Birthday Countdown!

until my 26th birthday on July 27th. 

Birthdays were always a really big deal in my family, I guess because I was an only child, but we took them very seriously.

(1st, 4th, and 18th birthdays)

 I thought I would share with you my birthday wish list this year, in case you were curious!

I mean a girl can WISH right?

Gift giving is one of my love languages, which means I put a LOT of thought into the gifts I give, and that the thought behind gifts given to me are more important than the object itself. It is probably why I love receiving old and unique items, because it makes me feel so special that someone either went hunting for a special object for me, or that they stumbled upon it and immediately thought of me. Who would NOT love that?

I do not dislike receiving things I ask for though.

What is the one of your favorite gifts you ever received and why?

Craving Affordable Dramatic Style

Dramatic style is possible with a small budget and can even be achieved in a temporary space. Have you considered using your walls as gallery space to display sculpture?

Anthropologie Stores; photos collected by EffortlesslyAnthropologie

 Just about every young or creative person I know loves Anthropologie. Even if they do not own a single item from there, they love to walk through the store and browse the carefully curated spaces and products.

In fact, it is the number one requested style description my clients have used to explain the style they would like in their space. 

Anthropologie Stores;  photos collected by  EffortlesslyAnthropologie

I think what we are drawn to most in Anthropologie is the atmosphere. The window displays and walls are just as beautiful as the products they sell. I can't think of any other stores that put as much energy into styling their walls (maybe more)  with things they don't even sell.

So if you are looking to add drama to your walls, or fill a large blank wall with a tiny budget, use a paper sculpture. Here are some links to DIY instructions for Paper Sculpting for Beginners.

Use an old book's pages to create these Pinwheels from The Goods.

Here is another pinwheel Tutorial from WeddingChicks.

This sculpture is made from toilet paper rolls from Design Sponge.
 

You would not have to sculpt wings, like Simple Joys, but you could use the paper cone sculpting to make other abstract shapes.
Paper+ Pushpins = Paint Free, temporary, dramatic style that is very apartment friendly!

My Secret Weapon, Canvas Drop Cloth

Drop cloth became my go-to secret weapon during art school. The cheapest rolled raw canvas is about $70 for 52" x 18 feet (72 square feet). And you can buy a 15' x 12' (180 square feet) Drop cloth for $30.  I used it just as the rolled canvas would have been used, and saved a LOT of money.

When this French Country/Shades of White movement started catching on, I realized again people were overpaying for cotton canvas upholstery material. 

This is why canvas drop cloth is is my secret weapon. It can be left raw, or embellished with paint. 

www.asoftplace.net

Miss Mustard Seed

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You can easily stencil or stamp any pattern you would like and use it anywhere you would use a natural colored canvas upholstery material.

I caution you though, it can look like frumpy drop cloth really easily (a quick google image search will show you plenty of examples of that). So the ways you use it must be considered carefully. 

1. FOR EVERYTHING - WASH AND IRON FIRST. That is the biggest reoccurring faux pas I see when looking at "you'd-never-guess-it-was-drop-cloth" DIY projects. Yes, I did guess it was drop cloth - because it looks like a wrinkly hot mess!

2. For curtains, bedskirts, & table cloths - consider ironing in a heavy starch. The fabric looks most professional when the lines are clean and crisp. People don't want to snuggle your curtains so they don't need fabric softener. They will look plenty casual crisply ironed - wrinkles aren't casual - wrinkles are sloppy. 

3. For bedding, pillows, and reupholstered furniture - Wash it twice and iron it really well. The pillows and upholstery should then be stretched tight so the fabric doesn't wrinkle easily. You should always wash it at least twice, preferably in hot water to remove the chemical/scotch-guard-like substance the manufacturer applied. This chemical was not intended or approved to be near your face or skin, so make sure it no longer has a chemical smell before you ever use it on your bed. (This is true for headboards & furniture, too!)

4. If you are covering more than one item and would like the fabric to look the same, buy the same brand, weight, and size cloths at the same time, preferably from the same box. Canvas colors can vary a LOT, so keep in mind that the 9'x6' may look yellow next to the 15'x12' which has more tan. It is likely not from the same production/bolt from the manufacturer. (You can even go to the lighting section and check out the colors to make sure yours look the same in different types of light).

diy showoff

Simply Southern Style

To some people, Southern is about the Oak trees, warm breezes, and big white farm houses. To others it may be delicious (often fried) food, magnolia trees, and pastel houses. And unfortunately, to some Southern is rednecks, racism, toothless, & ignorant. 

But to me it is a rustic, traditional charm, that says "come on in, and stay a while;" it is strangers smiling and nodding a friendly hello, and manners that are so ingrained you apologize when someone else bumps into you. It is the big porches that encouraged neighborly relationships, a big ol' kitchens so you can cook (which is the southern language of love) for your friends and families, and an appreciation of history sprinkled into all aspects of your life - including your decorating. 

Southern style can be casual and inviting, or crisp and bright, and I believe Modern Southern Style is when these two contrasting styles collide. It often includes monograms, because your name is your word, which is embrodered, etched, or carved for a sense of permanence.  

How do you view Southern Style?

Provista Designs

Leontine