Category: Favorite Things

Hunting for Treasure!

July 13
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Monday I shared some Michigan beach fun…but I did mention that we spent some time searching for treasure didn’t I?  So whenever we head up north it’s always on the agenda to make a pitstop in Grand Rapids!  Not just because I love to pass by my old apartment, drive by my very first home, or reminisce about my old stomping grounds…but because this city has so much to offer including some wonderfully unique shops!  Even though the town has changed a lot since I lived within its limits, my parents shop here regularly so they’re up to speed on all the best off-the-beaten-path places that really shouldn’t be missed!  Let me share with you some of my old and new favorites…

Grand Rapids treasure trove!

Festive Favorites!

June 27
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The Fourth of July really snuck up on me…I can hardly believe that it’s only one week away!  It seems like just yesterday I was gathering up my patriotic goodies for Memorial Day weekend and here it is time to break out the red, white, and blue once again!  This week I’ll be sharing some fun products, recipes, and holiday ideas that my family will be enjoying over the long and festive weekend ahead!  And even though we still have a final baseball tournament to attend, I have some really easy 4th of July celebrations planned to squeeze in between games!  Today it’s all about simple items to create a party atmosphere…even if there’s no official “party”!  Have a peek at some favorites…

faves to make a festive 4th!

Shop Talk!

May 25
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Now that all my After Prom responsibilities have ended, I’m feeling like my life is getting back to normal!  I’ve now had a chance to attempt to catch up on laundry, house cleaning, yard work, and of course taking care of my family!  But I’ve also had some time to work on my Giggle creations and get back to Alice-Louise Press to help revamp the window and some displays!  I can’t tell you how much I LOVE doing this!  Since I was a visual merchandiser in my life before kids, it’s so much fun to once again have a chance to create fun vignettes with all the lovely things in the shop!  And bonus, I got to spend time with my friends!  I spent yesterday chatting and catching up on all the events that transpired over the past couple weeks, eating delicious PerrysBurger hamburgers, and spending time in Downtown Perrysburg…which actually makes me feel like I’m on vacation even though we were working!  It was a beautiful, summer-like day to get the shop ready for the Farmer’s Market happening on Thursday…another wonderful reason to head on down to Louisiana Ave.!  Have a look at the fun we had…

setting up shop!

Favorite Things

May 20
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Anyone who knows me understands that I won’t turn down a chance to have a celebration!  That doesn’t mean I’m throwing big bashes all the time…or even little ones for that matter.  What it DOES mean however, is that I love to make even ordinary situations feel like something special…it just makes me happy and I hope it makes others happy too!  So whether it’s an after school treat, a simple dinner with family and friends, the arrival of a new season, or casual gatherings on the patio after a long day of sporting activities or yard work, I LOVE to make the most of it!  Clearly, the most important part of any gathering is the people involved…but it also doesn’t take much to add some festivity with simple supplies you can keep on hand!  With summer in mind, I’d like to share some favorites that I recently added to my party drawer…a small space where I keep extra paper plates, napkins, and other inexpensive goodies to grab when I have a notion!  Check out these favorite things that I can’t wait to use at my next everyday celebration!

bright & colorful summertime inspiration!

Ready for your Close-Up?

May 16
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The other day I was so completely flattered when my dear, and extremely talented friend asked me to help her with some photographs for her product catalog!  I’m really not a professional photographer…but I do enjoy taking pictures for the blog and was THRILLED that she asked!  Throughout the past year I’ve mentioned Alice-Louise Press many times.  Not only do I sell my Giggle creations along side other wonderful merchandise in the fabulous shop…but it’s there that my friend Amy designs the most beautiful and unique letterpress creations!  It is now wedding and graduation season–completely crazy busy for anyone in the letterpress and specialty printing business…but amazingly in her spare time, she whipped together a new line of merchandise that she’ll be promoting in New York this week!  I’ve shared a sneak peek of her designs in my “favorites” and on Instagram but now that she’s already off to NY, she gave me the “thumbs up” to share our photo shoot fun in greater detail!  The cat’s out of the bag now and I’m so excited to take part in revealing this fabulous line of lovely, funny, sweet, even sassy paper bags!  Whether you need to wrap a bottle of wine, fill some treat bags with party favors, or just pack the most adorable lunch sacks you’ve ever seen…Alice-Louise Press is the place to go!  AND these bags will soon be on the shelves of many retailers so everyone can get their hands on some!  I know you all will love them as much as I do…there’s really something for everyone!  Even though my part was so minuscule, I really can’t express how much fun it was to be involved in this process!  Let me share a glimpse of what’s in the new catalog…

photo shoot fun!

Washi Wonder!

April 18
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It’s no secret that washi tape is good for almost any kind of crafting, decorating, or wrapping up pretty gifts and favors!  I LOVE that there are so many choices out there now in hundreds of colors and styles…making it so easy to find tons of favorites!  I use washi tape a lot when i entertain, i really like it for adhering food labels to tables or serving dishes and it’s wonderful for taping up banners and buntings since it won’t damage walls or furniture!  But I have to admit, I really haven’t done much else with it…even though I see fabulous ideas from fellow bloggers and on Pinterest!  So while I was shopping for some crafting supplies for a school event, I spied some sweet paper products including washi tape…and fell in love!  I’m telling you, washi tape is perfect for everyday celebrations…making ordinary events seem extra special with simple decorative touches!  See how this fun tape, combined with minimal party supplies made my simple movie night look marvelous!

never settle for wishy-washy…

make it washi-wonderful!

Five Dollar Favorites!

April 4
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I Hope everyone had a wonderful spring break…if you had a break last week!  We rolled in last night from Washington DC…always a fun time and the best part–the cherry blossoms were still blooming!  It was my first time seeing them in all their glory and I can’t wait to share all the beautiful sights later this week!  But in the meantime…when I find wonderful little trinkets and treasures–I just HAVE to share them!  And today the fun things I’m sharing are all under five dollars!!  I love to have fabulous go-to items for gift giving and entertaining…you never know when you may need a quick hostess gift or a favor!  And I’m also thrilled when I can find economical goodies that look like a million!  Spring is finally here, ready and waiting for all those patio & backyard gatherings to begin…so you might need some goodies to make your party complete or to give a token of thanks to that special host!  Let me share with you some five dollar favorites you may want to add to your list!

love it big…spend little!

What’s in that Pretty Package?

February 22
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It never ceases to amaze me how many talented people live in my community!  Today I would love to share with you the fine talents of one of my friends…a wonderful artist and an exquisite jewelry designer!  I’ve known about her beautiful pieces for some time and have always admired her unique and artful designs…not to mention I have several on my own wish list!  Catherine DiSalle has been designing her stunning pieces and showcasing her line of jewelry at Harold Jaffe Jewelers...and if you’re in the Toledo area you really need to stop by to see her gorgeous creations in person! (plus you might try them on…pretty much guaranteeing that you won’t want to leave empty handed!)  Her modern classic designs are inspired by nature and they are one-of-a-kind pieces to be treasured through time!  Check out the link above to find out more about my talented friend!  The other great news…I’m so excited that she’s in the process of having her own website up and running in the near future…so everyone can have an opportunity to purchase some of her stunning silver and gold!  Have a look at her beautiful creations…

Catherine DiSalle Jewelry…

Favorite Things

February 15
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So Valentine’s Day is over…and I’m hoping you all had a wonderful holiday weekend spending time with those who are most special to you!  And since today is President’s Day, hopefully you’re also able to extend your weekend with some extra hours of leisure!  I spent the last few days not just celebrating Happy Hearts with my family, but scraping and painting our foyer and upstairs hallway…I’m sure you’re jealous, right?  Seriously, I kind of enjoy home improvement projects…especially when my husband and I work together to fix things up and cross them off the never-ending list of things to-do!  It reminds me of when we were first married and spent pretty much all of our free time rolling up our sleeves and sprucing up the spaces in the place we called home!  And at the end of our day we’d find ourselves sitting on the drop cloth covered floor, dressed in tattered paint clothes, eating pizza with a glass of wine, and admiring the hard work we’d accomplished so far…those really were wonderful days!  And I’m happy to say that our Valentine weekend was much the same with the exception of the meal…we devoured several rolls of sushi in place of the pie!  And the other exception, we had cheerleaders this time…shockingly, the boys opted out of helping but were happy to give the occasional “thumbs up” at our progress!  Anyway, enough of my sentimental chatter today…what really drove me to repaint was the fact that I’m truly wishing for some springtime!  I’m ready for bright, I’m ready for cheerful, I’m ready for fresh.  My foyer, while cozy, has been a dark, chocolaty brown for a LONG time…and I just needed a change!  So today I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite things…which have NOTHING to do with the paint project but have the same effect!  Some wonderful goodies to bring spring and summer to mind…until it actually gets here!  OR you could go paint some walls…but picking up one or two of these treasures is much easier!

get inspired for spring!

Smokin’!

January 25
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My husband received a Christmas gift this year that turned out to be a family favorite…an electric meat smoker!  I have to admit I wasn’t sure about this smoker…not that I wouldn’t like having it but it might be so favored by my husband that he would spend ALL of his weekend hours tinkering with this thing and not tend to the growing “to do” list of an old home!  But, as luck would have it, this new “toy” is bringing such deliciousness to our dinner table AND it programs itself…leaving plenty of time for house maintenance!  After our wonderful Beef Bourguignon evening we vowed that we’d set aside as many Sunday nights as possible and dedicate them to creating a family meal together!  Welcome the smoker!  Still a work in progress, we’ve only attempted a few meals so far…the first–smoked pork chops.  This dinner was about as smoked as you can get…no fault of the machine.  When the recipe called for two hours of smoking, the boys thought 4 would be MUCH better.  Let me tell you that by merely cracking open the tupperware container filled with left-overs would make the entire kitchen smell like a campfire!  Fortunately the next attempts were much more successful…due to following the recipe suggestions!  Two of those meals consisted of smoked salmon…and I’ve gotta say they tasted every bit as good as the expensive stuff sold in specialty stores!   And since this kind of cooking involves a really cool machine…the boys have taken an active interest making the family meal truly a family experience!  Have a peek…

smokin’ salmon!