Design Gem

Weekly Meal Planning: Week of September 14, 2015

2015-09-13T21:10:00.003-05:00

Hi Friends! Lots of exciting things have happened recently. One being, Blake and I got married in July. A month later, we moved into our newly renovated home (pictures coming!). It's been a busy summer, to say the least. But it's been the most memorable and special one yet.

One of the things Blake and I started enjoying together early on in our dating relationship was cooking together. We'd pour a glass of wine and make dinner together. It might be my favorite way to relax after a busy day or week. That being said, we love to cook for health and budget reasons and also the pure satisfaction of making something delicious (not always though and all I have to say to that is #pinterestfail).

Long story short, when we got married, it was important that we take the time each weekend to plan our meals for the week including going to the store. ***Insert cheesy quote (sorry I just have to): Fail to plan, plan to fail** Thanks for indulging me for a second. I love a good quote. Anyway, I wholeheartedly believe this quote, mostly because I have failed to plan, a lot, and it has left me frazzled one too many times. Frazzled, busy, failed to plan = Taylor making really bad eating choices and surely you get where I am going here.

So, I introduce you to the Menu Board! This little guys is housed on the side of our fridge and helps us stay on track and organized with our weekly meal planning. I love this thing and guess what? It works! At any given moment, I know what meals I have ingredients for so no more last minute trips to Taco Mayo for dinner in the Elliott household :)

Sunday: Today was busy for us. Nothing fancy, leftovers!

Monday: Skinny Taste's Korean Grilled Chicken and I will add a bag of 90 second brown rice and a steam-able bag of broccoli.

Tuesday: Deer Tacos
There is nothing fancy about this recipe except that we have probably 150 lbs. of ground deer meat from this past winter thanks to Blake. I am not a huge fan of deer by it's self (deer burgers, steaks, etc) but when it is mixed with taco seasoning, marinara sauce, chili, it really is so good! Not to mention, deer is very very lean so I am onboard.

For this recipe, we just cook the deer meat like ground beef and add taco seasoning. We like soft tacos so we get flour tortillas with toppings: shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa. Sometimes we get really fancy and make guacamole, too.

Wednesday: Skinny Taste's Swedish Meatballs and I will serve over some whole wheat noodles and probably throw in a vegetable. I don't plan my side vegetables before I go to the store, I just buy what is on sale that week. The suspense is unreal! :)

Thursday: Garlic Butter Salmon Baked in Foil and I will add a vegetable and probably some brown rice. We tried this recipe for the first time last week. It was easy and very good! We had couscous with it last week so I thought I'd spice things up a bit with rice this week. We purchased a big bag of frozen salmon and I love having fish at least once a week. I know fresh is the way to go but frozen is really convenient for us right now, so if its gotta be frozen, I still make sure it is wild caught.

Friday: Always and forever our date night--who wants to cook after a long week? Not us!

Grocery shopping typically happens on Saturdays and we like to try a new recipe on Saturday too. We usually go for something a little more time consuming because we've got the time then.

Our menu board only covers dinner but I also like to throw in at least one small recipe for lunch. We also each leftovers at lunch. This week my lunch is Whole Foods Sonoma Chicken Salad. I have never tried this recipe before but I love chicken salad so I have high hopes for this one.

Menu board made by me :) and available in my Etsy Shop. More styles coming soon!

New Products!

2015-02-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

When I first opened Design Gem I focused a lot on paper products and personalized prints. As Design Gem just turned two (Feb 18), I have been thinking a lot about the last two years and how much we've grown and the kind of products I want to continue to design in the future. I love gift products more than anything. I love finding that perfect gift for someone special and I get so very excited to give that perfect gift to them. Watching them open it makes me so excited hoping they love it. I want that feeling for my customers with the gifts I design. Something else I strive for (hang in here with me, folks!)...You know when you find a cute product and it reminds you so much of someone that you just have to get it for them? Yep. I want my gifts to be like that too. I focus a lot on niche items. Here are some examples below:

I know you know someone that would love this mug. This coffee mug is 100% me and I love it so.

A gift for your bestie, who of course, is da best!

For your littles that love Frozen, they will surely love these Frozen pencils. These were a big seller during Christmas as a stocking stuffer and now they have been selling as Frozen party favors.

I love the movie The Help and I love this quote. These pencils are perfect as a pick-me-up for a friend or for someone that just loves that movie!

Happy 2nd Birthday Design Gem!

2015-02-18T05:00:00.000-06:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my small yet incredibly fulfilling Etsy shop, Design Gem. I absolutely love being creative and my shop has given me more than just a creative outlet...It has shown me my passion and love for gift product design! This shop lights my heart on fire and I cannot wait to see what is in store for year three.

Since today we are celebrating DG's birthday, I want to introduce our newest product....a TUMBLER! I am very excited about this for several reasons. 1) Well, I love tumblers and use one everyday. 2) It's so cute with it's striped straw and bright turquoise color! 3) It has a meaningful reminder and I need positive reminders on the daily! 4) There is a tiny heart in the curve of the "e" in "love". It's pretty cute!

This tumbler would be the cutest gift filled with candy for a friend or add some of Design Gem's pencils for a different yet sweet touch.

Design Gem is Now Doing Wholesale!

2015-02-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

Exciting news for Design Gem! We are now accepting wholesale orders for retail stores and online shops! Please contact us for wholesale inquiries! We know your customs will love Design Gem products!

EXCITING NEWS!

2015-02-16T06:02:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday, Blogettes! I am back from a fabulous vacation in the lovely mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado where the amazing Blake proposed to me! (insert engagement ring, heart and celebration emojis!)

Breck has always had a special place in our hearts as a couple. It was our first vacation spot together as a couple and since then, we have visited several times in the summer and winter time.

In particular, we have a very favorite restaurant there called The Hearthstone. I highly recommend it for anyone going to Breck. Anyway, we tagged along with my parents on this trip so they got to join in on the fun! I had made reservations for The Hearthstone and it ended up that we were running late for our reservation and I was not a happy camper but I soon learned that it was part of the plan. Because we were running late, my parents dropped Blake and I off at the front door. We were directed to our awesome table in which we sat down. Blake told me that he had recently realized we had been dating for 1,113 days and that each day I have become more his best friend and how much he loved me. Blake is pretty frequent with his sweet words so I did not think much of this. Then, the waitress brought us some champagne! I thought that was so sweet but I truly had no idea a proposal was in store. We drank our champagne and as I sat my drink down Blake said, "what's that right there?" and pointed to a very sparkly and gorgeous ring! We pulled the ring out and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Blake's main objective was the catch me off guard and he did for sure. Side note: He asked if we could go look at rings next week so I really thought there was no way that we could be getting engaged on this trip!

Champagne glass that my ring was sitting in the bottom of. Blake was worried I would see the ring in the champagne as the waitress brought it. I did not see a thing and Blake actually had to point the ring out to me. Haha.

Right after we got engaged, Blake called my parents and said they could come in. They were in on the plan the whole time. It meant the world to me that Blake included them in the proposal.

YAY!!!!

My parents and us. Such a special night.

Now Breckenridge holds a more special place in our hearts. As beautiful and as special as Breck is, we have decided to get married there! 7/17/15 here we come!

Gratitude

2014-11-10T06:30:00.000-06:00

I recently added pencils to my etsy shop. It was torn between producing a product with cute saying and producing a product with something meaningful. I chose meaningful. I am still trying to figure out why that was such a tough decision for me.

Gratitude Changes Everything. This is my life motto. Seriously. I hate to admit it on the world wide web but I am selfish. I lack gratitude, a lot of it. I am coming to terms with the fact that I compare my life to "perfect people on social media" and it leaves me so not content, wanting more and very selfishly not gracious for what I have. I made these pencils as a reminder to myself and hopefully to others, too.

I often let myself be defined by the clothes I wear, the designers things I think I "need" to fit in, what the inside of my house looks like etc. It's my fault for choosing to put my worth in these materialistic things but what I am learning is that I want to change because my worth is not in these things. It's exhausting trying to put my worth in material things, too. Clothes, purses, jewelry and decorating my home are so fun--but they do not define me. My heart, my compassion, my love for others and my servants heart are the things I want to be defined by.

I have been trying hard to be grateful and name off everything I am grateful for as soon as that itch of not being content strikes. My family, my boyfriend, my puppy, my etsy shop, my full time job, a home I own, food on my table, genuine friends, a car...the list could go on. As soon as I start naming off the things I am gratitude for, a wave of hope and calmness comes over me. I immediately feel better and happy for all the blessings in my life. Gratitude does indeed change everything.

Contentment and gratitude are my struggles. But they are almost my opportunities for deep growth.

Do you ever struggle with contentment and lack of gratitude? Leave me a line.

Hope you have a wonderful Monday. xoxo -Taylor

Currently Loving....Fall Decor

2014-09-09T21:51:00.000-05:00

Pinterest has to be my least and most favorite thing ever. Least favorite because it tends to make me want to redo my entire home all the time and favorite because it is one of the only things that I find truly relaxing after a long day. It is the weirdest thing, once I start looking at pinterest, my brain just kind of slows down. I am thinking it is because pinterest houses so much inspiration and pretty pictures, maybe? Does anyone else feel this way about pinterst?

I have more pinterest boards than I care to admit but I have been in fall decor mode lately. Here are a few images of inspiration that I am considering for my home this fall. Most are DIY! I love a good weekend project :)

I love a simple yet elegant wreath and this one definitely does the trick. I think this would be a fairly easy DIY. You will just need a lot of pine cones and hot glue :)

Painting pumpkins is a genius idea! Especially for those who don't like carving pumpkins (me) but love the festive look pumpkins bring to fall decor. This would be a great project to do with kids, too! The options are endless with colors, patterns etc.

This is very Pottery Barn. Perhaps it is Pottery Barn. Not sure. Anyhow, love that it is filled to the brim with fun details.

Love this DIY garland. It would be pretty to wrap on a mantle.

I am certain I need to get some metallic paint in my hands asap. I really think I will go the painted pumpkin route this year. So fun!

I love how neatly decorated this door front is. I think I need some urns in my life or rather on my porch :) I love how pretty this is.

Are you already planning for your fall decor? Got any fun ideas? I would love to hear them!

All picture links to sources are available on my Fun for the Holidays pinterest board.

Creamy Chicken and Rice: A One Pot Recipe!

2014-08-25T12:07:00.000-05:00

I cook my lunches for the week every.single.Sunday. It is my routine and helps me A) Not eat out for lunch everyday and B) Eat a bit healthier. I am always looking for new recipes that can easily be separated into small containers and that reheat well via microwave.

I found this Creamy Chicken and Rice recipe on Pinterest via Natasha's Kitchen and wanted to give it a try. I knew it would be a perfect take-to-work-lunch with a side salad. I especially had to try the recipe when I read that it was a one pot recipe! Say what?!?! One pot recipes are now my new favorite.

Overall, this recipe was so easy to make and I consider myself a beginner with cooking. It was also delicious with a lot of flavor. The recipe made a lot so I have enough dinner for every lunch this week but some leftovers to eat for dinner or I could freeze the remainder for a week down the road in which I don't feel like cooking.

Image via Natasha's Kitchen.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Recipe:

¼ cup olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 med or ½ large onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, grated on the large grater or cut into matchsticks
1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp salt (we used sea salt), divided
¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay
5 cups hot reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups medium grain rice such as Jasmine rice (un-rinsed)
1 head garlic
⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped, plus more to serve
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve

Instructions

Using a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, over medium/high heat, add ¼ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once butter is melted and hot, stir in diced onion, grated carrots and 1 tsp salt. Sautee until soft and golden (8-10 min).
Add trimmed, chopped chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, another 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden on all sides (5 mins).
Increase the heat to high and add 1 cup white wine. Boil down the wine, scraping the bottom until most of the wine has evaporated.
Add the hot chicken broth, then stir in the rice.
Without separating the cloves (leaving the root end intact), slice the end off a whole head of garlic to expose the garlic cloves. Set the whole head into the center of your rice, sliced side down. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is fully cooked (15 mins).
Turn off the heat, remove garlic head (you can either push the cloves of garlic out into the rice and eat it or discard it) and quickly stir in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in chopped parsley and ½ cup parmesan cheese. It should be creamy. Serve right away or leave the lid on to keep it warm until serving. Garnish with more fresh parsley to serve.

Notes

** A note on using brown rice instead of Jasmine rice. 2 of my readers both tried brown rice and both said they had great results but it took 45 minutes too cook rather than 15 minutes. Another reader said she tried instant brown rice and it took the same amount of time to cook as Jasmine rice.

Recipe and image via Natasha's Kitchen.

Thank you Natasha for sharing a great recipe on your blog. Cannot wait to try more.

Do you have a great lunch recipe? Please do share! :)

New Products in the Shop!

2014-08-18T19:33:00.000-05:00

I am SO excited about the new products recently added to Design Gem! I have loved designing stamps and wall art but decided to dabble in some new items. So without further ado...

iPhone 5 cases. These beauties come in two variations, regular case and the tough case :) I can also do other cases. All phone cases can be customized with name, monogram etc. Yay!

I have some favorite phrases and earlier this year I made them into a print (here). Well, I love this print so much that I decided to make some engraved pencils with none other than gold writing. Love love.

I was just telling you about my favorite print, it has been popular so I decided to create a gold foil version and I am seriously swooning over how it turned out. The gold is so shiny and pretty!

See! I told you it was SHINY!

Next up and new to the shop are these custom stickers! The example above does show an address but really, with stickers, the options could go on! Holiday stickers? Yes! Stickers for your kids? Yes! To and From stickers for gifts? Yes! The possibilities are endless!

Lastly, I have a new stamp design in the shop. This design is very modern and if you'll notice, there is a slight offset with the type creating a subtle line, seriously, it looks so modern and awesome.

So...what do y'all think? I'd love your feedback!

I have a couple more items headed to the shop soon...stay turned, my friends! xoxo

Product Love: Design Gem Return Address Stamp

2014-08-06T14:43:00.001-05:00

I am currently crushing on this stamp. Is it ok to crush on my own products? I think yes. It would be hard for me to sell products to others that I did not absolutely love and want to use myself.

My favorite part about this stamp the horizontal layout. I also enjoy that you can play with the placement. You can stamp along the edge of the envelope, like shown in the example photo, or you can place the address at the very top of the flap. This stamp is also very dainty with its thin typewriter style typography. Love love.

Moral of this short story? I need to order myself one of these stamps pronto!

Hop on over to my etsy shop to view this stamp and many more at Design Gem.

Shrimp and Grits Recipe

2014-07-03T17:09:00.003-05:00

Hello, hello! As stated in a previous post, when I find a keeper of a recipe, I get so excited that I must share! Today, it's shrimp and grits and it's just fabulous!

Background story...I first had shrimp and grits a couple years ago at a nice restaurant in Oklahoma City. Since then, anytime I see shrimp and grits on a menu, I order it!

When I found this recipe for Shrimp and Grits I got super excited. I enjoy trying to recreate my favorite foods at home and new I had to make this recipe next. It is listed on the top 20 Food Network recipes, so I knew it had to be good. Another awesome thing about this recipe...15 minutes of prep and 15 minute cook time! Score and score! What a perfect week night meal.

Shrimp and Grits: (serves 4)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup instant grits

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus wedges for serving
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne, if using, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons water, the lemon juice and parsley; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the grits among shallow bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe via Food Network

Photos by me :)

Houston Travels

2014-06-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

I have a lovely friend from college. Her name is Lauran and she lives in Houston. I would love for her to move back to Oklahoma but...until then, I will visit her in Houston every once in a while and we will shop a whole bunch and eat amazingly delicious food. Not complaining here :)

I went to visit her a couple of weeks back and here is a little recap of our Houston adventures. Lauran is definitely a foodie and it was such a wonderful time trying new foods at really neat places. Sadly, we did not get any pictures together.

All ready to explore Houston!

First stop was Adair Kitchen for an awesome Turkey Burger.

Dinner that night consisted of fried oysters at Liberty Kitchen and Oyster Bar.

Gulf of Maine Acadian Redfish wrapped in bacon with a little pinot grigio.

The next day we might have made a little stop at Prada for a lovely little clutch.

A juice bar? Yes please! I had the Chaturanga Cowabunga and it was awesome. This was Lauran's first time (she was hesitant!) to have fresh juice and she loved it.

Tacos and margs at Torchy's.

Cloud 10 Creamery for dessert. I am not even sure what I had, I just took Lauran's suggestion and it was just wonderful. It definitely had peanut butter and jelly ice cream in it, though! This place gives Braum's a run for their money. I can't believe I just said that.

My last meal in Houston was a fabulous omelet at The Buffalo Grille. They have cinnamon coffee and it is the best coffee I have ever had, hands down.

I loved visiting Lauran and cannot wait to go back to Houston for more shopping, quality time and good eats :)

Homemade Fried Ravioli

2014-06-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had fried ravioli? I must admit a little secret...my mom and I LOVE the fried raviloi at Olive Garden :) You must try it before you judge! A fried ravioli appetizer and an italian margarita, is there really anything better? Seriously, go try it tonight and report back.

I tried to make fried ravioli at home a couple weeks back. I will say...it is not near as good as Olive Garden's but it was delicious and I was proud. Oh, and it's a Pioneer Woman recipe, so you really can't go wrong! Below is the best recipe I have found so far, have y'all found a good fried ravioli recipe? Please do share!

Homemade Fried Ravioli Recipe:

Ingredients

4 cups Vegetable Oil
6 whole Eggs
1/2 cup Half-and-half
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs
24 whole Frozen Ravioli (I recommend the meat ravioli!)
2 cups Jarred Marinara Sauce, Heated
1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Parsley

Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 400 degrees.
Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half in a dish. Place the flour in a separate dish. Pour the breadcrumbs into a third dish.

Grab the ravioli right out of the freezer. One at a time, drop the ravioli into the egg mixture, then dredge them in flour, then dunk them once again in the egg mixture, then coat them in the breadcrumbs. Set them aside on a plate as you go.

3 or 4 at a time, drop the breaded ravioli into the oil and fry them for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the surface is golden brown and the filling is hot. They brown quickly, so watch them the whole time!
Remove them to a paper towel and repeat with the rest of the ravioli. Transfer them to a serving platter, sprinkle on the Parmesan and parsley, and serve with the marinara sauce.

Father's Day Bourbon Peach Cobbler

2014-06-25T14:51:00.002-05:00

I am a little late on a Father's Day recap but I made a bourbon peach cobbler from scratch and just had to share the recipe. When y'all find a wonderful recipe, do you get super excited to share it with friends and family? I do for sure. This recipe was a huge hit with my family and I highly recommend it.

This Father's Day was near perfect. It consisted of Italian margaritas (recipe coming!), pool time and lots of delicious food with my dad

Tyler Florence's Bourbon Peach Cobbler:

Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

8 peaches, peeled and sliced, about 6 to 8 cups
1/4 cup bourbon
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl add the peaches, bourbon, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well to coat the peaches evenly; set aside.

Prepare the dumplings: Into a bowl sift together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the peaches and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps, the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar; put it into the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling.

Serve warm with a side of vanilla ice cream :) Recipe via Food Network.

In other news...the pupperdoodle took a dip in the pool for the first time and let's just say love for the water is an understatement. That pup loves the pool. It's been hard keeping him from jumping in when we don't want him wet :)

A Secret Passion of Mine...Finances!

2014-06-24T16:56:00.002-05:00

I have a secret...I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to finances. I love a good budget and love reading about 401Ks and saving for the future.

Back in 2009, I took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and it changed my world and how I viewed money. I took the class through my church and the teachers teaching the class were extremely knowledgeable and guided me in creating my own monthly budget. I was still in college at this point with no consistent income so it was a bit challenging creating a budget since I didn't know exactly how much I had for food and extras each month but I made it work anyway. Dave Ramsey even goes into detail about different money personalities and I am most definitely a nerd through and through :) Are you a financial nerd or free spirit? Both have their pros and cons, for sure!

Two of the FPU principles I try to utilize in my monthly financial routine are:
-Keep a $1,000 emergency fund
-Contributing to my 401K

I recently starting following Dave Ramsey's daughter, Rachel Cruze, on facebook and she has great insight and advice regarding finances. If you enjoy this kind of stuff at all, I highly recommend following both of them on FB :) Anyway, Rachel posted a blog article today about what people do not see behind the scenes and it hit home for me. It's very easy to look others and their situation but forget what it took behind the scenes to get them where they are. One of my favorite quotes from the article was: It's often the small things that no one sees that result in the big things that everyone wants.

I love this quote regarding finances. Discipline with finances is A LOT work, definitely something I have not fully perfected. But, I am motivated to create a healthy habit with money because I know it will more than pay off in the future.

It’s the small things, behind the scenes that no one sees, that leads to the BIG things that everyone wants. - See more at: http://christywright.com/2014/06/the-things-that-no-one-sees/#sthash.mbXnbUbg.dpuf

Are you a nerd or free spirit? Do you enjoy finances or budgeting or hate it? I will try to post my budget spread sheet in the future for some of you guys to check out. It's pretty nerdy :)

Introducing The Design Gem Mascot...

2014-06-06T04:30:00.000-05:00

So, this little blog proudly has a furry mascot and I am sure you will be seeing a lot of him as I just completely love him to pieces. His name is Charles and he is my eight month old black labrador puppy. I got Charlie in late December 2013. Knowing NOTHING about puppies, this little fur baby stole my heart completely and I am forever a labrador lover now. I don't know if I just hit jackpot with a super smart, easily trainable, low energy, no chewing of the shoes (so far!) and obedient puppy or if this is just the typical temperament of labs? Anyway, I feel lucky as Charles is the sweetest thing. You will definitely see appearances by this little mister in the future. I don't want to keep you waiting any longer, so here is mister charlie!

Charlie has a plethora of names (I am the queen of making up nicknames!)...His real name is Charlie but I also call him Charles B. Todd, Char Baby, Charleelee, Char Char, my baby puppy and my favorite of them all, my little black licorice jelly bean. I know, I know, I am crazy and the poor pup probably doesn't actually know what his real name is with all my nicknames.

Summer Bucket List

2014-06-05T12:12:00.001-05:00

There is something about the summer that I love so much. Mostly little things like sno-cones, longer sunny days, playing at the pool, wearing sandals, grilling out, lovely morning and evening weather and the list could go on! I find myself each year making a mental "bucket list" of things I want to do during the summer but thought I would make my bucket list official by sharing it with you all. Thank you Sarah Tucker Styles for the bucket list inspiration. I was reading through yours today and we have so many that are similar :)

Summer Bucket List 2014

Sno-cones (lots of sno-cones!)

Make homemade sangria

Snorkel while on vacation

Host at least two summer parties

S'mores (completed Memorial Day weekend!)
Lots of walks on the beach while on vacation

Make homemade icecream

Watch a sunset and sunrise

Drive-in movie

Start a veggie garden

Go deep sea fishing while on vacation

Go to h&8th here in Oklahoma City-Completed!

Take more evening walks
Homemade popsicles (I got some popsicle molds for Christmas and have been dying to use them!)
Take more bike rides
Host a wine and cheese party
Sit on my porch during a beautiful summer rain
Try a few new restaurants that are on a separate "restaurant bucket list"

Enjoy a picnic at the park
Eat breakfast on my patio as much as possible

Morning outdoor runs

Dine outdoors more often

Attempt to make homemade sushi

Slow down and enjoy the longer days
Find a recipe for and make the perfect iced coffee-Tried the Pioneer Woman's recipe but it was not my favorite. Still searching for one I love.

I think this list is ever growing but this seems like a good list for now :) What is on your summer bucket list?

Welcome Welcome Welcome!

2014-06-02T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I am excited to share a new design with you. Bloggin With Taylor is now Design Gem Studio. This little blog is where I will document my favorite little treasures. It was only fitting that the tag line be "delighting in life's little treasures". So, welcome to Design Gem! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I am so excited about this new design. It is clean and very user friendly! A few new additions that I am super thrilled about:

A new COLORFUL catagory menu...woot woot!:
-To the far right, you will see a menu listing Creative, Fashion, Interiors and Recipes + Party. These are just a few of my favorite topics that this blog will consist of :)

BlogLovin and RSS Feed:
If you have BlogLovin feed, be sure to subscribe to Design Gem! The heart icon at the top right of the page will take you to my bloglovin page. You can also subscribe to Design Gem through this RSS feed.

Social Media Craziness:
I now have a way for you to view my instagram, pinterest and etsy shop via the menu at the top with the icons.

Hope you love the new design as much as I do. I am happy you are here, don't hesitate to say hello!

I leave you with a bit of Monday inspiration to kick start your week...

Very wise {and cute} encouragement for your week. Poster from Candidate Shop on Etsy.

Design Gem's Very First Craft Show!

2013-11-05T20:19:00.000-06:00

Hello there, bloggettes! I have been busy the past month getting ready for Design Gem's very first craft show. Goodness it was a lot of work but in a good, satisfying kind of way! I set my booth up nervously on Friday while I was trying to eye everyone else's "set up" methods. I have never done a craft show before so mostly I just planned it all and my head, made what I needed and crossed my fingers that it worked out--I am pleasantly surprised to say that the set up went just fine with no major hiccups.

Now for a few pictures of my booth...oh, please keep in mind that the actual building was not all that pretty so I tried to make my booth as colorful as possible, trying to distract from the gross walls.

All packed up and ready to go!

Welcome to my booth :)

Most of my prints are bright enough to be hung my themselves and look just fine but because I love a good gallery wall, I wanted to advertise my prints being great for that.

If anyone knows of any craft shows happening in the Oklahoma City area in the spring, let me know!

What my Etsy Shop has taught me

2013-10-22T17:22:00.003-05:00

Well folks, I have officially hit 60 orders on etsy! Whoo hoo! It may not sound like that many orders to you, but to me, it's a lot and I am proud! You see, I just have my little shop as a hobby and not as a source of income. So, any extra time I have outside of work (when I am not completely exhausted of...well, working, goes to my little shop)

I started Design Gem on a whim. I was sad that my boyfriend was leaving for Australia for three weeks and I knew I needed something more than my occasional girls night, working out, gardening and cooking hobbies to fill my time. So, Design Gem was born. But why the name Design Gem? I thought long and hard about my shop name. I wanted something fun, catchy but broad so I could eventually expand into other gift products if I desired. Though I am only selling paper products in my shop at this time, I hope to expand in the future. So, no "paper gem" or "paper pretties" or any kind of "paper" shop name for this blooming entrepreneur. After making list after list, I chose Design Gem because I wanted customers to stumble upon my Etsy shop like a treasure and perhaps find a little paper treasure for themselves or their loved ones! The tagline of the shop is "paper treasures and gifts". And so the adventures of Design Gem began...

My etsy shop has been in business for nearly right at 8 months. It look me about 3.5 weeks to get my first order. Other than a blog post, I did not do any kind of paid advertising through Etsy, though in hind sight, that probably would have been beneficial. Anyway, let me tell you, those three weeks were nearly agonizing as I waited for my first order. I checked etsy probably 20 times each day (I still do!) in hopes of my first order. At this point I only had about 5 or 6 items for sale in my shop, Etsy recommends 7 items. So, I kept designing and adding products and finally, FINALLY in mid-March, I got my first order for a little boy birth announcement print. My boyfriend and I happened to be driving on a mini road trip to go hiking and I happened to check Etsy while in the car and good gracious, that was one exciting moment for me as I thought to myself excitedly, "someone other than me likes my designs!!!!!!!". And the rest is history. Just kidding. This story wouldn't be nearly as interesting if I ended here. Other than exciting sales and extra perks like a little extra money earned from my shop, having Design Gem has taught me some very rewarding and valuable lessons that I am very appreciative of. So, here are just a few:

1: Customer Service is top priority. There is a reason people shop on etsy: for unique, custom or handmade gifts that they can't find just anywhere. If someone is buying an item from you--it means they like it your style, they LIKE YOUR SHOP! That should bring you a ton of joy! Always thank them immediately via Etsy convo or email for their order and do whatever it takes to make them happy! If they have any requests, questions or concerns, answer them asap! There is a sense of relief for the buyer when the seller responds to quickly and kindly to the buyers questions! Also, up until the customer receives and opens their package, you should go the extra mile for a great customer experience. Cough up the extra cents and make the packaging pretty, add a sweet note and keep them in the loop by letting them know their package has shipped!

2: Being organized is a must! Though I like to think of myself as fairly organized, my etsy shop has really helped me get a hold of my organizational skills and my time management skills. Also, planning ahead and ordering those little things like envelopes, ink... has helped me find myself in stressful "out of supplies and I have to run to Office Max" situations a lot less often.

3: Don't compare your style of work, number of orders, etsy "success" to other etsy sellers. Comparing your shop to someone else's shop, especially someone who has done 14,000 orders in 5 years, is discouraging, destructive and a waste of your time. Nothing positive will ever come from this. Take my advice, this will only bring thoughts of "quitting" and "giving up" on something that makes you happy all because someone else is 5 years ahead of you. Who knows where you will be in 5 years...maybe you'll be at 20,000 orders! Just sell etsy items that you are proud of and make items that are genuine to you--customers can see that and that is what sells!

4: Don't be scared to get your name out there. I have been afraid to share my etsy shop on facebook for a long time for various reasons but one day I decided to just make a little album and you know what? The first day I posted about Design Gem, I got 2 orders from FB friends, a party sign design order and an invitation design order!

5. Work doesn't feel like work when you are passionate and loving what you are doing. It's true! I find myself working on the weekends but I love it and it really does bring a rewarding sense of joy to my heart.

6: Lastly, I have learned that my etsy shop brings a deep creative/entrepreneurial fulfillment like I have never had before. I have always had a dream of being an entrepreneur and I really love getting a taste of it through my etsy shop--I am the creative director, the boss, the designer, the owner, the packager and shipper etc. There is risk with all of these titles but I think the over-all reward far out ways the risk.

I have no idea what the future holds for little ol' Design Gem but I have a feeling it'll be good, real good. Thus far, Design Gem has been featured on the Disney Baby blog for an Ombre themed post (slide 3). Our views sky rocketed for about a week and have remained at a steady high which is wonderful. Small but exciting steps like being featured on Disney Baby really fire me up and keep me motivated!

Lastly, I suppose I should thank my sweetie boyfriend, Blake, for going to Australia (even though I wanted to go ;)). I might not have started this wonderful adventure if it hadn't been for those three very long and slow weeks last February. Blake has been the most supportive and encouraging fan of my etsy shop and I have been so thankful for that, especially during the times that I just want to give up! Anyway, when I get a sell, I think he is just as excited as I am. It's great. Thanks Blake!

Etsy Shop Update

2013-05-23T09:17:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! It's been too long. I have been busy busy with my little shop on Etsy. It has been so fun getting to work on various projects and letting my creative juices flow :) This is definitely an endeavor I find very rewarding. When I get a sale, it's the best feeling--simply knowing that someone likes your design enough to put up in their home, their child or new babes nursery or to give as a gift to someone special. I have been mostly focusing on kids/baby prints but am now trying to branch out to other areas including office/home prints. Here is one of my first designs...I can envision this print on my desk or possibly my vanity.

Guess What?

2013-02-26T13:05:00.003-06:00

I did something fun this week and...started an Etsy shop! Check it out and let me know what you think! It's called Design Gem :)

Goodnight Moon Themed First Birthday Party

2013-02-06T06:07:00.000-06:00

This is a repost from September 2010 but I just had the best time designing party accessories for this party and wanted to re-share :)

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A cohesive and perfectly detailed party is one of my favorite things. I had the pleasure of designing some party paper goods for a one-year old's birthday party. The party was inspired from the childrens book Goodnight Moon. A lot of work went into the dessert/ candy table and I love how it turned out.

A simple backdrop made of ribbon easily adds a lot of color without taking away from the excitement of the table.

Guests grabbed custom favor boxes and filled them with goodies as they mingled with friends and family

Little bunnies just like in goodnight moon and favor bags with the wording: Goodnight Friends. Goodnight Moon. Goodnight treats to munch on soon.

Perfect cupcakes from AmyCakes with custom designed cupcake flags and cupcake wrappers!

Personalized water bottles.

Color coordinating sodas from Pops in Arcadia.

I made french fry holders for the party since I knew fries would be served. I think this was my favorite custom product. Guests could easily carry around their fries as they chatted with friends. Also, custom labels adorned each cup with the wording: Birch is one. Let's have some fun. Let's eat and play and dream away.

Black+Ecru Classic Wedding Invitation

2013-02-05T12:07:00.000-06:00

I was searching through some invite files and found this pretty invitation that I designed from last year. I just love the simplicity of the ercu+black and the elegance of the bold, statement-like typography. Oh, how I love a beautiful wedding invitation!

Design Gem

Weekly Meal Planning: Week of September 14, 2015

New Products!

Happy 2nd Birthday Design Gem!

More From Our Trip to Breckenridge

Design Gem is Now Doing Wholesale!

EXCITING NEWS!

Gratitude

Currently Loving....Fall Decor

Creamy Chicken and Rice: A One Pot Recipe!

New Products in the Shop!

Product Love: Design Gem Return Address Stamp

Shrimp and Grits Recipe

Houston Travels

Homemade Fried Ravioli

Ingredients

Instructions

Father's Day Bourbon Peach Cobbler

A Secret Passion of Mine...Finances!

Introducing The Design Gem Mascot...

Summer Bucket List

Welcome Welcome Welcome!

Design Gem's Very First Craft Show!

What my Etsy Shop has taught me

Etsy Shop Update

Guess What?

Goodnight Moon Themed First Birthday Party

Black+Ecru Classic Wedding Invitation