Airstream Love

I have always wanted an airstream trailer in my back yard to makeover into a luxurious office space. If you have too here are some beautiful photos for inspiration...

via Re-Nest

via Ready-Made

via Design Sponge

via Able + Baker Design

via Design Sigh

And we can't forget our own local inspiration...the Wondercraft

Apartment Therapy Showcase

I was catching up with one of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy, when I came across this girly, colorful, flea market filled house. I just love it! As a designer I like many different styles and therefore have a very eclectic taste. Also, I'm definitely not scared of color. The problem is I feel like I can never get my own house put together as beautifully as they have done here. I am constantly wanting to change things as I find new ideas or exciting flea market finds. I guess I need to take my own advise and pull image(s) out of my favorite magazine, stick them on the wall and use them for inspiration in completing a finished space. One at a time if I have to. First, I need to finish my office space.

As for this space, I'm in love with the tall fabric headboards (very easy to make), the bright colors and the mixed use of pattern. You can see more images, Alicia's interview and resources HERE. Also while you are there check out Mike & Maddie's Sweet Nothings.

NEW LABELS

I've still been busy, busy getting ready for my first Saturday market. I can't wait to take pictures and show everyone what I've been working so hard on. I did take two days off last weekend to enjoy a Miranda Lambert & Wade Bowen concert and an afternoon of BBQing by the pool. I also picked up a 10x10 commercial canopy at Cabellas to cover my table from this unpredictable weather we seem to be having.

This week I've been working on packaging everything up so that means stickers! I designed these cute "Thank you" stickers for my recycled brown bags and the small ones for the back of my pre-packaged products. I am also toying with new business cards that I would like to get professionally printed eventually in both aqua blue & chartreuse. Let me know what you think. :)

(Sorry for the FCC sensor blocks but I didn't want to advertise my personal cellphone openly on the web. I like to keep it to customers, friends and family)

FLICKR WORKROOM SHOWCASE

Uploaded on July 12, 2009 by Art·Craft·Thrift

I wanted to share this one last workroom with everyone because she has some beautiful collections. We’ve seen a lot of colorful spaces this week and I love color but I really enjoy the neutral pallet in this particular space as it shows off the collections and her work. This photo comes from Jessica on Flickr and you can see more of her space at Art.Craft.Trift.

FLICKR WORKROOM SHOWCASE

Creative Nap-spot, originally uploaded by annamariahorner.

This is another fun, colorful sewing room that I just had to share. Anne Marie Horner is a quilter and her space definitely reflects her work. Although it’s still bold this color pallet is a lot softer than the one we saw from Jenny B. You can see more fun details and her beautiful fabric collections on Flickr by clicking the photo above.

THOSE SWEET DETAILS

1 - Anna Maria Horner, Flickr
2 - Janice’s Valise’s, Flickr
3 – Almostbunnies, Flickr
4 - Unknown Artist, Flickr
5 - Unknown Artist, Google
6 - Anna Maria Horner, Flickr

1- Jennifer @ LilMissCupcake's, Flickr

2- Better Homes & Gardens
3- Jenny B. Allsorts, Flickr
4- Moje Zielone Wzgorze, Flickr
5- The Joy Of, Flickr
6- Bar J., Flickr

FLICKR WORKROOM SHOWCASE

I really like this space because it’s soft and feminine but still very colorful. I enjoy the pops of black and white on the bookshelf and all the vintage finds like the tins and collection of wooden spools. Her logo is “Vintage inspired design for your modern life” and I think her workspace reflects those words exactly. Check out more of this space at Bari J.- A Journal of Creative Inspiration.

FLICKR WORKROOM SHOWCASE

New Home Office, originally uploaded by TypeFiend.

When I first saw this space I wasn't sure if I liked it but now I really do. The simplicity of the white furniture and bold colors used very strategically make the space appear bigger than it is. This room is from Greggory Han of Silver Lake, CA. You can see before pictures and get the whole scoop at Unplugged.

No matter how big or small your space there are 6 essential items I've determined are necessary to make a creative workspace....

6 BASICS TO A CREATIVE WORKSPACE:
1. A functional desk: What type of desk you get is always determined first, by how much room you have in your space and second, what type of activities you will be doing (i.e. computer, crafts, sewing). Third, find a desk that fits who you are because it will be the center of your creative space.

2. A comfy chair: Always get a comfortable chair! Most likely you’ll be sitting in it for hours and you don’t want a sore back from scrapbooking. Also, if you have the space for guest seating take it as an opportunity to get creative with colorful upholstery or pillows. It will make your space feel more relaxed.

3. Appropriate task lighting: Chances are your ceiling light is not efficient lighting for crafting. Consider getting a desk light, table lamp or drop ceiling pendants. If you have different activities within your space you may need more than one type of lighting.

4. A place to display ideas: Every creative workspace must have a place to display ideas, notes or photos for inspiration. Bulletin boards are easy to personalize with a little paint, fabric, ribbon and tacks.

5. Organized supplies: Whether its scrapbook paper, fabric, jewelry supplies or business receipts it all has to be organized. An organized space is a creative space! It’s hard to feel inspired when you’re overwhelmed with a mess and can’t find anything. You can use anything from rubbermaids to shelving; glass jars to vintage tins and lots, lots more.

6. Personal inspiration: Once you have everything else don’t forget to add a few family photos, vacation pictures, your favorite knick-knack, books or magazine clippings for inspiration. These are the things that motivate you to be creative in the first place.

FLICKR WORKROOM SHOWCASE

My fabric buffet, originally uploaded by *jenny b allsorts.

I have been slowly updating my workspace in our office because it is a small space and I haven’t been overly inspired to work in there. However, because I work from home I really want to distinguish my working space from my living space and right now I just work everywhere and anywhere. In my searching for inspiration I found some great creative workspaces on Flickr I wanted to share with everyone. I will post one showcase a day for the rest of the week along with pictures of my workspace and other goodies.

I really love the colors in this first space. The mix of complimentary blues and reds are well thought out and balanced. It seems like a very fun space to work and sew. To see more pictures of this workspace click on the photo to be directed to the Flickr.

COLOR ME SPRING

I was inspired this week by some beautiful interior design photos of a children’s bedroom I came across on Flickr. The photos are from Lynn-Anne who runs a family owned business, LAKBdesigns in Charlotte, NC and sells vintage items with her daughter on Etsy. Lynn-Anne says she was inspired first and foremost by her daughter, Caroline, and the space itself when designing this room. The color pallet started with the polar bear oilcloth Lynn-Anne brought back from England and the beautiful second hand quilt from the 1930s. A lot of the pieces in the room were holdovers and second hand items that were very affordable. You can find out more about the inspiration, challenges, resources, and advice Lynn-Anne has about designing a room like this one at Ohdeeoh.com.

LAKBdesign
Flickr Photostream
Fergusandme Etsy Shop

Stick around this week as I explore craft projects, flower arrangements and thrifty finds inspired by this colorful spring pallet!

MOTHER'S DAY DECORATIONS

Now that the crafty Mother’s Day gifts are done let’s talk about the celebration. I’m not a cook myself, nor is anyone else in my family, so when it came to Mother’s day growing up my mom still cooked just like any other holiday. I do not recommend this! If you’re like me and have butter fingers in the kitchen the only advice I can give is to get take out, eat out, or get one of those great frozen lasagnas from the store, anything so that your mom doesn’t have to cook and worry about all those dirty dishes. Once you have that figured out then you can get back to worrying about the fun stuff like decorating. Here are a few ideas to help spark your creative mind. A theme is always nice and a great way to find focus….family, flowers, spa day, colors, etc.

These are some garland ideas I just adore from Melanie, guest blogger on Oh, Hello Friend

Another inspiring Mother’s Day garland from Paper Girl on Flickr

Decorative chair covers can be made with simple ribbon, fabric, paper and even a pillow case or a twin sheet.






Origami Flower Bouquet from Amandakay82 on Flickr. Click HERE for instruction on how to make these beautiful tulips. Or if you want to mix it up a bit try mixing in a few lilies. Click HERE for more easy instructions.


Felt Flower Bouquet from American Crafts Studio. If you think outside the box, these beautiful flowers can be make with any scraps of fabrics, paper, felt and buttons you have laying around the house.
And don’t forget those great tin can planters you made! Here are some great spring decorating ideas from Country Living.

And last but not least, it wouldn’t be Mother’s Day without throwing a little Martha Stewart into the mix. I grew up reading the magazines and watching her show every Saturday with my mom. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t even know the magic that is Martha.

Lilac Flower Arrangement

Butterfly Paper Lanterns

Rose Napkins

BOOK REVIEW

Since it is Thrifty Thursday I wanted to present this great book, or I should say series of books, on how to find the best junk for decorating your home. The “Junk Market Girls” give great tips on repurposing or restyling thrifty finds as well as step-by-step project ideas. Their books illustrate various junk market decorating styles including urban industrial, country, cottage, retro and traditional. They showcase various projects with owner’s wishlists then illustrate with beautiful pictures the “Sweat Details” on how they accomplished the look and feel of the space. They present even more project details with their witty side topics including “Junkfo”, “Junkers JuJu” and “Style Tweak”. Although I own both decorating books I am particularly fond of this book for its project how-to’s on making a birdcage lamp, iron gate coffee table, corbel frame holder, and tiny tot storage out of potato crates and iron brackets. You can typically find this book used for under $10, it’s a great buy!

Book Description:
Decorating JunkMarket Style
By Ki Nassauer and Sue Whitney
Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: JunkMarket Girls (March 8, 2005)
Price: under $10 used -$20 new

Other books by Author:
Junk Beautiful: Room by Room Makeovers with Junkmarket Style
Paperback: 204 pages
Publisher: Taunton Press; illustrated edition edition (March 25, 2008)
Price: $8 used -$15 new

Junk Beautiful Outdoor Edition
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Taunton Press; illustrated edition edition (March 1, 2009)
Price: $14 used -$15 new

Other great books worth taking a look at:

Flea Market Style
Hardcover: 144 pages
Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small; Later Printing edition (September 15, 2005)
Price: $15.50 used -$18.50 new

Recycled Home
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small (February 2009)
Price: $16 used -$19 new

Thrift: How to Have a Stylish Home without Breaking the Bank
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Key Porter Books (April 27, 2007)
Price: $6.50 used -$13.50 new

THURSDAY'S THRIFTY FINDS

I'm seeing RED...and WHITE! Oh, that's just my kitchen. These are a few thrifty finds I picked up at various antique and thrift stores for my kitchen. Each piece was under $20!





TIPS FOR THRIFT SHOPPING: Start by picking out a color pallet and/or a general feel you want to accomplish in your space. Search through books or magazines and find images of spaces your fond of. Make a list of items you would like to find and start looking. Remember to keep and open mind because the best finds may not always appear to you right away.

DESIGN BLOGS

Back in December 2009 the Times published a list of the top 50 design blogs worldwide. Several of the blogs I follow happen to be on this list along with a bunch of other great blogs I encourage everyone to check out. You can find a few of my favorites below or in the 'friends and links' section to the bottom right.

Design Squish
Design Sponge
sfgirlbybay
Modish
Design is Mine
Wee Birdy

Once I find the right template and style for my blog maybe I'll make that list one day!! (or at least the top 100 ;)