Write As If No One Is Reading

When I originally started this blog I was writing just for myself. I had recently shut down a cupcake catering business that became too difficult to run alone and I felt a creative void in my life. I started to fill my time with small art projects, random as many of them may seem, and I suddenly started writing about them...

I didn't publish my blog for 6 months after starting it because I was almost embarrassed about some of the subject matter. I didn't have plans to publish it until one day I starting talking about it to a friend. I realized that I had an urge to share my blog with others, not necessarily the subject matter in the posts, but share the happiness I found in all of it. I created a name for my blog and designed a template for the posts and suddenly I was running "Caroline's Pink Envelope". I honestly had no idea what I was doing when I started blogging (and I still don't). All I know is that I write about all of the things that I love the most and now the blog has slowly become a hodge podge of unconnected art projects, baking posts, craft ideas, decorating posts and lifestyle posts. By highlighting the smallest actions in my life that bring me joy, I am discovering my passion and I'm fulfilling a part of my life that I have made a priority.

Balance is the foundation behind me starting this blog. Many people may be surprised to know that I absolutely love my corporate job. I love to put on a suit in the morning, head to work, bust my butt and feel important in the workplace. Balance for me is coming home and sewing curtains for a friend because I am creative at heart and that side of me hasn't been fulfilled all day. Caroline's Pink Envelope helps me achieve balance and share it with others and for that reason it has changed my life.

They always say: dance as if no one is watching. To this day, I don't know who is reading. I know the number of hits I get per week (around 400), but I don't know the people behind those statistics. I have no idea what lives I am touching, if any, because I am still writing for myself. I just write as if no one is reading.

Whether you love art like me or whether it's something else that makes you "tick", Caroline's Pink Envelope is inspiration for everyone out there who is searching for a passionate, yet balanced life. Make whatever it is that fulfills you a priority, engage in whatever that is and do it as if no one is watching.

A Savvy Woman's Treasure

I was out in East Hampton again this weekend and I couldn't help but stop by a yard sale at our neighbor's house. I went over a little late by yard sale standards (the early birds usually get all of the good stuff) but I scored with a silver tray that I snagged for only $1! The nice thing about going late to yard sales is that people are basically giving away their stuff at the end. The tray was in really, really bad shape but I figured I'd work at it and I could always toss it if I couldn't get the tarnish out. Well, I just worked at it for about an hour after arriving back in the city and already it looks great! I'll work at it again later (my arms are too tired to finish the project) but I wanted to post a picture because I'm so happy about it. This summer take advantage of the plentiful yard sales in your area because one woman's trash is another savvy woman's treasure!

 

The Deal Of The Century

I can't help myself from blogging about my new silver trays. I just love the look of pretty silver and antique pieces are my absolute favorite. I guess every girl has a little grandma in her, haha! I have been eyeing two gorgeous (and tarnished) sterling silver trays in an antique shop on my Upper East Side street. Last weekend I decided to make a move on them. After a weekend of bargaining, walking away from the store and then coming back with my tail between my legs because I really DID want the trays, I finally got the pieces home for what I perceived as a great deal. Oh my, I spent the ENTIRE evening on Monday polishing my silver. I think it was several hours but I just couldn't stop unveiling the beauty under the tarnish. I swear that I scored the deal of the century. Both trays were heavily tarnished and their value was overlooked by other antique shoppers. Lucky me with black hands and exhausted arms, I now have two gorgeous and valuable home decor pieces that I just HAD to blog about. Ladies, lessons to learn here:

1) Look closer for the hidden gems out there, pretty pieces are out there so bargain and buy!

2) Everything fabulous takes a little work but as long as you enjoy the work, it's worth it, so polish away!

Enjoy the pictures (they are much prettier in person). I am so thrilled I can't take it!

 

Start A Club

Since we all have a little Martha in us, let's share the joy in our hobbies by joining a club. Chances are you'll have to start your own club so here are a few ideas I have to help you get started.

1) Knitting Club: Needle pointers will get invited to join too. Ladies mingle and swap project ideas and stitch lessons or just socialize while working on their time consuming projects.

2) Dinner Club: Choose a type of food or pick a theme so it's not just a regular night out to dinner. Try burger club, sushi club, pizza club, steak club etc. It's fun to rate the food and restaurant overall at the conclusion of the meal.

3) Book Club: This is a classic club that never gets old.
4) Running Club: Get a group of people together for weekly runs in the park. Also, I started a power walking club last year that fizzled out but I am going to introduce it again this spring. Ladies can mingle while working out!
5) Cooking Club: Invite your members over to cook, drink and mingle. Then you get to eat what you make! The host chooses the recipe and purchases the ingredients and hosting rotates each month.
6) Decorating Club: Maybe once every two months gather your friends who love to decorate together for various activities such as.... Mingle and swap decorating ideas.  Attend a house tour together. Swap decorating books and email favorite design blogs. Visit the Met together for special exhibits featuring decor and or furniture. There is so much to do with this one.

7) Museum Club: Choose a museum as your meeting spot and get together one Saturday a month to visit a special exhibit together. Plan to brunch afterwards and discuss the exhibit.

8) Movie Club: Members are assigned to see a movie in the theater on their own and then they gather to discuss it at the meeting. Club members can head to the theater together too if they wish!

9) Baking Club: Since cooking is not synonymous with baking, this club must be a separate entity. Baking only for this club but it's the same idea as the cooking club.

10) Arts and Crafts Club: The host rotates between the members and chooses a project to share with the club. The materials are purchased prior to the meeting by each member but the crafting if done all together!

The ideas are endless so think of a club you want to start and be sure to invite me if I know you! Members are more excited to get together if it's under the notion that it's a club. Also the creator of the club has to do a nice job of maintaining the sense of a "club feel". The first meeting should discuss exactly what the club is about, who is involved and how frequently it will meet so that members know what they are getting involved in. It's also fun to assign roles to members in the club so people feel important and share the sense that they are part of something unique. Have fun!!

Post Holiday Cleaning Tips

Before heading back to work on Monday, you may be taking time this long weekend to put away the holiday décor, take down the tree and get your home organized and cleaned. Here are some useful post holiday cleaning tips.

-Store ornaments in egg crates. The separate compartments will keep them from breaking.
-To remove the remnants of candle wax from a glass votive, freeze the votive and the wax will come out easily.
-When cleaning the fridge, never use disinfectants. Foods will pick up taste and odor. Vinegar and water work nicely.
-Add detergent to the washer first before adding your laundry. Pouring detergent on clothing can cause fabrics to fade.
-After dusting electronics, use a dryer sheet to wipe down TV and computer screens. The anti-static in the dryer sheet repels dust and dirt.
-Remove pet orders in the carpet by sprinkling baking soda and then vacuuming.
-Drain de-clogger recipe: 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour baking soda down drain first then follow with the vinegar. Close drain and let sit until bubbling has stopped. Pour a bucket of hot boiling water and your drain should be clear.
-After you wipe down a mirror with glass cleaner, go back over it with a dry paper towel to avoid streaks.
-Lemon extract will remove scuff marks from luggage if you just got back from a vacation.
-Vinegar and water will remove salt stains from shoes and boots if you have been trekking around in snow.

Once your place is clean…

-Spray a bit of perfume on a light bulb to create a lovely soft scent in the room
-To maintain a fresh aroma in the house, place a fabric softener sheet at the bottom of each waste basket.

Cleaning your place doesn't have to be a daunting task. If you do one or two small chores a day, you’ll never have to spend a whole day cleaning. Start off your next work week with a clean slate by doing some quick post holiday chores this weekend!

2010 Resolutions

Alright, enough of the same old resolutions... Let's think differently this year. What do you love, love, love to do? Whatever it is, make a resolution to devote more time to that activity in 2010. You'll be excited to follow through and the positive change will come easy!

We are conditioned to think of resolutions as difficult, often insurmountable tasks.  Why does a resolution have to be something that you hate to do or something that doesn't come easy? Start off 2010 with something you love. This year is going to be about your passions and strengths. So throw out the scale and pick up a paint brush. 2010 is going to be your year to shine and it all starts with a great resolution!

Thanks For Gifts

The gift giving is over and the thank you note writing begins. Growing up, my sister and I used to keep a list of family and friends who had given us Christmas gifts. We would split the list right after the holidays and write thank you notes on behalf of each other in our breakfast room. Jenny hated this chore so I usually ended up writing most of the notes, but it started a good habit in both of us. I remember mom always telling us to "Write bigger girls... it looks nicer and you won't have to write as much!" As a kindergarten teacher, my mother always wrote big and it's something I have to remind myself to do from now and again. Aside from "writing bigger", here are some useful tips I learned over years of crafting hundreds of social thank you notes.

-A thank you note can be as short as 3 sentences. Use folded stationery 3" by 5" (this size was made for notes). No need to fill an entire 4" by 6" correspondence card (that size is for correspondence, hence the name).

-Reference the present."Thank you for the pretty earrings."

-Mention something specific about the present you received (remarks about its craftsmanship, reasons why you like it etc.) "The cashmere gloves are very soft and sure to keep me warm this winter."

-Express enthusiasm even if you don't particularly like the present. You can express genuine enthusiasm over the thoughtfulness of the gift. "I cannot wait to use the fondue pot. It will be fun to use when friends come over!"

-Be yourself. There is no need to be formal if that isn't typically you. Use words and expressions that you would normally use in conversation. "The cookbook is amazing. I am using it already." rather than "What a marvelous cookbook." (Most of us don't talk like that, haha!)

-The closing sentence can restate thanks, mention warm wishes or reference the next time you will see the person. It doesn't have to relate to the gift . "I look forward to seeing you at the Winter Ball in January."

-You can sign off with something like "Love", "Fondly", "Sincerely", etc.

- I always read my note aloud back to myself just to make sure it sounds complete.

WHAT IF...

...you receive money? Focus on the generosity of the gift and say how you will use the money. "Thank you for the generous check. I am going to put it towards a couch for my new apartment."

...you cannot identify the gift? Do your best (this is tough) and focus your note on the thoughtfulness of the gift.

...you receive a single gift from more than one person? Unless it's from a married couple or a family, write each individual a separate note.

...you realize that you forgot to send a thank you note and weeks or even months have passed? Don't assume the gift giver forgot, because she didn't! Send a note of thanks even if it's very late. Write about how much you have been enjoying using the gift and do not mention excuses for why it's late. "Every time I buy fresh flowers I use that pretty rose bowl that you gave to me last fall. It always reminds me of your beautiful taste."

If your thank you note can be used over and over again then it isn't specific enough. Your goal is to convey genuine gratitude for a specific present. If you have a large list to get through like after a shower or wedding, tackle a few each night. Lastly, remember to "write big!"

-This post is dedicated to my mom, the most thoughtful woman alive.

Monogramming... My Fav

I often get asked about this, probably because I monogram everything (my mother always did it for us when we were little), so I figured I'd put my advice in writing so others can read too!

Monogramming is a sign of personal identity. My motto has always been everything looks better monogrammed! It makes most clothing, household items and gifts seem more put together. Women appear poised when sporting a monogram and men convey that they are traditional and classic. Monogramming will never go out of style in the preppy world! Here are the rules, although they may seem obvious:

1) The woman's monogram is typically in a cursive circle with the left inital being the first letter of her first name, the middle initial (slightly larger font) being the first letter of her last name, and the right initial being the first letter of her middle name. Since the 1900s monograms have become more modern so many types of non cursive fonts are now used for women.

2) Male monograms are usually always in basic arial font with all of the initials being the same size in the order of (first name, middle name, last name)

3) If a woman chooses a male style monogram where the font size is the same the same rules apply to her (first name, middle name, last name) However most female monograms have a larger font for the middle letter. If that is the case the rule is (first name, last name, middle name). Men also do this now too.

4) Couple monograms: Ladies first! The couple monogram goes (womans first name initial, last name initial, man's first name initial) The couple monogram should have the last name initial in a larger font. This is helpful for bridal gifts and a lot of people mess this up!

Some wonderful non traditional items to monogram include, soaps, candles, blankets, slippers, walls, glassware, car doors, upholstered seating and more! Monogrammed items make fabulous hostess gifts so think ahead when you are heading to a party or lodging at someone's home. My favorite monogram site is The Pink Monogram. Monica's items are reasonable and darling!

A Space Of Your Own

Over the weekend my roommate was away and I decided to finish a few small projects around the apartment. I have been wanting to create a small space to do my hobbies. For years I have been living with my dear friend Kate in a two bedroom apartment in Murray Hill. Our furniture is small, our decorations are small and the space is, well small. Usually, I make my crafts on the coffee table, even my bedroom floor, any place where I can spread out. I decided that even in my teeny tiny bedroom, it is imperative that I have a space designated for my hobby.

I took a old vanity table and removed the attached mirror. I hung a wall storage unit above the table for my crafts, complete with a lamp and a little chair for sitting and doing my work. (I can still use it as a vanity when I need to. How wonderful to make a space that serves a double purpose!) The wall storage unit actually looks like a piece of art with all of the colorful craft supplies rather than a storage piece. It will also keep me organized since it is on display all of the time now!

Here are some other space making ideas for common hobbies:
-cozy chair with bright lamp for the knitter, needlepointer or reader.

-small kitchen cart for the baker to keep her baking supplies and workspace separate.
-small craft table for the card maker or scrapbooker.
-easel for the drawer or painter, keep unfolded and ready to go.

Living a happy, stressfree life involves making time for your hobbies. Creating a "space" for your hobby will remind you to do your hobby more often. No matter how little square footage you have, you can always find space for the things you love. Keep your space set up as a reminder to take time out of your day for yourself to do what you love. If your space is ready to go, you are more likely to take time for your craft. You always have time to do what is important to you, it's all about prioritizing!

Gratitude

Sometimes when you are reminded just how precious life is, you begin to appreciate each happy and healthy day even more. Your very worst day is someone else's very best day. Never take life for granted and feel blessed for even the smallest of things in your life. Most importantly, tell those you love how much you love them and how grateful you are to have them in your life.

-This post is dedicated to my loving Grandmom

Girls Only!

Last year I joined an NFL survivor pool through a friend of a friend. Basically I paid $100 to enter the pool of 80 and I took my chance each week at picking different winning teams to advance to the next week. I was eliminated by October but I had fun watching and caring about games I wouldn't normally give a hoot about. I had enough of a good time that when I got an email from the pool leader today to sign up again for 2009, I thought: yeah sure, I'll do it again this year! Well... When I went to the website to sign up, I discovered that I could start my own pool. To my ultimate delight, I did just that- set up a "Girls Only NFL Survivor Pool" for me and 20 girlfriends!

Yep that's right! Move over boys, the girls have it under control and we are doing one ourselves this year. The best part of running my own pool is that I can set it up however I wish, survivor style, fantasy football style and so on... I decided to stick with survivor, I mean who do I think I am am trying to run a fantasy pool??Haha! So I set up double elimination to prolong the fun and it's only $20 a girl. I mean no one expects to win the pool- it's all about the excitement along the way anyway!

So that's my great idea for the night: Start a football pool just for the girls this year. Here's the site ladies! http://www.officefootballpool.com/

Selling Yoga

My funniest friend Kimberly told me about this yoga studio that she discovered during a visit to New York City. "Yoga? Nah, that's not for me but thanks Kim." After only a few minutes of convincing on Kim's part, (typical sales girl) I found myself online and scheduling an appointment to check out the studio. It's called Pure Yoga and there are two in the city, one on the Upper East Side and one on the Upper West. Yesterday, after my tour of this luxurious and tranquil facility, I fell in like with yoga. Today however, I officially fell in love with yoga after taking my very first class!

In the beginning of the class, when the music started and we were doing what I perceived as medidating, I thought to myself: ah wait a second I'm a runner, this isn't quite me... But as the hour long class continued, I quickly found myself in the most difficult positions using muscles in places I never knew I had them! SUCH a workout ensued that by the end of the hour I was sweating, my muscles were tired and I felt outstanding. I must say that my spine had never had so much attention in my 27 years of life. I felt so limber and relaxed.

I was a self admitted skeptic of yoga, just not a fan. Now, I consider myself a yoga groupie and I just signed up for a year long membership which gives me unlimited classes. I also just heard about this "hot yoga" business where you are doing yoga in 110 degree heat. Aside from my friend Alexis telling me that she felt like she was going to have a heart attack, the other reviews have been great and that's next on my list of classes to try! I'm telling you that I'm totally obsessed. Thanks for "selling me yoga" Kimberly!

Bee Happy!

Every girl has a time in her life when things aren't going quite her way. Over the weekend one of my good friends told me that she's going through a break up. Ugh, they are the worst... but having great girlfriends close by can make moving on a lot easier.

A bunch of us met her for lunch today and I brought her a homemade card. The theme of the card is "bee happy". A card just like this one is really cute along side of a small thoughtful gift such as: Burt's Bees lip balm, moisturing lotion with honey or some pretty yellow flowers!

Even if it only brings a temporary smile, the gesture will remind her that she has friends who care and a lot to "bee happy" about! Lots of love to my girl...

Stop And Smell The Roses

On the way home from work last Friday I stopped at the local bodega and bought myself two dozen white roses. They looked so fresh that I couldn't resist. I have this beautiful rose bowl that my mom bought for me from Kate Spade. It's one of the prettiest things I own. I just love it and I was excited for myself to have an excuse to use it. When my roommate Kate got home from work she exclaimed how pretty the roses looked. I know!!!! Here are some tips I collected to make the most of your flowers:

1) Always use a clean vase.

2) Cut the stems on an angle to maximize the the space for the flowers to take in the water.
3) Remove all of the leaves which will be under the water while in the vase.

4) Add the flower food supplied by the florist, sugar can be used as an alternative.

5) Change the water every other day.
6) Buy flowers with buds or that are half open, you will be able to enjoy watching them open and they'll last longer

7) Never place your floral arrangements in full sun or over a radiator.

8) The best place for your flowers is in a cool room.

It's now Sunday and we are enjoying the roses that have almost fully bloomed. I have stopped to smell the roses a handful of times today and it really made my weekend. It's true that sometimes the best ideas are right under your nose!

Feel Fantastic By The Weekend

On the drive back to the city from Southampton, my summer housemate posed a question to the rest of us in the car: Girls, what can I do for myself in the next week to look and feel great by next weekend? (Susie was geering up for a trip to London with her man) The rest of us all shared our suggestions with her and I decided I want to pass our ideas along.

Simple steps to feeling fantastic by next weekend:

-Drink lots and lots of water this week.

-Wake up early every morning and start the day with a quick 20 minute powerwalk.

-No alcohol at all this week.

-Limit carbs to breakfast and lunch only this week.

-Limit salt for the week, no adding salt to anything.

-Get a manicure and pedicure on Thursday so you feel polished this weekend.

-Go to bed an hour early every night this week (Tell your friends you will talk to them on the phone next week, it will save you lots of time for sleep this week!)

-Workout at the gym or go for a run at least three times this week.

-Moisturize your skin before bed and apply vaseline to your lips so they are soft when you wake up!
-Skip dessert all week (if you need to end the day on "sweet" allow a single Hershey's kiss to do the trick without bringing the guilt!)

With five heads in the car, this is the list we created. I hope this list inspires you to make some simple changes (just for the week) so you feel fantastic by the weekend. Have a great week ladies!

The Creative Run Around

There it is again! Everytime I go running I see more and more girls sporting the running skirt. Yep, that's right, apparently there's a new trend in womens running wear and it's the skirt. It is essentially a spandex skirt with spandex bloomers attached. Being a girl who loves to wear dresses, I had to get my hands on one to see for myself what the fuss is all about.

I easily found one at Lululemon Athletica on the Upper West Side and thought I'd give it a test run (no pun intended). When I got home and put it on, already I was thrilled and I hadn't even left my apartment. It was just so cute that I was tempted to put a ribbon around my ponytail and start cheering, okay not really but you get the point. I ran for three miles and afterwards I concluded that the running skirt was not only adorable, but functional as well. I was comfortable the whole run and I didn't have to worry about annoying shorts riding up or looking hideous in tight spandex pants. I even noticed that I was being noticed, haha amazing!

Running skirts aren't rocket science, after all women have been doing the tennis skirt since the beginning of time and no one fussed about that. But somehow after my running skirt experience I thought to myself, this idea is genius. Well, maybe not genius, but definitely creative!

You've Got Handwritten Mail

When is the last time you received a casual note in the mail from a friend just to say "hello"? I can't remember either! How nice would it feel to come home after a long day at work and get a card in your mailbox for no particular reason. I would be so happy to receive a note in the mail! Personal communication through handwritten mail is one of the easiest things you can do to make someones day. Writing a note and taking the time to address it, stamp it and walk it to the mailbox, says that you really care about the recipient. It takes time to send a note by hand. Nothing says you care more than taking time out of your day for someone.

When you send an email, it usually gets read while the recipient is at work. It may only skimmed or possibly dismissed all together. It certainly doesn't get the appreciation and attention that comes when you send a note in the mail. 64% of Americans prefer receiving handwritten personal communications to electronic communications. (2005 Greeting Card Association Study) Think about someone you care about and decide that you are going to make his or her day by sending that person handwritten mail. I guarantee you will make the recipient feel nice inside upon receiving your card AND you will make yourself feel nice inside too!