Spring is for Color!

Isn't it? Lately, I have been just obsessed with bright and colorful things. Here are a few that make me especially happy.


Oh Color Me Katie, how did you get to be so great?


It kind of makes me gag a little after about the second bite, but somehow that never stops me. Cotton candy is just so pretty, I can't resist!


We learned how to make paper cranes in 4th grade as part of a class project, and I have pretty much been addicted to them ever since. They are so simple and beautiful, don't you think?


I love kitchen accessories from MoMA. I have had my eye on this cute cutting board for a loong time now! One of these days, it is going to come home to live with me:)


Pop Deluxe is one of my favorite stores in Madison. It's just like a huge barrel of eye candy. I want one of everything in the store!


What are your favorite colorful things?
-alison

[photos: color me katie, weheartit, MoMA, flickr]

Ruche

I am a college student, so...

1. I spend a decent amount of time looking at online stores (avoiding homework).

2. I generally don't have enough money to buy anything I find from these stores.

However, I recently stumbled across a cute store called Ruche. Their clothes are super cute and fairly reasonably priced.

More Crocheting

I've started a new crochet project (no I haven't finished the first one). This one is for my sister's birthday (she already knows...she picked out the colors), so I'm hoping to get it done by May, which probably won't happen.

I found this book by Lily Chin, who was named a "Master Knitter" by Vogue Kitting International, which is pretty awesome. I would suggest this book for anyone who wants to learn how to crochet. It explains everything you need to know and it does so very clearly. It doesn't have granny squares in it specifically, but it explains all the stitches you need to know. She also wrote basically the same book about knitting, which I would assume is just as good.

Also, a few people have expressed interest in learning how to crochet. I am willing to teach anyone who...1.) Lives in Dubuque or in the Spring Green-Madison area 2.) I already know (for obvious reasons) 3.) Is a friend of someone I already know. So, just let me know if you want to learn, and we can set up a time.

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-Ana

Book of The Week

Before I introduce you this week's book- I feel that I must give you fair warning. This is most definitely not an easy or quick read. While intriguing, it is not a thriller, and it will require a bit of perserverance on the part of the reader. That being said, I feel that Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian is well worth the effort.

This book begins with a young girl searching through her father's library, and accidentally stumbling upon an ancient book along with a stash of letters that oopen with "My dear and unfortunate successor..." This discovery proves to be the catalyst for the unravelling of a centuries old mystery involving Vlad the Impaler- the real life tyrant who many of the Dracula legends are based on. At the center of it all, are the letters and the mysterious book. The book, we find out, has passed through the hands of several owners and has left a horrifying legacy for the main characters to discover.
The Historian takes us to several different settings as the plot thickens, including at least two continents and three distinct time periods. To be fair, this is what makes the book somewhat hard to follow. You have to really be on your toes in order to be able to keep straight the different story lines that are happening years apart. If however, you can manage to do that, you will be rewarded at the end, when all the story lines come together in a whirlwhind climax.
If you are a history buff, you will enjoy this book. If you love a good mystery, you will like it as well. I love both, so I was pretty much over the moon about it- and I think you will be too!
Happy reading!
-alison

[photo: nyc photo]

Inspiration Friday

1. Phonebooths
I have always loved these phonebooths. I got some of my senior pictures taken by one in Madison. Sadly, I'm sure they are becoming obsolete and will somday cease to exist, but I think they are beautiful.

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2.Headbands
I wish I could wear a headband everyday, I especially like these from Livesavvy.


3. Rain
I have always liked rainy days better than sunny ones. Rainy days are perfect for sitting inside to do some crafting or going outside to play soccer. :)

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4. Crayons
Crayons are probably the best art supply ever, especially when they come in boxes of 100. So many colors in one place, the crafting possibilites are endless.

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5. Vitamin String Quartet
The perfect studying or crafting music.

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-Ana

The Prettiest Spaces...

Dear readers, I stayed up much too late last night doing some very un-needed internet browsing. What was I doing you might ask? I was checking out inspiring images of one of my favorite things.....closets. Yes- closets. I love them. Big or small, messy or clean, I really think they are great. Each one is different, they are always colorful, and they are filled with some of our most favorite things. What's not to love? Wouldn't it be fun to get ready in the morning in one of these?




And just for fun...a cute craft closet!

What does your closet look like? Does it inspire you? Mine is usually a mess, but sometimes, I like it like that:)
-alison

[photos: weheartit; apartment therapy]

Candle Making

My friend Kristy and I have been wanting to make candles for a long time. This weekend, we finally got around to trying it.

My great aunt gave me a large slab of wax for us to use (which is nice because wax is expensive!)

This craft requires a lot more tools than one might expect.

Melting the wax and trying not to blow anything up...which apparently is a possibility.

Yes, that is glitter you see in there. It was pretty pointless as you will see later.

Along with the mold Kristy bought, we also used cupcake tins to make some extra little candles.

Cookie cutters also work well, but we only had one.

The glitter didn't really show up, so we tried to put glitter on the top as the candle hardened...that didn't work either....so....

We glittered them!

The final product, not very even on top and some cracked a little, but other than that, they turned out pretty good.

- Ana

The Beautiful Workspace

Ever since I can remember, I have been slightly obsessed with office supplies. When I was younger, school supply shopping day was one of my favorite days of the year! In elementary school, I hoarded Yikes and Lisa Frank products like they were gold. Although my tastes have matured slightly (and only slightly), I still get super excited about pretty supplies. I feel so much more inspired to get things done if my workspace is filled with lovely things, don't you? Here are a few things I would love to have at my desk.

These Numbered 1-10 notebooks from Russell & Hazel are so cute.


Wouldn't this make grocery shopping so much easier?



Not really an office supply...but aren't these chocolate pencils pretty much the most amazing things you have ever seen?

I hope these pretty things help inspire you to be creative and productive on this Monday morning!
-alison

[photos: flickr; russell+hazel; the container store; cool hunting]