the new blog

Hello lovely people!

I want to formally introduce you to my new blog, the ink crowd!!!

I will still be keeping up (the best I can) with the family blog with the latest happening in Ben's life.

enjoy your day!

Take it Personal

Happy Friday!

I am in a big dorky mood today, hence the title to this post... in reference to the 90's hit, "Don't take it Personal" by Monica. What, what!

oh dear.

No, seriously. Wouldn't you agree that the best gifts are one's that the giver put some time and consideration into? What better way to say, "Hi, I like you. So much in fact that I am giving you a gift with your name on it."

I love personalized gifts, especially for those people like teachers, co-workers, and neighbors who you want to share the love with, but sometimes aren't sure how.

Here are some of my favorite personalized gifts this season:

personalized recipe boxes
perfect for extended family gifts. Fill it with homemade cookies and a recipe card!

Personalized Coasters

perfect for your Christmas Hostess gift.

Personalized Ice Bucket

I am just in love with these. A little on the pricey side for the above mentioned recipients, but man oh man, these are cute. This would be a perfect Laura Thompson gift! :)

Personalized Note Sheets

great teacher, co-worker, graduate gift!

Photo Magnets

Stocking Stuffers!

Personalized Placemats

What a great way to teach your little one how to set the table!

Clipboards

Featured on The Today Show and in O Magazine!

Contact me with questions or inquiries about custom orders!

Have a lovely day.

finders, keepers

Today I ventured into one of my favorite spots in all of Houston during the Christmas season. The Nutcracker Market. Love the place. Aisles and aisles of beautiful finds for home and holiday. I found a really neat display for my stationery at Paul Michael that I am really excited about.

On the home front, I'm in the market for some shelving/hooks for the entry and also Ben's room.

Both of these are vintage finds online from etsy.


{via blue bird heaven}


{via old new again}


and then there are those vendors you stumble upon that will give you nightmares for weeks. Really, is there a market for this? Gross!

My space: kitchen edition

This past week, I have been in nesting mode. NO, I'm not pregnant. I think this incredibly strong pull towards making my home more ME comes from the fact that our home still feels temporary to me. In the back of my head I thought we may not be living here for very long. But, really I love our humble abode, and it deserves all my love. Right, babe? :) I didn't think our little 1900 sq ft. could handle another baby much less all the decorating ideas I had in store, so I never took a plunge. Yes, we painted here and there, and I slowly made a great playroom space for Ben. But our bedroom and kitchen specifically could use a little love. Even if I don't actually do an extreme home makeover, I can at least put together a portfolio of dream ideas. Let's start with my favorite room of the house: the kitchen. This is where the magic happens (well, you know what I mean). It's where we come together as a family and enjoy meals, it's where friends stand around the island and chat, it's where I feel most at home. I created a small inspiration board for your visual enjoyment. I love mixing different chairs around the table. And the mix of white and dark...heavenly. These are some of the most beautiful spaces. I absolutely adore a white kitchen. Someday, when I build my dream kitchen, I will have a white, oak, and grey palette.


photos via {livingetc, graham&green}

Once you have an idea of color, style, and placement, the first step in creating this amazing look would be to hunt and find the perfect table and chairs. Other items that MAKE a kitchen for me are the little nuances around the countertops. I love going into someone's home for the first time, and seeing what they choose to display on their counters, whether it be a fun cookie jar, a bread box, a fruit stand, electric mixer, or maybe nothing at all.
In my kitchen, my favorite countertop item is my fruit stand from Pottery Barn.


I love coming home from the grocery store, cleaning off my fruit, and putting in it's place on the stand. Before I thought to buy a tiered stand, I would put my fruit in a bread bowl in the center island. This was an okay idea, but sometimes fruit would get lost at the bottom, and by the time we got down to it, there would be a slimy, moldy mess.

What is your favorite kitchen find? Would love to hear what you love about your kitchen.

via {maya made}

i resign to design

today i'm swooning over these goodies from {serena & lily}

a sight for sore eyes

Why is it that when my husband is out of town, I get this surge of energy to be productive?? I very rarely give myself time to work on me, and this morning I changed that. I went to a reformer pilates demo class at Lifetime Fitness. My trainer, Victoria, was amazing. With pilates, you really have to focus on so many different things. I kept hearing Victoria say things like, "imagine there is a string tied to your belly button, and you're trying to pull it toward the back wall," or "squeeze the little acorn in between your shoulder blades." I don't quite have the muscle memory developed for these movements, but she said I did very well for my present condition. Thanks? She meant that I am tight in so many places that I have never heard of, and it all manifests in my lower back. After our session was over, I felt so energized and flexible (and sore).... Ready to conquer the world (or at least blog about it)! I went ahead and signed up to try 8 weeks of classes, so I'm committed folks. I'll let you know if it ends up being worth the time and money.
In other productive news, I chose to read last night before bed instead of giving into the endless temptation of Hulu. I think I am going to start making this time before bed a quiet time. I have always been a good sleeper, scratch that GREAT sleeper, but I don't know what has happened! I'm not sure if it's the hormones or having Ben's bedroom right next door to ours or what, but I have been having trouble falling asleep at night. And, unfortunately the only thing that helps me fall asleep is cereal. But, when I get up to have a 12am bowl of cereal, I am breaking my rule of not eating anything past dinner time. Can we say predicament?

Speaking of sleep, let's talk about where I sleep. It's drab. I am really wanting to paint our bedroom and add some other beautiful touches. The other day I grabbed a few color swatches at Home Depot. I am drawn to anything and everything gray. Gray and greens are my absolute fav. So, here's the plan. I am going to paint our room Bedford Gray from Martha Stewart.
and here are some other items on my wish list

matelasse from {Peacock Alley}


L&W, please. {via mr&mrswhite}


do people dream of benches? i'm weird. i love this bench from one of my new favorite designers. i need to plant a money tree out back. {Katrin Arens}

have you ever seen anything more adorable in all your life. goodietrueshoes


well thanks for stopping by. have a great rest of the day!