Category Archives: Design Links

New Year, New Things

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Happy New Year! Seems like the first few days of 2011 have been really eventful already (some good, some really quite bad). I am really excited about starting afresh and seeing what this year will bring to us all.

Most of you know, I am due to POP any minute now, so I had expected the first two or three months of 2011 to be on the slow side… However, the wall stencils have been so well-received, I’ve been working! Seems Little One is happy where he is, so I am shipping, ordering, designing my fingers off (and couldn’t be happier). But if I disappear for a week or so, you know what happened. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

I enjoyed decorating my son’s room, and have yet another cornice to photograph and show soon (would you believe I actually sewed something?). There are a couple finishing touches to be done in the room, but as soon as they are complete, expect photos!

A new client this week said she was going to stencil her wall, and then use the same stencil on some pillows. LOVE IT! I hope she sends pics.

Another new friend said she would be using a small stencil to decorate a cake. A cake! I hope she sends pics. And a slice. Have to make sure the stencil worked, in person, of course. ;)

This year, I expect the DIY world to have an even stronger boost than it did last year. The latest buzz I’m hearing is that, with the economy slowly on the upswing, decorating your own home is a more than welcome way to create the environment you want and save those precious pennies. There are so many great products out there that will give your home the polish of professional[-looking] decor without the hefty price tag. Or without looking like a craft fair from 1992 (remember those?).

With that in mind, might I suggest stenciling something? :) Also, check out Design Hole’s recent post on stenciling walls. Choose your own paint, your own pattern, your own theme, your own technique, and GO! And if you mess up, paint it, and try again. Very economical, and un-scary for the DIY decorator.

SALE Extended! Happy Holidays to YOU!

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I’ve changed my mind. I get to do that, you know. :) I’ve decided to extend the Grand Opening Sale thru December. Why? Because I like you. And because I know many of you are still trying to decide which stencil you want AND that the holidays are a terrible time to rush that process. So let’s just take it a month further, shall we? Enjoy!

In case you’ve forgotten or missed it the first time, here’s the deal:

GRAND OPENING SALE!

How would you like a 40% rebate on your most recent stencil order?
I thought you might be interested.

Here’s how it works:

Buy a stencil and use it somewhere. Apply for the rebate using the form link below. Tell me about yourself, the stencil you used, and where you used it. Upload a picture (or five) of your work. I’ll send back 40% of your purchase price. No kidding. That’s pretty much it.

Not bad, eh?

A few terms and conditions:

  1. Pictures must be at least 800×600 (bigger is better), and taken with a digital camera, not a cell phone camera.
  2. At least one picture must include the whole project, not just a portion of it. You can upload up to five pictures, so feel free to send different angles and portions of your project, so long as at least one picture is the whole thing.
  3. By taking advantage of this offer, you agree to let me use your name (first name and last initial only), your location (state only) and your review for promotional purposes. If you have a website, I would be more than happy to link back to you.
  4. One rebate per household/business.
  5. Rebates come back to you via PayPal, no exceptions.
  6. This offer applies only to stencils purchased until December 31, 2010. Photo(s) and information must be submitted before February 28, 2011.
  7. Rebate will be given only upon approval of submitted photos and information. I reserve the right to refuse this rebate based on unacceptable, unusable, or incomplete images and/or information.
  8. Email confirmation of rebate will be initiated within 10 days of receipt of acceptable photo(s) and information.
  9. Custom stencil orders will receive a 15% rebate.
  10. Does not apply to wholesale orders.

Ready to go? Fill out the form here.

What We’ve Been Up To Around These Here Parts

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It has been a busy week, here at the LU Graphics fort. My, my, my has it been busy. Here’s what’s new:

There is OH so much more to come. Things that get me so excited, I’ve given up sleep, and things so secretive and delicious, I’ve begun lowering my voice in public. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am!

Hop on board and take advantage of this very special and limited offer! I cannot WAIT to see what you do.

All the best,

Libby Unwin
Chief Pretty-Maker

GRAND OPENING SALE!

How would you like a 40% rebate on your most recent stencil order?
I thought you might be interested.

Here’s how it works:

Buy a stencil and use it somewhere. Apply for the rebate using the form link below. Tell me about yourself, the stencil you used, and where you used it. Upload a picture (or five) of your work. I’ll send back 40% of your purchase price. No kidding. That’s pretty much it.

Not bad, eh?

A few terms and conditions:

  1. Pictures must be at least 800×600 (bigger is better), and taken with a digital camera, not a cell phone camera.
  2. At least one picture must include the whole project, not just a portion of it. You can upload up to five pictures, so feel free to send different angles and portions of your project, so long as at least one picture is the whole thing.
  3. By taking advantage of this offer, you agree to let me use your name (first name and last initial only), your location (state only) and your review for promotional purposes. If you have a website, I would be more than happy to link back to you.
  4. One rebate per household/business.
  5. Rebates come back to you via PayPal, no exceptions.
  6. This offer applies only to stencils purchased during the month of November, 2010. Photo(s) and information must be submitted before January 31st, 2011.
  7. Rebate will be given only upon approval of submitted photos and information. I reserve the right to refuse this rebate based on unacceptable, unusable, or incomplete images and/or information.
  8. Email confirmation of rebate will be initiated within 10 days of receipt of acceptable photo(s) and information.
  9. Custom stencil orders will receive a 15% rebate.
  10. Does not apply to wholesale orders.

Ready to go? Fill out the form here.

Libby Unwin Designs Featured in Better Homes & Gardens DIY Magazine!

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I was shocked and honored when Alluminare contacted me and told me my patterns were featured in Better Homes And Gardens’ quarterly publication, Do It Yourself.

I am so incredibly humbled and grateful for the coverage and want to thank the editors and Better Homes And Gardens for including my patterns along with the amazing designs from Khristian Howell. I love the way they used the patterns!

You can find all the looks featured in Better Homes And Gardens at Alluminare.com
(I’d also like to point out that they used wall stencils to decorate this room!)

And The Winner Is…

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Billy Hobbs of Rogers, Arkansas! Billy won the Alluminare Design Challenge on Home Workshop! Congratulations, Billy!

Here is his winning pattern:

And this is how Christopher Lowell described it:

Depending on color choice, this could easily go from organic to pop art. Its range is calm and sensual or upbeat and highly graphic depending on chosen contrasts. I like its non-gender specific attitude. Its flow and movement give it a contained animation. Its soft, pod-in-water-like suggestion could integrate well into both global-organic modern, traditional and pop or young and hip spaces.

Billy will now be inducted into the league of World Class Designers on Alluminare.com. He also won a $300 gift certificate toward any of Alluminare’s fabulous products.

The runners-up were: Renata Rubim, Maria Cheek and Nicky Martin. Congratulations to all!

In light of recent developments, this post has changed to congratulate a new winner. I stand by Homeworkshop.com’s decision to adjust the outcome.

Alluminare Design Challenge

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I am pleased, honored, thrilled, and completely beside myself with excitement at having been invited to be a judge in the Alluminare Design Challenge on Homeworkshop.com. 475 delicious patterns were submitted from around the world, and the one and only Mr. Christopher Lowell has narrowed them down to ten finalists. Keep an eye on Homeworkshop.com — within the next week, voting will begin and another designer will be inducted to the World Class Designers of Alluminare.com! Good luck to all!

A Little Something

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I threw this together today for the Tigerprint Love Typography contest. It’s all font-based, meaning, I didn’t draw any of it. The flowers are a dingbat, and I used a couple fonts for the text. I haven’t manipulated a font in a long time, so this was fun. :)

The blurb:

“My One And Only Love” is the title of a song that reminds me of my husband, who was the inspiration for this piece. I used a combination of bold and neutral colors, to represent the bright, happy times as well as the soft and quiet times in a marriage. The letters interweave in certain places, and stand alone in others, to represent the way our lives are intertwined, yet unique and different.

Inspiration

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It’s not really a New Year’s resolution so much as a “what I need right now”, but I’ve decided to look around more. I am so inspired by other designers!!

Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of time staring at Letterhead Fonts. Lots of typographic eye candy. Check ‘em out.

I also stared at Jessica Hische’s website. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you refill your coffee and click here. You’ll stare for a long time. Gorgeous work.

And one of my favorite, favorite things to look at is Patty Young’s designs. I love, love the colorways she uses.

What inspires you? What do you find yourself staring at?

Images from Letterhead Fonts, Jessica Hische, and Patty Young. I am not affiliated with any of these individuals or companies, only hold them in high regard. :)

Crafty Wallpaper Contest: The Results!

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The wallpaper craft is finished! Yipee! And I have the pictures to walk you through the steps.

(*NOTE: I am not a photographer. I apologize for this in advance.)

Cool Picture Framed Art

1. Buy nine – 1 foot square frames and spray paint them black.
I modified this step. I bought 32′ of 1×2 and mitered the ends to create 8 1′ frames, and spray painted the sides black. The reasons were cost and functionality. Frames can be expensive, and finding eight with flat faces was going to be costly and difficult. When you can’t find what you want, make it yourself, I say!

2. Carefully cut out a bunch of 1-foot x 1-foot squares of wallpaper – it’s ideal because you don’t need to trim or break the pattern.
I modified this step as well. It made more sense to me to paint the design on the front of the paper and then cut the squares. Thank you, thank you to Design Hole and Alluminare for the wallpaper! The paper is really strong and durable – believe me, I’m clumsy and I didn’t even nick it! – and the surface texture is great for painting.

3. Tack the squares to the front of the frames (and only the fronts, no wrap-around).
I used Tacky Glue. I love it! It is super strong and dries clear. I just like the stuff – no kickback for me if you buy it because of this site. :)

4. Arrange the frames into a 3-foot × 3-foot grid and secure them together (temporarily, carefully). Find a simple, graphic design and paint it in white across all the pieces.
Modified: see above.
5. Separate the pieces, affix to the wall in the same grid order, but about 1 to 2 inches apart on all sides.
(This is where my sucky photog skills really show off.)

 

And wah-lah! Wallart.

What’s that you say? Where’s the rest of the wallpaper? I’m glad you asked!