I seem to be coveting flowers, branches, and berries lately. It has been so gloomy and dark and dreary that I've been trying to make my house a bit more festive and cozy - and little bursts of colour are just the thing! This easy peasy display brought instant colour to my table this weekend {and I'm proud to say that it was Inexpensive too! With the economic outlook as dreary as the weather, I'm trying to cut back!}.
These beautiful little white ceramic vases are from IKEA and are only about $3 each...score! I cut off branches of Ilex berries, and stuck them in 4 vases in a row and voila...a little bit of graphic, simple holiday cheer on my kitchen table.
Just a sample of some holiday cards I created this week. I just love the colour pairing of robin's egg blue and red - it is so fresh! I am signing off for the weekend...wishing you a wonderful one!
Yesterday my sister and I took a jaunt over to Hofland for some floral inspiration. I was so happy to find my favourite flower there - Craspedia {also known as billy buttons!} - as they are usually so difficult to find. These flowers, native to Australia and New Zealand, are cousins to the daisy...aren't they adorably sweet?
We really like green here at inBloom Studio, and that definitely includes green companies that are doing great things for the environment. I would like to introduce Platypus - a new not-for-profit company that sells cute animated e-cards and greetings, and donates the money toward carbon offsetting.
I collaborated on the Platypus logo design a few months ago, and I also helped design the look of their new website which just launched this week! The Platypus 'people', Brenda Morrow and Murray Foster {who plays bass for Canadian band Great Big Sea}, are extremely down-to-earth and have a genuine concern for the environment, hence the launch of their new venture. Please check out their website and their cute e-card animations and don't hesitate to make a donation to a great cause.
One of my favourite images - I love the soft blue, the distressed whites, and the graphic shape of the clock {from Real Simple magazine}.
Just a quick post this snowy evening...the first real snowfall of autumn 2008 and it's a doozy! My poor sister just spent six hours on the road - SIX! - trying to drive home on the slippery, traffic-jammed roads, and normally her commute would only take an hour. I just couldn't help but giggle madly at her hourly updates, reporting that she had only moved a block or two since our last conversation. Sorry Mel....
On a completely different note, I have mentioned my grandmother a few times, but I just wanted to mention my grandfather too. Last night we met for dinner, as he is embarking on a journey to Hong Kong where he will be spending most of his days golfing and touring. Did I mention that he will soon be turning 88? And when he gets back from his trip, he will be waxing his skiis and heading up to Blue Mountain to hit the slopes for the winter. Is this guy for real?! By the way, he just bought new skiis, and a spunky little Pontiac Vibe in electric blue. The only way to get in touch with him is through email, and he always has the latest digital camera. And last night he announced that he just installed Photoshop CS3 onto his computer - even I don't have Photoshop CS3! It's hard to imagine that this gadget whiz grew up on a farm in Saskatoon without electricity.
I must say that my grandparents are hardy stock, and I do hope that is passed down in the gene pool! What an inspiration.
Sometimes as I am watching tv, I see cool things that I just want to capture and add to my ever-expanding files and folders of inspiration! There is one commercial - for Alesse birth control pills of all things - that has such a cool background wall, and for the fleeting seconds it is on I am always inspired by it! It is a mural of sihouetted organic shapes painted in black on a white background. Luckily, after a quick search on YouTube, I found the commercial and was able to nab a screen capture of the coveted wall. I might just try painting something like this on a wall in our bedroom...
I have been working on many websites lately, but the Design for Conscious Living website really was a joy. From the moment I met interior and landscape designer Celia, I knew we were on the same design wavelength! Her studio was beautiful - painted in greens and grays with dark wood accents, there were design books organized elegantly on bookshelves and a dream work/meeting table complete with funky stools. It was so natural and earthy, but sleek and sophisticated at the same time.
Each of Celia's rooms are inspired by nature, and pulled together with style. We created the same effect with her website - a very clean site, with hints of natural imagery, and colourful design elements. Be sure to check out Celia's portfolio. Needless to say, I would recommend her wholeheartedly!
On a bit of a cheerier note, my Amy Butler fabric pillow cases have arrived! A longtime fan of Amy Butler, I have been meaning to buy some of her fabric to create cushions for my couch. So you can imagine how excited I was to find LindyLou's Etsy shop, where she sells all sorts of colourful ready-to-be-stuffed pillow cases, starting at $10 each. Soooo worth it for a pathetic sewer like me! These would make some great Christmas presents too.
I wore my poppy proud today! I can't help but think of my grandma on Remembrance Day, and how it must have felt to have her young husband Ken leave for war, to receive a telegram that he was missing in action, and then a whole year later to receive confirmation that she had been widowed, all before she was the age of 20.
About 10 years ago, my grandma and I travelled to Germany together to see Ken's grave for the first time {my grandma remarried my grandfather after Ken's death}. It was astounding to me how many headstones there were in that cemetary, and worst of all, the ages inscripted on them - 18, 19, 22.
So I wore my poppy proud today, thankful for the freedom we have in this beautiful country, but knowing it has come at a considerable price.
I think I have found my dream studio, on the Pottery Barn website! I do have a weakness for anything green, but I am also loving the look of this crisp white furniture, the clean black and white artwork, and the faux bois rug. It looks like the Pottery Barn line of paint colour is available in Canada now, at Benjamin Moore {although here, this same wall colour is called 'Jalapeno Pepper'!}.
And the windows and all of that light...the perfect studio space for sure!
Have a wonderful weekend! I hope it's as sweet as this beautiful packaging spotted at William's Sonoma {via the Dieline} which is just as yummy as it's contents I'm sure.
Although this weekend I think I will be missing Tina Fey's brilliant Sarah Palin portrayals on SNL. Let's hope there is just one more! Tina Fey, you are my hero.
I seem to be coveting flowers, branches, and berries lately. It has been so gloomy and dark and dreary that I've been trying to make my house a bit more festive and cozy - and little bursts of colour are just the thing! This easy peasy display brought instant colour to my table this weekend {and I'm proud to say that it was Inexpensive too! With the economic outlook as dreary as the weather, I'm trying to cut back!}.
