{ Guest Post - Meg Little Blue Prints }

Today I'm hosting my first guest poster ever!

If you don't know Meg, from Little Blue Prints,

you're gonna want to run right over there.

Meg has the best fabric, vintage paper, burlap,...

ideas, so be ready to sit for a while.

Her guest room is what inspired my guest room.

And, I'm dying to make a lamp shade like hers.

Today she's sharing here

at The Painted Home.

E N J O Y

thanks Meg! 

Hi everyone! I was so excited that Denise thought of me to do a guest post for her. I feel honored to be here today to share some of my projects I've done, especially since I love all of Denise's work. My favorite is her recent book page project, I'm a sucker for old book pages! My name is Meg and I'm the designer and author of Little Blue Prints.

I'm a stay at home mom to 3 little boys, married to my high school sweet heart, and a wanna be designer. I have an etsy shop where I create and sell vintage inspired one of a kind pieces. Little Blue Prints is where I share my design adventures and all the projects I take on, whether my family thinks I'm nuts or not.

Today I thought I would share a confession with you. My name is Meg and I'm addicted to fabric! There I said it, it's out in the open... it's sick really the obsession I have with pretty fabrics. I tend to buy any I see and love without having a plan for it at the time of purchase. I tell myself I NEED this and that fabric because in the future I just may decorate a room in those colors or style. It has led me to having an embarrassing pile of fabric stacked high, it may or may not be folded nicely. Since I love fabric for it's patterns and texture you can add to a room, I thought I would show you some of the ways I use fabric.

I use fabrics for slipcovers...

{see full post here}

{see full post here}

I use them to create pins you can wear in your hair or attach to your purse or top...



{to purchase one click here}

I use fabric to create one of a kind pillows...



{see full post here}

{go here to find your own one of a kind pillow}

I even use fabric to create a new look for lampshades...

{see full post here}

My most recent project involved making some art work for my mom's 2nd guest room...


{see full post here}

The use of fabric is endless. You can use it to bring in color, texture, and add layers in a room. How do you use fabric in your own home?

Thank you so much Denise for inviting me over today. I hope you all will stop by and look around at Little Blue Prints, feel free to stay however long you'd like.

~Meg

{ Scrap Wrappin' }

Recently I was given the job of wrapping a 

set of dishes for a bridal shower.

Since I was happy to not be the one who actually had to 

go out to the store and purchase all these boxes,

I was delighted with my end of the task.

I had an idea to gather all my bits & pieces 

of scraps and do dads and see what I could

come up with.

I'm happy with the results.

And, I hope the bride was too.

{I couldn't make the shower this weekend}

A lot of the items you might recognize from recent

{or not so recent} projects around here.

They were really easy to do.

I use all kinds of things I had sitting around.

Bit's of ribbon, burlap, buttons, hot glue...

It just goes to show you 

what an extra 15 minutes of wrapping can do to a gift!

This one was my favorite.

Can't wait 'till the reception!

Design Open House at the High

If you aren’t busy on July 28th you should spend an evening in design at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art.  Cocktails will be served between 5:30pm and 6:30pm.  Then you can view Modern by Design starting at 6:30pm.  Please RSVP to jennifer.bahus@woodruffcenter.org or 404-733-4562. 

LiveJournal Tags: High Museum of Art,Atlanta,Modern by Design

{ Simple Storage for Boys }

well, not just for boys...

I found this draw on the side of the road.

It was part of a great leggy buffet, but the rest of the 

piece had seen better days.

So I just took the drawer.

Sprayed it Fern Green

{a new fav from Rustoleum}

Added some photo copied 

vintage maps with wall paper paste.

{the maps were a Father's day gift I found on e-bay

-a bit hit with Danny I might add}

I sanded much of the Fern Green off of the wood.

Check the fab knob, would you?

Added some wheels.

ta-da

I know it's nothing you haven't seen done before.

But, thought you might use it as a reminder to 

stop next time you pass a bunch of stuff in the trash.

You'll find use for something!

Oh, alright.  I'll throw in a mini sneak peak 

of Jonas's mini finished room.

{Still waiting on the box spring}

linking to

Design Conscience: Boatshed Chic

My blog posts are usually inspired by thoughts that occur to me as I am doing everyday things. This week, with all the talk about carbon taxes and people tightening their fiscal belts, my conscience is turning to getting real about design.

People I meet often ask me what it is like to see all the gorgeous houses I do stories on for the magazines. Most of the time the houses really are a labour of love or the culmination of a dream for the owners. Most of the stories are about very real families, some quite well off, some with more dash than cash.

Funnily enough, it is often the latter that excite me the most. Where the owners have had to be really inventive and creative to achieve a great looking house without a limitless budget. And it always amazes me how they pull it all together when they have young children!

Today I have recalled some of my favourites - there are many more of them which I'll save for another post.

Beth's Boatshed: These are photos I took ages ago of Beth from Boatshedchic's home near Jervis Bay, a short drive from where I live. It is a gorgeous little place, decorated with much love and ingenuity. It has changed a bit since these shots were taken but it still inspires.

Beth has great style and an eye for a vintage treasures. She has collected, restored and re-upholstered many of the old pieces in her boatshed.

{ Design Board Additions }

Thanks to all of you, things have gotten 

really busy around here,

{not to mention a certain little 2, almost 3 year old boy}

At the request of some of my clients,

 I've added 2 things...

#1 is a sort of  "portfolio" of my favorite

Design Boards.

So, if your looking for inspiration,

you just might find it in one of these.

#2 an email link to make it easier for my readers to follow by email

{now, there's no reason to miss a post!}

So, check out both items in the upper right hand corner.

And thanks again to all of you

for your kind words and support.

I read every email.

{hint, if you asked me a question and I never responded, check to see if you've listed your email in your blogger profile}