Click on the photo to download them for yourself, and see the other designs as well.

Here are some photos, taken by Briane of Essence Photography. She is amazing at what she does, and such a sweetheart! She also took our engagement photos.

Over the next week or so I’ll post the designs that I did for our wedding.

• Our logo
• save the dates
• invites
• menus
• place cards (and Brian made the place card holders!)
• shirts (there’s a photo of us in our T-shirts on our way to Costa Rica above)
• and finally the Thank You cards.

Part of me is so happy to have the stress of the wedding behind us, but there is that other part that is just loved designing everything right down to the last detail, and I miss it. I have the bug…so now I am doing the design work for my best friend, Jen. She will be married exactly 364 days after we were, November 10, 2012. Good thing she got engaged…or else I wouldn’t know what to do!

Stay tuned…

Anywhoo… here are a few Valentine’s Day/Love inspired things that caught my eye and met my non-mush approval.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Sources, left to right: I Love You, in Binary Code – $10; two recycled wooden LOVE signs, painted to order – $42 each; Love What You Do print – $14.95; “Soldiers Goodbye & Bobbie the Cat”, 1945 – via Flickr.

From one of the favorites, Etsy, and one of my newly discovered favorites…Supermarket!

Sources: Vintage large gas station number 3; Organic eco-portable laptop bag (even though I don’t have a laptop yet… I will someday and I’ll want this bag!); Vintage Art Deco metal sign letters; Anna Mix Necklace.

Clutter might as well be a four letter word. I’m as guilty as anyone else, I definitely have clutter lurking in my home and life…but I’m getting better. This article has helped me, perhaps it can help you too.
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“Perfection is not when there is no more to add, but no more to take away.”

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A retired man once told me he loved going camping with his wife because camping showed her how simple life can be “without all that bloomin’ stuff she keeps everywhere!”

He’s right!

Our lives are meant to be simple. Our intuition and creativity thrive when given freedom and space. Clutter is a disease. Each moment we ignore the reasons we hold on to things we don’t want, those things rob us of energy, health, and clarity. Yes, clutter is destructive!

If you’re a clutter-clinger, be kind to yourself. Begin with an awareness of your thoughts and excuses. For starters, read over this list to see if you can find YOUR excuse!

Clutter Excuse #1: “I’d be a mean horrible person if I…”

Guilt is heavy gooey energy that convinces us we’re bad people if we let go of heirlooms, knick-knacks, unwanted clothing or gifts.

These items clutter up our lives and keep us in a comfortable – but draining – place. And conveniently, we never have to decide what we actually do want in our environment. We become environmental victims. Often, that spreads into other parts of our lives too!

Clutter Excuse #2 – “I spent so much on it!”

Do you punish yourself for having made a bad choice by keeping the item around? Or convince yourself that you’re going to get your money’s worth – even if it drains the heck out of you?

You won’t. And it will.

We’ve all done stupid things. And we’ve all had to let them go. Now it’s your turn.

Clutter Excuse #3 – “I might need this someday.”

I often wonder how many idle telephone cords exist in the world. Way in the back of old desk drawers. Stuffed on closet shelves. They can’t be gotten rid of.

Why?

Because we might need them some day.

Evidently, some day – in spite of technological progress – you’re going to need that particular grey phone cord that came in the box with a phone you bought in 1989.

Throw it out. Now.

Same thing goes for: The broken fax machine, switch plates from your first house, and every glass flower vase that came with deliveries.

Clutter Excuse #4 – “I might do this someday.”

I know. I know.

Someday you’ll take those broken pieces of china you’ve collected and create a beautiful mosaic birdbath. And you’ll go through those stacks of magazines and make that collage for your sister’s 30th birthday party. (She’s 51 now.)

Now – I don’t mean to deny you your plans and dreams. However, I urge you to consider experiencing theinfinite relief that appears when you let old project ideas go.

Call your sister and tell her the collage ain’t gonna happen. Buy a mosaic birdbath from an artist who makes her living from creating such treasures.

And then, make space for what you want to do. Don’t fill your space with what you should do.

Clutter Excuse #5 – “I gotta look good to my guests.”

CD’s. Books. DVD’s. Are these items treasured? Or are they simply a prop so your guests will be impressed by your intelligence and diverse tastes?

Remember this: we are motivated by two things: Fear or Love. Which of these keeps you clinging to items because of appearances?

Clutter Excuse #6 – “I Don’t Know Where It Goes.”

When items don’t have a home, it’s harder to determine whether or not they are clutter. Some things mayseem like clutter – like the cute card that your daughter made that floats around from drawer to drawer – but they’re not clutter.

They’re homeless.

Once you start defining spaces for items, then it’s easier to see when something doesn’t fit anywhere and should just get tossed.

Clutter Excuse #7 – “My thoughts don’t have any power. Do they?”

Everything has energy. The thoughts you have about the things in your home CREATE energy. If you are surrounded by stuff you keep out of guilt, then your environment holds guilt. If you hang on to stuff given to you by your ex, and you still feel bitter – then there is bitterness in your home.

Get it?

It’s either fueling you or draining you. If anything triggers you, then that is your barometer. Let it go.

Clutter Excuse #8 – “But I never wore it!”

See Clutter Excuse #2.

Clutter Excuse #9 – “There’s too much stuff!”

Overwhelm can stop us in our tracks. If this article makes you aware that there are lots of items in your life you don’t like, then go slow. Schedule small chunks of time each day. It takes time to be clutter-free! But the newfound clarity and lightness are worth it!

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Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?

See Christine’s blog at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Purchase it for yourself (or for me) here.

Someday kitties…someday.

Sources: Jayne’s DIY Kitty Playspace from Moderncat.net; Light and Airy Cat Room; The Cat’s House; Handmade Toast Cat Home; Handmade Cat House; Corrugated Cardboard Cat Cabin; Hepper Pod Pet Bed

Here are a few of my favorites from February. Click on the images to visit Smashing Magazine, see all the options, and download one for yourself.

Included below are just 6 of the free v-day fonts available at dafont.com.

Click here to visit dafont.com and view/download all the v-day inspired fonts.

FORTUNE magazine even wrote a short piece,  “Poppin.com: Bringing Style to Tape Dispensers,” in the February, 2011 issue. So far, Poppin.com isn’t up and running yet, but they’ll take your email and let you know when they’re ready.

Glad to know I’m not the only one thinking about this! Check out some truly stylish tape dispensers below.

1) Cassette Tape, Tape Dispenser from J-me.co.uk, $20 – Very cool, but it makes me said to think that so many kids may not truly appreciate this since they may have NEVER seen an actual cassette tape before! Hmm…make me feel slightly old.

2) Heavy Weight Tape Dispenser from SeeJaneWork.com, $40 – Love the utilitarian-ness of this; plus it’s very functional.

3) Silver Tape Dispenser from SeeJaneWork.com, $30 – For the luxe desk space, very chic.

4) One Hand Tape Dispenser from CanoeOnline.net, $125 *gasp* – I do love the style of this, although for some reason I think my cats would a) bite on the the tall part and b) attack and then stick to the tape sticking up.

5) Stickit Tape Dispenser, from MomaStore.org, $20 – Not only do I love this because it’s orange, I love it because it makes sense. Allow me to explain why they named it the way they did. It has a sticky polyurethane gel base which secures it to any surface so it stays put when dispensing tape. Bonus: it doesn’t leave a sticky reside behind. Genius.

6) Electronic Tape Dispenser, from LincolnStationers.com, $29.50 – For the kid in all of us! It reminds me of those Kinnect things. So fun, I wonder how well it really works?

7) Choco Tape Dispenser, from MomaStore.org, $28.95 – Made of Walnut, this definately should have been included in my “wooden wish list.” Bonus: It comes with one roll of patterned Japanese washi paper tape.