Watercolor Wallcoverings

Since I have abstract painting techniques on the brain, I've been dying to recreate a version of this French-made wallcovering from Elitis that looks exactly like hand-painted silk. Could that red-pink-coral color combo be any more perfect?

I spied the paper hanging in a dressing room at Neimans and could barely take my eyes off its gorgeousness long enough to try on my clothes. For something so intense, I found the pattern oddly dreamy and soothing.

I'd love to try to recreate the look for the inside of my closet. Wouldn't that be pretty? I'd feel like I was shopping at Neimans every day! ;)

PS Remember this nursery with its ikat fabric wallcovering?

 

lately, i have been drawn to details...mostly in upholstery, pillow designs, and window treatments.  things that take an ordinary piece to the next level.  most of them are really simple: adding a contrast color for cording or as a banding on a solid upholstery piece,  using a mini flange (i love it w/ ruffle pleat corners) on pillows or chair cushions, adding a stripe (or pattern) fabric banding to simple roman shades or down the leading edge of panels give an extra oomph, or simply using another fabric on the backs of chairs adds an element of surprise to any space.   simple details like these make all the difference in the world!!  try one next time your thinking of updating a piece!!!

*images courtesy of mark d. sikes, kc interiors, palmer weiss, knight moves, maddie's nest, cote de texas, interior canvas, one kings lane, elle decor

Some Changes Up in Here

Good day lovelies.

The sun is shining here and it's actually supposed to reach double digits so count me happy, happy.

On the flip side, I have a wee problem and I need any and all advice you smarty pantsies can dish out.

Please, please tell me how to help a gassy baby...I've never had one and I feel TERRIBLE when I hear my little peanut grunting half the night from a sore tummy.

Are there foods I should cut out to help him?

Massage?

Gripe water?

Anything you've done that has helped/any sage advice would be SO appreciated.

.......

In other news...I'm continuing to work on our wee abode and have decided on some small changes on the mainfloor.

As much as I adore pink, I'm feeling like I want to tone it down a bit and go a bit more neutral.

So...the living room is going to be painted white...and moulded up like the hallway.

As well, I'm going to play around with some of my artwork to add a touch more masculinity to the place.

And...I'm de-chauchsking a bit too...want things cleaner/more sculputral etc. etc.

As part of this plan, I'm moving the chinoiserie cabinet from the living room to the basement.

I'm thinking of having it painted black and using it for bathroom/linen storage...a little something like this...

/via/

It could also go upstairs and serve the same purpose.

I'm also hoping to move the brass fixture in the living room downstairs, and put a ceiling Mouille (knock off) in its place.

Oh and the TV on the credenza wall is going- we're putting a big one downstairs so I'm hoping to just rid the living room entirely of television since we rarely watch it in there anyways.

So...stay tuned...come cheap but big changes are happening around here.

As for #projectgetroomsreadyforkids...things happened yesterday and will continue to get done today.

We're starting on built ins, with IKEA cabinets lining the hallway and art ledges being strung above...like this...

I'd like to do a combo of leaning art and family photographs so that the cabinets and frames line the whole hallway.

Next, we're going to install my antique doors on a track and hopefully fill the holes with frosted glass...would love to have 'laundry room' written in like this...

And I think that's it.

As for the bathroom, the shower door frame went in yesterday and is all ready for glass..

Pretty darn excited about that little piece of goodness.

Oh and for those of you who have asked about the fixtures, they're Kohler Purist:)

I hope to get a towel rack up and a little side table/stool to house some books...one or two art prints will also be stuck up on the walls at some point.

And that's all I have for now.

Again, baby advice thank you please...in need!!!

Loves,

xo

Dragons Maze Spoilers 3

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

Welcome to day two of official Dragon's Maze Spoilers.  Dragon's Maze is the third and final set in Magic: the Gathering's Return to Ravnica block which is due to be officially released on 3 May, 2013.  As Dragon's Maze will feature all ten guilds from Ravnica along with their respective champions.  We suggest that player's not only keep an eye out for daily posts on the mothersite but also here at MTG Realm as we will attempt to evaluate cards currently in standard against the new ones to be released.  We already have a small buy list we will want from MTG Mint Card which willl likely increase in value.  

There may be another one or two cards previewed latter today which we will provide updates to this post so check back latter.  For now, let's have a look at the new cardboard goodness . . . 
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Edit - addition of a late date preview from none other than WotC minion 'mtg aaron'!

Renounce the Guilds, 1w
Instant, Rare
Each player sacrifices a multicolored permanent.

That whole 'gateless' movement appears to be gathering strength.  This very awesome instant will help nerf that pesky multicolored permanent - which is very cool indeed as some of them (looking at you Geist of Saint Traft) have hexproof. 
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Vorel of the Hull Clade, 1gu
Legendary Creature - Human Merfolk, Rare
{G}{U}, {T}: For each counter on target artifact, creature, or land, put another of those counters on that permanent.
1/4


Here's the Simic Combine Champion.  Who doesn't like piling on extra counters on creatures or Planeswalkers.  Don't stop there, if you move into Modern format, you could also double up on -1/-1 counters too.  For standard now, the first cards which comes to mind are Azor's Elocutors, and Gideon, Champion of Justice which will benefit additional counters. EDIT - Reading is tech - for some reason I read 'permanent' instead of 'artifact . creature. or land' - Thanks Korwinga for the correction!
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Master of Cruelties, 3br
Creature - Demon, Mythic Rare
First strike, deathtouch
Master of Cruelties can only attack alone.
Whenever Master of Cruelties attacks a player and isn't blocked, that player's life total becomes 1. Master of Cruelties assigns no combat damage this combat.
1/4

We would love to use the Master here in a deck with Artful Dodge, Ghostform or Rogue's Passage and then just finish off with a ping for one with the likes of Bump in the Night.
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Advent of the Wurm, 1ggw
Instant, Rare
Put a 5/5 green Wurm creature token with trample onto the battlefield.

There will likely be a few players wanting to get this instant in a Selesnya build.  Turn three Loxodon Smiter following by a turn four Advent of the Wurm doesn't seem like a bad thing at all.  Incorporate a bit of ramp and you're doing it a turn earlier.  Populating tokens might become a popular tech at Friday Night Magic again.
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Sin Collector, 1wb
Creature - Human Cleric, Uncommon
When Sin Collector enters the battlefield, target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose an instant or sorcery card from it and exile that card.
2/1

This is good for sealed but might not make the cut for constructed.  Players want this sort of card coming out on turn turn instead.
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Render Silent, wuu
Instant, Rare
Counter target spell. Its controller can't cast spells this turn.

Yes we know . . . This Dragon's Maze card has already been spoiled as the Buy-a-Box promo BUT we've not yet seen the regular art yet.
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Studying Malachite

Last year, I worked with Sherwin-Williams on their National Painting Week campaign and I was assigned the color purple. I chose a soft shade of lilac to make a faux inlay effect on my daughters' vanity dresser. (Here's that post).

Malachite painting from the one and only Tony Duquette

This year, I was thrilled to work with Sherwin-Williams again and I thought it would be a good opportunity to try another faux painting technique. My color is green this year, so of course there was only one option: malachite.

Antique inlay box from 1st Dibs

Lamps from 1st Dibs

Malachite sheets

Console from 1st Dibs

Lonny console

Michael Kors malachite dress

Lonny wallpaper

These were some of the images I referenced before starting my project (and I'll be honest - it was a little intimidating to tackle this one, but it ended up being a breeze!). I decided to do a bit of a bluer shade, like the colors in this Celerie Kemble chair, but just a tad more green.

Before I started, I also looked at the techniques other DIYers have tried. Here's a little round up of the posts that were super helpful to me:

Malachite boxes via The Aestate (a seriously awesome blog)

Inspired by The Aestate's tutorial, a cute tray via Burlap and Lace

Also this one, via Mimosa Lane

Malachite mats via Everything LEB

Piano bench via A Thousand Laughing Starfish

Faux malachite lamps via Gorgeous Shiny Things

Faux Malachite walls via Apartment Therapy

Faux malachite knobs via Teal and Lime

This scan below from a vintage book of faux painting techniques was an interesting read. I ended up doing something very similar for my project. 

Malachite painting technique via Chapman Interiors

My photos and tutorial will be posted next Monday and I can't wait to share. There are 13 other design bloggers posting their projects all next week too. It's going to be an amazing week of colorful befores and afters! :)

Dragon's Maze Spoiler 2

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

Indeed a rather happy Monday for Magic: the Gathering players everywhere today as Dragon's Maze Spoiler and Previews start on the mothership.  Dragon's Maze is the third and final small set in the Return to Ravnica Block scheduled to be released on 3 May, 2013.  We suggest you may want to review previous Return to Ravnica and Gatecrash cards as we roll through Dragon's Maze previews over the next three weeks as there may be some singles which become more popular with the new cards.  We'll likely have at least on or two orders in to MTG Mint Card before 'spoiler season' is complete.  We here at MTG Realm have a double-post today.  In the previous post, we covered off the mechanics to expect in Dragon's Maze as well as some very lovely card art.  In this post, we'll have a looky-loo at the new cards previewed today.  We'll have a proper discussion on how these new cards may impact your fav game in a latter post.  Let's go -
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Ral Zarek, 2ur
Planeswalker - Ral, Mythic Rare
+1: Tap target permanent, then untap another target permanent.
-2: Ral Zarek deals 3 damage to target creature or player.
-7: Flip 5 coins. Take an extra turn after this one for each coin that comes up heads.
4

~Melek, Izzet Paragon, 4ur
Legendary Creature - Weird Wizard, Rare
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
You may cast the top card of your library if it's an instant or sorcery card.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell from your library, copy it. You may choose new targets for this copy.
2/4

~Deputy of Acquittals, wu
Creature - Human Wizard, Common
Flash
When Deputy of Acquittals enters the battlefield, you may return another target creature you control to it's owner's hand.
2/2

~Beck / Call, gu / 4wu
Sorcery / Sorcery, Rare
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield this turn, you may draw a card.
/
Put four 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
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Toil / Trouble, 2b / 2r
Sorcery // Sorcery, Uncommon
Target player draws two cards and loses 2 life.
/
Trouble deals damage to target player equal to the number of cards in that players hand.
Fuse (You may cast one or both halves of this card from your hand.)
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Wear / Tear, 1r / w
Instant // Instant, Uncommon
Destroy target artifact.
/
Destroy target enchantment.
Fuse (You may play one or both halves of this card from your hand.)

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