20. Start My Decorating Folder.

This task is technically complete, it was one of the first tasks that I crossed off my list all the way back in May when I started this project [catch up here].  The whole purpose behind the decorating folder was to finally create a catch all for the ideas, projects and articles I come across in the many magazines I read.  I use to keep the entire magazine for one article, but that was pointless because then the magazine, and subsequently the one thing I wanted to keep, got buried under lots of other stuff, got misplaced, or got thrown out.  I'd been talking about a decorating folder forever, even bluffing to people that I already had one, hey at least I had the idea for one, right?  That must count for something.  I finally buckled down and created one, and have been adding to it ever since.

After my first post, I got some really great feedback from a fellow blogger Justagirl who suggested that I make little notes on Post It's to remind myself what I liked about the picture/article/project.  Even if the note was something simple like, 'love the pillow fabric' or 'great floor tiles', it would be extremely helpful when pulling out pages and pages of pictures someday in the future.  I thought this was a fantastic suggestion and went through my entire folder and made notes for everything.  She was right, even though I made the folder less than a year ago, there were a few things that confused me.  I sat there thinking 'Why did I rip this out?  What did I like about this idea?  And even a few 'I don't think I like anything in this picture.'  It was a great reason to go through all my finds again, and remind myself what I loved about them.  Thanks Justagirl for the great suggestion!

Number 20. Start My Decorating Folder.

The whole idea behind my decorating folder was to have a place to store all my magazine cutouts of houses, furniture, accessories, craft ideas and recipes in one spot.  It wasn't really intended to be a craft/recipe folder as well, but after reading about 20 Martha Stewart Living Magazines, the folder has started to morph.  Prior to this organizational wonder, I would rip a page out of a catalog, dreaming of my living room one day being renovated or decorated just like it.  Ask me where that picture is right this minute?  I have no clue!  I had been thinking about starting a folder for a while now, but never really buckled down to do it.    Thankfully, this list made me really motivated!


I was thinking that I just needed a file folder, one pocket with one lone tab at the top, to store all my pictures.  Obviously, if this was going to be a 'decorating folder' the folder needed to be decorated.  I didn't want just a plain manila folder, it needed to be colorful and pretty.  Obviously pretty.  I stopped off at Anthropologie, one of my favoritest stores ever, to see if they had any decorative office supplies.  I couldn't find what I wanted, BUT I did pick up the ca-utest dress, ON SALE!  So the trip was obviously a win.  I decided that a place like Kinko's or Target would have more of what I was looking for.  Kinko's you ask?  I had just been there a few days before and saw that they had some really cute stationary items.  If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn't have believed it either.  I ended up buying a really intense green accordion filing folder 'system' with laminated tabs and an elastic band to keep it closed.  This was a far cry from my manila folder idea.  Once I saw the binder, I knew that it would be perfect.  I could create a tab for every room in my make-believe house and keep everything UBER organized.  My tabs are as follows:


Bedrooms
Kitchen/Bathroom
Living Room
Dining Room
Den
Office
Entryway
External
Yard
Organize
Furniture
Miscellaneous


I started going through old Martha Stewart Living Magazines, looking for rooms, furniture, colors, pictures, crafts, fabrics or any other kitch that I liked.  I then ripped the pages out and filed them neatly in the correct pocket.  My misc. pocket is getting a little hefty already, so I may need to rethink my tabs.  My mom laughed when I rattled off all the different categories, saying "you think you're going to have bathroomS, and an office, and a den, plus living room and $50,000 kicthen?"  Good point mom, but I can dream!  Even if I buy a little teeny tiny house some day, I have all the ideas now to make it my own.


For the record, I am obsessed with houses.  I check listings on a most likely daily basis and watch hours upon hours of real estate shows on HGTV.  I even have wrap around porches, stain glass windows and wainscoting as interests on my Facebook profile.  Honestly, who has wainscoting as an interest??  ME!  I even watched a TV special on how to install it myself - I.AM.READY.


That Martha Stewart is REALLY crafty.  I started finding all these interesting articles on how to clean and store antique linen, how to patch holes in a cardigan, how to make a Meyer Lemon Crepe Cake, as well as honey walnut buttons.  This is why my misc. section is overflowing.  Someday I plan on making shadow boxes out of my future daughters teeny weenie sunglasses and I am going to be SO happy I have my MSL (Martha Stewart Living) instructions.

Speaking of random, yet educational and insightful articles, MSL really loves themselves some champagne.  I knew that I was destine to read this magazine when I came across the photo gallery of vintage and antique champagne glasses.  This, my friends, is where I had a major brainstorm.  I LOVE champagne, like really truly love, and drink it whenever and wherever I can.  I went to a wedding once, that was open bar, and I swear that champagne flute never left my hand.  The bartenders knew me and pulled out the bottle as I walked over.  That's my kind of service.  Getting back on track, I was pretty impressed and fascinated with the variety of shapes, colors, details and styles of champagne glasses.  I also really love antique stores, flea markets and yard sales, and thought that it would be pretty fabulous if I started to collect vintage champagne glasses.  I imagine having a party in my perfectly decorated house, and serving champagne is a variety of glasses.  In the summer months, my mom and I like to go up to Ipswich and Essex and poke around white elephant shops.  They always have random glasses for sale, but I've never looked at them since there are usually just one of a kind.  This lends itself perfectly to my plan!  I can shop in different stores and pick up one style here, another one here, and eventually amass a pretty cool collection.  I envision this collection displayed in my craftsman detailed built-in hutch in my clapboard cottage on Nantucket.  Obvi everyone is welcome to visit.  I'll add a picture of a picture to someone show what I'm talking about.  If you need any other visuals, just bing 'vintage champagne glasses' and have a look for yourself.  I only say bing because they had more pictures than google, yes I already looked.