you smell...

 you smell soap... i'm lovin' the name and this packaging!

simple is as simple does...

love this simple packaging of a terrarium from The Mosser Store

putting finishing touches on gifts...

been working on tying up loose bows on gifts all day... 

yesterday i made granola, that turned out excellently, to give to my family for Christmas... today i put it all together to make adorable & delicious & healthy, homemade/handmade gift... i designed some cute labels showing the ingredients & a poem from the heart... then i tied the labels with a ribbon around the canning jar, that i topped with a red fabric... here's how it turned out!

signed, sealed, delivered...

as i've mentioned before (and here), i'm a sucker for packaging... i love it! i love to look at it, appreciate its design, save it and hang it on a bulletin board or archive it in a binder... sad but true... even sadder but none the less true, is the fact that this is one of the reasons i look forward to the holidays...to see all the new designs for retail...here are some high quality (ha!) iphone pics of some of my favorites for Holiday 2010....Starbucks bag & coffee cup sleeve & Panera Bread bag

homemade delicious gifts...

this year i'm making granola for everyone as gifts...sorry to spoil the surprise if you're a family member reading this but i figure there's nothing more perfect in the realm of "EATS" that could be both healthy & delicious and look as great in a re-purposed canning jar (from our wedding reception center-pieces)... i mean isn't everyone tired of getting candy & cookies as homemade food gifts?... by the time Christmas day rolls around, i'm pretty much done with sweets so that's why i'm making granola... i was inspired by these cute containers and great recipes from The Container Store ... i'm also making the packaging pretty cute with inspiration from the above photos found in a Martha Stewart slideshow ... i even made up this cute little rhyme... "Something salty. Somthing sweet. Made with love, for you to eat." ...if you must, i give you permission to use it... because it IS brilliant...plus i'm pretty sure i've heard it before somewhere :)

wrapping...

wrapping from Arboreal

tags from anthropologie

tags by Retro Pops

paper from Erin Ruth

tags by Paper Eclectiques Deux

i know it's kind of nerdy but i LOVE wrapping during the Christmas season! even though it's what's on the inside that counts, i still can't help but make the outside pretty too... with the help of these etsy shops, Anthropologie & Martha Stewart i'll be handing out a beautifully wrapped package to all the good little boys & girls in my life this year

recycled paper garland...

this idea is brilliant in so many ways