SCHUMACHER WALLPAPER & THE BLUES!

Hey Everyone....I came across this pic the other day and boy did it make me smile.  You may or may not have seen it, but either way......it makes me happy!!

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This collection is Byzantium by Schumacher.  First of all.....that Blue.  Or should I say all those lovely blues-makes me want to squeal with Glee.  And I don't mean the show on TV!  Not crazy about the rug-love the colour NOT the texture.  I live in a Lego world my friends...would NOT be Lego friendly!  Back to the topic at hand.....Secondly....all those lovely patterns.  Thirdly......that Velvet Blue pillow in the middle of the Sofa....oh I could go on and on about this one my friends.  And of course the Ikat pillows..........

Decorator's Best

Look how amazing they are together.  It used to be years ago one would NEVER mix blues together....now it's as if one couldn't help but to mix.  By mixing blues it lends so much depth and interest.  To me it makes it feel beachy, fresh and vibrant.  I would have to say the mixing of blues is one of my favourite things...especially right now.

Here is an image also by Shumacher that mixes blues:

Pinterest

I just can't help but love the colour combo here.  The beautiful Aqua of the pool with the Navy of the tile band and of course the Royal of the Pillows.  So Fresh and Lovely.

Pinterest

Here again Schumacher has mixed a Darker Blue with Aqua...so fresh! And so graphic.

Just had a to share a little Blue with you all....
Have a great day everyone.

Megan

GRASSCLOTH LOVE

Hey Everyone....just a quick posting.  I know that Grass Cloth Wall Coverings have been in for awhile now....first of all I love Grass Cloth....secondly, I always have, it's not a "fad" for me.....and thirdly, I want some!!!

Here is a pic that put a smile on my face today....hopefully it will do the same for you:

Hirshfields

This amazing Wallcovering is Carolina Raffia  by Thibaut.  You can see it here. It is part of the Monterey Collection.  It is such a pretty an graphic collection.  Just traditional enough yet so Now.  You know how I luv's me some Red, White and Blue.  Love the above Room- Love it!

Here are just a few more pattern's in the Monterey Collection:

Thibaut

Thibaut

Thibaut

Thibaut

Aren't they lovely??  And that room-gotta love the Grass Cloth Walls.

Have a great day everyone.

Megan

STAR WALLPAPER

Hey Everyone......I am a big fan of wallpaper.  I know that not everyone is....however, I LOVE IT!!   There are some wallpapers that scream...LOOK AT ME.  And there are others that are more subtle yet make just as big as an impression.......  Case in point:

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Yes I know I am talking about this house AGAIN!!!  I can't help it.  This hallways makes me want to go out and buy this wallpaper.  I have always loved this wallpaper...it is a classic if there ever was one.

House and Home

This amazing Kitchen Space was designed by the amazing Tommy Smythe.  The use of the star wallpaper in the cabinet is subtle genius.  It adds so much without screaming at you!  Can't say enough.

So what are some options for great Star Wallpaper;

Bradbury & Bradbury

If you want Period specific Wallpaper then Bradbury & Bradbury is your go to place.  Arts and Crafts, Victorian......you name it they have it.  It is all hand made and so lovely.

Osborne and Little

Isn't this lovely?  I honestly believe that this style of motif is timeless.  And it is not so overbearing that you would get tired of it.  A true Classic.

Deuville Stars

Nautical?  Patriotic?  Country?  I say yes to all.




But of course I want the RED star wallpaper found in either room pic as seen above.  I have searched for it...can't find it....but I will.  If anyone has any info on the two wallpapers used above....please pass it along.

Have a great day everyone.

Megan

BEACH BREAK COWL

Hey Everyone....hope all is well?  I have been busy designing a couple of things.  The one I am talking about today is a new Cowl Pattern.  I was really stuck on what to call her, so I called upon a dear friend to name her.  She came up with Beach Break Cowl.  The pattern reminded her of the lines that are left in the sand when the waves go in and out.  I thought that sounded pretty good soooooo....Beach Break it is.
Here she is:

I am really pleased with how it turned out.  This one may be my go to when making gifts....Hmmmmm....perhaps I shouldn't mention that here.......eyes will be watching!  Anyways.....I really love how the rib pattern is virtually reversible.  It is so nice that it is the type of cowl that when it lays it doesn't matter which side you see....they look almost identical.  Gotta love that.  I love how the ribs make it so textural as well.  And....it's really not that hard to make.  If you can Knit and Purl, you can do this quite easily.  It is a great project for lugging about, watching Tv or doing while at the rink.  The pattern is very easy to memorize too.  There is no seaming involved as it is knit in the round.
The yarn I used was Martha Stewart Extra Soft Wool.  And it is really extra soft.  It is 65% Acrylic and 35% Wool.  I must say that I have used this yarn a few times and I really love it.  It isn't super cheap- $9.99/ball, however, a coupon from Michaels will help that out.  Not that $9.99 for a ball of yarn is crazy expensive either.  I think I may have to go to one of my LYS and pick up some Cascade 220 or Maybe a Berroco and make some more of these......that's how much I love this pattern.  If you do make it, it is super important to block this little gal. It isn't until after it is blocked that the ribs really open up.  You will need approx 400yds of yarn for this.  I had to buy 3 skeins of the Extra Soft and used about over 1/2 of the 3rd ball.  And as always if you have any questions or comments you can always contact me.
The pattern is available here at Ravelry.

Have a great day everyone.
Megan

10,000 STITCHES AND NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT!!

Hey Everyone.  Hope all is well in your Universe.  Soo......  Let me start by saying this, "If you are feeling lousy and take meds, do NOT start a project."  I should have taken my own advice on Fri!  So, last Fri. I was NOT feeling that hot.  Bit of a cold, foggy head, sore throat....... I started designing and working on a scarf...worked on it for 4 hoursish.  Late in the day realized that I wasn't loving it so I frogged it.  For those unfamiliar with the term "frogging"......Frogging is to basically rip out all that you have knit and start over again. It can also apply to ripping back a couple of rows.  But you get the idea.

Flickr

 A painful process by sure, however, it would be way more painful if I left a project I just didn't like or was just plain WRONG.  It's like ripping a band-aid off...sometimes you just have to do it quickly and get it over with.  So I ripped the scarf I was working on back to nothing.  Had some dinner and started thinking about my next idea for this yarn..... Martha Stewarts Extra Soft...and it really is.  I have knit with it a couple of times..... here and here
So there I was in bed, casted on for a cowl and away I went.  You know how it is when you are feeling lousy? Sometimes sleep just does not want to come.  So I decided to knit while watching A Knights Tale.  It is the kind of movie that if it is on TV I will watch it.  Love Heath Ledger in it.  Absolutely adore James Purefoy in it and I would be remiss if I didn't mention loving Paul Bettany as Jeffery Chaucer as well(one of my favourite roles of his).  So at the end of the movie...at Midnight as I put my knitting down for the night I noticed something odd about the cowl.  As it was laying on my floor next to me it didn't seem to look right. So I picked it up........and.... within moments I knew without a doubt what was the matter,  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and opened my eyes again hoping without hope that my lovely cowl had magically righted itself.  But alas, NO!!  What was the issue you ask???  Well....the cowl I am making is being knit horizontally...meaning that I have a boat load of stitches....288 of them to be exact to make this lovely cowl.  It is knit in the ROUND on a circular needle.  Any idea yet as to what I did??  Yep, you got it!  When I joined the two ends to knit in the round it was twisted!! TWISTED!  I suppose I could have thrown it across the room.  I suppose I could have railed at the Knitting Gods.....but alas I just groaned and asked myself, "HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?" For those who knit, you know how madding this can be.  For those of you unfamiliar with knitting in the round......when you cast on your stitches you do so in a straight line, you then join the two ends by joining two stitches.  Now when you knit you do so in "the round" and you will be knitting a tube.  In all the years I have been knitting.... Oh about 38 of them now....I can honestly say that I have never done this-twisted my knitting that is.  Or at least I can't recall ever having done this.  When I join the two ends I check, re-check and triple check!!  I suppose I could blame the cold meds I was on....yes that's it......it was the Advil Cold and Flu!!  Well it does say to be careful and not operate any machinery....does knitting needles count??  Perhaps they should put that on the label...."do not attempt to design or knit as this may lead to uneccessary Frogging!!"  I suppose I could have left it twisted so that it acted like a Moebius.....you know....never ending with a twist....however this was not supposed to be in the original design.  So I Frogged that too! Frogged 2 projects in one day-record perhaps??  I tried to laugh it off.  And at that moment my lovely man asked me, "how many stitches do you think you ripped back today?"
I sat there and thought about it...between the scarf I didn't like and now the cowl.....probably 10,000stitches!  That does seem like a lot to "Frog".  But you see, when it isn't right, it just isn't right.  I HAD to start over.  And that is just what I did.  So over the weekend....with me being in bed most of Sat.  and "watching a movie"on  Sun I was able to do the following.......... 288 stitches per row.........48 Rows......=13,824 stitches!!  I had to recheck that number as it seems like so much.........I have completed 3 repeats of my pattern......there is 16 rows to a repeat...so 16x3=48rows.......yep.......13,824!!!  Wholly Moly!!  I won't have to go much further as I have only one more repeat to do.  I have to wait to get one more ball as I have run out and the store isn't open yet..  It won't take the whole ball but I want to do just one more repeat to finish it off......so....... only 2,304 stitches to go.  I should finish it today. I will be writing it up in the next day or two and put it up on Ravelry for everyone to see...as well as here of course!  Here's a sneak peek:

So what's the lesson in all this?  Don't operate knitting needles while under the influence of cold meds!!
Have a great day everyone!

Megan

SHERWIN WILLIAMS 2014

Hey Everyone....Remember on Fri my post about "Happy Colour".  Well I came across Sherwin  Williams Forecast for 2014 their Intrinsic line...well...... Look:

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Sherwin Williams

These colours can be seen throughout the house.  They aren't exactly what is in the house..However I do know  they definitely evoke the same feeling....don't you just love it when things like this come together??
The blues may be slightly more green that was used pillows and rug....but it is definitely a similar palette.  I just love colour!

There you have it...short and sweet.  Have an awesome day everyone.
Megan

HAPPY COLOURS

Hey Everyone.....I came across a house that I just had to share with you all.  For me it is the kind of house that just screams happiness.  Really I should put a capital H on that happiness because it is full of colour and I mean FULL!  I know that some people may think that one would tire of all that colour. But wait! It is the type of space that could just as easily have been neutral.  But....it is sooo full with colour.  The main elements are neutral and all the colour has been added afterwards.  Enjoy this riot of colour....I know I did:

JBMDesigns LLC

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I can't even put into words how much I love this room.  That couch and that chair.....the pillows...all that velvet....the suzani's ....THAT RUG!!!!  Honestly...just pick it all up and plop it right down in my home.

Houzz

The combination of the colours here is amazing.  The use of the neutral mocha walls with that yellow is awesome.  It allow the yellow velvet couch to shine without everything  being so overwhelming...and that hit of bright orangey yellow on the walls....awesome!!!

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I LOVE THAT WALLPAPER.......GOTS TO GET ME SOME OF THAT!!!

JBMDesigns LLC

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This incredible space was designed by Cinnie May of JBM Designs LLC.  If I could meet her I would shake her hand...heck I think I would hug her.  And thank her for having the guts to do something like this.  It takes a very strong person to not only have this in their home but also to have a great designer to pull it all together....it could have gone SO wrong.... So Cinnie I tip my hat to you.  Truly amazing.

I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did.  Now if you will excuse me I have to sit down after this one.
Have an awesome weekend everyone.
Megan