Category Archives: creativity

Pick Your Nose Cups

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season!  We are still out of town, but I just couldn’t resist posting these fun party cups from Cox & Cox.

Now I’m off to look for a kids version with animal noses – how cute would that be?!

XO

Christmas Table Inspiration

Ah, Christmastime.  My favorite holiday.  Even more awesome now that I’m a mom.  Christmas is a time for people to go ‘all out’ … and not just in regards to buying presents.  Christmas dinner [or breakfast for some] is a big deal too and the table has to be just perfect.  Here is a collection of beautiful Christmas tables to help inspire your own amazing feast.

via Ben Newton

[These cute table decorations were made using foam balls and then inserting lollipops and curly ribbon with wire.]

via penguincakes

[Festive Red & Gold]

via Pierre Andrews

[Candlelight Dinner]

via Hannah Webster

[Neat & Pretty Presents]

via Theresa N.

[Natural Beauty w/ Wood and Apples]

via wondoroo

[Gingerbread - Green, Brown, & Gold.  Fancy & Playful]

via Robert

[Classic Christmas Feast]

via Ed Seymour

[You don't always have to go Red & Green to make things festive - Loving the Blue!]

via Maggie

[Simple Stars & Votives for some Holiday Cheer]

via Postscript Love

[This is my favorite.  Simple, Pretty, Inviting.  Merry Christmas]

DIY Wreath Roundup

My family loves wreaths.  They are usually stuffed full of fake flowers or wrapped with red, white, and blue ribbon.  Ick.  I finally found some wreaths that are too pretty to hang on the porch … I’d put any of these beauties on my wall anytime of the year.  All of these picks are fairly easy to make, just click on their tutorials for more info!

Left to Right.

Black and White Stripes:  Made from an old sweater[!] by Mandi.  Tutorial on Smile and Weave [towards the bottom].

Moss:  I love almost anything green.  This moss wreath is so simple and pretty.  Made by Christina of Our Little Box.

Felt:  White like snow felt wreath by Laura of Oh Hi.  No full tutorial posted, but she notes that if enough people inquire, she will probably put up a DIY post. [Oh, please do!]

Cupcake Wreath [amazing, right?!]: Made by Jen from Tatertots and Jello.  Cupcake liners, ribbon, and hot glue – I think even I could pull this one off!  She made it for Valentine’s Day, but depending on what cupcake liners you get the possibilities are endless.

Balloons:  What a cute idea – perfect for a birthday!  Made by Erin of Two More Seconds.

Paper Circles:  A fun project to do with kids … very Christmas-y!  Made by Beckie of Movies of Myself.

Patchwork:  I love patchwork quilts and this wreath looks just as homey and cozy.  By Jennifer Casa, of JCasa *handmade.

Yarn:  Those little felt flowers really make this wreath.  So pretty.  Made by Danielle of Take Heart.

Bicycle:  Very inventive.  No tutorial, but pretty simple – wrap ribbon and lights around an old bike tire.  Love it.  Made by Megan.

Clothespins:  I am beginning to realize that you can make a wreath of out almost anything.  This cool clothespin wreath was made by Denise of d. Sharp Journal.

Nature:  This one would be really fun to do with the kids – have them run around collecting pine cones and pods, then they can make their very own designs.  You could even bring out the spray paint for some pops of color.  Made by Maya of Maya*Made.

Windy Days

It’s been quite windy here in the Windy City and I’ve been trying my best to remain indoors [wouldn't want Ava to blow away -wink].  Here is some blustery inspiration so you can enjoy the beauty of the wind without it mussing up your hair.  :-)

Sarah Pigeon

Martin Neuhof

Zoe Cohen

Beatriz AG

StoriesDivinations

DIY Jewelry Organization

In our old apartment, I had most of my jewelry in vintage boxes and my necklaces hung from two large hooks on the bathroom wall.  Since we moved, it’s all still in a box because I haven’t figured out how I want to organize it yet.  I started looking around for some good ideas and thought I would share some of the best.

Lori from Paisley Wallpaper stores her jewelry in these cute little molds.  Great idea if you have the drawer space!

I love the way an old frame and a piece of screen were used for an earring display.  Check out the full tutorial at Restored Style [she also has some other great jewelry storage ideas, so be sure to look around].

Or if DIY is not your thing, you can buy one that someone else made by hand.  This earring frame was built from weathered barn wood by Paradise Hill Designs.

read more »

Photos Around Town

I like to take pictures of things I find strangely beautiful.  Like this building renovation …

… and graffiti, the carwash, bus stop stencils, and a hair salon …

… jeremiah’s love nest and a bug eaten leaf …

Pretty things are everywhere.

All photos taken by me.  Please give credit if you’re using.  See more here.

My Latest Obsession

I love Piccsy.  It’s a new image bookmarking site.  Instead of having a list of bookmarks in my drop box, now I can bookmark images that link to the site they are from.  Pretty cool.   Not sure when it will be open to everyone, but probably soon.

mypiccsy

Great Storage Idea from Leethal Blog!

I saw these in my RSS feed last week from Do Stuff!  Leethal Blog by Lee Meredith and then again in a post by Re-Nest and so I just had to share this great idea with Furious Shirley readers!  Drawing inspiration from a Pringles can project on ReadyMade, Lee used coffee cans, contact paper, cardboard, duct tape, and contact cement to create these awesome storage cubbies.

cubbies

Here pictured housing yarn, I can imagine these stuffed with all kinds of things!  For more details on making a set of your own, visit Lee’s Leethal Blog!

Spring Fever – Art Roundup Inspired by My Longing for Spring

It may be snowing outside, but I can hear the sweet song of the birds luring spring to come.

IMG_9339

You know when you start hearing that chirping that spring MUST be coming soon [please, mother nature, please!].  I am so tired of the color gray – I cannot remember the last time I saw the sunshine or the color green.  I do love the snow – especially untouched snow, blanketed over the streets and yards – no footprints, no tire tracks, but I’ve had enough of it and I’m ready for the melting and awakening to begin.

These beautiful and colorful prints are reproductions of artist, Yangyang Pan’s original “Blossom” watercolor series.  Originals are also available at the artist’s Etsy shop, Siiso Visual Art.

blossoms

These prints remind me of these lines from Emily Dickinson’s “A Light Exists in Spring”:

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.

blossomseries

This gorgeous photographic print is the work of Jennifer Simpson.  Her work is airy and has a daydream quality to it – makes me feel like running through a meadow with the scent of blooming flowers at my nose and warm sunshine all around me.

deliciate

This is a photo of one of Marie Antoinette’s hamlets at Versailles.  So romantic and enchanting … like a little secret garden or something.  I want to run away to France … ahhhhhhhh.  Find this print and more at A La Parisienne on Etsy.

antoinette

I thought I would finish this roundup with a burst of color and this “Las Guitarras” print almost jumps off of the page!  So bright and bold!  I love it.  Taken by the great eye of M. Campbell – Zurek.

lasguitarras

Rebecca Ward – My New Favorite Artist

I look at the images and am amazed that it’s tape – genius!  Intricate, colorful, stimulating, symmetrically beautiful.  This young Texan has won me over.  Hope she’ll be doing an installation in Chicago again soon.  Enjoy …

REBECCA WARD

tapeart

tapeart2

tapeart3

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