Monthly Archives: September 2011

September 22, 2011 · 11:40 pm

Vintage Handkerchief Inspired Nursery

Turquoise, lavender and peach were the request of my latest client for her nursery.  Vintage childrens’ handkerchiefs and animal planters immediately came to my mind when I envisioned that color combination.  Luckily a vintage style was also what suited my client who loves quilts and sweet girly decor.

Vintage Handkerchief Inspired Nursery Rendering by Nikki Berry

This being an eDesign service my design suggestions had to be currently available and accessible to order online.  To achieve a vintage feel from modern products I focused on the color scheme and mixed and match bedding.  Like a quilt, if the colors work together the patterns don’t matter as much.  The client prefered to have the wall paint a light turquoise and with that as a starting point I added purple and turquoise softgoods to balance out the color weights. Peach is not a color that is not currently trending in the product market, so it is to be added in the accessories and vintage finds that the client is currently searching for herself.  I did suggest to paint the ceiling a slight peach color that compliments the warm wood flooring and gives the color a purposeful presence as other peach items are curated in the room.

Vintage Handkerchief Inspired Nursery Design Board

Vintage Hankie Inspired Design Board

Drapery- Land of Nod: purple damask /Anthtropologie: white floral

Vintage Hankies – Fine Collection Store Ebay

Paint –

Fabrics – Etsty Shops: Grimmlynns & Cottonthreadfabrics.  Fabric.com: Jennifer Paganelli & Michael Miller

Quilt – Custom made by CarleneWestberg, Quiltville Etsy Shop

Lamp – Pottery Barn Kids

Knobs – Pottery Barn Kids

Rug – Land of Nod

Bird Art – Rosenberry Rooms

Pillow -Anthropologie

Bumper – Land of Nod

Crib Sheet – New Arrivals, Inc: Pinwheel Punch baby bedding

Mobile – Custom made by Nature Child Etsy Shop

Fairy Art -Rosenberry Rooms

While my client awaits her new arrival she plans to scour flea markets and antique stores for a few childrens’ handkerchiefs and animal planters in just the right colors.  In case she isnt feeling up to it, the lovely people on Etsy have got vintage finds covered.  Here are 12 vintage items that would fit right in as accessories and craft project materials for this nursery.

Vintage childrens' hankie and planters for a nursery

Vintage Childrens’ Hankies and Nursery Planters

1.Wefleaqueens Etsy Shop 2. Flintcreekvintage Etsy Shop 3. Dustylorraine Etsy Shop 4. Bbbdesigns Etsy Shop

5. Robysnesty Etsy Shop 6. Sosovintage Etsy Shop 7. Twolittleowls Etsy Shop 8. Wildwoodsummer Ebay

9. Murdups Etsy Shop 10. Bewitchingvintage Etsy Shop 11. Flintcreekvintage Etsy Shop 12. Gypsyrosalie.com

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September 12, 2011 · 11:35 pm

In Remembrance: September 11, 2001

9/11 Memorial Lights

Although we are blessed to have no particular person to morn on this day we are touched by the memorial that happens every year.  Our 1st NYC apartment at 71 Broadway had a living room view into Ground Zero.  For 3 years we listened to the bells, saw the lights and took in the somber feelings that are all around Lower Manhattan on this day. Im proud that 10 years later Americans still show so much respect for 9/11.  Its not a “holiday” with BBQs and fireworks, its a memorial day of a different type that our country should never change.  A day of remembrance and reflection of what America lost.  In 10 more years there will be children that are adults that were not around when those planes changed our lives.  How will the next generation learn to respect this day?  We have to teach our children, we have to go to these memorials each year to see our service men in uniform, hear their stories and see the pictures of the people who perished.  Every year I see new pictures of 9/11 published and it is what reminds me of how horrible it was, like a yearbook or family photo album, I am taken back, I remember.   We went to Lower Manhattan for a few hours yesterday evening, the memorial lights are especially nostalgic to us as they are situated behind our old building and every year made our apt glow from the close proximity. All of BPC and FiDi was filled with people, but like the weather the mood was somber and unnaturally quiet. The actual memorial was only open to families but we plan to attend the next chance we get.  I am sharing some of lasts nights pictures and a few that we took while living in 71 Broadway with the memorial lights shining just behind our building on top of the Battery Tunnel parking garage.  I was very pleased that my new camera picked up the lights and glows that are so beautiful in NYC.

Macy in front on One World Trade Center - Freedom Tower 9/11/2011

One Life - One Flag, nearly 3,000 flags in Battery Park

Flag of Honor, each listing the names of those who perished on 9/11

Flags of Honor - Battery Park 2011

Statue from WTC that was not crushed in the fall. Now lives in Battery Park. 9/11 Memorial lights & Flags of Honor

9/11 Memorial lights and the Freedom Tower 2011

Trinity Church, 71 Broadway & 9/11 Memorial Lights 2011

9/11 Memorial lights from roof top of 71 Broadway 2008

9/11 Memorial Lights 2008

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September 7, 2011 · 8:51 pm

Manhattan Cowgirl Birthday Party

Macy's 6th Birthday Cake

Fall is on its way and it has me thinking about cooler weather and fall parties.  Hot cider & cinnamon doughnuts, hay rides & barn parties.  A Cowgirl theme seems like a perfect fall birthday party theme to me.  Macy’s 6th birthday was Cowgirl themed…..but in NYC….in August…. and those city kids loved it! This is the first birthday party she had in NYC.  We had flown back home to Tennessee the previous 2 years.  If we had went to Tennessee for this party, it surely would have been in a barn, as we have plenty of family and friends with barns!  But Macy’s party was a “Manhattan Cowgirl” party, on a beautiful roof top garden of our apartment building in Lower Manhattan. This was the last party that she invited both boys and girls from her class.  Besides the heavy dose of pink the party it was gender friendly in games and activities and of course I didnt send the boys home with the pink boot favor bag…I got red ones for them and I used red and blue in some of the decorations too.

Macy's Cowgirl Birthday Cake

Cowgirl Cake

The centerpiece of the party was her Cowgirl cake made with layers of cow print, handkerchief paisley and rope detail.  The topper was a fondant Cowgirl hat.  For this cake I did a buttercream and fondant combination on the icing and decorations

Cowgirl Hat Invitation

For the invitation I choose a water colored hat by Julia D. Azar Designs.  I promise I really do make her invitations myself almost every year, but this was the year after the very labored Under the Sea shaker invitations and I needed a year off!

Lower Manhattan Roof Top Party

Macy's 6th Birthday On Our Lower Manhattan Roof Top

Who needs a barn with hay bales when you have this view for a party?  We were proud to host many parties on the roof top and club room of our building at 71 Broadway.  The view is amazing!  In the top picture the water beyond is the Hudson River and the New York Harbor.  In the bottom picture is the space that Trinity Church sits in and just to the right of the large black building you can see the Empire State building. Not visible from this picture, but we have many others, is a view right into Ground Zero.

Cowgirl (and Boy) Games

To keep the kids busy we played a few games.  “Lassoing the Horse” was tossing a hula hoop over a stuffed horse.  There was a “Stick Horse Race” in which they had to gallop (skip) to win. And a pull string pinata, I only do the pull string kind for safety (I was the kid that got hit in the face with the pinata stick growing up).  We’ve had some funny pinata stores over the years, this year the kid that grab hold of the magic string pulled so hard the pinata horses body came detached from its head.  Jake and I thought it was halirous….a few other parents watching…not so funny.

Cowgirl and Cowboy Dress up pictures

During the party I photographed many of the guests in Cowgirl or Cowboy costumes that we provided.  Some of the girls even showed up in their own cowboy boots, that made it even better.  My sister changed the color of the picture to sepia and added their names in a cowboyish style font in Picnik. Macy sent the prints as keepsakes in their thank you notes.

Macy's 6th Birthday Cowgirl Party Wear

 Planing for Macy’s party outfit is always apart of the party process.  This year she was ecstatic that we ordered her a real hat and boots from Texas!  Pairing them with a tutu and embellished tank made them more her style and her Cowgirl Party outfit was so cute that we had her picture made in it.
YA’LL COME BACK, YA HEAR!

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September 5, 2011 · 11:39 pm

Nikkiikkin Design Studio On Etsy

Ive been a Etsy shopper for years, but now Im a seller too!  Its long over due and was nearly as time consuming to set up as a blog, phew!  I plan on selling party supplies like printables and decorations to start.  I will soon be venturing into making Fondant Cake Kits for the shop too.  Im super excited about these, check back later to hear what they are all about!

Woodland Dessert Table Kit for sale on Etsy

Currently at the Grand Opening, I have listed my Woodland Dessert Table Kit.  This kit includes many handmade items as well as supplies to set up an amazing tablescape like Macy’s Woodland Fairie Party Table.  As a bonus a scavenger hunt game is included with the kit.  Check out the listing here: update this item was sold, but please contact me if you interested in me creating a tablescape for you!

Macy and her Woodland Fairy Dessert Table

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