Monday, February 27, 2012

Congrats: It's a LOGO!

Drum roll, please....."Now introducing for the first time in public, THE Mélange Designs' logo!"  It is now here and up on the blog - hope you enjoy it as much as I do!   :)


Details: I worked with Ginger, with Ginger Studios on Etsy.  After a great deal of divulging my personal style, preferences, likes & dislikes, etc., this is the custom logo she created for me!  I would highly recommend her, as I think she did an amazing job!


Below are a few other versions she came up with.





Friday, February 24, 2012

Outdoor Rug Love - & Doggies? ...To be continued

The love and inspiration behind my search for the perfect outdoor rug, is thanks in full to these three - see below.  I lurve our dear Quincy, Josie, and Rio to death, but finding rugs that cooperate well with these doggies (in the house) is anything but clear-cut and simple.  It’s so complicated and frustrating to try to find THAT perfect rug – in terms of looks & design, as well as functionality – with three dogs.  In the design world, there is seriously a lacking for gorgeous/dog-friendly rugs!








   Quincy - Black/White Boston Terrier;
Josie - Seal/White Boston Terrier;
Rio - German Shorthaired Pointer





Here's a few outdoor rugs that One King's Lane has for sale right now, and I must also mention, they all have extremely amazing prices!

Bess Outdoor Rug, Gray/Beige



Bates Outdoor Rug, Sand/Black



Britt Outdoor Rug, Blue/Bone



Greer Outdoor Rug, Black/Beige



Vincent Sisal Rug, Rust





Scout Outdoor Rug, Wheat/Olive


Thom Filicia Outdoor Rug, Blue

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Logo Update, Yay!

Just an update; my brand new logo is undergoing it's finishing touches and will soon be on it's way to it's new home at the top of my blog header!!!  Yay, I'm so excited, and hope you love it just as much as I do!  I'm so tempted to give you a little sneak peak, but I think I'm going to just wait til it's completely ready.    :)
**Note: A very special thank you to all my amazing peeps that have given me lots of great feedback during the logo design process!  Love to you all! 



I'll leave you with a little "logo for thought".  This is an interesting article on how logos impact social media and the marketing associated with it.  Included in this article is:
-5 Design Tips for a Social Media Logo
-7 Ways Your Logo Design Impacts Social Media Marketing



Effective Logos



Monday, February 20, 2012

"Paint" it Pretty: Drapes (Part 3 of 3)

So, my last two postings (Part 1: Dye & Part 2: Stencil) have been part of a series referring to my design dilemma regarding to some drapes in my house.  To remind you; my particular dilemma is simply what to do with them.  They are plain, ivory, dupioni silk drapes and I want to jazz them up a little.  My last DIY design idea for what to do to them is to simply paint them. 
To me, there are fewer options in this category, as opposed to stenciling them.  The color selections in this category are still immense, but the actual patterns/styles to paint are somewhat limited.  Painting drapes is similar to stenciling them, but a little more lenient and stress-free.  As always, below are some DIY inspiring ideas.


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painted curtains




DIY chevron painted curtains via {Green Your Decor}




a nursery design before & after.  get new tips & techniques for using chalk paint.  Use these kids room ideas in your budget decorating.

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Saturday, February 18, 2012

"Stencil" Me In: Drapes (Part 2 of 3)





OK, so back to the whole dilemma (from yesterday's post) of exactly what/how to change up my curtains. Another idea I've been entertaining - actually stenciling them myself! There are so many options in this category, as opposed to dying them. Not to mention, there are literally endless options when it comes to the actual stencil design and paint color. Here are a few images of inspiration.



Before we get started, I should also mention that a way to keep the costs down for your own DIY custom stenciled curtains is to use painter's drop cloths.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I'm talking the same drop cloths you can purchase at any paint or home improvement store.  They come in various sizes and have a nice weight to them - perfect for drapery.

If your next thought immediately goes to, "...but, I can't sew."  Well, there is a solution for that as well.  Below are two brands of "no-sew" bonding tape, which works perfectly for making that ideal hem, without the whole sewing part.  These can be purchased at any craft store.

Heat n Bond Ultrahold Iron On Adhesive


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Stitch Witchery Fusible Bonding Web


  
OK, let me just first mention that these are not stenciled - but an inspiration for a possible stencil design! The pattern is actually hand-stitched and they are gorg in person. They are from Ballard Designs and while I have loved everything about these for a while now, well except for the cost. The price for 4 - 96" panels (for just 1 of my windows) would be over $800!

Here's another blogger's DIY example of a pattern somewhat similar to the Ballard Designs drapes.


DIY Stenciled Curtains


Not sure if you're aware or not, but when it comes to fabric paints, the selection is a little lack thereof.  There aren't that many colors to choose from, the bottles are small, and the price is large.  So, in doing some research, if you click on this link above, here's the lowdown on how to get a lot of paint for a lot less change. 
 

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This site has amazing stencils - for all of your design palettes.  They have plenty of stencil supplies as well.

 
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stencil via
This is yet another place that has a redunkulously amazing selection of stencils!  See more below.

Ikat Pattern no. 2

Damask no. 1



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moroccan stencil

moroccan-damask-stencil

stencils

wall stencils


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These look amazing and were done with a custom stencil that matched the store's logo.  The stencil was then spray painted onto the burlap and voila - GORG!


**Free Printable Stencil Pattern Below
Link to This Printable Ikat Stencil Pattern



Stencil Tips Breakdown:
Our Fifth House - Stencil Paint Tips - The low down on stencil paint.
Dropcloths for Curtains - Seriously, it's what so many designers do/use!

Stencil Site Breakdown:
Royal Design Studio - Stencils - Stencils & Supplies
Olive Leaf Stencils - Stencils & Supplies
Cutting Edge Stencils - Stencils & Supplies