And today...

I have done so much but yet so little.  I was feeling all productive like and then BAM! had to leave the house for a minute and the only thing I accomplished after that was showering and shaving my legs (which REALLY needed to be done)  I'm not one of those nature girls.  No offense I just can't pull it off, it drives me crazy when it all gets too long.  Was that an over share? 
Well, all my great intentions have gone out the window today to update here.  So, I thought I'd share something with you.  It's about color.  Have you ever noticed that there is a difference in the richness of colors?  Like Wal Mart vs Dillards.  The color pallets are somewhat the same but Dillards seem so much richer.  I often refer to colors as Wal Mart or Dillards.  I used to say Macy's but here that's also a grocery store so it doesn't work (not that I have readers from elsewhere but ya never know perhaps someday).  I tend to like the brighter more rich colors.  Wal Mart colors are a little washed out.  This isn't a bad thing just a different.  Often things that are more expensive have a richer color.  Is it because it costs more to have more pigment?  Or is it just that we perceive that richer colors are worth more?   There is a lot more to color than just what we see.  There is a lot going on inside us when we see color.  Try to pay attention to this.  Right now I am drawn to really bright but tranquil colors like turquoise, maybe it's because I really am ready for spring.  Maybe when you get these feelings of love for a color you should write that down somewhere for future reference.  One day you may decide you want to paint a wall and you wonder if you will like the color, you can refer back to your notes and see what kind of reactions you have had from that color.  When I paint a wall orange you will know I had to have had a major moving feeling towards it cuz I'm not feelin' it.

I leave you a question
Have you noticed the Wal Mart color theory?  Do you have a color you just don't love but you see it everywhere? I won't hand slap.

I'm ahead of the trend

Today in the mail I got a Potterybarn catalog. As I was flipping through the pages I saw they had a room they had done with a denim paint look. I experimented with the technique when I did my first nursery. When I was expecting my second child we built our house. I knew I wanted my boy nursery to be denim and stars so I painted my son's room using this technique. That was eight years ago. I tried to find a picture on Potterybarn's website but couldn't find one but here's mine.

I've never finished the bedspread...I know, slacker. I don't always get to all the projects I'd like to.

This is the upclose. I added stitches too with stencil tape.

People always think it's wall paper when they see it. Nope! I painted it all by myself. And I did it before Potterybarn. =)

House part 2

I'm not sure if I'll get to the entire house but a few of my favorites at least.

This is a corner in my family room where I work on my jewelry.

The second peice of vinyl in my house. I cut a customers job the wrong size so rather than waste it and let it sit in my cast offs to use one day, where it usually gets bent. I decided to stick it on the wall.

I have to sneak this in because it is how I pass on the creative gene to my kids. This is their homework/art table. The folders on the desk were covered with papers they picked. There is one folder for notes and one for papers to go back to school, for each kid.

The bins have pens, markers, and other art supplies tucked away so no one can see them. The paper ream in mounted under the cabinet so they can get drawing paper when they need it.

My master bathroom is one of my favorite colors. This is one of the most relaxing rooms in the house. I love this room. I also used a framed mirror to add some sophistication.

For my birthday I was given some money and I was so excited when I saw these canisters, because it is rare that I find something inexpensive that I have the money for at the time. My realtor suggested that I put three black frames up above the bed. After buying the frames I realized I had to find something to go in them and that made it cost more than I wanted it to. While shopping for my canisters, I saw a plaque carved of wood that I loved but it was $25 and I needed three. Not cost effective, so I had to think of something. I tried to draw something and then I found a technique on a blog for stenciling http://vintagerevivals.blogspot.com/2010/07/seizure-wall-not-really.html

(next I need to learn how to make that just a word not a crazy link address) It gave me an idea and I ended up just making a vinyl sticker and putting it on the wall. Because I do this and have the supplies, I was able to do it cheaply and I didn't have to use my own drawing that wasn't going well and was taking tons of time. Yay! I love how it turned out. Now my whole room is pulled together and looks great. I love going in there.

Tomorrow, my jewelry projects.

I rarely find the time to get on the computer and do this sort of thing. After viewing and liking many other creative blogs I decided I need to keep it up and be better with it.

We have put our house up for sale, so I decided that I would have to document this house because I will leave it. (if all works out that way). So the other day I went through and took pictures. Welcome to my house. I have what you would call champagne taste on a beer budget. So, what I end up with is something I like while I dream of what I love. I'm going to start trying to make the beer look or is it taste like Champagne. Wish me luck on that one.

Sometimes I would like to have many things in my spaces, but find they make me crazy and I end up more simple.

This is my livingroom. These pictures fail to show it as it really is. One day I am going to do something with those tables. The first house we bought was the model. These tables were in the staging so we decided to buy them since we had a credit at the furniture store they came from. Bonus...fast forward to now. They have the scout oath and various names and signatures scratched in the top. The husband was a scout leader for twelve year olds that met at our house and well that was the only table in the room they gathered apparently. Perhaps when we move they will get a refinish.

My kitchen, I love Jadite. So my husband for Christmas this year surprised me with this lovely mixer. The bowl and juicer are jadite. I was so excited. It functions but I just like to look, so I won't be firing this baby up anytime soon.

The rest of my cabinets in my kitchen. And then, my favorite part.....

...my gigantic magnet board. I have months that magnet on to this but I can't find this month. This came about because I had this empty wall. I got this brilliant idea and told my husband, who drug his feet and never got around to it. Well, around Christmas one year my oldest and I went with Grandma to a play. While we were gone the boys made this. I was so surprised. Plus they used ABC magnets to make it into a giant card, which was cute.

I have a vinyl business and I don't have much of it in my house. You know the story of the shoe maker's kids, well that's like our house. This is was the one and only thing I'd done for years. And almost five years later I still haven't painted the frame...all natural.

Stay tuned for the rest of the house. My favorite room is coming up.

It's been a really long time. I'm just posting my creations today.


My fabulous earring creations. I've been having fun with Chandelier earrings. They turned out better than expected, which is nice for me because usually everything looks better in my mind and not great in real life.

This is my Lime Rickey broach. Love the beautiful fabrics and had to make something fun.

Next I'll be posting my glass charms. This is the first post with pictures so I'll see how it goes and then post more.

I'm still here, not much but are you?

Color Part 2

So I know it's a lot later than tomorrow but I'm getting to it.
Picking paint can be such a huge, and overwhelming task. There are so many how do you choose? One of the biggest mistakes I make is that I find a paint chip that I love and must have. I paint the room and am in love with my walls but then I can't find anything else that goes with them. Paint can be colored to match just about anything. Paint has the widest variety so don't start with paint start with something else. Start with a bed spread, couch, curtains or art piece that you will be using in the room. Match a color to one of these items. I take the color I like and go one, sometimes two shades down on mono chromatic paint chips (two colors lighter) . A small 2" square isn't a good indicator of what the color will look like on your walls. A lot of times the paint chip color comes out darker than you were thinking that is why I go two shades lighter, this means there is more white in the color. I have found that reputable paint stores are a great resource for picking color as well. I like to ask those working for advise for example, I needed a red but I didn't want a rusty shade or a pink shade I wanted a true red. I asked the paint store employee and he picked out a perfect red. If they supply to professional painters chances are they have seen the colors on walls or they have mixed enough of them to know what colors designers are buying.
There are a few things you need to know. Light in your room will change how it looks, it's best to buy a small amount and sample it. You can paint a 2'x3' piece of foam core (found at art supply stores) and move it around the room and view it at different times of day. Or different walls. I have painted rooms after dark and loved the color only to wake up in the morning and be disappointed by how it looks in the daylight. The great thing about paint is that if it doesn't work, it's not a big deal because it's relatively inexpensive to start over. Dark colors will require more coats. Plan on two coats with any color. The surface of your wall will change things also. Prep is so important, just as the foundation of a house, the better the bottom the better the top. Make sure the paint surface is clean and ready to go imperfections are only highlighted. There are whole books on how to paint and prep but I'm not going there. I hope you enjoy color in your house. You may be pleasantly surprised at the difference it makes.
End note: If you pick a paint first and go with it and can't match anything to it. Use neutrals. for example, I'm adding black and white in pictures, curtains, and bedding in my room I just couldn't wait to paint blue.