Lydia & Pugs

The second brand we will be sharing with you on our "Brand Focus" series is another paper goods brand called Lydia & Pugs. 

But first, a background story about how I (Eileen) was first introduced to this particular brand...

Maybe its the bulging eyes, maybe its the tightly curled tail, or maybe it's the squished-in nose that makes pugs the most adorable breed of dogs in my opinion. Whatever it is, anything pug instantly finds its way into my shopping cart (sadly, I don't have one...).  By the way, is it just me who thinks just the name "pug" is super cute?!

Can you really resist this face?!

Anyways, for my birthday a few days ago, an amazing group of friends threw a surprise birthday party for me and one of the things they bought me was a pug notepad from Lydia & Co. Ever since, I've kept an eye out for products from this company-- and here's a few of my favorites!

Pug Notes Notepad

Holiday Dogs Greeting Card

Tandem Pugs Thank You Postcards

Christmas Bao

On Christmas day, my grandma has made it a tradition to make these bread things called "bao" in Chinese. As the oldest of her grandkids, I was always forced to help. This year I took a break from kitchen work and became the photographer for the day. Please enjoy this picture of grandma scolding the second oldest as he kneads the dough. Merry Christmas friends! 

Love, 
Vanessa

DIY : Penguin Felt Ornaments

 I've made these penguins before and they are my go-to christmas gifts because who doesn't like penguins? These penguins were adapted from a bird tutorial i came across years ago. Check out the original blog here! Petite Purls. 

You will need : 

- bird template 

- felt 

- embroidery floss

- fabric scissors

- pins

- a needle

- glue

- twine

- a jingle bell

- stuffing

* the size and color of your penguin is up to you!

1. prep your templates onto felt and pin together

2. cut! you should have a body, a face, two wings, a beak, and a bow tie, but that's optional

3. sew on eyes and glue on a beak

4. this next step was meant to be sewn on, but because the sun was going down i had to glue on the pieces. the wings should go on the bottom two section of the body.

5. sew the body together 

6. stuff your penguin and finish sewing to close

7. add a bell to twine, sew through the top, and knot the top

Now you have a penguin to add to your christmas tree or give to your friends and family! I recently made a set of four as a christmas gift to a super cute family. Thanks for reading! 

Tis the Season

Happy holidays from Coffeestrokes! We hope that wherever you may be, you are enjoying a season full of laughs, love, and great memories. 

Every Christmas, my mom brings out this centerpiece in front of our sparkling tree. It's just another small reminder of the countless memories my sister and I have of loud holiday parties, a house constantly filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies, and the excitement of running down in the morning to open gifts on Christmas day. 

Whatever your Christmas traditions may be, tis the season to pause to enjoy the precious moments that make Christmas, Christmas.

Love,

Eileen

DIY : Whale Felt Ornaments

Wondering what to give to your friends and family this holiday season? This cute  DIY Whale felt ornament is both easy to make and will be a cute addition to any Christmas tree! 

 Supplies needed : 
- a whale template
- some felt
- embroidery floss
- twine
- stuffing
- a jingle bell (optional)
- a chopstick
- pins
- a needle
- fabric scissors 

*the size and color of your whale is all up to you! 

Instructions

1. stack your whale template on top of two layers of felt and pin together

2. cut around your whale template with fabric scissors

3. sew on eyes using black embroidery floss

4. pin together and start sewing together using whatever sewing method you prefer

5. sew around the whale and leave space for you to fill with stuffing

6. now it's time to stuff! the chopstick will help you get the stuffing in hard to reach parts of your whale such as the tail

7. sew the whale close

8. add a jingle bell to twine, sew through the top of your whale and knot the top!

And now you have finished your felt whale ornament! Super cute right? Hope you enjoyed reading and learning how to whale. 

Where the Boats Go

There's only one place on the planet where I've witnessed a winter sunset whose most gorgeous purples and yellows twinkle off of the tranquil water ripples; where the sun blissfully melts into an Elsewhere Jonas probably dreamed about; where the boats go home. 

Here's to you, Sydney, Australia. Even though Finding Nemo is my all time favorite movie, it did absolutely no justice to your natural beauty. 

Umami Burger

The hamburger-- perhaps the most classic of American fare-- is prepared with a very modern twist at Umami Burger, a trendy, Coffeestrokes-approved burger joint. Each of their uniquely made (and uniquely named) burgers are char-stamped with a "U" for Umami, a definite A+ on presentation. From the "Manly Burger" to the famous "Cali Burger," each has its own eclectic combination of flavors and textures to create the true umami experience-- arguably the 5th sensation of taste, savory (thank you AP Psychology). 

Here's what we ordered!

1. Cali Burger

2. The Original

3. Truffle Burger 

As always, thanks for reading!

Monograms

A Southern staple, monograms are the new obsession for my group of friends.  A personalized, preppy touch, these initials spice up anything from clothing to phone cases to even car decals. Try adding a few of them to your own items. Just remember, first name, then last name, then middle name. If you don't have a middle name, you can always have a two letter monogram, or you can pick a cute letter and have a fake middle name. Enjoy!

Love, 
Vanessa

Camera Corner: Picture Prints

Hey guys, Rishita again. I'm here with another camera corner post, but this time it's more of what to do with all the edited pictures instead of actually editing them! 

A while ago, I realized even though I took thousands of pictures every single year, I never really saw them beyond the computer screen--something my grandpa would call a sin. So I took a jump for it and just got 500 prints of the most random things: shoes, an in-n-out burger, the perfect moment of my sister picking a booger. 

Basically, they weren't really museum moments, but that's the whole point! The things you get printed aren't for its quality or its composition, it's to remember that point in time infinitely and BEYOND the digital veil. 

So that's what I'm urging YOU to do--making sure that you remember your moments! And if you're going to give me the excuse that you only take pictures of your life on your phone, let me tell you, iPhone quality pictures come out GREAT on photo paper. So let's get started. 

There are multiple ways to get pictures printed, through Snapfish or Shutterfly, but my personal favorite is through the all mighty warehouse, Costco (I've heard Sam's Club is equally as easy). 

Depending on how many pictures I want to get printed, I usually either upload them online the night before a Costco trip through my Costco photo center account, or I just take them on a USB drive the day of and do the process on one of their photo printing centers. LUSTRE FINISH IS GREAT BTW ALWAYS MATTE NEVER GLOSS DON'T DO IT

Since pictures usually take an hour or so to develop, my family goes to Costco an hour before I set them to be printed online and we do our necessary shopping! By the end, the pictures are usually developed and no time is wasted waiting for them. 

After you get them, stick 'em on your wall and admire your hard work and lovely memories! Here's Coffeestrokes' Vanessa's wall of pictures:

Super easy AND super cute, right? BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE.

You can get your instagram pictures printed too! This tutorial gives a great option of getting your instagram pictures printed at a local photo center instead of ordering pictures from online. And if that method doesn't float your boat, the comments have some pretty spiffy alternatives too! (Apparently Costco CAN print square pictures, but this thread was the first time I've heard of it. I'll investigate it a little bit and update you guys.) 

In short, I hope I've inspired you guys to get your memories printed! Good luck on any future endeavors. 

Secret Gardens

It's only just a rustic wood ladder, two empty terracotta pots nestled together, the first slates of a stone walkway, and the hints of green plants, but to me this corner is my secret garden. In the urban jungle of home, memories of this place remind me of a time when things were much simpler, when life was filled with just the people I loved the most, and when I was entirely captivated by the raw beauty of Italy.  

And you still continue to captivate me, my secret garden, but now only in the lazy daydreams and fading memories that so frequently plague my afternoons. Until next time, my friend, until next time. 

Love, Eileen

Transcendant Earth

First things first. I was/am not prepared to do this. I've basically been bamboozled out of time. I've also noticed that's been happening a lot. The bamboozling. 

Anyways, as I was looking for something I came across this one particular picture that I didn't remember taking. I knew it was from a local cove that my friends group had taken a hiking excursion to once, but those successive weekends that we had decided to take up this long and arduous (wow do you see that SAT vocab A+ Rishita 10/10 use) activity all seemed to blur together at the seams. 

But then it hit me. This moment was a blur in the seams. A crack transcending the ocean, or maybe even the same melancholic sky. What was probably once earth now struggled to gasp for air, barely making it through the seemingly tranquil waters. Mother Earth just isn't an entity, it's like a gateway to an entirely different dimension; a dimension that exists not only in tangible space, but also in the mind.   

Who knows. Maybe it's just me going a little crazy. Maybe it's just me bringing a favorite musical piece back to life. I really don't know. 

Rishita

Rita's Italian Ice

Hidden in a strikingly average strip mall in the city of Redondo Beach is Coffeestroke's favorite place to grab a frozen treat. Rita's Italian Ice quickly becomes a local favorite for all ages. The famous gelati-Italian ice topped with a swirl of custard is the ultimate frozen concoction. 

A quick tip for the dedicated Rita's lover is to download their iPhone app to take advantage of their rewards program! It's always exciting to get free treats. 

Also, if you have a groupon account, they are currently having a 50% off special for Rita's gift cards. Pay $14 to receive $24 (4 gift cards worth $6) worth of money towards your next Rita's run!

Sweet & Crisp

For the past few months, I've been giving my friend a ride everyday to and from school, band practice, and football games. It's not really a hassle since our schedules are so similar and he lives ten feet away from me. 

A few weeks ago, as we were leaving to go to a football game, he climbed into my car with a brown Whole Foods bag and said, "This is from my mom." Inside the bag was a case of a dozen apples with an envelope attached to it that read, "Thank you Vanessa!" How sweet! Assuming that there was a letter inside the envelope, I asked my friend to read it to me since I was driving. Unfortunately he told me there was no letter in the envelope. 

Later that night at the football game, I saw his mom and thanked her for the apples. She thanked me for driving around her child and asked, "Did you get the $30?" I was so confused and asked, "Uhhh... What $30?" She said, "There's $30 in the envelope for gas! Don't throw it away!" and she ran off. WHAT. She's so nice! Anyways, Mrs T if you're reading this, thanks for being as sweet as your apples! 

Love, 
Vanessa

Fashion: Flannels

On the long list of classic "closet essentials," there is a special place for that perfect flannel. It's the one you grab on those rushed Monday mornings where you need something that will make you look semi-put-together, fast. But, it's also the staple you pick when you're feeling more adventurous and want to layer up different tops for a cozy, yet chic look. And that's one of the greatest things about flannels-- it's versatility. 


Here's two looks perfect for the transition between fall and winter!







A big thank you to our models, we really appreciate thier help and love to feature their unique styles on our blog!  

Calm After the Storm

The tranquility that often precedes a catastrophic event is known as "the calm before the storm." Before the waves of an impending storm begin to rock the boats of our lives, there lies moment of peace, of silence, of suspense. 

Often ignored, however, is the calm after the storm.  It's an entirely different experience. Your boat is badly scratched; perhaps the strong winds cut a hole through your mast, but you made it through-- it's all over now. There is a moment of peace as you recollect yourself and realize that the storm has passed.

The little boy in the picture had just made it through a small, but significant storm. Cruising down the Mississippi River in central Louisiana, he encountered one of his greatest fears-- the alligator. As his tears dry up, he looks out the boat to realize the danger is past; nothing is going to harm him. The calm after the storm has arrived; he is safe now. 

Love,

Eileen

Rifle Paper Co.

Novelty is exciting here on Coffeestrokes, and this week we are starting our latest post series-- Brand Focus. We owe the countless interior designers of the beautiful displays at Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and countless other stores thanks for all the creativity they have inspired in us over the years. Much of the products they stock appeals to our inner design nerd because of its minimalism and vintage flair. Today, we are going to share with you guys one of the brands that we love the most, Rifle Paper Co. 

Rifle Paper Co. produces lovely paper products with a large range of selection. What really makes their products stand out are the retro designs-- bold, but simplistic at the same time.

Here are our top 5 product picks from Rifle Paper Co:

Botanical Journal Set

2014 Flip Around the World Desk Calendar

Assorted 'Hello' Cards

'Get It Done' Notepad

Jardin Weekly Desk Pad

This last item is a favorite of Eileen and Vanessa. However, we do not own this current edition of the weekly list, we have the last edition that we both purchased at our nearest Anthropologie. It's an essential item of our crazy lives. Not only is this just a notepad to plan out the week, but it also functions as a mousepad! Our favorite part of this notepad is being able to tear off the page after conquering yet another hectic week. 

Thanks for reading! 

Embracing Fall

Out of all the seasons, fall has always been my least favorite--there's something about the indecisive "sweater" weather and the abundance of pumpkins that drives me insane, but I'd say this picture does great job of convincing me that all those other details are insignificant. It helps me see the bigger picture, basically. 

Rishita

Belgium

Beginning the Europe trip with France, a major iconic European country, left us with little expectation for our next destination, Belgium. Who's ever heard much of this country past it's chocolate and waffles anyways? However, after a short 3 hour drive from Paris, we were surprised to find ourselves in Brüges, a beautiful quaint town that seemed to be pulled right out of a fairy tale story. 

This town was a treat after the hustle and bustle of Paris. Small pedestrian-only streets lined on both sides with both traditional and modern shops alike, made Brüges the laid-back shopper's dream. For those who preferred a long walk, the canal flowing right through the heart of the city was a beautiful backdrop to an afternoon stroll. We were sad to leave after spending only an afternoon here.

It was hard to believe that this tiny country could hold any more surprises, but the bustling capital, Brussels, proved us wrong once again. The poised city was not only a seamless blend between modern and traditional as most European cities are, but also a learned one, with its multiple Spanish and Dutch roots weaving together to form the Euronation capital. Undoubtedly the most "human" of all the tourist cities in Europe, Brussels remained to us as a strong reminder  that Belgium will always be remembered as the mixture of the impossible; a reality taking place in a children's book.