Artwork Found

A few weeks ago I got busy rearranging my art wall. It went from looking like this:

To looking like this:

But I eventually ended up taking everything down and started the search for something new. I decided I would be happier with one graphic piece of art rather than an arrangement of smaller prints. I had originally hoped to hang this beautiful portrait of Snow Star over my sofa but unfortunately it could not be printed large enough.

I accidentally stumbled on this neat Chicago etsy shop called AGC916 stocked with some oddities and this Moon Chart. I knew instantly it would be perfect, especially for a household that can pass hours watching NOVA and the Science Channel. I wish I could capture how gorgeous the metallic ink looks in low light, it almost glows. Check out the Constellation Chart and the Terrestrial and Celestial Globe prints also. It was a tough choice between the three.

What do you think?

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Secrets From A Stylist

Are you ready for it? Are you busting out of your seat with excitement? Are you lame like me and have no plans for a Saturday night?

Well good for you! That means you can park your behind on the couch and watch the series premiere of Secrets From A Stylist this Saturday at 9pm (Eastern). In case you live under a rock, Secrets From A Stylist is the new HGTV series starring Design Star winner Emily Henderson.

Lets tweet together while we watch the show, how about we use the hashtag #sfas.

Photo Credits: Top - Emily Henderson's Portfolio, photographer Terilyn Fisher; Bottom - HGTV

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Friday Etsy Favorites

Generally the point of these Friday Etsy Favorites posts is for me to show you all the things I found this week that I want to buy myself and hope that you buy them instead. This week I don't think I can resist this dainty bunting necklace. It's a good thing that it's the most inexpensive item of the group. What I would really like to own is this vintage bus schedule sign. Hmmmm.......

1 - luckylittledot 2 - however 3 - zinniacottage 4 - louloudo

5 - chalkchalk 6 - bathstyle 7 - mpsen

Have A Great Weekend! If you're in the northeast, try not to let this rain get you down.

Related Posts:

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 18, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 11, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 4, 2011

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Bloggers Become Book Authors

Bloggers taking the leap from the web to the printed page is not a new phenomena but when I hear that some of my favorite bloggers are releasing titles this year I get really excited. I can live without a copy of Shit My Dad Says or I Can Has Cheezburger but these three books will definitely finding a home on my bookshelf.

Jessica Quirk, personal style blogger for the site What I Wore, has assembled a fashion "cook book" to help you create your own recipe for personal style. It will be illustrated by Jessica and released in August 2011. I'm such a fan of her fashion illustrations so I can't wait to pick this one up.

Book #2 I couldn't be more excited about if I wrote it myself. Decorate - 1,000 Ideas for Every Room in Your Home is co-authored by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick and photographed by Debi Treloar. The book will feature the homes of some really inspiring people as well has professional decor solutions for every budget. It has been Holly's dream since childhood to write a book and I can't be happier for her that the dream has become a reality. I just know it will be fabulous. The book will be available this Spring but I've pre-ordered my copy already :)

Grace Bonney's Design*Sponge At Home is loaded with over 70 homes, 50 diy projects, 50 before & after makeovers, floral projects, diy basics (how to wire a light, sand and paint furniture, etc), upholstery basics (sewing couch slipcovers, pillows, etc.), and much, much more. It sounds like the book will be a decorating and design manual everyone should own. Pre-orders will begin in May 2011 and the book with be on stands after Labor Day.

There's one more book that I might have to pick up:

Are there any book releases that you are excited about this year? Are your favorite bloggers authoring them?

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Tasteworthy: Creamy Broccoli & White Bean Soup

Creamy Broccoli & White Bean Soup

Adapted from Whole Living, January/February 2011

serves 4

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli (about 1 pound), chopped

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed (forgot to include in the illustration, whoopsies)

2 1/2 c. vegetable stock

salt & pepper to taste

shaved Parmesan for serving

toasted pine nuts (optional)

Instructions

Steam broccoli florets for approximately 3 minutes, until tender. In a stock pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stock and beans to pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add broccoli to pot (minus a few florets for garnish) and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in batches until smooth or blend directly in pot with an immersion blender. Using a conventional blender will result in a smoother soup. Salt & pepper to taste. Ladle into four bowls and top with florets, shaved Parmesan, and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy :)

Illustration Credit: Michelle Verdugo

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Speaking of Investing in Quality - Raleigh Denim

Raleigh Denim, handcrafted in North Carolina by non-automated jeansmiths. The company, owned by Sarah & Victor Lytvinenko, creates hand-stitched denim on vintage sewing machines. Every pair of jeans is designed, sewn, washed, and finished under the same roof by a pair of human hands. Sarah & Victor even sign the inside pocket of each pair.

Ninety percent of the raw materials come from within 200 miles of Raleigh including the selvage denim used to make Raleigh Denim jeans which is woven at Cone Denim on the looms that are responsible for the original Levi's.

Raleigh Denim is currently producing 9 styles for men and women supplying Barneys new York, Butter by Eva Gentry, Steve Allen and their own retail space, The Curatory, located at the Raleigh Denim workshop. Below is a great video about the company and the production process.

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Friday Etsy Favorites

A bit of mixed bag for today's Etsy Favorites as they often are. I'm surprising myself with my new found love of navajo inspired prints. Before you know it I'll be sporting one of these.

1 - leahduncan 2 - sukan 3 - knitfrekkles 4 - thevintagewife

5 - scoutandcatalogue 6 - lalunedesigns

Related Posts:

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 11, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 4, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - January 21, 2011

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Deciding to Choose Quality

...over quantity is a tough one for me especially when it comes to fashion. Paying more attention to the quality of clothing you buy generally means you are going to pay more for it and for me that translates to purchasing less. That's tough to do when you get in the habit of shopping at places like Forever 21 where you can fill up your shopping cart, spend about $120, and 7 days later a package arrives in the mail full of new clothes and accessories. Let's face it, I'm 30 years old and probably should not be shopping at Forever 21 as often as I do. It has it's place - a trendy top here and there or a inexpensive pair of earrings - but it is not the place to build the foundation for a wardrobe that will last you many years. I don't mean to pick on Forever 21, they certainly aren't the only vendor of disposable clothing, the fault lies with me and my shopaholic tendencies.

It was a New Years resolution of sorts (I don't really make resolutions) to refine my wardrobe, invest in quality pieces, and be swayed less by trends. I am as influenced by trends as the next person but the truth is classic, preppy, and even somewhat nautical clothing is what I really love and what looks best for my curvy petite frame. I prefer black, white, navy, and gray with a little red and olive thrown in for good measure and I've realized that's just fine. At least I know most of the items in my closet will go together.

In order to focus my shopping for this coming Spring I decided to make a pinterest board with all of the clothing that peaked my interest (or pinterest :). It's really helpful to see it all together; I recommend you try this too especially if you are a haphazard shopper like myself. I also decided I need to space out my shopping a little bit in order to afford some the investment pieces on my Spring wishlist. While I know I will miss receiving packages full of new things it will be much more satisfying to know I have enhanced my wardrobe for years to come.

- red dress - cropped black jeans - polka dot dress -

- gold flat - oxfords - booties -

- jeans - pumps - bag - seesucker dress - polka dot skirt -

- bensimon - olive pants - polka dot top - ruffle shirt -

Developing a true personal style with age and investing in it seems to be a hot topic lately. Check out these great posts by Jenna from Sweetfineday, Grace from Design*Sponge, and Adele from ModernEmotive. I also had a fun twitter rant about this a few days ago with the lovely Holly, Anna, and Erin.

P.S. I am aware that I don't actually need that many pairs of new shoes but I can only tackle one shopping problem at a time ;)

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When Fashion Meets Art

Tommy Long Coat + Deedee Cheriel

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Reader Request: Please Help Design My New Office

I have something fun to share with you today. I worked on an e-design project many months ago and it dawned on me this weekend that I never wrote about it here on Design Evolution.

I received an email from Michele, a high school Chemistry and Forensic Science teacher from Richmond, VA, who was recently appointed the Science Department Chair. Her position comes with a perk, her very own office. The only problem - this was the state of her new office. It's a long, narrow space with a wall of cabinets that was being used for storage.

Michele reached out to me to help her turn this awkward space into a place where she could escape for some quiet time to think or work and also have a place where the other teachers can come & have a cup of coffee and talk. To give me a foundation to work from she explained that though her home decorating style is more Pottery Barn but she wanted something totally different for her office. She was allowed to paint the space, her school colors are blue and orange, and most importantly she was paying for this project out of her own pocket and therefore had a very limited budget.

I cracked my knuckles (bad habit - I know) and got to work. Michele mentioned she would liked a fun modern space with a style influenced by West Elm and Ikea. Inspired by her career as a Chemistry teacher, I decided a mix of modern and vintage with science classroom themed accessories would create a more interesting space. I prepared an this initial mood board for Michele so she could see the direction I was heading and to make sure she was on board with my ideas.

She loved it, phew! I moved ahead with a more detailed design for the office. I decided to incorporate the school colors without it becoming blue and orange overload. Blue & orange are color compliments so it was easy to create a color scheme that looked great. I chose a soft gray for the walls (Benjamin Moore Classic Gray) with white trim. I shopped Michele's local craigslist, Ikea, Urban Outfitters, etsy, and encouraged her to reuse as much as possible to stay within her $500 budget. I created three mood boards - one for paint, art and textiles; one for the desk area; and one for the guest and relaxation areas to help Michele envision the overall design.

I created this google document with more detailed descriptions about the room plan, diy projects, and shopping information. To make shopping even easier for Michele I created a Pinterest board for her shopping list, some people are more visual than others so if a long list feels too overwhelming a visual board may make shopping easier.

And lastly, I whipped up a few quick sketches so Michele could see the furniture layout that I thought would work best in her office space.

So what do you think of this science inspired office design on a budget? Do you have a room design that would like help with? If so I would love to help. Shoot me an email me to verdugo.designevolution AT gmail DOT com.

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Celebrate Love Today

And celebrate love for friends and family with as much gusto as you do for your significant other. If you are scrambling to pull together last minute plans or if you need some ideas to create a memorable Valentine's Day on a budget, check out my post from last year. It is full of great ideas for celebrating a fun, relaxed, and romantic Valentine's Day at home.

click on the image above to view the original post

Much love to you all and Happy Valentine's Day!

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Friday Etsy Favorites

When I woke up this morning and realized it was Friday I was excited, because it was Friday obviously, but also because it's Etsy Favorites day. I love putting these posts together. I find so many great things throughout the week and since I can't buy them all I'm happy to share them with you. The thought that I might introduce you to something wonderful that you might not have discovered makes me happy. It also makes me happy when I hear from an artist or vintage seller letting me know that they've sold a piece because of a post I've written. That's what it's all about isn't? Most recently Terry Irwin dropped me a line to let me know he sold the print I included in this weeks post about Cargoh. How great is that? Speaking of Terry, I just ordered the Nerd Glasses coffee mug for myself. It's so me, I can't wait for it to arrive.

1 - thevintagecabin 2 - aheirloom 3 - yellowlion 4 - beebleboy

5 - highstreetmarket 6 - semicrafts 7 - thislittlehome 8 - aardvarkonsea

Related Posts:

Friday Etsy Favorites - February 4, 2011

Friday Etsy Favorites - January 21, 2011

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Tasteworthy: Colorful Bulgar Salad

A Simple & Colorful Bulgar Salad

Ingredients

1 has avocado, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 small tomato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

1 - 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 scallions, white and light green parts only

juice from 1 lime

2 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup coarse bulgar (cracked wheat)

3 cups vegetable broth (can substitute water or chicken broth)

Instructions

Cook bulgar according to package instructions, allow to cool completely. Once cooled toss with all ingredients and season with salt & pepper. I did not use low sodium vegetable broth when I cooked my bulgar so the salad did not need much additional salt. It makes a nice hearty salad for a vegetarian lunch or dinner and it is also a pretty side dish. A quick tip: The more colorful the food on your plate is the better it is for you.

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Cargoh - A New Social Marketplace

A new marketplace is on the scene hoping to provide a simple e-commerce solution for independent artists, musicians, designers, and other creative types. Sellers of indie products from around the world must submit an application to cargoh before their shop is approved creating a curated marketplace with a more refined aesthetic. Great design and great product shots are a must for a shop to accepted though the definition of great design is open to much interpretation. Interestingly, cargoh may decide not to accept a seller if an existing shop already has similar products stocked. Their goal is to provide buyers an eclectic collection of well designed goods in a balanced marketplace. This is how I think cargoh will set itself apart from etsy where handmade goods sometimes appear in trend waves. The application process will help truly unique independent retailers set themselves apart from the pack. Cargoh is still in beta so keep an eye on them as the community develops.

Here are a few items that caught my eye:

1 - indie design photography 2 - ole originals 3 - landmark & lions

4 - terry irwin 5 - serephine 6 - sew zinski

website - blog - twitter - pinterest

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Tasteworthy: Souvlaki for the Soul

Souvlaki for the Soul is a food and travel blog written by Peter, an Australia resident of Greek decent. I originally discovered Peter's mouthwatering photographs of food via a flickr food styling group but only recently started following his blog. I'm not sure what took me so long to discover the home of these photographs I've been enjoying for many months but I'm glad I finally did. I have a severe case of wanderlust lately so I enjoy following Peter on his travels, revel in his food discoveries, and attempt to recreate his recipes.

(each photo is linked to its corresponding recipe)

Photo Credits: Peter G

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Friday Etsy Favorites

Friday etsy favorites time. Some are nautical, some are not. They are all wonderful.

1 - karensropework 2 - reiter8 3 - imsovintage 4 - ikabags

5 - thebigharumph 6 - spinspin 7 - lacasadecoto

Related Post:

Friday Etsy Favorites - January 21, 2011

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How to Organize Everything

Last week I shared with you my organizing tip that was included in the Winter 2010/2011 issue of The Nest magazine. Julia from The Knot, Inc. was kind enough to send me the entire feature to share with you which is great because my new scanner and I are not getting along right now.

(visit post on Design Evolution to view embedded article)

You can find me on the bottom of page 4 but be sure to read the entire article because it is full of great advice from some of my favorite bloggers.

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Thanks For Trying

But unfortunately no amount of finger and toe crossing was going to get my flight off the ground on Thursday. Instead of being seated patiently on the plane waiting for take off at 6:30 am my friends and I were doing this:

What we thought was going to be 4 - 6 inches of snow actually turned out to be closer to 18 inches so it was no surprise when our flight was canceled. Luckily we made it on a direct flight the next morning and were able to salvage a pretty decent vacation. Second to Yosemite, Park City, Utah is the most beautiful location in the United States that I have visited so far and the buzz during Sundance is so fun. The skiing is usually outstanding though it was a balmy 45 degrees this year. I wasn't complaining and I'm pretty proud of how I pushed myself on the mountain. It didn't hurt having a professional ski instructor as a ski buddy. You definitely feel more confident in your abilities when a pro convinces you that you can do it. I did, however, almost end up stuck under a cabin but that's besides the point. At least I tried and that will be the motto for 2011.


It always takes me a few days to get back in the groove after taking a trip but I'll be back to my regular blogging schedule tomorrow.

Photo Credit: Michelle Verdugo

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