Monthly Archives: April 2012

Tween Girl’s Room

April 26, 2012 By in Bedroom, Design, Kids Decorations, KIds Room Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Ah yes that Tween Girl’s Room so many of us dread.  Why do we dread decorating a young teenager’s room?  Could it be that these tweens grew up enough to have a voice, to have a say in just how the room would be decorated.

Exactly, a loud say in the colors and the design choices for her room. Nothing like we would have done.  This room speaks the mind and heart of this tweener girl. Lots of sparkly and color.

 

What was once a large empty space is now a functional storage space. It’s a  chillin’ with girl friends kind of place.  She wanted LOTS of colors, LOTS of pillows.  Having a designer step in between mother and daughter is never a bad thing. The designer, can direct the mother on her daughter’s desires while that same designer directs the daughter to her mother’s wishes.  Mom wanted functional use of space, while daughter wanted messy colors in bright hues.  Daughter wanted NO furniture.  How did we fix this?  Creating this cozy space of function, lots of drawers and adding in panels of vibrant colors and pillows.
Up-close and personal with this girl and her desire for sparkles and color.  Mom just about fell over when I suggested we paint the walls a bright lime green.  She trusted me. Even more, mom wanted her daughter to feel that she could express her 13 year old self.   With mom, holding her breath the paint went up and so did this artsy collection of beaded gals, which was a gift from mom a few years back.  Now mom’s heart is warmed not by paint but by her daughter embracing this gift and wanting it displayed.
This is one of my favorite all time pictures.  Why?  It was a complete surprise.  Who knew that so much design would be cast on the walls of this already very hip room.
I sure did not, and we all stood in awe of this delightful surprise.
I love this 3-pronged light fixture. I love even more that this tweener and I took a trip to the bead store.  There she chose the color of beads to add more of her personality and character to this light fixture.   Allowing her own creative investment, ideas, and crafting skills in beading. Installing two of these funky fixtures, at each end of her exceptionally wide bench seat.
Function, storage, and no free floating furniture was the requirement of this room per our young tweener & mom.  With careful measurements and a skilled craftsman we were able to center a custom queen-size headboard.  Once the headboard was centered we worked out
the measurements for custom built drawer units with shelving.
I love the wild bedspread that captures all the colors cast throughout this room.
As the designer of a tweener, it’s important to do one thing really well.  L.I.S.T.E.N.  Listening is important for all designers, however with a tweener it’s a different kind of  listening.  You are gaining a young friend who thinks the world of you before they even know you. Why?  Because you are going to help that young tweener reflect her independence and help develop new confidences in self expression.  Her self expression in the many color panels of her drapes, her pillows, and her wild bedspread. Mom was not so sure about the lighting fixtures or color pallet, but in the end, this turned out to be one amazing Tween Girl’s Room.
What are some ways you have helped your tweener gain
new confidences in self expression through design?
If you have any questions about decorating your child’s room I would love for you to ask me.

Thank you for visiting,

Elizabeth, your personal  kids room designer

Pregnant & Working

April 24, 2012 By in Design, Designer Kids, Fashion, Kids Decorations, KIds Room Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

First, let me be clear. I am NOT “Pregnant & Working”.

I was laughing this evening over remembering a situation when I was pregnant and working.  I have many stories along this theme, but this one story in particular had me thinking about my working mama friends and if they ever have days like this.  Those days when the unexpected and supposed unplanned happens.

I was pregnant with my surprise 5th child over six years ago. One early Saturday morning I attended a business breakfast.  I was feeling woozy, distracted and almost did not go.  I wanted to fade into a corner when I got there and thought I should just check out and leave, but I was interested in connecting with a few people and stayed.   I met a go-getter of a gal named Tonya Giesbers. who was a sales consultant with a company called “Celebrating Home” www.tonyagiesbers.com (take a moment to visit her website).  She and I chit chatted and she asked about my experience in kids room decor, and together we shared a common interest in design, exchanged our business cards and I made my exit.

The following Monday I got a call from Tonya Giesbers. asking if I might be available, a few months out, to attend a dinner with her company.  As she was talking a client walked into my shop, distracting me. I noted the date and let her know I would love to attend.  I realize this all sounds like the normal routines of a working mom.    My days were filled with stopping at a coffee shop and getting my coffee and muffin on the way to my office.  Little boys in tow, meeting the assistant to help with the boys in-between clients, hopping on a plane to meet a client across the country, or having a house full of teenagers over on a Friday night eating pizzas and watching movies. There was no escaping the routines of life and being very pregnant with my surprise 5th child.  I complained very little because the reality is that I loved all that I was juggling.  With a good nights sleep I could pretty much keep up with it all.

I woke up on a Monday, now 8 months pregnant.  I pulled on my black trousers and a long sleeve black t-shirt.  Found a scarf  in the toy-box as I walked out to my car.  I was tired after a busy weekend and was deciding if I might take the day off.  My husband said to come in, and if I wanted I could just leave early.  So I drove into my office.  Accomplished nothing.  I had this one event, a dinner with this gal, Tonya G.,  I did not know very well.  The go-getter I met months earlier who invited me to her company dinner.  I checked my email and she said she was so excited to have me, and that I would be seated at the table near the front with her.  I was pondering if I should  return the email and cancel.  My husband encouraged me to go and suggested I drive to that end of town now, take an hour nap in the car before heading into the dinner.  I argued that it was a fancy hotel and I was not dressed appropriately.  Thank God for the scarf to sharpen up my outfit.   I drove across town, parked my car, reclined my seat and slept solid.  My husband called me on my cell phone to make sure I woke up.

A little quick make up check, lipstick and I was ready to eat and enjoy an evening with new friends.  I walked into the hotel and found the room.  A large lovely hotel decorated beautifully.  I was greeted and introduced to the regional director, the local director and this go-getter Tonya Giesbers brought me to my table.  I sat, and then picked up the program. There listed as the keynote speaker “Elizabeth Traub” followed by a small bio.  I froze.  How did I miss this?  How could I not know that I was  the keynote speaker for this event.  I racked my brain for rewind and play information in my mental list and it was not coming.  I took a few deep breaths and gathered myself.

I found Tonya  and asked her how much time I would have to speak.  She said that I had 45 minutes and that they would be video taping for future events.  I smiled and asked, “since this is being video taped, what information is most important.”  Nice, I know.  Asking key questions so this “keynote” speaker could speak.  Tonya handed me their company catalog. I sat back down, grabbed a pen and wrote an outline in the ten minutes before the event started.  I pulled off 45 minutes of talking about design.  Walked off the stage, and then answered individual questions for the next hour.

When I got to my car, I burst into laughter.  That crying, laughing, crying how did I do this kind of emotional disorganization of more crying and laughing.

I called my husband who clearly thought I was a  very pregnant emotional wife who had just lost it.  I was laughing so hard I could not get the words out.  Finally I was able to ask him, “guess who the keynote speaker was?”  He about fell over when I told him it was me. Had it not been for my husband encouraging me to go into work, encouraging me to take that busy traffic drive across town, and to take that nap, I can only imagine how things might have turned out.  I never did tell Tonya G. However after reading this I am sure she has some of her own stories of pregnant and working.

Tonya has won national awards with her ability to add design accents to your home. Take a moment to peruse her website. www.tonyagiesbers.com

What are some of your stories. That moment when you can credit an “oops” to being pregnant.  That on the job moment directly related to being pregnant and working?

“Emma”

April 24, 2012 By in Bedroom, Design, Designer Kids, KIds Room Leave a comment

“Emma”

We are excited to show the complete collection of “Emma”.  If you love the fun and friendly colors of blues, red, and earthy hues, then you will want to a look at our “Emma” collection.  A kids room needs those decorations and designs to spark personality.  “Emma” does just that.  Can you visualize this in your child’s room.  We have done all the decorating. Now you get to do all the shopping.  Click on “Emma” and go directly to a beautifully designed and decorated room.

Four Pinterest Practices

April 18, 2012 By in Bedroom, Design, KIds Room Tags: , , , ,

Pinterest Logo

Four Pinterest Practices that help grow my boards.

How is Pinterest working for Hung Out To Buy, a kids bedroom fashion boutique?  

Splendidly! Amazing!! Wowsers!!

Please go and check out my boards here: http://pinterest.com/hungouttobuy/

I stumbled onto Pinterest by way of an invite. I am a little embarrassed to say that my success happened over a family movie night, laptop on my lap, wine glass filled, and now move my cursor around and figure this thing out.  Within four hours my boards were filled and I had what others have said “a very professional” Pinterest page.  My family thinking, mom is becoming a computer geek.

Two weeks later I received an email from a stranger.  Tim Lorang who has a company called Image Media Partners-A Social Media & Online Marketing & Consulting Agency | Expert Video Producers | QR Code Marketing Solutions | Blogging & Content Creators | Professional Tweeters  Seattle, WA · http://www.imagemediapartners.com

Tim emailed me asking what tips I might offer on Pinterest. He had looked at my pages and realized that he too would need to up his knowledge when consulting for those clients becoming obsessed, like me, with Pinterest.   I was flattered that a dude, a man, a pioneer in social media was asking me, based on the look of my boards.  I was not just excited to be noticed and then contacted, I had many people asking me how I was able to get my boards up so fast and so functional. I emailed Mr. Lorang the shorter version of how I am working Pinterest.   It helps that marketing and design run in my blood.  However I am still behind the eight ball with Social Media.  Much further ahead today than I was four months ago when I set up my boards.

Is Pinterest driving people to my website?  Yes!  Each time I “plan” my “pinning” I first look at the traffic stats on my website.  As a newbie with social media, and website traffic I do not even know what merits “good” traffic.  All I know is that the jump from a few views will jump by 10′s rapidly.  Hung Out To Buy is brand new and I am learning that traffic is a first in getting people to know me, know my products and then as business awareness grows, sales begin.  So what is so special about me?  How is what I am doing different from the next super cool Pinterest-er?  As an Interior Designer I believe that it comes more natural to set up function, finder friendly boards.   Here are some tips, from a home-grown Interior Designer.

1.  Plan Your Pinning Quantities

If you find one great picture, don’t just pin that one picture.  The feed with Pinterest, and it’s growing popularity, moves rapidly. One single picture will get lost.  I save up pictures to total about ten pictures to be pinning at one time.  If you only have a few pictures. Learn the art of cropping. You can take one picture and expand on it’s elements.  Pin that one picture, and then focus on the specific elements of the picture, crop in close-ups and then pin those close up elements, giving more views of your picture through the feed.

If you have tens and hundreds of pictures. Space your pinning out.  It seems that I see MASSIVE pinning from an individual or company and then never again to be seen pinning for  weeks.  I try to set 2 days a week, all the time I have right now, for pinning my own pictures for Hung Out To Buy. This is also consistent with the adding of new products  to our website.  This consistency keeps the flow of traffic being driven to our website.

2.  Highlight Your Own Work

I am surprised at how many professional boards have boards that are not their own stuff on the first two rows of boards. Create your own boards, with your own work on that first few row of boards.  Take a moment and check out the first row on Hung Out To Buy’s boards http://pinterest.com/hungouttobuy/  Our second and 3rd rows also highlight our own boards.  Breaking down what our boards will show gives us more boards that are our very own.

For example we highlight each room by name. Here is a sample of our “Margaret” collection:

http://pinterest.com/hungouttobuy/margaret/ 

We take a picture that we like to refer to in the office as a “Sweeping” view of a collection and “Pin” it.  We also, highlight that same picture on the page of our website. In the same way we break down the products in the picture we sell on our website. We also break it down the picture on that one board specific to our collection.   This is going to also create a sense of consistency to those looking either on Pinterest or our Hung Out To Buy’s website.

Sweeping “Margaret” Collection

Now that you have your pictures pinned on that one board, what next? I then expand those pictures, filtering them through the Pinterest feed, several more times,  by creating additional boards such as “For Sale” board  “Lighting” board “Walls”  board etc.  I easily have the same pictures, categorized on separate boards through out my Pinterest sight.

3. Take Authentic Interest in Others

I spend about 30 minutes a day forgetting about myself, my agenda, and my “interior motive”.  I love design, visuals, ideas of others, arrangements and rooms.  I take the time to highlight and notice others.  Authentic interest is important to understanding what fuels the passions of others. I comment on things that truly inspired me. I comment on other designers who have done a fine job with a room, or an accent. I comment on lovely foods and travel. Those things that interest me.  I pin the designs and ideas of other all over my boards. Once you get past the first few rows of Hung Out To Buy’s personal boards you will see hundreds of others I love.  And I follow those boards who consistently inspire and provoke me to be a better designer.

4. Enlist Additional Pinners for your Boards

Do you have family and friends who love your work, love you and are excited for what you are doing?  Ask them for help.  Send out a regular email when new pictures have been pinned. Ask that they pin to their boards.  This allows your pictures, to once again, go through the feed and get noticed.  Offer incentives to some of the more popular boards to be pinning your pictures or better yet, those in your industry, customers etc.

This picture defines how I felt when I first started.

Portrait of Mom by Ethan

I would also love to follow your Pinterest boards.    Leave me a comment with your link to your Pinterest boards.

 Please click and follow Hung Out To Buy on Pinterest  in my sidebar too. Thx

I hope these “Four Pinterest Practices” was helpful to you.

A Teacup To A Table

April 15, 2012 By in Design, Designer Kids, KIds Room Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment
A Teacup To A Table

How do you take A Teacup To A Table?

Several weeks ago I  was sitting in my family room chatting with my daughter about our two favorite tea cups. She has hers and I have mine.  Only we have yet to sip tea out of them.  Mine came from a dear friend, and funny thing, hers came from a dear friend too. We have dear friends with fabulous tea cup taste.  They both sit up on a shelf side by side (the teacups, not the friends).  And then it hit me. I am going to transfer my teacup pattern onto a  piece of furniture. I got very excited about this project and decided to invite you into the process.

Emily's Special Tea Cup

 


Inside of My Special Tea Cup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Special Tea Cup

.It seems pretty easy to get started on such a simple project.  The reality is you have to take inventory of what you will need from start to finish.  Nothing kills the joy of an afternoon project than missing key pieces  to get the project moving.  Taking inventory here of what I need:

Sandpaper,paints, roller brush, white spray paint.

In the upper left you will see some sandpaper.  Brushing off the extra bumps, dirt, and loose parts of the old  finish of an old table. I am not a “play by rules” kind of furniture painter.  This you must know up front.  I am a do it as fast, as easy  and if no one is playing with the piece, licking it, or moving it around then a general soft sanding is fine with me.  I have my rollers ready too. These are removable and washable.  Acrylic color samples that will be the colors  for the flowers on the table. One can of white spray paint.  And the inspiration piece is the Teacup. Total cost for spray paint, rollers, and sand paper $14.50.  Misc paint colors on hand and now I am ready to paint this:

 

Old Dingy Table

This lovely table I picked up a a garage sale for about $8.00. All the screws are tight making this a very stable table to hold a lovely lamp for later.  Now that I have every thing all ready to go.  Important to start project when my husband is watching basketball,  and the boys are all playing.  I can start and finish in one day.  The only delays will be paint drying.

 
Now to the sanding of this lovely table. I have to admit I should have worn a mask, although I was outdoors and did not deliberately breath the stain that was most likely over 50 years old.  It smelled  of my grandma’s attic. Then I water cleaned, wiped down and dried off the table.  I then spray painted the table white. I was glad I had my roller handy as it really helped with the areas that wanted to drip.  Once the paint was dry I added blue trim.  Now the teacup has a purple accent, so faint that if you blurred your eyes it looked blue. I wanted to highlight the blue so I trimmed it out with a dark and lighter blue.  Make no mistake, there are few clean lines. I know when I am done I will get out my fine paint brush and touch up all the areas that I over painted in white.  Here is the table now painted and trimmed.  Ready for the next step?

The Transformation Begins

Painted white and trimmed in blue.  I like to paint on my ironing board.  It is a good height and there is lots of hang over for this table, so I can walk around the project, reach under and over without having to move the table.  I even have the teacup under that stand to remind me of what first got me inspired to paint table.

This next step is what I call layering. I think any beginner would think this to be a difficult project.  Do not look at the project as a whole. Look at this project in layers. Starting with the lightest color I find the pattern on the cup of just yellow.

Inside of Inspiration

The little shelf on the bottom of this table will be modeled like the inside of the cup.  It narrows down the pattern for me to easily see the yellow colors first.  It also allows me to start the “layering” with the lightest colors, which I recommend.

In Process

For some, this may be a tedious job of spacing and measuring. I eyeball the distance and do not hold myself to perfection.  I use to be a perfectionist and a project like this would have taken weeks, I would loose my enthusiasm, and the project  would be junked in my garage.  Believe me this is way more fun and becomes your own.

Lower Shelf

 I also made sure to transfer my first layer of color on the lower shelf too.  Starting with the lightest colors always help “fix” mistakes along the way.  Also keep your “inspiration” piece safe.  I know that if that ironing board gets knocked over I can clean up paints but would be sad to break this teacup. So I kept it on the floor close to the project, or a shelf very close by. 

Layered With Orange

I layered next with orange. It was kind of a sherbet orange which certainly punches out the yellow.  Once the yellow and orange were layered on I started to add the blue.  Are you ready to see all the colors applied and the finished table?

 Layering is a miracle way of painting.  Remember I said do not look at the pattern as a whole, but layer the pattern  with the lightest colors first.  OH JOY!!!  Get excited with me. I am so pleased how this turned out. 

The Finished Product

My teacup and my table now completed.  I am very happy with how this turned out. I took a close up to show how very imperfect this is. Go ahead look very very close at this.  Layering of each color transfers the pattern without even really trying.  I took each color and moved it around the table in about the approximate place it should be.

Lower Shelf

This is that lower shelf. I am so glad I trimmed in blue and decided to take the time to paint the lower shelf.  It did not take any extra time in that the layering of color was just dabbling along with each new layer of color.

 

Arial View

Who paints perfection like that? Not me. When my table was complete and I was happy with my pattern, I took a fine white paintbrush.  I then went over the oopsies on the table itself. You know like getting your hand in the way and then getting paint where you did not see it.  I painted  white over all those little imperfections.

Taking what was a dingy table, the inspiration of a teacup and the finished product a very cute table that is now sitting between two chairs in my family room.  You can do the same to any dingy or tired piece of furniture you have.  Simply stated from table to teacup.

What keeps you from getting paint on a paintbrush.  Do you ever see a print and desire to have it painted somewhere. The best practice is to just do it.  I hope you enjoyed this fast and easy Do It Yourself table. If you enjoyed A Teacup To A Table, tell me so.

 

Vases in Kid’s Rooms

April 14, 2012 By in Design, Designer Kids, KIds Room Tags: , , , , Leave a comment
Vases in Kid’s Rooms

Vases In Kid’s Rooms
By Elizabeth Traub
April, 12 2012

Vases, in a kid’s room, really?  Vases are every where. Ranging in price, color, size, style and shape.  I have seen vases used in the loveliest of homes. Used to add color and style to one simple place on a table, shelf, or wall.  Look how lovely these vases are?

What about using vases in a kid’s room to add those pops of color?  There are so many ways you can bring color into a child’s room. It does not have to be in a place that is going to create dangers.  Most children can not reach the top of a five-drawer chest.  And when they can reach the top, they are of the age to understand cause and effect.  Most kids are not going to be able to reach a vase up on the top of a bookcase or wall shelf.  Now if your child is not supervised, like some of mine, they do manage to find their way into every corner of their rooms.

Using a vase in a kid’s room adds an inexpensive way to pop colors.  If you love color, and want to bring out more colors you can simply take a trip to the store and stock up on vases.  I know we all know the basic use of some colored pots or vases such has holding stuff like pens and pencils such as this picture. I even threw in a couple of flower pens to add a bit more style and color.

Here are some ideas taken from just a handful of vases

to add some COLOR into your kid’s room.

Starting with a basic clear glass vase.  I took some Christmas garland I got on sale last season.  (Shhh it does not look like Christmas here.)  Clear glass vases are a terrific way to drop some of the things you love to decorate with.

Look how quickly the design and color just changed by trading  out the elements. We went from chic girl to Lego boy with one inexpensive vase.

This next picture is a simple table top arrangement with one simple vase.  Look how much color this one vase brings out the other colors in just two simple accents.  I would put this on a night table and put all the pretend flowers she makes in her vase.

How many times have you tried to think of ways to display that precious and special blanket made by your Aunt Betty?  You can take a simple wall shelf, and fill the entire shelf with just a simple potted vase and then wrap that blanket up (without the baby) and display. How is that for a pop of color?  Aunt Betty will be so charmed, or better yet, forget Aunt Betty and display something your mother-in-law gave you. It could be a cute blanket, outfit, rolled up artwork too.

Mix and matching vases to create a color sweep of the colors you want to bring out in the room.  Using two vases, both with different character we are able to mix it up a little.  This would be perfect on a dresser with a lovely picture above.

Speaking of a picture above.  Here we have taken a picture and popped the unexpected colors with bright yellow and blue accents.  Sometimes you might have colors that dominate.  Look for that one soft hue that is understated and then find a vase to pop out the colors.  I love how this yellow vase brightens the picture too.

Stacking your design elements to accent a taller vase.  I love how the vase, frame and fabric box create so much design. Inspired by a simple blue vase.

It is so simple to decorate all the areas of your home with vases. Often we think of flowers to fill them with.  If you have a boring dull vase, think of the possibilities in using vases to decorating and finding Vases for your kid’s room.  All of these vases, look so different once lined up with kid’s room accents.

Was this post helpful?  If you were inspired to use a vase to decorate your kid’s room please comment and let us know. Send us your pictures so we can see and add your pictures to this blog post. 

Happy Decorating your kid’s room.

Loved Before

April 11, 2012 By in KIds Room Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

What exactly is Hung Out To Buy doing with “Loved Before” items?  How can we best describe these lovely things that have had previous ownership?  First, take a look at these guys…

Emerson's Favorite Red doggie

Eric's "Special" Blanky (8yrs. old)

These two “Loved Before” items represent a clinging for your life kind of love.  All children have those less than attractive “Loved Before”, and still being loved, never going to be parted with items.  I took Eric on a business trip with me when he was just 5 months old.  I was meeting with a client to help design her bedding collection for an upcoming trade show.  Knowing I was coming with an infant, she had this gorgeous creamed colored fleece and minky fabric car-seat blanket waiting for Eric.  Eric pulled that blanket into his face and eight years later it is still cherished at bedtime. A nanny once picked up this “Special Blanky” to toss in the garbage thinking it was, in her words, “a disgusting rag.”  The “Red Doggie” as it’s called, has been around for over 20 years.  My daughter wanted it, and then it sat on a shelf until Emerson came along and claimed it.  These “Loved Before” items are NOT the kind of items we will be featuring on our website.

Our designer “Loved Before” items  are items we have purchased back from our clients, or simply great finds that have been carefully “Loved Before”. Items that were taken care of, cherished, and loved, and still look as good as the day they were purchased.  We are designers who love the finer things for your children. We also know that finding those designer things is not always about being brand new.  Take at look as these three pictures below.  Focus on the bedding accents.  Can you believe that these have been “Loved Before”?  Treasured, cared for and “Loved Before.” Using the best quality fabrics that still maintain their vibrant colors and little or no wear and definitely no tares.  All items we feature that have been “Loved Before” will always be prefaced as “Love Before” items.

Loved Before Yellow Posie Fullsize Duvet Cover & Sham
Accents Pillows & Accessories Sold Separately

Loved Before Blue Posie Twin Duvet Cover & Sham
Accent Pillows & Accessories Sold Separately

Loved Before Lady Bug
Bumper & Crib Quilt

You won’t find “Loved Before” items only in our bedding.  Throughout our entire website we will bring  you great finds, great savings and simple, fashionable boutique “Loved Before” items.

What are somethings, that have that same look at “Red Doddy” & “Speical Blanky”

that your kids have hung onto?

Wholesale Accounts

April 7, 2012 By in Bedroom, Design, KIds Room Tags: , , , 3 Comments

Wholesale Accounts

Hung Out To Buy is available for custom design wholesale accounts.  Designing  accents for your own store or website,  exclusive to your look.  Bedding and Wall Accents in custom colors and designs.  Our designer, Elizabeth can work directly with you in the decision-making process to enrich and enhance the story you are telling with your web pages. Together Dawn & Elizabeth,  will bring you the quality of products to add new and customized pieces to your store.  Please contact us if you would like a consultation.  All wholesale accounts must be approved and a minimum order is required on your first order.  We look forward to helping you grow your business with exclusive one of a kind designs just for your customers.

When you contact us, please link us to your website that we may see your product mix to develop ideas exclusive to your look and design.

Serving You one new design at a time,

Dawn & Elizabeth

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