Fabric Flair from Simplicity Interiors

Forwarding Address

2010-04-06T20:31:00.002-04:00

My blog has moved. As my focus has been primarily on fabric without the interior decorating aspect, I wanted to start fresh. Please update your bookmarks!

http://fabricflair.typepad.com/blog/

Sign up to receive my newsletter for sale information, new product info, and occasional coupons!

A few of my favorite things

2009-12-17T20:05:00.004-05:00

I love photos taken very close to pretty things. I looked around at my
Christmas decorations and realized I had some pretty things that
I just wanted to remember. Here's a few of my favorites.

Keep 'em busy!

2009-12-11T16:44:00.004-05:00

Thought I'd share a few recent pics! What is the age when little ones stop wanting to help and start needing to be nagged to do the simplest tasks? I guess I should enjoy this while it lasts!

Your package has been shipped and is on it's way!

What are the child labor laws for toddlers under the age of 2?

After all, you're never too young to earn your keep!

It's a girl!

2009-12-01T19:07:00.003-05:00

My little sister (and by little I mean 28) and her husband are expecting their first child in March. They have recently found out that it will be a little girl. I'm so excited! It may be my only chance to fawn over a girl! Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade having a son for anything in the world, but oh....girly things are just so much prettier!

After spending a few hours shopping online...we live a couple hours away from each other so that's how we do it... looking at fabrics for the nursery, we have decided to go with a few prints from the Botanica collection by Patricia Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics. They are so soft and pretty, yet have just a touch of sophistication that isn't overly "baby-ish". Here's the four we picked out:

Of course I couldn't just buy the yardage we need, I decided to get the whole bolts. I figured whatever we have left over, which will probably be a lot, will find its way into my shop.

So here are some ideas we have, and bear in mind that neither of us sew really well. In fact, I don't think she even knows how to use a sewing machine, but that's beside the point. She wants to do some basic fabric covered panels for the wall, almost like fabric wrapped canvases. She just wants something simple, yet with a big impact.

My idea was to take some old frames that she has and cover the mats with the fabric. Then, black and white or sepia toned pics of the baby/parents would go inside. I'll have to play around and see which color photos would work best.

She wants a cushion cover for a chest that she was given, and I'm considering taking on the task of making a crib bumper. I need to look for a pattern or an idea somewhere because I don't know how to begin!

If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to share! Especially if it is a no/low sew project!

~Give Thanks Sale~

2009-11-24T20:24:00.009-05:00

With a fully stocked shop, a growing business, and a great family, I plan to have a super holiday "Give Thanks Sale" at Fabric Flair. My biggest decision was whether or not to move everything that is on sale into the "SALE" section. There is just too much! I'd have one really, really, big section. So shoppers will find mark downs throughout the entire shop. Here are only a few of the great discounts you will find. Be sure to check out my shop for more great deals!

And for great prices on brand

new lines from Sandi Henderson and Paula Prass,

check out FabricFlair on ArtFire!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find Bloom & Grow from Riley Blake

for only $7.45/yd!

Flowers and Birds in Cream

Bloom Daisy in Pink

Flowers and Birds in Pink

Tone on Tone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find Alhambra 2 from Art Gallery for

an amazing $7/yard!

Cashmere Cameo in Night

Granada Arches in Cream

Arabesque Buds in Green

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabrielle from Studio E is

only $7/ yard!

Diagonal Floral in Rust

Kaleidoscope in Magenta

Diagonal Floral in Teal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And many, many upholstery strong, home decor fabrics

are only $3-$5 for the half yard cut!

These fabrics originally retailed for over $25/yard!

Cardinal Floral Home Decor

Aloe Home Decor

Crewel Vines Home Decor

Happy Thanksgiving!

And happy shopping!

Next up, Woodland Delight from Paula Prass!

2009-11-21T21:48:00.005-05:00

I was thrilled to get the shipping notification that my order of Woodland Delight from the wonderful and talented Paula Prass will be arriving on Monday. I'm so excited that I almost wanted to begin listing it already! But I know from experience not to get ahead of myself. See it before selling it, is what I have to force myself to stick to!

So here is some general info and previews, and next week I'll get the listings for the collection pieces that I personally chose to carry at Fabric Flair. I wish I could have carried the entire series, but the budget doesn't allow that quite yet.

These are the 3 color ways for Woodland Delight.

I especially love the combinations of grey, red, and blue.

I feel like it takes me back, but in a modern way.

And some inspiration to go with it!

Photos are from Paula's personal blog, Show and Tell

Meadowsweet from Sandi Henderson has arrived!

2009-11-19T19:41:00.006-05:00

I am so excited to have this gorgeous and fresh fabric in my shop! Sandi Henderson has done very well this time around (as she always does). This is just so beautiful!

The browns, oranges, and greens are my personal favorites,

but really, what's not to love!

There are 2 colorways and I'm excited to have a bit from each.

On her blog Sandi describes the collection as as fresh, crisp, bright,

and inspired by the sweet things you would find in a meadow.

Photos taken from Sandi's Blog, Portobello Pixie.

Here are a few of my favorites and where you can get them!

Daisy Path in Celery

Splashy Rose in Pumpkin

Splashy Rose in Citrus

Henna Garden in Persimmon

Strawberry Field in Pink

Be sure to stop by to see all the great fabrics from this collection listed at Fabric Flair!

Looking for Other Great Supplies?

2009-11-12T20:04:00.002-05:00

If you are looking for a variety of quality crafting supplies for your handmade hobby, be sure to check out the Esty Supply Street Team. Check out our blog for more information, what's going on, and a complete list of shops categorized by type of supply. You can also find out more about team members and their shops.

And, don't forget to follow Team ESST on Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamesst

Adding a few more from the Alhambra II Collection

2009-11-12T19:44:00.003-05:00

Today I received a shipment of a few more fabrics from Patricia Bravo's Alhambra II collection for Art Gallery. One of the difficulties I have when I look at an Art Gallery collection is trying to decide which ones to pair together in sets. All the fabrics coordinate so well that just about any 2 will go together. The sets are fun to make and I find I have to hold back or I'd list just about every combination possible!

Granada Arches in Green

Granada Arches in Cream

Palace Conversation in Berry

Arabesque Buds in Green

Cashmere Cameo in Garden

Decor Shop Closing on Etsy

2009-11-03T22:56:00.003-05:00

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to close my Simplicity Interiors shop on Etsy. After all, it's where I began. My love for creating-to-decorate drove me to want to make decor that I could share with others. Unfortunately I have reached a crossroads. My love of fabric has launched me full steam ahead into selling quilting and decor fabric at Fabric Flair, and now I just do not have the time to spend. My wonderful little, high-maintenance, almost 2 year old does not allow me any time to sew. Nor am I able to realize the 20 million other ideas waiting to be crafted that are floating around in my head!

So I am marking everything down to store clearance prices, running a store closing sale, and then moving on, hopefully to bigger and better things! And who knows, eventually my little one will go to kindergarten, maybe I'll get some time then!

Here are a few of my favorites!

Graceful Vine Pillow Covers

Modern Flora Pillow Cover

Elemental Floral Pillow Covers

Classical Flora Pillow Cover

French Blue Damask Mini Pillows

Something Pretty from Studio E

2009-11-03T13:28:00.004-05:00

Last week marked the arrival of one of Studio E's pretty new collections, Gabrielle. Gabrielle is somehow very bright and very soft at the same time. It has beautiful color combinations of magenta, rust, pink, teal, and lime. A closer look shows an almost hand painted quality. Almost any of the fabrics coordinate so well! This is only part of the collection that I got in, so come on over and see more at Fabric Flair!

Diagonal Floral in Rust

Kaleidoscope in Magenta

Diagonal Floral in Teal

Lotus Collage in Lime

Medallion in Lime

Diagonal Floral in Light Teal

Where oh where...!

2009-11-01T20:55:00.005-05:00

I have sort of let my blog fall behind. Way behind. With all the changes happening at Fabric Flair, the addition of new fabric lines and larger purchase orders, AND the beloved stage known as the "terrible two's", I've inadvertently let some things behind.

I do want to take a moment to introduce some of the new fabrics that are currently listed at Fabric Flair. The new Riley Blake line Bloom and Grow has arrived and is going fast! Within 2 days I needed to reorder the Flowers and Birds in Cream (which suddenly also seems to be called large bloom or something similar, there weren't names listed when I got them!) The collection is so much fun! Take some time to stop by and check them out...

Tone on Tone Bloom in Orange

Bloom Vine in Orange

Bloom Daisy/Flowers in Brown

Large Bloom in Brown/Birds and Flowers

Bloom Vine in Cream

Large Bloom in Cream

Bloom Daisy/Flowers in Blue

Large Bloom/Birds and Flowers in Blue

Weekend Shopping Extravaganza hosted by ESST!

2009-10-01T10:45:00.001-04:00

WEEKEND SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA OCTOBER 3RD AND 4TH hosted by the Etsy Supply Street Team (ESST)! All Etsy shops are invited to participate in the EXTRAVAGANZA! We welcome everyone who has a shop-handmade, supply and vintage sellers to join us!

Announce that you are participating in your shop announcement and you're ready to get started! Be creative and enjoy a fun WEEKEND SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA!

Official Etsy Thread! http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6304642&page=1

For more information please check out our team blog: http://teamesst.blogspot.com/.

Weekend Shopping Extravaganza from ESST!

2009-08-31T20:10:00.002-04:00

Beginning on Saturday September 5th at 12:00 AM EST, the Etsy Supply Street Team is hosting another "Weekend Shopping Extravaganza." This months event will be held Saturday, September 5th & Sunday, September 6th, 2009. ALL ETSY SHOPS - HANDMADE, SUPPLIES AND VINTAGE - are invited to participate by placing an announcement in your shop and joining in with promoting on the "Official" Promotional thread in the Etsy Forums.

You can search for the official thread - “SEPTEMBER WEEKEND SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA SEPTEMBER 5TH & 6TH”.

I plan on promoting all of Fabric Flair's closeout home decor fabrics. Great fabrics at unbeatable pricing. Don't miss out!

Speaking of Black and White

2009-08-25T14:05:00.005-04:00

I just received this fabric in today. When it went on sale with the manufacturer, it sold out within an hour. It is beautifully flocked onto white cotton. The petals are bold and velvety. Check it out!

Flocked Black and White Floral

Decorating with Color: Black and White are Colors Too

2009-08-24T19:26:00.014-04:00

Previously we discussed that the use of color when decorating can be an important and personal choice and that we really needn't fear using it. One thing, however, that I feel I neglected to mention is that black and white are colors too.

Once again, I'm going to mention that the misuse of white in a room typically occurs when the only thing that is actually white, are the walls. They do not look intentional. Typically it looks purely like we couldn't choose a color so we left the walls white. A great color palette comes from the repetition of whatever colors we choose, but most importantly, white. That being said, I want to move on to talking about decorating with black and white.

Black and white can be a strong, contrasting color statement. It can be bold, contemporary, and have a lot of energy. Strong geometric patterns are sure to make visitors stop in awe.

But perhaps your taste is more traditional. You love the beautiful contrast but want to lose some of that strong, bold statement. that certainly doesn't mean that you have to give up this palette. Your choices are going to be less graphic and perhaps less obvious. This photo demonstrates a somewhat restrained use of black and white.

This photo strikes strikes me as more of an eclectic look. It seems to have items that have been collected over time and much of the room's owner's personality is interjected throughout the space. The decor feels updated and modern, yet has a slight art decor period feel to me.

One of my favorite decorating techniques when using black and white, is choosing one color that really stands out in the room. This is a great way to use a bright, bold color in a very restrained way. Sometimes 2-3 accent pieces in the color are all that is needed to make quite a statement.

This room might almost be considered boring if it weren't for it's
bold splashes of yellow.
I love this soothing aqua blue and the choice of both modern and
traditional furnishings.

This room starts with a soft grey-blue and interjects bold
choices of black and white pattern.

I love that this room, despite the strong black and white color
choices was warmed up with blues and green,
giving the room a more tropical feel.

Bold Floral in Black by Studio E

Baroque Scroll in White by Studio E

Iron Scroll in White by Studio E

Wire Rose in Black by Studio E

Stylish Storage

2009-08-21T18:37:00.007-04:00

Magazine Holder Craft

I found this craft from Martha Stewart while searching for stylish storage solutions. The directions call for wallpaper, but why not use fabric instead? Have scraps of your favorite fabric that you just don't know what to do with? Or use coordinating fabrics from a designer coloway. You can find magazine holders at your local office supply store.

Or buy this pack of 5 from Ikea for only $2.99!

Decorating With Color - Don't be afraid!

2009-08-21T12:13:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I said that in today's decorating world, anything goes. Granted, there are trends that will make us look back and remember the decade, but we are not as restricted as the "mauve and country blue", "hunter and burgundy", or "avocado green and harvest gold" of the past. Here are a few examples of rooms exploding with color that I found while browsing the Better Homes and Gardens website. I think just about every color of the rainbow can be found among these pictures.

First is the classic white room with beautiful punches of color. In this case, the choice of white for the walls certainly isn't due to a fear of color. It makes for a soothing neutral backdrop against the bright bursts of color. One important thing to note, and what makes these walls work, is that they are not the only white in the room. Too often, homeowners choose to leave their walls white, but then do not repeat that white anywhere else in the room. White works, and can be stunning, but you must repeat it throughout the room.

This room is nearly the exact opposite of the first one. Every single corner is bursting with bright color. Repeating the colors throughout the room is what makes it feel more soothing and less like a jumbled rainbow.

This room demonstrates more restraint, even through the bold color. The palate stays in the warm tones of orange, yellow, and red, and again are repeated throughout the room. A small splash of aqua blue adds interest and a cool contrast.

Compared to the warmth of the previous room, this one is cool and airy. It has a monochromatic feel with it's shades of bluish lavender in light, medium, and dark hues. This is a great choice for a room that gets a lot of sun and heat throughout the day.

This room's ultra urban industrial style is well balance with rich jewel tones. The cool lavender brown walls are warmed up with punches of bold red and orange.

So what do we learn from these pictures? Don't be afraid to use color! Find your favorites and balance throughout the room through repetition and pairing them with classic neutrals.

Decorating With Color - Finding Inspiration

2009-08-20T12:26:00.008-04:00

Today I'd like to begin a new series that focuses on how to decorate using fabric color trends. There are so many bright, beautiful color combinations available and choosing the right one for the right project can be intimidating.

One of the great features about using color today, is that there are virtually no rules. Thanks to the advances in technology, we are free to discover color combinations from around the globe. We can take color inspiration from cultures all over the world and adapt them to accommodate our own style and personality. From the sun drenched Italian countryside to the vibrant, rich colors of Morocco, you are limited only by your imagination.

The single best way to incorporate color into your decorating is to find inspiration. Whether it's a picture of a room from your favorite decorating magazine or a photo taken on a summer vacation, find inspiration that moves you. Colors are able to evoke emotion, so by incorporating them into your decor you can take yourself to any destination imaginable.

Take a look at these inspiration pictures taken from Sherwin Williams 2009 Forecast Influences. Can you see your room decor evolve from on of these breathtaking scenes?

Global Tapestry

Techno-color

Conscious Luxury
Local Momentum

So Excited!

2009-08-13T20:01:00.005-04:00

I have been posting about the upcoming fabrics that will be coming into FabricFlair on Etsy and Fabric Flair on Artfire and I am really excited about them. Here's why. Until now I have been buying up fabric at clearance prices and reselling with not much profit. I have always had limited yardage of everything I carry.

But, my first 2 actual bolts arrived today! It has been the first tangible step (other than a credit card bill) toward moving to the next level. Thus far I have been kinda playing with different fabric types, seeing what sells and what doesn't, and overall just becoming educated about this whole wonderful textile world.

I received the first 2 bolts from Art Gallery Fabrics, the first 2 of many from them and several other fabric manufacturers. They are from the original Alhambra collection by Patricia Bravo, and I can't wait until October to get in the Alhambra II line! I haven't been able to find any names for these fabrics and it's making me nuts. I think Art Gallery must have only numbered them early on, and are naming the later collections.

Coming Soon to Fabric Flair Part 2

2009-08-12T13:43:00.006-04:00

Okay, so yesterday I think I got a "lucky". The very nice lady from Studio E called me to let me know that some of my latest order had been backordered or discontinued completely. While I was on the phone, I decided to change several of my order items. Originally I was planning on carrying several patterns from the Deja Brew line, which is a cute, blue and brown, coffee themed collection. I really liked it and it put me in mind of a comfortable little coffee house.

However, the more I thought about it and literally tossed and turned thinking about it, I decided to try several patterns from their Natureology line instead. Thankfully, it wasn't too late and these great patterns will show up at Fabric Flair soon!

Studio E describes Natureology as "tranquil elements of nature".

Birds of a Feather in Brown

Blowing Leaves in Neutral

Birds in Brown

Through the Forest in Turquoise

Birds of a Feather in Rust

Blowing Leaves in Ivory

Birds in Gold

Through the Forest in Grey

Coming Soon to Fabric Flair

2009-08-11T14:03:00.003-04:00

I am making the transition right now from buying cut pieces of fabric from suppliers, to buying straight from the manufacturer. It's a move that I have been hoping to make for some time, and decided that it's time to take the leap. My first shipment is expected any day now from Studio E. I fell especially in love with their Natureology and Essentials II in black and white. Here is a sample of what's to come at Fabric Flair:

Bold Floral in Black

Bold Floral in White

Iron Scroll in Black
Iron Scroll in White
Wire Rose in Black

I went a little crazy!

2009-08-08T19:39:00.002-04:00

In order to make room for the new fabrics that are coming in, I have marked EVERYTHING down at FabricFlair.

Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Home Decor, Quilting Weight, it's ALL on sale!

Check it out while supplies last!

Summer Sale Down!

2009-08-07T12:30:00.002-04:00

Fabric Flair is having a summer sale down. Tons of fabric just marked down.

Heavyweight, lightweight, quilter's cotton, upholstery fabric

Yardage is limited so don't miss out!

FABRIC FLAIR SUMMER SALE!

New Fabrics Just in!

2009-08-03T15:52:00.004-04:00

I'm always so excited on the days that fabric arrives. Ordering online when the photos are so-so always makes you a little unsure of what the fabric is truly going to be like. Is it soft? Is it strong? Is it stiff? I usually try to take detailed pictures of the fabrics that I know customers may not be familiar with. I want them to see the same thing I get to.

I have been stalking the Greenhouse Fabrics website, waiting to pounce on their sale fabrics. Today I had these pretties delivered.

Robin's Egg Frame and Medallion

This fabric's features surprised me when I got my first sample of it a few weeks ago. It has an absolutely beautiful weave. It is strong and able to stand on it's own for great decor. What a beautiful statement.

Cameo Jacquard

This beautiful jacquard took me by surprise as well. Sometimes an online picture just doesn't say enough. It is a classic pattern, but in a softer, more contemporary color scheme. So pretty!

Brick Chinoiserie

The intricate detailing of this patchwork fabric is fascinating. It is warm, spicy, and definitely something I am going to keep in mind for fall. It would make a gorgeous table runner or placemats!

ESST Weekend Shopping Extravaganza - Aug 1-2!

2009-08-01T23:18:00.004-04:00

Fabric Flair is participating in the ESST Weekend Shopping Extravaganza August 1-2! Fabric prices so low, I'm practically giving them away. Better get them before they are gone!

Fine Home Decor Fabrics at Blowout Prices!!!

Joel Dewberry Ginseng Home Decor Fabrics

and

Amy Butler Nigella Decor Fabrics on sale!

Be sure to check out the Official Team Esst Thread for great deals and sales this weekend!

Calling Out!

2009-07-28T20:38:00.004-04:00

I would like to take a few moments and call attention to a few of my fellow ESST Member's shops. I always go through their shops first when I am looking for something because I know they only carry the best!

Jennifer's Cozy Cottage

She has a great selection of papers for scrapbooking, cardmaking, paper project need. I know first hand that her customer service is wonderful and I will definitely be returning. Stop by and check out her Christmas in July sale while it lasts!

One of my personal favorite collections:

Amy Butler TEA BOX Collection

Artful Mosaic Supplies

You will find such a fascinating collection of items

(list taken directly from shop announcement):

Mosaic tiles, MDF bases, Ceramic, Stained glass, Glass gems,

Grout, Other mosaic supplies

Here's a few that caught my fancy!

JOSH the FROG

ON YOUR TOES

Check out other amazing supply shops by going to the Team ESST Blog!

http://teamesst.blogspot.com/

Checking in and Checking up!

2009-07-28T20:31:00.003-04:00

I have been working hard on discounting fabrics in FabricFlair this week. Just about everything is on sale or closing out. You couldn't get better deals on the fabrics that I have to offer you right now!

One thing I suffer from at this point in time, is that I have not accrued enough earnings to have the buying power that my competitors do, and therefore offer both quantity and selection. I have to be choosy about what I bring into my shop. I work very hard to scour the web looking for the best deals for both me and my customers.

I also want to always be able to provide the type of selection that helps crafters of any type find something they love. There are fabrics listed at FabricFlair that are suitable for everything from baby blankets to upholstery....and everything in between!

So stop by and check out the sale...and tell a friend!

Busy Busy Busy!

2009-07-15T12:57:00.005-04:00

Once again keeping up has been a bit difficult! July has been a busy month for Fabric Flair and I'd like to thank the devoted followers who have helped make that possible. Some of my "new" favorites for the month include home decor fabrics from Joel Dewberry and Amy Butler. Stop by and check them out!

Amy Butler Nigella Collection

Starflower Tiles in Spinach

Grandiflora in Aqua

Passion Vine in River

Amy Butler Nigella Collection

Woodfern in Olive

Primrose in Pewter

Joel Dewberry Ginseng Collection

Wildflowers in Sage

Tiles in Glacier

Just WHAT?!? to do with that fabric!

2009-06-26T20:26:00.008-04:00

Have you ever spent time looking at a fabric and waiting for it to speak to you? To tell you what is wants to be when you are completed? I find myself with too many beautiful fabric choices, and limited set of skills to really create what I want.

For example. I had tons of these fabric scraps in coordinated color palates. Most were leftover samples from manufacturers that I no longer needed. I really racked me brain trying to come up the the "right project". As per usual, I made a mess out of my vision and decided to list them at Fabric Flair instead.

Here's the first set I listed:

And Tracy, a fantastically creative Etsy shop owner of Tracy Designs snatched them right up. I could hardly believe my eyes when she shared pictures of her creation. A funky cool, beautiful creation that is so much more than I ever thought could be done with my measly little scraps.

LOOK AT THIS BAG!!

Tracy tells me that she liked this so much she is keeping it for herself, but she also ordered about 7 more scrap sets from me,

so I am anxiously awaiting her latest creations!

In the meantime, have a look at this item and other items from TracyDesigns.

Set of Six Handmade Joel Dewberry

Aqua/Brown Lily Quilted Fabric Placemats

I have been working on something similar in the Pear palate of this same Joel Dewberry Collection. Of course, mine doesn't compare to Tracy's fantastic craftsmanship and design! Beautiful work Tracy!

Fabric Covered Matted Scripture

2009-06-16T14:45:00.003-04:00

I was brainstorming early this morning about new or creative ways that I can try to use some of this beautiful quilting fabric. Trying to think of something fresh and unique, I came up with the idea to wrap the mats of the scripture prints that I carry in my By Every Word Etsy shop. I got started just as soon as the little one went down for a nap and managed to make 2 to list right away.

God is Love in Amy Butler Star Paisley

Be Kind in Temple Garland

Laura Gunn Fabrics Available at Fabric Flair

2009-06-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

I have managed to get my hands on some of Laura Gunn's new fabrics from her collection called Lantern Bloom for Michael Miller.

Laura is an incredible artist and these fabrics are a must see. I have limited quantities for now, and have been torn between trying to do something with them myself or listing them at Fabric Flair. I decided to list them, and then try to get my hands on more!

Just take a look:

Scattered Lantern Pods in Citron

Lantern Vases in Orange

Hanging Cages in Lime

Climbing Lantern Pods in Green

Climbing Lantern Pods in Aqua

And take a peak at her own blog:

Paint in My Hair

YART Sale ENDS TONIGHT!

2009-06-14T15:12:00.003-04:00

Don't pass up the great deals and unbelievable savings available in thousands of shops during the Yart sale. It is fantastic!

Fabric Flair is offering a buy one Yart sale fabric yet another at 50% off!

Simplicity Interiors is offering 20% off your home decor purchase of $25 or more!

Don't wait!

Check out more great savings by shopping the official Team ESST YART sale sponsor thread

New Styles Added to SimplicityInteriors

2009-06-12T18:32:00.005-04:00

Today I listed some fresh new pillows and pillow covers to SimplicityInteriors

Check these out:

Modern Flora Pillow Cover

Graceful Vine Pillow Covers Set

Classical Flora Pillow Cover

As part of the continuing YART sale sponsored by Team ESST, in my Simplicity Interiors shop I am offering 20% off purchases of $25 and over.

Don't forget about my sale at Fabric Flair, home decor fabrics are up to 75% off retail prices.

Shop ESST and YART for unbeatable deals on supplies anywhere on the etsy!

INCREDIBLE SALE TONIGHT ONLY!

2009-06-11T20:21:00.002-04:00

Tonight only, visit my shop and find savings on home decor fabrics that are too good to pass up! Not only have I reduced the prices to up to 75% off retail, but now I am offering a BUY ONE GET ONE 50% off sale!

But just for tonight! Visit Fabric Flair and read my shop announcement for full details.

Also, stop by and shop Team ESST's great list of wonderful sales!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6182935&page=1

Yart Sale Starts Tomorrow!

2009-06-09T19:53:00.003-04:00

This is just a reminder that the ESST hosted Yart Sale begins tomorrow on Etsy. Look for great deals on items tagges "yart". So many shops are participating and everyone is looking forward to a successful event.

I have marked down tons of home decor fabrics at a fraction of the retail cost. Most of the fabrics retailed for at least $25 per yard. Most are now only $5-6 for a half yard cut.

Take a peek!

New Mini Pillow Listings!

2009-06-06T14:27:00.003-04:00

First, let me say thank you to everyone who entered my Chamomile Pillow Giveaway. The winner was chosen and contacted by email. The giveaway pillow has been created and is on its way!

In the meantime, here are a few new mini pillow set listings at SimplicityInteriors:

Breeze Mini Pillow Set

French Blue Damask Mini Pillow Set

Yart Sale! Yart Sale! Yart Sale!

2009-06-03T20:56:00.004-04:00

The 2nd Annual "Yart Sale” will be held from Wednesday June 10th-Sunday June 14th, 2009. This year the “2nd Annual Yart Sale” will be sponsored by the Etsy Supply Street Team (Team ESST). Please check out the Etsy Storque article for details!

A “Yart Sale” is an artistic spin on the traditional Yard Sale: Art + Yard Sale = “Yart Sale”. There are many art museums, artists, and groups that have Yart sales annually to raise cash.

I will be participating in the 2nd Annual "Yart Sale". I will have many high end, designer fabrics listed for a fraction of the retail price. Please be sure to check back here and in my shop on Etsy for specials. See you at the “Yart Sale”!

Yart Sale graphic designed by ESST member Misosoup

Blog Giveaway! Chamomile Mini-Pillow!

2009-06-03T20:32:00.003-04:00

So after careful consideration I decided that I will be giving away one of my Chamomile Mini pillows. I must say it's almost painful to part with it because of all the fabrics I've ever gotten, this gorgeous matelasse in soothing golds and greens has been my favorite. So many times I thought about using it to make something for myself, and who knows, I may have to get more eventually and do just that!

But here it is...

For entry rules check my blog posting below.

Check out the pair in my Simplicity Interiors Etsy shop!

Items in the running!

2009-06-01T15:09:00.004-04:00

Seems that most of the choices are pointing to one of the following:

Chamomile Mini Pillow Set

Amy Butler Fabric - Daisy Chain in Silver 1/2 Yard Set

Blue Sky Mini Pillow

Keep ideas coming, I will be choosing the prize tomorrow night and posting it on Wednesday.

I love this bracelet!

2009-05-31T09:07:00.003-04:00

Thanks to tweeting and blogging and the whole nine yards I found this little beauty in fellow Etsian shop, BlueberryCream. I love the color!

Sterling and amazonite bracelet

Visit her blog, she's having a giveaway!

Gemstone Girl

Follow my blog give away!

2009-05-30T18:43:00.003-04:00

I am working out the details of a "follow my blog giveaway". I will be pulling something from one of my 3 Etsy shops as the prize. I'd love your help in making that choice. I want you to vote for the prize that I will give away.

Finding an item and responding here with your suggestion gives you one entry.

Following my blog gives you another entry.

Following me on twitter gives you a 3rd entry.

Tweet about the giveaway and earn even more entries.

I will be posting the give away item as suggested by you in the middle of next week, say Wednesday. Then you will have 3 days, Thurs, Fri, and Sat to earn more entries by the means listed above.

We'll see how it goes! Should be fun! Visit one of these three!

Fabric Flair SimplicityInteriors ByEveryWord

Home Decor Fabric Sale!

2009-05-30T13:39:00.002-04:00

I am having a SALE at Fabric Flair. There are tons of home decor weight fabrics on sale for a fraction of their retail price. Fabrics that are normally $25-$35 per yard are drastically marked down to move them out.

Check them out!

Spotlight ESST: Beads and Such

2009-05-29T19:08:00.007-04:00

It didn't take much searching to find so many amazing supplies in my fellow ESST members shops. I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about beads or jewelry, but I think these are just beautiful. They make me want to learn how to do something with them!

Melon Beads and Dahlia Cabochons from MK supplies

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Czech Rondelle beads from Mountain Shadow Designs

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Mussel Shell Coin Drops from All Earrings and Supplies

I hope you enjoy looking around these shops as much as I have!

Office ideas from Better Homes and Gardens

2009-05-29T12:09:00.004-04:00

During lunch I was flipping through a recent copy of Better Homes and Gardens that was lying on the table. I found a decorating section that showed the office I am longing for. So neat, so organized. Look, they even have their fabric oh so neatly folded and stored. Here's a copy of the entire page from May's issue.

It's so pretty and girly. I wonder how long it would stay neat.

Organizationally Challenged!

2009-05-27T19:00:00.007-04:00

It seems like every time I turn around I am having to reorganize my office. It makes me nuts. Week by week my life changes enough that I have to move everything here and there to suit what I am working on. One thing I have found, there is no such thing as too much storage!

The one thing I am kinda proud about is having built my desk. I began with one side of the room with a built in desk, where the computer sits, and a little white desk I got from Pier 1 ages ago. I liked it, but it just wasn't functional. So I decided to turn the other side of the room into an L-shaped work space. It has made life much easier, but still isn't enough. Here's a few pics.

My stores of fabric are exploding. I am going to need to build up in order to get the storage I need. Use that vertical space!

I was SUPPOSED to be able to use a chair in the corner, but as you can see my shipping supplies make that impossible.

Here you can see more of my supposed to be usable workspace. Actually I should mention that no space can remain usable as long as you have a toddler whose reach is slowly extending and everything on the desk needs to be 18 inches from the edge, and the desk is only 24 inches deep. Keeps things interesting

I have "tried" to keep him on his own side of the room. But apparently my "toys" are much more interesting than his! Not to mention that I have completely lost any storage ability on this side.

And then finally there is the built-in side of the room. For some reason, this is the only side with overhead lighting. It's nice and bright...even though it has no real workspace. And here you can see my shelves that are in a constant state of being rearranged. My husbands things have been banished to the small shelf in the top left side. I'll have him pushed out soon...!

Waiting for fabric...

2009-05-26T11:52:00.005-04:00

So I ordered a bunch of new fabrics well over a week ago and am still waiting for them to be delivered. It's difficult to have to sit and wait when I really want to get them listed on Fabric Flair!

I was able to get to work on a few new things, however. I just love these sets!

Joel Dewberry Manzanita patterns in espresso and sky

Another from Manzanita in pear

Another Joel Dewberry set from the Chestnut Hill collection

Balancing My Time!

2009-05-22T12:59:00.006-04:00

Okay, so I am having a really difficult time balancing my time between blogging, twitter, my Etsy shops, and everything else life throws this way! I'm wondering how others schedule their social networking time. Especially if that networking is done mostly for promoting business.

So you set a schedule? Do it when you can? Plan a certain amount of time each day?

I feel so far behind!

Here's a few of the things I have been working on lately.

Redesigning Simplicity Interiors to carry more contemporary fabrics.

Adding to my collections at Fabric Flair.

And trying to be more creative at

Simplicity Interiors on Etsy.

Oh! And adding some Father's Day pieces at

By Every Word!

Please share how on earth you

balance your time!

Bad, Bad, Bath! Take 4

2009-05-08T12:03:00.002-04:00

One late night after the tiling was complete and we were at a standstill because we were waiting for the shower doors to be shipped, we found...you guessed it...another water problem.

Jason's closet is just outside the bathroom door. We discovered that the carpet inside was sopping wet. So Jason takes yet another trip down to the crawl space to check things out. He finds a steady drip that appears to be coming from one of the pipes that leads up through the wall to either the shower head or the body sprays. PANIC!

Why is the pipe behind the newly tiled wall leaking?? Why is the water spreading under the tile, across the floor, and into Jason's closet?? At 11pm, one doesn't expect to find answers to these questions easily. Jason immediately called the contractor and left a message, and then turned off the water main to the house for the night to try to prevent further damage.

Problem solved...the contractor came back first thing in the morning and discovered that the water problem in Jason's closet was likely due to the amount of water he used to clean the tile the previous day. Sounds like quite a bit of water to me, but that's what he said it was. The dripping was caused by one of the body sprays. None of the fittings were back on yet, and there was a small steady drip from the pipe directly down into the crawl space. Easy fix, put the fitting on, and no more water leakage.

We ended the day feeling good that there were no major problems (our worst fear being that the shower would need to be torn apart to find the leak) but a little more frazzled and worse for wear.

Then I began to do the walls...

Bad, Bad, Bath! Take 3

2009-05-06T19:29:00.003-04:00

So here we are living with the knowledge that even though we budgeted time and money to redo 1 bathroom, we now had to do 2 bathrooms. At least we don't have to rush to complete the guest bathroom. It gets used rarely.

We had chosen a beautiful travertine tile that we are absolutely love. We also wanted to install radiant heat under the tile because we have some heating issues on that side of the house. Our tile guy laid out the wire mesh mats and things seemed to be working out well. However, after a few hours of trying to figure out how to set the thermostat with my husband's assistance, he realized that he wasn't supposed to cut the mat. He had trimmed off the excess mat and now the wires couldn't complete their loop (whatever that means). In turn, he needed to buy a special patch kit so that he could fix it.

So this puts a delay on completing the floor. He is able to do the walls in the meantime, and they turned out beautifully. We redesigned the shower and added half walls to give it a more closed in feeling. With the detailed tile work and our design, things were moving along and turning out even better than we had hoped. The shower pan was now installed properly and our water problems should be at an end.

SHOULD have been at an end...

Bad, Bad, Bath! Take2

2009-05-06T07:58:00.009-04:00

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING SCENES MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ...ANYONE!

When our construction worker,

who is absolutely wonderful

by the way, tore up all the old

tile, he found our worst nightmare lying beneath. There was so much water damage that

the flooring looked like it should be what you'd find in a house about 100 years older! Had we gone on much longer, we likely would have fallen straight through the subfloor and

down into our crawl space. The water damage was also so bad that we needed to have part of a load bearing beam replaced. So our wall could have come down too!

So here we are, happy that we decided to have this done when we did, and reassuring ourselves that it wasn't out of vanity or that we didn't like it, there were going to be serious problems had it stayed that way.

But, our little vacation away from home, within our home, is disrupted, because now there is evidence that the other shower pan was installed the same as the first INCORRECTLY. So in order to avoid further damage in that shower, we moved into our son's bathroom. A dire inconvenience for all of us because now his bathroom is just full of mommy's and daddy's no touches, and we don't have anywhere to put anything that he won't get into.

So you got it! Some things stay in the guest bathroom and some have gone to his bathroom. The GBr is in between the 2 bathrooms so we feel like we have some sort of refugee camp set up with all of our worldly belongings strewn through 3 rooms. Opps! 4 if you count that we are now just leaving our clothing stored in the washer and dryer rather than taking all the way back to the bedroom time has seemingly forgot.

And the beat goes on..stay tuned for part 3

Fabulous Fabric Designer now carried by Greenhouse Fabrics!

2009-05-06T03:00:00.006-04:00

I was very excited to learn that Greenhouse Fabrics will now be carrying Annie Selke fabrics. Selke's fabrics can be found throughout the decorating and designing world today and her styles speak fresh. Bright colors and bold, yet classic patterns make her work easy to identify.

Visit her link to learn more about her. Read the article from Traditional Home in order to find out what Annie has been doing with her own fabulous home.

Annie Selke Article

Here are a few of her collections:

Bad, Bad, Bath!

2009-05-05T20:55:00.006-04:00

So in the midst of opening 2 new Etsy shops, ByEveryWord and Fabric Flair, we have had a major bathroom renovation project going on. Let's just say, some things just never quite work out like you plan.

Months ago, maybe in the beginning of February, we decided we were going to redo our bathroom. When we moved in we weren't very fond of the previous owners choices and we suspected that there might be a leak or something causing water damage in the shower pan. So we decided to change all the tile.

Once we decided, I began taking down the ugly pink wall paper, which I wish I still had a photo of but lost on our last computer. I decided I hated having to look at the bright walls through all the glass of the shower, and moved to our guest bathroom. It was nice having my own bathroom, not sharing with my husband. It was warm, it was pretty, it was great...for a while.

At the end of March the tile guy came to begin tearing out the old tile. Well, low and behold it turns out that there was serious water damage occurring under the tile and that our subfloor was rotting away. Mind you this is a 6 year old house. Well, that was problem number one.

Here are some photos while I keep you in suspense. (keep your screen wide to see them matched up with the captions.

ugly lights and cabinets bottom of ugly cabinets weird tile floor pattern shower with stupid

& part of ugly tile and pattern & no tub shelf and seat, boring

Opening New Etsy Shop

2009-05-05T08:42:00.002-04:00

My plan is to carry a broader range of fabrics when I move to Fabric Flair. I want to carry products that inspire you to create and encourage you to get out there and do it yourself.

In the meantime I will continue to run a MOVING SALE in my Simplicity Interiors Etsy shop. I will be doing some reconstruction on this blog: updating, redesigning, redecorating it so that if better follows the theme of Fabric Flair.

Stay tuned for big changes!

MOVING SALE!

2009-05-04T09:57:00.007-04:00

Joel Dewberry - Aviary Amy Butler - Daisy Chain

I am going to be dividing up my Simplicity Interiors Etsy shop so that fabrics are in a different shop. I am still working on my grand opening of FabricFlair. There's nothing there yet and I just registered the shop name.

In the meantime I am having a store moving sale. Instead of relisting all the fabrics in a new store, I want to clear out my inventory. I have reduced prices on almost 70 items.

Stop by and take advantage of pricing that is far below retail!

Pear Multi Floral

Clearing my office and off it goes to Etsy

2009-03-28T22:23:00.000-04:00

I am trying to descale the number of fabrics I have been storing. My plan has been, "oh I just love that, I'm going to make something from it" and then...I don't. So I've decided it might be better for me to just try to unload it and sell it from my etsy store : http://www.simplicityinteriors.etsy.com/

There are some odd amounts and limited yardage. Some of the styles coordinate well with each other. Clearance bin or not, they are still fabrics which went for over $30/yard at full price. So come give me a looky and see what you can find.

Then trek on to my newest endeavour, ByEveryWord http://www.byeveryw ord.etsy.com/m/ and see how I am working on taking scripture that is near and dear to the heart and presenting it in a new, funky, pop art sort of way.

We've been busy busy busy!

Earth Friendly Fabrics

2009-03-03T10:54:00.008-05:00

I have been looking for ways to carry "green" fabrics at Simplicity Interiors. I was excited to find a line of earth friendly fabrics and quickly added them to the catalog. The fabrics are upholstery weight and have recycled polyester warp.

What does that mean? The warp part of the fabric is made completely of recycled products and it is woven with other material, such as cotton, polyester, and rayon. Here are some pictures of fabrics with recycled polyester warp. They have a natural, luxurious look, and are very strong and durable.

Do you have a fabric related blog that you'd like to link?

2009-03-02T22:51:00.002-05:00

If you have a link or just a story to tell that relates to fabric, etsy, remodeling, or decorating, please share it! Contact me with the info and we'll see what we can do.

I see this blog heading solely down the fabric road again for a while...and I love it! I love decorating, but I LOVE LOVE fabrics. My dealer has the best supplies and it gives me the chance to really sink myself into their collection. Right now I dream in fabrics!

March Fabric Sale!!

2009-03-02T13:08:00.005-05:00

Greenhouse design is carrying a sale on their large scale home decor statement fabrics. I am passing this savings on to customers by taking 40-50% off select fabrics.

Statement fabrics can really transform and set the design, color scheme, and style of a room. Simpler coordinating fabrics play a supporting role in tying your design together. Choose a large scale floral, then choose solids, stripes, checks, or other patterned fabrics in coordinating colors. This combination of fabrics will add a designer touch to any space.

Announcing Fabric Website!!

2009-02-12T19:51:00.007-05:00

Simplicity Interiors now carries fabrics that you can buy directly from my website. If you are looking for high quality home decor fabrics then this is the site for you. Find everything from brand new patterns to clearance fabrics at a reduced price. Can't find what you are looking for? Link directly to Greenhouse Design/Fabrics and search by color, type, and style. Then go to the contact page and let me know what I can do for you.

Prioritizing

2008-08-25T18:45:00.002-04:00

When you are overwhelmed with an entire new house to decorate, the task can be quite daunting. It is easy to stand slack-jawed at the mountain of boxes and not be able to decide where to begin or what to open first. If you are not careful, you can end up bouncing around from box to box and room to room like a ball in a pinball machine. I have done this many times. You don't get a higher decorating score for how many obstacles you can bounce off of.

This time I am trying to go about things in a more organized, logical fashion. Yes, that implies that there was, in fact a last time, that wasn't so organized or logical. 3 years ago when we built our previous house, Jason and I went out and bought everything imaginable BEFORE we so much as stepped foot into the finished house. Yes, we were there every day and really got to know the house as it was being built, but that's no substitute for actually living there. You can't truly know what your house will need until you spend more time in it, get to know it, let it tell you what it needs.

Sounds crazy, right? It's not. It was the first house we had ever lived in that had higher ceilings and open spaces. Lack of experience in these two areas alone was enough to knock me down before I ever began. Nothing I bought fit the space. The house ended up with a cluttered, out of scale feeling from the lack of balance. If you have a big space, you cannot just put more little things in it to fill it up. And no, even though it's what I've done to compensate, you can't just fill up the empty spaces with more greenery. I have enough greenery to put Michael's to shame.

So priority number one should be to get to know your house first. Some very wise friends of mine have recommended that I make sure to do that this time. And I'm so GLAD! It has already made me realize that there were things I thought I'd have to change, that I really ended up liking once I spent time here. And things that I will change, I'm taking the time to make those decisions so that I only have to make them once.

The next priority for me was to pick the most important room in the house and complete it from top to bottom. I was trying to decide if I wanted to work a little bit at a time in each room, or one room at a time. I decided that I feel as if I am making more progress when I finish a room. Yes, my mattresses are still lying on the floor, and no, there's nothing on any of the main living walls. But my son's room is completely finished. A huge priority. I wanted to help his transition into his new house.

Then working on the guest room was next. Why the guest room? Partly because it is on the same side of the house as Conner's room, so we painted them at the same time to cut down on how much he would be exposed to fumes. Also partly because I had the most pieces for that room. Lastly because we live away from our families and that's where they stay when they come. Just because it looks like we live on the inside of a toy box doesn't mean that guests have to feel that way. I want them to be comfortable.

My priorities may make no sense to anyone else and that's okay. You need to come up with the priorities that work best for make sense for you. In the meantime, if I want to enjoy a little peace, I walk into the guest room, close the door, and take five minutes in the tranquility of a completed space.

Back Again and Decorating Avidly!

2008-08-24T21:22:00.004-04:00

It seems that all plans to decorate anything came to a screeching halt last December 30 when my son joined our lives and became part of my decorating team. I say he became part of because he altered my home in such a vast and unimaginable way. Suddenly I felt a camaraderie with all those women who said that they couldn't get a thing done now that they had kids. My naive thoughts were "so just do it when the kid is sleeping"! Well....then God blessed me with a child who never slept. This was just to spite the fact I always had that preconceived notion that all babies sleep all the time. Not mine. He definitely cried, ate, and pooped far more than he ever slept!

But now he's 8 months old and much more independent, so mommy can find herself again. However when I say "find herself" I mean literally. We moved a week ago and my life is crazier than it has ever been. I will never find anything, ever! At least once a day I find myself saying my new favorite mantra, "I knew I put it in a box that with with such and such and had something or other written on the front". Then I spend an hour looking for this wonderful missing piece of our lives that has disappeared somewhere in the very long 5 mile move up the street. Why do we have to pack so well we we are not moving very far, anyway?

But my favorite is when I am asked where something might be. I have 2 or 3 answers of logical places the missing item might actually be. If I am the one who asks "did anyone see" then I get a response very much like I just asked for the 3rd character to make an appearance in the second act of William Shakespeare's The Tempest!

I will be decorating again. I have to make the new house my own. I will be doing this at the whim of my children: 8mo old Conner, 32 year old Jason, who is really my husband but is more like keeping after a child, and 3 fur kids (cats) Mabel, Max, and Matty. I will post pics and advice as I am able. It's going to be fun! And as always feel free to give me any advice/criticisms (as long as you love what I am doing!) and overall discussion. If there is something you want to know more about, please let me know!

And we're off!

Trim That Tree!

2007-12-03T15:28:00.000-05:00

Looking for new ideas to liven up an old tree? Like traditional Christmas decorating with a twist? Here are some ideas:

Choose a Theme

First, choose a theme for your Christmas tree. This can be anything from traditional reds and greens, golds, or silvers, to a style theme such as country, cottage, or romantic. Sometimes choosing a style theme is as easy as looking to your everyday decor. If your style is formal, then sparkly balls, shiny garland, and velvety ribbons work wonderfully. If your style is casual country, then popcorn and cranberry garlands, raffia or plaid ribbons, and gingerbread ornaments may be your choice.

What to Put on the Tree

There are no rules as to what can or cannot go on a Christmas tree, nor is there a rule stating how much is too much. As long as it works with your theme, put whatever you like on your tree! And as long as you try to evenly space and distribute color, put as much as you like on your tree! I have learned from experience that it is far easier for a tree to look sparsely decorated than overly decorated!

Natural Materials - Dried flowers, twigs, pine cones, nests, and nuts are all ideas for adding elements of nature to your Christmas decorating. You can't go wrong with natural materials, since afterall, that is how nature decorates for Christmas!
Metallic Spray Paint - If you love the look of the natural materials, but your tree is too formal, try spraying them with gold or silver spray paint. Beautiful bay leaf branches with a touch of silver spray gives just the sparkle and embellishment your tree needs!
Silk Flowers - Let's face it, real flowers may work for the trees at the White House, but most of us do not decorate on their budget! Instead, find beautiful silk florals that coordinate with the color or decorating style of your tree. Evenly space them on the branches throughout the tree for added splashed of color.
Ribbon Garland - Instead of traditional garland, attach coordinating ribbon from the high branches of your tree and stream and wind them down to the lower branches.
Ribbons and Bows - A tree can look all dressed up if you tie bows to the branches. Also consider dressing up ordinary ball ornaments by attaching bows to the tops. Again, coordinate your ribbon to you style or color theme.

Be creative! There are no right or wrong answers as to what you can put on a tree!

Do you have a great idea or an example of something you have used to decorate your tree? Share it here!

Decorating with Color for the Holidays

2007-11-29T12:45:00.000-05:00

Holiday decorating can easily take on a life of it's own and with so many different themes and colors available, it may be difficult to choose a direction. Very much like choosing a color scheme for your home, holiday color choices also evoke a specific mood or atmosphere. Here are a few ideas:

White Christmas

Is there anything as peaceful as gently falling snow on Christmas Eve? Anyone can come home to a winter wonderland! The simplest way of creating your own White Christmas is to swap out traditional red decorations with white. For example, exchange red pointsettias for soft white ones. To avoid dull, flat decor, think texture. Consider trimming the tree with soft white feather boa garlands. Make it sparkle by using clear or white glass or crystal ornaments. Decorate simple ball ornaments with frills and glitter. Use greenery and natural materials, like twigs and leaves, throughout the house to add contrast and color to the winter landscape.

Seeing Red

Red is a classic Christmas color and it adapts easily throughout the seasons. But think beyond Santa's red velvet pants. Consider a less traditional holiday fabric, such as red toile. Red toile stockings hung from the mantle could coordinate with red toile ribbon on the Christmas tree. Holly berry branches and cranberry sprays add a touch of natural class to any centerpiece, wreath, or garland.

Pretty in Pink

Pink is certainly not a traditional holiday color. But why not have fun or play off a room's year round decor? Mix soft pinks with icy silver, white, and glass to really make a statement. Spray branches with silver paint and stretch across the mantle. Add white candles in glass hurricanes and pretty pink ornaments to complete the look. Trim the tree with crystal and pearlescent ornaments and beads. Mix with naturally pinkish white seashells.

The Golden Years

Gold makes other colors in your holiday decorating more bold and vibrant. It can be accented with white, green, or red. Red and gold are a classic, warm holiday combination. Today's reds and golds vary significantly from their ancestors. Golds are tending to include an array of coppers and bronzes. Red are bolder, juicier, and tend run anywhere from berry to grape. Pair red and gold to set the stage for an opulant Christams dinner. Rich red table linens with gold/bronze chargers and hurricane candle holders give holiday entertaining a luxurious warm feeling.

Icy Silver and Blue

This color scheme is in strong contrast to the previous red and gold holiday decor. The cool elegance of blues, lilacs, and silver can be a refreshing change from the traditional holiday red and green. This color scheme works exceptionally well when the normal color scheme in your home is cool or contemporary. Iced and silver branches, jeweled ornaments, pretty blue table linens or ribbons , silver and blue beaded garlands all help to bring this Christmas color scheme together.

Remember when choosing a color scheme for your Christmas decorating, it is important to keep your home's year round color scheme in mind. Draw on colors and fabrics that you use everyday for inspiration. If you love warm colors, stick with a Christmas scheme that draws from that warmth. If your home is cool, then keep with either the coolor blue and silver or winter white color schemes. Regardless of what color scheme you choose for your holiday season, remember to keep decorating fun!

Room Colors

2007-10-13T10:49:00.000-04:00

Understand that colors behave in three basic ways : active, passive, and neutral , and you can easily match every room’s colors to your personal desires and taste and to the room’s purpose. Light colors are expansive and airy, they make rooms seem larger and brighter. Dark colors are sophisticated and warm; they give large rooms a more intimate appearance.

Now let’s find more about some colors.

Red raises a room’s energy level. It’s a good choice when you want to stir up excitement, particularly at night. In the living room or dining room, red draws people together and stimulates conversation. In an entryway, it creates a strong first impression. Red has been shown to raise bloodpressure, speed respiration and heart rate. It is usually considered too stimulating for bedrooms, but if you’re only in the room after dark, you’ll be seeing it mostly by lamplight, when the color will appear muted, rich, and elegant. Red, the most intense, pumps the adrenaline like no other hue.

Crimson can make some people feel irritable. With red invoking feels of rage and hostility is a color that should be avoided as the main color of a room. Sitting for long periods of time in a room this color will likely breakdown any peace and harmony you are striving to create in your home. Ancient cultures used the color red to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.

Yellow captures the joy of sunshine and communicates happiness. It’s perfect for kitchens, dining rooms, and bathrooms, where happy color is energizing and uplifting. In halls, entries, and small spaces, yellow can feel expansive and welcoming.Yellow although is a cheery color is not a good choice in main color schemes of a room. People are more likely to lose their tempers in a yellow room. Babies also seem to cry more in a yellow room. This color tends to create feeling offrustration and anger in people. This color is the most fatiguing on the eyes.In chromotherapy yellow was believed to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

Blue brings down blood pressure and slows respiration and heart rate. That’s why it’s considered calming, relaxing, and serene, and is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. Be careful, however: A pastel blue that looks pretty on the paint chip can come across as unpleasantly chilly when it’s on the walls and furnishings, especially in a room that receives little natural light. If you opt for a light blue as the primary color in a room, balance it with warm hues in the furnishingsand fabrics.

To encourage relaxation in the rooms where people gather family rooms, living rooms, large kitchens consider warmer blues, such as periwinkle, or bright blues, such as cerulean or turquoise. Blue is known to have a calming effect when used as the main color of a room. When going with blue go for softer shades of blue. Dark blue has the opposite effect. Dark blue evokes feels of sadness. So refrain from using darker blues in your main color scheme. Stay with the lighter shades of blue to give you and your loved ones a calm effect.

Green is considered the most restful color for the eye. Combining the refreshing quality of blue and the cheerfulness of yellow, green is suited to almost any room in the house. In a kitchen, a sage or medium green cools things down; in a family room or living room, it encourages unwinding but has enough warmth to promote comfort and togetherness. In a bedroom, it’s relaxing and pleasant.Green also has a calming effect when used as a main color for decorating. It is believed to relieve stress by helping people relax. Also believed to help with fertility this is a great choice for the bedroom.

Purple in its darkest values (eggplant, for example) is rich, dramatic, and sophisticated. It’s associated with luxury as well as creativity, and as an accent or secondary color, it gives a scheme depth. Lighter versions of purple, such as lavender and lilac, bring the same restful quality to bedrooms as blue does, but without the risk of feeling chilly.

Orange evokes excitement, enthusiasm and is an energetic color. While not a good idea for a living room or for bedrooms this color is great for an exercise room. It will bring all the emotions out that you need when jumping into your fitness routine.In ancient cultures orange was used to heal the lungs and increase energy levels.

Neutrals (black, gray, white, and brown) are basic to the decorator’s tool kit. All-neutral schemes fall in and out of fashion, but their virtue lies in their flexibility: Add color to liven things up; subtract it to calm things down. Black is best used in small doses as an accent , indeed, some experts maintain that every room needs a touch of black to ground the color scheme and give it depth.

To make the job easier, you can rely on the interior designer’s most important color tool: the color wheel.

Begin Choosing Colors For Your Room

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When selecting color for a room, keep in mind that each color has a psychological value. Think about how those colors make you feel. The main color of your room can have an effect on your mood. These colors can make you feel anything from tranquil to rage. So when trying to create peace and harmony in your home choose your colors wisely. Some colors in large amounts will have just the opposite affect on you and your loved ones’ moods.

What mood do you want to create? Which colors will help you achieve that mood?

Find clear answers to these questions. If you find this task quite difficult try to look at magazines, decorating books, blogs and websites for ideas, or let your fabric be your guide. In fact, this is a good approach to take even if you’re starting from scratch. Fabric, carpeting, furniture and tile are available in a more limited range of colors than is paint, so choose them first and then decide on your paint color. Once you’ve found what you where searching for limit the number of colors in a room to no more than three or four. Too many colors can make a room look busy or cluttered.

Paint is a fairly inexpensive and transforms a room more quickly than anything else you can do so you can afford to experiment a little.

Color Affects Your Mood Not Just Your Room!

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While most of us may not spend a lot of time thinking about color, it affects every day of our lives. Color can influence our mood and our thoughts. Colors affect people in many ways, depending upon one’s age, gender, ethnic background or local climate. Certain colors or groups of colors tend to get a similar reaction from most people - the overall difference being in the shade or tones used. So it’s important to choose wisely.

To have a beautiful home, you do not have to worry about trends. Color trends will come and go. The people who live in a home make it beautiful by choosing colors that reflect their likes and their personalities. The trick is to blend those colors you like into a pleasing combination. Choosing color combinations is one of the most intimidating steps for beginners. Color has the power to change the shape and size of furnishings as well as the shape and size of the room itself.

Selecting colors is not difficult if you equip yourself with some basic information about color and its effects, so come back next week to explore color and how it affects your mood!

Fabric Types, Defined Part II - The Synthetic

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The Synthetics

RAYON Here’s a synthetic that can hang well, but it also can do some pretty bizarre things for a fabric. Check the fabric contents on window treatments to be sure the rayon content is low, or nonexistent. In the summer rayon absorbs humidity and rises up your window, or shrinks upward. It lets back down in lower humidity months. It’s like window treatments on a pogo stick.

Applications: Rayon is fine for window treatments in a very low-humidity area.

ACRYLIC Acrylic is colorfast and resists stains well. It also has sun-resistant qualities not found in the natural fabrics. But it is slightly harder to clean than wool and it can pill.

Applications: Acrylic is often blended with natural fabrics to add durability.

NYLON That nylon is tough stuff. It says "no," to stains and static electricity and wears well. Nylon is a continuous filament as opposed to a twist (hence nylon can’t breathe, while cotton has a high breathability factor as air passes through the twist).

Applications: The solidity of the filament makes nylon not particularly comfortable to sit on as it warms up from body heat quickly. But it is fabulous if you are jumping out of an airplane.

OLEFIN Another test-tube baby with high durability, but not so high on style.

Applications: Olefin is great for professional-football stadiums (it makes for swell AstroTurf), but it’s not so great in the home—unless you have a need for some indoor-outdoor carpeting.

POLYESTER This synthetic is what’s called a staple yard, consisting of strands bonded together. It’s fade-resistant but is harder to clean than nylon or wool. And it’s not as resilient as other fabrics. The term staple refers to a short length of fiber that is twisted (Go, Chubby Checkers!) to form a thicker strand.

Applications: Often used as part of an upholstery blend.

ACETATE Acetate is long wearing and is less affected by humidity than rayon. Softer than the other test-tube babies, acetate rarely pills and is tough to wrinkle.

Applications: Good in window treatments because of its draping wrinkle-resistant qualities.

Fabric Types, Defined Part I - A Natural Choice

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If you are in the process of decorating your home, anything from buying window treatments, reupholstering your sofa, or just trying to make your bed, you may be wondering about fabrics. Which type will hold up best for me? Which type is best for which application? Do I want a natural or synthetic fiber? What is the difference?

Hopefully these basic definitions and suggested applications will make your choices somewhat easier.

The Naturals

COTTON Cotton is extremely versatile and is the strongest of the natural fibers with the exception of wool (but who wants to sleep on wool sheets?). Cotton accepts dyes very well, so color options are great. And it allows for the flow of air through the goods; in industry jargon we would say that it’s a fabric that "breathes" well.

Applications: For upholstery, cotton’s breathability has distinct advantages. For a room in which people sit for long periods of time—a family room, for example—the breathability factor will enhance the comfort of the furniture. If you like that ever-so-fashionable wrinkled, easygoing "forever summer" look, you can’t go wrong with cotton slipcovers. To add durability to the breathability mix, look for a cotton-synthetic combination. Cotton is also a great choice for breathable seat cushions for occasional chairs or, with fabric protection, for dinette chair covers. Cafe curtains and less formal window treatments for spare bedrooms can be made from inexpensive chintz or brushed cotton (this type of cotton has a soft, smooth hand, like chamois), giving you great color at a low price.

LINEN Made from a vegetable fiber, linen has a fine luster and tastes great steamed with a little hollandaise sauce (just kidding). It possesses a healthy stain resistance, but wrinkles if you even look at it funny. Therefore, the "style" of linen is wrinkled. Often style follows the inherent nature of the material.

Applications: Linen is super as a table covering. It’s lighter hand and casual nature relates to spring and summer. Use it to add a little magic to summer table settings or as a casually elegant unstructured window treatment on a decorative rod.
Linen fabric is great for casually elegant unstructured window treatments like these.

SILK Worms make silk, with glorious results. But silk gets a bad rap because it is susceptible to sun damage (but, really, what isn’t?). If you avoid too much sun exposure (which can create what’s called sun rot), silk can be a wonderful investment. It comes in a wide variety of fabric weights, from light handed to heavy raw silk. The weave will often determine the wearability of silk, with some of the raw silks being much stronger and able to take more wear.

Applications: Lined, silk makes gorgeous window treatments and is very long wearing. It makes durable upholstery fabrics as well. Let’s remember that before synthetic fibers, silk and cotton were extensively used. Many of the finest Oriental rugs are made of silk and last for hundreds of years. Silk makes terrific throw pillows, limiting the amount of fabric needed and feeling cool and slick on the cheek when taking that too rare nap on the sofa.

WOOL The battleship of the naturals, wool is a fabric that provides long wear. Wool can be scratchy and warm, however, and some people may be allergic to it (your dog, too, might have an allergic reaction to wool carpeting or upholstery).

Applications: Wool makes fabulous hard-wearing wall-to-wall carpeting. Wool sheepskin, in its natural state, brushed and airy with long fibers, makes wonderful small floor coverings at the side of a bed or near a cozy fireplace. Wool upholstery will last to the next ice age.

*Definitions from Fabricology 101, by Mark McCauley for HGTV

Fabrics Can Make the Difference

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Quality fabrics help to put the finishing touches on a room and create the feel you desire. Mixing patterns, colors, and textures can be daunting to any do-it-yourself decorator. Here are a few tricks to consider:

When mixing patterns, like florals and stripes, keep the color scheme in mind. As long as you are repeating the same colors, the patterns should coordinate well.
Choose one patterned fabric and add solids and textures that pull out the colors from within.
Solids do not have to be boring. Look for solid fabrics that are rich in texture. They add interest without appearing too "busy".

When choosing fabric colors, take the time to stop and think about the effect you desire. Do you want the fabric to stand out? For instance, if you are dressing a window, would you like it to be a focal point in the room, drawing your attention each time you enter? If this is the case, use a fabric color that contrasts with the wall color. The picture to the right is an example of using contrasting colors to draw your eye toward the window.

Would you prefer those window treatments to fade into the background and not steal the show? Then choose a color that is similar to the wall color. This will create a soothing, blended effect that will allow other furnishings or artwork to star in the room. The picture to the left is an example of how to use fabrics whose colors blend, allowing the artwork to be what catches your eye, not the pillow.

Remember though, blending fabrics with the wall color does not have to be boring. Think texture!

Would you like to explore quality decorator fabrics? Visit greenhousedesign.net , my source for great home decorator fabrics! Find the link to the left.

Welcome!

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I'm very excited to announce the beginning of my blog! I am compiling a list of design based topics to discuss. If you have any suggestions or if there is anything your are interested in learning more about, please let me know! I will do my best. Come back soon!