Give a Joy Jar This Holiday Season!

Once in a while, you stumble upon something that just gives you the warm fuzzies all over. And so I introduce to you a little girl who is turning her struggle into triumph.

Jessica Joy Rees is a smart 12 year old girl with bright eyes, an infectious smile and a love of swimming. She was also diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor earlier this year, which she and her family are fighting to help her overcome. Through her treatment, she witnessed other children undergoing their own struggles, many too sick to be able to go home with their family like she could. She saw how hard it was on them and she wanted to encourage them to NEGU, Never, Ever Give Up. She spoke with her family and found a way to do just that.

They began her charity, the NEGU Foundation, to provide support for other children and their families who were fighting against cancer, and also created Joy Jars, a special gift full of presents for the children.

For this holiday season, and even beyond, you can purchase a Joy Jar for your friends, family and/or colleagues, and the NEGU Foundation will also give one to a child in need. This is such a wonderful organization from such a brave little girl. Consider skipping that default bottle of wine or basket of unhealthy cookies, and send a gift that goes beyond just your giving, and helps bring hope to someone who needs it.

I'm so impressed by Jessica and her family and will keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Their decision to turn hardship into an opportunity to help others is truly remarkable and inspiring.

Messenger by Mary Oliver

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.


~ Mary Oliver ~

Many thanks to Pink of Perfection for sharing this poem.

Fuzzy Fig Cocktail courtesy of Party Dress Magazine

I just found this fabulous Fuzzy Fig Cocktail in Party Dress Magazine that has that hint of purple to enhance my Thanksgiving table setting. Add a little Jo Sno Fig Vanilla Black Pepper Syrup to your favorite glass of Prosecco, throw in a sliver of fig and voila, a tantalizing treat!

Thanksgiving Table Decorating Ideas

So in my future life, I will have an endless array of accent pieces, freshly starched dinner linens and will throw elaborate dinner parties where friends and family can gather round for a rousing night of culinary delights, laughter and merry making. Until then, I daydream and create inspiration boards for that someday dinner table...

While I love this time of year, I'm not entirely sold on the brown, orange, yellow and red color scheme that so many stores try to pigeonhole this holiday in. Instead, I decided to mix a little trendy (copper mugs used to serve Moscow Mules are everywhere at events, and the copper tone makes a fun pop color), a bit of classic (fine china, stemware and flatware), a dollop of natural (pine cones, white pumpkins and hydrangea) and a dash of girly (aubergine accents, napkins and menu cards) to give a very festive and unique twist to a Thanksgiving table.

If I get a wild hair and decide to play with these elements for our table, I will be sure to post pictures.

What are your plans for the holidays? How will you be decorating your home?

Many thanks to the following designers and fellow bloggers, whose work inspired this post: Jill Tran, The French Bouquet, The Party Dress, Laura Hooper Calligraphy, One Vanilla Bean and last, but not least, Carissa Jones of JL Designs

Are you a Princess or a Queen?

In our society, the role of the Princess has often been coveted through both media and fairy tales. The recent wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and endless Disney movies still show that we have an obsession with the persona of the princess, the beautiful maiden who is all song and loveliness, usually up against some odds, whether it be locked tower, evil stepmother or dragon, just waiting for her beauty to lure someone in to rescue her. It's a beautiful story, but is it something to really aspire to?

About a year ago, I had a discussion with one of my coworkers who had been in a relationship for a while, but found himself being pursued by a beautiful girl who came from money and seemed to offer a life of bliss, limited struggle and future financial stability. She was becoming quite vigilant in her pursuit of him, with little regard for his relationship, which she was well aware of. I looked at my coworker and told him, "She sounds like she's a Princess, but I think what you deserve, and will ultimately want, is a Queen." I am quite aware that the princesses of our world (Lady Di, Princess Grace of Monaco and now the Duchess of Cambridge) have had a more philanthropic impact and have done great things in our world, but I'm speaking here of an archetype.

I explained the difference to him like this: a Princess is lovely, but she needs to be forever rescued. She doesn't have control or power over anything, just the illusion of it. She will look for ways to put herself in peril so that you will spend your days acting as a Knight in Shining Armor, expending your strengths and abilities. Heck, most princesses are asleep while their "true love" is out slaying dragons, risking life and limb, to save her.

What you really want is a Queen. She has to rule her kingdom with a level-head, compassion and strength. She has to put her own self-interest to the side in order to protect the dignity of both her family and her people. She doesn't wake up in the morning ready to be beautifully dressed so that she can wander the garden and be admired. She wakes up ready to face the day and make decisions that won't endanger herself or others, and will promote the future of her kingdom so that others can thrive and prosper. She doesn't make decisions that will compromise her people's security, such as spending money or going in to battle, without much thought and counsel of those that she respects and admires. This is what you want in the woman in your life.

This co-worker still remembers this discussion and references it on occasion as to what he is looking for, and while I do believe what I said, living it is much harder than just sharing it with another. Who doesn't want to live a life of perpetual admiration with little expectation or pressure to make bold decisions? Some days I feel like life would be easier if I could be lifted from the cinders and swept away into a castle, but that's where the illusion of Happily Ever After begins. What then?

My hope is that I appreciate the princess, but that I live and act like a queen. I want to make the lives of those around me better. The princess can smell the roses, but the queen can command that the most exotic and lovely plants be brought in to make the kingdom more beautiful. The princess can be the belle of the ball, but the queen had the resources to make it happen. The princess can marry a prince and wait for the someday when she'll have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, but the queen is able to do this every day.

FALL-ing In Love With Flowers

Autumn is by far my most favorite of seasons. As a child, we used to rake a mountain of leaves from our family's Sycamore tree, then plop down in it while eating plate-sized homemade chocolate chip cookies that my mom had just pulled from the oven. The Fall meant loved ones that had moved away would be coming home soon, and traditions that had started long before I was born would be re-enacted while surrounded by family and friends. School had started and new friends were being made, math and writing skills acquired and new books being poured over at night when I was supposed to be sleeping (My favorites were John D. Fitzgerald's 'The Great Brain' Series and anything by Roald Dahl.) The cooler temperatures make way for cozy sweaters and the savory, comforting flavors of warm spices and Fall produce are abundant everywhere, even at Starbucks! While the Spring may be when everything is in bloom, I feel the momentum and excitement that this time of year creates is more palpable, more convivial, than any other time of year.

To celebrate the change in season and all the beauty and bounty it holds, I've compiled some beautiful pictures of stunning Fall arrangements from around the web along with color sorted flowers that are available at this time of year. I hope this provides inspiration for those table-scapes and hostess gifts that you will no doubt be needing during the busiest holiday and party season of the year. Happy Arranging!

Red – Anthuriums, Chrysanthumum, Dahlias, Gerbera Daisy, Gloriosa Lily, Hypericum Berries, Phlox, Ranunculus, Rose, Skimmia, Sunflower, Tulips

Pink – Dahlia, Gerbera Daisy, Ginger, Hellebore, Hydrangea, Japanese Anemone, Phlox, Sedum, Sweet Peas, Zinnia

Orange – Chinese Lanterns, Gloriosa Lily, Ornamental Peppers, Persimmons, Pin Cushion Protea, Roses, Rose Hips, Vanda Orchids, Zinnia

Yellow – Black Eyed Susan, Dahlia, Gerbera Daisy, Marigolds, Narcissus, Sunflower, Zinnia

Green – Berzelia, Eucalyptus, Hellebore, Hydrangea, Lamb’s Ear, Ornamental Kale, Sage

*A great way to incorporate some green tones with delicious aromas is using fall herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme.

Blue – Agapanthus, Cornflower, Hydrangea, Privet Berry, Scabiosa, Viburnum Berries

Purple/Lavender – Aster, Beauty Berry, Chrysanthumum, Cosmos, Dahlia, Delphinium, Hellebore, Hydrangea, Lilacs, Lisianthus, Monkshood, Oregano Blossoms, Ornamental Kale, Phlox, Pin Cushion, Russian Sage, Sweet Peas, Vanda Orchids, Verbena

White - Andromeda, Chrysanthumum, Coreopsis, Gerbera Daisy, Japanese Anemone, Lily of the Valley, Phlox, Roses, Viburnum

Brown - Browns require a bit of mixing and matching as there aren't a lot of pure brown flowers. Here are some suggestions: Chocolate Cosmos, Chocolate Dahlias, Chocolate Ti Leaves, Dried Yellow Lotus Pods, Tan Cybmidium Orchids (if available), Uluhe Fern (Monkey Tail), and late Northern Sea Oats

For some tips on how to put all of these beauties together into a stunning flower arrangement, check out Tips for Creating Your Own Flower Arrangements.

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Photo Credits:

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Purple Arrangements by WeddingsbyMarthaStewart.com

Blue Arrangement by The Full Bouquet Blog

White Arrangement by Ruffled Blog

Brown Arrangement by Wedding Bee

My Interview with Laura Hooper, Calligrapher

In an era of evites and quickly dashed off emails, there is something so charming about receiving a note or invitation with beautiful penmanship on crisp, bright, high quality stationery. While my handwriting hasn't evolved much beyond the lessons of Ms. Dryden's 3rd grade class, there are those like Laura Hooper of Laura Hooper Calligraphy who can transform the written word into intricate and romantic pieces of art. With the holidays approaching and the season of wedding engagements about to begin, I felt it was a wonderful time to learn a bit more about the world of calligraphy from one of the foremost leaders in the field.

Laura Hooper's work has been featured numerous times in Town and Country Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Inside Weddings, Bride and Bloom Winter, Ceremony Magazines OC & SD and The Knot Magazine and has won numerous awards for her work including Best of the Knot in 2010 and 2011, MyFoxLA Hot List Winner for Best Invitations, Best of Project Wedding and many more accolades that can be found on her website lhcalligraphy.com. On top of all of this, she is incredibly passionate about her work and it shows in her stunning invitations and wedding pieces, custom hand drawn maps and elegant place cards (which we recently featured at a private luncheon with Dior.)

CME: What inspired you to get into calligraphy? What did you do before becoming a calligrapher?

LH: I took a job that required basic calligraphy and it blossomed from there. I’ve always been artistic, so making a career out of my art was a more comfortable fit for me than the insurance office job I had right out of college.


CME: Do you have any other creative outlets such as painting, drawing, etc.?

LH: Yes, I do like to paint, especially with watercolor. One of my grandmothers was a caricaturist and a painter as well, so I think it comes from her.

CME: How many unique writing styles do you offer?

LH: We have about 25 different styles, but we are known to “match” fonts if a client requests it. I do have to mention that it will not be exact however…I can’t write the same as what comes out of a computer!

CME: What are some cost-saving tips for those looking to use a calligrapher?

LH: Don’t even look at the higher priced styles. For our clients, we would encourage them to stick to Tier 1. Or if you really want a fancy style, use it on your invitation {pricing does not vary based on calligraphy style} and use a simpler, coordinating style on the envelopes.

CME: Do you offer classes for calligraphy or where would you recommend those that are interested in calligraphy learn more about it?

LH: I do not offer classes {especially since I’m fully self trained and wouldn’t know where to begin to teach it to others!}, but you can get more information at your local calligraphy guild which is listed at the website for the Association of Calligraphy Arts.

CME: What was your handwriting like when you were younger?

LH: Very neat! An eighth grade teacher once remarked in front of the class that my notes were the neatest she had ever seen. It has always been clean and easy to read ~ now I just get to be a bit more creative with it.

CME: Do you have a favorite font? What are you currently attempting to master?

LH: I don’t have a favorite font, but I do like the look of our Ella font. It’s simple but fun and works for nearly any project.

CME: What type of paper works best for calligraphy?

I like high quality papers made by Crane’s and Strathmore best.

CME: What’s inspiring you in the paper craft industry now?

LH: Textures. I love incorporating textures into our design suites and also using high quality envelopes that we can letterpress directly onto.

CME: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done calligraphy on?

LH: I’ve done calligraphy on many things; mirrors, wood, plexiglass lighting panels. If you send me something, it’s likely I can find out a way to write on it!

CME: How soon should a potential client contact you before a party or event?

LH: It depends on the size of the project and when the client wants to get their invitations mailed. But generally six weeks before you want your product returned to you is a good time to check-in, however I only need 2-3 weeks or less to get an order done. If you still have time to make decisions or changes, we will let you know.

CME: What is the sweetest message you’ve been a part of writing?

LH: I don’t do it often because there simply isn’t enough time, but I have written out vows for clients before. When someone puts their feelings of love and adoration onto paper, in a beautifully calligraphed form, there is nothing sweeter.

To see more of Laura's work, please visit her website Laura Hooper Calligraphy or check our her wonderful blog Lucky Orchid Wedding. Thank you, Laura, for taking the time to share your work and wisdom with us!

All Pictures Copyright © Laura Hooper Calligraphy 2011