It's Friday!

This week has flown by and it's time to feature my favorite Interior Design/Decorating blogs that I found this week.

I was really impressed to see what Juliette is doing over at Crafty Girl.  She is a graduate in finance that decided to chase her dream of becoming an interior designer.  She is still in school but has a lot of great ideas on interiors and comes from the perspective of a student which is cool because the things a student learns is very practical and they do some interesting projects.  Juliette seems to have a great eye, especially for color.  I'm sure you will enjoy her fun blog.

Check out Laurie at Tip Junkie.  I love her blog because she offers so much advice on organization, party planning, DIY and a host of other things.  I have gleaned a few ideas myself from her.  Give yourself lots of time to feast on her offering of delightful things.

That's it!  Have a great weekend...see ya Monday.  Next week, we continue our study in color...don't miss out.

The 'Grey Area'

Let's focus today on the color GREY.  Look around and you will see grey as a very popular color, even in the spring and summer and especially in the fashion world.  I have noticed lately that grey is often paired with the brightness of yellow.  Here's the low down on the color grey.

Grey is considered a neutral color.  It is somewhere between black and white.  It is a color of separation or 'no-man's land' if you will.  When you consider where this country has been politically over the past 3 years, it's no wonder people are turning to the color grey.  We have been all worked up with health care issues, education reform and some major wars and contentions with other countries.  You either hate what is going on your you worked yourself up with the same kind of frenzy politicians have been in lately.  Whichever way you go, everyone needs a break from the stress and tension- hence the color grey.

A person who choose grey wants to be uninvolved and uncommitted so they can be shielded, isolated and insulated from further contention and problems. Whether this un-involvement happens on a global level or a personal level, it's all the same. 

Grey can also represent intellect.  The brain is often referred to as 'grey matter'.  Grey is also associated with Wall Street.  All those business men in grey suits full of wisdom, knowledge and a variety of viewpoints. It is timeless, solid and practical.  It wouldn't really work if Wall Street was known for the color pink or purple, no one would take this country seriously.  Instead we evoke a feeling of solid presence to the rest of the world. 

It is a conservative color and very popular right now which is interesting since we have seen our country's Presidency make some pretty bold moves and we are now moving into a period of time when a potential new President is entering the playing field.  It seems, because the color grey is so popular, that people are looking for more solid, conservative leadership who is more willing and able to make compromises with practical and solid views. 

All these principles hold true in your own personal life.  Do you crave the color Grey?  Consider what is going on in your life, your body will always crave the color it needs in order to find balance.  Always.  So don't discount the fact that you may be drawn to certain colors, your body is telling you something important.

Here are some awesome examples of grey:

Trending Today

Even though I don't consider myself to be a 'trendy' person, I can't help but think about the trends we are seeing this year in fashion and home decor.  Here are some of the trends that are big this year in style and color. 

Everything Old is New Again...have you ever seen so much going on in the world of antiques and re purposing?  A lot of this trend comes from the economic climate we have found ourselves in the last several months.  With so much unemployment and crippling economies people just can't afford the things they use to so they find a way to make what they already have fit their needs.  Whether you are turning a t shirt into a cardigan or a wooden pallet into a table, re purposing is where it's at.  It's time to get back to the basics, the simple things in life.  We are more conscious of our environment which may also have something to do with this fun way of life.

Looking For Order...?  That is the order of the day!  Clutter is not cool and so yesterday!  Today is about less...less is more.  We can see this trend reflected in the surge of 'tiny homes'.  Many people are living on less income and looking for ways to live in less and with less.  It's a great way to live...you should try it!

Escape The Rat Race...Has the chaos of the last few years and a sinking economy got you down?  It has everyone down which might explain the underlying feeling of escape that seems to pulse through the nation. Not everyone can escape to far away lands which is why the color trends offer an insulating, dreamy, romantic flavor to the day.  Warm greys and blues are popular with splashes of yellow in all shades indicating a time of change.  All of the colors are softer, deepened tones of their primaries.

Whether you are part of the trends or stick to what works for you, it's interesting to see how politics, climate, economy, health care and a host of other things factor into the creature comforts of life.  Color is one of the most interesting factors in our life yet most people are unaware of the role it plays.  Join me tomorrow when I will begin discussing the psychology of color.  You won't want to miss it...What is that orange saying about you?

Plates

 Remember your grandma's collection of china plates, tea cups and saucers?  It use to be that getting fine china was the thing. 

It's coming back only this time, to be displayed as a home accessory not stuck in an old wooden china closet.  I love this picture of a colorful plate collection and decided to start my own but there's one problem with that.  No money to spend on fine china.  Well, problem solved!  Below is a tutorial for creating your own, on the cheap, collection of plates. 

I started with a trip to some yard sales and thrift stores.  I didn't have any luck finding old plates at the yard sales but scored big with the thrift store.  They had stacks of old wooden bowls and plates.  I chose some shallow wooden bowls to start my collection.  After finding the bowls, I selected some co ordinating scrapbook paper and got to work.  This project took about an hour and cost me $3.75.  The bowls were only $.50 each.

In addition to your plates and paper, you will also need some Modge Podge, sponge brushes and an exacto knife.  I chose the gloss rather than matt but either is fine.

On the wrong side of the paper, trace a circle about 1" larger than the size of your plates or bowls

Make one inch slits along the perimeter of the circles if you are doing bowls so it fits the form better.  If you are doing plates, the slits are not really necessary.

Begin spreading the modge podge on the inside on your bowl.  I poured a small amount in the bowl just because it was quicker and easier.

Take your circle and wet it under tap water until it begins to feel more pliable, almost soggy.  Be careful because at this stage, it will rip easily.  This helps form it to the curve of the bowl or plate.  Even if you do end up with a tear, don't worry, the glue will fix that.

Carefully lay it in the bowl and press down gently.  Make sure you smooth it down to remove all air bubbles. 

The edges should overhang slightly.  Once this layer is dry, add another layer of Modge Podge to the paper surface.  Repeat this step again once dry.  Some wrinkles in modge podging are normal and to be expected.  It's part of the beauty in this style.

Finally, with an exacto knife and sharp blade, cut off the excess paper around the rim of the bowl to give it a finished look.

I love the way they turned out!  I will post more pictures of this project after I get the hardware to hang them in my kitchen. 

This was alot of fun and so easy!  This is a great accessory for your dining room, kitchen or any wall that needs to be brightened up.  I plan on adding a variety of sizes and shapes to create a unique and intriguing look in my very dull kitchen.

Friday Features

For today's features, I have found an eclectic group of websites to check out.  For starters, are you a do-it-yourselfer? How About Orange is a great site with tons of craft and diy tutorials.  Some of their home craft offerings are very unique and easy to do.  If you are looking for something fun to create this weekend, check it out. 

As I mentioned in previous posts, this is the day of re-purposing and redesigning things in order to better adjust to our changing needs.  I was excited to stumble upon the Ikea Hackers.  They take the basic and simple furniture and accessory pieces sold at Ikea and repurpose them into something else.  It's amazing to see the creativity that this site generates.  It will make you say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Finally, homeinteriorszone.com is a sensible website where you can find some informative articles, tips and the newest trends in the interior design world.  They have a big section on 'How to' plus all the hottest looks trending in interiors.

Have a great weekend,  Catch up with me Monday when I will share another easy home craft idea.

Color

Photo courtesy of wallpaperpassion.com

Feeling blue?  Perhaps you're In the Pink or maybe just green with envy.  These are popular idioms we hear quite frequently.  Do you even know what it all means?  Well, it alludes to the fact that there is more to color than meets the eye.

Indeed there is.  There is an entire science dedicated to color.  Color is both symbolic and emotional.  It affects every part of our body!  Did you know that?

Think about it for a minute.  Open your closet, what do you see?  Do you see a lot of one particular color or do you see a rainbow of colors.  Think of the last item you bought or the last several items you bought...did you tend to stick to the same color with each item you bought?

Color corresponds to different parts of our body and emotion so, as our bodies change or our circumstances in life change, we begin to 'crave' certain colors.  More than that, people in the business of selling their wares will use this science to get us to spend more, eat more and even act in a certain way and they do it all with the use of color.  

Next time you go out for dinner, if you happen to find yourself in a big restaurant chain like for example Texas Roadhouse, look up the light fixtures...do you see a haze of pink spread sporadically throughout the dining area?  Ever wonder why?  I bet you are wondering now...Pink lights make food, even cheap, unhealthy, even half spoiled food look better!  Most restaurant owners if they know anything about the power of color will take advantage of it's advantages! 

All you can eat buffets...they use color too!  The most popular color for table accessories at an all you can eat buffet is blue!  Remember when K Mart stores use to have a cafeteria in the back of their stores, they would offer a blue plate special...an all you can eat deal yet it was served on blue plates.  The color blue makes food look unappetizing so we will naturally eat less.  That means, they make more money because we are eating less.

How about your fast food chains.  Have you ever seen so much yellow, oranage and red?  Those colors all speed up your heart rate, respiration rates and can make you feel like you are in a hurry.  They want you in to scarf down their food then leave as soon as possible to free up space for the next unsuspecting, over eating patron!

I think it would be great to spend the next few weeks talking more about color and how it influences us...for good or for bad.  Each week I will spotlight a different color.  It's very interesting.  In fact, I often get phone calls from people asking me what means if they like the color red so I will give them a color 'reading' if you will.  Don't worry, It's not like I can read minds or stare into your soul but it's really interesting.  Drop me a comment if you wonder about a specific color.  Join me again next Wednesday for more color tips and tricks.

Message Board

I love the idea of vision boards.  A vision board is a place where you can put your 'intentions', dreams and desires in life.  It's a place to post the things that are important to you.  If you follow my other two blogs, you will know that I like to compartmentalize my life and that's why I love this project. 

We all have different roles that we play, we are parents, spouses, individuals, employees etc. so this week's home craft idea is a message/vision board and is perfect for me to group different ideas or thoughts into separate frames.  It was inexpensive to make and didn't' take the whole day.  You can make one out of just a single frame rather than 4 different openings like mine.  Be creative, be resourceful and don't be afraid of messing it up...you can't!  Here are the steps below to create your own.

Start with a yard sale find...I got this for $5 at a thrift store.

Sand it down just enough to take the sheen off.  We were having a nice day so I did the work outside which made clean up a snap!

Mine had some gaps that needed to be patched before moving forward

Use a stain blocker primer before laying down the color you choose.  I am in love with the aqua and turquoise blues you see everywhere so I chose a light aqua as my base color

Once your base is dry, wet a cotton cloth and dip a small portion of it into a darker, accenting or contrasting color.  I choose a darker blue.  Rub the color along the edges of the frame.  If you get more color than you want, use the wet portion of the towel to wipe the excess off.

With the same cloth, dip an end in a very small amount of gel stain.  I chose a walnut color.  Rub this along the edges as well.

This creates depth in the piece giving it an aged look.

Next, measure the opening, cut an appropriate size of chicken wire then staple into place on the back side of the frame.

Done!  Use clothes pegs, or other clips to attach your photos, notes, to do lists etc to your board.  It's a fun way to get organized and I love the color!  This would also serve as a wonderful jewelry or hair accessory hanger. 

The total cost of this project was $6.  The frame was $5 and I got the paint from Ace Hardware where they were clearing out their Paint Pots for just $1.  The chicken wire, I already had on hand.  If you did have to buy chicken wire, you can pick it up a whole roll for under $5.  If you decide to try making your own, send me a picture of your finished project! 

Top Picks for Friday

Photo courtesy of A Life's Design

In my web hopping this week, I have found some fun websites for you to check out for the weekend.  Here is the list...

Making It Lovely, has a great post this week.  She has designed a sweet nursery and got pretty creative when it came to some of the furniture, like a changing table made from Ikea furniture.  Pretty clever.  Check it out and see if you are inspired.  

Shannon Darby over at Pink Wallpaper has a great eye for mixing patterns and color, even though pink is her favorite color.  We often don't realize just how much color can impact our lives.  I will be discussing color more in future posts because I love the psychology of color and why we choose the colors we do.  In the meantime, check out Pink Wallpaper.

Finally, I was really excited to find A Life's Design.  What a great collection of inspiring spaces. 

Have a great weekend...keep your eye out for good design and be sure to check in Monday for another little home craft. 

What IS your style

So, you're sitting in your living room, looking around at your tired, dusty, hodge podge of furniture that seemed like a good purchase back in the days of early marriage but has taken on an interesting texture of milk stains and ground in graham crackers with a touch of crayola, or perhaps you are still living the single life but the 'dorm' look is just not for you anymore and realize, it's time for a change. Where do you start?  You love your neighbors creme suede sofa and it would look sweet in your living room and if you just tell the kids they can't eat in there anymore, it will be fine...right?

Well, probably not.  There are many things you need to factor in before buying the things that look good in your friend's house or on your favorite episodes of HGTV.

First of all, determine what your family's lifestyle is.  Do you love to gather around the TV to watch movies, play games and eat pizza, Coke and popcorn or are you a neat freak and food is only served and eaten in the kitchen?  Is your offspring a pack of monkeys who can't resist a good jump on the sofa when mom isn't looking?  Consider for a moment, how you use your rooms, your habits and how you function on a daily basis.  Are you the reigning queen of clutter or a minimalist?

Second, start a design file...or two or three.  Collect magazines.  Ask around and borrow old ones from your friends or you can even check them out from the library or even online.  When you see a room, an accessory, a paint color or piece of furniture, tear out the picture and place it in a file folder or binder with dividers.  It's a fun activity and you begin to see a style start to emerge.  You can even take this one step farther, tear out pictures that make you say, "I wish" and pictures that are really more practical for your current life.   Often, you can mesh parts of your I wish dream, with the realities of family life now.  This also allows you to set priorities on the areas of your house that need attention sooner than later. 

What are you waiting for?  Get tearing.