01 June 2009

Pink + Orange

In the last apartment we lived in, we repainted every room. The ceilings were around 16 feet high, so this was no easy task. There was cobalt teal, purple, green, and a bathroom called "Oriental Orange" which was realistically Glow in the Dark Pylon Orange. (It looked slightly better than it sounds...) After repainting it all white when we moved out, I decided that I would not paint until I had my own home. I got burnt out on making it mine, and leaving it.

Paint

After almost 3 years in my current apartment, I've been slowly getting over this. I'm not repainting the place or buying a couch or anything, but I'm beginning to care again. Like my favorite style guru's Stacy and Clinton, it's time to invest in myself. That means enjoying my surroundings, and ironing my clothes like a grown up!

Flat File and Magazine Thingies

Mike was in Indiana this week, so I took some time to do my quarterly cleaning out of the closet to donate and trash. I organized, I repotted the houseplants, and even bought a flat file at Ikea for my studio area. It's a simple start, but is making me really happy.

I bought these magazine holders in plain white, and thought I'd enhance them a bit. I painted with acrylic paints for the first time in nearly 11 years. 11 years. Watercolor and inks are not the same. There's that meditative quality of making these marks with paint. I think I need to raid Mike's oil paints afterall...

Pinks + Oranges

I mixed some different pinks and oranges that would go well together, and created a pattern on the one side to make them go together. I love lots of shades of similar colors. When we do get hitched (probably next summer), I'm telling the gals to wear different shades like this. Because isn't one color just boring? (wink)

Fun with Paint

If it hadn't been for the gorgeous weather, the Art Star craft fair, bike rides and an invitation to my friend's pool, I don't think I would have left my house!

12 comments:

jacqueline said...

I am loving the colors! I really adore that magazine holders...would love one too when i finally get my very own space. :) It's nice to invest in self! Have a lovely merry happy 1st week of june and love to you!

Shona~ LALA dex press said...

Really wish we lived in the same city- we would have totally hung out while our S/O's were out of town.

Nic said...

If being a grown up means ironing your clothes, I will never grow up!!

11 years without acrylics?! Madness!! Acrylics are my favorites, my mom's influence. She used to make hand-painted clothing, which I am in the process of recovering as we clean out her stuff. I will probably frame some of the t-shirts.

Jamie Welsh Watson said...

WOW! That's so rad!

I also hate and avoid ironing my clothes.

Anonymous said...

I love that "invest in yourself" saying. Looks like you got so much done and it looks great.

Andrea said...

NIIIIIIIICCCCCE!!!!!

sulu-design said...

I need cable so I can hear things like, "Invest in yourself," on a regular basis. The magazine holders are awesome - just awesome.

Jessica Nichols said...

I love all of this but I especially love the swirls of paint and the metal art tool thingie. Whatever that's called, a spatula?? What do I know, I majored in English instead of Art. But I likey, I likey.

andrea said...

love the colors you used!


this summer, let's plan some knitting/biking adventures! =)

s.i. michaels said...

These are so gorgeous. Love the pattern & the colors--what a way to personalize something that would otherwise be mundane.

Vanessa said...

As always, your creativity is inspiring.

Christina said...

what a great solution to make those magazine holders come alive.