When we thought our son might enjoy his own small table for snacks and activities, we passed on the glossy matching sets and went with a simple Lack side table from IKEA. We snagged it for $3.99 on super-sale and paired it with an unfinished kids chair for a grand total under $15. After a year of wear and tear, the tabletop was beginning to look a bit beat-up, covered with dings and sticker remnants. Time for a makeover.I wanted to use what I had on hand and finish this project during naptime, so I kept things simple. To prepare the table, I taped off the top (I wanted to keep the original bright yellow color on the sides and legs), lightly sanded the tabletop wtih a fine-grit sandpaper to even out the imperfections and prepare it for the paint, and cleaned and dried the sanded surface. Then I applied 2 thin coats of chalkboard paint, waiting for it to dry between coats. That's it! I'd recommend using a small roller if you have one, to avoid the striated texture that a paintbrush leaves behind, and a coat of primer couldn't hurt. To top it off, I remembered I had a Bekvam spice rack sitting unused in my office space. It's the perfect fit for stashing easy-access chalk, crayons, and activity books above the table. Now, our little nook in the kitchen is a dedicated crafts space, perfect for our newly independent kiddo. 

All in all, a super-easy, rewarding DIY project for your little sweetie. Happy Valentine's Day!
xo 

Growing up, my parents always gave us small gifts on Valentine's Day. They were of low-dollar value, pink or red, and often included some kind of glitter. They were some of my favorite gifts of the year. Here are some ideas for the little sweeties in your life. 

1. Heart Tin Tea Set  2. Heart Eco-Pack 3. Solar-Powered Heart Window Crystal 4. Mini Ban.Do Hearts 5. Lovebot Tattly Tattoos 6. Hi-Bounce Pinky Ball 7. Red and Pink Textile Jar 8. Girls Neon Zip Boots 9. Sweetheart Tins 10. Red Soprano Ukulele 11. Boys Heartbreaker Tee

Knot & Bow is growing, and looking to add one special person to the team immediately! We’re looking for an enthusiastic Shop Assistant who will be involved in the day-to-day operations of this fun and fast-paced shop.

The Shop Assistant will be primarily responsible for the maintenance and production of shop inventory as well as packing orders and other shop duties. As the sole employee, the assistant will have the opportunity to learn about all facets of running a crafty business, with potential to take on more responsibilities in the future.

Applicants must be able to work out of Knot & Bow’s at-home office in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The ideal candidate will be available to work 2-3 mornings per week. Days of the week and quantity of hours are flexible, but morning availability is required. Pay is hourly.

 Required Skills:

• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong work ethic & dependability
• Courteous & respectful
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks
• Willingness to learn & take on additional duties as necessary
• Ability to multi-task

Please email your resume and cover letter to hello@knotandbow.com with “Shop Assistant Inquiry” in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you!

photo by Chris Ozer

This year, for the first time, we are staying in Brooklyn to celebrate Thankgiving with our little family and a couple of friends. Usually, we travel to our home state of North Carolina to celebrate with our parents and siblings, and I'm happiest tucked away in the kitchen with my mom. 

I tend to over-make, even with a larger crowd, so it's been incredibly tough for me to edit the menu down so that it is suitable for just four adults and one toddler. Here's what we're having for our Thanksgiving feast:

Brined Roast Turkey (with an adapted brine)
Bread Stuffing with Apple, Sage, Bacon, and Caramelized Onions from this book
Mushroom Gravy
Cranberry Relish with Citrus and Ginger from this book 
Cook's Illustrated Parker House Rolls from this book
Pumpkin Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust 

Our guests are bringing the vegetable sides, but if I were making them, I might go for
Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes using these make-ahead tips
Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

Already, the days leading up to the holiday have been incredibly relaxing and stress-free, just with the lack of travel. We'll be missing our families and thinking of them (likely Skyping with them!), but excited to be celebrating in our own way this year. It goes without saying that we have so much to be thankful for. Most notably, I'm so very thankful for my family, our beautiful boy, and healthy baby on the way. But I'm also so grateful, every day, for the opportunity to work an unconventional job that not only allows me to spend a bit of time at home, but also is the most challenging and fulfilling position I've ever held. Thank you for that.

xo

We attempted to start a Friday Pieday tradition in my family, where every Friday we would celebrate the end of a hard work week with coffee and a slice of pie at our favorite local pie shop, Four and Twenty Blackbirds. The tradition didn't last long, but my love for pie will never die. 

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I've been dreaming about pies — my favorite part of the meal to make and enjoy. Here are a few ideas that I'm batting around:

1. Salty Honey Pie (Four and Twenty Blackbirds)
This is my favorite pie from my favorite pie shop (no secret if you follow me on Twitter). It's been a show-stopper every time I've made it, and although it might not be traditional to the Thanksgiving table, I can be sure it would not disappoint.  

2. Pumpkin Cream Pie (Martha Stewart)
Growing up, we had a family tradition of making some pies but always purchasing a Pumpkin Pumpkin Pie from Whole Foods. With a dense pumpkin pie layer below and a whipped pumpkin layer on top, it goes above and beyond the typical short-stack pumpkin pie. It's not always available anymore, so I've taken to making my own version of it. This Pumpkin Cream Pie (with gingersnap crust!) looks delectable on it's own, and would be an enticing Pumpkin Pumpkin doppelgänger if a bit of the stovetop pumpkin filling was folded into the creamy top. 

3. Cranberry Pecan Frangipane Tart (Smitten Kitchen)
Sometimes it's nice to bring those Thanksgiving flavors together in new combinations. With crushed pecans, brandy, orange zest, and fresh cranberries, this has to be a winner. 

4. Chocolate Pecan Pie with Chocolate Crust (Martha Stewart)
Pecan pie is a hands-down favorite of mine, and I often like it to be an excuse to add some chocolate to the Thanksgiving dessert buffet. This one doesn't hold back in the chocolate department, and the dense filling eliminates that super-sweet layer of goo that so often permeates the center of a traditional pecan pie.  

5. Pecan, Bourbon, and Butterscotch Bread Pudding (Epicurious)
No, this is not a pie. But I can't get over how good this looks! I see no reason not to mix it up with a delectable bread pudding, especially one with an accompanying warm butterscotch sauce. For an intimate Thanksgiving dinner with just one dessert, I think this would be simply elegant. 

6. Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust (Gourmet)
Generally, I use this Pâte Brisée recipe as my go-to for most pies, including double-crust apple. But, the addition of a half pound of cheddar cheese to the crust makes for an an irresistable apple pie. I might still add some of the traditional apple pie spices to the filling, but I'm a big fan of this traditional sweet and savory combination.

Happy baking!
xo

I'm so sorry. It's been a busy couple of months, and blogging seems to get pushed to the backburner when time is tight. But, today is the day, and I'm happy to be posting again.

With this fresh blogging start I'm happy to share some new images of Knot & Bow Glitter Twine, launched in the shop today! I'm so excited to show this labor of love, which was many months in the making. 

I look forward to seeing you again soon! 

We went to a 2nd Birthday party yesterday, and it seemed just right to use a little posey of cosmos from our farmer's market batch as a lively gift topper. It's about as simple as it gets, and I love it. 
xo 

Yes, I have been celebrating Knot & Bow's birthday since June 28. Turns out that was the date when I first started listing (and selling) items in the shop, even thought my "official" launch date was supposed to be July 1. I'm allowed to milk it for a couple days, right?

Thanks so much to all of you for making this such an incredible year for me — and for crushing my goal to pack 1000 orders before the end of my first year! 

To celebrate, I am so pleased to be sending a big ol' Knot & Bow birthday box from the 1000 in one giveaway to...drumroll, please...

EMMA C. of Birmingham, United Kingdom! 

Hope you enjoy it, Emma!! And I hope the rest of you (in the U.S.) have a safe and fabulous 4th of July weeknd. 
xo 

I discovered the Etsy shop Prunella Soap this morning via the featured seller interview with the shop's owner, Janell. As soon as I saw the shop, I was enamored with the look of it: the cute (and fitting!) umbrella and raindrop logo, the images, the colors, the products. But of course, the packaging is what really caught my eye!

Parchment, washi tape, kraft stickers, hemp twine — I love it all!

I can't get enough of these adventure sticks. An ingenious idea for traveling, and it has to be a great way to put those soap scraps to good use. I'm especially a fan of the cotton muslin bags and adorable camping-inspired labels. 

What about these party favors? Five soap samplers tied up with homemade hemp and washi bunting. So much beautiful detail, and a great bargain at $11 a pop. 

She even makes favors in bulk for weddings and parties - with custom colored labels! I hope this gives you some nice Thursday morning inspiration like it did for me.

And don't forget! Today is the last day of the big Knot & Bow birthday giveaway. Place an order by 12 am [EST] tonight to have your name entered in a drawing for a huge box of Knot & Bow goodies! The winner will be announced tomorrow, so I'll see you then!
xo

I spent some time this weekend creating the press page for the website. This was kind of a big deal for me, beause I did it myself! My husband has been the man behind the site so far, and I've been depending on him to help me with things like updates to the retailers map. I asked him to show me how to do the updates myself, and I was happy to be able to use the same newfound skills for the press page. So empowering!

A few hours chasing down links and copying code later, and I have a shiny new page highlighting some of my favorite press mentions from the past year. Yippee!

The best part about the process, of course, was clicking through the past year of Knot

I spent some time this weekend creating the press page for the website. This was kind of a big deal for me, beause I did it myself! My husband has been the man behind the site so far, and I've been depending on him to help me with things like updates to the retailers map. I asked him to show me how to do the updates myself, and I was happy to be able to use the same newfound skills for the press page. So empowering!

A few hours chasing down links and copying code later, and I have a shiny new page highlighting some of my favorite press mentions from the past year. Yippee!

The best part about the process, of course, was clicking through the past year of Knot & Bow through these links. I'm so very thankful to all the writers and bloggers who have featured Knot & Bow in small links or big write-ups. The impact it has had on my little business — and, so, my life — has been absolutely incredible. Now, nearly two years after I left my job to be home with my son, I'm pinching myself that my "return to work" has been the creation of this small business that I am so very passionate about. The short story: it's simply dreamy to love what I am doing. 
xo 

Knot & Bow is about to turn one, and we're hoping for 1000 orders in our first year!

To thank you for an AMAZING year, I'm putting together a jam-packed, knock-out box of all things Knot & Bow to ship off to a lucky customer.

As of this morning, we have 950 orders down, 50 to go. The winner will be randomly selected from all orders placed between 12 noon [EST] on June 16 through 12 midnight [EST] on June 30, and announced on our official birthday of July 1st. Visit the shop and place an order for a chance to win - good luck!
xo

I added some new shades of fabric ribbon to the shop last night! Wouldn't the chambray and gingham be so cute for a Fourth of July gathering? It's great for tying up napkins, cutlery, or even little bunches of sparklers! 

xo 

It's our first weekend in Brooklyn since Smorgasburg opened for the summer, so we hopped up to Williamsburg this morning to check it out. It's pretty great - especially the location on the waterfront. We had no idea there was such a nice park there, with tons of benches and a great grass lawn to enjoy the view from.

We split a burger-sized sausage, egg, and cheese from the guys at King's Crumb (pricey at $9, but super soft, buttery, and delicious), a taco from Cemita's (unfortunately not my favorite), a strawberry, hops, and pink peppercorn soda from Brooklyn Soda Works (so good!), a frozen banana with chocolate and coconut from Nana's (had to be a hit coming from Cecile Dyer of Pies n' Thigh's), and a Dough doughnut for later (we had to do it!). Beautiful morning, beautiful food, and a beautiful new addition to the Brooklyn Flea. 
xo 

I've been a bit off the radar lately, as I just returned from a little piece of paradise — Holden Beach, NC. It's a lesser-known beach in North Carolina (my home state) that I grew up going to with my family. This year, my husband and I took our son and met up with six of our closest friends for a vacation that we'll never forget. 

We filled our cars with produce from the farmer's markets and frosty libations from the liquor store. Our talented crew included a cook, a bartender, a baker, a fisherman, a yoga instructor, a DJ, a ukulele player, a photographer, and a baby (with much cross-over in talents all around). Let's just say, we would do pretty well if this were Survivor.

It's true — I'm still adjusting to the New York State of mind. It's not easy to get over that saltwater breeze. Regardless, I feel refreshed and rested, and ready to start burning the candle at both ends again.
xo 

It's been an exciting week - I visited the National Stationery Show for the first time! The event was nothing short of mind-boggling, and I came away feeling energized, inspired, and hopeful about presenting a booth of my own in the future.

I spent the better part of a day at the show — not enough time to cover the entire show in detail. But, I think I covered a lot of ground that day, and I found more than a few things that I'm in love with.  


One of my favorites was Carolyn Suzuki, who was kicking off her brand new business at NSS. As a slow growth type of person, this fact alone is so impressive to me. I loved her line — her subject matter choices are sweet, and there is some really great variation while still being cohesive. The nautical anchor and knot wallpaper behind the cards was pretty darn cute, too. 

In terms of being just blown away by the eye candy, I think Hammerpress won the prize. It was a lot of fun to stand in the middle of a booth surrounded by their work. The color choices, the subject matter and designs, and the layers...oh, the layers and layers and layers. I could sit and stare at any one of their prints for a while. I'm ready to pre-order those Merry Xmas cards for December, please.

Gold Teeth Brooklyn's was new to me, and their booth of simple, whimsical silkscreen cards was a hit! This colorful hot air balloon was a personal favorite of mine. What's not to love?

 Jill Bliss won me over with her farm animals. They are my son's current obsession, and it's kind of amazing how your child's interests really influence your own. The goat and chickens may not be ready for purchase, but I've already picked out a spot in my son's room for them.  

 Oh, Printerette Press, I'm in love! Another first-timer at NSS, and they were a fan favorite. This "Thanks, Mom" card was way up my alley, and the the blue gingham/floral combo card sets and astrological cards were standouts as well. Plus, anyone who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for anything displayed in rainbow order (you can see a picture of that here)!


Rifle Paper Company came prepared with lots of new gems to look at. These black and gold foil cards stood out as something special at the show — they are at the same time elegant and kind of hardcore —so few greeting cards are primarily black! She also brought out some great new coasters and a super cute telephone notepad that I love. But, I'm an even bigger fan of the set she made during her recent trip to Paris. Too cute. 

 Wild Horse Press caught my eye, positioned on the aisle of the Ladies of Letterpress booth. This line has such a colorful, playful, distinctive look that I love, and it's brand new! I wasn't the only one who liked it . . . two Wild Horse products were selected as finalists for "Best of" prizes at the show! My personal favorites are the musical instrument prints and notecard sets, bringing me home to the south. 

 I love just about everything that Yellow Owl Workshop puts out, and they had so many bright and fun new items to check out! These "Hello Lady" and "Hello Sir" silhouettes totally float my boat, and I would use them for almost any occassion. 

All in all, I had such a great time at the biggest paper party of the year, looking at beautiful things and getting the chance to meet some of my retailers and paper friends from around the country! Already looking forward to next year :)
xo 

We kicked off our weekend with a visit to Dough in Clinton Hill — something that's been on our to-do list for quite some time. I went in with all intentions of getting only two doughnuts for us to try, but the doughnut sirens were strong, and I was lucky to walk out with only four in hand. 

I wanted to try them all! From traditional plain glazed to colorful hibiscus flower and spiced chocolate with chipotle, the doughnuts are puffed with a purposeful chewy bite, and roughly the size of my toddler's face. It's no surprise that the pastry chef Fany Gerson tells her employees to handle the dough like a woman.

In the end, we settled on lemon poppyseed, chocolate earl grey, chai creme, dulce de leche, and a couple sugar coated doughnut holes for good measure. They did not disappoint. The dulce de leche, studded with toasted almonds, did not survive the car ride home. We appreciated the doughnuts' texture (at once dense and fluffy) and the tempered sweetness of the glazes (no cloying sweetness here). In the end, the Doughnut Plant we love has some serious competition — and Dough gets bonus points for calling Brooklyn home. 

Upon our return, we sat on the front stoop with our coffee, the paper, and our pile of doughnuts to stare at and nibble on. Hope your weekend got off to a great start, too!
xo 

p.s. If you missed the link in the blog post, you should really consider watching the doughnut porn. 

I'm SO excited to introduce this new fabric ribbon to the shop. It's my absolute favorite for wrapping gifts these days - it's soft, effortless, and adds a big punch of color to whatever you use it with.


Perfect for wrapping summer wedding, baby, and birthday gifts — it dresses up even simple kraft paper packages with beatiful rustic style. 

I hope you like it as much as I do! More colors coming soon...
xo 

Since my official introduction to it last year, Mother's Day has quickly become one of my favorite holidays. I woke up this morning to find gorgeous pink peonies and tulips surrounded by a delightful stack of wrapped gifts. Add a fresh pot of coffee and breakfast made-to-order, and needless to say, I felt like a pretty special gal.  

Among my spoils (and I really did feel spoiled) were all sorts of cute goodies from Anthropologie to spruce up the kitchen and adjoining home office space that I spend so much time in. My man even researched what's been catching my eye on Pinterest and scored me this fun scratch-off map to chart where I've had shop sales around the globe!  

I was especially happy to see that my boys picked out this "mom" stitched card from my friend Lauren at Blue Eye Brown Eye, who just got picked up by Anthropologie! What a treat. Here's to all you hard-working moms! 
xo

Welcome to the brand new Knot & Bow blog (and website)! I'm so excited to launch this new facet of Knot & Bow, where I'll have a place to share a bit more about what's going on (personally and professionally) at Knot & Bow HQ and beyond. 

There are lots of projects in the works, from the launch of some new products next week...

...to the creation of the most amazing glittery twine (I know you'll love it!), and so much more to watch for.

I hope you enjoy the new site as well — my favorite is the fun retailers map! I'm pretty low-tech but I'm super thankful to have a husband by my side who likes that stuff. 
xo