Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
DIY Beaded Painted Crystal Lamp
Labels:
color inspiration,
design idea,
inspiration
A Little Bohemian at Heart
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?
Labels:
color inspiration,
cool idea,
inspiration
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?
Labels:
color inspiration,
inspiration,
simple life
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
Labels:
inspiration,
painting techniques,
simple life
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.
Labels:
color inspiration,
cool idea,
inspiration
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.
Labels:
design ideas,
inspiration,
simple life
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.
Labels:
cool idea,
inspiration,
painting techniques
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 |
Labels:
cool idea,
inspiration,
simple life
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!
Labels:
Color,
design ideas,
inspiration
Tin Can Planters
Labels:
cool idea,
design idea,
inspiration,
simple life
Valentines and Some Quotes on Love
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”.
Labels:
cool ideas,
inspiration,
simple life
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.
Labels:
Color,
design idea,
inspiration
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
Labels:
color inspiration,
cool idea,
design ideas,
inspiration,
simple life
Letters of Love - Good Design
The simple life
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.
It might just be the best
present you give this year.
With affection,
Labels:
Color,
design ideas,
inspiration
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.
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.
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!
Labels:
color inspiration,
inspiration,
simple life
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 |
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.
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
Labels:
cool idea,
faux finishes,
inspiration
A White Kitchen
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 |
Miss Mustard Seed
Romantic Home
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Between Naps on the Porch
Labels:
faux finishes,
inspiration,
painting techniques,
simple life
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