TOP 15 HOMEGOODS HAPPY BY DESIGN PINS, TIPS & TRICKS

Between the 10 designers pinning decor tips & tricks on the HomeGoods HappyByDesign board at  Pinterest, we've shared 201 pins so far! Through all the social sharing HomeGoods has done (on Facebook, Twitter, email blast, their website plus in store), several of the pins have been repinned over 100 times! (That's fantastic!!) Some of the Top Pins from the Happy By Design board have been about styling vignettes to bedrooms to bathrooms, baskets wall decor, and even lighting. The decor tips are sure to help give style solutions to your design dilemmas. Some of the Top Pins have come from designers Amy Chalmers, Sherry Hart, Birds of a Feather, Erika Ward, and myself... Here's a peek at the Top 15 RePins (in no particular order) - but please be sure to stop by the board to see ALL the pins + tips + tricks from the contributors at Happy By Design on Pinterest...

 

 "Always keep in mind the great selection of art you can find at HomeGoods. These 2 prints added the color I needed for this vignette." -- Sherry Hart

 

 "Garden stools & wooden accent tables are easy to add and fab finds at HomeGoods!" -- Sherry Hart

 

"Whimsical HomeGoods accessories on staggered wall shelves make this room HappybyDesign! -- Amy Chalmers

 

 "Fabric pumpkins from HomeGoods in neutral colors are another way to say Fall in home decor without using orange!" -- Amy Chalmers

 

 "Baskets aren't just for on top of furniture.....think outside the box and and use underneath! I always find the best deals for baskets at HomeGoods." -- Sherry Hart

 "Small Bath Space Decor - Using window panels vs a traditional shower curtain helps to give height to a small bathroom while an over-sized framed photo helped conceal & camouflage a small window for privacy." -- Lynda Quintero-Davids

 

 "Window Wise Tip: Add weight to window panels when buying ready made from the store: Pair panels at each end & add black-out liner. Customize with grosgrain trim sure to make you HomeGoods Happy" -- Lynda Quintero-Davids

 

 "Mixing and matching patterns has never been easier. Most HomeGoods stores have the throw pillows color coordinated making your decorating task foolproof!" -- Erika Ward

 

 "HomeGoods for the win! I love their selection of colorful throws in fun patterns like I used here in Ivana's bedroom. She's in love with all things chevron!" -- Erika Ward

 

 "Can you tell which of these throw pillows are custom and which are from HomeGoods? Of course you can't! I love mixing high and low for an overall look that is deceptively affordable!" -- Erika Ward

 

 "Ginger jars (some antique) mixed with vases from HomeGoods add a pop of color to this farmhouse table in a coastal home." -- Birds of a Feather Design

 

 "This enormous gilded mirror from HomeGoods is quite the statement piece! It has old world style and elegance!" -- Amy Chalmers

 

 "Home decorating is made easy shopping at HomeGoods for stylish accents like a graphic shade to update an existing lamp, colorful pillows to layer on a sofa or find oversized vessels to hold palm fronds for a unique focal point!" -- Lynda Quintero-Davids

 

 "Black lamp shades make a dramatic difference in a rooms decor & style - especially for Fall! Love these oval black linen shades I picked up at HomeGoods" -- Lynda Quintero-Davids

 

 "Renting or on a small budget? A pair of 108" rectangular tablecloths from HomeGoods can create a no-sew window solution for you! Love the look of the paisley print as panels" -- Lynda Quintero-Davids 

 

 See more Pins + Tips + Tricks at Happy By Design on Pinterest!

Thanks for stopping by!

Note: This post is sponsored by HomeGoods and the Happy By Design project. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.

GETTING READY FOR FALL TRAVEL!

Finally! Fall has arrived, and so has the time to get psyched for my upcoming trip back east - back home - this coming Monday! Looking forward to this trip has made this past summer a little more bearable. I originally had the travel plans set in mind during the first of the year in my New Years Goals & Resolutions - and now it's time to get ready and fly on outta here! First stop: I land in Newark and pick up a rental car to drive down the shore to my hotel. After a long day of travel from Phoenix, I'll rest, unpack and unwind (or take this time to meet up with online friends who live in Jersey!) before heading south to Spring Lake to spend two days with my Godmother - I cannot wait! 

I can't wait to see, hear, and feel the ocean breeze coming from the Atlantic on the Jersey Shore 

I cannot wait to taste some REAL PIZZA!! 

And of course, I cannot WAIT to see my Godmother - my Aunt Lily - the lovely lady who brought me to New York City as a child - to see the Tree at Rockefeller Center, shopping on 5th Avenue at Saks and Lord & Taylor, lunch at The Plaza and Waldorf Astoria and even Ice Capades & the Barnum & Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden. As juvenile as some of these events may be now, it was those first NY experiences (in the 70's!) with my Godmother traveling to the City by Taxi (back then a Checker Cab) through the Lincoln Tunnel or over the George Washington Bridge to The Port Authority that I still very much cherish today. My parents never took me to NYC - so I know if it were not for my Godmother, I may never have ever fallen in love with the City. 

When I was single, I had traveled up to New Jersey to see my Godmother and I traveled to the City for the first time solo. My aunt nearly wept when she dropped me at the bus station so I could go explore the City on my own - She said it was time for her little sparrow to fly. The following day we went together and visited the Guggenheim Museum to see the Georgio Armani exhibit. Ironically, this tine I shared an experience with my aunt she had never been to - Although she worked in NYC for over 40 years, she had never been to the Gugg. It was FREEZING that night - we still took a horse & carriage ride through Central Park. Tourist-y things? Maybe - but you'd be surprised at how many people who even LIVE in NYC, never experience all the City has to offer - from history to culture - because they all work so hard to live there! Since that first solo trip (in November of 2000) I was going back regularly twice a year... until about '09...

Besides reflecting back on City experiences with my Godmother, we're also planning a little drive further down the shore - I'm hoping we can make it down to Wildwood & Cape May (both childhood summer vacation destinations) but I don't know if her health will allow such a long drive. Although I still see my aunt as only being in her 60s, time has past, and now she is in her 90s... but even if we only sit on a bench on The Boardwalk and talk - I'll be the happiest I've been for probably over two years now...

After my visit with my Godmother in New Jersey, I'll be staying on the east coast - but flying south to see my mom and friends in my home away from home: MIAMI! Although the first ten years of my life I grew up in Jersey, my core is from living in Miami for 33 years! I arrived in Miami during the peak of the Mariel Boat Lifts (which being Cuban, was very challenging and where I had my first experiences with bullying) but I was also part of the South Beach growth movement, as well as the rebirth of the Miami Design District. I was part of the uprising of Skyscrapers in Downtown Miami - plus the birth of sports teams like The Marlins, The Panthers, and The Miami HEAT. I could comfortably experience outdoor living and would frequently walk / run the beach or bike to the gym and bike to South Beach when I lived in Bay Harbor. I tolerated the traffic - especially when film crews and concerts started to block off streets - and I was a part of a metropolis making its mark with models and runway fashion shows... And oh - let's not forget working with the Colorsplash team (and David Bromstad!) or the tremendous vintage & thrift scores from North Miami to Ft. Lauderdale! Which has all now come down to - and I'm not kidding - CRICKETS here in Arizona. 

Keep laughing - but I'm serious: Crickets outside and crickets inside, which Sephora (our cat) loves to chase and swat when they're inside the house - then like Scarface said, "Eat that Sosa (cricket) for breakfast!" (Scarface was filmed in Miami!)

I know my husband knows I WISH this trip was a one way ticket - to get back home - to feeling like I BELONG again - because God knows: I've been a lost soul living here in the desert.

My mom wants me to shop for a new wardrobe for her and I'm wanting to take walks on the beach, get some fresh seafood plus, see and meet up with old friends, and visit culture + history (like REAL Italian architecture and decor at Vizcaya) and eat some Cuban food! Italian too - nothing like moms sausage & peppers like she'd make in Jersey!!

I've pretty much run all my travel errands. Got caught up on social media updates. Had a few client projects these past few weeks I can now put towards my trip. Tuesday I had my hair cut & colored + highlights -- but it came out too dark so heading back for a fix on Friday morning (thank goodness I did the appointment early enough to fix!) Now I just need to confirm those last minute calls for meet-ups and pack up the outfits + accessories I pulled. The last time I was on a plane was when we moved here to AZ in November 2011 - This is going to feel strange - but it's all good and can't come fast enough!!

I only hope it all s-l-o-w-s-d-o-w-n when I get back east. 

Time will fly & I know I'm going to come back both exhausted and invigorated!  

Thanks for stopping by now - in all honesty - I probably won't be posting much once I get back east - taking in every moment with friends and family (plus maybe a little sharing on Twitter and Facebook!)

Going HOME: September 30 - October 8!

SECONDHAND STYLE: FALL FINDS AT MY SISTER'S CLOSET

Someone recently asked me where my favorite place to shop is here in AZ -- and besides thrifting at Goodwill or Savers, I'd have to say it's shopping at My Sister's Closet! I have lucked out finding so many great deals for on trend fashion without doing serious damage to my wallet. Yes they have an assortment of higher priced designer goods - for example Louis Vuitton and  Chanel, (which Scottsdale does an excellent job at featuring separately) but even the everyday racks are easy to comb through and find what you're looking for. Two key Fall prints I've been hunting for lately are leopard and camo (see post at Fun Fall Finds) I have leopard scarves and even flats and a clutch, but I really wanted to find a leopard jacket for this fall (I love jackets!) Another piece for this fall I've been looking for was a camo jacket. Although I managed to find both, only one fit right, which means some other fashionista will luck out to that score....

 

At My Sister's Closet - Chandler, AZ 

 

Major Fall score: 3 Trends in 1 

Leopard, Leather Trim and Military coat for only $19!

 

LOVE!

 

LOVED this camo jacket - but it was one size too big!

Some other fashionista her in AZ will love :)

 

Too small - but still a great find - Military jacket for Fall...

 

GREAT core piece for anytime of year - but especially this Fall...

a DKNY denim jacket I got back in August (for just $10!), and will be taking with me on my upcoming trip back east (next week! Can. Not. Wait!) 

Leopard & Camo trend details are perfect additions for Fall - Brace yourself -- (You just may see this fashion trend merge into home decor too!)

Besides jackets for this fall's layered looks (and my trip!) I found a fantastic casual hobo style bag in leopard with tassels at My Sister's Closet - North Scottsdale location... too good to pass up (just $12!)

 

Speaking of bags at My Sister's Closet - 

They will be having a PURSE SALE this weekend!

FRIDAY September 27 - SUNDAY September 29

 

 

Shop online too at: MySistersCloset.com 

 If the My Sister's Closet Fall Unveiling lines are any indication to the crowds to expect, get there ASAP!

 My Sister's Closet - Fall Unveiling - August 27 - Lincoln Village, North Scottsdale

The perk and best part about living here in AZ: Getting to shop great on trend finds without breaking my wallet - at My Sister's Closet! 

... Back to packing for my trip, which has felt like doing a wardrobe pull for a fashion show! I'm super excited to be heading home to the east coast next week! It's been TWO YEARS since I've seen my mom and over TEN years since I've seen my Godmother - or been back to Jersey!

Here's a sneak peek at what I'm packing...

 

 

I may be going 'gaga' right now for leopard and camo, but I don't think I'll go here...

Yes: This is a Camo Chair - No doubt in part thanks to the Duck Dynasty craze... but I'm sure someone will thrift a chair and DIY this shortly!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

MASTER BEDROOM - STYLE GUIDANCE ON A SMALL BUDGET

Not all makeovers are overwhelming before and afters with big reveals. Sometimes, especially when working with a small budget, a homeowner just needs a little guidance of how to pull together a look and where to shop. Recently, I was referred to a few homeowners who needed just that: style guidance. One need help with her master bedroom - the others I'll share in a future post. After meeting with this homeowner in her home to discuss colors and style likes, I pulled together a simple 2D style board for her bedroom, including a list of sourced items (and a few options) staying relatively close to her budget. Since she will be doing the space herself, she can set the pace for where and when her money is spent. The homeowner needed color options + window + bedding selections and a few accents (lamps + bench + chair + pillows) to work with her existing five piece espresso bedroom set. Although I had suggested breaking up the set by relocating a piece or two to another room, she wanted them all to stay. To help keep the expense low, I planned minimal accessorizing: Two simple hurricane candles and a large metal disc above bed (she mentioned she doesn't like mirrors). All a great way to refresh a room with espresso furniture in  shades of grey and white.

 Master Bedroom Style Board

Most bedding textiles from Pottery Barn - Bench or pair of tufted storage ottomans for end of the bed from Overstock / Target - Lamps from Target, but can also be found at HomeGoods - Glass Hurricanes from Crate & Barrel - Hammered Metal Disc from Pottery Barn, but also had spotted similar one for half at HomeGoods. Since the bed only had one side table, I suggested adding a pedestal table to the other side to bring balance to the bedroom, plus a surface  for balanced lighting. Since most of the homes here in AZ have a warm buttery yellow on the walls, a light or medium grey (like Nimbus from Benjamin Moore) will be a refreshing change.

Room Style Inspiration...

 

 

 Although it wouldn't fit within homeowners current budget, she had also requested the adjacent master bathroom get an update as well. Most finds for both the bedroom and the bathroom I had sourced online (some even on sale), however, additional savings can be made shopping locally at Pottery Barn, Target and HomeGoods...

 

Loved this hammered metal disc from HomeGoods, Chandler - 36" round only $99

 Master Bed & Bath Style Board with Before Pics

The bathroom had two vanities - one with space for a bench, or keep the stool she had and add under the counter storage with basket drawers. The drawers would help clear off the counter. A tray can hold a candle and a collection of apothecary jars (filled with soaps, sea sponges). A basket on the counter can hold (white) wash cloths and remove the builder installed towel rings. A plaque with hooks can replace the builder installed towel bar and Lowe's has reasonably priced light fixtures to update the Hollywood styled light bar. I also had suggested either replacing mirrors or retro-fitting them with Mirror Mate.

 Fun to do - Happy to help!

Thanks for stopping by,

THANK YOU HOMEGOODS & NEW FAB FINDS!

In August, I had shared with you my upcoming collaboration with HomeGoods. The pinterest partnership has been a fantastic collaboration of 10 Interior designers sharing their Tips & Tricks for home styling using products from HomeGoods in their projects. The partnership is really taking off - having been shared from HomeGoods through their 750k email connections, tweeting images & tips from the board, and even highlighting some pinned images onto their Facebook page. While inside my local HomeGoods this weekend, I not only saw the Happy By Design in store poster, but I also heard the announcement on their store music system, which I happily shared with a nearby HG Team member: "I'm one of the designers pinning to your board!" She said - "Wow! How cool is that?! Will have to check it out!"You can too - See all the contributed pins at Happy By Design on Pinterest...

 

 Here's my most recent fab finds I spotted and picked up at HomeGoods using my HG gift-card. Some other fab finds have been strong color statements like yellow (Read: Hues You Can Use: Get Happy By Design With Yellow) and great on-trend prints (Read: Pattern Play at HomeGoods)

 

Designer Program - in store poster at HomeGoods - Chandler, AZ

While inside HomeGoods - Listen for the announcement about the Pinterest Partnership!

Link to Pinterest board from the HomeGoods website... 

 

Email Blast sent to 750,000 HomeGoods connections!

 

I've been a loyal HomeGoods shopper for well over the past 10 years - I'm very happy to be participating in their designer program - Always love to 'go home happy' with new finds from HomeGoods - for our home and client projects too! 

 

 My Style Savings Tip: Shop the bedding section in stores like HomeGoods to find great deals on EURO sham covers - A great way to update larger sofa pillows for a seasonal change!

The above image is one of my photos I shared on the board which has not only been repinned 433 times, but HomeGoods has also shared the image on their HomeGoods Facebook page - where it has been shared over 775 times and  received over 12,000 Likes!!! (See at HomeGoods Facebook Page)

I'm blown away - THANK YOU!! 

Thanks for the likes, repinning and stopping by!

 

Note: This post is sponsored by HomeGoods and the Happy By Design project. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.