International Women’s Day + A Day Without a Woman

08 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in News, Shop Gray Star Design

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a day without a woman, a day without women, civil rights, digital print, etsy, etsy shop, gray star design, human rights, international womens day, love always wins, love always wins print, rise of the woman, support human rights, women rights, womens rights

Happy International Women’s Day! Today I stand with all women and pledge my belief in equal rights and justice for us all. Some don’t realize the true value women have in this society and its about time they do. We are, if anything, leaders and warriors. We must fight the good fight because no one else will do it for us. I hope to see many taking this day to prove how important we really are, as well as support the many who face discrimination and social oppression in this country and beyond. Unity is what drives us and equality is what we all deserve.

Since I am self employed I will be home with my son doing my most important job. And I am proud to be my own boss and work predominately with female clients to help beautify and strengthen their brand and business. I will show my support for the cause by sharing my message with my followers and engage in other conversations to spread it even more. We must stay united and be strong to help make this world a better place to live in. Today and all days!

There is no better time than now to support the cause that fuels #adaywithoutwomen. My Love Always Wins print is only $10 and you get a black and white and watercolor version. You can find it in the shop at bit.ly/lovewinsprint for immediate download.

I am happy to do my part and donate all sales of this item to Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. I truly believe love conquers all and with us all uniting we can really change the world.

Let’s Go Dark

03 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Color Inspiration, The Home

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dark color palette, dark walls, interior design, using dark colors in your home

I thought I would share a few tips on using dark and bold colors in your home. A lot of people stray from even attempting to bring these not so bright hues in, but if done right, it can really be beautiful.

Make sure you have enough light
Just because a room is small, doesn’t mean you can’t paint the walls super dark. Even if you have one window in the space, the light will truly enhance the pigments. And the same with indoor lighting fixtures. As long as there is enough to bounce around the room, it will help to brighten up the space.

(image credit: domino.com)

Brighten the space with art
This is where you can really get creative. Have fun and allow colorful art to pop off those dark walls. Even neutral designs are a sure way to break up the darkness a bit. You will see such a different in the space just from adding a few pieces to the room.

(image credit: domino.com)

Let's Go Dark

Incorporate textiles and plants
Rugs, window treatments, pillows, and blankets are great ways to soften up a space. And they surely help when it comes to darker palettes. And we all know plants really spruce up a home. Just the fact that light bounces off them is a reason to bring them in. Following the same rule as above, allow these treatments to bring more life to the room so the space is brighter and more welcoming.

(image credit: domino.com)

(image credit: House Beautiful)

Play with mirrors and metals
To bring in more ways for the light to work its magic, incorporate mirrors and metals. You can do this with lighting fixtures, small tables, frames, decorative objects, and even with knobs or pulls on furniture. It’s an easy way to create that playground for the beauty of light to shine.

(image credit: domino.com)

Shake, Rattle and Roll Baby Shower Invitation Minted Challenge

27 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Minted

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baby shower invitation, bold and grainy, design, elegant, minted, mintedchallenge, oh baby, pastel balloons, pop, rose gold foil, she's having a baby, silver foil, stationery

Another challenge has wrapped up and thanks to this weekend, I was able to get 6 designs submitted. I gravitated toward a more elegant look for most, but created a few different styles as well. I really enjoyed working on these and love how they all came out. You can view all my submissions below. Voting starts tomorrow!

Interior Palettes: Bold and Bright

27 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by melissaoconnor in Color Inspiration, Interior Color Palettes

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bold and bright, color, color palette, colorful space, design, interior color palette, interior design

This space is a great example of how to use color successfully. It’s bright, fresh, and full of style. The boldest hues are found on the furniture pieces and grouped in the center. Although strong, they are softened by the fabrics and wood tones. With the walls white and bright, a canvas is formed, allowing all the unique artwork to pop with eclectic flair. It also helps to bring focus to the middle seating area. The textured rug brings the whole space together, as it includes lots of the colors you see in the room. This harmonious graphic also warms up the space and grounds the furniture as well. And even though the gallery wall is quite busy, because of the white matts and appropriate negative space, it’s not overwhelming. How fun!

(Image credit: domino.com)