Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Sugar and Spice

and everything nice... that's what girls are made of. This looks like my kind of "tea party"... It has been a successful month of June thanks to you, and I am looking forward to exciting things to come in July! Let's celebrate with some
yummy cakes and macaroons...
Shoes and Desserts
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{via pinterest}

Beautiful Sponsor: All Earz Jewelry

If you are looking for unique necklaces and earrings, or even cool jewelry supplies,
visit All Earz Jewelry on Etsy.
Find All Earz Jewelry on Facebook too!
Would you like to be a sponsor of Bright, Bold, and Beautiful?
Please e-mail me for rates: laura.trevey@gmail.com
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Beautiful Inspiration Boards

... so much inspiration, you cannot help but want to be creative and make something! The first image is my board in my studio. As you know, I love butterflies. The center print is from my friend, Katie Daisy! I just love the vibrant colors flowing into each other in such a graceful way... and the two prints on either side are from my friend Colette over at Raw Art Letterpress. I am in awe of the process of letterpress and I was so thrilled to receive my custom Bright, Bold, and Beautiful piece of art!
Check out some more beautiful inspiration boards to get you kick started today!
Bright, Bold, and Beautiful
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{images via flickr, pinterest}

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Fresh Home Magazine mention

A huge thank you to Fresh Home magazine for mentioning Bright, Bold, and Beautiful in the latest issue, Summer 2010! The turquoise colored pegboard I designed for my Art Studio as well as a few of my watercolor paintings can be seen on page 12. I am beyond excited, flattered, and honored...
Fresh Home Magazine
Purchase your subscription here Fresh Home (1-year)


Another huge thank you to all the Bright, Bold, and Beautiful readers.
I truly appreciate each and every one of your visits and kind comments.
Bright, Bold, and Beautiful would be nothing without you!
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Bright and Beautiful Art: Birds on a Wire Series

The colors in my new Birds on a Wire series are rich and vibrant! All are available for purchase here. Which color combination fits your palette?
Juicy Fruit
Juicy Fruit, original watercolor, 4.5" by 11"
Love Birds at Sunset
Love Birds at Sunset, original watercolor, 5.5" by 7.5"
Birds on a Wire
Birds on a Wire, original watercolor, 4.5" by 11"
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Monday, June 28, 2010

Dollar Store Tiered Party Trays


As I have mentioned, we are getting ready for Miss M's Garden Party 1st birthday coming up this weekend.  I'm really hoping to be able to have the party outdoors (fingers crossed for good weather).


I have been working on some of the decor for her party and wanted to share these fun tiered party trays that I made from items from our local dollar store.


Now I cannot take credit for this idea.  I saw the tutorial for these trays by Julie on Joy's Hope blog and knew I HAD to make these!


These are made from silver dollar store trays that have been spray painted to match the party decor.  They are attached to one another using dollar store super-glue and each tier is a dollar store crystal candle stick holder turned upside down.


Julie at Joy's Hope spray painted the candle stick holders which looked super-cute.  She also used a rainbow of colors that made them look so fun and happy.  I decided to leave my candle sticks clear to up the elegance factor - I like the way the crystal looks.


I made three different sizes.  All of the candle stick holders are from the dollar store, except for the tall one which I just happened to have on hand.

Joy's Hope has a great tutorial and will show you everything you need to get started making these pretty tiered party trays.  I think these would be so fun for the holidays - can't you picture black and orange for a Halloween party or red and gold for Christmas?  For $4-$6, why not make them for all the seasons!?!

Cottage Mama's Note:  Now if you plan to serve food on these trays make sure to put down some decorative paper or a paper doily - these are not considered food safe due to the spray paint that was used.  These would also make a great place to store your jewelry or in a girls room for all her hair bows and accessories.

Monday Inspiration

I hope you had a lovely weekend and are charged for the new week ahead.
"You can have it all. You just can't have it all at once." Oprah Winfrey
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{via pinterest}

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Interior Design Ideas for your inner self

INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas


There is no better designer for your inner self than you, and here’s where hypnosis for designing the perfect life comes in. Hypnosis is a process which not only makes you self-motivated, but also helps you address any issue that might be staring you in the face. You might be considering how to lose weight and become shapelier. You might be wondering how to kick the butt, and have a smoke free life. You might even be wondering how to make that presentation at office without stuttering and breaking into a cold sweat.

But can hypnosis really help you in addressing these situations in life? Your memory tells you that hypnosis is for magicians; it’s somehow connected to voodoo and black magic. Hey! Isn’t hypnosis what the evil doctor did to that poor heroine in that Hollywood flick? I often find myself smiling whenever people approach me with these apprehensions. So I decided that I should write an article dispelling all these myths about hypnotherapy, and demonstrate to you how incredibly hypnosis for designing the perfect life works.

In my career of nearly a decade, I have had the opportunity to meet scores of clients at my practice in Oxfordshire in UK. We have together worked on solutions to their problems, ranging from divorces, business failure to drug addiction. People come to me for a variety of reasons – some people’s problems are more ‘on the surface’, for instance weight watchers, smokers, people with a drinking problem; some on the other hand have more deep rooted issues, which could deal with their self image, traumatic experiences in their life, divorce, deaths, career decisions etc. Together I and my clients have discovered that through regular practice of hypnotherapy methods, we can make a HUGE difference to our lives. Hypnosis for designing the perfect life is no joke, it can happen to you; all it takes is a little bit of patience and practice.

Moving on to breaking the myths related to hypnosis – it is not practiced by magicians; it is more a scientific and medical complementary therapy. The therapists who practice hypnotherapy are well educated and professional, no medieval apothecaries here! Another very popular notion about hypnotherapy is that is for “weak-minded people, who allow other people to control them”. Nothing could be more untrue. If you choose to undergo hypnosis, you will not be under any one else’s control. The reign will still very much be in your hands. A person undergoing hypnosis is aware of his/her surroundings, and can control how far he/she wants to go in the session. No one can control your mind, and make you kill their neighbor’s cat, so relax! It is just not possible.

Recently a lot more people are talking in favor of hypnosis. They think that hypnosis for designing the perfect life is a very real possibility. I have often told my clients that hypnosis is all about understanding what you want changed in your life, and concentrating towards changing it. With the help of a therapist, some audio tapes and books, you can well be on your journey of self discovery. Hypnosis is effective in tackling issues with emotions, habits, career, and personal development. Our mind can work wonders for us, and hypnosis just helps you connect with it better.

My Little Baby and My New Baby


I just feel like things have been go, go, go around here lately - I mean, seriously, where does all the time go?  I have all of these projects that I would love to get done, but there never seems to be enough hours in the day.  Maybe someday, I will get to everything........

I'm trying to stay focused, which is very difficult for me - I tend to move in five different directions all at once but somehow get most of it done.  And honestly I LOVE to accomplish things.  Yes, I enjoy sewing and creating, but my favorite part is seeing the end result.  So this weekend my plan was to focus on sewing some custom orders (which I did) and working on my baby girls 1-year birthday party (coming up this next weekend).

But meanwhile, while trying to stay focused, I had a VERY exciting distraction come my way.  I have been wanting a new camera for a while and yesterday my hubby said that I could get my birthday present early (my b-day is July 15th) - eeeeeekkkkk!!  I couldn't believe it.........so check out my new baby:

image via canon.usa.com

Yes, that's right - I got a new Canon Rebel T1i kit with an additional lens as well!  I hope you don't mind me bragging, but I honestly can't believe I own this camera!

So this afternoon, I wanted to shoot some pictures of my youngest daughter Matilda in one of my "The Cottage Mama" dresses and I got to try out my new beauty.  My intention was to shoot pictures of my dress for the shop, but my darling little lady just captured my eye and this little photo shoot ended up being more about her than anything else.







This dress has been my top-seller in the shop. It's such a fun dress with all the different patterned fabrics and makes a wonderful twirly dress for older girls.




The dress is made from Art Gallery fabrics "Girly Girl" line.  I am in love with everything Art Gallery lately - you should see the new fabrics due out this Fall!

Sometimes you have to stop for a cheerio break mid-photo shoot!









My favorite part about this dress is the piping in the round-neck collar and the fabric covered button closure.  I've thought about doing a piping tutorial if people would be interested.  I think piping is a great way to add a traditional finished look to any garment.  Did you know you can make your own piping out of any fabric?

Well, that's all!  Thanks for letting me share some pictures of my little Matilda Jane (and letting me brag about my b-day present) - would you believe she is sick in these pictures?  Such a happy girl!

Cottage Mama's Note:  I did not adjust any of these photos with photoshop, though I am dying to learn all about it.  We have the program (CS4) on my hubs. work computer, but I have no idea how to use it - if you know of any online tutorials for the program, please let me know!  I'd love to learn how to use it!!

Fourth of July Celebration

The Fourth of July is a time to Celebrate! Here is an explosion of red, white, and blue for your color inspiration as well as some easy DIY decorations. Laura Trevey watercolor prints available here. How are you going to spend Independence Day?
Fourth of July
Fourth of July
Fourth of July
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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Breathtaking Interior Designs Are Always the Goal

Modern Interior Design Ideas
Modern Interior Design Ideas
Modern Interior Design Ideas
Modern Interior Design Ideas
Modern Interior Design Ideas
Modern Interior Design Ideas

Why should the interior design of your home be any different from anyone else's? It could be so much easier to simply follow the crowd and show no fear about a lack of originality if every home was pre-packaged with a unit appearance. Here are some ideas to keep the interior of your home as conformist as you can, and perhaps these will allow you the simple peace of a non-designed house.

First - please be sure to remove all coordination from your home. Recent studies have shown that balancing the cloth of your living room upholstery to the window and floor treatments can spark sensations of appreciation and pleasure in household members and guests. It is therefore critical for the practicing conformist to remove all hints of matching or complimentary designs from his or her household.

After dealing with those messy matching issues, be sure to walk through the rest of the interior searching for original art pieces such as paintings, sculpture and folk art. An interior which includes originality in their wall décor would evoke a sense of personality and interest in guest of the home, and it should also be noted that these guests might then find themselves assuming the "good taste" of their host. That defeats the purpose.

To the delight of the true conformist, many interior designs are stagnating into set themes. But you must take this a step further, and be certain that no new design or decorating ideas
are found throughout your home. Do not allow any inspiration to come from, say, your favorite books, magazines, or movies. In fact, stop using any of things for entertainment. They will only lead to further thought "outside the box."

Use your head people. Actually, do not use it at all, because that is the best way to avoid any originality or sensationalism in any interior design ideas. It is, unfortunately, too easy to find simple inspiration throughout your daily life. It is imperative that you do not write any of these ideas down, and then you will have a chance to forget your initial reaction and idea and move along in your simple, easy, and non-threatening little life.

Interior Design Tips

An interior designer faces many of the same questions when faced with a residential client. Issues such as theme and fundamental style are not frequently an issue with the home client. But there will always be concerns about painting walls, the furniture currently inside the home, and of course the floors. There are tips to alleviate concerns and questions regarding these specific design problems.

"What about this color of paint? It is too bright/dark/soft/etcetera." The first and best tip to eliminate concerns about paint choices is to purchase a sample of paint to place on the wall. Then, there will be a true understanding of what the actual appearance of a color will be. However, many colors - especially darker ones - attain their true beauty from the look of the entire wall after being layered with several coats of paint.

Trust a color pallet and a designer, but of course only follow intuition. A color that is difficult to stomach may settle eventually to delightful surprise, or it may lead to a horrible bellyache. Only cover a wall with a design's color that will provide security and happiness in a homeowner.

"Should existing and endurable furniture be reupholstered?" An excellent tip to be considered: evaluate the furniture for style and value versus the cost of the reupholstering. An antique chair that fits the feeling of a formal living room that was purchased for many thousands of dollars would be an excellent candidate as long as replacing the original upholstery did not degrade its value or worth.

"I don't know what to do about my floor." Decisions about floor designs should be based on a person's budget, the room's use, and personal preference. Certain floor treatments are incredibly expensive, such as hard oak floors, and they may not be practical in an area where stomping kids thrash through the interior. Carefully weigh options such as dying carpet or laying rugs over existing hard floors. It is all a matter of personal preference.

Actually, all interior design should be a matter of personal preference. It is not worth any expense to put something in a home that will force a homeowner to cringe every time he or she looks around.

Singapore Influenced interior design

Interior Design Ideas
Singapore Interior Design
Singapore Interior Design
Singapore Interior Design
Singapore Interior Design

The main elements of Country Singapore interior design require a relaxed, down-to-earth interior design style. For a major Asia city, Singapore can be another hub for exciting eclectic style and modern contemporary singapore interior design. You'll be able to establish a room's rural motif with rustic floors in wooden planks, stone, or ceramic tiles. In overall color scheme should be concentrated on colors inspired by the Singapore natural features. Including yellow golds, rich reds, and verdant greens in conjunction with blues and terracotta tones.

When deciding Singapore interior design, keep things simple but graceful. Sturdy, large scale wooden furniture is ideal for this provincial design style. Painted furniture pieces are also with regards to the list for an appealing Singapore Country decorating motif. Furniture silhouettes in this fashion are relatively unadorned, but they usually feature soft lines which might be clean rather than too fussy.

Fabric is a wonderful component of Singapore interior design. Small scale printed fabrics are very popular and show repeating patterns of flowers or animals such as roosters and citrus fruit. The bold hues of red, gold, and blue are predominant in these rustically inspired prints. Another fabric commonly noticed in this interior style is toile. Sometimes called by its person's name Toile Jieo, toile fabrics and wallpapers usually pair an easy background with repeated scenes of individuals and animals in a very pleasing outdoor setting.

Singapore style kitchen décor is often the center point and center of the comfortable decorating style in the home. Wooden cabinetry is generally accessorized with wrought iron hardware, and countertops are adorned with woven baskets and vibrant ceramic pieces. A sturdy harvest table for meals might be accented by some painted wooden chairs which has a distressed finish and woven rush seats.