A Blue Bird to Call My Own

It's all about John Derian-inspired TADAs this week.

One of the designs he likes to use are birds:

These appear on his plates & paperweights.

Well, I think I have to try this out

with this blah:

Similar to yesterday, I'm using a glass

salad plate.

I found this pretty picture from a magazine.

Just right for the "bird" theme, right?

A few tools and printed paper circles.

Attach the bird design on the under side of

the plate with all purpose glue.

Gently smooth out any creases.

Let dry for several minutes.

Attach the paper circles the same way.

Here's a closer look.

Display it on a wall or use it to hold jewelry.

Wasn't that TADA!?

Monogrammed Dish

One of the cute things I found at John Derian's shop

are these initial plates:

They're made of glass.

The plates are also available in symbols

like the ampersand, exclamation point

and question mark.

I'm using this as a peg to turn this blah

into a TADA!:

A dessert plate I purchased at a thrift shop.

Punch a few letters from a magazine.

Attach the letter on the underside of the plate

with white glue and TADA!, a cheap and cheerful

version of the John Derian initial plate!

Add any letter you want and keep it for yourself

or turn it into a hostess present:

Just throw in a few bars of hand-milled soaps or

a chunky candle.

TADA!

Paperweights

Yesterday, I told you about this genius of a fellow

named John Derian, a decorative artist &

entrepreneur.

His forte is decoupage and among the pieces

he makes that I'm definitely drawn to

are his glass paperweights:

images courtesy of J.Crew

Pretty right?

Well, I thought I'd try my hand at making these.

Instead of glass, I'm using this:

A garden stone, a river rock...the name changes depending

on where you find it.

Blah if I say so myself.

I got this butterfly in a magazine.

All I had to do was cut around it.

Then I attached it to the rock {after it was cleaned}

with Mod Podge or regular white glue.

Apply the glue under & over the butterfly

for a matte finish. Gently smooth out with

your fingers to remove creases or air bubbles.

TADA! My very own paperweight!

I use it to hold down paper napkins

during a fun picnic or barbecue.

See you again tomorrow for another idea!

Inspiration: John Derian

Hello there! Today, I'm going to take you to

a jewel box of a store in New York City.

It's called John Derian Company Inc. and

is named after the designer who owns it.

You've probably heard his name before.

John Derian is primarily a decoupage artist,

cutting & pasting paper to create something

beautiful & utilitarian at the same time.

A few years ago, he even made

a special line for Target.

He actually has two shops located

just steps away from each other.

The first store front is located on #6 East 2nd Street

(between Bowery & 2nd Avenue). Doesn't it resemble

a home with patio furniture outside?

Inside, it's like a bungalow in Massachusetts, bright, airy

and filled with curiosities. There is a good amount of

antiques, home decor, paper goods, books and of course

Mr. Derian's decoupage creations - trays, plates, vases,

paperweights and coasters made from a

collection of vintage paper.

The second store is on #10 East 2nd Street and feels like a

global bazaar. It's packed with furniture, carpets, poufs,

pillows, linen, bags, pouches and clothing like

cotton onesies and colorful kaftans.

This is the kind of shop where you can

find a gift for that person who has everything.

The shop where you can spend some time when

you're in no hurry & then feel inspired when

you finally leave.

With that said, our blah to TADA!

projects this week will be

John Derian-inspired.

See you tomorrow!

Just Some Snacks

How quickly this week went by!

Before I say farewell to my beach trip,

I've got to show you one more thing that

I packed in my floral beach tote.

I took along some snacks packed in a plastic container

I saved from a Chinese take-out dinner.

Let's see...there's fruit, crackers & some chips.

I take my own water too. The beach has a

concession stand and a few restaurants nearby

but when sprawled on the sand, getting a tan,

hearing the waves & reading a good book,

it's a blah to leave this heavenly spot.

Have a spectacular weekend!

Say Cheese!

I hope you are having an awesome day!

I certainly am. I'm taking a little

vacation from crafting this week.

Inside my beach bag, I didn't forget to pack...

A few cameras! These are Lomography cameras that

still rely on film. Bright, sunny days are the best time

use them. One's a Supersampler & the other's a Fisheye.

Waiting for the film to get developed may be

a little blah but who knows? The images

that come out can be totally TADA!

Need to capture summer before it's over.

Bye now!

A Cover-Up

I'm on a short break all this week

but I've promised to give you a peek

at what I pack in my beach bag.

It's all about prints when summer comes around.

My sure pick would be florals, on my bag and on

my beach cover-up, a.k.a sarong or pareo.

This design reminds me so much of Indian block prints and

the blue & white combination is perfect for the season.

I can use it after a swim, line a lounge chair with it or

turn it into a shawl when the night gets too windy.

Hey, it can even pass for a dress, skirt or bandana!

Just check out the options here.

A Summer Page Turner

I'm taking a little vacation this week but I

left you with a little show & tell that I call,

"What's Inside my beach bag?"

One of the things I take with me wherever

I go is a really entertaining book like

this newly released one from a

first time author:

Now, I'm not one to judge a book by it's cover

but don't you think this one is so TADA!?

Weathered, romantic, nostalgic.

Before Ever After is about love -- what we do

to avoid it and the great lengths we go to keep it.

The book gracefully weaves in romance, history,

mystery, fantasy, something culinary & adventure.

It'll take you all around Europe -- London, Paris,

Versailles,Vienna, Venice, Rome, Switzerland,

Slovenia and across the globe to the Philippines!

And if that's not enough to draw you in,

check-out this teaser.

By the way, when you start reading it, take

note of all the quirky chicken & egg facts. :-)

Care to share your favorite summer reads?

I'm Off to the Beach

Happy Monday my Dears!

I hope none of you were greatly affected

by Hurricane Irene.

I'm taking a little blogging break this week.

I feel the need to dip my toes in the water.

So I'm off to the beach!

But don't worry, you'll get to read something

everyday this week. I'll be sharing what I

packed in my beach bag.

Here's an inexpensive bag I got a few years ago.

The print makes me smile.

All. The. Time.

Here are some of the things I've stuffed it with.

But you'll have to tune in tomorrow for

the details.

Have a fun day!

A Green Magazine

Howdy Friends!

Today, I'm completing the round-up of

my favorite online magazines.

This one gets an extra "TADA!",

an extra star, an extra popcorn or

whatever extra ____ you use on

your rating system, because of its

focus on the environment.

It's called Pure Green Living Magazine.

It's created quarterly in Canada by Celine & Jonathan

Mackay and their hardworking team of writers,

stylists and photographers.

The pages give you tons of ideas on how to live

a green lifestyle. From home design...

to dining and gardening...

and even choosing the right products to shop for.

They encourage anything handmade and are

very supportive of budding entrepreneurs.

They're also celebrating their first birthday!

Cheer them on at their website or

on their blog.

Have a nice, nice weekend everyone!

Aussie Style

It's difficult for me to imagine a world without

magazines. News stands in bus stations and

airports without magazines. Waiting rooms at

the dentist or doctor's office without magazines.

I can't bear the thought! So blah!

I guess one day we'll all be totting around some

kind of tablet PC like an iPad or Samsung Galaxy,

the same way we carry mobile phones everywhere.

Good thing there are now many

on-line magazines! TADA!

Today, it's off to Australia to see

some of the magazines they have.

Adore is Australia's first online home &

lifestyle magazine. It's first issue launched

in October/November 2010 and has been

wow-ing its readers with gorgeous homes

and beautifully designed products from

all over the world.

Paper Runway is a bit different from

the magazines I've shared this week

because instead of fashion, food &

decor, it's all about paper! And if

you love paper and the many ways

to create with it, it's worth checking

this one out.

Happy Reading!

Rue Magazine

Hi ya' all! There's no crafting this week.

Instead, I'm sharing a few on-line blogs

that you might like.

Today, it's all about Rue:

It's debut issue was September/October 2010.

It's the brainchild of two talented ladies, Crystal Gentilello

and Anne Sage, who are also bloggers.

If you browse through it, you will find:

Stylish interiors that you'll want to copy

Entertaining ideas to add a special touch to any party

Fabulous finds for the fashionista & decorista

What I like most about Rue are "Blogger Side

by Side" (revealing a more personal side

of popular bloggers), "Gallery Wall"

(giving readers options on how to dress up blank

walls without spending too much),

the studio tours and house tours, as well

as behind the scenes videos & play lists.

Curious already?

Check it out here.

Enjoy!