baker for our friends and I've nailed down most of their favorites. But I've always been a bit thrown when someone requests German Chocolate cupcakes and they want them to taste like the original cake. The Kraft kitchen finally has a recipe on their site and it's really easy and tastes just like the cake (minus the several layers).  I used 1 batch of Coconut Pecan filling for 24 cupcakes which I found to be just the right amount. They were perfect - I'll be making these over and over again. (The only note: All of my cupcakes were baked between 18-23 minutes, so start checking earlier than the recipe calls for.)

Have a wonderful weekend!  

 

Uncommon Goods: Anything but Ordinary

 

As a blogger I get a lot of requests to feature products or companies. If it doesn't feel organic to this space, I decline. But when Uncommon Goods contacted me and asked if I wanted to review a product from their gift line, I jumped at the chance. I'm a longtime customer and it's always one of my holiday go-tos, especially when shopping for a challenging recipient.  

Here are some of my picks from their wide selection of gifts. Also, you can check out their Christmas collection here, as well as their Christmas gifts for women here.

 

GIFTS FOR THE BOOZEHOUND:

The Barrel-Aged Cocktail Kit is an easy way for home mixologists to explore a cocktail trend that's been enthusiastically embraced by the professionals. Instead of having to purchase a large barrel (and all the liquor it takes to fill it), you get a few wooden staves to age smaller batches in a shorter amount of time (2 weeks instead of months). I have one of these and I love it! Try an aged Negroni or a Manhattan. If cocktails aren't your thing, you can always make beer at home. I selected the Southern Bourbon Stout Brewing Kit, but Uncommon Goods carries several varieties.

 

GIFTS FOR THE FOODIE:
Possession of salt used to signify an owner's wealth. Today salt might not mean much in terms of wealth, but the Flavors of America Salt Collection signifies a palate that's anything but boring. Then for the cheese lover (is there really anyone out there who doesn't like cheese?) or the wannabe cheesemonger, the Artisanal Cheesemaking Kit gives you a chance to make 15 fresh or aged hard cheeses at home.  There's an Italian version as well. 

 

GIFTS FOR THE TECHNOFILE:
The Readycase is one of those gifts I'll have to stuff in my own stocking. There's a metal multi-tool equipped with a bottle opener, screwdriver, and a serrated blade. Then there's a headphone clip, USB storage stick (which doubles as a kickstand for your phone), and 3 add-on lenses for your phone's camera, a Macro, wide lense, and Fish Eye. All of it taking your phone to new heights. For the person who wavers between embracing technology and getting back to nature, this Driftwood iPhone Charging Dock brings the conflict to a harmonious resolution. Crafted from driftwood washed up on the shores of Maine.

 

GIFTS FOR THE IN-LAWS:

Okay, maybe not for your in-laws, but I find mine a bit challenging to shop for (I love them, I just don't always know what to get for them). This Blank Page Pillow, in which all the lines are stitched, would be great with a personal note embroidered on it, especially from a grandchild. I can't imagine any grandmother who wouldn't like that. As for the Eye Glasses Holder, I actually did buy that for my father-in-law who's hopeless when it comes to hanging on to his reading glasses. I bought one for my husband as well, and I appreciate his quirky presence on our coffee table.

 

GIFTS FOR THE CRAFTERS: 

If you loved having glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling as a child, you can have a grown-up version with this Stitch the Stars Calendar. It's printed with glow-in-the-dark ink and matching glow-in-the-dark thread for you to stitch your way through the constellations. If your crafty pursuits are more down to earth, the Birdie Yarn Bowl keeps yarn balls in place while you knit, crochet, or weave with a sweet nest like design.

 

GIFTS FOR ALL THE HOMEBODIES:

Bring the outdoors in with this whimsical Mockingbird Birdhouse made from discarded library books. There's currently a Julia Child cookbook version as well. Kids flown the coop? This Personalized Family Pillow is a reminder of those you love. Customize a pillow that reflects all the members of your family or your current household, including beloved pets. 

 

I'm a lover of vintage, industrial, and books, so I couldn't pass up the Vintage Shoe Form Bookends. They would be very happy in my home. For my taste, though, industrial accents are best when balanced by elements from nature. This Terra Table Lamp is living happily in my home, surrounded by vintage and industrial. The mosses and air plants require zero maintenance from me, but I love that the removable bell jar allows me to change the scenery according to my whims or the season. 

This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods, but all product picks and opinions are my own.

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One last note - Ready for Christmas? I'm in full-blown holiday mode here, so I'm going with it. Starting on Monday, I will begin posting holiday content.  Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Book Review: Made By Hand

 

As I was thinking about creative collaboration earlier this week, I thought of another collaborative project I wanted to share with you - Lena Corwin's new book, Made by Hand, hit bookstores last week.

From 2009 - 2011, Lena held workshops in her home studio in Brooklyn. The first classes she offered were based on techniques from her earlier book, Printing by Hand (one of my all-time favorites), but then she began inviting friends and designers to contribute their expertise as well.

Made by Hand is a reflection of those workshops, with 26 "classes" presented in book form. As expected from Lena Corwin, there are plenty of textile arts in the book, taught by various artists. These include an easy rotary printing technique, using a rolling pin as the rotary tool. There's also screen-printing, sewing, knitting, tea-dyed applique, batik dyeing, crochet, embroidery, weaving, marbling, and tie-dyeing fabric. Then there are a few other techniques such as soap making, jewelry, weaving, coiled bowls, even making your own beeswax birthday candles. All are presented in a user-friendly format, along with observations and advice for what you can (and can't) control.

With winter nipping at our heels, it's the perfect time to start gathering with friends to acquire new skills. Even if none of you know where to begin, you can easily use the projects in this book as a guidebook to hosting your own classes, however informal they may be. Some projects take more time and space, so perhaps you'll just have a couple of friends over. Others, that are more stationary (such as knitting and needlework), are easily adapted to larger groups.

Another nice thing about craft groups - you never know what you'll learn.  Last year I had a friend who brought a different cheese and beer pairing with her for every group. I faithfully wrote them all down (because they were brilliant) to remember for the future. It had nothing to do with crafting, but it sparked all kinds of possibilities for me. Not to mention, craft groups are a great excuse to get away from your computer, to walk away from the tedium of everyday routines, and to just find the space to settle in a bit, to relax. I highly recommend them!

Of course you don't need a craft group to benefit from the pojects and techniques offered in the book. Any self-motivated crafter will enjoy it as well. But why not take a friend along for the ride? 

See the book trailer here.

 

A Sweet Giveaway from Sucré

 

 

I know it's been quiet around here again. There are weeks when assignment deadlines simply get the best of me. To make it up to you, however, I have a sweet giveaway from Sucré for one lucky reader.

Sucré is a local confectionary here in New Orleans, and it's been a favorite since it opened in 2007. I remember my first visit, consumed by handmade chocolates with regional flavors. Then I had an obsession with the gelato, followed by the homemade marshmallows, and finally, my current obsession - the macarons. 

The good news is that you don't have to be a local to indulge. Sucré has expanded their operation and ships within the United States (with all confections continuing to be made in their New Orleans location).

Which reminds me - I know a lot of people like to order King Cakes for Mardi Gras, choosing to be a New Orleanian wherever they are. Sucré makes the best King Cake I've ever eaten. Usually I suffer through dry, underwhelming cakes or toothachingly sweet, overstuffed versions, all in the name of tradition. But one year a friend brought me a King Cake from Sucré and I've never looked back. The only problem I have with it is that it disappears quickly and I have a hard time sharing it with others.

Back to the giveaway.  Sucré willl send their Signature Macaron Collection to one reader in the contiguous United States, selected at random. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with your name and email address.  Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, October 22, 11:59 PST, with the winner announced on Wednesday, October 23.

That's it - no trick questions, no clever comments required (unless you're feeling clever, that is).  I'll be back soon, if not this week, certainly next.

The Signature Collection includes 15 macarons in the following flavors: almond, chocolate, strawberry, bananas foster, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan, and salted caramel.  

To see the rest of  Sucré's offerings, visit their website at shopsucre.com.  Also, you can find out more about their King Cakes here. 

Book Review: Modern Calligraphy

I've been going through changes in my creative life over the last year, finding myself drawn more and more to what I think of as elemental crafting, techniques that require patience and lots of practice. Usually a fan of instant gratification, I find instead that I'm searching for something more soulful, embracing process in a way I haven't before. I want both the modern and the timeless.

Calligraphy is one of those pursuits. It's been on my bucket list of things to learn for so long that it's almost laughable. But when my friend Tristan came to visit, she helped push me over the edge, introducing me to the right nibs and ink, printing guidelines and offering resources. I was less intimidated when she left, but I still felt stymied by one issue that I always bump into - being a lefty. For the most part, I've learned to be ambidextrous over the years, but that's not really an option for me with calligraphy.

So I was excited to see that a new book, Modern Calligraphy, by the talented Molly Suber Thorpe, had a section in it specifically dedicated to lefties. It's a small section, but it's specific and helpful and enough that I felt the door open a bit wider for me. This is not to say that it's not going to take a lot of practice for me to be good enough to showcase my lettering, but I've finally gotten my foot in the door!

It's easy to be drawn to this book. Molly's hand is so beautiful and feminine, a look that I personally aspire to, and she includes 14 pages of handwriting specimens (each letter drawn in multiple ways) that will help you find your own style. But just as important, it's filled with accessible, useful information on everything you need to get started. You can stick with the first two chapters as you begin your journey. When you've mastered the basics, you can move on to Chapter 3, introducing new supplies to your tool kit and learning six new techniques (such as writing with watercolor and gouache). From there, the book launches into a variety of DIY projects. I'm still in the first two chapters, where I'll be for awhile, but I highly recommend this book for anyone's even remotely interested in hand lettering. It's a wonderful addition to your library, especially if you're feeling intimidated, like I was.

 

Read an interview with Molly here. 

Nature by Mail Order: Fall Finds

Yikes! It's been two weeks since I posted here, which might explain why friends ask me if I'm still blogging (and I am). Apparently I've just become one of those "slow bloggers." Things are decidedly not slow in my life this fall, which might explain some of my absence, but eventually I'll find my rhythm here again. It's time for change, but as you know, change takes time. I'll get there.

In the meantime, I've been finding some rhythm in my personal life. Over the weekend I started making seasonal shifts in my home, completely a mood changer. I'm always surprised by how the simplest of details can wake up my senses and give me a psychological overhaul. You see, while the rest of you are mentioning the nip in the air or the changing leaves, I have to create a sense of fall. The only sign of fall is that the highs are in the 80s instead of the 90s and the humidity has dropped enough that I think I'll be able to completely close my bathroom door within the next few weeks (if you live in a very old house, I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about). 

At any rate, I collect a range of natural items that I use as props for photo shoots or to integrate into my home decor. I rotate these collections according to season, which keeps things fresh. Every season, I find something else that captures my fancy and sometimes completely dictates the look of a room. It's the element of surprise that keeps me from setting up the same vignettes over and over. 

This year I suddenly had an urge to have sprigs of Chinese Lanterns in my living room. I've never seen the plant in my life, but I looked on Etsy and $10.95 and a few days later, I had a bunch of Chinese Lanterns whose vibrancy made me so happy, I decided orange was the way to go this year. (It's also my first fall having a gray living room and boy, do I love it! Such a great neutral to work with for every season.)

I believe in local and making use of what you find around you, but I also love that the Internet and the US Postal Service can bring the rest of the world to my door. It's armchair travel of a different sort. So maybe I won't get to see the leaves change this fall, but don't you worry about me. I can order boxes of them and roll around in them anytime I want!

 

Sources for Nature (click through for links):

 

The Keepers' House on Etsy (the source of my Chinese Lanterns):  dried flower bunches, gourds, acorns, pinecones, etc. 

Botanical Art on Etsy:  live plants, real leaves, botanical & nature art prints

Ron's Rustic Woods on Etsy: order boxes of fall leaves (250 to 1000 count), also smaller amounts of dried leaves in green and plum.

Bee Balm Dreams on Etsy: dried gourds and various types of pinecones

Ridge Top Cottage on Etsy: lots of dried gourds

Garden Spell Ghost Tale on Etsy: American Bittersweet

Crow Hollow Farm on Etsy: American Bittersweet

Save On Crafts:      Preserved Oak Leaves (available in a range of colors)

                             Maple Branch Candleholders

                             Natural Preserved Basil Pear Gourds

                             Natural Branches

                             Wood Slabs and Tree Slices

Mountain Feathers on Etsy: wide variety of feathers, including cruelty free

Feather Store:  variety of Pheasant Tails as well as Turkey Quills

 

Happy fall, by the way! 

 

 

Paper to Petal

I see a lot of craft books every year, but only a handful actually make it into my library, and even fewer remain there from year to year. But I had a feeling about this book, pre-ordering it back in March when it first showed up on Amazon (and eagerly awaiting its publication and the arrival of my UPS driver ever since).

Oh, was I right!  Paper to Petal, by couple Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell, is almost overwhelming in its abundance, a whopping 256 pages! It's not the kind of book you peruse in an evening, then set aside to gather dust. In fact, I flipped through it at least four times last night and something new caught my eye every time. But beyond the eye candy - and there's a lot of it - there's an amazing wealth of instruction and resources. The steps are all laid out visually, so you know exactly what you're striving for. The designs are not simplistic, but they feel achievable (the 264 templates in the back of the book help with that).

You would think with all that precision that the projects themselves could get a little stuffy, but nothing could be further from the truth. There's such a riot of color and playfulness contained within these pages. It goes beyond the mechanics of striving for reproduction of nature, introducing fesh, artistic expression, with painting techniques and the incorporation of glitter and metallics, printed papers, unexpected colors, and surprise. 

If you have any interest in paper flowers, this is a must-have for your library. It's so beautifully designed and photographed that it's also a book you can keep on your coffee table with all of your other art books. I trust that you will find it endlessly inspiring. Personally, this book comes at exactly the right time in my creative life, as I find myself becoming more interested in artistic expression, not just "craft."  This book is a beautiful marriage of both.

Book Review & Giveaway: Furniture Makeovers

Almost every piece of furniture I own has come from a thrift store, a garage sale, an antique mall, or a curbside. It wasn't my plan, I've just been lucky enough to find a lot of secondhand stuff that I'm happy to live with. But it's rare that pieces end up in my home in the same state that I found them in; most need some sort of rehab from a simple paint job to upholstering. In the end, though, it's a lot cheaper than buying new and I like the eclectic look that my home has taken on. It feels like me.

But most of the time I've had to muddle through on my own, learning through trial and error. After many of these learning curves, I can tell you one thing - it's nice to have a helping hand. Which is why I think you'll love the book Furniture Makeovers by Barb Blair of Knack Studios, from Chronicle Books.

The book covers Barb's favorite tools and materials (most of which I use myself and can vouch for), then gets into prep with solid information on stripping, sanding, repairing, and priming furniture. Then the good (fun) stuff begins - painting, staining, waxing, applying metal leaf, using stencils and vinyl decals, designing with an overhead projector, color blocking, layering paint...26 different techniques in all! 

The end result is a remarkable compilation of projects that range from classic to modern, with before and after photos and an explanation of the techniques used on each piece, which you can then turn around and replicate for yourself (yes, you!). Part inspiration, part guidebook, it's a must for anyone who wants to feel more confident in transforming tired furniture, needs fresh ideas, or simply doesn't know how to begin.

 

Carlton Riffel Photography

Interested?  I HAVE A COPY OF THE BOOK FOR ONE LUCKY READER!  All you need to do is comment below and tell me what you'd like to learn to do or what piece of your furniture could most use a makeover. The giveaway will close at midnight (CST) on Tuesday, July 23.  I will select a comment at random and announce the winner on Wednesday, July 24. You can also follow along on the blog tour for more opportunities to win a copy from other bloggers.

UPDATE:  GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Also, just to get you inspired, here's a sneak peek of two of the thirty projects included in the book -

 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

 

BEFORE:

 AFTER:

Photos by J. Aaron Greene, used with permission from Chronicle Books

Aromatherapy: In Search of Joy and Vitality

 

 

New York City is a chameleon, offering such a myriad of possibilities that a visitor can shape and define her so that she never looks or feels the same way twice. I'm a bit of a chameleon as well, which is why it's one of my favorite aspects of the city. I can look back over the many visits since the first, 28 years ago, and track my own journey, with all its many offshoots, twists, and turns. What I purchase during my visits to the city reflect a great deal as well.

This time, when I arrived in the city, it took me a couple of days to get into the rhythm. New York sounded louder to me than it ever had, more crowded, confusing...I felt a little unsettled, the first time in all my history there that I had felt that. It was weird, I thought that maybe the rhythm of New Orleans had finally overtaken my natural, innately faster pace. 

But two days into my trip, I was spending the day with a good friend and we made a quick stop at Muji so she could stock up on sketchbooks. As I walked into the store, I was greeted with an unbelievable scent, so fresh and clear that it stopped me in my tracks.

Now, I'm not much of a home scent person and I constantly marvel at the ridiculous number of air fresheners on the market. I can't quite figure out why our homes smell so bad that we feel the need to cover them with perfume. Most of them also give me a headache and make me feel nauseated. I'm just too sensitive to them.  Occasionally, I'll find a scented candle that makes me swoon, but usually there's a price tag attached to it that makes me swoon as well. Pass.

But this, this wasn't something I wanted, this immediately felt like something I needed.  I perused the store, but kept circling back to this scent of lemongrass and ginger, pulled in in such a way that I knew I wouldn't leave the store without the Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser and essential oils in hand. It was perhaps my best purchase of the trip - an investment in my psychological well-being. 

The two scents that attracted me the most were Vitality, the lemongrass and ginger blend of pure essential oils, and the Grapefruit pure essential oil, meant to be uplifting or joyful. My nose, it was telling me exactly what I needed, and standing there in the cool mist, I could feel a physiological difference as well as a psychological one. I bought all of it, not a single regret.

I've been using the diffuser and oils since I got home a few days ago. The diffuser is the size of a pillar candle and resembles one as well. It's powerful enough that the scent filters through most of my downstairs, but isn't at all cloying. My husband loves it as well, and he's even less focused on scent than I am. He's mentioned several times what a good purchase I made.

Aromatherapy's not new to me - I spent many years living in Los Angeles and aromatherapy is very much a California thing, but finally, I get it - and I'm sold!

 

Title photo from Muji