While I was in Los Angeles at the Design Blogger’s Conference in March I met Jason Harris the Founder and CEO of The Design Network (which launched yesterday). I was so thrilled to be given the opportunity to make a pilot webisode based on our YES Spaces philosophy. We wanted to help parents solve their design dilemmas while considering the needs of the WHOLE family. We are making over spaces and bringing Mess to YES to you!

Meet the Stein family! They are a very adorable busy family of 5 with a new addition expected soon. For our pilot episode of Mess to YES we invaded the Stein’s home to makeover their dining room. Dining rooms are a space that traditionally stand formally decorated and unused most of the year or are unfurnished and often filled with toys.

The Stein Family

The Stein’s dining room is a race track…

A gathering space, a place to do somersaults and a giant toy box.

I talked to every family member to find out what they needed in their new space.

We interviewed both parents and kids on camera.

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Any successful Mess to YES makeover will meet everyone’s needs! The whole family were really good sports on and off camera.

Daley (9) got to help with some of the production.

6 year old Ella was very helpful too and 2 year old Hannah kept us pretty entertained! We made some great changes to the space but if you want to come inside with us and see the transformation you need to watch the show!

Hannah says come on in so you can see the whole process from beginning to end!

Rate our pilot, heart us, share us with your friends! We are very excited by this next step for YES Spaces! Thanks for your support!

Take a look at Maria’s blog Colour Me Happy for everything from color inspiration to a step-by-step guide to picking the right paint color for your room.

Stay tuned for more inspiration from the Design Blogger’s Conference!

We are moving. It’s a fact, it’s starting this Friday and it is not fun. My whole life is being put into tiny boxes. We are downsizing, it’s simply the state of our world right now. I am looking forward to having a home we can manage physically and financially, that part seems like a bit of a vacation. But to my kids who haven’t been carrying the burden of our current lifestyle it doesn’t seem like a vacation.

So how do you approach moving and the realities of life with kids? I received the best piece of advice over 15 years ago from my Father-in-law. My husband’s family lived in Detroit, Mexico City, Caracas, Venezuela, and Melbourne, Australia during the course of his father’s automobile industry career.

When my husband and I moved our family from Los Angeles home to Portland the kids and I really missed our friends and the sun. I was moping one day and my Father-in-law basically told me to knock it off! He said that in all the moving they did he saw many families face similar moves. The families who were successful and enjoyed their time abroad were the ones where the parents were enthusiastic about the move and treated it like an adventure. If the parents missed home and complained about the differences the kids were miserable.

I am keeping that in mind as we take this step on our family journey. I plan to add to that a level of consideration for my children’s feelings – making sure their needs for privacy, social space, room for hobbies are all considered. But I also don’t intend to indulge them in every whim or over-compensate by purchasing things to make them feel good.

I will be doing a series of blogs about our move and how we are able to make the new house fit the needs of our family who is used to a house almost twice the size. Right now we are weeding out and it actually feels really good! And let me tell you we are going to have one killer estate sale starting the 22nd of March!

A small sampling of estate sale items! Wish you were here?

The thing that has been most disconcerting for me personally has been packing up my office the last couple of days! My bedroom, no problem, my office – yikes! Of course, I have two new jobs this week in addition to our continuing design clients. I am panicking as I pack items about whether I will need them to work on a current project. I am now working from one master file box, a briefcase like bag, a laptop and a pad of graph paper. Who knows? Maybe I’ll find out that’s all I need!

Life is going to be a bit bumpy for the next couple months so I am buckling down and bucking up. But really I am approaching this with my children the way I try to approach all major life decisions: with honesty but not an overload of information that might cause worry. With concern for their well-being, an openness to their input and concerns so we can work to solve them together. After all isn’t that what family is for? If that is what they learn from this move then all the boxes are worthwhile!

Let the adventure begin…I’ll keep you posted!

Here is a wrap and go (literally) DIY project. I created side tables for the Oregon Street of Dreams using some gears I found in a second hand store and some garden side tables from Home Goods. I simply choose to make copper wire part of the table decor and the means to tie it all together! You could use this same technique to put together other found objects and turn them into great objects d’art!

 To see the side tables in the room we created for the Street of Dreams watch here:

Writing birthday wishes on a chalkboard wall is always a fun touch for a birthday celebration. But it can be extra fun at a sleepover when the chalk you use glows in the dark!

 Technically, the write-ups I found say you don’t need a black light but the effects of the glow chalk will be much more dramatic under black light. You can purchase a specialized black light bulb that screws into a standard fixture at your local hardware store. Change one ceiling light or floor lamp you can shine on the chalk wall for a more vivid effect.

  Crayola makes Glow in the Dark Chalk kits, you will  need to mix powders and liquid and use a mold to form the chalk. So don’t expect to open the box and have glow in the dark chalk ready to use.

Amazon

Or you can make your own chalk – a fun “pre-party” activity for the birthday child. Growing a Jeweled Rose has a step by step tutorial on mixing up your magic potion.

A DIY project from Growing a Jeweled Rose

It would also be a fun way to send a special message to your child at night….Sweet Dreams!

It’s  a simple but memorable touch for a party or any occasion and that’s my favorite kind of project!

Paper lanterns are not just for gardens or weddings. There are lots of darling ways to dress up a plain globe lantern (the cheapest kind) for indoor decor in nurseries, teen spaces, any place where you want a touch of whimsy mixed with a soft light.

There are step-by-step instructions for every one of these projects linked directly under the photo. Have fun! And send us your ideas!

1. Curl up! Using simple white paper strips makes these globe lamps look modern and sculptural. Hanging several in a group from a high ceiling could be dramatic.

DIY project from What Else Michelle

2. Up-cycle! What do you do with all those tiny cocktail umbrellas? Make a fantastic pattern on a lantern of course. The whimsy makes me think of summers on the beach or childhood Shirley Temple’s either way they make me smile. The Etsy Blog has a short 3 minute video about creating this clever lantern with cocktail umbrellas.

DIY project from The Etsy Blog

3. Wave the Flag! I have weak spot for everything pennant – but really this is adorable. The mini pennants are perfect for a nursery, a playroom, or a party. These would even be cute as part of a decoupage art piece for your child’s room. I am going to be covering the town with mini-pennants!

DIY project from You Had Me At Bonjour

4. Circle Up! I love the idea of using old maps and by cutting circles they look like mini globes but it would be fun to use this technique with comics, wrapping paper, old sheet music… the circles  allow just the right amount of overlap to make the design interesting.

A DIY project from Lights & Lights

5. Bloom! I love the idea of covering a lantern with paper flowers. This would work in any color combination. Flower petals from the wedding section at the arts and craft stores would work as well.

A DIY project from Happiness Is

6. Embellish! Strategically editing the flowers down to one vine wrapping the lantern makes a great statement. These flowers are cut from book pages and colored paper but the possibilities are endless. Wrapping the wire or chain with vines, ribbon, anything fun and decorative is a great touch.

A DIY project from Simple Things

7. Wrap it Up! Wrapping tissue paper around the globe gives a great sense of movement and allows you to create a variety of colors. I love the idea of subtle changes in colors all in the same group!

A DIY project from Martha Stewart

8. Lift Off! Using  color combinations and adding a basket or in this case a clear paint can filled with tissue create striking hot air balloons. These are great for a ceiling with a peak or in a group to add a focal point.

A DIY project form Home Heart Craft

9. Watch it!  Our most recent video is simple decoupage globe lights that I love because they allow a lot of light through but add the glow of color – you can decoupage any kind of paper onto a plain globe but I recommend using translucent materials so you  don’t block out the light – check out all my tips…

YES Spaces DIY Video – You Tube

You can find the plain globe lanterns at any import store and many places online. As we come into spring they will be even more prevalent in stores near you. Choose size based on the room you have available but if you are doing just one lantern go as large as your space and budget allow. If you are grouping more than one lantern make sure that you get a variety of sizes. If you purchase three, for example, each should be a different size. If you purchase five try one large two medium and two small.

$3.60 Lantern from Amazon

If you want to see an amazing variety of lanterns  or get some more inspiration check out the Paper Lantern Store. This is where I found the lanterns I embellished for the Oregon Street of Dreams.

Light up your winter days!

Only a few days left until Christmas but the little elves are out of school and eager for activities. If you don’t want to brave the crowds to shop for gifts try some of these fun ideas to create beautiful gifts for friends and family. You won’t find any Popsicle sticks here just  7 simple gift ideas you can make with your child for any occasion!

1. Refreshing handmade soap Beautiful soaps can be made by children as young as four, with your help of course! Kaboose has simple instructions for making soaps that are natural as well as decorative. If you are making soap for adults adding herbs or flower petals make a great decorative touch. For children hide a simple plastic animal, dinosaur or bug inside!

Metro Parent

2. Easy rolled beeswax candles I like to give gifts that can be used rather than stored by the recipients. I made rolled candles for friends and relatives with my children when they were as young as three or four. For some of the more decorative options, like cutting small stars out of one color and applying them to your candles your child should be slightly older. I wrapped them in clear cellophane with a beautiful bow and they were a big hit. You will find easy to follow step by step instructions at eHow.

3. Stylishly simple fleece scarf There is a minimal amount of sewing (three straight lines) involved in making this scarf and then your child can do the rest. If your child is 10 or so they could probably make the entire scarf themselves. According to the directions from Make It and Love It one yard of fabric can make three scarves. This is a winner.

Make it and Love it

4. Modern Marimekko inspired china art Create these chic china decorative pieces in an afternoon. The secret to their success is to provide your child with some visual inspiration for their artwork, print outs of Marimekko designs or other modern art pieces. Inexpensive china plates and some paint pens that are made for china/glass are all you need. Genius. Get all the scoop for this great idea from Craft Jr.

Craft Junior

5. DIY sidewalk chalk Have some children on your gift list? Make your own chalk mixture and then form it in toilet paper tubes. It’s a fun, goopy project that will bring joy to both your helpers and the child who gets to decorate their driveway! Find the instructions for this clever project at Mad Maggie Designs.

Mad Maggie Designs

6. Monstrously fun pillows This project is just as much fun for your child as for the children who will get to play with the darling monsters your little ones create. Meg & Andy shows you how old t-shirts, and fabric scraps can become adorable dolls made with love.

Meg & Andy

7. Rustic photo frames Update the idea of Popsicle frames with these great frames made from sticks your child collects. Add a favorite photo, preferably of the recipient with your child and you have a wonderful keepsake, or in a smaller version a tree decoration. See how simple this project is at eHow. Or make up your own version with some embellishments – moss? feathers?

eHow Mom

It is more fun to give when you make your own gifts! And with a little thought and effort you can make it just as fun to receive!

Love to all of Santa’s Elves!

Pantone introduced Emerald as their color of the year for 2013 and I love it! I was never wild about Tangerine from last year – bright red oranges make me uncomfortable in large quantities. But green is such an energizing, powerful color. You will see emerald in everything from shoes to homes. Does this mean you should paint the walls of your rooms Emerald? Maybe, but it’s not necessary, I don’t believe in decorating too closely with trends, after all a new color of the year will be announced this time next year.

I have collected some images of how you could use emerald as a primary color or an accent in children’s rooms.

Wall paper is making a huge come back! I love this graphic emerald and white animal print. Keep in mind with wall coverings that they are difficult to remove and a little goes a long way. So choose wisely.

Project Decor

This girls room makes a bold statement: dark walls are paired with bright white and pink accents. You will see in most of the emerald room designs that it is being used with a lot of white or other neutrals.

Pinterest

This boys room is a fun mix of green with bold blue accents. A strong color like the bright pink above or the bold blues below are needed to stand up to emerald. Part of this trend is that you will see brighter, bolder, colors all around.

Pinterest

I love this teen room with the emerald headboard, a lot of white neutrals, some modern touches and bright, bold accent colors.

Pinterest

In this room the tan walls and white bedding act as the neutrals with yellow accents. The green and yellow combo is perfect if your child is an Oregon Duck fan! But it’s lovely for any girl.

Pinterest

Accent pieces can be a powerful way to introduce emerald into a space like this beautiful chandelier. It would make a stunning centerpiece. I want this in my bedroom!

Pinterest

Or think about adding some fantastic accent pillows to your teen daughters bed!

Pinterest

These green electric guitars are amazing. Hang the guitar on the wall (using a guitar mount you can buy online) and thieir instrument can become a great piece of interactive art.

Bendetto Guitars

If you don’t want to make a huge investment in a trendy color, consider repainting an outdated piece of furniture like a desk chair, a mirror frame or an old dresser. The Hunted Interior blog did a great job with this dresser project!

The Hunted Interior

Or, of course, you could go all out like Brian Patrick Flynn in this girl’s room from HGTV. He anchors the space with this large storage unit in a glossy emerald.

HGTV

Then he layers and mixes with different shades and patterns of green to create this luxe look. (Notice there is still lots of white mixed in.)

 HGTV

I’m green with envy!

My mother has a very formal home and spends her holidays with us so there is no need for her to have a full size tree or go crazy trying to decorate her house. This is her entry way and one table top tree is really all it takes to make her house feel festive.

Her house is surrounded by wooded area and when she first moved in there was a wild peacock that would strut past her front door! So I thought it would be fun to add some peacock touches to her entry. I bought her this dried floral peacock which normally sits on the table with an orchid and the peacock feather fans that are on the tree.

This year I also found this fun peacock pillow to add to the “theme.” (I put that in quotes because I am not fond of themes but really when you have five peacock items you are on the slippery slope to a theme! I may even be there already!) The pillow inspired me to create this tree as one of her gifts this year. I wanted the tree to feel luxurious and full like it was a lush extension of the peacocks tail.

I did this by cutting out dozens of paper feathers from scrapbook papers in shades of teal. I folded the paper in half, cut the outline of the feathers (very random), then started making tiny feather like cuts over, and over, and over and over again. When I was done cutting I used my fingers to curl the feathers like you would use scissors to curl a ribbon. I tried the scissors but they tore the fragile paper but gently using my thumb worked great.

The great thing about using paper feathers, some sparkly picks from Michaels Arts and Crafts and ribbon to create this tree is that even though it is lush and beautiful it is not fragile. you can’t break any delicate ornaments. So even if grandchildren are fascinated by the tree, grandma does not need to worry. I call that a win, win!

Give paper feathers a try, they’re fun but boy are they time consuming! It took two old movies to make the feathers for this small tree. Whew!

Hope you had fun creating your tree!

What could be better for the holidays than a cozy spot to curl up and read, smell fresh baked gingerbread and a fresh beautiful wreath? I love pulling together pieces in a winter green and white – this chest from my grandmother is one of my favorites and the stripes on this chair even look like candy.

Real green wreaths are not just for the front door. I like to replace a piece of artwork with a wreath for the holidays, especially in rooms that don’t have a tree. You get the great fresh pine scent. Just be thoughtful about family members with allergies.

Creating a forest with the candy trees we made last week and mixing them with crystal trees and some birch trees surrounding the gingerbread house create a fun eclectic mix.

These trees make a great setting for a simple gingerbread cottage. Elevating the house on a cake plate and surrounding it with greens, berries and pine cones are the perfect finishing touch.

Choosing cake plates at different heights and running the houses and trees down the center of a dining table make a wonderful way to display your children’s gingerbread creations and create a memorable centerpiece.

So tuck you feet up, wrap up in a blanket and read one of your favorite holiday classics, or read out loud one of your child’s favorite books!

Happy gingerbread dreams!