Blog Archives July 2006

I have always liked small things: babies, penny candy, ladybugs, trial sized items.  I recently bought a trial sized container of Tide, not because I needed it (I buy laundry detergent in gi-normous containers from BJ’s), but because I thought it was cute.

I took a ton of photos on our recent vacation and wanted to create a small album that would showcase the wonderful time we had.  I am mostly a 12 x 12 scrapper, and normally, I super-size my scrapbooks, just like I super-size my laundry detergent. But since the small container of Tide was so cute, I thought a mini scrapbook would pack a lot of punch as well.  I started by printing out a bunch of my favorite photos in wallet size – it was a perfect fit for my small 4 inch album).  Then, I inked the edges of the pages and added a few select embellishments throughout the book to tie it all together. A few ribbons, rub-on phrases, stickers and hand journaling and I was good to go.  I love the end result (see photos below)…and the album is small enough that I can tuck it in my pocketbook and bring it with me.

My challenge for today: create a mini-sized masterpiece.  It is great to step outside of your comfort zone every once in a while.  Have a great day and thanks for visiting!

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I enjoy gardening.  I don’t have nearly as much time as I would like to devote to it, but I love it nonetheless.  I find it soothing, fulfilling and the end result makes me happy.  As in all other hobbies and interests, frustration can rear its ugly head.  Maybe you didn’t run as far as you wanted on a given day or you couldn’t find the words to put in your journal.  A recent source of frustration in the garden (aside from the nasty critter/insects that ate 1/3 of my plants – literally) has been my hydrangeas.  From what I have been told, hydrangeas are relatively easy plants to grow…minimal fuss, they like to be left alone and they are hardy.  For almost 5 years now, I have had amazing foliage on my hydrangea plants, but not a bud or a bloom to speak of.  I didn’t buy the plants for theirfoliage…I bought them because I wanted big honkin’ blooms that I could dry and display all over the house.

Well, I don’t know what made this year different from previous years, but my hydrangeas finally bloomed.  Hooray!   Perhaps it was the warm, wet winter.  Maybe it was the dreary, dismal spring.  Whatever the reason, I am thrilled to step outside my door and see these beautiful purple flowers.  It makes me happy.  So, I took a picture of them while they were still big and bright and fresh.  I might even dedicate a scrapbook page to them.  Why not?

We at Watermelon Rind Designs have a particular fondness for the quintessential summer fruit.  Watermelons have graced the fronts of t-shirts and onesies, been the subject of paintings and folk art collectibles around our homes, and have been the core fruit of many a summer salad.  We thought we had cornered the market on our affection for the fleshy seeded fruit.  But, I received an email today from my dear friend Holly.  Her son, Christian, has taken a love of watermelon to a whole new level.  Now, I haven’t gotten the background to this story yet (Holly, please feel free to share on the blog), but I am thinking that a dare with some kind of monetary bribe had to have been involved.  A watermelon rind hat and cummerbund…who knew?!

If you have any great watermelon photos – please send them our way so we can post on the blog.  What a fun way to showcase summer and our love for all things watermelon (we’ll send a freebie out to the person who sends us the best photo).  Have a great night and thanks for stopping by!

 

Today is my mother’s birthday (it has been an occasion-filled week around here).  She would kill me if I put her age on here, but let me tell you, she looks better than some 40 year olds I know and has the energy of a 30 year old.  She is one of my closest friends (although the teen years were rough) and the other half of Watermelon Rind Designs. She is one of those rare gems that gets more joy from giving gifts than from receiving them.  Her eyes twinkle when she smiles and she really lives each day to the fullest.  I thought it was only fitting to wish her a year full of health and laughter today! Have fun spending the day with the girls today, Mom.  I told them to be on their best behavior.  Big love to you on your birthday.  And thanks for being so much more than just a mom.

I wanted to wish my in-laws a very happy anniversary today!  40 years…

They are one of those couples – you can still tell how in love they are just by looking at them.  We hope you are enjoying your time away and we will see you when you get back! Much love…

Well, I feel productive.  I feel energized.  And I feel excited.  We have more new items on the site.  Check out our amazing boutique towels in the Signature Seeds section of the site. We are offering hand towels and bath towels in a very cool, very fresh watermelon print with coordinating grosgrain ribbon.  They are so yummy!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The scrapbook section is also live.  There are a couple more steps we need to take, but you can look over the site and check out our new section for all things paper and memory related: The Paper Patch.  As time goes on, The Paper Patch will be the location for scrapbooks, shadowboxes, cards, invitations and stationery. But, right now, I am focusing on how excited I am about the scrapbook part being launched.  We are offering some great things with our scrapbooks – phone consultations, free 4×6 photos, all kinds of things to make this a product you will be 150% happy with.  We take great pride in our creations and we are very serious about superior customer service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Browse the site, get your photos together and place an order.  We can’t wait to work with your memories!!

I got to thinking today about what some of my favorite things are right now.  My list encompasses all “things” – people, places, foods, hobbies, scents, etc.  I did a list like this a couple years ago and I am sure a lot of the items still make the cut, but I think there are some new ones as well.  Here are my Top 25, in no particular order (it is a brain dump of everything I can think of right this very second).

1. Hugs and kisses from my kids
2. A well-done burger off the grill
3. Saturdays
4. Cuddling and/or holding hands with my husband
5. Scrapbooking and being creative
6. The ocean
7. Seaglass (the kind you find on the beach, NOT the kind you buy in a bag at the store)
8. Unabashed laughter
9. A nice even tan
10. “I love yous”
11. Random acts of kindness
12. The smell of my kids fresh from the bath (or when they smell like maple syrup)
13. Getting something in the mail other than bills
14. My wedding band
15. Westport, MA
16. eBay
17. Purple coneflowers
18. The sound of my daughters’ laughter
19. Writing in journals
20. My digital SLR
21. A clean house
22. The sound of waves
23. My feet after a pedicure
24. My iPod
25. Watermelon sherbert

My challenge for today: It is simple, record a bunch of your favorite things.  The list will change with the seasons (for example, I don’t think about watermelon sherbert in December…I think about Christmas ornaments, and the amazing scent of a fresh tree), depending on your mood, your surroundings, and as you discover new interests.  Compare your lists to see how you’ve changed.  Ask friends, relatives and children about their favorite things and write those answers down as well.  Sometimes it is refreshing to create a list other than the one you bring to the grocery store.

The scrapbook section of the Web site is sooo close to being completed (pinch fingers really close together).  I have to thank my Web hero for creating the form for me. I had an idea in my head and he truly made it come to life and it is so much better than it would have been if I had created it on my own.

I wanted to put together a really comprehensive order form so you could truly get a grasp of what your money was paying for.  It is just about ready to go…just need to work out a couple of kinks and test it and then we will be all set.  I am truly excited and can’t wait to start “officially” creating books for other people.  My heart and soul goes into these creations and every page in every book is treated with the utmost care and creativity.  It is going to be a great addition to the site and I know you will be pleased! Check out the teaser of the order form below!

Have a great day and I will keep you updated on the progress…both on the Blog and in our upcoming newsletter (if you haven’t done so already…sign up – it’s free, comes out once every 1-2 months and has lots of great info).

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Vacation was amazing.  We had phenomenal weather (a miracle considering how atrocious New England weather has been lately), the cottage was perfect, we were right on the ocean and the kids were amazingly well-behaved.  Aside from getting ice cream and taking a couple scenic drives, we didn’t “do” much else.  We hung out on the beach, watched the kids swim, hunted for seaglass (a lifelong passion of mine), watched sunsets from the deck, cooked on the grill, and watched the World Cup.  It was really, really nice to be away and just be together.  It seems like family time is so hard to come by in this day and age and I truly cherish every second that I get to spend with my husband and daughters.

Now that I am back, you will notice a few more changes to the site.  Some new merchandise will be added, a whole new section will be unveiled, and we will start showcasing some fall/winter teasers.

Thanks for stopping by — it’s good to be back!