why thank you! how sweet of you for saying so. you're right, i'm not on Twitter at the moment. though i am very tempted by all the tweeting fun and networking abilities! i find myself watching very carefully how involved i am online and what outlets take up my time. i am trying to be present in my own life and the lives of my husband and son and do not want to get carried away and stretched too thin with too many projects and social networking sites. (i can barely manage my email account..) sometimes less is more.

i really feel honored to participate in the ALT conference coming up this week. i heard about it in early 2010 and was sad i couldn't go! after hearing the recaps, i knew i'd like to save up to attend the following year. so many blogging icons and rockstars in one weekend conference! the topics looked like something i know i'd gain insights from. in the fall, i hoped i could attend ALT 2011 however i wasn't sure how i'd find the bucks to go! as luck would have it i was asked to be apart of it!! i was delighted to receive an email from gabby (of Design Mom) and the ALT team asking me to speak on a panel!! wow. i really feel so lucky to be apart of it (i would have offered to hold the doors open, if i had to)! i plan to take notes for those of you who can't make it!!

i have thought about switching formats / layouts for my blog. i have heard good things about wordpress!! however, i know making over your blog takes a lot of time and effort. no matter how much i'd like to devote time to it.. at this moment, i'm pretty booked. am thinking, 'if it ain't broke, why fix it!?' thus, i'll likely await a major change until i can regroup.

wow, good for you! we thoroughly enjoyed making our own thanksgiving last year. it was so much fun. i divided the baking and prep time into a few days, so the kitchen wasn't too hectic on thanksgiving day. we made only our favorite dishes and loaded up on groceries early. so much can be made ahead of time; stuffing, pie, dough for fresh rolls, and more.

my dad is a genius when it comes to cooking turkey and he's been brining the bird for as long as i can remember. we purchased a portion of a turkey, rather than cooking a giant one and it was perfect. be sure to stuff fresh sage, rosemary, a sliced lemon and a cube of butter into the cavity before cooking. rest the bird breast side down aka 'upside down' so the hole is facing upwards, that way the butter and seasonings melt and flavor the turkey meat.

most of all enjoy your time together in the kitchen! be creative with recipes and flexible with your feast time.

if you ship packages or use the paypal multi-shipping tool often, you are bound to NEED a good small scale. mine has been a trusty sidekick! i picked it up at a Staples Office store for about $15. it's the DYMO / model K5 brand, however i just went with the first thing i saw. i'm super happy with it! i prefer a dial rather than a digital reading and i like that it tells me the prices for first class package or letter and priority shipping too.

thank you! i love a subtle patterned pair of tights. i found those black tights at TJ Maxx. i'm sure you'll be able to find something cute there. am currently on a mission to find a sweet sophisticated pair of polka dot tights!

sometimes i plan blog posts a week ahead.. other times, just a day or two ahead. the best is when i'll write a stream of conscious post and publish it that moment. i love blogging and having the freedom to post whenever and as frequently as i'd like.

my little boy loves Dinosaur Roar, Cowboy Small, The Three Bears, Curious George Makes Pancakes and any book involving wheels, trucks or trains. i wrote a list of his favorites right here: http://www.martawrites.com/2010/06/favorites-storytime.html

this is a great question! summer harms has really become a true friend over this past year. i am lucky to collaborate with her in some fun projects! a few years ago, she found my blog and left really kind, genuine comments. her 'conversational comments' made me want to get to know her more. that's when i started to read her blog (www.summerharms.blogspot.com) and discovered we had so much in common. i appreciated her cheery outlook on life, her stunning photography and the way she writes so honestly and openly. i sent her a christmas card and we've been friends and penpals ever since. she just emailed me today, in fact. i have always adored the idea of writing letters to someone you've never met, am so glad i've found a friend in her. i highly recommend getting a penpal if you don't already. i am always happy to exchange mail with new friends.

rihanna. she is fearless when it comes to changing up her hairstyle.

unfortunately i won't be doing custom christmas cards this year. (i had bigger fish to fry this season and had to devote my designing time to another project.) next year, i hope to offer more christmas card services for those interested! thanks for asking.

thank you. sweet honey does look like a lovely nude shade for the season.

i use a jewelry box as well as a hanging clear zippered / sectioned pouch thingie. (not the most quaint or creative method, but still does the job!) once i build up a cute chunky necklace collection, i want to hang them like this example: http://www.martawrites.com/2010/06/buried-treasure.html.

sometimes i plan blog posts a week ahead.. other times, just a day or two ahead. the best is when i'll write a stream of conscious post and publish it that moment. i love blogging and having the freedom to post whenever and as frequently as i'd like.

is this for reals!? that couch has been in my family for years. it's a perfect little slouchy leather love seat that is the best spot for taking naps and snuggling. i don't see ever getting rid of it. am sorry, but i don't have any clue where my parents picked it up! good luck leather couch hunting.

hi raquel.. that is such a great question! unfortunately, i am not aware of the name of that lipstick. i found the image online without any source for the specific shade. so sorry! your best bet might be to show the makeup artist the pic and seek her guidance! good luck. (let me know if you discover the right shade.)

ooh, this is a tough one. you've chosen wisely, narrowing down to twine or japanese masking tape. i love both and use them ALL of the time. they are great additional resources to any craft supply kit. my answer would have to be based on what you want to use them for.

if you're doing tons of wrapping with bags or bundling small items or tying sweet bows, go with the twine. i find hundreds of uses for it and it seems to last forever. i love dolling up a small gift with a sweet twine bow. twine is a must for the holidays.

however japanese tape finds itself into my daily routine as well. it's a fun alternative to tying gifts with ribbon, a welcome addition to every package or envelope i mail, i love sticking it on everything. you'll find lots of uses for it. i like having a few different widths and colors to play around with.

i can't choose a favorite. i love them both. best of luck. you really can't go wrong with either.

i splurged on a canon g11. it's a point and shoot that wants to be a big fancy camera. it has loads of options for manual adjusting and is truly user friendly. i love how the LCD screen flips and rotates too. i am so pleased with it so far. i read so many reviews and am glad i went with this one. i highly recommend checking it out. i love that it's a nice size for on-the-go and perfectly durable too. i haven't had a blurry shot yet!

ooh, this is quite a dilemma. i'm so sorry about your problem of losing your favorite blog posts in bloglines. i don't know of any way to export your 'faved' posts to a new reader.

perhaps you can go through them and print out the posts and create a binder of your favorite ideas. that way you'll have an awesome resource to turn to when you need one!

lately i've received requests for logo design and business cards. so many bloggers / small business owners are heading to big conventions and need something fabulous to hand out and make a good impression with.