I have a growing wish list of books that I can’t wait to get my hands on from crafting to interiors! I thought I’d round up a few today in case you are interested in seeing what good things are soon to pop up at bookstores near you!
Paper + Craft, 25 Charming Gifts, Accents, and Accessories to Make from Paper by Minhee and Truman Cho.Crafting a Meaningful Home: 27 DIY Projects to Tell Stories, Hold Memories, and Celebrate Family Heritage by Meg Mateo Ilasco. Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business by Joy Deangdeelert Cho and Meg Mateo Ilasco. Handmade Weddings: More Than 50 Crafts to Personalize Your Big Day by Eunice Moyle, Sabrina Moyle and Shana Faust. A Perfectly Kept House Is the Sign of a Misspent Life: Creative Ideas and Real-life Tips for Making Your Home Lived-in, Warm, Welcoming and One-of-A-Kind by Mary Randolph Carter. Tricia Guild: Colors, Patterns, and Space by Tricia Guild. Life and Work: Malene Birger’s Life in Pictures by Marlene Birger. Romantic Style by Selina Lake. Details: A Stylist’s Secrets to Creating Inspired Interiors by Lili Diallo. Lotta Jansdotter’s Handmade Living: A Fresh Take on Scandinavian Style by Lotta Jansdotter. Amy Butler’s Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags by Amy Butler.
Out of the covers/titles above, which ones interest you? I want them all but I love the covers for Amy Butler, Handmade Weddings and Paper + Craft because they are clean and gorgeous — they lure me in and make me want to own the book. It’s important to have a cover that calls out to people from the shelf!
(images: amazon)
I’m so sorry that I was absent from class yesterday. I wish I had some amazing excuse to impress you (ha ha) but alas, I have none. I am fighting a nasty cold so I’ve been doing little more than trying to get better since I leave for London this weekend for another week of shoots ‘n styling for next week. Well, not a full week – but I do have many homes to work in on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then a meeting on Thursday along with a few visits to some favorite stores so I have something fun to share with you from my next adventure! With a jam-packed week coming up, I have to be healthy and ready so that I can be as creative as possible because it’s hard to do your best work when you are run down. And so this is my reason for being absent yesterday. But today, I’m here as I will be tomorrow and Friday as well. Next week, Leslie will fill in for me with posts while I’m away, including her June Color Me Pretty column, so stay tuned for that!
So for a moment can we just escape together? I would like to journey to the land of painted furniture and daring homeowners who simply GO FOR IT. Furniture painted in colors like turquoise. Seriously, how stunning is the table shown above from Danish company Oi Soi Oi (Vietnamese for goodness gracious me) in that gorgeous hue? For those who have shopped Pier1 imports or import stores in general where there seems to be a lot of very dark wood, you really have to rethink what you are looking at and imagine color instead. Just look for something with great bones and try to imagine it in your favorite color as you stand in the store. Look for pieces that have nice curves or decorative edges or perhaps some unique carving or hardware. Furniture that looks the best wearing your favorite color usually involves pieces that have something interesting about them concerning shape, proportion or details.
There is no crime in painting a dark wood cabinet in your favorite color – the furniture police won’t cuff you for it (I mean the mattress police never show up when we cut off the tags, do they?) because painting wood on furniture, at least pieces that are not antique, in my eyes is a-okay. I’ve seen people paint antiques too, but that really isn’t for me to say because it depends on the condition and value of it doesn’t it? But for new furniture that you are finding at import stores or even on sites like Overstock.com, why can’t you slap on some gray, red, turquoise or pink paint on an Asian-inspired cabinet or nightstand to brighten your space? Take inspiration from the fabulous Oi Soi Oi and see what you can come up with if ethnic boho modern is your thing. It’s totally my thing.
For more Oi Soi Oi goodness, visit them online…
(images oi soi oi)
I felt inspired by a few rooms found in Homes & Gardens today and thought I’d share 6 of my favorites with some notes as to where you can locate some of the things that you see. I think it really is all in the details when it comes to decorating and making a house a home and not a boring box showroom. One thing I am learning all over again through new eyes while working in homes of those whom I admire is how much attention to detail they really paid when decorating their rooms. No stone is left unturned. In some homes I’ve styled, I’ve unearthed some treasures in boxes and even closets that made me drool — so many little things that homeowner’s have, each with a story, is really what makes a home a meaningful, supportive space. Maybe some of these images below will give you some inspiration, decorating ideas, or just a deeper appreciation for what I’m talking about. And maybe, while looking at them, you can think of some of the little things you have around you at home and remember why they are there and what memories they bring.
Window film on glass (better than soap film!) with lettering from Brume.
Curtain in Circolo 2220-01 by Ulf Moritz at Sahco Hesslein, chair cushion in Nabucco Rosefrom Designers Guild.
Fabric on the wall by GP & J Baker.
Birdhouses by Tamar Mogendorff.
Magnetic lining under wallpaper by Magscapes. Wall flower magnets from Umbra.
Oratoria wallpaper from Osborne & Little resembles distressed plasterwork on stone.
Beata natural linen shade from Pinch. Itia wooden screen Lombok. Bowls from Daniel Smith at Eskandar.
Spot a photo that makes you think, “Hmmmm…. I can try that!” Or? Your thoughts?
(images: homes & gardens UK)
Hello and happy new week to you! I personally wish this week never came because I have so much to do that I feel a bit stressed out over it! BUT at least the weather is making the pain go away — it’s sunny and has cooled down to the upper 70s which is, in my opinion, a beautiful temp for working indoors by the window as I usually do. The breeze is refreshing and keeps me going whereas all the heat we recently had made me feel sleepy and demotivated! I am still nursing a cold and drinking tons of tea (strange drinking hot tea during summer days!) but I’m not here to talk about my health, instead I want to talk about how important it is to be grateful for the day and what we have currently.
When it comes to my life — I can’t complain. I have dreams coming true and others on the conveyor belt heading my way though I have also suffered from some extreme heartache in my life and so these good moments feel nice because you need a good balance of highs and lows don’t you? Recently I’ve been feeling happy but deep inside, I know I am not taking it all in and enjoying these special moments in my life and this concerns me greatly and I have faced the fact: I must change my thinking! Do you have this little problem too? Many of my friends tell me that I am, “living the life” and that so many are living vicariously through me but it’s funny, when it’s your life it never feels so glamorous or all that interesting really. Recently a sweet blog friend of mine gave me some good advice when she advised me to Pinch Myself. Pinch myself? Well what she meant was to take it all in, pause, take a deep breath, and just enjoy the life and moments that I have and the experiences that I am building as I go. It’s good advice isn’t it?
The grass is always greener elsewhere. When I lived in the states I dreamed about someday living in Europe and being able to hop on trains and see the landmarks and museums and stores that I’d been fantasizing about regularly since childhood and NOW I CAN but everyday life sets in and you can easily forget what blessings and beautiful things that you have and that exist just outside of the window.
And so, to begin this week on a very positive note because I felt a bit overwhelmed waking up today, let us all just PINCH ourselves and remember all of what we have accomplished in our life, and all of what we have currently (what we do not have is to be put aside for a moment), and shall we just live for today and be happy with what we have? Yes, let us do this.
Now that we’ve all shared this great big group hug moment, we can proceed into this week feeling grateful and happy to be where we are in life — we are not glasses half empty… and to just take this week day by day, enjoy the simple pleasures, and bask in the glory that is this very simple truth: We are individually so very blessed, aren’t we? What do you feel grateful for today?
(image: holly becker)
That’s it for this week, I’m signing off to go have fun with some of my girlfriends tonight and get my weekend started! I need to connect with my friends because though I love to be in exciting places like London and Copenhagen there is still nothing sweeter than sitting around a table with those you care for to exchange ideas, share a glass of wine and enjoy some fresh, delicious food!
{mundo flo + clara in paradise}
I’ve posted several pretty things for you to enjoy today that will take you into the weekend feeling inspired (I hope!) and below I’ve included some gorgeous “real” homes from the decor8 Interior Styling group on Flickr that I know you will like. Please click below each grouping to visit the page of the homeowner and to see more shots of their home and life in their Flickr album.
{JEN, wood + wool stool, designace30, Toodeloo, i ‘aria, live bohemian, nest decorating, karibombari}
{nest decorating, uydurrukcu, dottie angel, absoluuty, ivystyle33, zimmerkuechekabinett, i l’aria, christine, moline, glory of 80s, uydurrukcu}
Have a lovely weekend, I will meet you back here on Monday with another full week of posts, a Copenhagen wrap up from my trip, and some other fun posts meant to uplift, inspire and encourage community and creativity! Yay and amen! :)
What do you have planned this weekend? Anything fun???
(images linked to their sources above)
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