The Downton Abbey Exhibit

One of the TV shows that I faithfully followed and miss terribly since it ended is Downton Abbey. 

Set in an English country estate in the early 20th Century, it chronicles the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants. 

Thankfully the Downton Abbey Exhibit is currently on-going in New York City showcasing sets, props, and costumes from the show. 

An audio guide provides helpful references and thoughtful facts. Here are a few photos in case you're a fan, too. 

Let's start Downstairs, the world of the household staff:

This egg holder is my favorite item!

The call bell system indicating the rooms of the estate

Now, let's go Upstairs, the world of the Crawley family:

This is how the table is set every evening

The gong that will announce that "Dinner is ready"

Apart from the beautiful outfits, the lavish accessories were on display, too:

It was a beautiful exhibit! If you're ever in New York City, stop by and re-live Downton Abbey. It runs until September. 

Straw Bags for the Summer

Hello guys! It's officially summer here in the U.S. and it's all about easy dressing -- dresses, flowy skirts, and shorts. To match the days-under-the-sun outfit, a cute bag is quite appropriate. 

The bag of the season is the straw bag, reminiscent of vacations in the French country, or adventures in Morocco, Asia, and Latin America where these bags are made.

I love the exotic vibe they bring to an outfit. Good thing I already have similar bags in my closet:

They call this the "bayong" in the Philippines. There are bigger, sturdier, and more colorful versions. It's traditionally used as a market bag and is filled with the day's finds like fruits and vegetables, and is carried at the crook of the arm.

I got this as a present. Two dear friends filled it with cookies, candy, and other treats. 

All I did was embellish the bag with pompoms...TADA!

The handles fit snuggly under the arm and it's roomy enough for all the things I take with me when I'm out and about.

Here is another bag I unearthed from my closet:

It's a clutch made from raffia.

To turn it from blah to TADA!, I added tassels and pompoms.

I feel very on trend without spending a lot of money...TADA!

Welcome Summer!

It's officially summer and I'm pretty excited -- lots of time outdoors, flowy dresses, sandals, popsicles, iced tea on the balcony, and lazy afternoons by the pool.

Enjoy the season!

A Little More Lettering

Hello everyone! I've been practicing my hand lettering. I've showed you some tools in my arsenal but my favorite to use are watercolors. Practicing this is an art in itself and helps improve the legibility of my penmanship. 

Here are samples of where I've applied it:

My own Thank You cards using blank correspondence cards.

Table numbers for a party or wedding reception.

These are little notes that I like to leave in random locations. My favorite place to leave them is at restaurants, on the bill tray after the check has been paid...I tuck the tip and this card inside the envelope for a staff member who has done an exceptional job. TADA!

I hope you liked these ideas. See you next week!

This One's for Dad

To all the great men we call "Father", "Dad", "Daddy", "Pops", "Papa", thank you for all that you do! Have an enjoyable day with all you love.

Bread Tags

Bread is a staple in our pantry. It's versatile to eat for breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack, or dinner.

Because of this massive bread consumption at our house, I've collected quite a handful of these bread tags.

Bread tags. Bread ties. Bread freshness indicator (did you know that the colors indicate the freshness of the bread? Yes! You can read more about it here) -- whatever you call them, this little plastic thingy can be turned from blah to TADA!

Just add googly eyes and a smile.

Use it to secure a gift bag if you don't have ribbon, twine or twist ties.

It gives a gift a lot of character!

As another option, decorate with washi tape or stickers.

Use it to close a bag.

And if you want, add more embellishments...TADA!

Here are other ideas on how to re-use these bread tags. If you have other ways to use them, I would love to hear about it. 

Have a great day!

Another Use for an Old Belt

Hi there! For the past two weeks, I've been making these:

Sleek leather key chains.

They were both made from this belt that was so overused, it snapped into two. 

After two projects, there's still some leather left over. It's a gift that keeps on giving!

I used the remainder to update this pencil roll. 

It originally had a black elastic tie to keep it from unravelling. This belt (quickly sewed on with needle and thread) provides a more edgy look.

I made three different things from one old belt...TADA!