Search Results for: words to inspire

The Best of Etsy: Bird Love

August 16, 2011

Bird motifs are one of my favorite decorative elements. I am drawn to artwork with birds, fabrics with bird images and beautiful wrapping paper and ribbon with bird icons. Birds are one of natures most beautiful gifts, to be enjoyed indoors and out.

Here are a few of my favorites bird items from Etsy for you to enjoy.

Vintage inspired handmade Birds Nest Gift Tags created by Rowena of Craftypagan. If you love paper products you’ll definitely the Craftypagan shop.
Fun and whimsical Live Life to the Fullest Art Print is design by Colleen, a talented graphic artist/illustrator. This lovely print as well as loads of other bird motif items are available on her Freshline Etsy shop.
Red, my favorite color and a bird motif=Love! This bird on branch pillow was designed by San Francisco based designer, Joom. Her Etsy shop of the same name, JOOM is full of pillows, clocks and other decorative items, all designed with birds.
Isn’t this Love Birds on Branch Necklace adorable! The Morganprather Etsy shop has a wonderful selection of bird icon jewelry, brought to you by none other than Morgan.
I told you I love bird artwork, and this beautiful Watercolor Bird Image caught my eye when shopping Etsy one day. Stop by the Etsy shop MaiAutumn and check out all the watercolor art designed by Christine.
KawaiiGoodies is one of my all-time favorite Etsy shops. They carry an incredible mix of packaging supplies and adornments, including this Bird and Script Muslin Fabric Adhesive Ribbon. If you love to gift wrap and craft, you have to check out this shop!
These Bird Placecards will take the style of your next party to a new level. And, if birds maybe aren’t your think, there are some other great placecards styles to choose from on the Etsy shop TimelessPaper. p.s They’d also be cute as gift tags.
Watch the time “fly” by with this beautifully crafted, bamboo Bird & Brand Clock , from Decoylab. This is just one of many incredible clock designs.

(If you’re looking for a special baby gift, check out another of my favorite clocks from Decoylab below.)

Looking for more unique entertaining items….check out these Bird Pedestal Cake/Dessert Plates from Sundayrainflame. Your table is going to look great.

And finally,

I love a beautiful chair, especially one upholstered in a beautiful fabric. This lovely Thomas Paul Chair is from RubbishRehab. Located in my home state of Washington, RubbishRehab is all about “taking previously loved objects and updating them to reduce consumption and up style.” And, they are pros at it!

It’s My Forest Clock from Decoylab on Etsy! Too cute for words!

Do you have a favorite Etsy shop? I’d love to know.

ABC’s and 123’s

July 29, 2011

Typography influences are everywhere in the interior design world. The impact is bold and graphic, while being whimsical and artistic.

I love incorporating letters, numbers and quotes into my personal and professional design projects.

Check out these typography inspired spaces…

If you’re looking to add some typography to your decor, check out some of my favorite finds on Etsy.

Yarn wrapped letters from Cranny Found Favorites. So cool!

Framed vintage letters from Studio 6 Fresno. Love these!

Wood wall quote from Oh Dier. To cute for words!

Watercolor and acrylic artwork from The Wheat Field. Just Lovely!

Have you caught the typography bug? Watch out, it’s contagious!

Loving a Bit of Old and New

July 28, 2011

When I was younger and just starting to develop my decorating style, I wanted everything in my apartments and homes to be new. I wanted to be the first to touch it, use it and make a design statement with it.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really come to love pieces that have a history to them. Pieces that have “experience” and show a bit of character and age.

While I will never describe my personal design style as totally vintage or rustic, I am adding those words in the mix when I describe my style as eclectic chic. I love a room that is mixed with a little of this and a little of that, old with new, shiny with rustic, global with modern.

Here are a few rooms that speak to my eclectic chic style, (with a touch of rustic charm)…

I’m sure my design style will continue to evolve, but for now I love how the past and present are working together!

Atlanta Market Recap: Part 1

July 21, 2011

It is such a luxury to have the Atlanta Home Furnishings and Gift Market just 30 minutes from my door. Twice a year market takes place and the newest design trends, furniture styles and product introductions happen. Last week, I attended the show and snapped a few photos of the looks and design statements coming soon, to a store near you.

Here’s a look…

LIGHTING:

Industrial Inspired, Bold, Rough Luxe

This clear globe pendant would look so stylish in a sleek and modern kitchen.

Ceramic Ginger Jar Lamps and wood baluster lamps were all over market, especially those this rustic and aged finishes.

I love this umbrella chandelier. The antique brass finish on the inside of the fixture gives it that touch of elegance.

ACCESSORIES:

Ceramic, Iron, Brass, Pewter, Colored Glass, Metal, Graphic, Typography

Big and bold accessories were everywhere. The details were simple, leaving the scale of the items to make the statement.

Nude glassware and ceramics made a color statement, as did bright, colorful glassware.

Love the look of these galvanized storage containers. I think they would look fab in a mudroom or casual office.

WALL DECOR:

Collage Art, Eclectic, Refined & Formal, Artistic

These mixed media collage art pieces were some of my favorites. I might just have to try my hand at crafting a custom piece of my own.

I’ve loved this mirror ever since it was introduced in a smaller size a few markets ago. This larger size, crafted by Paragon is such dynamic piece.

Global Views, one of my favorite manufacturers has become known for their 3-dimensional ceramic wall art. These yellow flowers are one of their newest statements.

PILLOWS:

Graphic, Sculptural, Colorful, Modern, Shaped, Organic

Felt pillows are all the rage and have such an artistic feel to theme.

FURNITURE:

Industrial, Painted, Old-world, Aged

This hand-painted chest was a stunner. Guildmaster, one of my favorite lines has some of the most beautiful pieces of statement furniture pieces.

This industrial antique liquor cabinet by GO HOME is awesome. What a great piece to mix with traditional decor to spice things up a bit.

Don’t you just love this hollywood regency inspired piece from Gloabal Views?

A couple more refined rustic pieces from Guildmaster, above and below.

So there you have it, a few highlights from the Atlanta Market.

Do you have a favorite piece?

I’ll be back tomorrow with a recap of some of the events I attended during market, and a few words of wisdom shared by design icons such as Stan Topol and Kathryn M. Ireland.

Classic Summer Fashions

July 5, 2011

When summer arrives and temperatures reach into the 90’s and 100’s, my ideal summer wardrobe is light, airy, crisp and clean.

There’s nothing more classic for a summer wardrobe than primary colors mixed with white and khaki. **And*, turquoise is the perfect accent color to make any summer fashion look stand out.***

When it comes to building a classic summer wardrobe, here’s all you’ll need:

Summer Wardrobe Essentials:

Cotton Eyelet Dress–Nordstrom $138

Turquoise or turq-inspired jewelry–Necklace–Kate Spade $78, Earrings–Stella and Dot $34

Canvas Beach Tote–Striped Canvas Tote–Lands’ End $23.99

Classic Espadrille–EspadrillesEtc.

Cotton Slip Dress–Nordstrom $82

Wide Brim Straw Hat–Forever 21 $12.80

Twill Bermuda Shorts–Nordstrom $28.90

Flirty Swimsuit–Juicy Couture–Nordstrom $168

Stylish Sunglasses–Nordstrom $58

Canvas Plaid Bucket Hat–Land’s End $12.99

Classic Canvas Sneaker–Lands’ End $12.99

Nautical Stripe Boatneck Tee–Lands’ End $29.50

Wedge Espadrille Sandal–Lands’ End $39.99

Print Maxi Dress— Chico’s $149

What’s your favorite summer outfit?

Kleenex Anyone

May 25, 2011

I can’t believe today is the end of any era. While she’s not totally out of my life, it feels a little like one of my sources of inspiration is leaving me for good. Today is the last Oprah show and without even blinking an eye, I can tell you I will shed a few tears.

While I have never had the pleasure of meeting Oprah, (although I tried), I feel a bit like she is my soul sister.

My mother has been my biggest source of inspiration, faith, hope and love, and along with her, the life lessons, I have learned from Oprah over the years have shaped my life in definitive ways.

Me and my mom!

Oprah has reinforced my belief that I can do anything I set my mind to….

Oprah has taught me to listen to my inner voice, no matter what….

Oprah has shown me that giving is far more important than receiving….

Oprah has shown me what a special gift friendship is…

Oprah has taught me that words matter, especially expressions of love and support…

Oprah has taught me that…

Oprah, if you’re reading this…Thank you for sending lots of love, hope, laughter and wisdom through the TV screen all these years!

You inspired a nation, and you inspired me!

XoXo

Party Inspiration…In Black and White

March 29, 2011

While most of my design work focuses on private homes and an occasional office/business project, I really enjoy decorating for special occasions. Party planning is one of my favorite things and I love developing party concepts that are unique and different.

Here’s my take on a Black and White Soiree!

The first step in party planning for me, is always to create a theme for the event. The theme of the party sets the tone and serves as the launching pad for all the other party elements….Location, Decor, Invitations, Food, Signature Cocktail, Party Favors, Music and even the attire.

If your event is planned for outside, think about incorporating a tent into the decor. Not only does a tent add visual impact, but it will give your party atmosphere a bit of intimacy and ambiance.

When selecting invitations, go for something dramatic. There are lots of great online resources for beautiful printed invitations, with one of my favorites being the handmade invitations from Etsy’s Ink Obsession Designs. Simple, classic and elegant!

And, for those occasions that call for an email invitation, I turn to Paperless Post. This online emporium of invitations, stationery and cards has an incredible offering of designs and styles to fit any occasion. Paperless Post recognizes the beauty of handwritten or printed invitations, but offers a modern alternative that embodies that same elegance. In their words…

“At Paperless Post, we seek to redefine the tradition of paper stationery so that people can send custom, personalized invitations and announcements with the same thought and care as previous generations, but the way we communicate today: online.”

When it comes to tabletop decor, keep it simple and elegant. Plain china will work with any theme and allows patterned table lines and napkins to be showcased.

Here are a couple other tips that will elevate the style of your table decor:

Layer your place settings to give your table depth. I typically start with a charger plate and layer my other dinnerware on top. And don’t forget that a tablecloth is considered a layer itself.
Incorporate a variety of textures into the mix: textured linens, smooth china, beaded napkin rings, flowers. All these elements create dimension.

Once the foundation of your table decor is set, add in a few unexpected items for a bit of personality.

Festive party hats, made by hand, can become elements of your centerpiece, and solid black urns and vases can hold condiments or candies.

And don’t forget a custom dessert treat to fit your theme!

Often times what really makes a party come to life are the little details and special elements.

Custom cocktails are the in thing. For a black and white themed party, I’d go with a Mudslide Martini. Here’s a great recipe.

Rather than traditional placecards, decorate each chair in a personal way. Check out the fabulous handmade chair covers from Divine Chair Design.(below), and the cute chair cone in the photo above.

And, if you really want to get mileage out of your party theme, ask your guest to dress in colors that work with your theme. This is a great way to get everyone emotionally connected to the party, while keeping the party theme solid as a rock.

The next time you plan a party, start by creating a theme that will make your party come to life.

Thanks to all my blog followers. I love sharing my thoughts, ideas and ramblings with all of you. I hope your inspired!

Stay tuned for more great party planning themes and tips coming your way!

The Stockings Were Hung…

December 7, 2010

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, beautiful Christmas Stockings are an essential item on my decorating list. And, because I try to change-up my Christmas decorating theme each year, I’ve unknowingly become a “collector” of Christmas Stockings.

Here’s a round-up of my favorite holiday stockings and a few fabulous mantle photos to inspire your holiday decorating.

Southern Living

Neiman Marcus

via

Neiman Marcus

Andrea Carone, of Inspired Living designed these fabulous stocking (above and below). I love how elegant, yet whimsical it is. You can check out more of Andrea’s beautiful stockings at her Etsy site, here!

Neiman Marcus

In one of the homes I decorated this year, animal print ribbon was used on the tree. I fell in love with the look and then I saw these to-die-for stockings. Next year my holiday theme may just to have a touch of animal print in it.

Neiman Marcus

via

Who says a holiday stocking has to be shaped like a boot? I love the look of this whimsical mantle, using knit mittens as stocking stand-ins.

These Mackenzie Childs stockings are too cute for words. I love the jewel tone colors, embellishments around the cuff and that adorable puff ball on the tip of the toe. Available at Neiman Marcus

Neiman Marcus

On many of the blogs I read, I’m seeing a trend in all white Christmas decor. I love the clean, fresh love of this color statement. The tree above is simple but so beautiful, and the stockings below are just dreamy.