Quirky Felt Furries

How darling are these tiny felt animal heads from Planet Fur? I would love a little collection of them hanging in my imaginary studio space, along with these!

Today is my boy's birthday. I made him his favorite coffee cake, full of butter and smothered in brown sugar. He's one happy boy this evening, which makes me smile :)

Found via Hank and Lucy

Clean Lines and Simple Design: Gretel

I'm really loving the clean lines and simple design of the home goods from Gretel. I think their pieces have a truly modern sensibility, without feeling cold in the way some modern design does to me. The desk lamp and clock would be perfect in a craft room or studio. Each piece makes a statement, without competing against the bright, varied colors and the eclectic mix of pattern and texture so characteristic of creative spaces. 

My work tends to be bright, and the art supplies I have really reflect my aesthetic. I think these simple pieces would work perfectly mixed among the vibrant chaos that is my work space. Perhaps a small splurge is in my future :)

{lamp originally found via Oh Joy}

Movie Eye Candy: Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger Than Fiction is one of those movies I just want to escape into. I certainly wouldn't mind having Maggie Gyllenhaal's character's life in the film; she owns her own bakery, has the cutest little home, fun style and a fabulous tattoo :)

The movie has such a whimsical quality to it. I find so much inspiration in the bright, cheerful colors and eclectic, vintage-inspired set design. 

I can't get enough of these yummy images! I just want to make all kinds of candy colored paintings full of pretty florals and cupcakes :)

Have you seen the film? 

{one, two, three, four}

Working in My "Studio"

These are a few quick snapshots of the scene on my coffee table tonight. Living in a small space (a one bedroom apartment), I don't have the luxury of a true workspace. All of my supplies are stored on a single bookshelf, and when the creative bug strikes, I work wherever is most convenient. Tonight, that spot was the on the coffee table..

I've become so used to working in random places (hunched on the floor, on the couch), I'm not sure I would know what to do with an actual studio, complete with a desk, decent lighting and proper storage! Then again, I'm sure I could adjust :) 

Fun Holiday Stockings

These stockings from Circa Trade are so cheerful! Wouldn't they look amazing hanging from a mantle? Really, they would look good anywhere; no mantle needed. Well worth the investment, I think.

{found via AT}

Holiday Happiness at Work

Happy Friday everyone! It's amazing to me how quickly December is passing; there is still so much to be done before the holiday arrives!

I thought I would share this fun little project a co-worker of mine found. He passed on the tutorial to me, and I whipped a snowflake up in a few minutes at the end of the day. It made me laugh how amazed people were by how quickly I pulled one of these together. What can I say? I love crafty projects!

These snowflakes are SO SIMPLE. What a great way to spruce up your office (if you are allowed) or home. I'm planning on making a few for my apartment this weekend, just for a bit of fun. I hung this one from the ceiling tiles in my office at work. It was quite a hit; I had people stopping in all day to comment on it!

Between my new snowflake, poinsettia plants and Pandora streaming Christmas music, I am feeling quite festive during the work day, indeed.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Update: Weekend Wreath DIY

Last week I was really excited to find this fun little wreath DIY. Well, this weekend I went out to the craft store, bought myself a mess of felt and straw wreath and made my own mini version. I'm really happy with the way it turned out! 

If you are thinking about tyring this project yourself, be warned that making your own felt balls takes some time. Let's just say I'm really happy I decided to make a mini wreath and not a large one! Overall, though, the DIY is quite straightforward; not a bad way at all to spend a quiet weekend.

I can see myself hanging this up in my home year-round!

Quirky Holiday Fun

I stumbled upon this gorgeous wreath DIY at Poppytalk this morning. I want it for my front door in a very bad way. I just might make this my weekend project! I love how festive this bright wreath is without being too obvious. It's just plain cheery!

Pickles recommends buying the felted balls pre-made, but I don't think I'll be able to find any in my area. I do know that I can get my hands on some wool roving, though, so I may go for it! Maybe a mini version would be more doable?

I think this would look great on our white outside door. We went pretty traditional with the tree, so I'm loving the idea of a more offbeat take on the holiday wreath!

On Personal Style

Usually I am a pretty decisive person when it comes to design and style. I know what I like. I always try to let my emotions drive my personal style and design choices. If I'm strongly drawn to something, I buy it. I trust that each separate choice will result in a collection of possessions that truly represents my personal aesthetic. I don't worry about creating a cohesive look, because I think that happens naturally when you allow yourself to just be drawn in by what you like.

My style "philosophy" has really worked for me. I think my personal aesthetic is reflected well in the way I dress, the look of my home and in my art. I see strong, consistent patterns in my clothing, decor and art. I'm drawn to cheery colorways, mixing patterns, bold accents, quirky/whimsical silhouettes, with the occasional infusion of simplistic design for balance.

So, I'm curious how you make your own style and design decisions. Do you let your emotions drive you, or are you more methodical, carefully thinking about other pieces you own and whether something new will fit into your overall "look"? Everyone is different, so I would love to hear how you approach personal style!

{Image: "Heartstring" from Pretty Ingrid. Available in my shop!}

2011 Calendar

I'm really excited about the 2011 calendar I bought for my desk at work. How fun are these paper animals from Katsumi Tamura! Each animal comes with a calendar month on the front and back. I think this is an adorable way to spice up a boring desk, don't you?

Holly over at decor8 has put together a wonderful roundup of fabulous 2011 calendars for your viewing pleasure. Now to choose a design for my kitchen..

Cozy & Lovely

I want this throw in a very, very bad way. Oh Anthro, you sure know how to torture a girl with your beautiful, expensive wares. Hmm. Maybe I need to learn to crochet..

Rise & Shine

I just ordered these on a whim because, let's face it, I need them.

Bunting.

.. I NEED to make some of this. The bare brick wall in my apartment that is screaming for some fun.

Weekend DIY

I have had a little 5x5 inch canvas sitting among my crafting supplies for months. I had intentions to make a little painting, but most of my creative time lately has been devoted to drawing. This weekend I came up with an idea to use the little canvas along with a small self portrait I did several weeks ago.

I have been seeing Japanese Washi tape everywhere, it seems. I just can't seem to get enough of it! I decided to incorporate a similar, patterned ribbon tape into my little DIY project.

I simply cut several pieces of different patterns and used the strips to adhere the small illustration to the mini canvas - That's it! I really like how the canvas makes the picture three-dimensional, and the patterned tape adds additional visual interest. 

 The result is quite playful, I think. Such as simple project!

Loving: Embroidery

joettamaue

kngo

verityunmondoaparte

Embroidery and I are having a moment. Every time I visit Etsy, I find myself hearting every embroidered object I come across! I'm especially loving these finds. It's such a sweet and pretty art form, don't you think?

DIY-ing for What You Want

I am sure I'm not alone when I say it can sometimes be difficult to achieve a unique aesthetic in the home. It's hard to resist the convenience and price point of big box stores. The internet has helped immensely, what with all of the amazing design blogs out there providing endless inspiration, and handmade marketplaces like Etsy making wonderful vintage and homemade items accessible and affordable. 

Living in a rural area (like central Maine) adds to my frustration. So often I see blogs featuring the perfectly curated homes and closets of stylish Californians or New Yorkers, who have access to the seemingly endless numbers of vintage shops and independent boutiques. Where I live, big department stores largely round out the list of shopping opportunities. I would love to explore opening my own business in the area to serve a market of design-conscious, creative women that I know must exist here, but I digress..

The point of my long rant is this: I want curtains. Not just any curtains will do, because almost one entire wall in our apartment is covered in windows. I want them to not only be functional, but to fit with the aesthetic of my home. 

I love these curtains artist Amanda Johnson made for her own living room, out of vintage sheets!

She pieced together several patterns she liked, and the result is wonderfully fresh and eclectic. I love how creative people are! When you can't find what you like at a price you can afford, why not make your own version? You are guaranteed to end up with something that truly reflects your personal taste, and have a little fun making it too.

You can bet I am now on the hunt for some great sheets to make several sets of my own curtains. Thank you, Amanda, for the inspiration and the tutorial!

Craft Night: Wallflowers

I recently came across these beautiful flowers on the wonderful blog of Frenchie and Flea, and quickly added them to my "to do" list. I'm thinking tonight is the night to make some! I have a few very large bare walls in my apartment. A garland of these buds will really pretty up one of them.

The tutorial from Dana Made It looks super simple. A few napkins or tissue paper is all you really need. I'm looking forward to making these tonight while eating homemade brownies and watching Castle on the couch with my boy; a perfect way to start the week.

Feeling Blue

I've begun to notice a pattern in my outfit selections lately. Since the beginning of the summer, I have really been drawn to a monochromatic look, which is funny to me because I really love color. Many of my outfits have been largely once color, usually in the blue family. To keep things fun, I've been adding small pops of color; a yellow flat here, a fabric floral pin there...

This recent development is sort of a mystery to me, since color is so lovely! It has been a natural, subconscious shift, so I am just sort of going with it. Perhaps this is why I was so drawn to this sweet little piece from Etsy seller merriweathercouncil. I snatched it up as soon as I saw it! It's a largely monochromatic piece, with the smallest pops of color adding a bit of extra visual interest. 

I'm looking for the perfect place to put this as we speak!

Have you had any great Etsy finds lately? 

To Happy Mondays

Today was a good day. The sun was out, my work day went smoothly, I started a new book, homemade pizza was had for dinner, I squeezed in some creative time AND I bought this fantastic print. I really couldn't say no to this artwork when I found it here because I'm a pajama girl 100 percent and my boy is a big Futurama fan. So, I guess we both win!

On a somewhat unrelated note, I cannot wait for the season premiere of Castle tonight! The last season finale was a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'm really looking forward to finding out where they take the show next. 

I hope you all had a positive beginning to your week!

Playing With Color

I want to preface this post by saying I am painfully aware of my terrible photography skills. Not only am I a novice with a camera, but the light in our apartment is awful. Even in the middle of the day, the dreaded flash is a necessity if you want to see anything!

However, I'm really excited to share the results of my recent weekend painting project! I found this fun nightstand at a local yard sale about a year ago. It was a very dark brown color that really made the bedroom feel drab (similar to the bed which I hope to replace soon with a vintage metal one). I chose a color called "banana", and I am really loving the final product. My side of the bed is now bright and cheery; just what I want to wake up to in the morning!

Do you like bright home decor, or do you prefer a calmer space with more neutral tones? I'm curious!