a gift-giving "ism"

I COME by my love for gift-giving honestly. My mom is the original over-the-top spreader of joy and through the years it just rubbed off on me. Some of my sweetest memories from childhood are of the birthday cakes that she used to crowd with tiny trinkets and toys, ever mindful of whatever theme she’d perfectly chosen for my celebration. I absolutely loved them, they made me feel so special and I couldn’t wait every year to find out what she’d surprise me with. And now I subject my boys to the same deluge of cheer, it’s just so much fun and I hope someday they have the same sense that their mama loved them sooo much that I went extra mile to make them feel extra special. I can’t help it. It’s a learned behavior.

ANOTHER of my mom’s gift-giving “isms'" is that you should never give someone a bag with nothing in it. Not a handbag, a pencil case, a coin purse, a backpack or briefcase. Any vessel she’s ever given has had a treasure inside for a double layer of surprise and delight. And so I too have adopted this sweet practice. Sometimes it’s another whole serious gift, but sometimes it’s just a sweet note, tiny felt heart, mini milagro or charm, favorite candy, worry doll, pet rock or a homemade bauble. And the unexpected surprise always brings a smile. After all, that’s what gift-giving is all about, right? So next time you choose a bag of any kind for your special people, take a few extra minutes to sneak something inside and watch the joy rise to the next level. Thanks mom for always taking the extra few minutes, especially when you didn’t have them to spare. I definitely felt the love. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

1. Bright little handmade Felt Hearts / 2. Ooly’s mini Pocket Pal Journals / 3. Mini Milagro Heart Charms / 4. Tiny handmade Worry Dolls / 5. Handmade Ceramic Hearts / 6. Multi-colored ceramic Heart Tiles / 7. Ooly has tons of Cute Erasers / 8. Lily Lolo Lip Gloss / 9. Meri Meri adorable Hair Clips / 10. These Haribo Roulettes are my SIL’s favorite / 11. Cutie Mini Monster Highlighters / 12. Use these adorable Smile Emoji Beads to make something special.

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it’s the little things

MY YOUNGEST had an assignment to write 10 small things he could do to make positive change in the world. Goodness knows we could all use a little good mojo right now, so it got me thinking about some easy things I could do to put some positive energy out there to balance out the downright strange vibes that are swirling around. Please add your ideas, too! We could all use a little encouragement right now. Peace, lovelies. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

+ Roll your neighbor’s trash can out to the street on trash day

+ Decorate and send a sweet note in the mail just because

+ Bake a little treat for a friend and wrap it up like a present

+ Offer to pick up groceries for someone who could use a hand

+ Send flowers to your mom for no reason

+ Tell a teacher how much you appreciate their efforts - it is so meaningful, especially now

+ Pick up a stranded bag of dog poop on the trail or sidewalk

+ Leave a nice note or small surprise for your mail carrier and/or delivery driver

+ Tip your local restaurant or coffee shop peeps way more than you normally would

+ Smile with your eyes at strangers - Tyra Banks can totally teach you how :)

HERE ARE a few other things that are making me feel happy this week. I hope they make you smile, too…

// 1. I am beyond happy that these still exist. I have been hoarding some from my childhood collection and now I can use them! Locals can ogle the rolls IRL at Two Hands Paperie on Pearl Street // 2. These gorgeous tinies make me want to be a better baker. Or would it be weird to glue sprinkles to my wall?! // 3. This is a super nourishing go-to family favorite, perfect for a day when comfort food fits the bill // 4. My new washi tape set is an amazing addition to a growing collection // xo

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introducing all aflutter 3.0

All Aflutter was first born 15 years ago as a wedding design business.. The name was initially meant to reference the hearts of couples as they're preparing to marry; the excitement of planning the big event and everything that goes along with it. With sweet irony, I met my husband and one of my forever besties as a direct result. Life then led me in another direction for a bit, as it so often does. As my own little family grew, I was compelled to resurrect All Aflutter with new meaning, to exemplify the pace and rhythm of our lives with two sweet boys who are always on the move + the way I feel about all of my boys (yep, the dog is s dude too, I’m completely outnumbered). They make my heart go pitter-patter each and every day in their own way. And now, as my guys get older and more independent, I’m ready to take on yet another venture; one where I hope to help my clients’ special people feel extra loved + excited and send their hearts aflutter as well. I guess this name and I are meant to be together, for better or worse and in good times and bad.

I can’t wait to get to know all of you! In the meantime, here are a few things I’m loving this week. xo

1. I’ve been searching for a great everyday pair of studs and not only are these sweet and beautiful, they’re handmade by a gorgeous childhood friend. I can’t wait to see them in real life. / 2. This book is adorable and the perfect gift for any aspiring vet in your life. /3. I’m making this as I work and the smell is torture. I usually make cheater chicken soup, so I’m really excited for the real deal. / 4. I can’t wait to blow some kiddo minds with an NA version of this for my guys on Halloween.

halloween 2020 reboot

I love Halloween. I mean, I’m kind of a scrooge about getting myself dressed up, but the kids’ costumes, the spooky decorations and the over-the-top excitement is super magical. Plus I love candy. I can’t help it. My guys have been talking about Halloween since Memorial Day, but I think traditional trick-or-treating might fall into the 2020 Reboot category; the part where we approach strangers and ask them to hand us stuff from inside their house is probably not going to cut it this year. Or the version where kids all dip their sticky paws into the same giant candy bowl. Sooo, I’m thinking about alternatives. With all of the disappointment in the past months, it feels more important than ever to take any opportunity to try to blow the kids’ minds and Halloween is a no brainer. Here are a few ideas for creating festive fun for any size group and I’d love to hear yours, too. An amazing byproduct of these crazy times is the insanely creative things people have come up with to get around doing things like we “usually” do.

+ Stuff tiny treasures into cute vending machine pods or eggs + scatter them in your yard or along the walk

+ Create a spooky scavenger hunt and have the kids search for their goodies

+ Jam all of the loot into a Halloween piñata

+ Conspire with neighbors or friends to create a trunk or treat event (wowee, I had no idea this was a thing before social distancing existed, but it’s super creative)

+ Host an outdoor party with your germ peeps and hand out over-the-top goodie bags

+ Organize a sweet parade in your neighborhood or a park with buddies

There are some ideas below for festive loot that would be a hit for any shin-dig you choose. Whatever you decide to do this year, remember to revel in the magic of the parts of Halloween that aren't #canceled; the awesome costumes, spooky decorations and whatever gathering feels right with friends or family. Old school trick-or-treating will inevitably return, so enjoy doing something different for this round and be safe. xo

here we go again

So, in a time when most working mamas around the world are tearing their hair out and staying up nights trying to figure out how to make it all work under the most challenging possible conditions, I have decided to start a new little business. Wah? Yeah, it’s questionable maybe. But while I’m tethered to my kitchen trying to be useful to my sweet homeschooling boys in 15 minute increments, I miss terribly the creativity, connection and sense of purpose of my “normal’ life, working in the studio, volunteering and even just toting my guys from one activity to the next. So I’m creating it for myself. It’s not going to change the world or anything, but it might bring some smiles and make a few people feel extra special, which I think we could all use about now, right?! So stick with me for a bit here and see what I’m cooking up. In the meantime, you can see a few of the things I learned about and am loving this week below. And find a way today to make someone smile. xo

1. My big guy and I had an awesome doodle session with this adorable book (we love the whole series) // 2. The most amazing sticker subscription I could ever imagine brought me right back to 1982 in the best way possible // 3. Our old fur baby being held hostage on a google meeting // 4. These were so dangerously delicious I almost threw them away to save myself // xo