Thank you, American Veterans.

Thank you for your service to our country. 

We celebrate you today. 

Gorgeous Lights and Colors for Diwali

It's time to celebrate with gorgeous lights, fireworks, flowers, lanterns, beautiful fabrics, tasty treats, and friends! It's Diwali! 

"Deepavali (also spelled Divali in few countries) or Diwali, popularly known as the festival of lights, is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji.

Brightly lit decorations for Diwali, the Hindu festival held to celebrate the new season at the end the monsoon, line Serangoon Road in Little India, Singapore.

The name Diwali is itself a contraction of the word "Deepavali" (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāvalī), which translates into "row of lamps."  Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) (or dīpa in Sanskrit: दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.

During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends.  Deepavali is widely celebrated in both India and Nepal." Wouldn't it be nice to celebrate with a few gorgeous spots of color and some lovely lights yourself this evening?  If you're feeling celebratory, here's a delicious recipe for Aloo Gobi (Indian style cauliflower and potatoes) that you can enjoy tonight for dinner!

From all of us at Take Notice Card Company, have a fabulous weekend! 

(all photos courtesy of Corbis.com, quote courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Holiday Season is Upon Us!

October is National Book Month!

Oh, books. Does anyone else have the same "problem" that we do here? Stacks and stacks of  books, waiting to be read... There's not enough time in the day to read as much or as often as we'd like. But curling up on a cold, rainy fall day (or laying out on the beach) with a good read is one of the simplest pleasures in life, and certainly one of the easiest ways to celebrate solitude and gather your thoughts at the end of a long day. Books also bring us closer to our friends, as we discuss our latest reads, share suggestions, and go on "field trips" on our lunch hours to one of the most impressive bookstores in the world. Portlanders are among the most fortunate in having easy access to our hometown jewel, Powell's Books... Many fond childhood memories of searching, unlimited and unrestricted, abound among stacks and stacks of books for perfect reading... If you're a book lover, it's a must-see!

While the days for beach reading have flown by for this year (unless you're lucky enough to be planning a vacation to a tropical isle), there's still plenty of time for good books in the evening after a day at work.

In celebration of National Book Month, and to get you started on your fall reading, here is a list of books that we, at Take Notice Card Company, call some of our favorites!

Joy of Man's Desiring by Jean Giono

Peace like a River by Leif Enger

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Lost Horizon by James Hilton

Mrs. Mike by Benedict & Nancy Freedman

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

And what evening curled up by the fire would be complete without a hot drink to accompany you? This recipe was created especially for fireside reading, chatting, and relaxing... While it's definitely not calorie free, it will keep you warm and toasty (and can be enjoyed with or without the adult addition of spiced rum).

Fireside Hot Buttered Rums (Rum Optional)

2 tsp rum extract
2 tsp maple extract
2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs vanilla extract
1 gal vanilla bean ice cream (French Vanilla or Natural Vanilla with the bean)
2 sticks butter
3.5 cups brown sugar

Mix it all up in mixer, spoon into containers (like the "entree" size of Gladware) and refreeze.

To use for a drink, spoon about four heaping spoonfuls into bottom of cup (for adults, add approx 1 oz rum of your choice), and pour boiling water over top.

Not low cal. Not low fat. But really, really delicious. (For an extra decadent treat, try this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Muffins  from the talented Jenna at Eat Drink Pretty!)

What are your favorite books, treats and daily celebrations for the cold autumn evenings?

Happy October: Bake & Decorate Month!

Well, it's all over Twitter. According to several sources, including Poppytalk, Dirty Bandits & Wilton, October is Bake & Decorate month. What more could we ask for in celebrations? Delicious treats and sweet decorating go hand in hand, and what better way to celebrate the turning of the seasons with some cupcakes or a sweet treat?

photo by Christopher Griffith

Personally, we've been dying to try the Chocolate Malt cake that was featured in this summer's Bon Appetit: rich chocolatey layers of cake with melty, gooey, malty frosting? Check out the pièce de résistance... charred mini-marshmallows. What a combination! It's like a grownup version of s'mores... Seems like a great ending to the summer, with a nod towards those campfires we enjoyed... Maybe there's one more bonfire in our future before we have to bundle up and hunker down for the winter?

photo by Lisa Hubbard

If tinier bites are your thing, consider taking these mini Fall Cupcakes or some Pumpkin Muffins to a morning meeting. Can you imagine how co-workers would swoon for these, freshly baked and wrapped up in a sweet little basket? Perfect way to beat the Mondays!

photo by Bakerella

Don't forget to decorate them! With all the great options for decorations these days, you don't have to be Martha in order to present a good looking treat! Visit your local decorette shop, or see what places like Etsy and Bakerella have in store!

photo courtesy of Corbis

The sky is really the limit these days, so don't be so serious! You have the perfect excuse to reach out and share a sweet treat with someone you love! And, if you get started now, you'll be in perfect practice for when Sweetest Day rolls around a little later this month. Stay tuned for our plans to celebrate October Bake & Decorate Month and our sneak-attack for Sweetest Day...

Now go on! What are you waiting for?

Happy International Day of Peace!

 

“Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.” 

 

- Robert Fulghum 

 

Today, September 21, is International Day of Peace. This day is dedicated to peace, and observed in many countries by a temporary ceasefire. Originally celebrated in 1981, the day was inaugurated with the Peace Bell. This Peace Bell, given as a gift by the Diet of Japan, is made from coins donated by children from all continents. Referred to as a reminder of the human cost of war, the bell is inscribed with "Long live absolute world peace." 

Peace Day events are encouraged by the United Nations Peace Outreach Program, and more and more organizations join in the hundreds of worldwide peace-oriented celebrations as word of this day spreads. 

 

Ways to celebrate peace continue to arise - some communities encourage members to  think globally and act locally, while others engage in respectful communication and expression of  thoughtfulness abound.

 

Our hope for you is that, whether in grand fashion or solitary observance, your day today is filled with quietude, restfulness, and a time to reflect upon your role in the world. Celebrate your neighbors with a kind gesture, card with a few nice words, a baked treat, or a flower. Let someone know you appreciate them today, and lay down differences in honor of International Day of Peace.

 

Let us know what you do to celebrate, and how it made you feel! 

 

Yours, 

 

Take Notice Card Company 

Back to School!

It seems like just yesterday that our own son, Myles, was starting school... Off he went to Kindergarten and he never looked back... what adventures! Now he's in college, and we're watching our neighborhood children head off to school this week...

From all of us at Take Notice, we hope that this week brings you and your families joy, and that you find opportunities to celebrate another fun summer. We sincerely enjoy hearing from all of you, so drop us a line and let us know what you're up to - are any of your kids headed back to school this week?

You can find us on Twitter, or on Facebook, too - so sign up, follow us, and join in the conversation!