brown bag valentine

 I hope you have a fantastic weekend everyone! Maybe you're pulling out the craft box to make valentines or snuggling up next to a fire with a mug of tea (for those of you snowed in on the east coast) or going for a horse-drawn sleigh ride.

Wait ... a what? 

My family is actually going for a sleigh ride tonight. Instead of giving gifts at Christmas this year, we bought Groupons for a hot-cocoa and dinner sleigh ride for 10 in Breckenridge. After a loop in the woods, we'll have a steak and trout cowboy dinner and berry cobbler. But lest you envision a romantic evening with softly falling snow flakes and twinkling stars, I should mention that it is 15° in Breckenridge with blowing snow, 45 mph gusts and a -4° windshield. So we like a little adventure too! I'm especially liking the "wrapped in blankets" part of this ride.

While I'm looking for my long-johns, here is a little valentines inspiration from the archives. I especially like this packaging because you can fill the brown bags with anything you like. These ones were filled with Girl Scout Cookies, but use your sweet tooth imagination!

p.s. I don't actually own long-johns, but I've always wanted to!

photos by sarah fritzler

vintage colorado postcards

Colorado Springs, Colo.

Dear Thelma!
When we go out on the street we can see these beautiful mountains like the one on this card. I hope some day when you are a young lady, you can see them also. How is Tom, is he good?
Your Loving Grandmother

Postmarked Aug. 13, 4AM, 1913 

Doesn't this note whisk you away to another time and place when young girls would grow up to be young ladies?

Lexy was kind enough to include me in the swag bags that will be given out to the first 125 people at The Hello Social next week. I didn't want my business card to get lost among all of the fun swag, so I ordered these vintage Colorado postcards to attach to my cards. I had no idea how beautiful they would be! Every card tells a story of a vacation passed in Colorado. Why were Mamma, Pappa, Betsy, Mable, Miss Eliza Palver, Eva, Gram, Arnold, Thomas, Lillie and Arved visiting? Did Mrs. Crowther ever find the glasses she left on the train in Denver in 1909?

I'm having so much fun reading the cards and studying the penmanship. But I'm having the hardest time thinking of giving them away. I ended up ordering two more packages today so that I can keep all of my favorites! I love Colorado so much and I'm so happy for this little lost bit of history that made it's way to me.





Wouldn't these be great gifts for all our friends in many lands?

photos by sarah fritzler

diy: recipe box journal calendar

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

lesson from a dishcloth

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

happy valentines day!

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

diy: stir-in hot cocoa

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

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

do tell

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 ]

custom rubber stamp

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

gold sticks

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

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

christmas gift wrapping

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