Ink & Button

{Featured on the Wedding Chicks!}

2010-07-21T19:35:00.003-05:00

Derren and I were so delighted to have Rachel and Trevor's wedding featured on the Wedding Chicks this month! We are big fans of the Wedding Chicks, and it is a delightful honor to be featured there. They also gave sweet shout outs to both Derren Raser Photography and Ink & Button! Click here to see more of the Wedding Chicks post or here to see more of Rachel and Trevor's special day on Derren Raser Photography.

{Bridal Hair Fascinator}

2010-07-18T23:20:00.001-05:00

I recently created this pretty bridal fascinator for my friend Brittany's wedding. Brittany and I knew each other in college and I was just delighted when she contacted me to create hair accessories for her bridal party. Brittany got married on July 10th in California with a lovely fiesta-themed wedding. Her colors were blue and orange and I can't wait to see the photos! :)

{My DIY Project on Ruffled - Please VOTE!}

2010-04-02T15:55:00.003-05:00

Hi all! About a week ago, I entered a DIY contest on the ever so lovely Ruffled Blog! The requirement of the contest was to create a DIY project using something old or used . . . so I got to work!

Starting today, until next Thursday, the voting is taking place for the favorite DIY project (mine is one out of 24 projects). The first place winner will be given 500 dollars - wow! There are so many unique and beautiful projects that were submitted and I know that you will enjoy looking at them and being inspired!
If you like, I invite you to vote for project #10 - the Vintage Crystal Statement Necklace! :) Go to the Ruffled blog and leave a comment here. Thank you!!

I created this project as an easy and affordable way for brides to create a special necklace for their bridesmaids - in the perfect wedding colors. When Derren and I were in Nashville over spring break, button-hunting in antique stores, I stumbled across this beautiful crystal/glass strand from an old chandelier. Inspired by some of the "bejeweled" jewelry pieces in stores like JCrew right now, I used thread and ribbon to transform this chandelier piece into a statement necklace - for only $14!

Read more (and see more photos) from the project here.

{Give Away with Love, Milk & Honey!}

2010-03-31T11:25:00.004-05:00

I am so excited to be doing a giveaway this week for the fabulous blog: Love, Milk & Honey!

Please visit here between now and Friday at noon (Central Time) and comment on the giveaway post for a chance to win this Ink & Button fascinator! I created this special fascinator inspired by the lovely colors on Lauren's blog. Love, Milk & Honey is one of my new favorite reads because its main focus is on building and encouraging strong marriage relationships. Love it!

{Color LOVE: Aqua & Tangerine}

2010-03-11T18:57:00.015-06:00

I am loving tangerine and aqua together for spring and was completely inspired by this lovely photo taken by Caroyln's Hope! Here is my first try at a color board with some of these colors.
Also, I have added brand new fascinators to my shop for spring! Welcome the lovely Marybelle, currently available in three colors - with hopefully more to come!

{Wedding Chicks Photo Shoot}

2010-03-11T10:29:00.005-06:00

After a wonderful week-day trip to Nashville (I am loving spring break!), I am excited to be back and share with you the fabulous photo shoot that was created for the Wedding Chicks blog - featuring some Ink & Button accessories! Ashlyn and Heather of Carter and Cook Event Company styled the most adorable bridal shower brunch and engagement session for this shoot - all around the theme of yellow buttons! I was so honored when they asked me to create some Ink & Button fascinators for the recipe box favors on the table as well as for the bride's hair in the engagement shoot. Check out these lovely photos captured by the very talented Jessica Claire:

There were some amazing and talented women involved in this shoot!
Florals (and kumquats!) designed by The Floral Lab
All things paper and lovely created by Paper and Thread
Sweet cookies and cakes that I can't stop staring at by Erica O'Brien
My new friend Katie of Katie Neal Photography was the lovely model bride!

On to the engagement shoot with Katie and her husband Ryan! Love them and love that Ink & Button fascinator in her hair!

For more amazing photos, go to The Wedding Chicks or Jessica Claire's blog. Obviously, I loved them so much, I made a new blog header out of them! What do you think?
xoxo, Lisa

{Featured on Style Unveiled!}

2010-03-03T12:31:00.004-06:00

I am SO excited to be featured on Style Unveiled - Chicago today! Head on over here to see the lovely post and some gorgeous photos taken by Derren Raser Photography! Style Unveiled is such an incredible resource for brides - their blog and website contain so much inspiration! I am so honored to be featured on their site. xoxo.

{Button Flower DIY}

2010-02-24T17:13:00.004-06:00

I was so excited to be asked to create a DIY project for the ladies at YoYoMama! I decided to share a little "how to" of the button flowers that I created for our wedding . . . and it is up on their blog today! Derren and his photography skills did a fabulous job capturing the step-by-step and the final result of these button lovelies. Head on over here if you want to start crafting!

{Along came a spider . . .}

2010-02-22T13:13:00.005-06:00

I have posted before about how much I love Ann Wood's handmades - and her blog too! I have been admiring Ann's hand-crafted birds for awhile, but just recently she began making spiders! I think these have to be the cutest, most creative spiders I have ever seen! I love how Ann uses vintage and re-purposed materials for her creations. Check them out:

love this one . . . the "Queen Elizabeth Spider"!

{Photo Shoot Sneak Peek}

2010-02-18T22:06:00.006-06:00

I was recently asked to contribute some Ink & Button lovelies for a fabulous photo shoot styled by my favorite creative duo of Carter and Cook! Jessica Claire took the lovely photos and I am SO excited to share with you more details and photos! For now, here is a little sneak peak:

The beautiful model pictured is Katie and I just LOVE how the Ink & Button accessory looks in her hair! Image credit: Jessica Claire.

{Peaceful Morning}

2010-02-03T11:35:00.002-06:00

ooo, lots of new items up in the shop today! Thank you to Derren for photographing these lovelies out in the SNOW! :-)

I am loving this photograph this morning. It makes me want to jump right in.

image by CitrusHearts via sfgirlbybay

{100th Post!}

2010-02-02T08:26:00.000-06:00

Today is Ink & Button's 100th post!
Here are a few images that I am loving today for you to enjoy! :-)

L to R: Anna Kuperberg, Design Sponge, Anthropologie

{Our Snow Day}

2010-02-01T08:30:00.001-06:00

Derren and I had our first Illinois snow this weekend! Since I grew up in San Diego, this is really my first snow ever at a place where I have lived. I love the snow . . . it is so soft, fluffy, and lovely! (for now anyway). Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from this weekend, all courtesy of Derren Raser Photography, of course. :-)

Our little Victorian home, covered in snow:

{Sending a little love . . .}

2010-01-25T10:13:00.003-06:00

I have been such a big fan of Anna Bond of Rifle Design ever since she designed our ever-so-lovely wedding certificate last May. Anna opened her stationary shop, Rifle Paper Co., online in November and I love every one of her designs - I wish I could buy them all! :-)
Her newest line of Valentine cards are especially pretty:

Ink & Button Loooves Valentine's Day!

2010-01-18T23:06:00.006-06:00

New items up in the shop today! In honor of Ink & Button's favorite holiday (Valentine's day, of course) we are giving away a Paper Source letterpress heart gift card with matching Strawberry envelope with all orders purchased before February 14th (while supplies last). Ink & Button accessories make the perfect valentine . . . write a message of love and friendship on your free card to give to a dear friend, sister, or co worker. She will love it!

To get you all in the spirit of red and pink, I am posting a lovely inspiration board put together by the talented duo of Carter and Cook - wedding coordinators extraordinaire! Check out their beautiful blog and if you are getting married soon, you may just want these ladies to be by your side . . . it was one of the best decisions Derren and I made! :-)

row 1: Hanging Hearts, Love Journal, row 2: Paper Tape, Coasters, row 3: Garland, Coffee Love

{Back from the Sea}

2010-01-16T10:45:00.003-06:00

Oh, how I have missed you Ink & Button friends! Derren and I arrived home yesterday after a wonderful trip to California! A few of the highlights of our trip included: being with our loving family and friends, attending our home church, two family photoshoots, Sprinkles cupcakes twice!, a trip to Pasadena, the tidepools, fun with Micah and Megan Dahlberg, crafting (new additions coming soon to the shop!), eating at all of our favorite Thai and Mexican restaurants in San Diego, and endless walks and runs at the beach - I just couldn't get enough!

Here are some photos, all courtesy of Derren Raser Photography:
(1) Derren and I at our honeymoon spot: Hotel Del Coronado

(2) Me on the beach at sunset

(3) Me with a sea star at the tidepools

(4) Amazing sunset on New Year's Day!

(5) My nephew loves the tidepools!

(6) My sweet niece and her parents - check out the rest of this amazing photo shoot here!

{Soap: Inspired!}

2009-12-16T10:59:00.003-06:00

Good morning, friends! If you are looking for a Christmas gift for a special friend (or would like a pretty lovely to wear to your New Year's Party) there are three fascinators left in the shop this morning! Last day to place an order is this Friday the 18th, as my last shipping day before the New Year will be this Saturday, the 19th. Get them while you can!

In one week we will be home in sunny San Diego and I can't wait! On the to-do list before then is a final, one more paper, and lastly, an I&B custom order for 6 headbands. I know it shall all get done! :-)

On another note, I was just so struck this morning by these "Bits-of-Inspiration" soap by Anthropologie. Aren't they pretty? I think I like the boxes more than the soap! :-) Here is LOVE, JOY, and HOPE:

{Featured in Holiday Expo 2009!}

2009-12-14T10:13:00.004-06:00

I am so excited to share some new items in my shop with you this morning! Evie, of the wonderful blog Things of Beauty, put together a Holiday Expo of handmade crafts, desgin, diy, and photography, and asked me to contribute some items from Ink & Button with a Holiday/Winter theme. With finals and custom orders, my shop has been a little sparse as of late, but I worked this weekend to create 5 new pieces that evoke the mood of the Holidays or Winter - all expressed in different styles and colors. The Expo was posted this morning, so feel free to check it out here - there are many beautiful submissions! All of the items are also listed in my shop - with the exception of the new Ella headband, which just sold. As always, please feel free to contact me with custom orders. Have a wonderful day!!

{New Blog Love: Milk and Honey Cafe}

2009-12-10T10:00:00.003-06:00

So, in the midst of writing a final paper for class this morning, I discovered this delightful blog and I just couldn't wait to share it with you! First, I just love the name of this blog - does it get any sweeter? Sarah, the creative mind behind Milk and Honey, is a graphic designer and a baker. She posts the most beautiful pictures and recipes of her creations. Sarah, I will certainly be back to visit often. I am also seriously considering making these lovely cupcakes for New Years - wow! Aren't silver dragees festive? Check out more photos and recipes here.

photo credit: Milk & Honey

{Winter Bliss}

2009-12-06T16:02:00.002-06:00

Oh, I can't get over these gorgeous winter wedding photos by Stephanie Fay! I also love them because we know the couple - we met Jessica and Matt a couple of years ago at our church. The wedding took place in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and the scenery and lighting is some of the prettiest I think I have ever seen! Enjoy . . .

{Button Loot}

2009-11-30T08:05:00.001-06:00

We had such a delightful vacation in Kansas City! Now it's back to school (only three weeks left!) and several Ink & Button holiday custom orders to fill - but I love it! :-) Derren also got to photograph a "love shoot" with Michael and Jennifer while in KC . . . check it out on his blog. He is also shooting an engagement session on Tuesday so there will be lots of new pictures to come!

While in Kansas City, we got to go to two antique malls and I found lots of new (old!) buttons! Such fun! Be looking for these on new Ink & Button fascinators, brooches, and headbands . . . coming soon to the shop. Here is a picture of my loot. :-)

{Win an Ink & Button Accessory on Paper n Stitch!}

2009-11-23T15:49:00.005-06:00

The giveaway is here and I am so excited!!
Head on over to Paper n Stitch to win this new Ink & Button accessory! The giveaway ends on December 7th and there are several ways to enter, so go check it out. :-)

Also, there are lots of new items up in the shop today, including a couple of new headbands! We are enjoying our time in Kansas City and are now off to one of our favorite Antique Malls here to search for vintage buttons. :-)

{Special give away on Monday!!}

2009-11-20T00:01:00.000-06:00

The shop will have lots of new lovelies this weekend in preparation for a very special give away on Monday. Check back here next week to find out how to win a very stylish Ink & Button accessory!

Have a wonderful weekend! When I write again we will be in Kansas City . . . we can't wait!! :-)

. . . a little sneak peek below

{Breathe it in}

2009-11-19T09:46:00.003-06:00

Pretty Good is one of my favorite blogs. Mary Swenson, the creative woman behind Pretty Good, takes a beautiful picture almost every day and then creates text to go with it - on the photograph. Her blog is a lovely place to go when you need a lift of beauty or inspiration.

This photograph captured my eye this morning: Don't you want to be sitting in this sweet little cottage? I do! :-)

photograph by Mary Swenson via Pretty Good.

There is a new Martha Headband up in the shop this morning!! I received a new shipment of felt this week, and this Alpine Green has to be one of my favorite new colors! Lots of crafting will be happening today, so check back with the shop tomorrow! :-)

{Sweet Daytime}

2009-11-16T23:37:00.004-06:00

We're back from Chicago and had a wonderful trip - complete with eating at Gino's East Pizza! Derren has a little sneak peek up on the blog. Meanwhile, I am back to school and back to stitching . . . hoping to have some new Ink & Button lovelies up in the shop by the end of the week.

I did some catching up on my blog reading this evening and I can't get enough of this latest inspiration board created by Kate - the newest winner of the Style Me Pretty challenge. This board will be turned into a photoshoot by some very talented folks. Of course I love the bunting on this one but I also just admire those milk glass vases, the cut out letters, and that sweet, creamy, robins egg blue! ooo, pretty!

Credits: snippet and Ink, once Wed, Once Wed (4), Priscilla of Boston, Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart

{Fall Beautiful}

2009-11-13T00:00:00.003-06:00

We are off to Chicago this weekend for an academic conference. While we're gone, I will leave you with a few beautiful ceramic pieces from Coe & Waito.
All of these have a beautiful fall-ish feel, especially these owl lamps! Aren't they fun?

{Paper n Stitch}

2009-11-11T10:52:00.004-06:00

Paper n Stitch is one of my very favorite blogs and I was SO delighted to find out yesterday that the new Ink & Button etsy shop had been featured over there! Brittni, the owner of the lovely Paper n Stitch, is such a joy to work with and we are collaborating on a give away with one of my pieces to one reader of Paper n Stitch. Please go check out her blog now and then come back very soon to get the details on the give away. I can't wait!

{Color Me}

2009-11-10T10:48:00.003-06:00

Oh my, you all are going to LOVE this! With a tip from Blushing Trees, I just got a chance to discover Social Designer's 500 colored pencils. According to their website, "Each pencil is its own story. A unique hue with an inventive name to inspire the far corners of your creativity." I had such fun scrolling through all the pencils and reading their names - wow!

The best part about these beautiful pencils HAS to be the way they are delivered! If you order these pencils, you will receive 25 of them a month, over 20 months! This allows you an opportunity to build your collection over time - savoring the uniqueness of each color family. Wouldn't you love to find 25 new colors in your mailbox each month?

The following were designed by customers Brigette Lynch and Shannon Laskey.

all images via Social Designer.

{Happy Monday!}

2009-11-09T07:19:00.003-06:00

New items up in the shop this morning! :-)

{Crafty-time!}

2009-11-06T07:09:00.000-06:00

Thank you all for your wonderful support of my new Etsy shop! It has been such fun to finally be able to share some of my crafty-time creations with others. I hope to be working on some new things for the shop this weekend!

Speaking of crafty-time, our new house has the space for a craft room/music room. Last Christmas, Derren got me this very fun craft organizer and we recently hung it on the wall and got it organized. Oh, how I love having all of my ribbon in one place! Have a wonderful weekend!

{The Shop Is Open! The Shop Is Open!}

2009-11-04T00:04:00.002-06:00

Dear readers,
I am SO thrilled to share with you that the Ink & Button Etsy shop is now open! Hooray!!! Many thanks to Derren for taking all of the beautiful pictures and for being my inspiration and motivation! Please go check out the shop and share it with your friends. :-)
Thanks for all of your support!
-Lisa

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InkandButton

{Silhouette Ornaments}

2009-11-03T09:00:00.003-06:00

As you might know, I LOVE silhouettes! So, when I saw these lovely ornaments over at Oh So Beautiful Paper, I knew I had to share them with you!

These custom ornaments are a blend of the work of Le Papier Studio and Paloma's Nest (the maker of our ring bowl!). The ornaments are made out of a fine white clay and then hand painted. Even if you are not ready for Christmas ornaments yet, I think these would be lovely hanging anywhere in your home. Derren and I have our silhouettes hanging in our kitchen! :-)

{Welcome, November!}

2009-11-02T07:23:00.000-06:00

The beginning of November marks a couple of noteworthy things:

Six months ago today (wow, time is going fast!). I love you, Derren!

Also, I am SO excited to announce that November will be the official opening month of the Ink & Button Etsy shop! Derren and I are hard at work getting things ready and the official open date will be announced soon! Just in time for any special holiday gifts. :-)

Last, I will leave you with a few pictures of our Halloween pumpkin-carving adventures: Boo!
Doesn't our front porch look creepy with all the tree shadows?

Wedding photo by our very dear and talented photographers here and here. Halloween photos by Derren Raser Photography.

{Happy Halloween!}

2009-10-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween, everyone! We are looking forward to a weekend of pumpkin carving and passing out candy to little ghouls. :-)

Here's a photo that I just can't resist . . . no one does Halloween (or any holiday, for that matter) better than Sprinkles! Boo!

{Color & Ribbon}

2009-10-29T08:07:00.001-05:00

I have a thing for necklaces that tie with ribbon and these ones from J.Crew are especially lovely! I like all of the color combos, but the green is definitely my favorite! :-) image via here.

{Storybook Inspiration}

2009-10-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

I love these detail shots captured by the talented Punam Bean, from a wedding in a private French chateau. I agree with Punam, who says: "it was one for the storybooks . . ." I also love French lavender, and there is lots of it in this wedding!

Wow!

{Weekend Bliss}

2009-10-27T18:15:00.009-05:00

Although it is already Tuesday, I am still reveling in the fun (and productivity!) that Derren and I had with my parents! Here are a few of the highlights in pictures . . . enjoy!

After lots of work in the backyard, we discovered the potential (and space) for a lovely garden this spring. I also discovered many bulbs that I dug up and replanted . . . can't wait to see what these blossom into!

The fall colors of all the trees were SO radiant this weekend!

We had many amazing meals - this one Derren and I made (our favorite butternut squash soup resting in the middle)

And this pear gingerbread upside-down cake!

My dad and Derren worked on MANY fix-it projects while I was away at school, and my mom made us these lovely curtains out of the Amy Butler fabric I had purchased!
Kitchen window:

and the front door:

{Study Days}

2009-10-23T08:16:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled upon this image of a coffee house/art gallery in Seward, Alaska that used to be an old church! I love the tall windows and old wooden pews . . . I think this place, appropriately named Resurrect Art Coffee House, would be a lovely place to study, especially on a drizzly day. :-)
My parents just got into town and it is soo great to have them here! We are looking forward to a lovely weekend together. See you back here on Monday!

image via here.

{Bouquets of Newly Sharpened Pencils}

2009-10-22T07:35:00.000-05:00

I love that line from Tom Hanks's character in You've Got Mail . . .
"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address . . ."

Of course to go along with these pencils, some stationary is in order! I am loving the work of Linda & Harriet these days:
(especially these paper doll note cards)

And these little hedge hogs! :-)

Pencil images via Werner Schnell and C.A. Muller

{Nashville Doors}

2009-10-21T07:14:00.000-05:00

Derren and I are so excited to share some photos to recap our time in Nashville! Most of the pics can be found at Derren Raser Photography, but here are a couple of sneak peeks . . .

The Germantown neighborhood of Nashville had some of the most beautiful fall-ish doorways! Here are two that could be out of a magazine shoot:

{Featured!: BrancoPrata}

2009-10-20T10:45:00.003-05:00

Many many many thanks to BrancoPrata for featuring Ink & Button on their blog today - and especially for adding Ink & Button to their list of favorite blogs and daily reads!

BrancoPrata creates the most lovely inspiration boards and was also the winner of the Style Me Pretty Inspiration Board Challenge! This beautiful board will soon come to life in a photo shoot and be featured on Style Me Pretty! (go check out all of BrancoPrata's inspiration boards here - it is really hard to choose a favorite, they are all so stylish!)

{Hatch Show Print}

2009-10-19T07:13:00.001-05:00

We are back from Nashville and we had a blast! More pictures will be soon to come! For now, a little sneak peak of a fun adventure we took to the fabulous printing press, Hatch Show Print.
HSP has been around since 1879, hand printing posters and other memorabilia for mostly musical acts. Their studio was fascinating and I can't wait to show you the pictures of that and all of our other Nashville adventures tomorrow!

You might remember . . . this past June, Anthropologie collaborated with Hatch Show Print on their catalog:

images via here

{OWL Shower}

2009-10-16T07:54:00.000-05:00

I love the sweet details -- and the owls -- at this baby shower via My Sweet and Saucy, who created the lovely dessert buffet. Photography by Gabriel Ryan Photography - the parents of the forthcoming baby.

{Have a wonderful weekend! We are off to Nashville and will be back here Monday!}

{Ruffly finds}

2009-10-15T11:28:00.005-05:00

Sorry for my absence yesterday . . . schoolwork got the best of me! Derren and I are preparing to take our first trip to Nashville this weekend and we can't wait! I love that Design*Sponge has city guides and just came out with one on Nashville - we will be sure to check out many of the recommended spots and take many pictures, of course!

Right now, I am loving anything with ruffles. Anthropology's latest catalog was full of them!
This picture via Once Wed just makes me happy. I love the texture that ruffles bring!

Here are a few Anthropology ruffly finds:

Last, I just can't get over how cute this dress is (cute ruffle flower detail) from this recent engagement shoot of Sara and Daniel by the talented He & She Photography.

{Embroidery Hoop Decor}

2009-10-13T07:50:00.001-05:00

I love the idea of using embroidery hoops with bright colorful fabrics to decorate your wall
(or ceiling?). It is somewhat similar to the look of a cluster of mounted dishes, although perhaps more affordable. I LOVE this entryway on the left from Design*Sponge today!

Image Credits: Design*Sponge (right), Design Dazzle (left), and Free People (bottom)

{Little friends, all in a row}

2009-10-12T08:02:00.001-05:00

Good morning, Monday! We had such a beautiful fall weekend here, complete with Homecoming festivities, ginger butternut squash soup, and a gorgeous hike today! It is amazing how parts of Southern Illinois could be easily mistaken for Colorado -- the nearby national parks are amazing. On another note, I just love these fabric elephants and giraffes by WREN handmade. Her etsy shop promises to be updated soon with some of these little friends. :-)

All images from WREN Handmade blog.

{Chalk Bicycles}

2009-10-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sharon Montrose (commercial photographer, author, etsy seller, etc.) came home one day to find that her husband had created these amazing chalk drawings of bicycles on their chalkboard!

She took some pictures and the chalk bicycle drawings began to float around the web, gaining popularity. Lo and behold, a few months later, Sharon's husband has his own etsy shop! Welcome Chalk Chalk! Aren't these great?

Have a wonderful weekend!

{this and that for a rainy day}

2009-10-08T11:50:00.003-05:00

Derren and I stayed up way too late last night after discovering a new series on PBS called Craft in America. The episode we watched profiled about five different artisans, ranging from potters to glass artists to a weaver. It was fascinating! Check it out here.

Here are some of my other favorites from around the web today:

I love these hand printed textiles by Helen Rawlinson via paper n stitch. You can buy her fabric for your own projects, or purchase one of her lovely bags, pillows or purses at her Etsy shop.

Also, have you seen this abandoned farmhouse-turned-doll house in Manitoba, Canada? Saskatchewan artist Heather Benning transformed this house as a unique art exhibit as a part of an artist-in-residence project. "Around back, the north-facing wall of the house has been replaced with Plexiglas, showcasing its interior, fully restored with candy-colored walls and furniture from the 1960s, when the home was abandoned." (source here)

images via here

{Little Birdies}

2009-10-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I just LOVE Ann Wood's birds and thought I would share them here today. Ann pays attention to crafting every delicate detail which is so evident in her sweet little birds. Most of her materials are salvaged fabrics and trims from vintage clothes. These birds have become so popular that they sell out about as quickly as they are listed in her shop. (It helps to be on her mailing list or follow her blog/twitter to find out when new birds will be posted.) However, this week Ann is doing "daily birds" . . . a bird will be listed each day this week at different times here.
Go quickly! :-)

Here is Monday's bird, Matilde:

Ann's birds have also perched atop many wedding cakes: (as seen in a recent edition of Martha Stewart Weddings). image via here.

Ann's New York apartment was also featured on Design*Sponge in May of this year. Take a peak:

I love this picture of her desk - full of little bits of inspiration!

{Pumpkin Creativity}

2009-10-06T11:09:00.004-05:00

I can't stop staring at the new cover of Martha Stewart Living that came in the mail a couple of weeks ago: (image via here)

Martha always has fabulous ideas when it comes to pumpkins (among other things) such as these lace patterned pumpkins: (image via here)

But this picture that I discovered over at Happy Mundane from Martha Stewart's October 2008 issue absolutely tops the charts. Pumpkins of colors and shades that I have never before seen, set up in an ombre design. Wow! How will you be decorating with pumpkins this year?

{Good Morning, Colorful!}

2009-10-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I filled mine by spending lots of good time with Derren, as well as plenty of homework and crafting!

I thought you might enjoy this unique, design-filled San Fran apartment owned by Lisa Congdon (and recently featured on Apartment Therapy) to start your day off right. The abundance of color makes me happy.

I love all of the old photographs!

{Morning Coffee in Style}

2009-10-01T14:42:00.008-05:00

I absolutely love these pictures by Bonnie Tsang from a Breakfast at Tiffany's (with a modern twist) inspired event over at Utterly Engaged. My favorite part has to be the coffee cups! If you head over to Utterly Engaged, they have the instructions for how to make these cups. What fun!

{Hydrangea Hearts}

2009-09-29T21:28:00.003-05:00

I took this picture the other day because I love hydrangeas (and they are in abundance here!), but it wasn't until we looked at the photo on the camera that Derren said, "it looks like a heart!"

{Collaboration!}

2009-09-28T18:34:00.007-05:00

This weekend, Ink & Button teamed up with Derren Raser Photography for a little photo shoot! :-) We had a blast! I created this bouquet out of some flowers from Trader Joes (along with a few finds from our backyard) so that we could practice shooting bouquets. Derren will be posting the rest of the photos on his blog soon, but here is a little sneak peek of our collaborative effort. :-)

all images by Derren Raser Photography

{Sunday Inspiration: Pride & Prejudice}

2009-09-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

One more inspiration board before tomorrow! This one is for Janean and my other dear friends who love Pride & Prejudice . . . including Derren. :-)
Have a wonderful Sunday! It definitely feels like fall today . . . Derren and I are off to take pictures!

Credits: Marthe Stewart Weddings (4), The Knot, Oh So Beautiful Paper, BBC, Millie Holloman, Amy Atlas, Miniature Rhino, Leslie Thomson, Turboff

{Weekend Inspiration Board Challenge}

2009-09-25T22:28:00.000-05:00

Style Me Pretty is offering a challenge this weekend: an inspiration board design-off! A winner will be chosen on Monday and have their inspiration board come to life through a team full of designers and a photo shoot. I thought I would give it a try . . . Happy Weekend!

My board takes its inspiration from my newest favorite movie, Julie & Julia!
colors: turquoise, tangerine, avocado green

Credits: Moontree Letterpress, Mandy Lynne Photography (3), Sony Pictures, Sloan Photographers, Anthropologie (3), Portabellopixie, Micah Dahlberg Photography, Jordan Ferney, Brookelyn Photography

{Charming Oregon Farm Wedding}

2009-09-24T11:27:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to share the wedding of Allie and Carlos with you on Ink & Button today! Although I usually feature design and crafty elements, I love weddings too, and this one is just too special not to share! Allie is a sweet friend from my Westmont College days and she recently got married on a farm in Portland, Oregon. I love everything about this wedding, especially all of the bright pops of color -- from the flowers, to the parasols, to the shoes! I will let the gorgeous photographs from Capture Photography speak for themselves. Thank you, Allie, for letting me share your wedding!

{Cool Day Inspiration}

2009-09-22T11:48:00.000-05:00

This board was inspired by this lovely new scarf from Anthropologie in the right hand corner. I LOVE this scarf and can't believe the price (for Anthro): only 28 dollars . . . surely I was expecting to a see a "1" in front of that "28"!) All the things on this board remind me of cool drizzly days (like today!)
I hope you enjoy it!

Cool Day Inspiration
colors: sage green, cinnamon, deep blush, and smoky gray

Credits: Elisabeth Millay, ffffound.com, flickr, Anthropologie, Toast, Elizabeth Wren Vintage, Don Freeman, Jessica Claire, Martha Stewart, Jasmine Star

{Good Mail Day!}

2009-09-21T22:34:00.000-05:00

The Amy Butler fabric that I ordered from etsy seller Mimis fabric came in the mail today!
These two beautiful yards of fabric will be soon be transformed into curtains - one for our kitchen and one for our bathroom. :-)

Images via here and here.

In other good news, Derren is back from NYC and brought me back cupcakes from this lovely little cupcake bakery, Sugar Sweet Sunshine! (Thank you, Micah and Megan for this recommendation!)

{I <3 NY}

2009-09-18T00:16:00.000-05:00

Derren is in New York City this week, and I miss him! He left me little notes written all over the house which I keep discovering - the best!
Check out the photos that Derren has already posted on his blog - they are amazing.

As a little tribute to NY today, I wanted to post two prints that I discovered on Three Potato Four that I have been admiring for quite some time. 3P4, for short, is a husband and wife team who find and collect amazing vintage items and then sell them in their online shop.

Three Potato Four has teamed up with artist Jim Datz to offer these beautiful prints of Manhattan and Brooklyn. I can't decide which one I like better.

Sweet Subtle September

2009-09-17T11:16:00.000-05:00

My first attempt at an inspiration board! These are so fun, there will surely be more to come!

Sweet Subtle September
colors: soft powder blue, deep apricot, wood, and ivory

Credits: Jose Villa (8), Oh So Beautiful Paper (2), Sublime Design (2), Skippy Designs (2), Mandy Lynne Photography (2), Country Living (2), Matthew Benson (2), Frolic! (2), Cronin Hill Photography (2), Three Potato Four (4), Etsy Seller 30one (2), Etsy Seller 30one (2), Martha Stewart (4)

{Sweet Vintage Butterflies}

2009-09-15T23:44:00.000-05:00

I keep coming back to these amazing photographs by Sloan Photographers that I saw last week on Once Wed . . . I just had to post them here for you to enjoy. Aren't the butterflies sweet?

{Weekend Re Cap}

2009-09-15T00:23:00.000-05:00

Derren and I had the best weekend in Chicago and we can't wait to go back very soon!
Here is a recap of our weekend in a few photos . . . check out Derren's Photography Blog for more!

First, the Renegade Craft Fair was amazing, and in such a cute part of town.

Also, remember this post? We ended up getting a new screen print for our budding collection, this one of Portland. We were excited to meet Jenny from Ork Posters!

We also got a lovely clock from Uncommon that is now hanging in our kitchen! Love the splash of color it brings.

One of my favorite acquisitions of the day was this free button from the Etsy booth! (it now lives on my purse).

On to Derren's show at the lovely Uncommon Ground - just about two blocks away from Wrigley Field.

This was a GOOD choice!

On the way back, we stopped in Champaign for a visit with our friends Jaron and Katherine.

A quick stop for some pictures in a field of soybeans! Love the hidden beauties of the Midwest.

Back tomorrow with some more crafty postings! :-)

{Off to Chicago!}

2009-09-11T22:39:00.000-05:00

This cute embroidery made by etsy and Chicago Renegade seller Moxiedoll seemed just perfect for my last post before the weekend:

A couple of other favorites from around the web today:

Anthropologie's new Autumn windows:

Detail shot. Isn't this amazing?! images via here.

Lastly, I am loving these vintage stamp garlands (a new trend for wedding cakes?!) made by etsy seller dsharp and recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings:

We'll be back again on Monday with a recap of Renegade, Uncommon Ground, and the weekend's adventures! :-)

{Renegade Countdown #3: the small object}

2009-09-10T12:01:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to discover that The Small Object will be at the Renegade Craft Fair! I have seen Sarah's custom wedding cake (or cupcake!) toppers on several wedding blogs, but have never gotten the chance to explore her etsy shop. The Small Object creates all kinds of whimsical wonders, including rubber stamps to paper goods - check them out here! I can't get enough of the cake toppers, so I included some below. Can't wait to see more at Renegade!

{Sneak Peek}

2009-09-08T19:56:00.001-05:00

A little sneak peek of what is happening to get ready for the opening of my Etsy shop!

{Renegade Countdown # 2: Uncommon}

2009-09-08T10:57:00.000-05:00

Today's Renegade post features the husband and wife design duo who make up the shop Uncommon. I am happy to highlight their beautiful modern designs for the home. Derren and I have been looking for a wall clock that will fit into our kitchen, and I think one of Uncommon's clocks might just be perfect! I love their fresh color choices - the light blue clock is my favorite.
Be sure to check out their etsy shop here. Uncommon, we hope to stop by your booth at Renegade!

{Paper Parasol}

2009-09-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

As part of our "count down to Renegade" (see post below), I am so happy to feature the shop Paper Parasol today!

Paper Parasol (love the name!) creates beautiful letterpress "homespun happy cards". I love all of their designs, so it was hard to pick just a few to highlight here. Paper Parasol celebrates the art and joy of handwritten notes sent through the mail . . . the idea for the shop was birthed out of the creator's own long-distance relationship.

Please check out their etsy shop here. You might be inspired to send a card to someone you love!

{Chicago & Count Down to Renegade}

2009-09-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

This coming weekend Derren and I will be heading up to Chicago! Derren has a show at this artsy little restaurant/coffee shop called Uncommon Ground. We can't wait!

Also, this next weekend happens to be the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago! I have been wanting to go to a Renegade show for awhile now, and this is the perfect opportunity. Over 300 vendors will be setting up their booths - it will be like walking through a real life Etsy!

Each day this week, Ink & Button will be featuring a different artist who will be at the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago this weekend. Stay tuned for some lovely handmades!

{Derren Raser Photography}

2009-09-06T23:59:00.000-05:00

Derren is launching his photography business and had a couple and band shoot this past week! He photographed our friends Jaron and Katherine in Champaign-Urbana, about 3 hours north of us. Derren just redid his blog on wordpress, so go check it out here to see pics from the latest photo shoot. I am so proud of him! We found out tonight that we might just have our first wedding on the books for next spring! More to come . . .

{birds and bunting}

2009-09-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered the Etsy designer Nina of Ninainvorm from the Netherlands! Nina designs beautiful collages and handmade screen printed ceramics. Some of her ceramics are re-purposed - you might see a china rose pattern blended with her modern screen printed design. I love all of her items, it was hard to pick out just a few to feature here. Her etsy shop can be found here and her lovely colorful blog can be perused here.

(note: The beautiful images that I included do not seem to be working, so be sure to check out Nina's blog and etsy for sights!)

{thinking of fall . . .}

2009-09-04T12:17:00.000-05:00

I am drinking coffee in my pumpkin mug this morning in honor of the soon approaching fall season (our favorite!). We hear that our area of Illinois gets a really nice long fall and we are really looking forward to the leaves changing, the local apple festival, and my parents coming to visit!

We have the next four days off and hope to do some exploring. With thunderstorms in the forecast I hope for lots of time to do a little much-missed crafting! :-)

I LOVE this gorgeous fall palette below:

via 100 Layer Cake

{Lovi wooden cards}

2009-08-31T22:48:00.000-05:00

I love these wooden cards made by Lovi (a Finnish design company) that you can mail and assemble when they arrive. They are made out of thin birch plywood. I think the pig is my favorite! Rumor has it that they are selling these now at Anthropologie. Too bad the closest one is now many many miles away! {on a side note, Derren and I did drive all the way to St. Louis this weekend to fill our cooler with delightful items from Trader Joes!} :-)

(via Twig & Thistle)

{and we're back!}

2009-08-27T22:17:00.000-05:00

After a few weeks of packing, moving, traveling, starting school, teaching, and waiting a week for internet to get set up for us in Southern Illinois, we are finally back to the blogging world. :-)
We are getting all set up in our quaint older house and discovering all that life has to offer here.

I will be back to posting crafty/design things again soon, but for now, some of our week in pictures:

{a barn in the neighborhood . . . taken by the talented Derren :-)}

{one of the buildings that I teach in}

{a little detail of our house}

{rosemary potatoes made by Derren}

{first video chat with my wonderful parents!}

{Stop Action Rasers}

2009-08-14T11:24:00.000-05:00

Our wedding photographers put together this sweet stop action video of some of our wedding photos. Check it out!

Raser stop action demo from Erin Hill on Vimeo.

In other news, my talented husband now has a blog of his own! Check out Derren Raser Photography.

One of the things I have discovered since being in the Midwest are cicadas.
Cicadas are insects that live underground for most of their lives. When they become adults, they crawl to the surface of the soil and molt their skins - leaving them on trees and other plants. The adult cicada then flies away with newly formed wings, leaving the old skins behind. Here are a few pictures of cicada skins that we took in Erika's front yard. Aren't they both fascinating and creepy at the same time?

Off to Murphysboro tomorrow!

{Kansas City Journey}

2009-08-12T00:14:00.000-05:00

We are now in Kansas City for a few days, visiting Derren's family. We sure enjoyed seeing everyone tonight and especially taking pictures of our sweet nephew:

Elliott loves ice cream!

The story of our dessert:

Erika and I at their house:

from the garden:

Before bed tonight, Derren re-discovered his boyhood baseball card collection.

In a few more days, we will be at our final destination in Illinois. But for now, sweet dreams!

{Colorado Journey}

2009-08-08T16:48:00.001-05:00

Derren and I and his parents are now in Breckenridge, Colorado, resting for a couple of days before continuing our trek across the country. We went out yesterday and documented some of the lovely sights with our camera.

I loved this little fabric store called "Magical Scraps" in a quaint old house, complete with fabric bunting trimming the eaves. The majority of the fabric sold here is by Amy Butler, my favorite fabric designer.

Breckenridge has so many beautiful homes-turned-shops, and flowers flowers flowers! I love this Queen Anne's Lace:

This 6 week old puppy was taking a bit of a rest while waiting for his owner:

Loved the cupcakes in this bakery/ice cream parlor:

Derren's lovely detail shots:

And finally, us. :-)

{Here and there and lots of packing}

2009-08-01T22:33:00.000-05:00

I am going to be a little light on the postings this week as Derren and I pack our bags and move to Illinois on Wednesday! I start my PhD program in just a few weeks as well as teaching two classes of undergrads. whoo hoo! This is our new little house. Isn't it cute??

In other news, we were so excited to have our whole wedding featured this week on S.HOPtalk!
Derren is so happy to get a little deserved credit for the amazing signs he designed! Check it out. :-)

Last night, Derren and I went out to St. Tropez for dinner, complete with a little outdoor live jazz concert. Here are a few pics:

New haircut and flower-headband-in-the-hair-photos-for-Lesley:

And, dinner-is-not-complete-without-chocolate-eclairs-photo:

{S.HOPtalk LOVE}

2009-07-29T00:14:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to have my felt flower bouquets featured today on the fabulous blog, S.HOPtalk!
Suzanne keeps a lovely blog (a favorite recent addition to my blog roll) that "celebrates the thrill of the hunt", recording her beautiful and creative findings to share and inspire her readers. Go check it out! Thank you to Lesley for helping us connect and making this possible!

And . . . because what would a blog post be without a few good pictures . . . here are some photos I took on my little beach walk this evening with our new camera!

{Today . . .}

2009-07-27T09:16:00.000-05:00

We're getting a new camera! Whoo hoo!

{Entering the Martha Stewart DIY Contest!}

2009-07-26T00:52:00.001-05:00

Martha Stewart is partnering with Etsy in a contest for DIY wedding crafts! I submitted my bridal bouquet and my bridesmaids bouquets. Top crafts get showcased on the Martha website and the best of the best gets on her show!
Check them out, and if you would like, you may sign in and comment upon or rate my entries. :-)
See the bridal bouquet here and the bridesmaids bouquets here. Thank you!

And thank you again to our wonderful photographers for giving me such lovely pictures of my creations to post! He & She Photography and Micah Dahlberg Photography.

{Sweet Paintings}

2009-07-24T20:26:00.000-05:00

Derren and I first discovered the art of Wayne Thiebaud at the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City. I love the thick bright colors of his work and his go-to subject matter: sweets! The children's book about his life and his art (below) is one I would like to read.

image via here

image via here

image via here

{Post - It!}

2009-07-23T09:02:00.000-05:00

Love these post-it notes shaped like an apple and pear!! (by D-Bros via 1 De sign Per Day)

Speaking of Post-it Notes, there is an amazing stop motion short video on YouTube using over
6, 000 post-its. Amazing! Check it out here. I love stop motion movies . . . they are so creative.

{Pretty Flower Headband}

2009-07-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

I recently got back out my felt and buttons since making all of the bouquets from the wedding and I decided to try to make a headband! I love the way it turned out and will be wearing it to Derren's cd release concert tomorrow night in Los Angeles. :-)

I will be making some more of these for the upcoming etsy shop (which will be opening after our move to Illinois). Let me know if you are interested in one before then, and I can sew one together for you. :-)

Here are the results:

{Golden Gate}

2009-07-17T13:28:00.000-05:00

Here is another lino block print that I created last night of the Golden Gate Bridge:

See you back on Monday with a new post! Happy Weekend!!

{DIY: Lino Block Printing}

2009-07-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

Okay so I am starting to get crafty again . . . this time with a new medium! Derren gave me a gift card to Blick Art Supplies in Little Italy, San Diego, last Christmas. On Tuesday evening, I finally got a chance to use it! I picked up some supplies to try lino block printing (cutting blocks, cutting tools, a brayer, and some ink).

This is the result of last night's craftiness: I decided to carve my parents' house!
(Thank you to Google Map Street View for helping me remember the placement of all of the windows. :-))

Here is the carved block (with green ink):

Here is the print on a card (with blue ink):

Perhaps printed lino block cards and prints will end up in my etsy shop! These are such fun!
Let me know if you want me to carve your house. :-)

{Belated Bastille}

2009-07-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

I am one day late in recognizing Bastille Day, but couldn't pass up this lovely inspiration board by Snippet and Ink!

all pictures credits found here.

{Pom Pom Love}

2009-07-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Aren't pom poms fun??

photo by Ye Rin Mok via Oh Joy!

photo via Once Wed

I seriously considered having little yarn pom poms like these thrown at us after our wedding. Derren gracefully talked me out of it (along with some other ideas :-)) and I am so glad we chose biodegradable lavender instead - especially for the sake of our wonderful wedding coordinators, Ashlyn and Heather. :-)

Photo by our very talented wedding photographers, He & She Photography & Micah Dahlberg Photography

{Sweet Flower People}

2009-07-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

I absolutely LOVE these little flower people by Curlin Reed Sullivan found via Much Love! Curlin's sweet little figures are photographs of her paint/flower/plant assemblages. Wouldn't these be so cute as the characters in a children's story?
I have included a few of my favorites - check out her website to see them all!

{Good Morning, Sunday}

2009-07-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

Loving this photograph by Mary Ruffle . . . I have a thing for aqua mason jars!

Also couldn't pass up these cute pins from Etsy seller Heidi&Seek! Everything she makes uses completely recycled materials!

For the Love of Recycling Pin:

{Weekend Wisteria}

2009-07-11T17:47:00.000-05:00

There is something so magical and lovely about wisteria vines . . . they smell so good too!

photo by elaine hodgson.

I went back to Ruthi's blog today to showcase another one of her amazing installation feats at her Newport Beach Anthropologie store: a wisteria tree! Can you believe that Ruthi and her team made this? Beautiful!

detail shot:

images via here.

{Bakery Love}

2009-07-10T20:02:00.000-05:00

Billy's Bakery has two locations in NYC . . . I love their website, the storefront (image via here) the logo, and especially these cute cupcake favor boxes! Wouldn't this just make your day?

Found via Simple + Pretty.

{The Shop Around the Corner}

2009-07-10T09:34:00.000-05:00

If I owned a little shop, I think I would want it to look something like this: (especially with the fabric bunting!)

This is the new Selvedge shop opening tomorrow in North London.
From visitlondon.com: "Readers of Selvedge, the high-class glossy textiles magazine can now indulge their love of amazing materials, clothing, soft furnishings, books and patterns at a new shop in Archway Road. Just like the magazine, the new shop will feature objects that fulfill the Selvedge criteria of well-fashioned design, beautiful raw materials and integrity in the making process."

The Selvedge website invites guests to the grand opening to meet the Selvedge team over elderflower cordial and cupcakes, my favorite.

Image via here.

{The Seamstress}

2009-07-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

Something that a lot of people might not know about me is that I took sewing lessons for 7 years when I was younger! I used to make a lot of shorts with elastic waistbands. :-) he he.
Recently I have been back into sewing - but mainly by hand. Surprisingly I have more patience for it than machine sewing.

I was struck today by these amazing photographs by Samantha Lamb via here. Samantha also has an online shop where you can buy her photographs. There is something so simple and lovely about spools of thread in unusual places.

I love this one of the teacup:

{Anthropologie: inside}

2009-07-08T19:21:00.000-05:00

If you have stopped by Anthropologie lately, you have probably seen their amazing new window displays - a whole spectrum of dip dyed colors!

I just discovered the amazing blog of Ruthi Auda, the design coordinator for the Newport Beach, CA, Anthropologie store. She made the display above as well as the next three pictures below by hand dip-dying fabrics! For more lovely inspiration, check out Ruthi's blog here.

In Pennsylvania, Anthropologie designers did their dip dying for this display out in the woods!
Images via here. All fabric was found at thrift stores.

The result:

{Sock Monkey Letterpress}

2009-07-07T19:45:00.000-05:00

Derren discovered these cute sock monkey cards this past weekend when we were perusing our local Paper Source. I had to look them up online to share with you all. Which one is your favorite? All sock monkey cards by Hello! Lucky.

Summer Bubbles

2009-07-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

I saw these amazing photographs today via A Cup of Jo. Richard Heeks takes photographs of soap bubbles and you can see more of his work here. After looking closely at the photos, you can see that bubbles actually "rip and tear" instead of "pop". Wow!

{<3 San Fran}

2009-07-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

Derren and I have a sweet affection for San Francisco. We have been there three times together - most recently on our honeymoon. This pic was taken of us by Derren's dad on 4th of July weekend in 2007. He sent it by email and thus it is very small, but it is one of my favorite pictures.

As a wedding gift, our dear friend Courtney got us a lovely screen print of San Francisco by Jenny Beorkrem, designer and founder of Ork Posters. I love the simplicity of her designs - and this perfect color of green!

From Jenny's website: "Ork Posters now offers a line of modern, typographic neighborhood posters and screen prints. By ditching the 'vintage, illustrated' look of traditional maps, Ork designs its posters in a style characterized by originality, simplicity and modernity focused on form more than function."

I also love this one of another favorite city - Portland!

Although not a city neighborhood, I also find this one of the heart really unique:

Celebrate!

2009-07-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Have a wonderful 4th!
Be back tomorrow with a new post. :-) - L

photograph by Erin Poettcker via here.

Prince Edward Island

2009-07-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was young and fell in love with watching Avonlea and Anne of Green Gables, I have always dreamed of visiting Prince Edward Island. When I found this lovely cottage featured in Country Living, I knew I had to post some photos. I think I could spend hours in the "rainy day reading nook" by the spiral staircase. The bedroom and rod iron bed looks just as cozy. The owner shared: "Patterns don't have to match — they just need to be pleasing," Lovely!