craft | japanese tape driftwood

hello, hello! when i saw ginette's driftwood on design for mankind last summer i loved how she painted it with stripes. when we visited the jersey shore last summer i found one piece and thought i would do the same. well, i never got around to it, but recently figured i could use some japanese masking tape to make stripes and it worked! no muss, no fuss and the tape is totally removable, so not good for a game of fetch with dogs :). i suppose you could seal it with mod podge, but i haven't tried it. enjoy your weekend!

xo, cindy

ps the only reason i got this far with the tape is because jen insisted i use it, so thanks to jen!

craft | japanese tape garland

hello, hello! i really like the japanese masking tape that is so popular, but kind of treat it like a precious commodity and save it. until i figured i could make some garlands using linen card stock and two coordinating tapes.

apply the tape to your paper side by side and punch or cut-out your shape - i've used butterflies. then, glue two or more layers together with your string in the middle. i also add some butterflies to small clothespins for display of the garland. the possibilities for patterns are endless and these stripes remind me of candy stripers (do they still exist?) and the polka dots of candy buttons.

i'll share one more idea for the masking tape on saturday, but here's a hint. hope you're having a good week!

xo, cindy

ps i just heard teddy thompson interviewed on npr and i love his new song looking for a girl. he's from england, but definitely has a country twang.

life | for the innocent

hello, hello. when we got home on saturday, i learned about the terrible shootings in arizona on twitter of all places. i had just uploaded my daily photo and saw all the chatter about the horrible event and just couldn't believe it.

these photos were taken at the new york botanical garden train show & children's adventure garden this year, which are so much fun because kids, big & small, squeal with delight and excitement over the trains, gingerbread & topiaries. they're for all the kids who should be able to see life through innocent eyes and everyone who still does no matter what life throws at them.

xo, cindy

shop | pretty notions

hello, hello! while all saints is designed to look like a vintage sewing shop, tinsel trading company actually is one. if you love crafting with ribbons and flowers and glitter, you must visit this nyc shop either in person or online. it truly is magical and feels like you're taking a step back in time to the days when notion shops were in abundance.

i still can't believe my handmade greeting cards were once sold in tinsel trading, or that i didn't get myself something when i visited this week to purchase a birthday gift. now, the kinokuniya bookstore is another story when it comes to buying myself something ;). happy weekend!

xo, cindy

ps the song old cape cod sung by patti page has nothing to do with this topic and the images in the video have nothing to do with cape cod, but rather england. it was simply playing on the radio while i wrote this post and i had the notion that i loved it.

fun | award love

all saints, soho

hello, hello! i recently received the i love your blog award from line and it's a fun one. here are 10 revelations about me -

1. why did you create the blog?
to keep a journal of some of the things scott & i like to do. i never imagined we would meet so many wonderful people or that anyone would actually read it.

2. what kind of blogs do you follow?
blogs written by friends (that's you) and those about photography & design.

3. favorite makeup brand?
stila has been a favorite for years.

4. favorite clothing brand?
i'm coveting something from chance.

5. your indispensable makeup product?
benefit erase paste & fiberwig mascara. just because i'm not a good sleeper doesn't mean i need to look like one.

6. your favorite colour?
although i'm not sure technically it's a true color, lately i'm loving gray. or is it grey?

7. your perfume?
french orange blossom by jo malone. i've worn it for years, which is unusual because i usually get bored.

8. your favorite film?
this is a tough one because i love so many movies from bullitt to enchanted april, but pixar movies always make me smile no matter how many times i see them.

9. what country would you like to visit and why?
how about the usa? i've never been to california and would be happy to go to maine this year. as for foreign countries, italy would be incredible!

10. make-up the last question and answer it yourself: jamie mentioned choosing a word for the year.
mine would be grace. i hope to have it.

the rules require that i bestow this award of love unto 10 others, so if you want to play along, consider yourselves recipients - asiye, elizabeth, jamie, jane, jen, julia, joyce, erika, meg & michelle.

xo, cindy

ps i had to go back to all saints and try a few more shots after seeing the one line shared in this post. these two are better than my originals, but the one she mentioned is still the best. award-worthy for sure.

life | shed some light

long island city | home | grand central (cool lens flare, one more here)

hello, hello! hope you all had a happy new year. my holiday break was just that - a break from pretty much everything with a little bit of creating at the end, including a new 365 project. i didn't plan this post, but a few recent images seem to be all about seeing the light. honestly, that's about all i have to say on the topic as i didn't spend much time planning for 2011 like i hoped or reflecting on 2010. right now, i'm as stuck with all the ideas i have swirling around in my head for this year as ever. well, i have 361 days left to figure it out, but i'll get busy on it right now. really. i'm going ...

xo, cindy

ps i received the anglepoise lamp for christmas and that lamp has so much personality it's like having another person in our place.