Design Crush: 7 Rules Poster from StickHOME

{ via StickHOME }

I looooove StickHOME, they're releasing a 2011 calendar soon and I want it. I also love this poster and really want it. I adore their typography designs, I want to cover my walls in them.

Here are my favorites:

{1.} ABCD
{2.} 123
{3.} UP
{4.} Fragile
{5.} Possible/Impossible/Miracles

{ via Email }

Happy Halloween!

{ via Email }

Halloweekend!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Hallo-weekend! Last night I was out very late making new friends and hanging out at the Rowan University campus. As promised, these are some pictures of my boyfriend and I as Mario and Princess Peach, and my best friend Erin went as a Pond.



Tonight I'm hanging with my boys and we're having a horror movie marathon. Tomorrow we're going to the Eastern State Penitentiary, which I've never done before.

Friday Etsy Picks: Halloween

{ via Frog Prince Paperie }

While it may be a bit late for you to order for this year's Halloween, it's never too early to start thinking about next year. Are you throwing a party next year? You're not? You should be when you can get this mega printable party DIY from Frog Prince Paperie. You get printable files of the banner, cupcake toppers, 4" circle labels, cupcake wrappers, favor bag tops, blank labels, mini candy wrappers, and snack boxes. It's all formatted for 8.5 x 11 paper so you don't have to worry about going to a print shop, you can print from your home computer!


{ via Lover Dovers Clothing }

If you're feeling a bit too adult to be dressing up or if you just would like something more modest, consider this adorable 50s style hostess apron dress. It would be perfect for visiting your little one in school for their Halloween parade, or just for a small gathering at home.


{ via Lady Konnyaku }

Or if you're feeling more sassy, try on this fluffy kitty hat for size. It looks mighty warm for accompanying your friends or little ones around the neighborhood for Trick or Treating. You can really go all out with a full body leotard, or you can take it more casual with all black or all white (or whichever kitty color you fancy) pants and a sweater. You can even add a kitty tail. Don't forget to paint your whiskers on before you go out!

Have a happy weekend! I'm off to be the Princess Peach to my boyfriend's Mario at a party tonight, embarrassing pictures to come over the weekend :)

Weddings: Charming Outdoor Wedding

{ via Green Wedding Shoes }

If you haven't seen it yet you'll have to get yourself over to Green Wedding Shoes for this darling wedding! I love the way the bride is styled (seriously, how great is that dress with those accessories?), and I'm a total sucker for bride and groom portraits in a patch of flowers. The wedding was shot by talented photographer, Lucidia Photography.

Cooking: Pupcakes

{ via Google }

Today is my dog's 3rd birthday! We're celebrating with a simple banana and peanut butter cake for her. She certainly enjoyed the treat, licked her whole plate clean!



The recipe I used is from Dog Treat Recipes and it's fairly simple. I added peanut butter to the mix since that's my dog's favorite treat. There's even a recipe for icing here if you really want to spoil your pooch.



And speaking of puppies, my Uncle and cousins just got a new puppy over the weekend! His name is Riley and he is a 3 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (that's a mouthful!). I went to visit and play with the new puppy yesterday.

DIY: Mini Bouquet

Mums, or chrysanthemums, are the flowers that come to mind when you think of the late summer as it leads into Fall. They're beautiful and come in many different colors. Because they're so readily available they are the perfect in-season flower for your Fall wedding. These are also flowers that won't break your bank and are easy peasy to arrange yourself.



It took me about five or ten minutes to put this little bouquet together this morning.

Materials:

• Flowers
  
• Scissors
  
• Floral Tape
  
• Ribbon, Burlap, Fabric, or Twine to decorate
  

Directions:
Step 1: Trim your flowers and separate them by length.
Step 2: Begin arranging your flowers starting from the center and adding more, creating a larger and larger bouquet.
Step 3: When you have a large enough bouquet tape stems together using floral tape. Trim stem ends. You can leave the stem ends sticking out for a more country, fresh-cut look or you can trim them evenly and continue to wrap the floral tape around the bottom.
Step 4: Wrap your decorations around the stems to hide the floral tape. I used twine. If you are using fabric or thick ribbon you may need hot glue to secure it.

These bouquets have tons of uses. I don't have any special events coming up, so I'll be using mine as a decoration to brighten up my room. I've hung my little bouquet upside-down to dry it out. The small bouquets make great flower girl bouquets, and larger ones could be made for the rest of the bridal party. This even works as boutonnieres for the groomsmen.

Friday Etsy Picks: Pumpkins

{ via Vintage Green Limited }

Friday's Etsy picks are coming one day early since I will be out of town in Salem, Massachusetts for the weekend. With Fall in full swing pumpkins are always on my mind. This adorable felt pumpkin decoration is perfect if you have a small apartment or if you want something to put on the mantle by your fireplace. You can pull it out year after year to charm your holiday spirit.


{ via Timeless Paper }

I usually throw at least one get together or party during the Fall, and these darling place cards are great for place settings or keeping track of your wine glass. They'd look great at a Fall-inspired wedding!


{ via Sun Basil Gardens }

Ok, if you haven't caught the hint yet I am a fiend for pumpkins. And this soap actually sounds delicious. Like, you would have to shackle me to keep me from putting it in my mouth. Who wouldn't want to smell like Pumpkin Pie Sugar all day? Right? Impress your guests with this soap in your bathroom, or hoard it away for yourself. Get clean and smell good!

Have a happy weekend!

Photography: 1010 Project

{ via 2010 Project, Hilda Grahnat }

Ok, this is awesome. The idea behind this project is that 10 photographers from around the world all took 10 photos on 10/10/10. How cool is that? It's called the 2010 Project (discovered via A Cup of Jo). These are some of my favorites:


{ via 2010 Project, Kris Atomic }


{ via 2010 Project, Pia Jane Bijerk }


{ via 2010 Project, Michelle Gow }


{ via 2010 Project, Anabela Carneiro }

Cooking: Sweet Potato Banana Bread Recipe

{ via Domestifluff }

Fall means baking to me, and I do an awful lot of it until January rolls around. During the fall I put pumpkin in just about everything - I love it. Another thing I love is sweet potatoes, they're delicious and nutritious :)

The above image is a recipe for Sweet Potato muffins (gluten free) from Domestifluff.

My boyfriend's aunt is also always sending me recipes via email. Here's a yummy sounding recipe for banana/sweet potato bread that I can't wait to make!

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup oil ( I only use ¾ cup)
1 box yellow cake mix ( I use the one with the pudding in it)
1 box instant vanilla pudding (I use French vanilla)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (or 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes)
½ cup nuts, optional

Beat eggs. Add milk and oil, beat to mix. Add cake mix. pudding, bananas (or sweet potatoes) , and nuts if you choose to use them, beat for 2 mins. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 mins. Cool in pan for 10 mins the turn out onto place. Cool completely before adding glaze.

For the glaze use powdered sugar and enough milk so you can drizzle it on the cake.

NOTE: for the sweet potato cake I put two teaspoons of cinnamon sugar in the cake mix and sprinkled some cinnamon sugar in the
powdered sugar glaze.

If you make bread instead of the bundt cake, divide batter into two loaf pans.

You can also spice things up a bit (no pun intended) with nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pretty much anything you want. I'm a total mad scientist in the kitchen, so I like to experiment and change things up when I cook.

Procrastination and Other Things

{ via Stock Exchange }

Do you ever have days where you get nothing done? You have every intention of being productive, and yet no matter how hard you try you just end up watching re-runs of a cancelled (but awesome) show all day? Just me?

Today I had every intention of tackling some laundry, making a dent in my class assignments for this week, packing for my trip to Salem, MA this weekend, and a bunch of other things. What did I end up doing? I ended up knitting (which I suppose you could count as productive since I finished some Christmas gifts) and watching Veronica Mars. I discovered the show last week, promptly devoured all 3 seasons and kicked myself for not finding the show sooner.

Check back tomorrow for less procrastination and more inspirational and crafty things.

Featured: DIY Fall Monograms on Ruffled!

Today on Ruffled (one of my favorite blogs) my entry for their Fall DIY contest is up! I created the Monograms project, which I will feature here after the contest is over with more ideas on how this project could be tailored to your style. They're easy and inexpensive to make and they're great for use in your home after your wedding! They're also not just for weddings - they'd be great for a graduation or anniversary party.

Go check it out here and let me know what you think!

Friday Etsy Picks: Doilies

{ via Uncommon }

I saw this clock in the recently listed section and I frantically clicked on it to get a closer look. This elegant clock would look great on any wall, especially someone who has a knack for decorating with vintage touches. It is laser engraved with a doily pattern with a bamboo woodgrain. If you have fallen in love with this clock like I have, then you will also enjoy the rest of their shop!


{ via Sea Pinks }

This little zippered pouch would be darling in any girl's bag. I'm coveting it for my own purse. Linen lined with a printed cotton on the inside, and a crocheted doily on the outside. How cute!


{ via Cranny Found Favorites }

This garland is perfect for indoor and outdoor affairs. If you're planning a DIY, vintage, or country wedding this is a great decor option. Garlands are easy to decorate with and add a lot of charm to a party atmosphere.

Have a happy weekend!

Photography: Two Really Sweet Engagement Sessions

{ via Green Wedding Shoes }


{ via Grey Likes Weddings }

I'm so in love with both of these sessions! The first was found at Green Wedding Shoes, see more from photographer Logan Cole's blog for more amazing shots! The second was found at Grey Likes Weddings, see more from photographer Scott Andrews's blog for more amazing shots! Both shoots are really adorable and brightened my morning - I hope they brighten yours too!

Photography: Wishing on Wishing Flowers

{ via Cake and Pictures }

Loving the romantic idea of portraits (engagement, wedding, lifestyle, or otherwise) in a field of dandelions, or fondly referred to as the "wishing flower". Check out the post on Cake and Pictures for other interesting ideas.

Knitting: Weekend Knitting

This weekend I finished the Anthropologie-inspired Headband and some fingerless mitts for myself. I love when I can finish my KIPs (knits in progress) over the weekend, it brings a sense of accomplishment come Sunday night. Not to mention that it takes me forever to finish my projects since I always have at least six at a time :)




The yarn for the head wrap was Bernat Roving which was heavenly to knit with! It's so cushy and warm! Next time I knit this pattern, though, I think I'll do a provisional cast on so I can join it in the round, without the buttons and I'll do a longer cable.




This was knit in a Knit Picks Wool of the Andes yarn in Mink Heather. I adore Wool of the Andes, their colors are amazing and the wool blend is super fantastico! I was knitting these for my Christmas present basket but I decided to keep these for myself for two reasons.

• I totally love this color. It looks good on me.
  
• I rarely knit anything for myself, especially at this time of the year. The rest of my knitting time is dedicated to working on some patterns I have designed, and creating gifts for showers and birthdays

Check out some more pictures of my knits on my Flickr page.

Photography: Best Friend Shoot

{ via Three Nails Photography }

I love Love LOVE this idea for portraits with a close friend. I would like receiving this as a gift better than any other bridal shower gift. Check out the rest of the shoot from Three Nails Photography right here.

Featured: DIY Wine Bottles on Wedding Wire!

Wedding Wire has featured my DIY Wine Bottle and Cork centerpiece tutorial on their blog, with a collection of other great Wine Bottle Centerpiece ideas! Go check it out!

Want, But Do Not Need

{ via Williams & Sonoma }


{ via Williams & Sonoma }


{ via Williams & Sonoma }

These are all from Williams & Sonoma's Fall catalogue. I want them all, but I don't really NEED them. They are just pretty to look at.

Friday Etsy Picks: Handbags

{ via Kinies }

If you're a large-bag person like me then you will love this canvas bag. It's huge! And it has many pockets to fit all of your needs. Those of us that carry our lives with us will have plenty of room to organize, and with so many different color options you can't go wrong!


{ via The Mean Tambourine }

If you're more of a sophisticated leather person this gorgeous bag will perk your interest. Spacious without looking bulky, this bag has room enough for your laptop and your purse essentials while still holding all of the charm of a leather handbag. The best part? These gorgeous bags are made to order so it's completely customizable to your tastes!


{ via Lina's Corner }

If you're a more simple person who doesn't like to carry a large handbag or who only needs to carry a few essentials, like your keys and phone, then a small clutch is more your style. I'm a sucker for owls and this one is no exception. It's just the right size if you need to grab a few things and go.

Have a happy weekend!