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Do you know Minted? Of course you do, it is no secret that they have the most creative cards out there and the best part, they are all created by independent designers! I don't know about you but I love supporting local artists year round but especially at the holidays. Every year I get our family cards and my business holiday cards from Minted and people always comment how different they are. Uniqueness for a creative girl is just an added bonus! Here are a few of my favorites from their new Holiday Line:

Wreck the Halls Designer Sara Malone from Tennessee clearly understands what life can be like with young children! This is a fun way to send an honest greeting and one I am sure will get a few chuckles from your friends and family!

If you are like our family and can not quite get everyone to look at the camera or goodness gracious actually smile this is the card for you! Stacey Meacham is a fantastic Graphic Designer from Atlanta and has created this collage card which is the perfect way to get the best pose from everyone.

I love when people send these sweet "Mintbook" photo books, it helps me catch up on their entire year. The Insta-Book from Up Up Creative is made up of 7 pages and you know you have at least this many photos if you have been documenting life via Instagram!




 Now here is a little bonus, did you know Minted offers amazing wall decor and gifts for the home? At Jace Interiors we have used their art for client projects but I think this year I will be buying a few prints as presents! There is something for everyone and I will say it again they are ALL created by independent artists. It is a win win, you support a local artist and give the perfect present, plus you can order them framed which will save you time too.

I am absolutely in love with this "do it anyway" print and plan to use it in my own house AND in a clients Master Bedroom. Kristi Kohut uses vibrant colors and patterns to create great energy in her fine art prints.

California Dreaming from Photographer Alexandra Nazari will have you chasing away the winter blues for the next few months! 

This Cyber Monday, Minted is offering 15% off Holiday Cards with code 15CM and 25% off everything else with code 25CM (yes that includes the above prints!!). What are you waiting for, click on over to Minted and get your shopping done today.....and don't forget to shop for yourself!

(images via Minted)

Rug Pad USA - it will save your tush!

A question that I am constantly asked by homeowners is where do I buy a good rug pad. Well here is the answer, Rug Pad USA. Yes I know it is not the most glamorous subject but it's an important topic at least to your rug and floors. Recently I lifted up my family room rug to give our hard wood floors a good wash and guess what I found, a pile of sand! The old store bought "rug pad" had literally disintegrated under my expensive area rug! It was disgusting and shocked me into saying what the heck was that made out of?  Let me tell you why Rug Pad USA is different.

 

They are ALL made in the USA and cut within 24 hours of your ordering it.

You can customize the dimensions - important for that rare size antique rug you just scored!

They are "constructed primarily of bio-based, renewable, and eco-friendly materials - including 100% natural soybean oil and a non-slip organic polymer coating. It does not contain potentially harmful fillers (such as phthalates) found in many imported padding."

You can search your floor type and rug to find the option best for you...and there are many options!

You know those fabulous flat weave, dhurrie and kilim rugs we all love but are just a little too harsh to sit on?



Here is your solution, add a comfy felt rug pad underneath and now you have a great looking rug that has a bit of a cushion for your tush!





To be completely honest when Will from Rug Pad USA contacted me we had just brought this little guy home which meant I was spending WAY more time sitting on my rug and it just wasn't that comfortable. We talked over the options and he sent me the Eco-Cushion Non Slip Pad to try for our family room and guess what? I am truly loving it. Now when I sit on the floor you can tell there is a bit of a cushion under the rug which just makes it much more comfortable for the hours of play that are going on.

So there you go it might not be glamorous but it will save your floor, rugs and tush in the long run! Pop on over to Rug Pad USA and take a look, if you see something you like use code pr15off for a 15% discount!

(images via Rug Pad USA, Capel Rugs and Jace Interiors)

In the Spotlight: Elizabeth Grubaugh at PATCH NYC

As a designer your day is full of running around either on job sites or scouting items for clients but for the last few months I have committed myself to spending one FULL day in the office. Let me just tell you it is heavenly. Not only am I checking items off my list but I am able to take a minute to open interesting promotional emails that come across my screen....instead of you know letting them build up with the hopes that I get back to it someday. Well today I am so happy to have been at my desk as the delightful guys at PATCH NYC just sent out their email blast where I was introduced to a wonderful new artist!

Elizabth Grubaugh's prints are prominently featured in Patch's store for their Open Studio series. I immediately fell in love with her use of bold colors and abstract florals. A bonus is that they are super affordable at $30 each unframed.

This is how Elizabeth describes her process "All my prints start as paintings first. I usually use Japanese sumi ink on water color paper. Then everything gets scanned, and I have fun trying lots of different color combinations."

 "Field of Daisies" is by far my favorite. The subtle hint of soft pink takes the boldness of the print down a notch and in doing so adds a delicate feel.

This is the print that first caught my attention, I love the "Sunshine Flowers" it exudes such happiness and I think it would be perfect in a little girls bedroom. A bit mature but also very fun, a print she could grow up with!


If you are in Boston pop on over to PATCH NYC in the South End to view many more pieces of Elizabeth's artwork. Not local? No worries you can visit her online at Dewey Howard or on Patch NYC website. Now I am off to order a Sunshine Flower for my own office, after all who could not use a little happiness while going through emails?

(images via Patch NYC and Dewey Howard)

Number Your House

Lately I have been a bit obsessed with front doors, specifically the creative way to number your house! As with the front door color I think the way your house is addressed certainly sets the tone for the feel of the home. Below are just a few favorites I have saved to my "Addition Inspiration" folder over on Pinterest.

As you know I have a serious love of typography and the crisp look of a number written out just seems so regal to me! Our house number is 400 so this might just be the winner for our new door.

Placing your house number in the middle of the door works well if it is more than 3 digits. Anything less might get lost and be hard to see from the street.

Can we just talk about the great finds on Etsy? This one feels unique but also contained, I would expect this house to be very organized and in order!

The swirl and "No." add to the fun feeling of this home. I also am a BIG BIG fan of kick plates, if you have kids you know exactly what I am talking about. Why does one need to "kick" the door open?

Since my first trip to Italy I have loved the look of ceramic house numbers. This option from Heath Ceramics gives the number a modern feel. They are clean but also have a creative feel to them in the Neutra Font.

What does your house number say about you?



(images via BHG, Jones Design Co, Welcoming Walls, Little Sign Shop, )

Color Time - Benjamin Moore Salmon Peach

Oh my Jamie Drake, you have converted this no loving "peach" girl into a puddle of admiration! Today's color time photo was promptly torn out of House Beautiful and pinned on my inspiration board. He designed this space for HB's Designer Vision Show House last year and I love everything about it. The Salmon Peach combined with the dark furniture and black framed windows makes for a glamorous and elegant setting.

Benjamin Moore's Salmon Peach was used throughout the living space but taken up a notch 

with the addition of a light bronze glaze.

This is the woman Jamie Drake envisioned living in the space:

"Very glamorous, very urbane. I invented her as the granddaughter of Josephine Baker, the Jazz Age icon. She's a successful woman in her late 40s who is the special events director of a major fashion magazine."

Can we digress from the paint color and talk about the fabulous bookshelves? Such great styling!

Would you consider using a Peach or Coral color in your house?

Click here to view more Color Time posts, you may just find that perfect hue for your own house!

*Note: The above room is the actual paint color not just a resemblance of the color. As you can see above, the paint chip sample online looks different than what is in the actual room photo. When choosing paint for your own home never go by what you see online, the color will always be a tad different. I suggest picking up a small paint sample at the store and paint a color swatch in the actual room, than you will never be disappointed!

 (Images via House Beautiful, Designer Jamie Drake, Photographer Jonny Valiant)

In the Spotlight: Tracey Sylvester Harris

I first came across Tracey Sylvester Harris' work through a One Kings Lane sale (a favorite place to look for new artists), her paintings captured my attention to such a degree that I was compelled to investigate further! As I learned from the website her new collection is based on black and white images she collected from flea markets. Tracey takes these age old images and brings them into the modern day with colorful paint.This is a description from the website:

"Harris' paintings explore the relationship between the past and present, contrasting the manufactured images made popular through postcards and advertising to the authentic moments captured in snapshot photos from long forgotten holidays."

The below 3 paintings had me wondering what each of the subjects were thinking or daydreaming about. Were they leaving a long lost love on the train? Is the older woman reading a book to keep her mind alive and young? What is the young woman on the side of the pool gazing over the water thinking about? Each has a story to be told that only we the viewer will be able to interpret. This is what I love about art, it is unique to each of us!

 

"Blue Train"

 

"Enjoying the Journey"

"Deep Water"

Pop on over to Tracey Sylvester Harris website to see even more of her inspiring artwork! If you are in New England you can view her work at the Quidley and Company Galleries in Boston and Nantucket.

(images via T.S. Harris Website)

Color Time - Sherwin-Williams Quietude

Looking for a quick and easy way to update your bathroom? Why not paint your vanity or purchase a reclaimed one and give it new life? Below is a darling vanity I came across from the "Coastal Living Showhouse" in South Carolina. To say I wanted to move in would be putting it lightly, the entire house is incredible! Sherwin-Williams Quietude paint color is perfectly named and fits seamlessly into this beach side bathroom!

 

 So what do you say? Would you paint your own vanity a fun color?

If you are like me and looking to escape the fall chill (at least visually...) pop on over to Coastal Living and explore their 2013 Showhouse. It is a stunner with every room full of color!

*Note: The above room is the actual paint color not just a resemblance of the color. As you can see above, the paint chip sample online looks different than what is in the actual room photo. When choosing paint for your own home never go by what you see online, the color will always be a tad different. I suggest picking up a small paint sample at the store and paint a color swatch in the actual room, than you will never be disappointed!

(Image via Coastal Living Magazine - Photographer: Tria Giovan, Stylist: Elizabeth Beeler, Interior Designer Ginger Brewton)

Welcome Home Giuliana Rancic

While quickly scrolling through my Facebook feed I spotted a welcoming living room on Traditional Home's wall and knew I needed to find out who lived in this space! Turns out it is the home of E! News always friendly host Giuliana Rancic and her husband Bill. The article is beautifully written and chronicles the couples recent battle with Giuliana's breast cancer diagnosis, struggles with IVF and the joyful birth of their son, Duke. With this new house the couple wanted (some might say NEEDED) a calm space to call home.

 Enter Interior Designer Lonni Paul who created serenity throughout the house by using minimal colors and a palette of Ivory, Gray and Blues.

The layout creates an easy and relaxed flow from one room to the next!

Hickory Chair designs some of the most beautiful consoles and this one is no exception. Look at that profile in the photo below, perfection!

 The Belgian Roll Arm U Chaise Sectional from Restoration Hardware would be the place to drop down in after a long day. Doesn't it look so comfy and friends it is from RH which means you can have it too!

Phillip Jeffries grasscloth always makes a statement of warmth with texture. A perfect pairing for the bedroom.

 Yes this could be the MOST adorable baby's room. I love the mature but playful color combination of the space.

 I daydream of year round warmth and an outdoor entertaining space like this one! Check out the turned leg on the Restoration Hardware table, so pretty!

Congrats to Lonni Paul on a gorgeously designed house, it truly feels like a place anyone would love coming home too! May it be a house full of happy memories for this new family!

To see more of this home tour pop over to Traditional Home 

(images via Traditional Home, photographer Michael Garland)

Affordable Peacock Rattan Headboards

This week Joss & Main featured a rattan headboard and I was taken with how beautiful the design was. With a little research I found it was from a company named "The Family Love Tree" who specializes in rattan furniture. Could the name be any sweeter?!

  I immediately pictured this in a little girls room and went on the hunt for inspiration photos!

This bed is not from Family Tree Love but it shows what a great contrast can be made between paint color and headboard.

The Family Love Tree Company offers many different styles in an array of colors and sizes. Best of all you get a great design while being very well priced!

(Image via Stacy Berg on Houzz, Inside Out Magazine and The Family Love Tree)