Crafting Inspiration from the New Etude House Catalogue

 I received the new Etude House catalogue in the mail!  It’s so lovely that I had to take a few pictures to share.  Earlier this year a snail mail pal in Korea sent me a copy of their last catalogue.  I completely fell in love with the design and she was kind enough to send me a copy of the newest one when it came out.  Their catalogues are themed around a doll house and are designed like a scrapbook.  They’re so fun to look through and if you do any kind of collage work there is a lot to be inspired by.

All of their products have adorably designed packaging.  I don’t wear make up, but I’m a sucker for pinks and pastels.  They provide great pallet inspiration.

This style cartoon would make a fun scrapbooking technique, don’t you think? 

 

  

In the back of this issue there was a little project idea for a kind of clothes line version of a mood board.  They stretched a few feet of bakers twine across a wall, and then used mini clothes pins to hang up little bits of decorative ephemera.  Try it out!

Relaxing Monday Picks

In the spirit of Labor Day, this Monday’s picks will help you relax and unwind.  I hope everyone will have a clam, stress free week and be able to make some time for you.

Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood is the book I have been unwinding with each night.  It’s deals with the themes loss and change but doesn’t drown you in the subject.  Instead, Murakami’s words gently lull around you and pull you effortlessly into the memory of the main character.  It is engrossing without pulling you in so deep that you can’t step out; that’s why it’s the perfect book to help get your mind off the day for an hour before bed.

Even if you’re not a tea drinker, you will be soothed by Teavana’s Monkey Picked Oolong.  Its delicate flavor unravels from whole tea leaves in a light balance of earthy sweetness.  Any time of day is perfect to treat yourself to a cup and escape for a bit.  While you’re at it, why not enjoy that tea in these adorable cups from Dawn Vachon?  I find their pastel pallet irresistible and am impressed by the illusion of softness she has managed to create.

Finally, I couldn’t mention relaxation without pointing you in the direction of Lush’s Dreamtime bath melt.  Drop this into a tub of hot water and your bath will be transformed into a calming sea of jasmine, lavender, chamomile and sandalwood.  It’s aromatherapy qualities make it perfect for just before bed time.