On Books and Notebooks...

Sometimes when you love to Do-It-Yourself you realize you have to DIY things that you really don't want to do. Such is the case with my projects over the past few weeks. First my computer gave up the ghost and then one of our toilets. While I won't go into details (my darling hubby fixed the toilet) I bought and installed a new computer (now running Windows 7 because I'm not using a touch screen) and updated all our software. This required moving furniture, crawling under desks and other tasks not nearly as enjoyable as playing with paint, fabric or yarn.

But on to the topic of the day...tada...organizing your project ideas, which in may ways becomes how to design.

The solution is - keep notebooks... lots of 3-ringed binders filled with page protector sheets. I have one for home improvement ideas, one for gardening and landscaping ideas, one for knitting patterns and one for general craft ideas. Whenever I see an inspirational project photo I clip it from a magazine and save it. This has become my system of choice.

Although I love and use Pinterest and save files to my computer also, more often than not I find inspiration in print media that can be copied or clipped. (But please respect Copyright laws!) Of course I work in a library and see tons of great books pass my desk every day. I know, I know...it's the best perk of my job!

Many times my inspiration may be a photo that appeals to me although it isn't a project per say. For instance a magazine cover from National Geographic or Arizona Highways may in the future inspire me to create a dish garden of succulents capturing the same color, texture and ambiance of a hauntingly beautiful desert vista. For these photos I keep a separate large notebook just for inspiration.

This is also the perfect way to discover your unique sense of style. When I worked as an interior designer I'd tell my clients to clip photos of rooms they liked. Are you thinking of remodeling your kitchen? Clip or copy photos (online or in print) of kitchen vignettes that you like. You may not like everything about each kitchen photo you keep, but after a while you'll see a pattern emerge for the overall style you gravitate to. Armed with this notebook of inspiration you'll easily see that all your photos have white kitchens with butcher block counters, or maybe dark cherry cabinets and glossy tile.

Before I sign off today I want to give a shout out for a favorite book I just came across. Hand-Stitched Home published by Harper Design 2013.

Caroline Zoob has compiled a fabulous collection of hand stitched treasures for the home. The projects are carefully explained and exquisitely photographed (by Caroline Arber) including lots of close-ups of details of each project. In addition to a guide to materials and techniques, Caroline has given the reader a glimpse of her inspiration for each project in photographs, illustrations and words. It is an absolute knock-out of a book...thank you Caroline!