Interior Design: 7 Creative Work Spaces

I'm a lucky girl. I have the most wonderful and patient boyfriend who let me turn our spare bedroom into a craft room, while he suffers out in the dinning room with a table and a bookshelf. What can I say? I have more crafty crap and most of his hobbies involve the garage, so it seemed fair. But I've been feeling guilty lately because I'm not great at organizing, making it really difficult to actually craft in my craft room. Essentially, it's a giant, somewhat orderly storage closet. I have a tendency to grab what I need and just craft in the living room anyway. I know. I'm a jerk. So, I think it's time to start getting myself organized in a way that makes it easy to use the craft room. For that inspiration, I go to Pinterest (naturally).

Sweet Dreams: 14 Beautiful Bedroom Design Ideas

Well, well, well, it's me again. I feel like this last hiatus I took was longer than most, but with Internet issues compounded by preparing for a trip to Paris, life has just been a little bit of a whirlwind. However, I'm trying to get back on the blogging horse for real this time, with plans for recipes and DIY tutorials in the very near future. In the meantime, to celebrate (or mourn, depending on how you look at it) by return home from a beautiful 2 week stay in the city of Paris, here's a collection of cozy, comfortable, and chic bedrooms!

Robin Williams: A Tribute

In full disclosure, I am not the type of person who gets overly invested in celebrities or even follows their careers. Normally, the death of a celebrity is part of my newsfeed and not much more. However, when I learned about the passing of Robin Williams, I can honestly tell you that I wanted to cry, right there on the train. Something about the passing of this man who, by all accounts, seemed so gentle and loving really bothered me.

Interior Design: Eclectic Design and Kitschy Details

There's a delicate balance between cluttered crap and eclectic design and I am definitely good at always crossing over to the crap side of it. When trying to decorate with kitschy or eclectic details, I always end up in the "more is more" camp, which can look cluttered and junky when not done right. And my spaces always look cluttered and junky. This space, on the other hand, has it totally figured out. The overall design is minimal, but the house as a whole incorporates all the fun details you'd want in a home. How do they do it?

Interior Design: Gallery Walls

I'm moving into a new place June 1st and I couldn't be more excited to have the ability to plan and decorate this time around. When I moved into this apartment, my first apartment, everything was kind of rushed and I didn't take time to really plan out the space. It's come together in the three years that I've lived here, but now not only will I have time, I'll also have space! I'll get to have space and lots of white walls to decorate. So I've been imagining a gallery wall above my TV for a long time and just haven't gotten excited about anything. Now that I'll have the space to fill, my love of gallery walls has been renewed!

Bright and Cheerful Interior Style in a Small Space

What happens when a graphic designer and an animator combine? Adorableness, that's what. And a home full of fun, kitsch, and color. Matt and Mel's little home in Fairfax, Virginia is exactly where you would imagine an adorable hipster couple living. Don't you think?

Photo Friday: Self Examination

You guys, 2013 is almost over. How did that happen? It's so weird how time just seems to go by faster and faster as you get older. No one really warns you about that when you're growing up. Soon I'll blink and a year will pass me by. Actually, I think that just happened.

With the year ending, I though this was a perfect time to share this photography series by a very talented young photographer and his collection of self-portraits. To combat his social anxieties, Kyle Thompson started experimenting with photography and used the only subject he had around - himself. The result is something fantastic that shows his tremendous talent.

What to Wear: Spring Inspiration

I'm so ready for spring and yet I'm so stuck in winter! It's not quite warm enough to get rid of the jackets or leg coverings just yet, but it is warm enough to ditch the heavy sweaters and thick boots. So what's a girl to do? Since I was feeling so utterly outfit un-inspired, I thought I would use the internet time to find and share inspiration! That is what the internet is for right?

I actually don't love any of the spring trends this year. I do love that the fashion designers had tried to steer away from the average flowers, nautical, and pastels. However, you still can find plenty of those on the runways. There are a few things circling that I wouldn't mind adding to my closet:

Black and White

Inspiration Thursday: Christmas Tidings

Christmas is almost here! And I swear this year, it might very well kill me. Someone teach me how to say no to people? It probably doesn't help that I somehow miscalculated and thought I had an extra week. Ooops. No wonder I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for a week.

To combat Grinch-ism, I'm trying to remember all the warm and fuzzy feelings that usually come with Christmas. Do you remember those? From when you used to believe in Santa? Well, hopefully these pretty picture will help us both enjoy those Christmas tidings a little more, with a little less Grinchiness. :)

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Thursday Tutorial: 7 Quick DIY Christmas Ornaments

So call my mom sentimental if you want, but I'm her only child so you'll have to understand why at 24 I'm still looking for handmade ornament ideas to make for her.  Mostly, we're probably still just humoring each other, but damn it I think she love the Christmas ornament I make for her every year!

Of course, at 24 covering a wine cork in glitter and beads doesn't quite seem to cut it anymore. So I went on a Christmas ornament hunt on the Internet and found some really awesome ideas. I think I know which one I'm going to make as a gift, but I found so many fun ideas for handmade ornaments that I thought I'd share then with you guys in case I'm not the only one out there still making kindergarten-esque gifts.

Tuesday Inspiration: Brocade for the Holidays

Now that we've finished stuffing ourselves after Thanksgiving, it's time to start hunting for that perfect holiday dress. I'm not ready to commit to anything yet, and I have a relatively small budget to work in, but there's nothing wrong with a little window shopping is there?

In perusing the internet for ideas, I found that one of fall's RTW 2012 trends would make the perfect holiday outfit: brocade!

Photo Friday: Cowgirl Fashion

I am super drawn in to any kind of cowgirl or western style. I think it's because I've never really been out west so it all seems so mysterious to me. Is this really what ranch hands look like? Probably not, but damn Elle France made living life on the farm look appealing.

Tuesday Trendspotting: Birch Woody Design

Birch, birch, birch, birch, BIRCH! I love it. I think it's such a cool looking tree. The wood patterns are just so different from other trees that they really do lend well to new designs in fashion and interiors. I've seen an amazing birch print wallpaper for a while now, but lately it seems like I've been seeing the white and black pattern everywhere. I'm thinking that I might need this iPhone case or these pretty vases for my apartment.

Monday Design: White and Brown Interiors

Ah white wall inspiration. Ever since I decided that I'm going to repaint my technicolor apartment and just make the walls white again, I've been scouring the internet for white wall interiors. I do love color, but I guess there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Can you believe it? Well I have to repaint my apartment if I'm ever going to move out anyway, so I figured I might as well do it while I have the chance. But I've become obsessed with the idea of having white walls with wood trim, just like most old Chicago apartments do. Alas, inspiration for white interiors with brown details!

via

Inspiration Tuesday: Jewel Tones

Jewel tones are my favorite year round, but fall is when they really start hitting the stores and I couldn't be more excited to go shopping this season. I'm pretty pale and usually dark haired so those rich greens, purples, and blues suit me very well. At least I like to think so. Anyway, my closet is full of it and it never feel more appropriate than in that time in late fall, just before the Christmas season starts rolling in (you know, somewhere around early October now). So I pulled together three outfits using some of my favorite shades for some outfit inspiration. The first one is a little edgy and punk rock for a night out at the bar. The second one is a complete work ensemble if I worked somewhere that prohibited the wearing of jeans. And finally a date night outfit! Er, that is, if I had any dates to go on. Whomp, whomp. At least I'm prepared! Now if only Polyvore magically transported all the items you pulled into a collection into your closet, that would be perfect.

Monday Design: 8 Living Rooms Designs

So I bought a new lamp over the weekend to replace a hobbled one that was way past its prime and it got me thinking about rearranging my living room. Which of course got me thinking about redesigning my living room entirely. And when inspiration hits, what do we do? We hit Pinterest! As well as my secret stash of other design sites. And then spend hours on the internet dreaming of living rooms that I will never have and getting nothing done in the way of reorganizing. Gotta love technology right?

On the plus side, I did pull together some fun living room design inspiration to mull over.

Bright and Colorful Living Room

Tuesday Trendspotting: Midriff Madness!

Baby, it's hot outside. And humid and muggy outside. What better way to stay stylish and cool then to wear an adorable skirt and a cute midriff top? Now I talked about how I feel about showing off my midriff in one of the past outfit posts, but you have to admit it is a cute look. If only I was more comfortable wearing them more often. I own a couple midriff tops that have been sitting in my dresser for a few years actually. I've just never had to guts to put them on and flaunt around town with my beer belly hanging out. But hey, if you got it, flaunt it!

Long story short, just because I don't think that I can rock the midriff top look personally does not mean  that I don't think it's a cute trend for other people. So I picked out some of my favorites that I've found around the internet, all of which I would totally buy to let collect dust in my dresser.

on Etsy

Sunday Moment of Zen: Burberry Fall/Winter 2012

I know I'm jumping the gun again in talking about fall and winter already, but you know as well as I that the store are starting to stack up on sweaters, blazers, and all things pre-fall already. So there's no use ignoring it, it's time to get excited! The question is, which collection to be most excited about seeing ripped off in store like H&M and Forever21? For me it's the Autumn/Winter Burberry collection. And it has been since it debuted in early spring of this year, so you know I'm in love. I just adore the full bodied shape of the coats and that this fall collection is bringing back the belted coat. The collection of belts is adorable as well - big statement bows and animal heads. My goal for the winter is to find a similar elastic belt with a big wolf head buckle like in the picture below. How awesome would that be (inner squeeeeeeeee)?

via Style.com

Photo Friday: Surf and Sun

Can you believe it's the middle of July and I STILL have not been to the beach. Not even once? I actually live about 5 blocks from the beach too and still nothing. I am a horrible example of a Chicagoan in the summer. Well I have some vacation time coming at the end of the month and I plan on rectifying this situation. I bought a new swim suit and haven't even used it. I'm pissed, and after all that talk about retro swimwear too. So I'm forcing myself to pull out all my cutest beach outfits and get my butt in the sand.

In the meantime, let's gather some sandy summer beach outfit inspiration together shall we? I always tend to lean towards the surfer style California girl beach look, which is why I loved this fashion editorial from this month's Vogue Paris featuring Magdalena Frackowiak. Her tousled hair and big sweaters thrown over tiny shorts and tinier bikinis is how I always imagined I would dress if I lived at the beach. Seems appropriate enough to me.

“Baignade Interdite” : Magdalena Frackowiak : Vogue Paris June/July 2012 : Knoepfel & Indlekoefer

Thursday Tutorials: Easy Summer DIYs

A little disclosure, I work for a little crafting site. I manage the social media for it as well as it's 13 other sister sites. Well working for a crafting site has its ups and its downs. The ups? I sometimes get some craft supplies for review and I've met lots of very cool wonderful people. The downs? I sometimes get some very cool craft supplies for review. Why is this a down you ask? I'll tell you why. It's because between work, the Etsy store (and the other smaller Etsy store), and this blog my time is very limited. And I realized at a meeting yesterday when we were asked what crafts we do at home that I'm less of a crafter and more of a craft supply hoarder. What do I make? Not a whole lot. What can I make? Everything!

So I've made a new mid-year resolution! Clean up my crafty crap! Now I've written some tutorials for this blog before, but I could write them way more often. Now, I'm actually going to try to (key word there is try, remember that).

Luckily, working in the craft industry I've come across a lot of cool tutorials and such. I've rounded some up for you (and me) today to get inspired and motivated! And most of all, to clear some space in my tiny, tiny apartment that is currently being overrun by fabric and yarn.

Easy Summer Tutorials

I've mentioned this before but some of you may not be familiar with my good friends over at CraftFoxes. I've written a couple articles for them and they did a little interview with me a while back, but besides being fun and awesome people, the site has a wonderful collection of tutorials.