My Etsy "Holiday" Gallery

Painting -- Christmas Toys -- from Fauve Studios

I am so stuck on Etsy -- the online bazaar of handmade goodies.

Right here, right now, I invite you to my Esty Gallery, hosted by me! It's some of my favorite holiday paintings found on Etsy.

Here is an idea: During the holiday season, I like to take down my paintings I usually have up all year long, and replace them with holiday paintings and family photos of Christmas past. It is a wonderful way to add "history" to a space.

Scroll down to see my Etsy Gallery:

From Leaky Faucet, Nativity

From Aceo, Waiting for Santa




From Luluvillage, Mother and Child

From the Vintage Sister, The Sleigh Ride

From Wakulla, Partridge in a Pear

From Leepeirce, Poinsettia

From Lunatiqueart, Father Winter

From Donna Hickerson Original Christmas Art, Christmas Cityscape

From Wjcatnip, Wonder in Red and Green

From Eggman Studios, Lonely Peppermint Tree

From Fauve Studio, Christmas Toys

From 12 Fifteen, Winter Wonderland

From BaabaaCreations, Christmas Birds

To view more, see www.Etsy.com and search for "Christmas Paintings" or "Modern Christmas Paintings" and be inspired.

Got Retail? ...Give it Detail!

I get excited about the stylish budget-wise finds at the Big Boxes. These finds can help us make our house a home; only thing is, if everyone is buying the same mass-produced stuff, will our homes look the same?

This reminds me of a Friends episode where Rachel hides her love of Pottery Barn from Phoebe, who dislikes anything mass-produced. Phoebe wants her furnishings to be one-of-a-kind and to have a history. The sameness of Pottery Barn just gets to her.



See, I have to admit, I am torn. Am I "Rachel" or am I "Phoebe"?

What got me thinking is a recent article in the New York Times about Etsy, the online community of over 70,000 artisans and counting. Everything sold on Etsy has a "history".

Sounding like Phoebe, the founder of Etsy, Robert Kalin said:

Buying something from the person who made it is “the opposite of what Wal-Mart is right now: just this massively impersonal experience. When you get an item from Etsy, there’s this whole history behind it. There’s a person behind it.”

I am stuck on Etsy. I love art fairs, but they don't come around often enough for me. Now I can go to one "virtually" everyday, thanks to Esty.

So am I "Rachel" or am I "Phoebe"?

I'm probably both.

My living room has a sofa and chairs from Basset furniture, rug and tables from Pottery Barn, an antique Chinese door, art painted by moi and furniture, lamps and artwork inherited from Grams.

The "history" is in the "details" -- the inherited items and the artwork that are juxtaposed with the "retail" furnishings.

So this is, in my opinion, how you solve the problem of looking like everyone else --make the "details" tell your story, your history.

It might not appease the "Phoebes" of the world, but it will keep your home from looking like a page out of the Pottery Barn catalog.

Etsy is a great place to start your hunt for the unique. It has become the first place I look for the "details" with personality-plus.

So, are you a "Rachel" or a "Phoebe"?

Not Grandma's Wallpaper, part 3

Well, I am still stuck on wallpaper.

Here is something from MIO, a company based in Philadephia that is dedicated to creating sustainable and innovative design.




What MIO provides for wallpaper is green, easy on the wallet, and easy to install. But best of all, it’s unique in its dimensional form.

This paper doesn’t come in a roll, instead it comes in 12 by 12 inch squares, called “paper forms”, that you can adhere with tape.

Simply peel and stick.

Paper forms can be painted, so you can customize your look.

Besides the obvious use as wall coverings in a contemporary space, I can see these being used as an inexpensive and unique substitute for a headboard.

I also see them on a ceiling; wouldn’t that be interesting – now, that’s not your Grandma’s ceiling tiles!

You can see the MIO paper forms in St. Louis at UMA.

Or if you live elsewhere, you can order online.

HGTV Dream Home

I just took a home tour and so can you! Take it right now at your computer.

Click and see the HGTV dream home tour.

Starting in January you can enter to win the Dream Home Giveaway !



I especially liked the bold use of color and the artwork in the kitchen.

There are so many details to note. Don’t miss the videos with helpful hints.

Not Grandma's Wallpaper, Part 2 - Found it at the Big Box

The party goes on, “virtually” forever.

If you missed it yesterday – you can join in now. This has been so fun and, I enjoyed your birthday wishes and my relaxing day off.

But now it’s back to work churning-out design ideas and spreading the good news of “design on a budget”.

My mind is still on wallpaper -– “designer” wallpaper, for less.


What do I mean by “designer” wallpaper? Well, it is the artsy-looking kind, the kind that looks unique, not the every-day kind.

The trend these days in most design is “bold” -- bold colors and bold patterns. So while your Grandmother’s wallpaper might have had small lacy flowers in subdued colors, the new look of today will tend to be large graphic flowers in often saturated or rich colors.

Following?

Here are some examples from Graham & Brown, which I found at one of our favorite places: Target.


A fresh take on baroque. This reads "sophisticated". I can see this in an elegant hallway or bedroom.

This reads "periwinkle" or at least it reminds me of Julie's favorite color.

This woodgrain pattern is an inexpensive way to add wood to the walls. This is not your Grandma's wood paneling!

Faux tile in the bathroom. You can fool your guests!

Pots and Pans in the kitchen. Too fun! I can see this being a great backdrop to show off colorful accessories and appliances in blue, lime and orange.

Wallpaper with too much information. This would be fun in an office or it would make good reading in the bathroom!

Wonderful for those feminine spaces.

This can work in about any space as a backdrop for bold color or soft subdued furnishings.

Very retro, very fun! Team this with your mid-century modern furnishings you find on eBay or Craigs List.

I am considering this one for the focal wall, behind the headboard, in my son's room. He already has the guitar.

Very fun for a focal wall. Great in a bathroom or for a child who is a swimmer or diver.

Find more examples online at Target.

Are you getting the “wallpapering bug” like I am?

Tell me, which of these Graham & Brown wallpapers is your favorite and why? Where can you see it in your home?

My Birthday Party – Found it at the Big Box

Happy Birthday to me, happy Birthday to me…!!!

Today is my birthday, so I am taking the day off.

But first, some items for my shopping list to get this party started.

I am trying to diet.

Target and Wal-Mart offers me the best zero-calorie celebratory cakes.


1) This hat is just about right, found it at Target. The pink glasses, well, I don’t know where you find those.


2) Big blow-up four foot cake found at Wal-Mart, zero-calories, but it is making me want the real thing!

3) Perhaps this candle, found at Target -- smells like the real thing --- will do the trick.


4) Nah, I think I will head to Sam’s club for their triple chocolate bundt cake. Just 6 oz., I can do that!


5) Now I need a serving plate. Found this one at Bed Bath & Beyond. It plays "Happy Birthday". This one takes me back, it is like the one my mother had.


6) Giant Fortune cookies, found at Gifts.com, gives me good luck AND satisfies my dark chocolate cravings. Definitely, order those!


7) Gifts… hmmmmm….maybe this year will be the year I get my skeeball machine (hint, hint, Dan!) Found this retractable one from Hammacher Schlemmer (say that 10 times fast – there, that takes care of the party game, did you win?) that might actually fit in my basement.



8) Balloons, got to have lots of balloons. I will find those just about anywhere.

Which reminds me, I should teach you how to make my “balloon trees”.

But not today….I am taking the day off!

Not Your Grandma's Wallpaper - introducing Ferm Living Shop, a favorite

I am getting excited about wallpaper again. For years I have been telling people to take it down, especially if they plan to resell their home.

While I don’t think we will ever get back to the homes that have every room covered in wallpaper, I do think we will do our bathrooms, hallways and focal walls.

Designer wallpaper has the most exciting choices. Mostly these are high-end priced, but I am finding resources that are more affordable, like Ferm Living Shop just launched in the United States last June. A roll -- 32.8 feet long and 21” wide -- costs $85.00.

This is not your Grandma’s wallpaper. This is art!


Just look at the yummy selection on the Ferm Living Shop website, including fantastic wall stickers too. And coming in February many of these designs will be found in their bedding selection too!

Christiana, a retired lawyer, saw an opportunity to indulge her passion in design by signing on to be the USA distributor for this new Danish firm. She is delightful and she is happy to take your order and answer questions.

Or you can see me, if you live in the St. Louis area, to view their selection of samples.


Don’t miss their ornaments, just in time for Christmas.

These damask inspired acrylics (pictured on the left) also feature kissing squirrels! What a fun play on the damask design. I plan to get several for my tree this year.

Kelee Katillac – a favorite

Are you struggling to find your style? Often we look in magazines or our neighbors’ homes for inspiration. Sometimes the inspiration we seek is not on the outside at all, but on the inside -- in the heart.

Kelee Katillac -- author of House of Belief -- believes that developing our personal style should be driven by our beliefs -- what we know about ourselves and what we want to become.


She says that a home is more than a place to store things; it should be a place where we receive affirmations of our values, goals and dreams.

Kelee works on the premise that creativity is a force that has the power to heal,especially when that creativity can communicate affirming messages. This is evident in her work with children to incorporate positive messages in the designs of their bedrooms.


I am reminded of Aniyah (in photo on the right), the young girl Emily and I helped to decorate her room working with Habitat for Humanity.

From the beginning to the end, Aniyah directed the project with Emily’s help. Aniyah wanted a cheerful room full of flowers. We called it the “flower power” room!
Pictured above is the entry to Aniyah's flower power room. Photo courtesy of Katherine Bish.

Our Habitat for Humanity project was not like the Extreme Makeover shows where you send the family away during the project and surprise them at the end. What surprise is that, to see someone else’s idea of who you are? No thanks.


Like Kelee, I believe homes should be a reflection of you and your family and what a better way to reflect YOU than by incorporating YOUR beliefs.

Can what our homes say about us actually heal us?

How does your home reflect you and your dreams?

Kudos to Kelee for helping us to reach deep inside to find our style!

Edible Edifices

This weekend be inspired by Gingerbread Houses on display by area chefs at Frontenac Plaza (in Missouri). Katherine Bish, my friend, is one of the judges in this contest to benefit Lydia House.

For more inspiration, google “Gingerbread House”. The one at the left was found at Hearthsong.




I especially enjoyed the modern Gingerbread House offered by Red Envelope. (on right)

Other non-traditional versions can be found at Tree Hugger.

An inexpensive and easy way to create your Gingerbread creation is to substitute Graham Crackers for Gingerbread. We have done this many years as a family.

Please share photos of your family’s Gingerbread House creation!

Party Angels

I am recovering from a big weekend helping decorate and host the fourth annual St. Louis’ Crèches and Carols. Displayed in themed rooms were over 500 nativities from around the world.

Each year the exhibit has a theme. This year “Angels” were the theme. So each room, in addition to nativities, also featured angels.

In the modern-themed room angels were made, of all things, party hats. The women designing the room said they got the idea from Macy’s department store.




What an inexpensive and fun way to create angels! It’s easy: just take a decorative party hat, add a Christmas ball to the top, fashion wings from netting, form pipe cleaners for the halo, hot glue all the parts in place and voila! You have an angel.

You can create a whole host of these party-hat angels and hang in a corner with ribbons or place them as center pieces for your holiday table. They would be especially fun on a children’s table. Or how about using one as an inexpensive tree-topper?