Working overtime in my day job has taken over my blogging schedule the past few days. Hopefully, everything will get back to normal tomorrow. I am a bit tired, its chilly, dark, and rainy. I am stretched out on my sofa with my laptop - all snuggly with a furry leopard throw blanket. My mind is mush right now from too many early mornings that have stretched into evenings. I don’t think I could write a tutorial tonight that would make any sense, so I am going to do a post on a few of the ideas, posts, and sites that have inspired me over the past few months. This is just a short list of some of the things I have actually done or plan to do very soon after finding them on-line.
1. Since I am a fairly new blogger and don’t know much about cameras, I am trying to learn as much as I can about photography. I own a 7 year old Nikon point and shoot that has a taped up battery door and a shutter that has to be opened with my fingers, but it still takes a decent photo. I have found lots of photography tips on-line, but found Steve Talkington’s the best for my needs. He has an easy going manner that I just connected with. I believe he has 33 instructional videos. Episode 2 helped me the most: How to make a DIY studio. You will find it here:
2. Need a creative idea for a business or calling card? This one is so unique you will wish you had Donna’s funky junk style. http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2009/11/saturday-nite-special-brings-you.html
3. When I wanted some ideas on how to make my rolodex unique, I went to Flickr and this photo from Brian and Kristen’s photo-stream. It was all the inspiration I needed. I found it here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teammoonshine/4254613469/
4. I have lived in my house for 15 + years with light beige carpeting going up the foyer staircase. I also am not afraid to try anything in the DIY world. I would love to remove the worn carpet and have the staircase re-done, but can’t afford to have pretty hardwood put on them to match the rest of the foyer. Under the carpet the stairs are made of inexpensive pine boards. I have thought about painting the stairs with an ebony stain and white risers, but hesitated as the staircase is the first thing you see when you come in the door. After seeing what Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick and Rhoda at Southern Hospitality did, I have found inspiration to try this myself. If it comes out awful, I can always have them re-carpeted.
http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/03/stair-redo-how-to.html
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/ripping-ugly-carpet-off-the-stairs/
5. I always am inspired by re-purposing projects or trash to treasure ideas that make me want to go out to my trash can and make the item right away. That was the case with this bracelet from Claire at Blah to Ta Da:
http://blah-to-tada.blogspot.com/2009/04/tab-to-fab.html
A soda can tab and jump ring bracelet. This is fabulous and oh! sooo desirable.
6. I have so many posting ideas and couldn’t come up with a good way to organize all my papers and calendar until I found this organizing idea from Pam at Gingerbread Snowflakes. I also have to thank Rachel at One Pretty Thing for featuring this idea on her site for us all to discover.
http://gingerbreadsnowflakes.com/node/140
7. I have covered a few lampshades and had a few of them as projects in my book, Instant Decorating, but I have never found a better tutorial than this for updating an existing shade than from Benita at Chez Larsson.
http://www.chezlarsson.com/myblog/2009/03/sprucing-up-an-old-lamp-shade.html
8. I love the color purple, any shade of it. These have my name all over them and will add some style to my desk. You can find just about any color pencil at:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/iomoi_2100_74389344
9. I enjoy eating a nice breakfast, but I wake up at 5:30 on weekday mornings so I can get to work by 7:oo, which doesn’t give me a lot of time to eat. On mornings that I really feel like an egg, this recipe I found on Apartment Therapy is quite do-able when you are in a rush. I put it on some toast and I am out the door on time.
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/dorm-living-cook-eggs-in-the-microwave-080346
10. I love, love, love, romantic movies, especially Pride and Prejudice. I found out that I am the most like Lizzy Bennett when I took this fun quiz. Which Jane Austen character are you most like?
strangegirl.com/emma/quiz.php
I just wrote this entire post all comfy cozy on my sofa without getting up once. I just love how easy it is to find inspiration doing nothing more physical than moving my fingers.
Have you found anything on-line that truly inspired you lately?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
thx for the look inside the person.
love the stairs, saving that pic!
Great post! Love getting organized link. Very helpful.
That’s a lot of learning ;) I LOVE Jane Austen!! This is what I found online that’s inspiring me ;)
I love hearing from all of you. I have found so many things inspiring online, too many for one post so I edited it down to 10 for now. I will do another post in the future listing more. It makes me :) that you are finding inspiration in my blog. Thanks for the nice comment, Patty :)
my best- Diane
I think we’re soul mates—I’m obsessed with Pride and Prejudice. I want to BE Lizzy Bennett : ) xoxoxo katie
What a really sweet fun post. Thank you for sharing.
I admire your determination. I do NOT have enough patience for 33 instructional videos! Where on earth do you find time to work extra hours, blog, and do all these little projects?!
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