Brand identity and design solutions for creative businesses and passionate entrepreneurs
November! Can you believe it?! This month I decided to include an inspirational quote on the walpaper instead of a calendar. This way, you can use it for longer than one month if you like!
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The Art // I love the colorful marbleized quality of Michael Cina’s work. There’s something soothing, yet energizing about the way the bright colors move into one another.
October was an amazing month! I announced some big news and celebrated three years of this blog! Here is a recap of my favorite posts from October in case you missed anything!
1 Brand Spotlight: Maeven
2 DIY Paint Dipped Pumpkins
3 Adding Apps on Facebook
4 Fall Essentials Roundup
5 Three Year Blogiversary Fun
6 The Font Feast Presents Sweet Pork Tacos
7 What I Wore // New Orleans Fashion Week
8 Abstract Illustrations by jD style
>>> Don’t forget, today is the last day of the HALF OFF SPONSOR SPOT SALE! Purchase advertising spaces HERE and just enter code “3YEARS” for the 50% off discount!
– Ciera Design spotlight over on The Better Blogger Network
– Featured on Real Stories, Real People, Real Inspiration at After Nine To Five
– October’s calendar featured on Half Asleep Studio
– DIY Paint Dipped Pumpkins featured on Stuff Steph Does, Call Me Cal, Studio DIY and 52 Weeks Project
– Fall Essentials Roundup featured on the Lucky Magazine Blog
– Photo DIY Card featured on Pixi Wishes and Forehead Kisses
My social media series continues on the Alt blog:
Growing Your Blog Through Social Media
Growing Your Blog Through Pinterest
Growing Your Blog Through Twitter
Thanks to everyone who shares my content, I really appreciate it!
Thanks to all who entered the 3 Year Blogiversary Giveaway AND THE WINNER IS: Alycia! Congrats, I’ll be emailing you shortly! Winner picked by Random.org through Rafflecopter.
Biannually, NOLA Fashion Council hosts NOLA Fashion Week to provide Southern born or based designers a platform to gain exposure. This year, I attended the kickoff party featuring the very talented designer, Matthew Arthur! My sister and I were two lucky ducks and got a room at the beautiful Hotel Modern to hang out in before the party got started!
Blouse – Loft 3H (purchased at NOLA Fashion Week’s Retail Shopping Day) // Skirt – Urban Outfitters (similar) // Ring c/o Dixi // Bracelets – vintage // Shoes c/o Blowfish // Location c/o The Hotel Modern and NOLAFC. You can see Jasmine’s outfit here!
My blog, Lulu the Baker, is mostly recipes, but I love anything to do with design–especially beautiful fonts! And like all good design, a great font can be a source of inspiration. Sometimes a striking font inspires you to throw a party. Sometimes it inspires you to re-design your brand or update your logo. In my case, a great font inspires me to cook!
I came across the Los Banditos font while designing a flier for my husband’s office. I can’t even remember what the flier was for, but I needed a font that was old-timey and reminiscent of the Wild West. Los Banditos makes me think of the Spanish Missions all along the coast of California, of ivory-handled pistols with red roses sticking out the barrels and black mariachi suits covered in intricate embroidery. Best of all, it makes me think of tacos! Of sweet and tender shredded pork topped with cool, crisp lettuce and salty cheese wrapped in warm corn tortillas!
3+ lbs boneless pork roast
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 10-oz can mild green chile enchilada sauce*
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4-5 good shakes worcestershire sauce
1 lime (optional)
Add all ingredients except 1/2 cup brown sugar and lime to a large crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. 30 minutes before the pork is done, add the reserved 1/2 cup brown sugar and stir. When cooked through, remove meat to a large cutting board and shred using two forks. Place shredded pork in a large bowl or baking dish and spoon over it enough of the cooking liquid to make it moist but not soupy. If desired, squeeze lime juice over the meat and toss. Serve in warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.
*If you have time, you should really make this green enchilada sauce from Our Best Bites. It is amazing! I make a big batch, divide it into 1- or 2-cup servings, and freeze it to use in this recipe, or for enchiladas or smothered burritos.
About the author: Melissa writes about her adventures in food, family, and farming at Lulu the Baker. She develops recipes, cooks, and photographs for The Font Feast column.
My goal for this blog has always been to create an inspiring place for both myself and my readers. Over three years, I have been putting more and more effort and love into this space, as much as I possibly can. But when I get busy with freelance work, it’s hard. I always want to have great content for you guys, so because of this, I have decided to add some regular guest contributors! This blog is my baby so I have carefully chosen contributors that are creative, full of positivity and fresh perspective.
I’m so excited to share with you the new team of creators and new features coming to the blog! These guys will be sharing recipes inspired by fonts, carefully created round-ups and advice on blogging, freelance and photography! This means, that in addition to my regular posts, you will get ever more content starting this week! Head over to the Blog Contributors section to read more about them and their new columns! As I add more contributors and/or columns that page will be updated.
DON’T FORGET:
>> I’m still offering HALF OFF of ALL sponsor spots
>> You can still enter the huge 3 year blogiversary giveaway
>> AND the Meet & Greet is still going strong – so go chime in
I think I’m over the whole pumpkin carving thing. It’s always harder than I remember and I end up getting frustrated that I can’t get it perfect. So this year, I decided to paint some simple color blocked pumpkins! Although I am calling them paint dipped pumpkins, they are not actually dipped, they just look like it!
The first thing you need to do is section off your pumpkin with masking tape. You can tape it right down the center if you like, but I decided to tape mine at an angle to make it a little more interesting! Make sure the tape is firmly pressed down, otherwise your paint will run underneath it. Once you get the tape in place, you will want to prime your pumpkin with white acrylic paint. This makes sure that the color you choose is not dulled by the orange of the pumpkin. I applied two coats letting it dry in between.
After the white primer is dry, now comes the fun part! Pick whatever color acrylic paint you like and paint over the same area of the pumpkin that is now white.
I painted one with neon pink and one with black. For the pink, it took three coats to cover fully and the black only took one coat, it just depends on the color and thickness of the paint you are using.
Once you achieve the coverage that you are happy with and your colored paint dries, pull the tape off being very careful not to pull the paint off with it. And there you have it, a beautifully simple dipped pumpkin!
I also decided to glam this Halloween up with a glitter dipped pumpkin. For this one, instead of priming with white, I primed the pumpkin with gold acrylic paint. Once that was dry, I painted the same area with Modge Podge and then sprinkled gold glitter over the glue covered area.
Materials for painted pumpkins: masking tape, white acrylic paint, color acrylic paint, paint brush
Materials for glitter pumpkins: masking tape, gold acrylic paint, Modge Podge, paint brush, gold glitter
Even though Halloween is right around the corner you still have time to brighten up your home with these quick and easy DIY pumpkins!
My sister and I worked on our pumpkins together so you can head over to her blog, Sequin Crush, for even more awesome DIY pumpkins!
Some of my favorite bloggers and shop owners are joining me today to make this 3 Year Blogiversary Party even more special! Today I’m kicking off the biggest giveaway this blog has seen in it’s three years! I can’t thank these lovely ladies enough for making this giveaway super special for you guys! One lucky reader is going to win the entire prize package, valued at over $100. Let’s take a peek at all the goodies being offered:
1 // OH, WHAT LOVE STUDIOS is giving the lucky winner a vintage Kodak Duaflex IV camera with Kodet Lens. This camera was created between 1947 and 1960 and takes 620 roll film. Perfect as a wedding or photography prop, shelf decoration or to add to your camera collection.
2 // DIXI is offering a beautiful Thousand Wishes Necklace. This delicate yet statement wishbone necklace can make all your dreams come true!
3 // CHANTILLY SONGS is is generously offering two of her albums (Up to the Moon EP and Caught Light). Her voice is so beautiful, you should go check her out!
4 // PRETTIFUL DESIGNS is giving away a $15 credit to their shop full of digital scrapbooking paper and clip art.
5 // YELLOW BIRD + YELLOW BEARD is offering an adorable 10ft handmade Fall leaves paper garland! The perfect decoration for this time of year!
6 // And yours truly is giving the lucky winner a medium sponsor spot for November!
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: I’m using Rafflecopter to track entries so you can login below through Facebook OR your email and it will allow you to enter multiple ways! Good luck!! This giveaway is open through October 30. The winner’s name will be chosen randomly and announced soon after. Please note that your entry will be removed if you do not complete it correctly. Must have a USA or Canada shipping address to be eligible for entry.
If you are in a reader click out to access the Rafflecopter entry form.
Don’t forget I’m still offering HALF OFF of ALL sponsor spots! AND the Meet & Greet is still going strong so go chime in!
It is still in the 80’s here in New Orleans, but these are some items that I’m hoping to get to wear sometime soon!
Chambray Top // Patterned Scarf // Structured Purse // Round Sunnies // Collar Necklace // Comfy Cardigan // Bright Pants // Riding Boots // Classic Watch
established 2010
