10 Stunning Gift Wrapping Ideas

Today I have a collection of gift wrapping ideas for my post over at Babble.  I'm amazed at all the ideas and talent out there! I may never buy a bow again!  Above:  Fabric Petals from Pretty Petals.  Check the post out here!

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10 Stunning Gift Wrapping Ideas

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September Giveaway: Jensen Turntable!

Up for grabs this month is a Jensen wooden turntable! Okay, so it's a bit different from the recent giveaways right? Well, Mike recently bought a record player and I was all skeptical and nay-saying, trying to talk him out of it. Honestly, vinyl and a record player just seemed like more things for us to collect, pile up, spend money on, etc. I was not having it. He ended up finding a refurbished turntable for a decent price, and went on to thrift some speakers and buy a receiver from Craigslist. Okay, well, at least he didn't spend a ton of money right?! All of my nay-saying aside, I love it. Maybe I'm just falling into that cliche vinyl-loving hipster rut or something but I like having records playing at home. It's nice to listen to music without it skipping (like my computer does when I'm trying to listen to music and design at the same time. No bueno!) So here I admit... I like having a record player. I like thrifting random records with funny covers and coming home to realize they're actually really great jazz records. I promise to never turn into one of those uppity vinyl types though. But onto the important bit... I thought it'd be fun to switch it up and offer a turntable for grabs! Finding a reasonably priced one with built in speakers was kind of tough. Mike's doesn't have speakers so he had to have a receiver and the whole nine yards. I didn't want to put the winner through any of that so when we found this Jensen via Urban Outfitters for under $100, we were stoked! (Click here if you want to check out the specs! Or buy it yourself!) And now it gets to be won by one of YOU! Hooray!




All you have to do to enter is:
Be a follower of this blog with Google Friend Connect! And tell me your favorite album that you'd love to play on vinyl! (Click "Follow" in the upper nav bar and follow with Google/Blogger, Twitter, Yahoo, or Aim!) Be sure to leave your email address (or Twitter username. This is just one entry!) You must do this entry first to be eligible for additional entries!



To gain additional entries you can: 
(1) blog (or Tumblr!) about the giveaway and include a link,
(2) tweet about the giveaway by using the tweet shown below,
*If you tweet about the giveaway, please use this tweet: Up for grabs on the @kaelahbee blog is a sweet Jensen record player! Enter to win here: http://tinyurl.com/3hf2wmo
(3) update your status on Facebook *with this link to the giveaway: http://tinyurl.com/3hf2wmo * 
(4) "Like" Little Chief Honeybee on Facebook!
(5) "Like" Honeybean Mobile Boutique on Facebook!



Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and leave the link to each one! Overall that's SIX ways to win! 

A winner will be announced at the end of the month! Good luck! (Don't worry, there will still be other sponsored giveaways going on in the time being!) And there are no location restrictions on this giveaway! You are free to enter from anywhere in the world!


Congratulations to Comment #14 Meg @ The Kissy Pearl for winning the Paper Mama portrait giveaway! And congratulations to Comment #998 Eleanor (Rigby) for winning the August Lomo "I Love U" Fisheye giveaway!

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September Giveaway: Jensen Turntable!

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Wolfie and the Sneak

One of my favourite posters out there is Learning the Ropes from Wolfie and the Sneak.  Perfect for a cabin or boys room. Artist Renee Garner is an amazing illustrator and makes some great prints for the home.  Also check out her Farmer Market Poster series.  Great for the kitchen!  She's also in our market this month.  Check her out here or online below:


shop: http://shop.wolfieandthesneak.com
website: http://wolfieandthesneak.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wolfie-and-the-Sneak/190828419328

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Wolfie and the Sneak

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Summer Tunes: Destroyer "Savage Night at the Opera"

Destroyer - Savage Night at the Opera from Merge Records on Vimeo.

Exclaim says it's a safe bet that Destroyer's Kaputt will make many a year-end best-of list and some will be pleased that they have offered up a new video for the album track, "Savage Night at the Opera." Directed by David Galloway the video features a motorbike clipping through the streets of Vancouver starting near Gastown and ending up in Stanley Park (running a few red lights along the way I might add).  There's something sort of intoxicating about the video, I'm thinking it's the low tippy fast ride through the city, and a cool view of the place we call home.  I'm now going to try it in full screen.

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Summer Tunes: Destroyer "Savage Night at the Opera"

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Interiors By Francesca....

I love designers who LIKE to do "affordable luxury" - such as New York designer, Francesca Herrera. 




Let's face it...not everyone can afford to hire a designer - so it's always nice to know that if we CAN, we may not have to spend a million dollars to have our home look good! 
 

Francesca is a native New Yorker, so for all you New York people, she's ready to design for you!!







I like how she says on her site, " I don't follow trends. I let my clients’ passions and interests dictate the emotion and feel of the home. Ultimately, I design homes that progress over time and reflect my clients’ ever- evolving lifestyles.” 










That's something I wish I could do more often, NOT follow TRENDS in my own home! You see, as good as it looks at the moment, the problem with trends in the home is you HAVE to keep changing things out! 

So, using items that are classic & timeless is a BIG plus! Wish I could afford more of those TIMELESS items!!







Anyhow, Francesca's portfolio is gorgeous - and the minute I saw it, I knew I wanted to share it with all of you! My FAVORITE is of the entryway....the large photograph of the white horse, the built in cabinets against the white walls looks flawless. The entryway is so calming....I can imagine entering this home & just wanting to stay awhile. 










Again, please check out Francesca's full portfolio on her site, Interiors By Francesca.

 

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Interiors By Francesca....

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Wedding Wednesday: Elycia + Ivan

I've been excited about sharing this wedding for months now! Not only did I get to play a teensy-weensy little part (Hey Hive+Honey hair pieces!), but Elycia is one of my favorite blogger gals! Her wedding was nothing short of dreamy and I know you'll fee the same way! Peep the cake! SRSLY! Enjoy!






















If you're on the homepage or reading through an RSS feed, click Read More to check out the little interview with Elycia on her big day! 


Hello gorgeous bride! Let's start from the beginning! Tell us how you met your Prince Charming and how he popped the question!
Ivan and I met way back in 1997 when I started taking guitar lessons. Although he is only 9 months older than I am he was actually my teacher! It was definitely not a love connection from the beginning. I was very immature and annoying and he was my weird guitar teacher with long hair. Later on in high school when I was no longer taking lessons I saw Ivan and things just seemed different. We ended up playing in a band together and a few months later I asked him to be my date to my Dad's wedding reception. Yes I asked him out! We officially started dating shortly after that and almost 9 years later he popped the question at our favourite sushi restaurant.  


When did you get engaged? How long did you plan before walking down the aisle?
We got engaged in late November 2010 and were married June 25th 2011. We didn't want to have a long engagement because I am such a procrastinator I would have ended up doing everything at the last minute anyways! Seven months was the perfect amount of time for us to get everything planned. 


Were you working with any certain budget constraints?
We didn't want to spend tons of money on the wedding. My dad actually helped out a lot and covered most of the cost which we are so thankful for. We saved money wherever we could and even did our own music by making a playlist in iTunes. I think that was the best decision we made because everyone absolutely loved the music at the wedding! 




Were you working with a certain theme or color scheme? How did you achieve this?
For the theme, I just wanted it to feel slightly vintage/retro. My dress and the bridesmaid's dresses felt very 50's/60's to me which I loved. I used old suitcases wherever I could for decor and we used records for the seating plan and the table numbers. Also, our hairdos were pretty retro if you ask me!
I am so indecisive on colours (I love them all!) so it was kind of hard to pick a colour scheme. We ended up choosing yellow, teal, grey and ivory. It was really the pretty bridesmaid's dresses that dictated the blue colour. All of the girls looked so pretty in that colour and I liked how bright and fun it was. Other than the dresses, I preferred to use pops of colour mixed with lots of white or ivory. 


  
Did you do any special DIY projects for your wedding day? If so, what did you do?
I did tons of DIY projects! We/I made the bouquets, ties, the card box, invitations, centrepieces for the tables, the seating plan, buttons for the guests, programs, and just some random decorations and props. The week leading up to the wedding was a pretty busy one and if you had have asked me that week if I recommend doing a DIY wedding I would have said "NO!". However, I am so glad I did. It was really worth it and people appreciated all the special touches. We got so many compliments that the wedding felt really personal and that it was one of the best that a lot of people had been to. So, I would definitely say that the hard work was worth it. (Just make sure you have at least one good helper for that last week! I sure did!) 




Did anything go awry on your big day or leading up to it? How did you handle the stress? Did it end up being okay in the end?
I forgot to wear blush on the day of the wedding. Haha! I didn't even realize it until I was in bed that evening though so it didn't cause any problems. Of course timelines didn't go exactly as expected, we forgot to set up the projector for the slideshow, we had to shuffle a few dinner settings but all of these things were not big deals at all. Ivan and I were both super calm about any minor mishaps on the day of the wedding. We were just so happy and we knew that every minor problem had an easy solution. Nothing to stress about! 


Any special and small details you'd like to share?
One small detail that I haven't mentioned is that all of the food at the wedding was vegan! Both Ivan and I are vegans so it was very important to us that all of the food be animal free. The caterer, Pepperwood's, was very accommodating and the meal was amazing. The best part was that almost every single person at the wedding loved the food. Of course there are some picky eaters that don't like to try anything different, vegan or not, but overall we got a very positive response! The cupcakes from Cake & Loaf (www.cakeandloaf.ca) were completely vegan as well as all of the other random desserts at the dessert bar, and let me tell you, absolutely no one complained about the cupcakes! They were a hit! 




If you could give any advice to a Bride-To-Be, what would you say?
Nothing ever goes exactly as planned and you can't control everything. You can however control how you react to any less than perfect situations. Keep a positive, laid back attitude and your wedding day will feel perfect! 


Venue - The Burlington Art Centre
Catering - Pepperwood's
Cake and Cupcakes - Cake & Loaf Bakery www.cakeandloaf.ca
Photography - Kara Lodder Photography www.karalodderphotography.com 
 
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Such a beautiful day! Congratulations to the two newlyweds! Thanks for sharing your story!

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Wedding Wednesday: Elycia + Ivan

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DIY—Rolling Crate Footstool

Sue from Twig & Vine (part of Ilo Collective - participants in our market this month) created a fun little DIY on her blog recently transforming a Borden’s milk crate into a unique rustic coffee table/footstool. She was nice enough to share it with us here this week.  She also used her Aunt Emma's cutting board to create a lid for the crate which now holds a cache of books and magazines and resides near two cozy chairs in the corner of her kitchen.  Check out her DIY here and more from her shop here:


shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ilocollective
website: http://www.129twigandvine.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Henhouse-fibers-and-ilo-collective/145757775488227...
poppytalk handmade: table 60 

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DIY—Rolling Crate Footstool

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August in Review

new blogs I found & enjoyed:
• Advanced Style. I already shared my love for this blog in a Friday Favorites post but it's too fabulous to not mention again.
• Diversions. She is so snazzy. I would really really enjoy raiding her closet!
• An Eclectic Heap. Also super snazzy with a raid worthy closet.
• Vanillery Garden. She has a gorgeous blog full of pretty pictures and excellent content!

my favorite posts this month:
• Jackpot - I've got a mushroom permit, and I'm not afraid to use it. (hahaha)
• Pymatuning Deer Park - I could look at these pretty deer photos all day!
• It's the little things - like sleepy Squid.
• What Doctor Octopus wore - I have the fanciest cat in all the land!!
• What I wore; Colorblock Dress - Gosh, I really love this dress.
• Why are baby animals so cute? - A tiny turtle so cute you might get teary eyed!

new (to me) movies I watched:
• Blue Mountain State: Season 1. This isn't really something that I would normally watch (I'm not really into college movies about partying) but I thought this was hilarious and I tore through the first season in a matter of days. I can't wait to watch season 2!
• Love Stinks. I really liked this movie, but I might be biased because I really like Bridgette Wilson (the girl from Billy Madison, if you're not familiar with the name) and French Stewart.
• My Teachers Wife. I love hating Christopher McDonald in movies, he plays a good jerk in movies.
• True Crime.
• River's Edge. This was such a good movie, one I'm surprised I've never seen before. It was hard to work while watching because I just kept watching the movie!



exciting happenings on and offline: 
• Celebrated my birthday the whole month (boo at today being the last day of my birthday month!!)
• I started working on a new project that I've been planning for months and months. I can't wait to announce it once I get a little bit more done! I'm really proud of what I've gotten done so far.
• I realized morning star "bacon" is absolutely delicious and I've been eating it non-stop. It's been nearly five years since I've had real bacon and this stuff is better than I remember it ever being!! Tip: Toast some bread, spread vegenaise on both pieces and put some "bacon" in the middle. Your belly will thank you!
• Planning another get together with Elycia is pretty exciting! I can't wait to see her and Ivan again. Boy, oh boy, do I wish they lived in Ohio.
• I bought a brand new iMac for myself on my birthday. I'm still so in love with it, and wondering why I didn't buy one sooner. Work is so much more fun now. I love using photoshop on that big screen!


a tiny (and incomplete!!) list of things I'm thankful for this month:
• well behaved cats who love to cuddle • chocolate milk • delicious corn on the cob • netflix • my family • great weather! • having a dream job • beautiful state parks and "undeveloped" land.
• good music • the coolest nieces and nephew you could ever dream of • state fairs • spending time with old friends • slushies! • hair "mistakes" that turn out awesome • technology (and skype) allowing me to have a business meeting with a friend • squeeze-y hugs from my dad • free furniture • having great thrift luck lately!! •


August was great, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm STOKED about September. Fall is by far my favorite season.
xoxo

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Peggy Wong Photography

Pretty much everything that the talented Peggy Wong does amazes me. She is a brilliant and experienced designer, art director, photographer and even has her own product line which is very beautiful. When she started showcasing her photos from her European trip on her blog over the last few months, I felt as if I could instantly transport myself into each shot to enjoy the wonders of traveling vicariously through her work.



Want to take your own mock vacation and see some other beautiful spaces? Check out her recently launched professional photography website where her passion for the medium definitely shines through. Also see her other amazing work here.



All photos by Peggy Wong

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Peggy Wong Photography

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dirtbag

i will never get over the super tall gladiator sandal. in fact, it's the only sandal i will ever wear. my question is why is it the chupacabra of sandals? why don't people make more of these bad boys? if any of you know of any that exist in the world at this moment, give up the deats!







dressing like a dirtbag, apparently made me act like a dirtbag---giving the nonchalant finger and lurking around in alleys....creep! this is as basic as it gets for me. tank, tee, flannel. i can find them all on my floor at any given moment. so when the alarm goes off and i keep hitting snooze, and then realize holy shiiii.....i have to leave in 10 minutes. this is what you get. i haven't posted in eons, i realize.....i suck. work is kicking my italian ass right now. tomorrow i'm going on a one day road trip for a shoot with p.b., so at least i will have a change-up in my concrete jungle scenery! you'll find out where i'm goin' soon enough----if i can get around to putting the post up.....holy vicious cycle!

flannel/b.f.'s, tank/seneca rising, shorts/one teaspoon (shoddy you rule), bag/topshop, pics/z.g.

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dirtbag

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10 Fun Back to School {Work} Supplies from IKEA!

(Image from Livet Hemma)

Just as the kiddo’s head back to school, so must many parents head back to work.  So why can’t we all enjoy some “Back To” supplies – especially when they’re looking as pretty as these. It’s a great time of year to create a desktop like this, and the folks at IKEA have a pretty decent new series of papergoods.   My post today at Babble has the scoop.  Check it here.

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10 Fun Back to School {Work} Supplies from IKEA!

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A Seasonal Shift: Fluffy Gluten-Free Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


It's definitely still summer out there – the days are hot and your shoulders still burn if you aren't using sunscreen – but there's a shift happening. Can you feel it? It's not just the days that are getting shorter but the mornings and evening are becoming very cardigan-worthy. And if that isn't getting through to you, this weekend is Labour Day which traditionally hails the end of summer fun. So you might as well experience the changing of the seasonal guard with a stack of fluffy pancakes, right? Right.


These pancakes are made with buckwheat flour which isn't a flour made from wheat - instead it's more of a cereal which makes these babies totally gluten-free. So if you or someone you know is gluten-intolerant, make up a batch of these right away! But don't go thinking that these will be leaden lumps of dough. Hardly. It's the ricotta cheese that is the secret weapon here and gives these hot cakes a very airy and light texture.


So whip up a batch and make peace with the end of summer. Pancakes make almost everything better.

Fluffy Gluten-Free Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta
1 large egg
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil (or butter)

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, combine the milk, ricotta, egg and maple syrup together with the melted coconut oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat up your skillet, grease it lightly with butter or coconut oil and drop batter (about 1/4 cup for each pancake) onto the pan. When bubbles form on top and the slides look almost set, flip for 30 seconds. Remove and repeat. Serve with plenty of maple syrup and fresh fruit. Makes 4-6 pancakes.

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Today at Poppytalk Handmade {Old School}

Clockwise: Journals from  rough draft books, Vintage Ledger Bundles from vintage scraps, iPad Leather Case from julie boyles, Journal Bandolier ( a strap fitted with small loops for carrying pens wrapped around a journal) from cleverhands, Vintage Caribbean Map from 7bc.



 Clockwise:  Journals from linda ketelhut, Magnets from redstar ink, Light bulb card from headcase press, Turntable notebook from papercuts

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Today at Poppytalk Handmade {Old School}

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