new year's eve.

one of my best friends and i decided to through together and impromptu new year's eve party. we had no fancy decorations, no creative details, but we had such a wonderful time.

work has been incredibly busy for both of us, so we had little time to really plan a completely coordinated sha-bang. we enjoyed excellent food and wonderful friendship, though, and i'm so glad travis and i were able to ring in the year with two of our closest friends.

i hope you rang in the new year in your own special ways and celebrated with those you love!

we wish you a merry christmas.

we wish you a merry christmas!

happy christmas!

{i found this picture at adorned adobe, but i am not sure who the original owner is.}

a very happy christmas to you! we will be taking the next few weeks off to spend time with friends and family who are in the area. we may check in from time to time over the holiday, but want to use this time as a vacation to visit with those dear to us. happy, happy holidays!

cheers! xoxo!

r h i a n n o n

let the countdown begin!

there are only two more weekends left before christmas. have you made your lists and checked them twice?

if you're like me, you still need stockings to hang by the chimney with care. up for a fun project this weekend? try making these fun stockings:

{image courtesy of www.marthastewart.com}

aren't they precious? you can learn how to make your own by using martha stewart's template and tutorial. i would love to hear how they turn out.

happy creating!

free printable: christmas recipe card.

several of you really enjoyed the recipe card i posted earlier in the week, so i thought i would gift you with an early holiday present. you're going to need recipe cards for all the holiday goodies i know you're whipping up in your kitchens. =) why not download these and use them to share your delicious recipes. you'll look just like one of santa's lil elves.

m e r r y c h r i s t m a s ! !

copyright notably noted 2010. this free printable is intended for personal, non-commercial use only. please do not sell or distribute this design for commercial purposes. thank you for your cooperation!

anthropologie holiday windows.

i love ANTHROPOLOGIE's holiday windows. there is something so sweet about this simplistic window scene. snuggle up with a cup of warm cocoa and enjoy the rest of this beautiful afternoon!

from the kitchen of ...

looking for last minute christmas ideas? a set of recipe cards wrapped up in a gift basket for the kitchen is always a fun idea {and easy, too}! i think this year recipe cards have become one of my favorite things to design as i am slowly uncovering a desire to whip up new recipes in my own kitchen.

j&j field services.

i was recently able to step outside of my normal "paper" box and design something a little different -- a company logo. i've done so before, but usually for people i know, our family businesses, etc. i was honored to have another company in the community approach me to design their logo.

beautiful family.

this is one of my favorite christmas cards from last year. i love that it makes such a statement, yet there is very little to it. and of course it melts my heart when the family includes their pup.

trial and error.

remember the save the dates i posted yesterday? i thought i would share a few of the other designs we came up with to present to the client before they made their final selection. i love the one they ended up choosing, but i really enjoy the second postcard below, too.

save the date.

this save the date was created for a spring wedding earlier this year, but i think this cool blue color would be perfect for a winter wedding as well. these turned out so pretty on a creamy ivory paper.

wedding planning is a little slow this time of year and i just needed a little fix. =)

happy thanksgiving!

i hope you and your families & friends had a wonderful thanksgiving celebration. i know that i have so very much for which to be thankful.



i'm still getting back in the swing of things after a week away, so i don't feel i have much i can offer today. i would like to list a few of the things for which i am thankful as a reminder in years to come and to make a concentrated effort to remember these things throughout the year and not just at the holidays.

01. a family that is healthy
02. a core family unit that includes my boys, travis and conor
03. the ability to do something i love on a daily basis
04. the clients, friends, and family who make what i do {and love to do} possible
05. the chance to travel to several new places this year and re-visit others places that will forever remain near-and-dear to my heart.
06. family who was willing to take me in this year ... and also a new place to call my own now
07. the love of a Father who loves me and welcomes me in, even when i'm not perfect
08. a healthy puppy and a new appreciation for organizations who look after others not as fortunate as him
09. kindred spirits in my close friends
10. access to music that touches my heart on a daily basis

pumpkin cupcakes.

last week i picked up a pumpkin cupcake at a local bakery. i posted about its deliciousness on facebook, and travis commented wondering where his pumpkin cupcake was. i decided i would make some for us at the house and called my mom on the way home from work. my mom has the best recipes, and i just knew she would have something in her arsenal. alas, she didn't have a recipe, so i resorted to the internet. i just couldn't stop thinking about those yummy cupcakes.

i knew martha wouldn't let me down, so i headed to the store armed with her recipe. here's the yummy recipe: {i forgot to take my own picture, so i've borrowed martha's}.



ingredients:

• 2 c all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 c packed light-brown sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar {i used splenda}
• 1 c {2 sticks} unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can {15 ounces} pumpkin puree {not pie filling}

directions:

• preheat oven to 350 degrees. line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside


• in a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and eggs; add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. whisk in pumpkin puree.


• divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. bake until tops spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. transfer to wire rack and let cool completely

this recipe makes 18 cupcakes. i didn't ice them the night i made them. i let them sit and cool for quite some time. travis and i each had one before bed, but neither of us had any icing. they were still really yummy. the next night we both added cream cheese icing to our cupcakes

i hope to make these again and take a picure of the process and the end result.

for now, i will bid you adieu for the week. i wish you and those you love a very happy thanksgiving holiday. i can't wait to hear about your fabulous celebrations. safe travels to you and yours!

xoxo,

r h i a n n o n

a holiday party that gives back.

i've recently developed an incredibly soft spot in my heart for the spca. of course the commercial with sarah mclachlan has always tugged at my heart strings, but since conor came into our lives, i seem so drawn to this organization and realize the special job they are tasked with.

i was thrilled when i got an order for this holiday invitation and saw that the client was requesting donations for the local spca instead of doing some kind of gift exchange.

as far as whimsical christmas invitations go, this is one of my favorites. the fact that it's requesting donations for the spca makes it that much more special to me.

i encourage you to check out the shelter wish list included on the invitation and make a donation to your local spca or other organization dedicated to helping animals who are unable to help themselves.

this image actually started out as an invitation. one of my clients saw the invitation and fell in love with the color palette. she didn't need an invitation and was looking for a christmas gift for her mother who lives overseas. we decided to turn the invitation into a note pad that could be easily shipped with little cost. i love the end result.

it looks like note pads have been the gift of choice the past few weeks as people try to find something special for the important women in their lives.

best seller special.

ladies and gentlemen, i do believe we have a best-seller! i've mentioned before that this design is one of my all-time favorites, and apparently it is yours as well!

to say "thank you" to all of my dear followers, i am offering you these pieces at 10% plus free shipping from now through the weekend. enter code thanks10 at the checkout at notablynoted from now through november 21st.

you have no idea how much i appreciate each and every one of you!

hudson's first birthday.

as i was looking back at the past year and considering the things for which i am so thankful, my friend jen collier came to mind. she is such a talented individual, and she and her family bring so much love and light into my life.

i was thinking how quickly the year has passed and just how soon her son's second birthday will be here. i then realized that i never featured his first birthday party.

as always jen did a bang up job for her little one's special first birthday.

picture above copyright jenny collier photography

this "first birthday" set was purchased on etsy. {i've looked for the shop, but can't find the information. i'll add that information as soon as i confirm}. i don't know about you, but i think they are adorable!

jen made all of the fantastic details for the birthday party including the birthday banner, the pennant, the cupcake toppers, the favor stickers, and all other details seen throughout the event.

{the above five photos: copyright imago vita photography}

jen took a few pictures before the party, but wanted to be able to experience her son's birthday with him, so she hired the very talented shannon of imago vita photography.

{images copyright jenny collier photography}

{images copyright jenny collier photography}

{images copyright jenny collier photography}

{image copyright jenny collier photography}

costume party paper suite.

this is a party i meant to post last month, but kept forgetting. these girls are sisters whose birthdays fall very close together, and right around halloween. their mom decided to make great use of those costumes that take so much time and effort and are {usually} only worn for a matter of hours. she picked this invitation {so cute for a children's party, don't you think?}



in addition to the invitation, we also created personalized note cards for the girls. i think it's important to teach children from an early age the importance of thank you cards. i'm always so excited to come across a mom who feels the same way. both of the girls are pretty young, so we created a fill-in-the-blank card to help them learn the importance, but creating less work for both girls {and mom} as they are still learning to write and spell. i loved how they turned out.

monogram love.

i told you this design was one of my favorites, but this is the first time i've done it with a monogram. swoon.

happy friday to you and those you love. cheers!

oh by golly.

custom photo card design is so much fun when you have such a picture-perfect couple. i loved working on these designs.

enclosure cards & holiday sanity.

christmas enclosure cards are great to have on hand during this time of year. avoid time running back and forth to the store picking up cards for each of our friends.

i like keeping a closet stocked with items-on-hand that can be given as gifts to christmas visitors. i hate being empty handed. a few items i try to always have? a few nice bottles of wine that i can quickly pull out -- i try to have these already wrapped up in a pretty cellophane or wine bag. lotions and specialty soap baskets. a super comfy robe or lush blanket. little silver bracelets. just odds and ends that could quickly be wrapped up and given as a gift of appreciation for friends. when i have enclosure cards on hand as well, it makes the process super easy.

i also recommend keeping a wrapping station stocked and handy during the season. make sure to have several rolls of wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbon, and tissue paper. if you know someone is on their way, you can quickly wrap up a gift without having to rush around the house frantically looking for all the things you need.

home from glamour paws.

i love our smiling pup. he's home from the groomer and smiling, happy as can be. i love it when travis sends me these photos in the middle of the day. it warms my heart.

girls just wanna have fun.

nothing says girly like bold pinks, polka dots, and a few animal prints. these are probably some of my favorite gift ideas. i can think of several girls who would snatch these right up.

what about you? what are some of your favorite prints?

more stocking stuffers.

if you're looking for a gift for the gal who has everthing, a set of matching stationery is ideal. everyone loves their own personalized note pads and notes . this design is one of my absolute favorites. i love that it's classic, clean, and makes a statement.

stocking stuffers.

remember those cute lil dudes from yesterday? well their mom and i have come up with the cutest stocking stuffers for them. these 6x6 note pads are great for small hands. we've done them up with the boys' favorite sports. i love how they turned out.

{just a note: the logo isn't on the front side of the finished product. it simply serves as a watermark for proofing and web publishing}