I just discovered the blog called This Fresh Fossil, it’s so fun! The bloggers chronicle improvements they are making to their 1st home. Tutorials, freebies etc. are available on the site.

I couldn’t help sharing this FREE grey Chevron pattern background download for all of you. Simply follow the link and download to your desktop using their instructions. Chevrons are so hot right now, it’s nice to get a cute one for free! Happy Happy Day!

We’ve lived in our home for over three years and I still have blank walls. With this home I’ve been a bit pickier about how I decorate, choosing pieces that have meaning or make me happy. (Don’t worry…there are pictures of the kids here and there.)

When A Vintage Poster asked if I would be interested in reviewing a couple of their posters, I checked out their website before replying. I wanted to make sure their collection had something I would want in our home. Funny thing is, I found a few things. The simple designs and beautiful colors were perfect and I had a hard time narrowing down my choices…such a hard time, in fact, they were nice enough to send me two for review: Star Struck and Bookworm.

...

Star Struck is the perfect fit for our basement home theater and Bookworm is going to look just right next to our large black bookshelf in the office!

I was going to wait to write the review until I’d found the perfect frames but again, I am picky and it would’ve taken me way too long. With the holidays around the corner, I wanted to spread the word about A Vintage Poster because they have a poster for everyone on your list, including yourself.

Here are a couple of my other favorites:

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Along with illustrated and quotable posters, A Vintage Poster offers custom designs. You can put your children’s names, family name, child’s name with birth info (birth date, weight, etc.) or whatever your heart desires (as long as it fits on the poster).

And fit it should because size isn’t problem. They offer 8×10 ($12), 11×14 ($14) and 18×24 ($28) sizes (pricing is only a titch more for custom designs). With those sizes, the variety of colors and the amount of designs, the possibilities are pretty much endless!

Just think what a great gift this would be this holiday season! You’d definitely be the favorite if you aren’t already!

*** Giveaway! A Vintage Poster is giving one winner her choice of three (3) posters in 8×10- or 11×14-inch size! ***

•   Visit AVintagePoster.com and leave a comment telling us which poster is your favorite.
•   “Like” A Vintage Poster on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you did.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: November 23, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

I’ve also shared these little cuties on my blog here>>

Binth not only sent me their darling baby book (see my past review) but they also sent me two of their “FRIENDS” prints, which are absolutely charming. Each print is screen printed with hand-mixed inks. They come framed and ready to hang (or stand), which I love since all too often I purchase prints I love, but never complete the hanging process because I forget or procrastinate buying a frame! I loved hanging my “Doe Girl” and “Dancing Bears” on my daughters’ nursery wall shortly after they arrived (see photo below). Somehow Binth has an amazing ability to tie modern with vintage and make it perfectly balanced. I love the colors that are used – “licorice black and lavender with just a touch of cream.” The prints are high quality and will surely last through the ages and become heirloom items – they’re that adorable. – Katie

***Giveaway! Binth is giving away 3 prints (winner’s choice) to once lucky BC reader! To enter, visit Binth and leave a comment telling me what your three faves are.

Additional Entries by:

Tweet about this Review and GIVEAWAY on Twitter (include @BoutiqueCafe and @Binth in your Tweet). Please come back here and post a link to your tweet as well for an extra entry.

We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline April 15, 2011 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Congratulations to Wendy R!

Enjoy a trip through the homes and traditions of friends in our very own Boutique Community. This episode will make you feel all warm and fuzzy, and ready to decorate like crazy. Thanks so much to those who participated by sending in their pictures. This idea makes me feel like Robin Leach from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (minus the accent)!! It’s a fun little holiday jaunt into the homes of some very creative gals who give so much year-round to their families and community. We hope you feel inspired by the Christmas decor, so cozy up with your hot cocoa and visit the homes of some of our closest friends.

Holiday Homes Included in this episode:
Chelsea – Vintage Chic (Free!! Pillow tutorial on her blog>>)
Patty – Mod Kid Boutique
Emily – georgietees
Liz – LizzyAnne
Lisa – The Domestic Diva(TUTORIALS: Make Tulle Garland, Bow Tutorial, Scents of the Season, Gift Wrapping Tutorial)
Catherine – our “Muirhead Family” Tree
Daria – Boutique Cafe

Don’t miss out on the incredible shopping deals still available in our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide>>

My dear buddies Kim and Kris from The DIY Dish (yes they are twins, no they are not related to Marie Osmond) are guests in a fun challenge on the Nate Berkus Show airing Oct 27th!! Don’t miss it! Eeek so excited for you both, I’ll be watching and cheering – XOXO Daria

It’s always a joy for me to share news or an interview with designer and friend Amy Butler. Spring Market 2010 brought many exciting things for Amy to share with us, especially Soul Blossoms her gorgeous new colour rich fabric line. (Amy’s Honey Bun Poufs, Yarn, Wallpaper and more are also featured in this video interview).

Stepping up to the mic once again for us is our incredible Star Correspondent, the beautiful Bari J. Ackerman. Bari took Quilt Market by storm, and we had the privilege of seeing much of it through her eyes. Thank you so much Bari for stepping in and interviewing so many designers for Boutique Cafe!!

Amy Butler Wall Paper Collection available online through Graham & Brown>>

** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

I was squealing today watching my friend Megan aka “Brassy Meg or Ms. Apple” on Studio 5 sharing her Fabric Wall Art tutorial. (isn’t she just gorgeous and adorable?! I love her!) This project is ideal for those of us who adore fabric, and want to have a customized look for our homes but perhaps need something less permanent than paint or wall paper.

Megan is changing the way we decorate our homes forever!

Check out this and other off-the-hook tutorials on the lovely Ms. Apple’s blog Brassy Apple

First, a little bit about the artwork and Gregg, the artist behind these awesome pieces:

The concept behind Modern Bird Studios was born about three years ago as an experiment [Gregg] had bouncing around in his head. Gregg has always liked to push the boundaries within his art, whether playing with space or combining traditional and non-traditional mediums. He decided to create a piece that utilized technology and painting. Gregg combines his original urban-style with photography, graphic design and traditional painting to create handmade, original art pieces.

The process to create the finished product isn’t an easy one (you can read more about it here). Basically (though the process is far from basic) Modern Bird Studios turns your photograph into a two-tone image and then paints that image in two contrasting colors on extra thick oak composite. The end result is a fresh, modern, unique work of art.

For Modern Bird Studios’ review on the Daily Dish, Gregg and his wife Megan, who is quite possibly the nicest person on earth, took one of our favorite pictures of George and after numerous emails back and forth (I am artistically challenged and could NOT decide on a color combo), turned this:

into this:

The problem is, I can’t decide where to put it. Here are the two places I’ve tried so far:

Next is the home theater and family room. Hmmm…I may need a few more of Gregg’s pieces around the house. Good thing we’re taking more family photos this summer!

You can view Modern Bird Studios’ online gallery for some beautiful examples of their work. I also seriously love their Pre-Designed Series. Those flowers are gorgeous! I know Mother’s Day is Sunday, but it’s never too late to show Mom how much you appreciate her. Do like I do when I don’t order gifts in time (something I do A LOT): create a fun coupon announcing the gift and put it inside a cute little gift box. It will still be a surprise when she receives her beautiful work of art from Modern Bird Studios no matter when it arrives!—Emily

* Promotion! Modern Bird Studios is offering Daily Dish readers 15% off their custom piece or a piece from their Bloom series. Simply use code BOUTIQUECAFE when checking out. Offer expires May 11, 2010.

*** Giveaway Modern Bird Studios is giving away one (1) 12”x12” custom piece valued at over $200!***

Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway:

•  Visit Modern Bird Studios and leave a comment telling us which Bloom Series print is your favorite.
•  “LIKE” Modern Bird Studios on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you “like” them.
•  Follow Modern Bird Studios on Twitter and leave a comment telling is you’re their newest follower.
•  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•  Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: May 13, 2010 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Jessica N., the winner of the Modern Bird Studios giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

We’re celebrating the holidays a little differently this year at Boutique Cafe, my new baby Lola Olivia was born on Dec. 10th and isn’t sleeping at night. Needless to say I had to find a creative way of bringing the holiday spirit to our viewers, while including some extra help from a few special friends to pull it all together. What I came up with was a wandering through various homes in our very own Boutique Community!!

This idea makes me feel like Robin Leach from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (minus the accent)!! It’s a fun little holiday jaunt into the homes of some very creative gals who give so much year-round to their families and community. We hope you feel inspired by the Christmas decor, so cozy up with your hot cocoa and visit the homes of some of our closest friends.

Holiday Homes Included in this episode:
Chelsea – Vintage Chic (Free!! Pillow tutorial on her blog>>)
Patty – Mod Kid Boutique
Emily – georgietees
Liz – LizzyAnne
Lisa – The Domestic Diva(TUTORIALS: Make Tulle Garland, Bow Tutorial, Scents of the Season, Gift Wrapping Tutorial)
Catherine – our “Muirhead Family” Tree
Daria – Boutique Cafe

Don’t miss out on the incredible shopping deals in our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide>>

Happy Holidays with love from Boutique Cafe! See you in the New Year!

*** Giveaway! Boutique Cafe wants to make your holiday extra merry by giving away two (2) Zhu Zhu Pets to two Very Lucky BC readers!
Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each:
• Leave a comment in our shownotes for this episode telling us your favorite holiday tradition!
• Become a fan of Boutique Cafe on Facebook and leave a comment telling us you joined.
• Follow Boutique Cafe on Twitter (@BoutiqueCafe) and leave a comment telling is you’re our newest follower.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the two winners from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 26, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

** Click button below to view video coverage, or view it on our YouTube channel right here>>

Nothing puts you in the holiday mood more than the smell of Christmas. Since Christmas scents are usually limited to Pine-Sol™ pine, sugar cookie and country kitchen apple scents, I started making my own. Combine the following:
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lemon
10 cloves
1 tablespoon Allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
Add two cups of water and simmer (low flame) on your stovetop. The smell fills your house! Occasionally add more water as it evaporates.

DIY: TULLE GARLAND TUTORIAL

I’ve always used tulle when decorating my Christmas tree. It’s the secret to making a cheap tree look full. Basically, I’d “stuff” the tree with tulle and call it a day. However, this year since I now have a full pre-lit Christmas tree, I needed to somehow find a way to incorporate tulle into my tree. What better way than to Tulle Garland?!

All you need is a serger and a few rolls of 6 inch tulle in whatever color you like. The color choices are endless. I used 4 rolls (100 feet each) of “Old Gold Shimmer” tulle. Tulle rolls are sold in increments of 25, 75 and 100 feet. Be sure to buy as much as needed or you’ll be making additional trips to the craft store like I did.


Serger Settings:
4-thread overlock
Gathering Serger Presser Foot (if you have one)
Left and Right Needle Tension = 8
Upper and Lower Looper Tension = NORMAL
Stitch Length = 5 (or highest available setting)
Differential Feed = 2 (or highest available setting)
Note: You can use a sewing machine to gather your tulle, but the serger makes it a fast project…and I’m all about speed.

This helps the tulle gather even more. When your fingers can no longer hold the tulle from behind the machine, let it go. Repeat until you’ve gathered all your tulle needed.

I was not disappointed, for I came across KikiBella, which boasts “fashionable storage for your fabulous style.” I’m not sure I have fabulous style but I do need some fashionable (and functional) storage for my earrings and I found it in KikiBella’s earring organizers/jewelry displays. Kristie, the owner and designer of these fabric works of art, sent me the organizer that first caught my eye (Watercolors II) so I could review it on the Daily Dish and find out firsthand if her jewelry displays were as fabulous in real life as they look on Etsy. Because Watercolors II is not the typical size for a bellabella organizer (it’s slightly smaller), she also sent me one that was a typical size and one from the babybella collection (for children’s rooms; pictured at right).

Each KikiBella display is handmade using picked, “poke-proof” fabrics and trims. You’ll find everything from Japanese imports to vintage fabrics in the collection. The displays include two hand-cut, stained, varnished wood pieces, one at the top with two circular pieces for hanging the display and one on the bottom with a handful of hooks for hanging larger earrings, bracelets or necklaces. The minute I opened my Watercolors II KikiBella jewelry organizer I headed for my room to find the perfect place to display it. No, it wouldn’t go in my closet with the not-so-artistic hooks I have for my necklaces; it needed a spot worthy of a work of art since the colors matched my room’s decor perfectly. And I found just the place: right next to my closet on a wall that was quite possibly designed just for a KikiBella jewelry organizer:

Though not all earrings will work well (hoop earrings would have to be pretty close to the edge), I found the KikiBella display perfect for all my large dangly earrings and random earrings I don’t wear as often, plus the hooks on the bottom worked well for my favorite skinny bracelets. I did find a couple pairs of earrings easily slipped out of the fabric if I moved it around too much when adding another pair, but that was due more to the style of earring (a very wide, open hook style) and the double gauze fabric, which is unique to Watercolors II. The other fabrics in the collection aren’t quite is “filmy” as the one I choose.

The best part? No more jumbled earrings in my jewelry box! That little, old box has a new lease on life and I spend a lot less time digging through it looking for matching earrings. Apparently Kristie has a couple organizers hanging here and there in her home, for example, one in the bathroom and another in the bedroom. Though I’m one that needs everything kept in one place, I can totally see a use for having multiple ones depending on where you take off your jewelry.

The babybella jewelry organizers are super cute and would make a great gift for pre-teen girls who seem to have more earrings sets than See’s has candies! Kristie can even do custom designs combining your choice of fabric with your choice of wood pieces. (They come in a variety of finishes.) And unless you’re going for a custom order, KikiBella orders ship within 1 or 2 days via Priority Mail so you’re only days away from becoming beautifully organized—or days away from giving a wonderfully unique and stylishly functional gift for the holidays.

*** Giveaway! KikiBella is giving away one jewelry organizer/earring display, winner’s choice! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:
•   Visit KikiBella on Etsy and leave a comment telling us your favorite design.
•   Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•   Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 18, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Patricia, the winner of the KikiBella giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

I found these cool Origami Christmas Baubles on Etsy today and just had to share. What a fantastic idea and cute too! These ones are made by SnowdropsAndDaisies and you can view them here>>

That’s why I love the artwork by Anna from eyecandy4kids. Anna specializes in unique paintings that appeal to children and adults alike. Her collection includes everything from smiling alligators and shiny red engines to Little Bo Peeps (did you notice the sheep in the tree?) and lovely silhouettes. The paintings are done on 100% cotton duck and coated with a non-toxic gel to keep them waterproof and give them UV protection. (You’ll still want to hang them out of direct sunlight—man, those rays are powerful things!) Oh, and their ability to induce a smile is that much more powerful in person. I should know; we’ve seen Anna’s paintings in person and George and I smile every time we walk into his room…because what we see is what you see pictured in the photo at right.

When I opened the package containing the vintage train painting Ann from eyecandy4kids sent us for this review, George was as delighted as I was. We immediately headed up the stairs and found the perfect spot for it on his wall. The colors are bright and fun and add that all-important whimsy to his room. My favorite feature of Anna’s artwork is her attention to detail. I’m talking about the little extras you’ll find painted around the edges of the canvas: a child’s name, a saying that ties to the picture or even that curious panda’s cute little tongue (see below). In our case it was a wonderful plaid border matching the quilt on his bed!

Anna, a “mother of two who believes that art for kids should be as fun and unique as they are,” offers not only her collection of original paintings but also murals and custom orders. The silhouettes on her site are to die for! I love the ones my grandmother had in her home of my mother and her siblings…nothing like a work of art that is also a beautiful heirloom! Canvas art like the designs you’ll find on eyecandy4kids may be a bit pricier than the boring mass-produced wall decor you’ll find elsewhere, but consider it an investment in your and your child’s happiness because you’ll find yourself smiling every time you walk into the room.—Emily

* Promotion eyecandy4kids is currently offering customers 20% off all 12×12 paintings including custom orders. This offer is good only until October 25th so hurry! (Offer can not be combined with other promotions or sales.) Anna also has a Fall promotion: Through November 31, 2009, if you link to eyecandy4kids from your blog or website you will earn 10% off any one painting from her gallery or your custom order. If you have a friend place an order you will receive an additional 10% off your order.

Penny Stones are actually available in five sets: Original, Faith Based, Love and Marriage, New Parents and Slumber Party. The sets are perfect for families, game nights, reunions, road trips to those reunions, party favors and even corporate trainings. We received the original set, which came packaged in a cute little vinyl bag with satin drawstring. They sat on our counter for far too long until I finally broke them open—not at home but at our recent church Cinco de Mayo adult party!

We had round tables set up all around the room for dinner with a centerpiece complete with glass vase, daisies, wooden maracas and even tiny boxes of Chiclet gum. I took a few Penny Stones, about three per table, and placed them around the centerpiece. Their glass design was a beautiful finishing touch! As friends and soon-to-be-better friends sat and ate their dinner they chose a Penny Stone, asked the question and everyone took a turn answering. Our table had questions like who’s the most influential person in your life to what year you’d most like to travel back in time and revisit.

When the party was over I had more than a few people tell me how much they loved the Penny Stones and what a great idea it was for the party. Believe it or not I have yet to pull them out at dinner time (probably because we seem to always eat in shifts) but I’ll for sure be pulling them out at the next party!—Emily

*** Giveaway Penny Stones is giving away one set of their fabulous conversation stones! Please leave a comment answering the question, “What superpower would you most like to have?” Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: June 8, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Gina S., the winner of the Penny Stones giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

So, this particular review is close to my heart, because I seriously heart cards!

I love seeing new clever things that I think I wish I woulda…
I wish I woulda done a series of shouts outs like cardsharks did. They are a simple to the point cards that have punchy colors and fun designs. Cute to send and decorative enough to keep and display in a frame. I especially love the LOVE card and think that could be adorable for a valentines display or a sweet sentiment to give to anyone who makes your heart happy.

The alphabet series is another one of those ideas that I think…ohhh I wish i woulda…
Hanging these cards in a nursery or a playroom is an inexpensive way to decorate the walls and a great way to add a theme to the room. The alphabet cards collection includes all the letters of the alphabet, so if you decide you don’t want to use it for art in a room…send the letter A to your aunt annie or use t for a thank you card. So many uses for these cards and it’s always great to have cute cards on hand. With Mother’s Day just around the corner you may want to stock up and get some cool cards that can be sent or kept.-Amber

Available online at card-sharks.net

*** Giveaway Cardsharks is giving away a collection of cards to one lucky Daily Dish reader. Please visit cardsharks website and leave a comment here telling us your favorite card series; include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline:May 4, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

Once I wore this adorable little black sundress and paired it with black flats. Cute, but, blah. Another time I wore the dress with purple shoes and everyone noticed the dress. Funny how changing up the accessories everyone seemed to notice that very cute dress.
So, I think the same rings true with furniture…only on a much larger scale. Accessories in a house can transform a room, let alone the home. Walking into a room you can be captured by the small things that make the big things beautiful. So, why not initiate some ummf into your rooms with decorative pillows by Squarefeathers.com. The collection is a sure thing to make your home get the adoring ahhs.

I had seen these amazing pillows that seem to look like canvas of art. The collection is haute couture for decorative pillows. The designer has meticulously captured elements of the outdoors and combined the design with vibrant colors or a muted palette-whichever theme he was going after. The sea theme has beautiful soothing blues while the tropical designs infuse vibrant colors, the wood series has bold patterns-each line is so different yet all meticulously handcrafted.

I received the package of pillows and was completely in awe over what I saw inside. The pillows not only look amazing, but, the feel of these down feather pieces of art is incredible. The thing I like about my sea coral pillow is that it is made of soft white luxurious fleece that feels like cashmere. It is so soft and the crisp blue sea design gives it an additional element of soothing luxury on my couch.

The pillows are pricey. Each one is handcut, hand-assembled and hand-sewn, so you pay for the individual production of the pillow. But, because most of my furniture is either revamped garage sale finds or hand me downs, nice pillows are the key to make my home either feel cheap or look chic. I like spending more on the small things because I get more bang for my buck. I can move the pillows around in rooms and change up my house continually with small decorative items like these gorgeous pillows that will make a fashionable statement.-Amber

Available online at squarefeathers.com

Oh and my oversized distressed leather sofa that seem to go unnoticed (which is odd considering it takes up half the room) is now receiving praises…and I tribute that to my new decorative pillow from squarefeathers.com.

For even more bang for your buck, you can DIY your way to Christmas Cracker bliss. All you need is some gorgeous wrapping or scrapbooking paper to get started. I found these great directions with step by step pics and instructions. Fun for your holiday table or ON your tree as festive and fun ornaments. Fill your crackers this year with sweet treasures, or personal notes of praise for your family members. What a treat on Christmas morning to snap open a little love note.

Assignment Share: I’d love to see pictures of the crackers you design this year, blog about your DIY Christmas Crackers and then come back and share the linky to your blog. We’ll all come over to Ohhh and Ahhhh over creative you! (I’ll be sharing pictures of these snazzy crackers on our tree too!)

Can’t wait to see! – Daria

Snag these on Etsy right away, they’re in high demand »

The above sold in seconds, so she’s relisted another set »