The Violet Hours

Time for Photographs on Fabric

I guess I'm continuing the preservation-of-memories theme of the week with this post about cool ways to display photographs on fabric. I think choosing black and white photographs is a good idea because it will make a less chaotic statement in the midst of the other décor items in your home.

This stitched embroidery hoop project that I found on Pinterest inspired me to find more lovely examples. Image above via the German website, Brigitte.de.

 

Marie Claire Idées is by far the best craft magazine ever. They take every theme, idea or motif to new levels. How cute would it be to make chair-back covers with your family's black-and-white faces on them to label the chairs around your dinner table?

 

Pillows are a classic vehicle for the black-and-white photo transfer. I love how Martha Stewart mixed these vintage photos with lovely bright pillows.

 

Allergic to cats, but craving a curled-up fur ball at the foot of your bed? Snurk invented the best solution—no Zyrtec required.

Time to Photograph Children

I feel like this is an appropriate follow-up to Monday's reflection post. I saw this on Design Mom today, and it literally made my eyes well up in loveliness. You Are My Wild is a weekly portrait project that brings together 14 photographers to document how they see their children. Here are a few stand-outs for me... (There are so many amazing ones...you have to see for yourself.)

photographer: Anje Marie

why i love it: the post-mortem joy of the celebration, the parade, the party...all taken in with studious black glasses.

*****

photographer: rebecca zeller

why i love it: you can read two different personalities of these children from above and below the table. the purple tights and the crossed feet speak volumes.

*****

photographer: brooke schwab

why i love it: this photo truly felt like a moment in the day of this family. there is no sense of performance at all. just the transference of pure love in the grasp of her ponytail.

*****

photographer: shelby brakken

why i love it: he is looking out the window, plotting how buzz will make it to infinity.

*****

photographer: kati dimoff

why i love it: the band-ade'd knees and sidewalk chalk scribble make me think this girl is a fearless artist.

As a photo major in college, I always imagined that my kids would only know me with a black box in front of my face, but little did I know that the iPhone was to be invented just 15 or so years later. So instead of the black box, there is this little rectangular, deck-of-cards sized object that can sometimes capture a moment on the fly. How lucky am I that not only do I get to preserve my kids' moments constantly, but I can also see the light of day.

Time to Plan a First Birthday Party

It's totally mind-numbing that my daugher is turning 1 in a month. I guess we as parents all have that feeling that the days are long, but the years fly by. So on top of the emotions that surround this milestone, it's time to plan a party. Fortunately, I just did this story for the March issue of Parents magazine (on stands now)!

One certainty of becoming a parent is the enormous amount of photographs that you take of your baby—from the first sneeze to the first time he stares at a toy. Riveting material. Here's an easy decor solution: use your baby's precious face to decorate the party! Find the how-to's on Parents.com. {Edit note: baby-in-hat garland is my little Sommer Alice!}

 

I don't know about you, but I have the hardest time throwing away baby food jars. Here are 3 cool ways to resuse them—favors, vases, and votive holders—for your baby's first birthday party.

 

Running 72 errands and buying 34 different craft materials is the last thing you want to do when DIYing your baby's first birthday party. I have such a crush on the crepe paper from Cartefini.com that I designed an entire party using that solo material!

 

The handprint is such an icon of babyhood. Make a stamp of your baby's hand and use it to decorate napkins. Click here to learn which ink pads are best for napkins. Plus you can watch a video too!

(Gorgeous photos by Tara Donne and genius styling by Martha Bernabe)

Time for a Little Reflection

Sadly, I went to a funeral this morning for one of my dear friend's mothers. I rarely come away from a funeral with so many relatable topics to reflect on. She wasn't young, so it wasn't tragic in that sense, but I learned so much about her rich life, and especially her very healthy obsession for her children and grandchildren.

She was a working mom in the 60's and 70's—a time when there was no discussion of work/life balance. (She graduated Columbia Law School in 1959—one of 12 women in a class of 280. Amazing.) If you chose to work, you just figured it out. My friend and her brother both spoke beautifully about how they never felt like latch-key kids—breakfast was always on the table when they woke up and their mom never missed even the most insignificant school event.

I couldn't help but think about myself as a mom and how strapped I often feel in this world where, at the drop of a hat, one can find advice on a dozen blogs or in an entire section of a bookstore addressing this very topic. I guess what I'm saying is that moms today are lucky to follow in the steps of women like this. Someone had to pave this path that we so fortunately tred every day.

So instead of a craft today, I've posted a pic of me and my kids, in the most blissful scenario I could imagine.

Crafts and fun finds will return tomorrow, as per usual.

Time for a Glittered Oscar Party

I used to throw Oscar parties...back in the day when I saw movies. Sigh. My day will come again, I know it, and I'll be ready, with glitter in hand. Check out these sparkly, glittery ideas for a DIY Oscar Party that shines!

One of the best parts of Oscar parties is the guessing slash voting. Learn how to make these very mod Oscar ballot envelopes at Studio DIY. (Though I'd recommend using a glittered paper or craft foam like this, but that's just me. It'll cut your work/mess in half.) You can download any of these amazing Oscar 2013 ballots.

 

I can't even stand how gorgeous these glittered ombre champagne bottles are. These are definite keepers. Found via 100 Layer Cake.

 

You'll need to serve some glittered bites to go with your glittered champagne bottles and flutes. Check out these gems from The Purl Bee.

 

No need to stock up on cheesy Oscar decorations from Party City. Instead, fill clear glass vases with glittered stars. Understated and elegant. These are from Pottery Barn, believe it or not. Maybe you can just raid your Christmas decorations for something similar.

Time for Patchwork Inspiration

I can't even describe the visceral feeling that I get when I see these amazing aerial photographs by Normann Szkop of tulip fields in Holland. Those colors! I'm obviously not the first nor the last to think of gorgeous patchwork quilts when looking at these squares of bright hues. But then it made me wonder if patchwork has a place off the bed and into other design-y places in the home. I think I've discovered the answer to be yes. {Photo via This is Colossal.}

Patchwork walls are a dime-a-dozen, but this one from Decor8 grabbed me because of the mix of paper genres, so to speak—scrapbook paper, posters, book pages. I think if you try to control it too much you get trapped into a corner of color, style, or shape. But when you fully let go and let it be as random as possible, you can't mess it up.

 

I'm crazy about this patchwork tiled floor from an old issue of Budget Living that I found on Pinterest. Individually, I would never pick most of those tile patterns, but once they are all put together, they form such a soft, cool patchwork effect.

 

Fabric is obviously the logical material to use for patchwork. These lovely cushions spotted on Chic & Posh are a great surprise when you pull the red chair out from the table.

I'm feeling the patchwork itch. It's a perfect motif for kids since it's so free form. Where will it end up in my book?

Time for Teacup Crafts

I always come across lovely, single teacups at flea markets and almost buy them. I think it's time I shell out the cash to make some of these amazing projects.

I don't know if these are pincushions or just little soft, teacup sculptures. And honestly, I don't care. I love them. Found via Susan Anderson's pinterest page. (Follow her if you don't!)

 

I think these are genius—bracelets made out of teacups. For the delicate wearer. You can buy them on Stay Gold Mary Rose's Etsy store.

 

You don't need any electrical skills to craft these precious teacup lights from Ideas Mag.

 

Use mis-matched teacups to store jewelry in your dresser drawer. It's almost too pretty to hide! Via Martha Stewart.

 

I always love the scene in Willy Wonka when he takes the daffodil and drinks from the center like it's a teacup. Then he takes a bite out oit. I think kids will love doing that with these edible teacups from the Disney Family website.

 

Another edible teacup, these look like they're made from marshmallows, Lifesavers, and nonpareils. Via Tip Junkie.

Time to Plan a Dinner Party Around the Dishware

A rather unusual blog post title today, but bare with me. I think I'm on to something. I saw these gorgeous trays from Feinedinge on Pinterest today, and it made me think—how cool would it be to have a dinner party where every place was set with one of these trays, full of bowls of delicious bites? How gorgeous would that be? And then I thought that €220 was a little steep for one place setting, so what are other alternatives? (I would have posted photos of my collections but I'm currently in Atlanta, visiting family.)

Divided cafeteria trays are totally underrated. They are great for a kitschy dinner party or even a little craft party where all supplies are served on the tray. You can buy these gems on Moxie Thrift's Etsy store.

Have you ever seen these amazing buffet plates from the 60s? Some call them luncheon plates. I have 2 sets of them where the little cup fits right in the plate, next to the ashtray. Yes, you heard right. Sign of the times. What should I serve in the ashtray at my party? For sale here.

Time for the Love of Clotheslines

{photo via}

What is it about clothelines that feel so romantic, ephemeral, and dreamy? I totally grew up with a dryer and living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, I can't exactly string my clothes up to the adjacent building. But I crave those sweet little wooden pins, the cotton rope, the gauzy cotton flowing in the breeze...

I love the mix of 2D and 3D clothing on this line to decorate a girl's bedroom. Found via Studio Tout Petit.

A clothesline comes in handy when you need to erect a tent. Via P-olaroids.

Clotheslines work as perfect inspiration boards because they are so changeable. Found via Pinterest.

I love everything about this little artistic collage of stitching, fabric, embroidery hoops, and a clothesline. By Stephanie Kelly Clark, via Hiving Out.

 

Ordinary Parent featured this super adorable way to mark your child's month-age.

Give me a wooden ladder, a chalkboard, tags, a rusted metal urn and a clothesline and you had me at hello. Via Style Me Pretty.

 

Time for Last-Minute Valentines

Ok, it's February 13th and you know what that means. Procrastination must turn to action—now! Valentine's Day is just minutes away and it's time to get resourceful and use what you have. You're at work with no craft supplies you say? Fear not—these last-minute Valentines can all be made from "borrowed" office supplies from your desk drawer.

Grab some Post-it notes and after your love falls asleep, arrange them in a heart-shape on the wall of your bedroom or living room. If you really want points, write all the reasons you love him on the the backs. It's okay if you don't have a gorgeous array of colors like these from The House that Lars Built. See below...the effect is still totally presh.

Post-it note heart from Desire to Inspire.

 

This is a Blik wall decal, but can easily be replicated with Post-it notes! Via Brooklyn Bride.

 

You probably don't have heart stickers laying among your legal pads, but just grab a marker and draw a heart or write I LOVE YOU on some Avery mailing labels. Easy peasy. These cute stickers are from Inspire Lovely on Etsy.

 

Ok, no Post-it notes or plain labels on hand? Tacks, cardboard, and binder clips make cute little frames for your kids' artwork. Via Martha Stewart.

You're welcome.