california dreamin’: patrick dempsey’s malibu home

Let’s go back to 2005.  Grey’s Anatomy was one of the hottest new shows on TV, and millions tuned in each week for their dose of drama in the OR.  And of course, everyone remembers Patrick Dempsey, who played Dr. Derek Shepherd (aka McDreamy).   Although many have left their obsession with Dempsey in the past, there is definitely a lot to crush over in his simple yet enchanting Malibu home.

Tin House - Originally Designed by Frank Gehry - Architectural Digest

Featured in Architectural Digest, this is one of architect Frank Gehry’s earliest homes.  A studio combined with a private residence, this dwelling was originally designed for an artist, long before Gehry was recognized in the architectural world.  Its structure boasts the bones of the 1960’s with an updated and renovated interior.

Patrick Demsey's Entry

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Patrick Dempsey's Living Room - Architectural Digest

I’m loving all the natural elements.  It just feels so comfy and inviting.  And the fireplace log storage as a focal point = genius.

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Dempsey Kitchen - Architectural Digest

This is the essence of the California, laid back style.  It just doesn’t really get much better than this.

Dempsey Studio - Architectural Digest

The lower ceiling height gives this room a cozy, intimate feel.

Dempsey Pool Area - Architectural Digest

Dempsey Family - Architectural Digest

Dempsey Garden - Architectural DigestA lot changes on TV over 9 years.  Plot lines come and go, but architecture can surpass decades and generations.  Great design and iconic places are timeless.  And although I’m over Grey’s, this home makes me want to book a flight back to LA.  Right. Now.

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(photo credit: Architectural Digest.  All photos link back to their source)

color story: coral + gray

Coral is natural, romantic, and playful.  It gives off those happy, feel-good vibes.  Gray is neutral, reserved, and agreeable.  When paired with together, coral shines through, providing a unique look while emitting believability and flexibility.  These 2 colors collectively radiate sophistication, whimsy, and flair.

Coral & Gray Living Room - The Graphics Fairy

Gray & Coral

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coral gray & yellow outfit

coral vanity

   coral living room

.gray exterior with coral windows

Coral & Gray pumps

coral & gray

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My picks for coral & gray !

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coral and gray color board.

  1. La Mer Bali Wrap Watch
  2. Coral and Charcoal Open Shoulder Tie Dye Top
  3. Kenneth Cole Know Way Sandals
  4. Mossimo Striped Scarf
  5. Betsy Johnson Tough Love Satchel
  6. Modern Orange Ovo Lamp
  7. ZGallerie Harrison Sofa
  8. Sanderson Pippin Wallpaper
  9. Schumacher Imperial Trellis Wallpaper
  10. Coral & Charcoal Geometric Pillow Cover
  11. Quilted Ombre Pillow
  12. Dot Stripe Toss Pillow

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(all images link back to their source, if known)

7 essential iPhone apps for the creative professional

7 Essential iPhone Apps for the Creative Professional

We are in the days where technology is in the forefront of all that we  do – and it can either make or break our creative process.  Here are some intuitive and inspiring apps I’ve worked with that will help to keep you up and running.

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PAPER –  news geared toward your interests

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Price: Free

Why It’s great:  Released merely 2 days ago, Facebook has done it again.  Imagine your FB Feed and news articles all in one pretty package.  The news stories displayed are in categories hand-picked by you.  The best part is just how easy it is to navigate through.

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30/30 – fun timed to do list

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Price: Free

Why It’s Great:  With 30/30 you can prioritize and time your to-do list to make sure you’re staying productive and on schedule.  I love this app because when I set it up, it actually keeps me focused and wanting to achieve the goal.  The simple design and quick functions make adding and editing tasks so easy and fun.

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WATERLOGUE –  turn your photos into watercolor paintings

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Price:  $2.99

Why It’s Great:   Because it’s a simple concept – turn a photo into an instant work of art.   As a person who never pays for apps, I will say I think it’s worth it.

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PRODUCTEEV-  project management

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Price: Free

Why It’s great:  Personally I think this project management app blows all the others out of the water.  You can assign tasks to specific projects and set alerts so you are on top of deadlines.  Have your other coworkers join in so everyone is on the same page, and you can even chat about tasks and assign them to users.  An  iPad app is available as well, and it all syncs to the website too if you want to pull it up on your computer.

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VSCOcam –  professional style photo editing at your fingertips

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Price: Free

Why It’s Great:  While I do love Instagram, the filters on VSCO give you much more options.  You can enhance the brightness, contrast, exposure, and color temperature to create exactly the effect you desire.  Bonus:  You are not forced into doing a square picture.

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OVER –  add artistic texts to your photos

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Price: $1.99

Why It’s great:  Now you have the ability to add text quickly over any picture.  You decide the font, color, size, and placement.  Great for creating graphics for your blog, website, or digital presentation.  The free version, Overgram, is pretty good too, but with fewer font options and a lovely watermark in the corner.

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EVEREST – an accomplishment and goal based social network

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Price: Free

Why It’s Great:  Finally! A social network app created with the purpose to motivate others and work together to achieve goals.  Now sharing thoughts is for a common purpose, and you can link up with friends and peers to make things happen.   We creative types often need some type of inspiration to get going, so having a support system is essential, and this app can help fuel the fire.

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{Bonus awesome iPad app}

Paper by FiftyThree 

Price: Free (upgraded add-on features available for purchase)

Why It’s great:  Turn your iPad into a sketch book.   Great for client meetings, brainstorm sessions, doodles, or even beautiful professional renderings.

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(Disclaimer: I am in no way solicited or paid to advertise these apps.  They just truely make my life easier, and I hope will do the same for you.  The pictures are all screenshots of my phone, so please ask permission if you are looking to post elsewhere. )

2014: goals + resolutions

Is it February already?  Well I guess we’re one month down, but the good news is I have 11 more to accomplish my goal list :).   I wouldn’t be staying true to myself anyways if I wasn’t fashionably late.

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More “me” time

You know.. those moments when you just shut out the rest of the world.  I want to be lost in a book, or my own thoughts, or in the treasures of an antique shop.  I want to wander and feel free, and not feel guilty for doing so.  Time is a precious thing, just as much is how we spend it.

make time for yourself

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Prioritize my life better

There’s a theme here: time management.  Something I used to be so good at, and now I’ve become better at procrastinating.    There’s no better time than the present.  I know now that if I want to feel refreshed, I need to be truly devoted to what I’m doing in that moment – whether its work or play.   This process of prioritizing for me includes journal-ing, scheduling, and developing better organizational skills.

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Finish my design licensing exam

It will be two years this fall since I passed the first two sections of the NCIDQ exam… I’m so close, I just need to take that last portion!  Time to hit the books and  pass the test in October.

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Take on a new hobby

What shall I try… learn the guitar?  gardening? pottery class?  Hmmm… possibilities are endless.   Time to make those Pinterest pins a reality.

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Eat healthier

This is a must for me this year.  Not just because I want to lose those 5lbs 2013 stuck me with, but also because of a little thing called Silent Reflux.  It’s a type of  condition similar to GERD, but is concentrated in the throat area.  Not to get all Dr. Oz on you, but it has literally gotten so bad that I cough after every meal, and every morning I wake up with the taste of acid in my mouth and/or a sore throat.  A high fat diet can aggravate the symptoms (ta da – that must be it),  so it is believed a low fat/low acid diet can provide relief of symptoms for some people.    The thing is, a lot of the great things in life I’m supposed to keep to a bare minimum: most fruits, beef/pork/bacon, chocolate, alcohol, soft drinks, milk/cheese/dairy, etc. etc. etc.   But I’m proud to say I’m on week 3 of eating healthier and I’m already feeling better.  Of course I allow myself a couple cheat meals a week so I can have my cheeseburgers and pizza (I mean, how else would I survive!?)

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Run a 5k

This was on last year’s goal list but this time I can GUARANTEE I’m doing this one this year! Why?  Because I just signed up for New Braunfels Doggie Dash.  That means the whole fam will be running together in March!  Let the Couch to 5k program begin. (PS. If anyone has any tips or workout plan for someone such as I that doesn’t regularly work out, your advice is welcome)

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Make a difference in someone’s life

I want to start giving back and volunteering.  I want to help people,  inspire, and encourage.  I realize this one is kind of vague, but I’m not sure what outlet this will be yet.

I want to do so much more than just visit this world

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What are you determined to accomplish in 2014?

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(images link back to their source)

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accessorizing an apartment for under $300

??????????????????????Back in the fall, I was approached by La Sierra Apartments here in NB to spruce up a corporate apartment.  One unit, in a weeks time? Well okay, no problem. The challenge: use furniture in inventory and spend next to nothing.   SAY WHAT??  Every design idea I had instantly imploded.

How was I supposed to do art, drapery, lighting, and fun accessories on a couple hundred bucks?  (I know it’s possible, but I’m used to accessories budgets in the thousands.)  Sure, it’s easy to come up with endless ideas when you have a nice budget to work with, but this was going to be a little harder.  A rug alone could break the bank.

I had to get creative.  But really, I needed to relax and go with my instincts.  I was made for this.  I don’t like paying full price for, well, anything.  I’m always looking for a deal, and now it was time to put my bargain hunting to the test.  And I had like 4 days to do it.

I started with a vacant apartment.   There were a lot of warm, brown tones in the apartment (wall color, fixtures, flooring, etc) and in the existing furniture I was going to use.  The armless chair I picked was in this fabric:

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So I decided to pull out the grays tones and run with that.  The goal was to combine warm and cool to create an inviting & simple, yet contemporary space.

I bought a 36×36 gallery wrapped canvas at Michael’s with a 40% off coupon.  I then took a couple of hours one morning, busted out my (literally) 8-year-old paints and created a neutral abstract painting.  This was going to be the piece that tied the browns and grays together.

painting

Here’s what the final result ended up like:

accessorizing on a budget

apartment decor for under 250 dollars

The lamp shades, pillows, and drapes were from Target.  The drapery was on clearance – jackpot!  The drapery hardware (not pictured) is from IKEA, as well as the rug ($19.99), and floor lamp ($14.99).

IKEA frames + your favorite pictures - Accessorizing on a Budget

These IKEA frames were under 10 bucks a pop.  I took some pics of local landmarks (Gruene Hall, the Comal River, and the Faust Bridge) and printed off 8x10s of them at Target.

I apologize for the very few crappy iPhone pics, but it turned out pretty good!   The only thing I would have liked to do differently is include some vintage bargain finds if I had more time to search for them.  Where are your go to places for great accessories on a budget??