Brenda Baker Productions

Weather-wise, I think things are looking up in the Pacific Northwest. I walked home from downtown today without a coat AND in my Kork-ease wedge sandals without feeling cold. (In all honesty, my feet were absolutely killing me so it probably could have been blizzard-like, and I wouldn't have noticed.) But, gosh, it's the last day of my spring break so naturally my thoughts are turning to summer. Here are a few new [pre-summer] card designs for you to enjoy. I'm happy to have dusted off my popsicle stamps! Going to buy a bag of orangesicles now. And some band-aids for my blisters.

photo credit Jerome Tso I don't really need to tell you we have a dancer in the house; there's evidence all around. Here are a few visual clues you'd see if you stopped by today. First, the obvious: we do loads of laundry full of tights, leotards, and workout gear. One shower curtain rod and four towel bars aren't enough. Hairpins are a telltale sign, too. We find them everywhere. Seriously. Everywhere. Sometimes I wonder how many bobby pins we have purchased within the last decade or so. And, what goes with hairpins? Hairspray. Lots of hairspray. Largest quantities you can find, please. You'll always find the current PNB promotional materials on our table. Never recycle these. They are to be kept for all of eternity. P.S. If you're near the Seattle area, you should really buy tickets for Coppelia which, as the postcard reveals... "opens this week!" Training for a professional dance career also requires an endless source...

Happy Leap Day tomorrow! I'm a day early but since I have a "day job" that I need to show up for, I have to papercraft on weekends. I've got a lot to be thankful for so I sat down to make a few thank you notes today. First of all, I hosted our final admission tour of the year last week so I had a couple of fabulous student ambassadors to thank. Here are the cards I made for these special kiddos: I love the sparkly cork heart! This card is for a superstar of a guy who will graduate this June. He plans to study industrial design at college. The "bubble sheet" patterned paper is one of my favorites of all time. As sponsor of the high school Spirit Club, I had the privilege of hosting a Coffee House for our high school students on Friday night. My fellow adult chaperone was my colleague and friend Nancy, and I think we had as much fun as the kids. This is a thank you for her, my partner in crime. There are also students who go above and beyo...

It's the last day of January, and I'm giving up all hope for snow in our neck of the woods. Whatever. So, I guess I'll just go ahead and share the chill-themed cards I've been saving to post on a snow day. No point in waiting--especially if global warming has its way with February. Enjoy these cuties! Sending out one last wish for a snow day (that falls outside weekends, federal holidays, and already scheduled Mid-Winter Break)! Next up...heart-warming Valentines!

Today, I've left it all to the last minute: the wrapping, the groceries, the baking. This is when it gets real, people. Maybe you have a few things to wrap today, too? If so, here's a little wrapping inspiration from DJ Wrapper BB (with a little OCD). First of all, you don't need to amass a lot of gift wrap. Storing too many rolls takes space (we're short on space so that's always a challenge) and then you run the risk of mucking them up. I like my gift wrap to be pristine. Just choose a few favorites. Oh, and by the way, I prefer to actually wrap gifts in boxes. I rarely use gift bags unless the item is a really weird shape or if I'm in a pinch. Second--and perhaps most importantly--beautiful ribbon is a must. I tend to have lots of ribbon on hand in a variety of colors for year-round wrapping. I love Paper Source satin ribbon. Have fun with your wrapping. Even though I always leave it to the last minute, I like the wrapping better than the shoppi...

We're not counting on a white Christmas so I decided to make my own. You can, too, with a little help from a die-cutting tool and a sewing machine. I love my Slice machine. Although the Slice isn't manufactured any longer, there are far more elaborate die-cutting tools on the market such as the Silhouette or Cricut. I'm a simple girl so I will stick with my little Slice as long as it keeps ticking. I cut a variety of snowflakes in all different sizes out of plain white cardstock; I used the Fa La La and Mistletoe discs. When I had a good pile of snow, I pulled the sewing machine out of the closet and stitched them together on white thread. I sewed mine a little close together but you can exercise more patience and leave more wiggle room. (I've got stuff to do. Can't be sitting around waiting for extra stitches right now!) Hang it on a bold wall to make it really pop. String it from the ceiling lights. Drape it across the window and let the light shine th...

My December 21 calendar quote reads, "Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." If I'm on your gift list, please give me TIME! I think the Monday before Christmas always elicits panic for people who are normally in control but I really need to step it up today. And that's why today's post brings an easy (aka "cop out" project) centerpiece idea that is simple and charming, and the beauty of it is that it can be changed up for every season. On Friday, I stopped by Bartell's to grab some candy canes on the way to school and found a screamin' deal on a glass dome and wooden base. It had to have been at least 75% off, and it was Bartell's so, yeah, it was cheap. The sticker on the glass said "Mouth Blown in Europe" which made us all laugh because it sounded both impressive and awkward at the same time. That's how we roll in the Baker household. The only thing that didn't excite ...