CUSTOM Holiday Orders

Hey Everyone, I just wanted to drop a note about custom orders that need to be received by Christmas. My inbox is currently full of new requests as well as a few projects I am wrapping up. If I have not already received your request then I CANNOT guarantee it before Christmas. The new requests

I'm answering today will be taken on a case-by-case basis.

Thanks so much to all of your for your patience

and loyalty to Single Stone!

{just a little eye-candy}

{Christmas Inspiration}

{Happy Thanksgiving}

Blog Features Today!!

I have made some bloggy friends over the last 18 mos or so that I've been a blogger and they are some of the coolest people I know!! They too, are creative and do lots of fun projects and now they are featuring mine ;)

Roeshel is a the author of The DIY Showoff. If you've got it, flaunt it! And Roeshel's GOT IT! Her home is amazing and she and her husband have done everything themselves. And who's name did I see on page 6 of my advance copy of 100 Decorating Ideas for Under $100? Yes, it would be her! Check out her blog and all her great projects and tutorials and try something fun for yourself.

We're also featured on The Shabby Nest today. Wendy is also a DIYer with a blog full of beautiful inspiration. As you might suspect from the name she has a shabby chic kind of style. If you like that style take a look around her Etsy shop and add something special, handmade and shabby to your home!

Custom Design

A while back I worked with a designer on a custom branch with birds. Today I received the results of that project, and let me tell you, they are phenomenal!

For more inspiration visit their website - Two Plus Three Design. It's worth your time!

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

A couple of weeks ago I announced that Single Stone Studios will be in Cleveland at the Great Big Home and Garden Expo in Feb. The 6th through the 14th to be exact. The show is in the IX Center and now under the management of MarketPlace Events.

We were invited to be in the show after the shows producer found our work in the Lake County YMCA Dream Home Giveaway. Ame West of West Interiors sourced us in the marketing materials as well as a local magazine.

I didn't even know this big home show existed but apparently everyone else did. (I must be living under a rock) The show has been around for 66 yrs in the same location and draws nearly 200,000 attendees. WOW!

Since the invitation to get a booth in the show Billy and I have been asked to design and decorate the main stage!! This is the stage where all the demos happen all week and most exciting where Ty Pennington will perform the opening ceremonies!!! We are so thrilled to be asked to do this project! The contract has been signed for weeks but not until this morning, when the art for the Ty Pennington logo found it's way to my inbox, did the project become real.

We were always excited. We knew the whole time that Ty was opening the show on this stage but having a tangible piece of the project made the whole thing feel really amazing! And made me feel like I could finally share the project with all of you. If you're in the area come out and see us!! We'd love to meet you.

So much fun!

You've gotta go to Polyvore.com and try this! It's a terrible time waster but much fun :)

Eclectic Chic

Items in this set:
Jacvanek.com t shirt, $24
Joe's Jeans jeans, $178
UGG Australia boots, 125 GBP
kate spade tote bag, $425
KING BABY ring, $184

stuff.

i like stuff.

i like THIS stuff.

feeling a little vintage this morning.

Featured :)

We've been featured over at Shrimp Salad Circus today! You can see our Bare Pine Trees in Winter vinyl decal kit along with other beautiful pine tree art. Click on over to check it out.

What time is it?

Do you ever wonder what time it is? No, I don't mean during the day counting down till 5 to leave work. I mean in your life. What time is it? What are you supposed to be doing right now? What are you working towards? What will come of everything you are doing day-to-day in this season of your life?

Maybe it's Thanksgiving coming up, maybe it's knowing the end of the year is approaching, maybe I'm trying to make sense of all the projects coming my way lately, but I find myself wondering about this. What time is it in my life? What is all this adding up to? Where will it lead?

I guess the only way to really find out is to keep following the path before me and to be alert to God's voice leading me down said path. I must say, right now, I'm intrigued. Very intrigued.

Deep Breath

Been a rough couple of days. Trying to keep up with all my projects and not exactly feeling successful. Today I have a new perspective and feel better about taking on all the challenges I've recently accepted. You know the kind where you get really excited about the opportunity. Promptly accept it and then proceed to panic. Well, I've been in panic mode.

My solution was to make a little happy art. Happy art pretty much means anything with wings :) So I made this sweet little gal this morning. She doesn't have all the answers I'm looking for but that's ok. I'll find what I need. So many answers come when you just put your hands to it and get started. A new map is not drawn before the journey, it's drawn during. With each new morning. With each new discovery...

Coffee House Comfort

I started this Coffee House Comfort makeover on my kitchen months ago. First we stained the oak cabinets mahogany, next we painted the walls and finally I am getting to the accessories. It's been quite a slow process. Before I was working a project like this would get done in a couple of weeks. Now, it's taking months. Partially because I am changing my style and trying new things. So I have to think it through a little more. But it seems that trying new things is going well - I'm really happy with my weekend project!

Remember the big blank wall in the kitchen that had a lone clock on it?

Well, here it is now! A big collection of a bunch of things I love. On the left I added some decals!! The door swings back to open on that side of the wall so I couldn't put anything there that wasn't flat and the whole wall was thrown off balance if I didn't have anything there at all. Decals, the perfect solution!

The text was chosen by my daughter, Mackenzie - The Road Less Traveled by Robert Frost. (She's my girl!)

I used our Delicate Moss vinyl and I love it on the sienna wall. White was too bright. Beige was a tad dull. Chocolate was well, more dark brown, not something my house needs. The Delicate Moss was surprisingly fresh and I love it!

The large piece of art is a Ribba frame from Ikea - it comes with the large white matte, it was something like $10-$15. Ikea has options for art but I didn't like any of them so I came home and went through my printed papers and for less than $1 added a favorite piece to the frame. I love it and it's also where I pulled the green color for the vinyl.

On the shelf I have a small collection of H's for our last name, and one of my faves, a vintage porcelain glove mold. I really like the way everything works together and gives me an eclectic coffee house feel without a coffee house theme. There is nothing coffee related at all. No coffee cups, or words like espresso, cappuccino etc - I don't really go for theme decorating. I just wanted the eclectic, warm feel with bold colors (and a coffee scented candle for good measure). I think I achieved it! :)

45 Years Married!

Today is Billy's parents 45th Wedding Anniversary!

I think it's certainly worth a blog mention. So what does a

couple do to keep love young and fresh after 45 years....

they start riding go-carts, of course! They have a large piece

of land near the Ohio Indiana border and have been having

fun on some new go-carts. They are even nice enough to

share them with the grandkids when they come over ;)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! We love you!

New Art!

Actually, these are things I've had in files forever and am finally

getting them in the shop. It's 1:30 am but I finally got them in!!

New Collage Art!

Anything can happen, child. Anything can be...

Fun new art for kids spaces

Introducing our Scribble Flower Garden vinyl wall decal kits in 1 and 2 colors.

There are 20 flowers that range in size from 13" tall to 36" tall.

Burlap Beauty

Now before you look down your nose at burlap as a decorating element take a look at these beautiful ideas! You can use old potato and feed sacks with the cool writing already on them, you can stencil your own, use it for pillows, and shoes and bags and gifts.

The trend was first introduced to me by Stephanie Troyer. She's the interior decorator on our Fab 5 Design Team. So talented and spots the new trends so early she may as well have started them herself! Once she showed me a photo, many weeks ago, and mentioned the burlap, I've been seeing it everywhere.

Check out these unexpectedly elegant burlap items. Most can be found on Etsy.

A few fab burlap sources:

burlapworks.etsy.com

hydraheart.etsy.com

ely111.etsy.com

masiondestencil.etsy.com

petitcoterie.etsy.com

tickingandtoile.etsy.com

frenchieandflea.etsy.com

burlap bedding @ Anthropologie.com

See the little JOY candlestick style elements on the bottom right? I love these! The letters are stenciled on burlap which are tacked on with little brads. You can find the tutorial HERE to make your own. I hope I can find time to make these for the Christmas season.

Parents.com

Check out our Whimsical Tree wall decal on Parents.com!

I'm a genius. Yes, yes I am.

Maybe I'm just feeling like a genius. I figured out how to add a 3rd column to my blog! A little HTML never stopped this girl ;) It might've taken me HOURS but it didn't stop me. haha I also changed the header. I know, AGAIN! LOL But this time it matches the new website design (you likey?) and will be the look we stick with!! I am my own worst customer - talk about indecisive! I find it much harder to design for myself than for someone else. I think that's because most people have a specific style they really like. I can translate that pretty easily. But then there is me and I love so many things/styles/designs. Such a mix-matched kind of girl that hitting on just the right combination takes some trial and error.

All in all I'm excited about the new look for both the blog and the website. It finally says "Single Stone". Feels good :)

We're Featured Today!

Hey everyone - we've been featured on Ucreate today! A fantastic blog about home decor and DIY projects. Another chance to enter to win a Single Stone Gift Certificate and experience a truly unique blog full of inspiration!

Enjoy~

Still excited about my Friday night :)

I was so excited all last week to get to Friday night! Not because the work week was over - that's never really over but because the FABULOUS Jen Swift was in Cincinnati!! How did I get so lucky?!? Really, we had the BEST time!

She happened to be in town shooting all the photos for her book with her publisher North Light Books. Mark my word this book is going to be AMAZING! I've seen sneak peeks of the projects, the outline and layout of the book and am blown away! Truly amazed at Jen's level of focus and creativity, drive and grace she has shown through this process. It must be grueling at times but she makes it look easy. The amount of work going into a book like this is immense. She has created 25 projects right from her mind (and hands) and is now moving onto writing the copy for the book. It's titled "Creative Bloom" and is set for release in Oct 2010. You won't want to miss it!

As much as I have loved EVERY project she has created I am so looking forward to reading the book. I love the way Jen writes and she naturally exudes encouragement unlike anyone I've ever known. She's so genuine and sweet. I left our Friday night dinner feeling like I had new goals for myself. To operate as a friend and person on that level. Leave myself out of things a little more than I do. Engage with people in a more genuine way and keep growing in my art. She really taught me something that night just by being around her. I'd like to be that kind of person. I'd also like it if she lived closer and we could do that a LOT more :)

The photo is of a quick little scrapbook I threw together for Jen and I to mark the occasion. Dinner at Ferrari's, Nov 6, 2009. Yummy chicken marsala. A cozy fireplace and great company! Soon, Jen will have a pic of us - it's on her camera, which has not yet made it home along with the rest of her luggage. But soon.

Enjoy your day everyone!

PS - On another note you can click on the DIY Showoff button on the right sidebar and enter to win a $35 Single Stone Gift Certificate as well as many other prizes she is giving away. While you are there check our Roeshel's blog. It's FULL of awesome DIY projects. You can see our decals used in her office and mudroom make-overs.

Note to self:

Don't be this girl.

New Art!

This first piece is truly one-of-a-kind. From our summer trip to the Smoky Mountains we hiked up Clingman's Dome and I took a bunch of pics of the bare pine trees. They were just so beautiful and I knew I could make them into decals. Finally, the art is done and in the shop. I love them!

Nature's Longing
Blossoming Branch

OSU Dorm Room

A few weeks ago a friend of mine and his wife dropped their oldest daughter off at Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) for her first yr of college. *gulp* I don't want to even think of doing that with my kids! Nope, they are going to live with me forever :)

But anyway, they asked me to cut a few decals for Amanda, their daughter and her new roomies. These are the pics. From the lime green, turquoise and hot pink it looks like a sassy groups of girls! I like it!

We did everyone's name, of course. 3 girls crammed in one small room - everyone needs a space to call their own.

Then for Amanda we did some small damask patterns to match her bedding. Doesn't look like the easiest application with no head room and the walls are cement but Carrie, Amanda's mom, did an awesome job as you can see!