First up- our paper fortune cookie tutorial…

You’ll need some pretty, double-sided scrapbook paper. I got mine at Hobby Lobby for .99 cents per 12″x12″ sheet. I also used a piece of old sheet music to make a few, but the heavier paper stock definitely worked better.

Next, (1) Trace around something round, that measures 3.5″ in diameter. Then, (2) cut out the circle you drew. (3) Bend the circle in half- but don’t crease it. (4) Gently hold the “cookie” in the center of the rounded side and pinch the ends of it forward.

After that, pinch it together nice and snug, like this…

After that, (5) Apply a tiny dab of hot glue on the “spine” of the cookie, and (6) pinch it together, tightly, while the glue dries. Finally, pinch the cookie open at its pressure points (7) to insert the fortune paper.

And that’s it!

We made ours for Valentines Day month, but you could really make them for any occasion (or just to have around the house!) depending on what kinds of papers you used.

And just in case you don’t have time to create your own fortune cookie sayings, here’s a link to the ones I made for our paper cookies…

FORTUNE COOKIE PRINTABLE

I put two little lines at the top and bottom of the printable so you could line it up with a paper cutter.

I would suggest cutting the paper vertically first, as shown in the photo above. It’s much easier cutting it that way than the other way around. And last but not least, most of the phrases I chose are inspirational/uplifting, but there are a few funny ones in there, too!

Kev said if he draws that one he’s “definitely drawing again”. Ha!

PS- Breaking blog news! Our blog was nominated for Best Art, Craft, or Design Blog of 2012 over at the Weblog Awards!

And while we certainly don’t expect to actually win a Bloggie award, we are absolutely tickled to pieces to know that our little Lettered love was nominated! (Note to my Mom: The Bloggies are like the Grammy’s for bloggers- LOL!)

Anywho, if you’d like to check out all the different categories over there, click on either of the banners above. If you see some blogs you’d like to vote for, read through the rules at the top of the homepage. They’re very specific. It took me a second to figure out that to vote for my favorite blogs, I had to click on the little gray circle that’s in the lower right hand corner of the blogs I wanted to vote for. There are LOTS of different categories (Best Photography Blog, Best Food Blog, etc.), and you must place a vote in 3 different categories in order for your ballot to count. After you’ve got all your gray circles checked, scroll down to the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to submit your ballot. Last but not least, you’ll get an email from the Weblog Awards that you have to confirm in order for your ballot to count. Voting is open ’til February 19th, and apparently you only need to send one ballot. (If you send a second one, it will override your first one.)

(pictured above: Evan Garrett Cooper, the “wonder wall” in our dining room, and an Etsy calendar )

Answer: A dining room decked out in sweet, Southern-style DIY Valentines Day decor, and lots of YUMMY cupcakes!

Evan (whom I have officially nicknamed, EGC) is as crazy about photostyling as I am, and it was such a treat to be able to work with him on this project! Here he is in action on some other photoshoots and events he had a fun working on…

And here’s a fun fact about Mr. EGC: Back before he got too busy photostyling and event planning, he used to make and sell his own “Cooper Cupcakes”…

Is that the coolest cupcake logo, or what? And Holy cute cupcakes, Batman! I was so excited to finally sample one two three of his red velvet ones in the days following our Valentines Day shoot!

And speaking of our shoot, it basically started with a text from me to him a couple of weeks ago that went something like this, “Hi Evan! It’s Layla Palmer. Do you want to help me style a shoot chock full of inexpensive, DIY Valentines Day craft and decor ideas?”

Well, 204 texts later (I’m not kidding) we managed to pull it all together and have a whole bunch’a fun in the process! We came up with quite a few ideas I want to blog about, so I thought I’d just introduce the fabulous Mr. Cooper here today, and then blog about all the things we worked on together over the next few days. Here’s a sneak peek of some of the ideas we’ve got up our sleeves…

Happy February!

PS- Click the badge below to visit EGC’s website, or to see what’s he’s up to on his blog…

You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and at @evangcooper on Instagram!

(Kev & Josh)

Here’s a sneak peek video they put together last week that tells a little bit about what they’ve been up to…

Those outtakes crack me up every time. (Fun fact: that’s Kev and Josh singing/playing the music in the background of the video!)

I’m especially excited about their video classes because 1) I really want to learn how to use our DSLR camera, like, for real, so I that don’t always have to ask Kev to shoot things for me when I’m in a tricky-to-shoot-for-whatever-reason type situation. 2) I have absolutely no patience with instruction manuals, and am a strictly visual learner, so their videos are exactly what this “you-HAVE-to-show-me-or-I-will-not-get-it” gal needs, 3) They prove you don’t have to buy the biggest, fanciest, most expensive camera, lens, or tripod to take amazing pictures. They demonstrate all their photography techniques with basic DSLR’s, lenses and tripods- and plan to teach an online course in Photoshop Elements (which is around $100), too!, and 3) They’re going to let me teach a Photoshop course about how I do my presto change-o’s. Yesssss!

In addition to helping folks learn how to use their DSLR’s and Photoshop, they’ll also be sharing all their special tricks and techniques when it comes to shooting weddings, portraits, interiors, and products…

And what I love most about those video classes is that Josh & Kev actually take you right out there in the field, or into an interior, and physically show you how they shoot it. They walk you through their thought process, and show you what knobs they’re turning, what buttons they’re pressing, and what settings they’re using on their cameras. That’s what I’m talkin ’bout, Willis!!!

They’re going to kick things off with classes specifically created for beginners, and they’re mission is to take the guesswork out of photography and Photoshop, and help folks understand their DSLR cameras and Photoshop programs in a very affordable, casual, easy-to-understand way. Like Josh said to me the other day, “you don’t have to worry about every little thing on your camera, or in Photoshop, to get great-looking pics“. Eventually, the guys would like to offer intermediate and advanced classes as well, but for now, they’re strictly concentrating on helping out beginners.

Anywho, since they’re getting so close to launching, I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with a list of last-minute photography/Photoshop-related questions they may have forgotten to include information about, and I’m hoping you might be able to help me with my list! Is there anything in particular you think would be important for them to teach when it comes to DSLR’s, shooting photography, or using Photoshop? I’d love to pass the info on to them so they can make sure to include it. (Thanks in advance for your input!)

Those two have been working on their site every second they can manage to get together, and until very late in the evening on most nights, for a very long time now, and I’m so proud of them for stickin’ with it. Photography is definitely a passion for both of them, and I couldn’t think of two more talented/laid-back dudes I’d want to learn how to shoot and edit photography from! (Okay, fine. I am married to one of them, but those are two of the reasons I said yes!)

PS- Of course, I’ll blog about the launch of their site here on TLC, but for more information and special announcements about their site, follow the guys on Twitter!

And the winner of the Simple Starfish necklace is…

Congrats Tara! I’ll be in touch with you soon!

When asked about her personal style in a recent interview, Kristin said, “We’re definitely go-with-the-flow kind of people. We like to repaint, switch out decorations, and mix things up a bit. It’s fun for us.“ My kinda people!

She also mentioned that they try to find pieces that are special and can fit several different styles. Love that!

(photos by Sierra Studios Photography)

Kristin and her husband, Dan, own two retail shops in Mesa- Domestic Bliss and Found.

(Kristin Alber)

(source)

(source)

Anybody up for a road trip?

PS- You can find Kristin at her blogs, Found and Domestic Bliss, and she’s also on Twitter and on Facebook!

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We managed to make it out of the store with only the epoxy yesterday, but we were totally blown away by one of the counter top materials we saw while we were there, so I wanted to blog a little bit about it here today. It’s called “Calacatta Marble“, and I’m not even kidding, as I walked up to it in the store I was saying to Kevin, “Ooh! I love marble counters!“. It wasn’t until I reached out to touch it, that I discovered it was actually Formica!

Here are some pics I found of it online…

Pretty lovely look-a-like, huh? It was $16 sq/ft. (installed) at Home Depot, which is obviously waaaay more cost effective than real marble, which usually costs between $60-$100 sq/ft.

This next photos shows an island topped in of one of Formica’s faux granite patterns, but can you imagine how pretty that Calacatta Marble would look with this kind of edge…

Me likey the thought-y.

And did you know that you can even use undermount sinks with Formica now, too? Check it out…

Way to increase the realism factor, Formica!

Anywho, I know laminate’s not for everyone, but for a lot of folks it’s the right choice, so I thought I’d pass this info along today in case anyone was looking for a “marb”elous-looking, low-dough faux-mica!

And speaking of spectacular faux counters…check out this amazing concrete creation I found on a Gardenweb thread yesterday. Here’s the before pic…

And here’s the (concrete) after…

(note: the homeowner mentioned that they hadn’t quite finished remodeling when that pic was taken.)

Can you believe that’s a concrete countertop!? Unfortunately I couldn’t track down the lady who posted the pics, but she did say in the comments on that thread that they started by cleaning and scuffing the original laminate surface really well. Next, they applied two layers of a “special mix of concrete” with drying time in between each layer. (Her husband owns a concrete business, and has extensive experience with the stuff.) After that, they created the veining by applying concrete stain using a variety of feathers, sponges and brushes. They finished the surface by grinding, sealing, and polishing it.

Pretty incredible, huh?

PS- Here’s a video Formica put together about how they’re able to create their new line of realistic-looking stone counters- which, by the way, is called 180fx. Pretty interesting stuff!

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And speaking of playing with your “big kid” house, I’ve really enjoyed arranging and re-arranging things in our living room over the past few years. One of my favorite little pieces is a quote I printed out and framed that sits in one of the cubbies in our entertainment center. It reads, “A good laugh is like sunshine in the house“. Isn’t that the truth?

And speaking of cool quotes, we decided to hang our new White Boy Dog art on the wall to the left of our front door.

It reads, “Remember when you go into the world to keep your eyes and ears wide open. And be kind. Love one another and take care of each other. Tell the truth. Always do your best. Listen to the big people and the little people. Explore new paths and have fun! Get lots of rest. Eat good food so you may grow to be big and strong. Mind your manners and think before you speak. Remember to protect little things. Know that you are loved like crazy. Give thanks for all of your blessings. Above all else, Love, and you will do wonderful things in this world!”

(Available through our fabulous sidebar sponsor Abbe, at Shop Ten 25. Note: we stained our frame brown.)

And speaking of new additions, we picked up a gorgeous green plant at Home Depot yesterday and I love the freshness it adds to that corner of the room…

(Note to Mom: I haven’t gotten around to re-potting it yet, but I will today!)

We haven’t really had much of a winter (yet) here in Alabama, but seeing that sucker sitting there kind of has me excited about spring already!

And speaking of spring, here’s another fun quote we’ve got sitting in another one of the cubbies in our entertainment unit…

(Can you see Kit-Cat’s reflection in the mirrored frame?)

And speaking of the entertainment unit, here are a few more shots of some of my favorite “moments” inside some of the other cubbies…

And speaking of favorite little moments in the living room, I’m quite fond of this one, too…

(blue pillow: Pottery Barn (discontinued), green & white pillow : Stacie Ann on Etsy)

…I think I’ll go curl up in it right NOW.

PS- Here’s some info about some of the other “stuff” in the photos in this post: ‘Markor’ entertainment unit – Ikea (discontinued); green tray – Pottery Barn (in store only); crocks (antiques from my Grandma Beth!), Accurate scale (vintage, thanks Mom!), wooden ball (flea market), iron pedestal (flea market), locker basket (flea market), metal box and rattan baskets (Ikea); sofa – Total Liquidation, Montgomery, Alabama; coffee table – J & G Flea Market, Prattville, Alabama; area rug – Pottery Barn (discontinued); driftwood sailboat - WhiteFlowerFarmhouse.com; wall color: Natural Choice, by Sherwin Williams.

And the winners of the One Little Word Workshops are…

Congrats, Te’re and Sarah! I’ll be in touch with you shortly!

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and INTERIOR design…

Today I feel drawn to the latter, but I never really know what I’m going to feel like writing about on any given day. That’s kind of what I love most about blogging- the excitement that comes with sharing by the seat of your skirt, and not knowing what you’re going to discover or reveal about yourself from one day to the next. It’s exhilarating, and I enjoy the process so, so much.

And speaking of the joys of blogging, I had so much fun (link) partying with y’all yesterday! Your words of the year were truly like sunshine on my screen!

It’s incredibly inspiring to see so much LIGHT floating around out there, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your words with us yesterday.

Which brings me to my next thought.

There’s this gal I follow on Twitter. Her twitter name is @BethRago and her tweets are always fun to wake up to.

(Surprise, Elizabeth! And thank you for giving new meaning to the phrase, “BRIGHT and early”. Your tweets are delightful, and informative, and appreciated!)

Well, after a couple of tweets back and forth with her the other day, she took sweetness one step further and sent me a really, really fantastic PDF via email. The article she sent is called “10 Rules For Brilliant Women“, and it was written by Tara Sophia Mohr. It’s about embracing your inner bright-and-shiny, and I wanted to share the first four rules here on our blog today, in the hope that you’d be inspired to read the rest of them over at Tara’s site.

1. Make a pact. No one else is going to build the life you want for you. No one else will even be able to completely understand it. The most amazing souls will show up to cheer you on along the way, but this is your game. Make a pact to be in it with yourself for the long haul, as your own supportive friend at every step along the way.

2. Imagine it. What does a knock-the-ball-out-of-the-park life look like for you? What is the career that seems so incredible you think it’s almost criminal to have it? What is the dream you don’t allow yourself to even consider because it seems too unrealistic, frivolous, or insane? Start envisioning it. That’s the beginning of having it.

3. Gasp. Start doing things that make you gasp and get the adrenalin flowing. Ask yourself, “What’s the gasp-level action here?” Your fears and a tough inner critic will chatter in your head. That’s normal, and just fine. When you hear that repetitive, irrational, mean inner critic, name it for what it is, and remember, it’s just a fearful liar, trying to protect you from any real or seeming risks. Go for the gasps and learn how false your inner critic’s narrative really is, and how conquerable your fears.

4. Get a thick skin. If you take risks, sometimes you’ll get a standing ovation, and sometimes, people will throw tomatoes. Can you think of any leader or innovator whom you admire who doesn’t have enthusiastic fans and harsh critics? Get used to wins and losses, praise and pans, getting a call back and being ignored. Work on letting go of needing to be liked and needing to be universally known as “a nice person.”

Pretty motivating, huh? You can find the rest of Tara’s rules at TaraMohr.com!

I love what she said about looking for the gasp-factor, and doing things that get your adrenaline flowing. Adrenline-pumping activities are definitely something this scaredy cat tends to shy away from, but I love the idea of it, and think I should be more intentional about “going for the gasp” this year.

I also love her suggestion to think about what a “knock-the-ball-out-of-the-park” life would look like. It’s fairly easy for me to “carpe diem”, but maybe it’s time to start concentrating on “carpe d’life”-ing!

Her 4th rule is definitely one of my biggest INTERIOR design dilemmas. It seems that my heart is stitched securely to my sleeve, and sometimes it feels like there’s not a seam ripper in the world strong enough to remove it.

How about you? Are you a skinny-skinned person, too? Should we try to start unraveling some of those stubborn stitches together this year?

(Insert YOU, nodding your head up and down right HERE.)

To be honest, I’m not sure what the first step towards thicker skin is, but Tara’s rule #10 might have something to do with it…

10. Let other women know they are brilliant. Let them know what kind of brilliance you see, and why it’s so special. Call them into greater leadership and action. Let them know that they are ready.  - Tara Mohr

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If you’d like to link up your word of the year blog post, just look for the little blue “Add Link” button at the bottom of this post- and if you haven’t chosen a word of the year yet, I’ve got someone I want you to meet.

This is Ali Edwards…

Photo © Tracey Clark

She’s a designer, blogger, author, and mother of two- and she created an amazing workshop for folks who want to really have fun with their word of the year!

She started scrapbooking in 2002, as a way to organize things after the birth of her son, but these days, Ali also enjoys sharing her personal storytelling techniques and photography methods on her website- in hopes that others will feel inspired and encourages to document their own days, too.

Ali’s  passion truly resides where the stories and images of life intersect, and we’re so thrilled to have her as our guest blogger here on TLC today!

Take it away Ali!

(source )

Hi, I’m Ali Edwards. In 2006, I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January – a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. I invite it into my life. I live with it. I let it speak to me. I might even follow where it leads.

Choosing a word each year came about as an alternative to a list of resolutions. I wanted something I could hold close and actually develop a relationship with over the course of the year.

Some years my word has made a major difference, and other years it’s been a more silent companion through the challenges and celebrations in my life.

The action of choosing a word (or having a word find you) is full of potential and possibility. And here’s one thing that’s totally interesting: sometimes a word pops into your brain and it doesn’t make any sense right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe it’s a word you need to hear, but you just aren’t ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities.

Your word can be tangible or intangible. It can be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. It might be silly or serious. It might be something you want to bring to your life. It might be something you want or need to change.

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting, or rich and soft and slow. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother’s word, or your spouse’s word, or your child’s word – this is YOUR word.

Over the past six years, I’ve held a single word close each year: play (2006), peace (2007), vitality (2008), nurture (2009), story (2010), and light (2011). My word for 2012 happens to be the same as Layla’s, and you can click HERE to read about why I chose the word up this year. You can also see a compilation of the words my readers chose for 2012 HERE, and you can listen to my friend, Liz Lamoreux, read all the words HERE.

In 2011, I decided that I needed to do something more tangible to make my word more visible throughout the year, so I created an online workshop called One Little Word, which is hosted by Big Picture Classes.

Each month participants receive a single prompt, with a simple creative, writing, or photography project, and a gentle reminder to check back in with their word. By the end of the year, they will have compiled the contents of an 8.5×11 album that documents, defines, celebrates, and generally makes their word more visible.

(My pages from 2011)

Workshop materials include printable elements, full-color PDF handouts, and audio/video presentations. There’s also a message board and gallery to share ideas and inspiration, and to help everyone stay connected to their word throughout the year. The workshop is not complicated, and it’s not time-consuming. It’s simply designed to encourage participants to think, reflect and take action throughout the course of the year.

People have asked me if you have to be a scrapbooker to join the class. Definitely not. Even though we’re making an album together, it’s really more of a journaling/record keeping/thinking/exploring project, and it’s exciting to see how people interpret the prompts and make them meaningful for their own lives throughout the year!

A very heartfelt thank you to Layla for inviting me to share a bit with you about my tradition of choosing one little word today.

Thank you, Ali! Such inspiring words, and fun things to look forward to this year!

(PS- If you’d like to connect with Ali online, you can subscribe to her 52 Creative Lifts newsletter, or find her at AliEdwards.com. She’s also on Facebook and Twitter!)

Now it’s YOUR turn to link up your inspirational words! Let’s party!

Many of you probably already know the drill, but just in case you’ve never linked up a blog post before, here’s how it works:

Scroll down until you see the little, blue “Add Your Link” button. Click that, and follow the instructions on the page you’re redirected to. The instructions involve uploading a thumbnail image and creating a title for the image you’re using. You may want to title it with the name of your blog, or with the title of your Word of the Year post, but it’s totally up to you. (Note: Make sure to link to your Word of the Year post- not to the main page of your blog.)

Last but not least, I created a nifty little badge especially for this party, and we’d love it if you’d post the code in the box below at the bottom of the post you’re linking up…

<div align="center"><a href="http://theletteredcottage.net/word-of-the-year-link-party-2012" title="The Lettered Cottage"><img src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj29/LaylaPalmer/Linky%20Buttons/This_Little_Word_Of_Mine_2012.jpg" alt="The Lettered Cottage" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thanks so much for partyin’ with us, and hope you’re having an AMAZING 2012 so far!

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(Click the play button on the video below to hear Jonathan sing!)

Isn’t he AWESOME?! (Thank you so much for sharing your time and talents with us, Traci and Jonathan! We love you guys!)

I’ve received some really inspiring messages from some of my favorite people about their words of the year this past week, too. I got one from my Mom…

“My word of the year is SMILAX. Every time I say, or think about it, I feel like I’ve invented a new word, that combines two of my favorites: “smile” and “relax”. In all reality, the word SMILAX should muster up feelings of almost completely the opposite. In the gardening world, SMILAX is an aggressive thorny vine, that laughs at herbicides, and grows into dense, impenetrable thickets. My New Years resolution is to remove all of the SMILAX from my yard, which means I will be spending countless hours digging up the bulbous root systems with a shovel. That being said, I’m thankful to have a yard, thankful to be healthy enough to tackle the job, thankful for all the exercise I’ll be getting, and last but not least, I will be so thankful when it is gone! That’s when I will smile…and relax.”

One from my Aunt Chriss…

“The last twenty years of my life have been focused around being a wife and a mom.  But today, my daughter is in her second year of college, (and doing very well) and my son (a junior in high school) has become more independent, and doesn’t need (or want) as much attention as he used to. My purpose is starting to change. It’s almost palpable. I’ve felt it since we took our daughter to college for the first time in 2010, but the feeling is so much stronger now. I am in transition. As a matter of fact, I almost chose ‘transition’ as my word for 2012, but it doesn’t adequately describe what I want for my year. A transition is something that happens to you – and I want to be in control of my life; I want to affect the transition. So my word of the year is MOVE. Yes, like a lot of  people, I want to exercise and lose weight, (I had my second Zumba class tonight and yoga starts on Wednesday!) but there’s more to this little word of mine. I want to MOVE toward positive people, thoughts, and activities- and attract those things back to me, too. In doing so, I’ll move away from negativity, and destructive attitudes and situations.  This will be a year of re-definition for me.  I will search for who I am going to be next, and MOVE in that direction…dancing, developing, changing, varying, motivating, and affecting, along the way.”

One from Kevin’s Mom…

“The word I have chosen for 2012 is GIVE. I am making a commitment to GIVE my tithe, time, and talents, in service to Christ, through my church. To GIVE more quality time to the needs of my family members. To GIVE time to be of service to members of my neighborhood. To GIVE a smile to a strangers I meet at the grocery store, the mall, etc. But first and foremost, I GIVE thanks and praise to God for loving me so much He gave His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. Through the ultimate sacrifice of His son, and my belief and acceptance of Him, God will GIVE me a place in Heaven with Him forever. This GIVES me joy and peace, daily.” – Kevin’s Mom, Katie

And one from Mr. Lettered Cottage, himself…

“My word of the year is REACH. I will reach inside myself to be more, do more, and give more. I will reach up to God, reach out for help, and reach down to pull others up. And when I feel like I’ve reached the end of my rope, I will continue to reach.”

(My word of the year is UP and I had fun blogging about it HERE.)

If you blogged about your word of the year, I hope you’ll swing by on Monday and link up your post!

Ooh- and speaking of linking up, I sort of see the link party thumbnails looking something like (but certainly not exactly like) this…

That way, party-goers can click around on the words they’re drawn to.

Your thumbnail image could even be a fun photo of your word…like these I found on Google Images:

Or maybe you took a photo of your word for your blog post? That would make an awesome thumbnail image, too!

And like I said, I’m just throwing out ideas here, but maybe the description underneath your thumbnail photo could be the title of your ‘Word of the Year’ post, or the name of your blog. (?) Whatever works!

Just have fun with it, and thanks so much in advance for partyin’ with us! We can’t wait to read about your word!

PS- If you don’t have a blog, we’d love to read about your word of the year in the comments sections of Monday’s post!

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Bladder stone surgery for Maximus: $1370.

Seeing them recovering together in a sun spot on our bed:

Priceless.

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