portfolio

Vintage faucets

Today is the day! I finally finished my portfolio! I'm too exhausted to think of anything cool to write here, but I just wanted to share that I'm done.

Whew.

self portrait

Shady Lady

Well folks, here it is. My first-ever self portrait. (Carved, of course.) It was an interesting sensation to dig my own face out of a lino block, but I'm pretty pleased with the results. I wasn't sure how well I'd do on my eyes, so I'm saving them for a future endeavor. Hence, my classic aviators, which I absolutely adore!

This is just the first print - I'm still experimenting with the colors, paper, etc. but I think she's going to make a splendid addition to the portfolio I've been working on!

notable quotes

Emerson's always got great things to say!

I love tea, and Eleanor Roosevelt! Great quote.

And yet another quote from the master of motivating words. Ah, Thoreau.

- - - - -

:: Happy First Day of Fall! ::

courage

it takes courage to grow up and become

who you really are.

e. e. cummings

eye candy

Oh, l'amore!

If you're anything like me, you occasionally run out of ideas and are left staring at a blank wall, completely at a loss. Luckily, there are plenty of books, magazines and websites for do-it-yourselfers, crafters, designers and artists.

A few of my favorite books, which are chock-full of fun ideas are Domino: The Book of Decorating, Flea Market Style and Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts. (Note: I've never been a huge Martha fan, but this book is actually pretty sweet!)

If nothing else, these colorful specimens are a dash of eye candy on your side table - although cracking them open is a lot more fun!

diy: birthday calendar

I made this little portable birthday calendar for practically nothing!

You can, too!

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You will need scissors, string, card stock, alphabet stamps and a single hole punch.

Step 2: If using a large sheet of card stock, cut it into at least 12 small pieces (I used blank business cards, which are available at any paper supply store.) On each of the twelve cards, print the first three letters of the month (the full name of the month tends to take up too much room.)

Step 3: Punch two holes in one end of each card, being sure the holes are even on all twelve cards.

Step 4: Make filler cards with your friends' names, birthdays - and if you're particularly motivated - a brief summary of their interests. This list comes in handy for gift giving, especially when you're having a mental block on what to buy.

Step 5: Put all the month cards and properly organized filler cards in order from January to December. Tie with the string, circling around the two holes twice.

Et voila! You have a handy, portable birthday calendar! The neat thing about this design is that you can untie it and add more birthdays as you meet new friends! Enjoy!

words of wisdom

These are some of the inspirational words above my bed... love 'em!

This one helps me keep my head in the clouds, but my feet on the ground.

And this one is just plain inspiring to me. Leave it to Thoreau!

take heart

Just a little reminder to believe in your dreams.

vintage find

Love the intricate details in this vintage piece!

Today I was out running errands and couldn't resist stopping in my favorite vintage shop in Charlotte. The Treasure House is run by a timelessly chic and eccentric woman who has always piqued my interest. She's gorgeous, probably in her early sixties, and looks like she belongs in a poster advertising Pall Mall's in Miami circa 1950.

Aside from the lovely owner, this shop is unique in Charlotte in that it actually has really cool vintage stuff and it's not terribly overpriced. The historic two-story brick home is full floor to ceiling with all manner of dishes, tablecloths, furniture, jewelry, books and so much more.

I found this gorgeous white beaded necklace and absolutely love it! I didn't have enough time to peek around all the nooks and crannies like I usually do, but if you're in Charlotte and have a little free time, this place is truly a gem.

Treasure House

Buy - Sell - Consignment - Estates

5300 Monroe Road

Charlotte, NC 28205

704-532-1613

Open Tues-Fri 10-5 and Sat 10-4

banana bread

Yummy!

This isn't just any banana bread... it's chocolate chip banana bread. My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up (it was pretty much the only way she could get me to eat bananas!)

While there's not much more to it than simply adding some mini chocolate chips into your favorite banana bread recipe, the warm chocolate goodness it produces is mouth-watering. Just another example of how it's the little things that make the biggest difference!

baking

Warm yeast rolls straight from the oven!

While I'm sad to see Summer go, I've always loved the changing of the seasons. There's something about the change in the weather that puts some excitement in the air.

As the nights have gotten a little crisper these past few days, I decided to turn on my oven (something I've been avoiding in my little studio apartment... it gets pretty toasty!) I made some chocolate chip banana bread (yummy!) and some yeast rolls from scratch.

It was nice to have the windows open and feel the cool air while making something warm and comforting to eat. I highly recommend a little Fall baking - makes you feel good about what you're doing with your time and about what you're putting into your body.