Birthday Cards

Happy Monday Friends!

Do you still receive birthday cards? I'm ecstatic to say I still do. And because I love that feeling of being remembered and knowing all the trouble a friend went through to send that birthday card, I enjoy giving out birthday cards too. This week, I'll show you some of the ones I made, starting with this one:

blah: tissue paper remnants

blah: CD envelopes left over from this

Christmas project

Using a butterfly craft punch, I made a

symphony of butterflies out of

the tissue paper.

Then I put them {make a lot} inside the envelope. From this view, you can't quite decipher that the blue background -- they're butterfly cut-outs.

Adding a single, contrasting butterfly begs

the question, "Why only one?"

But when the envelope is opened,

this is the desired effect.

A bit messy, but doesn't the birthday girl deserve a

shower of confetti on her special day?

Add a small note in the flurry flutter and tell me if

that doesn't make anyone smile!

Pinterest!

Have you heard about Pinterest? It's an on-line pin board where you can organize images that you find from all over the web.

Like the mood boards I featured all week, Pinterest allows you to gather together pictures to help you design, decorate and dream.

You can check other people's pin boards, and if you are fascinated with what they pinned, you can "like" or comment on the image and even re-pin it on your own pin board, provided that you have an account. To do this, you have to request for an invitation {I'm still waiting for mine...sigh}. Another cool feature -- the source {ex. blog post} where the photo came from appears with the photo/pin, giving credit to the person who thought of it! So to my dear readers who found blah to TADA! through my projects posted on Pinterest, thanks for visiting me here.

It's also a social networking site and like blogging or Twitter where you can "follow" someone {subscribe to their posts} or they can "follow" you.

I can spend hours just looking through various pin boards! In fact, let me go and do that now. Have a fun Friday and a glorious weekend!

Pages Upon Pages of Inspiration

Since the start of the week, I've been raving about mood boards and illustrating how they aren't strictly the bulletin board variety. Many people who design for a living use mood boards. Yes, even chefs. In creating a menu, plating a dish or making a cookbook, a series of sketches and pictures contribute in making the food look beautiful. After all, we eat with our eyes first.

Organic baker Sarah Magid, in her cookbook Organic and Chic, showcases the beginnings of a luscious cake with a few drawings.

Like a dress or a piece of furniture, the initial design is the direction in which the cake comes to life. It will also be the basis of approval for the person requesting it.

So have I convinced you that mood boards are they right way to begin any project? Mood boards keep you organized!

blah: a stack of magazine clippings

TADA!: assemble an inspiration book

using a three-ring binder

Add some dividers, paper & some plastic pockets.

Fill the pockets with pictures or fabric.

Make lists & floor plans on the paper.

You can also punch holes on actual tear sheets

and add them to the binder.

Watch your binder grow thicker as the

project progresses.

And use it as a guidebook for all the people involved.

Enjoy your Thursday!

Idea Notebook

Ever make a mood board? It's an efficient and exciting way to begin the design process. A lot of fashion designers start their collection with a mood board:

Kate Spade

J. Crew

Tory Burch

Mood boards don't necessarily have to be a cork board. I like to use a notebook or journal because I can take it anywhere. It doesn't have to be fancy, I use 79 cent school notebooks!

This is my blog idea notebook. I made a blog calendar to help me plot themes for the coming weeks and blah to TADAs! for the day. March 2012 has yet to be filled up. I was to shy to show you January because it has sketches in the tiny boxes and notes all over the margins. Eeeep!

I fill the other pages with magazine clippings. This method works so much better than stuffing them in an envelope. That's blah.

The cut-outs {and some sketches} are visual cues for future crafting.

Even if the holidays are far away, it's never too early to gather pictures! TADA!

Motivation Board

Howdy everyone! This week, I'm writing about mood boards and how they can help you bring your projects into fruition. I know that sounds quite lofty, but a mood board is basically a blank page, a clean slate where you can tack on scraps of ideas and bits of inspiration.

Here are samples of mood boards I found on the Pottery Barn site:

Use a mood board to plan a party.

Create designs for stationery with the help of a mood board.

Decide on colors for your home or clothing line.

Show off progress & remind yourself of upcoming activities.

Use it to prepare meals and menus.

Use a mood board to plan your wedding.

If you don't have a frame or bulletin board,

make one or use a blank wall.

But if you have very little space, here's a tip:

blah: a 2011 desk calendar

Remove the pages so you're left with the

cardboard tent.

TADA! -- Instant mood board!

Stick on photos or in this case,

words of motivation.

Use this as your own personal cheering squad

to make your 2012 goals a reality!

Mood Boards

The New Year symbolizes fresh starts and taking on exciting projects. But where do you begin? Let's start with a mood board! Mood boards are our theme for the week.

When the book Decorate was launched in August last year, the book tour stopped in New York City.

The book is packed with many delightful pegs to create a space filled with comfort and personality.

We got to meet Holly Becker, the author of the book and the blog. She's as vibrant as the flowers she wears on her lapel and so relatable to many of us creatives, bloggers and regular gals who want to make our surroundings beautiful.

We got to indulge in some sweets, sparkling water and wine while having our books signed. We also marveled at the merchandise in Anthropologie Soho, where the event took place.

One of the highlights was a short talk on how to make a mood board. The evening's guests were Marcia and Paul of Zia Priven lighting. They discussed how mood boards help them design their light fixtures. In the photo, Paul holds up a crystal bracelet which was a jumping off point to create the gorgeous H20 chandelier. It's true that you'll find inspiration everywhere!

Here's the mood board that Holly came up with: a collection of fabric, ribbon, paint chips and magazine tear sheets that convey the look and the feeling you want for a room. The mood board zeroes in on what you're attracted to and is a practical tool for you and your interior designer. Let's try it out this week and turn our blah, disorganized thoughts into TADA! results!

Pantry Inventory

Hey, hey, happy Friday!

This week, I shared some thoughts on being more eco-friendly at home. These are simple ideas that anyone can do. Today, it's all about food storage.

How's your pantry situation? I must admit, sometimes I forget what's in my pantry, so I'm left with food items past their expiration date. What a waste. Definitely blah!

My solution? Blah scrap paper!

I use the blank side of the paper to make a list of what's currently inside my pantry. I attach this list to the inside of my pantry door.

I do the same for the cupboards where I store kitchen & cleaning staples and bathroom necessities.

Same with the contents of my freezer & refrigerator.

Once I use up the items, I cross them off the list.

I add to the list whatever new item is introduced.

This way, I have a running inventory of food and the stuff lurking in the back of the freezer are not forgotten. This makes meal preparation easier {get creative with what you have on hand!}. Plus the crossed out items are what I need to get on my next trip to the market or grocery.

As an added detail, make a master list of pantry staples that you have and save it as a file on your computer or mobile phone. Refer to it when trying new recipes or planning meals -- it will instantly tell you what you have or don't have without having to rummage around. Update it regularly and allow it to help you avoid wasting food.

I wish you all a weekend full of fun & sunshine!