Category: favorite things
Tweetable Mentions 2.3.12
| February 3, 2012 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under accessories, architecture, art, Design, design history, favorite things, Gather, Have Fun, Inspiration, interiors, Mind |
Worth chirping about:
Libraries of the World: gorgeous shots of books in their natural habitats – from @PureGreenMag
Gold is IN - from @lovelivesmall
Road Less Traveled store re-opened in its new home – from @rltstore
My favorite wardrobe coach Nicole released her book Reclaiming Your Wardrobe. AND for a limited time you can download it for free from Amazon!
Seriously, do this now. Oh, and also, that’s my closet on the cover 
- from @TheWardrobeCode
I was sick this week so that’s all I got. Is there any big news I’m missing? Other than the Facebook IPO filing, I heard about that. And also Pinterest is taking over the world. Thanks to @TheBigDebowski for that nugget.
Happy Friday, woopee!
Green&Chic: Creative Calendars For 2012 (And Beyond)
| January 11, 2012 | Posted by Elissa C. under accessories, Business, Create, do-it-yourself, etsy, gifts, Guest Bloggers, Have Fun, Home, Inspiration, interiors, organization, Projects, Seasonal, Sustainable Living, travel |
- “Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress. ” – Charles Kettering
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I must confess. I have a thing for calendars. Even at a young age when the culmination of my social life boiled down to birthday parties and school holidays, I always enjoyed the visual representation of life that a calendar provided. The first one I remember owning was a little free one that my grandmother had gotten from a bank. In junior high, I graduated to kittens and unicorns, and in high school I coveted the purple erasable white board calendar that I kept in my locker.
When I started college I bought a datebook with vintage Cadillac advertisements inside and faithfully recorded every class, exam and my work schedule. I recently found it while cleaning out a closet and I found it very interesting to look back at my “hectic” life of tests, studying and part-time work. How simple things were back then!
Since it is the beginning of a brand new year, I thought it would be fun to share some DIY ideas for calendars that span the class of crafting, from the hardcore (sewing!) to the easy-to-assemble kit. I am always looking for a way to reuse or re-purpose something, so I focused on perpetual calendars that can be customized year after year. These projects and kits are perfect for home, work, or anywhere that needs a touch of fun and excitement.
Happy Crafting!
-E
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Vintage Postcard Calendar Journal
- This is probably one of my favorite DIYs of all time. The simplicity of the materials really put the focus on the content (which just so happens to be your life)! Each note card is stamped with the date and encourages you to fill up the empty space with appointments, thoughts, ideas or sketches. You could also substitute the post cards for pictures of special moments in your life that you have shared with friends or family, or trade up to real post cards that you have collected from world travels.
(Vintage Postcard Calendar Journal Instructions)
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Button Perpetual Calendar
- This cute button calendar is a great visual representation of the month at hand. Depending on the materials used, it can be very sweet and demure, or very bold and punchy. The best thing about it is the versatility! With a little creative planning it also makes a good teaching tool for parents of small children. You could make special buttons for birthdays or holidays or just change out the background fabric to flow with the seasons. The options (just like this perpetual calendar) are virtually endless.
(Button Perpetual Calendar Instructions)
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Tea Towel Calendar Embroidery Kit
- In October of last year I found a gorgeous antique store that sold vintage tea towels. There were so many beautiful and quirky choices, and quite a few of them were these amazing these tea towel calendars. I didn’t find one that matched my decor, but I have been on the lookout ever since. When I ran across this DIY tea towel calendar kit on Etsy, I knew immediately that I had to have it! It is made of 100% natural linen and inspired by traditional 19th century European Redwork embroidery. Not only is it simple enough to match almost any decor, but after the year has ended it can earn it’s keep by drying my dishes. If only it had hands!
(Tea Towel Calendar Embroidery Kit)
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Doodle Calendar Kit
- If you like to doodle, stamp, paint or collage, then this is the calendar you’ve been waiting for. The kit contains 12 offset printed calendar grids on recycled paper and a clear base on which to display them. Each month is meant to be like a piece of art work but that doesn’t mean that this kit is all serious business. Fantabulous Gift Idea: Distribute each blank grid to various friends and have them design the month’s theme, then collect them and you have a very unique, very personal present. You could also let children do the designing and gift them to a parent or grandparent. That beats their crummy old desk calendar any day.
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Chalkboard Decal Wall Calendar Kit
- Finally, a chalkboard wall calendar that won’t ruin your walls! I have looked at so many DIY wall chalkboard projects but I never committed. The taping and painting just seemed like so much trouble, and the cost always seemed to be higher than what I wanted to spend. And then there’s always the realization that (despite how awesome it seems today) I may not want a billboard-sized permanent chalkboard on my wall. Not only is this decal kit a practical solution to chalkboard paint, but it comes in a variety of colors from teal blue to citrus yellow. The size ensures a great visual impact to whatever space it inhabits and gives you the freedom to put it anywhere you darn well please.
(Chalkboard Decal Wall Calendar Kit)
Le Salon Fete de Vacances
| December 12, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under Celebrate, cocktails, Create, Eat, food, Gather, holidays, Hostess, le salon, my house, Seasonal, weekend fun |
Sounds fancy but really, well, yes it was fancy! In a casual sort of way…
You’ve already seen my holiday decor extravaganza and you know what a geek I am about entertaining, so you’ll probably understand why I was so damned excited to host this holiday fete.
Here are a few photos from yesterday’s event:
On the table:
- banana chocolate chip muffins
- irish cheddar and creamy swiss with crackers
- apricots and tangy almonds
- candy canes (of course)
- cranberry and brandy – we need a name for that
- mimosas
- irish creme coffee
On the table:
- carrot salad (delish)
- caprese salad
- pasta salad
- caramel chocolate pretzels
- peanut butter kiss cookies
- chocolate chip cookies
- homemade fudge
No party is complete without a little Tarot Card reading, right? We knew Nicole L. was a fashionista, but a fortune teller too? Whoa, talent runs deep.
Holiday Decoration Extravaganza Pt. 2
| December 9, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under accessories, Celebrate, Create, Design, favorite things, holidays, interiors, my house, Projects, Seasonal |
Fa-la-la-la-la, the halls are decked!
The Tree
Buying a Christmas tree is like buying flowers – they’re expensive and destined to die. I never do well with flowers. Always let them go a little past their prime, then I have to haul them to the trash a stinky, rotting mess and I kind of regret ever having them at all. Christmas trees are even worse. They are bulky and hurt to decorate or water and totally messy to get rid of…and sometimes they start your house on fire. I’m all for the potted living trees, but unless you hire a company to drop it off and take it back you’re stuck with a big ass tree after the holiday. And it’s not like you can throw that thing away (one year I kept my potted tree on the patio for 9 months until it finally died of ‘natural causes’…mmhmmm)
It’s not that I never want flowers, sometimes I do (note to husband: sometimes you need to buy me flowers). And some years I want a real Christmas tree. It’s just that I like to have an alternative. And this year I found it.
This is a vintage wire retail display. What it displayed I don’t know. But I found it on Etsy and I snatched it up because it was exactly what’s been in my head for years. I made a felted ball garland and a happy little glitter star for the top. Isn’t she festive?
Christmas Town
When I was little I would spend hours with my Mom setting up her Christmas Village collection every year. I always loved pulling those delicate pieces out of their boxes and pretty impressed by the intricate details in each piece (I was also obsessed with dollhouses and anything tiny and house related. Go figure.). I don’t have nearly the space for a collection that big yet, but I did have an empty bar counter that was calling for some holiday love.
So I made my own village using the nostalgic houses and shops ornament collection that I’ve been receiving since I was born. I don’t have every piece but I’ve got most – and that was plenty to craft this tiny town.
The Table
No surface left untouched! Actually, I’m kind of a sucker for candles (it’s a dirty secret because I feel like that’s a tad cliche) so I was aching to have a holiday candlescape this year. I’ve run through countless tealights the past week and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Hey, it’s cheaper than the electric bill.
The Office
I’m all about the balls this year (ball ornaments people, geez) and loved the contrast of these iridescent ornaments with vintage book pages inside. It was super easy to make, took about 15 minutes for all of them. The stockings were a bit of a pain in the hoo-ha but now that they are done I’m loving the look of those on my garland as well. Gotta fancy up the office, ya know?
Do you think I’m a crazy, talented genius or a total dork? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Take that, Scrooge.
Design: Things of Pinterest
| November 4, 2011 | Posted by Linsi Brownson under Design, favorite things, furniture, Inspiration, interiors |
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks and I’m in serious need of inspiration. I usually find it on my new favorite site Pinterest, so I thought I’d share some of the things that have kept me going this week.
Right now I’m all about color – fresh, fun spaces that lift your energy. I’ve also been feelin’ the moroccan vibe this week. They work well together.
Source: vol25.typepad.com via Linsi on Pinterest
Source: piecesinc.com via Linsi on Pinterest
Source: nicety.livejournal.com via Linsi on Pinterest
Source: freshome.com via Linsi on Pinterest
Source: designmixer.wordpress.com via Linsi on Pinterest
Happy Friday, have a great weekend!
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