Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of the creative effort.
We should consider every day lost, on which we have not danced at least once.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
It is so crazy to think that March is already past us. This year has flown by already. It’s been a rather interesting year for the Masanotti household. A few wonderful celebrations so far, some beautiful reconnections and a hopeful season of waiting are just a few of the things filling our lives in 2012. March was National Craft Month and well, like many things in my life the past few weeks, I never got around to finishing/publishing this post until now…April 1.
We can still celebrate crafting in April, right?! I think so. I have the wonderful gift of being surrounded by some truly spectacular artists in Charlotte, NC, and surrounding cities. Seriously, there are pockets of friends and people in this small(ish) city that so reek with amazing creativity and talent, it almost seems unfair to the rest of the world to hoard all the goodies here in Charlotte, North Carolina. I must admit, more times than not, I shamefully allow my self-consciousness to leave me feeling inadequate and not quite talented or cool enough to interact with most of these folks like I want.
Right now I am in the middle of coaching my fourth Girls on the Run season. This week, I found myself teaching the girls about being unique…celebrating each others’ unique qualities. I caught myself pleading with these third-, fourth- and fifth-grade girls to not compare themselves because we were all “fearfully and wonderfully made” to be the people we are/supposed to be. As I was saying these things, the words felt bitter to my lips…not because they were wrong, but because it is and has always been a struggle for me not to compare myself to other women…to not let that comparison-game render me helpless, unable to move or be creative like I know I can and should, due to the weight of my inadequacy and self-consciousness.
I’ve been following Molly Barker’s Naked Face Project over the last 60 days and the revelations she had were so, so meaningful to me. If you’re not familiar with the project, Molly and a girl named Caitlyn, embarked on this journey to not wear makeup, etc., for 60 days. Visit The Naked Face Project to see their journey. In conclusion to the project, Molly realized that her negative self-talk, combined with our culture of “keeping up with appearances” from a young age, had made her feel less than, had robbed her of true joy. For me, the physical comparisons creep in from time to time, but more than that, the comparison of creativity has really robbed me from being to creative soul I was designed to be. There’s no denying God gave me a talent and sense of creativity…well, I say there’s no denying it…but I find myself denying it and in doing so, I am my biggest obstacle…my own source of un-motivation.
I’m working through it…just as I asked my girls to work through it last week. That may read pretty deep, but it’s what is on my heart.
In honor of National Craft Month, I wanted to highlight some of these amazingly talented folks around me and hope that you will visit each of their spaces and delight in their creativity as I do. I’m also posting a link to my Etsy shop, because well…I’m insanely self-conscious about promoting my craft, but I think my little invitations are not that bad and I’m not going to let me “inside voices” keep me from “celebrating the joyful, beautiful and enduring” in my own self.
Happy April. Enjoy!
via The Lightnest Etsy Shop
The Lightnest on Etsy
by the stunningly beautiful Paige {Beasley} Maitland
{of who I had a blessed RE-encounter with a few weeks ago }
via Naptime Diaries on Etsy
Naptime Diaries
by one of the most faithful women I know
Jessi Connolly
via Plumcake Goodsie Shop
Plumcake {a collection of vintage, fashion & more}
from one of the most fashionable, hip, SOULFUL:) women I’ve ever met
Anna Hollingsworth
(side note: she also is a FABULOUSLY talented photographer)
via Sarah Dawn Helser, painter
Sarah Helser is THE best PAINTER I’ve ever known {in person}.
Her work always calls out to feelings inside me, hidden in the depths of my soul…and it is a beautiful experience…every time.
Here is her blog where she also showcases her ridiculous talent for writing.
If you are in or around Charlotte, be sure to stop by the Renee George Gallery to see some of Sarah’s latest pieces
and prepared to be blown away.
via Swoon Bijoux
Swoon Bijoux by Kim Vinton Dean
{some of the most gorgeous, handmade jewelry from one of the most gorgeous people I know}
via Uglyspots Studio on Etsy
and mine…
I design invitations and sell them on Etsy
I have a few designs in the shop but also do custom work, just ask.
There.
I did it.
…and after erasing that last picture/post 5 times, I decided I better keep it up.
…and I’m not talking about the junky kind, but the real “letter-from-ones-you-love” kind of mail. Unfortunately with the rise of technology (with which I admittedly have a love/hate relationship) and the craziness that is the US Postal Service, snail mail is becoming a bother instead of what it was intended to be/do and that is to connect people and keep them connected.
I’m a HUGE of handmade cards, invitations, etc., vs. the store-bought generic cards. To me, it shows the time and effort someone put in FOR YOU, especially for you…only for you and they paid 44¢ to mail it TO YOU.
With Valentine’s Day coming up (and FAST, people) and the commercial “holiday-whoring” (harsh, but true) that most stores participate in this time of year, I think there are some better ways to share the love.
For one, instead of buying things of the red/pink persuasion with silly, generic “love sayings” on them for your loved ones, how taking some time to serve them. Drop them a real note (handmade perhaps?!) telling them how you really feel, in your own words. If not a note, try to do something nice for them, going out of your way to make their life(ves) a little easier. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, in fact, in this recession-age more folks are finding that the simple gestures are the most meaningful…they show that you PAY ATTENTION. {last year I did homemade s’mores!}
Maybe try to serve those who you don’t love or don’t necessarily know. The random acts of kindness go a long way and if you’ve been on the receiving end of a random act, you know that JOY that it brings is contagious.
The last thing is something a little smaller in size and scope, but the impact on yourself is tremendous. It is always good to take some time and treat yourself with some love. Last year, I participated in a Handmade Valentine Swap sponsored by The Stationery Place. I thought it would just be a fun thing to do, mainly to challenge and push myself to get crafty, but what I got in return was a joy and a smile that were so OVERWHELMING..much more than a little paper valentine should probably conjure up…for a week, I received 4-5 handmade valentines from people all around the world via this swap and it was amazing.
my handmade valentine last year
I think this particular swap closed on Jan. 25, but you can try to email the folks to see if you can still get in on this one. If not, here are a few more that you could check out: Aunt Peaches, FaveCrafts Blog, Oh Hey, What’s Up?
You could even coordinate a Valentine’s swap with a group of friends locally…My friends are always saying we need a craft night, so this would be a great “theme”.
Hope you’re having a GREAT Friday…I’ll have some really fun news to post this weekend…a little something in the works for someone close to me…I CANNOT wait to debut.
This year, for Christmas, I wanted to give the women of my family a special gift. My grandmother (mom’s mom…I call her Nanny Sis) is a GREAT cook and like most really great cooks, she does NOT use recipes…or measurements for that matter. She cooks from the soul…it’s about timing, the smells and how it “feels”…which is really a beautiful thing…UNTIL you want to replicate any of her “famous” dishes.
I was determined to record some of her recipes so we can keep them “in the family” and not let them pass with time. So, this year, I spent some time with my Nanny to watch her every move, take photos and record some of her famous holiday candy recipes. I compiled what I saw, what I heard, what I smelled. I asked the other women in my family for some of their famous recipes too…my aunt…my cousins…my mom…my sister. We all put in 3-4 of our best recipes. I compiled them and designed my very first cookbook…The Branham Women in the Kitchen cookbook. Here it is:
Cooking and the love of food is something that runs in our family and that is one tradition I intend to continue.
Okay wow…I know.
It’s been forever. We’ve been unpacking our lives in our new place (which I absolutely LOVE) and things have been crazy busy…more on that later. For today, I wanted to share with you a little DIY project that Jay and I worked on for our new space. Storage is limited in our little condo, so we knew we needed something in the dining room to help me hide all our stuff…enter Sideboard…or dining room Buffet…either would do.
We searched for a couple weeks. I researched online, went to Sleepy Poet and finally we found this gem for $50 at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore:
it has potential
Now it’s only partially wood…the majority of it is particle board or something like that so painting it would be challenging…or so it would’ve been five years ago! Now we have products like Rust-O-Leum that you can use to paint ANYTHING. Don’t like the look of your cabinets or countertops?? PAINT THEM. This stuff really is super awesome.
So here starts the transformation…photo heavy from here on out:)
first coat...
first coat finished...color is more this than blue
next step...shoe polish:)
use the shoe polish along all creases and edges
the man behind the magic
three coats of paint {all different shades} + shoe polish
the finished product!
and again for good measure...
Take that Sleepy Poet! Now…I’m on the search for fun knobs to replace these, but in the meantime…my husband is totally boss for doing this and it is BEAUTIFUL. Happy Tuesday!
Sorry for the lull…hope you are still around. I had big plans for blogging this summer, but they all got pushed to the wayside by the BIG MOVE. We officially landed in our new nest last Monday. We tried to unpack and move the big furniture to the correct room before Jay had to leave for NYC (so jealous btw) for Teacher’s College at Columbia University. I’ve been unpacking and trying to decorate while he is away.
If you ARE still around, stay tuned for some really fun posts on furniture transformations and crafty fun house DIY (I made my own curtain contraption this week!) projects in the next week or so. Pictures to come soon, I promise:)
Here are some photos of stuff we’ve been into recently:
Sweet Bakery in Oak Island, NC
My Favorite Sister:)
Zoolander!
Beer & BBQ Fest in Plaza Midwood
Finally saw some fireworks:)
Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July:) See you soon!
Happy Monday! So it is official…we are moving to Uptown Charlotte…the Myers Park neighborhood to be exact. We are going from a comfy 3bd, 2ba 1300sq. ft. 1970′s ranch-style home with a yard in Rock Hill to a quaint 1000sq. ft. 2bd, 1ba 1920′s condo in historic Charlotte with a shared yard (quadruplex).
The next 3 weeks are going to be a PURGING of sorts. Over the last 5 years of marriage, Mr. M and I have accumulated a LOT of stuff. So for the next few weeks, we are going to go on a journey of purging, organizing and decorating small spaces on the blog. Hope you enjoy.
Today here are some photos of some of the coolest, creative small places from around the world wide web!
A Narrow Victory, Dwell Magazine '09
Our's isn't this small, but WOW
Creative Kitchen Storage
Creative Couple, Small Space from Apartment Therapy
Precious Moses' {Closet} Room via Oh Happy Day
Ikea will be my new best friend. for sure.
Stay tuned on Wednesday for tips on pulling off a Yard Sale. Mine will be THIS Saturday {hopefully!}.
I LOVE short weeks! It’s already Wednesday which means we are less than 2 weeks away from summer break. I technically work during the summer but we do have summer hours (9am-4pm) and I can wear shorts and flip flops:)
A lot is going on right now…or potentially going on. We *might* have a renter for our house which means we may be making a move to Charlotte in the next few months. Fingers crossed!
Jay and I took the afternoon on Monday to drive around the City to see what rentals were available. We have a list of 20 or so to call today, so we will see. On our drive, we found ourselves in Fourth Ward in Uptown. There were these quaint townhomes with rooftop terraces! They were so stinkin’ cute. I’ve been daydreaming about terraces now for the past few days so I thought I would feature some of the best terraces around. (Maybe I can add my own to this list one day!)
Rooftop Terrace Restaurant at 230 Fifth, NYC
This resataurant has been on my list every time I visit New York and I haven’t made it yet. It’s okay though…more reason to go back. How beautiful is this in the middle of one of my favorite cities!
LOVE this!
A rooftop renovation in SoHo that is just stunning via Apartment Therapy!
Rooftop Garden Terrace, Seattle
Rooftop in Chicago, Featured by Dwell
Rooftop Garden...wait?! What?!?
Kidding…not quite the “rooftop” terrace I was thinking, but how cool is that?!
So I’m on the search for fun rooftop bars or restaurants in Charlotte…help a girl out! 
Happy Wednesday to you!
I LOVE origami! Remember those little star things you used to make as kids where you start with a square and fold the corners, etc., to make this moveable star? You put colors on the outer triangles, numbers on the inside and then fortunes on the inner triangles. “Pick a color…Pick a number {move star the number of times} then pick another number…You will marry Jordan Knight {NKOTB} and live on a Yacht”
Right?!
Well it is supposed to be a hot, humid 97 degrees here in the Carolinas today and while it’s not the ideal weather for a mid-day picnic, I LOVE the evenings. It stays light later and the temperature cools…like 7-8pm is my favorite time outside right now. Today I wanted to feature some fun picnic origami crafts for you and maybe get you inspired to have some friends over for a late night picnic of sorts:)
speaking of those stars:)
See those stars can do more than just tell fortunes, they can hold fixins’ for a sundae party OR toppings for popcorn if you wanted to host an outdoor movie (see here).
paper flowers = FAVS
I LOVE LOVE LOVE paper flowers and these are super easy to make with random tissue paper. See here for the step-by-step instructions to make these beauties.
must purchase a melon baller...today:)
Click here for the instructions to make these adorable pouches…perfect for outdoor snacks!
martha is a genius. straight up.
Um excuse me, cuteness?! Who knew a beautiful table cloth could double as a picnic basket?! Click here for the details.
Hopefully you’ve got some ideas flowing and you put them into use this week. I’m headed to a pancake party tonight so I might use a couple of these ideas too. Happy folding!
Spring cleaning is in full swing in the Masanotti household. Since putting our home on the MARKET in October, our house has been the cleanest it’s ever been…you never know when you’ll get a call for a showing and it’s really hard to drop everything at work to go home and clean. {side note: Someone PLEASE buy our home…it’s the best home in Rock Hill, S.C.}
Having to clean everyday means going through cleaners like nobody’s business…and that can get quite expensive. Also, have you ever read the back of those cleaners…the numbers of chemicals is kind of scary…so for today’s Make it Monday, I am going to feature natural home cleaners that are gentler for you and your loved ones:
- source
Baking Soda
Such a versatile, non-toxic, non-poisonous cleaner, baking soda not only cleans and deodorizes, it does SO much more! Baking Soda removes can be used to clean countertops, remove stains from food containers, clean silver, remove scuffs or grease from any surface, clear out clogged drains, remove “doggie” odors, remove burnt food from your oven or grill and more. Seriously, this is always good to have around to use in the kitchen, the bathroom, etc. etc.
source
Distilled White Vinegar
Between this and baking soda, you can pretty much clean your ENITRE house! Known to many as the miracle cleaner, Vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid that forms through the fermentation of sugars or starches. Pour it in a spray bottle too to use on countertops and more. Vinegar can be used to remove stickers, stains and more…to clean windows (wipe with a newspaper! not kidding, it’s amazing!), to clean metals, to remove clogs and buildup on shower drains and heads, to clean shower curtains and walls. Seriously, you can pretty much use this for everything.
Lavendar, Lemon or Tea Tree Oil
These essential oils and more can be added to water in a spray bottle and used on most surfaces as an all-purpose cleaner…not to mention leaving your house smelling yummy. I have a friend that uses a dab or two of tea tree oil instead of deodorant everyday! You can add a drop or two of these oils in laundry, in your dishwasher, in your bath…practically anywhere.
If you’re thinking..”Sounds great, but I DO not have time to make my own…” My next suggestion is my new favorite “purchased” cleaner…Mrs. Meyers!
Seriously…this stuff smells AMAZING and works like a charm! Mrs. Meyers knows her stuff and this all-purpose cleaner should last a LONG time. For more thoughts and uses on homemade household cleaners, check out a couple of these websites:
www.realsimple.com (especially their fun “New Uses for Old Things” section…super awesome ideas!)
Do you have any??
Not like silence, but like British for Mom:) Happy May to You! This first week of May is already jam-packed with events…some of which are my all-time favorites…Thursday is Cinco de Mayo!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this day and then Saturday is the season-culminating Girls on the Run 5K and then Sunday is MOTHER’s Day!!
I have a lot of friends who will celebrate their first ever Mother’s Day as mothers this year! I look forward to celebrating this day as a mother myself one day, but until then, I will continue to shower my Mother and the mothers around me with LOTS of love:) If you are looking for Mother’s Day gift ideas, here are a few great “Do It Yourself” spa ideas to pamper your mother:
Homemade Body Scrub
- martha
Awhile back, I had a friend that would make these sugar and salt scrubs for her friends and I’ve always thought it is a great gift to give. I mean, everyone loves soft skin, right?! I still use my sugar scrub everyday and it’s helped my sensitive skin and saves me $ because I don’t need to use lotion. There are a lot of homemade body scrub “recipes” out there, but here is a simple one from Martha that I’ve used many times before:
Tools and Materials
Body oil, I <3 Burt’s Bees
Epsom salt, sea salt or organic cane sugar
Glass or Plastic Jar with Lid
Lemon zest
Directions
Combine 1 cup of body oil with 2 cups of Epsom or sea salts or organic cane sugar (depending on how fine a grain you like). We added lemon zest for color and fragrance. Package in jars (plastic is safest by the tub).
Tub Teas
Recently I popped into my local Paper Source store for my monthly visit and I saw these super cute bathtub tea bags filled with yummy smelling herbs and I thought, “man, these would be super easy to make” and I was right! Martha was thinking the same thing and here is her recipe for these super cute calming tea bags:
Tools and Materials
Heat-sealable tea bags,thesage.com
Lavender buds, thesage.com
Chamomile buds,thesage.com
Peppermint leaves,thesage.com
Dried organic lemon verbena,localharvest.org
Directions
Fill heat-sealable tea bags (perfect for one bath) with 1/4 cup lemon verbena, lavender, peppermint, or chamomile. For small bags, top 5 1/4-inch starched muslin circles with 1 tablespoon of botanicals; tie with waxed twine. Giving a few of these in different scents lets bathers customize each bath.
Teacup Candles
martha
Remember back a couple months when I featured vintage teacups as jewelry organizers? Well, here is another way (from Martha of course) to use these super cute teacups and boy is it easy…don’t be intimidated by words like “wicking” or “nested pans”…you work with what you’ve got and Michael’s craft store should have everything you need:
Tools and Materials
Nested pans
Partially burned candles
Candy or candle thermometer
Tongs
New wicking
Teacups
Wick sustainers
Wooden skewers
Teacup Lights How-To
1. In a small pan set over a larger pan of simmering water, melt down old candles; clip the thermometer to the upper pot, and keep temperature at about 185 degrees. Remove old wicks with tongs.
2. Cut a piece of wicking to the cup’s height plus 2 inches. Clamp one end to a wick sustainer; tie the other end around a skewer. Dip wicking and sustainer into melted wax to coat them. Remove and stick sustainer to cup’s bottom.
3. Pour in the wax, stopping 1/2 inch below the cup’s rim. Allow wax to set, about 1 hour. The candle will harden with a well in the center. To even it out, use another skewer to prick a circle of holes about 1/16 inch deep around the wick. Pour in melted wax until surface is 1/4 inch below rim. Cut wick.
Happy Monday! Happy Mother’s Day Crafting!
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