BRANDING BOARD BY SHE PAPERIE

SHE got a make over!

 

Is this thing on (tap, tap, tap)? Here I am again popping in on the blog scene for my quarterly post.  Well at least I'm consistent!

This year has started off with a handful of branding projects for various clients which has been a lot of fun.  I love seeing an identity package come together where all of the elements created result in a cohesive and pulled together presentation.  Because if there is one thing I love, it's a well branded business - right down to the very last detail!

And while on the topic of branding, some ch-ch-changes are happening in the land of SHE PAPERIE.  SHE now has a shiny new logo and a revamped blog to go with it. I'll be sure to share details on both of the talented designers with whom I worked with.  They are fabulous at what they do and I feel so fortunate to have worked with them on this personal branding project. Also launching soon will be the new SHE PAPERIE website that I have been tackling all by myself (read: I'm crazy!).

If you have a few minutes, I'd love for you to take a gander at my new shiny new space on the web.  Let me know what you think!  Two of my favorite elements include:

:: the ability to pin directly from my blog ::

  // image by Jeanna Hayes //

:: and my list of personal faves ::

Stay tuned for more, and hopefully before the second quarter kicks in!  Happy Monday!

SHE IS ON INSTAGRAM!

You know it's been a while since your last blog post that when you signed into your dashboard, nothing looked very familiar (and I upload a photo how?!).   I wasn't really planning on taking a blog vacay this summer, but when things became crazy with a capital C, the blog was the first thing to get neglected.  It's been a record breaking year and I feel incredibly blessed to have worked with so many clients old and new.  Thus, working like a madwoman until the wee hours = no time to left to work on a post.  And...I'm currently in the middle of holiday card season, the official craziest time of year.  And if I'm going to keep it real here, chances are there won't be too many blogs posts in my near future either. Perhaps I'll shoot for ending 2012 with A Year In Favorites post like I did last year.

So on that note, are you as obsessed with Instagram as I am?!  I have to say it's my social media of choice (sorry Facebook and Twitter).  You can usually find me posting daily images of current design projects, food, favorites and other inspirations.  If you're an Instagrammer, come follow me at @shepaperie or for non Instagram users, you can still check out the latest and greatest via Webstagram HERE.

Instagram Cam // My Birthday

 { iPhone pics via Instagram }

As usual, my birthday consisted of sharing many great lunch and dinner dates with friends and family, shopping, more eating, great gifts, sleeping in, and a wonderful night out with my main squeeze to a fantastic Thai restaurant.  Twas wonderful to be celebrated so many times with so many special people in my life.   Here are a few of the highlights...

+ definitely older and hopefully wiser
+ receiving peonies - my very favorite flower of all
+ birthday dessert #1 of at least 10: homemade waffle bowls with cookies n' cream
+ one of many thoughtful gifts: my new iPhone case
+ enjoying a giant chocolate chip cookie (this thing was the size of a pizza!)
+ receiving a sweet surprise in the mail: a Stella and Dot necklace + sugar cookies
+ a meal consisting of my very favorites made by my mom and sister

Are you an Instagram fan?  I am!  Do you want to follow SHE PAPERIE?  Please do!  You can find me right HERE.

{ Recipe } Mini Mac + Cheese

{ original recipe here / image by SHE fauxtography }

Mini mac + cheese in a ramekin...it doesn't get much better than this folks.  I finally found a homemade version that I love and with a few tweaks, this one has earned a permanent spot in my recipe box.  Ready for the recipe?

Ingredients
8 oz. elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt Fresh black pepper

Topping
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes. Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish (or ramekins in this case). Top with remaining cheese. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

And there you have it, comfort food at it's finest.  This petite portion doesn't make you feel quite as guilty after you've eaten it, unless you have more than one.  I may or may not be guilty or this.

Real. Life. Photography Winner

The lucky winner of the Real. Life. Photography. eBook by Rebecca Cooper and set of Addy Lane's Simple Fixes Action Set chosen by random.org is { drum roll please... }

Congratulations!  You will be contacted soon with details on how to claim your sweet prize!  And if you guys still want to try your luck at winning one of Rebecca's eBooks or any of the other great items she's giving away this week (like a Jo Totes bag!!!) to wrap up her book party launch, then head on over to Rebecca's blog simple as that to enter!

Real.Life.Photography. Giveaway

Boy oh boy do I have a fun giveaway lined up for you guys today!  If you're familiar with Rebecca Cooper's beautiful blog Simple As That then you already know that she is talented beyond belief.  This girl's got it going on I tell you.  Aside from being an amazing photographer, she also creates adorable projects, printables and parties - just to highlight a few.  Oh and she's the author of not one but three photography eBooks now - amazing right?

I am so excited to be a part of Rebecca's book launch party this week for her latest masterpiece called Real.Life.Photography.

I had the chance to enjoy the book already and she truly outdid herself.  Her book is jam packed with numerous tips, tricks, techniques, and she even gets into photo editing.  In addition, Christy from Addy Lane created a beautiful set of actions called the Simple Fixes Action Set that are the perfect companion to her book.  I had a chance to test those out too and they are my kind of action - not too overdone and take on a less is more effect.  Love that!

The book of course is oozing with beautiful imagery throughout and is organized into 6 useful chapters.  Let's have a looksie shall we?

I have to say my favorite parts of the book include her "HOW I GOT THE SHOT" notations, her editing tips, and at the very end she provides a shot list of ideas encouraging you to capture your own life on camera.  I love me a list!

{ image sources }

Needless to say, upon reading her book, so many concepts just finally seem to click for me.  I was even inspired to bust out my fancy camera for a little impromptu photo shoot the same day I read her book, which is rare thing these days for this iPhone user/Instagram lover.

So now it's time for the fun part!

I have a free copy of Real. Life.Photography to give away to one lucky winner

AND to go with, a set of her Simple Fixes Action Set (PSE or PS version, your choice!)

 

And for those of you who are dying to get your hands on either of these items now, you can purchase them for the introductory price of $9.99 each (the regular price will be $12.99).

Or if you purchase both the book and the actions together, I have a 20% off promo code for you!  Just enter PHOTOFIX at checkout.

TO ENTER TO WIN,  Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing to photograph is (your family, food, pets, nature, etc.).  

FOR AN EXTRA ENTRY, "LIKE" both SHE PAPERIE & Simple As That on Facebook and leave a comment telling me you did so!

Giveaway will run until Friday, 6/22 at midnight. 

It's as SIMPLE AS THAT!  Good luck and thank you to Rebecca for sharing her incredible talents with us! 

The Love Sandwich

{ iPhone image by SHE-fauxtography }

I love sandwiches.  I could survive on them alone.  I love how you get a little bit of everything: carbs + protein + dairy + vegetables + sometimes fruit + and a sauce of some sort.

When I spotted the recipe for "Oprah's Love Sandwhich" in O Magazine a while back, I knew it would be a hit.  I finally made it for the first time a few weeks ago and let's just say I've probably made a dozen times since.

The beloved recipe can be found here (or on the snap shot above) and I've already put my OWN spin on it.  I've tried the following and have had pleasing results:

+ substituted sliced avocados for homemade guacamole
+ substituted mayonnaise for honey mustard dressing (I used Brianna's all natural brand)
+ substituted mayonnaise for Cafe Rio's Cilantro Lime Dressing (you can find a homemade version here - thanks Marta!)
+ added bacon, because everything is better with bacon

Are there any other die hard sandwich lovers out there?  If so, what's your favorite?  Do share pretty please.

Go Get Your Giveaway On

{ image }

Nicolle of Libby Lane Press hired me last summer to design her custom shaped business cards since she had just opened shop as a budding graphic designer specializing in party printables.  It's pretty safe to say that we instantly clicked and have bonded over everything from the latest fonts we're coveting to blogs we're loving to the party trends we're swooning over to even the lack of sleep we're getting all the while trying to balance juggle life as stay at home working mamas.

It's been amazing to see her business soar, see her work featured on all the biggest blogs, and hear of the incredible opportunities that have come her way...and all within a year's time.  Yeah, she's just amazing like that!

So to celebrate Libby Lane Press's 1st year in business, Nicolle is hosting a grand ole giveaway with 25 different vendors (SHE PAPERIE is included in the line up) and we'd love for you to participate!  You can find all the fab details right HERE and while you're there, wish her a very Happy 1st Birthday and let her know SHE sent you!

Hip Hip Hooray For Birthdays

 { image source }

 

It's a happy birthday kind of day!  It's already been a day filled with sweet treats (can we say a pizza sized chocolate chip cookie for breakfast), fresh flowers (a lovely potted orchid and a bouquet of peonies - my very favorite), thoughtful birthday wishes all day long (thank you!) and dinner with my main squeeze is coming tonight.  I'm feeling rather lucky to be surrounded by so much love and have such an abundantly blessed life. 34 feels pretty good I must say.

And speaking of birthdays, my client turned special friend Nicolle of Libby Lane Press is celebrating her business's 1st birthday and will be having a super fun giveaway this week with a load of participating vendors.  I'll be offering up a set of personalized stationery, a little SHE FOR FREE if you will, and I will share the deets on how to get in on that action very soon.

Here's to a happy week ahead!

That's All SHE Wrote

This quote is such a great mantra for me, especially these days.  I have several irons in the fire and lots I want to accomplish before the year is through.  On a personal level, slowly but surely decorating our home, designing a website, revamping my blog, and deciding upon 1 of the 5 versions I have created for my new logo top the list for the months ahead.  If I want to get it all done before 2013 rolls around, I must keep this in mind as sometimes I tend to feel stuck when I fret and stew over things that don't really matter in the end.  Can anyone else relate to that?  If so, let's say it together: DONE is better than perfect.

Wishing you all a long and wonderful weekend ahead!