Tips, Tricks and Tools...

Sometimes I actually sit and wonder how in the world did I even think for myself before Pinterest?  How did any of us accomplish anything creative or get by in life without mixing your own cleaning products? There is not much in life that you can't do without a reference to Pinterest.

Moving into a new house or loving the one you're with and remodeling is prime time for Pinterest deep dives. I've collected some of my favorite tips, ticks and tools that I've pinned onto my boards for the new house or for future projects.

1. Can a girl ever have too many pillows on her bed?  That's even a silly question.  Here's a great pin that helps you get the Elle Decor cover for your own bed.

2. Dream laundry room that's both pretty and functional??  So you are finally building your dream house or your ripping out that old laundry room and it's grand linoleum floor?  This is a great reference!  

3. This one is like the holy grail of remodeling and updating.  Dina from Honey & Fitz always has great references for tips on remodeling or new homes.  Her blog is one of my daily reads.

4. STRIPES!  I love the look and hate the work.  But Megan over at Honey We're Home  has some awesome tips for stripe painting.

5. This is a favorite of mine... pattern mixing.  If you're like me sometimes you wonder if maybe those 3 pillows you have are maybe a little TOO much.  Or if the rug with the pillows with the throw is maybe a little overboard on the eyes.  Shannon at Burlap and Lace came to the rescue with her post and how to on pattern mixing.  It's amazing. 

So there's a few of my faves that I've definitely referred to my Design board on my pinterest site for ideas and tips with the new house.  Especially during this loooong winter some of us more than others are having, take a look at these with your coffee or hot cocoa this week! 

XO
Jaime 

Waterlogue Rehab...

I am so not one of those "Happy Monday" people or those "do you have a case of the Monday's" people... so let's just cut right to the chase in the hopes of getting this week moving already!

As usual I caved to the blog and Instagram hype of the Waterlogue app.  If I were a 16 year old girl or James Earl Jones in a Sprint commercial, I'd say it's totes amaze!  I've almost if not for sure waterlogued (yep, I think it will quickly become a verb) every picture in my phone.

Seriously, how could I not...

I took this one at Arlington National Cemetery before the holiday when my sister and I participated in their annual wreath laying.  I highly recommend this if you live in the DC metro area as a tradition on your holiday list, btw!  It's a sadly beautiful experience.  The waterlogued picture turned out amazing!

I took this one last summer in the NYC on 5th Ave.  That first building with the black and white was the Louis Vuitton store and with the cab and the 5th Ave sign sticking out, it made for an awesome picture. And even more awesome in watercolor form! 

So this one is a picture from the real estate listing of my first home that I just recently sold.  My agent had professional photos taken and they were amazing.  And as most first homes do, it holds a very special place in my heart even though I moved on to bigger and better.  I poured every ounce of design, remodeling and styling I had in my little heart on this little place. So it's only proper that it gets made into a water color to hang in my new house and every future new house. 

And my favorite waterlogued picture is this one.  I am so in love, I almost want to blow it up to a mural.  It's from Little Italy in Baltimore when my mom, sister and I went for a summer festival. I fell in love with this little section of Baltimore and it's cute duplexes with fences and even fire hydrants painted in green, white and red like the Italian flag.  Our Italian blood runs very deep, so we had a blast walking around this little neighborhood with the short, chubby, Italian grandmas who could pass for any woman over 65 in my family, passing us cookies and canoloi's, big heaping spoonfuls of ravioli and meatball subs and of course the kind smiles and love only an Italian grandma or aunt can give!  So this one will be printed and hung for sure!

Seriously, you have to buy this app right now.  It's the best $3 on an app you will ever spend.  I will even send you $3 back if you hate it.  Ok, I won't but that's how much I love this app.  Whoever created it is on my genius list with the fine folks at Starburst who created the FlavorReds bag. :) 

XO,

Jaime