selina style

First, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who commented on my wishing out loud post. Working on a book can be a bit, well, daunting ... even when it is a dream come true. The many encouraging words I received have been such a boost and continue to cheer me along during the first of my deadlines! However, tonight I am taking the night off to talk about another book: Homespun Style by Selina Lake.



If you're like me, you have come to admire Selina's lovely styling through her other books Bazaar Style and Romantic Style, where you can count on playful mixes of pattern and texture, always garnished with flowers or fabric, and always punctuated with an effervescent pop of hot pink.



Like this dreamiest of bedrooms in soft shades of aqua, blue and mint.



Or this colorful kitchen on page 25 that I seem to get stuck on every time.



Beautiful rooms of well-organized crafting chaos: bins and baskets of yarn and paper and buttons.



Fabulous details without being fussy



Not only is Selina's imaginative styling showcased in beautiful photography by Debi Treloar,



but the layout is fabulous and the words by Joanna Simmons are perfect.

Remember the bright, uncomplicated colours that filled our childhood paintboxes?

If you follow Selina's blog and Facebook page as I do, you know one of the reasons why her books are so fun, special and lovely:
Selina loves what she does and does what she loves.



Okay, tomorrow it's back to working on the book for me! I hope to share more on that soon.

But tonight, I am catching up on reading blog posts!

WOL!

xo
elyse

wishing out loud: book news

Wish Out Loud (WOL) is a little expression I made up for myself. It's all about putting it out there ... your dreams, your goals, your wishes. I often WOL and SOL (Smile Out Loud) here in blogland because it is a place so full of camaraderie.



WISHTORY
About two years ago on a cold winter day, my boys pleaded with me to take them to the playground. Knowing I would be that-mom-in-the-car, we stopped by the library so that I could pick up a book. I grabbed Alicia Paulson's Stitched in Time. Despite being "sewphobic" I knew it would be lovely and enjoyable because I follow Alicia's blog, Posie Gets Cozy. What I didn't know was that just a few pages in, I would be struck with this wonderful and exhilarating feeling of I can do this. I could write a book. A craft book!


Right then and there in the cold car, I hastily scribbled thoughts onto an envelope (no iPad here!). Soon I began to research and discovered my next steps would be writing a query and a proposal. This may be around the time the frequency of my blog posts slowed because any extra time was used for writing, editing, creating and then finally ... submitting!

I sent my query to a publisher and I waited. I tweaked my query. I sent it again. I obsessively checked my email. I inquired. I waited. This process continued for about a year until I finally received a gentle rejection.

My next step: I wished out loud. Some of you might remember that about a year or so ago on the upper left sidebar of my blog it said something like: Attention Publishers. Book deal wanted. I had seen another blogger do this and thought -- I'm putting it out there. This act felt brazen.



Weeks later I received a phone call from a very special person who noticed my WOL. We talked and she told me that she believed in my idea. She suggested a publisher to whom I should send my proposal. Again, I tweaked, edited, reviewed and sent it. And waited. And obsessively checked my email. And then at last heard from the publisher who found my ideas "clever and very, very lovely." Months later on my birthday, I received an offer. A few months after that ...



a contract! (Guess I could've dressed-up for the pic!) I am busybusybusy working on a book of 35 projects. The release is planned for Spring of 2013!



I thank all of my friends in the blogging community for always cheering me on, for leaving comments like I hope you write a book someday because I would buy it! These good wishes let me know that this was possible.

I hope you WOL your hopes and dreams, too (even if it feels brazen)!

{So, if I'm not so great at reciprocating comments, I hope you'll understand. Please know that I read and sincerely treasure each comment.}

xo
elyse

cottage style: an especially special issue

Aah ... the magic of blogging ...



One year ago I found myself swooning like crazy over blogging friend Cindy's post simply titled WHITE, in which she shared image after image of her dreamy home. It's fun to see the comment I left then that says:

{you might want to send this link to fifi. she is always looking for beautiful homes.}

Well, guess what? Cindy took my advice and by August, Fabulous Fifi was blogging about her July shoot schedule in California which included Cindy's home! Thrilled about this connection, I asked to be considered to write the article. Just before Christmas, I received the assignment!



Fifi's go-to photographer Mark Lohman took the prettiest images. The article titled warmed with white is part of the Romantic section of the magazine and is filled with Cindy's French/Nordic decor and tips. If you like chipped finishes, ruffles of linen and muslin, and touches of pink you will LOVE this feature. Working on the article even prompted me to buy another reclaimed window ($5!) to hang indoors.

I'm so honored to have contributed to this beautiful publication. It was two years ago that an issue of Cottage Style inspired me to re-do my bedroom. With so many places to find images and inspiration, to me still nothing compares to savoring a printed magazine!



On newsstands March 6th!

xo
elyse

happy februyellow

It happened AGAIN!



I find myself craving yellow, searching for yellow, creating with yellow.

I checked my trusty blog and sure enough, just like last year (sweet idea) and the year before (craving yellow), I felt the same way at the same time.


This week has found me gathering yellow ...


Creating with yellow ...


Shopping for yellow ...


Mellowing with yellow ...

And as always, I love my yellow with dashes of pink!

How about you?

xo
elyse

{Shopping Sources}
Fabric: Fat Quarter Shop
Millinery forget-me-nots: Sugar Pink Boutique
Charm bracelet: Nest Pretty Things

smooches

Framed wallpaper

Sometimes we blogger-types arrive home to find boxes waiting at our doorstep. It could be a giveaway win, a thinking of you gift, a purchase! I would like to share all three in a display of the amazing generosity* throughout blogland.
*Well, the first two are a display of generosity; the purchase was more like a display of follow-your-gasp!

The Giveaway Win



A box with a giveaway win arrived yesterday from Joyce of Scrap for Joy! It included a book, two sweet butter pats, crafty items and more! Joyce has always been special to me; she's warm and funny and so talented. I crossed my fingers that she might include a goodie created herself. And she did.



Joyce made this pretty garland using Cath Kidston stationery that says smooches! Of course I had to do a little stylin' to show off her handiwork. {Sorry for the glare}



So very adorable.

The Gifts



My superfunpal M from {oc cottage} shocked me with a delivery of beautiful books: thriftychic so that I could finally return it to the library, and the equally swoonworthy The Comforts of Home. How fun is she?!



In the past months I have received an aqua stocking from sweet friend and Pansypreneur Sharon, a fun bird from Kreatelier from artsy Margaret, and a stocking from cheerful Jeanne.

The Purchase



And this GASP AT FIRST SIGHT Savannah removable wallpaper was a MUST-HAVE when I found out (thank you, Molly!) that it's from Pottery Barn Kids and ships for free. Sigh ...



I have a zillion ideas planned for this roll!



i-smooches to you for reading

xo
elyse

cath-kitchenization

LONG POST ALERT!



I am a self-proclaimed "penny-foolish and pound-wise" girl. What I mean is that while I can rationalize occasional GASP-induced purchases for things like oilcloth or dishes, I drive a car that has a casette player and my old cell phone is sans-apps. This brings us to my recent splurges from Cath Kidston and if this post reads like one long rationalization, it just might be. Blame the coffee.



Perhaps you recall my swooning over this image from overdue library book thriftychic?{Which I now own thanks to my crazywithglitterandseashells and extremely generous pal M of tales from an OC cottage. I kept thinking what is making me so bananas over this photo? It's the Cath Kidston (CK) fabric. So who did I call? My sister Betsy who is equal parts cheerleader and decor-wants-enabler (a value that I dutifully reciprocate). When I told her I was daydreaming about ordering some oilcloth from CK ($$$), she assured, "You will smile every time you look at it." Yes I will! {Click click click. Send!}



MEANWHILE Just a few weeks ago I had bought this sweet blue gingham oilcloth but once wrapped to the table, the checks seemed to pop-up like optical illusions. {Remember "Magic Eye" prints?} No good.



I now have the oilcloth I've really wanted all along (bottom right) -- since here actually -- and I am so happy with it. No remorse.



I'm truly delighted at how the CK oilcloth finally brings together the smoke blue chairs and pale green walls (an unplanned pairing).

While I awaited the shipment from London, I tinkered a bit in preparation for the Complete CathKitchenization to be.



Betsy had given me this wooden rack from her cabin. First I painted it blue, then red and finally white. Edges were gently sanded for a worn look, revealing both underlying colors as if the rack had "many lives." To complete the transformation, small circles of floral paper were decoupaged to the flats of each peg to add some charm.



Now I can display my favorite cups.





To complete the vision, the final item in my order of three (oilcloth + small dishes) was a meter of fabric, which is displayed/hung temporarily (Hello, my Shellie!) with a tension rod.

More playing ...



I rearranged some wall decor, like switching a China dish for a metal M to keep things from getting too sweet. (Think my guys will agree?)



Gathered some flowers both faux ...



and real ...



and placed scraps of the oilcloth here and there.



Some collected wisdom from my Complete CathKitchenization experience:

• It is very true how personal home decor comes together best over time
• It is worth splurging on a few items that you really, really love
• When you're not sure if you should buy something or not, call Betsy
  
• When you really like a style, just go for it, top to bottom and revel in it

Thanks for reading!

xo
elyse

ps
I have a bunch of things in print right now. Visit here to see what's on newsstands!

just in time for valentines giveaway

Greetings! I haven't been online much lately due to computer problems. In some ways the down-time is nice but gee, it's great to be back! And, I'm back with a giveaway of $50.00 to spend at NOVICA.

I hosted a NOVICA giveaway last April (details here) and was very pleased with the selection, customer service and packaging. NOVICA is a fair trade website that works with National Geographic to provide artisans around the world with a place to sell, similar to an Etsy.

To enter this giveaway simply leave a comment on this post by Saturday, January 28, 2012. In your comment, please let me know which category from the list further below you like best.

Please note that this giveaway is open to anyone with an email address. Please also note that the winner must be sure to factor s&h costs when using their $50.

I plan to select and announce a winner (using random.org) on Sunday, January 29, 2012. {This way the winner will have time to order something and have it shipped in time for Valentine's Day. Perhaps some lovely pearl earrings for yourself? How fun!}

In the meantime, I'll continue to work out these computer issues and prep new post ideas!

xo

elyse

wallets

women's accessories from Peru

womens shawls from Indonesia

mens Indian accessories

pearl dangle earrings

Sterling Silver Jewelry

NOTE: January 29, 2012
Using random.org, a winner has been selected. Congratulations to Jenny of Elefantz! Enjoy!

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway.

xo
elyse

overdue + unfinished = fabulous

When people describe a book they are passionate about, they'll always say, "I couldn't put it down!" However, I have come to the conclusion that
if a home decor book or magazine is truly great, you will put it down so that you can try things immediately!



I am always reserving stacks of decor and craft books from the library and just realized that the really great ones get returned without ever being finished for the reason mentioned above. This is the case with the currently overdue thriftychic. Each time I pick it up and begin to leaf through, inspiration hits, the book gets put down and I begin to rummage and rearrange!


Great ideas such as a trellis-turned-organizer. Cheap and charming!


Draped and clipped muslin as a curtain. Perfect for us no-sew types.


Fairy lights to add a warm glow.


Painted stairs (top) which I am considering for my own home for the grungy carpet replacement project that keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list.


A bench with pillows beneath a window. So beachy!


And again, this GASP-inducing image that prompted me to finally decide to go for it and order my first meter of ...


Cath Kidston fabric to be used in the kitchen/dining area someway, somehow.



And on the top of tomorrow's to-do list: return this overdue, unfinished and fabulous book to the library. (I'd renew it but it's already on-hold)

xo
elyse