Confessions of a Pinterest Addict

If you haven't been introduced to Pinterest you should check it out. BUT considered your self warned it is very addicting.
I am one of those addicted people who talk about Pinterest as if it's a friend, I use the word Pinterest in my daily language...but I don't want to go to rehab!

I'm asked all the time "...what is it exactly?" It's hard to explain but here is a great blog that explains it all and helps get you started.

http://www.pinsavvysocial.com/pinterest-101/

Visit their blog and find out everything you need to know, sign up and start following! There is so much to see and share....but remember I warned you! 

Please follow my boards at http://pinterest.com/paperflora2/

"The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway." -- Mother Teresa 

Best Cake Ever

If you need a "go to" "knock them off their feet" "best cake ever" recipe you don't need to look any further!
This Double Caramel Cake is so gooey and good you'll want to share it with everyone.

You can get the recipe at Culinary Concoctions. You won't be sorry!

Happy New Year

It's 9:59 p.m. December 31st. I'm sitting quietly at home and enjoying every minute.

This time of year is full of expectations, promises, hope and excitement. I don't make New Year's resolutions. But I do have some things I'd like to work on which, hopefully, will make 2012 less complicated.



I want to:
De-stach my life. I have a lot of stuff, it's good, pretty and useful but it's still stuff and it's taking up a lot of room.
Follow through.
Stay focused.
Scale back.
Start doing all those wonderful things I have pinned on Pinterst.

I know those things may seem a little vague but they all mean something important to me.

What about you, what is going to be important to you this year?

Happy New Year!

A few of my favorite things from my Pinterest boards. You can see more here   http://pinterest.com/paperflora2/

Ruffled Streamers

I'm sure you've heard the phrase  "Everything old is  new again" I can't think of where it would fit better than here. Remember crepe paper streamers, you know the ones your mom would thumb tack to the patio when it was time to celebrate!

Well Dana, over on her blog MADE has taken crepe paper streamers to a whole new level. On her site she gives you a step by step tutorial on how to sew these wonderful paper strips together to make your event bright and festive.


Please visit her site and see what else she has created.

Not your mother's pumpkin bread

How good does this look? 

I spotted this recipe on Grin and Bake it. 

Kate has some wonderful goodies there. You can get the recipe for this and a lot more on her blog at Grin and Bake it 

Time Out!

This week I am going to put myself in "Time Out". I know a week might sound a little harsh but I bet it will do me some good.

Now to clarify-
I am going to limit (severely limit) my time on Twitter, Facebook, Etsy shop, Pinterest, Email and all the other time sucking vortexes I can get caught in that can steal minutes, that can turn into hours, from my day.
Maybe some of you can relate?

But with an Etsy shop to run, emails to answer and communications that have to be done I can't just "shutdown" and hope for the best.

THE PLAN-
1. Have a timer on my desk and limit my time to 10 minutes.
2. Make use of the "schedule" button on Tweetdeck. That way in one sitting I can schedule Tweets for the entire day or even days in advance.
3. I'm also going to use the Search Ads option for promoting my Etsy site, but limit my $$ and time for one week.
4. STICK TO MY PLAN!!!

THE GOAL-
1. Being a better steward of my time.
2. Work on new styles and color combinations.
3. Build up a back stock for the shop.
4. Get myself organized to work smarter not harder!

I'm going to use Craftopolis  and my Shop Stats on Etsy to see if my plan makes any difference in views & visits to my shop.

Wish me luck-

Guest Post

http://craftystaci.com/

Tomorrow I'll be guest posting on
CraftyStaci  stop by and see what's going on!
Don't forget to leave a little comment love

Blog Giveaway at Casa di Cass

http://www.bigmamacass.com/

It might be a little early but Cass and I are getting into the Holiday Spirit. Well I don't know if a "Giveaway" is the Holiday spirit but it is a lot of fun and you get something for FREE.

Visit her site Casa di Cass anytime from 10/26/11 through 11/1/11 and follow her directions and you can qualify to win a $20 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop.

And if you are hosting a giveaway of your own click on these links and get the word out!

http://www.squidoo.com 

http://www.contestformoms.com/

Upcycle T-shirts and more

I'm sure you've seen all the up-cycled t-shirt patterns around. There are patterns to make purses, pillows, dresses and so much more.  Here are a few you should check out.

featured on the Howjoyful blog 

featured on Our-Everyday-Art

featured on Tea Rose Home

Is it FALL yet?

I love Autumn, I love everything about it

• cooler days
• the colors
• the clothes
• boots
• decor 
• the food

Here are just a few of my favorites.

color palette

sweaters + boots = fall

Decor

balsamic and onion pot roast

What are your favorites? 

Weekly Calendar

I found this on Kristy's blog Next To Heaven.
It is an adorable idea for a dry erase board weekly calendar.
She gives all the details on her blog so please check it out.

I use one for our weekly menu What's for Dinner?

I'm sure there are lots of other uses, chore charts, family notes...what would you use it for?

Follow me on Pinterest

I just added a "Pinterest" button here to the left. You can get yours here
 Check it out here. Cheers to Kate from DDGDaily for alerting me to this!] 

It was really easy, only one step. 

Stop by my boards, leave a comment and I will follow back~ 

Make your own....

It's amazing what you can learn on your own. With a little hunting and the search button you can make, create or recreate almost anything. Here are a few things I've found and plan on "making my own" some may work others may not but it will be fun trying. If you have any that you use please share!

Body Scrub

Martha's Bathtub Fizzies

If you're really ambitious Laundry detergent

Gifts from the kitchen

make your own Mod Podge

Gel Room Fresheners

art supplies

Baked Apple Rings

This looks so good. I found the recipe from Howto-simplify for these baked apple rings on Pinterest, you know my newest obsession. They look easy and yummy AND it's a fruit right?
Try it and let me know what you think-

Source: howto-simplify.com via PaperFlora on Pinterest

The Perfect Palette

If you love color (who doesn't?) this is the place to stop. The Perfect Palette has the most exhaustive selection of color palettes you could imagine.
And you don't have to be planning a wedding these palettes will work for decorating, sewing, painting or any where you need inspiration with color selections.
AND I am so excited to say they featured my clutches on their blog today! I am so excited and honored.

Please go to the Blog and follow there or through Twitter and Facebook. You won't be sorry!

Color Pops at Pinterest

New silk clutch collection from PaperFlora

I've been introduced to Pinterest....I love it.
It took some time to figure out all the great things I could do with this new resource.

I kept thinking that it was like an inspiration board limited to 5-6 pictures and I couldn't figure out why you'd follow someone. 

I had to start thinking of it as a storage file so instead of finding a great idea, picture or item then copying it, making a file and storing it in that file on your computer you can install a "pin it" button in your nav. bar. Every time you see something you like you hit the "pin it" button which clips it and takes you to pinterest. It then asks where you'd like to store it, that's what the "boards" are for. They are like files and if it's a flower  you might have a flower board, or if it's someplace you'd like to travel to you'll have a travel board, a recipe you want to try you have a recipe board...

Now the good thing about it is it saves all the info about the item so if you use it on your blog or anywhere else all the correct link info and credits are there too. 

Now as far as following someone, I guess that's personal preference and you can follow a single board or an entire person. You can pick individual items from within their boards and add to your own. 

window display at Zinnia in South Pasadena CA. 

It may sound confusing but once you start playing around it's really fun. But it could also be just one more thing to get compulsive about too! 

Calling all my "redo" friends

I bought this cabinet at a yard sale a few weeks ago with the intent of bringing it back to life but now I don't know what to do. Should I paint it, white wash it, color block, decoupage...do you see my dilemma there's too many choices!

I'd love your suggestions-

chalkboard pendant tutorial

How cute is this? 

Click the link here chalkboard pendant for the tutorial on how to make this adorable pendant. 

Let me know what you'd use it for? 

I spy with my little eye....

I love it when I come across random things in the city. I've driven by this mural many times I just love it.

I think because it reminds me of a very special little girl I know. Then one day my special friend was with me in the car as we drove by and I had to take a picture of the two of them.

Just wanted to share

Some of my new favorite things~

Ruffles romper from Etsy shop Dream Spun Kids

Rose felt pillows from Etsy shop That Funky Boutique

Vanilla Butter Cake from Etsy shop The Tiny Kitchen

DRAMA...drama...drama

I made the huge mistake last January, you know the month that all things are new and possible, to say to myself "this year I am going to live a simpler life".
I know that can mean a lot of different things to different people so let me clarify. I wanted to eliminate those things that;
1. Caused drama
2. Were deemed, by me, to not particularly add joy
3. Things that were "time stealer'
4. Things that were not honoring to God
5. Coveting my fellow bloggers- interiors, finished projects , wonderful ideas, and yes homemade meals.

I thought if I could rid myself from most of those things my life would run smoother and my life would some how be better, simpler, easier.

Well it's 6 months later and all those"good intentions" have fallen by the wayside. Not for my lack of trying. I have made one huge observation. A lot of the drama that is in my life comes from other people and my obsessive need to fix their problems. Anybody else have this problem??

beautiful touches

This room is beautifully decorated and full of ideas you could you for so many occasions.

The lanterns are an easy way to make any room look special. And I love the way the chairs are decorated with the simple sash across the back. 

If you'd like to see more check this blog out Sound track to I Do