Simple Pleasures

The end of May is always my favorite time of year. Late spring and summer weddings are in full swing keeping me happy and busy with work. The streets are bustling with laughing kids running off to the nearby park. The house feels fresh and cool at night with all the windows open. And, my favorite flower, the gardenia peony, is in full bloom.

Peonies have such a short season; two or three weeks of their sweet scented loveliness and then they're gone. Keeping me waiting a full year to have the true pleasure of coexisting with them again.

So, as soon as their buds start opening you can always find me eagerly waiting in the wings with a vase and scissors in hand. And, that's just what I did this morning. I decided to take advantage of my favorite flowering plant and today's sunshine and snap some pics of my new line of wedding confetti. It'll be a few days before I edit all the pictures and have the listings set up in the shop, but I thought I'd share a few snapshots of what I did on this very happy morning.

- Kate ♥

About:

Birdcage Cards is a stationery shop full of pretty little paper goodies and, aside from my beautiful family, I always say it is the current love of my life. With a background in Anthropology my deep love of tradition and the art of making have helped to lay the foundation for my craft and, in turn, this little paper goods shop of mine.

Making everything from custom confetti and cake toppers to hand printed social stationery the old fashioned way, by hand with loads of patience and care, is my way of preserving an important way of life - one that is infinitely more personal and meaningful than anything that has been mass produced in a factory. 

One of my simple joys in life is the smell of paper: old, new, printed on, or plain. I can often be spotted slipping into a bookstore just to get a quick whiff of a new book. So, its not much of a stretch that my love of folk art and paper have evolved into a bit of an obsession with me. I love taking a group of materials and transforming them into something else. Scissors, paper, ink, and glue is my kind of chemistry set. And Birdcage Cards is where I get to share all those hand crafted paper concoctions of mine with the world.

Over the years as my craft has grown this little paper shop of mine has evolved into a whole lot more than just hello and I couldn't be happier (and busier) because of it.

Hope to see around the Birdcage Cards' shop and blog again real soon! 

lots of love, 

- Kate ♥

Proper Puppies

It's quite possible that my love of this video has a lot more to do with my childhood memories of the huge family gatherings we had where cousins would pair up and put on their best peanut butter and jelly sandwich making skits in the backyard than my actual love of dogs. But, either way the silly girl in me can't help cracking up at this video.

Hope you have a laugh or two yourself.

 -Kate ♥

Choose How You Live and Love

Mr. Happy Man from Matt Morris Films on Vimeo.

When I found this documentary I couldn't not share it. It's the absolute perfect film to set the mood for a holiday focused on love. Love thy neighbor. Love thyself. Love thy world. Choose to see the positive; to live a life filled with love and kindness. Now that's the kind of Valentine's Day message I can really get behind.

Happy love day all.

till next time,
-Kate ♥

In The Works...

...and on my table. Every time I glance down at the pretty violet colored ink stains on my hands this afternoon I can't help but smile with my whole heart; thinking of how this bright and colorful order of folded lace doily note cards will soon be dry and headed off across the country to serve as favor tags at a loving couple's wedding. It's just such a remarkable thing to be able to create something from nothing. Something that will carry a special role for a truly lovely occasion.

Yeah, I'd say the month of love is off to a great start ♥

So in Love

What is it about women and our adoration for all things miniature? It seems as if any ordinary object can be made absolutely adorable by shrinking it in size. Ever notice when you're in line at the checkout that all those little doo-dads by the register are tiny? Tiny containers of breath mints, tiny notebooks for your key chain, mini erasers shaped like a house. If they were normal size half of us wouldn't even look, but somehow tiny almost always equals cute.

Maybe its a maternal thing. Babies, kids, puppies, kittens - all tiny. All cute. But whatever the reason I honestly don't mind because I'm too busy being smitten with those tiny cute things.

above: Small Scalloped Tags

With Gratitude

I'm feeling the Etsy love right about now. Especially since my Woodland Gift Tag Set was featured in yesterday's Etsy Finds email geared towards a DIY Holiday wrapping experience. Which, you all know I love.

Crazily enough though, I almost missed the inclusion all together. I spent the night at my sister's house, which I looove doing. I'm sure for her it gets tiring, but for me I just love waking up to her busy house with kids running about, eating breakfast, and getting ready for school. But, with all that activity I chose to rather quickly scan my morning emails and I almost missed that one of my handmade goodies was featured in the Etsy Finds email. Needless to say its been a very happy day with much to be grateful for. And with tomorrow being our American Thanksgiving gratitude sounds just about right.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love most.

til next time,
-Kate ♥