quotage :: name it, claim it

It's usually the other way around.  We've all heard it - maybe even said it - "I'll believe it when I see it."  It's a decree full of distrust, cynicism, and doubt.  But when you think positively and declare joy, peace, and victory into your every day life, you'll soon see the results of that belief.  It's not magic, it's simply that we live what we believe.  If we expect the bad, we usually see the bad.  And if we expect good?  Let me tell ya, good will follow suit in some way or other.Look for the good & believe that it exists.

Turning 40 :: Celebrations

Well you guys.....my 40th birthday is just around the corner and it is also Independence Day here in the USA this weekend! Two very fun things that are definitely going to be celebrated by me {wink!}.....but here at Knack we want to share the celebration love! So, this little coupon gets you 40% off {forty percent off folks!} one item in the shop. Any item you choose.....including furniture.....but it can only be one item, so choose wisely! You all have been shopping away here at Knack, and we want you to know how much we appreciate your support! Come snag that special item you have been dreaming about! The coupon code for online shopping will be: "40isfun" so....all of our online shoppers... this is for you too!There are only a few items that are excluded from the sale and here they are : Custom carved whales by Gene Claiborne, Emily Jeffords paintings, and rugs. The "40 is fun sale" will only run THIS Friday July 4th and Saturday July 5th from 10am -3 pm, and you must either print off your coupon {above} or show it to me on your phone to receive the discount!Come on....let's celebrate! Sale starts in 47 hours!

living with :: Aureliana

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5Aureliana, our deep blue square side table, is the color of a clear night sky, and has a bold sturdy presence in whatever room she lives in.  Patterned with a delicately graphic black and white surface, she adds depth and charm instantly.This babe begs to be beside a comfy couch, complete with a warm throw and a sassy pillow, ready to hold your popcorn while you watch a scary movie.

knack stories :: Evadne and the Bradleys

"So here is the story of our desk. There were many changes going on in our lives. We had just had our third son, we had moved to a beautiful new home and we had decided that I would "retire" from the restaurant world and become a stay at home mom and manager of my husbands business. With the new home came some much needed space and the need for furniture to fill that space. With managing the business came the need for a designated work space. Being the ever-practical women that I am I saw this as an opportunity to "kill 2 birds with 1 stone" as they say. So the search began for a nice piece that would be not only be beautiful but also functional. It was not an easy search. All we found to begin with was flimsy particle board or ugly, over sized industrial desks. We finally found it in our wonderful "Evadne"! I now have a space that is dedicated to work, and a piece that makes my work space beautiful and functional! I love the details, the size and subtle femininity of the desk. I also love the functional drawers and organizing space. "Evadne" has been a wonderful addition to our home and lives." -Rachel Bp.s. If you all would love to see the beautiful work of Joseph Bradley click here.....and don't blame me when you want to buy every painting! I love to see a successful artist doing what he loves...and a wife who partners right along with him! So cool!** Send us YOUR Knack stories! Show us how you are living with what you love! **

behind the scenes :: signs and signifiers

pulling the paper off of our brand new vinyl signs // fresh floral arrangement brought to us by Katelyn of ModFete // front view of the shop with our new signage // meeting folks at the Pickens flea market // Devlin and Brian of Creativebug, doing their thing // a sweet postcard drawing by Courtney Cerruti of CreativebugLast week, a team from Creativebug was here from San Francisco to film us teaching a series of classes that will soon be available online.  We were unsure what to expect, as this is a new venture for us, but by Friday afternoon we were so sad to see them go.  The week was chock full of laughter, hard work, learning, and forging new friendships. It was an amazing opportunity, and an even more amazing encounter with creative, kind individuals that we will never forget.This week, things are back to "normal".  But around here, normal is never boring.  We got some new vinyl signage for our shop windows, and are painting a big canvas flag with our logo to fly outside.We like change around here.  It means we are moving forward, and that's a good feeling.

quotage :: the present moment

 The present moment is hard to hold onto.  It's all too easy to look back, and regret. To look forward, and wish.But what if we lived in the moment? How much beauty would we witness that would normally pass us by? Life is full of lessons, joy, tears, smiles, tastes, and fleeting moments.I am trying to make presence a habit. To look at my life today and count my blessings.  I encourage you to do the same - find the things in your world that you love. They are there if you look close enough.

Knack Stories :: Artemis

" Barb says "live with what you love", and I happen to think that she is pretty spot-on about that. I am very particular, to a fault, and carefully choose each piece that goes into my home, whether it's a kitchen utensil or a piece of furniture. This piece was originally chosen because I loved its lines, and the rich color of the wood. About 6 years ago, we built a new home, and through that process, my style evolved a bit.; some old pieces had to go, and some new pieces were brought in. This chest made the cut, but it wasn't quite the perfect fit anymore. So of course I turned to my friend, who I knew was a master at giving new life to old loves. Being an artist myself, I arrived at this project with some of my own ideas, but Barb knows furniture like no one I know, and I let her lead me through the process of this makeover. Seamlessly, both of our ideas married themselves together, and I couldn't be more happy with the end result.

I felt like this chest, with its clean lines and flat drawer fronts, was perfectly suited for her color blocking technique, and I chose a favorite throw pillow from which to build the palette. I was also dead set on changing out the drawer pulls, and had already decided which ones to use. That's usually a big part of Barb's furniture makeovers, but this piece spoke differently to her, and I'm so happy with her suggestion to leave the originals. She also suggested we leave one of the drawer fronts in its original, warm wood finish that I was so drawn to when I purchased the chest. It's unexpected and so perfect. The last part of the makeover was the casters. We both love casters on furniture, and knew replacing the original curvy feet would put the finishing touch on giving this piece a personality more aligned with my aesthetic.

I'm so proud of this piece of furniture, now a work of art. It sits in one of my favorite spots in the house, where I can see it all the time. Mostly, I'm proud that it was transformed by my friend, because I know that its makeover was more than a job to her; she puts her heart in every single brush stroke. "Artemis" is my fist Knack masterpiece, but I know for sure it's not the last." - Jennifer B

This was such a fun project to work on with Jennifer, and we absolutely love the way Artemis looks in her gorgeous home! You all may {or may not} remember Artemis from the book? This is how he looks there:

....so you can see , that even though Knack pieces have much personality and color, they are still so versatile and easily incorporated into multiple types of home environments. This thought process is really going to get lots of attention in Knack book 2! We are so excited to show you more of the "how" to live with what you love, and how to incorporate color and personality into every room in your home!

living with :: Philomena

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6Philomena is a piece with Americana charm.  The color of a big midwestern sky, turned wooden knobs, and a strong steady spirit that seems ageless.Americana is a concept we relate to strongly. What we do at Knack reflects the spirit of the genre - taking something broke down and wasted and, through blood, sweat, and sometimes tears, making a beautiful thing that can stand on it's own.So, we styled Philomena with products made or found right here in the USA.