preparing for Easter ...

This weekend is Easter and I have been slowly preparing for it simply by displaying our pysanky (Easter eggs) and freshening up our home by adding some spring colors. It doesn't feel like spring yet because it has been snowing all week here in NE Ohio so displaying these little jewels does help to lift my spirits! 

Aren't these eggs beautiful? A very dear friend that I used to work with, who was also Ukrainian and had much more patience than I did, made them. Pysanky takes hours to create and are truly works of art. 

These hand-painted pysanky are from the Ukraine and made from wood. My children used to play with them when they were babies and they were the eggs we hid for them on Easter.

Filled with hundred of memories, they sit on our  Easter table now within a crystal bowl.

A little bit of yellow always adds a touch of sunshine!

A little bit of spring on our fireplace mantle in the kitchen ...

and a beautiful detail in a new kitchen towel—I love these hues together!

Even the front door received a touch of spring—I finally figured out what to do with all the trays I bought last month at the antique store! 

Wishing you a very happy and blessed Easter. 

I hope your Spring is filled with lots of beautiful hues!

finding treasures...

Winter is long in Ohio and by February, I'm ready for spring to arrive. A few weeks ago, we decided to take a day trip, hunting for treasures at various antique malls close to home, in Painesville. It was exactly what I needed! 

Our first stop was the Craft and Antique Co-op. I found this golf print hidden behind some old crocks. It was in a hideous plastic frame but the colors and graphics caught my eye and it was only $4.99. I knew once it was in a better frame, it would be perfect for my husband's man's cave—the basement. This is what it looks like now after I reframed it. It's hanging in the landing on the stairs going to the man's cave and it looks beautiful there!

Our next stop was the Miscellaneous Barn with three buildings to explore! I was so excited when I came across a whole aisle filled with silver platters. These are the ones I bought [shown above] for a total price of $20. I have no idea what to do with them besides painting a few with chalk board paint to use for our summer wine and cheese gatherings. AND then as I turned a corner, I saw this table [below] sitting all by itself in the aisle. 

It was love at first sight! I knew I would find a place for it somewhere in our home. And it's a Drexel Heritage, Made in the USA, so I couldn't pass it up.

I love the shape of the top and pedestal [above] with all the distressing. 

And I found the perfect spot for it in the master bedroom [above]. I absolutely love it—a beautiful treasure + addition to our home!

Have you found any special treasures recently? Please share!

a perfect cup of tea

Have you ever bought something because the packaging was cool? 

I do—all the time! I saw this tin of Teaforté tea while Christmas shopping last month and fell in love with its packaging and cute tea bags. I ended up purchasing enough tins for gifts to give to my tea-loving family members along with one for me.

Don't you love the tea bag with the little leaf at the end of it? It's a lot more durable than the typical tea bag, and practical too, because the leaf helps to hold it from falling into the cup.

Beautiful packaging + good taste — now that's a perfect cup of tea!

Doing better in 2013!

I love this quote by Maya Angelou and thought it fit my resolution for 2013 perfectly. Two simple words, do better, is exactly what I want to accomplish in everything I do this year. 

From personal relationships to client relationships—do better.

From home projects to work projects—do better. 

From getting healthier with exercise and eating right—do better.

From finding joy and beauty in simple pleasures—do better.

Happy 2013! 

gratitude...

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As I reflect on 2012, the one word that keeps popping up is gratitude. Gratitude for my family and friends who are always there, supporting and cheering me on in all my endeavors—no matter how silly they were! And gratitude to my clients because without them, Marigold Design would not exist. 

2012 was a very busy year. I didn't complete Marigold's new website but I had the honor of designing three different websites, working with each client from the very beginning stages of their branding—from logo developing to selecting color palettes for their brand. I redesigned a catalog (which took the whole year), an annual report, signage for various holiday shops for a retailer, direct mail campaigns and ads for various clients, along with posters, trade-show graphics and numerous logos. Yes, it was indeed a very good year and I am grateful. 

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As 2012 comes to an end, I would like to thank everyone that made it possible—from the copywriters, programmers and design assistants—to friends, family, clients, fans, and followers. Thank you! 

Wishing all of you a Happy + Colorful 2013 filled with Many Days of Gratitude! 

decking the halls...

I can't believe Christmas is one week away! I have been slowly decorating our home, staying up late, to get everything completed before my daughter arrives. Yes, she is coming home for the holidays and we can not wait! We have not had any snow yet which is very unusual for NE Ohio so I'm hoping it begins snowing after she arrives — not before because I couldn't stand it if her flight was delayed, even for a few hours! 

Our home with a newly painted orange door, adds a pop of color in the neighborhood. I hope it puts a smile to everyone's face when they visit us during the holidays and every day of the year!

No vintage ornaments this year! We kept the tree simple with only blue and silver ornaments.  The reason we kept things simple this year is because of our new 4-legged member of the family shown below!

Vincent is 10 months old — need I say more!

Our Christmas cards from family and friends are stapled on ribbons which are hung on the door outside the kitchen so we can enjoy them everyday!

Presents are wrapped in silver and blue hues.

Stocking are hung by the chimney with care... Can you tell which one belongs to Vincent?

Old Saint Nick — one of many from my collection.

Our dining room — a mixture of natural items such as burlap and fresh greens with sparkly bulbs!

I hope you enjoyed a peek into our home. This decor is so different from the previous two years. Click here and here to view and as you can see, we had snow last year and the year before.

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas filled with family, friends, laughter and love! 

a weekend project

I love when I have some time to spare—which isn't that often—to attempt a weekend project. Most of my weekend projects involves color in some way and most often in paint. This past weekend was one of those rare moments when I was caught up with my design projects and paperwork so I decided to paint these two kitchen chairs [below].

Since they had a semi-gloss finish, I had to sand them first. This is what they looked like after sanding them by hand. I bought these chairs for $10 and they survived four years at college with my son and a house full of boys! I figured if they survived that, then they could survive anything so they went home with me when he was finished with college. As you can see, they went through many color variations through the years—from their original stain, to black and then gray and now to blue.

I chose blue mainly to pull out the blue in the new kitchen rug. I found the perfect match with a Behr paint called Restless Sea [UL230-23].

I love how they look with the rug, adding just enough color and balancing all the warm tones in the room.

Notice the sanded edges on the seat and back of the chair. I wanted to give them an aged look to complement my collection of antique accessories and crocks.

Our kitchen renovation is now completed. It only took two years and four months! Click here to view the before photos. It's amazing what a little paint can do!