Sarah Fritzler

feather cups

2012-03-07T11:27:00.003-08:00

Love these feather cups by Villarreal Ceramics!

breakfast at stacie’s: ebelskivers

2012-03-06T13:00:00.000-08:00

Don't ask me how you say that word (ebelskivers), but I can tell you that they are amazing. Ebelskivers are Danish and a true art to make. My friend, Stacie, grew up in the Danish capitol of America and invited us over to try these little delights. Imagine a cross between a doughnut and a pancake and you'll have a pretty close guess as to what they taste like. To make ebelskivers, you use a special slotted cast iron pan. Stacie poured batter into each slot and meticulously turned each slot of batter until they formed perfect balls of golden brown batter. Traditionally, this job is done with a knitting needle. :)

The finished ebelskivers are crispy on the outside and hot and fluffy on the inside. We topped ours with syrup, powdered sugar, fruit and apple butter. We also broiled grapefruit and made a feast of eggs and bacon. Such a perfect Saturday morning!

There was a pajamas only rule which I quite appreciated.

photos by sarah fritzler

why, hello march

2012-03-01T09:06:00.001-08:00

This poor fellow was serving jail time today.

Snicker ... snicker ... this is the part where you laugh hysterically at my corny joke ... no? Ok.

I think he knew it was the first day of March (which is practically spring). Based on all the birds singing this morning, I think they all knew!

Hello March! Hello Spring!

I'm so glad birds smile.

UPDATE: It snowed. Yup. The birds were singing, the sun was shining ... and then it snowed. Now I know it's really a Colorado March!

photo by sarah fritzlre via instagram of my adorable little roommate

going up the country

2012-03-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

The post silence over here is due to catching up after a weekend full of Kansas. My sister and I had a wonderful 16 hours on the road together. The snacks really were the highlight! We spent the weekend at a Bible conference, saw dear friends, met new ones and experiences some of the most amazing hospitality!

There wasn't much to do between here and eastern Kansas but to munch snacks, sing, read billboards and take pictures through bug squished windows (poor bugs). Here's a little photo tour of our trip to Kansas and back

For best results, listen to this while viewing.

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:11-12

Also, my sister is the best road-trip buddy you could ask for!

photos by deborah & sarah fritzler

instaweekend 4

2012-02-27T16:15:00.002-08:00

To Kansas ... and back.

bunny grams \ tea & study \ kansas \ road sign \ lainey janey \ spicy chocolate \ morning light

photos by sarah fritzler via instagram

weekend

2012-02-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

I hope your weekend is relaxing. Our dog, Henry, is showing us all how to do it.

photo by sarah fritzler

Link love

2012-02-23T15:31:00.001-08:00

My sister and I are off for a 3-day road-trip to none other than ... Kansas! Corn fields here we come. But this road trip isn't about scenery, it's about 16 hours in my SUV with my sister. all. to. myself. That and all the snacks we've packed!

Link love:
- Wouldn't you love to road trip in a classic? (above)
- Sometimes the oldies are the goodies
- For the love of gray
- Wishing I knew how to make this
- Sis and I will be munching these
- I want to be a birder now and sing this constantly

"If you're small and on the search, I've got a feeder for you to perch on."
– I like Birds by Eels

inspiration: warm tones

2012-02-23T14:41:00.000-08:00

Recent Pinterest inspiration: warm tones
antlers \ wood and string \ paper feather \ deer \ sunrise campsite

diy: recipe box journal calendar

2012-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

In January I saw this diy calendar journal and knew it would be the perfect gift for a friend. Of course, I bought extra of everything and made one for myself as well. I can't wait for next year when I'll add to each card and be reminded of what I did one year before. It's already fun to look back at January (I'm trying to limit my peeking!). I'm not a journal-keeper so this is an easy way for me to have some sort of yearly memento. Just think how fun it will be to look back in 5 or 10 years!

I ended up making 3 calendars and stamped my way through a good portion of Anne of Green Gables and Sense & Sensibility ... yep, I stamped 365 dates on 1,095 cards. Whew! But, really, it's not hard and easily done in front of a good movie. I used brown paper for month dividers and found a vintage recipe box on etsy (just so happens to be the same one ... I felt like I was cheating ... but I was pleased).

So far it's been easy to keep up with, but we'll see if I say the same thing one year from now!

Supplies:
- vintage recipe box
- note cards (without lines)
- contrasting paper for dividers
- custom date stamp

images by sarah fritzler

hot off the press

2012-02-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

Just a few of my latest medical designs hot off the press. I love holding finished pieces — all shiny and folded in the right places. :)

image by sarah fritzler via instagram

a bear and his dog

2012-02-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

I love the story this picture tells. A bear and his dog. Artist Sarah Maycock makes only a single part of her paintings perfectly clear. In this one, I think it's their smiles. :)

painting by sarah maycock for "luka & the fire of life"

link love

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

LINKS TO LOVE:
- My favorite instagram of the week, a cupcake date (above by my friend Vanessa Kruse)
- Just in case you needed to know how to make a s'more ... in detail
- Tree + house
- Perhaps someone should make an ALT business card coffee table book, yes?
- Would you wear something alive?
- Confetti, confetti, confetti!
- Been there, done that (well, not the overseas part)
- I'd like to live in this tumblr page
- Please warm up Colorado, it's time to hike!

lesson from a dishcloth

2012-02-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

Last month my family and I celebrated a dear friend's life at her memorial service. She was 101 (almost 102!) and it may be the first time that I can truly say that my joy for her fully outweighed my sadness in missing her. She was so excited and so ready to be with her Savior! She told me so every time we talked — she knew her real home was in heaven and she was ready to meet Christ in person.

Granny is known for a lot of amazing accomplishments by a lot of people, but what really brings her to our minds is the stack of colorful dishcloths in our kitchen drawers. If you met Granny, you probably have at least a few. To say she crocheted and gave away thousands would be an understatement.

Granny was bedridden near the end of her life. But instead of concentrating on herself and her own discomfort, she crocheted dishcloths for everyone who would attend her memorial service. Yes, she made party favors! And what's more appropriate for a celebration?!

We talk about what our memorials may be like and try to provide for our families after we are gone. Granny was thinking of how she could encourage people after she was gone and, most of all, share her joy in Christ through a simple lesson from a dishcloth.

I hope my set of dishcloths never stops reminding me to be "instruments in our Master's hand!"

Have you ever been touched or learned an important lesson from someone after they were gone?

p.s. And they aren't just dishcloths, they are the best dishcloths! They are rather coveted in my household.

photos by sarah fritzler

london calling

2012-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hey ho! So many fun new blog visitors and friends. It's a lovely side effect of Gabby's link love over on Design Mom. Thanks for stopping by!

Yesterday was my friend and coworker's birthday. She recently returned from a trip to London with her new husband so I picked up Tula Moon's London Note Card Set for her birthday. I love the textures and colors! The designs were inspired by vintage quilts ... wouldn't you love that flag on your bed?

More of Tula's work over here. I love this one!

images via barns & noble

happy valentines day!

2012-02-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day! My single sisters and I are planning an extravagant evening of Panera Bread take-out, sweatpants, toffee and sea salt chocolate bars and a chick-flick at home. I can't wait.

Above are a few photos I snapped this morning of my valentines. It's been a busy week so I chose something simple and that everyone loves — girl scout cookies! I hope you have a wonderful day!

x o x o,
Sarah

[supplies: mini brown bag, mini doily, fabric tape, date stamp, gold paperclip, cookies!]

photos by sarah fritzler

instaweekend: 4

2012-02-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

home made granola \ melting snowman \ sketchbook \ mat kearny \ old-fashioned valentines \ deer valentine from my sis

image by sarah fritzler via instagram

diy: stir-in hot cocoa

2012-02-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Hello!
Here is another easy do-it yourself valentines idea. And this one can be paired with the literary quote mug valentines. You didn't plan on handing them an empty mug, did you? ;)

I'm going to call this Grandma's Favorite Stir-in Hot Cocoa because my grandma loves it!

Supplies you will need:

- Melting chocolate for candy-making (I used Wilton, but I've since found out you can get Ghirardelli's — there's a no-brainer!)

- Candy-canes or peppermints

- Candy mold

- Lollipop sticks

- Red cellophane wrapper, string, valentines tag

All of these supplies may be found at your local craft store.

Do it yourself:

1. Use bag instructions to melt chocolate into candy molds.

2. Stick lollipop sticks into each mold.

3. Put candy-canes or peppermints in zip-lock bag and crush into small pieces. Sprinkle on top.

4. Let chocolate set according to bag instructions

5. Remove from molds and wrap in red cellophane. Finish with a bow and valentines tag.

Of course, you can customize these as much as you like. A few ideas: heart shaped molds, white and dark chocolate swirl, mini-marshmallows on top, caramel swirl ... enjoy!

pictures by sarah fritzler

from the archives: valentines

2012-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

Just a few ideas from my Valentines archives!

DIY Literary Quote Mugs (full post)

Worst Pick-up Line Tags (full post)

Handmade Valentines (full post)

photos by sarah fritzler

diy: valentines chocolate bar label

2012-02-06T15:45:00.000-08:00

This may be my favorite DIY yet.

Valentines Day tends to overdose my sweet tooth. But chocolate bars? I never feel like I have too many of them laying around! Here is a chocolate bar label valentine idea for you. You can customize it to your heart's delight! I simply took the label off of a Symphony Almond Toffee Chocolate Bar (so good!) and used it to make a template. I created a vintage flower design on the front and a love quote on the back (I personalized these for each recipient). I also made tags with the "worst pick-up lines" to add a little humor.

The options are endless! Make them your own by personalizing them for your loved one on their favorite candy bar. These would also be great children's valentines with crayon drawings wrapped around chocolate bars. Have fun!

p.s. The little secret behind this DIY is that I made it two years ago. My mom thought it was too pretty to eat (silliness!) so I found this one fully intact and snapped some pictures to share with you.

pictures by sarah fritzler

instaweekend: 3

2012-02-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

sister coffee date \ sketching \ coffee shop office \ sliding \ yellow squash \ snowman \ homemade pizza \ henry \ frosty dazbog window

colorado blizzard

2012-02-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

image by sarah fritzler via intagram

painted masks

2012-02-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

Once again Oana Befort created something beautiful. Oana is quickly jumping the ranks of my favorite illustrator/bloggers of all time. Everything she creates is stunning!

images via oana befort

friday foliage: tiny package

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, it's not foliage. But snow is all the foliage I have around at the moment. Plus it's cute. :)

Happy weekend!

photos by sarah fritzler

link love

2012-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

A few links to love ...

- It's supposed to blizzard tomorrow, can't wait for fuzzy socks and tea
- My friend, Vanessa, is selling her vintage photography props ... for cheap!
- Everybody wants to be a red head
- Looking forward to Gabrielle Blair's live online Alt Summit Wrap-Up tomorrow (you should join!)
- Doughnuts = smiles
- I don't sound like this guy (I'm a loooooong ways away!), but I do feel very civil war-ish when I try
- Possibly the first book I've ever per-orded ... very excited

image via pinterest (original photographer unknown?)

life in abundance

2012-02-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

I was searching for a little HTML help this week when I stumbled on this interview with Justin Ahrens. I rarely read an entire article online, but his first words caught my attention:

stated: Thanks for making the time for us today.
Justin Ahrens: You bet. The pleasure’s mine. Thank you for asking me.

Politeness is never overrated! The interview outlines how Justin went from a successful graphic designer and business owner to the key designer and marketer for Life in Abundance, an organization bringing humanitarian aid and the gospel to impoverished communities. He is still a successful graphic designer and business owner, but he felt the need to use his blessings to bless others.

As a young designer who wants to use my time wisely, I'm encouraged by this example. I'm having a hard time balancing my time between work that is practical vs. time spent on things with eternal value. I know they can and should be intertwined, but it seems easier done than said sometimes!

I won't spoil the article because I thought it was worth reading (albeit long!), especial for other creatives wresting with this questions. I especially appreciate the focus on both international and local projects.

For some practical help, Justin wrote and designed a book about fine tuning your career and life. I ordered Life Kerning yesterday and am looking forward to perusing some practical ideas. I'll let you know what I think!

images via stated magazine \ and life kerning

currently snacking on: box brownies

2012-01-31T13:38:00.000-08:00

Shall we get a better look at those brownies? Yes, why don't we do that.

First my sister drizzled extra chocolate on them. Then she undercooked them. They were perfect. They were better than perfect for breakfast.

photos by sarah fritzler via instagram

newborn deer

2012-01-31T10:12:00.000-08:00

The reason I have decided to get a baby deer instead of a dog ... wobbly legs, tiny tongue and fuzzy spots.

video by steve fagan \ departure bay beach

instaweekend: 2

2012-01-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

sketchbook & tea \ buck \ brownies for breakfast \ Roy the greyhound \ berries \ friendly neighborhood horses + snow

currently workin on: r4bf map

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Just a little peak at some of the design work going on over at Running 4 Bare Feet. I'm excited for the full project to come together and for the running to begin! This is the 502 mile route Stephanie will be running across the Philippines. I feel like I've learned more about the Philippines in the past month than I ever did in geography or history class!

design copyright sarah fritzler for running 4 bare feet

love notes

2012-01-30T08:53:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying Oana Befort's angular hart love notes. Full DIY over here.

images by oana befort

friday foliage: cozy plant

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid I haven't been going outside much lately (that whole winter thing) so here is a cozy indoor bit of foliage.

Happy weekend!

photos by sarah fritzler

link love

2012-01-26T17:02:00.000-08:00

A few links to love ...

Meet my colorful friend.
Why not paint your own pillows? These gals are doing it here & here.
Free valentines vintage illustrations.
Mom, can we keep him?
Can you imagine sitting on this art?
I laughed hard at this historical moment.

photo by sarah fritzler

the next big thing: path

2012-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this new app, Path, via Blogstar's 38 Things I Learnt At ATL Summit 2012 (great list!). I love the idea of Path (minus the stalkerness of it). My first thought was for dad's who go to work and miss out on 9 hours of their kid's childhood 5 days out of the week.

I work with a man who exchanges phone calls with his wife upwards of 3 times a day. She is constantly texting him pictures of the latest baby face, pillow fort, or the aspiring drummer in their son. He's not in the least embarrassed to have a conversation with his 4 year old about potty training or to run over and share the hilarious picture of his daughter eating lunch. I love this and have bookmarked it in my mind as something I would value in a husband someday. But back to the point, Path looks like the practical solution to this and their commercial just so happens to showcase it!

So what makes this different from the facebook news feed? Simply that you only connect with your family and closest friends. That way you aren't notified that it's raining at your second cousins' aunt's brother's dentist's house. Ahem. It makes all the difference!

Didi I mention it's free?

My only critique (outside of the stalkerness possibilities) is that their logo is almost exactly the same as Pinterests' ... better change that if you want to be the next big thing! I can't tell you apart on my dashboard! Oh yeah and my other critique is that my family doesn't have iphones. :(

painted antlers

2012-01-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

This morning I'm admiring Cassandra Smith's painted antlers and thinking of the pile of antlers we have collecting dust in the basement. Hmm ...

photos via cassandra smith

peanut butter love

2012-01-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

Happy National Peanut Butter Day! My your day be filled with peanutbutterygoodness.

Above is the best cake I've ever made, albeit the ugliest one. And by made I mean mixed from a box of Ghirardelli chocolate cake mix. The peanut butter cream cheese frosting is the KEY. This stuff is to die for and super easy to make. Please test my word against yours and make it today.

Peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipe found on Smitten Kitchen (along with pictures of a lovely cake!).

And why not a special shout-out to Courtney and Deborah, my peanut-butter-loving partners in crime. :)

photo by sarah fritzler

happy birthday b

2012-01-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

Today is my dear friend, Bethany's, birthday. We met in high school, but haven't lived close since then so the past 9 years have been one visit and adventure after another. Like all good friends, we plan to live next door to each other some day. :)

Wish I could be there to celebrate with you today, B. Happy 25th birthday!

pictures by sarah fritzler and sister

friday foliage: china leaves

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

A warm cup of coffee on a cool day in Virginia is hard to beat. I rarely enjoy coffee, but this morning was too idyllic to pass it up. :)

... I was joined shortly by an orange kitty.

pictures by sarah fritzler at The High Meadows Inn, Oct 2011

instaweekend: 1

2012-01-19T15:17:00.000-08:00

A lovely weekend with my sisters.

Broncos pie \ Anne of Avonlea \ ice skating \ Mary's Cookies in Breckenridge \ winter morning run \ more pie

pictures by sarah fritzler via instagram

current project: schizophrenia

2012-01-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

This is my latest design project. For me, schizophrenia is one of the most challenging subjects to design. There is such a small circle of tactful/clinical/appropriate ideas. This title was especially challenging because "unraveling" seems to imply negativity. I chose an abstract approach to solve this dilemma. Medical design never ceases to throw new challenges at me!

design by sarah fritzler

pet fox

2012-01-17T09:39:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend I heard that some people have domesticated foxes as pets. I would love a pet fox! Why oh why were cats chosen instead of foxes?

image via tumblr

friday foliage: the everglades

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

I was just skimming through my photos for some "Friday Foliage," but flowers have been scarce in January. Instead, I found pictures from my visit to the everglades last October. They seem to fit with the gray weather we are having.

The everglades are one of the most amazing places I've ever been and even more so because I was expecting a bug infested swamp. That's what it is, but also so much more! It is home to the most beautiful birds and incredible foliage.

My friend and I took an hour long air boat ride (conducted by an enthusiastic, Cajun tour guide — he was fantastic). We learned about plants with 50 foot roots, birds that have to lay out in the sun to dry, saw an alligator nest and were surprised to learn that we were on the deepest river in the world. And of course, there were gators.

At a Family Christmas Dinner I was asked what my favorite part of 2011 was. While it may not be my absolute favorite, the first thing that came to my mind was holding this little fella (he was so small even though he was 3 years old!).

I mean, look at that smile.

photos by sarah fritzler

do tell

2012-01-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

My co-workers are laughing at my affinity to spray paint everything gold. Humph. :)

They suggested that I ask what YOU would spray paint gold and I think it's a pretty good question. Let me just say it one more time, gold makes everything better. I would know. ;)

So far we have a gold whisk and a gold cat. Not sure if that was a cat figurine or a real one ...

[ more gold: woodland creatures, sticks, wreath, deer ]

winter flowers

2012-01-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

Working in a flower shop for 3 years will undoubtedly spark a love of flowers in you. I miss slipping into the cooler and just standing with the flowers. The smells. The "aliveness" of my job. And most of all, the ladies I used to work with who considered each flower their friend. They talked to the flower heads and made everyone drop everything to come see a sprig that looked like a helicopter or a poppy that was smiling ... it was smiling they said! If I was a flower I would want to live in that flower shop. Robin and Linda never threw a flower away. They simply saved it for an extra special spot and would lovingly "tuck" the little head into an important bouquet just to make it feel special. You think I'm exaggerating, don't you? My flower shop ladies had a complete hold on reality, I promise, but they also loved what they did and made it extra special for my sister and I. We couldn't have asked for a better first job! Plus our aprons had ruffles and we ate m&m cookies from the pizza joint next door every day. :)

Amy Merrick is undoubtedly my favorite floral stylist. Her blog is lovely and her website is chock-full of amazing flowers! Although it's winter, I hope you smell the flowers today.

photos by amy merrick of an apple a day

please pass the gold

2012-01-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share a few more snaps from my gold woodland creature photo-shoot (or something like that). They just came out too pretty not to have a photo-shoot! Enjoy my little woodland jungle. :)

[ more gold: sticks, wreath, deer ]

The behind the scenes is really the funniest part. Yes, it's true, they are just a bunch of spray painted plastic animals stuck in the snow in my front yard. Amazing what a camera can do, isn't it?

BEHIND THE SCENES:

photos by sarah fritzler

the joy of books

2012-01-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

[Thanks for visiting Design Mom readers! I hope you'll stick around for a while. I'll do my best to make you feel at home!]

This really does bring me joy (the book kind).

p.s. Did you spot the Moomin?

custom rubber stamp

2012-01-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Do you know how easy it is to have a costume stamp made? I don't know why, but I always thought that custom stamps were extra special, expensive and hard to create. Wrong! After reading this post by Whit & Whistle (one of my new favorite blogs), I decided to give it a whirl. I really didn't think it would turn out.

Not only did it turn out, it appeared in my mailbox only a few days later. How do they do that? This little geometric design was a doodle I created while watching a movie with my sister one night. I added her name and address and ... viola! A self-inking addressed/book stamp.

I'm excited to try more custom stamps. Apparently you can turn a photograph into a stamp? Really? I wouldn't believe it before, but now I just might try it out.

photos by sarah fritzler

you can't tame a wild horse

2012-01-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

Well this doesn't really fit on a design blog, but it does fit the current spirit of my hometown. Plus the Broncos have a great logo (there ... now it fits :).

Go Broncos!

image by my friend and an amazing photographer, Vanessa Kruse

friday foliage: christmas tree

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

One of my dear friends hosted a Family Christmas Dinner the week of Christmas. The strange part was that most of the guests weren't related to her. She decided to host this "family dinner" for the people in her life that she considers family. Doesn't that warm your heart?! Well then, you should have heard her toast. I cried. She even made 21 ornaments (below) for her guests!

These are just a few of the branches that were sparkling on her tree that evening.

images by sarah fritzler

new year : new project

2012-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hello and a happy new year to you! Well I'm not sure what happened, but I definitely disappeared without warning for over a week — and it felt great!

I took a week away from work and anything else that could belong on a to-do list. Instead, my sisters and I spent a day at a coffee shop reading, almost died sledding, played games (lots of them!), made soup and ate it, munched on leftover Christmas cookies, visited an aquarium, slept in, and celebrated our favorite holiday: Festivus (more about that later). What did you do?

I also spray painted a few more things gold. Ahem ... see above.

I'm not one for new year's resolutions (like my sister says, "Every day is a day for resolutions!"), but I did make a ... um ... "life dreams" list? Or it could be titled, "what I should be doing today in order to fulfill those dreams I always talk about but never do" list. :)

So to get started, I'll be spending some time helping a friend with a brand new project. Let me introduce you to Running 4 Bare Feet! I'll be posting more about it soon, but this is the unofficial introduction to a beautiful girl and her project coming in 2012.

Time to dust off your sneakers! (They should already be dust-free if you're keeping to your new year's resolution ;)

image by sarah fritzler

merry christmas

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
LUKE 2:11

photo by sarah fritzler

happy christmas eve

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

photo by sarah fritzler (my sister's tree)

friday foliage: holly

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Red holly berries dripping with snow melt. This was the first real-live holly I've ever seen. It was growing happily in my friend's front yard in Pennsylvania. AND it survived the blizzard of the night before. :)

Happy Friday. Merry Christmas Eve ... eve!

photos by sarah fritzler

razzleberry dressing

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite Christmas songs from my dad's favorite Christmas movie. :)

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

2011-12-22T06:00:00.001-08:00

I'm at home today getting ready for Christmas! Have a warm and cozy day everyone!

photos by sarah fritzler

it feels like christmas

2011-12-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

Last night my mini-family (that's us minus the married sibs) watched Muppet's Christmas Carol, drank peppermint tea and ate chocolate star cookies. It felt like we were in a movie. :)

merry and bright

2011-12-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

photo by sarah fritzler

a hand-made christmas package

2011-12-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

This is the reason good old fashioned snail mail at Christmas time is so wonderful. We received a package last week full of all hand-made gifts from a dear friend and her kids. Everything was packaged so beautifully and every detail thought of that I snapped a few shots before we really dug in! Sarah is, apparently, the queen of DIY projects: snow globe, cookie ornaments, merry-coco-can-granola, fizzing bath "snowballs". Truly, this package was so much fun to open.

Sarah used to live in the Czech Republic (back when it was Czechoslovakia), so she also included a make-it-yourself Czech nativity. I'm definitely going to pull out my scissors this weekend and assemble it. I love the illustrations and that the Czech people are bringing coffee as gifts (I think Charlie Brown would have something to say about this commercialism!).

Thank you for such a fun package, Sarah, Charlie, JoshJosh, Lolo and Lainey!

photos by sarah fritzler

four calling birds

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, four calling birds.

This is my favorite day so far. It might be because this particular model has had a special part in my life and I'm a bit partial towards her. But I also love the play on "calling birds"! You can see the rest of days 1-9 over here.

(yes, her hair is real)

photos via misselainious

gold sticks

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Sticks were my favorite object to receive the Midas touch this week. I used these sticks to suspend the ornaments I spray painted, which gave me a little idea. So my mom handed me a bundle and I got to spraying. They were so beautiful in the sunlight!

What do you do with gold sticks? Our garland donated a branch to tie them up and adorn my bedroom door with a little bit of cheer.

Once again ... these are Henry approved.

photos by sarah fritzler

gold christmas wreath

2011-12-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

Gold seems to be the thing this Christmas and I'm so glad because gold IS the thing in my book! Over the weekend my mom and I finally got our garland put up over our front door. Whew. Now we can join the "good neighbors club" again. While we were at it I decided to use the can of gold spray paint I picked up last week to makeover the wreath on our front door.

Gold spray paint makes everything better, shinier, and better again! I'm wishing I had some little plastic woodland creatures to add to this wreath.

Even Henry approves.

images by sarah fritzler

apple galette recipe

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday all!

friday foliage: tree trimmings

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Only 10 days until Christmas! Welcome weekend of cleaning, wrapping and last minute decorating. Today's Friday foliage is a little arrangement I made out of tree trimmings. The top few inches of our tree were too tall and got a second life in a jar instead. :)

My mom just returned from a trip to California with my grandma. My great aunt had a pomegranate bush and, knowing how much I love them, my mom brought back some mini-fruit for me. Aren't they sweet?

Have a wonderful weekend and keep enjoying The 12 days of Christmas!

photos by sarah fritzler

three french hens

2011-12-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

Today is the 3rd day of Christmas over on Miss Elainious' blog. The outfit was inspired by French fashion and, what else, hens! They are such creative girls!

photo via miss elainious'

sugar plum fairy: water glass harp

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I know this video is spreading like wildfire ... so I thought I would join everyone just in case you haven't seen it. Amazing! I didn't know this was possible.

christmas gift wrapping

2011-12-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

Wrapping is one of my absolute favorite parts about this week. It's where the artist, designer and craftier meet Christmas. And it's a good thing because I have a whole lot left to do!

A few nights ago I pulled out all my supplies, turned on It's A Wonderful Life and got to it. I decided to go with a natural, butcher paper, parcel feeling this year. I'm sure I'll change it up before I'm done since I also purchased a few of these adorable designs last week. But for now, I'm happy with these simple packages with their little touches of love. Here are a few photos to inspire you.

WHAT I USED:
Roll of butcher paper: Purchased at my local paper or craft store
Baker's twine: (do you see the trend here? Butcher, baker ... I should have bought something from the candlestick maker) Purchased online here
Gold stripe washi tape: I bought this roll just for this Christmas. Lots of fun options here! (and it will come to you wrapped up in a cute package)
Small doilies: Purchased at my local craft store
Gold bells: On sale at my local craft store
Bird fabric paper clips: I found these on sale at Anthropologie last week

I would love to see your wrapping creations!

p.s. Be sure to check out day 2 of The 12 Days of Christmas!

photos by sarah fritzler

every time a bell rings ...

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Just a little something to get you in the Christmas mood.

gift idea: holiday granola

2011-12-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend I made a huge batch of granola. I love granola with a bit of Greek yogurt for breakfast. I'm not sure how that qualifies as breakfast since it doubles as dessert in my house!?
I saved half and bagged up the rest to send to friends as a Christmas breakfast treat. I'm not sure if they'll find it as much of a treat as I do ... but I thought it was a fun twist on Christmas cookies.

Cots Plus - World Market sells adorable Christmas treat bags. I chose the woodland creatures ... it felt Coloradoish.

Do you have any favorite Christmas treats you send to friends?

pictures by sarah fritzler

the 12 days of christmas: for orphans

2011-12-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.

My friend Elaini (of misselainious.com) is continuing her 1 dress . 100 days . for orphans project and 12 woman are helping her out for the next 12 days of Christmas. They have each created an outfit that corresponds with one of the days. Their goal is to raise funding to open and furnish homes for orphans in India.

Today is the first day and her friend, Bethany (pictured above), created a partridge in a pear tree inspired outfit. I appreciated the story she told on the blog today:

"Sometimes it seems like the need is too big and what can our little bit help anyway... but it does. Like that story of the man picking up starfish who had been washed up on the beach in a storm, and he was tossing them, one by one, back into the ocean. Upon being asked why he was wasting his time throwing them back, because there was no way he could save them all, he picked up another starfish, and tossing it into the ocean replied, “It made a difference to that one.”

You can find the project here and follow these 12 woman leading up to Christmas. I'm excited to see what they come up with!

image credit misselainious.com

our thanksgiving table

2011-12-12T15:08:00.000-08:00

Uh oh. It's almost Christmas and I haven't shared any Thanksgiving photos yet! I don't have very many good ones because, let's face it, Thanksgiving is about eating and sitting around full and happy, not about getting the perfect lighting for photos.

Let's just say this was a very full and happy Thanksgiving. :)

p.s. My sister, Deborah, makes THE BEST pies. This year was perfection. The winning pie isn't pictured above, but you can find the recipe here. Thank you Bobby. :)

photos by sarah fritzler

ho ho horse

2011-12-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! I don't have anything profound to share today ... it IS Monday after all. But I thought this Australian Christmas horse was beautiful.

On an unrelated note, I just ran across these gold ice cream spoons in Gifted Magazine's 2011 Gift Guide. They are perfect for my sister's ice cream spoon tradition/hunt. But $12 each? Hm.

image 1 via this is glamorous by homelife \ image 2 via canvas

friday foliage: colorado sunrise

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

The longer winter settles into Colorado, the more vivid the sunrises become. It's a beautiful contrast! I woke up to this one a few weeks ago and my dad and I stood at the window and watched the clouds go from ablaze to a gray, wintery sky. It makes rolling out of my warm bed very worth it. :)

I hope you catch a sunrise this weekend!

photos by sarah fritzler

jo with joe: coffee sleeve design

2011-12-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

It's almost the weekend! Whew. This has been a hectic week and I'm looking forward to slowing down over the weekend — including a little Jo with Joe. This is an invitation I designed last week for a little get together this weekend with Joe (an evangelist from Canada). The coffee sleeve idea was not my own, but I love it! The host of the party came up with that little piece of brilliance.

Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy a little jo around your fire too!

photos and design by sarah fritzler

tree in a jar

2011-12-07T14:27:00.001-08:00

I swung by Anthropologie today to pick up a last-minute gift and found these adorable trees in jars. How do they do it? I snapped these pictures with my phone to share with you and to recreate at home. I think I'll go mini-tree shopping and spray paint my branches gold with the metallic paint I picked up last week.

Wouldn't the salt shakers make the perfect table setting decoration? I think a tree-in-a-jar would also make the perfect Christmas card if you added a little message.

photos taken with my iphone

friday foliage: virginia vineyards

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Virginia vineyards we visited in late October were situated in some of the most beautiful locations I've seen. The fall colors were at their peak, but clusters of grape were still hanging from the vines in the vineyards. We walked the rows looking for them until we found out you really aren't supposed to taste them. :)

photos by sarah fritzler

anthologie 2011 holiday gift guide

2011-12-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Anthologie Magazine just released a fantastic free online gift guide! Anthologie is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs. I almost subscribed to the magazine about half a dozen times last week, but decided to take a look at an actual copy before I make the plunge. Have you ever flipped through one?

My favorite pages:
PAGE 24: Mulled Cider video recipe
PAGE 58: Smitten Kitchen gift guide
PAGE 70: Yuletide Tunes

friendly doodling

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Just a little doodling during a phone call with a friend last night. I think I get this from my mom. We never know what we'll create over a phone call.

doodlings by sarah fritzler

free winter phone wallpaper

2011-11-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I joined the ranks of iPhone users. Am I glad? Well ... yeah. I love my MAC products because they love me (cue my 8 year old computer that has yet to have a problem). But I am afraid of becoming a phone-in-my-face smart phone user. Life happens around your phone, not on it (even though the commercials say otherwise). So I'm trying very hard to leave it upstairs in the evenings and never bring it to the dinner table despite all the Words With Friends notifications begging me to make the next move (sorry to all of you friends who are still waiting to massacre me).

That said, it's pretty cool. I feel like "my people" designed it. ;) Pretty pictures. Pretty apps. Pretty text message layouts. Thank you Apple! And that's why I love changing my wallpaper and thought I would share this latest one with all you other phone-in-my-face smart phone user. Enjoy some pretty pine needles from a sunny Colorado day.

phone wallpaper by sarah fritzler

christmas tree cutting

2011-11-30T13:28:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would share a few snapshots from our Christmas tree cutting last Saturday. Yes, we made sure to find the 4 best trees in the forest and they now live in our houses. I love it. When else can you bring a tree inside?

photos by sarah fritzler

tom & huck

2011-11-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Did you see Google's logo today? I'm a big fan. Happy 176th birthday, Mark Twain.

p.s. I secretly want to be a Google logo illustrator. :)

2012 calendar round-up

2011-11-29T08:54:00.000-08:00

Birds & Bunnies calender by The Wild Unknown

I never actually buy calendars, but I love them. I'm not sure why that is? I think it may be because all of the most beautiful calenders don't have spaces to write on and then what's the point? They look lovely, but I rarely just need to figure out what the date is. I suppose that's why I stick to the oh-so-useful but oh-so-boring online Google calender. Someday, when I have a kitchen of my own, I'm sure I'll feel differently.

Even though I'll probably go calendar-less for another year, I thought I would share my favorite 2012 designs. So many talented illustrators out there!

Botanical calendars by Rifle Paper Co.

2012 Print calendar by Chipmunk Cheeks

Buy Local calender by Claudia Pearson

2012 calender by Bookhou at Home

+ see post below for another favorite

the language of flowers

2011-11-28T10:54:00.000-08:00

This morning I'm admiring this 2012 calendar by The House That Lars Built. It's a love poem written in the language of flowers. I didn't know such a thing existed! It would be interesting to decode the poem here.

Are you taking part in Cyber Monday? Half of me wants to boycott, but the other half thinks I should do all my online Christmas shopping today.

christmas tree cutting

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

This morning we're headed to the mountains to cut down a Christmas tree and bring it home to decorate. We'll listen to Christmas music, drink eggnog and do a fair amount of reminiscing about our favorite ornaments (usually the ugliest ones). Hope your weekend was festive too!

happy thanksgiving day

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I have much to be thankful for today. Including, but not limited to, my family:

But most of all, my Savior. I hope you truly have a Happy Thanksgiving!

images by myself and my dad

thanksgiving table

2011-11-23T09:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! My little sister thinks today is the best day of the year. She is, of course, the family chef. I lean towards the table setting rather than the cooking, so I'm brainstorming table setting ideas today. Here are a few I'm planning to put into action tomorrow.

Craft paper table settings — draw your own!

Free printable "I Am Thankful For" cards — thank you Oana!

Pumpkin & pear place cards — probably both depending on what we have at home

Happy cooking and prepping!

Gobble.

relaxing

2011-11-22T16:04:00.000-08:00

Whew! I guess I really took that "don't have to blog every day" thing really literally! It's been a whirlwind of a week. I'm sure that's true for everyone this time of the year.

Tonight I'm making the world's best cranberry sauce and home-made granola for Thanksgiving breakfast (only the granola ... we will eat the crans with the TURKEY!). I'm hoping to set aside at least one day to relax, read, maybe draw this weekend. I'm highly skeptical it will actually happen. But that's all part of the holidays too!

These are just a few relaxing images I recently pinned. Enjoy!

photo credit: 1 The Pioneer Woman \ 2 Pinterest \ 3 Samantha Lamb

diy: no-sew triangle banner

2011-11-17T11:54:00.001-08:00

Today is my dear friend, Courtney's, birthday. I've been thinking about her and her little muffin who is soon to enter the world! I call Courtney "Martha" because she's the perfect little home-maker slash successful, driven, educated woman. Let me tell you, she is impressive. But one thing we both lack on our resumes is sewing. Our moms taught us, but we seem to have left off somewhere a long time ago. This is why we were both a little daunted by the idea of making a triangle flag banner for the baby's room.

But no! We conquered that little flag without a single needle. Here's how:

DIY No-Sew Triangle Banner
Supplies:
- A variety of cotton fabric designs (we chose from the quilt scraps at Joann Fabrics)
- Basting tape
- Double sided fusible webbing
- Iron, ironing board, spray bottle, scissors, paper & pencil

Instructions:
1. Pre-wash and iron fabric.
2. Draw triangles on fabric with a pencil. Only draw one triangle per flag. Do not cut.
3. Use iron-on instructions to adhere fusible webbing to back of first flag.
4. Next, fuse this first flag to another piece of the same fabric to create the back side of the flag.
5. Cut triangle out along pencil lines.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 to create all of your flags.
7. Open basting tape and adhere fusible webbing inside. Do not close
8. Place the top of your flags inside the basting tape crease and fold basting tape over. Iron to secure.

That's it! Not a single bit of sewing needed. I didn't take pictures of the steps so I hope these instructions were clear enough. It is fairly intuitive once you have tried the fusible fabric on a test piece.

Happy birthday to my dear friend (and soon to be mommy), Courtney!

photos by sarah fritzler

make something by hand

2011-11-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been inspired for the day! I need to start working on my hand-made Christmas gifts! What have you made by hand lately? Isn't it fulfilling to make something and so special to receive a hand-made gift? I think so.

p.s. Isn't calligraphy wonderful?

OFFF, let's feed the future via DesignMom

happy 5th birthday

2011-11-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

Today my office-mates and I celebrated my 5 year mark at my job. It's amazing to think it's been that long. I have much to be thankful for including, and not limited to: a job during this recession, doing what I love, The World's Greatest Boss (he has the mug to prove it), fantastic "cube-mates," my sister who works 30 ft from me, lifelong friendships made and an extra week of vacation next year. ;)

We celebrated by stuffing ourselves with pancakes at Snooze Eatery.

p.s. I had the Ichabod Crane pancake sprinkled with streusel and topped with pumpkin cream, candied pumpkin seeds, and a chili-spiced Vermont maple syrup. YUM.

photo via CAKIES

diy: literary quote mugs

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

These literary quote mugs were my valentines this year. I'm so happy with the way they turned out! Yeeess, I know it's November. I got so far behind in posting this after valentines day that I decided to post it next valentines. But with Christmas just around the corner, I thought everyone could use an easy gift DIY. Enjoy!

I was inspired by one of Design Mom's hand-made Christmas projects and this Pride and Prejudice mug. While they were simple enough to make, they do take a little time. I've included the nitty-gritty DIY details at the bottom of this post.

I chose quotes from Pride and Prejudice, Emma, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Little Woman, Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables and Casablanca. Each quote has a story behind it that is special to the recipient. For example, "Here's looking at you kid" is my dad's favorite quote and that's why my mom's mug says "KID." My sister-in-law went to Prince Edward Island and visit all of the Anne of Green Gables haunts which is why a Gilbert quote dawns her mug.

For my brothers, I wrote humerus plays on their wives' cups.

SUPPLIES:
- Porcelain mugs
- Pebeo Porcelain 150 Paint Markers (fine tip)
- Oven, water & paper towels

DIY STEPS:
1. Purchase Supplies:
I purchased these mugs at Goodwill* for 49 cents each! My grand total was $5.88.
The pens I bought at Michael's and you can find them at any craft store.

2. Create your masterpiece:
Wash the surface of the mugs before writing your favorite quote. Follow instructions on the pen's packaging for drying and baking times. Give yourself a little extra time since most Porcelain pens need 24 hours to dry before you permanently** bake them.

3. Make a cup of tea and read a book!

So, the nitty-gritty details are that ceramic pens are not as easy to use as they look. Half of this project was writing and re-writing the quotes. The good side is that it washes off*** and you can do it as many times as you want. The black pen was the best and I could only ever force the little hearts out of the red pen. If anyone has another brand they suggest, that would be great!

* I had a little trouble finding plain white mugs at Goodwill. But I realized later that I went shopping one week after Design Mom's project and hit the Goodwill that would be local to her. I'm pretty sure she cleaned them out before me. :)
** We have found that they aren't as dishwasher safe as they claim. I suggest hand washing the mugs to keep your designs intact.
*** It's SO MUCH easier to wash off as soon as you make a mistake.

P.S. I filled my mugs with stir-in hot cocao spoons (this may be my favorite part). DIY here!

photos by sarah fritzler

let us not be disconcerted

2011-11-14T13:41:00.001-08:00

I like the word "disconcerted". I had to check with Merriam Webster to make sure I really knew what it meant and I liked this illustration even more after reading the definition: Disconcerted - to throw into confusion or to disturb the composure of.

What a clever way to flip-flop the phrase "peace on earth" with a simple "Let us not be disconcerted."

It makes me smile.

Plus (much to the dismay of a friend who visited Gettysburg with me last month), I still like bonnets.

illustration by Julianna Swaney

operation christmas child

2011-11-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend my family is packing our shoe boxes so I thought I would share a few videos of Operation Christmas Child. OCC's mission is: "To demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ." I remember going to Target with my mom when we were young and painstakingly choosing each item. Of course, I always wanted my box to color coordinate. Have you ever packed a box? My favorite part about OCC is that the same box you pack arrives in the hands of a child in another part of the world. There are few other opportunities to share a gift and the love of Christ so directly with another culture in this way. We have even received letters from children in Africa who received our boxes!

This video reminds me of my dad who is not a biker, but was playing with the wooden trucks for his little boy's box last night. :)

Collection week is Nov 14-21! I hope you'll have a chance to pack a box. The "How-to"s are in the video above. Merry (early) Christmas everyone!

photos and videos belong to Operation Christmas Child

friday foliage: virginia colors

2011-11-10T15:40:00.001-08:00

During our east coast adventures we took a little hike at Delfosse Vineyards & Winery where the fall colors were in full blaze! These are a few snapshots of the fall rainbow.

A very merry Friday to you!

photos by sarah fritzler

east coast adventures: miami beach

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm back! Had you given up on me? I was starting to give up on myself ... no really, vacation is an amazing thing! Blogging is fun, but sometimes I feel like I'm sending things out into a void of no-one-ness and it would just be easier to pin my ideas on my pinterest than to organize and write something about them here. Which is why I may slow down a little and not blog every day. Hopefully that will mean fewer, but better posts. I hope that's ok with you? I wouldn't want to loose all of you readers (as my sisters recently warned me about). Whew, blog friends are hard to maintain. :)

Where better to start than a post about vacation? I feel like I went on about six trips ... and I think it may just qualify since I slept in seven different beds. I'm not sure what my favorite part was. I saw so many friends, places, climates, weather patterns, foods, birds (yes, birds!) that I think I'll have to do a series of posts to cover them all.

So please forgive me for temporarily becoming a travel blog. I'll try to remember to include some design somewhere in here.

First, we went to Florida. Miami to be specific. This was my first time to the sunshine state and it greeted me with torrential rain for 2 days. Following a you-have-no-reservation adventure at the car rental place, my friend, Brittany, and I felt like we could handle anything. So we left our sundresses in our suitcases and pulled out our work-out clothes to embraced the utter wetness of a tropical storm.

Here are a few pictures of our day.

After a thorough drenching (which inhibited taking pictures), we hit Whole Foods Market for soup, half a chicken and the most amazing chocolate! (I've been searching for a MILK chocolate sea-salt bar and this is it!). We wore sweatpants and watched 6 hours of chick-flicks. No complains.

We stayed at the SoBe You Bed & Breakfast and I highly recommend it! While it doesn't offer much in the breakfast category (pancakes, cereal and fruit), it was a charming place. Each room has it's own entrance and everything you would need to stay for a while. We felt like we had our own little home. The bed was super comfy and the pool would have been great had it not rained. And thanks to Groupon, our two night stay was only $175!

BLOG UPDATE:
You may have noticed that things are a little wonky on my blog right now. Please bear with me while I do a little updating!

photos by sarah fritzler

monday movie: one-line masterpiece

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Instead of just telling us about Farber Castell Artist Pens' precision and control, they decided to show us. And boy did they! I'm so impressed with Chan Hwee Chong's one-line-spiral version of three masterpieces. How he did it, I really don't know.

[image and video credit Farber Castell]

vacation

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

vacation

Hi friends,
I'm writing this ahead of time so I'm not even as excited as I will be when this actually posts. I'm gone on vacation for 2 weeks! This Grand East Coast Adventure (original, I know) will take us from Florida to Pennsylvania and everything in-between.

There will be a little of everything, including:

the beach

leaves

hot tea

food

friends

freedom!

pumpkins

baking

history

apple picking (and sauce making)

and a little more tea

I'll be back here in November so don't stop visiting for good! Have a wonderful harvest, friends!

Sarah

[photo credits linked below photos]

thank you, priscilla ahn

2011-10-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

dinner at euclid hall

This week I was privileged to meet another "blog friend." Priscilla and I have been keeping in touch via our blogs and email this summer (following this poster project) and I loved meeting her in person! We enjoyed dinner at Euclid Hall (the cauliflower salad was wonderful!). Priscilla really is as sweet as her music is beautiful. She also introduced me to her tour-mates, Wendy, Chris and Gary who were all fun, friendly and appreciated good food! :)

After dinner we headed to The Walnut Room for the show. Again, her voice is even more beautiful in person. This was my first time to hear her live and, since she is my favorite musical artist, it was a real treat! I've so enjoyed getting to know her and she's especially kind for humoring my sisters and I with some autographs after the show ... we felt very "groupy." ;)

Thank you for an exceptional evening, Priscilla!

performing

an evening with friends and sisters

Unfortunately, I discovered that my new camera doesn't have a video recorder as she was singing my favorite song! Ah well ... you'll just have to hear it below:

The funniest part of the evening? My sisters told me about Euclid Hall and not only ended up there too, but at the table next to us! We were cracking up. :)

You can follow her full tour over on her blog!

friday flowers: fall

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Friday (a.k.a. almost the weekend)! I was just chatting with my sister about the work vs. play ratio in America and we are considering moving to Europe. ;) Sigh ... I do love America, but we spend a lot of time in our offices. I hope ya'll can get out and enjoy the fall colors this weekend!

I took these photos on a neighborhood walk and at a pumpkin patch in Boulder last weekend. Only the Creator of color could come up with such a pallet!

p.s. Have you seen this TED talk titled Why Work Doesn't Happen at the Office? I found Jason Fried fascinating!

[photos by sarah fritzler \ last photo by mike quinlan (the bro-in-law)]

colorado wedding reception invitations

2011-10-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

My friends, Elizabeth & Aaron, were married in Oregon this summer. I was privileged to be in Portland at the time and to see them get married. After their wedding, they made the pilgrimage to Colorado where they are settled into their first home. To celebrate their marriage and welcome them to Colorado, we held a little reception last Friday night. The early Colorado snow almost dampened the party, but it couldn't compete with the fun we had (or the chocolate fondue!).

These invitations were so much fun to design! This was the first time I had full freedom and I had no idea how lovely that would be! It was also the most cost-effective project I've worked on. From now on, I'm going to encourage brides to incorporate their colors via paper and embrace the black and white printing! I was inspired by this and this and I couldn't pass up the chance to use vellum envelopes.

[design & photos by sarah fritzler]

happy fall

2011-10-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

[photo by deborah fritzler]

pumpkin s'mores

2011-10-10T17:06:00.000-07:00

This is one of those I wish I had thought of that moments. Pumpkin s'mores is short for Sarah's two favorite things in the world. Thank you Joy.