Posted by Isla on Mar 31, 2009 in
Finds Geometric patterns are back in according to Elle Decor, so i’ve been browsing! I got distracted and happened upon this great site just at the right time and wanted to share a little of what i found. Maybe you’ll be able to tell and maybe you won’t…
some of the above are tiles as you may have thought, but some are also stencils! FABULOUS stencils by Melanie Royals, who runs a blog called Designamour and owns a small do-it-yourself stenciling company called Royal Design Studio out of San Diego. She’s a self taught artist and entrepreneur with a real knack for color and pattern. Forget the usual glass mosaics and Subway styles (well not really!) and get some color and pattern into your life! And guess what, no grouting or scrubbing or mathematical equations, just some much deserved “you” time and paint and what an amazing, unique, inspirational burst of color you’ll have for your room.
Above her patterns are mixed along with tile designer greats Ann Sacks and Walker Zanger, could you tell? These are so modern and fresh and would look so fabulous in any setting…a little backyard courtyard, fireplace wall, small bathroom, a headboard wall, the list goes on.
My Marrakesh
There are so many different patterns and designs so be sure to check out the site, and the prices are so reasonable for what you’re getting. These bring a whole new life to the old idea of stenciling!
Tags: Designamour, Melanie Royals, My Merrakesh, Stencil, Tile
Posted by Isla on Mar 30, 2009 in
Delights,
Finds Ate this….
and this this morning…
And thought of this….the future entry way to my Greek isle (little Miami-ish) guest cottage!
Tags: Aqua, Greek, Mandarin Orange
Posted by Isla on Mar 30, 2009 in
Tips 
Thought this would be a fun little post for spring. Some really neat, simple tips from Care2 on what to do with all kinds of kitchen leftovers. Care2 is the largest online community for healthy and green living, human rights and animal welfare. My mom frequently sends us and her friends the greatest ecards from them, they’re so clever and make me laugh every time. They’re also supporting some of the greatest movements of the world…and wanting everyone to get involved. Enjoy!
Egg Shells
- Cleaned egg shells can be sprinkled on the ground in the garden to deter garden pests and provide nourishment to the soil.
- Help nesting birds–save the (calcium-rich!) shells of eggs you use. Grind up the egg shells and stir them into cornmeal, sprinkle the cornmeal/calcium mix around the feeders, on a platform if available.
- Make some ridiculously cute seed-starting pots, here’s how.
Fruit and Vegetable Peels
- Rub juiced lemon or lime halves on greasy pans, splattered stove tops, stinky sinks, counters or cutting board to clean and refresh.
- Leftover orange or grapefruit peels can be lightly rubbed on your face (watch out for your eyes!), then gently rinsed with warm water, for a nice skin tonic.
- Lemon peel can help lighten age spots–strap or tape a small piece on the spot and leave an hour.
- Rub the fleshy part of a piece of avocado peel on your face for a luscious quick moisturizer.
Brewed Coffee Grounds
- Coffee grounds are a great natural exfoliator–make a body scrub with coffee grounds, coconut oil, and a little brown sugar.
- Use coffee grounds as mulch for acid-loving plants, such as rosebushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, and camellias–they’ll appreciate your used coffee grounds for their natural acidity and the nutrients they’ll add to the soil.
- Sprinkle used grounds around places where you don’t want ants, or on the ant piles themselves. Used grounds are also said to repel snails and slugs.
Used Tea Leaves and Tea Bags
- Cool tea bags provide relief when applied to bug bites and minor burns, including sunburn.
- Use tea leaves to feed your garden plants–green tea is high in nitrogen–and they will even ward off pests and insects.
- Tea leaves have a long tradition of being used as a deodorizer. Tea has antibacterial properties, which makes tea leaves great for fighting odor.
- Sprinkle used, dried, tea leaves on your carpet and let sit for ten minute before vacuuming to help reduce odors.
Tags: Care2, Green, Recycling
Posted by Isla on Mar 27, 2009 in
Delights 
Just thought i’d leave you with this fun image of So’mace…we love our greens!
Tags: Art, Greens, Kaypee Soh, So'mace Lifestyle
Posted by Isla on Mar 27, 2009 in
Delights 
Aloha everyone!!! Just putting this out there for friends and followers…please vote here today!!! Help Design Green Now, they are a movement for the future! They’re nearing the final round now, see below from the previous round…
What will you do if you win $10,000 for this idea?
Design Green Now’s next step is to create day long conferences, uniting bright leaders with intensive group design jams to create innovative solutions around waste, materials, energy, health and hunger. DesignGreenNow.com a digital portal w/ access into the brilliant minds behind environmentally friendly and socially responsible movements. Winning will allow us to feed the community with an expansive online video catalog of green design, big visions, more speakers, and frequent hands on design jams. DGN will connect to worldwide communities, inspiring change within individuals and businesses. Vote for change!
Tags: Contest, Design Green Now, Ideablob
