Make Decorating Easy With 6 Online Tools Borrowed From Interior Designers Toolbelt

Guess what? Interior Design Chat has done it again! Another successful and well informative chathappened last Tuesday and I dont expect anything less fortonightschat. Last weeks chat was full of a lot of valuable information. What stood out the most for me was when all the tweeters were asked to share the new apps and programs that they haveintegratedinto their design practices in 2012 and here are some of the suggestions people gave:

1. Revit:Autodesk Revit software is used to help designer and architects develop high quality and more accuratearchitecturaldesigns. You can use so many tools with this program. There are tools to support building information, modeling workflows, you can capture and analyze concepts and maintain your vision design through documentation and construction.

2. Pinterest: As you all know Pinterest, one of the best ways to promote your business. It is basically an online scrapbook. Add pictures of things that you like, products that you sell, or even D.I.Y. Everyone loves a good D.I.Y! Pinterest is great for getting your products and creations out to the people you network with, as well bring people into your networking circle. You can organize ideas, plan colour ideas and just collect pictures that inspire you!

3. Workflowy: Is an amazing way to organize everything in your design practice! Make a page full of tasks or things to remember and expand on each point on your list easily!

4. Polaris: is a wonderful way to do document editing on your android mobile on the go! You can read PDF files, create spread sheets, editpresentations, and decompress ZIP files making editing easy on the go!

5. Oliboard: is a way to bring your visions to life! Use pictures of furniture and other interior decor objects to create a picture ofeverythingorganized on a page to create a design visual mood board, then you can share your creationinspiration with others! There are also cool contests that you can get involved with different brands!

6. Sketch up: is a 3D modeling program that is used for create space visuals that can help in space planing. This would be a great tool when working with a space youhaventyet seen and only havemeasurementsfor. Great for pre-planning a project!

These are not the only programs out there because technology is always changing and theres so many other programs that people dont know about.

Learn more and spread the knowledge in InterDesignerChat every Tuesday at 6 on Twitter!

but until then

What other programs have you heard about that will help increase efficiency in the workflow of decorating your home?

-Sheresha

Make your geraniums last forever and more gardening tips

Dear Chicago House,

I do love a bit of gardening but plants are so expensive.

You have quite a big garden and during my first spring here I excitedly waited for things to burst fourth from the ground, what delights would I see? But alas there was hardly anything, you had been hiding no perennials ...except a single patch of these lovelies...

Beautiful pink peonies.

The single plant was in dire need to splitting so came fall I dug it up, gently split up the roots (tubas ??) and replanted them around the garden ... Now I am in a pink paradise with pops of pink everywhere... and I didn't spend a dime. Score!

But the pink points don't stop there. Take a look at these geraniums

Would you believe me if I told you they had spent the winter in a brown paper bag in my garage? Well that is their story!

Last fall I dug up all the geraniums I had planted the previous spring, gently shook the soil from the roots and then encased each plant in a brown paper bag, stapling it shut. The bags lived in a closet in the garage the entire winter, I didn't open them until a few weeks ago. I must admit the plants looked rather bedraggled but they all had a few green buds. I cut away all the obvious dead bits planted then and hoped for the best. Bingo more free plants!

Mr Chicago House told me his Granny used to dig up her geraniums every year and wrap them in newspaper until the following spring. Her little London garden was overflowing with them.

I wonder how many years I can make these geraniums last?

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Proper Planting and Watering is Essential

Occasionally gardeners bring in sick or dying plants and ask us to diagnose whats wrong. Most often its improper planting or watering. People tend to plant their plants too deeply which results in suffocation (roots need to breathe!) and trunk/stem rot. Once damaged the plant cant move nutrients up and down the trunk/stem. This is true for trees, shrubs and flowers with stems.

When preparing to plant, be sure to dig a hole twice as wide, but just as deep as the plant is in the pot. Once the plant is in place, cut away any twine or burlap that may be present. Next, backfill the hole with the existing soil that you dug out mixed with up to 50% compost or organic material. Again, make sure not to bury any of the trunk or stem that wasnt already below ground.

To aid watering, create a well around the plant at the edge of the root ball. Once that is done, you can mulch around the tree, but not up against the tree. Water well to let the soil settle and eliminate air pockets.

Remember that all plants planted from about April through the late summer will need to be watered. Many people think that the rain is enough to water a plant, but the rain only gets about an inch or two into the soil and the root ball is 6-12 inches deep.

Bring out a soaker hose or a regular hose to the newly planted plant. Put it on a very slow stream right at the trunk for 1-2 hours daily when hot and 2-3 times per week the rest of the time. The water needs to soak down not run off. Remember, the root ball needs to get wet to keep the plant alive.

Watch your new plant for clues too Are the tips of the foliage dry? Leaves curling up? Green stems limp and wilting? Look around at other plants in the area Are they thirsty? If those established plants need water, its likely your new planting does too.

Following the above advice should lead to many happy years with your new plants.

More information with a diagram can be found at

http://farmingtongardens.com/pdf/infostation/29_%20planting_guide_final2012_version.pdf

Arty Farty Friday 11

Dear Chicago House,

With the sudden blooms appearing in my garden this week, I thought I'd share something floral for arty farty Friday.

Here is a simple budding ring in pencil and ink.

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Arty Farty Friday 12

Dear Chicago House,

Don't you think this watercolor of sea horses would make a great shower curtain or even fabric for a beach tote.

...I wish I lived by the ocean!

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Use a stencil to create wall art

Dear Chicago House,

I am a little behind at sharing a new piece of art that is gracing your office walls, but better late than never.

A few weeks ago I won a shopping spree at Cutting Edge Stencils and this is what I got.

I know the trend is to stencil an entire wall but I thought I'd try something a little different and make a simple piece of wall art. I started by having a a bit of a play around as I decided I wanted a multi colored effect but didn't quite know what direction I wanted to take.

I selected four craft acrylic paints and got to work.

It took me a while to establish the type of design and to optimize the load of paint on my stencil brush so I did not get an edge bleed.

But I got there in the end and went for a color gradient effect going from turquoise blue to a grass green.

And here it is on the wall ...impossible to photograph without a reflection on the glass but that's what you get if your office has a load of windows. I am not complaining! I really like the way it compliments the other art I have on the wall. This office really has come a long way from it's brown days,

I'd like to try creating a fabric with the stencil yet, what do you think?

Love from

Creative in Chicago

XX

Arty Farty Friday 13

Dear Chicago House,

It's Arty Farty Friday number 13...unlucky for some or maybe not.

Here is another doodle as a result of a horribly long "on hold" I had with a web hosting company this week. I was at the point of nearly pulling my hair out in frustration but the old pen and ink calmed me down somewhat.

You can see another pen and ink phone doodle here

Love from

Creative in Chicago
XX