emilee rose

goodbye, blogspot!

2011-01-30T13:31:00.003-06:00

This is the final post on my good ol' blogspot emilee rose blog. It's been a great couple of years here, but the time has come to movie it to a platform that I am more comfortable with and to one that I feel can reflect my business a little better.

Thank you to all of my current followers and I hope that you will subscribe to or bookmark the new emilee rose blog!

FACES OF THE SIXTIES: PART TWO

2011-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

I posted a few new illustrations a couple of weeks ago that are a part of my "Faces of the Sixties" series. These are a couple more iconic faces of rock and roll.

LOU REED

NICO

BOB DYLAN

a very happy new year!

2011-01-03T13:26:00.005-06:00

Ok, so I know I'm just a little late with a "happy new year" post, but better late than never, right? I had an idea of a great resolution would be to blog more...and you can tell how well that is going...

I have a lot of things that I am looking forward to in 2011, and specifically lots of plans for emilee rose. 2009 was an extremely disappointing year for the biz, but I knew that maybe the timing just wasn't right. As discouraged as I was, I never had any intention of giving up or "quitting" my line. I still like it and since I don't need it to be my sole income, I'm OK with it being on the slow side. (for now, at least.)

Things really started to look up this past year. I was in more shows than I thought I was even capable of doing. So many, that I'm already trying to prioritize which shows to do next fall and winter and what sorts of new products I can introduce. All of the shows, except for one, were really successful. I even had a few customers come back and shop some more! I joined Etsy Houston, which has been a great networking tool. I'm even hosting the next meeting at my casa!

This year, I really want to focus more energy in selling. I focus most of my energy on making, and just let my things sit in my etsy shop hoping that they will get sold. But that is really not how it's done. So besides making some new products (which I am super excited to share!) these are some goals I have for emilee rose in this coming year:

Finish my website! Yeah...this has been sitting around for months and months, but now that the shows are over, I can get back to it. The plan is to move the blog and solely use a new multi-page wordpress site, though creating a theme is a little more complicated than I imagined. Thank heavens for a very talented little brother that has offered to help out.

Retire some products. Truth is, I have way too many designs to keep up inventory. And so, I'll be retiring some greeting cards and possibly most of the invites and thank yous. They just don't sell. I'm still interesting in doing invites and thank yous, but will probably be tweaking the design a bit. Maybe some fill-in invites? More adult friendly note cards?

Blog more (haha!)

Create some new products

Revamp the ol' etsy shop. My photos are...BAD! I got a new digital camera for Christmas, so that should make shooting new photos a little easier.

Send samples to stores to try to start selling wholesale!

And that's it. I'm ready to get started!

FACES OF THE SIXTIES: PART ONE

2010-12-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

One item on a long list of new year's to-dos ("resolutions" don't seem to ever get resolved, so perhaps "to-dos" will get done...) is to work on putting together a new professional portfolio. My current one is, well, not up to my current standards.

I designed it when I knew very little about graphics and thought that I would be going into a more architectural profession. I'd like to think that my skills have grown while working as a graphic designer for the past year and a half. Not only that, but I would like to focus my portfolio on my graphic designs and illustrations, rather than architecture and school projects.

So, first up on my New Year's To Do List:

Create a new professional portfolio.

Part of that to do involves me creating new work. So, I've started a new series called "Faces of the Sixties." These are the first of the series. I hope to work on more this week.

EDIE SEDGWICK

TWIGGY

Pen and ink illustrations, digitally colored.

SALE!

2010-12-27T12:56:00.003-06:00

All calendars and holiday cards are on sale until they run out!

Lights in the Heights

2010-12-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Houston is really not my favorite place to live, but the Heights really is. It is the most amazing neighborhood in the city. Everyone here is so nice, and friendly, and it's the only part of Houston that has even attempted to preserve our history.

We are also one of the few neighborhoods that have frequent block parties. Lights in the Heights was by far the best one that I've been to, and I hate to say this...but it puts some of Milwaukee's festivals to shame! (gasp! I know...sorry!)

The whole area blocked off is around 3 blocks by 6 blocks. Most houses decorate with lots of lights, hence the name, and about every 10 houses was live music. You could hear everything from a not-s0-great high school garage band, to a Jewish couple singing old German songs while playing an accordion, to a bunch of retirees getting together with friends jamming out to classic rock songs. A central park was designated with a main music stage and food vendors. Most people bring a cooler on wheels and roam the street with their beer in tow.

The weather was a little odd...a light sweater provided enough warmth for a "cold Houston night."

Best part of the night: getting into a private party to dance to a super kickin' Cajun band! I lost their card so have no idea what there name, but if anyone reads this that knows, please let me know. We stopped as they started playing the Jambalaya (on the Bayou) song, which makes me proud of my swamp land roots (because Houston is a swamp) The party was sponsored by some company called "Kinetic Energy." I'm sure they get TONS of business during Lights in the Heights.

The photos aren't that great, but the night was!

photos from Austin

2010-12-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

My friend Erika flew down for a mini vacay and we then made an even minier road trip to Austin. Seriously, how have I never been there as an adult (meaning not on a field trip?) Austin is one of the coolest cities that I've even been and I can't wait to go back!

These are photos that I took of shops on South Congress (aka. Hipster Central)

holiday craft shows: pictures and a recap

2010-12-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

As I've mentioned a few times before, I did a whole lot of craft shows this season! Some were good, some were not so good, and one was GREAT! I learned a lot about what sells and what doesn't sell. I got some ideas for new products that may be more sellable next year or at Renegade Austin (hoping that I get accepted this year!) I learned that craft shows are BORING to work at, but are way more fun when you share a booth or have a friend to work it with you.

WHAM was by far the best show that I've ever done! That was a 3 day long market that was one of the best curated shows I've seen. There was such a good variety of types of products being sold as well as a good variety of price points.

I worked on some new displays. I got some over sized frames from a thrift store to hang my cards. Only one card could hang per clothes pin, but I think it helped catch people's attention.

My dad helped me build new stands for my cards and paper dolls. What I find the most challenging about designing an attractive booth is creating height for products that are all two dimensional. Not wanted to use store bought greeting card displays, I decided to create a stand from scrap wood found in my parent's garage. I'm so lucky to have a handy dad that is always willing to help with projects like these. I created the design, my dad cut the pieces (I think he gets nervous when I use his tools,) and then I screwed it all together. The sizing is perfect!

Look how excited Lora is to have her picture taken! This is the booth that I shared with B. Bags for the First Saturday Art Market. Sharing a booth with someone is probably the best thing that I could ever do. 1. The booth fee is split so the show is cheaper. 2. You have someone to take to when traffic gets slow and you have someone to watch your stuff for quick restroom breaks or shopping breaks. 3. You don't have to fill up an entire 10' x 10' booth. It's more difficult than it sounds.

I made new business cards and emilee rose buttons for free-bees.

It was so fun doing all of these shows and really made me think about how I could really focus more time and energy to emilee rose. But I'm glad they are over and I can get a little break. I've heard that January through March shows are usually a bust, so I may be taking a break until Renegade in Austin. But who knows what lies ahead...

handmade holiday gifts: infused vodka

2010-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

I really tried to make most of my holiday gifts this year and wanted to make something that could be used (i.e. not something that people would say "this is SO GREAT!" and then either throw it away or stash it in a junk drawer.)

After Christmas, I'll post my "main" project this season, but I want to make sure that I don't spoil the surprise.

I made infused vodkas for my bosses this year and I think they turned out pretty well. This gift takes a few days to make, so start now and you'll be golden for getting it done before Christmas! There are plenty of recipes on-line if you google "infused vodka recipe" but I just kind of winged it. Basically, you put your thing to be infused in an air tight jar with vodka, shake it a few times a day, and strain once complete. I made a habanero vodka (perfect for Bloody Marys) and a mandarin vodka.

Recipe for infused vodkas:

1. Choose a decent vodka (I used Smirnoff...don't use the cheap stuff just because it's disgusting and the super nice stuff may be a waste if your infusion goes wrong.)

2. Measure the amount of vodka for your container (mine found at The Container Store.) and then add a little bit that will be absorbed into the fruit.

3. I used one whole habanaro, seeded and cut into 4 pieces. And I used 1 small can of drained mandarin oranges.

4. Pour the vodka and the item being infused into an air tight container. Cover, give the container a shake to mix up the Vodka and fruit and then store in a dry cool place (I stuck mine in the pantry.)

5. Both of my infusions only took 2 and a half days. Shake a few times a day and you can taste a bit as you go. Some infusions may take a week or more, so check with other sites for infusion times.

6. Once infusion is complete, strain the fruit and pour into final container.

holiday decor around the house

2010-12-19T12:21:00.003-06:00

Above: My grandpa's camera that took all of my mother's photos growing up. Santa and donkey from Black Scottie Treasures.

This holiday season has been absolutely CRAZY!!! I had been doing craft shows almost every weekend and somehow had booked up all other weekends until today. Today I feel free! Work the past couple of weeks have been an absolute nightmare. I'd love to vent about it, but this is really not the place. Just know that I had to stay late a few times last week, didn't get any real sleep as a result of stress and I definitely broke out in tears 3 times.

But 6 days from today is Christmas, which really is the best time of the year. And I finally have a fabulous place to decorate. After a stress filled day at work and leaving the bustling shops, coming home to a peaceful holiday home really makes everything better.

Top of my IKEA shelves, I put faux glittered "snow" and arranged my vintage cameras and new figurines from Black Scottie Treasures.

It's a little difficult to see with my super awesome camera, but I made these little cone trees based on Daniel Thompson's tutorial. Hers are super stinkin' cute, but I decided to go with all white trees. Each fabric has a different texture, so that are really great in person.

holiday cards and fresh new photos!

2010-11-11T08:21:00.005-06:00

It is now the middle of Thanksgiving which, in my opinion, is prime holiday card buying. We are getting busy at work with lots of orders! And that made me realize that it's time to restock the shop with my cards! Greeting cards are available in boxed sets of six. I'm going to try to take new photos (more about this below) and list individual cards as well sometime next week.

There are also some personalized holiday photo cards. (Thanks Heather, Tracie and Sarah for letting me "borrow" your photos!) You can personalize each set with your family's photograph and order matching return address stickers if you wish.

So, the above photos, are...well...terrible. I know! My lighting at home sucks. I've never had the patience to create a light box, so I set up two desk lamps and have at it. Then, the lighting is SO bad that when I try to correct it digitally it turns in to pixelated mush.

This week, I needed a new picture of my calendar for my work to blog about (my calendars are available in the shop!) We have a great lighting system that I think worked wonders. I still had quite a bit of editing to do, but am really pleased with how the photos turned out.

I've also been noticing photos a lot on etsy and have noticed that most of the front page images are clean, bright, and crisp. I'm hoping that these photos do the trick.

Ideally, I would like to reshoot all of the photographs in my shop, but that might be a task left to next year. I'm thinking that an at-home light box is needed as well as a new camera. But again, that new camera is not really in my immediate future.

quilting madness

2010-11-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I made a trip to the International Quilting Festival with some of my lady friends. It was about 10 million times larger than I had anticipated and extremely overwhelming! Allthough many people were snapping pics of the quilts on display, the signs telling me not to made me scared that I would get in trouble by the quilting police! So, sadly I don't have any of the quilts to share with you, but I did snap a few while shopping around over 1,000 booths of quilting fabrics, notions, and goodies! Next year, I would like to have some projects in mind, so that I can snatch up all of the super unique and awesome fabrics.

happy friday! heartthrob edition.

2010-11-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's Friday!

I've recently been watching a lot of Freaks and Geeks and have been reminded of an old Hollywood crush.I thought I would share some other heartthrobs to help get through your Friday.

Jake Ryan from 16 Candles

A timeless classic...

Trip Fontaine from The Virgin Suisides

Definitely not the nice guy, but he'll still melt your heart (and then leave you in the morning.)

Daniel Desario from Freaks and Geeks

Kinda makes me want to relive 1980, or just live in 1980. What a dream.

Do you have any timeless Hollywood crushes?

halloweeney (a bit late) and other ramblings

2010-11-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

It has taken me some time to realize that it is now NOVEMBER (seriously, where did the time go?)

This year, I wanted to decorate my house for Halloween and the Fall season, though, getting ready for upcoming shows have forced me to put other craft projects on hold. Christmas is just around the corner and my previous tennant left me a 6' faux tree for me to decorate. Hooray!

Rather than decorating, I had to work on my Halloween costume. I went as Don Draper's lover from Mad Men. Even though Don has a new lady almost every week, most people thought that I was Faye or Peggy. It didn't really matter either way, but I think I did a good job looking like I was at least from that era. My mom helped me with the hair. I (surprisingly) didn't take any photos but was able to grab some from other people's albums on facebook.

Starting the weekend of October 23rd (my first show...pics are coming soon, I promise!) I have had something to do every single weekend and it will continue that way until the middle of December.

Here's how it goes:

This weekend: First Saturday Art Market show and attempting to fix my car with my dad. (I cannot put gas in my car, which is SORT OF a problem....I'm hoping it's just a clogged hose. I'm SO thankful to have a handy dad that can teach me these things!)

Next weekend: My bestie, Erika is coming to visit (I am SOOOO excited about this!)

The next weekend: the WHAM show

The weekend after that: I guess I have that weekend off! But will be getting an oil change and my car inspected at the last possible second before my tags expire.

The next weekend after that: show at Sew Crafty.

And that takes me into December with just a few weeks to complete my holiday gifts, cards (if I get to them this year, I've been totally slacking in that department!) and holiday decorating. Not only is my schedule jam packed in the evenings and weekends, we are getting busy with holiday cards at work! It's really great and is totally putting me in the holiday spirit.

This time of the year is always super crazy, but really fun! Bring it on!

emilee rose Calendar Giveaway- Winner!

2010-10-25T09:12:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone that participated! The feedback was better than anticipated.

The winner is ROXY! I'll be contacting you on which calendar you want.

Thanks again! In case you were not a winner, check out the shop, to get your very own emilee rose calendar!

Don't forget! A Fair to Remember is tomorrow!

2010-10-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

A Fair to Remember
Saturday, October 23rd
10 am to 3 pm
FREE to the public

Bethany Christian Church
3223 Westheimer Road

Another show added

2010-10-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

I just added another craft show to my list of shows this fall. (This is the LAST one! Otherwise, I might go a little nutzo.)

I'll be sharing a booth with the lovely Lora of b. bags! She made this adorable clutch that I bought myself.

First Saturday Art Market in the Heights
548 West 19th Street

Saturday, November 6th
11 am to 6 pm

2011 Calendar Giveaway!

2010-10-16T17:29:00.002-05:00

As promised (or suggested) I am giving away one of my 2011 emilee rose calendars!

The Emilee Paper Doll Calendar
Look familiar? This is the same calendar as last year, but with an updated calendar. In case you didn't get one last year, you have another chance.

The Olivia Paper Doll Calendar
Same format as Emilee's, but this calendar has all new outfits! I'm loving October's cat costume!

Mini Desk Calendar
I'm really excited about this little dude! This calendar features all new emilee rose illustrations and comes packaged in a floppy disk case. When I say "mini" I mean it--it's only 2.5" x 2.75", perfect size for a stocking stuffer.

Rules for the giveaway!
Leave a comment by Friday, October 22nd to enter with which calendar you would love to win. Winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on the blog the following Monday.

Want more ways to enter?

Follow me on twitter
Tweet the giveaway
Like me on facebook
Heart my shop on etsy

Just make sure to leave another comment for each extra thing.

upcoming holiday shows

2010-10-15T17:00:00.001-05:00

This year will be the first year that I do multiple craft shows for the holidays. I'm pretty excited about all of them and think that they are all really promising. Though, getting ready for 3 shows is really not as much fun as it sounds. My first show is next Saturday (more information below) and I am trying to get all of my inventory ready by then so that I don't have to worry or stress after this week. But until this next week is over, I'll remain stressed.

This is the current state of my living room:

I've become quite the neat freak, so this alone is making me a wreck. Rather than working last night, I had to clean up...I just can't work in a messy environment. (I like how my TV and computer look like poltergeist came to visit!)

My goal for the weekend: FINISH PRINTING/PACKAGING ALL MY INVENTORY. We'll see if that happens.

If you are in or around Houston on the following dates, you should stop by and say hi!

Upcoming shows:

A Fair to Remember
Saturday, October 23rd
10 am to 3 pm
FREE to the public

Bethany Christian Church
3223 Westheimer Road

..............................................................................................................................

Winter Holiday Arts Market
WinWinter Street Studios
2101 Winter Street

Friday, November 19th: Exclusive Preview Party
6 - 10 p.m. Purchase Tickets Here

Saturday, November 20th
11 am - 8- pm (FREE)

Sunday, November 21st
11 am - 4 pm (FREE)

..............................................................................................................................

Etsy Houston Holiday Market
Sew Crafty
321 B West 19th Street

Friday, December 3rd
Time to be determined

This is FREE to the public and is rumored to have lots of tasty snacks...

halloween cards are back in the shop!

2010-09-27T12:43:00.002-05:00

Lovely Halloween cards and invitations are back in stock! Get them here.

etsy finds: for the yogi in you

2010-09-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of this year, I started practicing yoga in my living room. About a month ago, I took the plunge and started going to classes.

A note to newbies: At home yoga is NOTHING like going to a studio. I am glad that I started at home to get a feel for the poses, but the pace and temperature at the studios was something new. Not that it's bad, I actually love going to classes now! I try to go at least twice a week to vinyasa classes and I'm now getting muscles in places I didn't even know a muscle existed. It's pretty awesome.

So, what is one to do when they pick up a new hobby? See what Etsy has for me! Below are some fun yoga products that I would love to own!

Clockwise from top center:
Yoga Mat Cleaner from Horenda Herbal.
Lotus Pranayama Breath Necklace from Zen Muse.
Laksmi top from Kaya Yoga Ware.
Yoga Fridge Magnets from Snowdon.
The Urban Yogi Mat Bag from Sundara.

help! vote for your favorite doll!

2010-09-21T11:34:00.004-05:00

It's about that time of year again. I need to get a movin' on the 2011 Paper Doll Calendar! Last year's calendar had Emilee. I plan on bringing her back and updating the calendar, but I also am going to create a whole new calendar with a different doll and new outfits.

This is where I need your help! Which little lady should be featured in the 2011 Calendar? I would greatly appreciate if you would leave a comment below with your pick and to ask your friends to do the same! Who knows, maybe there will be a calendar giveaway with your favorite doll??

Olivia

Avery

Sophie

Kaylee

Second question...do the boys need a calendar? My first thought is no, but maybe I'm wrong?

paper doll feature!

2010-09-20T19:00:00.001-05:00

I always love when other people love emilee rose's paper dolls just as much as I do. I received a message from Suzy, the senior writer at Babyology, that my dolls were featured.

Not only is it an honor to be mentioned on this blog, but I was mentioned along side some artists that I really admire! What a nice way to start my week!

You can read the full post here.

oh, warby parker!

2010-09-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I am in need of new glasses. Badly. While I do love my blue frames, I have had them for 4 years. That means that their "coolness" is no longer legit.

Searching for new frames is just about the most obnoxious thing ever and I am afraid that it is time for the hunt.

That is where Warby Parker comes in. Their frames are absolutely amazing. And they are pretty inexpensive, too. I would like the following, please and thank you.

antique store pictures

2010-09-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Found all of these fun pictures from an antique store in my neighborhood. I have no idea what it is called, but there is a sign out front that reads "Antiques." It's on Heights Boulevard near 11th.

Enjoy!

pom-pom wreath

2010-09-13T19:00:00.001-05:00

A while back, I found this idea for some DIY pom-pom balls. After the whole project was all said and done, I realized that I could have save myself a lot of time by making the circles larger, as in the post. Oh well. What's done is done, right?

I stared with a foam wreath and 1.5 yards of fabric. I found some nice blue fabric in the sale bin for $5.00 a yard. They were also having a sale, so the fabric was actually an additional 50% off. Oh, how I love to save!

I then proceeded to cut out about a billion 1.5" circles.

I started to glue the circles to the wreath. About half way through, I ran out of fabric. So, this project actually calls for 3 yards of fabric!

I also started this thinking that it would be an afternoon project that may need to be finished up throughout the week. I was DEAD wrong. This tedious little project took over a month to complete. Every time I sat down to watch TV, I plugged in the glue gun and got to work. I calculated that I could do about 10 square inches in about an hour. Sheesh.

But it turned out beautifully! And the color is a fun pop on top of the light aqua wall.

Adios, Speedy

2010-09-12T12:36:00.002-05:00

Me and Speedy, 2006ish

Speedy was a good pet. When I was little, I became obsessed with turtles. The natural thing to do was get one for a pet. For my 10th birthday, I got to go to Petsmart, pick out my turtle, buy a tank and all of the fixins and take my speedy home. When I got him he fit in my hand and was probably about 4" wide. Just a baby.

I knew that turtles outlive humans and that Speedy, a Red Eared Slider, would grow to be very large. I had this assumption that Speedy would come to college with me (that didn't happen) and that I would buy a house after college and build a giant pond in the back yard (also did not happen).

Speedy is not far too large to live in an aquarium and really needs more space and attention than I, or my parents, can give him. My parents have been so wonderful to keep him for the past 6 years and take care of him. But it is time for him to move on.

This past Saturday, my dad and I wearily took him to the SPCA's Wildlife Center. I'm so thankful that my dad came with me, because I could not keep it together. I know that he's a turtle and has never shown ANY sort of affection towards me, but he was still my first pet.

The people there were all very nice. First they told me that Speedy was obese! I had no idea I could have a fat turtle!?! But they assured me that he was very well fed and well taken care of. Speedy with go to the home of a lady that rehabilitates turtles and once they are ready, sets them free. The SPCA gave me the lady's e-mail address so that I can check on the progress of Speedy.

As difficult as it was so say goodbye, I know that he will be very happy to have space to swim and to have friends--and maybe a lady friend to make babies with--to play with.

ph designs in the knot!

2010-08-19T10:45:00.003-05:00

Last night a coworker and I attending a wedding networking event sponsored by The Knot. Honestly, we didn't stay too long, but the food was fabulous! I couldn't get enough of the
Saint Arnold beer battered asparagus and mini Brie grilled sandwiches!

We picked up a copy of the Fall issue of The Knot Texas (yes, we are big enough that we get our own magazine) and PH Design Shop was featured in one of their weddings! You can see it below in the bottom corner. And just as a little nod to myself, I did not design the invitation suite, but I did lay out the program. We are all pretty excited here at work!

new vintage finds

2010-08-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

It may come as no surprise, but I have been scouting out some new yellow pieces for my kitchen and have found some pretty fun things!

1960's yellow rock's glasses with gold rim

I have absolutely no use for rocks glasses, but they were just so cute, I had to have them. They were found at the Guild Shop in Montrose.

A fun yellow tray with removable trays

This was a lovely gift from my friend Sarah. It was found on etsy, but I completely forgot to save the seller's information. (Hey Sarah, do you remember?)

Plastic Ice Bucket

I'm having a party in a couple of weeks and wanted a cute ice bucket to keep the champagne chilled. This was found at Retropolis in the Heights.

little miss cupcake!

2010-08-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was White Linen Night in the Heights. All of the shops, galleries, and restaurants had specials and sales.

There was also a HUGE craft show (that I totally should have done, and it never crossed my mind!) Although, the weather was SO hot, that I don't know if it would have been worth it. It was a good sunny, 100% humidity, 100 degree kind of day--aka. miserable--and all of the vendors did not look like they were having too much fun.

Because of the heat, there were free water bottles everywhere. They really pushed staying hydrated. I was very thankful for that.

It was also a fun night because I got to spend it with my good friend, Katie. We've known each other since elementary school, but didn't really become friends until middle school. With both of our crazy schedules, it's hard for us to find time to see each other.

White Linen Night was the perfect Girls Night!

And check this out. Cupcake trailers!

This is all just another reason why my neighborhood totally rocks!

BOGO!

2010-08-10T10:51:00.003-05:00

Back to school sale! The entire emilee rose shop is buy one get one free!

Start shopping!

never too much aqua...

2010-08-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

As some of you may have read via twitter, I painted my living room two weekend's ago. Even though I have no idea how long I will live in this house, I thought it would be worth it to improve the "mood" in my house. It is now very bright and chipper.

My dad pointed out that it even makes the room feel cooler. It's all in our head, but the ice blue does remind me of non 100 degree temperatures.

kickin' it old school treasury

2010-08-05T10:11:00.002-05:00

I just received a lovely message from mud and twig about their newest treasury featuring emilee rose! Check it out here.

app for font nerds

2010-07-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Test your font skills with The Font Game. Being a designer, I am haunted by mentally naming fonts everywhere I go. At the movies, in magazines, while driving looking at billboards.

Some would call this a curse. Others would call this a great skill for playing this game.

You can get it here. I can't wait to play!

in the kitchen with emilee: easy veggie chili

2010-07-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is by far the easiest meal to create and it makes a TON, so it is also good to freeze and save for later. And you could use fresh ingredients, using the cans makes this super fast and easy.

Ingredients:
1 small can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of Rotel (I use the original, but you can choose any flavor that you like!)
1 bag of Morning Star Farms Grillers Crumbles (faux ground beef- the texture is just like ground beef--from what I remember--but it way more healthy!)
1 bottle of beer (I use Shiner, because that is what I like to keep in my fridge)
2 large carrots
2 tbs canola oil
1 tbs chili powder (or to your liking)
1 tsp cumin (or to your liking)

Directions:

Bring small pot of water to a boil to cook the carrots. Peel and slice the carrots and drop them in the pot to cook while you are preparing the rest.

Open and drain you beans and corn and put aside.

Drain carrots.

In a large pot (big enough for about 6 cups of chili) heat the canola oil. Pour in the Grillers Crumbles and cook them until they brown (just like ground beef). Once the Crumbles look done, dump in your beans, corn, carrots, Rotel, and bottle of beer. Stir. Add spices and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Just a note about the spices- the Rotel already has spices in it, but I prefer my chili to be nice and spicy! If you like a more mild flavor, you might cutting the extra spices in half.

And that's it! I like to eat my chili over crushed Saltines with a little dollop of sour cream and cheese.

Bon appetite!

etsy finds: twilight

2010-06-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Before you start judging me, I know that the Twilight movies are silly. But I can't help it that they have sucked me in! In honor of Eclipse, which opens in theaters today, I thought I would see if Etsy had any items to celebrate. After sifting through LOTS of jewelry and items with pictures of Edward and Jacob, I found these fun little items:

1. Jacob Bracelet from Curly Rocks
2. Forks, Washington Postal Stamp from Dragonfly Curls
3. French Twilight Inspired T-Shirt from Coup
4. Twilight Coffee Mug from The Painting Libra
5. Fang Soap from KC Soaps n' More
6. Team Jacob Shirt from Royal Kane

pretty new chair

2010-06-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

I LOVE my new chair...it is the perfect addition to my living room. I've been wanting to post a photo sooner, but I thought that it would be cuter if Tilly sat in it. And it is.

Checklist for being a successful designer:
Own a this Eames chair.

Check.

etsy craft party

2010-06-28T11:37:00.002-05:00

Friday, June 18th was Etsy's 5th Birthday! To celebrate, they organized craft parties all over the world. Houston had one that, I thought, was a HUGE success! Sew Crafty was nice enough to host the party- which was super convenient for me, since it is located in the Heights!

There were craft stations all over the shop. My mom came with me as my date. We started the evening by grabbing snacks and I grabbed some beer donated by Saint Arnold Brewery. Upstairs were stations to fuse plastic bags and make framed memory boards. My mom and I choose the crafts that required the least amount of supplies to bring....

My mother and I cut the bags and prepped them for fusing.

This is me thinking "why didn't I think of bringing COOL bags, like her Forever 21 bag??"

Craft Fail. My iron was too hot...

So then we moved on to the rolled fabric flowers. I LOVED this! Now I want to make rolled flower accessories for every outfit I own!

The final product!

Thanks Etsy for the great party!

stationery kits from ph design shop

2010-05-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

With the summer approaching, lots of kiddos will be headed to camp and I wanted to share these adorable stationery kits from ph design shop. These kits are seriously adorable and the perfect gift to give you child that's about to go off to camp.

Each kit comes with:
25 loose sheets of personalized paper
15 envelopes
15 postage stamps
15 return address labels
3 matching icon buttons
1 bull clip
1 clipboard backer
2 #2 pencils with eraser

No wee ones? or just want a stationery kit for yourself? They also have K.I.T. (That's "Keep in Touch.) It comes with all of the same pieces but in a more adult-friendly version.

You can get one for the campster here and one for yourself here.

Gorgeous Design :: JUXTAPOSED : Power

2010-05-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this gem while flipping through the newest issue of Dwell magazine and am absolutely in love. There is no price on the website, which could only mean that is costs a fortune! But a girl can dream...

spring clutch from b.bags

2010-05-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Every first Saturday, the Heights goes nuts. Lots of shops have great sales. Pet adoption foundations come out and line Heights Boulevard with puppies. And over on 19th Street, the First Saturday Arts Market is going on.

I try to make it every month as there are always new vendors to scope out. A couple of months ago, b. bags founds its way into the market. Her products were absolutely adorable (and SO me,) but of course, I could not spend any extra money at that time.

To my wonderful surprise, b. bags was back at the Art Market today!

Needing a new spring purse, I decided to help out a fellow crafter and purchased the little goodie below:

Adorable, right?

Not only is this cute little bag handmade and locally made, but all of her products are made from upcycled materials.

I'm pretty keen on my new find.

You can check out b. bags on etsy and you can also visit her blog.

mini garden

2010-05-01T16:49:00.004-05:00

About three weeks ago, I started a tiny little itty bitty garden in my back yard. I wanted to start growing my own veggies and herbs, especially since fresh herbs are so dang expensive at the grocery store! After adding up all of the vegetables that I wanted to grow, I had to do a serious cut back and just start with a couple of pots.

I've planted summer squash (in the large pot) and basil and catnip (in the smaller pots)

Since I know absolutely nothing about gardening, I did a little research and found this super handy guide. From everything that I read about growing vegetables is that they need adequate draining. I added rocks to the bottom of the pot to help with the draining.

Soil was added on top of the rocks. I used Micracle-Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix.

Then I planed all of my seeds and waited....

A week later, this is what I have!

This photograph was taken this past weekend. The squash is shooting up, growing about a half inch everyday. The basil and catnip are sllllooooowwwwwlllly coming up and may not be as successful. One is growing more than the other, but I have no idea which pot is which any more!

I'm thinking about adding a few more veggies soon, but I'll have to see if I get anything good to sprout first!

welcome to my neighborhood: buchanan's native plants

2010-04-26T19:40:00.003-05:00

Part of moving to a new part of town is getting out to explore. The Heights is FULL of cute little mom and pop shops, locally owned jems, and unique finds. Just down the street from me is an adorable nursery called Buchanan's Native Plants. This place is HOPPING on the weekends with lots of young people and families. It is the perfect destination for all of your plant needs (when you choose not to go to the giant box stores.)

I love that Buchanan's has a whole section of cactus! I'm dying to get one but am thinking of a place where the little kitty will not get injured trying to play with it...

As some of you may have read on my twitter, I have recently started a small little garden in my backyard (a post about that to come.) Buchanan's was a great place to get started. Once my plants grow, I can't wait to reward myself with a little treat like the uber-cute beehives below!

Besides a full nursery, Buchanan's has a great gift shop. They carry everything from candles to books to jewelry to decor. There are lots of fun finds in the little yellow house buried behind all of the plants!

my new home in houston's historic heights!

2010-04-20T19:48:00.008-05:00

I moved to the Heights at the very end of March and have been settling in quite nicely. In comparison to my last apartment (which I hated) this new apartment is AMAZING. It is a one bedroom, lower unit in a four-plex. The kitchen is quite large...and yellow! How perfect?

There is hardwood floors throughout the house, except the kitchen and bathroom have black and white checkered tiling.

I still have a lot that I want to do/buy/make in my new house, but for now, this is what I have come up with!

Living Room:

This mini-door in the living room leads to an enormous walk-in closet, with shelves lining two of the walls.

The best part of this house: the windows! They are huge and they are everywhere! Tilly has never been so happy to watch all of the birds and squirrels play outside.

Bedroom:

This dresser is one of my favorite pieces of furniture that I own. Surprisingly, all of my furniture that I have now was a part of my very first "big girl" bedroom. I just gave it a nice bright coat of turquoise paint to update the look.

A second dresser, part of my nursery! I refinished this a few years ago.

Bathroom:

Cutest bathtub ever.

Kitchen and Dining Room:

A detail of my bar. I love the grey laminate with the yellow walls!

My little dining area. Perfect for a couple of friends for brunch!

And that is a snapshot of my new place! I learned some new photoshop skills and am a little obsessed with "aging" my photos, so I hope that it's not too distracting!

You can visit my flickr to see a complete set of photographs around my house.

Color Career Counselor: I'm a Doer.

2010-04-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

I found this nifty quiz via The Order of Things (I believe, but of course, I cannot find the exact link.) This quiz has you choose your favorite and least favorite colors and by doing so tells you what type of career would suite you best.

According to this quiz, I am a Doer and an Organizer. I don't think I really needed a quiz to tell me that.

The keywords of a Doer: Emotionally Stable, Reliable, High Energy, Practical, Thrifty, and Persistent.

Duh.

It's pretty fun. Take the quiz yourself here!

etsy finds: a wish list

2010-03-29T10:00:00.001-05:00

I moved to my new house this past weekend. I. Am. In. Love.

Everything about it is super cute! Once I finish unpacking and putting everything in its correct place, I'll make sure to post pictures.

In the mean time, I can't help but day dream about decorating my cute new house. This house is larger than my other apartment, so I still need some more furniture pieces to complete "the look."

Here are some fun etsy finds that would be fabulous is my living room.

1. Apothecary Jar Moss Terrarium No. 6 from Blithe Gardens
2. Ceramic Owl Planter Vase Vintage Design Aqua Blue from Fruit Fly Pie
3. BLU RASPBERRY -- Keep Calm and Carry On 16 x 20 from Pressureless
4. Smile Handprinted Letterpress Poster from Roll & Tumble Press
5. VINTAGE TURQUOISE ROTARY TELEPHONE For Decoration Parts OR Repair from Sugar Lily Vintage

new paper dolls in the shop!!!

2010-03-06T14:26:00.006-06:00

I am so excited to announce that the emilee rose shop is now stocked with new paper dolls!
These new paper dolls from emilee rose are the perfect gift for your little one! Each doll and all of their outfits are reproductions of hand drawn illustrations that have been digitally colored. Each set of dolls includes one doll, three outfits, and one glassine bag for safe storage of your doll and clothes.

The new dolls stand about 5 inches tall. The doll is digitally printed on 110# card stock to remain sturdy. The clothes and shoes are digitally printed on 100# text paper, just the right weight to not be floppy but able to easily bend the clothing tabs.

To celebrate, I am offering FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING on any of the new dolls until the end of the month!

Visit the shop to see all of the newbies!

pretty packaging on etsy

2010-03-02T07:00:00.002-06:00

Nice Package hit the blogosphere and etsy scene a couple months ago. I even purchased a couple of items from them for my paper doll calendar. I needed more glassine bags for my new paper dolls (scheduled to launch this coming Saturday, March 6th) but they no longer carry the correct size.

Desperate to find another seller, I stumbled across these cute shops stocked full of packaging goodness!

{Image courtesy of Mr. Rabbit, Sir}

{Image courtesy of The Wrappery}

{Image courtesy of Little Pumpkin Papers}

mini cupcakes :: a guiltless treat

2010-03-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Thinking I was making mini-cupcakes, I accidentally picked up candy liners, not mini-cupcakes, which are much smaller. Each cupcake is exactly one bite or about the size of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

It's a little too easy to eat 6 or so at a time.

tamagotchi lovin'

2010-02-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Did you ever rock a Tamagotchi? I most definitely had one, like most of my middle school friends at the time. While reminiscing about those great time-consuming toys, a friend suggested that he wanted one for his birthday.

Well, they are not the cheapest thing for a joke gift. And who has time to take care of a vitual pet, anyways?

Inspired by Allison Beilke's felted cats, I decided to create my own Tamagotchi! Way cuter than the original if you ask me...

a sweet treat and a not-so-sweet diagnosis

2010-02-22T12:10:00.004-06:00

Just call me the cupcake queen. I love making them! Last week, my friend Steven has a little birthday/ Valentine's Day shindig at the "ToHo" (also known as his town home.) I offered to bring cupcakes. His request: strawberry! They turned out so delightfully pink and so delightfully delicious. They were such a hit at the party!

Now on to the not-so-sweet part....

While I don't really see a need for me to broadcast health concerns, I've learned that all my friends that read my blog would like to know. And blogging may be the easiest way to share.

For the past couple of months I have noticed that my heart will start racing at random times. Driving. Watching TV. Laying in bed reading a book. Cooking. Mostly doing things that cause absolutely very little to no physical actions. After about a month of this, I decide to go to the doctor. I also find out from my mother that this runs in my family.

So, I go to the doctor, and of course, my heart rate is totally normal. Now to find out what is really wrong. They do an EKG. All results are normal.

I go back later that day for an echocardiogram. For those of you that don't know what this is (because I had no idea!) it is an ultrasound of your heart. I thought it was actually pretty neat to get to see my heart on a monitor. Watching it beat. Pretty neat-o stuff. They send the results off to specialist to review.

The doctor's office calls back a week later. All results are normal.

Next step was for me to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours. Seriously?! I'm only 23, I really should have to wear a heart monitor!! But I needed to get to the bottom of this. So I suffered through wearing that obnoxious thing and wore it for the complete 24 hours. They sent the monitor back to a specialist.

While waiting for the results, my heart was going nuts! I could hardly stand it. I ended up skipping out on another birthday party, because I just couldn't get control of my heart. (And drinking would have so not helped the situation!) I went back to the docs just in time for my results from the heart monitor to come back! Hallelujah! The doc told me that my resting heart rate would go anywhere from 60 to 160 (normal is 60 to 80.)

And so, I now have something called Supraventricular Tachycardia. Sounds scary, right? It's apparently not so bad. There is nothing that I need to worry about. Nothing too major that I need to do. I now take a pill to regulate my heart rate and have to cut out caffeine. Not too bad in the big scheme of things.

And that's that. Oh what a fun journey this has been.

a monster party

2010-02-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, a coworker invited us to her son’s 3rd birthday. It was a Monsters Inc. themed party. Her adorable Garden Oaks house was a little more exciting to me than the party and I was afraid I was going to take off with these amazing yellow chairs! They belonged to her aunt, I believe, but I loved them.

And I thoroughly appreciated that my friend Steven and I were the only “adults” that donned party hats. It was quite a shin dig!

in the kitchen with Emily

2010-02-09T17:30:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love cooking…and baking even more! I was on a super cooking spree this weekend and thought I would share my recipes!

For breakfast, I cracked open the Joy of Cooking that my parents got me for Christmas and made the Classic Scones. The scones turned out great and I love any excuse to use my vintage kitchen canisters (also a Christmas gift from the ‘rents…they did great this year!)

My friend, Katie, made me Tomato Basil soup and was kind enough to share her recipe with me so that I could recreate its goodness! I made a couple of changes/additions and ended up making the best Tomato Basil soup ever! And, my favorite part is that it makes a TON (expect to freeze your left-overs or share with friends) all for under $10!

1 large can of diced tomatoes (24 ounces)
1 can of tomato juice (74 ounces)
5 stems of fresh basil (more or less to taste)
1 clove garlic
2 cups of fat free half & half
Salt and pepper to taste

Pour diced tomatoes, garlic, and basil into a food processor and blend until well pureed. Pour puree into a large pot with tomato juice and half and half and heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Super easy, super yummy, and healthy!

emilee rose featured on paper crave

2010-01-21T10:39:00.002-06:00

I am so honored to be featured in Paper Crave's Valentine Day Card Roundup!

I cannot believe that I am featured alongside such great designers! Thanks so much, Paper Crave!!

You can check out the post here.

itchin' to move

2010-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

This apartment of mine is become more and more difficult to live everyday....

My upstairs neighbors like to have loud get togethers and listen to awful music (think Creed and Nickelback) way too loud. My next door neighbors have done nothing wrong, though the walls in this complex are so paper-thin that I can hear every part of their conversation. Ok, ok...so that is just what happens when you live in apartments, I know.

But the plumbing issues are becoming too much to deal with. My toilet has overflowed on numerous occasions due to a loose screw on the back of the bowl. When this happens, all of the water (clean water--thank goodness!) from the tank pours out all over the bathroom floor. This issue has never gotten fixed....

Now for the past week, I have had a bowl in my kitchen to catch the water that is dripping from a broken pipe. I call and call and call..."we'll come by and fix it." Then tell me why I still have to have a bowl to catch all of the leaking water? It is highly frustrating.

And the worse part is that the inside of my apartment is actually super cute!

There are these two random cut-outs between the living room and bedroom. Tilly loves to scale the wall in the bedroom to chill out in this space. I know it's cheesy, but Tilly was named after the band Tilly and the Wall. I think it's pretty funny how this is Tilly in the wall!

And I looooove this ledge. It's perfect for displaying art and photos. But I will have to say goodbye...as cute as this apartment is, I need a quieter, cleaner, nicer and more responsive place to live. I've been looking into garage apartments in The Heights and went to look at one yesterday. While the space itself was WAY too small for all of my stuff, I fell in love....can't wait to move!

new valentine's in the shop!

2010-01-17T11:31:00.002-06:00

I have just added some new valentine cards in the shop! I can hardly believe that I've added them on time this year! There are standard, greeting card sized valentines as well as small valentine's...perfect for your kid to take to school!

bed + bedding love

2010-01-03T22:07:00.007-06:00

This bedroom set belonged to my mother when she was very young. The entire set became mine as soon as I grew out of my crib and moved into my "big girl bed." I love this bed. I love the dresser too, though it is too large to maneuver into my bedroom at my current apartment. (Otherwise a photo of it would be included as well.) This bed has shockingly been used almost my whole life--with the exception of my teenage years.

To give it a new look, I painted it teal when I was a sophomore in college. I often wonder why my mother let me paint such a nice antique therefor depreciating its value. Though, what would it matter? We would never dream of selling this set. It's somewhat of an heirloom piece. My uber girly four-post bed has not been dressed well for a couple of year's now. I have the most difficult time making a decision when it came to bedding. And so, it wore overly worn sheets, mismatched pillows, and an over sized king comforter until the miracle of Christmas.

I'd had my eye on this set after watching the Target Thanksgiving commercial. This was the set that I needed. Pretty. Clean. Girly. Perfect. And as silly as it may sound, I'm so excited to have pillow shams again! It really does complete the look. Underneath the gorgeous pintucked comforter are very soft light blue bamboo sheets. They are amazing!

Having such a pretty bed sure does make it difficult to ever want to get out. As you can see, Tilly has become quite fond of the bedding as well. She pretty much sleeps there all day and takes brakes to try to bite off the buttons.

2010, bring it on...

2010-01-01T17:40:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year to all!

I can hardly believe that the year is over. Just like every year they fly by SO fast. Though, I am pretty sure that today might have been the most productive day I've had in quite a while...hoping that was just a glimpse of my motivation for 2010.

After a very low-key New Year's Eve, I was able to wake up at a reasonable hour this morning to start my day. I make some great baking powder biscuits, brewed my coffee and began my plan of attack. I cleaned my entire apartment from top to bottom...dusting every surface, disinfecting every counter, and putting everything in it's place. Not only did I clean the visible parts of my apartment, but I also cleaned and organized my closets and cabinets. I have a large closet in my hallway that has become the I-don't-feel-like-putting-this-away closet and has collected anything and everything that I just don't want to deal with. Today, I dealt with it.

Resolution #1: Clean and organize apartment--check.

Then I worked out a little bit. While I know that this is pretty much on everyone's list of resolutions, I feel pretty confident that I can keep this up. I started working on this resolution two weeks ago, realizing that "I'll start tomorrow/next week/ next year," has always been my excuse. No reason to wait, right? I hit up Marshall's and got a yoga mat and some simple video's and have been very diligent about my 20 minutes exercises.

Resolution #2: Get in shape--check.

And now I'm sipping on my newest addiction (Aveda's Comforting Tea,) about to start working on the new paper dolls and valentine's cards. All in all, a pretty great way to start this new decade!

all emilee rose paper dolls are on SALE!!!

2009-12-28T16:27:00.002-06:00

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to retire my paper dolls. These girls have had a good life, but, it is simply time to move on.

All of the dolls in the shop will be on sale for 50% off until I run out of stock.

Don't get too sad, because a whole new batch of dolls are in the works!! Stay tuned and I can't wait to share!

a fair to remember- photos

2009-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Remember the craft show that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago? First of all, I can't believe that it has already been weeks! This year is seriously flying by way too fast. All of the sudden, Thanksgiving came and went, and now Christmas is just around the corner.

It may be late, but I thought I would still share some photos from A Fair to Remember! The show as a whole was quite a bit slow, but I still had a great time there. Sales were pretty good, despite the foot traffic, and I was able to meet some really nice other etsy-ers from the area.

Below are various photos of my booth. With all of the craziness of setting up, I didn't catch a shot of the other booths there. If they ever get posted, I'll be sure to share. In the mean time, hope you enjoy!

holiday in the shop

2009-12-01T20:28:00.002-06:00

It's time! It's time!

The emilee rose shop is finally stocked with some holiday items. More items will be added throughout the week, but now there are a couple of new holiday designs for you to check out!

new print in the shop

2009-11-29T18:56:00.003-06:00

I just posted a new print in the shop. This 8.5" x 11" abc print is the perfect addition to any nursery or little kiddo's room. It is available in 7 different colors so it will fit perfectly into any decor.

Check it out here!

don't forget! a fair to remember

2009-11-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder, tomorrow is A Fair to Remember! It is the first craft show put on by Etsy's Artisans of Houston. I will be selling all of my greeting cards, including holiday cards, holiday gift tags, the 2010 paperdoll calendar, and some new art prints.

Saturday, November 14th
Bethany United Methodist Church
3511 Linkwood,Houston, Texas 77025
Click here for directions

The show will be in the church gymnasium from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

No entry fee! 3 baskets of items donated by Artisans will be raffled off during the day. Total proceeds of the raffle for the baskets will be given to the Bethany Children's Ministry.

Please stop by to support your local artists!

a fair to remember

2009-11-08T11:38:00.003-06:00

If you live in the Houston area, be sure to check out A Fair to Remember! It is the first craft show put on by Etsy's Artisans of Houston.

Saturday, November 14th
Bethany United Methodist Church
3511 Linkwood,Houston, Texas 77025
Click here for directions

The show will be in the church gymnasium from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

No entry fee! 3 baskets of items donated by Artisans will be raffled off during the day. Total proceeds of the raffle for the baskets will be given to the Bethany Children's Ministry

more calendar teasers

2009-10-27T17:55:00.005-05:00

The emilee rose 2010 calendar is almost here!

I've been so antsy to share it with everyone and I finally have some fun new pictures to share. I am just waiting on some packaging to arrive and then it will be listed.

But until then, I will leave you with this!

2010 calendar preview

2009-10-20T19:05:00.003-05:00

While the world of etsy may be blooming with new 2010 calendars, the emilee rose calendar is STILL in the works. The calendar should be complete this weekend...available in the shop sometime next week.

I don't want to give too much away, but as you can see it's a paper doll calendar! And this year, with your calendar you will receive and emilee rose doll! That's right, that adorable little girl above is Miss Emilee Rose, herself! I thought it was only appropriate to personify my alter ego.

I can't wait to share the finished calendar!

emilee rose halloween cards at ph design shop

2009-10-15T10:43:00.004-05:00

If you happen to be in Houston, stop in PH Design Shop to grab some emilee rose Halloween cards! They are located on Shepherd between West Alabama and Richmond.

i'm in love.

2009-10-08T07:15:00.000-05:00

Seriously!? How amazing is this couch?

send a halloweeeeen greeting!

2009-10-06T19:53:00.004-05:00

The shop has been fully stocked with Halloween greeting cards! I bet that your friends and your kids would love a special Halloween card this year!

golden slippers gocco print

2009-09-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

This pretty print just came in the mail for me from Flower Press.

I am totally in love and can't wait to get it framed...if only I had a place to put it!

rachel's bridal shower

2009-09-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Rachel's shower was such a delight! So many of her friends and family traveled all over the country just to see her. The rest of the bridesmaids and I worked on planning her a shower all through e-mail! I don' t know how it all came together but it turned out so nice. We were all so thrilled to be there...and I am pretty sure that Rachel had a good time.

Above is a picture of Rachel (holding the flowers) and all her her lovely ladies.

We did and made everything for the party ourselves. Rachel and I worked on making the flower arrangement, though Rachel took it up a notch with the long leaves.

I made little favor bags full of homemade trail mix.

Ali created this gorgeous fruit tray....I do believe that she may have found her new calling with this. We asked her to "cut up the fruit and throw it on the tray." And this is what she came up with! Fab-U-lous!

Rachel's future Mother-in-law is a cakestress. She made this beautiful cake with our sunflower theme in mind. Not only was it so pretty, but it might have been one of the best cakes that I have ever tasted. We only had a measly 4 pieces left to take home!

Overall, it was such a nice day and everyone had such a good time!

thank you cards in the shop

2009-09-05T12:31:00.002-05:00

All 6 of my thank you cards are now available in the shop!

my new car!

2009-09-05T11:54:00.002-05:00

I am an official grown-up now! (well, I guess I've been an official grown-up for a while now...)

I am now the proud owner of a Hyundai Elantra. Ooh la la!

sunflower bridal shower

2009-08-20T07:25:00.000-05:00

I could not be more thrilled to be throwing a bridal shower for the best lady in Milwaukee! I am flying up tomorrow for the shindig.

I {obviously} sent the invitations out quite a while ago, but wanted to make sure that the bride got them before I posted a picture. I made sure to keep it secret until she got one in the mail.

Stay tuned for pictures from the shower!

new love: felt accessories

2009-08-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been falling in love with any sort of felt accessories! It doesn't matter what it is-- a headband, earrings, or a necklace I would love to own as many of them as I can. Here are just a few that I have been keeping my eye on!

from top to bottom

1. Sienna Headband from Allora Handmade

2. Pink Felted Set from Tijusai
3. Double Leaf Earings from Hi Tree
4. Golden Sunshine Blossom Hair Clip from Maddy Jane
5. Meadow Wood Felt Necklace from Maisy and Alice

And if you are feeling craft and want to make your own felted accessories, don't forget to check out etsy's supplies!

emilee rose--designer NOT a pastry chef

2009-08-17T07:25:00.001-05:00

I sometimes try to be ambitious. French Croissants baking was me trying to do just that.

When I worked at my previous job, I would stop by Salento or Croissant Brioche for my morning fuel. Since I no longer work there, I still want their delicious croissants! They were huge, fluffy and flaky.

I can totally just make them!

Not so much. Above is my first attempt to make croissants from scratch. Not too shabby for my first try, but definitely no where close to the French.

Should you feel ambitious too, just pull out your trusty Joy of Cooking and block out about 6 hours of your day and bake away!

shop new greeting cards

2009-08-16T17:33:00.003-05:00

A few new cards available in the shop. Check them out here!

follow me on twitter!

2009-08-13T07:25:00.001-05:00

That's right. I have finally joined this thing called "twitter."

Yesterday, my new place of employment signed up for a twitter account and so I thought that I would get one too to follow them. Little did I know, I signed up for a twitter account quite a while ago! Who knew...

I suppose the next step is to finally get an iphone so I can tweet on the go (that's the correct lingo, right?)

Anyways, you can follow me here. While you are at it, you can follow PH Design Shop too!

mid week update

2009-08-12T18:47:00.005-05:00

{new invite available in the shop!}

I seriously feel like I might have fallen off of the face of the earth for the past week and a half! I started my new job last Monday...and LOVE it! It is seriously just like a mini version of Broadway Paper, so I didn't feel completely out of my element on my first couple of days.

First and foremost, Tracie had commented on if this new job would mean the end of emilee rose? Of course not!!!

Though, after a busy day at work, it's not so much fun to come home and look at a computer screen for another couple of hours. So my new goal is to try to get a lot of emilee rose tasks accomplished over the weekend so that I don' t feel guilty during the week for putting it on hold. It sounds like a good idea to me!

birth announcements in the shop

2009-07-31T10:48:00.003-05:00

Photo announcements are now available in the shop!

a mini makeover

2009-07-30T08:35:00.000-05:00

I'm note sure if I had mentioned this, but I am temporarily living with my folks here in H-town. My little brother has been out of the house and so I was fortunate enough to take over his room so that I could have my own bedroom and my own office/studio.

That was too good to be true...

My brother is moving back home which means that I have to combine rooms back into my childhood bedroom. Some time in high school, I thought that it would be a magnificent idea to paint funky stars on my ceiling. I had a pretty rad room then.

Before

But now I find the stars to be absolutely ridiculous! And so I took on the crazy project of repainting my ceiling.

Goodbye, funky stars. You will not be missed.

After

brand new job

2009-07-29T15:20:00.004-05:00

Back in February, when I first moved to Houston, I contacted Amanda, the owner of PH Design Shop about any employment opportunities that she might have. Designer, sales associate, you name it, I was game. The store sounded like a smaller version of Broadway Paper which in turn would have been a perfect fit for me.

Unfortunately the store did not have any openings and so I moved forward with my job search.

To my surprise, I received an e-mail from Amanda last week about a position that opened up. She asked if I was still interested...um, of course! I went by their studio last week for an interview and landed the job.

So, I am now officially the Invitation Designer at PH Design Shop!

The store is adorable and I highly recommend stopping by for any of your stationery needs.

emilee rose on etsy

2009-07-09T08:16:00.001-05:00

About half of the photographs are taken. Two item's photos are edited. And I have begun listing new items in the shop.

If you read any storque articles on etsy, they ALL suggest to not list items all at once. And so I will be listing a few a day until the store is full.

So check back often!

crazy movie weekend

2009-07-08T07:09:00.001-05:00

So, I have seen a whopping 2 movies in the theaters since I have moved back to Houston (Coroline and Sunshine Cleaning, both I highly recommend.) And so last weekend, somehow, I have managed to see three movies! And all were actually very good!

Friday: Whatever Works

This movie was hilarious! I had been asked to go, and really didn't think that I liked Woody Allen movies. In my defense, I have only seen Matchpoint and really didn't like it. But this movie was super funny. Larry David was perfect for this role. It's only playing in one theater in Houston, but if you get the chance to see it, I highly recommend it!

Saturday: Public Enemies

Who doesn't love Johnny Depp? And did you know that the film was shot in parts of Wisconsin? I remember last year when they were having tryouts for extras in Milwaukee. I wanted to go so bad, but just couldn't justify taking off work to go try out.

The movie was fabulous. I am a little bias, though, because I find that whole era (early 30's) extremely romantic. The movie is a little on the long side, but still very good.

Sunday: Star Trek

Ok, so I know I may be the last person on earth to go see this, but I finally went! I made my dad a movie coupon for Father's Day to take him to a movie of his choice. I sort of already knew that he would choose Star Trek and I was glad when he did.

blog makeover

2009-07-06T05:35:00.001-05:00

{image from Little Paper Dog}

I stumbled ac cross the cutest little blog and had to share! It's the Little Paper Dog blog. I found Michelle on etsy and then started reading her blog. Not only does she have adorable products, but I loved her layout.

And Michelle was kind enough to share a link to a very helpful template for adding a background to your blog. Thanks a bunch!

dallas finds show: part two

2009-07-05T16:08:00.007-05:00

Here are Rachel and me standing in my finished booth! I thought it turned out pretty cute for my first trade show and to be on such a tight budget. Obviously, I would have liked to have had different flooring, but I was still very pleased with how my booth turned out.

Ok, so I have had about a week to really think about what happened at the show and to try to make the best of it, but honestly, the show was highly disappointing. I had a blast getting to hang out with Rachel and am so thankful that she was able to fly down to help me, but the show was seriously a bust.

I had debated on whether or not post my true feelings about it all. I thought that perhaps I should just write about all of the great things that happened and play up all of the positives. And while I could do that, I think that most of it would be fluff. So, instead, I give you the truth.

Friday was the first day of the show and I still hadn't had a single buyer walk into my booth come lunch time. I think that it was about 5 hours into the show that I finally had someone walk into my booth. I was utterly distraught over this. How had I worked so hard on my product to not have a single person take interest in it. Thank goodness for Rachel who did everything in her power to perk me up, when I was ready to go back to the hotel and cry. It didn't help that the booths near mine were hopping! Seriously, I saw the booth next to me take about 10 orders in the first couple of hours.

I had a couple more buyers stop in my booth that day, but still no orders. It was still the first day, and I figured that many more buyers would not actually come until the weekend. So, I held my head high (or as high as I could get it) and got through the first day.

My parents were also a life savor the entire weekend. They played cab driver as they drove Rachel and myself all over Dallas. They also came to work my booth for about an hour every day so that we would actually sit down and relax for lunch.

Saturday's traffic was a little better, but still not great. My booth was in the isle right off the elevator and was on the way to the restrooms. With that said, I thought that there would have been a lot more foot traffic than what I saw. I had imagined going to a trade show and having the walkways be filled with people, sort of like the malls at Christmas time. That is not what I saw. Anywhere in the show.

Rachel and I made friends with the ladies over at May Arts who were all so sweet. They were pretty shocked at the lack of buyers at this show. And, from what I heard all over the show from vendors and buyers, the show was extremely slow. I had great feedback from everyone that walked in my booth, but still no buyers.

I even heard a couple people walk by and say, "oh, emilee rose, I saw them last year." Really? And my personal favorite was when I over heard, "we don't need to stop there, I bought their holiday line last year." Seriously? Because I didn't sell my holiday line to them! Almost everyone that walked in my booth had "recognized" my products and no one could remember from where. It was very odd.

Saturday passed and Sunday was here. For sure someone would come back to my booth to place an order. But not a single buyer that came into my booth came back to place an order. I offered free shipping for ALL orders placed at the show and even reduced my price of my paper dolls as a show special. That didn't seem to really matter.

One thing that I did notice is that the Dallas market had three isles for the "paper" category. In that "paper" section, there were only a handful of stationery products. All of the other booths, I would have categorized as "general gift." There were even stuffed animals in the paper section!
Also, the products that were displayed at this show were mostly mass produced items made in factories all over the world. I asked one vendor where their product was made and she said very matter-of-fact-ly, "China, of course." My products were lost in this show and many of the buyers did not seem interested in the fact that my stationery is all made and produced by me. I didn't really hear much of a response from our "buy local" pitch either.

And as much as I liked my booth design, it did not fit it at all with the rest of the show. All of the booth designs were very typical. I had only seen images from the National Stationery Show and their booth designs looked fabulous! This show was mostly about just showing your product, however that may be.

There was another vendor at the show, that was very crass to put it lightly, that told me that the reason that I didn't have any buyers come into my booth was because it wasn't pretty. Really, lady? Thank you for that encouragement. Many of the booths at this show used the white curtains provided in their booth and set up directly on the white skirted tables that came free with the booth.

On a high note, I learned A LOT. I had some great product ideas come from some buyers and met a lot of really nice people. I learned that I probably could have benefited from purchasing some lighting and some other what-to-do's for the next time I exhibit at a trade show. Though, I don't have a plan for doing that any time soon!

So, what's next for emilee rose? I am most definitely not giving up on my line. I still like it and think I just need to find the right niche. I am working on photographing everything to (finally) update my etsy site and will then work on contacting local stores directly about carrying my line.

dallas finds show: part one

2009-07-05T15:01:00.007-05:00

image from startmybeat's flickr set

As I walked into the Dallas Market Center, I felt completely out of my element. The market center is over 12 floors of show rooms stocked full of gifts, apparel, housewares, and just about anything else you can think of! And that was just one of the buildings there. I was not able to get a photo of my own of the market center (there was a very strict sounding no photography inside the building, and I respectfully adhered to that rule,) but was able to find one on Flickr. The space was unreal. Right now it is adorned in Christmas colors and the center of the atrium already housed their Christmas tree. Holiday carols played throughout the main floor.

After I was able to catch my breath for what I have gotten myself into, my parents and I drove to the back part of the building to unload the car. We arrived at my booth to find out that May Arts Ribbon was in the booth directly across from me! We dropped off my stuff and went back to the hotel to rest for a busy weekend ahead of us.

The following morning my parents and I trekked back to the market center to begin set up. I was shocked at how few booths were actually set up just one day before the show. I knew that our set up would be fairly quick, but I sure wouldn't have left it to the last minute like some other vendors.

I hung chocolate brown curtains around my 10' x 10' space. My sign hung at the very back of the booth.

I had designed some very simple tables to house some products. My dad, the handyman, was kind enough to put them together for me.

My mom tied perfect knots with all of the ribbon to hang the plywood panels. It is somewhat difficult to see here, but there are mini clothes pins glued to the panels to hang the cards and invitations.

The booth took about 2 hours to set up. Now it was time to pick up Rachel from the airport!

why i hate kinkos

2009-06-14T09:14:00.002-05:00

I suppose in their defense, I should have not even taken my product there and just waited until Monday to take all of my product to a more professional printer. But with only a week and a half until the show, I figured that this weekend could be spent packaging and photographing all of my product. Instead, I now get to spend my weekend RE-PRINTING all of my product.

Problem No. I: All of my thank you notes were cut incorrectly. This is all I saw when the Kinko's employee brought out my products. I drew out a guide for them so that they would know exactly where to cut. Rather than looking at my guide (which was a sketch, obviously NOT to scale) and looking at the orientation of my product, he began to cut the product with the guide on top, in the wrong direction, mind you. AND rather than making ONE cut incorrectly, he proceeded to continue cutting my product. Thus leaving me with approximately 300 prints now ruined.

Problem No. II: The kinkos employee did not ever read my guide. He cut according to the sketch. So even if the guide was in the correct orientation, he cut the product 5" wide as opposed to 5 1/2" wide. And I really like how the guide is cut to 5" wide, but is clearly still showing my handwriting, as 5 1/2"

Problem No. III: According to another Kinkos (who we went to speak with because NO ONE that worked at the horrible Kinkos would speak to my mom and me) the Greenbriar Kinkos' cutting machine was not working that day. See below.

The man that cut my stock didn't even apologize to me as I tried to explain to him that this is not some side project that he just screwed up. He did not apologize or even sound remorseful and I told him that he just ruined about $300 of my cost of goods and about 3 weeks of my time. All he did do, is give me a card and said that I have to come back on Monday and talk to Gary. Really? That is all that you can tell me???

So, Monday morning, my dad and I are going to speak with Gary. I am re printing everything today and taking it to Gary tomorrow. Gary will be giving me a refund for all of the materials that his employee has ruined (good thing I keep receipts!) as well as he will personally cut all of my new prints with me watching over his shoulder. And I want some thing else. Money, services, I don't care. Just something. In the mean time, I am back to printing and will keep everyone posted on what happens with Gary.

eye candy from the nss

2009-06-01T19:28:00.007-05:00

Why I have not been reading ALL of the blog posts about the National Stationery Show is beyond my thinking right now. My mind has been doing flip-flops trying to finish up my website, designing my booth, and tying up all of my last minute odds and ends. Did I mention that I was couldn't fall asleep until 4am on Saturday night/Sunday morning? And not because I was being constructive and working on the show, but because I could not tell my brain to stop thinking about it!

I read TSJ Photography's blog quite frequently, and she was featured on Paper Crave. Tracie (remember, my best boss ever?) posted some gorgeous photos from the show this year. I was not able to attend but seriously wish that I could. And so, all I can do is drool over all of the photographs that I can find on-line.

I have my booth design pretty much squared away, but it never hurts to keep looking!

{image from Brooklyn Bride}

I absolutely LOVE these cards from Dutch Door Press and love the buttons they are hung on just as much! The baker's twine adds a super cute touch!

{image from Oh So Beautiful Paper}

Two Trick Pony's booth is still my favorite! I have settled on chocolate brown curtains for my walls and am thinking about doing wood panels just like these, but with a lighter stain. I also love the scallops on the bottom part of the curtain. So many things about this booth are very similar to what I have in mind...but on a totally different color scheme. Think chocolate and pink for my booth.

I'm crossing my fingers that the Dallas Finds show will be a hit so that maybe emilee rose will be at the NSS in 2010!

yummy cupcakes!

2009-06-01T07:05:00.000-05:00

I have learned that making cupcakes makes me super happy. One of my mom's friends was throwing a bridal shower and needed to buy cupcakes. Who buys cupcakes anymore? They are the simplest thing to make! So, my mother offered that I could make them for her. Thanks, mom.

They turned out super cute. I used some cupcake liners from Hey Yo Yo for the mini cupcakes and simple white liners for the larger cakes.

I cheat on the cake part and use a mix. I really try to make all of my recipes from scratch, but for some reason, every time I make cake from scratch I fail miserably! Cookies and pies from scratch...I can rock that. But I do make my own icing. I took the Classic Buttercream Icing recipe from Wilton and made some slight variations:

4 cups confectioner's sugar
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (softened)
4 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
a pinch of salt
a couple of splashes of milk

I start by mixing all of the dry ingredients with the butter and shortening in an electric mixer. Then I add a splash of milk to start to bring it all together. I alternate from pouring milk and mixing until I get a nice icing consistency. It is delicious!

2009 catalog on issuu!

2009-05-31T16:18:00.002-05:00

Check it out here!

christmas in may

2009-05-30T12:59:00.003-05:00

The Dallas show is about a month away! I have finished up all of the emilee rose everyday collection (catalog of that is in the works...) And the only thing left to finish is the emilee rose's holiday collection. The holiday collection consists of Halloween greeting cards and imprintable invitations, fall/ Thanksgiving cards and invites and Christmas/ Hanukkah cards and invites. As you can see, I've been painting some precious little pumpkins, scaredy cats, and ghosts. Since I am so on top of blogging, this photo was actually taken a couple of weeks ago. All that is left is to finish the Christmas designs.

And how do I find joy in designing holiday cards in 90 degree weather? I watch Elf! It is one of my absolute favorite Christmas movies and is totally putting me in the Christmas spirit!

waste not...a dream come true!

2009-05-24T10:50:00.002-05:00

Guess who's getting some colorful new envelopes from Waste Not Paper? I am, of course and I couldn't be more excited.

The designing is pretty much coming to a close, just a couple more baby announcements and holiday imprintables to finish up. From there, I still need a catalog, a website, and booth decor...

and with only ONE MONTH to do it!

stationery show booth envy

2009-05-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

In between my super designy mode and (sort of) panicking about my product line, I am taking a break to think about the decor of my booth. While I love illustration and stationery and card making and such, my degree is in architecture...which means that my true love lies in all things design! Especially interior decorating...

So these are a few booth pictures from the New York Stationery Show that have caught my eye:

I am loving the whole booth of Pie Bird Press! The flags are adorable and I like the simple shelving to house her cards. The booths at the NSS and the booths at the Dallas Finds show both come with gorgeous white curtains. I would like to build some walls to hang shelves on, just like she has done here. Wall making tutorial, anyone?

Artful Sentiments. I particularly liked this one. I have been planning on driving to Dallas and it has recently come to my attention that the van I was going to use, probably wont even make it to Dallas! And it doesn't have any air conditioning...talk about a hot and sweaty drive! So I have been looking at other designers that have just used fabric. I like the cards hung on the fabric. Though, I need to remember to bring an iron!

Pink Loves Brown. Can she ever do anything wrong?! All of her furniture is from IKEA, which means that it can all be assembled on site!

Egg Press. I have been able to find some iron-on transfer paper so that I can print out my company name and logo and iron it onto the fabric. I also like how egg press has printed their booth number directly on the fabric.

Magnolia Moonlight. I want to know where they got those skinny tables! I'm thinking maybe get some LACK shelves from IKEA and make some simple legs?

Paper + Cup. Again, simply stunning design.

Two Trick Pony. This booth could very well be my favorite. In a close up, I saw that the brown fabric is actually burlap. They somehow attached metal clips to the fabric. I think I could use that and hang my cards with wooden clothes hangers?

new logo

2009-05-05T16:01:00.005-05:00

As I am getting ready for the show in June and finishing up all of my products, there is a website that it in the works! For the time being, it will just have images, contact information and things of that nature. Eventually, my little bro is going to turn it into an e-commerce site. Ooh lala!

While designing the web site, I've come across a lot of great e-commerce sites. And one thing that I noticed was their logos! The emilee rose logo needed a fresh start. What I love about this one is that it looks fun in every color!

going to dallas!

2009-04-27T13:58:00.003-05:00

I am so excited about this that I can hardly contain my joy! Coming up this June, emilee rose will be exhibiting in the Dallas Finds Gift Show! The show is in the World Trade Center and lasts over four days. Over 50,000 buyers from all over the world attend this show every year. And this show is HUGE! They have so many great vendors and over 500,000 square feet of space.

I have been planning to attend this show for many month's now, but just sent in my application about two weeks ago. They ask for a catalog of work and so I wanted to wait until I had enough new products to show. Natalie, the director of the Paper Finds portion of the show, contacted me last week about my booth options. I chose a booth right next to Design Design! They are a very established and well known company and I am going to be seeing all of their foot traffic! Hooray Hooray!

And while perusing through their website I found out that Motormouth Press exhibited there last year. (Talk about booth decor competition! See below.) This is what they had to say about the Dallas Show:

"You were right, our location was awesome! We had a lot of foot traffic... Thanks for a great experience at the Dallas Finds!" -- MotorMouth Press

And so now, I have LOTS of designing to do to complete my product line and then the super fun part comes when I get to design my booth!

diy wall art

2009-04-22T17:46:00.002-05:00

I know I have seen this done all over the place, but I just can't seem to remember where! I needed something funky to hang above my bed. So I searched all over etsy for a great piece a art to hang there. No such luck. Granted I found A LOT of prints that I wanted, just none that screamed "I need to hang above your bed."

I ended up going to JoAnne's and picked out three different fabrics. I then stretched each of them into embroidering hoops. Then to give it some more pizazz, I cut out a little birdy and adhered it to the fabric with bonding fabric.

Super easy and super cheap! Total cost of product: $12.00. Total time spent on project (not including shopping time): 20 minutes!

a doll party for ella

2009-04-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Remember how my brother was able to get me that custom invitation job with Billy Reid? Well, that boy sure does know how to network for his big sis! He referred me to Leah, the owner of Tiny Heinies Clothing. She has tons of cute products for babies and kids. My favorites are the personalized super hero capes! What kid wouldn't want to be a super hero for a day?

Leah's daugter, Ella, has a birthday coming up soon and is throwing her a doll themed party. I created an illustration of Ella and a personalized party outfit for her. I put the paper doll on her invitations so that all of her friends could play with their very own Ella doll. Leah came up with the wording and the rest was up to me.

Leah also asked me to design some personalized notes for Ella and her son, Tucker. I've done quite a bit of little girl illustrations, but this was my first illustration of a little boy! I was really pleased with how it all came together!

lots of newbies coming soon!

2009-04-16T17:53:00.003-05:00

I've been hard at work painting, drawing, and designing. Out of a large stack of cards, I have just a few samples above. Looks like there will be quite a big shop update in about a week!

These last couple of weeks have flown by. I started a job at A Woman's Work almost four weeks ago. It is a breast feeding and maternity boutique in the Rice Village. I have learned more about women, breasts, and babies than I ever thought that I would! That is, until I have one of my own, of course.

Every spare moment is spent working on emilee rose. My goal is to have the 2009 catalog complete by mid-May. There is a good reason for this that I am going to keep a secret for now. Let's just say that the application is in the mail...

megaphone lovin'

2009-03-20T12:16:00.002-05:00

I am totally lovin' the megaphone right now! I just posted some mini-greetings in the shop. Each set of cards come with three mini greetings. These are perfect to throw in a gift or slip in your friend's purse. They are also perfect to put in your child's lunch box.

There are two custom invitations also available to buy in the shop. They are the boy and girl version of the Party Time invites...two kids with megaphones!

Hope you enjoy