noteworthy holiday gift idea

Our industrious friends over at Cardstore.com have a brand new product out just in time for holiday gift-giving and thank-you-note-writing: boxed notecards, including several february 13 creative favorites. Many designs can be personalized on the front with a name or brief message. Nicely priced at $21, each set of 12 cards and envelopes arrives in a stylish keepsake box. Plus, you can use our Friends and Family discount to save 15%! (Excludes shipping and handling; order before December 30th and enter the code FRIEND15 at checkout).

crafting: diy holiday photocards and ornaments

We’re on view from the bay again today! In this live tv segment Betsy shares instructions for fantastic holiday photocards that you can create yourself.



Check out the instructions for creating these mod CD ornaments, using old compact discs and tissue paper. It’s a highly addictive little project... many of our intrepid testers in the f13 craft lab found they couldn’t stop once they got started.And the best part is, you can put a photo on the back, pop it in a 5” square envelope, and mail it as a holiday greeting!




Amy discovered another ingenious use for old magazine pages, in this project inspired by all the fun jewelry and home decor pieces we’ve been seeing in craft and museum shops lately. Check out her instructions for these beautiful paper weave wreaths.

And last but certainly not least, Betsy will be touting our brand new collection of holiday photocard, invitation, greeting card, and thank-you note designs, available exclusively at Cardstore.com. Jump right to our Holiday Card Showcase to see our favorite new designs, all of which can be personalized online with your own photos and text.

Now is the time to get a jump on the season! Sending out cards early equals more relaxation and celebration. We hope that you enjoy the fun ideas and art that we’ve put together this season!

….. betsy, pam and amy…..

inspiration: color harmony

I’ve always been fascinated by color combinations, and often, it is a special color harmony that calls my attention and draws me to an object. That was exactly why these beautiful bracelets caught my eye. They evoke an earthy, rich feeling, and yet feel calm and serene. So I just had to have them. They ended up inspiring the color combination that I used in my “Bottle and Rocks” art print (available in our Etsy shop.)

….. amy …..

celebrating : el dia de los muertos

Saludos de Tepoztlan, Mexico. My mom brought me to this beautiful town for a little culinary vacation at La Villa Bonita and we’ve been fortunate to be here during Day of the Dead, a major cultural celebration that takes place throughout Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America (as well as in many homes in the United States, of course). Beginning around October 31st, families prepare to welcome the spirits of deceased family members back into the home for a brief visit. Day of the Dead is actually celebrated over two days, the 1st and 2nd of November. Although it may sound sad or even macabre to non-Latin sensibilities, it’s a very joyous occasion here in Mexico and I’ve been so delighted to learn more about it and to take part in the celebrations with our hosts. Here are several photos and a bit more information about this wonderful tradition.




Marigolds play a huge role in the Dia del los Muertos celebrations. They decorate doorways, altars (ofrendas), and graves and—perhaps most important—they’re used to create a pathway leading into the home, so the deceased souls can easily find their way back inside to enjoy the elaborate offering of food and entertainment the family has prepared for them. With our La Villa Bonita host, Chef Ana Garcia, we visited the market in Cuernavaca to buy masses of marigolds to create the many beautiful decorations and pathway shown above, as well as food and other decorations for her home and the ofrenda.


We helped Ana prepare the ofrenda, dedicated to her grandmother and great grandmother. The altar typically includes a cooked whole chicken, salt and water, pan de muertos (sweet bread, often baked in the shape of skulls and other figures), incense, candles, more marigolds and a photo of the deceased. It may also include any number of other items, often things that the deceased greatly enjoyed during their time in this world. For example, tequila is popular in ofrendas; for the spirit of Ana’s grandmother, we left her favorite cocktail ingredients: vodka and tonic. I love to imagine her strolling in along our golden path of marigolds and kicking back with a tall, cool glass of vodka tonic, taking in the beautiful vistas of Tepoztlan.

On the evening of November 1st, many Mexican families open the doors of their homes to anyone and everyone, offering hot beverages and treats and an opportunity to view the altars they’ve created for their loved ones. Ana and her husband Robb took us to nearby Ocotepec, where this tradition is particularly lively. There were lines around the block for many homes! We also took a dark walk through the cemetery, where some families had begun to clean and decorate the graves of their family members in preparation for the big celebration the following day.

We returned to Ocotepec the next morning to find the cemetery transformed into an explosion of color and festive activity, including live music and picnics at many grave sites. Even the humblest graves were tidy and festooned with bright flowers. Those who have died during the past year receive the most elaborate decorations (see Roberto’s, below). It was an amazing and undeniably upbeat scene... a real eye-opener for this gringo (gringa?!)






There have been many other incredible experiences on this trip, including lots of great food, of course! I’ll share more in my next post.

Hasta pronto!

..... betsy .....