Reclaimed Wood Headboards: My Top 5

Today I woke up in a dreamy state of mind.. instead of forcing myself to ignore the fact that I wanted to stay in dream land a little longer I decided to bring that feeling tone to the blog.  The first thing that popped in to my head was these reclaimed wood DIY headboards that I have been coming across everywhere.  Such cool ideas, such hard work put into making all of these and most definitely one of my favorite eco approaches to design.  I mean, if you owned one of these wouldn't you want to stay in bed all day too?!!

Here are my top 5: along with the cats and dogs who love them too!

This one is over the top, literally!! It is by far one of my all time favorites...An installation like this allows you to hang anything you want on it...wether it be hanging lanterns from the top or planters.  It even helps you hide those electrical wires no one wants to see.  This type of headboard definitely claims center stage in this bedroom!  

{image via living etc}

I love the chevron look of this one from Brooklyn to West...its nothing like i've ever seen! Check out the story behind Brooklyn to West and all the other ways to get your hands on a headboard like this here...or eat their pasta! Thats right you read correctly, they have a restaurant too {il vecchio}...up in northern california, which I am definitely checking out on my next road trip north!

{image via brooklyn to west}

How about this one? The simplicity of just adding some gold stripes takes the basic plain reclaimed look up a notch without going overbaord.  Get the full material and instruction list on Camille Styles

{image via camille styles}

Or how about a little "love" for this one?!  Check out behind the scenes pics of this install on House Tweaking

{image via house tweaking}

And last but not least, we all have seen that gorgeous wall from Hillary Swank's Manhatten apartment in Elle Decor last fall {if you haven't yet you can check it out here}. Well, Jonathan of Happy Mundane wanted the look and conquered it with this DIY headboard project.  His step by step experience can be found here on is Happy Mundane blog.

{image via happy mundane}

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearn

Spring Countdown: Its Here!?

Faux Flowers Anyone?

 Happy first day of Spring!!! While today is so chilly it feels like anything but spring I was reminded how fortunate I am to live in sunny California...where a spring day can happen any day.  However, this presents a dilemma for all you non cali folks who may still be feeling the winter blues.. And, since I don't want you to miss out if the flowers don't happen to be blooming in your area yet here are 3 ways you can still get your dose of "garden florals": even if they aren't the real thing.. 

Paper Flowers /Fabric Flowers/Frosting Flowers

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So are you inspired for Spring yet? Well ready or not here it is!  So if you are feeling crafty...more like daring, to take on one of these bright(and tasty) DIY projects then here are all the amazing and easy tutorials you need to get started!

 Paper Flowers DIY    Fabric Flowers DIY    Frosting Flowers DIY 

Creativley Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Spring Countdown: Only 2 Days Left!

Floral Prints? Its on trend for sure right now not which is why I can't wait to tap in to some of the spring goodies I've purchased for my closet!  Now, the past few days I have only been talking about how to include them in your interiors but why not your wardrobe?!  The other day I got inspired when I drove by the Neiman Marcus in Bev Hills and saw this Alice and Olivia jumpsuit in the window!...Can I just say WANT....

So how are you going to include "Garden Florals" into your wardrobe this season? Happy shopping!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Spring Countdown: Only 3 Days Left!

Why Not Host A Sunday Brunch?!

Last weekend was absolutely gorgeous out! Flowers have been starting to bloom and I have to admit...I really wanted to bring a little spring essence inside so I decided to have some friends over for a Sunday brunch!  Heres how I pulled it all together...with only a few hours notice and a budget!

First I took inspiration from the various colors in the flowers blooming just outside my apartment...reds, oranges and greens.  While at first glance none of these flowers looked like they coordinated with each other but I just started picking and gathering a bunch to see what would happen and this is what I got! 

A beautiful and uncontrived mix of what I learned was red calliandra( or as i call it the pom pom flower), red and white camellia, orange clivia, red gerranium, and huge green calla lily leaves to bind them all together.  Just remember..you don't have to be a professional florist or buy a ton of expensive flowers from the market...just seek and you shall find!  

Next thing I did was take some of that bargain floral fabric I found a few weeks ago and use it as my table cloth.  While I didn't have time to sew it all up and clean up the rough edges I used it anyways.  All I did was put the fabric through the wash and give it a nice hot iron.

Now to set the table....I kept things less than matchy matchy.  In fact, since I have been collecting so much vintage dishware I actually found it hard to choose just one collection to go with...so I decided to mix it up. But, if you don't have a collection of your own going, simple white dishes will do, maybe some clear vessels....really anthying! Especially when you are topping and filling them with colorful delicious food...let that be the added texture and color. Mmmm yum!
  

 So gather your favorite fruits (lots of color to work with in that department) and ask a friend to bring some croissants from a local bakery or their favorite juice and there you have it...Everyone will have something they enjoy to eat and less stress(and money) on you to buy all the goodies. 


Happy Brunching!


Creatively Yours,
Cassandra Stearns

Spring Countdown: Only 4 Days Left!

 Why Not Add A Little Art?!

Or Make Your Own..

Impressionistic or Expressionistic? Aw heck, I'm not really sure which it really is but either way I love it!  Its all about the relaxed boundarys and for me, the vagueness of things leaves more to my imagination and gives me an unreal color experience!  

So I decided to bring to you (in no particular order) some of my favorite pieces of art work done by some incredible artists, all of which can be purchased for under $100!...And you guessed it..they are all takes on garden florals that will blow your mind!

image via saatchi online
 "Red Giselle" by Hedwig Pen

image via art by autumn rose on etsy
"Eden" by Autumn Rose

image via art by autumn rose on etsy
 "Lolly Blossoms" by Autumn Rose

image via linda monfort on etsy
"Scarlet Roses" by Linda Monfort

image via saatchi online
"Red Roses and Oginski Polonaise" by Hedwig Pen

If you've been inspired by these here's How To Purchase!!

1."Red Giselle" by Hedwig Pen

2."Eden" by Autumn Rose

3."Lolly Blossoms" by Autumn Rose

4."Scarlet Roses" by Linda Monfort

5."Red Roses and Oginski Polonaise" by Hedwig Pen

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Spring Countdown: Only 5 Days Left!

Lighten Up Your Linens!!

Just 5 days away till spring and its definitely all about "garden florals"!  Everywhere I turn I find another floral vignette that screams SPRING!  Most recently, I came across these must have "Demoiselle" hand printed terry bath towels from D.Porthault and I can't stop thinking about them!  With that, might I suggest you lighten up your linens?! Your options are endless....a tea towel here, a pillow sham there and voila!

image via D.Porthault

See how designer Anna Burke coordinates her look here in this months issue of Lonny Magazine:

In the bathroom....

image via Lonny Magazine

Or in the bedroom...

image via Lonny Magazine

And might I add how i'm gushing over this vintage floral wallpaper from Collins & Sons also used by Anna Burke in her West Village apartment.

image via Lonny Magazine

Creativley Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Spring Countdown: Only 6 Days Left!

Hey Everyone! I'm starting to get really excited for spring and with only 6 days left till its officially here I thought I would make it a point to bring you some inspiration to get prepped for this season. Spring is all about growth, re-birth and most importantly warmer weather so it should be no surprise that my biggest inspiration yet has been all about "Garden Florals".  I can't get enough! 

Last week I was lucky enough to find tons of floral fabric for a serious bargain price of only $20 for 40yds.  The only problem was that I had no idea what I was going to do with it all.  I merely bought it on a whim from being overwhelmingly drawn to the bright colors and prints.  Well thanks to this gorgeous pic I stumbled upon on pinterest my search for a crafty DIY project is over!

image via Ashley Ann Photography

These fabric covered pots are the perfect way to spruce up an otherwise plain terracotta planter...Plus its a totally great way to upcycle fabric remnants and any less than attractive planters you might already own.  To see how Ashley Ann made her fabric covered pots check her out HERE and for a more detailed tutorial check out Christine Chitnis Blog 

LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

My Time: DIVIDED

So what am I doing this friday morning?!  Well as you can see below I'm making some to-do lists and taking a serious inventory of some time management up-keep for the next year....After all, I wanna keep this ship sailing forward don't I?! 


With a brain that is in constant creativity mode its often hard for me to finish the things that I start.  Like a tree with so many branches that extend in all different directions, I am always getting new ideas that could send things going into the other direction. But, in order to maintain some orderly shape I am working on how to divide my time equally {or at least balanced proportionally to priority} 

And in no specific order...

You will notice that what I am doing at this exact moment {blogging} of course made the list. Putting it on the list was a no brainer but keeping content relavent...well thats where it gets tricky:)   

I would love to hear your tips and tricks on how you stay organized and keep ideas relevant to the big picture here at contact@chrysaliscouture.com  

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Springing Forward!

With it having been my birthday this past week I couldn't have been more stoked to receive one of the most thoughtful and eco conscious presents yet! Check out this vintage "Sunset" book from 1973...it has tons of "how to's" for gardening that will never be outdated.  I especially love the illustrations, which you don't see much of anymore.  To go along with my gardening book I got these awesome and easy to plant "seed bombs". 

To get your own vintage "Sunset" gardening book you can buy one here! but hurry quick..this etsy seller only has one available! As for the "seed bombs" you can find them at "Anthropologie" for just $6 a bag in all different variety's.  

And if you are feeling super motivated to start composting like I am then check out pg10 to find out if its for you! Now while the instructions here might be a little more complicated for city living, there are lots of affordable and easy methods out there now to help you do it anywhere!

Happy Planting!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns   

You Are Cordially Invited!

I am so excited to announce that some of my very own designs will be up for sale at PS#1's "Itty Bitty Art Sale" this coming Sunday February 12th!! But I'm not the only one;  several miniature works of art from other artists, designers, celebrities and musicians will be too.  This takes place as an annual event to raise money for the school as well as its community-based programs.  So come out to support a good cause and get your hands on some cool art too. See below for all the deets and I hope to see you there!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Alt. At Home!!

While I've been ogling some of my favorite blogs and inspiration sites for the past few weeks now and reading posts on how everyone was going to Alt., I have to admit I was starting to feel a bit out of the loop.  With nearly every click of a page there has been a mention of Alt this or Alt that.  Well to my happy surprise I stumbled upon a way to get my dose of Alt. right at home!  Check out "The Alt Channel" for a list of online sessions with some seriously dope industry experts that will help you keep your creative business fresh and on the forward track for 2012.  The best part is that you can explore these topics right from home and it's super affordable!! And if i've over-assumed that you all know what "The Alt Summit" is to begin with then click here to get the scoop on what its all about! I guarantee you're gonna get hooked like I did!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Tangerine Tango and Etsy Favorites!

Now that we've all had a few weeks to adjust to the announcement of Pantone's color of the year "Tangerine Tango", we can start deciding how and where we want to incorporate this color into our homes! If your not bold enough to paint an entire wall with it then here are a few accessories you might like that caught my eye on Etsy!

1. Creative Minds Poster 

 2. Vintage Ginger Jar Lamps 

 3. Moda Chevron Switchpate 

 4. Tangerine/Green Cabinet Knobs 

 5. Recycled Cotton Canvas Bucket 

 6. Bike Pint Glasses 

 7. Striped Paper Straws 

 8. Printable Pillow Boxes

Happy Shopping!

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

Did I Miss The Memo?!

So we all know how going to the flea market for me is like a kid going to Disneyland but most of the time I do more looking than buying.  After learning my lesson over and over again about dressing for comfort (or in the case of going to the Rose Bowl in the middle of August, HEAT) I definitely missed the mark this time on bringing one absolutely necessary key accessory! 

So its obvious what my next purchase will be....but in order for my cart not to get mixed up with all the rest I think I'm gonna have to find a way to make mine stand out (as always)...stay tuned!

For now, check out the goodies I snagged this past weekend on our FB page!  

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns

GS Project Follow Up AND my Chair revealed!!

So...months later and with much anticipation the HGTV Video From The Good Shepherd Project is here!!!  Check out this interview with Interior Designer Jordan Cappella and most importantly see how the chair I donated and up-cycled got used for this project!!

 Click HERE to watch the video!

  

Special thanks to Vanessa De Vargas and Jordan Cappella for including me in this project!!  

Creatively Yours,

Cassandra Stearns 

Backstage at Vancouver Eco Fashion Week!!

Still here in Vancouver for Eco Fashion Week and venturing on our last full day... Its been a busy past couple days all leading up to yesterdays fashion shows...one of which was my good friend Mallory of Curlee Bikini! I had the pleasure of being her sidekick and got some amazing backstage coverage of just how we pulled this all together!   

So you've got your sneak peek at what goes in to putting on such a big production but you will have to wait to see how these fabulous models worked it!!

Video footage will be available soon and we can't wait to share it with you...until then check out some of the other innovative ideas taking place at Vancouver Eco Fashion week here!