{charmed earth}

The Lifestyle blog of Katie Storms.: something simple, something sweet, something styled.

30 August 2012

{something handwritten} pentel arts sign pen



I started this series months ago: it's simple, it's short, and it's stylistic.

I love quotes. I collect them in all sorts of journals. My favorite projects are the projects that feature quotes, like my quote mugs and felt quote coasters. Today I am featuring a very "mama" quote from Albert Einstein.

This second pen I want to feature is one I've been using for a few years: the Pentel Arts Sign Pen. What I like about this pen is that the ink is beautiful. It flows smoothly without fading. I also like the thick tip. I usually use black, but it also comes in a beautiful golden yellow. I purchase my Pentel Arts Sign pens at ArtMart here in St. Louis.

When writing with the Pentel Arts Sign Pen, I love that I can write fast or slow. The ink moves quickly. It's perfect for writing in cursive and print. And it works wonderfully for doodling and drawing. It's my favorite pen to use when I am designing new ideas for watercolors. 

xo

28 August 2012

{something yummy} guilt free s'mores


My favorite flavor? S'mores. Yes. It's a flavor. I've had s'mores milkshakes, s'mores granola bars, and s'mores cereal. It's got to be a flavor. And for me it's more than summertime, campfires, and the Girl Scouts. I eat s'mores all year long straight from my oven or microwave. Sure, I can char the life out of the pure sugary marshmallow, but, really, if we're being honest here, that never tasted good.

Lately, I've been trying to get back on track after gaining some serious baby love pounds. And my marshmallow, chocolate, and graham cracker treats the traditional way should only be for a special occasion. But my new s'mores discovery can be enjoyed once {maybe even twice} a day without much guilt. If you're a Weight Watchers fan, this version I created is only one point.

The ingredient list is simple: graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate almond (or hazelnut) spread.

And the process is even easier: break your graham crackers into four small squares each. Spread about a teaspoon of marshmallow fluff on one side and about a teaspoon of the chocolate spread on the other side. You can even add peanut butter if you're feeling extra wild.

That's it. You can enjoy them right after spreading the yummy chocolate and marshmallow spreads or you can stash a few in the freezer. Either way they are the perfect s'mores fix, no fire necessary.

xo

13 August 2012

{something pretty} stealing parker posey's hair


Johnny got me hooked on Louie C.K.'s show. I really think I like it. It's kind of like a more contemporary Seinfeld that's just as funny.

The other night we watched an episode where Parker Posey--whom I adore and find very funny--played a bookstore clerk Louie asked out on a date. And I was in love with her hair.

So, since my hair needs a lot of help these days--being a mama with long locks has its challenges--I decided to see if I could pull off her style. And it was a very quick success. I see this as one of my go-to hairdos for the year.

It was so simple: 1. I parted my hair down the middle. 2. I twisted my hair on one side right at my neck really tight.  3. I pulled the twist over my head like a crown and secured it with a clip. 4. I pulled/rolled my hair on the side over the twist and bobby pinned it. 5. I repeated the steps on the other side. 6. I removed the clips and bobby pinned my hair down on the top.

This took maybe ten minutes the first time. I just love how an unexpected delight can find you. If Johnny hadn't convinced me to watch Louie, and we hadn't decided to watch more than one episode, I would have never found this beautiful hairstyle.

Where have you found some delightful ideas that were totally unexpected?

xo. katie

P.S. Here's a pic of the inspiration.

Image Source

10 August 2012

{something travel} a national seashore


We drove to the beach a week ago. One of the most delightful surprises about this beach was that it was a National Seashore, kind of like a National Park. I love National Parks. I can't visit one without getting my photo snapped by the entrance sign. This is my third, Johnny's third, and Penelope's first. And we can't wait to visit more.

xo.

02 August 2012

{something designed} lissa's wedding program

I think
Lissa saw an inspiration for this program idea on Pinterest. And I recreated it in Pages. I used the fonts Claire Hand Light and Lady Rene for the text. And the flower design image was created using the font MTF Flower Doodles. We printed them with a laser printer on white card stock.

They were a beautiful success.

xo

01 August 2012

{something wedding} some DIY projects

For Lissa's wedding, we created a TON of DIY projects based on inspiration from Pinterest. All of the tiny details really made a great impact. I can't wait to see the professional photos, but here are some that I snapped with my iPhone.
I created this bar menu using Pages on my Mac. The fonts I used are Claire Hand Light and Lady Rene for the text. And the flower design image was created using the font MTF Flower Doodles
Lissa and Molly made this wall of paper chains for the cake table backdrop. They hide the trophy cases at the reception venue:)
Our Mama found these mirrors at a garage sale her next door neighbors were having. Then Lissa spray painted them with a glossy white finish and painted the mirrors with chalkboard paint. I used my calligraphy skills to make signs for the new couple, guest book, cookie table, and gift table.
We needed to cover these glass windows behind the head table to make pictures look better {behind them were statues and office furniture}. We used the idea and tutorial from Heart of Light. I'm so doing this project again...soon.
Lissa set up a really cute photo booth with polaroids for her guest book. She even created scrapbook pages for people to sign right by their photo. It's really a great way to hold onto her guests and sentimental notes.
Place cards for the head table were mason jars. I just wrote names with a white paint pen. They didn't last in a permanent manner, which could be good or bad, depending on what you want.
Hopefully I will have another post about this last detail. Our family's Italian cookie table is a tradition. There were nearly 50 types of cookies that my Nonni, Mama, and great aunts baked for the event. We did it for my wedding, too. This is just a snapshot of the platter I took home with me:) It's a very yummy tradition.

xo.