blog tour + giveaway

butter and brass is having its first giveway! author amy thomas just released her debut memoir, paris, my sweet: a year in the city of light (and dark chocolate), sharing the struggles and sweetness she faced adjusting to a new life and culture in paris. her book, much like her blog, gives an honest and fresh perspective on finding happiness and, perhaps more difficult, the perfect pastry.

after communicating via the web and reading her blog god i love paris for years, i am secretly hoping that this book will bring amy to ann arbor for a reading… if not, i think we're destine to meet in paris someday, waiting in line at ladurée.

for a chance to win a copy of paris, my sweet, please leave a comment below. a winner will be chosen next week. good luck and congratulations amy!


2/16 update - and the winner is... najee! thanks everyone for all of your comments and for entering the giveaway!

a year in books

sometimes it feels like i spend most of my nights curled up with a laptop rather than a book, but looking back there were a number that i read and loved last year. with so many amazing pieces of literature, how do you choose? what are you reading? i tend to gravitate toward contemporary fiction, so i try to alternate with an unread classic or autobiography.

2011 calendars

there are so many amazing calendars to choose from this year. i have no idea which one i like the best, but here are a few of my favorites: (1) seesaw letterpress's removable prints; (2) cicada studio's tee towel; (3) sycamore street press's foxes, trees, and mountains; (4) 1canoe2's things that are loud; (5) leah duncan's hand drawn southwestern motifs, and (6) cats let nothing darken their roar.

fax me

i was at target yesterday and happened to walk through their card section. their valentines were pretty picked over, which i don't really understand - wednesday is hardly last minute. i was tempted to get one of those big, cheesy cards with "to my husband" scrawled across the front in sparkling red cursive next to a bouquet of roses, but opted out. i'm going to shop around today to try and find something as fun, but maybe a little less flashy. the new letterpress valentines by portland based printing studio egg press are absolutely adorable. who wouldn't love getting that underwear bear. unfortunately, it doesn't look like there is a retailer in my area. is it too late to order online?

nice package

when it comes to giving, for me, it’s what’s on the outside that counts. this may not be the case in all circumstances, but i am generally obsessed with packaging. i could be giving the greatest gift in the world, but if the wrapping is dull i can’t help feeling like it was a failure. the same can be said for the opposite. if i have a last-minute gift that i’m not sure of, a pretty presentation can make it look, and me feel, a million times better. the etsy store, nice package, is a one-stop-shop for anyone who stockpiles labels, ribbon, and paper. offering simple solutions with their endless supplies.

paid for delivery

i like looking through vintage u. s. stamps with the idea that someday i’ll be savvy enough to use them as postage on birthday and christmas cards. adding detail and character to an otherwise boring envelope. in my search, i came across these beautiful mineral stamps from bulgaria.

hand written

anna bond at rifle paper co. opened her online store today. the custom stationary and invitations that she creates are completely charming and her new line of paper products, all beautifully hand lettered and illustrated, show the same attention to detail.

little pictures

the pictorial webster's is a visual dictionary filled with over 1500 of the original engravings found in the 19th century webster's editions. flipping through the pages of neatly arranged archetypes and curiosities remind me of the hours i spent wandering through the collections at the national museum of natural history, in paris. ben gave the book to me for my birthday last week, neatly wrapped in cardboard with a sharpied gift tag.

(photos by: erin)

(found via: unruly things)

it's a date

i think i've made my 2010 calendar choice and just signed up to be notified when the new cats let nothing darken their roar edition is released. i love the strange phrases and the large scale prints. as much as i like surprises, i always look at my birthday month first. "nothing like little vera to make things better." during elementary school i took organ lessons for a few years from a sweet older woman named vera. she always wore a big curly brown wig, gave me gold stars and hershey's kisses, and poured me a tall glass of ensure (chocolate or vanilla) after each lesson as my "special treat."

star light star bright

according to my horoscope, something unexpected is going to happen to me today. i'm currently still waiting. i wish i was better at sending out birthday cards. maybe if i had blue pool road's astrology card set i would be more prepared. their stationary is simple and beautiful, made with recycled paper and soy-based inks.