Chalkboard Favorites: Mirror of the Moment

These 8-sided beauties are making us stop and take notice.

*****

dwell studio's octagonal mirror
wisteria's italian octagon mirror

It's a Good Day

Do you read DIY Magazine? I'm kind of obsessed with it. The magazine is chock full of great do-it-yourself ideas from the Better Homes and Gardens team, as well as amazing homes and projects from incredibly talented artists and DIY-ers. I am in awe, and so inspired, after reading each issue. 

Another great thing about DIY Magazine? They feature lots of Etsy sellers, and I love discovering and supporting independent artists. I thought I would share a new find from the most recent Summer issue. 

This print caught my eye. It was in the background with some other artwork in one of the magazine spreads. I googled the phrase and discovered Wicked Paper Co.—a delightful design studio with inspiring, typographic prints. I fell in love with their work and thought the print below would make a great way to end the week. 

Wishing you all a good day, and a great weekend!

See you on Monday!

*****


It's a Good Day to Have a Good Day via Wicked Paper Co.

Famille Summerbelle

I recently came across this laser cut out map by Famille Summerbelle and instantly wanted to blog about it. I love cut paper designs and the intricate details and whimsy graphics really spoke to me. 

And that was going to be it -- a simple post on a lovely piece of art. And then I started looking through their website and found so many special items that I simply could not stop there. 

There are:

prints

family trees

wallpaper

paper banners (perfect for a party or even as decoration behind a kid's bed)

even tape!

 So much goodness on one great site.

Chalkboard Project: Inspired by CB2

I spotted the tablescape below in a recent CB2 catalog. 

Wine bottles wrapped in kraft paper, tied with string, and stenciled with numbers. That is just my kind of style—a bit rustic with a splash of typography. 

It turns out that this is also a very easy DIY project. Check out my own version below.

I simply wrapped five wine bottles in kraft paper, purchased here. Using a stencil, I traced each letter with a white pencil. This worked better than painting with the stencil since the curve of the bottle made it hard to create a firm seal. Then, I used white paint and a small paint brush to fill in the letters. As a finishing touch, I wrapped the bottles with my favorite yarn, which made perfect little bows.

I think these wrapped bottles would look great as part of a table setting for an informal dinner party. Or, just one bottle stenciled with a friend's initials could make a nice hostess gift. Just something a little different for your table.

*****

top two images by CB2
bottom images by The Pink Chalkboard

Bookcase Options

Lots of people have hardworking bookcases in their homes. My Ikea shelving unit was purchased years ago. I first used it as a room divider in my studio apartment.

I pushed it against the wall and used it as a storage/display unit in my next apartment

There are lots of ways to style a bookcase (sparse and airy, filled with boxes, color-coded, etc) but I recently came across two ways that I am loving right now.

Idea #1 is from an apartment featured in Elle Decor a few months ago. Space in each cubby has been fully maximized by cleverly arranging books horizontally and vertically. It's a great solution for all of that leftover space that usually accompanies a row of pretty (though usually short) lined up books.

Here is idea #2 and I think it it is genius -- converting your bookcase into a dollhouse!

Land of Nod's short and wide 6-cube bookcase case is perfect for this but I think my big Ikea shelving unit could work well, too. It would be more like a condo apartment in an urban hi-rise than the traditional "house" but wouldn't that be fabulous, too? One cubby could be a studio apartment, two stacked cubbies could be a duplex.  Oh, the possibilities!

*****

photo credits from top

Jess Fox

The Pink Chalkboard

Elle Decor

Land of Nod

The Shops at Target

On May 6th, Target will debut its new twist on designer collaborations, called The Shops at Target. Over the next few months, Target will offer a collection of special items from small boutiques at affordable prices, and we can't wait! We loved the Missoni collaboration (among others) and thank Target for making these specialty stores accessible to everyone. The "store within a store" concept is new to big-box retailers, and it's such a great way to take designer partnerships to a whole new level. Plus, if the advertising is this well-designed, we are sure the products will not disappoint.  

The first five shops in the collaboration are Privet House (a Connecticut shop offering a mix of vintage and new home accessories), The Cos Bar (an Aspen-based skincare company), Polka Dog Bakery (Boston's dog treat boutique), The Webster (an exclusive clothing shop from Miami), and The Candy Store (a San Francisco-based specialty candy shop).

Get ready for some more design-goodness from Target!

*****

all images via Target

Cheap and Chic

Looking for a quick update to your home and about to have some company stay over? Look at the email I recently received:

This sofa bed is streamlined, good-looking and cheap...and on sale for only $199! What a steal. I love multi functioning pieces and when they are pretty, even better. The stone color would work well in my place. And it's the perfect backdrop for fun pillows like these pairings:

Sale ends on Saturday. Will you have something new to sit and sleep on by the time the weekend is over?

*****

1. xhilaration flower decorative pillow and pop swirls pillow

2. abundance toss pillow and yellow ribbed toss pillow with buttons

3. fine lines chartreuse pillow and room essentials multicolor cityscape pillow

A Different Kind of Chair

Jillian and I both have a thing for chairs, as you can probably tell from our many posts over the past year (check out our Furniture label on the right to see for yourself!). We love great design and the endless ways of interpreting what we often think of as a simple, functional object. 

I recently discovered a fun twist on a traditional chair design. Take a look at the work of Denise Fiedler, owner of the company Paste. Denise creates beautiful collages using pages from vintage books. Her work is quite beautiful and varied—having designed fashion, food, dogs, people—and chairs. Here are just a few of my favorites. 

*****

all images via Paste

London by Lucie

Here is a little bit of art to brighten up your Wednesday. This is the London Series by illustrator/screen printer Lucie Sheridan. You can view her portfolio, check out her blog, and purchase her prints here.

*****

all images via Lucie Sheridan

A Pop of Color

While sitting in the waiting room at a doctor's office lately, I was flipping through a magazine called All You and came across a fabulous idea. Check out this door:

The bright green color is instantly happy but take a look at the edge of the door -- that's painted, too, and in a bold, look-at-me color. Isn't that clever?

I really like the look of painted doors inside the home (like Jenny's yellow door) but the colorful edging on this green door makes even more of a statement. For a while now, I've been thinking about edging this canvas:

The photo here is from the photo shoot we did with Channa. The canvas typically hangs in my gray and yellow bedroom. I'm still loving that combo but a few months ago, I added the Design*Sponge book to the top of my dresser and I'm really enjoying the addition of an orange/coral color into the mix.

I'm not going to add too much of it to the room, but I have been considering painting the edges of my canvas to match the color of the book. In a room full of gray, yellow, black and white, it would be just enough of that orange-y color to add interest. I like that it won't be too matchy-matchy but I think it will make the room look more pulled together. Kind of like home decor's version of red lipstick.

So I'm officially adding this to the long mental list of projects I want to do. Whether edging a door or a canvas, it's a fun and unexpected way to bring a pop of color to your home!

*****

canvas image:
photography by Sarah DiCicco
paper products by Lily My Love
styling by Lily My Love and The Pink Chalkboard

Chalkboard Favorites: Carved Furniture

*****

Mindy's pick: Vintage Wood Block Sideboard

Jillian's pick: Tribal Carved Coffee Table

A Summer Seat

With spring upon us and the lazy days of summer approaching, these benches (and chair) are on my happy list

All from Grandin Road, any of these would look great with a colorful outdoor pillow and a little side table -- everything you need to have a comfy seat while enjoying a cup of coffee or a cocktail.

Wishing you warm, sunny weather this weekend and some time to relax. See you back here on Monday.

*****


1. weathered outdoor bench
2. amalfi bench
3. plantation chair
4. lutyens wooden outdoor bench
5. chippendale conversation collection

Tied Up With String

It all started with this string...yarn actually. Walking through ACMoore one day, I spotted it at the end of an aisle and scooped it up. I consider myself to be a bit crafty but don't have any idea how to knit. I do however, like to give gifts, and decided that this unique yarn would make a lovely ribbon for a special gift. 

Paired with a couple of spiral-bound notebooks and a pen from Muji (one of Jillian's favorite stores), and a Merci greeting card from Richie Designs (one of my favorite Etsy sellers), this little collection is so sweet in its simplicity. 

Sometimes all it takes is a curated collection of a few beautifully-designed items—tied up with lovely string—to make a big impact. And just the right way to say thank you.  

*****

all images by The Pink Chalkboard

Pinterest and Painters Tape

I'm late to the game in discovering Pinterest but like everyone else, I'm already hooked. 

One of my favorite things about it is the way the pins get grouped together. The way they are arranged sparks even more inspiration. For example, wouldn't these three look wonderful together as a series?

I'm most excited by them, though, since I think that they could be an easy painting project for a novice who is trying to add artwork to their home. The image on the right might be a bit more challenging, but the other two images could be a simple and fun project with the use of painters tape.

To create the center image, start with a white canvas and stick strips of painters tape in a pattern of your choosing on top. Paint the rest of the canvas in any color palette. The vibrant multi-colors shown here work great but so would tonal colors for something more understated or soft pastels for a beach-y look or even off-whites and creams for a sophisticated look. When you are finished painting, remove the tape to reveal evenly spaced white lines around each of your shapes.

The image on the left side would take a bit longer to make but it is just as easy. Before you begin, decide how wide you want your stripes to be and then buy painters tape in that width. (2" wide, for example, would make a nice width.) Now starting along one side, tape a long strip down the entire length of your canvas. Next, tape another long strip down the canvas but make sure that the two strips of tape are just touching each other (no overlapping). If you want the staircase look as shown here, then use two pieces of tape inside each vertical strip. Continue this until your whole canvas is covered in tape. Once that is finished, simply lift up a strip and paint it. The painters tape will give you nice and clean straight lines. When one area is dry, simply put another piece of tape over it so that the color you place next to it will have just as clean and straight of a line, too. Keep going until all of the strips are painted.

Wouldn't a collection of paintings like this look great look great behind a neutral color couch? So bright and fun and a great way to add your own personal touch and paint brush to your space!

Chalkboard Project: A telephone inspired by Boden

Back in August, Jillian posted here about home accessories inspired by Boden's Fall catalog. Pretty patterns, bright colors, and quirky items were featured throughout, but it was a polka dot telephone that inspired this DIY project.  

I was fortunate to find the perfect vintage telephone from Nannygoat Antiques at September's Clover Market. 

And then I set to work making my own version.

I think a lot of patterns would have worked really well for this project, but I had been itching to use this gray polka dot pattern from Dwell Studio's fabric line in my decor, so I ordered a swatch. 

The scale was a bit too big for my little phone, so I photocopied it to reduce the size. Once I found the version that worked best, I made a bunch of color copies. I tore the photocopies into little pieces of paper and glued them to the phone in a random pattern using a container of Mod Podge and a couple of 1-inch foam brushes.

Since I like my projects to look a little more imperfect than my inspiration image, I overlapped the polka dots and made sure to expose the ripped edges of the paper. After covering the entire phone, I sealed it with an extra coat of glue.

Voila! A funky, patterned, vintage telephone. All inspired by Boden. 

*****

images from top to bottom via Boden, The Pink Chalkboard, Fabric.com, and The Pink Chalkboard

More Dots!

I recently posted about a dots and stripes bowl that caught my eye and now another dot items has come to my attention. Punchy, colorful dots on a gray background just scream fun!

Sure, this rug would look great in a girls bedroom or in a playroom, but I'd like to see it in a living room.  I'm picturing a white leather couch and a black sideboard with some touches of silver interspersed in the mix. (By the way, I just described my own family room minus my current rug and wallpaper. If it wasn't for those two things this candy dot rug would be in my home now as I type this!)

*****

Land of Nod's Candy Dot Rug

Color Changes Everything

My colorful advertising collection ends with what I think is the best commercial of all, Target's Color Changes Everything. Really, the name just says it all!

Premiering this winter and still going strong, this ad shows the happiest, brightest, color transformation. Starring colorful characters dancing throughout and topped off with a dose of whimsy (Target's own hot air balloon), the cheerfulness here is irresistible.

The soundtrack, though, is the best part. Energized by the The Delta Rhythm Boys singing the charming French Canadian song Allouette, this commercial makes me want to get up and dance. I had never heard this song before but my fiance said that his mom used to sing it to him as a child. Isn't that so sweet? I hope we can continue that tradition someday.

Now, isn't Color Changes Everything the greatest way to welcome spring?

Here's wishing you a weekend full of color, a sweet song, and maybe even a little dance. See you back here on Monday!

*****

video via Target's Youtube channel

Chalkboard Project: Making a Message Board

Years ago, I acquired a large, white Pottery Barn frame. It was nice and big but the glass was broken so instead of using it as picture frame, I decided to turn it into a cork board. I bought a pack of cork squares and taped them in place. It was an easy project and one that led to a really useful pin board (prior to Pinterest, of course). Here it is in my apartment a few years ago:

But when I moved, I wanted something new and fresh for the laundry room. The room is bright green (a cheerful color in the hopes that a vibrant, happy shade would make doing laundry more fun) and the appliances are white. I thought the addition of black and white patterns would give the space some personality and tie it in to the rest of the downstairs.

I found these fabrics at Ikea and chose the one on the left for my message board. I'm hoping to use the stripe fabric in the future as a skirt for the laundry room sink.

I could have cut out the fabric perfectly and glued it in place but I was impatient so I just folded the fabric to size and pinned it in place using T-pins.

Then I started pinning things up and the project was done. Hooray for a quick project -- and one that can easily be changed out for a different fabric and new look at any time.

Happy pinning!

Color in Fair and Square

JCPenney rolled out their new Fair and Square initiative at the beginning of February, fully embracing a playful concept with bright colors. 

This campaign (involving extensive television, print, web, and social media components) is full of quirky spirit. Here are some cheerful images from the past couple of months that perfectly celebrate the new JCPenney and the feeling of spring.

The next two images are my favorite of the group. hello. rainbow could just as well describe The Pink Chalkboard!

And what a fun way to play with the color orange. So cute.

Finally, take a look at this TV spot called Jumping Through Hoops. Collaborating with Peterson Milla Hooks Advertising, JCPenney offers a great sense of humor in their television ads (and a fun soundtrack too!).   

I have really been enjoying the new JCPenney and look forward to seeing what they will do next!

*****

images from top to bottom

1. 2wired2tired

2. the mehallo blog

3. through 7. JCPenney on Facebook

8. JCPenney on youtube