the nosh... [sneak peek]

the nosh 

4855 E Warner Rd
Phoenix AZ 85044

 

joe's real bbq... ... [eats]

joe's real bbq

301 N Gilbert Road
Gilbert, AZ 85234
(480) 503-3805

 

 

 

2 scoops of flavor & deliciousness.  1 side of comfortable & casual.  and a slice of nostalgia, topped with simplicity.

 

 

how it was.  how it should be. how it is @joe's.



crystalyn kae handbags... ...[sneak peek]

another trip to seattle. another seriously fun shoot with crystalyn, the artistic genius behind crystalyn kae handbags.

 

 

(above: large topstitch hobo)

 

 



(she really is this adorable)

cafe boa ... ... [eats]

cafe boa

398 S. Mill Ave.

Tempe, Arizona 85281

some friends recruited me to capture a few of their favorite eats in town.  and of course, in order to really represent each location i had to try them out for myself... i fully suggest you do to! 

we felt like visitors in our own backyard & we had the quiet, lush & green patio all to ourselves. (it was a weeknight.)

natural & organic food.  light with intense flavor.  we indulged on a glass of chardonay, the house flat bread, sustainable muscles, and fries - so crispy and thin with amazing seasoning.  no need to order lemon with your water @ cafe boa, they serve up cucumber h20 and it was crazy refreshing.

on the left, my joe (not available on the menu). i love him so.  on the right, our joe.  a scoop of vanilla bean gelato served with a shot of espresso for you to pour over the top.  i'll be going back just for one of these... no doubt.

bliss banners ... ... [throwing J O Y ] giveaway

where are my fellow joy hunters?  bueller? bueller?  are ya'all out there? have you been steppin' in it, sprinkled with it, drenched by it?  i'm learning that it truly is all around me.  the gift is in recognizing how HE is weaving it throughout my day and then giving thanks for it.  up for grabs is a handmade burlap banner of joy.  it will help those of us who are joy hunters in training.

when i gave in to the crazy ideas in my head, or, nudges from God (tomato - tomAHto)  regarding this [throwing J O Y] semi-regular giveaway, i knew that one thing i wanted to do was to share bits of joy that have landed in my world.  books, music, art/home décor, organizational tools, healthy indulgences, wardrobe accessories and beyond.  If it has brought joy to my routine & ordinary than it will most certainly be thrown out to ya’all at some point.  there is so much more than some thing bringing me joy.  ultimately HE is at work orchestrating around me and using others to encourage me.  there is a woman, an artist, an inspiration. she is opening her heart and allowing Him to use her. i want you to know meet these 'tools of his trade'.

so without further a due allow me to introduce you to my friend nicole of bliss banners.  seems quite fitting that she be the first of a handful of uh-mazingly talented friends i will attempt to feature…because if my memory serves me correctly (and i am the first to admit, right after my husband - ehem, that it doesn’t always.)  i think i was her first customer? 

the who.what.where.when.how & joy behind it all

me: who taught you to sew?

nicole: "my mom taught me to sew. she still has one of the first things i made, a green scrap of fabric with a red heart sewn on it. i now have one from my 6 year old daughter."

me:  what is/was your favorite childhood toy?

nicole: "barbies!!! me and my friend kelly would spend forever setting them up but i don't think we ever actually played with them...it was all about the staging!!"

me:  where do you find inspiration?

nicole:  "fabric.  i am obsessed with prints and colors and my living room proves it.  i buy it with no idea what i am going to use it for...but i always do!!!  digging around some of the fabric stores by my house is always fun for me.  i have super talented friends with very different styles.  when i am shopping or making a banner i literally ask myself if it would fit in either: a.  my mom's house  b. mary's house  c. emily's house or d. my house - because i want to keep a lot of them for myself.  but this way i know i am covered."

me:  when did you last do something daring? what was it?

nicole:  "i don't do daring things.  i used to dye my hair a lot of different colors and buy a new shade of colored eyeshadow pretty much weekly...now 'sometimes' i drink caffeine after 3pm!!!"

me:  how do you drink your coffee?

nicole:  "with half and half and a little sugar or vanilla syrup in the morning and iced mocha the rest of the day!!!! if i have a lot to do, i switch to iced geen tea."

me:  will you please share about a time when you found joy in this where or when you didn't expect it.

nicole:  "if joy is a fruit of the spirit then when i am walking with HIM, i have it.  i can't find it when i am focused on me.  there are many times that i have literally prayed about a banner.  when it is for someone's first baby's nursery or their wedding, i tend to feel pressure to please them.  i have to remember to seek God in all i do.  it's not like rubbing a magic lamp and getting the perfect answer but it is refocusing on The Lord.  so when i have that joy in my heart i can cheerfully serve and accommodate others.  when it is about me, my attitude can get ugly and bitter about the task. i can have great joy in serving someone, even if it is through a banner order, knowing that my heart was set on Jesus when i did it.

nicole:  "to all the fans of pixbyemily... email me at blissbanners@gmail.com or find me at www.blissbanners.etsy.com and use the code joy4u to receive 20% off any order through saturday august 18th."

me:  see, i told ya she is an uh-mazing woman!

giveaway details.

included in the giveaway is:

- one handmade bliss banner burlap & yellow "joy" banner. (pictured above)

-i will cover shipping for those of you that are not local.

to enter.

leave a comment sharing some JOY you found today = 1 entry 

leave a comment with a word you would want a banner to say = 1 entry
follow my blog /comment letting me know you are = 1 entry

giveway is open until saturday 8/18/12 @ 1pm (az time)

i'll pick a winner randomly and announce it before 4pm that day.

the winner is Kaydee! looks like you & your daughter gained some joy this week!

note:  please check back to see if you won or be sure that your email is part of your public profile so that i can contact you.

vintage spoons & mason jars... ...[product]

spoons.  not just for eatin'.

(vintage spoon coat/hat rack)

(mason jar vase/sconce)

i've been busy in the workshop.  check out my shop and message me for a custom item.  ready to ship pieces will be going up this week.

hangin' around... ...[product]

i stepped out. way out of my comfort zone and submitted some of my prints to be displayed in a local community art gallery.  it was interesting riding this wave of vulnerability and confidence.  the prints are back home and available for purchase.  contact me if you are interested.



stop & smell

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in december."  - James Matthew Barrie

my favorite coffee shop called me up and asked if i would take some pix of their beautifully blooming rose garden... ... 

... ... i am often humbled that most days for me, working (whether it be my little boys or a camera wrapped around my neck) equates to noticing & soaking up God's blessings right in front of me.

SSFS... ... [logo]

i've had the pleasure, honor and pure fun of working closely with Joselyn of Soul Sisters From Scratch, for the past few weeks. She has always had a passion for faith.family.food and now has the opportunity to dive into it 'canonball' style and share it with all of us! please consider following her page and be encouraged by all she has to offer:

|About|
Founded by a Mom, with a Mom, for Moms of all ages & their Families. Giving Encouragement, Inspiration & Tips on Health, Home and Hearts ♥


|Mission|
Encouraging food, family, foundation and faith. Living in balance, Loving with intention, and Learning by example.


|Description|
Food is our medicine and many times that is the first thing that slips in the busy life today. Return to balance, Live each day in balance and Be Well physically, emotionally & spiritually. See Everything as Beautiful & Create that Life you Want!

custom logo / business card

custom facebook cover photo

the creative wheels are still turning and crankin' away between us so be on the look out for much much more to come.

mesquite street market & NEW PRODUCT... ...[product]

i've been slowly entering the world of hand made goodies.  truth be told, when i find something i like, i make it for myself and then friends & family show enough interest that i make a few more to share.  i am learning that there are 2 types of peeps in the world of hand made goodies... those who see a good idea and use their skills to make it and those who see a good idea and welcome the opportunity to pay someone else to use their skills to make it.  either way i hope my products inspire, encourage and bring joy to the routine & ordinary.  feel free to stop by the etsy shop to scope out current inventory.

i had the honor of sharing a booth with my sweet friend & the genius crafter behind bliss banners, at the local mesquite street market this past weekend.  so much fun was had.  we managed to stay dry on the one day in the entire month that thunderstorms were forecasted.  and nothing took flight despite the 20mph gusts of wind.  it was my 2nd boutique and i just loved spending the day meeting local shoppers and being part of such a fun & creative community event.  a big thank you to Melody & Marlena  for organizing and hosting such a wonderful day.

allow me to introduce some new products...

mason jar wall vase/sconce.  i cut & route the edges of a solid piece of pine, myself.   then i spend time playing with the process of painting.sanding.adding character.staining. finally a genuine mason jar is secured to the finished board with a hose clamp for that perfect combination of traditional elegance + rustic charm + idustrial flare.  they fit anywhere in your home...purely decorative with fresh cut flowers... practical and functional holding office & craft supplies or kitchen utensils... or add some ambiance with a tea light.  if i had a beach house i'd fill the bottom with some white sand and burrow a little tea light in them for sure!  how would you use it in your home?  they are sold individually but a pair can really anchor a showcased piece of artwork on your wall...or three in a row with all your craft supplies in your hobby room would be sure to keep you organized and inspire.

 these are what i call the big brother to my classic ps i love you frames.  you get the same homespun feel from sewn cotton notebook paper, in a fun 4x6 frame.  only i anchor them with a decorative solid wooden base which is covered in either fabric, scrapbook paper or paint.  a fun splash of decor and design to your home and a little encouragment to encourage those in your home with a dry erase message...over and over and over and over again.

this is my favorite... it is what you get when you marry the ps i love you frame & the mason jar vase.

if you like what you see or have a question for me, please get my attention at pixbyemily@cox.net

open for business... ...[product]

yesterday was valentine's day...a national holiday that encourages you to tell those around you how much you love them.  today i am choosing to announce the opening of my etsy store because my products offer simple ways for you to tell those around you how much you love them over and over and over again.  don't wait for february 14th, 2013 to tell them they are special.

it isn't a rare thing for me to have ideas bouncing around in my head.  it isn't a rare thing for me to see something i like and then figure out a way to do it myself.  it isn't a rare thing for me to say, 'someday....'.  it isn't a rare thing for me to use words to encourage someone.  it isn't a rare thing for me to get giddy, absolutely giddy, about organization and order in our home.  it isn't a rare thing for me to be snapping pix.  it is a rare thing for me to accomplish something i've set out to do.  today, i did just that.  i have opened an etsy shop.  my motivation isn't profit, but rather it was to finish something i said i wanted to do...to offer the things that bring joy to the routine tasks of my ordinary days, to others. 

stop by and tell me what you think:  pixbyemily etsy shop

the products...

recipe binders these make me giddy! something i stumbled upon and in doing so discovered that the challenge of cooking and meal planning isn't so much of a chore when you have such a pretty and organized tool to help you.  it looks great on the kitchen counter too!

ps. i love you frames  another accidental find.  if you  know me,  you know i have a love for words and encouragment and well these simple adorned frames encourage peeps to encourage their own peeps, over and over and over again.

prints & notecards  i have always loved photography and design and recently i've been playing around with the two of them in a way that others can spread the love too.

i hope to be adding more products & listings as i go.  i have more than a bucket full of ideas in my head.  just need to slow down enough to wrangle them one at a time.

a special thanks to the women who have encouraged me to do this and have led the way into an unknown territory for me.  Bec, Malia, Jessica, Joselyn, Auntie Pat, my FDM, mom & Nicole you have no idea how much your support and input have meant to me.

bliss banners... ... [product]

allow me to introduce a very special friend of mine, nicole.  nicole is the magic behind the madness of Bliss Banners [ go shopping now... http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlissBanners?ref=ss_profile ] hers is a very encouraging and inspiring story of how Bliss Banners came to be.  i was so excited when she asked me to snap a few shots of her super fun product... so we made a morning of it & met for mochas at one of our favorite local hot spots, liberty market. 

 https://www.facebook.com/#!/BlissBanners

you have got to get one or two or three of these.  find a spot in your home, or make room and order something just right.  they make wonderful gifts and party decor too.  nicole's creativity has no limits.

p.s. i love you

thanks to some inspiration from a friend, i stumbled upon this idea.  as soon as i saw it i wanted one...as soon as i made one, i wanted everyone i know to have one.  it is no secret that i am a huge fan, and quite possibly the president and ceo, of encouragement.  and well this little item encourages peeps to encourage their peeps.  a simple picture frame holds a piece of cotton fabric, perfectly wrinkled and stitched to look like a treasured note.  all adorned with fun fabric flowers & buttons.  a blank canvas waiting for you to pick up a dry erase marker and write a love note…and then another…and another…and another.  it is a no brainer that my extended family will be receiving these for Christmas this year. (take that christmas 'to do' list!)  and I could not resist growing my ‘recipe binder family’ with the addition of a grocery list.  the perfect 'pre-meal planning' list for items i run out of during the week.

perfect way to start your spouse's or children's day, when they wake up to a special note from you.

i can't think of a better way to motivate your loved one as they are working.

decorative reminder to always give thanks and lift others in prayer.

not so much of a dreaded chore anymore.

a fun way to send off or welcome home your family.

let your children know why you love them.

note: I’m in the process of opening an etsy store for all of my craft adventures, but until then if you are interested in these little items, please get my attention by sending a message to me at pixbyemily@cox.net 

[ps i love you frames start @ $15]  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pixbyemily

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