M & Co. Papery

2009-08-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Bob and I went shopping down Del Mar Street today in San Clemente. While there, I always have to visit one of my favorite shops, Erba. You know my obsession with soaps and paper so if you could see this store you would know why I am inexorably drawn to it. Today though, I was on a mission. You see, K, is coming to visit next week and it just so happens that she will be here on her birthday! Well of course we must make sure this will be a grand occasion for her. That being said, I wanted to find the perfect gift (which I did!).

So trying to keep that in mind and think "K" not "me" I began to shop and Lord help me, I almost bought two new absolutely beautiful boxes of stationery! For me! As I was lovingly caressing them, Bob, the ever logical one says, "You're kidding right?".

"What!!?? Honey, look at these! I need them for my birthday thank yous!" I answered. Yes, I did just admit out loud that I have yet to write them. And yes, my birthday WAS in June! Please keep in mind that immediately after my birthday I had a MAJOR life change and July was a very stressful month.

"Do you know how many boxes of stationery we have in our garage??!!!" He implored.

"Uggghhhh..... okay FINE!" I just had to give in. He was right after all! So I begrudgingly put them back and I swear I feel like I left a piece of me behind in that store! A girl can NEVER have too much stationery. You never know what situation might come up that you need the perfect card for! And it had glitter on it too! :( Oh well, my little beauties, I might be back for you someday....

-M.

Photos compliments of someone who DOES have a cord for her camera! I really must rectify this situation.

2009-08-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Oh what the heck. I have been hesitant to post since I don't have a cable to transfer photos from my camera and therefore am at the mercy of the camera on my phone. So I apologize in advance for the quality of the photos I will be posting in the next couple of weeks. Unless by some miracle I find a place around here that has the crazy connector that this camera requires. No simple USB cables for me!

It is now day 3 of my 3 weeks of pure happiness in Dana Point. Truly my sister has made a home here that is serenity embodied! You cannot be in her house and not find peace. You never want to leave!

I have been spending my days cooking and baking. The very things I planned on doing. Monday I endeavoured to make a caramelized leek-and-celery tart. It turned out pretty good if you don't count the fact that I made my own version of the dough recipe since I didn't want to use vegetable shortening and therefore my crust was a little too dry. That and the fact that I forgot to put in an essential spice for flavor! Honestly! My husband just rolled his eyes when I told him. He knows all too well that this is unfortunately something I do on a regular basis. Like the time when I made lemon bars and forgot to add the lemon juice. Or the time I baked banana bread and realized I forgot to add the eggs to the dough 5 minutes after I put it in the oven!

Well every day brings another culinary adventure! Bob says not to give up on the tarts since he knows I love them so much and have had several successes in the past. It's just sort of a large bummer when you spend the entire day making the darn thing and it doesn't turn out exactly as you hoped.

All I can say is wow how my life has changed when the only bummer in my day is how my baking turns out!

-M.

p.s. yah, the beautiful photo above is from tipnut. Not my camera!

2009-08-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm off. To California that is. Remember my grand sister that has a beach house in the Dana Point area? Well she is just so wonderful as to let Bob and I go there whenever we like, so we are leaving tomorrow for 3 weeks! Yes people, 3 weeks! I really don't know what I am going to do with all of this 'downtime' on my hands. But it's a good thing. I planned this as soon as I knew I was going to close M & Co. I knew I would need some time to get my head together.

The only thing I know for sure about my life right now is that I am going to cook and bake like a crazy woman and that I am going to continue the blog. Since I am computer challenged I won't get the new blog up and running until I get home in September. I am hoping to recruit my neighbor Courtney to help me. :) Hi Court! In the meantime, I will be posting from California on the current M & Co. blog.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-M.

Picture from Craig Wolf Photography. His photos are amazing!

Life Post M & Co.

2009-08-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm..... life post M & Co..... MAJOR ADJUSTMENT!!! I would like to say that the last week (my first week of freedom) was filled with bon bons and lunches with friends. The sad truth is that I was so depressed last week I didn't do anything! This is going to take some time to get used to. I mean, M & Co. was my constant companion for 10 years! I don't know what it means to not have to go to work or check in constantly (even while on vacation), or have a solid nights' sleep, and just chill.

But I am working really hard on relaxing! That's my new job right now. Well, that and housework but I'll get to that later. When mid week rolled around and I was starting to feel better mentally, I realized that physically I needed to let go as well. I have carried so much tension in my body all of these years that I literally don't know how to let it go. So, I got a massage last Thursday. The gal tried to beat me into submission and did a pretty good job of softening my muscles, but we both agreed it is going to take several times to get me loosened up. She even told me I had tension in my face! She said maybe from clenching my jaws? Who me, be tense while sleeping? I look back now on the previous massages I've had and remember concentrating so hard on trying to relax and feeling my body rigid even while they were massaging. I couldn't wait to get off the table because an hour of "down time" gave me a lot of time to think of all the things I had to get done at the store. What kind of life is that?! Don't answer that. I already know.

Every day I am feeling better and am trying to figure out some kind of organization for my life.

I can't wait to see what each new day brings!

-M.

So long M & Co. So sad to see you go!

2009-08-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it's officially over. This is what is left of M & Co. Our beautiful cash wrap! (Does anyone want to buy it?) The last few days of the sale were a complete frenzy. Thank you to all of you who came out and helped me unload some inventory.

Since the above picture is so entirely sad, I have decided to add some photos of the store in the Glory days. Boy, did we have fun and have great product to sell! I hope you enjoy these and the memories!

-M.

The final countdown!

2009-07-27T20:49:00.001-07:00

This is the final week of M & Co. Papery and we are CLEARING everything out! The entire store is 60% right now, with some items marked down more than 75% off. Be sure to come in on Thursday and Friday when I will be marking things down to beyond low!

I am so sad to see the end of M & Co. It has been so much fun! And I certainly loved shopping for all of those specialty items. And even though I am looking forward to a lot of time off, this is one of the hardest things I have ever done!

Domestic Bliss and I are having a Final Farewell party for M & Co. this Thursday night at M & Co. from 6 until 10 p.m. I really hope you all can make it. It will be a bittersweet ending to what has been an incredible time in my life!

-M.

(click to enlarge)

P.S. A special thank you to the girls at Zuzu's Petals (the incredible flower shop around the corner from M & Co.). They have been so kind as to send me not one but two of the most beautiful floral arrangements! One for each of the last two weeks. I have tried to photograph them to show you but my pics are not doing them justice. Thank you so much girls! Your flowers give me something to smile about.

Renovations!

2009-07-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

These are just a few pictures of the renovations that were made to the current M & Co. location. As mentioned, this was all done in July with no air conditioning! So thanks again to my family and friends who helped me out with all of the free labor even though it was so terribly hot.

I will never forget borrowing my friend Paul's turbo fan to use while painting the walls only to discover that it was completely pink from over spray when we were done! Or getting decked out with gas masks (OK maybe they were only those flimsy white kind) to spray the moldy wall with bleach! Or the hours upon hours of muscle aching, painstaking, scraping of the front windows with my niece Jessica.

I wouldn't trade these memories for the world! The store was the realization of a dream!

-M.

Two weeks left!

2009-07-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

The sale has been going incredibly well and things are moving fast! Time seems to be moving just as quickly. I can't believe there are only two weeks left for M & Co. Papery. :( Again with the mixed bag of emotions! Thankfully each day has been so busy I haven't had much time to think about it. The other bonus is having Dan and Kristin working the sale with me.

These are some pieces of furniture and fixtures that we have left to sell. Please call me ASAP if you are interested in any of these fabulous pieces. I am not kidding when I say that people have been a little nutso over wanting to get a particular piece of furniture only to find out that it sold just before they let me know.

Also, this week everything in the store is 50% off! There are still incredible invitations, Christmas and Halloween necessities, napkins and plates, aprons, beautiful glass jars and ribbon left to sell.

#1 Our crystal chandelier which is much more glorious in person! $800 O.B.O. #2 Custom built bookcase would be perfect for a large space. Sorry I forgot to get dimensions on all pieces. $2200 O.B.O.

#3 Black and tan coffee table $225 O.B.O. #4 Farmhouse table with four chairs $300 O.B.O.

#5 Large round table $500 O.B.O. #6 Small round table $300 (I adore these tables! They are seriously well built!)

#7 Antique hand carved table with black glass top $2100 O.B.O.

#8 and #9 Buffet tables. Two green (shown back to back) and one tan left to sell. $400 each

Domestic Bliss keeps bringing in great new stuff for their sale. They just re-stocked on Saturday so come in on Monday and get some great deals!

-M.

Memories (part I)

2009-07-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

These photos are of the current M & Co. Papery location. This is what the space looked like before we moved in and renovated! Lots of work to be done!

Don't forget 40% off of our entire store right now!

-M.

(what is this thing? I think it used to be heater! Scary!)

2009-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

Whew! It has been a LONG, LONG week! As you know our sale started last Monday and I cannot believe how much has sold over the last week. The furniture has been selling like hot cakes and I am happy to see how many of you have been stocking up on your stationery and invitation supplies. You never know what you might need!

Over the last week the most frequent question I have been getting is what I am going to do next. The unfortunate thing is that I have no idea. I’ll tell you one thing it’s going to be a whole lot of nothing for a long time! I don’t know what life will bring me next but I am sure looking forward to it.

Our sale continues this Monday with 40% off the entire store! There are still a lot of goodies left so come on in and scoop them up. And Domestic Bliss of course has some incredible sale items they keep bringing in. I already have a stock pile of treats I am buying from them.

I asked my husband the other night if it’s possible to be completely depressed AND completely happy at the SAME TIME! That’s how I am feeling right now so if you come in and I seem a little half-brained it’s because I can’t even keep a straight thought in my head for more than 10 seconds. It’s crazy!

I will be posting pics of M & Co. through the years for you see. I am really bummed that I don’t have any pictures of our original tiny spot that we opened in. These are pictures of our last location. Enjoy the memories!

-M.

2009-06-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I am letting you know that I am closing M & Co. Papery. I am having difficulty even trying to convey what that means to me. I have absolutely LOVED having M & Co. There is not one moment that I regret the hard work and struggles of owning my own business.

It is with great fondness that I look back at all of the memories from the beginning to the end. I have enjoyed getting to know each and everyone of you through the years. I have been so fortunate to follow customers through their weddings invitations, birth announcements, and then birthday parties. Some of the kids are eight years old now!

Stacie, Alex, Lisa, and all of my wonderful employees, thank you for your hard work, loyalty and friendship. God really blessed me with each of you. You guys have taught me so much about myself and life. Mostly patience! Just kidding! I could not have maintained my sanity without having you guys to fall back on.

Kristin, I cannot find the words to thank you for all that you have done for me and M & Co. I remember walking into your just opened store, Domestic Bliss, and thinking how great it would be to realize my childhood dream of having a store of my own. It is through your encouragement that I went out on a limb and opened M & Co. in the back of your shop. Those were the days! We had no idea what we were doing but we sure had fun! Your friendship and support during very hard retail times has been invaluable.

And of course my family and friends who have given me lots of free labor, thank you! Dorie, with her amazing decorating skills who came in countless times to whip the store into shape, Michele, who gave me business advice and made up all of my postcards and advertising for free! Paul and LeAnna who worked so hard with me in July with no air conditioning to get the current space ready to move into. You guys are the greatest!

So, in order to wrap things up at M & Co, we are having a HUGE sale starting Monday, July 6th and continuing throughout the entire month! And, the best part is that Domestic Bliss is going to bring in a ton of their sale stuff to add to the sale frenzy! I am so excited about the sale and even though it is the end of M & Co, I can’t wait to see what life will bring next!

I would love to see all of you and get the chance to say goodbye and thank you so please drop in! We will be open Monday through Saturday and closing for good on Friday, July 31st.

-M.

2009-06-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Just look at this fab new bag we just got in! This Anna Griffin Laptop Office Tote features 100% laminated cotton exterior, adjustable handles, a padded laptop compartment and pockets for a cell phone, PDA and writing instruments. I love the contrasting fabric interior! And, if you're like me and not cool enough to have a Laptop that needs toting, you can use it for your traveling necessities like magazines, books, etc. Of course I'm probably just going to use it as my purse since I just love the orange and red print for summer!

Let me know if you would like to pick up one of these totes at the store or we can order one in for you. There are several patterns to choose from!

-M.

p.s. How is the letter writing coming along? Hopefully you are all getting writer's cramp by now!

2009-06-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

It's Monday again and I have a great goal for the week! How about writing someone you know and love a thank you note or just a thinking of you letter? I think there is no better time than now to brighten some one's day by sending them a note the good old fashioned way... through the mail!

Don't think too hard about it or you will never do it. Just grab whatever stationery you have handy and put some words down on paper. Or stop by the store where we are happy to help you pick out some stationery or order your own personalized!

Make someone happy this week. And who knows, it just may be you receiving a letter in the mail!

-M.

2009-05-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

In celebration of tomatoes, and in anticipation of my own from my garden, I am posting some pictures of recent tomato loving endeavours Bob and I have cooked. My neighbor recently loaned me a stack of books on preserving vegetables. Let me tell you, they are scary! I am a more than a little overwhelmed at the amount of charts and ratios in them. However, our tomatoes continue to grow at an exorbitant rate and I need to be ready to use or store every single one of these beauties!

The top photo is of some bruschetta we made one Friday for Happy Hour. The bottom photo is a pizza we made last Monday when we got home from California. We like to keep pizza dough from Trader Joe's in the freezer. That makes for an easy meal when you can roll it out and top it with anything in the fridge.

Have a great weekend and send me some photos of any yummy tomato creations or recipes you may have!

-M.

High Stylin' Soiree

2009-05-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from Kristin's amazing Bohemian Bliss Soiree. This was such an incredible event. I am really sorry if you missed it. Atleast you can view the photos and make a mental note to definitely attend her next flea market. She had the most amazing vendors. And the best part was how many people dressed up in their vintage best!

(Me and my family going 'green' to the soiree)

(beautiful Kristin)

2009-05-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's hot. Already. However, in case you are staying in town this weekend, I love this idea of having a picnic in your own backyard! Prop up an umbrella, have the kids help make some yummy sandwiches and whip up a batch of refreshing drinks. You might want to make a separate batch for adults only!

It has still been cool at night so you could make it an evening under the stars. My brother loves to put up a tent in the backyard and sleep outside with his kids. What a treat!

I will be heading to California tonight so I wish you all a very safe and fun Memorial Weekend!

-M.

photos from Country Living

2009-05-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures from my garden! The tomatoes we planted just 2 months ago are growing like crazy. We already have little tomatoes growing on all of the plants! I can't wait to eat them. They are one of my absolute favorite vegetables.

Bob and I have learned a lot since planting our garden. We had no idea that the zucchini plant would grow like a crazy monster. We already have several good sized zucchini and lots more just starting!

Our garden also includes green leaf lettuce, arugula, bell peppers, jalapeno, onions, and a full herb garden. We love being able to run outside and get the herbs we need while cooking.

-M.

2009-05-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the William Arthur Wedding promotion ends May 31st. Receive 25 free invitations when you place an order of 75 or more personalized pieces of wedding stationery! I have had customers save around $100 on this special offer. There is still time to take advantage of this promotion so call and book your wedding appointment with us!

-M.

Get inspired!

2009-05-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

I can't help but get inspired when I go to my brother David and his wife Carrie's house. Carrie is unbelievably talented where decorating is concerned. I usually take my camera because I know I will want to take pictures. People like me who do not have the natural decorating talent need ideas and inspiration! I am not kidding when I say that every time I go over there I come home and do something to my house. The last time I was over there I came home and re-did our patio!

This cozy setting is just outside their front door.

My camera couldn't capture the beautiful bench and roses opposite the chairs.

This is the entryway

Beautiful shelving in the Guest House

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
-M.

2009-05-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

Kimberly Jarman, photographer extraordinaire came into the store and took some photos for me. How lucky am I? I have been adoring her work for years now. So even though I hate getting my picture taken I had to have some photos for the website and close ups of product. Thankfully for me, Kim was gracious enough to lug her equipment down to the store and do me the favor of a mini photo session.

Kim has a studio just down the street from M & Co. at 166 West Main Street. Her studio is directly above Domestic Bliss. She specializes in wedding photography. Incredibly talented is an understatement where Kim is concerned! Visit her website to view her amazing work.

Enjoy her pictures, and thanks again Kim, for your time and expertise!

-M.

2009-05-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

M & Co. Papery is pleased to announce that our website is officially up and running! We still have some tweeking to do but I love the way it is turning out.

Check out our website at mcopapery.com. Someday we might make it a full retail site but, for now, I am just happy to have one up and running!

-M.

Bohemian Bliss Soiree

2009-05-07T23:55:00.000-07:00

Kristin, the party guru, over at Domestic Bliss is having another fabulous soiree! In celebration of the completion of their 1920's Bungalow they are hosting a Vintage Artists Market and Open House. For more details click here!

Mark your calendars for the weekend of Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th!

-M.

2009-05-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

When the day is long and life gets hard we all need a little beauty to make us feel better. This is where I find happiness. Paper napkins! Just seeing a beautiful napkin makes me smile. They add such a great splash of color to your dining.

These are a few of the patterns we have at M & Co. currently. I am particularly enamoured with the watermelon print. The back side of the napkin has a beautiful pineapple. I can hardly bring myself to wipe my mouth on these beauties.

Sometimes it's the small pleasures in life that sustain us. Thank you Caspari for printing such dreaminess!

-M.

2009-05-05T22:02:00.001-07:00

Oops, sorry about the 'Have a Good Weekend' comment below! I guess I really had my days messed up when I scheduled this post. Oh well. Did I mention I'm turning 40?!

2009-05-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures from my trip to Kansas. I absolutely loved it! The sky was so blue and lots of green grass everywhere. I kept thinking all of my nightmares were going to come true and a tornado was going to swing through at any moment. Of course that didn't happen. But you can't help but think these thoughts while in the land of Dorothy.

This is downtown Lawrence where I spent most of my time.
Photos taken from somewhere online (I forgot where).

I would have died and gone to Barbie heaven to have these pink beauties when I was little! I am still coveting them.

These photos were taken in the cutest fabric store I have ever been in. Good thing I don't know the first thing about sewing because as it was I had to restrain myself from buying endless supplies of fabric that I would never do anything with!

(love the cat lounging shamelessly)

This picture speaks for itself! Hysterical! (Tip jar in one of the downtown cafes)

This was a delicious French restaurant we dined at in Topeka. (What? A French restaurant in a western saloon styled building?)

I just had to take a picture of possibly the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever tasted!

Bob and I were extremely fortunate to happen across one last great restaurant on the way to the airport. I highly recommend this cafe if you are ever in Kansas City. Missouri that is. Until then check out the menu and get inspired! Kansas City Cafe

There is one more restaurant I feel I must mention just in case any of you get to Topeka. We were given the recommendation to dine at the Rowhouse Restaurant. It didn't disappoint! This wonderful restaurant changes it's menu every week. I was so enamoured with the food that I emailed the chef to request the recipes and believe it or not, he actually sent them to me!

Have a great weekend.

-M.

2009-05-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

Think happy thoughts! It's Monday!

Have a good one -
M.

(photo from LaLa Lovely)

2009-05-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love these new invitations we just got in by Mindy Weiss. And these images aren't doing them justice! I am going to have to take a picture of them and post it because these are all printed on a beautiful, creamy background which makes them look vintage and luscious. And the blue is definitely not aqua! It is a robin's egg blue.

These invitations are the perfect first impression to your fabulous event!

-M.

2009-04-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

We just got a new shipment of Table Topics in the store. These conversation starters have always been a great selling gift for us! The 'Family' version is a great gift idea for Mother's Day. My sister has this one and we love to use it every time my family gets together!

-M.

There's No Place Like Home!

2009-04-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

Home again! Where my pillow is happy to be reunited with my bed. And so am I for that matter!

Have a great weekend.

-M.

2009-04-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is the starter to the dinner Bob and I had last Saturday night. We are trying to take advantage of the weather by eating outside whenever possible. Plus, we just wanted to sit and look at our labors of love in the garden. Bob planted four new rose bushes Saturday (I know it's not the season) and our tomato plants are doing nicely. Did I mention that we really did plant a vegetable garden that weekend? We now have 12 tomato plants, zucchini, bell pepper, jalapeno, green leaf lettuce, arugula, and about 7 different herbs growing! That's why we had to sit outside.

We had watermelon martinis and guacamole to start, and for something easy we grilled one of our favorite pick up dinners. You absolutely must try the Pollo Asado from Sprouts. It doesn't seem to have the traditional marinade but more of a smokey delicious flavor. We make very simple burritos by grilling onions (in cast iron skillet) then cooking chicken in same pan. The only thing we add is whatever guacamole is left and cilantro. I of course don't have pictures of the dinner but I do have them of the onions!

-M.

We cut the onions in 1/2" slices and cook at high temp to get a roasted flavor but still have firmness.

2009-04-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bob and I are off to Kansas for the week. He has to go for business but I'm just tagging along because I've never been there. I wonder what's in store for me in Topeka... and I do mean 'in store'! I plan to do lots of shopping while there. What else can I do? Someone has to stimulate this economy!

I am used to these business trips with Bob and I have figured out that I have to take things from home with me that make me feel cozy and homey while hanging out in the hotel room. These things include (absolutely and most definitely) my pillow, which takes up my entire carry on, cozy slippers, lots of books and my French press coffee maker! I am also bringing my own coffee, sugar and creamer. Oh, and also some biscotti. I know this might seem overboard but I absolutely love a coffee experience!

Of course I am also bringing my camera so I hope I will come home with good pics.

Have a great week!
-M.

2009-04-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

How beautiful is this quote? Have a Happy Weekend!
-M.

2009-04-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

I am turning 40 in June and I can't wait! Yes, I know that seems weird, but I love where I am in my life so what's to be unhappy about? My sisters and my husband are planning my party. When asked what theme I would like, my thoughts went to these dishes that I have been obsessing over. So it's from this lovely dinnerware that the party is being planned from. I just love the colors and of course the birds.

I have been hounding Bob for about 6 months now to let me get these dishes to which of course the answer has always been a very adamant NO! When I pointed out that we have been eating off our other set of everyday dishes for 15 years now, he casually pointed out that I have about 5 other sets of dishes. Darn! But I feel those don't count because I only have 4 place settings in some of the other patterns just because I loved them so much I couldn't live without them. (Have I ever mentioned that if I didn't have a paper store I would have a dishes store? You can never have too many options where dining is concerned! Hello, summer dishes, winter dishes, intimate evening dishes, fiesta, and so on!)

Anywhoo, back to the party. It is going to be so much fun! It is going to be a small affair. Of course I know what the invitations look like since I ordered them, but aside from that, it will be a surprise. If you knew the party gurus that my sisters, and friends are (including K from Domestic Bliss) it will be rockin'! I will definitely be showing pics after the event.

Until then, look at these lovely dishes and get some happiness!

-M.

p.s. On top dishes, I absolutely love dresses and pick them up whenever possible. Upon coming home with yet another dress yesterday Bob gave me the arched eyebrow look that said no more. To which I stated that 'honey, think of it this way... you are actually saving money when I buy a dress since it is a complete outfit. Otherwise I would have to buy pants AND a shirt.' hee hee. Just thought you might want to use that one on your husband!

2009-04-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a happy Easter. I sure did! It was a gorgeous weekend so that in itself is a huge happiness factor. But, I have to say, the greatest part of Easter was the fact that we didn't have to get together with either Bob's or my family! Now that is not saying we don't love our families but it sure was nice being able to relax all day and do whatever we wanted to without having places we needed to be.

We made the most out of our happy day together which meant lots of food! I can't believe it but we actually made it to the 8:15 a.m. church service. (Thanks to Bob making me get out of bed) Then we made a feast of a breakfast just for the two of us. In hind sight I wish we had invited family over to enjoy it with us! We had pancakes, scrambled eggs with shallots, cilantro and cotija cheese, roasted asparagus, and mimosas.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing outside, riding bikes and watching our Betty Crocker neighborhood go to town on Easter egg hunts! For our dinner Bob whipped up a prime rib roast with Madeira sauce and a creamy horseradish sauce, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes! I told you we ate a lot! I don't have pics of the dinner but I attached some of our breakfast.

-M.

Weddings at M & Co. Papery

2009-04-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how gorgeous this wedding ensemble is?! When our customer, Becky Palumbo's, daughter got engaged, Becky came right in and set to work on save the dates, invitations, and programs. I am so happy with the end result. Everything was beautiful! Becky's attention to detail was obvious throughout every step of the wedding which of course went off without a hitch. I love the placecards created with the same paper used on the save the dates.

Thanks, Becky, for letting us post these pictures. I am sure many people will be inspired by them!

-M.

2009-04-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

A new shipment of aprons is here! And just in time for Easter and Mother's Day! These are new designs and we have ordered in the child size on most of these along with the adult size. We have had so many requests for these aprons lately so here they are. All of these aprons are double sided with a pocket on one side. They are absolutely beautiful! Perfect to wear when hosting your Easter Brunch.

Voluspa Madness

2009-03-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Yay! New Voluspa candles are in and I just love their new fragrance, Soleil. A fruity blend of Pineapple and Organic Tangerine with warm Vanilla and Coconut Milk. This fragrance is a limited edition and will be available for Spring/Summer only! We just got this shipment in and have already sold out the diffusers. Don't worry, I have re-ordered. These candles are a must have gift for Mother's Day!

-M.

2009-03-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Coffee made in a French Press and served with pistachio biscotti!! Love it!

PATE MAISON, DUCK, CHICKEN AND BRANDY
Duck Gelee, Sauce Gribiche, And Mustard Rye

FILET MIGNON SLICES ON BAGUETTE - Roasted tomato aoili, tomatos, mushrooms, arugula

Bob had to use a couple of days vacation by the end of this month and since we didn't have anywhere we were dying to go, we decided to stay home. With the exception of yesterday when we decided to drive up to Flagstaff for the night. On our way out we stopped to lunch at one of my favorite french restaurants, Zinc Bistro, in Kierland Commons. It was so dreamy! I just had to share these pictures with you. (Keep in mind that of course I forgot my camera and had to use my phone) The food was delish! (And you know how we're all about food!)

On that note, the sole reason we drove up to Flagstaff was to dine at another of our favorite restaurants, Pasto. They have the most delicious Italian food! I love their bolognese pasta. (Which Bob and I keep trying to recreate) They have a beautiful back patio that you can't see from the front. Keep that in mind if you are ever up there. Of course it was about 2 degrees below zero last night up in Flagstaff so we ate inside. Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it sure felt like it!

We are back home now and making our own dinners. I can't wait to have this time off to get things done around the house! We are thinking of planting a vegetable garden. Hmmmm...

-M.

Happy Friday!

2009-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Everytime the weather gets nice, Bob, and I take the opportunity to have a Happy Hour on our front porch on Friday afternoons. We never 'officially' invite people. It's kind of a whoever wants to stop by is welcome. We can always count on neighbors to end up hanging out with us. They know they can count on getting great Margaritas and appetizers. I couldn't resist these lovely photos I found on Country Living website. They definately get my mouth watering just looking at them!

Happy Friday and Happy Hour!

-M.

Shown above: Pineapple cooler, Fig Bruschetta and Bellinis!

2009-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

If I could live my dream, this is what it would look like. Just looking at these pictures makes my heart hurt. Can't you just imagine yourself reading a book, writing a letter, enjoying a glass of wine or just luxuriating in this peaceful setting?

And believe it or not, this is a redecorated Greenhouse given as a wedding gift to, Heather Cameron, from her husband, Kevin, who took apart a neglected potting shed on their property and rebuilt it into a greenhouse with a tempered-glass roof!

Wow! Is all I can say! And does Kevin have a brother? Oh yah, I'm already married! J.K. Lovey.

-M.

photos and story found on Country Living

Spring Wedding Promotion

2009-03-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

Take Notice Card Company is offering a Spring Wedding Promotion on the 3 styles shown in the above photos! Take Notice specializes in stylish, one-of-a-kind photo cards. They bring together artistic photographic treatments and state-of-the-art digital printing to give you a one of a kind custom invitation.

Here is the Spring Promotion they are offering:

Save 10% on any of the above shown invitations

Save 15% by adding any one item such as response, direction or any enclosure card

Save 20% by adding any two items or more!

There are several options for matching pieces to any of these wedding 'suites' including save the dates! Sneak a peek at some of the other wonderful invitations/announcements Take Notice offers. Drop by the store to see their full selection through their album.

-M.

2009-03-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Did anyone see the moon last night? Bob and I went to dinner in Scottsdale for a very romantic date night last night. We went to Bandera. I love that place and for some reason we haven't been there in a very long time! It's a great place to go with friends and hang at the bar. The food is always delicious and the drinks are rockin'.

Anyhow, back to the moon. On the way home we were on the loop from the 101 south to the 202 east and that's when I saw it! It was huge and beautiful and orange! I was so struck with it's beauty that I gasped outloud which of course always freaks out my perpetually nervous husband and he had to sternly remind me that you never yell out or make those surprised noises when someone is driving. Even now I am laughing so hard about that!

So after an evening of wining and dining the moon was the perfect end to my romantic night. The full moon always reminds me of one of my all time favorite movies, "Moonstruck". If you haven't seen it you really must run out and rent it. It's all about love, love and the 'bella luna'.

Now here is the not so glamorous reason that the moon was so striking last night. Of course the moon is largest as it is just rising. (I am guessing it was at it's glory around 8:00 p.m.) According to wikepedia the moon is actually farthest away when it is just rising and therefore the light rays have to travel farther for us to see. Unfortunately if there is any obstructions in the air such as dust particles or pollution, it obstructs the path of the light and changes the color to orange. Hello! Arizona! Pollution much!

Oh well, I still love looking at the moon. I hope you enjoy it too!

-M.

p.s. isn't that moon pic perfect for Friday the 13th!?

In Sympathy

2009-03-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

I have a customer that came in today. While we were talking I decided to ask her about something I have been wanting to talk about for along time. Her son passed away about a year and a half ago and I wanted to know how she was doing but didn't feel comfortable about asking. Finally I just went ahead and said that I wanted to ask her something personal and that if she didn't want to talk about it, that would be okay. I asked her how long it had been since her son had passed and how she was doing. I can't tell you how much she appreciated my asking. She said that people don't ever talk about it with her because they are uncomfortable.

I told her I understood what she meant since when my father died 16 years ago, I went through the same thing. It is a crazy misconception we have that we don't want to discuss the topic of death in fear of upsetting the person dealing with it. But on the contrary the very lack of conversation makes the person feel alienated and lonely. She said she can hardly bear the loss of her son and that it hasn't gotten any easier. It really struck me what a burden she is carrying. And that even though we have all gone on with our lives, she is still dealing with this everyday.

So, all this to say that if you know someone who has experienced the death of someone close, ask them how they are doing. It doesn't matter if it has been one month, one year or more. You will know if they don't want to talk about it, but usually it makes them feel better to have their grief acknowledged. We need our friends and family in times of crisis and sometimes it takes a long time to grieve.

If you don't want to bring it up in person, send them a card to let them know you are still thinking of them. I love these hand made cards (shown above) because they feel like I am sending something special. However, sometimes I struggle with what to say since they are blank inside. That's when I cheat a little and copy a sentiment from a greeted card and write it in the blank one along with my own sentiments. It really doesn't matter what you say... it's the thought that counts!

-M.

2009-02-28T13:09:00.000-08:00

(Dorie's French Bulldog Wallace) (or beautiful lovely is his other name)

(Michele's dachshund Dallas)

My sister, Dorie, is obsessed with her dog. Come to think of it my sister, Michele, is also obsessed with her dog! I guess that happens when you have a full bred dog. Suddenly you want to buy everything that has an image of your breed of dog. Between the two of them they have collected greeting cards, keychains, stationery or whatever they can find!

On the other hand my wonderful dog, Buddy, that I sadly had to put down a year ago was just a plain old mutt! But he sure was healthy and strong and lived 16 great years!

Since my sisters are forever sending me pictures of their dogs, I thought I would post some for all of you to enjoy as well!

-M.

Truly Mom

2009-02-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

These are just some of the wonderful invitations that Truly Mom offers. We carry their album in the store for you to view and order from. Truly Mom is running a special starting now thru the end of March. Get 5 of their invitations for free with the purchase of 25 qty minimum! They are also waiving their $25 set up fee thru the end of March. This whole offer can save you around $50! Yay! We love savings right now!

-M.

2009-02-25T09:58:00.001-08:00

Woops! Blog much! Yes, I’ve been shirking my duties to blogland, but trust me it isn’t from lack of things to do! I have been a very busy bee. In January we completely re did the store transitioning from Christmas to Valentines. This is not something I look forward to with all the inventory counting and packing up. Of course it’s always fun to get the new goodies out, so atleast that made me happy!

Bob and I hosted a Super Bowl party during which me and my sisters decided to completely redesign my Living/Dining room. Of course that just opened up a whole new list of house projects that I wanted to complete and that Bob and I are currently slaves to. We decided to paint all of the doors, baseboards and trim in our entire house! This entails sanding every single surface of wood, wiping it down and then painting. (Our neighbors are used to our crazy project undertakings) But with all of the birthdays every weekend, (did I mention that there are 8 birthdays in my family in January and 7 birthdays in February!?), we are finding it difficult to finish our project. I have been living without a single door on the inside of the house for a month! Let me tell you, it is a little strange to go to the bathroom with no privacy! Thankfully our hardware came in yesterday so we have several of the doors up and functioning. The bathroom door was the first up.

In the midst of the incessant dusting caused by sanding we managed to have a wonderful and romantic Valentine’s day and dinner. Happy to have a night at home to ourselves, Bob whipped up a delicious dinner and we ate in the tv room. I set the coffee table with flowers, candles and beatiful dishes. And the best part is that we rented a bunch of 80’s movies and had a movie-thon. Hello Saint Elmos Fire! (This was perfect timing since we were going to my friend’s 40th bday party the following weekend and it was an 80’s theme) Boy I miss those good ol’ days!

This morning I met my sister and friends for her birthday breakfast. That wraps up the last of the birthdays for February. Yay! And that brings me up to date.

There are a lot of great things going on in the store that I will be posting this next week.

Thanks for hanging in with me,

-M.

(Dinner and dessert for Bob's birthday)

(Valentine's Dinner - my niece made the centerpieces!)

(Stationery I ordered for my sister Dorie for her birthday)

Lulu Calendars!

2009-01-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

Yay! The LuLu calendars are in the store and ready for you to pick up. We have carried Lulu products for 8 years now and I never tire of Anne Keenan Higgins' whimsical designs. Apparently neither do any of you! I had forgotten to order these calendars in and was reminded by several customers. So thank you!

-M.

2009-01-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great time ringing in the new year. Bob and I had a blast! We spent the evening with my sister and her husband who spent the night at our house. We started the festivities with a delicious dinner at House of Tricks in Tempe, rode the light rail (I loved it! It felt so hip and urban for Arizona!), and then came home to play cards. However, we had way too much energy to sit still so instead we decided to tee-pee my brother’s house! (he lives across the street) We knew they were at home with the kids and some of our other friends, so we decked ourselves out in our best stealthing duds and headed over to do our toilet paper best.

As luck would have it, they came out when we had only just started and we had to run and hide in the neighbor’s bushes. (how old are we?) I swear my sister and I were laughing so hard! Of course they knew who the culprits were and they went back inside to plan their revenge attack. To further our bad luck, we didn’t know that another neighborhood family was also over there, so all together they had 8 kids jonesing to slaughter our house! Not good!

Fortunately Bob and I do not give up so easily so we hid on the opposite sides of our house and when the kids came I had the front house and Bob had the back and we sprayed the heck out of the kids! It was a hoot! Don’t mind the fact that it was now midnight and freezing outside and the kids’ feet were turning blue! But atleast it was a night they would never forget.

I have to say that we were outnumbered and my ambush plan of the water backfired since the kids were only too happy to be doused. So admitting defeat we went inside and left them to do their worst. And believe me they did! Our house looked hysterical in the morning!

Thankfully the kids came back in the morning to help clean up. Afterwards I raked up a huge pile of leaves from our yard and the neighborhood kids played in it for hours! If you want some free entertainment for your kids, offer to rake some leaves for your neighbors and let the kids have at it!

-M.

2009-01-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season was one of the best I have had. We did so many fun things and spent a lot of time with family and friends. Our Christmas party was a blast! We have found that the best night to have our party is the Saturday before Christmas. At that point there is never any conflicts with work parties, everyone is done shopping and ready to relax!

We never count, but I know there was at least 50 people at the party. And, even though I did a much better job of photo taking this year, I still did not do well enough! The pictures do not show how many people were there, how great the food looked, and how many people rocked the karaoke!

You can always find a reason to have a party. Especially with the New Year here! Pick a date, choose some friends, buy some invitations, (at M & Co.) and get a party going! Make it a tradition!

Here are a few party tips that we have learned to help you on your way:

Choose a date that does not conflict with any major holiday or sporting event
Plan your menu far in advance! We usually have our menu planned by October at the latest. That’s a little crazy, but we love food.
When choosing a menu, think of things that can be made in advance. You don’t want to be cooking when guests show up!
The week of the party we get our grocery list written up. Since our list is always pages long, and we can’t get everything from one store, I type up our list on the computer, noting the grocery store I can find it at, and sort my data! Voila! I have a very organized list to go from!
Make a schedule. I also make a list on the computer of everything that we need to accomplish the week of the party and sort it by the day we need to do it. Trust me on this, it works!
Hire someone or enlist a friend to help you with the hosting duties that night. I learned this the hard way when one year my sister whispered in my ear that we were out of toilet paper in one of the bathrooms! Hello, I was doing 20 million things! I never thought of toilet paper! (now I stack multiple rolls on top of the toilet so everyone knows just where it is)

I can go on and on, but these are a few that came to my mind just now. Of course I am already thinking of Valentines Day and wanting to have another party! Good thing my husband loves entertaining as much as I do!

-M.

(My Family)

2008-12-24T22:24:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas!

Much love and thanks for your support.

-M.

2008-12-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Our wonderful Stacie is leaving us! After two great years at M & Co. Papery, Stacie and her husband are packing up and moving to Vegas. How dare she do this to us! I can tell you that even though she has been forewarning me of this for months now, I cannot believe the time has come. I am so very sad. I have been truly lucky to have found not only a very reliable, loyal and hardworking employee, but a very good friend as well.

I know this is short notice, but Tuesday, December 23rd is Stacie's last day. (sniff, sniff) She didn't even want me to post this now. But I know how much all of our customers have come to know and love her and I want to give you the opportunity to say goodbye.

It will not be the same without Stacie's quirky and lovable personality.

Thank you Stace. You have made my life better by having you in it!

Love,

-M.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry!

2008-12-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

Because Christmas is a time to gather with family and friends, Bob and I host an annual Christmas party. It has turned into a big event. Every year we invite about 50 people to share in an evening of food, fun and karaoke! It is serious fun! Usually Bob selects a menu of enough complicated food that it sends me over the edge. We are cooking for days before the party! This year we are serving Mexican food consisting of carne asada, pollo asada, rice, beans, salsa etc. I know this sounds simple, but trust me, Bob will find a way to kick it up a notch! Already, the beans can't just be beans, they have to be chipotle puree', and he is making an avocado sauce, roasted bell pepper sauce, roasted salsa and who knows what all else for the accessories. Well, lucky me, my house is already decorated and there isn't much left to do. Now I can relax and enjoy the food preparation!

Of course the invitation is the first impression of any event, so you must match your invite to the occasion. This is the invitation we sent out this year. I love it! It is perfectly merry!

Have a wonderful week and I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful weather.

-M

Happy Birthday!

2008-12-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

We at M & Co. Papery want to say Happy Birthday to Lisa! She has worked for M & Co. for 7 of the 8 years we have been in business! Lisa and I had lunch at Kona Grill where I snapped this picture with my phone.

Thank you for being such a great, loyal employee and friend. Many best wishes for a wonderful next year, Lisa!

Love,

The Polar Express

2008-12-15T12:09:00.001-08:00

Magical. That is the only word I can use to describe our night last night! We invited some of our close friends’ children over for a night of watching the Polar Express. It could not have been a better night!

I wanted to make it special for the kids, so after printing up the tickets, I delivered the invitations to their parents the night before the event. The plan was for the parents to put the tickets somewhere fun for the kids to find. A very special invitation. One of the parents put the tickets on their childrens’ pillows to find before they went to sleep. The other set of parents put the tickets on the Christmas tree for the kids to find when they woke up! Needless to say the kids couldn’t wait for the night to begin.

We decorated the tv room with Christmas flag banners draped from the ceiling, and a table set for snacks and of course hot cocoa! And since our family room is not very large, it was perfectly cozy. For me, the icing on the cake was the fact that it was finally cold enough to light a fire, which added to the friendly atmosphere and the feeling of Christmas.

The kids were required to wear their pajamas and bring their tickets for theatre entrance. They were adorable in their pj’s and slippers. Once they arrived, my husband, dressed up as a conductor, opened the door and punched their tickets for the ‘train ride’!

We had blankets strewn on the floor, and pillows to maximize comfort. The kids settled in for a grand theatre experience. And it didn’t disappoint! (did I mention that we bought a subwoofer for this?) The train was so loud it was rattling the walls! It was so fun!

Anyhow, the movie was wonderful and hot chocolate was served. But my favorite thing was at the end of the movie, Bob, having collected all of the tickets, had written 2 letters on each ticket to describe the personality of each child. Once the movie was over, he passed out the tickets and they tried to guess what each one meant. It was so great the things he came up with and how perfectly it fit each child!

It was certainly a night to remember!

-M.

I printed each child's name on the outer envelope (from our bulk stock at the store - $0.35 each),then used Ice Stickles (from M & Co.) to glam it up! The tickets were made by scanning a ticket my friend had, and then adding our own info to it. The insert was also made from the store bulk stock ($0.15 each) and then Ice Stickles added.

All of the decorations were gathered from around my house. Including ornaments straight off my tree! (I think we still might have a couple of these Merry Christmas glitter signs at the store)

My camera never seems to capture the magic of the night. Atleast I know our memories will be magical!

2008-12-03T08:00:00.001-08:00

As all of you know, I simply cannot get enough of Match dishes! I started my collection about two years ago, and have slowly added pieces along the way. Believe me, once you get started, you will be hooked. Match pewter is handmade by artisans in the north of Italy. Which translates to impeccable style and quality. I love how versatile the dishes are. I can use them for formal settings or casual roasted chicken dinners. And, they work for every holiday since I have them in basic white.

Come on in and start your own collection. There is still time to get your order in before Christmas! Match is the perfect gift... if even for yourself!

-M.

Bob's Bistro

2008-11-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

As if we haven't been doing ten million things in preperation for the holidays, Bob, decided that it was time for another Bistro. Of course our original intent was to have it in October but time just got away from us. So instead we just hosted it last weekend. Five days before Thanksgiving! It was probably one of the best parties we have ever given. Everyone was so relaxed. That had a lot to do with the fact that the hosts were also relaxed. This time we had fewer people and one less course to serve. We also planned food that didn't take so much time at the party for us to be cooking in the kitchen. The night was absolutely beautiful, and the food.... it was so seriously delicious!

-M.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T09:33:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving is going to be so much fun! Some of my family (it is quite large and we are seldom all together on this holiday) and I are going to spend the weekend up in Pinetop. Bob's brothers have a lovely cabin that they are letting us use. You would not believe the amount of items and food we are bringing up there! Seriously, we had to ask our neighbor to borrow his trailer to pull behind my brothers Tahoe. We are cracking up! We are going to look like the Beverly Hillbillies driving down the road. Because we are cooking fanatics and want to have the table looking perfect, we are bringing our own pots and pans, food processor, china, tablecloths, decor, all the food and of course, an extra portable convection oven just in case! I know this sounds crazy, but my family is just as in to this as Bob and I are. We are also bringing loads of DVD's, because what Thanksgiving would be complete without watching Miracle on 34th Street?

We plan to bake pies on Wednesday night, cook and watch the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving, then Friday will be games, Christmas movie marathon, and hanging out with Grandma. Plus, it should be snowing up there!!! Perfect!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

-M.

p.s. We are cooking cranberry-glazed turkey with cranberry-cornbread stuffing pictured above from Martha Stewart. We absolutely love this recipe and have used it for 3 years! I highly recommend you trying it next year!

Family Tradition

2008-11-24T09:32:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite Christmas traditions started when one year my husband came home, arms laden with shopping bags and announced that we are starting a village! He had purchased about 4 houses and some accessories. Well, that was just the beginning. Ten years later, we now have about 30 to 40 Department 56 houses! (I try not to count them) This year in order to keep the size manageable, we decided to split up the villages. Usually we do not start setting up until after Thanksgiving. However, this year just feels different. We are feeling the Christmas spirit much earlier. And it seems to me that a lot of our customers are as well.

We have already watched 3 Christmas movies, and, I am so happy to say that we have already finished 2 of our 3 villages! Now we can relax come December and enjoy just looking at them.

The pictures shown are of our Christmas in the City Village. I have discovered that our set ups never photograph well. When I use the flash it completely takes away the charm of the softly lit buildings. So in order to let you see how enchanting it really is, I used my camera on the candlelight setting which doesn't use flash. The only problem is you have to hold the camera very still. Which I obviously cannot do. Sorry if some of them are a little blurry.

You can get your own village started at M & Co. Papery. We carry the Department 56 Original Snow Village, Christmas in the City, and the North Pole houses. Our Christmas would not be the same without these little lovelies.

-M.

Oh Pear!

2008-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

Do you see the lovely living room in the photo below? While I was perusing Phoenix Home & Garden magazine I was struck by the painting shown on this homeowners’ wall. Right then and there, I decided that I absolutely MUST duplicate it. The only trouble was, I had never used oil paints before, and the only painting I had done prior to this was with those little CeramCoat water colors. (The kind where you can just pick any color you want and don’t have to mix it.)

Well, I am not going to bore you with the long story, but let me just tell you one major detail. I found this picture in 1998! TEN years ago people!! And, it has been the bane of my (and my husbands) existence ever since! I invested in the paints and the canvas (those large ones are expensive!) and started the painting immediately. At that point, realizing I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and not willing to throw it out because of how much it cost, I hid it in a closet. Yes, pathetic. Through the years I would take the painting out with all intentions of working on it, but somehow the pear would end up sitting in the office waiting, waiting.

My husband threatened many times to throw it away at which point I would always promise to finish it. Finally, this last summer he took it out and said finish it or its going to the dump! Yikes! He meant business this time. All of this to say…. Yes, I did it! The painting is done!!! The hugest, hairiest monkey is off my back! I seriously cannot tell you how happy my husband is. The pear has saved our marriage!

I have posted a picture of the finished product. I hope that this gives you some motivation to finish those unfinished projects laying around. Or maybe just throw them away!

-M.

Sweets!

2008-11-10T13:42:00.000-08:00

These are just a few of the Christmas pretties we have in the store. I can't resist anything that has to do with sweets and treats. Napkins, ornaments, aprons, garlands, you name it. If it looks like a baked goodie or anything candy, I gotta have it! So if you share this sugar obsession, come on in and take care of your sweet tooth.

-M.

My husband and I have decided to have a Polar Express movie night with my nieces and some of our friends' children. It is going to be so much fun! There is nothing better to kick off the holiday season than movies and hot chocolate. And, just because I have to have the full theatre experience, we purchased a new sub-woofer this weekend. The kids are going to love feeling the rumble of the train while they're sitting on the couch! I will definitely post pics of the event, along with invites and party ideas.

Vacation at home!

2008-11-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

(Spicy Salmon Tartare with Avocado relish and Bobs Love Potion (don't ask))

(Carmelized onion tart with tomato salsa and scallops in orange cream sauce with fresh herbs)

Last weekend my husband and I celebrated our 15th anniversary! We had the best time. Usually we go out of town for the weekend, but upon checking, we discovered that all of the hotels we wanted to stay at in California were booked! (go figure!) So, we decided to do something different and spend our vacation in town instead. I have heard of this concept, but have never tried it. So Bob took time off work, just as he would if we went out of town, and we spent the weekend eating at fabulous restaurants, cooking, and going places we don’t usually go to. We both agree that it was our best anniversary yet. I highly recommend taking a vacation in your own hometown.

You can’t beat the benefits:
No travel expenses!
No rental cars
Experience all that your area has to offer and you never knew
Sleep in your own bed at night. (I love my pillow)

To fascilitate in choosing restaurants, we used the eat.shop.phoenix guide. You really must get ahold of one of these books. They are wonderful.

These are some of the yummy restaurants we ate at and would definitely recommend:
Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix
Barrio Café – Phoenix
House of Tricks – Tempe
Zinc Bistro – Kierland, Scottsdale

Being that we also love to cook, we spent the last half of the weekend heating it up in the kitchen. If you love to cook or would like to expand your culinary horizons, I have attached pictures below of some of the great cookbooks we have in the store. I am a picky buyer of cookbooks, so trust me, these are good!

2008-11-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

Look at these new stamps available just in time for your Christmas cards! I love it when you can find the perfect stamp. It completes your package. When you are sending something beautiful on the inside, you want it to look good on the outside as well! So don't forget to pick up these grand stamps.

-M.

2008-11-03T09:01:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to show you one of the cute new invites we just got in the store. Of course I have to show them paired with my favorite Caspari napkins. We always have a great selection on hand for all bridal events. But who needs an excuse to have these gorgeous napkins on their table?

-M.

p.s. For update on the money raised for the Nielsons at the BlissFest check here http://http//blissfulliving-domesticbliss.blogspot.com/2008/10/fundraiser-update.html

2008-10-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween! It's so much fun to dress up, decorate and enjoy. This day has already started out great. This morning before the store opened, I went to see my niece at her school. They were having all kinds of Halloween festivities, decorating cookies, games, and of course a parade where they can show off their costumes. She was adorable dressed as Alice in Wonderland.

The fun will continue tonight as my neighbors all get together for a potluck dinner. (Have I mentioned how much I love my neighborhood?) Our Halloween potluck has become an annual event which we always look forward to. It started several years ago on Halloween night, when, wanting a little festiveness, I challenged my husband to a pumpkin carving contest. (We still debate over who won) Afterwards, wanting to show off our pumpkin beauties, we set up a table outside with pumpkins, candles, and of course a grand candy bowl to await trick-or-treaters. Upon noticing that we were outside, the neighbors began wandering over, then margaritas started flowing and that was it! We were hooked! Now it is a big event, complete with a candy booth that we set up with all of the combined candy for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.

-M.

2008-10-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

The BlissFest this past weekend was a huge success! Despite the warm weather, there were tons of people and lots of great fun. There was food, games for the kids, great vendors with loads to sell, and live music. The fundraiser for Christian and Stephanie Nielson went off without a hitch and lots of money was raised to go towards their medical fund. It was wonderful to see the community coming together for them. In addition to the items that were donated for the auction, there were countless hours of time, money and creativity given as well. Our neighborhood (Steph lives on my street) held a caramel apple booth that sold 200 apples! Thanks go to Ellen Dunn and Rhonda Roberson for all of their hard work. I was busy all day running back and forth between our booth and the store, so I have to thank Courtney Everhart for taking this photo for me. (I am going to find out if she has others for you to see)

The festival was the brain child of Kristin at Domestic Bliss . She is always the grand party lady. And let me tell you, her and her husband, Dan, worked so hard to put this on for everyone to enjoy. So, thank you D & K!

-M.

Viva Las Vegas!

2008-10-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

I spent the majority of last week in Vegas with my husband. Five days to be exact. Now, I think five days is a long time for anyone in Vegas, but let me tell you, I was ready to get home! It’s taken me five days to recover! My husband went for an annual business convention, and I went for the fun. And fun we had! Of course, after the second night I realized I am just way too old for this. Next year I don’t think I will attend the whole function. A little bit of Vegas goes a long way.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the getting there and back. We decided to drive, and believe it or not, this was my first time driving to Vegas! (Shameful for any respectable Arizona Native to admit.) I love road trips and I was so excited to document the trip with great photos to share with all of you. Unfortunately I was driving with Speedy Gonzales (yes, that means my husband) and that means no unnecessary stopping. Point A to Point B.

Settling in for the drive, I readied myself to absorb the beautiful landscape. As I watched the desert scenery slipping by, I couldn’t help but think of the many movies filmed in this area. I mean, this is the quintessential southwest! I thought of the good ol’ oater films, and Salma Hayek cruising down the highway in “Fools Rush In” (love that movie), "Vegas Vacation", and I’m not sure if this is true, but I was picturing Forest Gump running down the very road I was on! This was no ordinary road trip! I felt it was an honor to be on this road much traveled!

As we approached Wickenburg, I could not believe I had never been here before! (Again with the shameful) It was a great place! As we sped through town, I attempted to snap photos of the darling downtown. Did I mention who was driving? By the time I had located my camera, taken off the lens, and turned it on, we were already out of town. “We are stopping on the way home for photos!” I demanded. “Sure, hon” was SG’s way of telling me what I wanted to hear, while silently hoping that I would change my mind on the way home.

(My only photo from Wickenburg! But I love it!)

When you are driving somewhere you have never been, you never know what photo opportunity is around the next bend. And, after my experience going through Wickenburg, I decided to keep my camera on my lap and at the ready. I was able to snap a couple pics through the Hoover Dam. They did not turn out so enjoy this photo from terragaleria.com . It shows the magnitude of this great place! “We are going to stop and take the tour of this dam on the way home!” I demanded once again. Speedy just smiled.

All of this to say, that by the end of 5 days, and 4 very long nights, I was the one driving home and of course I didn’t stop either. Once home is in your mind, you just can’t get there fast enough! Sorry for the lack of pics.

-M.

Dinner with Friends

2008-09-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have known my husband for 18 years now. (Yes, that dates me!) When I met him, he had a large group of friends that he hung out with. Over the years, that large group has dwindled down to about 2 friends (and their spouses) that we see frequently. I feel very fortunate that we have remained friends through all of life’s changes. Most wonderful are the weekends that we spend out of town with these friends. It is a time to get away from every day life, and let our hair down and just be. We don’t have to pretend for these people, they know our ups and downs already. There is so much freedom in that! Most recently, we spent a weekend in California with 2 of our dear friends. I have to say that we didn’t do much! We spent the entire weekend just chillin’, enjoying the weather, laughing, reading, walking, and best of all….eating! Bob made some incredible dinners! These are photos of just one of those remarkable dining experiences! Filet of beef with a gorgonzola sauce, roasted tomatoes and garlic mashed potatoes. Of course wine accompanied every course. We are so spoiled when we are there. Bob starts us off with an appetizer every night, then main course, and if we make it, dessert! I love the way the years have changed each of us, the way we interact, our marriages, and the way we dine! Bon Appetit Bob Dunn!

-M.

2008-09-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, for all of you pumpkin lovers, here is the cookie recipe. My sister-in-law found it for me online. I think it is a Libby's recipe. (clicking on the link below will take you to many other wonderful pumpkin recipes as well! Let me know if you find something truly great!) This is only the recipe for the cookies themselves. I found a recipe for the creamcheese frosting out of one of my old cookbooks. (and when I say, old, I'm talkin' old Betty Crocker books I was given when I first got married!) Sorry, but I will have to post the frosting recipe seperately.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
Grease baking sheets.COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking power, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

The Great Pumpkin

2008-09-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

One of nature’s greatest gifts to us is the pumpkin! I literally look forward all year long to the arrival of it in the grocery stores, and on the restaurant menus. I usually start bugging our local restauranteur at this time of year to bring on the pumpkin crème brulee that is one of their specialties. I think I make them crazy. So in order to squash (ha ha) my pumpkin cravings, I baked these absolutely dee-licious pumpkin cookies yesterday. (photo below) They were so moist and yummy with the cream cheese frosting on top. My neighbors were so happy when I rang their door and delivered them a plate full! It’s always good to spread the love. (and the calories!)

So because of my love for pumpkins, when I found out that there is an annual Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay, California, I simply had to go. (Of course that was just an excuse for me and my husband to visit San Francisco. One of our favorite cities.) The photo on top was taken at a pumpkin farm on the way to the festival. I can hardly resist the desire to sip on some hot cider as I gaze lovingly at these beauties.
-M

p.s. If you too would love to partake of some pumpkin creme brulee, you really must visit the Blue Adobe Grille in Mesa. You will not be dissappointed! Be sure to call first, I don't think they normally start making it 'til October, but I am trying! http://blueadobegrille.com

It's that time again!

2008-09-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

September is Christmas card ordering month and it seems to creep up on us every year! Hopefully all of you have your photos ready, and if not, pick a card and create your photo based on the colors of the card. This year, in lieu of the traditional 10% off that our vendors are offering, M & Co. is going even farther to offer you 20% off your personalized Christmas card orders! And that's not all... we are offering 20% off all in-store boxed Christmas cards as well! We thought it was a good way to spread some pre-holiday cheer!

-M.

2008-09-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

I have been out of town or the last 3 weekends! And even though all of the trips have been fantastic, it is good to be home and get back into the swing of things. While I was out of town last weekend, my sister surprised me by decorating the store with all of our Christmas goodies! How grand is that!!? So the store is looking great, the temperature is dropping, and in general I think we are all feeling much happier. We have definitely noticed the store getting busier! Yay! We love to see everyone.

Here are a couple of photos from our trip to Oregon. We flew in and out of Portland and drove around from there, so the photos are from various areas. I love downtown Portland. Especially the NobHill area. There are tons of quaint restaurants and shops. If I could only get used to the rain, it might be a place to consider... Anyway, we stopped at a farmers market in Eugene where I actually tasted my first fresh Boysenberry! Absolutely delicious! (did I mention I am an Arizona native?) From Eugene we drove to Bend, and what a beautiful drive that was. We found a lodge that I am dying to stay at called Sutter Lake. From Bend we drove all the way back to the coast and checked out Cannon Beach. We are definitely going back to vacation some day.

All of this, was just one of the weekends we were gone. No wonder I am tired. I will try to post more photos as soon as I can get my act together!

-M.

2008-08-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

(You gotta love Turkey Man!)

Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year! I love the colors, the cooler weather, and baking, baking, baking! So it is with the utmost enthusiasm that we are setting up the store to welcome in the upcoming holidays. We have our Fall and Halloween up and Christmas will be out shortly. (Don’t forget that September is Christmas card ordering month)

-M.

p.s. our Halloween collectibles are 25% off!

Something Blue

2008-08-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just looking at these photos puts me in a happy place! Who wouldn’t love to attend an event decked out like this?! (yes, this is a shameless attempt to get invited to a fabulous soiree!) I came across these photos while visiting http://blueorchidblog.com/. (if you want to read a truly fascinating blog, you really must check it out!) I love how beautiful photos and images can transport you to another place and hope these make you equally as happy.

-M.

2008-08-13T20:34:00.001-07:00

Also, for those of you who love to get the latest and greatest on children's parties, don't miss the class Kristin (Domestic Bliss) and I will be teaching at Blissful Living Studio http://blissfullivingstudio.com/shop this Saturday the 16th from 2 to 4pm. We will be sharing great ideas on how to host and plan the perfect party!

-M.

p.s. Did I mention that I am totally obsessed with the Olympics?! My husband and I are loving every minute of it!

2008-08-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

It’s Back to School time again! And for all of you Mother’s who struggle to keep your children’s various schedules together, come on in and pick up a MomAgenda. We love this wonderful day planner that allows you to not only track your own day, but each individual child’s as well. All on one page!

A customer recently told me how she used to have several different calendars to consult. One from church, school, and whatever activity her children were currently enrolled in. She happily reports that now she uses just one calendar that she can carry in her purse. We are so happy to be able to make your life easier!

These great dayplanners run from August through December of the next year. They will be in our store at the beginning of September. Be sure to call and reserve your own! They go fast!

-M.

Improvisation

2008-08-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

Shea created her own invitations from our bulk paper.

Allison made the '12' signs for the cupcakes from bulk paper cut down to size.

This is the stationery we ordered for thank you notes!

I have to share with you this great party that my sister-in-law, Allison, hosted for her daughter, Shea. The party was originally planned to be held in the backyard with a garden theme in mind. However, just before the party was to start, the weather started turning stormy. Never fear! My clever sister-in-law can make any place or space festive in a moments notice! She simply moved the party indoors to the playroom. Umbrella and all! I love how the party turned out. It was fun to see outdoor elements such as the potted flowers and plants, brought inside. Sometimes we don’t tend to think outside of the box like that. Love it, love it, love it! (Did I say that already?) Anyhow, being a mother of three girls, she has collected certain party elements that she uses over and over again, always in new settings. The flag banner was originally made just for birthdays, but is now a permanent feature in the playroom. (If you are interested in making one yourself, there is a class coming up on September 24th at Blissful Living Studios. http://blissfullivingstudio.com/shop I have made several of these banners myself, for various holidays.) In lieu of outdoor games, the kids played ‘300 Wishes – An American Girl Game, and asked questions from the family TableTopics cube. (We always stock TableTopics at the store).

Here are a few of Allison’s tips and ideas she used to make this party a success:

“I used to spend hours worrying, and working to make everything perfect when planning a party. Then I realized that the best thing to do is:

- Plan a party based on what the child likes to do. For example: cooking, bouncy rental, Mexican fiesta, or picnics.
-Limit throwing ‘big parties’ for each child to every other year
-Have food! Everyone likes to eat, and it always helps to have food to talk over.
-Don’t think so hard about it. Parties are much more fun in a relaxed atmosphere.
-Let kids play and enjoy their time together. That’s what it’s really all about!

This is the menu Allison put together for the party:
-Lemonade with fresh raspberries
-Sparkling apple cider (use clear plastic glasses to get the benefit of seeing these pretty, bubbly drinks)
-Bowls of fresh berries
-Mixed nuts
-Assorted cookies such as butter, ginger and almond
-Homemade Strawberry Sorbet (recipe below)
-Cupcakes (Allison happens to be a wonderful baker and decorator, but you can order cupcakes from any grocery store)

I firmly believe that you can have a fabulous party without spending a fortune. It just looks like you did! And, even though things may not go as planned, keep a cool head. (And maybe have a plan B!)

-M.

Summer Strawberry Sorbet
-Simple Syrup: Dissolve ½ Cup Sugar in 1 Cup of water over low heat.
-Remove from heat and cool to room temperature
-Puree 1 Cup of Strawberries
-Mix strawberries with simple syrup
-Pour into metal baking pan and put in freezer for 1 hour
-Take mixture out of freezer and whip with hand mixture for 1 minute
- Freeze for 1 more hour
-Take mixture out of freezer and whip again with hand mixer or blender
-Put into pretty serving dishes and top with fresh whipping cream and sliced strawberries

08.08.08

2008-08-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for the Olympics to start! I love watching all of the amazing athletes. And, in a time when we could all use a little happiness and something to hope for, what could be better than rooting for our country? My husband and I watched the trials this summer, so we have decided to have an Olympics Games kick off party at our house to watch the opening ceremonies. GO USA!!! Can’t wait! And, even if you don’t particularly enjoy the Olympics, it’s a great excuse to check out Michael Phelps in his swim trunks! Hot, hot, hot! We wish all of our Olympians luck in the next couple of weeks. I can’t even imagine the dedication and hard work it must take to get where they are.

-M.

p.s. here is our menu in case you need some ideas to have a party of your own!

-Sweet & Spicy Mixed Nuts
-Spiced edamame
-Spinach & artichoke dip
-Pizza bar (we provide lots of toppings and let everyone make their own)
-Caesar Salad
-Lots of beers from around the world
-Ice Cream bar (make your own creation)

Going Green!

2008-08-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

I love the new push to ‘go green’. I am right on the band wagon! I’ve been worried about the effects of aerosol sprays since the 80’s when we were using two cans of Aqua Net a day to lift our hair 6 inches off our heads! And although I am not obsessed with it, I am trying to do my part… fluorescent light bulbs, recycling, and one of my favorite new ‘green’ ideas is bringing your own bags to the grocery store. I hate thinking of all the plastic sitting in our landfills…. FOREVER! Okay, I did say I’m not obsessed right? Anyhow, I have been happily bringing my own bags to the store, and have found that I am now using my tote bags on a daily basis. I use them as my carry-alls to work, stores, or wherever I am going. I have even used them to pack up dinner to take to our friend’s house! So in an effort to get everyone else on board with this new trend, we just got in these cute new shopping bags. They are sold in sets of 3 for $19.99! Look great and feel great by doing your part to help the environment!

M.

Blissful Children's Parties!

2008-07-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Happy Monday to you! I hope you have been enjoying our much needed rain. It felt so great to ride bikes last night with the streets glistening wet and breathing fresh air!

I want to make sure all of you know of an upcoming class that Kristin, from Domestic Bliss, and I will be teaching at the Blissful Living Studio this Saturday, the 19th from 2 to 4 p.m. It is going to be so much fun! We will be discussing ideas for children's parties. You will learn fun, creative, budget conscious ideas starting with the invitation, all the way to the favors, and the thank you notes for after the party! Anyone who knows Kristin knows she is the guru of all party planning, so be sure to call the studio and sign up at 480.733.5558 or check out the website at http://blissfullivingstudio.com/.

I did a guest appearance on Sonoran Living this morning to give a brief overview on the upcoming class. (I swear, I think it took some years off my life, I was so nervous!) In honor of the show, we will be offering the class at half the regular price of $40. So now you can come get some sweet ideas on how to get a jump start on your next party, for only $20!
Hope to see you this Saturday!

-M.

2008-07-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

We are very happy to announce that our store has been chosen to be included in the new eat.shop phoenix guide that just came out! The eat.shop guide is all about eating and shopping! How grand! The guide focuses on 90 carefully chosen stores and restaurants, all locally owned, in cities from Portland, Ore., to Paris. I am so excited about these books, not just because our store is in them, but because they make the perfect gift! Whether you are buying for someone who lives here in Arizona, or for a friend who is coming to visit, they will definitely want to check out this guide! There is beautiful photography and it’s size makes it perfect to tote around with you. Of course the best thing is that there are some seriously great businesses to check out. I have lived in Phoenix all of my life and I never knew of some of the stores and restaurants that are featured! My plan is to go through the book and visit every shop and eatery in it. If you are interested in getting one of these must have books, we have plenty in stock at the store. I guarantee you will love it!

-M

p.s. Did any of you try the onion rings? They were delicious!

Hooray for Independance Day!

2008-07-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

I hope all of you have great plans for this 4th of July. How perfect that it lands on a Friday! At home we are having the usual all-American celebration with burgers, dogs and finger lickin' onion rings. Yummy! (all served on the above festive plates!) This year we are planning to actually see the fireworks as well. I can't wait! There is nothing that sparks your patriotism quite like watching the night light up to the sounds of our country's anthem.

Happy 4th!

-m.

Here is the onion ring recipe compliments of Martha Stewart:

Beer-Battered Onion Rings
(serves 6)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Cayenne pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
¾ cup beer, preferably lager or pilsner
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
2 large white onions, cut crosswise into
½-inch-thick slices, separated into rings
Sea salt, preferably melon
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

1. Combine flour, salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, beer, egg, and lemon zest, and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200°. Place a baking sheet on middle rack of oven. Heat oil to 380° in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Dip a few slices of onion in batter, turning to coat. Gently drop slices into oil. Cook, turning once with a wire-mesh skimmer, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer rings to paper towels, season with salt immediately, then transfer onions to the baking sheet to keep warm. Repeat with remaining onions. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

2008-06-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have been a little M.I.A. I have been experiencing birthday week! And it’s been great! So, that, combined with the fact that since I last posted, the weather has taken a most disastrous turn. It is blasted hot! But the good news is that summer is now officially here and that means beach time!

At the store we are spending our time gearing up for fall, and ordering lots of fabulous paper products. I have also been picking out personalized stationery. I hardly ever take the time to pick something out for myself, but thought it was appropriate for a little birthday treat! We have the most darling cards from Jenny Sweeney Designs. (jennysweeneydesigns.com) You can choose the paper, the design motif, and the color of glitter you want to customize your stationery! I am so excited! It was so much fun to order!

So if you need a little mental break from the heat, come in and check out the many lines of personalized stationery that we carry, and treat yourself by getting some of your own. We promise it is much cooler in the store than it is outside!

-M.

p.s. I am also including a photo from the impromptu lunch I had at my sister’s house today. The reason I had to document this event is that she is in the middle of house redo right now. She recently purchased a historical home that needed a complete (and I do mean COMPLETE) overhaul. She and her husband are living in a tiny room attached to the garage for a year while the main house is being re-built. So I love it that she threw together this fabulous lunch and table setting. A little piece of heaven in the midst of complete chaos!

Happy Monday!

2008-06-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

I love summertime and all of the food that comes with it. Peaches, apricots, and berries, berries, berries! All of this makes me want to have my oven on 24/7 with a constant stream of pies, jams, and other goodies coming out of it. Of course, just as all of these culinary goods are reaching the supermarket, the temperature outside is usually reaching the typical 200°.

Not this weekend! We here in Phoenix are enjoying a very lovely “Spring” (The official start of summer not being ‘til the 21^st of June). This being said, it was a beautiful weekend! My husband and I were able to do a number of our never-ending house projects without sweltering in the heat. We invited some friends over and enjoyed a balmy evening on the patio dining on barbecued salmon, coleslaw and cornbread! It was a feast! And nothing beats a nice glass of white wine in the summer.

I am posting photos of some of my favorite things from this weekend. First, I absolutely had to share this recipe for a great twist on the classic caprese salad. (I found it in one of my Bon Appetit magazines from last summer). Simply layer sliced peaches, fresh mozzarella slices, and basil leaves; season with sea salt and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil! Delicious! And summer perfect!

Secondly, I had to share a photo of the doughnuts my nieces made on Sunday. Clearly they too felt it was cool enough outside to still do some cooking that requires a lot of heat! I thought they turned out perfect. Especially when delivered by the sweetest girls ever!

Happy Monday!

-M.

Travel Plans

2008-06-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

I love to travel, even if it’s only in my mind. Sometimes I just daydream about being somewhere else. Sandy beaches, warm breeze, the smell of the ocean… or somewhere romantic like Paris (where I’ve never been). I love to picture the Eiffel tower at night with the twinkling lights of the city all around us as we dine on something fabulous like crepes suzette!

This is the reason for the latest project my husband and I just completed in our office at home. I purchased a map of the United States and a world map with the idea of hanging them on the wall for us to track our travels and our planned travels. I won’t bore you with the details on how long it took me to actually figure out how to do it and get it done! Instead, I will just tell you how we did it!

I found the maps at OfficeMax ($9.99 each!). They are beautiful!
Knowing what size the maps were, we painted a beige border on the wall to ‘frame’ the maps (my husband used a level to mark the lines).
I discovered that you can buy large foam board from Michael’s in their framing department. I first purchased the foam board ($16.99 each), mounted the map with double stick tape, (we carry a large 3M tape gun at the store with ¼” to ½” tape), and then carted the whole thing back to Michael’s to be cut. We decided to leave a 1” border of foam board around the map to make it stand out from the beige background.
To insure the maps laid flat against the wall, we used 3M picture hanging strips on the back of the foam board.

I absolutely love the results! Now we can put push pins into the foam board to denote our travels, exactly as we had wanted! And best of all, I can stare at my maps and dream of all of the wonderful places I have yet to explore!

A couple of things to note:

One of my friends since informed me that there is a great spray adhesive on the market that would have also worked to tack the map to the board. (Super 77 by 3M. What would we do without this company?)

No matter what they tell you at the craft store, DO NOT USE DECOUPAGE! Trust me!

The craft store suggested mounting the maps first before cutting the border as it is hard to mount them exactly where you want them to go. I wholeheartedly agree!

If you have any great ideas on how to improve on this project, please share! I would love to hear it!

I haven’t finished decorating the room yet, and I plan to paint a travel quote above the maps. Here are a few of my favorite quotes in case you get inspired:

"The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway." ~Henry Boye

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Lao Tzu

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by.” - Robert Frost

-M.

Weddings at M & Co. Papery

2008-06-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

I love to show the invitations being ordered from our store, and our brides are always happy to share them with you. However, since we are at the front end of the weddings, we don’t usually get to see photos from the ceremony. As many of you know, Stacie (one of our great employees) got married last September and she provided me with several photos from her beautiful wedding which was held at the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, Arizona. I hope you enjoy them, and if you have any questions, Stacie is always willing to talk about her wedding!

I decided to ask Stacie a few questions that I thought you might like to know:

1. Besides your invitations (from M & Co. Papery), what was your favorite thing about your wedding?
I loved my dress! Although I loved everything about my wedding!

2. What did you have the most difficult time with?
Believe it or not, picking out my invitations! I thought working here would make it easy, but when it came down to it, I couldn't decide!

3. What was your most memorable moment?
Seeing all of my friends and family at the reception and being able to visit with people that love us!

4. What advice do you have for future brides?
Be true to yourself! Remember that it's your wedding, not everyone else's!

*Thanks to http://andersoncreativeaz.com/ for the photos! - M.

Papaya, Papaya, Papaya!

2008-05-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore Papaya paper products! I could order everything they make! Check out these envelope sets (6 envelopes w/6 matching scalloped edged flat-note cards) and wrapping paper that will be in the store in June. I can't wait! I am already gripping my pen in anticipation of writing lovely letters on this beautiful stationery!
And wait 'til you see the home office products they came out with. Unfortunately, they will not be released until August, but you can be sure I will have them in the store! Enjoy these beauties and be sure to stop by and get your fill!
-M.

Happy Tuesday!

2008-05-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend! I spent the holiday in California. The crazy thing is that I left Arizona to enjoy some cooler temps and I sure got what I asked for! It was freezing and raining the majority of the weekend. In fact, it was so cold on Thursday when we drove over there that it snowed on the freeway! Snow! In Southern California! At the end of May! Thankfully that did not put a damper on our fun with family. On the other hand, the weather in Arizona was beautiful this past weekend. Oh well, you just can't win sometimes. And what was up with the traffic on the way home? It was smooth sailing the entire time! Didn't anyone else go out of town?
Anyhow, I thought I would share with you a picture of the cupcakes that I made in the 'Cupcake Class' at Blissful Living last week! How stinkin' cute are these!? I thought these would be perfect to make with black and orange fabrics for Halloween. Then of course, more for Christmas.
Have a great short work week!
-M.

Blissful Living

2008-05-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

We all need a little creative inspiration at some point in our lives. Luckily for me, when I need some, I don’t have far to go. My friend Kristin, owner of Domestic Bliss, is possibly the most talented and creative person I have ever met! Whenever I am in a rut, either at the store, or at home, all I need to do is tap her creative energy. She can come up with a million ideas for anything at any time. And, she always aims for the stars. This is why she is so successful in her beautiful store and her recently opened “Blissful Living” studio.

Kristin opened the studio to offer a place where you can find inspiration to help you make the most of each day and live each moment with purpose and creativity. There is a great selection of fun classes like jewelry making, organizing your life, sewing, candle making, great gift making, (just to name a few) and the most amazing list of teachers! It will definitely boost your creativity just being around them! You can check out the schedule on the blissfullivingstudio.com website. I just took the yoga class (my first), and I cannot believe what a great workout it was! I am still sore – 3 days later! I have also signed up for a couple of sewing classes. (something I have always been wanting to learn) So next time you are visiting our store, or are just in downtown Mesa, make sure you plan time to check out the Blissful Living Studio. You won’t be disappointed!

-M.

*Photo from Sadie Olive

Weddings at M & Co. Papery!

2008-05-15T15:32:00.001-07:00

Customer Shauna Hansen picks out her daughter's wedding invitations with the expert help from Stacie! The invitations turned out beautifully! Shauna and her daughter Brooke specially chose this William Arthur invitation to fit their 'Italian' theme. The two color font combination really sets off the monogram and names.

* We have a sample in store ** Note: We deleted personal information from the wedding invitations, we would never leave out dates or other pertinent information!!

Hamburger Heaven!

2008-05-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know about any of you, but I have a hard time juggling work and dinner. In fact, if I don't plan ahead, we usually end up eating out, or having cheese quasadillas! I am not one of those talented people that can just throw together a meal out of anything in the fridge, so on the weekends I try to make a game plan for the week ahead. All I can say is, Rachael Ray rocks! I have several of her cookbooks and I love how easy and delicious they are. Perfect for dinner after a hard day at work! The above photo is the Open-Face Blue Moon Burgers with 'Shrooms from Rachael's Express Lane Meals cookbook. Dee-lish! (we just the above burger cookbook in the store - I will definitely be trying recipes from it!)
I also just bought some marinated meats from Trader Joe's this past weekend. I tried the curry chicken on Monday. It was really good. We cooked it in a cast iron skillet, then cut it up and tossed it with a little mayo, toasted some bread, melted some cheese on top, and made chicken sandwiches! We also found that arugula paired brilliantly with it. A very easy and yummy dinner option.
To add a bit of color and fun to our dining, I love to use paper napkins with fun prints. And, call me crazy, but if I can match the design on the napkin to the kind of food we are having, I feel complete!
So, back to burgers... the great American food. I have posted pics of burger napkins that we currently have in the store. Why not celebrate summer and friends with a burger party? You could set up a whole table of possible toppings and let your guests build their own! Entice their taste buds with our cute burger invite shown above.
-M.

California Dreaming....

2008-05-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

I just spent a fabulous weekend in California with my husband. Thanks to my sister, who generously lets us stay at her beach house any time we want! Four days of beautiful weather, great reading, a wonderful house, and alone time with my husband. I can't think of anything better. While there, we always make a point of visiting the Ramos House in San Juan Capistrano http://www.ramoshouse.com/ . The food is delicious and the area is beautiful. There is a great new shop that opened right next door to the restaurant, (unfortunately I can't remember the name) where I purchased the thank you gift that I always leave for my sister. Usually, my husband and I like to check out the local restaurants, but this time, we ate in every night. Which is always a good thing when Bob is cooking!
I hope everyone had a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo!
M.

Spring Flea Market

2008-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

What a great success our first Flea Market was! Thanks to Kristin, at Domestic Bliss who organized the entire event. (and everyone knows that when Kristin plans something, it’s always grand!)

Several customers told me that “this looks like something you would see on the streets of New York!” And I wholeheartedly agreed. There was such an eclectic mix of vendors, and every booth was beautiful! There were fresh flowers, vintage and new jewelry, antiques, furniture, homemade ice cream, and lots, lots more. The next flea market will be in October. (much too hot from here on out!) Be sure to sign in on our e-mail list on our website homepage mandcopapery.com to be informed of all of the happenings at our store and downtown!

-M.

Spring Fling Flea Market!

2008-04-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

Downtown Mesa is the place to be this Saturday, April 26th! You won't want to miss the fun at our first boutique style flea market. It will be held outside on the corner of Robson and Main, from 8 am to 2 pm. There will be great vendors selling everything from clothing, food, jewelry, European antiques, gifts, and live music! What a great way to spend your Saturday morning!
-M
*The above photos were taken at a flea market in Italy... dreamy!

Bob's Bistro!

2008-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

So, as everyone knows, my husband and I love to cook and entertain. And for years our friends and family have been happily feasting on Bob’s great dinners. However, providing dinners on such a grand scale can get pretty pricey! In order to insure the continuation of good dinners, our friends have been trying to get us to have a ‘restaurant’ night at our house where we would charge each couple to attend. Well, finally we did it!

We just hosted our first “Bob’s Bistro” dinner party Saturday night. It was incredible! The music, the food, conversation, and wine were wonderful, and we couldn’t ask for more beautiful weather! Of course, true to my nature, I did everything last minute. And I do mean everything. You would think owning an invitation shop, I would have pre-ordered my invites…. wishful thinking!! But, the good news is that they turned out great and it is proof that you can do great things not only spur of the moment, but on a budget as well! Here are some pictures of our fabulous night along with ideas for you to plan your own dinner party!

*Invitations were sooo easy!! I layered 3 pieces of cardstock ($.17 each) and used Stickles glitter to enhance the printed design on invitation and rsvp. The envelopes were $.30 and $.35 each and rsvp $.15 each!

I had the white tablecloths already, I purchased the blue 'toppers' at JoAnne's for $2.99/yd!
(I just cut a square for each table - no sewing)
The white citronella candles were from TJ Maxx - very inexpensive!
To further reduce costs we used our dining room chairs instead of renting.

I picked up the flower bouquets at Trader Joe's for $9.99 each table! Screaming deal!
My sister suggested using the leaves from our tree for placecards! Perfect!

The chef extraordinaire!

(mingle, mingle, wine, wine!)

Yummy Menu! (again with the stickles and $.17 cardstock!)

Okay, seriously! I only got pictures of 2 of the 5 courses!!
Note to self: Don't try to host and be the photographer of your own event!

Motherly Love!

2008-04-10T11:44:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day is on it's way! May 11th to be exact! We all love our moms and they definitely deserve to be indulged. Here are some great ideas to celebrate and appreciate our mothers!

Give mom some fresh flowers, straight out of your garden. They don’t have to match. I love bunches of random flowers put together. Use a plain glass vase and wrap it with ribbon and attach a gift tag or card. I love to print a sentiment and design on paper and stickle it up. (glitter glue)
Send mom on a relaxing weekend to a bed and breakfast. I recently stayed at the England House B & B in Flagstaff. What a great place! I would definitely recommend it!
Bake something for mom. You don’t have to be a master baker or decorator like my sister-in-law as shown below. (She made these cupcake beauties for her daughter’s birthday which happens to be today! Happy Birthday Shea!) Good thing my mother's favorite is coffee cake, since I only just discovered the world of icing and cupcakes!

Here are some great gift ideas for mom. All available at M & Co. Papery!

Rubber gloves – Indulge your mother with these grand gloves! I absolutely love them. I don’t think I would actually mind housecleaning wearing these!
Personalized notepads – Order mom a personalized notepad. Perfect for lists and memos. Our notepads are one of our top selling gifts!
Scented note cards - Beautiful boxed stationery available in the following fragrances: coconut, orange blossom, lemongrass lime, lavender, papaya mango, and pineapple. Makes a great gift when packaged with one of our flower or feather pens.
Journals – Give your mom a place to record all of her great ideas and thoughts.
Personalized stationery – Make your own for mom with our great assortment of paper and envelopes. Simply run them through your computer with moms name on it, add ribbon, stickles, or just plain and simple. We also have beautiful stationery in store or available to order personalized.

Pucker Up!

2008-04-07T16:22:00.001-07:00

(I cannot stand how gorgeous these napkins are!)

I love lemons… I love them in candy, any kind of food or pastry (I can’t seem to add enough), I love lemon fragrance in candles or household products, and plain and simply, I love lemon prints. There is something wonderful about the color yellow, and lemons always make me think of happy things like lemonade, lemon bars, and summertime. Most recently I was introduced to Limoncello while in Italy. Of course I had to bring home several bottles of that! I have been told that lemons ‘are so yesterday’, but to me, they will always be today and tomorrow. So if you share my love for the lovely lemon, you will be happy to know that we have lemon aprons, napkins, candy, soaps and stationery.

-M

The Fabulous Baker Girls!

2008-03-31T17:06:00.001-07:00

(embossed names on thank you note that doesn't show up in above photo,
and embossed monogram on invitation in photo below)

One of the things I love most about our store is getting to know our customers and sharing their life experiences with them, through invitations. It is a wonderful feeling to see the progression of helping customers first with wedding invitations, then birth announcements, and ultimately birthday invites! Jackie Baker, a current customer of ours has been shopping at our store for the entire 8 years we have been in business, and during that time we have been privileged enough to provide 4 of her daughters with wedding invitations! I love that! These are photos of their invitations and engagement photos.

*We deleted the date on the most recent invitation. (we didn't forget to put it on!)

Monday, Monday

2008-03-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend flew by. Busy, busy, busy. Thankfully, it was all a good busy. One of my best friends was in town for Easter and we were able to spend some great time together! Then there is work, house cleaning, and neighbors to attend to. (I love my neighborhood. I call it my Betty Crocker neighborhood. All of the neighbors know each other and get together regularly, there are weddings and parties held in front yards, and all of the houses were built in the 50’s! How grand!)

My husband and I decided on Saturday night, that since we didn’t have to meet with family until the late afternoon on Sunday, we wanted to have our own Easter brunch at home! It was so much fun! Our menu was scrambled eggs with roasted asparagus, baked French toast, sour cream coffee cake and mimosas. We ate outside since the weather was so nice. The music was perfect… flowers blooming… soft breeze blowing… the only thing missing was a hammock to luxuriate the day away!

Have a great Monday.

*My husband and I are planning a dinner party at our house in April. I am so excited! We are always good on the cooking end, but not so much with the table décor end, so it will be a challenge. I will be showing you pictures of the whole thing, from invitation to fruition!

Good Friday to you!

2008-03-21T16:27:00.001-07:00

It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful weekend! We really couldn’t ask for better weather right now. It really gets me in the mood for all the cooking and baking this Easter weekend requires… glazed ham, asparagus gruyere tart (from Martha Stewart), scrambled eggs, muffins, and all things yummy for a great brunch! It’s a great time to spend with family and friends.

I wish you all a very Happy Easter.

*Photos from Daisy Cottage and Martha Stewart

Going Postal!

2008-03-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

So I went to the Post Office yesterday to mail off some packages and found out some interesting bit of information. By the way, am I the only one who likes going to the post office? As a business owner, I am always impressed to see our Government working as a finely oiled machine, it always gives me a sense of pride. (patriotism at its finest)

And, just so you know, the term “going postal” certainly does not apply at the Mesa Main location. Every employee is happy, smiling and joking with customers every time I go in there! Go USPS! Anyhow, upon requesting 100 stamps, my very friendly postal worker asked if I knew about the postage price increase coming in May of this year. “No, I did not” I replied. He then informed me of something that I really must share with all of you. I can’t believe it!

Apparently if you purchase the ‘Forever’ stamp with the liberty bell on it, you can literally use it forever!!!! Regardless of the increases in postage cost! That means you can purchase a large quantity of stamps now for .41 cents and still use them 5 years from now, even if the cost of a first class stamp is $2.00 by then! (only pertains to first class stamp cost) Have you ever heard of such a crazy deal!? So, as an FYI to all future brides, you might want to make a run on the post office and save yourself the price increase!

*My sister just informed me that the Forever stamp was released months ago and it was all over the news! I am wondering how I did not know about it when I watch the news every morning! Oh well, to all of the rest of you not in 'the know' enjoy this bit of information!