Category: Filing Cabinet

Traditional Art Gift Guide
I’ve been working with Art.com, and they’ve just released several gift guides for the holidays. I’m usually drawn to a quirky, modern style, but today I’m sharing my take on traditional art.

I chose each of these paintings (classics by the like of Manet and Whistler) because they excite me, but also because I could see them appealing to a wide range of people. I kept family members in mind, asking myself “would my mom like this? My grandma, or my uncle?” as my litmus test.
1. The Louvre and the Seine from the Pont Neuf, Morning Mist, 1902, Camille Pissarro
2. Room of Flowers, 1894, Childe Hassam
3. Branch of White Peonies and Secateurs, 1864, Édouard Manet
4. Mother and Child on a Couch, James Abbott McNeill Whistler
5. On the Beach, Edward Henry Potthast
6. Venetian Canal, John Singer Sargent
This post was sponsored by Art.com. Find your art. Love your space.
November 16, 2012
A Hip Handmade Holiday

I was in Salt Lake City last month to meet with Allison Faulkner and Susan Petersen of The Craft Pack, along with their fantastic designer Matt Mildenstein. I got a sneak peek at their new digital book, A Hip Handmade Holiday, which is filled with craft projects, ideas, and digital downloads, all to make gifts for under $10 a pop.

A bunch of us bloggers gathered and got our craft on, choosing different projects from the book. (I went with the Nutcracker Bowling League.) I have since decided that I ought to set aside entire days devoted to group crafting, because that is fun.

Video! Done in one take! Alison and Susan are naturals. (Oh, you guys. I’m totally going to be a pro at this some day. I’m working on it.)

The trip was made possible by Vivint. Styling and awesome background by Cayleen Haynie, and music by Pleasant Pictures.

“I kind of Sgt. Peppered them up a little bit.” See? Pro-talk. The nutcrackers are awfully cute though, aren’t they? I’m a little hesitant to let the kids use them as bowling pins. I think I need to make a few more, specifically to set aside as decorations.

We got our party on* later that night, after our marathon crafting was over. I’m pretty sure 95% of the internet’s cute, crafty bloggers are based in Utah, including most of the ladies below.

* Parties in SLC are mostly fueled by Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper. Also, I got eyelash extension while I was in town! (Sadly, not before the video and photos though.) Utah, you’re a kick.

A big thank you to The Craft Pack for having me out to Salt Lake City. Their book, A Hip Handmade Holiday is available now, for $10.

November 7, 2012
How to Make DIY Monogrammed Trophies
Or mugs, dishes, or vases — anything ceramic or glass. But I went with trophies.

Supplies
- glass paint or all-purpose craft paint (I like Martha Stewart’s line)
- stencil brush or paint dauber
- adhesive vinyl stencil
- ceramic trophies (or whatever you’d like to paint)
I designed my stencil in Adobe Illustrator and then used my Silhouette cutting machine on vinyl. There are pre-made adhesive stencils in craft stores, and plenty of sellers on Etsy willing to make one for you. You can also cut one out of contact paper with an X-acto knife.

After you’ve affixed your stencil (as smooth as you can get it around the important detailed bits), you can dab the paint on thinly with a dauber. Peel the stencil off before the paint dries. If you have difficult to reach portions (like the inner triangle of my capital ‘A’, for example), you can use a pin to lift up a corner so you don’t ruin the paint by trying to do it with your fingers.

The glass paint that I used will cure in twenty-one days if air-drying, or it can be oven-baked at 350°F for 30 minutes, and it will be dishwasher-safe once cured. I tend to go light on my DIY instructions (you’re all smart cookies), but if you want a more detailed tutorial, I found this project by searching Pinterest.

The trophies are cute when empty, but I like them as vases and plant pots.
October 25, 2012
All-American Art
I saw the video below when I was in San Francisco a couple of months ago to meet with the Art.com team. It’s beautifully done, and the music swells at just the right point, but more than that, it shows how much pride they take in their framing process.

And here’s a bit of exciting news: Art.com is hosting a giveaway this week for a $500 shopping spree on their site! Follow them on Pinterest to be eligible and abreast of all the details.

Inspired by their American craftsmanship, I pulled together a few of my favorites from their Americana collection. (You know, so when you win that $500 shopping spree, you’ll have some ideas about what to get.)
This post was sponsored by Art.com. Find your art. Love your space.
October 22, 2012
Shelving it
Every day (or nearly), I sit in my home office across from my Expedit shelves. Truthfully, I’m kind of over them.

More truthfully though? They probably wouldn’t bother me so much if I could just keep the rest of my office neat. (It’s a mess in here right now.) Still, I do a lot of mental redecorating that revolves around those shelves. Here’s what I’d pick if I could wave a magic wand.

*Poof!* New shelves that didn’t cost anything or take any time to put together, that magically styled themselves, and fit perfectly in the room!
1. Whitewashed Wood + Metal Shelves
2. Emerson Shelf
  p.s. There’s more rustic industrial style in my post on Babble.
3. Slim Étagère
4. Lap Shelving System
Also, I pretend that if I had any of those bookshelves, that my stuff would somehow be condensed and look like this. Because it’s super practical to arrange one’s books with the spines facing in.

I assume the baskets and bowls shown are there to store the necessary pixie dust to make this configuration practical.
October 16, 2012
Deciding on New Kitchen Curtains

I now present to you a series of awkward photos in which I stand on my countertops, holding up fabric to the window in approximation of curtains. Ready?

(the photo backdrop)

(the tablecloth)

That’s a photo backdrop and a tablecloth, both by Rifle Paper Co. for BHLDN. I bought them to use in a baby shower theme photo shoot, and as I was falling asleep the other night, I realized they would make awesome kitchen curtains.

The backdrop’s pattern is larger and I thought it might be too overwhelming, but now I think I like it better. Which is good, because the tablecloth is no longer available and it was going to break my heart a little to cut the fabric up. (I’d been searching eBay for another, but no luck.) Which one do you prefer? Wait, don’t answer yet… there’s more.
(more…)

September 19, 2012