allora handmade giveaway & shop for sharlie

At Blissdom last year, a lot of things caught my eye.  Girls sporting ruffled bags, cute camera strap slipcovers, and custom laptop cases.  One specific necklace, though, captured my fancy. 

Gorgeous, isn't it?  Even The Nester wore one on the plane ride home when we sat together.  I did my best not to drool on her or snatch it off her neck. 

Well, I finally have one of my own...not stolen, I assure you, but straight from the hands of Jessica, the owner and artist behind Allora Handmade. 

Isn't she a cutie?  

She offers an amazing line of handmade jewelry, hair accessories, t-shirts and artwork.  One of my very favorite things is her bobbies.  I'm sure they look great in hair of all lengths, but I love them in my short, unruly hair. 

She is now offering new felt ones...hmmm...might have to get some of those...

Jessica, being the great girl she is, is offering up a $50 giveaway to one lucky reader.  Are you interested in winning that? 

If so, visit the Allora Handmade Shop, come back to this post and leave a comment letting me know what you would spend your $50 on if you win.  That's it!  The giveaway is open through Sunday, October 2, at midnight PST and a winner will be announced Monday. 

Good luck to all!

One last thing...this is not related at all to the giveaway, but just to show you what an amazing person Jessica is, I thought I would share a project she's working on that's very personal to her.  One of her dear friends has struggled with cystic fibrosis her entire life and has accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses.  Jessica has put together a shop to raise funds for her friend, Sharlie.  Please visit the shop and purchase something if you feel led.  Every little bit helps.  Check out this post to learn more about Sharlie and the project. 

The blog community is pretty special, isn't it? 

Home design ideas of the month - Septembetr 2011 Edition

1. Beautiful Villa Elevation - 1602 Sq. Ft.


2. Beautiful House Elevation - 2200 Sq. Ft.


3. Single Floor House Plan and Elevation - 1290 Sq. f...


4. Home plan and elevation - 3270 Sq. Ft


5. Villa Plan - 1693 Sq. Ft


6. Beautiful home design - 1751 Sq. Ft


7. Room decorating ideas


8. House elevation and Plan - 2300 sq. ft.


9. Modern contemporary home - 1949 Sq. Ft


10. 5500 Sq. Ft. House Elevation


11. Villa Elevation - 1648 Sq. Ft.


12. Beautiful single floor house elevation and Plan - ...


13. 1275 sqft Home plan & Elevation in 4 cent


14. Beautiful single floor house elevation - 1377 sq....


15. Single Floor House Plan and Elevation - 1480 Sq. F...


16. Villa Elevation - 2151 Sq. Ft.


17. 3 House Elevations over 2500 Sq. Ft


18. House Elevation - 3881 sq ft


19. 3 story house design - 1890 Sq. Ft


20. Modern Contemporary House Elevation - 1900 Sq. Ft....


21. Kerala Nalukettu house plan and elevation - 2750 ...


22. Contemporary House Elevation - 2942 Sq. Ft.


23. 3850 Sq. Ft. Luxury House Design


24. 3 Awesome House Elevations


25. House Elevation - 1577 Sq. Ft.


26. House plan and elevation - 2020 Sq. Ft

The charming, idyllic towns along Lake Constance in Germany

Lake Constance is Europe's third largest lake, on the gorgeous Rhine, at the foot of the alps. The lake and it's absolutely adorable towns makes for a gorgeous day trip from Ulm. Actually - I wish we had scheduled more time to explore the towns. You can read about Lake Constance on Wikipedia.

I love half-timbered buildings...

So gorgeous!

As always - thanks to my bf Chris for these gorgeous photos.

Here's that list again of all my posts from our travels that I've posted -

Spain
•Introduction to my European backpacking trip and a list of places we visited
• Galicia - Baiona and Isle de Cies
• Galicia - the coast, some charming vineyards, and Pontevedra
• Santiago de Compostela and gorgeous hidden beaches
• Gorgeous mountain lakes of Picos de Europa
• Stunning mountains - Picos de Europa
• Bilbao and San Sebastian
• Beautiful Barcelona
• The amazing Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona
• Art Nouveau dream house by Gaudi in Barcelona

Italy
• Not to miss - the gorgeous rocky coast of Italy's Cinque Terre
• More from my summer traveling Europe - amazing Rome
• From my summer in Europe - amazing Pompeii
• Turquoise ocean and vineyards on cliffs - the amazingly stunning Amalfi coast
• My Summer in Europe: Pictures from lovely Florence, Italy
• Enchanting Siena
•Venice
•Lake Como, Italy

Switzerland
•Jungfrau region, Switzerland, Part 1
•Jungfrau region, Switzerland, Part 2

Germany
• One of my favorite cities from my European backpacking trips - Ulm, Germany

Beautiful Villa Elevation - 1602 Sq. Ft.

House Details
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Furniture Feature Friday - Favorites & a Link Party

I was totally useless today.  I did get my kids ready for school, but then I got right back in bed.  I sat on the couch and, aside from a couple of phone calls and answering some e-mail, I just chilled out.  I stayed in my jammies until noon, watched a lot of TV and wasted time in general.  It was amazing.  Now I feel ready to get back to work. 

Well, I did spend some time looking through the FFF links from last week, but that's "fun work", so it still fits in the chilling out category.  Here were some standouts for me...



I love old shoe carts, but they're often rickety or the "shelves" are angled or only dowels, so I thought that Frugal Farmhouse Design was brilliant to have a modern version made.  I might have to show this to my husband...he can just add it to my already long list of honey-do projects.  I think this would look great in a bathroom. 

Julie of 551 East Furniture Design painted this beautiful secretary desk...inside and out, which is a huge chore.  I think it turned out lovely. 

Carrie from Lovely Etc. found this cute little cabinet at a "yard crawl."  Now, I don't know what that is, but I bet I would like it.  She picked a perfect aqua color and you know I'm a fan of dark stained tops, so this piece is right up my alley.  Great work, Carrie!

Thanks to all who participate each week!  Enjoy!

Here are the rules for our furniture get-together...

1.) Your post has to be about furniture.  Please, please, please...just furniture.  If you find your link has been deleted, it's not because I'm mean, it's because your post was not about furniture.  You can share makeovers, awesome finds, favorite pieces, furniture arrangements, or even pieces on your wish list!  Built-in furniture like kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities qualify as furniture.  

2.) Post a permalink (the link to the post), not the link to your blog.

3.) This party will close Friday at midnight PST and I will choose my favorite(s) and feature their piece(s) on next week's FFF.

The Dos and Dont's of Kitchen Decorating

Decorating magazines can be a great source of inspiration, but they can often overlook the basics. The problem is that basics are a big deal to the first-timer decorator. Getting your kitchen perfect is no simple process, and we can’t take anything for granted. So in order to help, we’ve assembled the most essential dos and dont's of kitchen decorating.

Do's

• Invest in a high-quality worktop. It is essential to the aesthetic and for maximizing space.

• Allow for numerous electrical sockets. You can’t have too many unless they’re eyesores.

• Separate the refrigerator from the grill, oven and similar appliances as much as possible.

• Make space for a dishwasher.

• Place base cabinets at least 21” deep.

• Place cabinets above countertops at least 30” high and 12” deep with at least 60” of frontage.

• Make your walkways 42” wide and your passageways at least 36” wide.

• Hire a professional fitter to connect the gas.

• Hire a professional electrician to handle all wiring.

• Hire a professional plumber to set up the water supply, waste disposal and drainage.

Below are some great example of kitchen Do's

via Christopher Peacock

via Kitchenisms

via Pinterest

via Schibsted Forlag

Dont's

• Overestimate cabinetry and cupboards; too much will make the kitchen seem smaller than necessary.

• Go with less than 144” of frontage for small kitchens or 186” for large kitchens (greater than 150 square feet).

• Allow for less than 15” clearance between counter and the bottom of wall cabinets; 18” is best.

• Carpet the kitchen. A kitchen floor will get wet, and it needs to be as hygienic as possible.

• Place a dishwasher farther than 36” away from a sink.

• Hang anything, including cabinets, over an oven or hob.

• Place an oven or hob directly beneath a window.

• Purchase elaborate window coverings. Simple blinds are the best choice.

• Underestimate storage needs. Any kitchen needs a combination of at least six drawers and cupboards.

• Account for less than 12” x 24” for each diner.

• Forget to place a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.

This kitchen is a major don't...

via Ugly House Photos

These are some of the major decorating tips to look out for when revamping your kitchen. Happy decorating!

*disclosure: this is a sponsored post

Beautiful House Elevation - 2200 Sq. Ft.

2200 Sq ft House
3 bedroom with attached toilet
Living room
Dining area
kitchen
work area
Carporch


Architect:Subin S
Subin Surendran Architects & Associates
G-128,3rd Cross ,
Panampilly Nagar
Kochi-36
Email: ssacochin@gmail.com
phn:0484 3537074
Mb: 09895697074

packages, pillows & paper

The posts you have read over the past two days were written on Sunday and if you follow me on Twitter, you know I took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Kentucky.  It's been a busy few days...yes, even busy by my standards...and now I'm home.  Whew.  I apologize for not posting a winner of the Stella and Dot giveaway, but I just didn't have the time to do it, so the winner is announced at the bottom of this post.  When I got home, it was amazing to see my husband and little boys and I was also greeted by several boxes of goodies.  I love goodies.  I received some Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint (including the new white), some t-shirts and pillow cases from Dear Lillie, a shelf and soap dispenser from Post Road Vintage and an amazing haul of hand sewn runners, pillows and stockings from Sutton Place Designs. 

I'll show off everything in other posts, but Ann from Sutton Place Designs made these vintage ticking pillows...

...(which look fabulous on my sofa), some white linen pillows...

 

...and two huge boxes of more goodies.  This lady can sew.  Wow.

Last week, Mini Mustard Seed and I started having some fun with paper.  It's the time of year where I have to get geared up for Christmas, so we're turning out wreaths, ornaments and toppers.  I'm hoping to also add some new ideas to my "Christmas line" this year. 

Perhaps doing more with the shredded vintage paper I am using as nesting for my pumpkins...

Oh...and look who I got to hang out with in Kentucky..

For those who don't know, that's Traci from Beneath My Heart.  It was so awesome to hang out with her, even though it was just for a quick dinner. 

OK, lastly...the winner of the $50 Stella & Dot Giveaway is...

Sorry this post is all over the place, but I've had about five hours of sleep each of the last two nights, so I'm not at my sharpest!  It's definitely early to bed for me tonight. 

Inspiration and tips for organizing your craft space

The better organized and pretty your craft space, the more you are going to get out of it.  Below are a few tips for getting it back in shape and lots of eye candy full of inspiration. These are coming at you from BHG. My additions are in italics.

Clean Out Clutter.

Test all the craft supplies you own, including paints, markers, and glues. Do the same with tools such as scissors, staplers, and punches. Toss everything that doesn't work. Put similar items in clear plastic containers with handles.

Storage for Small Gear.

Hang a clear vinyl shoe bag inside a closet or behind a door. Slip small parts, supplies, and tools into the pouches. If you have no door/closet in your work space - try a small rolling cart with lots of little drawers.

via Amazon

Hang Fabric.

Drape fabric scraps and swatches over rubber-coated hangers intended for multiple pairs of pants. Hang from hooks on the back of a door. Different fabrics need special treatment - even draping velvet over a hanger can damage it This post from Entirely Smitten has great storage ideas, which includes creating your own little minibolts, to using storage boxes originally intended for CDs and other items.

via Entirely Smitten

Organize Ideas.

Purchase eight to 10 sturdy letter boxes and fill with inspirational materials from books, magazines, photographs, and online searching. Organize and label boxes by topic, source, or project. Stack near a chair or desk and use an extra counter, end table, or resting spot. I organize my inspiration and ideas in binders. I fill the binders with clear page protectors and slip my inspiration in the sleeves. It is a really fast way to literally flip through my inspiration. I have a binder for graphic design, hair and makeup, workouts, packaging design, etc.

Here is some great craft and work spaces for inspiration:

so gorgeous!  But I hate when they take cords out of shots - where is the lamp cord?
 Regardless, the cube shelves provide great storage.

This is a dream space - tons of storage drawers, a cushy window seat!
3 above via BHG

via Curbly

via Ikea

via Pinterest

A cabinet with tons of tiny drawers is great if your projects require lots of small tools and materials.
via Pinterest