Interior Paint Colors Ideas

Chiago Residential <b>Painting</b> - Exterior <b>Painting</b> | Mike's <b>...</b><br><span>Chiago Residential <b>Painting</b></span><br><a href="http://www.mikesdecorating.com/wp-content/gallery/residential-paint/New1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Chiago Residential Painting - Exterior Painting | Mike's ..." src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ7GsTYZ0QgLVUBtIy2Cppe0sFebbkPKKNMjqGhnvpV8Nt60El-LvYFU03F" width="475"></a><br><a name="more"></a><b>Interior Painting Ideas</b> | Dreams <b>House</b> Furniture<br><span><b>Interior Painting Ideas</b></span><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsWOkfe3J0LF24voYivQvf3Z1On9ZiPsB4fQHi252mfq9OM-5lPEns0IUycMsUCZ-5CKTgd61OzlCvUlhJbha5LGUp0y5DHO5mQFNLGlmjGrBli_OjdxLdI01ZOzsVzuMXy9sGVsRMjw/s640/interior+house+painting.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Interior Painting Ideas | Dreams House Furniture" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQkXVVVVXtc8hvYnAs8gGqbpu7RQyorv2CDslAU5bodc8fTqlJErNK_rw" width="475"></a><br><a name="more"></a>nice <b>interior painting ideas</b> 2014<br><span><b>interior painting ideas</b></span><br><a href="http://decoration0.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/decoration2622.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="nice interior painting ideas 2014" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRL2RtPyYJ0RmtWiea-Mf2xaV4CD0XJM5VDCdr3ktFEKd14fl2x-lehVG8" width="475"></a><br><a name="more"></a><b>Interior Painting Ideas</b> | Dreams <b>House</b> Furniture<br><span><b>Interior Painting Ideas</b></span><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AZze9fenjJVQ_-29HHar0JqnwKiMkZjJcKTXnIkzsx-9vH38iZ2nX0FPM9kPmMyHR-Oxtk5LAlJgL7yoBcqiHEz1N2W59RaQP4gALvtkS2KLIJbM8F9isD8V7q61KfDCSrrR23OwcOE/s1600/Interior-Paint-White-Idea.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Interior Painting Ideas | Dreams House Furniture" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9ftFk8fXKo0HVfYQDyRh3NaU33NPUQI7mo6mg1AH7W7w0CpKH9_NsW0IX" width="475"></a><br><a name="more"></a><b>Interior Paint</b> Schemes <b>Ideas</b> Www Home <b>Decorating Ideas</b> | Home <b>...</b><br><span><b>Interior Paint</b> Schemes <b>Ideas</b></span><br><a href="http://yogaculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home-interior-paint-schemesinterior-paint-schemes-ideas-www-home-decorating-ideas-buooqnrs.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Interior Paint Schemes Ideas Www Home Decorating Ideas | Home ..." src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQlClvszQhyRBVTm2odWFhecxE_qLgxX6mT--oToeBt9CgxKAC_C8DNepwA" width="475"></a><br><a name="more"></a><b>color</b>-qa-lg.jpg<br><span><b>color</b>-qa-lg.jpg</span><br><a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/Ub/color-qa-lg.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="color-qa-lg.jpg" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR3mqqJS30B2m_MEg_YQp50so5xskwrSTHaAvd22sr3p_J2GthAg35IMq0" width="475"></a><br>

Interior Paint Colors Ideas

Chiago Residential Painting - Exterior Painting | Mike's ... Chiago Residential Painting Interior Painting Ideas | Dreams House Furn...

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Thank You (and a little Rothko-esque art project)

<center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1282.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1282.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Thank you all so, so, so much for your kind notes and words of encouragement lately. Each one has meant so much to me. :)<br /><br />It has been hard for me to share everything here, and I don't think it would have been appropriate at the time, but it's been a very strange and difficult couple of months for me, filled with a lot of challenges coming from what felt like every which way. I thought I was managing it all okay, but the last couple weeks were when I hit my breaking point (Ha! breaking point!). I guess I didn't really realize how buried I was getting until the holidays and my broken arm forced me to stop for a second and take an emotional inventory? Everyone goes through low points, and I think it's healthy and important to be really open with loved ones about these things, which I totally failed at this year. I should have asked for help earlier, but it was like I was too busy to feel or something, so when I switched gears for even just a minute, it all came crashing down hard on me. I'm sure many of you have experienced similar emotions. It's no fun.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1294.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1294.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1256.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1256.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Anyway, the good news is today I feel like the fog is beginning to lift. Things are looking up again. I'm feeling hopeful. I've decided I want to keep writing this blog and I've got some new plans that I'm truly so excited about. I keep having to remind myself that my arm (and my spirits) are still a bit fragile though, so I'm easing into it. :)<br /><a name="more"></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1201.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1201.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Today I was itching to do something creative (and simple enough to do with one good hand). I had been looking around online for a print with some reds in it to fill one of my gallery wall place-holder frames, and I kept coming back to images like <a href="http://www.art.com/products/p14433291-sa-i3022392/mark-rothko-no-12-1951.htm?sOrig=CAT&sOrigID=0&dimVals=5000004-207268&ui=DDBF26D99AF1485191418BFFF8E7BAF4" target="_blank">this Rothko print</a>. I almost just bought one, but lately I've been wanting an excuse to paint something for myself. I didn't want to paint anything that required thinking or planning or really any technical skill. I just wanted to throw some colors on a piece of paper. (which is exactly what I did and is exactly the opposite of what Rothko did - just to be clear!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1204.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1204.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I used cheap acrylic paint from Michaels (which wiped right off my counters when I was done) and white wrapping paper (!!!!) because it was easy to find in my disorganized construction zone of a house, and it was the perfect size already for my frame. I used a ton of paint on this thing and it took basically all day to dry, but I had a great time layering on different colors, and mixing and blending.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1205.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1205.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I buy thrift store art all the time, just for the frames. This huge 35x49 brass frame was only about $4! I just had to take the time to pull it apart, remove the old art (but I was sure to leave the old linen mounting board! Good stuff!), and install my new art with a roll of mounting tape from the dollar store. I like the bit of dimension the thicker mounting tape gives the art. The paint dried on the wrapping paper in an interesting way and I like that the raised mounting left a lot of the texture in the paper and didn't smoosh it flat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1220.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1220.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1222.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1222.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1230.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1230.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1234.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1234.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">You'll want to make sure all the mounting tape pieces make good contact with both the art paper and the linen board so you won't have any slipping issues in the future. (so annoying when that happens, right?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1237.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1237.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My painting's really not very good, but doesn't it seem like everything looks better under glass? Once I had it all framed up, I liked it more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1241.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1241.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1288.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1288.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I can't tell you how therapeutic it was to do this little art project today. It felt good to do a project for me, just because I felt like it. And it felt good to be happy enough with the results that I wanted to share the photos with you all.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1286.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1286.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Also, I know it's lame to copy a famous artist, but I really love Mark Rothko's color study paintings, so it feels like a little ode to him rather than a knock off since this is just for personal use. It will likely just be a place holder until I find something more permanent to put in the frame. In the meantime, I'm loving the jolt of energy these bright colors brought into our living room! And I think when I look at it over the coming weeks, I'll be reminded of some of the hope and clarity I'm starting to feel today.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1244.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1244.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />Thanks again, friends, for your patience and understanding. Big hugs to you all. xoxo

Thank You (and a little Rothko-esque art project)

Thank you all so, so, so much for your kind notes and words of encouragement lately. Each one has meant so much to me. :) It has been hard f...

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Hello and Happy New Year!

Hi friends! Happy 2014!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0998.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_0998.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><center></center><br />I'm sorry for the radio silence - things have been quieter on the site than I meant them to be this week. Honestly, I've been getting a little burned out the past few months and I'm trying hard to shake off this funk, but I'm struggling a little. I had hoped the holidays would be a little more restful, but they were so crazy that I didn't really get a chance to hit that reset button during my time off. And sadly, it seems like every time I get this stressed out, something bigger happens with my health that forces me to slow down a bit. This time I fell and broke my arm at the elbow. I'm doing pretty good, and I don't need surgery like we thought I might. Just trying to take it easy for another few days. I'm hoping to use the down time to get re-energized and re-inspired. I'm hoping all the swelling goes down sometime soon too. I feel like a balloon! :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_1106.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_1106.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />A few days before I fell I managed to get a primer coat on the music room walls. The primer was tinted to be lighter and brighter (and a little less green) than the final color will be, but it's fun to get a sense of what the finished product will be. I can't wait to get that done!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0997.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_0997.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0989.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_0989.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_0985.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_0985.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I got a few other projects done over the holidays that I need to photograph and share, so I'll be back with those over the next couple days. Thanks for hanging tight while I get all this straightened out and while I focus on mending my arm (and my head). xoxo

Hello and Happy New Year!

Hi friends! Happy 2014! I'm sorry for the radio silence - things have been quieter on the site than I meant them to be this week. Honest...

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Happy Holidays!

Christmas snuck up on me in the most major way. Do you feel the same? The girls took on most of the holiday decorating themselves this year (hence the sparse tree with the crooked star), but looking around, I love it all more than anything I could have done if I had had the time. These kids are so, so excited for Evie's birthday tomorrow and then of course for Christmas. It's seriously just magical to watch them scurry around the house making preparations. :)<br /><br />We are doing some last minute shopping this afternoon (wish me luck), a little service project this evening and then tonight I have a whole lot of gingerbread house pieces to make for a little family party we're having over here tomorrow for Evelyn. We've been hosting a lot of visitors the past couple days and truly, there's nothing like house guests to push me to get projects done. Am I right? I started hanging art in our house this week (some of these are thrift store pieces I just bought for the frame!) and while there's still a long way to go with decorating projects, suddenly it feels like <i>our house. </i>Perfect timing!<br /><br />I hope you and yours have a really lovely week. See you in a few days. Merry Christmas!!<br /><center></center><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo Christmas2013.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/Christmas2013.jpg" /></div><br />

Happy Holidays!

Christmas snuck up on me in the most major way. Do you feel the same? The girls took on most of the holiday decorating themselves this year ...

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Meet Helene

<script src="http://thirdparty.fmpub.net/placement/571864?fleur_de_sel=[timestamp]" type="text/javascript"></script><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #919196; line-height: 18px;">This post was brought to you by </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #919196; line-height: 18px;">American Express</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #919196; line-height: 18px;">. Helene is just one Member of the American Express PassionProject. See all of the inspiring stories <a href="http://r1.fmpub.net/?r=http%3A%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B276492443%3B102918209%3Bi%3Bpc%3D%5BTPAS_ID%5D&k4=7127&k5=571864" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love that San Diego is a quick and easy road trip from Phoenix. A couple weeks ago, we hopped in the car and spent the weekend museum hopping at Balboa Park, filling up on fish tacos and shrimp ceviche, and checking out the amazing tidal pools at Cabrillo National Park. One of the highlights of the weekend was getting to meet <a href="http://hipandhandy.com/" target="_blank">Helene Cornell</a>, who lives in a beautiful bungalow in a historic neighborhood near the park.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aaDSC_0569.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aaDSC_0569.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0551.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0551.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Helene is pure sunshine and we became fast friends (she just sent me her adorable holiday card). You can't help but smile while you're talking to her, especially when she's telling you about her passion: restoring airstream and canned ham trailers. After she's finished with the restoration part, Helene rents her trailers out as guest rooms to travelers and friends. You can find her listings <a href="http://www.urbanholidayrentals.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Helene turned her passion into her business and she's learned a lot about </span>entrepreneurship<span style="font-family: inherit;">, design and people along the way. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;"><center></center></div><div style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_8344H.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2015/IMG_8344H.jpg" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="http://www.deannbphotography.com/" target="_blank">Deann B Photography</a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a little about Helene and lots of photos of her beautiful home and one of her canned ham trailers!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0714.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/DSC_0714.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><a name="more"></a><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">JK: Tell me about how you first got interested in refurbishing vintage </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">airstream and canned ham trailers.</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: I purchased my first trailer about six years ago on Craigslist to make </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">an impromptu guest bedroom to accommodate the overflow of family and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">friends in our small house, which was already kind of like a hostel. I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">realized we could rent the trailer out for profit shortly after, as </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">our friends seemed to love having their own cubby. My husband decided </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">to go back to school, and buying our home at the top of the market was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">putting a lot of stress on the finances. I didn't realize the vacation r</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">ental business was the solution to our problems. Over the years, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">hundreds of people have stayed, and subsequently we've expanded the fleet of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">trailers to make room for more visitors and enthusiasts from all over </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">the world. I grew up camping and moving around a lot, so it only made </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">sense to offer a more experience-driven approach to lodging.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cDSC_0524.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/cDSC_0524.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo zDSC_0576.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/zDSC_0576.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>Where do you find your style inspiration?</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: I'm inspired by different cultures, from the materials, colors, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">textures and energy of tradition and travel. I believe design should </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">be a relationship that you build based on your personal experiences, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">so when you look at a rug you bought from a flea market in Mexico, or </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">a framed piece of art that you inherited from your grandmother, you </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">are telling a story that conveys a comfortable and emotional </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">connection. Narrative is the most important inspiration, which can </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">only be defined by you, so like any medium, it is subjective. </span></span><br /><div><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo sDSC_0721.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/sDSC_0721.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Another HUGE factor for me is humor and engaging your inner child. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Design should be fun, and should not be taken too seriously. If there </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">is any way to add an interactive element, a humorous touch, or a illogical </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">addition, why not? Imperfections make us more human.</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img alt=" photo xDSC_0578.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0578.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo aDSC_0703.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0703.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xxxDSC_0593.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xxxDSC_0593.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>Where are you favorite places to shop for decor and fashion?</i></span></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0733.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0733.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img alt=" photo DSC_0707.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/DSC_0707.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: I am a huge believer in the re-purposing of used items. My go-to is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">craigslist and thrift stores, as giving new life to something is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">affordable, friendly to the environment, and a great way to give back to your </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">community. Forming connections with like-minded designers makes this </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">job fun and rewarding, as my friends send me photos of things I might </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">like when they are out digging through garage sales and auctions, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I do the same. I try to avoid box stores at all costs. Your time and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">money is worth so much more to your neighbors and community.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo DSC_0701.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/DSC_0701.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo zDSC_0602.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/zDSC_0602.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Also, I highly recommend going to auctions. If you come visit me, I will </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">take you to an amazing one, but if I told you more now, I would have to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">kill you. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">(hint: it involves a taco cart, a six pack of beer, and the best deals are </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">at midnight!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0611.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0611.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>What do you love best about your job?</i></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0630.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0630.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0612.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0612.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: I love how much I learn from other people. Over the last six years, I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">have hosted people from all over the world. I have a guest book of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">some of my most memorable visitors, and on days that I am feeling </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">down, I read through it and know that even if for two days of their </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">lives, I have made a fond memory page for both of us. I am constantly </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">surprised by people, including myself. I am finding myself more open to learning a new skill and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">making a better experience for my guests. Even the super mean and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">annoying guests help me learn how to be a better person. It's important </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">to remember that no job is easy or perfect (and if someone claims that, they're lying).</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> We are all a work in progress.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0687.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0687.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0684.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0684.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Do you do a lot of DIY projects at home and in your trailers? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What's been the most successful one?</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: I do about one DIY project a week. I find the process very meditative </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and rewarding. My brain actually turns off while I am building things, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">so there is nothing I would rather be doing. There is something about </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">solving a problem and completing a project from start to finish that </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">gives you self esteem. It is so fun to look at a photo, draw out </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">something similar that will help better your environment, and then just start building. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0615.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0615.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0613.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0613.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">T</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">he great thing about most of my projects is that they are small in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">duration and scale, so I don't get in over my head or burned out. Most of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">them only take a couple days. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">One example is that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I built an outdoor shed for my washing machine to make room for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">converting my garage into a guest house. And now I hang up our clothes to dry, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">so that saves some energy. The next weekend </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I built an outdoor shower out of two pieces of corrugated metal and a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">couple of 4x4 treated posts. It cost around $150 in materials, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">another $150 for plumbing as I hired someone to tie into the outdoor </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">washer/dryer plumbing. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">was super easy and took only about 6 hours to build.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0654.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0654.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The coolest thing is I actually completely turned off our sprinklers as I was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">showering outside with organic shampoo every day, and the grey water </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">was watering our yard. Showering outside is a great feeling and more </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">people should look into how to use grey water around their house.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> I save a lot of money </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">on our water and electric bill this way- </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I wish I would have done it years ago!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i>I bet you've had some interesting guests! Tell me about some of the people who have stayed with you in your home and in your trailers.</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo zDSC_0647.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/zDSC_0647.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo xDSC_0644.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/xDSC_0644.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: A lot of creative transitory types have reinforced that having a good </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">sense of adventure will improve your quality of life. Whether you are </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">an electronic harpist, a break dancer, a sex therapist, a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">spoon bender, going on your first solo trip with your kids across the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">US on bike, saving money for dialysis, a bipolar saleswoman or a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">famous rapper... I think people are put here to teach us something. (and those are a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">sampling of personalities from only one year!)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0673.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0673.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What is your advice for other people interested in turning their </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">passion into their job?</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0668.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0668.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">HC: Fear is the main thing that holds people back from taking risks. So </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">facing fear is huge. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I have had started around eight different companies in various creative </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">industries. Some of them supported me for a couple years, some were </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">very expensive start-ups that left me in debt. You just have to accept that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">there are going to be some failures, some setbacks, and a lot of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">learning along the way, and that you should never judge yourself based on your </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">peers. This has not been an overnight process, and it took a lot of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">work to cultivate a good life for myself. Although a good life </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">actually has nothing to do with finances, and that is one thing that I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">have learned to let go of. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The most important thing is to live your life with love for yourself </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">and those around you, without fear and judgement. I also laugh at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">myself, a lot. Having a sense of humor can save you when you need it t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">he most. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo aDSC_0672.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2014/aDSC_0672.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>_________________<br /><br />Isn't Helene and her home (and trailer!) beautiful? She has such a great outlook on life and on work. And I love her approach to decorating - everything looked and felt perfectly-imperfect and soulful in her spaces. And I totally agree that decorating should be all about personal narrative.<br /><br />Next time you're in San Diego, <a href="http://hipandhandy.com/" target="_blank">email Helene</a> and check our her spaces for yourself. She likes to give her guests an insider's tour of the city and I have a feeling you'll want to see her secret shopping haunts for yourself! :)<br /><br /><i>PS Here's a video of the lovely Helene. She's seriously so great. Love her. :)</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CfuYY4F4lE8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>

Meet Helene

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