“Cher”ing Joy...

My friend Cheryl is so good at making others feel special and appreciated. She calls it “cher”ing joy {her maiden name is Joy. Cute right?} For Valentine’s Day, I wanted to return that favor and let her and her husband know how special they are to us.

I actually have had this “dog lovers” pasta for a while. And I purchased it specifically for Cheryl, a dog lover. I was waiting for the perfect occasion to send it to her and Valentine’s Day fit the bill.

 

 

Along with fun rawhide Valentine's Day cards for Tacoma and Lucy, I found some other dog-related Valentines-y items, packed them all up in a cute repurposed box and sent them on their way to California.

 

 

 

I’m actually really proud of myself for getting it to them on time. Hope they find joy in it! 

 

As for us, Jack called at work yesterday to ask if I was available on Thursday at 6pm. I said I had a hot date with my husband, but that I could probably fit him in. He has some sort of surprise planned. All I know is that I should dress comfy and flats are appropriate. Interesting... I love surprises!!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

P.S. Looking for a last minute gift? Last year’s Valentine’s Day DIY was a hit!

The Graduate

At exactly 10:00pm this evening, my sweet husband is a student no more! 

Just call him: Jack Thomson, Master of Business

I am so proud of him for seeing this through. I know at times it was tough to manage class, homework, work, and the house {and me}, but now he has his MBA to show for it! This was a huge life goal for him. He has worked hard for this moment. I am such a  happy and proud wife right now.

This is your time to shine, lover... enjoy it!

And get ready for a super-fun party next weekend. Congratulations!!

Make a Wish Platter {Literally}...

Remember these beauties from last year's holiday line at West Elm?

{photo via West Elm} 

{photo via West Elm}

I absolutely fell in love with the "Wish" platter... cute, right?? But I just couldn't find it within me to pay over $50 for a platter that I would only use a couple times a year. So... I decided to make it. It ended up being fairly easy to do, but you definitely need a semi-artistic eye and a steady hand. And, really you could do any design, but I wanted the same look as the West Elm lovely.

The supplies are pretty basic: porcelain platter from Walmart {$10}, Pebeo Porcelaine 150 in gold {$6}, and a paintbrush. {Use the Pebeo Thinner if your gold paint is too thick.}

The Porcelaine 150 is really neat paint. It's water-based and can be used on any heat-stable surface - porcelain, crockery, terra-cotta, metals, ceramics, glass, etc. All you have to do is bake your painted piece and the paint becomes as hard and permanent as enamel!

First I lightly sketched out my design on the platter with pencil and then painted in the shapes with the gold paint.

When I was done with my design, I had to let the paint dry for 24 hours after application. Then, I baked the platter in my oven for 35 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

What do you think?? Does it resemble the West Elm piece somewhat? I'm pretty proud of it and couldn't believe when I got the lettering right. I love that now I have a handmade family holiday heirloom. Better believe that platter will be holding this year's turkey and many more turkeys to come. Here's a pic of it doing work last year.

There's still time to make your own platter before Thanksgiving... because you don't have anything else to do before Thursday, right? Have a great weekend!

Smitten on Paper Winner...

I know you’re all waiting with baited breath to find out the winner of the Smitten on Paper Holiday Card giveaway. Thank you to all who entered... wasn’t it hard to choose just one design as your favorite?!

 

As you can see, I chose to go the old-fashioned route because, well... I’m me and I enjoy doing things the handmade-way.

{All of the contestants!}

{Into the pot... who will the winner be?!}

{The suspense!!}

Without further ado, I give you the winner...



{Yay, Julia!!}

The winner is Julia, who said:

"Oh that is so nice of SOP and One Pretty Place! I love Good Cheer and Winter Snow and..., and.... they are all beautiful! *fingers crossed*"

I guess all of that finger-crossing worked! I wish I could have chosen each and every one of you, but only one could win. Congratulations Julia!! I'll shoot you an email with further directions {and my address just in case you feel the need to send me a holiday card}.  

 

I hope you'll all keep Smitten on Paper in mind as you're choosing your holiday cards this year. Thanks so much SOP for partnering with One Pretty Place on this giveaway.

 

Happy Monday everyone!

 

 

Election Day...

Get out to the polls today and exercise your right to vote if you haven't turned in your early ballot yet. May the best candidate win.

And It's On To The Next...

CONTEST CLOSED... WINNER ANNOUNCED HERE

Don't you feel like once Halloween hits, we're in a downhill slide into all of the fall/winter holidays? Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, but all of the best holidays within a 2-month stretch... really? We couldn't have spread the joy throughout the year?

Anyways... here's something that will get you in the holiday spirit right quick, putting you only a *smidgen* behind Hobby Lobby and Michaels: a little giveaway from Smitten on Paper! 

Smitten on Paper is one of my favorite stationery companies. They won me over {literally} when Jack and I won the "Cutest Couple Photo Contest" and were able to customize our own set of cards. Well, now Smitten on Paper is letting me host a giveaway to one lucky One Pretty Place reader {that's you!}. I'll make it crazy simple, you guys. You all have the chance to win 25 free holiday cards along with free envelopes in the color of your choice. Just show SOP some love by perusing their site, coming back here and leaving a comment telling us which holiday card design is your fave. Earn an additional entry by tweeting about the contest too {just be sure to include me @kristinmthomson and @smittenonpaper so that we know you tweeted!}.

Do it now. And good luck to all who enter! Deadline to enter this contest is Friday, November 9th. And in all seriousness, if you don't have Smitten on Paper's blog in your reader, you're missing out on some serious DIY inspiration. 

The Hippest Halloween...

You guys... I really liked being a hipster for my Golden #Hipsterbday party this past weekend. Like, a super lot. I think I could pull it off... what do you think?

If only I had the courage to get a tattoo, wear red lipstick in everyday life and totally mismatch my wardrobe. *sigh* Baby steps... I think I'll sport those tortoise shell faux frames more often.  Until then, I had an amazing time celebrating with friends. Everyone really got into the spirit and looked the part. We didn't even get one stare as we biked to dinner we looked so authentic... pretty deck if you ask me. See for yourself.

We started the afternoon off with moustache finger tattoos, homemade macarons by Katie, and charcuterie on handmade butcher block boards gifted to me by my honey. Then those of us cool enough to have bikes rode to Pier 54 for dinner and drinks on the water {the others polluted the environment and met us via auto}.

After another extreme workout on the way home {I don't remember all those hills last time we biked there}, we cracked open the PBR for a few rounds of flip cup and then headed out for Halloween people-watching on  Mill Avenue... craziness as per usual.

As always, Jack did an amazing job planning the party... thanks lover! And thanks to everyone who celebrated with me... you guys are the best. 

Happy Halloween, everyone! Yolo.

Busy's Gettin' Busy...

Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images North America via Zimbio

I'd like to know when Busy Phillipps became so popular. If you answered "Busy-who?"... exactly. I'll give it to her that she's really cute now and her daughter's name is Birdie {a celebrity right of passage} but last time I looked, she was the girl with a lisp on Dawson's Creek. Now all of a sudden she's in all of the gossip mags and is touted as a party planning guru by Bacardi?

I didn't know Cougar Town was that popular, but good for her. Did you know she's from Scottsdale and went to Chaparral High School? Yay AZ!

Get Out Your Swag Because YOLO*...

You guys... last year's birthday was pretty epic. Not gonna lie that Jack and I overdid it on our 30th birthdays last year, so this year we're trying to lay a little lower. Except that that this year is my golden birthday {31 years on the 31st}, so of course I can't pass up the opportunity for another themed party! This year's theme:

{HIPSTERS}

Photo via The Chive

I sooooo wish I could be cool enough to be a hipster. But a fashiony hipster, not an I-don't-care-what-I-look-like hipster. Think Mary-Kate and Ashley, not Taylor Momsen. Or Zooey Deschanel, not Miley Cyrus' new look. So I'll pretend for one night that I actually know what's cool before it's cool.

And being the sort pf person that I am, you better believe I put together an inspiration board from images found on Pinterest! I didn't mean for it to turn out so pastel, but you get the idea.

Photos via: 1. Slice Magazine,  2. Confetti System, 3. Hendricks Gin instagram, 4. Photographs by Lesley A. Sico, 5. Handmade with Heart Boutique, 6. glow sticks, 7. friendship bracelets, 8. Alison Conklin Photography via Ruffled, 9. Carl Christensen Photography, 10. kazmataz's instructables, 11. white oxford shoes, 12. charcuterie via Kinfolk

Lots of Pabst Blue Ribbon in cans, friendship bracelets, bikes, mustaches  vintage clothes, gourmet food, and craft cocktails. A little instagram and the latest indie records will make for a super-hip evening. And we'll throw in some macarons for good measure. Can't wait!!

*YOLO: you only live once

Two Amazing Years...

Photo by Marianne Wilson Photography

Happy anniversary to my sweetheart. 

As we celebrate our second anniversary, I realize all over again how lucky I am to be spending my life with you. You make me happy in so many ways, and time only makes me appreciate and love you more than ever. The life we've made together means the world to me.

 

I love you.