Patience is a Virtue

There is really nothing I love to do more than to manipulate images.  If you had told me a year ago I would say this I would have laughed, looked at you kind of funny, and then backed away slowly! ;-)

But it's true, I now enjoy pushing the bounds of my limited abilities and learning something new every day.  It's a form of relaxation and meditation for me, and the added bonus of maybe being able to sell some of these is like icing on the cake!

The biggest challenge I face when I start messing with my images is knowing when to stop, when to put the mouse down and leave well enough alone.  

I once heard a photographer who does lots of post processing (and whose name I have momentarily forgotten) say that he finds that some of his best work comes from images he has walked away from and then revisited later.  That by not feeling like you have to finish something in one sitting you can often find the true vision of the image.  I love that idea, and I now try and subscribe to it, even though I'm fairly impatient and like to get something done all at once.

The image above is a great example.  First I started with just the flowers in the vase, adding textures, messing with the hue and saturation, and then I left it alone for a bit.  Then I remembered a beautiful old french post card that I had that I thought would fit beautifully on the right side of the image which had a good deal of dead space.  And then finally, because I felt it needed a little something else and couldn't figure out how anyone would use this image, I decided to add the "Happy Easter" wishes at the top in pink.  Now I can see it as an Easter card.

Sometimes patience really is a virtue I guess!

Vintage - Polished Pebble Style

One of my favorite things about blogging is the wonderful and creative people you get to meet.  Not only do you have the opportunity to hear their thoughts, but you often get to see photos of exactly what they are talking about.  For visual people like me, blogland can be a place of endless inspiration.

So it's no surprise that when I stumbled across The Polished Pebble awhile ago, I was immediately struck by blog owner Kelley's unique and amazing sense of style.  In my line of work as a magazine writer and photographer, I get to see all sorts of beautiful homes, but there are times when it can all seem like you're floating in a sea of sameness.  Imitation may in fact be the sincerest form of flattery, but in a world where vintage has become an all too familiar phrase in the world of design, Kelley offers up something completely fresh and different.

She has a keen sense for using vintage items in a way that others have not, giving both her readers and her clients something to sing about.  Unlike so many who feel like more is more, Kelley takes a restrained approach to re-purposing vintage items and pairs them beautifully with more modern finishes, for what can only be described as upscale vintage.

Today, I've asked Kelley to give you all a little insight into how she uses items that others often cast off as no longer useful, and turns them in to the center pieces of her design aesthetic.  So without further adieu, here is Kelley from The Polished Pebble! 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi there!

My dear blogger friend Kat asked if I might write a "guest post" on her blog!

I love it!

I have yet to do one,

so this is great fun and I hope to make some new friends via Kat.

I hope she makes some new blogger pals too!

so....here we go...

read it 

here 

or here

 Sometimes just a single vintage item 

like this wonderful old sign 

can bring out the great qualities of a rather simple room....

 I found this "Lawnmower" sign at an antique store

 and immediately thought it would be great in the

 master bathroom 

of our little ranch house

 Mason jars are another vintage and pretty item for any room, but 

make great storage for bath products...

and you can pick them up for just a few dollars

 The little basket holds hair clippies....4 dollars at a garage sale!

Overflow items like a hairdryer and lotions are kept 

in this antique bamboo cabinet...a bit on the pricey side but it is the only cabinet

in the bathroom

I will be covering the glass with some vintage ticking...

when I have a free afternoon.

I actually don't know where my sewing machine is right now!

That could be a problem

 I like having towels in spots that are easy to reach and my towel preference

is 

white, big and super fluffy

This old drafting stool is the perfect companion 

next to the tub...sometimes it holds a glass of wine during a long hot soak in the tub,

preceded by a long day of gardening

 Between the two console sinks 

is this victorian sewing basket

which holds makeup and skincare. 

 It is probably close to 100 years old and in great shape.  

Often I see these for pretty reasonable prices, only to find the wicker pretty beat up, 

but they are still very usable.  

This one is in great condition.

 Additional towels are kept on open shelves 

along with more vintage finds

The shelf brackets are from Restoration Hardware...I actually looked for vintage corbels but it was too complicated to get 4 the right size, not to mention square,

 so the glass would sit flush

 Vintage apothecary jars hold cotton and q-tips

and there is even room for a collection of 

vintage Native American pottery up top

I have had that "for sale" sign in a variety of spots 

but it's a lot of fun in here

And every room needs a touch of black, right?!

All of the fixtures are vintage inspired

 but definitely with a modern twist and I love the shiny chrome

 More towels in an interesting wooden box near the tub

The teak tub caddy is a nice spa touch...

I think I might like a teak tub mat too.

The cute little bowl holding the soap came from our local farmers market.  A wonderful woodworker makes incredible bowls from orange trees that have been cut down.

Always nice to include an item from your neighbors...!

A few easy ideas to use in your own bathroom

with a little vintage touch!

Enjoy your week 

&

thank you Kat

xoxo 

galvanizedkelley

Kelley & Company Home
kelleymotsch@gmail.com


on the web:
kelleyandcompanyhomedesign.com


blog:
ppebble.blogspot.com


houzz:
http://www.houzz.com/professional/6749/Kelley--Company-Home

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to thank Kelley for this great guest post!  And to see more of her incredible designs, be sure to visit her at The Polished Pebble.  And if you are in need of some design advice, be sure to contact her through her website or email listed above!

Thanks Kelley, you are always so inspiring!!!

The Shortest Day

Pin It

Today will be the shortest day of the year, at least here in the northern hemisphere.

Pin It

A day when we will all want to have some extra lights on hand, preferably twinkle lights.

Pin It

A day when Santa and his reindeer will be gearing up for their big trip around the world in just a few days.

Pin It

No matter where you live, I hope today will be a day full of joy and happiness, and that you'll find your own bit of sparkle!

Put a Bug in Your Ear

Sorry to "bug" you all, but I have a few requests, or you might say that I wanted to put a little bug in your ear...ok, enough with the puns already!

1st...if you live in Southern Maryland and know of an awesome barn with a flag painted on it, would you please leave me a comment or send me an email letting me know the location?  Thanks, it's not for me but for a fellow writer who is doing an article for a regional magazine.  

2nd...if you live in the greater Las Vegas area...or between LA and Las Vegas and you have a house that you think is magazine worthy, please contact me ASAP.  We are looking for Vintage, Romantic, Cottage Style, Rustic Cabins, French Country, and Farmhouse Chic!  If you think your house fits any of those descriptions I would LOVE to hear from you.  You can email me at kgwhouse@gmail.com and I will need some low resolution photos of your rooms...the whole room please, and I would need shots of the kitchen, master bedroom (or any cute bedroom), living areas, dining room, porch/patio/sunroom if you have one!  If you have a blog, you can direct me to blog posts that show what your house looks like too! :-)

Ok, I have to run, I have to jump in my car and skedaddle to do lots of stuff today!  Enjoy your Tuesday and THANK YOU for your help!  

P.S. Mr. or Mrs. Cicada, pictured above, was on our firepit this morning!

Keep Calm and Carry On

Recently I won a couple of amazing giveaways!  One was an incredible $200 gift certificate to Modern Bird Studios which I won from the lovely Sherry at No Minimalist Here!  I can't wait to use my gift certificate and have Modern Bird create a one of a kind piece of art from one of my photos...now I just have to settle on a photo!!!  Thank you Sherry and Modern Bird Studios!!!

 

The other great giveaway I won was from Dee at French Bleu Vintage.   Dee not only has a wonderful blog which you can find HERE, but she also has a wonderful shop filled with all sorts of lovely things!!!  Click HERE to visit Dee's shop!

Over on Dee's blog I won this beautiful pillow, which I love!!!  I've mentioned before my love of everything English, and this pillow is quintessentially English due to the saying embroidered on it.  You see, back during WWII, this message was created to encourage people to "Keep Calm and Carry On," despite the war!  This particular saying never made it into store windows, or train stations as it was actually being reserved for the potential invasion of Britain by the Germans.

According to Wikipedia, a series of 3 sayings graced posters across the UK, and this particular saying was rediscovered about 10 years ago, and as we all know it has since found it's way onto everything from coffee mugs to home decor!

"Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was little known and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private sector companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of other products."  via Wikipedia.

Thank you Dee for this lovely pillow!  If you would like your own pillow, Dee sells these in her shop!  I know that when my daughter sees this she will try and steal it!!!

Remember there is still time to enter my cute Santa Rug giveaway from Jellybean Rugs!  Just click HERE to find out how to enter!!!