Next up for discounts this week is Designers Guild. Can you believe it? They’re a sponsor of this blog and would like to extend a special offer to us – 25% off everything on their website. From bedding to luggage tugs, they have a very nice assortment of colorful things for you to select – and the sale is valid for 8 days – ending November 27, 2007. Enter decor8 upon checkout.
I have lots of DG travel accessories, I purchased them a few years ago and still use them whenever I fly, like the travel wallet for tickets (mine is pink leather), a passport wallet (I have one in black/white), and of course pink luggage tags because well, you only live once. I’m very happy with my leather goods from DG, they’re made very well, are extremely sturdy, and have boarded several long haul flights with me over the past few years and show no signs of wear.
As for interiors, I can’t resist their lambswool throws and the Xenia embroidered bedding, there’s nothing like embroidered sheets in my opinion. Thanks Designers Guild for this generous discount!
(images from designers guild)
Scrappy Girl told me that the winner of the Domino decorating contest is Catherine from Mill Valley, CA – additional photos of her home just went live on their website. She won $10,000 – can you imagine winning that? I wonder what she’s going to do with the prize money. What would YOU do? I think I’d completely decorate two rooms in my home from top to bottom.
“As a single mother I waited 17 years to convert two small bedrooms into my large master bedroom. I did all the demo and hired handymen to install the closets, doorways and white floor. I then painted, stenciled, embossed, and/or glazed every inch of wall space and built the gas fireplace surround myself. I reinvented a 1960s Hollywood vanity, nightstands, small chandeliers and French chair with paint, decoupage and silver leaf. I made and painted the silk organza curtains (items are not pictured). The goal was to create a Parisian-like sanctuary to enjoy after a long working day.” – Catherine
Are you happy with the winner? If this contest was up to you, who would have won?
(image from domino magazine)
I thought it would be fun to write a new column each week called Etsy: Take Five Tuesdays to show you some of the etsy stores that I enjoy that haven’t received much blog attention yet. Since adding my Etsy ticker to the left column several months ago (I change my finds daily, even on weekends), I’ve been a little lazy when it comes to writing actual posts featuring Etsy artists. These talented artists enjoy seeing their products featured on blogs even more than a quick spot on a ticker, so starting today I’ll post Etsy: Take Five Tuesdays showcasing my 5 finds of the week in addition to the little ticker. :)
Plonka by Dalinda from Norway, who is also a blogger. I have to order a few of her CD holders, much better than jewel cases and great for the random CDs laying on my desk that I refer to often for work. The fabrics she uses and the color palette is so very feminine – a nice change from the usual CD cases offered in music stores – red vinyl and black leather. Ugh. These would make great gifts.
Flower Shop Press is from Australia and this etsy store owner creates pretty floral prints (and shoes!) in modern colors and my favorite, the white on gray pattern shown above, it’s really unexpected since most prints are on white or cream paper these days. I like this a lot.
Wonting. One word: Darling. I’m wanting more. :) This etsy store owner even designed a Dunny figure for Kid Robot. If they’re good enough for Dunny, they’re good enough for me.
Tabitha Emma is another Aussie with sweet and innocent fashion illustrations celebrating the art of looking good while taking your afternoon tea. My favorite is I do like Tea.
In My Back Yard is a girl from New Zealand and she loves to create patches, pretty fleece things (like pins) and even a print or two. There’s nothing like shopping for one-of-a-kind handmade items at these prices!
(images from individual sellers listed above.)
So many pretty things at Violet, and for the next 8 days, you can save 20% if you enter code decor8 upon check out between now and November 27, 2007.
It’s a great idea to keep space free in your cabinet to store little hostess gifts, that way you’re never rushing around at the last minute in Target trying to find something the same evening as the event (I speak from experience). Sure, some may argue that it’s not so personal to buy gifts without a specific person in mind, but I gave this some thought and realize that the best gifts are sometimes things you yourself love – it’s a nice way to show the hostess something new that she may not buy for herself. Now when I shop for hostess gifts, I buy things that I either have already (so I know they are good) or items that I would own myself that I think would fit the tastes of those in my circle of friends. With that being said, Violet has some great gifts in their Hostess Chronicles section, and everywhere else on their site (great stuff for guys too), so why not grab a few goodies, save 20%, support a small business, and arrive prepared at your next party. :)
A few of my faves {shown above} include the Perfect Combination Tray, the Impressionable Dipping Dish, Ginko Leaf Tray, and the Chick Magnets.
Thanks Violet for the discount!
(images from violet)
If you dream of Danish cottage design, you’re soon to be smitten by the charms of Jasna Janekovic and her darling abode in Germany. I’ve been impressed with Jasna for quite some time now, I first found her via Flickr and I’ve been following her around the web ever since. She even has her own little shop on Dawanda.
Jasna is from Croatia, now living in Cologne, Germany and her name means Pure, Bright, Clear. After viewing her home, I think you’ll see that this lady lives up to her name in the way she styles her unique one room space of only 33 square meters. I’m so inspired by this small urban apartment, it’s so lovely and personal and best of all, budget-friendly! Her apartment has one room for sleeping/working, a kitchen, and a bathroom. But Jasna notes that, “I have a big, big wonderful garden with birds, ducks and squirrels.” I asked her a few questions so you could know her better and learn about the mood she tries to create in her home, I hope you enjoy these photos and words from this bright and cheerful lady!
“The chairs are from Ikea and the table is from the 70′s. I painted them all antique white but I have only three chairs. I’m looking for a fourth one at flea market.”
“The tin and the wooden box are from the flea market, as always. :) I like this colorful embroidery on the little vintage tablecloths.”
decor8: What are your feelings when it comes to decorating, what’s your ultimate goal?
Jasna: I came to this crazy earth to create wonderful rooms with a peaceful atmosphere. This is my mission. When I was a child and my parents were on vacation I would rearrange the apartment we were living in. It is so much fun to create a new atmosphere only with new pillows or small accent pieces. I want to give beautiful feelings a physical expression. Everyone knows these great feelings for example: happiness, freedom, love, softness, inner peace, an open heart, but there are not a lot of people who have this feelings all of the time. Because of this I create things with this charisma and rooms with this atmosphere. My principal theme is Good Feelings.
decor8: How would you describe your aesthetic?
Jasna: My design aesthetic is a mixture of flea market finds, vintage stuff, white furniture and feminine details that makes for a more Scandinavian and personal look I think. A lot of people reason that you need lots of money to create a beautiful home, but they are wrong. Most of my furniture is from Ikea, but I paint Ikea furniture antique white to give them a lighter more personal look. Most of the other household goods are from flea markets and local thrift stores.
I’m trying to create a harmony between Yin and Yang in my home. I love this Asian philosophy, the harmony between heaven and earth. This is not easy, because the world becomes more and more Yang (masculine). I try to create a harmony between the five elements as well: fire, earth, metal, water, wood. My apartment is not finished, it is always a work in progress as is life – never ending.
decor8: Favorite colors?
Jasna: My favourite colours are white and blue, because white is standing for the whole spectrum of colours. The whole world is in this colour. White is light and this is our inner essence. Behind every colour are stories and emotions and feelings. Blue is standing for freedom, peace, softness, spirituality. Things that a lot of people have lost in our busy life today. I also like yellow and pink because both colours are happy and warm.
decor8: Do men dig your space?
Jasna: Some may think a man would run from my apartment but just the opposite, every man that has been here liked it. They say its cozy. My style is feminine but not kitschy. And I don’t have a lot of pink in my rooms. My apartment is clear and fresh (Yang), but romantic (Yin).
decor8: What inspires you?
Jasna: My inspiration comes from the Noa Noa and House Doctor, as well as these great books: Nordlicht – Skandinavisch Wohnen, Dezembertage, and Sommerleben. They give me lots of inspiration and ideas. I get a lot of inspiration from other flickr members for interiors and from etsy members for sewing. Here are some additional links with the style I like: Country Home, Louise Body, House Style, Stines Butik, Lisbeth Dahl, Madam Stoltz, Freoli & Lysgaard, Innen von Sinnen (where I like to shop), and Odd Molly.
decor8: Anything else?
Jasna: The best inspiration I get is when I’m in Croatia at the sea or in forest. I want to bring this wonderful feeling here into my apartment. I get inspirations from books about Danish interiors, from my childhood, and from the Astrid Lindgren stories and films. I have loved them since I was a little girl.
decor8: Any decorating tips to share?
Jasna: A warm atmosphere comes from the mix of fabric with pattern I use on the pillows and tablecloths. When you want to make a room cosy, play with fabric and patterns, use the colours pink, yellow and a little bit of red, mix in wood, fresh flowers, candles, plants and pottery and flea market finds. If you want a modern fresh airy home use the colours white and blue. And don’t use brown, gray and black. I do not use black, because this colour has a charisma of teariness, sickness, pain, loneliness, and hardness. I don’t want these emotions, so I don’t use these colours. I’m like an artist, but I don’t use a brush and oil paint, I use the interior. I create my rooms with the same rules.
decor8: Would you call your design trendy, timeless, or a bit of both?
Jasna: I feel my design is timeless. I use old dishes from flea market, vintage pillowcases and so on. My apartment is timeless because it is clear and fresh and the mix with vintage stuff makes it relaxed. My home is clear but not cold, romantic and feminine but not kitschy, calm but not boring, vintage but not plain. It’s happy, but not to colourful. I think the timeless feeling comes because my home is not perfect. Its a little bit like Pippi Longstocking grows up. I play with decorations from different periods.
decor8: Where do you like to hang out in your apartment?
Jasna: My bedroom because it’s also my workspace. I love sitting at my table to sew or embroider and listen to the birds in my garden or the rustle of the trees. This is heaven!
Thank you Jasna for telling us all about your decorating style and inspiration, it’s so exciting to hear how you pull together such a calm and relaxed space. So pretty!
Psst: The talented Jasna also has a store on Dawanda. Isn’t it sweet?
(all images from jasna janekovic)
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