poppytalk

Weekend Project: Make a Shelf!

2012-01-28T02:14:00.001-08:00

Nina Broberg

The folks at IKEA's Livet Hemma have come up with a cool DIY this week using their handmade NASUM baskets made from green banana fiber and solid pine.

To get the baskets to hang steady in spite of its various forms, they buckled a broad juteband around the formation and stapled it together. And for decoration, another narrow band of turquoise green, finely contrasted with natural materials.

Nina Broberg

Toronto Interior Design Show Round-Up

2012-01-28T01:58:00.000-08:00

Lissoni - Photo by Rambling Renovators

Not being in Toronto this weekend for the Interior Design Show is killing me, but I've hunted down a few good pics and links to whip up a "round-up" post of sorts. Loving the above photo of the lounge by architect, Piero Lissoni taken by Jennifer Flores' blog Rambling Renovators. Lissoni was the this year's international guest of honour, and has worked with well-known brands such as Kartell, Alessi, and Cassina.

Lissoni

The palette of creams, taupes, off-whites and light wood (reminds me of this post) and showcasing the pages of books, rather than their spines (reminds me of this post) totally has my head spinning with ideas in changing things up in our living room. Here's a couple more pictures of the Lissoni exhibit via Design Maze (below).

Lissoni - Photo by Design Maze


Lissoni - Photo by Design Maze

Mason Studio from the How Do You Live Exhibit

Mason Studio - Photo by Karolyne Ellacott for postcity.com

The installation above is by Toronto-based Mason Studio where they turned half of a shipping container into a room which questions the way a space can be lived in. A trough/table that featured various vignettes which also acted as a route for water to traverse, running from a faucet into a garden.

Design Icons

Photo by Design Maze

An exhibit featuring five iconic designs sculpted in ice blocks. This one, the LC2 Chair by Le Corbusier.

Offsite/Onsite

Photo by Design Maze

B.C. local Brent Comber is seen hard at work on his split cedar ball for the Offsite/Onsite exhibit.

Photo by Design Maze

Industrial designer, Patty Johnson discussed her Vodunuvo collection (a design platform for the Haiti effort centres around Voodoo "as a metaphor for Haitian struggle) and other local crafts including this dress made from craft paper.

Raw

Photo by Karolyne Ellacott for postcity.com

An entrance installation from architectural firm, rawdesign.ca featuring a felt strip curtain suspended from the ceiling where digital images were projected onto drawing visitors into the main exhibition space.

Lorea Sinclaire


sinclaire.ca

Emily Carr University design student Lorea Sinclaire exhibited her adorable ceramic tiffin lunch kit.

More reading from IDS:
Dispatches from Toronto: Studio North
Design Maze: IDS Sneak Peek
Not Fork Chops from Fieldguided
Rambling Renovators: Interior Design Show 2012 Preview
Postcity.com: Nine highlights from the Interior Design Show 2012

Dispatches from Toronto: Studio North at IDS

2012-01-28T00:53:00.002-08:00

Guest Contributor post by Renee Elliott of Eat.Live.Shop

Brothers Dressler installation featuring custom light fixtures.

I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days at the Interior Design Show (IDS) this week and I left each day feeling super inspired. My favourite part of the show was the Studio North exhibit which supports the independent design scene. There were 60 Canadian and international designers each featuring one offs and custom collections.

Carroll Street Studio exhibit highlighting their Wharton collection made from salvaged fir and walnut.

Atelier 688 exhibit featuring their original Manila rope lights and Contact Voyaging Co’s paddles.

Atelier des Cent-ans exhibit highlighting their furniture and porcelain objects.

The designers in the Studio North section of IDS are full of creative and unique ideas. My favourite item? That painted cherry branch from Carroll Street Studio!

-Renee Elliott
Eat.Live.Shop

Stay tuned for more IDS coverage!

Hotel Style: Palazzo Margherita

2012-01-27T21:23:00.001-08:00

Photograph by James Merrell

In the February issue (on newstands tomorrow - January 28th) of The Wall Street Journal Magazine reporter Rita Konig visits Palazzo Margherita, Francis Ford Coppola’s new hotel in his family’s Italian hometown, Bernalda. With the help of French interior designer Jacques Grange, the award-winning director transformed a 19th century palazzo in Southern Italy into a grand hotel with the romance and sophistication of the Belle Epoque. Each Coppola family member contributed to the design to their bedrooms resulting in a combination of grand hotel and comforting family home. Aren't the floors stunning? WSJ. Magazine’s February issue will be available in the weekend Journal (tomorrow) and is the first ever glimpse of this exquisite hotel. The full article—and issue—is also online at WSJMagazine.com. (Photographs by James Merrell).

Photograph by James Merrell


Photograph by James Merrell

Photograph by James Merrell

Today at Poppytalk Handmade

2012-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

1. “Love” Letters by Roll and Tumble Press, 2. Obsessive Love Valentine by Bobbi Lewin, 3. Tiny White Wedding Hearts by Cornflower Blue Studio

4.Valentine Cake Garland by Moontea Artwork, 5. Balloons (fine art photo) by Kristin Kirkley, 6.Heart Lavender Sachet/Favor

7. Valentines Day LOVE Block Print by Retro Modern Art

Real Wedding No. 4: Elizabeth + Dan

2012-01-27T09:01:00.001-08:00

Love this cute vintage-inspired wedding out of the Pacific Northwest (Tacoma) of Dan and Libby (Elizabeth) that caught my eye this week via their photographer Sarah of Arrow & Apple. The handmade and vintage aspects are adorable from their Winnebago, Libby's dress (she wore her mother's), the tassels, and candy apples. Their beautiful invitations, the yellow bridesmaids dresses (and cake), the guy's suspenders and their getaway car! See more picutres at Arrow & Apple and be sure to check out Libby's blog Delightfully Tacky (it's a treat in itself)! Psssst! Just got word Arrow & Apple is having a wedding photography package giveaway on their blog! Check it out!

Event planning: Amanda at Oak & Cypress Weddings and Events
Venue: Titlow Lodge, Tacoma, Washington
Cake: Corina Bakery
Florals: Oak & Cypress Weddings and Events
Photography: Arrow & Apple

Friday Links

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

Adam Goldberg's Ana-log

Love Adam Goldberg's Ana-log
I dream to one day see the aurora's up close but until then, these are amazing.
Rice crackers with wasabi and nori sound perfect with a latte about right now.
Adorable monthly baby's photo's
Want to make a floating bookshelf?
Hardware included bedding
My love is true, a new embroidery pdf pattern

My posts at Babble this week:
Art collectors alert - a ridiculous art sale
Candie's spring marketing campaign.
Have you seen Rob Ryan's new print for Valentines? Another beauty.
A modern approach to Scandinavian furniture.

Mini DIY Round-Up

2012-01-26T22:23:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Friendship Bracelets from The Purl Bee

The Desktop Wallpaper Project

Adding a crochet edge to paper by One Sheepish Girl (via Craft)

DIY Hair Bow by Fine and Feathered

A Few Days in Palm Springs

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Contributor post by Janis Pinecone Camp

I have to admit, it was kind of hard to leave sunshiny Palm Springs to come back to sideways rain here in Vancouver. Palm Springs is such a pretty city! Despite the crazy wind storm, it was a perfect little get-away (with a couple of work days thrown in). Have you been?

Here's a bit of what we got up to....

We stayed for a couple of days at The Hideaway. Loved all the mid-century goodness happening there. The assistant manager, Bill, was so sweet and helpful. Will definitely go back.

Picked up "A map of Modern Palm Springs" at the visitor's centre for $5. Saw so many beautiful homes, but some of them are tricky to get a good look at. These ones weren't on the actual map, but I loved them. Nothing like happy coloured doors.

Had lunch at King's Highway at Ace Hotel. Great room, and the food was good too.

One thing I noticed about Palm Springs was all the colour. This shop was no exception. Trina Turk carries things for the home, books and women's clothing. Their men's shop, next door, will be opening soon.

A few sites from a quick road trip to Indio, Coachella and Salton Sea.

Came across The Fine Art of Design in Palm Desert. I want to live in this shop. They have the best change rooms ever. Amazing collection of vintage fashion, books and accessories. If you're in the area, you have to check them out. Say hi to Nicolas and Katherine for me!

This image, of the entrance to Parker Hotel, was taken just as the wind storm was hitting. We didn't get to sit on the patio for that cocktail we so wanted, but it looked pretty. How can I work that wall into my home?

Love this restaurant. Birba has a delicious short and sweet menu, and the best staff. If you go, try the potato gorgonzola pizza and for dessert the butterscotch pudding. Wow.

That was our short but action packed trip to Palm Springs. Can't wait to visit again!

janis

Pinecone Camp

Design Week Illuminates Toronto

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

An exciting and busy time is upon us once again - a time period that we always look forward to here in the great north design environment - the annual arrival of the IDS, the Come Up to My Room Event and Radiant Dark which all combine together to create Toronto's Design Week.

Radiant Dark — The Devil is the Details
Radiant Dark- The Devil is the Details is Made's exhibition (launching Canadian design) running in concert with the Toronto Design Week opening tonight January 26th through to the 29th. Shaun Moore and Julie Nicholson and the city’s design community set up shop in an abandoned convenience store discovering new artists and the beautiful things they make. (Check out their catalogue above).
Made
859 Dundas st W.
Toronto

Come Up to My Room
Noa Bronstein, David Dick-Agnew and Deborah Wang are this year's curators of the annual CUTMR. The event held at the Gladstone Hotel is in it's 9th year, runs for four days and includes a vast landscape of fourteen public space installations, 11 rooms and this year the design talks' focus is on disposability. Some of the great stuff you can see this year include Bruno Billio, the hotel’s artist-in-residence and Gareth Bates' install of hundreds of hand-painted portraits on plastic discs. A must-see event!
comeuptomyroom.com

Interior Design Show
IDS is Canada's largest interior design show, an arguably one of Canada's most important annual design event. A potent mixture of home grown and international design talent, the IDS features a dazzling array of inspiration from feature exhibits to talks. Some of the feature exhibits to look forward to this year are Studio North - billed as IDS's show within a show, Studio North has been designed to introduce and support Canada's vibrant and independent design scene; the on-site film festival Design Docs - this year featuring mid-century architecture in Palm Springs, and Charles and Ray Eames.
interiordesignshow.com

Warm the Belly, Soothe the Soul: Coconut & Lime Rice Pudding

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

It's January which means that it's rainy and chilly and I accept that. It's Vancouver and grey skies and puddles make up the fabric of this city. But while this dampness continues, I'm not resigned to being miserable. I crave comfort and try to make the best of things. Like this fragrant rice pudding. Pure cozy. Lime and coconut make anything bright, so what better combo to beat the mid-winter blahs?

Besides tasting awesome, what I love about this dish is that it's so easy to make. I use the short grained arborio rice here, you know, the rice used to make risotto. Its starchy fat grains makes a nice thick n' creamy pudding without much work on your end.

The lime zest seems slight, but it perfumes this dish with gusto. If you're not too keen on much lime, just use zest from 1/2 a lime and it will still be wonderful. But please don't leave off the toasted coconut garnish. It's crunch and buttery-ness is so nice here.

And did I even need to mention that this dessert is gluten-free and vegan? Besides the light coconut milk from the can, I used coconut milk from the tetra pack instead of skim milk or almond milk (though you could your favorite milk - vegan or dairy). It's not rich and heavy like the coconut milk from the can and it's also not very coconutty, but it's a nice vegan milk. You can find it in the grocery store by the almond milk.

I think this dish is best eaten warm. It soothes the soul and warms the belly in the best way. Though I have to admit, leftovers are lovely to eat right out of the fridge. First thing in the morning, with coffee. Just saying.

Coconut and Lime Rice Pudding
If you want to eat this dish warm, follow the directions as is. If you like a looser, creamier pudding or want to chill it, add in the remaining coconut milk or use a bit more milk when bringing the mixture to a boil. This pudding firms up really well after sitting or chilling.

1/3 c arborio rice
1/2 14 oz can of light coconut milk
2 cups milk (non-dairy milk is fine)
3 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
zest from 1 lime
1/4 cup shredded coconut

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the rice, coconut milk, milk, sugar, vanilla and lime zest to a boil. Turn down heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when mixture thickens and rice is soft.

Heat shredded coconut in a small pan over medium heat – watch it, stirring often as it can burn in an instant. When coconut is golden brown, remove from pan immediately.

Spoon out rice pudding into 4 small dessert bowls and top with toasted coconut.

Valentine's DIY No. 4: Hearts of Ice by Margie Oomen

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern

Margie's last DIY has to be one of my favourites. These are adorable and could be paired with her previous Matchstick Beeswax Candle idea to help warm. Thank you so much Margie!

Hearts of Ice

(Meant to be warmed of course)

Materials:
petals, greens, string, feathers, small stones, or what ever you heart desires, heart shaped watertight container, string if you want to be able to hang it, water, a place to freeze it outdoors or in a freezer overnight)

Place the materials that you have chosen in the container. Fill with water. Add a little loop of string hanging over the edge at the top if you want to. Let it freeze for at least 24 hours. Place it in a sink with some warm water to loosen it from the container. Hang it somewhere for your loved one to see or place somewhere special.

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Margaret Oomen, a rural physician and textile artist, has been a gatherer and maker of things for as far back as she can remember. Aside from a spinning and printmaking class, she is completely self-taught. She draws her inspiration from her treasure-hunting family, especially her father a mathematician and electrical engineer, her scientific (biochemistry and synthetic organic chemistry) and medical backgrounds, and her great respect and love of the natural world. Her work can be found at resurrectionfern.ca. She lives in Ontario with her husband, four children, three cats and a snail named fern.

Site: resurrectionfern.ca
Shop: etsy.com/shop/knitalatte
Blog: resurrectionfern.typepad.com

Dispatches from Tokyo: Gentleman's Rust

2012-01-24T23:23:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the Gentlemen's Rust shop in Tokyo? Artemis explains on their blog this week that Nao has been redesigning it which is on the floor above their main Tokyo shop (downstairs sells ladies and wedding jewellery). He is selling gents accouterments and potions {made in their South East London} as well as clothing from the 1900~1940s and leather bags. More info here.

RUST LTD.
2 - 19 - 10, Jingumae, Shibuya - ku,
Tokyo, 150 - 0001
JAPAN

Mini DIY Round-Up!

2012-01-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Treat Bag from Twig and Thistle

Free embroidery pattern pdf's from Sublime Stitching & Mollie Makes

DIY Red and White Stamped Valentine's Day Cards by The Tasteful Life (via Craftgawker)

London shop tour: A. Gold

2012-01-24T16:06:00.001-08:00

A guest contributor post by Andrea from Lotus Events

Emitting a classic rustic feel of old style grocers that I can’t seem to get enough of, A. Gold is a little haven in Spitalfields. A perfect stop to pick up a sandwich made to order (think honey roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing!), a cup of Monmouth coffee made using a specially made brewing rack, a slice of homemade Victoria Sponge cake and a bar of Kendal mint cake for later!

Built in 1780, the building that houses A. Gold has been home to diamond-cutters, furriers, boot makers, drapers, book-binders and Amelia Gold (hence the name A. Gold), who ran a French millinery business out of the shop front in the 1880’s. If you look closely, her shop sign is still visible under their green awning!

Avoid long queues from local offices by arriving early and follow them on twitter to learn about their daily sandwiches (or don’t to avoid drooling on your keyboard!). A. Gold also carries a small selection of “Traditional foods of Britain” by independent brands such as tins of Campbell’s teas, local beers, and sweets such as sugar mice!

A. Gold, 42 Brushfield Street, London E1 6AG

................................................................................

Andrea is a Vancouver native currently living in London, UK that has a love for handmade indie craft, independent shops, travel, and vintage goods. Find her online here: blog | twitter | facebook

photo credit: Ana Maria is a flea market fanatic with a knack for diy, she shares her vintage finds, crafty endeavors, and travel adventures on her personal lifestyle blog.

Our Love-Themed Lookbook is Here!

2012-01-24T08:51:00.000-08:00

To compliment our current love-themed online market at Poppytalk Handmade this month, our new lookbook, Love Transforms is here! The lovely Samantha Wagner designed the layout featuring vintage love-themed images and some adorable polkadots to go with it! Thanks Sam, it's a vintage Valentine's tasty treat! Click on the image to enlarge, or click here to view.

Valentine's DIY No. 3: Matchstick Beeswax Candles

2012-01-24T06:54:00.002-08:00

Guest post by Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern

Here is Margie Oomen's second DIY, Matchstick Beeswax Candles. These little candles look adorable packaged in matchboxes that you can customize using blackboard paint.

Matchstick Beeswax Candles

Materials:
beeswax birthday candles
red beeswax (can be purchased at your local craft supply shop or online)

Take a little piece of red beeswax the size of a little fingertip into your warm hands. When it is moldable cover the tip of the candle with it, making sure not to cover the wick, yes so it looks like a match. Empty a matchbox and place some candle matches inside. If you want to you can customize a matchbox or matchbook by painting it with a few layers of blackboard paint and after 24 hrs writing a personal message with chalk. (See images below for examples).

Stay tuned for Margie's last DIY - (Psssst! the last image is a hint)!

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Invites + Save the Dates at Poppytalk Handmade

2012-01-24T06:54:00.001-08:00

Signature Wedding Invite Samples from Campbell Raw Press

Calligraphy Invitation from Paper Pastires

Letterpress Invitation Suite by Printerette Press

Save the Date from Bow and Arrow

Save the Date Cards from BerinMade

New Online Shop Alert: Mignon Kitchen Co.

2012-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know this, some may not but I have a soft spot for kitchen tools. Love them. My sister owned a kitchen shop for years and I was always grabbing the latest gadgets or tool. So when I heard a little tweet (from Sammade) today about Rachel of Elephantine's new online shop Mignon Kitchen Co., I just had to take a look. Nothing other than kitchen heaven. Oh yes friends, take a look! Here!

Valentine's DIY No. 2: Beeswax Heart Candles on Sticks

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern

Today's Valentine's DIY's comes from the multi-talented Margie Oomen of Resurrection Fern. Margie (a rural physician) is well known for her beautiful crocheted river rocks and skill at finding treasures in nature. Have you ever visited her blog? She finds the most amazing things on her walks in the woods (even in the cold of winter)! Margie has lavished us with three DIY's this week (we're so lucky)! First off some adorable beeswax heart candles on sticks. A lovely way to adorn your loved ones Valentines Cakes. Secondly some matchstick beeswax candles (and cute chalkboard matchboxes) and thirdly, Hearts of Ice (meant to be warmed of course). All three I'm sure you'll find super-fun to make. Here's the first. Thank you so much Margie!

Beeswax Heart Candles on Sticks

Materials:
lat sheets of beeswax,
heart shaped cookie cutter,
candlewick,
bamboo skewer sticks

First cut out some heart shapes from the beeswax with the cookie cutter. Lay them flat and place a 4 cm (1 ½ inch) piece of wick and a bamboo skewer as shown in the diagram (below). Place a second layer of heart shaped wax on top and press the layers together with your fingers. You can trim the skewers to make the candles of different sizes. Place on top of cake!

Stay tuned for Margie's other two DIY's coming soon!

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Real Wedding No. 3: Siobhan + Chris

2012-01-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

Today we're sharing the summer picnic-themed and ultimate handmade DIY wedding of Vancouver crafter Siobhan Rich of Magpie and Cake and her husband Chris. The mix of red and white checks, wicker picnic baskets and natural woodland surroundings makes for adorable and personal nuptials. Here's Sioban's description of their special day held this past July.

Chris and I were married this summer, in July. We live in Vancouver, but chose to get married at Linden Gardens in Kaleden, in the Okanagan. The gardens are lovely, and when Chris suggested we have our guests sit on picnic blankets, I was sold.

Our whole wedding was DIY and handmade with love, from the picnic blankets our guests sat on, to the 200 or so feet of bunting that I sewed. I'm a maker/crafter, so I was really excited to make our
wedding look and feel just how we imagined. It was a truly magical day. We got married in the garden, and after the ceremony our guests enjoyed lemonade while playing a game called cornhole (bad name, great game). We then went inside for a delicious barbeque dinner, pie, and dancing.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T09:50:00.000-08:00

Pinecone Camp

It's Chinese New Year and I just read you're not supposed to wash your hair today (yikes for me)! Are you superstitious? A few do's and don'ts for today.
Chinese horoscope for 2012 or check out this flash graphic horoscope
Eat some long noodles for longevity!
Bring good fortune with lobster and cream!
A little dragon style.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Valentine's DIY No. 1: Cute Packaging by Scout's Honor Co.

2012-01-23T00:03:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Annemarie Buckley of Scout's Honor Co.

Today we're kicking off our Valentine's DIY series - where I've asked a few of my favourite artists, bloggers and stylists to create some fun DIY's for our readers! I can't wait to share them with you and first off is this cute packaging idea from Annemarie Buckley of Scout's Honor Co. (a newly launched stationery studio based in Vermont). Be sure to check out her online shop, (if you haven't already), she makes the most adorable cards, prints and gift tags! Thank you Annemarie!

Every day is about chocolate for me. So when Valentine's Day rolls around, it's less of an excuse to eat chocolate (who needs an excuse?) and more of a chance to dress up my favorite treats. It's all about custom packaging and wrapping. Dig around your leftover holiday supplies... there's bound to be some red gift wrap or ribbon that can easily make the switch to V-day. I found this gingham paper and ribbon in my own stash.

Supplies:
Hot chocolate mix and chocolate bars (I used my local fave, Lake Champlain Chocolates, but any brand or size of bar will work).
Spice jar
Mini metal scoop (I found mine at the grocery store but this one is similar).
Mini cards
Envelope sleeves
Heart punch
Wrapping paper
Ribbon or twine
Scissors
Tape

First, gather your favorite hot chocolate mix and chocolate bars. For the hot chocolate, I saw this glass spice jar at the grocery store and thought it was a perfect size for gifts. Scoop in the mix, add a square of wrapping paper over the top, and secure with a ribbon. Include a mini scoop with the gift if you would like.

For the chocolate bars, peel off the outside label (keep the inner foil layer on there). Cut a piece of wrapping paper to the same size as the label. Wrap, tape, and add a ribbon. For bars that do not have the inner foil (like my mid-sized one), just wrap over the original label. I made simple cards using a heart punch, red card stock, and kraft envelope sleeves. These gifts could be great for wedding favors as well, especially if there is a chocolate maker unique to the area or if it's a winter wedding (hot chocolate is one favor I would not leave behind!).

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Scout's Honor Co. is a stationery studio based in Burlington, Vermont. Founded by Annemarie Buckley, Scout's Honor Co. specializes in illustration, hand type, & custom design for weddings, events, & other social correspondence. All work is printed locally in Vermont.

Business Matters: Dream Big!

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Contributor post by Rena Tom

(Yours truly dreaming out loud in front of a ballroom full of people at ALT Design Summit 2012. Photo by Justin Hackworth. )

I just came back from Salt Lake City, Utah, where I spoke at Alt Summit on a panel with my fabulous hometown ladies Anne Sage, Liz Stanley and Lisa Congdon. The title of the panel was “Kickstart Your Next Project” and it was fun to talk about creative projects, how to get them going and why one should do them - for more reasons than the fact they are just plain fun to do!

Anyway, I felt rather silly to be spilling my guts about my personal goals at a blogging conference, since none of them had to do about blogging, and since my biggest, craziest goal is...to open a design-forward boutique hotel, the kind of place I would want to stay at, in San Francisco.

(Lost and Found, a hotel/publication concept in Melbourne, Australia. http://www.wearelostandfound.com.au/)

Woo! I just said it again, in public. I truly feel like you have to dream big, really big, to motivate yourself. A goal should be attainable - maybe not all at once and maybe not without help, but definitely doable with a lot of hard work and planning.

During the panel, I also explained that I plan to take several steps to get there. I am going to open a social club/event space first, to hone my skills at building a community and to meet the kind of people who would want to support, stay at, and invest in a hotel. I am going to continue to think up (and execute) smaller creative projects to increase my visibility in the world. And I’m going to keep reading blogs and books and pull all of the best ideas that others have, and let them shape my vision for these physical spaces I want to create. For all of you readers who are dreaming big, definitely do the reading, and collect all of your resources in one place. Pinterest works, and Evernote does too.

What were the results of my talk? First of all, the act of saying you will do something brings you that much closer to achieving it. It encourages accountability and for many, that is what helps you to get things done. I am always telling my clients to ask for what they want. A corollary to this would be: say what you want to happen, in order for it to happen. It’s part visualization and part clarification.

(Creators Inn, a project that offered free accommodations to visiting creatives in Sweden. http://www.creatorsinn.com/)

Another result is that people are interested in helping others fulfill their goals. Maggie Mason’s life lists and Erin Loechner’s resource parties are based on that premise. It’s a very lovely, very human trait - why not take advantage of it? I have been sifting through a flurry of business cards, emails and tweets from people who are excited about what I want to do. One Alt attendee even told me her husband worked with a hotel group. Score! When you share your big dream, it becomes smaller and more manageable. If I need help in the future, these are the people I’m going to call.

OK, time to spill the beans. What’s your dream, the one you’ve never told anyone before?

Dream Big - Then Do It

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Rena Tom is a retail strategist for creative business owners. She previously owned Rare Device, a boutique and art gallery with locations in New York and San Francisco that was renowned for its carefully edited collection of design objects, books, housewares and accessories, and for supporting small, innovative designers and artists whose work was not easily found in stores. Rena blogs about personal projects as well as retail trends and small business tips at renatom.net. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and baby boy in an apartment filled with too many laptops, Sprecher root beer, half-finished craft projects and overdue library books.

Valentine's Round-Up from Poppytalk Handmade (Part 2)

2012-01-22T21:04:00.000-08:00

Slideshow Valentine's Day Cards from Fair Morning Blue

Love and Heart Card by Humunuku

Swedish Valentine's Card from Fiore Press

Valentine Mini Love Notes by Renee Anne

Love Love Love Card from Fifi du Vie

Mini Valentine's Day Cards from Gingiber

XOXO Letterpress Valentine from Steel Petal Press

Stockings Valentine by a.favorite design