I just finished a big batch of new notebook covers and have uploaded them to the Princess Lasertron store!

I created a bunch of these for the holidays last year and sold them at $40 each, and this year I have marked them down to $25. It’s really just more special to me that you be able to have these and enjoy them than it is for me to make a huge profit off of selling them. I love it when I see them popping up on Facebook and Flickr because people have bought them and are using them!

So here’s your homework:
1. Snatch up a notebook cover
2. Buy your $5 Barcamp Omaha ticket and come hear my talk about Making it Pretty!

So snatch em up! They’re goin fast!

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We are just getting down to the last week or so until Barcamp Omaha 2010 (Nov. 19-20), one of the most fun, inspirational, and inclusive conference events in the area. I know that several of you dear readers were able to make the trip for last year’s Barcamp and had a really great time. It’s a weekend of making friends, learning new things, and sharing your passions with people who are genuinely interested in hearing what you have to say.

This year I am giving a talk called Make it Pretty: Valuing style in your personal and professional life. I’ve been working on it for a little while now and it will inspire you to go above and beyond with all the details, whether it’s in your job, when you’re wrapping your Christmas presents, baking a pie, or even shopping at the grocery store. Thinking about packaging and presentation in your life isn’t “fake” or “superficial”–it’s a way to show the world that you care and reward yourself for your hard work! Don’t you deserve your own best effort?

I am sensing a few questions!

What is Barcamp?

It’s an “un”-conference format held in cities all over the world. There is no speaker list, no fixed schedule, and no rigid guidelines. Our open format offers attendees the unique opportunity to network, learn, and communicate about what they are passionate about! Barcamp conferences are held all over the world, but at Barcamp Omaha we do something special. Uniting techies, creatives, and entrepreneurs, we are not merely a “tech conference” or a “design conference.” Instead, we strive to include all local innovators and give you a platform to learn, teach, and explore the limits of your creativity. The goals for Barcamp are simple: come with an open mind and share what you are passionate about!

Okay, sounds, cool, but do I have to give a speech or a talk?

Nope! Most people come to Barcamp to make friends or listen to other people speak, and that’s great! We want you participate in whatever way you like, whether it’s starting the wave at the opening party bash, forming a panel of experts in backpacking, or just sitting in the back row and taking it all in! There are no rules.

What are some typical Barcamp talks?

In past years we have heard people speak about topics ranging from glass blowing to using blogs to leverage your brand to starting coworking spaces, talks with titles like “Kill Ticketmaster,” “Life as a Professional Bum,” “MYSQL Performance Tuning,” and “Become a Whiskey Expert.” There is a huge range of topics and you can speak about anything you really feel passionate about!

Sweet, so you’re coming!

Let me tell you what to expect. On Friday the 19th, show up to the gorgeous Nomad Lounge at 7pm to meet the other Barcampers and have a drink or two on our sponsors! Last year’s Barcamp party was a blast–besides the lounge being totally gorgeous with wide-open areas to bust a move and intimate little alcoves to break off for a private conversation, we had a huge screen broadcasting that night’s Twitter stream and drinks till the bar closed down.

The next morning it’ll probably be a little chilly when you come in, so we’ll have a coffee and hot chocolate bar with all the trimmings and breakfast catered. If you want to give a talk, you will fill out a little note card and submit it to us, and we will lay out all of the cards to determine the day’s schedule during breakfast. Then we will post the schedule and the sessions will begin around 10am!

There are three tracks–Creative, Entrepreneurship, and Development/Tech–held in the spacious and ambient Nomad Lounge. We classify each talk into one of those tracks, but you can expect to find lots of off-the-wall topics as well. Lunch will be catered, and then we’ll finish up at 6pm when you can run off to one of the awesome restaurants in the neighborhood with all of your pals. And of course, in true Omaha style, another raucous closing party will be that evening.

Come to Barcamp Omaha 2010! It’s only $5! Meet me and check out my beloved city! Find out what new surprises we have planned for you this year! Listen to my talk about making everything pretty!

Photos by me and Andy Peters.

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Congrats to Amy, who won our little Halloween giveaway!

I love this giveaway–the little pink wayfarers, the gothy lolita hairbow, and all of the unique vintage notions and goodies. If you didn’t win, there will always be next time–love you all!

xo
meg

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First, a few observations and questions:

• I’m shocked by how many of you said your favorite childhood Halloween costume was a clown. Like, what?!! (You can still enter that giveaway too until Wednesday night!)
• I always forget that the way we celebrate Halloween here is sort of an American thing. For those of you in Deutschland/NZ/Aus/UK/etc, what are some of your national holidays that you loved growing up?
• What do you like to win? Grab bag type things? De-stashy scrapbook stuff? Unisex things (gentleman readers)? Books? Gift cards? Handmade work?

With that, I want to share a super easy no-sew pom flower garland that I cranked out yesterday to decorate for a little fall party I am having. This pom flower-making technique is perfect for so many things–you can space them out on a garland like I did, or bunch them all up together to create a more lush, full look. You could make the flowers alone out of stiff fabric, set them on end and use them to hold place cards. You could glue brooch pins or hairclips on the back and make them for your bridesmaids or friends. Or you could skip this post and go look at some other internets.

Here is what you need to begin:
…Fabric. Scraps work great. You’ll be cutting it into strips.
…Scissors
…Fabric glue–I prefer Beacon Adhesive’s Fabri-Tac (or hot glue, or a needle and thread to do a quick stitch)
…A needle and heavy thread–I used waxed upholstery thread here.

1. Cut your fabric into 2” strips. They don’t all have to be the same length, but having them be the same width helps. You could use a rotary cutter if you’re super anal and you want them all to be consistent, but I just eyeballed the width and tore my fabric.

2. Fringe it up! The easiest way I’ve found to do that is to fold the fabric strip in thirds, line up the top edge so you don’t accidentally cut through the entire strip, and then fringe the strip cutting through three layers at a time, like so:

3. With the right side of the fabric facing in, start rolling the fabric up, holding the un-fringed end of the strip.

4. After the fabric is all rolled up, glue the loose end in place to secure. Sometimes I do a little dot of glue a few times as I roll it up, just to make sure the inside doesn’t slip out.

5. Fluff it out. I just do this by holding the end of the flower and smashing the petal fringe into the palm of my hand. Like I said, quick and dirty!

6 (optional bonus step): If you want to, you can use contrasting fabric and wrap another layer or two around your first flower to add some depth of color and pattern, like I did here with red fabric:

7: String em up with a needle and thread! I like using waxed thread because the flowers don’t slip around on the garland. You could also hang each flower with a string from a ribbon if you don’t like the look of stitching through them.

I can’t wait to make the grip of these out of all my extra fabric and hang them all up at my party! I also plan to re-use them this Christmas in my gift wrapping. These little pom flowers are a great little trick to have up your sleeve for party and package decorating.

xo
meg

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Halloween is my favorite holiday and I have treats for you!

A hairbow handmade by me, a pair of pink wayfarers, a vintage brooch.

A houndstooth box of vintage fall-flavored buttons.

My favorite kind of sequin stars, vintage pom poms, and two spools of trims–antique brown seam binding and cute printed twill tape.

A matchbook pack of vintage button cards, and a kit to make ten button flower stems!

I hope you like it!

To win, leave a comment and tell me about your favorite childhood Halloween costume! Or just say anything at all. “Hi” is fine. I just like to give a prompt.

Open to international readers too–winner on Wednesday!

Finally, here are our pumpkins this year (and here are some pictures of us carving them). For her first Halloween, Alice is going to be a piece of asparagus sushi. Dave is wearing tiger footy pajamas, and I’m wearing a kimono that I got from a foreign exchange student we hosted when I was younger. Now we’re off to get free ice cream down the street and get dressed to go see grandma and grandpa!

xo

meg

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