Creative Camp: I Entered to Win, Did You?

It's a New Year and if you are like many, you are in planning mode, thinking about your goals for the year ahead, both personally and professionally.  I'm sure some of those goals are about learning something new, so to all my industry colleagues, I thought I'd bring your attention to some exciting opportunities that can help you achieve those goals.

There are so many educational opportunities offered from the CHF Academy, IWCE Window Coverings Expo, the Custom Sewing Institute and probably many more I am neglecting to mention (which is not intentional... just can't think of them). Plan for your educational opportunities; put the money aside, research what's out there and decide which are best suited to your needs.

First, I have to share this fantastic opportunity to WIN A FREE REGISTRATION ($1615)
to Susan Kostelecky's Creative Camp, which will be held March 17-20 in Texas.  I went to this back in 2008 and loved it. 

Not only were the classes great; I made many friends and put faces with names that I had so often communicate with on the CHF forum.  If you know me at all, you know I love technology and the many ways to connect across the web and through social media but nothing takes the place of meeting in real life!

I put my name in last week and as much as I'd like to keep the winnings to myself, I just can't do that, so I must share the chance with all of you. [Please note, I'm sharing this with you out of the goodness of my heart, CSI is not providing any compensation for this post].  It's easy to enter, just click on “add me to your mailing list" and do the following:

• Provide your complete the contact information
• Include 1-2 sentences about why you would like to attend Creative Camp.

I met Michele Williams while attending CSI two years ago and now I'm working with Michele through her affiliation with the Custom Home Furnishings Academy (CHFA) - as a new instructor for 2011 and as a writer for Drapery & Design Professional (D&D Pro) - which leads me to the next immediate educational opportunity:

I'll be hosting my first webinar next week!!
 

The webinar is free for  Professional  Members of the D&D Pro Network. Members must register on the CHFA Forum under the Special Features thread. Basic Members and Nonmembers can participate in this LIVE WEBINAR for $20 here.  I hope you'll join me!

• Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2011
• Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST

If you want to see what else is going on at the CHFA, take a look at their latest newsletter. 

Lots of exciting educational opportunities!  Do it, take a chance on the free tuition to CSI and make some plans to invest in yourself this year by attending as many of the classes, seminars and trade shows as your schedule and budget will allow.

Wishing you a year of growth and success!

Interior Inspirations from My Web Favs: Freshome

The favorite design blog series is back featuring Freshome, a site I love because it provides exactly as its name infers: fresh ideas for your home. Obviously I'm not alone; the site boasts 2 million visitors a month. The site has so much to offer, from room-specific interior solutions, architecture, gadgets and innovations, to case goods and furniture. The possibilities for redesigning your home are endless.

Photo Source: Sagan Piechota Architecture

Here's what i think makes Freshome so great:

• Navigation. Looking for specific inspiration for your bedroom, or maybe your kitchen? At the top of the site, there are links that allow you to search for inspiration from apartments, architecture, bathrooms, bedrooms, furniture, kitchens, or living rooms.

Photo Source: Freshome

• Another great feature is the "Best Of" tab that has all their most successful and useful articles like "30 Beautiful and Relaxing Bathroom Design Ideas." Home spa? Yes, please! 

                                 Tab = "Best Of"

 Photo Source: Freshome, 10 Home Staging Tricks to Sell Your Home Quicker

• Informative. Not only is their written information on point, just the scan of the images can provide you with what you need. It's inevitable that you'll leave with great idea after perusing the site. You're bound to find one or two... or twenty ideas, that really inspire you to freshen up your own home.

• Ratings. Want to know what other viewers have found to be the most interesting articles today? How about in the past week or in the past month? Check out the "Most-Viewed" section along the mid-right margin which shows which articles have been most popular today, this week or this month.  It may just be the stop you need to take a break from your hectic day for a few minutes. Something like "23 Amazing Bedrooms with a Panoramic View of the Ocean" might help you escape? Now who wouldn't like that?

Photo Source: Freshome

Stop on over to Freshome and let me know what you think. If you are really intrigued you can learn more about Freshome - and provide feedback as to what you would like to see more of, see improved, etc. - on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 6pm EDT. Micle Mihai Cristian, the founder of Freshome is going to be the Guest Host on the weekly Twitter Interior Designer Chat, all the way from Romania!

If you are unable to make the chat, Micle would still love to hear from you.  He sent me a message on Twitter requesting not only positive feedback but also suggestions for what readers "don't like or what they could do better".   So if you have some constructive feedback to offer Micle, please feel free to offer it up. He's all ears!

Wrap It Up in Green!

Back when "green" was just a color, my parents were way ahead of the game when it came to eco-friendly gift giving and wrapping. Or should I say, not wrapping. That's about as "green" as it gets, right? Truly, it still amazes me. As parents of thirteen children, my parents -- um, Santa (as we celebrate Christmas in my house) -- never wrapped a single gift. Now, I've heard of other Santas not wrapping, but get this -- our Santa didn't even use gift tags. No "to/from." In a family of thirteen kids! Sounds insane, doesn't it? And yet, somehow, some way, we always knew which gifts were intended for us. Somehow, it all made sense.  I think that is a great testament to my parents!

Think this wouldn't go over so well in your house? I can't say I blame you, and so many of us enjoy the actual wrapping process and receiving a beautifully embellished gift. But there are still plenty of creative ideas for eco-friendly wrapping I'd love to share with you!  So many of you may already be done.... but I know all too well, that many of you may still have piles of wrapping to do (if not, dare I suggest, all of it?).

Well, if wrapping is still on your to-do list, here are some fantastic ideas to keep you on task.
Wallpaper
Here's a beautiful gift wrapped in wallpaper scraps with a "to/from" tag cut in a gingerbread man shape from and old playing card. Love the festive colors!

My Home Ideas

The Gifted Blog

Fabric
 These gifts are wrapped in burlap and adorned with natural accessories and ribbon.

My Home Ideas

Beautiful, vibrant colors in this next "wrap"!

Flickr via Smartmoneytips

Here's another festive gift wrapping job that uses gathered material right up into the bow.

source unknown

Alternative Papers
Who wouldn't love to receive a gift wrapped so beautifully?

blah to TADA!

You won't believe the original source of this giftwrap! That gift tag look familiar? Check this out!

If you want to see the kind of mileage "blah to TADA!" got out of this bag, you have to see the post linked to above. You won't believe it!

Here's another use of the always classic paper bag (hey, they're not just for book covers anymore) embellished with cut-outs, ornaments, bows, string, and stenciled names!

Daily Danny

And how about this one done up pretty in newspaper? So adorable!

Down Home DIY

Tired of getting all those catalogs in the mail? Put them to good use!

Learning to Live Small



Wrap with a Present

Considered wrapping a gift with, well, another gift? Say, a pretty towel, cloth napkin, tablecloth, or scarf? It's right up there with using fabric for wrap, but it's useful, too! Ever done this?
Here's a gift wrapped in a t-shirt...

Sustainable Baby Steps

If you decide to wrap with paper (of the traditional, paper bag, or newspaper/magazine variety), keep in mind that you may not be able to recycle it due to the tape. Instead, try creating a tightly wrapped gift and securing it with ribbon. The present can be easily unwrapped and paper recycled. Easy as that!

Do you use any of these eco-friendly options? Traditional paper your thing? Tell us what you love! Any tips for eco-friendly accessorizing or tagging? So many out there, but I'd love to hear what's worked for you!

Holiday Giveaway.... WINNERS Announced!

I am so pleased to announce the Winners of our Holiday Give-away contest.  A quick recap of the prizes, generously gifted by several talented Etsy artists:

Prize #1: A Tammy Thorpe original (purse)
Prize #2: A $25 shop gift certificate from Heather of olive and ollie
Prize #3: A day planner from Leah Johnson of The Musing Nerve
Prize #4: An upcycled hat from Chloe Hennesy of Salvador Salamander
Prize #5: A business card holder from Tori of Toriska

Readers left some great comments that mirrored my own feelings about shopping local and supporting small business. 

Some highlights:

“I love knowing the money stays in my community. I love supporting someone's dream of having a business and supporting their creativity.” ~ burrito

“That local shop has an owner that knows me by my name and hot food with local names to remind me that I am not in just any old town.” ~ Kathy Zeigler Lindemer

“I shop local because I LIVE local. I want MY money to improve MY community and MY schools. I would much rather MY money go to helping the local community grow stronger.” - Jacqueline

“Can we calculate how much we loose of life in the guise of getting a "better deal"? I want to spend my money in support of a life where we still interact as person to person. I want products that display human expression and artistry.” ~ Eve Young, Somerville, MA

"I support local for many reasons: 1) environmental: sticking to locally made cuts down on Packaging waste, shipping etc. 2) handmade is so much better than store-bought :) 3) supporting local supports the community.” ~ Holly

“I like to see the faces behind what I eat and buy” ~ Glo

“I assume a local business is making an investment in their community--I see that first hand now that my oldest son is on sports teams. SO I feel like we should support them as they support us.” ~ muffintopmommy

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts so eloquently in support of small business!!

Now, who won?

First we used the sequence generator from Random.org to randomize the participants.  Following that, we used Random Number Generator to then pick the winners, pictured below.

Matching this to the randomized entry list, we now have our Winners:

So yes Al, that does mean that you won the purse! Amelia has been gifted the $25 with Olive and Ollie. Marie, you will soon be in possession of a new planner to keep yourself on track. Kathy will soon be donning an upcycled hat and Jacqueline will be receiving a fancy new card holder from Toriska. 

Congratulations Winners!! I hope you all enjoy your gifts or have someone special in mind that will appreciate them if you choose to gift to another!We will be in touch with you shortly to arrange details in getting your prizes to you. 

Happy Holidays Everyone and thank you again for participating!

Homemade Holidays & Fabulous Giveaway!

November 27, 2010 marked the first ever Small Business Saturday. On the heels of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday was a day set aside to specifically show some love to local small businesses -- the restaurants and shops that support your local economy and community. Did you get involved in Small Business Saturday, either as a shop owner or patron? Tell us how!

As a busy local business owner, I am an obvious supporter of "shopping local" but I also understand that it can sometimes be difficult; running from store to store isn't always easy (doubly difficult if you have kids in tow), which is why many people land at the malls.

A solution?
Well, the internet has made it easier than ever to support not just the big-box retailers, but many of local and/or small businesses as well. And if handcrafted is what you're after, I hope most of you have at least heard of etsy, an online marketplace for all things handmade and vintage. Etsy features a search option that allows you to find local businesses selling the gifts you seek. All without leaving the comfort of your home! Sounds grand, doesn't it? (Under "ways to shop," simply click "shop local" and you're on your way!)     

A simple search of my local area brought me immediately to some beautiful gift ideas -- all under $50 -- proof that you don't have to break the bank to purchase a thoughtful gift.

Check out this gorgeous glass ornament from Sterling Glassworks! It comes in other beautiful color combinations, too!

Rainbow Snowball Ornament by Sterling Glass Works

Price: $14

And how about this adorable homemade purse?

Purse by Tammy Thorpe

Price: $30

This beautiful planter looks lovely on its own, don't you think? I can see it on a mantel or as a part of a table centerpiece.

Ivory Planter by Kieffer Ceramics

Price: $50

This copper bracelet would look great with jeans and a sweater. A single piece of interesting jewelry like this also looks great with sleeveless tops or dresses!

Etched Copper Cuff Bracelet by Eclectic Metalsmith

Price: $29.99

Here is just one of the many beautiful jewelry pieces featured in Liz Blanchflower's etsy shop. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings -- you'll find them all there!

Pacific Breeze Blue Drop Earrings by Stone and Sterling

price: $28

Going outside of the local area, I hit on some other beautiful finds as well. As many of you know, I'm not one for a hard copy date planner, but I know some of you are! Check out this custom one. That's one of the great things about etsy. Many artisans and crafters accept custom orders. This planner, in fact, currently features fifteen patterns to choose from!

 Customized Day Planner by The Musing Nerve

Price: $20

Want a classy clutch to take along to a wedding, social event, or night on the town?

Satin Clutch by toriska

Price: $42

Satin Clutch by toriska

Price: $42

And yes, all her bags are handmade!


My friend, Heather, of Olive and Ollie created this adorable set. It's just too cute, isn't it? Heather is becoming a bit of a celebrity and rightfully sew (sorry, couldn't resist being cheeky)! Just this week she was featured on the Gerber Babies Blog in their Holiday Gift Guide and this set below was selected by parents.com for it's holiday gift guide, "Adorable Etsy Gifts for Every Kid."  It's pretty easy to see why; her designs are fresh and cheerful. Congrats, Heather!

Custom Applique Rocket Lounge Set by Olive and Ollie

Price: $45

I love this scarf for its versatility and it's made from eco-friendly fabric. The scarves also come in a range of color combinations, so if you click the link and can't find this one exactly, check out the rest of the shop to find one that suits you!

Scarf by Estilopronta

Price: $33

This upcycled hat had a former life in felted wool sweaters! And check out the arm warmers featured below, too. Also upcycled from sweaters, these accessories are great gift ideas for those who like to make "green" choices and look great doing it!

wool hat by Salvador Salamander 

price: $35

arm warmers by Harry and the Hippie Chic

See? It's not too hard to support small businesses, now is it? So much to choose from that it's a good thing etsy features a "favorites" button once you create an account. And did you know you can add items to your amazon wishlist by installing the universal wish list button? Give your friends and family gift ideas and encourage them to shop small and local for you!

So excited that some of the fabulous shops featured in this post have been uber-generous in offering some prizes to you, our readers! We are so thrilled by and grateful for their participation. We hope you'll visit their etsy shops and show your support. Their work is beautiful and we think you'll agree! (Of course...why else would we have picked them, right?)

Here's what you can win (and huge thanks to these talented folks)!

1. Featured purse by Tammy Thorpe
2. A $25 shop gift certificate from Heather of olive and ollie
3. A day planner from Leah Johnson of The Musing Nerve
4. An upcycled hat from Chloe Hennesy of Salvador Salamander
5. A business card holder from Tori of Toriska

That's FIVE chances to win!

Enter our giveaway -- it's simple! There are two ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me why you love to support local and/or small businesses, or
2. "Like" Storibook Designs on facebook and then leave a note stating why you love to support local and/or small businesses.

Whether you leave a comment here or on the facebook page, please remember to leave your email address so we can contact you if you're the winner! You have until noon eastern standard time on Saturday, December 18, 2010 to enter.

Please share this on facebook, retweet, and email friends to let them know and show your support of these artists!

Winners will be chosen at random! Good luck!