Book Launch: Oh Joy! 60 Ways to Create and Give Joy

So yesterday, I mentioned that I attended a fun book launch. It had all these festive and fabulous elements, I have to share the details with you!

Joy Cho of the popular blog Oh Joy came out with a new book. She's a graphic artist, product designer for brands like Target and The Land of Nod, a certified foodie, a wife and mother to two adorable little girls.

She's an author of several inspiring books for the creative entrepreneur but this new book is all about crafts to make and give. It's right up my alley!

The party was at West Elm in New York City. The store, closed early for this private event, was decked out in style. Look at these shiny balloons!

There was a DJ.

A Champagne bar.

And frozen treats from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.

I chose a combination of salty caramel and chocolate ice cream. Then I topped it with Oreo-tasting "black gravel". 

This gorgeous floral backdrop and table covered in colorful contact paper were all based on ideas from the book.

And the highlight of the night was having Joy sign our books. 

She was kind enough to chat with everyone.

Yes, everyone who bought the book and stood in line!

It was one great party, indeed.

Tomorrow, I'll try out a project from the book. Stay tuned!

Happy Spring!

Howdy folks! Can I share some photos of the gorgeous weekend?

Sunday: The sun finally came out and everyone was outdoors basking in the weather. Goodbye winter!

Saturday: Our family attended a baptism. I think springtime is the best season to welcome a baby girl to God's family because it's symbolic of new beginnings.  These are just some of the sweets at the dinner reception.

Friday: April is my birthday month and Anthropologie invited me (together with other gals also born in April) to a celebration! It included yummy treats and a birthday discount...TADA!

Thursday: I attended Oh Joy's book party. More about that and her book and all the crafts in it tomorrow. See you then!

Art in Bloom

Happy Monday! April is here and its first few days have been rainy and gloomy. But as they say, "April showers bring May flowers". 

And after our unrelenting winter, I can't wait to see the first buds of spring! 

As a preview of the new season, let me take you on a little trip.

We're going to Macy's in New York City.

They just concluded their annual flower show with the theme "Art in Bloom".

Here are the store windows:

The main display was on the first floor.

It's like a botanical garden was transported inside the store.

There were flowers in every turn.

The bouquet of the day changed every two days. Different designers like Martha Stewart, Polux Fleuriste and Kenji Takenaka each made a display. This particular one, blending hard and soft, modern and classic, was made by Oliver Giugni. 

The show "Art in Bloom" was the marriage of fresh flowers and art history.  

This is a tribute to Picasso.

A nod to Contemporary art.

The scenery of the Impressionists.

The solid colors of Modern art. 

 The comic touch of Pop art.

The Surrealist's view of the world.

The Renaissance garden.

A replica of the statue of David in one of the entrances.

Colorful images were projected on the white statue.

This was a light and sound show. The globes changed color to the beat of the music.

I loved this pocket garden by the escalators. They should make it a permanent fixture. It's a soothing spot in busy midtown Manhattan.  

It's no surprise that the merchandise like perfume, bags, and...

...dresses have a floral and flirty spin on them.

I hope these photos have inspired you to make your own paintings, create a flower arrangement or plant a few flowering seeds. 

Enjoy the coming week!

Easter Greetings

Wishing you all a beautiful day! Happy Easter!

Bunny Crafts

Happy hump day! I thought I'd share a bonus craft today, something anyone can do for Easter.

Remember this bunting I made two weeks ago? It was an afternoon of crafting where I taught some adorable kids how to design their own t-shirt.

With some bunny stencils, fabric paint and pompoms, we transformed plain t-shirts from blah to TADA!:

Aren't they cute? This craft technique is so versatile, it can be used on any surface.

The bunny patterns are all from the internet. I printed them on card stock and cut inside the design with a sharp pair of scissors. 

I thought plain table napkins would be something fun to jazz up especially for Easter entertaining. 

If you ever venture into the clearance section of home stores, they'll sell napkins for $1 to $2 a piece. The colors and prints are usually one-offs and don't match. But adding a design surrounding a certain theme (ex. Easter, summer, fall) will provide cohesion.

Here are some other materials we'll need: fabric paint, a foam paint brush, masking tape or painter's tape, and pompoms.

After washing, drying and ironing the napkin, determine on which part you'd like to add the design. Then, put a piece of cardboard underneath the fabric so the paint doesn't seep through the other layers. Tape the edges of the stencil onto the napkin with masking or painter's tape so that the stencil stays in place as paint is applied.

Using the foam paintbrush, add the paint inside the stencil with a pouncing motion.

Use several coats of paint (at least three) and set aside for a few minutes.

Gently peel off the stencil and allow this to fully dry overnight.

Once dry, attach a pompom for the bunny tail by sewing or with fabric glue.

This adds a handmade and festive element to your dining table. TADA!

Wishing you all a Happy Easter!