Winter Is For The Birds...

Since I have been cleaning up my yard in preparation for the cold winter months, I have birds on the mind!  I am currently cleaning and preparing my feeders for the long winter....so PLEASE do not forget the birds.

www.uncommongoods.com

Food sources can be scarce in the winter months and birds need foods that are high in calories and fat.  Suet, oil sunflower and peanuts are really good options for birds.  It is also essential to have a variety of types of feeders that are out of direct wind and are placed near a row of trees or a place for birds to perch.

And just as important is a water source!  Make sure that your bird bath can be kept in use year-round and use a bird bath heater to provide a constant source of water for the birds.

And best of all....is the show!  In those dreary winter months it is a gift to look outside and see a beautiful red cardinal!  So go ahead and get started...the birds are waiting.

Temporary Wallpaper Plus Good Design!

We all like choices.  And when it comes to personalizing our spaces, the more choices the better!  Even more,  the prospect of many choices at a wide variety of price points PLUS ability to do-it-yourself is heaven....For me,  this algebraic equation equals PAINT.  Paint has always been the number one transformative tool for me whether I was renting a room or redecorating an entire home.

Over the years I have fallen in and out of love with wallpaper multiple times, but always consistent has been the lack of the "do-it-yourself" element.  There have definitely been times that I have wanted to try wallpaper in a hallway or powder room and have passed on it for paint because I wanted to just get on with the project!

I recently discovered temporary wallpaper and I am excited to show some of the beautiful patterns that are available for this product!  The first company is Tempaper Designs and their product appears to be the easiest to apply.  It literally sticks to the wall like contact paper, but looks like traditional wallpaper!

As you can see, you don't have to sacrifice good design to get convenience.  When I look at their papers, I immediately want to give them a try somewhere in my home.  The website is www.tempaperdesigns.com.
Have you tried any of these papers in your home?  Please let us know!



I also wanted to share another resource that I have discovered for traditional pasted wallpaper, but also a wallpaper called "paste the wall."  So there is no hassle of pasting the paper and folding it to set it etc.  It is supposed to be very simple and easier to take down.  This is also very appealing to me!  The site is www.grahamandbrown.com.  There are hundreds of beautiful choices for Paste The Wall, so it is worth a look!

It seems as though we now have more choices in the wallpaper arena!  This is always a good thing. If you have tried temporary paper or paste the wall papers, please share your experiences with us!

Etsy Treasury Feature...Inspired By Stripes!

Today's post is an Etsy Treasury Feature!  I have to admit that I have a love of almost all things plaid or striped!  Whether the patterns evoke a mod feel or are a nod to retro, I enjoy them all.  I felt inspired by a beautiful combination of colored stripes that I recently saw on a wool scarf and voila...

Fall Foliage From The Blue Ridge Mountains This Year...There's No Place Like Home!

Fall is my favorite season.  Each year when the very first sign of chilly weather arrives, I rejoice.  Take a look at some of my photos from this year.  It is just a little place I like to call home...

I hope you enjoyed your leaf season as much as I enjoyed mine.  These photos were a taken in the same general area in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains!

Featured Artist From The Country Living Fair 2011, Kathleen Taylor!

Today I would like to introduce you to Kathleen Taylor!  You may already know her work, but if not, Kathleen is an amazing artist and a lovely person and I felt so blessed to be able to speak with her at The Country Living Fair this year!

I had admired her work before on the website, www.matildascottage.com and I was so excited to "round the corner" and see her booth for the first time. Upon introducing myself,  It became apparent what a warm and open person she is as well as what a great sense of humor she possesses!  It is clear when you view her paintings that she has a fun and irreverent approach to life.  Even better, she happens to be successful at sharing that perspective in some pretty amazing works of art.   She has many subjects in her paintings including animals, flowers, funny ladies and more!  As you can see in her pieces below, her use of color is masterful and heavenly.  I hope you enjoy viewing her artwork as much as I do!

The Country Living Fair-Atlanta 2011

Please take a moment to visit her facebook page, simply search Kathleen Taylor on facebook, she has a page! You can also find some current paintings at :

• www.matildascottage.com
• www.greenleafgallery.com

Kathleen mentioned that she is working on a new site where she will be selling her artwork as well, so as soon as I find out that has been completed, I will do an update on the post and feature her site in the artist column in the right sidebar!

Thank you Kathleen for sharing your talent! I enjoyed meeting you and I look forward to seeing your new website! best wishes and keep painting!

The Country Living Fair 2011- The Art Of Display

Hello Y'all!  I mentioned on my last post that there were some "Top Displays" at the Country Living Fair and I want to share 2 booths who had, in my humble opinion, the best overall displays and "shop concept."

Of course, the Fair was filled with creative vignettes as I have shown throughout the Country Living series, but this first booth impressed me with displays that were VERY well executed and it was clear as I approached , what this booth was selling and the themes that were central to their groupings of merchandise!

The First booth was KD Vintage!  Thank you for your beautiful visual inspirations!

KD Vintage is a manufacturer of beautiful seasonal items that bring back the vintage vibe for many seasons! One of the treats of being at the Fair meant that we could purchase their items directly!  They only sell their wares wholesale, generally and online, so if you are interested in these items, you can find a retailer online.  I would take a look at www.christmastraditions.com, otherwise known as Traditions.  This is a site that you should visit anyway, for they have some of the best lines of vintage and folk art holiday items online!


And the other booth that made an impression to the "visual merchandising" geek in me, was named
SassyTrash!  They had a great sign, the appropriate size booth for their available merchandise and a pretty cohesive concept.  Their booth was a lot of fun to look at!

These are images of either side of the entrance to their booth. Thanks for some great eye candy SassyTrash!
Visit their website for some more Country Living Fair photos and some extra photos from their booth!
www.sassytrash.blogspot.com.

Tomorrow, I will feature one of my favorite artists from The Country Living Fair this year, so be prepared for some major inspiration!

The Country Living Fair 2011-Vintage Fabrics and Natural Materials

Today's Post continues the series from The Country Living Fair 2011!  Some of the most interesting and beautiful items at the Fair this year were those made from vintage fabrics and  natural materials.  As you will see in this first image, there is nothing more luxurious than layers of tone on tone vintage fabrics and pillows.

This vignette has great impact, and notice the large container filled with bleached peacock feathers... one of my favorite elements for floral designs and one I used recently in an arrangement for a client!  There is nothing complicated about this beautiful combination, and in fact, its success lies within its simplicity.  If you are wanting to make your bedding more interesting and layered, but feel overwhelmed, then start with a solid coverlet in a "favorite" color and begin searching for throws, pillows, crocheted blankets etc. in different tones and textures of the same color.   You will be shocked at the beauty of all of the elements combined.


Some other interesting and fun creations from fabrics are shown below. These display the fun and whimsy that was also present in many spaces at the Fair.  Also, notice the great distressed, painted wood christmas trees in the background, these were very well done and different from anything I have seen before.

Notice the houndstooth black and white wreath!

There were some items that stood out to me that were made of burlap, wicker, and grapevine!  Take a look at them below...

These baskets would look great hung on a small section of wall that could normally be forgotten, such as a small wall in a laundry room or in between two doors in a hallway.  Imagine the wall covered in vintage, muted newsprint wallpaper and then the wall covered in all sizes of these baskets from top to bottom!

These burlap poinsettias were one of my favorite discoveries at the Fair.  I plan on ordering these for some creations, because there are so many different ways to use these.

And I loved this sweet display!  Who would have thought....a vintage baby carriage with some burlap and mums and voila!  Imagine this by your back door!  Very simple, natural materials can make quite a statement.

Well, I hope that you feel like you visited the Country Living Fair as well this year!  I have some more to share, including 2 of the "Best Displays" at the Fair,(in my opinion) and 2 artist features whose work will blow you away!  Stay tuned for these stories in the next few days!  Have a great weekend and ....create something!

A New Business Website and A New Comment System!

I want to give you guys a quick update.  I am currently working on a business website at www.lbdcarolinas.com where all of my services, rates and specific business related information will be available.  It is already published and you can click on the new tab at the top of this blog to directly link to the site.  It is under construction, but you can get a good idea of how it will be presented!  There will always be a link between the two so you can go back and forth seamlessly.

This will also give me the opportunity to expand the blog and develop some of the ideas that I have wanted to feature, such as sections devoted to artists and some other surprises!

I have also changed the comment system on the blog in response to many readers who have asked for an easier way to get into the conversation.  Simply click on the "comment/reaction" words in the gray box after the post and you will see a simple comment box pop up, asking only for name, email and comment, no tricks!  I hope this helps to build the conversation, because I know you guys have a lot to share!  And thank you to those who have commented so far, it makes things much more interesting!

It may take a week or so to work out the kinks, so please be patient!  Thank you so much!

The Country Living Fair 2011...So Many Booths, So Little Time!

As you can see from the photo above, there were many vintage items at the Country Living Fair that could be used for display purposes and for floral arrangements or even unique collections!  Any of the small barrels featured here would be great if filled with fresh flowers and branches, or even preserved flowers, pinecones or fruits for festive table displays!  The large blue wood leaning tray would be interesting if hung on a wall and small collectibles were placed on the partitions, using them as small shelves...soo much more fun than a traditional small cabinet or shelf system.  I really like to use the vintage tool boxes like the black and wood ones as containers for floral arrangements that include hydrangeas, peonies, ranunculus and apples or other fruits.
Obviously, when you visit flea markets and antique shows or craft shows, you can have a lot of success in finding unique items if you open your mind to all of the many unconventional ways things can be used!  I have found some wonderful finds and had no idea how I would use them when I purchased them, but had a place to store them until I figured it out!  It never fails, whether it is one day or 3 months, I always come up with interesting ways to utilize vintage finds.

One of the biggest trends right now, is the use of vintage suitcases for many decorative options in the home.  One of my favorite uses for them, is small pet beds.  I also love to see them stacked next to the bed as a side table in the bedroom.

There are so many uses for the small trunks featured in this image, as well as old wooden boxes with graphics like the Utility box as well.  Remember, you can put casters on just about anything to make it mobile, and any wooden boxes or crates that you find, you can put casters on and use for toy boxes, pet toys and bones, book storage in a library or bedroom, or hobby supplies.

So... are you getting a better idea of the abundance of items at The Country Living Fair this year?  So many booths, so little time!  Well I thought I would end today's post with a photo of the item that is currently at the top of my wishlist.  As you can see below, one of the vendors brought a collection of vintage goat carts and yes, I want a vintage goat cart!  no, not go-cart....Goat Cart!  And I will eventually check it off of my list, but my budget wouldn't permit this year. hmmm, maybe next year.

Well I hope you are enjoying the images and inspiration I took away from the Fair this year, and if you have any ideas for uses for any of the items featured in the photos today, please share!  The series will continue tomorrow with more photos and several talented artists who were at the Fair this year as well.

The Country Living Fair 2011 - Furnishings!

Country Living Fair Series- Part 2

This year at the Fair, there was a larger variety of antiques and furniture, which was such a treat!  I thought that I would share some images of furniture that really caught my attention. I have also included a list of some of the vendors who featured some really interesting  pieces.

Take note of the hanging lampshades that are numbered...Not only are they great to look at, but the chronological numbers carry your line of sight across the room. This is great for styling a booth where you want visitors to notice as many elements as possible.  I like the mix of vintage rustic and french without too much fluff.  I saw this space and immediately wanted to walk in and sit down, that is a successful booth!

This blue piece was one of my favorites! It was a tough one to pass up, but I was looking for a bench and had to stick to my mission. All I could think about when I saw it was, what a great piece to hold a collection of just about anything...from sterling silver to white hobnail pieces.

Imagine a collection of Delftware filling this piece. WOW!   Blue and white is such a classic combination and it is one that should be done in a "large" way.  Oh well, maybe next time!

Great bench and pillows...I couldn't make it work for me, but I am sure that someone grabbed this one and took it home!  As you can see, the styling was really well done at this Fair and I could tell this was not the first time around for a lot of these vendors.

I really enjoyed the overall composition of this display, with all of the different tones of blue.  This is the type of piece that can inspire the look of an entire room.  If you are changing any room in your home, there are many different ways to initiate that change and it doesn't always have to begin the same way!  A transformation can begin with a gorgeous swatch of fabric, a vintage chair,  a distressed accent piece or even a piece of art.

Here is a list of some of the participating vendors from the Country Living Fair who had vintage and antique furniture:

• www.weatherednestantiques.com
• www.southporchantiques.com
• www.highfallsmercantile.com
• www.antiquesstlouis.com
• www.longwoodantiquewoods.com

I hope you feel inspired and check back for more features on the Country Living Fair 2011!