Freshly Minted

Lots of people asked where we had our New Years/Baby Announcement cards made.  Allow me to introduce you to my favorite stationary company:  Minted.

The company sells designs from hundreds of different graphic designers around the world, and holds contests to determine the best of the best (which they then offer in their store.)  From their site:

"We believe that great design lives and thrives in the hands of indie designers that people may not have access to through traditional retailers. Our goal is to use technology to allow our community to discover the work of great designers from all over the world. And at the same time, create a place where designers can get exposure and build their careers."

I've used Minted for personal stationary (for myself and as gifts):

 And for invitations to very special occasions:

You can personalize as many options as you want and save them in your account - I designed a couple dozen cards with our baby shoes picture and then Henry and I looked through all of the options to choose our favorite.  It's fun to play around with the different cards! A day or two after you place your order, they send you a proof of the design to make sure everything is just right.  Once you approve the proof, the turn-around time is lickety-split quick.  We received our latest order two days after I approved the proof!

The quality is wonderful - I love the weight of the cards and the colors in the printing.  They also have tons of fun options for address labels and special backings on the cards.  I love the skinny-wrap address labels:

Some more of my favorite designs:

 

There are so many great ones!  If you decide to order something from Minted, you can click here to get $25 off your order: $25 off at Minted.  (If you do order, I get $25 credit too, so...thanks!)

I like the new electronic options these days for invites and announcements, but I just LOVE real mail.  Opening your mailbox and finding a special card from a loved one is the best!

Color Me Coral

Let me of course start by saying HOOOOORAY for Baby Wendel!!!!! I'm way beyond pumped for this baby to get here. SO very happy for Katie and Henry - I've been dying for her to share the news on here... one big reason obviously being so I can start posting about all of the things I want to buy for "lil homey!" (Don't be surprised if you see as many posts - maybe more - from me about Katie's baby as you do from her.)

Speaking of buying things, I bought this nail polish last week:

It's Essie's "meet me at sunset," and I'm obsessed with the color. But who knew that I had psychic powers and that really I was purchasing what would be the best color at the Oscars, via the beautiful Michelle Williams?

The picture of the polish looks a little more orangey than it really is. In real life (at least the bottle I bought) it's got more red in it and pretty much perfectly matches the dress. This coral-y dress is absolute perfection to me. If I got to go to the Oscars, this is what I would want to wear. Of course the bow detail is my favorite part, but the ruching and the peplum make it just the best thing I've ever seen. And it's such a happy color that looks great with her skin. Best dressed blue ribbon, for sure. 

1. Benjamins Pouch  2. Pour La Victoire Platform  3. Otte Italian Linen Scarf  4. Top Shop Cut-out Back Tunic  5. Kate Spade Bow Belt  6. "Shore Do" Dress (site says there's ONE left!)  7. Hair Pins  

8. J.Crew Brompton Hobo

Oh Baby!

Earlier this month Henry and I finally got our act together to send out some happy wishes for 2012 - and let everyone know how excited we are about this year:

HOORAY!  We had so much fun putting these cards together - Henry's sister Mia took the picture of our feet while we were in Japan over the holidays.

We're so excited to share this news with you, blog readers - you're sure to hear a lot more about it over the coming months.  Baby Wendel (or "Lil Homey" as we sometimes refer to the baby) is going to be here before we know it!

IHWSH - Slim Shady

Spring is just around the corner (what??)... time to start shopping for some new shades. Does anyone else think there's an abnormal abundance of cute options out there right now?  It was hard to narrow our choices down this week - but here you have it... I'll Have What She's Having:

Katie's Picks:

1. Versace (my dream sunglasses - and if you see them on Rachel Bilson, you'll really want them too!)

2. TOMS Classic Aviator

3. Kate Spade Gayla

4. AE Floral

Jayne's Picks:

5. MINT Ray-Bans

6. Anthro Summer Surrender

7. Madewell Super Poloma

8. Urban Cat Eye

And just in case you're looking for something a little more "eye" catching...

1 / 2 / 3

Mr. Meatloaf

One of my favorite meals to make (especially in the colder months) is this healthy meatloaf.  I got the recipe long ago when my parents were South Beach Diet devotees, but we've continued to make it since then because it's easy, delicious and healthy!  I usually double the recipe because it's hard to find ground turkey in small packages and we just eat it as leftovers all week.  

The main reason I like meatloaf is because it's a wonderful vehicle for ketchup (my second favorite food).

The Loaf I made this past weekend.

Meatloaf Full O'Vegetables
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound extra-lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup chunky salsa
1 egg, beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
 
Instructions
Cook rice ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, turkey, salsa, egg, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Stir in the vegetables and rice. Place the mixture in a round baking dish and pat into an oblong loaf.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160° F and the meat is no longer pink.
 
Nutritional information
Per serving:
225 calories
10 g fat (3 g sat)
16 g carbohydrate
17 g protein
1 g dietary fiber
366 mg sodium
79 mg cholesterol

Turns Out It Actually IS Easy Being Green

By the end of the March issue of House Beautiful, I was totally feelin' green (digging the color I mean, not feeling inexperienced or green with envy). As the editor in chief said in his letter, I want to "roll around in it." It has always caught my eye more than most colors, but I never realized how neutral it really can be.

The room featured on the cover (this one) shows how gorgeous different shades of green can be together:

via House Beautiful

I also love full out green...

via House Beautiful

And patterned green...

via

And green accents...

via

And the blue/green combo (very earthy)...

via

And MINT green (might be my fave)...

via House Beautiful

I will be working a lot of green into our house when we buy. Can't wait!

Here are some ways to add a little green to your life:

1. Ming Side Chair  2. Gem Coasters  3. Zebra Rug  4. Pendant Lamp  5. Mint Penny Tile  

6. Emerald Dresser  7. Skakeskin Flat  8. Wishbone Chair  9. Essie Polish  10. Ektorp Chaise Lounge

Have a mean green day.

Quit Playing Games With My Heart

Monopoly is Henry's favorite board game.  When we graduated from our Master's program together in 2006, I made him his own personalized set.  It's one of my favorite gifts I've given because it's useful, meaningful, personal, inexpensive, and fun (if I do say so myself).

It was also easy to do: I just came up with new names for each of the properties on the board and used card stock that matched the colors of the original game to make new titles for each property.  As you can see from the photos below, I had to change each property name three times: once on the board, and one on each side of the property deed.  I also changed the names of the properties shown on the front of the box.  For Henry's game, I chose places and things that he loved as well as places that were special to both of us.

The lid of the box.

We met in our grad school program in Student Affairs at IU in Bloomington, IN (where Nick's was one of our favorite places to eat and play Sink the Biz.)

During the 1st year we were together, we watched all 7 seasons of West Wing, which is still our favorite TV show.  We spent a fun weekend together in Brown County, IN, I lived in the yellow house during our 2nd year of grad school, and Henry LOVES Chik-Fil-A (the other spaces are related to our grad program). 

Examples of some of the deeds (I think they're so cute).

The back of some deeds.

This is a super (and super-easy) special gift to make for someone you love!

KC, MO Update

I had a fun weekend doing more Kansas City exploring with Dac. Most importantly, I had my first Oklahoma Joe's experience. Although I certainly haven't come close to trying them all yet, there is zero doubt that this is the best BBQ in KC. Anthony Bourdain listed it a couple years back as one of the 13 places to eat before you die (in the world). I know why now. Everyone's told us the Z Man sandwich is the way to go, and I was not let down - even after waiting in line for an hour to get it (the line started around the side of the building). Brisket, provolone, onion rings, and the BEST bbq sauce. It was worth the wait.

via google

This will now be a stop for anyone who comes to visit us. We also took our first trip to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. It and the Nelson (which we had already been to) are both free and amazing.  We tried to go to a new antique store as well - Good Ju Ju - but turns out it's only open during First Fridays weekend (a Crossroads Arts District art event) each month. So instead we stopped by our old favorite in our neighborhood, which happens to be the #1 antique store in the Best of KC ratings...  the River Market Antique Mall. Here are some of my fave pieces from this trip:

At just $39 each, I was really tempted to buy these... but we have zero space left for furniture in our apt. I can't wait for a whole house to decorate! :)

Both the chair and that weird lamp thingy!

This would be awesome in a closet - the shelf slides out!

This is Dac's favorite booth - cool industrial work tables, metal drawer sets, stools, etc.

Loved these horses - they were hefty!

So lucky to have this place a block away! 

Happy President's Day!

IHWSH - Games

Scrabble anyone? Our idea of a good time - whether we're with family or friends - usually involves some type of board game. It's always been something our family loves to do together. When we were little it was non-stop Yahtzee, Clue, Monopoly, Uno, Life... you name it. Here are some games at the top of our list these days, for this week's "I'll Have What She's Having":

Katie's Picks:
1. Bananagrams
2. Wits & Wagers
3. Apples to Apples
4. Balderdash

Jayne's Picks:
5. Glee Cranium (ok I've never played the Glee version... but I want it!!)
6. Scattegories
7. Boggle
8. Sequence

Any game night favorites we need to try?

My Texture is the Best Fur

Dac surprised me with the coolest/cutest/funniest gift this Valentine's Day. He came across this Sweetheart Necklace by Erica Weiner while doing some random blog browsing. This shop out of NYC (which I had not heard of until after I received the necklace) has a lot of cool, unique pieces, and this one is extra special because: 1. It is one of a small sampling of heart necklaces from the '70's that they came across and 2.You can have a personalized message stamped on it. Dac would not be one to have something cheesy engraved on a piece of jewelry, so when I pulled it out of the box I was shocked to see something etched on the heart. But then I read it...

Yes, that says "My texture is the best fur" on one side, and then you turn it over and it says "Chinchilla." Now, I'm not sure if you're as familiar with the Beyonce/Jay-Z song "Crazy in Love" as we are, but this line by Jay-Z is our favorite. We love how he randomly throws in "Chinchilla," so we are always singing it. It also happens to be the song that we entered to at our wedding reception. I have to say I never thought I would be wearing a necklace that says Chinchilla, and I love it. Sweet and funny... Dac to a tee. It also came in a cute little box:

Dac caught a pic of me trying it on in the bathroom:

It's a great length because I can layer it with some of my longer necklaces. Thank you sweet husband, for giving me such rapper's delight!

Crazy In Love, for your viewing pleasure: