A Trip to the Beach, Gift Tags & Inspiration

We went on a long weekend trip to Grayton Beach, Florida with my in-laws. It was SUCH a RELAXING time. Vacations that are actually *relaxing* are few and far between. We really haven't had one of those in probably a year... probably since the last trip to Grayton that just the 4 of us took LAST September. My in-laws are super chill and laid-back. And my father-in-law is an amazing cook, so we get amazing meals! No pop-tarts for breakfast, people! ;-) We're talking gourmet stuff that he just "throws together". And of course it was nice to have babysitters so that Ethan and I could get breaks too.

Going to the beach in the dead of summer has really become unbareable to us. We'd much rather go when it's cooler. Or either at the very beginning of June or end of May. The weather this weekend was incredible. We hardly broke a sweat. Wonderful breeze. And the water was still warm enough to swim in it. I would say September is about a 95% PERFECT time to go.... if it weren't for the spawn-of-the-devil-biting-sand-flies, it would've been PERFECT!!!

HOLY COW. I had never heard of biting sand flies... but those suckers were little devils for sure. The strange thing is that we went to the beach in September last year, and there were no flies! Go figure! We even used bug spray for biting flies and it didn't work.... and unfortunately, they were bad enough that I don't think we'll go back in September. LOL!

Other than that we had a great time. Here's a picture that my father-in-law took of us in front of this cute pink house. I will post more pics later from this trip. I don't know what my bangs are doing, but I swear they aren't eighties-style like it looks in this photo. ;-)

 

I just posted some cute gift tags in the Kitschy Digitals shop that I wanted to share here. Besides digital downloads, I will be offering actual paper goods that you can buy and I will ship to you.

Verbage from the shop on these:

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Every once in a while, I might offer actual goods that you can actually touch in this shop. :-) Not downloads. I had these cute little gift tags printed professionally and will be selling these here. I think they would be so cute for gift tags during the Holidays (which is getting closer!) or for just your regular gifts or packages (they also could be used on your scrapbook pages!). These are 2" x 2" and come in a pack of 12, complete with red and white baker's twine to hang them from! They also come in cute packaging!

I printed out patterned paper from the Olivia, Skyler & Matilda Kits (or you can purchase the paper packs separately here, here or here) on my home printer and used it as wrapping paper! I love the way they came out. I like idea of having wrapping paper designs that you can't get at a store. Something unique that the people you are giving the gifts to will appreciate. :-) On the Skyler package, I printed out the pink lace Skyler paper and cut out one length of lace and wrapped it around the package as you would ribbon. I used paper lace from my own stash on the Olivia and Matilda packages.

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Here are photos of the tags (purchase here) and gift wrap (which was printed from the Kitschy Digitals kits):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what they actually look like (colors, etc.) The print quality on these is fantastic!

 

And lastly, I wanted to show a couple things that are inspiring me lately... I saw this book advertised on MANY blogs over the past month and I just had to check it out. It has turned out to be one of the best craft books I've bought in a LONG time. Almost every project, I would love to make in this book, and there are lots! It's so incredibly inspiring. You can tell the author used to work as a creative for Anthropologie! Here are just a few projects that I hope to do when I can get some free time!

Ruffle and corsage added to a cardigan...

 

Mod collar added to a tee! LOVE this!

 

Patchwork tote.. just the project i need to get me to try patchwork for the first time!

 

Applique on a skirt!

 

Dyed vintage doiley scarf. I bought some dye many months ago wanting to dye some vintage trims and doilies... this would be perfect for that!

 

Here's the book:

 

Also inspiring me is the AMAZING handspun/dyed yarn I purchased on Etsy here. I'm making some pretty things for my etsy shop with this yarn. I'll share soon! It's organic cotton, not wool, so it's not itchy. The colors are divine!

The yarn looked like noodles when I put it in this bowl to photograph it, so I threw in a fork to make my bowl-of-yarn-noodles complete!

 

 

I need to go back into comments on my last post to see if anyone asked any questions. The tattoos I bought at a shop in Athens.. not sure of the brand! But you could make your own tattoos with ink jet tattoo paper! I have some links I want to post to where I got some of the things for the shower... but will have to do that next post. I did get the flower bouquet from babybunch.com. It has onesies and bibs rolled up inside of it! SO CUTE!

More soon!

 

Comments

[Kylie]

I just LOVE that Yarn, were do I get it????

[Melanie]

I have been following your blog for so long now that I figure I would leave a comment ... you have the most wonderful eye candy! I love your photos ... your sense of style ... your little details ... ahhh.... just keep it coming! Makes my day when I see a post from you.

[Kimberly]

I so LOVE that wrapping paper! YUMMO!

[Tammy]

Everything you do is so nice, I absolutely love looking at all your pictures.

[Rebecca Coolidge]

I love those paper flowers that you hung up at your sisters baby shower, where did you get them?

[abigail @ piece of cake]

just found your blog.. and man, am i impressed! being a graphic designer myself, i have to tell you (you probably already know this) you have some serious talent not only in photography but in your digital wares as well. what a fabulous idea to offer these downloads for scrapbooking. wow. i could go on....

[misschell]

Hope everything is ok- it's been a while since your last post! i'm sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for you to update us all! Eye candy is def. the word for you blog! Totally inspiring & wonderful!!!! i always loved your scrapbook pages & could pick them out in a crowd- i've been a fan for years!!!

~misschell
chinamommy.etsy.com
and
http://chinamommy04.blogspot.com/

[joanna warren]

I like that yarn too...please let us know where to find it :)

[ruth]

I love the paper lace. I've done a feature of them on my blog; take a look here - http://chickedee-chickedee.blogspot.com/2008/11/paper-lace.html。

Thanks!
ruth