Art

color story: moss + pink

Pink has always been a chic, feminine color. But using pink in your home doesn’t have to say, “hey look at me, I’m a girls bedroom!” If it feels too girly for your taste, jazz it up with mossy green to create a fun, welcoming space!

These colors tend to create a more traditional feel, but depending on the patterns and textures used, the look lean towards bohemian, modern, or tropical.

Here’s a nice variation with coral & some gold!

Here’s a few of my favorite picks for this color combo:

moss green and pink color story

For the sources, please visit Vim & Vintage’s Pinterest Page. Enjoy your Tuesday!

DIY: seascape framed prints

So I just made these 2 prints over the weekend and could not be more pleased with how they turned out. For less than 30 minutes and under $40 for 2, I’m leaping for joy. But let’s back up the train a little. A while back, I was looking through Williams-Sonoma Home and came across these lovely seascape prints. Williams Sonoma Prints As I’m finally making our bedroom makeover a reality, they would be PERFECT. But for $895 for 2…. let’s be real here. That’s more than just slightly over the budget for something with a simple concept. Coastal shot + white frame = it’s not rocket science. And that’s when I had my ah-ha moment of “I’m totally making that myself”. Even though I consider myself much a creative being, I don’t set aside the time to craft or do DIY projects. I have tons of ideas (and the Pinterest boards to prove it) but ambition.. ehhhh, not so much. But these little pretties are sooooo doable. First of all, you will need to grip up some simple inexpensive white frames. I like these frames from Michael’s. Michaels 12x12 frames I got the 12×12 size with the 8×8 opening. I bought them in the store. They cost about $30 each, but with that weekly 40% off coupon you can score one for around $18. Next is the print. In my last life when I worked at Pizitz in Seaside, we carried this amazing book called Still: Oceanscapes. You can judge a book by its cover because it is exactly what you think – a bunch of wonderful ocean pictures. And yes, you guessed it: totally framed print-worthy. I can’t imagine just cutting up a beautiful hardbound book like this…. unless, well, it is used or damaged. My next amazing idea. Jump on Amazon and search for it used and you’ll come up with a whole list. Screen Shot 2015-02-10 at 7.20.28 AM I paid $3.99 for my book, but it was awhile ago. There are some as low as $1.72 + shipping! So for about $5 you’ll have a plethora of prints to choose from. For supplies you’ll just need a cutting mat, ruler, and Exacto knife. Next, I just picked out the ones I wanted to use and cut them out. Pop them in and you’re ready to rock and roll.

And there you have it. Awesome prints without the crazy price tag. Yes, I’m aware the Williams – Sonoma prints are much larger, and actual legit professional prints, but still that is WAYY too much to spend for me. You’re welcome.

Looking back on 2014

First things first: Happy New Year, friends!!

I took a couple of weeks off from the blog to enjoy Christmas with my family here in New Braunfels, and then traveled to Hilton Head, SC to ring in the New Year with Nate’s fam. Now that I’m back in the swing of things, I wanted to take a look back at a post you may remember highlighting my goals for 2014. Let’s see how I did:

More “me” time – SEMI-PASS

Wowza, I got to visit some really cool places over the past year. So I consider that a huge success. But in terms of day-to-day activities, this is where I came up short. I’m a firm believer that the key to personal growth and happiness is in making that time for yourself on a daily/weekly basis. This is something I definitely need to work on again this year.

Prioritize my life better – FAIL

There’s no way around it – I think I’ve actually gotten worse this year! I tend to work, work, work, and don’t make time for play… which essentially goes against everything I believe in. I feel like I’m rushed and behind all the time, which is a huge killer to the creative process. Life is all about balance. It’s time for me to find that balance again.

Finish my design licensing exam – FAIL

..But the good news is I plan on taking the test this Spring!

Take on a new hobby – PASS

Nate and I started playing tennis for fun. And I dusted off those paint brushes for the first time in close to 10 years! So there is some progress.

Eat healthier – SEMI-PASS

For the beginning months of 2014 I really did improve my diet. I was drinking alkaline water daily for my silent reflux, and working out regularly, but I think after our Michigan trip in June I fell off the wagon. I have adopted the low acid diet again this past week though and hope to build on that.

Run a 5k – PASS

We did the New Braunfels Doggie Dash back in March as planned, and it was awesome. I’m not the runner type by any stretch of the imagination, so pushing myself out the door to run can be daunting. But I’m proud to say that even after the 5k, I continued putting effort into it. Is a half-marathon in the works for me? I’m not so sure… but I’d definitely do another 5k.

(Photo caption should definitely read as: “ALL I DO IS WIN, WIN, WIN. NO MATTER WHAT”)

Make a difference in someone’s life – ?

This one is hard to measure. I didn’t volunteer my time on a regular basis as I would have hoped, but striving day-to-day to help others and give to those less fortunate is definitely a step in the right direction.

Looking back on 2014, what are you happy to say you accomplished?

west texas adventure

Last month, I (against all wishes) turned 30. Sigh. The age I’ve been dreading since hitting 25. Not trying to over dramatize it, but seriously, I WAS NOT looking forward to it. AT ALL. (You can read all my lovely thoughts about that here.) What better way to welcome in a new decade than a weekend trip to the quiet, desolate, and immensely beautiful area known as West Texas?

I had heard how awesome Big Bend National Park was, and could not wait to see it for myself. That was my top priority. And it did not disappoint whatsoever.

Big Bend overlook

I only wish we had about 3-5 more days to explore. We had enough time for one hike along the Chisos Mountains. Here’s some pics from the Lost Mine Trail:

Big Bend Lost Mine Trail Pano Big Bend Foggy Morning Big Bend Lost Mine Trail Views (edited)

It was about a 3-4 hour hike. There are signs everywhere about mountain lions and bears inhabiting the area, so chalk up a couple more points for me in the facing fears department. (I’m becoming a pro at that lately.) And a random sign about ancient swamp creatures.

Big Bend Swamp Creatures

We headed over to Marfa, which was so much different from what I expected. It’s like a ghost town until you dig beneath the surface. There’s all these random warehouses that look abandoned at first glance, and then boom, you walk in and an art gallery appears before your very eyes. There’s such a great underground community of makers, shops, and restaurants.

Marfa downtown edited

Mirth Marfa Marfa warehouse

marfa sign

The most surprising and impressive art display was the Andy Warhol art exhibit we stumbled upon. There were 3 larger than life paintings from his Last Supper collection. (We weren’t allowed to take pictures – but I did find this pic online.)

Source: Ayn Foundation

And of course, no trip to Marfa is complete without making a stop at the Prada.

prada marfa instagram - nataliya borener

We spent a little time in Alpine. Mainly in the form of treasure hunting at a nearby antique shop.

southwest style Building Art in Alpine, Texas

Our last stop was Marathon, Texas. With a population of less than 500, blink and you may miss it. It was so incredibly charming, and home to the Gage Hotel. As soon as I got there I was mentally booking my next trip.

The Gage Hotel The Gage Hotel beautiful landscaping The Gage Hotel Courtyard Rooms

Overall I’d say the whole 30th birthday thing was a success! Love surrounded me from friends and family near and far, and I got to spend time with that one person that knows me more than anyone else (besides God I guess) and still loves me (yes, he must be a saint!).

Hope you enjoyed a few of the many pictures from our West Texas adventure! Happy Friday! xo

to market we go

A couple of weeks ago, we took a company trip up to Dallas for one of the best perks of being a designer: Market. Yes, I get paid to shop. But after conquering a 15 floor building and also a chunk of the Dallas Design District in 2 short days, it can get a just a little bit tiring and overwhelming. I’ve since recovered and am excited to share the experience with you. 🙂

My boss surprised us and upgraded our hotel reservations to none other than the hottest boutique hotel, Hotel ZaZa. Word is that Drake was staying there at the same time as us, and after some brief Instagram-stalking, we are 95% sure we saw his dad in the lobby. Dinner at Dragonfly was seriously one of the best meals of my life and it will definitely be on my hit list next time I’m in the D.