from cville with love

ny gift booth: january 2012

2012-01-31T06:55:00.000-05:00

Here are a few quick shots of my NY Gift show booth! I wanted something a little cleaner this time, so we covered the walls with contact paper (a last-minute Home Depot find - let me tell you, the NYC 23rd Street Home Depot at 8am on a Thursday is a place to discover many, many treasures!) instead of something busy and patterned like I've done in the past. The chandelier hanging thing in the middle was inspired by all of the lovely wedding ceiling-to-table decor I find on Pinterest. I figure my booth is a way to get out some of that fun creativity now that wedding planning is happily behind me and these little crafts are also fun things to do with my hands while I spend many an hour cheering on the Caps playing hockey. Anyway, super happy with the booth this time. It's fun and creative and me, but doesn't totally overtake the product which is good. Next time, I'll hang some awesome shots by Ms. Marcy May on the booth walls and probably get a decal with my name and location for the back wall. Other than that, you'll probably see much of the same thing in August (*until a week before when I get the crazy idea to change the entire look again, which is sort of the way I roll with booth decor...)

we're having a little lady

2012-01-16T13:17:00.001-05:00

Welp, there's a baby in there, folks. That. Is. For. Sure. A very swiftly growing little LADY! We found out officially today and we are just delighted! A healthy, wiggling, squirmy and cute (even in the weird 3D imaging thing they do) little lady. Blessed. Thankful. Filled with happiness and complete awe.

i love to read: falling together

2012-01-05T09:48:00.005-05:00

Oh goodness gracious, does it get better than Marisa De Los Santos? I think no. I think most definitely, certainly, without a doubt no. Her newest book, Falling Together, does not disappoint. How this woman manages to write so beautifully and truthfully about normal lives is just amazing. I highly recommend this delicious read. This book got a hug and a kiss from me upon finishing. True story. Also, sorry, Cute Husband.

week nineteen

2011-12-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

Well, folks, I've reached week nineteen here in baby-mama-to-be-land and I'm oh so very happy to report that there's a little bump arriving around these parts. I love it so much, even though this means that none of my clothes fit anymore...thank goodness black stretch pants become semi-socially acceptable in public when tucked into high boots. Maybe? I'm telling myself this is the truth. This bump is also fun because soon the people at the gym won't just think I need to be there more often to deal with the gut that's suddenly appeared and they'll also know that during the classes I'm smiling because I feel this little miracle wiggling around in there and not just because I'm super excited for another sprint rotation to Bieber's new Christmas song (although maybe I'm smiling for both reasons?) Also? Also this bump is fun because there's a baby in there! A baby! And there isn't a skinny jean fitting into in any dressing room in the world that would replace the sort of happiness and thankfulness I feel about that right there.

Lots of Friday and Merry Christmas love to you!

colorful pops

2011-12-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

I spotted these Herringbone bags on one of my favorite blogs this week, Oh Joy. Good gracious almighty, aren't they stunners? I like very, very much.

sweet downloads from shanna murray

2011-12-21T08:47:00.000-05:00

I've met many a'sweet people in this industry during the hours (and hours) spent at gift shows and craft shows and general online hanging out, but few are as genuine and filled with awesome as Shanna Murray. Check out these sweet printable gift tags she's offering on her site (all proceeds donated to Oxfam). I think they are just the ticket to finish off my little Christmas cheer packages.

stila cream blush

2011-12-20T08:53:00.000-05:00

This is my new favorite I will never leave home without you product. It's cream blush. I got it in peony. I know, I know...that word "cream" before "blush" makes it sort of terrifying. Believe me, I too have wound up looking like a cabbage patch doll left in the hands of a two year old with access to mommy's make up bin when I've tried cream blush before, but this stuff? This stuff is sort of magic.

Thanks, Bec, for showing me this goodness!

shipping reminder

2011-12-15T17:28:00.004-05:00

Just a little reminder that you fine folks should order by 12pm est on Monday in order to receive your goods by Christmas!! Thank you so much for all of the incredible support you've shown my little shop this season...I could hug and squish and smooch you all, I swear it!

love letters

2011-12-06T08:11:00.002-05:00

Maybe I'll just post about sparkles for the rest of December? Or just for the rest of all time? Yes, yes that sounds about right. Aren't these sparkly letters just cute?

sparkles

2011-12-02T08:49:00.000-05:00

Aren't these sparkle stars just happy? Wouldn't they be perfect for gift-wrapping or stringing as garland or, I don't know, on your computer or something to just keep you full of sparkles all day? I think so.

(found via Creature Comforts, because that awesome Ez finds all beautiful things on the internet before I do)

what's in a miracle?

2011-11-30T08:48:00.001-05:00

I've pictured myself writing this post for almost two years. I pictured starting it with something about how the ceiling at my doctor's office has, like, 17.888888 (give or take) little squares on it. Or big ones. The kinds you see in elementary schools...or, um, doctors' offices? I would sit there waiting for the doctor, every three of four days or so (bless you, medical insurance), and I would count the squares. Because what else could you do? I didn't want to think about maybe not being able to have a baby (that's why I was there - have I mentioned that yet?) because how on earth could that be possible when my sisters have, oh, about a million cuties floating around out there and my mama never ever had any troubles in the baby department and I have the best husband in the world who is supposed to be a dad I just know it. So, I counted ceiling panels.

And I prayed. Prayed for whatever the plan was...that I'd feel comfortable with it. That I would be given the blessed peace that surpasses all understanding. And sometimes cried. But mostly just waited. And waited. And in the waiting really did get that peace. Truly. Because where else do we really get that peace, but in the waiting? And it left me, the Type A-not-so-great-at-waiting-er, learning how to sit and really rest in the waiting. Not making lists, forgetting to even do the things the books told me to do (I did, however, purchase that fancy thermometer...just kept forgetting to actually take the temperature), forgetting to even really read through the books. In the wait, I found a new kind of trust and dependence on God. One I guess I thought I'd had, but was really given with this awesome time of waiting. A hope not in an end result, but that whatever the result was, it would be perfect and wonderful and just right. Such a gift. A miracle. The first we'd see.

The second came at the gym on September 16th, when I somehow forgot to bring my water bottle and was forced to the water fountain. A water fountain filled with water that tasted like nickles and pennies. Not the usual way of the water fountain, you know? It was odd and led me to a test which led me to the sweet sight of a plus sign (I never did enjoy math, but that plus sign was the prettiest thing I'd seen until my ultrasound a few days later) which led me to a tear-filled announcement with my Cute Husband (and some jumping around) which led me to a blood test and led me to a sweet, sweet confirmation. Which led me, ultimately, to three months on my knees in prayer. Full and complete dependence. "Please save this baby...please let this be real...please let the baby be safe...please help me calm! down! and relax and stop! worrying!..." Prayers that were, miraculously, answered.

And the third miracle comes now, with the passing of my first trimester and the continuation of many, many answered prayers. I'm so thankful I have a God that stood by me and held my hand during this wait, I'm thankful for the answered prayers, and I'm thankful for this journey in its entirety. From two years ago to now. I'm thankful for every moment and I can't wait to see more miracles unfold...as I hear, this is just the beginning.

anthology

2011-11-29T05:51:00.003-05:00

I finally broke down a purchased a subscription to this awesome, amazing, super cool magazine. What took me so long? Not sure, but I do know that stores like O'Suz and Anthro were probably getting tired of me hovering around their fresh Anthology batches and reading them cover-to-cover in the stores. I was just short of bringing in a cup of tea, a blanket, and starting to dog ear the pages.

shop for a happy cause

2011-11-25T09:57:00.004-05:00

Well, hey there, sweet bloggies. Me here to announce a little sale and benefit to honor this lovely season of thanks and giving at laurel denise. Use code "HAPPY" until 11:59pm on Monday, November 28th to get free shipping. I'm so thankful to be able to support a sweet, local Charlottesville family this holiday season as they plan to adopt not one, but two (!!), sweet babies from Uganda. A portion of every single order will head their way to help them in this amazing journey. To learn more about the family, head here, and to check out laurel denise goodies head here.

planner blog tour: design for mankind

2011-11-03T13:57:00.002-04:00

Do you fine folks read this blog? Because you should. You super duper should. Erin just seems like one of the most charming people out there in the world and her blog fills me with laughs and happiness. Plus she said super sweet things about the little Planner and, well, that makes me want to squeeze her with hugs. Thanks for participating in the tour, Erin!

planner blog tour: designing an mba

2011-11-02T10:45:00.003-04:00

Do you fine folks know about the blog Designing an MBA? It's fantastic. No, seriously. One of those ones I read and every single time think "why on earth weren't you around when I was planning my business?" Filled to the brim with useful, awesome, really great business advice by someone who knows what's up. Megan has been kind enough to participate in the Planner blog tour today and is featuring the one and only giveaway for this tour! Stop by her blog, leave a comment with your most useful organizing tip and be entered to win a Laurel Denise Planner! Yippee!

planner blog tour: not your average ordinary

2011-11-01T09:39:00.004-04:00

I'm doing a blog tour of the Planner. Did I forget to mention that to you fine folks in all of my non-posting glory? I think the answer is yes. Super sorry about that. But, well, you know, welcome to the blog tour! Today the awesome Brandi at Not Your Average Ordinary has written about the 2012 Planner and has a cool party planner PDF that will help you get organized and ready for all of the fancy holiday parties you have coming up! Hop on over and check it on out.

special free download on oh so beautiful paper

2011-10-31T11:20:00.004-04:00

Two posts in one day. I must be losing my mind, right? Ya don't hear from me for weeks and then I bomb you with two. I might not be a dependable blogger, but I'm sweet and kind and nice and so I think that makes up for it, yes? Good. So, worthy of news number two today is that Oh So Beautiful Paper (one of my favorite blogs, oh, ever) is featuring the Laurel Denise Planner today and she has an extra special large format to-do list that I designed just for her blog that you can download today for free! For free, folks.

i love to read: heaven is for real

2011-10-31T08:51:00.003-04:00

Y'all. So sweet. This book is so sweet and awesome. And literally took me, like, three hours to read. I'm betting it will take you the same amount of time, so you should just run on out, grab it up and read it. Plus, it's happy yellow cover with that adorable little smiling boy is just the best, don't you think?

big time yard sale

2011-10-26T10:00:00.004-04:00

Hey c'ville peeps, there is going to be a huge yard sale on Saturday morning (25 family yard sale) with tons and tons of cool stuff at 201 Monticello Avenue. Stop by the farmer's market, grab some coffee and a donut and then come dig through the goodness! Here's the full listing with details. You're welcome.

laurel denise on paper + cup sketchbook

2011-10-13T08:03:00.005-04:00

When I was first starting my business for real (like, more than just putting pictures up on my website and making stuff that I kinda sorta maybe liked and other people might kinda sorta maybe like, too) and launching the planner, I worked for the awesome Minhee of Paper + Cup. She is one of the sweetest of sweets people around and was so very generous in her guidance and business advice. Plus, she's basically one of the most talented people I've ever met. For real. She did the kind of wedding brides would be jealous of today, but she did it before it was cool and there were so many inspirational sources out there. So that makes her double cool, right? So, anyway, when she asked me to participate in her new "on the streets" feature of her revamped blog, I of course started snapping away at my typical day lately and sent over a little tale in pictures and words of my day-to-day life here in laurel denise land. Click on over here to check it out for your fine self.

studio tour no. 100711

2011-10-07T07:54:00.000-04:00

This week, my darlings, has been one for the record books. Or something like that. Shipments, shipments, production, production, a quick trip to Philadelphia for some best friend-love time, calendars arrival (did I mention shipments?), email answering, phone answering, and goodness gracious, did I also mention production? Loading the pictures this morning, I noticed that I barely took pictures of any of that this week. For instance, you see no visual of the calendars above, but trust me when I say that those priority mail boxes piled way over my kitchen counter on Tuesday when I got the calendar shipment and tore open the boxes in order to get all of the orders out for the patient people who have been waiting for months (and months). It felt so wonderful to take those boxes to the post office and get them on their way to their happy homes.

Here's a list of some recent store shipments...if you live near any of these locations, please do stop in and purchase the goods in person! These stores keep food in my belly and keep this business running - I'm endlessly thankful for each and every single one of them! (Plus, they happen to be owned and run by some of the coolest, hippest, most awesome buyers out there so you're going to see tons of cool stuff, in my opinion...)

Cathedral: San Diego, CA
The Paper Pantry: Arlington, VA
Dandy Lines: British Columbia, Canada
Bless Your Heart: Blowing Rock, NC
Angelina's: Barrington, IL
Miss Pepper: South Miami, FL
Acacia: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Workshop: Jackson, WY
Green Design: Princeton, NJ
Shake the Tree: Boston, MA
Made by Others: Moss Vale, Australia
Across the Way: Cape May, NJ
Emily Sky: Commack, NY + Plainview, NY
Claypot: Brooklyn, NY
Altiplano: Brattleboro, VT
The Gypsy Wagon: Dallas, TX
Trousseaux: Hinsdale, IL
Hazel: Chicago, IL
Isabel Harvey: Wellesley, MA
Amaryllis: Baltimore, MD
Suite 116: DePere, WI
Take me Home: Palos Park, IL
Zinnia Stores: Burlington, VT
New Stone Age: Los Angeles, CA
Anthropologie: online / New York, NY / Philadelphia, PA
Wake Robin: Briarcliff Manor, NY
Extraordinaire: Austin, TX
Blue Windows: Long Beach, CA
Green Pineapple: Key West, FL
Blend Mexico: Mexico
Room 6: Vancouver, BC
NewTwist: Eugene, OR
Pepperberries: Culpeper, VA
Green Roots Collection: Hudson, OH
Vixen Day Spa & Boutique: Seattle, WA
Leighelena: Austin, TX
Jody G: Virginia Beach, VA
Connie's Bakery & General Store: Mt. Kisco, NY
Taken for Granite: Stony Creek, CT
Burnt Sugar: Seattle, WA
Emerald Forest: Studio City, CA
Whimsies Incognito: Tarrytown, NY
Bits of Art: Lakeland, FL
Virtu: Chicago, IL
Expressions at Clarian Health Center: Carmel, IN
The Farmhouse Store: Westfield, NJ
Urbanic: Venice, CA (*2012 planners)
PH Design Shop: Houston, TX (*2012 planners)
Fifteen Eleven: Alexandria, VA (*2012 planners)
McNally Jackson: New York, NY (*2012 planners)
Village Invites: New York, NY (*2012 planners)
Trohv: Baltimore, MD + Washington, DC (*2012 planners)
Paper Delights: Seattle, WA (*2012 planners)
Paperjoy: Phoenix, AZ (*2012 planners)
PS Paperie: Newport News, VA (*2012 planners)
Greer: Chicago, IL (*2012 planners)
Paper Caper: Burlingam, CA (*2012 planners)
Rock Paper Scissors: Charlottesville, VA (*2012 planners)
Cordially Invited: Los Angeles, CA (*2012 planners)
The King's Scribe: Chappaqua, NY (*2012 planners)
Paperdolls: Saratoga Springs, NY (*2012 planners)
Sugar Paper: Los Angeles, CA (*2012 planners)

terrain goodness

2011-10-03T07:57:00.003-04:00

Went to Terrain this weekend and, friends, it's everything and all of it and more than you might think it's going to be. I left there feeling like I'd just left a spa. No, seriously. It's a magical, happy place filled with neutral colors, glass containers and absolutely delicious snacks. Could there be a place more perfectly built for me here on this earth?

a popcorn confession

2011-09-27T07:49:00.003-04:00

Flipping through my new Food Network magazine last night (the pretty pictures in this magazine do inspire a special trip to the grocery store for more than veggie burgers and apples every once in awhile, I promise) and I found these new treats called Halfpops. Friends, even those of you who know me very well, might not know I have a sort of thing with popcorn. Love it, live for it, can't have enough of it. Discovering kettle corn at the street festivals when we lived in Hoboken, NJ was one of those light shines down from heaven on me in the middle of the street and all activity stops type situation. It was monumental. My sister and I save parts of the popcorn called "softies"...in a mug...while we're eating our bowl of popcorn...and then we sort of "drink" the mug after. (Maybe this is why I keep my obsession with the popcorn under lock and key? I can't eat it like a normal person.) Anyway, in addition to my love of softies, I've recently discovered my love for the half popped pieces at the very bottom of the bowl! The crunch! The extra salt! The absolute deliciousness! So can you imagine my happiness when I opened my magazine last night and saw these treats?? Another monumental popcorn moment. How many does one life deserve, really?

ps: Yes, I do realize this is the most I've written about anything in a long time. The fact that it's a paragraph about popcorn does not escape me.

sweet laughter on pinterest

2011-09-22T06:55:00.000-04:00

Just a few funnies I've found on the Pinterest lately that have left me chuckling at my computer screen. Who's with me on the lower left lava one? I have a permanent scar on my left leg to prove my incessant participation in this game as a child. One fall! One fall into the burning lava is all it took to leave me forever burned, folks. It's a scary pretend world out there, I tell you.

fall boots year

2011-09-20T07:52:00.000-04:00

Things I'm wondering this morning*: When did boots get to be so extraordinarily and definitively and more big words out of my price range? I've been rocking the same boots for four years now and they are just a tad past their prime. Just a tad. It's definitely time for a fresh look, but these prices make me want to attempt wearing slippers everyday this winter instead.**

*Promise I think about deeper things than, oh, shoes and boots and lovely things most mornings when I wake up.

**Oops, I wear slippers throughout most days anyway. Secret is out.

one | two | three | four

want it. probably need it.

2011-09-19T06:53:00.002-04:00

Just maybe I sent an email to Cute Husband this weekend with only the words "just sayin." and a link to this ring. Do you think that was too subtle?

i love to read: a midwife's confession

2011-09-13T07:47:00.003-04:00

So, I read this book on Sunday. Yeah...just Sunday. Sat myself down after church and instead of working all day (which, really, goodness gracious, I should have been doing), I read. Like, all of it it. It was good - captivating story, interesting characters that I grew to actually like (not love, but like) and it did that jumping around from character-to-character each chapter thing that keeps me interested sometimes. So, overall, a good way to spend the first day of Sunday football if you ask me. Right? Anyone?

beautiful light

2011-09-08T08:08:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness gracious almighty, y'all, that's a light. Like a hang a few of them perfectly over my wooden dining room table kind of light. Go on, Artecnica, go on with your awesome self.

cinema: the help

2011-09-07T07:43:00.001-04:00

If you haven't, do. It's spectacular. Really, really. Tears rolling down my cheeks and laughing hard the next minute spectacular. Which maybe makes me sound crazy, but, really, I was just doing that because it was a great movie. Promise it to be.

stunning by ziio

2011-09-06T08:01:00.004-04:00

Sweet Melissa from Melissa Loves (no, really, you guys, she's just as awesome and nice and sweet in person as she is in this blog - truly, truly) pinned these bracelets by ziio on Pinterest last week and I seriously can't get them out of my mind. Aren't the stunners? Just absolutely how-on-earth-can-this-be-real-and-can-I-just-sit-and-talk-to-the-person-who-created-this-for-maybe-five-minutes-or-something-please kind of amazing. Right?

itty bitty vases

2011-09-01T08:18:00.002-04:00

These happy little vases make me want to speak in a baby voice and make up cute names for things. Aren't they just the sweetest little happies you've ever seen??

laurel denise planner: last discount day

2011-08-31T08:50:00.004-04:00

First thing is first: how on earth is it already August 31st? Isn't it still April?? Anyone? No? Yes? Wow. I mean, seriously, wow. Second thing is second: Today is the last day to get your 2012 Laurel Denise Planner for $30 buck-a-roo's, so don't delay! Head on over to my website or my Etsy page and order away!

i love to read: middlesex

2011-08-30T08:15:00.000-04:00

So, I read this book and...well, I liked it. But, the thing is, I waited for a long, long, very long time to read this book. It was one I always forgot about for one reason or another and, so, when I finally read it...the build up in my own head sort of ruined it for me. Does this make sense? My own silly forgetfulness over a good book that I wanted to read years and years ago and finally got around to remembering to order and read through made my absolute enjoyment of this really great book (written in a really interesting way, I'd like to add) almost impossible. So, yes, this was a good book. Did it rock my whole planet? Not quite. Did I waste my time reading it? Not even one bit. Did I stay up all hours and ignore things like my Cute Husband and work and dish washing and such for it? Well, no, not really. But it sure did keep me company during my trade show evenings and allowed me to unwind and escape a bit. So that's a win in book reading land.

old-school

2011-08-25T07:42:00.003-04:00

Anything that can make old-school hip hop lyrics run through my mind before 7am is a thing that warrants a blog post, don't you think? Thank you, Paper Jam Press, for allowing that to be a reality this fine Thursday morning.

stripey overnight bag

2011-08-23T09:01:00.002-04:00

Oh, hey there, most amazing overnight bag ever to be made, nice to see you on the internets. I like you. I like you very, very much.

ps: Look at me, posting not about my business. Proud?

ny gift booth

2011-08-22T08:08:00.003-04:00

Oh hey there, sweet blog friends! Happy finally getting around to posting about my recent trade show booth design day. After a small scare with a missing box (that is still lost wandering somewhere out there) and a swift save-the-day overnight box of emergency catalogs and product move by Cute Husband, we were set up and ready to sell. It's funny, I've always been nervous about a box going missing. It's one of the many things on my treasured pre-show anxiety list (it's a long list) and then, you know, it happened...and it was totally fine. What a gentle reminder to throw those long lists away, huh? And to also order more catalogs and make more product than you think you need. And that it helps to know your way around NYC so you can run to the flower district for more display pieces and hop on over to the fashion district to pick up a few extra patterns. Helpful.

Anyway, back to booth stuff! Here are some photos by Marcy of the general look and feel of the booth. I decided this year to pin old sewing patterns on the walls. Why? Well, I'm not sure, really. I like the text and the small arrows and little detailed instructions on them and I thought the colors were so cool...that they would make a great textured background that was quiet enough not to overpower the actual products, but made enough of a statement to entice buyers to walk on in. Which is the point, right? So I guess that's why. What I wasn't expecting was to have so many people feel nostalgic once they saw the patterns. A lot of people took time in front of our booth to recall sweet memories of grandmothers or moms with those patterns all around. It was tender and I loved it - to give people a little joy after walking such a huge show was a treat for sure!

pre-order 2012 laurel denise planner

2011-08-15T07:07:00.004-04:00

Hey, so, remember when I used to actually blog? And, like, write stuff on here that wasn't directly related to my business? Yeah, I sorta remember that, too. Sorry that fine time in our relationship has been put on hold for a bit. To make up for it, please enjoy this 2012 planner pre-order announcement! (Hmmm...that was a sneaky little segway into talking about my business again, wasn't it?) Planners are $30.00 until September 1 2011. After that they are $35.00. Please oh please note that your actual calendar will not ship until October 1st though, okay? I heart you, you organized and list-making friends of mine.

Follow this link to the 2012 Planner ordering page!

ps: Pinky swear that I'll write about something other than my business on here eventually. Maybe.

decisions, decisions...

2011-08-08T13:17:00.004-04:00

Things I've figured out how to do on Facebook: Set up a handy dandy poll so that you fine folks can help me figure out how much of each cover color I should order for the upcoming 2012 Laurel Denise Planner pieces. Things I haven't figured out how to do in Blogger: Set up a handy dandy poll. So, if you don't mind, can you be a superstar gem most awesome of a reader and go to my business' Facebook page and vote? Especially if you use the Planner. Thanks, sugars! You are the most awesome.

enk accessories circuit booth 7413

2011-07-28T08:59:00.004-04:00

Welp, I'm packing my bags again today for a trip to NYC where I'll be sharing fresh new goodies (like the bracelet featured above) with store buyers! You can find me and my jewels in booth 7413 at the ENK Accessories Circuit. Hoping to post a few pictures of my booth, too. I'll give you a hint...vintage dress patterns. Let's hope this works out in real life as nicely as it seems to be working out in my mind. You just never can tell which way it will go with booth design. All part of the excitement, friends...right? Sure.

photo credit

delicious snacks: now & zen

2011-07-25T08:21:00.003-04:00

Y'all. Go to this place (now & zen sushi: 202 2nd Street nw / Charlottesville). It's goodness wrapped up in sushi form, which is maybe the best kind of goodness out there, yes?

Also, hi! Had a wonderful little beach break, thankyaverymuch.

catch ya later

2011-07-13T07:31:00.003-04:00

Hey Y'all. Quick hola and check in before heading to the beaches of the Outer Banks for a week with family. Sorry I've been out of touch. Been busy making samples for my upcoming trade shows and burning glass bottles in the kiln and such. Happy times to you all - I'll catch ya when I return from heaven beach-land! Smooches!

what to wear no. 070811

2011-07-08T07:57:00.004-04:00

You guys will never ever guess where we are headed this weekend. A wedding! This is a huge surprise, no? But, hey, a gal can't complain about seeing two great people say "I do" and getting to enjoy a wonderful dinner and dancing to fun tunes and enjoying a cake slice or two...or, in the case of Best Wedding Cake Ever - Ms. Kelly Femenella, that one is for you - a cake slice or five or something...don't judge. Anyway, I wish I were wearing something happy and colorful and fun like the outfit above, but really I'm just going to wear a J.Crew navy blue number with some brown pumps. Ran out of time for fancy dress shopping. Also, the shoes? Can't tell if they would be really cute and fun to wear or if they would just make me feel like I had lumps of concrete on my feet? Thoughts?

ps: oops, I forgot to blog this week. Sincere apologies from camp Lolly.

pps: this sweet gal wrote me an email about Pop Up Yoga that's a'happening around C'ville in the next week or so. Check it out!

dress | heels | wallet | laurel denise heart cuff

delicious snacks: bang!

2011-07-06T08:39:00.003-04:00

Friends! Cute Husband and I went to Bang! on Friday night for a little date night and, seriously I am not lying, you must get your tails on over there. It was delightful and not just because those martinis (The Joe for me...Ginger something or another for the Cute Husband) were maybe the best sips of anything I've ever had, but the food was perfection as well. And the wait staff! And the atmosphere! Plus they have specials on Wednesday nights, so you extra have to go. Extra.

what to wear no. 070111

2011-07-01T08:16:00.005-04:00

I just love the Fourth of July, don't you? The laid-backness of the whole holiday weekend brings a smile to my face. I intend to delight in C'ville and spend lots of time eating watermelon (and, let's be honest, I'll be spending a lot of time at this place too since I finally discovered it last weekend and have literally asked to go every single night this week) and hanging out with friends and Cute Husband and maybe catching a firework or two. These kinds of big, elaborate plans for this long weekend just make me grin with excitement. Hope you fine folks find yourself with the same silly grins this lovely Friday morning.

skirt | tank | belt | shoes | laurel denise ctag joy necklace

ps! Laurel Denise leather bracelets still 20% off until the end of the day today! code 20LEATHER.

bite the billet

2011-06-30T09:26:00.000-04:00

Yeah, okay, I'll take one of, oh, everything sold on Billet...even if I can't understand the writing on the pages.

bagged

2011-06-29T07:43:00.003-04:00

I saw this amazing bag from on Simple Song yesterday and might have choked on my afternoon iced coffee. Isn't it just the most deliciously simple and elegant with that mix of hippie laid back bag ever to be in the world?!

sweet sweet lulu

2011-06-28T08:37:00.003-04:00

What's pink and happy and polka dotted and sweet and did I mention happy all over?? I'm glad you asked. Check out Sweet Lulu and see for yourself. I want everything. Preferably, um, now?

laurel denise discount

2011-06-27T11:44:00.002-04:00

Just a little gift from me to you. That's all.

what to wear no. 062311

2011-06-24T08:04:00.000-04:00

Friends. I am pleased to announce a weekend where Cute Husband and I are staying home. In Charlottesville. Sleeping in our bed. Not putting on any sort of high heeled wedding contraption. I love my friends and have loved their beautiful weddings, but I do believe I am hungering for a weekend at home. It's been a bit too long. So we will stay in and delight in a simple weekend. A little fridays after five, a little farmer's market walk around, a little house cleaning (much, much needed), a little afternoon walk with my sister, a little sitting down with Hunger Games book 2 (yup), and a little date afternoon to Gordonsville to check out this little delicious place.

button tee | pants | sparkly top-sider shoes | bag | laurel denise xoxo ctag necklace

photoshop tricks and cheats

2011-06-22T07:44:00.000-04:00

Goodness gracious almighty, fuzzimo.com and their amazing texture and brush downloads might have solved most (slash all) of my how-do-I-get-this-email-to-look-like-I-want-it-to design type problems. Amazing.

one | two | three | four

shanna murray decal happiness

2011-06-21T08:10:00.000-04:00

You guys, there are some moments in this whole business-owning-jewelry-making thing that just make me feel like the most special of all specials. Getting a sweet little handwritten thank you note from Shanna Murray upon opening her adorable wall decal and hearing her comment about my office reorganization that I'm guessing she read about on this here bloggy blog left me sort of (slash completely one hundred percent) squealing to Cute Husband "She knows me! She actually knows who I am!" It's the little moments, friends, ain't it? They leave me all kinds of filled up and I'm oh so very thankful for them. I'm also thankful for creative and sweet people who make such wonderful little decals that absolutely light up my office and bring me such happiness. Readers, you sweet things, go buy these decals. They are worth every penny.

believe it: the hunger games

2011-06-20T15:35:00.004-04:00

You guys...believe the hype. The Hunger Games is good, addictive reading. Not Twilight-seriously-I-can't-even-eat-until-I-finish-this-book-and-find-out-what's-going-on-good (you know you all are with me there, just admit it), but it was close to that good. Just go on and read it and love it so we can discuss before I read the next two and then maybe ruin the rest in our chats. Plus it's going to be a movie. And you should all read it before going to see the movie...because those are just the rules, right?

things that made me laugh

2011-06-16T08:45:00.003-04:00

Just a few funny things I've found on the Pinterest lately that I thought maybe you'd enjoy on this fine Thursday morning. (Why, yes, I am avoiding doing actual design work by looking on Pinterest. You caught me. Fine. It's fine.)

introducing the wrapped collection

2011-06-14T10:31:00.005-04:00

Sent out this little email today announcing the new wrapped collection. They are cute little guys, especially all lined up and presented in their tiny glass bottles. Are you on the laurel denise mailing list? Go here and sign up if you'd like to be included!

what to wear no. 061011

2011-06-10T07:58:00.005-04:00

I'm heading to the beach again (blessed) to celebrate the marriage-to-be of one of my most treasured JMU memory-creating friends, Brooke. Is there a better weekend plan than sitting on the beach, catching up with old friends, reading a new good book (any suggestions? I'm fresh out and I'm going to be at the mercy of the NY Times best seller list on Ms. Kindle), and sipping on fruity cocktails? I think probably no, there's no better plan. Happy summer Friday to all - catch ya next week! Wait...is it officially summer yet? These 90-high-something days sure feel like it's official so I'm going to decide that it's so.

bathing suit | cover up | flip flops | laurel denise laugh rtag necklace

shots from the sky

2011-06-09T08:28:00.004-04:00

I went to the Paramount with Marcy last night to see George Steinmetz talk about some of his amazing (seriously, I mean that in every single sense of that word) aerial photography. I can't believe some of these shots were real. It was, literally, unbelievable. The fact that this man para glides out there all over the world in a rigged device (that, to me, was sort of a glorified industrial motorized fan strapped to his back) in order to get these shots is, once again, unbelievable.

All images totally and completely property of George Steinmetz. Um, duh.

will leather goods

2011-06-08T08:36:00.000-04:00

Found this bag on Pinterest and I think it's lovely. Quite lovely. Walking around carrying this I might feel modern meets hippy meets vintage gal. And isn't that pretty much the point?

i think i like gray and white and metallics

2011-06-07T08:36:00.004-04:00

So, a few things...number one, I figured out how to use Pinterest and, well, I'm sort of obsessed. Like super sort of completely and totally obsessed. It's kind of the best thing ever and I think each and every one of you should take 30 minutes (or less if you're way smarter than me, which I'm betting you are) and figure that system out. Because it rocks...in case that point hasn't been driven home by me yet. Number two, I'm changing my office around. Drastically. Again. Only this time we're selling furniture and buying new stuff and I'm taking the plunge to make this little section of The Room where I spend 95% of my time (no joke) a happier and more organized and functional (and matching!) space. Inspired pretty aggressively by the studio and office of the lovely Sarah Cramer and Marcy May, my plan for this space is in with the clean, organized, and functional and out with the items pieced together found from flea markets and Ikea. I know what you're thinking - that's kind of a lot of gray and white, right? I guess it's my extreme backlash to the mess that is currently surrounding me. Listen, I love a good flea market find just like the next design obsessed blogger gal, but when you're talking functional production space meets office of one creative gal and one corporate guy, well, then, clean and crisp and modern works just a tad better, don't ya think?

If you want to see the sources for all of that good stuff above, check out this "office inspiration board" I made on Pinterest.

what to wear no. 060311

2011-06-03T10:34:00.004-04:00

Team wedding warriors is headed to another wedding this weekend! (So many w's in that sentence, that kind of made me dizzy.) This one is for a sweet, dear, wonderful, fills the room with light kind of gal and I'm so excited to see her walk down the aisle to such a great guy. Wedding (cake?) season is in full effect, friends! Here we go!

dress | clutch | heels | laurel denise "dream" cuff

(Once again, friends, I wear Target dresses to weddings if I'm not borrowing one from a friend. This is my little fashion dream world where I can, ya know, purchase $325 dresses and actually walk in heels like that.)

i love to read: unbroken

2011-06-02T08:24:00.002-04:00

Oh my word, my word, my word was this book (Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand) amazing. I mean, amazing. Hard and sad and haunting and just absolutely heart-breaking and then also uplifting. All of those things, things that, generally speaking, I try to avoid and protect myself from (minus the uplifting part, but, I guess, if you aren't really allowing yourself to feel and experience those other things how on earth can you really feel "uplifted", but that's probably a post for another day or for my journal or something), but anyway this was so worth all of those emotions. Such a life-changer and thought-provoking book. Highly, very highly, recommend this one, friends. Highly.

we heart you, too, c-ville mag

2011-06-01T09:53:00.004-04:00

Well, well, well, as if vacation weren't sweet enough! Coming home to this lovely article on yours truly and my little jewelry creations is just icing on the cupcake of a life, I tell you. Thanks, C-ville Mag and your wonderful peeps (like this one) for including me in your publication. Consider me blushing. Like, a lot.

ps: Marcy took that picture. She's the best. Duh. Styled it, propped it, and somehow managed to make my hair flip just so despite my lack of a blow dry that particular day (or any particular day...oops).

laurel denise is away

2011-05-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

It fills me with happiness (and terror?) to put this message up and to really, really follow it. The "very little internet and phone access" part especially:

"hello! thanks for writing laurel denise! laurel is out of the office taking a small vacation this holiday weekend and will be back on june 2nd. there will be very little internet and phone access, but we'll get back to you as soon as we return to the office - thanks for your patience as we take a little breather!"

I'm leaving, y'all, and I'm not bringing my laptop. This is huge news. Huge. I think I brought my laptop to my wedding. Seriously. Last time I did this was when I took a vacation to Maine last August (bliss!) and that was accidentally. I left my Blackberry in the car and might have had a panic attack about it once in the airport. Once again, seriously. Cute Husband and I will be relaxing on the beautiful beaches of sunny Florida for a few days, attending a wedding and just recharging. I intend to read (a lot) and just relax (a lot) and come back focused and energized! Catch you fine folks next week!

i made some glass bud vases

2011-05-26T07:55:00.003-04:00

Oh, well, hey there, sweet little happy glass bud vases. I'm so happy to see you up on my website, I could just squeeze everything.

this breville has my heart

2011-05-24T08:00:00.003-04:00

This machine walked into my life (via the friend's house we were staying at in Brooklyn last week) and, seriously, my life is no longer the same. I want one of these machines and I want one bad, y'all. Bad. Cappuccinos make me feel fancy. And like I'm on vacation. Which is pretty much the best way to feel ever.

what to wear no. 052011

2011-05-20T08:41:00.005-04:00

Hey, wow, remember that time I left for NYC to do the Stationery Show and I sort of kind of thought I put a little post up here about that little absence and then I get back and realize that I did no such thing? Hmm...yeah...so I guess that happened. Um, so, hi? I'm back! It was a lovely trip, filled with wonderful show hanging outs with this fabulous gal and this super fun and awesome couple and showing the 2012 Planner to some really great buyers and I even got some great NYC-time in with Cute Husband and our NYC friends. Now it's time to move into the gym because, wow, I know everyone knows that New York has great food, but seriously, y'all, New York has great food. Also great shopping. Like, great shopping. So I now own that lovely blue skirt up there. I bought it because when I tried it on, I sort of felt like I still had my pajamas on. And anytime that happens, I consider it an absolute must purchase. No questions asked.

ps: Sweet Nole featured my booth and peeks of the 2012 Planner on her blog! Yay! I heart Oh So Beautiful Paper. I'll post more about the booth and such next week, but if you want a little peek, go here.

pps!: Sorry. Forgot to write this. I'm going to the Craftacular Sale tonight. You all should, too. That's all. No more ps things.

skirt | tank top | sandals | laurel denise shine necklace

stationery show city

2011-05-11T08:04:00.005-04:00

We're big-time gearing up for the stationery show coming up over here, friends. Like, big time. Postcards and paper punching and stamping and email writing and catalog designing and just doing everything ever in the whole wide world to get our bums in gear it seems (ps: I'm never dramatic). It's been busy, but guys, seriously, these little calendars are just happy. The colors (colors!!), the pattern (pattern!!) and just the overall readiness of them is great. They sort of make me squeal when I look at them. The many late nights (and early mornings) have been worth it this week. I think you guys will really like this 2012 version and I hope the wholesale buyers I meet this weekend will, too.

If you happen to be a wholesale buyer or an editor and want to come on by and see the new goods this weekend, me and Cute Husband (that's right, friends, he's coming with me!) will be in booth 1870 at the stationery show from May 15-18. We'll be hanging with our Figs & Ginger friends who, I'm not kidding, are launching some of the cah-uuuutest new products ever.

i love daniella, too!

2011-05-10T08:32:00.000-04:00

Y'all...know how I like things that are simple and plain and white and maybe have a touch of gold on them somewhere sweet and soft? Know how that's the case? Well, well, well...have you ever seen such ceramic goodness that is so perfectly suited to yours truly? Yay love daniella, well done!

day one, year thirty

2011-05-06T09:38:00.005-04:00

So, friends, today I'm thirty. Ya know when you're a little gal (all dressed up in frilly dresses climbing a huge cherry tree in the backyard with my favorite book of the moment...because that was my style, friends) and you picture yourself turning thirty? There are things you picture. A house, maybe some white picket action happening, a golden retriever, a handsome husband, and a baby or two running around in sprinklers? I pictured those things, I'm sure of it. Maybe I pictured a horse instead of the dog...never have been much of a dog gal, as much as I tried to force that feeling. More than anything, thirty seemed to be forever into the future. Like, wow, by thirty, life would practically be over and done and, definitely without a doubt, figured out. But I've got to tell you...what I have today on the first day of year thirty in my life is So Much Better than anything I ever pictured as a little gal. I never would have pictured living in a huge open room with a Cute Husband (where's the picket fence?), I never ever would have pictured owning a business that challenged and rewarded me day after day, I never would have picturing believing in God (who's He?!), I never would have pictured all of the amazing friends that have come into my life this year, and I never ever would have pictured that life would sort of feel like it was just beginning. Getting to feel the hope and excitement that something big is a'coming and noticing that something big is a'happening even right now while the "complete" picture is forming is the biggest gift and blessing of all. I'm thankful for it.

This friday fashion post is what my free-spirit-hippie-style-living-at-the-beach-at-heart personality would like to be wearing on this fine birthday. Humor me.

dress | sandals | cardigan | laurel denise see the beauty necklace

studio tour no. 050511

2011-05-05T07:28:00.004-04:00

Y'all, this has been a doozy of a week here in laurel denise land. That's right, a doozy. It's one of those weeks where I think at about every corner I turned there was a big "you are doing too many things at once" sign smack dab in front of my face (in, like, neon lights or something) and those signs came in the form of mistakes. Some small (a document is about .5mm off...those .5mm that drive me insane) and some quite large (oh, thought I had a 10x10 booth at the upcoming stationery show - upcoming as in next week, friends - and realized yesterday - yesterday!! a whole week before I fly to nyc for the show! - that I actually have a 10x6 booth). No big deal. Looking at the huge over 6-feet wide posters of the calendar we got printed to hang on the walls kind of makes me a bit sick though, ya know what I mean? So, yeah, it's been one of those weeks. But, if I've learned anything these years, it's that posters and booths get adjusted, .5mm mistakes go completely unnoticed by a normal person (me = not normal) and things move onward and upward. You'd probably also think that I've learned to quadruple check everything. Like, every single thing. But, clearly, I'm still mastering that there lesson, friends.

Plus...PLUS! The caps lost this series big time. I mean, seriously. Salt in the wound, friends, salt in the wound.

stores shipped this week:
JD Myers: Redlands, CA
Frances: Phoenix, AZ
Red Envelope

fancy text

2011-05-04T08:12:00.003-04:00

I'm checking out some new calligraphy artists for a little project I'm working on and I think the work over at If So Inklined is just fantastic. Plus, I always love a little play on words for a business name. Gets me every time. Double plus? She's a cville gal, too.

banner gone sparkly

2011-05-03T08:20:00.003-04:00

While going through the internets this morning, trying to find a thing or two to bloggy blog about (because I couldn't not blog and dwell in slacker city for two weeks in a row), I stumbled on this lovely Etsy shop, Nice, linked from Brooklyn Bride (if you don't already, suuriously, follow that blog...Vane blows up the page with awesomeness everyday). I liked a lot in the shop, but I think these banners are my favorites. So happy and sparkly and fun and cute, right?

check in - check out

2011-05-02T09:03:00.005-04:00

So, I have a confession. I sort of "checked out" last week. Cute Husband and I went to visit his parents (and brothers and sisters-in-love and their cute kiddie and my sister and brother-in-love and all of their cute kiddies) in nova-land and, well, I didn't really notify anyone. It was sort of bliss, to be able to just relax and workout and catch up on my hulu watching and take a mini break from my studio and, well, get refreshed for what''s going to be quite a busy summer. There was work, of course...I didn't completely neglect my inbox (oh iphone...) and I'm pretty sure there was an entire day devoted to printing the 2012 Calendar and paper sample picking-outs and pattern making and color-choosing. But, really, last week was just what the doctor ordered and now I feel excited and ready to go. Or, I mean, I'm positive I'll feel that way once this coffee sets in...

Thought these cute prints from froschkind were appropriate for my random check out.

paper goodness

2011-04-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

Holy cannoli, y'all, check out these paper sculptures by artist Nava Lubelski that she makes from, wait for it, her tax returns. Cooler than cool, right?

Had to share this here even though Mint Design Blog did a way lovely job of writing about it first.

what to wear no. 042211

2011-04-22T08:55:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter weekend, my darlings! Cute Husband and I are heading to the land 'o nova to delight in all things family and all things Caps...someone who reads this blog happens to have a game five ticket and it ain't me, friends...it ain't me. Have a delicious and delightful weekend, catch ya back here on Monday!

skirt | grey tank | belt | sandals | laurel denise rejoice necklace

ps: Zara? Who knew?! Well, aside from everyone, I'm guessing. Way to keep this gem of a shopping resource from me. Totally where I'm going to shop for all of my wedding attendee dresses this season. Holy low pricing for such cuteness!

pps: I can't decide if this is my worst fashion post ever or not. The shoes are throwing me off.

studio tour no. 042111

2011-04-21T08:32:00.002-04:00

How is it already the 21st of April? Holy goodness gracious. We've had some Mother's Day madness a'happening here this week, friends. And some 2012 Calendar planning sessions. And some new design sketching out - seriously, y'all, I learned this week that I can write the exact same word about 100 times on a sheet of paper and still be left without one I really love. Starting a word with the letter "b" is not my power suit. The letter "s" though? Now that's a different story. The letter "s" is my jam. I also learned again that photo shoots with the lovely and oh so talented Marcy is seriously so much fun. Like, so much fun. It's been a busy and fun week and now it's definitely time to get back to it. Happy studio tour Thursday, guys and gals!

ps: You can still use code "six" for 10% off until the end of April! Moms deserve presents. Don't forget about them.

pps: Oh Em Gee those Washington Capitals last night, right?? Talk about holy goodness gracious.

stores shipped this week:
Cathedral: San Diego, CA
ABC Carpet: New York, NY
Nest: Sheboygan, WI
Ellens on Elm: Winnetka, IL
Elle2: Livingston, NJ
Vis-a-Vis: Nantucket, MA
Sugar Sugar: Seattle, WA
Room 6: Vancouver, Canada
Rock Paper Scissors: Charlottesville, VA
Handmade Gallerie: Sherman Oaks, CA
New Twist: Eugene, OR
The Gypsy Wagon: Dallas, TX
Le Papier Studio

weekend moments no. 041611

2011-04-20T08:28:00.003-04:00

Where oh where have the last two days gone, y'all? It's been busy, busy, busy here, but I wanted to shoot some cute little weekend prom moments images to the ol' bloggy blog. I've been wanting to do that since Monday morning and just managed to upload the actual images yesterday evening. So, yeah, it's been busy I guess. Anyway, these girls were ah-dorable, friends, saying all kinds of cute "lookin' fresh" type comments (guess that's what the cool kids say these days) and braving shoes that literally hurt my feet and legs and back just looking at them. Ah, prom...it's all about girlfriends and hairspray and shoes that hurt, right? Loved it. After my prom festivities, I finally got the experience a Boylan Heights burger. Friends. Friends. Friends. It lived up to every single expectation I had. I mean, seriously, I got to put a fried green tomato on my burger. On my burger!! It was delightful and not just because that movie and book are the bees knees.

what to wear no. 041511

2011-04-15T07:52:00.006-04:00

This weekend, friends, brings us two words: Junior. Prom. (and Game Two, but I think maybe this blog has has its hockey fill...for now?) Do you guys remember junior prom? Man, I still remember, I bought this vintage dress number from the SPCA fall sale thing (before they had the permanent location) and got it all hemmed and fixed up to fit just so and then? Then I chickened out at the last minute. I put it on, it was perfection, and then quickly panicked. "What the heck do I think I'm doing wearing this to Albemarle High School's junior prom?? Did I forget that I was still technically the new girl at that school?" These silly thoughts required my poor sweet momma to buy me yet another dress, a long purple (and safe) number. Lame sauce, right? Wonder what happened to that pink cinderella-ish vintage dress. Ah the decisions of a teenager just trying to fit in...

So, right, blog post, anyway...this weekend I am helping my niece, the one I held literally minutes after she'd been born and marveled at how much hair she had (seriously, y'all, it was curling it was so long!) and how big and blue her eyes were (and still are), get ready for prom. I know everyone says this when they see someone that used to be so little all of a sudden, oh, I don't know, driving a car and getting ready for prom and such, but - really - how is it that it's already time for me to go and do her prom make up and hair? How has time flown that quickly?

dress | pants | cardigan | flats | laurel denise smile tag necklace

red is best

2011-04-13T08:52:00.004-04:00

Oh, friends, tonight is sort of monumental in my little household (slash The Room). It's the first night of hockey playoffs and this, my dears, means big business over here. We're nervous and still a little shattered from last year's super sad loss in the first round to Montreal. The fact that our team finished first in its division and the fact that everyone in the sports news offices that gets to pick things like this is picking them to win this series (as Cute Husband, who has had head phones in all morning, listening and watching highlight reels, just informed me), makes us, well, even more nervous. So, in honor of "rocking the red" for the Caps, I have chosen some cute red things to post about this morning. Because if I'm going to write a post about sports on this blog, I definitely need to balance it with cute things, don't you think?

Also? Since when did I become a hockey fan? Marriage. Man, it will get you every time.

one | two | three | four | five (This was my absolute favorite book in the entire world growing up. Entire! World!)

makes me want to squeal

2011-04-12T09:14:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's because I have the new laurel denise home-line on my brain (which, seriously, is going to be teeny tiny at its launch...just getting my toes wet here, folks) or maybe it's because this hand blown glass work is absolutely out of this world impossibly amazing, but don't you also feel that everything in this Kiva Ford Etsy shop is the coolest?? Because I do. I do a lot. It makes me want to squeal.

weekend moments no. 040911

2011-04-11T09:08:00.005-04:00

A great weekend equals...This team finishing up number one in the east, a trip to this adorable country store for some candied ginger and delicious peanut butter, an amazing sermon here, a lovely walk through neighborhoods like this one, a lovely Sunday night dinner provided by wonderful friends, a first experience at this delicious restaurant (no images because, wow, I was starving), and a successful savings grocery trip inspired by this insane show (insane and inspiring, clearly). I mean, seriously...wonderful C'ville weekend if I've ever heard of one, right?

what to wear no. 040811

2011-04-08T08:28:00.002-04:00

Other than some friends coming in from out this weekend, I have a completely empty weekend calendar, folks. Can I remember the last time this has happened? No, no I can't. Bliss! I can't wait to see what surprises are in store for us on this sort of rainy, sort of cloudy weekend with an amazing and delicious 78-degree and sunny Sunday thrown in for happy measure!

pants | tank | shoes | yellow cardigan | laurel denise joy ctag necklace

office mayhem

2011-04-05T08:51:00.004-04:00

Well, friends, it took exactly 1.5 hours of working in the same office for Cute Husband and I to realize that something had to give with the set up and the disorganization of the office section of The Room...if left alone in this space with the clutter for any longer, I'm afraid the two of us might not have made it out. He went for a run (sent out with a smooch, I encouraged him to save himself until we could figure this out) and I panicked and did some work while trying to ignore the papers and products and jewelry that, literally, seemed to be crawling closer and closer to me...rapidly building a huge fort that surrounded me. I think my heart just started beating faster reading that scary sentence. Does that sound like a horror film to any other organizational-freak-o out there? After both of our emotional releases (me with work, duh, and him with running, so healthy he is), we were ready to combine and conquer. We settled on a cool black steel shelf thing that's really meant for a garage, but it fills the industrial modern sort of look The Room has going for it (sort of) and some cool silver locker baskets. When all was said and done yesterday, I might have cried at how different my working space looks and feels now. Yes, we now have two garage shelves in our bedroom area, but really, who cares? It doesn't look so bad and the fact that it's holding 99% of the things that were threatening to gobble me up inside makes me one happy jewelry designing gal. And that's a fact.

one | two | three | four

studio tour no. 040711

2011-04-01T10:20:00.005-04:00

Folks, for this week's studio tour, I will welcome you into the twisted mind of a gal forced to create a new booth design. This, my friends, is my favorite and very, very, very least favorite thing to do. Favorite is when it's all said and done and finished. Least favorite is every single other part of it. Seriously. It hurts, y'all, it hurts my brain. I don't like waking up at 3am with anxious booth thoughts. This makes me feel certifiable. I have a feeling you're all in agreement there. What makes this new booth design even more of my worst nightmare is that I really need to step outside of the vintage organized mess theme I've been so comfortable in for the jewelry booth and step into a more organized (like, for reals), most definitely not vintage-y (but I can't help myself so some of that will be thrown in), most definitely not creams and whites and wooden textures, and most definitely not a high table featuring all of my product in the middle protecting me and making me feel comfortable sitting in my little tucked corner on a chair saying hi to buyers. No, friends, this stationery booth is stripping all of my little trade show securities away. Which I suppose I will be thankful for because it will help me grow, but right now it just wakes me up at 3am. First of all, we have ourselves a corner booth, y'all. A corner in all of its exposed and opened glory. Secondly, we have One. Product. The 2012 Laurel Denise Calendar. And that's it. Five cover colors, yes, but that's a'wrap after that. One product. Wait, I already said that. One product that needs to be blown up so big that maybe astronauts might be able to see it so that they can say "oh, hey, yeah, I bought that product years ago when that big huge publisher made it and I recognize it and, yeah, I totes want to buy that again" Thirdly, it's an organizational product. So things need to look all office-y and organized and clean or people will get confused. I've come to realize this is not how my booth brain works. Like, not at all. Which is odd because that's how my normal brain works. All organized and office-y. Fourthly, I've come to realize I have two brains, I guess? Y'all, it gets uglier from there, so I'm just going to leave it at that. What you see above is a little inspiration board behind what the booth may or may not wind up looking like. Let's just hope I get some sleep before then.

stores shipped this week:
Pinch: Northhampton, MA
Across the Way: Cape May, NJ
Claypot: Brooklyn, NY

what to wear no. 040111

2011-04-01T08:19:00.005-04:00

Yay for April weekends, friends! That means, despite the text from my most bestest in Philadelphia this morning that it was snowing there, that Spring is...coming...question mark?? It is, it is. Doesn't feel like it, but it is. This weekend is a celebration of friends kind of weekend. Some birthday parties, some skinny marg and maybe this delicious treat making, some opening day at the Farmer's Market enjoying, some laid back friends gathering, and some general hanging around Charlottesville-ness. Couldn't be happier to report that kind of upcoming weekend. But before that, I've got some April 1st orders that need to ship, so away I go to take care of that! Happy Friday, friends. What have you all go on your plates this lovely weekend?

jeans | blouse | boots | laurel denise dwell in hope necklace

ps: don't forget, the 10% off of everything on laureldenise.com is still a'happenin'! use code "six"

pps: almost forgot! go to sparrow & whistle on the facebooks and enter to have a complete closet remix from the super talented Caite White. Dooooo it. She's awesome-sauce.

studio tour no. 033111

2011-03-31T09:01:00.001-04:00

Y'all, I have to keep it real this morning: I took no photographs this week. Nada. These photographs you see above were taken moments ago because I couldn't admit to the layer of dust that had formed on my camera in the past week yet again. Silver dust from all of the sanding that went down this week, but still... 'Twas a busy week here in laurel d land. I've been experimenting with a new home goods line I believe I will launch in a few short weeks (!!!) - you can see the first failed bud vase slash melted glass attempt above - and I've been busy making chains and filling orders that are set to ship April 1st, updating the website, designing some laurel d birthday celebration emails, and planning out the National Stationery Show. Did you know we're doing that again this year? I think I haven't discussed it yet because every time I think of it, I sort of panic. It's an intimidating show, what with all of that insane talent floating around in that particular design world, and I haven't done it in years. Doing a show with essentially one product (the 2012 laurel denise planner) is kind of terrifying...or worry-making or something? Plus, it's an entirely new booth design and that sort of makes my head hurt. Sort of...a lot.

stores shipped this week:
Osgoodies Gift Store: Brattleboro, VT
The Williams Company Store: Ottertail, MN
Willd Indigo: Boston, MA
Cathedral: San Diego, CA
ABC Carpet: New York, NY
Nest: Sheboygan, WI
Ellens on Elm: Winnetka, IL

happy birthday to laurel denise

2011-03-30T09:07:00.004-04:00

So, now that the website is back up and running (goodness gracious...), I've decided to throw laurel d a little birthday celebration in the form of a fancy email! I know, I know...margaritas and salsa would be a more appropriate celebration, but the rulers of the internets just haven't figured out how to get that whole food slash liquid thing to work out there in the world wide webbing. Can't imagine why that's not top priority...

Celebrate with us and enjoy 10% off of your online order with code "six"*! I just uploaded some new items to the shop, too. Like this one and this little guy and this one, too!

*Code is "six" because we just turned six. Which also is my favorite number (keep that on file, it will help you in a contest in the future...shhhh...). Also? This code is good only if you spend at least $28 big ones in the shop and it ends on 4.30.11.

let them eat cake

2011-03-29T08:54:00.002-04:00

These handy where-does-the-spoon-really-go place mats would help a sister out when setting the table for all of those fancy burgers and fries dinners I keep throwing...

weekend moments no. 032611

2011-03-28T08:02:00.003-04:00

A delightful and chilly (hi, snow) cville weekend spent with the Cute Husband watching movies like this one (obsessed...probably my new favorite movie) and this one (sad...probably not my new favorite movie) and taking walks and making a new journal and eating delicious foods and spending a little time with sweet friends and hanging on Sunday morning at this lovely joint.

studio tour no. 032411

2011-03-24T08:26:00.001-04:00

So, here's what happens when you're a forgetful person and happen to own a business: your domain name expires and, well, you don't know it. Because the email address you have on file with your domain registration people (which, without an awesome web programmer guy person in the back pocket of your yoga pants would still, more than 24 hours after your website went down, remain a mystery because you can't even remember the site you registered your domain name with six years ago) is, oh, a tad old (featuring your maiden name + yahoo with its non-archiving skills). It's so old, in fact, that it's not even accessible. Which means those emails they sent you, letting you know that your website is about to expire and you better update that old credit card on file so that there's no blip in coverage, go unread and unanswered. This all might leave you mildly (yeah, right) panicked and filled with "what am I going to do?" thoughts (slash screams). That's what might happen if you were a forgetful person and happened to also be a business owner. The good news? The good news is that it will be back up by tomorrow, we hope. The good news is that there are fancy internet programming people out there who can google-search like woah to find where on earth you registered your domain name (one more time, six years ago). The good news is that email addresses on file can be switched and folders can be created in gmail that are labeled things like "very important never delete". These folders can contain passwords and companies you happen to work with that you never ever want to sleep on. The good news is that much bigger things are happening in this whole wide world that are oh so much more important than a little website glitch and so perspective is a wonderful thing. The other good news? I guess I've officially owned this business for six years. Six years, my friends! And six happens to be my very favorite number! We will definitely need to celebrate this fine occasion and we will. Just as soon as that website is up and running.

(Since I'm forgetful - umm...see above - I haven't taken any studio shots in, oh, forever. So today I choose this photo above of some of our new necklaces in some of our new sweet packaging. Marcy took this photo - duh - isn't she amazing? Let's all comment here and make her get a website, yes?)

stores shipped this week...
Red Envelope
kimmeehan.com
The Urban Muse: Denville, NJ
Expressions: Carmel, IN
Sip & Ship: Seattle, WA
On Paper: Columbus, OH
On a Whim: Blacksburg, VA

seltzer goods

2011-03-23T08:33:00.003-04:00

I met one of the fine folks behind Seltzer Goods in New York in January and was instantly smitten with the cute glasses image on their "seven year pen". After showing my fellow appreciator-of-all-things-cool friend the card and hearing confirmation on the fact that this little pen really and truly does last seven years, got me both smitten and highly impressed. Now, the important question here is does anyone here think I could actually go seven years without losing a pen?!

ants on my pouch

2011-03-21T11:47:00.004-04:00

The awesomely talented and all-around cool gal behind the line Bailey Doesn't Bark, RJ, has created these ants on my pouch bags to benefit that animals in Japan. Every cent of money made from these little bags is going to go to this non-profit organization. RJ's the coolest and best and so are her products. Just wanted to take a moment here on my little blog to share info on this project and spread the word slash love.

what to wear no. 031811

2011-03-18T08:21:00.005-04:00

Oh weekend at home in lovely C'ville, I've so been looking forward to you. I'm going to fill you up with Cute Husband time, Spring cleaning time (I might have a month's worth of laundry to do...truth), refining some new designs time (and whole product lines - exclamation marks!!!), and just general loving on life time. Sounds kind of perfect, doesn't it?

dress (and a super similar one here at Target) | happy yellow sweater | soft sparkle flats | laurel denise perfect day necklace

dbo home

2011-03-17T08:30:00.003-04:00

Y'all, the folks at dbo home aren't messing around when it comes to beautiful and perfectly crafted home goods. Especially their porcelain. I think I audibly gasped when I walked by their booth at the ny gift show in January. It was that perfect thin and soft visual images and white-but-not-totally-white and just gorgeous combination that makes for my kind of plates and vases and trays.

adventures in ski land

2011-03-16T09:11:00.001-04:00

So, here's what I think about skiing: You think you love and trust your husband during normal life, right? Then, then my friends, then you let him guide you down an icy and snowy mountain that you'd be nervous to walk down with trusty hiking boots and you know that you really really really love and trust your husband. Know what I mean? Here's another thing I think about skiing: It was fun. Like, really really fun. And liberating. And taught me, Miss shakin' in my boots about all things adventure, that I actually can learn something new that's scary and exciting and, wait for it, I can actually be decent at it. I mean, it takes me a good five minutes longer to get down little hills than my more experienced Cute Husband and sweet friends, but that's okay. At least I made it down the hill, right? I also learned that, while not impossible to do, one doesn't fall off of the ski lift by just looking down. And what a relief that is. So, count me in on Team Ski for Life, friends. I surprised myself and everyone but my sweet mom (who remembers me jumping into pools when I didn't know how to swim - like, not even a little bit - before I knew what the words fear and worry meant) who knew I would have a blast.

These ah-mazing images were taken by my talented and cute husband.

what to wear no. 030411

2011-03-04T07:26:00.004-05:00

I'm going skiing next week. Like, real-live-in-Colorado-mountains skiing. Cute Husband's birthday is next week and for our big 3+0's we've decided to take little adventures as gifts, so we're packing bags filled with many warm fleece products and heading to the Colorado mountains. He loves to ski and jump off scary snowy mountains. I love the read. We're a match made in heaven, I tell you! Everyone who was with me on that fateful day back in my freshman year at JMU is laughing right now. They are laughing (hard) because they can probably remember my first (and only) ski adventure when I basically cried the entire way up the lift (holy moly are those not the scariest devices ever built?), fell (hard again) upon landing on "solid" ground at the top, proceeded to go down the "bunny" hill on my bum the entire way and promptly turned my skis in and drank hot chocolate for the rest of my day on the slopes. My only regret was not bringing a book. This time, friends, I will be taking a lesson. Maybe two. And I will come back a much better skier this time, I just know it. Plus, I hear there are hot tubs and beautiful lounges just waiting to be enjoyed at these ski places. Yay!

ski jacket | beanie | ski pants | gray hoodie | gray lounge pants | boots

studio tour no. 030311

2011-03-03T08:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a tad cray-cray-crazy town over here, friends. Will the fine list of new and old stores that have been shipped the past two weeks featured at the end of this post work as an excuse for my absence? Maybe? We've been busy sanding and shipping and chain-making and plating and organizing and labeling and invoicing and just about every single other thing that goes along with owning a small jewelry company-ing for the past two weeks (or six months or something, but who's counting?). See those little "mommy" necklaces up there? Those are a super cute custom necklace for a super fun catalog that will go out in the middle of the month (more on that when they ship). Alright, back to labeling and production I go! Happy Thursday, friends.

stores shipped this week(ish):

Traditions of Loveville: Loveville, MD
Paul Michael Creative Designs: Randolf, NJ
Et Cetera: Hudson, WI
Divine Redeemer: Hartland, WI
Citywoods: Highland Park, IL
Ecru: Portland, OR
The Gallery at Liztech: East Stroudsburg, PA
The Puddle Duck: DePere, WI
Extraordinaire: Austin, TX
New Stone Age: Los Angeles, CA
The Feather's Edge Finery: Bend, OR
Embellish: Chicago, IL
Simply Charming Boutique: Winchester, VA
Hedges: Chagrin Falls, OH
The Gypsy Wagon: Dallas, TX
Ferrantes: Spokane, WA
Diva Boutique: Annapolis, MD
Noteworth Designs: New York, NY
Happy Go Lucky: Jenkintown, PA
Artfully Elegant: Bethlehem, PA
Rock Paper Scissors: Charlottesville, VA
Luxe Energy Aesthetics: West Palm Beach, FL
Vintage Charm: LaGrange, IL
Acacia: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Embellish: Chicago, IL
Wishbone: San Francisco, CA
Anthropologie: Philadelphia, PA (just in a few stores, friends, but prayers for even more stores sure are being thrown around!)
New Twist: Portland, OR/Eugene, OR
Sparrow House Pottery: Plymouth, MA

what to wear no. 021811

2011-02-18T08:21:00.003-05:00

Cute Husband's little brother and my new sister-in-love are going to the chapel and they are going to get married this weekend, y'all! I'm so excited, I can't even tell you. And to have a 70-degree weather weekend in the middle of February that just happens to be their February wedding weekend is just magical.

dress | shoes | gold bracelet | laurel denise heart cuff

studio tour no. 021711

2011-02-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

Y'all. 500-something-or-another chains made makes a girl's fingers hurt. And back. And that is all on this fine morning.

ps: Praises and squeals of appreciation and blessings that I have 500-something-or-another chains to make. That wasn't a complaint. Just a factual piece of handy information to keep in your back pocket.

pps: I think I've found my new favorite blog this week. It's called Design for Mankind and I'd like to sit that Erin Loechner down and tell her we're going to become life-long friends, she just doesn't know it yet. Read her blog, she's just the cutest, don't you think?

recent store shipments...
ABC Carpet & Home: New York, NY
Arabella Boutique: Denver, CO
The Gypsy Wagon: Dallas, TX
New Twist: Portland, OR
Plum Goods: Santa Barbara, CA
Citywoods: Highlands Park, IL
Fresh Ideas: Gardnerville, NV
Garden Argosy: Sarasota, FL
Romance Etc: Long Beach, CA
Fritzy Jacobs: Worthington, OH
Poska: Rockford, IL
New Twist: Eugene, OR
Bellaches: Ridgeland, MS

happy love day

2011-02-14T14:46:00.004-05:00

Happy love day, y'all. Cute Husband might not believe this is an actual holiday, but he does play along quite nicely by going to get cheeseburgers, french fries and milkshakes with me each year on this day. I know, tough life, right? We should go here, but I think we'll go here instead because after you've eaten that much food, it's nice to just waddle home pretty quickly. Ya know? How will you be spending this evening of pink and red and flowers and general love things?

one | two | three | four

what to wear no. 021111

2011-02-11T08:33:00.006-05:00

This is my very first weekend at home in blissful old C'ville and I intend to absolutely dwell in the comfort of home-ness. Cute Husband and I have a full list of "housekeeping" tasks for Saturday...taxes and light bulbs and coffee and vacuums and oh the joys of adulthood. But tonight? Tonight, my friends, I will enjoy a few delicious treats (yay Tuna Tostado amazing-ness!) from none other than the Divide. Sunday am has another bring-it-home sermon from Chris Atwell at Portico in store, I'm sure, and an evening of uplifting chatter and dinner with a few friends! A wonderful and perfect weekend at home, don't you agree? Even the taxes part because at least I get to be doing them with Cute Husband which means I basically smile and nod and he takes care of the rest (love! him!). If I could just wear something as comfortable as this little get up, I would be a perfectly happy gal.

ps: A big thank you to Marcy for turning me onto the delights of lulu lemon.

comfy jacket | yoga pants | tank | shoes | laurel denise breathe tag necklace