Check This BLEEP Out.

In case I haven't bragged about my friends before, here it is. My friends are awesome.

Okay so there's more. One of my best friends just launched the first issue of his own digital magazine as a new endeavor for 2011. And it has hit the ground running!

BLEEP Magazine is the magazine about "culture and creative...and the people who make it happen". From fashion to performance, dancing to singing, interior design to art...Editor-In-Chief and creator, Ryan Brinson, will leave no facet of creativity unturned. It's not about fame or opulence. It's about real people being passionate about real creativity. Oh, and I mean, you may know the Interior Design contributor...

Follow the blog, Twitter, Facebook, wherever! Be on top of BLEEP as it will appear every other month for now with more features, more articles, more tips, more people, and more BLEEPin creativity.

Got something interesting to say about something creative you do or think you could contribute in someway? Contact BLEEP at thebleepmag@gmail.com and get in on the next issue!

My 2010 Design Nerd Highlights.

While the rest of my family passes out into food comas in various locations throughout the house, I seem to be wired with thoughts and excitement. Why though, I'm not sure. Great giving? Great receiving? Great eating? Check. Check. Check. I think it is the excitement of what's to come though. Great things happening? Check.

2011 is fast approaching and with it comes new trends in design, new opportunities in career paths, new places to go and new people to meet (maybe my favorite part). However, as a little gift to the blog world, I thought I would share some of my favorite places I've seen and checked off my list over the past year which excited the design nerd inside of me. Enjoy.

This seemingly abandoned warehouse in the Deep Ellum district of downtown Dallas was painted in vibrant colors and reflected incredible sunlight...except for this one hole we found...and the bird "flying" out of it kinda brought me hope...and warm fuzzies.

Again in Deep Ellum of Dallas...I wished I had painted this myself. Combination of music, color, and art seemed to grab my passions and certainly grabbed my attention.

While at a wedding reception in the small town of Round Rock, I looked up and was enamored by this incredible tin ceiling and beautiful pewter crystal chandeliers all reflecting light about the dance floor.

The Water Gardens of downtown Fort Worth are breathtaking. End of story.

A family trip to Washington DC brought me to the Lincoln Memorial where I was stupefied by this incredible marble ceiling.

Beautiful marketing technique in a boutique in non-other-than Waco, Texas. With a name like Roots and an organic, vintage feel why not use trees to display clothing and other merchandise!

I realize this is a brewery but I had to stop to capture the incredible geometric lines of this massive New Orleans brewery facility.

I was quite the straggler trying to capture all these beautiful entrance ways on the streets of New Orleans. I love this mix of gray iron, clean white wood, and red brick. Mmm.

Looks like not much, eh? Welp. That's a typical kitchen in Las Macias, Nicaragua where I spent 10 days this summer. And I find it inspiring in both material use and functionality efficiency.

Again a site off a main street in Nicaragua, the lines, textures and pure simplicity of life in this picture are quite stunning.

Awesome sports bar decor idea...vintage and new beer cans lining a soffit with uplighting. Nashville, Tennessee.

Once again left behind, while capturing this exterior facade. Combining plaster, leaded glass and sleek black is genius in downtown Nashville.

Design Over Time exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Amazing combination of modern textured and pop art at Pop Burger in New York City.

Vivid Color. Geometric Pattern. Depth and Dimen. Truly Vintage. Truly Beautiful.
Chelsea, New York.

Christmas in New York. That's enough said, right? I had never seen the city at this time of year and a piece of me whimpers every time I see these photos. I fell in love.

This is one of the many wreaths on the exterior of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Flawless.

Can't wait for what this next year has to show me!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Spreading the Christmas Joys.

My tree is complete. Has been for quite some time but other things and jobs (yayyy!) have been keeping me from poppin that LID open!

Many trips to Hobby Lobby, many climbs up and down scaffolding and ladders, and many dropped ornament balls later, the whole Christmas project is complete. 2 8foot wreaths, 6 suspended garland swags, 8 foyer garland swags and one giant 18 foot tree. It is finished. And I am one happy girl. Check it out!

My incredible photographer is Christopher Thompson. He's so talented! Check out his website here!

Tips on big Christmas projects like this to come!

[Sketchy Mondays] Trimming the Tree.

I mentioned before that I was challenged to come up with a concept and design for the Christmas decorations on the 2nd floor of the SUB at Baylor (Student Union Building). Welp. That kept Christmas on the mind when it came to sketching.

The tree topper was what really stumped me. How do you put the top, the finishing touch, the "piece de resistance" on an 18 foot monstrosity that all of the campus as well as their families, friends, and local Wacoans will come to judge? How do you go about that? I had to reinvent the materials I had already introduced throughout the tree in a new and finial sort of way....and that all started...with a sketch.

Be There.

My day was just made.

I have been talking about auditioning for and dying to be on HGTV's Design Star since season 1. Yes. The beginning. Then I was a high school student. I had no idea that that dream would stick with me. And ya know what? It has.

Now? I'm a college graduate with an Interior Design degree and a passion for anything creative...so when I was informed of the open casting call for season 6 in just 2 weeks, I may have teared up...okay yes. Wet eyes.

December 5th, Dallas, Texas. I will be there. No expectations...Just myself. My personality. My passion. and My hope. I will be there.

If you know anyone interested, please check out the Season 6 Casting Site!

It's Happening.

OOOF! Can that last blog post date be right? Yikes!
I'm not sure where the time went but I have been gallivanting around Texas like a vagabond and take full blame for such abandonment of theLID. Well Neglectful Nancy is back. And things are HAPPENING!

Remember when I quoted George and he told me to make my own circumstances? Right. Well things have been falling into place!

My most recent project which has kept me busy from bloggin is being a freelance designer for Baylor University! Yes. My very own alma-mater is creating opportunity after opportunity for me!
I am designing and installing the Christmas decor in the Student Union building for the annual event Christmas on 5th Street! From a 14 foot Christmas tree to large scale garland swags to 8 foot wreaths, I'd say this project is anything but small. We're talkin, this is the tree myself, and many other Baylor Bears and Waco families, take an annual picture with. Oh okay. No pressure.
Am I complaining? Not one bit. I feel so blessed to have these people in my life who trust me and put their faith in my creativity and design talents.

After meetings and emails and detail breakdowns, I was able to present my concept for the decor. It needed to be classy and traditional, yet modern and appealing to all audiences. The overall concept I developed is called "Burberry Christmas Chic".

A modern mix of metallics, both bronzes and pewters, offset a warm and vintage feeling evoked from the classic Burberry pattern. I'm in love with this idea and could not wait to get shopping!

Dallas Market Center was the first place we thought of for me to go get inspired and find the most interesting ornaments and dressings for my pieces. Yet, when I stumbled upon some amazing finds at a less extravagant spot, I had hit the jackpot.

Garden Ridge my friends. Garden Ridge is my pot of gold.
Huge selections of decorations easily employed in commercial situations and bargain prices. What more could you want?! From berry sprays of every color to massive pine cones and big ole Christmas balls, I was in heaven and managed to fill...err...a few carts...
I managed to fill the rest of my car with goods from none other than my second home, Hobby Lobby -more affectionately known as the HobLob. Prices were great and unique finds in great color palettes allowed me to quickly fill in the gaps to fulfill my concept! What an exhausting day of shopping!The remainder of the decor came from great bulk sites such as Merchant Stock and Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. Both had perfect selections of unshatterable ornaments and large scale filling items! Perfect for my large scale commercial project. Check em out if you've got big projects!

Check back soon for the installation, happening in a couple weeks!

[Sketchy Mondays] Charming Built-Ins.

On a Tuesday. I know. I've gotten really wrapped up in my freelance backdrop work and lost track of the days for a minute there! But here it is!

I sketched these built-in bookshelves a while back when Emily Henderson's new show, Secrets from a Stylist, aired. (For my reactions to her pilot episode, read this)

The 1930's home was all around eclectic in architecture and sprinkled with little bits of charm here and there; but, I fell in love with this built-in wall.

Being built floor-to-ceiling, it emphasizes the vaulted ceiling lines and makes for a large statement wall. Enveloped in the middle is a picture window surrounded by glass block, creating the perfect reading or chatting nook.

Emily was smart and gave the homeowner the option to make it blend in as a more simple, functional, architectural piece or to make it stand out as an artistic flair to the room.

How do you achieve these completely different aesthetics? So simple. PAINT! Paint is the cheapest way to make the biggest difference. Simply by painting the back wall of these shelves, leaving the shelves themselves white, she was able to achieve several different effects from one large piece. Love that charm.