Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

A Little Bohemian at Heart






Here is the dictionary description of
Bohemian.
As a Noun

     1.     native or inhabitant of Bohemia
     2.     a person, as an artist or writer, who lives and acts free or regard to conventional rules and practices.
     3.     The Czech language, especially as spoken in Bohemia.
     4.     a Gypsy


I say a little Bohemian at heart referring to design. Yet it may have to do with my lifestyle too.  What about YOU?  Do you have a little Bohemia in your heart?

F. Scott Fitzgerald



The Simple Life

It is raining cats and dogs here in Umbria, and then the sun comes out and I optimistically think it is over.  But no....

Is this old door and rose vine just the most delicious view?

My Chaotic Studio



The Simple Life
Isn’t my studio pretty a mess.  Put a sepia tint on the space and it becomes uniform, just shape and light.

Today, just this photo and a quote from Georgia O’Keeffe.

“I found I could say things with color and shape that I couldn’t say any other way, things I had no words for.”

Un bacio, to all of you with a messy studio, or to those of you who want one.
Natalie

Easter Decorations




I’m on to a new stint where I am going to try to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and see if I can’t kick it a bit more effectively.  I know, what you are thinking that I won’t be able to handle it, well maybe by confessing my plans to you my lovely readers I will be more committed.  “They” say if you want to save money, if you tell your friends, you actually save more money and your friends help and encourage you to do so.  Did you know that successful people wake up early and then get this, they exercise.  I have read studies about it. 

An Ancient Wall



The Simple Life

I found a spot in the sun on a wall to sit and write and think for a moment.  A friend came by and as usual he offered a bit of interesting information.  He said did you know that wall, pointing to the wall I was leaning against was build in the 1500’s.

Party Decorations/Temporary Art



I’m always impressed by the people who create temporary art, like stones piled high on the beach only for the waves to crash them down, or building furniture in the forest out of twigs, drawings on the street.  Here in Umbria we have the flower festival in Spello after the designs are complete there is a religious procession that literally walks over them (Here is the link to the Flower Festival, it's amazing).  At the Flower Festival I always leave before the procession, so maybe I’m still learning to love and understand the concept temporary art, maybe I romanticize it.

Cuteness Power



The Simple Life

Cuteness Power is when something is so adorable and cute that it makes you just stop and exclaim how wonderful life is.  It gives you that giddy feeling like life is full of hope.
 
Sette Design
Having this little guy in our home for just 24 hours did that.  Everyone who came over said ooohh and owww and then got that melted expression of love on their face.

The Magic of Spello



The Simple Life
Here in Umbria if you don’t like the weather wait 20 minutes.  That’s what they say I think in the Northeast of America too.  We do not say that in California, so it pisses me off.  I’m always getting fooled.

This week in Umbria Spring has sprung with glorious green fields and pink and white budding fruit trees, Mimosa galore puffy and brilliant, shocking yellow.  The birds are going crazy, chatting away, they have so much to sing about.  We all have so much to sing about!

Tin Can Planters



I like to joke with myself sometimes and say “Oh I just had an old idea”.  We are supposed to be coming up with new ideas no?

Valentines and Some Quotes on Love




bejeweled foil heart-thorns and all - sette design



Happy Valentines my darlings.

Here are some great quotes about love.  

Want To Make Your Life Easier?



The Simple Life

Want to make your life easier?  I know is that a trick question? 

This last week I created this Vanilla Raisin Brown Bread and believe me it has changed my life.  I’m a single Mom and I work for myself, so it becomes pertinent to have easy snacks for school, something quick to grab to give me enough energy to keep painting a ceiling or having something around incase “someone”(tall, big BF) wants a midnight “mirenda”.

A Simple Valentines Idea



Valentines is just around the corner.  I love to make valentines for the ones I love.  In America it can be a message of love for anyone who might be important to you.  In Italy Valentines is viewed as something you do just for the “one” you love, not your mother or child or best friend.


Joy- Gioia


Joy -Gioia in the new year 2014

Oh ragazzi

Happy New Year


Buon Anno!


Joy - Gioia

This is going to be a year of astonishing joy.

and 2014 =7

I hope you will keep coming back to this little Diario di Design because there will be lots of joy around here, because of you and because we bring it around the world.

Cheers,

With affection,
Natalie

Letters of Love - Good Design




The simple life
 
a packet of words

I’m a bit of a romantic.  You may have figured that out by now.  When I went back home to California recently I decided that I wanted part of my heart to be in Cali (silly since a big chuck of it is always there). I brought back a bag of letters of love.  When I put them all together in a big heap, it struck me how beautiful they were, what good design. How maybe the art of writing letters is being lost.  Will my daughters find themselves at some point with a heap of letters of love? I hope so.


traveling with love


I say letters of love because these letters were letters that girl friends had written to me, my brother when he traveled the world for two years, my sister when she was away at University, my parents.  There were a few love letters from boys and men of my past.  In this travel bag there were also letters I had written.  These letters were brought back to me after a best friend committed suicide.  Her sister brought my letters back to me!  My own letters saved me and made me sure I had shown this friend I loved her.  My own words of love gave me the strength to carry on.  Isn’t that gorgeous how the past can come back and help us in our present journey.


I’m writing this now not to bring you all down, but to encourage you to write a letter, just one letter to someone you love, hand write it, stamp it and mail it with a kiss on top.
 
letters of love


It might just be the best present you give this year.

With affection,

Velvet Ribbons




I love it that the holidays are coming and we can wallow in the moments of joy.

I searched all over my Medieval city for velvet ribbon, I got it in my head that I must find velvet ribbon.  I did finally find bright red and rich earth brown in the sewing store.
 
velvet ribbon for the holidays

This way we can wrap up things in velvet ribbon and it instantly becomes a little present.

I made homemade pain au chocolat, butter and dark chocolate stuffed in yeast bread with a little sugar. Yum, then wrapped them up in aluminum foil and a velvet ribbon for school or a work snack.



homemade bread with chocolate

I like the ribbon used as fastening for a love note.
 
on second thought
the love note would have been cooler
inside the bottle



Hot chocolate, brown velvet ribbon and a hot pink azalea,  The holidays are here!




Decoration on a bunch of berries left on my baby girl's cushion.



strawberries from a tree

Doesn't velvet ribbon just start up the holiday season with a touch of festa?

Cheers!
Natalie

I'm linking with:
French Country Cottage




First Anniversary





Happy 1st Anniversary Sette Design Blog

I started this Diario di Design a year ago today and I remember that it had snowed on the mountains around the city that we live in here in Umbria and I thought I’m going to write about the color white, just delve in Nat, you can do it.  I took the plunge and now here we are a year later.  I am so thrilled you are here too.

one candle in sette design studio

I want to Thank You for hanging around and taking part in the fun and inspiration that I hope is Sette Design.



oh the possibilities

It was so pretty, I had to put in my macho work boot.

I love it that we have a little-BIG creative community around the world and around the corner.  Everyone is full of positivity and joy and encouragement, it is quite astounding.

love wins


in my studio

I made a wish for Sette Design. 
 
happy birthday sette design blog
homemade cinnamon, sugar oat bread Yumm

A few dreams-goals:

I want to complete the E-course I am creating on painting techniques and creativity.  It is going to be so gorgeous with little films, and photos and stories and ideas.

I want to organize a Furniture Painting and Art Class here in Umbria, Italy that you can come to.  Imagine learning Venetian Stucco and Frescos painted as motif on furniture or panels, taught easily as process and technique so that anyone can do it.  Then going to find a cafe to sit in and have a cappuccino.

AND

I want to encourage you all to go after your dreams, to stop and pause and figure out what those dreams are.  Right now start some project that you want to do and if you just can’t possibly start it now.  Then pull out a notepad and write down what it is you have in mind to do.  Then you will have already begun it by writing it down.  It’s in the works!  It is that simple.

HAPPY One Year!


Let’s go for 2.  It is going to be an adventure.

Cheers,

Natalie

A White Kitchen




Here now is the White Kitchen that I spoke of earlier in the week.  I will try to let the photos speak for themselves.



The kitchen is in a house build in the 1600’s and that makes it splendid.  Fireplaces, a small hand painted church (praying room), wooden “trave” ceilings, views to die for, terracotta floors, all set in among olive groves.


I hope this post will make everyone “rethink” how easy it is to change your kitchen.  That said, it was a lot of work and a lot of paint, yet the effect if grand.

Ready for the before shots it's a shocker.  Do you like it better? I do, it makes the dark narrow space so refreshing to me.
before photo




I sanded it, two coats of base coat, three coats of off white with a grey tint, a faux effect with oil paint on the corners and then finally two coats of polyurethane.

I painted over the glass motif with metal paint in flat white.  It made the etched glass design look cool and the amber colored glass punched up to look much prettier than before.  The roses on the glass before were a pretty bad, bright red with green leaves.



metal paint on glass

I also painted all the metal handles with metal paint, about three coats.

It is a roll up your sleeves kind of job.  But I did it all on saw horses in my studio, even resting the doors on little supports of blocks of wood or even with screws poking out of the wood to let air pass under once I have flipped the door to paint the other side.







This house has an amazing room right off the kitchen with a wood stove and lots of windows, here you can see the gorgeous antique ceilings that are the same in the kitchen.  This client has a good eye, very feminine and cozy with attention to detail.



I wrote this amore because remember love wins!









back roads of Umbria

Couldn't you be happy here with a cup of tea in hand? That villa looks empty to me waiting for love.  Natalie

I'm linking with:
French Country Cottage
Miss Mustard Seed
Romantic Home
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Between Naps on the Porch