So I’ve been watching a documentary about Andy Warhol. Honestly, I’ve never really been a Warhol fan …I mean, I generally understood how influential he was, and I got how much of today’s design world is the way it is because of his work. I appreciated his art. But I never really *liked* it. After …

Hostess Heather Crosby had a blast from the past throwing a high school themed engagement party for her brother Chad and bride-to-be Shayda who met back in their teens. Starting with a handwritten ‘Secret Passed Note’ engagement party invitation, Heather included these adorable high school inspired details throughout the party: Prom Flowers. Heather used every …

This week Friday inspiration goes green. I just got back from exploring Ireland with my sisters. We started in Dublin, drove (on the left side) to Galway, toured Kylemore Abbey and Connemara, meandered the coastline and hiked the Cliffs of Moher on our way down to Dingle, and wound around Killarney National Park to a …

Here’s a simple and clever party invitation concept for a high school themed engagement party, and it’s even folded into the classic secret square shape. Heather Crosby’s beloved brother Chad and his lovely bride-to-be Shayda met way back in high school. A chance meet up a decade later while Chad was home visiting family led …

Watch out Speed Racer. Mom of two Amy Herlihy hand painted racing car wall art to match her son Kieran’s racing themed comforter and pillow sham. Now Kieran has his dream bedroom. And it’s a lot easier than it may look… Supplies: 3D stretched canvases(choose your sizes) Acrylic paint Selection of brushes and a painting …

Memorial Day in Chicago means one thing: grilling! Here’s an easy, very tasty and relatively healthy marinade recipe for chicken, pork, fish or veggie kabobs, courtesy of Merriment reader Jen Martensen who created and evolved this recipe that she uses “all the time” (thanks, Jen!). And if you’re not into mustard, try Shane’s famous grilled …

So my friend Jeff and I were talking at Mac’s about Merriment and he asked if I could make a unique baby gift to help him welcome Isabella, a friend’s newborn daughter. These handmade, sweet, graphic appliqué baby onesies should do the trick. Supplies: Kathy’s free onesie applique shape template (PDF; dog, butterfly, bottle shapes …

Some musical inspiration for you this Friday. Alex, Heather and I watched Dolly Parton perform at the Chicago Theater last night …10 rows from the front! We went to celebrate Heather’s birthday but I felt like I was the one who got the present. Dolly’s warm, everyday lyrics and voice, not to mention her sunny …

I love the combination of turquoise and orange that Anne-Marie Rosser and Adam Whipple used for their intimate outdoor wedding reception on a Chicago terrace. Anne-Marie started with turquoise tablecloths and crisp white linen napkins. Her long table centerpiece alternated orange orchid bunches in square glass containers, small succulents in rocks-filled square glass containers, and …

So what was in Madison’s cookie jar birthday boxes to help celebrate her second birthday? Super fun numbers cookie cutters and a child’s size pink Wizard of Oz apron handmade by Aunt Kathy. I’ve made many aprons in my time both from patterns and from scratch. I created this child’s size pattern inspired by Amy …

Tonight my sisters and I saw the Edward Hopper exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago. I just love his everyday scenes of people, life and solitude in the city. Many of the paintings on exhibit captured that late afternoon time of day when the shadows are long and the light looks so beautiful. It’s …

So today is my adorable niece Madison’s second birthday. I made her a super cool gift that I’ll post in a few days with instructions once she’s unwrapped her gift. In the meantime here are instructions for her cookie jar wrapping paper. Supplies: Kathy’s cookie jar template (page 1, page 2, page 3) Avery White …

AT&T delivered piles of telephone books to my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago. Not needing ours but cringing at tossing the stack into the trash I decided to find some crafty uses for them. So I wrapped my sister Karin’s birthday gifts with birthday-themed yellow pages. Supplies: Telephone book (preferably yellow pages) Tape Scissors …

Here’s one of my favorite it’s-a-rainy-day-and-I-am-low-on-groceries recipe: Green pea soup with toasted baguette slices. It’s a healthy, low fat, non-dairy recipe from Ellie Krieger, one of my favorite Food Network chefs. 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon (I subbed …

I made these three kitschy CD mixes to thank my friend Amy for letting me stay at her place for the first few days of my week in NYC. Back when I was a kid, my dad handmade wonderful miniature farmland model worlds. I can still remember him individually painting figurines and gluing on grass …