Merry and Bright...

I've been seeing some really sweet little Christmas "house tours" on the design blogs over the last couple days, and wanted to give one of my own! I am so drawn to really simple decorations....images tacked up on the fridge, natural looking wreaths, things made lovingly by hand. I think everything should be beautiful and simple this time of year, reminding me and my family of the beautifully simple reason for the season. What about you? Feel free to link your own tour to this post....I love peeking in other people's homes. Merry Christmas, everyone!

The Plan

For our Christmas present to each other this year, Nick and I are contemplating taking a trip up Highway 1 to see the Redwoods. Our plan is to not really have a plan, just to stop in whatever city we fancy along the way. I really can't wait. Is anyone else doing any traveling after Christmas?

Mmmm...

Perfect for the day after Thanksgiving.....an english muffin with Trader Joe's cranberry apple butter. So addicting.

Sisters.

This year I am incredibly thankful for my precious sisters, among so many other amazing blessings. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

kettles and slippers....

So shopping for a new tea kettle last week, Nick and I discovered that apparently we are total kettle snobs. Anyway, one long winding drive around town later, we scooped up this lovely Le Creuset and have been drinking tea like crazy, trying to pretend that it is actually below 70 degrees out during the day. (It's sadly not.)
I know it is totally dorky to blog about tea kettles and tea, but while we're on the subject I had to blather on about my favorite tea in the world for just one minute. I first had this tea that summer I spent in Austria, and it is just the best ever. Ever. It was sold at this shop down the street from where I was staying, but happily I discovered that I could buy it online when I got back home! It's the simple pleasures in life that make it sweet, yes?
I've also been wearing these cheery new slippers to try to coax the Tucson weather to turn chilly. No luck yet. Still watering the garden in a tank top. Any other Tucsonans inpatient for cozy weather?!

Holiday goodies

Shanna and I are launching our small holiday collection this morning! Take a peek!

Hello Handmade!

I am thrilled to announce the grand opening of Hello Handmade, the new online shop that I am opening today with the wonderful Shanna Murray. Shanna and I have never met in person, but have become fast friends despite the many miles between us, and I treasure her so much. She is incredibly talented, not to mention the kindest person ever, and we have so many exciting projects swimming around in our heads, that we can't wait to see to completion. We have been lovingly working on these current projects for such a while now, and are excited to finally have them out there for all to see! Feel free to stop by and check it out! Available starting today are a 2009 calendar and a Christmas print, and later in the week some holiday cards and gift tags will be joining the spread. Thanks so much, all!

{Hello Handmade = Betsy Dunlap + Shanna Murray}

UPDATE!
P.s. Check out all these amazing posts about us below- we are so blown away! Thank you so much everyone!
Design Sponge
Frolic
Creature Comforts
Decor 8
Oh Joy!
Poppytalk

The lovely "Tante Lore"

My close friend's grandmother recently passed away, and I wanted to post these photos as a tribute to her; I spent a summer with her in Austria a couple of years ago. It was such a lovely trip, and she was such an amazing lady. We will miss you, Tante Lore! I spent half the time with her in Vienna, and the other half on the farm that my friend's aunt and uncle own, in Rappoltenkirchen- a little village about 30 minutes outside of Vienna.

This is a shot of Tante Lore's house taken from the courtyard below, where I often sat and read and painted.

These were photos taken as I traveled across Austira with my friend's aunt and uncle.

A quiet little spot on the farm, in a corner of the vegetable garden.

A beautiful sky on the last night I was there. (I almost missed my flight home, thinking I had an extra day.....when I discovered I was leaving at 5:00AM the next morning, I ran manically around the farm, taking pictures like a madwoman!)

new use for a paint chip: technicolor love note

Tunes.

We went to an awesome Silver Jews concert a couple weeks ago, and I keep thinking about it. I feel, unexpectedly, like it might be my favorite concert ever. Last weekend when we spent almost all Saturday gardening, we blasted Silver Jews albums on the outside speakers to reminisce.
Some other bands/artists I've been enjoying while I work:
Feist
M. Ward
She and Him
Bonnie Prince Billy
Clem Snide
Jens Lekman
Tom Waits
Mahalia Jackson

Any bands you've been particularly loving lately? Do tell!

Shanna & Betsy Calendar

I am creating a 2009 calendar with my wonderful, lovely, talented friend Shanna Murray, who does beautiful work, such as the piece shown above. I can't wait for it to be done!

Mention in Martha...

I feel so very honored to be included in this little "calligraphy glossary" in the Fall issue of Martha Stewart Weddings! Page 58!

Lovely finds...

Nick and I are members of Friends of the Pima County Public Library, which means that we get into their book sales a day earlier than the public. We have way too many books as it is, (literally hundreds too many) but we can't seem to stay away. I am slowly but surely building up our children's book collection with unique, lovely finds...here are two of today's treasures. The Schultz book is printed on magenta paper, which is of course totally charming.

Gold for Autumn.

Very autumnal-looking gold ink for a job I worked on this week....hopefully the weather around here will catch the drift and start cooling off soon!

CSA crop- week five.

Wedding Suite

Here is just a photo of the entire suite that I did for Matt and Abby.

Clem Snide lyric art.

This is a piece of art I made Nick for his birthday this year....lyrics to a Clem Snide song. I just need to have a new mat cut for it, as the current one is a little too large. I'm toying with the idea of producing some more (different lyrics, though) and selling them in an Etsy shop. We'll see. I really like the idea of incorporating meaningful words into art without the whole thing being too literal.

Sugar cones

I find myself doing some really fascinating projects sometimes- not just your standard envelopes and place cards. I have been working with a great couple for the past couple of months, doing all of their wedding materials. They got married this past weekend on a historic plantation in Virginia. Apparently, a cone of sugar wrapped in paper and sealed with wax is a traditional favor for events held at this plantation, so they had me write all of the guests' names on these lovely, awkward little cones. Hundreds of them. It was definitely the heaviest job I have ever taken to ship....almost broke my back and the bank! But I definitely loved the challenge.

Here is this week's CSA share.

Gathering.

My lettering on the front of a recipe book being sold this fall. Exciting!

Tucson CSA Bounty...Week 2

Not sure how many of you (besides Marianne!) are really that interested in seeing my weekly CSA share, but I sort of just like setting up the vegetable photo shoots. Such accommodating subjects, those peppers!
Now I just need to know what on earth to do with okra.

Vera Wang envelopes...

These are just some shots of some lovely Vera Wang envelopes I sent off today to a bride in Oklahoma. I loved the long, vertical format- so different from what I normally see.