West Elm printable holiday tags and cards

West Elm is offering a set a of DIY downloads for Christmas gift labels, menus, recipe cards, name tags, and more. Choose from four different suites and print away.

Orange everywhere

Vintage coffee set by Follyandglee

Creative Zone by Superflash Photography

Have you peeked in the Orangey Goodness Flickr group recently? I started it ages ago so people would have a place to share the pictures of orange stuff they often emailed me. It now has over 2,000 photos of orange objects, projects, interiors, and landscapes. Have a look.

Black Friday Deals

Our black friday deals started on wednesday and were only supposed to last until thursay, but we love you guys so much and are so grateful for all your support that we are going to extend it for just one more day!

Sale prices are already marked in our ArtFire Studio and on our official website, so be sure to check both sites!

Happy Thanksgiving printable

Happy Thanksgiving, all! You might enjoy this printable illustration from Draw Pilgrim in Australia—a conciliatory gesture for Americans arriving at her website after searching the internet for how to draw pilgrims. Funny. Pilgrim suggests posting it on your door to welcome guests or laminating it for placemats.

And with that, I'm off for the rest of the week. Have a lovely holiday!

Pretty project tutorials

A handful of sweet items to sew or craft:
For Pleat's Sake tote at U-Handbag
Storage cube by Obsessively Stitching
DIY cardstock cupcake stand at Bird Crafts
Recycled roses wreath from Alisa Burke

Giveaway: Art prints from Thumbtack Press

Happy Monday, all! I'm delighted to announce a new giveaway: two readers can win a framed art print of their choice from the new and improved Thumbtack Press! Thumbtack offers a curated collection of work from over 100 artists and illustrators. When I say I'm delighted, it's not blogger hyperbole, either. I've ordered from Thumbtack Press myself and can verify that their prints are terrific. Their paper stock is really heavy, and their inks are archival and stated to be fade resistant for 100 years, which ought to be just about long enough. Prices are super affordable.

(Above: Bamboo Pattern by Masayoshi Mizuho. Below: Volkswagen by Kareem Rizk, Spiritual Tourism by Jay Fletcher, Amsterdam by Matt Mills, Whale Says by Shino Arihara, Deep Tree Diving by Terry Fan.)

How to win a framed print
• Leave a comment on this post with the name of a print at Thumbtack's site that you admire (choose from over 1300!)
• Include a link, email address, or other way of contacting you.

Giveaway closes Monday, Nov. 29 at midnight CT. Two winners will be randomly drawn, announced on Thumbtack Press's Facebook page (give it a Like!), and notified. International readers are invited, too.

Get 15% off through Dec. 15
If you plan to order some goodies for yourself or others, enter the code orange at checkout and save 15% for a limited time.

Update: The giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Carrie who chose “Deep Tree Diving” by Terry Fan, and Errin who likes “Tangle” by Paul Blow. Thanks to everyone for participating!

Holiday Shopping

Hi Ladies!
I am writing this blog post to inform you guys about holiday shopping with sassyNpunk and what you can expect. If you have purchased items with us recently and have not received them as of 11/19/2010, don't fret! They're on the way, I promise! Obviously the holiday season is the time we all do a little more shopping than usual, and that means that sassyNpunk is a little bit busier than usual too.  Normally orders are shipped out within 1-3 days, but around this time of year orders might not go out before 5 days after purchase. I do have helpers, but only for shipping and accounting. The only person making products is me, so please understand that i am not a factory and that planning your orders with sassyNpunk in advance is probably a good idea for the rest of the year.

XOXO

Make your own owl calendar

The owl craze is still going strong. For those who can't get enough of them, I present to you the Owl Lover 2011 printable calendar by My Owl Barn. Customize your calendar online by choosing from 30 different owl illustrations. Then generate a high res PDF, download, and print. Nifty!

New ribbon designs: squirrels and sewing

New jacquard ribbons I designed for J Caroline arrived on my doorstep yesterday. It's always exciting (and scary) to see the finished product since I never know if the colors will turn out as expected. And flat Illustrator files always look cuter with real life texture than they do on my monitor, so I eagerly await these samples.

The squirrels in the berry colorway above are my fave so I put them on a fancy plate for their photograph.

Everybody else got dumped onto a piece of foamboard. Here are all three colorways.

Sewing ribbon warranted a few props since it was easier to find a spool of thread than recruit some squirrels to pose with their ribbon.

These are now available at J Caroline Creative in 25-yard rolls and at Banberry Place (check pages 3 or 4) by the yard. Coming soon to other retailers!

Printable Christmas card and gift list

If you want to get a jump on printing out Christmas goodies, here's a hand-drawn holiday card, compliments of Mufn Inc.

Possibly my Christmas shopping would be more inspired if I wrote ideas on special stationery. Download a printable shopping list from Atypical Type A.

Free font: Matilde

Type Depot is offering their delicate Matilde typeface at a cost of zero dollars. She's available in two styles, along with decorative frames and patterns. Download her here. (This font is obviously a she.) For help using the patterns, click here.

How to make pacifier clips with ribbon

I sewed these pacifier clips for a baby shower this weekend. I'd noticed solid-color clips in the store while wandering the aisles, and I wanted to include something handmade in my gift. These seemed easier to make than a stroller.

Here's my little tutorial. You'll need ribbon, suspender clips (available at fabric stores), Fray Check (optional), and velcro.

1. Cut a 24" length of ribbon. (This ribbon is 7/8" wide.)

2. Apply Fray Check to each end to prevent unraveling.

3. Fold the ribbon in half, leaving a little extra at one end to fold over the other unfinished end to hide it.

4. Stitch around the edges of the doubled ribbon , trying desperately not to run off the edge. Squeaking "Eeek!" helps a little when you get close. Just a tip.

5. Sew velcro pieces onto the folded end about 2" apart.

6. Thread the opposite end through a suspender clip and sew it down.

Favorite Internet Stuff

I get a lot of questions about what sites I like to look at on the internet, so i've decided that i'd let my fans in on the secret since i've made it my goal to start blogging more. Well the simplest way to put it is, I don't have a favorite site on the web... unless you count sassyNpunkBoutique ... which i strongly suggest you all visit ;)
I visit TONS of sites everyday. Not just for fun, but for research as well. I have to stay on top of what's on everyone's wishlist, current trends, what everyone hates, and of course i'm always searching for new models ;)
Now I obviously can't list all of my fav spots, so i'll just a few of the best sites, people, blogs, and stores that i just can't resist clicking on!

A Cute Shop is an online store that carries some really cool japanese merchandise. I especially like this store b/c it has a lot of stuff that is not available in the US. The prices are a little high, so i would only recommend this store to fellow shop owners who are willing to dish out a few hundred dollars.

Hawaii Kawaii is a blog that is run by a sweet lil lady from Gothenburg, Sweden who loves cutesy stuff ^_^ Everything she posts just happens to tickle our fancy here at sassyNpunk,  and i just can't resist all the adorable pics she posts.


Velvet Volcano is an online jewelry store that has some really crazy beaded necklaces. I have never seen this style of jewelry before, so when I came across their facebook page, i was pretty stoked! I dunno how this lady does it, but her pieces are absolutely awesome! Their official site doesn't seem to be up and running yet, but you can become their fan on facebook for now.

Attack of the Craft is an online forum for crazy crafters. It's run by some hardcore chicks named Cindy and Kim. Its is a great site to visit if you need advice or inspiration or if you want to make some crafty friends. The only requirement is that you are cool.

For the domestic sassyNpunk fan, i must recommend you check out Cupcake Provocateur for all your cooking apparel! Their couture aprons will have you baking in style all year round! I don't do much cooking myself these days, but i'm still one of those weirdos who watches the food network for some reason and likes to look at aprons online o_O

Easily customize your Twitter page

Themeleon by COLOURlovers is a tool for customizing your Twitter background. Try out different color palettes and themes, or choose from over 2,000 patterned backgrounds. Many of them are kind of hideous to my eyeballs, but hunting around a bit can yield some keepers.

Retro printable card from June Craft

The very same Kayanna Nelson of June Craft from yesterday's post has generously provided awesome downloadable goodies on her blog. Get the printable bird card right here. Or hunt through her posts to find all the free desktop wallpapers sprinkled about. Most are calendar desktops, but I was dying to use them immediately so I Photoshopped over the calendar areas to make them useful for posterity. I've got that bird on my monitor right this minute. Thank you, Kayanna!

Blogging for Freebies!

We get a lot of fan mail here at sassyNpunk headquarters from ladies who adore us and dream about our products every night ^_^ Unfortunately, many of those sweet ladies don't have the luxury of treating themselves to our handmade goodies at the moment. However, sassyNpunk understands the hard times a lot of families are going through right now... we are consumers too, ya know! Therefore, we are introducing our Blogging for Freebies program. It's very simple! For those of you who have personal websites or blogs, all you have to do is write a post/article about sassyNpunk! For our fans who don't have personal websites, Facebook notes or twitter updates about sassyNpunk will work too! (If you are going to tweet about us, you must do so consistently for one week to qualify.)

Just send us your name, email, and website address! We will look over all of your sites, and at the end of the week we will ship out your goodies! Pretty nifty, huh? 

support@sassyNpunkBoutique.com

How to transfer an image to fabric with gel medium

I experimented with transferring an image onto fabric the other day. For my test, I used this completely adorable dachshund drawing by Kayanna Nelson of June Craft. The little fellow is downloadable for personal use at Bloesem Kids.

To try an image transfer, you'll need:
Acrylic gel medium, available at art stores
Fabric
A laser printed image (not inkjet!)

With your finger—or a brush, but I prefer to feel what I'm doing—spread gel medium onto your fabric in the area where you want your image. Not too thin, not too thick; just a nice even layer.

Place your image printed side down onto the sticky fabric and press firmly. Burnish the paper with your thumbnail a bit to be sure the image makes good contact with the fabric. Let it dry completely.

Dampen the paper with water, then gently rub the paper away from the image with your finger.

The resulting fabric will be a bit stiffer where the gel medium was applied, and you'll be able to see it faintly. I sewed my print into a mini drawstring doggie bag, sized so the area with gel ends near the seams. This way the entire front of the bag is the same stiffness. It's quite cute!

For a good drawstring bag tutorial, check out this one at Skip To My Lou. Since my bag is tiny, I laid the baker's twine inside the top channel before stitching it down, rather than threading it through later.

Cool free wallpapers for mobile devices

Have you been over to Poolga yet? My iPad really likes their growing set of wallpapers by fabulous designers and illustrators. Maybe your phone would like them, too.

DIY coaster tutorial round-up

A collection of coaster projects, nice for keeping or handmade gift giving.
Punched coasters by Mackenzie Sasser
Modern number coasters by Mod Cottage
Stitched cork coasters at Crafting a Green World
Maple leaf coasters at The Long Thread
DIY photo coasters at Phototiller
Tree limb coasters by Mod Home Ec Teacher

Banff's Spectacular Sub-Alpine Meadows

After reviewing 1,500 pictures taken in the Canadian Rockies, this emerged as my personal favorite.

Now this place is certainly not world famous like Lake Louise, or a Canadian favorite like Moraine Lake, or possess the eye-catching turquoise blue of Peyto Lake. To me this is a breathtaking location that strikes the right balance between the spectacular beauty that everyone expects of the Canadian Rockies, with the ruggedness and hidden power of nature that can catch anyone by surprise.



Where's this place? It is a sub-alpine plateau of 2,200m elevation, an enchanted kingdom of 360-degree panoramas, summer wildflowers and wildlife, yet easily accessible through a shuttle bus service.

While locals rate it as one of the best hiking grounds near Banff, it seems to have remained under the radar of most visitors. Some tourists are deterred by the lack of public road access, but richly rewarded are those willing to pay for the privilege of arriving at some of the most photogenic alpine scenery anywhere.



This mountain-top is known locally by two names, depending on the time of year. From November through early May, cable gondolas whisk skiers and snowboarders to the Canadian Rockies' largest ski resort known as Sunshine Village. But from mid-June to late September, gondolas give way to a shuttle bus and the mountain transforms into a hiker's wonderland known as Sunshine Meadows.



10 metres of annual snowfall melts away in the early summer, revealing a well-maintained network of trails and footpaths that wind past lush green meadows and emerald-colored lakes. Hiking season is short and dramatic, beginning with residual snow in June, an explosion of wildflowers in July and August, and the brilliance of Autumn foliage in September.



There are two ways of getting to Sunshine Meadows -- either hike uphill for 2 hours from the base of the winter gondola, or take a 15 minute shuttle bus ride. Regular price for the shuttle bus is $26, but at the time of writing you can apply for a free Travel Alberta Card prior to your trip and get a 15% discount by simply flashing your card.



Wild creatures large and small inhabit this pristine plateau. Not only is the meadows known to be one of the prime grizzly bear habitats in Banff National Park, the entire mountain seems to be a giant colony of hundreds of thousands of ground squirrels. This one in particular wanted to make friends with my water bottle.



It was also the beginning of wildflower season when we visited in mid-July, with fascinating alpine flowers of every color springing from the snow-irrigated wetlands along the trails. Bright red Indian Paintbrushes and bushy Western Anemones were most prominent during our visit in mid-July.



If you can time your visit in August, Sunshine Meadows organizes a Wildflower Week every year with guided interpretive hikes and photography workshops. Even if you can't, the brilliant hues of alpine lichens and a plethora of wildflowers are there to guide you along the trails all summer.



The main trails range from easy to moderate in difficulty, and a trail map can be downloaded from the official site. We rode the 11:00 bus to the Nature Centre at the top, took the Rock Isle Trail to the Rock Isle Viewpoint for a picnic around noon, hiked up to the Standish Viewpoint after lunch, then looped around the lakes on the Garden Path Trail before returning to the Nature Centre in time for the 16:30 bus down the mountain.

This easy 10km hike was certainly our most memorable in the Canadian Rockies, though the more adventurous may prefer to use Sunshine Meadows as a launching point for serious hikes along the Continental Divide. Regardless of your fitness level, just remember to bring your camera -- it's just impossible not to come home with satisfying pictures.

Banff's Spectacular Sub-Alpine Meadows

After reviewing 1,500 pictures taken in the Canadian Rockies, this emerged as my personal favorite.

Now this place is certainly not world famous like Lake Louise, or a Canadian favorite like Moraine Lake, or possess the eye-catching turquoise blue of Peyto Lake. To me this is a breathtaking location that strikes the right balance between the spectacular beauty that everyone expects of the Canadian Rockies, with the ruggedness and hidden power of nature that can catch anyone by surprise.



Where's this place? It is a sub-alpine plateau of 2,200m elevation, an enchanted kingdom of 360-degree panoramas, summer wildflowers and wildlife, yet easily accessible through a shuttle bus service.

While locals rate it as one of the best hiking grounds near Banff, it seems to have remained under the radar of most visitors. Some tourists are deterred by the lack of public road access, but richly rewarded are those willing to pay for the privilege of arriving at some of the most photogenic alpine scenery anywhere.



This mountain-top is known locally by two names, depending on the time of year. From November through early May, cable gondolas whisk skiers and snowboarders to the Canadian Rockies' largest ski resort known as Sunshine Village. But from mid-June to late September, gondolas give way to a shuttle bus and the mountain transforms into a hiker's wonderland known as Sunshine Meadows.



10 metres of annual snowfall melts away in the early summer, revealing a well-maintained network of trails and footpaths that wind past lush green meadows and emerald-colored lakes. Hiking season is short and dramatic, beginning with residual snow in June, an explosion of wildflowers in July and August, and the brilliance of Autumn foliage in September.



There are two ways of getting to Sunshine Meadows -- either hike uphill for 2 hours from the base of the winter gondola, or take a 15 minute shuttle bus ride. Regular price for the shuttle bus is $26, but at the time of writing you can apply for a free Travel Alberta Card prior to your trip and get a 15% discount by simply flashing your card.



Wild creatures large and small inhabit this pristine plateau. Not only is the meadows known to be one of the prime grizzly bear habitats in Banff National Park, the entire mountain seems to be a giant colony of hundreds of thousands of ground squirrels. This one in particular wanted to make friends with my water bottle.



It was also the beginning of wildflower season when we visited in mid-July, with fascinating alpine flowers of every color springing from the snow-irrigated wetlands along the trails. Bright red Indian Paintbrushes and bushy Western Anemones were most prominent during our visit in mid-July.



If you can time your visit in August, Sunshine Meadows organizes a Wildflower Week every year with guided interpretive hikes and photography workshops. Even if you can't, the brilliant hues of alpine lichens and a plethora of wildflowers are there to guide you along the trails all summer.



The main trails range from easy to moderate in difficulty, and a trail map can be downloaded from the official site. We rode the 11:00 bus to the Nature Centre at the top, took the Rock Isle Trail to the Rock Isle Viewpoint for a picnic around noon, hiked up to the Standish Viewpoint after lunch, then looped around the lakes on the Garden Path Trail before returning to the Nature Centre in time for the 16:30 bus down the mountain.

This easy 10km hike was certainly our most memorable in the Canadian Rockies, though the more adventurous may prefer to use Sunshine Meadows as a launching point for serious hikes along the Continental Divide. Regardless of your fitness level, just remember to bring your camera -- it's just impossible not to come home with satisfying pictures.