THE "WRITE" STUFF - anna bond

write letters, people.

call your friends today.

i am guilty too.

but these are lost arts....

+ we all need to revive connection.

starting today.

note it:

"connection" by the rolling stones

(photo credit: anna bond of rifle paper company. image from NSS.)

THE "WRITE STUFF" - this blog

sorry, i've been gone awhile.

after 2.5 years of opining, it's good to take a break.

getting the blog mojo back.

so much noise out there.

i just want to be music to my own ears.

and yours.

note it:

"you really gotta hold on me" by she & him

(photo credit: no idea. i just like this image. can't recall where i pulled it. feels like they could be zooey deschanel + m. ward or quite possibly the white stripes?).

GREEN IT: axel's desk

i'm working right now + would love to be sitting at this gorgeous, soulful desk.

imagine the love letters written here....

note it:

"harvest moon" by neil young

(photo credit: axel vervoordt)

THE "WRITE" STUFF: fallen trees

i'm a sucker for trees.

not surprisingly, these limited-edition handcrafted recipe boxes from rifle paper co. really whet my whistle.

salvaged from destined-for-landfill trees, each is eco-friendly, gorgeously designed + one-of-a-kind. plus, these charming recipe cards are throwback + fun.

i think it's the perfect wedding/holiday gift. by stocking the box with collected family recipes, it becomes an instant heirloom...definitely the "write" stuff in my book.

to wit, charlie (my son who "schooled" me in the ways of an old-fashioned apple peeler/corer, my latest obsession from williams-sonoma) made this single-crust beauty. a snap to make - even if you're 4 years old!

just goes to show you that fallen trees are as fabulous as apples fallen from trees....nourishment for the body + soul.

note it:

"american pie" by don mclean

charlie's "4-step" apple pie

(closely adapted from "mustards grill napa valley cookbook")

~ 8 or so large apples - peeled, cored, sliced about 1/4" thick (i like a mix of mostly granny smith with a few honeycrisp or fuji thrown in for good measure. my tip: place the apples in cold water spiked with lemon juice to prevent them from browning.)

~ 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

~ 2 teaspoons penzey's madagascar or mexican vanilla

~ 1 cup sugar

~ 1 teaspoon of penzey's apple pie spice (or cinnamon, if you prefer)

~ 1/4 teaspoon salt

~ 2 tablespoons flour

----

~ 1 pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, taken out of refrigerator to soften 15 minutes prior to assembling pie

----

~ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

step 1 - preheat oven to 425 degrees. make the filling by combining top (7) ingredients + toss to evenly mix.

step 2 - place pie crust in 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges by hand. pile the filling into the pie dish.

step 3 - dot the pie with butter + place in freezer for 15 minutes to "set" the butter (otherwise, it gets too greasy when cooked).

step 4 - bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. then lower temperature to 375 degrees + bake for 40-45 minutes or so longer. (start checking at 40 minutes + remove from oven when filling is bubbly + apples soft when poked with a toothpick.) serve at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

(photo credits: box, cards+tag/rifle paper co.; charlie+pie/lissa lowe; box close-ups/design*sponge)

STYLE IT: sugarboo

art prints in vintage wood frames.

perfect for any room in your home (and i personally think they would be incredibly special if hung in a nursery).

artful, soulful, beautiful...

sugarboo, i love you.

note it:

"those sweet words" by norah jones

THE "WRITE" STUFF: snail mail

i am way behind in email...and blogging.

sometimes i really miss snail mail.

note it:

"sign your name" by sheryl crow (cover of terence trent d'arby)

(photo credit: lissa lowe)

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

a few fun last minute ideas for the 4th:

~ cute menus

~ buckets of berries with cheery self-adhesive labels via office supply store + your printer

~ homemade pie (my fave!)

~ "operation gratitude" stationery station. this idea fires me up! (thank you, bh&g)...set up a postcard station where your friends + family write notes to our men + women in service. decorate the cards with "fireworks" stickers, glitter and send the bundle to:

operation gratitude

17330 victory blvd.

van nuys, ca 91406

have yourself a firecracker of a fourth of july!

note it:

"4th of july" by shooter jennings

(photo credits: better homes & gardens/menu, bucket, stationery + midwest living/pie)

THE "WRITE" STUFF - boo boo

pardon the lack of posts. i'll be on the mend soon.

note it:

(i hope) "everything is alright" by motion city soundtrack

(photo credit: printed card from man vs. george)

STYLE IT: the "write" stuff - part 1

yesterday i blogged about estilo weddings, the online shop that stocks such wonderful wedding goodies. within my post, i briefly touched upon paper.

so...today, i want to showcase custom designed wedding stationery suites and party invitations from eye design studio.

portland, oregon-based, shona lepis is the artist behind eye design studio. she is also a friend of mine.

very talented. one of a kind.

so should be your wedding day. importantly, the stationery suite sets the tone for your upcoming nuptials. it should be personal, personable and perfectly unique, i think.

shona's artisan creations not only articulate but showcase great design. collaborate with her and you'll want to frame every piece custom created for your big day.

she, well, has an eye.

if you live in portland, you're even in more luck. she will be making an appearance at the "2010 vintage bridal show" the weekend of february 27-28 held at the historic queen anne mansion from 11 am-6 pm (rsvp here). focusing on sustainability and affordability, this show will feature beautiful gowns as well as ideas for an eco-conscious + cost-conscious wedding. stop by (or call or email) and say hello.

she has "the write stuff."

note it:

"all you need is love" by lynden david hall (your time on earth was too short. you are missed. read more here)

(more of shona's designs here.)

STYLE IT: the "write" stuff - part 2

(part 1 + more of eye design studio's work here.)

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

i'm a binder junkie.

seriously true.

i actually create pretty covers + spines for stock binders from office supply stores by using handmade, hand-painted, recycled or specialty papers. many of which i've found at paper source (like these below).

for those of you who want colorful coordinating sets or for those of you who don't have time to make your own, these "signature pattern binders" from russell + hazel fit the bill.

save time.

then maybe you can work 9 - 5.

note it:

"9 to 5" by dolly parton

(photo credit: ad/russell + hazel; 3 binders/lissa lowe)

THE "WRITE" STUFF - lost art

letter writing is a lost art.

now's the time to pour your heart out.

from paperwheel, get this nifty notecard that's pressed with love on an antique 1923 chandler & price press. 100% cotton extra soft paper pressed with hand-mixed vibrant red ink + paired with a matching red envelope.

(see more fun letterpress from elizabeth here.)

reach out and touch someone...

note it:

"somebody" by depeche mode

THE "WRITE" STUFF - what do you have to say?

what do you have to say?

write it down (or sing it, slam it, film it, record it, photograph it, illustrate it, animate it....).

everybody has a dream.

share yours.

----

happy birthday to dr. martin luther king.

thank you for making the world a better place to live.

----

note it:

"live your life" by T.I. + featuring rihanna

(photo credits: paper pastries, darling paper goods...do take a look.)

THE "WRITE" STUFF - frenched

i'm a sucker for hearts so i really got a giggle when i spied this froggie card from night owl paper goods.

printed on eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch wood (yes, wood), this card is tongue...and cheek. tiny art too.

perfect for many occasions.

get frenched - ribbit!

note it:

"the rainbow connection" by jason mraz

BIKE IT: speedy delivery

i picked up this super cute card from paper & ink at lavish in hayes valley in san francisco.

its caption: "may the journey be merry and bright!"

so true.

note it:

"sleighride" by barenaked ladies.

BOOK IT: Stationery Trends

recently i penned an article, "branding your blog - ideas and movements cross media with fabulous effect," for stationery trends.

published by great american publishing, this fun pub is a must-read for anyone involved with or interested in the stationery, greeting card or gift industry. not only is it design savvy and modeled similarly to a lifestyle pub, but also it is chock full of great content. quite an enjoyable read on multi levels.

kudos to the founding editor, sarah schwartz, for creating such a top-notch trade magazine....and thanks for asking me to be a part of it.

(photo credit: great american publishing)

SATURDAY'S SPOONFUL - a small dose of sugar, spice + everything nice

is this a print or a pratt? both!

i really love andy pratt's limited edition, signed ultrachrome digital pigment prints. locales include: manhattan, brooklyn, queens, hong kong, boston + san francisco.

in this 8x10" of the "city by the bay," the colors used are a vibrant take on the traditional, particularly with the "painted ladies" in the foreground. and for $20, this artwork will brighten up any space especially framed with an oversize mat.

the biggest reason i'm so smitten: i met my hubby there...and just gave him a print yesterday to commemorate our 5th wedding anniversary.

we left our hearts there...you will too.

(photo credit: andy pratt)