Crochet Mushrooms YUM!

Happy Friday!

Sorry today’s update is so late– I’m feeling under the weather and have just been really slow today.  I am excited about today’s Inspiration Friday post though.  I’m a crafty person… No, I don’t mean you can’t trust me!    I love to make things.  My craft obsessions are ever changing, and like any good crafter, I have my own little stash of project materials that I’ve accumulated over the years.  Yarn, fabric, paper, plus assorted miscellaneous items are all stashed in various hidey-holes throughout my home.  I dream of the day when I can have a craft room of my very own, where all my things are stashed together in their own pretty places.  And that’s what today’s Inspiration Friday is about… pretty, organized creative spaces.

In fact, today’s post actually features the creative space of a wonderful Swedish artist, Hummmlan, who works in a little bit of everything:  paper, watercolors, fabric, yarn… you name it!  She most definitely understands the need to corral all the bits of stash that a crafter ends up trying to hide and her creative space is chock full of great ideas to inspire creative stashing!    You know I HAD to ask her all about it, right?

Please tell us a little about yourself… What inspires you in decorating and in your art work?

I’m living in Sweden with my 3 year old daughter and my fiancé. A year ago we bought our house, a cute little house from 1925. One of the requirement was that I could have a little crafting space in the house. In our old apartment I sat at the kitchen table and was crafting, sewing and painting. I had to clear the table each night so we had somewhere to have our breakfast! No fun at all.

Storage as Art

There are so many things that inspires me in decorating. I can be inspired by a painting or music. Of course I get much inspiration from other blogs and from flickr. Often it is a little detail in a photo, a beautiful frame or how someone have displayed their things on a shelf for example. I love interior magazines too, but they are quite expensive and me and my sister-in-law are borrowing magazines from each other.   A mix of new and old things I think is the best way to decorate.

buttons

In my artwork it is mostly my daughter and other children who is a great inspiration to me. After Maya was born my creativity exploded! It is a bit of a paradox, because before Maya was born I had all the time in the world to be creative, but wasn’t… After she was born I found the time to be creative while she was taking her nap.

What was your biggest challenge in organizing your creative space? How did you overcome this challenge?

A beautiful desk

The biggest challenge was to find the right furniture and decorations that I wanted. The desk had to swallow a lot of my paper and crafting supplies but yet be beautiful. It can take years to find the right things. I’m not finished with my craft room, I think I never will be. It’s a ongoing process. Some times I was thinking that I would buy a desk from an apartment store who had the right drawers for storing and organizing all my things, but it wasn’t the desk I really wanted… I’m so happy that I waited, I found my desk on the Internet, at a site where you can buy and sell your old things. Like a flea market but on the net! It was a bargain it cost only 500 SEK, that is approximately $60 USD!! I couldn’t believe how lucky I was! The chair is from my grandmother and the shelf is from IKEA. The type case I found in a local flea market.

Close up of wall storage

Would you please share your top 4 suggestions for organizing a creative space?

1. Hide all ugly things in drawers and boxes!

2. Display only the things you like and think is beautiful.

3. Keep it simple, if there are to many things it’s just looks to messy. (Some people knows the art of having a lot of things everywhere and it doesn’t look like a lot of clutter, but If you aren’t one of them, just don’t do it…)

4. Storage, storage and storage! You can’t have to much of that! Things that I know I won’t be needing for a while I have in the attic or in the wardrobe.

You can see more of Hummmlan’s creative space and home by visiting her flickr account, her blog, and, of course, her etsy shop!  If you’re interested in even more inspiration for organizing your creative space, check out the following links:

• Lots of inspirational photos from the members of the flickr group Creative Spaces
• And even more with the flickr group Organization is for Squares
• And a great article from Domino magazine, 9 tips for establishing a creative space

Have a great weekend!

xoxo – Shauntelle

coffee table as sculpture

Happy Wednesday!

As promised, I’m back today with a new “In the Trenches” interview! (And on the right day this week, aren’t you happy?!?) Today’s interview is with Jane of All the Luck In the World. Jane is a Danish artist that creates colorful whimsical items ranging from soft textiles to jewelry from recycled materials. In keeping with her artistic sensibilities, she has created a wonderfully colorful home as well, but not in the way you might expect. Read on to learn more…

As usual for me, I stumbled upon your home while browsing Flickr photos for inspiration. I am almost ashamed to confess that I know next to nothing about you (except you have lovely taste in design!). Please tell us a little about yourself…

I am a graphic designer and artist, living and working in the Netherlands. I love to recycle, so I use lots of vintage and found articles in my work. I also have a webshop selling handmade, re-styled and vintage products: www.alltheluckintheworld.nl

Hello Dear

If you had to use only 3 words to describe your design style, what would they be? How did your style evolve to become what it is today?

Eclectic, personal, colourful. I’m not sure, I have had the same style for many years but of course there have been changes if I look back. But I’ve always loved vintage and hand made things.

Living Room

Your home exudes color and cheerful creativity to me. Do you have any tips you could share on how you manage to mix bold colors and patterns in such a way that they create a lovely warmth in your home, rather than feeling overwhelming or chaotic?

My house is small so I try not to have too many things in one space. Except for my studio which is full of

Bedroom Corner

things I need to have around me for inspiration or to make something out of. I hardly have any new furniture or accessories in my home. Just about everything has a history and it’s own story. Don’t be afraid to change. A new coat of paint can make a big difference.

What is your favorite spot in your home and why?

My bedroom because it’s nice and white and peaceful, yet very pretty.

What would you say has been your greatest challenge in decorating your home? Have you overcome this challenge, and if so, how did you overcome it?

I could say decorating on a tight budget, which is what I do but it comes quite naturally so it’s not really a challenge. If you keep your eyes open you can find beautiful things everywhere. That’s why I started my shop. I didn’t have enough space to keep everything!

As you may know, A Beautiful Abode was created because I wanted to share the resources and inspiration I discovered on my journey to creating a beautiful home on a tight budget. For those of my readers who are also on a tight budget, what would you say are your top tips for emulating a look similar to yours on a budget?

Visit flea markets and secondhand shops, You can find great treasures there! Buy art on ETSY. Use everything as inspiration!

Garden Paradise

Please be sure to drop by Jane’s home of the web, All the Luck in the World. Visit her on flickr to see more of her lovely home, and, most importantly, be sure to leave her some comment love here so she will know how much we appreciate her effort in answering the questions, especially since English isn’t her first language!

xoxo – Shauntelle

Display

Surprise! I’m back with a brand new, hot-off-the-presses “In the Trenches” interview! Nope, it’s not Wednesday, but I couldn’t wait to show you the lovely Brooklyn home of Chiara, the owner of Chiarabelle.com. As usual, I am over myself with excitement to be able to share her home with you! And just as happy to tell you that this is the first of many more beautiful homes I can’t wait to share with you… I’ve already got a month of December interviews lined up and waiting!

I know that you’re just as excited as I am to read all about Chiara’s lovely home, so let’s get started!

First things first, please tell us a little about yourself and how you would describe your decorating style…

I’m a prop stylist, freelance now, but I used to work for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. My work website is www.chiarabelle.com. I’m a mother of a beautiful 17 month old baby boy Jackson. My blog, mostly about him and decorating and crafty things, is molassescandy.blogspot.com. I’ve lived in Brooklyn for 7 years now and I love it. We’re so lucky to have this super apartment, and I’ve decorated it in what I like to call “bohemian chic” or an eclectic mix of antique, vintage with a touch of new.

Your home seems very warm and cozy to me. I’ll admit I was extremely surprised to discover it is a loft, since I generally associate lofts with a modern, somewhat “colder” feel. How did you manage to create such a warm, cozy feeling within what I assume is the normal loft open concept floorplan?

Dining area

Our loft is fantastic – everyday I feel lucky to be living here. The ceilings are high but dark wood, which helps make it more cosy. I also have a large dark red vintage chinese art deco rug that warms up the space a lot. I love patterns and fabrics and artwork and little treasures, and I think all those things add up to make a cosy space. The two bedrooms are separate, so that helps also.

Doggies!

I believe you easily have one of the loveliest nurseries I’ve ever seen. Can you describe the process of designing your nursery?

Nursery

Thank you! I love being in Jackson’s room – it’s definitely my favorite room in the house. I started with the rug, an old design from when Martha Stewart had a collection with Shaw. I didn’t know if I was having a boy or girl so I went with a minty green for the walls, light blue linen curtains with a subtle orange and tan stripe, and a little bit of pink wallpaper that I had leftover from a job. Everything in there is old – old dresser, old ikea shelves that used to be mine, old chair repainted – except the crib, which is a Jenny Lind style from Land of Nod. Once I had the wall color, everything else just sort of evolved, mostly things I loved, so they all went together pretty well.

Another thing that I love about your home is how you incorporated your bird collection

Bird collection

throughout without it feeling overdone with birds or kitschy. Can you give my readers any tips on how to incorporate their collections in their homes in such an organic manner?

The bird collection started happening a long time ago, when I was a graduate student at the School of Visual Arts in 2001. For some reason, I drew a lot of birds. So I started gathering vintage images for reference and inspiration. It just gathered momentum since then. I think it’s not overwhelming because, for one thing, they’re not everywhere (just almost everywhere), and secondly, they are all unique and special to me, nothing is mass-produced, or easy to find.

I know that you are a DIY-er. What would you say has been your favorite home decorating project to date?

My favorite home decorating project was this one:
molassescandy.blogspot.com/2008/10/before-and-after.html

Chair - After

I think it came out pretty well, if I don’t say so myself!

Have you had the experience of tackling a project, only to find it falling below your expectation? If so, can you tell us a little about that experience and what/if anything, you did to salvage the project?

charming armoire

Oh funny. I just had some girlfriends over for a “craft night” where I wanted to make these Christmas ornaments to give as gifts to everyone. I thought I was going to be able to bang out 20 perfect ones. I had the saddest looking sea-lion shaped ornament after 2 hours that just made me want to cry. I had to laugh though. I know that’s on a small scale. I have a chair in my living room that I tried to slipcover once, and every time I look at it I cringe, because it’s a total mess. But I had to let it go, because I’m not an upholsterer, and no matter what I do, it won’t be perfect, and I can’t afford to have it done professionally. So I just have to consider it “charming” with all its flaws and imperfections.

A Beautiful Abode is dedicated to providing resources and inspiration to people who have the desire to create a beautiful home on a tight budget. What advice do you have for readers who are concerned with their budgets?

My advice is FLEA MARKET! CRAIGSLIST! EBAY! THRIFT STORES! and my personal favorite TAG SALES! There is so much good stuff out there in the world already, and you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for it. It’s been said before but it’s true, oftentimes something just needs a new coat of paint.

To view more photos of Chiara’s lovely home, please visit her on flickr. And be sure to check out her blog, Molasses Candy as well as her website, Chiarabelle.com.

Tomorrow, I have a special “Inspiration Friday” treat for you too! So be sure to drop by…
xoxo – Shauntelle

Happy Wednesday budget decorators!

I’m glad to be back with another “In the Trenches” interview today. To be honest, this interview was scheduled to go live well over two weeks ago, but my crazy offline life really threw a wrench in my online plans. For that I offer my sincerest apology to you, my dearest readers, and to Kristy, who has been waiting so patiently to see her interview go live!

I ran across photos of Kristy’s home while browsing for inspiration for baby Elizabeth’s nursery and was immediately charmed by every photo! I could rave on and on about how I’m ready to move in any time she offers an invitation, but instead I’ll keep my introduction brief and let you discover the lovely Kristy and her home for yourself…

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Let’s start off by finding out more about you… I know you’re an extremely creative stay at home mom of four. How would you describe your decorating style?

I live just on the outskirts of Manchester,UK in an Edwardian house that needed total renovation from new bathrooms to complete redecoration. Partly due to financial necessity I have become addicted to thrifting, but I must admit that I just love vintage pieces so much. I love the history and the integrity they hold. I would say that my decorating style is definitely ecclectic. I am too much of a vintage loving pack-rat to stick to any one style or era for decor. I want my home to look like it has evolved rather than been staged and I really don’t like matchy matchy things. Any imperfections would drive me mad!

One of the things I love about your home is the way you intermingle vintage pieces with more modern/contemporary pieces. I think if I tried to do that, my home would just end up looking like a hodge podge of mess; your home, however, feels so pulled together and charming. How do you manage to create that balance?

I try only to buy things that I really love or make me smile. I think the best decor advice I was given was to always buy things you love when you see them. Don’t worry about where they will go. Eventually you will find a home for them. Don’t be scared to live with something for a while and move it around until it feels right. That’s the joy of many thrifted pieces as they really are affordable. I love the juxtaposition of a vintage piece next to a hopefully modern classic. Like my edwardian armchairs next to my glass coffee table. I love vintage pieces or modern pieces but I really don’t like modern pieces pretending to be vintage.

I also try to keep in mind certain colours for each room. So for example my kitchen is based around the colours of my collection of 1940’s china (that we use everyday by the way)- pastel pink, yellow, green, and blue against a white background. The same way a lot of people feel you should always have an element of black in a room, I always include a little red. It’s a colour that really lifts my mood even in very small doses.

I have to admit that while exploring your Flickr photos, I became completely fascinated by the images from your inspiration books. Will you tell us a little bit about them? How/why did you start them and how do they assist you in designing your home? (And just for my own curiousity, are they made from altered books? I noticed type written words in the background of several pages…)

My inspiration books are one of my most valuable decorating tools. I love interior magazines but got really fed up having to flick through them to find the images I wanted. I decided to start a scrap book of torn out photos. As I tend to look for a vintage option before a new one I picked up a couple of old household encyclopedia for a pound in a charity shop. I ripped out about half of the pages (otherwise it gets too thick to close) and kept any interesting pages. I just stick my torn images directly onto the pages and build them up randomly. It is so good to be able to flick through them and they really highlight exactly what I like. Themes and colours emerge naturally and keep me focused.

What would you say has been your greatest challenge decorating your home so far? Is this a challenge that you’ve conquered? If so, will you share how you managed the challenge? If not, do you have any ideas about how you’ll tackle this challenge?

Most rooms have had to go back to bare brick so I guess the biggest challenge has been raising a family in a building site! My girls are a dab hand at avoiding pots of paint and the odd tool lying around. Specifically though I think that the kitchen renovation was the most major undertaking. It had been heavily remodelled between the 60’s and the 80’s and had been stripped of all its character. It was just a box with ugly units and dark appliances. We reinstated the chimney breast and restored the doors and windows back to their original positions. The ceiling was also raised to it’s original level. Even the floor had to be taken up and relaid.

To keep my sanity I insisted on keeping my dishwasher plumbed in throughout the whole renovation. It caused many raised eyebrows from tradesmen but helped me so much. I did have a very clear idea in my head of how I wanted the room to feel but was flexible about how to achieve that. The best advice I can give when tackling such a big job is to research and plan then plan some more. Shop around as there is always a more economical alternative. Always try and see the funny side of any catastrophies (of which we had many!).

Another thing that I love about your home is how family friendly it is. You’ve managed to create a place that looks comfortable for everyone, male/female, adult and child. What tips can you share on how to create an attractive yet comfortable family home?

I am constantly juggling the balance of aesthetics versus practicality. To create a family home that really works, storage has to be your top priority. If the storage looks good then you are halfway there. Everything needs to have a place. I utilise lots of baskets and boxes. You can never have too many!

Ours is not a show home, it’s a family home that really has to work hard for us. My personal taste has to be blended with the rest of the family especially my aspiring minimalist husband. He doesn’t always have the first choice but he always has the last word and gets to say what stays or goes. It’s important not to fall into the trap of compromising each individual taste too much. If you do, then you end up with pieces that nobody really loves. I have my own little corners that are just mine and hubby has a few statement pieces that he loves too. The girls get to input lots of ideas in their own spaces and I love to display their artwork alongside those purchased elsewhere. It gives them a sense of belonging and adds a relaxed feel to schemes.

I know that you are a very crafty lady and have recently begun an etsy shop to sell your creations. Do you find that your crafting interests influence your design of your home? If so, in what ways? Are there areas of your home where you can see the colors or style have definitely been influenced or inspired by your crafting interests/style?

I think that my home is more heavily influenced by the creativeness of others. By all the fantastic artwork available through etsy especially. Also through seeing other peoples homes in blogs and on Flickr. My mind is always sparked by other peoples decor ideas and how I can interprete them in my own way.

Finally, if you were asked to share 3 tips with someone who was just starting off decorating their home on a budget, what would you say?

1. Always buy what you love and if you can’t find it in your price bracket then wait. You’ll either save up for it or an affordable alternative will turn up.
2. Regularily check out your local charity/thrift shops, car-boots, yard sales, freecycle etc. It always amazes me just what people are willing to give away.
3.Look at as many decor images as you can so that you can work out what you like and, just as importantly, don’t like. It will help define your own style. That way you are less likely to buy things you really don’t like or need.

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As usual, I had a really hard time narrowing down the choices of photos to accompany the interview, so you HAVE to go visit Flickr to see more of Kristy’s beautiful home! You can also visit her blog, Vintage Pleasure, to learn more about this sweet lady, her family, and all her great bargain hunting finds. Kristy, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your home with my readers or for being so patient to see this post go live!

Until next time – Shauntelle

Hello my dear ones!

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was working on an interview with two fabulously inspirational women, Carrie and Danielle, who run a style consulting service. In a nutshell, they are authentic living therapists, using questions and empathy to help over 700 men and women (at last count) find their “style statement” – a two word compass which always leads to your personal North Star, so to speak. I’ve been fascinated by the idea ever since I first learned of it, and have had a personal consult with them on my wish list for over a year… but you know how budgets go! – and how my extra dollars are always earmarked toward a decorating project! : )

Which is why I was extremely excited to find out their book, Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design, was due to be released into stores this month. (It was released this week, in fact!) My original plan was to run out and buy a copy of the book and then do a review of it here, because you know how much I love sharing great things with ya’ll! Then I got the idea to do an interview and here we are! But it gets BETTER! Not only do I get to share the interview with you, I also get to host a GIVEAWAY! That’s right, Carrie and Danielle have graciously offered to give an autographed copy of their book to one of my lucky readers… too cool, right?

Ok, enough of my babbling– go enjoy the interview and then, check out the details about the giveaway afterwards…

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Carrie and Danielle, for my readers who may be *meeting* you for the first time today (smile), could you share a little bit of your backgrounds with us? How did you two meet? What inspired you to create your business?

Carrie: I am a former interior designer. I looked good from the outside: international media attention, great clients, abundance, nice car, cute boyfriend. And yet on the inside I felt like a fraud. My focus was all about the outer world and something was missing; I wanted to marry the inside with the outside. Style Statement was born from my commitment to making a difference in many people’s lives. Danielle was one of my guinea pigs. She received her Style Statement from me, and I received a business partnership from her based on our shared values, a do-whatever-it-takes commitment, and joy.

As a writer, I am a big believer in the power of words so, of course, the concept of your Style Statements resonated with me immediately. Do you find this to be the case with most of the general population? What do you say to the nay-sayers or the skeptics who question how two words could possible have a profound affect on a person’s life?

It has been an honour to share Style Statement with the world. 750 people have received their two words and this is what we hear: “I purged all the black from my wardrobe,” “I am going to yoga,” “I am letting go more,” “I bought orange ballet flats”, “I am more ME!” Two words carry majestic meaning when they declare who you are and what you yearn for.

Carrie, your Style Statement is Refined Treasure and Danielle, yours is Sacred Dramatic. Will you to us a little about the process of discovering your statements and how you both use your statements to create focus and direction in your lives?

Carrie: I use my magically infused words Refined Treasure all the time. Most of my decision-making begins like this: “Are these shoes Refined Treasure?” “Am I being a treasure in my marriage?” “Am I treasuring my body?” “Do I need to process this information more?” It’s a constant guide and mantra for making choices in all areas of my life. And I know when I am not living my Style Statement - when I rush, when I am not present…and I have the bruises to show for it.

Danielle: Sacred Dramatic, like most people’s Style Statements, is paradoxical. Sacred is introverted, reflective, respectful. Dramatic is outgoing, impactful, visible. It’s the 80/20 principle that’s profoundly helpful for me. 80% Sacred keeps me grounded, 20% Dramatic inspires me to be expressive about what’s important.

As you know, A Beautiful Abode is dedicated to providing inspiration for creating a beautiful home on a tight budget. Besides money, one of the biggest concerns many of my readers voice is not knowing WHERE to start with designing their homes. They look at magazines and become overwhelmed with the idea of pulling together a cohesive space that feels right to them. Can you give an example of how knowing your Style Statement has helped you make the correct choices for creating a comfortable, attractive living space?

Carrie: When people come into my home they feel a quiet elegance, a kinship with nature and space to breathe. They see treasures from my family, a cocktail dress hung on the wall, an Allessi vase, a painting from my niece. All of these elements are created based on my two words: 80% Refined and 20% Treasure. Without the definition of your Style Statement, it’s important continually asking yourself this question: “What inspires me?” It’s so simple and so powerful. If you bring that question forward in your daily life, you’ll start to see patterns in what truly floats your boat. A colour, a way of being, a style of sofa, the way someone speaks—pay attention to how these things make you feel. Up? Down? Heavy? Light? Inspired?

I’m very excited to tell everyone that your book, Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design, was released in stores just a few days ago (April 8th). Will you explain how readers will be able to use the book as a tool to discover their own style statements?

Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design is an inquiry into your authentic self. It’s a discover-it-yourself process for defining your own personal Style Statement. The questions are playful and profound, superficial and deep. You can see how others use their Style Statements in their lives, and the final part of the journey is an exericse in how your can really live authentically in every area of your life — from your living room to your relationships.

Finally, if you could share just one piece of advice with readers who are concerned with styling their homes in a way that authentically reflects them, what would it be?

Ask yourself these questions abut every aspect of your home: What do I love? What do I desire? How do I want to feel in my home?

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If you want to learn more about Carrie and Danielle, please visit their website at CarrieandDanielle.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for their Friday Focus newsletter. It’s one of the few e-mail newsletters that I ALWAYS read every week and it never fails to provide me with inspiration. Their book, Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design, is available online right now at Amazon.com and I’m pretty sure you can pick one up at your local bookstore (which is on my to-do list for next week). As a wonderful A Beautiful Abode reader, you ALSO have the chance to win an autographed copy of the book

**Entering the giveaway** is pretty simple…

If you have a blog, write a post about “What inspires me?” and add a link to that post in the comments here. If you don’t have a blog, you can still enter, just leave a comment answering the question “what inspires me?” Add your comment by midnight (eastern time) Thursday, April 17th. I’ll announce the winner on next Friday’s Inspiration Friday post.

Good Luck! I can’t wait to see what inspires you all…

xoxo – Shauntelle

Edited to add: I’m extending the deadline to Tuesday, April 22nd. A post would be nice, but to make it easier, you can just answer what inspires you in a comment.

It’s WEDNESDAY and you know that means a new “In the Trenches” interview! I feel incredibly lucky to be able to share an interview with Kim, one of the great ladies from the blog, Desire to Inspire. If you’re familiar with Kim and her partner Jo’s blog, you already know that they have fantastic taste. That taste is reflected all through Kim’s home, and as I looked through pictures, I was making notes on all kinds of ideas that I want to borrow for my own home. The funny thing is, she almost didn’t agree to the interview because she only recently moved into a new home and thought it was too much of a work-in-progress to show. All I’m saying is that her work-in-progress makes quite a few homes look shabby!

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I was so happy when you agreed to this interview, I squealed! I’m a big admirer of Desire to Inspire, the blog you share with fellow design enthusiast mid-century Jo, but I have to admit that the only thing I know about you is that you have FABULOUS taste. Would you share a little bit about yourself with me and my readers?

OK, you’ve got me blushing on the first question. I live in Ottawa, have all my life. By day I am a web developer/programmer for the government, and by night I am a blogger and online shopper. LOL. Funny but so true. I have 2 sisters, one being my identical twin. When I was little my twin sister and I used to rearrange our bedroom furniture just about every other weekend. So it’s no surprise that I love interior design. I am a NUT for animals. I have 5 cats: Milo, Mimin, Cheeks, Lucky and Phoebe. I move a lot. For no reason really. My current home I own, and moved there in December. I’m kind of proud of it – it’s close to downtown, but needs a lot of work…and I bought it myself. Since I live with only a plethora of cats, I can decorate it how I choose – hence my pink kitchen (and hence the cat furniture scattered throughout). The house is about 12 ft wide, probably 90 years old and around 900 sq ft.

How did you and Jo meet (with you being in Canada and her in Australia) and what inspired the two of you to begin Desire to Inspire?

Jo and I met on Flickr. There was a Flickr group that Jo and I used to post photos on all the time of rooms we loved, and when the group was removed, we were bummed and realized that to continue the fun, we could do the same thing on a blog. Jo and I have known each other for about a year and a half, and we’ve never met (I SO wish I could afford a trip to visit her), and we’ve never even spoken on the phone. Our only communication is via IM.

Ya’ll showcase quite a wide range of styles on Desire to Inspire… what would you say best describes your personal design style?

My personal style has changed drastically over the past few years. I’ve done it all, from modern, to shabby-chic and everything in between. I started to get into retro/vintage as I started to really appreciate the occasional funky item while out antiquing/thrifting and I realized how fulfilling it was finding gems amidst piles of crap. So for the past couple of years I’ve been hooked on anything and everything vintage. I love eclectic…specifically mixing different styles that are polar opposites. There is nothing better than an antique portrait in a gilded frame hanging above a modern bench, or a vintage crystal chandelier over a tulip table. I LOVE the unexpected.

One of the things I love about the photos of your previous home as well as your current work-in-progress home is that you are NOT afraid of color. Would you share your thoughts on how readers can incorporate more color into their homes? How do you decide what colors are complementary to one another and how do you determine when you’re using too much color?

I am not afraid of colour because it keeps things interesting. I could not live in an all-white house. It’s so uninspiring. But that’s just me. I love how easy it is to change up a room with a coat of paint. Forget doing a whole room – just one accent wall or a random square somewhere framing a grouping of art is just as effective. Best part is if you don’t like it, paint over it! In my opinion, colours are complementary if I hold up paint chips and they just seem to work. I love mixing different shades of the same colour. I don’t know if there is such a thing as too much colour – it’s a matter of taste. But I prefer bold colour in….chunks. I think a bright orange couch is awesome, when the wall behind it is white or grey.

A bright yellow wall is brilliant, but with mostly white or maybe teak furniture against it. I painted a room teal, and painted a rattan chair red to complement it, but the rest of the large pieces are wood. Take every opportunity to be bold with colour when you think you can handle it. I painted my kitchen bubblegum pink because it was ghastly and I have to live with it until I can renovate it. For resale purposes I would never install pink cabinets, but while I had the chance, I wanted to go all out.

We discussed that you recently moved into a new home; in fact, the night you agreed to the interview, you were in the process of demolition work in your bedroom. After living in another space and getting it decorated just right, was it hard to start from scratch again? Do you have a planning process to determine how you’re going to decorate your new home? How do you decide what areas and which projects to start without getting overwhelmed?

This is my second owned home. The first one was in the suburbs, and on the opposite side of the city from where I grew up. I really didn’t like living out there – my boyfriend and I only bought the house because the price was right. So I knew we weren’t going to last long. And we didn’t, we were there a little over a year. Like I said before, I get bored easily, so the idea of started fresh was thrilling. And will be the next time I decide to sell. My planning process is not really a process. I just spend every spare moment thinking about how I want the rooms to look, and what functions the rooms will serve, and how I can maximize the small space that I have. When an idea sticks with me longer than a couple days, I know it (in some form or another), is a keeper. And when a photo really appeals to me, and I can’t get it out of my head, I save it in an inspiration folder to refer to. Your last question is a tough one. My last house only needed minor renovations and cosmetic work done – so I actually find this house a bit overwhelming. Everywhere I turn, there’s something else driving me nuts that I want to change. So far I have stuck to the small stuff – but haven’t actually completed anything major. I’m not going to rush into anything until I know EXACTLY what I want. I will make sure to do all my research before I touch anything, because I can’t afford to renovate twice.

Some of my readers know me as the “Queen of Craigslist” because it’s the first place I turn to find pretty much anything I need for my townhouse. I would call you the “Queen of Ebay.” Do you have any tips you could share with my readers and I about buying collectibles and home decor on Ebay?

Queen of Craigslist eh? I might battle you for that title. Except it would have to be Craigslist/Kijiji. (I’m also Etsy-obsessed). I picked up a rattan patio set this weekend for my backyard deck that I found on Kijiji.

Ebay is addictive. It’s my favourite source for fabric. There are so many amazing fabrics, especially vintage ones, on Ebay. And cowhide rugs. I have been checking out cowhides for a while now and last week finally purchased one for my living room, and will eventually get another for my dressing room. I bought my mom a gorgeous original oil painting for Christmas. My tips would be to check and double check measurements. Sometimes the price seems reasonable until you realize how small the item is. And always ask for the shipping price. Especially if you don’t live in the States. The shipping usually helps me set my max price. Some sellers will charge based on your postal/zip code, which I think is great, but others will charge a flat rate which I often find unreasonable. I stick to small stuff when I shop online, on Ebay or anywhere, because I hate paying for shipping.

Another thing I love when reviewing photos of your homes is how your look evolves over time. I see objects rearranged, furniture moved, items painted… you seem to have no fear of change when it comes to getting your home to look right for you. If you had to give someone five tips for creating a style in their home that feels right to them, what would you tell them?

1 – Move your furniture around. Then move it again. And then, move it again. You’ll get that feeling in your gut when you’ve got it right.

2 – Buy furniture that is adaptable to your potentially ever-changing style. That’s why I’ve recently realized the incredible potential of rattan furniture. It’s easy to paint, and when I tire of it, I can paint it another colour, reupholster the cushions, and give it a brand new look.

3 – This goes along with the last point. Buy lots and lots of spray paint. One minute you may love shabby chic and go out and buy all sorts of white furniture and accessories, and when you change your mind, you can whip out a can of spray paint and you’ve got a whole new look.

4 – Don’t listen to the hype. My house doesn’t look mainstream. I don’t follow all the trends I see in magazines. I just go with what makes me feel comfortable. Vintage for me equates to comfort. If modern or country does it for you, then go for it.

5 – Give some thought to what you have to work with. My house is very old, and vintage furnishings suit this house. All modern furnishings would look out of place. The architecture should help you figure out what style to go with.

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Aren’t you glad she agreed to the interview? The photos featured are a mix of ones from her new home and her previous home. Every week it’s incredibly hard to choose which photos to use with the interviews… this time, it was almost impossible to narrow it down. So do yourself a favor and go visit Kim’s flickr set. And don’t forget to leave a comment here to let her know how much we appreciate her for sharing with us!

Until next time, happy budget decorating!

xoxo,

Shauntelle

By now ya’ll have to know how much I love these interviews. It’s such a joy to me to be able to share the talented vision of these wonderful real life designers. Every now and then, I completely stumble upon someone who hasn’t been in the limelight before, but definitely SHOULD be… you know, someone like the insanely talented Aja, who truly should be designing professionally… or someone like our guest today, fellow blogger, Nina in Vorm.

In addition to having a gorgeous home, Nina is a spectacular collage artist. I was in complete shock to discover that she doesn’t sell her artwork professionally because it is so lovely, full of fun and whimsy! And that’s why bringing this interview to you today makes me even happier. Not only do I get to present you with a glimpse into her home, but I also get to introduce you to her art (with the totally selfish hope that your positive response will encourage her to start selling on Etsy so I can buy a piece or three!).

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First things first… where can I buy your art work, Nina? Do you have an etsy shop? I really adore your collages… the colors are so bright and vibrant and just full of fun… one of the things that I also admire about your home! Tell us what inspires your work?

Thanks for your nice words about my art work! So far, I haven’t been selling anything, drawing and making collages is just something I do for fun. I display things in my home or on my blog, and sometimes I give something away as a present, but that’s all. I’m not a professional artist and so far, I never had the confidence that anyone besides myself and some people close to me could be interested in (buying) it. Maybe one day I’ll feel confident enough to try and start selling something, but that’ll probably take some more time… It’s already a big step for me to show things on flickr and my blog!

I do sometimes think of selling the ceramics I make in an etsy-store, but my ceramic pieces are very frail and not so easy to send by mail. So I still have to figure that out. Í hope to start selling some stuff on etsy one day, also because I really like the concept of etsy, but that’ll probably take some more time and confidence…

About what inspires me in my work… That’s difficult to say. I love colors, patterns, vintage stuff, scandinavian prints. I read loads of interior decoration magazines and art and design blogs on the internet, so I get inspiration in a lot of different places and all the time. I try to create something new from all that inspiration that I get daily. I need to see beautiful things around me to get inspired, unfortunately I’m not the kind of person who has this enormous imagination and original creativity that can make anything out of nothing. When you put me in an empty room with just a blank piece of paper, I probably couldn’t draw anything good or interesting. It’s seeing beautiful things around me and thinking “hey, I could use those elements in a different way” that inspires me.

Your home reflects an interesting love of color and print… There’s definitely a sense of the whimsical there, but mostly I’m struck by the way it all comes together to create a sophisticated effect. Can you share with us how you manage to combine color and pattern in such a great way?

That’s a difficult question! I guess I just follow my instincts, so it’s kind of difficult to describe how I actually do that… I do have some sort of inner sense of color and pattern; I like certain contrasts, and I’m drawn to some colors or color combinations. I’ve never been afraid of color, but I feel like I’m still learning not to overdo the prints and colors. I’m trying to create more balance between color/print and whites, calm and quietness. But that’s still a struggle, because I’m naturally attracted to bold colors and patterns. I can really enjoy other people’s minimalist white homes, but it doesn’t work for me. I guess I was born like this!

Lately, I’ve been speaking with a lot of people who would like to start decorating their homes, but are afraid of making a mistake. Do you have any advice to share with readers who may be in that position? Have you ever bought something only to realize it completely didn’t work and how do you recover from that kind of challenge?

I often feel like I make mistakes all the time! But most mistakes can be undone if you really want to. For me, decorating my home is a way of playing around, it’s something I really enjoy. It’s great if something works out nicely, but if it doesn’t, I’m happy to try something new. The fact that most of my furniture isn’t that expensive also helps. When you buy very expensive stuff, it’s much harder to replace things.

I think people can look at their interior in different ways. Some people want to buy their whole interior once and don’t want to change it for the next ten years. I prefer to see my house as some sort of organic place that grows and changes. When something doesn’t work, I try to change it.

Sometimes I make mistakes myself that are difficult to change. I’m not happy with the curtains I chose for our living room. We bought them only two months ago and they weren’t cheap, so we can’t just buy other ones. So I guess I just have to live with them, and try to make a better choice next time…

While you do have some wallpaper and color on a few walls, mostly your home (apartment?) isn’t painted. Despite that, it doesn’t feel bland at all. Could you share any tips you have for creating a “colorful’ environment in a space where you can’t paint or put up wallpaper… in a rental apartment situation, for instance.

Haha, please don’t say the rest of our apartment isn’t painted, we’ve been painting for almost a month to get those walls white… ! When we moved in, everything was yellow, red and purple… It was so ugly that it convinced us to keep most of the apartment white and simple. Our apartment is rental, but fortunately we’re allowed to paint and put up wallpaper. But if you aren’t allowed to do that, there are other options. You can, for example, frame a beautiful piece of wallpaper and put the frame on the wall. But you can also bring a lot of color in your house using colorful accessories. When I move in somewhere, color will always follow. it would be a better question to ask me how not to bring color into a house…!

I love all the artwork that you have displayed in your home. Do you have any tips to share for arranging a varied collection like yours in the best way, without the different pieces clashing?

I think that when you have an ‘eclectic interior’ like mine, different pieces don’t clash that easily. The clashing can actually be an interesting element of your style. Personally, I think interiors that are perfectly combined in similar style and colors are quite boring. But of course that doesn’t mean that you can just put anything together and call it eclectic. I mean, you can do that of course, but it doesn’t necessarily look good…

I think it’s all a question of following your instincts in shape, color, style. In displaying my artwork, I tried to vary between bold, colorful pieces and more modest pieces, for example in black and white. You have to find a balance between the pieces. But balance doesn’t mean that you can’t mix styles, sizes or colors. In displaying my art, one of the ways I used to create unity was using similar frames. No matter how different the works of art displayed are, there is unity in the way they are framed.

My favorite photo of your home is your “Laura Ashley Room.” How did you ever come up with the idea to hang the dress/shoes/jewelry? What inspires you to try avante garde ideas like that in your home?

I started hanging my favorite dresses on my bedroom walls in my former apartment. I have a bit of a dress-fetish, I probably have about a hundred dresses, and among them are great vintage ones and dresses with very pretty prints. It would be a shame to just leave those in the closet and only take them out when I wear them. So actually I was just looking for a way to look at my favorite clothes more often. There are many dresses that I hardly ever wear, but like this I can still enjoy them.

I don’t think you necessarily have to spend that much money on interior decoration. Of course, there are many expensive things that are beautiful, but there are also many ways of beautiful and original decorating for your house that cost little. If you use your creativity, you can find beauty everywhere.

How would you describe your decorating style? If you had to give a person only 4 tips to creating a look similar to yours, what would those tips be?

My style is eclectic, colorful, playful and with a lot of vintage items. I love it when objects have their own story, when they’ve already lived a whole life before they came to me. I like to make things myself, mix and match and use my creativity and imagination in my interior.

And my tips…

1) Go thrift shopping. You can find fun pieces that are not very common. Within some time, you can build a great mix & match-collection of special pieces.

2) Everything pretty can be a decoration object. Who cares if it originally had a completely different function; if you think it’s beautiful, why not display it as a work of art? We have a beautiful old table soccer game put on the wall like it’s a painting, I display nice clothes on the wall, and on my desk is a beautiful huge tin filled with olive oil. I just surround myself with what I consider beautiful, no matter what it’s function is.

3) Don’t be afraid of wallpaper! Covering a wall with nice (vintage) wallpaper can give a whole room a complete new look. When you choose a small wall, you don’t need much wallpaper so it’s a cheap option, but with an enormous effect. It can make a room cozy or chic, depending on the type of wallpaper you choose.

4) Invest in a few pieces that you really, really like. It’s not difficult to buy a bunch of standard accessories in a department store, but you’ll get bored with those easily. Wait till you really fall in love with something that’s special, maybe something handmade or vintage. When you really fall in love with something that can’t be found in just every store, it’s probably worth spending some more money on it. I spent quite some money on an amazing vintage advertorial elephant, but it’s so very worth it. There’s no day going by that I don’t look at it with content. It’s al real eyecatcher and totally unique: I haven’t ever seen it anywhere else ever. When you display your favorite items on a special spot where you can really enjoy them, you can have so much fun of them.
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Another great interview, wouldn’t you agree? It was especially hard to decide on photos to accompany Nina’s interview because she had so many great ones to choose from. And then there are the great pictures of her art… so this is one time you HAVE to visit her flickr account! (But no blaming me if you spend an hour visiting, okay?) You can also find out more about Nina by visiting her blog, NinainVorm– be sure to let her know you saw her interview here!

As usual, don’t forget to leave comments on this post so she’ll know how much we enjoyed our peek into her home. And if you enjoyed this peek, be sure to subscribe to the new A Beautiful Abode Magazine, which will feature exclusive content including more “In the Trenches” interviews with expanded photos! The magazine is free, but only subscribers can get a copy… so don’t wait, subscribe by sending me an e-mail: snhamlett at gmail dot com, subject line – subscribe Beautiful.

Tomorrow Tricia and I will share updates on Elizabeth’s nursery. See ya then!

xoxo,

Shauntelle

I’m skipping my normal Tackle It Tuesday post because:

a) I didn’t do much tackling today (or this past weekend)

and

b) I have exciting news to share about plans for A Beautiful Abode!

First, I’m so excited to tell you that I’m in the process of working on an AWESOME interview with two very special ladies. Carrie & Danielle have been called style shrinks… the essence of their business is to help us, you and me, live our lives more authentically. Through a process of in-depth inquiry, Carrie & Danielle have assisted over 600 clients in discovering their unique style statements, providing them with a powerful compass for creating a more fulfilling, authentic life.

I have been secretly fiending for a session with them, but even with the currency difference (they’re Canadian), it was out of my price range. So you can’t imagine how happy I was to learn that their book, Style Statement, will be released in April. As I was checking for information about pre-ordering the book, it occurred to me that an interview with them would be a great post for Inspiration Friday. And badda-bing, badda-boom, an e-mail or two later, I had permission to interview them!

Carrie & Danielle have been featured in so many major magazines, I can’t start to name them all (Domino and Elle Canada to name a couple), so it’s just a wonder that I will get to feature them here, picking their brains for info to help us all create beautiful homes that are a real reflection and celebration of our spirits.

You’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to read the interview, but in the meanwhile, go on over to their site and sign up for their Friday Focus. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, I’m also planning the first issue of the A Beautiful Abode Magazine! It’s going to be a free electronic magazine in the same vein as this blog except MORE… as in

• more “In the Trenches” interviews with an extended photo spread of fantastic homes
• more DIY projects, including $20 projects
• more Inspiration

Even better, you can also expect:

• Tips from professional designers
• Thought provoking articles about the psychology of home
• Reviews of online and real world shops
• Budget decorating resource lists
• Indie Artist features
• an Advice column

and contests. DEFINITELY contests!

This is content that will be exclusive to the A Beautiful Abode Magazine. You won’t find it here on the blog or anywhere else. All free.

The catch is that you have to subscribe to get it. Subscribers will get a link for the free download sent to them every two months. That way you can download and read it at your leisure. Sound cool? Then subscribe… I haven’t set up the automatic subscription thingy yet, so for the time being, send an e-mail to me at snhamlett at gmail dot com with subscribe Beautiful in the subject. And don’t worry, I promise, no spam or selling your address for ANY reason. The only time you’ll hear from me is when it’s time to download the magazine… unless you send me your birth date. Then you’ll get a virtual b-day card!

Whew! Just talking about it all has worn me out… but in a good way. It’s such a wonderful feeling to know that I can share my decorating obsessions with ya’ll and maybe help someone along in beautifying their home on a budget too. Ya’ll make writing this blog a complete joy!

That’s it for tonight. Don’t forget to peek back in tomorrow afternoon for the newest “In the Trenches” interview!

xoxo,

Shauntelle

When I first started the “In the Trenches” interviews, I was a little worried that I had set myself up for failure. I mean, we started off with a bang, touring Manuela’s home, and I was afraid that I would have a hard time continually finding real life decorators who could live up to that high standard.

Happily, that hasn’t been the case. I continually run across more and more amazingly talented home decorators. Ladies (so far, but I’m not sexist) who I can’t wait to introduce to you, whose creative minds I want to pick so that you and I can both benefit from the secrets of their great design talent. Today’s feature is the perfect example of this.

Carissa’s home is absolutely gorgeous. Did you hear me say gorgeous? I could gush about it for hours. But I won’t. Instead, I’ll just get to the interview and the pictures so you can judge for yourself… but fair warning, I’ve got dibbs on the first open invitation to spend the night! (And I will fight you old school, West Side story dance-off for it too!) : )

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Wow. That’s all I can say after looking at pictures of your home. just. WOW. And, to add to that, do you have guest room where I can come for a vacation? I wouldn’t go anywhere, just wander through your house looking at every little thing. LOL! Will you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you developed such a wonderful eye for design?

Oh… thanks SO much! We love to have guests… room is always ready & waiting!
A bit about myself… hmmm. I’ve been married for ten years & am blessed to be mom to two little girls! I have an online shop that quenches my creative passion! I love & look forward to my coffee in the morning! Flee markets make me want to sing with joy! Mexican food makes me smile BIG!

The tagline for your shop, Brown-eyed Fox, is “the art of whimsy.” I can definitely see this enjoyment of the whimsical in your home’s interior. Can you define this design philosophy (so to speak) for us? What inspires you and how do you draw from that inspiration to decorate your home?

I’m completely enamored with the little vignettes that are everywhere in your home. I believe it’s those arrangements of accessories that really give a home that finishing touch and show the owner’s personality. How do you manage to display your love of the whimsical in such a way that your home feels pulled together, rather than cluttered and overwhelming?

ah yes… we all have storage that seems to grow all on it’s own… over time we do collect! Each closet and cabinet should serve a purpose… store specific items. I think baskets & bins are the BEST thing ever! Use them to hold linens… those tiny kid’s toys… items to be donated… party supplies… snacks in the pantry… your children’s keepsakes… the possibilities are endless! Then… when you pop a tag labeling what’s in the container it makes organization & cleaning much easier!

I think really there are no mistakes… just stepping stones… changing needs… maybe changing tastes. I rearrange furniture and things in our home constantly. Very often I will have a neighbor come over who has been in our home thousands of times and they will ask “when did you get that”… referring to something that has been around for years! Sometimes I may try an arrangement that just doesn’t work… just isn’t real-life livable. That’s okay… easily fixed! You have to try things sometimes to know whether you will like it! If you’re willing to try… you’re likely to find some fun alternatives!
What would you consider your favorite DIY project in your home? Can you describe your process for coming up with the idea for that project and your DIY home projects in general?

2. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Just go for it! Use what you already have in a new way… keeps things fresh… if you don’t like it you just change it back!

I can not believe that it’s MARCH! Yeah, I know that it’s been March for a good week now, but I’m just really adjusting to that fact. With Spring right around the corner, I’m feeling the need to freshen my home… not just beautify, but deep clean and organize. (And that feeling seems to be one that’s in the design blog air, if you’ve been wandering around!)

Because I’m a visual person, the beginning of any project for me is finding visual inspiration… and that means a visit to my favorite voyeur site… Flickr! That’s where I found today’s wonderful budget decorator.

Over and over I was struck by Tina’s fresh and eclectic style. I’m a huge fan of a home that looks lived in… like you could pull off your shoes and sink into a chair and just feel happy and peaceful. Or you could curl up on the floor and play a boardgame. No worries of breaking a thing, but still be surrounded by beauty. And that’s how I see Tina’s home. A place for joyful living… that happens to be AMAZINGLY organized as well. Definitely inspiration for me.

And for you. So read on, and be inspired!
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Since I stumbled upon photos of your home via Flickr, I know nothing about you, except that I adore your home! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m Tina and a stay at home mother of four boys, ages are 9, 8, 4, and 3. We live in central Maryland. My husband and I have recently bought our first home after 10 years of moving around while my husband finished graduate school and established his social work career. We’re SO excited to finally feel settled in a house that we love and that is located in a fabulous community.

What struck me from photos of your home is the sense of creative playfulness that comes across. How would you describe your style? What inspires you in decorating your home?

Hmmm, I suppose I would describe my style as modern vintage eclectic, with a touch of minimalism. How’s that for a mixed up answer? Seriously, I like clean lines and simple furniture. I like color and light to be part of my home. I’m attracted to things with a vintage look. I want my house to be comfortable for my family and guests. I have kids who run trucks through the house and jump on the furniture, so I want to keep it an open space for them to play.

I like to be surrounded by things that have meaning and that I love. I don’t like to be overwhelmed by stuff that has no purpose or special memory attached. For example, my grandparents helped to raise me and I have so many good memories of them. So my house today has a little bit of them in every room like the chest that my granddaddy built that sits at my front door, some of the books that I used curl up in front of their fireplace reading are spread throughout my home, and the scrapbook of Grandmama memories that sits on my desk.

Much of my inspiration comes from my mother and grandmother, who both had beautiful, thoughtfully decorated homes. And before we moved into this house, I spent hours looking at decorating websites, furniture catalogs, and flickr groups. My mother and grandmother gave me focus for decorating and the research gave me direction.

What would you say has been your greatest challenge in decorating your home? Have you found a solution to this challenge and if so, would you share that solution with us?

One of the biggest challenges is finances. With four kids, the decorating budget has to be low on the priority list. So I’ve learned to be creative. One thing that really helps is that my husband is also a master carpenter, as well as being a social worker. He uses that talent to build stuff for us, like our living room entertainment center and 2 of the boys’ dressers. He has just started on a built in unit for our basement spare room. It will be a combination of desks, storage, and entertainment center. So for less than $300 and in a few hours, he can build a custom piece of furniture that he would ordinarily charge a customer a few thousand dollars to build in their home!

Another thing I do is repurpose things like all of my glass mason jars that were literally dug up from the back yard at my old house. I put them through the dishwasher a few times and now use them for all sorts of things like holding dry goods and craft supplies, as vases, and as part of the décor in rooms, like the one holding beach stones in the
bathroom.

I also shop at all sorts of places like thrift and consignment stores, yard sales, craft stores, and Craig’s List, with a good bit of Ikea mixed in. Freecycle is also a fabulous resource for stuff for the home, both to get and give away. We’ve gotten a complete set of
wooden bunk beds, metal shelving, one of the kids’ toy shelves, and much more from people who just don’t need them anymore. And we’ve also been able to give away our unnecessary stuff, knowing that it will continue to be put to good use.

One of the things that I admire about your home is the way that it is so organized. I know you’re a crafty person… how do you manage to contain your crafting stash so that it’s organized and doesn’t take over your home?

When we moved here, I knew that my craft space would be in the living room, so I searched Craigslist for a few weeks to find a secretary style desk so I could do my crafty stuff freely, but be able to hide it away when necessary. On the open shelves, I use a combination of different boxes, baskets, and drawers to keep everything in. Everything has a space that makes sense to me.

The most important thing is that when I’m done a craft, I clean everything up. It sounds so simple, but it was a technique that I had to learn. I used to have stacks of paper and scraps out on my desk, thinking I’d use them on the next project, only to keep adding to the stacks until they took over my table and no crafting could take place until I spent hours cleaning up. Now, I put everything away each time so I know where it is the next time I sit down to create.

I’ve also learned not to jump into new crafts all at once. I just Freecycled a boatload of jewelry making supplies that I bought and only used for about a month. So now, if I want to try something new, I buy the supplies for one particular project and see how it goes.

Another thing I noticed about your home is that you have managed to keep toys from overtaking you… how have you done this?

The simplest answer is that I don’t buy a lot of new toys. I know what toys the kids love (legos, dress up stuff, Little People, foam dart guns, etc), so I always have them around. And I try to keep them relatively organized by using bins for different categories of toys, so action figures have one bin, matchbox cars another bin, etc. They don’t always stay organized because kids’ idea of clean up is usually to throw stuff in the closest bin, but it’s pretty easy to get them back under control if I take a few minutes to help.

For birthdays and Christmas, they only get a few new toys and we do something fun as part of their gift, like take some friends to the movies or have a sleepover. That way, they have material gifts as well as good memories for their birthdays. And as I’m buying gifts, I visualize where they will go in our house. Everything that comes into my house must have a place, if it’s toys, decorative items, or even food. There has to be somewhere for it to go or it just becomes clutter. So if there’s not a space for new toys, I try to make one by either moving stuff around or getting rid of things.

I also use the kids’ closets to store toys. Since I have boys, there aren’t a lot of kids’ clothes that need to be hung, so their bedroom closets have plenty of space for shelves and bins. For the younger kids, I usually keep the closet doors closed until they get bored, then I open it up and they feel like they have a whole set of new toys to play with!The older boys keep their precious collections and not-to-be-touched-by-younger-brother toys in their closet.

You can also dress up ordinary organizing products with basic craft supplies. Take the drawer unit on my desk, for example. It was $12 at Ikea. I used about $4 worth of scrapbooking paper and some glue to make a custom looking piece that is very useful. I did the same thing with the boys’ landing area “mail boxes” by painting chipboard letters and gluing them onto each box to personalize them.

You can do all sorts of crafty stuff to ordinary objects that you already have in your recycle bin. Think about using paint, paper, or wallpaper scraps to cover cigar, lunch, or shoe boxes; decorating inexpensive baskets with ribbons or a fabric liner; or even covering tin cans or glass jars with decorative paper. Think of how cute a row of paper covered baby food jars could be if they were put in a windowsill, holding a few small spring flowers from the yard! Those same jars could then be used to hold buttons, paint brushes, spare change, paper clips, etc.

Finally, if you could offer readers just one piece of advice for creating a cozy, pretty, organized home like yours, what would it be?

Keep what you love and/or use regularly, get rid of the rest. It’s that simple.

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Wasn’t that just the best advice?  If you’d like to see more of Tina’s cozy home or pictures of the lovely crafts she makes, check out her photos on Flickr.  And please leave your comments here to let her know how much we truly appreciate her sharing such great advice with us!

And don’t forget to come back tomorrow and check out the plan for baby Elizabeth’s nursery!