Handmade Greetings

Today, let's get our craft on and make a handmade card.

I'm inspired by the pink cherry blossoms against 

a clear, blue sky. 

 I'm using baby blue card stock and white envelopes.

{I got these on sale at Staples}.

 My impression of cherry blossoms rendered in watercolor.

I painted a few more blooms on a separate sheet and 

once dry, cut around the flowers. 

Then I attached these on the painted branches with 

mounting tape. 

That way, some blooms are raised, giving the 

card a two-dimensional effect. 

All I need to do is write an inscription inside, then it 

will be ready for mom for Mother's Day!

Blossom Bowl

If you look in our cupboards, you'll see that my husband and I like white dinnerware. Our dishes, platters and mugs are all white. Similar to how they do it in restaurants, we want our plates to be a canvas for appetizing-looking and delicious-tasting meals. 

White is also easy to replace in case we break a piece. And even if they're mismatched {as long as they're white}, there's a sense of harmony on the dining table.   

Here's the white bowl we use for everything from breakfast to dessert. Honestly, sometimes, I feel it's quite blah. Especially if I'm eating by my lonesome.

When I came across this bowl at a homeware store, it was love at first sight.

I was drawn to it because of the cherry blossom print. I think cherry blossoms are TADA! They represent new beginnings, the changing of the seasons, the quick passing of time, and that it's necessary to stop and admire the flowers sometimes. 

I bought this bowl without hesitation and it has officially become my breakfast bowl.

I use it for oatmeal {there's some apples, cinnamon and raisins in there}. 

I use it for a fresh fruit salad with a slice of banana bread on the side. 

I've also used it as a noodle or rice bowl for a solo lunch or dinner.

This bowl is a simple joy that turns my busy day from blah to TADA! 

Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Happy Monday everyone!

A dear friend of mine sent me this postcard from her holiday in Japan. How lucky was she to be there during the cherry blossom season! 

Cherry blossoms or sakura are a sight to behold, especially if they are planted in clusters. The Japanese even have a tradition called Hanami or "viewing of flowers". I think any reason to stop and appreciate nature is TADA!

Where I live, I get to experience Hanami even if I'm many miles away from Japan. I simply go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Around mid to end April, the cherry blossoms are at their peak. Being surrounded by pink trees is so surreal, it's like living in a fairy tale!

After a long winter, the trees exhibit these pastel flowers before growing their leaves. 

It's a common sight for urban dwellers to sit under this glorious canopy of pink. There are lots of picnickers, mommies and babies on a play date, and couples out to enjoy an afternoon. 

Japanese in this part of the world get to live and share their culture.

It's no surprise that many photographers and painters come here to capture this fleeting season. 

So beautiful. Sigh. 

A confetti of petals.

Sakura-inspired merchandise at the Garden Shop. 

 I zeroed in on the dishes and teapot-shaped salt and pepper shakers.

If you're ever in New York City, a visit to the garden will surely turn your day from blah to TADA!

Wear the Word

Hooray it's Friday! This week was all about bookshops, libraries and old books. Aren't they TADA!?

Today, I'm finding inspiration from crafters who've turned old book pages into jewelry. 

via etsy

This one's a pendant.

You can wear it with a chain, cord or ribbon.

via etsy

Dainty, dangling earrings.

via etsy

These are stud earrings for your little worrier friend.

via etsy

Leather wrap bracelets for a reader or writer.

via etsy

A statement ring that instantly takes you to Paris.

May you all have a wonderful weekend!

Old Book, New Use

Do you have some books with nothing better to do but gather dust on your shelf? Why not sell them, donate them or join a swap? Somewhere out there, someone may just want that book of yours.

I found this box in a tiny literary shop in Red Hook, Brooklyn. I helped myself to this book. New York is a culinary town and it helps to have a guide on where to go, don't you agree?

It was nice to read about the back story of many New York institutions, but this book was published in the mid-80's. In some ways, it was quite outdated.

Here's how I turned my free book from blah to TADA!:

It's inspired by a photo posted by Fiona on Cafe Cartolina. All she did was take an old book, fold the pages in half towards the spine.

Instead of folding right in the middle of the page {thus resulting in a flat sheet} like Fiona did, I decided to keep the petal shapes of the pages. 

 I kept going until I achieved a half-moon shape.

Then I randomly put in some things that needed my attention -- business cards of people whose websites/shops I want to check out, flyers of up-coming events, and thank you notes that I need to write. I even added my watercolor daffodil for a pop of color.

This is also a TADA! idea to display your business cards if you're a boutique owner or in your booth at a craft fair -- keeps them from flying with the wind.

And because I only used a section of the book, there's space below to lay writing instruments or a cup of coffee {no need for a coaster}.

An old blah book is now an organization tool. TADA!

A Sweet Surprise

Did you hear about this man who bought a secondhand book from Amazon? The book arrived and -- lo and behold -- it was signed by the author.

via imgur.com

The author: Martin Luther King, Jr.! And the man paid only $3.50 for it. Talk about blah to TADA! Hopefully, I'll get lucky the next time I poke my nose around a thrift store.

Maybe we can provide that gasp of surprise the next time someone opens a book. 

via Martha Stewart

I got this idea from the May issue of Martha Stewart Living. Artist Jordana Martin cut up a bunch of printed hearts, then puts them inside books she gives as gifts. 

I followed her instructions using blah paper scraps. Then I stuffed them randomly inside a book.

That way, when I lend a book or give one away, the recipient gets a shower of lovable confetti!

Here's another fun idea I got from Belen. When she borrows books from the library, she leaves a note inside the book before returning it. She uses sticky notepaper doodled with "Hello" or "Have a great day". Wouldn't you like that little shout out if you were the one who discovered the note?

Here's my version -- a tiny recommendation. I hope this doesn't get me in trouble with the librarian!

Let's all share the love, shall we?

An Ode to Books

Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by today. Can I tell you about a certain blah in my life? There are no more bookstores in my neighborhood.

First it was Borders -- I wouldn't let a week go by without a visit.

Then Barnes and Noble closed, too. 

It makes me sad. I know it's easier to buy books on-line these days {whether real books or electronic ones}, but nothing beats the feeling of stepping into a bookstore -- exploring the new releases or second hand versions, finding a corner, and perusing pages of potential buys.  I also love how a new book smells.

via Oh So Beautiful Paper/Kelly Cummings

This guy expressed it so well. Maybe he and I should hang out.

I sort of accepted the reality that bookstores are becoming a rare species...until I visited one that was out of the way. Then the feelings of longing came back. Why does this neighborhood get to keep their Barnes?! 

Geez. Thanks for listening to my rant. I know there are still many folks out there who are patrons of bookstores and real books. Maybe you'll enjoy these crafty finds:

via Etsy

A set of postcards

via Etsy

An cross-stitched bookmark

via Etsy

A print made from an old dictionary page

Even if bookstores are slowly disappearing, may we never lose the love for reading. That, I think, is TADA!