craft night

i hosted craft night with my design girls last weekend. this time the craft was freezer-paper stenciling. craft night is an event that i'd like continue for a long time. it's been so much fun to get together every now and again and just unwind and let loose on some crazy crafts!

i wish i had taken pics with my regular camera that night. i only used my holga (which i looove - thanks chris!!) and need to get that film developed.

not everyone made a craft; sometimes it's just more fun to chat and laugh! but here are the results of the night:katie made a cool sherlock holmes bag. good for farmer's market, or the library, if she ever went. ;)lexie monogrammed some canvas blocks...
and then busted out this terrarium, which she finished at home. then, feeling inspired, i suppose, she made another canvas picture, in honor of her new puppy!
here's my final project:

yes, of course mine was a thom-related craft. can you tell i'm getting a little obsessed with this little man? i cannot wait to meet him!!

and yes, chris and i hope to influence him with our nerdiness by surrounding him with all things nerdy. robots, bicycles, periodic tables.... haha, he doesn't stand a chance...

nursery artwork

a recent project for thom's nursery:

got the idea from martha stewart. good old martha; she's so crafty. i freehanded the hedgehogs but for the elephant and owls i made templates from here. which one do you think will be thom's favorite?

baby storage locker

no, not a place to store your baby when you need a break from playing mommy. rather, a cool storage locker and changing table in one.

i saw this over here and thought, "what a cool idea!" if i lived in milan or could travel there and get myself one, i surely would. i can't wait for the "some day" in my future where i can travel to design markets (milan, especially, but also high point and others) and spec out all the new, amazing products for myself. mmmmm.....delish.

nursery colors

sometimes i think designing for youself is so much harder than designing for a client. there are just so many beautiful things to love and no one to reign you in! i can't even begin to tell you how many reincarnations this nursery has had. i haven't done them all but i've gone through about a gazillion different ideas of what to do and what colors and fabrics to use...

the last time chris and i were at the fabric store trying to pick out fabrics for some art and pillows in the nursery, tears were shed (by me, not chris). haha, yes... it's an emotional decision. and although i try to remind myself that we're only going to be living with this particular nursery for about 3 months, i still feel like it needs to be a masterpiece.

so here is a little taste of where i currently think i'm gonna go with this room...

fabrics are from hancock fabrics and joann. the blankie in the crib was made by chris' mom (i need to find out where i can get more of that fabric!) and the watercolor is by ashmae of birds of ashmae. i love her watercolors. after thom is born i want to get a family portrait done by her. it would be a treasure.

what do you think? do you like the scheme? and for you designers out there, do you think it's harder to design for yourself or for someone else?

nursery progress

as an interior designer, i find it somewhat embarassing to post pictures of my house when it's a disaster. in fact, i think many people are shocked when they find out that interior designers have normal homes with normal clutter and organization issues, just like everyone else. **GASP!**

but... for the sake of before and after pics, i'm going to show you the disaster that WAS our music/craft/storage/guest/everything room and is in the process of becoming ONLY a guest room/nursery for our little man.

but here they are- the current before and after shots.

so what i've done so far is clear out a bunch of crap from the room (musical instruments, craft stuff, filing cabinets, school supplies and old projects, etc. etc. etc.) and then find places for all his little man stuff in the closet. i also made his bed.

but seriously! with a pregnancy woman's energy level (read: lowest i think it's ever been in my life!) i'm surprised i've gotten even that done.

now i just have more cleaning and packing (lots!) and the fun stuff (decor - yay!) to do.

current project: j+e bedroom

current project: j+e bedroom

the clients:

2 teenage girls, j+e (13 and 15 yrs old).

j loves purple. e loves blue.

j wants something happy, calming, and unique. e wants something chic, modern, and classy.

the needs:

place to sleep, read, write, do homework, hang out with friends, play guitar.... basically a sanctuary for these two girls and their buddies to work and relax.

-TONS of storage. TONS. it's a small space for lots of stuff so it has to be really well laid-out to maximize the space they have.

-super budget-friendly design.

my color solution:

a clean, modern room with some classic details. palatte stays mainly lavender and denim with accents of orange and green.

lavender walls with a dark purple stencil accent wall (either the trellis or the quatrefoil shapes).

denim and indigo textiles on the major pieces (bedding, closet curtain, and window treatments).

large doses of white on nearly all of the furniture, on the moldings, and in accessories.

bring in accents of green or orange through artwork, plants, pillows, and accessories(not shown - these girls are artists; they're going to make their own art and accessories and i'm sure they'll be rad).

my space solution:

maximize vertical space to free up the floor.

take advantage of high ceilings by giving them bunk beds.

create a reading/guitar/homework nook under the windows with cool lighting and artwork.

divide and organize the closet with closet doublers, boxes, bins, etc....

vertical storage next to the bed and storage on the wall in lieu of nightstands.

so... i'm presenting these ideas to them (along with the estimated budget) tomorrow. i'm excited to get their reactions!! because plan #1 is almost never the final plan - there are always changes and revisions made. so maybe i'll make a revisions board and share that, too.