I sent out these pretty parcels to some of my favorite bloggers last week (I still have a laundry list more to go, but ahem the budget is a tad constricted right now. In my haste I did send the wrong note + package to the wrong recipient which is such an outrageous blunder, but no one has mentioned it yet, so either they didn’t mind or expect me to be a bit scatter brained.  I still owe the original blogger one. I do plan to sell gift packages like this in the shop, they may not be exactly the same, they may be even better, yes indeed.  I love the idea of easy gifting, anything that takes the angst out of finding the perfect gift is all right in my book. May I point out the notecards in this photograph?  They are the Besotted Brand signature stock and they are so luxuriously thick, the individual on the receiving end of your card will absolutely comment, I haven’t had one person not mention how perfectly thick they are.  For the purposes of using them with the Besotted Brand hand stamps they are also perfectly smooth.  I tried countless cardstocks before I created these notecards, I was like the Goldilocks of paper, nothing was quite right and then I came across this one mill that had stock so gorgeous that I immediately ordered their outrageous minimum orders worth.  I must sell it or else my future children will not be going to college.  Yes, I made a hefty investment thus the budget constraints mentioned up above.  I believe it was worth it, I am a paper-phile and if this stock made my heart sing I am sure it will do the same for others with my same affliction.

I am going to be giving a variation of this pretty parcel away, you will have until next Tuesday, October 4, 2011 to enter and I will announce the winner on October 5th. Just leave a comment, you can enter as many times as you help me spread the word. So comment and then pin this post, tweet it, facebook it, get a friend to join the mailing list and come back and leave a comment, whatever it takes, spread the word so my future children won’t have to work in a fast food joint and live at home when they are adults.  Thank you in advance and I am sure that my future children thank you as well.

So here I am a bit tardy, but happy as ever to drop by and say hello.  I am in NYC and haven’t slept for more than 24 hours, I can freely admit that the bags under my eyes need to be checked-in. On another note, I  have two winner’s for the Besotted Brand launch date contest since I had intended to open 9.10.11, which would have been quite charming and clever indeed, but I had some unexpected blips and have to postpone to 10.11, that works, no?  I do believe I shouldn’t limit prizes to the launch date, so I won’t. Above is a photograph of the Besotted Brand Archive labels, I love, love, love these labels and I hope you do too. They are printed on a lightly (and I mean lightly) textured stock, with a jet black frame, the labels are a soft white and are great for everything from gifts to organizing.  I am going to be giving a couple sets away to one winner, maybe even throw in another little surprise (or two).  I just need you to go out and help me spread the word!  Pin this post, Tweet it, Facebook it etc. Every time you do you can have another opportunity to win, just leave a comment below. I plan on doing giveaways all week.  I will pick the winners randomly and will give you to next Monday to comment, I will announce the winner next Tuesday. And if you haven’t already, please sign up for our mailing list, make sure to give us your birthday (month and day are fine).  This won’t be another annoying email, but an opportunity to be privvy to special offers and freebies that others whom aren’t on the mailing list won’t know about, why?  Because I love you…

I have to admit I have a serious antler obsession that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.  I think it may go hand-in-hand with my log cabin and Pendelton blanket obsession which of course both the antlers + blankets would look fabulous in a log cabin, no?  This photograph was taken in New York the last time I was there and you would be surprised to note that I have a dozen plus other antler captures from this trip.  It seems NYC is filled with antler photo-ops, who knew?  Speaking of New York I will be leaving again on the Sunday red eye, it will be a brief trip–Monday arrival, Wednesday a sad good-bye.  Like last time I will be sure to document it with my I phone via my Twitter feed, sort of like taking you along with me without my neurosis thrown in (okay a little bit). I’m not sure if I will have any down time to break out my ‘real’ cameras but I sure hope I do.  

If you are having some antler lust in your heart, may I suggest these fine shops to satisfy your antler needs?

//faux antlers// 

 I don’t think I need much copy here to explain why I love these photographs, do I? Yesterday when we were vacillating over which matinee to go to for my birthday afternoon,  the violent one starring Mr. Skarsgard was at the top of our list.  Why?  I have feelings for him and the Fancy said he thinks he has a man crush on him.  Yes, Mr. Skarsgard has this brunette loving woman and her jock finacee swooning. That my dears is what I suspect is called movie star quality. We ended up seeing Crazy, Stupid, Love, which I must say was a sweet treat.  Ryan Gosling isn’t too shabby either, just sayin’…

P.S. Thank you all for the birthday wishes!

An open letter to Carnations…

Dear Carnations:

I am humbly apologizing to you and your family for turning my very pointy nose up to you on so many occasions.  It is with great humility that I write this today as you have really stepped it up. No longer are you relegated to the roadside stand, or mere filler in a drugstore bouquet, no you have graduated to Mother Nature’s pom pom and I am happy to be celebrating my birthday with you.  The ballerina tutu petals you created with the slight fringe, in shades of coral and deep pink have made me change my mind.  All clustered in bushels, your warm clove like scent perfuming every inch of my tiny apartment have brought a wide smile to my face.  I usually eschew color but your bright pops were the perfect way to bid adieu to the last day of summer, today is that day, I know most of North America thinks it’s Labor Day, but they would be wrong, it’s today.  Tomorrow we will wake up and it will be fall, a new season but you won’t mind you will still be blooming in Technicolor colors  throughout the year, sharing your pom pom presence with those willing to give you a second look . You are are a hard worker little Carnations and I am honored that you have picked this day to grace your presence on my little world.

xx,

Miss B.

::photo by miss tristan b.::