Linda & Harriett

It's on: NSS 2012!

2012-01-26T12:41:00.003-05:00

After a lot of hemming & hawing over whether to exhibit at the National Stationery Show, I've decided to finally send in my check & make it official. And I'm excited! After seeing all the Twitter action & excitement from the Altitude Summit last week, I decided that more than anything, that's what it's about for me. The coming together, the swapping of stories, the fellow paper-loving friends. For better or worse, this is where we congregate. I didn't want to miss out on that and then feel disconnected. Of course, the business part of my brain will pipe in here & say that I can meet up with stationery friends without spending $3000. This part of the brain will also say that you just never know who's going to come through or who's going to be struck by your work. And that's the perfect opportunity to put your best foot forward. And I think that's pretty darn exciting. As someone who works alone a lot, these four days fill my need-for-creative-people tank.

So, stay tuned for some sneak peeks of fun new things I'm working on. NSS 2012, here we come!

Romney Christmas Card

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

My friend Patty sent me this BuzzFeed feature on the Romney sons where they had posted Craig Romney's Christmas card - and it's my design on minted and the one I used for our Christmas card, too. So fun! I wonder who else chose my designs for their Christmas cards...

Football Sunday: Cheese Head

2012-01-16T15:34:00.000-05:00

Since my Philadelphia Eagles didn't make the playoffs this year, we spent Sunday cheering on our friend's hometown team, the Green Bay Packers. Sadly, they lost to the Giants:( But we still got into the spirit, hats and all.

CUPPOW

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

How cool is this? A simple insert for canning jars & you've got a travel mug all ready to go. Learn more about CUPPOW here.

Three New Works

2012-01-04T21:05:00.001-05:00

I haven't made art for art's sake in a very long time. I always have a reason to create something - and usually a deadline. Until Minted unveiled its newest challenge a few weeks ago: the art print challenge. One of the big reasons I've joined Minted (where you submit designs to be chosen by the community) is to dive into & test new work without a lot of strings attached. No pressure to produce or price or market, let alone store inventory to pack & ship. Minted announces challenges pretty regularly, so I can choose to submit or not, depending on my schedule & interest.

This new challenge called for art that we'd hang on our own walls, that we'd want ourselves. I had been toying with a couple ideas in my head & this was a good way to 1) get them out of my head & onto paper and 2) possibly like the process & result so much that I'd be motivated/reassured to keep at it.

While I had more ideas for submissions, I decided to stick with three that worked well together & that meant a lot to me. In order of appearance, we have: Sea Fever, You are my Rising Sunshine, and Little Prince.

Sea Fever is a poem by John Masefield and was read by my sister at my dad's memorial service last month. I wanted to display this poem in my home, but wanted to hang or frame more than just a print out of the words. Done in this way, I can choose to read the words on one day and choose to just see the beautiful ship on the next - depending on how close I want to be.

You are probably very familiar with the folk song You are my Sunshine. My mom sang it to us when we were little and today, it is almost synonymous with her memory. In my print, You are my Rising Sunshine, I had originally oriented this at the bottom of the canvas, and then realized that it looked like it was setting and that the sunshine had indeed been taken away. So I moved it to the center where it becomes more of a rising sun - a beginning to beauty, not an end.

And finally, my last piece, Little Prince - words taken from the beloved children's book of the same name & words that came from a friend & have helped me through loss. I experimented with a star shape & it felt too literal. So I tried a circle, which given a circle's nature of never ending, seemed like a better fit. And as someone who'd put this on a wall, I like that close-distant relationship similar to the one in Sea Fever. You can read the words, but because they go up-side-down at times, you are almost forced to just see a circle of pretty lettering.

So those are my three submissions for Minted's art print challenge. What do you think? The challenge is now open to voting, so if you like them, check them out here and scroll down to Linda & Harriett to see & vote.

Thanks for letting me share these pieces and their meanings here. I realize that they're a little heavier than most of the submissions on Minted, but I sort of can't help it. It's a little bit of where I am right now in processing my dad's passing and a little bit selfish, I guess, too - because I would (and will) be hanging these on my walls. And I know I've been out of the game for a while, but isn't art supposed to be personal?

Lucky Mag Deal of the Day

2011-12-28T12:34:00.000-05:00

We're doing a BIG deal with Lucky Mag today: HALF OFF our 2012 Letterpress Calendar! Just enter luckydaily3 at checkout before 11am tomorrow. Happy almost new year!

See the Lucky Mag feature here.

The Simple Things

2011-12-28T10:56:00.001-05:00

Lots of Christmas toys in the living room & he wants to play with seltzer bottles in the kitchen:)

Vintage Hankerchief Calendar from Mink Press

2011-12-21T11:18:00.000-05:00

I'm really into the gift of art this year. I've purchased & framed a few prints for my family and am excited to give them. But it's sort of a tricky thing to give because 1) art is personal and 2) not everyone has the wall space for it. But I couldn't help myself. They were too good to pass up. And I always think that if I can't get it for myself, then I'd like someone else to have it. Speaking of too good to pass up, how lovely is this letterpress calendar from Mink Press? I don't post on other paper goods often, but this one really was too good to pass up! I'd love to cut these vintage hankerchief prints & frame them after the year is over. I'd pick my favorite four & keep the square layout. How beautiful. This week, buy 2, get one FREE right now over at Mink Press.

L&H on minted: The Hackworth Holiday Card

2011-12-20T12:17:00.002-05:00

From time to time, I get emails from customers about how they've used or given L&H goodies. The most recent one was from Katie Hackworth of H2 Design. She emailed me to tell me that she scratched her ow original Christmas card design in favor of my Handlettered Merry Christmas card on minted & was so pleased with the design & the ease of the process. Her card was so lovely, I asked if I could share it here. And luckily, she agreed! Isn't it so cute? I love the wallpaper backdrop & sweet family pile-together portrait. Well done, Kate! And thanks so much for letting us all see!

And for those of you who still need to send out your cards, minted is now offering 15% off your order with code SLED15. Click here to check out the L&H collection.

Meet a Mintie

2011-12-19T15:22:00.003-05:00

This page from my sketch book (showing the 2012 letterpress calendar beginnings) and a few other pics on minted's column, "Meet a Mintie" featuring moi right now:) Big thanks to Natasha - for the interview & for getting me to join minted this year!

From the Desk Fridays: Holiday Cards & Tags

2011-12-16T10:39:00.002-05:00

We're getting close to sending out our L&H holiday card. I decided to go with my favorite design from my collection on minted: Handlettered Merry Christmas. The second image above has some Sharpie embellishment:)

I thought I'd also share the gift tag I'm using this year, which I created through minted as well using my Merry Merry design. I wanted to add something to the gift that would make people smile. And I think this itty bitty tooshy does just that! :)

psst! - minted is offering 2 great shipping deals through tomorrow! Get free 2-Day shipping on orders of $75 or more. Use code GIVE75. OR choose a free upgrade to 2-Day Shipping when you spend over $45. Use code GIVE45 for that one. See the L&H Collection here. (Promo ends tomorrow, Dec 17)

Christmas Mantle Teasures

2011-12-06T12:33:00.001-05:00

My three siblings & I recently divided up some Christmas decorations that belonged to my parents. My mom especially loved Santas. And because of that, my dad did too:) They loved & collected these hand-carved Santas - beautiful works of art that I never appreciated until recently. I brought home three of them last week & promptly put them up on the mantle. Last night, I added a few wooden ornaments & some Swedish wooden trees from my parents, as well as some pine cones and a strand of shiny silver bells that was a gift from a friend. I love our mantle of gifts, treasures & memories - and understand how my parents felt all along - that these are far more than simply decoration.

Hello Again. And Let's Get Our Holiday ON!

2011-12-03T10:34:00.001-05:00

I've had a pretty rough November, to say the least. So I'm glad it's December & that I can focus on the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season - my mom & dad's favorite holiday. I know why they loved it (a time for all of us to be together & celebrate that togetherness) but I'm hoping to share with you over the next few weeks how they loved it - the hand-carved Santas they collected & adored, the lights they wrapped & wrapped & wrapped around trees, the ornaments they kept for over 30 years. They loved finding, decorating and preserving their Christmas treasures. And I'm hoping to share how I'm keeping these things (and therefore a piece of them) alive by bringing them into my own home. Until I get into it, I thought I'd quickly share the two gift tags I did for minted were just launched yesterday. Find them amongst my holiday card collection here. I purposely included non-traditional colors for both, but specifically the Chevron design so it didn't expire on December 26th. I also made sure to include the red & green color combo for people like my sister Kim, who can't get enough of it:)

See you again soon. And thank you for supporting me in this incredibly difficult time and being patient with me while I use this platform a bit to work through it.

My Dad, Griffin's Pop

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you check in here often, you may have noticed my silence over the past couple weeks. My dad has been battling lung cancer for the past nine years and recently found himself in a fight for his life. So I, along with my stepmother & siblings, went to him and was with him until the moment he passed, yesterday morning, peacefully and without suffering. I'm feeling lots of things, but perhaps more than anything at this very moment, I feel grateful for the goodbye - something I did not have with my mom 13 years ago. My heart is heavy and aches already for his company, for our pb&j lunches, for his incredible stories, but I'm comforted knowing he's not suffering anymore. That he is in a better place. And that he's with my mom once again.

I've been lucky enough to have Nicole holding down the fort here at L&H and thanks to her, we'll be having a big sale after Thanksgiving. I might choose to stay silent for just a bit longer, but because I love this blog & the relationships I've formed through it, I wanted to let you in on what's going on with me. So, for now, be well, have a Happy Thanksgiving, and I'll be back soon.

xoxo

Liz

(Above is a chalkboard drawing my nieces & nephews did for their Pop:)

L&H Sale on MYHABIT

2011-11-17T10:47:00.000-05:00

The chic & hilarious beauty buff Eva Chen has curated a sale on MYHABIT. She asked us to participate, and as a special offer, we've included a gift set that includes two notepads & three note card boxes. A $66 value for $36. (Psst, you'll also find our 2012 Letterpress Calendar on there for a mere $20.) Head on over to MYHABIT to purchase. Sale ends this Friday.

L&H in Lonny Magazine

2011-11-16T10:05:00.001-05:00

Thank you, Lonny mag, for featuring our 2012 Watercolor Calendar in your beautiful gift guide. We're honored.

L&H Birthday Calendar at Anthropologie

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's a very exciting thing to have interest from an Anthropologie buyer - or any buyer of a establishment where you actually shop, not to mention one you admire & feel inspired by. I remember going to the flagship store in my hometown of Philadelphia when I was in middle school and thinking, knowing, that they had the coolest stuff I'd ever seen. And I still think that. So, it's a real honor for me to now have our Birthday Calendar in Anthropologie. I just noticed that it's up online and should be in stores now, too. (Think it's time for a field trip. I mean business trip. Definitely business.) I like what they said in their description of the calendar online: "We think every day should be a celebration." You said it!

[images courtesy of Anthropologie.com]

Holiday Card: Campbell Raw Press

2011-11-02T10:09:00.004-04:00

I love this letterpress holiday card from Campbell Raw Press. The simple lines & blind letterpressed snowflakes feel so peaceful. Such a nice little reminder of what the season should bring to us all.

My Little Lobbie

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Griffin's first costume was not really suitable for the frigid weather, so we stuck our little man into this hand-me-down fleece lobster suit, complete with claw mittens. Perfectly warm & soooo snuggly.

Treat Yo Self

2011-10-31T10:15:00.000-04:00

The love I have for Aziz Ansari cannot be denied.

Treat yo self to another take here.

Holiday Cards: 15% off

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

Psst. Minted is taking 15% off your holiday cards if you order by October 31. Just use code MERRYAFF at checkout. And the best part is, you can buy them now & upload your photo later. Genius.

The samples of the ones I designed came in the mail last week. The one above is my favorite.

Go see more here.

Good Shirts

2011-10-27T11:02:00.002-04:00

Wants For Sale was started in July 2007 by Christine & Justin Gignac. All of the paintings on Wants For Sale are the price of the actual item shown in the painting, whether that’s “A Slice of Pepperoni Pizza” for $3.00 or “A Gold Watch” for $287.19 - or a "First Night in Vegas" for $299, shown above.

Needs for Sale is its charitable counterpart where the items shown are donated to charity. Good Shirts is a collaboration between UNICEF, BBH New York, and Threadless. The design on each shirt symbolizes the type of aid UNICEF is delivering in the Horn of Africa. T-shirts shown here are Therapeutic Milk for $85.75, Deworming Tablets for $36.10, and Cargo Flight for $300,000. 100% of your donation will go to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support life-saving relief efforts for children. Pretty great concept. See all 12 shirts for sale here.

[images courtesy of Wants for Sale and Threadless]

Winners & Congrats

2011-10-26T11:39:00.000-04:00

The Rikshaw Seahorse Sundress goes to Heather!
The Letterpress Calendar goes to Jodie D!
The Watercolor Calendar goes to Sarah H!

Congratulations to our winners. We'll email you for shipping info.

Thanks to everyone who participated! We'll be doing more giveaways leading up to the holidays, so be sure to stay tuned.

From the {Studio} Fridays: Paper Quilt #2

2011-10-21T10:18:00.001-04:00

Here is the other paper quilt I made recently - lighter & brighter than the other one. The custom-made oak frame from Bellboy is gorgeous & a perfect compliment in color & in form. I think this quilt could look great in a lot of different spaces - in a nursery or above a guest bed are my first thoughts, but I think it could really cozy up an otherwise sparse dining room or add color & warmth to an entryway. For now, it'll be warming up my mantle:)

I hope to continue making more paper quilts. These first two are about 2.5' x 2.5' but I hope to make some that are twice as big, if not bigger. The challenge will be to find a space to fit it, but I can't get it out of my head, so it's gotta happen. Stay tuned!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Two Giveaways: Rikshaw + L&H

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

We don't do giveaways very often, but if it's good, I'm in! And today, I'm excited to announce that we have two great giveaways for you to enter. The first is this adorable girls Seahorse Sundress ($58) from Rikshaw Design. I'd love to give this to one of my nieces. It's so darn cute! To enter, first leave a comment below and then go 'like' Rikshaw on Facebook here. You have to do both to be officially entered.

The next giveaway is from us & our first 2012 calendar giveaway! Two lucky readers will win each win one of our 2012 calendars (one letterpress & one watercolor). You might already have one, but does your friend or co-worker or mother in law? Gifts, people. Gifts! Don't wait til December 24th. It's just not as fun then. Trust me. To enter, just 'like' us on Facebook here and complete the quick sign-up. (Your e-mail address will only be used for this giveaway and nothing else.)

For both giveaways, you must enter by next Tuesday October 25. We'll announce the winners on Wednesday October 26.

Good luck!

New Wedding Invites: Please Vote!

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

I recently submitted nine designs to Minted's Wedding Invitation design challenge. As you know, I've discontinued my custom invitation work, so for me to be able to offer new wedding work in this way is a real thrill. And since I sometimes feel like I work in a vacuum, it's also really gratifying to receive feedback from other designers during the voting stage and then from Minted's customers via sales. But of course, none of these will ever go on sale if they don't get the votes! So, here goes my shameless plug: if you like any of these invitations, please click on it to vote for me! And leave comments below, too! Would love to hear what you like! Many many thanks for your support in this new venture.

From the Desk Fridays: Work in Progress

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

A few things I'm working on - trying out some colored pencil, some quilting & some stamping. Stay tuned for more on all this next week. Have a great weekend!

[all images copyright Linda & Harriett]

L&H for minted & 15% Off

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

I cut back on custom work about a year ago to free up my schedule for other projects & parent-time. It's turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made, but I can't help but feel like I'm letting people down when they ask for custom work & I don't have anything to offer.

Until now. Thanks to some kind persuasion, I started submitting designs for minted's design challenges - a platform that allows anyone to submit a design to be chosen by the public, as well as minted's employees & guest judges. Five of my designs were chosen as Editor's Picks, all shown above. The bottom one came in #15 place overall. Everything I've ever received from minted has been beautifully designed & printed, so I'm thrilled to have joined the minted community to be able to offer my work in this new way. And as long as my designs keep doing well, this is where you'll be able to find me for custom work. Check out the holiday card selection by clicking on the image above or right here.

AND! Use code EARLYBIRD15 for 15% off when you order by Monday, October 17! Happy holiday card shopping & thank you for supporting L&H!

A Visit: Blue Hill at Stone Barns

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

John & I had our 5 year wedding anniversary a few weeks ago and to celebrate, we treated ourselves to a night away at an inn about an hour north of the city. On the way, we stopped at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. We've never toured the property before & it was fantastic. Almost every part of their farm is open to visitors, so you can see all the food up close - the arugula, the herbs, the pigs, the chicken & the turkeys (getting ready for Thanksgiving!). It was a great day - I'd highly recommend a visit. The night away was great as well - and also highly recommended:)

[photos: my new hot pink shoes!, the coop tower, library books, cuddly sheep in the pasture]

1st Birthday: A Few Pictures

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

Thought I'd share a few pics from Griffin's first birthday yesterday. It was SO much fun - for Griffin and his parents! We sang Happy Birthday in English & Swedish several times throughout the day (I couldn't help myself!), we opened gifts & made lots of oooh & ahhh sounds, and we ate (sort of) cake. The biggest surprise of the day came with said (sort of) cake-eating part. Not only did Griffin not face-plant into his cake like we thought (& were hoping for), but he barely got a thumbprint-taste of icing and gagged. Fruit didn't fall from this tree on that one. He had Cheerios instead. Icing gagging incident aside, a fantastic first birthday.

ONE YEAR

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it. My little baby is a whole year old today. We're celebrating with a few toys, some cake (for hands & face, mostly) and his new favorite thing: balloons.

I love you so much, Buster.

xoxo

Mommy

Paper Quilt #1

2011-09-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

I've always loved quilts. I had one on my bed growing up that was from my mom's family & now have & treasure in my own home. I have a couple small ones framed from a dear friend & quilter, who also made one for Griffin. I love them on the walls, on the bed, on a side chair. Anywhere. I just love the way the patterns come together. So when our misprint bins (our big collection of unsellable paper) starting filling up, I started thinking about what to do with all that paper. We've made flower pins, tags, little book covers, sold them during Craft Bin Sales, & use them for writing thank you notes that we include in every order. Then I got an idea for paper quilts, as I call them, last summer. I've been thinking about, talking about, planning & swatch-prepping these quilts ever since.

Today, I'm very pleased to introduce to you one of my first finished & framed paper quilts made from this unsellable paper: The Seaside Quilt. It's got whales & sailfish from the 2012 Calendar, Blue Zig Zags from 2008, and Sailboat Flats from 2010. The quilt would not be complete without a proper home - a gorgeous walnut frame, custom-made from Bellboy - a good friend & Brooklyn-based woodworker.

It's always a little scary putting something new out there. Something you dream up in your head to be great. And when it's all said & done, you love it. It's exactly what you imagined. But will other people resonate with it as I do? (It's sort of how I feel going into the Stationery Show every year.)

I've got one more framed quilt that I'll show you later this week, as well as a finished but unframed "Baby Quilt" I did for Griffin. Not your traditional baby quilt, that is for sure. So stay tuned. And... do you like?? I'd love to hear what you think!

From the Desk{top} Fridays: Minted

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

I recently submitted a few designs to Minted for its Holiday Gift Tag Challenge. I ran out of time to submit more (darn it!), so there are just three up there, but I really like each of them & am happy they're all different. I think the Watercolor design above & the Inky Chevron design below are great for holiday because they're festive & fun, but can be used after the holidays too - a little multi-purpose element I always appreciate. And the Merry Merry design at the bottom is a great photo tag option - just nice & simple. I love gift tags & am so happy Minted has introduced them! Head over to Minted to check out all the designs - or click on the individual design here to take you directly to the voting page to vote for me! If I get enough votes & the designs get chosen, you'll able to buy them on Minted very soon! So fun, huh?

Also, just yesterday, I found out that one of my holiday card submissions, Handlettered Merry Christmas, is a winner! It came in 13th out of 2251 submissions. Hooray!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Egg by Susan Lazar

2011-09-22T10:56:00.000-04:00

Egg has some of the best kids clothes around. Period.

[images courtesy of Egg]

From the [Freezer] Fridays: Steve's

2011-09-16T07:04:00.000-04:00

I love ice cream. Love it. Always have multiple pints in the freezer. Eat it on sweltering days & freezing cold nights all the same. I gave up alcohol for 9 months (really, closer to ten - am I right mamas?!) and found that challenging. Giving up ice cream for that amount of time would be nearly impossible for me. So, when I tried Steve's (that I originally bought for the pretty packaging) I wasn't expecting anything revolutionary. I'd tried it all; this was just simply changing up for the night. Ohhh how wrong I was. Instead, I had found it. The best ice cream in the whole wide world: Salty Caramel by Steve's. If you haven't tried it, find a place that sells it and tell me that's not the best thing you've ever had. (No don't, actually. I won't think of you in the same way.)

And! Fellow Brooklyners, they're opening a location on Atlantic Ave. Hooray!! (And uh oh.)

New Headers

2011-09-13T07:03:00.000-04:00

I've added some new headers to the website for Fall. And as you can tell, I'm continuing to work in watercolor & ink, which has been such a fun & freeing departure for me. I'll keep going til I get bored. But that seems far off.

Surfing USA

2011-09-12T10:32:00.000-04:00

Wish I could have seen this Quicksilver Pro surf competition at Long Beach last week. 21 year old Australian Owen Wright won the biggest prize check in pro surfing history — $300,000. Check out the slideshow here.

[photo courtesy of Barton Silverman/New York Times]

Ten Years

2011-09-09T10:08:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11th. I wasn't here in New York, but my dad & brother were and have pretty scary memories of that day - as we all do, really. Thinking of everyone lost on that tragic day & wishing us all the strength to keep on keepin' on.

Early Bird Gets the Worm

2011-09-08T07:45:00.001-04:00

The L&H 2012 Calendars are now available online! And psst, you can get 15% off if you order by Friday. Just use code EARLYBIRD upon checkout. Happy shopping!

Hanna Anderson for Serena & Lily

2011-09-07T09:59:00.000-04:00

Swedish company Hanna Andersso n makes the best children's pajamas. They're footless (perfect for growing limbs) and they zip (easy for changing fussy night-timers & dirty diapers). So it's no surprise that they have collaborated with the line Serena & Lily on a new line of baby sleepers. Love these stars & stripes ones.

[images courtesy of Serena & Lily]

From the Desk Fridays: My Wall

2011-09-02T14:05:00.002-04:00

We're going to be reorganizing the L&H office in the upcoming weeks, including this wall above my desk. So before it's rearranged, I thought I'd take a few shots of it. I didn't realize it until now that there's a lot of red, and there's three pictures of me & my dad. I didn't know I was so drawn to red. I did know I'm drawn to my dad:)

Happy holiday weekend, everyone!

2012 Arrives Next Week

2011-08-31T09:58:00.000-04:00

We're launching our 2012 Calendars next week! We've got our letterpress calendar, featuring a cut-and-keep postcard on each month - always a favorite feature - as well as this new watercolor calendar, above, which I really love for its color & size. Sign up for our newsletter over there on the right to get an Early Bird discount code sent to you next week.

Hurricane Evac

2011-08-30T12:56:00.000-04:00

Hindsight is 20/20. We fled Brooklyn late Friday, shivering with memories of last fall's tornado when the trees looked & sounded like they would crash through the windows. Turns out, nothing happened here & were surrounded by heavy winds, failing power & falling trees up north. The silver lining was Griffin getting to spend time with his Farmor (grandmother in Swedish) and Nonno (grandfather in Italian). We hunkered down, lit candles, played cards, and baked cookies. And thankfully, returned to a dry home. Hope your hurricane experience was as mild as ours.

Paper Swatches

2011-08-23T10:04:00.000-04:00

Finally working on a project I've been thinking about for over a year. Excited to share soon. Stay tuned.

Happiness

2011-08-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

I could look at this happy guy all day.

Beach Baby

2011-08-16T10:28:00.000-04:00

Sheesh. I didn't mean to be gone so long. But I enjoyed my unplugged vacation too much & have been trying to adjust ever since returning. Here are a LOT! of photos of Griffin from our two weeks at the Jersey Shore, where he dug & ate sand, played dress-up with cousins, hung out in diapers & sun shirts, laid back in a floaty, took magnets off the fridge, chewed shovels, and was a good sport when we put sunglasses on him indoors. Ah, Summer at the beach, we miss you already.

Hockenheimer Mag & Newspaper Stool

2011-08-04T14:28:00.001-04:00

I'm posting from my family's beach house, where we've been hauling out a ton of old furniture & knick knacks that have been idling here for the past 15 years or so. It's never easy getting rid of things, but I always feel so much better afterwards. It's the same feeling when I clear away my cluttery desk. I have a clear head. I feel lighter. Now that we're clearer & lighter, we're looking for a few new things to fill the holes. This clever stool caught my eye as a great combo of old & new. Perfect for hoarding those mags you don't want to toss (Domino!) and a great excuse not to.

Hockenheimer Magazine and Newspaper Stool via Remodelista

Color Inspiration: J. Crew

2011-07-27T10:57:00.000-04:00

I walked into J. Crew yesterday & found myself in color heaven. I love this warm red strap against the green shirt. I don't know why people always shy away from pairing red & green, as if it only means Christmas. I love red & green together. Also loving these bright hues below, as well as the two-toned yellows. So beautiful, J. Crew.

[images courtesy of jcrew.com]

Manhattan in Motion

2011-07-25T07:20:00.002-04:00

A beautifully done time-lapsed video of Manhattan.

[Mindrelic - Manhattan in motion from Mindrelic on Vimeo.]

Guest Blog at SimpleSong

2011-07-20T09:43:00.000-04:00

Suann so nicely asked me to contribute a post while she's away. She asked for my perfect summer outfit. I added one for Griffin too:) Go check it out here.

Thanks, Suann!

Griffin - 9 months

2011-07-14T09:55:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since Griffin has made a blog appearance, so I thought I'd post a few. Above, lunch with Aunt Katie in Brooklyn. Chunker loves his bread basket:) Below, hanging out with Kingsley, his best bud. And watching the piranhas at the Brooklyn Zoo, safely behind the glass.

Interview at Dry as Toast

2011-07-07T11:20:00.000-04:00

Dorkys Ramos from Dry as Toast recently interviewed me re the biz & life. It was sort of fun answering her questions & discovering a few things about my new Mommy role in the process - like how I felt inspired by a rubber ducky. Read the full interview here.

Thanks, Dorkys!

Now Open!

2011-07-05T13:53:00.000-04:00

Here we go again! The Outlet & Craft Bin are open again for the next two weeks. We've got lots of new stuff this time around. My favorite offering is our envelope liner sheets, which I've personally been hoarding & using for gift tags, handmade cards, and of course gift wrap. I've also used it to wrap around empty cans that now hold paper clips & push pins. Let me know how you're using it. I'd love to see!

Coming Soon: Outlet

2011-07-01T07:58:00.000-04:00

We're opening up the Outlet again! This time with a lot of new stuff: Envelope liner sheets as gift wrap (above), note card flats, and Christmas cards & tags. Stay tuned for details and sign up for our newsletter on the right-hand side to find out when it opens.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend!

Winnie the Pooh the Movie

2011-06-28T07:09:00.001-04:00

I had heard that this was coming out, but last night was the first time I saw the trailer. I was laughing out loud & close to tears at the same time. It reminds me of my mom, who loved these adorable characters, and just seeing this two-minute trailer makes me feel like a little kid.

"You must be catching a cold." ... just thinking of this line makes me smile.

Thanks, iVillage!

2011-06-27T15:28:00.000-04:00

Thanks so much, iVillage for posting our Summer Notepads in their round up Fourth of July Frugal Finds: Red, White & Blue under $50.

They included some great stuff. I especially like this Anchor Doormat. It's not very Brooklyn but I'm tempted:)

Google Chrome Ad

2011-06-20T15:01:00.000-04:00

In honor of Father's Day, I'm posting this ad that tugs at my new-parent heart strings & makes me cry every time I see it - even if I just catch a few seconds of it.

I blame my little sack of sugar.

From {Vacation} Fridays

2011-06-17T12:44:00.000-04:00

We took Griffin to PA last weekend to be baptized, along with his youngest cousin. This shot above shows my favorite part of the ceremony - when the priest raised Griffin up and said, "I present Griffin" with applause from the entire congregation. It was such a special moment.

So yes, his pants are unbuttoned. He's a hefty little fellow, and Mama was trying to give him some breathing room in his fancy seersucker slacks. I'd like to think he didn't cry because he was comfortable:)

I'll share a few more pics next week. Have a great weekend, everyone.

(Thanks for the great shot, C!)

Goodbye Home

2011-06-10T21:42:00.001-04:00

One of my best friends left New York this week. I know it's the start of bigger & better things for her, and I try to focus on that to make myself feel better, but I miss her already. And terribly. We've shared several homes over the past 16 years - Pennsylvania, Maine and New York - and I feel a little lost knowing she's no longer a walk down the hall, a stroll across the quad or a quick subway ride uptown. I'm not sure what I'm going to do without her, but I think it involves being better at talking on the phone.

She recently posted some of her favorite New York snapshots & I'm re-posting a few of them here. Such great New York moments.

I miss you Miss Lizzy!!!! Go get em sister.

[All photos taken by Lizzy Sall.]

Notepads are up!

2011-06-06T10:01:00.001-04:00

Get em while they last. Our summer notepads are up! Soon I'll post a list of stores that carry them.

Check out my boat shoe - appropriate given the imagery:) When I design holiday cards, I wear a Santa hat. No, no I do not.

Notepads: Available NEXT week!

2011-06-03T07:01:00.006-04:00

I lied. The summer notepads will be available next week, not today. Sorry! We had to make sure that our store shipments got out first. So we'll have the new notepads online next week, and we'll announce our list of new stores.

Have a great first-weekend-of-summer! I know it's not technically summer, but it sure feels like it. Enjoy!

Summer Notepads!

2011-06-01T09:53:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while now, you know I'm a list maker. I have a TeuxDeux list going at all times for all deadlines concerning L&H, and I keep at least three notepads on my desk for notes - ideas, sketches, quick reminders, doctors' phone numbers, notes to John: Don't forget to buy diapers!, etc. It's been two years since we've offered new notepads, and after our Outlet wiped us out, I was taking notes on random pieces of paper that wound up on the floor & then the recycling bin. I knew I needed to bring them back. And what better time than summer with all my favorite images - an anchor, fish, sailboats, crabs, stripes, and sandpipers. All available online on Friday. So stay tuned!

Christmas for Minted

2011-05-31T07:00:00.001-04:00

I recently entered some designs in the Minted Holiday Design Challenge. Winners can win $$ and are voted by you! AND this year, they've got some pretty amazing judges for special awards: Jenna Lyons, the President and Executive Creative Director of J.Crew, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, CEO of Apartment Therapy, Kristin Von Ogtrop, the Editor-in-Chief of Real Simple magazineKelley Lilien of blog Mrs. Lilien. As an extra extra bonus, Jenna Lyons will be featuring and her favorite design in the November J. Crew catalog under "Jenna's Picks." That would be beyond surreal. But a girl can dream. Check out my collection for Minted here & vote if you like! :)

Orange and Pear: Camp Cirrus Trays

2011-05-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

Orange and Pear always has such great gift ideas & I'm loving these new Swedish trays they have now. Tis the season for outdoor entertaining, right?

Check out the full collection here.

Sunday Suppers in TradHome

2011-05-24T07:09:00.002-04:00

How gorgeous is this shot?

Sunday Suppers was asked to be a guest blogger for the latest issue of TradHome. Shot by the amazing Karen Mordechai, styled by my talented friend Lizzy Sall and Karen, and cooked up by chef Cammille Beccerra. They always put together some pretty amazing dishes & this high tea spread does not disappoint. Well done, ladies!

See full article here.

[image courtesy of Sunday Suppers]

design*sponge NSS Coverage

2011-05-23T11:38:00.001-04:00

Going into the National Stationery Show with your biggest wall featuring a product in a completely new medium (digitally printed watercolor) was a little scary. Are people going to like this as much as I do? Will they like/understand the big size? Is the focus on lettering & color variations too simple?

I felt better after Day One when the response was good, but seeing Grace's post on it this morning was the best gold star I could get. See her full post here, including her shout out to my business cards for best at the show. In a sea full of paper, to me, that's the best compliment you can get.

Thanks so much to Grace & Amy for coming by!

[images courtesy of design*sponge]

From the Desk Fridays: TeuxDeux

2011-05-20T07:22:00.012-04:00

Do you guys know of TeuxDeux? It's the prettiest, simplest online to do list. While you know I love my notepads & will always be a paper note-taker, TeuxDeux is amazing for staying organized - especially when you sit in front of a computer a lot like I do.

One thing I'll be adding to my teux deux list for the weekend is to get a pedicure - one of my favorite post-NSS treats:)

Have a great weekend!

[TeuxDeux was created by swissmiss and Fictive Kin]

NSS: The End

2011-05-19T07:33:00.000-04:00

Now that NSS is over, we all get to rest. Well, rest a little, then start fulfilling orders. We'll be in some great new shops, so stay tuned for those announcements as we get things shipped out. The notepads will be available online June 1. The 2012 Letterpress and Watercolor Calendars will go up in July.

[Some final pics of the Watercolor Calendar from our booth.]

NSS: The Booth

2011-05-18T07:00:00.010-04:00

Just a few shots from the booth. We have reused the same stuff (foamcore boards, the material pinned to the boards, door-as-table, dining room chairs, bedroom rug) for the past four years and yet it still looked fresh this year. We had so many compliments on our set up & I can't take any credit. It was all my talented friend Lizzy. (Lucky RISD gets her for the next two years. Sniff, sniff.)

Today is the last day and is only three hours, which means no one comes, which means we get to buzz around visiting each others' booths. I hate the price tag of the show, the "awards" they call "awards," and I certainly never look forward to moving stuff in & out, but I really do love talking to and meeting with fellow stationers, designers, buyers and editors. Cut out the crap, and it's really pretty fun.

NSS Prep

2011-05-11T09:52:00.000-04:00

Last minute prep today. Tomorrow is move-in day!

Follow me on Twitter for updates & pics.

New for NSS 2011

2011-05-10T09:53:00.000-04:00

We're debuting a brand new product at the stationery show this year. Can you guess?

More on this as we get closer to the show.

Two days til we move in!

Mother's Day Love

2011-05-09T12:05:00.002-04:00

Mother's Day might have been made up for companies to take advantage of you - but as the recipient of my first Mother's Day pampering, I say, bring it on!

Griffin really set the bar high for future Mother's Days. He sat patiently in his booster seat while Mommy & Daddy had pancakes. He gave me his first piece of artwork & then surprised me with some seriously gorgeous flowers. It was such a wonderful (and beautiful) day. Thank you, Griff. And John:)

Now back to work & NSS prep. I'll share some more first looks this week!

Mother's Day & Paperless Post

2011-05-06T08:07:00.004-04:00

Sunday is my first Mother's Day as a mom. It's been 13 years since my mom passed away & the holiday always makes me miss her more than usual. This year, I'm looking forward to focusing the day on Griffin & how he makes my heart light, while being exceedingly grateful for the time with my mom & the example she set for me.

Happy Mother's Day to you moms out there. Best & hardest job there is.

psst - Also, I did some Mother's Day cards for Paperless Post. Check them out here.

From the Desk Fridays: Another NSS Peek

2011-05-06T07:09:00.000-04:00

We're bringing back an oldie but a goodie, exclusively for this year's National Stationery Show. And I loooooove them. Above is a peek at two of the six we're debuting. Can you guess? Excited to show you more next week!

Have a great weekend!

Eating My Veggies. Wearing a Sweater.

2011-05-03T07:14:00.002-04:00

Remember those bibs I told you we were spoiling every hour? Well, I bought this long sleeved one (no, that's not actually a sweater!) and it's huge. Unlike the sun hat that I thought was one size fits all, this long sleeved bib is one size fits all because it can fit your three year old. So, we've gone back to the normal neck bib. But before we did, Griff was sporting the no-neck sweater bib & looking pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

ps - Griffin is making his first stationery event appearance at the National Stationery Show in a couple weeks! Stay tuned for pics of him hamming it up in our booth.

NSS 2011: First Sneak Peek

2011-04-29T08:09:00.000-04:00

Just a quick sneak peek of what's to come at next month's National Stationery Show. We're doing some same and some different this year. Can't wait to share!

Have a great weekend!

Baby Food

2011-04-25T07:06:00.000-04:00

Not sure why they're called "solids" because they're certainly not so. Griffin has started eating soupy food, and it's messy! We're going through bibs like nobody's business over here. This little viking bib made me laugh because it's pretty much exactly Griff's attitude towards his new real food. Gimme, gimme, food! (btw - fruit hasn't fallen far on that one!)

L&H for Paperless Post: Spring/Summer

2011-04-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

I'm excited to announce that my Spring/Summer collection for Paperless Post is now available! I looove images of summer. Especially this time of year and especially this year. Because seeing fish, sailboats and lobsters means that pretty soon we'll be able to ditch the winter coats, not have to put on socks, and if we're lucky, spend the end of the day outside with ice cubes clinking in our glasses. Ahh, doesn't that sound so nice?

Check out the full L&H Spring/Summer collection for Paperless Post here.

Stay warm this weekend, my fellow North Easterners. And Happy Easter!

Mara Sprafkin & Charlottesville

2011-04-15T07:02:00.006-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Griffin & I have been so sick! (Having your happy baby not smile for 24hrs is the saddest thing ever!) But we're finally on the mend & able to take our trip out of town. We're heading down to Charlottesville, VA today to visit John's sister & her family as well as John's parents. Charlottesville is such a cute town. Plus, their spring starts earlier, so I'm hoping for some jacket-free fun. While we're there, I want to stop in to see Mara Sprafkin's work at the 2nd Street Gallery. She's working on a community based public art project honoring Charlottesville's namesake, Queen Charlotte. Sneak peek of Mara's work, above. Paul said this will be up all over Charlottesville. I can't wait to see!

Hope you all are doing something fun this weekend!

[image courtesy of Paul Handler and Mara Sprafkin]

"Eat both squares, please."

2011-04-11T07:10:00.005-04:00

We were not big movie collectors growing up, but Jaws was one that made the cut & is likely the reason I have an unrational fear of sharks. Despite that, this ad made me chuckle. Love it, BBDO.

From the Desk Fridays: 2012

2011-04-08T07:12:00.000-04:00

I'm in the home stretch of the 2012 Calendar & once again it's a lot of "-ber"s & color decisions. I have about fifty Pantone chips floating around on my desk and two per month taped into my sketchbook. This is always the hardest (but most fun) part for me. Once I get a good color combo, I feel it & know it, and I can move on instantly. If not, I tape in, rip out, tape in, rip out. It's a process. Can't wait to show you more in a few weeks! Stay tuned.

Lulu, the book

2011-04-07T10:19:00.002-04:00

I got my Lulu book this week & am loving it. It's a compilation of designer Lulu de Kwiatkoswki's personal journals, photos, & drawings from various times & travels in her life. I had a friend at art school in Florence who journaled this way. It's so inspiring to see how people put their thoughts on paper in other ways than (or in addition to) words.

And for those of us in NYC, her collages are up at Clic Gallery until May 8!

Introducing & Please Welcome Nicole!

2011-04-06T07:17:00.001-04:00

I hired an assistant to help me while I was on maternity leave in the fall - mostly because the mental picture I had of myself fulfilling holiday orders with a 2-month-old on my hip was not pretty. And it's a great thing I did! Not only was I really sick post-baby & wouldn't have been able to do a thing for L&H, but I also got a star of an employee.

Nicole is awesome & has quickly turned into my right hand woman around here. She's an artist/illustrator who studied (and started out in) theater performance and costume design - a background I think you can feel in her work. Her Etsy shop, The Overstuffed Chair, showcases her illustrations - many of which are part of her '365 Project' - which loosely follows 365: A Daily Creative Journal by Noah Scalin. At the end of the year, half of her proceeds from all '365 Project' sales will go to Art Start, a non-profit in NYC that provides art education and outreach to homeless/troubled children in the city. Great project, great cause, great lady.

Stay tuned for more illustrated work coming to her shop this summer & read more on her blog, here.

Please help me formally (and by formally, I mean here on the ol blog!) welcome Nicole to L&H!

[above: a couple of my favorites from The Overstuffed Chair: Tulips and Bundle]

Mr. Sun

2011-04-04T11:23:00.000-04:00

We've been listening to a lot of Raffi. Do you know of him? He's a children's singer-songwriter who I had never heard of until our nanny suggested we listen to him. (When I told her I didn't know who he was, she asked me if I grew up here. Apparently my parents were not hip to the children's music scene.) Now Raffi is our go-to Pandora station. Our favorites are Baby Beluga and Mr. Sun. Although, we're still pretty smitten with Ernie's I Don't Want to Live on the Moon. Do you have favorite childrens' songs? I'd love to hear!

From the {Studio} Fridays: Outlet

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Our Outlet debut was a big success! We were able to sell (and sell out of) a lot of our designs and now have a few empty shelves in here. And that feels great! So a few thank yous are in order. First, thank you to you all who ordered. And thank you for your patience as we got orders out as fast as we could - even though it wasn't as fast as we would have liked. And finally, a big big thank you to Nicole, who was working around the clock getting things packaged up & shipped out. (Who's Nicole? More on her next week.)

We're hoping to open up the Outlet again in a couple months with more Craft Bin Bundles and something I think you'll love: wrapping paper! So stay tuned. In the meantime, I'd love to see what you guys are doing with all that paper from your Craft Bin Bundles. (Connie made some great gift tags!) Email me some pics at liz@lindaandharriett.com

Have a great weekend!

Mini Boden

2011-03-31T07:00:00.008-04:00

I looove this sweater & these rompers from mini Boden. I got their catalog last week with a coupon for 15% off and free shipping. Done & done! And with snow in the forecast for tomorrow (boo hoo!), we're not out of sweater-weather just yet.

But if we were and if I had a girl, I'd definitely pick up this cutey bears number below. The colors, the pattern, the cut - all perfect.

Egg Sun Hat

2011-03-29T10:08:00.001-04:00

I'm lucky to have a couple nephews just a few years older than Griffin, so most of the clothes we brought to Florida were hand-me-downs. But when I saw this sun hat by Egg in Lulu's for Baby, I couldn't help myself. I love this print & the little pocket on the side. Plus, I knew he'd be living in a sun hat all summer, and hats are essentially size proof anyway, right? Wrong! We get down there, and it's too small! The straps didn't even meet. This kid's got quite the noggin. Guess I'll be lending this to Griffin's newest niece or nephew, who's due in a couple weeks. And then I might just have to go back & get the larger one. It's really just so cute, isn't it?

[image courtesy of Egg]

Oh, Hello!

2011-03-28T07:05:00.001-04:00

I'm officially the worst blogger ever. I go on vacation & I leave you hanging. With a post about chocolate of all things! I hope I haven't made you hungry for the past week! I promise to be better.

We were in Florida last week. Vacation with a little one is definitely different, but 80 degrees and sunshine makes up for the early wake-up calls and no trashy mag reading. I always forget how good it feels to be away and even more so how refreshed and recharged I feel coming home. I've got a head full of ideas and ready to dive in!

Chocolate & Calendar

2011-03-17T12:07:00.000-04:00

I'm working on the 2012 Calendar these days and having chocolate during breaks. (Favorite project + yummy chocolate = pretty good gig)

I've seen Ritter Sport chocolate in our local bodegas for years, but never considered buying them til a friend told me that it was the founder's wife who suggested they add a chocolate bar that was square so it fit perfectly in a sport coat pocket. Love that. And love that it's still run by the third generation of Ritters. Plus, their "snap open pack" is pretty genius.

OPEN: The L&H Outlet & Craft Bin

2011-03-15T11:26:00.000-04:00

Our Outlet is now open! Up to 80% off. Two weeks only.

And in conjunction with our Outlet, we've opened up a Craft Bin. Picture your hands diving into one of our many bins of printed paper we've collected over the years. Except we're doing the diving and bundling 100 pieces of printed paper for you, so you have a good variety of color & design. This bundle of 100 papers would be perfect for scrapbooking, crafts, handmade cards and tons of gift tags. Also in the Craft Bin today is our Post Card Bundle - the 12 post cards from our 2011 Calendar. I love these!

We hope to open up the Outlet again this summer and contribute to the Craft Bin often.

Keep up with us here on the blog or sign up for our newsletter on the right hand side of this page.

Coming Soon: The L&H Outlet

2011-03-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

What would you say if I told you we're opening an Outlet? Where everything is up to 80% off? Would you be intrigued? Well, it's happening. And happening next week! We're pretty excited about it. Excited to empty our shelves for new stuff coming in and happy to offer paper to people who love to hold, hoard, use and reuse paper, like us!

Stay tuned for more details & sign up for our newsletter to find out the moment it opens.

From the {Nursery} Fridays: Tummy Time

2011-03-04T09:06:00.000-05:00

Just hanging out on my tummy. Chewing on my hands. That's what I do.

Have a good weekend, big people!

xo
Griffin

Happy March!

2011-03-01T14:13:00.001-05:00

March is John's birthday month, and he loves to ride his bike, so this month's design is my little shout out to him:)

A little note behind this design: I had the colors chosen from the very beginning - a bright greenish yellow & charcoal gray - but I toiled with the layout of the wheels for a good day, maybe two. It was a little obsessive, but I'm happy with it.

And let me just say, thank goodness it's March. One step closer to warmer weather.

Oscars Red Carpet Favorites

2011-02-28T07:27:00.001-05:00

I think Cate Blanchett's couture dress was my favorite from last night's Oscars - brave & perfect.

Gwenneth's Calvin Klein dress was gorgeous, but that hip jewel seems strange, no?

You're never fully dressed without a smile. But the dress is beautiful.

How many months is she?! And in heels, no less. Mama's gonna need a foot rub.

[images courtesy of Getty Images and Reuters]

Remember the Mountain Bed

2011-02-15T10:28:00.001-05:00

I've been listening to Remember the Mountain Bed a lot lately - a Woody Guthrie song, with music by Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) & Jay Bennett. I was looking for music to play while getting Griffin ready for his nightly bath & Wilco was the only music on our laptop. (Not surprisingly.) Then, while trying to stretch Griffin a little longer, I started dancing with him before dipping him in the tub. And this quickly became our song of choice. It's beautiful. It's moved me to tears more than once. And I thought I'd share. See Jeff Tweedy perform it live here. Lyrics below. Enjoy!

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Remember the Mountain Bed

Do you still sing of the mountain bed we made of limbs and leaves?
Do you still sigh there near the sky where the holly berry bleeds?
You laughed as I covered you over with leaves
Face, breast, hips, and thighs
You smiled when I said the leaves were just the color of your eyes

Rosin smells and turpentine smells from eucalyptus and pine
Bitter tastes of twigs we chewed where tangled wood vines twine
Trees held us in on all four sides so thick we could not see
I could not see any wrong in you, and you saw none in me

Your arm was brown against the ground, your cheeks part of the sky
Your fingers played with grassy moss, as limber you did lie
Your stomach moved beneath your shirt and your knees were in the air
Your feet played games with mountain roots as you lay thinking there

Below us the trees grew clumps of trees, raised families of trees, and they
As proud as we tossed their heads in the wind and flung good seeds away
The sun was hot and the sun was bright down in the valley below
Where people starved and hungry for life so empty come and go

There in the shade and hid from the sun we freed our minds and learned
Our greatest reason for being here, our bodies moved and burned
There on our mountain bed of leaves we learned life's reason why
The people laugh and love and dream, they fight, they hate to die

The smell of your hair I know is still there, if most of our leaves are blown
Our words still ring in the brush and the trees where singing seeds are sown
Your shape and form is dim but plain, there on our mountain bed
I see my life was brightest where you laughed and laid your head...

I learned the reason why man must work and how to dream big dreams
To conquer time and space and fight the rivers and the seas
I stand here filled with my emptiness now and look at city and land
And I know why farms and cities are built by hot, warm, nervous hands

I crossed many states just to stand here now, my face all hot with tears
I crossed city, and valley, desert, and stream, to bring my body here
My history and future blaze bright in me and all my joy and pain
Go through my head on our mountain bed where I smell your hair again.

All this day long I linger here and on in through the night
My greeds, desires, my cravings, hopes, my dreams inside me fight:
My loneliness healed, my emptiness filled, I walk above all pain
Back to the breast of my woman and child to scatter my seeds again

[Music courtesy of Wilco & Woody Guthrie]

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T07:08:00.004-05:00

Griffin & I had a little photo shoot last week in preparation for John's Valentine's Day gift, and I just couldn't resist sharing a couple here. Hope they make you smile.

xoxo

Griffin & Griffin's mom:)

Menagerie by Sharon Montrose

2011-02-11T07:02:00.013-05:00

I have a print of Sharon Montrose's hanging in Griffin's room and gave another to a friend. I love her work (especially her baby animal shots) and cannot wait to get a copy of her new book when it comes out this fall. Here's the sneak peek cover she just unveiled on her blog. Gorg, no?

Have a great weekend, everyone.

xoxo

ps - how adorable is that baby porcupine in the middle? Want to squeeze him. But not.

[image courtesy of Sharon Montrose]

Anthropologie goes Bridal

2011-02-10T07:25:00.001-05:00

There's a lot of buzz about Anthropologie's new line of wedding dresses, BHLDN. And rightly so. It's a fireworks combination.

I love the pleating in this dress above. But this model is uber thin, so I'd have to think it would make even an average-sized girl look hefty. Still - the pleats and the color are stunning.

Can't wait to see more.

More first look images via Glamour here.

ps - Joy has put together a great sneak peek from the official unveiling of the collection, which you can see here.

[image courtesy of BHLDN and Glamour]

Baggu: New Patterns

2011-02-09T07:05:00.003-05:00

I love the stripes, polka dots & elephants from Baggu - right up my alley. I also have a thing for zip purses. (I think Baggu calls them "pouches.") I have a lot of them. For smallsies - like makeup (which for me is mascara, a Tarte cheek stain, and lip balm) or jewelry for traveling or a little pharmacy in a bag (advil, monthly meds, tampons - you know). I'm pretty sure that my older sister uses one just for receipts. The list for their uses could go on for days, but I agree with Jen, that their zip purses would be perfect for keeping stuff sand-free at the beach. And what better way to do it than with some beachy stripes?

Adele Enersen

2011-02-08T07:14:00.000-05:00

Adele Enersen takes these photos while her daughter sleeps. Amazing.

[all images courtesy of Adele Enerson]