Tag Archives: style

Pinterest Challenge: Corkboard Jewelry Display

Whew! Well, this Pinterest Challenge really lived up to its name! It was a challenge, not for skills required but in satisfaction with the results. I still don’t know if I love it, but it’s a lot better than where I ended up after the first try! So, like with many things, let’s look at where we started to understand where/how/why things ended up like they did 🙂

A few weeks ago, I saw the pin below from Cutting Edge Stencils, (the original comes from Southern Lovely).

I had an old corkboard lying around so I figured I’d give it a go. I started out by painting the frame a darker coppery color.

I wasn’t in love, but I thought once I added a design on the cork itself, it’d look better.

Not. So. Much. Once again, my crafting impatience struck. Partway through, I decided I wanted a more random pattern than a uniform one. And I was experimenting with different shades of purple. Yea…… not loving it. So, out came the black paint for a frame re-do. Then, I only had the cork to contend with. I was over painting at this point, so I tried craft paper.

Ugh, seriously?

In the end, my fabric scrap bin came in for the win!

And looks much jazzier than craft paper. I like jazzier.

Did you take on the Pinterest Challenge: Winter Edition? Check out more pinspiration in action from Megan, Katie, Sherry and Michelle!

Me, Myself & I: First Edition

I thought I’d try something different today. I’ve been blogging for about 6 months, and I figured it’s time you learned a little more about the girl behind the purple couches, err.. sitting on the purple couches? I dunno. Here’s some random tidbits about me!

I’m linking up with the Me, Myself & I party via My Beautiful Crazy Life.

What is your favorite season? Explain.

Hmmm.. there are aspects of every season that I love, but I think I will go with Spring. Why? The anticipation of “new”… the fact that Nature is suddenly in full Technicolor, the days get longer. And, Tom & I got married in the Spring (April 28, to be exact), and of course, that makes it a very special season 🙂

Me, in Portland, OR in 2006. Really excited to see tulips blooming.

Talk about a moment that changed your life.

A moment that sticks out the most was when I found out that my mom had lung cancer. She had gone in for a surgery – a biopsy for a spot on her lung that her doctors had been monitoring for years. The surgeon took my dad and me into a consulting room, and I knew immediately that his news wasn’t going to be “she’s all clear.” It was really surreal, having him tell me what I somehow already knew. I remember stopping for dinner on the way home that night. Being so hungry, but so unable to eat. Chewing seemed like an insurmountable task. I still find it a little difficult to eat at that restaurant. (I don’t want to end this on a sad note, though – my mom is healthy and in remission).

If you could be any Crayola crayon color, what would you be & why?

I would be Mango Tango, because oranges are warm, friendly and optimistic. Plus, this one is just fun to say!

Describe yourself as a superhero: Superpower? Name? Sidekick?

Gosh, there are so many super powers that would rock – like being able to do stuff in hyper-speed (like washing dishes), or to have a real Time-Turner like in Harry Potter. Or even just being able to grow really tall to reach things on the top shelf. Ha. That sounds lame. But when you can’t even clear 5′, it’s the little things that matter 😉

If you had all the money in the world and could only shop at 3 stores, where would you shop?

Oh boy, this is a tough one! For clothes, JCrew, because their cuts are classics, so you’d always be comfortable and stylish. For handbags, Michael Kors. Because I would have all the money in the world and not feel (too) guilty for spending $400 on a purse or a wallet. For homegoods, Pier 1, because there is always something fun and fabulous to be found.

Hope you enjoyed learning some random stuff about me! Check out the other Link Party-goers – maybe you’ll make some new friends 🙂

Color Conundrum

I’ve been thinking that our family room palette needs an accent color. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the eggplant & lilac tones, but it feels a little flat. I think a few splashes of something bright, maybe a little bold, could pull it all together. I’m also trying to think ahead for our future Kitchen Backsplash project – we’re both gravitating toward a colored mosaic tile rather than neutral tones (we have enough brown tones in our kitchen).

My original vision for the family room was a palette along these lines.

I haven’t quite achieved it, and I don’t think that Tom is 100% on board with the “deep peony” and “dusty lavender” colors. It seems to have landed more in this palette:

And while I love these tones, I think it needs a pop of something that’s the complete opposite of purple (maybe not literally). Now, if it were completely up to me, it would probably wind up looking like a rainbow threw up in our room, 1) because I love color and 2) because I’m indecisive. Tom is a staunch lover of safe neutrals. So somehow, we strike a balance.

Here are some top color contenders. I’d like to keep it focused on just one of these, bringing in small splashes through accents like a vase, a blanket or throw, some artwork, more pillows (!), etc.

Which would you vote for?