Wednesday, December 23, 2009

wednesday wishlist

Colorful cooking. I love all these fun, colorful cooking and dining items.























The chef set, page flags to identify recipes found at spoonsisters.com.
Preparation bowl set. I want this set badly. It has 8 pieces, mixing bowls, measuring cups, a sieve and a strainer. All stacked together to save space. Amazing! from josephjoseph.com.
Washable cake doilies from ikea.com.
Cheese knife set and vinyl placemats from patinastores.com.
Chopping board set with 4 color-coded boards, one for each food type to safely prepare foods also found at josephjoseph.com.

Friday, December 18, 2009

get wrapping - idea #4

Buttons, buttons and more buttons! Colorful and fun, they add a wonderful crafty touch to any package. Use interesting vintage buttons, fabric covered buttons or buttons in a variety of colors. Glue or sew them in a row on ribbon. Tie with bakers twine. Create your own gift wrap. The possibilities are endless. Check out these ideas here and let them inspire you.


































Buttons and bows giftwrap - bhg.com
Blue and red button accents via Rachael H - flickr.com
Red button accent via noddyboom - flickr.com
Button gift wrap - marthastewart.com
STELLA+HODGE packaging
Anthropologie 2008 holiday packaging
Ribbon with buttons - bhg.com
Under my tree
Button stamps - marthastewart.com

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

get wrapping - idea #3

Glam up your gifts with brooches. Add a little sparkle with vintage or costume jewelry. All it requires is simple wrap and the brooch can steal the show.





























Images found at:
1. Parents.com
2. Parishotelboutique.blogspot.com
3. Oregonlive.com
4. Bugsandfishes by Lupin's photostream on flickr

wednesday wishlist

Feminine and pretty is what my wishlist is all about this week.



































Tempting Trellis Cardigan has a garden of blooms on front and back - Anthropologie.com

Gorgeous monogram pendants - intrinsik.etsy.com

Reclaimed wool sweater brooch - thejunebride.etsy.com

Beautiful happy campers green floral fabric - iltec.etsy.com

Silver dainty lace inspired ring - bcm999.etsy.com

Button love 8x8 print - lolasroom.etsy.com

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

sweet tooth

I have been wanting one of those giant cupcake pans for a while. I just think they are too cute. Well now I also added a sandwich cookie pan to my list of delightful baking gadgets I need to have. Seriously, how cute. Both can be found at Williams-Sonoma.





get wrapping - idea #2

I found this super fun idea on bugsandfishes.blogspot.com. What an adorably simple way to adorn your packages. Check out her blog post for more photos. She also has a link to this tutorial on how to create these crafty handmade poms.


Monday, December 14, 2009

giveaway winner is...Alex Clark!!

Congrats Alex! I will be contacting you to get your address and find out what name you would like on the bookplates, in case you want to give them as a gift? And get everything all packaged up and shipped to you. Thanks for following my blog and signing up!


Friday, December 11, 2009

STELLA+HODGE has a desktop calendar

Doesn't everyone love cute little calendars. Oh the excitement...a new design for each month. Fun colorful patterns, some that you see on my custom bookplates and some new ones. Have a boring office or cube? This is a great way to jazz it up and add a little style. STELLA+HODGE 2010 desktop calendar




Thursday, December 10, 2009

wednesday wishlist

...on Thursday. Oops. Sorry for being a blog slacker lately. I've been super swamped. Not complaining though, its a good thing! Anyway, so my wishlist this week is filled with die-cut thick felt items great for entertaining.



















I am totally loving the modern look of all of these. The gorgeous colors, unique shapes, love love love them. The first two items, coasters and trivets are from peppersprouts.etsy.com. Totally hip and festive for the holidays. Check out the little deer and fox detailing on the edge of the trivets. Too cute! Then we've got a striking table runner, coasters and trivets from moufelt.etsy.com, which all come in a variety of colors. And last but not least, this genius design is from dimmalimmhome.etsy.com. Coasters and wine glass tags all in one! And they have several designs to choose from. Cheers!

Monday, December 7, 2009

get wrapping - idea #1

I thought I would share some creative gift wrapping ideas I've gathered. I LOVE wrapping gifts. I'm teetering on being obsessed with wrapping paper and all that goes along with it. So I will show some ideas to make your gifts look stunning. I will be trying some along the way as well and will show you my results.

































Monogram gift tags. I LOVE this example of simple solid paper with fun patterned initial tags. You can use recycled holiday cards, patterned paper or just wrapping paper backed with something more sturdy. I've done this before and it is an easy way to personalize a gift and turns out super cute. And the beaded letter accents really dress up a package and make it look elegant. Both ideas from Martha Stewart.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

W7 December sale!

STELLA+HODGE will once again be at the W7 Collective sale this coming weekend. Make sure you check out all the fun stuff. Stop by the social gathering on Friday night for a glass of wine, music and pick up some unique holiday gifts.


Thursday, December 3, 2009

GIVEAWAY come sign up!


I'm thrilled I have passed the 100 sale mark in my shop! In honor of all the wonderful customers I've had, I'm doing a giveaway. One person will be selected at random to receive a couple goodies from my shop. This will include a set of my cute new custom book plates along with this antiqued bronze, black faceted pendant necklace.

To enter the drawing you need to do one of the following, each one will get you one entry.
1. Visit STELLA+HODGE and come back and comment about your favorite thing from my shop.
2. Sign up as a follower of my blog.
3. Become of fan of my facebook page.
4. Blog about this giveaway.
5. Twitter or facebook about this giveaway.

You must come back and comment about what you did with a link and way to get a hold of you. Drawing closes Dec. 11 and winner will be announced on Dec. 14. Good luck!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

wednesday wishlist

This week's list was inspired by my sister in law. She had on this cute flowered t shirt the other day so I thought I would round up some favorite items, neutral in color but adorably cute.





alphabet pillow sewn from recycled suit jackets - hilarycosgrove.etsy.com
faded floral tee - jcrew.com
wool ruffled scarf - fishermansdaughter.etsy.com
faux boot legwarmers - leshasworkshop.etsy.com
armwarmers - fishermansdaughter.etsy.com

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

custom bookplates - great gift for book lovers on your shopping list

I am so excited to have this new item in my shop. As a huge reader, I think this would make the most wonderful gift for all you book lovers out there. Each 2"x2" bookplate has a different pattern that I designed in pretty colors of mint, blue, orange, green and gray. These custom bookplates would be great for book collections or even dvds. Check them out in my shop STELLAandHODGE.etsy.com




Monday, November 30, 2009

shop, swap, and blog!

I got my second swap package! Again, big thanks to Pattie who coordinated everything on her blog MyStructuredChaos.blogspot.com. My second swap partner was Amber from BambuEarth.etsy.com. She has a gorgeous shop with environmentally friendly, natural bath and body products. Wonderful products and unique details. I really love her logo stamp on the soap and the fact that she uses handmade plantable paper for tags and wrapping her soap. Such a unique touch that reinforces her passion for providing natural and earth-friendly products. Check out the pictures of the goodies she sent me and her interview below. Also check out her blog: http://bambuearth.blogspot.com.






About Amber :

My name is Amber, I am the oldest of eight siblings. I grew up in California and in North Carolina and have had the pleasure of experiencing the city and the small town life. I've always had a passion for creating and learning new things. I'm a true jack of all trades and a master of SOME! I often get bored with one endeavor and then move on to the next so you will find I have an array of shops. I stumbled on making bath and body products while trying to find new projects to do with my younger sisters during summer. Friends and family started asking me to make soap for them and eventually it turned into a business!

About products:

I love to reuse lonely forgotten materials to create new surprises that are natural and earth friendly. Bambu Earth is all about all natural handmade bath, body and skincare products. I work hard to combine the best quality exotic ingredients to pamper my customers' skin, hair and nails. My finished products never contain synthetic fragrances or chemicals and are naturally scented and colored with the safest ingredients available. I use recycled handmade (by me!) plantable paper to wrap all of my soaps instead of buying soap boxes or wasting paper by making labels. This way, your soaps come in a unique package, ready for gift-giving! And... it gives twice! Once the soap is unwrapped, you can plant the label directly in soil and grow herbs or flowers.

What she hopes to accomplish:

I love providing my customers with unique, exciting surprises in every order. I'm so blessed to be able to do what I am passionate about and, at the same time, deliver a service to others! I just wish I would have stumbled onto Etsy sooner! I hope to increase awareness about environmentally friendly items and the importance of all natural products.. especially when it comes to putting it on your skin! For example, your skin loves to drink up the glycerine in natural soaps because it draws moisture to the skin. Most commercial, store bought soaps are stripped of glycerine because they take it out to make other products. Most people don't realize that chemicals from body products are absorbed through the skin and are just as important to monitor as what you eat and breathe. I want to make sure I deliver a high quality product to consumers without taking short cuts. People appreciate those little details and the all-natural effort that goes into making my handmade products... That makes it all worth it!


Friday, November 27, 2009

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

wednesday wishlist

What's black and white and yellow all over? These super cute items on my wishlist of course! Love this color combo right now. Modern and bold with a little splash of sun. Perfect for a dreary winter day.




Dress - anthropologie.com
Vintage book page butterfly - wallenvyart.etsy.com
Sunshine bracelet - urbanlegend.etsy.com
Frame pouch - fieldofroses.etsy.com
Porcelain mug - shoshonasnow.etsy.com

Sunday, November 22, 2009

bakers twine galore



I told myself I was not going to buy any new wrapping paper this year, because I seriously have like 20 rolls of wrapping paper. I don't collect pewter or dishes or vintage toys. I collect wrapping paper. And everything that goes along with it.

And I partially blame Martha Stewart. Every year she sucks me in with all her adorable crafts and wonderful ideas. Not to mention her wrapping paper and ribbon. Yes, I bought two more rolls of wrap this weekend.

And then I got sucked in by all the bakers twine that has been taunting me for weeks. I was ecstatic to to find bakers twine in orange and white. Guess what will now be a part of my STELLA + HODGE packaging!

Looking for some ideas how to use bakers twine and where to get it? Visit WhiskerGraphics.etsy.com and  NicePackage.etsy.com (love the name!)





IMAGES
1-4 - WhiskerGraphics
5-7 - NicePackage.etsy.com