creativity emporium

my test print gift tags were featured this morning on brett's fabulous blog brettorium: creativity emporium.  check back there later for a special discount just for brett's readers!

xoxo,

lesley

colour lovers

if you've never heard of colour lovers, you absolutely must go check it out now.  it's a fantastic website where users can upload swatches, palettes, and patterns and share news and updates about the latest trends in color.  i am totally obessed.  

i really respond to color, so when i'm feeling uninspired or just kind of blah, all the gorgeous palettes and patterns really give me a boost.  it is also really great for finding inspiration for color schemes to use in my patterns and artwork.  since i'm often so inspired by the site, i decided it would be a fun idea to incorporate it into my blog and show you how you can incorporate gorgeous, energizing color schemes into your every day life!

the palette below is called sun milk, and as soon as i saw it i was in love!  the colors are just perfect for a sweet spring outfit.  here are my picks!

skinny cropped jeans - the perfect spring/summer wardrobe staple. from gap, $59.50.

the aqua linen scarf adds a polished look and a pop of color.  from forever 21, $5.50.

i am totally drooling over these fab vintage sunglasses in a peaches and cream color scheme.  from american apparel, $45.

the stone encrusted gold ring was a fantastic find, priced at $3.80 from forever 21.  sadly it is no longer available!  here are some good alternatives for $20.

the ruffled silk blouse is totally gorgeous in that perfect shade of coral, and it is way on sale!  get it while you can!  from anthropologie, $49.95.

grey is the new neutral... this leather shoulder bag is super chic and will go with everything.  from asos, about $40 (prices are in british pounds).

cut-out laced flats in a sweet poppy color complete the look. from urban outfitters, $38

hope you enjoyed the new feature... you'll be seeing more color from me soon!

xoxo,

lesley

cherry blossom festival!

i lived 20 mintutes outside of dc the entire time i was in college, but for some reason i missed the cherry blossom festival every year.  i always went too late, and what few blossoms were left were either hanging on by a thread or trampled into the ground by tourists. 

 so... robin and i are making a point to go see them this weekend.  the blossoms are supposed to be in peak  bloom, and they have a whole big parade and a japanese street festival... it sounds like lots of fun.  

i just hope the weather cooperates... they are calling for thunderstorms today (hail?) and strong winds tomorrow (58 mph gusts?)... so that should be interesting.  i'm just hoping all the cherry blossoms won't be blown off the trees by the time we get there!

xoxo,

lesley

more apartment pics!

hello lovelies!

today is a beautiful day... the sun is shining, i woke up semi-early, and i feel like i might actually get some things accomplished!  yay!

robin and i did some spring cleaning this past weekend, and this morning everything looked so pretty with all the sunlight pouring in, so i decided to take some pics to share with you.

we've been living in our "new" apartment for almost 4 months now, but it has been sort of slow going getting things the way we want them.  everything is starting to come together though... slowly but surely!

this is the main area of our living room... we ordered the midcentury sofa from urban outfitters ages ago, and it sat in my parents' garage for months while we looked for our own place!  it was so exciting to finally see it for the first time after it had been boxed up in storage for so long.

it took me forever to pick out all the artwork and throw pillows for this area, but i love how it all looks now... so bright and happy!  the large framed picture on the left is a poster from an exhibition of one of my favorite artists, beatriz milhazes.  this piece was basically the inspiration for all the colors and patterns in the room!  the house print is by ashley goldberg and the little "love" piece is by yours truly!  the birds are vintage from ebay (i spray painted them white).  throw pillows from ikea, karen hilton designs, 1girl1boy, meringue designs, and appetite home.

a view of some more pillows (the orange cable knit one was made by my sister donica - she is so talented, we keep trying to get her to open up her own etsy shop!) and my color coded bookshelf.  it makes me happy.

our little music nook!  my husband and i are both singers, he plays guitar and writes songs, and we both like to play around on the piano a bit.  we are so lucky to have enough room in our apartment to have our instruments set up... and to display some of our favorite screen printed concert posters (both were gifts from me to my hubby).

the seating area of my studio... one of my favorite spots in the apartment!  if you're a regular reader of my blog, you've probably seen this photo before.  i am obsessed with throw pillows (as you might have guessed from the photos of my living room), and i made almost all of the ones in this pic myself... a couple of them from fabric i designed!  so fun.

some studio progress... all my artwork framed and ready to be hung!  the little silhouettes are antique - they were a gift from my parents.  i am totally obsessed with silhouettes.  you can also see some pieces by etsy faves pretty little theives, my folk lover, betsy walton, and eek design.

and in the spirit of embracing my imperfections... this is where i keep some of my mess!  my studio table... lots of works in progress as always :)

hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek of my place... have a wonderful day!

xoxo,

lesley

my latest obsession . . . textile necklaces

lately i've been noticing a new trend in jewelry on etsy... textile necklaces.  

for as long as i can remember, i've been collecting little bits of fabric, lace, ribbon, and string.  i stash them away until i find the perfect use for them, but much of the time i just keep them intact so i can admire them and use them for inspiration.  so of course i'm totally smitten with the idea of wearing little textile treasures around my neck!  

here are some of my favorites...

clockwise from top left:

1.  gorgeous ruffled vintage lace dangles from an oxidized brass chain... i would wear this every day!  $18, from dinosaur toes

2.  this necklace is so unique... a piece of antique handmade lace is affixed to a backing of floral cotton, and strung up on a strand of rose colored beads.  $28, from elizabethan punk

3.  this piece is like a modern, subtle version of an elizabethan neck ruff.  all the little pleats and tucks are so lovely!  $96, from tinctory

4.  i love this crocheted linen neckpiece... it is a great statement piece that can dress up anything from a casual tank to a basic black dress.  $180, from hedda vatter

5.  these charming necklaces are made from swatches of cotton lace affixed to colorful pieces of felt.  $17.50, from corrieberry pie

xoxo,

lesley

this is me...

... not showered, no makeup, bedhead, wearing my husband's hoodie, and not photoshopped.  just me and all my imperfections.

inspired by jess gonacha's post - i've been feeling kind of blah lately, and her sincerity and keep it real attitude really gave me a boost today.  we all try to be so perfect all the time... jess's post gave me the courage to show my true, unedited self to the world.  go read her blog now!

xoxo,

lesley

happy st. patrick's day!

an irishman's philosophy:

in life, there are only two things to worry about -

either you are well or you are sick.

if you are well, there is nothing to worry about,

but if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about -

either you will get well or you will die.

if you get well, there is nothing to worry about,

but if you die, there are only two things to worry about -

either you will go to heaven or hell.

if you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.

and if you go to hell, 

you'll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends

you won't have time to worry!

here are some great handmade finds that are sure to give you a little luck o' the irish, today and every day...

Etsy Buy Handmade 315stash

cheers,
lesley

competitours

i have been a big fan of the amazing race ever since the first season, but i think the fast pace and all the drama between teams would be a little too intense for me.  so when i read about a new travel experience being billed as "the amazing race for the rest of us," i just had to check it out.  

competitours is a new travel/competition concept in which teams of two go on a whirlwind tour of europe, following a secret itinerary and completing fun tasks along the way.  teams download their itinerary and choice of tasks the night before, then travel around videotaping short segments for every task.  the great thing is, since you have a choice of tasks, you can totally customize your itinerary based on where you want to go and how adventurous you are feeling that day.  and the tasks are based on creativity, not speed or strength, so you don't have to be an olympic athelete to participate.

points are awarded based on which tasks teams complete and how creative/clever/funny the results are.  at the end of the trip, the team with the highest score wins  an amazing vacation prize package!  if you're a fan of travel and excitement, you definitely have to check it out... my husband and i might just have to apply...

xoxo,

lesley

etsy finds . . . druzy jewelry

lately i've been really into natural stone jewelry... but i like a little bit of sparkle too!  druzy jewelry has that perfect combination of earthiness and glitz.

druzy (also spelled drusy) occurs when moisture is forced into the porous surface of a natural stone, eventually causing the surface to be covered with tiny, sparkly crystals - like the inside of a geode.  this shimmery coating makes the already beautiful stones look like sugar-coated candy!

i found tons of spectacular handmade pieces on etsy that celebrate the beauty of this natural phenomenon... here are my favorites!

clockwise from top left:

1. the dreamy aqua colors in this chalcedony pendant are absolutely to die for!  djames designs, $49

2. these "fruit punch sparkle" earrings are so fun and festive, and i am totally drooling over the juicy orange and red colors.  beijo flor, $79

3. this hand-carved brazilian agate ring is so incredible... i love how you can see all the different layers and colors of the stone.  just a stunning piece.  nomad shop, $45

4. this amazing one-of-a-kind necklace is made from a slice of an amethyst stalactite... how cool is that?  jrevolution, $148

5. the stones on these earrings remind me of rock candy, and the little raspberry colored bows are just as sweet!  ladyhawke designs, $28

6. the globular silver forms on this pendant are really unique... such a strange and beautiful piece of nature!  ball and chain, $28

7. this hot pink cobaltocalcite ring seriously looks delicious.  don't you just want to lick it?  masaoms, $120

8. i just love the warm amber tones and raw natural beauty of this citrine geode necklace.  lt creations, $32

xoxo,

lesley

maple snow candy

things have been super crazy around here, and to top it off, we were just hit with the biggest snow storm in 3 years!  I think we got about 8 to 10 inches when all was said and done.  so what did i do?  i made maple snow candy!

the idea comes from laura ingalls wilder's little house in the big woods.  at one point in the book laura writes about pouring boiling maple syrup onto freshly fallen snow to make candy... what a treat!  if you've never experienced this wintertime delicacy, you just have to try it.  it is so simple and fun to make, especially with kids!  here is what you do...

first, go outside and gather some fresh, clean snow from outside.  make sure to avoid yellow and/or brown snow!  pack it into a shallow dish and/or plate.

go back inside, stash your snow in the freezer, and pour some good quality real maple syrup (none of that artificial stuff!) into a saucepan.  add just a little bit of butter for a richer, caramel-like treat.  then, bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until it reaches the soft ball stage (if you are using a candy thermometer, that's about 235 to 240 degrees farenheit).

when the maple syrup mixture is ready, get out your snow again.  carefully drizzle the hot mixture onto the snow.  the freezing cold snow will cause the boiling liquid to instantly harden into delicious taffy-like candy!

yum!  now it's time to enjoy your creation!

xoxo,

lesley