Countdown to Italy: 10 Days.

This cafe in Rome is picture perfect, no?

[image]


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Calling All Crafters.

With so many different ways to use collage sheets, I decided to start a new blog to show off all the wonderful creations you guys have made with my designs. If you've used any of my printable pendant squares, scrapbook sheets, gift tags, note cards, or paper dolls I'd love for you to share your photos on my PDFs in Action blog. Even if your creations are not for sale, I will include a link to your shop or blog with your photos.

If you want to share, just email any photos and your shop/blog link to: jenniferstuartdesign at gmail dot com

I would really appreciate your contribution!

[Photo by HomeStudio, featuring my gnome design]


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Baby Thyme.

After just a few short days, my thyme is already sprouting! I can't believe it. I'm so proud of my little garden already. Aren't the tiny plants adorable?


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S'mores Cookies.

I found this recipe last week and tried it out while the boys grilled on Memorial Day. These cookies are so yummy and the recipe makes a ton of cookies. I've been eating them for breakfast all week...

S'mores Cookies
Recipe from Baked Perfection, originally adapted from Make and Bake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 dash of cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups miniature chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
2 Hershey bars, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, salt, and dash of cinnamon. In a second larger bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of hershey bar into each cookies. Return to the oven and bake an additional 3-4 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.




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Tagged.

I'm so glad Jess tagged me. I've needed a little motivation to post lately!

What is your current obsession?
Italy. I will be there in less than two weeks [holy cow, is it really that soon?!]

What is your weirdest obsession?
Owls. I started collecting them because of my sorority and have a ton now. My boyfriend makes fun of me. It really is a little out of control.

What are you wearing today?
Just woke up and still in my pj's: my favorite hot pink boxers and a t-shirt

What's for dinner?
I make that decision about 2 seconds before I start cooking [and tonight is boyfriend's night to cook!] It's 8am so I have no idea...

What would you eat for your last meal?
A boatload of hummus and warm pita bread from Yia Yia Mary's. Plus a big Greek salad with chicken, a margarita, and baklava cheesecake for dessert.

What's the last thing you bought?
I've been on a massive summer shopping spree, with my trip to Italy as my excuse. I bought a bunch of clothes at Target on Monday and ordered a dress and a swimsuit from Victoria's Secret last night.

What are you listening to right now?
The Early Show on CBS

What is your favorite ice-cream flavour?
Orange Chocolate Chip [my mom always buys it, I don't know if that's the official name]

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you?
Jess is amazingly talented and such a sweetheart. I would love to meet her. I just know we would get along great.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Santorini. Or anywhere in Greece, really.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Greece. I probably wouldn't come back after just an hour, though.

Which language do you want to learn?
I don't know... I guess Spanish because I know a little already.

What is your favorite season and why?
Summer. I love the sun, longer days, playing outside, and wearing sandals.

What is your favorite colour?
Teal blue

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
Currently my white shorts. I've been wearing them with everything.

What is your dream job?
I think I'm doing it. Being my own boss with the freedom to travel and make my own schedule. If I went back to school and couldn't be a graphic designer, I'd probably study interior design. I would love to work on a home makeover show on HGTV. It just looks like so much fun!

What is your favorite tree?
Peach or avocado

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
Probably more summer clothes...

Do you admire anyone's style?
I love [most of] my sister's unique fashion statements, but I could never pull them off. She can rock tie-dye and oversized plaid like no one else.

Describe your personal style?
I live in long layered tanks, solid tees, flip flops, my R&R jeans, or shorts in the summer. I change up the shirts to something more fun or throw on a comfy summer dress for going out. I guess you can sum it up with laid back and comfortable. No fuss here.

What are you going to do after this?
Get to work! I have lots to do today.

What are your favourite movies?
Wedding Crashers, Juno, Slumdog Millionaire

What is your favorite fruit?
Pineapple

What inspires you?
Nature, color, my backyard, other artists

Where did you grow up, and how has that influenced you?
I grew up in Houston, TX. It gave me the ability to handle the chaos of a big city, but also appreciate the simple life of the country. And it made me a fearless driver. If you can drive in Houston traffic, you can drive anywhere.

Your favorite book ?
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Do you collect something ?
Owls

***
And here are the rules:

1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own.

2. Tag eight other people.

I tag:
1. Grace
2. Melisa
3. Caroline
4. Amy
5. Jenny
6. Nichole
7. Estela
8. Jo


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Herb Garden.

Despite my complete lack of a green thumb, I saw these cute herb garden kits from Gardens to Go and had to have my own. I ordered some seeds on clearance from theENDpeace, picked up some chalkboard paint from Wal-Mart and six small pots at Michael's.

I spent a couple hours Friday afternoon painting the pots with chalkboard paint on the bottoms, and used different colored acrylic paints for the inside and rims of each pot. The paint dried really quickly, so I was able to plant the seeds Friday evening. My little garden is now sitting in the sun on my kitchen windowsill, hopefully waiting to sprout.

I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'm excited to see what happens. I'll keep you updated if I ever see some green poke through...


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Mini Cards + Giveaway.

...updating the shop today with some new printable note cards...

I'm celebrating the new designs with a little freebie for all my blog followers!

Just follow the blog, leave a comment here with your email address, the note card design, and the color palette you'd like, and I'll send it to your inbox. Every follower will get 1 free sheet of printable cards. Giveaway ends May 31.



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Love.

Oh my gosh I love these photos so much. Gorgeous times thirteen.


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Sneak Peek.

Today's guest post on ofifteen is my favorite so far this week. It should be up soon.

Here's a hint: It's inspired by wildflowers and features many of my very favorite Etsy shops and friends

[Sunshine Chrysanthemum Earrings, Tough Ruffles Zipper Clutch, Yellow Wellies Printable Stationery, Grass Green Fabric]



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I'm leaving today for my trip to Houston. Tomorrow I will be a little less wise [that's what those teeth are for, right?] and a lot more puffy-faced. Think happy thoughts for me, please.

I'm sorry I haven't posted much here this week. You can read my guest posts over at ofifteen if you really miss me.

Off to pack, forget about oral surgery, and continue dreaming of Italy instead...

[photo]


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White on White.

1. cupful, 2. dogwood blur, 3. solitude, 4. Untitled, 5. milk, 6. super macro moth, 7. whiteballoonsandalightswitch, 8. White on White, 9. F10p, 10. India, 11. some leaves, 12. winter white, 13. less in focus & more kitty, 14. *, 15. Three shelves are filled with the many the tints and shades of white, 16. eggs, 17. ~ For Lori ~, 18. coconut blur, 19. waiting ..., 20. Aja, 21. 2/3, 22. ~Muted~, 23. i like this rooftop, 24. Schmetterlinge, 25. Moving Pictures, Silent Films, 26. Simple beauty, 27. Play on white, 28. Cappuccino with mom., 29. Bedside table, 30. Untitled, 31. Believe in magic, 32. Polka-dot-okeh, 33. shells, 34. Singapore (10 of 15), 35. Sculpted angle book


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Ofifteen.

You can find me over at ofifteen this week as a guest blogger. I'm so excited for this opportunity.

The rest of my week will include wrapping up as many current projects as possible before hitting the road Wednesday. I'll be in Houston for about a week while I get my wisdom teeth out, visit with my cousin, hang out with my little brother, and play with my mom's new kitten. With the exception of dental work, it should be a good week!

What do guys you have planned this week?


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Happy Mother's Day!

I love you, Mom! Can't wait to see you next week!

[P.S. Look what my brother gave my mom for Mother's Day. Adorable. She's in love.]


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Saturday.

This was my vision for the day when I woke up to a super sunny sky this morning. An hour later it was back to the gloomy gray I'm beginning to despise. Mission not accomplished.

If you're having a sunny Saturday, please enjoy it for me.

[photo]


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Summer Scents.

On the hunt for a new perfume. What's your favorite scent for summer?

Has anyone tried this one? [I like the bottle and description. I wish I could smell it through my laptop. I think this calls for a trip to the mall.]

[photo]


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Sun.

Finally. The sun showed its face today after hiding behind rain clouds for weeks. Chomper and I were both pretty happy to play outside.


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Be Proud.

Lee Meszaros' merit badges are a cute and clever way to give a friend [or yourself] a little pat on the back for just about anything. Don't you love this idea, not to mention the sweet illustrations with embroidered details? I do!

1. for going out on a limb
2. for knocking socks off
3. for taking the cake
4. for being birds of a feather and flocking together
5. for being two peas in a pod
6. for being a smitten kitten



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Penguin and Fish.

What an adorable shop. Stuffed unicorn, anyone?

[more cuteness at penguinandfish]


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Thirty Two Days.

...until my mom and I are off to Italy. I can't believe it's just a month away. [We still have a lot of planning to do!]

I love that these Florence shops are on a bridge. So charming.

[image source]


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So Silly.

Chomper Rolls Over. from Jennifer Stuart on Vimeo

I know this is silly, but I had to share. Chomper has clearly mastered the art of the rollover. Both ways! What a champ.

[And speaking of champ, he won the Cute as Hell Thunderdome. Yeah, I'm a bragging puppy mom but this is my blog, so I can do that here. Thanks to anyone and everyone who voted for him along the way!! He is rolling over and jumping for joy. Or maybe he's just hungry...]

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RobinsEggBlue.

Love all these bright totes available here.


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Etsy Origami.

Kicking off the week with some beautiful Etsy finds inspired by origami:

1. Silver Origami Lily Pendant [AllegroArts]
2. Butterfly Mini Mobile [roundhousedesigns]
3. Coral Standing Tea Bag Clock [Giftedpapers]
4. Copper Origami Swan [wirestormcreations]
5. Origami Crane Plate [soule]
6. Cherry Blossom Wristlet [mystudio]
7. 50 Rainbow Origami Lights [whimsidoodle]
8. Permanent Origami Crane Earrings [funnysky]
9. 100 Festively Funky Origami Flowers [LLillardDesigns]
10. Large Folded Felt Bowl [meghanburch]
11. Permanent Origami Washi Leaf Earrings [funnysky]
12. Silver Origami Seahorse Pendant [AllegroArts]
13. 50 Rainbow Origami Boxes [whimsidoodle]
14. Origami Triangle Book [dailypaper]
15. Desk Mobile in Citrus Colors [roundhousedesigns]
16. Permanent Origami Turtle Earrings [funnysky]
17. Frida Kahlo Paper Crane Mobile [carrieelizabethjones]
18. Origami Black Wrap Dress [LuvStoneVintage]
19. Delicate Butterfly Mobile [millalove]
20. Origami Crane Wall Decals [MonkeyThreads]
21. Origami Pouch: Spring Flower [SiamSquare]

Happy Monday!


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PB & J.

I really want to try out Kelly's recipe for these PB&J cookies on Eat Make Read. They sound so yummy!

[Maybe I will make these when I finally finish my cupcakes...Randy did say he was randomly craving a peanut butter and jelly sandwich the other day.]


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Elsie.

Elsie over at RedVelvetArt is seriously the cutest. I always look forward to her updates in my Google Reader. Isn't her shop decor fabulous?


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Giveaway Winner.

Congratulations to Stef! She won this week's giveaway, so I will be designing a custom birth announcement for her new bundle of joy.

Thanks to everyone who entered! If you still need a birth announcement design, check out this listing in my shop.

Have a great weekend!

[photo from We Heart It]


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Wizard of Oz.

You must view this large so you can see that the entire poster is made up of text from the story. So impressive. Do you think this was done by hand? It looks like it but I can't tell for sure.


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