Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Hosting an Easter Brunch

I am hosting Easter brunch at my house on Sunday for my parents and Mike's parents.  In retrospect this might not have been the best idea since our dining room is still in the state you all saw it in a few weeks ago (we are making very slooooow progress on this little house project!)  Luckily we are having beautiful weather in these parts so we are going to have the entire brunch outside. 

I've been browsing around looking for inspiration and ideas for centerpieces and flower arrangements.  Trying to keep things on a budget is important so I am going to be scouring thrift stores over the next couple of days looking for things I can use.  I really love some of the ideas pictured below like the tulips in the canning jar.  Tulips are so synonymous with spring, don't you think?  I also love the flowers in tea cups, this is such a great idea for vintage tea cups.  I think they would look so cute on each person's place setting.  I'm also thinking of attempting those chocolate nests from Martha Stewart, although maybe it's a bit too ambitious, Martha makes it sound easy but that's why she is Martha!  She makes everything sound easy!

What are your plans for Easter?  Are you hosting a brunch or dinner?  I would love to hear your ideas for Easter and Spring decorating!





Monday, March 29, 2010

Behind the Design - The Wren

Good morning everyone!  How was your weekend?  Mine was very relaxing and the weather was beautiful!

This week's Behind the Design features Wendren, of The Wren, a fabulous Etsy shop filled with the most amazing bags made from grain sacks.  I bought one of these bags a few years ago and LOVED it! 

Where does your inspiration come from?
Everywhere.


Do you have a spot you like to go that helps you feel creative?
Sitting on my Morrison chair. It is a big enough chair that I can curl up in and take stock of everything. It is 'my space' in the chaos of my work room.


Where do you do most of your work?
On the floor. It's the biggest empty space (although it is constantly shrinking as I add more things to my room.


How did you come up with the name for your business?
The bird came first and then the name 'Wren' is just too perfect because it is a bird (and it looks like the one I drew which is now my logo) and it is very similar to my real name: Wendren (Although in hindsight, this just causes confusiion for e-mails, invoices, and anything that has the two names placed nearby).


Your favorite thing to make?
Banana bread. I know this is not a product but it is the first thing that came to mind. I loooove the smell of banana bread baking (and the taste of it hot out of the oven).


What is your all time favorite design from past or current collections?
The antique linen and leather bags. The texture and history of each linen grain sack is so special and almost sacred. Whenever I have to cut them open I hesitate because it feels almost sad to cut away at antique stitching, but at the same time, the bag that emerges at the end is beautiful and much more useful than a sack.


You couldn't run your business without _________?
Jeremy. He is my loan bank (when I run out of cash flow), my motivator (when I am not sure if is all worth it) and my late night helper (because I never have enough time in the day to finish doing everything and Jeremy always helps out no matter how tired he is).

What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started your business?
Be super careful with pricing. Do not undermine the value of wholesale orders.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee please.

Favorite magazine/blog/daily read?
I am not much of a magazine reader. I am more of a page flipper, but if I had to choose, it would be Selvedge. The images are so beautiful and if I do get my hands on a copy, I read it cover to cover.

If you could follow one person around for a day, who would it be?
It would be some sort of slow moving creature, like a caterpillar. I feel like I need some calm right now and following that little fellow around, I think would be almost theraputic. Following a real person around feels exhausting right now.

Do you have any hobbies or creative outlets other than your work?
I lecture Design Foundation and this is a secondary creative outlet, I guess even if it is not direct. It is a break from Wren and allows me to do something else.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, money and time being no object, where would you go and why?
I would LOVE to go to India to learn and see the natural dye fields of indigo.

If you had to spend a year on a deserted island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
Computer (yes, I know predictable but if you think about it, you won't get bored at all - but yikes, is there electricity?), a good reading book, a sketching book (with charcoal, pencils, and chalk pastels), sun tan cream (I really believe in this stuff. I don't want to look 100 years old when I am 35), goggles (assuming my island is in the tropics I would like to be able to swim around and see all the pretty fish).

Thank you Wendren for participating in this week's Behind the Design.

Photos courtesy of The Wren.

Wendren can be found at:
Etsy shop
Blog
Twitter

Friday, March 26, 2010

Friday Link Love

Happy Friday!  What are your plans for the weekend?  I am checking out a new vintage shop downtown that I heard about full of mid century stuff, vintage fashion and accessories, a great vinyl selection, and just about everything on my list of favorites.  It might not actually be "new" but it's new to me so we'll see if it will become a regular stop on my thrifting tour! 

I love these adorable birthday invites.

A beautiful DIY project for spring.


Remember back in the day when you used to make mix tapes for someone you liked?!  This print reminds me of that...

I need one more NYC art inpsired poster like I need a hole in the head but I can never resist when it comes to my favorite city in the world and once place I called home so I bought myself this little poster over the weekend.  Can't wait to get it framed and put up in the house somewhere.

This was a good week for Polaroid lovers, The Impossible Project will be making film again, black and white for now and come summer there will be color!  But. you don't need any film for this awesome polaroid candle to work!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Over the weekend we stopped at a thrift store we don't usually go to but they have a really great furniture selection (and I tend to have serious moments of weakness and come home with something we don't need and won't fit into our house!)

We spotted this really great credenza that was perfect for the bar area we are going to create in our dining room but it was pretty beat up and we already have a dresser we are going to use for that purpose so we didn't really need it. The only great thing about it was the beautiful inlaid wood on the top and the fact that it was mid century and more our style than the piece we are currently planning on using.

The thing that really caught my eye though, was this beautiful armoire. It was gorgeous, about 6 feet tall with two doors and hanging poles on either side and a shelf that still had the original label in place that said "hats". I don't know where we would have put this thing in our house because it was big and our house is not, but it was so perfect and I have been thinking about it all week. The piece is probably long gone but oh how I wish I would have brought it home.

Photo: The Design Boards
* I really need to start taking photos on my thrifting trips, this is not actually from this weekend but from a really great salvage store in Savannah we went to over the summer!

The Great Outdoors

Well it feels like this warm weather might actually stick, which has me thinking about sundresses, bike riding, backyard parties, gardening and basically enjoying every little bit of spring and summer outdoors!  It has been a brutally long winter here in Florida (no sarcasm here, it has been REALLY cold here!) and I cannot wait to enjoy the outdoors.  Unfortunately our backyard is in pretty bad shape from the harsh winter and we have really been neglecting it.  Since Florida is usually a place where you can enjoy the outdoors almost all year long, I really want to create a space that is inviting and comfortable and beautiful.  Any one of these spaces would be perfect, don't you think?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Making Progress

Just a quick update on our new dresser. We sanded down all the drawers over the weekend and removed the veneer top which actually came off very easily. We read online that an iron was the most effective way to remove the veneer, we tried that method but actually had an easier time using a heat gun. I think the iron would work well if you had a heavily glued down piece of veneer because the steam would also help lift off the glue but we were able to easily chip away pieces with a few seconds under the heat gun.  

Photo: The Design Boards

We picked out some paint chips as well.  Initially we liked the darkest option on the chip but now we are thinking that might be too dark.  I want it to be a statement piece but that might be making too much of a statement.  We are leaning toward scuba green, on the second chip.  I could even go one lighter than that on either chip.  What do you think?

 

A Dose of Interior Inspiration

Here is a little design inspiration to get you through your mid week lull. These are all from the portfolio of Sally Conran, a London based stylist who specializes in interiors, lifestyle, and food.

I love her eclectc mix of vintage with mid-century and modern and the surprising pops of color she uses, especially on that kitchen island!  If you browse through her portfolio you'll find quite a nice mix of design, from fun and quirky to dark, romantic and serene.  I am really drawn to the moroccan themed room's mix of pattern and muted colors.  I can't pick a favorite, they are all so great.  Which room do you prefer? 

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Shades of Grey

I have really been loving grey lately. I think it's such a great neutral and I am considering it a lot in color  options for our house.  We are even considering a grey couch.

I know that winter is slowly coming to an end and my mind should be on bright and colorful things but I just can't help but be drawn to all these beautiful greys...


Monday, March 22, 2010

Behind the Design - Two Brunettes

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was lovely! 

This week's Behind the Design Features the shop, Two Brunettes.  You'll be interested to know that Two Brunettes is actually only composed of one brunette - Carolynn, an incredibly talented illustrator and paper designer. 

Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from everywhere! I am a huge observer and find inspiration in all parts of life, blogs, nature, I love mini items, packaging, calligraphy, girlie floral patterns, flowers, movies, architecture.


Do you have a spot you like to go that helps you feel creative?
I like to go for walks and think about nothing! Sounds weird that I want to think about nothing to get creative, but it helps me relax and have ideas come to me!


Where do you do most of your work?
I do most of my work in my home studio. I am a hugelover of dragging my laptop down to the corner of my couch though, and having some guilty pleasure tv going on in the background while I work.


How did you come up with the name for your business?
Two Brunettes actually started out with just as you might have suspected, Two Brunettes. My very good friend and I worked a day job together, always brainstorming of a dream business we might have one day. One thing lead to another and Two Brunettes was born. It ended up being just me, but I love the name so it stuck! And yes, I am brunette!


Your favorite thing to make?
My favorite thing in the whole world to make is illustrations! I love illustrating florals mostly, but I'm a doodler by trade.


What is your all time favorite design from past or current collections?
I think it might be impossible for me to answer this question!


You couldn't run your business without _________?
My family! My husband and my parents are my rocks in life.

What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started your business?
Rome wasn't built in a day. My mom has always said this to me because I tend to want things to just magically appear and be right! I know many people are like this and just take one day at a time, it just takes hard work and patience.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee but I adore tea!

Favorite magazine/blog/daily read?
I read a lot of blogs, too many to name a favorite. My favorite magazine was domino, I haven't really found a replacement yet.

If you could follow one person around for a day, who would it be?
I think I would say that I would follow Martha Stewart around all day, I know, cliche for someone in this business but it's true, the woman is pure genius!

Do you have any hobbies or creative outlets other than your work?
My husband is a movie buff so that has become a big hobby of mine, we love to watch movies and go to festivals together. We love the Toronto Film Festival.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, money and time being no object, where would you go and why?
I would love to travel to Santorini!

If you had to spend a year on a deserted island, what 5 things would you bring with you?
My doggie, my husband, my mac (haha, sad), sketching materials, matches (because sometimes I do have a logical side).

Thank you Carolynn for participating in this weeks Behind the Design.

Photos courtesy of Two Brunettes.

Two Brunettes can be found at:
Etsy shop
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
Flickr

Friday, March 19, 2010

Friday Link Love

Happy Friday everyone!  I am so glad the weekend is here.  I've been fighting a cold and the time change and I am just ready for a relaxing, tea drinking, sleeping in, kind of weekend. 

What about you?  What are you up to this weekend?  We are expecting 70 degree weather here so I am also going to spend some much needed time outside, soaking in the sunshine!  Enjoy your weekend..see you back here on Monday.  And of course, some links of inspiration to get you through your weekend! 

Great art.  Great conversation piece.  Great idea.  I love this map of the world, comes complete with push pins so you can mark where you live, where you've been, and where you are going!

Victoria is moving and clearing out some of her vintage collection!  It's going fast so be sure to check it out soon!

For all you fashionistas on a budget, you have to check out my friend's new blog.  It's a great source for budget versions of expensive fashion. 

If you live in New York, you will definitely want to check this Martha Stewart event out.  It's being held in the Starrett-Lehigh building (where Martha Stewart Omnimedia currently resides) which is AMAZING.  We had a friend who worked in the building and he had the most amazing terrace with awesome views of the Hudson.

I cannot get over this gorgeous, Tiffany blue door.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Polaroid Lovin'

Mike and I shot these polaroids over the weekend with some of our thrifted finds. I can't wait to hear whether or not The Impossible Project pulled it off, looks like Monday is the big day...

Photos: The Design Boards

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The current state of my dining room....

So this appears to be our March-April project.  Mike pulled all the paneling out of our back room which we will be turning into a dining room.  If you remember, the back room is sort of oddly shaped for furniture so we have decided that it would best function as a dining room.

Initially, we were afraid of what we might find if we pulled the paneling off the walls, which is what prompted us to just paint over it.  It looks like there was a nicely textured, undamaged wall underneath...well until they glued on faux paneling.  What would possess someone to cover perfectly good walls with dark, faux paneling?!  So now we have this...

Photos: The Design Boards

And hopefully soon, we will have this....

These are some photos I have clipped as inspiration for our new dining room.  I love the idea of using different kinds of chairs around the table and I love, love, love the settee as an option for seating.  We also plan to use an old antique dresser (pictured above) as a bar area.  It makes a great storage solution for linens and entertaining supplies and on the top we will probably have a tray filled with bottles, decanters, etc. with some shelving on the wall above for wine glasses.  What do you think?
 
 Photo credits: Skona Hem, Source Unknown, Living Etc., Style at Home via Little Bits of Lovely

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Painted Dresser


We had such a great day thrifting on Sunday. We found lots of great stuff for the shop (to be updated soon!) and we scored an awesome dresser for $20! We were a little hesitant about buying it because we couldn't tell if it was a painted finish or a veneer, the latter which would be very difficult to remove, not impossible, but difficult (thank God for being able to look stuff like that up on the iphone while shopping!)


When we got home with it, Mike immediately took the heat gun to it and found out that it is painted (he wouldn't even wait to let me take a photo of it so you can see his "test spot" on the left drawer. The top is veneered but it seems to come off easily and there is a nice wood base underneath!

We've been working on re-finishing another dresser that I've had since high school but when we saw this we knew we had to have it. It's the same style as our credenza and it's all wood, such a great deal for $20!

We are thinking about painting it turquoise. When we were in Savannah over the summer we came across a dresser in a design store that had been painted turquoise and ever since then we have not been able to stop talking about it. So, this seems like the perfect piece of furniture to attempt it on. 

This month's issue of Martha Stewart has some great tips on painting furniture so it seems meant to be that we paint it!  I will keep you posted with pics of this diy project!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Behind the Design - Hello Tenfold

Hello everyone. I hope you all had a nice weekend.

This week's Behind the Design features Ellie, the talented designer behind the lovely stationary shop, Hello Tenfold, and author of Mint Design Blog.

Where does your inspiration come from?
I read a lot of blogs, so I'm constantly inspired by all the colors, designs, and patterns I see there.  I'm also inspired by vintage ephemera and nature.


Do you have a spot you like to go that helps you feel creative?
I love looking through all kinds of books and magazines for inspiration, so sometimes a trip to a local bookstore or library is helpful.


Where do you do most of your work?
I have an office at home, but I do move around the house and like to work in coffee shops too.

How did you come up with the name for your business?
Well...My sister in law came up with the name "Mint" during a car ride, adn I liked it enough to use. At the time, I didn't know where the blog would go, and we didn't put much thought into the name, to be honest! For my stationary company, Hello Tenfold, I liked the sound of the word "tenfold" but of course there are other companies called Tenfold and I wanted to make it more unique. I like that the direct meaning is "hello times ten" which made sense because my initial idea was to have more everyday staationary in the shop. Maybe someday I will :)


Your favorite thing to make?
I love printmaking. So stamping, using my gocco, wood block carving...Sewing practical things like curtains or pillows is also really satisfying, but I'm not very good at it!


What is your all time favorite design from past or current collections?
Oh that's a hard one! I recently saw a Gorky exhibit in Philadelphia and was inspired by the colors and forms in his more simple work. But, I don't know that I have an all time favorite!


You couldn't run your business without ______?
My husband! He's so supportive when I'm feeling frustrated or anxious, and is always the first to give me a big hug when things are going well.


What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started your business?
Just take one day at a time and be patient. I have to remind myself of that all the time.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee

Favorite magazine/blog/daily read?
My favorite magazine is Inside Out.

If you could follow one person around for a day, who would it be?
Someone who does what I do but on a bigger scale, probably. Or maybe an illustrator or letterpress printer. I'm also fascinated by radio journalists!

Do you have any hobbies or creative outlets other than your work?
I like taking art classes in things like ceramics, which I don't have much experience with or aptitude for. It's nice to do something creative without any pressure! I also love thrift shopping, being outside, reading, and traveling.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, money and time being no object, where would you go and why?
I've always wanted to see Machu Pichu. It looks beautiful and has so much history, and I've never been to South America.

If you had to spend a year on a deserted island, what 5 things would you take with you?
A box of pens, a sketchbook, a deck of cards, and my husband and dog if live things are allowed!

Thank you Ellie for participating in this week's Behind the Design.

Photos courtesy of Hello Tenfold

Ellie can be found at:
Etsy shop
Blog
Flickr
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
Bella Figura
Vintage shop