{Factory Direct}

Thanks to a great find on the net by my sister I just bought these from Factory Direct Craft for way cheaper prices than retail. I'm so excited to get these for Christmas! You know there's only 101 days until the big day!

{Modern Country}

Trying to narrow down my taste, that's all...still dreaming!!! Great little store, check 'em out here!

{...on Restoration Hardware}

One can dream, right?

{Ikea Catalogue 2010}

Did ya get yours? Guess what I'm doing tonite???
IF you don't have it yet, check it out online here!!!

{August Cards}

{new scents}

Bath & Body Works has some new scents for their hand soaps! Oh, they are lovely!
The first one is: HERB GARDEN
The second one is:FRESH LIME BASIL
The last one is: GOURMET SPICE

I went and smelled them yesterday & they are all very nice scents for your kitchen! Not too overpowering. Gourmet Spice was very "Christmas" smelling though.

Bad news...the room sprays now came in at $7 each! I was not impressed~ especially because they haven't been on sale since the store opened! Some of my favorites that were in : Autumn Apple, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin,The Perfect Autumn, Spiced Cider, Vanilla Caramel, Cinnamon Stick, Harvest Berry

{The Pioneer Woman}

...want a great blog/website to start ( or continue ) your blogging addiction with? The Pioneer Woman has got to be the most well-rounded woman i've read on the web. her blogging speaks for itself. she has different sections: Confessions/Cooking/Photography/Home & Garden/Home Schooling. WOW! is all I can say! Have a looksie and you'll be amazed at everything she can do in a day--and that includes blogging!!! She has a new addition to her site: Tasty Kitchen dedicated to just recipes! let me know what you think!
oh and she's had Bakerella over for a baking weekend...(you'll have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find it)

{August Cards}

{...is change good? again???}

"The founding editor of Style at Home magazine, Gail Johnston Habs, is retiring at the end of May after 12 years with the magazine and 23 with Transcontinental Media."
so... I just finished reading the September issue of Style at Home ( if you know me, i subscribe to both Canadian H&H & Style @ Home every year) and I've just discovered that the Editor is also leaving...(i say ALSO because of my other entry about Canadian House & Home Editor Cobi Ladner leaving her position) EXCEPT i'm not sad or worried for the state of Style of Home. Why? Why? am i not having those same feelings? is it perhaps that GJH never made personal connections? is it because i never saw her making canadian appearances at Home Shows? Is it because i never saw her on Cityline or at the Jasper Park Lodge??? LOL or is it because every single time i wanted her to make a connection with me when i read her editors note she never "had me at hello"...maybe she doesn't speak Paula to me? maybe i shouldn't worry about it...but you know at least i had Cobi Ladner...she spoke to me...i guess to each his own, i just hope that the quality of magazine continues because both magazines are excellent resources.... but if you pick up this month's issue of Style at Home, which you totally should--it's AWESOME--read her final words...is it personal & touching to you??? your thots???

{cowabunga}

...so i went to my local scrapbooking store, Treasured Memories, which i think has the coolest paper selection. seeing as I'm in love with My Mind's Eye Paper lately, i picked up this line called Breaking Free/Cowabunga. it's difficult sometimes making cards that aren't too cutesy & frilly, especially since I have 3 boys & they tend to go to boys parties and I'm not a pink fan! i will post some photos of the cards i made this week. i've been on holidays, and it was my personal goal to sit down & make some cards!!!

{...take my breath away}

...wow...is all i can say, doesn't this kitchen just speak volumes to you? well, it does to me! over at jubella they had this as their feature today...oh my... look at that island for one...amazing & rustic to the nth degree...i can't say enuf about it! The pantry is gorgeous also...i can just imagine how much i coud store in there...then there's the flooring...take my breath away!!! okay, i'm off to stare at this photo again...do you think that might be Brad Pitt in that photo? yes, i think so...

{Holiday Ornament Swap '09}

I was very thrilled when i was invited a few weeks back to a "Holiday Ornament Swap"...needless to say, you know I was online fervently looking for a super cute ornament to make. I have to make 25 of the same ornament. One for myself and 24 to giveaway...we are meeting end of November to do our exchange!!! This is the best idea I've ever heard of. Apparently it is a "select" group of women....which in all honesty makes me feel good for two reasons: I know I will love the ornaments they make & that they will appreciate my work. I've started looking around at a few ideas, so I thought I'd share with ya'll...if you have an ornament idea that speaks "paula"...lemme know about it!!!

{Amy Atlas}

...WoW! Have you ever heard of her??? I just learned about Amy Atlas... I've seen many of her photos before but didn't know her name-- I absolutely love this- it's like I found a long lost toy or something like that....
She is amazing & has wonderful ideas. She also specializes in making dessert bars--"it's all about the sweets". Check out her work here!!! I love getting new inspiration!!!--for my next party!!! yes! Check out these beautiful displays & then check out her blog!

{serving dishes}

I was browsing through Crate & Barrel and came across these lovelies!!! I recently acquired this 3 part square glass dish




---I LOVE it, it is replacing the one that cracked while taking it to a function. That's the only thing I find difficult---precious dishes that get chipped!!! it's so sad! I try my hardest to not chip anything but the inevitable always happens! If only there was a magic bandaid for that! or when you lend something out & it gets chipped---oh that's even harder!!! what do you say??? Anyhow, checkout these pretties....I think I could look at these all day long!!!

{Baby Shower}

So, I finally got to host a baby shower & use some ideas that I've had stored over time and it was so worth it! Plus I got to make my own inspiration board tonite!!! My sister had a beautiful baby boy & he's my special little nephew!!!

I made the pom poms from Martha Stewart from scratch. The first one was a little tricky and then the others got easier & easier. I was a bit pressed for time so I made one a day and that seemed to work for my time management more. I also made the Baby Boy Banner ( already posted earlier) in one evening. I knew in my head what I wanted it to look like , so it was easy to put together. I was already in love with the paper...that always makes creativity flow. If the paper doesn't turn my crank, it is frustrating. I now only buy paper that speaks to me...why make it harder!!!

The food was inspired by several dessert bars & candy bar ( buffet style) I took some inspiration from my fave designer: Rebecca Thuss & from Oh How Charming. It worked out great. The attendees seemed to really enjoy the treats. There were parfaits, 4 types of cookies ( PB, Oatmeal raisin, Choco Chip, Double Chocolate), Caramel Apples, Cinnamon Candy Apples, Fruit kabobs, Mini Cupcakes (chocolate & vanilla mint), Caramel Popcorn, Yogurt Dipped & Chocolate dipped pretzels & Water Bottles!!!

The take home gift was homemade caramels wrapped in wax paper & put in tin wrapped bags. Loved the bags & ribbon!!! I printed a little tag with Baby G's pic & and a little "thanks for coming" note.

All in all, it worked out great. One tip I had to take note of from this shower is to give myself an extra hour for vendors who can at times make you late. I could have used just 1 hour more and i would have not been so pressed for time!!! but hey, what can you do?

I really enjoyed myself and think my sister loved it, so I was happy to have the shower for her & Baby G....btw, he was an angel!!!

{Baby Boy Banner}

I made this ridiculously cute baby boy banner for my sister's baby shower. i really loved the paper, i believe it was my mind's eye paper... too cute! check out this new line they have...how adorable is that ???

{flower trend}

now here's a flower trend that i can live with. first of all, i am not a "floral" person, so it's difficult for me to like things with alot of flowers....but lately i've noticed a VERY cute trend! I really like what they are doing with these: they are always layered & messy & crinkly!

{Shower Invites}

So I finally made some invites that I had stored in my head for long time! I really liked how they turned out & I received some really nice compliments from the invitees! ahhhh...that's what makes it worth it!

{taking it for granted}

...so i go every few days for a walk down to Bath & Body Works ( the store is on level one pretty much beneath my store!)...how lucky am i? i think that when i got home the other day and saw how my little stash is growing ..."for a rainy day"...i realized i had not even put my new babies on!!! how terrible of me!!! so here i post in my sweet shea infused fluffy socks! they are the best after a long day at work! ahhhh!!!!
These are the latest scents i've bought...they smell amazing: Island Nectar,Passionfruit & Guava and Pineapple Orchid....ooohhhh!!!

{ahhh...summer thots}

i came across this inspiration board and it gave me the sweet thots & feelings of a warm summer day. i yearn for it so much in this cold & dreary time. we were supposed to start spring this past friday & all i see is snow, in fact, fresh snow on the roads this morning....so i figure that i can come back to this board & make my spirit feel summer ....at least visually for now! ahhhh, the sweet smell of summer will be here soon--i hope!

{Pom Poms}

so these beauties have been around forever on the Martha Stewart website but i've never seen them made in "real life", never seen them at a party either. i have a special event i'm in charge of coming up soon, so i'm gonna give these a whirl! I think i need to start practicing soon. i know they will add a lot of flair & mostly be out of the way...they won't be taking up precious real estate on my dessert buffet table. i will post photos of my attempts soon!