Tag Archives: guest bloggers

guest post: kylie from lifestyle crafts + a letterpress giveaway …

April 21, 2011

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our guest post today is by kylie of lifestyle crafts. 
i have had the pleasure of working with kylie, and lifestyle crafts over the past six months as a member of their design team. i have had so much fun using all of their products!
today they are giving one of my lucky readers a letterpress combo kit, with everything you need to start doing your own letterpress from home!  
i recently got my hands on one, and wow, it is so much fun!  i can’t wait to share with you some of the upcoming projects i have planned using the new letterpress tools!
thanks again kylie and lifestyle crafts for guest posting today and for the amazing giveaway!
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Caroline has been such a great addition to the Lifestyle Crafts design team!  You may have seen her feature some of our products here on her blog.  Lifestyle Crafts is a company focused on developing products that enable creativity for all of life’s events. With L products, you can create all sorts of projects from letterpress stationery and invitations to birthday party favors, scrapbooking, and home decor.  Caroline has been using the die-cutting portion of the L Letterpress system on the following projects. 

1. Felt Bunting Gift Bag
2. A Love Banner
3. Christmas Place Cards
4. Recycled Calendar
5. Gift Box

Caroline has recently been playing around with the letterpress portion of the tool and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with.  With her excellent taste, we know she’ll come up with something amazing.  We’re working with her to create baby announcements for her new addition via the custom printing plate program.  That’s right, you can create custom letterpress printing plates!  Here are a few of our favorite letterpress projects. All of these projects are made with our printing plates and some have elements of custom plates as well.

1. Thank-You Card with the Lifestyle Crafts Jubilee plate 

2. Custom Birthday Invitation paired with the Lifestyle Crafts Splendor plate
3. Custom Wedding Invitation paired with the Lifestyle Crafts Jubilee plate 
4. Happy Birthday Card with the Lifestyle Crafts Blossoms plate.
5. Custom Wedding Invite paired with the Lifestyle Crafts Petals plate

Because we know Caroline’s readers would appreciate the convenience of letterpress in the home, we’re offering one reader our Letterpress Combo Kit!  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post.  You can also ‘like’ Lifestyle Crafts on Facebook here.  Check out the L Blog for more letterpress projects from Lifestyle Crafts.  

We’re also offering all readers 20% off their entire purchase on lifestylecrafts.com.  All you have to do is enter the code ARMELLE at checkout.  Happy crafting!

Thanks for having us Caroline!
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Letterpress Combo Kit Giveaway Rules

1. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post.
2. For an extra entry, become a follower or subscribe to this blog. (be sure to post another comment saying you are a follower)
3. For another entry, become a facebook fan of armelle jewelry.
4. For another entry, become a fan of lifestyle crafts on facebook.

*up to four entries are available per person (be sure to comment for each entry)

5. Giveaway will close this Sunday, April 24th at midnight. 
6. Winner will be announced Monday, April 25th.

Good Luck!

* to receive 20% off any items from lifestyle crafts, use the code ARMELLE at checkout!

20% off lifestyle crafts

guest post: molly of my favorite things …

April 20, 2011

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our guest post today is by molly of my favorite things.  
molly shares with her readers her beautiful life, her fabulous home, and of course her favorite things on her blog. be sure to check it out!
thanks again molly for taking the time to guest post today!
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Hi readers!  I’m Molly from My Favorite Things.  Caroline was so sweet to ask me to guest post and I am completely honored.  I adore Armelle Jewelry.  I actually have on a lovely little necklace as I type.
                                                
When Caroline asked me to guest post, she left the topic up to me.  Eeep!  I hate making decisions.  So I put it off, and then put if off some more.  And then I realized, I better get to writing or I wouldn’t meet my due date!  Seeing as Caroline has already given birth to baby number three, I thought I would share a few thoughts on motherhood.
I am a mom to three, three fantastically wild, completely imaginative, super cuddly boys.  Occasionally I wonder what it might be like to mother a girl but I quickly realize that I was made for boys.  My first two boys (Tyler + Benjamin) are 19 months apart.  The whole first year of Benjamin’s life was a blur.  It was super hard and exhausting.  So I waited a few years until I knew I wanted one more.  Sweet Nicholas Gray was born last year on Halloween and life hasn’t slowed down.
Being a mom to three has made me more confident.  Some days I feel like I could conquer the world, where in reality, if I could just conquer the laundry – that would be a small miracle.  Motherhood is all encompassing and with each child my heart has grown and stretched in ways I can’t quite describe.  Each little guy has woven his tiny spirit into the very essence of who I am.  They make me a better person and teach me small things I would never learn, if not for them.  But being a mom is hard work and so I thought I would share a few of my favorite newborn essentials that help the transition go a bit smoother.  Well, maybe.
Without further ado – my favorite baby gear.

top two favorite swaddling blankets – the miracle blanket + aden and anais

favorite baby tub
favorite sleepers
favorite baby carrier
Congrats Caroline!  Being a mom to three is exciting.  Best of luck on this transition.
xo.
molly

guest post: kelsey from kelsey’s essentials …

April 19, 2011

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our next guest post is by kelsey of the cooking channel’s, kelsey’s essentials.
kelsey is a highly talented chef, and this past year has landed her own cooking show kelsey’s essentials on the cooking channel.  
i’ve had the pleasure of working with kelsey on the zupas blog, and she is just as sweet as can be in person, and is just overflowing with talent.  
today, kelsey will be sharing her process for writing recipes from scratch. 
thanks again kelsey for taking the time to guest post today!  
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WRITING RECIPES FROM SCRATCH
As the host of a cooking show, one of my biggest responsibilities is creating original recipes. I’m just entering my second season and have been hard at work creating a new batch of original recipes for my series. Typically a “season” is 13 episodes, with each episode featuring 4-6 recipes. This translates to about 60 original recipes (heaven help me!). Needless to say, writing original recipes has been on my mind lately and I’m getting lots of good practice!
Writing original recipes in my opinion, is a skill that I still continue to work at and refine. It’s not always that easy and requires taking very copious notes and following guidelines. My recipes must follow the style guide that Food Network/Cooking Channel use. Knowing how to properly write a recipe can be super helpful if you are planning to compile family recipes, blog your own recipes, or have a desire to ever write a cookbook. Challenge yourself to create your own “style guide” so that every time you write down a recipe or even adjust a recipe that you have from another source, it is done in the same format. I like having a template on my computer that I open up every time I start a recipe.
First, let’s consider the Ingredients:
– Always list ingredients in order of use.
– Include the full measurement words (tablespoon instead of TBS)
– If your recipe has multiple components (sauce, vinaigrette, crust), break up the ingredients with a header to avoid confusion.
– When listing cans or packages, always include their weight/volume in parenthesis- “1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese”
– To simplify method directions, if the preparation of an ingredient is simple, include the description in the ingredient list- “3 eggs, beaten” or “1 shallot, minced”
Next, the Method:
– Avoid being wordy. Keep your directions clear, yet concise.
– Each step should indicate a new paragraph.
– When a recipe has multiple components, separate the methods with different methods just as you would with the ingredient list.
– Describe the size of cookware and tools to be used and the level of heat- “In a small saucepan over medium-low heat…”
– Give a range for cook time and always give additional descriptive cues for doneness- “Roast 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisped.”
– Always list a serving suggestion; including temperature to serve the dish, garnish, and what to serve with it. (if applicable)
 Consider keeping a “kitchen diary” in your kitchen where you can write down original recipes as you cook. I’ve also even recorded myself before so that I don’t have to worry about picking up a pen to jot a measurement down. After writing your recipes, be sure to put them through a testing process to make sure that nothing has slipped through the cracks.
A recipe is something that can last forever & for me it’s like leaving a legacy. It’s also a fantastic and thoughtful gift paired with the dish itself. There is great satisfaction in having a few signature recipes that represent you in the kitchen. Challenge yourself to write your own recipe down and share them with your favorite foodies!
– Thanks a million Caroline! I really appreciate the opportunity.