design » The Adventures of Noah

Color Schemes – part 2

Apr 102012

So, back at the drawing board, I decided to take a little different path to figure things out. I’d been using something called Olioboard to create mood board/room scenes for the other rooms in the house and thought it would be great for this. So, out to fabric.com I went for more fabric inspiration that I could take to Olio to pair up.

I grabbed an image of our actual crib and rocker and then went from there by adding fabrics and matching dressers (the dresser will hopefully be mine from my childhood painted whatever color. I just hope it’s in good enough shape to use…)

This first one has our original dragonfly fabric and chevrons. I added a damask in turquoise and a plum pattern too. I think all the patterns are just too big and the dragon flies feel out of place. This is when I started digging the turquoise dresser.

Option 2 was my first attempt with new fabrics. I love the chevron and damask so I found a neat paisley to go with it. still a little overwhelming but in the right proportions it could work.

DH was drawn to the birds fabric so I did one up for him. I put a pink dresser in here originally but he wanted orange. So there you have it. I’m kind of digging this..

This option (4 now? sheesh)…reduces the number of fabrics and introduces a stripe instead of the chevron (but you can be sure i’ll find a way to get a chevron in there!!). The pattern on the flowery fabric is simpler which I think I kind of like.

and last but not least, my pink dresser. For someone who said they didn’t want pink, I really kind of dig this. The paisley is busy for sure but oh so pretty. I can do the bed skirt in the dots, chevrons, and a solid (maybe that blue). Then use the paisley in the curtains or some other accent.

So that’s where I am today…kind of stuck. I dont want to order 30 more dollars of fabric that I’m not going to use but I need to see these in person. I figure for now I’ll just keep staring at the mood boards and see what sticks..:)

What do you guys think? what option is your favorite?

Color Schemes – part 1

#2, design No Responses »

Apr 092012

I don’t know what it is about girls but my brain has been buzzing with color schemes, crafts, and things to make for her. I was crazy with Noah for sure but this takes the cake. I’ve ordered fabric to make a quilt and am just about ready to order the fabric for her dust ruffle and curtains. Not to mention the yards of skinny elastic and folder over elastic that arrived today! Like I said on Facebook – good thing I have 4 months still!

Anywho, this is about color schemes. I had a whole post written with my original few color schemes and the one that “won” at the time but the more I looked at it the less happy I was with it. So, i’ll break this up in to two posts to show the progression and where I am now (which i’m not positive will be the final resting place but we’ll see).

When I started to pick out colors I didn’t want anything too too girlie. I don’t know why, guess I’m just not your typical pink mamma (although, don’t get me wrong – pink rocks…just not for her room). However, I’m starting to rethink that just a bit. Plus, I’m stuck with taupe colored neutral walls (because DH refuses to add anything else to his mile long honey do list) so I had to pick around that.

I started with a few color tools to get a sense of what I liked (MyColortopia, Design-seeds.com, and Pinterest) and then went to fabric.com to find some fabric inspiration for her bedding.

The first option has pink in it and I really liked it but the fabric is back ordered until late May and I’m waaaaaay too impatient to wait for it. Plus, I wanted lime green, not olive. I could totally dig this scheme though.

The next one was again more olivey than limey if you get what I mean. Still great colors in my book but not quite what I was looking for. Plus the patterned fabric was suuuuuuper expensive.

Option 2

This last one is our original winner (and surprisingly – or not – the first set of swatches I ordered). I love the whimsical dragonfly and the pop of the orange against the green. The purple is magenta/plum so finding a coordinating solid is a little challenging. I could see a purple dresser in there too…

Winning Option

My plan was to do the bedskirt in a solid plum, the green basket weave and the dragon fly. Then curtains would be white on top and the the bottom 2 or so feet will be either the chevron or the green basket weave and the dragon fly. I also ordered some flannel in coordinating fabrics to make a baby quilt for her to use when she’s bigger (some of which will now become burp cloths and bibs since I think I’m abandoning this completely).

The turn came when the fabric actually arrived and I started to pair it. Nothing worked for me…not like it did online. Perhaps it was my excitement but in reality it just wasn’t working. My mom agreed. So….back to the drawing board of sort….and on to part 2.

So..whacha think?

design 5 Responses »

Mar 312011

I still have some finishing touches to put on it and some testing to do but for the most part the overall look and feel is done. The template I found is AWESOME and soo customizable. There are lots of features in it that I haven’t even touched yet but hope to in the future.

Lemme know what you think!

New Design Help!

design No Responses »

Mar 242011

Okay, I’ve had this blog design over a year now and I think it’s high time to change it up. Problem is, I’m not all the creative or gifted graphically. So, I’m going to put this out there and see if any of my bloggy readers would want to help or know of designers who want to help. I’m not averse to paying for their services, but I’m not made of money:) Here are the requirements:

1. Must work with WordPress (self hosted) – I can install it and even do minor configuration. I need someone to do the actual design, cutting it up, and the CSS.
2. Needs to be cute but clean – i’m over the green background. I’m thinking white with pops of color in the buttons and navigation.
3. Need to incorporate a picture or few in the header (give me an xcf or photoshop file and I can add my own)
3. Need to be social media ready (well, twitter and RSS feed at least)
4. Needs a nav bar like I have there so I can add more pages/items.
5. I’m open to a different column configuration (like maybe a wide main body, one side bar, and a footer instead of two side bars.)
6. I’ll need a new button too:)

Color themes I love (for buttons and accents) from Kuler

So….here’s the deal. Email me (info at kloepping dot com) or comment with your best sales pitch:) Examples of past work are a must. I promise to promote you on my humble little blog and in twitter and you can use your masterpiece as part of your portfolio (I’m nice like that..haha).

I’ll take proposals until Thursday of next week and then I’ll make my decision (that is if I get any responses..).

Love and want…

Christmas Ideas, design, fashion 2 Responses »

Nov 182010

I’ve seen a number of other blogging momma with these beautiful necklaces on and upon further searching I found out where they were from. Lisa Leonard Designs makes these adorable yet so beautiful necklaces.

If anyone is looking for a Christmas idea for me…hint…hint….my three favorites are below (yes, i know that was shameless…)

PickySticky….

design, DIY, Maternity Products, photography No Responses »

Nov 082010

I get asked a lot about the numbers on Noah’s belly in each of the month pictures. I hate to reveal all my secrets but I guess for you guys I can tell you this one:)

….they’re stickers!

I saw them during my TheBump.com and TheNest.com days and just had to have a set! There are lots of companies now that sell them (just look at Etsy.com) but ours came from Pickysticky.com.

So, at last count I know 20 women that are pregnant at this very moment and these make perfect gifts:)

I’m not connected to PickySticky nor was I promoted to post this on their behalf. I just love the product and thought I’d share the love:)

Crafty crafty…

design, DIY No Responses »

May 162010

I’ve seen these marble magnets on a variety of different blogs and thought, “hey, I can do that”…and I did! So happy with how they turned out! I need bigger magnets for the larger ones but the tiny ones work perfectly!

I’ve been trying out new crafty items to see what works, is easy and cost efficient in preparation for a big fundraiser later in the fall for Nothing but Nets (blog to come on that).

I found directions over at Not Martha – super easy project with super cute results….

Mom’s day present…

design, photography No Responses »

May 142010

I’m double posting this one to my baby blog and my photography blog because they’re actually related this time! So, my mom has been talking about this one particular picture of Noah – one of my favorites too (so much so it’s part of my header up there on Little Kloep) that I wanted to do something special for mom’s day for her (because you can only buy your mom so much jewelry and mine’s allergic to flowers). So, I went out to BayPhoto and looked for a the best way to represent that photo for her (because printing and framing is so yesterday..:) ).

I ended up ordering one of their ThinWrap products with a metallic finish and I’m in LOVE! So in love that I was anxious to give it to mom and totally forgot to take pictures of it…haha…they’re now hanging over the mantel at her house in Pittsburgh – 4 hours away from where I am.

I ordered an 8×12 print that came wrapped and mounted on masonite board which made it super sturdy. Then they took a block of dense foam and attached it to the back so that when you hung it on the wall it stood off the wall by about .5 inches giving an even more awesome effect! The print itself was metallic which is something new for me. It’s a very subtle sheen that when viewed at the right angle makes the image pop off the page. It adds that extra dimension that makes the picture stunning (not that a photo of Noah wouldn’t be stunning any way you presented it -this was just xtra stunning…haha).

I don’t have pics of what I gave my mom (I’ll have to take a few when we go home next) but I did pull a few from BayPhoto’s site…

The top image is of the finishes. We have the very bottom on there – metallic with a satin finish. You can see the canvas and the satin finishes as well. The bottom image is a view of the back – very well put together.

Anywho – I’ve not been asked by BayPhoto to review these, I just did it because I loved how everything turned out and thought others might find this useful! I know we’ll be trying other products from BayPhoto in the future and I’ll feedback on those just as I did this one (but hopefully with some pics of the actual product!:) ).

New Bloggy Badge…

design 1 Response »

May 062010

Lookie over there —> See it? Yes, thanks to new bestest friend Jenn @ South of Sheridan I have a new adorable bloggy button to share!! Thanks so much Jenn for helping me put that together!!!:)

Life as art…

design, photography 2 Responses »

May 062010

I don’t usually talk about giveaways in my normal blog posts but this one is too good not to share! Modern Bird Studios is using the power of viral marketing to get their art out there and these designs are fantastic! So fantastic that I’ve entered every giveaway I see in hopes of winning one of these beauties!

From their website –

Modern Bird Studios creates personalized, modern art from your photographs. Each work is a one-of-a-kind, original studio piece created with a combination of digital, hand, and painting processes on an Oak composite. We take your photograph, and break it down into a two-color image, which results in abstract shapes that make up the form. We then choose two contrasting colors to create the painting. The result is a marriage between technology and traditional painting to create a totally hip urban-style art piece that enriches your home.

How cool is that?? And I have just the perfect picture! Want one for yourself? Go to Boutique Cafe to enter the giveaway..or better yet, don’t – I want to increase my odds of winning:) (but do follow Modern Bird on twitter and fbook – they’re hilarious!)

Cross your fingers for me please!