If Bill and I were to combine the different elements in the homes we love, it might look like the featured home from the January 2012, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine. Seeing it again a year later, we still like it just as much and wanted to share these photos with you. The home is located in the North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The combination of the New England colonial, rustic mountain and country farmhouse together with dark gray exterior paint suited this home perfectly. The interior is open, warm and inviting. “Our number one goal was for it (kitchen) to be charming and comfortable, but sophisticated.” was the designer Nancy Warren’s description of the kitchen. I think that same description is evident through out the house.
Sherwin Williams color choice for 2013 is Aloe. Here’s why they picked it as explained by Jackie Jordan, Sherwin-William’s director of color marketing, “This is no ordinary pastel — Aloe is funky and glamorous, demure and free-spirited. While Aloe’s vibe can verge on retro, when paired with caviar blacks, crisp whites or soft grays, suddenly Aloe has a new soul and attitude. And Aloe is highly adaptable, making it a perfect pick for everyday spaces such as a breezy sunroom or a well-dressed living room.”(source ~ apartment therapy )
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Pantone LLC’s Color of the year for 2013 is Emerald. The executive director of Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman said the following, “The entire green family has been so strong, upcoming through the ’90s as we’re paying attention to nature, so the family isn’t new, but what we needed to look at and revisit was the psychological background: Emerald is such a balanced color, and balance is something to pick up on and listen to. It’s a color of growth, renewal, healing, unity and regeneration — words we’re all so in need of at this point of history.” (source ~ Bella & image ~ Elegance & Simplicity )
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At Benjamin Moore’s website, these are the most searched colors by the general public. (source ~ Re Do It Design)
It’s the start of the advent calendar time! This advent calendar is just as lovely today as it was when The White Company featured it in the 2010 Christmas season. Beyond being a”pretty” display at Christmas time, how, what and why was this tradition started? My lovely friend Sherry recently explained it on her website, Kains on the Creek. Please go and check it out {here}.
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Every year my kids have looked forward to counting down to Christmas day since their little fingers could grab an ornament and hang it on the Christmas tree. Hannah, my oldest at 15 and Grace at 12 are still enjoying their advent calendars. Over the years the sign of wear and tear has become obvious and a little more care and patching up are needed. I’m still in search of one more for my son. The last time I saw the Christmas tree advent calendar was on Ebay and the bidding price was over $300! I will wait and hope to find it somewhere else for a lower price (thinking … $10 – $20). I don’t think my son is all that concerned about it as I am. He’s quite content with his “three” Lego advent calendars. Having traditions, family time and discovering the meanings to Christmas traditions with our kids are precious. Thank you Sherry for your insight into the history about the advent calendar.
Here is Hannah’s well used and loved Advent calendar
Need a little inspiration, a nudge to start a project or just a moment to refresh your thoughts? Every now and then, we all get stuck in that situation and need some help to get going again. I want to share with you a website that I love to go to and be inspired. Leslie Shewring, at A Creative Mint has put together beautiful photos, craft projects, inspiration boards, and color schemes to encourage the “can do spirit” in us.
A little history about Leslie Shewring and A Creative mint
Below are excerpts from interviews that Leslie have done over the years. (Click continue below each section to read it in-depth)
Tell us a little about yourself
Leslie: I grew up on the idyllic Vancouver Island in British Columbia. My mother is an artist and avid gardener so our family home was always a laboratory for creative ventures. At any given time we were doing art projects like painting ceramics on the dining room table and having flowers pressing in books on the kitchen table. My mother and father had an eclectic group of friends, which also influenced more critical and creative ideas.
While working on my interior design degree in Northern California I decided I wanted to go further and study architecture. Even though I did not practice architecture, it was incredible design training. Immediately after finishing grad school I had the opportunity to team up with a manufacturing and distributing company. In collaboration with them I developed, designed and did packaging direction for lots of products sold in many of the major retailers in North America. However, the products were very masculine and utilitarian. I would not call much of what I designed through those years feminine or pretty in the least! I guess I am now trying to get back to what I love which is more female, color, and pattern driven. In the last three years I have only done a few projects and my main focus has been my two little children. continue >
Why did you decide to start a blog, and what’s the story behind the name?
Leslie: I decided to start a blog because I was inspired by reading other blogs. I thought what could I add to this amazing, creative conversation that is going on right now. As well, I wanted to start doing something creative and I thought a blog would be a good way to commit to that journey for myself. The name was decided over a weekend as I was in a rush to start producing something! Once I get started on something I want it done yesterday… continue >
Describe the kind of creative work you do.
Leslie: I do photography and styling work these days. However, I am trained as an architect and used to do product design for many years!
Briefly describe your creative path that led you to the kind of work you are currently doing. (Early influences, former jobs, former versions or iteration of your work)
Leslie: I love photographing flowers and color stories. These interests came from growing up in my mother’s garden and being around visual arts at a very early age.
What are your creative goals for the future?
Leslie: To be a creative role model to my children. continue >
Thank you Leslie, for sharing your works, photos, and creativities with all of us. It was a joy to put this together and get to know you a little more.
