Lovely Opp

Look at this awesome giveaway opp from Olive Bites.  It's a gorgeous leather journal (in none other than my fave colors) made by PeaseBlossom Studio!  You better bet I entered to win!  Happy Friday and happy long weekend!  I will be manning Etsy orders- so fun as new items are in the works for Summer 2010!  Yay!

Sweet Tooth

The last few days have been, um, crazy with my sweet tooth.  I mean really, what the heck!!?  Is it bad that I want everything shown in this photo?

Photo via A Cup of Jo

Randomness III

I missed blogging yesterday, I mean, I missed the opportunity to post- as well as actually MISSING it, I felt a little sad.  Yesterday began crappy.  I woke up with a ginormous headache that didn't actually fade away until well into the afternoon.  I went to work anyway and it was a bit of a struggle.  Lets not sugar coat actually, it was the mother of all lameness trying to get through the day feeling so uncomfortable.  I then came home to hubs who was cleary bummed about trying to send out a package to Hong Kong, but had issues at the  post office because the size of the shipping box was so large.  Poor guy- he's so maticulous with everything that deep down I knew he had probably spent about an hour carefully packing the dang thing, only to have to unpack it to try to fit it in a smaller box.  Lame.  Now we were both having lame days.    I knew I had to do everything it would take to help him with this issue, including researching where we could find the exact size boxes he needed, making phone calls, and trying to make it to the store(s) in time before closing.  In a nutshell, we found the box sizes he needed, we had a delicious dinner, we picked up some chocolates at Sees Candies, got a Cold Stone ice cream for dessert, came home and packed up his new box, and I made him new shipping labels.  Um..........yeah, I think we both ended our day better than expected.  I love my husband!

So it feels good to be back to my little blog.  I believe another "Randomness" post is well overdue!

Photo via Google

1.  Who would have thought that natural hanging cotton could be so beautiful (pictured above)?

2.  I got a Venti Starbucks frap this morning and I don't care (about the fat, added calories and sugar).

3.  Facebook, although great many times, is kind of on my S list lately! I tried to open a business page, accidently updated the profile to include my name, it switched over to a private individual page, and now will not switch back.  Come on FB- how about you add warnings to pages if they involve changing an entire format!!!

4.  White jeans are not made for everyone.  They just aren't.

5.  Just signed up for another run, this time with hubs and sis- race day is on July 4th (perfect for working out, then pigging out)!

6.  I always have to check if the flat iron is turned off at least 5 times before I leave the house.  Then I call the hubster to state the fact that I can't remember if I unplugged the flat iron.  I'm sure he can confirm he's stopped at home once or twice to check on this very detail for me.

O-M-G-!-!-!-!-!

So, why oh why do I have to find the most fabulous purse on Etsy this morning??!?  This baby is perfect, and is in my classic seafoam color.  I want :-P  But with car registration coming up, and loads of other things due, I guess it will go on my wish list!

Look at this beauty!  Found here

Why So Fast

This weekend has come and gone so fast (as weekends usually do), but I woke up feeling like I'm just not ready for the week yet!  Can I just fast forward to going back to wearing sweat pants, comfy socks, and being home with the hubs?  I SO WISH!!!

As many of you know, my Etsy shop is my ultimate life project and I enjoy working with clients to create custom pieces to be incorporated for special events in their lives.  My goal is for S&S to be my career, and if I could just get there, it would be so rewarding and satisfying. 

I've had a great time working on some recent orders for wonderful clients.  Here are some latest projects:

Wedding Party Tags

Place Cards

Remember Patti's awesome color scheme on her bouquet tags?  Well here are her completed table numbers and reserved signs!

More recent orders pending that involve table runners- super excited to be working with some amazing people! 

Calm Friday

Make it an awesome Friday!  I sort of wish I was sitting in a cozy cottage drinking chai with my hubster, surrounded by bright green fields and sheep while we sit on a comfy down filled sofa playing the game Clue.  Guess I'll have to settle for a photo.

Photo via SeeSaw

Cute Ones

My nephews are hands down, the absolute cutest boys ever!  I get random text photos from my sister, sometimes daily on my phone and I love them all.  Somedays I'll be sitting at work and check my phone and I'll have a few photos from them at the Zoo, at Sea World, at the park, or just at home being the little studs they are.  This shot was taken during last night's bath- how cute is this?

Oh, and they totally have a deep soak bath tub- no fair, I don't even have one of those! 

Hello Sunshine

I'd love to incorporate some yellow into our home decor, yet I'm still searching for that special spot.  We have lots of blue hues (that dang seafoam color has got me hooked for life!), so even a splash of yellow in a floral arrangement could offer a fresh splash of new brightness!  It doesn't hurt to take in some lovely inspiration:

via Country Living

via Lepapierstudio on Etsy

via Best Home Interior

via twolia

Biz Cards

Update:  I received an update from Alex over at The Aerialist Press that my biz cards should be all completed this week!  Um.......................YAY!  I can't wait to share, I know the letterpress nature in itself is going to be beyond amazing.  I'll share photos once I snatch them from the mail and have them in my large woman hands:

Mat Kearney - Straight Away

Can't ever deny the awesomeness of Mat Kearney

Mellow Yellow

I've decided to make it a yellow week, as I've been working on so many orders lately with yellow in their color scheme.  It's a fun color, bright, and cheery! 

Photo via Mandizzle

Photo via Always a Blogsmaid

Photo via Ashley King Photography

Photo via National Geographic

Another Lovely Maui Affair

So this weekend was jam packed with Etsy orders- I mean, packed to the MAX!  I did have a lovely Saturday evening with hubs walking around Coronado with a tasty dinner and classic stop for gelato, yet Sunday was an all work day, straight through.

I've been working with Haley, a soon-to-be bride getting married in Maui (which I always love).  She is getting married next week, so her order that started out as wedding programs, then grew into menus, place cards, and a table sign had to be completed ASAP.  I'm loving the result with her vibrant colors and fun tropical feel.  This is one wedding that I can't wait to see the photos of. 

Haley- have an amazing wedding day at the gorgeous Olowalu Plantation!

Menus and Place Cards

Cake Table Sign

Programs

Sample program was "fixed" to correctly spell the bride's name (funny story on that one!) eeeek!

Simply Love

A simple something I whipped up today when I had a glimpse of design inspiration:

I have an exciting new business partnership in the works, and I can't wait to spill the beans when all the details have been set.  Soon enough I'll be sharing the news!

Loving Pink

Loving all things pink lately, especially those that are flower-related- can't help it!

Image via Google

Photo via DK Designs

Photo via YeeHaw

p.s.- Pamela, oh Pamela, where art thou?  Pamela, you are the giveaway winner and I haven't heard from you yet.  Please email me to claim your prize you lucky duck!

La De Da

So this one goes out to the hubs, who is the best hubs EVER!  He knows how to make me laugh to the point where I can hardly breathe, I'm gasping for air, then he makes fun of my laugh, and it makes me laugh harder.  Anyway, those darn Travelocity gnome commercials get me everytime.  Hub's has taken it upon himself to make the little noises and add random phrases to the end.  Here's the classic one, which he text me last night:

"  La de da...de de de da...la de de da..more cheese balls please :)  "

Photo via Google

The Results are in......

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and awesome Mother's Day!  Thank you to everyone who participated in the first ever S&S Giveaway, as the responses were amazing and your lovely suggestions are very much appreciated.  I am excited to incorporate some of your ideas into new products for the shop and hoping to start on them right away!  Your thoughtfulness is more than encouraging!!!

Results:  So without further delay..........

Pamlea, please email me at spandseashells@aol.com and we can get started on your preference of customized tags!  Congratualtions!

And as a special thank you to all who participated, I'd like to extend a 15% discount on any new orders placed between now and May 25th, 2010.  Please mention the code RADreader in a message or convo to me, and a special listing will be made for you to reflect the discount.

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Friday- Yipee!!!!!

Yay for Friday (wooo hooo)!!!  Less than 3 more days to enter yourself in the first S&S giveaway, details here

So, have any of you watched Dhani Tackles the Globe, on the travel channel?  Last season it was named Dhani travels the globe, fitting because it's shown on the travel channel, yet they came up with a more clever name since he's a NFL player.  So my hubs got me excited about the show, and the new season has begun, but I have yet to see any of them.  I'm not much of a television watcher these days, but maybe I can catch up this summer?

Anyway, his show is awesome.  Dhani Jones travels around the world and visits different locations, a week at a time, while during his stay he immerses himself in the culture and attempts to master a sport of the locals.  How awesome?  What a life!  He approaches his stay with openess and willingness with a fun, light-hearted attitude, while reminding viewers to experience how lovely the world really is.  Watching his show really does make you want to take a vacation, but furthermore, it reminds you that there still are good people with good hearts living among us!

All images found via Google

Today would be rad if.......

Don't forget to check out the S&S giveaway, details here

Usually in the morning, I sit and wonder how the day could be much more rad if I was going to do ____ instead of going to work.  Usually, the thoughts are pretty realistic like: going out for a lunch date with hubs to get pizza, going to the coast to walk around and get gelato, or staying in comfy clothes all day and doing whatever the heck I felt like.  Well today I have some much more *wishful* hopes, but hey, once in a while it's okay to think this way:

Today would be rad if it started out like this:

Photo via PegandAwl

Then it would be rad to make a breakfast in this awesome kitchen (yes, it's the kitchen inspired from the movie Something's Gotta Give), which hubs and I have decided we will one day create a kitchen just like it when we own a home.

Photo via Google

Then I'd like to walk around all day with this huge bloom on my head because it's just gorgeous!

Photo via Sweetpea and Fawn

Even though I won't do any of these things, I'll still attempt to make it a rad day!

S&S 1st Official Giveaway!

It's that time for a ..............

Here's how to enter to win:

1.  Visit Sweet Peas & Seashells etsy shop here

2.  Return to this blog and post a comment (below in the comment link) stating your favorite item currently in the shop.  Lovely recommendations of additional products you'd like to see added to the shop or suggestions are also welcome!

3.  One reader's comment will be chosen at random to win customized bouquet tags, whether you have 1 in your bridal party or 10, you'll receive customized bouquet tags- every detail up to you including font(s), design, colors, and ribbon/tie.  If you are not planning a wedding, you can choose to make personalized labels or thank you tags (max. quantity of 15).  Giveaway = completely free, even the shipping is on me!

4.  Your comment enters you into the giveaway.  Comments must be received by Sunday, May 9, 2010 by 11:00 P.M. Pacific Time to be valid.  Winner will be announced Monday, May 10, 2010.

Good Luck!

New Excitement

I'm pretty excited to be working with Alexandra over at The Aerialist Press on my business card design.  I admit that I'm way overdue for needing business cards, it really should have been a detail that was completed before S&S opened shop.  With the little free time I had, I was working on the designs and wasn't feeling any of them were what I envisioned for my cards.  I contacted Alex and she's been amazing ever since!  She helps you reach a design you're pleased with, even if it takes several proofs to get it just right!  And here's the best part.................. they're letterpress!!!!  Yipee!  I never could have imagined and I absolutely cannot wait to get them in my hands.  I've always loved the look of letterpress for years, yet I've never found an affordable approach to making it happen, until I found AP.  Oh how I wish I would have found them during my wedding planning stages of invites, signs, and paper decor!  I will be sure to share the pretty little cards when they arrive!

On another note of new excitement, I've added a new item to the shop titled "Love Naturally."  It's a flag-style sign that would be great for a wedding, baby shower or nursery, or even just a fun photo shoot prop.  The hunk in the photo (otherwise know as hubs), not included. 

You can find this little treat here, available in my shop now- wink, wink!

A Few More Done

It's been an accomplishing past week with wrapping up a few orders, and it's been extra exciting that they were for PW ladies!  It's so fun to work with Project Wedding brides because I can tap into their planning bios and see what their visions and color schemes are. 

Ashley's chair signs are now completed, and I love the design she chose for her beachside destination wedding.  She's got a gorgeous color scheme and I cannot wait to see her professional photos.

I've also been working with Patti, another PW bride, on her bouquet tags and now some table numbers for her reception decor as well.  I also adore her color scheme and I'm looking forward to seeing it all come together.

Thanks ladies, I wish you the very best in your planning!!!