is interior design really a creative art?

By Carrie Keplinger on May 15, 2012

This is a guest post from Mike Gracia.

What do artistic graffiti, photography, and interior design have in common? They are all divisive when referred to as art forms; while some consider them creative, others do not.

Those against graffiti have the fact that it is a criminal act on their side; photographs are already an essential part of life for many for documenting their children’s development, recording special occasions, and more.

But what about interior design?

Can a well planned and stylishly decorated living area ever be as evocative as a painting or sculpture?

Can your kitchen ever inspire strong feelings like a piece of graffiti on a public wall or a perfectly timed and exposed photo can?

Do you see clutter or cosiness? Minimalism or emptiness? Just as there is no clear interpretation of a painting or piece of modern art, there is no right answer when it comes to the way we decorate and furnish our homes. Personal preference reigns supreme.

This piece looks at whether a few creative flourishes and the right choice of furniture and colours can turn a living space from a purely functional area into a feast for the eyes and soul that is inviting, reflects tastes and personality, but is also warm and comforting.

Since forever, the home has been the ultimate showcase of its inhabitants’ personal tastes and preferences; furniture and decoration can powerfully showcase a person’s way of thinking and even the kind of life they lead, and that is a very powerful effect for an inanimate object to have. The home can be an accurate representation of the self, and in very much the same way as you may hang a classy painting on your wall, furnishing your home can represent your artistic outlook and tell your guests a lot about you.



Take these designs, for example.

photo via Fashion For Home

A number of aspects shown here in this bedroom layout can definitely be considered artistic, the most obvious being the colour scheme; the basic cream contrasts with the black to create a sophisticated feel, and the brown sets a tone of warmth and friendliness, crucial in the bedroom. This ability to use colours to create a mood is an art in itself. Minimalism is created with straight edges and symmetry in this layout, influenced by the artistic movement because of its suggestion of modernity in simplicity.

photo via Fashion For Home

This living room feels very modern, with contemporary furniture design that is classy but almost post-modern as it has taken traditional ideas such as sofas, coffee tables, and bookcases and put a futuristic spin on them.

photo via Fashion For Home

This stylish living room continues the theme of minimalism, with its use of plain white – a colour that generally suggests neutrality but may project hospitality to some guests, proposing that a living room can be as subjective as any painting.

It is products like these designer beds that reinforce interior design’s demand to be considered true art. The common artistic aspects shown here, such as colour schemes and usage of space, value interior design as a valid art form.



The actress Hedy Lamarr once said,

A good painting to me has always been like a friend. It keeps me company, comforts and inspires.

She highlights the charm art can radiate, and where else would such emotional reaction be better suited than your own home?

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Mike Gracia currently writes for Fashion For Home, a home fashion retailer, who are members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

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About the Author

Carrie is Scoutie Girl’s advertising manager & assistant editor. She owns a graphic design & ebook editing biz and also runs a nifty crochet pattern shop for discriminating ladies, likeclochework.

art to inspire: sometimes it just takes one

By Brittni Mehlhoff on May 14, 2012

Last week, I was catching up on a friend’s blog and she mentioned that a buddy of hers, Megan Gilger, had just opened up a new print shop. So of course, I headed over to check it out and immediately feel in love with darn near every print in Megan’s shop.

Those are a few of her designs above. To see more of her work, visit Hitch Print Shop.

Thoughts to lead you into the rest of your week…

There are more bloggers and Etsy sellers these days than you can shake a stick at. So it is easy to fall into the “Little ole me. I’m not as popular as ________ and what I create doesn’t seem to matter because no one is noticing me.” attitude. I get it – there is a lot of  ”competition” and some of your competitors seem to have it all figured out, with thousands of sales under their belt and tens of thousands of subscribers to their blogs.

BUT you don’t have to reach tens of thousands of people with your voice, your message, your beautifully crafted clay animal figurines. At least not yet.

Just start with one.

Every great thing in this world started with just one person thinking it was so.

And then another, and another.

Your work could be the thing that brightens someone else’s otherwise dismal day. Your message – that heartfelt blog post you wrote last week – can make an impact and strike a cord with a perfect stranger.

That sounds pretty powerful to me, even if you do only have 42 twitter followers.

So go ahead, stop comparing your small potatoes to another’s seemingly abundant garden.

Looking over the fence isn’t going to help your garden grow.

You need to plant your own seeds.

With that in mind, I have a challenge for you: Start this week to make a difference. Attempt to impact just one person’s day, outlook, or attitude. Ignore your follower count and those other thoughts swirling around in your mind – aim to reach just one person. It won’t be long before that one turns into two and two turns into ten…

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images above c/o Megan of Hitch Print Shop Be Real + Be Bold + Be True

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About the Author

Brittni Mehlhoff is the editor of the handmade blog, papernstitch, and is also the owner and creator of an exhibition site by the same name. If you are a creative entrepreneur, small business owner, or a blogger, join the growing community of 7,000+ Stitchers and sign up for Brittni’s free weekly biz tips + handmade picks.

book review: Emotional Currency

By sara-blackthorne on May 11, 2012

Editor’s note: This is the first post from our new contributor, Sara Blackthorne. Welcome to Scoutie Girl, Sara!

Hi there, Scoutie Girls (and Guys)!

It’s so exciting for me to be sharing this, my first review, here on Scoutie Girl. As a long-time reader, I know the importance of sharing valuable information, stuff I might not read other places, so I hope to bring that uniquity to my posts.

First, a bit about me: I keep a blog and teach writing workshops based at my site, A Forest of Stories. Through my own storytelling and evolution, I have discovered my passion for personal narrative, for truth-speaking, for facing our demons. In addition to be a writer and editor, I am also an aspiring attorney, walking the long, slow journey to juris doctorate to find a voice in the legal system for others to tell their stories. It’s an amazing and profound journey, and I feel blessed every day to walk this path.

What does this have to do with Scoutie Girl and all of you? Well, you can anticipate from me an eclectic mix of reviews, from indie musicians to books you absolutely must read to the next great undiscovered novel. Not only am I interested in personal storytelling, but in the components that make up our stories – particularly our money stories.

Which leads me to this month’s review of Emotional Currency by Kate Levinson.

“Feelings…offer the only path for healing our wounds from our painful experiences and emotions involving money.”
~ Kate Levinson

I stumbled upon Emotional Currency while reading Tara Gentile’s The Art of Earning. I had been wandering my local bookstore, searching for more information, more text, about the relationship between women, earning, and financial responsibility. As someone who has been categorically “poor” for most of her life, I had finally realized that my experiences and encounters with money were connected to something deep, something really challenging, and I was ready to slay that dragon. When I came across this book, sitting alone on a shelf, I realized that it was exactly the approach I needed to take.

Dr. Levinson’s book isn’t just for women, let me be clear on that. While she writes and markets her strategies for female brains, I believe these tools are just as useful for men, and deeply valuable given our proclivity for discouraging emotions in male lives.

What she advocates, on a basic level, is the exploration of our experiences, encounters, history, and emotions surrounding money – of all kinds.

The good, the bad, the disastrous, the brilliant.

The dominant activity in this book is creating a “money memoir,” a written account of financial situations and the lessons they teach us. Using incredibly pointed questions, and a gentle hand, Dr. Levinson guides us through the twisted and often terrifying memories of money: having it, not having it, spending it, saving it, losing it, and everything in between.

“In what ways, and under what circumstances, do you judge yourself for what you have? Do you fantasize about being taken care of (financially)? Or being self-supporting? How did the financial resources in your family growing up affect how you live today? How does how much you earn influence your sense of your own value in the world?”
~ Kate Levinson

When I first read this book, I was neat and clean. I didn’t take many notes (and certainly not in the book itself), skimmed over many of the questions, and generally read it at the surface level. Then my world turned upside-down, and what was once a financially stable situation left me scrambling for housing and income. I came back to this book with a fervor, frantically scribbling in the margins and dedicating a journal to my own “money memoir.” What I learned, in this second reading, was that my own eagerness to learn about financial responsibility actually triggered my fear of financial responsibility (funny how that works).

“[We] seldom see ourselves and therefore our money in isolation, but instead as part of a web of relationships…that we have strong feelings for people and relationships, and these feelings need to be included in our decisions about money.”
~ Kate Levinson

If you’re at all interested (or even a bit curious) about deepening your relationship to money, or about understanding the motivations and experiences behind your financial decisions, this book will completely change your understanding. I am on my third reading now, and I still gain new insights and have “ah-ha” moments with each page.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with the emotional aspects of financial life!

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About the Author

Never one to step away from a story, Sara Blackthorne is a writer, editor, and advocate for telling our personal stories. Sharing wisdom, wit, and a bit of flair, she’s building A Forest of Stories – an online space for women to come together and share their truths, their laughter, and their tears. When she’s not playing with words, Sara is studying for law school, an adventure that will take her deep into the heart of advocacy and world-changing to create safe space for all people. Find her chatting about waitressing, bicycling, and hunting for secret messages on Twitter or Facebook.

acute how-to: summer cocktails

By ReginaMorrison on May 10, 2012

I am a big fruity cocktail fan – especially in the summer. There’s nothing better than lounging in the sun with a tasty drink in hand. The one thing that often turns me off fruity drinks, though, is the excessive syrupy sweetness.

To cure this little issue, I created three simple and naturally sweetened fruity drinks. Each of these drinks clocks in at just about 150 calories and would be the perfect accompaniment for a warm summer evening.

Pineapple-Mango Frozen Margarita

{makes four drinks}

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of frozen, chopped pineapple
  • 1 cup of frozen, chopped mango
  • 6 ounces of pineapple juice {no sugar added}
  • 4 shots of tequila
  • 2 cups of lime flavored {unsweetened} sparkling water
  • lime slices and/or maraschino cherries as a garnish

Put pineapple, mango, tequila, and pineapple juice in a blender. Add a splash of tap water if this is too thick for your blender. If you cannot find frozen mango or pineapple, use fresh and add a handful of ice to the blender.

Once mixture is completely blended, add sparkling water and stir. Serve each drink with a garnish of lime slices or maraschino cherries.

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Whipped Pear Cocktail

{makes one drink}

Ingredients:

  • a flew pear “ice cubes” {aka – frozen pear pieces}
  • a shot of whipped cream flavored vodka
  • 4 ounces of pear juice {no sugar added}
  • 4 ounces of sparkling water
  • ground cinnamon

In order to make the pear ice cubes, just freeze peeled slices of pears on a plate lined with waxed paper. I used canned pears {the kind packed in juice, not syrup} but fresh would work, too.

Fill the bottom of your glass with a few frozen pear slices.  Pour in the whipped cream vodka, pear juice, and sparkling water. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This drink tastes like a dessert -it is so rich, yet refreshing, and so, so delicious!

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Sparkling Mixed Berry Wine

{makes one drink}

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces of white wine {whatever you have on hand – I used pinot grigio}
  • 4 ounces of berry flavored sparkling water {unsweetened}
  • a few tablespoons of frozen, mixed berries

Fill the bottom of your glass with the frozen mixed berries and pour in the wine and sparkling water. This is such a refreshing, simple, and very low calorie option.

Cheers!

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About the Author

Regina Morrison is the owner of a small handmade accessories business, Acute Designs, and a freelance writer. She recently escaped her 9-5 job and is actively pursuing a life as a handmade business owner. Read about her journey and business on her blog, where she posts daily. She currently lives in San Diego with her husband and two crazy dogs.

little things link love: glow-in-the-dark

By megan-eckman on May 9, 2012

Deep Sea Dreamer by Studio MME - click image to view more

How do toy-makers make a product 10 times more appealing to kids?  They make it glow in the dark!

When I was little, I dreamed of putting glow-in-the-dark stars on my bedroom ceiling. However, my mother had an aversion to glue, nails, tape, and anything else that marred the house’s painting surfaces, so my ceiling stayed a boring white. (My brother didn’t get his bust of Napoleon, either, but I think my mother turned down that idea because she feared it would fall off the wall and brain him while he slept.) It’s still my dream to have those stars, but now I want to paint them myself and create an accurate view of the night sky.

The nature of glow-in-the-dark stuff completely intrigues me! While bioluminescence exists in nature, it wasn’t until 1965 that we patented the glow stick. For the first few years, only the armed forces got to have proper dance parties and night-time semaphore meetings. In 1977, glow sticks got picked up by campers, night drivers, and rave-goers.

Here are some links about some of the weird things that glow in the dark:

  • Why Civil War Soldiers Glowed in the Dark – There were myths about the civil war soldiers at the Battle of Shiloh who were visible after nightfall but it took one inquisitive high school student and his microbiologist mother to figure out what made them glow. Be warned: the reason is a tad bit gross.
  • Glow-in-the-Dark Cats – In 2007 scientists began cloning cats and used glow-in-the-dark genes to help determine if the cloning was a success. They’re hoping to use these cats to push AIDs research and stem cell research forward. This is a short news clip from the first cloning experiment and shows the cats glowing a dull red.
  • Glowing Pygmy Shark – National Geographic loves to showcase strange animals and they’ve recently discovered a new shark that glows in the dark to escape detection. Who knew? A bit of reverse logic, but it seems to work for this little guy.
  • Glow-In-The-Dark Experiments – Want to feel a bit like a mad scientist yourself? Hubpages has a whole list of easy experiments that show you how to make your own luminescent writing, drinks, or geysers (yes, a geyser). These are great for kids, Halloween parties, and just any event that demands a bit of after-dark fun.
  • Life’s Little Mysteries – This site completely answers all the little mysteries we encounter! I think I’m a tad addicted now. I have always wondered why manufactured products that glow in the dark are always green.  Surely there could be more colors! If you’ve wondered this yourself, there’s finally an answer at this site.

What glow-in-the-dark toy did you love as a kid?

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About the Author

Megan Eckman Megan Eckman is the quirky pen and ink illustrator behind Studio MME. She also works as the community manager for Create Hype, a site invested in helping women learn to market their creative small businesses. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also an associate editor for *bespoke* zine, the adorable blog and magazine created by Aussie jeweler Jess Van Den. In her free time, Megan enjoys reading children’s books and exploring the photographic possibilities of antique cameras.

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