A good use of Post-Easter Peeps

I hate marshmallow peeps, a fact that my mom would often get mixed up around Easter time when she'd give all the Cadbury eggs (yum!) to my sister and all the peeps to me. So here's a great use of them that I found on Realsimple.com. Although, it does turn peeps into somewhat of a voo-doo doll. Pincushion, voo-doo doll, whatever suits your fancy. Just spray some craft sealant on your leftover peep and voila!

Jersey City Love

I'll be the first to admit that I like Jersey City a lot more than I thought I was going to. When Nick and I first moved down here from Boston, I had in my mind that we were going to live in NYC or we weren't going to move at all. I thought, "what's the point of moving all that distance if I can't live in Manhattan? Brookln & Queens would have been ok too. But then, we started seriously looking around and decided that we really didn't want to be eating easy mac and rice-a-roni for the next year. Been there, done that in college. What's the point of living in one of the greatest cities in the world if you can't enjoy it?

Our first trip to Jersey City was a complete bust. I hated it. I told Nick that there was no way I was living there. Turns out though that we just hadn't discovered the best of what Jersey City has to offer. Granted there are still parts that are "frontier lands," as one real estate broker put it, but it has a lot going for it, including the best pancakes I've ever tasted at the Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory and a "wedding cake martini" that is to die for at the Bar Majestic. So, in honor of Jersey City, aka "New York's six borough," I present to you some fine wares from other J.C. sellers. Enjoy!

Yarn from seller stickyfingers that makes me drool

Cute mini-hearts from blacklilys

Clock-winder pendant from katrinbird

Items for your Spring wardrobe

Yes, it's only 45 degrees in New York City today, but that's not keeping me from thinking about fun items I could add to my wardrobe this Spring from etsy. Check out these lovelies:

From etsy seller daphnenen
From etsy seller felted

From etsy seller Ananya

Spring Sale

I am generally not one to have sales on my site, but the ushering in of Spring and saying goodbye to Winter has me in a generous mood. From today, 3/20/08, through the end of Easter Sunday, 3/23/08, I'm offering $5 off any one item in my store. Upon checkout, enter "blog" into the comments area and wait for a revised invoice from me before making your paypal payment. This offer is also good for your family and friends, so pass it on!

A must have for any newlywed...

Is there someway I can add this T-shirt to my Kohl's or Crate & Barrell registry? If anyone was to purchase this for me they'd definitely be forever in my good graces! Nick on the other hand.... In any case, check out wifeville and all the cute apparel they have.

Need a coffee break?

We all have those moments during the day when you need to escape for maybe five minutes from the phone, the email, and just work in general. Here's my favorite go-to stress reliever site, it's got a series of super-cute games that are addictive and fun, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Orisinal Games

Here comes another bride....

Custom Bridesmaid Necklace Order
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Just wanted to share a creation I worked on over the weekend for a fellow bride and her bridesmaids. I searched around for a while looking for some dark chocolate beads to go with her dresses, and finally found them this weekend in Caldwell, NJ. I crocheted together three types of freshwater pearls and then mixed in some Swarvoski crystal to make it sparkle. I'm really happy with how it turned out, hopefully her girls will be, too! One down, three to go....

Just a little peek....

For those of you who are curious, here's a little peek of where we'll be celebrating our wedding this summer. The first picture is of Babcock Lake itself, the lake where my grandparents and now my parents own a "camp." When I say camp, this generally confuses people, as it's really more of a cabin. It's my family's version of "outdoor camping" if you will. The second (excuse the side view mirror) is of the community center where the party and BBQ will happen. It's quaint, but very cute and the beach for swimming is right down the road. Now just picture it a little bit "jazzed" up and you got yourself a party!

Three Times a Bridesmaid Earrings

Three Times a Bridesmaid Earrings
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Yes, I have been a bridesmaid MORE than three times but I am lucky enough that the old curse has not fallen upon me! Haha! In anycase, I created these earrings and thought they would be beautiful for a Spring or Summer wedding. Not all of my own girls HAVE pierced ears (funny, I don't either), so I'm not sure if i'll be making these for them or not.

This was weekend was a success, simply because I didn't do much of anything! Here's to resting up for a few busy months to come.

Caribbean Cruise Necklace

Carribean Cruise Necklace
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Anyone feel like a cruise? Inspired after two of my bridesmaids who have taken tropical vacations this winter, I put this one together with shades of greens and blue that reminded me of the waters around the Caribbean. I photographed it with some sunglasses and the swimsuit I plan on wearing on our honeymoon in Hawaii!

As I recently started my job, I'm not able to take vacation but hopefully someone who can will snatch this up to wear by the poolside!

Another Etsy lovely

Yes, I still have cupcakes on the brain, I can't help it! But now, I bring them you in a different form. This time you can wear it, but not eat it!The maker of this "Pink Cupcake" lotion is SpaTherapy Works, one of my favorite sellers on etsy. I did some Christmas shopping over there and loved the products I purchased, especially the all-natural deodorant (who doesn't want to smell like a bluberry muffin all day?!) I also admire this seller for her photography and the way she incorporates different elements into her pics. Ok, I now promise to stop obsessing over cupcakes. Off to make some lotion purchases... A collection of these and some bubble bath would make great attendant gifts, don't you think?

"Gerbera" Daisies

photo couretsy of Tasha Owen and theknot.com

The flower that I'm going to use as the focal point of my wedding are "Gerbera" Daisies. No, not Gerber, "Gerbera." I personally had no idea that you had to add on the extra "a" until I started tooling around theknot.com. I'd like to try to find a way to "creatively" use them in each element of the wedding, and I found this picture on the knot, courtesy of "Brittany and Steve, an Outdoor Wedding in Tacoma, WA" Why do I love it? Becuase a) it's fuschia with b) a Gerbera daisy! Perfect for the chairs or church pews. In anycase, I thought the picture would be fun and "springy" to share on a day like today when it's going to reach 60 degrees in NYC!