martha, magnolia, and marcia

Yesterday was my big day in New York City. Due to traveling time (more like 4 hours each way), my best friend and I kept our plans to 3 simple things: Martha (Stewart), Magnolia (Bakery), and Marcia (Ceppos/Tinsel Trading Company).



I just was not able to make the dress from my previous post work so instead decided to dress very Martha-like. Even wearing our brightest colors, my friend and I were seated in the back row of the studio. Oh well.


Click to enlarge

The set and staff were decorated for Halloween because as it turns out, the show tapes just one day in advance, so yesterday's show aired today: The Bone Show with Ryan Kwanten.



The program consisted of six segments: cooking, crafts, guests. It's filmed like a live show with quick pacing and no second takes. Once taping was finished, Martha asked if there were any questions from the audience. Should I?



Somehow in a blur of excitement, I raised my sweaty hand. Even though the ticket confirmation stated "no gifts" I brought a tiny favor-sized bag, like the one shown above, packed with a couple of my treasures for Martha just in case.



Into the microphone I said something like, "Hi Martha! I'm a crafter and a blogger and you're such an inspiration to me, could I please give you a present?" Martha had me give the wee gift to a stage hand followed by me blurting something like, "Your Essential Glitter collection is my favorite craft item." She agreed that it's a fabulous set. Did that just happen?



As we had hoped, we were treated to a swag bag containing a skeleton puzzle, a voucher to an online bead shop, and a Nintendo DS game. (Martha: My boys thank you for 2/3 of the gifts!)



Next, my friend and I were off to Greenwich Village to Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes.

Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.

~ Joe Fox, You've Got Mail

At this point, it was 5:30 p.m. and I had been up for at least 12 hours but it was time for the final stop on the tour: a must-do of mine for 2010, a visit to Tinsel Trading Company.



The store was decorated beautifully for an event the following day to celebrate Wendy Addison's participation in a new book, Celebrations.



I said hello to owner Marcia and she remembered me from May's Antique Textiles Vintage Fashion Show & Sale, which thrilled me. (Between that, the lack of sleep + the cupcake, I could have fainted - LOL).



It was a really wonderful day!

Thank you for listening to my long story and for always cheering me on. It means the world.


Better than candy!

Happy wishes for a fun and safe Halloween!

xo
elyse

making plans for martha

Photo credit: Variety

About a month or so ago while blog-hopping, I read about a woman who attended a taping of The Martha Stewart Show in New York City. It sounded like so much fun that I requested tickets and to my surprise, received a confirmation email just weeks later.



My ticket confirmation says:
Martha LOVES when our audience wears bright colors & dresses to impress. The camera picks up bright colors best, so please plan your outfit accordingly.
DO NOT WEAR: Black, gray, tan or any muted colors, T-shirts, prints, logos, hats, or sleeveless tops.

Um ... all of my clothes are muted colors! But in the name of fun and Martha, I went shopping today on a quest for bright colors. The closest I came was this peachy-pink dress.

I wanted something fun and a little over-the-top for NYC but am still not sure about it yet. Tights, leggings or jeans? Boots or flats? Cardigan or no cardigan? Or something muted but pretty that I already have? (Hubby gave the ruffled dress pictured above a sensitively put thumbs-down and my youngest thought it was an elf costume -- and it could be!) Anyway ...



My BFF and I are very excited and plan to stop for sweets ...


Photo credit: Marilee at Rose Brier Studio

followed by treats at Martha's "favorite store in all the world" before heading home (about a 3-hour trip).

I promise to pack my camera and share my adventures by the weekend.

xo
elyse

bazaar style

I have signed-up to be a vendor at the school bazaar again this year. It doesn't take place until early December but I've been in a slight panic about (1) having enough to sell and ...



(2) covering the $30 table fee.



None of my items cost very much so I will need to sell about a half dozen treasures to break even. (It'd be nice to have enough for a hot dog while spending the day there, too! LOL)



Of course, for me it's mostly about the fun of setting up the table and creating displays.



Notice that I have discovered labels? I've been visiting The Graphics Fairy a bit lately! Debi inspired this labeled jar idea. (Debi's not feeling so well so if you have a minute I'm sure she'd enjoy a get-better-soon comment at her blog, life in my studio.)



In other inspiring news, I am borrowing Selina Lake's new book Romantic Style from the library. What a GASP-n-SWOON fest! The cover makes me want to paint floors ...



but for now I'll just stick to cans (and hopefully the armoire soon)!

xo
elyse

ps
The title of this blog post was borrowed from the lavishly beautiful Selina Lake book, Bazaar Style: Decorating With Market and Vintage Finds. I have actually spotted this book at HomeGoods for $5. Time to go back and get!

october 18

Happy Birthday to Debi! Happy Birthday to me!

Last year, Debi and I discovered that we share the same birthday (today!) and we did a birthday swap -- which was so much giddy-fun we decided to do another.



I suggested we keep our swap to what could fit into a 6'x6' shipping box.



Each gift from Debi is like walking into a Stampington publication dream world. Everything she creates is incomprehensibly inventive and inspiring. In a word: dazzling.



{All photos are click-to-enlarge}







Thank you so much, Debi, for making me feel as giddy as a little girl on my birthday. I hope-hope-hope that you are happy with your presents from me.



That's me in the saddle shoes with the punch-mustache (punchstache?). Oh wait, that's almost everyone pictured! I'm in the striped dress.

xo
elyse

fifi's fabulous book

A few nights of not blogging and what do I miss? HUGE news from Fifi about her book including the title (Romantic Prairie Style) and a peek at the GASP-inducing jacket.



Let's look at this cover photo by Mark Lohman again of dreamy Maria's dreamiest dining room. What I love most of all is knowing that the room was styled by Fifi. I can detect elements of pretty Fifi-fication.



It takes me back to May when Fifi and I went to my local market for flowers and fruit for her to style my own dining room for an upcoming issue of Cottage Style. {Sorry to repeat. I can't help myself!}



Warmest congratulations to Fifi on her beautiful book. Fifi is tireless, stylish, generous and warm. She is part fairy - part rock star - and all fabulous!

Hardcover due in April and available for pre-order here at Amazon.

xo
elyse

coffee + magazines = rearranging

Saturday morning was the perfect combination (or storm) of coffee, a pumpkin muffin (or maybe two), and magazines (Country Living British edition, Cottages & Bungalows). Let's just say that by the final bite, I had put my sneakers on and was moving furniture in the living room (again). Inspired by magazines, fueled by caffeine, or a little of both?



Things were feeling cramped. The newest change is that I pulled out the rug and am thinking that the bare floor creates a little more visual space in the small room. In a few weeks, I hope to paint the armoire with many coats of watered-down white. It will be a good sized project since the TV and all that comes with it will need to be relocated for a few days. The drawers are also loaded with CDs.

History of the living room furniture arrangements

Hope you'll stay tuned . . .

xo
elyse

tinkered muffins: fall edition

The rain stopped and left behind fallen leaves swirling around in the cool breeze. The perfect scenario for baking with windows wide open. The perfect day for baking pumpkin muffins!


Mix + raisins + applesauce + walnuts

Here's how I like to bake pumpkin muffins: easy-peasy. I start with a box of Pillsbury Pumpkin Quick Bread & Muffin Mix and then the tinkering begins ...



First, I cover a good handful of raisins with boiled water to plump them up. By the time I'm ready to add them to the other ingredients, they're ready, too. Just be sure to drain the water first.

I also add-in the contents of a small container of cinnamon applesauce.


Top with chopped walnuts

I follow the package directions for Quick Bread (1 cup water, 3 Tbsp oil, 2 eggs), add the raisins and applesauce, but bake the muffins using the temperature and time listed for muffins (400 degrees, 15 minutes).



So yummy for breakfast or a snack.

Other tinkered recipe posts:
tinkered berry muffins
tinkered preserves
easy as pie
cottage banana bread

xo
elyse

ps
My little guy is feeling much better. Thanks for all the sweet thoughts!

little post on a rainy day

Home on a rainy day. One of my boys is home, too (just a little under the weather). In between keeping him comfy, I'm fitting in some tinkering.

What do you like to do on rainy days?

xo
elyse

do you moo?

I love paper and so it will come as no surprise that I adore my new set of MiniCards.



If you're new to Moo, they print things like business cards. Moo's mini cards are half the size of standard business cards and you can have a different image printed on each card in your order. I decided on six designs for my order of 100 cards for $19.99.



The cards are sturdy and vibrant with all of the contact information on the reverse. I like to include a card when I package Tinkered Treasures orders or swap presents. I have a small collection of MiniCards from others (shown above).



Even though this post sounds a bit like an advertisement, it honestly isn't. Just passin' along information (infor-moo-tion?).

xo
elyse