Hey Little Birdie!

Oh, Valentine’s Day. There is something about this saccharine little holiday that makes me miss Elmer’s glue, glitter (yes, glitter, the nasty coarse dollar store kind to boot), and red construction paper.  It brings back memories of shoebox Valentine holders and that schoolroom vulnerability. It reminds me of anxiously waiting to see who slipped in one of their perforated Transformers card into that glittered little vessel.  How I read into what each preprinted message could possibility insinuate, yes even in first grade. I remember that foreboding fear that my mailbox might be empty, and the heartache when it’s reaping was in fact pretty sparse.

I also remember that time I spent with my mom who tireless helped us make each and every Valentine by hand. I can still smell the hot glue gun and feel it’s stringy trails tracing over our kitchen table. She always spent so much time fostering our creativity and imaginations and seized opportunities like making Valentines to do so.

I guess Valentine’s Day makes me all kinds of uncharacteristically nostalgic. I just really cherish the idea of being purposeful in conveying love to those dearest to you. So in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are some of my favorite lovely things:

1.Penguin Poems for Love ; Selected by Laura Barber 2. Sugar Paper Happy Valentine’s Day Card 3. Voluspa Belle Sucre 3 Wick Candle 4. 51 Love Stories by Paul Octavious (This is my new most favorite thing, I mean a heart made out of books of love stories, genius!)

Happy Friday, sweet readers! We are taking a break from our normal “Know Your Birdies” question this week. However, I simply couldn’t let you round out your week with out a HLB fix. I know it is imperative to your weekend. I also know that sarcasm never reads well, so know I am just joshing with you.

I do, however, think that my latest Etsy obsession, The Wheatfield, will indeed enrich you weekend. While trolling on Pinterest I happened upon on one of the shop’s prints. They are vibrant, whimsical and have beautiful messages. Here are couple of my favorites.

Wishing you all a weekend of the happiest kind!

A couple weeks ago I read about the blessed union of one Martha Stewart with my favorite brand of office supplies, Avery. That is correct, Martha Stewart labels, journals, binders and more. Let it resonate, savor the moment. I will wait.

I have been stalking the collection online and plotting my purchase. When I got into Staples to see it in person, my careful planning went out the windows. I started doing cartwheels down this aisle:

They were just putting the product out so the selection was limited, but glorious. I am completely inspired to label everything in my home, even the couch.

This is what followed me home:

I am off to print off my labels and bask in their aesthetic goodness. And you should be off to your local Staples to experience the organizational Nirvana that awaits you.

PS Speaking of paper goods I am completely obsessed with my new thank you cards I picked up at Walmart (?!) Way to go Walmart, seriously.

My husband and I were talking the other day about how neither of us have ever really assumed the habit of resolution-making. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe I need to have a conversation with a resolution-enthusiast to really compare their zeal with my nonchalance. Maybe then I will uncover the source of my apathy.

However, I will readily admit that I am much affected by the amount of intentionality that this time of year brings. I’m inspired by the dedication to evaluate where we’ve been and conversely where we are going. I align myself right up next to those who self-analyze in an effort to become better versions of themselves. I love these practices and premeditations. They resonate in my very being.

I want to become a cleaner, more pure version of myself… who I was created to be. I want my day-to-day life to reflect the things and people who are most important to me. I want to embrace opportunities to grow and push myself past my established realm of comfort.

For me, maybe this means cleaning out closets to simplify my life, maybe it’s baking something for a neighbor in an attempt to dig in to the physical location where God has me planted, maybe it’s taking more walks outside to expand Lyla’s space and to lessen my waist line, maybe it is setting my alarm a half hour earlier to ensure I have daily time in prayer, maybe it is dreaming with my husband when he talks about his business, maybe it’s interrupting less and listening more when a friend catches my ear.

So, what about you? Are you a resolution person? Do you want to convert me? Do you think I am a closet resolution-maker based on the ramblings of this post? I kind of think that maybe I am.

p.s. The print above is from Super Swoon Print Shoppe. Check it out.

Today is a good day! If you aren’t feeling it yet, let me be the one to lighten your Christmas load. Put down the shopping list, stop crafting gift toppers, step away from the baking sheets. Today we have an amazing gift for you. For me, you say? Yes, it’s Christmas gift giving time here at Hey Little Birdie. And don’t worry, whether you are a regular here or just a first-timer, this present is for one and all. Okay, I’ll stop channeling Tiny Tim now.

But back to the gift already, right? Our fearless HLB founder and artist in residence, Josie, created these beauties because of our collective love of all things Jane Austen. They are bookmarks of each of the estates noted in Pride & Prejudice – Longbourn, Pemberley, Rosings Park, and Netherfield Park – with a quote attached. And I know I am biased, but they are amazing. I’ve already printed mine on cardstock and am finding random books around the house to bookmark. I don’t care if I’m currently reading it or not, I just want to see the estate of my choice poking out the top. Plus they remind me that often the best gifts are handmade and free.

God bless us, every one.

Instructions for Downloading:
Just click on this LINK, print on card stock (8.5 x 11) in the color of your choice, cut… and enjoy!

Hopefully you are done with your holiday shopping and moving onto the task of wrapping up all those lovely packages. (Confession: I’m not there yet.) I truly enjoy wrapping gifts, but I often find I am totally overwhelmed by the number of options and the complicated designs. Kind of like how I feel in the paper aisle at the craft store, it’s all too much! I want the presents I give to be pretty but I don’t want to add too much to my schedule by committing to a huge craft project! So here are a few easy yet beautiful ideas to inspire your (and my) wrap time this year:

1. via Martha 2. via WhipperBerry 3. via How About Orange 4. via Country Living

This post might seem a little self-serving, but honestly, as I’ve been searching for the perfect gifts for all of my family members, I’ve also found myself enamored with an entire host of things perfectly suited for me. It’s kind of like that game – one for you, two for me. Is anyone else there with me? Or are all of you completely altruistic? You are, aren’t you? Color me impressed.

So anyway, here lies a few of the things that have been catching my eye lately. I will admit, to date I have purchased none of these things. So that should count for something, right?

(Image Credits: 1- milloo, Almathea Clutch; 2- Fail Jewelry, Crescent Earrings; 3- Oh So Retro Vintage, A; 4- Efrat Deutsch, Mint Butterfly Necklace; 5- Sugar Fresh, Twinkle Star Print; 6- West Elm, Favorite Throw Striped)

At this time of year, it is almost too easy to get caught up in the busyness- the shopping, the parties, the baking, the eating of the baking. And don’t get me wrong, those are all good things. And I love them. But for me, Christmastime means so much more. And I have to purposefully take time at this point to sit still, to reflect, and to really absorb what this season is truly about. Because otherwise I get lost in the shuffle, and eventually all those good things I mentioned earlier become agents of stress or perfectionism, or even worse- discontent.

I found this free printable from Jones Design Company, printed it out on cardstock, and added it to a little table in my family room. I can’t miss it since I pass by it a million times a day. Sure it’s pretty and festive to look at, but I hope it will serve as a visual reminder of what matters most about Christmas and what matters most to my heart.

Are you guys as excited about Christmas cards as I am? I think that they are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. I love to see pictures of family that we don’t get to see often enough. I love seeing hand written addresses.  Or lets face it, just getting mail that isn’t junk or bills is just wildly refreshing. I am currently putting our card list together and was dreading addressing them because my handwriting is well, interesting. I have worked hard on it. I have taken calligraphy classes, practiced penmanship with elementary school resources as an adult, but I have faced the facts; my handwriting is just not pretty. I was pursuing diy calligraphy ideas on pinterst and came across the most genius idea ever. Printing out the address on the envelope in a pretty font and tracing it. Awesome, no?

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That got me thinking about sprucing up the entire envelope. Which lead me to envelope liners. They are like marvelous wrapping paper for a card, oh and I love myself some marvelous wrapping paper. I found this tutorial for making your own liners.

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Just think of the possibilities! I don’t know how it would lay but I am thinking that wrapping paper itself would be the most economical route to line them with. I am thinking of something along the line of one of these:

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Even stamps can be envelope jewelry. There are several sites that offer customizable stamps or predesigned ones that are way prettier than the USPS variety. Check out pictureitpostage, stamps.com or zazzle for options. Below are some of my favorites from zazzle.

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Are you wanting to decorate your envelopes now too? Because really, an envelope is a good place to put extra time and money during the time of the year when they are most abundant, right?!?

I saw this print yesterday on Lay Bay Lay, which is an awesome site if you are looking for nursery inspiration… or really inspiration for any room. There is such a sophsication to what she amasses. I devour her mood boards daily.

Back to the print, it totally spoke to me. Since having Lyla, I’ve realized how much I enjoying wandering. Give me a store, a park, or… a morning in New York with no agenda, and I can wander with the best of them. Something about no timetables, no schedules, no expectations is dizzyingly freeing.

A week and a half ago, my husband Mike and I took our first trip out of town without Lyla. And we decided to go big or go home… we went to New York City. The circumstances of the trip made much of it rushed and the agenda full, but for one morning, we were free to just explore on our own.

We woke up a little early to really take advantage of the time together, and we navigated our way through the subways to the West Village. After a little breakfast, we each straped on our cameras and meandered through the streets and gardens of Greenwich.

It was, by far, my favorite part of the trip. Wandering… exploring… capturing moments… and just being together. When we found a cute book store, we shopped. When we came upon a fire station, we took time to honor each of their fallen from 9/11. We walked in unison, shooting pictures, and enjoying each other’s company.

So today, I thought I would share a bit of what I saw. Maybe it will inspire you to wander and find the beauty around you, just like it did for me.

Slight disclaimer: My husband is the actual photographer in the family. I’m just learning so that someday he can actually be a subject in our pictures. Just keep that in mind.