Updating the Shop

There are a couple new items in the shop and, if all goes well, a couple more will be joining them today! INCLUDING the most amazing vintage red suitcase.
I am really excited about what I'm adding. . .

But, I'm curious, what do you guys think Dust & Dawn needs more of / less of?
What would make it stand out?
What sucks about it?
I know that I need more items to draw more people...

So go ahead and leave anonymous comments if you want, I just want to hear the honest truth!

Taking Advice...

Yay for playing with words! I liked everyone's ideas. Everyone's!
I tried a different way of puting two together by writing all the words on peices of paper and puting them in a jar, pulling them out . . . Then I'm not restricted to my brain's ideas.

See Home - uh...
Bon Fine - does Bon mean good? Good Fine? haha!
Cushy Sing - that sounds like a voice lesson tip... tool... thing I know nothing about. A la "have a cushy voice, now.."
Habits Love - habits love... what
Kind Purely - ESL?
Sentimental Secret - barf
Porcelain Heart - porcelain is consistent throughout; pure. But too delicate sounding. And nice.
Little Polka Dot - good name for a kid's store
Soul Jam
Once One Hundred - has a ring to it?
Ruby Street
Blue Olive
Smile Simply
Button What
Ocean Ruby
Red Heap
Tea Light
Puzzle Fine
Porcelain Simply
Habits Kind - Kind Habits
Polka Dot Oh - Oh Polka Dot
Polka Dot Ocean

Simply What . . . okay this game is getting old.

Then I developed an obsession with the word/name Simon. As in simple simon... was a pie man. I'm not really a boo-yah-crazy-lovin pie person but Simon is still a good name.

Simon Soul
YaySimon
All Simon
Simon Island

Yellow Dawn (favourite colour, middle name)

My boy hates when I ask for help and then don't take the advice given, too. So you're not alone if you're thinkin 'uh why did you even ask for help, Ayla?!', but I am sorry! I was just trying to get some creative sparks flying, so thank you!

ONE of these days I will get on this and I will actually have something to show for my 'thoughts' on openning an Etsy shop. I am still struggling with the idea of putting myself out there when I feel like my ideas have all been done; I have nothing new to offer, and that feeling always bothers me. A lot.

And also wondering if selling vintage finds and treasures is stupid or smart. I just can't decide. But I do have some treasures...
I just don't like those shops where they sell a set of bowls for $35 when you can get them at the Salvos for $2. But at the same time, maybe my ability to pick out the great stuff, IS worth money. Is it? Please, I need some opinions.

Alrighty, Good Nighty!

job hunting

i applied here

what if I got it?

scary to think about if you ask me . . .

besides having her own design firm, she is the host for HGTV's "Take it Outside"

I've also applied at every decorating company that worked on the PNE's prize home. Yes, it's not Design, but it might be fun to be a "Decorator" (oh, how I hate that word) for a year or so, and who knows, I might like it. I'd just have to come up with another word for Decorating.

SO the next step is to apply at places like coffee shops and fabric stores and grocery stores . . .
Then I will try to get my name out there "Ayla Anderson Interior Designs" or "Interior Designs by Ayla Anderson" or "______________ " (you fill in the blank) and see, if I get any bites, if I can do some jobs on the side to expand the portfolio a bit while I get all this school stuff over with.

If I just went with the "Interior Designs by Ayla Anderson" one, I already have a logo I kinda like that I made in school.

screen shots

I am taking a quick break from this.



Thats the plan for the office space



And thats the plan for the residence above it.

Design Blabber again. I'm apparently not THAT busy

Laura, I am so glad you asked! How AM I going to do that... Well I thought maybe I could try and pull out the sample bin and see what else I have.

It turns out a lot (more than I thought I had)


Most of it, I have no idea where it came from.

(Although I THINK that the few times I've raided the sample room at school I've gotten super lucky because everyone else says its a waste of time - pssscht! Some of the fabric samples are big enough to make a skirt - a free skirt!- you can't complain about that!)

I found a concrete sample that is the EXACT shade and type of thing that I was thinking I wanted for the whole office space. Consistent flooring = a little needed continuity. And I found a sample that is a vinyl wallcovering that acts as a whiteboard - perfect! I am yet to decide if it belongs in the meeting room or by the draftsperson's desk... or in the sample library... or everywhere... I'm trying to shout communication, right?!

(Sorry, I'm not sure, did I talk about that here? w/e, basically www=communication=good=knowledge=global connections=global village=my office space)

Also, most if not all of the non-patterned walls will be white. or a version of white. So that should calm down the papers.

And the wallpaper on one wall will not be sharing the line of site with another wallpapered wall. However, even if that does look good in real life, I need it to look good on a sample board which might be a different story. But, once I get the wallpapers (please please please closer to the 5 than the 10 business days!) I can play with it, see what type of white goes with it all and choose what goes where.

Here's some stuff that could work and I'm putting aside for now.

oooh and see those metalic kinda loopy things on the top left? They are called cascade curtains and are basically loops of metal - come in many many finishes - basically like a fireplace screen if you know what I mean. But they look sooo interesting and dramatic as an actual curtain or room divider. And it perfectly demonstrates my concept. So I also need to find a place for that.

My materials so totally rock my world! I thought this part was going to be painful!!

Today I worked on the ceiling plan. Chose most of my lighting and drew it all out rough....

Other than that, my Saturday included a nap and a salmon dinner and a movie at home with the boy!

P.S. Looking forward to Convention in the morning!

Inspiration comes of working

These all seem like nice offices for an Architect:

So now that I've wasted an hour finding those... and blogging about it....

I am still not decided on concept.




... I want something that can translate to these types of looks. Maybe "loft", but its a bit vague. I had thought of "global", incorporating different designs from different cultures and what-not. . . hard to explain without an image. OR the other idea I had was Venice/Italy/Gondola - the 'water' aspect would translate through the use of glass (aka the 1st picture sort of, I like how they used glass there) with rustic and historic looking things like the buildings would be. I could use stripes. :D. And bridges. But I don't want it to FEEL like Venice. Just be inspired by it. Modern Venice if you will.



Thoughts?

I NEEEEEED to decide completely and whole-heartedly like NOW.
Let me fill you in...
In 1 month....
I need to complete:

1. a concept statement

2. floor plans (upper and lower)

3. draw 4 elevations, 1 section of entire building

4. draw 1 perspective showing design in best possible way

5. create furniture board - chosen pieces to be illustrated/put together in an appealing way, labelled etc.

6. Colour & material board - must have actual materials, for ALL areas

7. Millwork drawing of reception desk; plan, elevations, section, specs, labels, finishes, dimensions etc.

8. Reflected ceiling plan - spec. all lighting types, create schedule, label all ceiling heights and finishes, both floors

9. sketchbook - used all the way through to show design intent/purpose/train of thought/ideas etc.


This is my plan of action:

- come up with STRONG concept (I am close to committing)

- space plan for functionality/adjacencies - upper & lower floors

- space plan design - add details, design interest, relate space to concept more

- layout furniture (research systems furniture, choose, research all items and have pictures and dimensions first)

- reflected ceiling plan - add some ceiling detail, choose luminaires, play with ceiling heights, whatever. Draw.

- Perspective drawing. Elevations drawings. Section drawings. All Manual. No CAD. I am mad about that. tripple the time...

- Colours and Materials - actually I should start the search for those now

- furniture board (probably the only thing on the list that COULD be done the night before IF I HAD to, which I am not planning on, but... y'know... just sayin'

- Millwork drawings - this CAN be done in CAD, so yippee! AAnd shouldn't take too too long. A day or 2 tops.

- Sketchbook - already started, and will continue to use tonnes as if they don't think it looks 'complete' they don't mark the project at all. Thats right.


So, I am looking for volunteers to come and stay with me for the month. Must be capable of:

a) doing laundry
b) reminding me when to shower
c) reminging me when not to blog
d) reminding me to sleep and, most importantly,
e) making me food

and, a bonus ability would be to keep my room somewhat liveable for the month. And possibly searching for a job for me come September.
Got it? K. Thanks.


Happy B.C. day!

Inspiration comes of working.

Imagination is more important than knowledge

The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others. Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature. Life is an exciting business and most exciting when it is lived for others. You cannot do much about the length of your life, but you can do a lot about its depth and width.

- As quoted by my green folder that holds papers.

Home-made Spa treats!

I used this home-made almond face wash this morning. YUMMY! It looks and smells like scrumptious cookie dough, and it leaves your skin feeling oh...sooo....soft.

It got me to thinking that I might put together a few things like this for the night before my cousin's wedding. Perhaps a lavender bath milk to calm the nerves and a nice massage oil for our feet and backs, cucumbers for our eyes, etc. Me and the two cousins that form the bride and maid of honour used to FILL our summers with spa days. We had face masks coming out of our ears. I remember more than a few times that they would both beg me for a foot massage promising they would give me one back. I'm still waiting... but for some reason I enjoy it anyways.

I am really excited for this wedding - small and intimate, cousins that I've been wedding planning with since we were 6, my boy will be there, in beautiful Canmore, at a bed & breakfast, Crave cupcakes will be present ... - I think a little added hotel room spa will bring it all together to perfection!

Shower Games

My ideas so far for the shower coming up. MY ideas, who am I kidding... bridalshower.com's ideas.

Broom & Roll
This is a partner game. one person hold a roll of toilet paper between the knees. The other person holds a broom or stick between the knees while thier eyes are covered or blindfolded.

The person with the toilet paper graps their partner hands and guide them to getting the stick in the hole of the toilet paper. The partners who does it in the fastest time wins. This can be done one at a time or pair up the partners to see who wins first.

Design the dress
in teams design something out of either toilet paper or butcher paper or something... or a sketch? Bride judges etc.

Questions about Groom
have questions answered about groom before-hand. At party, hand out questions that people can ask in order. Every time she is wrong she puts gum in her mouth. Could also put the questions in balloons to be popped.

Apron gift & memory game
Buy an apron and have the bridal party buy lots of utensils to pin on the apron. Make them practical and a couple of things they would never think of buying until they need them. Pin all of the items on the apron. Have the bride wear the apron in front of all of the guests. Have her walk around the room for about 2 minutes. Then have the bride go into another room and have the guests try to list as many things as they can remember seeing pinned to the brides apron. The person with the most wins! Then tell the bride she gets to keep the apron!!

Another thing to think about:
Prizes
Food

Will add/edit later

So, readers any more good ones?! Please comment!

PS like how I added the followers icon so everyone can see my one follower? I like it. :D