Juliet Ames is based in Baltimore, MD and fashions vintage plates and family heirlooms into jewelry, coasters and other housewares.  Juliet stumbled upon her craft after completing a mosaic that repurposed all of the plates she had collected from thrift shops over the years. When the project was complete, she was left with a pile of broken plate shards that were begging for a new life. Juliet wrapped one in solder and made a pendant out of it.  People loved it and the public demand for more pendants grew. Consequently, The Broken Plate Pendant Company was born.

Juliet’s work has been featured in magazines such as Readymade, Real Simple, Smart Woman, Urbanite, Baltimore Magazine, Style and more. Broken Plate Pendants are currently in wardrobe at the Rachael Ray Show and the Food Network’s 30 Minute Meals.

I find Juliet’s work inspiring and I love the beauty and story behind each of her pieces. If you have a chipped vintage plate from your grandmother that needs a new fate, send it to Juliet and she will provide you with a piece of home décor or jewelry that will be both sentimental and conversational. Here are a few pictures to get you inspired!

Here is Juliet with her plates.  I invite you to check out her site and shop at www.ibreakplates.com, or visit TheBrokenPlate on www.Etsy.com.

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

I have been very excited about the event for months now, but now that it is just a few days away…I am have to admit… I am getting a little nervous.  Over 1700 people will be attending…yes…1700! And, Jakey and I will have to strut our stuff in front of a packed house.  Last week Jake had his fitting at Wagtime with owner, Lisa Schreiber.  Wagtime is one of the sponsors of the show and is not only dressing all the dogs in their doggie couture finest, but also is providing the behind the scenes doggie sitting during the show.  Here are a few photos of Jake’s fitting.

{Lisa fitting Jake’s first outfit…a red tux and black bow tie.}

{Jake in his tux.  He is cute, but the red doesn’t really stand out well against his black fur.  You can see little Edward in the background doing what he does best…licking the floor!}

{Jake in his second outfit.  The pink stands out against his fur, but I didn’t love it.  Jake didn’t seem to mind as long as treats were nearby.}

{Here is a better shot of the pink outfit.  Look how cute his tail is all curled up. They are both intently paying attention because one of the Wagtime staff are teasing them with treats. They LOVE their treats!}

{Here’s the third outfit–a gold tux with gold blinged-out collar and top hat. Don’t you just love the hat? Jake is such a good sport. He really didn’t mind the clothes at all!}

{Here’s a closeup of the final outfit.}

{One of the Wagtime staffers took this amazing shot of little Jakey. Can you see why I love this little guy?  His sweet little face is one of the main reasons I am so passionate about animal rescue. Jake and Edward were rescued by Lucky Dog Animal Rescue in South Carolina just days before they were to be euthanized. They love me unconditionally. I cannot imagine life without them!}

{Edward was a good spectator and sport.  I found these super cute shirts in UVA colors so I had to get them for both of them.  Edward’s size was in stock, but I had to order Jakey’s.  Here is Edward modeling his shirt. Isn’t he just simply adorable? I love him to death!!!}

A few days after Jake’s fitting, I had mine at Anne Fontaine in the Galleria Mall at Tysons Corner, VA.  Brazilian-born, Fontaine, is known for creating classic, chic, upscale styles.  I don’t want to give away too much about my outfit, but wanted to share a few photos to give you a glimpse into what inspired my look.

{The designer herself…Anne Fontaine}

{Here is one of Fontaine’s classic looks–black pencil skirt and fitted top with flowy collar.   Don’t you just love it?}

{This top is absolutely fabulous and comes in white.  I LOVE the white flower on the shoulder. Don’t you?}

{When you go into the store at the Galleria in Tysons Corner, they have about 25 of these fantastic collars displayed on the wall. They are exquisite and quite amazing!  They truly are a signature design of Fontaine’s.}

I hope this gives you a glimpse into what Jakey and I will be doing this Saturday night.  The show starts at 9:15pm on Saturday when Jakey and I will strut our stuff for Fashion for Paws to raise money for the Washington Humane Society to help save 30,000 animals this year.

If you want to help our cause, we would greatly appreciate your donation!  All donations are appreciated (no matter how big or small) before April 13th via our webpage.  We are a little over $3K away from our $10K stretch goal that we have to reach by this coming Friday.  Jake and I would greatly appreciate your support!

Love your animals unconditionally as they love you!  Hug ‘em, kiss ‘em, take ‘em on long walks and give them lots of TREATS!!!

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

For those of you who still have yet to clean out your closet for the spring and summer months, I have noted a few of my spring closet cleaning tips below. Furthermore, to help you get started I have gathered a few pictures of my favorite closets to serve as inspiration. Enjoy!

Tips:

• Purge anything that is beyond repair.
• Take your winter boots to the cobbler for repairs and cleaning and then pack them away. I like to use an under the bed shoe storage container, you can find one at Bed Bath and Beyond.
• Fold and pack your winter sweaters and don’t forget to use mothballs or cedar blocks.
• Get rid of anything you have not worn in over a year.
• Use garment bags to pack away fur, leather and suede jackets.

Closet Envy:

{Plush, Ivory Perfection!  Love the tufted seating…don’t you?}

{I love the decorative glass knobs in this upscale closet.}

{Black, gold and pink…oh my! Looks like a fun place to hang your threads.}

{I adore a gorgeous chandelier like this one outfitted in a walk in closet. Note the sign above the door, “Fairy Tales Do Come True.” Oh my!!!}

{What a great idea–framed designer bag art featured in this closet–genius!}

{This closet is packed and organized to perfection. Check out all those handbags lining the top of the closet, great use of space.}

{Fergie’s closet is expertly rockin animal prints and plush carpeting. G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S.}

{It looks to me like Ms. Hilton’s closet is ready for spring.}

Whether your closet is as glorious as these upscale spaces or more humble (like mine…boo hoo), I hope the tips and inspirational photos in this post help you get started on your spring closet cleaning.

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

The Washington Post pairs local readers’ design challenges with an interior designer. The result is a before and after makeover with tips and tricks for making the most out of their space. A sketch artist from the Washington Post brings my ideas to life and thus a virtually designed room is born. I love participating in this feature! This is my third time and I always find the experience to be rewarding.

My assignment for this edition of “House Calls” was to help the Bremer’s, a local family from Annandale, create a fun and bright play area in the basement of their home. The final results are amazing! We worked within our budget and created a wonderful space for the Bremer children to enjoy. Here is the sketch of the completed room:

To learn about the design process of this room in more detail, please see our previous blog post: Sneak Peak at Our Design Feature in the Washington Post. Additionally, in the spirit of children’s play rooms I thought I would share a few more pictures of my favorite cozy kid nooks. Enjoy!

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

Here are a few pictures from our events:

{Sarah, myself and Tuyen – the Decor by Denise team having a good time at Sushi Rock raising money and awareness for animals.}

{Many friends came out to show their support and help raise money at our Sushi Rock Happy Hour event. Thank you to all!}

{Some of the ladies shopping at our studio for spring accessories by Stella & Dot .}

{The Beijo purses looked wonderful in our studio at the Spring Accessories event!}

{Jakey attended the Spring Accessories for a Cause…Paws event.}

As you can see, we had a great time reaching our fundraising goals. We also sold many raffle tickets and without further adieu, the winning numbers are:

1) 269012 – Private Wine Tasting for 12 at Tarara Winery
2) 269037 – A Wine Trio for Tasting
3) 269061 – Exclusive Verve Fitness Membership
4) 269036 – Charge Your iPhone or iPod While on the Go
5) 269081 – A Day on the Bay for Six
6) 269095 – Toast to the Tunes Concert Package for Six
7) 269063 – Toast to the Tunes Concert Package for Six
8) 269046 – Designer Pillows by Annie Selke
9) 269104 – Beautify with Botox
10)269025 – Beautify with Botox
11) 269074 – Relaxation Massage

If you have one of these numbers please contact Tuyen at tuyen@decorbydenise.com to claim your prize! Congratulations to all our winners. Also, thank you to everyone who has supported us. I look forward to seeing some of you at the show April 14th. Fashion for Paws has only raised 79% of their $625K goal. If you haven’t bought a ticket or made a donation, but still want to help save animals, go to our website today and show your support: http://support.washhumane.org/goto/DeniseWillard.

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

Filed under: 2012 Design Trends, Fashion for Paws, New products Tagged: accessories, Beijo, Decor by Denise, Denise Willard, Fashion for Paws, fundraising for animals, Inspirations, raffle winners, Spring Accessories for a Cause...Paws, Stella & Dot, Sushi Rock ]]> http://dreamdesignlive.com/2012/03/26/fashion-for-paws-fundraising-events-and-raffle-winners/feed/ 3 dreamdesignlive Sushhi Rock Sushi rock 2 057 063 059 Blog Signature Share http://dreamdesignlive.com/2012/03/23/saving-animals-through-fashion/ http://dreamdesignlive.com/2012/03/23/saving-animals-through-fashion/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:05:01 +0000 DreamDesignLive http://dreamdesignlive.com/?p=5221 ]]> On April 14th, at the National Building Museum, I will be modeling in the Fashion for Paws® (F4P) Annual Spring Runway Show benefiting the Washington Humane Society (WHS) with my rescue dog, Jake. Fashion for Paws® (F4P) began in 2007 with the first spring Runway Show. In just its first 5 years, the annual Fashion for Paws®  spring Runway Show has been a smashing success, selling more than 1700 tickets each year and raising more than $1.5 million dollars for WHS and animals.

This year’s show will feature 60 illustrious personalities as the models, who raise $5000 for the Washington Humane Society to participate, with many escorting fashionably dressed dogs down the runway. Designer doggie couture will be ready-to-wag spring 2012 organized by Wagtime. Women’s and men’s ready-to-wear spring 2012 apparel will be provided exclusively by Tysons Galleria, home to the world’s most luxurious retailers.

When I was asked to participate in the event, I was elated because it is a natural extension of the work I have done as a volunteer for Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. Several years ago I began volunteering for Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, an all-volunteer, non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless animals and educating the community on responsible pet ownership. I have dedicated my time working as a foster parent and someone who conducts home visits of prospective adopters. I also participate in “transports” where I pickup 8-9 dogs in Fredericksburg, VA and transport them to the next pickup spot in Fairfax, VA.  These transports are weekend-long rescue missions to get dogs from as far away as South Carolina who have wound up in high kill shelters transported all the way up to as far as Maine in one weekend.  They are often just a few days away from being euthanized when they are rescued.  They are transported either directly to a loving home or to a rescue organization that will work tirelessly to find a forever home for them.

Through my volunteer work with Lucky Dog I met my great loves: Jake (a 15 pound Chug-Chihuahau/Pug mix) and Edward (a 7 pound Chihuahua). They are super sweet, loving, unconditionally loyal and have a special way of saying thank you each and every day as if they know that they were rescued from near death several years ago.

{Here are my sweet boys on a long road trip to my parents’ house over Christmas.  Jake (aka Jakey) is the black Chug on the left and Edward (aka Eddie or Eduardo) is the little Chihuahua on the right. Aren’t they precious?  My life would not be the same without them!}

Jake will be walking in the runway show with me and we still need your help to reach our fundraising goals! We are almost there with 85% of our goal raised thus far, but we are in the home stretch and have to have all our donations in by April 1st.  We have one last fundraising event tomorrow that will hopefully put us over the top!   Please join us at our Spring Accessories Shopping Extravaganza tomorrow and help us help the Washington Humane Society save 30,000 animals this year!  Here’s the scoop on the event:

Spring Accessories for a Cause…Paws!
Saturday, March 24th, 1-4pm
Decor by Denise Studio
340 Mill Street, NE, Suite F
Vienna, VA 22180
Come Shop with Us and Help Save Animals!
We invite you to spend the afternoon with us to raise funds for Fashion for Paws. Come see all the latest spring designs from Stella & Dot and Beijo. Learn some amazing new beauty techniques and enjoy a consultation with a fashion stylist to help you put your best look forward this spring. Amazing door prizes.

In addition to donating 10% of all product sales to Fashion for Paws, we will be raffling off some fabulous prizes:

• Private Wine Tasting for 12 at Tarara Winery
• A Wine Tasting Trio
• Exclusive Verve Fitness Membership
• A Day on the Bay for Six
• Toast to the Tunes Concert Package for Six
• Designer Pillows for your Home from Annie Selke
• Beautify with Botox
• Relaxation Massage
• Charge your iPhone or iPad on the Go

Raffle tickets are $5/each.  Purchase 5 and get the 6th free.  All raffle ticket sales will go to Fashion for Paws.

Please help Jake and me make a difference in our community by sponsoring Us in the Fashion for Paws® Runway Show.  If you cannot attend our event tomorrow, but love animals as much as I do and want to show your support, check out our fundraising page and make your donation today!

If you want more information about the event tomorrow or Fashion for Paws, please email me at denise@decorbydenise.com.

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

{Change out your current shower head for a low flow shower head like EcoFlow model by Waterpik.  Yes, Waterpik!  I recently met a few of their reps at the Design Blogger’s Conference in LA and was elated when they offered me an EcoFlow showerhead as a Giveaway for our readership. Read on for more details on how to get yours!}

{Use alternative healthy paints on your walls and trim. These include: Low Odor or Low VOC Paint, Zero VOC Paint, and Non-toxic or Natural Paint.  My FAVORITE is the Natura line from Benjamin Moore. It has no VOCs and is available in all Benjamin Moore colors.  That means you don’t have to sacrifice color when going “green.”}

{Purchase a low-flow or dual-flush toilet to save water–which means you will save money on your water bill!  You can find these toilets at your local Home Depot or Lowes}

{Choose energy-efficient lighting.  It used to be that these light fixtures were boring, but not anymore.  I like Stacy Garcia’s line of energy-efficient bathroom lighting at shopbathroomlighting.com.  Check it out!}

{And, incorporate a countertop made out of recycled products.  Green Countertops Direct offers some great options.}

By going green in your home, you will help to reduce emissions and excess waste that damages the eco-system and atmosphere. More importantly, in hard economic times being more eco-friendly in your home can help you save money. Being green does not have to be expensive (or ugly) and is in fact very cost effective if done correctly.

Our Green Giveaway!  Ok, now to share the details of our giveaway.  Decor by Denise is pleased to announce the giveaway of an energy efficient Waterpik shower head. The innovative design of the EcoFlow Waterpik showerhead allows for water-saving efficiency while keeping the water pressure comfortable. To enter your name in the drawing and to reduce your carbon footprint:

1.   Leave a comment here before March 30th at 6pm Eastern Time.  Be sure to leave your e-mail address so we can reach you to get your mailing address if you win!

2.  Like us on Facebook!

The winner must be a subscriber of DreamDesignLive and a follower of  Decor by Denise on Facebook, and must live in the United States or have a shipping address in the United States.  Random.org will be used to choose the winner, who will be announced here and on Facebook.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!!!

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

My assignment for this edition of “House Calls” was to help the Bremer’s, a local family from Annandale, create a fun and bright play area in the basement of their home. The article will debut in early April but I wanted to give you a sneak preview into the project, I have had a lot of fun designing this space!

I created a design for the Bremer family room focusing on three main objectives:

1. Making the space bright and airy (and well-lit) even though it is in a basement with little light.
2. Using a color palette that is kid-friendly and gender-neutral.
3. Leveraging the alphabet as a core element in the design.

Here is a picture of the basement before:

With our three objectives in mind let’s walk through our design makeover!

{To start, I wanted to warm up the space with a golden hue on the walls with a 12″ horizontal stripe painted in the middle of each wall.  Using light colors on the walls will help create a light and airy environment. I selected Benjamin Moore’s Concord Ivory and Simply White.  The white stripe that will run around the room is the backdrop for another core element of the design (which I will talk about later).}

{A horizontal stripe, like the one pictured in this photo, will not only showcase the alphabet wall decals (a key feature in the room), but also will make the room appear larger.}

{To make the alphabet a core element in the room we used products like these alphabet wall stickers found on etsy.com. These will be installed around the room on top of the white stripe.}

{To disguise the gray access panel, I selected an adorable growth chart that goes a long way toward making this room much more appealing.  This Animal Growth Chart can be purchased at Land of Nod for $59.00}

{Next up, white drapery panels are hung as close to the ceiling as possible to heighten the basement ceilings and make the room appear larger. The drapes pictured above can be purchased from Home Decorators Collection, two panels for $59.00}

{Kids love to create artwork. We thought it would be amazing to incorporate the Bremer children’s artwork into their playroom design by using Star Art Cable from Pottery Barn Kids.}

{Low bins create a great way to not only store small toys and books, but also are useful in teaching children responsibility in cleaning up their play space. The ones pictured here are from Ikea. For this room we replaced the pink bins with something more gender neutral, blue. You can do the same in your home, these plastic bins come in many colors to suit the color scheme of your home.}

 {Layering an area rug on top of the dark carpet adds a pop of much needed color. We found this area rug on Overstock.com.}

{This Karlstad sofa from Ikea in Korndal green is ideal for this play room, the color of the fabric can easily conceal stains while simultaneously showcasing a chic and clean look an adult can enjoy.}

{These pillows were selected to tie the palette together.  The orange pillow will be placed behind the blue/white one on the sofa to bring the room together.}

{Two well placed Kid’s Orange Microsuede Beanbags make for extra comfortable kid-friendly seating. Found on Overstock.com.}

{Lighting is an important element in this room as the basement lacks natural light. In our design plan we included floor lamps, wall sconces and this chandelier from Lamps Plus that will be inserted above the children’s activity table.}

{Finally, we wanted to give the children a place to be creative, do their homework and read. This table is from Land of Nod but there are very similar tables from other retailers in varying prices. The chairs alternating in color are fun and unexpected.}

There are a few more items that I put into the final design, but they’ll have to wait until publishing day.  By putting all of these design elements together I designed a room that the whole Bremer family can enjoy–while being mindful of their budget.  Thank you Bremer family for allowing the team at Decor by Denise to design you a new playroom. We hope you enjoy it! Also thank you to the Washington Post for allowing us to be part of “House Calls.”

This edition of “House Calls” is expected to go to print in early April.  Stay tuned to see the final design sketches by the talented artists at the Washington Post who will bring this room to life!

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

{Use old egg cartons to store your holiday decorations. No broken ornaments next year when you go to unpack your holiday treasures.}

{Place a few drops of your favorite scented oil on the cardboard toilet paper roll. Your house guests will get a fresh scent burst each time they take a square of toilet paper.}

{I love this trick. When packing your suitcase wrap a shower cap around the base of your shoes to keep the soles from marking up your clothes.}

{Blast some hot air on those stubborn price tags for easy removal.}

{Spray your votive holders with a light coat of canola oil cooking spray before dropping the tea light in. Once the candle has burned down the wax will slip right out.}

{Every now and then I get a craving for some pancakes, but I always dread the mess. This trick suggests using a recycled ketchup bottle to dispense your pancakes onto the pan. I can’t wait to try this one!}

{Use a walnut to buff out scratches on hard wood floors and wood furniture.}

{Here is a great handy trick for your child’s nursery. Secure a velco strip on the wall in their room and adhere soft toys to it, eliminating toys on the floor.}

{Turn up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod in a bowl.  The concave shape amplifies the music.}

{Turn a bottle of baby lotion into a clever charging holder for your cell phone.}

{Organize your linens by storing bed linen sets  inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.}

{Rub chalk onto greasy stains and the chalk powder will absorb the grease, making the stain easily removable by the laundry soap in the wash.}

{Keep scarves rolled up and neat with napkin holders when not in use.}

{Use a pop top as a picture hanger.}

{I have been using this trick for years! When your candle burns too low to easily access with a match, light the end of a spaghetti noodle. You will get a few more uses out of your candle and save yourself from getting a burn.}

I hope you learned a few handy household tricks today, I know I did!  If you have a great tip you’d like to share, please respond with a comment.  I would love to add your idea to our growing list.  Have a great weekend!

 If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.

{The Onion Tower Lamp, originally priced at $604.00 is currently on sale for just $483.20! Pair two of these lamps at either end of a console table to make a stunning impression.}

{We now have the Sun Ray Gold Leaf Mirror at the discounted price of $598.50 – that is a remarkable 30% discount from its retail price! This mirror will look amazing gracing the walls over your fireplace, behind a sofa or being centered over a console table as show in the picture above.}

{Pictured here, designer Tobi Fairley pairs identical sun burst mirrors over a sofa. The overall effect is stunning. Check out all the mirrors featured at our Spring Blow Out Sale and achieve a similar look for less in your own home.}

{I adore this Iron Table with White Marble Top. It is the prefect compliment to any living room and is currently nearly $200 dollars off its original sales price.}

{Accessorize a table or mantel in your home with our colorful Glazed Porcelain Jars. Check out our entire selection at the Spring Blow Out Sale listing page. Act now, these attainable price won’t last long!}

{The designer of this living room has strategically placed porcelain and glass jars around the room for pops of color, order from our assortment of porcelain accessories and you can achieve the same look.}

{Store your magazines in the most chic way possible, our Leather Magazine Organizer in ivory is now on sale for $279.99. It has a retail price of $358.00.}

{Nothing says spring quite like this Purple and White Accent Chair with a Floral Pattern at the base. It will surely bring energy and excitement into your home decor. Like the rug to? We are currently selling both items at discounted prices, check them out at our Spring Blow Out Sale.}

Please take some time to browse through our Spring Blow Out Sale offerings. We are very excited about all the pieces we are offering and we think you will be to!  Decorate and SAVE this spring!

If you’d like help creating a beautiful home or office you love, contact me today to learn how easy it is to get started.