Friday, February 12, 2010

Happy Weekend
Have a lovely Valentine's weekend. Why not make yourself a little Sweet Nothings Megaphone with all the instructions over at design*sponge - this is so darn cute I just had to tell you about it!

Inspiration
Thanks for visiting this week everyone and thanks for all the great comments - what a fabulously creative group of readers you are! Here are a few inspiring things to get you through the weekend. First up: Some of my favourite type design, permanently painted on to classic, vintage, wooden, storefront signage and windows - it's a feast for the eyes . . . .

all images from ffffound.com
Found
I see this style of rosette everywhere these days - first time I ever saw them though was at the Paris flea markets - in the bins of vintage millinery supplies. I noticed these ones on a simple pair of brown shoes yesterday and finally thought - yup, I'd wear these - this is a great application for such a simple, charming but rustic accessory - hope you like too! These examples are from Brydferth!



Inspiration
Feel like giving your home office/studio a little makeover this weekend? - here's some inspiration for you. Check out the details - there are some really great ideas . . . . .






Thinking ahead
I think this is very sweet - apparently this is a very old porcelain flower salvaged I think from a vintage Chinese piece. The ring part is hammered sterling silver. Wouldn't this look gorgeous on your suntanned hand this summer with a simple white T ? Yes it would. From here


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Illustration
Freelance illustrator and graphic designer, Katie Daisy Lombardo wrote to me to tell me about her illustration - I loved it as soon as I saw it. So fresh and impulsive, I just knew you would love it as much as I do. You can buy prints of her work at her Etsy shop The Wheatfield and if you'd like to see more of what she can do - or hire her to do a custom piece or assignment, then she's available right here at katiedaisy.com



Inspiration
Here's some crafty inspiration for you on a Thursday morning. The vintage embroidered buttons are wonderful - it would be so fun to have one of these on a favourite sweater. The origami lotus flowers are so cool I saw lots of these in Toronto in China town last week made out of vintage candy wrappers.



Crafts!
You know I love the DIY projects over at Once Wed - well here's another brilliant idea - a menu wheel - maybe you can make a pretty pink one for your special Valentine's dinner this weekend! All the directions are right here - make sure you check out all the fab ideas on the site!



Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Found
Before I bore you with my half baked decorating schemes I thought I would entice you with these super pretty, twiggy bracelets and necklace - aren't they lovely? You can get yours right here :-)


White anyone?
Except for this first image, much of this pretty house below is painted white. I am fairly serious about painting our house all white inside this spring. Right now it is a very non descript beige with white trim. The ceiling needs painted anyway so it's a good time to just move everything into the centre of the living room and paint the whole place. I really like the all over white look with dark and wood accents - and then I can add a feature wall in an interesting colour - like this grey one. Any great tips for a bright, but not cold, white for a very sunny living space - preferably BM ?


I really don't want to end up with a shabby chic look when I'm finished painting the place white - I think you have to resist victorian furniture(and resist painting it all white!) All images from Houzz.com

Inspiration
Maybe I'm actually living in the wrong house. The house we own right now is 18 years old. All our previous houses were well over a hundred years old. I love all the old features of a heritage home but I don't like the leaky taps and the draughty windows and the lack of electrical outlets. In a perfect world I would love to live in a fully updated victorian house with high ceilings and wood floors and a cleaning lady - not really, but I do like this house . . . .

I absolutely love this weird faded blue rug on the floor

Decorating ADD
So one half of me wants to paint the house all white and the other half wants to add texture and colour and nic nacs and collections - I have decorating ADD - probably because it's really too early in the year to be predicting my big makeover plan for the house - I remember an old fella from around here telling me to "never make important decisions in February." So, forgive me if I come up with 25 wacky ideas by easter - I'm going to do something - I'm just not going to make plans until we are into March - at the earliest!

Fantastic inspiration to fuel your decorating plans from Brabourne Farm