Amanda Jane

2012-01-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard about the new Kinfolk Dinner Series, click here to learn more. Tonight is the first dinner in the series which is being held in Portland. Wish I could join in the fun, but I'm excited to hear how it goes!

Next month's dinner will be held in Brooklyn. Cree and I will both be attending and can hardly wait! We'd love to see you there if you're in the area.

It was fun to work on the dinner series logo and design and even more fun because I was able to use Katie Stratton's lovely map! She also is the artist behind the lovely transition pages for Volume 2. She is such a talent...and a real doll.

2012-01-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple shots from Volume 2 of Kinfolk. I've been staring at the files on my computer for months now, but seeing it in person...printed...the smell of the ink, the feel of the paper....it really brings the issue to life. It's almost like taking a deep breath.

If you don't have a copy of your own yet, you can purchase one online here. On February first, you will also be able to purchase them in select stores across the country including West Elm, Anthropologie, Williams-Sonoma, and many others.

P.S. Do you spy our little cameo in the last photo? We were lucky enough to be able to attend the honey harvest shoot with Sarah and David, Nathan, Tiger in a Jar and Leo Patrone. Take a look at the accompanying film here.

2012-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

I'm back from Alt Summit inspired, exhausted, full of new ideas and with stacks of awesome business cards. Nate and I stayed at the Hotel Winward. They were the sweetest, kindest hosts anyone could ask for. Sadly, I didn't take one photo. Not one! That said, I was surrounded by twitterers with iphones, and the Alt Summit photographers, so part of my trip was fortunately documented. Some highlights: Dinner in White, Kinfolk Company Car, breakfast with the Winwards, Building Readership Panel with Jordan, Kinfolk Roundtable, and Blog to Book panel.

In a nutshell, SO glad I was able to go....loved meeting so many lovely people and would totally encourage all who didn't attend to come next year.

It feels good to be home though...with Cree. We're better together.

2012-01-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

This week I was able to create a new printable for Oh Happy Day, and I have to admit, these might be a new favorite. They are so easy to makeand the template works with all sorts of paper. Scraps, old brown paper bags, photos...you name it! Click here for the post.

PS. I'm busy packing for Alt Summit today. Who else is going? Can't wait to meet you there.

2012-01-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Remember my Year in Review Giveaway this past November? Well Abby Sharp was the winner. I so enjoyed getting to know her family through their "stats." I think my favorite is Milo's quote, "Why didn't you name me Antonio?" Adorable. You can get to know Abby and her sweet family from her blog.

The beautiful family photograph was taken by the oh so talented Elise Capener and you can see more of the family photo shoot here.

And of course, the incredible printing was by Colleen of Cleanwash Letterpress. She wrote to me midway through the competition and said she'd throw in a free print job for the winner! Really, it ended up being a win for me as well. She is a fabulous pressman and it was such a gift to have her print this piece. Thank you Colleen!

For my first giveaway, I was pleased with how it went. Hopefully I'll be up for it again next year.

2012-01-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

This year's Christmas card evolved into a Happy New Years Card. Maybe I'll be more organized next year...but I highly doubt it. I wanted to do something similar to last years year in review, but with a little twist. 2011 was such a wonderful year. We made some big life changes, and although some seemed crazy at the time, everything fell into place. I am grateful for this past year and for having Cree to share it with. As we move into the new year, I have been inspired by the words from this creed by President George Albert Smith. I can't wait to see what 2012 holds.

Happy belated New Year!

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

And we're back! Christmas in Kansas City was a dream. I had so much fun and laughed more than I have in a really long time. We all got ukuleles for Christmas, so a majority of our vacation was spent trying to master our new instruments and lounging in our matching red long underwear.

We spent quite a bit of time downtown...we even went ice skating at crown center. I thought I was a quite the ice skater until I saw a couple clips from my dads cam-corder which showed Cree pulling me round and round the rink. So funny. I have a sweet man.

Lots more fun to share...in the meantime, take a look at the most recent post I did for Oh Happy Day! What to wear for the Dinner en Blanc.

PS. I think my brothers are so cute. :)
PPS. Thanks mom for the photos!

2011-12-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

Photo by Leo Patrone for Kinfolk Volume Two. (see more photos in the Kinfolk Gallery)

Oh. My. Goodness. What a busy week. We are getting Kinfolk Volume 3 off the printer and I literally haven't worked on anything else this week. Whew! I just downloaded Volume 2 onto my ipad and it looks great! Can't wait to see it in print. I'm expecting a package in the next day or two.

Becuase of all the above, I'm extremely behind on Christmas...I haven't even had time to start on our Christmas Card. I hope I'm not the only one falling helplessly behind....Thank goodness it's Friday right?

2011-12-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Kinfolk Vol. 2 comes out Monday! It's been a real delight to work on and I can't wait to share it with you.

Here is the promo video made by Andrew + Carissa. They recruited me for the typography and thanks to Mitchell Thorson's genius, it was brought to life.

PS. Cree starts finals this week. Sometimes when he studies he gets so tired that he has to study while standing up. It just about breaks my heart...and then it makes me grateful I'm not in school right now. Send him lots of happy thoughts when you have a moment or two.

PPS. Thanks to Will at Bright Bazaar for the shout out on West Elm's blog Front & Main!

2011-12-05T05:43:00.000-08:00

Cree and I bought our Christmas tree this weekend. We made a date night of it and took stroll through town, hot chocolate in hand. I love Ann Arbor at Christmas time.

Thank you Emma for the lovely lady feature last week! I was tickled pink to be a part of the column. You should check out Emma's lovely blog. It's chalk full of great inspiration.

2011-11-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays! Cree and I arrived home late last night from Kansas City. Our normal 12 hour drive turned into 15, but it was worth it. A wonderful thanksgiving. We have so much to be grateful for.

One thing I love about going home is you're never quite sure what will be on the family agenda. This time, mom surprised us with an evening of shadow puppets. We each took turns making our own shadows. We laughed till our sides hurt. Who knew shadow puppets could be so much fun? and so affordable. We love free fun.

I think we might have to copy and host another shadow party at our house!

PS. We are selling some camera equipment over on ebay. A Nikon D70 with lenses and a Mamiya RB67 with lots of extras (and a lens). They are beautiful cameras and in great condition...just trying to simplify and consolidate.

2011-11-22T08:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner, so it's time to start making advent calendars! I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with Jordan Ferney on two fun and festive holiday advents for this year. One for bags (see below!) and one for boxes (see above!)

Cree and I are off to Kansas City for the holidays! See you next week!

2011-11-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

We like to match. And lately we've been wearing a lot of navy.

PS. Melanie of You Are My Fave asked me to design an invite for her Fall Party Week...it's a free printable! Thanks again for the opportunity Melanie!

2011-11-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

This is a little project I worked on this summer for Kate Headley and Lisa Schulz of The Posh Planner. Lisa needed a brand update, so we decided to go with black and white (and an occasional dash of pink!) for a timeless and sophisticated look. Lisa is a very talented event coordinator in the DC area. You can view her lovely work here.

P.S. Happy Monday!

2011-11-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

Cree and I went apple picking last weekend. We barely fit it in this year, but made it for the last day of the season. The trees were pretty bare...which made finding the apples all the more exciting. It was the perfect fall evening.

2011-11-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! One of my dear friends Alpha had a birthday this past week. It's always tricky to find unique gifts to send to friends on a budget. I found these vintage style chewing gums at a local store in Ann Arbor and thought they were just right. Aren't the colors perfect? I was lucky enough to have a card and envelope to match. The joys of being a stationery hoarder!

Also, it's time to announce the winner of my Year in Review giveaway! Thank you to all who entered and for your kind words. My sweet math major husband created a little formula that picked a winner at random, and the winner is....Abby! Congratulations...I look forward to designing your Year in Review!

Thank you again to Cleanwash Letterpress for offering to letterpress the final design! I can't wait to see the final outcome.

2011-11-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

THIS WEEK, I had the opportunity to be a part of Elise Yetton's Wanted This Week set on her blog Pennyweight. I met Elise while working on Kinfolk Magazine. She is a pure delight and a real talent. I was honored to be a part of her blog this week. Thanks again Elise!

Thank you also to Melanie of You Are My Fave for the Party in a Box shout out as well as Jordan Ferney's post about it on Oh Happy Day.

Last but not least, you can see my newest What to Wear post (Date Night!) for Oh Happy Day right here. And with that, have a lovely weekend! Cree has a ton of homework, but my fingers are crossed that we can sneak in a little bit of fun.

Oh! and I almost forgot. Today is the last day for the Year in Review giveaway. Good luck to all who entered. I'm eager to start designing it. :)

2011-11-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe Cree is 30. I just about fell off my chair when I realized he'll be 40 in ten years. What? Time is flying too fast!

Anyway, he turned 30 and we decided to celebrate a little differently this year.

I've been planning on throwing a big party for him since his last birthday. When we went to make the guest list, we realized all the people we wanted to invite lived too far away to join! So...we decided to send the party to them. Each package contained confetti, party straws, buttons, jelly beans, paper mustaches, a Cree inspired info-graphic and instructions to have a party and send us a photo. It will make us feel like they celebrated with us!

Maybe a bit over the top, but he only turns 30 once right? (If you are rolling your eyes, just wait until we have kids!)

2011-10-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday and Happy Halloween! I have a fun update on the Year in Review Giveaway...Colleen of Cleanwash Letterpress has most graciously offered to letterpress the final design for the lucky winner!! Can you believe it? I'm even thinking of putting myself in the running now...I kid, but only slightly. :)

I met Colleen a couple years ago when we worked together in Philadelphia. She is such a doll and a very talented letterpress designer and operator. You can view more of her work on her lovely website.

Please share the news! Only 5 more days to enter!

2011-10-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Cree is thirty! Yesterday was his birthday, and I went a bit over board. You only turn thirty once right?I'll have to post pictures once we've recovered from the fun. Nothing better than celebrating your favorite person the whole live long day!

PS - Cree joined twitter this week...I was quite surprised.
PPS - Check out my latest Hostess post on Oh Happy Day!

2011-10-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to design some printable envelopes for Jordan at OhHappyDay! Click here to see the whole post and to download your own template...all free!

Also, don't forget to enter the Year in Review Giveaway and to share it with friends!

2011-10-20T05:21:00.000-07:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Well, not really, but it is time to start planning for it!

Since I posted my Year in Review last January, I've had quite a few inquiries from families and couples wanting something similar for this year's holiday greeting. As I've been working on them, it seems I've caught the holiday spirit a little early this year.....and decided to host a giveaway!

HOW TO ENTER (You may enter each way one time.)
1. Leave a comment in the comment section below this post.
2. Post a link on Twitter to this giveaway page and follow me on Twitter.
3. Repost a link to the contest page (link here) on your own blog, then leave the link to your page below.

The give-away begins today, October 20, 2011, and ends Friday, November 4, 2011 at 5 PM EST. I will post the winner the following Monday, November 7, 2011.

FYI In order to get the Year in Review designed and produced in time for the holidays, I will need the winner's information and "stats" by November 14, 2011. The photo, green christmas note, and postage are not included in the giveaway package. The giveaway includes 50 copies of the Year in Review and 50 envelopes. If the winner would like additional copies, they will be responsible for the additional charges.

Good luck!!

UPDATE (10/31/11): Colleen of Cleanwash Letterpress has graciously offered to letterpress the final design for the winner!!!

2011-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend Cree and I went camping at Ludington State Park. I love Michigan!! It was just what we needed. Fresh air, huge waves, light houses, sand dunes, foil dinners, s'mores, and 10 hours of sleep! It's amazing how relaxed we were...being away from our computers was just what the doctor ordered.

And...I think Cree is the cutest and sweetest camping companion a girl could ask for.

PS. I did a post for Kinfolk last week featuring Kjrsten Madsen's British Traditions.

2011-10-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

This week we had the pleasure of hosting Luke Tonge and Jonathan Cherry for the afternoon, all the way from the United Kingdom. I have to admit...we had a ball. They were in town for their next issue of Boat Magazine, centered on Detroit. They were both such talented "chaps" (to use one of their words), you should definitely check out their work.

Thanks for stopping by guys! Here's to hoping we see you in England someday. (fingers crossed!)

PS. Cree and I are off to go camping up north for the weekend. We are in need of some fresh Michigan air. Happy Weekend!

2011-10-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we went to dinner at a friend's home. They recently moved to a farm about 40 minutes out of town. After dinner they took us to their pond to fish. All I caught was a whole lot of weeds, but it was still an excellent way to spend the fall evening.

More photos to come of their beautiful farm. They are buying sheep this week....kind of makes me want to come back for another visit. :)

2011-10-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

We are all about plaid lately. It seems we just trade off from one plaid number to the next. They are just so comfy!

I also post for formfiftyfive.com and ohhappyday.com. My recent posts: Sean Pecknold, Brian Ferry, and What to Wear: Hosting a Jazz Soiree

PS. Our dear friends need our thoughts and prayers this week as they meet with the judge to adopt little Rihah. It is our hope that they can come home together soon.

2011-10-04T05:09:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that I'm now the author of What to Wear, a hostess column for Jordan Ferney over at Oh Happy Day. It is a weekly column highlighting clothing and goods for various parties and get togethers. I've been a follower of her lovely blog for many years now, so I am thrilled to be a part of the Oh Happy Day community. You can check my first two posts here and you can find the links to the above items here.

2011-09-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Goodness gracious, it's been a busy week. That said, I have had time to press some leaves for a fun project. Aren't the colors of fall beautiful?

Cree and I went to the Fleet Foxes concert last night. I think it just might be the second best show I've ever been to. Number one being the first time I saw Fleet Foxes three years ago. :)

PS. I'm in love with this video. Cree and I have watched it over and over.

2011-09-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

I received a surprise package from Suann Song at Fifteen-Eleven last week. I've never owned my own personal stationery, let alone a set as adorable as this! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Apparently they're offering custom letterpress notecards at the new shop. I'd order a set if I were you. They are even cuter in person. Isn't their personalized ribbon perfect?!

2011-09-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

Had some honey from David + Sarah with my herbal tea this morning. It was just what I needed to combat the chilly morning.

(Carissa made the lovely linen napkin.)

2011-09-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Is it probably a faux pas to match your lipstick with your blouse, but I don't care.

PS. Cree and I bought tickets to the Fleet Foxes concert on Sept. 29th. I can hardly wait!!!!!

PPS. Did my first contributor post for FormFiftyFive today on the lovely Erin Jang. I'm a little bit obsessed with her work.

2011-09-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

More from our family vacation...an evening spent roasting hotdogs and marshmallows on the shore of Lake Michigan singing campfire songs and squinting through the campfire smoke.

I love making memories with family.

PS. Thank you Carissa for the opportunity to look back on our summer!

2011-09-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

After a whole month off, Cree went back to school (a mountain of books in hand) and I'm back to work. He is taking a full class load filled with finance regulation, the 14th Amendment and law/economics research. I'm still busy working freelance. I have some new work to post once I get settled in.

On a side note, I was asked to be a contributor to FormFiftyFive, a truly fantastic design blog started by Glenn Garriock. I'm thrilled and honored with the opportunity. A big thanks to Luke Tonge for the recommendation.

2011-09-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

On the way home from Idaho, Cree and I were able to stop through SLC and attend a Kinfolk photo shoot with Nate + Katie, Sarah + David, Julie + Matt, as well as Leo Patrone. Needless to say, it was a joy in every way. It made me all the more excited for Volume Two.

You can see little snippets of the shoot via Kinfolk's twitter photos here and here. Bee's were involved, so we had to cover up. I wonder what the neighbor's thought.

On another Kinfolk note...exciting news! The reprint of Volume One is now available for pre-order (due to ship October 15th). Yay!

2011-08-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

And we're back. Whew. Traveling is wonderful, but it sure feels good to be home and settled.
I have so many photos to post from our travels. It will be hard to pick and choose. These are from the Cassia County Fair. A storm was creeping in, making the clouds just as pretty as ever.

2011-08-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

Back from vacation and on to Idaho for another reunion with Cree's side of the family.
This week has been full of nature. I breathing in all that fresh air.

PS. Thanks Melanie for the opportunity to do a guest post! I'm quite the fan of her blog.

2011-08-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

We made it safely home from DC this past weekend, but then packed up the car again to meet my family for a week in Sleeping Bear Dunes. This is one of my favorite places on earth, so it's especially wonderful to be here with some of our favorite people.

Photograph by My Mama

2011-08-05T05:02:00.000-07:00

Goodbye's are never easy. We said goodbye to Andrew + Carissa last night. Cree and I will be forever grateful we became friends.
Can't wait for October you two!

2011-08-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it looks like all we ever do it eat...and it's kind of true. Naomi suggested we try 2AMYS...she said it was the best pizza in the city. We were glad we went...the atmosphere was delightful and it's nestled in a very quaint part of town.
Oh how I love to explore.

2011-08-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day at Simplesong. As you can guess, I'm pretty bummed about it. I've loved getting to work so closely with Suann and Lauren this summer. Christine started this week, and I'm glad our paths were able to cross at least a couple days. It's been an absolute delight. I'm a pretty lucky gal.

2011-08-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

After last Friday, I've decided we need to play "hooky" more often. We had way too much fun.
Lunch at Brabo Tasting Room, ice cream and then coffee house jazz with friends.

It's our last week in DC. Needless to say, we're both pretty melancholy about it.

2011-07-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the tag sale at The Hive, and I must say it was quite a success. Suann and Kate decided it was time to sell all their old paper goods. As a letterpress lover and paper collector, it was a tiny piece of heaven. Needless to say, I left with a small army of paper goods in tow.

PS. Lauren O'Neill is pictured above and she has begun blogging over at Noted. It's a lovely little space and I highly recommend taking a look.

PPS. The husband is taking a half day off today. We have a meeting in Old Town, but I'm pretending we're playing hooky.

2011-07-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

More from New York. Went with A + C + N to Diner in Brooklyn as our celebratory Kinfolk launch dinner. Beautiful atmosphere...delicious food...great company...it was the perfect pick.

2011-07-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

We had an extremely hot weekend here in DC.
We spent our time staying hydrated, swimming at the pool, checking weather.com for rain and sitting in the dark. I think having the lights off makes everything feel cooler.
PS. I'm on twitter now. Figured it was about time.

2011-07-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

Our NYC trip was my first experience with airbnb (thanks again Carissa!), and it was so much fun. We stayed in a beautiful loft apartment in Williamsburg. We had just as much fun exploring the apartment as we did roaming the city.
PS. Saw Harry Potter last night. Can't believe it's all over.

2011-07-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, new york subway. There's nothing quite like you.
As for that iphone, I've never wanted one until this weekend.
See another stop on our trip by Carissa here.

2011-07-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

After a long hot day in the city, there's nothing standing over the water and feeling the sea breeze on your face. Wind is so rejuvenating.

You can see more photos from the trip over on Carissa's blog. I also did a guest post on Simplesong. Click here to see my summer favorites.

2011-07-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

We're back from NYC, and oh the fun we had. We shared a Williamsburg loft with Andrew + Carissa ...who can I just say are two of the best travel companions you could ask for. Then we spent the rest of the weekend exploring and celebrating with Nate. Many more stories and photos to follow...but in the meantime, aren't these a hoot? We took them in the the Ace Hotel...the squishy group shots make me laugh every time I see em'.

2011-07-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

The day has come! Kinfok Magazine is live. It has been such an honor to be a part of this project and be able to collaborate with such wonderful and talented people. Projects like this make me love being a designer even more.

We're off with Andrew + Carissa to New York this evening to meet up with Nate to celebrate and start planning Volume Two of Kinfolk. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy reading Kinfolk!

2011-07-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

I received a lovely surprise in the mail yesterday. My first printed copy of Kinfolk Magazine which launches online this coming Friday. I designed the stamp (made locally at Mcgee's) & Nate + Katie assembled the packages. I love how they folded the tissue paper...I'm a sucker for details. You can pre-order your own printed copy here.

Get excited for Friday!

We're heading up to New York for the weekend. We'd love any and all recommendations. It's been so long since I lived there, I'm afraid I'm behind the times.

2011-07-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Cree and I switched things up this weekend and went out for brunch at Founding Farmers as Suann suggested. It was so, so, so good. Cree ordered the fried chicken and waffles plate and I ordered the blueberry buttermilk pancakes. We've decided that we're definitely brunch people and plan to go again very soon.

2011-07-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need some sprucing up.

I missed my meto, then accidently made a meat dinner for two vegetarians, and my bike tire popped a mile and a half away from my apartment in 95 degree weather. You'd think it was a bad day, but it seemed more like an adventure. It helps when you have a funny man to come home to.

P.S. Thank you Courtney for the post featuring my Year In Review over at design work life.

2011-07-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

We decided to be sporty this 4th of July. I'm not very sporty, so I was dragging my feet all week in anticipation. It ended up being more fun than I though it would be. It also helped that there's a Shake Shack in the stadium and that we went with fun people....Hannah + Rob and Mark + Julie and the Homer Family.

2011-07-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a happy fourth of July! It was our first in DC and we loved every minute of it. We spent Sunday evening at Josh and Naomi's for a red, white, and blue party. It was the perfect way to start off the holiday. Hunter and Lisa brought some sparklers, so we decided to take some fun photographs. My camera sadly died, so Naomi sent us these photos yesterday...I couldn't help but put up the practice shots....we're all concentrating so hard, it makes me laugh.

Photos by Josh + Naomi Davis

2011-07-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Kinfolk from VsTheBrain on Vimeo.

Yay! It's finally live! A big thank you to Andrew and Carissa and their crew for this beautiful video. They are such a talented pair and so humble...it was an honor to work so closely with them these past couple weeks. You can view more of their work here and here. Carissa took these beautiful photos and I adore them...especially the one of Cree and I holding hands.

Also, thank you to Nate for all his direction and support. I think he's come up with something pretty wonderful.

Have a happy 4th of July!!!

Photos by Carissa Gallo

2011-06-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

Went for a walk along the Potomac with friends. I love sunsets by the water. At the end of our stroll, I reached over to grab Cree's hand and quickly realized it wasn't my husband after all! I haven't blushed that badly in a long while. It gave everyone a good laugh.

PS. Suann is offering summer letterpress classes. Sign up while there's still spaces left!

2011-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were able to accompany Andrew + Carissa and a gang of their lovely friends on the Kinfolk promo film shoot. It was a magical evening....every time I think about it, I get a big smile on my face.

The days prior to the shoot were full of paint, ball jars, wire and tea lights. It was amazing to see it all come together on Saturday. Without giving too much away, I wanted to post a couple "behind the scenes" shots I took in between the hustle and bustle.

The promo video is planned to come out later this week on kinfolkmag.com. I'm eager to see the finished product, and even more eager to share it with you!

2011-06-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Such a fun evening with Andrew and Carissa and Jenne. We went to see E.T. in the park and had a grand ol' time. Carissa took some beautiful photos of the evening and posted them on her blog. Cree and I didn't bring a picnic basket, so we had to be creative.

Also some exciting news...after some long days and nights working on Kinfolk Magazine, it went to press yesterday! Here are some shots Nate took of our edit pages. Yay!

PS. Thank you to Old Brand New for the shout out today. We're a big fan of their work over here.

2011-06-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

Cree found this for me for eighty cents. It was love at first sight. Can you even stand that cute ruler on the back cover? I most certainly will not be turning this book into a journal like my last thrift store purchases.

PS. Thank you for all your lovely comments on my head scarf! I actually learned how to tie from Angela Hardison. You can find her tutorial here. It's been a great style for this hot summer.

2011-06-22T03:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday bike rides through the mall have become our weekend tradition. We have matching helmets and matching backpacks and vintage schwinns. I'm sure people think we're odd, but we think we're cute. I love the second photo. Cree started to laugh when he looked back and saw me wobbling all over the road trying to take a photo of him. I love to make Cree laugh. He opens his mouth wide and leans his head way back and sometimes if I really tickle his funny bone, he falls over. He makes me feel like the funniest girl in the world.

PS. We had a night of dinner and tennis the other evening with Naomi + Josh and Andrew + Carissa. I sure enjoy them. Naomi is quite the hostess.

2011-06-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

We went for a walk and had to stop under this beautiful tree. Ten minutes later, it started to rain. I love the way it smells after a good rain.

2011-06-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

I love my dad. I think the look on my little baby face says it all. My mom sent me these this morning along with some notes I'd written my dad on Father's day years ago. Some were funny, some sweet, but they all ended with "I love you." I feel so blessed to have the father I have.

The second photo makes my heart ache a bit. I think I was in the seventh grade when my dad graduated with his MBA. He'd taken all evening classes because he worked full-time supporting our little family of five. I tell him this story all the time, but I always just thought he was exceptionally smart...he hardly ever studied! I learned years later that he actually studied quite a lot, he just waited until we were asleep. He wanted to make sure we knew we were his number one priority. I am forever grateful.

2011-06-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

NEW DOMAIN NAME! Feel free to update your readers to amandajanejonesblog.com.

Ever since Cree and I have been married, he has made sure there are fresh flowers on our kitchen table. It makes such a difference in our tiny apartment. This was the first time in a while since I've seen a little bunch as cute as this. I've always called it mimosa, but I think I'm incorrect in my assumption. Does anyone know what the name of this little beauty is?

Nature is pretty amazing.

2011-06-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

We've been extra busy over here, but we're certainly making time for fun too. It's so nice to have Cree come home without homework to do. We often fill our evenings with walks around the capital, lots of popsicles and the occasional hulu or two. We also had a lovely evening with our new friends. Lots of smiles and giggles and delightful conversation. I love summer!

PS. Our Save Michigan TShirts came from Ambrose. They are pretty fantastic. I highly recommend ordering one.

2011-06-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to visit the LDS temple in DC, shown in the photographs above. It's so beautiful! On our way back home, we passed the Washington National Cathedral (which we'd never heard of), so we decided to spend the rest of our afternoon exploring it. Cree loves looking at architecture, and I love to photograph him looking at the architecture. He's a good sport. :)

2011-06-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

It's another day at Simple Song today. Can I just say how much I love it? No two days are the same. Last week was starched linen and wooden utensils. I'm excited to see what sort of projects we work on this week.

2011-06-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Bits from home...I took these when we were in Kansas City. I love how my mom styles her home. She loves to keep it simple, but with character. That's something I strive to emulate in each new place I live.

Also, just as a heads up, Nate over at Hearblack announced a project I've had the opportunity to be a part of for a couple months. It's been a joy and an honor. Please take a look!

2011-06-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

It was extra hot today...definitely the right day to wear Heidi braids. Anything to keep my hair out of my face and off my neck! Whew!

PS. I just entered to win Jordan's trip to Paris! You should too. I've never been to Europe and I think Paris would make a wonderful first impression.

2011-06-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Saturday was grand. We woke up early, rode bikes through the mall down to Hains Point for our first swim of the season. We wore spf 50, so our pale skin is still pretty pale. We then went to dinner at Good Stuff Eatery....so yummy and isn't the graphic design fantastic? Funny story though, as we went in for our burgers and fries, we ran into Andrew + Carissa. Small world no? I love coincidences. They kindly invited us to join them and their friends to see The Tree of Life. Beautifully filmed, but I'm still a bit puzzled about the plot. I might have to watch it again. Another delightful evening with new friends. I think it's safe to say we kind of love DC.

2011-06-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

Friday night Cree and I went on a double date with some new friends to Truckeroo. What's not to love about a bean bag toss, fake mustaches, and Indian food? Needless to say it was a splendid evening.

2011-06-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a great week for mail! Cree and I received a lovely package from Nate and Katie complete with a yummy chocolate bar from the Mast Brothers and polaroid note. The package was wrapped so adorably...it completely made our day. They are quite the pair.

I also received a postcard, from Jaime at Send More Mail. Tanya from Snap + Tumble was the printer. Isn't it fantastic? I love the simple lines and the hot pink ink. Love. It.

PS. Thanks to Luke Tonge for the post over on FormFiftyFive! And a thank you to Suann for her lovely post as well!

PPS. Weekend!!!

2011-06-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

More bits from the weekend....we spent Monday morning in the backyard with a breakfast of poached eggs and cantaloupe. My mama is an excellent hostess. Every meal feels like a special occasion. Also, don't you love hammocks? When I was little I loved to go out in the springtime with a big down comforter and curl up with a book. I think Cree and I should invest in one of our own.

2011-06-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we went to the WW1 memorial in downtown Kansas City to take some family portraits. We've changed a lot in the last two years. These are from "behind the scenes." It was so good to have Samuel back from his mission....I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love my family! My heart is full.

2011-05-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

To grandma's house we go... actually I call her Nana. These are from one of our weekend stops...Liberty, Missouri. It's been almost two years since we've been.

Our trip to Kansas City was too short....we felt melancholy leaving so soon. I don't know what I'd do without my sweet family. More photos to follow.

2011-05-31T05:39:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! Cree and I arrived home last night to a wonderful email from Adam at Ambrose....the tees are finished! A couple months ago, he and his wife Jenna asked if I'd be open to letting them use my Save Michigan print on a t-shirt to raise money for their after school arts program. It has been a joy and an honor to be a part of their wonderful program these past few months. Buy a shirt here!

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Ambrose is a collective of artists, designers, thinkers and makers dedicated to using their talent for good. It started in 2008 when husband and wife team Adam & Jenna Weiler, and a group of volunteers started organizing weekly workshops for high school students based on their responses to two questions: “What do you want to learn? and How do you want to learn it?” Since then, they've been printing tees second shift to fund the free workshops on creative problem solving, design and entrepreneurship. They've just launched a new website and a line of tees designed by guest artists and instructors with the profits going to support free after school creative programs.

Support Ambrose by grabbing a tee or joining the Maker's Dozen, a t-shirt a month club where members get a new tee every month designed by a guest artists and hand printed by Ambrose leaders and students.

2011-05-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

Eastern Market is full of fabulous flea marketers on Saturdays and Sundays. Cree and I got lost in the vintage stamp and map section. Swoon...I love it here.

Today we are off to Kansas City for the long weekend. My little brother just returned from his mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I haven't seen him in TWO WHOLE YEARS, so I imagine today will seem extra long in anticipation of seeing him again. We already have a huge Cree and Amanda sandwich hug planned...he won't see it comin!

Happy Memorial Day!!

2011-05-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Date night! Best pizza we've ever had. Hannah suggested we visit Seventh Hill for dinner, and we're so glad we did. I highly recommend a visit.

On a side note, Cree said another intern asked what his hobbies are...Cree responded, "Hanging out with my wife." As you can imagine, that put a big smile on my face. I'm a pretty lucky gal...pizza included.

2011-05-24T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another wonderful day at The Hive...it is such a fun environment. I can already tell that I'm going to love it here, and I anticipate it will be hard to leave come August. Suann is just about everything you'd imagine...a real gem. I love hearing her stories about her cute little boy. Also in the office is Lauren O'Neill. She is Suann's right hand woman and I'm excited we get to work together on Wednesdays...she's a doll. My first day, we wore matching polka dots. Always a good sign! Also at The Hive is Kate Headley. She grew up in Ann Arbor! Small world huh? Her photography is incredible and she's big into 8mm film, which I love. :) Next are the Ritzy Bee ladies. I've only met Kelly, who is as nice as could be, but I'm sure I'll meet Maria soon.

Anyway, Last night, I was telling Cree how much I love going to work here. It's nice to get up and be excited about the work you're going to do for the day and the people you work with. It's fun to also talk letterpress all the live long day...paper, ink, plates...it never gets old for me.

These photos are from King Street, where The Hive is located. (Cute huh?!?) The last two ore of Suann's press and paper. Nothing better than the smell of Crane paper and ink. Smells like home!

2011-05-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Such a good weekend! We explored until we could barely feel our feet. I'm feeling a little more comfortable getting around town. Two people even asked us for directions and we knew the answer! That's always a good sign.

I'm off to Simple Song in Old Town this morning. I was going to drive, but I chickened out about fifteen minutes ago...so it's the metro for me! More photos from the weekend soon, but in the meantime, isn't that door rad? Cree is so sweet to go with my every photo whim.

2011-05-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

1) I am aware that my hands in my pockets make my pants look funny.
2) Took the train to meet Cree for lunch at the treasury. Doesn't he look like a big deal coming down the stairs? He was a tad bit late because he was waiting for updates or something from Obama. I guess I'll let it slide this time...he is the president. :)
3) I decided to go explore after our lunch. I got so lost and walked so far and had new shoes on.
4) Today was my first day at Simple Song. Um....amazing people, amazing space...just an all around amazing first day! Also, Alexandria is a cute little town. I took some photos that I hope to post soon. I'm so happy it's the weekend!

2011-05-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Exploring by myself is fun! I just go wherever I please....I get lost easier, but I'm directionally challenged, so it's only to be expected. Books and a market, fun finds right? I ate lunch with a couple ladies from church yesterday at the Eastern Market. Hannah came again and Naomi came too with her adorable little girl. I still have yet to decided where to explore today.

I'm freelancing from DC which means, I'm working from home except the days I go to Simple Song (starting Friday). I've found that i'm most productive in the mornings, but come 2:00 my brain is fried. If there are any freelancers out there with any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Also, I'd love any DC dinner suggestions. Cree and I are trying to plan our date night for tomorrow....we don't even know where to start!

***I removed the meat photo for Angela--don't want to gross out any vegetarian readers. :)

2011-05-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

After yesterday's post, Hannah sent me a sweet email saying that her husband had to work late too, so she invited me on a walk. We decided to venture to Lincoln Park. I've never seen so many dogs in one place! Little dogs, big dogs, gray dogs, brown dogs...you name it, I probably saw it. It's so nice to move somewhere and already have a friend. This is Hannah in front of her Capitol Hill apartment. Don't you love her cute read door and the fantastic door knocker? I also like how she sorta matches her house. As you know, I'm all about matching. (Speaking of matching, Hannah, I love your skirt...did you make it? I forgot to compliment on it's polka dot pockets.)

Before my walk with Hannah, I took a little stroll to the Eastern Market. Cree and I have plans to have breakfast there on Saturday. It's so cute, I can hardly stand it. Photos to come soon!

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Internship Update: Cree's awesome and came home a whole hour earlier last night! Apparently he's a quick learner, so my pity party was for nothing. Also, I got an email from Suann and I begin my apprenticeship on Friday! I'm excited to begin exploring Old Town.

2011-05-17T05:37:00.000-07:00

I was so worried when we moved that I would hate living in a basement apartment, but Hannah reassured me that "English" basements are much better than regular basements. It isn't massive amounts of natural light, but it's enough to make me feel like I'm not living in a cave. The weather has been pretty rainy, hence the rain splotches on the window, but every once in a while we'll get a little shot of sun. The morning light has been my favorite thus far.

It's always tricky when relocating for the summer to make our new place feel "homish" without our things about us. That said, my mama taught me well. Growing up, even when we'd go on vacation, she'd bring nice table cloths, books, great music and always a bowl for fruit. That way, even though our apartment is a bit sparse, we have hints of our real home that make our new place a bit more comfortable and cozy.

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Treasury Update: Poor Cree didn't get home until almost 8:00 last night. (I certainly never had to put in eleven hours at any of my design internships!) He is the first intern to start, so he has a lot on his shoulders at the moment, but he's a sharp fella so I'm confident he'll get the hang of things soon. I started to have a pity party come 6:00, while I was sitting at home all by myself. I've started today with a new attitude though, and I'm going to have a productive morning and then explore all by my lonesome...something I haven't done in a while, so I'm kind of excited....weather permitting of course. I'm in the market for a new umbrella. Preferably one with a wooden handle.

2011-05-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Cree left this morning for his first day on the job at the treasury. Keep your fingers crossed for him! He'll be working with the Treasury's North Africa/Middle East Office at the Iraq desk. I can't wait to hear how his first day goes. On Saturday we tried walking there...it took us 40 minutes. He took the metro today and I think I might try biking to meet him for lunch. The Treasury is right next to the White House, so I don't anticipate I will mind the occasional lunch at the mall. :)

2011-05-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

We made it! Safe and sound. We packed everything we could fit into our little honda accord and left after our last day of seminary Friday morning. I felt slightly melancholy leaving our cute little house behind, but then forgot all about it when we arrived at our new summer home. Cree and I have walked the block numerous times since our arrival, so now I can officially say that we have the cutest apartment on the block. Robins egg blue?!? Red door?!? Technically, our door is the little red one below, but I couldn't get a proper photo to do it justice.

We are pretty tickled with our new situation. We spent the weekend getting settled, exploring, grocery shopping, going to church and visiting friends. Hannah graduated, so she had a little get together to celebrate. We had a grand ol' time. All in all, a delightful weekend. I'm excited for our summer in capitol hill!

2011-05-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

Cree is done with finals. I'm done with work. We've spent the whole of Saturday in the great outdoors. Biking, strolling, picnicking, gardening, reading...we did it all. Today we are back to work, but we're working from home, side by side. I love it when that happens. Four more days til we move to DC!

2011-05-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

The top two are of my mother and the bottom two are of Cree's mother. We're awful lucky to have such lovely mothers. Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

This morning I got out my vintage ribbon to wrap mothers day gifts. I was in the mood for pink, which is a good thing because I have plenty of it. As mother's day approaches, I'm often at a loss for words to describe the deep gratitude I have for my sweet mama. I am ever grateful for her kindness and love in my life. I hope to post some old photographs soon....

PS. The adorable tags are from Hammerpress. I highly recommend them.

PPS. Cree's last final is today. He's been studying so hard and for so long, I know he's ready to be done. He likes to study with his head in his hands, which creates a lovely little mess of hair that I think is as cute as could be. I'm a tad bit sad to see it go, but my excitement to be done far out weighs my grief. :)

2011-05-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

1) We are busy kids....getting antsy for the lazy hazy days of summer. 2) I found these books on the "free" rack at the library...It was my lucky day. 3) Cree got a new shirt for work. I love the tiny gingham pattern. 4) At dinner, I made Cree laugh so hard he spit his food clear across the table. I gave myself ten awesome points.

2011-04-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

Found these this weekend after a little afternoon stroll. I love the itty bitty one. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Many of you know Cree and I teach early morning seminary. This means we get up at 4:30 each morning to go teach a sleepy group of teenagers. It has been such a wonderful experience...really difficult at times, but more often than not, a blessing. This morning we began teaching about the early pioneers. Whenever I learn of the sacrifices the they made, it makes my heart entirely full of gratitude.

PS. Two weeks from Saturday and we'll be in DC! We're both aching to go.

2011-04-26T04:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all your anniversary well wishes! And yes, my dress was vintage....in fact it was my grandmothers! It was so special (and economical!) to be able to wear her dress. Cree has his first final this morning, so we opted to save our celebrating until tonight. That said, Cree picked me up from work last night with surprise anniversary ranunculus (our wedding flower). He is so thoughtful....I felt badly though, because I was sticking to our plan to save the celebrations until today. I'll have to remember that for next year. ooops.

The blueberry muffins are from Easter....I'm not much of a baker, but this is a favorite family recipe that is pretty fool proof. Tons of sugar and butter. We made them for breakfast and then had a mexican Easter dinner. When we were planning our meals for the week, Mexican sounded delicious. It was so good, that we might just make it a tradition.

PS. The new Fleet Foxes album is up on NPR. True to form, it is amazing.

PPS. Thanks Becca for the heads up about the Creative Inspiration shout out for our christmas card. I have since taken new photographs that look much better. :)

2011-04-25T04:35:00.000-07:00

Today is our anniversary! We've never been happier, and I'm ever grateful we have one another. Last night we did the whole, "Two years ago today....." thing. It's fun to reminisce....as cheesy as it sounds, I think our adoration grows by the minute. :) Can't wait to see what 50 years feels like!

Robb Costello (Cree's long time friend) took these. We adore are treasure them.

2011-04-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

Got a letter from Jaime! Canadian stamps are much classier than American stamps.

My goodness, it has been a busy week. I'm excited for Easter and am looking forward to the little break. Also, I LOVE this. So much.

2011-04-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

Whew, the weekend is a blur. The craft fair was a success. Like usual, I'm always amazed at the talent we've got in our little neck of the woods. These refurbished book journals were a hit at the fair. They were the only new addition to my "shop." I had more available, but these were just some of my favorites. I love hearing who the buyer bought the journals for. The Youth, Love, and Marriage journal was bought for a young gal who is about to get married in Germany. Timothy's People was a gift for a husband named Timothy...imagine that. :) True and Faithful was bought for a father's day gift, and The Challenge was bought for personal use....the title seemed quite appropriate for a journal. I often find keeping a steady journal most challenging. :)

The Michigan print was also another success. I had a couple people approach me to do wholesale. Have any of you crafters out there ever ventured into that realm of business? I certainly have not. Any tips, pros, or cons would be most welcome.

PS. It snowed this morning. Spring seems to be flirting with me. I wish it would just commit already.

PPS. Jaime received my profile card in the mail. Pen pals are so much fun. Also those of you who recognize that profile card? Yes, we did use them as our wedding thank yous and yes, I did print way too many, and yes, I imagine we'll be using them as notecards until we're fifty. Let's hope our profiles stay remotely the same as we age. (If anyone else wants a pen pal, Jaime's your gal!)

2011-04-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in the Ferndale Craft Revival this weekend. I've got a couple new things to add to the shop which I have yet to photograph, but I'll show them soon. :) Prepping for craft fairs is always so stressful and I spend the whole week prior thinking, "Why on earth did I sign up for this?!?" But then I go and meet tons of great people, see inspiring craft, sell lots of stuff and then think..."Oh right, this is why I do it." I tend to forget all the work that goes into them from fair to fair. :) Life is funny like that. Anywho, I'm all ready now, so I'm in the excited phase and if you're in the area, you should stop by!

Also thanks for all your great married matching stories. I'm glad to know we're not alone!

For now, I'll leave you with some fun links from the week. I LOVED Tanya's and Jaime's (my new penpal!) Pop-up shop this week....everything sold so fast, I believe they are contemplating doing another round....but that might just be wishful thinking. I've also loved Angela's new thrifting finds...I also found (via Abbi--thanks again!) a rad Ann Arbor blogger (they are few and far between!) who's blog I love! It's called Hooray and you should check it out.

2011-04-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

The longer Cree and I are married, the more we dress alike. Anyone else? I think we are totally going to be the couple that dresses their whole family in matching clothes.

2011-04-11T04:24:00.000-07:00

Website update! Feel free to check it out.

PS. We saw Jane Eyre on Friday and LOVED it. We haven't seen a movie in theaters since December, so it was a real treat.

PPS. It reached 80 degrees yesterday! Woot!

2011-04-08T04:58:00.000-07:00

This photo has nothing to do with today and is a couple months old, but for some reason, I always feel like I need a photo to accompany a post, so here ya go. My great-grandmother's vintage jewelry. They are so much fun to mix and match.

Much has happened since my last post...my glasses came (yay!), my identity was stolen (lame!) and I discovered the kinkos hydraulic paper cutter (hallelujah!). To give you more detail, I love the glasses...accept for the fact that they made me super sick the first day. I wore them all afternoon and by the time I got home I could hardly walk from nausea. Apparently first time glasses wearers need to ease themselves into glasses....my optometrist forgot to tell me that. That said the moment I put them on, it was like my world suddenly turned HD. Everything is so clear...and I can see so much better. I can see street signs!

Now to my identity. I went to buy a cleaning cloth for my glasses, but my card was declined. I asked the clerk to try again, that it must have been a mistake...it was declined again. Cree and I immediately went to look up our account. Apparently some little fasionista in Los Angeles, California was having the time of her life with our checking account. We're pretty thrifty people, so to see multiple signed purchases for crazy amounts at "fashion usa" was a little frightening. I started to feel sick, thinking it was because all our money was disappearing, but now I know I was sick because of my glasses....well it was probably both. Thankfully, the bank took care of everything and we won't get charged at all. Whew! What a blessing. I don't think I'll use anything but paypal ever again.

As for the hydraulic paper cutter at kinkos? Amazing. Perfect cut for only $1.50 a cut and up to 500 sheets of paper. Where has it been all my life? Sayonara exacto knife!!!

2011-04-06T04:58:00.000-07:00

This is another project I recently designed at work. The exhibit was for David Chung's, Pyongyang. He is a local artist that was born in North Korea, hence the exhibit title. The exhibit itself is to be a sort of surreal, juxtaposition of "symbols and impressions" of Chung's experience in Pyongyang. Funny story though....when I began creating the piece, I was really drawn to a photograph provided to me of "the great leader." To emit the feeling of juxtaposition, I cropped the photo and rotated it on it's side (just like the other images in the piece shown above.) When David saw the piece for the first time, he was a bit shocked. Apparently you are punished in North Korea for using an image of Kim II Sung in any cropped position of any sort. Whoops! He took a couple days to think about it and then felt much better when I sent a new draft with the Korean Worker Statue substituted in its place. So now the piece is printed and no one is being punished, which is always a sign of a job well done in my book!

This experience also made me so grateful to live in America. Living in a democratic country is something I most definitely take for granted...

2011-04-05T04:47:00.000-07:00

I took some time this weekend to photograph some new projects I designed at work. I've already posted about the cookbook, but I thought I'd share some interior shots as well.

PS. One of my old roommates Brittany sent me this link. I've been using it for a few month's now and adore it. Free music downloads every day! Woot!