1. not exorbitant or extravagent by city standards, however in a rural setting (like upstate new york) it is in fact, quite fancy.
2. a wonderful blog dedicated to art, design and other things that are indeed upstate fancy.
READIN' NOW
Have you seen these achievement awards from the awesome HandyMaiden? Seriously they are so gosh-darn cute i can’t stand it. And of course since I am a sucker for puns, I am loving the Badger of Honor. I really need this for my winter coat, hmm or maybe a cute blazer!
Okay, well it’s not exactly a letter from Roald Dahl, but if I received a parcel or card feating these amazing stamps from the UK, I would be just as excited to receive it. Royal Mail has released a set of tribute stamps featuring the illustrated work of the amazing Roald Dahl. If you grew up with his stories, I’m sure you are pleased as punch to see his work commemorated in a stamp. My favorite as a child was Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, the sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but as an adult I am simply spellbound by a collection of his short stories entitled Tales of the Unexpected. I highly recommend this anthology if you like stories with a little twist at the end. If only i lived in the UK and could send out all of my correspondence with Fantastic Mr. Fox.
I’ve seen knots used in so many things, from drawer pulls to lamps but never before as a throw pillow. The Not Knot comes in four different knot shapes and of course ten very chic color ways. How fun this would look in a kids bedroom or a modern beach house. I love what an unique idea this is, hope it brightens up your friday and gets you excited for a bright weekend.
When I first started knitting I fell in love with the patterns by Tiny Owls Magic Attic. I even posted about the lovely patterns right here. Well I happy to say I finally had enough guts and experience to try out their Hopsalots bunny slipper pattern. I made these slippers as a Christmas gift for my soon to be sister in law and she absolutely loved them. They were really easy and fast to knit, but if you decide to try this pattern out for yourself a few words of advice. First make a gauge swatch, it really does matter. And secondly, the pattern suggests felting these by hand in the sink, It would have taken me days to felt these by hand because I had to go up about 3 sizes in needles, so I felted them in the washing machine and they came out great! Have fun!
This year has been full of amazing new friends, fantastic adventures and lots of love. It’s been almost a year since Matt proposed, and I culd not be more excited to marry him in June! This wonderful photo is from our engagment session with the uber-awesome Alexandra Roberts.
May next year be as fabulous as this one! Here’s too an exciting 2012! Wishing you a very happy holiday with family and friends!
Lots of Love,
Jen and Matt
1. Letterpress Recipe Stationery by Printerette Press 2. Cutting Board by Gray Works 3. Homemade Cookie Stamper at Perpetual Kid 4. Smore to love grill pan at Better Homes and Gardens 5. Elevate Utensils at The Spoon Sisters 6. Handprinted Tea Towel by BlueBerryAsh 7. Recipe Cards from The Dapper Paper Co. 8. Steak and Eggs Potholders by Red Stitch
I love decorating for the holidays! It’s an easy way to transform your home and really the magical feeling of the season into your own home. Here are a few of my favorite finds this year to get you started!
1. christmas tree map at bombus 2. wood reindeer sign by slipping southern 3. wrapping paper by Bombina studios 4. nativity by zime illustration 5. stocking at the land of nod 6. embroidered hoop by merriweather council 7. let it snow card by sparrow nest script 8. bear ornament by Royal Mint 9. felt tree by oh ma felt 10. linen ornament by classic by nature 11. snowman by Trieste Prusso Design 12. advent kit by le papier studio
For the last few years I have been adding a new animal to the Modern Snowflake Ornament Collection. Since 2011 is the year of the rabbit, I decided that a Bunny was the addition this Christmas! Starting today, you can buy this snow bunny ornament at the Peppersprouts shop.
The other 5 awesome animal friends back again this year, but we will be saying farewell to one at the end of the season. Make them all part of your Holiday tradition.
My last post was a little sad, and a lot long, so this time we will go for short and sweet! When I moved to Maine last year, I was so lucky to find a gig doing some design at emilie inc. This awesome photography studio, run by Emilie Sommer (who really is as sweet as she looks) offered design services to other creatives, as well as brides.
I was so excited when the request for an entire wedding suite came in from Amanda, one of emilie’s brides for 2011, her wedding theme was woodsy and elegant and when we got to talking, I knew exactly the look she was after. I wasn’t sure at first about the color palette, but once I got going, everything just clicked!
I was so excited when the photos of the wedding, which you can check out on emilie inc., were posted! All of the elements came together so amazingly, and of course Amanda and John looked amazing! I got to design their save the date, Invitation, reply card, reception card, envelopes, custom map, menu, programs and favor tag for this happy couple! Now I’m super excited to start designing my own wedding invites!
Of course all of these beautiful photos were taken by Denise and Emilie at emilie inc.
This week was MADD’s annual Red Ribbon Week. A time when the organization reaches out to schools to educate children on the dangers drugs and alcohol. You remember the ones. You would gather in the auditorium and sit through a skit of older highschool kids making bad decisions or maybe they would show a film that they would pause part way through to ask you how to handle the situation of peer pressure.
I remember the assemblies where they showed photos of the car wrecks and portraits of the victims and their families. I remember them becasue I hated going to them. I remember them because of one particular photo that was always there and I knew I wouldn’t make it out of there without crying. That photo was the one above, of me and my mother.
25 years ago today, my mother was killed by a drunk driver. She was driving home from teaching an aerobics class, and hit head on by a drunk driver who was driving without his lights on and swerved into her lane. Although she was wearing her seat belt, she didn’t survive the crash.
I don’t have a lot of vivid memories from my childhood, I remember going into my parents bedroom and sitting on the bed, while my dad told me what happened. I remember people at church treating me differently, and someone giving me a ballerina teddy bear. And I remember spending a lot of time at aunts, uncles and grandparent’s houses. I don’t, however, really remember my mother.
I hear stories about her, and how wonderful of a woman she was. How she was caring, and loving and just an all around amazing lady. But when I close my eyes, I don’t see her. Even when I look at photos, I know I was there, because there I am, smiling at the camera, a moment captured in time, but I don’t remember those moments. And that is what makes me sad when I think about my mother. I wish I had a moment, captured on video, to hear her voice and watch her smile.
Yes, I miss my mother. But I also know that I am, who I am today, in part because of her but mostly because of the rest of my family. I am me, because of an awesome Dad who let me have fun, but also knew when I was lying. Amazing grandparents who would take me out to Pizza Hut so I could cash in my BookIt points. More amazing grandparents who taught me to play Gin Rummy and how to pick strawberries. More amazing grandparents who let me spend summers with them in the Outer Banks, painting t-shirts and playing mini golf. Aunts and uncles who made sure I got on the bus every morning, and made sure I had a place to go after school. For that I am forever grateful.
I urge all of you, to be good to the people you love. Take care of yourselves, be safe, and most importantly, please drink responsibly this holiday season.
Love,
Jen Pepper
