Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sneak Peek: My New Year's Eve Outfit (+ See You Next Year!)

Tonight I am lying in bed, sick, missing the second night in a row of my boyfriend's band's 3-night NYE run.  I'm focusing on the good in this unfortunate situation by dreaming of waking up feeling fresh, and getting to wear the ensemble I put together to celebrate both the beginning of a new year and my birthday!

This will my very last post in 2010.  May all of your dreams come true in 2011.  See you next year!

love,
melissa

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

my new year's resolutions - in pictures

Boyfriend working hard at the stroke of midnight, 2010.
Happy (almost) New Year!  I'm so looking forward to the start of a fresh, brand new year, and to get going on my list of goals, resolutions, and projects for 2011.  Here are just a few of them, shared via photographs I took and art I created in 2010.

1. Get up earlier (and to bed earlier too).  A little less nocturnal, a little more early bird.  (Photo taken at sunrise in Palm Cove, Queensland, Australia.  April 2010).
2. Make more time for doing nothing.  Less go-go-go, more relaxation, meditation, and daydreaming. (Photo taken along the Fox River outside of Chicago, October 2010).
3. Create an eco-friendly greeting card line.  I had a ridiculously fun time creating Bubby & Bean's holiday card mini-collection, and plan to expand this project over the upcoming months.  (2010 Bubby & Bean holiday cards from my original illustrations, drawn October 2010).
4. Visit my BFF in Seattle.  For the insane amount of traveling I do, I've yet to visit my very best friend, Jen, in Seattle.  She's visited me, and we've met at other locations throughout the country.  This year, I vow to pay her a visit. (This photo was snapped by my devastatingly handsome boyfriend at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, July 2010).
What are your resolutions and goals for the upcoming year?
xo,
melissa

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Brand New Year

Ready to celebrate with my 'Birthday Twin' Teri
As with every year's end, I am in awe that only a few days remain before a brand new year begins.  2010 was one of the those years I'll never forget...  Both greatest tragedies and the most amazing moments of my life happened this year, and it's going to be a bittersweet ending/beginning on Friday. 
Ready to uncork the bottle of Dom with my #1 employee, Kari
New Year's Day also happens to be my birthday, so it's quite the double party for me.  Every year, my boyfriend's band plays a big three-night run of shows here in Chicago, culminating on the 31st.  So I get to spend the evening dancing and celebrating with some of my closest friends, sipping champagne sidestage, and getting my New Year's kiss under a rainfall of colorful balloons.
Taking over the backstage photoshoot set with Mindy
On a fashion note (of course), I am most excited about the very flapper-esque dress I chose to wear this year. I'm hoping to find the time to make a 1920s (with a modern twist) feather headpiece to match.  I promise to post pictures as soon as the inevitable champagne headache wears off.

Whatever your plans this Friday, I wish you health, happiness, and a 2011 full of fun creative projects, pretty dresses, and dreams that come true.
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce


xo,
melissa


Sunday, December 26, 2010

meet my sissy!

Melissa ('Missy') and Morgan ('Sissy'), Christmas 2010

Meet my little sister Morgan, aka "Sissy," aka my BFF!  Before Morgan became the coolest high school Psychology/Sociology teacher in all of Indianapolis, she worked for me as Mountains of the Moon's fulfillment manager (and being the color trend guru that she is, she still helps me with choosing colors for my seasonal collections). When I lived in Indy years ago, we rented apartments right down the street from each other, but these days I only get to see her a few times a year (boooo!).   One of my favorite parts of the holidays is when she pays a visit to Chicago, and I'm so happy to have her here for a couple of days.

Morgan also has quite the eye for interior design makeovers. Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for some amazing before and after shots of the recent kitchen transformation of her Indianapolis home.


Saturday, December 25, 2010

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Bubby got everything he wanted from Santa this year. We hope you did too!

xo,
melissa, robbie & bubby

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Covet Living's Bloggette Santa List

The gorgeously rustic Modern Rust dining set that I chose for Covet Living's Bloggette Santa List. (Made completely from reclaimed wood!)
Just in time for Christmas, our pals over at the ultra-awesome lifestyle/design/chit-chat blog Covet Living decided to ask some of their favorite lady bloggers (including yours truly) to share their most coveted items on their lists to Santa this year.  The list is fabulously diverse and full of wonderful things.  Check it out for yourself right here.

xo,
melissa

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Good Enough to Eat: The Prettiest Christmas Cookies

LEFT: Sugar Cookies, Country Living
RIGHT: Springerle Cookies, Country Living
My boyfriend's nieces shared some of their lovely + delicious homemade holiday sugar cookies with me today, which inspired me to post pictures of some of the prettiest christmas cookies I've seen. Enjoy!
Almond Butter Poinsettia Cookies, The Luna Cafe
LEFT:  Linzer Cookies, Southern Living
RIGHT: Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Food Network

Holiday Windowpanes, Food Network Magazine
Holiday Pretzel Rods, Rental Decorating Digest
xo,
melissa

Monday, December 20, 2010

Bedazzlin' with the Girls

Ann-E choosing jewels for the Bedazzler
This morning the boyfriend and I flew to Austin to spend a few days celebrating the holidays with his family. As soon as we arrived at his brother's house, his adorable nieces, Ann-E (8) and Elli (6), brought me upstairs for arts/crafts fun. We all drew Christmas wreaths, then Ann-E pulled out the Bedazzler and showed Auntie Melissa how to embellish a pair of jeans.
Ann-E skillfully embellishing the back pockets of Elli's jeans
Elli modeling Ann-E's creations

I can't wait to give them their super artsy project Christmas gifts! 

xo,
melissa

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sweet, Sweet Sleep

I love the holidays, but usually right around this time (a week before Christmas), the lack of sleep from the preceding weeks catches up with me.  
From "Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs," Bubby & Bean
Today, I'll save you all the senseless written ramblings of my brain-in-need-of-rest, and instead leave you with these images from sleep-themed goods I came across on Etsy. 
Sleepy Panda Tote, Em & Sprout


Deer Sleep Mask, BibBon
Reclaimed Hardwood Bed, Henry Levine Design
These are lovingly dedicated to all of you out there also feeling the effects of holiday madness on your sleep schedule.

x (yawn) o,
melissa

Friday, December 17, 2010

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with Strings

This wonderful holiday gift wrapping post comes
to you from fellow blogger Sutton Shealy.  
Read more about Sutton below.  xo, melissa
-------------------------------------------

As Christmas quickly approaches, the gift wrapping frenzy begins. Though some feel that the wrapping is just as important as the gift itself, not everyone has the time, the money, or the know how to create truly swoon-worthy presents from the outside in. But if you allow yourself to put half as much thought into the presentation as the goodie within, you can increase the WOW factor with just a few simple ideas.

Work with what you have.
LEFT: Paper Route    RIGHT: Stupid Flamingo
A newspaper, an old magazine, last year's calendar, old wallpaper, or even a map can be used in lieu of purchasing wrapping paper. If you're feeling especially crafty and are d.i.y-inclined, try going one step further by using brown butcher paper (or a cut up brown paper grocery bag), a piece of linoleum (available at most every art supply store), a linoleum cutter, a stamp pad or block printing ink, and make your own wrapping paper!

I followed the Design*Sponge tutorial found here, but instead of making personalized stationary, I made wrapping paper. The entire project took all of 20 minutes. I recommend wrapping the present first, then stamping it along the edges of the box, being sure the ink is dry before adding a bow or placing it under the tree.

When it comes to adding a bow, think beyond the bow...
Think *embellishments*.

Necklace-embellish present, DIY Life.
Do you have an old pair of earrings, an inexpensive ornament you could part with, a piece of lace, pine cones from the yard, enough time to make popcorn garland, or a broken necklace? Recycle these types of things and use them to decorate your gift.

Dual printable bow/name tags, Creature Comforts.
I also love Creature Comforts' printable bow and name tags in one. You can print and color your own here.

If all else fails, turn to these splurge-worthy and eco-friendly
wrapping papers.
Field Guide Design hand printed wrapping paper.
Be sure to check out Field Guide 35's blog for a step by step guide showing how thee beautiful papers above were printed.
Smock Paper reversible gift wrapping paper.
Paper Tiger Wrap on Etsy.

-------------------------------------------------------
Sutton Shealy is a mother, wife, friend, business owner, and blogger. She enjoys music (live preferably), traveling, the mountains, the Pacific Ocean, sleeping in a tent, camping near water, crushed ice, and pretty things. Sutton hopes to one day travel for one year without a home base; driving everywhere, seeing everything, and enjoying the sunset at the end of each day. Read more about Sutton at The Dainty Dish and On the Road Less Traveled.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

winter wedding mad dress dash!

LEFT: 1960s Purple Chiffon Cocktail Dress, Little Things Vintage $99
RIGHT: 1960s Nude 'Edie' Cocktail Dress, Vintage Philosophy $109
Tomorrow evening, a dear friend of mine is getting married in what will undoubtedly be an absolutely lovely winter wedding. When I have a wedding to attend, I usually either design something or pick up a vintage or thrifted dress that I alter. Between the craziness of holiday orders, Christmas shopping, and preparing to leave to spend a few days in Austin with the boyfriend's family, I haven't had the time to do either of these things, and now have approximately 22 hours to pull something together.

LEFT: Green Lace 50s/60s Lace Dress, Emporium of the Forgotten $68
RIGHT: 1960s Golden Gown, Poppy Pistols Vintage $38
Plan A is to run out (in a few minutes, literally), and see what I can come up with. Plan B will be to ravage through my closet, which unfortunately currently contains only a couple of pieces that would be appropriate, both of which I've worn recently to other events.

I decided to quickly browse Etsy for some vintage dress inspiration to motivate me to find something beautiful, fast. Enjoy these pretty party dresses (which are just too beautiful not to share, and affordable!) as I brave the cold for my mad dress dash. I'll let you know what I find!

xo,
melissa

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

And the Holiday Giveaway Winner Is....

Thanks to all of you who participated in our Holiday Giveaway for a $50 Gift Certificate to Mountains of the Moon! I loved reading everyone's Christmas wishes and can't wait to offer another giveaway soon. We printed out all the entries (on the back of discarded paper; always reuse/recycle!), put them into my favorite vintage hat box, and pulled one out. The entry that was pulled was...

Rachel D

Her #1 Christmas wish item is to visit her family in Iowa for big hugs and kisses from her nephews... Hope your wish comes true Rachel, and congrats on winning this giveaway! Please contact bubbyandbean (AT) gmail.com so I can email you your gift certificate.

And for those who didn't win (this time!), Mountains of the Moon is offering you a runner-up prize coupon for 30% OFF any orders placed between now and Friday December 17th (their last day for holiday shipping) with code BUBBYBEAN30!

Stay tuned for the next fantastic Bubby & Bean Giveaway...

xo,
melissa

Bright Night Blizzard

The boyfriend decided to brave a blizzard after a gig in Asheville, NC last weekend and have a little nighttime photo shoot.
I love how the falling snow created a surreal effect in the images. And look at that amazing iron sculpture!

Don't forget - our holiday giveaway ends at 5 PM CST. Check back tonight to see if you won!

xo,
melissa

Monday, December 13, 2010

every gift has a story...

After several delayed and canceled flights, the boyfriend finally made it home from his gig in Asheville, NC! I'm actually cutting myself off from working until 2 AM today to go celebrate our anniversary, but wanted to post a little shameless loving plug about my Etsy Shop...  There's still a week left for holidays shipping, so grab a cup of hot chocolate/tea/coffee/chai and enjoy a nice little browse through the unique handmade gifts I'm featuring for the holiday season.  I've really enjoyed creating these goodies over the last few months, and am so excited for them to be opened up by their recipients on Christmas morning.

Stay warm!
xo,
melissa

Sunday, December 12, 2010

winter wonder-tree

In Chicago, the weather outside is definitely frightful. As for the fire being delightful, perhaps it would be if the boyfriend's flight home this morning from their gig in North Carolina hadn't been delayed canceled. It's our 4-year anniversary tomorrow and we had a lovely day planned, but alas, it looks like he'll be arriving home tomorrow night. Sigh.

After a couple of hours of moping/feeling ridiculously sorry for myself, I decided to snap out of my wintertime self-pity party by taking a couple of photos of the crab apple tree out front of our place.   As much as I've been whining about the weather today, I have to admit it looks absolutely stunning again the white winter sky. 

See you tomorrow...

xo,
melissa

Saturday, December 11, 2010

DIY Holiday Gift Tags (Printable!)

I was in a Santa's little helper kind of mood and decided to create a sheet of printable gift tags for my darling readers.  These are based on my 'Joy to the World' illustration for 2010, and are free for you to download your personal use! Making your own gift tags adds a lovely personal touch to your gifts, and this is such an easy DIY project for the holidays.

SUPPLIES
-printer
-paper
-scissors
-hole punch*
-ribbon or string

*If you don't have a hole punch, you can use your scissors or an X-acto to cut a little slit for the hole.

DIRECTIONS
Just download this template, print, cut out the tags, punch holes on the circles, and tie ribbon through the holes. That's it!

OPTIONAL
To add an extra special touch to your tags, gather items with cardstock or light cardboard weights (old holiday cards, cereal boxes, food packages, etc.), use double sided tape or craft glue to glue the cut out tags to these items, then cut out about 1/4 inch larger (on each side) than the paper tags. Punch holes and tie ribbon as directed above. Your tags now have cool borders and heavier weights. Best of all, you're recycling/upcycling items that would normally be discarded!

In a rush? Skip the hole punching all together and use double sided tape to tape the tags directly to your packages.

Enjoy!
xo,
melissa

P.S. I went on my first Christmas shopping outing today with my lovely cousin Lisa to find gifts for the boyfriend's adorable little nieces. I tend to be a last minute shopping kinda gal at the holidays and still have to much to make and shop for! What about you? Do you get it out of the way or wait?

Friday, December 10, 2010

I Have A Lot To Say


...but it's been such a long day!
So I'll let this little pocket Moleskine notebook that I decorated do the talking tonight. The illustration of the one and only Bubby (who is intently staring at me as I type this), demonstrates one of his many feisty characteristics that I adore... Although he is quite content with the lazy days of his golden years, he has not lost his zest for vocalizing his opinion. (Psssst!  This one-of-a-kind journal is available in our Etsy shop!)

Have a lovely night, and check back tomorrow for holiday DIY goodness!

xo,
melissa

P.S. Don't forget to enter our holiday giveaway for a chance to win a $50 eco-fashion shopping spree!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

holiday giveaway!


Santa has officially paid a visit to Bubby & Bean in the form of a very special holiday giveaway!  One lucky Bubby & Bean reader will win a $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE to Mountains of the Moon for their very own eco-friendly fashion shopping spree.  All of Mountains of the Moon's clothing designs are made from sustainable materials like organic cotton and hemp blend fabrics, low-impact dyed, and produced locally.


TO ENTER, just post a comment here with your name and
the #1 item on your Christmas wish list this year. (Need inspiration?  Check out my wish lists part 1 and 2!)

You can also gain additional entries for any or all of the following:

+ Follow or Subscribe to this blog (Bubby & Bean)
+ Post your favorite item from Bubby & Bean's Etsy Shop
+ Become a fan of Bubby & Bean on Facebook
+ Become a fan of Mountains of the Moon on Facebook

(*Make sure to list additional entries in your comment, or post a new comment for each one.)

The winner's name will be drawn on Wednesday, December 15th, so make sure to check back Wednesday evening to see if you won! Best of luck!

xo,
melissa

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

christmas dream wish list, part 2

Yesterday I posted about how magically wonderful it would be to jot down a holiday wish list, send it off to Santa, and wake up Christmas morning only to find that said wish list had been gloriously fulfilled, all bright and shiny under the tree.  Dreamy sigh. If you didn't get the chance, take a look at the lovely goods in Part 1 of my little list, then read on for Part 2...

My Official Amazing Christmas Dream Wish List, Part II

Pastries Tea Towel by Almedahls $16
Left: Handmade Hanging Lamp by Filigree Creations $40
Right: 100% Organic Argan Oil by Josie Maran $48
Caran d'Ache Colored Pencils 120 Piece Set  $209

The Pocket Square Digital Camera by Photojojo $99

Vintage Wardrobe by Painted Cottages $265
(I'll take the antique dress forms too, please!)



What's on your dream Christmas Wish List? 

Tomorrow = GIVEAWAY!  Until then, to all a good night...

xo,
melissa