Monday, January 31, 2011

(Not so Heavy) Metal


I am loving metal looks right now.  Corrugated metal walls, metal wash basins, any unexpected application of metal!  This simple element can be coupled with almost any style to add a unique flair.  See what I mean:

In this cb2 ad (for their bath accessories), I fell in love with the metal buckets being used as vessel bowl sinks.

Using a corrugated metal sheet as a wall in your home or office is a fun play on texture.  The sheen catches the eye and the bends of the metal create a fun movement.  You can pair it with bold colors for a contemporary feel or use it with antiqued and distressed finishes to create a vintage vibe.  In this photo, the metal compliments the rustic nature of the wood used in the cabin.

How funky is this corrugated metal application?  It’s definitely not yo’ momma’s white textured ceiling!


 

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It's All About Who You Know...


Remodeler                                                                      
Handyman
Painter
Cabinet Design/Sales
Tile Installation
Flooring Installation
Countertop Fabrication
Countertop Repair
Appliance Sales
Home/Auto Insurance
Commercial Insurance
Realtor
Mortgage Lending/Refinancing
Landscaping/Yard Maintenance
Moving Truck Rentals
Payroll Services
Payment Processing (for businesses)
Office Supplies/Equipment Sales
Promotional Products
Cleaning Service (home & office)
Commercial Lending
Photographer  
Chiropractor
Event & Wedding Planning
College Planning/Preparation
Auto Mechanic
Carpet/Drapes/Upholstery Cleaner
Professional Organizer
Errand Service
Window Filming/Tint (home and auto)

If you need one of their services give me a call and I can put you in touch with them.  You are important to me so I would never put you in less than capable hands. Remember I work outside the Lexington area, as well and have contacts in other cities/counties.

Monday, January 17, 2011

January Guest Blogger: Sarah Burton, Event Planning Queen

Sarah Burton, owner of ido Signature Events, Lake Cumberland area’s only wedding & event planning firm! Sarah is also the co-founder of Cumberland Weddings Magazine and an expert on all things etiquette.  So many elements of design and event planning overlap so I often use Sarah as inspiration.  Here is what she had to say about personalized favors:

"As a 26 year old, I often find myself asking the famous question of a toddler, “why?” When Liz presented me with the topic of personalized favors, I had tons of ideas running through my mind, but with that was why in the world do we give favors? At almost every wedding, shower or event we go to, there are always favors, so before I share a couple of awesome ideas with you, I want to take a step back into history about why we have favors. 

Centuries ago, European aristocrats would send their wedding guests home with some type of a miniature gift, called a bonbonniere. Just like now, they were given at other events besides weddings back.  A bonbonniere was a box made of porcelain, crystal, stones or metal, hence why there are little crafty favor boxes today.  Inside of the box you would find delicacies made of sugar.
There are tons of options when it comes to personalized favors for weddings or events; however the most popular are still edible ones. 

These are two fairly new favors that are showing up for different events.  Above are Rice Krispy Personalized Cupcake Flavors.  These would be super cute for a wedding shower, baby shower or bachelorette party or even an event at a salon and spa. On the right are brownie pops, these are perfect for every event.  They could have the initials of the bride and groom, the initial of the guest at each seat, company name, etc.  Brownie pops could also be dipped in pink chocolate or blue chocolate for baby showers too.







Wine bottles are always great favors for events, for 2 reasons: 1) your guest can drink the wine and 2) they’ll keep the bottle.  We have many great wineries now in KY and I always love to keep stuff local.  There are different ways that you can personalize the bottles labels, pictures or even just small stickers.







There are also tons of smaller items that you can use for favors.  I actually recommend hitting the grocery store the day of Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter – great time to get good treats half price.  If you want to stick with tradition and do a smaller favor and cute packaging there are tons of options for it as well.  One of my favorite places is Nashville Wraps; they have cute boxes in all shapes and sizes.  The picture below is actually some that I purchased there for an event I did.  I wrapped the silver boxes in black ribbon and then included my company sticker on top to hold the ribbon together!

The sky is the limit when it comes to personalization, but I do think that personalization is the key to a good, fun and memorable favor, as many people keep those favors for years to come!"

Sarah can be contacted by phone at 606.307.0156 or through her website http://www.idosignatureevents.com.




Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Stripes!

I am a BIG fan of stripes! In fashion, in home decor... well really in everything!  The lines are so simple but they do so much.  Vertical stripes in clothing give the illusion that someone is taller than they really are.  Stripes in certain colorways provide a well known theme (think navy and white stripes being very nautical).  In decorating, they can add drama to a space when painted in bold contrasting colors.  Or tone on tone stripes can provide a subtle touch of movement.  Pinstripes give a space a fashionable feel, evenly spaced stripes are clean, vertical ones are traditional and tailored, wide stripes give a contemporary edge, and stripes of various widths are playful!  I love that stripes can be used in every style of design- they are universal.

Here are some photos I found inspiring.  (as a result I am now selecting my color scheme and planning to stripe my own foyer.)


















Happy stripe-ing!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Colors for 2011

I am loving this year's color forecast from Sherwin Williams.  there is a little something for everyone- understated tones, bright & bold, exotic shades and fresh hues.  Some of my personal favorites are:

Bracing Blue (6242)



Peppercorn (7674)

Parakeet (6711)












Armagnac (6454)
  
Whole Wheat (6121)



Looking forward to using a number of these shades in the coming year!  Happy painting!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

New Year, New Look

Happy New Year everyone!  December was a wonderful business boom, and as a result my blogging fell off.  But I'm back and ready to go for 2011!!!

As I type, people are taking down Christmas decorations and packing them away.  As the clean up winds down, they are looking around and realizing the house seems bare. It's a bit of a letdown following a magical Christmas season. I experienced the same feeling myself.  After having a tree up for 2 months, my living room seems very blah now. There was a simple solution, though- simply re-accessorizing my space.  Within an hour, I moved some chairs, reworked the bookcases and strategically placed some greenery.  Voila!  A whole new look without spending a dollar.  Suddenly I'm noticing pieces that used to blend into the background and I once again love my space!

Happy re-arranging!