Image credits: 1. Kimi and Carl, 2. walking stick, 3. The design Attack, 4. The Yellow Flat
10 Lovely Comments | Email Article | found in Color Inspiration Daily Print Article | Share This | 
| by Ez Thursday, August 26, 2010 
This year for my Mom's birthday I set out to make her a gift that I knew she would love...Homemade Caramel and Chocolate Fudge Sauce. I found a great Simple Caramel Recipe on Savory Sweet Life (she includes helpful step-by-step photos) and followed blogger Maya's recipe for Chocolate Fudge Sauce here. Both turned out deliciously.
To make the gift presentation complete (and to make for easy refrigerator storage) I poured the sauces into glass canning jars (purchased from our local hardware store). Similar jars can be found online right here. If I had had more time to source materials I probably would have used a completely clear canning jar — simply for aesthetic purposes.
After the sauces chilled overnight I topped them with a fabric circle tied on with pretty twine and some custom made tags. I used a small inverted bowl as the template for my fabric toppers, cut them out, and then trimmed around the circles with pinking shears to give them a decorative edge. The whole gift really came together nicely and has been heartily enjoyed on ice cream and fresh apple slices for the past couple of weeks. Yum!
If you'd like to print out tags to hang on your own jars of Caramel or Chocolate Fudge Sauce, I've made the file available for you to download below. I've also included a set of blank tags that you can use for topping whatever gifts you'd like (they also make great bookmarks).
Doesn't this sweet fox by Paulina of Lemmikkiapina look fetching with a modified tag around her neck! To create the tag I simply cut one tag in half and then folded it in the center. I then took a scrap from another tag and punched a starburst circle using a decorative paper punch to layer on top. Next I punched a small hole at the top of both tags using a small 1/8" hole punch by McGill. Lastly I strung a gold bead onto baker's twine and then threaded the beaded twine through the tags and tied the whole thing onto my fox sculpture. Voila! I hope you will have fun being creative with the recipes and freebies from this post. Enjoy! xo Ez
Tip: With Fall just around the corner, you might enjoy a couple more apple themed freebies from previous months. See them here.
30 Lovely Comments | Email Article | found in D.I.Y. + Projects, Downloads + Printables, Food / Recipes, Gift Giving / Wrapping Ideas Print Article | Share This | | by Ez Wednesday, August 25, 2010 
Over the last year or so I've favorited many of Rockie Nolan's photographs on flickr, but it wasn't until just this week that I made it over to her portfolio for a look around. I have to say that the experience has left me with a tingle of inspiration that won't quit (not that I want it to). Wouldn't you love to have her shoot for you (she's only 20, can you believe it)?
Do yourself a favor and pay Rockie's portfolio and flickr album a visit. I know you will love what you will discover. And for even more goodness check out her blog (co-authored with her friend) and etsy shop (vintage fashion). xo Ez
6 Lovely Comments | Email Article | found in Photography / Styling Print Article | Share This | | by Ez Wednesday, August 25, 2010 5 Lovely Comments | Email Article | found in Art, Color Inspiration Daily Print Article | Share This | | by Ez Wednesday, August 25, 2010 
Every year when I start to think about Fall and savor the thought of donning all my neutrally-hued clothes again, I start to fixate on finding a few really great pieces of jewelry to add to the mix. I always look for something that is striking with a bit of color, yet subtle enough to be seasonally appropriate. Enter the brand new shop of The Vamoose. I blogged about Kathryn (jeweler extraordinaire) earlier this year, but I'm loving her new web shop and Fall line so much I just had to share. What do you think? Isn't her work brilliant! You can find more from Kathryn and The Vamoose on flickr, facebook, twitter and her blog. xo Ez
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 
