mixed plate’s new shop.

hi there! so one of the projects i’ve been working on over the last couple of months has been a really fun one. it’s something that has been on my mind for quite some time now. if you really wanna get technical this stuff has been on my mind since the 90′s. i’ve opened up a shop of rubber stamps that i designed based on my love of music from back in the day. check it…

you know you totally need these, right? all of the stamps are designed by me and made to order in the usa. they’re all inspired by hip-hop and r&b song titles, lyrics and other things related to those genres. primarily i am focused on the 90′s. however, i’m thinking that i may dip back to the 80′s and then closer to the early 2000′s. these are great for cards, gift tags, creating your own custom wrapping paper, scrapbooking, and really just any other surface that you feel could use some awesomeness. they make great gifts or a fun treat for yourself. i hope you love the stamps as much as i do!

come over and visit the shop.

ps – get 15% off with code “GRANDOPEN15” in the shop. the code is also offered on my facebook page. be a fan and share this with your friends. coupon code is good through monday, june 10, 2013 {expires at 12:00et}.

supa dupa fly; no diggity; dope

p is for pinterest.

happy wednesday to you! i’m catching up on so many things today that i’ve been meaning to do. the laundry is done. i’m answering emails like a machine. i’ve completed some projects for my clients. so far, so good. and now for some pinterest action…

1. cute bowl by fine little day {via miss kulik}
2. mr. fox {via robert mahar}
3. waffle donuts? yes, please! by sweet treats {via boden}
4. pretty kimono floral bikini by nanette lepore at anthropologie {via mrs. lilien}
5. nos vintage cat-eye glasses at vintage optical shop {via mixed plate}

ps – you can find and follow all of my boards here.

super.

happy tuesday! i just wanted to say that while many of us have a heroes we look up to, sometimes you just have to be your own. go on. i know you have it in you…

today i will be my own superhero by the parchment place

people who rock.

happy thursday to you! just wanted to share this card that i gave my friend for her big 4-0 this year {she totally looks a young 2-0!}…

i knew it would be perfect for her when i saw it because she totally rocks.

thanks: you rock by wild ink press

love like this.

guess what? i was listening to this song last night {a little too loud} with my big headphones on. it’s one of my go-to songs and it always makes me happy. you can’t not want to dance and smile and feel joyful about love {or at least the idea and possibility of it}. it’s one of my favorite songs from the 90′s. and i mean, come on. the video? you’ve got beautiful faith evans with her amazing voice, bright colors, and people looking like they are having so much fun on roller skates. too good. play the video. download the song if you don’t already have it {do it. i’m serious}. take a dance break and just radiate some frickin’ happiness…

don’t you feel like you’ve just received a boost? i honestly danced to this song in my apartment before/after/during typing this post {hopefully nobody could see in!} and mouthed the words pretending to be all faith evans-like.

ps – so do you have a go-to song that brings an instant smile to your face? you know, those songs that just make you feel good.

betty raspberry.

betty raspberry‘s illustrations are gorgeous. then you put them on up-cycled vintage ceramic pieces and…swoon…

ps – i’m loving the sassy flair on some of these!

sweet and low five piece tea set; eat me up buttercup plate; tea and oranges teapot; betsy plate; frankie serving plate; bite me plate by betty raspberry

bee’s knees.

just a reminder to you…

bee’s knees print by the black apple

note to self : communication is key.

so here’s another post dedicated to some of my friends who have been having a tricky time dealing with funky communication in their relationships {myself included!}. a couple of them have been expressing to me that they are frustrated with significant others, co-workers and friends. since i’m sure we can all relate, i thought i’d share some thoughts…

communication is key in any relationship. from friendships to work related and romantic ones, being able to communicate effectively is vital. the ability to truly be open and free in sharing how you feel for someone, how they make you feel {good and bad}, and what your intentions are with one another and in your situation {whatever that may be} is not always so simple. we can agree on that, right? i always thought i was such a good communicator until someone i love recently pointed out to me that i am not. i am apparently horrible when it comes to text communications. i’ll admit that i cannot stand it since there’s no real “voice” behind what is being said. so, i don’t deny that i am horrible at it. i probably say things the wrong way and definitely read things the wrong way and sometimes get offended. and i don’t always tell the truth. let me clarify that. it isn’t to say that i’m not honest. i would never lie to someone i care about. it’s more that i’m not honest in how things affect me. sometimes things hurt me so bad and i just bury it inside rather than discussing it. sometimes i just think i can let it go. and other times i just feel like i’ll be defeated so i try to ignore it. i try to be strong and hide my pain. note to self: quit doing that! things get bottled up and you just start to resent the other person{s} you are dealing with. i’m working on it. you should, too.

what i have learned recently from some of my relationships {again, not all romantic types} is that people are just different. we have different stories and life experiences and shit we’re dealing with. and some of us may not be ready to fully commit to complete open communication. or some of us are only capable of seeing and hearing what we want to. what i am now working on is deciding which relationships are worth being invested in and to what degree if communication cannot be pure and 100% open. i’m not saying i want totally easy in my life’s relationships. but i sure am ready for a little less in the maintenance department. i mean, i’m just a low maintenance kind of girl. i guess sometimes you just have to get your rhythm back so that you’re both on the same page.

so how do you do with communicating your feelings, wants, needs, desires, issues, etc. in your relationships? have you ever been in a position where you just felt “stuck” because you felt like you weren’t being heard and understood?

ps – for me if i really love and/or care about a certain relationship, i will always try to push on and stay committed to making change so that things progress in a manner that fulfills all parties involved. i’ve hung in there for a long time in relationships purely out of my belief in love. have you?

image via paper pastries

custom return address stamps.

do you have return address stickers/labels that you use on your mail? i remember always printing them up for my family when i was a kid {avery labels to the rescue!}. or we would always get them ordered by the roll and they’d arrive in our mailbox {weren’t there always coupons in the sunday papers for them?}. because i’m a big believer in handwritten notes, i am obsessed with custom return address stamps. i don’t have one and have been thinking about it but get stuck because there are so many great artists who offer this product. i’m currently loving these by native bear…

cat; feather; bull return address stamps by native bear

 

your value. your worth.

it seems that lately a number of people i really care about have been going through it. they’ve been going through some rough patches and a number of my girlfriends have been down on themselves. part of it has to do with typical girl stuff {feeling inadequate :: ps – you’re not!, feeling unattractive :: ps – you’re gorgeous!}. and part of it has to do with relationships both past and present {and not just romantic}. include me in that bunch. and you know what? i’m much harder on myself than on anyone else, so i can get pretty dark. yeah, i’ll admit it. so it was perfect timing when i came across this on pinterest…

did you read that? good. now remember it. share it with others you care about. write it down. print it out. get it tattooed on yourself. say it each morning when you wake up and before you close your eyes at night. it is the damn truth.

sometimes we get unhappy with how we’re being treated. but the truth is it all boils down to how we allow others to treat us. and it’s something i’m learning and going through right now. something that in my 30′s i am still figuring out how to deal with and handle. and it isn’t easy. it’s a process because it involves changing a behavior or habit.

i dedicate this post to my friends {and that includes you} who need this as a reminder. remember that you are a beautiful, amazing, talented, strong, brilliant person. you are super valuable to me and to the people who really matter in your life. it doesn’t mean that the person who can’t see your value and worth is bad or evil. maybe they don’t know how to see it. or maybe they just haven’t recognized it yet because they’ve got some shit to work on. either way it is not your problem, nor is it your fault. so keep it moving and know that you are worthy of love and to be treated with respect and to be treasured.

sending you lots of love…