FLORAL INSPIRATION

This time of year in Minnesota, we are usually digging out from under one of the biggest snowstorms of the season, and asking ourselves why Spring won't come yet.

This year has been so different in an unbelievably refreshing way. Spring has been good to us.

These early in the season warm temperatures are not only inspiring florals to sprout in our gardens, but they're certainly on my interior horizon as well...

I am absolutely swooning over this amazing bedroom featuring tulip fabric against that gorgeous emerald wall color.

brian park, house beautiful, cottage chic

GET LUCKY IN GREEN

shirt / bangle / wrap bracelet / shoes / rings / calling cards [email luxeandlillies@gmail.com for info] / pants / bag / nail polish: OPI

LOVING LONNY: MARCH 2012

Lonny Magazine is back - and really, better than ever. I adore Lonny to the moon and back and couldn't wait to read this month's issue after their little hiatus. It is FAB! as always.

It was difficult to choose my favorite, but the beautiful Malibu home of Tobi Tobin just hit so many high notes for me... I keep coming back to it. 

It might be all the warm light pouring through those pretty windows, but the palette of neutrals paired with hints of black and walnut-y woods is SO welcoming... really,  I could move right into this place and not change a thing.

While the overall feeling is clean and light, the addition of personal effects and decorative items fill the landscape in the most charming way.

[via] lonny

DIY ROMAN SHADE WITH DETAILED BORDER

Last week I tried this great DIY by Jenny from Little Green Notebook for making roman shades out of mini-blinds...

Roman shades are expensive, and I need more than 3, so I figured why not give it a go... it worked flawlessly! A bonus.. each shade cost me less than $10!!!!  So, after a week of looking at my new roman shades, I decided they needed a little pizazz. 

If you follow Jenny's DIY on making the shade, below I will show you how to add a detailed border!  

*she advises not to use hot glue, but after I made the first one with fabritac and it stained through the fabric and ribbon when dry, I decided on using hot glue, and it worked much better for me.

please excuse the bad photography.. I started this project at 10 p.m. not ideal for taking photos.

Step 1:

Cut the ribbon of your choice into a long strip across the top of your shade, and leave the edges blunt. I left about a 1/2 inch border on mine. Glue that ribbon into place.

Step 2:

Cut a piece of ribbon that is slightly longer and 3/4 of the length of your shade. You need a slight excess to create a fold-over on one end.

Step 3:

On the end "top" end that you will glue over the existing strip of ribbon at the top, fold over the ribbon, apply a little glue, and seal it together. Make sure that your fold doesn't make your ribbon too short or too long. 

Step 4:

Glue the end of ribbon that you have created the fold on to the top of the first ribbon you glued down, if you are using hot glue glue sections of the ribbon down until you have glue it all the way down. Follow this step on both sides of the shade.

 

Step 4:

I realized that I missed the photo of this step, you will need to cut 4 pieces of ribbon that are each about 1/4 of the width of the shade. Set aside two pieces to be used in step 8, For the other two pieces, on one end of each piece, create a fold this should make your ribbon slightly smaller than 1/4 of the width of the shade long Glue the folded end of the ribbon over top of the ribbon you glue down in step 3 going horizontally toward the inside of the shade. Follow this step for both sides.

Step 5:

Lay a piece of ribbon out lining up over the end of the ribbon you glued down in step 4, and going to the end of your shade [or where you want the pattern to end]. Cut the ribbon to the appropriate length. Create a fold at the top of that piece of ribbon and ONLY glue the fold onto the ribbon you glued down in step 4. DO NOT glue the entire ribbon down. Follow this step for both sides.

Step 6:

Line you ribbon up next to the ribbon piece you glued in step 5, and cut it slightly shorter than the ribbon in step 5. You do not need to create any folds on this piece of ribbon. Follow this step for both sides.

Step 7:

Taking the ribbon piece you cut in step 6, line it up UNDERNEATH the ribbon from step 5, halfway down. Holding the ribbon in place, move away the ribbon in step 5, and glue this ribbon in place. Follow this step on both sides.

Step 8:

Using the two blunt pieces of ribbon you cut in step 4, line one piece up horizontally directed underneath of the ribbon in step 5. Glue it into place.  Follow this step on both sides.

 Step 9:

Finally! Glue the ribbon from step 5 fully into place. Follow this step on both sides.

Step 10:

Cut 4 pieces of ribbon that are slightly longer than half the length of the ribbon you glued down in step 9. Set 2 pieces aside, on the remaining 2 you need to create folds on both ends of this ribbon, be sure not to make you ribbon the correct length while creating the folds. Once you have finished the folds, glue this ribbon into place on the far side of the "square". Follow this step on both sides.

Step 11:

With the two pieces you set aside in step 10, take them and create folds on one end. Make sure that with folds these pieces line up, and also end at the bottom of the "square" you finished in step 10. Glue the piece of ribbon over the end of the piece of ribbon you glued down in step 7. Follow this step on both sides.

Step 12:

Cut a piece of ribbon that spans the bottom of the shade between the pieces you glued down in step 11. Make it slightly longer, and create folds on each end. Once folds are created, glue it into place horizontally over the ribbons in step 11.

When you're finished, it should look like this!!!

HAPPENINGS: RUSSELL+HAZEL WHITE PARTY

There are so many creative, talented, and budding companies here in Minneapolis.  russell+hazel is no exception. If you aren't familiar with the colorful and clean aesthetic that defines their office products.. you should acquaint yourself. Last week they celebrated the debut of their brand new White Collection...

The attention to detail was without fail, and everything from the product to the food was, infact, white...

The space is in a somewhat historical and beautiful space just outside of a quaint shopping district. The way the modernity of the r+h aesthetic meets the cozy features of the building is inviting and consuming.

My favorite new items were from the Oscar Wilde collection, which is actually geared towards men. The candles scents are unique and extra fragrant which I have found is usually hard to come by at that price point [$30] The smartly designed matchbooks in glass containers are the perfect compliment.

Other favorites.. the entirety of the new leather collection. Most pieces like these tassle keychains come in black, olive, camel, gold, white, orchid, and aubergine and make for great gifts or that piece that everyone will ask "where did you get that!?"

WHAT MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK : MARCH 4

Sunday mornings, Marc and I sleep in, and often go to brunch. Its my favorite time of the week. Something I like most about it is over brunch, we often come back to the saying "we are so blessed". I think this is because, despite whatever is going on good or bad we discuss all of the things that made us happy the week before. I think every week I'll share it here too, and maybe you will be inspired to share as well :)

A NEW POINT OF VIEW

Moving into an older house and encountering some oddly placed windows has really forced me to think outside of having drapery panels on each window... and I have to say- its SO refreshing.  I llloovveee the few roman shades that I have put up, and these extra wide panels have me itching to add a few more in a space that it might make a surprising statement...

... the stunning patterned ceiling is pretty inspiring too!

[via] everything leb, house beautiful