Magazine Make-over

Happy Monday Lovelies!

When the New Year comes around, I like to get rid of clutter. Easier said than done for a pack rat like me. I like to save things for their sentimental value and for opportunities to turn blah into TADA! Take for example these magazines:

I have different versions from Edible Jersey, Manhattan, Brooklyn, even San Francisco & Marin and Wine Country. These "Edibles" are beautifully produced magazines that shines the spotlight on the local food movement: buy/eat food grown in your town or city.

The photos are engaging {I have the urge to lick the page!}, the articles are insightful and the paper used is thick with a matte finish.

So instead of awarding them to the paper recycling bin, here's what I did:

I used some old, blah cardboard boxes...

And these crafty tools to turn the

magazine pages into:

Terrific and TADA! postcards!

I punched out leaves & flowers and printed

some sincere wishes:

I even decorated the back of the card {natural board}

to add some whimsy:

These will be my official greeting cards for 2011!

Eco-chic, don't you think?

Creative, Inc.

Happy Friday!

Here's another book on my reading list this year:

I'm a freelance writer and I know quite a few freelancers myself -- food stylists, photographers, graphic designers, TV commercial producers. Whether it's the career you're in or considering the jump, I think Creative, Inc. is a superb manual to know what you're doing right and determine how you can do things better.

It's authored by Meg Mateo Ilasco who wrote Craft, Inc. and Crafting a Meaningful Home and Joy Deengdeelert Cho of the lovely blog Oh Joy.

I thanked my lucky stars that I could make it to their

NYC book tour.

The venue: Michele Varian's shop in SOHO.

It was a packed event!

We got to check out Michele's gorgeous goods.

Pretty, pretty buntings.

Sweet things & overflowing wine.

I got to meet Meg & Joy!

Both of them signed my book.

What a thrill!

Have an exciting weekend!

Color on a Wintry Day

The snow fell again, covering the neighborhood in a layer of powder. I love snow. I love winter, too. But I'm not too fond of the cold weather. To deal with this "situation", I switch on some happy thoughts -- flip flops, summer dresses and flowers. It's a good thing I've got this new book I bought over the holidays:

It contains 25 festive and easy crafts to

keep one occupied, especially when

stuck indoors on a snowy day.

Paper+Cup is the baby of Truman and Minhee Cho

who also own Paper+Cup Design, makers of stationery.

Too bad I missed the book signing event.

And because I have my thoughts on flowers

and all things related to warmer weather,

I decided to make this flower gift tag.

I'm recycling red tissue paper {from a Christmas present}.

Cut a rectangle and fold it in half.

Cut out some petals.

Roll it up into a tight coil & attach it to a

piece of wire with some tape.

Wrap a strip of green paper to cover the

wire {use some glue} and add a leaf,

where you can write your message.

TADA! An instant flower to keep or give away.

This is cheering me up already!

Meeting Miss Bakerella

Thanks for stopping by! Because it's a new year, I have a list of new books to read and projects to try. Here is my book of the day:

It's written by one of my favorite bloggers, Bakerella.

She makes the cutest treats, throws really fun contests

and is such a nice gal -- no wonder she's gaining

all this success! Clap, clap, clap!

Here she is, Angie Dudley, also known as Bakerella.

I met her at her book signing event in New York City.

She makes these adorable cake pops:

And without sticks, they're called cake balls.

These were served at the event {take note of

the edible silver & gold paint}:

One is chocolate and the other, red velvet.

Yummy bites of joy!

I had to make these myself!

I used a boxed cake mix & ready-to-spread frosting

{No shame in that! Bakerella even encourages it},

plus some dark and white chocolate chips hanging

out in the pantry.

TADA! My black & white cake bites!

Scrumptious vanilla cake inside a chocolate shell.

I can't wait to make the character cake pops!

Oh la la!

P.S. I Made This

All this week, I'm sharing a list of books that have been inspiring me this new year. Sometime last year, I discovered this blog and by the end of 2010, she had already published a book:

Both her blog and book are called

P.S. I Made This.

What a witty title to describe the

do-it-yourself accessories by this

crafty fashionista, Erica Domesek.

Photo by Ben Watts via Stylecaster.com

Her inspiration boards are a sight to behold, her projects look like they're from the fashion glossies and her instructions are easy. Wanna see?

Who needs to spend on an uber-expensive bag

when you can make your own?

This playful necklace makes me look

forward to springtime!

Definitely blah to TADA!

I tried one of the projects featured in the book.

I took an old T-shirt...

Cut it in three parts and put away the

top and bottom for a future project,

leaving the middle section.

I folded it in half...

And cut fringes on both of the open ends.

Open it up, slip it around your neck

and TADA! -- a fun, frilly scarf!

Show off both sides of the fringe.

Or tuck in the top fringe and finish off with a pretty pin.

You can also roll up the scarf for it to look like a necklace.

Sassy and simple to do.

And P.S. I made this!

New Year, New List

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope 2011 has brought you a lot of Tadas! already.

Don't you love it when the new year comes around?

It's like a blank slate to make goals & dreams

come to life.

I don't make resolutions because not keeping them

is a blah. Let's just say I want to keep learning

and to try new experiences & adventures --

that's always TADA!

On the top of my list is reading more.

Including reading more cookbooks and learning

new cuisines like French cooking.

I've always tiptoed around this cuisine

because I've dismissed it as complicated.

Until I found this book:

It's part cookbook with easy to follow recipes,

part memoir with insights into French culture

lovingly written by Dorie Greenspan.

I knew very little about Miss Greenspan but I immediately fell

in love with her when she read excerpts from the book.

What a wonderful storyteller!

A gentle woman who would feed you, regale you with

stories if ever you knocked at her door.

And true enough, the recipes in the book were

simple enough for the home cook and received

TADAs! when my husband and I made

these at a recent party.

Here's what we made:

Chestnut and Pear Soup

{served as an appetizer}

Goat Cheese Mini Puffs

{I made the cream puff dough from scratch!}

Potato Gratin

{layers of potato, cheese & cream}

Pancetta Green Beans

I can't wait to try her other recipes

so I can make everyday blah meals

into TADA! meals! I might even join

French Fridays with Dorie.

Have a great day!

Wish No. 5

I have another wish for the New Year.

Today, I wish for:

Many, many more ideas to share with you!

Have a fabulous New Year and

a fun, fun weekend!

Wish No. 4

Here's another wish for 2011:

To remain optimistic and hopeful -- and may this

rub off onto everyone I meet.

Wish No. 3

To ring in 2011, I have a list of wishes for you and me.

Today, I wish for:

Generosity.

It takes very little to make people happy -- whether it's a little

of our time, talent and treasure.

May we give a lot of ourselves this year!

Wish No. 2

Thanks for stopping by today!

I'm making a list of wishes for the New Year.

Today, I wish for:

Joy in the simplest of things &

a joy that touches others.

A Wish for 2011

The New Year is here and all this week,

I'm making a list of wishes for 2011.

Today, I wish for:

May calm fill our hearts, minds and homes;

one that lasts throughout the year!