Jewelry Storage Taken to a New Level

Last year I needed to get my jewelry, specifically my necklaces sorted and stored in an organized way.  At the time I wanted to use ribbon to do a simple update on a standard cork board which I would hang my necklaces on.  This is what the board looked like with a little ribbon added around the edge.  Simple, effective and not very attractive but given that the board hangs behind the bedroom door and no one sees it I was fine with it.

Over the course of the year my necklace collection grew and I ran out for room on the board.  After giving a little thought to what I could do, I came up with an idea to create a Jewelry Closet for my necklaces.    Here is it.

This simple project doubled the storage space for my jewelry and allowed me to add some additional style to my bedroom décor.

Here’s what it took…

 Two framed cork boards purchased from Wal-Mart

Paint–I used acrylic paint from Michael’s 

Two Schlage Brass Plated hinges from Home Depot

A piece of fabric (measured to fit the face of the board)–I got this from Hancock Fabrics

1 decorative knob

Suede cording for the closure loop (from my stash)

And here’s How I Did it…

First I painted all edges of both boards in red to match the new color change I made in my bedroom for spring.

Next my sweet hubby attached the piano hinges on one side of each board to connect them.  The cork surface of each board in facing in.

We then added a decorative red and white striped knob which I purchased from Hobby Lobby last year on clearance for $.50 cents.  (p.s.  they have tons of knobs that they just marked down to 66% off–check their sale section).

Finally I added the decorative fabric to the front of the outside board, tacking it in place with gold thumb tacks.

  What I also like about my new Jewelry Closet is the added bonus of using the front to pin inspirational style images.  What fun!

Hey, did you notice that I have some empty space in my closet to add some more jewelry?  Whoopee!

Have a great weekend!

Getting my DIY On

Remember when I told you last Friday that I’d be sharing my first DIY projects of the year with you AND do you recall that saying that ‘things always take longer than expected’?  Well, my projects fell victim to the time it takes for paint to dry in a super cold garage.  But alas, the paint is dry and it’s time to share my first project with you.

Last year (in early spring) I purchased this metal cart for $8.00 at a one of my favorite flea markets.

My plans were to paint it and turn it into a chic little bar cart.  Things started out great and I got the cart primed and ready for painting in late May and then life, work and daily obligations got in the way.  The bar cart sat for months (7 to be exact) until just a few days ago when I decided it was time!

So here is my finished bar cart, all dressed up and ready to party!

I decided to paint the cart gold using two different gold finished.  The base is Krylon Metallic Gold Spray Paint,

and to add a little style to the top of the cart I added a striped pattern using  Rustoleum Brilliant Gold Metallic spray paint in a shiner gold finish.

 ScotchBlue Painters Tape with Edge Lock allowed me to achieve crisp clean edges for my stripes and made the job easy!  I love the how my bar cart turned out!

I still want to add glass handles on each side of the cart to make it easier to move around but haven’t found the right ones yet.  Until I do, I’m going to celebrate my first DIY Project of 2013 with a cocktail!  Who wants to join me?

I’ll be back tomorrow with the second project I completed.  I think you’re going to love it!

How to Achieve a Stylish Wardrobe in the Dead of Winter!

Despite that we are having 60 and 70 degree weather here in Atlanta, IT IS WINTER.  I know many of my friends in Washington State are battling cold temps, snow and the gloomy grey skies.  If your winter weather is a little on the dreary side and you want to inject a little style and cheer into your wardrobe, here are a few fashion tips to follow:

• Forgo the bulky winter coat and opt for a faux fur vest instead.  I’m loving the fact that fur vest are on trend at the moment and I can’t think of a better way to sport winter outerwear than this.  Add layers underneath to make sure you keep warm but let the vest be the star.

• Instead of always wearing pants, change it up a bit with a stylish winter skirt.  Plaid is always a great option and long and full is the style choice for a chic winter wardrobe.

• So many people tend to gravitate to an all black wardrobe when the winter skies turn dark.  Toss out the black and give the ‘winter white’ look a try.  Dressing head to toe in one color family is not only flattering but the pinnacle of chic!

• Want to really make a winter style statement, try dressing in eclectic layers.  It takes confidence with fashion to pull this look off, but the result is fabulous.  Plaids and stripes are always a winning combination and as long as one or two similar colors can be found in each pattern they will work together.

• Wear a Hat not only because it’s warm but also because it adds another layer of ‘cute’ to your style!

So, what’s are you doing to shake up your winter wardrobe?  

All images via Pinterest

How to Decorate your Home with Confidence

In my years of owning a home décor store, designing and writing this blog, I can honestly say that one of the major pitfalls the average person has when it comes to decorating their homes is a lack of confidence.  As a designer, I not only have studied my craft but was fortunate enough to be blessed with a good sense of style and design which have been invaluable in my work.  Even with all that going for me, I still follow a set of simple rules when it comes to designing for clients and myself.  These are the rules you need to know to Decorate Your Home with Confidence!

You Need a Vision:  You need to decide how you want the space to feel, look and function AND determine what you like and don’t like in design! 

Easier said than done but this step is critical in creating a design for your home that will not only feel good but look good as well.  This may require you to live in your home for a while and let it speak to you.  What style do you want to create for your home and what colors feel right in your home? What elements do you want to play up  and/or take the focus off of?  Knowing how you want a space to look and feel is all part of the design plan and design vision.

You Need a Plan:  How is the space being used or to be used? What items that you already own stay or go? What pieces of furniture do you want/need in the space?

Creating a plan not only in your head but on paper will help you embrace and execute your design plan in every detail.  Draw the space as you envision it, tape off the floor where furniture pieces will go and move things around until the flow and layout feel right.  You can read more of my tips on Space Planning here.

You Need a Starting Point:  Now is not the time to go out and buy any and everything you like.   You need to start with the pieces that will make the most impact in a room.

The best starting point for your design is the selection of the rug, larger art pieces and the sofa. Think of these as the foundation to your design.

 Choose your area rug, large artwork and main furniture piece first…

then select the paint colors that will work with them.  Rarely does it work to select a paint color first and then search for pieces to work with the color.

You Need to Evaluate: Once all the major pieces are in place and the walls are painted, take a step back and evaluate what you’ve done so far. 

Change anything you don’t like,  make adjustments to the floor plan and decide what other elements are needed to allow the space to meet your expectations.  Simply put, if you don’t like something, change it.

You Need to Personalize:  This is where the fun and magic happen.  Personalizing your design plan is what will make it come to life and feel complete.

 Add photos, textiles, books and accessories.  Surround yourself with the things you love and the things that will allow you to relax and enjoy your home.

AND finally, You Need to Enjoy Your Home! 

Make it  a priority this year to spend time with friends and family in your home.  Enjoy the comforts it provides and let is nourish your soul!

Developing a confident attitude when it comes to decorating your home is as simple as envisioning, planning, executing and putting your personal stamp on the look and feel!

If you need help creating a home you love, CONTACT ME to schedule your personal design consultation.  If you live outside the Atlanta area my DOOR-TO-DOOR E-Design service is for you!

For more design inspiration, be sure to Like ConfettiStyle on Facebook, follow on Pinterest and show us some tweet love on Twitter!

Black is the New Black

Hello and  Good Morning!

Have your heard the news….Black is making a comeback!  After down trending for a few years and giving way to the color grey, predictions are that Black is Coming Back!

What does that mean for all of you fashion, entertaining, design and gift giving enthusiast?  Lots of fabulous looks to inspire.  Check it out!

 

 

Stunning!

 

I for one have never strayed from black but I sure am glad to know that it is officially making the list as one of the top colors for 2013!

Painted Walls Made Easy

I hope you are having a good weekend.!

I just had to take a break from organizing and wanted to share a truly FABULOUS product I came across recently.  I am so smitten with this product and had to have one of my own.

This patterned paint roller allows you to add pattern to any wall in your home when wallpaper or stenciling is not an option or not something you want to do!  And if painting your walls in a cool pattern isn’t enough fun,  the roller can also be used on fabric and paper, allowing you to create your own custom gift wrap and textiles! Just the thought of all the possibilities has my head swimming.

The rollers are available from The Painted House via Etsy and are very well priced in my opinion!

Here are some of the other pattern choices…

 

 

 

Woo hoo!  I see a lot of painting in my future!

My Focus for 2013

 Happy Friday!

While I’ve been busy since getting back in town from Christmas travels, I’ve also found it hard to get back into the swing of things.  Why??  Because my mind is a bit unsettled and unfocused trying to sort through ALL that I want to accomplish in the new year.  Typically I can pinpoint one, two or three things I want to do during the months ahead but as I’ve been thinking about 2013, I’ve had a hard time narrowing down my list.  Coming off a great year in 2012, I feel that 2013 is going bring lots of wonderful things my way…Good Changes, New Opportunities, Personal Growth, Personal and Professional Successes, More Wisdom, New Friendships, Greater Happiness and More Joy!

Because I see so much goodness in 2013, I’ve decided not to just focus on one or two “goals” this year but rather to have a GOAL for every month of the year.  I feel like having one thing to really focus on each month will allow me to work harder, accomplish more and reach all my goals. So here is what I’ll be focusing on for 2013…what I’m calling My Monthly Mandates!

  JANUARY–ORGANIZE & ReFRESH

The month of January will be all about getting my house and my businesses in order, ready to tackle a new year.  That means de-cluttering, purging of the unnecessary, sorting, filing, updating my inspiration board, reviewing and refreshing all my social media outlets, organizing my desk and working on a few home projects.  When I’m organized I’m a happy person!

FEBRUARY–INVEST IN ME

During the month of February I’m planning on REALLY focusing on myself.  Annual doctors appointments will be scheduled, I’ll define my exercise plan for the year in detail, I’ll read more books, I’ll plan my vacations for the year and I’ll do things I really love to do.

MARCH–LEARN

I love to learn new things and try new things.  March will be my month for learning!  I got a new DSLR camera for Christmas so one of the things I plan to do is to learn how to use it and learn about photography.  I’ve also wanted to learn how to do illustration drawing s and really work with Photoshop so March will be my month to explore and learn that art.

APRIL–CREATE and GROW

A good thing and a bad thing about being a creative spirit is that my mind never stops thinking!  I have a list of items I want to create for my Etsy shop, a list of DIY projects I want to try, a list of ideas I want to explore and new opportunities I want to put in place to grow my businesses.  April, my birthday month will be all about creating for my spirit, for my business and for my happiness!

MAY–WRITE

I’ve had a book idea in my head for a couple of years and 2013 is the year I am going to flush it out.  I plan to spend the month of May writing to get it all on paper, and from there I know I can create of my dream of becoming an author!

JUNE–APPRECIATE

Nothing more to say than this…

JULY–CONNECT

One of my goals for the new year is to connect with new people whether through my blog, through business functions or just reconnecting with people from my past.  I’ll make the effort everyday to do this but July will be my month to really focus on it.

AUGUST–EXPLORE

I’ve always been somewhat of an explorer and a risk taker.  I love to try new things and find new adventures.  I plan to do just that in August!

SEPTEMBER–SHARE

I have lots of plans for my blog in 2013 but one of them is to share with you some of the sources of my inspiration.  While I’ll be doing that throughout the year, I have a few plans in the works to share more goodness with you in September!

 

OCTOBER–ENJOY

Typically October is a busy month, working on holiday projects, getting ready for Christmas and such.  This year I plan to slow it down a bit and remember to

NOVEMBER–DREAM

I am always keeping track of the dreams and hopes I have for my life and my business.  November is the perfect time to take stock of what I’ve done, what more I want to do and continue to Dream!

DECEMBER–CELEBRATE

And when the end of the year comes around, I hope to be doing lots of this!

I’m excited about the possibilities that 2013 hold for me and I can’t wait to share it all with you. I’ve already booked two new design clients this year so 2013 is starting out great.

I’ll be back this weekend to share with you my first creative projects of the year!

Have a great weekend and I hope the New Year is staring off with a bang for you!

Need more inspiration for the new year?  You’ll find in our my Words to Inspire board on Pinterest!