Moving Day....

WOW!

It's been a l-o-n-g (!!) time.

Life has been bittersweet for me the past few, but I am ready for more sweet, less bitter. 

With that, guess what? 

Sunshine and Ravioli's blog has a new home (and a great new website!)

Still at the "baby-steps" stage, but I plan to post regularly again...

Won't you come visit? Say "HI" if you feel like it!

Until Next time, 

Apache Blessing

A quick note today...

 Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other
Now there will be no loneliness,
for each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.
May beauty surround you both
in the journey ahead  and through all the years,
May happiness be your companion
and your days together be good and long upon the earth.

~Apache Blessing

Just wanted to share this custom order I will be sending out today. This Apache Blessing is so pretty. For a very small wedding, the guests will sign their names all around the tree and the bride and groom will frame for a keepsake of the day. We used this woodland image on her invitations as well....

One of my favorite projects this month, possibly because it has such a rustic, harvest feel that just embraces the season, and I am so ready to "give thanks" this year...

Pin O' the Day

                                                                       Source: theclothspring.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Have you discovered Pinterest yet?

If not, go check it out and thank me later. So much eye- popping inspiration, so addictive!

The quote from John Lennon above is one of my current favorites (and I found it through my niece- thank you Hannah!). I identify with John's Mother because in all of the mind numbing, overwhelming-ness (I know, not a word, but it conveys exactly how I feel about this, and I'm not even the one doing most of the work)  of the college application process, I remember a moment when I told my daughter this exact thing: find something that make you happy. 

Not rich. Not famous. 

Just happy. 

When you find it, you will know it, and try not to stress about the fact that at age 18, you're not sure what you want to do (I think we put too much pressure on our kids to figure it all out before they even apply to colleges). 

Explore. Learn. And enjoy the process. 
Seriously.

My Kind of Town...

Chicago is on my mind this weekend...
Not because I am trying to get tickets to Oprah. Or because my teenage daughter thinks the University of Chicago is her kind of school (she'll be a high school junior this year-the search for the right college is on). Or because I have ever visited the Windy City (unfortunately, I have not). I haven't developed a sudden obsession with the Cubs...or da Bears...or the Bulls...


It's because I am am working on a couple of very fun projects for two different Chicago brides. First up...escort cards and table markers with an unmistakable Chicago flair (even I can guess that Wrigleyville just might be in Chicago).

I am so loving this project!
Juliette came to me with an idea and a collection of old Chicago post cards. Each of these tags will have a guest's name on the opposite side. Instead of the traditional number system, we are using Chicago neighborhoods to identify each table.

How creative! I am so glad she came to me with this project...


Next up is a re-do of sorts. Round one of Mary's "sweet" favor cones got sucked in to the black hole of the USPS, never to be seen again. I didn't get photos taken the first time around and I was kicking myself for that. So this time around, I wanted to make sure I didn't make the same mistake again.

Chicago -bound with tomorrow's mail and destined to be filled with sweet treats for her guests, fingers crossed that this batch gets to Mary safe and sound....

Here's hoping your weekend has been filled with sweet treats as well!

Until Next Time,

Starting All Over Again...

It's pretty obvious.

I have not been blogging.
Life got in the way...again...
for many reasons, too many to explore, but many of them good.
So that's what I will focus on.

And begin again.

Back track almost a year...


On a whim, after studying the Google Analytics for my Etsy shop, I decided it might be a good idea to shift the emphasis of Sunshine and Ravioli, to explore more bridal and special occasion custom work. I did not realize the wonderful, amazing, exhilarating ocean I was diving into head first (off of a very steep cliff). It has kept me extremely busy and I am so very thankful.


I love the work I am doing now and it feels right. I love working with brides- they are happy and excited and viewing the world with rose colored glasses for the most part and I like that. I know there are Bridezillas out there, but either they become that way much closer to the big day (perhaps my work happens before the real stress sets in) or they don't like my work (and that's OK too)...


I am grateful to have stumbled upon my niche, but that means the focus of this blog will also change slightly. The potential and possibilities of what can be done with a simple, beautiful piece of paper and some vintage inspiration intrigues me and I want to explore that. I hope you will join me...

Until next time,

My Cat's Eyes are Working Overtime...

These Cat's Eyes, that is (my real cat is old and cranky- I don't ask him to work on anything)....I use them on almost every single piece of paper that leaves the studio.

My business basket is full of things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving week.

And THIS is the most exciting (but not the only thing in the basket)...

My salt and pepper shaker gift tags were chosen to be included in the December issue of Country Living Magazine , in an article featuring Christmas ornaments on Etsy (page 61 if you want to flip straight to it). I love all of the ornaments featured, a really nice showcase of Etsy talent....

What a thrill! Seriously...beyond thrilling...beyond any very grateful, thankful happy dance I have ever done for Sunshine and Ravioli...I am as high as a kite and any other happy as a clam cliche you can come up with!

Here's my other thankful for it item this week...

See that yellow star in the bottom row? That's my vintage spoon ornament in the Etsy voter this week!

Here's a closer view...And here's my SOS...

Can you help me? I would LOVE to break the top ten (as of Wednesday morning, I'm at #11). Yes, I'm just thrilled to be included and I don't expect to win, but I would really, really like to finish respectably...

If you can spare a vote, head on over to the Voter and cast your ballots...

THANK YOU!!

And last but not least, a peek at what else has been keeping me busy...custom orders...lots of them!

This is a recent favorite, for a holiday themed baby shower (it's a boy, can you tell?). This is the first shower I have made place markers for and I think they turned out great! I have to thank my creative customer for this one- never would have thought to use these images for baby showers (OK, maybe the deer, but the others....).

Alright, there's a turkey to prep (I'll be using this recipe-the juiciest non fried turkey ever!) and pies to be made...

I hope this Thanksgiving finds you with plenty to be grateful for...

Until next time (I can't get my sig to upload!),

Steph

Apples, Apples, Apples!

I am actually a little late on this (surprise!)...apple season is close to done, I think, but a few weeks back we spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Mexico, NY at a pick-em-yourself apple orchard...

...and since I seem to be a blogging delinquent lately (SOS to all regular bloggers...how do you do it? There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day!)...late is my norm these days anyway, right?

Apples, Apples everywhere....

So many different varieties...


There were families loading up the Radio Flyer with pounds and pounds of apples...we just picked a few...

Even the teenage girl child got in on the action....

BIG Apples....

...and wee little apples (I wouldn't eat this one, but it was cute!)...
a great way to get some crisp fresh air (and CIDER!) on a sunny Upstate Saturday....

And I just could resist this...this is a school in Mexico,NY on our way to the orchard. Doesn't it just scream "Leave it to Beaver", "It's a Wonderful Life" Americana?

I was so smitten that Mr. Sunshine even pulled off the main road so I could get a better picture...of a school! That's true love, I think....

Until Next Time,

Steph