7.06.2011

Old Shirt, New Life

Have you ever had a t-shirt that you wore to death but couldn't bear to get rid of? How about one where you loved the picture, but hated the fit?  That was the case for me.  I had a Mickey Mouse t-shirt that I picked up on vacation a few years ago. LOVED the picture, couldn't stand the way it fit when I wore it.  Consequently it sat in the closet...until I decided to do this.  Now it is used on a daily basis and on display for all to see.   




                                                My favorite detail.....{on the back corner}.


Do you have a clothing item that you just can't bear to part with?  What would you do to get out of the dark corner in the closet? 

7.01.2011

Back in the Saddle

What was intended to be a break for the holidays somehow turned into a six month hiatus.  Intentions to write were there, but life for the first half of 2011 has been jam packed with family life, activities and projects that kept pushing blogging to the back burner.  The month of July is looking to be slightly less crazy so I figure what better opportunity to jump back in with both feet and see if I can keep this ball rolling. While my writing has been lacking, the many things that inspire my little corner in the design world have not.  Some days my brain goes into overload for all the ideas running amuck.

Today I just want to share a quick glimpse at some of the inspiration behind a current project. I have had the pleasure to work with a super cool friend of mine to create a playroom/school room for her three adorable munchkins. It's still a work in progress and we are having a blast! 


 
A couple years ago I saw this wall featured on Project Nursery and instantly fell in love.  I saved the image in my inspiration file and vowed to use the idea some day.  This was the perfect jumping off point for this educational play haven. While we are creating our own version, this set is now available here on etsy.com.


The "key-off" fabric that is driving the whole color story and vibe of the space.  One more tiny tidbit of fun...a treehouse loft for the kids to hide out and snuggle down with a good picture book or two.  Again designing and constructing our own, but here's the inspiration.

 
  

Before you even have to ask, there will most definitely be pictures once everything is complete.  Have a fabulous Fourth weekend everyone!

12.14.2010

TV Personalities

For the last couple months my life, and by default my family’s life, has revolved around this project. This is one of many locations for a medical practice in the Phoenix area. Each office has a theme that is played out to its fullest capacity. The theme for this office was Classic Television. Different shows, celebrities and memorabilia were showcased to depict the many iconic eras of television’s history. Every room was based on a different show and designed to reflect it.


I had the privilege of contributing primarily through decorative painting and accessorizing to help many of the rooms come to life. This is the third time I have had the opportunity to work with this company and each time it is more fun. The schedule is crazy, the hours insane, the people fantastic and the results amazing.


There are too many photos and ideas to share in one post so I will spread it out over the next few days. The most logical starting point…to me…is the lobby.

                

Set up for optimal television viewing, this room has a large screen TV on one end that continually plays episodes of classic shows for patients to watch while they wait.  On the other end, an old console television acts as a side table .  Details abound from the framed advertisements for televisions to the custom made benches and sparkling light fixtures.  The Christmas decorations even echo the theme.  Check out the TV dinner ornament on the tree. 

All of corridors of the hallways have vignettes that give a nod to different genres of television.  One of my favorites is the “Music and Variety Show” category.  The prints themselves are so much fun to look at but the musical staff and notes set it apart.  How often does one have a reason to design and install a 4 ft. tall treble clef? I love how it all works together.     
 
                   
Directly across the hall from the Music and Variety wall is the Hollywood  bathroom.  Think Sunset Strip, Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210.  The post and brackets were found at the hardware store in the fencing dept.  The signs are sheet metal covered with vinyl cutouts.  Designing a street sign for the bathroom was a bit outside of the box but a fun, unexpected twist.

12.10.2010

We have a winner!

A big "thank you" to everyone that made comments, shared links and gave general encouragement this week.  I assigned numbers to everyone's points for participation and then used a random number generator to pick the winner for our drawing. So without further ado, the winner is...Angela Dunigan! 

Those who didn't win, don't despair.  I plan on having regular giveaways. If you really had your heart set on this necklace and want one, let me know.  They are $25.00.  If you let me know soon I can get it done before Christmas. 

This week has been a busy one.  I am working on editing photos from a design project that I just finished.  Can't wait to share all the fun creative things that happened on that job!  Stay tuned...

12.07.2010

Feeding the Dragon

I have a friend who recently shared the theory of the dragon with me. Her mother saw a therapist that explained that many creative people have an inner “dragon” that needs to be nourished and fed on a continual basis. This therapist explained that many push off the desire to do creative things because they think of it as frivolous, unnecessary or simply something that can be done later, when there is more free time. Neglecting the dragon causes it to become restless and grumpy. But when we feed this dragon with artistic pursuits it is happy and content. My dragon has been perpetually grumpy for a while.


Inspired by many wonderfully talented people I know, I have been feeling the itch to do much more than I have been with all the design ideas that constantly run around in my brain. I kept thinking that I would do it when there was time. It hasn’t happened because, well, there is never enough time. Part of this has involved joining the blogging world and sharing these ideas, my inspirations and the things I create. After much encouragement from family and friends, I am making the time to feed my dragon and will share the journey here. I invite you to join me, if you feel so inclined.

A little more about me…I am an interior designer, artist, painter and incurably crafty. I can’t help but collect odds and ends of little things and use them to put that special touch on a project. I am a sucker for texture, color and layers. I love many things vintage and retro. I most enjoy projects that involve collage, decorative painting, paper crafts (like scrapbooking and card making), floral arrangements and jewelry. However, I am usually game for just about any creative pursuit that comes my way. To get a small glimpse of what I can do, I invite you to take a look at my website, wmdesign-studio.com.

As encouragement for you to join me on this journey I am going to start with a giveaway. I often make my own jewelry and I especially love designing pieces that are very versatile. This necklace will add interest to any outfit. Silver metallic chain and a kaleidoscope of colored beads give it endless options. A $25 value this would make a great gift for one of the girlies on your Christmas list or a special treat for yourself!



You will receive one entry to the drawing for each of these that you do…

• Reply with a comment on this post

• Become a follower of this blog

• Like WM Design on Facebook

• Leave a comment on WM Design’s Facebook page

• Post a link to WM Design on your Facebook status and message me that you have done it

The drawing will be open through Thursday, December 9th. A winner will be randomly selected and announced on Friday, December 10th. If you don’t win, no need to cry. You can contact me about making your very own custom necklace. I will also have an Etsy site up soon so you can peruse and purchase at your leisure.