Budget gift idea: funky frames

Paper can be like a great sparkly skirt. It just changes everything with something as simple as a black top. Not getting the metaphor? That's okay - I'll get to it.

This year for the holidays, I wanted to make my family something special. We just took the first family photo we have with all five (yep, count 'em, five) nieces and nephews, both brothers in law, parents, and moi. Taking the photo in a park near my apartment in San Francisco was a serious undertaking, so I figured I could put in at least as much effort to create a funky frame to house the memory.

Here's what I did:
1) Bought cheap hideous frames from Walgreens
2) Re-used bright fun paper I have collected
3) Stuck paper on said ugly frames with modge podge (this stuff is a miracle I tell you)
4) Basked in the fun craftiness of creating something cute for people I love

Before the magic happens. If this looks like a cheap-o frame from Walgreens, that's because it is...

Some funky paper, a pair of scissors and some modge podge goes a long way

The final product - cute frames for my parents and sisters

2010 Holiday Cards (take 1)

If you're one for context, you have probably grasped by now that I dig cards and paper goods. If you haven't gotten that memo yet, now you know.

Just had to share the holiday cards I made this evening. I'm really into the simplicity, the eggplant color, and especially the gold accents on the string and writing.

I made these super easily (and cheaply, might I add) with an ornament stamp and a pretty gold pen.

There are lots of reasons to love this time of year, but I think my most favorite is the opportunity to spend time creating things for the people I love most.

It's your Hello!Lucky day

If you've been living in a barn, or don't have access to the internet (which would be weird since you're reading this) then you might not know about all the local deal sites that have somehow appeared overnight all over the web. Usually I find these sites – and incessant emails – pretty annoying. But today is different. 

Plum District is offering $40 worth of cards from Hello!Lucky for only $20. Hello!Lucky is a great letterpress printer and design studio based in SF, and that's a good deal my friends. So check out the deal and double the number of cute cards you can buy for the holidays.