enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

  • wide awake.

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    Yesterday was like watching a trailer for the season of spring. It was warm. Open up the window and wear a t-shirt warm. We cooked burgers and listened to birds and wildlife. It was the best trailer ever. The kind that makes you want to skip the movie you are about to see and fast forward to MAY 2010. But you can't. So you don't.

    It was pretty nice though.

    Today I am already an hour behind because while I set my phone alarm, I forgot to bring it into my room. Not to mention the tone I picked for my alarm sounds more like a lullaby than a siren.

    But no matter.

    I have to get going on today. I am trying to sort my paper drawer and figure out what can be made with all the scraps. I have a BIG trip to the post office planned and if I don't chicken out, a hair cut. Tonight is date night which is also code for 1/2 price bottle night at our new favorite greek place.

    I am considering making another batch of home kits and am working with this lady to plan another WEEK OF GO.

    Coming soon to a theater near you.

  • home sweet.

    Homecollage

    This "HOME" book idea has been percolating for a few months but once we found out we'd for sure be moving I decided to get a little more active and start documenting. I put together a mini book to remember our first apartment together. I love the idea of just adding to this book as we move (because P's military there are a lot of moves on the horizon). I think it would be cool to just have a small tab separating the zipcodes and new houses.

    Last week I went around my house while the light was good and took the 32 photos in the above collage. I keep my camera oriented vertically because I new the book pages would be portrait photos. I didn't do any cleaning up before hand, I just carefully "edited" what was seen through the viewfinder. I paid special attention to the colors of our home, the art on the walls and all the little details that are so easy to forget (including the inside of the refrigerator).

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    Inside
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    I gocco printed the cover and US map and then pulled together a few
    patterned papers. I also stamped some frame stamps on cardstock which
    make perfect spaces for text or small photos. The book is 4×6 and the pages are just photos and papers adhered back to back.

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    Zippage
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    In addition to photos, I included text about our house. Small things
    like what we pay for rent and utilities. I listed my LOVES and HATES
    with our current living situation. I added a thought from me and a
    thought from P about what makes our house a home (years from now, I
    would love to ask my little ones the same question). I also added little details like a scanned image of our door key (blurred for safety) and a receipt from the grocery store (actually, in the photo it's a PS receipt. We need to get to the store). For our next home, I'll be sure to save things like paint chips and furniture tags – but for now, this works well.

    This is our first home together. It's my first apartment outside of college, and while I have fabulous intentions – it looks nothing like the homes on my favorite decor blogs. But I think it is still important to document. I love that I'll have a little book to remind me how we lived from August 2007-March 2010. Plus, in ten years, I might be a little closer to making it on Apartment Therapy and then I will know just how far we've come.

    ++

    There are some HOME minibook kits available in the shop.

  • shop update + giveaways.

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    I just updated the shop with new home mini book kits, poppy gocco prints & US postcards. I will be sharing what I made with the home book kit on Monday – I’m excited about this one.

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    And in the meantime, leave a comment on this post to be entered to win a poppy print OR a set of “blank to the blank” cards. Share what type of book you would write if you had the chance.

    I’ll draw two random winners Monday. And don’t forget to visit the shop.

  • shop update tomorrow.

    Jan22update

  • a long time coming : the fall book.

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    Last September, I started on a book to collect the fall. I shared the beginning, but never the end. Here is how the book turned out in October. I should have kept going through November, but in the hustle of life, I stopped.

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    I did a book for summer, a book for fall and then a holiday book. I just can't get up the energy to start on a winter book and no doubt spring will be too busy, but I am excited to collect the season again this summer.

  • new journal time.

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    The word "journal" is sort of inaccurate. I don't use books to track daily stories (that's what the blog and twitter are for) but instead they hold sketches and to do lists and ideas. I love filling one up and starting all over again. You can order a handmade journal, customized just for you, here.

  • wedding wednesday : ceremony programs

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    I have a plan for the wedding programs.

    Thoughts on wedding programs : On the one hand, they are useful. The guests can follow along, get some insight on who the wedding party is and fan themselves if the AC conks out. On the other hand, they are a lot of work and usually go right into the bin. (They also always get left to the last minute. I can't tell you how many brides I have met at the store on busy Friday's who need help buying paper for wedding programs. My first question is always "Great, when's the wedding?" and the answer is quite often, "Tomorrow." Yikes.)

    But, I love paper so we are going to have programs. And because I HATE last minute projects, as soon as we confirmed the ceremony, I got started on the program layout. I am going to wait until after the big day to show the finished product. (Because SOMETHING has to surprise my guests that read this blog.) But here are a few little details that I wanted to share.

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    I ordered a custom embosser plate with "e & p" on it. I am going to be embossing the front covers (gray card stock, obviously) with this. I haven't thought of another way to use it yet, maybe down the line for some stationery. I love the subtle monogram and I am excited to add a new plate to my tiny collection.

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    I also purchased orange and white baker's twine to serve as the binding. Our programs are going to be four pages (eight sides, back and front) total, so two pieces of paper folded in half and held in place with twine. I thought about ribbon, I thought about using a staple, but this string was inexpensive and the right color. Done and done.

    Inside the program we're keeping it simple. A quote (of our own) on the front page. Outline of the ceremony on the inside spread. Details about the wedding party and special thank you on the last page.

    I am also having short & sweet programs at the wedding reception. Not one per person but two or so for each table. The hope is to keep people informed about all the details going on there as well.

  • vegas in a few photos.

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    THIS WEEKEND : We took a monorail to the future. We laughed. We cried. We sneezed. We sat at an all-you-can-eat-and-drink champagne brunch for over five hours. We gambled. We won money. We lost money. We celebrated. We danced. We made lists. We planned futures.

    THIS WEEK : I am fighting to get back on track. I am hoping to put together a shop update and some crafty blog posts. I am excited to be back with Paul. I am signing an "intent to leave" our apartment. I am planning to go head to head with the DMV (here it is called MVA). I am missing my girls.

  • 100.

    100days

    Instead of panicking over all that is left to accomplish, I'll look back on all that we've taken care of.

    Done

    I think we have more accomplished than left to do. And as I keep repeating out loud and internally – no matter what, at the end, we'll be married.

    PS : here's a post from three years ago when there were just 100 days left until my college graduation. I can't believe how much has changed and how much has stayed the same; I'll be seeing these girls tomorrow in Vegas!

  • printing right now…

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