Category: family

Personalized Holiday Cards

HOLIDAY CARD POSTER 4Growing up and still to this day one of our favorite things about the holidays are the annual Christmas cards. Not only does it mean getting something a little more exciting in the mail besides bills and ads, but also getting to see what family and friend who live far away are up to. It’s a time to reconnect and spread some love.

So as we’re all starting to realize, thanks to stores already having full isles dedicated to Christmas, it’s that time of year again to start thinking about all the things that the holidays entail, including annual, holiday greeting cards.

Why not let us handle it this year and we’ll create a personal, holiday greeting for you that is sure to stand out among the rest?! You’ll also be happy to know that it will fit perfectly into your Christmas bugdet with illustrations starting at just $20 for 2 people and just $5 more per person.

If we’ve convinced you head over to our shop and follow the 3 simple steps above! We would LOVE the chance do an illustration for you!


Monthly Photo Challenge | Preciously Paired

My Monthly Photo Challenge of 2014

Happy New Year everyone! We are happy to be back with some new changes and goals for our blog and business. Perhaps we’ll even decide to fill you in a little bit on what some of those things are in the near future! Stay tuned!

We spent the holidays doing lots of custom illustrated portraits and Christmas cards which we loved being able to do! Thank you so much to those who have supported us and our creative work! It has been SO crazy how far we’ve come since joining up together last year. We also got to spend the holidays together…like for 2+ weeks! It was fabulous and crazy as usual and I didn’t even take one picture! I actually hosted Christmas at my house for my family. For about 5 days we had anywhere from 11-15 people at our house at any given time. Like I said, crazy! But, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I know we won’t always be able to get together so easily and for such a long amount of time so I took deep breathes and enjoyed the time we all had together.

Although the holidays were fun I’m excited to get back into a routine, get my house back together and start this year fresh with some new resolutions. I decided to be more realistic on myself this year and I made only 2 resolutions, one of which is to become a basketball fan and even more namely a BYU basketball fan. I’m sure that seems like a very strange resolutions but if you knew me and then my husband you would totally understand. Aside from my resolutions I’m starting this 8 week challenge of eating good and exercising. After not consistently exercising for almost 3 years it’s going to be an interesting start. Wish me luck!

Now that we’re semi caught up without me writing a complete saga of the last couple of months of my life we can move onto what this post is actually about. Last year I saw this post on Pinterest where someone took a picture of their kids once a month for a year. Since we just moved into our house at the beginning of last year I thought it would be a fun way to not only see my girls growth throughout the year but to see the progression of the seasons in our first, very own yard as well. Surprisingly I stuck too it with the help of my husband and bribes that involved candy. I only missed one month…July was a busy month! I’m so glad I decided to do this and love see our first year in our house in review.

Year in Review 2014


DIY felt Halloween costumes | Preciously Paired

My DIY Halloween

Happy Halloween! I think I’ve mentioned this before, but Sara and I didn’t grow up with Halloween being much of a big deal in our house. However, now that I’m a mother of young kids I’ve been trying to be more excited about it. To be honest though, I’m still not super into it to the point where I plan full family costumes, but I’m realizing that I do enjoy creating things for my girls to dress up in and doing Halloween activities that they would enjoy throughout the month.

This year I got really ambitious and decided to make both of the girl’s costumes from scratch! It took Mia forever to just decide on one thing she wanted to be, and she only finally chose a mermaid because that is what her cousin said she was going to be. Whatever the reason, I decided to roll with it. While recently organizing my craft space, I found some green felt and red yarn. I figured I would challenge myself to try and make Mia’s costume from what I had on hand. In the end, I ended up spending less then $5 on her entire costume! I got the pattern for her Arial hair/wig HERE. It totally made the outfit and was pretty easy to make.

Livy’s costume is a little bit of an inside joke. Growing up in Nevada we didn’t just celebrate Halloween but we celebrated Nevada Day as well; the day Nevada became a state. Since marrying my husband, October 31st has really been more about celebrating Nevada Day than Halloween. Before having kids we’d go to my parents house every year to celebrate. My husband is always teasing about our obsession with Nevada Day over Halloween so I thought it only fitting that one of my kids should represent a fun family tradition; not to mention it’s the 150th year of Nevada being a state!

After spending several nights making my girl’s their costumes, and as fate would have it, it just so happens that we all have been sick and Mia has had to miss most of her Halloween activities during the week. Luckily Mia is much better and Livy is almost there so we’re hoping to get out tonight for a little trick-or-treating, or at the very least sing a few rounds of “Home Means Nevada”.

DIY felt Halloween costumes | Preciously PairedAnyone else make their kid’s Halloween costumes or have any fun Halloween traditions? We’d love to hear about them!

 


Custom Illustrated Portrait

Custom Illustrated Portraits Now Available!

Custom Illustrated Portraits | Preciously Paired

As some of you may remember from my colorblock skirt sketches, I’ve been testing my hand at illustration. I’ve always loved drawing. I guess you could say it’s my hidden talent, like all you shower singers. Drawing has always been a therapeutic outlet for me, and with custom portraits making a trendy comeback I feel like it is something I can share that others may appreciate and enjoy. It’s really a win win situation! Honestly the idea of sharing my drawings is super scary to me. I felt comfortable being a “closet artist” (a very novice artist at that), and I intended to keep it that way. However, Hanna is always seeing more potential in me than I ever see in myself and is constantly challenging me to push out of my comfort zones. So when we got a wedding announcement for one of our cousins not too long ago, Hanna thought it would be a great idea to put together a custom portrait for them… and so began me bursting out of my comfort zone.

Now we have decided to add custom illustrations as part of our little shop! Starting today you can order a custom portrait for yourself, or as the perfect personalized gift! I do the drawing, then send it over to Hanna to make into a beautiful image that can be printed right from your home computer in  minutes! Frame it, have it printed on a canvas, or even uses it to create this year’s holiday greeting cards! Visit our shop for more information on how to order your custom illustration!
Illustration process

Custom Illustrated Portrait
Here is the little look at the process of creating this lovely portrait we did for our cousin and his adorable new wife. And below is one we made of my little family. This picture is from a few years back, taken by Hanna. I always have her take our family pictures. I love her work!

Dean Family Illustration

Hard to believe that this is us isn’t it?! We were all trying out different hair dos then. Would you believe that my hair line completely receded after having my baby! I had two giant bald patches right in front for months… hence the bangs! You’ll be glad to know that they have since grown back.


Custom Family Illustrations

I have a confession to make… It has been almost a week since I’ve even touched a computer and it has felt rather refreshing! I’ve just gotten back from a camping trip with no cell service and no distractions, just my beautiful family, the great outdoors, and a good book (which I’ve hardly put down since I started it several days ago). With all that has been going on with the blog and our shop opening up next month, it was a much needed break to relax and spend with my family without any distractions. Now that I’m back and refreshed I have a little “show-and-tell” project to share with you today.

hannas famiy pic

Hanna and I both adore the custom family portrait illustrations that are starting to gain popularity. While I myself am no artist, Hanna has been asking for the past couple of months that I draw one up for her cute little family, but I’ve been dragging my feet about it. The task seemed rather daunting and intimidating, but I finally decided to give it a try. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun and I quite liked the results for my first try.

Family Illustration

Some of our favorite artists include: Ink & Bobbin, Henry James Paper Goods, Susanna Avila Art, and Sophie & Lili. I would love to have a custom family illustration from any of these talented artists someday, but for now I guess I’ll have to settle for my novice drawing skills.

What do you think of custom family illustrations: love them, or hate them?

Linked to:

http://gracelangdon.blogspot.com/2014/07/making-monday-49_20.html

http://www.delineateyourdwelling.com/2014/07/link-it-or-lump-it-party-number-47-plus.html


Why Thank You Notes Will Never Go Out of Style (and How to Write Your Own)

Hi everyone! Today on the blog we’d like to introduce our guest writer, the lovely Mary Kermer. Since we only post about three times a week we don’t normally have too many guest bloggers on our site but we simply loved Mary’s article on writing thank you notes. I personally believe that showing thanks and gratitude towards those I love and those who help me remind me of the abundant amount of blessing I have in my life. It also humbles me as I know my life would never be what it is without those who love, support, and help me along.  

DSC_0528

By: Mary Kremer

As a child, I was always slightly annoyed at the seemingly endless amount of thank you notes my mom made me write. It felt like I had to write one for every occasion. And though she tried hard to instill in me the value of a handwritten thank you note, it wasn’t until I grew older that I really began to appreciate their importance. And I’m not alone. Here are some unique reasons the handwritten note will never go out of style, as well as some tips to help you create a meaningful one of your own.

A Handwritten Note…

Makes You Feel Better

Literally. Writing thank you notes is good for your health. Recent scientific finds have linked gratitude to increased optimism. So, while sitting down to write that thank you note may take time, it also decreases your stress in the long run.

Helps You Develop a Support System

People like being appreciated. Expressing your gratitude regularly helps build relationships, which in turn helps create a better support system. Close relationships and a strong support system are key to decreasing stress and also to preventing depression.

Is More Meaningful

There’s just something about a handwritten note. It means more than an email or text message. Maybe it’s having a physical reminder of gratitude that makes a note more effective, but it also must be knowing that a person had to take the time and effort to gather the materials and write down their feelings. Taking the extra time and effort to express your feelings really makes your message come through.

Helps You Stand Out

Interviewing for a job soon? Hoping to make a good impression on your boss or professor? A handwritten note of thanks will help you stand out. Creating professional relationships is an important part of every career. Develop a polished and professional image by sending handwritten notes to express appreciation for a referral, letter of reference, interview, or any other professional relationship. It will help you stand out in the long run.

To Create One…

Pick Your Materials Carefully

The materials you pick say a lot about how much you value what you’ve received. A nice, heavy or textured paper with an embossed message on the front says a lot. Always use a nice pen, one with dark ink that flows evenly. My mom would never let us use blue ink or a bad pen, simply because it takes away from the aesthetics and therefore the message.

It might be worth it to invest in your own personalized stationery. Many printing companies will let you design your own thank you notes. To learn more about the printing process and materials available, click here.

Start with a Personal Address

This step might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often people leave it out. Start with a simple address to the person you’re writing (Dear…). If it’s a personal letter, use first names. If you’re writing to a professor or creating a professional thank you note, use their correct title or start with Ms./Mr. This sort of greeting isn’t impersonal, it’s respectful.

There, that’s half the battle.

Be Specific

If you’re expressing thanks for a gift, be specific! A standard thank you note you sent out to everyone after your wedding may make your life easier, but it’s not much more meaningful than a group text or email. Mention the gift or favor you received specifically and mention what you’re planning to do with the gift or how you’re using it. The trick here is to not overdo it. If you didn’t love the gift, express thanks for the intention behind it.

Come Back to Your Relationship

Why are you thanking this person? Though it’s the gift you’re sending the card for, what you’re really giving thanks for is your relationship. Always come back to that. If you can, mention the next time you hope to see that person. Express your gratitude for the relationship. You don’t have to go over the top here. Just be honest.

Sign Off

After that, it’s as simple as signing your name after a “Regards” or “Yours Truly.” If you’re worried about what to say, start with a small card. It’ll be easier to fill up the space and a short note won’t look like too little. Then, send the card on its way.

Keep Writing

Writing is like any other skill. It takes time and practice to really develop it. If you’re worried your thank you notes fall short, just keep practicing. You can’t really go wrong with a heartfelt expression of gratitude. The recipient will appreciate it, and you’ll benefit from it as well. Just keep writing! It’ll never go out of style.

DSC_0519

 Now that you feel inspired to write a few thank you notes, we created a FREE PRINTABLE for you to get you started. Use them to adorn as card, as a gift tag, or as a postcard!  Click the link below to download and print these cute “Thank You” tags.

Thank You Notes by Stripes and Polka Dots

 


Outdoor Summer Dinner Party: The Menu

You can’t have a successful dinner party without an awesome menu to go along with the beautiful decorations and for this outdoor dinner party we planned nothing short of it with delicious recipes for the menu. In case you missed part 1 of this dinner party showing the table setting and decorations you can check it out {HERE}.

dinner party food5

Menu

Arugula Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts and Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Grilled Potato Salad with Honey Mustard and Dill Dressing

Blueberry and Jalapeno BBQ Pork Ribs (Recipe below)

Homemade Vanilla Ice cream with Grilled Peaches and Candied Pecans

dinner party food3

dinner party food4

When coming up with the menu for this outdoor dinner party we definitely wanted to take advantage of the grill with it being summer and beautiful weather. We also decided to step outside our usual recipes and take a risk making some thing new. However when making new recipes and you’re cooking for a big crowd and don’t want to take the risk of having it not turn out I would recommend trying them ahead of time! It’s quite possible that we ran into some problems with this as we were making our homemade ice cream for the first time for the party. Luckily it was just us, our families and a close friend; all who are very forgiving and it helped that we had a back-up gallon of ice cream in the freezer.

Minus our little dessert mishap the rest of the menu was a complete success! My husband gets all the credit for the Blueberry and Jalapeno BBQ sauce that went on the ribs. He’s always loved experimenting with food and recipes and this was a sauce he came up with completely on his own. He’s pretty amazing like that! So far we’ve had this BBQ sauce on chicken, pulled pork and now on pork ribs; all of which taste SO good! It’s must try!

dinner party food

Blueberry and Jalapeno BBQ Sauce
 
This sweet BBQ sauce with a kick goes great on both chicken and pork.
Make By:
What You'll Need
  • 1¼ cup Ketchup
  • 1 cup Honey
  • 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1-3 Jalapeno (depending on how spicy you want it)
  • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 clove minced Garlic
  • 1 cup Blueberries
How To Make
  1. Slice the jalapeno(s). Pour some olive oil in a pan and saute jalapenos and blueberries on medium heat for 3 minutes. Then put that mixture in a blender along with all the other ingredients and blend into a smooth sauce.
Notes
For making the Blueberry and Jalapeno BBQ sauce with ribs follow the directions below:

1. Place ribs side by side on an oven pan.
2. Add ¼" of water in the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
3. Coat ribs with the BBQ sauce and cover with tin foil.
4. Cook ribs in the oven for 1½ hours at 450 degrees.
5. Remove foil and reapply sauce
6. Place ribs back in the over for 30 minutes without foil, or place ribs on the grill and baste them for approximately 30 minutes making sure to turn them frequently to prevent burning.
7. Remove from grill or oven, adding extra sauce as necessary.

dinner party food2

dinner party food7

dinner party food6

Linked to:

http://www.thepinjunkie.com/2014/07/pin-junkie-pin-party-75.html

http://gracelangdon.blogspot.com/2014/07/making-monday-49.html

http://www.flourmewithlove.com/2014/07/mix-it-up-monday_13.html#more