Saturday, April 30, 2011

interior love

Interior design, decorating, and architecture are all very dear to my heart. I adore older homes and the stories they tell just by their unique structures and spaces. I like the oddly shaped, impractical rooms. And I LOVE all of the little details that modern architecture lacks today. Rooms and personal spaces can paint a picture of the person inhabiting them. And for the most part, my art and the things I create revolve around how they would fit in my own home. Here are a few of my favorite spaces that I've stumbled across while surfing the internet. (Note: these are only 7 out of the 100+ photos stored in my iPhoto under the appropriately named 'interior' album)

lofts (and the such)
This should come as no surprise since I live in a loft apartment. I appreciate the intimacy and escapism a loft creates. Plus, they save a lot of space and while looking cool. Who wouldn't appreciate a loft? Especially the examples below.

white on white on white
I'm not one of those people that has to paint their walls. I quite like white walls especially when the focus is on the white and only a few splashes of color. It's so refreshing to me. I can't find one thing I dislike about this room (well maybe besides the pink throw in the bottom left...i hate pink). I love the structure of the ceiling and I ADORE the painted wood as well as the little window up top. The canopy over the best almost gives the room a nautical feel. Overall, it is fresh, relaxing, and it really wants me to live in it.

cubbies & sliding ladders
Space is a big issue for me, as well as pretty much any other girl you ask. This particular room looks like a mix between a closet and a bathroom. The cubbies are a perfect way to organize and store your items while keeping the shared space clutter free. The ladder works as a means to gain access to the otherwise unreachable cabinets...while still managing to look really, really cool.

brick walls
Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, makes my heart sing more than exposed brick walls. I've been tempted to install faux brick into my living space for awhile, but I've reached the conclusion to wait until I find a more permanent housing situation. I can't think of anything that screams urban more than a beautiful brick wall. Plus, I could really get used to this little office set up. Built in cabinets, desk, rolling chair...what else could you possibly need?

hammocks
Hammocks make my heart sing almost as much as exposed brick. Hammocks make everything seem so peaceful. Having one in your home especially with this view would make it incredibly hard to move, or get any work done for that matter. I'm so in love with this room. I wish I were there right now.

All of this interior talk has inspired me to take on a new project to give a certain wall of mine a little make over. I'm thinking about upcycling a mirror we salvaged from my grandparents' home. Look out for the upcoming DIY!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

spring cleaning=spring crafting

So I haven't been keeping up with this thing as much as lately. The reason is the recent tornado destruction that happened to my grandparents' home. It took us days to pick through all of the damage and insulation for salvaged items and move them into storage. It was really difficult.


But, I took this cleaning kick back to Wilmington with me and unleashed it on my apartment. After 8+ trash bags full of junk, winter clothes out, and everything put in its right place...I was able to go through my art supplies. In doing so, I found the materials I used to make the magnets/coasters in the following photographs.


I made the 4 magnets surrounding my ode to spring crafting with extra magnets I had lying around, fabric flowers, and random beads. All it took was a little super glue to assemble and voila! I've also made magnets out of Mickey's & Magic Hat caps that you can see to the left on the front of the fridge. Those are also super easy and fun to make...just a little beer drinkin' and super glue.


The supplies I used for these coasters included hemp, cork, acrylic paint, and hot glue. First I wrapped the hemp into flat circles while using hot glue to keep them in tact. I made circles of various sizes and attached them to one another using hot glue as well. Then I cut 3 squares of cork based on the sizes of each coaster and painted them with acrylic paint. Once the paint dried I hot glued the coasters to the cork for stability. And finally I used an x-acto to cut out the shape of each coaster. Super easy project as well :)

Monday, April 4, 2011

mary-kate & ashley mondays.

current obsession--detachable collars

I fell in love with Eleven Objects this morning while perusing one of my favorite fashion blogs The Man Repeller. Okay, the idea of a detachable collar sounds funny to say the least...but trust me, they are SWEET. Although I have to admit, at first glance I thought they were a bit over the top. But no, they are completely perfect. You can wear them with literally ANYTHING. A turtle neck wouldn't be advisable but who likes turtle necks anyways? Anyways here are my two favorites from the online collection by Eleven Objects.


Leopard Print Calf Hair with Crystals for the less modest.