Inspiration Found.

Lots to catch up on!  Been very busy with the 9-5 job, (many times so much MORE than 9-5) which has left little time for the blog world...BUT I have been feeling particularly inspired lately, and with that, came the urge to write again. It may be a result of seeing so many dear, dear friends these past few weeks.  Love and friendship and smiles and happiness are so very inspiring, always.

xoxo,
michelle

yes, i'm still alive

Barely!  I've been working my little tail off, so posting has been light for the last, oh...month!!  Sorry, folks. I'll have some completed projects to post up very shortly!

For now, I continue working while listening to this throwback of a soundtrack:

xoxo,

michelle

my life in a nutshell

 

My life is: Fabric samples. Floorplans. Sketches. 

My tools are: Scale. Computer. Pencil. Trace Paper. 

I'd be lost without: Tea...lots of it.

This is pretty much the preview of my weekend!  :)

Happy Friday!

xoxo,

michelle

 

Blog Love

There are so many places to go on the web to search out your interests.  It can be overwhelming!  But I've narrowed it down to a few sites that are my go-to's and I thought I'd share the blog love:

General Inspiration:

Pinterest - What can't you find on this site?  It's a plethora of images and endless inspiration from cooking to fitness to interior design.

Interior Design:

Houzz - An endless supply of home improvement images from designers all over the country, both professional and hobbyists.

Centsational Girl - Queen of DIY interiors and designing on a budget, Kate has created a killer blog with all kinds of project tutorials and design ideas.

Apartment Therapy - One of the first design blogs I started tuning into.

Design Sponge - Another early favorite that is awash with tutorials, inspiration and advice on design.

Elle Decor - The magazine's online format. Great for inspiration photos.  Over the years they've crafted a sense of style that is rivaled by no other magazine. 

Paper:

Oh So Beautiful Paper - Hands down my favorite paper website. period. 

Paper Crave - Another fabulous paper website featuring invitations, cards, stationery and other exquisite paper gems.

Parties/Decor:

Style Me Pretty - THE wedding website. Anything and everything that even remotely has to do with weddings is featured here.  And in a wonderfully tailored style too.
 

Hostess with the Mostess - Great for theme parties and kids' parties!

Kara's Party Ideas - Another adorable party blog that I find particularly great for children's party ideas.

Fashion/Lifefstyle:

Keiko Lynn - I am obsessed with the makeup tutorials on this site and Keiko Lynn's quirky sense of style!!  If only I could translate my paper and interior design skills into fashion skills...

Oh Sweet Escape - My friend Monica is one of those girls who really has it together.  She cooks, she decorates, she travels, she is happily married and busy making a happy home, all the while exuding killer style, and oh, she's as sweet as can possibly be too!  All of those things are encompassed in her awesome lifestyle blog, Oh Sweet Escape!

Wendy's Look Book - Man, does this girl have some style.  The photography is great, she's adorable and the clothes are stunning.  I need to get me some clothes like hers and a boyfriend to follow me around and take some photos to chronicle all those great outfits! :)

xoxo,
michelle

m.i.a.

Nothing like a couple of 80 hour work weeks to put a cramp in my blogging style.  Sorry to be so MIA, but I WILL be back shortly with some updates.  I've been a busy little bee pitching a couple of baby shower designs, a set of first birthday party invitations, a showroom design, a full construction project and a set of children's website illustrations in addition to my full-time day job.  Oh, and my place is a disaster because my dear friend just painted it for me and I decided to start a bootcamp last week, which means I've been adjusting to a new morning schedule that now starts at 5am.  Whew.  I am beat, but I am HAPPY and MOTIVATED and ready for MORE. This has by far been the most productive month of my life!  Roll on, March...you've been good to me!

Here's a sneak peek at the Cookies and Milk themed baby shower invites I've been working on:

xoxo,

michelle

Look What Was Waiting For Me When I Got Home From Work Today....

 

YESSSSSSS!  So excited.  Who else is going? See you there!

xoxo,

michelle

Rosebowl Flea Market Finds

I went, I saw and I purchased.  Not a lot, but a couple of things that will find a nice home in my little apartment.

Overall, I didn't quite find what I was looking for.  The Rosebowl flea market is great if you're into vintage clothing or little knick knacks.  There is a plethora of those items.  It was fun to walk around and take a look at everything, but I was hoping they'd have more random little gems of antique furniture.  If you're looking for mid century modern pieces, they have plenty of those, but unfortunately, that is not the vibe I'm going for at the moment. 

I did find an old copy of Gone With The Wind that was pretty awesome.  It's one of my favorite books/movies, so I decided to pick it up.  For $30, it was a little bit more than my used book allotment considering I didn't plan on buying ANY used books, but it was a special piece that held some meaning to me, so I went for it.  (Please excuse the sad iPhone photos.  I seem to have misplaced my camera cord, along with my general sanity.  Things have been more than a little bit hectic between work, side gigs, designing my place and trying to have a little bit of a social life.  Sadly, it's the social life that has suffered the most!)

 

 (Stay tuned for a linen flower tutorial once I locate that darn camera cord!)

I also found some pretty killer Victor Hugo illustrated volumes as well, but I let those go since they weren't a complete set and they were missing the first half of Les Mis!

We walked a little bit further, purchased some banana bread, ran into a friend and then I found this pair of little bronze cranes.  I thought they were super sweet and spotted them amongst a tangle of sconces and candle holders.  For $25 they were a decent deal and I liked them even more once I got them home and had another good look at them.

So, all in all, not tremendously successful, but fun nonetheless.  Will I go again next month?  We'll see.

xoxo,

michelle