tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54542845044760586792024-03-23T05:14:09.086-05:00fair morning blueAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-1404490387557048572013-06-12T10:58:00.003-05:002013-06-12T10:58:54.618-05:00fair morning blue giveaway on The Bright Side Project!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuMO9fu0MaFvi7dVCUjx-cbDKacfZsKmlEgjf9VfIPQH_T1CwY2Qr1-Y_y5ZmuP9hAOjYG0JDrLsYiTABlCDp7xCBaIMBx1UnC5wFWAQGdqbD8rAMfsOumy4PILpCKnD66vKqMvIUBR8/s640/PhotoforTheBrightsideProject.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Hi there and Happy Wednesday. School is out and we are home from a road trip to visit family. The girls and I have been sleeping in, reading good books and spending lots of quality time at the pool. I have something to tell you: Fair Morning Blue is the featured artist on <a href="http://thebrightsideproject.com/" target="_blank">The Bright Side Project</a> today! I've been a fan of the Bright Side Project for a long time now. They have a lovely, cheerful blog - and they host frequent giveaways from amazingly talented artists. The artists get exposure to a wider audience, and lucky blog readers get a chance to win pretty things - a win/win situation if I ever saw one.<br />
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So, The Bright Side Project put together a sweet Sunshine Post about Fair Morning Blue <a href="http://thebrightsideproject.com/sunshine-post-fair-morning-blue/" target="_blank">here</a> - and Fair Morning Blue is giving away the 3 boxed sets of cards shown above <a href="http://thebrightsideproject.com/giveaway-fair-morning-blue/" target="_blank">here</a> - to enter, just leave a comment letting Bright Side Project readers know what you want to be when you grow up (or what dreams you've always wanted to pursue). The contest is open until June 18. I hope you win. :-)<br />
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xo, TracyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-38269533775844868842013-06-10T14:05:00.002-05:002013-06-10T15:16:06.340-05:00let's bring gatherings magazine to print!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Og7GiOsFRWU_iypROGRc1PlndIEnaf3KVQI0hwbDsj47TLkn2b7YLR6h4f5qtehsvQnhy04C7ZF8V8w486fL7LuVzYUeuROXBal8VnzPJY7CBnEFcREvEm1OZn4OPIMsvpsakCCwNgM/s1600/gatheringsimage500x187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Og7GiOsFRWU_iypROGRc1PlndIEnaf3KVQI0hwbDsj47TLkn2b7YLR6h4f5qtehsvQnhy04C7ZF8V8w486fL7LuVzYUeuROXBal8VnzPJY7CBnEFcREvEm1OZn4OPIMsvpsakCCwNgM/s1600/gatheringsimage500x187.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Dearest friends, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For over a year now, I have been very proud & honored to be a contributor to <a href="http://www.heatherspriggs.com/gatherings-magazine/" target="_blank">Gatherings Magazine</a>. Until now, Gatherings has existed as an <a href="http://issuu.com/gatherings/docs/spring13" target="_blank">online publication</a> - as a place for kindred spirits to gather and enjoy inspiring articles about crafting, vintage, food, interiors & styling. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am thrilled to tell you that Gatherings is growing. We have become one of the leading digital lifestyle magazines, and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our growing audience. Under the direction of founder and editor-in-chief Heather Spriggs, we now have the chance to move to print publication! Eeeeep!!!! Friends, this is an amazing opportunity. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A brand new Gatherings Magazine website is in the works, with its own blog. And - the magazine will be available in print, which will make it available to a larger group of readers. I am so excited to think about holding a printed copy of the magazine in my hands and flipping through it on a Saturday morning with my cup of coffee and my kitty cat curled at my feet. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It makes me so, so happy to help build a strong community of women who keep each other company, who encourage each other, who give each other permission to take time to find and to create beauty in the every day world! I would like to invite you to be a part of this community as well by contributing to our <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/314180780/gatherings-magazine-in-print" target="_blank">kickstarter project</a>. For as little as a $20 pledge, you will receive a first edition print copy of the fall issue of Gatherings.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There are only 25 days left to contribute! I would sincerely appreciate your support - and also your help spreading the word about Gatherings. For more information, please check out this video that Heather put together.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">With gratitude, Tracy xo </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/67897715">Gatherings Magazine Kickstart</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user18805691">Heather Spriggs</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-5054485930453660622013-05-15T11:31:00.000-05:002013-05-15T11:31:25.085-05:00new drawings & patterns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FdIF_fy9xljyFotli0Q9W8wd01W_6ph6UFjVXHW1cPNXBluFkp915wCBRKe65v6sYB1DF0xDDZW3FL0zYxQWPGVk7SEqPIvjzZ3Tfq5JuDRQtrb2H_du1QyI7lE477dE-fUzAj6xuaM/s1600/hexagonsplusflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7FdIF_fy9xljyFotli0Q9W8wd01W_6ph6UFjVXHW1cPNXBluFkp915wCBRKe65v6sYB1DF0xDDZW3FL0zYxQWPGVk7SEqPIvjzZ3Tfq5JuDRQtrb2H_du1QyI7lE477dE-fUzAj6xuaM/s640/hexagonsplusflowers.jpg" width="374" /></a></div>
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Hey there, dear friends. I hope things have been going well for you. May is my favorite month. This weekend, we celebrated Mother's Day with waffles, coffee, and a family bike ride. Eli and the girls also gave me the gift of doing lots of the chores around the house and giving me some free time to just play around with drawing and patterns. Here are 2 of my favorites. </div>
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Today, Eli and I celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. Wow - time really does fly when you're having a good time, doesn't it? I am so lucky to be married to such a creative, brilliant, generous and kind man. Eli is such a great dad, he's always ready for an adventure - and he always encourages me to push myself and be gentle with myself in equal measure. He even makes the tedious days bearable - the ones we spend cleaning the garage or figuring out the taxes. I love you, Eli!!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-40872482797989129152013-05-02T14:11:00.002-05:002013-05-02T14:11:25.216-05:00wedding guest books <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPl-lL9zhldeSNeiJ2w0n8Xy6tcOjj8I_8bW__FH2EhsIcKkzivgcN5PGP1AwCMkw-TU9PSC2BqyLDWS09muxLYN4JM_un8oHjzUzdsMuBSlQhHkrjEjZnTzVHQUkHX-SqBmGkcU8Qmo/s1600/dearlybelovedguestbooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPl-lL9zhldeSNeiJ2w0n8Xy6tcOjj8I_8bW__FH2EhsIcKkzivgcN5PGP1AwCMkw-TU9PSC2BqyLDWS09muxLYN4JM_un8oHjzUzdsMuBSlQhHkrjEjZnTzVHQUkHX-SqBmGkcU8Qmo/s400/dearlybelovedguestbooks.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Just wanted to show you the kraft paper guest books I made for <a href="http://mockingbirddomestics.com/" target="_blank">Mockingbird Domestic</a>'s new wedding registry. They are having a big launch party tonight in their lovely shop from 6- 8. I hope to see you there!<br />
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For the guest books, I designed rubber stamps for the calligraphy and a few of the starts. Then, I bound the books with black linen bookbinders thread. For the inside, I used a very delicate Crane 100% cotton paper. It feels soooo good! I may never go back to regular paper.<br />
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xo, TracyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-75146123288089011012013-03-28T10:17:00.004-05:002013-03-28T10:31:08.070-05:00New Hand-Stamped Sundry Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBIAcBFfClkh9o8eWuzgEuhdv_yor1UnnYYGxIxzC3VYcVFWsWYsAnTa846710qiC_Y2ErjMsPFdShqT16ewpQyfIVr2mpgmXBDhMtC1JYxcZ0oDvN0vcIRWXfZ_4RZzEZUXN-pufrJk/s1600/Yellow+Black+Triangle+Sundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBIAcBFfClkh9o8eWuzgEuhdv_yor1UnnYYGxIxzC3VYcVFWsWYsAnTa846710qiC_Y2ErjMsPFdShqT16ewpQyfIVr2mpgmXBDhMtC1JYxcZ0oDvN0vcIRWXfZ_4RZzEZUXN-pufrJk/s640/Yellow+Black+Triangle+Sundry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have been making <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/127692569/hand-stamped-canvas-sundry-bag-with?ref=shop_home_active" target="_blank">little sundry bags</a> again. I am thinking about the things I would like to display at West Elm for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/585324098159752/" target="_blank">Etsy Pop-Up Shop</a>. And, as an experiment, I started carving little stamps out of erasers - like we did at the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/krankpress" target="_blank">Krank Press</a> workshop I attended last fall. I have been stamping little patterns on canvas. They are not sophisticated. In fact, they are kind of sloppy. But I realized that I actually love their imperfections. Here is my first sundry bag from my hand stamped canvas. I lined it with some muslin that I dip dyed with Rit Dye fuchsia last fall. I added a shiny metal zipper - and just for fun a little pom pom. Such fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mMVbuJkN31QL5DDRssOxZbg3pE4SXKf-bPrBBClfaQf8BTJXypPHhDHurGF7PQHYbknOdXUXmnhN9LopJhs6E-UYChAwxFg0ySVYgtkQfoxRc-z1pTD06zBY4rFqpAc7wY8K9VuSi0I/s1600/Yellow+Black+Sundry+Unzipped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mMVbuJkN31QL5DDRssOxZbg3pE4SXKf-bPrBBClfaQf8BTJXypPHhDHurGF7PQHYbknOdXUXmnhN9LopJhs6E-UYChAwxFg0ySVYgtkQfoxRc-z1pTD06zBY4rFqpAc7wY8K9VuSi0I/s640/Yellow+Black+Sundry+Unzipped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNZgurdo49ToDWxzmIM__vgLqmURRjXevnOm-Df2sSa6KhuzfTDJ1oN5pSFHTF7dUwo3DDo1PyyyuvxdiAo8IgaS-tO1gt9eoD1Zr8bzchNlRpRy4PQPVqwDUMze7mYORJhIx9KQNTUE/s1600/Yellow+Black+Sundry+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNZgurdo49ToDWxzmIM__vgLqmURRjXevnOm-Df2sSa6KhuzfTDJ1oN5pSFHTF7dUwo3DDo1PyyyuvxdiAo8IgaS-tO1gt9eoD1Zr8bzchNlRpRy4PQPVqwDUMze7mYORJhIx9KQNTUE/s640/Yellow+Black+Sundry+Back.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-69124831994270279102013-03-21T12:29:00.001-05:002013-03-21T12:29:55.379-05:00etsy pop-up at west elm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnmDsbAvGkZGf-GJRa4FdhlfE0EunkMqPWyUTDPfAhp0wcuHc2kZNluxnpE6nFlRXtVKA8a5D31Ggy0QVEhdf_moBIY_8ppBIfThE41SwbiT1UoAN2r4nF_hy4Dz7LGWC3ohBVITkZ34/s1600/EtsyAustin_Invitation.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnmDsbAvGkZGf-GJRa4FdhlfE0EunkMqPWyUTDPfAhp0wcuHc2kZNluxnpE6nFlRXtVKA8a5D31Ggy0QVEhdf_moBIY_8ppBIfThE41SwbiT1UoAN2r4nF_hy4Dz7LGWC3ohBVITkZ34/s640/EtsyAustin_Invitation.jpg" width="576" /></a><br />
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Hi there. I am so excited to be participating in this <a href="http://blog.westelm.com/2013/03/01/etsy-pop-up-at-west-elm-austin-curated-by-camille-styles/" target="_blank">Etsy pop-up</a> at <a href="http://westelm.com/" target="_blank">West Elm</a> here in Austin in a few weeks. It's on April 6. If you are in town, I do hope you will come say hi. Yummy snacks will be served :) RSVP to the event on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/585324098159752/" target="_blank">here</a>, and share the invitation with your friends. </div>
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Many thanks to <a href="http://camillestyles.com/" target="_blank">Camille Styles</a> for curating the event. I am just giddy about it. I've been stocking up on ink, paper & envelopes and now I'm busy cutting and folding cards. I'm even going to break out the sewing mating this weekend. </div>
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Now, if I can just figure out what to wear...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-71135603488193301012013-03-10T15:48:00.001-05:002013-03-10T15:50:14.813-05:00Fair Morning Blue 2013 Wholesale Catalog I put together a Fair Morning Blue catalog! Take a look:
<div data-configid="7548184/1708509" style="width: 525px; height: 340px;" class="issuuembed"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="//e.issuu.com/embed.js" async="true"></script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-2622899215881129092013-02-15T19:50:00.001-06:002013-02-15T19:50:09.008-06:00Happy Birthday to Clarissa Ruth!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuRkS6WwI9iqDfdSz5-F45o1I-0e6-oApopJuDJSPHbaiDgmppFFDZe9DWwTGtMyUH8uI24Nq6WDP0m-N-DXE9tJTQfqWrS8VeqXowFfdV_Iu3CsBC2Aw4WNnSVarTIye7DGs_Bsru0M/s1600/1favorbags.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">Howdy! It's been almost two weeks since we celebrated Clarissa's 8th birthday. I've been meaning to post these photos, but Valentine's Day got in the way. Better late than never, right? Clarissa had six dear friends over for the afternoon. They decorated paper crowns, played tag outside, and generally chased each other from room to room and from the backyard to the front. It was a noisy, cheerful crowd. Eli baked and frosted these yummy cupcakes & we put out sprinkles so our guests could decorate their own little cakes. The kitten and yarn cupcake liners and toppers were a sweet gift from Clarissa's Aunt Zoe. All four of us had a lovely day chatting with good friends and enjoying the Texas sunshine. Happy birthday to our dear, sweet Clarissa Ruth! I can't believe you're already eight, nor can I believe that in only a week, Ella will be twelve. We'll see if she'll allow me to snap photos at her party! <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7pOOYrdIvuc6MIwYZcAmDpG3S3-FxWbQ7-8udv_NoSpkYHvnbvqyG8U2Nd2-w8Bd5QDnO99AbtiKVI7NA6leJsfBrmFW9vY1nFyURI0me7HqxWkzxzKJGHNutSKxklEf6reXWVZLjik/s1600/2cupcakes.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDmH7TVauD91OqcshkqCqnLtLgtS8tkPnMsqEH4HYb-w_V0ICwJ08DlgeRKeAoYZ4LgabjRdV3TI39GuMZUOHsdw9jKaI2RpcFScVLIRuMSbBsv-YPlKyKQzWCcjdLoJfbZPZLvrcEAo/s1600/3sprinkles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIefsxjmjCuOptrj4ZlMt6FyGdRZgQ9Jofp7KR7NNnm8JG6BjlM6x7Z5B9Ul37VQqMV1gJnPoWymHCWO3GGgUMzhq5Jjl53YQ3NmJnD1-MpMN_q0ONDFqMFMuw2U5J6r8OA6-APzR3ZA/s1600/5ella'scupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIefsxjmjCuOptrj4ZlMt6FyGdRZgQ9Jofp7KR7NNnm8JG6BjlM6x7Z5B9Ul37VQqMV1gJnPoWymHCWO3GGgUMzhq5Jjl53YQ3NmJnD1-MpMN_q0ONDFqMFMuw2U5J6r8OA6-APzR3ZA/s1600/5ella'scupcake.jpg" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkokTR40lOwZ5aObR7lWnq4zQKdY-f_uiYkdMeNKTALwbUTDMCp1G2n1RT8riQYYWyUYij53zhUrQshc-baCxxz-e3UAOGBne4NtzVJ2moY2oXk9rFEaje0zQCIct14FD8nmu7Q0XUqSE/s1600/4decoratedcupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkokTR40lOwZ5aObR7lWnq4zQKdY-f_uiYkdMeNKTALwbUTDMCp1G2n1RT8riQYYWyUYij53zhUrQshc-baCxxz-e3UAOGBne4NtzVJ2moY2oXk9rFEaje0zQCIct14FD8nmu7Q0XUqSE/s1600/4decoratedcupcake.jpg" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiAFITZEFYpkproehXNQF-xjBmAZPNVifJovQOzCEJcEf1aZD6qdsY_u1kRwaOpyacECK5WbJ_hdqwI9J6cEjKM3avJsYPJ4SqA8CoEUhtfufPR5-T84EYf1QTXqRBb68vjYC7CD0PyY/s1600/6blowingoutcandles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiAFITZEFYpkproehXNQF-xjBmAZPNVifJovQOzCEJcEf1aZD6qdsY_u1kRwaOpyacECK5WbJ_hdqwI9J6cEjKM3avJsYPJ4SqA8CoEUhtfufPR5-T84EYf1QTXqRBb68vjYC7CD0PyY/s1600/6blowingoutcandles.jpg" /></a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-89495593842639025532013-02-05T12:09:00.001-06:002013-02-05T12:09:46.867-06:00valentines <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyRq_J_0cflzUk4e9T_ElaGm2bt4ao8h4SNI1pzrlRyCAC6jxb6EYo7LsMJku3zX3pjc7LbNVy98JSvxwbtPFJZCiHDgVftGN34XeC-4kfpGeeMFm3WiweAZqP0xFdsMetkQbcpv3_EM/s1600/2013+Valentines+for+Etsy_edited-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyRq_J_0cflzUk4e9T_ElaGm2bt4ao8h4SNI1pzrlRyCAC6jxb6EYo7LsMJku3zX3pjc7LbNVy98JSvxwbtPFJZCiHDgVftGN34XeC-4kfpGeeMFm3WiweAZqP0xFdsMetkQbcpv3_EM/s640/2013+Valentines+for+Etsy_edited-1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just popping in to share this year's Fair Morning Blue valentines with you. They are available in <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/120169788/fair-morning-blue-valentine-cards-set-of" target="_blank">my shop</a> as a set of four, or individually. For Christmas this year, Santa brought me a Wacom bamboo drawing tablet. This is the best gift ever! My valentines are the first things I've drawn with it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0O2oZurSkXgbewR2pB1Dlk0oRj5q-GvddOwpPtb-UGh853aa43Vofq8q_louMd8rGL09dDDF_4n3CFSVXDeVF31bsBkUvNBrPQH6AFlQo2I1pExW93zuMfIhLhaKv-__btWulEC_bFg/s1600/santafeinpink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0O2oZurSkXgbewR2pB1Dlk0oRj5q-GvddOwpPtb-UGh853aa43Vofq8q_louMd8rGL09dDDF_4n3CFSVXDeVF31bsBkUvNBrPQH6AFlQo2I1pExW93zuMfIhLhaKv-__btWulEC_bFg/s640/santafeinpink.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Also, in honor of Valentine's Day, I've turned my Santa Fe Summer cards pink! I think I just might like these better than the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/101320582/santa-fe-summer-set-of-4-blank-cards" target="_blank">originals</a>. Oh, and I made one more set of valentines, this time in Spanish. "Para mi cariño" means "for my sweetie" and of course "te quiero" is "I love you."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjNcR2m-o3IvaeO3gJsg5cmORb7HhJSD_mF4pW6ljT12foaxxwpw3ryWr68hRW0iXGegxpXrE90v8MpwiHVVN211hy82TrPK5fauQePErmOwYp2HDYPmgrWLsosOkHnxvJ_DJcTRhwco/s1600/paramicarinovalentinephoto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjNcR2m-o3IvaeO3gJsg5cmORb7HhJSD_mF4pW6ljT12foaxxwpw3ryWr68hRW0iXGegxpXrE90v8MpwiHVVN211hy82TrPK5fauQePErmOwYp2HDYPmgrWLsosOkHnxvJ_DJcTRhwco/s640/paramicarinovalentinephoto.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Do you celebrate St. Valentine's Day? I adore the crafting / flowers / chocolate / hearts side of Valentines, but Eli is usually out of town - and Valentine's Day falls right between one daughter's birthday and the other's, so we don't save up our romantic dates for this time of year. Romance is for all year long, right? :-)</div>
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Back soon. With valentines smooches and love, Tracy</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-80295564092948298302013-01-08T11:35:00.000-06:002013-01-08T11:52:56.795-06:00gatherings magazine - white issue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UDCKVJaLxjs_VIrf_iO5ahhXx3ZOjHXwwZVacyJWabkEq9lHpnLS-4eAAnej3xOgpoXePriLnVtX0kGUUsqbXx671s8XR7S4-7DDXDyDv3TXcFwZgBNTb96aByj10VWEgp6md6NDa30/s1600/valentinesinspiration_edited-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UDCKVJaLxjs_VIrf_iO5ahhXx3ZOjHXwwZVacyJWabkEq9lHpnLS-4eAAnej3xOgpoXePriLnVtX0kGUUsqbXx671s8XR7S4-7DDXDyDv3TXcFwZgBNTb96aByj10VWEgp6md6NDa30/s640/valentinesinspiration_edited-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Hello, friends. The latest issue of <a href="http://www.heatherspriggs.com/gatherings-magazine/" target="_blank">Gatherings Magazine</a> is out - take a look! This is the annual white issue and it's busting with delicate, pale beauty and inspiration. I'm pleased to tell you that Fair Morning Blue contributed a few valentines for this issue - find them starting on page 83. PDFs of the cards I designed are available to download right <a href="http://www.fairmorningblue.com/p/free-valentine-downloads.html" target="_blank">here</a> on my blog. I suggest buying a pack of inexpensive, white 4" X 5.5" card stock cards & envelopes at the craft store and printing directly onto them. (I bought mine at Michaels. The brand is Recollections.)Here are the ones I decorated:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SdSrvCQO5YmlGCQlNVR5wxtYWHtLl6bw-2g_HjjhWIEcvm4W6cAccSd3b8X2pqJ07uL2D7g4NlrSevI0giFqub9qJmu0eyo0Y3thgfjHVPqjiifQOKMWWJymrIV9J1OR3mhmyqHIlcc/s1600/allvalentines2013_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SdSrvCQO5YmlGCQlNVR5wxtYWHtLl6bw-2g_HjjhWIEcvm4W6cAccSd3b8X2pqJ07uL2D7g4NlrSevI0giFqub9qJmu0eyo0Y3thgfjHVPqjiifQOKMWWJymrIV9J1OR3mhmyqHIlcc/s640/allvalentines2013_edited-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You are welcome to print these cards and decorate them any way you'd like - I'd love to see! It is not ok to sell them, though.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-43620864146725451222013-01-01T23:14:00.000-06:002013-01-01T23:17:36.743-06:00a fresh start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkJ0u8IsCj0O2ngZ7Ny93DGitquq5DblawztFgejv9wHhcyx_KqQ4RRFaf3O7WweV4xy2F-pawTqN9i3D4egjBAK0XWKEr3aO790G9n51eH2cQCUV1FFYRtZDTXF4FlmmYmWYMoOutwo/s1600/Blog1-1-2013_edited-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkJ0u8IsCj0O2ngZ7Ny93DGitquq5DblawztFgejv9wHhcyx_KqQ4RRFaf3O7WweV4xy2F-pawTqN9i3D4egjBAK0XWKEr3aO790G9n51eH2cQCUV1FFYRtZDTXF4FlmmYmWYMoOutwo/s1600/Blog1-1-2013_edited-1.png" /></a></div>
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Hello dear friends. I'm sending you my best wishes for a new year filled with happiness & good health. May 2013 be the best year yet! </div>
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The beginning of the new year finds me in the mood to clear away the old, and make room for the new. In that spirit, we have made several trips to the Good Will over this holiday break - and I spent a good part of my New Year's Eve deleting old files from my hard drive. As I went about this task, I started a new folder to contain my favorite images saved to my desktop, the ones I wasn't ready to delete even though I know they are saved elsewhere. When I was done, I was startled to discover that all the images complimented each other quite nicely. I decided to make them into a little collage, as you can see above.</div>
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I'm curious - do you have goals or resolutions for this brand new year? I adore fresh starts and second chances. It's never too late to start living our dreams, wouldn't you agree? I am grateful for this chance to break from my daily routine and think about how very grateful I am for what 2012 brought, and to consider what steps I can take to make 2013 even brighter and better.</div>
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Fair Morning Blue opened as an Etsy shop a short 14 months ago. In 2012, I began writing a <a href="http://poppytalk.blogspot.ca/search/label/Dispatches%20from%20Austin" target="_blank">Dispatches from Austin</a> column for the amazing Canadian design blog, <a href="http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Poppytalk</a>. I also joined <a href="http://www.heatherspriggs.com/gatherings-magazine/" target="_blank">Gatherings Magazine</a> as a contributor. And - Fair Morning Blue went wholesale: you can now purchase FMB paper goods and linen bags in Austin at <a href="http://paperpartyshop.com/" target="_blank">Paper Party</a> and at <a href="http://www.mockingbirddomestics.com/" target="_blank">Mockingbird Domestics</a>. And - if you happen to be in Park Slope, you can stop by <a href="http://www.poppynyc.com/" target="_blank">Poppy</a> to pick up FMB stationery. In November, we were thrilled to participate in the <a href="https://www.renegadecraft.com/austin-holiday" target="_blank">Renegade Craft Fair</a>. I am very proud and thankful for all the goodness that came my way in 2012.</div>
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I approach 2013 with two big goals: to create and to find calmness. I am challenging myself to push creative boundaries, to make the very best art I am capable of, and to connect with a community of artistic, likeminded souls. On the other hand, I am committed to taking the time to find calmness and to live in the moment. This includes being healthy (exercise, nutrition, rest), taking time to play with family & friends, and also tending to those pesky little chores & organizational tasks that make everything go more smoothly.</div>
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I would love to hear your resolutions or intentions for the year ahead. I can't wait to see how lucky 2013 unfolds for all of us. </div>
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Affectionately,</div>
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Tracy</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-22217196939324751752012-10-16T14:41:00.002-05:002012-10-16T14:41:27.815-05:00holiday card 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgo8RqgiqSenyQVkpZdGVHqosrzhgELKkrcOdNOW2NGjZIjnSK5GSEcJwSaNU6w15QbxBXYGT5AnKRkvohTYQoNXCpZd6nc4s8RFLzgLrdv7URxWUjXZljIkDf4EG0tP6aT-nOAkOeCE/s1600/snapshotofholidaycard2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgo8RqgiqSenyQVkpZdGVHqosrzhgELKkrcOdNOW2NGjZIjnSK5GSEcJwSaNU6w15QbxBXYGT5AnKRkvohTYQoNXCpZd6nc4s8RFLzgLrdv7URxWUjXZljIkDf4EG0tP6aT-nOAkOeCE/s640/snapshotofholidaycard2012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I spent the morning working on my 2012 holiday card. Here's a sneak peek. I can't believe it's only a little over two months till Christmas. I know the time is going to fly by.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-70338579593834860272012-10-11T00:58:00.001-05:002012-10-11T00:58:57.720-05:00new notebooks & good news!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNWz-TXo1TJLbrwhFKX-HDkjjaOAAAqHcILvuSgCgIcXfG6Hq0a4oF-anPQbHhQ3uO3nfo4-gBsLP_0KNQfO8d-zoph1flXBZHTJBKqFNgQo7Pbt05Fv4qFF9Ou_1MO0CUtmD47gDsbs/s1600/binding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNWz-TXo1TJLbrwhFKX-HDkjjaOAAAqHcILvuSgCgIcXfG6Hq0a4oF-anPQbHhQ3uO3nfo4-gBsLP_0KNQfO8d-zoph1flXBZHTJBKqFNgQo7Pbt05Fv4qFF9Ou_1MO0CUtmD47gDsbs/s1600/binding.jpg" /></a></div>
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Hello, dear friends. I am just popping in to show you some snapshots of my new notebooks - soon to be up in my <a href="http://fairmorningblue.etsy.com/" target="_blank">shop</a>! When I sat down to think up what kind of notebooks I would like to carry around in my bag, what kind of notes I have a tendency to jot down throughout my day, this is what I came up with! The inside pages are graph paper from the office supply store.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cY-kPK86W-kbQb-KykpH_tgVsA27IOgmzrWhaEPP4HPO25Aisa9cqGeZWedY93pzSFmARB-1N5-zdj47hxop0zCPttqn61MsHmmuXPpluc2CSF7DRoZUXuh_K06dbnsm_AhlQYz-URM/s1600/daydreamsnotebooksall4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cY-kPK86W-kbQb-KykpH_tgVsA27IOgmzrWhaEPP4HPO25Aisa9cqGeZWedY93pzSFmARB-1N5-zdj47hxop0zCPttqn61MsHmmuXPpluc2CSF7DRoZUXuh_K06dbnsm_AhlQYz-URM/s1600/daydreamsnotebooksall4.jpg" /></a></div>
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Also, I have exciting news to share with you! Fair Morning Blue is going to have a booth at the <a href="http://www.renegadecraft.com/" target="_blank">Renegade Craft Fair</a> this year! I am just giddy about this!! I have so much to do over the next 7 weeks: making inventory, figuring out the display, ordering business cards. Eeeeep! I can't believe this is really happening. Renegade comes to Austin November 24th & 25th this year - Thanksgiving weekend! If you're nearby, I hope you'll come say hi.<br />
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Ok. It's past my bedtime. But I will be back soon.<br />
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All the best, TracyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-14612770685915929712012-09-20T10:46:00.005-05:002012-09-20T10:46:47.267-05:00walking around the natural gardener<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHOwjiXzVokIu5BNGXXqtM8kGLB8fYMX1dA3EhGPsD6Htd9XkxKMePOAzDfYCTvI4y6DCRpyltz9P14lvN77qIQtCzKktp3G-VsF39emkMhJKGKvowYH4_DDSwUCVuYWcFxUAmmcRSW4/s1600/NaturalGardener1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHOwjiXzVokIu5BNGXXqtM8kGLB8fYMX1dA3EhGPsD6Htd9XkxKMePOAzDfYCTvI4y6DCRpyltz9P14lvN77qIQtCzKktp3G-VsF39emkMhJKGKvowYH4_DDSwUCVuYWcFxUAmmcRSW4/s1600/NaturalGardener1.jpg" /></a></div>
Hello! I thought I'd drop in with a few shots I took yesterday as I walked around the <a href="http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/" target="_blank">Natural Gardener</a>. The Natural Gardener is far and away my all time favorite nursery. It's such a beautiful and friendly spot - the staff is very knowledgable and generous with their good advice. I love the days that we go there with a shopping list, and ride home with a car full of compost, mulch and pretty new plants.<br />
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But it's actually such a lovely spot, that sometimes I stop by even when I'm not shopping for gardening supplies. They have meandering paths to wander, rope swings, donkeys, goats, and chickens. They also have a labyrinth. And a teepee. When I feel the seasons begin to shift, and I'm longing to spend some time outside, this is one of my favorite places to visit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfAimb1uTdg1JeAutUr1Bb77tBUsyi8N37bvMStmVD-ji9qTcdawsqpWMvUyrwMWSBVzP2eMAPU_T0-t0-OqrWrOCx18xxa8_pteL-zZRiLdfNULlTVYEsWDF3Z8KJr-QurDKeas_9uM/s1600/NaturalGardener3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfAimb1uTdg1JeAutUr1Bb77tBUsyi8N37bvMStmVD-ji9qTcdawsqpWMvUyrwMWSBVzP2eMAPU_T0-t0-OqrWrOCx18xxa8_pteL-zZRiLdfNULlTVYEsWDF3Z8KJr-QurDKeas_9uM/s1600/NaturalGardener3.jpg" /></a></div>
In fact, early last April, when I was wandering around with my camera, <a href="http://www.fairmorningblue.com/2012/04/on-spring-fever-in-texas.html" target="_blank">recording the first buds of spring</a>, I spent the better part of a morning here admiring the pink, new apple blossoms. Apples in Texas?! How do they manage that?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6eSAeHJToyoir91w75AdsylMJE9gTX0hvZWhIihkwDbya1ymiHpLKxzzt8uJ7X8BUkB6FxgdcrLsMN3NYWL8MeNP0ofdBOTS_kJtbn7EcE406pNWfKVLOiF0-PSjnU0Vj4NpJm_3xFA/s1600/NaturalGardener4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6eSAeHJToyoir91w75AdsylMJE9gTX0hvZWhIihkwDbya1ymiHpLKxzzt8uJ7X8BUkB6FxgdcrLsMN3NYWL8MeNP0ofdBOTS_kJtbn7EcE406pNWfKVLOiF0-PSjnU0Vj4NpJm_3xFA/s1600/NaturalGardener4.jpg" /></a></div>
So, as you can see, fall in Central Texas is not the children's library book depiction of autumn. Not many leaves are turning orange or red, nor are they falling down and scattering across lawns. We do not need long sleeves or jackets yet. The sunlight is bright as ever, and many native plants are in full bloom. It is finally cool enough to turn off the air conditioner at night, and sleep with the windows open. And school is back in school swing. The grocery stores are stocked with pumpkins and gourds.<br />
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And fall is a very good time to plant veggies here. Clarissa has been especially eager to get outside and garden, especially since we didn't do a spring garden because we were away most of the summer. Early October is the best time to put in carrots, radishes, beets, and spinach. Oh, and if we plant sweet peas and poppies, they will hang out all winter and then bloom around Easter time! Hmm. Sounds like we've got some gardening to do. I hope this little note finds you well.<br />
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Fondly, TracyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-9016372082127841362012-09-14T10:31:00.002-05:002012-09-14T10:36:56.013-05:00friday retrospective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxUxfXkm2U1159o-YKOQDj_KYSy6PsfOXj0DdHBpkYy7y6fpCvacYk7iTNTyl0tFL_7O6yRPae3P1Hrycse2dWC_NXJxHhXtobXoIgOzeZLJxej8elAcyS03sMmIqJb4RFiU6UeDMojQ/s1600/elcosmicotrailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxUxfXkm2U1159o-YKOQDj_KYSy6PsfOXj0DdHBpkYy7y6fpCvacYk7iTNTyl0tFL_7O6yRPae3P1Hrycse2dWC_NXJxHhXtobXoIgOzeZLJxej8elAcyS03sMmIqJb4RFiU6UeDMojQ/s1600/elcosmicotrailer.jpg" /></a></div>
Here it is Friday already. It's been a fun week. There are so many awesome things going on in and around Austin. Here are just a few:<br />
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- <a href="https://www.mockingbirddomestics.com/A-Grand-Opening_b_62.html" target="_blank">Mockingbird Domestics</a> opens tomorrow on S. Lamar! I'm excited to attend their grand opening - complete with artisan demos, ice cream from <a href="http://ilikelick.com/" target="_blank">Lick</a>, and even a giveaway.</div>
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- <a href="http://elcosmico.com/festival2012.php" target="_blank">The Trans-Pecos Festival of Music and Art</a> is in just a couple of weeks out at <a href="http://elcosmico.com/" target="_blank">El Cosmico</a> in Marfa. This year, Austin's own <a href="http://www.girlsguild.com/" target="_blank">GirlsGuild</a> is bringing out some local artists to hold workshops during the festival. You can read all about it in my <a href="http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2012/09/dispatches-from-austin-trans-pecos.html" target="_blank">Dispatches from Austin</a> post on Poppytalk. </div>
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- The AIA (American Institute of Architecture) <a href="https://www.aiaaustin.org/event/26th-annual-aia-austin-homes-tour" target="_blank">Austin Homes Tour</a> is coming up October 6&7. Tickets are on sale now. Thirteen new or newly renovated homes across Austin, all open for a weekend long self guided tour. So fun!</div>
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- The Round Top Antiques Fair is October 3 - 6 this year. I had so much fun with my mom last year, and hope we can go again this year. Round Top is a tiny town about halfway between Austin and Houston. I was amazed by the enormous crowds and the sea of vendors. Maybe this year, we'll make it to <a href="http://royersroundtopcafe.com/" target="_blank">Royer's Round Top Cafe</a> for pie.</div>
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Ok. I'm off for now. Talk soon.</div>
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Fondly, Tracy</div>
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image of amazing trailer via: <a href="http://elcosmico.com/" target="_blank">El Cosmico</a>, where the Trans-Pecos Gathering will be. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-27161238641689003982012-09-13T22:16:00.001-05:002012-09-13T22:16:49.398-05:00chore-filled, rainy day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a7_ugyu4Url8lRpRajYorJg-HEaQMI4Bbdb2SfW2VGgIUUYjJPGBnZHZpdN0TxlE12Rln8RrNLsdyXALG6zqw3bC0avzzXnhb6O-JL82vjv6znfGxsLH8zfIyfr5zFfRVxT0sCD7TV4/s1600/fabricstore" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a7_ugyu4Url8lRpRajYorJg-HEaQMI4Bbdb2SfW2VGgIUUYjJPGBnZHZpdN0TxlE12Rln8RrNLsdyXALG6zqw3bC0avzzXnhb6O-JL82vjv6znfGxsLH8zfIyfr5zFfRVxT0sCD7TV4/s640/fabricstore" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the first time since I can't remember when, it was blustery and stormy in Austin today. And - after a week of making things like mad, I took today off of Fair Morning Blue to acquire groceries, do laundry, pay bills, and the like. Such pesky chores, but things were getting a bit desperate around here. It was lovely to attend to these tasks while listening to the rumbly thunder - and to use my new car's windshield wipers for the first time. I'm still learning to balance the responsibilities of taking care of a family with the commitment I've made to Fair Morning Blue. I was reluctant to step away from being creative for a whole day, but I think it did me good to take a bit of time to reflect on my plans for the next month or two. Plus - it is such a relief to go to bed knowing we have plenty of food to eat and a fresh supply of clean clothes to wear. </div>
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I left a few minutes early to get the girls from school this afternoon, hoping to treat myself with a small adventure. As it happens, I discovered a very cute fabric store just a stone's throw from my daughters' school. Unfortunately, they stock mostly fabric for apparel, not the lightweight cottons and linens I was hoping for. But I found some sweet wooden buttons. On my way out, I snapped both of these Instagram photos with my phone. Somehow, they capture the feeling of this chore-filled, rainy day.</div>
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xo, Tracy</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-80037334077674366812012-09-12T12:12:00.000-05:002012-09-12T12:12:29.397-05:00new linen fabric pencil cases in my shop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVldWDHJ9LZTDTOxI5AdhaiA9XZnLayU75Px4_pyORwttNeyp0tjzE3GQ6zbsGycnj0BA7FlChJz-KwKLIvkE0Zm1XUVwbTucSBvhapFcye4m21c4UtKDhdEI0XrXfdkns1KD8hrf0-M/s1600/threeclosedbags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVldWDHJ9LZTDTOxI5AdhaiA9XZnLayU75Px4_pyORwttNeyp0tjzE3GQ6zbsGycnj0BA7FlChJz-KwKLIvkE0Zm1XUVwbTucSBvhapFcye4m21c4UtKDhdEI0XrXfdkns1KD8hrf0-M/s1600/threeclosedbags.jpg" /></a></div>
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I spent the better part of yesterday putting together these new pencil bags. This is the first fabric item I've ever designed myself, instead of using a pattern. It took a good part of the morning to puzzle out how to make the bag look how I imagined it. The tricky part was the fold over flap. I sketched, added seam allowances, and made a few false starts, but finally I ended up with just what I intended. And each one I make goes a little quicker.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65wgkZXnK-zn_jWA5J9jtKdBDBqDZ6bMnIS3nJSoJxBocw1XG2tObm3F6EfQDxkiz2ayxQ9tZGxkm0N7RhI3mC1Syv1wh2S4LX2hvpn6er1SqnWdUJpIXZY5wQ85kNK0kV34SMJKT_fg/s1600/allthreegreypolkaopen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65wgkZXnK-zn_jWA5J9jtKdBDBqDZ6bMnIS3nJSoJxBocw1XG2tObm3F6EfQDxkiz2ayxQ9tZGxkm0N7RhI3mC1Syv1wh2S4LX2hvpn6er1SqnWdUJpIXZY5wQ85kNK0kV34SMJKT_fg/s1600/allthreegreypolkaopen.jpg" /></a></div>
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My mother-in-law lives near a lovely little antique mall, and she sent me the vintage buttons I used. I enjoyed using brightly colored thread to sew them on.<br />
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I just posted the bags in my etsy shop <a href="http://fairmorningblue.etsy.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. I also added a free shipping code: SHIPPINGFREE. Unlike my cards, I can't just renew these listings when they sell. No two are alike! But I am on the lookout for more buttons, and plan to make more as we get closer to the holidays. Back again soon.<br />
All the best, Tracy<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-2198692691745112312012-09-05T11:14:00.002-05:002012-09-05T11:14:58.093-05:00early september comfort food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnq19zkhvKU49hCCl3QeKLIdawxcW4_ZzICj618__yHsdcdR7270MCqecCJTLP3wj53gbBWJ0AHdK0ORDWT6Kl9c5fuPWnUutUo5shWIyw5-O-vNxRINOEgIlV3kbFmRKxriXU12wgaI/s1600/Pot+Pie+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnq19zkhvKU49hCCl3QeKLIdawxcW4_ZzICj618__yHsdcdR7270MCqecCJTLP3wj53gbBWJ0AHdK0ORDWT6Kl9c5fuPWnUutUo5shWIyw5-O-vNxRINOEgIlV3kbFmRKxriXU12wgaI/s1600/Pot+Pie+1.jpg" /></a></div>
I am fortunate to be married to a <a href="http://www.grubbus.com/" target="_blank">serious foodie</a> - and quite content to spend my weekends focused on other things while my sweetheart plans and prepares our meals. He even returns to work each week with our fridge stocked full of yummy leftovers. When we run out of leftovers, the girls and I muddle through the rest of our week with quesadillas, Annie's mac and cheese and take out until Eli comes back to cook for us again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeL020i7DQvqzl5etBK7MSg-65t2hdg990EMlQL_2fWaG_npzFlPo5j29FM0tXbE6HU4qpnZrX3AcVic1utJbReelQQQzJT-C7PfwQnFbvTMqRvgamjBYNA1ZuhlY5ASvs2qBd06W0ZA/s1600/pot+pie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeL020i7DQvqzl5etBK7MSg-65t2hdg990EMlQL_2fWaG_npzFlPo5j29FM0tXbE6HU4qpnZrX3AcVic1utJbReelQQQzJT-C7PfwQnFbvTMqRvgamjBYNA1ZuhlY5ASvs2qBd06W0ZA/s1600/pot+pie+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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But over Labor Day weekend, Ella was idly flipping through Mark Bittman's "<a href="http://www.howtocookeverything.com/" target="_blank">How to Cook Everything</a>" and lingered over a recipe for chicken pot pie. When I was a kid, we ate Swanson's frozen chicken pot pies sometimes, and suddenly I felt motivated to have chicken pot pie again after a decade or two, but this time from scratch. How hard could it be, right?</div>
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I began my day with a trip to Whole Foods, and brought home all the ingredients I would need, including a 5 pound roaster chicken. As I went about my sewing and card making, the chicken boiled away in the kitchen. It smelled so good! Before I went to meet the girls at their departure from school, I made the tart dough and prepped the filling: chicken, pearl onions, carrots, potatoes, sage - all cooked in a sauce of rich broth and cream.</div>
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When the girls arrived home, Clarissa was very interested in helping me roll the dough, spread it over the filling, crimp the edges, and brush the top with egg. Despite all of her contributions, she didn't dare try even one bite since, "pies are supposed to be filled with fruit." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSUL57orAqX8QhQhQcoKtUE2Tuv1pvoIMtc-H3bvJ3yxrqXDbmaGuvd3kmpeflKF2dwRzBWD0njIlO0g-j75Xiavt2UQFS91sPyJEEvloUP_oyzJAJUQ4ozTYeAe-uXUgmCbgsF04xJg/s1600/pot+pie+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSUL57orAqX8QhQhQcoKtUE2Tuv1pvoIMtc-H3bvJ3yxrqXDbmaGuvd3kmpeflKF2dwRzBWD0njIlO0g-j75Xiavt2UQFS91sPyJEEvloUP_oyzJAJUQ4ozTYeAe-uXUgmCbgsF04xJg/s1600/pot+pie+4.jpg" /></a></div>
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But Ella and I enjoyed our dinner very much. And Clarissa enjoyed her quesadilla with plain chicken. The recipe included so many steps, though, that I had several loads of dishes to get through after dinner. It was pretty tedious, but well worth it to have some yummy comfort food. The weather here has been soaring over 100˚F every day, and preparing something fallish and savory makes me feel like autumn is coming, even though it's not really. Also, I saw pumpkins at Whole Foods yesterday. Yay! And - we have leftovers for tonight. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-8508263015478996652012-08-30T11:47:00.002-05:002012-08-30T11:50:07.023-05:00fall inspiration: natural + black + white<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokc80wMDdWykTxnRP2jAuq-DjcLCGTsawwb2M7RsybsHQZ15L9abcceZDCzp0ZZBPm42xhWO83vDJhBfZEJAhCb9APGelE1cBKzZ-4ppvL3DR55mjTtOOFPSSHcfzxW_gTSHVh9fvGfM/s1600/aug30blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokc80wMDdWykTxnRP2jAuq-DjcLCGTsawwb2M7RsybsHQZ15L9abcceZDCzp0ZZBPm42xhWO83vDJhBfZEJAhCb9APGelE1cBKzZ-4ppvL3DR55mjTtOOFPSSHcfzxW_gTSHVh9fvGfM/s1600/aug30blog.jpg" /></a></div>
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Hello, friends. So, it seems fall is approaching, though the hot weather won't relent for a quite a while yet. My daughters have returned to school. We are reestablishing our school year routine here, going to bed earlier, and <i>attempting</i> to be organized. It's very challenging to arrive on time - and with the appropriate snacks & gear - to school, ballet, playdates, orthodontist appointments, and so forth. It can be tricky to keep up with everyone's schedules, not to mention library books, permission forms, lunch boxes...and of course I would like to accomplish all of this with a minimum of time and effort - so that I can turn my attention Fair Morning Blue. </div>
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All of this has me thinking (like I do every year) about how if I take a few weeks to do spring cleaning now, in the fall - and really focus on clearing out clutter and finding a place for everything, then our entire semester will go more smoothly. To be honest, I find this kind of work a bit tedious. Worthwhile, but tedious all the same. To entice myself to do it, I plan to treat myself to a few audiobooks, and also to allow my thoughts and daydreams to turn to redecorating, replenishing, and making our home a comforting little sanctuary, where we can relax and spend a few quiet moments recovering from our too-busy lives.<br />
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With that in mind, I spent a little longer than I intended - I'm supposed to be cleaning out the pantry - on <a href="http://pinterest.com/fairmorningblue/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> looking for fall inspiration. You know how it goes, right? One click leads to another. What I found is that I'm currently drawn to all things black and white, but with a touch of rustic thrown in - unfinished wood, baskets, jute rugs, twine. These are the images I will hold in my mind as I head off to tackle my sweet disaster. I hope this note finds you all well, and these pictures can be an inspiration for you as well. Cheers!<br />
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1. <a href="http://maisonestate.co.za/gallery/" target="_blank">Maison Estate</a> / 2. Oct. 2011 <a href="http://www.countryliving.com/" target="_blank">Country Living</a> via <a href="http://www.designformankind.com/2012/04/a-stunning-entryway/" target="_blank">Design for Mankind</a> / 3. <a href="http://Lily.fi/">Lily.fi</a> 4. photo by William Abranowicz for <a href="http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/lone-star-statement-a" target="_blank">Elle Decor</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-88690592579729175022012-08-17T14:05:00.003-05:002012-08-17T14:05:16.992-05:00shopping for 2nd grade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7kpmXXhhk8Zvs262GZWml_zNBcwCJ0b6st4CF320IVkOQOfZh61_BAql8O-qYThnokYgSrWST61lGzqmzVolOqqTVKItSs4XZ2NO0EQsd38NsNc6xNc8e0zc1cvbMsWIMvpSh6b26DU/s1600/Backtoschoolcollage_edited-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7kpmXXhhk8Zvs262GZWml_zNBcwCJ0b6st4CF320IVkOQOfZh61_BAql8O-qYThnokYgSrWST61lGzqmzVolOqqTVKItSs4XZ2NO0EQsd38NsNc6xNc8e0zc1cvbMsWIMvpSh6b26DU/s640/Backtoschoolcollage_edited-2.png" width="506" /></a></div>
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School resumes in less than a week. The girls are eager to see their friends and get back to our regular routine. I have been rushing around the last few days - filling out school forms, taking the girls to the dentist, for haircuts, and on as many trips to the pool as we can manage. </div>
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And now, the fun part: shopping! Here in Austin, the weather doesn't start cooling off until October at least, so it's going to be quite a while yet before we can think of something long sleeved or fall-ish. We do usually buy a few new things in celebration of the start of school, though. Here is my wish list for Clarissa:</div>
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1. <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=61560&scid=222281002&pid=222281&vid=1" target="_blank">gap glitter flower headband</a></div>
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2. <a href="http://www.lifefactory.com/kids/9-oz-beverage/bottle-with-solid-cap-9oz.html" target="_blank">life factory 9 oz. beverage bottle</a></div>
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3. <a href="http://www.landofnod.com/retro-giraffe-lunch-bag/f10499" target="_blank">land of nod retro giraffe lunchbox</a></div>
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4. <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/girls_category/knitstees/dressesskirtsandtunics/PRDOVR~12928/12928.jsp" target="_blank">j.crew jules color block dress</a></div>
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5. <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Liberty-Pink-Peony-Fabric-Notebook/3303_016/9781452107189.html" target="_blank">liberty pink peony fabric notebook</a></div>
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6. <a href="http://www.zappos.com/elephantito-roma-sandal-toddler-youth-fuchsia" target="_blank">Elephantito Roma Sandals</a></div>
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Tomorrow, I will post my sixth grade ist for Ella. (Sixth grade. Can you believe that?)</div>
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In the meantime, feel free to follow my <a href="http://pinterest.com/fairmorningblue/back-to-school/" target="_blank">back to school pin board</a> over on Pinterest to see what I'm wishing for. </div>
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Cheers!</div>
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- Tracy</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-65910135025736030462012-08-07T23:28:00.000-05:002012-08-07T23:28:46.323-05:00new in my shop - back to school notebooks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHCZzvy0TGlVF9-vJj2cPyknGhK0why9Aj1EYD-2Dt-DQdr74Jpflph67kh7JK7F5heHICNV4amEwQPg4LdQOnT7iOlE8No3JjJR9XvWzpnzek3rRLol24x9Xlm1gABtY9LPy1SiHEac/s1600/handmadenotebooks1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHCZzvy0TGlVF9-vJj2cPyknGhK0why9Aj1EYD-2Dt-DQdr74Jpflph67kh7JK7F5heHICNV4amEwQPg4LdQOnT7iOlE8No3JjJR9XvWzpnzek3rRLol24x9Xlm1gABtY9LPy1SiHEac/s640/handmadenotebooks1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Howdy, my sweet friends! I hope your August is off to a great start. We have been home from our summer in Michigan for four days now. We are thrilled to be back home, spending these last couple weeks before school starts biking, swimming, eating bbq, and seeing as many friends as we can. I'm kind of reluctant to start school again - all that getting up early, packing lunches, driving around to extracurriculars. Then again, I am looking forward to having uninterrupted days to focus on Fair Morning Blue. And it will be nice when the heat lets up a little. I have to say my favorite part of starting school when I was a student was always buying school supplies! My freshly sharpened pencils with their unused erasers always looked so inviting in my pencil box.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqd7sFrqSMF4p5o1ysOTlhxq-bPiQT4zLuXnrgKSJOjrlKJeRXxUY0ooclurW32sB-TTxgMt7eGgori0-V3fRwJglDzdO9hG45UfzbyfjW0S-K7A8A7JitYsD3WEhIJkrnT5bMbaN92U/s1600/handmadenotebooks3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqd7sFrqSMF4p5o1ysOTlhxq-bPiQT4zLuXnrgKSJOjrlKJeRXxUY0ooclurW32sB-TTxgMt7eGgori0-V3fRwJglDzdO9hG45UfzbyfjW0S-K7A8A7JitYsD3WEhIJkrnT5bMbaN92U/s640/handmadenotebooks3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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With that in mind, I drew some of my favorite school supplies in Illustrator, and then printed them on card stock, and cut little inside pages out of graph paper. I had such a great time with my awl and bookbinders thread, sewing these into little notebooks. This new skill makes me especially happy because I am a complete sucker for new blank journals. I can't resist buying them up! Now I can make my own. And - they are for sale in my shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/FairMorningBlue?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZwWKBDuPdzGOZBOF8y7wvkK3MRFSG9vNGukUOlNeCGdjxVtxWvLb5S3I831VN1vdgfvSl3PSe1eBj0a2cvYbDjG0gTlpl3IoN-xO3gVd3q08evOuytEUEQy9pRehHsFIKiEmepvE4oU/s1600/handmadenotebooks4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZwWKBDuPdzGOZBOF8y7wvkK3MRFSG9vNGukUOlNeCGdjxVtxWvLb5S3I831VN1vdgfvSl3PSe1eBj0a2cvYbDjG0gTlpl3IoN-xO3gVd3q08evOuytEUEQy9pRehHsFIKiEmepvE4oU/s640/handmadenotebooks4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Talk again soon.<br />
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Fondly, TracyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-64055714703983058572012-07-24T07:54:00.004-05:002012-07-24T07:54:50.696-05:00Blueberry Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have been having so many adventures here in Michigan, time to document them all has been scarce. My girls are sleeping in this morning, though, so here I am to show you one little episode of our summer fun. Over the weekend, we visited Blueberry Hill, a picturesque blueberry farm just outside of Spring Lake. The weather was breezy and overcast; the blueberries were surprisingly abundant. It didn't take us long at all to fill our gallon buckets up with berries. In fact, we've already had muffins, pancakes and cobbler, not to mention the girls have been snacking on fresh berries until their fingers and lips are stained purple! And now, we are freezing blueberries as quickly as we can. I'd love to hear your favorite blueberry recipes. For now, we are off to one of our last days in Lansing. I think it will be a sewing and notebook making day. Love, Tracy</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-35309025653628326102012-06-26T22:49:00.000-05:002012-06-26T22:49:44.070-05:00daydreaming about the girls' room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1. Carlyle Mirror, <a href="http://www.ballarddesigns.com/carlyle-mirror/mirrors/decorative-mirrors/221724?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=30" target="_blank">Ballard Design</a><br />
2. Turned Table Lamp, <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/turned-table-lamp-w680/?cm_sp=LightingPromo-_-TurnedTableLamp-_-ShopItem" target="_blank">West Elm</a><br />
3. Ibiza Throw Pillow, <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/ibiza-raspberry-23-pillow/s685910" target="_blank">Crate and Barrel</a><br />
4. Elephant Nightlight, <a href="http://www.jonathanadler.com/Nightlight-Elephant/?cat=560&initial=" target="_blank">Jonathan Adler</a><br />
5. Tripod Table, <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/tripod-table-turmeric-lacquer-s099/?pkey=csale-furniture" target="_blank">West Elm</a><br />
6. Little Remix Blanket, <a href="http://www.fermlivingshop.com/collections/types?q=Blanket" target="_blank">Ferm Living</a><br />
7. Mandarin French Ring Sheet Set, <a href="http://www.serenaandlily.com/Kids/Kids-Sheets-Mandarin-French-Ring" target="_blank">Serina and Lily</a><br />
8. Kiara Rug, <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-rugs/24783284.jsp" target="_blank">Anthropologie</a><br />
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Hey, there! In my <a href="http://www.fairmorningblue.com/2012/06/greetings-from-summer-vacation.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, I showed you a little snapshot of the girls' room in our corporate apartment here in Michigan. Since then, I have been daydreaming about decorating the room with no budget or time constraints - and without input from my opinionated daughters. Dream on, right!?<br />
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Here is my starting point for the entire room: this acrylic on canvas painting by <a href="http://katelewisart.com/artwork/1899391_Big_Orange_Chair.html" target="_blank">Kate Lewis</a>. I love everything about this painting. The shades of orange in the pink flowers, the shades of pink in the big orange chair. The fact that the painting is titled "Big Orange Chair" but all you can see of the chair is one arm. And the blue table. The blue table makes me smile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_WOChGOTllladi6ZJjC6kJY1q35uwRUh-BOyTpnrrZNyxVS1KYfLIugsGSCCCs5Zjjq5Mmd77miqc6NPnookdpk8ZmbYLqWpvDIblnTHa9ktoth2jEnBAWHseUzHFgk4-vbD0ZOxKks/s1600/BRKNhVqTfR6WgR7H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_WOChGOTllladi6ZJjC6kJY1q35uwRUh-BOyTpnrrZNyxVS1KYfLIugsGSCCCs5Zjjq5Mmd77miqc6NPnookdpk8ZmbYLqWpvDIblnTHa9ktoth2jEnBAWHseUzHFgk4-vbD0ZOxKks/s640/BRKNhVqTfR6WgR7H.jpg" width="630" /></a></div>
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Even though it's just a daydream, I allowed myself to put together this little collage of my favorite girls' room things, just to help me imagine what some of my favorites would look like together. The next step is to let this pretty collection inspire me, and see what I can come up with that's in my budget, can be completed this summer, and garners the girls consent. Here is the photo of the girls' room again:<br />
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I'd love to hear any suggestions you might have for fun projects or decorating ideas the girls' and I could tackle together. I'd also appreciate your thoughts about my collage. Do you think it would make a cohesive room? Too busy, or do the white walls, white comforters and other white accessories help balance everything out?<br />
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I'm hoping the horrible heat back in Texas subsides soon. Even though we're having a good time here, I'm missing home very much. One week from today, we fly to Boston!<br />
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Best regards, Tracy<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-90835023075189561782012-06-18T20:38:00.000-05:002012-06-18T20:38:13.235-05:00Greetings from Summer Vacation!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Howdy! It's been over a week now since we arrived at our little home away from home in Lansing, so I thought I'd pop in and give you an update. I'm missing Austin like crazy - especially my mom, our dear friends, our cats, swimming, and Texas barbecue. But being all together as a family is completely amazing, so it's worth it. Here is a snap of a lovely peony from our trip to Whole Foods in Ann Arbor this weekend. </div>
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Isn't it funny to think that last summer, my little Etsy shop didn't even exist?! I hated the idea of closing my shop for the summer, so I packed up my card stock, envelopes, printer, and everything I could think of that Fair Morning Blue might need. As I was trying to cram all of these supplies in the trunk of our Honda, I wondered if the summer would float by without a single card order. But I'm thrilled to share with you that I received two orders last week totaling eleven cards - so all that packing wasn't for naught - yay! Above is a view of Fair Morning Blue's temporary setup. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtfUkkj-m6qATTD9OvdKgEer86oAItJ46f5VaSJkLL9nUialy12fDtf2gYwfc9F_N3b_ZD6Kfs260LSSao-KNjALFetCJuZOQtAsuJi9h5gR7-TWxHaayro6GDB2IlhIK_CA-MLEKVPE/s1600/lansingview_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtfUkkj-m6qATTD9OvdKgEer86oAItJ46f5VaSJkLL9nUialy12fDtf2gYwfc9F_N3b_ZD6Kfs260LSSao-KNjALFetCJuZOQtAsuJi9h5gR7-TWxHaayro6GDB2IlhIK_CA-MLEKVPE/s1600/lansingview_edited-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is the view from our living room windows. I took this photo just at the beginning of a large storm that blew in this morning. I love this view - I know I already showed it to you <a href="http://www.fairmorningblue.com/2012/03/little-howdy-from-spring-break-in.html" target="_blank">here</a>, a few months ago, but I couldn't resist posting another snap of it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPSjpbMcOlnPvTnoV-de2HYzQNxkkcDEorMV3fO59sG0H2F5orbUy8tB_bWM_JyqQ9EKaZAdY7KUshTNSXlXykLbJR8qaExWlPr2gdk1DyV1yD4tpj2zKk77haN_vBPn6IbhqppjHND4/s1600/bedroom_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPSjpbMcOlnPvTnoV-de2HYzQNxkkcDEorMV3fO59sG0H2F5orbUy8tB_bWM_JyqQ9EKaZAdY7KUshTNSXlXykLbJR8qaExWlPr2gdk1DyV1yD4tpj2zKk77haN_vBPn6IbhqppjHND4/s1600/bedroom_edited-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is the bedroom, with its corporate apartment furniture. We are very fortunate to be able to stay here this summer, so I certainly can't complain about the furniture. Still, I will admit that it's not exactly my style, and I am eager to think of creative ways to make this apartment a little more our own without spending much money, especially considering that our stay is so temporary.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlfvMNqepeqz85rs7ZWAfHnoMjOR31-FHqvFLhAobLDR_obHNouSY3Tck2y9WM4SOdoqnxqcQ7vPodwvrXMKMQMAXSdSQAG4YGe4mLr6VRH1P2z8nT12VF4vTx_fg0mwr4Q6Uvpqw1jU/s1600/girlsroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlfvMNqepeqz85rs7ZWAfHnoMjOR31-FHqvFLhAobLDR_obHNouSY3Tck2y9WM4SOdoqnxqcQ7vPodwvrXMKMQMAXSdSQAG4YGe4mLr6VRH1P2z8nT12VF4vTx_fg0mwr4Q6Uvpqw1jU/s1600/girlsroom.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is the girls' room. It is always an adjustment for them to become roommates after being used to having their own rooms, but after only a week it is getting a bit easier. As you can see, the beds don't have bedskirts yet. Now, this sounds like a fun sewing project! I have a lot of ideas for inexpensive ways to decorate the girls' room - paper lanterns, bunting, maybe even curtains! However, the girls have their own ideas about what they'd like to put up in here. I see such cute kids' rooms in magazines and on Pinterest, and I'm wondering how any one talks their daughters out of Harry Potter posters and the fuchsia-and-black tween section at Target. Do you have any advice for me? </div>
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Okay. I'm being called away for bedtime stories and snuggling. I look forward to giving you updates on our little flat as the summer progresses. I hope you are having a lovely summer. Can you believe it's nearly the solstice?</div>
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Fondly, Tracy</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5454284504476058679.post-71670046043767143802012-05-29T13:30:00.000-05:002012-05-29T13:30:54.692-05:00End of May<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpyEpm7rHMIH_062UbjVZfMZbCGeJ3NTtyWwD046kGEB0qxlTx0vUbxpuvN19UL5TRNbjvB_2s6UZJlRjqh1UNOBtkD9UaLj1KIOaxL0B15LbahMqykKzPwJUCRPGWHZPoi1lKsvOy5M/s1600/trianglemountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVpyEpm7rHMIH_062UbjVZfMZbCGeJ3NTtyWwD046kGEB0qxlTx0vUbxpuvN19UL5TRNbjvB_2s6UZJlRjqh1UNOBtkD9UaLj1KIOaxL0B15LbahMqykKzPwJUCRPGWHZPoi1lKsvOy5M/s1600/trianglemountains.jpg" /></a></div>
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Howdy! Friday was the last day of school for my daughters, and we spent a lovely long weekend together recovering from the whirlwind of end-of-year activities. Now our thoughts are turning to summer vacation, to 3 languid and unstructured months together. We are happily making to-do lists, washing up laundry, getting ready for our summer road trip. </div>
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We also spent some time celebrating my upcoming birthday - why wait, right? ;-) My sweetheart brought me these beautiful spring flowers. Oh, and I snapped this photo with the new white iPhone he picked up for me! I feel so lucky and so loved. Watch out, Instagram!</div>
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Hope your May is wrapping up and sweetly as mine is. Fondly, Tracy</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01432599115968889460noreply@blogger.com0