String Art

I've seen some really cool string art creations lately - there's definitely been a string art movement on Pinterest, so of course I had to hop on the ol' band wagon and try something myself.  Here's what I came up with...an "A" for my baby girl.

Cute, huh?  I have to admit that I wanted to do the "quick-version" of string art, so I went the cardboard and push-pin route versus the wood and small nail route.  The required materials and instructions are below.

Materials:
Hollow, brown paper decorative letter from local craft store
Clear push-pins
Hot Glue Gun and glue
Cotton Crochet Thread (I used 1.5mm, "Lace" weight)...see pic below

Instructions:

1. Push your push-pins into your letter, all around the perimeter, leaving about 1" between pins.  Because I used a hollow letter, the push-pins weren't going to stay in so I ran back through and placed a small dot of hot glue over each hole and pushed the pins back in.  This worked great so I definitely recommend it!

2. Tie the end of your crochet thread around one of the pins and start winding it back and forth, across, around, up, down, all-around your pins!  Take a creative license on this one - you can go with a pattern, or just go crazy and wind it all over like I did.  Just keep your thread very taut and go until you're pleased with how it looks.

3. When you're satisfied, cut the thread and tie it off on one of the pins.  That's it!

Now, find a place to display it so you can enjoy your handiwork!

This would be a great project for a nursery - initials, an entire name, or a sweet message.  Have you seen any other string creations you've loved?  Here are my three favorites that I've seen on other sites...

pic from Pinterest via Dina @ Honey + Fitz

pic from Honey + Fitz

pic from Pinterest via Megan Eagleson

Have a happy day!  -Kristen

Pretty and Preppy Living Room

pic from apartmenttherapy

The other day while browsing through a few of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy, I spotted this preppy living room space belonging to Toronto-based designer Tommy Smythe and fell in love with it immediately.  There are so many beautiful things in the room so I wanted to step through the space and tell you what I love about it...

1) The crisp classic color palette - there is something beautiful about white walls when we're constantly inundated with bold colors all the time.  I love color, but my eyes appreciate a breath of fresh white every once in a while.  Tommy added a perfect amount of classic accent colors like black, navy, and red, to keep the room from being bland.  He has successfully selected a color palette that will never go out of style.

2) The "collected" feel of meshing old with new - for example, the gorgeous Federal-style mirror on the left and the modern fabric on the antique wing-back chairs.

3) The gallery wall - we see them all the time but rarely are they executed so perfectly, with the perfect mix and match of different shaped and different colored frames.

4) The gold accents - just like a touch a jewelry added to an outfit, the few gold pieces in the room really make it glow and give it an added dimension.  My favorite gold accent in the room is the interior of the lamp-shade...the lamp glows whether it's on or not.  Metallic accents when applied with restraint are simply dashing!

5) The graphic rug - I'm a little biased on this one because striped rugs are my "thing" right now.  I can't get enough of them.  It's such a classic pattern but it makes a space look so up-to-date and stylish.  The navy and white stripes are fresh but don't take attention away from the other pretty things in the room.

6) The touch of whimsy - see the Magic 8 ball on the side table, the picture of the dog on the wall, and the bowl of matches and Rubik's Cube on the coffee table?  They are fun conversation starters that keep the space from looking to formal or stuffy.  And, I guaranteed they probably get used!

7) The Hermes blanket - not the most affordable accessory in the space, but adored all the same.  Not certain if I have an affinity to the blanket because our last name starts with an "H" so it looks like a custom piece made just for us, or if it's simply a pipe dream to have a Hermes item on display in my living room...

8) The marble-topped coffee table - the mix of white marble and dark wood stain are one of my favorite combos right now.  It looks amazing on furniture, in a kitchen, you name it!

9) The spotted fabric on the chairs - in a million years I wouldn't have picked this fabric out on my own, but I think it's such a beautiful risk.  I think it's the perfect juxtaposition for the more traditional items in the room, and the size of the pattern complements the larger more bold pattern on the rug perfectly.

10) The Grand Union (or Continental Colors) flag pillow - did you know that this was the first national flag of the United States from 1775-1777, the one we used even after the Declaration of Independence until the stars and stripes flag came about after the Flag Act of 1777.  A patriotic history lesson wrapped up in a punchy pillow is a beautiful thing!

Keep reading so see a few more views of this gorgeous space...

 pic from apartmenttherapy

 pic from apartmenttherapy

pic from apartmenttherapy

I love the trophies, the pops of greenery, and the modern striped art.  And, I'm ever so glad Tommy added a few fun yellow accents just for me! :)  Hope you had fun touring Tommy's living room with me.  You can tour even more rooms of his former home and current home {here} on Canadian House & Homes website.  -Kristen

Announcing...Inspired Whims Design Services

Friends, just wanted to fill you in on a new feature here at Inspired Whims!  I'm now offering Design Services to include Inspiration Boards, Item Sourcing, and more!  I'm so excited to start this new adventure with you.  Please click {here} for more information on each service - or click on the cute flower-burst "Design Services" button over in the right-hand margin...it will always be there when you need it.  If you have any questions, please drop me a line at inspiredwhims@gmail.com.  Have a blessed day!

A Sofa Buying Adventure

Our new sofa finally arrived and I'm excited to share it with you!  We had our previous sofa for about 6 years and we enjoyed it  but I was ready for a change of pace in terms of design and knew our old couch may not make it through a fifth move.  That's a lot of moves on any piece of furniture!  Here's a picture of the old gem...it's still a fab sofa and if we had a basement, we would have definitely relocated (or lovingly banished) it there.

You may wonder how a sofa-finding adventure plays out...let me just say that it took many many hours of online research, local furniture store visits, and review reading.  Our criteria for selecting a sofa included the following: 1) My 6' 2" husband must be able to fully lie down on the sofa - that means the sitting length has to be over 74" long, 2) I wanted structured lines and a tailored look - no "poof" allowed, 3) We both wanted quality construction, durable materials, and a good manufacturers warranty.  This was an important purchase for us because we see it as a major investment - it's our only sofa and it truly gets lived on.  After hunting and hunting, I happened upon Rowe Furniture, and loved the way their sofas looked and felt, and they were quite affordable for being "custom".  The model I decided on was the 89" Townsend Sofa.  I was drawn to the clean lines and contemporary look with a subtle hint of mid-century modern in the squared-off arms and long tapered legs.  And, the seat length was an amazing 80" so I knew my dear husband would approve!

I scoured through seemingly thousands of fabric choices for the sofa and 2 throw pillows that were included.  I knew I wanted a neutral sofa that would ground my living space because I love to play with different throw pillows, change out my accessories, and regularly move my accent furniture around.  Since I had a dark khaki/olive color sofa before, I wanted to flee from beige and browns and head more in a gray direction.  I settled on a pretty gray microfiber fabric with a chenille-like sheen and tweedy texture that would hold up well to regular toddler-induced spot cleaning.  And, for my accent pillows I had to go with a graphic yellow, ivory, and gray diamond print that called my name the instant I saw it from across the room.

Admittedly, it's sort of scary ordering a sofa without seeing the finished product first.  I had sat on several Rowe sofas and loved them all, but none with our fabric choices.  After taking a leap of faith and placing the order with the sad realization that it could take up to 8 weeks to get our new sofa, I waited patiently and only thought about it once or twice a day...  Surprisingly, we got a call just 5 weeks later saying it was ready for pick-up.  WaHoo!!!  We brought her home, moved our old sofa to the garage (after posting it on Craig's List, of course), and unwrapped her in our living room.  Let me just say - it's exactly what I had imagined and I was so happy with it!

What do you think?  Did I do well?  Please let me know if you want any more information on the sofa - i.e. price, fabric details, where we purchased, etc.  Oh, and does anyone know someone in Oregon who needs a nice gently used but still great looking dark khaki/olive colored sofa?  -Kristen

White Chicken Enchiladas

I found this yummy recipe on my best friend's Pinterest page, originally pinned from Joyful Mamma's Kitchen blog.  I tried it a few months ago and I'm about to make it again because we really enjoyed it the first time around.  It's a great make-ahead meal because it tastes even better once the ingredients settle and the flavors really kick in.

Ingredients:

10 medium sized flour tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monteray Jack cheese (or Cheddar Jack cheese)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease 9" x 13" pan.

2. Combine shredded chicken with 1 cup of cheese.  Roll mixture into flour tortillas and place in greased pan.

3. In saucepan on medium heat, melt butter then stir in flour.  Cook for about 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and wisk until smooth.  Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring very frequently, until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat before moving on to next step.

4. Add sour cream and chilies to saucepan.  Stir well then pour over enchiladas.

5. Sprinkle remaining cheese over enchiladas.  Place in preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, then under the broiler for a few minutes to further brown the cheese.

Serving suggestions: Serve warm with some green onion or an extra dollop of sour cream on top.  Tastes great with black beans.  (Easy black bean fix - add a 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa to a can of black beans and it will taste like a homemade recipe...)

Hope you and your family enjoy!  Please let me know what you think about the recipe.  -Kristen

Easter Egg Decorating Idea - Stained Glass Eggs

Happy Easter Weekend!  Good Friday always creeps up on me faster than Easter, even though I know it's just as important as Easter itself.  It's a very somber day (I've had a sad lump in my throat all day) because it commemorates the day when Jesus died on the cross for all our sins, but the truth is that the horrid event had to happen in order for the glory of the resurrection to occur on Easter Day.  He is risen; He is risen indeed!  And the best part is - we are saved and made a new creation, washed clean as snow, because of it!

To commemorate Easter I wanted to share a fun Easter egg craft with you that you can do with your family this weekend.  I call them Stained Glass Eggs because the finish reminds me of pretty stained glass windows that you'd find in an old church.  I got the original idea and instructions from a blog called Wee Folk Art.

You can do this with real eggs or go the more lasting (less breakable) route with some pastel-colored plastic eggs from the store.

Materials:
Boiled/blown eggs, or plastic eggs (I selected the lightest colored plastic eggs from the package)
Colored tissue paper
Mod Podge
2 sponge brushes or flat-head paintbrushes
Water in a small dish

Oh, and you'll want some "egg-holders".  I recommend finding a cardboard paper-towel or toilet paper roll and cutting it into small circle sections, or using soda or milk bottle lids.  These will be very useful for the drying process.

Brighten Up for Spring!

Everywhere I look I see bold bright colors, and I love it!  Best paired with neutrals - such as white, black, tan, gray, or beige - bright colors can be the cure-all for an otherwise drab space.  Just remember to use them in moderation.  Keep it to one (maybe two) bright colors per room, and attempt to repeat the color a few times to keep the room cohesive.  Here are some really fun decor items and a few fashion finds that will help us lighten (and brighten) up a bit!  (sources can be found via the link in each item description)

I'll start with my over-the-top bright inspiration - the beautiful Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs, which I first saw a picture of on one of my favorite fashion blogs, Sequins and Stripes.

pic from swissmiss

pic from cubeme

How fun is this Yellow Futon Cover from Target?  Not sayin' this would go in any space, but it sure would be great as a focal point in a mostly white, more modern space.

Pink lamp, anyone?  This Gem Lamp from Furbish would be super cute in a girl's room - from toddler to teen.

This Square Toss Pillow from Target can be flipped to either side - damask or solid turquoise - depending on your mood.

For some naturally bright hues, display some pretty fruits in a bowl or on a cool fruit tree like this one from amazon.com.  Oranges, limes, lemons, and green apples are my favorites on display!

I saw this perky pink coffee table on a blog called From the West Bank - it was a plain table that was spray painted hot pink!  I love the color and they way it livens up the white space.

I'm hoping to make these colorful spoons a future craft project.  A tutorial can be found on the Little Bit Funky blog.  Find some plain old wooden spoons and simply dip them in some bright colored paint.  You could color code them based on function so they're easy to pull from your drawer, or randomly dip and display in a counter-top utensil holder for all to see.

I love this Love Pillow Cover from Pillow Factory on Etsy.com.  It comes in red and green, too.  Of course the yellow one is my fave!

This fluorescent green vase from Furbish takes me back to my childhood in the '80s.  Slap bracelets and shirt ties anyone???  I think I had both in this same color.

Totally diggin' this striped headboard.  The same look could be replicated by stapling a colorful Mexican blanket to some plywood covered with foam and batting.

Have an old dresser laying around, or are you eager to find a fixer-upper on Craigslist?  Paint the dresser white then pick some fun complementary colors for the drawers.  This is such a fun idea for a kid's room especially.  The super cute one below is from Oh Joy.

This Rainbow Spot Print from Amy Sia on the Society6 website comes in several sizes - the 20"x28" print is only $35.

Vegas Vacation

My handsome hubby and I went on a much-needed vacation to Las Vegas this last weekend.  It's the first time we've been back to Vegas since having our baby girl (who, sadly, is no longer a baby at 18 months).  We are bright lights, fantastic food, and endless entertainment Vegas people.  Forget the late night gambling and over consumption of alcohol - that's for people who can afford to sleep in.  Not us!  We aim to do as much as possible in the city that never sleeps.

This time we stayed at the Wynn Hotel's Encore Resort on the north side of Las Vagas Blvd, or "The Strip".  We are typically die-hard Bellagio lovers, but opted to try something new this time around.  Encore was fabulous and I can't wait to share some beautiful pictures of it below!  The entire resort/casino has a thing for RED, which I absolutely loved!  Let the photo tour begin...

 These stunning light fixtures welcomed us "home" in the lobby.

Mosaic floors in the lobby restaurant/bar.  To think that an artist meticulously laid each tile...amazing!

Red glass chandeliers adorn the ceilings in the casino.  It took over 2 years for artisans to hand-craft these amazing fixtures in Murano, Italy.  I'm guessing there were at least 100 of these and they're about 10 feet in diameter.  Spectacular!

The coffee bar at the Wynn.  Aren't those rattan cafe chairs adorable?  I want them for my house...

A respite from the bold colors in the public areas, our room was so sophisticated and elegant with a white, black, and gold color theme.  This is the foyer of our space.

 Entry to bath.  Aren't those big black doors so dramatic?

Mirror-mounted sconces, that's all I have to say about this gorgeous and serene bath...

The bed flanked with thick cabana stripe curtains - a simply sublime touch in a very neutral space.

Our living area had floor to ceiling windows with phenomenal views of the Strip and the mountains surrounding Vegas.  I loved the black and white sectional, elliptical ottoman, and the lamps in this room!

pic from Esquire

The first night we ate at my favorite casual dining spot in Vegas - the Society Cafe in the Encore Tower.  I adore the fuchsia, chartreuse, black, and white color combo.  Aren't this tufted booths, bold draping, and green light fixtures gorgeous?  So rich but playful all at the same time!

Close up of the chinoiserie fixtures, making a mega impact in the space.

 The food at Society Cafe was just as fabulous as the decor - this was a super juicy steak served with fancy fries and your own mini squeeze bottle of homemade ketchup.

The best wedge salad I've ever consumed...bacon, blue cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and blue cheese dressing perfectly combined to create fireworks on your palette.