autumn joys...

I love everything about autumn.

the beautiful hues of the landscape...

the smell of apple and cinnamon...

  and taking a walk with my favorite 4-legged friend, Vincent!

It's great having connections to wonderful photographers! Scott Pease captured Vincent perfectly.

Or course, we had to go off the beaten path so Vincent wouldn't be distracted by other dogs in the park.

  And we went through a lot of treats to reward him for his good behavioral!

But overall, Vincent was a natural.

Happy Autumn!

taking time... inspires your work

I love this quote and truly believe it.

source : pinterest

I have not blogged for over 3 months and you're probably wondering where I have been. I can't blame it on work because this is the first time in years that I was not crazy busy with projects. I finally was able to relax—catching up with family and friends, burying myself with home projects and finding inspiration in the simple joys of life. But when I was in the studio, I was extremely busy with colorful projects. Here's a peek at what I have been working on:

Collateral pieces—brochure, postcards, tickets  

Direct Mail Campaign

Annual report with stepped pages

More colorful projects are in the works and I can't wait to share them with all of you!

Enjoy!

colorful inspiration in quilts...

I have to admit that I love fabric as much as I love paper! I used to sew a lot when I was a stay-at-home mom, before the computer days and owning my own business. Now, I'm lucky if I have time to pick up a needle to even sew a button now! But that doesn't stop me from browsing in a fabric store.

On our last day in Kauai last month, we found a fabric store and of course, we had to stop to check it out. I was in color heaven! Rows and rows of incredible hues and patterns.

The Kapaia Stitchery is the name of the shop, right on Kuhio Highlway in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii. Besides Hawaiian fabrics, they also had on display a variety of beautiful quilts. It was hard to take photos of the quilts since they were hanging up high but here's a peek at some of them.

And my fabric which I hate to tell you is still sitting on my sewing machine. Maybe this weekend...

inspiration from Hawaii...

Anyone that owns their own business or does freelancing knows that it isn't easy taking time off, especially for a two-week vacation. A lot of planning is necessary, not only for the vacation but for finishing all the projects in the studio. I started warning my clients months in advance that I was leaving with reminders every two weeks. I also stopped accepting projects 10 days before my trip so I could focus on finishing the current projects. Yes, it was a crazy few weeks before I left for vacation, with me working late into the evenings but boy, was it worth it! I left with a clean desk, knowing that projects and all paperwork were finished. Then I concentrated on nothing but relaxation and fun for two whole weeks and returned home rested with lots of inspiration for my new projects!  

Our first stop was Maui and then Kauai. Both islands are beautiful but Kauai captured my heart! Here's a glimpse of my weeks in paradise. 

Garden of Eden in Maui

Black Sand Beach in Maui

Hanalei in Kauai [top and bottom]

 Waimea Canyon in Kauai [top and bottom]

Wailua Falls in Kauai

Na Pali Coast in Kauai [top and bottom]

A beautiful sunset at the southern end of Kauai

Aloha! 

preparing for Easter ...

This weekend is Easter and I have been slowly preparing for it simply by displaying our pysanky (Easter eggs) and freshening up our home by adding some spring colors. It doesn't feel like spring yet because it has been snowing all week here in NE Ohio so displaying these little jewels does help to lift my spirits! 

Aren't these eggs beautiful? A very dear friend that I used to work with, who was also Ukrainian and had much more patience than I did, made them. Pysanky takes hours to create and are truly works of art. 

These hand-painted pysanky are from the Ukraine and made from wood. My children used to play with them when they were babies and they were the eggs we hid for them on Easter.

Filled with hundred of memories, they sit on our  Easter table now within a crystal bowl.

A little bit of yellow always adds a touch of sunshine!

A little bit of spring on our fireplace mantle in the kitchen ...

and a beautiful detail in a new kitchen towel—I love these hues together!

Even the front door received a touch of spring—I finally figured out what to do with all the trays I bought last month at the antique store! 

Wishing you a very happy and blessed Easter. 

I hope your Spring is filled with lots of beautiful hues!

finding treasures...

Winter is long in Ohio and by February, I'm ready for spring to arrive. A few weeks ago, we decided to take a day trip, hunting for treasures at various antique malls close to home, in Painesville. It was exactly what I needed! 

Our first stop was the Craft and Antique Co-op. I found this golf print hidden behind some old crocks. It was in a hideous plastic frame but the colors and graphics caught my eye and it was only $4.99. I knew once it was in a better frame, it would be perfect for my husband's man's cave—the basement. This is what it looks like now after I reframed it. It's hanging in the landing on the stairs going to the man's cave and it looks beautiful there!

Our next stop was the Miscellaneous Barn with three buildings to explore! I was so excited when I came across a whole aisle filled with silver platters. These are the ones I bought [shown above] for a total price of $20. I have no idea what to do with them besides painting a few with chalk board paint to use for our summer wine and cheese gatherings. AND then as I turned a corner, I saw this table [below] sitting all by itself in the aisle. 

It was love at first sight! I knew I would find a place for it somewhere in our home. And it's a Drexel Heritage, Made in the USA, so I couldn't pass it up.

I love the shape of the top and pedestal [above] with all the distressing. 

And I found the perfect spot for it in the master bedroom [above]. I absolutely love it—a beautiful treasure + addition to our home!

Have you found any special treasures recently? Please share!

a perfect cup of tea

Have you ever bought something because the packaging was cool? 

I do—all the time! I saw this tin of Teaforté tea while Christmas shopping last month and fell in love with its packaging and cute tea bags. I ended up purchasing enough tins for gifts to give to my tea-loving family members along with one for me.

Don't you love the tea bag with the little leaf at the end of it? It's a lot more durable than the typical tea bag, and practical too, because the leaf helps to hold it from falling into the cup.

Beautiful packaging + good taste — now that's a perfect cup of tea!