HB's Love List :: Fab Finds

1. As some of you might know, I am huge headband fan. Love them. I also love a good chapeau. I have tons of hats and just love this one for fall. Super cute with your hair down or in a pony. Perfect for those days when you can't be bothered to mess with your hair.

2. This polish looks like a party in a bottle. What's not to love? The bright color and sparkles are just plain fab.

3. I am a sucker for a good dress. Easy to slip on and perfect for a day of errands, meetings or lunch with the ladies.

4. I sort of hoard diaries and notebooks. I love them. I keep my lists in them, so I never lose track things. This just screams HBDesigns. "Inspirations and Dreams" is a perfect title too!

5. My husband is a huge collector. Mostly is known for his extensive sports memorabilia collection, he also collects china. I love the color in this amazingly beautiful Herend pattern. 

6. It is always important to have some show-stopper purses in your closet. My dear friend Summer was toting this at an SMU football tailgate. I wanted to steal it from her and have been dreaming of it ever since. Bright red sequins and room to haul everything. Santa, if you are reading...I'll take one please. 

PHOTO CREDITS

Polish :: Style

Hat :: Plasticland

Dress :: Lulu's Vintage Blog

Notebook :: Smythson

Herend China :: Neiman Marcus

Valentino Tote :: Bluefly.com

Fab Entertaining :: School Treats

Now that we have settled in to the business of back to school, I thought I'd share some treats for little ones. We're up to our nose in top secret holiday card orders, so we're blogging about food this week.

I am fortunate enough to have a child that is not a huge fan of sweets or sugar. So I am always on the hunt for treats that are yummy, but not packed with artificial sweeteners and a bunch of junk.

Does this not look so fab? Guess what?! It is made with garbanzo beans and applesauce!

Deep-Dish Cookie Pie

Next, an all time fav in my house.  They are perfect for a morning snack.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I have already gone through two batches of these this week...they must be a hit, not exactly sugar free, but better than candy!

Pumpkin Muffins

HB's Pumpkin Muffins
One 9 x 5-inch loaf or muffins tins of your choice
This loaf can be made with any cooked mashed squash, yams, or sweet potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or muffin tins.
Whisk together:
  1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
  1 teaspoon salt
  1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1 teaspoon ground ginger
  1⁄2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
  1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine in a small bowl:
  1⁄3 cup water or milk
  1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat in a large bowl until fluffy:
  6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) butter, softened, or 1⁄3 cup vegetable shortening
  1 1⁄3 cups sugar or 1 cup sugar plus 1⁄ 3 cup packed brown sugar
Beat in one at a time:
  2 large eggs
Add and beat on low speed just until blended:
  1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree
Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture, beating on low speed or stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour for loaf and 20 minutes for muffins. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

What are your favorite healthy treats? Let us know and we'll feature them!

PHOTO CREDITS

Deep-Dish Cookie Pie :: Chocolate-Covered Katie

Peanut Butter Granola Bars :: two peas and their their pod

Pumpkin Muffins :: HBDesigns

Fab Entertaining :: Boo!

We are super excited to partner with the ever fab ladies of Anders Ruff today for an A-MAZING give-a-way...{Be sure to enter!}  They have the cutest printables for just about any party theme you can think of.  It got us thinking...Halloween is around the corner! So, I started to plan a party...{I can't help myself!}

First up, we'll need a HBDesigns fabritation (fabric + invitation)! Here's what we're thinking:

Next we have to have a Trick or Treat Table stocked full of perfectly spooky printables and yummy goodies!

It is probably a good idea to have some 'real' food too...How creepy does this look?

Bones & Blood

Pumpkin Veggie Tray

Mummie Dogs

Spooktacular Punch

Hope you can incorporate these ideas into your Fright Fest! Wishing you happy haunting!

Photo Credits

Halloween Fabritation: www.hbdesigns.com

Party Decor Photos: www.andersruff.com

Pumpkin Veggie Tray: www.livinglocurto.com

Bones and Blood: www.ourbestbites.com

Mummie Dogs: www.ourbestbites.com

Spooktacular Punch: www.myrecipes.com

Feature Friday :: Oh Goodie Designs

I met Joanne of Oh Goodie Designs met at Dallas Market. I saw her walking down the aisle and thought to myself, "If this lady doesn't love my product, I better pack it up." Yes, I am guilty of buyer profiling...hey, I am usually right!

Joanne has some mad party planning skills and is a sucker for a treat! Check out her sweet skills...Y-U-M!

One of my all time fave things though...her happy hats...she will custom make them to fit any theme! Now, that is something to be happy about!

Fab News :: Missioni at Target

Ok, unless you have been hiding a rock, you know about Missioni launching a Fall line at Target. We are pretty excited around here and think is just F-A-B.

Aren't these perfect little flats for the Fall?

Can you picture me pedaling around the 'burbs on this stylish set of wheels?

And this is just about perfect for lunchtime at the HBDesigns studio!

The countdown is on! The line launches September 13.

Fab Color Inspiration

Even though most days are well over 100 degrees here at the HBDesigns studio, we are actually working on winter wedding invitations. This color scheme came to us via Kerry's Papery.  She has a bride planning a fabulous winter wedding and thought we could pitch in with the invitations. We found so many fab things on our inspiration hunt, we just had to share some of them with you!

Photo Credits

Calla Bouquet: Budget Bride

Winter Wedding Bouquet: Iced Events

Pine Cone Bouquet: Wedding Bee

Crystal Lavin Pump: On Sugar

Vintage Dior Dress: Smitten

Fabritation Samples: HBDesigns

Feature Friday :: Kitty Kennedy

As part of our master blog plan here at HBDesigns, we are setting out to feature some of the fabulous people we come across on our design adventures.  For our first feature, we bring you Kitty Kennedy of Posh Pencraft & Rock Paper Studio in Los Angeles, California.  

Kitty and I go way back and have been partners in crime on many a project and many a party.  We are opposites to the core, but our friendship began on day one.  No matter what has been tossed our way, we have managed to always laugh! 

Kitty is a crazy talented gal.  Her modern and fresh take on calligraphy makes me smile.  She has seen HBDesigns grow from a little idea and some fabric to a full-service design studio.  She was in my wedding and was one of the first to show up when Lil' Miss was born. Kitty is always willing to drop everything to pitch in when a emergency arises that requires a trip to our favorite LA fabric haunt.  She is  a major part of our HBDesigns family and we are grateful to have her in our lives.

Fab Entertaining :: August

Like many of you, I am feeling a bit rushed. August crept up on me and in a few short weeks another summer will come to an end.

We create a ton of  summer fabritations (fabric + invitations) here at HBDesigns, especially in August. Seems everyone wants to celebrate one last warm evening before school starts and the air begins to chill.

Here's some summertime fabritations we love...

Cotton A7 Fabritation in 'Bright Poppy'

A7 Cotton selections in Aunt Dahlia, Blue Paisley, Bold Stripe

Cotton #10 Fabritation in 'Blue Cape'

A7 Astro Turf Fabritation

Like many of you, we also do a ton of entertaining here at HBDesigns.  There is something about inviting people into your home and cooking for them...must be the Italian in me! We love to spend lazy summer evenings poolside with friends.

Here are a few yummy treats we will be preparing before the end of the month (sweets and cocktails first, vegetables last, just the way we like it!)

Hope you enjoy the recipes and think of us next time you need invitations! 

Photo Credits & Recipe Links

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie: Southern Living 

Lychee Saketini Cocktail Pops: Bakers Royal
Grilled Peaches: eCurry
Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa: ORMG
Grilled Brussel Sprouts: Natalie's Killer Cuisine 

Fabrinery (fabric + stationery) Focus

We have been up to our ears in fabrinery (fabric + stationery) orders. For those of you who are new to The Pink Label, fabrinery is our signature note card line here at HBDesigns.  This is not your mama's stationery!
We work with a wide variety of fabrics (from cottons to silks, linens to velvets) to create one-of-a-kind custom stationery.

What makes HBDesigns different?  We did our research! We wanted to create something totally unique. There are others out there that use fabric, but they simply bond it to card stock paper. Each piece of fabrinery is made out of a heavy weight board. We cover it in a fabric of your choice, design the card and glue it all together. The best part...NO extra postage required!

Fabrinery is guaranteed to have your friends and family calling you upon receipt! They make fab hostess gifts, are perfect for a thankful bride and kids of all ages love all the fun patterns.

Are you sold? Contact me!

14 Days and Counting!

After what seems like a life's worth of planning, we are on the home stretch and packing things up to be shipped to the National Stationery Show.  

Phew! I could write a book about being a first time vendor. There is so much that goes into getting to this huge show and it is impossible to do alone.

We just put the final touches one of my favorite parts of our booth display. We used various designs from our fabritations (fabric + invitations) line to a fabulous skirt. Hours and hours went into planning, designing and executing this project. We even created our crate so that it could ship fully assembled!

We asked our facebook fans to help us name her. There were some very creative ideas out there! Fabrina, Cardoline, Cardarella, Fabriella...It was very hard to decide! We decided to name her Miss Fab. 

We love FABric and we think our designs are FABulous, so it was a perfect fit! Congratulations to Brittany Poe for coming up with the winning name! We hope you enjoy your fabrinery (fabric + stationery) prize!

Stay tuned for more updates on our road to New York! 

Turkey Trot! Trot! Trot!

I love the month of November. There's a chill in the air and much to be thankful for! I get to celebrate my Birthday, my Wedding Anniversary and Thanksgiving!  After all that celebrating it will be time for a diet, but I won't bore with those details! Even though I am up to my ears in fabric and holiday orders, I wanted to share some projects with you that you can create yourself!  Maybe I will inspire you to get the paints, glue and flour out!
First, I love turkeys.  So that will be our theme. I have this fond memory of by little brother's kindergarten Thanksgiving performance...he stood on stage with a turkey mask and sang: 

Turkey trot, trot, trot. 

Across the lot, lot, lot. 

Feeling fine, fine, fine 

Until Thanksgiving time!

We still sing this every year and laugh about it.  Chris is now an Olympian and world class ski cross racer, so the fact that we still get such a good belly laugh out of that one silly song, warms my heart! 


I sent my little one off to school today for her Thanksgiving Feast and have been DYING to have her wear this dress. I have a lovely woman who is kind enough to make all the custom things I dream up. I got smart this time around and had her make this dress reversible. Halloween witch boots on one side and yes, you guessed it, a turkey on the other! I could have sold a dozen of these today, which got me thinking about needing to take sewing lessons!

My Little Miss in her Turkey Trot! Trot! Trot! Dress

Here is what I am whipping up using the turkey as my theme:
CRAFT

• Turkey Handprint Aprons
• Gather your girlfriends and their kiddos for a Pre-Turkey-Day Play Date.  Ask everyone to bring the following items:
• 1 bottle fabric paint
• 1 bottle puffy paint
• Aprons (light colored fabric works best>

(All the items can be purchased at your local craft store. I like to do an apron for me (the chef), one for Sophia (the sous chef) and our guests who will be joining us for Thanksgiving Dinner.  These also make fabulous hostess gifts if you heading out to give thanks.)

As you can see from the picture, you paint the hand and thumb brown and each finger a different color for the feathers and then place it on the apron. 
Next paint the legs, a beak and a wattle (aka the 'gobbler' in my house) onto the apron.  I am going one step further this year and hot-gluing a plastic eye on, but you can paint one on just as well. Be sure to paint names, the year and a fun saying.
Set everything aside to dry, let the kids play and enjoy the treats below!


TREATS
I have so many turkey treats to share, I had a hard time nailing down just two! 


Cookie Treats
These cookies are perfect to go along with your Turkey Apron Play Date. 

First, whip up your favorite sugar cookies (if you need a no fail, d-lish, A+ cookie recipe, send me a note and I will email you mine). Next, you will need chocolate icing for glue, candy corn (I have a ton leftover from Halloween), small candies for eyes and some tubes of colored icing. You can just follow the picture below and voila! Darling, yummy cookies!


Candy Treats
This idea came to me from one of my craftiest pals from college. Megsy, I love you and all your craftiness! These gobblers are super cute and you can eat them! I am using them as place cards this year since I have a table full of kiddos arriving for Thanksgiving dinner.


You will need:

• cherry cordials or truffles for bodies
• striped cookies for feathers
• oreos for stands
• candy corn for beaks
• chocolate chips for legs
• chocolate icing for glue

Just assemble them and giggle in delight like I did! So cute! So fun! So unexpected! 


TABLESCAPE
A friend came over last week and was floored that I had most of my table set for Thanksgiving. I find myself setting tables at odd hours when I have 10 minutes of silence and the whole house is still.  My entire dining room set has been passed down to me and belonged to my late grandparents. I like to spend time listening to my memories of great meals we shared together at that table.  I also like to imagine all the characters that have sat in those chairs.

Anyway, I think a lot of people are afraid to tackle a nice tablescape. Maybe your budget doesn't allow for extravagance.  Maybe you are pressed for time. Maybe you are not creative. I tried to come up with something using what I had instead of rushing out to buy more stuff. (insert happy husband here...he was thrilled to see this table knowing he didn't have to haul more boxes of new stuff (or crap) up to the attic come November 26)
I started with a vintage tablecloth from my grandmother.  I love her old things from Europe and try to use them all the time.  I added our HBDesigns Turkey Trot place mats.  I love these! One side mat (think charger for the toddler-aged), one side chalk board.  The kids can doodle while they wait for dinner to be served.  Heck, my husband will be doodling too! It's a win-win!

(shown fabric side up)

(shown chalk board side up)

You can see I tied a couple pieces of chalk up for each guest and I took time to write a little something on each mat to get the ideas flowing.
I added some pumpkins, candles and set everyone's place with china, silver, crystal and linen napkins. You're in a state of shock.  I know! I know! I am a little nuts! Yes, children will be sitting at this table! I use the 'good stuff' all the time.  Why should it sit in the china closet? Everything can be replaced and I feel like I am teaching my daughter how to respect and use nice things.  Finally, each guest gets a turkey gobbler which serves a tasty treat and a place card (with the addition of a Kit-Kat candy piece for the name). 

So there you have it.  I know we are all so busy, but some times you just have to take the time to sit and make things by hand.  If you can gather your friends and make things together, you'll be even more thankful you took the time.  I hope I inspired you to get creative!