And the winner is...

A big thanks to those participated in our giveaway! We sure got a nice warm fuzzy feeling hearing about all of the things you're thankful for!

The winners have been chosen! The random number generator came up with a number 8 to determine that the winner of this handmade stationery set is the ever so talented Em of Kitchen M!

Congratulations and Happy Thanksgiving!

We love it Wednesday: Advent Calendars

Okay, so Thanksgiving is tomorrow and we might be jumping the gun - but the countdown to Christmas starts in just days! I can still remember the excitement of opening up the little doors on my cardboard advent calendars every night before bed. I feel like an advent countdown is a must, and I enjoyed finding all of these cute different ways to do so!

Before you go off enjoying these finds don't forget that today is the last day of our Giveaway! Leave a comment on our "Thanks-giveaway" post and you'll have a chance to win one of two stationery sets with handmade boxes! Be sure to check back tomorrow evening for the winners!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo courtesy of Paper Source.

Paper Source just posted this gingerbread advent calendar up on their blog. So cute, and fun to customize!

Photo courtesy of Thymbyl Designs.

I love the idea of little bags with treasures hidden within to open each day. This adorable idea comes from Etsy seller Thymbyl Designs.

Photo courtesy of Nice Package.

This last idea comes from the always inspiring Nice Package Blog. What a fun way to make a DIY advent calendar with their cute yellow envelopes and color dot stickers!

Vintage Finds: Printer Trays

I spent the day walking the grounds of Renninger's Antique Extravaganza in Mt. Dora, Florida. With 117 acres of vintage treasures, it was a lot of walking and plenty of searching various booths for the perfect find.

Four hours later, I left with two beautiful printer's trays, once used to hold metal type years ago.

This drawer was completely intact with the typeface name on the drawer handle.

Two beauties for only $19 total. Now I have to decide how to put them to use. Any ideas?

We love it Wednesday: Felted Accessories

I have realized today that I may officially have an Etsy addiction, and the simple task looking for a new headband has now cost me hours of browsing from shop to shop. I thought I would share some of my favorite finds from the day, which all happen to be adorable felted accessories. Now I just have to make up my mind which one to buy for me, and which ones to get for the beginnings of my holiday gift shopping!

These first images come from Etsy seller, Giant Dwarf. Her headbands all come in custom colors, and let me also mention how much I love the pinwheels!

All Images courtesy of Giant Dwarf

This next seller, A Alicia Handmade Accessories, I have been admiring for quite some time. I love her color choices and felt flower brooches.

All Images courtesy of A Alicia Handmade Accessories

It's a Thanksgive-away!

Orange Blossom Ink is teaming up with Boom Box Bindery to give a big thanks to all of our friendly readers. It sure means a whole lot to us when you stop by!

As our way of thanking you for your bloggy friendship and support, we’d like to give you the chance to enter to win one of our collaborative projects. You may remember the stationery boxes we made a number of months ago in preparation for a craft market. We happen to have two of those left and would just love to send them out to a pair of our you! Each handmade box features a set of eight cards with four sweet patterns that compliment the boxes.

To embrace the spirit of the season, all you have to do is leave a comment on one of our Thanksgive-away posts and tell us about something you’re thankful for! Feel free to comment on both blogs to double your chances. While you're at it, click on over to follow Orange Blossom Ink on Twitter, Facebook, or Blogger!

We’ll use a random number generator to select a winning comment from each of our blogs and those winners will be announced on Thanksgiving Day! The winners will receive the stationery set pictured on the blog of their winning entries.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We Love it Wednesdays: Custom Maps

There is not much more to say about this week's find than that the Couture Maps designed by Stephannie Barba are absolute perfection! We love it when an invitation can tell a story, and these maps make for a great personal touch. Her beautiful illustrations, paired with one of kind hand lettering make each and every map unique and worth taking a look at!

Is it too early for Holiday Cards?

Although it's merely days past Halloween, it's tempting to get excited about the holidays (even if a little premature). Plus, it's never too early to plan out gift shopping and sending annual holiday greeting cards to avoid the last minute panic (that we are personally faced with each year!). Last fall we were honored to have two of our holiday greeting card designs selected to be sold over at the ever-so-wonderful Minted.com. Their site has seen exciting growth and changes in the past year, and this season you can find our cards for sale on their site, along with many other talented designers.

Modern Bird in blue

Modern Bird in green

Partridge in a Pear Tree

Partridge in a Pear Tree Yearline™

Not sure that either design fits your style? Well, of course we'd be happy to design a custom holiday greeting for you and your family this season! As an added bonus, if you order before Thanksgiving, you'll receive free shipping! For more information and a custom quote, please email designers@orangeblossomink.com.

We Love it Wednesday: Felt Flower Boutonnieres

When I was in high school, I kept a box under my bed filled with all the corsages I'd received from proms, homecomings and Sadie Hawkin's dances. Each corsage was dried out and placed in it's own ziplock bag, labeled with the day, event and name of my date.

Okay–even typing that seems weird, but trust me, they had sentimental value!

These days I don't keep many dried up flower arrangements sitting around my house. When I came across these beauties, I couldn't help but think of how I would've loved ribbons and buttons, instead of the piles of baby's breath and carnations collected throughout the years.

Etsy sellers Sara and Kaity of Heart Felted Creations, create felt boutonnieres adorned with ephemera of all kinds. These individual pin-ons sell for under $10 - and you won't need to worry about them wilting by the end of the night.

All images via Heart Felted Creations

Its Better Together: Part Two

We can't even express how happy it has made us to meet and connect with so many wonderful young professionals in our area, and we have Trisha, Becka and Anna to thank for it! We enjoyed an evening of meeting new friends and catching up with everyone from our first get together back in July. A big thanks to Seven Sister’s Coffee for welcoming us into their cozy space and to Becka's CPA Peter Nieves, for sharing his financial insight with us!

Everyone arriving, catching up and enjoying the Seven Sister's coffee!

Ashley & Anna

More chatting, and getting to know you!

Trisha & Sarah

All the attendees gathering in the main room for Peter's helpful small business accounting tips!

We are looking forward to the next It's better together meet up, and in the mean time be sure to swing by the site, stay informed on future events and check out some of the talented attendees we had the pleasure of meeting!

• Rifle Design
• Anavi Ink
• Ashley Brooke Designs
• •Grace Edmands Calligraphy
• Studio 222
• •Boom Box Bindery
• Trisha Hay
• Sarah Hearts Design Studio
• Michelle Guzman Weddings
• The Design Grove
• Hair by JB
• Brandy Burridge Photography
• Joie de Vie Weddings & Events, Inc.
• Ben Child, Graphic Design
• Heather Ahrens
  

Its Better Together: Part One

We had such a good time at last week's It's better together meet up, and just as much fun getting ready for it. We met with our friend Trisha earlier in the week, and she had the idea of putting together some type of take home business card bag for everyone attending. Therefore, a good craft night was in order. We ordered some pizza, Sarah pulled out her sewing machine, and we used a mixture of old and new patterned fabrics to put together these little business business card take home bags.

The night of the event, with everyone's business cards laid out and ready to be stuffed in the pouches.

Anna Bond also brought along these adorable get-to-know you name tags to help break the ice for the evening.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for part two of our delightful evening at Seven Sisters Coffee House.