Inspiring Creative Living

One of my favorite things about being part of Pastiche at Main is the opportunity to spend time with other creative individuals. This past Friday night I attended a Creative Round Table get together with other creatives from Pastiche and had the chance to hang out with a group of women who truly inspire me. I came home from that night thinking of other things that inspire me and I thought I would take a few minutes to share some of them here.

Books and magazine's are always a big source of inspiration for me. Some of the ones that I find myself constantly turning to lately are A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman, A Life That Says Welcome by Karen Ehman, and The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith. I am also loving a lot of magazine the past few weeks.

It may sound silly but a good cup of coffee and taking a few minutes to just put my feet up and clear my head tends to bring on a lot of inspiration around here.

New fabric always inspires me. Seeing a nice pile on my dinning room table wakes up my brain and has me itching to sew up all kinds of beautiful things.

Repetitive tasks tend to be a creative spark as well. We are painting our basement and I spent my weekend priming our wood paneling. I am pretty sure I completely redecorated my house mentally by the time I was done. After priming the basement I primed two bookshelves and cleaned my house top to bottom. Something about letting my mind wander while my hands were busy was so freeing and I have all kinds of ideas now.

Here are a few more things that may help spark your creativity.

Pastiche at Main's Pinterest page!

Things to do When You are Lacking Inspiration

Meet the Creative: iheartDesign

For the past few weeks Katrina of iheartDesign has taken over the Pastiche Instagram feed. We hope you have been enjoying her behind the scenes photos and feel inspired to add some beauty to your home or life.

Katrina will be at Pastiche at Main tonight for our First Friday’s Meet the Maker event! If you can’t get down town, or simply would like to know more about this amazing lady read on for the latest installment of Meet the Creative. 

Company: iheartDesign 
Creative: Katrina

Tell us about your creative background.
It actually started in high school. I would come home from school every evening and watch the Christopher Lowell show! He thought out of the box and it challenged me to look at interiors in a different light.

The farm table makeover that started it all.

How did you end up doing what you do now?
It's a total God thing! In January of 2013 I was scrolling through Pinterest and stumbled upon a farmhouse table (if you know me you know I'm a sucker for a farmhouse table)! I realized my current kitchen table was the same dimensions. The only difference was she was a store bought no personality table. That was it, she was getting painted! I then moved to a bookcase, a chair, a shelf and list kept growing! Next, I dug out some fabric and lampshades that were purchased a couple years prior. I recovered them and was smitten! I knew there then was no looking back, my passion for decorating was restored and my heart was full! 

I started doing things for friends and then my best friend TOLD me I should be a vendor at the "Vintage Lynchburg Spring Market". After a lot of prayer and discussion with my hubs we decided "No more corporate career"! I was in a leadership role with a large corporation but my heart had been aching to stay home with our two kids. This was a "God if this is your will then we will walk by faith" decision. So iheartDesign was born. The name came from the verse Proverbs 16:9 "The heart of man plans his way. But The Lord establishes his steps.”

The iheartDesign sign for its debut at Vintage Lynchburg.

iheartDesign Facebook was launched in March 2013 with the debut at the Lynchburg Vintage Spring Market. The rest is history. However, within one month of my debut we were blessed to learn we were expecting baby #3. WOWZA!!! Umm, God I just started a business, are you serious?! He has been so faithful. This has been the absolute hardest "job" I ever thought possible. But I have grown so much through all the difficulties.

Before and after of a chandelier Katrina customized for a customer.

What is your favorite thing you have every created?

I have so many. Since your twisting my arm to give you one, it would be the chandelier in the dining room I'm currently working on. I found an "anyone can buy me" chandelier at Lowes. It needed a little something to make it a "no one else will have one" chandelier! I took off the sheer black drum shade and recovered it with my clients favorite fabric, changed the black rod to gold, and added a gold medallion. It is now a truly custom chandelier that is the focal point of the room.

Are you working on any new projects or learning any new techniques?
Yes, I'm currently working on several interior designs, two of which are repeat customers.Also, there are a few custom orders being fulfilled in my shop (garage)! There is a new technique that involves letters and...well, I'm not telling you. You will have to wait and see!

Where if your favorite place to create? 
I'm a total weirdo, but I can't lie! My favorite place to create is "my head"! I have designed more rooms and painted more furniture than I could do in my lifetime. Did I mention I'm totally ADHD?!

A before and after of a bedroom Katrina designed for a client.

What inspires you most?

Nature and people! Nature is an AMAZING color wheel! Blue sky paired with green grass or a turquoise ocean washing up on the white sand beach, AHH!! People inspire me! I love to hear stories of their furniture or what inspires them. 

Everyone has something that makes them feel beautiful. As we go through our busy day it's important to live beautifully in our homes. My philosophy has always been "Let your home tell your story". We all have one and it's unique to us, learn to embrace it!

What is your creative soundtrack?
90.3 Spirit FM, I have the live stream on my phone. As long as the phone charger is close by I can go for hours!!! I never work without Jesus in my ear!!!

What do you love most about what you do?
Encouraging others. Several months ago the pastor’s sermon was on spiritual gifts. It was then I realized mine was encouraging others. The joy that fills my heart is indescribable. Whether it's transforming spaces or teaching someone to paint, my happiness is found in lifting up the heart of others. 

It's not easy raising three kids (and a husband) but I wouldn't trade the difficulties for any amount of money in the world. This is a hard but rewarding journey and I'm humbled each day by Gods mercy and opportunities He gives me. This is my whole heart. All in. Everyday. Thank you for inspiring me

Meet the Creative: Out of Twig.

Welcome to our third installment of the Meet the Creative series. We hope these short question/answer posts help you get to know each of are talented contributors on a more personal level.  

Brand/Company:

Out of Twig

Tell us about your creative background.

I received my degree in Visual Communication Arts, with an emphasis on graphic design and studio art. I have also had a passion for photography since before attaining my degree, and still very much enjoy it. Mixing photography, graphic design, and styling (fashion) has been very rewarding for me.

How did you end up doing what you do now?

The idea for Out of Twig began when I was thrift-shopping for some outfits to use in styling photo shoots. I really enjoy going to estate sales and antique shops anyway, once I began looking for these items I quickly gathered a collection of vintage dresses, shoes, and more. I decided to take pictures of the items and then sell them online. Eventually I graduated to having a store-front for nearly a year.  I was open 3 days a week and people could come shop. It was a lot of fun! Now, I am excited to work with Pastiche at Main, where items I find are available for purchase! It's such a lovely downtown store and I'm very happy to share their space!

Lynchburg Summer Bucket LIst

So Summer is more than half way over and we are gradually working through our bucket list of local favorites.

Dinner downtown at some of our favorite restaurants.

Spoils from yesterday's trip to the Community Market. I love the market but taking the kids on Saturday can be a bit overwhelming. My solution is visiting on Wednesday. Still a lot of vendors but the crowds are much smaller making it easier to find parking  and handle the stroller.

Still on our list are visiting the LOVE sign, a second trip to the fountain down town, a workshop at Pastiche and redecorating our basement. (Can't stop thinking about the desk by Regeneration for my new office corner).

What's on your Lynchburg Summer Bucket list?

Summer Door Sign Workshop

Since my neighbor first put up her new door sign at the beginning of the summer I have been obsessed with it. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I saw that the designer was going to teaching a workshop at Pastiche! I'm so excited to have the chance to learn how to paint my own. 

When:   

Friday, July 18th from 6-8pm

What: 

Learn how to paint a vintage inspired jar, perfect for hanging on your door all summer long!

Register 72 hours in advance.

Feel free to bring a snack or drink. Water is provided.

Don't forget to check out our other workshop this month...

Collage 101: Friday the 25th at 7 pm. 

Paint and Pinot (A Stary Night in Lynchburg): Saturday the 26th at 1 pm.

Read about these workshops and more here. 

Workshops

There is no denying that summer is here. The heat is rising, the pool is packed, and kids are wild with their freedom. Maybe you are looking to check some things off of your Summer Bucket list, or perhaps you just need to cool off. Either way, Pastiche at Main workshops fit the bill. Check out three workshops coming up in the next few days sure to fill your summer with cool inspiration. 

Intro to Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint

When:  
Sunday June 22nd from 2:00-5:00 pm. 

What: 
Come learn more about Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint and how to use it on your DIY projects. 

2 sample boards

1 take-home decor item

literature & supplies

refreshments

Collage 101

When: 
Friday June 27th from 7-9pm.

What:
Learn what the Pros know.
Hear design tips and tricks to be used throughout your home.
Leave with a personalized template and the confidence to get started.

Your responsibility:
Bring up to 5 items you want to put in your collage.
Grab a girlfriend or two.
Be ready for some INSPIRATION & FUN.

Paint and Pinot

When:
Saturday, June 28th, 1:00-4:00 pm

What:
16x20 canvas, paints, and instruction are all included in this workshop. 

Optional:
Bring your favorite beverage to enjoy. 



Sign up on our website, or in the store. www.pasticheatmain.com/workshops

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