Tuesday, May 31, 2011

California

Here are some photos from my recent trip to California! We started out touring parts of LA and Hollywood, then wrapped up our trip in San Diego to help with Military Appreciation Night at Chick-fil-A:


From our tour at WB Studios - This alleyway was used in the movie "Annie" & the famous kiss scene from "Spiderman"!
Anyone recognize this house from Gilmore Girls?
Part of the "Pretty Little Liars" Set -- Town Hall & Rosewood HighSchool
Central Perk from the set of "Friends"! -- Me & two of my co-workers
The new Chick-fil-A opening in Hollywood!

I loved visiting California and only wish I would have had enough time to hit up Disneyland! 

Monday, May 30, 2011

Weekly Wrap Up

Hello! I've been in and out A LOT lately. After a week and 1/2 of traveling, Jenny and I have spent the entire weekend working on our display and products for ICEAtlanta. Our display is completely ready and I'm so excited about how it turned out. Can't wait to take pictures at the show and give you a peek! While we're not yet done making all of our pieces, we've made TONS. I'm so, so excited about the new handmades and how everything looks together.

SO...it's been busy around here. Tonight ,I'm resting and tomorrow I'm taking the evening off for a date-day//double date with Jenny and her boyfriend Drew. :)

Jenny & I after we first meet in 2006
Five Favorite Posts This Week:
YouTube Obsession: Lisa Freemont Street by My Girl Thursday
DIY Cutoffs & Lace by Delightful Dozen
Olive! by Oh So Lovely
What I've Been Up To Lately... by The Dainty Squid
MaieDae Graphics: Scuttle by MaieDae

Three Things About Yours Truly:
* I'm left-handed
* I LOVE french fries
* My favorite homemaker task is keeping our finances & organizing nooks & crannies

Saturday, May 28, 2011

52 Weeks Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered into Shaina's giveaway! I had a lot of fun featuring her on my blog and I hope you enjoyed her interview! Shaina offered to give one of my readers a copy of her book, "52 Weeks", and now it's winner time:


Yay Elyce! If you'll email me your shipping information at MaieDae@gmail.com, Shaina will send you a copy of her book. :)

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Friday, May 27, 2011

MaieDae Graphics: Scuttle

A good friend of mine, Holly of Scuttle, asked me to work on re-branding her business. Holly is very adorable and wanted to keep her stationary and journal business cutesy and fun. :) She's also a huge fan of cupcakes!

I first started with designing her new logo, then did a business card design for her so she can pass out these little cuties at her upcoming craft fair. I'll be wrapping up her design package with a new blog look to go with the new branding we've established. Keep an eye out for that, coming soon!

Here are Holly's sweet little logo and business card designs:


Interested in having MaieDae Graphics do design work for your business?? Contact me at MaieDae@gmail.com for more information!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Home Again Jigidy Jig

I'm BACK!! Seriously, these past 7 days have been go-go-go. It started with driving from Atlanta to Destin, FL, for a lovely beach wedding. Then, coming back a day 1/2 later, packing, last-minute goodbye coffee with friends, then I hopped on a plane to California Monday and just landed back home today! I am soo pooped, tired, dazed...all I can think about is a yummy meal and cuddles from my husband. I have lots to share about my trip to California and fun pictures. Keep on the lookout for those soon!

Psst! -- Here's a little hint at what I did. Anyone guess where this is from?
Even though I can finally "rest", the busyness starts right back up tomorrow with the next 15 days dedicated to putting together new and exciting handmades for ICE-Atlanta! Don't worry -- if you can't make it out, I'll be re-opening my shop near the end of June with new goodies galore!

Ok -- lots of fun posts and catch-up coming soon!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Inspiration for Your Nest: Simple & Beautiful

Love this beautiful home, featured on Design*Sponge. -- I'm especially eying the dining room and the birch tree wall paper. Ummm...and how about the kid's room wall paper?! 







Happy Nesting!


Monday, May 23, 2011

Sponsor Spot Giveaway Winners!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who entered the June Sponsor Spot Giveaway! It was a great turn out and I'm super excited to announce the winners of next month's medium sponsor spots!



Congratulations Rebecca & Jo!! -- I can't wait to have the you two be part of MaieDae in June! Please email me your 160x100 sized button as well as a link to where you want your button directed!

Didn't win this month? There are still some more spots open for June! Feel free to contact me via email at MaieDae@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Information, pricing, and stats can be found here! :)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Weekly Wrap Up

So, I mentioned here that I was traveling up a storm this week. Jon and I just got back into town from a beautiful wedding near Destin, FL. It was such a precious wedding, out on the beach, a small crowd...during the sunset. Just what you might imagine. :) I wanted to share a little snapshot I got with my phone while they were off taking some pictures with the wedding photographer:


Five Favorite Posts this Week:
* Craft Show: Unique LA by Oh, Hello Friend
* Craft Show: My Favorites by Oh, Hello Friend

Three Things About Yours Truly:
* Last week I had two zombie dreams, both of which I was totally BA in. 
* I don't like the feeling of towels or paper towels...gah.
* The cold side of the pillow is the best side of the pillow. 






PS -- Have you entered the Sponsor Spot giveaway yet?? I'm picking//announcing two winners tomorrow! 

Friday, May 20, 2011

Solo Feature & Giveaway

This month, I got to interview Shaina as my solo feature and I'm super excited to have her share with you her journey through her project "52 Weeks"-- a book she put together of self-portraiture and poetry. You'll have a chance to win a copy of her book below! 
And now I'd like to introduce Shaina:


In 2010 I decided to document my entire year through poetry and self-portraiture.  My initial intention was to learn more about my camera shooting a subject that was readily available (myself!) and to embrace my poet soul that had been pushed a bit into the background in the years since my marriage in 2007.  So, the project's concept was to take a self-portrait and write an accompanying poem for every week of the year 2010.  Once the year was complete, I just knew I had to share it...so that's why I have self-published the complete project in a book.
The greatest gift this project gave me was myself.  I wrote a bit about this in the first page of my book.  I'd love to share an excerpt:  "We must create what we most need to find." Sabrina Ward Harrison. What I most needed to find this year was me.  And that is what prompted this journey of self-discovery through poetry and portraiture. I turned the camera on myself in hopes of discovering my true nature, the things that made my heart sing, and how I coped with what life threw my way. In between all those things, I found beauty, honesty, and truth. I found my voice.

Probably week26 and it's not just the picture that I love...it's the poem too. It's the combination of them both together and how I can feel again what that moment truly was.  


Right now, I am loving being able to share the process of finding a new house, buying it, and making it our home.  I've got a series called "In Search of a Home" and it's my favorite right now. I also do a series called {things i love} thursday, which is full of links I've found online and pictures I want to share. I am currently building my photography portfolio, so I post a lot of pictures from my shoots, too.  SHADYlane Photography...


...and I'm a scrapbooker, so I post my pages along with the journaling and maybe a technique I tried for the first time, or where I got my inspiration for that page from. My blog is a little bit of this, and a little bit of that.  The concept of serendipity is "fortunate accidental discoveries is life and art."  That's what my life is full of and that's what I share on my blog. 

Most of my wish-list currently consists of house decorating things and ideas. I've got a pintrest board going just for it. I'm working on my office right now and having so much fun!!  

See My Home Pinterest Board Here!
Im also dreaming of a new camera body. My wish list camera would probably be the Cannon 5d MarkII but I'll probably get a Canon 7d. 

I follow 140 blogs through google reader. I love blogs by creative women, photography blogs, scrapbooking blogs, and recently, hair design blogs.  My favorite in each category (currently! ;) ) : 
creative women: elise blaha her blog always has fresh, real ideas for crafty things, home design, and just real life. I love her style of living and how she shares it on her blog. Photography blog: bobbi&mike. They are a husband and wife photography team who take incredible pictures of people in love. You just can't help but smile when you see their pictures and they take shots of each other "in action" and share those too. Helpful and cute! Scrapbooking blog: Michelle of Scissor Quirk each one of her scrapbook pages are a work of art. I love her voice on her blog, she feels like a real person, and I love it when that comes through on a blog. Hair design blog: Hair Romance, she's been doing 30 days of "twist and pin" hairstyles for this month, and they are such cute and unique ideas.  I love having a place to go each morning for a new idea to try with my hair. 



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Shaina is offering one lucky winner a copy of her self-published book: 52 Weeks. Here's how to enter:

Main Entry:
1. Leave a comment on this post sharing a project you recently completed/want to take on.

Bonus Entries (please leave one comment per entry):
1. Become a follower of MaieDae via GFC (on the right) or Bloglovin 
2. Become a follower of Serendipity via GFC

One winner will be selected at random and announced next week!! Thank you Shaina for a wonderful interview!



Thursday, May 19, 2011

From the East Coast to the West Coast

Via here & here
Jon and I are about to leave from Atlanta and head out early in the morning to the coast of Florida for a wedding we are both in. We have about a six hour drive and lots of excitement and busyness ahead of us! -- Speaking of excitement, my poor husband fractured his foot Tuesday evening...so now he's practicing how he's going to hobble down the aisle in a large boot...what a sport!

We come back to Atlanta Sunday afternoon and I'll be in with just enough time to do a quick load of laundry, pack, and take a flight the next day to California! I'm going with the Media Production Team from Chick-fil-A Corp. where I work as a graphic designer. We are planning to tour the Warner Bros. studio, take a peek at the new Restaurant opening near the Kodak Theatre, then help with food distribution during military night that CFA is hosting. 

Once I get back, Jenny and I will be crackin' down and crankin' out new handmades for ICE-Atlanta at the beginning of June!....Busy bee!

I have some blog posts scheduled while I'm gone --- so I won't be completely MIA. :) I wish you all a wonderful weekend.

PS -- Want to win a free medium ad spot for the month of June?? Enter here

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Sponsor in June + Sponsor Spot Giveaway!


Looking for a place to call home in June? -- I currently have plenty of small and medium spaces available, as well as my large solo spot open for the month of June!

Interested? Click here for all of the info on sizing, pricing, and stats! I would love, love to have you. :) If you're interested in reserving an ad space, need help with ad design, or have any questions, please email me at MaieDae@gmail.com

Giveaway Time!!
Win a free medium sponsor spot for the month of June! -- Don't worry, if you reserve a spot now and find out you win later, I will send you a refund and (if needed) upgrade you from a small to a medium spot. On Monday, May 23rd I will select TWO winners! 

Here's all you have to do:
Main Entry: Leave your name and a link to your blog//shop that you would like to advertise!

Bonus Entries (please leave one comment per entry) :
1. Be a follower of MaieDae via GFC on the left
2. Like MaieDae on Facebook!
3. Tweet about it! Just copy and paste this if you'd like: Win a free sponsor spot on @MaieDae for the month of June! http://tinyurl.com/3mm2n6o  

That's all! Four ways to enter and TWO winners. :) 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Our New Tradition: Year One

For our anniversary, Jonathon and I wanted to start a tradition. We didn't really want to focus on gift-giving during our anniversary and just keep that for birthdays, Christmas, and special surprises. So, we decided to record each year of our marriage with photos. This year, our theme was picnic, and each following year, we'll pick a new theme//scene to represent us. My hope is to one day have a huge wall filled top to bottom with photos of us as we grow old together. Sentimental much? :)
















I'm sooo happy with how these photos turned out! It took me awhile to find the perfect quilt and picnic basket to complete our little set-up. My talented, amazing little sister took the photographs for us and I edited them using Photoshop. We also used up a roll of film from my fisheye camera, so I'll post those once I get them developed. :)