Where Dreams are Made!

September 20, 2014January 9, 20164 Comments

When I was a young girl, my Mom converted her glass greenhouse into a garden playhouse for me. Nestled among the roses and butterfly bushes, I had this magical dreamy world all my own where I could play dress-up, draw, read, or just hang out with my friends. It was the best! Somehow all my dollies, stuffies and cookie tins ended up under the sofa. My great-aunt’s old furniture would be repurposed after some sanding and a new coat of paint. Looking back now, I can see my love for shabby chic was forged in my little playhouse. Decorating for children always allows for a playful, whimsical side of my personality to shine. I wanted to create a tribute to a my childhood playhouse using exclusive items from SL Home & Garden Expo 2014 from Persnickity, Thaino Designs, Dreamscapes Art Gallery*, Serenity Styles (gacha), Shabby Tabby*, Dekute Dekore* (part of the Story Time set), NACH*, R(S)W Home & Garden, La Vieux Carre, and EDD Homes & Garden. You can easily use the items in a child’s bedroom, study, reading nook, or a grown up living space. Rethinking the Persnickity garden shed as an additional living space will guarantee to add interest to your homestead, spark creativity and conversation. Happy shopping!

The 7th Annual Home & Garden Expo 2014 opened Tuesday, September 16 and will run until September 28, 2014, featuring over 80 creators on 9 sims. Home and Garden Expo (HGE) raises money for Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL). Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event, and RFL of SL is one of its virtual counterparts. You can get more information about RFL of SL here: http://relayforlifeofsecondlife.org/.

* = Donation items

Structure: Persnickity, Garden Shed

Garden Decor

Persnickity (Sim 3): Tree Tunnel & Dripping Faucet with Pink Roses
EED Home & Garden (Sim 2): Hanging Basket

Inside Decor

Thaino Designs (Sim 1): Old Shabby Patch Sofa
La Vieux Carre (Sim 8): Hey Yall Wall Sign
NACH (Sim 1): Inspirational Words Decal* & Monster Storytime Cushion (Green, Classic Hunt item)
Dreamscapes Art Gallery (Sim 4): Bookworm Shelf & Chair*
R(S)W HOme & Garden (Sim 6): Cookie Tin (Picturebook), Votive Candle in Glass Cup, Dragonfly Dragon, Butterfly Shadow Box
Shabby Tabby (Sim 8): Chalky Lights & Story Time Bookshelf
Dekute Dekore (Sim 4): Stacked Books Lamp (Pastels, part of the RFL Story Time Set)
Serenity Styles (Sim 3): The Vain Little Mouse Pink (gacha)

The Space Between

September 20, 2014September 20, 20145 Comments

More goodies from SL Home & Garden Expo 2014! Since I’ve been tagged queen of the boudoir (just call me bedroom eyes, giggles), I wanted to create something a bit different, a raw sophisticated haven using HGE exclusives from Johadez Garden Bed*, Fence, and Dead Tree print, Follow Us Girly Desk*, Bed Tray (Rare Gacha), Kaerri Side Table and Caged Dove, and Revival XO Sign*. I love the golden fields of barley and autumn trees in my garden, it reminds me of Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting Christina’s World (1948), so I changed viewpoitns to have the garden view as the backdrop in my luxurious rustic bedroom. I don’t normally add music to interior design blog posts because I don’t want it to distract from the items, but this room is calling out for some Nina Simone. Enjoy!

* = Donation items

Structure: Thaino Designs, Dreamer House (available @ HGE)

Harvest Moon Hideaway!

September 19, 2014January 9, 20163 Comments

In the past, I had the good fortune to participate in the Relay for Life Christmas Expo 2013 and the Fashion for Life 2014 event, both part of the umbrella of RFL of SL fundraising events. This season is equally exciting and I was selected as an official blogger for HGE where home builders, interior designers, and landscape artists present display exhibits for inspiration and donation. All the creators designed two exclusive items for sale with 100% of proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society. Styles range from shabby chic to modern, Victorian to gothic, rustic to whimsical. Other offerings at SL Home and Garden Expo are building classes, raffles, silent auction, gacha, and two hunts. Anything and everything you would want for your home, property, store, or sim is available at the Home Expo 2014.

Thaihiti Baroque of Thaino Designs created an adorable octagonal shape Secret Wood House with flower window boxes, cream and pink plaid draw-back curtains, valances, and wainscoting. I was inspired by the upcoming Autumnal season and wanted to build a Harvest Moon Hideaway with a fireplace, small bistro area, rest/relax spot with tea set, and reading nook. Adorned in fall colors of orange, brown, golds, rust reds, celery greens, and blues, with touches of Halloween pumpkins and black cats. Furnished with items exclusive at Home Expo from Cleo Designs, Thaino Designs*, Follow Us*, Dreamscapes Art Gallery, Good Furniture, Shabby Tabby, Kaerri, Serenity Style*, La Vieux Carre, Hanaya, and Striped Mocha*. Pop over to the Home & Garden Expo and explore all 9 sims, be inspired, be generous, donate, and remember always Let’s Get Decorating! Taxi please…

* = Donation items

Structure: Thaino Designs, Secrets Wood House

Outside Decor

Thaino Designs (Sim 1): Pumpkin Seat*, Pumpkin Floor Decor* & Pumpkin Flower Beds
Dreamscapes Art Gallery (Sim 4): Leaf Lampstands A/Autumn
Hanaya (Sim 6): Apple Bobbing Barrel (Classic Hunt Gift)
Other items used (not part of HGE): Pilot Barrel Pumpkin Display, Studio Skye Enchanting Forest & Silver Birch Trees

Inside Decor

Thaino Designs (Sim 1): Hanging Pumpkins Baskets*
Cleo Designs (Sim 6): His & Her Chairs (Orange & Brown, Classic Hunt Gift), Coffee Table with Tea Set, Apples, and Pastry Decor, Fireplace, Reading Nook Beach & Decorative Shelves, Shutter Wall Hanging & Strawberry Cake
Dreamscapes Art Gallery (Sim 4): Fall Chairs with plaid blankets and decorative candles, Leaf Chairs (Autumn & Summer) & Halloween Frame A
Shabby Tabby (Sim 8): Autumn Mantel Decor
Kaerri (Sim 8): Felicity Flower Umbrella
Striped Mocha (Sim 1): Copper Kettle with Candles & Pumpkins*
Serenity Style (Sim 3): Journey Stepladder*
La Vieux Carre (Sim 8): Old Elm Spice Rack
Follow Us (Sim 4): Home Sweet Home Sign* (part of the Girly Desk set)
Good Furniture (Sim 5): Bistro Table
Other items used (not part of HGE): Shutter Field Pumpkin Lanterns, StoraxTree Rustic Rug 10

Dorm Style 101: Bright & Colorful

September 1, 2014October 11, 20145 Comments

September always marks the beginning of school and in my small college town the students roll in with packed cars and giddy anticipation. Soon after seeing their dreary and dark dorm rooms, they flood the local Target, Walmart, Goodwill and weekend yard sales to brighten up their space and make it feel like a home for the next 9 months. I’ve always enjoy observing the students repurpose their finds. I thought this experience would be a great fit for the monthly themed ? room feature. Below, I designed a college students’ first studio apartment/dorm using items from The Challenge September theme Colorful.

First, I imagined the clients, in this case the story of the students who would create the space. Bubbly and bright young eighteen year old female freshman art students were kindred spirits from the moment they met. Raleigh hails from the South and Vivian is a native of the North, both are sweet, sunny, and chipper. Their space needs LOTS of color to reflect their personalities with moments of glam, and a place to relax and soak in the California sun. The girls wanted to create a modern vibrant funky hang out lounge space by repurposing Hate This Mine Chair (color change) Rock~n~Roll spiked barrel chairs which they spray painted in fluorescent metallic colors that instantly cheer up the room. Pop Art inspired Hate This Expression Rug, Black Tulip Color Me Cat Shelf, Wiggly Lamp & Rug, Prime’s Style Wise No 5 Wall clock and comic book framed art finish the wall. As first year art students they understood the founding principal of proportion; when dealing with bright colors and large-scale items you need a place for your eyes to rest, such as neutral walls, or in this case softer palette bed.

Their creative juices started to flow in the bedroom area where they highlighted the matching twin Art Dummy! Slumber beds (blue & birch pink), with Plethora cut out paper mobile hanging lights dangle from the ceiling; a butterfly & house mobile each denoting the different personalities of the girls (*not part of The Challenge). The bedroom wall called for pops of color. The DIY’rs made their own floor lamps using a bare bulb and cut out painted plywood lamp silhouettes (Sway’s Floor Lamp Silhouette) which flank the two beds, and old balls of yard were woven together and framed (Kuro’s Color Framed Art) dividing the bedroom wall area. In need of a glam moment, the girls painted a favorite quote, framed and hung it. The Floorplan’s Sparkle sign (*not part of The Challenge) is the perfect piece to soften the space, and complement the Wimey Shabby Chickie Vanity Set.

The young ladies are lucky to have a large deck area filled with bright colorful chairs, and more do-it-yourself craft projects: repurposed old suitcases as garden planters, recycled broken tea-cup for side tables, upcycled lanterns and branches make unique lighting display, and a salvaged shabby chic mix-match painted bistro set. Vivian’s favorite spot to cuddle up and do her homework is on Sway’s Sydney Boomerang Chair (color change, 25% off till Sept 7). Raleigh’s most loved area is tucked on Kuro’s Colored Stacked Chair (color change) while enjoying shutter field Suitcase Planter’s on the deck railing. Both ladies chosen garden locations are over flowing with vibrant plants, fun and funky finds from Thaino Designs and shutter field that furnish the deck and overlook the sea. One of the great adventures of interior design is decorating and collaborating with others to blend a space into a livable unit. Everyone can inject a little more color in their lives, so be free, cheery and whimsical, and go check out the offerings at this month’s round of The Challenge!

The outside front yard has a small plot of land planted with a sunflower fence and hosts a home for some rescue bunnies the girls found at their local shelter, the adorable Fence Garden and Occupied Outhouse is from The Mustard Seed and is available at The Designer Warehouse Shopping Event till September 4!!!!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Vintage Moments

May 27, 2014December 9, 20144 Comments

The Collage is back with a new location, more home and garden designers, and collections for every palette. This month The Collage bloggers were challenged to create a room or space using only the items provided in the bloggers box, spotlighting at least one item from all the designers. This was a departure for me because I like to create rooms by design styles, ie: shabby chic or modern or traditional, however for this build I envisioned a home filled with intimate moments tied together with vintage finds. I used the Trompe Loeil Karin Cottage (currently available at Collabor88) and showcased The Collage designers items in different areas of the home. Above is my photo contest entry and below are close-ups from sections in the home. All Collage designers are offering corresponding furnishings available at The Collage sim which will remain open year round. Hop over to the new location and check out the designs and new sim. Taxi please…