The keys I found at Blue Mountain Flea Market....waiting to be made into something beautiful MY DESIGN PROCESS FOR WORKING WITH UNIQUE ELEMENTS: VINTAGE KEYS (Part 1: Designing with Unique Elements) It's been a while since I've updated my blog so I thought I'd share with you what I did with the vintage keys that I found this past summer at the Blue Mountain flea market (Saylorsburg, PA). I knew these keys were going to upcycled into something special, and it was going to be some type of neck or wrist jewelry. Designing When I'm creating a new design I usually start out by first choosing the main elements/materials. For instance, I might come across some outstanding gemstone beads that really appeal to me and usually the wheels will start turning right away about what other kinds of stones or materials they might work well with in a design. Other times I'll be working with some unique object, as in this case, the keys, and then my design process is a little bit different. When designing around one special, unique element, that element is known as your focal element, or focus of your design'the first thing that attracts your eyes'and you build your design around that. My Design Process for Working With Unique Elements Here is how I go about my design process: I usually will keep the item close to me on my workbench, and although I'm not yet using them or designing with them, I'm looking at them a lot and at that point, I just let them sort of sit in my mind and usually within a day or two I have a pretty good idea of what other materials I want to use with them and what type of design I am going to make with them. At this point, I'm looking at the keys and studying things such as their color, shape, size and texture. When choosing my secondary materials in a design, I think about whether the materials will complement each other, and I also think about whether they will work together to make a whole'meaning, that when you look at the design, you experience a soothing aesthetic whole, as opposed to seeing something that is discordant, choppy, or awkward. Just like when you listen to a piece of music and you notice a wrong note ' well the same goes with design too ' you want your design to flow, and create a feeling of unity'sorta like music for your eyes. After my secondary materials are chosen I lay everything out, and often moving pieces around like a jigsaw puzzle, will work on the design until I feel it is organized the way I like, and only then will I begin to fabricate it- put it all together! Part 2: Fabrication of Necklaces Made with Antique Keys ('to follow soon)
You all know it already, and I'm pretty open about sharing this one fact: I am not a designer by trade. I've never taken design classes, and in fact, often dreaded going to art classes in school. I'd call myself an amateur- I do what I like and think looks good in my home. Period. One of the things I find difficult (although, I admit it does get easier the more I do it) is choosing the right colors in my designs. I often have an idea or concept in mind, but getting there is tricky, especially for a non-detail-oriented person like me. Enter Design Seeds:
Design Seeds solves the color dilemma for us by offering tons of color palettes based on things you see every day. Like the colors of Fall? You can find several different palettes incorporating the various colors found in Autumn. Isn't that amazing? If you've been on Pinterest at all, I'm sure you've seen some of these floating around:
Source: design-seeds.com via Jessica on Pinterest Basically, Jessica, the genius behind Design Seeds forecasts emerging trends and comes up with relevant color palettes based on those. She also sells a bunch of books that I would personally love to have on my coffee table or to use as inspiration. Here are just a few of my favorites:
Source: design-seeds.com via Jessica on Pinterest Wouldn't this be beautiful in a nursery for a baby girl? Love the muted purples.
Source: design-seeds.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: design-seeds.com via Jessica on Pinterest Can't help but fall head over heels for colors inspired by travel!
Source: design-seeds.com via Jessica on Pinterest Oh man, this would be a super-fun palette for a summer birthday party, right?
And just in case you were wondering, there is a general rule of thumb when it comes to using color in design:
Use 60 percent of one color, which is your dominant color (think paint on the wall). This is the unifying color- most likely a neutral that ties it all together. Using 30 percent of your secondary color adds visual interest, like the furniture in the room, and then 10 percent is an accent color. Accessories, pillows, flowers etc. These are the things that make the room shine! Go ahead and take a look at your design inspiration pictures: most likely they are divided within this rule. Crazy, huh? These Design Seeds palettes provide a variety of colors that you can choose from for your home decor, wedding or party planning, and even when choosing an outfit!
Don't you just love it when there are short-cuts for great design?; )
Since I mentioned in my last post that I was both a collector and antique textile dealer and my passion was Italian silk velvets I've received some lovely emails asking me to SHOW YOU'. since you've all asked so very nicely how could I resist sharing. It was the Chinese who first unraveled a cocoon thousands of years ago to make silk. It was the Spanish and Italians who elevated silk velvets into some of the most luxurious works of art. Velvets were among the most highly prized and most expensive luxury fabrics of the Renaissance. (Be sure to click on the picture to bring it up bigger for viewing. )
Italian, circa 1450, Ferronerie velvet with pomegranate design, green being one of the most rare of colors. Ferronerie velvet: curved, linear woven patterns reminiscent of decorative wrought-iron work.
Italian, 1540, brocaded/voided silk velvet featuring an ogival pattern of branches with a central pomegranate motif. The flowers, pomegranates and leaves are further embellished with boucle, a heavy gold metal thread pulled up to form loops. Due to cost by the turn of the 17th century raised metal boucle work had disappeared into history forever.
Circa 1580 Italian symmetrical "candelabra" pattern of alto-e-basso or pile-on-pile of silk cut velvet. Called "candelabra" pattern due to the many branches in the design. Pile-on-pile refers to two layers of threads, one higher than the other. Alto-e-basso is Italian meaning high and low.
Florentine circa 1600 cut voided pile-on-pile velvet with an extremely large flower motif brocaded in real silver metal thread. Because of the large floral design this was more than likely made for wall covering. All those light colored areas is actually the silver thread. The next four velvets were all woven in Genoa Italy around 1600 all being cut voided velvet. Voided velvet: when areas of the ground are left free of pile. Since projecting pile-required quantities of silk thread, voided velvet was less expensive to manufacture than solid-pile velvet or brocaded velvet.
with silver metal thread ground, brocaded velvet
Two toned green and red pile with tabby ground
Small patterned velvet with strawberries
Velvet design embroidered with gold metal thread
17th century Italian purple voided silk velvet on a gold ground The firm of Maison Hamot in France and a manufacturer of Krefeld, Germany both in the 19th century perfected the art of copying silk velvet designs. The next two silk velvets are such examples both being of Byzantine designs. The third design is being of a 16th century design.
11th Byzantine design from Maison Hamot
Byzantine design from Krefeld
19th century Italian of a 16th century design, Maison Hamot
19th century stamped velvet produced by impressing a design into the pile with a steel tool.
16th century Spanish silk velvet fabric with applied appliqu' design These velvets are prized today by both collectors and museums because they're no longer produced due to the fact they're extremely labor intensive to make and the cost to produce them is astronomical. I bet you didn't realize there were so many different types of velvets produced? Busy little worms huh? I'll tell you the truth here I keep more then I sell of these lovelies since I can't help myself. They cost a bloody fortune but if you see anything you like and want just ask but be willing to give up an arm, leg and your first born for it. I hope you've enjoyed our little trip through the ages of silk velvets.
Don't Try This at Home This mother's day weekend, I had a DIY happy mother's day to me project planned. I bought two inexpensive Adirondack chairs and planned to make them fabulous.
I was all geared up for a perfect DIY, camera in hand
I planned to use this cute paper on the back of the chair and then seal it with mod podge.
However, I forgot that I am a lefty, living in a right-handed world. I stink at cutting! I went through five pairs of scissors before I realized this was NOT working out.
I actually texted Jess a picture of the blister I got from using these dreadful scissors!
Oh, but look how cute this could look. What you can't tell from this picture is that it took me nearly an hour and a half to do that one strip and I had 11 more to do! (I might have been a little OCD and trying to get it perfect!)
I did two more strips and then decided this was a DIY not to try! I quit and peeled off all the paper. Blah! Do Try This at Home! We're in the middle of the Design Challeng{ed} contest, and we want your pictures! Use the menu tab above to get all the details. Take a picture that shows your challenge room and you could win a professional design consultation by ME! What? What has this lady ever designed? Good question, and one we thought we should answer for you! Although, I now only do design work on the side, I loved the years I spent making staging and design my occupation. The majority of the homes that I worked in were vacant or semi-vacant. I used a combination of the homeowner's belongings and rental furniture. Having a staged room makes a big impact on a potential buyer. Another home looking Empty and Blah
Simple Staging and ready for buyers!
The tricky part to staging is that you're not designing the room based on your preferences, (or even mine as the designer) we worked off of the demographics of potential buyers and the feel of the space.
This room isn't my personal style, but it was the right look for this high-end condo on the Main Line.
We're really excited to work with our Design Challeng{ed} winner. We hope that this mini portfolio peek gets you excited to think about a room makeover in your home! So, my advice is to pass on the Adirondack DIY, and instead to use your time taking pictures and entering the Design Challeng{ed} contest so we can work together designing the perfect space for you! Good Luck!
P.S. Don't forget that you can enter the Design Challeng{ed} contest even if you're not in Bucks County! Virtual design is all the rage and this"cyber teacher" has all the right technology to make it happen for you!
Did you ever have one of those"Ah-ha!" moments? I tend to have them in two places… the shower (one of the only places a mom of 4 is ever alone) and church. About a month ago during an"Ah-ha" moment, I came up with an idea that has turned into what we're calling Real Housewives: Design it Forward. We're pretty excited about it and we have a feeling you will be too! So daily we blog about cool finds, amazing projects, and what we're doing on our homes… sometimes we find ourselves pausing and wanting to look and do something outside of ourselves. We thank God each day for our families and that our needs are provided for. So what do we do from here? We design it forward…
We're committing to using our time, talents, and treasures to help someone else. We want to make someone feel extra special, cared-about, valued, and loved. Here's our vision… quarterly, we want to find a family, a single mom or dad, or just someone who could use a little TLC and do some surprise design for them. We're hoping you'll want to join in and help us and then we're going to challenge you to find someone in your area to Design it Forward for as well (think link party). We love this little old blog, but you know what?? We're called to love people even more, so here goes… Real Housewives: Design it Forward! Porch Perk Up Through the help of Calvary Church of Souderton, we found a single mom that could use a little extra TLC. Since we adore all things fall, we thought we should do a little porch perk up. How cool would it be to come home and have a porch all prettied up for Halloween and Thanksgiving?
http://www.bhg.com/
Shhh… don't tell, but here's our master plan…
So, how do I help? We'd love to have some hands-on help on the 25th as we perk up the porch, but we know our readers are from all over. So here's our Plan B… Since this is a single mom, we thought it would be cool to accept donations related to # of children. Either the ones you have or how many were in your family growing up. For example, I could donate $4.00 because I have four kids (still shocks me to type that) or $2.00 because I was one of two kids growing up. Your money will go directly towards perking up the porch, we promise not to go get pedicures or anything shady like that! If we collect enough money, we have a second and third family lined up and we'll just do more porch perking! Wouldn't that be awesome! And BTW… if anyone knows the Duggars, have them read this post, because that would be like a Twenty-something donation!: ) Just click the little donate button to donate… Thanks!
Ok, so I've already admitted that I'm a landscaping idiot. I'm not ashamed. Part of growing as a person is admitting it, and then calling in someone who DOES know what they're doing. I'm all about DIYing when I can, but sometimes you just have to ask an expert. A while ago I asked on facebook if anyone knew a good landscape designer, and we got a note from Candice saying she has her own business doing that exact thing (appropriately named Candice Price Garden Designs)
She said that she would love to draw up a plan, just for fun, to show us her skills, if we were interested. Yes, of course! Since Monica's house is relatively new without much landscaping, she decided to draw up a design for her front yard.
This is pre-front porch makeover! Candice is an artist by nature, with a passion for gardening and her designs are absolutely beautiful! I seriously think you could frame her designs for some really cool art.: ) One of our favorite things about her was that she came to Monica's house, walked around outside and then asked if she could take a look around inside to gather some insight on Monica's design style so that she could incorporate that into her plans. Love that! Within a day or two, we received an email with her plan- we were so excited!Here's what she came up with:
Gorgeous, right? Even without knowing what the heck the plants are!: ) She even included a front elevation view so Monica could envision exactly what she meant.
Candice does a ton of work getting these plans ready: she measures and measures and measures some more, conceptualizes a design plan, creates it on paper, figures out which plants would work best in the given area. Her plans include a plant key, with descriptions of each plant so you know what the heck to look for. If you're not up for DIYing the entire thing yourself, Candice can do the install herself! Impressive.: )
Isn't that so fun? To see Candice's full description of her plan including all the juicy details, click here. Man, it's so nice to have someone do the design for you! Candice has done a ot of work in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Just take a look at some of these other beautiful designs of hers:
Lovely, right? Now I definitely know who to call to help me with my jungle! If you need some help with your landscape design, call Candice Price Garden Design! And make sure to follow her on facebook to see her current projects. Seriously- you'll be thrilled you did! How do YOU go about planning your landscaping? Have you ever considered incorporating your indoor style in your outside design?PS. We were not compensated for this post! We just like to share local talent with you when we get the chance.: )
Happy Monday, guys! We've had a busy weekend filming back to back episodes for Knock It Off, but we wanted to pop in and give you a round-up of our favorite summer items from some of our favorite companies! These wonderfully talented people make this blog possible, and we've gotta say, they're stuff is stinkin' awesome! Check them out, show them some love and don't forget to look for special coupon codes just for you!
1. I am LOVING this Tangerine Braid Headband from Henle Headbands- that color just calls my name! 2. Monica is obsessed with these Slim Cool Salmon flip-flops from Havaianas that come in lots of cool colors. 3.Isn't this Flower Leather Cuff Bracelet from Belmonili super cute? You ALWAYS get free shipping within continental US. Use the code BelmoniliECC for 10% off your order!
4. Our absolute favorite thrift store is having a 50% off sale on all media items at Liberty Thrift Stores, which- need we remind you?- includes books! Thrift stores are treasure troves of books with great covers, perfect for styling your home. (Picture Source) 5. Guys, you know we love a good DIY project, but some of you complain you don't where to begin or even what to do once you start. You have no excuse anymore because Bareroot Design Studios offers Design Workshops that will teach you how to get the look you want for your home. For all you locals, Bareroot Design Studio is hosting anOPEN HOUSE on Saturday, June 15th from 1-3pm. You do not want to miss this!
6. We have shared our love for Lucent Lampworks over and over again, but this Cylinder Glass Shade with Antique Bronze Down Rod just made us fall in love all over again. Save 10% when you use the code EC2tenoff.
7. I love the simple design of this Blessings Carafe from Blessings Unlimited. What a beautiful way to dress up your summer table. 8. This Affection Small Art Print from Red Letter Words is such a thoughtful and stylish gift for all of those graduates in your life. With lots of different saying, you'll be able to find the perfect one for that baby shower, wedding or graduation gift and you know what the best part is? They're only $19 each! 9. We love our phrases from 163 Design Company (see them here and here) and now they've come out with these NEST Chalkboard painted letter s, which are awesome. So cool just as they are, but even cooler that you can doodle all over them!
10. For a non-green-person like me, this Garden Planning Kit from Clean Mama Printables is clutch. This baby will help you achieve the garden you've always wanted It includes: *Planter Planner*Garden Plan Grid*Plant Record (keep track of all your plants in one place — glue on a large envelope and keep your receipts and plant info to keep track of plants that need to be returned or relocated)*Garden Plans — This Year + Next Year*Yearly Annuals, Perennials, and Trees + Shrubs Tracker*Yearly Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs Tracker 11. I know it says"Spring" in the title, but this Riley Spring Paper Pack from Moo & Puppy screams summer to me! Are you making a summer bucket list this year? Use this paper as a background for your big list of activities for your family! Use EC215 for 15% off your order! 12. Don't forget to check out the c urrent issue of Smart, Blonde and Craft y for loads of fun and creative DIY ideas to fill your summer and it's totally FREE! Also, make sure you take a look at all the fun blogs listed- you might come across one you've never heard of before!
13. I'm sorry but these Typewriter Key Bracelet from Junxtaposition are just so dang fun. Choose your design or pick one out as a one-of-a-kind gift for a friend. 14. I love the smell of citrus in the summer, and the NEW! Wood Wick Candles from CJS EcoChic are soy so that sweet smell will last a loooooong time. 15. Remember that faux stained glass window I made two years ago? I used this Artscape Window Film. It adheres to any window, is easy to customize and is a breeze to install. This stuff makes a HUGE statement without working hard for it. Plus, it can add some privacy and style where there is none!
16. I got this XXL Utility tote from Thirty-One Gifts and it is fabulous! It can hold so much stuff, and it easily collapses when I'm ready to put it away. I'm a huge fan of the nautical look, so the navy and white just stole my heart.: ) My bag holds a lot of the typical summer items you need when you're a mom of two little ones: towels, swimmies, suntan lotion, toys, but still looks good! C heck out Mandy's guest post HERE to hear more about her story and how she was able to leave her full-time job when she joined 31! Go ahead and contact Mandy at hajelfamily@yahoo.com or check out her website for more info.
17. We've recently found the DIYers solution to dirty, nasty nails. Gel manicures at Oasis Salon. Monica has been telling the entire world that her polish is lasting over 3 weeks! I have to admit, they do look awesome even with all our DIYing. If you're local you HAVE to try out their amazing pedicures and gel manicures. We can't get enough. Visit Oasis, tell them EC2 sent you and get 10% OFF one visit!
18. Ahhhh, how amazing is this Herringbone Shuffle Stencil from Royal Design Studio? I've been wracking my brain trying to find a place for it in my house. Think the baby would like it? Use the code ECC10 for 10% off your order.
19. And last, but not least, our favorite family photographer (and the official photographer of EC2. Ha!) Stacy of Salvatori Photography. This girl is seriously talented and has a fun personality to boot! She just did our gender reveal photo shoot and a few months ago, photographed Monica's family doing their thing on a Saturday morning. Make sure you like her facebook page because she's always running fun contests. We promise that you will LOVE working with Stacy and will have fabulous photos that will last forever! Ok, folks, time to shop! Have fun.: )
If you read home blogs at all, you will not be able to avoid the very popular trend of using chevron in decorating. What is chevron, you ask? Chevron is a zig-zag line pattern, sort of like a simplified herringbone. It is absolutely popping up everywhere- from curtains to rugs, to desktops and backspashes! It's a very bold choice and makes a big statement in design.
modern dining room design by other metros media and blogs Made By Girl
traditional kitchen design by dc metro interior designer Paula Grace Designs, Inc. Notice the chevron pattern in the backsplash?
eclectic dining room design by atlanta architect Blount Architectual and Interior Design
Even my absolute favorite home decor store, Pottery Barn, has jumped on the chevron bandwagon!
DIY Chevron Art
I, for one (and I may be the ONLY one), am not a fan of chevron. {Gulp} I confess that you will not find many geometric, modern patterns in my home. Mostly you'll see paisley or stripes- a little bit more classic in my humble opinion. But if you are digging the chevron, there is no shortage of DIY projects out there in blogland!
What's your opinion? Are you a Chevron Lover or Hater like me?
We've been so fortunate to have been featured on some pretty great blogs and websites, but there are a few totally awesome blogs/bloggers who have been major players in our continuing growth.
We've shared our love of Pinterest on more than one occasion and Monica even created a how-to video about it, but now we love it even more. U-Create, Vintage Revivals and Home Stories of A to Z were so good to us rookie bloggers. We hope we can pass the blog love forward to other small blogs just trying to grow in the same way they've helped us. And you already know how we feel about The Nate Show. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thanks blogging friends! We appreciate you.: ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, to cap off our Giveaways Galore Week, we have an unbelieveable giveaway for you!
We both have been thrilled with our stencils from Royal Design Studio (you can see my kitchen here, and Monica's wall panels here), but there are endless possibilities and choices for you at Royal Design Studio. Just check out these beauties:
{Swoon} Ok, time for the details on how to win: The Prize is a $75 Shopping Spree on Royal Design Studio. (Includes free shipping within the continental U.S.) All entries must be submitted by 11:59pm on February 26, 2012. Winner will be announced on February 27, 2012. 1. To enter, go to the Royal Design Studio website, pick your favorite stencil and comment with your pick. 2. Extra chances to enter by"liking" the RDS Facebook fan page and/or following them on Twitter and/or following them on Pinterest and commenting so on this post. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally, the winners from yesterday's giveaways: Scentsy
My Best Friend's Hair
Kotton Pickin' Kute
Congratulations! Email us to claim your prizes, girls! Thanks for celebrating our one year blogiversary with us this week. It's been fun.: )
Hey there! We thought it would be fun to show you the major difference that accessories can make in a room design. So many people can pull together the"big" items in a room, like a buffet and dining table, or a couch and accent chair, but then seem to have trouble getting the room to look"finished". We all look at design magazines and read home blogs and see rooms that look absolutely perfect; stylish, yet still cozy, warm and inviting. What is it about those rooms? Take a closer look, and you'll see that the room feels finished because of all the finishing touches (ie: accessories)! Well, duh.
Let's look at our guest room makeover before we added in the fun accessories:
Ok. that wall is cool, but besides that, this could be anybody's room. It lacks personality and excitement don't you think? Now look at the after picture:
Ahhh… now that's a finished room. Adding accessories to a room design is a great way to personlize your space. Find stuff that makes you smile, or that has sentimental value and bring them into your room. You'll notice that we added two vintage suitcases at the foot of the bed, put a darling little pillow on the chair, added some funky throw pillows on the bed, and put a plant by the bed (all easy things to do!) and the room immediately looks more put-together.
This cart was a great find at a store named Impact and cost us only $8. On it's own, it's fine, but it's not going to cause anyone to pass out with excitement. But once we added a globe, some books and a whole bunch of linens (remember this is a guest room?), it makes a big impression. Don't you love it when form and function meet in beautiful, accessorized harmony?: )
I have to admit that"dressing up" a room is one of my absolute favorite things to do, and while Monica is amazing at dreaming up the big projects in a room, she (admittedly) doesn't like accessorizing at all. (That's why we make a good team!) Here's what I do when I'm trying to decorate my mantel, buffet or anything else: I gather absolutely every accessory I can get my hands on that isn't nailed down and lay them all out. Then, I fiddle for about an hour trying to find the perfect layout. Bringing items you already have into the room allows you to evaluate what items you can work with, and what items you may need to purchase. Just to help you out,, here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are trying to accessorize: 1. The Rule of Three: Not sure why this is, but it's proven that groupings of odd numbers are more appealing to the eye than even-numbered pairings. It forces your eye to move from piece to piece and adds visual interest. You can group like things (for example: three identical glass bottles) or things that have the same materials (ie: three stacked books).
2. Mountains and Valleys: When you stand back and look at whatever your accessorizing, you should see varying heights and shapes. (ex: square frame beside a round bowl). Think about putting opposites next to each other. They always say opposites attract!
3. Symmetry or Asymmetry? A good rule of thumb is that symmetrical groupings creates a more formal look, whereas asymmetrical design looks casual and informal. 4. Texture and Color: You'll want to add lots of texture to make things interesting (ie: adding a woven basket next to a glass vase), and repeat your color scheme throughout the design. Doing this creates a more unified look. 5. Layer! Nothing is more boring than a row of frames on a shelf. Try leaning a framed family picture against a piece of art on your mantel, or stack a few books on a tray and add a plant on top. You want the room to appear alive and full of movement, not static!
These rules are not set in stone, they simply offer a guideline. If something in your home makes you happy, and it doesn't include anything from this list…then who cares? It's your home.: ) But hopefully you won't forget to add the finishing touches to your room design! It makes a WORLD of difference!: )
PS. Want more info about this? We got some great tips from these places: Honey & FitzThe Red PinEverything in 3'sFireplace Mall
My family travelled a lot growing up, and still, to this day, we all get together one week out of the year, and vacation with each other in a new, unexplored (to us) location. I was also fortunate enough to live in Greece for three months during college. My friends and I (and my future hubby, unbeknownst to both of us), toured Greece, Italy, France and Spain with abandon, and I loved every second of it. Why am I telling you this? Over the past year, I've been trying to figure out what my design"style" really is. Instead of randomly acquiring or making things that may or may not fit the rest of my belongings, I want to be purposeful and intentional (there's that word again; ) with the design of my house. I want my home to have a nice flow, (which, if you've ever been to my house, is not the case), and to be comfortable and relaxing, yet beautiful. That's not too much to ask, is it? (Envision me looking exhausted). I find that thinking about the places I've been that have really impacted me and that I fell in love with, help me discern what styles I want to incorporate in my home. Each place has a certain feel that I would love to capture at home. This is the first post of three parts about my top 3 favorite destinations and what design elements I have gathered and want to incorporate in my home. Destination #1: Greece
Zacynthos, Greece (We affectionately call this place"Paradise Beach") Ahhhh…memories. This country holds a special place in my heart as it was the place I met and got to know my hubs (no, he is not Greek. He was on the same trip I was), and it was the first place that I really had to be completely independent. There are two main design elements from Greece that I want to include in my house: simplicity and history.
Source: perivolassuites.gr via Jessica on Pinterest This room is SO simple. Nothing competing with each other, no knickknacks. Just two beautiful blue bottles, a plant and a purple blanket. Makes me want to take a nap.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Jessica on Pinterest White on white on white. {Sigh} I told you I was in a white phase, and this depicts that perfectly. Even though it's devoid of color, it's still an interesting room with those totally cool stool/table thingies that add loads of texture, and the khaki/white rug. I understand it's absolutely not practical in any way with two little ones running around, but I so admire how peaceful and simple this room is.
Source: 79ideas.org via Jessica on Pinterest Again, nothing dramatic in this room, but somehow this room is perfect. That table looks like it has seen its fair share of dinner parties. I love the old furniture paired with the fancy chandelier, and beamed ceiling. I can totally envision eating a late dinner here with friends.
Source: flickr.com via Jessica on Pinterest If this doesn't inspire you to bring the outside in, then I don't know what will.
Source: trekearth.com via Jessica on Pinterest This is gorgeous, old and falling apart. It gives me hope that someone might find the peeling paint on my porch banisters gorgeous.
Source: indiehome.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest There is a very simple color scheme in Greece- white and blue, with a little pink thrown in there from the wild, climbing flowers. And still, it's so interesting and pretty.
Wow. That light fixture is fabulous. This room is breathtaking. Enough said.
Have you been anywhere that has inspired you to decorate differently? Please share!
It's actually incredibly hard to believe that we are 2 years in to this whole blogging thing. Last year we celebrated our one year blogiversary with loads of talented guest posters, giveaways and fun facts about our crazy first year. This year, we have soooo much going on that we just couldn't swing all that, but we still wanted to recognize some of the funny, ridiculous and amazing things that have happened to us over the past two years. But before that we want to thank YOU guys, whether you're a brand new reader or have been here for the long haul, for your support and encouragement to us. We would be nothing without you guys!! So thank you. Now, for the fun part;
Three Posts We Wished We'd Never Written We seriously laugh out loud sometimes about the posts we wrote when we first started. Let's just say it took us awhile to figure out our niche.; ) I'm sure there are tons of other lousy posts, but these are a few of the ones we love to hate. 1. In our second month of blogging we wrote a post entitled, For All You Tomboys Out There about how to braid your hair. Ha! As if we are experts about anything related to hair. Hilarious. (Our friend, Jane, did the braid, and she IS awesome at doing hair, but us? Not so much.)
2. I threw an Angelina Ballerina-themed 3rd birthday party and posted about it way back when. The party was cute enough, but nothing over the top, and the pictures are pitifully bad. The funny part is that this is one of our most successful posts! I guess there aren't too many people throwing Angelina birthday parties??
3. Monica shared her adventures in trying to DIY a belt out of fabric in this post. Even her daughter was like,"Ewww…Mom, don't wear that." Love that.
Blog Design for Beginners We prided ourselves on doing everything by ourself- including our blog design. We did ok for novices, and actually have done everything related to the way our blog runs and looks ourselves until the last 6 months or so. Now, we happily turn our ideas over to Kim, at 733 Design, for our custom blog design. Anyway, take a look at the way things used to be… Header 1… Designed at 12am the night we randomly decided to start a blog…
Header 2… About 3 months in…
Header 4… this one lasted about 2 minutes. We hated it!
Header 5… this one lasted for almost a year until we had to play the name swaparoo game…
Ahh… How much we love Kim and her design expertise. She"gets" us and did a great job on our logo and header!
Five Incredible Opportunities We've Received as a result of this Blog All that goofiness aside, we have been blessed to have some awesome experiences because of this little ol' blog and we're sure we're on the verge of lots more. 1. The Nate Show: Last year we had the priviledge of being on four episodes of Nate's 2011-2012 season and it was a blast. Nate is a sweetie, and we fell in love with live TV, for sure. This will forever remain as one of the highlights of our blogging careers.
2. Mexico: Thanks to our buddy, Nate, we won a trip for 6 days to Cancun, Mexico that totally rocked. We had such a blast with two other girlfriends and enjoyed loads of down time and really great food. Without this blog= no Mexico= sad girls.
3. HGTV Magazine and Ladies Home Journal
4. Feautred on Young House Love! I think every blogger wants to be featured by John and Sherry (if you're living under a rock, they are THE biggest and most successful home bloggers out there) and we got our opportunity with the Guest Room Makeover we did for a friend. Check that off the bucket list.: )
5. Creating with the Stars. It's crazy how things come full circle, isn't it? We LOVED being a part of this contest, and are even more thrilled to be hosting it this year! Speaking of CWTS, TODAY is the last day to enter your projects! Over the next week, we (with the help of the 12 stars) will be poring over the submissions to choose the best contestants! Don't forget- the contestants and their blog star partners will be announced next Friday, March 1st! Get excited, people, get very excited.
So, we've shared our highs and lows from the past two years, and again we want to say that we are so honored to have had you on this amazing journey with us. 2013 promises to be our BIGGEST year yet, so hold on tight, we're all in for a crazy ride! In honor of 2 Rockin' Years of Blogging, we're gonna open the floor for a little Q and A… Leave a comment asking us anything under the sun and we'll respond. It can be about blogging, life, our friendship, how to braid hair (haha!) or whatever you want to know. We'll comment back throughout the day! So… what do you want to know??
T his time of year, I'm reminded of the other part of our farmhouse renovation....the yard. The above picture shows what the side of the house looks like today...
....this is what it looked like after the contractors left. Due to new electrical, plumbing and water lines, and grading new elevations around the entire house, we were left with a sea of dirt and gravel. So we had to start from scratch. The yard landscaping was a project we hadn't anticipated when we set forth on our farmhouse renovation and is one that is taking time to complete. Last summer, we put in a picket fence, front walk and stairs, and dining patio....these tasks alone took the entire summer to complete!
Here's the what the front of the house looks like today. The picket fence offers a coziness to the area around our house. We also wanted to define the area of our property that would be for gardens (inside the fence), from the part that would be more natural and simple (outside the fence).
This is what the front of the house looked like when the contractors left.
This is what the outdoor dining patio looks like today.
This is what it looked like after the contractors left. Once again, Mr. Engineer (Hubby) used all his know-how to design and build a retaining wall, level floor and two sets of stairs.
This is what our 'backyard' looked like just before we went through the renovation. The edge of the 'lawn' previously dropped off a couple of feet past the old deck (which was torn down during the remodel due to rot). The fill we had excavated from the front of the house was hauled out back to extend the lawn area.
This is what it looks like today. We planted over sixty (back breaking work!) White Simplicity hedge roses along the entire perimeter of the lawn. We have yet to rebuild the deck/balcony (this comes off from the french door in the living room)....as we're trying to enjoy summer this time around instead of always working on the house. Also, we're still deciding on some of the design elements of the balcony. I'll do a separate post on that soon. So that's what we've done so far. Landscape design is something I love but is not something I know. I've always loved gardens, especially old country gardens, and I love old houses with hedges and a sense of outdoor coziness. But exactly how to create that with a blank canvas completely stifled me. Then last fall I came across Tara Dillard's beautiful blog and was overjoyed to discover that she did long distance consults! After sending her dozens of photographs of the yard, and discussing ideas over a few phone calls, she created a beautiful landscape design plan for our property. It was just what I needed....professional vision. The plans will evolve over time, as money and time permit, but it feels really, really wonderful to have a plan. Tara's amazing gift for creating beautiful landscapes is something I truly admire. I feel quite honored and very happy that her vision will be expressed here on our property. As we progress with our landscape projects, I'll be sure to keep you updated!
my favorite project of Lauren's a blown up print on her dining room wall Did you hear the Skirted Roundtable's recent interview with Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home ? I highly recommend it; she gives awesome home design tips, and she sounds as fun and lovely as she seems on her blog. She mentioned that she graduated from college with a degree in Communications, I believe, and only after spending all her time at work doodling interiors did she realize that her real passion was in interior design. Does that ring a bell with you? It really did with me. I am not a designer but it certainly is my passion. Yet I ended up with a degree in English and working in the law field. I have a good friend who would make a top notch architect, yet her passion and clarity for that field surfaced long after her college days.
Lauren's entry What about you? Were you attuned to your passion for design early on? Or, was it 'discovered' or 'uncovered' later, after another career? If so, why can't we tap into these leanings earlier? Is there a growth process that leads us to our true passion? Thanks so much for your input! Since I began this blog, I have been fascinated by the number of folks/bloggers who come to design from another area, especially law.... Photos from Pure Style Home
Last week we completed our very first Design it Forward project. It was a wonderful experience and we're excited about future projects! Not sure what Design it Forward is?? Well, check out this post. To respect the privacy of the family that we helped, we aren't going to go into personal details, but we will share some of the fun projects that we did! There was a slight twist to our day when the media got wind of our project. PhillyBurbs.com sent a crew to interview us and tape us working on preparing for our surprise. We were a little torn because we weren't doing Design it Forward for recognition, but at the same time, we were excited that it might encourage others to use their talents to help someone else. Here's the clip…
Ok, so onto the projects we did… You can't have a fall porch without mums, pumpkins, and hay, so I loaded up my van…
The first project that we tackled was a cute pennant banner. Jess picked out 3 fun fabrics from JoAnn Fabrics and some brown ribbon. There are a million tutorials on how to do this, but we do it pretty simply… 1. Use cardboard to make a triangle template 2. Trace a million triangles on your fabrics 3. Cut the triangles 4. Iron with heavy starch to give it some stiffness 5. Hot glue each triangle onto ribbon. Voila! Adorable banner!
Haha, don't you love our cheesy"hand on hips" pose? Nerdballs!
Next we made a little fall sign. Remember my Scrap Sign post? Well, we did a quick version of it… 1. Find scrap wood 2. Paint it 3. Add fun words Ta-da! Obviously, I love the bold yellow!
(Of course I didn't plan ahead, so the Give is stenciled, but the Thanks wouldn't fit, so we free-handed it.)
Have you ever made or bought something for someone else and then sorta wanted to keep it?? Nah, me neither… I totally didn't consider keeping this wreath because of it's awesomeness… We got the wreath and then a plain wooden letter that we painted in yellow to match the sign. We were trying it out on my front door before we attached it.
One of my favorite little touches was the wooden crate we decorated. It had been sitting in my basement for a year with just a coat of tan paint. Here's what we did… 1. Use painters tape to block off two stripes 2. Give the whole thing a quick coat of brown spray paint. 3. Remove the tape 4. Hot glue a fabric strip in the middle 5. Add a coat of modpodge over the fabric It made the most adorable holder for one of the mums.
So here's what it looked like when we put it all together… Before
After
Because we couldn't open the front door, we just hung the wreath on the light (we were laughing wondering if the homeowners will know we didn't really intend for it to stay on the light!)
Overall, we think it turned out really cute and we're so thankful for those of you that partnered with us to make it happen. It was a very special afternoon and we can't wait to Design it Forward again!
P.S. We're double posting today… yup, we just have so much that we want to share that we need to post Twice!! So, check back later for more!
Oh boy. I'm so excited to introduce you guys to one of the coolest Etsy shops we've seen, Fancy That Design House & Company. I came across her work through Emily at Jones Design Company and immediately fell in love with absolutely everything Stephanie creates. It's so important to put things in my home that mean something to me and, in my opinion, there's nothing more valuable to hang on my walls than scripture. I don't know if you've noticed, but most art including passages of scripture are accompanied by lambs or a crown of thorns (not that there is anything wrong with that), but that just doesn't jive with the style in my home. Well, Fancy That Designs solves that dilemma. But, enough chatter from me, take a look for yourselves:
East from West print
Mighty to Save print
Fruit of the Spirit print She also offers some super fabulous graphic art prints:
Chevron Repeat print …and letterpress greeting cards. (I seriously need to invest in several sets of these particular cards)
"I forgot" Elephant cards And guess what? Stephanie is generously giving away two of her prints to two of our lucky readers! One winner will receive this awesome Holly, Jolly, Merry & Bright print (our current favorite!), and one winner will receive a print of their choice. Woohoo!
To enter, all you have to do is go to Fancy That Design House & Co. and then leave us a comment telling us which print you'd choose and why. For extra entries, just"like" us and Fancy That Design House & Co. on facebook. The contest ends on Thursday, November 8th at midnight and the winner will be announced Friday, Now, hurry! Go enter.: ) a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wow, here we are just 2 years after we started East Coast Creative and we're celebrating 10,000 fans on Facebook! It has been quite a ride for us, from working with The Nate Show to now filming our own TV show Knock it Off! Honestly, we never could have imagined any of this and we couldn't have done any of it without the support of our amazing followers! To celebrate and thank all of you, we put together a pretty fantastic giveaway. We wish we could give each and every one of you a prize, but in the end there will only be three winners. Bummer, but awesome at the same time! The grand prize winner will receive a $200 gift card to Wayfair.com.
Whether you need a new bedroom set, coffee table, or a few picture frames, chances are Wayfair.com has what you're looking for. (I just ordered awesome wallpaper and can't wait for it to arrive!) They also have Halloween decor if you're still looking for fun ways to decorate, plus you can get a head start on your Christmas decor shopping as well! Be sure to enter below for your chance at winning a $200 gift card to Wayfair if you're in the market for new home decor.
The second winner will receive $50 to Royal Design Studio Stencils (you know how we love RDS stencils!), $50 to Gussy Sews Shop, and $35 to Vintage Vinyl Journals.
After receiving great feedback on the colorful stenciled accent wall we did on an episode of Knock it Off, we thought a Royal Design Studio Stencils gift card would be perfect for our readers. If you win you'll be able to create you're own accent wall, now don't forget to come back and share your design with us! At Gussy Sews Shop you'll find an array of adorable handmade tote bags, diaper bags, zip pouches that are great for your makeup and sunglasses and crocheted infinity cowl scarves like the one seen here. Be sure to follow along on Gussy's blog for new product, sales, and a behind the scenes look at her busy, but inspirational life that includes her hubby and adorable baby boy.
Do you have a bunch of unplayable vinyl records just sitting around? Well, local Pennsylvania artist Katie, over at Vintage Vinyl Journals, figured out how to repurpose her scratched collection and turned them into something creative and useful again. She has classics like Sinatra, Elvis, and the Beatles, but can also customize gifts if you're looking for newer artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, or Beyonce. Stop by her site for updates on new journals as well as local shows she'll be selling at.
Last, but certainly not least, the third winner will receive $50 to Frog Prince Cake & Cookie Design (she did all the desserts for our KIO Premiere Party!), a Mila Rose Designs headband that sells for $32.00, and $100 to HorseFeathers Gifts!
Remember Linda from Frog Prince Cake & Cookie Design, who made these amazing mini tool cookies for our premiere party and you might recognize her from an episode of Knock it Off — that's where we met her! Well, now she will make customized cookies for you if you win the $50 gift card to her cake and cookie shop! Please note, she is asking for 4 weeks notice on any order. Can you believe this cute floral headband from Mila Rose Designs is handmade? Melis has a beautiful collection of headbands, turbands, bows and more. She is currently running a sale for the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness on a selection of pink bands and head scarves with 20% of the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Whether your country chic or just looking for accessories that inspire you, HorseFeathers Gifts has what you're looking for. They are a mother daughter duo who hand create all of their unique designs and feature a selection of jewelry that gives back to amazing charities. My two daughters are crazy about these bracelets! We can't thank you enough for all of your support, from the very beginning days of our blog to now watching our TV show. We appreciate every comment, email, and like! Enter below for your chance to be one of three lucky winners, each will be selected randomly.
One thing to remember with Rafflecopter… you have to do each entry task before you can click the green button to earn the entry. Clicking the button doesn't LIKE the page for you. And we're super excited about some new IG followers, so be sure to get that extra entry!! Thanks! a Rafflecopter giveaway
One of my 2012 goals was to make my family room reflect ME a little bit more. I'm not going for some adult, anti-kid room or anything… I just want the style to fit me a bit more. Okay, and if I'm being honest, the room currently has no style at all, it's sort of a mish-mash of randomness. The first step in this direction is… Stenciled Wall Panels
Since we moved in, I've never been sure of what to do on either side of the fireplace. I've never wanted to compete with the fireplace, because I love the stacked stone so much. We've talked about built-ins someday, but someday isn't any time soon. So, we decided to try something a bit more creative. Wall stencils have been around for as long as I can remember. I definitely stenciled a border of berries and leaves in our very first master bedroom. Gag! Well, thank goodness they've come a long way! Royal Design Studio is my very favorite place to get stencils! Seriously, I bought a stencil a year ago from another unnamed company and it bled like crazy because it just wasn't made of heavy plastic. Royal's stencil was strong enough for a perfectionist like me! Ok, so here's what I did… We measured out a big old rectangle on both sides of the fp and then used a chalk-line to get super straight lines. I love my chalk-line. I use it all the time!
Then, I used another favorite, Scotch blue tape to outline the shape. (Random note: Did you know Picnic.com has a"skinny" edit button. Of course I tried it on my butt for this picture, but it didn't do a blessed thing. Drats!)
Then, it was time to line up my stencil and get painting! (Use a level to get the stencil straight. Royal Design Studio sells this cute little level that clips right onto the stencil. Genius!)
Rather than rolling this stencil, I used the brush method. Basically just tap the wall over and over and over again.
Darn that I'm easily distracted. Zoey 101… seriously?? I couldn't focus at all until I knew if little Chase and Zoey made up! (yes, I'm a lame mom of 4 kids)
Thankfully, after Zoey ended, I was able to get down to work…
Whoa! Look at that fancy time lapse…
I'm a stenciling machine!
Then, it was onto the other side. The whole process only took me a little over an hour of stenciling. I have to mention that a good brush is essential. I can't stress this enough. My Royal Design Studio brush was over at Jess' house, so I started stenciling with a small, craft store brush and it was a waste of time. I did one section and then stopped and waited for my brush. The cruddy brush took forever, was leaving bristles all over the wall, and needed two coats. Once I got my big, Royal Design brush it was so.much.easier! Look at the difference…
Here's how the room looks right now… and here's where I need your help!
My original plan was to trim out the stencil with molding (the molding will be the same grey color as the stripe on the curtains and the wall), but now that it's on the wall I'm unsure of what direction to go in. Here are my options… Option # 1- Rectangle Trim
Option #2- Square Trim
Option # 3- Rows of Trim
Option # 4- You Tell Me! What other ideas do you have for me? I can't wait to hear your opinion and ideas!I plan to finish the wall this weekend!
PS- Two things… 1- My mantle will be decorated one of these days… hopefully for the"after" pics. 2- My children don't sit around watching TV all day…I took my pics over a span of two days!
It is absolutely unbelieveable how many amazing, talented and creative women there are out there. We spends loads of time reading our favorite design blogs which inspire us to create beauty in our homes, and so, every month once in awhile when we feel like it, we'll be featuring the homes of bloggers that we love-our
Design Icons of the Blogosphere!
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Up first: my personal favorite, Our Vintage Home Love. Diana has captured the exact feel I want for my house, in her adorable home. She has such an amazing sense of style, and her house exudes calm. Not only is Diana super-stylish, but girl knows her way around a toolbox. She's built several pieces of furniture that I secretly covet really admire, like the Rustic Island she built for her kitchen, the barn door-turned-headboard for her master bedroom, and the salvaged wood shelving unit custom-made for her hubby. No joking- Diana has some serious skills.
So, without further ado, let's take a little tour of her lovely home:
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest If that doesn't say,"Welcome. Come sit awhile", I don't know what else would.
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest Diana painted stripes in neutral colors on her side porch, which are so cute. Genius!
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest I love Diana's use of textures in her house- lots of khakis and whites in the furniture and wall colors, woven baskets, warm wood tones and great, meaningful accessories complete the look.
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest Aren't those floors to die for? I love the rich color. I'm guessing they're original to the house, which was built in 1905! And do you notice that vintage ladder over there in the corner? Does it remind you at all of my bathroom ladder? (Truth be told, Diana's ladder was the first of many to inspire me to get one of my own!)
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest Her kitchen is so light and airy. I totally feel like you could walk in there and take a deep breath and poof!- there goes your stress. Yup, that's the kitchen island she built. Impressive, huh?
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest Her master bedroom features the authentic barn wood headboard. I mean, really, couldn't you envision that door on a barn somewhere? Nope, she built it. Jealous much?
Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest Her den was a labor of love for her husband. She wanted a place he could relax that included items that were important to him.Sheesh- talented and thoughtful? Making me look bad, here, Diana. By the way, I LOVE the pop of red on the pillows. So, that's it. I think I'm in love. Head on over to Our Vintage Home Love and leave Diana a happy comment. Let her know we sent you.: )
Okay, so two years ago Vista Print entered my life… yes, it sounds dramatic, but man, it Rocked My World! Maybe you've heard of Vista, and maybe you know you can get FREE pens and oodles of business cards, but that really doesn't excite nor apply to you. Well, I'm hoping that some of these ideas will get you almost as sold on Vista as I am (and no, I don't get commission- lol.) Ok, so with Vista Print, you sign up for their emails (and yes, you'll get a lot, so don't use your everyday email address unless you want to. I have one email account for all my"junk" emails I subscribe to and one"real" account that I use daily) Every few days, Vista will send you FREE products you can order- you only pay shipping. There are 3 shipping options, so the price is decent and totally worth all the products you'll be getting for free!
Now onto the fun part… what you can create in Vista! The suggestions I'm giving in this post were all made without using Photoshop or any professional design programs. Vista has designs to choose from or you can create your own and upload a completed design. I do a lot of both. Idea # 1- Mommy Cards These little cards are perfect for the playdate lovin' mom. Keep them in your purse and when your child makes a friend at the local park, you can give new friend's mommy one of your super-cool cards so that you can meet up again. If you're like me, you've jotted down a mom's cell number on a scrap of paper, only to completely lose it and then feel awful that you never called. 250 Mommy Cards Printed as business cards = FREE!
Idea # 2- Shower Invitations You don't need to pay insane prices for cool, trendy invitations. Get ideas online and then design your own! Baby Lucas (after Luke Skywalker) was due to arrive last summer and of course we needed fabulous Star Wars invitations for our Star Wars themed Shower. The pictures were simply pulled from Google Images and the font was free online. 50 Invites Printed as Oversized Postcards = FREE!
(sorry for the blurry parts, but I wanted to get rid of the personal info) Have I mentioned I have the best, most super-fun friends ever?
Idea # 3- Children's Birthday Parties I haven't bought an invitation in two years. Small postcards, large postcards, notecards, or invitations can all be used to create your invites in Vista. This is Kenzie's Spa Party invite. She had so much fun helping me design it! This one was one-sided, but the back can be personalized as well. We put them in 5x 7 envelopes and voila! I only needed 10 invites, but 100 were Free, so we have lots to use as scrap cardstock. 100 Party Invitations = FREE!
Idea # 4- Christmas Cards Can you believe how much Christmas cards have changed in the last few years? Gone are the days of the painted, snowy scene cards and in are awesome photo cards and more! The only problem is that it can cost a small fortune to send the nice photo cards to everyone. These were our Christmas Cards from 2009. I used Picnik (free editing software) to edit our pics, create a collage, and add some bling; and then I uploaded it onto the oversized 5 x 7 postcards.
I think my favorite part was that I could fully customize the back and had plenty of space to say exactly what we wanted to share. Another bonus was that I could mail them as postcards and didn't need envelopes. Score! 100 Christmas Cards (2 orders of 50) = FREE!
Idea # 5- Kids Pretend Supplies Last Christmas I used Vista to put together a Vet Kit for Kenzie. She loves animals and loved playing vet, but she was getting a little"old" for typical pretend play. So, we made pretend"cool" again by giving her a present of real vet supplies. Her vet supplies included: a Pet Vet Poster, a personal stamp, business cards, a personalized pen, a tote bag, stationary and printed forms (I went online and grabbed a basic vet form.) She LOVED it and had so much fun playing vet again, since now it seemed a bit more grown up. You could do this for anything your child is into… Doctor, Builder, Photographer, Ballerina, etc. Oodles of Pretend Play Supplies = FREE! Pet Vet Poster
Personal Stamp
Idea # 6- Totes for Everything I mean everything! Every time I put in an order I add a tote (umm they're free, why not!) Here are some ideas: Library Book Tote, Sports Tote (the one below was for Kenzie's cleats, shinguards, and water bottle for soccer.) Books for the Car, Snacks for on-the-go, Sleepover Bag (sized just right for one night and you could write something cute on it), Pretend Shopping Bag. What ideas do you have? Share them and I'm sure I'll order one! Everything Tote Bag = FREE!
Idea # 7- Gift Tags These are just business cards repurposed into gift tags. I used these for Christmas presents and they matched so well. I used a hole punch in the corner and attached them with coordinating ribbon. You could also make some non-holiday tags to have on hand. You could even make a set from each child for all the class birthday parties. My kids love when I have things personalized. To: _____ From: Kaden. I haven't done that yet, but I will be soon! 250 Gift Tags printed as Business Cards = FREE!
Idea # 8- Teacher Gifts Want a great, personal gift for a teacher? How about giving them a collection of coordinating, personalized supplies? Hit up Target's dollar bin for a cute container and your gift will be the talk of the teacher's lounge! Here are some items that you could include: notepads, sticky notes, pens, postcards, notecards, and more! I plan to do this for my kids' teachers this spring, so I won't give all my ideas away, but stay tuned for some inspiration! Personal, Thoughtful Teacher Gifts = FREE Notepad with magnet on the back
Matching sticky notes
Phew… that was a long post, but hopefully at least one of these ideas made you ready to jump in and give VistaPrint a try. I promise you'll be hooked! Use this link to sign up for Vista today and be sure to share your creations with us!
