Ok, so it went from being busy, to, I can't even catch my breath busy!!! I'm so grateful for all the fun, creative design projects I've been working on and I truly Love everything that I'm doing. Aside from my Interior Design clients, I've also been designing 12 children's rooms for a new development. Of course, I love designing children's rooms and every project seems to inspire me to create new art. This is the latest of those inspirations. I painted this watercolor print for my Ballet Themed girls room. I'll be so excited to share the pictures of all these rooms in June but until then, you can purchase my latest print in my shop. Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are all creating something beautiful this weekend!
I'm Speaking At The SLO HOME SHOW!!! Join Me May 5th! 1:30pm
I'm super excited and honored to be asked to do a seminar on Interior Design and Color!!! I have sooooooo much great information to share with you! Please come join me Sunday, May 5th! It's a great show to make contact with all our local home professionals and get inspiration for your own home improvement projects!
Our New Catalog Is Live!
Hello! I'm excited to share! Our New 2013 Catlog is now Live on Issuu! Just click on the cover to read! Thank you for your wonderful support!!!
Click here to view!
Monday's Mood Board - Introducing "Bows & Ballet!"
This week I'll be putting the finishing touches on our New 2013 Catalog and today I'm introducing a new collection; Bows & Ballet! Many of you may not know this about me but I've been a dancer my entire life. During my early twenties I actually danced professionally and loved every minute of it. I've taught dance for over 25 years but sadly, I haven't been dancing at all this year. I was doing a little cleaning up and came across my old dance shoes and leg warmers and the inspiration hit. That couple with everything striped trending right now, it's the strangest things that can inspire me sometimes.
My new little petite pillow is 12" x 12" and I just love how it's such a sweet little accent to any room. I also love the graphic feel of the art pieces grouped together with these laser cut monogrammed letters from Rosenberry Rooms. So clever! This stunning resting bench is from Layla Grace. I would love to have it in my home! Of course, I think every young ladies room should have a manikin. In my daughter's room we have "LoLa". She is fabulous at keeping track of jewelry, belts, and scarves. I used to have her in my boutique but now she has a lovely home with my girls. Happy Monday All! Let's all have an amazing week!
1 "Bow" 8" x 10" Art Print from my Shop 2 Laser Cut Wood Scalloped Monogrammed Letters from Rosenberry Rooms 3 "Ballet" 8" x 10" or 11" x 14" Art Print from my Shop 4 Petite "Bow" Pillow from my Shop 5 Black & White Striped Pillow from Piccola Casa 6 Palais Resting Bench from Layla Grayce
Hint Of Spring - ETSY Treasury... Thank You Sienna Grace!
After quite a storm yesterday, the sun is out shining bright as ever today in more ways than one. Thanks so much to Sienna Grace Jewelry for featuring our Flying Piggy Pillow on their "Hint Of Spring" Treasury today!
You can find these cute little guys in my ETSY Shop Piccola Casa!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day! Now available in my shop.
Mid Week Mood Board - Love Is In The Air!
It's that time of the year...Love is in the air! Our ELovePhants are here to make you smile! New to our Little Sister Site, Piccola Casa, our ELovePhant Print which can be personalized with your initials. We had a great time putting together this Mid Week Mood Board with adorable Elephant goodies from some of our favorite sites...Zinc Door, Rosenberry Rooms, Anthropologie, Jonathan Adler, and ETSY! Hope you are all having a fun time gathering treats for the ones you Love!
1 Personalized ELovePhant Print from Piccola Casa ETSY 2 Felted Elephant from Scratchcraft ETSY 3 Josephine Bla Bla Elephant from Rosenberry Rooms 4 Je T'aime Banner from Michiemay Paperie ETSY 5 Spire White Chair from Zinc Door 6 ELovePhant, Chevron, & Chaz Pillows from Piccola casa ETSY 7 Elephant Hook from Anthropologie 8 Utopia Elephant Lamp from Jonathan Adler
Mid Week Mood Board - Spot On Design!
There are a couple of things trending right now in design and I've fallen hard for them. First of all, I'm madly in love with all things spotted. Oddly enough, it wasn't the easiest accessory to find so when I came across this fabulous spotted cowhide rug over at Society Social I was beyond thrilled. In fact, let me just tell you, this is a fabulous site for designers and those who love design. The founder/designer Roxy Owens has really put together an incredible team with some serious design inspiration on her sites.
And while we are trending. Let's talk about Hollywood Regency for a bit shall we? It has always been my first love in design. Many of my textiles are influenced by the old Hollywood black and white movies I watched over and over as a kid. I remember being 7 years old and being mesmerized by the fashion and even the architectural details in these movies. Many of the borders on my pillows, like my Cherry Pillow here, are reflective of that time period. When I saw this crib over at Jack & Jill Boutique, I knew I just had to create a room around it. (More to come about this adorable website and the incredible designer behind it, Sherri Blum) This crib is gorgeous! Who says a nursery can't be sophisticated?
Leave it to designer extraordinaire, Abbe Fenimore from Shop Ten 25, to have the hottest selections in lighting on her site. She finds the most unique and distinctive items like this amazing Tassel Pendant!
And any room wouldn't be complete without just a touch of animal print. That's my "Good To Know" designer tip of the day by the way. Where else to find it but at Layla Grayce of course. Their Sophia Lounge Chair with zebra upholstery, adds just the right amount of chic to the room.
Last of all, let's talk about Walls. Another hot trend is Greek Key. I came across this super ETSY shop that makes a Greek Key Vinyl Border. You can't get any easier than that to dress up a room! Don't be afraid to go bold with color too. A few years ago I designed a restaurant in San Luis Obispo called Palazzo Giuseppe. The owners of the building thought I was crazy as I was painting all the molding and doors in a high gloss black and the ceilings, yes all of them, in a metallic silver, but when the last chandelier was hung and crystal placed on the table, they all said, Wow! The restaurant is still going strong and I highly recommend everything on the menu!
Here's one more "Good To Know" designer tip; whenever you are painting anything metallic (like the big gold heart on my Mood Board) it's best to rent a cup sprayer. Mask off your heart and spray the paint on. Otherwise you will have roller or brush marks. Of course you want to make sure that the room is well ventilated, windows open, etc. and you wear a mask too.
1 Original Heart Painting From Piccola Casa 2 Spotted Cowhide Rug From Society Social 3 Sophia Lounge Chair From Layla Grayce 4 Ivory Tassel Pendant From Shop Ten 25 5 Greek Key Border From ETSY 6 Beverly Crib from Jack and Jill Boutique 7 Black and White Stripe & Cherry Pillows from Piccola Casa
Happy Valentine's Day!
I love pink and gold together! Add in some glitter and I'm a happy gal. I decided, just for fun, to offer this original watercolor painting until Valentine's Day! You can order on my ETSY Shop PiccolaCasa! More fun to come this week!!!
Mid Week Mood Board - Everything Is Possible!
On this week's Mid Week Mood Board we'd like to introduce you to our little Flying Piggy! I hope you will agree that 2013 is the year of making things happen and our Flying Piggy represents just that!I love the quote by Audrey Hepburn; "Nothing is Impossible. The word itself says, I'm Possible!" So make this year be the year to achieve whatever goals you set for yourself. I know I'm going for some big dreams this year and I hope you will too! You can find my Piggy Pillows and Print in my ETSY Shop, Picciola Casa. The goregeous glider and lamp are from Rosenberry Rooms. You know I love this table by Bungalow 5 also from Rosenberry Rooms and isn't this sweet little piggy bank so adorable? Available at RigbyandMac.
1 Chaz Pillow In Turquoise from Piccola Casa 2 Piggy Pillows from Piccola Casa 3 Uma White Glass Lamp from Rosenberry Rooms 4 Anna Swivel Glider from Rosenberry Rooms 5 Flying Piggy 11" x 14" Believe Print from Piccola Casa 6 Jacqui Tea Table by Bungalow 5 from Rosenberry Rooms 7 Piggy Bank from RigbyandMac
Our Calendars On Curio Road!
Do you ever have one of those days when your just going along doing your thing and then all of a sudden you get a really lovely email? I was so lucky to have been contacted by Sonali Bloom, Chief Merchandising Officer for CurioRoad.com a couple weeks ago. When I looked into their new site I was more than impressed!! Here is their mission statement;
"As you’ve probably figured out by now, our mission as a company is to help you Live Beautifully.
We are an ever-changing boutique of shops from creative artists, in categories like jewelry, accessories, decor and gifts.
We hope you will join us. Say no to ordinary. Create your own unique life. And above all… Live Beautifully."
I'm so grateful for all those out there supporting artsists and the handmade community!!! Thank you Curio Road! Please spread the word and shop CurioRoad! Happy 2013!!
An Overdue Thank You!
Oh my goodness...it's the Friday before Christmas and I'm quite tardy on giving thanks to some wonderful blogging friends!
I just have to stop and take the time to thank a few fellow bloggers who were sooooooooooooo very kind to feature my product on their sites this month! First of all a huge Thank You to my talented friend Brett, over at IAmTheLab for including our Macaroon Calendar in his 2013 Calendar Picks. This guy is so wonderful! He dedicates so much time to supporting the handmade community and his blog is gorgeous! I do hope you check it out and get inspired. I also want to thank Interior Decorator, Abby Manchesky, of ADelightfulDesign, for including us in her Gift Guide For The Creative Home. She too, has a blog loaded with inspiration and ideas!
Last of all, a gigantic thank you to my sweet friend, Abbe Fenimore, of StudioTen25. Abbe does the greatest collections of home decor products in her Weekend Windows. In honor of Pantone announcing Emeral Green as the color of 2013, she posted this lovely collection including our Purse Print. I just love how she puts everything together! You can view all her picks here.
As the year is coming to an end, I can't help but feel so incredibly blessed to have the support from these lovely bloggers as well as all my family and friends. There is much to be grateful for this Holiday Season. I hope that you all have a very happy holiday as well!!!!
Oh My How I Love A Good Macaroon! Our 2013 Tea Towels & Calendars Are Here!
I love, love, love Macaroons and this happy little Tea Towel has a colorful little Macaroon for every month! Also available as an 8 1/2 x 14" Print. Tea Towels are printed on Cotton Linen. The first batch has sold out but I'm taking new orders. New Tea Towels should arrive in about a week! Available in both my shops.
Happy Thanksgiving! Mid Week Mood Board!
It's just not Thanksgiving without Sparkling Cider and as I start to set my table for Thanksgiving, I'm thinking of all the yummy table settings that I wish I had. Take note hubby, these are on my Christmas wish list!
I hope you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I have many things to be grateful for. Our year was full of ups and downs. We lost some great people this past year and will miss them deeply. So I don't take the holiday lightly. Everyday I give thanks. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by family and friends and wish you all the same.
1 Mini Chinoise Vase from Zinc Door 2 Chevron Navy Napkins from Zinc Door 3 Les Dessert Beaded Round Pedestal from Layla Grayce 4 Gold Banded Champagne Flutes from Williams Sonoma 5 Gorgeous Chinoiserie Ice Bucket from Layla Grayce 6 Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider from Costco
Piccola Casa "Little House" Coming This October!
Introducing all new children's designs (and a few revamped ones too) to a brand new ETSY site, Piccola Casa! I'm so excited to share it all with you! Look for our Grand Opening this month!
Check Out Studio Ten 25's Weekend Window!
It's always a Happy Friday when someone you admire and respect gives you a Shout Out on their blog! Especially when it's another designer who's work you really admire. I've been so fortunate to meet the stunning, Abbe Fenimore, proprietress of Shop Ten 25 and blog, Studio Ten 25, via the Blogsphere. From the day she asked me to create a few watercolor paintings for her new on-line shop I knew this would be a great friendship. Her excitement and love of design is contagious and I'm so grateful to be part of it. I'm super happy to say you can now find my product in her lovely shop! If you enjoy design like we do, I know you will appreciate her thoughtfully curated collection of home decor items. You can read our feature in her Weekend Window here. Have a terrific weekend everyone!!!
Introducing Glam Damask!
I've had a lot of fun this summer making over my daughter's bedroom. We changed the baby pink walls to a deep, rich coral. I painted New Art for above their beds, New Fabric for their window treatments, and New Pillows to accent it all. This is actually how I started designing textiles. About three years ago, I noticed in my Interior Design business, I couldn't find certain art peices or fabrics so I decided to create them myself. In this case my girls love the Kiss Me Collection so I moved forward with adding pieces to it that would compliment and make the collection strong. If you take a close look at my New Glam Damask design you'll notice some familiar shapes, well that is if you love make-up and perfume! My Mod Medallion fabric has a mix of a glam and retro feel and I added in a bold black and white stripe to make it all pop. You can check out all my new designs in my shop!
Monday's Mood Board - Spice Up Your Entry!
A great entry way immediately sets off what the experience is going to be like in your home. If you have the space for it, I love a good console table. It's such a fun accent piece that you can change with a few decorations each season. This incredible one came from CircaWho. The elephant accents on the legs are what did it for me. Her shop looks like a designers dream! Good thing I'm all the way on the West Coast or I could see myself doing some serious shopping there! The lamps on my Monday's Mood Board came from there too. Such a fun web site to browse through as well.
The Pagoda Mirror (to die for) is from the lovely ladies over at Zinc Door. I am loving Navy lately!
But as much as I love Navy, I'm personally not the monochromatic type...Give me Color! These Green Linen Ottomans from Shop Ten25 are the perfect accent. Navy, Green, Coral....Oh My! You can find these fantastic ottomans here! They come in other colors as well.
Fall is coming...now is the time to take a chance and spice up your entry with some unique pieces that have interest and character, add in some delicious color and you will smile every time you walk by your fabulous entry!
1 Little Green Vase From Anthropologie 2 Barclay Pagoda Mirror From Zinc Door 3 Faux Bamboo Lamps From CircaWho 4 Illume Boho Mediterranian Candle From Zinc Door 5 Elephant Pagoda Console From CircaWho 6 Green Linen Ottoman From ShopTen25
Monday's Mood Board - Update!
Remember this?
It was my concept illustration for my daughter's bedroom make-over. A few things have changed but I'm getting very close to finishing it all up...just a few more pillows to sew and items to hang! Instead of the black strped drapes I decided to create my own fabric which will be available in my shop next week. My sweet mother and I sewed the window coverings last week and I just finished these painting for above their bed. I still plan on painting a boarder behind the paintings but you'll see all of that when I reveal the entire room.
Painting Layout....just getting started.
I did one with three roses and the other with two and added crystals to the inside of the roses.
Hanging on the wall but not quite complete...Make sure to come back next week and see the finished product!
Congratulations Shop Ten25!
Most of you know that I'm an Interior Designer by day and Watercolor, Textile, Home Decor, Graphic Artist, what am I leaving out??, Chef, Seamstress, Crafter...basically, my life IS Art in any form I can get my hands on. At the beginning of this year I started a new thing on my blog...(which I think I'll finally be able to get back too- what a crazy summer!), of doing My Monday Mood Boards, which are simple watercolor illustrations of home decor items and other pretties that make me smile. Well....I found many of these beautiful items from Shop Ten25! As it goes in the blogging world, the owner, fabulous Interior Designer, Abbe Fenimore and I became friends. I admire Abbe's fresh take on design. Her style is modern and colorful and we both share a passion for making our surroundings beautiful. Soooooo, you can only imagine how THRILLED I was when she asked me to do the illustrations on her new website!! Her new site launched TODAY and it's loaded with treasures! I'm happy to say you'll be able to see some of my collections there very soon too!!! Congratulations Shop Ten25!!!