budanART

It's amazing how one thing leads to another! At the start of this week I came across this gorgeous stained glass window on the local blog I'm From Worcester. The intertwined sharp colors immediately caught my attention and in a way it was mesmerizing. I have always admired stained glass but honestly could not see it in my home. So off I went in search of stained glass like wall decor without the price of a real stained glass window! Look who I found! Let me introduce you to the incredibly talented Canadian artist Mandy Budan. She describes her art as:

"abstracts of the landscape, emphasizing and rearranging the elements to show the beauty of the landscape in unexpected ways. Inspired by nature, I use strong colour, discrete shapes and rhythmic patterns to create paintings which can be enjoyed for both their abstract and realistic qualities"

budanART's original paintings are available on her website and also offers affordable reproductions over at her Etsy store. For $18 - $38ea you could purchase a few of these amazing prints to group together. I love the fact she has scenes from all seasons! They are incredible and have such depth you could get lost in the image. The prints have a stained glass feeling with her varying use of the same color. I just love them, it's the pop of vibrant color any room could use. She also gives us a sneak peak into her design process over on her blog. Check out the poppy transformation, it is beautiful!

Abstract Poppy

Spring Shadows

Rocky Shore

(images from BudanArt and I'm from Worcester)

Cozy Love

Yesterday I was scouting downtown and to take the chill off I ducked into a Starbucks. I really wish I had this fantastically cute Cable Knit Coffee Cozy for my Chai Tea! Isn't it just adorable? Much fancier than the paper holder they gave me. Even better this cozy is easy to just throw in my bag for use over and over again.....yes there are many tea runs!
If you want one of your very own pop over to Wayside Violet at Etsy.
Thanks to Design for Mankind for highlighting another great product!

(image from Wayside Violet)

Chroma Creative

Today I opened my Daily Candy and was jumping for joy to see Chroma Lab featured! Their website was saved in my "to post about" folder after I found them over at Etsy. Alicia and Tony are a fabulously creative duo. They take old furniture and transform it with "pick me up colors" and unexpected patterns. See the "Deep Sea Dresser" above. Even more exciting, they are Boston peeps! What first drew me to their store were their interesting hand painted clocks. If you don't see the colors you are looking for they will customize for you, talk about making it easy to shop! You can browse more happy designed pieces here.





(images from Chroma Lab)

Quick Share - Laser Cut Rug

Here is a morning quick share. This the wool felt rug from Brocade Home. In the last few months I have gone back and forth if I like these or not. I like the idea of a laser cut and the charcoal is appealing especially on a white floor. The "wool felt" is what throws me off, I wonder how it feels and wears. What is your opinion? Do you have one in your home?

(image from Brocade Home)

It's a Trina Turk Tuesday!

the wonderfully creative Trina Turk

Displayed in the lobby of the Boston Design Center are these gorgeous fabrics from Schumacher. With a tad bit of research I find they are the much anticipated (at least by me...) indoor/outdoor fabric collection by the fantastic Trina Turk! I fell in love with Trina Turk when I purchased my first Bonita Dress from one of her summer collections. It was an intricate mix of a sea blue and gorgeous grass green with flecks of silver, it was perfect for a wedding soiree! When I heard she was creating a residential fabric line I was overjoyed to say the least! Imagine different size pillows in these fabrics, it would feel so summery. I can just see my outdoor table decked out in the Peacock Fabric below! Very Fun! Her fabrics are always full of interesting patterns and fantastic color combinations! Check out a few of her patterns below!

Super Paradise Print * Sonriza Print * Santorini Print

Peacock Print * Trellis Print * Zebra Print



A few favorite looks for Summer 2009!

a possible new Bonita Dress for 09?!

(images from Jace Interiors, Trina Turk, Schumacher)

Monday Morning Happy

Happy New Week! Did you enjoy the weekend? It was so nice to have an extra hour of daylight! I spent the "bonus" hour going to a Celtics Game and enjoying a great dinner with a wonderful new friend! How did you spend your weekend?

Take a look at our "Cute Picture of the Week" from the Pawblog. An adorable dog with eyes that could melt anyone's heart! Too cute!
Enjoy the new week
jul

(image from Kate Spade/Desire To Inspire)

Have an Inspiring Weekend!

Welcome to the Weekend!
This week was filled with a few ups and downs. As you can see I turned to my favorite bloggers for inspiration and they definitely pulled through! Where do you turn for inspiration or a quick lift your spirit moment? Thankfully the week is ending on a very positive note!

A quote to remember, found over at Creature Comforts

I was reminded once again of the very true statement "if life gives you lemons make lemonade". So when I came across the "Sipping in Style" post over at Hostess With The Mostess I just had to laugh!



Desire To Inspire reminded me there are only a few short months until outdoor dinner parties resume!! I can't wait!




The last thing to leave you with before we head out for the weekend is an adorable, free spirited video "Cloud Nine" over at Coco+Kelley. Check it out, it will put a smile on your face!

Thanks for another fun week here at CreateGirl! I truly appreciate all the comments and for all your visits!
Enjoy the weekend
jul

Galley Sunshine

A great example of making a small galley kitchen bright with sunshiny yellow paint!

Above are 2 of my "go to" yellow paints from Benjamin Moore.
Another favorite is Country Cream by Pratt & Lambert

*note paint colors on computer screens greatly vary from even the paint swatch, always check it out in person
(images from Traditional Home and Living Etc)

Watch the time!

As I was looking for a way to remind us all about Daylight Saving Time, I came across these adorable kitchen timers. I love to add unexpected whimsical pieces to any room and the kitchen is no exception. Any of these would be great sitting out on the counter!
Oh and don't forget to spring ahead on Sunday, more light and one step closer to spring!!









1.Cock a doodle timer at Anthropologie 2. Tape Measure Timer at Delight 3. Dog Timers at Sur la Table (ok cat timers too!) 4. Retro Timer at SITE design nyc

Peaking in the windows of the Transit Building

The building above sits stately on the corner of Newbury Street and Mass Ave in Boston. It's absolutely one of my favorite structures, it blends the old and new seamlessly. Adding to the appeal is the fact the 1918 building received a face lift by the famed Frank Gehry in 1987. He added the top 2 stories along with the parapet and copper struts. Luckily for us, designer Meichi Peng (one of my local favs!) and Boston Home paired up to give us a sneak peak into this amazing space! Peng designed the handsome condo below. With it's minimalist decor and dark finishes it is absolutely stunning!

imagine unwinding to this gorgeous city view every night?

18ft high ceilings with a custom bookshelf spanning 2 floors

minimal decor and furniture create a calm bedroom environment. take note, the only pattern in this room is from the accent pillows on the bed, very serene

the dark floors throughout give off a sophisticated warm feeling

the glass banister adds to the illusion of a floating staircase

(images from Boston Home and Boston.com)

Quick Share - Blue Pendant

I came across this pendant over at the Point Click Home blog and had to share! The vibrant blue is just fantastic! I wonder if it could stand the outdoor elements, in a partially covered area. I would love use it as a hanging pendant by the front door, a great pop of color! Oh and it's affordable at $99.95, just what we like here at CreateGirl!! You can see it at CB2. It's been a while since I have browsed through CB2, let's see what other interesting pieces I come across!

Scouting Upholstered Beds

Inspiration Photo

This week I am scouting for an upholstered bed for a bachelor's home. My search began with the option above found at Home Portfolio. The handsome, dark wood frame and tufted upholstered headboard are very appealing. The only draw back is the price tag, over $5,000. To fit our scheme we are looking for a wood frame with some type of upholstery to soften the look. The search continued for a budget friendly option and these are a few of my finds!

Manhattan Bed at Overstock.com $649

Montgomery Leather Headboard at Pottery Barn $699

Restoration Hardware Portman Upholstered Panel Bed $1299

Do you have an upholstered bed which is budget friendly? If so please share with a comment below, you never know what other readers might be looking for the same bed!

(room image from Point Click Home)

Display your date

Take a look at Mary McDonald's vibrant kitchen, featured in Domino Magazine. Isn't it just fantastic? Of course I adore the window seat but most of all I love the whimsical numbered plates used as wall decor. The sharp white is the perfect contrast against the dark wallpaper. You can purchase the plates here, they are sold in sets of 4 for $150. I might chose a special date, like an anniversary or birthday to display in a fun arrangement! It's a great design trick to look around your home and use everyday items in a new way, just like we see here!





(image from Domino Magazine and dfd Boutique)

Monday Morning Happy!

a quiet city street

Welcome to a new week and new month! How was your weekend? Yesterday we had a snowy, gray day which was the perfect setting to catch up on my stack of magazines! A big cup of hot tea and a warm Sunday afternoon dinner topped off one of my favorite types of winter days. The kitchen smelled wonderful and my creativity peaked with lots of visually pleasing pictures. So get ready, this week on CreateGirl is going to be filled with lots of great finds from my inspiring day!

The "Cute Picture of the week" is the most adorable dog playing in the snow. With his tongue wagging in the air, he looks as if he is trying to catch a few snowflakes!
Enjoy the week
jul

(image by Melissa D'Anello)