Feel the Ocean Spray with Waves Postcard Book

I love the sound of crashing waves and the feel of being near water. In fact, nothing relaxes me more.

So just looking at the Waves Postcard Book with photographs by Rob Gilley brings an inner calm that I rarely experience in daily life.

I think a lot of people feel this way about water, so sharing that feeling of serenity by sending out these gorgeous postcards (there's 30 in full colour to choose from ) is a wonderful way to spread the joy.

Whether its the big orange waves in Ventura County, California, the clear water or Newport Beach or deep indigo of outside the Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii, you'll find something here for everyone.

And if you're anything like me, you'll keep a couple to frame and put on your desk to try and bring that feeling of quiet and peace to your workday.

Get your own copy of Waves Postcard Book and revel in the bliss of water and waves.

Oh Egg Press - How I Love Thee!

I have been writing about Egg Press for years because their cards are always sweet, charming and hit just the right note. It is one of the few lines that I always get a "What a great card!" compliment.

So I'm beyond thrilled to share their new products with you - so innovative, so fun! Check 'em out:

- Charm cards (pictured above) are a present and card all in one! The recipient gets all the tools to make earrings, bracelets and necklaces all in a flat package that is easily mailed. And at such an affordable price, you can get them for everyone on your gift list!

- Letterpressed recipe cards are the only folded ones I've ever seen - and what a fabulous idea! You send your sentiments and a recipe. How cool is that? They are sized to fit in a traditional recipe box, and the name of the dish can be seen through a sweet little die-cut window. Sold in a set of 6 (jars, yum, food, veggie, sand dollar, cook), just try not to buy out the entire stock. These are going to go quickly.

-   The new line of letterpressed cards with Angela Adams have the bold, colourful, sunny graphics that are so right now and that you have come to know and love over the years (I've had Angela Adams stationery and notebooks for what seems like decades now).  They may just have you wanting to redo your whole place in this fashion. Just watch!

Check out Egg Press' brand new website and stock up on these amazing cards.

Egg Press, I will love you until the end of time.

Show Your Gratitude with Gorgeous, Inexpensive Cards from Thank You Cards Shop

One of the greatest joys in my life is stationery. And in particular, thank you cards.

There is something about being able to write my sincere thanks and gratitude to someone for their kindness and generosity or friendship.

So thank you cards are a very big deal to me. I don't send just anything. It's got to be darn special.

So when I found Amy Lowry's Thank You Cards Shop, I was absolutely elated. Someone that specializes in thank you's? How amazing is that?! Amy writes about how she came to have the shop: 

"[Thank You Cards Shop] is an expression of my love for stationery and for living the creative life. I cannot tell you how much fun I had designing each card for the shop. I got my start designing stationery for my own wedding, almost 6 years ago and from there I was hooked. Almost everything about our wedding was DIY! When it came time to design the thank you cards for the wedding I found myself short on time – and ended up shopping for cards, but wasn’t totally happy with the selection available and the lack of customized options. Years later, I remembered this and realized that designing stationery would allow me to explore so many different styles – and to design for so many different types of people. I knew it was a perfect fit for me, and I’m excited to be embarking on a new chapter in my career as a stationery designer."

All of the cards are digitally printed on high quality white cardstock and professionally printed and packaged in the TYCS studio. The paper is manufactured in the United States, either from FSC certified forests (ensuring responsible harvesting techniques are used) or from paper recycled from cotton remnants, with 90% of packaging materials made from recycled paper.

When is the last time you had so many thanks you card designs to choose from?

-Flowerburst Patterned Cards are sweet and summery - perfect for sending after this season's events. 

- And I love the bird themed cards - Bird Thank You Cards and Crowned Bird Thanks (pictured above). I can think of a bunch of folks that will really appreciate the beautiful illustration and colour palette of these.

- But I think I love The Birds - Stationery the most. These rendition of a happy l'il forest just makes me smile, so I can only imagine how delighted the recipient will feel.

I don't know how Amy is able to offer such affordable cards! And the more you buy, they more they go down in price. My advice is to get a bunch of your favourites and stock up. I like to have them on hand so that as soon as I want to thank someone, I can send it off in the mail as soon as possible. This week, I'll be sending Amy's lovely thank you cards and thank you notes all around the globe - to a friend in London, to a friend who just got married this weekend, to colleagues in Michigan who opened up my eyes and my world, and assorted family and friends for just being in my life.

Now I just have one problem - how do you send one to a person who makes thank you cards for a living? I'll have to think on this one...

Shop the entire Thank You Cards Shop Collection now.

IdeaStream Has Everything I Need to Get Organized

Being organized gives me a great sense of calm and peace. If I'm organized, I can then focus on the task at hand. I have everything at my disposal and I don't have to waste time hunting around for anything.

And while 70% of the time, my desk is an oasis of order, the rest of the time, it looks like my desk went on a 24-hour bender. So I am always on the hunt for fun, innovative products that will help me stay on course. 

I found amazing, affordable stuff at IdeaStream Products! They create items that I am always searching out, but can never find in regular office supply stores, or as they say it best, "ground-breaking products that change the way people think, live and work."

One of the best organizational tools are index cards. They allow you to do anything from create lists to plot out an entire book. But how to store them? The Vaultz Acrylic Index Card Box - 3x5 (I got White) is a sturdy, secure place for your pictures, recipes or valuable notes. It holds 350 index cards, so you can save desktop space by storing them all in this one great looking container, complete with steel corners and aluminum reinforcement.  And if you decide to use it to stash money, passport and other valuables, you can lock it up, safe and sound. I bet your wooden recipe box from the '60s can't do all that!

Another great find is the 5 x 8 Locking Storage Clipboard. This mini clipboard has so many superb features - the storage is huge and includes a net pocket, pen loop and elastic to hold back of notepad or anything else; there's an optional shoulder strap which makes it a valuable asset during garage sales, meetings, etc.; it comes with a notepad, so you can start using it right away; it's tough, so take it out onto the field; lock away your money and your secrets! Why would you want a regular 'ol clipboard when you can get this one? 

And because not all file folders are created equal, I am now completely addicted to the Find-It File Folders. I got the All Tab 80 Pack of Letter, Assorted (pictured above) and they are so far superior to what I've been using. Here's why:

- Each folder can have the tab in any of the 3 positions - left, middle and right - you just fold the scored spine to whichever position you desire. This has huge implications to your productivity:  if you can see the tab wherever you are, that means you'll find it faster.

- The box of 80 folders is only $16.99! This means that you can redo your entire home and office within your budget. Woo woo!

- The assorted pack has 5 bright, fun colours, so you can colour coordinate your projects, clients, etc. There is nothing that makes it easier to organize yourself than assigning something a colour. Try it. Just watch how much of a difference it makes.

You can see why I've fallen hard for IdeaStream. Affordable and inventive products that keep me on my game.

You should see my desk.  It's a thing of beauty now.

Cake Vintage Kitchen Papers Turns Your Dinner Party Into the Event of the Season

I love to entertain, but truthfully I'd rather spend my money on ingredients instead of the decorations. But I do like to spruce the place up a bit. It really needs a lift when company's coming by.

That's why my new favourite dinner party accessory is Cake Vintage Kitchen Papers.

This line of beautifully-styled vintage looking papers dresses up your table quickly and without a lot of expense. And you can choose to reuse or recycle them, meaning they'll take up less space than your Grandmother's linens.

Perfect Serving Placemats elevate your food so that everything has the feel of a fine French meal. Whether your tableware is handmade in Portugal or from Ikea, your guest will at least know where which fork goes where. And there's 50 of 'em, so that oughta get you through the summer.

And since doilies are so passe, update your look with 8" Serving Papers (pictured above).  This pad of 25 tear-off sheets means that you can use them under everything from your leek and cheese souffle appetizer to your homemade rhubarb crumble dessert.

For the food lover who's always dabbling in the kitchen, the Cook's Journal is a phenomenal gift. It has a table of contents and each recipe is numbered (space for 40-hand written dishes), with room for the ingredients and directions. With vintage images throughout, it is the most beautiful journal and an instant cookbook - just fill in the blanks and you've got your best-seller completed!

Using soy based inks & 30% recycled content, these are treasured items that make not only wonderful entertaining accompaniments, but incredibly memorable gifts too. 

Shop the entire Cake Vintage Kitchen Papers collection now. A portion of all of proceeds are donated to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund at Vanderbilt.

The New Sharpie Gel Highlighters Will Outlast Your Taxes, Notetaking, Etc.

Whoever invented the highlighter really should be commended because sometimes underlining or bolding just isn't enough.

The problem with most highlighters is that they run out or dry out just as you're getting your calendar in order or marking the important lines of a text. And if they don't run out, they smear, which means your whole page gets highlighted, and that's kind of beside the point.

But the new Sharpie Gel Highlighter has this clear, wide, crayon-like tip that goes on the page dry. So no need to worry about messy smears. Not even with a page fresh outta the printer.

And you can write on slick surfaces for once, so whether you're highlighting a quote from a magazine or a title you want to change on photo paper, it will keep up with you. Oh, and if you forget to put the cap on (I'm sorry, but what kind of person would do that?), it won't dry out, because it's gel, not ink. Which means it just glides over everything beautifully. It feels so good to use.

To advance the gel stick, just twist the bottom. It's like having a fresh highlighter each time you use it.

You should see my calendar now!  Available in three colours – pink, yellow and orange - at Walmart, Staples and Grand & Toy. 

I'm in Love with Gilah Press + Design Greeting Cards

 

You know when you find that perfect card and you think, why can't there just be a line of greeting cards that are this sweet/fun/smart/imaginative?

Ahh yes, let me introduce you to my new favourite peeps -  Gilah Press + Design.

Gilah Press + Design is a boutique letterpress and design studio, who describe themselves in the following way:

"Some say we’re obsessed. We prefer to think of ourselves as nit-picky perfectionists with incredibly high standards. Either way, we’re confident you’ll be happy with the outcome.

We’re disciplined graphic designers. We’re also masters of the centuries-old form of letterpress printing. We have five hand-fed platen letterpresses perfect for printing limited color, small run items."

One thing they fail to mention however, is that their Greeting Cards R-O-C-K! Each and every one of 'em. The quality and weight of the paper (mmm), combined with incredibly inventive designs make them the perfect choice for whatever the occasion:

-  The City Love Collection, printed with black ink and paired with a cement-coloured envelope, gives a pretty shout out to your city of choice.

- If you're a shoe addict, or know one, Sweet Kicks are perfect. Printed with overlapping inks and accompanied by a gray envelope, these long, rectangular cards will no doubt delight the recipient as much as they do you.

- For the music lover, Music Notes say it all in just a few holiday-themed words. They are printed on with fluorescent inks on snowflake-textured paper and each comes with a fuchsia colored envelope. A modern choice with a reverential nod to the past. Nice.

- Sweet Ride has that 'ye old' look with a hit of contemporary design and colour. Overlapping inks with a cement-coloured envelope means it won't stay long in your stationery drawer (you do have one, don't you?).

- If you want to show how much you care, the I Love You More Collection (pictured above) really does say it all. And way better than you could. The fluorescent ink make 'em pop while the white envelope allows the card all the attention it deserves.

- Being a social media specialist and teaching and writing about twitter, I was charmed and captivated by the Smoking Hash Tags. To send a hashtag tweet in blue ink (like the real thing) in a smart gravel-coloured envelope by post? So brilliant, it deserves some sort of award. More like 10.

- But it's the You and Me Collection that got me the most. The combination of food ingredients paired with the sentiment of belonging together is so awesome and sweet all at once, it's almost too much to take. When my fella went to LA for a big meeting a few weeks ago, I slipped the Chips & Salsa card in white envelope in his suitcase, which went unnoticed until Day 2 of his trip (apparently not everyone unpacks as soon as they arrive at the hotel....). But I think it got him too.

If you're going to get a card, get a Gilah Press + Design one.

p.s. all collections are printed on 100% cotton paper.

If You're Going to Write, Use a Turtle Pen

I am one of the few writers left that uses paper and pen.

While I can be found working away on my computer for a good 10-12 hours a day writing to deadline, I still use a notepad to take notes while interviewing a chef or celebrity, make lists upon lists (upon lists  - you should see them all) of all the things I need to do and pick up/drop off as well as I keep a paper calendar and agenda that tracks all of my appointments and deadlines. Oh, and I also write old-school thank you notes and send cards through the mail, so you can imagine that I'm always in need of a great pen.

Turtle Pens are unique in that they not only have a great weight to them, not to mention a fantastic stainless steel body, but each pen features SNAPback mechanism and extendible nib casing or "Turtle Head" as the company calls it.

To "activate" the pen, or bring the pen point out of its shell, you pull the top of the pen back, like you're reloading a shotgun (I've never done this, but I've seen it on TV). It's kind of a cool factor, as is the hearty stainless steel case it comes in. But really, it's a heckuva lot of fun to use.

Turtle Pens come in a variety of colours (I got Black) and are refillable. I love the smoothness of the ink and the point of the pen - not too wide and not too thin. If you write at all, even if its just grocery lists, you'll know what I mean.

If you still use pen and paper like I do, get yourself a pen that looks and feels good like a Turtle Pen.

p.s. It makes an awesome gift too.

Start Your Day on the Right Foot with The Small Object: Today Is Super Journal

Sometimes life can be overwhelming. Deadlines come faster than you can keep up with them, clothes pile up (didn't you just do laundry) and you wonder how you're ever going to manage it all.

I can't grant you more time, but I think this might help:

The Small Object: Today Is Super Journal gives you not only a colourful place to list all of your to-do's and write down your thoughts, but is so cute and fun, you can't help but smile and giggle.

The "Daily Inspiration" page gives you the categories (to make, eat, find, wear, remember, play, ponder, create, see, be visit, match) and you simply fill them in. Easy peasy.

"Daily Expenses" helps you track your money and "Daily Doodles" allow you to goof off when you need to take a much-needed breather.

When you need to write about what's going on, the "Daily Journal" is the best place to be. A little acorn of a guy holding a pencil accompanies you on your journey. Fill in the coloured blocks with the day, date, weather (aww) and how you're feeling. Tracking your day has never felt so good before.

Blank pages give you the room you need to breathe and sort things out. Writing on these colourful wavy lines, it's hard to think that life is hard.

My favourite of course is the "Daily To-Do List" pages. 24 colourful lines blank circles at the end of each that you can fill in with your life stuff. 

That, and the stickers. Because nothing can be too much for a sticker.

Instead of buying a plain ol' notebook get The Small Object: Today Is Super Journal. You'll be so glad you did.

This Book Has A Swear In It, But I Think It's Funny Anyway.

I am a very polite and proper woman.

I always say thank you, offer my seat to elderly folks on the subway and I dress appropriately almost always.

But when I came across Ray Fenwick's  F*** You and Your Blog Journal, I couldn't stop giggling. Maybe it's like he's swearing for me and it's such a relief to have someone speak their mind so blatantly without regard for someone's feelings (I can't even imagine...) or the fact that it's aimed at bloggers, which can attract someone's wrath like nothing else. Or that he's got it so right down to this very moment and time, so that if someone in 2066 were looking at it, they'd be able to track it back to around right now.

It is snarky, I'll admit, and could be construed as mean, but the cartoony balloon and clouds juxtaposed with the swear somehow just make it cute and damned funny. It's a hard balance to achieve, but I think Fenwick's really nailed it with this one.

It's hard to see here, but the 192 pages within have graph paper on the left and lined paper on the right. There's space for the title and date at the top of each page, so you can keep an actual journal or use it however you like. I'm using mine as I do with many of my notebooks, a catchall place for my ideas, deadlines, things I want to do, things I need to do, etc. And because the pages are bordered in 3 different colours - salmon (as pictured above), blue and grey, it makes it easy to categorize all of my many, many things at a glance.

So it's cute AND useful. A rare combination indeed.

Get your own F*** You and Your Blog Journal now and let it do the potty-mouthing for you!

Bring the Gallery to You - And Your Friends - with David Choe: 30 Postcards

David Choe: 30 Postcards is a collection of "hyperkinetic illustration, pop portraits, and raw, graffiti-fueled paintings" featured on 30 different postcards.

This fascinating street and gallery artist is one of the best illustrators of our time. Using everything from oil paint, watercolours, spray paint, collage, blood and body parts and often mixing them together, David Choe gets under you skin and right into your soul.

In fact, you'll be so moved by David's images that you might not send all of the postcards to friends, family and colleagues. If you're like me, you'll be keeping a bunch, framing them and putting them up at home and the office. I love how provocative they are. Some are fierce while other images are heartbreaking. A few of the postcards made me laugh, where others are so thought-provoking, many minutes passed before I looked away.

One of my favourites is "Bangs" (pictured above). There is so much mood and emotion here, you don't need to see her eyes to feel it.

Send David Choe: 30 Postcards out into the world. And keep a few for yourself. 

Win-win.

Slice - For When You Want to Just Cut to the Chase, or the Paper!

Have you ever gone to use your scissors to only be shocked by how dull they are? And aren't they just so bulky and uncomfortable to grip onto and use?

Slice has created a line of innovative household items such as Stainless Steel Scissors that are so beautifully designed, you'll wonder why you were stuck with those ugly black ones for all those years! They have paired with world-renowned designers to create objects of not only beauty, but function.

Designed by Karim Rashid, the Japanese stainless steel scissors (pictured above) are a work of art, but no so much that you can't use them. In fact, the hand-polished finger-grips are quite comfortable (whether you use your left or right hand!), despite the flat shape. The blades are sharp, so you can cut your way through stuff without having to use your hand for strength.

It's hard to find a good Letter Opener, but this one just zips through your envelopes, no matter how thin or thick. The zirconium oxide ceramic blade works on the envelope, not on your hand, so no more paper cuts or slicing your hand open. And because it's magnetized, you can always keep it within reach. And I know, just because you can open your bills faster, doesn't mean they'll necessarily get paid any sooner!

If you're at artist or tend to need to cut and open a lot of materials, you're going to love the Safety & Precision Cutters! The Slice Safety Cutter is not only a life-saver, but an immense time-saver. Opening and removing the shrink wrap from CDs and DVDs suddenly takes just one sec. Cut pictures and recipes out from magazines or articles from the paper smoothly and quickly! And there's that magnet again, so you won't lose it, or use the key-ring hole so that you can have it with you on the go.

The Precision Cutter is another Karim Rashid design. He's made this one safe and sharp, thanks the zirconium oxide blade and comfortable handle, so you can work your heart out without worry of it slipping. It also gives you great control so don't be surprised if you start doing intricate paper cutouts amidst the projects you're working on!

And for those of use, forever trying to find a vegetable peeler that actually:

- works

- and feels good in the hand

Slice and Karim Rashid have come up with a superb Vegetable Peeler - the Y-Peeler - that will have you eating more fruit and veggies than ever because it's so much fun and easy to use! The super-sharp ceramic blade gets through both soft and tough skins, and the handle is so comfortable, you'll want all of your kitchen utensils to come with the same comfy grip! That's neat is that the ceramic blade is "non-allergenic, chemically neutral, and impervious to acid, fat and salt. Won't brown food, transfer smells, or leave a metallic taste." I'd never even thought about those things before! No wonder it's recommended by the Cooking Club of America! 

Slice is really onto something here - making our everyday tools work in today's environments with our needs in mind. And despite using famous designers, Slice has managed to keep the tools at affordable prices, so you can have chic items without having to cough up a week's paycheck! 

And it's all for a good cause to boot: Slice was founded in 2008 by TJ Scimone as a way to help fund long-term care for his son, Alex, who is autistic. A minimum of 1% of all Slice product sales is donated to help fund autism research. By purchasing their products, you’re helping to find a cure for the millions of children and their families who live with autism every day.

Shop the entire Slice collection and get tools that fit in with your modern lifestyle. Isn't it about time?

Send the Sweetest Note with Our Love Is Here to Stay: 15 Postcards of Affection by enormouschampion

Sometimes the shorter the note, the more meaningful it is.

As a professional writer, I know the power of just a few words and when you want to convey how much someone means to you, you don't need 7 pages of notes. Just a sentence or two will do.

And there's no more fun way than Our Love Is Here to Stay: 15 Postcards of Affection by enormouschampion.

Brooklyn's premier design studio enormouschampion creates one-of-a-kind stationery and art objects that are all at once beautiful, whimsical and downright lovely. This collection of love-themed postcards are a brilliant way to show that you care.

Printed with silver metallic ink, and with designs that are heartwarming and gorgeous, you'll no doubt have your recipient smiling and feeling pretty good about being so loved.

I love the typewriter note of "a message of my affection" and the unwound cassette tape spelling out "I really like you." You don't need to say much more than "our love is here to stay" or "you+me," which is great if you're the type to get tongue-tied or writer's block when it comes to your feelings.  Or a simple heart design or birds in a tree will do just fine.

I keep this incredible collection in my desk drawer and every so often I send a little love note off to a friend or colleague. It's a little thing, but what a special things.

Get Our Love Is Here to Stay:15 Postcards of Affection by enormouschampion now and share the love!

Mini Goals Notepad Helps You Get Stuff Done - In the Most Fun Way Possible!

I have always loved making lists. I love writing things down and then crossing them off when they're done. It's such an amazing feeling to see things you never thought you could accomplish get completed and struck through or checked off!

Lists are something that I think a lot of women cling to to try and get order in our chaotic lives. It helps grounds us and sort through all the various parts of our lives in just a few minutes.

But a problem I run into all the time is my lists get so long and there's so much to do - where to start?!

There's where the genius and delightful Mini Goals Notepad by Mary Kate McDevitt comes in.

There are 100 tear-out to-do lists in this awesome l'il 200 page pad, with 15 different designs to help get you motivated and keep things simple enough that you'll actually get stuff done.

I love the "I will get 2 things done" sheets where there are 2 huge spaces that take up most of the page for you to write down your tasks. After completing those, you'll feel on top of the world!  And the "Today I will kick ass and take names" sheets have got to make you want to shout from the rooftops, "I accomplished some stuff today!" If you need a little kickstart, the "After coffee, I will..." sheets are the perfect solution. And if you like to focus on just a few things at once, then you'll be using up the "Today's about quality not quantity" sheets like nobody's business!

The Mini Goals Notepad makes a wonderful gift. Even if it's just for yourself.

Get yours now. Or maybe 10.

Left-Handed Folks Need Things Too, So Shop Lefty's Left Hand

I am fascinated by left-handed folks. Have you ever noticed how many intelligent and artistic people are "lefties"? Try Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie and Jerry Seinfeld, to name just a few.

Like many right-handers, I tried to switch to writing with my left hand, but couldn't quite manage it. And now I see how hard it is even for left-handers - they have to position their hand in such a way that it won't smear the ink. And you don't realize how many tools are made with right people in mind, such as scissors, portfolios, etc.

So when I discovered Lefty's Left Hand, I thought, "This is what the world needs more of! Why should it be so right-hand dominated?"

The selection at Lefty's is vast. Whether you need a fun gift or something practical, you'll find it all here.

To show what good company you're in, get the Lefties Rule Mouse Pad. Pictures of Queen Victoria, Napoleon and Alexander the Great will be at your side while you type away. It's nice to be surrounded by greatness, isn't it?

And in case you have to make the occasional note by hand, you're going to want to keep the Left Handed Portfolio close by. Lefty's went in search of one that opens to the right that they could offer their customers and when they couldn't find one at a good price, they commissioned one from Random Arts. They're a "small, family run, US company specializing in binders since 1954. The company operates a recycling program for vinyl 3- ring binders, re-using the vinyl in its own products." 

Each portfolio comes with a Yoropen, which I looove, and each part of the portfolio is either "100% recycled, or contains a substantial percentage of recycled content." The lined pad that comes with it is also 100% recycled.

And don't miss out on the Le Chat Backwards Watch (pictured above). The hands move counterclockwise and the numbers are reversed or "backwards" to standard clock and watches. If you hold it up to a mirror, it looks "normal" but some lefties can read it naturally this way. The expandable, adjustable silver band and pearlized face is quite chic, making it a great gift for the lefty in your life.

Shop the whole Lefty's Left Hand collection now.

Say Thanks with Lovely Garden Blossom Fold & Mail Stationery by Yana Beylinson

There are so many things to be grateful for.

That's why I have a whole drawer dedicated to just stationery.

Whether it's a dinner party invite or time spent with a friend, I always like to send a note of thanks and gratitude. And one of my favourite new finds is Garden Blossoms Fold & Mail by Yana Beylinson.

It just oozes spring with  these 5 different, colourful hand-drawn floral designs in the most beautiful shades of pink, green, blue and gray. And with 40 sheets per pad, you can say thanks or "thinking about you," to your heart's content.

It's such fun to write and then fold and seal it, card and envelope all-in-one. And the recipients are loving it - opening the package is like revealing a category winner at the Oscars!

This stationery is a delightful and quick way to send a note to someone. Don't you have someone you'd like to thank?

The Occasion Calls For Egg Press Cards

Every time one holiday ends, it seems another is right around the corner.

Before you know it, it will be Easter, then Mother's Day, then Father's Day, not to mention all the birthdays, anniversaries and new babies happening... you're going to need a bunch of cool cards to mark these occasions!

Egg Press is one of my go-to places for cards because they are fun and whimsical and made with love.  These handcrafted letterpress cards are made with great care on an antique press, so you get a card that not only looks great but has great heart too.

And they have just launched a collection of incredible planners and calendars with Blue Sky that are so awesome, I can't pick just one!

If you're looking for cards that really mean something, shop Egg Press.

Discover PriaVanda's Gorgeous Handmade, Handwoven Day Planners on Etsy!

I know what you're thinking.

Here it is February 1st and you haven't done all the things you said you'd do. You made plans in your head, but you didn't follow through with them. It's too late. The moment has passed.

WRONG!

It's never too late. And who says that you have to be all ready and motivated on January 1st, after weeks of either overindulging or feeling guilty for not completing everything that has to be done?

Nuh uh. You can start right now.

And the best place to start is with the prettiest planner on the block by PriaVanda.

Using satin ribbons and a unique technique to basket weave her handcrafted products, New York designer PriaVanda has found the perfect medium to create the structure for her line.

PriaVanda says, "I began weaving ribbons through plain bamboo mats to dress them up and was suddenly inspired to add this touch to everyday items. I was drawn to stationery because I cannot live without my day planner and that was the first product I created. The line grew from there."

The line includes address books, day planners, journals, notebooks and to do list pads.

The best thing is that she makes these necessities of our daily lives so damn gorgeous and usable that you'll want to use them ALL THE TIME and you'll wonder what you were doing using those ugly black vinyl ones from the office supply stores all the years. 

I knew as soon as I saw the Handmade Weekly Day Planner, that I'd found the perfect system - an organizer to help keep my crazy life straight that's enhances my desktop. I mean a planner this stylish has got to be on display at all times. Or kept in your bag, so you can show it off while you're out and about!

I got the Handmade Diagonal Weekly Day Planner (pictured above) with the most stunning pinks and grays. It comes in a range of colours - blues and browns, orange and black, pinks and browns, blues and grays, black and gold or choose your own colours. How's that for personalized?! And it gets better - start with any month that you want.  Who says you have to start Jan 1st like the rest of the world? Begin with the month of your choosing and your year will follow from there.  Finally, a calendar that works on your schedule, not anyone else's. 

The covers are made from thick, sturdy cardboard, so it won't be all flimsy like those ones you've had in the past. The front is covered in satin ribbons and the back gets covered in paper matching your selection.  The hard wire binding keeps everything neatly together and allows you to not only use the book completely flat, but you can also flip the front cover over and use just one side of the book at a time - great for when you want to use it on the train, in a small cafe, etc.

The monthly pages (one month over two pages) have good size boxes that allow you to plan and schedule ahead. And the weekly pages (one week on two pages) are set up brilliantly - your appointments go in the boxes on the left and your to do list is on the right. With this system, you simply fill in the blanks, so there's no messiness, no trying to scrutinize your notes to see what you wrote is a to do or a place to be. It's all neatly laid out for you. It's genius.

You also get:

- Monthly & weekly motivational quotes

- Notes section

- 2 year reference calendar

- Important holidays

- To do list

- Ribbon bookmark in matching colour

- Integrated folder in matching color

And because the pages are printed on 28lb. acid-free archival paper, you can use fine pens and markers without them bleeding through to the other side, so colour code and highlight your life (I do!).

You can further personalize your Day Planner with the your name. Doesn't that make for a nice gift?

You are going to have to write down your appointments and things to do anyway - why not do it somewhere that makes you happy?

Order your PriaVanda Day Planner now.

Your year starts now!

Write Anywhere with Zenquenz Roll-Up, Fold Over Journals

I wrote in notebooks and journals long before I was writer. And most people I know who use journals aren't writers by profession, so use them for whatever is important and exciting for you, not what you feel should go into them.

Whether you like to record, sketch, plan or schedule the Zequenz 360 Journals work where you need them to.

See, these innovative books roll up and fold over completely cover-to-cover, so you can write anywhere - from the Adobe Desert to your local coffee shop. The binding curves without ever breaking so you work your book as hard as you need to and cram it into your carry on and the like (you know you're going to anyway, you might as well get one that will stand up to it). They will roll-up and fold back forever.

There are other fine touches that set it apart from the rest - opulent covers that you just want to smooth your hands over and over again, curved corners that make the journals approachable and comfortable to use, smooth pages that make it easy to write and an attached bookmark that saves you from looking up where you last left off.

Lined and unlined journals are available in either black or red and in varying sizes. Check out where to buy them near you.

Your life is important. Why not record it?

Discover the Awesomeness of Robot Luv and Pass It On!

There are some people that are just able to capture a feeling onto paper or clothing.

Carrie Masters of Robot Luv has created a line of clothes, patches, totes, lamps and other fun stuff that are whimsical, fun and downright awe-inspiring (You can also shop her collection at her Etsy storefront where you can also shop additional items such as cards, puzzles and knitted accessories).

Robot Luv lamps bring a bit of fun into the study or living room.  And her totes make me smile - how can errands be dull when you've got a cute bag like these?!

Gosh, she's got a great style, doesn't she? It's no wonder I want to cover myself head to toe in Robot Luv gear!

It's easy to shop for the music lover on your list here - How About A Little Moog Music Tee and I Heart Indie Music Tee makes a fun and original gift. And I adore the Airstream Camper Tee. How fun is that?! The tees are "vintage soft" which means they are 100% cotton and feel like you've worn it in already. Ooh, they are amazing!

And to keep you stylin', you\re going to want these incredible patches. I got the Boston Terrier Side View Patch (pictured above) to put on my winter coat, which will make my coat the cutest coat E-V-E-R! You can select from a whole whack of 'em - one for everyone on your list! Isn't that a great gift?!

And to go with all those gifts, you should pick up some greeting cards while you're at it too. It doesn't get much better than these.

It's not too late to get the most amazing holiday gifts  - Shop Robot Luv now!