Do you ever have a simple little design obsession that just
makes you so happy to think about it? O.k. you probably have a thousand little
design ideas going around in your head and this is what makes life pretty when
times get tough, escape into the world of gorgeous – for the moment, do not
think about … all that troubles you.
Then once you have added a little “bellezza” to your home, things begin
to improve. I understand it all has to do with perspective.
Design Diary- Painting Techniques- The Simple Life in California and Umbria, Italy
Flowers in a Box
Let's add come color!
Oh how I love flowers in a box. I just put a couple jars of water in the box to not rot the wood and arranged the flowers from there.
Here is an arrangement I created by for the arrival of my niece, Rosalie I put them by her bedside table as a welcome. I did not make up her name just to fit this floral gone crazy blog post. I collected the flowers on a bike ride to Spello, resting them
in my bike basket on the return home.
Blood Red Orange Color Inspiration
Today, just a little color inspiration, I go crazy for the
color of Blood Red Oranges. I feel
like it is almost impossible to duplicate for interiors. I always have clients trying to find
the right red. Yes the juice is very good with Russian Vodka!
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
How to: Play with Glass Paint and Silver Leaf
I’m supposed to be working on my Painting E-Course and
finishing up this gorgeous gray and silver table but instead I played
hooky. Hooky is what we call it in California
you don’t go to school and instead go to the beach or to a café. Of course, one can play hooky and
not go to work also. This Diario
di Design is kind of like always playing hooky for me.
So I played hooky because I became inspired to do a vignette
of tarnished silver and painted glass, then I thought it would be fun to just
add silver leaf to encourage more reflection.
7 Ideas To Make Your Home Pretty
1. Open your windows.
This is a very Italian action. Italians love to air out their homes, even in the dead of winter, windows are always opened. The extended light will make your home glow.
2. Cover your couch or a big chair with fresh white linens.
It is amazing how this will lighten up the
room. If you don’t have anything
big enough you can use a curtain or sheets taped together in the back.
Purple Path
The Simple Life
Today just some inspiration.
If you are looking for your purple path,
it is just ahead waiting for you.
It may have topiaries dusted purple too
and a smooth stucco palazzo.
Or just a purple path waiting for you,
meandering along.
Shabby Chic Bed, Breakfast Crate
I’m going to keep it to few words today (do you believe
me?), let the photos speak for themselves.
I do want to show you my Painting Techniques Course. SOOOOO Fun.
I’ve been working hard and waking up early is painful and
awesome I must say. I am getting so much done, life feels blissful and full of
hope.
Here is a bed I did in Shabby Chic distressed mode. A good tutorial I did you can see just Click Here. This tutorial of mine is crazy famous on Pinterest, it shows how obsessed people are with Shabby Chic. I used the same process only
a different white.
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.
Painting a Chair - Modern
I forgot to mention in my last post, not only am I giving a
Painting Class in Umbria, Italy, but I am also creating an E-Course on Painting
Techniques for Furniture, Walls and Art that can be sent to you where ever, you
are in the world. It will consist
of little films, photographs and writing.
I think it is going to be pretty cool. All I want to do is have fun and encourage others to have
fun too.
I’m working hard on the E-Course, but it isn’t done yet,
soon I hope. In the mean while I
am still have to work and be a Mama and right now, as I write to you in my
peripheral view there is a couch full of clean laundry to fold. The mound is getting bigger it might be
a mountain soon and the volcanic type.
The Italians are freaker’s for ironed clothes. I can’t get to folding let alone ironing. They actually iron underwear. Freakers I tell you. To all my Italian readers, you look
gorgeous, I know.
Paint Class in Umbria, Italy
Today I am complete thrilled and enthralled with two things. The
first is last night we moved our clocks ahead one hour Daylight Savings Time
has begun. Yahhhhh! You know what the means one hour more
to paint in good light and one our more to sit in outdoor cafes.
The second thing is I have finally organized my Painting Class in
Umbria (click here). It is going to be
such fun. You can read all about
it above this post, below the Sette Design sign there is a section titled
Painting Class in Umbria click on it.
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.
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| Sette Design |
Painted Bohemian Side Table
Recently it had been a bit discarded and I thought I’d give
it a new look. I think now I
almost love it! I work so much here in Italy painting stores and homes for clients often in the tones of
white, cream, taupe, gray, which I understand is calming to the eye. Yet, it is making me crave some color
and motif.
California Cottage - Gothic Italian Palazzo
A Feel Good List
The Simple Life
Good Morning
It’s March and Monday in Umbria Italy, presently the day is bright
and sunny. I’m going to give you some feel good homework for the week. I love lists and I love to check things
off my list. Last week I had 27
things to do on my list. I
actually accomplished 17 of those. It was a joy to check 17 boxes off.
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