IT'S FRIDAY.

And how incredibly cool are these triangle pendant necklaces from etsy seller a merry mishap?

Given my newly-established brand identity...
my admitted infatuation with triangles...
gold...
and necklaces...

I think I need one.


HAPPY FRIDAY.
enjoy that weekend of yours.

DIY: CASUAL ROMAN SHADE.

How adorable is my good friend Amy?

She's the mastermind and incredible talent behind Sweet Tea Imagery, my very favorite Charleston wedding / family / lifestyle photographers. Truly--she's brilliant! See?

 Not only is she incredibly fun, sweet, and unbelievably skilled with that camera of hers, but she's entirely professional and knows the very best beach and historic district spots for the most amazing background settings. If you're ever headed to Charleston, look her up and getch-you some family photos! (Yep, I make up words.) And tell her I sent you :)

Anyway, I've been helping miss Amy plan a little design update to her adorable kitchen nook, and was blown away by a DIY project I spotted on her dining room window. If you know me at all you know that I lust over roman shades and their elegant simplicity, but they're pretty pricey to have made so I haven't bit the bullet on outfitting my own windows with them. Well, problem now solved, thanks to Amy and her DIY  skills!

Check it out:

[ disclaimer: the terribly terrible photos are by me, not Amy. She is probably cringing at the sight! ]

Doesn't this casual roman shade look amazing? I love the soft, restful lines of the curved bottom, and the interest that the ribbon-tie creates. And that ikat fabric Amy chose is amazing! It really makes her dining room fresh, cozy, and totally put-together.

The best part? Amy says the entire project is super simple (only 7 easy steps), and requires minimal sewing skills (you could even use stitch witchery to hem the edges and create the rod pocket if you don't sew!).

Here are her directions:

1. Find a fabric you like that's wider than the width of your window by at least 5 inches to allow for hemming. Purchase enough yardage (in length) to go 10 inches past the bottom of the window (from where you've installed your curtain rod), to allow for rolling and hemming.

2.  Hem each side of the fabric so the shade will span 1.5 inches past the outside window edge or moulding. (Say your window is 36 inches wide. You'd want the finished width of the shade to be 39 inches, so each side rests 1.5 inches from the window edge.)

3. Turn under the top and bottom edges, and hem. 

4.  To create the pole pocket, fold over the top hem (leaving enough room for the circumference of the pole to slide through), and sew in place.

5.  Now you just have to attach the ribbon! Amy tacked each ribbon length (4 total, 2 for each side) to the top, backside of the curtain, about 4-5 inches from the outside edge. She then ran 2 pieces of ribbon (1 on each side) down the front of the curtain to meet the 2 pieces hanging in the back. (You can run a hand stitch to help keep the ribbon in place, or use fabric glue!) 

6. Turn your nearly-finished shade wrong-side-up and begin rolling the bottom hem til your happy with your shade's length, and tie those ribbons you just tacked on! A helpful hint: Amy used an extra piece of shoe mold to help her roll the fabric and keep it straight, and then just slid it out when she was happy with her roll!

7. Now hang that pretty!!!

So how easy is that?! If you decide to embark on making your very own casual roman shade, feel free to email me with any questions you come up with along the way! hannah@hannahmaple.com

And please...I'd love to see photos of your end result!

And a huge thank-you to Amy for being so DIY-savvy...and amazing!

IT'S MY BDAY.

And guess what? It's already been accompanied by a few birthday-perfect surprises:

 

 

ONE:  Our camellia out front conveniently decided to flower (reason #942 I love the South--December blooms).  This is perfect (and funny) because we didn't even know what this giant shrub was for about six months, and it's a winter bloomer so once we discovered it was a camellia, we had to wait patiently to see what color and variety it would show to be. So now we know--hot pink with white splatters--and I love her.

TWO: U.O. was having a 50%-off-the-sale-price sale. I scored these $100 knee-high boots I've been eyeing for two years for...drum-roll...$20. Oh, and it just so happened they only had my size left. A birthday meant-to-be.

THREE: Fresh-squeezed OJ accompanied my early-morning wakeup call (he's so good to me).

FOUR:  So did a homemade tomato, feta, mushroom arugula frittata (yum), and...

FIVE:  the cutest dang coffee service I ever did see. 

So, this bday gal is feeling pretty blessed today, and entirely thankful for all you readers and your sweet emails, comments, and constant encouragement. THANK YOU! You're really the best.

And sorry for the super late-in-the-day post. Despite what it seems, today's been busy, busy.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY.

xoxo.

REVAMPED.

Alright my pretties (and any Mr.'s who may be reading this, as my Maple pointed out that could be so, and you probably don't like being called pretty...)

She. Is. Done.

The blog, that is.  There are a few more tweaks to come (email button, twitter, etc.), but for the most part this is our new look!  I wanted something a bit more simple and classic, and I needed it to reflect my new brand identity:

Above is a sneak peak at the front of my biz cards. I love the logo: classic, clean, and effective. The idea was to keep the text simple, and, when I get bored, I can change the background. But for now it will be a subtle, letterpressed snakeskin texture. 

The three triangles are my so-called "emblem," and they'll find a place on the back of my bizcards. I'll also be printing them on letterhead, envelope liners, etc. etc.  I love the symbolism hidden behind their simple yet striking presence: triangles are one of the most significant primary shapes in geometry. They're known for their inherent stability, and are often used in structural systems due to the fact that they cannot be easily altered or broken. Yet despite the shape's unmatched strength and solidity, it becomes entirely dynamic when tipped onto one of it's sides. Over thought? Maybe. But there's one more representation: my brilliant logo designer reminded me that I live at the beach, and the triangles are a geometric representation of those salty ocean waves I so greatly adore. 

So there you have it. A breakdown of my brand identity. And, because I love mixing unexpected elements in my designs, the cards' edges will be painted in a stunning shade of peacock blue. Can't wait to start handing them out--though I'm afraid they'll be too pretty for me to easily let go :)

In the meantime, if you have any blog or design-related questions, feel free to email me! You know I love hearing from you.    hannah@hannahmaple.com

And thanks for bearing with me! I'm so excited to be launching my very own design firm, and can't wait to provide you with loads of daily eye candy and unmatched inspiration.

HAPPY TUESDAY.

TODAY IS THE DAY.

Bear with me, dear friends--today is the day the blog makeover begins. As mentioned, she's getting a bit of a face-lift! We're going to iron out some wrinkles, if you will, and smooth things over so she'll be ever-so-beauteous (with a whole-new face).

Or...I just want her to match my new brand identity :) But, today may mean aesthetic chaos each time you click on the link...so my sincere apologies. I hope it doesn't spill over into tomorrow, but it very well could. That just means we're hard at work doing these exciting updates.

And, in the spirit of change, be inspired: 

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. 
  
-Churchill

See you soon!  And thanks for your unending patience!

THE DAILY GRIND.

Today's been a good day, despite the fact that Maple and I are still trying to kick these Thanksgiving colds of ours.  Nonetheless, crisp weather, ample sunshine, and a busy calendar is making me pretty dang happy today, though I'm still reminiscing about last night's dinner (and what followed suit):

I made Asian pear pizza, topped with pancetta, mozzeralla, 

feta,and of course shredded parmesan:

 It was nothing short of delicious and I haven't stopped thinking about it since! Thank goodness there were leftovers...which I just devoured. Really...it was the perfect concoction of sweet and savory, and the salty pancetta really heightened it to perfection. And it's so easy: simply roll out your dough, top it with thin slices from two ripe Asian pears, crack some fresh black pepper atop, and layer on your cheese of choice. Top it with pancetta straight from the package (no need to pre-cook), and throw it in a 400 degree oven until the edges are lightly browned.

And in case you're curiosity's been peaked, here's my favorite dough recipe:

The Pioneer Woman's pizza dough

(simply scroll to the very bottom)

Maple strung the lights on our tree

(which I was more than excited to pick out!)

Our first tree in our first house:

We make or give one another an ornament every December that represents the year gone by, so we don't have all that many. All that we do have, though, are super special, and it's so fun to reminisce over each one as we hang them. See that round, wooden one? That's my favorite--made by Maple himself...before we got hitched.

So my morning started off at Wildflour bakery--chatting it up with a really good friend over delicious coffee.

I grabbed some Sherwin Williams paint samples after coffee and headed over to another good friends house to discuss decorating plans for her amazingly cute kitchen nook:

Cool, crisp weather has finally descended upon Charleston--which means beloved boots and legwarmers for me today:

So Amy and I sipped some tea, talked paint, stain, and other fun things, then headed to the Habitat Restore to peruse hidden treasures with peppermint hot chocolate in-hand. We scored: amazing bentwood cafe chairs for $5 a piece. Amy left with two, and I couldn't bear to part without at least one. So in my guestroom it now sits:

$5!! She'll sit pretty with a custom round cushion and newly spruced walls (whenever I muster up the energy for that dreaded painting task).

So now I'm home, nestled in front of the computer, with a candle burning and tea in the kettle, tackling an email or two and wrapping  up some design work:

...daydreaming over my office revamp (goodbye halfway painted peacock wall...hello diamond grass cloth paper and glossy moulding) and that oh-so-cool console I found for dirt cheap that I so badly want to paint (see the brass, corner hardware and half circle, flush drawer pulls?!):

And that's my day.

Full of dear friends and all the things I love.

So I'm off...to finish work...clean house...and anxiously await the arrival of a best friend from college.

Happy Thursday!

 P.S. don't be surprised by Maple + Shade's soon-to-be new look. I'll get around to updating it in the next few days or so :)

BIG BARGAIN, HIGH STYLE.

Does anyone else ever wonder how Kmart is still in biz? I'd probably never go there, except that it's incredibly more convenient than hauling my way to Walmart and fighting traffic near Target. Lucky for me, I needed to pay a visit yesterday. And look what I just happened upon in the lighting aisle:

A faux ostrich lampshade for (gasp) $15...lined with gold paper and everything.
You must know by now that I'm a sucker for anything python/lizard/ostrich print (just wait til you see my new brand identity). And...I favor masculinity over anything pretty. AND...it was $15. So in my basket it went...and on my coveted marble lamp it now sits. The perfect pair, I'd say.

Thank you Kmart. I may just buy all you have in stock.

P.S. I looked for it online, and it seems as though it's sold in-store only.

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA.

Tis the season--for emptying your bank account. I adore the holiday season, and all of it's festivities, and spending what seems like extra-quality, enjoyable time with family and dear friends...but the pressure to buy all your loved-ones gifts often means I find myself stressing over the funds in our bank account. So, if you're on a rather right budget like moi, check out this amazing gift idea via my best friend Kendall. Not only is it super thrifty, but it's super cute--and super handy--meaning you'll actually use it. I don't know about you, but more often than not all those stocking stuffers and gag gifts I get end up at Goodwill, because, well...I can't stand clutter and I simply don't have room to harbor them. That, too, musters up a lot of guilt. So, here you go: a guilt-free, stress-free, money-saving gift that's entirely ahh-mazing and smells good, too :)

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT LAUNDRY SOAP

THE RECIPE: (thank you, Kendall, for sharing!)

 and yes, it's safe for HE washers!

3 T naptha bar soap, grated (like Dr. Bronner's peppermint castille soap)

4 T washing soda 

4 T borax

5 C cold water

3/4 C hot water

30-40 drops essential oils (peppermint is good for the holidays)

Melt the grated soap with the 3/4 C water in a pot on the stove. Stir frequently. When melted, remove from heat. When mixture has cooled a bit, add the cold water, washing soda, borax, and essential oils. Then, divvy out among mason jars (or, if making it for yourself, store it in an old laundry dispenser container). Shake it up, and voila!

And, a little tip: throwing it in the blender will help emulsify everything!

Use 1/4 C of your concoction to wash a full load.

So, if you're going to be super cute like Kendall, you'd print out the recipe on a little tag and tie it around the mason jar. 

And cover the jar with some festive fabric, of course:

--If you're lucky enough to live near an ikea, this fabric would be perfect.

--This green gingham and this red gingham would be super festive and far from cheesy

--And how about this non-traditional, Amy Butler fabric? It may not be very holiday-ish, but I'm loving how it would look with some thick red yarn tied around the jar.

Have a happy start to your December holidays!

Hope this inspires you to enjoy your gift giving.

EVER SO THANKFUL.

And so the packing begins.

We're hitting the road today...venturing home to our Kentucky.

So looking forward to a Thanksgiving spent with our ever-missed family and friends, and,
with this long-awaited holiday weekend comes a million reasons to be thankful this season:

My Maple.

 Our (rapidly) growing family -- all of our nieces, and our soon-to-be two nephews.

Our travels.

That pup of ours!

 My talents, passions, hopes...and my dreams.

This incredible coastal city we're so lucky to call home.

Our house.

And, of course, all those amazing friends we're so lucky to have...

and their insanely cute kiddos.

So...happy travels today, y'all.

Be safe. Be happy. And enjoy all that yummy food.

PLEASE EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE.

A house is more than just a shelter from 
the storm. How we shape our homes, 
and how we behave within them, speak 
volumes about our history, our values 
and our way of life. 

- New York Times 

What are you passionate about?