I’m on a roll, kids. Posting 2 days in a row. I’ve been teaching myself Photoshop & design using Pugly Pixels‘ amazing tutorials and PS resources. Check it out if you’re interested in upping your blogging game!
I put together a little holiday glam look book of items that would make any outfit more festive. Enjoy!
bow | necklace | ring | collar | earrings
Friends, I know I’ve been neglectful of this blog the past couple of weeks. I miss all of your sweet comments and notes on what was the near-daily posts. But I’ve been hard at work on my newest project. Since quitting my full-time job in April, I’ve been trying to figure out what it is exactly that I want to do. I’ve been doing a bit of consulting here and there, but I’ve wanted to start something that’s more tangible. A consulting business is great, but I want to be able to have a product, something that I can hold in my hands and say “whoa! I’ve brought this all together.” I’m a very visual person like that.
[source: work is not a job via ashappyaskings]
This blog started as a journey to figure out what it is that I love, what motivates me, and where my passions lie. It’s been such a great year of growth, and I feel so blessed that you all have joined me on my journey. I never expected the blog to take off like it has, but am so thankful for your dedication.
Over the last month and lots of brainstorming sessions, I’ve finally figured it out. Horray! I’ve found that I love curation and discovering handmade products, and would do it all day if I could (who wouldn’t?). I love the stories that artisans can share with consumers that the Big Box sellers just can’t match. It’s so much more enjoyable to buy something when you feel connected to the person who made it.
My new project brings together the best from the handmade community. Called Umba Box (umba is Swahili for “to create”), it is a monthly subscription that delivers products from amazing artisans to your door. Right now, it’s focusing on non-size specific women’s items such as accessories, jewelry, home goods, stationary, and bath products. As this grows, I would love to add men’s and children’s lines too! When you subscribe to Umba Box, each month you will receive a pretty little surprise package in the mail all wrapped up and ready to be enjoyed by you or a loved one. You can get a subscription for yourself or a friend, but it would be great if you did both. 
I have already partnered up with some artists and designers who have some seriously rockin’ products ready to go. Some of our producers are even going to make special editions that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. How cool is that? This is why I love handmade.
I’m still pulling levers and pushing buttons on the Umba Box web site, so I expect it to go live in the next week or so. In the mean time, I would be honored if you would give us your email so we can let you know when we are officially open! If you need a little more incentive to fork over your email address, I will be sending out a coupon to our subscribers for their first purchase.
(I promise I will never spam you! That’s so uncool.)
Thanks for all of your encouragement, friends. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions about this! I will still be blogging here on a (hopefully) regular basis), so don’t go anywhere! <3
You know those shoes that you keep in the back of your closet, but never wear? There’s nothing particularly wrong with them, and they’re still in great condition because, well, the most action they see is dust bunnies being swept up around them. They’re just lacking that “wow” factor. I have a few pairs that I can think of, so I know that you must have at least one pair.
Cue shoe clips. I’ve seen these floating around boutiques and handmade shops recently, so figured it was about time to do a round-up. They’re so perfect for adding life to even the most boring sole. Here are some of my favorites:
sources (clockwise from top left): ban.do for BHLDN | the bow makers | No 144 | lemon ring | the headband shoppe
This past weekend was spent purging and merging our files. The amount of paper that we had accumulated was simply out of control. Once that was organized, I tackled cleaning and organizing our second bedroom, which had become a storage closet. While it wasn’t a fun task, I knew that my reward would be a fun new craft area, which I was able to set up yesterday. I can’t wait to share pics with you later this week!
To start your Monday off right, I wanted to share some prettiness from Dodeline Design. I saw this new line in her shop recently, and knew that you all would just adore it! I love that the design comes in a desk calendar, and birthday + thank you notes. Sarah is based in Charleston, SC, where she’s been designing stationary for a few years now. Her designs are always so full of charm. She also writes a lovely blog, which you should definitely check out!
source: dodeline design
A most happy Friday to you, dear friends. It’s been quite a busy week, so I’m looking forward to date night tonight with my mister at our favorite Italian bistro. It’s tucked in between some row houses on Capitol Hill and oozes charm.
I stumbled across this amazing Etsy shop called Merriweather Council. When I hear “hoop embroidery”, I don’t necessarily think about trendy designs, but the artist has pulled it off. She creates gorgeous modern artwork inside framed by hoops. She has a line of necklaces that I’m gaga over. The best part is that you can create your very own- pick your favorite color!
source: merriweater council
Stamp 48 is now accepting sponsors!
This blog takes a lot of work, and I LOVE it. As more and more readers find Stamp 48, I want to provide more and more quality posts, which can be accomplished through both my readers and Creative businesses sponsoring the blog. For more details about partnering with me, click here.
Because of your sponsorships, all my readers will look this happy when they read Stamp 48.
source: AnnieBee
For our wedding, we knew that we wanted to have a dessert buffet with mini goodies so that our guests could try a sampling of deliciousness. We had a huge assortment of treats ranging from chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate mousse cups, apple pie pops, mini raspberry cheesecake, and mocha truffles. My goodness, I’m drooling just thinking about it. How embarrassing. We also had a small two-tiered strawberry buttercream cake with an adorable cake topper from Ready Go, which I fell in love with from the second I found her Etsy shop. Cute right? The Groom bears such a striking resemblance to my Hubs (I think it’s the beard!).
But I knew that all of our fabulous goodies would need just-as-fabulous display trays. Not finding anything that I loved for sale, I went about making my own. I did some antique shopping with Sarah in Hagerstown, MD this spring on the hunt for various items for the wedding. We hit the jackpot with a stuffed-to-the-gills warehouse that had so much stuff, most of it wasn’t accessible as there was just no pathway to reach it–other stuff was in the way!
I managed to find a great assortment of vintage china plates, platters, teacups, and sherbet dishes to make handmade cake stands and dessert platters for a garden-style dessert buffet that sat under a big oak tree in the yard we were married.
Making the cake stands is super simple. Pick out your plate/platter and a base. The bases can be anything from teacups, to candle sticks, to sherbet dishes, to milk-glass juice glasses. The sky is the limit. After making sure all of the dishes are clean, mix up a little epoxy, apply it to either the base or the underside of the plate (but don’t apply to both, it will make the epoxy less effective), stick together, apply pressure for a minute, and let dry. Presto! Super cute dessert plates that are personalized to fit your theme.
Guess what! All of these cake plates are for sale in my newly resurrected Etsy shop. Please do take a look and pick one up for yourself! Also, I’d love it if you would add my shop to your favorite shops, because I plan on keeping it stocked with all of the DIY projects I blog about.
[all photos by Stamp 48, except the first + last photo, which was taken by our wedding photographer, Red Shoes Photography]
While the Hubs and I were wandering through the maze-like alleys of Venice, we came across Madera, a cute little shop selling modern housewares. As we walked through the door, my heart skipped a beat when I saw a low table in the middle of the store that had dozens of ceramic bowls with lovely hand-painted designs in an assortment of colors. Seriously, there’s nothing I love more than gorgeous ceramics. Should I have been a potter? Probably, except I would never be able to keep my mani in tact. 
As I asked the shop owner about the bowls, and I learned that they are made by a Lithuanian potter named Aida Dirse, who now lives and works in Venice. I was tempted to buy one on the spot, but I was scared that it wouldn’t make it home with us in one piece. Drats. But since finding the online store, I’ve added one of these pretty things to my pinterest wishlist board. (Hint!)
[Alas, I didn't think to take pictures in the shop, so sources: Reebob, Dear Ada, I Love Lucky Home]
I’m convinced that getting icing on cupcakes to look like it does on cupcakes sold at cupcake shops is about as easy as folding a fitted sheet. (No matter how many times I watch Martha demonstrate it, my sheets still ends up into flattened wads.) If you want picture perfect cupcakes, why not stick a darling cupcake topper on it? I ran across Knock Knocking’s Etsy shop, and love these cutie little accessories for your favorite little cakes. Voila, you won’t even notice what the icing looks like.
[photos used by permission from Knock Knocking]
I just discovered Joosy Card Co. who makes lovely paper goodies that make me want to throw a birthday party for a well-deserving friend. A birthday crown or hat is a sure way to make any pretty lady feel extraordinarily special.
Happy birthday to a lucky friend sometime soon!
