Marie Lotto Design

It's done and I heart it

2011-06-11T16:18:00.007-04:00

It is raining outside, I skipped my 10k in Portsmouth, the party I was going to today was cancelled (luckily there is another one tonight that we are going to instead) and I cannot seem to get myself to go for a run in the rain...so why not finish the heart wall project?!

Here are the supplies I had handy.

Clear ruler & protractor
Pencil
Measuring tape
Laser level
Random sized books and magazines
Ironing board
Gloves
Scissors
3M Command Tape (small)
Image of heart wall laid out on floor
Pictures for the wall of course

After planning out the layout of the wall explained here, I ordered the images and laid them out on the floor and took a picture with my phone. This proved to be a very helpful step as I slightly altered my original design by adding a row (because it looked better in person) and I referenced the layout before starting each row on the wall to estimate what the image spacing should be.

I started with the longest row of images and set a laser level to the be aligned with the top of the first row of images. After I had the first row established, it was not really necessary to do this for every row. I think I did it for the 3rd row down just to make sure I was still on the right track. Even then, it was hard to align at exactly the point at which the top of the images should have been as seen in the photo below.

Although I did not use the ironing board, it would come in handy if I had any rows of images that were higher than the 2nd floor. I could have adjusted it exactly to the height that the laser level needed to be at.

I originally was thinking of using silver thumb tacks to put the images on the wall, but after going to both Target and Lowe's and discovering that silver thumb tacks are more rare than I thought, I went with 3M Command tape. Plus, I liked the idea of not putting a hole through the pictures or having to fill in the holes! Woo to the hoo.

I decided that each Command strip cut in half vertically would be plenty to hold up the images. I placed each half in the upper corners of the photo.

After placing the strips on the photo, I adhered the image to the wall. I used a cloth (or you could use gloves) to press them into place. All rows are pretty evenly spaced at 1 cm apart, but the horizontal spacing varied depending on how the heart needed to come together. This is where the layout came in handy.

Fifty seven images and 3 hours later, my heart wall was complete!

Overall, I'm very happy with the outcome!

Have any of you attempted this project or have plans to? How did it turn out?

Back to the deck

2011-06-05T10:12:00.001-04:00

We tore down the wrap around porch last year and winter sort of got in the way of finishing it. I'm happy to report that now that the man room re-do is coming to a close, we (and by we, I mean Kevin in this case) are picking up where we left off.

Here are some pics of deck building fun from late last year.

It seems he's dug himself a hole that he can't get out of.

I have crazy concrete tube arms, now give me some candy!

Neighborhood watch

Here are some pics of the old deck.

As you might imagine, the whole thing had to go and is being very carefully planned out and constructed with care!

Meet the heart wall project

2011-06-04T11:37:00.005-04:00

I am obsessed with Pinterest. Yes, obsessed. Pinterest is a place to catalog images from the web or that you take. You 'pin' them to your own boards and have the ability to see others' pins and repin them to your own board.

I really need to devote a whole post to Pinterest so I'll save my love letter to Pinterest for later. For purposes of this post, you really just need to know that I got the idea for a 'heart wall' from Pinterest and it came from an apartment in Paris (that is just to make it sound cool).

I have been struggling for years with what to do with the stairway wall that goes from the 1st to the 2nd floor. It is a blank canvas with so many options. You can see what the 1st floor hallway looks like here and 2nd floor colors here. My thought was always to do a large scale frame installation, but I was afraid of messing it up, I couldn't decide on the images to display, I would have to buy a ton of frames, I didn't know what frames to buy, yada yada yada. Plus, I am already tackling large scale frame installations on the third floor and I did not want to go overboard.

Enter, the heart wall. This is a collection of standalone images that are posted in the shape of a heart on the wall. This allows me to not have to bother with frames, gives me the ability to display more images and will be (at least in theory) a lot easier to assemble and hang.

Of course to facilitate this process, I laid out the design in google docs. I felt the need to do this because the image from Pinterest was of Polaroids which have slightly different dimensions than the 4x6" images that I plan on using. Plus, it's just what you do if you have an engineering degree.

The other decision I made was to make the heart entirely of black and white images. This would prevent me from going crazy trying to assemble color images in a way that would make them look like they belonged together.

I am looking forward to the finished product. I have selected all of the images (look for them in the next post) and am about to put in the order!

Organization heaven

2011-05-28T20:37:00.005-04:00

The third floor of our house is a finished attic space. It is very light and large, but has always felt awkward. Almost everyone has an 'awkward' stage so you probably know what I'm talking about. Spiral perm, braces and homemade scrunchies; need I say more?

The ceilings meet the walls around 2 feet off the ground so although there is a lot of square footage in the room, it has been challenging trying to figure out how to best make use of it especially when you and your husband are a little taller than average.

For the most part, the space started to collect random items that had no other place to go.

Like that futon mattress that comes in handy when we have lots of guests.

Or that leftover foam from the velvet headboard I made.

After much research and thought, I decided on the EXPEDIT bookshelves from IKEA. At first, it bothered me that they would need to sit around 6 inches from the wall because of their height, but it turned out to be a great place to hide that foam I'll use one day and extra floor mirror, weight equipment, etc.

I was planning on getting the black/brown version, because the white looked very 'true white' online, but in person, it was more off-white which was perfect for the room.

A word to the wise; if you are going to IKEA and planning on buying multiple 90 pound bookcases, you should bring a friend and a large vehicle for that matter. Here I thought I was so smart by looking up the product dimensions online, then measuring my mid-sized sedan to calculate how many I would be able to haul. It turns out two bookcases do fit, but it took multiple tries, a little cursing and some creative packing.

As for the storage boxes, I bought a few of the KASSETT magazine boxes, DVD boxes and magazine files from IKEA and some small milk crates from Target. The storage boxes were used to organize gems, pictures, design magazines, frames and my other design odds and ends.

Fast-forward through assembly and I ended up with this.

The nice thing is that I have a few empty boxes.

This is my attempt at organizing books by color.

I finally am able to display our wedding album which used to be stowed away in a cabinet. The sequins dove from West Elm is keeping watch.

I'm guessing everyone has a gold metallic leather pillow? Well, mine is living here until I get the seating area figured out.

My collection of Elle Decors. Ahhhhh.

Now that I have tried out these bookcases and they really work in the space, I'm trying to figure out where else they will make sense.

Here is a cost breakdown of the project:

2 x $69.99 = $139.98 IKEA EXPEDIT bookcases
3 x $12.99 = $38.97 Target small milk crates
2 x $12.99 = $25.98 KASSETT magazine boxes (sold in pairs)
2 x $4.99 = $9.98 KASSETT DVD boxes (sold in pairs)
2 x $3.99 = $7.98 KASSETT magazine files (sold in pairs)
1 x $9.97 = $9.97 West Elm dove
TOTAL = $232.86

Although this probably could have been done a little less if we had built the bookcases, I consider this alright. Several places are selling much smaller bookcases for around $400 each which would have made this project substantially more expensive!

Kitchen before and afters!

2010-10-24T12:39:00.002-04:00

Here was the low-down on our kitchen when we moved in

Green laminate countertops
Small white fridge with several rust spots
Overall, older white appliances
Small microwave located in the pantry
Faux-brick backsplash painted the color of brick
Green walls
Small louvered doors between the kitchen and living room (already removed in our before pics)
Note that the pot rack and fridge in our before pictures are actually after a few changes that were of immediate priority.

Here is a pic of the kitchen before we moved in. It turns out that pictures were hiding several rust spots on the fridge.

Here are what I consider the 'before' pics.

Some 'during' pics

I reserve the Minnesota sweats for painting and working on the house.

Six weeks and a lot of pizza and chicken nuggets later...

Since these images were taken, we have replaced the stove with a stainless steel version and purchased 2 sturdy iron and wood stools for the breakfast bar.

So here is a break-down of the after state of our kitchen

All new stainless steel appliances (fridge, stove, dishwasher (not shown) and microwave)
New matching granite on all surfaces (yes, we had to even replace the island piece which we first attempted to match)
New under mount stainless steel sink
New oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and water tap (I bet you could never tell that they aren't part of the same set!)
Replaced faux brick with tumbled marble tiles
Replaced microwave from pantry and hood above stove with a over-the-range stainless microwave
Added 5" crown moulding above the cabinets for a seamless transition
New design above sink to modernize the cabinets a bit
Added pot rack near the stove to free up a TON of cabinet space and allow easy access
Raised cabinets around 6" to open up the room and allow room for the new refrigerator and microwave
New under mount lights under the cabinets (not shown)
New cabinet and wall paint
Added some chalk board paint under the pot rack for some messaging fun
Restructured the breakfast bar to be one surface instead of 2 small levels
Removed louvered doors between the kitchen and living room to open the room up more
New stools for breakfast bar area (not shown)
New mail filing system near the breakfast bar
New brackets for under the breakfast bar

Ok, now that you have the before and afters, what do you want to know? Would you like instructions on how-to or information on where anything is from? Let me know in the comments!

Also, stay tuned for tips on not breaking the bank during a kitchen remodel. Any ideas on how much you think this one cost? Leave your guess in the comments.

Rats!

2010-10-11T19:42:00.001-04:00

I have never quite been one for holiday decorating. I am not really sure why. I like a festive home so when the fall Pottery Barn catalog arrived awhile ago, I decided it was time to spook the place up a bit aside from our resident black cat Leela.

After perusing the catalog, I decided on 2 things; a mercury glass pumpkin and a few creepy looking rats and by creepy, I mean real looking. It turns out the mercury glass pumpkin was sold out. After placing my order, I realized that our only Halloween decorations were going to be creepy rats. Dah well, we might at least get a good laugh out of scaring unsuspecting visitors.

The next morning when I was getting ready for work, I opened my closet and a rat nearly jumped out and attacked me! Then one randomly showed up on top of the TV in the bathroom. For the past week, Kevin and I have been taking turns hiding the rats. So far, they have ended up in cupboards, my work bag, in my couch blanket and hanging off lamp shades.

Finding rats in strange places has been a good excuse to crack up at least twice a day. Who knew holiday decorating could be this fun?

They called it my tupperware

2010-09-19T15:25:00.001-04:00

My friends used to make fun of me in college; well for several reasons now that I think about it. The reason worth mentioning here is my near obsessive use of what my friends called 'Tupperware'. Almost Jeff Lewis obsessive. It was not really Tupperware, but Rubbermaid bins. We moved either every year or every other year in college and I had a system. I would pack up my Tupperware and move on to the next place nooooo problem. Meanwhile, my roomies were scrounging for boxes and had tons of odds and ends. I showed them!

So this is it. The real reason for renovating the third floor closet; to organize it and reduce the clutter that was waiting in line for a chance to be stored properly. This was the most exciting part of the project for me!

You can check out the mid-project update here and detailed how-to instructions on the L floor monogram here.

Some before pics. First, the closet. I could hardly open the door, much less get to the items that I needed...except the cheesehead. That was always within reach.

Next, the stuff waiting in line to be put in the closet.

The process

Take everything out of closet
Group items into appropriate categories. I used the following; donate, toss, will not need until we move, will need on an annual basis (Christmas decorations, winter coats), will need on a regular basis (luggage, gift wrap, sewing supplies, artsy stuff, filing cabinet).
Once toss and donate items are set aside, consolidate boxes and bins (aka Tupperware or Rubbermaid storage bins). My goal is to not have to buy any more boxes or bins. For every item that is brought into the house, one must go!
Put items back in the closet starting with least used to most used.

Here is the after status. Not exactly brimming with space, but I achieved my goal of getting all items needing storage into storage. I can also easily access everything that I need. Hooray!

L is for Lotto

2010-09-18T16:43:00.001-04:00

As you may recall, I took it upon myself to clean out and paint the closet on the third floor of our house. The mid-project update can be found here. On a scale of easy-medium-hard, this project was medium. It would definitely have been easy if it weren't for the floor design and broken window!

Here are some before images of the closet after everything was removed. Also hiding behind some insulation was a broken window that we had repaired.

Since we have so much leftover paint from other rooms and projects, I decided to go paint shopping in the basement. Actually, Kevin asked me nicely if I would consider using up other paint so I thought I'd give it a try. Here is the line-up of colors that was entirely free as I got it from the basement store!

Ralph Lauren - Haystack for the floor
Restoration Hardware - Buttermilk for the walls
Benjamin Moore - Monticello Peach for the insignia
Benjamin Moore - Mayonnaise for the background of the insignia
Ralph Lauren - custom mix for the window trim

First I primed the floor and walls. The floor took 3 coats and the walls took 2. Since this closet is not full height and I am, this resulted in several bangs of the melon and much leg cramping.

Then I painted the walls Buttermilk (2 more coats) and the floor Haystack (2 coats). The window trim was last and also took 2 coats. By this time, I was about ready to throw in the towel and forget the floor design, but since I came this far, I decided to keep on keepin' on.

I also mentioned in the previous post that I would be adding a design to the floor. For this, I needed some inspiration. Earlier this summer, Kevin and I attended the Lotto family reunion, also known as Lottofest. Lottofest came complete with a custom flag, a program of entertainment, good food and a dance party! Those Lottos sure know how to have a good time. Anyhow, I digress.

Here is the Lottofest flag that have me the idea to design my own L insignia.

Since I wasn't about to paint a chicken on the floor, I needed to put my own stamp on the design. Here is the stamp and sketch that I went off of. The stamp is from Paper-source and the sketch is from my big book of fabulous ideas.

Then, I set out to find an L monogram that I liked. I also found this at Paper-source although Anthropologie had several options as well.

Once I had all of this down, I decided to make the outer diameter of the design 36". To establish the circles, I placed a screw in the center of the circle and used a pencil and string to draw it out.

I sketched out the L by measuring the monogram and multiplying the dimensions by 30. This gave me the rough dimensions and I sketched out the rest by hand. I painted the background Mayo, let it dry, then painted the inner circles and the L Monticello Peach. Any wah-lah the finished product!

I also think this would be a cute idea in a kid's room or above a headboard in the master bedroom.

I haven't even gotten to the real reason for the project and that was to organize the closet! Stay tuned.

Easiest project ever

2010-09-11T09:01:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered what to get someone as a housewarming gift? (Kevin's favorite housewarming gift was a garden hose from our friend Marty.) Do you consider yourself non-crafty or just not the artsy type? Well then, this project is for you! It is actually for the crafty, creative types too.

This project also helps to solve the how-do-I-decorate-my-bathroom-without-putting-decorations-in-it problem. My great grandmother knit kleenex box covers. I make fancy bubble bath holders! To each their own.

I consider this project 'super-easy' on an easy-medium-hard scale.

Process

Have a romantic dinner with your significant other or a great night out with friends over a bottle of wine or champagne. Bring a large purse, or satchel, as my friend House would say.
Keep said bottle of wine or champagne and cork.
Clean bottle with soap and water (preferably the next morning so you do not get in one of those glass bottle + hard floor type of situations which will only make matters worse).
Buy your favorite bath salt or bubble bath. Colorful bubble bath is extra lovely. To be honest, I get the non-fancy type suds or salts from Target for this purpose.
Fill bottle of wine with suds or salt. Bonus points if you had shared the bottle with the person you are giving the gift to.
Add a little tag with a ribbon that includes to/from info. or a personalized note.
Give gift and do not forget to mention, you made it yourself!

The bottles I have sitting next to my tub are from my wedding and a nice dinner Kevin and I had back in 2003.

If the bottle brings back great memories, this project is also a nice alternative to displaying an empty bottle in your home on a shelf college style.

There are so many reasons to go for it, so what are you waiting for? By the way, do you want to come over for dinner? I accept gifts.

Grand entrance

2010-09-08T19:33:00.001-04:00

The thing about updating your patio with glorious rich new mahogany planks is that it makes everything else look horrible. Ah, the house really should be painted. Oh, those trim boards look like they went down with the titanic, were found years later and then repurposed as trim on the house.

Ok, so the paint on the house is not all that bad. However, the trim boards around the side door, a.k.a. the door we use all of the time, were in desperate need of some help.

Before shots. If you look really close, you can see a furry little helper, which freaked me out by the way. I did not notice this when I first saw this image.

This was more or less Kevin's project, so here is a rundown of the materials and process as told by him. According to Kevin, this is a medium level of difficulty project on a low-medium-high scale. Enjoy!

Materials

1x6 pine lumber
brad (finishing) nails
primer paint
trim paint
table saw
miter saw

The process

First thing I did was to put down a moving blanket over my new deck to keep myself from injuring it by accidentally dropping tools or dripping paint.
Remove the bad trim with a hammer and a large and small flat pry bar. This will help you to keep from damaging the surrounding wood.
Inspect the area that was under the trim. Look for mold or other weak spots that need repair. I had to chisel out a chunk of the original door frame and cut a piece of treated 2x4 to fill it in. I then had to do 3 or 4 layers of wood filler to make it as seamless as possible.
On old homes, the old trim might not be a consistent width. I had to cut the siding back a little bit to make a straight line.
Measure twice, cut once. I had to cut a notch in the trim because part of it extends down below the threshold. I used a table saw and a hand saw to make it just right.
Prime the trim boards before you nail them on. This makes it much easier. You can even do the finish paint before nailing them on, then touch up later.
I nailed the trim to the door frame using finishing nails. The old trim was nailed on using standard 8 penny framing nails, so the nail heads were very visible. Finish nails allow you to sink them with a nail punch and then fill the hole with wood filler so that it disappears when painted.
Finish painting the trim with some leftover paint from the last painting, or get it color-matched at the local hardware store.
Drink a beer and pat yourself on the back.

Inspection.

Now for the after shot. Much bettah!

Cleanin' out my closet

2010-09-06T16:55:00.002-04:00

This is one of those projects that you get halfway through and you wish you never started! After having a lot of fun in Boston all day Saturday, I determined that I needed to tackle a project over Labor Day weekend so I decided to clean out the closet on the third floor. Easy enough, right?

This was a straightforward choice for two reasons. First, the Epilepsy Foundation is doing a donation pick-up on Tuesday and I am sure there are coats and gloves and all sorts of good stuff that others could use more than we could. Second, we have reached the critical point where a place for everything and everything in its place no longer applies because we have run out of 'places'. This just was not cutting it because I pride myself in organization and anti-clutter. What kind of self-proclaimed organization queen would I be if my art studio & Kevin's workout room, aka the third floor, was beginning to look like a place to stash stuff.

Since I was taking everything out of the third floor closet, I might as well paint it! And since painting is boring, I may as well take this opportunity to design something cool on the painted floor. Now, two days later, I am exhausted, the third floor looks way worse than when I started (see images below) and I look like I was just out on a paintball battlefield and the other team won. You have to realize, I am writing this mid-project and my smile-o-meter is only now just starting the upswing after reaching the low point a few hours ago.

The fun part about doing a thorough closet cleaning is the random stuff you find. Amongst my favorites this time around were:

My first license and passport. My passport looked like a mug shot. They very clearly told me I was not supposed to smile. Luckily, the rules have changed.
$3.39. I am actually making money on this project so far!
My calculus book from college. This made me feel really smart for a second...did I really learn all of that?!
Ornaments that I had misplaced
Kevin's red tie. Oooooh, my favorite!
My cheesehead. Just in time for the season!
Satin wedding shoes. Yes, of course I tried them on in my painting clothes!
My wedding bouquet. Gardenias and mini-calla lilies. 'How many lilies should I have?', I inquired. My florist replied, 'Enough to be proportional with a tall girl. I will decide.' You did good Gene!
A broken window behind the piece of insulation that was tacked over the window. Well, at least I have $3.39 for a broken window fund.
My materials science and engineering course books with my professor's monkey sketches. Totally random, I know. Also, totally hilarious!
A piece of wood with names carved in it.

The previous owner's must have salvaged the piece of wood when they finished the third floor. To me, this is one of the perks of owning a 110 year old house. Imagine the history! This may have been from the guys that built the house or kids that lived here once. I am not sure I like the idea of a guy named Wimpy building my house though! Hopefully, this is one of those ironic nicknames, like 'Tiny' for a 400 pound beefcake type.

Wedding shoes and bouquet

Lost ornaments!

Calculus and materials science and engineering. I totally remember this stuff and use it everyday.

Stay tuned for the before and afters. The floor design that is in the works will not disappoint!

A snappy app

2010-09-01T18:47:00.000-04:00

As you may have realized by now, I love to find inspiration in unexpected places! The problem is that if I want to use my 'inspiration' as a paint color for furniture, wall, other accessories, etc. it is not always easy to have the color matched. This is particularly true if the item is big & bulky like a vintage turquoise truck!

Since Apple has made the claim that there is an app for that, meaning an app for almost anything, I set about trying to find a solution. In my search, I ran across the Sherwin Williams ColorSnap app for iPhone and iTouch. Best of all it is free! You can take an image of anything, choose the portion of the photo to match with your fingertip and it will give you the closest color in the Sherwin Williams paint palette. I also found that the 'myPantone' app does the same thing with Pantone colors and costs $9.99.

For fun, I tested this out on some veggies we picked up at a farmstand. Haven't you always wondered if the color of eggplant is eggplant?

Nope, apparently it is Sommelier.

Try it out, I swear it is a little fun too! I now know the color of my leg, the shirt I am wearing and a Cape Cod chips bag. Obviously, I did not have to go too far to test it out!

Oval office makeover

2010-08-31T21:57:00.000-04:00

Apparently, each United States president does a little extreme makeover of their office. Today, President Obama's oval office makeover was revealed.

Although I do enjoy a little traditional style (I do live in a colonial style house built in 1900 after all), this office is a little too traditional for me.

An interesting design concept worth mentioning is surrounding yourself with what inspires you. The quotes bordering the presidential seal are prominent American statements. For example, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' - FDR inaugural speech.

Whether it is a written statement, a family heirloom or an image that brings back fond memories, it is great to be in an environment that makes you happy. Of course, second only to the people that make you happy.

I recently found a print that makes me smile each time I walk up the stairs. It also happens to get the Beatles song 'All you need is love' in my head quite often, but hey, that is something I can deal with. Happy Tuesday!

*Oval office images from the Associated Press.

I can build you that

2010-08-30T20:20:00.001-04:00

One night I was reading a book and Kevin was reading 'The Family Handyman' magazine. He turned to me, pointed at the page and said, 'I can build you that.' It almost did not matter what it was or where it would go, I was going to love it! And so Kevin's first woodworking project was born; a floating box shelving unit for our entryway. It was sort of our solution for what to do when you do not have a mud room, but you have mud.

Prior to the floating box, we had a metal shoe rack from a big box store; I cannot remember which one. It was pretty flimsy and 2 pairs of Kevin's Shaq-like shoes was about all it could take. We needed a place for more shoes and boots in the winter as well as a place to stash scarves, gloves and small shoes. Therefore, the entryway was just the place for the floating box.

Materials required

1/2" birch plywood
Table saw
Wood glue
Nails
Ryobi hand-held router
Toe molding
Wood filler putty
Sandpaper
Primer
Semi-gloss paint in your color du jour
3" screws
Shed (hey, I'm just making a list according to Kevin's instructions)

A how-to guide according to Kevin -

Here is my color coded design. I got it from 'The Family Handyman' magazine. I color coded it so that it would be easier to keep straight.

I basically cut out all the pieces as shown in the drawing first. Then I assembled it in my shed. I used 1/2" birch plywood. Not the best wood you can use, but pretty good. Especially for a first timer. It's not too expensive, so if I messed up, it wouldn't cost as much to fix.

It's a little bit like a box inside a box. You build a simple 1/2 plywood box, glue and nail another layer on top of the first. I got an inexpensive Ryobi hand held router so I could flush-trim the edges that didn't line up perfectly.

In the end, I added a decorative front edge using some toe-molding I had left over from another project. I simply glued and nailed the toe-molding to the front rim, then the router to trim it flush, because it was slightly wider than the rim.

I used wood filler putty to fill in any cracks or gaps between the wood. I sanded it all down and rolled on some paint that Marie had gotten.

I then screwed the whole thing to the wall using 3" screws into 2 studs. Marie put some baskets inside to hold shoes or whatever.

It looks great and is extremely handy.

Marie here again -

Some after shots. The baskets are from Pottery Barn. Less expensive alternatives can be found at Target.

For those of you that are interested, Kevin drew out his design in Microsoft Visio. Being the techy geeks that we are, we like to have everything planned out and visualized in advance to make sure it all fits together right! Of course, this is not a necessary step, but fun for us. If you think this is detailed, you should see the wrap-around deck schematics that Kevin has in the works!

Anyhow, I digress. After the floating box was constructed and primed, I decided to paint the coat rack above the box and the box itself a matching color. The hallway is a very neutral color, Latte from Restoration Hardware, so I decided to spice it up a bit with a peach shade by Benjamin Moore.

Now we have a place for shoes, coats and winter gear. The other added benefit of the floating box is that we placed it so that we could put our boots and larger shoes beneath the box. All in all, it was a very successful first woodworking project. Now the question is, what's next?

What would Candice do?

2010-08-28T10:28:00.000-04:00

Every time I have a tough time making a design decision, Kevin says to me, 'What would Candice do?'. Candice Olson that is. Candice is my design mentor. Ok, I have never met her, but I just know she would take me under her wing if only she knew me. After all, we are both six feet tall and used to be competitive volleyball players. She has a team of people that make her designs reality, I have Kevin. She makes divine designs and I wish I could.

I bring this up because I recently decided that although I am happy with our living room configuration, there was nothing that was jumping out as being the focal point of the room. The small convex mirror from Restoration Hardware is great, the lamp from Pottery Barn, the wedding photos and so on. However, none of these stuck out as the centerpiece of the room. And then it happened; I met Pierre.

There were several suitors first, including the Mansard mirror from Restoration Hardware and the Devon mirror from Z Gallerie. I ended up going with Pierre because I was drawn in by the geometric design and the scale was just right at 34" in diameter.

Ok, so the mirror decision was not that difficult. Once I had the mirror, I needed a lamp. This is where I ran into trouble. Nothing seemed to work, so I gathered up lamps in the house and bought a few options, then asked myself what Candice would do.

First up, a lamp from Pottery Barn that was already in the living room on a different end table. Bonus, it wouldn't cost anything. Non-bonus, I would have to replace it. Also, the traditional look of the lamp did not look right next to the geometric mirror.

Next up, a gourd-geous lamp from West Elm with Luster base and Natural shade for $179. I really love it. Definitely a possibility.

Third was an existing lamp that was on my desk. It is a crystal block lamp from Target that was $50 for the lamp and shade. The scale was all wrong, all wrong.

Lastly, another lamp I found at Target that was worth trying. The base was $39.99 and the shade $19.99. I liked this one about the same as the gourd lamp. Therefore, the decision came down to price. Since this one was 1/3 the price of the gourd lamp, it will be living in my house for the long run!

Here is a wider shot. The mirror is now the focal point of the room and the whole set-up works!

Kevin is pounding away outside so we will have another project to blog soon! Happy Saturday!

Hidden gem - Amy Butler Design

2010-08-24T18:11:00.002-04:00

There are a few design elements that always seem just out of reach. Things I have trouble finding in mainstream shops include convex mirrors (ok, I admit, this is pretty specific!), quality fabrics and cool affordable rugs. Other items such as lamps, desks and end tables seem to be a dime a dozen.

Many of these design needs can be found in smaller shops of talented designers. I was recently talking with my friend Leslie about art and design. I swear we could go on for hours on the topic. Leslie is very talented at surface design and sewing! During our discussion, Leslie brought Amy Butler Design to my attention. Amy Butler's fabrics, organic bedding, rugs, wall art and wallpapers are all worth checking out. Her designs are amazing and can be found at her online shop or used as inspiration for your own designs or projects.

Leslie has made a little girl's dress out of fabric by Amy Butler. The dress has all sorts of little interesting details and is adjustable for a growing child.

One of the great things about the dress is that the combination of fabric patterns really compliment each other and create interest. This same principle can be applied to interior design. Consider making your duvet cover out of one fabric and curtains out of another or pillows out of one fabric and contrasting wall art with another design.

Woah wait, did you say wallpaper? Don't we all hate wallpaper and immediately begin the arduous task of removing it when moving into a new house kind of like the ceiling fan situation? I think the backlash of dusty rose florals and crafty designs have jaded us from considering wallpaper for a looooong time. I personally had rainbow wallpaper in my room in the early 80's. I loved it! I am not so sure the people that bought the house after us really loved it.

The thing is, there are some pretty amazing wallpaper designs out there. However, there are things to consider before pasting art to your walls in a semi-permanent fashion.

How much do you love it? The answer should be a 9-10 on a scale of 10. Wallpaper is not for the faint at heart and cannot be easily painted over or removed.
How about wallpaper on just one wall? The thought of removing wallpaper in a few years on one wall is much easier to stomach than an entire room.
Does the room already have a focal point? If yes, wallpaper may possibly be overkill. If no, wallpaper on a focal wall may be just what your room needs to be fabulous.

Here are some examples of some of Amy Butler wallpaper designs.

*Amy Butler images can be found here.

Would you ever put up wallpaper in your home?online survey

Flea market finds

2010-08-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

In my opinion, there are two types of flea markets; the ones that sell complete junk and the ones that sell junk and antique furniture, vintage jewelry, cool wooden frames etc. I had only been to the former, when I finally found the latter. Oh yes, the secret is out, Todd Farm flea market is swarming with hidden gems and good deals.

If you live north shore Boston or even in New England, it may be worth the trip. I do not find something great every time I go, but enough to make it worthwhile. Todd Farm is open Sundays, April through November. Most folks get there early. In fact, the tag line on the Todd Farm website is 'be up before the cows.'

Some benefits of flea market shopping

You will have pieces that no one else will have
Some of the furniture you will find it much more solidly built that anything you will find today
It is green!

I made the trip last Sunday and the best find was a vintage turquoise guitar. I thought I'd feature my best flea market finds, so here they are!

A solid oak buffet that I paid $110 for! The piece is really cool as the wood has a sort of tiger pattern to it. The stain used to be dark brown and there was filigree, but I removed it, stripped it down and stained it ebony. I also lined the drawers with crushed velvet from Exeter Handkerchief Company. I replaced the old brass hardware with new polished nickel pulls and knobs from Restoration Hardware. I will post more on the process later. All in all, the project was around $200 and now we have a place for keys, our bar and DVDs!

*The stain is much more even in person than in the photo.

A few of my favorite accessory finds include a vintage satin handbag with feathers and a wood frame. The handbag was $15 and the frame* was $10. There are several cool frames at this place. I have also found sparkly clasps that have made amazing jewelry pieces.

*The image in the frame is one of my jewelry designs photographed by Leah Haydock Photography.

I have saved the best for last! My all-time favorite find was a solid mahogany desk with a pull out drawer and legs that would make Gisele Bundchen jealous. I paid $115 for it and didn't have to do a thing! Right now, I have a large granite piece on top of it which used to be in the kitchen.

Some tips for happy flea market shopping

If you love it, buy it - I am still upset about the incredible mahogany end table that I had my eye on. After I walked away to think about it, I decided maybe 60 seconds later that I should buy it and when I came back it was sold. True story. You should not buy everything that catches your eye, which brings me to the next tip.
Have a goal - it is very easy to get distracted at a place like a flea market, so if you have a goal, it will be easier on everyone, particularly anyone you are with.
Bring a tape measure - now that you have a goal, you will know what you are looking for and where it will go, right? Ok, now measure the space so that you know the scale you are working with. It is difficult to gage if the dresser will fit in your room when it is sitting in an open field.
Bring a truck or large vehicle - you know, just in case.
Bring cash - these places do not usually take credit cards and it is easier to negotiate with cash.
Negotiate - it is accepted as part of the culture of these things. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, bring a friend that does or accept that you will pay a little more.
Go early - I do not really do this and I am probably missing out, but I guess I will never know.

There you have it, everything you need to know about flea market shopping! If you do not live near Boston, then ask around or search online. There may be a markets in your area every weekend that you do not even know about!

A man cave for my man

2010-08-17T20:24:00.000-04:00

Little by little, I took over every-room-in-the-house. I really did not mean to, nor is every room just mine, but each room has a purpose and that purpose is not a man-only, cigar smoking, gargantuan flat-screen TV, beer drinking sort of haven that just about every American man aspires to have.

My husband is definitely deserving of his own space so I set out on a quest to make something work. Enter, the room that I have no interest in being in ever; the basement. That may sound bad, but the risk of me taking over the room manifest destiny style is very low. It also achieves the objective as being a man cave.

I have to say, this design challenge is going to be downright hard. It certainly will not be your run of the mill, paint the wall a new color and buy some nice accessories sort of makeover. It is dirty, small, old...well I will let the as-is photos speak for themselves.

I really considered tidying up the basement before I posted these because it is such an atrocious! But hey, this is the real deal and it will make the afters look all that more impressive;)

As you can see, this design challenge needed a plan. I am a big fan of planning ahead so here it goes...

Objective - design a man cave that allows for tinkering, inventing, smoking cigars, drinking beer, watching TV and possibly working out that is comfortable to be in and has an industrial feel.

Budget - $600

As for the design, I got the idea to put together an inspiration board from Young House Love (love them!). The concept of the inspiration board is that the products do not necessarily all need to be used exactly as-is, but they provide a very solid start to the design process to get things moving. And alas, my first formal design board!

The products & colors

Grey grommet curtains. Target. $25/pr. I put these curtains in white in our recent guest bedroom reno and they are fabulousness.
An image from my macro time warp photography project. An extreme close-up of my bike gears. Already printed at 10x15", professionally matted and industrial looking. Bonus!
Wall shelves. Ikea. $14.99 for 47x11" and $9.99 for 31x7".
Brackets for wall shelves. Ikea. $15/pr.
White desk. West Elm. $299. We already have an old desk from the previous owner that will be painted Benjamin Moore's Mayonnaise.
Kegerator! Wal-mart. $584. This will likely be phase II of the design.
Storage boxes. Ikea. $3.99 for a pack of 2.
Lamp shade and wood lamp base. Target. $19.99 for shade and $29.99 for base.
Paint colors. Benjamin Moore's Fairmont Green, Restoration Hardware's Ash, Right White and Graphite.
Ottoman. Target. $69.99. Includes storage and reversible top for setting glasses on.
Picture frame for the image. Target. $29.99.

The plan (brace yourself for the amount of times you will see paint in this design. Ick!)

Paint brick Benjamin Moore's mayonnaise
Add moulding around the window
Put up drywall on framing between front basement and back basement (i.e. where all of the make shift wood shelves are in images 2 & 3 above.
Paint drywall Benjamin Moore's Fairmont green
Compound floor to even it out and paint light grey
Sand stairs and paint Restoration Hardware's Ash
Paint a runner on the stairs with Restoration Hardware's Graphite. Maybe add stripes to the side of the runner?
Paint desk Benjamin Moore's Mayonnaise
Install shelves and curtain rod. Thinking of using iron pipe as the rod to keep with the industrial feel.
Rearrange, finishing touches, wire management (noooo small task) etc.
Clean-up field stone on the bottom half of the wall, but keep as-is

I will post more on the process as we make our way through it. So what do you think? Any other ideas that will make this the man cave of the year?

Thanks for listening. Wish me luck and let the fun begin!

Deck TLC

2010-08-15T20:18:00.002-04:00

The surface boards on our deck used to be so rotten that when I left for work my heels used to get stuck in the wood. Luckily I never landed on my face, but it was a distinct possibility.

As a result, Kevin and I tore up our patio last year. The frame looked great so we left it intact and replaced the surface boards with gorgeous mahogany decking. Yes, mahogany. It was important to Kevin so we splurged. I will blog more on this process in a bit, but for now, I am going to take you through the deck project we did this weekend. Trim painting and deck staining! Yesssss!

This weekend started out with a nice little Saturday and by this I mean a trip to Home Depot. To complete this project, we used the following materials:

Deck staining

Broom
Screwdriver
Wet/dry vac
Hand brush
Bucket of soapy water
Old torn up shirts
Knee pads
Cabot Australian Timber oil stain in Mahogany Flame

Deck trim

Behr paint + primer in one. Exterior paint in satin finish. Color matched to Benjamin Moore's Mayonnaise (my favorite trim color used in several places throughout the house).
Electric palm sander
100 grit sandpaper (1 sheet)
2" paintbrush. Nice quality.
Safety goggles
Face mask
Earplugs

Other helpful items

50 SPF sunscreen
Water
Sweet tunes - I am loving Pandora
A sunny and breezy weekend with temps in the mid-80s

After we gathered all supplies, it was time for lunch! So after lunch, we got to work. Some before pictures...

Staining the deck

Sweep the deck with a broom
Clean between the deck boards with a screwdriver and wet/dry vac
Brush between the deck boards with a hand brush (this may not be necessary, but we don't mess around!)
Hand wash the deck boards with soapy water
Rinse the deck
Gently sand any blemishes (it is easier to see true blemishes after the boards are clean)
Apply the stain with an old t-shirt and wipe off

Cleaning between the boards.

Brushing between the boards.

Hand washing the deck boards.

Staining the deck.

A little contrast with and without stain.

Painting the deck trim

Assess trim boards. If clean and decent, you probably do not need to sand. If they look anything like the ones below, you should consider sanding.
Use the electric hand sander and 100 grit sand paper to sand the areas to be painted. Be sure to use the appropriate safety measures like a face mask, goggles and ear plugs.
Wash the boards with soapy water and let dry
Paint the boards. You will likely need 2 coats.

Before sanding.

After sanding.

Carefully painting.

The stained deck after.

Close-up after.

If I were to do this over again, I would probably use wood filler on the trim boards where it needed it prior to painting. Overall, it was a pretty easy peasy project. Painting the trim took about 5 hours from start to finish once I had all supplies. It cost $35 for the gallon of paint which I used about 1/8 of.

Staining the deck took the same 5 hours on Saturday for prep only plus about 5 hours on Sunday to stain. The cost was $30 for the gallon of stain which we used about half of. Our deck is 16 ft. by 13 ft. to give you an idea how long it may take you!

My Sunday morning was spent at my favorite flea market, Todd Farm. Stay tuned for my tips on flea market shopping and my best finds to date! Cheers.

When shopping for our deck materials, we had a tough time deciding between real wood and composite. Please weigh in below on your preference.

Which type of decking do you prefer?survey software

Are you a fan?

2010-08-13T20:08:00.001-04:00

You know what I am talking about; the ceiling fan. Yes, the lighting fixture that every designer on Trading Spaces would rip straight out of the ceiling every.single.episode. I am fairly certain that my aversion to ceiling fans came from that show.

Then I got to thinking, what has the ceiling fan ever done besides make me happy? Ceiling fans are really quite excellent on hot summer days...and have we had hot summer days this year! They also provide white noise which is, in my opinion, a sweet sweet lullaby. The challenge has always been, where can I find a ceiling fan that is cool in both design and temperature?

Henceforth, I went on a quest to find a cool ceiling fan. Most big stores had the typical faux wood or brass finish types. And then I found it, the ceiling fan that was meant to be at Restoration Hardware. I typically reserve Restoration Hardware for pieces that I know will be permanent fixtures as they are an investment. So here it is folks, the ceiling fan that lulls me to sleep every night.

The only downfall is that this fan does not provide much in the way of white noise, likely due to the high level of quality. Obviously, I will choose design over my sweet lullaby, but hey, that's just me!

Head on over to Restoration Hardware to check out their ceiling fan selection. I am really liking their entire line of ceiling fans. In fact, I do not think I've run into anything I do not like there.

And a few artistic shots for your viewing pleasure.

So what do you think? I'd love to get your feedback.

Commander in Chic

2010-08-11T21:36:00.000-04:00

Have you ever purchased a nail color just because of the name? (Presumably, this question is for the ladies only.) I cannot say that I have, but if I am torn between two choices, I will almost certainly go with the one with the better name. I am thinking it works because I see it more and more.

OPI is the master of nail polish names, but recently I have really been loving Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure line. Some of the intriguing names include Commander in Chic and Back to the Fushia. I did not really like Back to the Fushia, but I nearly bought it because that is a pun on the movie that makes time travel possible. The thing that really impressed me though is their awesome brush. They have somehow designed it so that you get a flawless, just stepped out of the salon with a manicure, look every time. Good stuff.

Anyhow, the real reason I am telling you all of this is because I think nail polish colors are another unexpected source of inspiration for the home. They are typically bolder than what you might put on your walls, but I think some of the colors would make for amaaaazing accent pieces. For example, a bedframe in Right Said Red (color on the left) or a desk or bookcase in a girl's room in Commander in Chic (color on the right).

Fauxidermy

2010-08-10T21:02:00.005-04:00

I grew up in the midwest where it is not unheard of to have a dear head or some other mounted animal head as the focal point in the living room. Incidentally, you may also find them sitting next to you on the couch, although this is much less common.

I have to admit that I also know all of the words to 'Turdy (yes, that is really how you spell it) point buck' from Bananas at Large. It is not that I like this kind of music, it is just that I did not have a choice. My dad is an avid hunter and played this song repeatedly in the car during hunting season. I have never been into hunting despite my father's attempts and I certainly have never been a fan of dead animals on the wall! Have you ever seen one of these things? I swear their glass eyes follow me wherever I go. Heebee. Jeebees.

Enter: fauxidermy. A term that as far as I know was coined by Z Gallerie (love them!). A much lighter, less-destructive form of animal art. Fauxidermy can be found in many different forms including resin, cardboard and recycled cement bags? Z gallerie offers the resin versions and wow, inventive is all I have to say about recycled cement bags. Check out the recycled cement bag giraffe version at Anthropologie which would be cute in a little kid's room. Anthropolgie also offers a zebra, rhino and gazelle. Who needs an African safari?

I recently renovated our guest bedroom and found a cardboard deer version at Cardboard Safari. There are different sizes of moose, deer, bison, rhino and elephants available. Aside from the more obvious animal-friendly benefits, my cardboard version did not break the bank at $28 for a medium version. Go ahead, I dare you.

Mini Philanthropist

2010-08-07T15:04:00.002-04:00

The other day I heard an inspiring story that I thought would be great to share. Helping others in need or those less fortunate is such an admirable, selfless act in my mind. I am not even talking about donating billions of dollars like the great Warren Buffet or Bill and Melinda Gates, but rather bringing a smile to the face of someone that needs it.

Here's the thing. The story that I stumbled upon was led by a child. I am so humbled and impressed by the mission of this little one!

The story is of a little girl named Hanna who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, stage four Burkitt's Lymphoma, when she was 7. She experienced all of the sad and nasty things that come along with this kind of diagnosis, but has turned this experience into an opportunity to help others. She is 9 now and doing well! To read more of her story, you can check out her website here or read up on the story that the local new station published here.

Hanna was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to Disney World which was a wonderful experience for her. Hanna's Hearts of Hope is an organization that sells necklaces to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The necklaces are supercute and made of walnut and melted crayons. This little girl is creative to boot! If you would like to help her reach her goal of raising enough funds for 10 wishes or check out her creations, you can do so here.

*Images from Hanna's Hearts of Hope website.

First know all of the rules, then break them

2010-08-04T20:47:00.001-04:00

Don't get me wrong, I am pleasantly surprised when mistakes turn into something fabulous. The trouble is that I rarely know how the mistake turned into a positive outcome. However, deliberate mistakes are easier to track and repeat! For example, my first photography class was called visual perception. During the first class we were told to go out and take blurry photos. Whaaaaaa? I love ubersharp photos! I'd have it no other way.

The class stumbled back with, well mostly blurry wierd images, but everyone had at least a few that just worked.

Lesson learned; it is ok to break the rules, it even makes for unique images or interior design or whatever else suits your fancy. However, to achieve best results and maybe even end up with something better than if you stayed on the straight and narrow, you must know the rules, so that you can break them effectively!

I hope this makes some sort of sense and is not total jibber jabber. Here are a few examples to help me articulate my point.

Would this image be stronger if it were blurry or sharp?

Ok, now this is strange. I was looking at this photo thinking about which rules it could possibly be breaking and then I read the caption. This is a small space that is painted with an oil-based metal enamel called Oregano Green (Benjamin Moore 2147-10) resembling a lacquer (per HGTV site). Note to self! Must investigate this so-called metal enamel, it sounds fierce (in the words of Christian Siriano from Project Runway's fourth season).

Paper-Source design inspiration

2010-08-03T19:28:00.005-04:00

I have loved art stores ever since I can remember. Did I say love? I meant loooooove! These stores do not just provide art supplies, they can also serve as an unexpected source of inspiration. I could spend hours walking through the aisles and gazing at the colorful papers and paints. When most kids were playing house or playing with their My Little Pony or Care Bears, I was playing with the stuff in my 'art box.' Even thinking about that box now makes me happy!

My latest favorite is the Paper-Source. I even know where to park in the underground Boston Common Parking Garage so that I come out on the corner closest to the shop on Boylston Street.

The colors of the stationary have great potential as wall colors. I chose a gorgeous deep blue called 'lake' as an accent wall for my guest bedroom re-do. (More details in a post to come.) You could also use some of the bolder colors for a dresser, dining room chairs or any other accent for a pop of color. Other colors that I find fabulous for wall colors are pool (love at first sight!), cement, khaki, chocolate, gravel, sage, leaf, chartreuse and luxe glass. Accent colors that will give your pad a little more spice-say are strawberry, papaya, poppy, fushia (for the really daring!), plum, beet, grape (instant attraction) and curry. Paper-source offers their latest swatchbook on their website. As I mentioned here, it is really easy and remarkably accurate to have anything color-matched at your local hardware store.

The graphic art papers can be used as wall art or frame mats. I can even imagine using some of the drastic wrapping papers as inspiration for a wall design. Hmmm...now we're talking!

If you don't have one near you, you can always check it out and order online!

*Images from paper-source.com.

If J.Crew made pillows, this is what they would look like

2010-08-02T17:50:00.002-04:00

If you haven't checked out etsy, it is about time you do! It is an excellent place to browse for unique homemade goods. Sellers post items and we can buy them. They sell everything from photography to lamps to paintings to clothes, etc. Pretty much anything you can think of really.

I recently found a seller called dedeestsyshop that has beautiful pillows in all sorts of vintage and muted colors. I have no idea what inspires this artist, but these pillows really look like something that J.Crew would sell...and have I mentioned that I love J.Crew?

These pillows would make great accents on a bed or neutral couch. They are also available in several sizes and another benefit of many etsy shops is that they take semi-custom orders (i.e. you want this pillow, but with a light grey background, convo the seller and just ask).

Off to the races!

2010-07-30T20:27:00.000-04:00

I'm very excited to be going to a wedding this weekend in Saratoga Springs, New York. Tomorrow will be a day of horse racing and we even get a horse race betting tutorial before-hand!

Perhaps I am oversimplifying the process because in my mind I would walk up to a man in crisp white linen pants and a striped short sleeve shirt and say '$50 on horse number 11 please'. 'Yes ma'am, right away!' the man would reply and I would be all set.

All I really know is that I was told I need to wear a big hat. I did not even know where to start with this task so of course I procrastinated. I made my find at Macy's where some sweet old ladies told me that Macy's should pay me to wear that hat. SOLD!

An Electronic Renovation

2010-07-29T20:26:00.011-04:00

Welcome to my renovated blog! I've got a spiffy new look, a new blog purpose (see 'About Me') and a love for interior design, photography and jewelry design.

I've had a surge of creativity lately and need some sort of outlet so I've decided to pick up my adventures in design and share them with you!

I'll leave you with this image that makes me smile.

Wine's best kept secret...a wine aerator

2009-05-31T15:26:00.022-04:00

I recently took a trip to Napa with close friends from college. Our second annual ladies weekend in fact. We were on a quest for good times and good wine. We decided on a wine tour where we could learn a thing or two about wine and not have to worry about driving our red minivan (affectionately named the red fury) back to our rented house. I learned a few lessons from my trip to Napa.

1. Before you invest in wine, find out if you can ship it to your state

I spent a lot of effort (and money) carefully selecting my new favorite wines. However, there is a law in my state, that I was totally unaware of, that prohibits the shipment of wine to it. There is the option of checking the wine on your flight, but that assumes your flight will go as planned. My flight from Sacramento to San Francisco was delayed enough where I was going to miss my connection to Boston. Another women on the flight (Mary Jo) was in the same situation. She offered me a ride to San Francisco and went to get her car while I retrieved the wine I had checked.

My new friend, Mary Jo, with the red convertible Miata picked me and my wine up at the curb in Sacramento. We proceeded to attempt to stuff luggage in the trunk, but even a carry-on was difficult. I ended up with a lot of luggage on my lap. It was ok though, I was getting a ride and it was only 100 degrees.

As soon as we got on the road I asked 'so how long of a drive is this?' 1hr 45min with good traffic. What?! Our flight leaves San Fran in about 2 hrs 5 min! We sped as fast as we could. Meanwhile, I got a nice tour of the bay area.

As we approached the San Fran airport, Mary Jo and I planned our 'get me on this plane' strategy. She dropped me off at the curb and went to park the car. I was already sweating heavily from the ride. I meet Jose Chavez at the curb to check my wine...'sorry ma'am, it is less than 30 min to take-off, we cannot check this.' Noooo! 'Jose, can you at least hold this for Mary Jo until she gets back from Boston? It's the least I can do to thank her.' He agrees and I sprint to the security line.

'Does anyone mind if I cut in the line, my flight leaves in 20 minutes?' California people are nice and I reach the front. I got through security and slipped on my shoes without tying them. I continued the sprint with my heavy bag and carry-on to the gate (which happens to be the very last one). I got there, totally drenched and they were toward the end of boarding. I told them to hold Mary Jo's ticket, as there were many folks on stand-by, and got on the plane. Waiting, waiting. I call Mary Jo and she says, 'tell them to wait, i'm close to the gate!' I call the flight attendant and as she is walking toward me, the plane door closes. Sorry Mary Jo! I feverishly text her, 'See Jose Chavez at the curb, you can have my wine!' I felt so terrible for my new friend. She had to wait another 8 hours to take a red eye from San Francisco to Boston and work all the next day.

Rest assured though, she did get the wine!

2. Keep an open mind

Every time I ordered wine in a restaurant, I would get the cabernet. I thought it was my favorite. It's good, but I had never really given other wines a chance. I found that I also like red zinfandels and petite sirah.

The bottle of cabernet my husband had sent to our table from across the country

3. The Vinturi, a wine aerator, can make a $10 bottle of wine taste like a million bucks!

If you pour your wine through the aerator, it maximizes the amount of wine surface area exposed to air which brings out the flavors in the wine while subduing the alcohol smell and taste.

I assure you that even the most casual of wine drinkers could discern between wine from the bottle and aerated wine. Swirling your wine in the glass or using a decanter serve the same function, but at a much slower pace.

Sublime paint colors!

2009-03-07T16:56:00.009-05:00

I have heard many oooohs and aaaahs over the background colors of the Marie Lotto Design spring collection shot by Leah Haydock Photography.

I am always on a quest for mesmerizing and alluring paint colors. What will captivate me more...royal, electric, faded, fresh or classic colors? There are so many to choose from and with such a fine line between crazy and amazing, the task can often become difficult. Plus, the miniscule swatch sizes are often misleading.

I have two favorite sources for paint colors. The first is COLORS from Pottery Barn and Benjamin Moore. Pottery Barn and Benjamin Moore have partnered up to bring us tried and true gorgeous wall paint ideas! A huge bonus is that the pages of the Pottery Barn catalog are splashed with the latest colors so you can get a better idea what the color looks like in a living space! They come out with a new collection each season.

My second all-time favorite source of paint colors is Restoration Hardware. The store is covered with the paint that they sell...bellissima or as Restoration Hardware says 'a stroke of genius'! I have to agree:)

Ok, ok, so what were the colors used in the photo shoot? The first photo is 'Million Dollar Red' and the second photo is 'Fairview Taupe' both by Pottery Barn and Benjamin Moore. The last photo is the classic 'Silver Sage' by Restoration Hardware. I have only one thing to say...sublime!

A word to the wise; the nice helpful man at the paint store tried to sell me a primer for the 'Million Dollar Red'. As I was only painting 2 walls, I passed which was a HUGE mistake! I ended up painting 6 coats on the wall and 7 on the trim, thereby requiring an entire additional gallon and a lot of extra work!

The last tip I will leave you with is this: Home Depot and Lowe's are masters at matching paint colors! If you are on a budget, take the swatch into your local hardware store and have it color-matched. My personal favorite is Home Depot's Behr line with an eggshell finish.

Coming Soon...Marie Lotto Design!

2009-02-18T21:53:00.016-05:00

My new collection has been fashioned, the photo-shoot has taken place and the website is complete! Marie Lotto Design is almost ready to launch!

The website will include info. about Marie Lotto Design, my mission and custom pricing. Design galleries with fun, fancy and wedding designs will be featured. Stay tuned for the skinny on my custom designs for weddings, gifts, special occasions or just for fun!

The online shop will include all items from the latest collection as well as some limited edition and one-and-only pieces.

Here is an example description of one of the necklaces included in the Spring 2009 collection. Mary Jean also happens to be my little sister's name:)

The 'Mary Jean' necklace

Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City exclaimed in delight at Vogue, 'Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes! I thought these were an urban shoe myth!" The Mary Jean is the necklace equivalent of the coveted Mary Jane shoe, and I assure you it is no myth!

Black faceted onyx is uniquely cut into octagonal shapes that are the centerpiece of this jet black, all-gemstone, all-fabulous necklace and will become the Mary Jane staple of your jewelry box.