Blah,Blah,Blahg

BEST OF EVERYTHING TO YOU!

Hello there my pretties!  No, no, I didn't drop dead, I only felt like I did.  I am still in a state of sniveling and sneezing but I am able to use my brain which seems to have been on hiatus while I had this flu/thyphoid-esque bout with illness.

I have plenty of stories that I collected along the way, sure to embarass me and make me wish I didn't have fingers to type it all out for posterity but alas I need to let you know so you all feel great about your lives.  Also, there's about a billion new projects under foot.  I am happy to announce I have a new partner,oh, that sounds like I ditched my Fancy for a girl, nope, a new BUSINESS partner! I will make a proper (and pretty) announcement soon. I am about to implode with the new projects that we are working on, I can not wait to share with you!

I just wanted to make sure that I popped in today and A) thank all the special pretties that took the time to send me a personal email or leave me comments and wish me well. I was floored by how kind my cyber clique is.  Thank you so very, very much!

B) I wanted to thank EVERYONE that was ever bored enough to come over and take precious time out of their lives to read the Blahg.  It just fueled my desire to give you more fodder every day and I can not believe that I actually almost made a full six plus months of daily posts...

I also want to wish you all the best of everything always, I am not big on resolutions but I am big on wishes and my wishes are huge for you all.  I wish you and your families (yes that includes fuzzy babies) all the very best of health, happiness, prosperity, and of course shoes (or whatever floats your boat)  You have made my 2008 so unexpectedly wonderful, I feel all sappy and sobby, but really my j-o-b took so much out of me and the Blahg let me be, well me. Thank you, thank you, thank you...

You see that pic above, you know what that look is?  Bella wants to go for a walk, so how can I deny her?  I must get...

BLACKBURN PICTURES

This is one of my favorite photographers, you must check out his beautiful ttv...

 BLACKBURNpictures

DAMN ANIMALS....

I haven't been here because in my copious, and I mean oodles and oodles of free time I have been with this guy:

You may know I don't swear, or try my hardest not too. This site where swearing at animals is derigeur (yes, you read that right) has me beside myself. Miss B. has gone to the dark side, if you would like to go as well, here's a one way ticket:

http://fuckyoupenguin.blogspot.com/

Yeah take that sloth, anteater and non-panda-red panda, so there...

AND THE WINNER IS...

Happy Monday!  It's raining in the City of Angels and Miss B is quite the happy camper.  I LOVE the rain and I also love a winner!  I am so excited to announce that Miss Brianna is the winner of the Archive jewelry giveaway.  Please email me Miss Brianna and we will get your pretty little prize to you a.s.a.p.  Thank you all for the glorious comments, I do think it will help my cause to get you more giveaways with my so-called friends, sheesh!  I have to go deal with my Master, I mean boss,  I shall return soon...

LOVE BIRDS.

Pretties!  I have not forgotten you, nope.  I have been on a hunt for some treasures for you, yes you!  I asked my former clients the lovely Sutton twins of Archive Jewelry fame if they would be so kind as give one of my lovely, lovely Blahg readers a bauble from their collection.  Being the incredibly generous (and intelligent) ladies they are they replied, 'but of course'. 

{Archive Jewelry}

Here's the description from designer Nicole Sutton (Amber Sutton is on holiday and could not be reached for this interview...)

Sweet and delicate can best describe Archive’s Amour collection.  The charms have a 50s vibe and are great layering pieces.  French charms, lovely lockets, a new take on the “best friend’s” necklaces and love notes are making a comeback this season.  And best of all you can have the vintage-inspired look without the high vintage price!

All you need to do is leave a comment and let me know if you think giveaways 'work'. What do I mean?  Well, are you aware of this brand now?  Did you know about them prior to my blabbing? Would you consider buying from them for yourself or a friend in the future?  Yadayadayada...I am asking this because a couple of designers I approached told me flat out giveaways don't work and to scoot.  I am quite sure they aren't familiar with the blogosphere (or the Blahg) and are sleeping under rocks and it's their loss because if they don't know you pretties exist then forget them, right? But because I love you so I need to prove that you exist that you love the giveaways that you tell your friends and family when their are givaways and basically for the small price of one of their designs they can be famous or something like that.

I will announce the winner on Monday.  Good luck to you all!

Kisses,

Miss B.

P.S. the LOVELY Delia of Catholic Guilt is giving the Blahg readers a 20% discount on her jewels.  Just type in your extra special code: BlahBlah20 to receive.  I am super hearting this beauty. Thanks Miss Delia!

SWEET JESSIE

It's been b-a-n-a-n-a-s 'round here.  I am in holiday hell, I know me of all people!  The Tristmas spirited herself!  This is my first 'real' job I have ever had.  I mean many, many moons ago (maybe before you pretties were even a twinkle in your parents eyes) I worked at 31 Flavors, etc.  I am not used to the complete and utter rush of 'we have to do this like yesterday' attitude when it comes to holiday planning and gift giving, but I guess that's the way it is in corporate America.  I had rushed in 3 days, yes 3 days, our letterpress holiday cards for the company I slave work for, yes, letterpress.  It's a little long of a story but I will make sure to give the letterpress company I used some serious props soon.

In the interim, I will give you this link, to get your download on and hopefully I won't risk flogging if I try to pop in later for some more pretty procrastination...

 

{Visit Sweet Jessie for her beautiful gift tags}

MINIATURE RHINO'S AND EMBROIDERY HOOPS OH MY!

I have a thing for animals, especially if they are mini. Give me mini, pygmy, dwarf, baby and I am in.  I also have a weird fascination with embroidery hoops, go figure? When I saw this pretty, little Etsy shoppe with the perfectly unforgettable name- 'Miniature Rhino' and the gorgeous artwork that included embroidery hoops I knew this would be my Monday morn post.

{Visit Miniature Rhino}

They may look like a million bucks but they only start at $25!  I am partial to the alphabet sampler since I like typography in all it's forms, yes even in needlepoint.  Here's Jessica of Miniature Rhino's description:

a tiny hand embroidered alphabet inspired by traditional samplers, a craft performed by women to encourage literacy and embroidery skills. this sampler is hand embroidered in a lovely teal blue.

+ tea stained linen
+ 3 3/8 inches in diameter
+ hand stained embroidery hoop
+ my own pattern of my handwriting
+ reverse is covered with a chocolate cotton fabric

time and care is taken in every element of this piece, from the selection of fabric to the color of the thread, polished finishing of the piece and in each and every stitch.

If you need more embroidery hoop eye candy, and who doesn't?  Ez of Creature Comforts and now of 'Kindred' fame has a fab downloadable desktop wallpaper that includes embroidery hoops and a buck, now we're talking...  You can go here to get your download on.

LIBRARY CARD BOOKPLATES!

I love all things library, I do.  I love almost all things French (so can't go for fried frog or pigeon, call me crazy...) I was thinking if I merged the two that I might have something special for you. Again, I highly recommend you invest in some label sheets, you can get them from an office supply store or you can steal borrow them from your office.  I am putting this under gift guide because I think it would be very thoughtful to give someone a book you enjoyed and add this little bookplate to the inside.  You don't have to spend a fortune, there's tons of inexpensive books on Amazon.com and at Goodwill, you can stick one of these inside, wrap it in a Kraft paper bag, use some twine/ribbon and the label from yesterday's download and you have yourself a very thoughtful and pocket friendly gift! You see, it's really how thoughtful you are that counts, not how much money you can spend on things your recipient doesn't need or want.  You can also print a bunch of these out (on you guessed it)--label sheets, cut them to size, wrap them all pretty and give them to your fave book worm, viola, cross another pretty off your list!

{FRENCH LIBRARY_BOOKPLATE}

'TIS THE SEASON...

 I told you I am feeling twenty-one kinds of spirited, right?  I couldn't even hold off on the download until Friday, that's how excited I am.  I riffed on the labels I made you in February seen here, the new version is sweet striped goodness.  I highly suggest you buy some label sheets to print these bad boys out.  You can use them for gifts, jars of cookies, or other pretty projects you have in mind.  I'll try to get some photo's this weekend to show you all the magic you can create with these babies....

  {Download gift tag here}

{Download blank holiday label here}

Oh yes, pretty please be a sport, these are free for personal pleasure, both yours and mine, not for resale or any other capital gain that doesn't include freeing Miss B. from her hell desk job, so yes, if you plan to make loads of moola off these please send a bunch my way (Oh about 99.9% will feel 'bout fair), if not than don't ruin the fun for everyone else, that's not nice now is it? Okay, now go download your heart out...

Btw, if you feel like getting fired or fired up here is a link to two dozen crafty, d.i.y. wrapping ideas--tip nut.

LOVELY, LITTLE LUXURY...

I get into the Christmas (or holiday spirit) or the Tristmas spirit as we say in my neck of the woods, oh, 'bout July.  No bah humbuggin' here.  I am spoiled.  Rotten. No really.  I was born on the 21st, so was Marie (mom), no not of December, but it doesn't matter, because every 21st day of the month my mom wishes us a joint happy birthday and we do something special, or she gives me something, even if it's little.  If this is how I am treated all year long, Tristmas has always been delightful, the mother lode, filled with the joy only a spolied child could garner.  So, I know we can't all have a Marie (trust me it comes with a 'catch' like her believing it's okay to be out in public in her pajama's and having no censor in her brain so she says whatever is on her mind, all the time, particularly if it's TOTALLY embarassing, inappropiate and we are in front of people) but we can get into some sort of spirit, of course, not on my level, but degree's of it. So in the spirit of 'Tristmas' I will slowly give some gift giving suggestions...

I'm happy to buy handmade, I am even happier when I can make by hand but some things are just nice to receive when they are an indulgence that you wouldn't normally buy for yourself.  I firmly believe that Maria Evora soaps fall into the latter category, they are imported from Spain and well, they smell like soap, just clean, not perfumy. They are molded into the shape of a cameo are available in ebony or alabaster (so classic and neutral, vintage or modern).  A bar will run you under $10 (about $7), it might be nice to give two.  They sell them in pretty boxes of four for under $30 if you want to spend a bit extra.  You will get Brownie points for finding something imported, giving something useful and you won't be selling your kidneys after the holiday because you are in debt! Phew...

It's not exactly glam but if you search on Amazon (sorry Amazon, you know I heart you so) for the products you'll find the best pricing AND you'll be able to trust that you'll get your product. 

I will be sure to ply you with more suggestions for staying out of debt for this holiday season.  I do think the cookies are always a good idea, or any baked goods, really folks no fruitcake or panettone (basically Italian fruitcake) I don't know anyone under the age of 100 that likes it and anyone that is 100 doesn't have the teethe to enjoy it so, forgo the fruitcakes, k?