Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months, you must have heard about Pinterest and more recently, the controversy surrounding the popular site.
Is anyone else concerned about this? After reading it I have to say I am now more than a little nervous about using Pinterest so freely….when I post images on my blog, I make every effort to correctly credit the site/blog/photographer and most times I also provide a link back to the original site if at all possible, yet it seems that most people are innocently doing something quite illegal without even realising it (as I was)….it seems that even when pinning something on Pinterest ,one should always credit the source of the image and preferably the original source, not merely the website or blog one finds it, as they may have found it somewhere else too! It is somewhat complicated and until I understand it better I am avoiding using Pinterest for now.
I am fairly sure that by now you have realised that I am infatuated with Swedish blogs….and I have discovered another great one…this is a wonderful blog written by a talented woman who does all her own DIY projects around the house…not just crafty stuff, but the really tough things like re-tiling, grouting, flooring,making and fitting her own shelves etc…..I am in awe of her skill…she truly is a girl after my own heart! I take pride in the fact that I am able to install my own curtain rods and shelves…I haven’t had to do any tiling yet but when I do, I am certain I will somehow manage it!
I can obviously paint walls and ceilings, but to date I have not laid down a hardwood floor…it cannot be that difficult, surely? (I can see imagine flooring specialists and carpenters shaking their heads!) As a renter, I have not been in position to do any DIY, nor have I honestly had any desire to do so, but Benita is a huge inspiration and makes me want to rush off to Ace Hardware and buy tools of all descriptions!
Although Benita’s lovely home is a little too spare and minimal for my taste, I love how clean and fresh it is and how much she reuses and recycles things….see this post.She uses a lot of stuff she finds at her office to create interesting objects for her home!
Another interesting site I found recently is this one….full of ideas from real-life homes using Ikea furniture to create incredibly individual and interesting spaces…not at all like the Ikea catalogue, which is styled and merchandised, these homes truly reflect the personalities of the people living in them.
Is it just me or is there something really great about peeking into peoples’ lives and homes….I am fascinated by how people live and decorate their spaces. I am also constantly amazed at how talented and creative people are, without the help of the a designer or decorator! There are a lot of talented people out there…..
I know I mentioned in a post a while ago, how much I love the Swedish and Finnish blogs…those ladies sure have style and such amazing taste in clothes! I was browsing over the weekend and found a few new blogs and some great images on some older blogs….I must share with you….
image via charandthecityblog
This is a a peek into this very stylish woman’s life….amazing! I also love how these girls can make the simplest Ikea furniture look incredibly upmarket…take a look at her gorgeous blog for lots of inspiration.
image via houseofphiliablog
Another blog I follow regularly is House of Philia Blog…these are a peek into her life…
image via houseofphiliablogimage via houseofphiliablog
This last image is also from House of Philia I think….I don’t seem to have the link!
Perhaps it is the pale Swedish light or the photography, but I love the subtle tones and clean crisp lines of the rooms.
I have been completely inspired by these lovely images and plan to paint my apartment all-white…along with most of my furniture. The first piece was delivered to our warehouse this morning to start the process with a coat of primer…..lets see how it all turns out!
Today is a day celebrating women…all over the world. I thought I would like to mark the day by sharing a few of the women who inspire me.
First and foremost Oprah. She is such an inspiration to me…her positive attitude , generous spirit, her intelligence and her strength…she embodies all the qualities I aspire to ……she has touched the lives of millions of women (and men) all over the world and strives to conduct her life with integrity and courage. With her “Live your best life”program, she has turned around the lives of men and women and made us all face our issues and deal with them….
image via Oprah Winfrey.com
Another high profile woman who is truly an inspiration to me is Martha Stewart. Her phrase “I’ts a good thing” has touched millions of households,and through her books and television shows, she has been educating us on how to do things better and more beautifully….her tireless energy and pursuit of perfection in everything she does, make her an inspiration to me and many others. I think that her determination not to allow her financial woes (and jail time!) to get her down, showed incredible spirit and strength and just browsing her website and looking at her wonderful farm and behind the scenes of her life gives you an idea of just how disciplined she is, and how well she runs her empire she has built.
image via marthastewart.comimage via marthastewart.com
There are some amazing designers who inspire us all……Mary MacDonald, Kelly Hoppen, Kelly Wearstler….I thought about what all these women had in common…aside from the fact that they are successful business women in an extremely competitive industry…they are all strong, independent women who have worked extremely hard at their craft and who continue to do so on a daily basis. They are innovative and creative and are constantly evolving to adapt to the ever changing business environment.
image via blog.sfgate.comimage via bloggers.comimage via telegraph.co.uk
On a more personal level, I am inspired by my mother ,who decided at the age of 65 to move to a new country and start a completely new life …on her own, my younger sister who is a very busy stay at home mum (seriously the hardest and most demanding job in the world) , my other sister who is forging an amazing career in the learning an development industry, my cousin who is a working mum dealing with the very real stress of having to balance work and mom duties! I am constantly in awe of my friends who do this…I cannot imagine how on earth they manage it! It is hard enough taking care of myself and my business, never mind a family too! My friends and family who are single mothers….how tough must that be and yet somehow they manage it with grace and humour!
To all women….on this day of worldwide recognition, let us embrace our uniqueness,femininity and strength…
A Decorator's Notebook 