My Favorite Things: Round-up for Mom

Middle image | 
Clockwise from top: Multi-language Mother's Day Note Card | Anthropologie Bee Watch | Cactus Concrete Planter and Plant Combo | Stay Majestic Art Print | Tory Burch Flats | Italian Soft Leather Crossbody Tote | Plamplune Grapefruit and Peach Wine | Nars 'Cruising' Lipstick | Mother's Day Monogram Note Card | Deep Green Cardigan


Dear friends,

I've put together this mood board with mothers in mind, filling it with carefully selected pieces of gifts that I'd love to gift my mother. Works for mother's day (that's fast approaching), holidays, her birthday or just to simply say 'I love you'.

Each item will give you an idea of how my mother is: lowbrow yet tasteful and ever so practical. My Mah turns casual into trendy but always goes for the comfortable as well as timeless. So if splurging a little means you'll get your money's worth in the end, well then, it's a no-brainer.

We don't come from money. We're middle class as middle class go. My Mah taught me expensive brands don't mean anything if you don't know how to wear it in a way that flatters you. So we find the good with the cheap, and trust me, we always do! The one best lesson when shopping that she imparted to me that is somewhat of a double-edged sword is: "Buy it now or spend time thinking about it later only to find it's already gone when you go back for it. Anyway, you can always return it if you change your mind. This way, there are less regrets in life." 

Then off we go to the clearance section.

Now, I feel like I really have to explain the addition of the cactus planter on here, well, maybe most moms prefer a bouquet of flowers. Feel free to switch it up. I just know that my Mah, being the green thumb that she is - prefers to have something that lasts longer with as little fuss as possible. So there you have it.

The Letter Parade products featured above are:

 Mother's Day Monogram Note Card, $5.00 Click here to shop.

 Multi-Language Mom Note Card, $4.50 Click here to shop.

Stay Majestic 11" x 14" Art Print, $34.00
Click here to shop. Also available in 8"x10" size art print as well as single and boxed set of 8 note cards.

What other gift ideas for mom do you recommend? 

Love & Letters,

My Favorite Things Round-up: SPRING EDITION

Middle image: Late Afternoon blog | 
Clockwise from top: 
When Life Throws You Lemons 8x10 Art Print
Lemon Basil Soy CandleThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Lemons Letter Set
Dress Jacket by Le3No
When Life Throws You Lemons Note Card
Tufted Armchair by One Kings Lane
Lemon Drops Note Card
Gold accented Round Sunglasses

Who doesn't love yellow? If there could be a more endearing shade in the color palette it's only another version of yellow. The happy color; the sight of yellow generally invokes pleasant feelings.

My idea of spring is yellow with gray - just a subtle touch of elegance like this outfit by Late Afternoon blog. A simple casual yellow shirt dressed up by metallic tones ready for warmer nights out.

If it isn't obvious until now, I'm crazy about the color gray. It's such a beautiful neutral shade that goes with just about every color of the rainbow. So when I designed a more Spring-inspired line, adding yellow to the mix was a natural choice.

When Life Throws You Lemons 8x10 Art Print (frame not included); Pre-order here.

Lemons Letter Set comes with 8 8.5"x5.5" writing sheets, 4 lined envelopes and 4 envelope sealers.
Pre-order here.

When Life Throws You Lemons Note Card. Get this here.

 Lemon Drops Note Card available single or boxed set of 8. Get this here.

 

 The Lemon Drops design also inspired the March desktop printable calendar and printable stationery (below)  that I share exclusively to newsletter subscribers. Sign-up now to get new designs every month delivered straight to your inbox!

After putting together this mood board, a story has revealed itself to me: a woman getting ready to go out for cocktails and dinner decided to kick off her strappy shoes, picks up The Great Gatsby, lights up the candle and proceeds to get comfortable in the light gray tufted chair to read all night long. Yes, I believe those are my kind of nights these days but with a more casual attire, like say, sweatpants and t-shirt. Ha!


What's your color story?


Love & Letters,

My Favorite Things Round-up: VALENTINE'S EDITION

***The Pink and Grey Love Story***

Middle image: Wendy's Look Book | 
Clockwise from top: 
Herbivore Botanical Pink Clay Mask; 
Shop Spring Vintage Rose Candle; 
Letter Parade Simple Heart Letter Set; 
Plaid Blanket Scarf by Easy Seller Dailyaccessoriez; 
Letter Parade Simple Heart Postcards Set of 10; 
BITE Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Champagne; 
Geometric Pillow by easy seller VanillaGreyShop; 
Letter Parade 'Love is Here' 8"x10" art Print; 
Herbivore Botanical Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Facial Mist; 
Letter Parade Simple Heart Note Card

A confession: I wasn't into pink until about less than a year ago when I found a grey scarf with pink skulls printed on it. It was on sale for $5 and it had to be mine. Since then, I've slowly integrated pink into my life.

This heart design I call "simple heart" etched into my head as clear as the blue skies. Even before I sketched it and digitized it, I knew it would be all black against a light pink background. This was the first out of my Pink Pop collection:

Now, I'm not entirely sure if this is a phase. But for now, I'm quite happy with this love affair with pink under the condition that it goes with grey and black, thank you very much.

What's your color story?


Love & Letters,

The Wallflowers

Exciting stuff for all you fellow wallflowers out there! And if you just so happen to be really talented in the writing and/or creative department you might want to check out what Sassy and Jane magazines founder, Jane Pratt who is brewing together with infamous 14-year old fashion blogger (http://www.thestylerookie.com), Tavi Gevinson (amazing kid!) a new kind of magazine for the "wallflowery teenage girls." Not a lot of emphasis over the content of this so-called magazine in the works but Tavi is hinting that it'll be very similar to Sassy. She adds "Something that will use Sassy as a point of reference for the whole teen-magazine-that-doesn't-suck thing."

Most importantly, they are looking for creative people and you have until this Friday to strip off your mask and Seventeen magazine influences and get back to your dorky self! Read more about it here and pull your creative forces together!

I'm crossing my fingers this project sees publication hopefully by 2011! Judging from Tavi's writing style and overall character and charm, I'm already a sworn subscriber.

Stay creative, friends!

Cindy Gonzales-Kujat